Audiobook Review: A Wild Ghost Chase by E.J. Copperman

Phantom PI Paul Harrison from the national best-selling Haunted Guesthouse mysteries returns with a tale of his own in a house full of ghosts, secrets, and spectacular oceanside views.…

 

Three years ago in a large Victorian house on the Jersey Shore in the town of Harbor Haven, fledgling private investigator Paul and his client, Maxie Malone, were murdered. Since then, recent divorcée and reluctant ghost whisperer Alison Kerby and her 10-year-old daughter, Melissa, have moved in and converted the place to a guesthouse, where Maxie and Paul are now checked in for an eternity and ready to solve any case that comes their way - or at least spook the guests (who love it). Alison’s got a lot on her plate at the moment, however, so when Paul discovers the 300-year-old ghost of a small boy in the house, he decides not to involve her in the case. The boy, named Eagle of the Sun, says he’s searching for his missing mother. Paul’s happy to help Eagle of the Sun find her, though something about the boy’s story doesn’t add up. But why would a lost little ghost lie?

Series: Haunted Guesthouse Mystery #3.5 | Publisher: Audible| Narrator: James Patrick Cronin | Length: 2 hours 34 mintues | Genre:  Cozy Paranormal Mystery| Source: Publisher | Ratings: Story: 4.5 Cups  Performance: 3 Cups

Challenges Read For: Pick Your Own Genre: Contemporary

Extra guests and bathroom renovations have taken over Alison Kerby’s time so when her daughter, Melissa, and her resident PI ghost, Paul, find a 300-year-old ghost boy playing in the guesthouse closet Paul decides that they’ll handle the situation on their own. With the help of Melissa, Maxie, and Loretta they soon discover the little boy calling himself ‘Eagle of the Sun’ is searching for his mother. Although through research they soon find out that this little ghost boy isn’t telling the truth, now they need to figure out why.

 

So, this one was super short, just a bit over two-and-a-half hours, yet the plot was well-rounded. I really felt that this was a nice addition to the series. For someone bingeing on the series, this was a nice breather before gearing up to tackle the next full-length book in the series.

 

I really liked the mystery in this one. I was kind of expecting it to be short and to the point but I’m happy to report that it was drawn out a bit. Things were reveled slowly allowing me to enjoy each discovery. I also liked that I wasn’t really sure what was going on with the little ghost boy. At first, I was convinced that he was telling the truth, that he was a Native American boy, then as the story progressed and more was revealed, I too started questioning the little boys story. When everything was finally revealed, I made sense and I wondered why I hadn’t picked up on it earlier on.

 

I was so excited when I realized that this was told from Paul’s POV. So far, the full-length books have been told from Alison’s POV, and while we get a good sense of the characters, I’ve always wanted to know more about Paul because he seems to be a bit of a mystery. While there wasn’t too much revealed about Paul that wasn’t already known, which was a bit disappointing, there were a few bits of information thrown in that made him even more interesting. Although we did learn a bit more about Paul’s PI business. 

 

The attraction between Alison and Paul is finally brought up. Alison had briefly mentioned it in previous books, but we finally get to see Paul’s take on it. It’s slightly odd, seeing as he’s a ghost and she’s a living person, but it actually sort of made sense. It was also nice to see Paul acting as a father figure to Melissa. He’s definitely a protector and that shows in the way he acts towards Melissa, Alison, Maxie, and Loretta.

 

As this book was centered, basically, around the mystery there was no romance thrown in making it a nice change.

 

So, I wasn’t overly thrilled about James Patrick Cronin, the narrator. While I could listen to his narration, I felt that it fell a bit flat. His portrayal of Maxie came off as annoying and when he voiced Loretta, Alison’s mom, he made her sound like an old lady. There’s also a mistake where Maxie is called Molly.

 

Overall, while the narrator was lackluster the story made up for it. It was short but well written and worth it.

 

 

Haunted Guesthouse Series

 

Night of the Living Deed

An Uninvited Ghost

Old Haunts

A Wild Ghost Chase

Chance of a Ghost

An Open Spook

The Thrill of the Haunt

Inspector Spector

Ghost in the Wind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Exile: An Outlander Graphic Novel by Diana Gabaldon

Diana Gabaldon’s brilliant storytelling has captivated millions of readers in her bestselling and award-winning Outlander saga. Now, in her first-ever graphic novel, Gabaldon gives readers a fresh look at the events of the original Outlander: Jamie Fraser’s side of the story, gorgeously rendered by artist Hoang Nguyen.

