Review: Her Mad Hatter by Marie Hall

Title: Her Mad Hatter
Series: Kingdom, Book 1
Author: Marie Hall
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 137 Pages Approx.
Publication Date: December 2, 2013
Available Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

Alice is all grown up. Running the Mad Hatter's Cupcakery and Tea Shoppe is a delicious job, until fate--and a fairy godmother with a weakness for bad boys--throws her a curveball. Now, Alice is the newest resident of Wonderland, where the Mad Hatter fuels her fantasies and thrills her body with his dark touch.

The Mad Hatter may have a voice and a body made for sex, but he takes no lovers. Ever. But a determined fairy godmother has forced Alice into Wonderland--and his arms. Now, as desire and madness converge, the Hatter must decide if he will fight the fairy godmother's mating--or fight for Alice.

Two nights ago I was lying on my bed, at the wee hours of the morning, browsing through Amazon on my cellphone, because sleeping seemed impossible at the time. That's how I stumbled into Her Mad Hatter, I was looking for a quick read and both the title and the description drew me in. Little did I know that I would end up enjoying the story so much.

Danika, a fairy godmother for the "bad boys" must find Hatter's true love before a year passes or the madness will fully consume and destroy him. Finally she finds the right Alice, a 24-year-old, cupcake shop owner and lover of all things Wonderland (and Hatter). Unfortunately, there has been quite a parade of "Alices" before including our leading lady's own great-grandmother. So much so that Hatter is not interested in going through with the whole thing all over again. Our Alice has just three days to convince Hatter that not only she is the real deal, but that she loves him with all her heart.

Her Mad Hatter is a re-imagining of, yup, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. The story is very reminiscent to the Lewis Carroll's masterpiece in its whimsical and nonsensical quality that at the same time speaks volumes. It is also a beautiful, if short, love story.

It really surprised me because I was expecting a quick read, not to fall in love with the characters. I will be definitively continue on with the series, I'm curious about what else can the author do with our favorite villains. Regardless that is a re-telling of a children story, this book is for adult audiences.

The story, the first in a series, is currently free on Amazon. If you like Paranormal Romance you will enjoy this book.

Review: Howling For You by Chloe Neill

Title: Howling For You
Series: Chicagoland Vampires, Book 8.5
Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: New American Library (NAL)
Length: Approx. 88 Pages
Publication Date: January 7, 2014
Available Format: Kindle Edition, eBook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★½☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

Jeff Christopher is a shapeshifter and ally of Chicago’s Cadogan House of vampires—he’s also a tech whiz and mostly-legal hacker. And the only protective shields he’s never been able to find a way around are those of the powerful Keene Family.

For a long time, Jeff has only had eyes for the beautiful Fallon Keene. Unfortunately, she is the only sister of the lethal North American Central Pack Apex Gabriel Keene. The intricate balances of power and politics make it all but impossible for Fallon to trust her feelings.

But fate takes a hand when the Pack’s totem is stolen—threatening the Keene family’s rule—and Fallon enlists Jeff’s help to retrieve it before the Pack is thrown into chaos. Can she and Jeff find the totem, and restore order, before it’s too late? And will Jeff finally be able to prove himself to the only person he truly loves?

First off, the short story comes with a two-chapter preview of the next Chicagoland Vampires, Wild Things, which comes out on February 4, 2014. Honestly, I love that sneak peak, I can't wait to read another Merrit and Ethan story.

Now the review...

I have mix feelings about this short story. On one side I love the chance to learn more about the shifters in the Chicagoland Vampire series, on the other I had a small problem with part of the resolution.

In the end I liked the story, I wish it was longer. Is very sweet and straight to the point. I'm curious to see how this particular plot line develops in the next books on the series.

MAJOR SPOILER COMING, READ AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION. 

You've been officially warned. 

Review: How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Title: How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire
Series: Love at Stake, Book 1
Author: Kerrelyn Sparks
Publisher: Avon
Length: 371 Pages Approx.
Publication Date: July 26, 2005
Available Format: Paperback, Mass Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook, Audiobook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description:

Roman Draganesti is charming, handsome, rich...he's also a vampire. But this vampire just lost one of his fangs sinking his teeth into something he shouldn't have. Now he has one night to find a dentist before his natural healing abilities close the wound, leaving him a lop-sided eater for all eternity.

