Book Review: Soulless by Robert J. Crane {Book 3: The Girl in the Box Series}

Title: Soulless
Series: The Girl in the Box
Author: Robert J. Crane
Publisher: Self
Date of Publication: August 23, 2012
My Format: ebook for Kindle
Source: received from author for honest review
Get your copy: Amazon / Barnes and Noble

Goodreads Summary:
After six months of intense training with the Directorate, Sienna Nealon finds herself on her first assignment - tracking a dangerous meta across the upper midwest. With Scott Byerly and Kat Forrest at her side, she'll face new enemies and receive help from unlikely allies as she stumbles across the truth behind the shadowy organization known only as Omega.


My Thoughts:

Let me just tell you how hard it is to do a review on the third book in a series without spoilers...it is darn near impossible!!  I am going to try my best to but just in case.....

WARNING: COULD CONTAIN SPOILERS

Now I feel much better that I put that there.

In Soulless we see a very different side of Sienna.  A more immature side, in my opinion.  I wasn't happy with the way she acted, especially concerning the bar scene.  I just felt like this was something not on par with what I expected of Sienna.  And it of course made me dislike Scott...again.  

The plot in this third book seems to be more focused on love: the emotional as well as the physical aspects.  I thought Sienna was a little too obsessed with the physical components of a relationship, but then again being a succubus, I guess the hormones get even more out of the way for her.  

In this area, it didn't feel like Sienna for me.  I guess I am used to her being in life or death situations so much, it was a little hard to get used to her being a teenager/young adult just trying to cope with family problems, sexual urges, and responsibilities.  

Some parts of the mystery were easily figured out while others I was shaking my head that Crane was able to draw  me in so completely never knowing what was going to happen.  

I love love love the fact that Reed is in this book more than just a couple of pages!!  Do you know how much I adore Reed?  We get to actually learn a little more about Reed and I am secretly rooting for Sienna to open her eyes to his charm. 

And of course in true Crane fashion, we meet some very dark characters that make you shudder in fear, but this time, he disguises the villains so well you will definitely be guessing till the very end.  I know I was.  

The ending was phenomenal; probably Crane's best one yet!  The middle tended to get on my nerves though with the mistakes Sienna made and her experiments with alcohol.  

I have to admit this was the hardest review I have ever had to write.  I loved the characters, love the plot, and jumped up and down in excitement at the ending, but there were parts that just made me really mad about Sienna.  But in a way, that is the qualities of a good writer to show us things about the characters we may not want to believe or see.  It makes the characters seem even more realistic(even if they do have super powers) and easier to relate with, making us look deeper inside ourselves to look at our qualities both good and bad.  

At first, I was afraid I wasn't going to be happy with Soulless, but after all the plot lines come together, I realize this was the best book I read so far, with  a very important message for any young person out there (superhero or not): accept yourself.  

I gave it five hearts!

Book Review: Hank Mossberg, Private Ogre Death in the Hallows by Jamie Sedgwick

Title: Hank Mossberg, Private Ogre Death in the Hallows
Series: Hank Mossberg Private Ogre book 2
Author: Jamie Sedgwick
Publisher: Timber Hill Press
Date of Publication: June 9, 2012
Source: received e copy from author for my honest review
Get your own copy: Amazon 

Goodreads Summary:
Hank Mossberg, the world's first ogre private eye is back in action. Hank is throwing a bachelor party for his best friend and deputy-dwarf Butch O'Shea, when he gets a phone call from an old friend, a wood-elf journalist named Flick Hunter. Flick begs Hank to meet him in the seedy undercity neighborhood known as the Hallows. Hank agrees and travels to the undercity -the magical home of thousands of fae creatures hidden in a cavern underneath San Francisco- and arrives just in time to find Flick murdered. Hank finds the magical sword known as Excalibur driven through Flick’s chest and into the stone beneath him. 

The undercity's chief detective warns Hank to stay off the case and out of the way, but for Hank, it’s personal this time. Hank promises Flick’s widow that he’ll bring the killer to justice but little does he know that while he’s investigating the illegal black market of enchanted weapons, the undercity’s most powerful citizens are looking to end Hank’s investigation permanently. Crooked cops, power mad elites, and goblin gangsters are just the beginning of Hank’s troubles. He’ll stop at nothing to expose the killer, unless the killer finds him first.

