Review - Madison's Song by Christine Amsden

TITLE:    Madison's Song
AUTHOR:    Christine Amsden
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 275 pages
PUBLISHED:   Twilight Times Books, 2015
SOURCE:   Received from Author 

FROM GOODREADS:  Her voice is enchanting; his soul is black....

Madison Carter has been terrified of Scott Lee since the night he saved her from an evil sorcerer - then melted into a man-eating monster before her eyes. The werewolf is a slave to the moon, but Madison's nightmares are not.

Despite her fears, when Madison's brother, Clinton, is bitten by a werewolf, she knows there is only one man who can help. A man who frightens her all the more because even in her nightmares, he also thrills her.

Together for the first time since that terrible night, Scott and Madison drive to Clinton's home only to discover that he's vanished. Frantic now, Madison must overcome her fears and uncover hidden strengths if she hopes to save him. And she's not the only one fighting inner demons. Scott's are literal, and they have him convinced that he will never deserve the woman he loves.


MY TAKE:    When I received this book for review from the author as part of this blog tour I was not (yet) familiar with Christine Amsden's Cassie Scot detective stories. While the main character Madison was introduced in the series, Madison's Song is a stand-alone story. I think it will be great to read the previous books though as I'm hooked on Ms. Amsden's characters and want to meet more all of them.

Character development is one of my must-haves for me to really like a story. I'm happy to say that it is definitely a strong suit for this author. I immediately liked Madison and felt for her and her tumultuous history. Scott is definitely another person that draws you into his turmoil and feelings right from the start. I enjoyed seeing the two of them progress both individually and ultimately towards each other. It was especially gripping with Madison's shyness, lack of confidence and her perceived need to keep her gift under wraps. Her understandable fear of Scott and the devastating attraction she feels at the same time make for some very emotional situations.

The fast-paced rhythm of the story creates an energy that keeps the reader involved and engrossed. I pretty much read the book in one sitting,with only a short break or two. The world that the author has created along with the inhabitants make for a lovely break from our own reality. When I can become completely lost in a book and not want it to end, it is a winner.

I highly recommend this story and author to anyone who enjoys YA, paranormal and romance books. It has a skillful blend that will suit most readers.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

You can grab your own copy from Amazon and start reading right away! 

I am officially hooked and now looking forward to reading the entire Cassie Scot series:

        

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Never Been Bit by Lydia Dare

TITLE:    Never Been Bit
AUTHOR:    Lydia Dare
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 363 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sourcebooks, 2011
SOURCE:   Received from Publisher for Review

FROM GOODREADS:   Lydia Dare's paranormal historical romances feature the hottest theme in paranormal combined with the most popular time period in historical romance. This is the third in a trilogy of vampire Regency romances, where the glittering world of English high society is a playground for the rich, titled, and undead.


Vampire Alec McQuarrie's heart was broken long before it stopped beating. Now Alec's after-life is an endless search for pleasure. Young witch Sorcha Ferguson has come to London in search of a man, beast-or even a blood sucker-of her very own...

MY TAKE:    Once again Lydia Dare has entertained me immensely.  I reviewed In the Heat of the Bite earlier this year and was thrilled to get a chance to check out this book as well.  


The author has continued her hot streak with Alec and Sorcha.  Alec is a gentlemanly vampire who has known the fiery witch Sorcha all of her life.  When she announces that she is determined to ensnare a Lycan for her husband, Alec goes into protection overdrive.  The story that follows is hilarious, romantic and fun.  


Ms. Dare has a knack for creating characters that make you laugh and root for their success.  I love the fact that she has storylines occurring in the background the entire time.  The machinations of some of the secondary characters is fascinating.


This is a fun series with stories that stand well on their own but also make great additions to the entire collection.  I'm looking forward to the next Regency vampire story and to reading more about the wolfy men of her companion Lycan series.

