Monday, September 29, 2008

Faefever

This is the 3rd book in the 'Fever' series by Karen Marie Moning and the ongoing story of MacKayla Lane.

MacKayla Lane is a pampered Southern girl from a small town in Georgia whose hardest decisions in life have been matching her nail polish to her her designer outfit. That is until her sister was murdered in Dublin, Ireland and Mac - not happy with the way the investigation was going, flew to Dublin to confront the lead detective on her sisters case.

Mac has since learned that she and her sister were adopted when they were very young. They were born in Ireland and part of the adoption agreement was that they never find out about their birth and that they never step foot in Ireland again.

Mac has a special power, she is a sidhe-seer, this means that she can see the Fae - see through their glamour to the real being below the surface. This also means that she is a target, the Fae do not like sidhe-seers and they want to get rid of Mac.

The ability to see the Fae is not Mac's only power, she can also sense their relics and now she is looking for the baddest relic of all, the Sinsar Dubh, a book that holds a wealth of Fae knowledge. The walls between the human and Fae world is thinning and more and more Fae are crossing over - with Samhain approaching a few humans are trying to strengthen the walls - to stop the Fae from coming through. Some think that the Sinsar Dubh is the only way to permanently stop the Fae. Others think it is too late.

Can Mac and company, Barrons the owner of the book store where Mac works and lives and the person who has saved Mac's life twice now - and V'Lane a Fae prince who wants to get in Mac's pants but has also saved her life - find the book and stop the invasion before it's too late?

This book was slow going at first and dragged in several places after that - but man did it pick up in the end. The ending was killer and now I have to wait another year before I can find out what happens next.

I give this book and the entire series a 4 out of 5 stars. :)

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Odd Thomas

This is the first book in the aptly named 'Odd Thomas' series by Dean Koontz and is a far departure from the type of books I normally read : paranormal romance & fantasy.

Odd Thomas is a twenty something fry cook at the local grill. He lives a seemingly normal life - except for the ghosts and 'bodachs' that he sees on a regular basis. Ghosts come to him for any number of reasons, some want to spend time with him, others want him to help solve their murders, still others just need a little help crossing over.

'Bodachs' on the other hand are dark entities that Odd sees whenever something bad is going to happen. And here lately Odd is seeing a lot of 'bodachs' all over town, congregating in peoples yards, running thru the streets and swarming all over the place. Odd knows that something bad is about to happen and based on the number of 'bodachs' he is seeing, it is going to be big.

Can Odd stop whatever is about to happen? Can he keep those that he loves safe?

This was a good book. I can't stand the way it ended, but it was a good book. I have the next one and then the third one and I'm looking forward to the whole series. :)

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Monday, September 22, 2008

Eternal Pleasure

This is the first book in the Gods of the Night series by Nina Bangs and the story of Ty and Kelly.

Kelly Maloy is your average college student, working her way thru college with a series of odd jobs. This last job she's taken will put her way over the top with college money - making it a little easier for her to afford extra's, like food. The job is easy - pick this guy up from the airport and drive him wherever he needs to go every evening for a couple of weeks. But what is that saying about something being 'too good to be true'?

Ty Endeka is a beautiful man and he provokes feelings in Kelly that are almost overwhelming in their intensity. He seems too big, too much, too primal - nothing like any man Kelly has ever met before.

Ty is part of the Eleven - an alliance of ultimate predators. They have come together to prevent what the Mayans predict to be the end of the world on 12-21-12.


How does Kelly fit into this plan? Can Ty be true to himself, to his very nature - without scaring Kelly away?

I don't want to give too much away here - but the concept of this book is a little out there. Don't get me wrong - it is an awesome concept and I did enjoy this book. I am assuming there will be at least 10 more, with one book for each of the 'eleven' and maybe one for their leader, Fin - I'm not sure about that one though - cause I have no idea what Fin is going to turn out to be. LOL

I give this book a 3.5 out of 5. But I look forward to the next ones in the series.