Things aren't going well for Shanna Whelan, either. After witnessing a gruesome murder, she's next on the mob's hit list. And her career as a dentist appears to be on a downward spiral, because she's afraid of blood. When Roman rescues her from an assassination attempt, she wonders if she's found the one man who can keep her alive. Though the attraction between them is immediate and hot, can Shanna conquer her fear of blood to fix Roman's fang? And if she does, what will prevent Roman from using his fangs on her?

This book was extremely funny and the romance was rather cute. Picture this, extremely old vampire, highly feared among his peers, bites into the neck of a rubber doll (I will leave the way he does this for you to find out when you read the book) and ends up dislodging one of his fangs from the root. He needs to reattach the fang before the sun forces him into slumber and his gums seal clean. But when he makes it to the only clinic available, a 24 hour dentist office, the doctor present not only refuses to attach a "dog tooth" in a "human" but she's attacked by a group of mobsters from whom she was hiding.

Review: A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands

Title: A Quick Bite
Series: Argeneau, Book 1
Author: Lynsay Sands
Publisher: HarperCollins
Length: 315 Pages
Publication Date: October 25, 2005
Available Format: Hardcover, Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook, Audiobook,
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description:

That hot guy tied to Lissianna Argeneau's bed? He's not dessert -- he's the main course!

Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. But there's another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sight of blood ... an especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Of course it doesn't hurt that this man has a delicious-looking neck. What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that?

Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger's bedroom pretty quickly -- once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor to find true love with a vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal? That's a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into ... if he can just get Lissianna to bite.

This is the story of Lissianna, who for centuries has had a little complication: she faints at the sight of blood; a little inconvenience for a vampire don’t you think? In comes Gregory, a doctor who claims he can cure anyone’s phobias. Thanks to Lissianna’s mother’s machinations, Greg wakes up tied to Lissianna’s bed and she cannot resist the urge to bite the nice looking doctor.

Twice Tempted Teaser Quotes!!!

The sequel to Jeaniene Frost's Night Prince series is about to hit shelves at your favorite stores in the coming days. Like every time a new book is coming out, Mrs. Frost enjoys to drive us insane with little glimpses about the story. So in the spirit of torture (^.^) I give you Twice Tempted Teaser Quotes. These can also be found at Jeaniene's Website. Can you figure out who says what?

Dying to get your hands into this book? want to get a bigger glimpse a the story before it's released? Read Twice Tempted's first 20% HERE.

Note: Some days have two quotes per day, these are not necessarily a dialog, just two independent quotes.

Follow the links to read the Teaser Quotes or My Review from Once Burned.

Quote of the Day

March 4 (Day 1)

“If Hell could fart, it would smell like this.”

March 5 (Day 2)

“He’s gone, Leila.”

March 6 (Day 3)

“Trying to whet my appetite by pretending I can’t have it?”

March 7 (Day 4)

“You need to show more discretion or the next person I mesmerize will be you.” 

“It’s fine…I’m not getting any older.”

March 8 (Day 5)

“He’s already showing signs of…mental instability.”

March 9 (Day 6)

Review: Steel and Lace by Adriane Leigh

Title: Steel and Lace
Series: Lace, Book 1
Author: Adriane Leigh
Publisher: Self-Published
Length: 40 Pages Approx.
Publication Date: December 16, 2012
Available Format: Kindle Edition
Source: Free Download [ETA: no longer for free; currently at 0.99¢ (checked on Feb 8, 2013)]
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆ 
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

Enigmatic and sexy, Carter Morgan is a wealthy CEO and playboy who keeps a model on his arm and the walls around his heart high. His dangerous good looks and seductive charm gets him whatever he wants— whenever he wants it. That is until he meets Eva. When Carter locks eyes with smart and spirited fashion editor Eva Austin, sparks fly and worlds collide. He's drawn to her quiet beauty and independent spirit, and she can't deny the overwhelming affect he has on her. Her every instinct tells her to run, but he won't take no for an answer. They embark on a passionately physical affair and discover that learning to love won't be easy. This novella is intended for mature audiences. Approx. 12,000 words.

