Shadow's Seduction by Kresley Cole

Shadow's Seduction by Kresley Cole

Book Stats:  

Reading level: Adult
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Paperback : 248 pages
Publisher: Valkyrie Press
Release date: February 27th, 2017
Series: The Dacians #2 & Immortals After Dark #17

Source: 

Reviewed by: 

Order: Amazon | Book Depository

In this scorching Immortals After Dark/Dacian novel, #1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole brings together a wicked vampire prince used to getting everything he desires and a demon warrior who always felt like an outcast.

A NIGHT OF DEBAUCHERY . . .
Prince Mirceo Daciano and his new friend, Caspion the Tracker, comb the streets of Dacia, drunkenly seeking out pleasures of the flesh. In what should have been a typical night, they coax a bevy of nymphs to bed. To impress their females, the demon and the vampire kiss on a dare.

CHANGES THEM FOREVER . . .
Once they finally break away from their soul-searing kiss, they find themselves alone--and shaken. Had they imagined their explosive chemistry? Obstacles--ranging from a death sentence to exile in a war-torn dimension--threaten to destroy their lives . . . and the vulnerable promise in that one kiss.

HOW LONG CAN THEY RESIST THE FIRE THAT BLAZES BETWEEN THEM?
Even if Mirceo accepts Caspion as his fated mate, the seductive vampire still must convince the stubborn demon that their bond is forever. And any royal Dacian union must receive the blessing of King Lothaire, an unpredictable and savage killer. . . .

Mirceo is the youngest male royal in the Dacia family and has always counted on his charms to get him whatever he wanted and when he meets Caspion, a self-destructive depressed demon, he finally finds a run for his money. They are suchs opposite and despite that, they become great friends. And yet, Mirceo wants more. Will he succeed?

Shadow's Seduction sit somewhere between a short story and a full length novel and I wish it were actually a full novel. I understand though, with the book being m&m, that Kresley Cole decided to make it a short non-mandatory story within the overall Immortals After Dark story arc. Not everyone is willing to read male to male romance and I have to admit it was a first for me. I've never been incline to pick up such book before but since I love this series so much I decided to give it a shot. Did I enjoy it? yes. Will I pick up more books from this genre? Probably not, unless it's part of a series I already love.

The reason why I wish it were a full length novel is because I felt things were rushed at time. The shory started VERY abruptly with Caspion and Mirceo being at the same brothel and all of a sudden, totally randomly, Mirceo is entranced by Caspion and decided he wanted to have him (Mirceo is bi, but Caspion is straight). It really felt completely out of blue because of the lack on context, and background story. You literally jump right into that scene and it's how everything starts. You then fast forward to how they eventually became good friends but you don't witness it, and I honestly wish we did. Eventually it gets better and we live events right by their sides, and Cole is usually really good at getting you engrossed in a story and I think the shortness of this novella is what limited Cole in developing those events.

I really loved their stories though with how eccentric Mirceo is, how volatile his actions are but how dedicated he is to Caspion and how determined he is to prove him he can be the man he needs. Whereas Caspion is living in total denial of his growing feelings for Mirceo. He does not what to be gay (or bi) and exiles himself for hundreds or years hoping it'll go away. He grows hard, stubborn and hateful and at some point Mirceo's good mood rubs on him and everything changes. Their life-altering courtship was really great and I wish we got to see more of them when they finally committed to each other.

Reading this novella I thought the next book would be about Bettina because of events taking place and I was really surprise to see the story is about two completely different characters. Hopefully we will find out what happens to her (or maybe we already did in a past novel and I forgot??).

In conclusion, I really enjoyed this story and I would recommend it. If you are homophobic then this might not be the book for you. There are graphic scenes of sex between two male in this novel.

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by Tynga at Friday, April 28, 2017

 demons, Immortals After Dark, Kresley Cole, Mamp;M, Paranormal Romance, Purchased, Review, Romance, Valkyrie Press, vampires  Leave your mark

✎

Where the Wild Things Bite by Molly Harper

You know you're reading a Molly Harper book when the main characters are stuck in a crazy, life threatening situation but the author still manages to make you laugh. Molly Harper has this wonderful recipe for paranormal romance novels and it's infallible. I've never been disappointed by one of her books, probably because I understand her type of humour. Her characters are relatable, despite their peculiarities and you can't help but get attached to them. Where the Wild Things Bite, despite being short, is a wonderful addition to the Half-Moon Hollow series.

Anna, a rare book expert on the paranormal, is on a mission to return a valuable book to none other than Jane Jameson, after having appraised it, and confirmed it as an authentic and important document in the history of shifters. However, things go wrong as soon as she enters the plane that is supposed to bring her to Half-Moon Hollow. The pilot is deranged and threatens to kill her with a knife if she doesn't hand over the book, and when that fails, he tampers with the plane and crashes it in the middle of Kentucky lakeland. Anna would have crashed and died in it if it wasn't for Finn, the only other passenger of the plane. Anna accuses him of throwing her out of the moving plane but Finn guarantees her that he jumped, cradling her in his arms.

Together, they're lost in the woods, with no supplies and no sign of civilization. Only an old, but valuable book. So valuable that people are willing to kill for it. Anna, a germaphobic and very anxious person, quickly learns to survive in the woods. With shifters after her, she relies on Finn, who happens to be a vampire, to find her way through the woods. However, smart as she is, she soon realizes that Finn has somewhat questionable reasons for helping her. A liar, a thief and a con man, Finn tries to convince skeptical Anna that he really wants to help her, despite his previous motives.

Anna is a wonderful and realistic character, despite her neuroses. Her tendencies to learn every survival statistics and her obsession in reading survival guides to everything, helps her survive the Kentucky woods. Finn might be a liar and deceitful but I think he really wants to help Anna. I don't know exactly when he started to like her, but their close proximity leads up to steamy scenes. They're the most unlikely couple, but I think that's what so charming about the pair.

I really wish we could have gotten more out of Anna and Finn's story. Their trek through the woods was hilarious and entertaining, but what happened after the woods just went by so quickly. I'm glad Jane and the Half-Moon Hollow gang made an appearance but they didn't have much to do with the story. In a way, that made Anna and Finn the focus of the story. A delightful read, Where the Wild Things Bite is a must read for Jane Jameson fans.

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by Tynga at Monday, September 05, 2016

 Half Moon Hollow, Library, Molly Harper, Paranormal Romance, Pocket, Review, Shifters, Simon amp; Schuster, Vampire, werewolves  Leave your mark

✎

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones (second opinion)

I'm not the first reviewer here on the blog to discuss Charley Davidson books. Actually, Lili reviewed and was "Daring You to Read..." this very book a few years back. I don't know why I waited so long to get into this series, but I'm really glad I did. First Grave on the Right is hilarious, fun and witty.

I think it's a perfect book to listen to as an audiobook. To be honest, this was the first audiobook I ever listened to in its entirety. I've tried to listen to books multiple times but I've never quite understood the appeal, until now. The narrator of First Grave on the Right, Loralei King, is wonderful and easy to listen to. The voices and the accents she uses makes it easy to follow and differentiate the characters. She reads the sarcastic comments perfectly and simply "gets" Charley Davidson's humour. Berls from Fantasy is More Fun actually recommended this series based on the narrator, and I think from now on, I'll be making more informed purchases when it comes to audiobooks.