M

Thursday, September 18, 2008

Storm Born

Finished "Storm Born". This is the first book in a new series by Richelle Mead. She also writes the Succubus series and the YA series about the Vampire Academy.

Eugenie Markham is a shaman, she has been trained from a young age by her shaman step-father to fight the 'gentry', beings from Otherworld who weld magic.

Eugenie is able to to banish these beings back to Otherworld, or for some of the more violent types, the Underworld.

She is known to these beings as Odile, but now they have discovered her true name. She is being sought out by these beings and they are looking for one thing - to impregnate her. Eugenie has no idea what is going on - but she is absolutely sure that she does not want to have a baby right now, especially with some of these things that have made her an offer.

Eugenie goes to the one person she can trust in this situation, her step-father, Roland. She tells him what is going on and asks if she should be concerned - yes, she should. It turns out that Eugenie's biological father was 'gentry', in fact he was the Storm King and there is a prophecy that states his grandson will pick up his mantle and carry on in Storm Kings foot steps. This explains why everyone wants a piece of Eugenie.

Needless to say Eugenie is devastated to find out that her mother was once held captive by the Storm King, but she also feels betrayed that her mother and step father kept this information from her.

Can Eugenie put a stop to the 'bounty' that is on her body? What does being the daughter of the Storm King mean to the shaman who has spent her entire life fighting the gentry and sending them back to the world they came from?

I really enjoyed this book a great deal. I love the concept of Otherworld and the 'gentry'. I look forward to the next book and finding out if Eugenie has come to grips with her heritage. :)

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars.

Friday, September 12, 2008

Acheron

This is the 25th book in the Dark Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon and the story of Ash.

By now everyone is familiar with the world of the Dark Hunters. Ash is their leader, for lack of a better term. He is the person who trains the new DH's and is the 'go to' guy when things go wrong.

Ash is also the last Atlantean god - this means that he has powers like no other. His mother is a god of destruction and his father a god of creation. The 2 together in Ash makes him able to both create and destroy.

I don't want to give anything away because we have been waiting so long for this book. What I will say is that Ms. Kenyon did not cut any corners on this book.

We have 2 separate sections. The first details Ash's life from birth until he came into his powers. The second section picks up in present day.

This book is rich in detail, the story in depth and shocking.

I was in turn heart broken and frustrated. Furious and thankful. This book runs the gamut of emotions.

I have to say that of the 25 books written so far, this is my favorite one. It gets 5 out of 5 stars. :)

Thursday, September 11, 2008

Hostage to Pleasure

This is the 5th book in the Psy/Changeling series by Nalini Singh and the story of Dorian and Ashaya.

Ashaya Aleine is an M-Psy (medical) specializing in DNA. She has been forced to an underground research facility by The Council and charged with finding a biochemical weapon that will give the Psy an foothold over the human and changeling population. To keep Ashaya in line and doing what they want, The Council has kidnapped her son.

Dorian Christensen is a DarkRiver Sentinel, in every regard he is leopard. He smells like a leopard, moves like a leopard - but from birth he has not been able to shift into leopard form. Dorians leopard lives within him and has no way out - this is the reason why Dorian pushes himself to be better at everything else. He needs to be better to make up for what he feels is a disadvantage.


Ashaya helped Dorian and the Changelings rescue two human children from the underground facility. The Changelings felt they owed Ashaya a debt - this debt was called when Ashaya asked them to rescue her son from The Council.

Dorian has not been able to get Ashaya out of his mind and this is driving him crazy because the one person who loved him unconditionally, his sister, was killed by a maniac Psy. Dorian feels that this is a betrayal to his sisters memory.

Can Ashaya escape the underground facility? Can Dorian rescue Ashaya's son and overcome his hatred for all things Psy?

This was a wonderful read and like the ones before it, I enjoyed it immensely. I love the world Ms. Singh has created, it is complex and evolving. I can't wait for the next one.

I give this book and the entire series a 5 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Pleasure Unbound

This is the first novel of the Demonica by Larissa Ione and the story of Tayla and Eidolon.

