13 to Life by Shannon Delaney

Title:  13 to Life

Author:  Shannon Delaney

Genre:  Young Adult

Publisher:  St. Martin's Griffin

Publication Date:  22nd June 2010

ISBN:  9780312609146

Stand alone or series:   13 to Life #1

Pages:  308 pages

Book Received from:  Bought

First Lines:  Rio stiffened beneath my touch, striking a glossy hoof against the floor.

Synopsis:
Everything about Jessie Gillmansen’s life changed when her mother died. Now even her hometown of Junction is changing. Mysterious dark things are happening. All Jessie wants is to avoid more change. But showing a hot new guy around Junction High, she’s about to discover a whole new type of change. Pietr Rusakova is more than good looks and a fascinating accent—he’s a guy with a dangerous secret. And his very existence is sure to bring big trouble to Jessie’s small town. It seems change is the one thing Jessie can’t avoid.

My Thoughts:
I know, I know.  It has taken me quite a while to get to this one but I've finally read this and I'm itching to read more from Shannon Delaney.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this but.  I knew it had some paranormal aspect but the synopsis really doesn't give you much in the way of "what" specifically.

Jessie, the main character tells her story in first person.  I will state this now, I loved this book but Jessie wasn't the brightest spark in the book especially considering she was fairly smart!  This is the one of two  things that bugged me out this book.  It takes three quarters of the book before we actually find out what the heck is Pietr's big dark secret when in fact I picked it from the very beginning.  That being said, I really enjoyed reading the Shannon Delany's style of writing and her descriptions.

The second thing that bothered me was how "selfless" Jessie was towards one of her best friends.  Considering the situation I certainly wouldn't be doing half the things she did.

I really enjoyed Pietr as the love interest.  He definitely caught my attention the moment he stepped onto the page and I hope to be picking the next book up very soon to see what happens with Pietr and Jessie.

Except for the few things that bugged me this was a pretty good read!  I just hope that book two steps up in the way of the obvious being there but the character doesn't see it.

The Skeleton Key by Tara Moss

Title:  The Skeleton Key

Author:  Tara Moss

Genre:  Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Pan Macmillan

Publication Date:  1 December 2012

ISBN:  9781742611631

Stand alone or series:   Pandora English #3

Pages:  304

Book Received from:  Pan Macmillan

First Lines:  It was near the end of the working day as I cast an uneasy glance at my watch and then at the empty office behind me.

Synopsis:
By day Pandora English is a lowly fashion assistant. By night, she is a supernatural scion.
The Crow Moon is rising and Pandora has a date with Civil War soldier Lieutenant Luke, who will be flesh-and-blood for one night only. When Lieutenant Luke disappears, Pandora must unlock the mysteries of Number One Addams Avenue with her skeleton key and discover the secrets that lie in the forgotten laboratory of Dr Edmund Barrett.

For Pandora has been warned: a powerful force is in the house. As Friday the Thirteenth looms, Pandora English and the citizens of Spektor are in grave danger. For the dead will rise and terror shall reign. 

My Thoughts:
I try to make it a habit to never read out of a series.  I don't know whether that is just an OCD I had or what.  But this time I made a point of reading this as I had this sent from the publishers and I was surprised at how quick I picked up on stuff that happened in the previous books.  I'm sure it's not like that for all books but yeah.

I was pretty hooked right from the get go.  This was definitely one of those books I really had trouble putting down.  I was pretty surprised how much I loved the secondary character Lieutenant Luke.  I warmed to him straight away.

Another thing I liked about the actual book is that each Chapter is decorated with a fancy design making it easier to see how far I was from the next chapter.

While I must say I'm a tad bit over Paranormal romances for the moment I really enjoyed this one.  How could I not with such fantastic characters.

Another thing I absolutely loved was the counting OCD brand new vampires have.  Pandora carries a handful of rice for just this sort of occasion and I just about cracked up laughing when she used this to get past them.  The book overall has that kind of humour all throughout it and I found it made the book so much easier to fly through because I was enjoying every part.  The spooky bits tended to stick out just that little bit more and I think it made for a well balanced book.

If you're looking for an interesting but light book to read I suggest you give this a try.  It didn't really feel like a third book in the series for me but I tend to recommend reading the beginning of a series before jumping in.  But in saying that I don't think this really is the case for this book.  Hope you all enjoy!

MBOB: Beautiful Creatures

How excited am I to see this!! While I would never have picked Ethan to look this way I hope he lives up to my expectations when I see the movie. What do you think?

