Saturday 5 July 2014

The Accidental Demon Slayer (Biker Witches Mystery, Book 1) by Angie Fox

I really liked this book and will definitely go on to read the others in the series because I found it to be a very funny, enjoyable, creepy, scary and occasionally hot, bit of escapism that was very easy to read.

Some readers have commented on how unreal the whole story is - but hang on a minute - isn't that why a lot of us read fiction? I mean witches, vampires, griffins, werewolves, demons and the like aren't real so why should everything else in a book be real and believable? why shouldn't an author bend or break the norm to send us on a journey of escapism! That's certainly what I like to look for in a book when the mood takes me!

I like Lizzie, she has just the right amount of sass, however she annoys me when she keeps saying she wants to go back to her old life when quite clearly deep down she doesn't but then that's kinda part of the story, finding her true self and accepting her destiny.

Pirate the talking Jack Russell is hilarious and is a great addition to the cast.

Dimitri, what can I say about him other than where the hell can I order myself one of him! (Yum)

As for Grandma Gertie and the rest of the Biker Witches, they rock! and they had me laughing out loud on many occasions whilst I read it.

So for great light-hearted easy read that has you laughing your socks off on one page and cowering behind a cushion at the scary/creepy bits on the next page - go on, give this book a go!


https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1332605.Angie_Fox

Book Description:

Newly anointed with demon-fighting powers and suddenly able to hear the thoughts of her hilarious Jack Russell terrier, a preschool teacher finds a whole new world of dark and dangerous, including a sexy shape-shifting griffin she's not entirely sure she can trust.

Heart of Iron (London Steampunk, Book 2) by Bec McMaster

Bec McMaster did it again!

I have loved all of the books in this series so far, the characters are lovable rogues and you find yourself routing for them from the beginning, I was really looking forward to this book, as my interest in the young Will Carver aka The Beast of Whitechapel was certainly piqued from the snippets of him that you got in books 1 and 1.5, so I was really looking forward to sinking my teeth into a book about Will, and I wasn't disappointed.

Our main characters in this book are Lena (Honoria's younger sister) and Will (Blade's second in command). Lena left Whitechapel a year ago to return to the white tower and the Echelon as her half brother's (Leo Barrons) Ward because she felt there was nothing left for her in Whitechapel following Will's knock back when she kissed him and he ended up leaving the Warren to avoid her. Will has struggled throughout the years they spent living under the same roof, he has a real disinterest towards women after his mother sold him to a travelling showman for £5 after he caught the loupe virus (hence him being verwulfen) and he spent 10 years locked in a cage as entertainment for the Blue Blood of the Echelon, before Blade rescued him. The only other female he has ever trusted is Esme, Blade's housekeeper. So when Lena arrives at the Warren and flirts with him, he doesn't know how to handle it, and she stirs dangerous emotions and needs within him that he doesn't know how to deal with, so for fear or hurting or infecting her with the loupe virus he tries to distance himself. Only he cant actually keep away, but can he control himself enough not to hurt her? and can he keep his hands off her so that he doesn't infect her?

In the year since Lena has returned to the Echelon, she has become somewhat of a spy for the humanist movement, and when Will finds a coded message on her person and realises that she's in trouble he tries to find out how deep she has gone. There are other things a foot, a humanist movement that is torn between two factions, a treaty between the blue bloods and the verwulfen, and a total arse of a blue blood lord that has his sights firmly set on Lena, a new found game of the blue bloods that puts any debutantes in danger, topped off with the steamy as hell chemistry between Lena and Will and you have yourself one hell of a book.

You also get to catch up some of the old favourites and I love how this untoward but very close family stick together through thick and thin.

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5763301.Bec_McMaster

Book Description:

In Victorian London, if you’re not a blue blood of the Echelon then you’re nothing at all. The Great Houses rule the city with an iron fist, imposing their strict ‘blood taxes’ on the nation, and the Queen is merely a puppet on a string…

Lena Todd makes the perfect spy. Nobody suspects the flirtatious debutante could be a sympathizer for the humanist movement haunting London’s vicious blue blood elite. Not even the ruthless Will Carver, the one man she can’t twist around her little finger, and the one man whose kiss she can’t forget…

Stricken with the loupe and considered little more than a slave-without-a-collar to the blue bloods, Will wants nothing to do with the Echelon or the dangerous beauty who drives him to the very edge of control. But when he finds a coded letter on Lena—a code that matches one he saw on a fire-bombing suspect—he realizes she’s in trouble. To protect her, he must seduce the truth from her.

