Friday, May 29, 2015

We Regret to Inform You: Stories by Tim Fredrick

Release Date: March 31, 2015
Publisher: Tim Fredrick
Author Website: 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
A collection of short stories ranging from a few paragraphs to a constant stream of thought, Tim Fredrick offers up fourteen cases which explore the connection men have with the people in their lives. The stories hail from different genres and viewpoints to allow the read to see through a man's eyes. Not only is the connection explored, but everything that comes with it - anger, lust, happiness, disgust, fulfillment, love.

Come discover the boy who would break a world record, a father who slowly turned to stone, a cat's toy that finally finds its motivation and so much more. Each story presents a world in which someone either finds or loses that which is most important to them, leading us to shift how we think about our relationships with one another.

Review:
I used to think that short stories were a temporary fix when I didn't have a new novel to devour. Most were pure enjoyment without having to pay attention to every nuance of the story. Small vacations to other places or being swept up in an adventure for a few minutes appealed to me whenever I wasn't nose-deep into something longer. During a search of something new to read on NetGalley, I saw this offering by the author and wondered exactly how did a father turn to stone and what in the world did a cat toy want so much?

The fourteen stories in this collection focused on a man's part of a relationship. Whether it was as a parent, a friend, a lover or even catnip-filled mouse, the subjects of the stories tried to find a connection with another party. Many featured an one-on-one type of interaction between the main character and the object of their relationship. They were told from different vantage points as well. It was easy to find the overall theme in each of the stories, making this collection a more cohesive book. For me, there were a few characters that stood out for me. One was the cat toy which simply wanted to be an equal to his sister, the cat. It was interesting to see the toy have some of the same feelings and emotions that I've had in a few past relationships. Another was a male nurse in a futuristic hospice, caring for a recently thawed man from our century. His reactions to the thawed man's behavior and beliefs had me wondering what I would have done or said if I were in his place.

Each of these stories had their own pace. Some were quick reads that seemed to start and finish in a blink of an eye. One such story was called 'The Kind of Person'. This one struck a chord with me because I could relate to both people within that marriage. I understood their vantage points as well as that loneliness and frustration. The other selections in the book had a slower pace to them, but they moved forward that was enjoyable. My emotions rode the roller coaster that these stories provided. Not only did I laugh, cringe and smile at the events, I also cried when I read 'The Drawer'. I wasn't swept up by the story at first, but as the man at the heart of the story continued to do everything but go near that drawer, I was hooked. The last three paragraphs took my heart and ripped it. Such a sad situation for everyone involved.

All in all, I liked this collection a whole lot more than I anticipated. With so many different aspects to a relationship to explore, the author set a high bar for the collection to reach. However, I think he did a great job of hitting that bar. He imbued his characters with the flaws and failings that made it easy to relate to them. There was a little bit of the 'everyman' in each character. Their words and deeds could have easily been our own and that's what makes a great story last in our memories. If you're looking for a great collection of well-written stories to tide you over until your next novel fix, or simply enjoy connecting to the stories you read, this book should be on your list.

We Regret to Inform You: Stories by Tim Fredrick is currently available at many online retailers in either paperback or Kindle (digital) versions. Visit the following link to purchase from the book's Amazon page.
We Regret to Inform You: Stories by Tim Fredrick


Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Currently Reading

Whew! I'm back!

It's been a difficult week or so.  I thought I'd be able to finish a number of books while I was going to the doctor's or sitting at home. Unfortunately, the crud I picked up from somewhere worked against me. I did a lot of sleep and a few crochet projects whenever I could keep my eyes open. I attempted to read. That was a failure as I read the same sentence five times before falling asleep. Now that I'm feeling better, I'm attempting to make up for lost time.

Today's also been a good day for writing. I was able to get a short story finished and three more pages of Nano2012. I sincerely hope to get a few more pages before the day is over. After a bit of polishing I might enter this contest I read about in our local magazine, Pen It! Magazine. I've only a few days left until the deadline, so work I must!


