Sharon LinnéaCritiques

Death From Beyond was honestly a bit of a disappointment. I listened to the audiobook version and I have to admit there were times when I had to rewind as I found myself drifting off as I had difficulty engaging with the story line. I don't think it's the narrator's fault as I just feel there wasn't enough material for the story itself to be engaging.

First of all, the actual story definitely does not live up to the premise of the story as there was an implied paranormal element that was supposed to be included. Unfortunately, there was a definite lack of ghosts in this book and while I normally would not have minded, it bothers me when something is touted in such a fashion, and then ... nothing.

The plot itself actually had a lot of promise and I would have liked it a lot better if the reader was allowed to think and conjecture without being led along by the nose. The book pretty much tells you the story rather than show you what's happening, trying to lead you down a certain path, rather than letting the reader figure things out as they go. Considering there were some sensitive topics in this story, this is definitely not the way to approach this as it becomes more suggestive of being preachy rather than showing the problematic nature of the issues and allowing the reader to decide for themselves wherein the problems lie. Personally, I have an issue when I am led by the nose, especially when subjects such as sexuality, abuse, and bullying are being presented, even if I agree with the side of the author. That's not the point, the point is to be able to think clearly about the issues on my own and make up my own mind. Furthermore, the mystery itself was fairly predictable with few twists and turns so it was fairly easy to figure out what was happening and who was involved.

I didn't read the previous books in the series, but I don't think it really mattered. While I would have perhaps understood the relationships between the main characters a bit better, I didn't actually find them to be that distinct from each other in this book as they all seemed one-dimensional in nature. I just didn't care for any of them as a result, and had a difficult time connecting with their issues and feeling any empathy for their situations. And while I like the recipes included in the book, I also found them distracting as they were intrusive and did not seem to fit the narrative.

Verdict
Death From Beyond suffered from a lack of character and plot development and I had a difficult time getting through this book. This was touted as a ghost story, but ghost stories tend to actually have ghosts in them, and this...didn't. At this point, I have no desire to read the first three books in this series. It's too bad as the there was a lot to like in the premise.½

hatred, amateur-sleuth, thriller, drinks-recipes, suspense, family, family-drama, family-dynamics, friendship, New-York-state, social-injustice, ghost-hunting, shunned, isolationism, eerie, medium, cancer, small-town, small-business, noir, murder-investigation, transgender*****

Think of it as a reality check. Not a bland cozy mystery (but there are mysteries), not a paranormal romance (but there are elements of both), not a white bread sunshine and flowers giggle (but the are moments). This one tackles the tough stuff of the day in relationships between friends and others as well as our less than honorable attitudes in the past century and now. But. It's a very good story from a fine storyteller not just a lesson of man's inhumanity to man.
Besides, there are all those recipes for truly interesting cocktails and mocktails!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Arundel Publishing, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley. Thank you!
Recipes by Jamielyn Bydalski, Award-winning Mixologist

Tranquility is hosting a film festival to release the knowledge that a Golden Age Star wasn't dead but in fact hiding in their midst. This will bring current silver screen stars to the town and Avalon Nash will be reunited with childhood friends but is it safe or is will death that has been stalking one be visiting as well?

This mystery was great giving a great deal of backstory for Avalon as well as other secondary characters. It still amazes me how there are even more new cocktail recipes to try!

Avalon Nash is still hiding out in the Olympic village of Tranquility, New York, serving as bartender at the Battened Hatch bar. As one of her duties she has to keep the patrons from getting too rowdy and one evening she has to stop a former Olympic luger from demonstrating how its done using tables and chairs. Now the Olympian is dead, but why was he murdered? was someone jealous of his ability to gain attention or was it something from his past?