With the humanists looking to start a war with the Echelon, Lena and Will must race against time—and an automaton army—to stop the humanist plot before it’s too late. But as they fight to save a city on the brink of revolution, the greatest danger might just be to their hearts…

Forged In Fire (Red-Hot Seals, Book 1) by Trish McCallan

I really enjoyed this book, in fact I couldn't put it down, I wouldn't normally have purchased this book, I am a PNR buff at heart, but this was available at a discount on Amazon due to a previous purchase I made, and boy I do not regret ordering it. From the start I was hooked and finished the whole book in a one day monster reading session (finishing at around 4:30 am - thank Ms McCallan for the bags under my eyes today) but I just could not pull myself away from the pages.

The story line was excellent and gripping and I kept thinking ok I'll stop at the end of the paragraph, the end came and then I was like oh I want to know what happens next just one more. Love the characters and I cannot wait for the second book, Forged in Ash, to learn more at Simcosky, hope we get an update on the gorgeous Zane and the lovely Beth too and am intrigued to see if Mac's new found stirrings for the formidable Amy head anywhere. As for Rawls, well he needs to be getting some action too!
 
 
 
Book Description:
 
Beth Brown doesn’t believe in premonitions until she dreams a sexy stranger is gunned down during the brutal hijacking of a commercial airliner. When events in her dream start coming true, she heads to the flight’s departure gate. To her shock, she recognizes the man she’d watched die the night before.

Lieutenant Commander Zane Winters comes from a bloodline of elite warriors with psychic abilities. When Zane and two of his platoon buddies arrive at Sea-Tac Airport, he has a vision of his teammates’ corpses. Then she arrives—a leggy blonde who sets off a different kind of alarm.

As Beth teams up with Zane, they discover the hijacking is the first step in a secret cartel’s deadly global agenda and that key personnel within the FBI are compromised. To survive the forces mobilizing against them, Beth will need to open herself to a psychic connection with the sexy SEAL who claims to be her soul mate.

Wednesday 2 July 2014

Third Bites A Charm (Emily Sullivan Series, Book 3) by Mary Whitten

I really enjoyed this, the third instalment of the series (only gripe would be that there wasn't enough of Axle!!!) But I loved it as much as the first two books.

There were a few typos in the book, not a complaint just commenting on it :)

These books are a very easy read, with lots of plot twists and turns, and I am keen to learn what Emily and the Crew get up to next and of course I am dying to meet the new little addition. I am eager to learn more about Emily's powers, to see how Axle and Emily progress with the next step in their lives. The war between witches that was built up towards then end of the book has definitely piqued my interest, and I am also intrigued as to how Terrica will fit in and can't quite decide if I trust her yet.

Mary Whitten has impressed me again. Bring on the next book!


https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5989604.Mary_Whitten

Book Description:

What happens in the coven doesn’t always stay in the coven.
Emily Sullivan misses the normal days, the days of working a normal job, with a human boyfriend, and never having to worry about catching someone on fire every time she sneezed. Now, she’s undercover in New Orleans learning the practice of witchcraft from a powerful warlock, her grandfather. His coven is in trouble; fires, burglary, kidnappings… it’s Emily’s job to find out who and why before the attacks become deadly.
Emily wants to take her relationship with Axle to the next level but something is holding her back. She discovers that the two are under a dark curse. Each time they get close something bad happens, and if they were to take it all the way someone could get hurt, or worse.
Emily saves a helpless girl from a vampire, but no good deed goes unnoticed. The vampires of New Orleans know a big secret about Emily and they are out for blood… every last drop.

The Human (The Eden Trilogy, Book 2) by Keary Taylor

I loved The Bane (book one in the trilogy) and when I had finished it I got straight on amazon and downloaded the second book The Human, I didn't think it would be possible for it to be as good as The Bane but it was! Couldn't put either of them down and my housework totally fell by the wayside because I was soooo engrossed in the books.

