Nicky Peacock's Blog, page 31
March 4, 2014
Book Review: Of Stardust by February Grace
Synopsis:
“Dreams are sacred…”
At the age of twenty-six single, geeky bookseller Till Nesbitt inherits the shock of a lifetime: a huge Victorian farmhouse filled with unique tenants, and the knowledge that there is a reason she’s always been different. She’s destined to become a Fairy Godmother, because the skills are written into her DNA.
Till embarks on her fairy education at Dreams Come True University with much trepidation, guided on her journey by a unique mentor: a Celtic hybrid with a secret by the name of Gus.
When Till falls head over heels for Gus, will she break the most serious law in the Fairy Code, or will the truth of what really happened to Gus’s parents keep them from repeating history?
About the Author: 
February Grace is a writer, artist and poet who lives somewhere that is much colder than she would like most of the time.
She sings on key, plays by ear, and is more than mildly obsessed with music, clocks, colours, and meteor showers.
Her poetry, prose, and/or flash fiction have appeared in The Rusty Nail Literary Magazine, Vine Leaves Literary Journal, and Rose and Thorn Journal. Her work can also be found in the following anthologies: Poetry Pact Volume One, Anything Prose…And Poetry, Too! and Orange Karen, Tribute To A Warrior.
GODSPEED, her debut novel, is a labor of love she refers to as “Literary romance with steampunk embellishments.”
Her second novel, OF STARDUST, is a modern, romantic fantasy tale.
My Review:
I found this book very interesting. It was a kind of YA urban fantasy with a slow building romance. The concept was really lively and original and I loved the sense of humour.
My only criticism is the protagonist, Till. She felt a little flat as a character, and when you’re dealing with large personalities such as fairies and other supernatural beings, well, the main character needs to have more than 2 dimensions. I felt (and this is just my own opinion) that she was an absent character going through the motions. I think that maybe if it was changed to first person narrative then Till could have shone a bit more and the reader perhaps bonded quicker with her.
From a writer’s perspective, it was beautifully written and had some very funny moments in – fairy college in particular was a great concept – although there were a handful of cliches in there: forbidden love, the suddenly realising you’re a supernatural being, going off for training etc. To be fair to the author though, there really aren’t many things left in this genre that haven’t been done before and we all love these stories for a reason; so they really needed to be in there.
The front cover feels a little cheap, and really isn’t going to stand out amongst the more artistic covers that tend to draw in the teen reader – a shame really as they are missing out if they don’t read it.
Overall I’d give ‘Of Stardust’ 3 out of 5 starts and nice read that will make you smile.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Of Stardust by February Grace, YA Bound Book Tours
March 2, 2014
Interview with Anna Abner
Tell us about your publishing journey…
First, thanks for the chance to chat!
I have been writing stories for as long as I can remember and in my twenties I attempted to publish the traditional route. I got a lot of positive feedback, but I felt like a contract was never going to happen. I finally decided to take control of my own career. I self-published, and though it has been much more work than I originally anticipated, I wouldn’t change a thing.
What do you love about being an author?
My characters. They become a part of me. I love them, hate them, cry for them, laugh with them. They come to life in my imagination, and that’s the best part of storytelling, for me.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I am obsessed with Katniss Everdeen right now, so I’m going to say her. We would chat about her life post-games, and I would kindly tell her how much good she did for the districts. I would make her a warm, comforting bowl of potato soup.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads?
I picture Maya as Selena Gomez or Lucy Hale, two gorgeous young actresses. And I imagine Ben as Daniel Sharman. Tough, but vulnerable at the same time. He’s really good at that on Teen Wolf.
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
A good mix of both, actually! I like a vampire hero, but I adore one who is a little dangerous and out of control. JR Ward does a really good job of mixing sex and violence in her vampire novels.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
That’s such a hard question because I’m addicted to modern technology and I hate wearing corsets. But I guess it would be an ancient civilization like Greece or Egypt or Rome. So long as I could come home after a couple days, of course.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
“Don’t sweat the small stuff” is a good one. I have the tendency to get distracted by all the little things going wrong instead of focusing on the big picture.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
A witch, for sure. I love writing witches because I secretly want to be one. I’d love to be able to cast spells and get things done faster.
