Review 38: The Blood Guard

The Blood Guard. Roy Carter. Year 2015. [June] Publisher: Two Lions. Pages 279. [Source: NetGalley]

First sentence:  

It wasn’t me who burned down our house.

From Amazon:
When thirteen-year-old Ronan Truelove’s seemingly ordinary mom snatches him from school, then sets off on a high speed car chase, Ronan is shocked. His quiet, nerdy dad has been kidnapped? And the kidnappers are after him, too?
His mom, he quickly learns, is anything but ordinary. In fact, she’s a member of an ancient order of knights, the Blood Guard, a sword-wielding secret society sworn to protect the Pure—thirty-six noble souls whose safety is crucial if the world as we know it is to survive.
Now all those after-school activities—gymnastics, judo, survival training—she made him take, make sense. For suddenly Ronan is swept up in a sometimes funny, sometimes scary, but always thrilling adventure—dashing from one danger to the next, using his wits to escape the Bend Sinister, a posse of evil doers with strange powers. Falling in with two unlikely companions, Greta, a scrappy, strong-willed girl he’s never much liked and Jack, a devil-may-care teenage pickpocket, Ronan is left with only his wits and his mom’s last words of advice: Trust no one.
That’s a lot for an ordinary kid to deal with. But then again, maybe Ronan’s not ordinary at all.

My thoughts:  

This story was an interesting read.  There is a definitive good versus evil feel going on, however you do not really know what is going on aside from the main characters running for their lives from sword wielding crazy people for the better part of the book.  You get tiny snippets of what is going on here and there but it is not until the last I would say quarter of the book that you really get a feel for what the under lying plot actually is.  I am sure that parts were supposed to feel intense but I never really got that edge of your seat intense feeling.  I give the author kudos for a great plot twist at the end!  Surprise turns are always a nice touch.

The Good:  Fun light-hearted read. 

The Bad: Took a little too long to reveal the meaning of what was going on.

Rating 7.5/10

Recommendation:  I think this was a good introduction to a new series and I am quite confident that younger readers will find great enjoyment from reading this.

*I received a digital review copy for free from the author via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Review 23: Block 10

***Content Warning*** This book does contain rape while not described it does happen.

Block 10. Stacy Childs with David Niall Wilson. Narrated by Cory M Snow. 2015. [May] Crossroad Press. 9 hours 50 minutes. [Source:Audioblast]

First sentence:  Luke shambled through the Toulon-Hyères Airport like a zombie.

Premise/Plot: - From Goodreads - Luke Cooper dreamed of flying. He was an Olympic caliber skier with a bright future, when a freak accident ruined his knee and sent him into suicidal depression. A stranger, Dr. Henri de Salvo, gave him a reason to live, and a new set of "wings," thanks to an experimental medical treatment. With new focus, Luke turned to a career in medicine, a career that led him to accept an invitation to a secluded clinic in France where de Salvo continued his cutting edge - if morally questionable work.

Lured by the chance to help other athletes recover their lives, intoxicated by a world of smooth cognac, beautiful women and dark intrigue, Luke finds himself drawn into another world. De Salvo has a shadowed past, and powerful enemies, and the French city of Toulon has it's dark side. Through amazing medical breakthroughs, run-ins with the Corsican mob, and clubs where men fight for big money - and women, he searches for his own path. The question is, will he survive the journey, and can he live up to the age old medical adage, "First, do no harm," while following the message of his own heart - "First, do something..."

My thoughts:  Let’s see.  I enjoyed the narration by Cory Snow I thought he did an excellent with the different voices for the different characters.  I liked the medical part of the story.  I would have preferred more medical and less fighting, mafia, and even sex.  The medical theory was excellent but I felt like it was more secondary then primary to the story.  I will actually read this book to evaluate it in written form vs. audio.  I think some books possibly much different reading instead of listening.  The characters were all very well developed and the plot complicated enough to be enjoyable without being overwhelmingly so. 

Rating 6/10

Recommendation Violent, mafia, sexual content you will like this if you like those things.

*I received a digital review copy for free from the publisher courtesy of Audioblast in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*

Review 22: Speed Metal Blues

Speed Metal Blues. Dave Stanton. 2014. [August] LaSalle Davis Books. 310. [Source: Bostick]

First sentence: When I finally tracked down Billy Morrison, he was in the middle of the mosh pit at Zeke’s Bar off Highway 50.

Premise/Plot:  From Goodreads -  Bounty hunter Dan Reno never thought he’d be the prey.

It’s a two-for-one deal when a pair of accused rapists from a New Jersey-based gang surface in South Lake Tahoe. The first is easy to catch, but the second, a Satanist suspected of a string of murders, is an adversary unlike any Reno has faced. After escaping Reno’s clutches in the desert outside of Carson City, the target vanishes. That is, until he makes it clear he intends to settle the score.

To make matters worse, the criminal takes an interest in a teenage boy and his talented sister, both friends of Reno’s. Wading through a drug-dealing turf war and a deadly feud between mobsters running a local casino, Reno can’t figure out how his target fits in with the new outlaws in town. He only knows he’s hunting for a ghost-like adversary calling all the shots.

The more Reno learns more about his target, the more he’s convinced that mayhem is inevitable unless he can capture him quickly. He’d prefer to do it clean, without further bloodshed. But sometimes that ain’t in the cards, especially when Reno’s partner Cody Gibbons decides it’s time for payback.

My thoughts:  This was my first taste of Dan Reno or as Cody likes to call him “Dirt”.  I have to say that I was not disappointed in the least!  This story had enough twists and turns and seemingly small plot lines all dragged together at the end very nicely.  This was a book that was extremely enjoyable to read the characters were well developed and you knew enough about even the minor of minor players so you weren’t left scratching your head.  This is the 3^rd book in the series but it appears that they do not form one continuing story line so there is no worry about being lost starting at this one.  I can see future Dan Reno books in my to be read pile!

Rating 8.5/10

Recommendation Absolutely anyone that loves adventure, mystery, bounty hunters, and saving damsels in distress will enjoy this book.

*I received a digital review copy for free from the author courtesy of the Bostick Communications program in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.*