Glad to be spending time in these books;
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Ravensbruck: Life and Death in Hitler's Concentration Camp for Women by Sarah Helm
Trail of the Torean (Saga of the God-Touched Mage #2) by Ron Collins


Letting these move on;
The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly
We Regret to Inform You: Stories by Tim Fredrick


Summer is officially on its way now. The humid air lingers more often than the cool breezes. That means more time inside the house and with my books as the weather dictates. Plenty of books to keep me company. What are you looking forward to the most during the summer?

Until next time,
Kay B

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Small break in the routine.

Due to other obligations and health issues, the regular posting schedule will resume next week on 5/27/15. Thank you all for understanding.

Until next time,
Kay B

Monday, May 18, 2015

The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

Release Date: January 27, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Author Website:  http://www.matthewreilly.com

Rating: 4 out 5 stars.

Synopsis:
For over forty years, the Chinese government kept a secret while building what would be the rival of any great tourist attraction in the world. With their sights set high, the preeminent zoo officials invited journalists to view the zoo complex ahead of its grand opening. Dr. Cassandra Cameron was among those invited, due in part to her expertise in reptiles. She and the others were astounded the moment the true Great Zoo of China was revealed.

All too soon the excitement shifted to terror as the long-forgotten animals in the zoo launched their own type of welcoming party for the group. Secrets and hidden agendas pushed the limits of cooperation between CJ's group and the zoo staff and resulted in more pain and failed plans. Using all her wits and wisdom, she survived the first brushes with death at the animals' hands, but can she get out of the zoo alive? Will the animals find a way to free themselves and unleash their power upon the entire world before she can find a way to stop them?

Review:
Every so often I look through the titles offered at NetGalley and find something a little out of my comfort zone that still intrigued me. When I stumbled upon this book, I figured it would have some action mixed with a surprise or two inside the covers. Right from the first page, the author let loose a big secret. The zoo which China based its hopes to surpass the cultural impact of the US was no ordinary zoo at all. At the beginning of the novel, zoo officials covered up a disturbing incident. This opened the door for the author to introduce one of the strong lead characters, Dr. Cassandra Jane Cameron, commonly known as CJ. Her arrival on behalf of the National Geographic magazine coincided with another tour group of VIPs. Midway through her own tour, all heck broke loose as the animals attempted to take over the zoo.

As an expert on reptiles, CJ was both excited by the prospect of a newly discovered animal to research, but hesitant with so many unknown variables. She and her brother, Hamish, joined another journalist as well as the US Ambassador to the zoo for a informative tour of the zoo. The group arrived at the zoo in style where they met the zoo officials and other scientists. They were given the specifics of how the zoo came to be built and the basics behind the revival of a long-forgotten animal. It was clear from the beginning who had ulterior motives and hidden agendas, but the way the devious characters maneuvered people to do their bidding was subtle and effective. It all added up to a war between two sides, but not the sides you'd expect. These discovered animals were intelligent, fast and ruthless with plan of attack years in the making. Once put into action, the attack tested both animal and human alike.

Many of the characters seemed realistic, especially in the face of such overwhelming odds (or animals the size of jetliners). Some were resourceful and relied on their expertise or specialized training to help them through the various scenarios that they encountered. Others did little more than cower in the corner or follow the lead of the stronger characters. Much of the action really took off once CJ's group began the second leg of their tour. As I mentioned before, the animals were both intelligent and ruthless. Therefore, there weren't a lot of scenes where CJ and those with her could catch their breath. Staying too long in one place was often a very, very bad thing. One event after another kept the story moving forward until the end. The maps and diagrams included in the book helped me to keep track of what was happening and why it mattered.

