I don't know what it was I was expecting from this novel but some weird nightmare of Ender's War and a 70s psychedelic trip come to mind first. The tr...moreI don't know what it was I was expecting from this novel but some weird nightmare of Ender's War and a 70s psychedelic trip come to mind first. The trip to self awareness (for lack of a better term) for Lukian Valentin (Kain of the title) had my head spinning after a few chapters.
This is not an easy read for me, the visual descriptions and the feeling of Big Brother are not my main favorites but the author pulled off a very complex plot with talent, but even then at times I felt like I was privy to some guy's LSD trip . Kain has had some serious mess in his life, not the least was his parents selling him when he was very young. His escape and journey to sanity takes up the majority of this novel and is a journey that excited and entertained at times, then other times it was the pits of despair (I got tired of the guy being sick)
Lukian/Kain's relationship with Naoko is the main thing that keeps this story from being overly dark but it is a long and clumsy relationship that you will be frustrated with at the beginning before it finally comes to somewhat of a fruition.
The bottom line of this story is freedom, the freedom to do as you wish, I felt there was a bit of a political bent to this also but it was still enjoyable. 4 Stars and depending on your mood at the time more or less, do not start this book if you are distracted, it requires your attention to enjoy it.(less)
When I received this book I took one look and thought “Another indie vampire romance” …. I am SO glad to say it became one of the better PNR books I h...moreWhen I received this book I took one look and thought “Another indie vampire romance” …. I am SO glad to say it became one of the better PNR books I have read this year. The romance is not rushed and the twists add to the story and for a brief span you are not sure who she might end up with but all turns out for the best.
The story of Gabriel and Jennifer will lead you into places you have not visited much in Paranormal Romance, starting with the fact that Jen starts this book already married to someone else and no he is not beating her or anything like that, you will probably enjoy the twist. (and nobody cheats and nobody dies, LOL)
Gabriel has suffered in grief for centuries due to the loss of his only love in an attack far back in ancient Egypt. He has really just existed and lived only for revenge on the follower’s of Set who took her life and since it seems the war that humanity is not even aware of is winding down, so is his reason for living.
Along comes Jen who he cannot keep his eyes off from the first moment they meet (yes the old MINE attraction) and while the romance takes longer than you might think based on that, you have to remember she is married and Gabriel is honorable if nothing else.
This novel hits the right balance of sex, romance, action and drama for me and I enjoyed it immensely but I have to point out a couple of things that hit a sour note for me.
It seems I have read about 4 books this year where the writer used “your’ and “you’re” as interchangeable words and that always breaks my concentration since to me (and I seldom mention editing) but I found these particularly glaring.
This book is around 450 pages which I loved but what it did was allow the author to get carried away a time or two in her descriptions and wanderings but it again was a minor thing but I only mention it because she overwrote the last chapter or two which became a bit of a drag to finish up the book. Sometimes less is more it would seem.
Bottom Line: This was an excellent story and the writing was good and not too overdone with verbiage, any complaints I have are minor and I already grabbed the next book in the series which will pair up one of the secondary characters with a “entity” from this book (yes you will love this idea also). The author does not seem to suffer from a lack of imagination so I give it 4 Stars and would have been more with a small bit of editing which would include some more concise writing but make no mistake; this is an awesome story I cannot wait to get back to reading in book #2.
Douglas C. Meeks reviewing for Satin Sheets Romance (less)
I put off reading this series for a long time just because I was too busy reading other things but now I can see the error of my ways. This is another...moreI put off reading this series for a long time just because I was too busy reading other things but now I can see the error of my ways. This is another excellent story in this series and it keeps you involved from page one.
The main thrust of the story is that Jessica has to get her mate back from a goddess that has gone over the edge (we are talking Mad Hatter crazy) which only makes her more dangerous. What we learn along the way is that Jessica has more power that she is just starting to tap into and manages to pull through each scrape with a combination of skill, luck and a bit of something we have yet to put our fingers on, but she is cool to read about I can assure you.
The side story of Ray (her sometimes tormentor from her police days) is one I find most interesting and it takes a BIG turn in this book and i can't wait to see what the future holds for him. One of the best things about this series is that she inserts small things into the story that can (and most likely WILL ) be used for springboards for future stories. I enjoy this better than some seat of the pants approach to a new book in a series where you are thrown something you never saw or heard about before.
Bottom line: This is a great book, while I hate the way she throws what amounts to the first chapter teaser type endings to her books , they are not cliffhangers but more "this is what we are going after next book" type endings that give you just enough information to make you desperate to get the next one. Well done.(less)
When you are the first female born into an all male society life can be hard. It also can make you tough which is where Jessica ended up, well prepare...moreWhen you are the first female born into an all male society life can be hard. It also can make you tough which is where Jessica ended up, well prepared for the life that was coming for her.
This is the first book in a werewolf "coming of age" series, Jessica is a werewolf but MUCH more and we get to see how that works as we go along with her on this series.
This book while highly entertaining is actually setting up the world and Jessica for the series and it is done quite well without boring you at any point.
She can take a fight and bounce back strong as ever and the story is vastly entertaining.
The ending as been said to be a cliffhanger but actually it is not, it just leaves you getting ready for the next book which is not the same thing, its more like giving you a teaser into the next book.
