Moonlight and Oranges by Elise Stephens

Moonlight and Oranges

by Elise Stephens

Genre: Contemporary Fiction | Romance | Young Adult

Review on behalf of AToMR Blog Tours

A timeless tale of young romance.

Lorona Connelly is ready for a change from her carefully planned, bookish life. When sparks fly at a costume party, she embraces a chance for romance with the handsome Kestrin Feather. However, she quickly realizes that even love and destiny may not be enough to overcome the reality of an overprotective mother-in-law and Kestrin’s long, tarnished history of relationships. When Lorona’s curiosity leads her to Kestrin’s journal, doubt plagues them both with insecurities and threatens the relationship. Can true love overcome the odds, or was their whirlwind romance just a frivolous crush?

Author Elise Stephens shares a journey of young love, fate, and wounded trust in the story of Lorona and Kestrin, a couple who must learn to overcome their fears to share a life together.

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This Is Not A Test by Courtney Summers

This Is Not A Test
by Courtney Summers

Genre: Dark Fantasy | Young Adult | Post-Apocalyptic

It’s the end of the world. Six students have taken cover in Cortege High but shelter is little comfort when the dead outside won’t stop pounding on the doors. One bite is all it takes to kill a person and bring them back as a monstrous version of their former self. To Sloane Price, that doesn’t sound so bad. Six months ago, her world collapsed and since then, she’s failed to find a reason to keep going. Now seems like the perfect time to give up.

As Sloane eagerly waits for the barricades to fall, she’s forced to witness the apocalypse through the eyes of five people who actually want to live. But as the days crawl by, everyone’s motivations to survive begin to change in startling ways and soon the group’s fate is determined less and less by what’s happening outside and more and more by the unpredictable and violent bids for life–and death–inside. When everything is gone, what do you hold on to?

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Silver by Rhiannon Held

Silver
by Rhiannon Held

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Dark Fantasy | Mystery

Andrew Dare is a werewolf. He’s the enforcer for the Roanoke pack, and responsible for capturing or killing any Were intruders in Roanoke’s territory. But the lone Were he’s tracking doesn’t smell or act like anyone he’s ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn’t get any better. She’s beautiful, she’s crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she’s lost her wild self and can’t shift any more.

The packs in North America have a live-and-let-live attitude, and try not to overlap with each other. But Silver represents a terrible threat to every Were on the continent.

Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other.

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The Wolf Who Loved Me by Lydia Dare

The Wolf Who Loved Me
by Lydia Dare
Pseudonym for Tammy Falkner and Jodie Pearson

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Historic

Lady Madeline Hayburn Has Money Problems...

Specifically, she has so much of it that she's dogged by fortune hunters, including her bewilderingly attractive, penniless neighbor, with his wild nature and uncouth manners...

Weston Hadley Has An Identity Crisis...

Specifically, he's just turned into a wolf while Madeline was watching. Now it's up to the regal lady to tame the wild beast...if she can...

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All For You by Lynn Kurland

All For You
(de Piaget Family Series, Book #17)

by Lynn Kurland

Genre: Contemporary Romance | Time-Travel

FALLING THROUGH TIME IS DANGEROUS… Peaches Alexander is thrilled to receive an unexpected invitation to a weekend party given by the handsome, eligible Duke of Kenneworth. The only problem: Stephen de Piaget, a stuffy medieval studies scholar who seems determined to get in the way. Peaches has absolutely no desire to get involved with Stephen, until a quirk of Fate sends her hurtling through time…

UNLESS THERE’S SOMEONE TO CATCH YOU. Stephen de Piaget has been leading a double life: respectable professor by day, knight-in-training during holidays and summer terms. When Peaches goes missing, Stephen knows he’s the only one that can rescue her from medieval peril. Little do they know that the greatest danger they’ll face won’t be the business end of a sword, but their own unruly hearts….

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Fall For You by Cecilia Gray

 Fall For You: 
A Modern Retailing of Pride and Prejudice
(Jane Austen Academy, Book #1)

by Cecilia Gray

Review on behalf of AToMR Book Blog Tours

Genre:Young Adult | Contemporary Romance

To say Lizzie and Dante are polar opposites is the understatement of the century. He’s a snooty Exeter transfer with more money than Google. She’s a driven study-a-holic barely keeping up with tuition. It’s obvious that Dante thinks he’s way too good for Lizzie. And Lizzie knows Dante is a snob with a gift for pushing her buttons.