Where do you write best?
I don’t have a home office right now, so believe it or not, I write best wherever my laptop is sitting. Sometimes it’s at the kitchen table. Sometimes it’s in the lobby of a music store while my daughter takes violin lessons. I’ve learned to write wherever and whenever I can.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I just finished reading Divergent by Veronica Roth and I thought it was very good. I’m looking forward to starting the next book in Roth’s series and seeing the film adaptation in March.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
After paranormal, historical romances are my favorite to read. I would love to write a regency or a medieval romance someday.
Where can fans find you online?
Facebook (link: https://www.facebook.com/annaabnerauthor)
Blog (link: http://www.annaabner.com)
Tumblr (link: http://annaabner.tumblr.com/)
Twitter (link: @AnnaAbner)
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Anna Abner, author interview, Bewitching book tours, Elixir
March 1, 2014
Book Review: Beautiful Mistake by Nancy Corrigan
Synopsis:
Lena will do anything to protect the shifter child herfamily takes in, even turn herself into bait. Although she knows better than to fall for a shifter, Devin, the man who captures her, is unlike any she’s ever tangled with. Their desire is unquenchable and the draw to him is undeniable, but their relationship is riddled with mistakes and loving him has the potential to destroy her.
After shouldering his twin’s torture, Devin hovers on the verge of insanity. His life revolves around his family and recovering kidnapped shifter children. He never thought he’d have a mate or kids of his own until a rescue mission turns deadly. The beautiful female caught in the crosshairs stirs his mating instincts and tames his wild nature. Only her confusion over their intense attraction stops him from finishing their bond, but Devin’s persistent. He’ll convince his stubborn female that he’s the man she’s been waiting for—one passionate encounter at a time.
A Romantica® Paranormal erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave
About the Author: 
I’ve always been an avid reader and encourage everyone to escape the hectic daily grind with a few minutes a day in your favorite book.
I’m lucky enough to share my cat’s home with my three wonderful children, husband, dog and snake. When not writing, I work as a chemist in a pharmaceutical lab.
My passions beyond reading and family include music, classic cars, tattoos and animals (all of which have found their way into my writing in one form or another).
http://www.nancycorriganauthor.com
My Review:
I do love a good paranormal romance, and this certainly fits the bill. You don’t really have to read the first book first, although the publishers kindly gave me both to review – it does give you a good starting point and I’d recommend Unexpected Find too.
What I loved about these books was that, although it was centered around shifters (who are very popular at the moment) they were a little different than the usual. Firstly they were cats, but also they had more than one cat personality – which made for a much more interesting read.
From a writer’s perspective, the build up to the plot was delicate and expertly executed and the spicy scenes were not just liberally littered about for effect, but actually meant something to both characters and the story. It’s all too easy to write an erotic story with a hint of plot just to secure an initial download, the trick of course is to keep them downloading and few readers will carry-on with a series if they feel it lacks entertainment value. It’s so nice to find authors who do not rely on the ‘mucky’ bits and really give the reader something worth their time.
The front cover, hmmmm. well what can I say you can’t go wrong with a gorgeous bloke! Although a little more shifter action tham just the eyes might make it stand out a bit. Fortunately Ellora’s Cave have some great imprints and the fact it’s in the Twilight range makes it pretty obvious you’re in for a right royal paranormal romp.
Overall, I’d give both books 5 out 5 stars – a purrrrfect read for a cold winter’s night, or a hot summer one!
