The Demon King and I by Candace Havens

Series: A Caruthers Sisters Novel, Book 1

Genre: Paranormal - Chick Lit

Copyright: 2008

Pages: 303

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Review: This was my first Candace Havens book and a good quick read. If this was her first book, then it is a very good effort.

Gillian is a Guardian who kills demons. Oldest of 4 sisters, her family basically keep earth safe from the creepy things in other dimensions. In addition to being earth's guardians, the entire family is high profile with Gillian herself a lawyer and gallery owner. Now there is a new demon king in charge who looks very human and very hot and they will need to combine forces to tackle the latest inter-dimensional problem.

This story had a lot of promise and I feel it could have been a lot better. The writer spent a lot of time on the world building in the first half and tried to show how the sisters maintain a balance between their public side as celebrities and the world saving side. However I really found the public part and discussion no which dress to chose and which colour matches really annoying. I guess chick lit paranormal isn't for me.

The romance part between Gillian and Arath wasn’t really developed - they wanted each other, but other than that, we weren't really shown how it suddenly led to love. The other characters didn’t really have a lot of depth although I really liked the relationship between the siblings.

A lot of the stuff in terms of loose ends were just told in the end and I would have liked to see it actually happen, since for me that was the more important part of the book. There were some instances where the wrong character name was used or some things the characters said were never discussed before and seemed to come out of left field.

However, as light fun reads go, this one made the grade. I'll probably read the next book to see if the series gets better and how the story progresses.

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Dead Reckoning by Charlaine Harris

Series: The Southern Vampire Series (Sookie Stackhouse), Book 11

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Copyright: 2011

Pages: 325

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Review: 11 books on and i'm a bit confused as to where the Sookie Stackhouse Series is going. Since i won't be able to type without getting this out of the way, what is with authors and cliffhangers? With a good enough story, you don’t need to leave so many questions up in the air to get readers to pick up the next book..
Anyway, this book sees Sookie is a whole lotta new situations. She's with Eric, Sam is with a shifter from Alcide's pack and Sook has two houseguests living with her (this would be my attempt at spoiler free in case any of you haven't read the whole series in order). Anyway, Sandra Pelt is after her again, she gets dragged into Eric and Pam's latest problems and gets a bit more info on her fairy background. All of this, along with atleast a hundred other things going on with the story.

What i found annoying about this book is the unnecessary information about everything that happens to Sookie every minute of the day. It's not like being in Bella's head (and i'm truly sorry for even comparing, Ms Harris) but we really don't need to know what you had for breakfast, how hot that bathwater was and atleast a quarter of the book’s pages. The rambling never ends, makes reading the book a bit tedious and the morality discussions are getting a bit old now.

I feel like the books have lost of bit of their spark in this and the previous one. They seem to ramble from one catastrophe to the next, without letting the reader enjoy the thrill from these situations. I hope that changes soon. I like Sookie and this series, so I really hope the next book makes it worth the time I invest in it.

Read my review of the previous books 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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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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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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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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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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Covet (Fallen Angels, #1) - J.R. Ward

Covet (Fallen Angels, #1) - J.R. Ward

Genre: Paranormal

Copyright: 2009

Pages: 474

Rating: 4/ 5

Blurb:
Redemption isn’t a word Jim Heron knows much about - his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charge with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option.

Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he’s good with that
—until fate intervenes in the form of a tough-talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. But then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart—and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

Review:
Very very entertaining. If there’s one thing you can be sure of when you begin a Ward book, its that you will want to read it at one go and you will be thoroughly entertained. This book did not disappoint. Covet is set in the same world as Ward's famous Black Dagger Brotherhood (BDB) series, but it is a completely different story and you don’t need to read the BDB books to enjoy this one.

This is basically a battle of good vs. evil and the choices we make in life, all neatly packaged in Ward’s typical writing style of snarky urban slang dosed with lots of male bonding.

I'll try not to give away much of the plot, the blurb explains it all. Jim Heron is a carpenter with a past filled with violence and death - now he's dead and charged with saving the souls of seven people. The fate of all things good in this world and the next depend on him successfully completing this mission. Most of the story is from his point of view, and the stuff in Jim's head really makes interesting reading."You can do it. You're a carpenter. You build things and you rebuild things. Lives are constructions just the same."

