October 31, 2010

November 2010 Book Releases


November is shaping up to be an eventful month when it comes to new releases with over 44 new titles that fall within the Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Paranormal YA and Fantasy genres.
Happy reading!


November 1, 2010
  • Holly Black, Kind,  The Good Neighbors-Book 3
  • Nina Bruhn, Shadow of the Sheikh, Silhouette Nocturne
  • Rhyannon Byrd, Touch of Temptation, Primal Instincts-Book 6
  • Lydia Dare, The Taming of the Wolf, Westfield Brothers-Book 4
  • Susan Krinard, Luck of the Wolf, Century Werewolves-Book 6
  • Alexandra Sokoloff, The Shifters, Silhouette Nocturne 

November 2, 2010
  • Jessica Anderson, Blood Spells, Final Prophecy-Book 5
  • Vivi Andrews, The Ghost Exterminator, Karmic Consultants-Book 2
  • PC Cast, Eternal: More Love Stories with Bite (Anthology)
  • Zoe Archer, Rebel, The Blades of the Rose-Book 3
  • Anya Bast, Jeweled
  • Barbara Bretton, Spun by Sorcery
  • Patricia Briggs, Wolfsbane, Aralorn-Book 2
  • Marcella Burnard, Enemy Within
  • Shannon K. Butcher, Living Nightmare, Sentinel Wars-Book 4
  • Evangeline Collins, Seven Nights to Forever
  • Lauren Dane, Inside Out, Brown Siblings-Book3
  • Bonnie Dee, Shifters Captive
  • Lila diPasqua, The Princess In His Bed, Fiery Tales-Book 2
  • Christine Freehan, Sea Storm, Drake Sisters-Book 1 & 3
  • Donna Grant, Wicked Highlander, Dark Sword-Book 3
  • Clay & Susan Griffith, The Greyfriar, Vampire Empire-Book 1
  • Lori Handeland, Marked by the Moon, Night Creature-Book 9
  • Emma Holly, Devil at Midnight, Midnight-Book 9
  • Allyson James, Firewalker, Stormwalker-Book 2
  • Elle Jasper, Afterlight, The Dark Ink Chronicles-Book 1
  • Crystal Jordan, Stolen Passions, Forbidden Passions-Book 1
  • Julia Knight, Love is My Sin, Oath Cursed-Book 2
  • Sharon Lee, Carousel Tides
  • Katie MacAlister, Confessions of a Vampire's Girlfriend
  • Katie MacAlister, In the Company of Vampires, Dark Ones-Book 8
  • Robin McKinley, Pegasus
  • Taylor Keating, Game Over, Guardian-Book 1
  • Anitra Lynn McLeod, Thief, Fringe-Book 1
  • Devon Monk, Magic at the Gate, Allie Beckstrom-Book 5
  • Kathy Reichs, Virals
  • J.D. Robb, Indulgence In Death, In Death-Book 31
  • Moira Rogers , Crossroads, Southern Arcana-Book 2
  • Nalini Singh, Play of Passion, Psy-Changeling-Book 9
  • Elizabeth Thorton, A Bewitching Bride
  • Christine Warren, Prince Charming Doesn't Live Here, The Others-Book 10
  • Skyler White, In Dreams Begin, Harrowing-Book 2
  • J.C. Wilder, Reckoning
  • Kevin Williamson and Julie Plec, The Vampire Diaries: Origins, Stefan's Diaries-Book 1

November 8, 2010
  • Jennifer Rardin, Bitten In Two, Jaz Parks-Book 7 

November 9, 2010
  • Laurie Brooks, Selkie Girl
  • Mercedes Lackey, Trio of Sorcery 

November 15, 2010
  • Kersten Hamilton, Tyger, Tyger, Goblin Wars-Book 1 

November 16, 2010
  • R.G. Alexander, The Demon Saint,
  • Vivi Andrews, The Naked Detective, Karmic Consultants-Book 4
  • George R.R. Martin, Songs of Love and Death (Anthology)
  • Alyson Noel, Night Star, The Immortals-Book 5

November 19, 2010
  • Joey W. Hill, Afterlife, Knights of the Board Room

November 23, 2010

  • Heather Graham, Night of the Vampires 

November 30, 2010
  • Kelley Armstrong, Counterfeit Magic, Women of the Otherworld
  • Ally Condie, Matched, Matched-Book 1
  • Carole Nelson Douglas, Silver Zombie, Delilah Street-Book 4
  • Cynthia Eden, Eternal Flame, Night Watch-Book 3
  • M.L.N. Hanover, Vicious Grace, The Black Sun's Daughter-Book 3
  • Christina Henry, Black Wings, Madelin Black-Book 1
  • Caitlin Kittredge, Bone Gods, Black London-Book 3
  • Marjorie M. Liu, In the Dark of Dreams, Dirk and Steele-Book 10
  • Cheyenne McCray, Vampires Not Invited, Night Tracker-Book 3
  • Kate Perry, Tempted By Fate, The Guardians of Destiny-Book3
  • Beverly Rae, Wild Cat
  • Lynsay Sands , Hungry For You, Argeneau-Book 14



**If I missed any titles please Contact Me and let me know and I will update this post. Remember, all release dates are tentative and subject to change.

