[Book Review] Charred Heart

Charred Heart

By Lizzy Ford

November 23, 2013

Published By Guerrilla Wordfare

Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Links:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

For a thousand years, Chace has searched for a way to break the curse placed on him by a jilted lover. He’s a dragon shifter, one who can’t control when the magic will force him into a different form. He’s already lost everyone he ever cared about a few times over and doesn’t know how much longer he’s meant to suffer. 

At his wit’s end, he makes a deal with a mysterious figure that offers him what he wants most – an end to his misery – in exchange for everything that’s his: His life, his power. His heart. 

The next day, he meets Skylar, a modern day dragon slayer whose mission is to cage him – or kill him. Sexy, witty and brave, she is the yin to his yang, the woman destined to break the curse, balance his magic and make his broken heart whole.

Except it’s too late. Not only has he sealed his fate, but an innocent one-night-stand with Skylar has dragged her into the middle of a deal with the devil, one she won’t escape, if he can’t convince her that dragon shifters aren’t her enemies.

[Book Review] Vampires Need Not Apply

Vampires Need Not... Apply?

By Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

September 3, 2013

Published by Forever Yours

Fantasy, Paranormal Romance

Links:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

This is book 4 in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Accidentally Yours paranormal romance series.

Meet Dr. Antonio Acero. Heir to Spain's wealthiest family, world-renowned physicist, and dedicated bachelor. While on vacation in southern Mexico, Antonio discovers an ancient Mayan tablet. Local legends say it contains magical properties, properties that could put his stalling research on the map.

But is this really his lucky break?

When Antonio attempts to put the tablet to use, he'll discover that Fate has other plans. Her name is Ixtab, and she's quite possibly the deadliest deity who ever lived.

[Book Review] The Last Kiss Good-bye

The Last Kiss Good-bye

by Karen Robards

August 13, 2013

Ballantine Books

Mystery, Suspense, Paranormal Romance

Links:

Goodreads // Amazon // Barnes & Noble

Dr. Charlotte “Charlie” Stone has dedicated her career as a psychiatrist to exploring the darkest territory of all: the hearts and minds of serial killers. It’s a job she’s uniquely suited for, thanks to the secret talent that gives her an uncanny edge—Charlie can see dead people, whose tormented spirits cry out to her for the justice only she can provide. This blessing—or curse—gives Charlie the power to hunt down and catch madmen and murderers. It’s also turned her love life upside down by drawing her into a hopelessly passionate relationship with the lingering ghost of charismatic bad boy Michael Garland. 

But there’s little time for romance with her supernatural suitor when murder comes pounding at Charlie’s door in the form of a terrified young woman fleeing a homicidal maniac. Saving her life places Charlie squarely in the cross-hairs of a sadistic predator nicknamed “the Gingerbread Man,” notorious for manipulating his victims like pawns in a deadly chess game. And now the queen this psychopath’s bent on capturing is Charlie. Refusal to play will only put more innocent lives in danger. Matching wits with this cunningly twisted opponent will require all of Charlie’s training and expert skills. But even with her devilish “guardian angel”—not to mention her favorite flesh-and-blood Fed, Tony Bartoli—watching her beautiful back, the Gingerbread Man’s horrifying grin might be the last thing Charlie ever sees.

[Book Review] Dead Sexy Dragon

Dead Sexy Dragon

by Lolita Lopez

August 6, 2013

Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Erotica

Links:

Goodreads // Barnes & Noble

The last thing dragon shifter Stig Wyvern needs is his dead friend’s kid sister showing up on his doorstep. He’s just minutes away from entering a mating phase. Sharing his isolated house with the young woman he’s desperately lusted after for quite some time is a recipe for disaster. 

But Cora Cardenas has nowhere else to go. She’s in deep trouble with some really nasty people and Stig is the only one who can protect her. That he’s deliciously sexy and makes her tingle with the simplest of smiles is just a bonus. 

Cora quickly realizes Stig is hiding something from her. To make matters worse, she’s plagued with breathtakingly naughty dreams starring a shadowed lover who bears a startling resemblance to her host. And just what the hell is going on down in the basement at night? 

Stig needs to get Cora out of his house but his inner beast has other ideas. He’s found his mate and she’s not going anywhere...

