From the shelf: A Dark Mind (Lizzy Gardner #3)

Title: A Dark Mind (Lizzy Gardner #3)

Author: TR Ragan

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime
Date read: July 31- August 4, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★★ (5/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

A serial killer is terrorizing Sacramento, preying on happily married couples and unleashing unspeakable cruelties upon his victims. The ordeal rekindles disturbing memories for private investigator Lizzy Gardner, who barely escaped a serial killer clutches only years ago. But while most Sacramento residents are hiding in the shadows, paralyzed by fear, Lizzy is compelled to go after the Lovebird Killer. So it no surprise that, when a routine workers- compensation case suddenly leads her and her two young assistants onto the killer trail, she welcomes the chase, determined to bring him to justice before he can claim another victim. She never imagines he could be two steps ahead, watching her every move and plotting his bloodiest, most triumphant conquest of all.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

If I would rate the books by how much I loved the series, this would be IT followed by Abducted and my least so far is Dead Weight. Finally after everything that happened, Lizzy Gardner is turning her experience into skills that would let her become one bad ass investigator. While still calculating her relationship with Jared Shayne and juggling Jessica while being Hayley's legal guardian, she once again got tangled with a twisted killer hiding under the guise of the 'Lovebird Killer'. What makes this so interesting is that since characters in this series have already been established, the plot flowed well. The story was twisted, gory and fearful in a sense since it somehow touched the boundaries of reality. I thought that after the Spiderman fiasco, it would be just another detective story but boy I was wrong. The antagonist made me grip my seat. I was not really expecting the ending though and a part of me is screaming 'bloody hell'. I can't wait for the next installment of the series, the ending... *sigh* she was such a waste.

Till the next read...

From the shelf: Dead Weight (Lizzy Gardner #2)

Title: Dead Weight (Lizzy Gardner #2)

Author: TR Ragan

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime
Date read: July 28-31, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

DEAD WEIGHT - A missing girl, a cold case, and one angry teenager keep Lizzy Gardner busy in this suspenseful sequel to Abducted by T.R. Ragan

Her First Cold Case…Lizzy Gardner, a private investigator known as the “one who got away,” has spent over a decade trying to get over her past and move on. Although she knows that the man responsible for ruining her life is now dead, letting it all go is easier said than done. Hoping murder and mayhem are behind her, she delves into her first cold case: twenty-one years ago, a girl went missing and the girl’s dying mother is more desperate than ever to know what happened to her only child

A Missing Woman…
After a woman walks into Lizzy’s office and offers her a large sum of money to keep a close eye on a fitness guru, a man she believes is responsible for her sister’s disappearance, Lizzy realizes she might have taken on more than she can handle.

An Angry Teenager…
Lizzy calls in the help of her two assistants, forcing Hayley and Jessica to work together. Hayley might be of more use to Lizzy if she wasn’t wandering the streets of Sacramento in the dead of night

My Review: (also in goodreads)

This happens months after the whole Spiderman fiasco at Abducted. Lizzy and Jared are testing their new found-again relationship. Hayley is now working for her but secretly plotting revenge against those who abused her. Jessica is still working for her as they juggle their time with the new cases since her business became more popular after beating Spiderman. This was her first major case after what happened at the events of the first book. The book had the elements of an entertaining mystery/detective novel and I love how it all fell into place. I just hope Hayley can comeback soon.

Till the next read...

From the shelf: Abducted (Lizzy Gardner #1)

Title: Abducted (Lizzy Gardner #1)

Author: TR Ragan

Genre: Mystery, Thriller, Suspense, Crime
Date read: July 28, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Elizabeth Gardner (Lizzy) is seventeen-years old when she tells her parents she's going out with her girlfriends. Instead, she meets up with her boyfriend, Jared Shayne. As she walks home beneath an inky black sky, her perfect night becomes her worst nightmare.