But things are changing fast this year at the Academy. And when Lizzie’s quest to stop those changes blows up in her face, taking her oldest friendship with it, she has nowhere else to turn but to Dante, with his killer blue eyes, his crazy-sexy smile, and his secrets… Secrets Lizzie can’t seem to leave alone, no matter how hard she tries…

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Lord of the Isles by Debbie Mazzuca

Lord of the Isles

(Isles Series, Book #1) 

by Debbie Mazzuca

Genre: Historical Romance | Time-Travel | Fantasy

After traveling to Scotland on business, the bed of a highland laird is the last place Ali Graham expected to wake up. But there's no mistaking the irresistibly masculine Scottish Highlander whose chambers she's accidentally infiltrated—or the severe wound he's suffered in battle. As a doctor, Ali knows how to heal his injury, how to nurse his body back to health. What she doesn't know is how to heal his heart...A proud warrior and the leader of a powerful clan, Rory MacLeod is ready to fight to the death to protect his homeland. After all, ever since tragedy robbed him of his wife, he has had nothing to lose. Yet the mysterious woman sent to tend his wounds is beginning to reawaken something inside him—something that he'd rather stay buried. But when true passion is mixed with Scottish magic, even the most fearsome warrior could begin to fall...

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Embrace the Highland Warrior
( Book #2 )
by Anita Clenney

Genre: Paranormal Romance

They were driven apart by a timeless secret...

Cody MacBain let the woman of his destiny slip away.  A member of an ancient clan of Scottish warriors, he grew up beside Shay Logan as her secret protector, but his heart compelled him to become more.  Until Shay's true identity was revealed, the fated pair's chance was gone...

But danger will drive them back into each others arms...

 Shay fell for the boy next door, suspecting nothing of the ancient secrets he guarded.  After a stinging betrayal, she's determining to banish the memories of her first love forever.  But the past can't let go, and the boy she once loved has returned to her a warrior determined to protect her from the unspeakable evil fate has planned... 

When the powerful demon that left Shay for dead discovers her empty grave, he comes seeking retribution, believing she possesses an ancient book he has sought for centuries. Knowing she can’t fight the demon alone, Shay returns to her clan and the Scottish Warrior who betrayed her…the only man she’s ever loved, where she discovers that betrayal isn’t always what it seems. Sometimes it’s far worse. 

When a stalker began to haunt Shay in Scotland, she escaped to take sanctuary in a place she had not visited in over 10 years - the Virginia home she ran away from at 18.  It became difficult returning to a place that bought to life so many memories from her childhood, becasue the family/friends that concealed secrets from her since birth were still in residence. Yet, upon returning, Shay was bombarded with intense feelings for a man who once was her best friend/first love and as past mistakes slowly became resolved, a much darker force was coming...solely for her.

Honestly, I forgot I read Book #1 by Anita Clenney (which I am satisfied to say the book cover greatly improved with Book #2, hehe) and was presently surprised to catch up with past characters that I was some-what familiar with.  Shay and Cody were easy to enjoy as the protagonists, but I was more fond of them earlier on in the story than I was at the end due to their relationship being built on jealousy/mistrust/constant-bickering. Also, their earlier awkward awareness of each other was a lot more exciting and animate, for the reader, than their quick excuse for comforting relations (i.e. sex) in the second half of the book. Thus, I was discontented with the evolvement of romance in this story.  Yet, if you like lots of highlander adventures that travel through Scotland and reside in castles - this could be an entertaining read for you, but don't expect a grand epic tale.

Likes: Shay and Cody's childhood memories were some of my favorite parts of the whole story, especially the younger ones that revolved around them innocently playing together.

Dislikes: The story fell a little flat for me half-way through since I was expecting more character development (esp. with the relationship between Shay and Cody as adults) and yet there were many superficial jumps in the tale that left me dissatisfied overall. 

Reviews: Goodreads |  Barnes & Noble | Shelfari | Library Thing | Amazon

Rating:

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The Splendor Falls by Rosemary Clement-Moore

The Splendor Falls

by Rosemary Clement-Moore

Genre: Young Adult | Supernatural

Can Love Last Beyond the Grave?

Sylvie Davis is a ballerina who can’t dance. A broken leg ended her career, but Sylvie’s pain runs deeper. What broke her heart was her father’s death, and what’s breaking her spirit is her mother’s remarriage—a union that’s only driven an even deeper wedge into their already tenuous relationship.