 

After too long an absence, Jamie Fraser is coming home to Scotland—but not without great trepidation. Though his beloved godfather, Murtagh, promised Jamie’s late parents he’d watch over their brash son, making good on that vow will be no easy task. There’s already a fat bounty on the young exile’s head, courtesy of Captain Black Jack Randall, the sadistic British officer who’s crossed paths—and swords—with Jamie in the past. And in the court of the mighty MacKenzie clan, Jamie is a pawn in the power struggle between his uncles: aging chieftain Colum, who demands his nephew’s loyalty—or his life—and Dougal, war chieftain of Clan MacKenzie, who’d sooner see Jamie put to the sword than anointed Colum’s heir.

 

And then there is Claire Randall—mysterious, beautiful, and strong-willed, who appears in Jamie’s life to stir his  compassion . . . and arouse his desire.

 

But even as Jamie’s heart draws him to Claire, Murtagh is certain she’s been sent by the Old Ones, and Captain Randall accuses her of being a spy. Claire clearly has something to hide, though Jamie can’t believe she could pose him any danger. Still, he knows she is torn between two choices—a life with him, and whatever it is that draws her thoughts so often elsewhere.

   

Step into the captivating, passionate, and suspenseful world of The Exile, and experience the storytelling magic of Diana Gabaldon as never before.

 

Series: Outlander .5 | Publisher: Del Rey| Genre: Graphic Novel | Source: Purchased | Rating: 3.5 Cups

Okay, I was a little late to the game with The Exile. I mean, I love Outlander but I’ve never been one to hop on the graphic novel/comic book train and I wasn’t really sure that I would enjoy Outlander in graphic novel form. Then, finally, I broke down and ordered a copy from Amazon.

 

I’m really glad that I finally gave in. The Exile, while vastly different from my normal reading material, was actually interesting. It’s told from the perspectives of Dougal, Colum, Murtagh, Geillis, and Jamie and I enjoyed getting the different points of view. We also see a new character, which intrigued me.

 

The timeframe of this starts before Outlander and ends right before they get to Lallybroch. So readers will recognize certain scenes while others have been added to round out Outlander. There is some Gaelic thrown in, which is another thing I was glad to see in the graphic novel, and the translations are actually included on the same page.

 

The illustrations are gorgeous and expressive although, apparently, every woman in graphic novel land has an overflowing bosom.

 

Overall, this was an interesting read. I liked that it offered different POVs and showed a bit more of what was going on. Although I wanted more.

What’s your take on graphic novels?

Waiting on Wednesday {49}: Much Ado About Muffin by Victoria Hamilton

“Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

I loved Death of an English Muffin, so I’m eager to catch up with this series.

 

Title:  Much Ado About Muffin

Author:  Victoria Hamilton

Publisher:  Berkley

Release Date:  August 2, 2016

 

In this fresh mystery from the national bestselling author of Death of an English Muffin, baker Merry Wynter comes to the aid of an innocent woman accused of murder.

 

When muffin baker Merry Wynter sees an innocent woman accused of murder, it's dough or die...

 

 Opera singer Roma Toscano may have a crippling case of stage fright, but she certainly is stirring up drama in Autumn Vale, New York, as she prepares for an upcoming performance at Merry's Wynter Castle. With her flamboyant style and flirtatious personality, Roma attracts fans as well as critics, including the town's postmistress—and Merry's bitter foe—Minnie Urqhart.

 

 But Roma and Minnie's heated rivalry goes cold after Merry discovers Minnie dead at the post office. While every clue seems to be another ingredient in the investigation of Roma, Merry thinks the case is half-baked, and she's eager to get her mitts on the real killer...

What are you lovelies waiting for?

Unbreak My Heart by Nicole Jacquelyn

What do you do when your soul mate marries your best friend?

If you're Kate Evans, you keep your friend Rachel, bond with her kids, and bury your feelings for her husband. The fact that Shane's in the military and away for long periods helps-but when tragedy strikes, everything changes.

