Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

Succubus Revealed
(Georgina Kincaid Series, Book #6)
by Richelle Mead

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Urban Fantasy

Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations...to Las Vegas.

The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—-and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it--no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won’t include the one man she’s risking everything for...

Ever since Georgina, a lesser immortal, revealed the shocking fact that her boyfriend, Seth, unbeknown to him, mentioned her original mortal name (Letha!) while falling asleep one night, things have gotten a little out of control. Her bosses in Hell are transferring her, on short notice, to Las Vegas in a time when she desperately wants to stay in Seattle. She still can't find a sensible job since quitting her last one and she is now required to bowl against her will for the 'Unholy Rollers'. On top of that, her roommate, Roman, thinks something is fishy about her job transfer and is determined to uncover the truth. When Georgina's past comes to haunt her, can she finally uncover the hidden secret about her succubus contract before time runs out?

I always get a bit bummed when a favorite series comes to an end and thus Georgina's tale is officially over, BOO! But I'm happy for the way it ended, which was something all the books have been truly leading up to brilliantly. If you're a loyal reader, this book won't hold many secrets, but overall it was a satisfying and delightful read. What I enjoy most about the Georgina Kincaid series is that its a story about relationships, be it with friends, family, co-workers, or significant others . . . its a great read with lots of emotional development (ex: I can't forget how heart-broken I was after Book #3) All in all, I will miss the crazy immortal gang, Georgie's kooky adventures, and the fun trip that was G & Seth's relationship, so farewell my favorite Succubus!

Likes: I enjoyed how mature Seth & G's relationship has gotten. So cute to see it grow from Book #1.

Dislikes: If you read the series, you'll be able to pretty-easily predict the outcome w/ just a few twists here & there!

Rating:

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Iron Crowned by Richelle Mead

Iron Crowned
(Dark Swan Series Book #3)
by Richelle Mead

Genre : Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

Shaman-for-hire Eugenie Markham is the best at banishing entities trespassing in the mortal realm. But as the Thorn Land’s queen, she’s fast running out of ways to end the brutal war devastating her kingdom. Her only hope: the Iron Crown, a legendary object even the most powerful gentry fear…

Who Eugenie can trust is the hardest part. Fairy king Dorian has his own agenda for aiding her search. And Kiyo, her shape-shifter ex-boyfriend, has every reason to betray her along the way. To control the Crown’s ever-consuming powers, Eugenie will have to confront an unimaginable temptation--one that will put her soul and the fate of two worlds in mortal peril…

Eugenie is in a Fae war and doesn't want to be. She doesn't like the loses, destruction, and death that war brings and wishes there was another way out - something her current male squeeze Dorian doesn't believe in. Yet, when the story of the Iron Crown is brought to Eugenie's attention, she jumps at the chance of claiming something that could lead to a peaceful end. Knowing its the struggle of claiming the crown itself that creates the fear within surrounding kingdoms, Eugenie invites her previously male squeeze, Kiyo, along on the dangerous journey. Thus, not all is as it seems when the crown is finally obtained and nature decides to play a nasty/surprising trick on Eugenie - something that will change her life and future from here on out.

I'm a big fan of Richelle Mead and adore her writing style. Her stories are easy to read, enjoyable to get lost in, and always keep me up way past my bed time. Thus, I finished this book in less that two days, but I think really liking the Dark Swan series overall added to that reading speed. Eugenie can really get under my skin though, since there are times when I highly enjoy her and others when all I wish to do is smack her. She has such a quick and abrupt attitude of changing her mind that it can give the reader whip-lash if not use to it. Also, she's so stubborn that I'm not sure if I should admire that about her or feel sorry since she usually ends up regretting her actions in the end, but her hard-headed character adds greatly to the story's intensity.

The romantic juggle between her two male counterparts is great, every book adds to that battle and I will always hold out for Dorian in the end (since I'm such a sucker for the bad boy!) But Kiyo sure did add a nice twist to the story near the end of Iron Crowned that it's really intriguing to see just how Eugenie and his relationship will lead Book # 4 on. Dorian himself is just a cocky and adorable in this tale, but the reader is also really beginning to see more emotion from him as well - which is nice for once and I hope to see more of in the series's future. All in all, highly liked the book and cannot wait for more, but I need a break from Eugenie and her stubbornness first.

Likes: I enjoy that Eugine can admit her sex life with Dorian is kinky, because some of their scenes had me blushing! ;)

Dislikes: The "ghost" part of the plot feel flat for me and didn't really add much to the story. I felt like it was only created to add a connection between certain characters, but honestly - it was boring!

