Book Review: Hunter's Mark by VS Morgan

Artist Casey Smith lives a quiet life, under the radar of his enemies, until one fateful night he loses control and the astonishing image of a wolf racing down a suburban street splashes all over social media.

Hunter’s bullet never misses its target. The assassin seeks out and kills his prey with a clear conscience by following two simple rules: 1) Don’t kill innocents. 2) Don’t kill shifters.

Realizing his latest assignment violates those rules, the hunter activates Princess Protocol and the assassin becomes the protector. Red hot attraction flares between the hit man and his former target. Can Hunter resist the sweet shifter in his care?

This is one of those books where I just want to write: THIS BOOK. MUCH GOOD. GO BUY.

But, as I'm being reminded yet again, that doesn't constitute a book review. So. Here's my review:

Hunter's Mark is the first of the Beyond Fairytales I've actually had a chance to read, and I was definitely not disapointed. I'm amazed by the creativity the authors display in adapting their fairytales into romances and what they do with their stories. This is one that stayed with me long after I hit The End.  

I'm madly in love with Hunter. I feel like I need to put that at the forefront. He's tough, he's sexy, capable, and has such a glorious way with Casey that is kind of difficult to put into words. He's gentle without being mushy, and kind without losing his hard edge. It's obvious he'll do whatever it takes to keep Casey safe. Meanwhile Casey is working through his own issues with being a shifter without a pack and what being with Hunter means for him. The dynamic works quite well and I think VS pulled off something that could've been a little tricky. 

Also, I need to take a moment to appreciate Rex, Hunter's friend and packmate. Rex is awesome and I need his snarky butt. >>

Fans of fairytale happy endings full of awesome men, this one is for you.

Available at:

Decadent Publishing | Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Review: Restless in Peaceville - Pippa Jay

Welcome to Peaceville, population 2067 and rising...from the grave... 

Luke Chester has had enough. He’s the school geek, the girls laugh at him, he’s lost his dead-end job at the pizza place, and in the midst of the world’s messiest divorce his parents don’t even know he exists. An overdose of his mom’s tranquilizers and a stomach full of whiskey should solve all his problems... 

But they don’t. Instead, Luke finds himself booted out of the afterlife for not dying a natural death, with nowhere to go but back to his recently vacated corpse and reality. How the hell is he going to pass for one of the living without someone trying to blow his brains out for being one of the undead? 

And it just gets worse. He’s got to fight his own desperate craving to consume the living, evade the weird supernatural hunter who’s having a field day with the new undeads rising, and there’s this creepy black shadow following him around. Add to that the distraction of female fellow undead Annabelle burning to avenge her own murder, and clearly there’s no rest for the wicked. Jeez, all he wanted to do was R.I.P

Available at:

Amazon

Review:

For someone who doesn't like zombies, Pippa has breathed a little bit of life (sorry, couldn't resist) into the genre with her take on why zombies come back from the dead. She introduces us to Luke Chester standing in line for his afterlife. When the demon in charge of eternity gets to him, Luke learns he's not "on the list" because he died before his time. The demon tells him to scoot, so he does--back into his dead body, which is conveniently located in the morgue. Um, yeah. Holy crap. It's from this jumping point that we get to play in the Louisiana bayou with all the ghosts and ghoulies the place is known for, plus a gentleman known only as the Peacekeeper.

Peaceville is a novella, and I feel like its length is perfect for the story, even though I reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally wanted more of the atmosphere and world (and that demon! The imagery is just too amusing). Within the pages, she creates this crazy mythology that seems like it'd fit in well with the lore we already know and love. I really liked Luke. He's a doer and he doesn't take too well to being a shambling corpse. He befriends a fellow morgue-inhabitant-turned-second-lifer Annabelle and an unlikely romance blossoms between the two. I really, really want more of this world. MOAR.

Are you reading, Pippa? MOAR.

Do yourself a favor and nab this one. You can probably read it in a day and it's totally worth it.

Welcome to Adelheid Tour - Cameron's Law review

I'm happy to be a part of the Welcome to Adelheid tour, featuring Mia Darien's Adelheid series. Take a few to read the review and check out the other books in Darien's paranormal/urban fantasy lineup. 

Vampires are people, too
Cameron's Law has made all supernatural creatures legal citizens, and the boy next door has suddenly become the werewolf next door. With Sadie Stanton, vampire and one of the public faces of the legislation, calling the little town of Adelheid, Connecticut home, it can't help but be a focal point for these once mythical beings.

But when vampires start attacking werewolves without provocation, Adelheid draws the attention of those that would seek to have Cameron's Law repealed and would send the preternaturals back into the shadows they used to hide in, but without the safety of their anonymity and their law.

Can Sadie keep the city's two biggest species from descending into chaos and war before it brings all of them to harm? And can she do it when she herself gets thrust into the spotlight?

Review:

Book one in Mia Darien's Adelheid Series introduces us to vampire Sadie Stanton, who runs a business with the sister of her former lover Cameron St. John, for whom the law granting citizenship to all paranormal creatures was named. Together, Sadie and werewolf Madison try to help their paranormal brethren settle into a more normal life, and they’ve done a good job of it so far. However, once vampires start attacking werewolves for no reason, the pair gets caught up in the twisted politics behind the situation.

Though Cameron’s Law is a quick read, it’s a good one. Sadie’s sarcasm and wit are pretty refreshing and add a humorous slant to a less-than-funny situation, keeping it from getting overwhelmingly dark. She has plenty of quips that made me snort or laugh out loud. And a couple that required sharing with friends via Skype. By herself, Sadie’s fun to read, but coupled with Madison, her best friend-slash-little sister, she tends to be pretty hysterical.

My favorite aspect of this book is Sadie’s relationship with Madison. They make a great team, and they also have a great relationship, which is a switch considering Sadie is a vampire and Madison a werewolf. The plays on mythology and mythological prejudices make this book that much better. Darien doesn’t stick to what we’ve all seen in movies like Underworld or read in various paranormal/urban fantasy books. She breaks convention just enough to keep it interesting.

