Mini Book Review: The After House by Michael Phillip Cash

Title: The After House
Author: Michael Phillip Cash
Publisher: Chelshire Publishing
Date of Publication: Sept. 30 2014
Source: received from author in exchange for my honest opinion


Book Synopsis:

Remy Galway and her daughter Olivia are rebuilding their life after a failed marriage in a 300 year old cottage in historic Cold Spring Harbor, Long Island. Little do they know, another occupant is lurking in the haven of their own home. Will the After House be their shelter or their tomb?

My Thoughts: 

It seems whenever I read something from Michael Phillip Cash, I find myself enjoying this author more and more.  He is highly talented and impresses me with his wisdom for the supernatural premise of storytelling.  I always start his books thinking they will be slightly scary, but then find myself falling in love with the characters and the plot.
The After House was no different.  I loved this story!  The cover is beautifully crafted and does cause me to believe it will be slightly frightening but I was wrong.  It personally didn't scare me at all; but it did make me question the shifting shadows in my own home.

Mr. Cash pushes us to question what we aren't sure about and forces us to contemplate the unknown, such as ghosts and the paranormal.
I loved the interaction between the characters in this book so much!  Olivia is adorable and it is hard to imagine her as a "spawn of Satan" as Eli likes to refer to her.  It seems everyone in the story is important and ties in to the past as well as the future of the town.   I loved the research done to create such a wonderful love story.  I really think this is one of my favorite books by Mr. Cash.

I highly encourage anyone to give this book a try.  I literally finished it in one day and was hoping for a little more too!  I would love to read some more about the other characters beside Remy and Hugh, as I felt they are what added to the story more than anyone else.

The After House was a great story and made a day that started out rough, eventually turn into a wonderful evening!  Everyone, please try this book out!  You will not be disappointed!

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Daddy and Daughter Book Review: Depths: Book 2 in Southern Watch Series by Robert J. Crane

Title: Depths
Series: Southern Watch
Author: Robert J. Crane
Publisher: Reikonos Press
Date of Publication: February 2014
Source: bought, as well as received from author for honest review.
Rating: 18 +
From Goodreads:

The underworld is rising in Midian, Tennessee, a small town and burgeoning hotspot of demonic activity. When a string of savage and horrific murders committed by demons shocks the town, the unknowing Sheriff's Department scrambles to track down the culprit.

Working outside the bounds of the law is Deputy Archibald "Arch" Stan and demon hunter Lafayette Hendricks. The two of them are keeping watch on the situation in Midian, trying to thin the demon population - a heavy task even when there isn't a rising body count to deal with.

Their investigation leads them on a twisting path that sends them up against the forces of hell, has them at odds with their significant others and may even cost them their lives. Because a new demon has come to Midian, one that has a taste for death...
...and he may not leave the town standing when he's done

Daddy's Review:
Well I thought I would never find myself enjoying a book so much that would I give it five stars, but I guess you should never say never.  Because I really really liked Depths so much I don't see how Mr. Crane can write the next book any better than this one.
Well there was still the extreme cursing, which I am not a fan of, but I do like that we have the main character, Archie, who refuses to curse.  So it seems to even things out for me.
Now before I read this book, my daughter warned me there was a very graphic scene that I may not be able to handle.  Well, I was okay.  Now I didn't enjoy the scene; but I didn't let that one scene affect how I felt about the overall story.  I think the one scene that probably bothered me more than anything was the wrecks on the highway.  I felt that was uncalled for, but probably more for a personal reason than anything.  And I know that scene probably bothered my daughter as well.
But it is pretty graphic and if you aren't used to watching horror movies with some gore, then you might not be able to handle it.
Boy I loved how Mr. Crane answered some of my questions I had after reading the first book.  And there is some interesting ideas in this second one that I did not see coming but at the same time I really liked it.
This book is full out action!  It is kinda like Die Hard- there is always something going on over here and there ; but it all ties in at the end.  I also really liked the new characters we meet, Lerner and Duncan, and I feel like they really bring something great to the story.
Overall, I enjoyed Depths a lot.  The first book was good but this one was great!  It just pulled me in and I found myself having a hard time putting the book down.  I believe I read this one faster than I did the first one or any of my westerns I read.
I was really happy with this book.  Shoot, I wanted to give it ten stars but my daughter says they don't rate that far.  Well I think they should.  But five it is.

