Blood Oath

Title: Blood Oath Author: Christopher Farnsworth Genre:  Science Fiction, Fantasy Length: 470 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content: Violence Rating:  5 out of 5

Zach Barrows is an up and coming White House staffer who has eyes on the chief of staff position.  He is caught in a compromising situation with the President's daughter in the Lincoln bedroom.  Coincidentally he is transferred out of the White House and partnered with Nathaniel Cade.

Cade is cursed.  He is also bound to the office of the President by a blood oath that is 140 years old.  Cade defends the United States against the evil that people do not want to see.

As Zach is beginning to settle into his new position as Cade's liaison to the White House, the reality of his position as well as Cade's supernatural world comes to life.  They are immediately thrown into a crime and must fly across the country to investigate.

The characters are well written.  I would act exactly as Zach did in almost every situation.  Griff, Cade's previous handler and Zach's mentor, is surprisingly lovable.  The Vice President is obnoxious.  The "evil" took a surprising turn.

This book was fast paced, intense, funny, emotional...everything you want in a great book!  I am excited that this is the first book in a series and I can't wait to see how it unfolds!

Lethal

Title:  Lethal Author:  Sandra Brown Genre:  Mystery, Thriller Length: 465 pages (paperback) Sensitive Content:  Some Language,  Detailed Sex Scenes  Rating:  5 out of 5

Lethal follows Honor Gillette, her four year old daughter Emily and Lee Coburn through coastal Louisiana.  These three are thrown together when Emily finds Coburn in their front yard.  Coburn is accused of murdering seven men the night before.  Armed and dangerous, he ransacks Honor’s house looking for something, but not certain what he’s looking for.

While Lee is holding Honor and Emily hostage, the local police department and Honor’s father in law are searching for Coburn.  They are confused as to how he was able to get away and stay hiding for so long.  The FBI is brought in to assist with the search.

The next morning, Coburn has disappeared.  The Hawkins twins, Honor’s late husband’s best friends, believe that Coburn has made it to Honor’s house.  Fred Hawkins goes to Honor’s house.  As he’s drawing a weapon to shoot Honor, Coburn has returned and shoots Fred first.

We learn who Coburn is (won’t spoil it for you) and that he’s after someone called The Bookkeeper.  Honor must decide what she wants to do, believe Coburn and flee with him or risk going to the authorities who just tried to kill her.

I cannot share more without giving away spoilers!

I truly enjoyed this book and couldn’t put it down.  It was well written, including little details that made the story come to life off of the pages.  I laughed out loud and actually cried (while on an airplane!).  I had no idea who The Bookkeeper was and was totally taken back when it was revealed, but it made sense.