Rating:

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Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Shadowfever
(Fever Series Book #5)
by Karen Marie Moning

Genre: Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds. In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac, and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman that haunts her dreams? More importantly, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? From the luxury of the Lord Master's penthouse, to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover, to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac's journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and make a choice that will either save the world...or destroy it.

Mac must confront all the monsters in her closet in this last Fever installment. Facing the facts about her past, confronting her sister's killer, dealing with the deadly Sinsar Dubh, and working on her relationship with Barrons are just a few of the highlights Mac deals with in Shadowfever. There are defiantly some dark twists, steamy scenes and harsh facts about Mac's reality that makes this story quite intriguing. I found I did not want the story to end, thus I slowed down reading on the last few pages, but the overall tale was amazing - even though I felt it had a few hick-ups here and there.

*SPOILERS*

My first impression of the story was that there were so many details, descriptions, and explanations about things that it became difficult for me to become absorbed during the first 100+ pages. I am not sure if my reaction was a reflection of Mac's growing insanity/grief or if Mac just views the Fever World in a new light compared to Book #1 (which could highly be the case), or maybe KMM wanted to add extra pages to up the book tally count (who knows?) . . . but it just felt like there was too much going on in the beginning but it eventually became the Shadowfever that I was expecting around page 174. Yet, because of all these details . . . I do have to praise KMM's writing style since Mac's emotional feelings were VERY evident throughout much of the story. You feel her gut-wrenching grief, her overjoyed happiness, her silly giddiness, and her cold disdain which really gets the reader to step into her shoes and enjoy the ride!

Another down factor for me was Mac & Darroc's "fake" buddy-buddy relationship. Both characters knew it was a facade and eventually one would betray the other (please, no trust to begin with!) but BOY did Darrco (aka LM) give out A LOT of detailed and personal information about himself, what he does and what he plans to do. . . much more information then Mac herself would give out. It just seemed an easy short cut to throw out much needed facts and a silly move on KMM's part to write it out that way since it was like taking the police with you on tour of a bank you were about rob, just plain idiotic . . . but the whole end of Darroc was a nice surprise.

Once I got into Shadowfever, I was addicted. It became easy to enjoy the tension created and the shocks near the end were highly enjoyable. I did get upset with the "real parents" coming to Mac and if it would have truly ended that way . . . I would have screamed and threw the book away. Also, the Unseelie King came off as lacking to me, not exactly immature, but too naive to be seen as royalty. And I actually grieve for the true Vlane, poor Fae. Plus, its not like I was expecting for the world to do a full flip into its original state at the end, but the fact that the walls were still down was a shocker to me. I assumed once all was put into place that things would be repaired, but I guess KMM needs to keep some things exciting to go into her spin-off novels. Overall, great book and its bittersweet that Mac's adventure has concluded.

Likes: Barron's underground digs . . . NICE!

Dislikes: Killing of the son - I would have thought/hoped something could have been done for him instead of what happened. ALSO - I felt sorry for Kasteo and think since Mac now has "extra powers" that Barron's group should have followed through with the execution rules, but o'well, less brutality I guess.

Rating:

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Sin Undone by Larissa Ione

Sin Undone
(Demonica Novel #5)
by Larissa Ione

Genre : Paranormal Romance | Urban Fantasy

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY

As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she’ll die before she’ll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin’s innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN’T BE DENIED

Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she’s no stranger: He’s bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld’s most wanted and Con soon learns he’s the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.

Sinead (aka Sin) has always felt left behind and non-deserving of anything good in life. Her Mother tried to kill her when she was a baby, her twin Brother deserted her when they discovered their demon heritage in her early 20s, and all those she knew from her mortal life (i.e. caring Grandparents) have died, thus she now focuses only on herself. Yet, upon discovering some new family connections (three brothers) work at the UG, under-ground demon hospital, she stumbles across a paramedic there -Conall (aka Con)- who begins to push Sin's buttons in ways no one else can. As a connection between them grows, Sin must dodge her assassin co-workers who are out to kill her for her job and assist with the deadly genocide disease that she started before either she, her new mate, and those close to her with the virus end up dead.

This was a nice genre switch for me since lately I find my reading list is consumed with Historical Romances or Young Adult novels, thus it was great to get a little down & dirty with demons in this steamy book. I'm also a huge fan of this series, so it was enjoyable catching up with past characters and seeing the Demonica world expand. I wasn't that big of a Sin fan in previous books, but getting her POV really softened her for me and I'm happy with her relationship with Con. Certain points were a little cheesy here and there with Con trying to break down Sin's emotional wall (had me remembering a particular Family Guy episode) and some of their lovey-dovey quotes had me smirking as well, but overall it was a great read that I devoured in two days and couldn't put down. Plus, those love scenes were yummy!

