Personal Demon by Kelley Armstrong

Series: Women of the Otherworld, Book 8

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Copyright: 2008

Pages: 252

Rating: 3 / 5

Review:
This was a quick fun read. Hope and Karl first featured in the Dates From Hell Anthology, which was enough of a teaser to make you want these two come together. This is the first series that i've read out of order. I've read the first four books, and let just say i got fed up of reading about and from Paige's POV.

This book is from Hope's and Lucas' POVs. Hope goes undercover for the Cortez Cabal to repay the debt Karl and her owe Benicio Cortez, only she's doing it alone cause Karls left her. Enter Karl, and thing get a whole lot interesting.

I liked this new side of Karl where he's trying to open up to Hope - he's always been the cool, aloof thief to me so far, so this side of him was good to see.

I liked Lucas' POV as well. It was interesting to see him struggle to maintain his beliefs and ideals and yet to what's right for the Cortez Cabal and deal with his father

All in all, a good read.

See my review of the previous books from this series here

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Wild Fire by Christine Feehan

Series: Leopard Series, Book 4

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Copyright: 2010

Pages: 400

Rating: 3 / 5

Review:  Pretty good book and i'm beginning to think that the Leopard Series may just be better than Feehan's Carpathian Series . After 21 books, the plot is progressing slowly and interestingly but the love formula's gone stale with the Carpathian couples. Wild Fire was a bit different in that it started with Connor having betrayed his mate by seducing her on a mission and not sharing the matey news with her.

His team is now on a new mission rescuing leopard hostages in the jungles of Panama and there's a chance to reunite with Isabeau. But will the evil villainess ruin the day? (note to self: tone down on the drama a bit, the chocolate happy-high is showing)

I liked this book. The characters and situations are described well enough that you can imagine being a part of the leopard people in the jungle. I laughed with these leopards and was definitely touched at the mushy wiring at times. Typical Feehan style - although i have to say it did get a bit too mushy at times. Men do not get so emotional - it's a bit unreal when they do. I also thought Isabeau was a bit irritating. Her progress the entire book was somewhat like -

He betrayed me.. he betrayed me.. he killed my father

and then 10 mins after meeting Connor again she goes
i can't keep my hands off him

and then again
he betrayed me..but i want him

huh?

But other than that? Nice

Click here for previous book reviews

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Black Dust Mambo - Adrian Phoenix

Series: Hoodoo, Book 1

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Copyright: 2010

Pages: 368

Rating: 3 / 5

Review: If you liked the other Adrian Pheonix series The Maker's Song and you liked the writing style with different threads of the story running simultaneously with a lotta things going on and all joining to a big end with enough thread dangling for part 2, then you'll like this book too. Set in the world of magic and hoodoo, Black Dust Mambo centres around Kallie ,who find herself surrounded by death and black magic at the annual carnival at New Orleans. Her hot nomad squeeze ends up dead on her bed, body and soul dead. His clan brother Layne, hot as sin in dreads (still can't picture a hot dread locked man, but i'm willing to go with it) decides he owes keeping Kallie outta trouble and alive since his best friend died for her.

As Kallie and Belladonna, her best friend, and a couple of the other folks try to get to the bottom of things, people are getting shot at, killed, and generally magically possessed. And in between it all, Kallie has only one name and reason given to her by the killer for all the madness going on - Gabrielle LaRue - her aunt and the woman who has raised her for the past 9 years. Which makes this a pretty fun book of what-the-hell-is-going-on?

So in a nutshell, if you like a fast paced story thats different from the other stuff out there, this is the book for you. There wasn't much world building - but there didn't need to be. The author made it interesting enough so even when i wasn't all in love with the Cajun French references some of the time, i wanted to know what would happen and how it would all end. And isn't that all you need from a book?

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Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Series: Kate Daniels, Book 1

Genre: Paranormal, Urban Fantasy

Copyright: 2007

Pages: 260

Rating: 4 / 5

Synopsis: When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.
Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.
The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

Review:
I've been stalling against reading Magic Bites mostly because of the good reviews I've read. A lot of times books don't live up to all the hype. Plus there's such a thing as having too many good books to read and then ending up being confused between the worlds and scenarios and unable to enjoy the book for all it has to give you. I finally succumbed , mostly cause my sister wants me to catch up so I can buy the second book which she's dying to read. Big mistake putting off reading this series, i absolutely loved it.

Ilona Andrews has created a beautiful world which alternatively runs on magic and technology. There's a different class of vampires, a pack of shapeshifting beasts, a whole bunch of mages, guilds and other magically inclined protectors and other things that go bump in the night. And in the midst of them all there's Kate - a mercenary who works to clean up the bumpy things and has a fair bit of mystery about her.

