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You can’t just eat good food. You’ve got to talk about it too. And you’ve got to talk about it to somebody who understands that kind of food.
Kurt Vonnegut -
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4_79dnJeNU?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]
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Hyakuyou Daichou – Aoi Aki
On Kisouji of the Nakasendo Trail, there is a tea house for wary travelers to rest. One of their customer’s rather eccentric though. Instead of paying with mon, he pays with leaves. Maybe that’s why he catches the owner’s attention…?
The beginning of something beautiful…
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Death and the Devil: Bargaining with the Devil – L.J. Hayward
Meta-State spy Jack Reardon believes it’s all been taken care of. He has his verbal agreement with his boss to “keep Blade happy,” and Jack is more than willing to do his best in that regard. He also has his bargain with Ethan, to keep seeing each other whenever they cross paths. Small victories, interspersed with exploding bombs, smashed cars and miffed co-workers, all while consorting with an international assassin.
Contract killer Ethan Blade values his security, and Jack’s the first time he’s found that with another person. Wiring a warehouse or outback shelter for safety, no problem. Keeping safe a prickly ex-soldier-turned-spy who’s a magnet for trouble, not so easy. Instead of faceless, nameless jobs, he’s poking his fingers into Jack’s cases—a car bomb gone awry, a Hen party gone wild—much to Jack’s mounting dismay.
They have a deal; neither one of them can seem to stick to it. It’s Jack versus Ethan as the two men learn to navigate their ever-evolving not-a-relationship without losing the benefit of the bargain.
I needed my Death and the Devil fix so I was ridiculously excited for this novella.
Rarely do I get giddy just waiting in excitement for the next book in the series and this novella just amped up that anticipation. Obviously, the Jack Reardon + Ethan Blade tandem is a super major bias so I will go ahead and declare the Death and the Devil series as one of the best things to come out in 2018.
5 explosive, death-defying stars across the board!!
Rating:
5 Stars – absolutely perfectSoundtrack: The New
Artist: Interpol
Album: Turn On the Bright Lights(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40602970-bargaining-with-the-devil)
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[spotify id=”spotify%3Atrack%3A6VE0Mpi5eYdF47wrngiL8j&view=coverart” width=”540″ height=”620″ /]Soundtrack to Death and the Devil: Bargaining with the Devil by L.J. Hayward
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This is the first time I’ve dated an assassin. I don’t want to piss her off.
Jennifer Estep -
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZKqE-iYdT8?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=375]
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Chain Gang – Yamashita Tomoko
Always together, one man drinks at another man’s home when he can’t catch the last train home, but what is this feeling of deprived freedom?
Uhm…who’s gonna clean up that mess…??
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Winter Kill – Josh Lanyon
Clever and ambitious, Special Agent Adam Darling (yeah, he’s heard all the jokes before) was on the fast track to promotion and success until his mishandling of a high profile operation left one person dead and Adam “On the Beach.” Now he’s got a new partner, a new case, and a new chance to resurrect his career, hunting a legendary serial killer known as The Crow in a remote mountain resort in Oregon.
Deputy Sheriff Robert Haskell may seem laid-back, but he’s a tough and efficient cop – and he’s none too thrilled to see feebs on his turf – even when one of the agents is smart, handsome, and probably gay. But a butchered body in a Native American museum is out of his small town department’s league. For that matter, icy, uptight Adam Darling is out of Rob’s league, but that doesn’t mean Rob won’t take his best shot.
So we know Special Agent Adam Darling is quite the looker and then we have this:
Having reached the airport in plenty of time, Adam had relaxed. He looked tired, there were shadows beneath his green eyes, but he smiled at Rob. He had an attractive, quirky smile—despite noticeably sharp incisors—and Rob was sorry again that the night before had been a one-time thing.
Fangs! Oh that’s just too cute!!
Usui Takumi as Adam Darling
“And we can always talk over the case, if it’ll make you feel better.” Rob was teasing him. Flirting with him? Adam smiled uncertainly. “True.”
“And then we can be back at work bright and early tomorrow morning.”
“Yes. That would be…”
Heaven? Sort of.
“See how easy that was?” Rob said. “Easiest decision you’ll make tonight.”
It was hard to tell in the grainy light, but Adam thought Rob winked.
Yuu Otosaka as Deputy Rob Haskell
Adam and Rob. I was neutral about these two until that fang incident mentioned above. That’s when I squee-ed (internally)! From that point forward, I was low-key cheering them on. Low-key because I need to keep a straight face. I’m reading this while there are other people around.
This is really good! I especially enjoyed Winter Kill because the mysteries (as there are several) kept me guessing, and for once, there were no loose threads left hanging. The story wrapped up and resolved things satisfactorily and though the ending was still in that characteristic abrupt style, it promised a HFN, which is realistic for the kind of relationship Adam and Rob have.
P.S.
After I realized this is the Adam Darling mentioned in The Art of Murder series and that Lanyon’s FBI agents live in the same world, it became a little game of anticipating who’s going to pop up in whose book. BAU chief Sam Kennedy made an appearance here and he was as menacing as ever. Special Agent JJ Russell was also present in the AoM series. I think, Tucker, Adam’s ex has a book of his own.
Rating
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bits
Soundtrack: Snow Day
Artist: Matt Pond PA
Album: Winter Songs(source: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17261670-winter-kill)
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[spotify id=”spotify%3Atrack%3A3jFTSi4nm1Gosfqh7gvSPd&view=coverart” width=”540″ height=”620″ /]Soundtrack to Winter Kill by Josh Lanyon
