Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent review

By blood, by word, by magic…

Most can't touch the power. But Liv Warren is special— a paranormal tracker who follows the scent of blood.

Liv makes her own rules, and the most important one is trust no one.

But when her friend's daughter goes missing, Liv has no choice but to find the girl. Thanks to a childhood oath, Liv can't rest until the child is home safe. But that means trusting Cam Caballero, the former lover forbidden to her.

Bound by oath and lost in desire for a man she cannot have, Liv is racing to save the child from a dark criminal underworld where secrets, lies, trauma and danger lurk around every corner…every touch…every kiss.

And more blood will be spilled before it's over…

From Goodreads

Liv Warren likes living by her own rules. Unfortunately the rest of the world doesn't like to play by her rules. That's how this blood tracker ended up using her powers for monetary gain. In a world where those with "special abilities" (like walking into shadows, name tracking & even blood tracking) aren't formally recognized by any government, but used by all, Liv finds herself in a pretty tight spot.

An accidental binding from childhood is coming calling in the form of one of her best friends trying to protect her daughter from the child's father's assassin. Sound complicated? It gets worse. This friend also happens to pull in the only other person on the planet that Liv can't stand to be around. Her former lover Cam Caballero is still just as smoldering as he was when Liv left him six years prior, to save both their lives. No time like the present to jump headlong into the fray with danger lurking around every corner from the local criminal families. Is there enough time to save the girl or will Liv just ending failing to keep every promise she's ever made?

Rachel Vincent is seriously my freaking hero! This woman is so diverse I can barely contain my excitement. Between the bean sidhe lore of the Soul Screamers series & the werecat drama of the Shifters series, I honestly wasn't sure how well she'd be able to pull off a whole new series. Let me assure you, Rachel is a remarkable craftswoman never to be doubted.

Blood Bound takes the meanings of "signed in blood" & "my word is my bond" to a whole new level & explores the murky waters of contractual bindings. It truly was fascinating reading about all the different types of bindings, means of tracking a person & situations that arise from such predicaments. Things can really start to get tricky when you're contractually obligated to more than one person & they're on opposing sides of a war in which you're an unwilling recruit.

Liz is a headstrong, complex character (Rachel seems to prefer these and I've got no complaints!) who is trying to do what she thinks is best in a bad situation. After running away from longtime boyfriend Cam (in order to save their lives) she finds herself the unwilling recipient of his assistance in her newest endeavor. Tension & sparks fly because while nothing about these two together has changed, more than enough has changed about them.

A promising start to a new series, Blood Bound is sure to delight. Keep a weather eye on the horizon for book 2 Shadow Bound, due May 22.

Blood Bound by Rachel Vincent review

The Darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter review

This is the 2nd book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Fair warning, SPOILERS may follow.

Now that we've met Violence & Death, how about Pain? Reyes has been feeding Pain steadily over the years. He was fortunate enough to find a way to sate his demon without hurting others, but not fortunate enough to refrain from hurting himself. The easiest way to manage Pain is to give it exactly what it wants; whether that's jumping from the top of a building while his body slowly repairs itself or simply slicing away at the flesh is all dependent about the amount of stress.

Reyes has been at his threshold of tolerance ever since Danika came into his life. A torturous temptation that he could never taste without ruining, she was condemned to die by the hand of Reyes's fellow Lord Aeron. Despite this edict, handed down from the gods, Reyes chose to pursue & protect her. The best way to do that though is to keep her close by his side. But Danika's not as weak as Reyes feared & she's putting up one hell of fight, especially since only she knows who she's really working for.

This series just keeps getting more involved & more exciting with each book I read! Each time I read a book I think, "I'm not sure I really like this guy" & by the time I'm half way through the book I'm as madly in love with his as the other women. Gena Showalter does a phenomenal job of character portrayal & story building. You think you know a character based on how he or she is seen by others (and occasionally by him/herself) but then you read a chapter or book dedicated solely to them & you find that there are facets you haven't seen before.

The characters continue to play off each other very well, bantering like friends & foes. The best part of building this series is watching the new relationships form when new characters are introduced. There is a history between all the gods, titans, Lords & Hunters whether we know it or not. I find that the women are the pivotal characters because they move the story along without tying it up. They are the catalyst for change in an otherwise static world. I'm not saying without the ladies there would be no interactions or exchanges, I just think they would be flat.

A fun, steamy romance with enough sexual tension to take you right to the edge & drop you, The Darkest Pleasure continues the feast that is the Lords of the Underworld. I can't wait to get my hands on the rest of the books!

The Darkest Pleasure by Gena Showalter review

The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter review

This is the 2nd book in the Lords of the Underworld series. Fair warning, SPOILERS may follow.

Lucien houses the demon of Death. He is like Charon is that Lucien is the ferryman for the newly dead into their afterlife. He differs from Charon in that Lucien gets to go to heaven & hell. After centuries of ferrying souls to their final resting places, he was content to be alone so that he would never have to ferry another lover to either location. To prevent women from ever desiring him, Lucien intentionally marred his face so that no one would ever want to get close again. Unfortunately Anya isn't just anyone.

Anya, the goddess of Anarchy, is on the run. Since the Titans took over the Mount (and imprisoned the gods & goddesses) she is avoiding drawing too much attention to herself. With Lucien though, she's doing just the opposite. She's doing everything in her power to attract him & despite his constant cold shoulder routine, she is relentless in her pursuit. She's aware of his curse & doesn't mind at all, considering she has a pretty big curse of her own that she's not willing to share.

