A Deadly Influence by Mike Omer

Review by Melissa B. (dragoneyes)

When Abby Mullen, hostage negotiation instructor, gets a phone call from a mom about a missing child, she feels compelled to help. Once she gets to the mom’s house, she finds that she knows her. They share a past made up of tragic events from a cult that they were both members of when they were children. After delving into the mysteries around the child’s disappearance, Abby finds that she might be dealing with another cult.  Finding herself reliving the past, she uses what she knows to help navigate her way through the dealings with this new cult.

The book flows between the past and the present effortlessly. We see the struggles that the children went through in the past and how it actually helps Abby with the case in the present. The story also brings social media into the picture and shows how it can be entertaining but also dangerous.

It was a good story that had some endearing characters. While the book tied up this story, it did leave a tiny cliffhanger at the end. I feel the need to go to the next book just to see what is going on.

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Review by Cyndi J. (cyndij)

A very fun fantasy set in the medieval Middle East, really the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, around the time of the Crusades. Amina al-Sirafi is a doting mother, living in a ramshackle hut on a remote bit of land. But Amina wasn’t always poor. She wasn’t always on land either. Amina used to be a nakhudha, the captain of a pirate ship, and she was almost legendary. At least until the horrific death of one of her crew sent her ashore. The birth of her daughter made up for a lot though.

The arrival of a rich woman looking for the pirate Amina is something of a shock. There’s a kidnapped granddaughter at stake, a sad story that tugs at Amina’s heart. The promise of a million dinars for the rescue is too much to give up, and Amina says she’ll look into it.  It isn’t going to turn out quite the way she expected.

The action starts up almost immediately as Amina goes to visit her old ship and finds its crew, and her good friend Tinbu who’s now the captain, in jail and about to be executed.  Getting him out will take the help of Dalilia, a master poisoner, but it won’t be easy nor quiet. Not to mention that her client hasn’t quite told her everything and is now threatening to have her little family killed if she doesn’t follow through. Fleeing for safety, Amina brings them up to speed on the quest and, of course, they’re going to stick together.

There’s magical artifacts, a demon husband, many more pirates, numerous magical beasts, a sorcerer with horrible powers, treasure caves, and the granddaughter who knows a lot she shouldn’t about spells and magic.

Told from Amina’s POV within the framework of a scribe (whose identity becomes gradually clear), it’s a rollicking nail-biting ride through a semi-historical time and place we don’t see much of in English print.  I wish the glossary was more extensive, but most of the unfamiliar words are easy enough to figure in context.  I loved the little inserts from the scribe’s POV. The imagery and descriptions are first-rate, it’s like watching a movie in your head.  The dialogue is excellent – Chakraborty hits the funny notes just right.  The characters are memorable, with Amina and Raksh the most fleshed out.  I wished for even more of Amina’s three crewmates  but it worked.   You’ll also catch themes relating to some of today’s societal issues.  Amina, Delilia, and Dunya are women outside the norm for that age – they have courage, ambitions, and are not content to be hidden away.

This is the first of a new series. It’s delightful and I highly recommend it.

Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree 

Review by Melissa B. (dragoneyes)

When I first saw info on this book, it was listed as a cozy fantasy. I’ve tried the cozy mysteries and as much as I love their punny titles and adorable covers, I could never get into them. I was afraid that I would feel the same about a fantasy cozy but since I do love a good fantasy and an exceptional latte, I decided to give this one a go. I’m happy that I did. This was so much fun and full of feels. I sped through the book and was eager for more.

The story is set around an orc named Viv who is ready to hang up her sword and try selling coffee for a change. This is not as easy as it would sound. She is starting from an old horse stable, in a town where she is a stranger, and at a place no one even knows what coffee is. Yet, along the way, she meets a cast a quirky characters and finds that all you need is friendship, respect, and faith. With all of that, the rest just falls into place.
I truly wanted to crawl into this world. To be there when the townspeople tried their first sip. To hang out with the crew at the coffee shop. To try a creamy latte along with one of those heavenly pastries. It was so much fun to escape into that tale and can’t wait until the next book comes out so I can escape again.