 

Shadows by Paula Weston

Title:  Shadows

Author:  Paula Weston

Genre:  Young Adult/Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Publisher:  Text Publishing

Publication Date:  2nd July 2012

ISBN:  9781921922503

Stand alone or series:   The Rephaim #1

Pages:  352 pages

Book Received from:  Paula Weston (Author)

First Lines:  I'm running along the boardwalk, wind and sand stinging my arms.

Synopsis:It’s almost a year since Gaby Winters was in the car crash that killed her twin brother, Jude. Her body has healed in the sunshine of Pandanus Beach, but her grief is raw and constant. It doesn’t help that every night in her dreams she kills demons and other hell-spawn.
And then Rafa comes to town. Not only does he look exactly like the guy who’s been appearing in Gaby’s dreams—he claims a history with her brother that makes no sense. Gaby is forced to accept that what she thought she knew about herself and her life is only a shadow of the truth—and that the truth is more likely to be
found in the shadows of her nightmares.
Who is Rafa? Who are the Rephaim? And most importantly, who can she trust?

My Thoughts:
Shadows is the first book in The Rephaim series.  A few things stood out the most for me.  I'm loving that the characters are all on the high end scale of YA. Think 18/19 years old or so.


I'm happy to say I'm finally coming across some more Australian YA Authors work and I'm loving it.  It's strange but awesome having paranormal activity happening right here.  I think I felt closer to the story and Gaby than I have with some characters in YA and the fact that I could relate to alot of the dialogue and actions made her as a character come alive.


Rafa was an interesting one though.  At first I'm unsure if he's there to help or hinder with Gaby and the further I read, the better I was at working him out.  I'm definitely hoping he'll be sticking around and making himself more known in future books :)


There are quite a few questions left hanging after finishing the book.  I'd love to let you all know what these questions are but I don't want to spoil it for others.  The one thing I can say is I'm looking forward to more encounters with hellions and demons.  Ez and Zak were instant favourites of mine too.


I found Shadows to be a very promising start to what I hope will be an awesome series, and from what I've read we are looking at roughly 3 or 4 books to the series so far.  Thanks to Paula Weston's website.  Can't wait for Haze the second book in The Rephaim series to be available.

Halos Somnium by Keri Lake

Title:  Halos Somnium

Author:  Keri Lake

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Keri Lake

Publication Date:  12th January 2012

ISBN:  9780984851706

Stand alone or series:   Halos #1

Pages:  292 pages

Book Received from:  Keri Lake (Author)

First Lines:  The looming darkness over the sea portends a storm later in the evening; funny how it personifies my thoughts about this new assignment.

Synopsis:A work assignment in Kittery, Maine should be routine for Allie Lynch; nothing more than to prove herself as a brilliant engineer. Instead she finds herself torn between two men: a gorgeous military guard, Colton Briggs, and her devilishly handsome colleague, Drew Costa. To resist temptation, Allie does the only thing she can: she throws herself into her work.
But fate has other plans for Allie. Women are going missing all around her, Allie is struck with a series of life-threatening mishaps, and she becomes the obsession of a local deranged psychopath.
Thrust into a dark world that she can hardly fathom, Allie must fight for her very survival, open her mind to new realities – and open her heart to the possibility of love. Because both of these men are trouble – but one is a greater danger than she could ever imagine …

My Thoughts:
I was stoked when Keri contacted me in regards of doing a review of Halos Somnium.  I'm only sad I didn't review this earlier than I have due to life taking over a little.

Allie is one of those characters I could really relate to.  She's assigned to work on assignment in Kittery Maine as an Engineer in a male dominant environment.  I also work in a male dominant environment so it was one of the things I had in common with the main character and I could totally understand what she went up against when first starting to work at Davenport.  She's a determined woman trying to make it in her field and not put up with any crap flung her way and that was another thing I really liked about her. She's a great character whose POV I enjoyed reading from.

I love how this story starts out seemingly normal with just an odd occurrence here and there, introducing the reader and main character to the fact that there is more out there than first thought.  Allie seems to be a magnet for these things but it's not until halfway through that things heat up so to say.. in the paranormal department.  I always like how these stories are written.  I always think if this were to happen in real life.. characters like Allie would really act that way.

Colton.  *Sigh*.  Do I need to say more? I think if ever there was the opportunity to pick any type of man candy to date in real life I'd grab him with both hands and ...... yeah we shall leave that alone hey.  But he is the epitome of perfection.  Tall, dark hair, elusive, blue eyes.  Yum.  Okay .. and a fantastic personality.  There are a few more things I want to say here but lets not ruin it for others ;)

Shane is another favourite character.  I'm not sure what it is about him to pinpoint it down to one thing but I love how he and Allie work together to sort a thing or two out and steer her in the right direction.