Likes: Sin slowly opening up to her Brothers was nice to read about in the end and seeing their sibling bond grow.

Dislikes: Even though I'm a fan to the series, the overload of multiple vampires, dhampirs, various demons, werewolves, and shifters can get a bit confusing at times and I don't like that distracting me from the story itself.

Rating:

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Styx's Storm by Lora Leigh

Styx's Storm
(The Breeds Book #22)
by Lora Leigh

Genre: Urban Fantasy Paranormal Romance

To save innocent, young Storme Montague from the claws of Breed slave traders, Wolf Breed Styx is forced to claim her himself-on the condition that Storme will no longer be a virgin by night's end. And though Storme's defenses are up, Styx will free her-in ways she never expects.

Storme's earliest memories are of the facilities where the Breeds where made, tortured, experimented on, and much more. At such a young age, the world with her scientific family was all she knew . . . until the day escaped Coyote Breeds brutally killed her father and brother. Now, 10 years later, Storme is still on the run from all Breeds who look for her. They know her father entrusted her with vital Breed secrets and until those with power get what they want, Storme will never have a life of her own. Except one night, she breaks her exhausted escape (in hopes of forgetting her hunted existence) in the arms of Styx; a Scottish wolf breed and is treacherously caught for the first time. Yet, is being held captive by her "almost" mate such a bad thing? Can she overcome her childhood prejudices and finally give up hiding from the world?

I wasn't that big of a fan of Leigh's last Breed book, Lion's Heat, for many reasons. Thus, I was pleasantly shocked by how much I REALLY enjoyed Styx and Storme's story. I got sucked into the overall plot right away. I enjoyed the past story of Storme's childhood flashbacks and her struggle to continuously be on the run until getting caught by Styx's team and being taken to the Haven compound. I liked how Styx wasn't such a hard ass alpha and treated Storme with respect but scolded her when needed. Storme came off as having a dark past with something truly personal to overcome and her personality changes were pretty evident throughout the story.

There were certain quirks to the story that were endearing at first, but became pretty redundant pretty fast: Styx's chocolate addiction and the line "so good" were just a few I could think of off the top of my head. Yet, overall Styx's Storm was a great read. Its got its romance scattered throughout (no building up the anticipation and waiting till the end of the tale for any play), plenty of action to keep the story pumping, heart-wrenching emotion, and lots of past character interactions. I devoured this book in less than 24 hours, I love books like that!

Likes: I enjoyed that the "almost" mate plot was introduced into the series since the whole hormone kick was getting a little overdone. Something new thrown into the mix was nice.

Dislikes: I guessed early on who the person was sent to Storme by her father. It kind of bugged me it wasn't even brought up until the very end and not even by that person to begin with, esp. someone who was pretty active from the beginning of the story. I wanted more in regards to this fact, but it all worked out in the end anyways and that characters story is up next . . . so we'll probably hear all about this then.

Rating:

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Passing Strange by Daniel Waters

Passing Strange
(Generation Dead Book #3)
by Daniel Waters

Genre: Young Adult  | Urban Fantasy | Paranormal Romance

Karen DeSonne is used to pretending to be something she’s not.  All her life, she’s passed as a normal all-American teenager; with her friends, with her family, and at school.  Passing cost her the love of her life.  And now that Karen’s dead, she’s still passing – this time, as alive.  Meanwhile, Karen’s dead friends have been fingered in a high-profile murder, causing a new round of anti-zombie regulations that have forced nearly all of Oakvale’s undead into hiding. Karen soon learns that the “murder” was a hoax, staged by Pete Martinsburg and his bioist zealots. Obtaining enough evidence to expose the fraud and prove her friends’ innocence means doing the unthinkable: betraying her love by becoming Pete’s girlfriend. Karen’s only hope is that the enemy never realizes who she really is – because the consequences would be even worse than death.

Karen has always been considered one of the "fast" zombies and the most caring and beautiful as well.  She has dear friends who are both living-impaired and heart-beaters, but in the beginning of Passing Strange she learns something about herself that both fascinates and frightens her immensely.  Thus, she decides to keep it a secret.  Her world has also turned up-side-down, funny thinking that she's a rare zombie to begin with, but seriously . . . her fellow dead-walking friends are now in hiding on the bottom of the local frozen lake for a crime they didn't commit, her family is beginning to emotionally reach out to her in ways she never imagined since her suicide, the government has passed new strict laws where her kind are no longer allowed out without certain authorization, and she was able to pass as being "alive" long enough to get a job at the mall. Strange, right?  Now she's taken it upon herself to help her friends, both living and dead, to overcome the injustice being dealt to them by falsely dating (ie. being an undercover agent) the main reason for most of their problems, Pete.