This book is about the first soul Jim has to save - his boss from his construction site who Jim doesn't really like. Or in Jim's words: "..Was he going to have to get this silk-suited, M6-driving, misogynistic m******f****** to renounce everything material and turn his ass into a monk?" Vin diPietro, soul # 1, is guilty of avarice / greed. He's handsome, rich, self-centered, sexy and insanely driven towards all things materialistic. You'll enjoy his journey from anti-hero to realising the important things in his life with help from Jim and his friends. Vin has some horror-inducing 'gifts' which add to the books dark side. His salvation also comes by the way of Marie Terese - a woman on the run from her past and trying to make ends meet. We met Marie Terese in Lover Avenged - the 7th BDB book where she works as a prostitute at ZeroSum. Ward does a good job with explaining her life and tough choices, and you can't help feeling for this woman. The romance between these two is just beginning, but the sex is really hot - with special mention to a very hot shower scene.

The other characters in this book really enhance the story. I love the concept of the 'fallen angels', and the angels in this book are unlike any you've read before. I can't write this review without mentioning the guest appearances from the BDB characters - there's Trez, the moor from Lover Avenged who owns the club Marie Terese works at, detective de la Cruz, and appearances from 2 of the Brothers- a yellow-eyed beautiful-haired Brother on his way to an AA meeting and another with usually seen wearing a Boston red Sox cap.

So despite all the gushing, why the four stars and not five? Because Ward's unique writing style works against her at places. At times I felt that the angsty writing was a bit forced and it definitely got to be a bit too much in places. I felt that simple normal vocabulary would have worked better and enhanced the overall effect of her writing style. My other issue with this book was the easy acceptance by some of the characters of what they're being told no matter how weird. Yup, it is PNR, but Jim accepting so easily that he was dead and hardly asking any questions about this task he was given didn't sit well with me - its not like something like this happens every day. It seemed like the angels basically talk and guilt him into saving the world by reminding him of his mother (small spoiler, I know..but I didn't really spoil anything, I promise).

But don’t let my cribbing keep you from this book, it didn’t stop me from enjoying it. I read this book at one go - happily wondering where the story is going to lead and what's going to happen next. Pick this book up if you want a refreshing change from the normal paranormal stuff out there and also a satisfying good vs. evil story. Jim has six other souls to save, so you can be sure I'm definitely going to read the next one. Crave the second Fallen Angels book comes out next year.

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In the Blood - Adrian Phoenix

Series: The Maker's Song, Book 2
Genre: Urban Fantasy
352 pages
Published: 2008
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Review:
In the Blood picks up where A Rush of Wings ended. Dante the enigmatic rockstar vampire and Heather the FBI agent had tackled a serial killer and uncovered bits and pieces of Dante's childhood in the previous book.

Dante now knows a lot more about his past, the role of the Government branch and details about this real family (trying not to give away spoilers here) - he's much more than a vampire, and he doesn't yet know what it all entails. He's met up with Heather in Seattle, who has her own problems with her job, family and a cold case that's a touch too personal.
Meanwhile, the government guys are trying to clean up their experiment gone wrong and everyone involved in it - that includes Heather and Dante. Then there's one doctor still left from his childhood experiments who has some tricks up his sleeve to trigger Dante into sociopathic heaven, a pair of crazy twins with their own plan for world domination and an assortment of other psychos to add to the fun that make up the montage of villainous characters.

And that doesn't even include the Bold and the Beautiful drama going on in Gehenna with all the Fallen and their politics and ambition to control Dante.

There really are too many things going on in this book - not to many to confuse you after the first 20-odd pages, but i don't think I've ever read a series that has so many bad guys wanting a piece of the pie - specially when said pie is the guy and not the chick in the book.

Just like the previous book, In the Blood is intense and dark. There isn't much in terms of character development from book 1 and i had a lot of questions that were left unanswered and seem more like plot holes to me than 'coming soon in book 3'. There's a bunch of new characters in this book that will keep you occupied though - Annie, Heathers bipolar sister, her useless father, new set of villains, Dante's band members..they help keep it interesting. My favourite character is still Von, the nomad-turned vampire llygad

This book is definitely more gripping that A Rush of Wings. I read it at one go and couldn't put it down. Mostly because i really wanted to know what would happen next

Verdict: Read this one only if you liked a Rush of Wings and are comfortable with Adrian's writing style and jumble of characters because there's more of that in In the Blood. I liked both books and i look forward to book 3. Beneath the Skin releases December 29th this year.