Downloaded this book for free today at Amazon. Is a very short, erotica novelette that features a young, billionaire business man and a 26-year-old online, fashion magazine editor. They have enough chemistry with one another capable of scorching the entire New York City in one single sweep. I like the actual plot of the story, unfortunately is too short and rushed that there is no time for the characters to develop and in the end I really couldn't care much for them. Also, I don’t look at grammar when I’m reading for pleasure, but sometimes some errors just jump off the page. For example, right at the beginning of the story [the emphasis is mine]:

Review: Bewitching the Werewolf

Title: Bewitching the Werewolf
Author: Caroline Hanson
Publisher: Host of the Hills
Length: 62 Pages Aprox.
Publication Date: September 25, 2011
Available Format: Kindle Edition, eBook.
Source: Free Download @ Amazon
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Goodreads

Book Description:

When witch for hire, Megan Stephens, is assigned to help the local werewolf pack leader find a mate, she thinks the job will be easy. Get in, get it up and get gone. But when she meets Zack Connor, she realizes her future might have a lot more dog jokes in it than she ever imagined.

I bought this book on a whim because I wanted to read something new, but had no idea what. So I went into check Amazon and stumble upon this baby. I'll admit it, the cover was the reason I got the book, that and the fact that it's a short.

Turns out that it's a really fun and quick story with lot's of witty lines that had me smiling through the whole thing. Short enough that it can be read in minutes, a little rushed, yet satisfying for such a short story. I'm looking forward to read more about this author.

Best part is that so far it's still FREE at Amazon; click on the corresponding link above to check it out. It includes an excerpt for Love is Darkness, the first book in the Valery Dearborn trilogy.

Quotes (said by Megan):

"Fortunately, I’m the best Wiccan in a two state area. So my personality literally can’t get me fired. (Kindle Locations 43-44)." 

"...endless windows giving the impression of being outside. It was exactly how I liked nature— air conditioned and bug free. (Kindle Locations 58-59)."

Review: Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Title: Slave to Sensation
Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 1
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Length: 293 Pages
Publication Date: September 5, 2006
Available Format: Kindle Edition, eBook, Paperback, Mass Paperback, Audiobook.
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Description:

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”— the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…

Sometimes I put off books based on the most idiotic of arguments. In this case it was the cover and the length of the series. Although the cover has an incredibly hot guy, something about it (can’t quite say what) wasn’t calling me. But thanks to Kick’n Ladies I gave this series a go and boy I wish I had done so a while ago.

Review: An Enchanted Season by Maggie Shayne, Erin McCarthy, Nalini Singh, and, Jean Johnson

Title: An Enchanted Season
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Length: 341 Pages
Publication Date: October 2, 2007
Available Format: Kindle Edition, eBook, Paperback, Mass Paperback
Source: Bought
Overall Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description: (taken from Goodreads)

It's the time of year when dreams come true, miracles happen every day, and love is the greatest gift of all. The holidays always seem to bring out the best in everyone, with heartfelt hugs for long-missed friends, sincere smiles in the spirit of the season, and a feeling of magic in the air...

This scintillating collection of paranormal romances celebrates the holidays as never before. From a shape-shifting leopardess who wants a pack-mate to be her soulmate, to a sudden snowstorm that brings a surprise gift, these four tales will stir readers' spirits in all the right places.

An anthology of Christmas stories, perfect for the holiday season. It includes four shorts: Melting Frosty by Maggie Shayne, Charlotte’s Web by Erin McCarthy, Beat the Temptation by Nalini Singh, and Gift of the Magi by Jean Johnson. Because these are short stories I can’t really tell you what they are about without risking revealing the whole thing up, but I’ll do my best to review them without spoilers.

So I read this book due to the Vet VS Newbies challenge at Goodreads’ Gotta Have Paranormal Romance with a Kick Group. The book showcases spirits, witches, werewolves, and the magi and I totally love it. I usually stray away from Christmas books unless I want to read a story from a particular author. It’s nothing against the books, just not what I normally read. Which is why I’m so glad that I was given this book as one of my alternatives, otherwise I would have missed it completely. All four stories are worth the time and can be read in one sitting.

Here is the breakdown:

Review: A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter

Title: A Hidden Fire
Series: Elemental Mysteries, Book 1
Author: Elizabeth Hunter
Publisher: E. Hunter
Length: 423 Pages
Publication Date: October 13, 2011
Available Formats: Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook
Source: Bought for Free
My Rating: ★★★¾☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Barnes & Noble | Smashwords | Goodreads
Worth Noted: As off January 5, 2013 the book remains free in both Amazon and Smashwords.

Book Description:

"No secret stays hidden forever."

A phone call from an old friend sets Dr. Giovanni Vecchio back on the path of a mystery he'd abandoned years before. He never expected a young librarian could hold the key to the search, nor could he have expected the danger she would attract. Now he and Beatrice De Novo will follow a twisted maze that leads from the archives of a university library, through the fires of Renaissance Florence, and toward a confrontation they never could have predicted.