All of their bantering back and forth may be all for naught if they can't work together against the Hunters that are constantly plaguing the Lords. With little regard for themselves, these two are destined to find some measure of happiness. In this life or the next.

Gena Showalter continues the non-stop action that I'm enjoying so much. We pick up where we left off after The Darkest Night and start to move deeper into the plot of the story. I don't really mention what Lucien & Anya are working on together because there is just way too much detail to go into in order for you to understand. It would be way easier to read the books. Seriously. Basically the Hunters are the "bad guys" that want to exterminate the Lords by returning their demons to the box they came from. Unfortunately that has the nasty side effect of killing the Lords. Therefore, the Lords (and those feisty women helping them) are trying to stop the Hunters from gaining the upper hand.

These main characters were a little more extreme than the last ones. While Anarchy can sometimes facilitate the necessity for Death, the two are not mutually exclusive. Lucien is a brooding, dark, pensive kind of personality while Anya is bubbly, conniving, & jovial. She does have her Debbie-downer moments, but she tends to bounce right back from them. They are both highly developed characters that never cease to intrigue & bewitch me.

The writing continues to be strong. Again, there are sexual situations, but not as much (or as graphic) as in the first book. I find myself being more & more drawn into the story & the Lords' lives. I'll be very happy to see what's up next in their battle for survival!

The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter review

The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter review

Maddox is a god among mortals. More precisely, he is an immortal warrior created by the gods. As one of the most elite & powerful warriors to ever grace the mount, Maddox was a relatively content man. He & his comrades shed blood when needed & enjoyed female companionship when it suited them. All that changed when Maddox & his friends were scorned by the gods' preference for Pandora (another immortal warrior) to transport the box of oppression carrying the most atrocious demons that not even hell could contain. Their vanity cost them everything.

When they opened the box containing the demons, all hell broke loose. The demons were crazed from their captivity & entered into each of the warriors. Now each one must bear the eternal burden of carrying such demons as Promiscuity, Pain & Violence. Maddox was settled with Violence. In his thousands of years with his brotherhood of damned warriors, known as the Lords of the Underworld, Maddox has learned to contain & tame the demon as much as possible. There are definite signs of Violence in their remote fortress in Budapest, but no more than to be expected of warriors. What he doesn't expect, especially after all these years, is to find someone the demon doesn't want to kill, maim or even hurt.

That person turns out to be Ashlyn Darrow. A woman with an extra-sharp sense of hearing, so sharp she can hear any & every conversation that has ever occurred where she is currently located no matter the time, date or year, who is in Buda doing some research for a corporation she believes to be helping those with "special" abilities. Despite her boss's warning, Ashlyn treks toward the fortress hoping that the mysterious Lords can help her tame & control her hearing.

When the two meet on the snow-covered embankment there is an intense silence that neither can deny. The voices are silent for Ashlyn & the demon is silent for Maddox. What that means for them is unclear, but Ashlyn's boss is none too pleased at her disobedience & intends to prove his point against the Lords.

This was a doozy of a read! I devoured this book in less than 24 hours because I just couldn't get enough of these characters! The Lords are unlike any other possessed character I have ever read. Now it's possible that I just haven't read enough, but we can't be sure. :)

The torturous relationship of Lord & demon is so raw & incisive that I was completely drawn in to their world. Of course, since this is a romance novel, all the Lords are especially hunky in their own ways. Most of them are ridiculously muscular with a striking visage. The main female in the role is a trim, but toned woman that most men would faun over. While I can get tired of these stereotypical roles, the writing, characterization & plot development overrode any annoyances I might have perceived. Again, this is a romance novel so there are some sex scenes that vary from taught & tame to wild & a bit raunchy. If you're in the mood for that, read on; if not, feel free to skim/skip ahead as I do. ;)

The Lords of the Underworld presents a unique history & presentation of the gods. There is A LOT of back story, that is surprisingly well-handled. I didn't feel bogged down in history so much that I couldn't enjoy the action! A fabulously fun read, The Darkest Night is the first in a continuing series by Gena Showalter that I fully intend to see to the end.

Have any of you read these books? How did I miss them?! What do you think about the romance? Is it on par with the genre or a little more/less than is typical?

The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter review

Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon review

SPOILER ALERT: This is the 18th book in the Dark Hunter series & while the author says that the books can be read in any order, I like to give fair warning anyway. Just FYI.

Fang Kattalakis is far from a lone wolf. He is a member of a pack, with his brother, his father & several other folks. But he has never desired a female as much as that of Aimee Peltier. Too bad she's not a wolf, she's actually the owner of Sanctuary's daughter. Oh, and a bear too.

Fang wasn't looking for a mate, heck he wasn't even looking for a date when he & some pack members wandered into Sanctuary for a meal. Of course nothing can ever be that simple & when Aimee's life is threatened by roving jackals, Fang protects & defends her, winning eternal gratification from the bears.

As it turns out, that "gratification" comes in very handy when things go sour faster than he ever thought possible. When his own father hands down the execution order for Fang & his brother, the bears are there to nurse them both back to health. Unfortunately the damage to Fang is extensive & he finds himself actually locked in a hellish purgatory with Aimee as his only way out. The unwilling couple form a bond that nothing seems to shake & she manages to save, in more way than one. Their bond, although tenuous, comes in handy sooner than they would have liked when the different lycanthrope groups decide to stage an all-out war. Will Sanctuary survive the battle or will it become a casualty of the young couple's budding romance?