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A Rush of Wings - Adrian Phoenix

Series: The Maker's Song, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
416 pages
Published: 2008

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a fairly dark and different paranormal. I say different because there's so many typical vampire novels out there. In a way, A Rush of Wings is one as well, but it has twists and its characters, for a change, aren't the goody vamps changed by a mortal woman or either only good or bad. There's shades of grey in this book, and it'll make you question the meaning of justice, and how different people interpret what is right or wrong, just like it made Heather think.


Dante is a rock star and almost a god to his goth followers. He's also a vampire surrounded by supernaturals who he cares for and care for him. Leather and latex clad, multiple rings, typical goth make up, Cajun French speaking heartthrob. Dante is a conflicted character that takes a while to figure out. At first, he seems like a rebelling kid out to defy everyone and kissing everyone in sight. But then you see him struggling against himself and his pain and his memories and a lot of things start making sense. Who is Dante and what are the painful memories that keep rising within him.? This story connects a serial killer with Dante's past.


And enter lady love. Heather Wallace is a FBI agent chasing said serial killer who ends up being sucked into Dante's world while trying to find the connection between the killer and Dante, and protect him from all and sundry including an internal cover-up that could put him in danger. Heather doesn't have as many facets to her personality as the other characters in this book have. She's a competent FBI agent with her own nightmares and that's about it. The attraction between them isn't really explained very well, but then there's not much romance in this book, its Urban Fantasy more than Paranormal.


I loved the other characters in this book a lot. Lucien, the Fallen, who guards Dante and has his own secrets is one of the more interesting characters who will you reluctantly warm up to; or atleast understand. Then there's Von, and the other vampires who live with Dante. The serial killer and other villainy characters (there's quite a few, but at no point does it get confusing) are pretty villainy in their behaviour, and you'll enjoy them too. There's new concepts in this book i haven't read before - about angels and god and psycho killers.


This is my first Adrian Phoenix book, and i like her writing style. I hope its only this first book that suffers from mini-first book syndrome. I do love her Cajun French and lyrics thrown in. Give this book a chance. And give it time to suck you in as well. At the end, it might not be what you're used to reading, but you won't regret the time spent reading it. I'm off to read the next book, In the Blood

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On the Edge - Ilona Andrews

Series: The Edge, Book 1
Genre: Urban Fantasy
309 pages
Published: 2009
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Blurb: Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, between the world of the Broken (where people drive cars, shop at Wal-Mart, and magic is a fairy tale) and the Weird (where blueblood aristocrats rule, changelings roam, and the strength of your magic can change your destiny). Only Edgers like Rose can easily travel from one world to the next, but they never truly belong in either.
Rose thought if she practiced her magic, she could build a better life for herself. But things didn't turn out how she planned, and now she works a minimum wage, off the books job in the Broken just to survive. Then Declan Camarine, a blueblood noble straight out of the deepest part of the Weird, comes into her life, determined to have her (and her power).
But when a terrible danger invades the Edge from the Weird, a flood of creatures hungry for magic, Declan and Rose must work together to destroy them, or the beasts will devour the Edge and everyone in it . . .

Review:

You know what you'd see if Rose 'flashed' you?

Erm, no. Not what you're thinking.

For a second, all you'd see is white light - magic. See, in the world she lives in...flashing is a means of releasing your magic, and the brighter/whiter your flash, the stronger your magic. Rose has very strong magic. Too strong for someone who lives in the Edge. And that's where the problems began

Ok, now that I'm done with the intended-to-be-but-wasn’t dramatic beginning, I'll start the proper review:

On the Edge is a fantasy tale with a formula I haven't read before. Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, the place in between the world of the Broken and the Weird; surviving on the job and the facilities from the Broken - where there's no magic and life is as we know it, and the Weird - where magic is might. The Edge is the in-between place and the Edgers who live there have their magic but also are a part of the non-magical world of the Broken. Unlike the inhabitants of either world, the Edgers can easily pass between these two worlds with little or no unease. However, living an in-between kind of life comes with its own issues for the Edgers. Their magic isn't as great as of those from the Weird. Theres no semblance of organisation and law, and things are resolved in their own way in the Edge.

Rose lives in the Edge with her two brothers while eking out an existence on a cheap cleaning job in the Broken. She carries a rifle around, which she seems to need to use quite a bit to defend herself from those wanting to exploit her for her magic. Her mother's dead, her father's out on some harebrained treasure hunt, her grandmother thinks she knows best, and her grandfather's now a Zombie raised by her brother. Aah, the brothers - they're as naughty and cute as any young boys you've seen, but their hearts are in the right place. Jack is a changeling, and Georgie doesn’t like it when things die - so he raises them from the dead, like her did Grandpa. Add the eccentric family background with no support and people trying to either marry her or enslave her, and there's not much Rose has to rely on but her magic and herself. That’s when Lord Declan comes along. A blueblood from the Weird, he's here to claim Rose as his - something Rose isn't all that keen on. Things heat up when people start disappearing in the Edge and strange hounds with weird magic and even scarier appearances pop up.

