Review: Keep Me Ghosted

Keep Me Ghosted by Karen Cantwell

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The cover of this book made me think it would be a little sillier than it was -- but this book was great! It was laugh out loud funny with really witty characters and a good plot. The writing style made the chapters fly by without any lag. I blew through this book in an evening without even trying.

I'm a sucker for a cute paranormal romance and this book delivered everything except the smut. I'm still optimistic that if there is a Book 2 in this series I'll get that too... Lack o smut aside, I loved the characters! I've read a few ghost related paranormal romances, and this one is by far the best. Marmi is such a wonderful companion to Sophie that it made me smile every time they interacted.

I'm new to this author, but if this book is any indication, I'll be picking up others.



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Review: Dead Ever After

Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



Okay, now I knew going into this book that it would be rough. After not really liking the previous few books in this series (after she started destroying characters and story that I loved), I wasn't really sure how I'd feel about this one. I borrowed it from the library on audiobook because I didn't really want to buy it.

This book wasn't as bad as the previous ones, but it could just be that I fell into the trap of this being the last book of the series. The author does some in your face things, like tying up any and all loose ends for any character you have ever thought of in relation to Sookie. For example, What happened to Quinn? Wasn't he a giant jerk and then some random cameo in the previous book? Well you get to see where he ends up. What about Alcide? Is he happy? Is Mustafa gay? What ever happened to Barry? Where's Steve Newlin? The list goes on and on. I was happy to see where everyone ended up, but it felt like one big epilogue. For a series that I absolutely loved, and was the reason I got back into reading in a big way, it felt... cheap.

Eric, who the author had essentially ruined a few books ago, continued his downward spiral in this book. We learn bad things, then we learn good things -- I get it, Charlaine Harris, you want to redeem yourself, but I don't buy it. He was one of the greatest romantic characters in this series that seriously lacks them, and now he's an afterthought.

I have to admit that I didn't solve the mystery of who was behind all the badness in this book. I guess we weren't supposed to, but when it was revealed my reaction was "meh" -- so many people hate Sookie at this point that I thought it would be a bigger bad. I guess that about sums up the book -- meh. At least I don't have to read any more of these and I certainly won't be picking up any of her other books. I gave it 3 stars because it wasn't poorly written, just was not a good read in general. When it finished I just shrugged and moved on to another book.



SPOILER ALERT:

This book was really all about Sookie and her being too stupid to realize that Sam wanted her. I guess it was a romance in that respect, but it felt so completely forced that I was just happy when it was over. Sookie essentially redeemed Eric herself when all his worries were proven to be founded on fact. Sigh. Such a waste. From the first chapter I knew where the book was headed and it took way too long to get there.

UPDATE:

I was just about to post this review on Amazon when I saw in the same search ---THERE'S ANOTHER FREAKIN' BOOK! WHAT THE HELL?? It says that it's just a listing of characters and where they end up. Well, that was really what this book was about so I guess I should've just skipped this one and moved on to the next. Yuck. This really leaves a bad taste in my mouth.



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Review: Star Kissed

Star Kissed by Lizzy Ford

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I freely admit that futuristic sci-fi is not my thing, usually. Lizzy Ford, however, is. That got me to start this book, but the addicting storyline got me to finish it in about a day.

This story follows Mandy, a fired model who is transported into the future where Earth and its inhabitants are suffering. She meets Akkadi and gets thrown into royal drama and war from that moment on. Her romance was great to watch and really steamed up the pages. There was resolution at the end, even though I was skeptical of it being possible. I had this horrible thought that maybe this was going to be a trilogy or a series starter that didn't give me the happy cuddly ending I wanted. Boy, was I wrong. I got everything I wanted from this book and was happy that I broke my contemporary paranormal romance rule just this once.

The writing was the same as I've come to expect from Lizzy Ford, so if you've ever read one of her books and liked it -- check this one out, too!





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Review: Eternal Summer - A Collection of Short Stories

Eternal Summer - A Collection of Short Stories by Olivia Hardin

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm not good at doing one massive review for a short story anthology, so I'll hit each story one by one!

One Bite Paradise: 3 stars
This one really worried me. I hadn't read anything by this author before (which is usually a great way for me to get exposed to new authors!) but I really really struggled to figure the story out. I'm sure for someone who has read the Bend-Bite-Shift trilogy it might have made sense right away, but for me it was difficult enough to make me want to skip ahead. I didn't, because I'm insane and have to finish any book I start. It wasn't a bad story, but really didn't grab me. The overall story I got from my reading was that some vampire girl wanted her boyfriend back, and then they went to something akin to the Olympics in an alternate world.


Cat Napped: 3 stars
This story was super short and cute. The backstory didn't seem completely necessary to enjoy this short little bite. There was enough information in the introduction to get me through the story. Cute and silly.

