Books and Things: serial

Showing posts with label serial. Show all posts

Friday, January 29, 2016

Tough Justice 7-8 (ending!)

Betrayed
by Tyler Anne Snell
Series: Tough Justice #7
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kistmet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

Keep your friends close. Your enemies closer. And your colleagues?

Trust has never been easy for Special Agent Lara Grant. Life taught her a hard lesson as a child, one she's never forgotten. But now, when the betrayal is so close to home, Lara is pushed to the very limit.

As the players finally move into position, it's time to go all in, or go home. It doesn't matter that fear is shaking her very core, it doesn't matter that everything she has…her team, her new family…is on the line.

What does matter is that there has always been one truth about Lara Grant: when her back's against the wall, she comes out guns blazing. And at last her target is in her sights…

My thoughts:

This really is the book that wraps up everything in the story arc. We find out all the answers to our questions and it really felt like the ending book. I even finally started liking the romance a bit more (still not sold, but it is one of those things that will grow on you as a series goes on). Then a small thing... *can't say* happens and we are back on the edge of our seat needing the next book!

Hunted
by Carla Cassidy
Series: Tough Justice #8 (ending)
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kistmet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

Live or die. Her or Moretti. The time is now.

The worst has happened: her mark is on the run. But Special Agent Lara Grant has no clues. No destination. Just fear for those she loves and bone-deep belief that he's coming straight for her. But she knows Moretti …just as he knows her. And when the final clue clicks into place, the hunt is on.

Lara will do anything it takes to catch this evil man who has caused the deaths of countless innocent people. With emotions on a knife edge, Lara is running on instinct, on the desperation of unconditional love. With adrenaline pumping, this is it for Lara…flight is not an option; all she can do is fight to the end…

My Thoughts:

NO! Okay, I wanted something else to happen... um... can't say (I'm trying to not spoil anything but it is SO HARD right now). Let me just say it would have been an alternate ending to one aspect of the arc (not an important part) but we now know that under no uncertain terms will it happen. :'( However, despite my disappointment that I had a feeling wouldn't happen anyway, the story line still gripped me. Although this was more of an addendum to the story arc, it is still filled with the same action that you got from the other books. It was a good addition to the story.

The serial wrap up:

I give this whole series 4 stars. I really recommend it to those that love thrillers especially. It was fun and kept you on the edge of your seat. For those wondering how all the authors worked out, I think it worked out fine. In a way it was like I was binging on a serial tv show and we just ended the first season. I would read another serial in this world again but I would need all the books at the same time like I did this one. Each episode is priced reasonably well and it is better than some thrillers out there now.

Don't forget that the blog tour is going on now for these books w/ international giveaway:

Just click on the pic above to go to the post here!

Monday, January 25, 2016

Tough Justice #4-6

Trapped
by Gail Barrett
Series: Tough Justice #4
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kistmet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

Can they get out of this investigation alive?

Special Agent Lara Grant's team are racing against the clock to prove infamous crime boss Moretti is behind a recent series of murders. With each lead ending up in a body bag, Lara's trapped by the weight of her own guilt. How many would still be alive if it weren't for her troubled history with the villain?

But he won't quit, so neither can Lara. The sniper is the key to finding the link between Moretti and the current cases. But before they can reach him, Moretti hits closer to home than Lara could have imagined…

My Thoughts:

This one really seemed to capture my attention and I finally realized that this serial reminded me of a tv series. One where you are trying to figure out the overall arc, but are presented with a mystery to be solved within the hour... oh and get a glimpse of what needs to be solved in the next. I think that is why the change of authors do not bother me and it felt familiar. I feel like I'm binging on a series. :)

In this one I really need to know what Moretti is playing. I'm even questioning if he has anything directly to do with what is going on. If he doesn't, then why does he know so much. Darn it! I want those answers but I know they won't come until the end. This episode was still very action oriented and I'm still not behind the coupling of Lara and her partner. I'm not against it, but just don't quite feel it yet. Still, too many secrets between the two of them (with one demanding answers but giving none himself) so at this point it doesn't work. Plus, with so much going on, it is hard to have a fully realized romance in the story. This one ends with another bang and I need to know what happens next...