[Book Review] Once You Go Demon

Title: Once You Go Demon (Pure Souls #2)
Author: Killian McRae
Date Published: 2013
Publisher: Tulip Noire Press
Source: ARC
Genre: Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Rating: ★★★★★

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon


About the Book:

Heaven hath no fury like a demon reborn...

Proving that Big Boss is not without a sense of whimsy, Hell’s former all-star demon, Jerry Romani, finds himself a traded player in the classic war of good versus evil. Taking up residence in the human shell left behind by the death and damnation of Marc Angeletti, Jerry seizes on the chance both to win a trip to the pearly gates and reclaim the heart of witch Riona Dade. 

Not pleased with the butt-kicking the Pure Souls served up, Lucifer enlists his fallen angel compatriots, the Grigori, to stir up trouble topside. 

Time ticks closer to the inevitable: Marc's resurrection as a demon on Earth, and Jerry is determined to protect Riona and his shiny new Pure Soul status at all costs. He quickly finds two thousand years of living la vida demonica aren’t easily undone, however, and old habits are hard to break. Walking the true path is problematic, and Jerry finds his role reversed when he must convince Riona that it’s in her best interest to do the same. Even if letting her give into temptation is more conducive to his efforts. And just as Project Woo a Witch starts bearing some forbidden fruit, Destiny delivers one hell of bitch slap. Jerry may have been sent back to Earth to do something Riona can't, something that will ensure the only thing he'll be kissing where she's concerned is his ass goodbye.

Review:
Holy Drew Barrymore and the awesomeness of a thousand flying nunchucks! This book is crystal meth on paper and I am now a certified junkie! (Not that I'm an addict, or that I advertise the use of drugs, because I don't. Seriously.)

Thank you, dear Authoress, for summoning me to read and review this book for I have found heaven in a see of overrated cliches. (I'm being overly dramatic, ignore me.)

Following Father Marc Angeletti's sacrifice and consequent damnation to hell in Pure and Sinful (Pure Souls #1), Once You Go Demon deals with the aftermath of the priest's death and Jerry Romani's occupation of Marc Angeletti's body, much to Riona Dade's chagrin.

Thank goodness I learned from previously reading Book 1 in public, so I read this book inside my room, away from prying eyes. It would suffice to say that I did the right thing, because I really didn't want to be caught laughing out loud like a loony.

As always, the writing is quirky! The story-line is thick with plot twists that keep surprising you at every turn. The humor is ever present and the dialogues are sarcastic and overall fun, which  translates into me being a rabidly happy camper on sugar rush!

The characters are also very unique. I mean hello, goddess Persephone making sinfully forbidden love with an archangel! You just don't see Greek mythology interlace with Catholic characters in that position (pun intended). Plus, we get to see Buddha being slapped by Riona, which I think, is pretty sweeeet. LOL. (I should probably shut up because I might give out huge spoilers.)

Anyways, I WAS SO RIGHT WHEN I PROCLAIMED IN MY REVIEW OF PURE AND SINFUL THAT JERRY ROMANI IS A CHARACTER WORTHY OF MENTION! And yes, typing in all-caps was necessary to express the joy and admiration I feel for Jerry Romani a.k.a Gaius Gallicus. I was never on Team Marc when I read Pure and Sinful, so I guess it's but right to openly admit that I am on Team Jerry.

Jerry Romani is the highlight of this book, no doubt about it. I love the fact that he didn't try to convince the other pillars of his change of heart, he just proved their distrust wrong through his actions. Secondly, I also love the fact that even though he's head over heels in love with Riona, he chose to give her time to mourn and sort out her feelings. I think that really spoke volumes of how much he loved her.

Overall, I really, really loved this book! It's exactly my cup of tea with just the right amount of paranormal blend and wisecracks! And if there's ever a next installment, count me in!

To end this review, let me give you a quote from Jerry Romani:

"The only insane thing in all this is how much I loved you, even when I was damned. And how much I still love you now. And how we're not doing anything about it, for the sole reason that you're not ready."

[Book Review] Nobody's Angel

Title: Nobody's Angel
Author: Stacy Gail
Date Published: January 21, 2013
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy
Source: ARC
Rating: 4/5


Links:
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble



About the Book:

Investigative journalist Kendall Glynn is horrified when a friend and colleague signs off permanently during a live newscast, jabbing a pen into his jugular. Kendall's no expert, but judging by the strange white veil in the anchorman's eyes, she would swear he was a man possessed. 