The beginning of this book was a bit confusing for me - for 2 or 3 pages only - but even then I instantly felt for Rose. She appears resigned to life as she knows it, but at the same time confident in her abilities and that she can handle everything thrown at her. The best part is that Rose does have the ability to handle it - be it the magic or taking care of her brothers who are more than a handful. This strength of character is what'll make you like Rose. The other characters in the book are sketched pretty well too. Declan is ...well, exactly as you'd imagine a blueblood to be - the I know best, I command you obey mentality. Atleast in the beginning, but he grows on you (lustfully, and otherwise) and you see him thaw that icy outlook for Rose. Yummy really. And all those swords and knives he carries only adds to the yumminess.

The other characters in the book have their own quirks as well. And none more so than our villain extraordinaire, although quirk is not the word I'd use. The man is insane and so damn polite and reasonable as he tells you he wants to kill you and eat you that if it weren't for the words you'd think he was discussing his favourite niece. It’s a bit hard to connect with all the secondary characters in this book, and I get that they have their own quirks cause its fantasyland, but the parts where they're acting as humans balances it out. Like when Rose's grandmother has a talk with Declan. There was a possibility for a tear and some sniffing there.

This is my first Ilona Andrews book and I quite like her style of writing. It's simple and the story flows along so well that you don’t realise you've been sucked in until you look up and realise its 3 in the morning, you've been sitting there since 9 and the dinner you made hours ago is sitting next to you cold. The world building was done so well, that you don’t even realise you're learning more about it as it forms part of the story - something many authors fail to do well, specially in a first book.

The humour and conversations make this a joy to read. You'll be giggling, and appreciating the good lines as well:

"Sometimes two people meet and there is a connection of sorts. An instant attraction. You look at somebody and wonder what it would be like. I don’t wonder that about you. You’re a nice handsome guy. And I want to like you in that way, honestly I do, but there’s just nothing there.”

“Life is so precious because it’s short,” she said. “Even the most resilient people are fragile. Life isn’t about dying or not dying. It’s about living well, George. Living so you can be proud and happy.”

You know, no matter how many times they mentioned it, I still kept getting a completely different image in my head when someone in the book talks about flashing. But that’s just me and the lack of said dinner which never got eaten. No reason to keep you from reading this one. Its not a masterpiece, but it’s a good story to get lost in.

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Touch the Dark - Karen Chance

Series: Cassandra Palmer, Book 1
Genre: Paranormal
307 pages
Published: 2006
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Blurb: Cassandra Palmer can see the future and communicate with spirits;talents that make her attractive to the dead and the undead. The ghosts of the dead aren't usually dangerous; they just like to talk; a lot. The undead are another matter.

Like any sensible girl, Cassie tries to avoid vampires. But when the bloodsucking Mafioso she escaped three years ago finds Cassie again with vengeance on his mind, she's forced to turn to the vampire Senate for protection. The undead senators won't help her for nothing, and Cassie finds herself working with one of their most powerful members, a dangerously seductive master vampire—and the price he demands may be more than Cassie is willing to pay.
 
Review:  Touch the dark suffers from what can only be described as First Book Syndrome - there's so much of world building and explanations of the past put in here that it really bogs you down and leaves you wondering whether you want to go on. But once you get past, say, the first 50 odd pages, you will get sucked right into the story.

Cassandra Palmer is a clairvoyant on the run from the vampire who raised her. Her life takes a turn when she receives an email with her obituary with the exact time of her death. Trying to escape her fate, Cassie instead ends up at the Vampire Senate and suddenly learns a whole lotta things about herself - she may make chief clairvoyant, there's more about her parents she didn’t know, her old Vampire boss is now keeping dangerous company, there's a war beginning, her childhood crush vampire is out to seduce her, oh and she keeps getting transported to the past.