The plot twists were awesome, the storyline is fabulous, well planned and well written, the last two chapters were immense and that ending......*speechless*



https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3420702.Keary_Taylor

Book Description:

The city of New Eden is cleared, but it won’t stay that way forever. The Bane continue to advance in horrific ways that will wipe humanity from the face of the Earth. A storm is coming, one none of them could have dared imagine.

When a group of outsiders come to the city, everyone is on edge. They have too many questions and not enough answers about where they are from or what they want. Just because they are human doesn’t mean they can be trusted.

Eve made a choice–one that could have deadly repercussions. Desperate hearts bring about desperate actions. Now she must make another decision as her world continues to crumble: come to terms with who she really is, or risk her sanity. She thought she had unlocked all the secrets from her past, but there are truths still buried that leave her questioning what is real and what is not.

Eden (The Eden Trilogy, Book 1) by Keary Taylor

After reading the Fall of Angels series but Keary Taylor, which is brilliant you should all read it!, I thought I would have a look and see what else she had written and having read the description I thought "well this is right up my alley!" and downloaded it - I really struggled to put it down! and after 3 nights of almost no sleep because I just kept thinking oh one more chapter then I'll turn in, then I'd finished- Fab story, well thought out and written, in fact I could easily see this being an excellent film.

Lots of action, fabulous story, immense characters and one hell of a love triangle to boot! Had to download book 2 "The Human" immediately after finishing will review that one shortly.

Well done Keary Taylor yet another fabulous book.


https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3420702.Keary_Taylor

Book Description:

Before the Evolution there was TorBane: technology that infused human DNA with cybernetic matter. It had the ability to grow new organs and limbs, to heal the world. Until it evolved out of control and spread like the common cold. The machine took over, the soul vanished, and the Bane were born. The Bane won't stop until every last person has been infected. With less than two percent of the human population left, mankind is on the brink of extinction.

Eve knows the stories of the Evolution, the time before she wandered into the colony of Eden, unable to recall anything but her name. But she doesn't need memories to know this world is her reality. This is a world that is quickly losing its humanity, one Bane at a time.

Fighting to keep one of the last remaining human colonies alive, Eve finds herself torn between her dedication to the colony, and the discovery of love. There is Avian and West – one a soldier, one a keeper of secrets. And in the end, Eve will make a choice that will change the future of mankind.

The Bane is The Terminator meets The Walking Dead with a heart-twisting romance.

City of Bones (The Mortal Instruments, Book One) by Cassandra Clare

Well, I am not sure if, at 32 years of age, I should be ashamed that I loved this so much or that I am a HUGE Jace fan!.

ANYWAYS back to the book - wow! I can see this being a world in which I can totally immerse myself and get lost, I love the story line, the descriptions (although a wee bit flowery at times) and the world building and the characters all have depth. Oh and did I mention there is sarcasm in spades! which is a positive for me I love a bit of sarcasm and quick witted-ness!

That horrible bit of "close relative" news towards the end (I had seen that coming) but some other things I read earlier in the book has kind of left me clinging to the hope that this is not true - I really hope I'm right on that but I literally ended the book feeling mortified for both Jace and Clary I mean what could be worse than that right? actually kinda falling for someone for the first time then being told that! I so hope I am right and this is another of Valentine's tricks.

And of all the random things I am intrigued about, this star shaped chicken pox scar Clary has, now it was only mentioned once and Jace made no comment on it and turned away but for some reason I cant help but think this is going to be of some importance in the future.


I want to be a Shadowhunter when I grow up!


https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/150038.Cassandra_Clare

Book Description:

When fifteen-year-old Clary Fray heads out to the Pandemonium Club in New York City, she hardly expects to witness a murder - much less a murder committed by three teenagers covered with strange tattoos and brandishing bizarre weapons. Then the body disappears into thin air.

It's hard to call the police when the murderers are invisible to everyone else and when there is nothing - not even a smear of blood - to show that a boy has died. Or was he a boy?

This is Clary's first meeting with the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the earth of demons. It's also her first encounter with Jace, a Shadowhunter who looks a little like an angel and acts a lot like a jerk.

Within twenty-four hours Clary is pulled into Jace's world with a vengeance, when her mother disappears and Clary herself is attacked by a demon. But why would demons be interested in ordinary mundanes like Clary and her mother? And how did Clary suddenly get the Sight? The Shadowhunters would like to know...