*****

My Review(Daughter):

I was forewarned by Crane that I might not like the disturbing scene that everyone was talking about so he wanted to let me know to watch out for it.  And I admit it was disturbing indeed, but I also know why it was there.  We needed to truly see the emptiness that Gideon is and the depravity of the situation showed us that Gideon only cares for his next "fix", so to speak. So from an author's standpoint, I believe that Crane executed that point perfectly.
The scene with the hooker actually didn't bother me as bad as it did everyone else.  Should I be worried?  Maybe I am just sensitive to other aspects....
Actually, I think Gideon "taking things into his own hands" probably got on my nerves more than anything.  As antagonists go, this one just irritated the hell out of me.
And Dad is right.  The scene that really bothered me more was the highway scene.  That actually hit me on a personal level, having been in a wreck that was pretty intense for me.

But there were two characters that I fell in love with completely.  Duncan and Lerner.  These two guys are awesome!  I felt like they really brought a new side to the whole demon hunting plot line.  Just when you think you everything is black and white, we get this huge side of gray and we don't have everything in neat little wrong or right compartments.  I loved the way they could get along with others and how fantastic they were at their job.  Hendricks will probably have to re think some of his beliefs now.

I am glad we find out more about the secondary characters as much as we do the main ones.  I love when the secondary characters prove to be just as important to the story line as the main protagonists.  That is some good writing!

And of course the action is nonstop!  But that is what I will always expect with a Robert J. Crane book.  I couldn't imagine him writing a boring book.  Nope!
I really think that if you enjoyed any of his other books you should try the Southern Watch series.  Yes it is graphic and gory, yes there is a ton of cursing, and some questionable antagonists but there is a lot of action and a very good plot that will blow you away!
I give it five hearts as well!

A Father/Daughter Book Review: Called (Book 1: Southern Watch) by Robert J. Crane

Title: Called
Series: Southern Watch Book 1
Author: Robert J. Crane
Publisher: CreateSpace
Date of Publication: Jan. 6, 2014
Source: bought, paperback, 172 pages
Rating: Adult, 18 + over

Goodreads Summary:

Archibald "Arch" Stan was a local cop in Midian, Tennessee that was good at his job, good at being a husband, and exceptionally good at hiding his disappointment at not being able to figure out what was missing in his life that made it all seem so empty.

Lafayette Hendricks looked like a drifter, a broken-down hitchhiker blown through Midian on the prevailing winds. When Arch catches him in a fight on the town square, though, things start to get weird, fast, because the guy he's fighting doesn't die when he gets shot. And Hendricks is carrying a sword.

Pretty soon, Arch's whole life is turned upside down by Hendricks's revelation that there's a secret world operating under the one he's been living in his whole life - one filled with demons, chaos, and unspeakable evils, one of which is already in town, stirring trouble. And if the two men don't band together to keep watch on the darkness falling on Midian, then this small town might just get swallowed up by the forces of evil - with the rest of the world to follow shortly behind.

WARNING: Contains violence, coarse language and sexual situations.

Father's Thoughts:
I could have done without all the language but I understand why he had to use it.  I also realize he put a warning up, so I was expecting bad language just not this bad.  But besides that, the overall story is pretty good.  It will keep you hooked into it , trying to figure out what will happen next.  There is a lot of action in it, and it has this modern day cowboy feel to it.  I, personally, enjoy westerns; but I did enjoy stepping out of my comfort zone to try this book with my daughter.  It is violent but I believe the author is trying to show us how demons really are, how low they will go.    So again that could point to all the extremely foul language.  It seems to come more from the demons than the other characters.
Another thing that tended to get to me was the ending.  Man, I don't like those cliffhanger endings!  I am glad he left it open for another book , but did you really have to end it like that?
All in all, I did enjoy reading Called.  Towards the last half of the book, it is so fast paced and full of action I had a hard time pulling away from the book.  Good job!
 My daughter says I have to give it a number rating from 1 to 5; so I am going to go with a 4.  The book was good.  It was interesting, had some good characters and kept me reading so I find that it earned a 4.  It did leave many questions I had unanswered, so I got to get to reading the next book soon.

