Double Whammy by Gretchen Archer-4 stars

Archer, Gretchen. Double Whammy.  9:58 hrs. $13.96. Audible Download. 2013

When a job opportunity pops up for Davis Way to get out of Pine Apple, Alabama, she jumps at the chance to become plain clothes security for Bellismo Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. Her first job: to uncover a corruption regarding the slot machine: Double Whammy, Deuces Wild. Everything is going great until her ex-ex husband, Eddie Crawford and her employer’s wife, Bianca Sanders turn out to be in the heart of the problem. To make matters worse, Davis is a double for Bianca and her immediate supervisor, Natalie, seems to be behind it all. When a case of mistaken identity and an attempted murder get pinned on her, Davis finds herself in the slammer with no way to get help from her family. With no one else to turn to but her landlord lawyer, Bradley Cole, Davis must figure out a way to clear her name or wind up going to prison for something she didn’t do for a very long time. Will she succeed?

Narrator, Dina Pearlman has an entertaining, southern drawl that brings a unique dimension to Archer’s characters. The plot is well-developed and draws the reader into Davis Way’s world easily. Although the story drags in a few places, the book moves at a steady pace. The narrative style is clear with smooth transitions.  Although it’s hard to believe that a former cop would touch a suspicious gun without gloves on is hard to believe, but the humor and light-hearted nature of the book makes up for this oversight. Overall, I give it 4 out of 5 stars. The story had a few holes and part that weren’t very believable, but the plot was easy to follow and entertaining.

4 stars, ADULT

Fact of the Day

I'm a closet fact junkie, so I've decided I'm going to start posting one a day in addition to reviews I write and such. I'm hoping to make most of them book-related Here's today's fact:

Books Coming Out In 2014 That I Can't Wait to Read

As a confessed bookaholic, I love to have a list of books coming out that I can't wait to read. Here's just a few:

February:

The Chase (Fox and O'Hare #2) by Janet Evanovich

The Shadow Throne (False Prince Series #3) by Jennifer A. Nielsen

March:

Sky Raiders (Five Kingdoms #1) by Brandon Mull

May:
The One (The Selection Series #3) by Kieran Cass

City of Heavenly Fire (Mortal Instruments #6) by Cassandra Clare

What are some you're looking forward to?

Fast Money by Colleen Helme-5 stars

Helme, Colleen, Fast Money. AUDIBLE, 2013. AUDIOBOOK. $17.46

Ever since getting hit by a bullet by a gunman, Shelby has been able to read people’s thoughts and it’s caused her a fair amount of trouble. After her last encounter with Uncle Joey, a local mob boss who’s not her uncle, Shelby Nichols thought she was done. She was wrong. When $5 million dollars makes its way into her account that Joey set up for her, she knew trouble was sure to follow, she just didn’t realize how much. While waiting for her husband, Chris, to get out of her trial, Shelby witnesses a hired hitman come in and kill a defendant in the adjacent courtroom. The only witness to seeing the man at the scene of the crime, Shelby is now the next target. To make matters worse, a lot of people are coming around wanting the money Uncle Joey left in her account. With Uncle Joey nowhere to be found and Ramos, the bodyguard/hitman for the man injured in action, Shelby is left with her and her husband’s own devices to get out of it. Even worse than that, the hitman is somehow connected to it all. Can Shelby get out of this predicament or are her days numbered?

Narrator, Wendy Tremont King does a great job of bringing to life Shelby’s world. Her unique intonations do a great job of bringing out the mannerisms and unique personalities of the characters, male and female.  The humor and narrative devices are amusing and draw the reader in. The plot itself is well-developed and engaging with lots of plot twists and turns.  Although it’s better to have read the first in the series, Carrots, first, it isn’t necessary to have read the first one to enjoy this one. Despite the fact that this book is missing a Ranger or Morelli like Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich, Ramos and Chris sure come close.  Perfect for mystery fans who like a little paranormal and humor mixed in their novels.

 5 stars, ADULT

Lowcountry Boil by Susan M. Boyer-5 stars

Boyer, Susan M., Lowcounty Boil. Henery Press, 2013. prod. by Audible, Inc. Narrated by Loretta Rawlins. BOOK: $14.36. EAUDIOBOOK: $21.95.

After her grandmother’s death, Liz Talbot returns to Stella Maris to take over her grandmother’s house. Her return to her hometown, however, is tainted. Discovering her grandma was murdered, Liz puts her private investigator skills to the test to find out whodunit. Things are a lot more complicated than she thought, though. Not only is her ex-husband, Scott, involved, but also her sister, her scheming cousin, a friend’s husband, and a hitman who dated her sister all for the sake of an Oceanside resort most townspeople would do anything to stop if they knew the truth. With time running out and  more lives on the line, can Liz find out the truth before she or someone she loves winds  up dead?

Narrator, Loretta Rawlins does a great job of bringing to life Liz’s world. Her southern accent is realistic and her intonations do a great job of bringing out the mannerisms and unique personalities of the characters.  Although some of the voices are a little hard to tell apart, the humor and narrative devices make up the difference. The plot itself is well-developed and engaging with lots of plot twists and turns. Although this is not the first one in the series, it isn’t necessary to have read the first one to enjoy this one. Readers who like mystery, a little paranormal mixed in (main character sees and talks to her dead friend, Colleen), and a little bit of Southern charm will enjoy listening to this book.

5 stars, ADULT.

Carrots by Colleen Helme-5 stars

Helme, Colleen, Carrots. Amazon Digital Services, 2013. Pgs. 183.

When Shelby Nichols walks into a grocery store to get some carrots, she never expected her life to change so drastically. As the cashier rings up her purchases, a gunman tries to rob the bank inside the store. When a customer pulls off the guys mask, he is shot and so is Shelby. Soon, the other customer dies and the masked robber comes to find her, so no one can tell his secret. To make matters worse, when Shelby awakens after being shot, she finds herself able to read minds. Her dangerous new ability leads her to finding out a nasty secret about a mob boss known as Uncle Joey and somehow her husband,  Chris’ coworker, Kate is somehow involved . To top it all off, the mob boss has a murderer after him too. Are the two situations related? Who is the robber after her head? Will Shelby survive to find the murderer or murderers or will she be another victim?

A humorous, action-packed mystery for fans of books like Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum or other paranormal mysteries. The characters are likable and entertaining, even the bad guys. The plot is well-developed and engaging. With lots of twists and turns along the way, readers will have a hard time putting this book down.
5 stars, Adult

Orb of Truth by Brae Wyckoff-5 stars

Wyckoff, Brae, The Orb of Truth. Amazon Digital Services, 2012. Pgs. 233. $12.99

When Bridazak and his friend, Dulgin, a fellow Ordakian, discover a mysterious, magical artifact, they never imagined how much their lives would change. Thrust into an adventure that will challenge their faith, their purpose, and everything they know about life, they must cross the realm of Ruauk-El to fulfill an age-old prophecy that will herald the return of God, the City of Righteousness, and the days of old. There is an ancient evil, however, who will do anything to stop the prophecy from coming true, and he has enlisted the help of the two’s old enemy, King Manasseh. The two will encounter many new friends, lots of danger, and even more enemies. Will they succeed in fulfilling the prophecy or will the ancient evil take over?

A great adventure filled with action, old truths, and good vs. evil. The characters are entertaining and well-developed. The plot is intense, well-written, and engrossing. The author does a great job of implementing different plot devices such as cliffhangers that make it really hard to put the book down. Not to be read while trying to go to bed, readers who like fantasy and adventure will plow through this book easily and quickly an eagerly await the next one.

5 stars. MS, HS.