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B01KBRSJ2C
| 4.08
| 2,111
| Oct 25, 2016
| Oct 25, 2016
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Wonderful fast paced fantasy with spectacular romance, action, and magic. If you are a high fantasy Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Wonderful fast paced fantasy with spectacular romance, action, and magic. If you are a high fantasy fan, I suggest you give this one a try! Opening Sentence: Jardana’s body hummed with victory. The Review: Cyrene Strohm’s life has just recently been turned upside down. As an Affiliate to the queen she is one of the most privileged members of the court of Byern, but she also has magical powers that aren’t suppose to exist anymore. To try and learn more about her powers she must adventure to the land of Eleysia where it is said she can find someone that will be able to teach her. Her journey will be dangerous and she will learn far more about herself and her life then she could have ever imagined. I adore Cyrene. She is such a fun, witty character. She is kind, spirited, intelligent and loyal. But she is also rash, stubborn and determined to do what she thinks best. She is someone you can admire and root for. Her flaws made her realistic and her strengths made her relate-able. I thought she was a very well rounded character and I can’t wait to see where her story goes next. To avoid any kind of spoilers, I am not going to go into detail about any of the secondary characters, but I loved each one of them so much. They all added greatly to the story and played their part well. The love interest was very swoony and Cyrene’s group of friends were so intriguing. I really enjoyed learning more about each of them and I’m very interested to see what comes next! The Bound is a fast paced, action-packed sequel that will leave you dying for the final book. It had been quite a while since I have read The Affiliate, but luckily things came back to me quickly, so I didn’t feel lost in any way. I did feel that there were parts of the story that felt a little rushed but for the most part, I thought it flowed well. The romance was adorable but it did develop a little quicker then I would have liked. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but it felt a little unrealistic to me. The world building was amazing and I really enjoy Linde’s writing, it is captivating and fun. The ending was brutal and left me dying for the next book!!! Suffice to say, this was a great read and I would highly recommend it to all YA fantasy fans!!! Notable Scene: Her head tilted to the sky, and with a breath, the dam broke. Her power lashed out of her in a deafening boom, rushing over the monsters like a tidal wave. She heard a crash and saw a beast had dropped to the ground. Another one dropped. And another. Then, they all dropped. Cyrene clawed tooth and nail across he ground toward the girl. She had no energy left, and darkness beckoned her, but this couldn’t all be for naught. “Are you ok?” Cyrene croaked. She reached out to touch the girl to try to offer some comfort. “What are you?” the girl breathed. Cyrene blacked out before she could answer. FTC Advisory: K.A, Linde/InkslingerPR provided me with a copy of The Bound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. Merged review: Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Wonderful fast paced fantasy with spectacular romance, action, and magic. If you are a high fantasy fan, I suggest you give this one a try! Opening Sentence: Jardana’s body hummed with victory. The Review: Cyrene Strohm’s life has just recently been turned upside down. As an Affiliate to the queen she is one of the most privileged members of the court of Byern, but she also has magical powers that aren’t suppose to exist anymore. To try and learn more about her powers she must adventure to the land of Eleysia where it is said she can find someone that will be able to teach her. Her journey will be dangerous and she will learn far more about herself and her life then she could have ever imagined. I adore Cyrene. She is such a fun, witty character. She is kind, spirited, intelligent and loyal. But she is also rash, stubborn and determined to do what she thinks best. She is someone you can admire and root for. Her flaws made her realistic and her strengths made her relate-able. I thought she was a very well rounded character and I can’t wait to see where her story goes next. To avoid any kind of spoilers, I am not going to go into detail about any of the secondary characters, but I loved each one of them so much. They all added greatly to the story and played their part well. The love interest was very swoony and Cyrene’s group of friends were so intriguing. I really enjoyed learning more about each of them and I’m very interested to see what comes next! The Bound is a fast paced, action-packed sequel that will leave you dying for the final book. It had been quite a while since I have read The Affiliate, but luckily things came back to me quickly, so I didn’t feel lost in any way. I did feel that there were parts of the story that felt a little rushed but for the most part, I thought it flowed well. The romance was adorable but it did develop a little quicker then I would have liked. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but it felt a little unrealistic to me. The world building was amazing and I really enjoy Linde’s writing, it is captivating and fun. The ending was brutal and left me dying for the next book!!! Suffice to say, this was a great read and I would highly recommend it to all YA fantasy fans!!! Notable Scene: Her head tilted to the sky, and with a breath, the dam broke. Her power lashed out of her in a deafening boom, rushing over the monsters like a tidal wave. She heard a crash and saw a beast had dropped to the ground. Another one dropped. And another. Then, they all dropped. Cyrene clawed tooth and nail across he ground toward the girl. She had no energy left, and darkness beckoned her, but this couldn’t all be for naught. “Are you ok?” Cyrene croaked. She reached out to touch the girl to try to offer some comfort. “What are you?” the girl breathed. Cyrene blacked out before she could answer. FTC Advisory: K.A, Linde/InkslingerPR provided me with a copy of The Bound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. Merged review: Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Wonderful fast paced fantasy with spectacular romance, action, and magic. If you are a high fantasy fan, I suggest you give this one a try! Opening Sentence: Jardana’s body hummed with victory. The Review: Cyrene Strohm’s life has just recently been turned upside down. As an Affiliate to the queen she is one of the most privileged members of the court of Byern, but she also has magical powers that aren’t suppose to exist anymore. To try and learn more about her powers she must adventure to the land of Eleysia where it is said she can find someone that will be able to teach her. Her journey will be dangerous and she will learn far more about herself and her life then she could have ever imagined. I adore Cyrene. She is such a fun, witty character. She is kind, spirited, intelligent and loyal. But she is also rash, stubborn and determined to do what she thinks best. She is someone you can admire and root for. Her flaws made her realistic and her strengths made her relate-able. I thought she was a very well rounded character and I can’t wait to see where her story goes next. To avoid any kind of spoilers, I am not going to go into detail about any of the secondary characters, but I loved each one of them so much. They all added greatly to the story and played their part well. The love interest was very swoony and Cyrene’s group of friends were so intriguing. I really enjoyed learning more about each of them and I’m very interested to see what comes next! The Bound is a fast paced, action-packed sequel that will leave you dying for the final book. It had been quite a while since I have read The Affiliate, but luckily things came back to me quickly, so I didn’t feel lost in any way. I did feel that there were parts of the story that felt a little rushed but for the most part, I thought it flowed well. The romance was adorable but it did develop a little quicker then I would have liked. Now don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but it felt a little unrealistic to me. The world building was amazing and I really enjoy Linde’s writing, it is captivating and fun. The ending was brutal and left me dying for the next book!!! Suffice to say, this was a great read and I would highly recommend it to all YA fantasy fans!!! Notable Scene: Her head tilted to the sky, and with a breath, the dam broke. Her power lashed out of her in a deafening boom, rushing over the monsters like a tidal wave. She heard a crash and saw a beast had dropped to the ground. Another one dropped. And another. Then, they all dropped. Cyrene clawed tooth and nail across he ground toward the girl. She had no energy left, and darkness beckoned her, but this couldn’t all be for naught. “Are you ok?” Cyrene croaked. She reached out to touch the girl to try to offer some comfort. “What are you?” the girl breathed. Cyrene blacked out before she could answer. FTC Advisory: K.A, Linde/InkslingerPR provided me with a copy of The Bound. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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not set
not set
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not set
not set
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Dec 21, 2025
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Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||||
1619228599
| 9781619228597
| B012CEIPLC
| 3.31
| 88
| Sep 22, 2015
| Sep 22, 2015
|
liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A dark paranormal “Romeo & Juliet” type romance with action, intrigue and even a murder mystery. Th Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A dark paranormal “Romeo & Juliet” type romance with action, intrigue and even a murder mystery. There were things that I liked and didn’t like about it but overall it was a good read. Opening Sentence: It was half a degree past freezing as Jillian stumbled across the snow-covered pavement. The Review: Dance with the Devil is the first novel in the Soul’s Harbor Pride series. This paranormal romance series has an intriguing twist on paranormal creatures that I really want to see more of in future books. This book has a dark back story, a sexy romance and action. Dance with the Devil begins with Jillian feeling the supernatural tug that is forcing her to go back home, but before she can do that she must clean up some loose threads. Jillian wants to cover up that fact that she has spent the last couple years working at a bar before she leaves. Her boss, Carrick, won’t let her leave so easily, especially after her big secret is revealed. She’s a lion shapeshifter! Then another bombshell! So is he. Jillian’s father has killed Carrick’s father so the two packs that share Soul’s Harbor Island are in a tizzy. One pack is only accepts pureblood shapeshifters while the other accepts all but is very violent towards its members so it isn’t a very healthy pack. The packs must decide on a new leader and they must go through a mating ritual to do so. But not just the potential leaders have to go through with the ritual, all pack members have to take part in the hope that the two packs will combine into one. My only real complaint about the novel is that I didn’t really care for the whole mating thing being forced on the entire pack. Because to me it seemed like whoever you had sex with during the mating ritual would be your mate whether you liked them or not. Or you’re just forced to have sex with as many people as possible until matching tattoos showed up on you and your mate. Yes, matching tattoos is how you know you are compatible. This novel was quite action packed and then an added murder/mystery is in store while the packs are trying to determine their mates and the future of the packs. Jillian starts off the novel knowing exactly what she wants but when her plans change she has no idea what she wants to do and she has a hard time making decisions. She is willing to forgo her own happiness. For the most part, I did like Jillian I just wish she would have stood up for her feelings a little bit sooner. Jillian was quite badass when it came down to it. Carrick was quite the hottie that knew what he wanted and he definitely wasn’t going to let Jillian forget about him. He was persistent and passionate. I really enjoyed the side characters in this novel. Jillian’s two best friends are hilarious and fun, even in their tension filled moments. I can’t wait to find out what more is in store for them. The one thing I would really like to see more in this series is in the power of the mixed supernatural species. I felt like we didn’t get to see much of the magic side of Jillian after the beginning of the novel. I don’t think we ever got to see it in Carrick. They mention they are stronger than purebloods because of the mixing of species. I especially want to see the cross of lion and vampire. Overall, Dance with the Devil is a decent start to a paranormal romance series. The ending was quite abrupt but I really do want to see what is next for this pack. Notable Scene: Carrick rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “What we have comes once in a lifetime. Why not give it a chance?” She blew out a hard breath. He still didn’t get it. “Maybe I will. I have to weigh the pros and cons.” She held out her hands like the halves of a scale. “My happiness versus the lives of my Pride.” He sat up with a shake of his head. “You’re thinking about it wrong. You need to balance our shot of surviving the Conclave, combined with our happiness, against maintaining the farce that will be the Pride if you choose Lucas.” Her frustration quickly turning to anger, she stared at him. “What are you getting at?” “You choose Lucas and you’re not just turning your back on me, you’re turning your back on our laws. You and Lucas will have to lie to maintain your positions. If the Pride finds out, pure-blood or half-blood, they’ll rebel against you.” FTC Advisory: Samhain Publishing provided me with a copy of Dance with the Devil. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. Merged review: Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A dark paranormal “Romeo & Juliet” type romance with action, intrigue and even a murder mystery. There were things that I liked and didn’t like about it but overall it was a good read. Opening Sentence: It was half a degree past freezing as Jillian stumbled across the snow-covered pavement. The Review: Dance with the Devil is the first novel in the Soul’s Harbor Pride series. This paranormal romance series has an intriguing twist on paranormal creatures that I really want to see more of in future books. This book has a dark back story, a sexy romance and action. Dance with the Devil begins with Jillian feeling the supernatural tug that is forcing her to go back home, but before she can do that she must clean up some loose threads. Jillian wants to cover up that fact that she has spent the last couple years working at a bar before she leaves. Her boss, Carrick, won’t let her leave so easily, especially after her big secret is revealed. She’s a lion shapeshifter! Then another bombshell! So is he. Jillian’s father has killed Carrick’s father so the two packs that share Soul’s Harbor Island are in a tizzy. One pack is only accepts pureblood shapeshifters while the other accepts all but is very violent towards its members so it isn’t a very healthy pack. The packs must decide on a new leader and they must go through a mating ritual to do so. But not just the potential leaders have to go through with the ritual, all pack members have to take part in the hope that the two packs will combine into one. My only real complaint about the novel is that I didn’t really care for the whole mating thing being forced on the entire pack. Because to me it seemed like whoever you had sex with during the mating ritual would be your mate whether you liked them or not. Or you’re just forced to have sex with as many people as possible until matching tattoos showed up on you and your mate. Yes, matching tattoos is how you know you are compatible. This novel was quite action packed and then an added murder/mystery is in store while the packs are trying to determine their mates and the future of the packs. Jillian starts off the novel knowing exactly what she wants but when her plans change she has no idea what she wants to do and she has a hard time making decisions. She is willing to forgo her own happiness. For the most part, I did like Jillian I just wish she would have stood up for her feelings a little bit sooner. Jillian was quite badass when it came down to it. Carrick was quite the hottie that knew what he wanted and he definitely wasn’t going to let Jillian forget about him. He was persistent and passionate. I really enjoyed the side characters in this novel. Jillian’s two best friends are hilarious and fun, even in their tension filled moments. I can’t wait to find out what more is in store for them. The one thing I would really like to see more in this series is in the power of the mixed supernatural species. I felt like we didn’t get to see much of the magic side of Jillian after the beginning of the novel. I don’t think we ever got to see it in Carrick. They mention they are stronger than purebloods because of the mixing of species. I especially want to see the cross of lion and vampire. Overall, Dance with the Devil is a decent start to a paranormal romance series. The ending was quite abrupt but I really do want to see what is next for this pack. Notable Scene: Carrick rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. “What we have comes once in a lifetime. Why not give it a chance?” She blew out a hard breath. He still didn’t get it. “Maybe I will. I have to weigh the pros and cons.” She held out her hands like the halves of a scale. “My happiness versus the lives of my Pride.” He sat up with a shake of his head. “You’re thinking about it wrong. You need to balance our shot of surviving the Conclave, combined with our happiness, against maintaining the farce that will be the Pride if you choose Lucas.” Her frustration quickly turning to anger, she stared at him. “What are you getting at?” “You choose Lucas and you’re not just turning your back on me, you’re turning your back on our laws. You and Lucas will have to lie to maintain your positions. If the Pride finds out, pure-blood or half-blood, they’ll rebel against you.” FTC Advisory: Samhain Publishing provided me with a copy of Dance with the Devil. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
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not set
not set
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not set
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
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Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
1459254732
| 9781459254732
| B00DWRAK4E
| 3.80
| 2,664
| Oct 01, 2013
| Oct 01, 2013
|
really liked it
|
Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales. Quick & Dirty: Beautiful heartfelt book full of relatable characters, sexy romance, and real life issues. It’s a Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales. Quick & Dirty: Beautiful heartfelt book full of relatable characters, sexy romance, and real life issues. It’s a fast read with lots of layers that made it unique and interesting. Opening Sentence: I’m proud to say that after five years of virtual slavery, I am now allowed to make the soup on Wednesday nights for étoile, my father’s restaurant. The Review: Cami is 17 years old and getting ready to start her last year of high school. Life couldn’t be better. She is very passionate about cooking and she gets to work part-time in her father’s French restaurant this year alongside her boyfriend, Luke. Then there is a tragic accident and her stepmother’s nephew has to move in with them. Suddenly Cami’s carefully planned future is about to get very confusing. While stationed in Afghanistan there was an explosion that left Julian seriously injured and all the rest of his unit dead. Not only does he take up room in her home, he also makes his way into her heart. While she watches him struggle, she can’t help but respect and admire him. He wakes up emotions and feelings that Cami has never felt before. Julian is frustrating, angry, and broken, but underneath all that Cami finds a kindred spirit that might feel just as lost as she is. Cami is an amazing character. She has an extreme love for cooking, which I really enjoyed and found relatable since I also enjoy cooking. She is an amazing and sweet girl, but she also has a feisty side to her. She’s not at all afraid to speak her mind, which was refreshing. The love and affection she shows others is very endearing and made her a very likable character. But not everything in Cami’s life is perfect at times, she feels completely lost. High school ends in just a year and she has no idea what she wants to do with her future. She has a few options but none of them feel right. You get to watch her struggle to make some hard life decisions that all teenagers have to go through. She is a great heroine and I loved being inside her head. Julian is a hot and grumpy ex-marine. When you meet him he has just lost his leg and the other leg is left in tatters. He is so broken and ridden with guilt, he honestly doesn’t know what to do with himself. Once he meets Cami you start to see glimpses of the old Julian. She doesn’t treat him like he is any different, and she doesn’t put up with any of his crap. As he slowly put his life back together you get to see how love and forgiveness can really heal so many wounds. The thing I loved most about Julian was that he could be a real person. His experience has happened to many men and women from our military. It reminds me how much I should appreciate them and what they sacrifice for our country. The loss and guilt he felt is all too real in many lives today. He is a wonderful, very believable character that I truly loved reading about. This was a very quick read that was immensely enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth the story has. Yes, it is total chick lit, but on top of the romance there are real issues presented that made the story so much more believable and heartfelt. It wasn’t all fluff and drama, which was a nice change for a contemporary read. The characters were so unique and developed, and really well thought out. Elkins took time to develop everything slowly, which made it all feel so much more real. The romance was beautifully done with just the right mix of drama and heat. There was a moment in the book where I did start to lose a tad bit of interest, but it didn’t take too long for me to get swept back up in the story. Overall, this was a very good read and I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking to progress into New Adult books. This fills the gap between YA and NA perfectly, which makes it a really good start for the New Adult genre. Notable Scene: I can’t hear his response. She leans over his face, probably to kiss him. Then she turns away from him, obviously hiding the fact that she’s crying. I feel so bad for her, I go in and hand her the crumpled tissue in my pocket. She takes it and holds my arm. She holds it like she needs it to stay upright. I don’t even notice the patient in the bed, I’m so focused on Estella, and she’s blocking my view anyway. “I’ll get you a chair,” I say. She’s nodding. Trying to keep it together. “No, don’t sit down,” a garbled voice from behind her says. “Just leave.” “But Julian,” Estella begins, turning to face him. “LEAVE!” he cries. Some nerve. “You know, Estella has been worried half out of her mind,” I say. “She flew down here with her heart in her…” Holy Mother of God. Estella moves away and I’m looking at her nephew. And I’m praying. Holy Mother of God, I pray. Well, a sort-of prayer. His eyes are so blackened and swollen he must hardly be able to see. His nose is broken and bandaged. His bottom lip is a busted mess. He’s wearing a neck brace. His right leg, covered by a hand-knitted quilt, is cut off just below the knee. His left leg is bare and outfitted with an extremely scary-looking apparatus made of metal rods and pins. The pins have been surgically inserted into his skin, presumably to hold the bones in place. I close my eyes. Holy Mother, ease his pain, I think to myself. Heal him. “Julian, this is your new step-cousin, Camille,” Estella says. “GET OUT!” Something is knocked across the room—a book I think. FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Stir Me Up. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. Merged review: Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales. Quick & Dirty: Beautiful heartfelt book full of relatable characters, sexy romance, and real life issues. It’s a fast read with lots of layers that made it unique and interesting. Opening Sentence: I’m proud to say that after five years of virtual slavery, I am now allowed to make the soup on Wednesday nights for étoile, my father’s restaurant. The Review: Cami is 17 years old and getting ready to start her last year of high school. Life couldn’t be better. She is very passionate about cooking and she gets to work part-time in her father’s French restaurant this year alongside her boyfriend, Luke. Then there is a tragic accident and her stepmother’s nephew has to move in with them. Suddenly Cami’s carefully planned future is about to get very confusing. While stationed in Afghanistan there was an explosion that left Julian seriously injured and all the rest of his unit dead. Not only does he take up room in her home, he also makes his way into her heart. While she watches him struggle, she can’t help but respect and admire him. He wakes up emotions and feelings that Cami has never felt before. Julian is frustrating, angry, and broken, but underneath all that Cami finds a kindred spirit that might feel just as lost as she is. Cami is an amazing character. She has an extreme love for cooking, which I really enjoyed and found relatable since I also enjoy cooking. She is an amazing and sweet girl, but she also has a feisty side to her. She’s not at all afraid to speak her mind, which was refreshing. The love and affection she shows others is very endearing and made her a very likable character. But not everything in Cami’s life is perfect at times, she feels completely lost. High school ends in just a year and she has no idea what she wants to do with her future. She has a few options but none of them feel right. You get to watch her struggle to make some hard life decisions that all teenagers have to go through. She is a great heroine and I loved being inside her head. Julian is a hot and grumpy ex-marine. When you meet him he has just lost his leg and the other leg is left in tatters. He is so broken and ridden with guilt, he honestly doesn’t know what to do with himself. Once he meets Cami you start to see glimpses of the old Julian. She doesn’t treat him like he is any different, and she doesn’t put up with any of his crap. As he slowly put his life back together you get to see how love and forgiveness can really heal so many wounds. The thing I loved most about Julian was that he could be a real person. His experience has happened to many men and women from our military. It reminds me how much I should appreciate them and what they sacrifice for our country. The loss and guilt he felt is all too real in many lives today. He is a wonderful, very believable character