Overall, I liked this book more than I thought for a couple of reasons. I was happy to see a strong female lead character that relied on her brains and training more than her being a woman. There was a scene toward the beginning of the book where the guests of the tour were given gift bags by the zoo staff. Each bag contained items that the zoo thought would be appropriate in a stereotypical fashion - blue bags with masculine-themed items for the men, pink bags with make-up and other such items for the women. CJ's reaction mirrored mine as I continued to read. The other reason I liked this book was due to the plausibility of something of its kind actually happening. A few months after this edition of the book was published, there was a discovery made in China of several dinosaur eggs. Could life imitate art in their building an actual Great Zoo of China? Time will tell. With believable characters, surprising discoveries and tons of action to keep your pulse racing, this book should be on your TBR list.

The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly is currently available at various online retailers and local bookstores. It can be purchased in either hardcover or Kindle (digital) formats. The following is a link to the book's page at Amazon.
The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly


Friday, May 15, 2015

Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer

Release Date: September 8, 2014
Publisher: Open Heart Press
Series: Broken Bottle series, Book 2
Author Website:  www.pamelataeuffer.com/

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Nicky Young thought she had her life after high school planned out. First, she'd graduate and attend Stanford. Second, she'd be free to explore all that college life had to offer. Yet, right before she put the plans into motion, she found herself torn between two men, Ryan and Jerry. As she explored the feelings that being with each bring out, her emotions range from pure bliss to reluctance and foreboding.

Spending time with either of them brought a sense of vulnerability to the fore of her mind. Nicky felt her walls immediately seal around her heart whenever either asked her to love them. Seeing the dysfunction of her parent's marriage and the phoenix-like revival of her sister's life after a devastating rape, Nicky wasn't sure that she could be intimate with anyone. Her newly-found feelings drove her forward, leaving her to decide which man will have her heart and where her future would led her.

Review:
Getting an email from NetGalley alerted me that both this book and the first, Shadow Heart, were available for reading. I took a step from my comfort zone of mysteries and thrillers to see what these two titles held. The first book left Nicky after a confusing and exhilarating night at a beach bonfire with Jerry while Ryan was away on a game tour. Today's book picked up the day after the events of that night and chronicled all the emotions on either end of the spectrum that both men brought out of her. Word of warning for this book - there was a large amount of information concerning sexuality and keeping oneself safe while engaging in adult activities. The information was very pertinent to a young adult in today's society, written to inform and empower both young men and women about their bodies. While the intimate situations between the young lovers weren't graphic, the instructional information was very much in the open between Nicky and her sister.

Once again, Nicky related her story through her point-of-view. The reader received a front row seat to the warring emotions and feelings that filled her mind and journal. Much of the cast of characters which made up the first book also appeared in this sequel. Both love interests, Ryan and Jerry, made her decision to choose very difficult by opening themselves up to her. Ryan allowed her to meet part of his family and revealed more of his own dysfunctional family. Jerry made his own attempts to capture her heart, but his focus was divided between Nicky and his budding baseball career. Nicky's family were more prominent in this particular book, especially her older sister. A few new characters made their way into the story and brought out some hidden secrets and set up future conflicts.

Much of the pacing seemed slow but steady for the entire book. For me, the only time events picked up speed was when Nicky was invited to go to L.A. with a girlfriend and that happened for a weekend. The slow pace did allow for a softening of Ryan's character and a deepening bond between Nicky and her sister, Jenise. The constant shift between still being a child and becoming an adult showed up many times in both dialogue and her thoughts/feelings as they appeared in the book. As with many confused young adults, she could wear the clothes and makeup, appearing much older than her eighteen years, but she still had the thought processes and feelings of a young teen. Without experiences to judge which direction to turn, she was smart enough to go to someone older for advice.