October 30, 2010

Review: Luck of the Wolf by Susan Krinard

Luck of the Wolf
Author: Susan Krinard
Series: Century Werewolves, Book 6
Publisher: HQN
ISBN: 0373774699
Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders

*ARC generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley

For more information please visit Susan Krinard's website.

Branded an outcast by the noble branch of his werewolf clan, Cort Renier had come to San Francisco seeking fortune—and revenge. What he found was a mysterious beauty who could not—or would not—reveal who she truly was. At first glance she seemed vulnerable and afraid, like so many girls caught up in the debauchery of the city's whiskey-soaked gambling dens. But one look into her stunning turquoise eyes and he knew he'd found the winning hand.


Aria di Reinardus had reasons of her own for concealing her identity, but Cort's kisses were more than enough to convince her to go along with his plan to transform her into a missing heiress and return her to her "family." But they were not the only ones with secrets to keep and vengeance in mind, and they were about to discover that some destinies couldn't be outrun…

Review:

Luck of the Wolf by Susan Krinard is filled with calculated manipulation, betrayal and deceit while keeping the whimsical story of a budding romance alive and well. Melded wonderfully with a story that seems like it should be straight out of a fairy tale, I was enthralled with the world that was brought to life in these pages.

As this was my first time reading Krinard’s work I started out a little skeptical that the romance would keep me interested. However, I was soon put at ease because the plot is very intricate with layers of secrets and deceits that are continually being stripped away, thus slowly revealing the true nature of the characters. This added a nice suspense to the novel because you are never really sure at any given time what any of their true motives are throughout the story. I really enjoyed this aspect; it added a depth with the ever increasing plot-within a-plot scenarios that played out well against the more enchanting backdrop about a far away European kingdom, its murdered king and queen, and their missing daughter. It was also interesting to see how that would play out against a more menial mystery about a missing girl from a prominent New Orleans werewolf clan. Not to mention how any of this tied back to the main characters that seem so separated from these events. All in all I was really captured by the complexities and how all the threads tied into a nice bow at the end that left only a few unanswered questions.

I also loved the complexities of the characters themselves. From the main characters to the secondary characters they all have a unique history and voice as well as hidden agendas and secrets. First impressions are often misleading in this respect and the true provence of the characters is slowly revealed to the readers over a long span which leads to some shocking discoveries in the long run.

Like I said, first impression are often misleading in this book and mine of the main character Aria is no exception. There is a weakness and naiveté about her at first glance and I began the story thinking she could only play the victim, hiding behind strong male leads, and while to some extent that was true, she comes to demonstrate an iron will and a stubborn disposition that was remarkable. She is a free spirit who unabashedly says whatever is on her mind, but is continually made to believe that she should be demure if she is to fit into ‘polite society’. Through her we see the hypocrisy of the time and come to love her inner defiance. She is quite a rational and intelligent female character who follows her head and her heart instead of bending to the whims and manipulations of others. This in itself conflicts greatly with her often childlike representation and we are forced to accept the woman behind the mask of innocence.

Cort is likewise an interesting and complicated character. He grew up in a rather deprived part of the Louisiana swamps outside of New Orleans and after being ‘put in his place’ by the wealthy New Orleans clan he struck out on his own determined to return one day a true gentleman, both polished and civilized. He is ashamed of his dual natures choosing to ignore the werewolf inside of him, feeling it to be something barbaric and unclean. However, he comes to doubt this new sense of self when he meets Aria. She embraces that part of herself as well as luxuriating in her own less than extravagant up bringing. He is constantly conflicted between these two worlds as his head and his heart vary greatly in their desires. However, despite this inner tumult he is a devoted and loyal friend to those around him and has a humble charm that is appealing even when his stubbornness gets the better of him.

Between these two, the chemistry is also wonderfully written. There is a rhythm to it with constant ebbs and flows that keep the reader on edge hoping to see the them finally come to their senses and embrace the love that we see so clearly. Constantly I was ensnared by the change of moods in the characters in this respect, eagerly waiting for the moments when they let their shields down and gave in to their inner desires.

The writing style was also quite enjoyable. I loved the voices of the characters as well as the fluidity with which Krinard was able to switch point of views. It was nice being able to see inside the heads of the various characters and get a sense of them and the motives that drove them. She did a marvelous job making it an effortless change on the part of the reader and I was left not having to think about the change of tone or pace because I was instantly aware of the part I was reading. Therefore it was merely enlightening and interesting instead of tedious and annoying as most books can be when they institute this particular device.

Overall, I really enjoyed this novel. While Historical Romance is not my typical genre I was really drawn into the story and intrigued by the characters. The slight addition of a paranormal twist making the characters werewolves was a definite plus for me, however I was left feeling it could have been explored a little more thoroughly. That said I definitely recommend this novel for any fan of the genre!

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Scars


Adviosry: Contains some sexual content

October 29, 2010

18+ Blog Hop [1]

Photobucket


 
This tag along is hosted by Laurie @ Bitten By Paranormal Romance. If you would like to be involved you can chek out the post here to be included in the tag along.
 
Since this blog is still so new and this fits perfectly with the genre that I focus on, I thought it would be a wonderful way to meet new bloggers like myself. Mainly I like to read anything that falls under the paranormal/supernatural umbrella and especially those that have a nice chemistry between the characters!
 