This one has Kate investigating the death of her guardian while introducing us to the other supes in the story. The world building is detailed just right and paced in a way that everything doesn't at you all at once.

"I'm not dumb, but if I tell you I'm tough, you'll peg me for a bravo, so I'm going to smile cryptically."

Any book with a chick with mysterious powers yielding a saber and an even sharper tongue is always going to be a pick-me-up book. But with Andrew's writing, this became an awesome read. The characters have depth, the writing gives you a sense that you're actually there with Kate, the conversations are sharp and witty - and this is urban fantasy the way its meant to be written.

 If the first book is enough to add an author to your favourites read, you know there's good reading ahead

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Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

Series: The Southern Vampire Series / Sookie Stackhouse, Book 10

Genre: Paranormal

Copyright: 2010

Pages: 311

Rating: 4 / 5

Synopsis: Sookie Stackhouse has finally settled into a relationship with the Viking vampire Eric, and her errant brother Jason seems to have his life in order, too. But all the other people in Sookie’s life – Eric himself, her former lover Bill, her friend and boss Sam – are having family problems. Eric’s maker shows up with Eric’s ‘brother’ in tow, the ailing Bill can only be healed by a blood sibling, and Sam’s brother’s marriage is about to take place... or will it? The furor raised by the coming out of the two-natured has yet to settle; some people are just not ready to sit down to dinner with a man who turns into a dog. And Sookie herself is still recovering from her last ordeal. She’s definitely improving, physically and mentally, but she’s always going to have some dark moments now. The werewolves tell her that there have been strange and ominous passers-by in the Stackhouse woods; now Sookie is about to come face-to-face with one of her more distant relatives...

Review:

After 9 books of watching the goings on in Sookies' life like a nosy neighbour who cant stay away and lusting after Alexander Skarsgård, a really weird thing happened…book 10 released and I didn’t realise it until I saw it marked on Goodreads. That was easily remedied by shamelessly going out and getting a copy of the book to read till the wee hours of the next afternoon. What is not easily remedied is the wait for the next book, the 'huh, there's no more pages, this was the end?' and the 'give the Sook a break and a HEA' feeling going through my head.

Book 10 has all the usual characters - an abundance of supes and crazies, each with their own problems, each having Sookie involved in them till you wonder how she manages to keep track of everything without a blog, not enough of hot loving with Eric, dead bodies in her back yard, someone out to kill Sookie… you know the usual

Book 9 ended with the traumatic and almost near death torturous experience and rescue of Sookie. So it was only natural that Dead in the Family would have a subdued and shaky beginning. Sookie and Eric are together and now very much in love. It does seem like supe responsibilities and other people keep getting in their way, but they're making do. Harris has made them comfortable with each other, but how its ends with an immortal vampire and a very mortal telepath is still up in the air.

As the book name suggests, its all about family bonds in this book. We see a much matured Jason (finally) and a surprise visit by Eric's creator and new brother. While the gateway to fairy closed in the last book, Claude is still around, and in a completely unexpected move, he moves in with Sookie on the pretext of being close to someone of fairy blood. But is he really there for family bonds, or something else? Either way I hope to see more of him, I like this new and hopefully improving side of Claude. I was surprised at so little Bill time in this book, since he was the one who rescued Sook in book 9. I can bet however, that you'd never guess how things turn out for Bill.

In a way, this book was filled with quite a few surprises. I don't know if I was too excited to be actually reading this that I didn't get it or that it really was a surprise that I didn't know the who dunnits at all in this book. Harris seems to be going in a new direction with this book. 10 books on with the same main character and I will become hard to keep the excitement and momentum going. For now, I just felt Sookie has had it rough for too long. I do hope the next book is a bit happier.

Click here for reviews of books 1-9

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Need by Carrie Jones

Series: Need Series, Book 1

Genre: YA, Paranormal

Copyright: 2008

Pages: 306

Rating: 3 / 5

Synopsis: Zara White suspects there's a freaky guy semi-stalking her. She's also obsessed with phobias. And it's true, she hasn't exactly been herself since her stepfather died. But exiling her to shivery Maine to live with her grandmother? That seems a bit extreme. The move is supposed to help her stay sane...but Zara's pretty sure her mom just can't deal with her right now.
She couldn't be more wrong. Turns out the semi-stalker is not a figment of Zara's overactive imagination. In fact, he's still following her, leaving behind an eerie trail of gold dust. There's something not right - not human - in this sleepy Maine town, and all signs point to Zara.
In this creepy, compelling breakout novel, Carrie Jones delivers romance, suspense, and a creature you never thought you"d have to fear
 