Like all readers following the Generation Dead series, Passing Strange created a twist for it's fans by getting new POVs.  The previous two books where told from Tommy, Adam, and Phoebe's perspective, but now we're getting into the thoughts of Karen, Takuyaki, and Pete.  Sadly, none of the new three narrators were my favorite in the series, but it was interesting to see the post-zombie world through their eyes.  If you read the books, you know the whole concept of how everyone deals with these zombies is really one big metaphor for racism (aka "bioism" in the book). Some people deal with it a lot better than others, but overall it points out the ugliness of prejudices in society.  Karen had some really touching moments throughout this book and even had me tearing up as times.  Tak really learned about having to step up and take the spot of Tommy as the new leader of the local zombies.  Pete was just as dark and evil throughout and didn't really convince me of his actions near the end when his conscious caught up with him, but could someone please explain what exactly was happening to him on page 369?

Also, Passing Strange ends in a why that has the reader really questioning just WHERE the series is headed.  Karen's secret becomes even juicer at the end and the last sentence is a major turning point for Generation Dead, even though there seems to be a lot of foreshadowing hidden throughout the text.  That's what I find so fasinating throughout these books, there's so many similarities to the past and it's a perfect example of the saying "those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it".

Lastly, I'm so shocked this series hasn't become as popular as I would have liked it too.  I was obsessed from book one and I know all these books will be a permanent fixture in my library.  Yet, I would like more of the reading public to check them out as well since they're a delight and are definitely one of my favorites!!!  Check out my reviews of Book 1 - Generation Dead and Book 2 - Kiss of Life

Likes: Tak and his gang (Popeye & Tayshawn) were really funny together. 

Dislikes:  I would have liked to see more of Tommy, but I know he's off doing better and brighter things right now and we'll be seeing more of him in the future of the series.  Yet, if you think about who he's starting to become, that's just another huge foreshadowing of what will happen in the next couple of books.  Just think about which historical figure he most resembles right now and sadly, I think they'll share the same fate!

Rating:

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*REREAD* One Foot in the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

One Foot in the Grave
(Dark Huntress Book #2)
by Jeaniene Frost

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Urban Fantasy

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield is now Special Agent Cat Crawfield, working for the government to rid the world of the rogue undead. She's still using everything Bones, her sexy and dangerous ex, taught her, but when Cat is targeted for assassination, the only man who can help her is the vampire she left behind. Being around him awakens all her emotions, from the adrenaline kick of slaying vamps side by side to the reckless passion that consumed them. But a price on her head—wanted: dead or half-alive—means her survival depends on teaming up with Bones. And no matter how hard she tries to keep things professional between them, she'll find that desire lasts forever . . . and that Bones won't let her get away again.

Half-Vampire, Catherine "Cat" Crawfield (know as "Kitten" to only one other), is now a full fledged Vampire Huntress.  She has her own specially trained team, works within a secret government branch, and cannot forget about the dark past (particularly one leather jacket wearing vamp) which is catching up with her.  Vampire Master, Bones (known to his close personal friends as "Crispin"), didn't take well with Cat disappearing five years ago; since then, he's be on the hunt for any information pertaining to her where-abouts and he just got lucky.

Their paths fatefully cross again in of all places, a close friend's wedding; where both are in the bridal party.  Keeping feelings contained is something Cat prides herself on and plus, she's a professional now and cannot put more around her in danger.  Thus, the reason she left years before.  Bones, on the other hand, refuses to lose Cat (again!) and is willing to expose himself to her co-workers as well as train those within Cat's agency.  Beside the romantic tension between the two yummy main characters, tons of vampire history is given, Cat's father's identity is revealed and his relationship is closer to her than previously thought,  Bone's vampire heritage is learned, and lots of action packed adventures are had.  If you read the first book in the series, you'll be itching to jump right into the next.  It's a great followup and Cat saves herself (and the story) from becoming too much of a kick-ass/bad-ass female read (something I loathe!) by having Bones show her up with his amazing vampy powers.  I'm also that rare exceptional reader that dislikes books with men/women in uniforms (ie. law enforcers) thus, the "secret" hunting agency (not just a police force) twist of the tale helped me enjoy it a lot better! To each their own, eh? So . . . Enjoy Dark Huntress Book #2 y'all!

Likes: I adored the part when Bones was faster than a speeding bullet during their date, could fly after those they hunt, and that Cat joked they should leap tall buildings in a single bound next.  Super silly, but cute!