Out of 5 JEWELS, I give it:

Available NOW from:

Amazon

Kindle

The Book Depository

Barnes & Noble

Nook

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - She Smells the Dead by E.J. Stevens

TITLE:     She Smells the Dead (Spirit Guide, Book 1)
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    E.J. Stevens
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 168 pages
PUBLISHED:   Sacred Oaks Press, 2010
ISBN#:   978-0-9842-47523
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from Author for Review

FROM GOODREADS:  It's the beginning of senior year and Yuki's psychic awareness of ghostly spirits is threatening to ruin her life. Her ability to sense spirits of the dead isn't glamorous like the ghost hunting on television.   

SHE SMELLS THE DEAD.


The smell impressions are becoming stronger. Yuki is being visited in her dreams, and she suspects that her friend Calvin is involved in something strange. To make matters worse her crush on Garrett is going unrequited, Yuki's friend Emma is on a rampage against bee oppression, and annoying Calvin Miller mysteriously disappears.


Will Yuki be able to focus her powers in time to save the lost soul who is haunting her? Meanwhile, who will save Yuki from following the spirits into the light?

MY TAKE:   I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  I received it from the author, E.J. Stevens who is a master of dark poetry.  I wondered if this book would be a bit dark as well, but I was quite pleased in this fun and inventive story.

Yuki ~not Yucky, long u~ is an unusual protagonist.  She has the ability to smell dead people.  Not as in rotting corpses, but as in impressions that indicate something of the deceased's life ~ vinegar or roses are some examples.  As to her appearance, Yuki has her own sense of Goth style that will amuse many readers.  I got a kick out of visualizing each of her ensembles.  (Don't you just LOVE the cover by the way??)

Calvin and Emma are Yuki's best friends and confidants. Emma is a loyal and quirky animal-lover and environmentalist.  Calvin is becoming more and more mysterious.  They both know of Yuki's unusual ability as well as her major, major crush on nerd-boy Garrett.  Garrett barely takes notice of Yuki, much to Calvin's delight!  Calvin and Yuki learn more about their own spirit guides and their destinies as Samhain approaches.

This very entertaining story is a great addition to the YA market, appropriate for young readers and adults as well.  As one of those "adults", I am really looking forward to the next installment in the Spirit Guide series, "Spirit Storm" which is due out early next year.   
   
MY RATING:    4/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:   Amazon, The Book Depository, IndieBound

 

~~~~~ Disclaimer:  All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review - Chrysalis: Tribulations by M.L. Lacy

The prophecy continues to unfold...

Chrysalis - Tribulations: Book 2

TITLE:     Chrysalis:  Tribulations
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    M. L . Lacy
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 448 pages
PUBLISHED:   Author House, 2010
ISBN#:   978-1-4490-1480-3
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from the Author for review

FROM GOODREADS:  As the exciting Chrysalis saga continues, Bree's eyes are opening to unimagined possibilities. Reunited with her soul mate, Steven, and her protectors Bradley, Bill and Rick, she journey's through a world she is only now beginning to comprehend.

Challenges abound as she contends with the jealousies of her new status from Madelyn and the two newest members of her clan. As tensions escalate, the dynamics within her new family are enough to rock her world. And if that wasn't enough to contend with, Esmeralda, her arch nemesis who desires nothing more than to wipe Bree from the face of the earth, holds nothing back as she strikes out at Bree's family and friends.

As the prophecy told at her birth continues to unfold, Bree and those around her are only beginning to truly understand the danger's she will face and the strength required to endure. But her transformation as a Magical has only just begun and her abilities grow much too rapidly, draining her to the point of complete exhaustion. Her clan fears that too much has been demanded of her and they continue to tighten their circle of protection around her, preventing her from following her true path. Bree must find a way to convince them that she is capable of prevailing while she searches for a way to save both human and Magical worlds - before it's too late.

MY TAKE:   I couldn't wait to get my hands on this book after reading the first one.  I was hooked big time!  In this well-named second book, we rejoin Bree and her clan as they have to overcome several obstacles aka. tribulations.. that keep blocking their way.  Some of these challenges come from within the clan while many are just there because Bree is still adapting to the fact that she is "The Chosen One" in a magical world that she never knew existed.  

The love story between Bree and her soul mate, Steven continues to strengthen even while she is trying to settle into her role as Alpha female to Bradley's Alpha male.  Bree struggles with meshing her human emotions and values with the inner workings and structure of her supernatural and magical clan.

The author does a fine job of building and growing her characters.  Although, I would love to know more about the men and just what it is that makes them tick.  Especially when it comes to their utter devotion and I guess, addiction to Bree.  I have to admit that Bree's character was much more forgiving and generous than I could have been.  I wanted to completely throttle Madelyn.  She was petty, mean and jealous.  If I had been the one with Bree's powers, I'd have squashed her in a big way.  (Yes, I really got into the book!)  But I did really enjoy Bree and could easily place myself in her shoes.  It isn't hard to imagine having similar thoughts and feelings if I were to be suddenly told that I had all of these abilities and everything in my life to this point was a facade.   

I don't want to give anything else away for those who haven't had the pleasure of starting this series yet.  Ms. Lacy has created a fantastic world with rich characters that I definitely want to read more about.  I highly recommend readers start with the first book  Chrysalis - The Awakening: Book 1 in order to get the full effect of this entire story.  You can read my review of it HERE. 

   

MY RATING:    5/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon, Indiebound