that I truly loved reading about. This was a very quick read that was immensely enjoyable. I was pleasantly surprised by the depth the story has. Yes, it is total chick lit, but on top of the romance there are real issues presented that made the story so much more believable and heartfelt. It wasn’t all fluff and drama, which was a nice change for a contemporary read. The characters were so unique and developed, and really well thought out. Elkins took time to develop everything slowly, which made it all feel so much more real. The romance was beautifully done with just the right mix of drama and heat. There was a moment in the book where I did start to lose a tad bit of interest, but it didn’t take too long for me to get swept back up in the story. Overall, this was a very good read and I would highly recommend it to anyone that is looking to progress into New Adult books. This fills the gap between YA and NA perfectly, which makes it a really good start for the New Adult genre. Notable Scene: I can’t hear his response. She leans over his face, probably to kiss him. Then she turns away from him, obviously hiding the fact that she’s crying. I feel so bad for her, I go in and hand her the crumpled tissue in my pocket. She takes it and holds my arm. She holds it like she needs it to stay upright. I don’t even notice the patient in the bed, I’m so focused on Estella, and she’s blocking my view anyway. “I’ll get you a chair,” I say. She’s nodding. Trying to keep it together. “No, don’t sit down,” a garbled voice from behind her says. “Just leave.” “But Julian,” Estella begins, turning to face him. “LEAVE!” he cries. Some nerve. “You know, Estella has been worried half out of her mind,” I say. “She flew down here with her heart in her…” Holy Mother of God. Estella moves away and I’m looking at her nephew. And I’m praying. Holy Mother of God, I pray. Well, a sort-of prayer. His eyes are so blackened and swollen he must hardly be able to see. His nose is broken and bandaged. His bottom lip is a busted mess. He’s wearing a neck brace. His right leg, covered by a hand-knitted quilt, is cut off just below the knee. His left leg is bare and outfitted with an extremely scary-looking apparatus made of metal rods and pins. The pins have been surgically inserted into his skin, presumably to hold the bones in place. I close my eyes. Holy Mother, ease his pain, I think to myself. Heal him. “Julian, this is your new step-cousin, Camille,” Estella says. “GET OUT!” Something is knocked across the room—a book I think. FTC Advisory: Harlequin Teen provided me with a copy of Stir Me Up. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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2
|
not set
not set
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not set
not set
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Sep 28, 2024
|
Kindle Edition
| |||||||||||||||
1420122568
| 9781420122565
| B004IWR3DS
| 4.04
| 277
| Jan 01, 2011
| Apr 01, 2011
|
it was amazing
|
Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A novel of adversity overcome, and of happiness found. Oh and there are some demons, and witches an Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A novel of adversity overcome, and of happiness found. Oh and there are some demons, and witches and magic swords in there too. Opening Sentence: The steady drip, drip, drip and the soft hum of overtaxed air purifiers were the only sounds Selyn heard as she cautiously pushed herself away from the cavern wall and moved silently through the darkness to the sleeping quarters. The Review: In the world of Lemuria, the battle against demon kind still rages there and on Earth, and our trusty band of supernatural demon killers is ever at the ready. This time the battle occurs in Lemuria itself, as one of the Lemurian leaders lets them in. You see, apparently for the last few millenia or so, the ruling body of Lemuria has been possessed by demons, and committing acts of treachery all over the place. The worst of which seems to be their many crimes against their females. Especially those warriors that once fought in the Demon Wars. These brave ladies were captured then forced into slavery in the crystal mines, several levels beneath where the light shines in Lemuria. They were then tortured and raped, each consequently becoming pregnant. Those who had sons were forced to give up their babies, those who bore daughters were forced to raise them as slaves, teach them how to work the mines, know that their children would forever be entombed like them. After raising their children to adult hood, each and every one of them chose to end their existence, leaving behind their daughters to toil in the mines. Their daughters still live in the mines to this day, and no one knows anything about them or their slavery, and they thus choose to call themselves, The Forgotten Ones. Our heroine Selyn is one of these women. Caught by a guard walking where she didn’t belong, she is beaten within an inch of her life. When another guard, Roland who is loyal to the cause against demons, takes her to Earth in hopes that she can be saved. The only person that they can trust not to betray their secrets is Dawson, a veterinarian we met in book two. Dawson tirelessly works to save her, and accomplishes the task, with a little help from a friend, and a sprite named Willow. After her healing, Selyn helps to unearth another treacherous scheme in Lemuria, the kidnapping and exile of the true King, Artigos the Just, father of the man who is currently running things under the influence of the demon that has taken his soul. When his existence is uncovered by the group, efforts are made to free him, along with the continuing efforts to save the Forgotten Ones, begun previously in book two. Selyn and Dawson eventually accomplish this feat, and also the release of every other member of their crew who have been taken, again, by guards still following their inner demon. Together, our demon slaying band of misfits, now including a rather powerful witch, along with some other loyal Lemurians, Artigos the Just and the whole legion of Forgotten Ones, fight the good fight against a huge number of demons including the supreme badass we have seen throughout the whole series. Will they never be allowed to finish him off for good? Geez, I’m tired just reading about it. These poor people must truly be exhausted. This book, as the last two, end with another temporary victory over the bad guy, and with the promise of more fun to come. Oh, and some love between our hero and heroine duo. The story arc continues in book three, just as superb as the first two, and leaves you waiting for the next book. Seriously, these books must be good to keep us all reading after three books with no actual good guy victory dance. Though, one almost hopes that they don’t get him in the end, because that might mean the end of the series. And wouldn’t that just be awful? Notable Scene: Dawson had never, not in his wildest dreams, imagined that his training with a rapier in college would ever come in handy, but as he slashed and lunged and thrust with his ruby blade, he felt the moves coming back as if he’d never left his training in all the years since his studies at UC Davis. He glanced at Selyn and had to force himself to look away. She was truly a warrior with her flashing eyes and her look of grim determination. She fought her opponent with grace and style, and it was obvious the man hadn’t expected a woman of such beauty to show so much skill. Taron shouted, and Dawson saw one of the big Lemurian’s opponents go down. Demonic mist burst from the fallen guard, and Taron caught it with crystal. The second guard lunged forward, and Dawson lost them in his peripheral vision. Only Taron had faced two, and from what little he knew of the man, Dawson could already hear the tales he and Alton would be telling when this was over. Dawson’s opponent was growing desperate, thrusting awkwardly now, breathing hard, and going for the kill with more force than skill. Dawson eluded the man’s blade as he spun on the balls of his feet and twisted away, first to the right, then to the left. He suddenly realized he was actually grinning. He hadn’t had this much fun in years, and he wanted to shout with the of of the battle, that knowledge that he fought beside a woman he loved, that he fought for a world that had been nothing more than myth and legend. He, Dawson Buck, small town veterinarian, was fighting demons with a magical sword in another dimension. Damn. Aunt Fiona would love this! He parries a strong blow and went in for the kill just as Taron’s final opponent went down. The huge guard Taron had fought was mortally wounded, but he managed a powerful kick as he fell, catching Dawson behind his left knee. The force of the blow buckled Dawson’s leg. It folded beneath him just as his opponent slashed wildly at his chest. Dawson felt the burn of the obsidian blade as it pierced his side, heard the scrape of obsidian against bone, and felt a rush of anger from his sword, that any demon should have harmed the one who wielded this blade. Vaguely, he heard Selyn’s scream and Alton’s curse, but pain engulfed him and weakness drove him to him to his knees. His sword leapt from his nerveless fingers and impaled itself in the one who’d stabbed him. Dawson stared, fascinated as his amazing ruby blade just flew out of his hand, all on its own, and avenged his death. For that was what it was, he realized. His death. He gazed into the growing darkness and saw his Aunt Fiona smile. The DemonSlayers Series: 1. DemonFire 2. HellFire 3. StarFire 4. CrystalFire FTC Advisory: Kensington/Zebra provided me with a copy of StarFire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. Merged review: Review Courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A novel of adversity overcome, and of happiness found. Oh and there are some demons, and witches and magic swords in there too. Opening Sentence: The steady drip, drip, drip and the soft hum of overtaxed air purifiers were the only sounds Selyn heard as she cautiously pushed herself away from the cavern wall and moved silently through the darkness to the sleeping quarters. The Review: In the world of Lemuria, the battle against demon kind still rages there and on Earth, and our trusty band of supernatural demon killers is ever at the ready. This time the battle occurs in Lemuria itself, as one of the Lemurian leaders lets them in. You see, apparently for the last few millenia or so, the ruling body of Lemuria has been possessed by demons, and committing acts of treachery all over the place. The worst of which seems to be their many crimes against their females. Especially those warriors that once fought in the Demon Wars. These brave ladies were captured then forced into slavery in the crystal mines, several levels beneath where the light shines in Lemuria. They were then tortured and raped, each consequently becoming pregnant. Those who had sons were forced to give up their babies, those who bore daughters were forced to raise them as slaves, teach them how to work the mines, know that their children would forever be entombed like them. After raising their children to adult hood, each and every one of them chose to end their existence, leaving behind their daughters to toil in the mines. Their daughters still live in the mines to this day, and no one knows anything about them or their slavery, and they thus choose to call themselves, The Forgotten Ones. Our heroine Selyn is one of these women. Caught by a guard walking where she didn’t belong, she is beaten within an inch of her life. When another guard, Roland who is loyal to the cause against demons, takes her to Earth in hopes that she can be saved. The only person that they can trust not to betray their secrets is Dawson, a veterinarian we met in book two. Dawson tirelessly works to save her, and accomplishes the task, with a little help from a friend, and a sprite named Willow. After her healing, Selyn helps to unearth another treacherous scheme in Lemuria, the kidnapping and exile of the true King, Artigos the Just, father of the man who is currently running things under the influence of the demon that has taken his soul. When his existence is uncovered by the group, efforts are made to free him, along with the continuing efforts to save the Forgotten Ones, begun previously in book two. Selyn and Dawson eventually accomplish this feat, and also the release of every other member of their crew who have been taken, again, by guards still following their inner demon. Together, our demon slaying band of misfits, now including a rather powerful witch, along with some other loyal Lemurians, Artigos the Just and the whole legion of Forgotten Ones, fight the good fight against a huge number of demons including the supreme badass we have seen throughout the whole series. Will they never be allowed to finish him off for good? Geez, I’m tired just reading about it. These poor people must truly be exhausted. This book, as the last two, end with another temporary victory over the bad guy, and with the promise of more fun to come. Oh, and some love between our hero and heroine duo. The story arc continues in book three, just as superb as the first two, and leaves you waiting for the next book. Seriously, these books must be good to keep us all reading after three books with no actual good guy victory dance. Though, one almost hopes that they don’t get him in the end, because that might mean the end of the series. And wouldn’t that just be awful? Notable Scene: Dawson had never, not in his wildest dreams, imagined that his training with a rapier in college would ever come in handy, but as he slashed and lunged and thrust with his ruby blade, he felt the moves coming back as if he’d never left his training in all the years since his studies at UC Davis. He glanced at Selyn and had to force himself