Review: Cursed by S.J. Harper

Title: Cursed (Fallen Siren #1)

Author: S.J. Harper
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Roc
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Purchased

Emma Monroe is a Siren, cursed by the gods and bound to earth to atone for an ancient failure. She’s had many names and many lives, but only one mission: redemption. Now that she works missing persons cases for the FBI, it could be just a rescue away. Unless her new partner leads her astray.

Special Agent Zack Armstrong just transferred into the San Diego Field Office. He’s a werewolf, doing his best to beat back the demons from his dark and dangerous past. As a former Black Ops sniper, he’s taken enough lives. Now he’s doing penance by saving them.

Emma and Zack’s very first case draws them deep into the realm of the paranormal, and forces them to use their own supernatural abilities. But that leaves each of them vulnerable, and there are lines partners should not cross. As secrets are revealed and more women go missing, one thing becomes clear: as they race to save the victims, Emma and Zack risk losing themselves.

Cursed is the first novel in a new series but authors Samantha Sommbersby and Jeanne Stein. I stumbled upon this book last summer when I made an impromptu trip to Mysterious Galaxy in Redondo Beach and found myself just in time for a Q&A and signing by the authors. After reading the book's synopsis, I decided that it was intriguing enough to warrant staying for the presentation and the subsequent signing.

I was immediately drawn to Emma, a Siren who has been punished by Demeter to spend all her days on earth without love until she can prove that she has atoned for her sins. She works as a detective in the missing persons division, giving a voice to those without one. I really liked Emma. She's tough, smart and determined without being a cliche. I empathized with her and felt the unfairness of her situation. 

Zack Armstrong is the resident werewolf in the story and he's got all of the good alpha male traits - confidence, intelligence, passion, and he's easy on the eyes. He and Emma had good chemistry and I liked that they had a bit of a past. Like Emma, Zack is also trying to atone for his past by finding out what's happening to these missing persons. 

The mystery was interesting and kept me guessing throughout. There is some hinting at a possible love triangle in the future, which I am not sure how I feel about. As a rule I am not a big fan of love triangles but this one hasn't even come to fruition yet so I'll reserve my judgement for a later date. 

Overall I think this is a solid start to a new urban fantasy series. It has a few steamy bits to keep it interesting and I enjoyed the police procedural format. While it's not groundbreaking, it's certainly enjoyable and has the potential to get even better as the series goes on. This is my first book but either author but it won't be my last. I am looking forward to catching up with Zack and Emma in book 2 of the series, Reckoning, which comes out later this fall. 

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Visit the author online at sjharper.me, and follow Jeanne on Twitter @JeanneCStein and Sam on Twitter @samsommersby.

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Review: Dead Ever After by Charlaine Harris

Title: Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13)

Author: Charlaine Harris
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Ace
Genre: Adult Urban Fantasy
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Library

There are secrets in the town of Bon Temps, ones that threaten those closest to Sookie—and could destroy her heart...

Sookie Stackhouse finds it easy to turn down the request of former barmaid Arlene when she wants her job back at Merlotte’s. After all, Arlene tried to have Sookie killed. But her relationship with Eric Northman is not so clearcut. He and his vampires are keeping their distance…and a cold silence. And when Sookie learns the reason why, she is devastated.

Then a shocking murder rocks Bon Temps, and Sookie is arrested for the crime.

But the evidence against Sookie is weak, and she makes bail. Investigating the killing, she’ll learn that what passes for truth in Bon Temps is only a convenient lie. What passes for justice is more spilled blood. And what passes for love is never enough.

Dead Ever After is the final installment of the long running Sookie Stackhouse series. This series has been steadily going downhill for me for a while now but I knew that I wanted to finish it and get some closure. After the previous book, I didn't have very high expectations for this one.

After 13 books, Harris definitely had her work cut out for her. There were a lot of loose ends to figure out and you can never really please everyone with a series as popular as this. I expected Sookie to go out with a bang, but the ending surprised me .

The book starts when a body is found behind Merlotte's.  The body conveniently has a piece of Sookie's clothing on it and she becomes the number one suspect. Harris goes back into familiar territory here as Sookie tries to unravel the mystery, while trying to stay alive. A lot of characters pop up in this book. While some of them do add to the plot, I can't help but feel that some of them are there just to make a goodbye appearance.

Of course, the big question is - which guy does Sookie end up with? Without spoiling it I have to say that I am not surprised by the outcome. Harris has been hinting in the last few books which way this might go. I think a lot of fans might be disappointed but I didn't have a strong feeling about it. In many ways I think she ended up with the right person but I also would have been OK had it gone in another direction. I guess I just didn't have that much invested in Sookie's romantic life anymore.