Fourteen years later, Lizzy is a licensed PI known as the 'one who got away'. When she's not searching for runaway teenagers, working on insurance scams, or talking to her therapist, she's at the local high school teaching young girls to defend themselves. But her world is turned upside down for the second time after she receives a call from Jared Shayne. He's an FBI special agent now and he needs her help. Lizzy has no plans to get involved. Not until Jared tells her the kidnapper left her a personalized note.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

I love suspense/psychological/thriller/espionage novels. This is the genre that could make you devour every page where it could leave one's heart palpitating and mind blown away. These are the kind of stories that will make the reader occasionally let out phrases like 'OMG' or 'Uh-oh' or the better 'I know who the killer is' and this was one of them. I would've given it 5 stars but even though the story made me grip my seat and I read this on one day, there were some parts that were a little all over the place. The scenes that really hooked me started almost at the middle. Nevertheless it was an entertaining read. I admire the survivor Lizzy Gardner. She fought her shadow for 14 years and I salute her for not having severe PTSD tendencies. Instead, she made it her mission to help and prepare young kids for the worst. And of course, I loved her reunion with high school sweetheart Jared Shayne although they had their long-awaited reunion in the worst circumstance...at least there was some kind of hope in that whole madness.

Till the next read...

From the shelf: Epilogue (The Dark Duet #3)

Title: Epilogue (The Dark Duet #3)

Author: CJ Roberts

Genre: Dark, Contemporary Romance
Date read: July 27, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

BOOK 3 OF THE DARK DUET
(The final version should have 15 Chapters + an epilogue)

I’m writing this because you begged. You know how I love the begging. In fact, you probably know too many things and know them far too well.

Who am I?

Well, that’s what I’m trying to figure out. I was a whore in my youth, a killer since my adolescence, and a monster as a man. I am the man who kidnapped Livvie. I am the man who held her in a dark room for weeks. But, most importantly, I am the man she loves.

She loves me. It’s quite sick, isn’t it?

Of course, there’s more to our story than can be surmised in a few short sentences, but I’m at a loss for justifying my behavior back then. I assume if you’re reading this, I don’t need to make those justifications. You’ve already made your own.

You’re reading this because you want to know about the rest of the story. You want to know what happened that warm summer night in September of 2010, the night I met Livvie at The Paseo. It was the night my life changed all over again.

It didn’t happen exactly as Livvie said. She’s been very kind to me in the retelling of our story. The truth is far more…complicated.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

Finally. I wouldn't even call it the third and final installment after Captive of the Dark and Seduced in the Dark. Since The second book ended that way, I guess fans wanted to know more. And I think that this book is sort of a gift from the author for the fans. And what more could the fans ask for but a book narrated by Caleb! This was sort of like taking peek into the mind of the captor Caleb and how he adjusts into Livvie's new life. There are some parts where it was a bit hazy since there were some questions like: so they lived happily ever after (sort of) how will they handle it when everyone knows he's alive? But I guess it was time for them to get their version of a happy ending.

Till the next read...

From the shelf: Seduced in the Dark (The Dark Duet #2)

Title: Seduced in the Dark (The Dark Duet #2)

Author: CJ Roberts

Genre: Dark, Contemporary Romance
Date read: July 16-27, 2013
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

BOOK TWO OF THE DARK DUET

The exciting, titillating, and action-filled conclusion to Captive in the Dark.
What is the price of redemption?
Rescued from sexual slavery by a mysterious Pakistani officer, Caleb carries the weight of a debt that must be paid in blood.

The road has been long and fraught with uncertainty, but for Caleb and Livvie, it’s all coming to an end.

Can he surrender the woman he loves for the sake of vengeance? 

Or will he make the ultimate sacrifice?

Quote: It seemed to Caleb, the nature of human beings revolved around one empirical truth: we want what we cannot have. For Eve, it was the fruit of the forbidden tree. For Caleb, it was Livvie.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

"There are just some things you want but couldn't have." 

This, for me is the theme of the sequel to Captive in the Dark. The story was wittingly written. It wasn't your typical sequel wherein the first sentence happened just seconds from the last sentence of the first book. This happens with Livvie's version of what happened after. And with that, I'm not saying anything anymore to spoil future readers. As usual the sequel was realistic and still dark but somehow within all those twisted scenarios in this book it was a tad bit lighter than the first one (at least for me). Everything and everyone comes into is brought together. And of course, the ending was sort of a cliffhanger...something that screams 'we want more'.

Till  the next read...