Waitress : Here's your demon brew. We just got an entire shipment of the stuff, so you'll be good for the night.
Me : Thanks. You can keep thos[image]
Waitress : Here's your demon brew. We just got an entire shipment of the stuff, so you'll be good for the night.
Me : Thanks. You can keep those coming. I have my eye on a Vemon and I'm not quite sure if I'm to the "vein donation" stage. So demon brew will have to do.
Waitress : Which vemon? We don't get many of those around here.
Me : The loner. He's got a caveman vibe going on. He might be the one.
Waitress : You said that about the last one. And the one before that.
Me : *glaring* Your memory is failing you.
Waitress: Your feminine wiles are failing you. We're up to number 10 now, aren't we?
Me : Don't you work for tips?
***********************************************
4.5 stars. My favorite of the series so far.
Over the past couple of years, I've read a few "caveman" style books. And by caveman, I don't mean alpha-male antics...I actually mean "uncivilized man" stories. This type of theme appeals to me because generally the man is (at least partially) removed from the preconceived notions of what relationships are. So it's like starting from scratch. Unfortunately, most of the caveman books that I've read were duds, with only a couple of exceptions. Thankfully, I found a gem instead of a dud this time.
Demon From the Dark wasn't "technically" a caveman book. The main character, Malkolm, had some experience with other people (beings). However, he had pretty much raised himself in slavery, then escaped to live a life alone for centuries. And he lived in a cave. So he was his own form of caveman...and he was definitely uncivilized.
Who knew that I'd find a good caveman book when I wasn't actually looking for one?
Strangely enough, Demon read less like a typical IAD book than I'm used to. And while the humor was dialed down somewhat and the quirky character interactions weren't as noticeable, I didn't seem to mind for this particular story. Maybe it's because I was too busy loving every minute that Malkolm and Carrow spent together.
In a few of the previous books, the couples didn't always feel balanced. This wasn't the case here. Carrow was the perfect female for Malkolm. They just worked in every single way. I didn't even mind the addition of a little witch character who got in between these two. She was cute and her attitude was spunky, and I laughed at her referring to herself and her little friends as a gang of witches.
The series is not growing stale for me and I'm thrilled because of it. How can I stop now? ...more
Waitress : Welcome back to the...oh, it's you again.
Me : Yeah, it's me. What's on tap tonight?
Waitress : Demon brew and lots of it. In honor of[image]
Waitress : Welcome back to the...oh, it's you again.
Me : Yeah, it's me. What's on tap tonight?
Waitress : Demon brew and lots of it. In honor of the demon king finding his queen.
Me : You got anything else? That demon brew burns like a bitch.
Waitress : Sabine requested that we keep a supply of sweet wine on hand. Our purchaser accidentally ordered 100 cases instead of the 10 he was supposed to. I suppose I could round some up for you.
Me : I guess, if there's nothing else. Can you tell me more about the new 'bad girl' fantasy that's on the menu?
Waitress : *snaps gum* Oh yeah, that. You get to be as rude as you want and the man keeps coming back for more.
Me : Ooh. Sounds fun. Does it turn him on?
Waitress : Sure does. Only he fights back, just so you know. And he wants to win.
Sabine was a trip. She didn't give as good as she got - she gave better. And I liked it. How could I not appreciate a woman who not only made her man work for her, but she didn't even care if he did?
Apparently, the best way to fall in love is to not even give a shit about someone until it's almost too late. Or, it's just an abusive relationship. Really, it could go either way.
I really liked this book. So much so, that I skipped right on over reviewing book 6 (I will get back to it at some point) just to come here and talk about Sabine and Rydstrom. Was Rydstrom leading man material? Sure. I guess. I don't know if I even noticed much until the end because Sabine and her selfish ways amused me so much.
But enough about my thoughts. Here's some fun book quotes to entertain you.
Nothing says 'do me!' like pastel.
Suck off, fister.
When a group of young females had asked her what one should name her horse, she'd answered, "I like the sound of Fellatio."
Nix is calling me Bull's-eye and the Womb Raider.
============================================
Unrelated, but I think I'm going to like Lothaire. There was a scene in court where a bunch of demons had just died and Sabine came out of an illusion, so people were freaking out. Lothaire was "busily collecting coin" and not giving one single f*ck. It made me think of online gaming and looting the bodies after a raid. The greedy one gets the gold, haha.
Sorry that I have to do this for 2 books in a row, but I couldn't even remotely find anything to get fetish happy about...again. I can promise though Sorry that I have to do this for 2 books in a row, but I couldn't even remotely find anything to get fetish happy about...again. I can promise though that I DO have a plan for book 5's cafe scene. I'm halfway through 5 and it's already ticking off some boxes. So we will be getting back to the cafe. Soon.
[image]
In the meantime, you can can get acquainted with the series in Episode 1 and Episode 2
First, a disclaimer : I didn't DISLIKE Wicked Deeds. I'm already such a fan of this author's quirky world and characters. The book was entertaining as hell. The story pacing was excellent.