My Thoughts:
Well if it wasn't violent and jammed full of action then it wouldn't be Robert J. Crane's writing.  This is something I have come to expect from the man and he never disappoints us!  It did have some moments that seemed very violent but it never got any worse than say Spartacus.  You know the show on Starz?  Yeah, well that is violent.  So it did stay below that level.
I did notice that our characters did use much more extreme cursing in it than most of the other characters from the other series ever used.  Cursing doesn't really bother me (since I tend to do it a lot myself- sorry Dad!) but I do understand my Dad's problem with it.  He was more or less expecting harsh language but not the F bomb being dropped constantly.  But in the author's defense, sometimes you can't get something across by just using the word "dang nabbit"  or some other words.  I mean we are talking about demons, who really don't give a crap about the human race or anything for that matter, and I just don't see them watching their language.  Plus, the coarse language shows us the situations that seem to follow these people along.  Bless Arch though.  Even though he was going through some serious hell, I don't believe he ever let the F Bomb drop at all.
Getting pass the extreme sport of throwing the F word around,  the story is a good solid one.  I am very interested in who Hendricks truly is, and why he has such a hatred for these demons.  Starling was probably my favorite character in the whole book right now.  She just has this awesome personality that really makes me think that she is going to be pretty freaking awesome! (No, it isn't that F word)
I didn't really care for Erin though.  I am hoping she isn't here to stay, so to speak.
Then there is our main characters: Arch and Hendricks.  What an unlikely odd couple!  I think they go great together though; Arch is this milder guy who tries to think things through before just jumping on the band wagon.  Whereas Hendricks is the good guy who has a bad guy persona.  They remind me of Sam and Dean from Supernatural a little bit.  They actually compliment each other and I think they make a great team.  It will be interesting to see how their relationship pans out.
Overall, I thought Called was a decent book.  There were parts that seemed a little too strange and felt like it might have took away from the seriousness of the story.  I am thinking of how the cow plays into all of this and feeling like that was a little too silly for the whole demon story.  But it did make for a funny reading.
Besides that, though, the plot was a solid one that definitely kept me interested until I finished the book and couldn't wait to jump in to book 2.  It flows well and I really enjoyed the action that plays throughout the book.
I give it four hearts!

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Book Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate {Book 1: Fallen Series}

Title: Fallen
Author: Lauren Kate
Series: Book 1 in Fallen Series
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Date of Publication: Dec. 8, 2009
Source: bought, 452 pages


Goodreads Synopsis:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce – he goes out of his way to make that very clear. But she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, Luce has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret...even if it kills her.
Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, FALLEN is a page-turning thriller and the ultimate love story

My Thoughts:

This is one of those books that I really liked and really didn't.  
Yeah...I was torn.

So just imagine how hard this reveiw was to write when a part of me wants to gush about the book; and another part of me just wants to moan about its shortcomings.  

Well, let me just jump into it then shall we?

First, I loved that it was set in Georgia.  I am a huge lover of backgrounds in Georgia.  There is just something very special about the feeling while in the swamplands of the GA.  Okay, so I am little biased being that I am from GA born and raised but there is something magical about Savannah and the area around it.  
So I was totally stoked to know it took place in my beloved homeland.  

I also fell in love with the fact that it had this major "good vs. evil" scenario running through the course of the entire book.  And some of the characters screamed evil while others took a lot more figuring out.  
I also thought that the twists and turns in it was done rather superbly and I loved the foreshadowing in all its glory.  

But.....

I found myself inwardly groaning at some of the decisions Luce, our main protagonist, made during the book.  I guess I just found myself groaning at Luce.  She did have some positive features but for the most part, she really just grated on my nerves.  
Especially, when it came to letting one guy she wasn't interested in him.  I mean come on!!! If you don't like someone, you do not get into a strange car to go tell them you don't like them!!! Okay I wouldn't but maybe that isn't how girls in this age do that?  I mean if I really don't like someone, I tend to stay the hell away from them.  Its better for both parties involved.  

And so when Luce insists on following him around just to let him know she wasn't interested it just really pissed me off.  Sorry.. but it did.

I don't know; maybe I'm just not giving her enough credit.  Maybe I just didn't like here to start with and I am grabbing at straws but in the end I found Luce extremely hard to swallow.  

There was also another area that I felt was really forced.  In some of the chapters it felt like the writing was drawn out, striving to make a word count.  I just felt like took a lot of energy to read when I felt some things could have been shortened. 

Now, although it seems like I hated the book I swear I didn't.  
I actually liked it due to some really awesome supporting characters like Arriane, Penn, and others at the Sword and Cross school.  
The descriptive ways the author shared her vision of the ancient cemetary and the school really made me  yearn to be there sharing in the visionary bliss that she was able to portray in her writing.  
It also took me a while to figure out the entire plot until the very end.  I had grasped bits and pieces but there were some areas that totally had my mind blown.  I love that Kate could keep me guessing for that long and still be intrigued with the story, even after I wasn't too fond of the main character.    That is some really good writing to have me invested in the story, even when I can't love the main protagonist.  


Overall, I found myself torn between loving Fallen, and at the same time, disliking it.  Perhaps, that in and of itself, is a reason to have respect for the book that it can illicit such strong polar opposite emotions in me it leaves me confused and intrigued all at the same time?  I may not have been completely in love with Luce,  I did appreciate the other characters around her that made her seem less annoying and more just lost.  

