Book Whispers: January 2010

January 31, 2010

Finish that Series Challenge 2010

Finish that Series Challenge 2010

I don't know about you, but for me, this is a perfect challenge. I never seem to finish any of the series I start. But no more, I will finish them.

Here are the rules:

It doesn't matter how many books are in the series or if you've read most of them and only have one or two left to read. The object of this challenge is to finish the series. If you want to join click here.

There are four levels:

Curious – Finish 2 series.
Fascinated – Finish 3 series.
Addicted – Finish 5 series.
Obsessed – Finish 10 series.

Obessed is what I'm aiming for. So go me. I'm not going to pick the series in advance, I'm just going to be supprised, so I'll post as I go along.

The Reckoning by Kelly Armstrong

Review: Howling at the Moon

Howling at the Moon (Tales of an Urban Werewolf, #1)

Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney

Sophie Garou seems to have it all: a great job at a prestigious accounting firm, a closet that rivals a Nordstrom showroom, and a terrific boyfriend who isn’t afraid to use the “M” word. There’s just one little itty-bitty problem: Sophie is a werewolf–and her time of month has a whole new meaning.Needless to say, life among yummy flesh-and-blood humans is no piece of steak . . . er, cake!, but regular doses of wolfsbane tea and a mother who runs a magic shop have helped Sophie keep her paranormal pedigree under wraps. Still, when a sexy, golden-eyed werewolf prowls into town, Sophie finds herself struggling to keep her animal impulses in check–not to mention trying to keep things on track with her super hot (and super human) lawyer boyfriend. What’s more, someone is threatening to expose Sophie for what she really is. And when her mother is accused of selling a poison-laced potion, Sophie must sniff out a culprit before the fur hits the fan.

Review:

I'm not sure what I was expecting when I picked up this book. Having read other werewolf books, I felt that I should have high expectations. What I was not expecting was a chick lit. Yes, this book read just like a chick lit for me. I'm not sure if this is how the author intended it, but I was really let down on this book. Chick lits are fun, don't get me wrong, but I was expecting more . . .

MacInerney writes a fun little mystery, actually mysteries in this case. The pace of the book is nice, maybe a little long. Sophie however was a sore point for me. Which is really sad as she is the main character. At every turn Sophie kept rubbing me the wrong way. She's a really savy work woman, who takes care of her self, which I live in my main characters. Then she has this whole anti werewolf thing going on, which is sad becuase she is a werewolf. The fact that she tries to avoid her werewolf side gets her into a bunch of anoying situations. Sure being a werewolf is hard, but there has to be a point were you say I turn fury on fullmoons, time to deal. Sophies twenty-eight, I think she should be used to it by now. She's ashamed of her mother, which in this case is a really fun and wonderful woman. Sure the mother is a little exentric and I could see how anyone might be a little nervous to introduce the boyfreind to.

Sophie has a wonderful boyfriend, Heath, who is human and has no idea about the supernatural world. She is continuley panicing about him finding out about anything. As the story continues a new werewolf comes to town, Tom, who is a hot Norwegen werewolf. Which leaves the poor human boyfriend shoved into the back of Sophies mind. Tom is the continued obsession on the pages. Sophie is constantly saying how wonderful her boyfreind is, how she wants to mary him (in between obessing about Tom). By gosh though, she won't tell the man anything and has to practically be forced to tell the poor guy that her mother is up for murdering someone. Forget the werewolf secret. Even by the end of the book when Heath prooves to be a pretty awsome and understanding guy, Sophie still shuts the door on him. Secrets, secrets, and she wants to marry this man, a little trust please.

One thing, I will say, is this book had me laughing. I loved the humor. It was so snappy and witty. Sure at times it was the same old same old. MacInerney has fresh humor to splurge on the werwolf scene. The humor alone probably was one of the biggest factors in finishing this book.

Finding out who killed the counsel man and who had it in for Sophie though was also another factor. It was really fun solving the mystery. Sure Sophie wasn't a strong detective, but the way she solved the mystery went along nicely with the book. Learning about werewolves as Sophie finally decides she needs to know a little more about her fellow species was also fun. Sadly the reader isn't introduced to that too much.

Bottom Line:

I can't really say I want to finish this series. Sure I really enjoyed the humor. Really, though, I don't want to watch Sophies pathetic attempts at being a werewolf or the sad dumping of Heath. The fact that I can't really find any interest in continuing this series is why I'm giving it such a low rating. I think others will probably really like this book. I feel harsh.