Bad Moon Rising is one of the plethora of books from the wonderfully enchanting Sherrilyn Kenyon. I pick and choose which books of her's I want to read because while they are all loosely affiliated, you do not have to read the previous books to understand the main storyline of the current book you're reading. The first book I read was No Mercy , which comes after this book in sequence, so I understood certain things with more clarity after reading Bad Moon Rising, but nothing that completely altered the book for me. Any way...

Aimee & Fang are a fun couple to watch develop. They really have no intention of being attracted to one another & actively try to dissuade & distract themselves from the other, but they just have no luck. As cursed beings their lives are kind of determined by the gods & the gods have a sick sense of humor when it comes to messing with people's love lives. Aimee is a strong-willed woman who is the only female of the bear clan & is doing everything in her power to keep the family name clear & pure to continue their legacy. Fang is a little haggard, but his rough-and-tumble life is as good as he could expect it to be. Bringing these two smart-mouthed, wise-cracking, hard-headed fools together is one of the most explosive & fun things I've seen Ms. Kenyon do in her books.

The writing is spot on with some great quotes & active story building. The Dark Hunter/Were Hunter worlds are very diverse with a lot of history & details that I can't even begin to imagine trying to keep up with, so I appreciate the effort she puts in to make the story so engrossing. This one was turned turn in steamy romance compared to the first book I read, but there is still definitely some lovin' (of multiple acts) going on between these two characters. As I've continued to say, I'm not the biggest fan of misplaced romance. It has to actually add something to the story in order for me to get behind it. That was definitely the case in this book, so I didn't mind so much.

I'm looking forward to the next book I plan to read from Ms. Kenyon, although I'm not sure if it will be a Dark Hunter/Were Hunter book or if I'll wait for the next Chronicles of Nick book that's due out in February of 2012. I'm stuck. What do you think?

Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon review

If I Die by Rachel Vincent review

While Kaylee Cavanaugh has been fighting hellions & saving people's lives for the last six months, she never knew that she was running on seriously borrowed time. Just when things are starting to settle back into a normal rhythm she's dealt two blows: her dreamy new math teacher is actually a lust-sucking incubus hell-bent on having a son & Kaylee's soul extension is up, her death date is in less than a week.

With the clock ticking, loudly, Kaylee starts to focus on what few things she wants to do before she dies. At the top of that list is spending some quality alone time with hunky boyfriend (and fellow bean sidhe) Nash. Unfortunately his ex & almost everyone else in their lives seem to be conspiring to keep them from taking their relationship to the next level. Tod, Nash's grim reaper big brother, is the number one offender because he can blink in at any time he chooses. But as the clock ticks down, Kaylee gets more deeply embroiled in the nasty mess that her incubus teacher is leaving behind. While on a mission to out the incubus, Kaylee makes a decision that changes everyone's life, permanently.

Rachel Vincent has done a fabulous job with the Soul Screamers series... up until this book. Now before anyone gets upset with me, I'll give you the quick & dirty sum up: yes I still enjoyed this installment in the series, yes the characters are still as endearing & unique as they have been, I just feel like the content of this book strayed from where it's been headed all along. Now for the details:

The flow & content of If I Die felt very different from what I have come to expect from her work. The 5 books take place over just 6 months which is not an issue in and of itself, but the fact that Kaylee is trying to lose her virginity to her boyfriend of just 6 months (despite that just a few months earlier he was addicted to a deadly Netherworld drug & hasn't fully recovered yet) & the new bad guy in the story is a lust-sucking demon who is sleeping with (and potentially killing) young women in the hopes of having a son was just too much for what has actually been a very tame storyline thus far. I'm not opposed to sexual situations in YA, I just feel that these situations felt forced. They didn't seem to really mesh well with everything else that we've seen in the series. The baddies are bad, but they've never crossed the inappropriate line, until now.

Now that I've gotten that off my chest, I can move on to what was AWESOME about this book. Kaylee is as self-sacrificing as ever & really does make me feel like there are still really good character role models. Granted she seems to bring about as much trouble as she tries to negate, but I think that's part of the territory. Despite the tone of the storyline, I was surprised to see less of Nash & Kaylee's dad than I would have expected, but let me assure, there is a very good reason that we don't see much of them. While Kaylee is out to stop the incubus, another character is plotting a different ending to the love story. I can't tell you any more than that without ruining a very well-planned surprise, but let me assure you that you won't be disappointed. :)

Overall, the writing still oozed the sarcasm & wit that I adore from these characters. There's nothing like teenage angst mixed with otherworldly tempers to make things interesting. So go ahead & read this enticing installment in the fabulously popular Soul Screamers series. And be sure to let me know what you think about the book in the comments. Think I'm being overly sensitive or do you think it is just the natural progression for the storyline or something else entirely? Sound off below!

ARC graciously provided by Around the World Tours

If I Die by Rachel Vincent review

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Gwyneth Sheperd's life has been quite ordinary & she's very thankful for that fact. In a family that passes a time-traveling gene through the women, Gwyneth has counted herself very fortunate to have been skipped & only have the misfortune of seeing ghosts & spirits. Her cousin Charlotte, the one whose birthday Sir Issac Newton himself predicted, has been the one preparing for her first time travel experience. She has taken fencing lessons, riding lessons, learned several languages & spent a great deal of time studying history so as to be prepared for any situation in which she might find herself. But it appears that even the great Sir Newton can be faulted.

It turns out that Gwyneth actually does have the gene & she is therefore extremely ill-prepared when she sudden finds herself in another time period. Now Gwyneth must accept her position in a very secretive society, known as the Guardians, where no one can be trusted & secrets lie around every corner. With a stead-fast side kick doing research on the side & a stunning male companion to help her through her elapses (when she actually does go back in time), Gwyneth is sure to sort things out. At least... she hopes.