So, if you would like to follow me or would just like to say hi, please feel free! I am always looking for new blogs to follow that will be giving reviews and recommendations of books within the genre and always looking to meet some new people :)

October 28, 2010

Dakota Banks Contest

Dakota Banks is currently running a contest at her site Mortal Path, featuring an international giveaway with weekly prizes. The grand prize is the winners choice of one of the following two options:
1.) A SUBSCRIPTION to the Mortal Path series!
You'll receive a new, signed copy of each book in the series on or before the release day.

or

2.) A FULL MANUSCRIPT CRITIQUE from Dakota Banks!
She will provide a critique that offers constructive suggestions without sugarcoating.

Contest ends December 1, 2010 so be sure to head over to her site and enter!


Sacrifice Badge

October 27, 2010

Want It Wednesday [2]

I saw this over at Rex Robot Reviews and I really loved the idea especially considering my wishlist is massive and never ending. During Want It Wednesdays I will post three books off of my wishlist. Feel free to post comments, your thoughts on any of these books or any recommendations that you might have!

The Gathering (Darkness Rising #1)
by Kelley Armstrong

Maya lives in a small medical-research town on Vancouver Island. How small? You can’t find it on the map. It has less than two-hundred people, and her school has only sixty-eight students—for every grade from kindergarten to twelve.
Now, strange things are happening in this claustrophobic town, and Maya's determined to get to the bottom of them. First, the captain of the swim team drowns mysteriously in the middle of a calm lake. A year later, mountain lions start appearing around Maya's home, and they won’t go away. Her best friend, Daniel, starts getting negative vibes from certain people and things. It doesn't help that the new bad boy in town, Rafe, has a dangerous secret—and he's interested in one special part of Maya's anatomy: Her paw-print birthmark.


Ecstacy in Darkness (Alien Huntress #5)
by Gena Showalter

New York Times bestselling sensation Gena Showalter enthralls with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, powers beyond imagining, and a seductive vampire undone by his insatiable hunger for one woman. . . .Growing up poor on New Chicago’s meanest streets, Ava Sans had two options: be the predator or be the prey. No contest. Now, working for Alien Investigation and Removal, she’s been ordered to capture the biggest, baddest warrior of all—a vampire too beautiful to be real, with the abilityto manipulate time. Once the leader of the entire vampire army, McKell has been deemed savage and unstable, spurned even by his own kind.To McKell, humans should be nothing more than sustenance. Yet the petite, golden-skinned Ava is a fascinating contradiction—vicious yet witty, strong yet vulnerable, lethal but fiercely loyal. Against his better judgment, McKell craves that loyalty, and much more. When the chase leads to seduction, McKell and Ava will race to discover the truth about his past. But the answers will come at a price, even for a woman who thought she had nothing left to lose. . . .

Raziel (Fallen #1)
by Kirstina Douglas

A sizzling paranormal debut featuring Raziel, a sexy fallen angel, and Allie, a mortal whose death catapults her into a supernatural world filled with angels, demons—and true love.
Raziel is part of a group of fallen angels cursed to drink blood and ferry the dead to heaven and hell for all of eternity. One thing they aren’t supposed to do is interfere, and when Raziel rescues Allie Watson from hellfire at the last minute, he is injured and must rely on his brethren for help. After the Fallen carry both Raziel and Allie off to their remote compound, they inadvertently set off a chain of events leading to a rebellion against the last archangel and his evil, flesh-eating sect of minions called the Nephilim. Now, Raziel and Allie must restore the balance of power between the forces of good and evil—and only their love can save them.

Review: Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Eternal Kiss of Darkness
Author: Jeaniene Frost
Publisher: Avon
Series: Night Huntress World, Book 2
ISBN: 0061783161
Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Powells | The Book Depository


For more information please visit Jeaniene Frost’s website.

Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.


At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master Vampire who thought he’d seen it all. Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful…human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life, yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose between the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

Review:

As an avid lover of Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, including her new spin off series the Night Huntress World, I was a little disappointed at first blush when it came to Eternal Kiss of Darkness. It seemed to lack the traits that I’ve come to expect from Frost’s work-a certain amount of sass and sarcasm as well as full throttle action and steamy romance. However, while it may have started more slowly for me then her previous books it finished with her usual flair and became yet another wonderful installment that shouldn't be missed.

Mencheres has always been something of a secondary character in the Night Huntress series though he's always been quite interesting. Previously we were given only short glimpses at him and his powers, but have always been well aware of his Master status within the vampire world. So, because of this you can understand my reaction when in the first chapter he is allowing himself to be captured and tortured by Ghouls. It is only after Kira, a good Samaritan and human, risks her life rescuing him that he lashes out against his captors killing them almost instantly, but not before Kira is mortally wounded. Feeling a debt to the woman, he heals her but is unable to mesmerize her, a way to effectively remove the memories of what transpired from her memory. With only the option of killing her or waiting for a time when she may be more susceptible to him, he chooses to take her with him.