Overall this is a great paranormal romance.  I hope high hopes for this series and while I must say it lacks a little oomph that I was looking for, I'm sure book 2 will be a great addition to the series!

Fated by Sarah Alderson

Title:  Fated

Author:  Sarah Alderson

Genre:  Young Adult/ Paranormal Romance/Urban Fantasy

Publisher:  Simon and Schuster

Publication Date:  5th January 2012

Stand alone or series:   Possible Series.  Not sure.

Book Received from:  Bought

First Lines:  "Her name is Evie Tremain. She's seventeen years old.  She lives in Riverview, California.  Now go kill her."

Synopsis:
What happens when you discover you aren't who you thought you were? And that the person you love is the person who will betray you? If your fate is already determined, can you fight it?

When Evie Tremain discovers that she’s the last in a long line of Demon slayers and that she’s being hunted by an elite band of assassins –Shapeshifters, Vampires and Mixen demons amongst them – she knows she can’t run. They’ll find her wherever she goes. Instead she must learn to stand and fight.

But when the half-human, half-Shadow Warrior Lucas Gray - is sent to spy on Evie and then ordered to kill her before she can fulfil a dangerous prophecy, their fates become inextricably linked. The war that has raged for one thousand years between humans and demons is about to reach a devastating and inevitable conclusion. Either one or both of them will die before this war ends.

If your life becomes bound to another’s, what will it take to sever it?

My Thoughts:
While I loved this book, I did find the beginning started off a little slow.  I kept reading though because I had a feeling it was going to improve, and lucky for me I was right. I still need to point the first encounter she has with unhumans really hooked me in. 

Evie Tremain the main character has lived a normal life doing all she can to escape the town she's lived in for so long.  While working at one of her two jobs she comes across a strange fellow that makes the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.  Victor.

Another character we get introduced to is the alluring Lucas who has got to be a favourite of mine as well.  I think the main reason for that was that the story was told in both Evie and Lucas' POV so he is all mysterious and new to Evie but as readers we get to see his motivations and thoughts too.

This is a predictable story but I still really enjoyed it.  If the start had a little more going on I think I would have given it a 5 star on Goodreads.

Waiting on Wednesday (90)

Waiting On Wednesday was created by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

I've picked The Temptation by Alisa Valdes the first book in the Kindred series.  This book won't be out until the 24th April 2012 but I definitely can't wait!

Synopsis:
His touch was electric.
His eyes were magnetic.
His lips were a temptation....
But was he real?

After crashing her car on an empty highway, Shane is miraculously saved by Travis, a mysterious cowboy who walks out of nowhere. She is instantly attracted to him, and for the first time, she believes in “soul mates.” But Shane soon discovers that Travis is dead and that strict rules from the Underworld govern kindred spirits of different dimensions. Breaking these rules could destroy both their souls. And while Travis is almost impossible to resist, temptation proves to be the kindest enemy they encounter.

Can true love surpass the power of pure evil? Part love story, part
supernatural thriller, this first book in the Kindred trilogy will leave readers lusting for more!

Pre-order The Temptation at Book Depository now!

Crushed Seraphim by Debra Anastasia

Title:  Crushed Seraphim

Author:  Debra Anastasia

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Omnific Publishing  

Publication Date:  17th May 2011 

ISBN:  9781936305742

Stand alone or series: Series.

Pages:  194 pages 

Book Received from:  Publisher (Omnific Publishing)

First Lines:  He pulled his hand through his long hair and lit a cigarette.  The rush of the smoke into his lungs did little to dam the pain that poured from somewhere near his center. 

Synopsis: 


How does a foul-mouthed angel end up as the last hope for all of Heaven and Earth?
When Seraph Emma is maimed and tossed from Heaven by a rogue angel who’s taken charge, she fears she’ll never be allowed to return. Tasked with the impossible job of showing the self-loathing (and not even human!) Jason his worth, Emma is sure she’s doomed to fail.
Meanwhile, having wormed his way into Heaven, the corrupt Everett has trapped God in Hell and has designs on unleashing evil everywhere. Fortunately, if there’s one thing Emma can’t do (in addition to minding her language), it’s give up. Determined to save Jason and get back to Heaven—even if it means going to Hell—Emma’s plan is simple yet impossible: trick the Devil to save God.
 What she doesn’t count on is the devotion and, well, humanity she finds in Jason; the spirit, hidden compassion, and raw sex appeal within the Devil; and the vulnerability of her own heart. With the help of two unlikely allies, she’ll wage the battle for Heaven. But will Emma be sidetracked by a new sort of heaven along the way? What’s truly more dangerous? Falling from Heaven, or falling in love? 