A descendant of the accursed Nephilim, Zeke Reece prowls San Francisco by night, keeping the city free from paranormal phenomena. But even he is no match for whatever malevolent force is behind a recent rash of murder-suicides. And when a beautiful tenacious reporter becomes the next target, Zeke has no choice but to stay close to her, until he can find the evil spirit and cross it over. 

The closer Kendall gets to the truth, the more danger she's in. Fortunately, a sexy and mysterious masked stranger keeps swooping in to the rescue. Kendall's life depends on finding who or what is responsible for the killings, before it finds her.

Review:
A satisfying mix of urban fantasy and superhero action!

From the cover alone, I was already expecting a storyline featuring angels, or nephilims at least. Truth be told, I was expecting that the story would simply contribute to the bandwagon of prevailing stories about nephilims. Well, I'm pretty psyched that I was proven wrong.

Let's just say that the male lead character, Zeke Reece, is a man of contradiction. He's not really an angel, but he's not really a man either. He plays hero but he's got a personal interest in why he's doing it, so he's not exactly as selfless as most heroes are.

Then there's the female lead, the stubborn journalist Kendall Glynn. I love the fact that even though she could be rattled and scared at one instance, she still stands back up and continue whatever it is that she does best: to investigate. I love strong female heroines who are not easily scared and Kendall is definitely one.

Together, they work to uncover the mystery of the series of random deaths which are actually interconnected with one another. They both have their own agenda in wanting to uncover the culprit behind the deaths, but then again, two heads are better than one. Also, it doesn't hurt that they're attracted to each other.

Oh, I also love the bit where Kendall was falling for two different sides of one man. It was definitely a nice touch. Although it's not exactly original but this book kinda made it worth my while to read about it.

What else?

Ah, yes! Probably the best thing about this book is the fact that it combines a hero and an angel in the male lead. I mean, aside from being an eye-candy, Zeke Reece is the perfect combination of vulnerability and strength. He's different, and he knows it. It sets him apart from humanity, but it doesn't really bring a superiority complex. In fact, it makes him feel alienated, but instead of being bitter about it, he even becomes a hero. Like I said, a man of contradictions.

For fans of paranormal romances who are looking for something different, I highly recommend this one! It does not feature the usual slew of paranormal critters, but has just enough paranormal background to make you want to stay and read.

[Book Review] My Lord Immortality

Title: My Lord Immortality (Immortal Rogues #3)
Author: Alexandra Ivy
Date Published: December 31, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Historical
Source: ARC from Publisher
Rating: 4/5

Links:
Goodreads
Barnes & Noble

About the Book:

Amelia Hadwell has no time for London's nightlife. Not when her beloved brother’s odd ways have their family threatening to institutionalize him. And not when she is questioning her own sanity after being confronted by a murderous shadow creature—then being saved by a captivating stranger, a man who belongs to a world she cannot imagine. 

Reserved and scholarly, Sebastian St. Ives has been content without human desires—until they are reawakened by the delicate, brave Amelia, whom he is meant to protect. For the young woman has no idea she possesses the key to a ravenous vampire’s dark victory. Now Sebastian must shield her from both a killer and his own growing attraction—or bond with her completely, and forever...

Review:
My Lord Immortality offers a different horde of vampires, and this alone made it worth reading. Following the footsteps of Nora Roberts in creating her own norms for vampires in her books, Alexandra Ivy presents scholarly vampire Sebastian St. Ives, who walks during the day and has completely gotten rid of his taste for human blood.

The story is well-written and the characters are well-drawn out throughout the story. Plot-wise, of course, it featured the usual battle between good and evil, good vampires versus bad vampires, and all that battle for dominance; nothing really fancy, but engaging nonetheless.

However, what set apart Alexandra Ivy’s vampires from the usual slew of paranormal romance books about vampires was that in this story, vampires were alienated from humans through a veil which hid their existence. And by being through the veil, they were rid of their hunger for human blood, and thus, were offered a life to pursue knowledge, research and truth about so many things in the world. Also, by being rid of their hunger for human blood, they gained the ability to walk during the day without being toast.

Another thing distinct about this book is that it is actually a historical, paranormal romance. It is set in London at a time where ladies were expected to behave in a certain way and were paraded in balls in order for them to find suitable men for marriage. Think Jane Austen, and that’s about the same period depicted in this story. This is actually the first time I’ve read a book of this genre, and I sure am glad I’ve stumbled upon it.