Ruby Red was a different kind of time-travel tale. I really enjoyed the historical tidbits spread throughout the book including times, places & people that we rarely think about. Gwyneth is the perfect person for a narrator in this story because as she learns more, we learn more. You can actually put the puzzle together as the story moves forward. There are so many details that one can easily become lost in them, but the beauty is that not every single little thing is important. We experience the thrill of determining if a factoid is important or not with Gwyneth.

Even more fun than exploring these details with Gwyneth, is the descriptive language. I was enamored with the lavish descriptions Gier used for the different time periods, outfits & mannerisms. There are some historical actions/attitudes that cannot be adequately described with modern language. Gier does a wonderful job of choosing just the right verbs or phrases to convey whatever point she wants to get across to the reader.

I must admit that the book took a little while to get going for me & it seems to stop just as the action is picking up, but I think that may be due in part to the translation. There is a lot of backstory to be filled in & characters to be introduced, so the beginning felt a little sluggish, but it was worth it in the end. This book seems to suffer from "stick shift learner," there's some coughing & sputtering when you first start off, but by the end it's smooth sailing.

If you're in the mood for a newer take on a classic storyline, be sure to check out Ruby Red. Anyone else feel this was an awesome time-travel/adventure story?

ARC supplied by Henry Holt & Co. via Shelf Awareness

Ruby Red by Kerstin Gier

Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Invincible is the second book in the Chronicles of Nick series by Sherrilyn Kenyon. As such, there may be spoilers in this review for the first book Infinity.

So after saving the world from the nerd-induced, zombie-apocalypse Nick Gautier was really hoping that his life could go back to normal. Or, at least, as normal as a mostly human teenager's life can be. With all the new abilities he's learning, Nick is finding it harder & harder to determine who to trust. His mysterious Uncle Ambrose is a little too close for comfort, his life-defending demon Caleb has a nasty temper & even Death himself is teaching Nick new tricks, at a cost unknown to Nick.

Despite all these new preternatural events going on in his life, including the discovery of just how many of his classmates are "unique", Nick still has his real life mess to deal with. His overly-protective mother just started a new job at the local preternatural bar Sanctuary & decides to move them out of their crummy condo & into a nicer place. Also, Nick finally gets to go on a date with new girl Kody. The most mundane thing that happens to Nick is the new football coach picks him to rejoin the team. Or at least, Nick thought it was mundane. The new coach is weird in a different way. He wants Nick to steal personal items for him or else. And with teenage boys from his school dying left & right, Nick is tempted to do as he's told. But this Cajun's got a fightin' streak in him that a UFC fighter would envy.

This book picks up exactly where Infinity left off & hits the ground running. Since there isn't much back story to rehash, we can step right back into the action with Nick. He's learning to harness his powers & rein them in because they seem to be getting him in trouble everywhere he goes. I have to say that I liked watching Nick grow in both his human & preternatural forms. He got to experience some very human firsts (first date, first kiss, first torn-between-to-things, etc) that I think are key in teenage development. I would have worried had he gone much longer without those experiences. He is also learning to channel his powers & control them rather than the other way around. He also learns a lot about himself, like his potentials & his weaknesses, that I think will become a greater part of the story as we move forward.

The writing style continues to be very fluid & amusing with just the right amount of humor & wit. While it seemed a bit predictable (not in what necessarily was going to happen, but in how it would all play out) I still enjoyed the ride & I think that is what makes this such a wonderfully pleasant read.

Pick it up & take a peak (after you read Infinity of course) & let me know your thoughts!

Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Nick Gautier is one of the cockiest, most smart mouthed 14 year old in all of New Orleans. Or at least he thinks he is. The son of a teen mother & death-row inmate, Nick hasn't hasn't had the easiest of lives, but that doesn't change this Cajun's fiery attitude. He would lay his life down to defend his mother & wants nothing more than to become the man worthy of her praises.

Unfortunately there are things lurking in New Orleans that have always been on the periphery, that are now attracted to Nick like bees to honey. Every crazy creature from every horror movie ever created, and some new ones to boot, are coming after him & his friends. Some of them have been sent for nefarious reasons & others are renegade agents accidentally created by a nerd trying to avoid being bullied.

As Nick sinks deeper into the new New Orleans, he's learning more about himself & his friends than he ever expected. Those closest to you are your most dangerous enemies & strangers' kindness always comes with strings attached. Can Nick hold his ground or will he have to give an inch to gain a mile?

While I must admit that overall I did like this story, there is absolutely no denying that this book was written by someone accustomed to writing adult, romance novels. Nick Gautier is one of the more intriguing "human" characters in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters series. As such, he was created in an adult world. Despite the fact that she is now going back & writing his back story for teens, she can't very well change his lineage as it already exists. Therefore, Nick's mom is a Bourbon Street stripper & his father is a homicidal death row inmate. There are also some phrasing choices & references that some more reserved readers may cringe at, but nothing overly imposing.

All that being said, I really loved the feeling of New Orleans in this book. Sherrilyn really captures the city's majesty & essence while also managing to capture the more struggling side of life. There is something about a "Cinderella" story, rising to greatness from the lowest depths, that I find truly compelling & masterful. Sherrilyn manages to combine all of these elements together in a truly astounding way that is still so very relative.

My absolute favorite character in this story is Bubba. A backwater, zombie-hunting, Oprah-watching redneck who owns a computer repair/gun shop, he is a main source of information on the preternatural & Nick's unofficial guide while he's learning to navigate in this new dark world.

A fun read, with creative flair, Infinity is the beginning of a series I intend to keep an eye on.