While I was expecting some kind of epic ending for the series with revelations and battles galore, what I got was just another Sookie book. There were more guest appearances than usual by characters I imagine Harris wanted to say goodbye to but didn't have much bearing on the plot. Harris does wrap up the major plot points. For the most part though, it really didn't feel like an ending, but just another crazy day in Bon Temps. While I was a bit underwhelmed by the whole thing, I wasn't particularly upset about the ending. Would I have liked to have seen some things resolved differently? Sure, but this is Harris's baby, this is how she wanted to end it.

Even though I wasn't a huge fan of the last few books, I will always think of this series fondly, and am interested to see what Harris will do next.

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Visit the author online at www.charlaineharris.com and follow her blog.


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Review: Tiger Magic by Jennifer Ashley

Title: Tiger Magic (Shifters Unbound #3)

Author: Jennifer Ashley
Publication Date: June 4, 2013
Publisher: Berkley
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Find It: Goodreads, Amazon, B&N, Book Depository
Source: Purchased

He was once a captive, but his urges were never caged. Now he’ll release them on a beautiful stranger whose own secret desires are longing to be sated…

He doesn’t have a name. He doesn’t have a clan. The humans who held him prisoner for forty years have taken them away. He knew nothing but captivity until nearly a year ago, when he was released into the light. Now Tiger lives in the Austin Shiftertown, where he struggles to belong and searches for an identity.

Carly Randal thinks her fabulous life is complete—until her car breaks down on the side of the road, and a wild-looking Shifter is the only one to help her. Tiger takes one look at Carly and knows instantly—she will be his mate. As Carly is drawn into his Shifter world, she risks everything she has for that forbidden something she still wants: passionate love.

With the introduction of Tiger in Tiger Magic, Jennifer Ashley veers slightly in a new direction with her Shifters Unbound series.  Though I haven't always read all of the books in this series in the correct order, if you want to know more about Shifters Unbound, I would begin with Pride Mates (Shifters Unbound #1).  Additionally, though you can read Tiger Magic without reading Mate Claimed (Shifters Unbound #4), readers who would like more of Tiger's backstory might want to add that one to their list as well.

In Tiger Magic, Ashley's main character is a tiger shifter named Tiger for his obvious similarities to his animal self.  Unlike the other shifters, Tiger was created and not born from parents who were shifters.  His abilities are significantly different than other shifters and he is considerably more unpredictable and, in some ways, wilder.  This makes other shifters uncomfortable around Tiger.

The story begins with Carly Randal, on the side of the road with a car that has broken down.  Tiger senses an immediate connection or bond and believes her to be his mate.  He approaches her and helps get her car working again.  Shortly after this the fun begins.  Carly is engaged to an arrogant and very rich man, who she discovers having an affair in their kitchen. When Tiger goes into protector mode, he nearly gets killed and winds up in the hospital, where it turns out that Carly is one of the only ones who can control him.

Carly recognizes that there is also a connection with Tiger, but isn't all that certain about this "mate bond" that Tiger keeps talking about.  I don't know about other readers, but I was immediately drawn to Tiger (who is an ultimate alpha male) and Carly.  Carly is a strong female and was a really nice balance for Tiger.  Their connection felt real even if it did contain quite a bit of "insta-love".  I felt that the introduction of Tiger has brought some new life to Ashley's series.

In addition to the romance aspect of the book, which definitely plays a large role in the story line, there is also a mystery about Tiger's abilities and what his purpose is. Why was he created?  There are some federal agent types that are after Tiger and it takes awhile to figure out who is good and who is just plain trouble. This story line adds another layer of interest for readers beyond just the romance.  Finally, I enjoyed catching up with previously introduced characters who live in the Austin Shifter town.  Readers, new and old, to Ashley's Shifter Unbound will want to pick up Tiger Magic and read it as soon as possible.

   

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Visit the author online at www.jennifersromances.com, her blog, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter @jennallyson

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Review: Magic Rises

Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) 
by Ilona Andrews

Publication date: 30 July 2013 by Ace

ISBN 10/13: 1937007588 | 9781937007584
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, weres, magic
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Atlanta is a city plagued by magical problems. Kate Daniels will fight to solve them—no matter the cost.

Mercenary Kate Daniels and her mate, Curran, the Beast Lord, are struggling to solve a heartbreaking crisis. Unable to control their beasts, many of the Pack’s shapeshifting children fail to survive to adulthood. While there is a medicine that can help, the secret to its making is closely guarded by the European packs, and there’s little available in Atlanta.

Kate can’t bear to watch innocents suffer, but the solution she and Curran have found threatens to be even more painful. The European shapeshifters who once outmaneuvered the Beast Lord have asked him to arbitrate a dispute—and they’ll pay him in medicine. With the young people’s survival and the Pack’s future at stake, Kate and Curran know they must accept the offer—but they have little doubt that they’re heading straight into a trap.

Review:

The Kate Daniels series has quickly become one of my favorite urban fantasy series of all time. I can't believe that only a few short months ago, I hadn't read any of these books. A series can often get stale the longer it goes on, but that's not the case with this series. I always feel like there are new things to learn about the characters and Andrews always manages to keep things interesting.