to look away. She was truly a warrior with her flashing eyes and her look of grim determination. She fought her opponent with grace and style, and it was obvious the man hadn’t expected a woman of such beauty to show so much skill. Taron shouted, and Dawson saw one of the big Lemurian’s opponents go down. Demonic mist burst from the fallen guard, and Taron caught it with crystal. The second guard lunged forward, and Dawson lost them in his peripheral vision. Only Taron had faced two, and from what little he knew of the man, Dawson could already hear the tales he and Alton would be telling when this was over. Dawson’s opponent was growing desperate, thrusting awkwardly now, breathing hard, and going for the kill with more force than skill. Dawson eluded the man’s blade as he spun on the balls of his feet and twisted away, first to the right, then to the left. He suddenly realized he was actually grinning. He hadn’t had this much fun in years, and he wanted to shout with the of of the battle, that knowledge that he fought beside a woman he loved, that he fought for a world that had been nothing more than myth and legend. He, Dawson Buck, small town veterinarian, was fighting demons with a magical sword in another dimension. Damn. Aunt Fiona would love this! He parries a strong blow and went in for the kill just as Taron’s final opponent went down. The huge guard Taron had fought was mortally wounded, but he managed a powerful kick as he fell, catching Dawson behind his left knee. The force of the blow buckled Dawson’s leg. It folded beneath him just as his opponent slashed wildly at his chest. Dawson felt the burn of the obsidian blade as it pierced his side, heard the scrape of obsidian against bone, and felt a rush of anger from his sword, that any demon should have harmed the one who wielded this blade. Vaguely, he heard Selyn’s scream and Alton’s curse, but pain engulfed him and weakness drove him to him to his knees. His sword leapt from his nerveless fingers and impaled itself in the one who’d stabbed him. Dawson stared, fascinated as his amazing ruby blade just flew out of his hand, all on its own, and avenged his death. For that was what it was, he realized. His death. He gazed into the growing darkness and saw his Aunt Fiona smile. The DemonSlayers Series: 1. DemonFire 2. HellFire 3. StarFire 4. CrystalFire FTC Advisory: Kensington/Zebra provided me with a copy of StarFire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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1473212596
| 9781473212596
| 1473212596
| 3.89
| 1,435
| Apr 04, 2017
| Apr 04, 2017
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A powerful conspiracy aimed not only at the houses but the dragon kingdom threatens to destroy them Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A powerful conspiracy aimed not only at the houses but the dragon kingdom threatens to destroy them all. Opening Sentence: In the House of Hawthorn all the days blurred and merged into one another, like teardrops sliding down a pane of glass. The Review: Madeline has finally been detoxed from the angel essence, but no one is really sure she will survive since no one has successfully broken and essence addiction before. However, when Asmodeus gives her the choice of death or loyalty (in which she will never do essence again), she chooses loyalty and soon is given a task to accompany Elphon and others into the dragon kingdom to secure a marriage for Asmodeus. Once there, Madeline finds that the real reason they are there is because the Ambassador is missing and Asmodeus cannot find her. Soon they find out she left the palace three days before and hasn’t returned, Elphon takes off and Madeline has to come clean that he has left but that he should return later. However, once she finds a cryptic message from the missing Ambassador telling her to meet with the Prince, Madeline knows there is more going on and something is very wrong. Meanwhile, Thuan is spying in the House of Hawthorn and he is determined to find proof that they are the ones bringing the angel essence into the dragon kingdom. Philippe, the doctor, has found a woman having a child with Asmodeus, and begins negotiations to bring them in the House of Hawthorn. Madeline meets with the Prince and soon after is taken captive by Yen Oanh. Soon she finds herself faced with the awful choice of being killed or using angel essence in order to escape. As everything begins to unravel, Madeline, Asmodeus and Thaun will all be faced with impossible choices and House of Hawthorn will either fall or rise from the ashes. I highly recommend you read book one before reading this one. You will be lost, it took me awhile a to remember everything because I read book 1 a few months ago and have read so many books in between now and then. I am not a big angel fan, I have found much like steampunk it is very hit or miss with me. Usually miss, but this series is intriguing and beautifully written. There is a lot going on in the first two books. I still don’t feel a big connection with the characters, but I will say I didn’t see how or what was behind the conspiracy until it was revealed to me. This is a subtle and layered book, and most of the action doesn’t really pick up until about midway through the book. I found myself devouring the pages, but still trying to put everything together. I am not sure where the author is going with the series, but count me in for the ride. Notable Scene: Iaris didn’t understand. She couldn’t understand. She hadn’t stood in the drawing room watching Frederic, and Zoe and Elphon and all the other gardeners be cut down. She wasn’t the one who had crawled through the streets of Paris, the cobblestones slick with her own blood, every movement awakening fresh pain in her calves, in her broken ribs, every agonizing guesture underlined with the same fear that he would find her, that his thugs would finish what they had started. FTC Advisory: ACE/Penguin provided me with a copy of The House of Binding Thorns. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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0756411394
| 9780756411398
| 0756411394
| 3.43
| 531
| Mar 01, 2016
| Mar 01, 2016
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A courier caught up in a conspiracy, one that just might cost her, her life. Opening Sentence: The t Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A courier caught up in a conspiracy, one that just might cost her, her life. Opening Sentence: The tires of the motorcycle chattered on the broken concrete of the road, breaking the quiet electric hum of the motor. The Review: Kris is courier and it pays the bills mostly, and the end of the day she isn’t that thrilled when Dispatch hands her a late delivery, especially once it becomes clear that this isn’t going to be quick or easy. But when Dispatch makes it clear she might not get anymore deliveries unless she takes it, Kris heads out to pick it up. The pick-up isn’t smooth, but when she goes to deliver and sees a man standing over a bloody body she knows this is not going to end well. Kris runs and for the next few hours she can barely stay ahead of them. She has Quincy chasing her, and after trying to hide down on Level 1, she knows that there are other players looking for this package. Kris just wants to get rid of it, but it is looking impossible. After evading the people chasing her, she gets rescued by Miller. Miller is a member of ACE, the underground resistance. He takes her to meet with Nigel Wood, one of the leaders of ACE. When another attempt is made on her life Kris and Miller are beginning to wonder who is telling people their secrets. Will they figure out who to trust before it is too late? Will Kris manage to stay alive long enough for people to realize that she doesn’t know what is in the package? Or that she isn’t a threat? This is was interesting, I liked it quite a bit more than I thought I would. Kris is tough and quick, which is what saves her life more than once. The worldbuilding was different and yet it kind of felt like a combination of shows that I had seen before, but for the first time in books! The corporations are really in control of the world, there are levels underneath Earthside, but the average person hasn’t seen the real sun at all. Plus, they have space travel, not that the characters partake in that, but that is part of what is going on. The secrets that are contained in that package. There were a couple of things that I was like ehh about, but overall, I enjoyed the book and the relationships that were built in it. I am actually looking forward to reading the next book. I can’t wait to see what happens to Kris next. Notable Scene: I slipped the bike into gear and rode slowly out of the parking lot. The Ambients bolted to the ceiling at regular intervals, would be starting to dim soon, casting the streets into an early evening gloom and making it harder to see the potholes. A fine mist covered my visor and I wiped it with my hand, leaving behind a greasy smear. It must be raining on Level 7 pretty hard too, to make it mist like this down here. By the time the water got down to Level 1, it would almost toxic form the trip. FTC Advisory: DAW/Penguin provided me with a copy of The Courier. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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1250069971
| 9781250069979
| 1250069971
| 4.40
| 3,200
| Sep 27, 2016
| Sep 27, 2016
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liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A gathering of allies makes a daring move against the Queen. Opening Sentence: It was a damned place Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A gathering of allies makes a daring move against the Queen. Opening Sentence: It was a damned place, is Perkis Moor. The Review: Cabal starts at the Moor with his brother, Horst, the Vampire, and the body they are carrying around with them, assuming Cabal gets a chance to actually resurrect her. But they need to perform a summoning and he needs more allies, so he works on that why he summons the spider demon from hell to help him take on the Queen. He is joined later by the criminologist and they are all working towards the same goals. Well he has more than one goal. He is up against the Queen, but he also really wants the cure for death. The real cure and that has cost him numerous things during his pursuit of this problem. His brother (the Vampire), his soul and so much more. Cabal has always thought himself a step ahead of those he is playing against, but he will soon find out that they may not be aware of how dangerous the trap is they have set for him. Will Cabal finally find the cure for death? Will the cost be too high? As they race towards the end will he and his friends survive or will it all end here. I wish I had read the other books, because I didn’t realize this was the last one. However, I didn’t find myself too lost. The author often explained things that you would have known if you had read the other books in the series. So I didn’t feel too lost, but I think I would have understood this one more if I had read the other books. So with that in my mind I wasn’t blown away, but it was very appealing and interesting world that Jonathan Howard has written. Cabal and his brother Horst are funny and dark. The writing itself seems to flow back and forth between dark and humor, which is very appealing. The characters are well developed and interesting. On the whole, I would say start with the first book if you want to read this series, but most definitely, I recommend this series if you like necromancers and vampires among other stuff. Notable Scene: “The shepherds say sometimes at night they hear the cries in the strange languages long lost fromthe throats of living men, the screams, the clash of weapons. The shepherds know better than to look out of the small windows in the hulking wall of their millstone grit huts on such cursed nights or storm-threatened days. What they may see can do them no good, and an immortal soul is worth far more than assuaging a moment’s curiosity.” FTC Advisory: Thomas Dunne Books/Macmillan provided me with a copy of The Fall of The House of Cabal. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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Mar 11, 2018
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0425279480
| 9780425279489
| 0425279480
| 4.03
| 814
| unknown
| Apr 05, 2016
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liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Impossible decisions, an irresistible attraction and lies, will the love they find be real? Opening Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Impossible decisions, an irresistible attraction and lies, will the love they find be real? Opening Sentence: I’m surprised that I know the way back to Chiara. The Review: Weatherly has come back to the family vineyard in order to make some life changing decisions. Her father has made an impossible demand of her but in order to continue her charity she might have to give in. She is shocked when a strikingly handsome man walks into the bathroom while she is in the tub. Her reaction to him is almost impossible to hide. She finds out that he is, Tag, the son of the housekeeper. Soon Tag and Weatherly can no longer deny their attraction to each other and give in, but before they can really get to know each other her father and Michael show up at the vineyard. Weatherly knows that she has to make a choice. Marry the man her father wants her to in order to save his company or continue to give into her attraction to Tag. When Tag suggest they pretend to be engaged, and Weatherly gets a donation to her charity she agrees. Weatherly is falling deeper and deeper and ends up marrying Tag, but she is in for the shock of her life when she finds out that he has been lying about something really important. Will she be able to forgive him? Will they be able to get past this? I liked Weatherly and Tag sort of, not my favorite couple out of this series. Plus, I wasn’t quite a fan of the twist or the resolution, it felt unrealistic to me. Well, I am not sure that is the right phrasing, maybe just the resolution felt unrealistic, but of course that is just how I feel about that situation and how I would react to it. Rogan and Katie are in this one, and I enjoyed seeing them again, and overall, I loved Weatherly and Tag together until near the end of the book. I just wish that the twist had been different or more compelling. I was rooting for them up until that point and then it just sort of lost of me. I enjoyed this series and this book, and it was quick easy reading. Notable Scene: I don’t stop until I’m standing over her, my shadow shading her face. She pushes her sunglasses up into the smooth sheet of her straight black hair, and focuses these amazing eyes on me. FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Brave Enough. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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Mar 11, 2018