As for the actual story, it's the perfect mix of mystery, paranormal and romance. If it wasn't for the paranormal aspects, the story would actually read like a cozie mystery. It has the humour and the crazy situations of a cozie but the author added this wonderful twist, which is Charley Davidson. Charley is a private investigator/police consultant/bartender/grim reaper. That last job title is obviously not on her business card. When we first meet her, she has a lot on her plate but even with her disorganized life she's able to do her job. She's able to juggle four murders, a comatose prisoner from her past, a mysterious shadowy lover, a mysterious shadowy Big Bad, and oh so many ghosts. As a grim reaper, she can see ghosts, and her job as a grim reaper is to try to help them get to the other side. Wherever that may be. As for being a PI, she got into that business because ever since she was five years old, her detective father and uncle have used her special ability to solve murders.

Charley is the perfect female PI for a paranormal romance. She's smart, courageous and resourceful. Her sarcastic wit is very similar to mine so I feel like we would get along perfectly. Her obsession with coffee borders on unhealthy, but come to think of it, so does mine. Her sensual encounters with a mysterious shadow being are pretty steamy, and the more the being interacts with Charley, the more she's led to believe he's Reyes, a complicated character she once met when she was in high school. Charley knows very little about this Reyes, but the more she investigate, the more she wants to find out. We do end up finding out who and what he is at the end of the book, and although I'm not surprised, it raises so many more interesting questions!

If you're a newbie to audiobooks like me, I highly recommend trying this one out as an audio. If you're reluctant, or simply prefer reading, this story is still a great choice. Be prepared to laugh out loud and get sucked into this grim reaper tale.



https://soundcloud.com/macaudio-2/first-grave-on-the-right-by-darynda-jones-audiobook-excerpt

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by Tynga at Monday, July 04, 2016

 Audio, Charley Davidson, Darynda Jones, ghost, Grim Reaper, Macmillan, Paranormal Romance, Purchased, Review  1 Person left their mark

✎

Hunted by Evangeline Anderson

I'm quite obsessed with this series. Honestly, it isn't great literary fiction but it is fun and entertaining to read when you're looking for a good romance book. Sci-fi romance is a guilty pleasure of mine and this second book of the series definitely delivers.

This book tell the story of Sophia and Sylvan. In this alternate reality, Earth is threatened by the Scourge, and evil alien race. Enter the Kindred, a warrior alien race that have sworn to protect Earth's inhabitants. On one condition: the Kindred females are very rare and so, the Kindred warriors need human brides in order to guarantee the survival of their race. This genetic exchange is mandatory for all unmated human females. For some, it's a dream come true. For Sophia, it's a nightmare.

Sophia has been scared to get close to anyone ever since she was attacked on her prom night. That horrible ordeal has followed her through adulthood, along with her fear of needles and pointy things. The worse possible thing for her would be to be claimed by a Blood Kindred. She probably wouldn't mind the Beast Kindred or the Twin Kindred, but luck has her being attracked to Sylvan, a Blood Kindred. A vampire-like sub-bread of the Kindred, Sylvan feels the urge to bite and bond Sophia to him forever. However, he knows Sophia is very afraid of him and his fangs so their relationship is a complicated one. Even more, Sophia is being hunted by the Scourge for some bizarre reason and Sylvan has sworn to protect her personally. That keeps them in close proximity for flames to burn and attraction to deepen. But still, they fight the bond between themselves, Sophia out of fear, and Sylvan out of honour.

Sylvan is your typical Alpha male hero and you couldn't ask for a better leading man. As for Sophia, she really got under my skin. Quite frankly, she's pathetic. Her fears are founded, but quite honestly, by now you would think she would have out-grown and tried to get over them. In my opinion, she's too weak, too sensitive and too tortured to be considered a good heroine.

This book is quite erotic at times but also has a good storyline. We're almost guaranteed a happily-ever-after but bumps along the way makes you doubt a good ending. If you can get over the tortured and teary-eyed heroine, this is a fantastic sci-fi romance. It has action, and evil antagonist and steamy love scenes. Great for the guilty pleasure shelf, however, not so great for feminism.

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by Tynga at Monday, June 27, 2016

 aliens, Brides of the Kindred, Evangeline Anderson, Paranormal Romance, Purchased, Review, Romance, sci-fi, Self Published  Leave your mark

✎

Reid's Deliverance by Nina Crespo

I love a good time-travelling romance so when I read the synopsis of this book, I was definitely intrigued. There's just something romantic about finding love through time, although in this case, it's a little bit different, but still very interesting.

Quite honestly, I was a little bit confused for the majority of the first quarter of the book. It probably has something to do with the fact that I did not read the first book of this series, and Reid's Deliverance dives right into it. We more or less meet the two main characters, Reid and Lauren on a one night stand that they both should never forget. They're in sync and the night they spend together feels perfect. In reality, things aren't perfect because Reid is a time traveller, and every time he jumps into a different time frame, everything about him, whether it be physical or a memory, disappears. Ultimately, after an amazing one night stand, Lauren forgets everything about Reid.

Reid is more than just a simple time traveller. He and a bunch of operatives were saved from a potential death by a mysterious being named Dalir, who provided them with the ability of time travelling. In essence, they're secret agents that travel in time to put a stop to devastating events. Reid has never had an issue with this quandary, until he meets Lauren. Unfortunately, when he leaves on his next mission, Lauren will forget everything about their amazing night. I had a hard time understanding the time travelling concept in this book mostly because of this particular thing. Also, these secret agents can only exist in one time frame, while any other normal person can be present in multiple time frames. Also, the biggest flaw in my opinion is that if a normal person dies in the future, they risk the chance of disappearing in the past. To me, that just doesn't make sense because it doesn't follow the linear concept of time.

Despite my problem with the time traveling, I really adored the relationship between Lauren and Reid. As characters, they aren't over developed, but personally I would have liked to have known more about them. Ultimately, we had enough background information to understand where they were coming from, and how their relationship worked.

In general, I love reading scenes where characters meet for the first time. In this case, because of Lauren's selective memory loss about Reid, and a time travelling incident that has Reid forget everything about himself and his mission gone wrong, we are fortunate to have two first meetings. Lauren is dedicated to help Reid, despite the fact that he doesn't seem to want her help. Their chemistry is obvious, and they can't seem to figure out why they are so attracted to one another.

While the book lacked information on the time travelling and on more or less all the characters (main and secondary), I still really enjoyed the story. We ultimately end up finding out more about the time travelling (however not enough to satisfy my tastes), why Reid literally ended up on Lauren's doorstep, and what went wrong with Reid's mission in the first place.

I wouldn't say this book is amazing, but it does have its charms. I'm curious about the first book now because we do spend quite a bit of time with Celine and Thane, the two main characters of the first book. To appreciate the series and Reid's Deliverance, I think I'm going to have to go back and read book one. Ultimately it will explain the origin of the time travelling abilities and provide more information about the many characters. I guess I'll be going back in time to find out more!

