Saturday, August 31, 2013

Darkness Becomes Her by Kelly Keaton (Review)



Series:
Gods & Monsters #1
Genre:
Paranormal, Fantasy, Mythology, Vampires, Witches, Shifters
Publication.Date  February 22, 2011
Pages:320
Published By:  Simon Pulse
WebsiteKelly Keaton 

Darkness Becomes Her on Goodreads
My review copy:Borrowed from public library

Where to get:


Ari can’t help feeling lost and alone. With teal eyes and freakish silver hair that can’t be changed or destroyed, Ari has always stood out. And after growing up in foster care, she longs for some understanding of where she came from and who she is.

Her search for answers uncovers just one message from her long dead mother: Run. Ari can sense that someone, or something, is getting closer than they should. But it’s impossible to protect herself when she doesn’t know what she’s running from or why she is being pursued.

She knows only one thing: she must return to her birthplace of New 2, the lush rebuilt city of New Orleans. Upon arriving, she discovers that New 2 is very...different. Here, Ari is seemingly normal. But every creature she encounters, no matter how deadly or horrifying, is afraid of her.

Ari won’t stop until she knows why. But some truths are too haunting, too terrifying, to ever be revealed.
(Goodreads)

My chest expanded in a scream I couldn't voice. I stared hard at my hands, my short fingernails like shiny black beetles against the white composite surface of the table. I resisted the urge to curl them under and dig into the laminate, to feel the skin pull away from the nails, to feel something other than the grief squeezing and burning my chest.
Family. That word was so alien, so unreal, that I wasn't even sure I'd heard him right. Family. Hope stirred in the center of my chest, light and airy and ready to break into a Disney song complete with adorable bluebird and singing squirrels.
I loved it immediately-beauty shadowed by time and decay, but still standing proud. Yeah, this was my kind of place.
I held on, squeezing my eyes closed and locking myself away. But not alone. Thankfully, this time, not alone.


     Paranormal? Check. Mythology? Check. What more does a girl need?!

    Desperate to find out about her birth mother, Ari heads to New 2, the storm ravaged New Orleans that the US has abandoned. New 2 was bought by, the Novem, nine powerful/rich families who all have their little secrets: three families are witches, three families are vampires, and three families are shifters. New 2 is now known for it's paranormal aspects and "unusual" residents. Once in New 2, Ari gets help from Sebastian and they fall in love. Instantly...

     I enjoyed the characters and it was kind of fun to see characters from mythology running around the city and interacting with others - and it was nice that they stayed true to their mythological personalities. Ari was definitely a strong character, even if she did have her moments where I needed to smack her upside the head. I did like the Sebastian as well, but neither of them really portrayed themselves as the insta-love type when we first meet them. Sebastian acts like he wants nothing to do with her when they meet and then the next day he's showing her around New 2 and they're making out left and right. I would have much preferred - as I usually do - the slow budding romance.

     One of the things I didn't like about the book is that there was a lot going on (paranormal, mythology, finding her parents/the truth), and it all felt pretty rushed. Nothing major happens for the first few chapters and the plot is slowly getting into the nitty gritty andthenallofasuddenthingsstarthappeningandOMGwhat'sgoingon? It was very interesting to read, but I felt like I had to re-read previous pages/passages to find out what exactly was going on and how we got there. At the same time, Keaton is amazing at describing scenes and using such vivid imagery, that I felt like I was in New 2. I could picture scenes and characters very clearly and definitely felt immersed in the world.

     Overall, it was a very interesting story and definitely a new take on paranormal/mythology. At the same time, it wasn't the book for me - which is weird as I'm all about the two subjects and you would think with a combination of them I'd be in Heaven. However, I do not want you to not read this book because I wasn't a huge fan. It was enjoyable and I can see the appeal, so I definitely think it is worth you giving Darkness Becomes Her a read. Not to mention, most of my friends feel completely opposite about this novel than I do - I'm a lone shark in this one. *duh duh duh duh*



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Friday, August 30, 2013

Blog Tour: The Forgotten Ones by Laura Howard [Review + Giveaway]

Genre:
Young Adult, Fantasy, Romance, 
Publication.Date  April 28th 2013
Pages:197
Published By:  Amazon Digital Services / Finding Bliss Press
WebsiteLaura Howard 

The Forgotten Ones on Goodreads
My review copy:Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Where to get:


Allison O'Malley's plan is to go to grad school so she can get a good job and take care of her schizophrenic mother. She has carefully closed herself off from everything else, including a relationship with Ethan, who she's been in love with for as long as she can remember.

What is definitely not part of the plan is the return of her long-lost father, who claims he can bring Allison's mother back from the dark place her mind has gone. Allison doesn't trust her father, so why would she believe his stories about a long forgotten Irish people, the Tuatha de Danaan? But truths have a way of revealing themselves. Secrets will eventually surface. And Allison must learn to set aside her plan and work with her father if there is even a small chance it could restore her mother's sanity.
(Goodreads)

The Danaans were lovely to look at, but their behavior was not normal. It was as if they were made of stone, incapable of emotion.
There are two kinds of magic the Danaans can use. One is mind magic. It is all about being able to control things with ones will. For instance, Eithne is a healer. She is able to use her mind to see what it is that ails you and reverse it. Niamh is able to use her mind to hear your thoughts and share hers.
I needed to get myself away from Daeghlan if I were to be able to think straight. He was too beautiful, painfully so.