In Magic Rises, Curran and Kate are called away to a remote European island to be impartial parties in a precarious situation that has them guarding a pregnant shapeshifter. It is most likely a trap, but Kate and Curran must go because their prize is panacea, a magical substance that will ensure that the rate of loupism in their young dramatically decreases. Navigating through the political waters of three shifter packs hoping that they fail is hard enough when an unexpected new threat reveals itself.

Magic Rises has everything you'd expect from a Kate Daniels novel - action, mystery, suspense, drama, sexy times, and Kate putting her foot in her mouth more than once.  There is a lot of political intrigue in this one as well as more insight into Kate's past. Magic Rises is also a bit of a departure for the series in that it has a lot of emotional angst in it. This might annoy some readers but I was really drawn into it and I got pretty emotional reading this book. Kate and Curran are both very strong personalities and a relationship between the two is bound to have its ups and downs. In the end though, I think they are stronger for all of their struggles.

Besides Kate and Curran, a lot of other series favorites appear in this book. We get Andrea and Raphael as well as Aunt B, Mahon, Doolittle, Derek and even Saiman. This story focuses a lot on the meaning of family and what it means to be Pack. One of the things that I also love about this series is that the characters are very real. They make mistakes and have doubts and insecurities, just like anyone else.

Magic Rises is another fantastic addition to the Kate Daniels series. It's smart, funny, emotionally intense and full of fantastic action. I don't think fans of this series will be disappointed. It feels like things are coming to a head with Kate's father as well and I can't wait to see where Andrews takes us next.

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Visit the author online at www.ilona-andrews.com and follow on Twitter @ilona_andrews and Facebook.


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Reivew: The Loneliest Alpha (The MacKellan Alphas #1)

The Loneliest Alpha (The MacKellan Alphas #1)
by T.A. Grey

Publication date: 15 June 2013 by CreateSpace Publishing

ISBN 10/13: 1490405461/978-1490405469
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Kobo 

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: werewolves, romance, mystery, Happy Ever After
Format:   eBook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis from GoodReads:

One look will change their lives forever.

Lingerie designer Alicia Clarkson just had to open her stupid mouth. Now thanks to trying to defend a fellow pack mate, Alicia’s been blindfolded, tied up, and carted off to the new alpha of the Oregon pack—Gavin MacKellen.

However, the blindfold doesn’t come off so soon as Gavin reveals he’s searching for a mate. But Alicia’s curiosity gets fired up when Gavin refuses to reveal his face to her. Just what happened to him? He talks to her from shadowy corners and behind closed doors. The man is as allusive as a squirrely fox. But Alicia doesn’t play games and the quiet spoken, hoarse voiced alpha doesn’t stand a chance against her. They settle on an agreement, thirty days for them to get to know each other because that’s the only way this cowboy alpha will have it.

Gavin MacKellen needs a mate. But he knows no good woman would ever want to look at his face after the incident he suffered. After one look at Alicia Clarkson all his plans fly out the window. The woman’s beauty has stunned him damn near speechless. She torments his thoughts and Gavin finds himself yearning to know everything about her. He admires her creativity and intelligence, the cool way she handles herself in stressful situations. Most of all, he aches deep in his chest to taste her lips. Those beautiful sweet lips, but in order to kiss her without showing her what a monster he was, he has to get creative.

A relationship forms and as love threatens to grow between them Gavin struggles to cope with his physical appearance in the face of the beautiful Alicia. Will she be the one to stand in the face of a monster and accept or will she turn her back on him as everyone else has?

Review:

The Loneliest Alpha is the first book in the MacKellan Alphas series, which is a spin-off of T. A. Grey's Kategan Alphas series.  Since this was my first T. A. Grey book, I am not certain whether I missed anything by not having read her previous series. For the most part, Grey provides enough information about the world where her books take place.  She has some of your usual characters found in paranormal books, but there are a few twists.  Werewolves have some special abilities such as being able to heal faster than a human and having better senses, but there doesn't appear to be any shifting or transforming, even partially.  There are also Vampires, and Humans, but I don't think the humans know about the other two (this may have been explained in the previous series), and I also don't know if Vampires are different from "traditional" vampires.

Overall, I really liked The Loneliest Alpha.  It was definitely a book that I wanted to keep reading.  As for characters, I liked Gavin (the MacKellan Alpha), his family, and Alicia. The chemistry between Gavin and Alicia was good, but there is definitely some insta-love that goes on with the story. Given that Alicia is "abducted" (sort of) by her pack and brought to the MacKellan's as a possible mate for Gavin and the majority of the book takes place in a couple of weeks, the assumption of insta-love is going to be made, and it isn't due to the typical mate imprinting that happens in other werewolf stories.

Another aspect of the story that I really liked is that both main characters have some very real flaws and relationship issues that they need to work through before things can be resolved.  Some of Alicia's flaws make some of her decisions at times seem annoying, but she was a strong female character.  Her interactions with Gavin's sisters were really funny too.