Character-wise, I love Amelia and how she defied the societal norms in order to care for her brother. While she could be a Mary Sue at times, I still admire her for her bravery and stubborn streak. Also, I really liked Amelia’s younger brother William and his fascination for cats. William became Amelia’s ‘weakness’ because she cared too much for him, but I don’t think it’s any weakness at all. Any woman who could hold her ground despite societal pressures is an amazing woman to me.

Then, there’s also Sebastian St. Ives. I would have to confess that I love geeks regardless of whichever time period they come from, and Sebastian St. Ives is one hell of a geeky vampire. I’ve read so many books about vampires of ethereal beauty and charm, but this is the first time I’ve read about a geeky vampire who preferred the company of books than seducing women. Well, that and his silver orbs for eyes.

All in all, if you’re looking for a quick read romance story that is wholesome and engaging, I think Alexandra Ivy’s My Lord Immortality is just the perfect choice.

[Book Review] The Killing Dance

Title: The Killing Dance
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Date Published: April 4, 2006
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Fantasy, Mystery
Source: Purchased Copy
Rating: 4/5

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

About the Book:

Dating both a vampire and a werewolf isn't easy. But just to complicate Anita's already messy life, someone has put a price on her head. Love cannot save her this time, so she turns to Edward, hitman extraordinaire, for help. But finding the person behind the threat won't be easy, because as both a vampire hunter and zombie reanimator, Anita has made a lot of enemies-both human and otherwise.

Review: 
Whenever I need an engrossing read to momentarily escape the boredom that is the real world, I stick to my favorites, and a Laurell K. Hamilton book is certainly one.

As always, the book is well-written and the suspense is maintained throughout the story. Aside from the mystery bit, the shift to erotica was a little bit disturbing at times, especially those happening to the bad guys, but nothing majorly off-putting. The mystery and action bits were enough to keep me reading throughout the night.

As for the characters, Jean Claude is consistent in being the cunning bastard that he is, and that is what I liked about him. Consistency. That, and his momentary bouts of humanity when it came to Anita. The thing is, Jean Claude perfectly depicts how intelligent people (in this case, a vampire) can become mindless idiots when it comes to love and all that romantic whatchamacallits. And it also doesn’t hurt much that Anita always stresses just how beautiful he is.

Richard, on the other hand, seems too humane. In contrast to Jean Claude, Richard holds on to his morals like a lifeline. He wouldn’t kill even if it meant providing security for the people/creatures that depend on him. Choosing not to kill even though he has the power and the motivation to do so is admirable, but when villains are being a huge pain in the ass, personally I’d move for the kill.

And of course, Anita Blake, the kick-ass heroine of the story. She is a huge contradiction all on her own. I love that she knows her own frailty – the fact that she’s a human surrounded by vampires and were-folks that are all much stronger than her. It keeps her guarded and always alert when it comes to danger. That also explains why survival is quite high on her priority.

However, I don’t like the fact that she doesn’t know what she really wants! First, between Jean Claude and Richard. When Jean Claude gave her the freedom to choose, she should’ve chosen who she really wanted to be with. Right from the start of the book, she had been on Team Richard! I was on Team Richard, too, by the way. But instead of choosing and making up her mind, she didn’t! She just had to see how Richard looked when he changed, only to get so disturbed and end up making a half-assed decision to sleep with Jean Claude, which ultimately defined her choice between the two. Yep, even if she kept on saying how much she loathed the cunning bastard that is Jean Claude, she ended up choosing him anyway. And this was mainly because she can’t accept all of Richard even though he already sacrificed so much for her. This made me realize that maybe, Anita didn’t really love Richard wholeheartedly. Personally, I believe Richard deserves someone better.

Anyways, although I’m not that satisfied with the storyline, the book did keep me engrossed and I highly enjoyed the fight scenes, so yes, I give this book four stars.

[Review] Mr. Real

Title: Mr. Real
Author: Carolyn Crane
Publication Date: October 30, 2012
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Adult Fiction
Source: ARC
Rating: 4/5

Links:
Goodreads
Amazon
Barnes & Noble

Review:
A steamy romance with seriously lovable characters!

Mr. Real is a real treat for fans of the Paranormal Romance genre! It isn't too heavy and doesn't dwell too much on the mystery aspect of the story, but it makes everything worthwhile come full circle.