But I didn't like the couple much as a couple. Bowen got on my nerves. The age difference between he and Mariketa was painfully awkward to read. You would think that the difference between innocent Emma and experienced Lachlain in A Hunger Like No Other had to be more of an obstacle, but it never was for me. Emma's sheltering almost helped her fit better into an immortal world. On the flip side, there was something always unmatched between Bowen and Mari that never quite popped into alignment. Mariketa was youthful and modern. Bowen was just cranky and old. I mean, I get it - he WAS old. But I need an author to sell me on the idea of a centuries (or millenia) old being able to keep up with modern times. And if he CAN'T, then I need to see him matched with someone better suited for him.
The Mariketa/Mariah story was a weird pairing. The end twist was clever, but I wasn't sure if the author had planned it that way all along, or if that idea came to her later. Something about the entire setup didn't flow as smoothly as it could have.
The book definitely had me feeling a like/dislike contradiction. But even as I count Wicked Deeds as my least favorite of the series so far, I still liked it better than a lot of books I've read. So we're still on the positive train here. I'm truly enjoying the series and am already zipping through book 5 like a madwoman. ...more
One good night's sleep. Two cups of coffee. Three glances at my notes.
I'm still struggling with what to say about this book.
***Spoilers ahead.*** But iOne good night's sleep. Two cups of coffee. Three glances at my notes.
I'm still struggling with what to say about this book.
***Spoilers ahead.*** But if you know about what sometimes goes down in bodice rippers, it really won't be much of a spoiler.
Obviously, classic bodice rippers of the rapey era aren't my thing. But I had to check out this pirate-meets-magic story. I'm always looking for a different spin on pirates.
It's not that I wasn't expecting the rape. In stereotypical bodice ripper fashion, I figured it might show up.
Garrett, drawing on a restraint he did not feel, raised his hand and lightly landed the back of his hand to her face.
"God, girl. I never imagined I was a man who could enjoy rape, but as you look like an angel, you taste like the heavens."
Okayyy...expected scene was expected. But this later attitude was not:
"As it is," he took her hand again, "I will not return you to any man who saw this hand and turned his back to it."
Uh...you VIOLENTLY RAPED a woman, then think you're better than the man who didn't step in to defend that same woman when she was getting beaten?
[image]
It really was too bad. I was ready to ignore the idiot pirate who was somehow a brilliant scientist (he had microscopes and everything for his discovery of microorganisms...yeah, I know) because there was a cool magic panther in the story AND a funny talking parrot. But this nonsense of the pot calling the kettle black? No. Just no.
However, I kept reading because I wanted to know how Garrett managed to win the innocent, thin girl. Yes, thin. I think Juliet's frame was mentioned as much, if not more, than the amount of times she was heralded as innocent - 25 times to be exact.
Sad to say, "innocent girl" wasn't any brighter than the pirate. I never figured out why Garrett loved her. She neither said nor did anything remarkable. NOT ONCE. She was either whining or showing how little she knew about anything. She was never brave, or intelligent, or even notably kind. She was nothing more than a helpless captive on a ship. Garrett fell in love with her because she was innocent (read : stupidly clueless) and beautiful - that's it. There was no actual character quality of hers which stood out. Garrett kept secrets from her for the entire book because he didn't consider her smart enough to "get" or "handle" things. That's how bad it was.
I'm only giving 2 stars because the read wasn't boring. The story could've been halfway good if the characters were somewhat likable.
3.5 stars. Fluffy, fun romance. I'm generally a fan of stories where love is built on a true connection instead of simply a physical attraction. This 3.5 stars. Fluffy, fun romance. I'm generally a fan of stories where love is built on a true connection instead of simply a physical attraction. This was a Beauty and the Beast retelling mixed with Greek mythology, which was a bit strange, but since I like both of these things, I was okay with the odd combo.
That's about it. I can't seem to make it through a book of Cast's without getting annoyed at the lead female at least a couple of times...but ah well. It wasn't that bad this time as it could have been and the romance was sweet. I enjoyed the read but felt the sexy times could have been more dynamic. ...more
3.5 stars. I know. I'm surprised too. My feelings about the Caster Chronicles series that spawned this new Dangerous Creatures series were mixed, and 3.5 stars. I know. I'm surprised too. My feelings about the Caster Chronicles series that spawned this new Dangerous Creatures series were mixed, and I never got around to finishing the previous series after seeing some spoilers for the end of book 4. I was unsure whether or not to try the spin-off books, until I saw that there was a prequel short story offering, and figured that I could spare a few minutes of my time.
This prequel was pretty much all Ridley and Link, which hooked me instantly. I never fully got on the Ethan and Lena bandwagon with the last series, but was always a big R&L fan.
Link is the offbeat stoner-type kid who makes fun of his best friend for being "whipped."
Ridley is the siren who uses her sexuality to bring all the men to their knees, including Link.
What trouble are these two going to get in to next? My guess is that it's going to be trouble of epic proportions.
So the big question is this : Can you read Dangerous Dream if you haven't read Caster Chronicles? I would hesitantly say yes, you can. It might take you until about 50% in to start to get a handle on what's going on (but it's a short story, so 50% is really only a few minutes). I don't know if you'll completely understand just how awesome Link and Ridley are if you haven't gotten to know them before now, but by the time you get to the club scene and find yourself immersed in Ridley's predicament, you will probably get a feel for whether or not you'll like where this story is going. If you'd really like to know more about the world background and difference between light and dark casters, but don't want to have to read through 4 books of Caster Chronicles, you could always rent the movie Beautiful Creatures for a quick crash course and introduction of the characters, even though R&L are side characters in that movie.