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by Tynga at Monday, April 11, 2016

 Kensington, Lyrical Press, Nina Crespo, Paranormal Romance, Publicist, Review, The Song, time travel  Leave your mark

✎

Gabriel by Nikki Kelly

Despite my minor issues with the first book of this series, I thought I would give it another try. I thought the first book had too many clichés and the writing lacked a bit of maturity, but personally, Gabriel exceeded my expectation. The writing improved, the story and the world felt a little more developed and I enjoyed getting to know the characters a little bit more.

Lailah might not be my favourite heroine, but she is quite interesting. As a half vampire and half angel hybrid there's still a lot to learn about her abilities and her destiny. The love triangle that existed in the first book is only somewhat present now because for some mysterious reason, Lailah can't remember anything about Jonah. She remembers her angel pair Gabriel just fine, and she hasn't forgotten anything about other vampires, but for some odd reason, she can't recall anything about the vampire Jonah. Which is sad because Jonah was the most interesting character in the first book, in my opinion. On the other hand, Gabriel is moody and I feel like he's hiding so many things from Lailah that he can't really be trusted. As much as I liked Gabriel in the first book, I didn't like him in this one.

Gabriel was a character building book, where we learn more about the main characters, especially about Gabriel and Lailah. Despite their strong feeling for one another, they are still conflicted about their relationship, mostly because both of them have a hard time accepting Lailah's dark vampire side. Lailah refuses to drink blood despite weakening from lack of it, and Gabriel is too oblivious to realize that by ignoring Lailah's hunger, she's only hurting herself. Lailah has a long way to go before she fully accepts who she is, what she's capable of, and what she will do with her abilities. As for Jonah, Lailah still feels something but has not memory of their past. She feels responsible for Jonah and would do anything to help him, because she know he would do the same for her. Despite his bad boy persona, Jonah is very likeable. Especially when you compare him to Gabriel in this book.

I'm a sucker for a good story about good vs. evil, and this series definitely delivers that. Lailah might be the one to balance out good and evil, but this war has been going on for many centuries. A young band of generational vampire hunters join the fight and although they might be a little naive when it comes to the origin of vampires, they are still trying to do the right thing, for the most part. The author throws us quite a twist when it comes to these hunters, which I definitely didn't see coming.

Gabriel is an easy to read, fast paced book. I like this book more than the first one, probably because so many of my questions were answered. I also appreciate the fact the author refined her writing so that the story doesn't feel as rushed anymore. Lovers of paranormal romance will appreciate this one, but make sure to be prepared for a love triangle, strong feelings and complicated characters.

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by Tynga at Monday, March 28, 2016

 angels, Feiwel amp; Friends, love triangle, Macmillan, Nikki Kelly, Paranormal Romance, Purchased, Review, The Styclar Saga, vampires, young adult  Leave your mark

✎

The Single Undead Moms Club by Molly Harper

It's no secret that I absolutely adore everything Molly Harper writes. It probably has a lot to do with her creative wit and her inherent geekiness. There's also the fact that most her her heroines are just your average Jane (mostly--if you ignore the supernatural elements). However, I think what truly captivates readers are the fun and romantic stories that she delivers time and time again.

The heroines Molly Harper creates are always easy to associate with. Despite the fact that I have very little in common with this book's heroine, Libby, I still feel for her as she transitions into a vampire. Unlike her, I might not have in-law problems, child custody problems, PTA problems or blood issues, however, they are realistic enough that I can't help but root for her as she discovers her new self. Libby is a strong woman that has made the ultimate and final choice in order to stay alive and raise her son. It can't be easy suffering from cancer and knowing that you'll leave your son an orphan in just a few short months. I want to say, in her position, I probably would have done the same thing. I'm selfish enough that I would want to survive and not die so young because of bad genetics.

Wade was a nice surprise. He's definitely not the kind of guy you would expect a good PTA single mom to end up with. A Harley riding man full of tattoos isn't the kind of guy anyone expects to end up with. However since his and Libby's son form an inseparable childhood bond, they are forced to be civil, despite their bad initial meeting. I really like the fact that Libby takes it slowly and Wade respects her wishes without having to discuss it. Everything Libby does is in her son's best interest but at some point, I think she realizes she has to live for herself too.

It wouldn't be a real Molly Harper story without someone trying to kill the female lead. And I'm not talking about the racist/vampire hating PTA president who's out to socially destroy Libby. It isn't clear why a man dressed in a black ski mask is trying to kill her, but new vampire luck seems to be on her side every time she encounters her attacker. Luck, and the fact that her more or less absent sire is keeping tabs on her and secretly watching over her.

In the Half Moon Hollow world, vampires have "come out the the coffin" years ago, yet vampires still face prejudice and countless hate crimes. I think one of the books messages is that everyone should be given a chance, and you shouldn't hate someone because of who or what they are. In today's society, we might not be facing vampires, but we will be experiencing an influx of Syrian refugees. We can't judge these people because of their heritage or their religion, simply because it's different from our own. We have to respect them and try to be as accommodating as possible. We can't use fear as motive for hate because that would revert human society back centuries. (And don't twist my words as I compare vampires to refugees! I'm just saying their situations are similar.) Here in Canada, the government has done much to help the new refugees. In the USA, I just hope that when it comes to electing party candidates and a president, Americans will not let fear and hate guide their choices.

Fans of Molly Harper will love this book. Or fans of paranormal romance, for that matter. I've come to expect certain things from Harper yet she always surprises me with new stories and ideas. Libby and Wade make a great couple despite the fact that they're not your typical paranormal romance pair. The PTA and school activities might be new territory for Miss Harper, but her writing is still the same: fun, snarky and outrageous!

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by Tynga at Monday, December 14, 2015

 Chick Lit, Half Moon Hollow, Molly Harper, Paranormal Romance, Pocket, Purchased, Review, Simon amp; Schuster, Vampire  1 Person left their mark

✎

Blood Bath & Beyond by Michelle Rowen

 

I didn’t realize when I picked up this book that it was actually a spin-off from a previous series. It wasn’t until after a few chapters that I realized the characters were too well established for this to be considered a new series. I’m a stickler for reading books in order so I’m usually really careful but I guess I was fooled by the “First in a new series” stamp on the cover of the book. But quite honestly, I don’t think it’s necessary to read the previous books to enjoy this one. The author describes the characters well enough to fill in the blanks, although it does feel like your missing background information from time to time.

It’s quite audacious to set the “first book” in a series in the wonderful city of Las Vegas. Especially when the two main characters are engaged and have no set date to get married. Thierry is a century old vampire that has just taken a job with The Ring, a secret organization policing the vampire population. His job as a consultant isn’t quite clear but it does involve a lot of travelling and investigating vampire related issues. His fiancé Sarah Dearly, the narrator of the book, is definitely ready to spend the rest of her life with Thierry and she proves it by packing a last minute bag to follow him to Las Vegas. She’s ready to do anything for him, even leaving her established life behind in Toronto.