I was not sure what I was getting with Snow Day but I was expecting a short little scary story with a storybook ending...... not even close. This is a...moreI was not sure what I was getting with Snow Day but I was expecting a short little scary story with a storybook ending...... not even close. This is a much too realistic story of a ten year old boy who was thrust into a nightmare not of his making. I was having some remembrances of Mystic River and a one of An American Werewolf In London (no there are no werewolves in this book). It was shocking, engrossing and terrible with an ending that while far from happy ever after was satisfying for the reader and probably will make you remember it everytime it snows.
There is not a lot I can say to add since this story is short (approx 100 pages) and it starts with a slap on the face then backs things up a bit. You are lulled into a typical northern snow day away from school before things take a horrible turn. This is a great story packed into these 100 pages and I highly recommend you read it.
Drake Wilder has decided that he really does not care for his own party and goes to have a taste of wine in his own wine cellar and discovers a slight...moreDrake Wilder has decided that he really does not care for his own party and goes to have a taste of wine in his own wine cellar and discovers a slightly tipsy Emelia tasting some of his best wine … and so begins one of the better Paranormal Romance stories I have read in awhile.
Emelia has some past issues with Drake (which he is totally unaware of) and she does not know who he is at that first meeting, it was great. The book follows a bit of an unexpected path to get to a place where they can even be in the same room together and Emelia is a pain from time to time and Drake does a few stupid alpha male things to prove that age does not equal wisdom when it comes to independent woman like Emelia.
There is a brother who does NOT want to see this romance to succeed and he will be a problem (did I mention he is a twin)
Bottom Line: A really good light read with a few sinister overtones and situations but mainly this is a romance that they have to work at, you will enjoy it hopefully as much as I did. (less)
Jane Yellowrock is a one-of-a-kind heroine that reflects a female "tough-as-nails" persona that appeals to readers of all ages and genres.
The popular...moreJane Yellowrock is a one-of-a-kind heroine that reflects a female "tough-as-nails" persona that appeals to readers of all ages and genres.
The popularity of this series is unquestioned as is the quality of the writing, Ms Hunter has brought to life a character that embodies shape-shifters with Cherokee heritage plus a dose of vampires and a bit of other nastiness to top it off.
Like I said, nothing's like it and if there is another one that I have missed it obviously is not as well written and addictive as this series is to those of us that have followed her though all the installments.
This installment is as good or better than most and I hope Faith Hunter can continue to create and write these novels for many more years. I still tire of the on/off relationship with Rick but that keeps going and I am still waiting on some revenge for the actions of Leo and Bruiser, my revenge junkie was not happy :)
(UPDATE: Faith Hunter replied to my complaints about a lack of revenge with this info about the next book : "I just wrote the revenge scene, Douglas Meeks. It was ... lovely. And best served cold...")
Shadows of Doubt was a pleasant surprise to me since as with the summary above you cannot see anything but a murder mystery/police procedural but this...moreShadows of Doubt was a pleasant surprise to me since as with the summary above you cannot see anything but a murder mystery/police procedural but this is a paranormal story that you don't even know it IS paranormal until about 50% through the book. Nice touch in my opinion for the reader but not sure that the author may have missed the real target audience.
The story revolves around a series of murders where young women of questionable character are found dead after apparent torture and ritual carving. Lou keeps getting close to the truth and then the case gets taken away to her shock. Something is going on here and she wants to find out what.
The story leads you in several directions and had me guessing all kinds of theories as to what was going on (all of them wrong) and about 50% through the book you find out the answer to a lot of these questions and the reason I can say this IS paranormal. The serious main plot of finding the killer is laced with a sometime humorous romance that evolves along with the investigation. I loved it totally.
Unfortunately, I cannot go into a lot of detail because the second half of the book revolves around things that are a mystery in the first half which made it a exceptional reading experience but a nightmare to try to review other than something akin to "trust me".
Bottom Line: This is pretty close to a full 5 Star effort but the editing could have used a better hand since several instances of you're/your and then/than pop up but after you get about 30% in either the editing got better or the story had me so hooked I did not even take notice (sounds like a WIN-WIN). So grab a copy of this book and enjoy, note that it is NOT a short little thing, it is about 425 pages in paperback and not filled with filler like many are so get this book!(less)
Well let me get one thing out of the way, I tend to dislike prequels since a lot of the mystery is lost and you kind of know the ultimate outcome so it is hard to get excited about them .... usually.
This prequel for the VV Inn series (insert link) is a bit different since we never really had much of a back story on the characters and the plot here is much more interesting than almost any prequel I can think of that I have read in the past.
Jon is pretty much the most important person in the VV Inn books after Dria and Rafe and this is his story and how he comes to become the "right-hand man" of the VV Inn.
The story grabs your attention from page one, the action and hurt are almost immediate and the story proceeds from there to a bit slower pace for a few pages but the groundwork for the mystery part is being laid.
The story proceeds to a quest for Jon to save werewolves and a female in particular that he has found are being captured and tortured and he can't do it himself and other of his kind have been reluctant to assist.
So what do you do? You go looking for the biggest, baddest, vampire you can find and into the story steps Dria and Rafe mostly by fate and chance.
The story of rescue, tragedy and bonding is done exceptionally well, so well in fact that a time or two you actually get worried about Jon (even though you know he is in the later books DUH). That tends to speak of good writing in my book.
Bottom Line: Great story, great writing and if you have not read the VV Inn books, maybe this would be a great place to start and if you have it was still great. Win-win it appears and 5 Stars from me.