If things keep going as they are, I have the feeling that this series is going to be a big hit with me, and I'll end up liking it more than I did Caster Chronicles.
Troublemakers always make for more interesting stories. Link and Ridley have never marched to the beat of the traditional drum, so I look forward to what's up next.
A free copy of this story was provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. ...more
Rapey. Rapey. Rapey. And a little more rapey - as in "up for a gang bang?" rapey.
...and not in the implied McGangBang kind of paranormal romance noveRapey. Rapey. Rapey. And a little more rapey - as in "up for a gang bang?" rapey.
...and not in the implied McGangBang kind of paranormal romance novel writing via Kresley Cole uncomfortable rapey vibes but not actually rape (off topic, but my teenager is obsessed with these sandwiches for some reason). [image]
Uh...no. It was rape. And more rape. And then some attempted rape.
The most bizarre thing is though, the story was strangely readable in a "train wreck I couldn't look away from" type of deal.
But yeah. I'm not even gonna rate the story because I don't even know what to say. I went into this as a group read, having been warned that there was non-con, so I can't really go off on a mad tangent if I knew what I was getting into.
The scene with the vampires shrugging off what the sheriff was doing really bothered me, yet there I was a few chapters later thinking that Cole was probably the lesser of all the evils in the book and accepted that he was going to just go ahead and insta-love-bond his way into Rachel's heart...err pants anyway, whether I liked it or not.
Strangely enough, I thought Cole was almost too humanized. This society is down with the gang rape (and the book uses the term several times). So why was Cole almost sort of being pushed as a protector type with no real character development morphing him from bad to good?
The wtf-ery of not sticking to a "good or bad" ethics system was where the ball was dropped, imo. I say go one way or the other and commit to it. Either be taboo or be romantic. The mashup of cold and warm was a bit odd.
I didn't like that I had to be told by other people reading the book that the content was rapey. As of Feb. 12, 2014 (this may have changed by the time someone reads my review in the future) I see that on Booklikes the warning is in place, but GR still doesn't have one (and I could be wrong, I'm thinking that this is the book another person complained about not having a disclaimer quite some time ago). I'm sure a librarian could add one, but the author should probably make the request in order to ensure that the warning is to her specifications.
I wasn't a fan of how the friend was tossed off with no concern. That was a crappy moment which wasn't necessary to the plot in order to show Rachel's individual situation as a breeder.
But I won't deny the strange readability. Because yeah. I was unexpectedly curious to see what would happen next. The story was creepy and weird but it had me turning the pages. Take what you will from that.
If I read parts 2 and 3, I probably won't review, so this is all I'm gonna throw out there. I figure there's probably a market for the story, even with the mixed signals. Fans of mate-bonding and super-protective (she's mine!) male types might well enjoy the read if they can get past the graphic rape scenes upfront. Read on at your own risk. O.o
*edit* I said I wasn't going to review parts 2 or 3, and I won't add those editions on (I probably should have gone with the 3 volume omnibus edition to start), but I will put a couple of quick notes here.
Part 2 thoughts - While I chose not to rate part 1 because it was odd and I didn't know what to think, I do feel that at least part 2 tried to add in some plot and reason that Part 1 was missing. This was a marked improvement over part 1 and actually somewhat entertaining.
Part 3 thoughts - The rapey raperson vibe is back, but this time it's in a (view spoiler)[dream sequence (hide spoiler)], making it more of a fantasy fetish thing. I was sort of put off at first, until the reveal happened, then I had a (view spoiler)[well hmm...that could come in handy - you get to hook up with a bunch of guys and have no guilt or consequences for it. Not too bad, actually... (hide spoiler)]...more
You realize you can fall forever and never run out of stars.
4.5 stars. Magical. Magical. Magical. Laini Taylor is absolutely magical. Her
You realize you can fall forever and never run out of stars.
4.5 stars. Magical. Magical. Magical. Laini Taylor is absolutely magical. Her words are beautiful, her characters are quirky, and I am in love with the atmospheric charm.
I want my own Night of Cake & Puppets.
Are you an adult who loves to read and chat about young adult books? Join us over in the Rated YA-MA group!
2.5 stars Apparently, I've encountered a string of interesting stories with ridiculous characters in them. What giThird time's the charm...or a curse?
2.5 stars Apparently, I've encountered a string of interesting stories with ridiculous characters in them. What gives?
Adrienne turned to him, unwilling to be trapped in the attic with a zombie and a black magic wielding gang leader.
I had to sit and think about how to rate/review Cursed because my feelings were mixed. I honestly liked the story itself. The mystery, danger, and intrigue surrounding Jax, Therese, Jayden, Adrienne, and the Red Man was very good. There were moments which surprised me and moments which gave me the creeps, which was honestly more than I'd been expecting. When the story was on, it was ON, and I was reminded of how much the movie The Skeleton Key was spooky and entertaining. Sometimes, the story was even funny.
She landed with a grunt beneath the weight of the woman on top of her, soon aware of something else : the flash of a pair of poultry shears heading towards her head. "White zombie!" Jayden's grandmother hissed at her. "You will not take him!"