Dislikes:  Cat's mom has NEVER grown on me throughout the series.  I basically skip the sections she's in.

Rating: 

 

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*REREAD* Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Halfway to the Grave
(Night Huntress Book #1)
by Jeaniene Frost

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy 

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father – the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership. In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner – are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side … and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

Cat discovers she's half-vampire in her mid-teens and due to her Mother's anger toward them, she personally makes it a mission to take out as many as she can. Being self-taught and with a growing number of dead vampires under her belt, Cat mistakenly runs in Bones (a master vampire) on one her her nightly hunts. Upon being captured, Bones makes the shocking discovery of Cat's heritage and decides to make her a part of his team. He trains her, shares some power, and together they take on bounty hunting. Cat learns to acknowledge her darker side instead of shunning it, but things get dangerous pretty quickly.

There are lots of half-vampire stories out there, but I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was different from the norm and Cat & Bones relationship was great. Lots of juicy chemistry between the two that keeps the readers glued. The flow of the story was nice as well and didn't turn corny or silly like some stories easily could. The ending is gripping and I got suckered into reading book two (again!) soon after finishing - One Foot in the Grave

Likes: Bones unabashful attitude toward Cat's shy side.

Dislikes: I began listening to the audio version of this book, but Bones hackney accent got on my nerves too much to finish.

Rating:

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Lion's Heat by Lora Leigh

Lion's Heat
(The Breeds Book #21)
by Lora Leigh

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Urban Fantasy

Bad boy Jonas Wyatt knows it is fate that Rachel becomes his mate. He can sense it. He can also sense her reluctance. But she has little power over the mating heat of the Breeds. It is Jonas's destiny to claim her. And nothing will stop him from having his way.

Jonas Wyatt, the Director of the Bureau of Breed Affairs (aka The Bogeyman of the Breeds), meets his mate, Rachel Broen, who also happens to be his new personal assistant. Unfortunately, Rachel is also pregnant with her ex-boyfriend's child, but that does nothing to affect Jonas' love. Jump forward several months, and Brandenmore, a geneticist (aka evil scientist) who has tortured and experimented on Breeds, threatens Amber, Rachel's daughter.

If you read the series, you know the spill . . . the Breeds are half-human, half-animal experiments who escaped captivity and are now building a world they can live & work in all while finding mates. Yet, upon mating, the pairs become partially immortal with extended life spans. With more government/secret agencies discovering that fact, the Breeds suffer from prejudices, death threats, and more. The series contains a complicated storyline and the time-line seems to grow generations as each book is released and more Breed members are introduced. Most readers are prepared for the 'been-there-done-that' romantic plot, but they still come back for more since they are HOT reads. This was another so-so tale, but it passed the time and was somewhat enjoyable . . . if not predictable.

Likes: Jonas wasn't really my favorite character out of the series, but it was nice to catch up with other pairs throughout Lion's Heat and see the families growing.

Dislikes: The negative attitude always given toward mates who shy away from mating, gets rather boring!

Rating:

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You Are So Undead To Me by Stacey Jay

You Are So Undead To Me
(Megan Berry Book #1)
by Stacey Jay

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Young Adult

Megan Berry's social life is so dead. Literally. Fifteen-year-old Megan is a Zombie Settler by birth, which means she's part-time shrink to a bunch of dead people with a whole lot of issues. And things are about to get even worse. Someone at school is using black magic to turn average, angsty Undead into flesh-eating Zombies and it's up to Megan to stop the zombie apocalypse...

Studying her Settler textbook is important, except Megan just wants to be a normal sophomore in High School. Her biggest worry right now is getting a date to the Homecoming dance, not the zombie on her doorstep. So, when an old friend shows up to teach Megan some new tricks and zombies begin attacking her all over town, she becomes a bit preoccupied and doesn't realize danger is closer than she thinks.

I've been on a big zombie fix lately since reading Dan Waters Generation Dead series, but I feel this book was written for a much younger crowd - thus I didn't find it really interesting. I found the plot lacking, the characters flat, and the all over story predictable. Megan was immature and she didn't really develop much throughout the story. I didn't find myself enjoying any of the side characters as well and the end was just plain CHEESY!!!! Stacey Jay's writing style was pretty boring to me as well, didn't flow well and I found myself skipping paragraphs to read ahead. If you're looking for a quick bit of fluff to read, this might satisfy your needs - but I think you'd be much happier looking elsewhere.

Likes: The idea of "Settlers" was growing on me, but the story didn't carry it through enough for my interest.

Dislikes: Too many similarities to Buffy; just switch the vamps for zombies and it's pretty much the same story line.

