Monday, April 30, 2012

Book Review: Neophyte


Title - Neophyte
Author - Emmalee Aple
Series - Linked #1
Genre - YA Paranormal
Format - Kindle Review Copy
Published - February 22nd 2012
Publisher - Emmalee Aple

Synopsis
Addisyn White thought she had her new life, her after life, all figured out. Granted death had not brought her to the pearly white gates, she hadn’t even left Earth. But death had its perks; she got to live forever with her best friend and her assigned Link of Angels, in a beautiful beach house. Even with the changes she was going through to turn her human body into an angelic one, everything seemed pretty easy. Until a gray winged angel comes into her life, then all the secrets and lies her Link had been keeping start crumbling away, exposing a whole new world of dangers she didn’t even know about. 

Now Addisyn must fill in the blanks before things escalate too far. Will she save her Link? Or will she be buried in their secrets forever?

Review
I received this book as a R2R. I was excited to read Neophyte because it's my first angel book. The cover is beautifully designed, it instantly drew me in.

The story is about Addison a 17 year old girl who has died and come back to start the transition to become a angel. Her best friend Hunter happens to be a angel but she didn't know that till after she died. After Addison dies she joins Hunter's link, it's a connection to the other 4 angels she will be living with. Two of the angels Everett and Wilhelm who have never been human, they where born angels. Graham and Greysan are twins who used to be human but have already transitions through the process of being angels and have been for a long time. Hunter also used to be human like the twin, he shares a special connection to Addison. The four men feel very strongly about protecting Addison till she has transitioned to full angel, there are those out there who want to control her turn her against them.

Addison is attacked by a grey winged angel who happens to be a former link member, it ends in the death of the angel. This starts a attack on her link from the rival grey winged angels link. Through out the book she spends time finding her feelings for Greysan, and avoiding being taken by Farran the leader of the grey winged angels.

I found the book difficult to read, I just had a hard time staying focused. I think maybe I had to high of expectations that when it didn't suck me right in it became hard for me. I really wanted to love this book but for me it just wasn't my cup of tea. I think the characters are well written and created I could visualize them in my mind. For me this just wasn't my kind of book. It could be I just wasn't into the angel mood as I thought. I think overall it is a good book but it's just not for me.


Thursday, April 26, 2012

Book Review: Shepherd's Moon


Title - Shepher's Moon
Author - Stacy Mantle
Series - The Shepherds #1 
Genre - Urban Fantasy
Format - Kindle Review Copy
Published - October 25th 2011

Synopsis
It’s taken twelve years to earn the official title of Shepherd but she’s now mostly trained, fairly effective, and the first female in over two centuries to hold the position as protector of animals. All animals... 

The Territorial Council isn’t thrilled with her new title of Shepherd, but they don’t have any more control over the appointment than they have
over her. All they can really do is wait for her to screw something up – which Alex is determined not to do. Everything changes when a chance encounter with a genetically modified Shifter leaves Alex shaken and initiates a quest to locate its maker. 

In a desperate bid to save her pack, Alex must infiltrate the Parallax Corporation – an international organization with their hands in everything from biomedical engineering to publishing. They have now expanded their efforts to include terrorism and are attempting to breed the perfect weapon. 

Despite years of training and enough money from her live-in pack of misfits to finance a small country, Alex finds herself woefully unprepared to tackle the new threat. To make matters worse, Alex must work with a mysterious man who’s been trying to kill her since the day they met. Together with her pack, Alex must learn how to stop the biological cloning and find those responsible for the plan before it really does become a global threat. 

Review
I received this Shepherd's Moon for review from the author. I was very excited to read this book, it's been on my TBR list for months. I admit I was a little unsure because the description sounded incredible.

Alex is a shepherd a human who can read animal and pre-natural creatures minds. She's kinda like a alpha werewolf as she has a pack that she takes care of. Her pack is made up of a vampire, alpha werewolf, werecoyote, werejaguar with her two cubs, a werehorse, a female werewolf and a werehawk who's only there part of the time. I really liked the concept that it's possible to have other shapeshifters out there besides all predators that most shapeshifting books use.

Alex helps out the local police department on cases that involve prenatural creatures. She works with Billy the coyote and Brock the wolf who also work for the prenatural police department. The book reminded me a lot of early Anita Blake books, only instead of a vampire hunter she's a shepherd.
The story has some interesting characters, a decent plot the ending felt a little rushed unfortunately. I feel like most of the book was building for a future series that I think has a lot of potential. Overall I really enjoyed reading the book, I like the main character Alex, with all the character building I'm looking forward to the next book. It's a quick read but it's a enjoyable one. I can't wait to see what happens next.