One last thing, if you've never checked out Sherrilyn's website, you really should. She has so much information on all her series & characters. Be forewarned though, since there is some crossover between the adult & teen series, there are spoilers in the adult profiles. The niftiest part I found on Nicky's profile was his 10 Things to Know About Me:

1. I was born standing standing up and talking back
2. Cajun born and bred
3. My fave haunts are Mulates and Cafe Du Monde where my mom takes me after work.
4. I live for Zydeco and good gumbo.
5. I really want a gaming system, but we can't afford it.
6. I don't like authority and it doesn't like me.
7. Bubba is one of my best friends.
8. Rich man's gumbo is when the meat is actually bought in a store.
9. Schools and prisons. Both are institutions with people who want to abuse you where you're confined to little rooms.
10. Manga. The new drug.

Infinity by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Theia is sure she's seeing things. Burning men do not just fall out of the sky & scrumptious boys do not materialize into real life from your dreams. Or do they? Despite her father's constant haranguing & controlling demeanor, Theia has managed to balance her life quite well. She may not have all the liberties & freedom that most of her contemporaries enjoy, but she does well enough. That is until he shows up.

Haden is all smolder & no pomp. In her dreams his words beg her to go back to her world, but his heart & eyes plead with her to stay. By day, he appears flippant & indifferent to her. Despite his divergent behaviors, Theia feels consummately drawn to him. She wants to defy her father & fulfill her own wishes, but Haden is definitely hiding something. Despite protests to the contrary, and her own conscience screaming "bad idea", Theia falls under...

So, this was different. I must admit that I only read about half of this book because I became so disinterested in the characters & subject matter. Honestly, I was kind of put off from the beginning when a burning man is described in detail & then creepy ghouls & figures are sprinkled throughout Theia's dream world with Haden. Something about this whole thing just didn't sit right with me. Maybe had I pressed forward there would have been an adequate explanation, but I just couldn't force myself to do it.

I felt like this was one of a thousand other "paranormal" books that have popped into existence with a meek "heroine", a mysterious, brooding heartthrob, & vapid friends. Honestly, the three main friends had less girl drama than I am accustomed to in these kinds of books, but I was appalled at some of the other things they went on & on about.

If you like traditional, run of the mill paranormal YA books, then this should fit the bill. For me it was just a big let down.

What did you think about it? Did I just not make it far enough to appreciate the overarching storyline?

Provided by Around the World Tours

Falling Under by Gwen Hayes

Waiting on Wednesday: Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1)

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I am stoked for the March 29th release of Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter. The first in the Shadow Falls series, this promises to be spellbinding & illuminating. Check it out!

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever. Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.” Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either. Or does she? They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason. As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas. Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past. Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart.

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

From Goodreads

I know it sounds a bit like Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins (which I adored & you can read about here), but it's got room to spread its own wings. Depending on how Kylie handles herself, this book could be a really great addition to the paranormal/fantasy school vibe that I seem to dig (Harry Potter, Hex Hall, House of Night, etc). Here's hoping! What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Born at Midnight (Shadow Falls #1)

Waiting on Wednesday: Father of Lies

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week I am excited about the February 8th release of Father of Lies by Ann Turner. A master of historical fiction, Ann Turner is turning her eye towards the Salem witch trials in this new book.

Truth or Lies?

Lidda knew, with a clarity that was like a candle in a dark room, that all had changed; something was loosed in the village—Devil or not—and they would pay for it, every last man, woman, and child.

Fourteen-year-old Lidda has always known she was different. She longs to escape Salem Village and its stifling rules—to be free to dance, to sing, to live as she chooses. But when a plague of accusations descends on the village and witch fever erupts, L idda begins to realize that she feels and sees things that others can't, or won't. But how will she expose the truth without being hung as a witch herself?

Gripping and emotional, Ann Turner's retelling of the Salem witch trials captures one girl's brave soul-searching amidst a backdrop of fear and blame.

From Goodreads

Every once in a while I get in the mood for a really good paranormal, historical fiction & this one seems so perfect! You may recall how much I enjoyed Time of the Witches and Father of Lies seems like it will have the same appeal. I'm really looking forward to reading this book & hope that my library decides to pick it up. What are you waiting on this week?

Waiting on Wednesday: Father of Lies

No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon

SPOILER ALERT: This is the 19th book in the Dark Hunter series & while the author says that the books can be read in any order, the beginning of this one leads me to believe it would give away the ending of a previous novel. Just FYI.

Devereaux Peltier (Dev) has always stayed close to his family's New Orleans-based paranormal night club, Sanctuary, to help his mother & keep a watchful eye on his younger sister. After the gigantic battle to defend their nightclub & the loss of both his parents during that fight, Dev is a shapeshifting bear adrift. As the night bouncer for the club, he sees all sorts of characters. Unfortunately the one who took his breath away is off-limits.

Samia (Sam) is an Amazonian dark-hunter. She is an immortal who sold her soul to Artemis in order to avenge the murder of her family. Eons later she is still roaming the Earth by night to protect the human race from all manner of foul creatures. The night that she returns to Sanctuary for business is a night that will change everything she has taken as fact for the last 5,000 years.

When Sam & Dev have to join together to keep Sam alive & out of the hands of the bad guys, the two find that they have a lot more in common than they originally thought & that their mutual attraction is something they really can't seem to fight.

Let me just preface this review with a personal note. I am not a prude when it comes to sexual situations. I consider myself to be very liberal in my acceptance of all manner & expression of all relationships. That being said, I am not a fan of gratuitous sex scenes in film or print. Honestly, if there is no real plot point behind the deed, then I don't need a play-by-play, let alone several.