Filed under: Social Media Links
February 28, 2014
Book Review: The Skinwalker’s Apprentice by Claribel Ortega
Synopsis:
“Welcome to The Empire State, where banshees, witches, and skinwalkers wait…”
Margo Pennyfeather is being hunted. The 16-year-old witch has always been an outcast, in her home back in England, and now in the village of East Hampton New York where her family has settled. No one but her family has ever cared for Margo, but now the most important witch in the magic world wants her as an apprentice, giving her a chance to bring her family out of poverty.
Before long, Margo realizes things aren’t what they seem, least of all, what kind of witch she really is. Now, the young witch must face a terrifying monster on her own, and the reverberations will reach farther than she could have ever imagined.
More than three hundred years later, in 1984 Emerald Kipp is a high school senior in New York City. A troubled teen with a rebellious streak, Emerald can’t seem to figure out what to do with her life, and unfortunately for her, “witch” isn’t one of the available career choices in her guidance counselor’s office. As she struggles to figure herself out, Emerald is faced with the threat of being stuck in school and missing her final summer with her three best friends. Her last year of high school is turning out to be the worst yet, and Emerald thinks it can’t possibly get any worse. Unfortunately for her, she’s dead wrong.
And there’s something else, something far more sinister stirring in Emerald’s world, and she’ll have to believe in herself if she wants to get through it alive.
Two witches, three hundred years apart, one inescapable fate.
The Skinwalker’s Apprentice is a prequel to the upcoming novel, Emerald Kipp and The Riddle of The Timekeeper, a terrifying magical scavenger hunt through the gritty streets of 1980’s New York City,set to a killer soundtrack, and perfect for fans of Harry Potter and The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Part of The Empire Witches series.
About the Author:
Claribel Ortega is a graduate of the SUNY Purchase journalism program, and got her start writing for the school’s Independent Newspaper. There, she quickly rose the ranks from editing the student’s often times hilarious ads and ramblings on the back page of the paper to staff and feature writer.
After graduation, Claribel worked as a reporter for The Rivertowns Enterprise, a local paper in lower Westchester County, New York. As a reporter, she enjoyed going to board of education meetings and texting the town mayors about the line at Starbucks.
Today, Claribel works for The Combined Book Exhibit, a book marketing company in Westchester NY.
She lives in New York with her really awesome boyfriend, her suspiciously intelligent yorkie Pancho Villa and is surrounded by an impenetrable fort of books she gets from her job.
“The Skinwalker’s Apprentice” is her first book, and cheese is her favorite food.
My Review:
I really must read more about these books before I start them! Halfway through I realised that this is in fact a prequel to a book series that has not yet come out. Usually prequels appear later in a series due to fan demand – they want to know more about the characters and crave more details and history to sate their hunger. And this is great, but only once the characters have been fully introduced in a proper novel setting. By reading the prequel first, I felt a little non-committed to the characters, why? – because its only an introduction. I’m not sure how helpful a tool this book will be for promoting the series in general. Readers tend to judge an author by their first book and this one gives us interesting characters, but sadly little plot.
From a writer’s perspective, I liked the two time zones, it separated each of the main character’s parts nicely and there was clearly a lot of research into both time periods. I especially liked one being set in the 1980s, although not an era anyone would like to really live in again (I mean the shoulder pads alone!) but it was really quite nostalgic.
The front cover is a bit of a let down. It’s kind of cartoonish and doesn’t do the writing justice. YA is such a competitive genre and the front cover is what sells it – personally I’d change it to something more like Rachel Harris’ ‘A Tale of Two Centuries’ and have both eras and characters clearly on the front.
Overall I’d give The Skinwalker’s Apprentice 3 out of 5 stars – I’m interested to see the series that it preludes – just think that it shouldn’t have come out first.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: The Skinwalker's Apprentice by Claribel Ortega
February 27, 2014
Book Review: The Confessions of Sylva Slasher by Ace Antonio Hall
Synopsis:
SPRING BREAK GETS WILD ON THE LIVELIEST CRUISE IN THE PACIFIC UNTIL THE UNDEAD CRASH THE PARTY.