~~~~~ Disclaimer:   All opinions expressed on this blog are 100% my own.  I do not receive monetary compensation for my reviews but do utilize affiliate links.  I may receive books in  order to facilitate a review, but this does not guarantee a good review - only a completely honest one.  Each review post denotes how I obtained the book.

Review + Giveaway - Sin Undone by Larissa Ione

Sin Undone (Demonica, Book 5)

TITLE:    Sin Undone

AUTHOR/EDITOR:    Larissa Ione
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 413 pages
PUBLISHED:   Grand Central Publishing, 2010
ISBN#:   978-0-446-55681-1
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from Hachette Books for review

FROM GOODREADS:  As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence. HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED   

Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

MY TAKE:   I loved it!  This was the first book I've read of Larissa Ione's and it is definitely NOT the last.  (This is the 5th book in her Demonica series, but it is an outstanding book that can be read as a stand-alone as well as being an integral piece of the whole story.  I'm getting the other 4 ASAP!)

The action, lust, and tension in this story start right from the first page.  You meet Sin who is half-human and half-demon.  She is still learning to use her powers that she didn't even know she had until recently - as well as getting used to the brothers she wasn't aware of her entire life.  You also meet Con, yummy dhampire who is being driven crazy by both Sin and the plague she's unleashed on the world.

This was another of those books that I just couldn't put down until I was finished.  The interaction between Sin and Con is amazing all by itself.  But then you add in her brothers, her ex-lovers, the assassins (her own) trying to kill her, and everyone else, you've got one heck of a party!  Of course we can't forget the vampires and werewolves that are right in the thick of things either.  A lot of great characters are in this series. 

The author has an amazing knack for writing some white-hot, steamy scenes.  I appreciate her ability to use them in the telling of her story instead of putting them in the book just for the sake of having some sex scenes.  WOW!  Her talent for sharp, witty dialogue really makes a story come to life.  (Can you tell I'm impressed as all hell with this book and Larissa Ione?)

While I was bummed to learn that this is the last book of the "Demonica" series, Ms. Ione has introduced us to The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse who will star in her new "Lords of Deliverance" series.  In "Sin Undone", we meet Ares (War) who will be in the first book "Eternal Rider" due out in April 2011.  Can't wait....

You can read more about the author and her fantabulous books on her blog and Hachette's website. 

The Demonica Series: (in order)

Pleasure Unbound, Desire Unchained, Passion Unleashed , Ecstasy Unveiled , Sin Undone
MY RATING:    4.5/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:    Amazon.com, The Book Depository

Sin Undone was just released on August 24th.  You can order it HERE or you can put your name in the hat to try and win a copy.  Hachette Books has generously offered THREE of my readers their very own copy.