Overall, I thought the book was okay. It was a quick read that expanded on the themes and circumstances which began in the first book. I did like how Nicky grew stronger as the book progressed. While still low, her confidence level shifted and allowed her to voice her opinion more often, especially toward the end of the book. Dialogue filled a large portion of the character's interactions and provided most of the information necessary to move the story forward. The way the dialogue was broken into many paragraphs did distract me at times. It became easy to forget which speaker was talking. Some of the characters spoke in such a similar manner that it also contributed to the feeling that one person was speaking when the book showed two characters. All that aside, it was an okay sequel to the first book and set up a number of questions to be answered in the next book. This book should be on your TBR shelf if you've read the first book or if you're a lover of people overcoming dysfunction in order to find love again.

Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer is currently available at all major online retailers in either paperback or digital (Kindle) formats. Below is a link to the book's page at Amazon for purchase.
Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer

Wednesday, May 13, 2015

Currently Reading

Just when I think my life will become boring so that I can get to my long-suffering TBR list, an adventure reared its head. We had a pretty intense storm earlier this week that knocked out our power. Leave it to me to be stuck in a doctor's office with no lights. I am praying that the appointments toward the end of the week don't have such an adventure awaiting me.

Trying to keep up with my book goal for the year and maintaining 1k word minimum on my own works are becoming difficult with all these health issues. I keep typing those words and reading those pages, but some days it feels like I'm only treading water. The encouragement from my supporters has helped to keep me going. On to the next book and the next challenge, I say! With that in mind, I'm pushing myself to read at least two books a week from here on out. There's also a short story contest that I may have an entry or two ready for in the next few days.


Feeling the weight of these words;
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
The Great Zoo of China by Matthew Reilly

Moving on to greener pastures are;
Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer


This week is also an exciting week for me because it's the third year anniversary of this blog! Through all the ups and downs with my health and other real life issues, this blog has always been a source of happiness and joy whenever I connect with a reader or a budding author. Can't wait to see what the next year brings to us here at Confessions of a Word Addict. A huge THANK YOU goes out to each of you, dear readers!

Until next time,
Kay B

Monday, May 11, 2015

Mom on the Road: A Novel by Allyson Ochs Primack

Release Date: February 13, 2015
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Author Website:  www.momontour.com

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Maggie Stevens lived the typical, modern American life. She went to college, got married and had children. Leaving behind her own dreams to focus on what needed to be done, she suddenly found herself staring into the face of someone she barely recognized. When her young son had a chance to tour the country with an Broadway production company, she took a deep breath and got on the tour bus along with him.

Through trial and error she faced her fears and found parts of herself she had put away so long ago. Adventure, mishaps and hilarity ensued as mother and son learned the life of an on-tour actor, suffering the highs with brilliant performances and the lows of long travel times in cramped spaces. The book was inspired by the author's own journey with her son as he toured the country and was documented in her blog, www.momontour.com.

Review:
The author contacted me, asking for an honest and fair review of her book. When I read the synopsis and saw that it was inspired by events in the author's real life, I was immediately intrigued. One might think this book would be a simple retelling of how the tour came about and the adventures that ensued. That's partially correct. There were also moments of self-discovery, reconnecting with one's dreams and letting go of fear to enjoy life and all it offered. Now, I must issue one note of warning. The book was filled with the honesty of a nearly 40 year-old woman, so adult language and situations were present throughout the pages. But that was who Maggie Stevens was.

Told through the eyes of Maggie Stevens, her life before the tour was recounted in the first few chapters. She let us know all the hopes and dreams she held as a child and how those precious dreams  of freedom and travel were pushed aside for more pressing events such as college, working as an attorney and living life as a wife and mother. There was a brash honesty to what Maggie told about her home life and how she felt something lacking. When her son, Matt, was chosen to share the part in "The Munsters Musical", a different set of fears were laid bare, but they didn't stop the family from rearranging their lives in order to give Matt the opportunity of a lifetime. Spending more than half a year with the crew and actors, relationships on all levels were formed despite the awkward stiffness of those first few days. Each of the players were given an introduction in the book, their first impressions recorded as Maggie experienced them. As the tour gained a rhythm after each production, these impressions shifted as they all became familiar with one another. It was pretty interesting to watch the dynamics of the relationships change as time went on.