Review:

"It's hard to save the world when you can't save yourself"
— Carrie Jones (Need)

I picked up Need after reading Alaine's awesome review of the book at her blog here. Need is a new age YA book with a dark twist to everything you knew about pixies. Zara has been on auto-pilot mode every since her step father died and to get her back to the land of the living, her mother sends her off to cold cold Maine to live with her step-Grandmother. Still grieving for her step-dad, Zara views her mothers packing her off as a betrayal, and she now has to deal with cold climate and a new school and environment. This is made easy with a hot Nick Colt and an over-achieving Ian, both of whom immediately vie for Zaras attentions. There's new friends to be made in the hyper-bubbly Issy and geeky Devyn; not to forget, no YA school story can do without the popular girl who doesn't like you from day one.

Now here's  where my problems with Need begin. Everythings fine so far, and then wham!! There's a pointing man in the woods, and everybody goes weird. One internet search and library trip later, we have a growling and protective Nick, and a theory on pixies stealing boys.

I liked this book, or i really tried to. That part that got to me was how easily everyone involved just accepted the whole supernatural angle. Zara especially. No subtle easing into the supernatural world, and as interesting as the rest of the book was, it made it real hard to read without a 'did i miss a few pages of Zara's introduction to things that go bump in the night' thought in my head.

Another thing that was a bit ridiculous and well, funny, were Zara's plans about the pixies. See, the pixies need her to survive, which means they're all out to get her. Zara dearest has plans on how to escape them, capture them, and at the end imprison them with forks. Yes, forks. See why this got a bit too much from someone who has every phobia in the world?

As a YA, this is still a good book. At times unintentionally funny too. There's not much character building, very little world building, but a good story and warm characters.

And one that note, i'll leave you with this:
I back into him and blurt " But you're so cute. Werewolves aren't supposed to be cute. Vampires are, i think. They are in the movies. But the werewolves are pretty much ugly and they wear leather jackets and are all dirty with these monster sideburns"
Edward would be proud of you Zara, although Jacob might have a lil something to say

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And Then He Kissed Her by Laura Lee Guhrke

Series: Girl Bachelors, Book 1

Genre: Historical-Regency

Copyright: 2007

Pages: 375

Rating: 4.5 / 5

Synopsis: An expert in etiquette, Emma takes her pristine reputation most seriously. But the devilish Lord Marlowe is determined to prove that some rules of proper behavior are made to be broken...

Supremely sensible Emmaline Dove wishes to share her etiquette expertise with London's readers, and as secretary to Viscount Marlowe, Emma knows she's in the perfect position to make her dream come true. Marlowe might be a rake with a preference for can-can dancers and an aversion to matrimony, but he is also the city's leading publisher, and Emma is convinced he's her best chance to see her work in print...until she discovers the lying scoundrel has been rejecting her manuscripts without ever reading a single page!

As a publisher, Harry finds reading etiquette books akin to slow, painful torture. Besides, he can't believe his proper secretary has the passion to write anything worth reading. Then she has the nerve to call him a liar, and even resigns without notice, leaving his business in an uproar and his honor in question! Harry decides it's time to teach Miss Dove a few things that aren't proper. But when he kisses her, he discovers that his former secretary has more passion and fire than he'd ever imagined, for one luscious taste of her lips only leaves him hungry for more...

Review:
I spent two months searching for this book, and then it spent 8 months on the shelf.
Stupid me.

And Then He Kissed Her is a wonderfully well-written historical romance. Emma Dove is the extremely prim and proper spinster past her spring who works for a rake and has hopes of publishing her own etiquette books. Viscount Marlowe is said rake, successful publisher and someone who needs his secretary to tell him where to be when and buy gifts for the ladies breezing through his door.

Until Emma realises that Marlowe will never publish her books, and decides to make some life changing decisions- like resigning without notice. In trying to get his secretary back Marlowe suddenly realises there's a lot more to her than a staid prim secretary he thought he knew, and he likes what he’s now seeing a whole lot.

There's no chemistry at all between these 2 at the beginning of the book. They're strictly employer and employee, and intend to keep it that way. Which makes the sweet interactions between them later in the book a joy to read. The romance is sweet and hot at the same time. No smut here though. Guhrke really know how to write her stuff. That scene at the chocolate store and in the parlor where Marlowe tries to seduce the virgin Emma are some of the amazingly hot scenes that’ll stay with you. Phew!!

