Saturday, March 28, 2009

In the Midnight Hour

This is the first book in the Light Warriors series by Patti O'Shea.

Book Blurb:

Ryne is a magical troubleshooter, sworn to protect the innocent
from being harmed by magic—and she's been chasing Anise, her former
mentor, for six years.
Deke is a private
investigator who knows something key to defeating Anise. But Anise cast
a dark spell over him, and even though Ryne has managed to temporarily
lift the curse, Deke can't remember what it is that he knows.

Ryne has sworn to never get involved with a human, but Deke is sexy,
charming, brave and irresistible—and as Ryne and Deke are pulled
further into Anise's evil schemes, it's harder and harder for Ryne to
resist the attraction.
But dark magic has its
own attraction, and in order to defeat Anise and lift Deke's curse
permanently, Ryne will have to risk following in Anise's footsteps and
succumbing to the lure of the darkness...


I really enjoyed this book.

Ryne is very focused on her work - takes pride in her ability to keep Humans safe and herself from crossing over to the dark side of magic.

Deke is full of sexual banter. He fights his attraction to Ryne and his fear of the curse placed upon him.Together they work toward a common goal - defeating Anise and breaking the curse. But sometimes things happen that aren't planned - like love.

I give this book 4 out of 5 stars and have the next one in the series on the TBR.

M

Light Warriors
1. In the Midnight Hour (2007)
2. In Twilight's Shadow (2008)
3. Edge of Dawn (2009)
In the Midnight HourIn Twilight's ShadowEdge of Dawn

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Key To Conflict

This is the first book in the Gillian Key, ParaDoc series by Talia Gryphon.

Book Blurb:

Meet Gillian Key-a paramortal psychologist who can treat the mental
distress of nonhumans. And she's a Marine Special Forces operative who
can get physical with them when the situation calls for it.

Gillian's
two worlds collide when she travels to the Carpathian Mountains in
Romania to counsel a dangerously attractive local master vampire-and
becomes embroiled in a brewing turf war with the legendary Dracula.

This was an awesome read. I don't think I've ever read anything like it before (and that's saying a lot).

The combination of psychologist and kick ass Marine is something to behold - Gillian Key is a character to watch. She struggles with the different parts of her persona - how should she react to a situation - with the empathy of the psychologist , or the iron will of the Marine?

For my romance loving buddies - there is not too much of that in this book. But don't despair - there is intensity and sexual tension as well as fulfillment. Gillian comes across as one who has not had much romance in life and indeed - has no time or place for it.

I can't wait to read the rest of this series. :)

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars.

M

Gillian Key, ParaDoc
1. Key to Conflict (2007)
2. Key to Conspiracy (2008)
3. Key to Redemption (2008)

Key to ConflictKey to ConspiracyKey to Redemption

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Death's Daughter

This is the first book in the Calliope Reaper-Jones series by Amber Benson.

Book Blurb:

Calliope Reaper-Jones so just wanted a normal life: buying designer shoes on sale, dating guys from Craig's List, web-surfing for organic dim-sum for her boss...

But when her father - who happens to be Death himself - is kidnapped, and the Devil's Protege embarks on a hostile takeover of the family business, Death, Inc., Callie returns home to assume the CEO mantle - only to discover she must complete three nearly impossible tasks in the realm of the afterlife first.

As far as I can tell this is the first solo book by Ms. Benson. It was not a bad read - but it seemed filled with modern day cliche's. The main character, Calliope, is supposed to be living and working in New York - but she comes across as an air headed Valley Girl.

I could not tell if this was supposed to be a light hearted book with a touch of drama or a dramatic book with a touch of humor. Either way, it fell short of my expectations. I am beginning to wonder if my expectations are too high. LOL

In all honesty the book was a fair read and if there is a sequel I will more than likely buy it - just to see how Callie is adjusting. :)

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. :)

M

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Night Rising

This is the first book in the Vampire Babylon series by Chris Marie Green.