Uprooting her from her Manhattan apartment and shipping her to Alabama is her mother’s solution for Sylvie’s unhappiness. Her father’s cousin is restoring a family home in a town rich with her family’s history. And that’s where things start to get shady. As it turns out, her family has a lot more history than Sylvie ever knew. More unnerving, though, are the two guys that she can’t stop thinking about. Shawn Maddox, the resident golden boy, seems to be perfect in every way. But Rhys—a handsome, mysterious foreign guest of her cousin’s—has a hold on her that she doesn’t quite understand.

 Then she starts seeing things. Sylvie’s lost nearly everything—is she starting to lose her mind as well?

Summary: Sylvie Davis is sent to her late father's ancestral home for the summer in Alabama to recover from "The Accident" that ruined her career in ballet.  Bitter and distraught, Sylvie begrudgingly adapts to her new historical residence even though there are some unsettling rules (ex. no dogs in the house), bewildering small-town beliefs/superstitions, and two young men that she develops conflicting/unbalancing feelings for.  Even though the lush green gardens outside her home brighten her days, Sylvie's nights are haunted by a watcher in the windows and high-pitched howling noises from the nearby woods.  Any attempts to discover the secrets of her father's Old South legacy are usually interrupted by the Teen Town Council/Shawn Maddox or the local ghost town (Cahawba) archaeological dig volunteer, Rhys Griffith.  And when the legendary ghost stories begin to become reality, Sylvie takes it upon herself to set the past straight by uncovering the mysteries of Bluestone Hill.

Review: Sylvie was a rocky character for me, she either came off a stubbornly strong or frustratingly vulnerable and as much as I wanted to recognize her as an independent female lead, in my eye, she only succeeded in lacking confidence.  I know she had good reason to be gloomy, but her coarse actions towards events in the story dampened my feelings towards her.  On the other hand, Rhys was a highly witty and delightful character.  He portrayed a compelling figure that actually revealed many of the stories historical facts and much-needed revelations that moved the tale along.  Shawn also depicted a vibrant character who shined greatly as the small-town's favorite son, but who also had a darker more complex and intense side.  The side-characters were all entertaining enough (somewhat excluding cousin Paula who was more of a downer than anything else) without distracting from the main leads -- a plus!

The story had an intriguing concept full of ghosts, folk-lore, history, mythology, etc. that it instantly appealed to me, but there was almost too much going on in each of those areas that they kind of eclipsed each other.  Also, sadly, some parts that I felt were very important in the story were either anti-climatic/down-played and only slightly revealed right at the end (ex. the whole 'past-life' concept), thus I would have liked a bit more development altogether.  I was entertained though by the spook-factor created from the local ghost beliefs/visions which added a little supernatural thrill.  Plus, the romance sparks were there, just slightly hollow.

  

Likes: Personally, I did enjoy Sylvie's soy milk drinking/meat-substitute eating lifestyle since recently I've adapted to becoming a part-time vegan and got a hoot out of her reactions to the southern dishes. Also, the Welsh mythology was something all together new for me (and that's saying something for a historical/folk-lore Nut like me)!

Dislikes: The overall story's plot development was too lethargic and disordered for my reading taste. The ending left me asking questions that, I felt, weren't fully answered as well as confusion in some of the misleading directions the story took.  All in all, it left me a bit baffled!

Rating:

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Die For Me by Amy Plum

Die For Me
(DIE FOR ME trilogy, Book #1)
by Amy Plum

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier’s parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate’s guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he’s a revenant–an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

Kate and her sister are moving to Paris after the tragic deaths of their parents to start a fresh new life with their grandparents. During that summer, in-between the visits to cafes and museums, Kate catches the eye of a young Frenchman and his friends -- who "seem" to have inadvertently saved her life. Thus, on a personal mission to discover the truth behind her new friend's talent in saving lives, Kate becomes involved in a hidden secret that drags her and her sister down into a dark battle between immortals.

Interesting concept but somewhat of a slow read that was lacking in substance and any real spirit. Kate was kind of blah to me overall and as much as I wanted to really lose myself in her story, I felt she desperately needed more energy or vitality to make her more interesting. I understand her morale was down due to mourning her parents, but for some reason, she just lacked warmth for me and becasue of that the story didn't have that certain zest I enjoy. Now, the notion of "revenants" was intriguing and I wish the book would have put more focus there instead of making it into some ludicrous romance where the girl seems feeble and the boy comes off as desperate. Hopefully, Book #2 ( Until I Die ) will bring about more fascinating characters and concentrate on the history/background of the Revenant gang.

