Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective - Cassie Scot #1

Blurb:

Cassie Scot: Paranormal Detective - Cassie Scot #1

Cassie Scot is the ungifted daughter of powerful sorcerers, born between worlds but belonging to neither. At 21, all she wants is to find a place for herself, but earning a living as a private investigator in the shadow of her family’s reputation isn’t easy. When she is pulled into a paranormal investigation, and tempted by a powerful and handsome sorcerer, she will have to decide where she truly belongs.

“When sorcerers call the shots, what’s a girl without powers to do? Get ready for a ripper of a murder mystery full of romance and intrigue, where magic potions bubble, passions spark and vampires are definitely not your friend. Cassie Scot: ParaNormal Detective grabs you by the heart and won’t let go until the very last page. Well written, immersive and unputdownable. This is urban fantasy at its best. More please!”

Reviewed by Cassandra:

I loved this story :) It is easy to read, and I got sucked into the story.  It was definitely an emotional rollercoaster too which is always a plus because it means I’m fully engaged in the story.  First, her name matches mine (Cassandra), YAY! I love Cassie :) as a character because she is strong and independent, but also vulnerable which makes her more real to me as a reader.  It is also set near where I live another bonus.  This story has magic, murder, mystery, intrigue, and vampires. I totally cried with Cassie when I was reading.  I hope and pray this becomes a series because I want more of Cassie and her world and what happens next with Evan. If you love the paranormal genre, you will definitely want to read this :)

5/5  Loved It!

Book Details:

• File Size: 484 KB
• Print Length: 260 pages
• Simultaneous Device Usage: Unlimited
• Publisher: Twilight Times Books; First edition (April 15, 2013)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00C7VR69I

Storm Dancer

Blurb:

Storm Dancer

Demon-possessed siege commander, Dahoud, atones for his atrocities by hiding his identity and protecting women from war's violence - but can he shield the woman he loves from the evil inside him?

Principled weather magician, Merida, brings rain to a parched desert land. When her magical dance rouses more than storms, she needs to overcome her scruples to escape from danger. 

Thrust together, Dahoud and Merida must fight for freedom and survival. But with hatred and betrayal burning in their hearts, how can they rebuild their fragile trust?

Reviewed by Laurie:

I received a copy of Storm Dancer from the author for a fair and honest review it was also part of a blog tour.

I loves me some dark fantasy where the characters are as much bad guy as hero, I love characters I sometimes want to smack and it is fantastic when the setting takes place somewhere other than a place that resembles medieval England.  Storm Dancer has all this cool stuff and a great story too.

Our hero so to speak is one conflicted guy, he is possessed by a djinn that wants to rape and pillage while the human part of him tries to keep the djinn under control and protect women from marauding soldiers and mostly himself.  Merida...aah now that was a character that stirs some mixed emotions sometimes pity and sometimes I just wanted to slap her.  She is from a different land that lives according to a code much different from the desert land she has come to help and her experience is far from what she expected.

This wasn't a quick read at around 400 pages it is not something you will typically read in an afternoon.  It was a great book though and I enjoyed it immensely.  While it is characterized as dark epic fantasy I really didn't find it that dark but then again I just spent the last 3 weeks slogging through Game of Thrones so my frame of reference might be a little skewed.  Anyway I do recommend it for all lovers of epic fantasy particularly if you want something unique.

4/5  Highly Recommended

Book Details:

• File Size: 789 KB
• Print Length: 459 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 1482567229
• Publisher: Scimitar Press (September 11, 2011)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English

 

Murder on Olympus - Plato Jones #1

Blurb:

Murder on Olympus - Plato Jones #1

At first glance, the Gods of Olympus are as different from one another as salt is from sugar. Despite their bickering, they share a universal bond, a thread of commonality that unites them. 

They’re all jerks. 

After a stint with the Olympic Bureau of Investigation, Plato Jones is through with the Gods and their political games. Against his protests, he's drawn into a murder investigation, where the murderer's targets are the Gods themselves.

