Semi possible spoilers below
It might be the virus climate but I'm feeling negative about this one
What was this book like ? All yee all yee welcome to the church of Alina.
It was a good ride. I'm glad Alina and Mel seem to be out of the story for the spin off. I loved them in the beginning but grew to dislike them both as a couple and grew really tired of little miss all powerful. I know, what is wrong with me ? I got tired of Alina being the snowflake that would save them all, of everyone circling around her, worshiping her, Alina, Alina, Alina. Meh.
The ending ? Really you pulled that card ? Why not the crash and burn stay crashed and burnt ? it would have made a more impactful ending. I was left eye rolling and sighing the easy path taken. I don't want a happy ending after what went down. Omg did you see the sex scene ? No you didn't it was a blink and it was over. Shouldn't there have been tingles ? After giggles ? Something ?
I am moving on the The King of Scars which I'm told is wonderful. Fingers crossed

The female MC is acting stupid, lowering down in her role for a man ? Seriously is this the 50's?  Honey if he can't stand your glory and feels inferior dump him. I really hate this it's old crap that should not be brought into these times

 

She’s a straight-arrow, by-the-rules Alaskan State trooper so Kate Holiday’s objective when it comes to investigating a local band of secretive commandos in remote Grizzly Harbor is clear – disband Alaska Force and arrest them, but she didn’t count on the diabolical temptation of Templeton Cross. He’s always been good at keeping his game face on and his emotions hidden, but working with Kate brings memories of losses, Templeton prefers to keep locked up tight. With pressure mounting and Christmas drawing closer, it’s a given that someone is going to get hurt.

 

This ‘Alaska Force’ romance is a slow burn romance that requires a lot of hard work as both parties are determined not to give in to their emotions, the electrical chemistry or the heat building up between them, but it seems the more they fight it, the harder they will fall. These strong, vibrant characters captures hearts and provides a delightfully entertaining courtship that makes readers chuckle. Lots of emotions – not matter how much the hero and heroine try to keep them locked down – flow the pages as Templeton and Kate try to uncover who is behind some mysterious incidents that surround the Alaska Force.

 

The plot is fast paced and full exciting events and snaky commentary that builds thrilling suspense and adrenaline pumping excitement through the story which keeps readers on the edge of their seat from beginning to end. Some ‘What the… twists and turns keeps readers guessing and a hero that spends his time trying to convince his careful, wary trooper that there is more to the holidays makes readers hold on tight to this intense, satisfying and entertaining holiday read.

 

Siege of Shadows by J.A. Andrews is the final installment of The Keeper Chronicles. Sini came from the streets and is now with the Keepers, but she feels she doesn't fit in. Will she be able to find a place to call home?

J.A. Andrews' storytelling is delightful, her characters alive, and her world vivid. Andrews has a unique way of bringing her characters forth and bringing them to life, and making you care for these people as if they are your family and friends. I don't usually get so emotionally attached, but Andrews' characters had my emotions running all over the place. I laughed, cried, got angry, and hopeful. This story has everything a great fantasy novel should have.

I love this trilogy so much that it has a place right next to my Tolkien books on my shelves, and there is no higher honor that I could give Andrews' story than that. This is a clean fantasy and a must read. I highly recommend Andrews' works. You will not be disappointed.

 

For some reason, Booklikes has JA Andrews' books under VC Andrews. I have contacted Booklikes numerous times about this issue, yet they refuse to resolve this situation. If anyone here knows how to resolve this issue, please let me know. Thanks.

Following the events of ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth’, Jedi Knights Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker are in a groundcar fleeing enemy forces on the hostile enemy planet Lanteeb which has been taken by Separatist forces. The bad guys are using the mineral damotite, common on Lanteeb, to develop a nasty bioweapon. Our heroes attempt to rescue the imprisoned scientist working on this horror failed because evil Lok Durd set a trap for them and they barely escaped with their lives. They still have to save the galaxy from the deadly virus the Separatists have developed but first they must save themselves.

Their groundcar runs out of power near Torbel, a mining village. The locals are suspicious of strangers but short on their quota of damotite and willing to take on the two newcomers as miners. Of course, Lok Durd is searching desperately for the Jedi and has plenty of droid power for the job, as well as a psychic seeker. How long can they stay hidden? Will they be rescued? Is there an antidote for the deadly virus? Has it been used yet? Stuck in the middle of nowhere with no communications equipment, Skywalker and Kenobi are pretty helpless. Then things get worse.

It isn’t all Anakin and Obi-Wan. Their Jedi chums are busy as well, trying to mount a fleet large enough to besiege Lanteeb but frustrated by Supreme Chancellor Palpatine who insists that the ships are needed elsewhere. Whose side is he on? Meanwhile, Ahsoka, Rex and Torrent company have mended their wounds from the last battle and are keen for some action.

Anakin and Obi-Wan were barely able to stand at the start of the book, starved and exhausted. As the book goes on, they are still mostly starved and have to work hard, face various dangers and use the Force a lot. The extent of their exhaustion becomes unrealistic, even for a fantasy, especially as Obi-Wan started this adventure totally exhausted from the previous one. Obviously, the heroes have to face trials and struggle in the name of drama but there’s such a thing as over-egging the pudding.

There is also, as in ‘Star Wars: Clone Wars Gambit: Stealth’, a bit of a slow spell in the middle of this adventure. Both books could have been shorter and tauter and I wonder if the publishers insist on a minimum word count to make their novels thicker. I have noticed that although the SFWA definition of a novel is anything over 40,000 words many publishers won’t take less than 70,000. When I was a young thing, I read early books in that other starry franchise that were about 120 pages long and could be scanned in an evening. It was better. Lightweight fiction should be brief and to the point, not padded to add pages.

However, these are minor quibbles and, all in all, Karen Miller has delivered another solid adventure story. I got through the middle bit painlessly and the conclusion was sufficiently gripping. In the overall story arc, this one seems to have a bit more about Anakin, secretly married, of course, harbouring bitter thoughts about Jedi attitudes to love, emotion and so forth, even resenting Obi-Wan. I don’t think that’s going to end well.

Eamonn Murphy
This review first appeared at https://www.sfcrowsnest.info/