The second half of the book, especially, had me glued to the pages because I was completely engrossed with Adrienne's search to find out the truth about her sister. I finished the last page and wished right away that I had my copy of book 2 to read.
Jax closed the door to his bedroom approached the bed, raising his knife.
I am not a killer.
Unfortunately, the characters themselves didn't match up to the strength of the story or setting. Here's why :
1. Adrienne - she was allowing herself to be pushed around by bullies one moment, then was diving into danger headfirst the next. I never got a feel for who she was as a person. When she wasn't out playing girl detective, she was ping-ponging her feelings for two boys, one of whom was obviously never going to get a chance (which is too bad, because I preferred Rene to Jayden). Do we really need another female who has her klutzy moments and is second-guessing herself every step of the way?
Was it possible to be attracted to two guys? Sweet, dreamy Jayden and Rene, her reluctant thug of a guardian?
(anyone else feel awkard while reading that, or is it just me?)
2. Jayden - while I appreciated there being a chance for a multi-cultural relationship between him and Adrienne, and I liked the portrayal of his male lead as nice, smart and athletic, this character came across as very cardboard and one-dimensional. I wouldn't have wanted him to go the stereotypical route of super-cocky male lead, but found myself wishing on more than one occasion that he'd grow a pair because he didn't do enough to stand up for himself and Adrienne. And when he barely knew Adrienne and started calling her his angel, it was sort of ridiculous.
3. The character voices - several of the characters would mix their speech, going from heavy slang to polite speech and back again. It was sort of confusing. Rene was a character who probably appealed to me the most, but I felt like I was reading two different characters at times when it came to him.
4. The culture clashes didn't always make sense to me - I found it odd that there was such a huge emphasis put on Adrienne not having money. I attended a private school when I was younger which was full of rich kids. My family was on the lower end of the economic scale, so I got teased a little for not having nice clothes, but it never flat-out prevented me from making friends. Maybe things are different in Adrienne's part of the country though and I just didnt understand it. I won't comment on any sort of race/class lines or gang territories in the story because I don't know enough about New Orleans to know what is/isn't accurate. The message of attraction crossing boundaries is a good thing, but there was a random "sounds like we're gay" comment (after being asked what someone thought of two football teammates being a dynamic duo) that seemed out of place in that message. As well, I don't appreciate someone using a sentence such as "I just got raped by a gang" as a way to see if their brother is paying attention. I don't think there was any intent of malice in either of those statements, but both of them made me uncomfortable.
However...
The creepy atmosphere (I love when a city becomes a big part of what gives a story life) and character entanglements were enough to make me want to read on. Between Jax's shocking actions and a mysterious red cloaked figure who kept hanging around, I had to know what was going to happen.
The characters might still need some tweaking, but I was entertained, and I am definitely curious to see what's up next.
This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I'm going to refrain from rating because I read the first half of the book, then skipped ahead to the last couple of chapters.
I think I would have liI'm going to refrain from rating because I read the first half of the book, then skipped ahead to the last couple of chapters.
I think I would have liked this a lot better had I read it when I was younger and loved fairy tale-esque stories of all-encompassing love. There's definitely a target audience for Waterfell, but unfortunately, it's not me at this time.
The last sentence of the book made me realize that I was perfectly okay with the fact that I didn't read much of the second half : I am yours forever.
I was actually fine with the love story. It was predictable, but sort of cute. However, even during a "fated to be mated" story (which I'm fine with if handled correctly), I'd rather see the use of terms like "forever" dialed back just a touch when we're dealing with such young characters.
If you like cute romance with a heavy hand of destiny, this might end up working for you, even if it didn't work for me. ...more
3.5 stars. Do you ever have those times when you're not looking for in-depth world building or massive character background, but just want to get in, 3.5 stars. Do you ever have those times when you're not looking for in-depth world building or massive character background, but just want to get in, get to the heart of the story, then get out?
If so, and if you're also a fan of off-beat romances, then this might be your lucky day.
Ghosts of the Falls was a simple, sweet, and satisfying love story. Jade is an exorcist called in to handle dispatching a pesky ghost. As dumb luck would have it, she happened to find the ghost intriguing and wasn't sure if she wanted to get rid of him.
Who wouldn't be curious about ghost sex though? Right? Or is that just me?
This is one of those rare instances when the brief world description actually works in a story's favor. I had enough to enjoy by simply watching two characters interact with each other. There were no details to memorize, and no ridiculous or dramatic obstacles to have to overcome. The only question came in the form of wondering how a ghost and a human could be together.
Ghosts was short and didn't have many bells and whistles, but it was just what I was in the mood for. It'd be a great short to read after a heavier work, or even as a way to break up a reading slump. I was sucked in from page 1, and breezed through the read in no time at all.
This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I was a freak, but at least I was a meticulous freak.
Get. Your. Freak. On. This is the book for any 3.5 stars. Another day, another death.
I was a freak, but at least I was a meticulous freak.
Get. Your. Freak. On. This is the book for any person who (as a kid) took their Star Wars, G.I. Joe, and Thundercat toys out into the backyard and found a way to invent a new world where they would battle each other. Unless you were me, and had to make due with a Strawberry Shortcake, My Little Ponies, and a generic She-Ra doll (hey, I was a sheltered kid. I only got to play army men and Star Wars at my friends' houses).