                  

Ascension (Shadow and Light Trilogy, Book 1) by Felicity Heaton

Being an avid fan of Felicity Heaton's Vampire books, and having read all of her VR and VET books I thought I would give Ascension a try, I couldn't put it down - I downloaded it on the Thursday night and finished it on Saturday the only reason it took so long was because of a pesky thing called work that I had to do in between my sessions of sinking my teeth into the gorgeous leading male, Taig! who knew a half man, half demon could be so hot! And as for the leading lady Lealandra, well, she's smart, strong, funny and powerful - the tension and the history between these two characters is, as always, well written by Felicity you feel like you know the characters and with every scene she sets you feel like you are there watching, during the battles (of which there are a quite a few) you literally feel like you are there dodging spells and killing bad guys with them. This book has it all, tension, romance, action, mega hotness, a deep story line, fabulous scene setting and of course characters that you will love.

Taig is half man, half demon, Lealandra is a very powerful witch - six years ago they spent 6 months together but Lealandra left to be paired with a counter-balance witch after being placed with him by her coven - now with her ascension looming and her counter-balance dead, coupled with some betrayal and all that other gripping stuff us readers love, there is only one person she can turn to for help, Taig but after her leaving him 6 years ago will he help her, will he be able to make peace with his own demons to enable himself to let her in and protect her.... you'll have to read the book to find out!!

I would urge any fan of Felicity's who hasn't read this to get involved, you will love Taig and Lea and the book ends answering lots of questions whilst leaving you with many more to be answered in the next two instalments!! (The only problem I have now is what am I going to read whilst I wait for book 2!).

And to anyone who hasn't read any of Felicity's books - read Ascension now - you will not be disappointed!

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1228468.Felicity_Heaton

Book Description:

A witch on the verge of achieving phenomenal power, Lealandra must turn to her half-breed demon ex-lover Taig for protection from the dark force that is after her and also from her own magic. With her Counter-Balance dead and her coven against her, Taig's blood and power is the only thing that can help her control her magic and survive the ascension and gain the strength to defeat her enemy.

Love Immortal by Felicity Heaton

As with all of the books I have read from Felicity Heaton, you are plunged into a rich, well described world that feels tangible, this story is told brilliantly and the parts are well constructed and perfectly knitted together. I had real difficulty putting the book down.

The action/fight/battle scenes are very good and the author makes you feel as though you are there. The whole story is well set up and delivered. The characters are strong and their lives and history are well explained and padded out, you really do feel as though you know them.

Lauren and Julian, our leading characters, are fab, but then all of the characters are. This book has tension, angst, love, battles, twists in the plot, dreamy guys, strong women, God's, demons, vampires & necromancers not to mention a pretty hot and totally damaged immortal arcadian commander sworn to protect the reincarnation of the daughter of a demi goddess who has been re-awakened to defeat the first ever werewolf!!!!

Read: June 2013 (and several times since!)




 
Book Description:
 
Rescued from werewolves by the most breathtaking man she's ever seen, Lauren is dragged into the fight of her life and a dark world she never knew existed. There, she discovers that she's the latest reincarnation of a goddess and must drink the blood of her immortal protector, Julian, in order to reawaken and continue her three thousand year old mission to defeat Lycaon, the original werewolf. With the help of Julian and an organisation of people with supernatural abilities, Lauren fights for her life, their future and the fate of mankind against Lycaon and his deadly army, but can she succeed when Lycaon has killed all of her predecessors? Can she crack the armour around Julian's heart and seize her happily forever after with him? And can Julian bring himself to trust Lauren with the fragments of his heart after everything he's been through?
 
 

Kiss of Steel (London Steampunk, Book 1) by Bec McMaster

This was my first venture into steampunk and also my first book by this author, I wasn't disappointed!!

I would say this is quite paranormal (which is a bonus as its my fave genre) with a steampunk twist, the steampunk element is mainly the descriptive elements i.e. the environment in which this story takes place, the modes of transport and items, some of the characters are "steampunk"

The world in which this story takes place is very well described and easy to imagine. The characters have depth and you really feel like you get to know them, the main characters are our leading lady Honoria, who is a very strong character with some real issues that needed to be addressed and the totally swoon-worthy Blade (where can I get myself one of him!!) whilst he's not your typical drop dead gorgeous hero you soon find yourself falling for him along side Honria as you read through the pages and immerse yourself in the intriguing world that Bec McMaster has created. The secondary characters in this also help make this a great book and I can easily see them going on to become main characters in further books in the series, I am definitely keen to learn more about young Will, Blades lieutenant and verwulfen aka "The Beast of Whitechapel" he has some issues and also I think Lena, Honoria's younger sister is going to be a firecracker of a leading lady.