The only thing about the book that threw me a little was Sadie’s budding relationship with Detective Vance Johnston, a shifter whom we never see shift. To me, the relationship didn’t add a lot to the book (minus one pretty hilarious scene and Madison’s teasing). I understand its purpose, and thankfully the romance doesn’t hijack the plot, but it seemed a little arbitrary.

Overall, Cameron’s Law is a great read and one that readers of urban fantasy will definitely enjoy.

Follow the link to the giveaway!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/share-code/ZmY2YTRmMWY3Mjc5Y2EzMGNkNjRiZDc0MmI2ODFmOjEz/

Or do it the easy way and purchase Cameron's Law at:

Smashwords
Amazon
Barnes & Noble
CreateSpace/Print
Audible/Audiobook

Other books in the Adelheid series include:

Forever is a long time.

The life of a hunter is a lonely one. Perhaps more for Dakota than others in her line of work. Not only is she better than anyone else at chasing down the things that go bump in the night, but her past chases her with the same tenacity.

She's built walls around her solitary existence and that's the way she likes it, but the past never sleeps. When she's hired to hunt an ex-lover for murder, it's just the first in a string of memories that will bring Dakota's past, present and future into a collision course.

And when she agrees to take on a second case and hunt down an Ancient, a vampire over one thousand years old, it unleashes circumstances onto that collision that will shake the foundation of everything she's built and force her, for the first time in a long while, to look to others.

Can she survive it, like she's survived these past four centuries? Or will the weight of it all finally crush her?

Smashwords |Amazon | Barnes & Noble | CreateSpace/Print

_________________________________________________________________________________

Sometimes, life doesn’t begin until after you’re dead.

Days stretch out in a series of predictable steps. A to B to C to A. Work. Friends. Life. But for some people, it’s not enough. It’s not enough for D. Possessed of a ravenous hunger for more, he’s at a loss for how to find it.

Until he meets Cielle. She’s everything he’s looking for: new and exciting.

And a vampire, which he’s less crazy about.

But when “new and exciting” Turns him, D is forced into an undead life he never anticipated. Trying to adjust to this new existence is hard enough, but he’s about to get more than he ever bargained for.

Will it be enough to sate his hunger?

Smashwords | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | CreateSpace/Print

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One word can change the story of your life forever.

Abduction. Torture. Surrender.

Eleven months from her adolescence have framed thirty-one years of Detective Nykk Marlowe’s life. Despite the trauma of her past, and the unique physical scars it left her with, she’s built a career as a detective for the Adelheid Police Department.

Her personal life might only consist of caring for her sister and a pet rabbit, but she accepts that.

She accepts that she’ll never be able to be like “normal” people, even the supernatural ones. As long as she can keep the past where it belongs, she’s okay.

But when the body of a teenage girl shows up with the same scars that Nykk sees in the mirror every day, her “okay” life gets turned upside down and she’s forced to confront the past she’s been looking away from for sixteen years.

And when it turns out there’s already more than one victim, the pressure’s on to stop the killer before any more girls are tortured, mutilated, and murdered.

Smashwords | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | CreateSpace/Print 

_________________________________________________________________________________

About the author:

Mia Darien is an indie author of speculative fiction, and a New England Yankee transplanted into Alabama clay. No matter her geography, she continues to stubbornly and rebelliously live the life of her choosing along with her family and pets. She doesn’t miss the snow.

Find Mia at:

Website: http://www.miadarien.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/author.miadarien
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/MiaDarien
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/mia_darien

Review: Gethyon by Pippa Jay

His father died. His mother abandoned him. In the depths of space, darkness seeks him.


Abandoned by his mother after his father’s death, Gethyon Rees feels at odds with his world and longs to travel the stars. But discovering he has the power to do so leaves him scarred for life. Worse, it alerts the Siah-dhu—a dark entity that seeks his kind for their special abilities—to his existence, and sets a bounty hunter on his trail.

When those same alien powers lead Gethyon to commit a terrible act, they also aid his escape. Marooned on the sea-world of Ulto Marinos, Gethyon and his twin sister must work off their debt to the Seagrafter captain who rescued them while Gethyon puzzles over their transportation. How has he done this? And what more is he capable of?

Before he can learn any answers, the Wardens arrive to arrest him for his crime. Can his powers save him now? And where will he end up next?

I love that I can always trust Pippa Jay for a kick-ass science fiction experience, and Gethyon doesn’t disappoint. The book takes place before Keir (which I loved), and tells the story of Gethyon, son of Quin, who is one of my favorite heroines period. Like Quin, Gethyon has the ability to open gateways that allow him to travel through both space and time. Unlike Quin, Geth can open these gateways at will.

One of my favorite parts of Gethyon is the mass amount of world-building that Jay has put into this story. Each world Geth travels to is completely unlike the last one. There are no repeated landscapes or similar descriptions—every planet is fresh and unique.

I particularly enjoyed the time-bending Geth ends up doing. The concept is amazing and something I hope Jay pursues in subsequent works. I also hope to see a point when Gethyon, Quin, and Keir are together. They’d make an interesting little family…

Speaking of family, I really loved the dynamic between Gethyon, his twin sister and his grampa. Jay did a great job of painting Geth as the misunderstood outsider. He has a little spark of Annakin Skywalker—and I did wonder if he’d go to the “dark side” a few times—but manages to redeem himself. Each of them is a complex character, flawed and as human as the person sitting next to you. Gethyon is not a long book, so this is definitely evocative of Jay’s skill.

 And we have to talk about the villain—the Siah-dhu, the creepiest freaking thing I’ve read about in a long time. It’s just a big hulking darkness that’s been trailing Quin for years, and now it’s after Geth. His first real encounter with this thing? CREEPY. The hairs on my arms stood up. No joke.

Pippa Jay is an incredibly talented writer and knows her way around the many worlds science fiction can create, but she still manages to make them accessible. Gethyon is a fast-paced, exciting read with characters you'll grow to care about. 

