Book Review: Thirty-Five & a Half Conspiracies

Thirty-Five and a Half Conspiracies (Rose Gardner #8) by Denise Grover Swank 

Book eight in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Rose Gardner Mystery series.

Rose Gardner has survived plenty of close scrapes in the past, but her latest bit of trouble has landed her in the Fenton County holding cell on trumped up charges. The most powerful man in southern Arkansas, J.R. Simmons, is determined to put her behind bars for good and destroy everything she holds dear, including her boyfriend, Mason, and her friend Skeeter, reigning king of the Fenton County crime world. In a stunning betrayal, it seems as if J.R.’s son, Rose’s ex-boyfriend, might have turned tail and joined his father.

But Rose doesn’t have to face this fight alone. Her tight-knit group of friends is dedicated to helping her figure out—and foil—J.R.’s plan for ruining her, Mason, and Skeeter. But even with their support and the use of her special power, Rose is at a disadvantage. J.R. is a criminal mastermind who has been using his money, power, and web of influence to hide his conspiracies for years. How can she hope to find solid evidence implicating someone who’s mastered the art of not getting caught?

Time is running out, and soon Rose realizes that reassuming her role of the Lady in Black might be her only chance at ferreting out the evidence that will save them all. In so doing, she will risk not only her life, but the possibility that her secret identity will be unveiled to all. 

Released November 3rd, 2015

Review

35 and a Half Conspiracies delivers the most mysterious of mystery in the Rose Gardner series.

Who's conspiracy who's?

The fate lies with the Lady in Black but doesn't it also lies within Rose as well.

With a power struggle on the rise and all hell is about to break loose, can Rose protect her identity as the Lady in Black but also the people she loves?

Or will Rose be force to make a decision that may change her life as well the relationships she has with her love ones.

PURRRECT!!!!! I'd seriously have to give this one PURRFECTIONS, I have never been so in gasp in worry about something terribly happening. Thirty-Five push limits of all limits, now we must wait until May to see what follows next. 

 

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

When we left 34 Rose was being hauled away to jail . . . Now she must stand trials for the false evidence that J.R. Simmons has placed on her. 

Mason is probably facing his worst fears in this book, the thought of losing Rose makes him sick. He felt that he failed to protect her from JR Simmons once JR had let the fabricated evidences surfaced. 

For the Team Joe fans; Joe had stepped on too many toes and did too many thy bidden, while later on in the book he surfaced again with the true purpose of protecting Rose. It might be too late. 

As far as for Joe's sister Kate, she is enigmatic or mysterious so to speak. I have no idea where her loyalties lies. Is she working alone or is she working for someone else that is not her father? 

Rose's LADY IN BLACK identity is at risk, but when Rose is being Frame by the orders of JR Simmons. She REFUSED to stand down. I admire Rose's strength and courage in this book, however I worried that she was going a little too far and not think about the repercussion of the after math. 

For Team Mason Fans: Better have a box of Kleenex next to you. Some part are happy, even one got me jumping in cheers but . . . . I'll just leave it at that.  

For Neely Kate Fans: She is such a tongue-twister! I did not expect that from her or her other secret of secrets. While Neely Kate knows about Rose being the Lady in Black, but what I did not expect her plan if things started to go down. She's an sneaking spy. 

The other thing about that Journal that Rose had in 34 and Joe took it? Well that was rarely brought up but I guess with all the things going on that maybe Denise just couldn't do it all in this book. The other thing that was sparsely left out was Hilary's pregnancy and all the crazy ideas we readers have. there's no confirmation on is it Joe's or is it JR's?

32 & a Half Complications

Thirty-Two and a Half Complications (Rose Gardner #5) 

by Denise Grover Swank 

The fifth book in the USA Today Bestselling Rose Gardner Mystery series.

There’s no denying trouble finds Rose Gardner like a divining rod finds water, especially when Rose lands in the middle of a bank robbery. But after the robbers steal her deposit bag—containing a large amount of cash—she soon finds out that trouble is threatening her business as well, thanks to her sister Violet’s financial mismanagement.

To top it off, Rose’s ex-boyfriend, Joe Simmons, has moved back to Henryetta to fill the chief deputy sheriff position. Rose’s involvement as a witness is the perfect opportunity for Joe to reinsert himself into her life. But Mason Deveraux, Fenton County Assistant District Attorney and Rose’s new boyfriend, has waited too long for Rose to give her up without a fight.