Eighteen-year-old Sylva Fleischer and her friends raise the dead for a living for police investigations and mourning families. Two years after her high school crush, a hot guy named Brandon, is assumed dead, Sylva’s friends convince her to go on a spring break cruise in an effort to suppress her depression over him. But when passengers mysteriously die and reanimate into flesheating zombies like she’s never seen before, Sylva plunges into a horrifying struggle between a ship infested with the undead and the scariest thing of all: a second chance with Brandon after she discovers he’s still alive. This is a zombie story that eats right to the core and leaves you licking your chops for more.
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | GoodReads
About the Author: 
Ace Antonio-Hall was first published in 1998 in an Adelphi University publication called Luna, with a short story titled “1936.” After earning his BFA degree from Long Island University, he taught middle-school English for over ten years.
He now lives in southern California, and was the Vice President of the Greater Los Angeles Writers Society (2009-2011), and still holds an executive position in the organization which gives him a huge platform to market, sell, and promote his work through the many conferences, meetings and book fairs that GLAWS holds each month. He is also a member of LASFS and the International Thriller Writers.
His first novel, a coming-of-age YA zombie story, The Confessions of Sylva Slasher, was released April 2013 by Montag Press. It is part of a series with the next book Skateboard Xombies, expected for release early next year.
About the writing life, he says: “I harmlessly dream in Technicolor nightmares, watch a ton of horror flicks, eat more donuts than I should, and refuse to stop reading Spider-Man. All of those combined give me a sweet tooth to write about the suite life of zombies.”
Ace’s true labor of love is writing fast-paced fiction with character-driven plots featuring female protagonists. He continues to write short stories and build on the world of teen necromancer Sylva Slasher as she reigns as Princess of the Undead.
You can find out more about Ace, including his music and screen acting credits, and his involvement with the Hollywood Actors Academy as part-owner, Acting Coach and Creative Director, at the IMDb Biography web site. For skateboard, zombie and teen tees, including swag and other cool stuff, visit his store HERE.
Amazon Author Page | Twitter | Facebook | GoodReads | Website | Blog
My Review:
This book posed a quandary for me. It’s a YA and it’s written first person from a teen girl’s point of view – however the language used is very ‘teen’ which isn’t necessarily a bad thing as its meant for that age group, however to me personally, a YA read should tread a fine line and span over teenagers into adults. YA gives the opportunity to write a book that is open to both teen and adult audiences alike – and from an evil commercial point of view, this is where the money is.
I’m an adult, I also write and read YA fiction. But I did find Slyva as the main character and narrator a little annoying at times. Her language was spot on, but I struggled to identify with her, and as a reader, that limited my overall enjoyment of the book.
From a writer’s perspective, the plot was great, it reminded me of a teen version of Laurell K Hamilton’s Anita Blake series. The concept of a zombie filled cruise was pretty scary; confined spaces and monsters is a killer combination. I also liked how it started at a later, more exciting part of the book to draw you in; and to split this with a chapter stopped any storyline confusion.
The front cover is very much like a graphic novel and might cause a little confusion for would-be readers who are simply browsing for a new read. In saying that though, it does set the age well as a teen read.
Overall, I’d give The Confessions of Slyva Slasher 3 out of 5 stars to an adult audience and 5 out 5 stars for teen readers (I don’t normally split star ratings, but felt I’d be doing the book a disservice if I didn’t)
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Ace Antonio Hall, The Confessions of Sylva Slasher, YA fiction, zombies
February 25, 2014
Interview with Danube Adele
Tell us about your publishing journey…
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love to write. My mother was definitely an influence from an early age. She loved to read and write, and encouraged me to do so as well. She was my first editor. I can still remember when she’d read my pages and show me how to tighten up my sentences. Fast forward several years, and I enjoyed writing in college, graduating with a BA in Theater, my emphasis being playwriting/screenwriting. But that doesn’t pay the bills, right? Fast forward yet again, and you’ll find me married to the most wonderful man, and with a set of amazing, adorable identical twin boys who have reached the very capable age of 9 and are doing more for themselves, which suddenly leaves me with time on my hands. I decide to start writing again. QUICKSILVER DREAMS began as a fun experiment to see if I could write in the first person, but then the “what if” questions started pouring through my head and I found myself with a full-length novel that I was absolutely in love with. When I decided to get serious, I joined RWA, began attending meetings and conferences, and really bit the bullet by pitching to editors and agents. As a “let’s break the ice”, I sent my script to Carina Press in October of 2012, and by spring of 2013, I was contacted by Angela James. It was absolutely exciting.