Monday, April 23, 2012

Book Review: A Demon Made Me Do It

Title - A Demon Made Me Do It
Author - Penelope King
Series - Demonblood #1
Genre - YA Fantasy
Format - Kindle Review Copy
Published - May 27th 2011
Synopsis
Half human, half demon Liora Greyson just wants to survive her final year of high school unscathed, her dark secret intact. But the walls she's carefully constructed to keep people out crack wide open once she meets the sexy and mysterious Kieron Ambrose, and he lights her cold world on fire. 

But it turns out Kieron has a few dark secrets of his own. Secrets that will either save or destroy her.

Review
I received this book to review. It's been on my to wishlist for a while and I was super excited to receive a copy. I read the first 60% in one sitting I couldn't put it down. I was immediately sucked into the story, I ended up taking it in my purse and reading it while my husband drove.
The story is about a girl who is half demon and half human who encounters twin girl demons who split her in half in essence. Her human half has control during the daylight hours and her demon half has control during the night hours. They are essentially two different people who share one body, or maybe two personalities is a better description.

The human half is Liora she's a high school girl who tries to blend in. Her teachers all hate her as well as most of the students. She's more or less a loner, she does have a few friends but she's not able to hang out after dark so she avoids situations and the possibility of questions she doesn't want to answer. She lives with Tatiana her guardian who happens to be a witch, who saved her when her friends where murdered. She looks after her and make sure that she's taken care of, also keeps the demon half in check.

The demon half is Lucky she's a fire demon from what I gather. She spends her nights working for Tatiana collecting debts, torturing, and even killing demons. She's resentful of Liora she hates that she's stuck only having to live at night only. She tends to overpower Liora and get her in trouble at school, part of the reason the teachers don't like Liora. She's kinda of the tough girl with a chip on her shoulder.

The both have encounters with a handsome dark haired guy. Each one falls for him yet doesn't know that the other knows him. Liora doesn't know he's not human, and Lucky doesn't know that Liora even knows him. His name is Kieron he develops relationships with each girl creating a bond as each girl falls in love with him. Only to find out that there is more to him then just a half demon.

The story kept me on the edge of my seat I found myself rooting for both Lucky and Liora because each one is special in her own way. You can't help liking each one. The characters are very well developed. I kinda see Kieron as like Mr. Perfect as I read the story but he does have a few flaws but he's kinda of the guy that every girl wants to have as the love of her life.
I loved the book I can't say that enough.

Friday, April 20, 2012

Book Review: Ignite


Title - Ignite
Author - Kaitlyn Davis
Series - Midnight Fire #1
Genre - Ya Fantasy
Format - Kindle Review copy
Published - October 9th 2011

Synopsis
From bestselling author Kaitlyn Davis comes a paranormal romance perfect for fans of Twilight, The Vampire Diaries, and Buffy The Vampire Slayer. Ignite is the first book in the Midnight Fire Series and it is approximately 65,000 words. 


"With one last look, one final search of the lines of his face for some sign, Kira turned and ran away from the sound of the man she loved laughing in the face of her death."

Review
When Kira Dawson moves to South Carolina, she meets Luke, a blond goofball who quickly becomes her best friend, and Tristan, a mysterious bad boy who sends shivers down her spine. Kira knows they're keeping secrets, but when she discovers Tristan's lust for blood and her own dormant mystical powers, Kira is forced to fight for her life and make the heartbreaking decision between the familiar comfort of friendship and the fiery passion of love.

I received this book to review. I was first drawn to this book by the cover it's beautifully done, the cover is exactly how I pictured Kira. The characters are well developed you instantly fall in love with Kira she's the kind of girl you want to be friends with. For the most part the book felt very twilightish with the vampires concept however that is where it ended. I liked that Kira and Tristan where each others Achilles heel as you could say, since they could kill each other. I'm not a huge fan of love triangles I did at first get the impression there might be one. I was expecting to see one with Kira, Tristan and Luke but I never really got that impression it was more like a brother and sister thing for them. Overall I enjoyed the book very much to me the characters are what made the story.

Saturday, April 14, 2012

Book Review: Gossip


Title - Gossip
Author - Beth Gutcheon
Genre - Chic Lit
Format - Hardcover
Published - March 20th 2012
Publisher - William Morrow

Synopsis
The critically acclaimed author of Good-bye and Amen, Leeway Cottage, and More Than You Know returns with a sharply perceptive and emotionally resonant novel about all the ways we talk about one another, the sometimes fine line between showing concern and doing damage, and the difficulty of knowing the true obligations of friendship.

