A Skipper's Oath: 5 Stars

Author: P. Wesley Lundburg
Length: 430 pgs.

I signed up to read this book for free in exchange for a review as part of my Freebie Chicks’ featured Author of the Month. I asked to read this after seeing the blurb for the book. It sounded like a great thriller and reminded me somewhat of that Meryl Streep movie River Wild, where a family out for an innocent day on their boat are taken hostage by criminals, finding themselves completely isolated from society and at the mercy of a few psychos.

That’s not to say this book is anything like River Wild, but I’m glad I signed up for a copy because I ended up LOVING IT. The author hooks us from the very beginning, throwing us for a loop as we think we’re reading from the perspective of the main character at first (at least I did, since I didn’t take note of the main character’s name too closely before diving into the book, apparently). Tragic circumstances ensue, and we realize we haven’t even met our protagonist yet, we’re just learning to hate the bad guys he will eventually be going after.

The first thing I noticed and one of the most notable things about the book is the amazing setting in which it takes place. Apparently the author resided in Alaska for over 17 years and ran a fishing boat charter, but I didn’t need to know that to understand that this book is written by someone who’s been where he’s describing. Thanks to the succinctly elegant prose you can almost see Alaska, can almost smell the water and feel the spray of it against your face as you speed through the water with Frank Mattituck on his boat. The author’s love for the place lives in Mattituck’s thoughts and words, and makes me want to add “retire on boat in Alaska” to my bucket list. And that’s another thing – I know absolutely nothing about fishing or boating, but for these characters it’s pretty much a way of life so there’s no avoiding the terminology. Fortunately Lundburg has a way of explaining things in certain terms without treating his readers like idiots. Even I knew what was going on, though I couldn’t tell starboard from portside-or whatever it is-if my life depended on it (though I now apparently must learn all of this before my retirement). Alaska isn’t just the setting where this book occurs, it’s a living breathing character in itself.

The second thing I noticed is how terrifying the antagonists in the book are. There are two of them, and we’re not sure if they’re running to or from something at first, but they seem immeasurably wreckless and kill without warning or sense. We witness their disregard for human life within the first few pages. This isn’t just a case of catch-the-bad-guy(s), it’s can they catch the bad guy? And how are they going to do that?? Once Frank finds himself in the killers’ line of sight and must desperately seek shelter on an uninhabited island, things become even more dangerous.

The murder of a close friend sets off a series of events that leads to Frank being deputized and partnering up with his acquaintance Todd, who is a State Trooper. Their budding partnership was one of my favorite parts of the book. Something else the author seems to excel at is character building, and I grew to really like Frank and Todd for different reasons. I wanted to be on the boat with them, drinking coffee and plotting our next move.

The plot itself is well thought-out and perfectly executed. I was on the edge of my seat, not sure if my favorite characters were going to be sacrificed by the author or if they would be spared. Like Todd says at one point (I’m paraphrasing), if you follow one thread long enough everything will eventually unravel, and tagging along as he and Frank uncovered more and more information about their two suspects and their purpose was fascinating.

I love a good thriller, and this did not disappoint. Not only did we get a great story, but a beautiful and tangible setting to accompany it, along with smartly crafted characters from all walks of life. I truly enjoyed this and am giving it five stars for captivating me and keeping me turning the pages in an unsettling combination of anticipation and dread. I didn’t know ahead of reading this that there was a second book but I will definitely be picking it up!!

I Was a Teenage Weredeer (Bright Falls Mysteries, #1): 3.5 Stars

Author: C.T. Phipps
Length: 9 hrs 54 min

I listened to the audio version of this book. I thought the narrator did a good job voicing all the different characters, from a crimelord dragon shifter to vampires, werewolves, teenagers with New York accents, etc. It was easy to listen to and the story moved at a swift pace.

The plot itself contains many elements: a murderous demon, a corrupt town history, human sacrifices, a coven made up of magic-hungry teenagers willing to do whatever it takes to obtain shifter abilities. The world here is similar to that of the Sookie Stackhouse series in that vampires and shifters have “come out” to the public; but while their existence is known, it’s not entirely accepted. In certain states it’s legal to shoot shifters on site, and there’s hierarchy among the different types of animal shifters. Unsurprisingly, werewolves are at the top of the totem pole, while main character Jane Doe’s race of weredear possess the ability to become shamans. Within a few pages of the book we learn that Jane Doe’s best friend Emma is a werewolf, and her sister Victoria has just been found dead with Jane’s brother as the primary suspect. Thus begins the unrelenting cycle of events that unfold throughout the book.

The story takes a lot of turns, and we learn quickly not to take everything at face value. Many characters have secrets that they don’t want coming to light in the wake of Victoria’s murder and the subsequent investigation. There’s an unintended trip to hell, a haunted forest with evil spirits lurking within, and a magical convenience store of sorts that can be conjured up if you need to buy an enchanted rabbit foot and some scented candles. There’s a lot of nerd references (I say this as a proud nerd) to the Matrix, Star Wars, LOTR, etc. One of the characters is constantly quoting sci-fi movies. It makes you feel like you’re hanging out with a close friend and I found myself laughing at this quite frequently.