Review: If You Find Me by Emily Murdoch

There are some things you can’t leave behind…

A broken-down camper hidden deep in a national forest is the only home fifteen year-old Carey can remember. The trees keep guard over her threadbare existence, with the one bright spot being Carey’s younger sister, Jenessa, who depends on Carey for her very survival. All they have is each other, as their mentally ill mother comes and goes with greater frequency. Until that one fateful day their mother disappears for good, and two strangers arrive. Suddenly, the girls are taken from the woods and thrust into a bright and perplexing new world of high school, clothes and boys.

Now, Carey must face the truth of why her mother abducted her ten years ago, while haunted by a past that won’t let her go… a dark past that hides many a secret, including the reason Jenessa hasn’t spoken a word in over a year. Carey knows she must keep her sister close, and her secrets even closer, or risk watching her new life come crashing down.

*I received an ARC from the author. The book will be available from St. Martin's Press on March 26, 2013.*

I'm not sure I can do this book justice. I honestly don't know. I basically cried from the first few pages and didn't stop until I closed the book. Granted, sister stories rip out my heart anyway, but this one... Holy crap, this one.

Easily one of the most heart-wrenchingly beautiful books I've EVER read, If You Find Me grabs you at page 1 and doesn't let go. We join Carey and Janessa on a journey of acceptance and self-discovery that will pull your heart in all kinds of directions. It's truly a joy to share Carey's ups and devastating to experience her lows, but the book gives Carey, and us, an opportunity to find inner-strength. She has to deal with so much so quickly--meeting the father she hasn't seen since she was younger than Janessa, trying to distinguish the lies her mother told her from the the truth her father tries to help her understand, a step-sister who fears being the laughingstock of school because of Carey's presence in her classes, and the boy she grew up with who hoped and prayed she'd come back. For a girl overwhelmed at the gestures of clean, store-bought clothes, Carey handles everything with a dignity and grace that only being Janessa's caretaker in an RV in the middle of a national park forest could provide her. Her strength is truly astounding, and her selflessness is overwhelming. She truly had to grow up ahead of her time.

Murdoch ends the book on a purposeful cliffhanger. Not one that makes you wish and pray for a second book (though I certainly would not argue if we got a sequel), but one that makes you think. Really, it ends at the perfect place--Carey has finally come to terms with basically her entire life now. She almost has this zen moment after she confesses the mystery of the "White Star Night" that she mentions here and there throughout the story. It was a strange feeling of completion for me as a reader, almost like letting out a breath that was held for too long.

If You Find Me is not for everyone. It is a hard, sometimes brutal, read. However, if you're willing to put in the emotional effort (and full box of tissues) I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this book.

Check out If You Find Me at Goodreads.

Available at:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble

Review: The Siren - Tiffany Reisz

Notorious Nora Sutherlin is famous for her delicious works of erotica, each one more popular with readers than the last. But her latest manuscript is different—more serious, more personal—and she's sure it'll be her breakout book...if it ever sees the light of day.

Zachary Easton holds Nora's fate in his well-manicured hands. The demanding British editor agrees to handle the book on one condition: he wants complete control. Nora must rewrite the entire novel to his exacting standards—in six weeks—or it's no deal.

Nora's grueling writing sessions with Zach are draining…and shockingly arousing. And a dangerous former lover has her wondering which is more torturous—staying away from him...or returning to his bed?

Nora thought she knew everything about being pushed to your limits. But in a world where passion is pain, nothing is ever that simple.

This book. This book is the reason I didn't go to bed until 8AM a couple of weeks ago. 

This book is many things. It is brutal and heart-wrenching, beautiful and jarring, surprising and full of wit. One thing it isn't: put-downable. 

I started reading The Siren with the intent of reading a couple of chapters and calling it a night. But two chapters quickly became half the book, and I continued reading with the expectation of finding a "stopping point." And I did--at the end of the book. 

What Tiffany has done, and what I think is the most amazing thing about this book, is this: she's written a seriously hot book with a soul. The Siren is two parts philosophy, one part religious treatise (for both BDSM and the Catholicism that is so present throughout the book), one part love story, and one part kink. Nora's Catholicism is incredibly important to her, both for her faith and for her relationship with priest Soren, arguably one of the most complex characters I have ever read (and yet somehow Soren is so realistic he might be listening to your next confession). He's both a major character and a philosophy all his own that is the undercurrent of the entire story and affects each character's relationship web. 

Nora is an amazing character all her own. Confident and conflicted, playful and sensitive, beautiful Domme Nora is leading two lives that she prefers to keep separate. For most people, work is work and play is play, but for Nora, play is work and work is play. When her new editor, high-strung Zachary Easton, finally makes her acquaintance, the stuffy Brit isn't prepared for Nora's straightforwardness, eagerness (for both work and extra-curriculars), or thirst for life. Their relationship blooms into an almost-torrid affair of sorts and culminates in an incredibly delicious, emotional, and evocative scene. Nora sometimes plays the role of psychologist, using her particular skill set and her intuition to give her clients what they need more than what they want. There's a scene that sticks with me--the Michael scene--because it showcases just how good Nora is at her job and at reading people. It was one of the most moving scenes in the book for me (subject matter notwithstanding), and I'm sure I'm not the only one who feels that way.

Also, Chapter 10. Nora and Zach meet in a Catholic church, and they have one of the most mind-blowing exchanges I've ever read outside St. Thomas Aquinas and Plato. It's powerful, moving, and stirring, and I found myself contemplating that scene throughout the rest of the book.

I could ramble all damn day about what I love and feel about this book. The depth, the dichotomies, the beautiful prose, the plot, all are incredible. Sadly, this rambling "review" has barely touched the book itself. I have difficulty putting into words (bad for a writer) the spell The Siren cast on me.


Obviously, this book isn't for the faint of heart. If erotica and/or BDSM isn't your thing...shit. Get out of your comfort zone and read it anyway ;) 

Review: Keir - Pippa Jay Green

Outcast. Cursed. Dying. Is Keir beyond redemption?

For Keirlan de Corizi--the legendary 'Blue Demon' of Adalucien--death seems the only escape from a world where his discolored skin marks him as an oddity and condemns him to life as a pariah. But salvation comes in an unexpected guise: Tarquin Secker, a young woman who can travel the stars with a wave of her hand. 