Eternally Yours: 4 stars
This one was some sort of guardian angel/fallen angel/fate involved story that I really didn't fully grasp the backstory on, but got sucked into none the less. It was a serious and sad installment about a horrible twist of fate. It made me interested enough to check out what series the story was from.

Dark Remnants: 5 stars
The writing style and story of this one hooked me from the first paragraph. I realized I've got 2 of the author's books sitting on my kindle unread, so I'll be remedying that soon. After searching for more "Ella Reynolds" books, I'm confused about if they are an actual series or not, but I want more. This story involves Ella and her boyfriend on a vacation (as is a premise for most of these stories). Ella gets them wrapped up in solving an old mystery and putting some ghosts to rest. Great story!

Bound by Fate: 4 stars
This was another really good one. We follow Ben, who has been traumatized by some girl drama at some point, but now plays Cupid for other people in the hopes that he will end up with his own love. Vampires and Greek gods abound, and it was done in a really good way. I'll be hunting down some more Lola James after this.

Stardust on the Sea: 5 stars
I admit, this is why I read this book. I am in love with the King series and was desperate for more. Since I knew the backstory for Cathryn, it was easy to pick this one up. I guess I should have been more hesitant, because I really really hated Cathryn in the books. In this story, though, she is great. I loved seeing her let her hair down and get some action (that wasn't Michael). I can't wait for more King series! This story made my day.

Cursed Cove: 4 stars
This author's writing style was really great, too. I love a gritty and sexy paranormal story, and this little installment gave me the indication that the Gwen Sparks series might be right up my alley. I'm adding that to my "to-read" shelf right now. The setting for this one is also the beach (yes, the theme), but involves Death and ghosts and mystery and sexy men. Yum.

Daylight Come: 3 stars
This was another story that I think I needed to have read the series to understand. I understood the story as such that a vampire (named Wolf, confusingly for me) and a, uh, light/power manipulator(?) (named Loti) end up at a hotel for a vacation. The hotel sucks and ends up throwing them into an alternate dimension where they solve some mysteries. There was mention of some steampunky technology, too, if that's your thing.

Overall, the anthology was great for a weekend at the beach (where I read it) -- especially if you're already familiar with the authors.



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Review: Claiming Their Mate

Claiming Their Mate by Vella Day

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



These books are little bite sized erotic werewolf stories. After reading the first one on NetGalley, I saw that they were available via the kindle lending library. I blew through this one in a few hours, so they aren't very long, but they are HOT. The bondage M/F/M scenes make my kindle sizzle! While the storyline doesn't really get progressed much in each book, there is still totally a storyline behind all this eroticism, which is more than I can say about other books in the same genre.

I'll slowly keep working my way through these books as I get a chance because they are a nice little vacation from any long or boring reads I stumble upon.



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Review: Alpha Within

Alpha Within by Mima

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I haven't read any of the other Bonded Fantasy books (of which there are apparently many), but I don't think that really hindered me at all. This book was an erotic fantasy novel that was steamy and hot. It took place is a world that is probably better explained in Book 1, but was still just as easy to step into at this point. The tale revolves around a woman who has powers to help with pretty much all women's issues (pregnancy, ovulation, etc). For some reason this is looked down upon and she is on the run when we meet up with her. Dar, the leader of his shifter clan, brings her to his home to help with his clan's fertility issues.

Much sizzling hotness ensues. There is a lot of alpha male yumminess and some bondage, which overall made for a very erotic read. Obviously, if these things are not for you, then you won't enjoy this book. There is some M/M action in there too, which I don't mind at all. This was a great standalone read, if you're looking to pick something up for a few hours worth of reading (followed by many naughty thoughts).



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Review: Open Minds

Open Minds by Susan Kaye Quinn

My rating: 3 of 5 stars



I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I got really sucked into this story from the beginning. The setting is futuristic and sci-fi where everyone can read minds and those who can’t are the “freaks.” Kira is the main character and she is one of the “zeroes” or so she thinks. As the book moves along we see Kira make *horrible* decisions that lead her down the road to even worse situations.

There was a bit of YA romance, which I love, but the majority of the story centered around the struggle between “jackers” like Kira and the governmental conspiracy to cover them up and experiment on them. It was pretty dark at times, but did have some good resolution at the end (no cliffhangers). The book was well written and the characters sympathetic (even though Kira really does make very very bad decisions). I found myself comparing this book to the King series, which also goes through some tough times dealing with mental powers. The settings were different, and I found the futuristic world a nice change from the books I typically pick up.

It looks like all the books in the trilogy are already out, so I’ll have to add them to my “to-read” pile eventually to see what happens next for Kira and her family.




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Under A Spell (Underworld Detection Agency, #5)

Under A Spell by Hannah Jayne
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Admittedly, I have not read any of the other books in this series, so that put me at a slight disadvantage when it came to backstory and overarching storylines. That being said, this book was a lot of fun to read. I’m sure I’m missing a lot of history, but the Will/Sophie/Alex drama really grabbed my attention. I was hoping that there would be some resolution (or at least some payoff of the smutty variety), but that wasn’t really what this book was about.