Who was I? Why couldn't I remember anything before a year ago? Why didn't I stay dead?
Katanas, guns, wands, and staves. Gargoyles, dragons, lie-detecting ticks, and evil overlords. Strap on your seat belts, kids. This ride's about to get bumpy, especially when the man driving the bus has no clue who he is.
(btw - I think I was more scared of a lie-detecting tick than anything. Too many years spent at summer camp gave me a phobia of those horrific little shits.)
I hate to classify Urban Fantasy into either of the dreaded "romantic" vs. "action" categories because almost all (non-PNR) UF will have a fair amount of action and pseudo-fantasy happening. Some of my favorite UF series provide an equal dose of ass kicking and sexual tension. However, this book landed closer to the "action" side of the spectrum. Fans of grittier, darker Urban Fantasy are going to be more likely to gravitate toward Dying.
The last few male-driven UF series I've read have been somewhat snarkier. The tone of this book was firmly rooted in the mystery surrounding our main character and the obstacles he had to overcome on his path to finding out who he is. While humor isn't a strong element in Dying, there were random moments which amused me. When I stumbled across these moments, I smiled the smile of a person who got to be part of an inside joke. Either you'll find yourself amused, or you'll sail right on by, never the wiser.
It's hard to write about the characters because they were hard to get to know at first, due to the fact that the main voice had absolutely no clue what was going on, but that sort of lent itself to the fun. I wanted to know why this person had landed himself in the middle of New York's seediest and scariest happenings, so I was willing to tag along and find out where we wound up.
My one complaint would be that I wish there'd been more of a focus on a select group of paranormals, instead of this story being yet another version of paranormal stew. My shelf categories blew up again with the addition of this book. When there are too many things in a story which need to be explained, you tend to start tuning some of it out. A little more focus on a specific theme would take this series from good to great.
Even so, I'm in!
This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Quotes taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final copy.
The woman jolted in the guard's arms, and raised one of her own hands, which was glowing red. Like magnets, their palms slammed together. "Oh,
The woman jolted in the guard's arms, and raised one of her own hands, which was glowing red. Like magnets, their palms slammed together. "Oh, shit," I mumbled, realizing what this was. "He's found his mate."
3.5 stars. I won't lie to you and say that there weren't some things wrong with this book, but there was so much to like that I found myself willing to overlook a few things which might normally bother me (lots of mentions of spring green eyes and copious amounts of sputtering). I wasn't sure if I was going to take to Lily at first but she slowly morphed into a character who I could get behind.
Anyway....sometimes a guilty pleasure is just that - a guilty pleasure, meant for the sole purpose of being enjoyed. Magical powers and random crazy mating scenes were only a few of the fun things about King Hall. And hey, at least there wasn't a love triangle. Praise be!
When you strip away the surface shenanigans, you'll see underneath that there is a strong message of friendship and loyalty. I think what really stood out for me was the emphasis on the importance of non-romantic relationships. It's not often where a book comes along and focuses on the strengths of friendship and what it means to have a solid group of people in your corner. Friends see you at your best and at your worst. If you can make it through the worst with them, you know that they'll be around for the long haul. I found myself believing in the power of friendship as I watched King Hall's version of the Wonder Twins get multiplied into a Fearsome Foursome.
"Let's kill the Com bastards," Ezra muttered viciously. We nodded as one, our fists slamming together. We moved, all of our eyes glowing. Blue. Green. Brown. Gold.
(This is where I would have inserted a Wonder Twins picture but I couldn't find one I liked, unless I wanted to steal someone's deviant art.)
Here. Let's go with a hotter couple. [image]
While the world building felt strangely eclectic and busy (kitchen-sink writing is how I've referred to it in the past), I liked the general concept enough to keep my doubts from reaching epic proportions. I don't get why every single mythical race is hanging out at a college together, yet they aren't allowed to mix romantically, at least not in public (contradictory much?). I thought the "King" system was weakly fleshed out and the dynamics between magical races and non-magical races, and how they interacted in the same world together was vague (Why are they enemies sometimes? Is it just human jealousy?). I don't completely understand why hair color was one of the major defining characteristics (especially two-toned hair!), but these types of small unfinished details didn't necessarily take away from the things which made the book enjoyable.
What made the book fun for me? Aside from the friendship bonds, we got to watch our characters engage with the enemies and get wasted in their tents while playing an awkward game of Truth or Dare, not necessarily in that order. When books manage to find ways to bring together fun times and dangerous times, I generally like the combo. Some of the sexual innuendos bordered on crude but since I have a strange sense of humor, I have to admit to grinning at a vampire admitting that chicks liked him every week of the month. Although, the 'arm on/under the lady bits' scene near the end...awkward. If you read this book, I'll want to know your thoughts on that.
The story itself is centered around Lily, a young woman going through a big transitional phase in her life, after a big new responsibility is thrown on her. She has reasons to keep her own secrets, and reasons to hesitate before letting people in. Like I mentioned earlier, it took a while for me to warm up to Lily. But in time, I started to see her for more than what she first projected herself to be.
Ezra is probably my favorite character so far. He's strong, smart, snarky, and mysterious. I loved that he was a sexy male lead with darker skin, but I had the hardest time picturing his red and black spiked hair for some reason, since it grows that way (is it a pattern?). This is an instance where I'd love to see some photo-shopped fantasy casting or fan art, so I can get a clear picture of him in my head.