I also appreciated Grey's effort to create a story line that included an actual mystery to be solved rather than just the whole paranormal romance thing. But don't worry, the sexy scenes definitely had some heat.  One of the other concerns I had was that some of the scenes or parts of the book might have taken a little too long and could have been edited to keep the pace moving.  Regardless of the things that might have detracted from the story for me, I would definitely read another book by Grey and would recommend the series for those who want an interesting werewolf story.  

Check out the official book trailer:

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Visit the author online at www.tagrey.com, her blog, like her on Facebook, and follow her on Twitter @authortagrey

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Magic Bites - Review

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) 

by Ilona Andrews

Publication date: 01 April 2007 by Ace

ISBN 10/13: 0441014895 | 9780441014897
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, weres, shifters, vampires, mercenaries, magic
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way.

Review:

I've had this book on my shelf for a couple of years now. It's been patiently waiting for me while I flitted about with other books, all the while biding its time. I have no valid excuse for why it took me this long to finally read it except for the fact that perhaps my unconscious brain knew how much I would like it and the obsession that would ensue and was allowing me time to fully prepare. Once I started, I simply could not stop and I read my way through five books in the series as well as one spin-off book in a little over a week.

Magic Bites drops us right into the middle of a future Atlanta where magic and technology fight for dominance and magic is winning. It's a world in which vampires and shapeshifters exist but where horses are a favored mode of transport. While there is a lot of information to process and it took me a while to remember all of it, I liked that Andrews is content to let the reader figure it out themselves. There's no obvious info-dumping and the world and its rules are revealed in a very natural way. I also liked her unique take on vampires. Instead of the glamorous, sexy creatures we're used to, they are horrible, grotesque creatures that are the stuff of nightmares.

Kate Daniels is one of my favorite urban fantasy heroines to date. If you looked up "badass" in the dictionary, you would probably find a picture of her. Kate is the first person to run into a fight, swinging her sword and smack-talking the whole way. The upbringing that honed her into a fierce fighter has left her with some emotional scars and she's not always the friendliest person. But there's more to Kate than meets they eye and she is extremely loyal and kind. She is also hiding a BIG SECRET which I am sure we will learn more about as the series goes on.

Now we get to Curran, aka the Beast Lord. He is arrogant but he has reason to be. Alpha of all of the shapeshifters, he is very powerful and protective of his people. He also annoys the hell out of Kate and she, in turn, is a thorn in his side. I don't know about you guys but insta-love is not my thing. I am all about the insta-hate, as my friends call it. I love it when two characters can't stand each other. If the level of dislike is any indication of how much chemistry two characters have, then Curran and Kate are combustible. Though there's no real romance in Magic Bites, you can feel it brewing and the fighting between Curran and Kate is just foreplay.

I really enjoyed immersing myself in this new world. The mystery was unexpected and smart, with lots of twists and turns along the way. If you like fantastic world building and kickass characters, then you need to read this series! I can't wait to see what trouble Kate gets into in the next book.

 

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Visit the author online at www.ilona-andrews.com and follow on Twitter @ilona_andrews and Facebook.


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Moonglow - Review

Moonglow (Darkest London #2) by Kristen Callihan

Publication date: 31 July 2012 by Forever

ISBN 10/13: 1455508586 | 9781455508587
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Historical Romance/Paranormal Supsense
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, suspense, gothic, London, weres
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook Source: e-ARC received from Netgalley

Synopsis:

Once the seeds of desire are sown . . .

Finally free of her suffocating marriage, widow Daisy Ellis Craigmore is ready to embrace the pleasures of life that have long been denied her. Yet her new-found freedom is short lived. A string of unexplained murders has brought danger to Daisy's door, forcing her to turn to the most unlikely of saviors . . .

Their growing passion knows no bounds . . .

Ian Ranulf, the Marquis of Northrup, has spent lifetimes hiding his primal nature from London society. But now a vicious killer threatens to expose his secrets. Ian must step out of the shadows and protect the beautiful, fearless Daisy, who awakens in him desires he thought long dead. As their quest to unmask the villain draws them closer together, Daisy has no choice but to reveal her own startling secret, and Ian must face the undeniable truth: Losing his heart to Daisy may be the only way to save his soul.

*This review may contain spoilers for previous books in the series.*

Review:

I am a huge fan of Kristen Callihan's Firelight and was a little worried that the second book in the series would not live up to my expectations. Happily, Moonlight is just as good as Firelight, if not slightly better. Moonglow has the same dark, moody atmosphere and the same great mix of historical and paranormal that I fell in love with in Firelight. While I love the world of Darkest London, it was Daisy and Ian who stole my heart in this story.