Plato has cracked some tough cases: exposing cheating spouses, capturing treasonous heretics, hunting three-headed dogs. But this time he’s in over his head. How can he solve a crime that’s impossible to commit? And what chance does Plato—a mere mortal—have against something powerful enough to kill a God?

Reviewed by Laurie:

I received a copy of Murder on Olympus from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.  Now that that is out of the way on to the review.  I have been caught up lately in the Game of Thrones series and after 4 books of that Murder on Olympus was a refreshing change and exactly what I needed after 3500 pages of heavy epic fantasy.  This was a fun light read with lots of humor throughout and it was a pleasant change to finish a book in a day versus a week.

Robert Warren creates a really interesting world in UF, he Gods of Olympus are not only real they are living out in the open, most are celebrities being chased around by TMZ.  Plato Jones is a private investigator called upon by the Gods to solve the mystery of who is killling them, cuz that's not supposed to happen.  Plato is very much the reluctant investigator, as a former employee of the Gods he is in no hurry to return to their employ even on a temporary basis.

This is pretty much a straight forward whodunnit, what was most interesting were the characters and the world created.  I really liked Plato, his relationship with his ex wife was hilarious and seeing how he tries to get out of working for the Gods made him really likable.  I loved how Hercules was portrayed a cheapskate and the rest of the Gods were pretty much complete dicks.  The concept of the Greek Gods living out in the open was really unique  and I would definitely look for the next book in the series.

4/5   Great read!

Book Details:

• File Size: 528 KB
• Print Length: 385 pages
• Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0985023066
• Publisher: Dragonfairy Press (April 11, 2013)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B00B3M4BX6

Tribulation - Rapture Trilogy #2

Blurb:

Tribulation - Rapture Trilogy #2

Halfway through the desolate Tribulation, half-demon Samael is still alone, with only his Samurai swords and memories of the dearly departed - especially his beloved Aimi - to sustain him. Fighting for the innocents who remain behind, Sam has thwarted the plans of the Antichrist once before. Now, having already conquered Europe, America remains a thorn in his brother’s side. At the head of a massive invasion fleet, an army of demons, and his sights firmly fixed on New York, he will not be denied again ...

Beset on all sides by adversaries, aided by friends old and new, Sam must stop his brother before America falls. And if that means killing him, then so be it. He failed once before; this time he will succeed - or die trying.

Reviewed by Sonali:

I would like to thank the author Mr Simpson for gifting me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

 Being a second book in the series it had both it had its advantages and drawbacks. Let’s get the negative out of the way first so we can move on to discuss the awesomeness of the book. When I read Rapture, I was enthralled by it. Although Tribulation maintained the fast pace of the first book it didn’t really provide anything new. What we read in Tribulation was more or less same what we had in Rapture.  Secondly what irked me about this book was how it had only one character that carried the book. Sam was mostly alone, being on the road and at times his inner monologues used to get a little (read very little) monotonous.

Okay, the drawbacks out of the way, it was an interesting book. It has been three and a half years into the tribulation. Sam is still trying to help the innocents who are braving the hellish Earth and fighting the demons. He is utterly alone and constantly thinks of Aimi. Those were my (one of the) favourite moments in the book. We (along with Sam) get to learn that he will never set foot in the Heaven when Christ returns to Earth at the end of the tribulation. Moreover, he would be cast of to the pits of hell along with his father (the Satan), brother( the Antichrist) and the False Prophet (he will be surprising you…more like shocking you…well, it really shocked me!). Now all this made me really angry (along with Sam). What about the all the good he is doing, saving innocents and all. What about his humility, love and selflessness.  All that counts for nothing? But our dear Sam replies with “It doesn’t change who I am. I’m not suddenly going to stop doing [saving innocents]  what I’m doing. Just because Heaven doesn’t keep its word, doesn’t mean I don’t have to.”

“It was never going to be easy, he reflected, reminding himself why he was doing this. Not for those in Heaven. Not for Him. This was for the innocents. Those who didn’t deserve to be the targets and subjects of the Antichrist’s rage. If Sam killed the Antichrist, surely he would save many innocents.”