A Hidden Fire is a paranormal mystery/romance for adult readers. It is the first book in the Elemental Mysteries Series.

I read this novel as part of Katie's Kick'n It Free-Style at Gotta Have Paranormal with a Kick. The challenge consisted of four groups of readers, each one with a randomly assigned book (that had been previously suggested). The books had to be free eBook downloads from the major book selling sites (mostly Amazon and B&N). My team, Feisty Femme Fatales, was assigned A Hidden Fire. NOTE: The tallies are up and our book won the challenge, it was the book with the overall best rating!!

I enjoyed the story, the author managed to refresh a concept that has, lately, become a bit overdone; I tip my hat to her for achieving this. It has many memorable characters in its roaster. Beatrice (or B, as she prefers to be called) is a strong female character and a great lead to the story. Gio is, well, he is complicated... Gio begins as a strong character, but there is one particular moment after which my perspective on him changes 180°. Among the rest of the characters we have Carwyn, one of Gio's best vampire friend, -and in my honest opinion- one of the best characters of the series. Did I mention he is a priest? Yup, he is both a priest and a vampire with a particular taste for Hawaiian shirts. Other great characters include Isadora (Beatrice's grandmother) and Caspar (Gio's butler/son/human best friend/ehh... you get the picture).

Cover Reveal: Crimson Darkness

Hello my amazing followers and lurkers. Lately things have been moving a bit slow here at Journey with Words; but today I have a cover reveal for you. The great due of writers Amos Cassidy has written their sequel to Crimson Midnight, so without further ado, here it is!!!

Blog Tour: Circe by Jessica Penot

Hello again my amazing followers, today we are welcoming another great author who's promoting her book, a psychological thriller called Circe.

What is Circe exactly? Here is the book's description:

Dr. Black is a good man with a few vices. He is willing to sacrifice his career for his wife, Pria. He takes an internship at a hick institution in Southern Alabama to make his wife happy, but once he is situated in this old hospital, he finds that old habits die-hard. He is sexually compulsive and easily seduced by his supervisor, Cassie, who takes him to the bowls of the institution and shows him its tragic history. As Dr. Black loses himself in his obsession with Cassie, he becomes convinced that she is the key to Circe's mythology and magic and a series of bizarre murders leaves him convinced that she has opened the gates to another world. Madness and sanity begin to blur for Dr. Black and he becomes entangled in the mystery at the heart of Circe. A mystery that's as old as the ancient hospital itself. A mystery that could incriminate Cassie, an old god, or Dr. Black himself.

So without further ado, please welcome Jessica Penot, who will talk to us today about...

The Characters of Circe

I have written many books at this point and I think Circe is my best novel. It wasn’t the easiest to write, but it is my best novel. As I begin to read reviews of Circe, I realize that what made it so hard to write is that it was driven by an antihero. It is driven by a man who isn’t likeable and who is utterly, tragically flawed. He struggles with his own flaws and at times, he wants to be good, but his struggle is as doomed as he is. Writing a character like this was difficult. It is hard to find the shades of gray in such a character, to trace back to the childhood tragedies and black cognitions that make such a man. It is also difficult to make a character like this readable and interesting enough to be compelling. I think I accomplished this.

Review: Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch

Title: Touched by an Alien
Series: Katherine “Kitty” Kat, Book 1
Author: Gini Koch
Publisher: Daw Books
Length: 400 Pages
Publication Date: April 6, 2010
Reviewed Format: Mass Market Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description:

How can a sexy marketing manager join forces with an Alpha Centauri male in Armani to save the planet-using hairspray, a Mont Blanc pen, and rock n' roll?
Easy...

She's Touched by an Alien

Marketing manager Katherine "Kitty" Katt steps into the middle of what appears to be a domestic dispute turned ugly. And it only gets uglier when the man turns into a winged monster, straight out of a grade-Z horror movie, and goes on a killing spree. Though Kitty should probably run away, she springs into action to take the monster down.

In the middle of the chaos a handsome hunk named Jeff Martini appears, sent by the "agency" to perform crowd control. He's Kitty's kind of guy, no matter what planet he's from. And from now on, for Kitty, things are going to be sexy, dangerous, wild, and out of this world.

