Book Review: Earth Blend by Lori Pescatore

Review: Earth Blend
Series: Blend Trilogy – Book 2
Author: Lori Pescatore
No of Pages: 184
Release Date: 1 July 2011

Earth Blend is the second book in the Blend trilogy and the sequel to Human Blend. In this instalment, the mysteries of the Blends and the Earthlings are revealed. How can Julie live a normal life when she is anything but normal? Her relationship with Austin is complicated by emerging abilities in them both. Trust is hard to come by as lies and secrets hinder them at every turn. Is the past destined to repeat itself as the Earthlings once again rush to save them? The ensuing chaos breeds fatal consequences.

My Thoughts:

Earth Blend was a brilliant follow up to Human Blend

Julie and Austin are still coming to terms with Austin’s emerging powers and Julies near kidnapping. They are trying to settle in to a life not only together but come into their own as individuals. Austin is devastated to learn that his mother isn’t his biological mother and Julie is forced to watch his grief without being able to help.

Julie was once again a strong character, sometimes I would say she is too mature for her age, but that wouldn’t be fair on her, also because in actuality she is a lot older than what she looks – like 50 years older because of the slow ageing process – so with that in mind at times she can almost be immature for her true age.

Julie doesn’t really follow through with things until they come to a head and that is the only real thing I don’t like about her, she lets questions go unanswered for a while because she is constantly being distracted by Austin or work or friends, at times it made me want to shake her and tell her to focus but I love Julie in every way she is intelligent and kind hearted, she only ends up in bad situations because of bad people and not due to her own stupidity which is really refreshing.

Austin is a character I just cannot like. He is a complete whinger and so impulsive that I don’t see how anyone could love him like Julie seems to. I am shamelessly on team Eli when it comes to this love triangle. Austin causes issues for everyone around him by running off and jumping in far too soon. Instead of listening to his elders who have fought in battles and found missing people and who actually know about his powers he insists on throwing tantrums stomping his feet and insulting people before running away. The way he treated his mother was absolutely appalling, she raised him, cared for him and loved him and he just threw it back in her face because she wasn’t blood, it was absolutely despicable and it cemented my dislike for him in this novel.

Earth Blend was written differently to any other story I have read before. For the first half of the book we got the back stories of the various characters, flashes of their lives and important moments in their history that have helped lead them to where they are in the story today and the significance of each of them being there.

At first I was wary of this style for two reasons; no one I’ve read has ever done it before, and there is a potential for massive information overload.

I thought it was fantastic, it was like short stories in each characters life and it worked so much better than characters info dumping in the middle of an action scene. I devoured the first half of the book in an hour and I was amazed at how detailed yet relevant each story was. I finally knew each character and why they were the way they were, not just from Julie’s perspective but from theirs as well, I got into their heads and it was amazing.

I will admit that the dialogue was once again awkward, at first it detracted a little from the story but once I got into the rhythm of what was going on again and I was too engrossed in the story to care, it wasn’t an issue. The dialogue for me reads as though it was written on paper rather than coming from a characters mouth, like lines in a soapy with bad actors and too much Botox.

I love Pescatore’s general writing style though, it’s to the point with enough detail and flowery prose but not too much that you start to get bored. If a detail doesn’t have to be there it’s not and yet the way it’s written, giving the reader that freedom, I had a perfect picture in my head of the characters and their surroundings with no one interfering in that picture with “the vase on the table that doesn’t really matter was over there”

Earth Blend was even better than Human Blend and if that’s anything to go by, I want the rest of this series on my shelf as fast as Pescatore can write them.

Also in this series:
Human Blend

Book Review: Accidentally Dead by Dakota Cassidy

Review: Accidentally Dead

Series: Accidental Friends – Book 2

Author: Dakota Cassidy

No of Pages: 339

Release Date: 1 July 2008

NINA ALWAYS LOVED THE NIGHTLIFE.

It’s a lousy first day on the job for dental assistant Nina Blackman when a patient, loopy from anesthesia, bites her. At least he was cute. But for real drama she can’t beat the next evening. Nina wakes up with a set of razor-sharp fangs, bionic vision, supersonic hearing, and a taste for blood. There must be a good explanation. There is. It’s her patient, Greg Statleon.

SHE JUST NEVER EXPECTED TO BE THE NIGHTLIFE.

A visit to his Long Island castle hardly results in a cure. Greg claims there isn’t one. Unfortunately, Nina isn’t wild about her lifestyle change – or the danger that goes along with it. She’s determined to prove this infuriating vampire wrong. It’s a shame he’s so irresistible. It’s a bigger shame that he’s dead. On the other hand, they’re perfect for each other – if Nina‘s willing to commit to one man for eternity.

My Thoughts:

Accidentally Dead was very lucky it didn’t find a home on the DNF pile it started so bad.

Nina was accidentally bitten by a vampire when he went to the dentist to get his tooth fixed. After rejecting any sort of notion that she will never be human again and trying to find a way to turn back she not only has to find a possibly evil vampire who could help her, but she also needs to content with her growing feelings for her maker.

Accidentally Dead was basically a replica of The Accidental Werewolf only with vampires. Girl gets bitten by something supernatural in under far-fetched circumstances, girl rejects what she has been turned into, girl falls for supernatural that turned her and accepts her new life.

Now it’s probably lucky that I can barely remember what happened in The Accidental Werewolf  apart from the general gist of the story because I was pretty sure I liked Nina in that story. Now? Not so much. Nina was a vile potty-mouthed idiot who developed a crazy notion that Greg was evil and didn’t want to give her humanity back so he could control her for his evil plan to take over the world.

But it wasn’t really Nina or any of the other characters I had a problem with. It was the whole premise of this book and the way it was written.

I don’t really want to know what Cassidy’s word document looked like but it must have looked like an ode to Christmas with all of the red and green lighting up the page. Words like “hawt” “dayum” and “gawd” marred every page. Swear words were as frequent as the word “the” and yet halfway through everyone decided to change their vocabularies (especially Nina) to incorporate words like “Flip-off” and “B-word”. If you’re going to swear, at least be consistent with it.

The whole premise of Accidentally Dead though goes against not only normal vampire lore, but the books actual lore. Greg’s tooth was hurting, but no one ever finds out why he can’t heal himself or why there are no late night dentists closer than an hour away from his home. Then we also go back to stupid Twilight vampire logic that one bite makes a vampire, which is wrong on so many levels, because how would normal not blood baggie drinking evil vampires feed without turning everyone they feed from? I’m pretty sure we didn’t have packaged blood from willing donors five hundred years ago.

