ARC Review: Energized by Mary Behre

Energized is my first book by this author and my first book in this series. This also happens to be my first romance with some paranormal elements. I liked it but I didn’t love it. The book is about Hannah and Niall. Hannah has psychometric abilities which allow her to glimpse the memories of others when she comes in contact with metal objects. Niall is a soldier returned home with memories that nobody wants to have. When the two meet, Hannah sees into Niall’s memories and offer him some much needed comfort. They spend one night together and because of a misunderstanding don’t meet up again until months later when Hannah shows up in Tidewater, Niall’s hometown in search of her long lost sisters. Some other stuff happens, Hannah is the psychometric witness to a serial killer’s madness and we have ourselves a story. Hannah and Niall are trying to sort out their issues while tracking down a serial killer.

I kind of liked Hannah and Niall together but there was something about the writing of this book that I didn’t love. It was just too blunt for my taste. I mean I just had an overall sense that it could have been more nuanced which would have given the characters the appearance of greater complexity. I got where Hannah was coming from as she tried to draw Niall out but I always have mixed feelings about a heroine doing that. Yes, Niall was damaged and needed to be loved back to health but there is a limit on my tolerance for a heroine who puts up with that brand of BS. I think on balance it worked in this book because I was rooting for Hannah and Niall as a couple.

I think where things went a little sideways for me was in the clutter of the book. There was the story of the restaurant and the issues Niall was having with his brother. And just for fun, we get a glimpse into the brother’s POV so we can see him struggling with issues related to his sexuality. Then there were the other restaurant employees and their sub-stories. Like between Hannah and the psychometric flashes and the other girl who was reading people’s aura’s, the author was giving me a lot, maybe too much. And of course we can’t leave out crazy azz Mercy stabbing people up here and there to free them from the burden of life. We also see into Mercy’s POV. In the end all the POVs and the sub-stories just got to be a little too much clutter for me. I was interested in the story between Hannah and Niall and while all the other stuff was cool too, I just wasn’t here for all of that. So in the end I walked away feeling like this was a decent book with a pretty good mystery/suspense but it just wasn’t what I was looking for in the story.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Spirited by Mary Behre

Jules Scott is crifted (cursed and gifted) and can speak to ghosts. They seek her out, some demanding help, others offering it. She wishes it would help her find her lost sisters. After breaking into Detective Seth English’s apartment window by accident, their worlds align on a collision course. They’re also neighbors. Her current visitor is a murdered member of a jewelry thief gang. The woman pleads for help in finding her killer before he strikes again. She offers no names or locations, just dire warnings and code names of the gang. She and Jules have a few physical similarities including a unique tattoo. When she stumbles on the woman’s dumped body, she becomes embroiled in Seth’s investigation. Jules met the deceased woman by accident at a party before her death. She also knows the woman’s fiancé. Maybe she knows where the stolen diamonds are too. The killer doesn’t believe in coincidence and starts to follow Jules. Seth needs to question Jules about more than the case. There is a growing attraction. Both have been damaged by the actions of their ex-spouses and tread lightly. More ghosts appear to ask Jules to help a homeless man living behind her building. His deceased wife and daughter try to comfort him. Jules conveys their messages of love, easing some of his burden. He becomes her ally in an unsuspecting way. Many of the clues in the case point to people who end up missing or dead. The killer is getting the information from the police. Seth is under suspicion because of his relationship with Jules. Is his sacrificed career worth her love?

The levels of tension and suspense are high. Events happen and the feeling that something is off is palatable. Issues of trust on every level raise the stakes too. Jules is well written. She’s complex and sweet. Her main goal is to find her sisters and ghosts keep interfering. If they didn't speak in vague terms or riddles, she could help them faster. She’s drawn to help the woman who was killed and treats her with respect. Her honest feelings towards her visions is refreshing. She acknowledges them as people passing through who need to deal with unfinished business.

Seth is a good foil for Jules. He loves her, even though he thinks she’s crazy. He tries to do his investigation by the book until he realizes people are lying to him. He chooses to protect her and believe in her. This is an old fashioned whodunit with everyone racing to find the diamonds and the killer.

This is the first of a series and I’m looking forward to reading the next book, Guarded.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | Kindle | B&N |

Guest Post with Author Mary Behre and Giveaway

Meet Mary Behre, author of Spirited.

Mary Behre is the lone female in a house full of males and the undisputed queen of her domain. She even has the glittery tiara to prove it. She loves stories with humor, ghosts, mysteries and above all else, a good romance. When not writing, she enjoys reading, gluten-free baking, and hanging out at the beach with the most important men in her life, her family.

Her debut paranormal romance, SPIRITED (Tidewater Novel #1) was an award-winning manuscript before it sold to Berkley Sensation. The Tidewater Series is mix of humor, suspense, and a psychic love-connection. The first three stories are about three sisters separated years before in the foster care system. As they search for love, each other, and a way to live with their psychic abilities, they’re tossed into the middle of mysteries that only their unique gifts can help solve.

Mary is represented by the fabulous Nalini Akolekar of Spencerhill Associates.

Find Mary at:

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