Twenty Years Later by Charlie Donlea

Review by Pat D. (pat0814)

This is intriguing until the end. Walt Jenkins is a retired FBI agent with a painful past when he is assigned to a case in New York involving a missing man who spearheaded a sophisticated Ponzi scheme involving billions of dollars that financed his lavish lifestyle. Avery Mason is a successful investigative journalist, a well known television personality and the daughter of the missing man. She is in New York to examine the details of the murder of a prosperous author for her television program, while surreptitiously obtaining an illegal passport. Since Walt was the agent in charge of the author’s murder, their paths cross with unexpected consequences. Adding to the mystery, the suspected murderer facing indictment is Victoria Ford, who was identified as a victim of the 9/11 terrorist attack on the World Trade Center.

There are numerous surprises in this book. The ending is particularly riveting. This is my first novel by Charlie Donlea, and I look forward to reading more by this accomplished author.

The Angel Maker by Alex North

Review by Melissa B. (dragoneyes)

Hello Beautiful by Ann Napolitano

Review by Pat D. (pat0814)

The Padavano family is a close-knit Italian family living in Chicago.  It is comprised of the matriarch Rose, Charlie, her husband, the dreamer, and four daughters: Julia, Sylvie and the twins, Emmeline and Cecilia.  The four daughters are especially close under the watchful eye of Rose and their caring father, who greets each of the girls with “Hello, beautiful” when they enter a room.

Each of the girls has strengths that contribute to their essential well-being.  They compare themselves to the characters in Little Women.  When Julia marries William, their lives are momentarily upended.  William is the child of a loveless home and is swept up into belonging to acceptance by this family. What follows is a demonstration that the sisters maintain their tight bond.  Rose is shattered when divorce, a pregnancy out of wedlock, and homosexuality intrude into what she wanted the world to perceive as her perfect family.  An unexpected marriage by one of the sisters leaves her devastated from her new home in Florida and a rift in this family.  Throughout their sometimes-turbulent lives, they are strengthened by the memories of Charlie’s unconditional love.

Ann Napolitano continues the tradition she began with Dear Edward in these in-depth character and family studies.  This is a profoundly insightful novel into the deep love and losses of these people.
5 stars.

Hold Fast by J.H. Gelernter

Review by Cyndi J. (cyndij)

The year is 1803 and Great Britain is fighting Napoleon. Thomas Grey was the head of the British spy network in Malta, until his wife was killed.  He blames himself for allowing  her on the ship that ended up in a battle with a French warship. Now he can’t bring himself to remain on the job, so he resigns intending to head for distant Boston, where he has relatives.

However, hostilities with the French are not over, and after participating in another sea battle, he ends up in Portugal looking for a ship heading for the Americas.  It’s a tricky spot and he is not going to advertise his former career, although identifying himself as former military will have advantages. But he runs into a disaffected Irishman, part of a network working for France. This man thinks Grey might be brought around to give vital military information to the French.

As soon as Grey hears this, the possibility of revenge for his wife’s death blooms huge. He’s all in, and it’s just a matter of convincing the enemy he has what they want.

Thus begins an exciting, tension-filled adventure with Grey against d’Aumont, the captain of the ship which killed his wife.  Lots of historical detail, but it doesn’t take over the story. Grey is sort of like a James Bond figure, with exceptional skills in sword-fighting, gambling, and even casual hook-ups. His adversary has a few redeeming qualities.  Most of the other characters are thin, although we meet his wife in some flashbacks. There are a number of very convenient events to help the plot along, but there’s enough momentum to let them whip past you.  Sea battles, duelling, antique firearms, torture, escape…it’s all there.

As I write this there are three in the series. This first book,  is a complete story, no cliffhangers, but the ending makes it obvious that Grey’s adventures are just beginning.  The cover blurbs reference Patrick O’Brian, but while it’s set in the same period you won’t find that same richness. That’s fine. It’s a good thriller with a tough competent hero and an evil villain, set in a very turbulent period so plenty of room for major plot action, and has some interesting bits of history both large and small.