Then we have the stupidity of the 500 year old dusting which states that if you don’t mate with another vampire before you turn five hundred you die – this rule by the way has been around since before the beginning of time according to vampires. So of course Greg who has never turned another vampire must either mate with an evil chick no one likes or Nina who he turned a few weeks ago and barely knows, or die. I really want to see this relationship 100 years down the track.

Like I said, it’s not so much the characters themselves I have a problem with (they can’t help how they’re written) but the plot driving the story is pathetic. I don’t mind swearing, I do mind the butchering of the English language and I am surprised I finished this book, although it may come down to a mild case of OCD, but I will definitely not be continuing on with this series.

Others in this series:
The Accidental Werewolf
The Accidental Human
Accidentally Demonic
Accidentally Catty

Book Review: Bargains and Betrayals by Shannon Delany

Review: Bargains and Betrayals
Series: 13 to Life – Book 3
Author: Shannon Delany
No of Pages: 303
Release Date: 16 August 2011

Locked away at Pecan Place, Jessie finds her situation to be even more dangerous than she feared. While she struggles to maintain her sanity and discover answers about the group that seems less and less like any legitimate government agency, Pietr fights to keep their relationship alive. But very aware that his mother’s time is running out, Pietr makes a deal he doesn’t dare tell Jessie about. Because the deal Pietr’s made could mean the death of far more than the tenuous relationship with the girl he loves.

My Thoughts:

Bargains and Betrayals was definitely an improvement on Secrets and Shadows.

Jessie is locked away at Pecan Place, an institute for the mentally unstable, and she quickly learns that Pecan Place is hiding some pretty big secrets when it comes to what they are doing to their patients.

Jessie matured between Secrets and Shadows and Bargains and Betrayals and although it was only minor it was definitely an improvement, yes she was still pining after Pietr but at least she has a real reason to this time. By the end of Bargains and Betrayals Jessie was actually a likeable character again, putting others with bigger problems before herself and stopping to think about her actions before running after Pietr every ten seconds.

Pietr was still a little annoying being his typical I am seventeen therefore I am a grown-up and can make huge decisions for myself. Uh yeah buddy, no you can’t. Pietr was still irrational and mildly irritating in this book but we didn’t see that much of him compared to the previous two books.

For the first time in this series, the POV was spilt between Jessie and Alexi and I absolutely loved it. Reading from Alexi’s POV was absolutely fascinating and definitely kept the book going, we had a mature outsiders impression of the situation, sure Alexi decided to become a drunk about halfway through for a little while, but his blackouts were reverted back to Jessie’s mind so it didn’t impact too much.

Alexi is a very interesting character, having done everything he can for his family and still being shunned, watching his inner turmoil as he continues fighting for those he loves is amazing. He left the love of his life for his family and it’s only after Cat becomes human again that she really starts to bond with him.

Bargains and Betrayals was definitely much better than the previous two books, I will admit that I was reluctant to pick it up after finishing Secrets and Shadows and it was only because I had a review copy that I read it at all, but I devoured it quickly and it was on my mind from the moment I put it down right up until I dived back in once again.

The story actually moves this time around, it moves quite a bit to be honest, we are still lacking many answers but they are more answers to questions like how can people get away with these evils things they are doing. I think Delany may have shorn off a few plot points a little too abruptly, it was almost like she didn’t want to continue having that bad guy as a problem, so she just killed them, every time a character got too in the way she killed them off which was a little weird, but I suppose you can’t have all these characters antagonising the mains when the mains have making out and devoting themselves to each other to do.

I am interested in this series, and this book has definitely redeemed some of the series more horrible qualities but I am not sure if I will be continuing on. Considering there is another book whose release date hasn’t been announced yet and this series general lack of memorability I will probably end up just as confused as I was when I picked up Secrets and Shadows a year after 13 to Life.

Others in this series:
13 to Life
Secrets and Shadows

Book Review: Bloody Jack by L. A. Meyer

Review: Bloody Jack
Series: Bloody Jack – Book 1
Author: L. A. Meyer
No of Pages: 290
Release Date: 1 June 2004

ADVENTURE AND DECEPTION ON THE HIGH SEAS!

Life as a ship’s boy aboard HMS Dolphin is a dream come true for Jacky Faber. Gone are the days of scavenging for food and fighting for survival on the streets of eighteenth-century London. Instead, Jacky is becoming a skilled and daring sailor as the crew hunts murderous pirates on the high seas.

There’s just one problem: Jacky is a girl...

My Thoughts:

Bloody Jack has potential to rival Captain Jack Sparrow, she is that good.

Jacky wasn’t always called Jacky; she was once called Mary, living on the streets of London after That Dark Day when her parents and sister were claimed by the plague. The first part of our story details some of Mary’s adventures on the streets of London, begging, stealing and reading for pennies but when the boy who has been her gangs leader for four years dies she decides it’s time to move on with her life, and pursue her dream of sailing on the water. Because as Jacky says doesn’t matter if you die by hanging or die by drowning, you’re still dead, so she may as well give sailing a go.

I absolutely loved Jacky in every way, her scallywag nature, her adventurous mind and her caring heart. In many situations that most people would have stood back and saved their own necks, Jacky stepped forward and did what was right. Sure Jacky also causes quite a bit of trouble as she gets older, but all of it is good natured and well meaning.

What I loved most about Bloody Jack though – apart from Jacky of course – was the writing. It’s the sort that isn’t overly detailed but one still has the perfect picture of what is going on. The writing flows and reads fairly quickly. I also loved the style of Jacky’s language as she recounted her days in London and on the Dolphin. She literally wrote how she spoke with all of the:

“Methinks meself to bes a proper lady what gets married to some handsome man some day, or so methinks in me dreams and such, I knows I’m not a proper lady, but hopefully someone will takes me good-natured heart and all.”

One would think that may get a little annoying but it was so well done that it only added to the picture being painted. Jacky was no lady, and she never pretended to be, but she did have dreams and those dreams were quite big.