Thierry’s job in Las Vegas is to investigate a 96 year old vampire child who is entering and winning child pageant shows for a living. Because she’s gaining popularity, Thierry’s job is to convince her to stop the pageant shows in order to keep her vampire status from the human population a secret. The job sounds simple enough except when a vampire serial killer starts murdering one human a day, and Thierry is set up to take the fall for the murder of a fellow vampire after threatening him publicly just the night before. Sarah decides to investigate the separate murders secretly and on her own. Even if by investigating the murders means risking her life, she can’t let her fiancé take the fall for something she knows he didn’t do.

Trouble follows Sarah around. Sarah mentions it multiple times herself and it’s actually quite true. As she investigates, so many things go wrong, like the death of one of her suspects, losing her engagement ring and getting told off by a security guard for letting her “vampire child” run off and cause trouble. Las Vegas is known for it’s eccentric people, and Sarah definitely meets her fair share of them. From a preaching vampire Jesus, to a bar full of vampire hunters and a few crazy characters, Sarah’s investigation is non-stop. Personally, I think Sarah proves herself in this book as a great parter for Thierry. She’s determine to make their relationship work and she goes to extremes to fight for their engagement. She also proves to Thierry and herself that despite all the dangers this life may have, she’s able to pull through on her own, even though the odds are set against her.

I've been to Vegas multiple times and although it's not my favourite city, it is a great place to visit and have fun, no matter what you're looking for. [spoiler]So an engaged couple travels to Las Vegas on business. Sure, Las Vegas is known for gambling, shows, nightlife, etc. But obviously it’s also know for weddings (I've actually been to two!). What better place for Sarah and Thierry to tie the knot? I was waiting for this the whole book. I knew it was coming and I don’t know what was more predictable: the fact that they got married, or that the ceremony was performed by an Elvis impersonator.[/spoiler]

Overall I really enjoyed this book. The writing reminds me a lot of Molly Harper, the author of the “Nice Girls” series. The book is filled with hilarious moments and how-did-she-end-up-in-this-jam moments. Honestly, if I were to continue reading this series, I would probably go back to the original series first before continuing with this spin off. I want to go back and read the events that lead to Sarah’s turning and I want to learn how Sarah and Thierry met and fell in love. The good news is that I have lots of books to keep me entertained for a while.

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by Tynga at Monday, November 09, 2015

 Immortality Bites Mystery, Library, Michelle Rowen, Obsidian, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Review, vampires  1 Person left their mark

✎

Breaking Dawn by Stephenie Meyer

Breaking Dawn is one of those books where I really feel like I got my money's worth (and more, honestly), if that makes sense.  It is one long book, but for fans of the Twilight Saga, it might still not be quite enough.

I could talk for days about the plot- there's a LOT there.  Stephenie Meyer probably could have split Breaking Dawn into two or three books, and Twilight fans would have bought them all.  Kudos to Meyer for letting us have it all in one package!  I don't want to spoil anything, though.  I managed to make it through all the original fandom without finding out even a quarter of what happens in this book, and I don't want to ruin it for anyone else out there.  Just know that you will get some of the most romantic romance I've read in a YA book recently, some really intense mind-blowing medical drama, lots of friendship development, and plenty of character growth.  All in one!

I can talk about the intensity of the writing skill in Breaking Dawn without spoilers.  During the romantic scenes, I totally swooned.  Know that I do not swoon easily!  I tend to be more realistic and label romantic scenes as cheesy, but there were some bits early in the book where I was ready to try to marry into the Cullen family!  (Hubby:  not really.  Don't worry.  They're fictional.)  I think what I liked best is that the romantic scenes between characters in this book weren't all about kissing/bedroom eyes:  there was action.  The characters showed affection for each other in very realistic ways, like in spending time with each other, just holding hands, cooking for each other, etc.  The setting didn't hurt either:  I won't tell you where the characters travel to (it was a surprise for a character as much as for me), but I will tell you that Meyer does a fantastic time painting the landscape for the reader.  I had no trouble being transported to that place with those characters.  On the flip side, the descriptions were just as vivid during intense medical drama and fights-I got pretty nervous during a few of the scenes and had to take a moment to think about baby pandas instead.  Oh my!

I can also talk about character growth without any plot spoilers.  Remember how I called Bella a "dramarama mama" in my review of Eclipse?  She definitely shows the most growth in Breaking Dawn.  In just one book, she takes on multiple new responsibilities, all without complaint.  We see her transition from an unsure, clumsy high schooler to a conscientious young adult.  She's not the only one, either:  Jacob, I feel, also shows quite a bit of growth throughout this book as he also takes on some new responsibilities.  And finally, we can also look at the big picture and see growth in the relationships between supernatural groups, such as between the La Push werewolves and the Cullen vampires.  (There's more than just that, but that would be spoilery.  Teaser!)

Meyer does something cool with point of view in Breaking Dawn.  At the end of Eclipse, there's an epilogue from Jacob's point of view.  In Breaking Dawn, there's an entire chunk of the book from his point of view.  That was pretty cool.  While Bella isn't a vampire, she's very tied up in the Cullens and their lifestyle, and not the most objective observer.  I liked getting to see the Cullens from a slightly more critical eye.  And we all already know that I've been Team Jacob.  ;)

Don't think that Breaking Dawn is all lovey dovey hand-holding and character growth:  there's also a definite conflict.  That should probably be Conflict with a capital "c," really.  It's like all the other books' conflicts were piddly little set-ups compared to what's building in Forks, WA in Breaking Dawn!  This is hard to talk about without spoilers.  Just trust me that you will not be disappointed!

I listened to about half (the first half) on CD in my car, then finished it up in a physical book.  Nothing wrong with the narration; I just had more listening to do than I had time, and I can read slightly faster than I can listen.  The same narrator reads for the Bella parts in Breaking Dawn, and a new reader is introduced for the Jacob parts.  We already know that I think the Bella narrator is great; the Jacob narrator was ok.  He read clearly and with a good cadence, but his voice when he was reading quotes from Bella or Edward got a bit goofy.  Oh well.  I'd still call it a good audiobook overall.

This series definitely ends on a crowd-pleasing bang!  For fans of the first three Twilight books, I'd say that Breaking Dawn is an absolute must.

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by Tynga at Thursday, October 01, 2015

 Brown Books for Young Readers, Library, Listening Library, Little, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Review, Stephenie Meyer, Twilight Saga, vampires, werewolves, young adult, Zombie  4 People left their mark

✎

Eclipse by Stephenie Meyer

Bella is a DRAMARAMA MAMA in this third installment in the Twilight saga!  There's a mysterious string of murders in nearby Seattle, evil vampire Victoria is still after Bella, someone broke into Charlie's house... and all Bella does is agonize over Team Jacob vs Team Edward, and after-graduation plans.  She pushes Jacob away and then wants him back (on her terms)... then pushes him away, then wants him back.  Edward, lucky guy, gets to ride that emotional roller coaster by her side.

I was pretty optimistic about the first two books in this saga.  They were much better than I expected, and I chose Team Jacob.  Eclipse, however, seems to live up to the more negative reviews of the saga.  It's a bummer.  I was so hopeful!