Overall I must say I really liked this book. Sherrilyn Kenyon has an amazing ability to capture not only the action, but the essence of a situation, without getting too bogged down in the details or word count. I could picture almost every action & sequence as I read the book, including some that were just a bit too much for my reading tastes.

As I just stated, I don't enjoy reading gratuitous sex scenes, and I feel like this was one of those books where every 75 pages someone was getting it on, or had just finished getting it on. It irked me, but I decided to ignore that and focus on the story. When I did that, I found I enjoyed the story in general.

The characters were certainly engaging & had some depth to them, while still managing to be accessible to someone who has never read the series. The dialogue was witty & amusing & really helped move the story along. My favorite part of her writing though, was her inclusion of the Greek dieties. The mythology added another layer of intrigue to the story that I think bound it together well. While by the end of the book I felt I needed a character index, I was still able to grasp the whole story.

All in all, I would highly recommend this book for more mature young adults. If you enjoy urban fantasy novels, and can get past or even enjoy the extra sex scenes, then I would recommend this book & series. I think I may go back & pick through the series since it doesn't have to necessarily be read in order. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

No Mercy by Sherrilyn Kenyon

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

SPOILER ALERT: If you have not read the first two Soul Screamers books (My Soul to Take & My Soul to Save) please read no further!

Kaylee Cavanaugh just can't seem to catch a break. It has been a whirlwind last few months learning about being a bean sidhe & all that entails on top of the other-wordly happenings that seem to plague her life. Just when she was starting to catch up & feel a bit more in control of her life, more craziness begins.

The Scooby Doo-esque couple making a startling discovery at a friend's party. Kids in their school are in to heavier stuff than the normal "recreational drugs." These kids are in to demon's breath. Kaylee gets a whiff of it off a friend after he rammed her car & it immediately sends her into a tailspin. The highly-addictive & extremely deadly substance is almost impossible to obtain (since demons can't come into the human world & this substance is literally the exhalation from a demon) & it's dropping kids like flies.

Unfortunately Nash doesn't feel like rising to the occasion. He doesn't think that just because one kid got his hands on a very dangerous substance that the "bean sidhe signal" has been waved. All of his rationale is based around keeping Kaylee & himself safe, but there is only so much that can be done. And when these two finally get on the same page, the world will literally never be the same.

Rachel Vincent has done it yet again. She has woven an intriguing & entertaining story with some very dynamic characters. Kaylee continues her struggle with her identity & makes great strides to put forth her best effort. I really feel like we get to see her stepping out of the sheltered protection & really taking some risks. Albeit, some of those risks are stupid & dangerous, but she does them because she knows they are the right thing to do. All I will say about Nash is that he is an intriguing plot device that worked magnificently. I totally didn't see that coming!

The Soul Screamers series is one that I find myself enjoying more & more as I read them. They are one of the few series that I can enjoy reading multiple times because I seem to pick up on different details every time I read them. Each book seems to have it's own tempo & meter, while still maintaining the overall plot & balance. I really look forward to the next installments!

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent

Time of the Witches by Anna Myers

Drucilla has never really had a family of her own. Her mother died giving birth to her in the same room, at the same time, her best friend Gabriel was also being born. His family took her in as their own until they all died in a plague. After that they were inseparable. They bounced from foster home to foster home until, at the tender age of 12, they landed in opposing Putnam households in Salem, Massachusetts.

Dru was taken in by Ann and Thomas Putnam who already had three children of their own. Ann is a strange woman with mood swings that move faster than a flooded river. Dru goes along with whatever Ann says just so she can get along in the household, but she holds on strong to the bond between herself and Gabe.

When the new preacher's family moves to town, Ann forces Dru to spend time with the daughter and niece of the preacher. Too bad they spend a lot of time with their slave Tituba and her witch-based stories. Eventually all this leads to the mass hysteria of the 1692 Salem witch trials. Dru makes her decision to stand with the accusers, believing herself to be a victim as well. That is until Gabe is accused and Dru must decide what's actually real.

I'm a sucker for a good historical fiction. In this case, Anna Myers did plenty of research to make sure her story was authentic. While the book follows the timeline of the witch trials, it is also a touching story about true love and friendship that go beyond the surface. Dru and Gabe are incredible characters facing a heart-breaking reality. They are so easy to relate to and understand. Their actions are those of orphaned children looking to make their way through a tough world. There were no guarantees for anything during this time period and the only thing they could rely on was each other.

While I could get distracted by what was going on in the witch trails and lose track of what was going on with Dru and Gabe, the story always managed to make its way back around to their ordeal. The actions of all the characters were quite consistent with that of the time period and I was surprised by how easy it was to rationalize the hysterical girls' actions. A great read for history buffs or anyone wanting a little respite from modern timelines.

The author brought up a very interesting point as to why she wanted to research the subject. She believes that, had she been one of the girls in Salem, that she wouldn't have been able to withstand the hysteria because her mind is susceptible to suggestion. What do you think? Would you have been the one crying witch or would you have told the truth?

Time of the Witches by Anna Myers

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Sophie is painfully aware of the fact that she doesn't fit it. Not only is she the daughter of a college professor obsessed with all things paranormal, Sophie has never met her father in person, she's lived in more states than she has celebrated birthdays; oh, and she's a witch.

After coming in to her powers, as all Prodigium (magical persons) do, Sophie couldn't manage to stay out of trouble. Obviously their presence cannot be openly established with the human world, so it must be kept secret and she was never very good about that. While all she really wanted to do was help people and fit in, she only managed to make a huge mess and force her and her mother to move on the next place.