Summary: It is a Bold New Beginning for the Chanku. For so long they kept their shapeshifting ability secret, but now they have assimilated into the world in ways they once never thought possible. Still there are those who want to destroy them, with dark powers of their own...
The CEO of Cheval International, Lily Cheval chooses to live alone, but a series of rapes and murders leave her wary and worried for her fellow Chanku. Then she meets Sebastian Xenakis and the connection is intense and immediate. The son of a charismatic cult leader, Sebastian is a mysteriously sensual man who uses magic to shift into wolf form. He and Lily come together in a moment of supreme ecstasy, succumbing to a primal passion that leaves Lily shaken but utterly alive. Is Sebastian her lifetime mate or is he her worst enemy?
Sebastian Xenakis is still coming into his power as a wizard. He can shapeshift by magical means and runs as a wolf using the power he draws from the elements. But young women are dying—raped by a human and then slaughtered by a wolf. Suspicion falls on the shapeshifting Chanku, but Sebastian wonders if he might somehow be guilty of the crimes.
Then he meets Lily Cheval, the uncrowned princess of the powerful Chanku, and realizes he will do whatever it takes to clear his name and win her love. But evil walks where Sebastian goes, and there are mysteries neither Lily nor her father, the powerful wizard, Anton Cheval, cannot unravel. Is Sebastian the perfect mate for Lily, or is he instead, one she should fear?
Review: Let me start right off by saying that this is a great story. You got the really evil, slimy villain (Aldo Xenakis). You have the strong heroine (Lily) and conflicted hero (Sebastian) both looking for love (ahhhhhh) and a really good cast of secondary characters that are more than cardboard cutouts.
The story drops you right into a good scene from almost page one and continues pretty well as the mystery/action/romance shift around and take center stage from time to time. Great stuff and a sure fire winner as a paranormal romance and thriller. Right ??
OK, here is the parts that detract from this 5 Star story, the author known for her over-the-top sexual writing felt the need to do a few things to support her reputation it seems (the fact that they added nothing to the story other than distraction seems not to matter).
First in the middle of the romance/story of Lily and Sebastian she keeps dropping us into the lives of her best male friend and HIS love life, not bad but all it does is take us away from the story we were reading while adding nothing.
Second (and MOST irritating/distracting) we are sailing along on the story which is moving at a decent pace and it was like “WOW, damn I almost forgot to write the big sex scene I am famous for” and proceeds to immediately within about one chapter give us very graphic F/F – M/M – 3 Way – 4 Way plus add a touch of voyeurism and masturbation just to make sure we covered everything.
Now since we polished off that (all within less than 24 hours of story time) we can get back to the story we got the book to read about.
Bottom Line: The book is a solid 4 Stars in spite of the author’s efforts to include distracting sexual scenes that did nothing for the story. I enjoy well written passionate scenes but this was contrived dribble that had no purpose other than to support the author’s reputation from past books and add to the page count.
Will I get the next book in the series? Probably, since I did love the story but 80% or more of the sex was nothing but filler that added pages and kept you from the actual story.
Should Have Been Better, Could Have Been Better ...
I will be doing a short review of this book because it was a bit of a problem for me. The story is...moreShould Have Been Better, Could Have Been Better ...
I will be doing a short review of this book because it was a bit of a problem for me. The story is quite detailed which is helpful towards the end and knowing a lot of the info is needed BUT it makes for slow reading.
I was bored for a lot of this book waiting for something to happen and the lack of action and the VAST majority of the book spent inside Evy's head did not make it that interesting nor was it terminally boring but it does not lend itself to a 5 Star rating.
The romance between herself and a guy from somewhere when the Romans were conquering Europe does not really have that much of a realistic feeling to it nor does her self flagellation help the reading either.
At the end (which I have to say I was glad to get to) it was a great story that was told without a spark to hold me BUT I have to say I did like the story (hence the 4 Stars) and I will most likely get the sequel when it comes out.
4 Stars and depending on your mood it could be less but for me it certainly was not any more than that .....(less)
There are enough accolades on this novella to fill pages and I won't list many more for the story, it was exceptional for what it was AND it was an aw...moreThere are enough accolades on this novella to fill pages and I won't list many more for the story, it was exceptional for what it was AND it was an awesome marketing tool since it allows people the ability for little money (99 cents or less) can get a sense of the story before they get the novel (which I will).
Perhaps if more authors did this type of thing we might get better books LOL. Since I read hundreds a year I hate it when I sludge through a book to get to the "good parts" and the good part is when it says THE END, this one grabs you shortly after you start and leaves you wanting more without the frustration of 2-3 page teasers. Good effort and looks to be the start of an amazing series.(less)
Tara has led a very sheltered life, unknown to her there was a very good reason for that and a good part of the book’s plot is figuring out the “why”...moreTara has led a very sheltered life, unknown to her there was a very good reason for that and a good part of the book’s plot is figuring out the “why” that goes with that story. Christian is the ex-Order hunter that crosses paths with Tara and he ends up with the job of keeping her alive when Fae and demons are both hunting her and seem to wish her very dead.
The story is very good, the vampire rich guy and the girl with hidden secrets is a well worn plot device but that does not mean it is not entertaining (hence the “well worn”) and this is no exception.