The first 3/4 of the book is Bella's senior year.  She spends the year worrying about how soon she can let Edward make her immortal, and whining about his conditions.  (He is completely unreasonable.  He insists that she seriously consider the fact that she'll no longer be human, and to enjoy her last months as a human.  He also insists that they get married before they sleep before, and before he turns her into a vampire.  And that he gets to buy her a new, more reliable car.  He's obviously insane.)  She also spends time alternating between wanting Jacob to be her best friend, and wanting to never see him again.

If you're really into drama-filled romance, you'll probably enjoy the first half of the book.  Edward continues to be perfect, always-forgiving, and to make grand romantic gestures.  Jacob continues to try to court Bella too.  So she's getting lots of positive attention.

For me, the action really picked up in the last quarter of the book or so.  Things come to a head with the evil vampires in Seattle, and the Cullen family has to make some unusual alliances to fight them off.  The Cullens and Bella work together, using all their extra abilities, to plan a great counter-offensive when they hear that the other vampires are coming to the Forks area.  And then the battle itself!  Exciting!  It's fast-paced and unpredictable.  It had me on the metaphorical edge of my seat until the end.  (Remember, even though the saga is old, I managed to avoid nearly all spoilers.)

Like with the first two books, I listened to Eclipse as an audiobook.  It was good!  Same reader, so same good cadence and clear narration.

P.S. (Still Team Jacob at the end of Eclipse.)

P.P.S. Already began reading Breaking Dawn today.  Gotta see how the story ends!

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by Tynga at Thursday, September 24, 2015

 Girls amp; Women, Library, Listening Library, Paranormal Romance, Review, Romance, Stephenie Meyer, Twilight Saga, vampires, werewolves, young adult  6 People left their mark

✎

Bite Me, Your Grace by Brooklyn Ann

At first, this book reads like your typical historical romance but the author, Brooklyn Ann, intelligently included vampires in her story. I usually love reading these two genre separately, but together they form the ultimate guilty pleasure. What's more, is that the author created wonderful and smart characters to tell the story and I especially loved the gutsy and eccentric heroine, Angelica Winthrop.

Fascinated by Gothic tales and literature, Angelica Winthrop hopes to become the next great authoress. However, limited by her sex, she vows to try everything in order to get published. Including visiting the Duke of Burnrath's mansion, which is presumed haunted. But when things go wrong and Angelica is found by the Duke, Ian Ashton himself, Angelica and Ian become prime gossip material because of their unseemly encounter which a servant became aware of. Gossip by the haute ton is the worse kind of attention one can get, especially when you're a vampire trying to hide in the middle of high society. Ian Ashton has always been careful, but there's just something about Angelica that makes getting exposed worth it. Ian figures that the only way out of the unwanted situation is to propose and marry Angelica. However, Angelica has other plans since she doesn't want to get married.

I love the way Angelica and Ian interact with one another. Their romantic story may have been predictable at times, but it was still highly entertaining to listen to their banter and to see them fall in love. As an early feminist, Angelica is the type of 19th century woman I admire, but in hindsight, probably never existed. Her stance on woman's rights is very progressive (maybe a little bit too progressive for that time) but I still love how the author created such a wonderful and strong leading lady. Ian is pretty great too and his vampire status is definitely an advantage. I don't know if I would have liked him as much if he weren't a vampire because otherwise, I fear he would have been a little bit too boring.

I thought it was pretty great that the author named quite a few real historical figures. Angelica is a great admirer of Mary Shelley and even though I'm not a really big fan of Frankenstein, I can see how Angelica might be fascinated by her and her writing. Along with Mary Shelley, Percy Shelley, Lord Byron and John Polidori are also mentioned. The later actually has a pretty important role in the novel and despite the fact that the other three are never actually present in the story, they have a major influence on some of the characters.

Bite Me, Your Grace reads like your typical historical romance novel but the paranormal elements makes it original and a lot more interesting. This fusion of genre was a definite success and I'm definitely checking out the rest of the series.

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by Tynga at Monday, August 17, 2015

 Brooklyn Ann, Historical Romance, Inc., Library, Paranormal Romance, Review, Scandals with Bite, Sourcebooks, vampires  4 People left their mark

✎

Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews

Kate really has a way of finding her way into the worst situations possible and this fifth installment is no exception. Mysteries are even harder to solve now that she can't fling her Order's badge in everyone's face and require answers, but hey, things you have to do to be 'His Furriness' mate. I loved everything about this novel and I'll try to break it down for you!

First and most important, even though Kate and Curran are now in a 'stable' relationship it would be easy to fall into some kind of old married couple routine, but thankfully it's not the case. They still banter, they still fight, Kate is still insecure, and Curran is still a jealous, control freak. Interactions between those two still generate sparkles, for everyone's enjoyment.

Example:

“Curran roared. The blast of noise erupting from his mouth was like thunder. I clenched up, fighting the urge to step back.

“Yes I can,” he snarled. “Listen: this is me telling you what you will not do.”

I raised the cookbook and tapped him on the nose. Bad cat.”

Of course, the dialogues between those two aren't the only interesting ones, Kate is just full of those 'making me laugh alone like a loony' kind of lines and I appreciate her dry humor. The characters we came to know across the whole series will get together in this installment to fight a common enemy and it was truly engaging. I loved how the Andrews pair managed to get all the magical 'classes' to work together toward a common goal, each bringing their own set of skills to the table.

The plot was really great and the bad guys turned out to be very surprising. The only thing that still don't make sense even after I finished the book is why the navigators fainted? Maybe I missed something?

Everything isn't fun, games and war though. Kate has to face a very very difficult situation when a loved one is in life or death situation and it really broke my heart along side hers. I admired her resourcefulness and determination to find a solution despite how impossible it seemed. The solution she comes up with isn't perfect, but she makes the best with what she has and it'll have to be enough.

I can't wait to see the consequences of all the magical beings working together and see how Kate & Curran's relationship keeps evolving.

This series is truly amazing, and if you have not picked it up yet I must urge you to do so. Fans of Patricia Briggs will be sure to fall in love again!

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by Tynga at Friday, August 07, 2015

 Fantasy amp; Magic, Ilona Andrews, Kate Daniels, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, shapeshifters, Urban Fantasy, vampires  1 Person left their mark

✎

Her Dark Angel by Felicity Heaton

Honestly, as far as free e-books go, this one is good and steamy! I enjoyed it so much, I immediately purchased the next book of the series. I usually don't like novella length stories because I feel like I get cheated from long character development and back story. In this case, I simply went along for the ride and enjoyed the good paranormal romance that it is.

The hero and dark angel of this story is Apollyon and he is summoned by a witch in modern Paris. This witch, Serenity, inadvertently calls Apollyon to help her get her revenge on her ex, Edward , who cheated on her and broke her heart. Serenity's mother always told her to beware of angels, especially this one who is also known as Abaddon, the Great Destroyer. So when she first sees Apollyon, with his strong armor and majestic wings, she more or less freaks. Eventually, they gain each other's trust and begin to plan Serenity's revenge.