But Quin has secrets of her own. She's spent eternity searching through space and time with a strange band of companions at her back. Defying her friends' counsel, Quin risks her apparent immortality to save Keir. She offers him sanctuary and a new life on her home world, Lyagnius. 

When Keir mistakenly unleashes his dormant alien powers and earns instant exile from Quin's home world, will she risk everything to stand by him again?


Number one, Is that cover not seriously hawt? All right, moving on to an actual review. *Glances at cover one more time.* 

OK, I think I'm ready now. I. Loved. This. Loved it. It's some of the best science fiction I've read in a while, with two incredibly different main characters who discover that they're not so different after all.

Yes, there are alien races, yes there are other planets, but deep down, what I love most about this book is that it's a book about people.

Keir has been ostracized his entire life because of his blue skin. Otherwise seemingly normal, Keir has been forced to hide in the shadows, scavenge for food, and fend off attackers since a young age. As a result, he's incredibly distrusting. When he first meets Quin, he's being held in a storage room, a beaten and battered prisoner. The pair manages to escape, leading them down a road where Keir finds not only acceptance, but a deep, abiding love.

Of course, that's not all, and you're gonna have to read the book to find out. The world(s) Pippa creates are wonderfully done, each having its own customs, lore, and geology. Nothing felt...contrived, or too difficult to understand, if that makes any sense. Each world the characters travel to feels like it could exist somewhere, and the different alien races are fleshed out with their own political issues, customs, etc. 

At its heart, Keir is a story of love and redemption for both Keir and Quin, two incredibly broken people who find healing with one another. Though Keir has suffered the most physically and mentally, Quin has suffered emotionally. Immortal after the destruction of her world, Quin has traveled the stars searching for the being responsible for destroying everything and everyone she loved. She's loved and lost along the way, and each loss has left its scar. Once she starts falling for her Smurfin companion, she wonders if he could ever love her, but buries her feelings. The middle of the book is when their love story truly starts, and it's pretty amazing to read. I laughed and cried with both as they found their ways to each other. 

And just FYI, the last 20 pages or so nearly scarred me. I was almost bawling.

Pippa Jay's Keir is most definitely a fantastic science fiction read (admittedly, I read it all in one day). It's also a fantastic read that happens to be science fiction. I would recommend this heavily.

Check out Keir at:

Goodreads

Barnes and Noble

Amazon

Review - Undercover Lovers

My apologies to the meta-talented Dee Carney who gave me this FOR.EVER. ago to review. When I got it, I had no idea how e-anything worked (except email, considering that's how I got the book), but now that I'm armed and dangerous with my Nook, it's on like Donkey Kong, peeps.

BTW, is this cover not the most adorable thing ever?

Undercover Lovers is a collection of four erotic romance stories with the same theme: at least one person in the relationship is undercover,and not just cops. I'll explain as I go through each story.

There is some heat in each of these stories. So those of you who like fade-to-black sex should probably steer clear. Or just skip over the naughty bits, because the collection holds quite a bit of heart and romance as well. One other thing these stories have in common is their collective ability to make you care deeply about the characters in such a short amount of time.

Dee's story, Consumed, speaks to the foodie in me. Food critic (best job ever, besides author, astronaut, and video game designer) Saffron Burton is posing as a customer in famous chef August Jaeger's high-profile restaurant. She knows that if August discovers her true occupation, he'll never give her the information she wants. But she gets more than she bargains for. August is instantly taken with the young woman, so much so that he invites her back to his home, and I guess you can get where it goes from there. However, Saffron knows she has to tell him, and in one of those horribly gut-wrenching moments, she tells August everything. Honestly, I was heartbroken for them both. When Saffron's article comes out, she returns to August's restaurant, and they reconcile FTW.

What I love about this story is A) there's food involved (and really REALLY delicious-sounding food) and B) there's a LOT of insecurity on Saffron's part. She's obviously striking to get August's attention, but she doesn't necessarily feel that way about herself. Once she and August get together, though, her insecurities seem to fade away, and in the end she becomes a much more confident woman. It's not all about the sex. It's about personal growth, too.

Conned by Chloe Cole is probably the most sensual of the four. Biology professor Tucker Lamb (I love the name Tucker; it makes me giggle) has the hots for human sexuality professor Cricket Malloy. And I mean, why not? She's gorgeous, she's open, and best of all, she's available. But Cricket's into bad boys, and Tucker seems totally harmless, right? Except, he's not. At all. Tucker's family was involved in organized crime, and Tuck's been in witness protection for YEARS. Of course, he can't tell Cricket this. When he proposes an experiment on aphrodisiacs to compliment the experiments their classes will be performing together, she agrees. Tuck's just so darn cute.

Admittedly, this one got me the hottest under the collar. The experiments are...well, hot. There's blindfolding and heart rate monitors and other such fun things involved. And they show Cricket a side of Tucker she never imagined. But secrets don't stay buried forever, and thanks to Google, Cricket learns the truth about Tuck's past. Of course, they reconcile. You don't find that kind of chemistry with just anyone, but the will they/won't they was TORTUROUS.

The third story, Cari Quinn's Conquered, is a pretty damn funny story about mistaken identity and a PI desperate to prove himself. Unfortunately for shy Emma Donnegan, she looks a lot like a woman Shane Madison was paid to spy on. Well, not just any woman, but one who's suspected of being a madam. Shane goes undercover as a stripper at a club where said woman is suspected of picking her men. When he sees Emma, he thinks he's found her, and he tries to get her to pick him up, so to speak. Some hilarious banter ensues, including Emma trying so hard to be seductive and failing miserably. She frequently tells Shane he can't dance (which he knows), and they end up at his place, where she treats him to a striptease, all the way down to her granny panties. Good on you, Emma. Shane doesn't give a crap, but after they sleep together, they figure out that the other isn't who they thought they were.

My one big gripe with this one? I could not buy that Emma's friend was a chemist. She just...doesn't seem like someone who should be around potentially dangerous chemicals. That's all. I connected with Emma. We're pretty much the same person. Except for the granny panties.

