It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (April 30, 2012)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.


This has been one crazy week. I am still battling a virus that has me with itchy, blurry eyes and a cough that is monumental. But it is gradually getting better. I did manage to sleep lying down last night rather than propped to near sitting on a stack of pillows.


Then, the whole Story Siren plagiarism thing happened. As a librarian and teacher, I can't support plagiarists and had to look for a new mailbox sort of meme. I chose Stacking the Shelves from Tynga's Reviews as the one that fit best. Exploring that one has let me meet and follow lots of bloggers I didn't know.


I also got some reading done this week.

Pack of Lies (Red Ridge Pack) by Staci Wever and Sara Dailey was a new arrival for review. It is a werewolf story and I just can't pass those up. I enjoyed it and liked that it was told in the first person from three viewpoints.  My review will be posted on May 2.

Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm was an Amazon Vine pick. I liked this contemporary story about a history nerd solving a mystery and having a romance at a living history museum. The main character was a stitch - loved her sense of fashion. My review will be posted May 10.

The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda was a review book from NetGalley. This is a post-apocalytic vampire story that was well done. I liked the worldbuilding in this one. My review will be posted on May 5.

Pirate King by Laurie R. King was a pick from my TBR mountain. I had added it to the stack on Sept. 7, 2011. It is the latest in the Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell series and has Mary going undercover with a movie company. I liked the quirky characters and the glimpse into the early days of film making. My review will be posted on May 10.

Again this week, I am currently reading two books.

The eARC for Dragon Ship by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller became available on Friday even though the book won't be out until September. I have already pre-ordered the book but had to get the eARC too so that I can read it NOW.

A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix arrived on Thursday via Amazon Vine and jumped to the top of my review stack. It will be released on May 15. This is an epic fantasy in a far future world with trillions of humans, millions of worlds and a number of princes who are vying to become the next Emperor. 

My books for next week are repeats from last week because new arrivals jumped ahead of them in line. They may be sliding down another week yet as I have a couple coming this week from Amazon Vine too which I think are also May releases. Here they are again:

What Doesn't Kill You by Iris Johansen

Locked On by Tom Clancy

And the next two on my review stack:

Of Poseidon by Anna Banks (May 22 release)

Bridge of Time by Lewis Buzbee (May 22 release)

That was what I accomplished last week and what I plan for this one. What are your plans?

Stacking the Shelves (April 30, 2012)

Tynga of Tynga's Reviews is starting a new meme to spotlight the books we receive each week. She explains at her site. She also does a very nice vlog each week showing her books (and hopefully her new baby).


Another option is Mailbox Monday which was originally started by Marcia at A Girl and Her Books. She hosted it for a long time but in April 2010 she decided to make it a traveling meme. You can see all the details here. You will also find a list of the 2012 hosts. 


Cindy from Cindy's Love of Books is hosting in April and Martha from Reviews by Martha's Bookshelf will be hosting in May.

I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets. You will also discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.


This is the first time I am participating in these memes. I look forward to getting to know some new blogs and to connect with some of my old blogging friends.


I added three books to my TBR mountain this week.

I received my finished, keeper copy of Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick. I am a long time fan of this author and love her historical paranormal mysteries that are filled with quirky and entertaining characters. This one was a lot of fun to read. My review is here.

Evil Dark: An Occult Crime Unit Investigation by Justin Gustainis is the second book in the series that began with Hard Spell. I liked the combination of hard-boiled detective story with urban fantasy and look forward to seeing what the characters are up to in this case.

Summoning the Night by Jenn Bennett is the latest in an urban fantasy series that I haven't begun yet. I do have the previous book - Kindling the Moon - on my TBR mountain and hope to get a chance to read this series soon. I have read great reviews for Kindling the Moon.

That was my mailbox this week. What did you get in yours?

Book Review: Bunny and the Bear by Eve Langlais

Bunny and the Bear
Author: Eve Langlais
Publication: CreateSpace (August 11, 2011)

Description: What's a poor bear to do when all he wants is some sweet, bunny pie?