It is from there that my problems with the novel stem. As we first begin to get to know Mencheres, he is apathetic to say the least. He is world weary and with his visions of the future gone he is left with only a looming darkness in its stead which he takes to mean that his time on this Earth is ending. Because of this he has appointed Bones the co-ruler of his line and imparted a great deal of his powers to him in his effort to tidy up his affairs and leave his vampire line protected. But, with the appearance of Kira into his life we find that there is more beneath the apathy in his character. By contrast he is also charming, generous and still quite powerful with an uncanny control of both himself and his powers. In other words, there is nothing old about him. In fact I would say that he greatly values life (human and vampire), but because of his recent history he is weighed down and in desperate need of a beacon in the looming darkness to give him a reason to carry on. However, we come to see that instead of the comfort of friends he only feels distrust towards those around him, thinking that anyone who would want to get close to him is only interested in his power, wealth and protection, but not actually in him. It’s these insecurities that truly grated on my nerves as he pines for Kira, opting to stalk her rather then get close to her and give her a chance to like the man that he is. Which honestly, from where I sit, isn't bad at all.

Kira is likewise maddening, however. She is instantly attracted to Mencheres, but due to her captivity she feels she can’t trust that feeling. Instead she believes it might be a reaction of Stockholm syndrome, a syndrome where the captive falls in love with her captor. But, after Mencheres lets her go free with only a promise from her to not tell the human world about his kind, she comes to realize that she truly does want him in her life. In fact, that she may even love the vampire. Needless to say, she almost recklessly goes looking into any supernatural lead that she can find to help her search out Mencheres or someone that can lead her to him. Instead she finds a human girl that has been missing for several years being held prisoner by a vampire as his Property. Foolishly, she tries to extricate the woman, but is captured and tortured by the vampire until spilling Mencheres’s name.

It isn’t until this point that the pace begins to finally pick up and we become steeped in the action of a centuries old feud and the romance between Kira and Mencheres as they finally begin to accept that they have feelings towards each other. Mencheres also begins to open up, revealing why it is he feels that he is not deserving of her love, or anyone's for that matter which is where I truly began to feel affection towards the character and the dark complexity of his nature. While fiercely loyal he feels a great sense of responsibility for actions of others that are not within his control, thinking instead that if he had chosen to do something or intervene sooner that that particular fate could have been avoided.

Truly the characterization of this novel is much deeper then in previous ones. Both characters are in possession of great vulnerabilities yet each has their own inner strength. In the end they become a sort of yin-and-yang for each other, giving support and power to the other, be it physical or emotional. Also, instead of playing on what we expect to see (i.e. the wit and instant action) we are led on a journey with these characters. To me, after realizing this, the action of the novel became secondary to the evolution of the characters and from there I enjoyed the book immensely. Likewise, the secondary characters involved have a larger then life depth with multiple facets to their personalities. Most notably the villain of the story Radjedef who wields his centuries old animosity toward Mencheres displaying a patient conniving intelligence nurtured by a deep seeded feeling of being wronged. Where Mencheres often wants to take the blame for others, Radje feels that everyone but himself is to blame. And you can't forget Vlad Tepish…yep, that’s right, even Dracula himself makes an appearance, but he isn't the typical Draconian figure. Instead he's got a vitality and youth that gives him a charismatic magnetism that I really enjoyed reading. I can only hope that he will end up with his own tale in the Night Huntress World because I would truly enjoy seeing his story told, especially his tiff with Bones.

Like the characters the world this series takes place in is just as well built. The mythos of the vampire and ghoul cultures is nicely explained and explored as is the varying histories of the characters. The only thing I would have liked to have seen a bit more of in this particular novel was the Egyptian lore tying back to Mencheres. While we do get a few tidbits about the Egytpian gods, the magics and a very brief look at his stint as a Pharaoh in the 4th Dynasty, I was still left a little lacking about his past. There was just so much there that could have been explored instead of his stalking and skulking through the first half of the novel.

Overall, this was a great read with interesting and strong characters, even if they did start off a little lost. The journey back to finding their strength was wonderful to watch unfold as was the romance that sparked between Mencheres and Kira. This is definitely another wonderful installment into the Night Huntress World that I suggest you shouldn't miss.

My Rating: 4 out 5 Scars

Advisory: Some sexual content

October 24, 2010

Review: Tyger, Tyger by Kersten Hamilton

Tyger, Tyger
Author: Kersten Hamilton
Publisher: Clarion
Series: Goblin Wars, Book 1
ISBN: 9780547330082
Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Book Depository

*ARC generously provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

For more information visit Kersten Hamilton's website.


Teagan Wylltson's best friend, Abby, dreams that horrifying creatures-goblins, shape-shifters, and beings of unearthly beauty but terrible cruelty-are hunting Teagan. Abby is always coming up with crazy stuff, though, so Teagan isn't worried. Her life isn't in danger. In fact, it's perfect. She's on track for a college scholarship. She has a great job. She's focused on school, work, and her future. No boys, no heartaches, no problems.

Until Finn Mac Cumhaill arrives. Finn's a bit on the unearthly beautiful side himself. He has a killer accent and a knee-weakening smile. And either he's crazy or he's been haunting Abby's dreams, because he's talking about goblins, too . . . and about being The Mac Cumhaill, born to fight all goblin-kind. Finn knows a thing or two about fighting. Which is a very good thing, because this time, Abby's right. The goblins are coming.