The characters in the book are very well written. Marlowe as the sexy alpha hero has to be one of the sweetest rakes out there. This book was really about Emma though. No TSTL heroine, she knew she was good at her stuff and stuck to her guns to get what she wanted. I loved watching her battle her need to conform to society and rules against a will to live a full life of happiness. This book was a refreshing read in its plot and characters. I'm definitely picking up more Guhrke books 

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To Wed a Wicked Earl by Olivia Parker

Genre: Historical Romance

Copyright: 2004

Pages: 336
Rating: 4 / 5
 
Synopsis:
He's on the hunt for a bride . . .
Adam Faramond, Earl of Rothbury, needs to find a wife—immediately!—or his beloved grandmother will leave him penniless. But Adam, an unrepentant rake, would reform for only one woman, the woman he's lusted after—and loved—for years. It's rather unfortunate, then, that Miss Charlotte Greene would never consent to be the blushing bride of a rogue . . . or so he thinks.
Charlotte believes that the earl, the only man whose touch leaves her trembling, would never want a woman like her. Weary of her wallflower ways, Charlotte decides that a friendship with the earl just might give her the excitement she desires. Keeping their true feelings hidden, she and Adam plan a sham ceremony to placate the dowager. But when the "marriage of convenience" takes an unexpected turn, will Charlotte and her wicked earl finally reveal their irresistible, unforgettable love—and delight in a lifetime of passion?

Review:
I absolutely loved this book.

A notorious rake in love with a wall flower but unwilling to let her know. Instead he lets the world think he wants another woman. She's been in love with her childhood rescuer who woos her and then chooses another for marriage.

They decide to be 'friends' and help each other get to the person they're pretending they want. But in the end, as the wicked earl puts it "one day or another, one of us would start having…thoughts about the other" After all, there's such a thing as a man and a woman never being able to become friends because lust gets in the way.
Rothbury has always wanted Charlotte, and for her soon her friendly feelings start to be something more. And a wily old grandmother helps them find the way

Did i mention i loved this book. A lot of the book is from Rothbury's perspective and its charming to read how he's falling for the shy girl who everyone ignores at the balls and despite himself can't stay away from her. Charlotte comes across as a real innocent shy spinster. A bit quirky, obviously unaware of her beauty and sometimes daring - like when she kisses Rothbury for the first time.

Its a quick 3 hr read, don't miss it. I know i'll definitely be reading more of Olivia Parker

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Night Pleasures by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Series: Dark-Hunter, Book 2

Genre: Paranormal

Copyright: 2004

Pages: 336

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Synopsis:
Dear Reader, 

Have you ever wanted to know what it's like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking the evil that preys on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power? 

That is my existence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but am known to none. And I love every minute of it. Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt. Or in Amanda's case, buttoned all the way up to her chin. She's smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal---in other words, me.

My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Yet every time I look at her, I find myself wanting to try again. Wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exist. Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there's any way a woman like Amanda can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he's not sure it will ever beat again. 

Kyrian of Thrace

Review:

Night Pleasures is a good book to read if you're just starting out with the paranormal genre. Simple, quick and pretty quirky.

Amanda Deveraux is an accountant in a family of witches, vampire hunters and psychics. She likes her life normal and supernatural-free. Until she gets mistaken for her twin vamp slaying sister and gets handcuffed to a gorgeous blond vampire. Kyrian of Thrace was a fearsome general who fought the Roman empire. Now he's a Dark Hunter - a soulless creature of the night fighting the soul sucking Daimons who prey on humanity. Betrayed by the woman he loved, he's lived centuries with the pain of the betrayal and execution at the hands of the Romans, with only his Dark Hunter duties as his guide.

These two individuals are as far apart as it can get, and yet through Kenyon's quirky and sometimes cheesy lines, you'll see them fall for each other. Now there's a super Daimon on the loose and he has it out for both of em. Kyrian has to keep Amanda safe while trying not to fall for her at the same time.

I loved the lil bits of history in this book. Although the second book in the series, this is actually where the series begins. So if you haven't read book 1, Fantasy Lover, it won't really matter.
This is a good book to pass the time. I didn't really connect with the characters since a lot of their situations were a bit hard to be believable, not to mention the monologues are a bit sappy. The rest of the supporting cast is pretty dramatic and entertaining tho.

There's some pretty good scenes in the book that you'll like, like Amanda's attempts to erase the memories of Kyrian's torture and execution. There's also a sense of bonding among the Dark Hunter's that Kenyon manages to push through, which is why i'll probably pick up the next book to see where this series goes.