Book Blurb:

In this first book of an all-new trilogy, life proves stranger than the movies when a Hollywood underground coven of vampires comes to light-and gets targeted by the tough-as-nails daughter of a sexy screen siren.

Stuntwoman Dawn Madison hasn't been on the best of terms with her father since her movie star mother died. Still, he is her dad, and when he vanishes while investigating the bizarre sighting-caught on film-of a supposedly long-dead child star, she comes home to Tinseltown to join the search for him. Working with his odd colleagues, she discovers an erotic and bloody underground society made up of creatures she thought existed only on the screen.

I have really been reading some stinkers lately - and this one takes the cake. I have to be honest here and say in my opinion the whole concept of the book is lame. LOL

You know how you wait for a book - I mean really look forward to it - only to read it and go what in the world was this person thinking? That is how I felt about this book. And to top it all off this series of books came out in the larger, more expensive trade paperback. The only reason I have this book is because they did a re-release of a mass market paperback and I bought it at Wal-Mart for $5 or $6. And let me say how glad I am that I did not pay the extra money for the trade edition.

The whole premise of this book is that vampires live Underground. They let high profile celebrities buy into their life style for outrageous amounts of money. The celebrity then 'dies' a horrible public death. Afterwards the celebrity moves Underground - lives there for X amount of time then re-emerges as a 'new found' celebrity in the likeness of their old self.

Based on this first book I can't say that I will read any of the others in the series. But I would really like to know what you think, if you've read the rest - do they get better?

I give the book 1 out of 5 stars - cause the book covers really rock. :)

M

Vampire Babylon
1. Night Rising (2007)
2. Midnight Reign (2008)
3. Break of Dawn (2008)
4. A Drop of Red (2009)
5. The Path of Razors (2009)

Monday, March 16, 2009

Veil of Midnight

This is the 5th book in the Midnight Breed series by Lara Adrian and the story of Nikolai and Renata.

Book Blurb:

Bound by blood, addicted to danger, they'll enter the darkest - and most erotic - place of all.

A warrior trained in bullets and blades, Renata cannot be bested by any man - vampire or mortal. But her most powerful weapon is her extraordinary psychic ability - a gift both rare and deadly. Now a stranger threatens her hard-won independence - a golden-haired vampire who lures her into a realm of darkness.and pleasure beyond imagining.

A combat-loving adrenaline junkie, Nikolai dispenses his own justice to enemies of the Breed - and his latest quarry is a ruthless assassin. One woman stands in his way: the seductive, cool-as-ice bodyguard, Renata. But Renata's powers are put to the test when a loved one, a child, is threatened and she's forced to turn to Niko for help. As the two join forces, as desire fans the flames of a deeper hunger, Renata's life is under siege by a man who offers the exquisite pleasure of a blood bond - and a passion that could save or doom them both forever..

I was disappointed in this installment of the Breed series. In fact, the above book blurb makes the book sound much more exciting than it actually is. I'm not sure if it was the story line itself - or just the characters. Maybe it was a little bit of both.

I felt as if this story was not as 'romantically driven' as the previous stories. Don't get me wrong - I'm all about the action - but this book lacked both - action and romance. As a matter of fact I was more interested in what was going on with Reichen than with the main characters. (Reichen will have his book out in June).

I'm glad I read the book - but it was not at all on par with the other books in the series. I hope the next one is better.

I give this book 3 out of 5 stars. :)

M

Midnight Breed Series
1. A Kiss of Midnight (2007)
2. Kiss of Crimson (2007)
3. Midnight Awakening (2007)
4. Midnight Rising (2008)
5. Veil of Midnight (2008)
6. Ashes of Midnight (2009)

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Promises in Death

This is the 29th book in the Eve Dallas 'In Death' series by JD Robb.