I have to give Fallen 3 hearts but I do look forward to reading the second book in hopes for some redemption.   

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Book Review: Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Title:  hush, hush
Series: hush, hush # 1
Author: Becca Fitzpatrick
Genre: YA romance
Source: bought from B *A*M



Goodreads Synopsis:

A SACRED OATHA FALLEN ANGELA FORBIDDEN LOVE
Romance was not part of Nora Grey's plan. She's never been particularly attracted to the boys at her school, no matter how hard her best friend, Vee, pushes them at her. Not until Patch comes along. With his easy smile and eyes that seem to see inside her, Patch draws Nora to him against her better judgment.
But after a series of terrifying encounters, Nora's not sure whom to trust. Patch seems to be everywhere she is and seems to know more about her than her closest friends. She can't decide whether she should fall into his arms or run and hide. And when she tries to seek some answers, she finds herself near a truth that is way more unsettling than anything Patch makes her feel.
For she is right in the middle of an ancient battle between the immortal and those that have fallen - and, when it comes to choosing sides, the wrong choice will cost Nora her life.

My Thoughts:
 Well I realize I am probably behind on the bandwagon for this book.  It took me a long time to pick it up even though I had it on my shelf for a pretty long time.  I liked the cover, loved the synopsis just wasn't sure if I was ready for an angel book.  This came at the same time I was getting over Castiel from Supernatural going goofy.  I really loved that guy!
Anyways, so angels are always a fascinating subject for me but also a touchy subject.  When does it cross into religion and stay in fiction or is there a compromise for the two?  I personally am not a reader of religious fiction just because it doesn't appeal to me, even though I have people buy it for me all the time.  If I do actually find a book out there that can satisfy my points and still be considered religious fiction then I guess I will be doing okay.
Sorry I digress...
So hush, hush has this certain lure to it just from the cover alone.  I mean come on there is an angel on the cover, apparently falling, having his wings dispatched from his body (yes I noticed the red on some of the feathers up top) that makes you want to cringe and interests you as well.
I have always been the lover of the bad boy persona and Patch really fulfilled those expectations in every way.  Yes, he does have that creepy vibe and is somewhat stalker-esque, which I think added to the dual conflict he was having within himself.  But maybe he was just too much stalkerish for young girls in high school.  Because ladies stalkers are not the greatest thing in the world.  But I would hope the ladies that read this book are grown up enough to establish between the real world and the literary world.
Which I am.
Anyways, I did like Patch because I was able to see this undermining quality in him that he did really care for Nora.  But in his "bad boy" way getting it out there didn't come out in the best of circumstances though.  One of my favorite scenes was when they were discussing qualities in a potential mate in class.  That was pretty funny and definitely hot.
Nora, I also liked a lot.  I was very proud of her that she didn't slink in the corner when the other guy tries to get rough with her.  Which is another thing in Patch's defense.  He never laid his hands on her in a violent way ever.
I could actually relate to Nora in years past.  I was the smart girl that didn't have any guys hanging off of me at all in high school because they didn't appeal to my higher sense of intelligence ( and lot of them were jerky)
and they didn't think I was worth the trouble.  So Nora had that sense of innocence that also applies to many other smart girls out there too.
There was one person though that I couldn't stand the entire book and probably brought the story down for me a little for me too.  VEE!  I just could not connect with this girl!  She was rude, selfish, and just totally lacking what a true best friend would have done.  I mean come on, if your girl tells you that someone manhandled her you're not supposed to take the guy's side for any reason at all!!!  No exceptions!
Of course, I could have misunderstood some of that since there could have been another influence in there too.  But Vee really just rubbed me the wrong way the entire time.  I think the story would have been a helluva lot better without her in it at all.
The plot was a really good one.  There were a few twists and turns that I figured out but then there was some more that totally blew my mind as well.   I also am very curious if there is a more too Nora's dad that we might figure out something in the next books???  I guess I will just have to see.
If you are a fan of angel books with the bad boys in it that make your heart beat a little faster then I think you would definitely give hush, hush a try.  It has this eerie, creepy, and downright haunting effect on you as you read about the fallen angels that walk the Earth.  As well as the angels that exist elsewhere.
I enjoyed the flirtatious convos between Patch and Nora and I loved the thriller side as we try to figure out who or what is out to get Nora.
I had to give hush, hush four hearts and I can't wait to start Crescendo soon!