Sexual Content:
Mellow sex scenes, which probably could have been left out. Sexual references.

Rating: 2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out

Review: Revealears

Revealers by Amanda Marrone

Book description provided by goodreads.

Witchin' ain't easy.

Jules has a rebellious streak, a massive crush on Connor, and the abilities of a Revealer witch. By day, she and her coven friends seem like typical high school seniors. By night, they have the power to make werewolves, vampires, and ghosts reveal themselves, so they can destroy them. It's not exactly cheerleading, but at least the girls know they're doing the world some good.
One by one, Jules's friends turn eighteen and are initiated into the coven's inner circle. And one by one, they are getting completely freaked out. Jules is the youngest, and though her friends are too scared tell her what's going on, something's clearly not right. As her birthday approaches, Jules realizes she's got to find out what's behind the shadows of her coven before it's too late to save her friends...and herself. But what she discovers may be too powerful for even the toughest witches to defeat.
Review:

I had no intentions of reading Revealers after I had read Uninvited by the same author. Luckily for me I ended up needing another book, and Uninvited had a little preview of Revealers. After reading maybe about five pages I was hooked. If I hadn't already purchased Revealers I would have made a pit stop at the book store just for it.

Even with the great start I was afraid this book would somehow take a turn and I would end up with another Uninvited. More teen drama then urban fantasy. I shouldn't have to worried. The take on witches in this book is sooo good. The girls are thirteen when they start going out into the night slaying the “evils” of the supernatural community. The reader pops in just as the girls are turning 18 and will be “joining” the coven. These girls are expected then to have daughters of there own that will then take there place in the fight. The task the girls are given and still expected to do is put into light through Jules eyes as she tries to live with the fact that she kills things.

Marrone moves this story along nicely. Giving us a little teen drama with a heavy dose of evil plot. The side characters were all fun and I loved reading about them, probably even more then the main character. Of course that's not saying Jules wasn't a wonderful character to follow. Jules was a healthy enough dose of curiosity and defiance, without being annoying. Dani, Jules best friend, was a fun nerdy character and her love troubles had me giggling. Revealers also had a wonderful dose of humor that went great with all of the characters.

Another thing I loved was how Marrone could make me hate the mothers for betraying their daughters. Then the next thing I know I'm feeling sympathy for the wicked mothers and can understand why they made the choices they had to make. By the end of the book I was even cheering the mothers on.

Bottom Line:
This novel is not perfect. Yes, you can guess some of the plot twisters and who dun'it parts. It is, however, worth the read. The plot moves fast and includes one the the best mysteries I've read in a YA novel in a while. I look forward to reading other books by this author even after the terrible taste of Uninvited.

Sexual Content:
Kiss scenes, the make out scenes are not too in depth.

Rating: 5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession.

January 28, 2010

New Finds

I'm so excited, there seems to be some really good titles lately. Just click on the photo for more details.

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it’s not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you’re a normal teenage girl, but when you’re half human, half mermaid like Lily, there’s no such thing as a simple crush. Lily’s mermaid identity is a secret that can’t get out, since she’s not just any mermaid – she’s a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn’t feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she’s been living on land and going to Seaview high school ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems – like her obnoxious, biker boy neighbor Quince Fletcher – but it has that one major perk – Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren’t really the casual dating type – when they “bond,” it’s for life. When Lily’s attempt to win Brody’s love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily-ever-after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Bodyguard Celia Graves plies her trade in a world where vampires roam the alleys of Tinseltown and movie stars openly practice witchcraft., where streetcorner psychics have real powers and cops use memory enhancement spells on witnesses. Though she’s an ordinary human, Celia uses street smarts and charmed weapons to protect the rich and famous from mortal and supernatural threats. She’s landed a plum job, protecting the Prince of a small but politically vital nation while he tours Los Angeles’s least savory hot spots. What should be a routine assignment goes badly wrong. Attacked by a master vampire, Celia knows she is about to die. She’s startled to awaken on a cold metal table in a university lab. Celia Graves has become an Abomination, neither fully mortal nor fully vampire. Her “master” is hunting her, to destroy her or finish what his bite began. She’s accused of murder and the cops aren’t sure whether she should be locked up or staked. And then there’s the demon she glimpsed during the vampire attack . . . . Struggling to cope with her new powers and trying not to terrify everyone she meets with a flash of fang, Celia reaches out for help from her once (and future?) lover, who is a powerful mage; his warrior-priest brother; a handsome werewolf who keeps his lupine nature concealed from the world; an elderly clairvoyant, and one trustworthy cop. Celia Graves has three days to save the world, her sanity, and her soul