All Serenity wanted was to make Edward jealous. She never planned to fall for her guardian angel, although, with his incredible physique, it's kind of hard not too be attracted. More than lust develops between the two, but Serenity doubts strongly a future with Apollyon is possible, so she hides her true feelings. I loved the interactions between the two main characters. I wish we could have had more development and action, and as a whole, I was a little disappointed with the climax of the story (no pun intended). Actually, there's a lot of romance/love scenes in this story, quite a bit for a book this length. And they're very steamy! They're also very detailed but written in a classy way.

Overall,  I thought Her Dark Angel was a really good paranormal romance short, and I can't wait to meet more angels in the rest of the series. It's ebooks like these that allow you to simply get lost in a good romance with lovable characters. Her Dark Angel was a quick and easy read that was enjoyable despite its short length.

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I'm new to this series, so I was only able to provide you with a review of the first book, but the latest book in the series, was just a released a few short days ago.

Her Sinful Angel, book eight in New York Times best-seller Felicity Heaton’s hot paranormal romance series, Her Angel, was released August 1, 2015 and is now available in ebook and paperback. To celebrate the release, she’s holding a FANTASTIC GIVEAWAY on her website.

Find out how to enter the Her Sinful Angel international giveaway (ends August 9th) and have a shot at winning a $75, $50 or $25 gift certificate on her website, where you can also download a 5 chapter sample of the novel. 

Here's more about Her Sinful Angel:

Cast out of Heaven and now the king of Hell, Lucifer is a powerful fallen angel warrior with a heart as cold as ice and soul as black as the bottomless pit. For millennia, he has ruled his realm with an iron fist as he plots the demise of his ancient enemies. When one of those enemies dumps an unconscious mortal female in the courtyard of his fortress and leaves her there, Lucifer finds himself entranced by the beguiling beauty and tempted beyond all reason. But is the enchanting Nina an innocent pawn in the eternal game or part of a plot against him?

Tynga's Reviews is also hosting a giveaway for a copy of one book of the series. You can already grab book 1 for free at most major retailers so if you get hooked the first book like I did, now is your chance to win a copy of one the other "sinful" angels.

Read an excerpt

Purchase: Amazon

Felicity Heaton is also giving away one (1) ebook from this series to a reader from Tynga's Reviews. Winner gets to choose which book.

Open internationally

Ends August 9, 2015

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the Author

Felicity Heaton is a New York Times and USA Today international best-selling author writing passionate paranormal romance books. In her books, she creates detailed worlds, twisting plots, mind-blowing action, intense emotion and heart-stopping romances with leading men that vary from dark deadly vampires to sexy shape-shifters and wicked werewolves, to sinful angels and hot demons! If you're a fan of paranormal romance authors Lara Adrian, J R Ward, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Gena Showalter and Christine Feehan then you will enjoy her books too.

If you love your angels a little dark and wicked, the best-selling Her Angel series is for you. If you like strong, powerful, and dark vampires then try the Vampires Realm series or any of her stand-alone vampire romance books. If you’re looking for vampire romances that are sinful, passionate and erotic then try the best-selling Vampire Erotic Theatre series. Or if you prefer huge detailed worlds filled with hot-blooded alpha males in every species, from elves to demons to dragons to shifters and angels, then take a look at the new Her Angel series.

Website │ Blog │ Facebook │ Twitter │ Goodreads

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by Tynga at Monday, August 03, 2015

 angels, blog tour, Dark Rose Publishing, Felicity Heaton, Free, giveaway, Her Angel, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Review, Romance, Witch  4 People left their mark

✎

My Sunny Vampire by Stacy McKitrick

Since I've been travelling for the last couple of weeks, I needed a fun and easy read on my kindle and this is the book that I came upon. It was exactly what I was looking for and I'm glad to have met these vampires.

Jack and Sunshine are the main focus of this book and we first meet them in a alley where Jack is waking up and can't remember how he got there. What's more, he can't remember anything about the lovely young woman next to him who is in the midst of becoming a vampire. Since she looks like his late wife, he questions whether he's the one that turned her, but since it's illegal to turn someone into a vampire without their consent and the permission of the Committee, he really wishes he could remember what happened the night before.

Sunshine wakes up in the midst of becoming a vampire with no recollection of how she got there either. As she slowly comes to terms with her new status, she is also learning how to control her vampire powers and how to survive in this new world. Her transition isn't made easy as Jack tries his best to help her but can't seem to find the right way to explain everything. Their instant sexual attraction doesn't make things easy since it makes Jack forget to tell her a few (important) things.

Their burgeoning relationship is fun to read, if not a little bit unrealistic, since everything seems to happen really fast. You don't tell a guy or a girl that you love them after less than one week of meeting them! But for the sake of fiction, if you go along with it, Sunshine and Jack are a fun couple to read about. As they investigate their loss in memory that fateful night, secrets begin to unravel and Sunshine doesn't know if she should trust Jack anymore.

In this book, Stacy McKitrick hasn't reinvented vampires but she has put her own spin on vampire hierarchy. The Committee, the body of vampire that govern vampires and sets up rules, really makes sense. Honestly, their rules are realistic, such as a mortal can not be changed without his or her consent and the mortal needs to be educated prior to the change. What makes this book interesting is the fact Jack actually works for the Committee as a judge of sorts. Not having any recollection of the night Sunshine was turned really bothers him because he has no clue whether he changed her illegally or if he was set up to be punished by his own Committee.

Overall, My Sunny Vampire is a fun and fast read. Honestly, there's nothing exceptional about the book but it did keep me entertained with its fun and steamy scenes. The fun characters really do make this book interesting and if you're in the mood for an amusing paranormal romance, this book might be a good pick.

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by Tynga at Monday, July 27, 2015

 Bitten by Love, Lyrical Press, Paranormal Romance, Review, Romance, Stacy McKitrick, Vampire  1 Person left their mark

✎

New Moon by Stephenie Meyer

Just a heads up, in case you've been locked in a bunker for the last decade:  New Moon is the second book in the Twilight Saga.  So if you haven't read Twilight, you might want to check out that review first.

As I mentioned in that review, I'm reading these fresh.  I never read them during the big hype about 10 years ago.  In fact, I'm a little afraid to admit this, but I was a Twilight teaser.  I teased folks who read and loved it.  :(  I'm so sorry!  Now I'm reading them and I get it.

The writing isn't bad at all!  In fact, it's pretty good.  And the pacing feels right also.  Yes, there is teen angst.  And yes, there are moments when you want to reach into the book and give Bella a good shake and make her reconsider her life choices.  But overall, it's not too shabby.  And it's hard for the library employee in me to "put down" any book that gets folks reading.

While Twilight focused nearly entirely on developing Bella's character and her relationship with Edward, New Moon focuses more on Bella and her friendship with Jacob.  And I LOVED that!  Even in Twilight, when Bella was dating Edward, I was wanting more Jacob.  From that first party on the beach, he just seemed so sweet.  I'm not that old, and I can remember being a teen and wanting to do nothing but be with the boyfriend.  Now that I'm (supposedly) an adult, I recognize the value of balancing time at work with time with the hubby and time with friends, but teens are so very in-the-moment.  They often get caught up in these 20 minutes or so, and don't always think about the big picture.  In this way, Stephenie Meyer created such a believable character in Bella.  She makes some highly questionable decisions, but she's so genuine about it.  She so often thinks she's doing the right thing... even when she isn't.