Bears and bunnies aren't supposed to mix, or that's what Chase keeps telling himself when his bouncy new neighbor won't stay out of his business--and his mind. However, the more he gets to know his overly perky neighbor, the more he craves her, a desire worse than his addiction to honey and pie.

Miranda's on a mission for the Furry United Coalition, and it involves secretly guarding one grumpy ol' bear. Staying focused on the job isn't easy when all she can think about is turning his frown upside down, a task made harder when she gets a glimpse of his passion. When she hears about his theory on woodland creatures and predators not mixing, she thinks all is lost, but she didn't count on a bear's curious nature--and possessive need. 

When an evil force abducts Chase, Miranda unleashes her bunny in order to save him, but the revelation of her shifter side puts her in danger. Is one ornery bear enough to save her from a mad scientist? And if he does, can a bear forget her woodland creature status long enough to love her and make her his mate? 

Warning: A sense of humor is required for this tongue in cheek, paranormal romance. Please note, that while no bunnies were permanently harmed in the making of this story, the prognosis isn't so good for the pie.

My Thoughts: If you are looking for something with the same quirky humor as Shelly Laurenston but want a few more sex scenes, try this story. I liked both Chase and Miranda. Chase is a grizzly bear who is also an estate lawyer. He is solitary and cranky. Miranda is a bunny shifter who works for FUC (Furry United Coalition). She is bubbly and friendly and rather dangerous. She is assigned to protect Chase, without his knowledge, from someone who seems to be targeting strong shifters. They are being abducted and experimented on.

Miranda has to work pretty hard to work her way into Chase's life. He thinks she is really sexy but she isn't the kind of girl he is looking for. He wants someone quiet, tidy, a good cook, and easy on the eyes. And, by the way, she should be a bear so that he can keep his bloodline pure. But the best laid plans of a bear are no match for the determination of this bunny.

There are lots of funny moments and some serious ones too as the two of them fall in love. He is abducted. She rescues him but gets hurt in the process. Seeing her hurt really rouses his protective instincts and changes the way he looks at her. After all, she doesn't turn into a little, fluffy woodland type bunny when she shifts. She becomes a large, fanged werebunny who is almost a match for a grizzly. 

This was a cute romance. I recommend it. 

Favorite Quote:

Chase had always held a serious view of life. In his world, a bear should work hard, eat a lot, and sleep even more. Friendships took away from those three tasks, and in the case of food, expected sharing. 

I bought this one. You can get your copy here.

Book Beginning & Friday 56: Bunny and the Bear by Eve Langlais

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader.

Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. 

If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

The Friday 56

Rules:

• Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56.
• Find the fifth sentence.
• Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Freda's Voice
• Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Today I chose to read Bunny and the Bear by Eve Langlais. I had this one on my Kindle because I recently saw a review for it and thought it sounded entertaining. It is another paranormal romance with shifters. In this case the hero is a grizzly bear and the heroine in a wererabbit.
Beginning:

Thirty years ago...

Bottom of the food chain indeed. Fuming in the corner of the schoolyard didn't make the words any easier to swallow.

Friday 56:

"What luck running into you here?"

"I knew breaking that mirror world turn out bad," he mumbled.

Book Review: Bear Meets Girl by Shelly Laurenston

Bear Meets Girl
Author: Shelly Laurenston
Publication: Brava; Original edition (March 27, 2012)


Description: He's big, burly, and way smarter than your average shapeshifting bear. He's also about to get trapped by own his game...Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she-tiger with a skill set that's turning Crush's lone-bear world upside down - and bringing his passion out of hibernation...As a member of an elite feline protection unit, Marcella Malone has no problem body-dropping anyone who hunts her kind. But Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. It sure isn't because Crush's stubborn and contrary attitude is rubbing Cella in all the right ways...