Amaliya wakes under the forest floor, disoriented, famished and confused. She digs out of the shallow grave and realizes she is hungry... ... in a new, horrific, unimaginable way... Sating her great hunger, she discovers that she is now a vampire, the bloodthirsty creature of legend. She has no choice but to flee from her old life and travels across Texas. Her new hunger spurs her to leave a wake of death and blood behind her as she struggles with her new nature. All the while, her creator is watching. He is ancient, he is powerful, and what's worse is that he's a necromancer. He has the power to force the dead to do his bidding. Amaliya realizes she is but a pawn in a twisted game, and her only hope for survival is to seek out one of her own kind. But if Amaliya finds another vampire, will it mean her salvation... or her death?

I just love the covers for all of these books and they sound so great! Which one do you like best?

Quote: Howling at the Moon

I am just loving MacInerney's wonderful humor in this book!

Lindsey raised her Cosmo in an impromptu toast. "To Heath's campaign to save us from cross-dressing dogs." - Karen MacInerney

Because I was in serious lust with a werewolf. - Karen MacInerney

January 27, 2010

Motivation!

Hello! For anyone who happens to be stopping by, or dare I say following this blog. I will be adding some other fun posts. So instead of hearing me review, review, review, and you get the point, I will be doing some extra things. Such as:

Quotes from the books I'm currently reading. Just so you can get a taste.
Posts of books I've recently bought as well as any new or interesting titles I find.
Monthly Releases will also be something I will be doing at the beginning of each month. Showing the books that are releasing that month, both UF and fantasy titles.

As I am a new blogger I'm trying to branch out my little book blog. I finally have my first follower so I'm feeling more motivated, thanks J. Kaye. So if you have any feed back feel free to comment!

Review: Uninvited

Uninvited by Amanda Marrone

Book discription from goodreads.

"Jordan's life sucks. Her boyfriend, Michael, dumped her, slept his way through half the student body, and then killed himself. But now, somehow, he appears at her window every night, begging her to let him in.
Jordan can't understand why he wants her, but she feels her resistance wearing down. After all, her life -- once a broken record of boring parties, meaningless hookups, and friends she couldn't relate to -- now consists of her drinking alone in her room as she waits for the sun to go down.
Michael needs to be invited in before he can enter. All Jordan has to do is say the words...."

Review:
This book wasn't for me. The character was to weak. Jordan, and everyone else in this book, refers to herself as the girl who will not say no. She also has huge issues just walking down the hall in school and calling people on the phone. On top of that she stated she wouldn't dress up or even streak her hair because she wouldn't be true to herself. Usually I say right on to this, but the character had a big drug and alcohol problem because she couldn't deal being herself. The vampire seemed to be an after thought to appeal to fans of the genre.

Then there's the ending. Where everything pulls together and Jordan grows up. The vampire portion of the book finally seems more then just away to make Jordan deal with her loser ex-boyfriend and her lost virginity. Not quite enough though for justify this purchase.

Bottom Line:
If I wanted teen drama novel I would have found a better one. I guess I like it where the UF portion of the story doesn't seem like an after thought. The only reason I am reading the author's next book is because I ran out of reading material and there was an excerpt of her next book in the back. Seems quite promising, and I already purchased her next book.

Sexual Content:

The main character deals with losing her virginity. Also contains plenty of kissing and second base action. This is fairly mature for a YA novel.

Rating: 2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out

January 24, 2010

Review: Night's Rose

Night's Rose by Annaliese Evans

Book Description from goodreads.

'For nearly one hundred years, Rosemarie Edenberg has worked tirelessly to wipe the dreaded ogre tribe from the earth. Now the tribe has gathered in London to work a spell that will destroy the scourge of their kind, the one they call the Briar Rose. Two magnetic men will unite to aid Rose--her mysterious fey advisor, Ambrose, and the vampire Lord Shenley, an earl of scandalous reputation and even more scandalous appetites. One will save her, one will betray her, and both will challenge her to face the past that haunts her. Once upon a time, she was ensnared in the mists of enchantment, cursed to sleep one hundred years. But this beauty wasn't awakened with a kiss and has never known happily ever after. But with the help of her handsome allies, Rose may find it yet.'

