Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Mystery, Romance, And Paranormal


If you read yesterday’s post then you know genre labels can sometimes stop readers from trying a new book simple because it doesn’t fall into the genre they read.

The 2 audio books I have to share with you today are great examples of how books go beyond a single genre label. Both of these books contain mystery, romance, suspense, and humor while one is listed as paranormal and the other as mystery.

SO PRETTY IT HURTS by Kate White

9780062136077A quiet weekend in the country sounded like the perfect getaway for journalist Bailey Weggins. Little did she know it would result in a story to die for.

Bailey accepts her friend Jessie’s invitation to join her for a weekend of fun at a friend’s country estate. Working for Buzz, a celebrity magazine, the 2 were intrigued to learn the super model, Devon Barr, would also be a house guest.

As the weekend gets underway, Bailey notices the tension among the guests. When Devon is found dead in her bed, her eating disorder is thought to be the cause. Bailey, however, suspects there’s more to it. A sudden snow storm strands the guests at the estate giving Bailey a chance to begin investigating. The closer Bailey gets to the killer, the closer she comes to being the next victim.

SO PRETTY IT HURTS moves at a fast pace weaving Bailey’s personal commitment issues and work problems in nicely with the mystery of who killed Devon and why. There are several red herrings to lead you in a number of directions before the real killer is exposed.

Renee Raudman’s narration brings Bailey and her friends to life. Renee’s cadence is smooth and draws the listener in. Her mannerisms will have you laughing at some of Bailey’s antics and holding your breath as Bailey fights for her life.

Bailey is a fine protagonist who is realistic with her own flaws and quirks. The characters are well defined and the dialog moves at a steady pace. Author Kate White blends in the right amount of location description to make the scene come alive.

This is the 6th installment in the Bailey Weggins Mystery series, but is a stand alone book.

Author Kate White’s website is http://katewhite.com/content/

So Pretty it Hurts: A Bailey Weggins Mystery by Kate White, Read by Renee Raudman, Harper Audio, @2012, ASIN: B007MIXL0E, Unabridged, Digital Download, Approximately 10 Hours 36 Minutes  

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 
WANTED: UNDEAD OR ALIVE by Kerrelyn Sparks

9780062135032Who would ever guess a story about vampires and werewolves could be intriguing, suspenseful, romantic and sprinkled with a good dose of humor.

WANTED: UNDEAD OR ALIVE focuses on the adventures of vampire Phineas McKinney as he juggles his work at McKay Security and his acting gig as the spokesman for Blardonnay, a new wine/blood drink for vamps.

Phineas works to help take down the Malcontents, the bad vampires that turned him. When a tip concerning the Malcontent Queen, Corky, sends city boy Phineas to Wyoming, he has to enlist the help of the ‘Big Bad She-Wolf’ Brynley Jones. Brynley is a werewolf from Wyoming who is hiding from her father, a supreme pack leader.

Brynley dislikes vampires but agrees to help Phineas. As the 2 work to find Corky, they realize they have more in common than they thought. Soon the sparks between the 2 opposites begin to fly.

This is a fun and entertaining story. Author Kerrelyn Sparks has created a world of vamps and wolves, so real it seems normal. Her characters are well developed. The story moves at a quick pace with a mixture of surprises and suspense blended well with steamy romance and laugh out-loud humor.

P.J. Ochlan does a great job narrating the story. His differentiation of characters will have you thinking there’s more than one narrator. He brings the characters to life with great emotion.

This is the 12th installment in the Love At Stake series, but is a stand alone book.

Author Kerrelyn Sparks’ website is http://www.kerrelynsparks.com/  
Wanted: Undead Or Alive by Kerrelyn Sparks, Love At Stake Series, Harper Audio, @2012, ASIN: B007P077TU, Unabridged, Digital Download, Approximately 9 Hours 30 Minutes  

FTC Full Disclosure - This audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review.
 
I hope I have sparked your interest in one or both of these interesting audios. Thanks for stopping by. Have a wonderful day.

3 comments:

  1. Mason - Thanks for sharing those reviews. Far too often, we decide not to read a book because of its genre label, and sometimes that's really unfortunate. We miss out on books that we might really enjoy. I'm going to have to check out that Bailey Wiggins novel.

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  2. I've lately begun to ignore labels and rarely do I ever buy a book based on one. Great reviews. I like the first one.

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  3. These both sound like good reads! There are a lot of stigmas attached to books - especially when they have romance attached to them. Nice to see some genre busters - they're often my favourite books!

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