The last time we saw Ian Ranulf, he was doing his best to keep Archer and Miranda apart. His path crosses with Daisy’s when he saves her from a vicious Lycan attack. And wow – the chemistry between the two of them is immediate and intense. There’s nothing I love more than a relationship that starts off with antagonism and it’s fun to watch Daisy and Ian trade verbal barbs while fighting their attraction to each other.

Daisy is a very strong and vivacious character. I liked that she was very different than Miranda, more outspoken and earthy, but was also vulnerable. Daisy had a deep core of loneliness that I think Ian understood. And Ian. Oh Ian. If you like tortured heroes then you will love Ian. My heart broke for him and the tragic past that still haunts him. He, too, knows what it is like to feel alone in the world. Both of them are damaged and imperfect but they open their hearts to each other and learn to love and trust again.

With Moonglow, Callihan continues to expand upon the Darkest London world, taking us deeper into the mysteries and secrets it holds. I enjoyed learning more about the Lycan clans and the appearances of the GIMs is a new and exciting twist. Callihan continues to impress with her world building and knack for writing passionate, compelling relationships. The only thing I am sad about now is that book 3, Winterblaze, doesn’t come out until next year. I have a feeling that Poppy and Win’s story is going to be fantastic and I can’t wait!

*I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

 

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Visit the author online at kristencallihan.com, follow her on Twitter @Kris10Callihan, or on Facebook

Deadlocked - Review

Deadlocked (Sookie Stackhouse #12) by Charlaine Harris

Publication date: 01 May 2012 by Ace

ISBN 10/13: 1937007448 | 9781937007447
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, paranormal, mystery, vampires, shifters, weres, murder, fae
Format: Hardcover, eBook
Source: Library

Synopsis:

With Felipe de Castro, the Vampire King of Louisiana (and Arkansas and Nevada), in town, it’s the worst possible time for a body to show up in Eric Northman’s front yard—especially the body of a woman whose blood he just drank.

Now, it’s up to Sookie and Bill, the official Area Five investigator, to solve the murder. Sookie thinks that, at least this time, the dead girl’s fate has nothing to do with her. But she is wrong. She has an enemy, one far more devious than she would ever suspect, who’s out to make Sookie’s world come crashing down.

Thuy's Review:

I think this is my least favorite Sookie Stackhouse book. Unlike a lot of people, I really enjoyed the previous book, Dead Reckoning. The series to me had been going downhill for the last few books. Perhaps Harris was losing steam or maybe I was just losing interest. But I felt like Dead Reckoning was finally getting the series back on track and I found myself once again engaged in Sookie’s world. So it was with anticipation and excitement that I opened up Deadlocked.

Unfortunately Deadlocked was not what I was hoping for. The first hundred pages or so were slow but I figured that the series has so many characters and crazy plot lines that Harris really needed to get us caught up with everyone. Finally they find a dead body and I thought, “Now things are going to start happening.” Only...they don’t. I mean, they do, but not in a way that moves the series forward. Like trying to walk through knee high wet sand, I felt like I was trudging through this book with little to show for my efforts. There were no sexy times, no fun times and even the murder mystery was uninteresting after awhile.

I also didn’t want to hear about every little detail of Sookie’s day. Sookie goes to the grocery store, she paints her nails, does the laundry, goes to work, goes to the grocery store again....You get the idea. Now I don’t mind a little taste of Sookie’s life. The series has always had little bits here and there about how Sookie goes about her day and I appreciate these small details. However, this book was filled with mundane tasks that added nothing to the story and only succeeded in boring me. And the endless recapping! Everyone was constantly recapping events to someone who wasn’t there who would then recap it to another person and then they’d go over it again themselves in case they missed something. I was almost hoping that someone would just send out a mass email or put it on Facebook to save me the trouble of reading it 5 different ways.

Now let’s talk romance, or the lack of it. I am in the minority here since I have always been Team Bill and that possibility died long ago. But that doesn’t mean that I want Sookie and Eric to go kaput. I actually like them together and it’s clear that they have strong feelings for each other, despite all the angst. Vampire politics once again rears its ugly head with Eric and Sookie caught in the middle. The politics only aid in showing how dysfunctional their relationship is and Eric has very little page time in this book. This book is also sadly lacking in any hot sex scenes. Perhaps Harris is slowly leading Sookie in another romantic path but the constant drama between Sookie and Eric is getting old and I find myself not caring one way or the other if they stay together or not. Sookie does have a few nice moments with Bill though I don’t think they’ll ever be together again (Bill, call me!). Sam is as faithful and true as ever and his taste in women still sucks.

The story finally picked up in the last few chapters but, by that point, I didn’t really care. This really felt like a filler book. I just finished it half an hour ago and already I am hard pressed to recall what happened in it. I am glad the series is coming to a close. I still love the series and the characters in it but I think Harris has done all she can with it and it’s time to move on. I look forward to seeing how Harris closes out the series and what the fate holds in store for Sookie and the rest of the Bon Temps gang.