Mini Description:
Rosemarie, or Rose, never got her happy ending, her hundred years of slumber was cut short. Instead of waking up to prince charming and a perfect kiss, she is awoken to a nightmare and the perfect monster. Now she is the scourge, killing all Ogre she can sink her blade into and working for the dark fairy. Rose's life of slaying however is jeopardized when a fairy prophecy holds her doom and everyone wants her dead. Only the two men in her life Gareth, a sexy vampire, and Ambrose, her fairy companion for the last century, offer to help her out. How can Rose trust anyone when one of them will betray her?

Review:
This tale takes place in 1750 in, the majority of the time, London. Rose has been working the ogre slaying scene for about a century. She trusts no one, even Ambrose who has been her companion during her century. Harsh and a kick butt fighter, Rose has to be my favorite version of the Sleeping Beauty princess. The ogres are so cool, most books that have Ogres never go into detail about them, they just like to eat. In Night's Rose we find out that Ogres not only eat humans to stay alive, but they also have to breed with these meals to keep the family going.

Evans compliments the time period beautifully. The dialogue in this novel is wonderful with the wit of the 1700 flavoring it. All of her writing fits so perfectly I can believe in the time period. At times, though, I feel a little modern thought, and dialogue, breaking out. Not enough to distract from the story, just enough to notice.

There aren't too many sex scenes in this novel, but the sexual tension killed this book for me. Instead of exploring this wonderful world Evans has created, or even just a little more character depth, the over the top sexual tension knocks any world building flat on its face. While I do understand that Night's Rose is a sub genre of romance, the story should always be on equal grounds (if not more) then the romance. At least in my book, I want them to balance out enough that I don't feel the sex taking away from the tale. There were sections in the story where Evans would dedicate a page, if not pages, to how hot and bothered one of the love interests was getting her. Forget that everyone was out to kill her.

The love interests where another sore point for me. Gareth, our yummy vampire, was definitely well done. The growth between Rose and Gareth was very appealing and moved slow enough to get to know the two, and swift enough so that it didn't drag. Now Ambrose, the dark fairy, irritated me to no end. I don't want to give anything away, so I'll be a little vague. Ambrose betrayal shocked me, I figured he would be the one, but it was just terrible. Rose though, after her initial upset is practically ready to go swooning into Ambrose's arms. Sure, the whole live and forgive thing is great and all, but I have lost respect for Rose.

Bottom Line:

This book would get a two from me, but where the reader is actually able to enjoy the world Evans has created it saves face. This is probably a library title. The only way I would even think about continuing the series, is that I have to know what is going to happen between Rose and Ambrose. I fear the worst, but then there's the chance that Rose might get some common sense.

Sexual Content:

Graphic sex scenes and over bearing sexual tension. (I don't want to give too much away.) There is a rape, we don't get into the rape, only the after math of it.

My Rating: 2/5- Average/disappointing, library check-out

January 22, 2010

Review: King's Property (Queen of Orcs)

King's Property by Morgan Howell

Book description from goodreads:

'Born into hardship, Dar learns to rely on herself alone. When her family betrays her, Dar is conscripted into King Kregant’s army and its brutal campaign to conquer a neighboring country. Now she is bound as a slave to a dreaded regiment of orcs, creatures legendary for their savagery and battle prowess. Rather than cower, Dar rises to the challenge. She learns the unique culture and language of the orcs, survives treachery from both allies and enemies, and struggles to understand a mystical gift that brings her dark, prophetic visions. As the war escalates–amid nightmarish combat and shattering loss–Dar must seize a single chance at freedom.'
The Queen of Orcs series has been floating around the fantasy scene for a while. I had plans to read the series for quite a while, then I read Howell's Servant Worth Ten Coppers. The book was wonderful, so I went out and bought all of her books that I could.

After reading King's Property I can finally justify my purchases and breath easy. The plot is a standard fantasy plot, but the writing is refreshing. Speaking of refreshing, the take on Orcs in this book is too cool. These are not the Orcs we're familiar with from Tolkien's work. They have a society and the females have the position of lords of the land, they make all of the decisions.

