Amazon's "Reacher"

 

    Jo and Lady Em here! We just spent a lovely day at the Costco (feel the sarcasm), and felt we needed a reward. Reacher, a series on Amazon Prime, was just the reward we needed. 

    Reacher is a very complex character. A former Special Investigator for the Military Police, Reacher is wandering the country wherever the wind blows him. In episode 1, he finds himself in Margrave, Ga, where Blind Blake, a blues musician, had his last concert and, according to rumor, was murdered and buried. Unfortunately, being an imposing 6'5", he is immediately accused of a violent murder and thrown into jail. We can't really tell you much more without spoilers, but we highly recommend this for it's clever dialogue, explosively exciting fight scenes, and snarky eye-candy that is Alan Ritchson. 

    Jo is on a writing hiatus for the moment because her book took a dark and depressing turn that she wants to avoid for now. Turns out, modeling a society on the Nazis was a poor choice. Who knew? (Eye-roll from Lady Em.) Instead, a silly, sarcastic (maybe violent) urban fantasy book about an interspecies liaison may be in the works. Stay tuned! (Are we scared that the two of us said that out loud together? Possible.)

Click on the link to view. So far we are giving this 5 out of 5 quills!

https://www.amazon.com/Reacher-Official-Trailer/dp/B09ML341D8/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1NUG1YIJ3KU4W&keywords=Reacher&qid=1669661709&sprefix=reacher%2Caps%2C156&sr=8-1

I Choose Darkness review

    This week I had to review Jenny Lawson's "I choose Darkness" essay. We love Jenny Lawson's humorous and blunt sharing of her life and childhood. This short work left us both in stitches, and was exactly what we needed after a rough week. Lawson gives us a rundown on Halloween in the very isolated country (trick or treating one's own house repeatedly) and the varied costumes that had to be handed down to younger siblings. I recommend any of Lawson's work, but this one is a short, laugh out loud read suitable for any adult in need of a good laugh.

If you're interested, click the link below, it is a free book on Kindle Unlimited. We rate it 5 out of 5 quills. If only it had been longer!

https://www.amazon.com/I-Choose-Darkness-Holiday-Essay-ebook/dp/B0B9VC8LPS/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=10FXKG58C0XSH&keywords=jenny+lawson+books&qid=1669119491&sprefix=Jenny+Lawson%2Caps%2C82&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1 

Last Light Review

 

    Yes, another book from Kent. This one is post-apocalyptical. I really like her writing style and the growth of her characters! If I like a book or a series from an author I tend to shop around in their libraries for other gems.

    In Last Light it is four years after an asteroid collided into the earth. Civilization has collapsed, and many people have fled their towns and cities to seek sanctuary in military bases. Those who haven't either joined large bands of morally bankrupt raiders, or stayed behind with sick or dying family.

    Layne and Travis are two of the people who stayed behind with sick family. They come across each other once they start making their own ways to Fort Knox, where the rest of their town had already gone for sanctuary. They decide to travel together when they stumble across the news that there is a terrible band of raiders making their way to Fort Knox, one that had already destroyed one military base. They have to get there first to warn the Fort. They go through quite a few interesting and realistic trials, meet good people, meet horrible people, and even find a dog.  

    In spite of the end of the world setting, the romance is sweet and the story is about finding light and hope. There in an age gap of about ten years between the two, and Travis does act bossy when he's worried about Layne, but he's not overbearing and jealous. Layne is sweet and kind (as much as circumstances allow) to Travis' grumpy personality, which is always a fun trope for me. There are some very heated scenes in this book, I would call it a sweet and steamy read. A great first book in a series! 

    

I rate this book 4.75 out of 5 quills.

https://www.amazon.com/Last-Light-Claire-Kent-ebook/dp/B07XBLXRL2/ref=sr_1_4?crid=2K6K761T89V1K&keywords=claire+kent&qid=1668167825&sprefix=claire+kent%2Caps%2C99&sr=8-4

Hold Review

    It's Lady Em, late again, with a new review post. Hold is a sci-fi book set in a future where human kind has spread out across the galaxy, and to simplify things for the ruling government, all broken laws are treated as equal. Trespassing, stealing, rape, murder, all get a person either thrown in prison, permanently, or dumped on a primitive planet for the rest of one's life. 

    Hold is told from the point of view of Riana, an archeologist who had permission to study ruins on a planet and mistakenly believed she also was allowed to study the nearby land, but was convicted of trespassing and thrown into one of the most notorious prisons. The head guard there tells her to find the strongest man there, and basically allow him to use her body so she will have some sort of protection from all the other prisoners, as they have lost all sense of civilization and might is definitely right in the bowels of this place. 

    Riana takes this advice, and I have to admit to finding her first sexual interaction with her chosen protector, Cain, pretty cringe-y. I realize it's to help show how brutal the prisoners have become, and to showcase how much better Cain is than the others, even if he seems brutish at the very first. I will say it is more like Cain is so eager to have a (mostly) willing woman for the first time in a while, and Riana DID choose Cain, going so far as to alienate and insult other prospects for a protector. And, Cain himself has regrets about this transactional relationship, as the book shows later on. However, their relationship quickly develops and ALL intimate interactions thereafter are much more palatable. If you can get past that first interaction, the book has a great story arc. The two quickly find their mutual attraction to be the basis of their physical relationship, and while both are uncomfortable with the power imbalance in their own ways, the relationship grows in mutual trust and care. 

    Cain is an enigma, no one but Riana is offered his true name. He has been scavenging all sorts of things to create a mysterious device. As Riana and Cain develop deeper feelings for one another, and struggle to maintain their humanity amongst the depravity of the unchecked prisoners, they meet another prisoner with a mysterious ability. The three try to find a way to make a plan to escape the inescapable under water prison and back into the galaxy where hopefully they can find new lives, instead of just surviving their brutal cage.

    I really enjoyed the growth of Riana and Cain's relationship. At first, Riana is, understandably, scared of making waves or doing anything to upset Cain, because he is the only thing standing between her and hundreds of brutal would-be rapists. It's interesting to watch as she gets more comfortable with him, and has to start reminding herself not to say things to him, and when she starts to trust him more, after a harrowing experience, she actually starts to stand up for her thoughts and argue with him, and Cain listens to her. The reader gets a front row seat to watch the power imbalance right itself as the two develop feelings for each other. Also, Kent does an amazing job sketching out some of the prisoners that Riana observes and interacts with. The reader feels just as horrified or empathetic as Riana, and the whole prison setting, as bleak and dreadful, was well done.

I give this book 3.75 quills out of 5. I would have given it 4.5, but that first interaction between Riana and Cain is a lot.

 https://www.amazon.com/Hold-Claire-Kent-ebook/dp/B00TVMLRXM/ref=sr_1_1?crid=25Y8NM5BLS7HB&keywords=hold+claire+kent+kindle&qid=1667914161&sprefix=Hold+Claire+%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-1