My Thoughts:
Thanks to Omnific Publishing for giving me the chance to read Crushed Seraphim.  The synopsis really does pull you in.  A foul mouthed Angel?  Sold it for me.


I must admit I really did love Debra's concept on the whole heaven and hell take.  Gutter mouth angels, a HOT devil that oozes sex appeal.  Better yet, a devil that just comes across as a bad boy.  It could almost turn you to the dark side, though wouldn't it?


There are many things I liked about Crushed Seraphim but there are also spots in the story that lose a bit of the magic for me.  The storyline itself really had me reading these pages as quick as I could to find out what would happen to each of these characters.  So it definitely had me hooked.  


I can't say I liked Emma, although there were instances where she seems consistent and then others where she doesn't quite seem stuck in her character.  Jack A.K.A the Devil/Satan is one character that I LURVED from the beginning.  He's the kind of devil I'd like to meet if I was going to end up in hell.  Let's just say that much ;).  There's alot more to Jack than all the pain and suffering his job entails him to do.  


Though the story is meant to be more about Emma, I think Jason won the spotlight for me hands down.  He's the half breed vampire Emma is sent down to try to 'help'.  He's different to most of his kind in terms of doing what he must to survive but refraining from letting the cruel side of his nature consume him.  He also falls hard for Emma.


One thing that was a let down for me was the way the book is structured.  While I don't want to give too much away,  I felt that the scene in the middle of the book would have been better toned down as it felt like the peak in the story when in fact it wasn't.  It does throw the rest of the story off for me.  Don't get me wrong.  I did enjoy this from start to finish but I felt like the climax towards the end could have been built up a bit more.  Debra does leave the story on a cliffhanger though which left me itching to know more!


Crushed Seraphim portrays a world where it's not quite so black and white when it comes to heaven and hell.  Debra has done a wonderful job at capturing the readers attention and while there I found a slight disagreement on the highs and lows of the story, I am looking forward to reading the next in this series as I'm told there is a second.

Amaretto Flame by Sammie Spencer

Title:  Amaretto Flame

Author:  Sammie Spencer

Genre:  Paranormal Romance/Young Adult      

Publication Date:  24 March 2011 

Stand alone or series:  Book 1 in Eagleton Coven series 

Pages: 270

Book Received from:  Sammie Spencer (Author)

First Lines: I was angry. I was so angry that I felt as though my body could burst open withthat anger.

Synopsis: 


When Olivia Landry screams, people die. No wonder she's been shunned by humans her whole life. When Olivia makes a huge mistake, she's banished for a summer to a human town; forced to live as one of them. She's out for revenge when she discovers the humans are different than she imagined, especially the rugged, sexy guitarist, Jackson Vance.

Pretending to be human isn't as hard as she thought it would be...until the witch hunters attack. Now Olivia must somehow protect herself, her family, and her new human friends. There's a problem with that. When you go around screaming, people are bound to learn your secret. Can love really conquer anything?

My Thoughts:
Amaretto Flame is the first book in the Eagleton Coven series and I've got to say I will be waiting eagerly for the next book in this series!


Sammie Spencer has created a fantastic and diverse cast of characters and ones I was easily able to fall in love with.  Olivia, the main character in Amaretto Flame is a strong and stubborn character yet quite sheltered and I definitely enjoyed reading from her point of view.  When she is sent away I instantly fell in love with her and was amused at her rebellious attitude when it came to taking the job at the bar.  I could definitely relate to that and almost see myself doing the same thing if put in that position lol.


Jackson Vance, enough said!  He was the yummy and mysterious character that shows up and takes your breath away.  I loved him right from the beginning and looked forward to every time Olivia encounters him.  Everett is another favourite too.  I really liked how Sammie gave each wish a gift that somehow went with their personality, although Olivia's was kinda scary lol.
I thoroughly enjoyed the main story and sub plots.  There's a wide variety that Amaretto Flame offers readers including the quite obvious paranormal side, dash here and there of romance and action where needed ;) and this I think is where Sammie Spencer's writing shines.


A definite recommended read for those of you that enjoy a good paranormal romance.  Oh and I loved the very ending of the story!

Fave Line:  'She looked so amazing when she said it that I almost wanted to get lost with her, whatever that meant.' - Page 130

Whisper of Light by Jennifer DeLucy

Title: Whisper of Light

Author: Jennifer DeLucy

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Omnific Publishing

Publication Date: 26 October 2010

ISBN: 1936305410
Stand alone or series: Book 2 in Series

Pages: 272 Pages

Book Received from: Omnific Publishing

First Lines: Following the quiet sounds of a sitar, I wound around the house in search of Wendell.