Now if these aren’t the words of someone who deserves Heaven, I don’t know who does. Even with all this, he carries on with fierce determination and sheer will power, knowing that it may kill him and it almost did! Even after all this, nobody showed even an ounce of gratitude. Take Grace for example, Sam went to hell to save her but instead of being thankful she snubbed Sam that what made him wait that long! What the nerve! I really couldn’t figure out what her problem was.

One of the best things about this story was the entry of Yeth, a hellhound that became Sam’s most trusted and loyal companion. What the author depicted through Yeth and Sam was that absolutely nobody is born evil. It’s the influences in our lives that deviates us from the path of good.

Overall, I find this book a good read. The plot was consistent and there were no holes or missing pieces in the story. This book has got some cliff hanger. What happens to Sam now that his powers are stripped? Does he get Aimi back? I am definitely awaiting the next installment in the series!

4/5  Great Read

Book Details:

• Paperback: 300 pages
• Publisher: Pear Jam Books Ltd; C Format Trade Paperback edition (October 1, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 047319161X
• ISBN-13: 978-0473191610

A Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire #1

Blurb:

A Game of Thrones - A Song of Ice and Fire #1

"Long ago, in a time forgotten, a preternatural event threw the seasons out of balance. In a land where summers can last decades and winters a lifetime, trouble is brewing. The cold is returning, and in the frozen wastes to the north of Winterfell, sinister and supernatural forces are massing beyond the kingdom’s protective Wall. At the center of the conflict lie the Starks of Winterfell, a family as harsh and unyielding as the land they were born to. Sweeping from a land of brutal cold to a distant summertime kingdom of epicurean plenty, here is a tale of lords and ladies, soldiers and sorcerers, assassins and bastards, who come together in a time of grim omens.

Here an enigmatic band of warriors bear swords of no human metal; a tribe of fierce wildlings carry men off into madness; a cruel young dragon prince barters his sister to win back his throne; and a determined woman undertakes the most treacherous of journeys. Amid plots and counterplots, tragedy and betrayal, victory and terror, the fate of the Starks, their allies, and their enemies hangs perilously in the balance, as each endeavors to win that deadliest of conflicts: the game of thrones."

Reviewed by Laurie:

Ok so a little bit of backstory is needed for this review, first I have to admit that I watched the TV show long before I ever picked up the books, and second I neither wanted to watch the series nor did I ever intend on reading the books.  See a friend recommended the TV series and I said...meh when epic fantasy is right up my alley.  So eventually I gave in watched half of the first episode and then ignored it for another year.  I watched TV almost exclusively on my computer and while looking for a new series to watch I stumbled back onto GoT and then became addicted.

Now the book, no I didn't want to read that either even after watching the TV show.  I was afraid that one wouldn't measure up to the other or it would be like True Blood where both the TV show and the books are ok but have very little in common with each other.  As it turns out I was wrong again and happily so.  So hat's off to HBO for getting it right.

Now to the book, I have had it on my TBR pile for years, literally and ignored it for many reasons.  First the book is huge 700 pages, huge so I didn't feel like reading anything that big.  Second I measure all epic fantasy up against Lord of the Rings, is that fair...nope not in the least but I still do it and I had the mistaken idea that this was a regurgitation of that.  God was I wrong.

So I am not going to bore you with a synopsis of the book, if you haven't read it or seen the TV show what GoT is about is everywhere and the blurb above is just fine.  I will tell you what I did like about it though, GRRM creates a brilliant cast of characters and the chapters go back and forth from different points of view.  The characters are brilliant, some are absolutely loathsome, some so caught up in their version of honor and others motivated by revenge.  On a side note every scene with the dwarf has me picturing Peter Dinklage who is brilliant in this role.  The world GRRM has created is awesome in it's variety and depth but the characters drive this series for me.

5/5  Absolutely Brilliant!