Bloody Jack was also split into five parts which I absolutely loved as well. We weren’t overloaded with plotlines, because Jacky can only do one thing at a time and have one thing on her mind at one time. Five different plotlines weren’t played out through the story but as each part came to a close so that part of the story was over and the next part began. It was marvellous to read because it let me keep track of everything that was going on and fit perfectly with the story.

Add into the masterful writing the plot and you have a perfect piece. Nothing about Jacky’s adventure was ever dull, but you still got time to breathe. Jacky got all the important information across without dumping it on us and still made room for witty remarks and engaging monologue.

I cannot fault Bloody Jack in anyway, the storyline was brilliant, the characters were flawless and Jacky is so loveable that I absolutely cannot wait to revisit her world as soon as possible.

Others in this series:
Curse of the Blue Tattoo
Under the Jolly Roger
In the Belly of the Bloodhound
Mississippi Jack
My Bonny Light Horseman
Rapture of the Deep
The Wake of the Lorei

Book Review: Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men by Molly Harper

Review: Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men
Series: Jane Jameson – Book 2
Author: Molly Harper
No of Pages: 376
Release Date: 25 August 2009

FOREVER A BRIDESMAID, NEVER AN UNDEAD BRIDE

Once a devoted children’s librarian, Jane Jameson now works at a run-down occult bookstore. Once a regular gal, she’s now a vampire. And instead of a bride, she’s an eternal bridesmaid – which leads her to question where exactly her relationship with her irresistible sexy sire, Gabriel, is headed. Mercurial, enigmatic, apparently commitment-phobic vampires are nothing if not hard to read. While Jane is trying to master undead dating, she is also donning the ugliest bridesmaid’s dress in history at her best friend Zeb’s Titanic-themed wedding. Between a freaked-out groom-to-be, his hostile werewolf in-laws, and Zeb’s mother, hell bent on seeing Jane walk the aisle with Zeb, Jane’s got the feeling she’s just rearranging the proverbial deck chairs.

Meanwhile, Half Moon Hollow’s own Black Widow, Jane’s Grandma Ruthie, has met her match in her latest fiancé. He smells like bad cheese and has a suspicious history of dead spouses. But Jane’s bitting her tongue. After all, would a nice girl really think she has a future with a vampire?

My Thoughts:

Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men was a hilarious follow up to Nice Girls Don’t Have Fangs.

Jane is helping out with Zeb and Jolene’s upcoming wedding preparations, not only does she have to wear the ugliest dress in history to comply with the don’t outshine the bride on her wedding day rule, but she also has to attempt to keep the peace between Jolene’s family and Zeb’s mother.

Jane was once again side-splittingly funny. Her antics in Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men were hilarious, from her nail-polish concoctions to her pot-pie hoards. I was a bit disappointed in her when she nearly gave up on the book store though, and loudly expressed my relief when she went back again.

Gabriel was in a way, a disappointment for me. He was a typical male. Solving problems with sex and being all-round distant, he was keeping secrets and being a little rude. Then turning around and telling Jane that he loves her. It was almost like a normal relationship, and in a way it infuriated me because there was no stability in that relationship. I want to read about people that don’t have to worry about whether or not the guy is going to call back, and yet at the same time I’m thanking Harper for writing the romance this way because it shows us that vampires have normal uncertain relationships as well.

Dick once again played a huge part in the way of comic relief, he also provided Jane with a sense of stability in her life through his friendship and I’m glad Jane recognized that instead of taking advantage of it.

Although Jane’s world is full of vampires, werewolves and ghosts who have as normal a dating scene as what the living seem to, her life is still surprisingly normal. Jane goes about her everyday life which really hasn’t changed that much, as she pointed out when she spent a whole night watching DVDs on her couch with no one to talk to. She still has money woes occasionally and family issues with her insanely meddlesome family and absolutely psychotic sister she has a boyfriend who she wants to trust but can’t quite seem to because of his weird absences and of course her friend who is normal most of the time, but sometimes has lapses in judgement like any normal male.

Harper’s writing is consistently good in Nice Girls Don’t Date Dead Men, not only was it absolutely hilarious, but it also flowed and drew one in to the point that you didn’t want to come back out, I want to go and live with Jane her world is so vivid. I want to work in her shop and talk with her and her friends.

Harper turned what could have been a boring or even absurd situation with Zeb’s wedding and turned it into something engaging and witty. I absolutely cannot wait to start Nice Girls Don’t Live Forever.

Also in this series:
Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
Nice Girls Don't Live Forever
Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbours

Book Review: The Lottery by Alexandra O'Hurley

Review: The Lottery
Author: Alexandra O’Hurley
No of Pages: 177
Release Date: 21 December 2010

Living in a world where men were treated like a rare commodity, Ethan Spears did what he could in order to survive. But when the proverbial rug was pulled out from under him, desperate measures called for desperate actions. To save his sister, he entered The Lottery, offering himself to one woman for a year.

Karlyn Bowman was a rebel in her family, choosing not to climb the corporate ladder in order to pursue her love of art. Lonely, ostracized by the family who should have loved her, she pushed forward trying to become a success. When her friend gives her a lottery ticket to cheer her up, she puts it aside and forgets it. Imagine her surprise when the knock came to her door and her life—and his—were changed forever.

Be Warned: anal sex, masturbation, orgies, bondage

My Thoughts:

The Lottery was a sexy, emotional rollercoaster ride that left me in tears of joy.

Karlyn is a virgin, she is waiting for true love before she decides to have sex, but in a world where men are rare and only the richest are allowed to enjoy their presence, that dream is far from ever coming true.

Karlyn’s best friend Sam decides to buy her a birthday present in the form of a Lottery ticket. The ticket gives the holder a chance to win a young sexy man for a whole year to do with whatever she desires, the ticket holder also has to be financially stable, of which Karlyn - being a struggling artist – is not.

Lo and behold Karlyn wins the lottery, and on her doorstep she finds Ethan, a young, struggling, super sexy male prostitute.

Karlyn didn’t expect to win, and Karlyn also didn’t really want to win. When around Ethan she acts like a frightened kitten because she is painfully shy and has never even kissed a man let alone had sex with one. All Karlyn wants to do is paint and fantasise about her dream man who will sweep her off her feet and love her until the day she dies.

Ethan is a man with a chip on his shoulder, his parents are dead, his sister is dying and his grandmother has disowned him. To survive and to pay for his sisters medical bills Ethan has been a male prostitute since his early teens. After some of the traumatic mistresses he has been with he thinks that Karlyn’s shy nature must be some sort of trick to catch him off guard.