Though the start was a little slow for me, I was hooked by the honesty that Maggie presented. She didn't hide anything from the glare of the spotlight and included her own flaws, bad habits and hidden desires. The pace picked up shortly after she found herself out of college, married and a little one on the way. When she wrote about raising three kids, maintaining a home and working part-time as an attorney, I felt exhausted for her! Several moments made me smile or laugh aloud. Her son's joy at seeing New York City for the first time, the tearful first goodbye as mother and son set off on the journey, and the first show were all powerful moments in the book for me. Of course, hilarity ensued as rushed from one city to the next, spent long hours trapped on a bus together, and shared hotel rooms which provided little to no privacy. It all added up to a roller coaster ride of emotions, events and experiences.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I'm very glad that I had the opportunity to read and review this book. Because of Maggie's honesty and the balance of both good and bad times within the story, I felt like I was right there with them through the bus rides, the after-show parties and the loneliness that the road induced. At the very heart of the story, both mother and son discovered both who they truly were and the acceptance to be that very person. Chasing your dream didn't have to end simply because your circumstanced did. Be brave and step back into the race. You never know what may be waiting around the corner. Maggie took that big step forward and found her passion rekindled and a deeper level of contentment with her family and friends. If you're looking for a comedy-filled, adult coming-of-age story or have ever had the desire to break out of the box, then this book is the one you need to read.

Mom on the Road: A Novel by Allyson Ochs Primack is currently available at various online retailers in both paperback and digital (Kindle) formats. Follow the link below to the book's Amazon page to purchase.
Mom on the Road: A Novel by Allyson Ochs Primack


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Currently Reading

Lot of doctor appointments this week put a damper on my reading plans. However, the books are piling up to the ceiling, so I have to keep reading. The fire department would be citing me if my house was filled with all the books I'm waiting to read. Thank goodness for the library and Kindle! The only ways I can have over 2,000 books sitting on a shelf.

This past week has been a flurry of stolen moments and quick hits of words. No more than thirty minutes to spare at a time, I've tried to sneak in some reading to knock down that TBR list as well as some editing on NaNo2012. It's coming along at a steady pace. I'm starting to find a rhythm to the story. It's much easier to imagine what's going to happen next now. I've even twisted one of the characters a little more to add another chapter. I am starting to like this bad guy.


Spending time with these;
Jackfish Reborn by Rejean Giguere
Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
Say You Will (Summerhill Book 1) by Kate Perry
Prince Lestat by Anne Rice
Fire Heart (Broken Bottle #2) by Pamela Taeuffer


Letting these books move on;
The Bullet: A Novel by Mary Louise Kelly
Mom on the Road: A Novel by Allyson Ochs Primack


Trying to keep a positive outlook on all the news I've received this past week is much harder than I expected. The books helped me to forget the troubles, even for a small break. Now, it's back to the grind for a bit. How do books get you through tough times?

Until next time,
Kay B

Monday, May 4, 2015

The Bullet: A Novel by Mary Louise Kelly

Release Date: March 17, 2015
Publisher: Gallery Books
Author Website: 

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
Caroline Cashion lived a normal life, taught French literature at Georgetown University, and went home often to see her parents and older brothers. They had the perfect life. That was before a constant, throbbing pain her wrist sent Caroline to the doctor. Tests discovered that she had a bullet buried in the tissue of her neck. With no memory as to how it got there, she pressed her family for information and stumbled on a dark secret buried for over thirty years.

Once the truth was told, she traveled to Atlanta to find answers. Everywhere she went, she was met with more questions than answers. Slowly truths began crawling from the past and laid to waste everything Caroline had known to be her life truth. The more she searched, the more risk she posed to a killer that didn't like loose ends. Will she be able to get what she needed for closure in her life? Will the events of the past pose too much of a threat for the present and future?