Review:

Tyger, Tyger, the debut novel in Kersten Hamilton’s Goblin Wars series, is a must read. A highly action packed adventure perfectly mixed with the fantastical world of Irish mythology. However, when I started reading this book I was under the misconception that I already knew exactly what to expect. It would be geared towards male preteens with a lack of any real depth relying instead on its sense of adventure to capture its audience. Simply put, it would be all fluff and no substance and I was delighted to realize how wrong I was!

While outwardly this novel appears like many other teen fantasy reads it couldn’t be further from the truth. In honesty, I believe it’s the use of the word ‘goblins’ in the series title that’s so misleading. I mean goblins are for kids, right? Wrong! The goblins of this tale are in actuality dark fae, vile and evil creatures to their core, with roots deep in Irish mythology and folklore. But, it’s not just the legends and myths that ensnare the reader. The characters themselves-the descendants of such Irish legends such as Maeve (Queen Mab’s sister), Merlin and Fionn, carve for themselves a new place in our ideology. It was interesting to see the tales twisted into a modern day folktale and I loved the precision and intricacy the author went to explaining the old tales in a very accessable and understandable way while not bogging down the story or making the characters seem larger then life. Instead, she keeps them humble and likeable and essentially human allowing them to have their moments of vulnerability and weakness..

From the onset I was intrigued by the characters of this story. Because the author starts off with a well written introduction to the Wylltson family and Finn before the action truly starts, we come to care about them and become subject to a wide range of emotions throughout the book that they endure-drama, romance, suspense…and yes, lots of action! But, even with the fantastical nature of the book, it still maintains a high level of dialogue and keeps its strength throughout with a pace that is quick and suspenseful. The characters all remain pure of spirit, not letting themselves be drawn into long bouts of depression like so many other characters would. It gives a hopeful feel to the novel that was appealing, making me love the story (and characters) even more.

To offset the action of the novel, the realtionship between Finn and Teagan is potent and fascinating. It’s a sweet romance that’s a little cliché but no less endearing. Teagan, the good girl, falls for Finn the bad boy who hides a heroic streak. But, like most heroes, he feels he can’t involve someone in his life knowing the danger that being around him will bring. However, it’s not just the romantic entanglements of the story that steal the heart. It’s the overall sense of family and companionship that is evident through the novel, starting with Teagan’s family and Finn’s acceptance into it without question and ending with a dangerous adventure into another realm to locate Teagan’s kidnapped father. While the ending has a sense of resolve to it, we are still left wanting more of the relationships to see how they evolve given the information that they found while in Mag Mell, the fae/goblin realm.

Overall, this novel is a truly fantastic read that is highly enjoyable and exciting, perfect for older fans of the genre and those that like novels steeped in mythology. I for one will be eagerly anticipating the 2011 release of the next novel in the Goblin Wars series, Burning Bright.

My Rating: 5 out of 5 Scars

October 22, 2010

Mail Call Friday

Mail Call is where I post all the books I either recieved or bought throughout the week so you can see what I'm reading. So, what did you get this week?

Recieved via RT Book Reviews Giveaway

Firelight by Sophie JordanThe Clockwork Angel by Cassandra ClareReturn to Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Infinite Days by Rebecca MaizelThe DUFF by Kody KeplingerConfessions of the Sullivan Sisters by Natalie Standiford

October 21, 2010

Review: Always a Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

Always a Witch
Author: Carolyn MacCullough
Publisher: Clarion
Series: Witch, Book 2
ISBN: 9780547224855
Publication Date: August 1, 2011
Pre-Orfer Information:
Amazon | The Book Depository

*ARC generously provided by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

For more information please visit Carolyn MacCullough's website.

The adventures of Tam and Gabriel continue with more time travel, Talents, spy work, and of course, the evil Knights.

Since the gripping conclusion of Once A Witch, Tamsin Greene has been haunted by her grandmother's prophecy that she will soon be forced to make a crucial decision—one so terrible that it could harm her family forever. When she discovers that her enemy, Alistair Knight, went back in time to Victorian-era New York in order to destroy her family, Tamsin is forced to follow him into the past. Stranded all alone in the nineteenth century, Tamsin soon finds herself disguised as a lady's maid in the terrifying mansion of the evil Knight family, avoiding the watchful eye of the vicious matron, La Spider, and fending off the advances of Liam Knight. As time runs out, both families square off in a thrilling display of magic. And to her horror, Tamsin finally understands the nature of her fateful choice.

Review:

This is the second novel in MacCullough’s Witch series featuring Tamsin Greene and is a fun book filled with action, suspense and some extremely lovable characters. While this novel doesn’t add a lot of depth the magical world it creates, we are instead drawn to the characters.

From the first moment I was drawn to Tamsin, a witch who has gone most of her life not knowing that she had a Talent or magical power. She is feisty with a sarcastic wit, often speaking before thinking, but she is also extremely giving. It is obvious that she loves her family and would do anything to protect those she cares for as seen by putting herself in danger repeatedly in the family’s past to preserve their futures. Her family is also quite endearing. They are eccentric and add a nice levity to the first few chapters of the novel showing us why Tamsin would be willing to protect them so vigorously. We are also introduced to Gabriel, her boyfriend, who is able to Travel in time and locate whatever he is looking for. He captures the heart early on in his devotedness towards Tamsin and his desire to be by her side through whatever peril she finds herself in.