Twisted
by Gail Barrett
Series: Tough Justice #5
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet, Publisher, and NetGalley for review

A mission that will turn this case on its head…

With a sting set for a downtown bar, Special Agent Lara Grant and her team are on high alert to snare the most dangerous man in Manhattan. No one tears their team apart and gets away with it! Their aim: to get the perp's DNA from his shot glass…

Mission accomplished, but each step forward in the case takes them two steps back into Lara's past—this time, to the years before her undercover assignment, and a family torn apart by a brutal murder. But Lara knows she can focus only on the present. Because when the DNA results come through, they shock the team and rock the very foundations of the case…

My thoughts:

Yea, all I can say is this... I KNEW IT! :D Okay, the reveal here wasn't a total shocker since it was all but told to you in the previous editions, but you never know when they will throw in something you didn't expect. However, if you don't think there was any surprise, you will be mistaken. Now to figure out how all the pieces fit together. Another great addition to this serial.

Ambushed
by Carol Ericson
Series: Tough Justice #6
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet, Publisher, and NetGalley for review

A sinister surprise is lying in wait…

With her trusted team all focused on getting justice, Special Agent Lara Grant is relieved to finally see some progress, even if their investigation has now turned to delving into some gruesome events from over twenty years ago.

An exhumation is necessary to unravel all the knots of this case, but Lara is surprised by how close their quarry is… In fact, he's just one step ahead, almost teasing them by how near he is…

My thoughts:

Oh this one not only has us feeling like things might actually get solved, there are a few surprises thrown in for good measure. I was questioning one aspect of the storyline and I think I was right! It was a small niggle and the fact that I read so many thrillers and watch them, I picked up on it. Yes, I know I could be a detective... if it was on tv. LOL Oh I can feel the ending and everything coming together. Immediately picking up the next one.

Don't forget that the blog tour is going on now for these books w/ international giveaway:

Just click on the pic above to go to the post here!

Friday, January 22, 2016

Tough Justice # 1-3

I decided to break these up into sections of the serial since I will review them separately on NetGalley. I'm doing more than one post on them since otherwise it would seem impossibly long. I'll try to keep the review sections short.

Exposed
Series: Tough Justice #1
by Carla Cassidy
85 p.
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: From Kismet Book Tour, Publisher and NetGalley for review

A new job. A new case. A new criminal... ?

Special Agent Lara Grant will do anything to get her mark - until her last undercover case, infiltrating the notorious Moretti crime ring, forced her to get close to the top. Way. Too. Close...

Now starting a new job in New York City, all Lara wants is to leave the ghosts of her past behind. Until a dramatic sniper attack leaves Lara's face - and real name - all over the media. In the blink of an eye, her cover is blown, her identity exposed.

Then a woman's body is found, branded with the ritual Moretti tattoo. Someone knows who Lara is... and exactly how to make her pay...

My thoughts:

I normally don't do serials since I hate getting snippets of stories doled out at a snail's pace (can you say impatient?) but since these were all out and they were done by different authors, I was curious.

This series started out with a bang. As I was reading, I didn't think I'd get into Laura's character but as the book went on (and it was short) I found myself rooting for her. When the end came... and it ended with a "bang" and a cliffie (I have the next one YES!) I was totally captivated and I have to know what happens next. If you try this one (and it is free at the time of writing the review) get the second book. You don't want to be left hanging! :) It was a good start to this serial.

Watched
Series: Tough Justice #2
by Tyler Anne Snell
89 p.
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

He's got his eye on her…and won't quit until she's dead!

Special Agent Lara Grant is back in her enemy's sights, but this time she's not alone. She has a brand-new team and Lara knows she'll need to trust them with her life. Starting now.

When a lead becomes a victim, Lara and her team are thrown. Lara put Moretti away for life—so how can a guy who is still in prison be pulling strings? There's only one way to find out.

But when Lara comes face-to-face with the monster from her past, will she get answers? Or unleash hell?

Part 2 of 8 in the chilling, high-octane FBI thriller TOUGH JUSTICE from New York Times bestselling author Carla Cassidy and authors Tyler Anne Snell, Carol Ericson and Gail Barrett.

My thoughts:

This one picked up right where the last one left off and didn't leave you hanging for answers to the last chapter of the last book. Thank goodness! :) It starts with a bang and doesn't quite let you catch your breath. The "flavor" of the character Laura was a bit different. While she was very rigid in the last book, she seemed more reckless. Not so much that she frustrated you, but just enough to see the difference in how the character was portrayed. It didn't bother me as it also felt like we got to know her better and that is why we perceived a change in her. This one also ends with a bit of a cliffie, but not as brutal as the last one. Still a good addition to this story.

Burned
Series: Tough Justice #3
by Carol Ericson
83 p.
Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
Published: 1/12/16
Source: Kismet Book Tours, Publisher and NetGalley for review

She burned Moretti…now it's his turn.