Book Details:

• Paperback: 720 pages
• Publisher: Bantam; Reprint edition (March 22, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553386794
• ISBN-13: 978-0553386790

The Undead Heart - Blood Thirst #1

Blurb:

The Undead Heart - Blood Thirst #1

Rebecca Stockdale had enough issues in her life; parents that hated her for the strange abilities that she had been born with, she was about to move away from her sister and only friend, Bev, and she had had a really bad date that would change her forever.

Just when she was about to escape the drama that she had always lived in, Richard, a vampyre, walked into her life and shattered her reality with one request; travel back in time to 1888 to stop a psychopathic vampyre bent on revenge and save the family she never knew she had.

She would be joined on her journey by a band of vampyre hunters. Hunters who, centuries ago, had vowed to slay all vampyres. A vow they set aside to protect the family that they had come to love, knowing that the outcome of that decision would be an eventual battle. A battle of decapitation and blood; a battle they may not survive.

She was leaving a life she would kill to get away from for a family she would gladly die to protect, but could she do it? Could she make it back alive? Did she possess the strength and courage it would take to change the past and save their future?

She was about to find out.

The Undead Heart is a tale of love, life, horror, humor and family and is the first novel in The Blood Thirst Series.

Reviewed by Cassandra:

If you are a paranormal romance reader, this book is a must read!!  The only thing I couldn't stand was not having enough time due to working to read it straight through!!  I can't wait to start the next book in this series.  This book of course has romance but it also was funny, had sadness, time traveling, serial killer, crazy people, vengeance, fights, vomiting, adoption of adults, weddings, and did I mention funny and romance.  This book was an awesome surprise like waking up without an arm that was there when you went to sleep kind of surprise.  I can't even begin to put into words why I loved it so much because it would ruin your journey, and I wouldn't want to take that from you.  I absolutely love Beck and Richard and their entire family :)  This author just hit my favorite list, and I will read all her PNR books :)  Definitely worth the read and recommended to all PNR fans!!!    

5/5  Loved It!

Book Details:

• Paperback: 362 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (June 8, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1453600698
• ISBN-13: 978-1453600696

Twice Tempted - Night Prince #2

Blurb:

Twice Tempted - Night Prince #2

Dating the Prince of Darkness has its challenges...

Leila's psychic abilities have been failing her, and now she isn't sure what the future holds. If that weren't enough, her lover, Vlad, has been acting distant. Though Leila is a mere mortal, she's also a modern woman who refuses to accept the cold shoulder treatment forever–especially from the darkly handsome vampire who still won't admit that he loves her.

Like choosing between eternal love and a loveless eternity...

Soon circumstances send Leila back to the carnival circuit, where tragedy strikes. And when she finds herself in the crosshairs of a killer who may be closer than she realizes, Leila must decide who to trust– the fiery vampire who arouses her passions like no other or the tortured knight who longs to be more than a friend? With danger stalking her every step of the way, all it takes is one wrong move to damn her for eternity.

Reviewed by Laurie:

Jeaniene Frost's book are one of those things I buy without really thinking about it much, I first fell in love with Cat and Bones and the rest of the vampires caught my attention, most especially Vlad.  C'mon he's the Prince of Darkness, they based Dracula on him I always want to read someone else's take on him, particularly when their books are generally kind of funny.  Oh there's always a hot romance but Jeaniene Frost's take on the world ending is usually done with a healthy dose of humor.

I have a weakness in romance for those uber alpha type bad boys, I guess you can call them the anti-hero or whatever but Vlad personifies this type, kinda like Bones only a little meaner.  I love those types and I love it when the heroine doesn't try and change them...sadly that's not the case here.   I don't know what happened to the characters from the first book, but damn they got kinda annoying here.

Leila at times got kinda whiny and annoying, her reasons for leaving Vlad were silly and immature and kinda made me want to slap her.  Vlad giving into her whining kinda made me want to slap him at times too.  Eventually they both got it together and...got together.  While I did like Twice Tempted it wasn't as good as Once Burned, will still be grabbing the third one when it comes out.

4/5  Like it a lot!

Book Details:

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Avon (March 26, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0062076108
• ISBN-13: 978-0062076106