What do you love about being an author?
Seeing my stories come to life, and not just remain trapped in my own head, has been absolutely satisfying. These characters talked at me, harassed me, sort of demanded their space, and I finally made myself get serious. Writing is a solo sport that requires a lot of time, patience and quiet. Over a nearly two year period, I tinkered on QUICKSILVER DREAMS and asked my wonderful critique partner over and over again to read pages for me. I made myself keep writing to the end of it, with great encouragement from my husband. My usual m.o. was to keep starting something new, never finishing what I last started. It was a bad habit.
If you could have dinner with any literary character, who would it be and what would you eat?
I think Walt Whitman would have been a kick in the pants to hang out with. He was a pioneer, one of the most significant American poets. Even the great transcendentalist, Ralph Waldo Emerson, loved his work. To pick his brain would have been fantastic. We would need simple food, not messy, because we wouldn’t want to be distracted from the great conversation we would be having. Our faire: simple meats, cheese, baguette, fruit and wine while sitting in an informal, sort of lounging, comfortable living room setting.
If your book was to be made into a movie, who would you cast as the leads? 
I think Liam Hemsworth and Jennifer Lawrence would be great as Ryder and Taylor. They are the right ages, have great chemistry on screen, are really sexy, and also have the ability to be really intense.
Vampires – do you prefer them as sexy leads or blood hungry monsters?
From the start, I’ve loved sexy vampires. The first vampire-y book I read was Interview with a Vampire by Anne Rice. I read most of Anne Rice’s series and have since loved reading a variety of awesome vampire characters, including Lothaire and the Wroth brothers from Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark.
If you had a time machine, which era would you go back to and why?
I would love to have been a flapper! What a great, liberating time for women. They were cutting their hair, shortening their dresses, and wearing make-up for the first time. I can just imagine how naughty they must have felt, but brimming with excitement as well. Then, there was the dancing. Whahoo! Kicking up their heels and showing their legs off, truly taking charge of their own sexuality for the first time.
What life advice do you wish you’d been given sooner?
I have so many stories I started but never finished when I was in my 20’s. I would be all excited about writing something, never fully plot it out, and eventually lose interest in it only to start another story with a different idea. Someone needed to tell me to sit my butt down and finish. My husband is truly my hero in this department. As I wrote QUICKSILVER DREAMS, I had to spend a lot of time away from the family, alone, writing. Several times, over the course of the project, I walked away with frustration, but my husband told me that I absolutely needed to finish in order to make the time I’d taken away from them be meaningful. It worked.
If you were a supernatural creature, what would you be and why?
I would love to be one of Kresley Cole’s Valkyrie because they are powerful, warrior-like creatures with few weaknesses, but at the same time, beautiful and sexy. I love the combo.
Where do you write best?
I love sitting in the front room of my house, an old 1924 bungalow-style craftsman in a very cool college town, because it has windows everywhere and has a great view of the mountains. My laptop rests on my lap, my feet get kicked up on the coffee table, and I make sure that all gadgetry is within grasp, you know, my ipad, iphone and house phone, because getting up from the comfortable divot I’ve created on the sofa is just a bother.
What was the last book you read, and what were your thoughts on it?
