Andrea Murray's Blog: Author of the Vivid Trilogy and Omni, page 8

Book Review: The Red Bishop by Greg Boose

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

If you like horror fiction, this one’s for you. It is downright terrifying at times and pretty descriptive. Unfortunately, it was a whole lot like watching the latest scary movie and being tremendously disappointed because all the good parts were in the trailer. While the storyline is unique—you don’t find too many novels about hair-eating witches—I had a hard time getting into the novel.
My two biggest issues were with the unanswered questions. There wasn’t a great deal of backstory for the existence of the witches. They’ve been around for hundreds of years, yet there was little explanation of how or, more importantly, why they behave as they do. I needed more background information, and I found it lacking even with Halsted’s explanation. We seem to be making the rules as we go. I felt the same way about the info on the Red Bishop. As soon as Lake heard about the legend, she suddenly becomes the witch warrior. Her transformation was record-breaking.
I don’t want to be a plot-spoiler, but the whole thing with Madison was odd and not very well foreshadowed. Why would a girl who wears a Burberry scarf to spend the night in a haunted house ever choose to become a snaggle-toothed, eyeless child abductor? It just didn’t make sense to me.
The whole “love at first sight” with the four-hundred-old Puritan boy seemed off as well. They barely speak, and she never really asks him about his life before becoming the prison master of the zombie children.
So, if you want a good scare, this one’s for you. Looking for a bit more? Better shop around.
2 stars

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Review of Charming the Beast by Cynthia Eden

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Charming the Beast is a fast-paced romp with plenty of action. Werewolf books are my thing, and for the most part, this one lives up to my standards in every ferocious way. Dark handsome wolf with baggage? Check! Heroine in need of rescuing? Check! Creepy supernaturals with nefarious plans? Check! I loved the Para Unit idea, a whole gaggle of amped-up para-agents hell bent on keeping the world safe. And despite my dislike of reading sequels when I haven’t read the other novels, I had no trouble following the plot.
Connor is as dangerous as he should be to add just the right spice to this sexy stew. Chloe’s abilities made for interesting plot twists, and the novel moves quickly along. In fact, that might be one complaint I have. There wasn’t a great deal of build up to the start of their explosive relationship. You don’t have to wait long for the couple to realize they are meant-to-be and, well, do what couples in these kinds of novels do.
There were some other nit-picky issues I had. The author uses ellipsis dots to excess. These dramatic pauses . . . can . . . become . . . tedious. Overuse of a technique meant to heighten dialogue just becomes annoying. I also had issues with some awkward dialogue, characters saying things that didn’t sound natural. All respect to Eden, but at times, the novel sounded immature. However, I still enjoyed the story and would consider more of her titles.
3.5 Stars

Book Review: Pulled Within by Marni Mann

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Can you like a sequel more than the original? Does that EVER happen? I’ll admit; it’s extremely rare, kind of like seeing a unicorn frolicking with Bigfoot under a rainbow. Well, break out your camera because this one does just that!
Rae’s story is tragic and touching. She is broken so many ways, and while I felt a little lost in the beginning because it had been so long since I read the first novel, as the story goes on, I realized I didn’t really need it. This is truly her story. The characters are interconnected from the first novel, but this one could be read almost independently to the first in the series.
One similarity between the two is the sigh-worthy love interest. Hart is great mixture of cocky and kind. He’s the boy next door with a twist that, at times, was a little Fifty Shades. My only complaint was he was almost too perfect at times. But perhaps his perfection is meant to counterbalance her obvious imperfection.
I was a little frustrated with the build-up, the countdown of days. I would have liked to learn more about Darren earlier on, but that build-up led to one heck of a reveal later on. This one is definitely worth checking out!
4.5 Stars

Book Review: The Distance by Helen Giltrow

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
Typically, the thriller genre is not my favorite. I’m not a huge fan of espionage, secrets with secrets stashed inside them and wrapped in a bow of deception, but this novel really surprised me. I couldn’t put it down and felt as wiped as Karla’s computer by the end of my nonstop read-a-thon. The constant spinning of the plot will have you as dizzy as kid in a tire swing by the time you reach the shocking conclusion. While I couldn’t identify with the characters’ lives, I felt completely immersed in this high-risk world of devilish violence and impossible endings. The novel is light on love (a bit disappointing for a romantic like me) and heavy on action, but the thwarted love between Simon and Karla is enough to keep you wondering.
Though I enjoyed the novel, I had a few issues. Its face pace is both an asset and a liability. When I began, I wondered if this novel was a sequel. I felt very lost for a chapter or two before I worked out the characters and their “jobs.” The profusion of description hampered my progress to the point I began skimming large chunks. Every broken pane of glass, every piece of trash, every street name—it felt heavy-handed and overdone, adding an insufferable amount to the length. Also, be prepared for long exposition for each character. Some is necessary in order to create the relationships between Karla and these “extras,” but so many of those back stories felt as extraneous as the Hawthorne-ish description. And the violence is beyond cringe worthy, not for the faint of heart.
4 Stars

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Book Review: Broken by Traci L. Slatton