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B0DTTFPHWB
| unknown
| 4.18
| 749
| Mar 08, 2016
| Mar 08, 2016
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Stolen music, a dangerous switch, and an even more dangerous game is afoot. Opening Sentence: “Were Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Stolen music, a dangerous switch, and an even more dangerous game is afoot. Opening Sentence: “Were it not for the voices in his head, Mica would have been incredibly lonely.” The Review: Naveen wonders why Princess Sophanny is so desperate to have her daughter married to an old man, but he believes her when she says it is because of what will happen when the heir inherits. He knows that she is leaving something out, but he isn’t sure what. However, when Sophanny pulls Rakaia aside to tell her that she will be marrying the old Lord of Highcastle, she tells her that she isn’t the daughter of the King, and that she must flee once she is out of the city so he can’t kill her if truth comes out. They come up with a desperate plan that involves her switching places with Charisse. Meanwhile, in Medalon the Lord Defender finds out that someone has stolen the Lyre, and that the music has gone silent. He sends Caden out to find the stolen lyre. Rakaia tries to convince Charisse to switch places, but decides to leave and force her into that position. She finds a passage out with a caravan, and leaves a letter with Charisse telling her that. Charisse is about to come clean about switching places but she is informed that the caravan has been destroyed and there are no survivors. She knows that Rakaia is dead and no one will ever find out the truth unless she tells them. Damin, the High Prince, is almost assassinated, but when he is healed they find that he is in an unnatural sleep and that Death is holding him because of something R’ishiel has done. Rakaia is not dead, but has been saved by R’ishiel who leaves her in a pub, where she finds employment with Mica. Mica has plans of his own, and soon Rakaia finds herself falling in love with the troubled young man. When he plans to sing for King Hablet she confesses the truth to him. Damin and the Lord Defender’s wife remain in their comas, R’ishiel has bargained for entry in the Halls of Hell. Everything is becoming clear. Apparently this is book 7 in the Hythrun Chronicles, but the first book in the War of the Gods series, so coming from the perspective that I have not read any of the other books in the Hythrun Chronicles, that being said, you don’t need to read them in order to read this one. Jennifer does an amazing job of filling in a lot of blanks, but to be honest it wasn’t until I went to type up this review that I realized that their were other books before this. That is how good this book is at telling the story. I wasn’t sure that I would like it, but I found myself sucked in and devouring this book. I couldn’t stop reading it, and that cliffhanger has me dying to read the next book in this series. I will also probably go back and read the first books in the Hythrun Chronicles because I enjoy this world so much. I am really interested to see how this all plays out. Even with so many viewpoints the story comes together beautifully and you don’t spend a lot of time being confused about who or what part they will play in the storyline. Notable Scene: “A chill gripped her as she hurried along the wide tiled hall. Rakaia had been chosen to marry the lord of Highcastle-and that meant her handmaiden was going to be redundant. Nobody took their slaves with them to their husband’s house, particularly not slaves from Hablet’s harm, as everyone assumed that meant-not unjustly-they were Hablet’s spies. FTC Advisory: Tor/Macmillan provided me with a copy of The Lyre Thief. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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1481441906
| 9781481441902
| 1481441906
| 3.72
| 3,866
| Jan 05, 2016
| Jan 05, 2016
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Only half the prophecy is known, but what happens when your Valtia has no magic? Opening Sentence: S Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Only half the prophecy is known, but what happens when your Valtia has no magic? Opening Sentence: She didn’t know which hurt more-the ice or the fire? The Review: Elli is the Saadella and all the elders believe her to be the Valtia of the prophecy. Which means when the current Valtia dies, Elli will be the most powerful Valtia the kingdom has ever seen. But after the Soturi try to invade and the current Valtia saves the country and dies. Elli goes into the chamber to accept the magic, but she doesn’t feel like anything has changed. Then they find she can’t use magic, so Elli must go through the trials to tap into her magic. The Elders almost kill her, and her handmaiden Mim comes to free her because she knows the Elders plan on killing her. So Elli flees into the city, but Mim never meets up with her. Elli soons finds out she isn’t cut out to be on her own, she is soon banished from the city for stealing food. Not long after she has left she stumbles into a bear trap and loses two of her fingers. Oskar finds her and brings her to the caves to a healer. The healer soon realizes that he can’t heal her with magic, and tells her that is part of the prophecy, just not the part she thought she was. Oskar brings her back to his family, and Elli vows to be of help. When the priests find her and she helps Oskar channel his power and they destroy them, Elli knows that she has to leave in order to protect them. Sig finds her and together they go back to the temple and see the unveiling of the new Valtia, Elli is shocked to see Mim. She is also shocked because Mim clearly isn’t in control of herself. Sig reveals that Mim isn’t the Valtia, and Elli is horrified that they killed her. They flee and soon are joined by Oscar and the healer, who reveals the whole prophecy and their part in it. Elli wonders if they will be able to save the new Saadella and find the real Valtia. I had read this back when it came out, and I clearly must have been in a mood because I remembered nothing about it other than I didn’t like it. I knew I had to review it so I dived back in and found that I really enjoyed it. I am so glad I gave this book a second chance. I loved the world and the secrets. I wanted to say so much about this book, but I didn’t want to give away all of the secrets because you have to read them to really enjoy them. I am so excited to see where Sarah takes this in book 2, and since it is already out I am running to go get the next one because I really need to know what happens next. I hate not being able to spoil things because I have so many questions and so many things I want to see resolved. If you are looking for a good fantasy then look no further! Notable Scene: All Valtias are powerful, but not all equally so. Some burn bright and fade quickly, while others are more steady, strong but muted. We will never know what kind of Valtia we will have until the magic enters a Saadella. Except with you. FTC Advisory: Simon & Schuster/Margaret K. McElderry Books provided me with a copy of The Impostor Queen. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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1451650043
| 9781451650044
| B00X411574
| 4.31
| 18,942
| Dec 01, 2015
| Dec 01, 2015
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: While not my favorite in the series, Kresley Cole still weaves a tale that made me want to read as Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: While not my favorite in the series, Kresley Cole still weaves a tale that made me want to read as fast as I could to find out what happened next. Opening Sentence: Jo woke to the taste of copper. The Review: Josephine has been on her own for years, ever since she was killed at the age of 10 and then woke up in the morgue. She knows she’s not human, but she’s not sure of much more than that. She’s watched her brother Thad from afar as he grew up and wants nothing more than to find a way to be with him again. Then, she meets Rune, an assassin for the Møriør, who introduces her to the Lore and sparks her curiosity to find out what she is. Add to that the fact that she’s insanely attracted to him, and her life just got a lot more interesting. The problem is, Rune is on a mission to assassinate the Valkyrie Nix, and Jo’s brother just happens to be hanging out with her. Now, Jo has to decide which side of the coming Accession she’s going to be on and which relationship is going to trump all. I’m going to preface this review by saying that, while I’m giving this a good rating, I don’t think it’s as strong as the preceding books in the series have been. I devoured the last four or five books in this series, reading each in no more than two days. This one took me about two weeks. Now, part of that is because I have three kids ages 3 and under, and I’m just tired, but if a book is good enough, I’ll stay up and read it. I did end up getting hooked on this story, but it took me a bit to get there. In the end though, Kresley Cole knows how to write a story that’s going to grab you and make you want to keep reading. The biggest problem here, honestly, is Rune and how he gets information for the Møriør. He uses sex as a weapon and sees no problem sleeping his way through the Lore. That would be all well and good if his attitude were to change after meeting Jo, but it doesn’t, and therein lies the problem. He makes it extremely hard to like him because he refuses to change, and it’s frustrating for the reader. Now, Jo, on the other hand, is awesome, and she makes you love her and want everything to go well for her. I loved her sense of humor, and she definitely made up for the things I didn’t like about Rune. It should also be mentioned, that obviously, this is change of pace from the other books in the series. Our main couple here is on the opposite side of the coming war, so other than Thad and our glimpses of Nix, we don’t interact with any previous characters. It feels a bit awkward at times, especially when they’re hunting Nix since I’ve never seen her as a bad guy in the series. But honestly, it didn’t really affect my enjoyment of the story. All in all, this was a page-turner, but it took a while to get to that point. It would have been easier to love this one if Rune were easier to love, but in the end, I was turning pages as fast as I could, and I was satisfied at the end. I’m still very much in love with this series and look forward to the next one. Notable Scene: Jo traced to the door, removing the brace–she usually ghosted past it–and opened up. The smarmy motel owner. He was always leering at the women here. Automatic probation. One strike, and he’s out. His expression was a mix of fear and lust, his attention dipping to her body. As long as she consumed blood, Jo retained a ballin’ figure. Without it, she turned all sickly again. “What do you want?” she demanded. Even this guy wasn’t seeing her; he damn sure wasn’t looking into her eyes. He asked her tits: “I was wondering if you, uh, wanted to go get a cup of coffee with me?” Coffee must be the theme of the night. She could drink java if she had to, but it tasted awful and made her pee. She liked never having to go to the bathroom. Vampirism did have benefits. No running out of toilet tissue, no flu, no periods. When she didn’t answer, he finally met her gaze. She leaned in until they were nose to nose. The shadows around her eyes weirded people out; he was no exception. She told him, “Trying to drum up reasons not to kill you; comin’ up short.” He swallowed thickly. “Oh.” Axe would be an improvement on his smell. She wrinkled her nose, her mind drifting to Rune’s skin. So tempting. But even if Jo wanted to, she couldn’t drink the poisonous dark fey. The man cleared his throat. “Do you, uh, happen to have the money you owe me?” Jo had tons of cash, piled up in the corner next to her comic books, and she could get more whenever. “If not, maybe we could…work something out,” the owner added. Just for that crack he’d get nothing out of her. Lucky to be alive, little man. She gave him her standard answer: “With your flayed skin, I’ll be able to finish my man quilt.” She slammed the door in his face. One of these days she was going to have to start that quilt, or she’d just be a no good liar…. FTC Advisory: Simon and Schuster/Pocket provided me with a copy of Sweet Ruin. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: The time to fight is now, or all will be lost. Opening Sentence: Each time he came to me in dreams I Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: The time to fight is now, or all will be lost. Opening Sentence: Each time he came to me in dreams I saw him as I’d seen him the first time: floating. The Review: Cass is still reeling from the devastation on the island and Kip’s sacrifice at the silo. The island is lost and most of the resistance is dead or hiding. The only good news is thanks to Kip the Confessor’s dead as well. Zach’s power has been weakened but not enough. Cass stills sees the tanks and knows that if they don’t do something all of the Omegas will be tanked forever. As Piper, Zoe and Cass continue to make their way across the deadlands they know they have to come up with a plan. All of them are hoping about the ships that haven’t returned yet, and the hope is they will have found Elsewhere. Zoe and Piper decide that they must ask Sally for help, many of the Omegas are still mad because he didn’t turn over Cass and Kip and that decision cost too many lives. They hope that Sally’s backing will help them retain their standing in the resistance. Once they meet up with her, she lets them know that Simon is alive and on the move. So they make the decision to meet up with him and form a plan to help the Omegas. Along the way the Ringmaster meets them and offers an alliance against the General and the Reformer. Too many people are afraid of the machines and the Alphas are unhappy with the current council. Cass discovers that Sally has proof of the Before and a place called the Ark. Cass knows that something there is important for the future and it ties into New Hobart. The town is still being held and rumors that the council is searching for something are all over. So as all the players converge on New Hobart, will Cass be able to save the children? Will they be able to figure out a plan for the future or will all be lost? I recommend starting with book one or you will have no idea what is going on. I still can’t believe Kip is gone, and that he was an Alpha. Thankfully there doesn’t seem to be a new love interest for Cass and this really focuses on the future and coming up with a viable way to save the Omegas. This one was fast paced and action packed from like a third of the way in all the way until the end. Whew, plus so many exciting things happen at the end. I am not going to tell you, but I need Book 3 like now. I really like the concepts and the way that Francesca has built her world. A lot of questions are answered in this book and more are raised, so I really can’t wait to see how she is going to wrap it all up. Notable Scene: “That was the council’s plan for us all. And if we didn’t have a plan of our own, a goal to work for, then we were just scrapping in the dust, and there’d be no end to it. We might forestall the tanks for a while, but no better than that. Once, the island had been our destination. That had ended in blood and smoke. So now we were seeking the ships that Piper had sent out from the islands months before, in search of Elsewhere.” FTC Advisory: Gallery Books/Simon & Schuster provided me with a copy of The Map of Bones. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Descriptive writing and multiple POV’s may distract but this book is filled with strong young women Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Descriptive writing and multiple POV’s may distract but this book is filled with strong young women and a beautiful message. Opening Sentence: In a city of gray stone and mist, between the steep rain-swept mountains and the sea, there lived a merchant with his eight daughters. The Review: House of Shadows is a standalone fantasy novel set in a ruthless magical world. I enjoyed many aspects of this world including the differing magical types and the Keisha but I had a really hard time getting into this book in the beginning. Rachel Neumeier has an incredibly descriptive type writing style which really helps with visualizing this world. House of Shadows is told through three different point of views. Each chapter is dedicated to one POV, hence my Chapter 3 roadblock. Chapters 1 and 2 flowed together but then Chapter 3 happened with a new character and situation that I got completely lost as to what was happening. It didn’t match any of the story so far and it through me off so much I didn’t comprehend what was going on. I just ended up powering through the chapter until things made sense again. Plus, it didn’t help that Chapter 3 was incredibly long and felt long, this was the chapter that also focused a lot on the world building. By the time I got to Chapter 4 with the girls’ storyline I forgot which “N” name was the main character. Nemienne and Narienneh were just too similar for me. As I’ve stated, House of Shadows is divided between the three different POVs. It starts with Nemienne. Her father has just died leaving her and her seven sisters orphaned. They are desperate to keep life as normal as possible and to keep the sisters from being separated. Unfortunately, if they want to keep their father’s house and business, two of the sister must be sold off. Nemienne was the first to reach this conclusion and knows that she holds no real value to the house, she just hopes that she can be worth enough to help out her sisters. Nemienne also has a gorgeous sister, Karah, whom they hope can be sold as a prized Keisha even though she is almost too old to become one. The sisters’ situation gets better when Nemienne is sold as a mage’s apprentice. Leilis is the next POV. Her character is a bit hard to describe but she lives at the Keisha house that bought Karah. She has a magical ailment that has kept her from becoming a Keisha but her situation has left her in a position to flitter through the house knowing everyone’s secrets and almost becoming like the head mistress herself. Leilis has the head mistresses ear and is able to influence some of the situations around the house. Taudde, the final POV, is a man whom has infiltrated the kingdom of Lirionne from the enemy kingdom of Kalches. He has plenty of secrets of his own including welding a different kind of magic than the mages of Lirionne, which is the whole reason he was drawn to this kingdom in the first place. He becomes an unwilling accomplice in a scheme he wants nothing to do with. Leilis was my favorite character in House of Shadows. She is assertive. She knows how to manipulate like a master (in this case, her powers were always used for good). She has learned to live with her curse and she doesn’t make excuses for anything. She understands where her power and position is best used and she uses it to the best of her ability. Nemienne is fifteen years old and is pretty wise about the world even if she is still a bit naïve and trusting. She knows she is pretty awful at basically everything so when she finds out about her affinity to magic she does give her all into practicing. Nemienne is a natural but she still struggles with learning how to control her powers. When the stories start to converge, she doesn’t stand still and make excuses, she makes sure she fights for the right outcome. Taudde is a young man whom is suffering from a bad decision. He has quite a story to tell so I don’t want to ruin it but I will say I was surprised by his strength of character in the end. And he is a really lucky bastard. He is just a right guy in the wrong place at the right time. I sadly had my issues with House of Shadows but overall it is a standalone that I would recommend. I really liked the world that was set up and I would have loved to see it expanded but as this book came out quite a few years ago, I doubt that will happen. I would have loved a sequel to see how one storyline wrapped up but that was more of a world issue. It would have had major implications for one of the characters. The women in this novel are great examples of strong young women (minus one bad apple of course). I really loved the message of love, family and doing the right thing that came out of the climactic scene. The novel wraps up most of the storylines but what it doesn’t you can just make up with your own imagination. Notable Scene: The pipes were beautiful. A fine example of the bard’s craft. Taudde had made too many sets of pipes to recall, but he couldn’t remember when he’d made better. But he could see the death they carried within their craftsmanship, and he could hardly stand to look at them. FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of House of Shadows. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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| 3.69
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| Aug 11, 2015
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Dark times in 1918 America when the Spanish influenza and the Great War are taking too many lives. O Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Dark times in 1918 America when the Spanish influenza and the Great War are taking too many lives. Opening Sentence: I admit, I had seen a ghost or two. The Review: The Uninvited by Cat Winters is a book I’m having a hard time with trying to review. I’m scared I’m going to inadvertently spill something I shouldn’t. I love historical fiction but this is a time period that I don’t often read because I just don’t care much for American history. Sorry America! I couldn’t resist The Uninvited when I read that this was also a story involving ghosts. The Uninvited showcases the dark, ugly history of rural America in 1918, history that I wasn’t aware of or at least just don’t remember. It was a rough year for everyone. The women of Ivy’s family are cursed. They can see the ghosts of their dead loved ones. The unfortunate is that it always heralds the death of a loved one or someone close to them. Most recently, Ivy suffered a ghostly encounter just to learn that her brother Billy was killed in the Great War. The Uninvited begins shortly after that when Ivy’s father and younger brother brutally kill a German man in cold blood. Ivy has had enough of her father’s brutality and now that he has passed it on to her younger brother she can no longer stay in the house with them so she immediately packs up and leaves. Ivy is feeling better after her bout with the flu so she goes in search for a new place to stay in town. Ivy feels awful about the murder and wants to make amends to the German whose brother was killed by her family members. Ivy’s newfound freedom allows her to befriend quite a few townsfolk she hadn’t met by staying locked up in her parents’ house. As she is making friends, Ivy gets to know Wilhelm, the young man whose brother was murdered. Ivy and Wilhelm grow close even though associating with a German at that time could really hurt your reputation. As Ivy is getting to know Wilhelm, she meets three young ladies working for the Red Cross who are determined to help save the victims of the flu. I had a feeling I knew where this story was going but I was amazed by how it was all pulled off. I had questions all throughout the book but I can’t relay them here because they would ruin aspects of the novel. I had one final question where it finally dawned on me that all my other questions were irrelevant. The Uninvited is told entirely through Ivy’s first person point of view. Ivy is a bright young woman whom has always put her brothers before herself. Since her dad has abusive tendencies, she sticks around to make sure he isn’t harming anyone but her last straw was when he used her younger brother to kill an innocent man. In this man’s death, Ivy has finally found her freedom. She is willing to do the right thing and turn in her father and brother even though they would probably be seen as true American Patriots for killing an enemy of the country. She is willing to brave taking in flu patients for the Red Cross hoping that her own brief bout with the flu will keep her immune. She also takes a lot of risks for a young woman of that time. Overall, The Uninvited is a history lesson wrapped up in a ghost story. It is a dark, sad tale with an uplifting ending. (I may have cried a bit.) Whether you find this story predictable or not, you should still give The Uninvited a try. I really enjoyed the message and the take on… a certain subject that I’m not going to spoil. I Notable Scene: “You spend so much time worrying about people dying on and forgiving you”—he chased after me—“but nothing will ever change for you until you forgive everyone else—your father, your brother, me, yourself for not being strong.” “I am strong.” I hurried down the stairs with my feet thumping and skidding, and he followed. “You seem awfully weak right now, Ivy,” he said, “running away like this. You’re always running away, aren’t you? You didn’t hide out in your parents’ house for years because you were worried about your family. You worried about yourself in the big, bad world because emotions terrify you.” FTC Advisory: William Morrow/HarperCollins provided me with a copy of The Uninvited. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Dark, tragic contemporary sci fi about a girl and her struggles to live a normal life. Opening Sente Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Dark, tragic contemporary sci fi about a girl and her struggles to live a normal life. Opening Sentence: I have grown in strength inside her. The Review: More of Me by Kathryn Evans is a contemporary science fiction standalone novel that took me by surprise. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but when the synopsis says she clones herself every year, I was intrigued and wanted to check it out. This novel is about a girl struggling with deep, dark secrets that could tear apart her entire family if people find out what she is going through. Teva is sixteen years old and struggling with things no young girl should ever have to go through. Every year Teva goes through a painful cloning process that splits her body in two. The new one having grown a year older while the younger one stays forever that age. She remembers everything that her younger selves have grown through before they separated. Unfortunately, her younger selves are only referred to as their numbers and are forced to stay on lockdown inside a creepy house because their mother knows the bad things will happen if they are forced into the light. The “new” Teva continues to go to public school as if nothing ever happened. More of Me starts with Teva separating from Fifteen and the painful process that they both went through before skipping to six months later as Teva is beginning to feel the “new” Teva crawling under her skin. It is too early for the process to begin. At the same time, Teva is stressing out over her college prospects because she knows her mom will never let her go. When she becomes Sixteen she knows her mom will never let her out of the house. Teva doesn’t want that future. She wants to be her own person with her own future without having to step aside for the new Teva. Teva begins to panic because she doesn’t want to separate and then she begins to think that she is crazy. Teva has to constantly put up with Fifteen her “sister” self. Fifteen hates Teva and believes she destroyed her life. Fifteen worked hard during her year, even having a boyfriend that she can’t get over and she hates that Teva gets to continue the relationship as if nothing happened, along with a best friend that they’ve passed along for quite a few cloning transitions. I feel like I’ve given a lot away in my own wrap up but I haven’t. There is so much going on with this story, including the fact that Teva has her own love interest. Don’t worry, it’s not a love triangle. This story kept me glued to the pages because I thought too that Teva might be going insane but there was too much to support that that wasn’t the case. I will say that I hated Teva’s mom because she was the aloof parent most of the time on the page constantly losing her cell phone to Fifteen even though she had so much control over her “daughters”. She kept too many secrets from the other Tevas under the disguise of what they don’t know won’t hurt them. It isn’t until the current Teva begins forcefully asking questions that she finally fesses up. More of Me is told entire through Teva (Sixteen)’s first person point of view. This story had the feel of a tragic fairy tale even though it is set in contemporary times. I felt for her. She has the usual selfishness of a teenager her age but also of someone who wants to be true to her “Sixteen” self, not her other sisters. She wants all of them to have a better life instead of hiding in what the town considers the creepy, Haunted house at the edge of town. I also hated Fifteen even though I knew I shouldn’t. She wanted what she thought was rightfully hers. (Even though I kept thinking that relationship will never go anywhere while Ollie grows up she will always been Fifteen.) I was NOT prepared for the ending. I cried and cried after what Teva went through. All the mysteries will be solved so I was happy having a definitive ending that didn’t leave me with questioning what exactly happened to Teva. If you want to laugh, if you want to cry, if you want something a little different from the science fiction community then definitely check this one out. Notable Scene: I had to think. I braced my legs, trying not to slip on the icy pavement, and walked as fast as I could. I pulled my hand out of my pocket. I could see the newly emerging finger as clearly as I could see my own knuckles. I traced the dip between the separating digits. I could feel them—feel them touching and being touched. I slid the fingers of my good hand protectively around the fingers of the bad and held them tight. My grip on the world was as light as a cobweb. Could I really have imagined them all? Was it possible? I could hear someone breathing heavily near me. I looked up, snapped my head left and right, behind me—fear send pinprick traces of panic dacing over my skin. There was no one there. It was me; the heavy breather was me. Was I insane? Was that it? Was that why I had a counselor, not a doctor? Choking on a ragged breath, I dug my phone from my pocket. I needed evidence. Real or not real. FTC Advisory: Abrams Publishing provided me with a copy of More of Me. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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| 4.30
| 21,419
| Oct 28, 2014
| Oct 28, 2014
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Uplifting but dark romance and awful tragedies abound while Ashwini and Janvier discover the murder Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Uplifting but dark romance and awful tragedies abound while Ashwini and Janvier discover the murder mystery in this 100% filler installment. Opening Sentence: Ashwini navigated the darkened stairwell with quick steps, careful not to make a sound. The Review: Archangel’s Shadows is set in the Guild Hunter series by Nalini Singh and continues the saga of Raphael and Elena as they journey to root out evil in their world. I love this series and I will continue to sing its praises but I will say that Archangel’s Shadows felt like a novella with added side stories and point of views to flesh it out into a bigger novel. As a fan, I loved everything about this novel. It was great to see Janvier and Ashwini again! But as a reviewer, this novel was pure filler, nothing really monumental happens. It doesn’t really advance the ongoing storyline too much except for allowing the “bad guy” to recover. Ashwini and Janvier previously met in a novella where we discovered their scorching hot attraction to each other even though Ashwini is hunting Janvier down for a contract dispute. Their connection has always been followed by fireworks but Ash has always been holding back and now we finally get the story as to why. A few months have passed since the deadly archangel/angel/unborn battle in New York City. The city is still recovering when a dead body turns up look like it had been killed by Lijuan, the deadly archangel with the power over the undead. Is it possible that Lijuan is still in New York City trying to return to her once deadly form? Raphael and his crew had really hoped that she died but archangels are stubbornly immortal. Ashwini and Janvier have been tasked with uncovering who is behind to the mysterious death before the people of New York City find out that their city isn’t safe and secure. Ashwini has the typical tragic past that you can come to expect with a Nalini Singh story and secrets that she keeps close to her heart. Ash is someone who is used to being alone in order to hide her secrets. She doesn’t like to open to her heart because she knows only bad things can happen with those emotions. She is extremely dedicated to her job and is very good at what she does. She wants to explore her relationship with Janvier but she keeps letting her mind get in the way. I knew exactly how her storyline would end, I was surprised by the completely 100% tragic way it happened. Janvier is one happy, sexy Cajun vampire. He is extremely charismatic and can sweet talk anybody. He is one of my favorite vampires from this series. He isn’t dark and broody at all unless he’s being spurned by Ashwini, it is about the only thing that upsets him. He is very dedicated to Ashwini and waiting for when she is ready to tell him her secrets. My only disappointment was that the heated romance took too long and then was short lived because too many other side things were happening with this book. Archangel’s Shadows jumps around to many different point of views mainly including Elena and Raphael. We get to see what changes Raphael is making to ensure the safety of his people and how he knows Lijuan is just biding her time until she comes back for another attack. Elena is discovering the secrets of the Primary and the leather winged angels while also having to get along with Raphael’s mother whom has come to town for a visit. Overall, the murder storyline is graphic and brutal, one of the toughest I’ve read in a while. I love how this series is constantly expanding. If you love paranormal romance or urban fantasy, definitely check out this series. Nalini Singh has a knack for writing emotional characters and scenes that it is really hard not to cry when reading one of her novels. I can’t wait to read Nassir’s novel next, she definitely teases with it during this novel. Notable Scene: Her already brittle heart threatened to shatter. “You don’t know what I’m keeping from you.” “I don’t need to know—and neither one of us has ever been in control of the thing between us. It has its own stubborn, relentless will” He thrust one hand into his hair, began walking again, his next words so angry the heat of them seemed to melt the snow. “The only way it would die would be if you repudiated me.” Stopping again, the two of them now on the fringe of the Quarter, he faced her. “Is that what you want to do?” His tone was raw, his hands fisted. “To tell me that you don’t want me?” “You’re an idiot.” Hauling him to her by gripping the open sides of his jacket, she kissed him in frustrated fury. “I’m trying to protect you.” She released him, strode off ahead. He caught up to her, his eyes bright with temper and passion both. “Well, don’t. I’m a big vampire. I can handle any secret you have as long as you’re mine.” “Damn you.” She slipped her left hand into his right. “You’ll regret this.” He wrapped his fingers around hers, the hold blatantly proprietary. “I will never regret you!” Ashwini would never regret him, either. And she knew. No more secret, no more stealing time. She had to tell him, show him, everything. FTC Advisory: Berkley/Penguin provided me with a copy of Archangel’s Shadows. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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| 9781466871915
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| 3.84
| 1,654
| Jan 16, 2018
| Jan 16, 2018
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it was amazing
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A new badass woman is introduced in Attia in this gender flipped take on Spartacus. Blood and Sand Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: A new badass woman is introduced in Attia in this gender flipped take on Spartacus. Blood and Sand is a dark, enthralling, tragic book that I didn’t want to put down! Opening Sentence: They called them slaves. The Review: Blood and Sand by C.V. Wyk is an intriguing, emotional story set in the time of the Roman Empire. I highly recommend Blood and Sand for any fan of Spartacus (especially the TV show) and for anyone who may have found the Roman Empire fascinating. I loved the gender twist of how the author made Spartacus a mysterious woman and how all of that was set up. The Roman Empire was a truly awful place and Blood and Sand definitely reminds you of that. Attia is a Thracian Princess, as a descendant of Sparta, she has grown up learning the abilities of an excellent warrior. She is a bit on the small side but she makes up for it in strength and speed. Attia’s skills have already been put to the test many times before the Romans attack and destroy her kingdom along with killing her father. Attia is forced to become a slave and is sold to an ambitious nobleman, Timeus, to be the companion for his Champion, Xanthus. Xanthus is done. He is tired of being a gladiator and he’s even more tired of the killing. He gets a new lease on life when he finds out he now controls the destiny of Attia. He knows what will happen if he steps out of line. It doesn’t take long for Xanthus to figure out Attia’s background. He sees the fire in her and it doesn’t take long for him to develop an attachment to Attia that he knows is now a weakness. Attia is thoughtful and cunning. She thinks out her actions before she does them, even if she is sure that they may not end up with the outcome she’s wanting but she’s still going to try. Attia wants revenge for her father’s death and for the fall of the Thracians. She is willing to bid her time because there are several steps that she wants completed before whatever happens to her will happen. Blood and Sand is a dark book in atmosphere and theme. The Roman Empire thrived on slaves and killing and this book takes no liberties with that, it really isn’t graphic but it is discussed. There is also abuse. From the beginning of reading, I knew this would be a tragic book. There are no happy endings during this time frame, I kept reading hoping for one though. This was one book I never wanted to put down. The author does come straight out and say that she took liberties with the timeline. I’m glad she did that because I would have been disappointed when I looked up that information later since I am fascinated with world history. I found it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of this book, it made me wish that this series of events had actually happened. Although, I would have wished for a happier ending… on that note, is Blood and Sand a standalone or the beginning of a badass new woman in YA? The ending felt like the beginning of something so I’m really hoping there is more to Attia’s story but this story would still make a great standalone. I do still have some questions so I really hope there is a sequel. (Update: After writing this I found out there is a sequel!) Notable Scene: “Attia?” The exhaustion vanished as his face contorted. “What are you doing here?” Attia grasped his tunic, belatedly realizing that he wore no armor. “I couldn’t let you do this alone.” “You need to leave—“ “No, I can help,” Attia said. “I . . . I don’t want to lose you.” “And how do you think I’ll feel if you die here? You have to leave.” “I won’t.” Xanthus released a heavy breath, his eyes never leaving her face. “Together,” he said, and raised their clasped hands into the air. FTC Advisory: Tor Teen provided me with a copy of Blood and Sand. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
Notes are private!
