Friday Mini Reviews #97: J.D. Robb, Jaine Diamond & Michelle Sagara




Festive in Death by J.D. Robb (In Death #39)

borrowed on audio

Synopsis from Goodreads


The kitchen knife jammed into his cold heart pinned a cardboard sign to his well-toned chest. It read: Santa Says You've Been Bad!!! Ho, Ho, Ho!
It's Christmas, but Lieutenant Eve Dallas is in no mood to celebrate. While her charismatic husband Roarke plans a huge, glittering party, Eve has murder on her mind.
The victim - personal trainer Trey Ziegler - was trouble in life and is causing even more problems in death. Vain, unfaithful and vindictive, Trey had cultivated a lot of enemies. Which means Eve has a lot of potential suspects. And when she and Detective Peabody uncover Trey's sinister secret, the case takes a deadly turn.
Christmas may be a festival of light, but Eve and Roarke will be forced once more down a very dark path in their hunt for the truth.

Audible US/UK | Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | Book Depository

8/10
Hah! An obvious villain and a despised victim who thought of himself as Casanova, but aside from that I was loving magical Christmas at Eve and Roarke's. Loooovely! t made the investigation pretty uninteresting in comparison. Or am I too jaded?
* * *
Ха! Очевидный злодей да и жертва, которую никто не любил, зато Рождество у Ив и Роарка было просто сказочное. Расследование по сравнению было бледненьким. Или я просто избалована хорошими детективами?

Dirty Like Us by Jaine Diamond (Dirty #0.5)

ecopy thanks to the author

Synopsis from Goodreads
What happens in Vegas… better stay in Vegas.

Maggie Omura has never been a gambling woman. As assistant manager of Dirty, the hottest rock band on the planet, she brings order to the lives of four crazy-ass rock stars.

But when the band lands in Vegas, a streak of bad luck lands Maggie in a bind--and in the penthouse suite, with the last man she'd ever want for a roommate.

Zane Traynor, lead singer of Dirty. Rock god. Sex god. Total nightmare for women.

And the only man who'd make Maggie a proposal so insane it just might work.

A night of chance.
An irresistible gamble...
It's time for Zane and Maggie to go all in.
 


FREE

7.5/10
Well, a surprising read at the least! I am actually looking forward to Maggie and Zane's story now, as it's as intriguing as it's convoluting. *grins* A read well worth your while, peeps. Hot, lively and funny. It's Vegas, there is serious drinking and some silly decisions about. I really enjoyed it!
* * *
Ну и удивила меня эта повесть, ребята! Я теперь с нетерпением жду продолжения истории Магги и Зэйна, так у них всё интригующе переплетено в отношениях. *смеясь* Стоит читать, весело жарко и живо написано. Вегас, попойка и дурацкие решения из неё вытекающие... Мне понравилось!


Cast in Sorrow by Michelle Sagara (Chronicles of Elantra #9)

bought

Synopsis from Goodreads
THE END OF HER JOURNEY IS ONLY THE BEGINNING...

The Barrani would be happy to see her die. So Kaylin Neya is a bit surprised by her safe arrival in the West March. Especially when enemies new and old surround her and those she would call friends are equally dangerous...

And then the real trouble starts. Kaylin's assignment is to be a "harmoniste"-one who helps tell the truth behind a Barrani Recitation. But in a land where words are more effective than weapons, Kaylin's duties are deadly. With the wrong phrase she could tear a people further asunder. And with the right ones...well, then she might be able to heal a blight on a race.

If only she understood the story....
 


Audible US | Amazon US/UK | Amazon kindle US/UK | Book Depository

6/10
To be honest, judging by the plot, book #8 and #9 is one long story split into two parts for no reason. I lost my will to live and couldn't care less if anyone lives or dies. The whole recitation which was the whole point of the journey, which involved many deaths, had hardly any air time and was beside the point. If I was Barrani who went into this journey to hear that recitation I'd be mightily pissed by now.
* * *
М-да, в общем-то, эта книга - продолжение книги предыдущей по сюжетной линии была такой резиной, что мне хотелось резать вены и было по фигу кто умрёт, а кто выживет. Целью всего путешествия, стоившего жизни многих Баррани, был Пересказ Происхождения Расы, но концовка книги практически не уделила ему никакого внимания! Если бы я была Баррани, дожившая до конца, я была бы в бешенстве. Как читатель, требую своё время и деньги обратно.