My Thoughts: This was another fun episode in Laurenston's shifter series. This time the romance focuses on Cella Malone and Lou Crushek. She's a tiger and part of the Malones, a formidable Traveller family, a professional hockey player, and a contractor for KZS, an organization that protects feline shifters. Lou is a polar bear and a cop. He is honest, blunt, and an avid hockey fan. She is blunt, constantly teasing him, and a devoted mother.


The story starts when they wake up together - naked - after being at the same party and, in Crush's case, indulging in too many Jello shots. Cella loves to tease and torment him and all he wants is to get away. However, away isn't much of an option when he is transferred to a new precinct filled with shifters and is partnered with one of her good friends. The main problem that they are focusing on in this one is the strained rivalry between the other shifter groups and the bears who happen to be led by the foster mother Lou really hates. 


Additionally, there is the problem of the big game hunts that like to abduct and use shifters, particularly lions and bears, and the focus of the hunt. And surrounding all the investigations is hockey. Being a hockey player is very important to Cella.

This story let me catch up on the lives of some of the characters in the earlier books of this series. Cella plays hockey with Novikov and Ric Van Holtz and is friends with their mates Blayne Thorpe and Dee Ann Smith. Novikov and Crush become friends in a very bear sort of way. I love the way Laurenston manages to fit in the animal traits in her characters' personalities.

Fans of the series won't want to miss this one.


Favorite Quote:

"Define normal."

"Not you!" He dropped his hands, black eyes scowling. "Your world of brawling with old people is not normal. Verifying from the psychopath checklist that you're not a psychopath is not normal. Coming to my house on a random Sunday to bribe me to be your boyfriend is not normal!"

"You wouldn't be my boyfriend, just my pretend boyfriend."

Roaring, the bear suddenly picked Cella up, tossing her over his shoulder. 

"Hey! What the hell!"

Ignoring her, he stalked through his house until he went out on his porch and down his steps. There, on his lawn, is where he dumped her.

I bought this one. You can get your copy here.

WoW: Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris

Waiting on Wednesday is a meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine. She has a linky widget at her site each week for your post and to make it easy to find posts by other people.

The purpose of the meme is to spotlight books that we are eagerly anticipating. It is fun to take a look at what others are waiting for.

I have noticed that it has expanded my wishlist and TBR mountain though. Be warned!

I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of Deadlocked by Charlaine Harris. This book - the 12th in the Sookie Stackhouse series - will be released on May 1. Here is the description for this title:

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank. 

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Teaser Tuesday: Bear Meet Girl by Shelly Laurenston

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

I got this one recently and was waiting for a break in the flow of review books to read it. Shelly Laurenston is one of my favorite writers for funny paranormal romances and so I am eager to read Bear Meets Girl. Here is the product description:

He's big, burly, and way smarter than your average shapeshifting bear. He's also about to get trapped by own his game...Lou Crushek is a reasonable, mellow, easygoing kind of guy. But once someone starts killing the scumbags he works so hard to bust, that really gets under his fur. Especially when that someone is a curvy she-tiger with a skill set that's turning Crush's lone-bear world upside down - and bringing his passion out of hibernation...As a member of an elite feline protection unit, Marcella Malone has no problem body-dropping anyone who hunts her kind. But Crush is proving one major pain in her gorgeous tail. The only reason she's joined forces with him is to track down the wealthy human who's got her entire species in his ruthless sights. It sure isn't because Crush's stubborn and contrary attitude is rubbing Cella in all the right ways...

Teaser: 

Now it was Crush's turn to frown. "Why do I know that name?" His frown deepened. "You're not a criminal, are you?"

"Here or in Philadelphia?"

Confused and a little alarmed, Crush asked. "Does that matter?"

"Yes," both females answered at the same time.

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? (April 23, 2012)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Sheila at Book Journey.

It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week.  It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.


I had a pretty good reading week this past week. I had one book that went kind of slowly but another was one I just couldn't put down. Here is what I finished:

The Hero's Guide to Saving Your Kingdom by Christopher Healy was an entertaining middle school fantasy that played with fairy tale tropes. My review will be posted on April 28. This book will be released on May 1.