Possible spoilers if you haven't read the first book Seers of Light.

Synopsis:

The saying goes that all men are created equal... but Nicole Abbot knows better. Lacking the supernatural gifts of the Sentients she has known all her life, Nicole has lived with her nose pressed to the glass, withering beneath the guilt of her own inadequacies and the disapproving glare of her father. It's easy to believe that the universe has forgotten all about her, but things are not always as they seem. With the arrival of Christian Wright, a handsome but complex Combatant with a troubled history, Nicole is forced to question everything she has ever believed about herself, proving that sometimes, our most flawed perceptions are those reflected in a mirror.

Jennifer DeLucy again plunges us into the world of lingering spirits, dark apparitions, and malicious vampires. But this time she takes us to the California coast where we get to know a new ensemble of gifted souls that are just as vibrant and endearing as the Sentients we came to love in Seers of Light. In Whisper of Light, DeLucy delivers exciting supernatural encounters as well as very human interactions that will both break your heart and make it soar.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved Seers of Light and when Micha from Omnific Publishing asked me if I wanted to review the second book in the series I jumped at the chance.

This story follows the Sentients from the West Coast and the story is told from Nicole Abbot's POV.  I was surprised to find that the timeline of the first book and this one is around the same time and after you read this you will see what I mean.

Nicole is the sweetest woman you could ever meet.  She has the patience of a Saint and is very sensitive.  She lives with a bunch of misfit Sentients and while both her parents are sentients, Nicole doesn't seem to have inherited that ability.  She has a full on responsibilty providing therapy for children through music and looks after her mother who seems to be suffering from Alzeimers/Memory loss.  Her father is a bitter man and blames his daughter for the rapid decline of his wife, and takes time out of his day to taunt Nicole.  It's heartbreaking to see a father treat his own daughter like that and I just wanted to jump in the book and give her a hug!

When Christian disappears for a while in the first book Seers of Light, he comes to stay with Nicole's family and we get to see a very different side to him.  I won't say much more than that. 

Whisper of Light is beautifully written and I can guarantee if you enjoyed Seers of Light you will absolutely fall in love with Nicole and her family.  Fantastic Read!

Forsaken by Shadow by Kait Nolan

Title: Forsaken by Shadow

Author: Kait Nolan

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Smashwords

Publication Date: 25th March 2010

ISBN: 9781452302898

Stand alone or series: Series
Pages: 127 pages

Book Received from: Author

First Lines: He didn't open his eyes when he heard the scream

Synopsis:

Cade Shepherd is on top of the world as this year's Ultimate Fighting Champion. He doesn't even remember his life as Gage Dempsey, a Shadow Walker with the ability to magically transport himself from shadow to shadow. In fact, he can't remember anything before waking up in a cheap motel room ten years ago with mysterious burns on his hands--not even the woman he almost died for.


Embry Hollister has picked up the pieces of her life, learned to control her ability to generate flame, and now works an enforcer for the Council of Races. But when her father is captured by the human military and the Council refuses mount a rescue mission, Embry has no choice but to go rogue. All she has to is find the man with the new name and new life who was completely wronged by her people, give him back the memories they stole, convince him to join her on what's probably a suicide mission, and hope that after ten years of living as a regular guy he still remembers what her father taught him. And after that, she just has to leave him. Again.

My Thoughts:
This story starts off with a bang.  Cade Shephard wakes up in a dodgy motel room with burns to his hands and no recollection of how they happened, or who he is.  Chapter one had me hooked from the get go and I sympathised with Cade.  How would you feel if you woke up, with no memory  and have to walk out of there with no sense of direction or know whether the crappy car sitting in front of the motel is yours?

Embry is one character I actually didn't like when she first came on the scene.  I couldn't pinpoint exactly what it was but it took a few chapters for me to warm up to her. 

The one thing I wished the story did was go on for a bit longer with Cade in the dark.  On the second chapter I got what was going on from Embry's point of view and I hoped he would have gone through with a bit more detective work without it being served on a platter by the reader.  In saying that though, there is a lot more to Embry and Cade's story that is slowly revealed throughout.

The story is action packed once everything has been laid out on the table and I found that I read through this quite quickly.  It was a captivating read, though I wished it was longer.

Great start to a series.

Pleasures Untold by Lisa Sanchez

Title:  Pleasures Untold

Author: Lisa Sanchez

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Omnific Publishing

Publication Date: February 2011

ISBN: 9781936305599

Stand alone or series: Series (Hanaford Park)
Pages: 190

Book Received from: Omnific Publishing

First Lines: "Oh, for the love of... someone just shoot me now, please."  I groaned, eyeballing the line of over-processed, identically dressed sorority girls waiting to get into Fire and Ice along with us.