The story was captivating with clues sliding in all directions. The interaction of the characters was delightful and the recipes for new cocktails could easily intoxicate the mind.½

amateur-sleuth, family, family-dynamics, friendship, murder, murder-investigation, attempted murder, thriller, suspense, drinks recipes, false imprisonment, madness, stalker,*****

A thrill ride! The sleuthing was as hazardous as the drinks recipes were spectacular!
The stars are of the Hollywood variety where bartender Avalon Nash grew up (mother was of that variety). Also, Avalon's landlady is a former star who faked her death to get out of that scene a very long time ago but is now in town and visible to screen a bio with her East Indian husband and children. As noted in the publisher's blurb, one of the current *stars* is a childhood friend, as is another who has done very well for himself. Of course there is the first murder and the law enforcement (both local and state). Then the lunacy really gets going! Great read, yummy cocktails, and a whole lot more!
This is third in series (I've read the priors) but I don't think that should discourage new readers, only make them want to read more!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Arundel Publishing, Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley. Thank you!
Recipes by Jamielyn Bydalski, Award-winning Mixologist

Super cute whodunnit with a refreshing twist - literally - as each chapter ended with an original cocktail recipe, some even pulled straight from the story!

Avalon is new in town, having stopped just to switch trains and ends up quickly being wrapped up in local events. It's interesting to see how she keeps getting hooked into things, and how much she enjoys her new town of Tranquility, New York.

The story is sweet, and fun, and surprisingly sweet for a cozy mystery. It's worth the price of admission just for the drink recipes. And the novel takes a somewhat original approach in our world of heightened racial sensitivity, in that she pretty much describes everyone (don't quote me, but references such as "anglo american" or "northwestern European" come to mind). While a bit tiring and cumbersome to read, I did appreciate this approach as many books claim diversity, but still basically just assume all the characters are caucasian unless otherwise listed.

If you'd like a light mystery perfect for poolside - this one's for you!

In Death In Tranquility, the first book in The Bartender's Guide To Murder Mystery Series, author Sharon Linnea weaves an intriguing cozy mystery tale that follows the amateur sleuth adventures of bartender Avalon Nash.

Set in the picturesque former Winter Olympic lakeside village of Tranquility, New York, Avalon Nash doesn't know what she's gotten herself into while eating dinner at the Battered Hatch Tavern, while waiting to change trains on the last leg of her train trip from Los Angeles to New York City. Bartender Joseph Emberg went missing from behind the bar and the orders were stacking up, so Avalon volunteered to look for Joseph, only to find him dead on the smoker's deck in the back of the bar. Tavern owner Glenn MacTavish offers Avalon the bartending position on the spot, and tells her oh by the way, Joseph isn't the first bartender murdered in the tavern! The next thing you know, Avalon finds herself caught up in the middle of the homicide investigation, and she is determined to find out the identity of the killer before she becomes the next bartender targeted to be killed.

Death In Tranquility is an entertaining cozy whodunit tale that has enough quirky characters, witty banter and humor, family drama, danger, suspense, and intriguing twists and turns. Told in the first person narrative, the reader can't help but get caught up in Avalon's crazy amateur sleuth goose chase of an adventure as she tries to help Inspector Mike Spaulding solve Joseph's murder. The story unfolds with a wonderful balance of comedy, drama, and suspense that easily kept me guessing, and left me wanting more. I can't wait to read Death By Gravity, the second book in this delightful cozy mystery series!

I would be remiss if I didn't mention that at the end of each chapter is a collection of drink recipes that will make your mouth water!

Death In Tranquility is an entertaining story that cozy murder mystery fans will enjoy reading!

https://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2021/02/death-in-tranquilty-by-sharon...

murder-investigation, murder, amateur-sleuth, family, family-dynamics, friendship, triggers, abduction, thriller*****

This one's another real winner! The murder mystery is well crafted with great characters, a busy plot complete with twists, some very interesting red herrings, and a super mixology recipe with each chapter. Backstory is that Avalon left LA to go to NYC (family in Brooklyn) but is at an interesting station in an upper New York state town with a prior Olympic history to change trains when she runs full on into a murder and a temporary bartending job (now it's really permanent). Avalon's real schtick is listening to others and sometimes writing it all down, and this time it nearly gets her killed. Past Olympians is where the story begins and ends but with some truly amazing events in between.
I loved all of it and will need to get a print copy of this one as well to assemble all the drinks recipes for my favorite mixologist.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Arundel Publishing/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley. Thank you!