I loved seeing her friendship with Jacob develop.  And I loved the slight "mystery" surrounding Jacob in the second half of the book or so.  No spoilers, so I can't even tell you what is mysterious about Jacob!  Somehow I managed to never hear about the spoiler during the hype.  (Lucky stars, I guess!)  I totally figured it out before Bella, but I think that's because I knew what kind of genre this book fit in.  And I was enjoying the unfolding of their friendship so much that I didn't even care that I was faster on the uptake than Bella!

Part of the appeal of these books has been the audiobook narration.  Ilyana Kadushin is fantastic!  I think these are the first books I've heard read by her, and I hope the next two are read by her too.  She gives Bella a very authentic voice, has clear and steady speech, good pacing, and fantastic enunciation.

And for those of you out there curious:  at the end of New Moon, I'm Team Jacob.  That could change after Eclipse, but for now that's where I stand.



P.S. I feel a little silly asking this, but can anyone explain the titles to me?  I thought I might have just missed something with Twilight, but then New Moon was never clearly explained.  Perhaps to do with Jacob's situation?  But then what does "twilight" reference?  I hate feeling left out of the loop!

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by Tynga at Thursday, July 23, 2015

 Library, Listening Library, Paranormal Romance, Review, Stephenie Meyer, Twilight Saga, vampires  7 People left their mark

✎

Affliction by Laurell K. Hamilton

However unsatisfied I am with this series, I think I will always keep coming back for more out of sheer curiosity. The Anita Blake early days were great. You knew what she was all about: fighting supernatural bad guys, using a lot of guns, and sometimes using a little bit of supernatural powers to save the day. Then came the sex and the ardeur, and that was fine, until it simplybecame too much. The most recent books feel like it's all about Anita's polyamorous relationships, no matter what bad guys seem to be hunting down innocents.

At least Affliction does have some decent fight scenes and police work. There isn't even a sex scene until a good couple hundred pages. However, there's a lot of talk about Anita's sex life and her numerous (20+!) sweeties. The repetition and the explanations are getting old and frankly you can almost guess who she'll sleep with next and how the book will end.

One aspect of the book that's new is that we travel to Micah's hometown. As one of Anita's main sweeties, I think it was about time that we learnt more about the wereleopard king. I enjoyed meeting Micah's family, and getting more information about his back story. He's always been a little bit of a mystery, even thought he's been in Anita's life for quite some time. It's sad that we only get to meet his family now, under bad circumstances, as his father lays dying in a hospital bed. And because they aren't exactly sure what supernatural force is killing him, Anita feels it's her duty to investigate and find out exactly what is making bite victims like Micah's father, rot from the inside out.

For me, this series has always been a guilty pleasure and I'm not ready to give up on it yet. Most characters are pretty great and I love reading about them. Despite the book being 500+ pages, it feels like not very much happened. A lot of it is filler, descriptions of all the pretty men in Anita's life, about who works out the most in the gym and whom can outfight or outgun whom. There's also a lot of law enforcement posturing and Anita refuting her "reputation" for being a bad ass executioner and a polyamorous lover. I'm going to cut this review short because ultimately, whether you read this book or not, nothing much in the Anita-verse will have changed. Read at your own risk!

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by Tynga at Monday, July 13, 2015

 Anita Blake Vampire Hunter, Berkley, Laurell K. Hamilton, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, shapeshifters, vampires, Zombies  4 People left their mark

✎

Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole

What could be worst than seeing your soul-mate die in your arms again and again? It's the hand Regin The Radiant was dealt when she fell for mortal Aidan the Fierce. She wasn't quite in love yet, but cared deeply for him, and after a night a weakness, when he claimed her in passion, he died in her arms, killed by a dreadful vampire. He loved her body and soul, and swore he'd come back to her. And he did, only to die in a similar fashion every time. Regin is now determined to stay away from her dear Aidan because she can't handle the pain anymore. This reincarnation of Aidan have very different plans for her though...

Another awesome installment in the Immortals After Dark series! Kresley has never been wrong for me with her adult titles (surprisingly I don't really like her YA), and Dreams of a Dark Warrior was another success. This title was a bit different because the hero is actually a bad guy. And I mean, a REALLY bad guy. He is a leader in an organization bound to destroy all Lorekind, and when he captures Regin, it's not to sweet talk her into bed. He does (or commands) unspeakable things to all paranormals, and Regin was no exception. I liked how believable his journey was, and if I had been in the place of Regin I would've told him too little, too late dude! But I guess that Valkyrie is more forgiving than I lol. I actually pitied him in the end, and he worked really hard to earn redemption, so I must give him credit for that.

Regin was radiant *snickers* no seriously, the girl was really shining through with her spunky personality. I loved that she was determined to do the right thing, even if Aidan (named Chase in this reincarnation) was awful. I loved how she kept her head held high in even the worst situation, and has a fierce desire to protect her loved ones. Her interaction with her roommates was fun and endearing and her respect for her berserk ally was commendable.

The plot all takes place in the same location and it's quite a feat to keep things interesting in such a limited location. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, wondering when Chase would give in and remember Regin, or if she would give up and sacrifice him yet another time. The tension between them was excruciating, and that's without mentioning the unbearable sexual electricity. I was wondering when they would jump each others' bones.

One of the aspect I like about Kresley's book is that the time lines on each novel overlap. This story takes place in the same time frame as Demon From the Dark and Pleasure of a Dark Prince. Since Lothaire played a big role in the novel, I am guessing "Lothaire" - the novel, will overlap some as well. I think it keeps things interesting and it's refreshing because it's different from any other series I've read.

Dreams of a Dark Warrior was a very satisfying read, and if you haven't started this series yet, I must ask you, What are you waiting for???

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by Tynga at Friday, July 03, 2015

 Immortals After Dark, Kresley Cole, Paranormal, Paranormal Romance, Publisher, Review, Romance, Simon and Schuster, Valkyrie  4 People left their mark

✎

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

Wow, this book was simply purrrfect, I wouldn't change a thing! Seriously, when all is said and done, this book left me completely satisfied, and I don't think the story could've been any different. And it's a game changer too! I think from now on I'll have to think of this series as before and after Magic Bleeds, I swear!

The book starts with Kate in lingerie, cooking dinner for Curran because of her lost bet. And the dude stands. her. up. WTF??? Yes , yes, Kate should've destroyed everything on her way to smack Curran but she's grown a lot in the past books and decided to do the mature thing... give him the silent treatment. It all sets the table for the action, and romantic drama to come.

I really liked the different story arcs for this novel. Kate is investigating a deity spreading different plagues in town and she has to bank on all her resources to solve the mystery. Of course, she needed her go-to-guy Saiman, who can't be nice to the sake of being nice. And that's how Kate finds herself at yet another date with him that will put her in trouble. I'm not quite sure how I feel about Saiman, he is kind of pathetic if I am being honest, but he has a quirky side I kind of like. And could the guy be anymore oblivious? When the Beast Lord stares you down, it's time to bow and back out quietly! But I am loosing track.. the deity!... So I really liked the chase for clues, and who the bad guy turned out to be in the end. It is really promising for the big smack down against Roland!

