Book Review: Her Name is Murder by A. C. Merkel (Lady Dreamscapes Book 1)

     Cursed with immortality and youth Murder Lavot has lived for almost 500 years with her best friend and brother, Levi, at her side. Through it all the one that cursed her seeks revenge, feeling that she has not suffered enough. When Levi's life is threatened they find that other guardians want rid of their immortal charges as well, no matter the cost. Will Murder give up her immortality for the freedom of others and will they survive the transition?

    I received a Kindle redemption code for this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. I have long looked forward to this book coming to the top of my TBR and am so glad it finally did. This book comes highly recommended by one of my favorite indie authors, Anna Mocikat, and I can see why she loves it. This book will draw you in from the first page, making you dread putting it down!

    I loved both Murder and Levi in this book, and I can't honestly tell you which is my favorite. Levi was beyond adorable and sassy while a bit overwhelmed with social situations, something I am very familiar with. Although, he is a bit more prone to physical contact than I. Then there is Murder. Redhead. Sigh. I have such a soft spot for them. She is a hopeless romantic and impossible not to love. She is ferocious but still comes off as delicate. It is a fascinating combination and the author did a fantastic job. 

    I hope that I am able to read more from this author in the future as this was a fun and entertaining read. While nothing in it was shocking it was enjoyable from the first to the last. I hope everything goes well for Murder, Grant, and Levi in the future beyond what is defined in the Epilogue. 

    This book is available on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited. 

Book Review: The Party Room by M Novak

     When a horrible crime is committed in a trendy bar in England to a young woman the possibilities are staggering...unless it was one of the regulars. The regulars are a rag-tag bunch where damages abound. The person who did it may be obvious or not. 

    I received a physical copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. By the time I started reading this book, as is often the case, I had forgotten what it was about. Just flipping through I have to admit that I was a bit leery. It looked like it was going to be set up similar to a screen-play because it had a characters name followed by a segment and so it continued. I am happy to note that this was not the case. While it would be easy enough to make into a screen-play because of this, the story is basically the characters giving their first-hand accounts. 

    Over the course of the book we learn about each character and the events that led up to the committed crime, which is initially mentioned in the preface. While I always read the preface you have to in this book's case. The author does not go back and reiterate the points in it, as it was already covered. So, without that you would be missing a piece of the puzzle. If you are the type who normally skips the preface I strongly suggest you make an exception in this case. 

    The author, in providing background of the characters, will have you frequently changing your mind on who the culprit was. Derik-the sleezeball. Yes, I'm going with that term. You'll understand why in the book. Couldn't help himself and wasn't his fault my ass. Alex-the controlling pain. Revenge can be a powerful beast. Aaron-the ex-con. Being dumped hurts. Lexi-the Barbie-girl. Getting by on your looks only lasts for so long. Lola-the woman scorned. Someone from the bar was sleeping with her long-time boyfriend. Jed-the cheating prick. Almost a decade squandered because he was bored. Prick. Jen-petty hairdresser. Looking down on those pursuing a college degree can lead to some pent-up anger. Sunny-hardworking bar-man and DJ. With a mother and younger brother at home needing care and his other brother in jail it's on him to take care of his family. Just how far will he go, though? Briony-wild child. 18 year old who thinks others need to loosen up with a dark past. Claudia-sheltered princess. Little self-absorbed at the beginning, but all in all my favorite character in this book for some reason. Not that I had stellar choices. Amelia-the abused. She really didn't want to be there in the first place after everything. Can't say I blame her. Harry-bar owner in his 50s. Overly friendly with the young people in his bar and a bit of a drunk. I didn't actually suspect him, though. Rick-Harry's friend's kid who works at the bar. Bit of a slacker at first, but another I didn't suspect. Finally, Gavin-construction worker with a bad temper. He has hurt people badly in the past, so violence wasn't something he was unfamiliar with. 

    As always I won't give it away and hope that these brief descriptions of the characters have you seeking out who was the victim as well as who was the culprit. I genuinely enjoyed this drug-induced mystery and hope you will too. Can you choose the right person for the crime?

    This book is available on Amazon for $2.99 by clicking here. This book is available on Kindle Unlimited.