Rating:

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My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Keep
(Soul Screamers Book #3)
by Rachel Vincent

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Young Adult

WHEN KAYLEE CAVANAUGH SCREAMS, SOMEONE DIES AND KAYLEE IS ABOUT TO SCREAM HER HEAD OFF...

Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them. Until something does. Demon’s breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow, the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked. And when the epidemic hits too close to home, Kaylee will have to risk everything to save those she loves.

Becoming use to her bean sidhe-side has taken some life adjustments and long lessons, but Kaylee now faces a personal battle that only she herself can solve. Drug addictions, kidnappings, demon possessions, Netherworld celebrations, boyfriend troubles are just a few of the battles Kaylee deals with in Rachel Vincent's My Soul to Keep.

I kinda skipped ahead in the Soul Screamer's series by jumping to the most recent release. I started the second one and will finish it soon, but I got caught up reading this one and finished it in one night. It starts out quite frightfully with Kaylee being able to cross over into the Netherworld by just dreaming about death, meaning she has no real control over her powers yet and she puts off sleep for most of the book. Then she begins to realize some of her classmates are acting strange and that the cause is Demon Breath. From there on, it's a downward spiral into darkness (literally!) and she has to make some important decisions about her life, love, and family/friends.

Likes: Kaylee getting a backbone when dealing/talking to her cousin.

Dislikes: Nash's actions.

Rating:

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My Soul to Take by Rachel Vincent

My Soul to Take
(Soul Screamers Book #1)
by Rachel Vincent

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Young Adult

SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH KAYLEE CAVANAUGH

She doesn't see dead people, but...
She senses when someone near her is about to die. And when that happens, a force beyond her control compels her to scream bloody murder. Literally. Kaylee just wants to enjoy having caught the attention of the hottest guy in school. But a normal date is hard to come by when Nash seems to know more about the need to scream than she does. And when classmates start dropping dead for no apparent reason, only Kaylee knows who'll be next...

Kaylee cannot control herself when she sees someone wearing the death shroud. She knows death is imminent and because of her Bean Sidhe (aka Banshee) heritage, an uncontrollable scream builds inside her every time. She never knew about the effects of her birthright (thinking she would have panic attacks instead) until high school hottie Nash Hudson's voice began to calm and coax her wailing side into submission. Now girls are dying left and right and Kaylee wants to help even though its not her "job" to do so.

This was a quick read, but it was highly fun as well. I enjoyed the mixture of folklore and mystery and Kaylee came off as very realistic - stuck between an illness that brutally takes over her in not the best of situations and learning to enjoy the attentions of Nash, a popular ladies-man from her school. Along the way - you get to meet Reapers, learn about Kaylee's past, and slowly see a world that is unknown to most, except Bean Sidhe.

Likes: What Kaylee sees in the Netherworld fog . . . spooky!

Dislikes: The story dragged here and there.

Rating:

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Beastly by Alex Flinn

Beastly
by Alex Flinn





Genre: Fairy Tale / Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance / Young Adult

A beast. Not quite wolf or bear, gorilla or dog but a horrible new creature who walks upright—a creature with fangs and claws and hair springing from every pore. I am a monster.

You think I'm talking fairy tales? No way. The place is New York City. The time is now. It's no deformity, no disease. And I'll stay this way forever—ruined—unless I can break the spell.

Yes, the spell, the one the witch in my English class cast on me. Why did she turn me into a beast who hides by day and prowls by night? I'll tell you. I'll tell you how I used to be Kyle Kingsbury, the guy you wished you were, with money, perfect looks, and the perfect life. And then, I'll tell you how I became perfectly . . . beastly.

This modern fairy tale focuses on Kyle, a New York rich kid. He's got a swanky penthouse, his father's a famous national broadcaster, he's got model-good looks, and is one of the most popular guys at school. He doesn't think of anyone else but him, that is until the new goth girl begins to rub him the wrong way. Now, one of his cruel actions has become his last and since being called "Beastly" . . . that is now what he'll become as well - literally.

I picked up this book thinking it'd be a quick read, but it actually ended up surprising me. I liked it . . . really liked it! At times it's very realistic and other times "way out there" - a real fairy tale. It was cute, unique, and I enjoyed the modern curse placed on Kyle. It also had the whole Phantom of the Opera feel to it, since you a rooting for the monster to win throughout. I am excited to hear Alex Flinn just put out a new book as well, A Kiss in Time, which is a modern retelling of Sleeping Beauty. I'm definitely checking that one out!

P.S. Beastly was also just made into a movie!

Likes: I'm glad Alex Flinn kept the importance of roses in the story.