Loviah “Lovie” French owns a small, high-end dress shop on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Renowned for her taste, charm, and discretion, Lovie is the one to whom certain women turn when they need “just the thing” for key life events: baptisms and balls, weddings and funerals. Among those who depend on Lovie’s sage advice are her two best friends since boarding school days: Dinah Wainwright and Avis Metcalf. Despite the love they share for their mutual friend, there has always been a chilly gulf between Dinah and Avis, the result of a perceived slight from decades ago that has unimaginably tragic echoes many years later.


An astute chronicler of all that makes us human, Beth Gutcheon delivers her most powerful and emotionally devastating novel to date. Gossip is a tale of intimacy and betrayal, trust and fidelity, friendship and motherhood that explores the way we use “information” — be it true, false, or imagined — to sustain, and occasionally destroy, one another.

Review
I received this book from a good reads giveaway. At first I was a little hesitant because it's not really my type of book. However within a chapter I was hooked. I best describe it as biography style in a way. Your getting the story of from the point of view of Loviah. She tells the story of her life and friends beautifully. I found the characters very well developed, almost as if I knew them. The book was a quick read for me, I had a hard time putting it down. I enjoyed the story very much. After finishing it I know it will go on my to be read again shelf because it feels like a book you could read over on a cold winter afternoon with a cup of tea. Most enjoyable to read it flowed along beautifully.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Book Review: A Sliver of Shadow


Title - A Sliver of Shadows
Author - Allison Pang
Series - Abby Sinclair #2 
Genre - Urban Fantasy
Format - Kindle
Published - February 28th 2012

Synopsis
WAR IS HELL. AND WAR WITH HELL IS NO FUN EITHER. 

Just when her new life as a TouchStone—a mortal bound to help OtherFolk cross between Faery and human worlds—seems to be settling down, Abby Sinclair is left in charge when the Protectorate, Moira, leaves for the Faery Court. And when the Protectorate’s away . . . let’s just say things spiral out of control when a spell on Abby backfires and the Faery Queen declares the Doors between their worlds officially closed. The results are disastrous for both sides: OtherFolk trapped in the mortal world are beginning to fade, while Faery is on the brink of war with the daemons of Hell. Along with her brooding elven prince Talivar and sexy incubus Brystion, Abby ventures to the CrossRoads in an attempt to override the Queen’s magic. But nothing in this beautiful, dangerous realm will compare to the discoveries she’s making about her past, her destiny, and what she will sacrifice for those she loves. 

Review
A Sliver of Shadow is the second installment in the Abby Sinclair story it starts not long after the first one finishes. We are introduced to Talivar who's the elf brother of Moira who is Abby's touchstone. I kind of like him better as a match for Abby but we will have to see how it plays out. After all I'm not a huge fan of any potential love triangles and tend to avoid books with them because someone always get's hurt. 

Just like the first book I struggled to put down A Sliver of Shadow it's one of those books you can easily get lost in and I ended up stay up late to finish. The story is captivating right from the start full of action and mystery with a little romance tossed in. Even though this book did happen to have a love triangle it didn't turn me off like most do. I'm torn because this one may just be better than the first one which doesn't happen very often. Great characters that I was able to connect with and a fun story. I can't wait to read the next one quickly becoming my all time favorite urban fantasy. 

Book Review: A Brush of Darkness

Title - A Brush of Darkness
Author - Allison Pang
Series - Abby Sinclair #1
Genre - Urban Fantasy
Format - Paperback
Published -January 25th 2011
Publisher - Pocket Books

Synopsis
The man of her dreams might be the cause of her nightmares.
Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

Review
Abby Sinclair is new to the supernatural world but she’s jumped head first into the world by working at the magical marketplace as the manager. She lives with a perverted little unicorn that is addicted to video games. She’s also touchstone to her boss that allows her to move between the two worlds. When her boss goes missing it’s up to Abby to find her diving deeper into the supernatural world she finds a incubus looking for his missing sister. As Abby is sucked deeper into the supernatural world she forms an unlikely friendship with the incubus. Will she find her missing friends or will it be too late. 

I really enjoyed Abby as a character she’s unique and I found her fascinating. I wasn’t sure about our Incubus Brystion but as the book progressed I became as attached as Abby is. Phin is still one of my all-time favorite characters after all he’s a perverted unicorn who sleeps in Abby’s underwear. 

I purchased this book when it first came out drawn to the cover and the synopsis was a bonus. Sadly it was lost on my overflowing bookshelf for months and months. When a reading challenge required a book off the self I decide it was the perfect time to give it a chance. Abby is one of my favorite characters she just keeps getting better as the book progresses and I was really able to connect with her. The author has created a unique story with a fascinating world. I loved every moment of the book it was hard to put down because I wanted to know how it would all play out. I can’t wait for the next one to come out.