Dee Tenorio's Convicted might be my favorite of the bunch, though. There's a lot of danger, and intrigue and gunfights ^_^ I like explosions with my romance, okay? Anyway, Sheriff Cade Evigan *is hot* has taken refuge at his secluded cabin for some much needed R&R. But when Trina Killian knocks on his door, covered in blood and wounds, his Marine corps medical training kicks in. Turns out the leader of one of the local biker gangs has it in for Cade, and Trina, one of the gang members--and the only convict to EVER get under Cade's skin--has betrayed them to save his life. However, Trina's been working undercover for the last two years to nail these guys on drug running charges, and her case has been blown wide open. And her cover's been blown too.

Even after Cade learns the truth, he's willing to stay by Trina. After all, she risked a LOT to save his hide, including getting beat half to death for him. When the leader of the biker gang shows up at Cade's cabin, all hell breaks loose. And. It's. Awesome. I appreciate a man who buries landmines on his property and can stitch a person back together.

Anyone who enjoys spicy romance would love this collection. If you're heading to Lori Foster's Reader Author Get Together this weekend, find Dee. She'll have paperback copies available! If not (and I'm sad for you, seriously), then get your butt over to Amazon and Barnes and Noble.

Also, check out Undercover Lovers on Goodreads.

Phew!

It's taken me this long to recover from Christmas. I wish I was kidding, but I am not.

Landra at Rise of the Slush and I have been busting our butts to ready our new review site. And it's almost complete! *Insert maniacal mad scientist laugh*

Also, I got Batman Arkham City and Assassin's Creed Revelations for Christmas, so y'all might not see me again for a while *j/k, though not really*

How was your Christmas?

Book Review: The Girl in the Steel Corset

In 1897 England, sixteen-year-old Finley Jayne has no one except the "thing" inside her. 

When a young lord tries to take advantage of Finley, she fights back. And wins. But no normal Victorian girl has a darker side that makes her capable of knocking out a full-grown man with one punch... 

Only Griffin King sees the magical darkness inside her that says she's special, says she's one of them. The orphaned duke takes her in from the gaslit streets against the wishes of his band of misfits. Emily, who has her own special abilities and an unrequited love for Sam, who is part robot; and Jasper, an American cowboy with a shadowy secret. 

Griffin's investigating a criminal called The Machinist, the mastermind behind several recent crimes by automatons. Finley thinks she can help-and finally be a part of something, finally fit in. 

But The Machinist wants to tear Griff's little company of strays apart, and it isn't long before trust is tested on all sides. At least Finley knows whose side she's on, even if it seems no one believes her.

Let it be known that this was my first real foray into the world of steampunk, and it helped CONSIDERABLY with the epic fantasy/steampunk dealie I worked on for NaNo. I kinda get it now (though I couldn't explain steampunk other than "um...you seen Wild Wild West? It's like that. Only not lame"). 

I really enjoyed this little twist on the Jekyll and Hyde story, but I didn't fall in love with it. Finley is a girl with a mad case of puberty *ok, maybe not* who has bounced from place to place because of her "affliction." She's pretty badass, but she's also afraid of herself and afraid of what she could do to others in her alternate state. When Griff and Sam find her, she's just beaten the holy bejeezus out of the jerkhole she worked for because he was getting a bit too fresh. If only we all had that power...

I actually enjoyed the subplot with Sam a little more, even though some parts were kinda obvious (like his relationship with a stranger he meets). 

At any rate, Kady Cross does a great job with bringing the steampunk elements into the story. From Emily's workshop to Sam's bionic body parts to the velocycles the group uses to zip through London's crowded streets, Cross brings to life this imaginative world where technology is just as important as character and plot, and it sometimes pushes the plot. 

But for me, even with this hugely rich world and these intriguing characters (Sam's self-loathing is particularly...well, sad), I had some trouble connecting with the story. Maybe it's because this is the first steampunk I've read and I was getting a feel for the world, but something...just kept me from really engaging with the characters, even Jasper, who is certainly crush-worthy. I think it's because I didn't have much of a stake with them. Griff's tale is difficult to grasp at certain points. There's this whole thing with the ether and whatnot that was sometimes more confusing than cool (even though it was still cool, don't get me wrong). 

I would still recommend this book, especially if you've already had experience with steampunk. The story's good, the characters are better, and the tech is just plain cool.

Book Review: Wildefire by Karsten Knight

I'm a big girl. I can admit that I HAD to have Karsten Knight's Wildefire when I first saw the cover on a website displaying upcoming YA book covers. However, when I read the blurb, I REALLY had to have the book. Polynesian volcano goddess? So. There.

I'm sure that everyone and their brother/sister/bff/third cousin twice removed has heard about this book, and if you haven't, then...I dunno. BUT if you haven't and you're reading this, you're hearing/reading about it now.

There's a reason why I have yet to find a less-than-stellar review on this book. It's just that good. Actually, it's not good. It's AWE-wait for it-SOME.


Here's the blurb from Goodreads:

Every flame begins with a spark.

Ashline Wilde is having a rough sophomore year. She’s struggling to find her place as the only Polynesian girl in school, her boyfriend just cheated on her, and now her runaway sister, Eve, has decided to barge back into her life. When Eve’s violent behavior escalates and she does the unthinkable, Ash transfers to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start at Blackwood Academy doesn’t go as planned. Just as Ash is beginning to enjoy the perks of her new school—being captain of the tennis team, a steamy romance with a hot, local park ranger—Ash discovers that a group of gods and goddesses have mysteriously enrolled at Blackwood…and she’s one of them. To make matters worse, Eve has resurfaced to haunt Ash, and she’s got some strange abilities of her own. With a war between the gods looming over campus, Ash must master the new fire smoldering within before she clashes with her sister one more time… And when warm and cold fronts collide, there’s guaranteed to be a storm.

I love a good sister vs. sister story from time-to-time. Loved The Other Boleyn Girl. Loved My Sister's Keeper (the book, didn't see the movie), even though it's not so much sister vs. sister as it is "little sister wants freedom from being her big sister's organ donor." 