     When it comes to magical / paranormal creatures, fairies are definitely not my favorite. That being said, I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. It was a quick and fairly entertaining read, and I breezed through the 197 pages in just one afternoon. 

     At the same time, I wished the mythology was explored more in depth. It was evident to me that Laura Howard did her research well - the Danaans (Irish fairy folk) are creatures often mentioned in old Irish tales. I enjoyed reading about their attributes and abilities: flawless beauty, magical powers, unmatched intelligence. But I also wanted to learn more about their origin and purpose, history and politics. The Danaans are passionate, often hot-tempered and power thirsty. They plot against each other, use humans for their own purposes (toying with their emotions and driving them crazy), cheat and lie. The intrigue plays a big role in their daily lives. And they often come off as cold and ruthless. Don't get me wrong, reading about their evil plottings was very entertaining, I just wanted to learn more about the motivations behind them. 

     For the most part of this book, the romance takes a back seat. And that's a good thing. I was glad that the developing relationship between Allison and Ethan - as sweet and enchanting as it was - did not overshadow the rest of the story. To me, the most fascinating part of the book involved the mystery behind Allison's mother sudden descent into mental illness. I found it both absolutely terrifying and oddly intriguing. 

     As far as characters are concerned, I felt that Laura Howard did a good enough job introducing all the protagonists, though not so much fleshing them out further. With the exception of Allison and her mother, the characters - at least in my opinion - lacked emotional depth. The first part of the book - the part that focused primarily on Allison, her mom and their daily struggles with mental illness - was fantastic. It was creepy, moving and emotionally affecting, and it really made you want to find out more. But it all went downhill from there. The moment we're introduced to the Danaans and get thrown into the fairy world, we're being bombarded with confusing names, bits and pieces of mythology and the never-ending intrigue. All that makes the plot rather difficult to follow and you kind of find yourself wishing for more simplicity and less chaos. 

     All in all, while I did enjoy the mythological backdrop and the family dynamics depicted in The Forgotten Ones, I also found myself wishing for more in-depth exploration of some of the aspects of the story. This is definitely a good book and a promising beginning to a great new series, it just needs some polishing and further character development. I'm confident that fans of paranormal fantasy - and fans of fairy lore in particular - will enjoy this one even more than I did!


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Author Bio

Laura Howard lives in New Hampshire with her husband and four children. Her obsession with books began at the age of 6 when she got her first library card. Nancy Drew, Sweet Valley High and other girly novels were routinely devoured in single sittings. Books took a backseat to diapers when she had her first child. It wasn’t until the release of a little novel called Twilight, 8 years later, that she rediscovered her love of fiction. Soon after, her own characters began to make themselves known. The Forgotten Ones is her first published novel.
Author Links:


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Open internationally
Prizes:
--5 eBook copies of The Forgotten Ones
--25$ Amazon Gift Card

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Wednesday, August 28, 2013

To Katie With Love by Erica Lucke Dean


Genre:
Women's Fiction
Publication.Date  April 23th 2013
Pages:296
Published By:  Red Adept Publishing
WebsiteErica Lucke Dean

To Katie With Love Goodreads
My review copy:Review copy sent by author.

Where to get:


Banker Katie James has a serious thing for romance novels. She’d almost rather settle for a fictional boyfriend than risk her heart on a flesh-and-blood man. Besides, the only real guy she’s remotely interested in is her rich, unattainable client, the mysterious Cooper Maxwell. 

Looking less like the ultra-conservative man she knows and more like a drop-dead sexy character from one of her books, Cooper crashes Katie’s 29th birthday party. But one too many drinks lands Katie in uncharted territory… Cooper’s bedroom! 

Drunk on love, Katie dives headfirst into the relationship only to discover that Cooper is keeping secrets… dangerous ones. As if things couldn't get worse, her meddling mother makes a surprise visit, digging up a whole new set of problems


“Real kisses are so much better. There were no words to describe how much better. Not even in the best book.”
“I bet he's a good kisser. I must have been crazy or drunk to even entertain such thoughts.”
“You have the nicest sheets. I'll bet they feel amazing on bare skin. The line had sounded innocent enough when I tested it out in my head, but as the words sputtered out of my mouth, I knew they hadn't come out that way.”

           

A novel that has a bit of everything. Chick lit romance, mystery, adventure, excitement, enticing scenes, and loveable characters. Katie loved books. She loved them so much that she wanted her man to be “the perfect man” right out of her favorite book. Well.. one night on her 29th birthday Katie comes face to face with this man BUT he is COMPLETELY off limits.

Throughout the entire book I kept asking myself question after question. Would Katie and Cooper be able to make things work? Was Cooper her knight in shining armor or just a hired killer? The twist and turns of this novel are written exceptionally well by Erica Dean and she has you completely fooled right up to the very last pages. NOW that is MY kind of novel.