Synopsis:

Hell hath no fury like a witch done wrong. Pissed off and packing an arsenal of witchy mojo, Martha is on the warpath. Determined to avenge the murder of her mother and grandmother, her mission is simple: kill every vampire, demon and underworld bastard she comes across, because one of those hell beasts might be the monster that stole her childhood from her. But when a sexy Latin vamp literally falls from the sky, saving her from becoming an undead Happy Meal, she has no choice but to reassess everything she thinks she knows.

Xan is an anomaly --a vampire born, not turned. A powerful warlock who walks in daylight, Xan spends his days, and nights, watching over Martha, protecting her from Lucian, the blood-sucking monstrosity whose sole mission in death is to drain her dry. Undeniable attraction and the promise of pleasures untold draw the two lovers into a frustrating dance of one step forward, two steps back. When Lucian throws down a deadly ultimatum, Martha is forced to choose between relying on her own mystical woo woo to save the lives of her stolen friends or succumbing to the lure of dark, voodoo magic. Xan and Martha must work together to save those closest to her and put an end to Lucian's reign of terror before it's too late.

My Thoughts:

I've been waiting eagerly to get my hands on Pleasures Untold and when Micha from Omnific asked me if I'd like to review a copy I was over the moon. 

If you've read Eve of Samhain, you will have already met Martha.  She was the quiet girl that rarely makes an appearance at the apartment in the first book.  This time we get a bigger picture of what she is like. 

Martha was a great main character.  I liked how Lisa portrayed her as a kick ass hero but also had her insecurities too, like worring about losing her friends and Xan.  With a past like hers it definitely rings true for me.  You never completely lose those insecurites no matter how kick-ass you become :)

But it doesn't stop there.  Taylor and Jessica were fantastic characters and proved to be good friends to Martha.  I loved how Taylor was an aussie chick, although maybe one saying in there had me thinking about whether we used bunyip in our slang.  I know I don't lol.

The story is gripping and full of action and magic.  In Eve of Samhain it doesn't show much of what Martha does but this one opens up the field to include vampires and all sorts of hideous things.

As always Lisa has done a fantastic job on Pleasures Untold and I really enjoy reading her style of writing, smooth and straight to the point.

For those of you that enjoyed Eve of Samhain, Pleasures Untold is a great paranormal read and one I think most people would enjoy!

Fave Line: "For someone who looks like a bush pig, I wouldn't be so quick to insult other people.  Now rack off." - Taylor

Fire Burn and Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory

Title: Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble

Author: H.P. Mallory

Genre: Paranormal Romance/ Urban Fantasy 

Publication Date: July 2010

Stand alone or series: Series

Pages: 296 pages

Book Received from: Author

First Lines: It's not everyday you see a ghost.

Synopsis:

A self-deprecating witch with the unique ability to reanimate the dead. A dangerously handsome warlock torn between being her boss and her would-be lover. A six hundred year old English vampire with his own agenda; one that includes an appetite for witches. The Underworld in a state of chaos. Let the games begin.

Life isn’t bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn’t have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend.
Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she’s a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost’s demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life!
Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the Underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand.

My Thoughts:

It has taken me a little while to get to this book and I am kicking myself for taking so long. 

Jolie works with her best friend Christa running a psychic business.  Things are pretty normal until Jolie sees her first ghost.  From there she meets the oh-so-handsome Rand who comes in for a reading.  Though Jolie doesn't see much, Rand keeps coming back the exact same time each week until he reveals his ulterior motive.  He's a male witch.  Obviously Jolie scoffs at the idea until he proves otherwise, and it's there she takes on the job to help him.

I really enjoyed reading from Jolie's point of view.  She's smart, modest and frankly a little stubborn.  Her best friend Christa, is quite the opposite.  Christa is care free, flirtatious and stunning in Jolie's eye'; Everything she's not.  Rand is a hunk of ultimate proportions (my opinion) and definitely strengthens the story with his personality.  These characters in combination make for an interesting read. 

Things get quite complicated between Jolie and Rand, with their work relationship putting a dampener on any action that could possibly happen.  I like how H.P Mallory lets the tension between them grow, and it's good to see the way things pan out with them both.  No more comment on that one :)

While this was a quick read, it was also quite entertaining.  I look forward to reading Toil and Trouble, the second book in this series!

Vampire for Christmas by Felicity Heaton

Title: Vampire For Christmas

Author: Felicity Heaton

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Alinar Publishing

Publication Date: November 2010

Stand alone or series: Stand alone

Pages: 116

Book Received from: Author

First Lines:  His favourite prey.  Rafe stood on the lawn, his dark eyes following her from room to room in her large house.