Book Blurb:

The vicious murder of a fellow cop has Lt. Eve Dallas steamed, particularly since
the victim was romantically involved with Eve’s good pal, Chief Medical
Examiner Li Morris. Naturally he’s looking for answers, and Eve’s
bummed that all she’s got is questions that just keep piling up….
For starters, it seems Detective Amaryllis Coltraine asked for a
transfer to New York City from Atlanta to escape a lover whose father,
a criminal mastermind, is behind bars. Is it just a coincidence that
Eve is the one who put him there? Her initial shock turns to abject
fury when a box containing Coltraine’s gun arrives on her doorstep,
promising Eve’s will follow if she doesn’t drop her investigation.
Maybe the killer doesn’t know that neither Eve nor her devoted spouse
Roarke take kindly to threats, but he's about to find out….

This is another favorite series. Eve and Roarke never disappoint and I love the dynamic that the secondary characters bring to the story.

This one, though serious in nature as all these book are, brought out a humorous side to Eve that has me laughing out loud a time or two. No, Eve was not intentionally being funny - but her responses to the things that were going on around her - things so totally out of her element - were brilliant. :)

I give this book and the whole series 5 stars!!

M

White Witch, Black Curse

This is the 7th book in the Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison.

Book Blurb:

Rachel Morgan, kick-ass witch and bounty hunter, has taken hits and crossed lines through six bestselling supernatural adventures. Now, in #7, her past comes back to haunt her…literally.

It’s a cold December in Cincinnati, made even colder for Rachel by the murder of her vampire boyfriend, Kisten...and by the fact that, try as she might, she can’t remember anything about the night he died. Though the Federal Interland Bureau—the agency that investigates supernatural crime—holds her in suspicion, she won’t rest until Kisten’s death is solved…and avenged. But as usual, Rachel’s worldly path is littered with mayhem. A cop friend has been beaten nearly to death, probably by a supernatural, and as they dig, she and her partners—living vampire Ivy and pixy Jenks—find a banshee tear: evidence that the culprit may be a very difficult fiend to defeat. Back at the converted church that’s both her home and office, a ghost she once helped has a warning he can deliver only if Rachel gives him a body. And when the Interland Security agent who tried to kill her via demon shows up, it’ll take a magical talisman and some unexpected help before the white witch can end the black curse that’s got her in its spell.

I love this series. I have to admit though that this book has a great deal going on and at times I was scratching my head wondering just where Ms. Harrison was taking us with this adventure.

I am happy to say that it all worked out in the end - or at least I figured out where we were going. LOL I can't wait for the next book in this series and look forward to many more in the future. I'll follow the adventures of Rachel and crew for as long as they'll let me. :)

I give this book a 4 out of 5 - but the series gets 5 stars!!

M

Friday, March 6, 2009

Don of the Dead

This is the first book in the Pepper Martin Mystery series by Casey Daniels.

Book Blurb:

She sees dead people


Beautiful, smart, and chic, Pepper Martin never had to work a day in her life -- until her surgeon daddy was convicted of fraud, her wealthy fiancé took a powder, and the family fortune ran bone dry.

Suddenly desperate, the inexperienced ex-rich girl was forced to take the only job she could get: as a tour guide in a cemetery. But a grave situation took a turn for the worse when a head-on collision with a headstone left her with an unwanted ability to communicate with the disgruntled deceased . . . and now Pepper has a whacked Mafia don demanding that she hunt down his killers -- and threatening to haunt her until she does.

Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy are my 'go to' reads - but I also enjoy mystery/thrillers - especially ones with funny main characters and even funnier supporting characters. I have found both in this book. :)

Though not quite on the same level as Stephanie Plum and Grandma Mazur, Pepper is quirky and in this book at least, solves the mystery with more luck than talent.

I have ordered the second in the series and look forward to finding out more of Peppers adventures with the ghosts that roam the cemetery.

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

M

Pepper Martin Mystery

1. Don of the Dead (2006)
2. The Chick and the Dead (2007)
3. Tombs of Endearment (2007)
4. Night of the Loving Dead (2009)
5. Dead Man Talking (2009)

Low Red Moon and Daughter of Hounds

These are novels by Irish author Caitlin R. Kiernan. They are not a series - but have intertwining storylines and characters.