After Rachel, pregnant with her fourth child, dies in a car accident and the baby miraculously survives, Kate upends her entire life to share parenting duties. Then on the first anniversary of Rachel's death, Kate and Shane take comfort in each other in a night that they both soon regret.

Shane's been angry for a year, and now he feels guilty too - for sleeping with his wife's best friend and liking it . . . liking her. Kate's ability to read him like a book may have once sent Shane running, but their lives are forever entwined and they are growing closer.

Now with Shane deployed for seven months, Kate is on her own and struggling with being a single parent. Shane is loving and supportive from thousands of miles away, but his homecoming brings a betrayal Kate never saw coming. So Kate's only choice is to fight for the future she deserves - with or without Shane. . .

 

Series: Unbreak My Heart #1 | Publisher: Forever | Genre: Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher | Rating: 2.5 Cups

Challenges Read For: Pick Your Own Genre: Contemporary

 

 

Kate Evans has been in love with Shane Anderson since the day he showed up at her aunt’s foster home when they were both teenagers. She continued to love him even after he married her best friend and started a family. When Shane’s wife dies in a car accident, Kate steps in to care for Shane’s four children all under the age of ten. When a drunken night ends with Shane and Kate sleeping together and Kate ends up pregnant, Shane’s angry, guilty, and blames Kate for seducing him. With Shane soon deploying, he has no choice but to try to work things out with Kate although Shane’s homecoming brings with it more hurt and Kate must decide what she wants.

 

This book was easy to read—I read 100 pages without even realizing that I read that much—yet I really struggled to like the characters.

 

Shane’s a wanker from the first sentence and, sadly, I never really spotted a redeeming quality about him. He knew how Kate felt about him and he continuously treated her like dirt. He used her when it suited him then treated her as though she had the plague. And it’s not just Kate that he was a wanker to. Anytime someone tried to say anything to him, besides his kids, he turned into a grade A jackass. And he was so quick to blame everyone else.

 

I have no problems with heroes that are broody wankers and a few of them have turned out to be my favorites  but I understood what made them the way they were. There was a solid reason behind their actions. I never really understood the reason behind Shane’s actions. Yes, he was a foster kid—I’m not a fan of the whole angry foster kid trope—but it was mentioned in passing and not really used as the reasoning behind his actions. The fact that he was an angry wanker with no explanation as to why made him unredeemable.

 

I just wanted to shake Kate until she saw a spot of reason. Her entire character seemed to be defined by this crazy one-sided love for a man who treated her like dirt. Yes, she loved the kids, I mean, she practically raised them while he was deployed. Other than the fact that she was a web designer, I didn’t really learn much else about Kate.

 

Characters that are doormats crawl under my skin so it was a bit hard to like Kate because she was content to allow Shane to walk all over her. Even after she claimed she couldn’t put up with it any longer, she still allowed him walk all over her. Honestly, I wanted to see Kate put Shane in his place not allow him to continuously treated her like dirt, but that never happened.

 

I never really felt the chemistry between Kate and Shane. Of course, she loved him and would do anything for him and he occasionally seemed to care for her but there was no chemistry. There was the occasional tumble in bed, but most of the vital relationship building stage happened while he was deployed overseas. When Shane finally decides he’s in love with Kate, I never really felt he was actually sorry or was actually going to change. It almost seemed a little too little, a little too late.

 

While I like angst-driven reads, they need balance to fully satisfy me and there was never really a break in the angst. The plot and the characters were angst-driven and it eventually became annoying.

 

Overall, I’m not really sure why I kept reading this one but I couldn’t put it down. I think I was hoping that I would find a redeeming quality to Shane but, sadly, that never happened. I was a little let down that nothing really seemed to change.

 

Do you like angsty reads?

Bacon Ranch Pasta Salad with Summer Veggies

I’ve really been getting into playing around with Summer salads. Last week, I featured the Tomato, Cucumber, and Avocado Salad, so this week I thought I would share one of my favorite pasta salads.

 

This recipe is super simple to make, which is what I like in the Summer and if you keep it on ice, it will be a big hit a cookouts.