Rose’s pregnant best friend, Neely Kate, suggests they find the robbers using Rose’s visions and Neely Kate’s knowledge about everyone in town. The women are soon hot on the trail of the stolen money, but Rose is caught off guard when Neely Kate’s snoopiness detects the biggest complication of all: Rose might be expecting a baby of her own. 

Kindle Edition, 350 pages

Published June 24th 2014 by DGS 

Review

Things are heating up in Rose Gardner's life . . . her new relationship with Mason is fast-growing but is it too fast? 

Thievery! Thievery! Thievery! 

With a loss of money might put Rose's and Violet's business out of business before it can flourish. 
Rose will do anything to get her money back but how far is she willing to go? 

Things just might put Rose in the face of dangers, how about helping Skeeter Malcom? 

I give this 4.5 cats Tails Up, the dynamics in Rose's life is giving her her own voice, she's truly growing into the person she needs to be. 

Meow . . . Meow . . . Meow 
WARNING there might be spoilers. 

Rose is starting her new life at her mother's now hers farmhouse, and honestly I'm so happy that Rose is starting off new in this book. Yes she is still dealing with some sort of guilt about her and Joe but the reality was what Rose was getting from Joe was not all 100% genuine even though Joe said it was. 

Joe is too conflicted with his father and the political power he has, but with his on and off again fling with Hilary that makes even more tough to actually trust Joe's words. But now Joe is the new sheriff of Henryetta county and he's willing to do ANYTHING to try and win Rose back. 

Mason and Rose romance just keeps getting hotter!!!! Mason fits right in with Rose life and he truly does love Rose even when he tends to be overprotective. He knows not to hold her back but he also knows that Rose ends up digging for trouble which drives him crazy. 

Rose and Violet shop are in dangers of bankruptcy or very deep in debt, but with a bank robbing that Rose got stuck in the middle of it all lost the money that would keep everything afloat. Unsure of what to do she turns to Bruce who might be able to help her, all Rose want is her money back but first she must help the new mob King Skeeter Malcolm to find out who is plotting to kill him. 

Aside from family and a few selected friends, Rose never shares that she gets visions but a little slip of the tongue by Bruce Wayne now makes Skeeter want Rose to work for him in return to get her money back that was stolen. But Skeeter asked Rose for a vision to make sure that she's legit and Rose ends up seeing and experience something she never had before. 

However helping out a mob king isn't the least of her problems, she also might be expecting which is too fast in her brand new relationship with Mason. 

The new adventure Rose's life I believe are just starting and I can't wait to read more! 

Book Review: Visions

Visions (Cainsville #2) by Kelley Armstrong

As #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong’s new Cainsville series continues, Olivia’s power to read omens leads to the discovery of a gruesome crime with troubling connections to her new hometown.

Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.

Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?

Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the crosshairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.

 

Hardcover, 448 pages

Published August 19th 2014 by Dutton (first published August 14th 2014)

Review

Olivia's life change in a blink of an eye, having the socialite life, about to be married to her fiance then her whole identity is revealed. 

Olivia reads Omens as if they were embedded in her head, but she doesn't understand why she know it or understands it. 

There's a new case . . . that means Olivia and Gabriel are working together once again but is there something much deeper that lies in the case? 

The Elders of Cainsville are watching Olivia and Gabriel closely . . . But what's their plan? 

Olivia's strange visitor gives her warnings . . .

I give this an 4 Cats Tail Up, overall Visions was stack with legendary plans and even more secrets that still have yet to be revealed.

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

Okay book two of Cainsville series by Kelley Armstrong, I have to say there was much more omens that Olivia kept seeing, she even got to a point to think how does she know about omens and legends? Why were they hammered inside her head? Only her birth mother Pamela Larsen would know . . .

Gabriel seems to have grown more protective of Olivia and even his aunt believes that destiny has it written somewhere that they should be together as a couple and not just work-related mutual friends.

Olivia's ex-fiance is stirring up trouble, and with his uprising political campaigns he need Olivia to be seen socially balanced. But when James starts having Gabriel keep a close tabs on Olivia without her knowledge, Olivia is stuck wondering what is it that James truly wants. And is feeling somewhat betrayed by Gabriel.

Also with Gabriel I believes develop some sort of interest to Olivia although she's currently seeing Ricky Gallagher. When I read Gabriel's POV in Chapter 56, you see another side of him but what's his real hesitation about opening up to people? I know he was abandoned by his mother and there wasn't really a father in the picture. So maybe being on his own cause him to be very private and almost sort of hermit-like from others  but with Olivia it seems he wants to be more than just friends.