The author gives us a very good Urban Fantasy world in which to plot this paranormal vampire romance but with several twists that make the book much more enjoyable.
This book has all the requisite things you need to make this a good story, the mystery of “who is she” the hidden plot of why so many entities seem to want her dead and least we forget, the hunky vampire.
Throw in some really good secondary characters and some past misdeeds combined with the old ‘MINE” love story and it is paranormal entertainment we all have enjoyed and keep asking for more.
I give this 4.5 Stars and highly recommend it for it’s entertainment value mostly, you will like the story and you will be glad you read it. What more do you want?
Meg Corbyn is a blood prophet but while that is a part of the story it is not THE story. This is a novel of multiple plots all taking place at the sam...moreMeg Corbyn is a blood prophet but while that is a part of the story it is not THE story. This is a novel of multiple plots all taking place at the same time, the motivations of the individuals are myriad and the interactions are unlike most any other UF/PNR you have read.
Simon is an "Other" and what that means in this world is that he is NOT human and is not sensitive and misunderstood and there is no MINE moment at all in this story. Be aware, the wolves in this story will eat humans if they are provoked and I have not seen one looking for a mate ....yet.
Meg was considered "property" of some unseen entity (we assume human) and she represents thousands possibly millions of dollars to him with her prophetic powers. What this means is that getting her back becomes paramount to the story and the amounts of money are enough to motivate people to cross the "others" which has always been a very, VERY bad idea.
The "others" are the predominate race on the planet BUT the humans seem to forget or are unaware of that fact ...... and that is going to cost them ...a LOT.
The thing that separates this story from almost all others is partly the world Anne Bishop has created but it is a large part of how Meg who has no real personality manages to befriend these non-humans and the growing relations ships that form.
I can't delve too deep into this story in a review without giving away a lot of information best discovered while reading the pages of this book. Suffice it to say that of the books I have read in the last year (200ish I would guess), this will be in the Top 10 if not the Top 5. It really is THAT good and if she was not writing a series, she could have added a few more chapters and ended this as an epic stand alone novel. There is no cliffhanger, it has an ending and leaves a few threads hanging that will build in the next book but this opener will be hard to top in the "can't sleep until I finish this book" category.(less)
Emma Jane Hellsbane has got to be one of the most entertaining heroines I have read about in a very long time. Her humor and her dedication to an idea...moreEmma Jane Hellsbane has got to be one of the most entertaining heroines I have read about in a very long time. Her humor and her dedication to an ideal make her perfect for the job ahead of her.
She is much more than she appears and through an “accident” she has become much, much more than human. She is now what amounts to a Heavenly Bounty Hunter complete with magical sword.
The appeal of this story is multifaceted and includes the humor (usually at very inappropriate times), the action (a lot of it) and the strange feelings she has for her angelic benefactor/trainer are just part of it.
I usually hate love triangles but this one takes off in a new direction for a good portion of the book (this is not sexual) and watching it play out becomes a major subplot with a major surprising twist. Emma’s life has never been normal or easy and it just took a big dive to bottom but she does get a few benefits like strength, healing, speed and a few others we are still trying to figure out.
The author took a lot of Judeo-Christian trappings (not to be confused with actual religious teaching, these angels never touched the Good Book) and used them to build a world quite unlike anything I have read elsewhere. I read one review that thought this was some attempt by the author to subtly sneak some sort of religious bias into the story. I have to assume he did not read the same book I did nor any of this authors other works to come to such a conclusion.
I would expect the next book in this series to heat up a bit more but there are all sorts of problems associated with those ideas that I can’t begin to explain here but the author handles it quite well and unless you are needing erotica to enjoy a novel you won’t be disappointed in this well told story.
I am giving it 5 Stars because when it ended I had a good closing for the book while desperately wanting more of Emma’s story and seeing how her future plays out. This is storytelling at its best and I loved it, I have to believe you will also unless you have no love of a great story. I can’t wait for the sequel Heaven and Hellsbane.
Edie Lang and Josh Campbell are both people with dangerous jobs and that is the crux of this story. They are attracted and repelled by each other for...moreEdie Lang and Josh Campbell are both people with dangerous jobs and that is the crux of this story. They are attracted and repelled by each other for reason that become clear as you read but the spark of their romance (or lack thereof) becomes boring and tedious as the book wears on and I gave serious thought to just adding it to a list of books I did not finish.
The paranormal aspect of this story was almost missing from the first few chapters completely and was minimal for most of the book, this was more about the on/off romance of the 2 main characters.
It did pick up towards the ending and the last few chapters were worth holding on to the book long enough to finish but all I can say is that there is a spark missing from this book and the fact that the actual book ended at the 70% mark on my Kindle was a bit disconcerting.
I give it 3 Stars because it did manage to hold my attention and the end of the story was good (not great) but since I can't exactly put my finger on why it lacked appeal to me it is a good short reading experience to take to the a waiting room :)(less)
NOTE: I am posting this same review for all three books since this is a trilogy and reading ANY of the books alone would be a confusing and dismal ac...moreNOTE: I am posting this same review for all three books since this is a trilogy and reading ANY of the books alone would be a confusing and dismal activity :) - dcm
Diaries of an Urban Panther Series By Amanda Arista
While NOT officially part of the trilogy, this story closes the loop on one of the characters after the events in the trilogy “First Dates Are Hell” from Vampires Gone Wild
Summary: Violet Jordan Rule #1 of being a superhero: No tights. Violet Jordan Rule #2 of being a superhero: Find reliable sidekicks. Violet Jordan‘s Rule #3 of being a superhero: Family first, fur second.