This book was about a lot of high school drama and mostly metaphorical demons. The setting was high school in a world that appears to be similar to Kim Harrison’s world (minus the tomato problem). There are witches and vampires and fallen angels in the open, or at least in the open for the main character. Sophie was a great main character, complete with flaws and man drama. The banter between her and Will was amazing and made the pages fly by. The mystery wasn’t too hard to solve, but still kept the story interesting. I’d be interested to see if this series is a “1 crime solved per book” type, or if it deviates and goes in different directions along the way.

I’ll definitely keep this author in mind and maybe even go back to check out the books I missed out on (there was a lot of mention of Will and Alex unclothed, so that might be worth it).


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Take It Like A Vamp

Take it Like a Vamp by Candace Havens
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was a really fun read! It really reminded me of the silly/sexy combo I most often see in Tina Folsom’s books. There was a great kind of humor in the writing style that I really like. I would love to read more from this group of characters, but I’m not sure if there will be future books set in the same world.

The main character, Casey, was a great “real life” woman, complete with curves and self-esteem issues. Her inner monologue was silly and fun and everything I like when I pick up a smutty paranormal romance. I’m a sucker for pop culture references and sarcasm, of which this book has in abundance. Nick was a great, sexy love interest for Casey. His backstory (vampire/werewolf/hybrid/something) was enough to hook me (you had me at “vampire”) and I loved watching their relationship grow. My only complaint would be that there wasn’t *enough* smut, especially given the fact that there is so much build up between Nick and Casey along the way. That being said, there is smut, but it just felt so rushed that I was left craving more. I know, sad, this is my only complaint, right?

I had never read this author before now and I’m eager to check out some of her other books after tearing through this one. If you’re looking for an enjoyable quick read, this book is for you.


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A Vampire's Salvation (Beyond Human #1)

A Vampire's Salvation by Virna DePaul
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a novella, so I'll gloss over the length of the book and cut right to the good stuff -- this novella was better than some of the full length books I've read. We meet Frankie and Jake and are immediately thrown into their world of damaged human and lonely vampire. This book really had me at the words vampire and romance, but if you're looking for more than that, it's there too.

There aren't any more books in this series yet, but this one was a great starting point. The plot sucked me in right away and the smut kept me eagerly turning pages.

This book was a great, quick, read that had most of the things I like: vampires, smut, and romance. Check it out if you have a free hour or two.

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Demonic Dora

Demonic Dora by Claire Chilton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really cute and adorably funny read. There was a lot of sarcastic humor that really agrees with my reading style so I was able to blow through this book super quick. I don't think the book synopsis does it justice. This book read like a light version of a Kim Harrison book -- lots of magical screw ups, paranormals, and humor.

Based on the size of the book, there really wasn't much room for character development, but it still didn't hinder my enjoyment. If you're looking for fun read for a lazy afternoon, this is a good bet. It is definitely not a true YA book, but I enjoyed the adult language and behavior thrown in. Dora and her "demon lord" were a nice alternative YA couple that I look forward to seeing in many more books to come.

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Eyes Ever to the Sky (The Sky Trilogy #1)

Eyes Ever to the Sky by Katie French
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

OK, I admit to putting off reading this book longer than I should have. I've never been that big a fan of the "alien" paranormal romance. My mind conjures up images of green aliens and it immediately turns me off. Well, when I finally started reading this book I was immediately sorry! This book was such a great read! I was sucked in from the first page and didn't even put the book down to make dinner (thank you, Kindle goodness). The chapters were short and alternated between characters, making for a super fast paced read.

The romance element of this story was filled with YA sizzle that had me swooning over Hugh. Especially when he calls her "his girl." Sigh. I was also 100% on board with the "alien"-ness of the story. It didn't feel too forced or hokey for me to feel like it took away from the rest of the story. I found Cece's life to be another great aspect of this book. It was so startlingly real and gritty. I'm glad that the book gave us some resolution to her life, if not giving us a real end to what is clearly called a trilogy for a reason. There wasn't a cliffhanger exactly, but I'll be keeping my eyes out for the next book. I want to see more of Hugh and Cece!

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Autumn (Dog Days #1)

Autumn by Sierra Dean
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Sierra Dean's books are always a fun, light read with a twist and this book was no exception. What starts out as a typical YA romance turns into a paranormal mystery by the end (complete with cliffhanger!). I read this one quickly in a lazy afternoon without really even trying. There was your typical high school scene, complete with detention and football. What really drew me in to this one was the character development. It probably helped that we get to see both Lou and Cooper's worlds. I liked the flip-flopping between them so we got glimpses of their lives on their own as well as together.