Olivia starts dating Ricky Gallagher, who is the son of a the Saints biker club and those two hit it off right away. The little bike ride was Ricky has some personal knowledge of omens and other legends and he's someone that won't push Olivia to share every single detail about her.

Patrick, Patrick, Patrick . . . what are your tricks? The fact that he knows so much but only is willing to answers so questions or simply neither deny or know.  Even the Elders are weary of him but with Olivia

The ending was a twist! I really did not expect that but it all fits with the fact that nothing in Cainsville is consider normal. 

Book Review: 31 and a Half Regrets

Thirty-One and a Half Regrets (Rose Gardner #4) 

by Denise Grover Swank  

While Rose recovers from a broken heart, she finds herself at odds with her sister—and business partner—Violet. Rose buries herself in her landscaping work, but becomes worried when her employee and friend, Bruce Wayne Decker, goes missing.

In the meantime, Fenton County assistant D.A., Mason Deveraux has been patiently waiting to begin a relationship with Rose, but she realizes she needs to confront the demons of her past before she can embrace a new future. She needs to find out the truth about her birth mother.

But her past isn’t her only demon. An undercurrent of tension has been spreading through Henryetta, Arkansas since drug lord, Daniel Crocker’s arrest six months ago. Still, she’s not prepared for a nightmare come true: Crocker’s escape from prison. Crocker carries a grudge and he’s determined to make Rose pay, but he plays a game of cat and mouse, forcing Mason and the Fenton County Sheriff’s department to hide Rose on her birth mother’s farm. But will it be enough to save her? 

ebook

Published January 9th 2014 (first published January 4th 2014) 

Review

How do you heal a broken heart?

Rose underwent the biggest and most toughest breakup with Joe, with him not being able to stand up for himself he reverts back to his parents control.

But a broken heart can be mend right? Walks in Mason . . .

But Rose's broken heart isn't the only thing, Daniel Crocker broke out of jail and is on the hunt for Rose. Worry about her safely, she goes into hiding but there's another problem . . . there's a leak in the police department that may get Daniel Crocker closer to Rose then she would like.

Can Rose out run Daniel Crocker? Or will she fail under his trap?

 A new journey awaits for Rose

PURRRFECT! I LOVE LOVE! this book! There was so much growth for Rose and the being on the run while hunted by a psychopath made this book contains so much excitement and changes that it kept me reading it over and over again.

Meow Meow Meow

Poor Rose I just feel so bad for her!!!! However with Mason in the picture I know things just gotta heat up, however how can Rose heal her broken heart if Joe is still protruding in her life? I mean come on Joe! what you did was unacceptable and you basically choose your family over her!!!! 

However Rose is doing her best to not let Joe affect her, even though his father JR planned his whole appearance at the shop for Joe's Campaign and Hilary by his side. But it all for good deed, Violet and Rose will get the financial boost as well the media boost once again.

But Rose's trouble isn't over! Daniel Crockery broke loose out of jail and he is on an hunt. . .for ROSE. To get REVENGE . . .

And to start it off with a bed full of roses . . .

Now Rose must rely on Assistant AD Mason Deveraux for help but also learn a new kind of relationship that she thought she had with Joe but there's more to the fire with Mason.

Okay I'm glad that DGS put Mason and Rose together, I suspected that there was something when Mason was first brought in book two. Now I see after what happen in book 3 why Mason needed to be part of Rose's surrounding . . . To mend her broken heart. Also be her biggest rock to lend on when thing got tough between her and her sister. 

While on the hide from Daniel Crocker, even after close call of Crocker finding her the best place for Rose to hide is at her birth mother's Dora farm house which was left in her will for Rose to have once she was old enough and when Rose decided on if she want to keep the farmhouse or not. 

Yes clearly there are many ways that the farmhouse would look like but really this is how I'd imagine it but it could have looked a little bit more aged. But oh well, I think the farmhouse started to become importance to Rose in more ways than she thought.

Rose digs her birth mother Dora's past while hiding out on the farm with Mason and hiding from the psycho Daniel Crocker. Honestly these two are meant for each other! I can't see Rose ever going back to Joe after being with Mason. He's open with his feelings and would do anything to protect Rose, either from Joe or even from Daniel Crocker.

Can you survive a night out in the wood . . . when a Psychopath is chasing you?