Dislikes: His father's reaction that even their money isn't enough to find a cure, so he banishes his son.

Rating:

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Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews

Magic Bites
(Kate Daniels Book #1)
by Ilona Andrews

Genre: Urban / Dark Fantasy

Atlanta would be a nice place to live, if it weren’t for magic…

One moment magic dominates, and cars stall and guns fail. The next, technology takes over and the defensive spells no longer protect your house from monsters. Here skyscrapers topple under onslaught of magic; werebears and werehyenas prowl through the ruined streets; and the Masters of the Dead, necromancers driven by their thirst of knowledge and wealth, pilot blood-crazed vampires with their minds. In this world lives Kate Daniels.

Kate likes her sword a little too much and has a hard time controlling her mouth. The magic in her blood makes her a target, and she spent most of her life hiding in plain sight. But when Kate’s guardian is murdered, she must choose to do nothing and remain safe or to pursue his preternatural killer. Hiding is easy, but the right choice is rarely easy…

Kate Daniel's story begins with her learning that the only family she has left -Greg Feldman, the city's knight-diviner- has been murdered. Normally, Kate works for the Mercenary Guild, doing odd jobs to get by, but she takes on this new mission of discovering what she can through the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, the guardians of the city. Along the way, she meets up with Curran, the Beast Lord, and gets a peek into his world.

I thought I might enjoy this series since I'm a fan of Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress books, but Kate Daniel came off as a little too overpowering for me. I don't like the "kick-ass" female characters that much and the setting has a very "destroyed world" feeling to it, but also too futuristic for my taste. The magic wasn't that interesting . . . almost too scientific with boring facts and I found myself having to re-read sections to fully understand where we stood. Overall, this book just rubbed me the wrong way & I couldn't really loose myself in the story, but I may move on to the most recent book just to see if it'll improve and to find out where Kate and Curran's relationship goes.

Likes: The doctor Crest. He came off as the most realistic character.

Dislikes: The whole concept of magic rising, falling, and affecting modern technology.

Rating:

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Blood and Chocolate by Annette Curtis Klause

Blood and Chocolate
by Annette Curtis Klause

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy / Young Adult

Blood and Chocolate chronicles the longings and passions of Vivian Gandillon, teenage werewolf. Her pack family, recently burned out of their West Virginia home by suspicious neighbors, has resettled in a sleepy Maryland suburb. At her new school, Viv quickly falls for sensitive heartthrob Aiden, a human--or "meat-boy," as her pack calls him. Soon she is trying to tame her undomesticated desires to match his more civilized sensibilities. But Vivian's animal ardor cannot be stilled, and she must decide if she should keep Aiden in the dark about her true nature or invite him to take a walk on her wild side.

Vivian's unsettled about where her life is : the guys she grew up with now annoy her, she avoids her home since most pact meetings go on there, her Mother is barely around. So, when she meets Aiden at school, he peeks her interest. Secretly she begins to approach him in hopes that her pack never catches on. She wishes not to follow the rule "to love your own" so when Aiden returns her affections, she keeps up the Happy Human appearance. Not all stays well for long and Viv debates if she can reveal her true self without consequences.

What does it take to truly know oneself? Vivian comes off as a very strong and self-assured women. I liked that as times her story was a lot of fun to read and others quite dark. She fumbles throughout the tale, but learns from her mistakes and moves on, but you go through the whole emotional roller-coaster right along with her. It's truly a great werewolf book and very different from the yucky movie version - so definitely grab this one of a rainy day . . . you'll get entranced!

Likes: I was happy with who she ended up with in the end.

Dislikes: You may be able to figure out the ending before you get there . . . but you won't want to miss how the story reaches it.

Rating:

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Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

Spirit Bound
(Vampire Academy Book #5)
by Richelle Mead

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy / Young Adult

After a long and heartbreaking journey to Dimitri's birthplace in Siberia, Rose Hathaway has finally returned to St. Vladimir's-and to her best friend, Lissa. It is nearly graduation, and the girls can't wait for their real lives beyond the Academy's iron gates to begin. But Rose's heart still aches for Dimitri, and she knows he's out there, somewhere.

She failed to kill him when she had the chance. And now her worst fears are about to come true. Dimitri has tasted her blood, and now he is hunting her. And this time he won't rest until Rose joins him... forever.

Rose has returned back to the academy, after her hunt in Siberia, to pass her Guardian test with flying colors and graduate. Things are finally looking up, she has a rich and royal boyfriend (Adrian) who surprisingly she has come to care for, she's on good terms with her best friend (Lissa) and even the Queen of the Court has taken a stranger-than-normal liking to her. Yet, she's receiving haunting letters from her lost love, Demitri, and she begins to realize just how serious he is about hunting her down for a change.