I read Twice as Hot by Gena Showalter and loved it. It’s the sequel to Playing with Fire which was about a young woman who stumbles unknowingly into some superpowers and a really hot guy. The main character is young and quippy, full of energy and attitude. The story continued with the same characters in the sequel, and they were again, having to save the world from other bad guys who had super powers. It was fun. It was a page turner. My goal for my work is to create that feeling of enjoyment.
If you didn’t write in your genre, which other would you prefer and why?
I am contemplating a sci-fi romance for the not too distant future. The idea of pushing into the future, really looking at what our current technology might lead to, see the potential for truly amazing inventions, and creating an action-packed, suspenseful story is keeping me looking ahead to what I will be writing once I’ve completed my Dreamwalker series. I don’t want to give too much away because this one is going to get written! (-;
Where can fans find you online?
www.facebook.com/Writer.D.Adele
www.goodreads.com/author/show/7340150.Danube_Adele
Filed under: Interviews with other authors Tagged: Bewitching book tours, Carina Press, Danube Adele, Quicksilver dreams
Book Spotlight: In the Fading Light by Tara Brown
Synopsis:
Separated by a curse but bound by love.
In the fading light of the night, their eyes meet where their lips cannot. It is a single second that sustains their love.
From the moment her eyes met his, Estelle Dumont was captivated. Her heart would always be his.
But Edmond Lamont’s heart wasn’t entirely hers. He had been in love once before, tricked by the fair beauty of an Encantado named Lisle.
Desperate to rid themselves of the curse she placed upon them, they must decide just how far they are willing to go. They must decide if their love is more important than their lives.
But how far is too far and what cost is too much?
About the Author: 
I am not going to talk in the third person. It feels weird.
I am a Bestselling author of Contemporary and Paranormal Romance but my true passion is my Post Apocalyptic and Fantasy novels. I write a lot of books and jump Genres a lot. Mostly because I think I have Writers ADD, I like to call it WADD. It might be a real thing.
I write New Adult, my books have sexual content (Heck yes) and Swearing. You have been warned. Now enjoy!
I have a beagle named Buster, a husband who I force to read everything I write and two girls who want so badly to be a character in my books. And not in that order.
I am mid thirties so be prepared for the chick lit novel this year. I am calling it my Ode to my Midlife Crisis.
I have been writing since I was old enough to lie. So for some time.
Welcome to my world. Please enjoy the ride.
Website Goodreads Facebook Twitter Amazon
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: In the Fading Light by Tara Brown
February 24, 2014
Book Spotlight: Cold Moon Rising (Cry Wolf Series)by Sarah Mäkelä’s
Synopsis: Book 1 The Witch Who Cried Wolf
Be careful what you wish for…
A potion gone wrong: Mia Brooks is a reluctant witch, with powers that she tries to hold in check. But when her magic gets mixed up, supernatural forces are unleashed and suddenly she’s being pursued by werewolves—that she didn’t even realize existed…
Hidden emotions: Ethan Parker, Mia’s brother’s best friend, is home from deployment for the holidays. Mia’s not only hiding from werewolves, she’s trying to keep her feelings for Ethan secret; it would be a disaster if he knew she’s been nursing a long-time crush…
The power of love: Things take a terrifying turn when Mia and Ethan are attacked by a werewolf. Ethan is amazed when Mia reveals her paranormal prowess as she tries to shield them from danger. But can she really protect them from the darkness that lurks? And how can he tell her that, for ages, he’s been denying what he really wants? Mia…
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GZ9CSHS
B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-witch-who-cried-wolf-sarah-makela/1117527750?ean=2940148931034
Kobo – http://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/the-witch-who-cried-wolf
Synopsis: Book 2 Cold Moon Rising 
Passions flare when the cold moon rises…
Kelly: a normal college girl, who knows what she wants—to survive her final exams, and find someone to share her life with. Studying with Jacob is becoming too hot to handle; she’s falling for him, but he’s going too fast…
