ARC Review: Cat Got Your Diamonds by Julie Chase

Cat Got Your Diamonds
Author: Julie Chase
Series: A Kitty Couture Mystery
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (November 8, 2016)

Description: Grandeur and opulence are everything in the famed New Orleans Garden District where pets are family and no bling is too big. Opening Furry Godmother, pet boutique and organic treat bakery, is Lacy Marie Crocker’s dream come true--until the glitter gun used to make her Shih Tzu tutus becomes a murder weapon. And Lacy becomes public enemy #1.

Now Detective Jack Oliver is hounding Lacy, and her Furry Godmother investor wants out before his name is tarnished by association. To make matters worse, a string of jewel heists with suspicious ties to the murder case has New Orleans residents on edge. To save her dream, Lacy must take a stand, put her keen eyes to work, and unravel what really happened at her shop that night. But can Lacy sniff out the killer cat burglar in time to get her tail-raising designs on the catwalk?

Witty and whimsical, Cat Got Your Diamonds, the first in a new cozy series by Julie Chase, will be the cat's meow for fans of Rita Mae Brown and Miranda James.

My Thoughts: Lacy Crocker is back in New Orleans' Garden District and opening her pet boutique Furry Godmother when a creepy looking guy is killed out back. At first, Detective Jack Oliver thinks that Lacy killed him. But a series of threats to Lacy quickly changes his mind. He wants Lacy to keep out of his investigation but Lacy needs the case solved quickly to keep her financing for the store.

This was a cute cozy mystery complete with glamorous fashions for dogs, cats, llamas, and turtles. It also featured a pet-friendly bakery with the recipes at the back of the book. Lacy was a very realistic heroine. She was curious and impulsive but also displayed appropriate fear when confronted by the assorted villains. I liked her relationship with her parents and her friends. I liked the snappy dialog between Jack and Lacy.

Cozy readers and pet lovers will enjoy this story which begins a new series.

Favorite Quote:

Furry Godmother's business tip: Without proper marketing, zealous admiration is just stalking.

I got this one in exchange for an honest review from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley  You can buy your copy here.

Friday Memes: Cat Got Your Diamonds by Julie Chase

Happy Friday everybody!

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

Beginning:

I squinted through my freshly cleaned shop window at a lively group of women snapping selfies with the Magazine Street sign in front of a New Orleans police car and broken-in storefront.

Friday 56: 

"Another monthly bill? Can I pay for it in blood or cellulite? Because I've already told you I'm out of cash."

This week I am reading Cat Got Your Diamonds by Julie Chase. I got this eARC from NetGalley. Here is the description from Amazon:

Grandeur and opulence are everything in the famed New Orleans Garden District where pets are family and no bling is too big. Opening Furry Godmother, pet boutique and organic treat bakery, is Lacy Marie Crocker’s dream come true--until the glitter gun used to make her Shih Tzu tutus becomes a murder weapon. And Lacy becomes public enemy #1.

Now Detective Jack Oliver is hounding Lacy, and her Furry Godmother investor wants out before his name is tarnished by association. To make matters worse, a string of jewel heists with suspicious ties to the murder case has New Orleans residents on edge. To save her dream, Lacy must take a stand, put her keen eyes to work, and unravel what really happened at her shop that night. But can Lacy sniff out the killer cat burglar in time to get her tail-raising designs on the catwalk?

Witty and whimsical, Cat Got Your Diamonds, the first in a new cozy series by Julie Chase, will be the cat's meow for fans of Rita Mae Brown and Miranda James.

Book Review: Belle Chasse by Suzanne Johnson

Belle Chasse
Author: Suzanne Johnson
Series: Sentinels of New Orleans (Book 5)
Publication: Tor Books (November 8, 2016)

Description: Suzanne Johnson's "strong and intriguing" (Publishers Weekly) urban fantasy series continues with Belle Chasse. The Sentinels of New Orleans series has earned starred reviews from Library Journal ("a resourceful heroine who relies on her magical ingenuity") and PW ("vivid...a lively tale jam-packed with action, magic, and intriguing plot twists").

With the wizard-elven treaty on the verge of collapse, the preternatural world stands on the brink of war. Unless former wizard sentinel DJ Jaco manages to keep the elven leader, Quince Randolph, focused on peace and not personal matters.