You can read the review of the first book, Fantasy Lover here

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Promises Linger by Sarah McCarty

Series: Promises, Book 1


Genre: Romance

Copyright: 2004

Pages: 422

Rating: 3.5  / 5

Synopsis:
1868 Wyoming Territory
Elizabeth Coyote will do anything, anything at all, to save the ranch she loves, including marrying Asa MacIntyre, a broad shouldered, lean hipped silver eyed gunslinger with a ruthless reputation for getting the job done.
Asa dreams of a place of his own, a wife, and the respect that comes with both. Marrying Elizabeth may have started as a means to an end, but nothing in Asa's wildest dreams prepares him for the excitement of unleashing the carnal woman beneath his wife's prim and proper exterior.

Review:
A surprisingly sweet story, i expected total erotica considering the novel cover and instead got a pretty good story.
A hard ass woman who wants to keep her marriage impersonal and business-like and a handsome warrior man looking for respectability and a family he's never had. I wish i had myself an Asa McIntyre.

Definitely going to read the next series in the book
(yes yes,  the review is shorter than the synopsis, but together they pretty much say everything that needs to be said)

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Before I Fall by Lauren Oliver

Genre: Young Adult

Copyright: 2009

Pages: 470

Rating: 4 / 5

Synopsis:
What if you had only one day to live? What would you do? Who would you kiss? And how far would you go to save your own life?

Samantha Kingston has it all—looks, popularity, the perfect boyfriend. Friday, February 12th should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it’s her last. The catch: Samantha still wakes up the next morning. In fact, she re-lives the last day of her life seven times, until she realizes that by making even the slightest changes, she may hold more power than she had ever imagined.
 
Review: 
Before I Fall is the kinda story that will stay with you for a long time after. Like most YA novels, this one is the story of Samantha Kings, a typical high school teen who has it all - the popular clique in school, the jockey boyfriend, and a happening life. And then it all ends one day in a tragic accident - only Samantha wakes up in the morning to realise she's reliving the same day all over again.

We see her going from denial to rebellion and anger and finally to acceptance of what should be over the seven times she relives the same day - and along the way she gains perspective on the people in her life, and tries to change things for the better.

You can picture the characters in this story real well, most probably cause we've all known some of them while growing up - the pretty girls, the football jocks, the wanna-bes, the nerds n geeks. Lauren's easy and free flowing writing makes it real easy to like this book and feel a part of it.

There were times i empathised with Sam, and times i wondered what the hell Sam was up to. I'm not sure i agreed with everything she did - even when she did apparently get it right. As much as i loved Sam and Kent together, for example, i wasn't happy with Sam's decision to change Kent's life the way she did. But that's the hallmark of a good book - it makes you think and debate.

As a YA, this one covers the usual sex, drugs and alcohol story..not to miss out peer pressure too. But it doesn't preach and, i think, handles these topics very well. The ending leaves you a bit surprised - i completely didn't expect it to happen that way. If you wanna know what i mean by that, you know what you have to do - go pick up this book. You won't be disappointed

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Mine to Possess by Nalini Singh

Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 4

Genre: Paranormal

Copyright: 2008

Pages: 352

Rating: 3.5  / 5

Synopsis
A ghost returns from a leopard changeling's past, making him question everything-even his base animal instincts...
Clay Bennett is a powerful DarkRiver sentinel, but he grew up in the slums with his human mother, never knowing his changeling father. As a young boy without the bonds of Pack, he tried to stifle his animal nature. He failed...and committed the most extreme act of violence, killing a man, and lost his best friend, Talin, in the bloody aftermath. Everything good in him died the day he was told that she, too, was dead.
Talin McKade barely survived a childhood drenched in bloodshed and terror. Now a new nightmare stalks her—-the street children she works to protect are disappearing and turning up dead. Determined to keep them safe, she unlocks the darkest secret in her heart and returns to ask the help of the strongest man she knows...
Clay lost Talin once. He will not let her go again and hungers to possess her with a clawing need born of the leopard within. As they race to save the innocent Clay and Talin must face the violent truths of their past... or lose everything that ever mattered

Review:
Book 5 in the ever interesting Psy Changeling series, Mine to Possess is the story of Clay and Talin . Clay and Tally grew up together, and when Clay killed Tally's foster father, the effect seeing her best friends' beastly nature scarred Tally and she ran. (no typo there, I don’t think Tally was scared - scarred is what I meant)

Clay is now a sentinel in the Dark-River leopard pack and Tally is back in his life needing his help to rescue street children being kidnapped and killed. But Clay wont be content with only helping her and letting her leave. His mate is back in his life, and he intends to keep her with him.