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ARC Review: Wicked Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Title: Wicked Kiss
Series: Nightwatchers Book #2
Author: Michelle Rowen
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Expected Date of Publication: Feb. 26, 2013
Format: ebook, paperback 440 pages
Source: e-ARC from Net Galley & Harlequin Teen
Pre-Order your copy: 

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Book Synopsis:MY KISS CAN KILL.

I used to be ordinary Samantha Day, but that's changed. Now, after one dark kiss from a dangerous boy, I can steal someone's soul...or their life. If I give in to the constant hunger inside me, I hurt anyone I kiss. If I don't...I hurt myself.

Bishop is the one whose kiss I crave most, but if I kiss him, I'll kill him. Then there's another boy, one I can't hurt. One whose kiss seems to miraculously quell my hunger. They're both part of a team of angels and demons that's joined forces in my city to fight a mysterious rising darkness, an evil that threatens everyone I know and love. I just wonder if I'll be able to help Bishop-or if I'm just another part of the darkness he's sworn to destroy....

NIGHTWATCHERS

When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...

My Thoughts:
I really like a lot of books that are coming out of Harlequin Teen right now so I took a leap of faith grabbing this one, never actually reading book 1, hoping I would find a great story with a little supernatural edge to it.  

I did.  
Now, I have to admit I can't stand to jump into a series in the middle, for obvious reasons, but Wicked Kiss gave enough background detail I wasn't really lost at all.  I am sure I will go back and read book 1 just to have this complete feeling (yeah, I am a little anal about that), although I felt pretty comfortable with the story line and characters.  
Speaking of characters: wow!  The angels/demons team is pretty cool but if I had to pick my faves I would go with Kraven all the way.  YES I understand he is a demon and pretty heartless but I don't know, there is just something about his attitude; whew gets my temperature rising.  
But our main character, is Samantha, a girl that is lacking a little something, that makes her have this very super and very deadly kiss.  I liked her.  She didn't irritate me too much, although, I think she should be careful what she wishes for.  
Bishop, our resident guardian angel, is your typical YA male: brooding, dark, bossy as hell, oh and gorgeous.  We definitely cannot forget gorgeous (but looks aren't everything-it's just the icing on the cake, so to speak.)
The plot is interesting and will keep your attention most of the time.  I was appreciative of the thorough background info we got but I could understand where those have read the first book, might see it as more of information over load.  
There could be a slight love triangle interpreted here but it isn't as huge as the synopsis makes you think it is.  Also calling them "boys" just seems wrong but I guess that is a potato -po-ta-to thing.  
The one hang-up that I had with Wicked Kiss had me torn from being super happy with the story and groaning to myself, "not again."  I noticed it was a really long story-I mean really long, for a story I didn't think would or should have been that long. It just seemed like when everything was took care of; boom!  Another problem arose out of nowhere and was tied up neatly again.  The reason I was so torn was because I enjoyed the minor threads and they did play a bigger part into the main thread but there was a lot.  

But all in all, Wicked Kiss was really good and pretty creative.  It brings some originality to a genre that seems to be bombarded with vampires and werewolves.  The heroine has some very unique abilities that are feared and revered at the same time.  It is an interesting story that will have you surprised, horrified, and most importantly, breathless.  

I gave it four hearts!

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Review: Dark Seraphine by KaSonndra Leigh

Title: Dark Seraphine
Series: Seraphine Trilogy # 1
Author: KaSonndra Leigh
Publisher: Createspace
Date of Publication: October 21, 2012
Source: received copy for my honest review of it

Goodreads Synopsis:"Mom always says the angels walk among us. She forgot to tell me that sometimes they're not all fluffy and nice."
Seventeen-year-old Caleb Wood has seen people he calls the walkers since he was a baby. It didn't take long for him to realize something…no one can see these strangers but him. They never stuck around or tried to touch him. And they never said a word. That was until one day on the first day of class in his senior year when an incredibly gorgeous girl strolls into his life…and things are never the same again.
Soon Caleb realizes he has stepped into the middle of a growing conflict between two ancient groups. And his ability to see the invisible ones, the half-breeds that want to modify the human race, just might be the only hope both he and the mysterious, but infuriating, Gia, have of making it out alive