Just leave a comment on this post and tell me if you favor demons, vampires or werewolves?  Or how about those dhampires??? 

This contest is only open to US and Canadian residents who are FOLLOWERS of this blog.  No PO Boxes please as the publisher will ship the book directly to the winner.  Contest will end at midnight PST on Wednesday, September 15th.  Winners will be chosen by random and have 48 hours to respond with their information.

Thanks for stopping by and GOOD LUCK.

Review - Chrysalis: The Awakening by M.L. Lacy

Chrysalis - The Awakening: Book 1

TITLE:    Chrysalis - The Awakening
AUTHOR/EDITOR:    M.L. Lacy
INFO:    Paperback, Fiction, 589 pages
PUBLISHED:   AuthorHouse, 2009
ISBN#:   978-1-4389-5985-6
HOW'D I GET IT:   Received from Author for review

FROM GOODREADS:  All families have secrets. But at 32 years old, Bree Campbell is discovering that her entire life has been a secret. Like most people, it never occurred to her to question her mortality; that is until she learns that she is a mortal born into a family of Magicals and begins to question everything and everyone in her life.

As the doors to Bree’s new world fly open and she finally hears the prophecy told at her birth she must face the revelation that she is a Chosen One; the last and greatest of a long line of Chosen Ones. And if this were not overwhelming enough, she has been charged with saving the earth by repairing the cosmic tear that binds the mortal world she has always known and the Magical world she is just now discovering.

Bree’s journey will not be an easy one. She must face the realities of her new life and her new family; a clan of vampires who have been charged with protecting her for all of her mortal life. They have chosen her as a leader in their clan, a position that has really complicated things for her. For no sooner than Bree is finally reunited with her long lost love, Steven, Bree must learn how to navigate the jealousies and emotions within her new family.

Bree’s arch nemesis is Esmeralda, a powerful sorceress in her own right who will stop at nothing until this Chosen One is dead. If Esmeralda can claim Bree’s blood, heart and soul and restore her Demon to his body, she will be so strong that none will be able to oppose her and she will be free to rid the world of all mortals and she will be free to rid the world of all mortals and rule as she chooses.

But with the help of the Guardians and her dreams, Bree begins to awaken the powers hidden within her and begins to embrace the responsibility she has been born to. And even while these changes make her body weak, Bree begins to find an inner strength she never knew she had within herself.  Will it be enough to save the world?         

MY TAKE:   I loved this book.  The main character, Bree is a 32 yr old woman who has been sheltered from the truth and her real identity her entire life.  In the midst of protecting her, her parents and friends kept her from her true love and paved the way for evil to insinuate itself into her life - in the form of her abusive and deadly husband.  She was beat down both mentally and physically.  Now that she is getting a divorce, the path is clear for her reunion with her soul mate, Steven.  She just isn't immediately aware that he is a vampire who has been waiting for her since her birth. 

One of the things that I really appreciated in the book was the author's method of delivering vital information.  Instead of long, dry narratives full of important details or back story, she used dialogue between several characters or groups to fill the reader in.  It was a very refreshing technique from a lot of books I've read in the past.  I usually tend to skim over long sections of details and background history when I'm reading - I never did that while engrossed in this book.  The characters were interacting while giving me the info I needed to move forward in the story.

The characters were very richly written in this story.  There is a lot of humor and warmth as well as adventure and drama.  Family was another aspect that I really liked seeing with the author making the reader feel a part of the group.  Bree's family or extended family are a large, very warm and gregarious group.  Millie, Bree's Gran is one of my favorites.  She's a tough old bird that garners respect and admiration from everyone that knows her - good or bad.  She also just happens to be an extremely powerful witch.

This book was full of twists and turns - some you had an inkling were coming, while others were a big surprise.  I think the story flowed very nicely and I have to admit that I read it in one day.  I told everyone I was busy and immersed myself in Bree's world.   

I am really, really looking forward to this next book in the series: 

Chrysalis - Tribulations

MY RATING:    5/5

WHERE TO BUY IT:   Chrysalis - The Awakening: Book 1