Likes: I personally have a love-hate relationship with Paris, but to experience "The City of Lights" through Kate and her sister was pretty pleasurable.

Dislikes: Sometimes I appreciate the side-characters in a story & sometimes not . . . this book was a case in the latter for me!

Rating:

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Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Ruby Red
(Ruby Red trilogy, Book #1)
by Kerstin Gier

Genre: Young Adult | Time-Travel

Gwyneth Shepherd's sophisticated, beautiful cousin Charlotte has been prepared her entire life for traveling through time. But unexpectedly, it is Gwyneth, who in the middle of class takes a sudden spin to a different era!

Gwyneth must now unearth the mystery of why her mother would lie about her birth date to ward off suspicion about her ability, brush up on her history, and work with Gideon--the time traveler from a similarly gifted family that passes the gene through its male line, and whose presence becomes, in time, less insufferable and more essential. Together, Gwyneth and Gideon journey through time to discover who, in the 18th century and in contemporary London, they can trust.

Gwyn's family is quite unique since they share a secret time-traveling gene. Her cousin Charlotte is the most recent of family members to go through the extensive training that will prepare the travelers for their adventures into the past. Little does the family expect that the lessons have been wasted on the wrong family member since Gwyn suddenly develops dizzy spells herself and literally falls back into the past--twice! Caught off guard by her new ability, she keeps it secret until the truth becomes revealed and she's quickly brought into a mysterious society that is deeply rooted with dark passages, archaic passwords, and oddly enough. . .a cute (but egotistical) boy with the same time-traveling ability. Since Gwyn's new skill was discovered ( along with another darker hidden talent she reveals to only a select few ), she and those around her have been questioning her past and just who she really is. Can the truth be revealed in the past?

This was an okay read. Nothing really special, but interesting enough that I'm tempted to check out Book #2, Sapphire Blue, in hopes it will get better and much more enjoyable. Unlike many books in a series that have continuous stories that AT LEAST contain one plot line which gets concluded within that book. . . this story just keeps going and going. So much so, that I was left hanging at the end going "That's it?" even though it was obvious book #2 would be coming out soon. I didn't feel there was a sense of completion within the tale and because of that, makes me imagine this trilogy as one big substantial book cut into three smaller/duller parts -- boo! Yet, all in all, it contained an intriguing concept that was both unique and puzzling. Book #1 gives you a taste of what to expect further into the series with little glimpses/foreshadowing of Gwyn and Gideon's adventures into the past, so I guess I'll give this series a fuller evaluation after reading further.

Likes: The clothing attire needed for each past visit was fun and I was amused by each character's reactions to their apparel.

Dislikes: With a family that was so use to discussing/praising it's "rare" gene and being very open about it, I was somewhat taken back by Gwyn's reluctance to reveal her ability to her mother due to the fact she was afraid many would consider her crazy. Didn't make sense to me!

Rating:

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Reckoning by Jeaniene Frost

Reckoning
(Originally appeared in the anthology Unbound)
by Jeaniene Frost

Genre: Supernatural Thriller | Short-Story (eBook only)

In New Orleans, a pair of undead serial killers are about to turn Mardi Gras into a horror show—unless the immortal hitman Bones can hunt them down first.
From Jeaniene Frost comes a thrilling prequel novella featuring characters from her New York Times bestselling Night Huntress series.

IN HONOR OF MARDI GRAS (Today, Feb 21st). . .

Bones is on the hunt for the famous Delphine & Louis LaLourie, who are actually ghouls and back in New Orleans during Mardi Gras to continue their deadly reign on innocent tourists. With the Majestic Voodoo Queen, Marie, out of town on business, Bones hopes this would be an easy mission, except there is also someone trying to murder him as well, with silver arrows nonetheless. As this twisted cat-and-mouse thriller quickly gets out of control, can Bones save the day (as well as his own neck) from becoming any more bloodier during carnival time?