I don't know if this is going to be the book for everyone (you have to push past a start which has a few cringe-worthy moments), but I think that King Hall might work for anyone who's been looking for non-contemporary NA, and would be willing put aside a few hesitations over details for the sake of enjoying the ride. This is a sexy, adventurous and enjoyable read.
This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final copy....more
3.5 stars. This is a spoiler-free review regarding plot, but if you don't want to know what type of "beings" these guys are (I say who cares, you find3.5 stars. This is a spoiler-free review regarding plot, but if you don't want to know what type of "beings" these guys are (I say who cares, you find out fairly early in the book), read no further. *cue ominous music*
'Do you like Gio? Check yes or no.' She wrote back 'How can you be this childish after a thousand years?'
[image] The dialogue (written or spoken) was what sold me on this book. Was there a mystery happening? If so, I didn't really care. I much preferred the character interaction to the mystery of the letters. All of the characters seemed to enjoy playing off of one another, which was entertaining to witness.
"Should I be concerned that one of your first questions is how to kill me?"
This was a decent effort for a self-published book. The writing was more polished than I'd been expecting. I did catch a few typos and repetitive gestures (such as smirking, eye rolling, and eyebrow wiggling), but the overall execution was impressive for a first-in-series book.
But talk about a sense of deja vu...I had to stop my read and do a quick search in order to make sure I wasn't reading Twilight fan fiction. I didn't find anything, so I'm assuming this is not fan fiction for now. Before you start to freak out and think I'm going to say this is a Twilight copy, it's not that extreme. I found more similarities between Obsidian and Twilight than I did with this book.
It was really only one scene which made me do a double take. Tell me though that this doesn't remind you of a certain scene which takes place in the forest.
"You--you're fast." He nodded. "I'm very fast. And very strong." "Your skin...it's pale. Really pale. And I've never seen you during the day." "And you never will," he murmured in the pulsing blue light. Her breathing picked up as a growing suspicion began to take shape. "I've never seen you eat or drink...anything."
[image] You saw it too, right?
But hey, at least Gio (the lead male from this book) is not a flipping vegetarian. He has no qualms taking a bite out of a willing female, which is how I prefer my vampires to behave. And I thought Beatrice (or B) was a fun character. She's slightly off-kilter and kind of spunky, plus she wears combat boots to work at the library.
While I liked Gio fine, he wasn't the big draw in my opinion. I was all team Carwyn (not that we're needing teams, since there is no love triangle). Of course I'm going to like the old-as-dirt vampire who acted like a prankster kid. Duh. That's my kind of person vampire. I had to laugh at the vampires-watching-pro-wrestling scene. It was quite amusing.
"Use the damn folding chair!"
As we often see with UF series, there was an equal amount of emphasis put on the action and danger as there was the romance. I wouldn't have minded a little more sexual tension, but since UF series tend to drag out the tension over the course of several books, I'm guessing that we'll see more of this in the future. But at least for now, there are some other points of intrigue and danger to keep us occupied.
"Go to hell." A flicker of madness crept into his eyes. "Already there."
I enjoyed the read enough to keep on with the series, but I still think there are a few details which could be fine-tuned (mainly with some of the transitions being less confusing). As with most series, there is generally a greater payout the longer you stick with the books, so if we only go up from here, I think this is going to work out nicely.
So far, so good. I look forward to see what's up next! ...more
In the Seven Realms, truer words have never been spoken.
4.5 stars I'm so sad to see the Seven Realms series com
"Everything's a risk."
In the Seven Realms, truer words have never been spoken.
4.5 stars I'm so sad to see the Seven Realms series come to an end.
Mystery! Intrigue! Adventure! Danger! Magic! Fighting! Forbidden Love! How many rounds of awesome can we squeeze into one book? I don't know the final tally but the count is high (along with the dead bodies).
Han is incredible. Were it not for him, this series wouldn't have had the same edge to it. Everyone likes to root for the underdog, and Han had a full deck stacked against him. His ability to take repeated life-beatings and keep on pushing forward endeared him to many a reader.
And it didn't hurt that he had crazy ninja skills.
As if in answer to her prayers, someone swarmed across the ceiling of the cathedral, swinging from one fixture to another, finding handholds where none existed. He dangled over their heads, arrows pinging all around him, then dropped to the floor.
I'm still a softie for Amon though. I like those protective types. Always have. Maybe he wasn't all magic flash and ninja technique, but he'll always have a place in my heart. I wish (view spoiler)[he'd almost had his own part of the story, since he was such a focus in the first book. (hide spoiler)]
The best part about Crimson Crown was that it gave us plenty of happy without crossing every t and dotting every i. We got enough to satisfy without knowing exactly how everything in the future would be laid out.
"I want to breathe you in for the rest of my life."
Few authors know how to end a series right and this is one of them. Happy cheer for a job well done!
"Nearly all my life I've taken what I wanted, when I wanted it, with no thought for the future, since I wasn't likely to have one. Do you know
"Nearly all my life I've taken what I wanted, when I wanted it, with no thought for the future, since I wasn't likely to have one. Do you know how hard this is for me? Do you?"