Review:
I saw this book as I looked through the offerings at NetGalley and immediately requested it. The synopsis sounded intriguing and a little different. I mean, how would you deal with a surprise such as finding a bullet in your neck after thirty-some years? I was about fifty pages into the story when I realized something seemed familiar with the tone and style of writing. It took me a minute longer than it should to remember that I read the author's debut novel, Anonymous Sources, during 2013. I liked that one a lot and hoped this current offering would make me feel the same way. Not long into the book, I was hooked by the secrets and a few of the characters themselves.

Caroline Cashion told her story through first person point-of-view. We, the readers, were privy to her thoughts, reasoning, and inner emotional battles as she went on this adventure to figure out what happened to her as a child. Along the way some key supporters revealed themselves and reaffirmed their relationship to her in the midst of the chaos. Her brothers, Tony and Martin, made me tear up when they each had a chance to show or tell Caroline how much she meant to them after a traumatic revelation nearly tore the family apart. It was refreshing to see that sometimes love and the word 'family' didn't have one meaning. Many of the secondary characters increased the believability of the story. Sometimes real people made really bad or really dumb decisions. These characters did the same thing. There were some actions that even I had a hard time rationalizing, but they worked to push the story forward and created a sense of drama on top of everything else.

The book started a little slow, like a gently rising amusement park ride. It took a little while to get you to the top of the ride before everything came crashing down around you, only to speed back up again. That's exactly how this novel operated. In the beginning all the foundation knowledge was presented as well as a likely problem that wouldn't go away. A short time later that problem tipped the story into an unknown piece of land that the characters must negotiate in order to resolve issues or serious consequences follow. Then the earth-shattering bit of information fell into their laps. Our ride took its first nosedive, picking up momentum and rising to another peak within seconds. Poor Caroline never really had much to think about everything she discovered or to deal with the sudden introduction and withdrawal of people in her life. That also came across very clearly in the writing.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. There was a surprise visit partway through from a familiar face in the author's previous book. Not a huge difference maker in this particular story, but it was nice to see her come around again. Towards the end of the book, I thought I had a sense of how the story was going to tie everything together and Caroline was going to have a life - one way or another. But I did not see the very end coming. What I thought was the end would have tied everything up with a nice bow and sent the characters on with their lives. The author chose to add one more thrill ride at the reader at the last possible second. I have to admit, that last swerve definitely added more layers to the story. So many unanswered questions now. I wonder if the author planned to revisit Caroline at some point. Will the surprise visitor help to make things okay? So many questions!  For readers of mystery and suspense or for those who love face-paced books with many layers to discover, put this book on your TBR pile and pick up a copy today!

The Bullet: A Novel by Mary Louise Kelly is currently available at many online retailers and local bookstores. It can be found in a variety of formats including hardcover, paperback, audio-book and digital (Kindle, MP3, etc.). Below is a link to the Amazon page for the book.
The Bullet: A Novel by Mary Louise Kelly

Sunday, May 3, 2015

May's Hopes and Dreams

Now, May comes walking into the world. Flowers of many colors, birds singing their songs of joy and mating and green grass are everywhere I look. From my screened porch I can watch the world and all it as everything and everyone go about their daily business. Sometimes these serene scenes prompt me to pick up my pen and dash down a few lines or an idea that needs more expansion later. This is the time of year when my writing takes a positive path whereas the darker side of myself and humanity comes out during the winter.

Last month I attended a local writer's conference where I learned a lot of valuable information. Initially, I was excited for only two of the speakers because they were set to speak about subjects I'd wondered about. After sitting through all of their presentations, I came home with several pages filled with notes that I put to immediate use. There are many avenues opening up for those who dream of being author, but you still have to do the work. No matter if you're wanting to publish yourself or go through the traditional route with publishers, there's still plenty of blood, sweat and tears to put into it.