Alternately, the villains of the story are no less well written or interesting. Instead we are shown behind otherwise closed doors seeing the family as they are in their varying degrees of wickedness. We see the charm of Liam, the love of Jessica and the pure loathsomeness of La Spider. We also see the sacrifices they make towards one another, most evident in Alistair giving up his talents to further Liam’s experiments into blood magic. This is to allow his family to overtake the Greenes before they can bind their magic.

The story itself is well written mixing past and present effortlessly. While not overtaking the novel with descriptions on the New York of another century we are still made to feel the era through the language and settings of the novel. Also the pace of the story has a nice cadence integrating action and suspense as well as drama keeping the reader wanting to know more and pushing through the chapters. I was extremely impressed at the flow of the novel as well. Often first person point of views become hindered in hashing all the little details, but this author did a marvelous job at giving just enough of the characters thoughts and emotions without bogging down the story in pointless details.

While the characterization and plot of the novel were wonderful, I was most captured by the themes running throughout of family. All the families, good and evil, are close knit and work together to achieve their goals regardless of the morality of them. For me, this was the most captivating piece of the story, the sacrifices that we make for those we love and I feel this it is a wonderful theme for teens and readers of all ages. We often take our families for granted too often, especially in our youth while trying to find our independence. But, the main character Tamsin is able to create her identity despite feeling like an outcast within her family and yet still be a close member of it loving and being loved in return.

Overall, for me this was a nice story that kept me interested. However, if you haven’t read the first novel in the series as I hadn’t, it is a little tough sorting out past events and getting a grip on the aspect of Travel and the feud between the two families. I highly suggest reading the first novel Once a Witch to make reading this one a bit simpler. If it is anything like this one, you won’t be disappointed.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Scars

October 20, 2010

Want It Wednesday [1]

I saw this over at Rex Robot Reviews and I really loved the idea especially considering my wishlist is massive and never ending. During Want It Wednesdays I will post three books off of my wishlist. Feel free to post comments, your thoughts or any recommendations you have!



Blood Trinity
by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love

Atlanta has become the battlefield between human and demon. All her life, Evalle has walked the line between the two. Her origins unknown, she’s on a quest to learn more about her past and her future.

But when a demon claims a human and there’s no one else to blame, Evalle comes under fire. It’s no longer a question of learning about herself, it’s a question of survival. Through the underground of an alternate Atlanta where nothing is as it seems to the battleground of where her VIPER allies have become the force that is now hunting her, Evalle must prove her innocence or pay the ultimate price.
But proving her innocence is the least of her problems if she doesn’t stop the coming apocalypse. The clock is ticking and it’s about to become a lot hotter in Atlanta.
 
 
 
Street Magic (Black London #1)
by Caitlin Kitteridge
 
Her name is Pete Caldecott. She was just sixteen when she met Jack Winter, a gorgeous, larger-than-life  mage who thrilled her with his witchcraft. Then a spirit Jack summoned killed him before Pete’s eyes—or so she thought. Now a detective, Pete is investigating the case of a young girl kidnapped from the streets of London. A tipster’s chilling prediction has led police directly to the child…but when Pete meets the informant, she’s shocked to learn he is none other than Jack. Strung out on heroin, Jack a shadow of his former self.  But he’s able to tell Pete exactly where Bridget’s kidnappers are hiding: in the supernatural shadow-world of the fey.  Even though she’s spent years disavowing the supernatural, Pete follows Jack into the invisible fey underworld, where she hopes to discover the truth about what happened to Bridget—and what happened to Jack on that dark day so long ago…
 
 
 
I Am Number Four (Lorien Legacies #1)
by Pittacus Lore
 
Nine of us came here. We look like you. We talk like you. We live among you. But we are not you. We can do things you dream of doing. We have powers you dream of having. We are stronger and faster than anything you have ever seen. We are the superheroes you worship in movies and comic books—but we are real.
Our plan was to grow, and train, and become strong, and become one, and fight them. But they found us and started hunting us first. Now all of us are running. Spending our lives in shadows, in places where no one would look, blending in. we have lived among you without you knowing.
But they know.
They caught Number One in Malaysia.

Number Two in England.

And Number Three in Kenya.

They killed them all.
I am Number Four.
I am next.

Review: The Coffin Club by Ellen Schreiber

The Coffin Club
Author: Ellen Schreiber
Publisher: Harper Collins Books
Series: Vampire Kisses, Book 5
ISBN: 9780061288845
Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | Indiebound

For more information visit Ellen Schreiber's website.


There's a hot new underground club in town . . . but membership lasts an eternity.


It's summer break, and Raven knows she should stay put in Dullsville until her immortal love returns. But when she decides to go after Alexander, she can't resist a visit to her favorite Goth-spot, The Coffin Club. Sneaking inside, Raven is shocked to discover a secret door that leads to the entrance of another hidden club. There's something peculiar about this cryptic hangout—and it's too enticing for Raven to resist. Soon a dangerous battle for the club's rule erupts between Alexander's old nemesis and a mysterious new guy. Can Raven avoid the clash before her curiosity lands her in serious trouble?