The Lottery was a sweet and very sexually charged novel, but it also had a good background story surrounding Karlyn’s painting career, Her friendship with Sam the proud and very loud lesbian and the friendship that forms between Karlyn and Ethan.

The Lottery was a lot more than what I was expecting; it is way more than a quick hot read. The intense connection between Karlyn and Ethan jumps off the page and is superbly put into words, it had my heart twisting when they fought and leaping when they made up. It even brought a tear to my eye when they parted.

The addition of her best friend Sam kept everything light and entertaining because of Sam’s loud demeanour and ability to point out the obvious.

The Lottery had a predictable storyline but O’Hurley took a basic concept and turned it into something beautiful. The writing flowed seamlessly and the characters were both strong and multi-dimensional.

The Lottery was a quick read but a very memorable one and it has left me complete, but still wanting more.

Book Review: Paramour by Margaret Ethridge

Review: Paramour
Author: Margaret Ethridge
No of Pages: 215
Release Date: 31 December 2010

Camellia Stafford has never been alone in her room. For twenty years she’s been engaged in a fierce power struggle with her bedrooms previous tenant, Frank DeLuca, the ghost trapped in the light fixture above her bed.

Caustic and cranky, Frank has one soft spot – Cam. Over the years, their feelings for one another have evolved from grudging friendship to an enduring love that burns white-hot until Frank puts his feelings for Cam on ice.

When she suffers the loss of her beloved father, Cam returns home to say good-bye, and confront her feelings for Frank. She finds and unexpected shoulder to lean on in neighbour, Bradley Mitchum. Cam falls hard and fast for the handsome ad man’s charming smile and passionate nature, but Brad’s easy-going exterior masks a steely backbone tempered by adversity.

Now Cam must choose – Is her heart strong enough to determine which dream could lead to a love that will last a lifetime?

My Thoughts:

Paramour was interesting, if a little odd.

Camellia Stafford’s dad has just passed away so she has come back to her childhood home to clean up and say her last goodbyes. But Cam has been keeping a secret for all these years, there is a ghost in her room, and she’s been in love with him ever since she was a teenager.

Cam is a strong, funny woman who is easily likeable. What’s not likeable about her is the fact that she has a hot, strong, successful live man, begging her to be hers and yet she is still hung up on a cranky ghost who can’t let go.

Frank has been with Cam since she was a child; he has been her friend, her supporter and her secret crush. The only problem with Frank is that he’s dead. He is a ghost who has haunted her wall sconce ever since he was shot in 1987.

Brad is the guy next door, he’s hot, spunky and completely in love with Cam. They have been neighbours for most of their lives and he was the typical geek turned god as he grew older. Brad is there for Cam when her dad passes, he is her friend but he wants something more, and so does she.

So we have the perfect basis for a human romance, yet Cam can’t seem to let go of Frank. This is what frustrated me throughout the whole novel. Frank didn’t want her, Frank never wanted her, and here she has a perfect man package scratching at her front door, and she still wants Frank.

Paramour was interesting, and made me want to read to the end, but the premise of the story was frustrating and un-relatable. Hot man or irritable ghost. There isn’t really a choice there. I was expecting more from Paramour maybe more humour or more light-heartedness.

Paramour was well-written and flowed nicely, but Cam’s hang-up with Frank was a let-down, I couldn’t see the attachment, I couldn’t understand how there was a choice. It was silly. I enjoyed Paramour immensely for the human romance and seeing if it would work between them is what made me read to the end, the addition of a frustrating ghost didn’t do much for me. The relationship between Cam and Brad is deeply emotional but kept light through their playful banter.

Paramour was a quick, hot read which was beautifully written, the only thing that really took away from it was the romanticisation of the relationship between Cam and Frank.

Book Review: Enticed by Jessica Shirvington

Review: Enticed
Series: Violet Eden Chapters – Book 2
Author: Jessica Shirvington
No of Pages: 413
Release Date: 29 March 2011

CONSEQUENCE HAUNTS EVERY CHOICE

Violet Eden is Grigori – part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengeance of exiled angels.

Knowing who to trust is key but when Grigori reinforcements arrive it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know...Phoenix’s hold over her is more dangerous than ever.

The race to find the one thing that could forever tilt the balance of power takes them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet’s own powers will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.

My Thoughts:

Enticed made for a brilliant sequel that had me glued to every page.

Violet is still reeling over Phoenix’s deception and what she saw in the desert when she embraced, so when Lincoln deserts her again to go off on a secret mission while she is left to figure out why Phoenix wants the sacred Grigori scriptures, and when he is going to come after her.

Violet once again astounded me with her strength. Granted she is not the sharpest tool in the shed and not nearly the strongest, but her sheer will to power through her troubles and not let anyone get her down has me cheering her on through each new obstacle she faces. Violet is coming into her powers now and hopefully it seems, her fighting ability but she is still getting distracted by Lincoln, with whom she is still in love.

Lincoln is so far from being in my good books that he is going to have to do something astounding in Emblaze to even begin to make me like him. His character is a good one because you know he is the good guy but he is just so incredibly mean to Violet. He’s on a crusade to avenge his mother and instead of telling Violet what is happening, instead of being there for his partner when not only she, but his race needs him is incredibly selfish. I would want to avenge my mother too, but for a guy that was in love with a girl for two years and able to control himself every time he was around her to a loose cannon that doesn’t care what happens to him as long as he destroys this one exile is awful.

Phoenix crops up from time to time in Enticed as well, to remind Violet that he is all powerful and can kill her with a single thought, but there is still that connection between them that has me rooting for him to come good.

I also can’t wait to see more of Onyx – the exile turned human – who has taken on the role of comedic relief to help ease the tension of impending doom. Shrivington’s secondary characters all have their own personalities and aren’t hidden by the main which takes this series to that extra level.

Enticed was yet another whirlwind dive into the beautiful picture that Shrivington’s created with her words. Her superb historical elements of the story and completely believable explanations for how some exiles have lived out their existence on Earth has had me looking at the skies from time to time over the last couple of days.

Violet’s story has me enthralled with intense anticipation of what is to come in Emblaze and I absolutely cannot wait until I can get my hands on it as soon as possible.