I just had to tackle a Mardi Gras related story for today and what better character to read about than Bones, so win-win! Overall, I'll just start off by stating I'm not a fan of anthologies since the stories are way too short and always leave me wanting more, but this tale was enjoyable for the fact that it contained lots of Mardi Gras spirit - which I am totally in by the way (and, in real life, out in costume on St. Charles Avenue yelling for REX beads!) This suspenseful thriller shorty contains lots of Bone(s) action (no pun intended), so have fun with that, but also somewhat emotional when you find out the real reason behind Bones mission. Enjoy!

If you don't know about the LaLourie's . . . click here. Sometimes the truth can be creepier than fiction!

Likes: Interesting spin of truth and fiction . . . had me cracking up when I first started reading. The LaLourie's story is truly a famous New Orleans dark tale - so thanks for the spin-off Jeaniene!

Dislikes: As most short-stories in anthologies can be - the story was too choppy for me and somewhat silly (the whole musical Phantom of the Opera Mardi Gras float scene . . . I mean, seriously?)

Rating:

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Sins of the Heart by Eve Silver

Sins of the Heart
(Otherkin Series, Book 1)
by Eve Silver

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Half human, half god, Dagan Krayl is the Underworld's most powerful soul reaper. When one of his brothers is murdered, Dagan must use every ounce of his power to hunt down those responsible for his brutal death. But he must move swiftly—and carefully—if he's to have any chance of resurrecting his brother.

Yet that resurrection could wreak havoc on the mortal world. As an Otherkin, Roxy Tam has sworn to protect the human race, and it's her mission to stop Dagan. But when she sees him face-to-face, she realizes that she has seen him once before--a meeting that changed her life forever.

Neither Dagan nor Roxy expect to join forces for the sake of mankind. Or to have their loyalties tested as they struggle against the potent desire that threatens to consume them both ...

Save me from that god who steals souls,
Who laps up corruption, who lives on what is putrid,
Who is in charge of darkness, who lives in gloom,
Of whom those who are among the languid ones are afraid.
Who is he? He is Seth.
He is Sutekh.
—The Egyptian Book of the Dead, Chapter 17

Saved from a cruel captivity and a likely bloody death, Roxy is confronted with an unlikely savior that will in return curse her life for years to come. Dagan foolishly spends one night saving a human and for the next eleven years remains haunted by her memory. When the Soul Reaper of Sutekh and the Daughter of Aset finally meet again, sparks fly and not only because the two should be mortal enemies. Together they build a very Gothic Romeo & Juliet story where both fight to stay together even though doom is destined for them when the truth of their relationship is revealed.

This book was as much entertaining as it was confusing due to all the names/characters, references to religion/mythology, and side plots being interwoven within the main tale. ( Luckily I listened to this on audio-book, otherwise I know I would have been stumbling over the pronunciation of some of the characters names as well. ) All in all, there is almost too much going on for me to actually lose myself in the overall story without being baffled, but the relationship between Dagan and Roxy was very enjoyable ( HOT! ) and that, in itself, really kept the excitement of the tale going for me. Expect lots of kick-ass action, sensual romance, and suspenseful intrigue throughout Sins of the Heart, but be warned that the story can easily become overwhelming.

Likes: Roxy's shockingly realistic dreams were intense & passionate -- very enjoyable!

Dislikes: I feel like I need to brush up on my Egyptian and Greek mythology to truly appreciate this series -- almost like doing homework before enjoying the story to the fullest!

Rating:

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All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

All I Want for Christmas is a Vampire
Love At Stake Series, Book #5
by Kerrelyn Sparks

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Toni Davis’s Christmas Wish List

1. Springing my best friend from the psych ward.
2. Living somewhere that doesn’t have coffins in the basement. Occupied coffins.
3. Finding Mr. Right. Please make him tall, dark, handsome, and ALIVE.

This Christmas isn’t so merry for Toni. Her best friend’s been locked up in a mental hospital ever since she told the police she was attacked by vampires, and the only way for Toni to get her out is to prove that bloodsuckers really do exist. So she’s taken a job as a bodyguard for the Undead, but she gets more than she's bargained for, especially when she meets Ian MacPhie, a Scottish rascal looking for Ms. Right.

Although Ian’s nearly five centuries old, he looks and acts like a twenty-seven-year-old hunk. How can a dead man be so damn sexy? Could Mr. Wrong be Mr. Right? One forbidden kiss could lead to an eternity of passion—and all it takes is one moment under the mistletoe . . .

