Mini ARCs Reviews

Hello world! How are you? And how are your reading going? I am reading some great books, but I don’t have a lot of time to dedicate to them and this makes me really sad! Why the real life is such a cruel mistress??? Anyway, I really want to keep up the good work made in June with ARCs, so today I am here with the first reviews of this new month! And I have chosen for you a couple of books that I think are perfect for this time of the year. I am good this way, I know!

Thanks to the editor, WildBlue Press. I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Title: Napa Noir
Author: Peter Eichstaedt
Publication Date: May 1st, 2018
Page count: 433

When northern California’s idyllic Napa Valley is shattered by the vineyard shooting deaths of two men, investigative-reporter-turned-wine-editor Dante Rath seizes the chance to salvage his sagging career.
One of the dead is the winery’s top investor, a high-tech genius, who was shot and killed by the winery’s owner, who in turn was gunned down by Napa County sheriff deputies.
At the murder scene, Dante encounters Carmen Carelli, the lawyer for the deceased investor and whose case files he rifles after sharing wine and other pleasures.
But when Carelli is shot and wounded jogging near her house in Sonoma, Dante knows something deeply sinister is fermenting in wine country.
Doggedly pursuing the story, Dante uncovers fraud, deceit, and a toxic scandal certain to shake the wine world and topple an international wine producer. But he must stay alive to publish the story.

A little piece of advice: before starting this book be sure to have at least a bottle of good wine near you. You would crave it like crazy while reading this!

If you are wondering what to read this Summer, if you’re searching for something that is fast and intriguing, something not too demanding, well, you have found your book!
This book is not a masterpiece, to be completely honest, but my humble self thinks that we don’t always need a masterpiece, sometimes something unpretentious and fast, that can keep us company for a day, it’s a welcome thing! And this book delivers just that!
Plus the wine craving. Have I mentioned that?

Dante Rath is not a detective, but it’s a journalist, he’s also not a really lucky man, especially in this period, he’s a little bit rough at the edges, and I liked him. He reminded me of some good thriller’s MCs that I have met during the year. He’s not memorable, yes, but he’s not bad! We have some other characters, obviously, some of them are original, too, but he’s the only one who made a lasting impression on me. But hey, I am not complaining!

The story is quite intriguing and we follow the investigations because even if Dante is not a true detective, he’s determined to see the end of it and he has some stacks too, in this investigation (namely his work is on the line, but not only that!). It’s a pleasant reading and I enjoyed the easy way that the author has with his writing.

There is just a little thing that bugged me during the reading… ok, there were two, to be honest: 1) if you want to use some Italian words is a good idea if you ask an Italian person to check that because there were some minor mistakes. And I am Italian so yeah, they are minor but I see them. 2) This book is set in the area of California renowned for his wine, so I was hoping to see a lot more of California’s wines all around. Mind me, there is a lot of wine involved in the story (hence the wine craving!) but we often see Italian and European wine while the characters are drinking (and trust me, they drink a lot!!!). These are not big things, that true, and I am not complaining, you can easily ignore that and enjoy the reading!

Thanks to the author, Barbara Venkataraman- I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Series: A Jamie Quinn Mistery #1-3
Author: Barbara Venkataraman
Synopsys of the first book:
Reluctant lawyer, Jamie Quinn, still reeling from the death of her mother, is pulled into a game of deception, jealousy, and vengeance when her cousin, Adam, is wrongfully accused of murder. It’s up to Jamie to find the real murderer before it’s too late. It doesn’t help that the victim is a former rock star with more enemies than friends, or that Adam confessed to a murder he didn’t commit.

I really, really thank the author for sending me these first three books of her series because I enjoyed the reading immensely! If you are in need of a book to take with you to the beach, or anywhere you want while you are sunbathing or relaxing, well search no more!

When I started the first book I was thinking to give it a try and then read the next two after some weeks (I was planning to read some other books at the time) but once started I couldn’t put this down! I received the digital edition of the box-set with all three of them and that was the end of me, because it was impossible to put down! Jamie is an uncommon MC, she’s a divorce lawyer but she’s also a sweet girl, with a big heart, a sense of what is right and what is wrong and the ability to find the most interesting people.
This was the first book I’ve read with an MC who is a divorce lawyer, and it pleased me to no end. I am not a fanatic of this profession, it’s not that, but it’s the originality of it that gets to me.

And we have a lot of other interesting characters! I liked Duke and Nik a lot. Ok, Nik is not the most pleasant person in the entire world, that’s true, but I liked him, I liked him a lot, and I hope to see more of him around in the next books (because, obviously, I have every intention to go on with the series!!!). And Duke… well, Duke is Duke and you have to love him! He’s a womanizer PI who helps our dear Jamie with her cases, not the divorces one! I think I haven’t say that before but… Jamie has the peculiar ability to find herself entangled in murder cases. So yeah, she’s great, but I can understand if you don’t want her to your party. Sorry, Jamie! (But I would take Duke in a heartbeat!).

Anyway, these books are funny and quick, and I really can picture myself with the sequels while sunbathing!

and half!

Did you read these books? Or are you planning to read them? Let me know!

Happy reading!
S.