 

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Visit the author online at www.charlaineharris.com 

Fool Moon - Audiobook Review

Fool Moon (The Dresden Files #2) by Jim Butcher
audiobook read by Jim Marsters

Publication date: 09 January 2001 by Ace/Roc

ISBN 10/13: 0451458125 | 9780451458124
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | Book Depository | Indiebound

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, paranormal, mystery, murder, werewolves
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook, audiobook
Source: Library

From Goodreads:

Business has been slow. Okay, business has been dead. And not even of the undead variety. You would think Chicago would have a little more action for the only professional wizard in the phone book. But lately, Harry Dresden hasn't been able to dredge up any kind of work—magical ormundane.

But just when it looks like he can't afford his next meal, a murder comes along that requires his particular brand of supernatural expertise.

A brutally mutilated corpse. Strange-looking paw prints. A full moon. Take three guesses—and the first two don't count.

Thuy's Review:

In this second installment to The Dresden Files, Harry finds himself in yet another sticky situation. When a slew of murders occur on the full moon with paw prints found next to the mutilated bodies, Harry is hired by the police to help find the killer before the next full moon and killing spree. The investigation leads him down an unexpected path and Harry finds himself caught between the law, the mob, and more than one pack of supernatural creatures that want him dead.

This time, Harry finds himself tangled up with werewolves in a complicated plot that has him playing both sides. Harry is the same as ever – sarcastic and just trying to pay the bills. He’s also got this pesky sense of honor that gets him into a lot of trouble. Sometimes I feel like he plays the part of the martyr a bit much and he has enough angst for most of Chicago. At one point, Murphy calls him on his hero complex, which is priceless. But I like that Harry tries to do the right thing, even though it’s not always the smart thing. The werewolf plot was interesting but there were too many different kinds of werewolves to keep track of. They all kind of blended together at one point. And is it just me or is the idea that a person can turn into a werewolf with the aid of a belt somewhat unromantic?

I was glad to see that Murphy was back on the case. She’s tough as nails and I love her. She and Harry have a complicated relationship that gets even more so in this book. Susan also makes an appearance and Marconi is never far when there’s trouble. We don’t see much of Bob in this one but I hope to see more of him in the next book. The action is non-stop and there’s a really bloody battle in the book. It’s clear that Butcher isn’t afraid to kill characters. The ending kept me on the edge of my seat as I waited to see who would live or die.

I liked Fool Moon though not quite as much as Storm Front. It was still very enjoyable though and I am going to pick up the next book in the series. James Marsters once again rocks my socks as the narrator. He’s become Harry Dresden to me and I can’t imagine anyone someone else reading it. Another entertaining installment in the series and looking forward to the next.

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Visit the author online at www.jim-butcher.com and his blog

Dead Reckoning - Review

Dead Reckoning (Sookie Stackhouse #11) by Charlaine Harris
Publication date: 03 May 2011 by Penguin/Ace Roc
ISBN 10/13: 0441020313 | 9780441020317

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, vampires, weres, fae, shapeshifters
Format: Hardcover, eBook and audiobook

From goodreads:

With her knack for being in trouble's way, Sookie witnesses the firebombing of Merlotte's, the bar where she works. Since Sam Merlotte is now known to be two-natured, suspicion falls immediately on the anti-shifters in the area. Sookie suspects otherwise, but her attention is divided when she realizes that her lover Eric Northman and his "child" Pam are plotting to kill the vampire who is now their master. Gradually, Sookie is drawn into the plot-which is much more complicated than she knows.

Thuy's review:

Sookie finds herself once again in a whole heap of trouble when she witnesses a fire bomb at Merlotte’s. The suspicion falls on the anti-Shifter groups in the area but Sookie has her own ideas about who might be behind it the attack. Throw in an assassination plot to kill the current vampire king and Sookie may have bitten off more than she can chew.

Charlaine Harris gets back on track with Dead Reckoning. The last book in the series was a huge disappointment for me. It was bogged down with way to many characters and dry explanations of vampire politics. This book returns to what I loved about the series in the first place - fun and interesting characters, drama and hot vampires! There was a little less Bill than I would have liked (Team Bill!) but Eric was definitely great. Some changes to Sookie and Eric’s relationship happen that I think were inevitable. There’s also plenty of sweet, sexy Sam in this one. Harris seriously needs to give him a girlfriend who isn’t mean or crazy (and yes, I volunteer).

We see the return of fan fave Bubba in a rare concert performance and Amelia the witch even makes a brief appearance. Sookie learns more about her fae heritage and the origins of her telepathic ability. This revelation wasn’t quite what I was expecting but it’s a nice piece of the Sookie puzzle to have.

Dead Reckoning is a quick, fun read that reminds me why I originally started reading this series and why I love Sookie. Looking forward to the next installment!

say "twee!"