I loved the storyline. These two obviously loved each other, but there's been so much pain and misery in Talin's life, it hard for her to open up to Clay again. Singh hasn’t had this much sadness in her books before - but thankfully there's Clay. The man and the animal know they need Talin, and will do anything it takes to break through her defenses so that she accepts they will be together.

The other couples and characters from the previous books make their appearance in this book. As always, Singh's writing brings out the love and feeling of family among these Changelings, and you feel a part of it.

The other smaller plots about the Psy councilors, and general progress in everyone else's life makes interesting reading too, and I'm curious to know where this plot is leading to. We got more about the ghost in the net - I think part of why I'm reading is only to find out who it is. There's also a sneak peak into the next couple (or so I hope) and if I've guessed right a certain Mr. Dorian (yum) may be getting his own book after all.

As always the story begins with a lil bit from the past when the Psy were just embracing Silence, and for me that what really gets me involved in this series.

All in all, a great book. Different from the rest in that Tally was a love from the past and yet somehow connected to the psy changeling battle. This break from a psy-changeling pair came at a good time. I would have been a case of same formula - different couple names otherwise.

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Fire by Kristin Cashore

Series: The Seven Kingdoms Trilogy, Book 2

Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy

Copyright: 2009

Pages: 352

Rating: 5 / 5

Synopsis:


Fire, Graceling's prequel-ish companion book, takes place across the mountains to the east of the seven kingdoms, in a rocky, war-torn land called the Dells. 

Beautiful creatures called monsters live in the Dells. Monsters have the shape of normal animals: mountain lions, dragonflies, horses, fish. But the hair or scales or feathers of monsters are gorgeously colored-- fuchsia, turquoise, sparkly bronze, iridescent green-- and their minds have the power to control the minds of humans. 

Seventeen-year-old Fire is the last remaining human-shaped monster in the Dells. Gorgeously monstrous in body and mind but with a human appreciation of right and wrong, she is hated and mistrusted by just about everyone, and this book is her story. 

Wondering what makes it a companion book/prequel? Fire takes place 30-some years before Graceling and has one cross-over character with Graceling, a small boy with strange two-colored eyes who comes from no-one-knows-where, and who has a peculiar ability that Graceling readers will find familiar and disturbing...

Review:

After the awesome debut that was Graceling, I wanted to get my hands on anything that was Kristin Cashore. And the wait for Fire was well worth it. Fire is the prequel to Graceling, in that is set 30 years before and has one cross over character that you’ll recognize at once. The book is based in the lands beyond the Seven Kingdoms, where there are creatures called monsters who are beautifully coloured and can mesmerize you. Fire is the last of the human monsters, but one who understands the effect of her beauty on others, and who understands the difference between right and wrong.


The book is based in a land at war with its neighbours and a kingdom shaped by the late king, and his trusted advisor Cansrel, who was Fire's father. Fire tries to use her monster powers to help with the war when asked. She struggles to use her powers now, when she's been trying not to all this while, and the attraction she feels for the king’s brother isn’t helping.

This book, for me, was a lot better than Graceling, and I absolutely loved Graceling. It is a lot more mature, and I felt it covered a lot more emotions and situations. Each character has its own distinct personality, and you'll feel for all of them. Nash, the weak-minded king smitten by Fire; Brigan his stoic brother; Brocker, the man who brought up Fire and Archer, her first lover and friend. I loved em all.

I loved Fire as a character. Gorgeous in body, she was gorgeous in mind as well. She cared about those around her, and despite the brave face she showed the world, had her own little insecurities. Cashore has created a breathtaking world, with vivid characters and an even paced storyline. You will feel a part of this book while reading it, and live through all of Fire's experiences. You'll love the time with Brigan, and your heart will go out to Archer.

Go. Read.

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Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Genre: Paranormal, Young Adult

Pages: 391

Published: 2009

Rating: 3.5 / 5

Synopsis:
For Nora Grey, romance was not part of the plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how much her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her...until Patch comes along. 

With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Nora is drawn to him against her better judgment, but after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is, and to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is far more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel. 

For Nora is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost her life.

Review:
I've been looking forward to reading this book since last year. Mainly because of the awesome cover and all the hype surrounding it when the book initially released.

Hush Hush (great name for a book, btw) is the story of a Nora, a seemingly average girl and the strange boy in school - Patch (any Bella-Edward flashbacks?)
The paranormal or fantasy aspect of the book comes in the form of Fallen Angels.
I found the story line pretty intriguing - fallen angels haven't been covered much in novels before. Patch is depicted as mysterious, a wee bit creepy and obviously hot. I read most of this book to find out more about him and the story around him - a bit like Nora was doing actually.
Nora, and I'm sorry for being so blunt, but Nora is downright boring - the quiet studious girl who doesn’t get in any trouble, and looks out for everyone.