Dear Diary, By now you know I'm hardly a normal girl. Last night I woke up naked in an alley after fighting off some werewolves. All in a day's work, I guess.
I thought I was dealing pretty well with the whole Werepanther thing: the training, the apocalyptic prophecies. And the hot guy following me around, protecting me at every turn is definitely a bonus. I'm even starting to become accustomed to the bloodshed and the violence—and that's what scares me. What will tomorrow bring…
I thought life was going to get better. After four assassination attempts, I'm thinking not so much. The pack needs a new leader, and I've just about run out of reasons why I'm not right for the job.
Besides, having loyal followers would definitely help me fight off whoever's out for my blood. Especially since my boyfriend is always busy playing White Hat to every wanderer except me. I'm glad he thinks I'm tough enough to handle my own business, but a little extra backup would be nice.
With new supernatural creatures popping up at every turn (Ghouls? Really?), the city divided, and my long-lost cousin blazing into town, I've got a lot on my mind. Oh, not to mention I'm supposed to be planning a wedding. Chaz has got to be the best, most patient (and probably clinically insane) boyfriend around.
But defeating my sworn enemy in a battle for the souls of Dallas is going to require more than just my full attention. It means learning to depend on everyone—especially Chaz—if any of us are going to make it out of this alive. Because if Plan A doesn't work, I'm going to need them for Plan B. And Plan C . . .
Review: Violet is hardly normal, she has went from being a script-writer for horror movies to being a shapeshifter but there is something special about Violet, something that an old prophesy says will help all of the shapshifters in Dallas have a better life …. If she lives that long and overcomes more problems than you could list with Excel.
This series was a bit of a surprise since I had the first 2 books buried in my “to-be-read” stack of books for over a year and that is where they would still be if I had not been given a copy of Vampires Gone Wild to review and in that anthology the best story was one called “First Dates Are Hell” which was very good and it came from the Urban Panther series (actually in the timeline it was after the trilogy of books).
So after enjoying that story I grabbed the paperback books I had, put them up for sale and bought all 3 and started reading and was totally hooked into this story, I am not sure if the author was writing a trilogy when she wrote Diaries of an Urban Panther but these 3 books have to be read together to really get the full impact (who wants to read 1 book of the Lord of the Rings?) and while each book has an ending of sorts the real story that threads through all of them is the one that ends in the last book of this trilogy.
While I do not want to give away too much of the story, I can say it was one of the best reading experiences I have had in several months, but while I am extolling this series greatness I need to point out that if you are OCD about editing then book 2 may pose some problems since her editor must have jumped ship during the writing/publication of Claws and Effects (book #2) but I was still able to enjoy it and continue on but be forewarned.
The ending of the main story arc threading through all the books coming to an epic end in book 3 and one of the best endings I have seen in awhile to be honest. The characters were fleshed out very well, Violet was an awesome heroine and her humor was what made reading this series a much more pleasurable task.
Let me just say that as a full time reviewer as a hobby, I get dozens of free books every month and I went and BOUGHT all of these books after reading the story in Vampires Gone Wild and in spite of some bad editing and stumbles along the way, this story was so good I could care less.
I give it 5 Stars not because it is an awesome piece of writing but because it was the best story I have read in a long time AND I liked the way it made me feel when it ended. You don’t get many of those type stories.
My hope is that she may come back to this series since I loved it but the ending was good enough I can live with this being all these is, get these books and enjoy a great story and ignore any stumbles along the way to an awesome ending. The story in Vampires Gone Wild was just a bonus to close a loop on one of the characters and it was done exceptionally.
UPDATE: While I composed this review I got this update from the author, looks like we will see more of this world, but maybe not with Violet as the main story (as the one in Vampires Gone Wild)
"Dear Douglas, Thank you for the compliments. Makes a girl glow with happiness. As for right now, the Urban Panther series will remain a trilogy. But I love that universe and am working hard at expanding the Those Who Wander line. Valiance and Esme were just the beginning and I think we both know that Violet can't mind her own business to save her hide, so we will probably see her again in come incarnation.
Thank you again for your kind words and if you need anything in the future, let me know!
NOTE: I am posting this same review for all three books since this is a trilogy and reading ANY of the books alone would be a confusing and dismal ac...moreNOTE: I am posting this same review for all three books since this is a trilogy and reading ANY of the books alone would be a confusing and dismal activity :) - dcm
Diaries of an Urban Panther Series By Amanda Arista
While NOT officially part of the trilogy, this story closes the loop on one of the characters after the events in the trilogy “First Dates Are Hell” from Vampires Gone Wild
Summary: Violet Jordan Rule #1 of being a superhero: No tights. Violet Jordan Rule #2 of being a superhero: Find reliable sidekicks. Violet Jordan‘s Rule #3 of being a superhero: Family first, fur second.
Dear Diary, By now you know I'm hardly a normal girl. Last night I woke up naked in an alley after fighting off some werewolves. All in a day's work, I guess.