How much fun was this!

Avalon has time on her hands when her train stops in Tranquility and she has to wait to switch trains, so she heads off to the local hotel bar where she proceeds to get caught up in a murder - discovering the body of the bartender!

Since she loves to mix drinks, Avalon takes over the bartending job, finds herself a cute cottage to live in, and a friendly dog that leads her to more trouble!

Love how new cocktail recipes were intertwined with the story!

Can't wait for the next one!

murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, cozy-mystery, amateur-sleuth*****

This one's a real winner! The murder mystery is well crafted with great characters, a busy plot complete with twists, some very interesting red herrings, and a super mixology recipe with each chapter. Avalon has left LA to go to NYC but is at an interesting station in New York state to change trains when she runs full on into a murder, temporary bartending job, an unthreatened law enforcement officer, and a trip down memory lane in a place that honors her old school Silver Screen idol. And that's just the first few chapters! I loved all of it and will need to get a print copy to assemble all the drinks recipes for a friend.
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Arundel Publishing/Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) via NetGalley. Thank you!

historical-figures, historical-places-events, historical-research, historical-setting, Hawaii, bravery, kindness, greed *****

A very moving history of Hawaii and the greed that progressively diminished its importance as told through respected correspondence and newspaper accounts from well over a century ago. But most importantly it is a tribute to the young princess who accomplished much in her short life and why her memory is still important all these years later.
I won this audiobook in a giveaway, but it's certainly worth the money if I had known about it.
Almost forgot to mention that narrator Jessica Schell was wonderful!

Not quite what I was expecting... but I enjoyed the surprise.

ABR's full Plagues of Eden audiobook review and many others can be found at Audiobook Reviewer.

Plagues of Eden is a non-stop action ride for 72 hours in book time. There is no getting off. Well, I didn’t want to. The collaboration of Sharon Linnea and B.K. Sherer made this a top notch espionage thriller. The first 20 minutes or so takes you thru all the characters in this who, what, where and why thriller. The authors take you thru an hour by nearly hour of what is happening where and with who. From time zone to time zone and country to country. Will it make you dizzy keeping it all straight? At first it may. Listening to the first 20 minutes or so diligently will keep you on the right track for the next 8 hours of the novel. So onto the important part the review.

The Plot: A madman wanting to take control of businesses and government ruling around the world for his benefit. In order to get his ways he is unleashing the 10 plagues. All over a 72 hour period leading up to the death of the first born. The story opens in Tell-el-Balumum, Egypt. At a gravesite digging. The head project director is summing up this very odd week on the dig site, examining the pieces that they have unearth. When all of the sudden out of the sky looks like a meteorite that hits the earth about 5 miles away. An anomaly, no more will come out of the sky. Then more start impacting the surrounding area and some burning up. As everyone starts running to take cover. Two of the friends jump in the nearby vehicle. As he approaches yelling for them to get out the vehicle it is struck by one of the meteorites killing the two inside. What is going on?

To the madman’s lair, as his computer expert turns to give himself a well-deserved pat on the back for a job well done. He is thrilled he has completed the task at hand, the 3rd plague of Fire raining down from the heavens. (The first 2 plagues you find out about further in the novel). Well only 2 were killed. Not bad, everything did come down within the 5 mile radius that he wanted. But, were they meteorites. No they were actually 3 satellites that he control by hacking into their systems to have them fall back to earth. The computer expert is only a puppet under the thumb of the madman.

In the US at West Point, A wedding. How grand where two of the government’s secret operatives Army Chaplain Jaime Richards and Yani (undercover code name Sword 23 are finally getting married in a regular ceremony). Even though they were married several times before in other ceremonies. To make their family and themselves happy marry once again in a regular wedding. Heading for a honeymoon hideout as they are rudely interrupted by their commanding operations. Their objective is to stop a manic that is unleashing plagues around the world. One heading under orders of being undercover as a former operative and the other as an undercover specialist for the owner of one of the satellites. These two along with Mark Shepard are the main good guy characters of this novel. As Jamie heads to meet the plane of the owner of the satellite. Little does she know it is a former friend of hers Mark Shepard? To each other’s astonishment of how can this be? Will they be able to work together knowing their past history?