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Mar 10, 2018
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1250129125
| 9781250129123
| B0722LWTP6
| 3.61
| 112
| Jul 03, 2017
| Jul 03, 2017
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liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Super sweet (and hot!) story about a trio of childhood friends who grow up to become lovers. Opening Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Super sweet (and hot!) story about a trio of childhood friends who grow up to become lovers. Opening Sentence: “Ah, bliss . . .” Liv Tyner sipped her mai tai while taking in the cloudless sky and the breathtaking coastal inlet and harbor sprawled before her. The Review: Addiction by Calista Fox is a novella set in the Bayfront Billionaires series and continues to follow the wealthy and sexy residents of Bayfront, California as they find their true loves. This novella is super sweet and happy. For me, a little too much. If you want to read something sweet, happy and super-hot then check this novella out. This story is definitely on the lighter side compared to the previous book in the series, Obsession. Liv, Nate, and Tristan are childhood friends and were nearly inseparable as they grew up but after high school Liv became a Hollywood star while Nate and Tristan worked on their growing business empire and their physique. This novella is a homecoming of sorts because Nate and Tristan haven’t been back in quite a while (and their appearance has changed so much that people they went to high school don’t recognize them anymore). Liv has been thinking A LOT about the threesome she had with the guys back in Paris five years ago and seeing them is bringing back memories that she might want to relive again. Addiction is a story about what you want in life and where you want to go. The story is in its own way heavy but it felt more light as a story overall. I don’t want to say too much more on the story since this is a novella but it does tie in with the characters from previous books. You don’t have to have read the previous books to enjoy this one but prior knowledge of the secondary characters might be a plus. Nate and Tristan are stepbrothers (although I missed the background so I don’t know if that was revealed in a previous book) and they only have two goals in mind. One is to build up their business empire so they can fit in with the area where they grew up and second is to transform their physical appearance so they can be worthy of Liv. Nate and Tristan felt they needed to work on their looks because they felt they needed to look good for Liv, especially by lifting weights. So I honestly just felt kind of “meh” towards these guys but they are totally goal oriented. Liv is used to being on her own and traveling the world whenever she wants. She is a bit lonely but she knows what she wants to do in life and is working on that goal. Her plans get derailed when she realizes what could be with her best friends. Liv seems to be an overly optimistic type person and generally happy but I also just felt kind of “meh” about her too. I don’t think I was in quite the right frame of mind to read this novella only because I kept getting annoyed by how perfect these three characters were. They just seemed so happy and perfect for each other. They guys never had an issue with one being favored over another or anything, everything just seemed strangely serene between them when it came to Liv. I also felt the major conflict between these characters wasn’t a conflict at all. I know what I would have chosen. I actually feel like she would have more problems settling down than traveling since she travels all the time for work. (But that could be me projecting my own feelings towards what she initially wanted to do.) This novella was an okay read for me but I could definitely see where others may enjoy it more. Notable Scene: Liv frowned. What a double-edged sword she was suddenly balanced on the tip of. Just thinking of another go-round with her menage lovers sent a wave of anticipation and excitement washing over her. But what if it was only meant to be a one-time thing and the cosmic forces subsequently conspired against them for greedily reenacting the guilty pleasure? Damn. For so long, she’d have savored the memory of Nate and Tristan taking turns with her, but had always considered it “something that had just happened.” Not “something that could happen . . . again.” FTC Advisory: SMP Swerve provided me with a copy of Addiction. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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1484722280
| 9781484722282
| 1484722280
| 3.36
| 1,931
| Dec 06, 2016
| Dec 06, 2016
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Middle eastern take on Cinderella with a hint of Rapunzel, but ultimately the slow pacing kept me f Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: Middle eastern take on Cinderella with a hint of Rapunzel, but ultimately the slow pacing kept me from enjoying this novel as much as the first, A Thousand Nights. Opening Sentence: We know exactly how we came to these cold, hard mountains, and we remember everything that we have lost since we arrived here. The Review: Spindle by E.K. Johnston is a companion novel to A Thousand Nights and both novels are based off of famous stories, 1001 Nights and Cinderella. If you haven’t checked out these books yet, they are middle-eastern inspired twists to the original work with some added paranormal elements. (I know 1001 Nights is already middle-eastern but Cinderella is not.) I really enjoyed the different settings and culture that was portrayed. I loved A Thousand Nights but I just found Spindle to be an okay read. The story was really slow, the ending rushed and I just had a hard time seeing spinning as an addiction. Spindle is set many years past the events of A Thousand Nights. The first book is referenced quite a few times as Spindle deals with some of the descendants of A Thousand Nights. Overall, I don’t feel like you have to have read A Thousand Nights but I do feel like you would get the references better if you did. (Plus, I loved the spin of A Thousand Nights. So definitely check it out!) Spindle is told through the story of a young man named Yaasha from the country of Kharuf. He was a young boy when the Little Rose was cursed by a demon. He wasn’t even present at the event so he has to rely on stories from others to tell his story. At five years old, Little Rose was bestowed gifts and a curse because a demon decided that it wanted Little Rose as the perfect host when her body was ready to receive its essence. Like the original story, Little Rose is given a way out but it isn’t pleasant and, of course, involves a spindle. The demon makes sure that any spinners in the country will get deathly ill because it has to make sure that Little Rose can’t touch a spindle. Yaasha’s story is about his mother, whom used to work as the top spinner at the court, and all the other spinners are effectively banished from the country and have to leave but they aren’t accepted in, Qamth, the country they seek safely in. His mother wants Yaasha to go on a quest to find the King of the country where they are seeking asylum and see if he can talk him into accepting all the foreign spinners. Yaasha decides to not go that route, he decides his best step is to find Little Rose and see if they can end the curse through her so that his mother can become a great spinner again and survive the wasting disease that is killing all the spinners from their home country. There are portions of this story that I had some really issues with especially the spinning issue. Yaasha hated spinning but in the way he tells the story it is almost an addiction for some of the side characters. Their fingers are constantly moving like they are spinning but they can’t because they will get sick. In their home country, spinning makes them sick but it temporarily relieves their insanity too. Spinning is needed for employment but also for clothing that the country is running out of. Another issue I had was that this story just felt slow. Most of the story was told on the road during a journey that the characters didn’t really have any grasp of because they had a hard time deciding where to go and what to do. Little Rose is an enigma all her own. I loved her attitude and her spunk. She loves her country and she hates what the demon has forced down upon everyone but to give up would leave herself vulnerable to the demon so she makes sure that doesn’t happen. Little Rose is forced to not learn anything because learning or “making” as the book keeps calling it will open Little Rose for the demon to use as it wishes. Learning things will help make Little Rose the proper host for the demon because the demon doesn’t want to fall into the same trap as the last powerful demon did in A Thousand Nights. I’m very conflicted over the ending because in one sense I found the ending perfect (and beautiful) but I was also severely disappointed in it. I guess I was just hoping for something else but you can’t really change the ending of Cinderella, just some of the events surrounding it. The ending was rushed. All the major crazy events I was looking forward to happened in the last ten pages and was basically summed up through Roses’ point of view. Overall, Spindle is a wonderfully creative book but fell a little flat of A Thousand Nights. I enjoyed the spin that E.K. Johnston wove with this tale. I had a few issues with why it seemed like spinning was an addiction (my guess is the demon messed with people’s heads that way) and really slow going. Reading the story, I had no idea where she was going with the ending and then having it wrap up so quickly didn’t help. If you are looking for something diverse and different in an old-fashioned fairy tale, I would still tell you to try this series because you may enjoy it better than I did. So please, give it a try! Notable Scene: “I should know so many things,” she said. “I should be able to bake bread, even though my kitchens will always have a bread mistress. I should know how to weave a tapestry and write a trade agreement. I should know, but I can’t. I was born and bred to do these things, and my heart cries out for them, and I can’t. I cannot make anything. Every stitch, every note, every letter, and every dance step would prepare me for the demon’s curse, and spinning would seal it. And I cannot take the piskey’s gift. I would sleep forever, but the demon would be free–the curse would remain unbroken–and then my kingdom, my people, would be queenless and cursed, both.” FTC Advisory: Disney-Hyperion provided me with a copy of Spindle. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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Mar 10, 2018
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Hardcover
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0316407216
| 9780316407212
| 0316407216
| 4.40
| 19,689
| Mar 07, 2017
| Mar 07, 2017
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really liked it
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Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: An addicting follow-up to the Powder Mage trilogy, full of action and great characters. Opening Sent Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales Quick & Dirty: An addicting follow-up to the Powder Mage trilogy, full of action and great characters. Opening Sentence: Privileged Robson paused with one foot on the muddy highway and the other on the step of his carriage, his hawkish nose pointed into the hot wind of the Fatrastan countryside. The Review: It’s been ten years since the war that made Vlora Flint’s career and allowed her to start her own mercenary company. Her company is recalled to the city to aid the Lady Chancellor in rooting out a rebel who is causing no end of trouble for the government. While Vlora is in no way favorable towards said government, they are the ones paying her wage, so she will do what she’s told. In her efforts, she meets Blackhat (government spy) Michel, a man who holds more secrets than it initially appears. Michel has his own mission: find out who has been printing seditious pamphlets and distributing them throughout the city. Doing so will win him a long-desired promotion. Also in the city is Ben Styke, a legendary soldier who wound up in a labor camp for his actions. He finds himself freed by a mysterious benefactor and ordered to make himself available to Lady Flint. Styke will do so, but he also has his own agenda: revenge on the man who he feels is responsible for his time in a labor camp. As war looms on the horizon, these three will find themselves inextricably linked. Will they all make it out alive? I was extremely excited to find this in my review pile, but also a little worried. I absolutely loved the Powder Mage trilogy and was so happy to see that a spinoff was happening. At the same time, I worried that the magic of the original trilogy could not be repeated with all new characters (save Vlora and Olem, of course). Happily, lightning has struck twice, as this first book in the new series is just as captivating as that original trilogy was. I will admit it had a bit of a slow start as we were introduced to the new characters, but once the plot got going, it never let up, and I found myself turning pages as quickly as possible to find out what would happen next. I was really happy to get to see more from Vlora this time around, as I liked her in the original trilogy and was hoping she could carve out a life for herself. I loved getting to see where she and Olem are now and how they’ve grown together. As much as I loved Vlora though, I think my favorite narrator was Ben Styke. There is just something about him that I loved, and I really couldn’t get enough of the chapters that were from his point of view. As for our third narrator, I enjoyed Michel’s sections, but he was probably my least favorite, through no fault of his own really. I just preferred Vlora and Ben. I honestly have nothing bad to say here. The slow start results in the 4 star ranking rather than a 5, but all in all, this was a great start to a new series. I think both old and new fans of McClellan will find a lot to love here. I can’t wait for the next one! Notable Scene: “I didn’t know you were that Ben Styke.” “What do you mean by that Ben Styke? How many of us do you think there are?” Styke stood up, barely feeling the twinge in his knee through the anger. His head grazed the ceiling of the parole cell. For some reason, the tremble going through Raimy’s body made him even angrier. They’d spent countless days together in her unguarded office, even had a few laughs together. She’d flirted with him. And now she was shaking, terrified, even though she as behind an iron grate? “Are we friends?” he demanded. “Yes,” Raimy squeaked. Styke wrapped his good hand and the two working fingers of his bad hand around the bars of the grate. He tightened his grip and, with one solid yank, ripped it out of the wall. Raimy’s mouth fell open but she remained transfixed as he set the grate to one side and leaned in over her desk, fishing through her papers until he came to the last one. It was a note on stationery from the office of the Lady Chancellor. It had three sentences: Mad Ben Styke, formerly Colonel Styke of the Mad Lancers, is a violent murderer guilty of several war crimes. He must be denied parole. Make it convincing. It was signed by Fidelis Jes, head of the Lady Chancellor’s secret police. Styke could hear someone yelling in the hallway. They’d heard the racket, and the yelling was soon followed by the pounding footsteps of the guards. Styke crumpled up the note and flicked it into Raimy’s face. “You can stop your damned trembling, then. I don’t hurt my friends.” He turned away from her, spreading his arms wide, and waited for the first guard to come through the door. FTC Advisory: Orbit provided me with a copy of Sins of Empire. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. ...more |
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