What Wildefire has in common with the above stories is liberation. Mary lived within Anne's shadow her entire life. Anna was born specifically to help Kate through blood/marrow/organ transplants. Ashe has had to grow up with a psychotic sister storm goddess. Trust me, this book has drama. Not melodrama, as in "oh why must my sister vex me so with her presence when I simply want to be freeeeeeeeee?" but drama drama, as in "holy crap, my sister just electrocuted the b*tch who's been giving me a hard time. Oh, look. Eve's now throwing her off the roof. FML."

That is both the pivotal point and driving force beneath Karsten's sister vs. sister rollercoaster ride.  After above girl-electrocuting-flinging-off-roof fiasco, Ashe moves to above-mentioned school in California where she actually succeeds in having a social life. However, the normalcy doesn't last. Eve finds Ash, and Ash's past catches up with her. 

The cast of characters Karsten puts together is what makes the book so fantastic. It draws from mythology of all kinds: Polynesian, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Creole. And what amazed me as I read was that these characters seamlessly blend together to form the fabric of his story. No one seems out of place, regardless of the mythological background. They're almost like the X-men of gods and goddesses. Yeah. They're that cool. They all have their own fabulous personalities. The surfer dude in particular was my pick.

Something else I really enjoyed was the unconventional romance. Ash is pursued by a somewhat goofy park ranger named Colt with secrets of his own. Regardless of what random horrible things happen while they're together, like Ash's hand burns him (putting a new spin on "hot and heavy"), Colt sticks around for his own reasons. It's not an easy romance by any means, but hey, if a guy's willing to walk through fire *snicker* to be with you, he's a keeper.

Wildefire is fabulously paced. I was hooked from the very first sentence and didn't want to stop reading (but had to since I was on vacation and had to be all social and stuff). There were times when I'd gasp, or my breath would simply catch. Karsten's definitely one to watch, and I'm so anxious for Embers & Echoes. I need more Ash in my life.

Or just more Colt.

Book Review: Half-Blood by Jennifer Armentrout

I first met Jennifer through the Querytracker.net Forum. She's fabulous, and the more we talked about her book, the more interested I got. I actually got to beta HB for her (for all the good I'm sure it did lol), and got introduced to Miss Alex a liiiiittle bit earlier than a lot of other people. Yet, because I suck at life, I'm only now reviewing it.

In case you've been living under a rock for the last several months, here's the blurb for Half-Blood from Good Reads:

The Hematoi descend from the unions of gods and mortals, and the children of two Hematoi-pure-bloods-have godlike powers. Children of Hematoi and mortals-well, not so much. Half-bloods only have two options: become trained Sentinels who hunt and kill daimons or become servants in the homes of the pures.


Seventeen-year-old Alexandria would rather risk her life fighting than waste it scrubbing toilets, but she may end up slumming it anyway. There are several rules that students at the Covenant must follow. Alex has problems with them all, but especially rule #1:Relationships between pures and halfs are forbidden.Unfortunately, she's crushing hard on the totally hot pure-blood Aiden. But falling for Aiden isn't her biggest problem--staying alive long enough to graduate the Covenant and become a Sentinel is. If she fails in her duty, she faces a future worse than death or slavery: being turned into a daimon, and being hunted by Aiden. And that would kind of suck.



When I read HB, I was blown away. I loved Alex's sarcasm and snark, but what I appreciated more was her inner strength. She's pretty much on her own. Daimons killed her mom, and she's just out of her element. She wears her armor of sarcasm seemingly with the hope that she won't have to get close to anyone else. What good is loving someone when you could lose them at any second?

Jennifer's characters are diverse and well-rounded. You all know about my love for Aiden. He kind of made the book for me, to be honest. Kick ass heroines are a dime a dozen these days (no offense, because we love them and they're fun as hell to write), but Aidens are a little less common. The guy could probably kill someone without batting an eye, but his time with Alex makes him more vulnerable and the shell around him starts to crack.

I also LOVED Caleb, Alex's BFF and someone just full of pure awesome. Out of everyone, Caleb is actually my favorite, even above Aiden. He's always quick with a shoulder to cry on and a kind word for Alex, and out of everyone, he's the most excited to see her when she comes back. Alex can relax around him and take of her armor from time to time, and her interactions with him are some of the best in the book, at least in my opinion.I have a huge soft spot for him.

And of course, I have to mention Seth, or he will storm my blog and demand attention. Seth is bossy, he's forceful, and he will not rest until he gets what he wants. I admire that quality in him, though it's one I could never replicate in myself. I guess the difference between him and me made his scenes a lot of fun to read.

Seth is exactly the opposite of Aiden. Seth is a hurricane; Aiden is a thunderstorm. With Seth, you know exactly what you're getting. With Aiden, you can get a gentle rain with a spectacular light show or a torrential flood. The dynamic between the two has explosive potential, especially when it comes to Alex.

Weaving all these characters and their dynamics together makes for a fantabulous read. Jen's incredibly talented, and if you pass on Half-Blood, I might have to come to your house and verbally assault you. Not really, but I'll have to wonder if you're okay in the head.

Half-Blood will be available October 18th from Spencer Hill Press.

Book Review: The Strangely Beautiful Tale of Miss Percy Parker

okThe title alone is a mouthful, and I still have to Google the title sometimes (like just now). But OH MY GOD.

This one requires a preface, too. You see, I was born in the wrong era. My life, my love, my heart belongs to Gothic fiction. Poe, Mary Shelley, et al give me such a happy that sometimes I can't help myself. I have books on Jack the Ripper at home--I swear I can crack it!--and an obsession with all things dark and mysterious.

And that's where TSBTMPP fits in (an acronym isn't much shorter than the title!).

Percy Parker is a Gothic romance through and through with some terrifically paranormal aspects drawing from Greek mythology. And there's also Alexi. Sweet God, I love Alexi. But I'll get to that momentarily.

Here's a brief summary, a la me:

Percy Parker sees dead people, and sadly, she has a better relationship with them than with the living. The dead don't notice her strange appearance. She feels safer in their company. However, Percy wants an education, and Athens Academy in London is the last resort.