The lead female is a very strong character. The way Howell wrote her was wonderful. I felt complete frustration and anger with the character as she had to choose the lesser of two evils each time constantly to survive.

Conclusion:

This is a must have for any fantasy collection and I look forward to reading the other two books. Howell is obviously a fantasy queen.

Sexual Content:

This is a dark book and goes over the rough treatment of women and there lowly state in the scheme of things. No graphic sex scenes

3/5- Good, I liked it.

January 19, 2010

Review: Poison Study

Poison Study (Study, Book 1) by Maria V. Snyder

Genre: Epic Fantasy / YA Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Poison Study

Choose: A quick death…Or slow poison...

About to be executed for murder, Yelena is offered an extraordinary reprieve. She'll eat the best meals, have rooms in the palace—and risk assassination by anyone trying to kill the Commander of Ixia.

And so Yelena chooses to become a food taster. But the chief of security, leaving nothing to chance, deliberately feeds her Butterfly's Dust—and only by appearing for her daily antidote will she delay an agonizing death from the poison.

As Yelena tries to escape her new dilemma, disasters keep mounting. Rebels plot to seize Ixia and Yelena develops magical powers she can't control. Her life is threatened again and choices must be made. But this time the outcomes aren't so clear...

Review:
Epic Fantasy books and I have been on a “break.” Every once in a while I'd read a fantasy title, but would soon flee back to the comforting arms of Urban Fantasy. Poison Study was a great intro back into the wonderful world that is Epic Fantasy.

This is a reread for me, but I had to reread it because the series has finally released other installments. It was a great first novel. Snyder tells readers about Yelena's story, which skips the usual save the world tale that fantasy stories favor. Yelena is introduced to us when she is about to be executed, and is given the option to be the new food taster instead. The story carries on beautifully from there.

It’s intense watching Yelena blossom into a woman, and to see a female heroine with some brains. What I love the most is that the romance is subtle, it grows on you just as it sneaks up on Yelena. This book isn’t just the struggle of Yelena defending her life from her past and the future she deserves, but the struggle of a kingdom trying to become something more for it’s people.

The world building is so wonderful in this series, and the characters will linger in your mind long after. Some characters are exactly as they seem, while the inner depth you get on the King, Valek (Yelana’s poison teacher), and other friends of Yelena is just awe inspiring. They’re characters that would be missed if they don’t appear in future books.

If you’re a Epic Fantasy virgin, or a EF reader who’s burned out, Poison Study is the perfect fit for you. Snyder is a wonderful addition to the endless list of fantasy series out there, and clearly is passing the test of time. There’s a reason this series was bought up from Luna and republished, it’s just that good.

Sexual Content: Some might argue that there’s some homosexual themes, but I think it’s more about “women’s rights.” There is some sex, but it’s clean. Clean enough that I believe it’s no in print for YA.

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!

Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW:	Amazon:	Goodreads:
Poison Study (1) Magic Study (2) Fire Study (3)	Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle	Poison Study (1) Magic Study (2) Fire Study (3)

Review: The Awakening by Kelley Armstrong

The Awakening (Darkest Powers Trilogy, Book 2) by Kelley Armstrong

Genre: Paranormal YA
Edition Reviewed: Hardback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: The Awakening

You don't have to be alive to be awakened.

Chloe Saunders is a living science experiment—not only can she see ghosts, but she was genetically altered by a sinister organization called the Edison Group. She's a teenage necromancer whose powers are out of control, which means she can raise the dead without even trying. Now Chloe's running for her life with three of her supernatural friends—a charming sorcerer, a cynical werewolf, and a disgruntled witch—and they have to find someone who can help them before the Edison Group catches them.

Or die trying.

Review: After reading the first book in this series, The Summoning, and now the second installment, I can confidently say I much prefer Armstrong's young adult series. I've read the first three books of her Women of the Otherworld series and thought they were quite enjoyable. Yet they lacked something for me, and towards the end of each books I found myself getting bored.

I wasn't sure if I would like the main character, Chloe. At time’s it felt like Claire had just rolled off the assembly line of damselsRus. Claire holds her own, though, and it becomes fun watching her grow up. Armstrong has out done herself, Claire's voice has grown stronger even from the last title and she’s actually gotten some back bone. The “director mode” Claire has when she narrates is so fun.

The growing love triangle goes at a pace where you can truly enjoy and care for the love interests. The other characters are too cool, from the good guys to the evil guys. Kelly Armstrong simply rocks. Best part is you’re not required to be a Kelley Armstrong fan to enjoy these books.

