#27 Clean by Alex Hughes

I had read a sample of this and really liked it so marketing score for Roc. Of course once I had it, getting around to reading it took some time. I liked the setting with a future Atlanta but no real in your face tech changes due to a cyber war that has everyone very distrustful of computers and the internet. The plot is a stand mystery with the bonus of instead of a PI you have a consultant working with the police. We are far enough into the future that there is a Telepath Guild and our trusty consultant has been thrown out of for being a drug addict. If you like SF mysteries than run out and get this. Bonus is book two just came out so I will be reading that soon. And crossing fingers I should have some signed copies of the series available in a few weeks.

#28 Beneath a Darkening Moon by Keri Arthur

The second book starts about a year or so after the first one. This time the other sister is the main viewpoint character and she is solving a murder and someone form her hidden wild child past ends up being part of the official team that comes onto the werewolf reservation to investigate it. There are hard feelings between the two and a bit of leftover courtship magic that they have been able to ignore since they were out of one another's lives for years. Savannah ran from Cade as the free love cult she was living with fell apart with murder and now someone is copycatting the cult murders and seems to be after Savannah for revenge. Cade and Savannah have lots of sex during the book but Cade uses the leftover courtship magic to compel Savannah and that part just really turned me off about the book. Of course all is forgiven and there is a happy ever after ending but that part of the plot left a sour taste in my mouth and I don't think I'll be reading any more in this series.

#29 Melinda by Neil Gaiman, Dagmara Matuszak (Illustrator)

This is a large format illustrated short story that is dystopian short story. I think I liked the illustrations more than the story but I'm glad that finally got around to reading it.

#30 The Lost by Vicki Pettersson

The second book in this series has a much more believable crime that Kat finds out about and sorta solves. The main drug plot takes care of itself by the end of the story but really leaves a few hanging plot threads about one of the bad guys. Grif finds out more about what happened when he died and Kat finds out more about the Everlast than humans should know about.  I liked this book much better than the previous one and I am waiting now for the third one.

Digital review copy provided by Edelweiss

#31 Undead and Underwater by MaryJanice Davidson

Two out of three of the novellas are from series that she has written. The first story is a stand alone as far as I can tell and I liked it the least. Just something about the plot didn't work for me at all. The second one is the title story and crosses two main characters from separate series. The nice thing is you really don't have to have read either to know what was going on. The third one follows the promotion of Lara as leader of the werewolves and her finding a mate. Light breezy reading but I have to admit the first story almost had me not reading the other two.

#32 Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

Bad Monkey is a return to Hiaasen for me since it I have skipped the last several books.  It was like returning to your old hometown and the familiar faces were gone but the crazy stuff still keeps happening.  There is no real “hero” in the book since it seems everyone has their flaws in this book.  Yancy is a soon to be ex cop in the Keys that is losing his job due to attacking his girlfriend’s husband in public. He goes on to solving the murder in the book but never gets everything he wants but I think he gets what he deserves along with most everyone in the book.  Amusing as always and several laugh out loud absurd moments made me glad I got this one to review.


Digital review copy provided by Edelweiss

#33 Misty Circus by Victoria Francés

I have to say the cover art is what got me to pick up the book. The story, not so much. It felt like the start of a story and not a complete story. The orphan finds a new home with a circus in the woods and makes some new friends but we never see how he lives in the circus and the ringmaster/wizard gives him shelter but not much info. If you like sad emo looking art then this is the book for you. The overall quality of the art is great but picture after picture of sad red rimmed eyed children does tend to wear.

Digital review copy provided by Netgalley