Low Red Moon - Book Blurb:

Several years after the events in Threshold, Chance and Deacon have married. They're looking ahead to the future, trying to put the past behind them. But new nightmares await them as a woman with a need for violence enters their lives. And something even worse has followed her...



Daughter of Hounds - Book Blurb:

They are the Children of the Cuckoo. Stolen from their cribs and concealed in shadows to be raised by ghouls, they are now changelings in service to the creatures who rule the world Below and despise the world Above. Any human contact is strictly forbidden and punishment is swift and severe for those who disobey.

Raised by her widower father, Emmie Silvey has a precocious personality and striking yellow eyes that have left her a solitary child. But that changes when two women enter her life-one who stalks her, one who haunts her dreams- both insisting that her entire life is a lie and warning her of an encroaching darkness.

These books are very strange. I read Silk and Threshold and thought they were duds - but I had bought all 4 books at the same time - so I had to read the other 2. (Word of advice dear friends, when trying a new author, purchase only one book - that way, if it is a dud you're not out a lot of money or forced to read bad books..LOL)

So with trepidation I grabbed Low Red Moon from the shelf and started reading and it was slow going at first - but then I did get caught up in the story and wanted to know how it ended. The with the end of Low Red Moon I had to know what happened in Daughter of Hounds so I grabbed that one and it was slow going - but then I got caught up in it as well...

The author has a very unique way of writing - it is almost as if she writes free form with no breaks and no editors... LOL But once I gained the rhythm it flowed a bit easier.

I'm not sure if I would actually suggest these books to anyone - I certainly wouldn't suggest that you buy them - but if you happen to come across them for free and have nothing else to read - go for it. LOL

I'm actually still thinking about the story as I type this and I guess that is a sign of a good book - when you still play the story over in your head after you've finished reading. Then again, I'm still trying to figure out what it all means.....

I give both of these book 3 out of 5 stars.

M

Novels by Caitlin R. Kiernan
Silk (1998)
The Five of Cups (2003)
Low Red Moon (2003)
Murder of Angels (2004)
The Dry Salvages (2004)
Beowulf (2007)
Daughter Of Hounds (2007)
The Red Tree (2009)

Monday, March 2, 2009

Rogue Angel : Destiny

This is the first book in the Rogue Angel series by Alex Archer. :)

Book Blurb:

An ancient order tied to the Vatican...

A blood fortune buried in the caves of France...

A conspiracy of power, greed and darkest evil...

Archaeologist and explorer Annja Creed's fascination with the myths and mysteries of the past leads her to a crypt in the caves of France, where the terrifying legend of the Beast of Gevaudan hints at the unimaginable. What she discovers is shattering: an artifact that will seal her destiny; a brotherhood of monks willing to murder to protect their secret; and a powerful black-market occultist desperate to put his own claim to centuries-old blood money. Annja embarks on a high-tension race across Europe and history itself, intent on linking the unholy treachery of the ages with the staggering revelations of the present. But she must survive the shadow figures determined to silence her threat to their existence.

This is a departure from my usual read. Annja is like Indiana Jones, Laura Croft and Nancy Drew all rolled into one. LOL I really enjoyed this book and look forward to more in the series.

I just found out that Alex Archer is not one person - each of these books are written by a different author. That is unique in and of itself- I wonder how it is going to effect the books. I'm sure they will differ - in writing style if nothing else. Interesting......

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

M

Rogue Angel
1. Destiny (2006)
2. Solomon's Jar (2006)
3. The Spider Stone (2006)
4. The Chosen (2007)
5. Forbidden City (2007)
6. The Lost Scrolls (2007)
7. God Of Thunder (2007)
8. Secret of the Slaves (2007)
9. Warrior Spirit (2007)
10. Serpent's Kiss (2008)
11. Provenance (2008)
12. The Soul Stealer (2008)
13. Gabriel's Horn (2008)
14. The Golden Elephant (2008)
15. Swordsman's Legacy (2008)
16. Polar Quest (2009)
17. Eternal Journey (2009)
18. Sacrifice (2009)
19. Seeker's Curse (2009)