The book doesn’t take itself too seriously, so while we’re accompanying Jane on her twisted journey to find Victoria’s killer and exorcise a demon, there’s a lot of fun to be had as we learn about the paranomal history of the town and the eclectic characters we meet. The one thing that grated on me was Emma – her sarcasm and general negative personality made me question why she and Jane were friends, but to be fair I haven’t been a teenage girl in over ten years so maybe I just can’t relate to snark as a relationship-builder anymore.

Overall I enjoyed the story. It was something different, and I love any book that treats supernatural beings and magical occurences as completely normal so that we can enjoy the fun of it rather than dwell on its unlikelyhood. That’s the kind of world I’d want to live in- though I might stay away from Bright Falls and its penchant for human sacrfices!

I received a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Dark Pleasures (Pure/Dark Ones #4): 4 Stars

Author: Aja James

I was kindly given an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Dark Pleasures tells Devlin Sinclair’s story. Devlin is the sexy, somewhat smart-alecky Dark One we’ve gotten glimpses of in the past 2 books. Half the fun of the Pure/Dark Ones series is that (unless you ruin it by reading the blurb) you don’t know whose story is going to be coming up next. The other half of the fun is reading the books, which continue to pique my interest and keep me ravenous for more information.

The female star of this book is Grace Darling, who’s an unlikely heroine as someone with a diagnosis on the autism spectrum. She lives alone and abides by a strict schedule, with only her aunt to check in on her. She likes it that way, too, until she meets Devlin. Grace’s interaction with Devlin confuses her, because emotions aren’t second nature to Grace. She’s a hacker, and her mind works in scientific and mathematical ways. I won’t ruin it here but the way that Grace and Devlin first begin their “relationship” is hilarious. If only it could be so cut and dry for all of us as it is for Grace!

The story differs here from previous books because Ms. Aja James usually makes us wait for the male/female main characters to end up in bed together – this book starts out with a bang (badum-dum!) but that’s certainly not the end of it. And in addition to Grace & Devlin’s storyline we get a peek at some of our other favorite characters. In true Aja fashion we only get to see a little of this here, and little of that there-just enough to whet our appetite for more. It’s hard to say too much without giving spoilers, but know that some of your favorite side characters from recent books pop up just enough to drop a few more revelations. You think you have some things figured out but then a two minute conversation between certain characters can turn that completely upside down!

This has to truly be one of the most well thought-out and planned series as I’m just amazed how everything ties in together, even things that previously seemed disconnected or standalone. And the characters that Aja James creates are either loveable or you love-to-hate-them, there’s not too much in between. As usual, the ending leaves me only wanting more!!

Mated in Treason (Kan Asma #1): 4 Stars

Length: 339 pgs.
Author: Christa Paige

This book was generously gifted to me by the author, Christa Paige, due to our longstanding friendship. Just kidding, I basically begged her for it and am so happy that she obliged!

With so many books out there in this genre, it's hard for a story stand out, but Mated in Treason is one of my favorite PNR books that I've ever read. The vampire world constructed here is unique to anything else I've come across for many reasons; one of them being that in this world (the world of Kan Asma) you can't choose your mate. Women must go through a horrific testing process followed by a goblet ceremony that ultimately binds them to their lifelong mate based on a DNA match and Council-selected applicants. Whether they love that person or not doesn't matter. They could be mated to someone and live a long, miserable life together, bound by resentment and unhappiness. Nadia's parents, for example, have been married most of their lives and share a child together, but not a bed-or even a bedroom.

Nadia is a female vampire who is nearing 40, works as a nurse in a vampire hospital and lives with her parents. Her mother anxiously awaits her goblet ceremony but Nadia feels otherwise when she meets Gunnar, who ends up in her hospital after being injured in an explosion. The attraction is instant as is their chemistry, but they both know there's no chance of them being mated by the Council due to their difference in social status.

That doesn't keep them from ultimately starting a secret relationship however. While this is going on Nadia's chosen for a Goblet ceremony and the archaic process she's put through during her DNA testing is disturbing to say the least. There's also an underground revolt brewing against the ruling members of Kan Asma, and Nadia and Gunnar soon find themselves among this faction.

I was on pins and needles throughout the book wondering how they were going to get themselves out of their mess, how Nadia was going to avoid a goblet ceremony-IF she managed to avoid it-and how they were both going to escape the faction without harm. Christa Paige is excellent at creating a tense environment - at about 75% I knew something wasn't right, and so did Nadia and Gunnar, but how exactly it was going to play out was anyone's guess.

I wish I could do the book justice with my review but there's so many aspects of the story that I loved from the writing to the origin of the Kan Asma, to Nadia & Gunnar together, to Nadia herself as a relatable character, to the Kan Asma hierarchy and traditions. I would recommend this book if you enjoy this genre because it will likely end up being a favorite. I will definitely be continuing this series.