There are so many things left unanswered that I'm eager to start the next installment of this series! Sadly, I have to wait until 2013 to get my hands on it. Sigh. The downsides of a cliffhanger ending.

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Sacrificed in Shadow (The Ascension Series, #1)

Sacrificed in Shadow by S.M. Reine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I could not get my hands on this book fast enough! I am absolutely in love with both of the series that come together in this book. After picking this book up, I seriously considered calling out sick from work just to finish uninterrupted.

Even after all the expectation I had for this series, I still don't think I would change a single thing about this book. It was filled with all the things I was hoping for: We get a good dose of James and Elise (in all their dysfunctional glory), answering all my questions about where they ended up after their last book. We get to learn a little more about Nash, which is exactly what I wanted after completing his book. Seth gets more time in the spotlight, to make up for him being away in the last book. Some familiar supporting characters and references show up along the way, which makes me feel like a little fan girl. Anthony is only present in small sections of the book (a plus for me, because I still hate him). There is tons of action, which really kept the pages turning. Lastly, the story was what I've come to expect from this author - great!

I love a story that can keep me guessing until the last few chapters. It's so rare that you can pick up a book, especially this deep into the series (or more than one series), and still be surprised at the twists and turns the author throws at you. I can't wait to see where this new Ascension Series goes and I'll be counting down the days until the next book comes out!

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The Mind Readers (Mind Readers, #1)

The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I actually had this book on my kindle for quite some time before finally starting it randomly. Maybe I was a little burnt out on the whole YA genre. Maybe I just was tired of the Sookie Stackhouse copycats. This book really "rebooted" the YA gifted world for me.

The story follows Cam on her journey into the world of "mind readers." Yes, there is a yummy love interest. Yes, there is mystery and betrayal. These are all your typical ingredients for every other YA. What made this book different was the level of depth to the story and the characters. I can easily see this as a long running series (I didn't even look to see if more books were available, but I assume they are already). The author really did a good job of taking me for a ride. Every decision and realization that Cam has, I had right along with her. At times, when I was reading, my mouth would gape as I realized how silly I'd been to overlook a detail or how trusting I'd been, right along with the main character.

I finished this book still not knowing who to trust and who is lying. There was a cliffhanger, but I didn't care because the story was so engaging. I'll be looking into the next book ASAP!

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Trouble Brewing: Shakespeare Sisters 2

Trouble Brewing by Jane Tara
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a really cute book! I haven’t read the first book in this series, but was in no way impacted by that. There are a bunch of love stories interwoven in this little gem. I found myself eagerly turning the pages to see who we would follow-up with next. The romantic in me wished their stories were simpler, but the reader in me loved the drama. There’s some smut, but not too much (or enough, if you’re exclusively looking for that).

The main story follows Taran and Calypso on their tumultuous journey back to love. That sounds horribly romantic, but it really is true. Their friends and family were fun to watch pair up or work things out and I really want to know what happened to everyone. The one thing this book is missing is a comprehensive epilogue that tells me where everyone ends up. Maybe that’s for the next book? One can hope.


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Dark Child Omnibus

Dark Child by Adina West
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I will admit to stalling after adding this to my "to-read" shelf. The title and cover didn't really jump out at me, so it kept getting shifted down on the list. After tearing through a bunch of other books, I re-read the description of this one and figured "why not?" This book really sucked me in! I had a little trouble keeping all the characters straight, but other than that, it had a little bit of everything I like, and little that I don't like.

We follow the story of Kat, who is thrown into a crazy and confusing world filled with shapeshifters and vampires and government level conspiracies. I feel like she has just the right amount of tough chick hidden inside of her to qualify as a strong main character. She certainly seems to bounce back pretty quick from all the twists and turns life throws her way. The oodles of other characters were also nicely developed along the way, leaving me rooting for just about all of the "good guys."

There are *so many* questions that come up along the way, and the author is good about answering most of them, but not all. I'm eagerly awaiting the next installment in this series for just that reason. We find out where most of the characters end up, but we are left desperately wanting more information about what happens to Kat and if she ever gets her family sorted out.

I love just about any and all contemporary paranormal romance, so I was glad that this book even included some of that towards the end. My typical gripe is still there: the "bad guy" POV. In this story there were quite a few bad guys and we got to see through their eyes for a few chapters each. Not so bad, but not my favorite.

To summarize, if paranormal is your genre of choice, this book will deliver. You don't get everything tied up nicely at the end of the book, so be warned!

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Fae (Book 1)

Fae by C.J. Abedi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This had better be the start of a new series with many books, otherwise I will be completely disappointed! I was completely in love with one of the two main characters, Caroline, from her first POV chapter (the book hops back and forth between a few POVs). She's lovable in a real way -- complete with flaws and nerdy-ness. Her star-crossed lover story with Devilyn (I know, forgive the name) was heartbreaking and at the same time completely sizzling. Their awkward back and forth through most of the book had me cringing and laughing out loud at parts.