When her last "helpful" spell goes horribly wrong for all involved, the Council sentences Sophie to be confined to the private, secluded Prodigium school of Hectate Hall. Residents of this historic school range in age from 12 to 18, at which point they "graduate" and are allowed to rejoin society. Sophie is fascinated by the shifters, fairies, and other witches/warlocks that also attend Hectate, affectionately referred to as Hex Hall. To her surprise, Sophie finds herself rooming with pink-loving Jenna, the only vampire student on the campus. The girls begin a rocky, but solidifying relationship while bonding over the evil that is the coven. Comprised of the 3 most beautiful witches in the school, and dubbed "The Witches of Clinique," they naturally covet Sophie's talent. When she refuses, she manages to seal her fate as the most undesirable witch at Hex Hall.

As if changing schools again and having to live in a dorm wasn't bad enough, there's something amiss on campus. Jenna's former roommate, and coven member, was murdered not long before Sophie arrived and now more coven members are falling. As Sophie digs deeper to discover the truth, she starts practicing her magic more and working on expanding her abilities. Her late night practices start to pay off, but at a severe cost to those around her. Can she find the truth before the Council steps in and decides on punishment?

Hex Hall was a riot to read!! The witty humor weaves throughout the novel in a way that one would expect a teenager to think. I can hear the sarcasm dripping off the pages along with the angst and attitude. In a way this book was like Harry Potter meets Viola in Reel Life, but on a small scale campus. It was really fun to see these unique characters go through what is without a doubt the most difficult adjustment period of their lives.

I found the mystery surrounding the evil Prodigium-hunting societies intriguing, but I felt that it was lacking since it never really went anywhere. I know that there are going to be at least two more novels and I know it was used to help bait the reader, but it was frustrating to have this idea dangled in front of me and yet me completely helpless to find out more information. Especially when one of the main characters might be involved with one of the societies.

Overall the characters were each fascinating and over-the-top as one would expect teenagers to be and I found that they were quite pleasant to read about. None of them were too much of anything and I really didn't struggle to understand them, which made the story more fun to read. While there are some unanswered questions at the end, it just leaves room for more novels. I'm hoping it's only a trilogy because any longer than that and I'm afraid it will start to get repetitive. Give a shot if you haven't already!

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Waiting on Wednesday: Claire de Lune

Waiting on Wednesday recognizes that we as bookies pine for books. This post is about what I am impatiently waiting for right now. It was started by Jill at Breaking the Spine.

This week's selection is Claire de Lune by Christine Johnson and is set to be released May 18, 2010.

Christine Johnson’s CLAIRE DE LUNE, in which a teenager learns that she is a werewolf, descended from a long line of female werewolves, and must balance her human and werewolf lives, while tracking down the rogue werewolf preying upon the people of her town.
-From Goodreads

I am a fan of werewolves more so than vampires and I love female leads. The fact that this book combines both of those (and an amazing song title as the book title) leads me to have high hopes for this book. Also, I am interested to see what kind of werewolves these are. There are different mythologies that exist depending on where the story "originates" from and when. Shiver for example threw us a curve ball with its mythology, while Never Cry Werewolf was more of the traditional mythology. Here's hoping!

Waiting on Wednesday: Claire de Lune

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey is set to be released May 3rd by Harcourt Children's Books and the ARC was provided to me by Around the World Tours.

Destiny is a right pain in the tuckus. Jill Jekel and Tristen Hyde are living proof of that fact. When her father is murdered, the mysterious and elusive Tristen shows up at his funeral to offer comfort and tell her that everything will be alright one day.

That was at the beginning of spring semester. Now that it is fall of her senior year, Jill has focused her eyes on the prize of college. She's been handling the finances at home since her mother started slowly falling to pieces, but soon the truth emerges; Jill's father spent all her college savings and now she's on her own for tuition money. Fortunately there is a great opportunity awaiting her in chemistry class. There is a science contest with a huge grand prize that would allow her to go to college with very little worries. Now to come up with a project.

Re-enter Tristen Hyde. The London-transplanted bad boy really does operate on his own schedule and within his own terms. Son of a brilliant psychiatrist, he's a little high strung, but reasonable enough; at least from the outside. Inside he is keeping the beast caged and at bay so that it doesn't fulfill it's wish to spill an innocent girl's blood. The blackouts when the beast takes control are less frequent, but the damage caused during that time is no less severe. The science contest provides a perfect cover for him to approach the late Dr. Jekel's daughter Jill to see if she can help him contain the beast.

Jill and Tristen begin to work in secret, late at night at the school. They use the secret formula papers that her father kept locked away. It turns out that they really are the notes of the infamous Dr. Jekyll. As the ill-fated pair work together, things begin to change: between them, between their classmates, and especially between their parents. These teens are cooking up more than just a suppressive antidote to the beast, they're messing with nature. And on that last fateful night, nature fights back.

This wild ride was so much fun!! I really loved the Jekyll/Jekel and Hyde play in this novel. It was so much easier to understand that dynamic since the story was told in the alternating voice of Jill and Tristen. They were both very entertaining and engaging. I found myself really drawn to Tristen and his pain, while still holding on to the thought that his pain and suffering were, in a way, self-inflicted. His torment really showed through in Fantaskey's writing. I think she really captured his essence.

And Jill was phenomenal as well. While I don't usually like the uptight, good girls in books (especially if it's the good girl goes bad scenario) this was different. It really was like she was a child transforming as she had to mature. Sometimes that happens later in the teen years, especially when there's never been too much to overcome, and I found this to be the case with Jill. She was honest and fair, while trying to remain accessible to others. The characters' interactions, between themselves and others, allowed their personalities to really manifest and blossom. This was especially noticeable between Jill or Tristen and their parents.