Struck by Jennifer Bosworth was a combination post-apocalytic, paranormal story about a girl who has been struck by lightning many times and who has developed some power over lightning. She is living in LA after a massive earthquake has destroyed most of the city. She is the target of two different cults because of her affinity to lightning. My review will be posted on May 3. The book will be released on May 8.

The Witness by Nora Roberts was the book I couldn't put down. I read it late into the night until I couldn't keep my eyes open and then woke up early to finish it. My morning errands turned into afternoon errands and I didn't regret it at all. I loved the characters in this one and the suspense really kept me on the edge of my seat. My review will be posted on May 5. The book is available now.

The Department of Magic by Rod Kierkegaard Jr. was the one that was a slow read for me. I got this eARC from NetGalley based on the blurb but was disappointed in the lack of character development, the characters I didn't like and couldn't connect with, and the shear implausibility of the plot. My review be posted on May 3 and the book is available now. 

I am currently reading two books which is sort of unusual for me. Pilgrims Don't Wear Pink by Stephanie Kate Strohm is an Amazon Vine pick. It is a contemporary mystery/ghost story/romance with a very engaging main character. It will be released on May 8.

I am also reading The Hunt by Andrew Fukuda. This is an Adobe Digitial Edtions copy that I got from NetGalley. I am intrigued by the story of a young human teen who is passing as a vampire in a world where humans are a delicacy and have almost been hunted to extinction. My problem is that I read while watching baseball games. Since I watch the games online, I can't be reading my ADE book at the same time.

Locked On by Tom Clancy and Pirate King by Laurie R. King are carryovers from last week because The Department of Magic and The Witness jumped over them in line. I do hope to get to them this week though. Both of these would help my meet my TBR Challenge goals since I received each of them before Jan. 1, 2012.

The next YAs on my review stack won't be published until May 22 but have been on the stack since last December. Of Poseidon by Anna Banks is about mermaids and Bridge of Time by Lewis Buzbee is a middle grade time travel story.

I also just asked for A Confusion of Princes by Garth Nix from the Amazon Vine program. It should arrive around next Thursday and has a May 15 release date. That will jump it ahead of the two YAs that I plan to read because I do try to read my review books in order of publication date. 

I am also strongly tempted to read What Doesn't Kill You by Iris Johansen because I am in the mood for more romantic suspense or Divergent by Veronica Roth this week. Divergent has been on my stack since it was published and its sequel is coming out May 1. I have heard marvelous things about it. 

Those are my plans. What are your plans for next week?

In My Mailbox (April 22, 2012)

The weekly In My Mailbox post is hosted by Kristi at The Story Siren. It is fun to see what everyone else gets in their mailboxes, shopping bags, and library visits. Click on the link to The Story Siren's site to see the rules and join in the fun.
 
I guarantee that your TBR pile will grow when you see all the wonderful books everyone gets. You will discover lots of great blogs and lots of books that you won't be able to live without.


This was another week when very few new books followed me home. I bought two books by long-time favorite authors and received one book for review. I got:

What Doesn't Kill You by Iris Johansen because I have been reading her books since she wrote in the Loveswept series. I like her romantic suspense novels.

The Witness by Nora Roberts because I also love her books and have been reading her for years. Her romantic suspense titles are wonderful blends of romance and suspense. This is her 200th book and I think I have read most of them.

The Department of Magic by Rod Kierkegaard Jr. was an eARC that I got from NetGalley. This is a gitty urban fantasy novel.

What came in your mailbox?

ARC Review: Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick

Crystal Gardens
Author: Amanda Quick
Publication: Putnam Adult (April 24, 2012)


Description: Evangeline Ames has rented a country cottage far from the London streets where she was recently attacked. Fascinated by the paranormal energy of nearby Crystal Gardens, she finds pleasure in sneaking past the wall to explore the grounds. And when her life is threatened again, she instinctively goes to the gardens for safety.