Jacob: a not-so-typical frat guy, who hides a secret—he’s a werewolf. Whenever the moon is high, he’s driven to shed his human form and satisfy his powerful desires. He craves Kelly, but she’s pushing him away…
Fallout: Jacob can smell Kelly’s arousal, but she insists she doesn’t want sex. A wolf can only take so much before his natural instincts win out. When the tension between them explodes, Jacob has no choice but to walk…
Kidnapped! Kelly is abducted by evil scientists who’ve mistaken her for a female werecat and, despite their differences, Jacob has to try and find her. But it’s a race against time and the lunar tides. The scientists have taken Kelly to their lab and turned her into a shapeshifter for real. The full moon is rising, and soon neither Kelly nor Jacob will be able to control their inner beasts. Who knows what the consequences will be when they are consumed by unquenchable animal lust…
Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/dp/b00ii4hx7s
B&N – http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/cold-moon-rising-sarah-makela/1118634081?ean=2940148342847
Kobo – http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/cold-moon-rising-2
ARe – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-coldmoonrising-1400107-344.html
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/sarah-makela/id768396621?mt=11
Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Sarah_Makela_Cold_Moon_Rising?id=94TcAgAAQBAJ
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/409445
About the Author:
Sarah Mäkelä loves her fiction dark, magical, and passionate. She is a paranormal romance author, but she’s written all over the romance spectrum with cyberpunk, sci-fi, fantasy, urban fantasy…even a sweet contemporary romance!
A life-long paranormal fan, she still sleeps with a night-light. In her spare time, she reads sexy books, watches scary movies (and Ghost Adventures), and plays computer games with her husband. When she gets the chance, she loves travelling the world too.
Website: http://www.sarahmakela.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/sarahmakela
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorsarahmakela
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/sarahmakela
Filed under: Book Review
February 23, 2014
Book Review: Forgotten in Darkness by Zoe Forward
Synopsis:
After an unjustified two-century stint in purgatory, Scimitar Magus Dakar returns to the human realm, renewing his eons-old curse. Once again he must murder the woman he loves. To break the vicious cycle, he must kill her before she strikes her deathblow, something he’s never done in the past.
Archaeology grad student, Shay McGinnis, suffers a near-death attack in pursuit of a piece of Scimitar Magi lore. But did the magnificent warrior who pinned her to the wall injure her or the daemon he fought? In her search for answers, she draws the attention of both an ancient evil sorcerer and the warrior Dakar. The attraction between her and Dakar is instant, and for Shay confusing. She wants to be with him, but intuition equates him with death. Not random death. Hers.
Will this be the lifetime they break the curse before they are murdered by an age old enemy or worse kill each other yet again?
About the Author: 
Zoe Forward lives in the South with her supportive family and an assortment of pets. She has a special love for archaeology, especially anything Egyptian. A deep part of her wishes she had a career that would have her at a dig site in a sandy country. But she is a small animal veterinarian, caring for everything from chinchillas to dogs…and there was even one hermit crab in there.
FACEBOOK | WEBSITE | GOODREADS | BLOG
My Review:
I do read an unhealthy amount of paranormal romance – and, after a while, vampires, demon hunters and shifters can all start to get a bit samey – fortunately Forgotten in Darkness gives us a whole new world to look at and introduces us to a very imaginative concept of heroes that are the descendants of the Egyptian Gods.
The romance between the two main characters was a little too overdone for my tastes, although it was very tastefully brought forward as a plot point and I couldn’t fault the prose. To be fair to the author though, this was book 2 in a series and without reading book 1 first, I perhaps missed some of the crucial build-up between them that might have explained the relationship better. Once again, Shay falls into the scatty female leads that seem to crop up time and again with paranormal romance and several times I wished I could slap some sense into her!