Not your typical Chick LIt novel. A definite must read. You will be asking yourself the question “Is this REALLY Erica Lucke Dean’s first novel? I know the answer and I was still unsure. Anticipating a new novel soon from this awesome breakthrough author. Give this one your time and pick up a copy today. You won't regret it.


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Friday, August 23, 2013

Hell Transporter by Cyndi Tefft (Review & Giveaway!)


Genre:
Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
Publication.Date  March 15, 2012
Pages:292
Published By:  Cyndi Tefft
WebsiteCyndi Tefft 

Hell Transporter on Goodreads
My review copy:Review copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Where to get:



Aiden MacRae has been given a new life after being stuck transporting souls to heaven for the last three hundred years. He doesn't know the culture, the times or the slang, but there is one thing he does know: he didn't come forward alone.

The master of hell has other plans for the Scottish Highlander and has sent a transporter of his own to get the deed done. Will Lindsey be able to save him or get caught in the crossfire?
(Goodreads)

"He shook his head and a dimple appeared on one cheek as he pinned me with his smile. 'Nae. I want you,' he said and kissed me."
"He didn't have to say, 'I love you.' It was written all over his face. He enfolded me in his arms, his heart thrumming a steady beat against my cheek. Releasing me, he intertwined his fingers through mine once again and brought them to his lips."
"You look like the sun itself, Lindsey MacRae. I can hardly breathe, you are so radiant."



   
             I loved Between, the first book in this series. It was sweet and fun and I was very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series to see the characters again and see what was coming next for them. I had thought the ending to book 1 was actually okay if it wanted to be a standalone, but I adore Aiden MacRae and his shenanigans with Lindsey so much I was so happy to know there was a sequel.

            After reading the sequel, I am SO happy I did. Whereas the ending to Between would have been fine, the ending to Hell Trnasporter was just completely perfect. But I’ll go back to the ending later…

            The story. Hell Transporter was certainly a worthwhile addition to Aiden and Lindsey’s story. It was nice to see them start their life together and work through all the issues that were left around after the ending to Between. As far as predictability goes, I did know who the bad person was as I was reading. That didn’t surprise me much. This didn’t drag the story down at all for me, however. I enjoyed the whole thing while I was reading and didn’t get bored at all, which made ma all kinds of happy!

            Where there is Aiden MacRae, there is romance. I’m pretty sure that’s an undeniable fact. In my mind it is. He is so sweet and kind and loving and I will never—NEVER EVER—get enough of him. Lindsey isn’t too bad herself. :)

            The ending. It was perfect. I couldn’t have thought up a more beautiful or perfect ending myself.
            Overall, I am still loving the premise of this series and I am so glad I got a chance to read the sequel. There’s another book after this one, and I positively CANNOT WAIT to get my hands on it to see what comes next for these characters I adore!


 
 
 
The author was nice enough to supply an e-copy of the first book in this super awesome series, Between!
 
This giveaway is international! Just enter through the Rafflecopter below :)
 
 
 

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Bachelor's Special by Christine Warner



Genre:
Women's Fiction
Publication.Date  June 10th 2013
Pages:179
Published By:  Entangled-Indulgence
WebsiteChristine Warner 

Bachelor's Special on Goodreads
My review copy:Review copy sent by author.


Where to get:





Jill Adgate wants three things from life: a successful catering business, a family, and the love of an exceptional man. What she has is no job, a mounting pile of bills, and her outspoken best friend—who sets her up on a blind date with the man who inadvertently ruined Jill’s life.

Chet Castle is a businessman who has everything, except the ability to trust. Burned by a money-hungry fiance he refuses to get involved in any relationship that has a shelf life longer than a head of lettuce.

Intrigued by her ambition—and determined to get her in bed—Chet offers Jill the chance of a lifetime: work as his live-in chef and he’ll help her get her catering business off the ground. When sparks fly in the kitchen, Jill realizes what’s cooking is a recipe for disaster…

“She'd never been kissed so thoroughly in her life.”
“Heat circled them,drawing the oxygen from their bodies.”
“Something this good shouldn't be so wrong. It'd be forever-- since her fingers kneaded the heated flesh of a man.”
“His boyish charm melted her reserve. She picked up the napkin and tossed it back in his direction, hitting him on the forehead. Jill liked this, their playfulness.”

            I absolutely loved this book! I wasn't actually expecting to enjoy it as much as I did. I assumed it was just your average "love story" with some fun sexy scenes thrown in for reading pleasure. Boy was I wrong! Jill and Chet's love story was beyond cute and I finished the book in one night. The conflict was a case of wrong assumptions so it wasn't the usual cliche we often find in romantic stories. I really liked Jill, the heroine of the story, a feisty young woman who was independent and wanted to succeed on her own right and not just take hand outs. Chet is a little mysterious at first - a wealthy businessman with a big heart but who has trust issues with women after being burned in a previous relationship. The chemistry between the two is HOT, and I just wanted to beg them to get together already! Christine Warner does such a great job with this book. She made the heroine and the hero characters that were both struggling to find romance but not knowing what they really wanted out of like and not realizing it might be standing right in front of them.



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