 

Ingredients

 

Pasta (cooked to al dente)

1 Packet of Kraft Ranch Dressing*

1 Cup of Mayo*

½ Cup of Bacon Bits

1 Large Yellow Zucchini

1 Pint of Tomatoes (any small tomato will work)

Blue Cheese Crumbles

 

*Not a fan of Mayo, skip it and the ranch dressing packet and use your favorite ranch dressing instead. I’m a fan of Ken’s Steakhouse Ranch Dressing.

 

1-Cook pasta to al dente and allow to drain.

2-In a medium bowl combine mayo, ranch dressing packet and bacon bits. Stir together.

3-Cube the zucchini and dice the tomatoes. Shave carrots with a veggie peeler and run a knife through them. Add your veggies to the bowl and mix until combined.

4-Add pasta to the bowl and mix until combined.

5- Top with blue cheese crumbles and serve.

Do you have a favorite Summer Salad?

Waiting on Wednesday {48}: Don’t Tempt Me by Lori Foster

“Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

 

I adore Lori Foster’s writing and not only does this cover look yummy, the description has me drooling to read this book.

 

Title: Don’t Tempt Me

Author: Lori Foster

Publisher:  HQN Books

Release Date: July 26, 2016

Love comes along when it's least wanted

 

Jason Guthrie has no time for entanglements—between helping out his widowed brother and teenage nephew and getting his hometown back on its feet, his days are spoken for. But his nights are another story… And when his lovely new neighbor, Honor Brown, reluctantly accepts his help in remodeling her house, Jason finds himself wishing his handyman skills could knock down the defenses she keeps building around herself.

 

Martial arts teacher Sullivan Dean knows real danger when he sees it—even when it takes the form of the gorgeous blonde helping her friend move in across the street. After putting his wayward past behind him to focus on teaching control to troubled kids, Sullivan has learned to avoid party girls like Lexie Perkins. But Sullivan can't seem to keep his hands off the real woman behind that flirty charm—or keep his heart from landing at her feet…

What are you lovelies waiting for?

Black Rose by Jenna Ryan

Will the bayou with its mysteries protect them or pull them down into its depths?

 

Proprietress of the Rose Noire salon and New Orleans native Mia LeMay has secluded herself in the French Quarter—a place safe for those with secrets—for as long as she can remember. But when Mia is witness to a murder, fear and desire morph into one when agent Rick Ryder barges into her cloistered world.

 

With Mia as his guide they enter the glades of Louisiana looking for a killer, but find more mystery and specters in the swampland. The darkness is a lure to Mia and Rick as they discover attraction in the shadows that are a welcome cover for a killer. Together, as they start to fall in love, nothing is what it seems—least of all the ghosts of their pasts.

 

Series: Shadows #1 | Publisher: Harlequin E-Shivers | Genre: Gothic Romance | Source: Review| Rating: 3.5 Cups

Challenges Read For:  Blogger Shame

Two strangers must work together to bring down a killer, if the bayou doesn’t kill them first.

 

After witnessing a murder outside her salon, Mia LeMay finds her life in danger. When Rick Ryder shows up claiming to be the federal agent sent to protect her, Mia takes him at his word. Now Mia finds herself being dragged deep into the swampland with the killer hot on their heels.

 

It’s only when she starts falling in love with Ryder that she discovers who he truly is.

 

This one was nearly a DNF. I went into the book expecting it to be purely gothic given that it was in the Shivers boxset. What I got was something more along the lines of a thriller with paranormal elements. I ended up putting this one down several times before actually picking it back up to finish it.

 

Mia and Ryder were both enjoyable characters. They were strong characters but they both had their flaws and they both made some questionable decisions along the way. Ryder was a bit mysterious. He lied about who he was and he’s hiding something. It felt that his character was a bit more fleshed-out. Mia was one of those what-you-see-is-what-you-get type of characters. She was easy to like but she felt a bit flat.

 

The murderer was thoroughly creepy yet I’m not clear on his motives. Seeing as this is the first short story is a series, I’m hoping to see more about the murderer’s motive.