Synopsis:

It was one last mission. Shannon, a demon hunter with the agency, is looking forward to leaving behind the small town and the vampire she’s been stuck with for the past two years. Things are getting complicated fast and she wants out. A fresh start, free of her vampire partner, awaits her if she can survive their final mission and the lonely Christmas holidays.

It was one last mission. Rafe, a vampire doing time with the agency, watches it approach with dread weighing heavily in his stomach. Two years of working with Shannon has been difficult, especially since he started falling for her, but he doesn’t want their partnership to end. He has barely a few days to make her face her feelings and stop her from leaving, and he intends to do just that.

When a slimy demon threatens the season of peace and goodwill, it’s the chance Rafe has been waiting for and the moment Shannon secretly fears. Rafe’s determination to prise open her heart and her own resolve to keep it closed clash as violently as they do with the demon, and threatens to end as messily.
Can Rafe make Shannon see that his love for her is real and that she feels something for him too? Can Shannon face her fears and her past, and stop herself from running away from both? Will a wish on a star bring her what her heart truly desires—a vampire for Christmas?

My Thoughts:
I have just finished reading this one and one word.  Wow!  As always Felicity has done a great job of creating fantastic characters and storyline.  Admittedly this is far shorter than the usual books I read but once I started, I was drawn into Shannon and Rafe's world quickly.

One of the things I liked about this one was the ever changing viewpoints and it was easy to distinguish one from the other.  I also enjoyed the humour that was thrown in there, particularly when it came to the fight scenes. 

I won't say too much else as the synopsis reveals quite alot, but if you like your paranormal romances with a bit of suspense and fantastic HOT scenes this one is for you.  That is if you are an adult ;)

Shades of Atlantis by Carol Oates

Title: Shades of Atlantis

Author:  Carol Oates

Genre:  Young Adult/Parnormal Romance

Publisher:  Omnific Publishing

Publication Date: 2010

ISBN: 9781936305445

Stand alone or series: Stand Alone

Pages: 308 pages

Book Received from: Omnific Publishing

First Lines: The midwife laid the baby across a scarlet shawl draped over a flat rock in the dimly lit cave.

Synopsis:

Since the death of their parents, Triona Pryor and her brother, Ben, have lived with their aunt and uncle in Camden, Maine. Now in her senior year of high school, Triona loves her family and friends, but she has always felt that she didn’t quite fit in…in Camden, or anywhere else.

Enter Caleb Wallace, the devilishly handsome man who has recently moved to Triona’s small town. While their attraction to each other is instantaneous, it also proves to be dangerous…and deadly.

When tragedy strikes, Triona flees to London for solace and to start her life anew. It’s there she discovers from an unlikely source that her family has been keeping secrets from her – secrets about not only her birthright, but her ultimate destiny as well. Armed with this knowledge, Triona finds herself thrown into a whole new world and into a battle to save the lives of everyone she loves.

My Thoughts:

When I first saw the cover of Shades of Atlantis, I was pretty excited to see what this contained.  The synopsis on the back is informative but doesn't give away what type of paranormal romance I was expecting, so throughout the book I was like, hmm are they werewolves, vampires etc.  Well I had it wrong.  And it was a nice surprise.

I was pretty thrown with the preface when I began reading through the chapters.  It wasn't until one character is telling stories that I began piecing it altogether and worked out the tie in. 

Carol has done a great job in creating down to earth and well developed characters although my only gripe would be the fact that Triona is quite oblivious to the attention she attracts and this seems to be popping up more and more in recent YA books I've read.  I particularly enjoyed the chemistry and anticipated lead up to certain character relationships as well. 

I really enjoyed reading about the celtic myths and legends that are included throughout the book when one of the characters begins to open up. 

If your after a great 'Happily Ever After' read, I recommend Shades of Atlantis. 

To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory

Title:  To Kill a Warlock

Author:  H.P. Mallory
Genre:  Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy
Publisher:  H.P. Mallory at Smashwords
Publication Date:  5th July 2010
ISBN:  N/A
Stand alone or series:  Series
Pages:  134 (ebook)
Book Received from:  Author
First Lines:  There was no way in hell I was looking in the mirror.  I knew it was bad when I glanced down.
Synopsis:
The murder of a dark arts warlock. A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the loose. A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate. Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch.

Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She’s a Regulator—a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world.

When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she’s either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim.

Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie. Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie’s got her hands full.

As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals.
 