The book had a real good storyline, but the characters weren't fleshed out as much as I would have liked them to be. I feel the author could have given them a whole lot more depth. It would have made the reader feel a part of the story. For me, there were a lot of parts missing in the book. The story did not cover why Patch and Nora  liked each other, They just seemed to. It did not explain, for example, what made Patch fall for Nora. We do know how and why he chooses her, but nothing as to why or what he likes in her, specially since i couldn't see what was so special in her.. And considering his dark and mysterious bad boy nature, I most definitely would have liked more lines on Patch.

There are some great lines in the book and at times I found myself laughing at their conversations and situations (mostly at 4 in the morning, so I'm sure I woke the neighbors up). I will most definitely want to read the next edition, if there is one. I like the idea of the fallen angels and the mystery behind them.

All in all, this was a great book. Although it could have been so much more. Very enjoyable, great lines, and awesome cover.  My cribbing aside you will want to read this book for the concept and feel good factor. Good for a Saturday afternoon.

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First Drop of Crimson - Jeaniene Frost

Series: Night Huntress World, Book 1

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Pages: 371 

Copyright: 2010

Rating: 3 / 5

Synopsis:

The night is not safe for mortals. Denise MacGregor knows all too well what lurks in the shadows - her best friend is half-vampire Cat Crawfield - and she has already lost more than the average human could bear. But her family's dark past is wrapped in secrets and shrouded in darkness - and a demon shapeshifter has marked Denise as prey. Now her survival depends on an immortal who craves a taste of her.
He is Spade, a powerful, mysterious vampire who has walked the earth for centuries and is now duty-bound to protect this endangered, alluring human - even if it means destroying his own kind. Denise may arouse his deepest hungers, but Spade knows he must fight his urge to have her as they face the demon nightmare together...
Because once the first drop of crimson falls, they will both be lost

Review:
I had really high hopes for this book. Considering how much I liked Spade as a secondary character in the Night Huntress novels, i really hoped his book would be great. But alas, FDOC is nothing but mediocre stuff...good, but mediocre.

One of Denise's   ancestors made a deal with a demon and then reneged on it. The demon wants what was due to him, but since he can't find the ancestor, he's getting Denise to do his dirty work..He's branded her with some Demon marks, so she's got some demon powers (like being able to run real fast, extra strength and eating a lot and such) She needs a vampire's help to find said ancestor..enter Spade.

Problems...Where do i start?
How about the god awful cover. Seriuosly? The Spade in my mind was so much more yummier that the ugly ass guy on the cover. I read this as a free e-book, and i have to say i'd never buy the book based on that cover.

Then there's Denise. Oh Denise.. what do i say. I did not like Frost's depiction of her character at all..She was just this sad case who couldn't seem to do anything right and had lil spurts of courage on an off.  Not a likeable heroine.Spade was a total sap too.. sigh.. if you've read the Night Huntress books you'll know he's way cooler than this book makes him out to be. Cat and Bones make an appearance here, although very brief. All in all, the villians seems to keep the plot interesting.

The storyline is actually good. It had a lot of potential and had Frost worked on the characters a bit more, would have made a great book.  I really really hope she makes up with the next stand-alone novel which is based on Mencheres. I know this seems like a rant more than a review but its just that i had really high expectations and i'm a bit peeved that all this can get is 3 stars. (Part of the 3 stars is from my previous love of Spade)
Read only if you're a die hard Night Huntress fan

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Storm Born by Richelle Mead

Series: Dark Swan, Book 1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
361 pages
Published: 2008

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blurb:  Just typical. No love life to speak of for months, then all at once, every horny creature in the Otherworld wants to get in your pants...

Eugenie Markham is a powerful shaman who does a brisk trade banishing spirits and fey who cross into the mortal world. Mercenary, yes, but a girl's got to eat. Her most recent case, however, is enough to ruin her appetite. Hired to find a teenager who has been taken to the Otherworld, Eugenie comes face to face with a startling prophecy--one that uncovers dark secrets about her past and claims that Eugenie's first-born will threaten the future of the world as she knows it.

Now Eugenie is a hot target for every ambitious demon and Otherworldy ne'er-do-well, and the ones who don't want to knock her up want her dead. Eugenie handles a Glock as smoothly as she wields a wand, but she needs some formidable allies for a job like this. She finds them in Dorian, a seductive fairy king with a taste for bondage, and Kiyo, a gorgeous shape-shifter who redefines animal attraction. But with enemies growing bolder and time running out, Eugenie realizes that the greatest danger is yet to come, and it lies in the dark powers that are stirring to life within her...