Lucas Sebastian has never been one to ignore a lady in danger, even if she is trespassing on his property. Quickly disposing of her would-be assassin, he insists they keep the matter private. There are rumors enough already, about treasure buried under his garden, and occult botanical experiments performed by his uncle—who died of mysterious causes. With Evangeline’s skill for detection, and Lucas’s sense of the criminal mind, they soon discover that they have a common enemy. And as the energy emanating from Crystal Gardens intensifies, they realize that to survive they must unearth what has been buried for too long.


My Thoughts: Evangeline Ames has come to the quiet, rural town of Little Digby to get over an attempted murder and to write the next chapters of her sensational novel. She has been there a couple of weeks suffering from both boredom and writer's block, when she is awakened one evening by someone breaking in. She flees to the nearest home, that of her landlord Lucas Sebastian. She attempts to hide from her assailant in the very scary gardens that surround the house. She had been warned by the locals that strange things happened in that garden and her own paranormal senses tell her that the locals are correct. Lucas comes to her rescue and exhibits some paranormal senses of his own doing so.

The two had met in a local bookshop when Lucas arrived in town to stay at Crystal Gardens. Lucas was fascinated by her but his main concern was learning who had murdered his uncle. After Evie's attack, he took advantage of the situation to get closer to her by providing protection. Someone was clearly trying to kill her. But Evangeline was no helpless victim. She might outwardly seem like an unobtrusive lady's companion but she was employed by an agency to do discreet private inquiries. The agency looked for young women with paranormal skills.  

Lucas and Evie get closer as they work to find out who killed his uncle, who is trying to kill her, why the paranormal energies are increasing at Crystal Gardens making the gardens more and more dangerous, and who is hunting for the hidden Roman treasure that is rumored to be buried in the Night Garden. Of course they also have to deal with the ramifications of their relationship in a time when a woman's reputation was worth more than gold. 

Evie had no intention of ever marrying because she believed herself too old, too poor, and of too low a social status but that doesn't mean that she isn't willing to explore her sensual side if the right man and the right situation comes along. And Lucas looks like the right man. Her justification is that it will help her bee a better writer of her sensational novels if she has some experience. Lucas, having determined to have her in his life, is more than willing to accommodate her. When the two are compromised by spending the night together in the garden, Lucas seizes the opportunity and announces their engagement. It takes a while to reconcile Evie and it takes some serious but unconventional courting before he can win her hand.

I love the relationship between Evie and Lucas. Neither one of them fits into the normal mode of society and wouldn't even if they didn't have paranormal powers. I like the banter between them. I like that Evie knows Lucas better than his own family and accepts him as he is. The rest of the world is pretty much afraid of him. He is a man of responsibility and honor who has a paranormal gift that makes him very valuable in solving the most difficult of murder cases. I also like the relationship that Lucas has with his much younger twin brother and sister.

This was a very good romance that I recommend to lovers of historical romance, paranormal romance, and Jayne Ann Krentz in all her many names and genres.


Favorite Quote:

"Yes, yes, I'm fine." She set the glass down hard on the nearby table and made a weak, fluttery motion with her hand, as if trying to fan herself. "But I fear you are right to be worried about the state of my nerves, sir. Indeed, I believe they have been quite shattered. I need my bed and my vinaigrette."

"Something tells me that you have never used a vinaigrette in your life."

"First time for everything." She got to her feet. "Forgive me, Mr. Sebastian. I am grateful for all that you did for me tonight but I must return to the cottage now."

I was so eager to read this one that I asked for and received ARCs from LibraryThing's Early Reviewer program and Amazon Vine. You can buy your copy here.

Book Beginning & Friday 56: Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick

Happy Friday everybody!!

Book Beginnings

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader.

Anyone can participate; just share the opening sentence of your current read, making sure that you include the title and author so others know what you're reading. 

If you like, share with everyone why you do, or do not, like the sentence.