I have to say . . . book #5 didn't grip me as much as book #4. I think I enjoyed the tale before more since Rose was on her own for the majority of it and we all had our doubts of who or what Demitri was going to be! But, NOW we know all that going into this continuation and I feel Spirit Bound didn't expand on the characters or tale as much as I would have liked. I do LOVE Adrian (I'm a big FAN!) and I feel bad that Rose doesn't appreciate him as much as she should, but the story does flow smoothly and finally brings to light the "turn" everyone has been waiting for in the series. A "turn" that really wasn't as big or as complicated as I believe it should have been - it was almost too easy. Overall, the Vampire Academy series continues on with a bang that I believe all followers will enjoy.

Likes: The interactions between Rose & Demitri, no matter how dangerous or heartbreaking and of course, my funny and witty ADRIAN!

Dislikes: Sadly, I felt some of the story was totally implausible.

Rating:

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Lover Mine by J. R. Ward

Lover Mine
(Black Dagger Brotherhood Book #8)
by J. R. Ward

Genre: Paranormal Romance / Urban Fantasy

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown to himself and to those around him. After he was taken in by the Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was- or his true identity. Indeed, the fallen Brother Darius has returned, but with a different face and a very different destiny. As a vicious personal vendetta takes John into the heart of the war, he will need to call up on both who he is now and who he once was in order to face off against evil incarnate.

Xhex, a symphath assassin, has long steeled herself against the attraction between her and John Matthew. Having already lost one lover to madness, she will not allow the male of worth to fall prey to the darkness of her twisted life. When fate intervenes, however, the two discover that love, like destiny, is inevitable between soul mates.

For me - this book had a very similar plot to Zhadist and Bella's tale of the female being kept prisoner, tortured, and having a minion fall in love with her & then the head-strong male determined enough to come to her rescue no matter what to only afterwords both realize they are truly meant for each other. It's sad to actually see the outcome of these books before finishing the first chapter, but I feel Lover Mine was a sad spin-off of Lover Awakened.

Like most fans, my favorite book of the series was Book #3 (Lover Awakened) and then the series, I believe, began to all go down hill after Book #5 (Lover Unbound). Being a loyal reader, I followed through and somewhat enjoyed John Matthew & Xhex's tale. It was hard seeing JM as a grown man when not too long ago he was still a weakling in training and I haven't been that big of a fan of Xhex before, but her transition in this book changed my opinion of her slightly. It's nice (regardless the crappy read) catching up with the gang and I think that's the main reason I continue with the Black Dagger Brotherhood in the first place. Sadly, as I've been writing this review, my rating of this book has crept lower and lower due to my disinterest.

Likes: Zhadist & Bella with little Nala.

Dislikes: Where to begin?

Rating:

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Changeless by Gail Carriger

Changeless
(Parasol Protectorate Book #2)
by Gail Carriger

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance

Alexia Tarabotti, the Lady Woolsey, awakens in the wee hours of the mid-afternoon to find her husband, who should be decently asleep like any normal werewolf, yelling at the top of his lungs. Then he disappears - leaving her to deal with a regiment of supernatural soldiers encamped on her doorstep, a plethora of exorcised ghosts, and an angry Queen Victoria. But Alexia is armed with her trusty parasol, the latest fashions, and an arsenal of biting civility. Even when her investigations take her to Scotland, the backwater of ugly waistcoats, she is prepared: upending werewolf pack dynamics as only the soulless can. She might even find time to track down her wayward husband, if she feels like it.

Connall Maccon & Alexia Tarabotti are now Lord & Lady Woolsey and that's not the only thing that has boosted Alexia's status in society . . . she now personally works undercover for Queen Victoria, but that fact, and who she truly is, remains a secret from most. Now the independent Alexia must figure out her husband's reason behind his sudden departure to Scotland while continuing her appearance of newlywed bliss. Only the ones closest to her know her plans about looking into her husband's past, but sometimes it's the ones closest to you that you have to learn to watch out for.

It's funny. I began reading this series because I feel in love with the book cover of Soulless and it only helped that I got sucked into the story as well. This being book #2 in the series made me even happier to get lost yet again with all the characters of Gail Carriger's Victorian U.K.. Overall, it's a highly enjoyable sequel with a cliffhanger ending that I LOVED (but be warned : many fellow readers didn't) and I personally cannot wait to continue this tale into Blameless later this fall.

Likes: Yummy Lord Woosley (who's loud, messy, gorgeous, and alpha)

Dislikes: Lord Akeldama's over-the-top pet names for Alexia.

Rating:

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