T5W || All the pretty little fonts

This week on T5W, we are exploring our favourite title fonts.  Why do we buy the books we do?  Is it because of the cover images only, or does the title design (i.e., the font) also sucker you into an unexpected purchase?  Let's see.

I spent a couple of days pondering the covers of some of my favourite books, and my TBR shelves, trying to figure out what made these books so attractive to me.  I decided that in the end, yes, the font of the title - and it's design, relative to the cover art - does play a big part in why I'm attracted to the book, because as much as I wish I could say otherwise, I will go out of my way to find the exact edition that I find most attractive (within reason ;-D).

#5 - Love the use of colour, and the playful design that matches the cover art illustrations.  The mixture of fonts also makes it quite pleasing to looks at.

#4 - ah, Locke Lamora.  Part of the reason I bought this UK edition was the fonts (well, that and the cover art).  It gives me the impression of a mysterious story and I'm hoping to get to this soon.

#3 - I couldn't resist this edition of Lady Audley's Secret when I first saw it online.  I eventually tracked down a copy on AbeBooks as I loved the swirly lettering that was covering the page.  And, yes, the title (embellishments included) is all one continuous line - I checked!

#2 - it was a toss up between this edition of The Shining, and one of the Knickerbocker Classics, and I chose The Shining because I found the dual fonts to be a little more engaging than only using  a simple, clean font.  For some reason this works for me.

#1 - what can I say?  This is such an amazingly beautiful font for a title.  I enjoy calligraphy, and Illuminated Manuscript, so I am in bookworm heaven looking at this.  I don't have a copy at the moment as I'm waiting for the postman to deliver it, but I had to include it as my top title font.

Thank you for checking out my T5W list.  Which of these books do you think has the best title font?  I'd love to hear from you so leave a comment below.  

As always, T5W was created by the lovely Lainey over at GINGERREADSLAINEY and I'll include a link to the Goodreads group {HERE} if you would also like to participate. 

Until next time, 

Book Review - The Hexed

The Hexed
Krewe of Hunters #13
Heather Graham

Published: July 2014

Harlequin MIRA, mass market pbk, 390p.
ISBN: 978-174356597-1

A place of history, secrets. . . and witchcraft

Devin Lyle has recently returned to the Salem area, but her timing couldn't be worse.  Soon after she moved into the eighteenth-century cabin she inherited from her great-aunt Mina - her 'crazy' great-aunt, who spoke to the dead - a woman was murdered nearby.

Craig 'Rocky' Rockwell is a new member of the Krewe of Hunters, the FBI's team of paranormal investigators.  He never got over finding a friend dead in the woods.  Now another body's been foud in those same woods, not far from the home of Devin Lyle.  And Devin has been led to a third body - by a ghost?

Her discovery draws them both deeper into the case and Salem's rich and disturbing history.  Even as the danger mounts, Devin and Rocky begin to fall for each other - something the ghosts of Mina and past witches seem to approve of.  But the two of them need every skill they possess to learn the truth - of Devin's might be the next body in the woods. . .

Ghosts, ghosts and more ghosts!  Throw in some witches, Salem, a couple of bodies and you've got The Hexed in a nutshell.  I'm a sucker for witches and genealogy, so I really enjoyed the history that Heather Graham incorporated in to the storyline.  

The characters in The Hexed were exactly what you'd expect from a Romance book.  You have a pretty girl who meets the handsome, strong and possibly heroic guy.  They get into trouble, fall in love/lust, make out like little bunnies, solve a murder and possibly live happily ever after.  So if you're looking for amazing characters that will break your heart with their realism, then perhaps this isn't the book for you.

However if you are still interested The Hexed follows Devlin, said pretty girl, and our protagonist who has recently moved into her great-aunt's cabin.  There, along with Poe - the raven she inherited -  Devlin writes childrens books.  One day she hears cries for help from the woods surrounding her home.  In true romance fiction style our budding sleuth heads out to see what's happening, only to stumble upon the body of a newly dead woman.  Devlin runs for the road and flags down a car - this car belongs to Rocky, our potentially heroic love interest, who has been sent to find out who is killing the women.  Mystery and chaos ensue.