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
A bisexual, nymphomaniac, essence-draining, fallen angel in Nazi-occupied Paris? I’ve read a number of Holocaust novels from many different POVs, but I have never read one from this perspective. When I read the blurb, I was very intrigued by the idea of a fallen angel working against Nazi Germany, and kudos to the author for all of her research; however, this novel is such an odd mixture of heavy, didactic dialogue and utter lunacy that I had a difficult time losing myself in the story. I felt at times that the author was trying to shove in so many historically accurate events and famous names that the plot suffered. We were playing the name game. There were MANY characters without those famous appearances. The addition of the others just agitated me.
The characters argue about so many issues (from the artist’s place in society to women’s rights to existentialism) that the real issue, the Nazi invasion, is almost a side note at times. This interesting notion of a creature—which appears so prominently in various religions and sects—involved in a war tied so strongly to religion while questioning her beliefs is enough. We don’t need to open a whole dump truck of other worms.
I felt a little cheated on the “angel stuff” as well. The novel is light in the science fiction department, and the plot in this regard was lacking with a contrived ending featuring a long-lost character’s appearance related to the angel information. I forgot the main character was even an angel for the majority of the novel. In fact, the sci-fi part of the plot could easily be changed, and the novel’s plot could adapt well to the historical genre alone.
3 Stars

I've signed with Booktrope!

I am so excited and happy to announce that I signed with Booktrope Publishing! I can't wait to set up my team and see what the future holds. It's been a long journey, but this makes all the sacrifice worth it.

I want to thank everyone who every wrote a review for me or even just took the time to check out my novels. The good, the bad--it's totally been worth it!I couldn't have made it this far without your support. Now, I can concentrate on my writing while someone else does the hard part. :)

Book Review: Dark Skye by Kresley Cole

I’ve been a fan of the entire Immortals After Dark series for years. I’ve read them all and couldn’t wait for this one to come out, and maybe I built it up a little too much in my own mind because this one didn’t wow me like many of the others have.
In true Cole fashion, we are introduced to another bad-boy-with-a-heart-of-gold, Thronos, and while I love that formula, I found him both endearing and odd. His stilted dialogue began to grate on my nerves, and his self-righteousness went on entirely too long. His imperfection seemed to lie more with the physical and less with the psychological, so his growth didn’t progress as smoothly for me as many of her other heroes. I liked Lanthe’s free spirit and her modern references, but she too just didn’t completely captivate me as Cole’s heroines normally do.
Their journey through the freaky, Alice in Wonderland of torment was, by far, the most interesting part, but it didn’t last long enough for me. I found many other parts a little trite, and Lanthe’s acceptance by his people seemed much too easy.
All that being said, Cole, as always, doesn’t drive the reader insane with too many interruptions of the main love story, and I must admit I devoured the bulk of the novel in a day.
3.5 Stars

Book Review: Eternal Night by Carina Adly MacKenzie

I received a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The Summary:
There are gods among us...
Six young gods are hiding in plain sight among mortals, living secretly in cities across the world. From lavish penthouse soirees to pulsing underground clubs, for them, the party literally never ends. Until now.
On a hot June morning, the body of a beautiful girl is found floating in the rooftop pool of the Jefferson Hotel, her white-ink tattoos revealing the story of a life much longer than seems possible. Only the immortals know the truth: Nadia was the goddess of hope. Now she’s gone, and the world as they know it is ending. The Hudson River has turned blood red. Storms rage overhead. Mania is rapidly spreading across the globe.
It is up to the remaining gods—Lola, Dean, Weston, Mark, Nike and Peitha—to put aside centuries of betrayal and heartbreak, and stop the mysterious source of darkness that is taking over… before the sun sets forever.
Carina Adly MacKenzie, writer for The CW's hit series "The Originals," has penned a steamy, romantic, and ultimately redemptive story of forgotten gods, the persistence of hope, and the power of love to save us.
The Review:
When I saw that the author of this novel was a writer for one of my favorite shows, I jumped at the chance to read it, and overall, I wasn’t disappointed. The novel reminded me of the show a lot. The characters are ancient gods and goddesses drawn from Norse and Greek mythology. These six characters are tied together by more than their faded powers. Their connection spans hundreds of years and hook-ups and includes the whole “I love you as more than a friend but can’t seem to tell you” issue. Despite having once had other-worldly abilities, their interpersonal skills need work. I typically hate when a novel overwhelms a reader with names and characters in the beginning, and I nearly abandoned this one for that reason, but if you stick it out, eventually the characters and their powers become very distinguishable.
The muddled mess of their relationships is very entertaining but untangles before the reader gets frustrated with the drama. The direct and indirect characterization were fantastic with the omniscient POV really giving the insight on each character. You also get a taste of the history of each when key scenes from their recent and ancient pasts are retold.
The main plot, the impending death of humanity, inspires a truly apocalyptic fear, and there’s a “Masque of the Red Death” feel to some scenes, which I loved. My only complaint, I was quite honestly hoping for a steamier read. It was a little tame considering the “maturity” of the language and the characters.
4 Stars