Also in this series:
Embrace
Emblaze

Book Review: Dead to the World by Charlaine Harris

Review: Dead to the World
Series: Sookie Stackhouse – Book 4
Author: Charlaine Harris
No of Pages: 321
Release Date: 3 May 2005

Sookie Stackhouse is a cocktail waitress in Bon Temps, Louisiana. She’s pretty. She does her job well. But she has only a few close friends, because not everyone appreciates Sookie’s gift: she can read minds. That’s not exactly every man's idea of date bait - unless they’re undead; vampires and the like can be tough to read. And that’s just the kind of guy Sookie’s been looking for. Maybe that’s why, when she comes across a naked vampire on the way home from work, she doesn’t just drive on by. He hasn’t got a clue who he is, but Sookie has: Eric looks just as scary and sexy – and dead – as the day she met him. But now he has amnesia, he’s sweet, vulnerable, and in need of Sookie’s help – because whoever took his memory now wants his life.

Sookie’s investigation into what’s going on leads her into a battle between witches vampires and werewolves. But there could be even greater danger – to Sookie’s heart – because the kinder, gentler Eric is very hard to resist.

My Thoughts:

Another dive into the world of Sookie Stackhouse, and now that Bill is out of the way, it’s getting interesting.

Sookie once again is just getting better, taking Eric in after he suffers amnesia to help keep him safe to me is just so good for her and her growth in this society. Sookie still remembers her place in the supernatural society, but she also is starting to come into her own. Things aren’t quite as scary anymore and when Sookie finds out about witches actually existing she doesn’t freak out like she would have in earlier books.

Eric is just getting hotter as far as I’m concerned. Suffering from amnesia at the hands of the witches Eric has forgotten that he is a 1,000 year old Viking vampire that people bow to and cower in fear from as soon as he enters a room. Eric’s tender side in Dead to the World made me fall even more in love with him than before, because it proves that he’s not just an evil overlord, but that he may have a sliver of humanity left.

Eric is a little bit of an odd character for me, I don’t want him to be gentle; I want him to be hard hitting, evil and funny. But in Dead to the World, his tender side was just so perfect; it didn’t even seem like Eric. So although I missed witty Eric, I absolutely loved gentle Eric and although it fits him I can’t see the two sides of him ever reconciling into one being and if I had to choose it would definitely be evil Eric.

Alcide and his wolves also play a major part again in this book and with the addition of Alcide it once again adds more of a plot mover to the story.

I was so glad that Bill barely made an appearance in Dead to the World, as in Club Dead because I really don’t like him. Sookie doesn’t need the distraction that Bill causes and I am hoping that the series continues on this broader path of the extended set of characters.

Dead to the World also introduces witches, which for me wasn’t that big a deal. They seemed more like the hippy Wiccans rather than full blown cackling witches for most of the story. They made for an interesting dilemma for Sookie to deal with though.

Dead to the World was yet another excellent instalment in this fabulous series.

Others in this series:
Dead Until Dark
Living Dead in Dallas
Club Dead
Dead as a Doornail
Definitely Dead
All Together Dead
From Dead to Worse
Dead and GoneDead in the Family

Book Review: Human Blend by Lori Pescatore

Review: Human Blend
Series: Blend Trilogy – Book 1
Author: Lori Pescatore
No of Pages: 230
Release Date: 12 June 2010

Marion, Virginia seemed like a nice place to live a normal life, but she is not a normal girl. Laney has special abilities that keep her looking over her shoulder as she makes her escape from the men who had kidnapped her.

A young doctor’s interest is piqued when he witnesses her mysteriously curing a young child’s illness. He befriends her due to his growing fascination with uncovering the true nature of her abilities, but not without harbouring secrets of his own.

Laney’s budding relationship with a local boy puts both of them in danger when the men she was hiding from find her. All of their lives will change forever as ancient secrets become unearthed.

My Thoughts:

Human Blend was far better than I was expecting.

Laney/Julie is on the run from the men that stole her from her family. Stopping to rest in a small town that catches her eye she decided to stay when she meets a local boy and realises that she might have a chance at a normal life.

Laney needs to stay hidden so she assumes the new identity of Julie Miller when she arrives in the small town of Marion. Laney/Julie isn’t just a normal girl though, she has powers that let her “see” numbers meaning she’ll never lose a bet or the lottery and she can also heal others by taking the illnesses into herself and healing instantly.

Laney was a strong, independent character that expertly drove the story. She backed up her words with her abilities, not only her powers but also her survival skills and instincts. Laney was also extremely intelligent which was a refreshing change from the constant damsels in distress that we read about. Laney listens to her gut, and she doesn’t walk into her house alone in the dark after finding the door open, she gets help first from someone who is capable.

I loved that Laney just wanted to be normal even though she is so different. She went to work in a hospital just so she could be near people and use her powers to heal them, not for recognition just because she felt it was the right thing to do.

Laney also had a love interest in Austin, the local boy who takes a liking to her as soon as he meets her. Austin is a complete gentleman which is also a pleasant change from the controlling stalkers and the dangerous bad boys we are currently bombarded with in literature.

Human Blend was really well written and kept me completely engrossed from start to finish. It was not only an interesting storyline but a refreshingly new one as well. Pescatore didn’t conform to our current stereotypes of men, women and the paranormal but created something completely new and exhilarating to read.

Not only did we have a paranormal story with sci-fi themes mixed in, but we also had a beautiful YA romance that unfolded perfectly and without unrealistic devotion but with camaraderie and tenderness.

Human Blend was an excellent start to a promising new series and I absolutely can’t wait to get my hands on the next novel in this trilogy.

Also in this series:
Earth Blend

Book Review: Embrace by Jessica Shirvington

Review: Embrace
Series: Violet Eden Chapters – Book 1
Author: Jessica Shirvington
No of Pages: 382
Release Date: 1 October 2010

THE WRONG CHOICE COULD COST NOT ONLY HER LIFE, BUT HER DESTINY.

All Violet wants is to be with Lincoln. But he has a secret so great it could tear them apart.

Then there’s Phoenix. He’s intense and enigmatic, but always there for her.

Caught up in a battle between light and dark – where angels seek vengeance and humans are warriors – Violet must decide how much she’s willing to sacrifice. And who to trust...

My Thoughts:

Embrace was more than I expected, and I absolutely loved it.