I don't want to skip out on mentioning the supporting characters, either. Teddy and Odin (and Famous) were all really great additions to the story. This wasn't your "typical" book about the Fae. There was a great historical spin to this book that I wasn't expecting to really enjoy as much as I did.

The only gripe I had (which is almost specifically a "me" thing) is that the POV changes made me dread the obligatory "bad guy" POV coming up every few chapters. I could have done without that, and it did slow my reading a bit. Other than that, I really had no story complaints. I'm mad at the cliffhanger ending and would have liked some happiness, but it will bring me back to read the next installment, for sure.

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Slumber

Slumber by Tamara Blake
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book really confused me. I’m not sure how to feel now that it’s over. Should I be happy with the ending? Should I have liked the main character? What about her love interest? I’m really not sure how I feel about any of it, except that I kept reading and it was completely not what I expected.

This book follows Ruby, a down on her luck teenager who is struggling to make ends meet. To take some burden off her mom, she goes to work at a creepy mansion where the really confusing craziness happens. Magic and chaos abounds. I’m not sure I could even describe all the twists and turns it takes. It’s like an updated and warped Alice in Wonderland story at the heart of it all, with a cliffhanger at the end.

At first, I was really sold on Tam as a character. I like the type of magical entities that this book revolves around, and I’m not opposed to fairy tale references, so I was on board. His character, however, really ends up not being very likable. Maybe if we had seen more of his decision making process, I would have been able to forgive him a few sins or moments that lacked any shown emotion (or crazy confusing emotion). All this aside, I was still rooting for him and Ruby all along the way, because I’m a sucker for paranormal romance scenarios.

Beware – this book will suck you in and end up being a wild and crazy ride that leaves you feeling slightly confused.


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The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers (Demon Slayer, #2)

The Dangerous Book for Demon Slayers by Angie Fox
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was another fun read that followed Lizzie on her adventures in Demon Slaying. It was still the same silly gang, complete with biker grannies and talking dogs. I'm not really sure that I liked this one as much as the first book, but it was close.

We get to see a very controlling yet still sizzling hot Dimitri, although not nearly enough of him. Lizzie gets stuck in this spiral of "I don't need anyone!", then "I need help!", then back to "I don't need anyone!", etc etc. One of my pet peeves is whiney female main characters, and this book bordered on pushing my buttons.

There was a bunch of relationship development, mostly in the form of a sort of power struggle between Dimitri and Lizzie. At first I was worried Lizzie would roll into Las Vegas to find Dimitri playing it up with some strippers, but I'm glad that this series doesn't appear to be playing the break up/make up card just yet.

I was also happy to see a new character, in the form of Max, who we will hopefully see more of in the future books. I look forward to seeing where the story goes from here!

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The Accidental Demon Slayer (Demon Slayer, #1)

The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I had previously read this book (3 years ago), but since I didn't remember it at all and it came up for free in exchange for an honest review, I read it again.

This book was a really fun read. I blew through it in an evening and had trouble putting it down. Lizzie is a great reluctant hero in the story. She may not believe it, but she's an awesome tough chick main character. I loved reading through her and Dimitri's back and forth romance. I know that there area bunch more books in the series out there, so I'm sure that there will be sufficient follow up to the numerous loose ends in this book.

The motorcycle grannies were a good comic relief to the constant danger/stress/deadlines that poor Lizzie had to endure. I also, rather reluctantly, loved the dog. Parrot was a great little pseudo-sidekick to Lizzie and I hope he comes with them on their next adventures.

Looking forward to starting the next book!

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Grasping at Eternity (The Kindrily, #1)

Grasping at Eternity by Karen Amanda Hooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to admit - I read this book without reading a single book summary. I just dove in blind, hoping for the best.

This book really put me through hell and back again with the trials of this epic love story! Don't get me wrong, there is mystery and there is a lot of grand story arc setup going on, but most of all, it is a really beautiful love story.

I fell in love with poor Nathan, who seems to suffer for almost every page of this book one way or another. I understand that we're supposed to hope for a big picture reasoning behind why he is made to suffer, but at times I just wanted to cry for him. So much epic love story sadness is thrown at the reader that I almost didn't want to pick the book back up after chapters from his POV. I did, of course, because I'm a glutton for punishment, but eventually you'd get another Maryah chapter that would make me understand her motivation a little better (probably better than Nathan at most points in the book).

This book is the first of hopefully many in this interesting new world of reincarnation and Elements. I was surprised at how much setup the author managed to accomplish without it getting boring or overly monotonous. Thank goodness we get a happy ending at the finish, otherwise I might have had a hard time getting the courage to read book 2 (which is in my "to-read" shelf right now). There's only so much suffering and emo a girl can take before it breaks her. The payoff is totally worth the "suffering" in this case. I highly recommend this book for those of you looking for an epic love story!