My Thoughts
Let me start by saying that I'm NOT a fan of fairies whatsoever.  I've read a few books that have literally turned me off reading anything that mentions them in it.  When I was asked to read this I thought, well hey, I will give the fairies another go and see what happens. 

I was pleasantly surprised right from the word go that I really enjoyed the main character Dulcie.  She's a Regulator for the Association for Netherworld Creatures.  In other words she's a Paranormal Cop helping to keep the supernaturals in line!  She's petite and pretty with pointy ears and can create fairy dust with the shake of her hand but thats as fairy as she gets.  There's no wings, she doesn't live in someone's backyard and she's smart.  I liked reading from her point of view.  She doesn't put up with anyones crap when they try to pull moves she doesn't like. 

The main story line begins with a Warlock being gruesomely murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive.  Quillan, her very hunky boss pulls her in for her statement and eventually suspends her from the case.  Dulcie isn't happy about this but at the same time it gives her time to finish her novel she's writing AND do some sneaky investigating with Knight, the hot mysterious Investigator from the Netherworld.  Lately I've been really drawn to creative characters and when it mentions her book I was hooked completely. 

The story was well written, and although there are already books out there with a similar feel H.P Mallory's writing offers a fresh approach to the genre.

To Kill A Warlock drew me in with the quirky characters, interesting story line and humour to boot.  I'd love to see what happens next with Dulcie.  A Great read

Waiting on Wednesday (33)

Waiting on Wednesday was brought to you by Jill over at Breaking The Spine. It's a weekly post for you to share what upcoming books you can't wait for!

This week I've chosen Whisper of Light by Jennifer DeLucy.  Seers Of Light was absolutely brilliant and I look forward to October 26th for this one to be released !!

Synopsis
The saying goes that all men are created equal... but Nicole Abbot knows better. Lacking the supernatural gifts of the Sentients she has known all her life, Nicole has lived with her nose pressed to the glass, withering beneath the guilt of her own inadequacies and the disapproving glare of her father. It's easy to believe that the universe has forgotten all about her, but things are not always as they seem. With the arrival of Christian Wright, a handsome but complex Combatant with a troubled history, Nicole is forced to question everything she has ever believed about herself, proving that sometimes, our most flawed perceptions are those reflected in a mirror.

Jennifer DeLucy again plunges us into the world of lingering spirits, dark apparitions, and malicious vampires. But this time she takes us to the California coast where we get to know a new ensemble of gifted souls that are just as vibrant and endearing as the Sentients we came to love in Seers of Light. In Whisper of Light, DeLucy delivers exciting supernatural encounters as well as very human interactions that will both break your heart and make it soar.

Whisper of a Witch by Suza Kates

Title:  Whisper of a Witch 

Author:  Suza Kates

Genre:  Paranormal Romance

Publisher:  Mossy Oak Publishing

Publication Date:  1 July 2010

ISBN:  978-0-9845929-0-6

Stand alone or series: Series 

Pages:  229

Book Received from: Author 

First Lines:  The day was ordinary, a simple Saturday, though whether it was morning, noon or dead of night varied depending on location. 

Synopsis

A Choice
Shauni Miller has no idea why her life is changing, but she must answer when an unknown force summons her to a mystical island. She also harbors a secret, one that has the potential to alter her life forever. If she chooses to share it.

A Deception
Dr. Michael Black helps Shauni in her time of need, but sees more in the raven-haired temptress than she ever meant to reveal. He knows she’s hiding something, but then, so is he.

A Prediction
Both Shauni and Michael have a role to play and decisions to make as a centuries-old prophecy unfolds. Only the fates know if they are meant to be together. Or if one of them has to die.

My Thoughts

Whisper of a Witch is the first installment in The Savannah Coven Series and I absolutely loved it.

The story begins by introducing nine (yes 9!) vastly different women who have heard the mysterious summons, and follow it to Savannah.  It's there that they discover who they really are, and why they have been called to this place.

From the Prologue I was amazed to see an Author attempting to have so many characters brought in at such an early stage.  The first chapter was a little full on to start off with when they were all being introduced to each other, but once I kept reading I got my head around who was who.  

The story, I'm fairly certain, is written in Third Person Omniscient.  It's a surprise at first because I haven't read too many books in that POV and but it works out well with so many characters and it also gave me a chance to get to know the other characters apart from Shauni.  The character that stood out for me the most was Paige.  She was like a fish out of water, surrounded by the other women.

Whisper of a Witch was an entertaining read.  Wonderful characters, great storyline and I can't wait to get my hands on the next book Conviction of a Witch !!

A BIG THANK YOU to Suza Kates for asking me to review this!

You can find out more about Suza Kates by clicking the links below

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