From a writer’s perspective, there were a lot of new terminology thrown in and I felt a little jolted every time I had to skip to the glossary at the back to figure something out. I’m not a big fan of this, as it tends to dissect the dialogue or action or even the flow of the book for the reader, leaving them feeling that that they need a text book and notes to make it through and understand everything that is going on. That said, I am well aware that when building a fantasy world for your characters a certain amount of new/ or unfamiliar words must be used to create the feeling in the reader that they are somewhere different; the classic example I can give here is Harry Potter – massive world building that transported the reader into an entirely different world and created an almost unheard of vocabulary to go with it. I mean, I think people actually now try to play Quidditch!
The front cover is nice, but doesn’t give much away. Surely a little nod to the Egyptian lore in the book would have set it apart from the millions of other books in this genre. Still, I’ve seen a hell of a lot worse!
Overall I’d give Forgotten in Darkness 4 out of 5 stars. I perhaps should have read the first book, but even though I didn’t, it was still an imaginative and enjoyable read for fans of the PR genre.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Forgotten in Darkness, Forgotten in Darkness by Zoe Forward, Zoe Forward
February 21, 2014
Book Review: Vampire Most Wanted by Lynsay Sands
Synopsis:
Take a road trip with the undead . . . in this latest in the argeneau series by New York Times bestselling author Lynsay Sands
For Basha Argeneau, anything is better than facing her estranged family. Even hiding out in sweltering southern California. But when a sexy immortal in black shows up determined to bring her back to the clan, she’ll do anything to keep far, far away from the past she can’t outrun.
Marcus Notte isn’t here to play games—especially not with someone as crazy as the infamous blonde. Asked by Lucian Argeneau to bring her back for questioning, Marcus is determined to carry out Lucian’s request—no matter how the seductive little mind-reading vamp feels about it.
Basha doesn’t mind fighting fire with fire, especially with a hot immortal involved. But if he wants to take her away, he’ll have to catch her first . . .
About the Author:
Lynsay Sands is the nationally bestselling author of the Argeneau/Rogue Hunter vampire series, as well as numerous historicals and anthologies. She’s been writing stories since grade school and considers herself incredibly lucky to be able to make a career out of it. Her hope is that readers can get away from their everyday stress through her stories, and if there’s occasional uncontrollable fits of laughter, that’s just a big bonus. For more information.
https://twitter.com/LynsaySands
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lynsay-Sands/125138040836322
http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17059.Lynsay_Sands
My Review:
So, when I agreed to review this book, I didn’t notice that it was book 20 in the series! Holy crap, 20 books! Well, fortunately you don’t need to read them all, or in order, to appreciate this one. I adored the idea of a vampire working as a fortune teller in a travelling carnival and found the family politics involved (that had obviously spanned the previous books) to be intruiging.
The book, although strictly a paranormal romance, was actually quite dark in its themes and included a strong emphasis on abuse, which isn’t for everyone. To be honest though, I thought the whole thing was actually done very well, and for me, it was a pleasant change from the usual sickly sweet romance. Vampires are not as ‘in’ as they used to be, but it was good to see them portrayed as intricate and dark characters – rather than moody angst filled heart throbs.
From a writer’s perspective I found the third person head swapping hard to follow (this is just me, I always find this) however with this one there were no chapter breaks between, so was more 3rd person omnipotent than limited. My biggest gripe though is that this book included the ‘soul mate’ side plot which I do find frustrating generally. I’ve said it before and I’ll probably say it again, but having characters who are meant to be together is unrealistic and cheapens the plot. I know, vampires aren’t real (that we know of!) but when it comes to the paranormal having real aspects of life helps to strengthen the overal world building, and have your two main characters in love so quickly without much effort, does make me roll my eyes.
The front cover is okay, but it doesn’t include the carnival or really expresses the essence of the book. I realise that there is a branding theme at work here, but a ferris wheel in the background a slightly more playful background colour could have made all the difference.
Overall, I’d give Vampire Most Wanted 4 out of 5 stars, a dark romance you shouldn’t miss.
Filed under: Book Review Tagged: Argeneau Vampire Series, avon romance, Bewitching book tours, Lynsay Sands, paranormal romance, vampire Most Wanted 