This is a pretty neat story with a lot of action to keep you engrossed..whats keeping it from being great is that in many places it lacks better execution and narration. The story is told from Cassie's point of view, and sometimes she's just to ditzy to be appealing as a speaker. I liked the other characters a lot though- they're all fascinating. The world Chance has build is pretty interesting - the vampire order is based on their degree of power, there's good and dark fae & mages, and the older vamps are all figures you might recognise from history. Mircea, the sexy vamp senate member who I'm drooling over is the Dracula's brother. The others I'll let you read about - Kit, Louis-Cesar & Ralf. I also liked Tomas and Billy the Ghost. And then there's Pritkin, the mage who is quite a pain in the arse. Not giving much info on them here, but you'll love them when you read about them.

I thought all these characters had their personalities sketched a lot more than Cassie herself. But again, I think that’s because its her doing the narration and she's describing things to the reader - the parts where she does talk about herself don’t reveal much about her as a person enough. This is still a good book. I must admit though that I'm saying that mostly cause I've read book 2, Claimed By Shadow , which is a BIG step up from this one and this really is a very interesting series that you will love and get engrossed in. Just those first 60 pages to slog through in the beginning.. Its all good from there.

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Dime Store Magic (Women of the Otherworld, #3) - Kelley Armstrong

416 pages
Series: Women of the Otherworld, book 3
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Paige Winterbourne needs to be slapped...I don't know any other way i can start this review. Maybe she was just such a big pain in Stolen, the second book, that I’ve carried that prejudice into this book. No wait, no maybe about that. I definitely did.

The only saving grace this woman had for the first quarter or more of this book was that she did everything she could do defend Savannah from everyone else.

Ok, let me start at the beginning. In Stolen, Paige's mother is killed at the facility where Savannah and Elena are also kept captive. Savannah is the teenage daughter of a now-deceased witch and a powerful sorcerer. After rescuing and gutting the facility, Paige now has custody of Savannah, and she's also the new head of the American Coven of witches. But Leah, the demon who helped capture people for the facility, wants Savannah back and gets Savannah's father involved in the claim as well.
See, Savannah hasn’t yet matured into witch-hood yet, so there's potential to lure her over to the dark side.

Paige now has to fight for custody of Savannah, against the wishes of the other witches in her coven. The only hope she has is in the form of Lucas Cortez, a sorcerer-lawyer who comes to her rescue
Can they save the day and keep Savannah with Paige?

Paige in the beginning is irritating. She's one of those I let my temper rule and don’t see what I don’t want to see kind of people. On the other hand, i found Savannah to be pretty mature and perceptive at most times, specially for her age. Lucas is a bit of a geeky type, also the son of the CEO of the biggest sorcerer Cabal and reluctant heir-in-waiting, with nothing else much going for him except his willingness to help Paige.

This best described Lucas, and was also when i really began to like him:
"The Caped Crusader is Batman, whose alter ego would be Bruce Wayne. Clark Kent is Superman. Neither analogy, I'm afraid, is quite accurate. I lack the tormented brooding sexiness of the Dark Knight and, sadly, I've not yet learned to fly, though I did manage to sail a few yards when Leah threw me this afternoon."

There wasn’t much of romance in this book. And not the best of plots, although there’s quite a bit of situations they get into. But it still made a good read. I liked watching both Paige and Savannah growing stronger as individuals and with each other.

It also had some pretty LOL moments when I was in tears:

Witch: "We are as the Goddess requires."
Paige: "The Goddess requires you to be naked on my lawn?"
Witch: "We aren't naked, child. We're skyclad. Clothing impedes mental vibrations."

See my review of the previous books from this series here

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Stolen (Women of the Otherworld, #2) - Kelley Armstrong

468 pages
Series: Women of the Otherworld, book 2
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars


Stolen is the second book in the Women of the Otherworld series.
While Bitten laid the foundation of Armstrong’s world, it did seem pretty stand-alone. It is Stolen that seems like the first book in a series. We expand from only werewolves to a whole new world with more supernaturals added – witches, shamans, half-demons, vampires and I’m sure more to come.

Stolen is narrated by Elena again. It beings with Elena investigating someone selling information about werewolves, only to have her view of the supernatural world expanded with two witches telling her about supernaturals of all types disappearing and warning her the werewolves may be next. There’s an interracial council that’s trying to get to the bottom of this situation while ensuring no-one else disappears, and the werewolves are asked to join back in..but the human mastermind behind this kidnapping finally gets his hands on Elena – and learns what happens when you deal with a werewolf.