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Taking Back Forever (The Kindrily, #2)

Taking Back Forever by Karen Amanda Hooper
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'll be honest -- I delayed reading this book. It sat on my virtual shelf for probably too long. I had sort of a bad taste in my mouth after book one. That's not to say that book one was bad -- it wasn't. The world that these book take place in is great, the story is great, it was just.... kind of a bummer. I was a little depressed by reading the first book. It was a long journey to get the characters to where they ended up at the end of book one.

This book was nothing like that. Yes, we still follow Nathan and Maryah on their journey to remember and start anew. This book's hard journey happens in the POV of Harmony, who I like a lot more in this book than the last. Another difference is that while we still get a lot of sizzling YA scenes, they definitely veer towards the adult in this book. I like that, so I'm not complaining. If anything, I want MORE.

At the end of the book the author gives the reader the chance to sort of choose the ending. There is a note after a very happy ending that allows to you continue on for a cliffhanger ending. I'm not one for cliffhangers, so I passed. Other reviewers might not have. The author said she will repeat the cliffhanger ending at the beginning of the next book, so I'm not missing out on anything.

I read this book in a day. Almost one sitting, because I couldn't stop reading. That says something for a second book in the series, especially one that I was putting off reading. This was a great installment and I look forward to many more.

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Glimpse (Zellie Wells #1)

Glimpse by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I love this author. I love this YA world. I have about a million other books in my "to-read" list, but I couldn't resist bumping this one to the top of the virtual stack.

I previously read the first of the Penny series which kind of spoiled me for how things turn out in this trilogy. Lucky for me, I have no memory of this because of how many books I've read in between. The names of the characters are familiar, but I am not 100% certain the personal relationships.

That being said, this book was a really great YA read. Yes, full of angst and misunderstanding, but also sizzling YA romance between Zellie and Avery. I can't wait to see what happens next (so much so that I'm bumping up the next two books in my list). I really thing this story and this world the author creates is wildly original. I wish more people would give it a chance and pick this book up.

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Crossing

Crossing by Stacey Wallace Benefiel
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Wow. Just. Wow.

First, I have fallen in love with this author. I'm going to add all of her books to my "to-read" list right now. The writing style is so... fun. It's very gritty and real. I couldn't put the book down. Really.

Second, this story was amazing. I am your typical paranormal romance buff and I don't know why I thought that's what this was, but I did. Boy, I was wrong, but in a good way. Yes, there's romance and some smut, but it's just such a very real life love story.

I instantly fell in love with the story of Liam and Dani. Dani's character was *amazing* and Liam was just 100% lovable. Of course, to have a book worth reading, things can't just be smooth sailing from the get go. There are rough patches and some very emotional parts to this book, but the story is worth telling (and reading).

As a warning -- you *will* fall in love with Dani's POV. I want more. So much more. I can't say enough good things about this book (and this author). The best I can do is to say pick this book up and read it right now!

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Samantha Moon Rising (Vampire for Hire #5-7; Teeth)

Samantha Moon Rising by J.R. Rain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Vampire Dawn:
This book picks up a few months (I guess) after the previous one. We get to see Sam evolve even more with her powers and (ugh) her relationship with Kingsley. I am really still firmly on Team Fang, especially after how we see him briefly in this installment. I really feel for the guy who is sadly stuck in the friend-zone for Sam. Wake up, Sam!

The big case story in this book revolved around the super secret blood trade. I guess it makes sense that she should follow through and learn where her blood comes from (and why her boyfriend was even buying blood to begin with! Team Fang!). After all this build up about this big baddie soap opera star, I felt like the ending kind of fizzled. I also really felt like I should have read this Christmas short story that is repeatedly referenced in this book.

So -- high parts of this book were the following: Fang, Max, the always quick and witty dialog from Sam. These things will always have me coming back to read the next book!

Vampire Games:
Sigh. This book really depressed me.

This book was not so very different from the others, except it really crushed my dreams of a Fang/Sam romance. I’m still holding out a little bit of hope, but I’m pretty sure there isn’t any to be had. A lot of things change in this book, so it’s an important installment. There is a lot of growth in both her acceptance of being a vampire and in how she deals with things. Almost all her relationships change in one way or another.

The case story in this book was pretty interesting, and hopefully introduced a character that will come back from time to time in future books. Or not. I’m still Team Fang. I am also decidedly anti-Kingsley, as I’ve mentioned before. I think he’s no good for Sam and she should really know that by now. Or before now. Maybe at book 2. Also, my hatred for Det. Hanner was increased to epic proportions. She really needs someone to take her down a notch, and I hope that Sam is the one to do it.

This book was sadly missing Max and a lot of Fang interaction (for obvious reasons, but still sad). I hope the next book lifts my spirits a little.