I thought I was dealing pretty well with the whole Werepanther thing: the training, the apocalyptic prophecies. And the hot guy following me around, protecting me at every turn is definitely a bonus. I'm even starting to become accustomed to the bloodshed and the violence—and that's what scares me. What will tomorrow bring…
I thought life was going to get better. After four assassination attempts, I'm thinking not so much. The pack needs a new leader, and I've just about run out of reasons why I'm not right for the job.
Besides, having loyal followers would definitely help me fight off whoever's out for my blood. Especially since my boyfriend is always busy playing White Hat to every wanderer except me. I'm glad he thinks I'm tough enough to handle my own business, but a little extra backup would be nice.
With new supernatural creatures popping up at every turn (Ghouls? Really?), the city divided, and my long-lost cousin blazing into town, I've got a lot on my mind. Oh, not to mention I'm supposed to be planning a wedding. Chaz has got to be the best, most patient (and probably clinically insane) boyfriend around.
But defeating my sworn enemy in a battle for the souls of Dallas is going to require more than just my full attention. It means learning to depend on everyone—especially Chaz—if any of us are going to make it out of this alive. Because if Plan A doesn't work, I'm going to need them for Plan B. And Plan C . . .
Review: Violet is hardly normal, she has went from being a script-writer for horror movies to being a shapeshifter but there is something special about Violet, something that an old prophesy says will help all of the shapshifters in Dallas have a better life …. If she lives that long and overcomes more problems than you could list with Excel.
This series was a bit of a surprise since I had the first 2 books buried in my “to-be-read” stack of books for over a year and that is where they would still be if I had not been given a copy of Vampires Gone Wild to review and in that anthology the best story was one called “First Dates Are Hell” which was very good and it came from the Urban Panther series (actually in the timeline it was after the trilogy of books).
So after enjoying that story I grabbed the paperback books I had, put them up for sale and bought all 3 and started reading and was totally hooked into this story, I am not sure if the author was writing a trilogy when she wrote Diaries of an Urban Panther but these 3 books have to be read together to really get the full impact (who wants to read 1 book of the Lord of the Rings?) and while each book has an ending of sorts the real story that threads through all of them is the one that ends in the last book of this trilogy.
While I do not want to give away too much of the story, I can say it was one of the best reading experiences I have had in several months, but while I am extolling this series greatness I need to point out that if you are OCD about editing then book 2 may pose some problems since her editor must have jumped ship during the writing/publication of Claws and Effects (book #2) but I was still able to enjoy it and continue on but be forewarned.
The ending of the main story arc threading through all the books coming to an epic end in book 3 and one of the best endings I have seen in awhile to be honest. The characters were fleshed out very well, Violet was an awesome heroine and her humor was what made reading this series a much more pleasurable task.
Let me just say that as a full time reviewer as a hobby, I get dozens of free books every month and I went and BOUGHT all of these books after reading the story in Vampires Gone Wild and in spite of some bad editing and stumbles along the way, this story was so good I could care less.
I give it 5 Stars not because it is an awesome piece of writing but because it was the best story I have read in a long time AND I liked the way it made me feel when it ended. You don’t get many of those type stories.
My hope is that she may come back to this series since I loved it but the ending was good enough I can live with this being all these is, get these books and enjoy a great story and ignore any stumbles along the way to an awesome ending. The story in Vampires Gone Wild was just a bonus to close a loop on one of the characters and it was done exceptionally.
UPDATE: While I composed this review I got this update from the author, looks like we will see more of this world, but maybe not with Violet as the main story (as the one in Vampires Gone Wild)
"Dear Douglas, Thank you for the compliments. Makes a girl glow with happiness. As for right now, the Urban Panther series will remain a trilogy. But I love that universe and am working hard at expanding the Those Who Wander line. Valiance and Esme were just the beginning and I think we both know that Violet can't mind her own business to save her hide, so we will probably see her again in come incarnation.
Thank you again for your kind words and if you need anything in the future, let me know!
NOTE: I am posting this same review for all three books since this is a trilogy and reading ANY of the books alone would be a confusing and dismal ac...moreNOTE: I am posting this same review for all three books since this is a trilogy and reading ANY of the books alone would be a confusing and dismal activity :) - dcm
Diaries of an Urban Panther Series By Amanda Arista
While NOT officially part of the trilogy, this story closes the loop on one of the characters after the events in the trilogy “First Dates Are Hell” from Vampires Gone Wild
Summary: Violet Jordan Rule #1 of being a superhero: No tights. Violet Jordan Rule #2 of being a superhero: Find reliable sidekicks. Violet Jordan‘s Rule #3 of being a superhero: Family first, fur second.
Dear Diary, By now you know I'm hardly a normal girl. Last night I woke up naked in an alley after fighting off some werewolves. All in a day's work, I guess.
I thought I was dealing pretty well with the whole Werepanther thing: the training, the apocalyptic prophecies. And the hot guy following me around, protecting me at every turn is definitely a bonus. I'm even starting to become accustomed to the bloodshed and the violence—and that's what scares me. What will tomorrow bring…
I thought life was going to get better. After four assassination attempts, I'm thinking not so much. The pack needs a new leader, and I've just about run out of reasons why I'm not right for the job.
Besides, having loyal followers would definitely help me fight off whoever's out for my blood. Especially since my boyfriend is always busy playing White Hat to every wanderer except me. I'm glad he thinks I'm tough enough to handle my own business, but a little extra backup would be nice.