Review:

This is the fifth novel in the popular Vampire Kisses series by Ellen Schreiber. It focuses on a goth girl named Raven and her desire to become a creature of the night. When Alexander moves into the creepy mansion in her home of Dullsville all of her dreams suddenly seem possible. Overall the series is something of a gothic fairy tale where happy endings undoubtedly exist and vampires are just misunderstood. And honestly, what’s wrong with that?

In this installment, Hipsterville’s vampire night spot the Coffin Club is in turmoil. Its secret vampires-only underground club The Dungeon is filling with the undead, all worried about the growing sense of tension. It seems Jagger is up to no good once more, this time wishing to take over the town and expose the presence of his race. Using crop circles to attract more vampires, he’s amassed an army, but not all the vampires want to be exposed. It seems the Coffin Club is designated as a safe zone where they can be free to be themselves. Naturally, Raven finds solace in this underground club among people who also feel ostracized from the rest of the world and wants to help fight to keep it as it always has been, a refuge.

Even with the lingering feeling of tension in the novel the story is upbeat with lots of kitschy details making the dark and dreary world of Goths disappear, instead replacing it with strong indivualism and an unyielding desire for acceptance. Raven at the forefront, is a strong character that can be looked up to, though her over exuberance often leads her into trouble. However, it is also this over exuberance that allows her to see past stereotypes to the person beneath.

The pace was a bit slower in this novel then in previous books, but the storyline was still interesting, though I did miss the more dire adventures that held you with their mystery. There was also a lack of time with Alexander. Considering this book was all about Raven going to Hispterville to spend time with him, she spends very little in his actual presence, though we come to find he was never far.

Overall, this novel is one that you can feel secure that your child is reading. It holds some strong messages about love, tolerance and self identity and while it is a romance book there’s nothing steamier then a kiss. This is simply a fun quick read that keeps you coming back for more.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Scars

October 19, 2010

Review: The Touch of Twilight by Vicki Pettersson

The Touch of Twilight
Author: Vicki Pettersson
Publisher: EOS
Series: Signs of the Zodiac, Book 3
ISBN: 0060898933
Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | Indiebound | Powells

For more informations visti Vicki Pettersson's website.


On the surface she's a sexy, sophisticated socialite, at home among the beautiful people of the Las Vegas upper crust. But Joanna Archer inhabits another world: a place ordinary humans cannot see . . . a dangerous dimension where an eternal battle rages between the agents of Light and Shadow. And Joanna is both.


Stalked by an enigmatic doppelganger from a preternatural realm, Joanna can feel the Light failing—which is propelling her toward a terrifying confrontation with the ultimate master of evil, the dark lord of Shadow: her father.


Vegas is all about winning big . . . or losing everything. To save her friends, her future, her worlds, Joanna Archer must gamble it all by fully embracing the darkness inside her.

Review:

This story starts off with a bang. Often that would be construed as a good thing, but this time the action falls flat making it merely chaotic. Even to an avid reader of the series such as myself, I was disconcerted trying to follow the threads of action as they ricocheted off each other from one situation to the next. The fluidity, or rather the lack of, made this a hard one to get into.

Even as a fan of the series, I was also disappointed to find that it was hard to reconnect to the characters. Often, I didn’t want to. Joanna seems pettier in this novel, content to taunt those around her while not really doing much else. But, she isn’t the only character that is antagonistic. It seems that everyone is either on the giving or receiving end making them all seem childish, far from the super heroes that they are suppose to be.

The storylines even seem to reflect the attitudes of the characters, becoming worn-out and only serving to annoy. Jo’s inability to let go of her mortal love, Ben and grow as a character is tiring. She still puts him above all else, while not exactly taking care of him either making her come across as selfish in her need to cling to the last tie of who she was while not accepting truly accepting who she is. Also, the taunting between herself and Regan is a continuous loop within the story, neither really gaining any ground. This storyline only serves to play up the childish nature of them both and taking too much focus away from the main plot. It also seems to me that the action never really progress regardless of how many subplots Pettersson kept adding. Instead Joanna remains indifferent to all of them choosing to only concern her self about her past love. While true there is a lot of potential in the storylines she sets forth it just never really culminates. There is far too much fluff where the main character ruminates about her feelings towards Ben and grumbles about her situation including how she feels her team distrusts her, when to me it seems like they have ample reason if she is always focusing on her past and not the bigger picture. While this book series has always captured me with its action and unique take on the super hero genre, this addition was lacking on both fronts.

However, while I didn’t enjoy this book as much as the previous ones in her Signs of the Zodiac series, I cannot deny that she is a talented writer. At times I didn’t enjoy the actions of the characters nor their thoughts in this particular novel, but they are also well developed and encompassed a sense of tarnish about them, like old super heroes forgotten but destined to return. For that reason alone I can’t help loving the world that she has created. From the changelings and Master Comics to the Shadows and the heroes of Troop 175, this world is the epitome of Las Vegas splendor. The mythos of her super heroes is likewise impressive and a must read.
Even if though this novel was slightly disappointing I can’t help but want to see what happens next. As I mentioned before, Vicki Pettersson is an extremely talented writer capable of creating amazing worlds. My only hope is that the heroes of the Light can once again regain the grandeur they achieved in the earlier novels.