Review:

Eugenie Markham is a powerful Shaman who banishes otherworldly creatures from our world for hire. She sends these fey, or gentry, back to their realm or to the underworld, if they’re too annoying. Things suddenly change and Eugenie finds herself being propositioned and attacked (at the same time) by the gentry – not to mention they know her real name and things she did not know bout herself. These new revelations force her to realise that the world isn’t as she’s always believed it to be. The gentry she has always been fighting against may just be her only source of answers.

This was an amazing read. You know its Richelle Mead from the moment in begins. Storm Born is the first in Richelle Mead’s Dark Swan series. Just like in the VA series, Storm Born has multifaceted characters you’re not sure whether to like or to throw a book at. Mead really has this ability to make the heroines really annoying towards the beginning..I almost didn’t read this one cause Eugenie got on my nerves, but then it got better.. a whole lot better...and I’m glad I stuck it out.

There are two love interests in this book, and with only book one to go by, I’m not sure where the story will lead or who is better for Eugenie. There’s the sexy kitsune fox shape-shifter Kiyo, and the fey King Dorian who gets very serious about his elaborate rope work. While I wouldn’t want to sway your opinion on who’s the better guy, let me just say that I’m offering to keep Dorian if Eugenie doesn’t want him.

The other characters in the book are pretty well drawn out too. There’s Tim, the fake Native American and Will, a paranoid conspiracy theorist…but best of all, there’s Volusian the ghost who was kinda like Eugenie’s voice of reason and at the same time wanted to kill her and constantly reminded her so in very elaborate words.

The world building in this book is great and easy to follow. The story has a good pace, and a riveting enough ending that you’ll want to have the second book in hand when this one is done. This was one of those books where I ended up having a character debate with myself on the motivations of the different characters in this book. Eugenie at times seemed like she was controlled by those around her (although she does manage to hold her own pretty well) Kiyo and Dorian, and just about everyone in the book actually seems to have their own agenda, and its fascinating wondering how it will all end. I count this as one of the author’s talents; you don’t usually come across books where there are so many shades of grey.

Go ahead and get a copy of this book, especially if you are an Urban Fantasy fan. But do remember to have book 2, Thorn Queen, at hand.

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Loretta Chase - Lord of Scoundrels

Series: Scoundrels, Book 3
Genre: Romance
384 pages
Published: 1995
Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Blurb:
DETERMINED LADY
Tough-minded Jessica Trent's sole intention is to free her nitwit brother from the destructive influence of Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain. She never expects to desire the arrogant, amoral cad. And when Dain's reciprocal passion places them in a scandalously compromising, and public, position, Jessica is left with no choice but to seek satisfaction...


LORD OF SCOUNDRELS
Damn the minx for tempting him, kissing him...and then for forcing him to salvage reputation! Lord Dain can't wait to put the infuriating bluestocking in her place -- and in some amorous position. And if this means marriage, so be it -- though Sebastian is less than certain he can continue to remain aloof...and steel his heart to the sensuous, head strong lady's considerable charms.

Review: Wow. I haven't had so much fun reading a romance novel in a long time. I absolutely loved this book.

If you like believable tortured heroes and witty heroines, good dialogue and a storyline that will keep you up till 5 in the morning, like it did me, then this is the book for you

Sebastian Dane had a horrible childhood - his mother left him, his father ignored him at best, and he grew up unloved and believing he was ugly. Classic symptoms for the cold hearted notorious rake he's turned out to be. There are a lot of references where he's called lord Beelzebub - I think that should explain a bit.

Jessica Trent has arrived in Paris to rescue her nitwit of a brother from the influence of Dain. He's ruining himself and the family finances trying to emulate the much richer Marquess. Things don’t turn out quite as Jess imagined them - she's falls in lust with him. Dain never deals with respectable women, he finds no point in wasting his time with them. However, Jess is an entirely different story. Thankfully, their attraction to each other doesn’t stop the witty repartee between the two.

I don’t really want to give much away from this book - there are twists and turns I'd never imagined in a regency novel. I usually find the intelligent independent heroines pretty annoying. Jess, however, is very well written and a joy to read. I loved Dain from the beginning, even when he was a hopeless debauchee. Reading his reluctance to bed Jessica and fight against his feelings for her was a real treat and you'll love his transformation into a caring and loving husband.

This is my first Loretta Chase book, and I'll definitely be reading more. The story flows well and left no loose ends. It’s a bit like reading a mystery novel, where you don’t know what'll happen next. This one is a keeper for me. Now on to starting with the beginning of this series.

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