With new supernatural creatures popping up at every turn (Ghouls? Really?), the city divided, and my long-lost cousin blazing into town, I've got a lot on my mind. Oh, not to mention I'm supposed to be planning a wedding. Chaz has got to be the best, most patient (and probably clinically insane) boyfriend around.
But defeating my sworn enemy in a battle for the souls of Dallas is going to require more than just my full attention. It means learning to depend on everyone—especially Chaz—if any of us are going to make it out of this alive. Because if Plan A doesn't work, I'm going to need them for Plan B. And Plan C . . .
Review: Violet is hardly normal, she has went from being a script-writer for horror movies to being a shapeshifter but there is something special about Violet, something that an old prophesy says will help all of the shapshifters in Dallas have a better life …. If she lives that long and overcomes more problems than you could list with Excel.
This series was a bit of a surprise since I had the first 2 books buried in my “to-be-read” stack of books for over a year and that is where they would still be if I had not been given a copy of Vampires Gone Wild to review and in that anthology the best story was one called “First Dates Are Hell” which was very good and it came from the Urban Panther series (actually in the timeline it was after the trilogy of books).
So after enjoying that story I grabbed the paperback books I had, put them up for sale and bought all 3 and started reading and was totally hooked into this story, I am not sure if the author was writing a trilogy when she wrote Diaries of an Urban Panther but these 3 books have to be read together to really get the full impact (who wants to read 1 book of the Lord of the Rings?) and while each book has an ending of sorts the real story that threads through all of them is the one that ends in the last book of this trilogy.
While I do not want to give away too much of the story, I can say it was one of the best reading experiences I have had in several months, but while I am extolling this series greatness I need to point out that if you are OCD about editing then book 2 may pose some problems since her editor must have jumped ship during the writing/publication of Claws and Effects (book #2) but I was still able to enjoy it and continue on but be forewarned.
The ending of the main story arc threading through all the books coming to an epic end in book 3 and one of the best endings I have seen in awhile to be honest. The characters were fleshed out very well, Violet was an awesome heroine and her humor was what made reading this series a much more pleasurable task.
Let me just say that as a full time reviewer as a hobby, I get dozens of free books every month and I went and BOUGHT all of these books after reading the story in Vampires Gone Wild and in spite of some bad editing and stumbles along the way, this story was so good I could care less.
I give it 5 Stars not because it is an awesome piece of writing but because it was the best story I have read in a long time AND I liked the way it made me feel when it ended. You don’t get many of those type stories.
My hope is that she may come back to this series since I loved it but the ending was good enough I can live with this being all these is, get these books and enjoy a great story and ignore any stumbles along the way to an awesome ending. The story in Vampires Gone Wild was just a bonus to close a loop on one of the characters and it was done exceptionally.
UPDATE: While I composed this review I got this update from the author, looks like we will see more of this world, but maybe not with Violet as the main story (as the one in Vampires Gone Wild)
"Dear Douglas, Thank you for the compliments. Makes a girl glow with happiness. As for right now, the Urban Panther series will remain a trilogy. But I love that universe and am working hard at expanding the Those Who Wander line. Valiance and Esme were just the beginning and I think we both know that Violet can't mind her own business to save her hide, so we will probably see her again in come incarnation.
Thank you again for your kind words and if you need anything in the future, let me know!
Penola and Lennon are self absorbed and shallow, but that does not mean they can’t have a perfect marriage, courtesy of the many rules that Penola has...morePenola and Lennon are self absorbed and shallow, but that does not mean they can’t have a perfect marriage, courtesy of the many rules that Penola has gotten from her Mother (and a few she made up herself I think). The rules govern her every move to make her marriage “perfect” and Lennon better wake up and realize his wife is dedicated to her marriage to the point where she might need a new address where the walls are much softer and they don’t let you have shoestrings..
While a bit of a narcissist and just a wee bit insane IMHO Penola is working at that perfect marriage and nothing (make that NOTHING!) is going to stop her from giving it 100% even if Lennon is clueless about exactly how obsessed his dear wife is to that goal.
The chaos in this short story is great, the humor is dark and edgy but I enjoyed it completely. As a short story it gets a 4.5 for originality and dark humor. Might have been nice to have it longer but I think Dicey got the story told nicely in a compact form and by the time it is over you are really going to like Penola in spite of her wee break from sanity (you are gonna love it). I mean, a perfect marriage is worth doing anything …… isn’t it? This one of the better short stories/novelettes I have read in some time :) (less)
For anyone that reads my reviews I usually try to give enough info to get you interested but in this case this whole series is an example in how to wr...moreFor anyone that reads my reviews I usually try to give enough info to get you interested but in this case this whole series is an example in how to write paranormal books that appeal to a wide cross section of the reading public. Every book has been 5 Star and this one is no exception BUT the trick here is that she has inserted a bit more paranormal into each book (it is barely paranormal most of book #1) until this book is pretty close to a "normal" level of paranormal. Great writing, great humor, serious life threatening plots/situations and some normal problems. Add in several characters you can hate in addition to the REALLY evil guys and it is a formula that can't miss. Start with book #1 and keep going, you will get hooked, there are only 4 of them so far and all top notch entertainment. I HATE her bratty kids but I guess that is a problem most single Moms face when they have to devote a huge amount of time to keeping food on the table and trying to have a love life. Get these books, you will thank me :)
NOTE: Any reviews that mention formatting/grammar problems should be ignored since those have been corrected and the ebooks up for sale now have the new corrected version.