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Find Thuy on Twitter @fishgirl182

Blood Bound - Review

Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson #2) by Patricia Briggs

Publication date: 30 January 2007 by Ace Roc

ISBN 10/13: 0441014739 | 9780441014736

Category: Adult Urban Fantasy
Keywords: Urban fantasy, vampires, weres, fae, shapeshifter
Format: Hardcover, mass market paperback, eBook

From goodreads:

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.

But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him.

Thuy's review:

**This review is spoiler free but this book is part of a series. You may not want to skip this review if you haven't read the previous books in the series.**

I have a new love and her name is Mercy Thompson. This series is just so fun and I love all of the characters. Blood Bound pics up a few months after the events of Moon Called. Things have been relatively quiet until Stefan calls in the favor the Mercy owes him. A dangerous creature is on the loose and Stefan needs her help to find out more about him in order to stop him. Mercy is soon neck deep in dangerous vampire business. And when Stefan and some of her friends go missing, head mistress vampire Marsilia, asks Mercy to help. She believes that Mercy's unique powers will help her succeed where others have failed.

This book made me love Mercy even more. She's no super woman. She gets scared and frustrated and is often physically weaker than her opponents, but she deals with it moves on. I love her loyalty and the fact that she will jump in to help her friends, even when it's clear that she has little chance of success. I love her dry humor and sarcastic voice, too.

Things in the Mercy-Adam-Samuel triangle heat up. Samuel kisses Mercy twice! Mercy also has a nice sweaty workout with Adam (yum!) and learns more about the werewolf hierarchy and how it affects her. I am just dying for her to make out with Adam (or more). Briggs also throws another curveball in there with possible romantic interest by Stefan. The series also has some great secondary characters. Warren and Kyle are probably my favorite gay werewolf/human literary couple (not that there are many). They have a real relationship complicated with paranormal issues. We also get more Ben, who fascinates me. I think his whole woman hating jerk persona is a facade to cover something else up - and I want to know what it is! I know he has a heart hiding in there somewhere. I would be so happy if Ben got his own book one day.

Another fantastic read by Patricia Briggs. I am totally hooked on the characters and the world of Mercy Thompson and look forward to reading book 3!

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Visit the author online at www.patriciabriggs.com and follow @Mercys_Garage on Twitter

Cry Wolf - Review

Cry Wolf by Angela Campbell  

Publication date: 31 October 2011 by Carina Press

ISBN 10/13: 1426892519 | 9781426892516

Category: Adult Romantic Suspense/Mystery
Keywords: Mystery, suspense, weres, romance
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook (e-ARC received from Netgalley)

Thuy's synosis:

Andrea Lockhart's job as a reporter for cheesy tabloid The Naked Truth isn't exactly where she thought her journalism career would end up. She's determined to make the best of it, but when her editor sends her to Woodbine, South Carolina, to investigate a werewolf sighting, Andrea decides the ridiculous assignment will be her last. Until she meets Sean Hunter.

The last time she saw Sean, he had just beat her out for the position of editor of their college newspaper, and told her she'd never make it as a reporter. Given his grand ambitions, she's shocked to find him editing theWoodbine Weekly. Once they start competing for leads on the werewolf, Andrea becomes determined to break the story first—she can't let Sean beat her again.

As they each get closer to finding the source of the rumors, the only thing more surprising than the truth are the feelings Sean is able to stir in her, feelings she thought she had left behind.

Thuy's review:

Cry Wolf is fun and sweet romantic mystery with a paranormal-ish twist. Andrea “Andi” Lockhart is a reporter for a famous tabloid magazine who is sent to the small town of Woodbine, SC to investigate the local werewolf sightings. Unfortunately she finds that her old competitor and the man who beat her out for editor of the college newspaper is now living in Woodbine and runs the town paper. As a young man Sean Hunter felt that Andi was too soft and said some cruel things to her for what he thought was “her own good.” Now Sean’s the last person Andi wants to see or work with but she has to if she’s to crack the story and find out the truth about the Woodbine Werewolf.

I was pleasantly surprised by Cry Wolf. I am a huge fan of paranormal books. Give me a vampire or demon and I’ll read it. It was a nice change of pace to read a book that had was about werewolves but wasn’t necessarily a paranormal story. The plot was well written and well paced and I was totally sucked into the mystery. I wanted to find out if the werewolf was real just as much as Andi did.

I loved the romance in this story. Andi’s got a big chip on her shoulder from what happened with Sean in college. I don’t really blame her at first. Sean’s words were cruel and, to the insecure young woman that Andi was, I can see how much it would have hurt. Even though it’s been years and Andi is a successful journalist now, she still feels like she has something to prove to Sean and perhaps to herself. Sean, on the other hand, isn’t the big time editor he set out to be. Seeing Andi makes him realize that a jerk he was in college. The years have changed Sean and he’s no longer the selfish, ambitious man he used to be. Actions speak louder than words and Sean does everything he can to help Andi and keep her from becoming werewolf bait during the investigation.

