jbronderbookreviews

Amazon Burning by Victoria Griffith

4 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) When 22-year-old aspiring journalist, Emma Cohen, is forced to flee the comforts of her NYU student life, she maneuvers an internship from her father at his newspaper in Rio de Janeiro. There, Emma is immediately swept into a major news story–and a life-threatening situation–when a famous jungle environmentalist, Milton Silva, is mysteriously murdered. Emma must now enter the Amazon rainforest with her father to investigate; both awed by the enormity and beauty of the Amazon, and appalled by its reckless destruction. Not only will Emma have to brave the primal world of the Amazon, she must fight to survive the kidnappers, villains, corrupt activists, and indigenous tribes that lay in wait along the ever-twisting trail of the murder case. Stretched to the brink, it s up to Emma, her father and the dreamy news photographer, Jimmy, to unravel the mystery and live to tell the tale.

Emma has had some trouble at NYU and has to leave. She decides to go to Rio de Janeiro and intern with her father at his newspaper. While there, environmentalist Milton Silva is murdered and Emma travels to the Amazon with Jimmy to figure out who did it. Along the way, Emma gets mixed up with kidnappers, indigenous tribes, trafficking exotic animals, and other adventures.

I liked the mystery of who killed Milton Silva. There were some good red herrings that kept me guessing until the end about who killed him. I do like following Emma and watching her mature throughout the story. It was a great way to portray a lead character, especially at an age that they are just learning who they really are.

I kind of was disbelieving about the legal issue Emma left NYU for. If it was that serious I doubt she would have been allowed to just leave the country. The other thing was I had never heard of NA. I figured this was a YA book. It’s not that I’m a prude, it was just unexpected.

Over all I really liked this story. It has a great mystery and is a good coming of age book. This would be a great story for those that like contemporary romances with some mystery.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

For more information on Amazon Burning or on Victoria Griffith be sure to check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads.

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Primal Creatures (French Quarter Mystery – 3) by Eric Wilder

4 stars

(Excerpt from Goodreads) Though only forty miles south of New Orleans, Goose Island may as well be in another world. Five feet out of the shallow waters of south Louisiana’s wetlands, the secluded island is home of the Tracists Monastery. It’s also a resort frequented by actors, screenwriters, and powerful people in the burgeoning Louisiana film industry. When a heinous death occurs on the island, a movie producer hires Wyatt Thomas, the French Quarter’s favorite sleuth, to find out whom or what killed the victim. Was it wild dogs or a rougarou (Cajun werewolf) as the local voodoo woman tells Wyatt? His own life threatened, he must first survive the killer (or maybe killers), and the deadly hurricane taking direct aim at the monastery. Primal Creatures is the third novel in the Wyatt Thomas French Quarter Mystery Series that includes Big Easy, and City of Spirits.

Goose Island is in Louisiana’s bayou. It is an island that has the Tracists Monastery and a resort for movie stars and producers. While on a stay, movie star Rance Parker dies. At first it sounds like she has had a heart attack. But Wyatt Thomas is called in for further investigation when it is learned that she was torn limb from limb.

Having some experience with the occult, Wyatt has an advantage to figuring out what really happened to Rance. After talking to the monks, he hears about the rougarou, a Cajun werewolf. He doesn’t really believe them to be real until he takes shelter at a voodoo village and learns the truth. Now he has to stay alive as a hurricane is planning on hitting Goose Island.

I have not read Big Easy or City of Spirits so I was hesitant to read Primal Creatures. This book could be a stand alone novel. It was a great story with lots of detail. I loved how Wyatt could tell that something was amiss but just couldn’t put his finger on it. But when things start coming to the light, that’s when the book starts taking off at a break neck pace.

This is a great mystery. I have added Eric Wilder to my list of great mystery authors and I will definitely be getting the other books in this series. This is one author that you don’t want to miss.

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

For more information about Primal Creatures or Eric Wilder make sure to check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Goodreads.

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