While there, Percy makes a discovery about her melancholy professor, Alexi, and his companions that alters her life forever. They're all a part of a prophecy given to Alexi and his friends as children, and she is the missing piece to completing the vexing puzzle.

If only they knew it...

*Spoiler-free review*

What gripped me first about this book was its heroine. I know we've been seeing in YA (and this "new adult" category) a lot of snarky, ass-kicking heroines with attitude. Ball-busters more or less. The heroine in Leah Clifford's A Touch Mortal is a great example. Percy is none of that. She's quiet, withdrawn, and doesn't look to have a speck of tough in her. Part of it's her appearance--she's albino. Yes. White hair, light eyes, light skin (think Powder). She's an outcast. The school she's attending now is her one chance at a life beyond convent walls, if only she can make the transition.

She's immediately drawn to one of her professors, Alexi Rychman (for good reason), and he to her, though he's a bit older than she. She's 18. He's almost 40. Unconventional with a capital U. Alexi is a tortured hero. Sexy, mysterious, hurting. He's gripping, too. And. I. Love. It. I'm such a sucker for a tortured soul, and he absolutely is. The prophecy given to him and his friends when they were children came from a figure known simply as the Goddess who imbued them with different gifts. She also promised her return, and Alexi has been looking for her ever since. Now, the group is a sort of paranormal Ghost Busters, dealing with angry spirits and whatnot, and also a malevolent force targeting women in Whitechapel, among other places (ahem, Jack the Ripper, ahem). Percy throws a whole 'nother layer of complexity on an already-complex situation, and the ensuing chaos is just too good to miss.

The book's style is a little unconventional as well. Written in 3rd person omniscient, we get to know what EVERYBODY'S thinking. Even the bad guys. So rather than an element of surprise, there's an element of dread following readers. Yes, we know something bad is going to happen, and we're chewing our nails off trying to figure out how the group will handle it. The head-hopping (a dreaded no-no, right?) really isn't that distracting. It's more like each character passes off the story stick to the next. You drift from character to character, which makes a much easier transition.

Also, it's written just beautifully. I felt like I was reading Mary Shelley all over again. Glorious, I tell you! Simply glorious!

As I said, this is a romance. And I've said I've become far more lenient with romance than I have been. I'm totally down with a happily ever after, because we all want one and deserve one. However, for me, this is one of the aspects where the book is a little overwritten. Not Twilight overwritten, but just...a little much for me. My tastes are sensitive, and at points it goes over the top. Especially the end. I love you, Leanna, but the whole scene made me want to skip. So, be forewarned, readers. It was much for me, but it might be perfect for you.

I give Percy 4.5/5 stars. The book is gripping, beautifully written, and throws together some of my all-time favorite aspects: the paranormal, Victorian London, Jack the Ripper, and a brooding man. That's all I need to have a happy.

Review: Spoil of War

OK. I realize I am REALLY behind in life, pretty much in general, but specifically with book reviews. I try to keep the blog balanced between writing-related stuff and reading-related stuff, but lately I've just not been feeling either of them, although I've read some fabulous books as of late. So, I'm going to try to play catch up a little bit here, starting with Phoenix Sullivan's Spoil of War.

And yes, this does tie into the interview from Tuesday. If you haven't read it, you should, ESPECIALLY if you're contemplating self-publishing. Phoenix has a lot of great insights into the process, marketing, etc. She's quite smart and a lot of fun to talk to.

Onward with the review!

I'll preface this by saying that I'm in love with all things Knights of the Round Table. I took a Middle Ages literature course, voluntarily, for Pete's sake. So when I found out Phoenix's book was a take on Arthurian legend, I was all over it. And thankfully, I was already informed of the culture because parts of this book tend to be brutal.

Here's the blurb from Amazon:

Elsbeth of Olmsbury desires nothing beyond helping her father run his dukedom - until the duke's forces are overwhelmed, his castle torched and Elsbeth seized for the invading king's personal spoil. Expecting the same abuse as the other surviving women of her house, Elsbeth instead finds the king, Leodegrance, treating her with a civility that belies his flagrant desire for her. A desire that will have her his consort in Cameliard once he can convince her rank and duty alone forced his hand against her father.

But Elsbeth is not so easily won. There is the matter of Leodegrance gifting his steward with an unwilling young handmaid from Elsbeth's household. Of his marriage of convenience to his Byzantine queen. And of his plans to subjugate more of Britain's citadels and unite the wild isle under Roman rule.

If Elsbeth can't find her tangled way to forgiveness with the king - or escape the dark designs and perverse desires of Uther Pendragon, enemy to them both - then a legend of Camelot may never be conceived, never be born, and never change history forever ...

Please note: This novel takes place in a harsh era when spoils were often treated as commodities. While the violence toward women and children is period-appropriate and for mature adults only, it is never gratuitous. The story focuses on adaptation, survival and, ultimately, love in the Dark Ages before Arthur was made king.

I'm trying not to make this review purely "I LOVED THIS BOOK" even though I did. I felt for Elsbeth, as she watches her entire life go up in flames. Her beauty proves to her downfall (which reminds me of Robin McKinley's Deerskin) when Leo chooses her to be his personal captive, if you know what I mean. Leo's treatment of Elsbeth begins as one would generally expect. She's property, pure and simple. It's the way of war, really, and even though Elsbeth had steeled herself for a day like this, she wasn't prepared for the total devastation surrounding her, and she basically goes numb, at least in my opinion. She spends a large part of the book this way as well, trying to rationalize the carnage and trying to keep hope alive that she may be to escape, or that Leo will just let her go.

As the book progresses, we start to see a change in Leo. Keep in mind, Leo is NOT--I repeat: NOT--a conventional romance hero. NOT. Nor is he meant to be. He is a king, Elsbeth is little better than cows at this point. However, Leo begins treating Elsbeth a little more humanely. She's already prized by Leo, thus earning her a place in the castle itself rather than the bailey where the rest of the captive women have been forced to live basically in squalor. And Elsbeth begins to feel the faintest hint of something like affection for her captor. He keeps her safe from his men, feeds her, ensures she's clothed. She doesn't have to worry so much, but she's become like a caged bird. She misses her freedom, and she has no qualms about letting Leo know exactly how badly she wants her freedom.