A fun and rather quick read, Jekel Loves Hyde is a nature next step for anyone who likes a little science and a little magic mixed in with their fiction. Enjoy!

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey

Shifters Series by Rachel Vincent Mini-Reviews Part 2

Welcome to Part 2 of my mini-reviews of Rachel Vincent's Shifters series. If you missed Part 1, check it out here. If you're ready though, go ahead and read below to find out more about the wonderful werecat world.

WARNING: I put these three in a separate post because they contain spoilers for the first three books. You've been warned!

Prey
After coming out on top during her trial, Faythe has returned to the Lazy S ranch once again, only this time it's without her exiled lover Marc. While it's hard on Faythe, she has her hands full with the protection of Kaci, Manx, and baby Des. Faythe is really trying to coax Kaci into understanding that her cat form is nothing to be ashamed or frightened of.

But when they come under attack by a huge pack of strays and then a Pride member is outright murdered on their own property, the Pride goes into a tizzy. Someone is pulling the strings on this operation and they're going to pay dearly, not only for their actions, but also for what their actions cause Faythe to do in her love life.

Shift
With a Pride member dead, the Pride gathers its allies at the ranch to prepare for the coming civil war. There is no other answer for what has occurred in their society. While her father is impeached from the territorial council, the South Central Pride is virtually cut off from everyone else. Which is why the Thunderbirds had no real trouble cornering them and beginning to pick them off one by one. Now the Pride is scrambling to bring them proof that they are not responsible for the death of the Thunderbirds' Flight member. Everyone is depending on Marc, Faythe, and Jace to keep their tempers in check and work together without tearing everything apart.

Alpha (set for release on October 1, 2010)
This is the blurb from the back cover. P.S. I am in LOVE with this cover. It's my favorite of them all!

YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE FAYTHE...

The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc, and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder, and treason. Yeah, we've been busy. But now it's time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother's death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

It's not going to be easy, and loss seems unavoidable, but I have promised to protect my Pride, no matter what. With a target on my back and Marc at my side, I'm heading for a final showdown that can--that will--change everything forever. A showdown I'm not sure I'm ready for. But life never waits until you're ready. From Goodreads

So there you have it folks. Are you intrigued? If you haven't read one yet, go to your library and grab Stray. They're amazing and fantastic! I'm kind of sad to see the story end with Alpha, but Faythe's story can only go so far. Congratulations to Rachel Vincent for an incredible job well done. I can't wait to see where Faythe winds up!

Shifters Series by Rachel Vincent Mini-Reviews Part 2

Shifters Series by Rachel Vincent Mini-Reviews Part 1

I did a similar post on the Mercy Thompson series that I love so much by Patricia Briggs a few months ago. Well seeing as how I have managed to fall in love with yet another shifter series, I figured I would do a post about it as well.

Rachel Vincent's werecat Shifters series, staring the completely fallible and wonderful colorful Faythe Sanders, is a fun, quickly-paced series covering six novels. We meet Faythe when she is summoned home from grad school for her own protection. Needless to say, she doesn't go back to school what with all the kidnappings, attempted murders, oh and over-protective ex-fiances hanging around. The books follow Faythe as she tries to navigate her very modern self-existence within the rather 1950's view of a tabby in her pride.

She's smart, she's sassy, she's stubborn, and most of all she just wants to live her life without it being dictated to her. I feel that all women can relate to her, and even some men can, on some level or another. Below you'll find a synopsis/mini-review for the first three books. The other three will be provided in a later post.

See my full review of Stray.

Stray
All Faythe wanted was to be left alone. She was working on her graduate degree, but the werecat community just couldn't leave her alone. After fighting off a stray (a once human, made into a werecat through an illegal attack; no pride) Faythe is summoned home for safety. Someone is snatching tabbies and they're not giving them back. Despite all precautions to the contrary, Faythe becomes one of the snatched. In a race against the clock, Faythe must work quickly to figure out who is behind this, what their plans are for the tabbies, and then set them straight.

Rogue
We pick up where we left off in Stray with Faythe being cooped up in the house of werecats trying not to go crazy. Now as enforcer though, she's getting to see some action and prove her worth. She doesn't want to be seen as weak, so she does whatever is necessary to prove that fact. Even if it means working with her on-again boyfriend/ex-fiance Marc as a partner. While out on a mission, the two come across a dead stray. They do their job of covering it up, so the humans don't find out, but as more toms (male werecats) start to die, the trail becomes hotter than ever. Someone's killing toms in the same places that human girls go missing and it's up to Marc and Faythe to stop them. But who do you look for when anyone's a suspect?

Pride
Faythe Sanders is mischievous at her best, but certainly not intentionally combative. Well, only when the situation calls for it, and the situations she is on trial for were just that. Unfortunately, in the eyes of the council, Faythe has broken some of their major rules and must now pay the price. Only in this world, you are presumed guilty unless you can prove otherwise. Faythe is struggling to keep her temper in check while trying not to freak out about that fact that if found guilty the best outcome is the loss of her claws and the worst being execution. Given that she's one of the few tabbies in the US, that speaks volumes about her alleged crimes. It just so happens though that Lady Luck has not abandoned Faythe yet. The large number of hostile strays in the area is suspicious and the council wants answers. If Faythe can prove her worth, she can keep her life.

Tune in on Thursday for the next three books!

Shifters Series by Rachel Vincent Mini-Reviews Part 1