With no one on the throne, Faerie is in chaos, with rival princes battling for power. The still-undead pirate, Jean Lafitte, is building his own army of misfits, and DJ―stripped of her job and hiding in the Beyond to avoid the death sentence handed down by the wizard Council of Elders―can’t get anywhere near her beloved New Orleans or her significant something-or-other, Alex.

It's time to choose sides. Friends will become enemies, enemies will become allies, and not everyone will survive. DJ and her friends will learn a hard lesson: sometimes, even the ultimate sacrifice isn’t enough.

My Thoughts: DJ Jaco is on the run. She has lost her position as a wizard sentinel. She has taken refuge with her friend Jean Lafitte in his world on Grand Terre Island. An Elder that she formerly admired has become someone she can no longer respect. Elder Willem Zarkovi is in charge of the wizard council but he is woefully unprepared to deal with a world on the edge of war. When DJ refused to kill her friend Eugenie's unborn baby, she made Zarkovi look bad and he has been determined to get revenge ever since.

The preternaturals are on the verge of war. The wizards treaty with the elves is in danger of being broken. There is a war going on in faery between two brothers who each want to take the throne. The vampires are shifting sides to whoever they think is the strongest.

DJ has to deal with her mate Rand who happens to be an elf and the father of Eugenie's baby, Florian and Chrstoff the battling fae, Jean Lafitte who won't commit until he figures out which will be the winning side, and her own significant other Alex who is torn between loyalty to the wizard council and love for DJ.

This story was very entertaining. I love DJ's stubborn attitude and her own loyalty. I could sympathize with her as she was torn between her loyalty to the wizards and the clear threat that Zarkovi presented. I liked that she let her conscience be her guide and I liked that she learned where her bottom line was.

Fans of the Sentinels of New Orleans series won't want to miss this fifth adventure. I especially recommend this series for urban fantasy fans who enjoy Charlaine Harris's Sookie Stackhouse books or Chloe Neill's series set in New Orleans.

Favorite Quote:

"You can say that again," I muttered.

He looked at me, puzzlement narrowing his eyes. "Very well, In normal times, I would not begrudge--"

I held up my hand. "It's okay. I heard you." Sometimes, conversation with Jean could be a lot like a "Who's on First" riddle. 

I was given this one by the publisher in exchange for an honest review. You can buy your copy here.

ARC Review: Shadow of Victory by David Weber

Shadow of Victory
Author: David Weber
Series: Honor Harrington (Book 19)
Publication: Baen (November 1, 2016)

Description: The Mesan Alignment is revealed, and, for Honor Harrington and the Manticoran Star Kingdom, this means war!

Unintended Consequences

Sometimes things don’t work out exactly as planned.

The Mesan Alignment has a plan—one it’s been working on for centuries. A plan to remake the galaxy and genetically improve the human race—its way.

Until recently, things have gone pretty much as scheduled, but then the Alignment hit a minor bump in the road called the Star Empire of Manticore. So the Alignment engineered a war between the Solarian League, the biggest and most formidable interstellar power in human history. To help push things along, the Alignment launched a devastating sneak attack which destroyed the Royal Manticoran Navy’s industrial infrastructure.

And in order to undercut Manticore’s galaxy-wide reputation as a star nation of its word, it launched Operation Janus—a false-flag covert operation to encourage rebellions it knows will fail by promising Manticoran support. The twin purposes are to harden Solarian determination to destroy the Star Empire once and for all, and to devastate the Star Empire’s reputation with the rest of the galaxy.

But even the best laid plans can have unintended consequences, and one of those consequences in this case may just be a new dawn of freedom for oppressed star nations everywhere.

My Thoughts: This multi-threaded epic has the Mesan Alliance fomenting revolution on various planets in the Verge under the guise of being Manticorans. A lot of the book looks at those individual attempts on various planets to overthrow unjust governments.

Meanwhile, the Mesa Alliance has unleashed another sneak attack on the Manticore home worlds which destroyed a space station which is a repair base for the Manticoran Navy. Among those killed were the crew of the Hexapuma that hadn't already been transferred out to other assignments. A couple of the viewpoint characters in this one were survivors.