The Friday 56

Rules:

• Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
• Turn to page 56.
• Find the fifth sentence.
• Post that sentence (plus one or two others if you like) along with these instructions on your blog or (if you do not have your own blog) in the comments section of Freda's Voice
• Post a link along with your post back to Freda's Voice

Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Crystal Gardens by Amanda Quick has finally reached the top of my review stack. I was extremely eager to read this one. I asked for it at LibraryThing and from Amazon Vine and was lucky enough to get a copy from both places. I love Amanda Quick stories. The combination of historical romance and paranormal romance along with quirky heroes and heroines really does it for me. This story is the first in the Ladies of Lantern Street series and will be published on April 24.

Jayne Ann Krentz is one of my favorite authors whether she is writing as herself, Amanda Quick, or Jayne Castle.

Beginning:

The muffled thud of the shattered lock echoed like a thunderclap in the deep silence that drenched the cottage.

Talk about a spine-chilling way to be awakened in the night! I like the immediate sense of danger that this first sentence brings. Who is breaking in and why?

Friday 56:

"That is all there is to do here in Little Dixby? See a few ruins, have tea and a few tasteless sandwiches and stop in a bookshop?"

ARC Review: The Prophet by Amanda Stevens

The Prophet (Graveyard Queen)
Author: Amanda Stevens
Publication: Mira; Original edition (April 24, 2012)

Description: My name is Amelia Gray.

I am the Graveyard Queen, a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. My father passed down four rules to keep me safe and I've broken every last one. A door has opened and evil wants me back.

In order to protect myself, I've vowed to return to those rules. But the ghost of a murdered cop needs my help to find his killer. The clues lead me to the dark side of Charleston—where witchcraft, root doctors and black magic still flourish—and back to John Devlin, a haunted police detective I should only love from afar.

Now I'm faced with a terrible choice: follow the rules or follow my heart.

My Thoughts: This third book in the Graveyard Queen series was filled with the same Gothic creepiness that infused the first two volumes. If you haven't read the first two books in the series, you might want to stop reading now and quickly find yourself copies of The Restorer and The Kingdom because this story begins shortly after the events of The Kingdom.

Amelia is back in Charleston. She quickly gets back involved in the life of John Devlin. John is a Charleston police detective that she met during The Restorer. They had started a romance but Amelia ended it because John was still being haunted by his dead wife and daughter. Losing Miriama and Shani left him feeling both grief and guilt. Seeing ghosts herself, Amelia had been raised by his father to never have anything to do with a haunted man. 

Getting close to Devlin, allowed other ghosts to come to her too. In the mythology of this story, ghosts are like "parasites drawn to our energy, feeding off our warmth. If they know you can see them, they'll cling to you like blight. You'll never be rid of them. And your life will never again be your own." The most persistent and least ghostlike of the ghosts that haunt Amelia is Robert Fremont. He, Devlin, and Tom Gerrity all graduated from the police academy together. He and Devlin were rivals for the affection of Devlin's dead wife. He wants Amelia to find out who murdered him. Amelia is also haunted by and sympathetic to Shani who was Devlin's four-year-old daughter. 

Her efforts to find Robert Fremont's muderer and find a way to send Shani to her rest lead Amelia to explore a lot of the ancient African beliefs of the Charleston area. She has to deal with spells, and potions, and magical visitors. She also manages to learn a lot about the relationships between Devlin, Fremont, Gerrity, and Ethan Shaw. Shaw is another forensic anthropologist and the son of a paranormal investigator who has been acting as a mentor to Amelia.

As Amelia untangles the twisted relationships between all the players and delves more into the magic around her, the creepy atmosphere gets even more intense. This was an excellent mystery with wonderful paranormal aspects. I recommend it to fans of ghost stories.

Favorite Quote:

The night went deadly silent. Everything in the garden stilled except for that coil of mist. I watched, mesmerized, as it slithered toward me, twisting and writhing like a charmed cobra. The tension humming along my nerve endings was unbearable, as if the lightest touch could shatter me.

I received this book from MIRA via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your copy here.