I'm kicking off a new series of posts here at J.Ricks Consulting, and I'm going to be posting reviews of books I found to be exceptional and that I worked on in one capacity or another.
The first book in this series is Race the Night: A Midwestern Shapeshifter by Deb Eliot.
Deb, a talented editor in her own right, came to me through the spouse of a friend, and her book just needed a fresh set of eyes to proofread.
When I learned it was a supernatural mystery, I was even more excited as that is my favorite genre for relaxation reading. Think Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden Series or Patricia Briggs with her Mercedes Thompson novels. These are the books I read for fun by the light of a small nightstand lamp, late into the night.
So with no further ado, I'm so pleased to tell you what an Exceptional Read Race the Night is and why you should read it also.
The writing is tight. Proofreading it, it was nearly mechanically flawless. I made some very minor suggestions, one or two typos, and it was ready to go. The problem though, was that, because I was enjoying it so much, I forgot to do my job! I stopped proofreading! That has never happened before. This Story pulled me in, grabbed me by the throat, and said, "Read until finished!" So I did. Then I had to go back and do the proofreading. All in all, not a bad day, regardless.
The characters, particularly St. Paul Detective DJ Jesseray, are very thoroughly fleshed out and feel like "real people." My suspension of disbelief was in full force. Not only that, but DJ is likeable and sympathetic, good things to have in a detective mystery, even if she is fighting vampires.
The pacing is fast and often breathtaking. I had to slow my reading down so that I could fully absorb the story and characters. Now that I think about it, this would be a fantastic movie. Hmmm....Hollywood? Are you listening?
Overall, the story was very satisfying and left me feeling that I had gotten the better end of the deal.
Finally, I also proofread book II,Bring it Home, and it's just as good, if not better than book I, and there's a book III in the works as well..
If you like Patricia Briggs, Kelley Armstrong, or Elizabeth Hunter, this is a story you'll love. Promise. Go, buy, now, and spread the word!
The first book in this series is Race the Night: A Midwestern Shapeshifter by Deb Eliot.
Deb, a talented editor in her own right, came to me through the spouse of a friend, and her book just needed a fresh set of eyes to proofread.
When I learned it was a supernatural mystery, I was even more excited as that is my favorite genre for relaxation reading. Think Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden Series or Patricia Briggs with her Mercedes Thompson novels. These are the books I read for fun by the light of a small nightstand lamp, late into the night.
So with no further ado, I'm so pleased to tell you what an Exceptional Read Race the Night is and why you should read it also.
The writing is tight. Proofreading it, it was nearly mechanically flawless. I made some very minor suggestions, one or two typos, and it was ready to go. The problem though, was that, because I was enjoying it so much, I forgot to do my job! I stopped proofreading! That has never happened before. This Story pulled me in, grabbed me by the throat, and said, "Read until finished!" So I did. Then I had to go back and do the proofreading. All in all, not a bad day, regardless.
The characters, particularly St. Paul Detective DJ Jesseray, are very thoroughly fleshed out and feel like "real people." My suspension of disbelief was in full force. Not only that, but DJ is likeable and sympathetic, good things to have in a detective mystery, even if she is fighting vampires.
The pacing is fast and often breathtaking. I had to slow my reading down so that I could fully absorb the story and characters. Now that I think about it, this would be a fantastic movie. Hmmm....Hollywood? Are you listening?
Overall, the story was very satisfying and left me feeling that I had gotten the better end of the deal.
Finally, I also proofread book II,Bring it Home, and it's just as good, if not better than book I, and there's a book III in the works as well..
If you like Patricia Briggs, Kelley Armstrong, or Elizabeth Hunter, this is a story you'll love. Promise. Go, buy, now, and spread the word!