Violet Eden’s life is turned upside down when she finds out that her best friend and man she is secretly in love with has been keeping a secret, about her. Violet is a Grigori, a half angel-half human protector of human kind against exiled angels, evil fallen angels that wish to control mankind.

After finding out that Lincoln has been keeping such a terrible secret about her identity she shuts him out of her life, a hard thing to do to your closest companion over the last two years. She meets Phoenix, an exiled angel who seems to have a darkness about him, but is fiercely protective of Violet when other exiles are around.

Violet was an interesting and well fleshed out character. After losing her mother at birth and being terrorized by a former teacher at school she has developed a habit of not letting much get to her and never fleeing from something too hard or scary. She broke that rule when it came to Lincoln and her destiny of becoming a Grigori leaning on Phoenix to help her get through her life upheaval.

Lincoln was a hard character to like for me if choosing between the two boys vying for Violet’s attention, he keeps secrets, lies and is condescending when around Violet but he also had that irresistible charm that Violet has been in love with ever since they got close. Violet’s and Lincoln’s love for each other was obvious from the first page, no matter how much Lincoln tried to keep his distance from her it was still clear that he loved Violet as much as Violet loved him.

Phoenix on the other hand is your typical bad boy; he is an exiled angel who takes a liking to Violet when he meets her. Violet tries to stay away but is inexplicably drawn to him. She admits that she doesn’t love Phoenix, but he can give her so much more, and is willing to give so much more than what Lincoln is.

Embrace was beautifully written, if a little confusing. I had a hard time keeping track of which angels were what and up until mid-way through the book exactly who the bad guys were. Even the motions of Embracing were a little sudden and rather confusing.

Other than the slight confusion Embrace was an engrossing read. Each time I was forced to put it down all I could think about was getting back to it. Having had some bad experiences with angel books in the past I highly encourage everyone to give Embrace a try.

Embrace is an addictive read, and left me salivating for more not just answers but for more beautiful prose and engaging characters. I cannot wait until I can dive into the next instalment in this intriguing series.

Also in this series:
Enticed
Emblaze

Book Review: This Side of the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Review: This Side of the Grave
Series: Night Huntress – Book 5
Author: Jeaniene Frost
No of Pages: 357
Release Date: 22 February 2011

DANGER WAITS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE GRAVE.

Half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her vampire husband Bones have fought for their lives, as well as for their relationship. But just when they’ve triumphed over the latest battle, Cat’s new and unexpected abilities threaten to upset a long-standing balance...

With the mysterious disappearance of vampires, rumours abound that a species war is brewing. A zealot is inciting tensions between the vampires and ghouls, and if these two powerful groups clash, innocent mortals could become collateral damage.

Now Cat and Bones are forced to seek help from a dangerous “ally” – the ghoul queen of New Orleans herself. But the price of her assistance may prove more treacherous than even the threat of a supernatural war...to say nothing of the repercussions Cat never imagined.

My Thoughts:

Oh, how it’s been too long since I have had a good dose of Cat and Bones.

After turning full vampire Cat thought her only troubles would be to do with her new eating habits, but before long she is thrown headlong in to the thick of another war which she just so happens to be the centre of. Starting with an investigation into the disappearance of some masterless vampires Cat and Bones soon realise that these seemingly random attacks a part of a much bigger plot.

Cat is absolutely awesome as always, with her new vampire eating habits the hilarity is only heightened and her abilities getting better and better. Cat couldn’t just be a normal vampire, she feeds on vampire blood and absorbs any powers that vampire also possesses, hence her pyrokinesis from Destined for and Early Grave. But now she realises that she needs to feed on younger vampires, because the blood she’s drinking – usually Bones’ – is too strong and she can’t cope with the powers she’s absorbing.

Bones is as funny as ever with his trademark English accent and absolutely fabulous humour. His most memorable line for me being when he was being interviewed by a human about being a vampire: “Ask me if I sparkle and I’ll kill you where you stand” – That made my day when I read that and it reminded me exactly why I loved Bones from book one.

Vlad made an appearance as well in all of his fearsomeness assisting Cat in controlling the powers she absorbed from drinking Ghouls blood and putting himself on the line once again and of course providing witty commentary to Cats new dilemma of repelling ghost using garlic and weed (yep, you read that right). I love that Frost doesn’t just stick to the dynamic of Cat and Bones but can also give us the added dimension of the friendship of Cat and Vlad without it seeming biased or awkward; it is just another testament to her brilliant writing.

Frost’s writing in this series and her ideas are continuing to amaze me. Her premise of the ghoul/vampire war and Cat’s powers coupled with the hilarity of the characters and just the sheer individuality of the things she comes up with are just astounding.

Oh and for the record, the “South Wales” reference I mentioned in Halfway to the Grave has now been corrected! The reference to “New South Wales” came up in This Side of the Grave and I was so proud to hear my beautiful state being referred to.

The only thing I don’t like about the Night Huntress series in general is that I read them way too fast and then I have to wait until the next instalment.

If you haven’t started this series yet I implore you to drop everything you are doing right now and run to the nearest store to get yourself a copy, I promise you, life is not complete without this series sitting on your shelf.

Other books in this series:
Halfway to the Grave
One Foot in the Grave
At Grave's End
Destined for an Early Grave
One Grave at a Time

Book Review: Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost

Review: Eternal Kiss of Darkness
Series: Night Huntress World – Book 2
Author: Jeaniene Frost
No of Pages: 361
Release Date: 27 July 2010

AN IMMORTAL WAR HAS BEEN BREWING IN THE DARKNESS...

AND NOW ONE WOMAN HAS STUMBLED INTO THE SHADOWS.

Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. Bur her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from just inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.

At the centre is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master vampire who thought he’d seen it all. Then Kira appears – this fearless, beautiful...human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life. Yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose wither the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

My Thoughts:

Kira was only trying to help when she “rescued” Mencheres from the pack of ghouls attacking him. Little did she know that it would get her tangled up in a supernatural world that she had no idea existed, or into the arms of a four thousand year old vampire.

Kira is a beautiful addition to Frost’s world. She is a hardened private investigator who isn’t fazed by anything; let alone accepting the existence of vampires. Kira was believable in everything she did, she believed the story because it ended up being logical to, she took it all in her stride not because she is amazingly empathetic but because she knew any other course of action, any rebelling on her part, would end in her death.