I don't like spoilers in reviews and as such don't like to give much away about the plot in my own reviews. But I would like to say I thoroughly enjoyed this book and if you like anything paranormal or steampunk then read this, you will not be disappointed, I myself am moving straight on to book 2.

I cannot wait to read more from Bec McMaster and I really struggled to put this book down.

Read: June 2013



https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5763301.Bec_McMaster


Book Description:

When Nowhere Is Safe

Most people avoid the dreaded Whitechapel district. For Honoria Todd, it's the last safe haven. But at what price?

Blade is known as the master of the rookeries—no one dares cross him. It's been said he faced down the Echelon's army single-handedly, that ever since being infected by the blood-craving he's been quicker, stronger, and almost immortal.

When Honoria shows up at his door, his tenuous control comes close to snapping. She's so...innocent. He doesn't see her backbone of steel—or that she could be the very salvation he's been seeking.

Beasthood (The Hidden Blood Series, Book1) by A. Z. Green

Firstly, what a prologue! I don’t think I have ever read one like it, and it certainly makes you sit up and pay attention, its short but my word it packs a punch!

The first few chapters, flick between present day with our main character Jaz (I really like her) who has found herself in therapy following a terribly disturbing nightmare a year ago, and the past (around the same time as the nightmare) with a group of unknown people discussing Jaz’s fate. These few chapters were a little disorientating at first and I was struggling to work out who was who, but I thought “no Lou, read these chapters again” and on the second read (having paid attention to the dates at the start of the chapters!) I got it and I have to say it is very cleverly done by the author, these chapters had me trying to put the pieces together to try and work out where the author was going and what had happened and begged me to read on, so I did….

Jaz is immediately likeable, she is sarcastic (love that) and has a faulty brain-to-mouth filter (a bit like my own), some of the things she says or thinks in the book have you really laughing. This book follows her journey through mistrust as she discovers the lies from the people she thinks are her family, little does she know that a lot of what she thinks is real is not and she’s not even the “person” she thought she was, add to that a delicious but moody love interest, although this isn’t your typical romance, and you have a book that sucks you in and doesn’t spit you back out until your finished – ha ha managed that without a spoiler whoop whoop!!

The characters are fabulous I wish I could go into more detail about some of them (one in particular) but it really would ruin the book for you before you read it (you will understand what I mean when you read it), the chemistry between Jaz and “the one I won’t describe” is intense but seriously conflicted, the story is immense and so well thought out and there are many plot twists and things that make you go ooh I hadn’t thought of that.

I love that it is set in England and that I know some of the places mentioned, also I like that the author uses phrases that I would use so for me reading it felt ‘comfortable’ and I really like her writing style. Her character and location descriptions are brilliant and each character really has their own personality that pops out of the page at you.

And then the cliffhanger, you're just about to find out who…………

Book two ASAP please!! :0)

Read: June 2013 (and again January 2014)


https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7106784.A_Z_Green

Book Description:

The bloody, raw meat was tantalizing her; calling to her. She hated it and yearned for it all at once.
Stop, she ordered. What are you doing?!
So hungryyyyy, snarled a primal voice deep within her.
Don’t you dare! she screamed back.
But the primal hunger ignored her pleas and took over her body, forcing her rational voice deep within the crevices of her mind.



What would you do if you discovered you weren't human? That you turned into a bloodthirsty monster against your will?
What if your instincts, emotions and desires were torn between your own and the dark, dangerous animal lurking inside of you?
If it could make you yearn for someone you shouldn't, make you say and act in ways you wouldn't and overwhelm your whole existence?
If everything you'd ever known about your life was a lie?

In a world where a deeply hidden community is swathed in mystery, deadly secrets, betrayal and murder, Jaz Barker struggles to fight against the dangerous Beast within her and the emotions and desires it thrusts her way.

When tensions ride high and people she cares about are put in danger, she will have to decide how much of her newly awakened animal-side she's willing to let in.

And if it is worth the risk...