Toni had a very rewarding goal in life (to open up an orphanage for abandoned children) that she and her two closest friends were working years towards before vampires attacked and ruined everything. Now, Toni's best friend (and financial support) is in a mental ward and Toni finds herself in a reckless vampire job that could one day set everything right again ... or at least she hopes! If she can prevent herself from being tempted by the newly returned Scottish warrior, Ian, or accidentally revealing her plan of action in proving that vampires truly exist, she could set everything back to their original course. Yet, as things begin to heat up with Ian and the vampire society line between good & bad becomes more visible, Toni finds her future plans have changed whether she likes it or not.

For me, this was an okay book from the Love to Stake series - not one of my favorites and definitely not one of the worst. Thus, it was an overall so-so read. I wasn't that much of a fan of Toni, becasue she was either too tough or lacking from too little confidence for me to truly enjoy as a character. And, I couldn't escape the memory of Ian as a young boy as well - so sadly I was kind of ruined from the beginning with really losing myself in their budding relationship. It's always a joy though to catch up with other favorite characters from past books in the series and becasue of that I continue to follow the story and enjoy the ups and downs of each tale. Plus, the Christmas feel to this book really made for a festive read!

Likes: I'm also not that much of a fan of small talkative children in romance stories, but Constantine was quite adorable.

Dislikes: Ian's dating insecurities were somewhat boorish and vexing at times.

Rating:

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Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake

Anna Dressed in Blood
by Kendare Blake

Genre: Young Adult | Supernatural Thriller

Cas Lowood has inherited an unusual vocation: He kills the dead.

So did his father before him, until his gruesome murder by a ghost he sought to kill. Now, armed with his father's mysterious and deadly athame, Cas travels the country with his kitchen-witch mother and their spirit-sniffing cat. Together they follow legends and local lore, trying to keep up with the murderous dead—keeping pesky things like the future and friends at bay.

When they arrive in a new town in search of a ghost the locals call Anna Dressed in Blood, Cas doesn't expect anything outside of the ordinary: move, hunt, kill. What he finds instead is a girl entangled in curses and rage, a ghost like he's never faced before. She still wears the dress she wore on the day of her brutal murder in 1958: once white, but now stained red and dripping blood. Since her death, Anna has killed any and every person who has dared to step into the deserted Victorian she used to call home.
But she, for whatever reason, spares his life.

Just your average boy-meets-girl, girl-kills-people story . . .

"This city smells like smoke and things that rot in the summer. It's more haunted than I though it would be, an entire layer of activity just under the dirt: whispers behind peoples' laughter or movement that you shouldn't see in the corner of your eye. Most of the them are harmless -- sad little cold spots or groans in the dark. Blurry patches of white that only show up in a Polaroid. I have no business with them.
But somewhere out there s one that matters. Somewhere out there is one that I came for, one who is strong enough to squeeze the breath out of living throats.
I think of her again. Anna. Anna Dressed in Blood. I wonder what tricks she'll try. I wonder if she'll be clever. Will she float? Will she laugh or scream?
How will she try to kill me?"
[ Back-cover ]

Theseus Cassio: "I work in the dark, killing what should have stayed dead. If people knew what I was up to, they'd probably try to stop me. The idiots would take Casper's side, and then I have to kill Casper and them after Casper bit their throats out. I'm no superhero. If anything I'm Rorschach from Watchmen. I'm Grendel. I'm the survivor in Silent Hill." (pg. 22)

Cas hunts ghosts. Its a job that's been passed down in his family and on this new move to Canada, he is hunting one ghost in particular - Anna. This was an interesting read and though I highly enjoyed it during certain times (the spooky parts; especially the first time visiting Anna's house), there were other times that just were so-so for me and somewhat boring. I didn't really connect with some of the characters (example - Cas was quite cocky and not always in a good way) and, thus, it was hard for my to truly loss myself in the story since I wasn't a fan of the protagonist. Yet, the gore and scary factor of the story was fun and I would have loved more of it. So, if you're not afraid to read something dark that is all about what-goes-bump-in-the-night, check this out ---- you may be more of a fan than I.

Likes: This was surprisingly bloody and grim, something I was not at all expecting from a Young Adult story.

Dislikes: There was something about the story that was ultimately unappealing and drab for me, thus I don't think I'll be checking out book # 2 in this new series.