Tayla Mancuso was born addicted to drugs, thanks to her drug addict mother. Tossed from foster home to foster home, Tayla learned to keep to herself and never allow anyone or anything to get close to her. Finally at the age of 14 her mother cleaned herself up and regained custody of Tayla. For two years Tayla lived a life of normalcy. That normalcy was blown away the day Tayla came home and found a demon attacking her mother. This demon tied Tayla to a chair and forced her to watch as he brutalized and finally killed her mother.

Tayla was again thrown into the foster homes, where finally fed up with all of it, Tayla ran away. She ended up in an alley with a fellow foster child and they watched as a group of demons were confronted by a group of humans, and the humans beat back the demons, killing them. This group of humans was known as The Aegis. And from that day on Tayla was a demon slayer.

Eidolon is responsible for the first ever demon hospital. This hospital can not be seen my humans, it is a safe haven for all manner of demons. No judgement is passed on anyone who comes in those doors - Eidolon patches up everyone. Sometimes to the astonishment of his own brothers.

One night Tayla is brought into the hospital. She had been fighting a demon and both she and the demon were picked up by the demon hospital's ambulance. Much to his brothers' disbelief, Eidolon patches Tayla up and sends her to a room to recover. His brothers and other staff members think Tayla should be killed outright. She is human and a slayer on top of that. But something inside her calls to Eidolon.

This was a very good book - but I must say - it is full of SEX. Full of it!!! So be warned.

I enjoyed this book and look forward to the next one, it is about another one of the brothers.

I give this book a 4 out of 5 stars. :)

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Noah

This is the 5th book in the Nightwalker series by Jacquelyn Frank and the story of Noah and Kestra.

Noah is the Demon King. He has lived centuries putting his family, his people and the innocent before himself. Now, for the last six months he has been haunted by dreams of a woman. A woman who is his destined mate. For the first time in his life Noah wants something for himself. He wants this woman and he will stop at nothing until he possesses her.

Kestra Irons is a self made woman. Ex military and tough as nails. She relies on no one and allows nothing to stand in her way. For the last six months she has been plagued by dreams. Dreams of a shadowy man who won't take no for an answer.

Can Noah find his mate before the Hallowed Moon is upon him? Even if he does find her, can he convince her that they are meant to be together?

This is the last book in this series and Ms. Frank wrapped things up nicely enough. I was a bit surprised by some of the connecting material. How Kestra got from point A to point B. And I was also surprised by the abrupt ending. But other than that, this was a pretty decent read and an overall good series of books.

I give this book 3 stars and the entire series 4 stars.

Monday, September 8, 2008

Warrior: The Time Hunters

This is the 9th book in the 'Warlord' series by Angela Knight and the story of Jessica and Galar. This is also the first book I've read by Angela Knight, and now I want all of them. LOL

Jessica Kelly is your average Southern Belle. She is mild mannered and full of life, despite having known a rocky childhood. Jessica is an avid painter and finds beauty in all things.

Galar Arvid is a genectically altered Warlord from the 23rd century. He is an Enforcer in the Temporal Enforcement Agency and it is his job to police illegal Jumps through time. Jumps where people are killed or maimed for a profit in the future.

Galar is sent back in time to Atlanta, 2008 to find out if the murder of artist Jessica Kelly was committed by a Jumper in the hopes of raising the prices of her paintings in the future. Unable to change history, Galar must determine if Jessica's death was the result of a Jumper or just a random act of violence. If the killer is a Jumper, Galar can intervene, if not - Jessica must die.

What Galar finds is that Jessica, without her knowledge, has been thrust into a world of aliens - right in the middle of a fight for the right to live.

This book is unlike any I've read before, the concept is fresh and mixes romance and fantasy into a heady cocktail (no pun intended, well okay - yeah, pun intended). It is full of sex - so be warned. :)

I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of Ms. Knight's books.

I give this book a 5 out of 5.