My Thoughts:
 I really really am crazy about this author, KaSonndra Leigh, and her adult novel, Haceinda Moon.  I loved that book so much and it was a ghost story too *(not usually my thing but lately it fits).  She is a great writer and can really spin a tale of torture, suspense, and love.
With that being said, Dark Seraphine, just wasn't for me.  I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either.  It was just blah for me.  Nothing really stood out for me.  I like Caleb but he wasn't a spectacular character that I immediately fell in love with, but instead he was just likable.  It is typical high school drama with the slew of characters: you have the nerds, the cheerleaders, the outsiders, and then, in this case the Walkers.
The plot is a interesting one and especially coming from a guy's point of view too.
There is action in it to keep guys occupied.  I actually liked that Caleb taught self defense; this makes him even more lovable to the reader.
I think the story line is a great idea but I just couldn't get into the story try as I might.  A lot of the characters fell a little flat for me and half the time I was confused as to what was going on.
I did think our author did a great job of keeping us in the dark along with Caleb as far as who Gia really is and what she is really doing there.
There is a love triangle in this story but I felt like it was forced because so many other YA novels have it there too.  Erica was complicated.  We were able to see she was different than what the school believed her to be but then she just ticked me off when she acted so nonchalant about Caleb.   And then of course there is Gia.  She is our mysterious girl that is always there when Caleb gets his temper going but can never give us a straight answer.  I did wholeheartedly love the fact that Gia is this awesome girl skateboarder who the school is totally crushing on.

This story wasn't for me but I wouldn't pass it up totally. The author is a wonderful writer and has some great stories out there right now.  I just wasn't feeling this one but if you are really into a male's pov, love triangles, mysterious girls, and many magical moments then you should definitely give it a shot!
I gave it 2 hearts.

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Book Review: Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor {Book # 1}

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Series: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Publisher: Little, Brown & Company
Audio: Hachette Audio
Date of Publication: Sept. 27, 2011
Format: audiobook, hardcover, paperback
Source:  free download from Sync
Get Your Own Copy: Amazon | The Book Depository |         

Goodreads Blurb: 
Around the world, black hand prints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.
In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grows dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages—not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.


When one of the strangers—beautiful, haunted Akiva—fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?                              

My Thoughts:
As I sit here, deciding how to start this review, I find myself having a hard time getting my feelings out.
Why? (I am sure you are asking..)
Most people would think it is because I couldn't relate to the book or the characters, right?  But I am here to tell you that is completely the opposite here.

I FREAKING FELL IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY!! I MEAN HEAD OVER HEELS IN LOVE!

The reason I am having such a hard time is because I feel like there isn't really words to describe this wonderful piece of literature.  I wish I could pluck millions of shiny stars from the sky to bestow upon this book, instead of just a few five.  So forgive me if I sound like a fangirl swooning over some hot number, but I have to say this is has made my list of one of my favorite books of all times.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone takes this doomed love situation and puts a heart wrenching unexpected twist upon it, creating an amazing fairy tale for young and old to enjoy.  It really has the most basic and simple plot line: a "Romeo and Juliet" type scenario of forbidden love, but then Ms. Taylor tells it from such a unique perspective that you find yourself immersed in a rich and complex story that is anything but simple.

The characters are strong proud beings, some having to work through their faults and broken past, while others are so evil you can just feel the darkness lurking inside of them.  No matter what you will have some very strong emotions towards all the characters in this book.
Karou is such an interesting female heroine.  I adore her so much!  Not once does she irritate me and I feel like we learn so much with her (and from her) as she learns more about her history.  She is a strong persona, even though she feels like there is something missing from inside her life, and accepts the strangeness of her family with a wholeness that is something to admire.  I love that one of her passions is sketching; I feel like this adds even more to her already artistic surroundings.  She seems like she would be  a wonderful friend, loyal and true, fun yet serious, and did I mention she has blue hair?  Yeah she is that great!
Akiva is our male counterpart to Karou and has many of the same strong traits as she does.  He is brave, loyal, and yet has this terrible grief that keeps him a broken mess of a man. Or angel.  Just as the reader is drawn to Karou's mesmerizing personality, Akiva finds he cannot stop thinking about the strange girl with blue hair.  It is an obvious tear jerker to see how Akiva tries to cope with these emotions he has toward Karou and seeing the turmoil in him because he doesn't want to feel anything anymore.
Besides watching the dynamics between these two powerful lead characters, Taylor gives us some very unusual and personable supporting characters, like Brimstone and Zuzana, that add even more heart to this already heartfelt story.