This book doesn’t have the punch from Bitten, but it was pretty good in itself. Elena is her usual sarcastic, strong woman who has decided to settle with the werewolf pack but still thinks with her human mind. We have more of Elena and Clay – they left off in Bitten deciding to be together, and Stolen has them working towards their relationship and getting closer towards the end when it finally dawns that they could have lost each other. Witches, vampires and other supes are added – some more noteable than the others. Paige, a young witch who is completely annoying and Cassandra, the vampire who doesn’t seem to care about whats happening.

I wish there were more interactions among the werewolf pack – that’s what made Bitten such so wonderful. You’ll love the times Clay and Elena have together, specially the parts towards the end. This book also sets up the next one – Dime Store Magic – which I’m guessing with be narrated by Paige. Wondering how that’ll work seeing as Paige completely got on my nerves in this book, even if she was good at her stuff. Go read this.
See my review of Bitten here

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Caressed by Ice - Nalini Singh

361 pages
Series: Psy-Changeling, Book #3

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Caressed by Ice is the story of Brenna and Judd.
Brenna was the SnowDancer wolf who had been taken by the killer psy from the first book and brutalised before being rescued. She's still healing, and the remnants the killer Psy left behind in her head along with the protective cocoon her brothers have wrapped her in isn't helping her. Her only hope at sanity comes in the form of Judd, a psy living with the wolves, and the only one she thinks understands her.

Judd is one of the Arrows - the elite assassins of the Psy. Judd has seen into Brenna's mind while healing her and is intrigued with the woman. However, being Psy, he is still governed by Silence and believes his Psy designation and chosen profession don’t give him the option of ever giving reign to his emotions.

But someone wants Brenna dead. And Brenna needs his help to keep her alive as well as find out what was done to her. And there’s growing attraction between these two. What’s a couple to do? (hehe, sorry got carried away a bit)

I liked this book a lot. These were both very strong characters, and so far my favourite couple. Brenna got annoying at bits sometimes, but overall she was a strong - willed character who just needed the right words and i guess the right man to get her out of the fear induced and broken state she was in after the attack.

Judd was the voice of reason. He also plays a crucial role in what I think will be the direction of the coming books – there’s a Ghost in the Psy-Net who’s working against the Psy and Judd is helping him.

Singh is still adding to her world-building but she makes it interesting to read rather than a heap of boring knowledge. There are brief insights into the beginning of the Psy race and also lil tidbits about the Arrows. This is one of the few series that also has bits and pieces about the couples from the previous books. I didn’t know who the killer was till the end, and that made me like this book all the more. I’m definitely hooked on this series
See my reviews of the previous books here

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Wild Rain - Christine Feehan

384 pages
Series: Leopard People, book #2

Blurb: What has she done? With a new identity, a staged death, and a chance to flee the treachery that stalks her, Rachael has escaped from a faceless assassin. Now, thousands of miles from home, under the lush canopy of the rain forest, she's found sanctuary.
Where can she hide? In this world teaming with unusual creatures walks the most exotic of them all. His name is Rio. A native of the forest imbued with a fierce prowess, he is something to be desired. Possessed of secrets of his own, he is something to be feared.
Whom can she trust? But as Rachael's past looms as oppressively as the heat of the forest, and as Rio unleashes the secret animal instincts that course through his blood, Rachael fears that her isolated haven has become an inescapable hell…

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Very interesting story this
After the meh first book The Awakening, Wild Rain was a great read. Rachael has come to the Borneo rain forest on the run from her past. Trying to stage her own death and begin a new life in the forest, she ends up in Rio's home, thinking its only a dwelling for travellers

Rio is one of the leopard people and has 2 clouded leopards as his companions. He thinks she’s one of the poachers and in the scuffle that follows his snow leopard hurts Rachael. Rio then takes care of her and they both feel they know each other from another time and place.

Both of them have a price on their heads and as Rachael recovers from her injury, these two try to make sense of their feelings of familiarity with one another and their attraction in the present.
I love the easy banter between these two. They're both alone because they realise the lives they live are dangerous, but they also realise they have something special and don't want to lose that.

Fav lines:
Racheal: “You’re obviously one of those he-men seen only on film who can take forty-seven kicks in the ribs and keep on fighting. Don’t mind me for being human.”

Rio: “And I always take it personally when someone tries to remove my head from my shoulders.”

Sometimes lying was the better part of valor and the only way to save a man’s butt.

I kept smiling to myself while reading this book. Good writing, great lines, lovely couple. And good suspense, cause I kept wondering what Rachael was running from, and until the words were out of her mouth, I never would have guessed.
In short, whats not to love.

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