Manitcore and Haven have become allies having realized that much of their enmity was encouraged by the Mesan Alliance. Now they are determined to bring the war to Mesa at last. Admiral Mike Henke of Manticore and Admiral Lester Tourville of Haven are in joint command of the operation. First they have to get over the remnants of anger and resentment that remain from when they were enemies.

Also, the Mesan Alliance is forced to accelerate their own plans to decamp from Mesa and form their own secret Star Nation. The speed makes it necessary, in their viewpoint, to murder anyone that they can't get off Mesa before the joint forces of Manticore and Haven arrive. They do have a cunning plan to blame terrorists from the Ballroom who oppose the genetic slavery Mesa is know for. And, through them Manticore, which has some ties to the Ballroom.

This was a complex fantasy. It was also more concerned this time with people and people's actions than complex space battles and missile properties though there was one of those near the end of the story.

Considering how this book ended, I am curious to know where this epic will be going next. Fans of the Honor Harrington series won't want to miss this episode.

Favorite Quote:

She really wished it could be as simple as settling into orbit and posting something like "Hey! Any revolutionaries down there expecting Manticoran assistance? Here we are!" to the plantary boards. Somehow, though, that seemed a little lacking in...subtlety. Worse, it might very well spark a rebellion which wouldn't have occurred otherwise."

I got this one in exchange for an honest review from Edelweiss. You can buy your copy here.

Teaser Tuesday: Belle Chasse by Suzanne Johnson

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Books and a Beat. 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!

Teaser:

Thanks to yours truly, Jean now had a Green Congress wizard in his entourage, one who could do elven magic.

Except the wizard wasn't enlisting.

This week I am reading Belle Chasse by Suzanne Johnson. I received a finished copy for review from the publisher. I love this urban fantasy series and wish more people would talk about it. Here is the description from Amazon:

Suzanne Johnson's "strong and intriguing" (Publishers Weekly) urban fantasy series continues with Belle Chasse. The Sentinels of New Orleans series has earned starred reviews from Library Journal ("a resourceful heroine who relies on her magical ingenuity") and PW ("vivid...a lively tale jam-packed with action, magic, and intriguing plot twists").

With the wizard-elven treaty on the verge of collapse, the preternatural world stands on the brink of war. Unless former wizard sentinel DJ Jaco manages to keep the elven leader, Quince Randolph, focused on peace and not personal matters.

With no one on the throne, Faerie is in chaos, with rival princes battling for power. The still-undead pirate, Jean Lafitte, is building his own army of misfits, and DJ―stripped of her job and hiding in the Beyond to avoid the death sentence handed down by the wizard Council of Elders―can’t get anywhere near her beloved New Orleans or her significant something-or-other, Alex.

It's time to choose sides. Friends will become enemies, enemies will become allies, and not everyone will survive. DJ and her friends will learn a hard lesson: sometimes, even the ultimate sacrifice isn’t enough.

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? (Nov. 7, 2016)

It's Monday, What Are You Reading? is now hosted by Kathryn at The Book Date.

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.

Other Than Reading...

So, the first quarter of our school year is over. I'm writing this Saturday morning and know I'll be spending a good part of the weekend working on grades and report cards for my students. I have also decided what is going to appear on my blogs from now until Dec. 31 and have set up the posts. All the Teaser Tuesdays and Friday Memes posts are finished and scheduled. Of course, I still have a bunch of books to read but, at least, I know what they are.

I have a number of review books scheduled for Inside of a Dog but only have one review book on the December list for Ms. Martin Teaches Media. It was fun to look through my YA TBR stack to see what caught my eye. I picked a number of books that were first in a series. The rest of the series is on TBR mountain. If I don't like the first book, it will be easy to donate the rest and make some room on my TBR shelves. Alternately, if I like the first, I'll schedule the rest into my 2017 calendar.

Our weather has been unseasonably warm so far in November. We are expecting to get near 70 today which is about 20 degrees warmer than usual. I should take advantage of the nice weather and go for what might be my last outdoor walk of 2016. It would probably be good to have an excuse to get up from my computer for a break later.

Read Last Week

Belle Chasse by Suzanne Johnson was the 5th in the Sentinels of New Orleans urban fantasy series. Each book gets more exciting. I really enjoy the main character DJ and the variety of paranormals in the world. My review will be posted on Nov. 10.