Elsbeth also develops a kinship with Leo's wife, who was barely more than spoil herself. She was given to Leo as part of an agreement with her father. Not uncommon, especially if you've seen Braveheart. So the ladies can sit and discuss the various ways their lives have changed since Leo entered their lives. Lynette is a true romantic at heart, a woman so in love with mythology that she hopes to someday find a love as strong as that in the stories she treasures. She hasn't found it with Leo, though. Leo isn't a monster, but he is a hard man, battle-hardened and full of the arrogance that comes with being a new ruler. His expectations of Lynette, most notably bearing him a son, turn her cold to him, but she feels some relief with Elsbeth's presence. Now Leo has someone else to cast his attentions on, and Lynette can be left alone.

And since everything seems to be hunky-dory, we have to throw in a wrench in the form of a hunky errant knight named Patrise, while Leo is away campaigning against the Pendragon (yes, THAT Pendragon). Oh Patrise. He's like Iago in a way. Sly, calculating, and bending people to his will. He tries to bed Elsbeth (against her will, poor thing), and when they get caught red-handed by the Queen, he tells Lynette that Elsbeth forced herself on him. Of course, a knight of such valor and blah blah blah that Lynette TOTALLY has a thing for would NEVER lie. So Lynette has no choice but to believe him over Elsbeth. Enraged? I was. Had it not been my computer at stake, I would have thrown the book. Not because this didn't feel natural but because sisterly kinship is almost always broken because of a man. But I also pitied Lynette because, as the reader, we KNOW she's going to get screwed over somehow. Patrise is just too slimy.

It doesn't take long for Patrise to ruin EVERYTHING.

Oh, readers, this is when it gets JUICY. I don't want to spoil *LOL* the rest of the book for you. Really, this is one you need to pick up for yourselves because it gets gloriously crazy toward the end.

However, I will address one of the issues I know is floating around the interwebs. As I was writing this I took a gander at Amazon to get the blurb and read a few of the reviews there. They seem to fall at either 4-5 stars or 1 star with NONE in between. This book has been described as "polarizing" and I guess it is. There are accounts of brutal rape. There is an 11-year-old who becomes the spoil of one of Leo's knights and closest friends, and she does get treated AS spoil. It's not easy. It's not easy for Elsbeth to bear, either. Regardless of the implications that rape is treated as "romance," it is not. There is nothing romantic about rape, and rape is not treated as a romantic device. This was the reality for captive women . Hell, where war's involved, it still IS the reality for captive women, and that's one of the things you as a reader need to be aware of when reading this novel. It's a historical fantasy with romantic elements, and it does give us a HEA, but it is NOT romance.

Spoil of War is more a story of survival and overcoming brutality. There is affection and what constituted love in the time period, but Elsbeth is adapting to her new life as best she can. And sometimes, that means making your bed with those you consider your enemies.

Overall, I give "Spoil" a five out of five. This book's just too damn good. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

If you're interested in purchasing the book (and you should be, darnit!), then click here!

Review: Stone Kissed

Finally starting my reviews! *Phew*

Starting with a spoiler-free review of Stone Kissed by Keri Stevens. Here's the blurb via Amazon:

When Delia Forrest talks to statues, they talk back. She is, after all, the last of the Steward witches.

After an arsonist torches her ancestral home with her estranged father still inside, Delia is forced to sell the estate to pay his medical bills. Her childhood crush, Grant Wolverton, makes a handsome offer for Steward House, vowing to return it to its former glory. Delia agrees, as long as he'll allow her to oversee the restoration.

Working so closely with Grant, Delia finds it difficult to hide her unique talent—especially when their growing passion fuels her abilities.

But someone else lusts after both her man and the raw power contained in the Steward land. Soon Delia finds herself fighting not just for Grant's love, but for both their lives...

I'm not a big romance fan, mostly because I'm a skeptic when it comes to happily ever afters. I don't know why. That's just how I'm wired. So needless to say, I don't read romance a lot. Well, didn't, I guess, because Keri's helped the conversion a little bit (and RAGT definitely helped too). 


I categorize Stone Kissed as paranormal romance. Delia's a witch. Her crazy cousin Cecily, also a witch. I looooove that Delia's ability is to talk to statues. It's her "thing" and everybody knows she talks to statues, but they don't know that the statues talk back. It's a unique trait, and one that helps Delia in her business cleaning and maintaining the Stewardville's statues. And honestly, the statues are some of my favorite characters in the entire story. They're vibrant with rich histories of their own. 


One of my favorites is the pleurant Grandmere, to whom Delia often turns for comfort. She calms Delia's frayed nerves (and after she meets Grant, her nerves stay that way), gives her advice, and gives her the mothering she needs. In some ways, the statues are more alive than the townsfolk, and that's just one of many interesting contrasts Keri draws between the living and the...well, stoned *bwahahahaha*. Sorry. This is a serious review.


Keri's built a rich history into her book. We learn a lot from Grant's interactions with Delia, from Delia's interactions in town, and from the statues Delia spends so much time with. We get a little bit of town history from the statues, some of whom have been around a lot longer than most of the people, and most of it from Delia and Grant's time at Steward House. 


We also get an intriguing love triangle of sorts: Grant, Delia, and crazy cousin Cecily (who's just so damn evil you want to hate her, but she's so good at it that you can't help liking her just a little). The scenes with Cecily are some of the best in the book, and the way she smolders for Grant is pretty seductive. I tried really hard not to like Cecily. I did, but I failed. She's freaking great, and the perfect opposition to demure, fragile Delia, who's really a lot stronger than she thinks. 


Also, Grant's pretty awesome in his own way. Fiercely determined, loyal as a puppy dog, and a looker. Also smart. He's whatever the four version of a trifecta is.  


The only thing that really threw me with this book is that there are a lot of unexpected jumps. I guess on Nook *which is how I read it* the section divisions aren't as clear. Sometimes I was in Delia's POV, sometimes Grant's, sometimes Cecily's. So just be aware of that.  


If you love a little paranormal with your romance, pick this book up. It's available for Kindle and Nook.