Some background required

This book was a challenge pick thanks to the ladies at Gotta Have Paranormal with a Kick. The challenge (a sort of secret Santa) was to choose three books that you know you enjoyed and hide them under a spoiler tag. After submissions closed, every individual was assign a number, the numbers where scrambled (so that none of us had our own selections) and the number stealing began. After everyone had “stole” a different number the books where revealed. I ended up with these three selections:

• Wicked Nights (Angels of Darkness, Book 1) by Gena Showalter
• Alien Proliferation (Katherine “Kitty” Katt, Book 4) by Gini Koch
• The Darkest Seduction (Lords of the Underworld, Book 9) by Gena Showalter

Since I already plan on reading Gena Showalter’s books, and after reading all the descriptions of every first book of all three series, I went with the one that was a complete unknown to me but that it still hooked me. As per the rules, I grabbed book 1 on the series.

Review: Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill

Title: Friday Night Bites
Series: Chicagoland Vampires, Book 2
Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: New American Library (NAL)
Length: 357 Pages
Publication Date: October 6, 2009
Available Formats: Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, Kindle Edition, ePub, Audiobook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository | Goodreads

Book Description:

VAMPIRES IN CHICAGO!

You’d think headlines like that would have provoked the fine citizens of the Windy City to take up arms against us blood-sucking fiends. Instead, ten months later, we’re enjoying a celebrity status reserved for the Hollywood elite —fending off paparazzi, who are only slightly less dangerous than cross-and-stake-wielding slayers. Don’t get me wrong. Joe Public isn’t exactly thrilled to be living side by side with the undead, but at least they haven’t stormed the castle… yet.

All that will change once they learn about the Raves, mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle and drink themselves silly. Most civilized vampires frown on this behavior –but that doesn’t make good copy for first-time reporter looking to impress his high-society family.

So now my “master” —centuries-old yet gorgeously well-preserved Ethan Sullivan— wants me to reconnect with my own upper-class family and act as a liaison between humans and vampires… and to keep the unsavory aspects of our existence out of the media. But someone doesn’t want people and vamps to play nicey-nice —someone with an ancient grudge.

They say that when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. But what happens when life unexpectedly decided to give you fangs? Well, you pack your sarcasms as close to heart as possible, you make sure your secret chocolate stash is safe, you strap on your katana and ready yourself to go straight into the lion’s den.

Review: Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel’s Blade
Series: Guild Hunter, Book 4
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Length: 643 KB (Aprox 321 Pages)
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Available Formats: Paperback, Kindle Edition, Audiobook, eBook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository

Book Description:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…

A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.

The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…

Honor strength, as a lead character, comes from sheer survival instincts. She was abused beyond recognition and now bores the vestiges from the trauma. At the beginning of the story Dmitri aptly calls her a rabbit because that is how she is portrayed, skittish and nervous. As the storyline progresses she begins to believe in herself and to pick up the pieces of who she used to be before the incident, slowly stepping into the heroine role. She’s a likable character who’s maternal instincts and soft nature contrasts greatly with Dmitri’s ruthlessness.

Review: Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel’s Consort
Series: Guild Hunter, Book 3
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Length: 656 KB (Aprox. 337 Pages)
Publication Date: January 25, 2011
Available Formats: Paperback, Kindle Edition, Audiobook, eBook
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository

Book Description:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil…

A vampire has attacked a girls’ school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.

The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed…

Archangel’s Consort picks up a few weeks after the events in Archangel’s Kiss. Elena and Raphael are finally back in New York City, but the place no longer feels like home for Elena. She not only needs to deal with the constant harassment from news crews and the average onlookers, she also has to deal with her gem of a father (please note the sarcasm). Raphael fares no better, having a few vampires fully giving in to their desires thinking that Raphael is dead and won’t punished them. And because things cannot just be peaceful around this two, the very fabric of the world is threatened when all the disrupting signs point to an archangels awakening. But not just any archangel, one of the Ancients, a being so old that even Lijuan might not be enough of a match.