Moon Island:
I'm not quite sure why I didn't like this book as much as the rest. Maybe it was because I hate Kingsley and how he keeps worming his way back into Sam's life (girl power and all that). Maybe it's because we have zero Fang in this one. Mostly it was probably because I'm not a real big fan of the "road trip" installments in a book series. It takes away all the characters that I like and then throws the main character in with someone I don't know (Allison).

That's not to say that Allison wasn't great. I laughed out loud while reading her banter with Sam. She was a great balance to Sam's quite depressing and panic filled outlook in this book. Maybe the reason I didn't like this one is because, rather than make any progress in the overall story, it felt like we took 2 steps backwards. 2 big steps. There was also a lot of God and whatnot. I'm not a big fan, especially when this series has been relatively light and fluffy in the way it handles supernaturals and souls.

I'm eager to see how Sam recovers in the next book, and there had better be a lot of Fang in there. Pages and pages full of Fang. And some Max, because he is always a great addition. And Det. Hanner better get slapped.

Teeth:
This was a very short story that pretty much just shows you a scene from Fang's trial. We get the details on what happened to land him in the insane asylum. I was really hoping for more detail and motivation in this story, but, like I said, it was very very short. I'm really eager to learn more about him (obviously) and hopefully we will get much much more in the next installment to this series.

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Moon Island (Vampire For Hire #7)

Moon Island by J.R. Rain
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I'm not quite sure why I didn't like this book as much as the rest. Maybe it was because I hate Kingsley and how he keeps worming his way back into Sam's life (girl power and all that). Maybe it's because we have zero Fang in this one. Mostly it was probably because I'm not a real big fan of the "road trip" installments in a book series. It takes away all the characters that I like and then throws the main character in with someone I don't know (Allison).

That's not to say that Allison wasn't great. I laughed out loud while reading her banter with Sam. She was a great balance to Sam's quite depressing and panic filled outlook in this book. Maybe the reason I didn't like this one is because, rather than make any progress in the overall story, it felt like we took 2 steps backwards. 2 big steps. There was also a lot of God and whatnot. I'm not a big fan, especially when this series has been relatively light and fluffy in the way it handles supernaturals and souls.

I'm eager to see how Sam recovers in the next book, and there had better be a lot of Fang in there. Pages and pages full of Fang. And some Max, because he is always a great addition. And Det. Hanner better get slapped.

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Vampire Games (Vampire For Hire #6)

Vampire Games by J.R. Rain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sigh. This book really depressed me.

This book was not so very different from the others, except it really crushed my dreams of a Fang/Sam romance. I’m still holding out a little bit of hope, but I’m pretty sure there isn’t any to be had. A lot of things change in this book, so it’s an important installment. There is a lot of growth in both her acceptance of being a vampire and in how she deals with things. Almost all her relationships change in one way or another.

The case story in this book was pretty interesting, and hopefully introduced a character that will come back from time to time in future books. Or not. I’m still Team Fang. I am also decidedly anti-Kingsley, as I’ve mentioned before. I think he’s no good for Sam and she should really know that by now. Or before now. Maybe at book 2. Also, my hatred for Det. Hanner was increased to epic proportions. She really needs someone to take her down a notch, and I hope that Sam is the one to do it.

This book was sadly missing Max and a lot of Fang interaction (for obvious reasons, but still sad). I hope the next book lifts my spirits a little.


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Vampire Dawn (Vampire for Hire #5)

Vampire Dawn by J.R. Rain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I am actually working on reading "Samantha Moon Rising" - a compilation of books 5-7, with a short story (Teeth). I'm not really good at waiting until the end of any compilation to write a review, so I'll just review as I go along in each individual book.

This book picks up a few months (I guess) after the previous one. We get to see Sam evolve even more with her powers and (ugh) her relationship with Kingsley. I am really still firmly on Team Fang, especially after how we see him briefly in this installment. I really feel for the guy who is sadly stuck in the friend-zone for Sam. Wake up, Sam!

The big case story in this book revolved around the super secret blood trade. I guess it makes sense that she should follow through and learn where her blood comes from (and why her boyfriend was even buying blood to begin with! Team Fang!). After all this build up about this big baddie soap opera star, I felt like the ending kind of fizzled. I also really felt like I should have read this Christmas short story that is repeatedly referenced in this book.

So -- high parts of this book were the following: Fang, Max, the always quick and witty dialog from Sam. These things will always have me coming back to read the next book!

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Moon Child (Vampire For Hire #4)

Moon Child by J.R. Rain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was another really fast read -- it took only a few hours to blow through. We were introduced with a few new characters that will likely resurface in the next few books at some point.

What's there to say about this installment that's different from the rest? I'm still firmly on Team Fang, still anti-Kingsley, and Sam is still as witty and sarcastic as ever This book continued on in the same heart-wrenching way, looking for a way to use the medallion. Sam's powers are still growing, and I really really look forward to a day when she chooses between the men in her life. I feel bad for Fang, even if he may or may not be crazy.