My Feelings:

Imagine if you will, Dick Tracey, Indiana Jones, and Shrek (okay not Shrek but that fills in the Ogre part) combined into one person.  
Enter Hank Mossberg, the last known Ogre living in San Francisco who happens to be the Steward for the magical beings in the world too.  You ask what is a steward?  Well if you read the book you will get the idea but basically like a peacekeeper for Mother Nature.
Hank is a very lovable character who always tries to look out for his loved ones and friends, to the point of danger for him.  Hank isn't a very complex guy but I think that is the appeal of him.  He is a simple ogre with a lot of heart that is pretty lonely.  
  He always tries to keep the magical creatures in line and usually finds himself in the middle of murder investigations continuously.  Unfortunately this time it hits close to home.
There is a "whodunnit" theme running around in the story for the murder case and another mystery involving the adorable dwarf, Butch and his bride.  For the life of me, I could not figure out who the culprit was until Hank figured it out.  That is very refreshing to be in the dark , second guessing yourself with the protagonist until the end.  
There is a little bit of a love interest for Hank, even though it is physically impossible for him to snuggle up to any magical creatures because his one and only power zaps all their energy out.  That is great for defending yourself but not so good when you want to get freaky-deaky.   Annie is not my favorite person in this book.  Honestly, I can't stand her.  I just feel like Hank deserves someone very special.  
There is a new character introduced that I fell in love with, although she is a little scary and a tad bit evil.  Siva is a sexy dark elf who definitely has something up her sleeves.  She brings something mysterious to the table that is creepy yet seductive.  



Death in the Hallows could be read as a stand alone but come on guys you know it's more fun to read them in order.  
Mr. Sedgwick takes all the creatures you would find in a fairy tale and plops them down in modern day San Francisco creating an urban fantasy that is comical, sinister and just out of this world.  He takes our redeeming and not so redeeming qualities and works them into the magical creatures' personalities.  What we get is something quite unique and strangely entertaining.   
I gave Death in the Hallows four hearts and I cannot wait to see what is coming up in Hank's life.  

Review: The Jazz Cage by Ray Chen Smith

Title: The Jazz Cage
Author: Ray Chen Smith
Publisher: Self
Date of Publication: June 12, 1012
Format: Kindle, 337 pages
Source: received from author for honest review


Goodreads Summary:


Prohibition-era mobsters collide with Underground Railroad abolitionists in The Jazz Cage.

It is 1924—sixty years after the South’s victory in the Civil War.

Frank McCluey, bounty hunter for the mob, is sent to help out a wealthy Virginian bootlegger. Frank’s job: track down two female slaves who’ve run away from the millionaire.

But the mob has made a bad choice. Instead of capturing the women, Frank decides to help them escape to Canada, his mission now aided by the pint-sized but steel-willed runaway Della and the outlawed Underground Railroad.

Soon Della and Frank become the target of slave catchers, cops, gangsters, and most chilling of all, a Confederate agent nicknamed the Hound for his ability to always sniff out and kill his prey


My feelings:


This is by no means a science fiction or fantasy novel but I did feel like The Jazz Cage had a definite "alternate universe" feel to it. I mean, come on the SOUTH wins the Civil War!!! Anyone who knows their history can definitely see this as a very bad thing...but it does make for an interesting concept for a mystery/crime thriller.   I see the time period-the twenties-very important because that still wasn't too far from the Civil War and people are still seeing the ramifications of allowing the South to win.  It is still a charged up time with not only slavery still running rampant but you also have the American gangsters trying to control things in the North.  This is just a very emotional time any which way you look at it.  
I love a good crime thriller and always enjoy historical novels.  This one delivers on both, even if the historical side is more of a "what if" concept.  I had a hard time putting this novel down.  It flows through with enough action to keep you hanging on but there is also a powerful insight into human nature, both good and bad, that will keep you questioning till the end.  
Our heroines, Della and Cece, are on an escape for their lives and for their very souls too.  Della is a strong woman but is always questioning herself and others in her mind.  Cece is very troubled with so much turmoil running through her, she sometimes to reverts back to a simpler time in her life; when she was a child.  Both of these women learn more about themselves as they fight for their freedom. 
Frank is our bounty hunter for the mob.  Frank is a criminal but he is so much more too.  Frank holds true the adage "honor among thieves."  He is good at what he does but he is also a good human being too.  He finds himself caring for these two women who have more in common with him than he realizes.  
These three make an unlikely group but they end up learning from  each other and more importantly, understanding how to trust each other.  
You can't help but get drawn into the drama surrounding everyone.  I know I caught myself holding my breath a couple of times, just knowing Della and Cece were going to get caught.  
I am glad that our author, Smith, shows us that racism and bigotry wasn't just in the South but was still high in the North as well.  One of the scenes that shows this is when Della goes into the hotel in New York to use the phone.  After using it the hotel clerk approaches her and questions why Della is there.  After checking with Della's "employer" she tells Della:

"...remember that officially, you people are welcome here, but unofficially, most of our clientele aren't as enlightened as we are.  So I think it best if you come in here to use the phones again, come in through the back with the other help." -67% Kindle

From just this scene it shows us that there is still a prevalent racist attitude even among the free states.  

There are many different bad guys in this novel, but you find yourself realizing there are different degrees of bad too.  The Hound is by far the worst and most evil, especially since he could say he is just doing his job.  

I did, however, have a hard time wrapping my mind around all the different government agencies, partly because I still found myself thinking about the real history instead of the story's history.  There were times I felt like America was split into two different countries because there were border patrols between the two sides: North and South.  But they were still under the same country and law.  It just got confusing to me and I am not sure if I was looking at it in the right way but this still didn't take away from the story.  

All in all, there are many surprises throughout the book and at times I actually felt my mouth drop open when someone I really liked gets killed.  I was definitely not expecting that.  And I was none too happy for it either.  

I had to give The Jazz Cage four hearts!  

You can get The Jazz Cage here:
  

Reveiw: Treacherous Obsession by Kenneth A. Studstill

Treacherous Obsession

Kenneth A. Studstill

Published: August 2011

Publisher: BookBaby 

Format: Digital-Kindle, Nook

Book Blurb:

In this story of unvarnished greed and corruption, Attorney Kevin Charles has no inkling how his professional and personal life mysteriously begins to collapse after he is fired by his client Victoria Roberts. First, his wife files for divorce and the legal bar brings a grievance against him alleging forced sex with a client. Then the State charges him with the crime of rape, and he is excluded as one of a few attorneys slated to make a fortune in a lawsuit against big tobacco companies.

He knows Victoria is somehow responsible for his slide down the slippery slope to professional oblivion and possibly prison. Has she lied for some nefarious reason, or is she simply delusional? If she’s not crazy, someone else must be involved, but who? All answers elude him until Victoria seeks forgiveness and tells him of the evil plan to exclude him from being one of the chosen. He doesn't really forgive her; he uses her to wreak a bittersweet revenge. But the price is high, for in doing so, he believes he has lost his soul.

Haunted by what he has done, he moves to California where he lives alone on the coast north of San Francisco and falls in love with Jean. 
Devastated when she leaves him, he rationalizes life is full of problems and disappointments. Even so, he hopes he is not beyond redemption.

My Feelings:

Even after I finished Treacherous Obession, I found myself lying awake thinking about how this story affected me.  The lead character, Kevin Charles, is personable and I found myself drawn to him even as the other characters were too.  But I also found a man of his profession to be very naive too in the ways of the world.  The first few chapters are beautifully crafted describing the beach home Kevin lives at now.  It is so well thought out I felt like I could see it as clear as day.  

Then, rather abruptly, we get sent into Kevin's flashback, showing  us how he ended up where he is now.  

The extensive telling of the law profession made me think of Grisham's writing style.  There are a few sexual scenes that add to the treachery of what goes on in this world.  

At first glance, I believed this story was going to be more about the lawsuit against the tobacco companies, but in actuality, that is more of background noise to the plot.  Everything is centered around a very good person getting even with those who wanted to ruin him.  But there is more to this novel than just a revenge story.  It has romance in it, as well as a little mystery sprinkled throughout.  It will definitely keep you interested to the very end.  If you like law dramas then I would definitely advise you to read this one.  

There isn't any supernatural factor to this story but the lead character, Kevin, is deeply afraid he may have went too far and corrupted his soul.  I also like how they refer to the lawyers on the tobacco suit as the Chosen ones.  That makes me raise my eyebrows to that, seeing a parallel to a religious standpoint.  

I had to give this 4 hearts.  This story made me really think even days after I had finished it.  I like books that have the ability to do that.  

*received from The Bookplex