She also took in being made into a vampire into her stride as well. Knowing that if this was how she was to live from now on, she would do it with a conscience and she would do it because living meant something to her.

Then we bring in Mencheres, the super-powerful, four thousand year old, slightly suicidal ex-pharaoh of Egypt and current co-ruler to his and Bones combined lines. Mencheres has lost his power to see the future; all he can see is darkness which he believes is his impending death. He’s old, he’s tired and he’s weary of the cold war going on between him and his arch-enemy Radjedef.

Eternal Kiss of Darkness was packed full of anticipation surrounding Radjedef framing Mencheres for a crime that carries the death penalty within the vampire world and the race against time for Mencheres and Kira to clear his name.

The relationship between Kira and Mencheres was beautiful and very well done; both with similar pasts of betrayal are astounded by their feelings for each other. It was also mildly frustrating in a good way with the amount of times they were interrupted, so when they finally came together for that all important ceiling sex, it was so worth it.

Cat and Bones made an appearance in Eternal Kiss of Darkness, although they weren’t painted in a good light which kind of disappointed me even though it was understandable from the history between them and Mencheres. Vlad also made an appearance which made me fall that much more in love with him and his humorous ways.

As with First Drop of Crimson, the cover disappointed me with Eternal Kiss of Darkness it didn't seem related to Mencheres at all and Kira was blonde.

Frost blew me away with her writing once again. Although I am not as fond of the Night Huntress World books as I am of the Cat & Bones books, Eternal Kiss of Darkness is a wonderful addition to my collection of her work.

Also in this series:
First Drop of Crimson

Book Review: Demonic Persuasion by Mahalia Levey

Review: Demonic Persuasion
Series: Prophecies Implied – Book 1
Author: Mahalia Levey
No of Pages: 75
Release Date: 15 November 2010

Born of a Navajo healer and a high-level prince of Hell, The Dine Gods demanded Fatal be turned over to her mother's tribe to learn their healing arts and kept away from demon hands. But with her tutelage came cruel segregation and disrespect because of her father's heritage. Not knowing why her life has suddenly come under demon attack, Fatal sets out, armed with her knowledge and her fighting skills, to take out any evil that getsin her way.

As prince of a lower level of Hell, Orobus signed a contract in blood that he be betrothed to Fatal, the high prince of Hell’s half-breed daughter. Oracle by birth, he isn’t privy to complete visions with regard to himself. Having forgotten the fateful night he signed the agreement, he’s thrust into the fight of his life—the fight to claim his woman! Come Hell or high water, he will take care of what is rightfully his, even if it means making her face both sides of her heritage and teaching her there is no shame.

My Thoughts:

I was expecting great things from Demonic Persuasion but I was left confused and mildly irritated.

Fatal has been shunned by the community she was raised in because of her half demon heritage. She leaves to strike out on her own and winds up fighting in demonic bars to earn her keep. When Orobus spots her in his bar he is drawn to her presence before he enforces their contract made at her birth and whisks her off to Hell.

Fatal really wasn’t a strong character, she was one contradiction after another. She acted tough was tough but then seemed to fall apart about halfway through. She has the training of the Navajo healers, her birth mothers people, and hates her demonic side. She also hates her parents hates Orobus and hates the life she has been forced to lead. But then all of a sudden, she can’t be without Orobus, loves her brother and runs to her mother’s open arms a day after telling them all she hated them.

That was the entire tone of Demonic Persuasion, that and trying to confuse the reader to the point of violent frustration. Every third page I was re-reading entire paragraphs just to figure out if Fatal was still in Hell or on Earth.

Orobus who apparently has this highly valued contract with Fatal’s father giving him possession of her and the right to mate her against her will didn’t even know who she was even after she stated her true name. Then six chapters later he is telling her how he had been waiting so long for her to come to him.

Not to mention the complete character change when Fatal is forced to go to Hell after being knocked unconscious, and waking up in a strange room, does she try to run? Does she put up any sort of a fight against the being she hates most in this world? Of course not, the next course of action is to so clearly jump into bed with a demon prince of Hell and wake up the next day like this is the life you have been living for the last ten years even though you still hate the person you just woke up next to.

The real killer for me was when Orobus was beaten to within an inch of his life for covering for Fatal, he told her it would take him two weeks or so to recover from the poison infested wounds and yet he’s up the next morning for another exciting round of I-don’t-like-you-and-there-is-no-logical-reason-for-me-to-be-doing-this sex.

Demonic Persuasion was a buffet of absurdity. Levey took a good idea and hacked it to pieces with incoherent writing, jumpy timelines and a very shaky main character that didn’t seem to know who or what she was.

I have been known to have masochistic tendencies, but even I will not be sitting down the next instalment of this trainwreck.

Book Review: Crazy by Eve Langlais

Review: Crazy
Author: Eve Langlais
No of Pages: 52
Release Date: 22 November 2010

Institutionalized at a young age after the breakup of her parents, Ella’s always heard voices. Even worse, the voices in her head like to act. She thinks she’s crazy and destined to be a patient for life until the night she meets a vampire and for the first time in her life, the voices shut up.

Zane just wants to enjoy his usual blood buffet, instead he runs into a wisp of a woman who makes him feel emotions he thought long dead. Rescuing her from the insane asylum, he brings her home, determined to assuage his lust; a plan that is foiled by ghostly voices more determined to keep her pure than a steel welded chastity belt.

Together they discover Ella might not be as crazy as everyone thinks, but even as they discover her innate power, someone from her past wants to hurt her. Will crazy and un-dead prevail against covetous evil? And most important of all, will the voices ever allow them to indulge in the desire that consumes them?


My Thoughts:

Although Crazy was definitely intriguing it didn’t live up to my high expectations of Langlais’ abilities.

Ella is crazy, literally. She hears voices and sometimes has violent tendencies that she can’t control. She has been in mental hospitals since she was seven years old, now she’s twenty-five. Ella is resigned to her existence; relying only on a prophecy the voices told her when she was young of a man coming to rescue her.

Ella was definitely interesting but a little too naive and flimsy for my tastes. She was constantly flinging herself into Zane’s arms whenever he entered a room. It crossed me as more childish rather passionate or loving. She provided the comic relief with her constant battle with the voices in her head which was quite an interesting storyline when she explored what the voices were capable of if provoked.