All three of them finding themselves canvasing back and forth across the globe collecting clues to stop the remaining 7 plagues. Paris, Italian vineyards, Argentina, and back at West Point. Who else is in this plot with this madman since he is so delusional? You will find him talking to someone that is not there. Though his oriental aid knows all too well that no one is there. She consuls him and makes sure he is getting his medication to keep him from getting to out of hand. Or is she? She has a plot of her own.

A little boy kidnapped. The madman does not know of the special needs that this boy has. He has a love for King Arthur and Camelot. His father works all the time so tired and sleeping. He wakes up not knowing that his son is kidnapped. Since he is in the care of a nanny thought they gone somewhere. Shortly after receiving a call from the nanny upon her release from the kidnappers. Once she arrives back to the Paris flat telling what had happened. Not knowing why anyone would kidnap his son. Why he was worth millions but others are worth billions. Who would want his company anyway?

Meanwhile, Yani/Sword 23 ends up at the same place as the little boy he calls Merlin. He realizes that they boy has special needs and lives thru his fascination of Camelot and King Arthur’s story. Will they find their way out of the clutches of this mad man? What does the wineries have in connection with this madman? Will Jamie and Mark be in time to save Yani? Will they stop the assignation of the first born? All great questions that you will have to read/listen to too find out the answers.

What I love is the way the novel was laid out. Each place and time layout prior to the event taking place so you are not wondering – Did I miss something? You knew where you were within the 72 hour period. As the minutes dwindled down. There is some light humor throughout. But, for the most part it was non-stop action. Truly a full story. No abrupt ending. Actually, when you thought it was all over it isn’t. Loved it! Well played out that will draw you in as it did me. From start to end.

Co-authors Sharon Linnea and B.K. Sherer, really have a hit with this Eden Series. This book is a stand-alone story. Even though I was given this book for review I find myself getting on board for the entire series. I purchase the other 3 books, so back to book one for me!

I absolutely love the cover. It is certainly a draw for me as a reader as with the title. That is important as some may not think. But, if I see a cover that is mediocre in artwork or photograph I usually pass it up without even reading the synopsis.

Narrator: Kristina Fuller Yuen has done an outstanding job with the characters. Especially with the small boy. Adding accents to those that have them perfectly. Transitioning from character to character flawlessly. Even when the parts are at the climax of a shootout or when Yani was been brutally interrogated. I am going to look forward to listening to her on the other book and hope that she does all of the series. Hate seeing a new narrator for a series. You cannot go wrong if you are into this particular genre.

Note: This book was provided to me for an honest and unbiased review. No one has influence my review above and I always welcome comments about the above.

Audiobook provided for review by the publisher.

Plagues of Eden is one of those books that you absolutely have to read to the end. A strong cast of characters, a that is exciting and suspenseful plus corrupt and destructive group of people who are out to destroy civilization as we know it.

I found this book to be very suspenseful and a real page turner. This book is the fourth in the Eden series, even though this was the first I have read in this series, the authors writing and recapping the storyline of Army Chaplain Jaime Richards was enough for me to understand the story. Can Jaime and her rock star friend Mark Shepard find the evil people in time to stop them from leashing the ancient plagues on mankind? Read the book to find out! You will not be disappointed if you love an action packed story with a bit of romance thrown in.

The prologue begins at an archaeological dig in Egypt. As they are getting ready to go home for the day, it begins hailing – hailstones of fire! Savino Latorre, backed by business mogul, Shanlei, has waited ten long years to perfect the same type of plagues as the Bible plagues from Moses day. They are now ready. They’ve created a website called WheelofPlagues.com so the world can watch their countdown. The most destructive plague is only seventy-two hours away – Death of the Firstborn.