The romance between Mia and Ryder seemed a bit out of place and off kilter. There was a touch of chemistry and attraction between them but because the suspense aspect drove the storyline—and it was a novella—, it just seemed to come in at awkward times. A killer was following them and they were staying in a dodgy, sleep-with-one-eye-open establishment yet they had time to have an all-night shag fast just seemed a bit out of place.

 

I went into this book expecting a full-on gothic romance. I’ve read several other novella’s from the Shivers line and they have all had that strong gothic feel. This just didn’t deliver that. It had paranormal aspects but it was far from that spine-tingling gothic atmosphere that I was looking for.   

 

What made me return to this novella was the thriller aspect. The suspense kept me on my toes and really made me want to see the outcome.

 

Overall, I think I would have enjoyed this one if I had went into it knowing it was more of a paranormal thriller rather than a gothic romance.

Are you a fan of gothic romances?

Have you tried Harlequin’s Shivers line?

Audiobook Review: Old Haunts by E.J. Copperman

The ghosts haunting Alison Kerby's Jersey Shore guesthouse are sad. Maxie wants to know who murdered her ex-husband, and Paul pines for his still-living almost-fiancee. The only one who isn't missing her ex is Alison-because The Swine just arrived on her doorstep...
 

Series: Haunted Guesthouse Mystery  #3| Narrator: Amanda Ronconi |Publisher: Audible | Length: 10 hours 1 minute | Genre:  Paranormal Cozy Mystery| Source: Publisher | Rating: Performance and Story 4.5 Cups

Challenges Read For: Pick Your Own Genre: Contemporary

I’m addicted to this series and I have to say, this one has been my favorite thus far.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Alison’s resident ghosts are hoping to convince Alison to snoop around in their past. Maxie wants help investigating the murder of her ex-husband Big Bob, which happens to coincide with Luther Mason hiring her for the same reason. Paul wants help finding Julia McKenzie, the woman he nearly proposed to. And Alison has her own problems. Her ex, she calls ‘The Swine’, just showed up at her door looking for a place to stay. To top it all off, she still has the senior tour group to entertain.

 

There’s so much going on in this one yet it was all handled brilliantly without feeling like a jumbled mess.

 

Alison is starting to get more comfortable with her skills as a private investigator. She’s taking on cases, other than the ones her ghosts bring her and finally starting to hone her own skills as an investigator yet she’s smart enough to know when to bring in help. As she’s searching for clues into Big Bob’s death, we see her venturing out a bit more piecing things together.

 

I liked that I was finally able to see who Maxie is, both when she was alive and now that she is a ghost. Maxie’s not going to be for everyone. She’s a bit childish and annoying, yet I find that I always end up liking her. So, it was nice to see more about how she was when she was alive.

 

It was a bit disappointing that I didn’t get to see more of Paul. I was able to learn more about the woman he was in love with, yet Paul it still a bit of a mystery. Hopefully, more will be revealed about him as the series progresses.

 

The Swine, Alison’s ex-husband, finally made a lengthy appearance. He was trying to convince Alison to give him another chance and using their daughter to do it, so he wasn’t very likable. I was waiting to see the real reason for his visit.

 

There is a slight love-interest thrown in with Luther, Alison’s client. He’s a biker, he owns his own bike shop. He’s not really Alison’s type, but since he hired her to look into Big Bob’s death, they grow closer as they investigate different leads.

I loved the mystery in this one. I had a feeling who it was about half-way through but I still enjoyed watching it unfold. I also loved that the investigation pulled Alison into the world of bikers. It was also entertaining to watch Alison deal with another town’s police force. There were a few red herrings thrown in and an arrest of an innocent party so Alison really did have her hands full.

 

There’s also a side investigation where Alison is searching for Paul’s former love. Surprisingly it didn’t take away from the overall plot but added an extra bit of depth.

 

Once again, Amanda Ronconi does a brilliant job narrating this book. She knows how to add just the right amount of snark to each of the characters while bringing them to life.  

 

Overall, I loved this one. It showed character growth and the mystery was entertaining. And some of the questions book one left me with were finally answered, even though this is book three.  

 

Haunted Guesthouse Series

 

Night of the Living Deed

An Uninvited Ghost

Old Haunts

A Wild Ghost Chase

Chance of a Ghost

An Open Spook

The Thrill of the Haunt

Inspector Spector

Ghost in the Wind