Zane was also a little off for my tastes, yeah sure vampires have a tendency to find a woman they can’t resist or realise instantly that they can’t live without but his thought process was to “take her home to seduce her”, then later on he decided he couldn’t live without her, but I couldn’t feel that.

Crazy was well written in its ideas like much of Langlais’ other work but it just didn’t work for me like I was expecting. It was good, but not great. It was funny but not overly. It was passionate but it was transparent.

They may have been professing their love for one another, but it was hard for the reader to see or feel that for themselves. It was very tell with no show.

The action in Crazy was also short lived. A total of four paragraphs with no suspense housed the action and the bad guy of the plot; almost to the point where he wasn’t even needed Crazy would have been just fine without him and his weirdness.

I love Mrs. Langlais’ work and I will continue reading it as fast as I can get my hands on it but Crazy, whilst keeping me entertained with its superb writing and fairly likeable characters just didn’t do it for me.

Book Review: Tempest's Legacy by Nicole Peeler

Review: Tempest’s Legacy
Series: Jane True – Book 3
Author: Nicole Peeler
No of Pages: 341
Release Date: 1 January 2011

After a peaceful hiatus at home in Rockabill, Jane True thinks that her worst problem is that she still throws like a girl – at least while throwing fire-balls. Her peace of mind ends, however, when Anyan arrives one night with terrible news...news that will rock Jane’s world to its very core.

After demanding to help investigate a series of gruesome attacks on females – supernatural, Halfling, and human – Jane quickly finds herself forced to confront her darkest nightmares as well as her deepest desires.

And she’s not sure which she finds more frightening.

My Thoughts:

Yet another fantastic instalment of Jane True, packed full of side splitting antics.

Jane is devastated, she has just found out that her mother has been murdered and now she is on a mission, she is going to help Anyan and Ryu find her murderer. As they venture into the borderlands they find that this operation is a lot bigger than originally suspected. Purebloods and Halflings are going missing left right and centre and showing up in research labs either dead or mutilated.

Peeler has once again enthralled me with her world. I have said it before and I will continue saying it, I love her mix of species. This isn’t a vampire novel, nor is it a werewolf novel, it is: an everything novel. From selkies to genies to succubi to imps to brownies and gnomes. People aren’t sexualised, some aren’t even human, but all are mentioned and all play an important part.

Jane is still reigning as one of my favourite female characters and she is only getting better. Jane is now struggling with her new ruthlessness, after her mother dying and a friend gone missing she wants revenge, she wants to hurt people and she’s not afraid to like it. Jane revels in the thought of lobbing mage balls at people, seeing them hurt as much as she does inside, and she realises also that she may be willing to kill. It is a new side to the odd multi levelled character we met in Tempest Rising.

Jane is coming into herself now, she isn’t afraid and that new kickass ability and her steady decrease in vulnerability only adds more and more to her already lovable character. Her libido and her virtue are still fighting, and so are various other parts of her mind, and the fact that she has kept that through all she has been through is remarkable. Jane is still Jane but better.

I loved Anyan from the beginning; he is exactly my type of male. Strong, protective and intelligent he also isn’t afraid to teach Jane how to use her magic which only makes him more likable, he doesn’t want to shelter her which is refreshing. The only thing I didn’t like about him was his habit of calling Jane “honey” towards the end and I am hoping that he breaks his newfound habit very soon.

Speaking of annoying, Ryu returns. Ryu is turning into a character that makes my skin crawl. We all know that guy at work who’s past his prime but still thinks he can get any woman he wants, when really people are talking behind his back because he is a sleaze. That’s Ryu in a nutshell, every time I visualise the guy I add another layer of grease.

Tempest's Legacy was another fantastic instalment in this mind blowing series. I cannot wait until Eye of the Tempest comes out because this series is only getting better as it goes on.

Also in this Series:
Tempest's Rising
Tracking the Tempest
Eye of the Tempest

Book Review: Lover Revealed by J.R Ward

Review: Lover Revealed
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood – Book 4
Author: J.R Ward
No of Pages: 455
Release Date: 6 March 2007

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a war raging between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. But now an ally of the Brotherhood is about to encounter his own dark desires...

Butch O’Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard-living ex-homicide cop, he’s the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world – to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He’s got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who’s way out of his league. If he can’t have Marissa, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, he’s found by a miracle, and the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back. But even her love may not be enough to save him...

My Thoughts:

Lover Revealed told the story of Butch, the only human fighter associated with the Black Dagger Brotherhood. While being slightly predictable it was still an excellent instalment in this fantastic series.

Butch is in love with Marissa one of the social elite in the vampire world, but it doesn’t seem that Marissa wants him back after shunning him repeatedly. When Butch gets into trouble though and looks close to dying Marissa is there by his side to help him through a sickness brought on by the Omega.

Butch was always one of those characters that kind of annoyed me. I felt like he was mooching off the brothers money and hospitality even though if he left they would have to kill him for what he knew. He was even punching above his weight when it came to Marissa, she is rich, one of the most beautiful vampires there is and she is heir to one of the most powerful families in the BDB world.

But as the spotlight was shone on Butch I couldn’t help but like him, all he wanted was what was best for his friends and Marissa. Sure he's not as strong as any of the other fighters because he is only human but he still contributes by using his experience as a cop.

I still don't particularly like Marissa though; she is too frail and helpless for my tastes. Marissa relies far too heavily on others to be much help to anyone, even when she had the opportunity to strike out on her own and leave all of her rules behind like she said she so desperately wanted she still went running to the nearest powerful vampire to her.

Thankfully she toughened up right towards the end but it wasn't enough to make up for the weak character she was portrayed as for the entire time she has been in the series.

Although Lover Revealed wasn't entirely focused on Vishous he made quite a strong appearance because he is Butch’s best friend. I loved Vishous’ story even more than I loved Butch’s and I can't wait to get into Lover Unbound so that all of the focus is on him.

Lover Revealed definitely isn't the strongest relationship wise, but it does further the story immensely. We are getting deeper into the back story behind Rehvenge and the fight between the vampires and the lessers is starting to get more intriguing.

Lover Revealed is a hot action filled story and although the main characters weren't as strong as previous novels in this series the plot progressed very interestingly and has left me eager for the next instalment in this fantastic series.

Also in this series:
Dark Lover
Lover Eternal
Lover Awakened
Lover Unbound
Lover Enshrined
Lover Avenged
Lover Mine
Lover Unleashed