Rating:

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I'll Be Slaying You by Cynthia Eden

I'll Be Slaying You
(Night Watch Book #2)
by Cynthia Eden

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Sandra “Dee” Daniels is a vampire’s worst nightmare. Sure, she couldn’t get up to five-six in the highest heels money can buy—not that she ever wears heels. But the monsters in her past and the stake in her boot are enough to keep most bloodsuckers interested in staying undead out of Baton Rouge.

But there are changes afoot on her turf. Rumors of a Born Master in town—a vampire so powerful he can make the streets run with blood. And a new face in Dee’s dive bars and alleyways—Simon Chase, a strong, sexy shadow with a haunted past of his own. Simon knows a lot about the dark side of Dee’s work. He knows even more about how to make her body spark with desire. But the hot lust shimmering between them is only the beginning. Because Simon also knows a secret that will change Dee’s life—if she can live long enough to uncover it.

Dee Daniels has a kick-ass job, she works on supernatural missions for Night Watch to track & take out vampires. Because of a dark past that haunts her daily, Dee becomes determined to destroy all evil vamps from her city of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Yet, one night she runs into a dark stranger, Simon, who ends up being her back-up more than once. Things (ie. romance & danger) quickly get a little heated, in more ways than one, between them. When the darkness that Night Watch fights gets frighteningly personal, Dee must know face some harsh truths and a new mission that is a gruesome surprise to all.

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book: the concept was intriguing, the characters sparked with chemistry, and the location was easy to enjoy as a fellow Louisiana resident! On the other hand, I really did not enjoy the ending since the story line dragged after half-way through the tale, the characters got a little flat, and the overall narrative became easily predicable. My main problem was that most of the character development was weak throughout and that always leaves me wishing for more in a book. I understand Dee, as the main female protagonist, went through a big transition, but all her side-characters were just so-so for me and none really stood out as memorable figures. Lastly, as much as I enjoy romance, the sex scenes in here became a little overkill for me by the end.

Likes: The intense appeal between Dee and Simon was very tempting and kept me eagerly reading . . . at first!

Dislikes: I got a little bored near the end and that's never a good thing while reading!

Rating:

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Perchance to Dream by Lisa Mantchev

Perchance to Dream
(Théâtre Illuminata Book #2)
by Lisa Mantchev

Genre: Fantasy | Paranormal Romance | Young Adult

Act Two, Scene One
Enter Bertie And Company

Setting: The world outside the Théâtre

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith (Bertie):
Our charming and talented heroine

Nate: A suave, swashbuckling pirate in grave danger

Ariel: A brooding, seductive air spirit whose motives remain frustratingly hidden

Peaseblossom, Codweb, Moth, and Mustardseed: These fairies are indispensable if you need help dispatching with a pie or pudding

Growing up in the enchanted Théâtre Illuminata, Bertie learned everything about every play ever written. She knew the Players and their parts--but she didn't know that she had a role to play, too. Now that she's discovered her own magic, she is the Mistress of Revels, the Teller of Tales. And she's ready to write her own story, outside the productive walls of the Théâtre. But which way will her story go? Toward Nate, who's being held captive by the Sea Goddess, and loves Bertie dearly? Or should she write Ariel into her narrative? He's by her side every day, and she's finding his charms so very hard to resist . . .

Beatrice Shakespeare Smith's search for her stolen companion, Nate, has brought her traveling company far from the stage of the Théâtre Illuminata. With the power of her words, Bertie can reshape reality, but the magic is wild and defies her attempts to control it. The Pirate's time is running out and the Sea Goddess will not give up her prize willingly.

No matter what, Bertie is hell-bent on getting back Nate, dragging her crew through tough terrains and dangerous situations. Along the way, they meet some interesting characters that become pivotal figures in Bertie's current adventure and many secrets of her past become known. I was excited to check out book # 2 in this series, but unfortunately, this was a so-so read for me. It was VERY dramatic and kind of all-over-the-place. Plus, it was almost too much fantasy for my taste, esp. with the whole "words = reality" problem (in which Bertie became stubborn in using!) There is a big adjustment for the "Company" in dealing with people/places in the "modern" world compared to being inside the Théâtre, so that in itself was fascinating to read about, but overall it was entertaining and theatrical.

Likes: Bertie's "triangle" relationship with Nate & Ariel truly heated up in this story and I don't see it simmering down for awhile until Bertie finally makes a decision between the two.

Dislikes: The fairies come off to me as more annoying than comical!

Rating:

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