Then we move on to the world building in Daughter of Smoke and Bone that helps create this magically exceptional place where humans coincide with supernatural beings without even realizing it.  Prague, in itself, sounds mysterious just by the name, but then we get to explore some of the maze like streets there with Karou and we find ourselves being swept away to a dreamland place.  A place where people feel comfortable searching for ghosts, where the architectural designs are based off ancient civilizations beautifully restored, and where people are content to appreciate the beauty that surrounds such a magical place.
The descriptions of the real and unreal areas are so well maintained, even now I can close my eyes and bring each and every detail to mind, like I am being transported there right now.  It is like a world within a world within a world...so forth and so on.
Taylor uses such descriptive and powerful imagery it feels like the Chimera and the Seraphim could just jump right off the page (or in my case through the headphones) into my living room.  When she describes Brimstone's dusty old shop, it isn't hard to picture him at his desk, counting teeth, the silence hanging in the air like an old friend, as Karou sits with him enthralled at his detailed work.
I also love how every little detail and plot thread comes back to the bigger idea or main plot. Basically everything ties in and you don't have any nonsense threads leading to nowhere.  There are no fillers but everything is there that should be there.
There is a lot of flashbacks in this story, which normally gets on my nerves, but for Daughter of Smoke and Bone , it seems like the flashbacks help us learn just what we need to instead of overloading us with too much information too soon.  We also get the story told from Akiva and Karou's perspectives so that helps us see it from two different sides: angel and Chimera / human.
It is a metaphorical fairy tale that forces us to take a long hard look at what we consider good and evil and then realize that there is always exceptions to this rule.  Especially when true love is involved.  Speaking of the love aspect, I found it not to be the "insta-love" sensation but instead we get to see the relationship build along with the nerves, and the butterflies that new lovebirds experience.

Audiobook Review:
The narrator, Kristine Hvam, is the most amazing storyteller I have ever heard! The feeling she puts behind the different character voices makes an already thrilling story that more creative.  The way Hvam disguises her voice, from an angel solider to a young woman, to a Czech art student to a hulking beast of a Chimera, she has this quality to make you get lost in her voice and disappear into the prose.    I honestly felt like an old friend, listening in to Karou's conversations, laughing with her, grieving with her, and more importantly, falling in love too.

All in all.....this was the most amazingly crafted work of art I have ever read.  It was magical, entertaining, and had me spellbound from the minute I heard Hvam's interpretation of Karou's voice.  I highly recommend listening the audiobook version of it.  Even if you are not a fan of audiobooks (I wasn't at first either) Daughter of Smoke and Bone is the one audio book that will make you a fan of them.  It literally took my breath away!

ARC Review: Fire Kissed by Erin Kellison

Title: Fire Kissed

Series: Shadow Kissed Book 1

Author: Erin Kellison

Publisher: Kensington

Publication Date: July 3, 2012

Source: ebook from Netgalley

Goodreads Summary:

Fae Fire

It is Kaye Brand's power to wield. But outcast from her kind, she's been selling herself to the highest bidder—money for her survival in exchange for a magic glimpse into the flames of the future.

Angel Ice

One of the angelic Order, Jack Bastian has no use for a female like Kaye, as provocative and unexpected as her blazing beauty. Yet he has no choice but to hire her to uncover the secrets of his sworn enemy and her former fiancé, Ferrol Grey.

Magekind

War is inevitable between the defenders of the Order and the mage Houses who threaten to engulf the world in Shadow. For Jack, mage-born Kaye is off limits, no matter how hot the impossible attraction between them. But in the coming darkness, beset by danger and desire, everything is about to change...

My Feelings:

All I can say is this is one HOT story!  I thought since this book is full of fire why not post it on the Fourth of July!  

Kaye Brand has been through hell in her life but she learned to use what she was given to make her way.  I really respect that from her.  She is probably one of my favorite heroines of this year.  She has so many layers it is impossible to get bored with her!  

Kaye is sexy, confident, tortured and very, very powerful.  

Since I am talking about the characters let me go on and talk about the villian:  Ferro Grey.  

Wow!  He makes bad really evil!

When he first came into the story, I thought to myself, "He doesn't seem so bad."  

I was terribly wrong!  He is worst than I imagined but this makes the story even better!

The mages are fearsome but not evil like the angels try to portray, and the angels are glorious but not killers like the mages told their children.   Gray areas, man you have to love them!  

I get giddy when a book I am reading has those gray areas that make the story even more complex and interesting.  

Another interesting take was how the Fae were described in this story.  Most Fae creatures I have read about are light creatures that help others, but these Fae have a dark side.  That is really cool!

This series takes place in the Shadow Series World, even though this is sorta a spinoff.  

There is sexual scenes in this novel but they are placed in well thought out areas instead of all over the place in usual adult romances.  I really liked that too!  The characters actually have lives instead of sex all the time.  (Don't get me wrong I love sex like the next girl, but come on when people are trying to kill you....sex isn't on my mind)

Overall, I really loved Fire Kissed.   I am now adding the other Shadow novels to my TBR list and I cannot wait to delve into this world of mages, angels, warriors, and strong independent women! 