Personally, the best thing about this book is Paul Reinhardt. He's an accomplished athlete, a completely virile male and a rising star of professional mixed martial arts fights, but there's also that part of himself which he loathes to an unhealthy degree. It would be safe to say that the author has created a complex yet completely relatable character in Paul.

The heroine - Alix - on the other hand, is a completely different issue. She's stubborn, thick-headed and completely unreasonable. Within the first few chapters of the novel, I wanted to rip my hair off because of her. I mean, come on! If you have your closest friend and the rest of your family reminding you time and again of how much of a problem you are, then there's probably something wrong with you!

However, Alix is also pure-hearted. She is fiercely loyal to a fault and when push comes to shove, she could be counted on to do what's right. I guess, even if she is a little messed up and crazy, she's still a good girl. I admit that I didn't like her at the beginning, but as I read on, she just grew on me.

Oh, and worthy of mention is Sir Kendall, too! He's like James Bond on a completely different level of crazy. Plus, I really appreciated how the narrator allowed glimpses into how Sir Kendall's mind worked. In fact, throughout the story, the narrator gives glimpses of the different perspective of the main characters.

And just as I thought I've already figured how the story would end, a surprise twist involving a super villain is introduced into the storyline! It was awesome and definitely unique all on its own. While I understand that this story is predominantly a Paranormal Romance, the Mystery bit is such a pleasant surprise.

This is actually the first novel of Carolyn Crane that I've read, and I can't wait to read more of her works! I highly recommend this for readers who wish to read a Paranormal Romance novel that's unique and doesn't include the usual slew of paranormal characters (vampires, werewolves, witches, etc.).

- ~ x o O o x ~ -

[Review] Pure and Sinful

Title: Pure and Sinful
Author: Killian McRae
Date of Publication:
Genre: Fantasy, Paranormal, Romance, Humor, Adult Fiction
Rating: 5/5

Links:
Goodreads 
Amazon

Teaser: (from Goodreads)

When it turns out your ex was actually a sexy demon sent by the devil to seduce you to evil, you'd think the next guy, no matter what he's like, couldn't be a worse decision. Enter Father Marc Angeletti, a smooth talking piece of forbidden fruit with onyx eyes and a razor wit, and Riona Dade may as well start packing her luggage for damnation now. But come Hell or... well, Hell, Marc, Riona, and demigod Dee Zitka have a mission: serve as a Pure Soul and vanquish Lucifer's minion scum from the face of the Earth to protect humanity from evil.

Oh, and don't get seduced into sin yourself, because a fallen Pure Soul is one of Lucifer's biggest thrills. As long as Riona and Marc can keep things professional and north of the sheets, no problem, right?

Yeah, that worked out great in the Thornbirds, too...

Review:
Sassy heroine? Check. Sarcastic male lead? Check. Other-worldly plot? Check. Witty dialogues? Check. Plethora of puns and wisecracks? Definitely check!

I’ve always loved reading witty banters and sarcastic wisecracks. Let’s just say that this book has caught my tickle spot and has made me look like a loony by making me chuckle at odd intervals while I was inside a very public and very crowded café. And no, I do not do that often. Well, in public that is.

I expected this book to be an erotica because of the title and the brief synopsis. Don’t ask why. I just assumed. So imagine the surprise I got when I started reading the book and discovered that it was more than what I thought it would be! And let me just say that the surprise was the pleasant kind.

The best thing about this book? Definitely the jarring puns! I just love the deprecating humor used in this novel, coupled with innuendos and references! The humorous puns range from Captain Kirk of Star Trek, to the cup-size of a Kardashian, even up to Adam Lambert and Lady Gaga!

The characters are all endearing in their own ways, too. You just don’t see a witch, a priest and a demi-god joining forces to fight demons everyday! And one other character worthy of mention is Jerry because he’s one cunning bastard. That is all I have to say about the characters because I’m afraid that I might give any spoilers.

If I could describe this novel in one catch-all sentence, I would say that this is like an R-18 version of Charmed meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer on crack. Basically, it’s the Charmed’s triumvirate combined with Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s kick-ass heroine, plus the complicated love line.

Would I want to read this novel again? Definitely! Would I watch out for the next installment if there is one? Abso-fucking-lutely! I highly recommend this book to readers who would like a chuckle or two, and who appreciate unbridled sarcasm from smartass characters.