As rivals, Sean and Andi have that great antagonistic chemistry that I love to read. While Sean and Andi have great chemistry, the loves scenes themselves are pretty mild. Don’t get me wrong, they did get hot and heavy a few times but, just as things were really heating up...it would fast forward to the next morning. Personally I prefer a little more smut in my romance books but those who like their hanky panky on the lighter side will enjoy this.

I had a great time reading this. The small town setting was perfect for the mysterious werewolf sightings. It was fun following Andi and Sean on their investigation and meeting all of the quirky townspeople. And the story definitely keeps you guessing right up to the very end. A fun debut novel from Angela Campbell. I am excited to see what she comes up with next.

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book.

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Visit the author online at www.angelacampbellonline.com 

Lord of the Wolfyn by Jessica Anderson - Review

Lord of the Wolfyn (Royal Book of Shadows #3) by Jessica Andersen
Publication date: 18 October 2011 by Harlequin Nocturne
ISBN 10/13: 0373618700 | 9780373618705

Category: Adult Paranormal Romance
Keywords: Paranormal, romance, vampires, weres, revenge
Format: Mass market paperback, eBook (e-ARC received from Netgalley for review)

Thuy's synopsis:

Lord of the Wolfyn is the third book in the Royal Book of Shadows series and continues with the sage of the heirs of the royal family of Elden and their quest to find vengeance for their family and save their kingdom from the evil Blood sorcerer. Dayn, the second prince of Elden, finds himself in the Wolfyn realm after he’s cast from his home by his parents’ warped deathbed spell. The Woflyn realm is a realm with both magic and technology, with features of both the human realm and the kingdom realm. There, Dayn learns to live with the wolfyn (werewolves to us humans) and wait for the guide that his father said would lead him back to Elden to defeat the Blood Sorcerer.

Meanwhile, former cop Reda is recovering from a robbery that left her partner dead. With shattered self confidence, Reda is trying to put together the pieces of her life when she is drawn to a fairy tale book from her childhood that was lost a long time ago. The book brings her face to face with her greatest fear as well as her greatest desire. Chanting an old spell, Reda is transported to the wolfyn realm and to Dayn, the woodsman from her book. Now Reda must find the strength to accept her fate and lead Dayn back to Elden to reclaim his birthright.

Thuy's review:


Lord of the Wolfyn is another fun installment in the Royal Book of Shadows series. While this wasn’t my favorite book in the series, I enjoyed Jessica Anderson’s writing and had a hard time putting it down.  Like the other books in the series, Lord of the Wolfyn is a retelling of a classic fairy tale. This one is based on Red Riding Hood and is probably the most literal, as the fairy tale book actually plays in role in the plot.  The book is what draws Reda into the wolfyn realm and foretells her journey with Dayn.

Dayn is probably the least alpha of the males we’ve seen so far in this series. That’s not a bad thing - it’s actually kind of refreshing. There’s a lot of chest beating in romance novels and it is nice to have a hero who doesn’t say “mine” all the time and proclaim eternal love after five minutes (not that there’s anything wrong with that). After the trauma of her partner’s death, Reda has become very withdrawn and unsure of herself. Dayn is very careful of her feelings and tries to protect her.  However, he’s torn between his obligation to his family and his feelings for Reda. This leads him to do a lot of back and forth with pushing her away for her own good and the good of his mission but also clinging to her because he loves her. It gets a little frustrating because he can’t seem to make up his mind.

Unfortunately I didn’t care much for Reda. She seems to be very emotionally unstable at the beginning of the book. I do feel for her.  She blames herself for her partner’s death and hasn’t been able to forgive herself. When she meets Dayn, she convinces herself that she’s in a dream and goes along with it trying to wake herself up. Once she figures out it’s not a dream she has to deal this weird fixation and fear she has of being brainwashed. She’s very wary of the wolfyn because, in her book, they are portrayed as being able to enthrall women to do their sexual bidding.  When she finds out that Dayn can become one of them, she freaks out and accuses him of entrancing her.  She second guesses her own feelings and assumes the worst about every situation.  She does eventually herself together becomes a pretty badass warrior, but it takes her awhile to get there.

I thought the back story about Reda’s mother was really interesting but, unfortunately, the story doesn’t delve too far into what happened to her. I am not sure if we’ll come back to it but I hope we do. Since this is the last book before the end of the series, there’s a lot of buildup in this one and it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. The time difference is as confusing as ever and I have no idea where Dayn’s timeline is in comparison to his siblings. Perhaps I should make a chart.  

This is my first Jessica Anderson book and I liked her writing style. The story was fast paced and flowed nicely. And even though I didn’t fall in love with the characters I was thoroughly sucked into the story. This has been a fun series so far just because it’s introduced me to several new authors.  The next book is the one I’ve been waiting for, though, because I love Nalini Singh.  I am excited to see how this series wraps up!
 

I received this book free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This, in no way, affected my opinion or review of this book. 

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Visit the author online at www.jessicaandersen.com or visit the website for Royal House of Shadows here.