Apart from our lovers, Devlin and Rocky, there are more than the usual number of secondary characters that don't hesitate to jump into the action.  All are interesting in their own way, and all have links to a murder that took place over 10 years earlier.  Out of all the characters, my favourites would have to be Great-Aunt Mina - yes, she does have a part to play - as well as Poe, the guard Raven who protects Devlin.

On to said mystery angle.  It was well constructed and executed, with suspect all over the place.  They make good grist for misdirection mill by the author, and it worked.  My attention was successfully diverted from the identity of the real killer - I definitely didn't see it coming.  The identity of the killer came right out of left field.  So congrats to the author in that respect.

I will say that while most of my experience reading The Hexed was positive, there were a few issues that really niggled.  The first is that there is no real relationship between Devlin and Rocky.  Just a closeness enforced by a murder investigation.  Amazingly, they managed to hold off jumping into bed until the last third of the book (which is quite refreshing for a change!).   Also - and this is my biggest criticism - that there was no real resolution in regards to the punishment of the killer once he/she/it were caught {trying not to give any spoilers away there ;-D}.  There was no trial, or any other measurable means of justice.  Very annoying to invest in a book and then feel let down at the end.

So in conclusion, while The Hexed is not in the same literary league as War and Peace, or even The Diviners, this book did tick most of the boxes that I look for in regards to a M&B style romance book.  It was fast paced, and the world building let me envisage the characters, and their story easily.  Harlequin MIRA has been publishing some amazing mysteries in the last couple of years and I would recommend that you try them as they aren't all straight up romance with a bit of mystery on the side.  In all I really enjoyed reading The Hexed.  It is a quick read (I finished in under 4 hours) and would be great for travelling.

Until next time,

 

Want a new author?

I've been searching for something new and interesting to read for ages now and I think I've found just the thing.  I happened to read a quick synopsis of "Die for Me" by Karen Rose a few weeks ago.  It's about a Homocide Detective who ends up working with an archaeologist on a grave site.  Since I'm a sucker for archaeology and a good mystery I tried to find it. 

I found Scream for Me instead and bought it.  It was great!  It's part of a trilogy, the Daniel Vartanian trilogy to be precise, and although Daniel is in it briefly, this story sets up the next two books (which include Daniel and his sister, Susannah).  Their family history isn't all that good... in fact it makes the Simpsons look like the Cleavers!

The next two books in the trilogy are Scream for Me and Kill for Me.  Both are really good.  Intense and have twists and turns that you really don't expect.  These books are then added onto through characters you meet in them, and their siblings.  My favourite so far is I'm Watching You, a wonderful book about Abe Reagan, a Homocide Detective, and Kristen Mayhew, ASA (lawyer), who are thrown together on a case involving Kristen and her 'humble servant'.  You follow Abe as he struggles to deal with his feelings for Kristen (he's a widower), and Kristen trying to overcome her past to grab onto this wonderul man who comes into her life.

In all, there are about 8 or 9 books now.  You can read them in whichever order you like (I started with Scream for Me- Yes, I know, it's book no. 2 - then I'm Watching You, and then on to Die for You).

Daniel Vartanian Trilogy

• Die for Me
• Scream for Me
• Kill for Me

 Others (set before and after trilogy)

• I'm Watching You
• Nothing to Fear
• Count to Ten
• You Can't Hide
• Have You Seen Her?
• I Can See You

If your looking for a great police suspense/mystery then I'd heartily recommend these.  One word of warning though, they do have a lot of physical violence, and the bad guys have done a great deal of harm to their victims (both mental and physical.  There are rape survivors, spousal abuse survivors, etc.).  If you don't mind that, and as I wasn't informed about that it was a shock to find it.  The rapes aren't rehashed or told as part of a backstory, but it isn't hidden either what they have suffered.

So I'm giving Karen Rose's series 2 thumbs up!