Review: Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh

Title: Archangel’s Kiss
Series: Guild Hunter, Book 2
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Length: 685 KB (Aprox. 340 Pages)
Publication Date: February 2, 2010
Reviewed Format: Kindle Edition, Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, Audiobook, eBook.
Source: Bought
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository

Book Description:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux wakes from a year-long coma to find herself changed—an angel with wings the colors of midnight and dawn—but her fragile body needs time to heal before she can take flight. Her lover, the stunningly dangerous archangel Raphael, is used to being in control—even when it comes to the woman he considers his own. But Elena has never done well with authority…

They’ve barely begun to understand each other when Raphael receives an invitation to a ball from the archangel Lijuan. To refuse would be a sign of fatal weakness, so Raphael must ready Elena for the flight to Beijing—and to the nightmare that awaits them there. Ancient and without conscience, Lijuan holds a power that lies with the dead. And she has organized the most perfect and most vicious of welcomes for Elena…

The story opens with Elena trying to adapt to her new wings and new lifestyle. After spending a year in a coma as a result of both her near death and Raphael’s kiss that turned her, she most learn to retrain her body and her new feathery appendages. She also needs to catch up in her history and learn the rules that govern the angelic culture. But just because she is at the Refuge, a place –like the name implies– that is sacred to all angels, doesn’t mean that life and political machinations won’t try to destroy her.

Review: Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

Title: Angels’ Blood
Series: Guild Hunter, Book 1
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Length: 339 Pages
Publication Date: March 3, 2009
Reviewed Format: Paperback, Mass Market Paperback, Kindle Edition, eBook, Audiobook.
Source: Won as a Giveaway Prize
My Rating: ★★★★★
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository

Book Description:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best —but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option— even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other—and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might. For when archangels play, mortals break...

This series had been recommended to me so many times already that I honestly lost track. Then I joined Gotta Have Paranormal with a Kick: Vets VS Newbies Reading Challenge and my partner, Vet Angela (yup, I’m the newbie of the duo) chose Angels’ Blood for me. I cannot thank her enough! There are few series that I get hooked on like “can’t stop reading.” It happened when I discovered Night Huntress by Jeaniene Frost, Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward, The Midnight Breed by Lara Adrian, The Fever Series by Karen Marie Moning, and it just happened again with Nalini Singh’s Guild Hunter, who would have thought that ethereal beings such as angels could be so devastatingly hot!

Review: Dreamwalker by Andrea Heltsley

Title: Dreamwalker
Series: Persephone’s League of Immortals, Book 1
Author: Andrea Heltsley
Publisher: Andrea Heltsley
Length: 951 KB
Publication Date: May 22, 2012
Available Format: Paperback, Kindle Edition.
Source: Supplied by the author through IO Book Tours
My Rating: ★★☆☆☆
Get it @: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Book Description:

Noel Kennedy lost her boyfriend, her job and her dignity all in one week. Then something happened and she began to dream of this stranger she had never met. She couldn’t resist the man of her dreams named Jared especially when she met him in real life. Entranced, she slowly unraveled a world she was meant to stay out of. Her life was not what she thought it was once a sexy Boone stepped into the mix and shook things up. Can she escape a life of servitude or immortality for a chance at love?

I really wanted to like this story because it has a great concept; unfortunately the elements that I didn’t like were far too many for me to enjoy this book.

Some of the characters (like Sam and Autumn) are intriguing and kept the story fresh. However, I just had problems with the way the main characters were portrayed. The story focuses heavily on two elements that have become my pet peeves when reading books, the love triangle between Noel, Jared and Boone and her “lust at first sight” reaction to both guys.

Review: Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill

Title: Some Girl Bites
Series: Chicagoland Vampires, Book 1
Author: Chloe Neill
Publisher: New American Library
Length: 341 Pages
Publication Date: April 7, 2009
Available Format: Paperback, Kindle Edition, Audiobook.
Source: Won as giveaway prize
My Rating: ★★★★☆
Get it @: Amazon | Book Depository

Book Description:

Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was mine. I was doing fine until Chicago's vampires announced their existance to the world —and then a rogue vampire attacked me. But he got only a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker ...and this one decided the best way to save my life was to make me the walking undead.

Turns out my savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now I've traded sweating over my dissertation for learning to fit in at a Kenwood mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o' the Manor" Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred-year-old vampire, he has centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects my gratitude -and servitude. Right...

But my burgeoning powers (all of a sudden, I'm surprisingly handy with some serious weaponry), an inconvenient sunlight allergy, and Ethan's attitude are the least of my concerns. Someone's still out to get me. Is it the rogue vampire who bit me? A vamp from a rival House? An angry mob bearing torches?

My initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war ...and there will be blood.

There are certain series or books that become so popular that in most book conversations of the genre they belong to, they get mentioned. One (mostly me) wonders if said book or series is really as good as people say, or if it's just hype. Then the cards fall on the table and you end up with a copy in your hands. Then it happens, after reading the book you become obsessed (hook, line and sinker) to the point that you wonder why on earth I didn't started this earlier. That was the process I went through with Some Girls Bite.