4.5 stars Dear lord...the feels, the feels! The goodness train keeps rolling. Lives are at stake. Love is at stake. There's danger, magic and intrigue aplenty!
There are no dragons though. Ah well.
I still don't know what to say about fantasy books or how to sell them. If you don't read fantasy, you're really missing out (boo to the real world all of the time!), especially when gems like Seven Realms come along. This series explains many of the reasons why I like fantasy, especially when it's done right.
In fact, I don't even know if I can find one thing to complain about. Well...maybe one thing. The first 20% was ridiculously slow and I thought I'd stumbled into first book syndrome for a minute. I'll just chalk it up to the author laying groundwork for what was to come because when stuff started happening - hoo boy. Yes, I said it. HOO BOY.
Raisa's braver than I am. I would have stayed in hiding. After all, there were lots of boogeymen lurking in the shadows. I don't know if I would be able to sleep if I were her. What's that? Arrows flying at my head? Yeah...I'll pass. Thanks.
Everyone says the final book (number 4) is phenomenal and the best of the series, which means I'm super excited to read it. Unfortunately, I have to wait until July to use it for a challenge. *angry face*
Until that time comes, I'll leave you with a Han moment...
'She's tough for a blueblood,' he'd thought a lifetime ago. 'Maybe tough enough to be with me.' He hadn't considered that he might not be tough enough to be with her.
Love. Love. Love. Why does fantasy turn me into an incoherent child who forgets how to review? I guess we'll never know because I have yet to figure out how to do this.
*exits stage right*
*realizes she went the wrong way and turns around to exit on the proper side*...more
I love how every person who reads the Elementals series has a favorite and a least favorite book or character, then a second fa
Who's your Merrick?
I love how every person who reads the Elementals series has a favorite and a least favorite book or character, then a second favorite or second least favorite book or character. Hardly anyone will agree on the order of what goes from first to last. With most series, there's a general progression from okay to better or better to worse, and a good portion of the time, fans will wholeheartedly agree where a series "started to pick up" or "started to go downhill." But there's something special about this particular series and its entire set of characters and experiences which speaks differently to every person. My favorite character is Michael, but my favorite books are Gabriel's and Nick's (so far). Chris's book was awesome, and Hunter's book was decent, but not a favorite. One of you might have Hunter for a favorite character, or Chris's book as your favorite. But I think most of us fans can agree on one thing : We love the Merricks.
The rest of my review is going to be a little different from my normal reviews. I'm going to be writing it only for the people who have read the Elementals series. If you have not read the series up to this point, you'll want to avoid the rest of this review because I'm just wanting to talk about my feelings - with tissues handy. If you're curious about this series, you might want to check out my earlier reviews for the series prequel (0.5) and book 1 if you want to get a feel for what these books are all about.
I knew as I was reading that there was no way I'd be able to write a public review stating the pros and cons of why people should read this series. There was just no way to do this when my heart was getting pummeled.
So I want to talk with you fellow fans about why Secret is tied for my favorite book of the series. It was really all about the emotion for me.
"You're safe here," he said softly. "Okay?"
"Sometimes I wish you weren't...you know." "I know."
Nick always did what his brothers expected.
"What do you want? Does anyone ever ask you that?"
Those lines has me emotional, but the following scene with Nick and his mom broke me down into a blubbering mess :
He'd leaned into her contact, and she'd said, "You're the only one who still lets me do that. My gentle boy."
I don't even know why the dam burst there. It just did - and it came from out of NOWHERE.
But then it kept going. Of course Michael had to come along and be wonderful. Was anyone else having the same emotion?
"He wouldn't fall asleep at night unless Mom put you in his crib."
FFS, Can it GET any more emotional?
"I'm not his best friend, Nick. You are."
Why yes, yes it can.
Nick kept going. And Adam never said stop.
Even though Nick was the star of the book, I was just as pleased with Quinn's story with Tyler. Tyler wasn't the "normal" romantic lead. He smelled like beer and cigarettes. In a weird way, I liked that. He's a young man being a young man with the same habits that a lot of young men have. Quinn's story never felt forced to me (as "I was abused" stories often do), and I was happy that she wasn't tossed aside in the wake of Nick moving on.
So that's it. I just wanted to talk to the other fans about why this particular book resonated with me. Even if this wasn't the specific Merrick book to shoot to the top of your favorites list, I'm sure you might understand why we all have our reasons to find a Merrick book (or two) to love, even if we don't all agree on which one should be at the top.
This book provided from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I solved Dorian's mystery! He's a snack food! Hey, at least that would have been a real twist, unlike the
Dorian Skotos Dorian Skotos Dori...tos Doritos?
I solved Dorian's mystery! He's a snack food! Hey, at least that would have been a real twist, unlike the one we got in the book.
1.5 stars. I've been slipping - I MISSED a love/drug/sex reference! Someone else had to point it out to me. The urge to skim bit me in the butt this time. Nooooooo!!!
It pains me to have to write another low-rated review this week, but no matter how much I tried to justify the good parts of Dark Light outweighing the bad, I just couldn't seem to get my mental scales to balance. Between the cringe-worthy terms, the excessive amount of character description, the ditzy lead character who used her vag for a brain, and the random placement of all things pop music - this book read as extremely shallow and immature for the amount of sexual content present.