As for me, the month of May will be one for catching up with my reading schedule and pushing myself to finish rewriting NaNo2012. Not sure if I will send it off to others as of yet, but I will have it completed and read by Beta readers. My crochet and community projects are making progress. Though it's only an hour or two a day, I'm getting caught up all the way around. I'm hoping to spend more time with my writing. We'll just have to wait and see what real life has in store during the month.

Hope your month of May is filled with beauty, spring and so much color!

Until next time,
Kay B

Friday, May 1, 2015

Shadow Ritual (Antoine Marcas #2) by Eric Giacometti, Jacques Ravenne

Release Date: March 25, 2015
Publisher: Le French Book
Translator: Anne Trager
Series: Antoine Marcas series, Book 2

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.

Synopsis:
After giving a presentation at a lodge in Rome, Antoine Marcas accepted his friend's invitation to attend an elite-rich, celebrity-filled party at the Farnese Palace. With the gala in full swing, a murder took place upstairs in a manner few would recognize. Thousands of miles away in a high-tech lab, a similar murder occurred and the contents of the man's research stolen. Antoine Marcas was drawn into the mix by sheer luck of being present at the gala and being a detective in his native country, France.

Back on his home turf, Antoine was assigned to figure out who was behind the killings alongside Special Agent Jade Zewinski, a battle-hardened agent determined to avenge one of the deaths. Leads, more murders and ancient clues buried in long-forgotten manuscripts sent both of them on a hunt that collided paths with an underground society hell-bent on bringing about racial purity. What they discovered put them directly in the line of fire.

Review:
Another good find from NetGalley, this book piqued my interest from its synopsis. I'm a sucker for symbols, mysteries and adventure. This book had all of that and more. There were quite a few twists and turns that I didn't expect and some that I knew were coming from having read other similar stories in the past.  However, this book did a good job of stepping down other avenues while retelling familiar tales. It was refreshing to have another element added to the usual mystery or suspense type novel. There was a definite French and international flavor to the novel, due in large part to the authors, as well as many layers and conspiracies which played upon myths or legends within several regions of France.

Much of the story followed Antoine Marcas, a French detective and Freemason, who found himself saddled with a partner who didn't like his fraternal order much. Jade Zewinski had experienced a lot in her young life and it all began with some bitter dealings with Freemason. This particular conflict gave way to some good dialogue as well as opened doors for further information to be put into the novel without weighing the conversation or reader down. Other characters filled the ranks on both sides of the chase, each one a little more disturbed/sane than the next. I liked the fact that the book had both a male and a female character that could not only take the lead but seemed strong, resilient even without the other present. In truth there were a couple of characters on the "bad" side that made me feel the same way. With their deep-rooted likes or dislikes, many of the characters seemed as real as you or I.

There were plenty of action scenes within the novel. While much of the book took place in modern or present day places and time, a few important scenes occurred in the past to set the stage for the book as a whole. With so much information to impart to the reader, the authors did a great job of sliding it into conversation or within manuscripts that the characters read on their own. The combination of the usual thoughts and feelings about one secret society versus another also added a new dimension to the novel. I really liked how they took what has become standard in regards to Freemason theology and put a new twist on their myths and legends. Though I could guess where the story led a few times, I was pleasantly surprised more often than not by the events that took place in the book.

Overall, this book wasn't a run-of-the-mill type of mystery novel that centered around symbols and myths. The authors took information that had been used many times before and displayed it in such a way that made it seem fresh and new. I did enjoy the fast-paced excitement of the chase as well as the slow unearthing of information as a few characters dug through ancient archives. While the book does lean toward French audiences, anyone can enjoy the hunt and the terror the authors put into the pages. If you're a lover of ancient myths and secret societies or simply enjoy a good mystery surrounded by the past, this book should be on your TBR pile!

Shadow Ritual (Antoine Marcas #2) by Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne is currently available at many online retailers. It can be purchased in hardcover, paperback or Kindle (digital) formats. The link below will take you to the book's Amazon page.
Shadow Ritual (Antoine Marcas #2) by Eric Giacometti and Jacques Ravenne