My Rating: 3.5 out 5 Scars.


Reivew: Blood of the Demon by Diana Rowland

Blood of the Demon
Author: Diana Rowland
Publisher: Bantam Dell
Series: Kara Gillian-Demon Summoner Series, Book 2
ISBN: 978-0553592368
Purchase Information:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Borders | BooksAMillion | Indiebound | Powells

For more information visit Diana Rowland's website.

Between Heaven and Hell, Man and Demon, she's about to face the one thing she may not be able to survive.

Welcome to the world of Kara Gillian, a cop with a gift. Not only does she have the power of “othersight” to see what most people can’t even imagine, but she’s become the exclusive summoner of a demon lord. Or maybe it’s the other way around. The fact is, with two troublesome cases on her docket and a handsome FBI agent under her skin, Kara needs the help of sexy, insatiable Lord Rhyzkahl more than he needs her. Because these two victims, linked by suspicious coincidence, haven’t just been murdered. Something has eaten their souls.

It’s a case with roots in the arcane, but whose evil has flowered among the rich, powerful, and corrupt in Beaulac, Louisiana. And as the killings continue, Kara soon realizes how much there’s still to learn about demons, men, and things that kill in the night—and how little time she has to learn it.

Review:

Kara Gillian’s life has settled down now that the dust has cleared from her recent disappearance. After a month long leave she’s back at work and trying hard to cope without her Aunt Tessa. But, she soon discovers the body of her coworker and fellow officer dead of apparent suicide which unleashes a fresh wave of arcane horrors.

Only she can see the mysterious rending of his essence, or life force, from his body leaving her to question if in fact he wasn’t murdered. Soon other bodies begin piling up with their essences ripped away just as unnaturally from their bodies, each escalating in its grotesque violence. Unable to fathom what creature could be capable of consuming essences Kara is once again in need of help only a demon can provide.

But, it’s not only the odd murders have her thoughts buzzing. It would appear her aunt applied a thick layer of the deadly wards to protect her library where she keeps all of her books on the arcane, a room where Kara is certain the answers to how to return her aunt’s missing essence as well as clues to what could be doing this new round of killings. Unable to open the wards, she invokes the help of a reyza demon, but when the wards come down all hell begins breaking loose in the city as mysterious creatures begin showing up seemingly stalking her, or is it Agent Ryan Kristoff htat's being stalked?

Anxiously looking for answers she seeks the council of Lord Rhyzkahl who comes with his own price-be his personal summoner.

In this second novel in the Kara Gillian--Demon Summoner series by Diana Rowland, we are once again catapulted into the world of the arcane. But, it’s not the overly supernatural world of other series. This one pulses with the mundane reality as we know it with a slight tinge of the paranormal, where demons are able to summoned to offer aid and knowledge by those proficient at shaping and controlling essence. Though demon is contextually synonymous with Hell, these creatures aren’t evil…exactly. But, neither are they good. They are restrained by a strict honor system, but in this novel we are shown how flexible that system is by Kehlirik, a reyza demon Kara has summoned in the past. While he doesn’t exactly betray her, he also doesn’t take it upon himself to mention a dangerous mushy portal in the library she has asked him to un-ward, a portal that would give him honor and prestige in his own realm. It was something of an eye opening experience, both to her and the reader, to finally see the mercenary aloofness of a demon we were beginning to consider an ally and friend and it leaves you to consider the creatures that are being dealt with. While not exactly brimming in good will towards them, I still really enjoyed the addition of the lesser demons in this book. It added another layer to the story by portraying demons in a less hellish light that was both interesting and refreshing leaving me hoping for even more summonings in the next installment to learn more about them.

The character progression is once again superb in this novel. With lot of emotional snags causing chaos within the characters lives. It gives the sense of believability to them as if the characters could literally step from the pages. While the angst of Kara’s relationship with Ryan is still ongoing and ambiguous in nature it adds yet more suspense to an already suspenseful detective mystery. But, to Kara and the reader, he still carries a big question mark over his head. We are given few clues to what he is or why he is known in the demon realm, but we definitely know that he is more then he appears. Something hinted at by Rhyzkahl on more then one occasion. But, along with these stalwart characters, we are introduced to more of the people surrounding Kara, people she didn’t even realize she could count as friends. Jill returns this time to discover Kara’s secret and Zack also brings some surprises of his own. All are instantly likable and three dimensional without having to be truly indoctrinated into who they are or what their histories are. I was left with the impression of knowing them while still being intrigued by all that I don’t know.

However, while I loved most of the aspects of this novel, this mystery is a little more chaotic then Rowland’s debut novel of the series. The characters are easily confused as we don’t have much knowledge of them and we never really meet many of them. Essentially they are figureheads of the community with the label ‘suspect’ attached to them and most end up with their essences devoured viciously anyway. But, the mystery itself is still tangled and delightfully surprising even without being able to immediately identify suspect A from suspect B.

Despite what little trouble I had with the book, Rowland delivers a true page turner that utilizes urban fantasy with a whopper of a police procedural. Filled with twists and turns on every front even the ending will have you begging for more.

My Rating: 4 out of 5 Scars.


Advisory: This book contains some sexual situations