Kate's allegiances will also be challenged in this novel. Who can she turn too when her boss backstabs her,  Saiman only wants her in his bed, Vampires, who would trust them anyway?? and your furry friends turn berzek when facing your foe. She could only count on herself, and her attack poodle, and she had to take some very difficult decisions and I command her for making the best of a terrible situation.

My favorite aspect is of course the romance between Kate and Curran. They FINALLY get physical in this book, and let's just say it's not your typical 'let's get laid'. Nothing's typical about these two anyway, so no surprise there. Despite their shortcomings they supported each other in this novel like never before and i LOVED it. The almost-end really broke my heart and I wanted to cuddle Kate and tell her everything would be ok, even though she'd never let me. She stayed strong in adversity and I was so damn proud of her!

Things have changed, C & K can't never go back and I can't wait to see how their relationship will evolve from here. If you haven't read this series yet, I seriously urge you to do so. One of the best urban fantasy series out there, I promise you!

My favorite quote, It's kind of a spoiler, so beware:

“I surveyed the rest of the Council and looked directly at Mahon. “Some of you know me. Some of you have seen me fight and some of you are my friends. Have your vote. But know this: if you come to remove me, come in force, because if you try to separate me from him, I will kill every single one of you. My hand won't shake. My aim won't falter. My face will be the last thing you‟ll see before you die.”

I jammed the knife into the table and walked out.”

Read an excerpt

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by Tynga at Friday, June 26, 2015

 Adult, Ilona Andrews, Kate Daniels, Magic, Paranormal Romance, Penguin, Purchased, Review, Shapeshifter, Urban Fantasy  8 People left their mark

✎

Twilight by Stephenie Meyer

Yes:  I'm reviewing that Twilight.  This was my first time reading it, and I feel like I can be a little more objective than I would have been if I read it in 2005 when it was first released, or in 2008 when it became a movie.  I was actually surprised at my reaction:  I thought it wasn't bad.  In fact, I downright enjoyed the first half of the book!  The writing was pretty good, the setting felt quite real, and I kind of liked the main character, Bella.

The book opens with Bella en route to live with her dad in a very small town in Washington.  She's lived a big majority of her life with her mom in Phoenix, but because of circumstances with her mom and her new husband, Bella moves to Washington just before the start of her junior year of high school.  Just like any teen undergoing a major change halfway through high school, she's nervous and has to figure out where she fits in the new school's social setting.  Teens aren't the only ones who will identify with the situation; adults will read about Bella's growth and remember their own first days of high school.  And is it really any different of a feeling when you start a new job?  The same questions unite us all:  will we "fit in?"  Will we make friends?

Bella is also dealing with a new climate.  At one point she tells another character that her favorite color is brown, because "brown is warm."  The reader knows that she's reflecting on the lack of green in Arizona's dry, warm climate.  Bella is struck over and over again with all the green and all the rain in Washington.  Stephenie Meyer doesn't beat the reader over the head with descriptions of setting, but she does pepper it into the storyline enough to really transport us to the wet northwest.  And no spoilers (can there really be anyone out there still to spoil this for?) but the setting ends up being pretty important to a few of the characters; this is a story that could not have taken place elsewhere.

I also spent the first part of the book really feeling like Bella was a well-developed character.  The book is entirely from her POV, so we know all of her hopes and fears.  She's a pretty average teen with slightly higher-than-normal klutziness.

Then, about halfway through the book, my opinions took a sharp right turn.  I'm trying to avoid spoilers, even though this is a well-known plot.... there's a relationship that develops halfway through the book, and it really tainted my opinions.  The writing continues to be pretty strong, but the relationship made me very, very worried for any young female readers.  Bella falls for a character with a very large chronological age difference.  While a person of a certain fantastic race may appear to be a teen for dozens and dozens of years, they would have the maturity and life experience of someone much, much older than a teen.  To my grown-up eyes, it appeared to be an older adult preying upon a teen.  Also, the relationship progressed really quickly.  Again, as a grown-up, I was downright scared for the character.  But I tried to remind myself that it was fiction, and that it involved vampires, so hopefully teens aren't actually taking romantic cues from it.  Hopefully.

My final little quibble was that there was very little action until CD 10 (out of 11 CDs).  I was enjoying the setting and character development, though, so the lack of major action until later was ok with me.  A reluctant reader, however, might give up before then.

So I guess we'll say that I had mixed feelings.  I enjoyed it way more than I expected to, and will probably read the sequels.  But on the other hand, some of the romance scared me a little, since the main character is just a teen.  Oh, and I listened to this on CD and the narration is absolutely perfect.  Not too fast, not too slow, nice and clear enunciation.  The whole thick book fit on just 11 CDs.  I didn't look at a physical copy; I suppose it could have a larger typeface.  I could see myself potentially selectively recommending this.

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by Tynga at Thursday, June 11, 2015

 Library, Listening Library, Paranormal Romance, Review, Stephenie Meyer, Twilight, vampires, YA, young adult  4 People left their mark

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Awoken by Sarah Noffke

What if lucid dreams were more than just dreams?  What if some part of ourselves actually went out into the world and experienced our dreams not as if they were reality but, in reality?  That is the world Roya Stark has found herself to be inhabiting.    Not only does Roya have to deal with learning the ins and outs of her abilities and this new subculture they bring with them, but, she also has the  hardship of feeling out of place in her own family.  As an added bonus, she's navigating the murky waters of the 'teen years', a stage when even the best circumstances can be trying and confusing. We get to see Roya at the genesis of her transformations from misunderstood youth to one who wields remarkable  power. There are many parts that could be a day in the life of any ordinary teenager.   This does a lot to make Roya both believable and relatable.  While a relatable character adds to a story, predictable characters  can dull a well developed  character.  Sarah Noffke gets a bit too close  to the predictable at times.  Roya stays true to her character with her actions enough to make it forgivable.  There are other characters in the book  but, none are as well developed as our main character. With the rare exception, most of the others behave almost like set pieces in that, they don't do much beyond their function in the plot.  I don't want to give too much away but, I will say that some of these functionaries become more like real people.   The timing does get the reader ready for the next book in the series.

Some may see many parallels to other more popular books series.  I admit, I had some concern in the beginning but, Awoken diverges from the more commonly used story lines.  The pacing of the story itself is not too bad.  There are some areas where it took me a minute to  discern between flashback and the present.  Much of the back story is handled either through flash back or description.   I really like the way the author does tend to show more than tell so, journeys into the past don't bog down the story.  I only wish there was a bit more texture to some of the scenes.  If the author can make me feel the scene or situation by describing the scene or actions, it helps me get lost in that world.  I chalk that up to personal preference.

It's all in all an entertaining book with a unique take on a seldom used trope.  I like the way  Sarah Noffke handled the complex interactions among the characters.  Though some of the story may ring familiar, it is a story of its own.  This book is a moderate PG13.  I would not hesitate recommend this to a mature teen.

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by Tynga at Wednesday, May 27, 2015

 Amazon Publishing, Paranormal Romance, Purchased, Review, Sarah Noffke, The Lucidites  Leave your mark

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