Review: Trina thought she had found the perfect place to hide when she used a bit of magic to get her through all the guards on the property of Merrick. The fact that he could see her (when nobody else could) almost every time she came onto his property to hide in a large shed on his land should have told them something.
This story revolves around 2 main plots. The romance of Merrick trying to slowly convince Trina that she desired him as much as he desired her was a VERY frustratingly slow process but very entertaining, since they both felt a strong pull for each other but Trina was dedicated to another task, the somewhat urban fantasy plot of trying to recover her kidnapped sister back from the vampire king (the vampires in this story are far from being nice and sparkly).
The story is a great one of magic, passion, loyalty, mystery and then you throw in the evil bad guys (vampires and witches), and you now have all the trappings for a really good story. Oh and least we forget a few zombies show up, what a party –grin-
There are a lot more complexities to this story than I can tell here but it was entertaining, kept my interest and ended very nicely wrapped up. This is an easy 4 Star reading and maybe more depending on your mood.
This was an excellent novel with all the things that make great novels. The writing was excellent, the story was compelling, the characters were inter...moreThis was an excellent novel with all the things that make great novels. The writing was excellent, the story was compelling, the characters were interesting and the mystery revolved around the romance (or maybe vice versa)
The story is multi-faceted in that you have to deal with the reasons behind Caleb’s reasons for coming to Cambio Springs, Jena’s reasons for avoiding him, a murder and a BIG secret.
The love/hate romance of Caleb and Jena is the core of the romantic part of the story but solving the murder is the other major event and when you realize that the new Chief of Police is an “outsider” (meaning he is unaware of the shifters in this small town) makes his job a LOT harder since it becomes obvious that the murder seems to be committed by a shifter and nobody will talk to him about such things. Throw in a lot of unemployed people needing jobs and the murder ties in with the possibility of a new hotel resort being built which would benefit the town and you have all the necessary elements for a good murder mystery then add it the romance and the paranormal aspect and it all melds together perfectly. (less)
Kerry is a white wolf and in this universe that makes her cursed, she is never supposed to mate with another wolf, her kind can only mate with humans…. Until the night she decides she wants to watch a mating ceremony. It should be mentioned that unmated females are not to show up at mating ceremonies, especially white wolves. The mating which had been setup for political purposes to family power is “disrupted” to say the least by her actions and things go downhill from there. Oh, did I forget to mention that somebody is not taking the accidental mating well and wants to kill Kerry? Seems that they have to be mated for a full month before it is official and somebody does not want the mating to last that long and one dead body should do the trick nicely .
Bottom Line: This is a novella that reads like a novel, should probably take you a day to finish it depending on your speed and available time but this is a good story, I thoroughly enjoyed it, wish it could have been more, would have been a good series starter. I give it 4+ Stars for what it is, a good days reading enjoyment and a good story, sexually it is probably R and maybe a bit more . Hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
What do you say about a novel that was gritty, well told, hooked you into the story with characters you were not really sure you even liked? This is T...moreWhat do you say about a novel that was gritty, well told, hooked you into the story with characters you were not really sure you even liked? This is Trickster by Jeff Somers.
The book starts slow and gritty, the characters border on disgusting and pathetic. Then miraculously the story gets better, the characters get a bit of personality and you are reading for the big ending. You got it all the big "evil thing" , the girl, the heroic sacrifice, impossible odds, tragedy ..... I mean , what could go wrong here?
Here is what, the author tells a compelling story and raises the characters out of the dirt and makes them into something much more than themselves...... then he leaves you with no real ending, no real accomplishment, no satisfaction, this is not even a decent cliffhanger.
Call me selfish but if I take the time to read your book I expect just a bit of respect for me as a reader for you not to waste my time and that is EXACTLY how I felt when I finished this book. The author is a veteran author, his writing credentials are not in doubt but this must have been some great transcendental awakening for him to have written such a good story with such an ending (or non-ending), I have had good ending and bad ones but this was more like nothing the characters had done throughout this story made any real difference. Perhaps he was setting up a series but what he did was piss me off and I have serious doubts I will revisit this world/series/author anytime in the near future since there are a LOT of great books to read that don't play mind games.
3 Stars more for the fact this could have been a 5 Star effort than for any lasting entertainment it gave me in reality.(less)
Don't Be Fooled By The Cover - PG-13 Light Enjoyable Story with a Bit of Self Awakening
Brian was married to Tessa he says but in another alternate universe …. And so our story begins. This is a multi-layered story of romance and I guess self discovery plus throw in some old Science Fiction slightly reminiscent of The Time Machine and you have the making of a great romance.
The romance IS the main thrust of this short novel, make no mistake, the Sci-Fi, the craziness, a poetry quoting bad guy and other things revolve around the connection between Brian and Tessa BUT things are never as they seem to be in these novels are they
This novel slowly leads us down a path where we get to discover the things that have led both of these people to this point in their life, you have moments where you have to decide who is really crazy (if anyone) and throw in a bit of self awakening and it all works together to make this an uplifting and enjoyable story with a bit of a twist at the end
Bottom Line: This is a great story, a bit of craziness at the beginning to drop you into the story and a bit of everything a good romance needs with an ending quite satisfying on many levels. 4+ Stars and to many people this will be a 5 Star novel because it will touch some more deeply than the light story on the surface.
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