Destroying Moretti was Special Agent Lara Grant's biggest coup, but she paid a heavy price to make the bust. She'll do anything to keep him—and her secrets—behind bars.
But Lara knows he's playing the FBI like a maestro even from jail. So when her boss's daughter is kidnapped, it's personal…and not just for Lara.

With the team at breaking point, it's up to Lara to keep everyone focused. Until a chilling photo is delivered to her home address. Moretti knows where she lives. And he knows what she's hiding…

My thoughts:

I am thinking I can sense a change in the "flavor" of the characters through each author, but admittedly I'm not sure if that is because I'm aware of the change in author. I will say this, even though I can "feel" the change it doesn't bother me and it does bring out something in the characters and the secondary characters because of the difference. I like it. :)

Although I do perceive a change, the action and the author is true when keeping to the overall arc of the storyline. This one also ends at a sort of cliffie, but it is okay since all the books are out and it is more like getting a slice of the pie and knowing you can have the rest later (without bad consequences, of course... LOL). This one seemed to bring in a bit more of the team, but none of the big questions are answered. However all immediate questions are as they are in each addition to the story. I'm getting more curious about Moretti and want to know exactly what his role with Lara was in the past. I'm not the only one wanting to know, it has become a sore spot with her partner as well.

Onto the next...

Don't forget that the blog tour is going on now for these books w/international giveaway:

Just click on the pic above to go to the post here!

Wednesday, January 20, 2016

Tough Justice Blog Tour!

Chills, Thrills & Long Hours: Q&A With Romantic Suspense Author Carla Cassidy on the 8-Part FBI Thriller TOUGH JUSTICE

Plus FREE eBook!

Q. Tell us what you love most about your Tough Justice books?

A. This is an easy question. I loved writing the heroine, Lara Grant. She was such an intriguing character to explore. Tough as nails, she also had an aching vulnerability that made her so wonderfully human. I wanted to be her, with all her strengths and flaws. Of course, the evil Moretti was also such fun to write. I love it when a villain is smart and wicked and a worthy adversary.

Q. How did you get into writing crime/suspense?

A. I’ve always read suspense novels. I’m particularly drawn to the dark minds of killers and find them such interesting characters. I like finding out what demons drive them and taking a walk on the dark side with them. I want to explore their motivations and what makes them tick.

Q. What suspense novels keep you up reading all night?

A. I love anything by Lisa Gardner and Carol O’Connell. I’m also a big fan of Gillian Flynn and Wendy Corsi Staub. I also adore Dean Koontz’s books. These are just a few of my go-to authors. There isn’t enough time or space for me to mention all the authors I enjoy.

Q. What are your favorite crime/suspense TV series to binge on?

A. The Real Housewives of New York…no, just kidding! Actually, I love NCIS: Los Angeles, Criminal Minds, and Law and Order SVU. I also really enjoyed The Following with Kevin Bacon and several other shows that are now over. I’ve taped up episodes of several of the new shows like Quantico, Blindspot and the latest season of Blacklist to binge on when I find the time.

Q. Where do you get your ideas?

A. Actually, coming up with ideas is the easiest part of writing for me. Inspiration is everywhere! I get inspired by a news story or a snippet of conversation overhead in the grocery store. I love to play the game of ‘what if’. What if that man who is standing in front of the pizza parlor just killed his wife and is there to establish an alibi? What if the two women having coffee are really plotting the murder of another woman who belongs to their neighborhood association?

Q: Can you tell us a little about your average writing day?

A. I usually turn on my computer around eight in the morning and check social media and my mail. Then it’s straight to work. I have found my brain works best in the morning hours although my computer is on and I try to work until about eight or nine at night. I might not actually be typing all those hours, but my mind is almost always writing or working out character traits or figuring out ways to get my heroine in or out of danger. I love writing and I can’t imagine doing anything else with my time.

Be sure to check out part 1 of Tough Justice, EXPOSED, available to readers for FREE!

For more information about the series, visit ToughJusticeSeries.com.

Praise for TOUGH JUSTICE: EXPOSED

“A wonderful start to this chilling, pulse-pounding series with a storyline that not only entertained through strong dialogue and engaging characters, but left me wanting more.” —Harlequin Junkie

“The first in an 8 part series, this promises to be an exciting ride.” –For the Love of Books

Get part 1 of TOUGH JUSTICE for FREE:

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Harlequin

About the author: Carla loves danger…but only when it comes in the pages of a book. She’s been a professional cheerleader, a singer and dancer, but the best job she’s ever had is writing books for readers to enjoy. She’s had over 140 books published and has enough ideas for new books to keep her busy for years to come. Visit her website at carlacassidybooks.com.

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