Cat Got Your Diamonds by Julie Chase was a fun cozy mystery. My review will be posted on Nov. 12.

Arena by Holly Jennings was a near-future science fiction story where video games are as big as football or baseball are today. I liked the main character and her battle to decide who she was. My review will be posted on Nov. 16.

Currently

Lone Wolf by Sara Driscoll is next from my review stack. This book will be released Nov. 29.

Next Week

Dragongirl by Todd McCaffrey brings me one book closer to reading all of the Pern books.

The Elizabeth Papers by Jenetta James is from my review stack. It was released in June but I just received it recently.

Reviews Posted

• Explosive Forces by D. D. Ayres
• Living Spectres by Chelsea Quinn Yarbro
• When She's Gone by Jane Palmer

Want to See What I Added to My Stack Last Week?

I got just a little carried away this week adding things to TBR mountain.

Burned by Her Devotion by Melinda Leigh is the second book in a duology of novellas.

Archangel's Heart by Nalini Singh is her latest in the Guildhunter series.

Girl Waits With Gun by Amy Stewart is one I've been wanting to read for a while.

Fear the Darkness by Becky Masterman is the second book in a series. I've read the first and have the third on my stack for review.

Penric's Mission by Lois McMaster Bujold is her latest novella - third in this world and with this main character.

I have been wanting to read this series for quite a while so added paperbacks of

• The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman
• The Masked City by Genevieve Cogman.

I also pre-ordered the third in the series and really hope I can finish books one and two before the third hits my mailbox.

I added a few to my review stack too:

• Ill Met by Murder by Elizabeth J. Duncan (Dec. 13)
• Midnight Obsession by Melinda Leigh (Jan. 3)
• Dead and Breakfast by Kate Kingsbury (Jan. 10)

To see what Young Adult books I have been reading and plan to read, check out Ms. Martin Teaches Media - my other blog.

ARC Review: When She's Gone by Jane Palmer

When She's Gone
Author: Jane Palmer
Publication: Crooked Lane Books (November 8, 2016)

Description: Ara Zuyev is a secret to nearly everyone, and those who know anything about her have barely scratched the surface. A bodyguard for a powerful billionaire, she is the last line of defense for the family's inner circle. But when her charge, 16-year-old Samantha Harper, is kidnapped and the FBI are called in, Ara immediately comes under suspicion. She didn’t follow basic security protocol, which should have been second nature for her. And now Samantha's life hangs in the balance.

Assertive and authoritative, Luke Patrick is the best the FBI has to offer. Nothing about Ara's story is adding up, and when Ara attempts to take control of the investigation, Luke is convinced she knows far more than she’s saying.

As the case develops and new details are discovered, Ara and Luke are forced to work together. She needs his investigative team. He needs her inside knowledge of the family. But neither of them trust each other. Their uneasy alliance is formed with one goal in mind: to bring Samantha home alive.

But what initially looks like a simple kidnapping for ransom quickly spirals into something far more sinister in Jane Palmer's explosive series debut When She's Gone.

My Thoughts: WHEN SHE'S GONE was an entertaining thriller. Ara Zuyev is a former police officer who is now a bodyguard for a wealthy family. When her charge - seventeen-year-old Sam - is abducted from a restaurant, she has to use all of her talents to get her back. Her employer calls in the FBI - Luke Patrick and his team.

Luke's first suspect is Ara. Ara is a woman of secrets. She left her police job under a cloud after a fiasco of a police raid. She is also keeping secrets about her past in Russia. But Ara isn't the only suspect. Was Sam's secret boyfriend involved? Did it have something to do with the art gallery that Sam and her mother visited the evening she was kidnapped? Is a mysterious Russian criminal involved?

The pace of this story is fast. Events and revelations build the excitement as Ara and Luke rush to put the clues together so that they can rescue Sam before the deadline. I enjoyed this one very much and had to keep reading to find out what was going on.

Fans of fast-paced mysteries will enjoy this one.

Favorite Quote:

Sam's kidnapping had rubbed all her old wounds raw. The ghosts of her past felt too close. How would she survive if Sam died? Her shoulders already carried the burden of other deaths, the guilt of being a survivor. She didn't think she could add Sam to the load.

I got this one in exchange for an honest review from Crooked Lane Books via NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.