The two end up being on the run from Crocker after Mason's suspicions that there was an insider that was someone working for Crocker. As well a leak in the Fenton Country police system, I have to say for Rose being on the run from a psychopath made her somewhat stronger. But also grew her relationship with Mason even stronger 

 Returning to Reality . . .

I'm not surprise that there was a fall out between Rose and her sister Violet, there's just something about Violet that bothers me. She had always had to be the "BIG Bad Wolf" and simply wouldn't accept the fact that Rose was her own person and was gaining her own Independence even when's Violet's world was crumbling down. Maybe Violet is one of those person that just doesn't really know how to express her thoughts and feeling but also just allowing lies about Rose that just isn't true. NOW that was HURTFUL.

A New beginning is about to start for Rose

Book Review: The Naturals

The Naturals (The Naturals #1) 

by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Seventeen-year-old Cassie is a natural at reading people. Piecing together the tiniest details, she can tell you who you are and what you want. But it’s not a skill that she’s ever taken seriously. That is, until the FBI come knocking: they’ve begun a classified program that uses exceptional teenagers to crack infamous cold cases, and they need Cassie.

What Cassie doesn’t realize is that there’s more at risk than a few unsolved homicides—especially when she’s sent to live with a group of teens whose gifts are as unusual as her own. Sarcastic, privileged Michael has a knack for reading emotions, which he uses to get inside Cassie’s head—and under her skin. Brooding Dean shares Cassie’s gift for profiling, but keeps her at arm’s length.

Soon, it becomes clear that no one in the Naturals program is what they seem. And when a new killer strikes, danger looms closer than Cassie could ever have imagined. Caught in a lethal game of cat and mouse with a killer, the Naturals are going to have to use all of their gifts just to survive.

Paperback, 320 pages

Published October 7th 2014 by Disney-Hyperion (first published November 5th 2013)

Review

What do you do if you have an Natural ability?  

Cassie has always profiled people, she has a natural ability to know who they are and what type of person they are. 

Still haunted of her mother's murder which is now a cold case, the special program for the FBI might just help her get one step closer to possibly solving her mother's case once and for all.

BUT  . . .

What do you do when the recent murders has similar concepts to your mother's case?

Cassie and the FBI must work fast before another women is murder, but what do you do if the killer is closer to you and know every single step you move?

I'm giving this a 4.5 Cat's Tails up, I would really rate this a 5 cat's tails up however I'm saving the 5 for Killer Insticnt because that one deserves a 5 Cat's Tails up.

MEOW . . . MEOW . . . MEOW

 

I LOVE LOVE . . .

. . .

. . .

LOVE

. . .

LOVE  . . .

THIS BOOK!!!!!

All Cassie ever want is to solve her mother's murder, but if working for the FBI special program will get her one step closer to solving it then how can she turn down this opportunity?

Women similar to her mothers case are turning up dead, while Cassie learns the way of thinking like a killer she also struggle with keeping thing apart from her mothers case although little things keeps adding on the murders. 

I love how Jennifer created her characters with such an uniqueness in them but the one has kept me wondering from the start was Dean. I wanted to know why he had such a darkness to him and why he was so closed off. However and this is a big big theory I detected that Dean has a likeness toward Cassie although he himself would never admit even after a dare that Cassie had to kiss him. 

The twist that Jennifer created in the book was beyond my imagination! I mean I did not see that coming or had any idea whatsoever. I'm not going to say whose responsible for the deaths so you will have to read it!


I almost wished that I didn't wait too long to start this but again now I'm sitting here waiting for book three to come out. Book Reader problems as always.

What I like LOVE about this book was the characters and the little paranormal sense that each of the characters has, starting with Cassie who NATURAL ability is profiling people. She could profile anyone except for who killed her mother, that remains a mystery.

Cassie meets Sloane, Michael, Lia and Dean . . . who all have a Natural ability but Cassie shares on Natural ability with another, DEAN.

While reading this book I got a big sense of the Supernatural brothers, Dean as Dean and Michael as Sam on many levels but really Dean stood out. He's a complex character that's for sure! I totally have a crush on him!

Jen's casting of Dean was Douglas Booth whom I've never heard of but I kind of had to imagine Jensen Ackles in a younger version  So I pick Logan Lerman (trust me he could pull it off) But then there's the actual actor that plays Young Dean in supernatural (I couldn't find the actor name)

 

 Michael is growing on me but I'm crossing fingers for Dean . . . 

Overall Jennifer has got me hooked on this series! It been awhile since I've read a book where I'm directly hooked on the whole thing. 

Stay tuned for Killer Instinct review!