I know that Kingsley had a sort of redeeming moment at the end of this book, but I still feel like he should be in the doghouse (ha, pun intended!). Why Sam is so set on going back to loving someone who makes her miserable is beyond me, especially since she has someone who makes her feel better staring her in the face. Maybe next installment we will get some sort of resolution there.

Also, BONUS, this book did not end in a cliffhanger. I'm still going right to the next one, though, because these short little books are quite addicting!

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American Vampire (Vampire For Hire #3)

American Vampire by J.R. Rain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I blew through this book really quickly. I have to say, these short chapters filled with witty banter have really helped me fly through this series. There were a lot of times when I found myself laughing out loud at the one liners thrown about. I'm really glad we met some more characters (that have their own set of books??) so there is even more chance for wit and sarcasm. Luckily everyone Sam meets talks and acts like her...

This book was an immediately continuation from the last one (which left us on a cliffhanger with Fang). I'll admit it, I was totally shocked by who Fang was. It wasn't a bad shock -- it was really a pretty good shock. I really hope that Sam ends up with Fang in the end of this series (or however far in it takes her to end up making some sort of relationship decision). There is a love... triangle? trapezoid? Lots of guys love her. There was a lot of drama that still kept her from really focusing on her increasingly complicated love life, though.

The story line involving her son was really hard to read at times. I can completely follow her reasoning and can sympathize with her tears. I wish we got resolution in this book, but, of course, we get a cliffhanger! Luckily (again) I have the next book lined up to start, but I feel bad for anyone who doesn't. Cliffhangers are not my favorite.



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Vampire Moon

Vampire Moon by J.R. Rain
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I read the first book in this series 2 years ago and it took me until now to finally get back to this series. Taking that long a break doesn't appear to have hurt my understanding of the character or the story line at all, for which I am grateful.

Sam is still just as witty as I vaguely remembered her being. The wit and sarcasm in this book was almost on par with the Dresden Files books, where the dialog just flies by. I am a big fan of a witty and sarcastic main character, especially if they are some sort of tough supernatural.

One downside to taking such a long break between books is that I really wasn't sure what the plot of this book was. Sure, I saw the cases and followed them just fine, but the drama with her family didn't appear to be going anywhere major and her relationships with the men in her life also didn't appear to be the big story here either. If I had to peg down one big turning point aspect of this book, it would revolve around everything she and Fang talk about. Man, the chat room talk really takes me back to my internet roleplaying days! I *love* this story, and I hope that I (and Sam) love Fang, whoever he turns out to be. That's another point in this book's favor -- I have no idea how the cliffhanger at the end will turn out. Mystery abounds! Luckily I have the next book lined up to read immediately!

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The Dark Highlander

The Dark Highlander by Karen Marie Moning
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I know I say this after reading every book in this Highlander series, but, really, this one is my new favorite! These books just keep getting better and better! This one is definitely a 4 or 5 star book to me. After Tara (from book club) said she blew through this book, I knew I should at least start the thing. She was completely right – I couldn’t put the book down! This book is filled to the brim with smut and awesomeness! There is just the right amount of “polish” on this book that I almost feel like we were following KMM’s growth as an author by going through the Highlander books in order.

This book follows Dageus through his journey, which was introduced at the end of the previous book via Drustan and Gwen’s story. The title is right on the money – he’s a dark highlander and they really really show you how dark he is throughout the book (in a sexy way). No, there are not any “rapey” scenes really, but the sex scenes really do sizzle. Chloe is a great match for Dageus, and I really loved watching them play off one another. We also got to check in with Adam and the other fae and I’m eager to see where that longer storyline ends up.

I should also note that reading this one made me want to re-read the Fever series even more! Now that I know everyone’s backstory I think the scenes at Ryodan’s club might make more sense to me. I don’t think I necessarily suffered for not reading this series first, but it’s something that has been in the back of my head while reading these books.


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Don't Bite The Bridesmaid

Don't Bite the Bridesmaid by Tiffany Allee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

First things first – the title is cheesy, but it sets a good frame of reference for the book. This book was fun and silly and totally enjoyable! It was a quick read that had me smiling almost 100% of the time. There was your typical formulaic “misunderstanding” sequence, but totally worth it to give you a nice happily ever after.

Noah and Alice’s relationship was great to watch blossom in this book. Trapped in a cruise ship turned out to be a great setting for all the romance and silliness and smut that a girl could want. Rather than giving us a main character that is virginal or completely unaware of the supernatural community, we got Alice. She really reminded me of some of my friends who are tough where it counts. They force you to have fun and not take yourself too seriously.

I’m not sure if there are other books in this series that I missed or if we’ll meet characters that were mentioned in some other installment, but I’m ready to read more of these. This book was so light and carefree that it was a pleasure to read.


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