Chaplain (Maj.) Jaime Richards and Yani were getting married at the Cadet Chapel at West Point. Yani (Sword 23) is from Eden, an altruistic society providing help to those in the Terris world. Yani’s Terris birth certificate shows his name as William Jonathan Burton and he is a weapons inspector with the United Nations. Only moments into their vows, they were being called into service – an emergency of international significance. Mark Shepherd, a rock star and Jaime’s former romantic interest, was at the wedding. He manages to be on the plane with Jaime as she is assigned this case and is on her way to Egypt. He’s helping – like it or not.

The author ingeniously creates a story of criminals perfecting how to use Biblically proportioned plagues against mankind; they do so for power. There is a lot of action and fantasy in the novels of The Eden Thriller series. I had not read the three prior books, but felt like the story was contained, so that it could be read as a standalone. The fantasy is not too overdone. Fantasy locations as well as real locations are within the book. There are quite a few characters to keep track of. Each chapter is preceded with the date; time; and location. The characters of Jaime; Yani; and Mark are all strong-willed and likable. I rated Plagues of Eden at 4 out of 5.

http://www.fictionzeal.com/plagues-eden-eden-thrillers-4-sharon-linnea/

Plagues of Eden is the fourth in the series of the Eden Thrillers Book Series. I would highly recommend reading the first three books to get the background to the story or you will miss some of the connections as I did and this will take away from your enjoyment and understanding of this novel.

Basically, there is a madman on the loose who has decided and thoroughly planned out how to carry out the same plagues that God rained down on the Egyptians in the old testament unless his demands are met – turning the sea to blood, the plague of darkness and so on right up to the death of the firstborn. He leaves clues as to where the next plague will be carried out because he is not doing this in just one country, but worldwide, causing havoc everywhere – economic destruction and chaos all over the world.

Chaplain Jaime Richards and Mark Shepard, a rock star, are hot on the trail of the madman, following his clues which are left in code. It’s a giant scavenger hunt with the world as the prize.

The intensity of the suspense is ramped up as the entire book takes place over only three days. There are lots of surprises in the plot to keep you guessing too.

I liked the characters of Jaime and Mark, though Mark didn’t seem like the kind of guy I would expect to be a rock star. Maybe I’m stereotyping rock stars. I do think I would have enjoyed the book more if I had read the first three in the series first, so I highly recommend starting at the beginning.

Due to starting the series with this book (my own fault) I rated Plagues of Eden at 3 stars out of 5.

I received this book as part of a book tour with Promotional Book Tours. A positive opinion was not required. All thoughts were my own.

This review was published on my blog Shelf Full of Books http://kathrynsshelffullofbooks.blogspot.com/2014/09/plagues-of-eden-eden-thrill...

Chasing Eden (The Eden Thrillers) Volume 1 by Sharon Linnea was an unexceptional read for me. Hoping for a thriller with an archeological theme, I was disappointed by the flat writing, uninteresting heroine and liberal progressive viewpoints. Especially, I felt the author threw a hodgepodge of conspiracy theories into a hat and plucked them out randomly to construct her plot.

What I did enjoy was the backdrop of the Iraq war and the detail of the soldiers' lives in the war zone. Ms. Linnea has a slight tendency to overuse military acronyms for the general reader, but perhaps this is true to life in the service. Also, the weaving of tidbits about Saddam Hussein was skilfully done.

About 70% of the way through, I was starting to lose interest in the story. The continual layering on of villains began to confuse me. I wasn't keenly interested in the much sought-after prize of the Garden of Eden. In fact, the whole concept of Eden felt a bit contrived.

The heroine's super-human ability to withstand continual abuse and still deliver quips and feel the stirrings of desire while her life was threatened were laughable.

All the components of a good thriller were there, but it just didn't gel for me in Chasing Eden.

Nov. 11, 2011 - edited typo½

This is the second book in the series. I liked this story much better than the first book. It was fast paced, exciting, and easier to follow. The first book had a lot of military jargon that I had to make sense of to get to the story. There was very little of that here.½

Traces the life of the Swedish diplomat who saved Hungarian Jews during World War II and then mysteriously disappeared after the Russians occupied Budapest.