Is Dark Light adult or NA? Who the hell knows. The second half of the book had enough sex scenes to qualify as mild erotica, but the main character is age 20. I'm going to hesitantly shelve this as NA, mainly because I like to be able to quick reference character ages by shelf.
The bones of the story reminded me of the Caster Chronicles (Beautiful Creatures) concept. One young woman has to choose whether to be claimed by the light or the dark. However, it was hard to find much of a story around Gaby's hormonal urges.
What I liked (the short list) :
A couple of the sex scenes. The possibility of real conflict in book 2, given what we know now.
What I didn't like (the not-so-short-list) :
I don't care about every single clothing, hair, makeup, and lingerie detail being explained for multiple scenes. So much emphasis was put on looks. More than one of us in our buddy read noticed that Dorian's blue eyes were constantly mentioned. There was a lot of repetitiveness going on.
At first, I thought it would be a treat to read a book set in my city...until I started to feel like I was reading a very bizarre travel brochure. The city name was mentioned several times, as well as many areas of town, all by name - everything from the Broadmoor, Cheyenne Mountain, Chapel Hills Mall, Briargate, All 4 military bases, the AF Academy, Garden of the Gods, Palmer Park, Memorial Park, UCCS, downtown, etc. etc. Woodmen Road was mentioned twice when describing the location of the Jamba Juice, then in case we needed to know where on Woodmen the JJ was, we were informed that it was in Woodmen Commons (I used to live 6 blocks from that JJ and never knew the name of that shopping center). Instead of being driven back to her car, she was driven back to her car on Woodmen Road...an unnecessary detail, especially for people who don't live here. I didn't fully understand the point of all the site name dropping, especially when the characters were jumping around from point to point, even when locations weren't close together at all.
Gaby was not the sharpest tool in the shed. I don't care how much Dorian's (view spoiler)[magical (hide spoiler)] influence came into play, this chick came across as flighty, horny and shallow at all times. I don't want to read about how someone is constantly horny, regardless of the reason or influence. Give me hot sex when the time comes for a sex scene. The rest of the time, I need some substance. Physical attraction is supposed to be used to build sexual tension, not as a means for a character to forget how to function when not with another person. I didn't care how or why this chick had to stop herself from putting her hands between her legs in public. Karen Marie Moning can get away with this type of writing...the rest of us - not so much. Dorian came across as a creeper a good portion of the time and this chick was swooning like nobody's business. Some of her comments were downright disturbing as she acknowledged his tendency to violence. But hey...he could slit her neck right now and she would die in sweet ecstacy. He's even hot enough to not have to worry about those pesky condoms right away. Because hotness = safeness. Whatever weird voodoo magic Dorian has, keep me the hell away from it.
I could never be that blind, that stupid. Right?
Unless a story is about music or music related, I'm never a fan of lots of random song titles or musician references thrown about randomly in a story. It dates a book and often comes across as trying too hard to be relevant. Not everyone has the same taste in music, so let's leave "today's current hits" for the radio.
There was lots and lots of smirking. Dorian also licked his lips and smacked his lips. OH AND HE EVEN COOED ONCE.
The sexual terminology was cringe-worthy. Waterfall of her release? Our rivers unite into a deep, endless ocean? It must be some awesome river mingling though, if it's inspiring the need to lie down and be bludgeoned to death with a large, blunt object.
Even if his only purpose in my life is to provide me with mind-numbing passion, I'd happily accept it with open arms. And open legs.
Yet, I still hate reviewing fantasy - with an added emphasis on the word hate.
Most books = Point A to point b.
Fantasy boYay! I love fantasy again!!!
Yet, I still hate reviewing fantasy - with an added emphasis on the word hate.
Most books = Point A to point b.
Fantasy books = Point A intersects with person C on the way to meeting person F at point Y.
How the heck do you review that?
I'll reiterate what I've loved about Seven Realms so far. These books meet the criteria for what I'd like to see more of in YA fantasy. There is action and adventure. There are plenty of varied characters from all walks of life. There is an element of romance without it choking out the rest of the story. The books will appeal to a broad base of readers, even lovers of adult fantasy. Nothing here feels dumbed down or excessively youthful. In fact, I'd say these books are more mature than a good portion of the adult crap I've read lately. No joke.
Whether you're new to fantasy or it's an old love, I'd say this series is worth checking out. It has a little bit of something for everyone.
I might add more later, but maybe not. Fantasy still owns my ability to review, apparently. ...more
Super-quick recap for my first review in about a week. I'll be back to normal reviewing sometime in the next day or two. Real life smacked me down theSuper-quick recap for my first review in about a week. I'll be back to normal reviewing sometime in the next day or two. Real life smacked me down the past few days!
What can I say other than I have a serious thing for Kevin Hearne. This man writes books which make me happy. End of story. Onward to book 5!
With no time to review for this book tonight, here's my thoughts on book 1, where I first fell in love with the series :
"I just shook hands with a naked goddess. What was that she called you? She-ya-han? Does that mean dumbass in Old Irish or something?" "No, that's my real name. Maybe it does mean dumbass, though. Keep calling me Atticus."
Atticus : Where am I going to find half a yak? Oberon : Duh. Attached to the other half. Hound 1, Druid, 0.
Stacia (the 2010 club)
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