I had to give this five hearts!~

Review for No Exit

I read the most amazing book this weekend!! Literally, I had such a hard time putting it down and I felt the need to share it with all of you. It is called No Exit.  Julie Harris, a very talented Australian author has wrote another book I thought was wonderful as well called A Tear of Blood.  But she also has many other books under her belt that I intend to read eventually.

No Exit is the latest cross-genre book that Ms. Harris has given us.  And it is a very great gift indeed!
Basically, it is about an Australian woman named Rebecca Miller who is a psychic; but much more than that too.  To me, psychic just seems to plain to explain Rebecca.  Rebecca is a bright shining light in the darkness for many.  She can read people in all ways; their minds, their futures, their pasts, and even their auras and emotions.If that wasn't enough she is also blessed(or cursed?) with healing and she also sees and talks to spirits. She has been  living with this every since she was a little girl.  She has been shunned by society and only has one real friend, until now.
A few years ago, Rebecca had an appointment with Elizabeth Glover, who happens to be the wife of the future United States of America's president.  At the time Rebecca told Elizabeth that her husband would be the President but he would die coming off the jet.
Elizabeth, afraid of losing her husband, gives the recorded reading to the ones in charge and hence the story begins with Rebecca getting coerced into the custody of two Nighthawks.  The commander, Kelly Nolan, is in charge of the outfit and in turn feels responsible for Rebecca Miller.  In more ways than one; she is very familiar to him since he has been drawing and painting her for 15 years.
This is such a moving emotional story with very believable characters that you cannot help falling in love with.  I found myself wiping tears away at the sad parts and laughing out loud with the quirky sayings Rebecca has.
There were many connections to be found in this book.  Rebecca feels shunned by the world by everything that she can do; even though I am nowhere magical, I was shunned by other children when I was younger and I can share her feeling on this.  I remember having many imaginary friends but for Rebecca these were not imaginary friends, they were real.
Another way I connected is with Kelly Nolan.  He is a Native American,specifically Cherokee. I too, have Cherokee in my heritage, but mine is a very small part, but something I am very proud of.  It was uplifting to have a story with so many different characters from all over the world, working together for a common goal.
All Rebecca wants is to be normal, when in reality she doesn't realize she is a blessing to this world.
This story will have you guessing to the very end because of the carefully woven plot. No Exit is impossible to put down, and impossible not to love.
These characters will stay with you for some time and you will find yourself looking for your own personal Rebecca Miller.  I know I am.

If you would like to purchase this for  Kindle  please click here:

It is also available for Nook here

Review: Absolution(Book 3:Warriors For Light)

I just finished the third book in LJ DeLeon's series, Warriors For Light., and I have to tell you it was pretty darn good.  Absolution tells the us the hurt and guilt that Luc feels after having to put down his best friend and mentor Nate.  (Now if you haven't read the first two books, you might want to STOP reading this and get your book on) Allana, our heroine in this book, is the missing Fae princess who is searching for her twin daughters that here on Earth.  These two characters soon realize that they will need each other to battle all the evil that is in store for them throughout this story and I am sure in future installments.  

I really liked this book.  Allana is a wonderful character.  She is innocent even though she has experienced evil, but she is far from naive.  I love that DeLeon wrote Allana like this; because this is war they are in and we don't need anymore naive little princesses who can't see the truth right in front of their face.  

You can't help but fall for Luc.  He is just so adorable and the fact that he is a Druid (like a witch) just makes him more lovable.  He has power, lots of power, but he is still more human than others in the story; which allows us to connect with him on a more personal basis.  I also like how DeLeon made their bonding even more special and made them become one soul, because the character Luc really needs someone to share his soul with so he can finally let go of all the guilt he has experienced in his life, and start living.  Allana, being a healer, is the perfect person to bring Luc back to life so to speak. 

The only thing I wished we would have got a little more of was more information on the search for Allana's twin daughters.  I am so looking forward to those books, because the foreshadowing that LJ DeLeon gives us in this book about Kate and Sophie is so enticing; I have to admit: I AM HOOKED!!!  I didn't think I would become such an avid reader of this series but boy, was I wrong!  So ladies, if you are looking for a sexy new series that has so many different species in it, this is definitely the one you want to check out.  These books are more for adults with a few curse words and some descriptive sexual scenes.  

Review: Dragon Child (Warriors For Light, Book 2)

This is my review of Dragon Child by LJ DeLeon.  This is book 2 in the series, Warriors For Light.
The heroine, Moira, is sister of Padrig and we get to learn more about her in this book.  And I know everyone enjoyed the role, Steve, our wereleopard, played in the first book; and now he gets to share the storyline with Moira in this book.