5/5- Fabulous, a beautiful obsession!

Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW:	Amazon:	Goodreads:
The Summoning (1) The Reckoning (2)	Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle	The Summoning (1) The Reckoning (2)

January 18, 2010

100+ Reading Challenge 2010

100+ Reading Challenge

I am so excited to do this challenge. I never keep track of how many books I read, so this will be good for me. Plus I love a challenge, maybe my to read books will finally pass my reread titles.

Rules: The goal is to read 100 or more books. Anyone can join and you don't need a blog to participate.
Timeline: 1st Jan 2010-31st Dec 2010
You can find out more about the challenge and sign up here.

I'll list the books as I read them and then link the reviews to them.

Night Huntress by Yasmine Galenorn
The Awakening by Kelley Armstong
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
King's Property (Queen of Orcs, book 1) by Morgan Howell
Night's Rose by Annaliese Evans
Uninvited by Amanda Marrone
Revealers by Amanda Marrone
Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInereny
Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione
Aurian by Maggie Furey
A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole
Firespell by Chloe Neill
Three days to Dead by Kelly Meding
Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson
Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
The Frog Princess (Tales of the Frog Princess, book 1) by E.D. Baker
Gideon (The Nightwalkers, book 2) by Jacquelyn Frank
Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid, book 4) by Richelle Mead
Succubus Shadows (Gorgina Kincaid, book 5) by Richelle Mead
The Reckoning by Kelley Armstrong
Some Girls Bite by Chloe Neill
Marked by Passion by Kate Perry
Spider's Bite(Elemental Assassin, book 1) by Jennifer Estep
Kiss of Midnight
Burned by Kristin and P.C. Cast
Stormwalker (Stormwalker, book 1) by Allyson James
Lover Revealed by J.R. Ward
All Together Dead (Sookie Stackhouse, book 7) by Charlaine Harris
Bone Crossed by Patricia Briggs
The Heart of the Wolf (book 1) by Terry Spear
Colters' Woman (Colters' Legacy, Book 1) by Maya Banks
Cry Sanctary (Book 1, Red Rock Pass) by Moira Rogers
The Duke of Shadows by Merideth Duran
Warprize by Elizabeth Vaughan
Night's Cold Kiss by Tracey O'Hara
Black Dust Mambo by Adrian Phoenix
Secrets of a Summer Night (Wallflowers, #1) by Lisa Kleypas
The Devil's Due by Jenna Black
His Darkest Hunger (Jaguar Warriors, #1) by Juliana Stones
Hunted By The Others (H & W Investigations, #1) by Jess Haines
Glimmerglass by Jenna Black
Need by Carrie Jones
Once Bitten (Haven, #1) by Kalayna Price
Dark Needs at Night's Edge by Kresely Cole
Dark Desires After Dusk by Kresely Cole
Kiss of a Demon King by Kresely Cole
Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresely Cole
Jennifer Scales and the Messenger of Light by MaryJanice Davidson
Demon From the Dark by Kresley Cole
Vampire Knight Volume 1
Vampire Knight Volume 2
Vampire Knight Volume 3
Vampire Knight Volume 4
Vampire Knight Volume 5
The Better Part of Darkness by Kelly Gay
Wicked Enchantment by Anay Bast
Nightlife by Rob Thurman
Perfect Chemistry by Simone Elkeles
Firelight by Sophie Jordan
Nightshade by Andrea Cremer
Leaving Paradise by Simone Elkeles
Taken by the Others by Jess Haines
Moonlight
Lord of the Fading Lands by C.L. Wilson
Grave Witch
Fantasy Lover by Sherilyn Kenyon
Hush, Hush by Beth Fitzpatrick
Blue Bloods (Blue Bloods, Book 1) by Melissa de la Cruz
The Iron King by Julie Kagwa
Virigin River by Robyn Carr
Wicked Intentions by Elizabeth Hoyt
Witch Fire by Anya Bast

January 17, 2010

Review: Night Huntress

Night Huntress (Otherworld, Book 5) by Yasmine Galenorn

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Edition Reviewed: Paperback
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Night Huntress

We're the D'Artigo sisters: sexy, savvy operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. But being half-human, half-Fae means our supernatural talents always go haywire at the wrong time. My sister Camille is a wicked good witch who attracts men like honey attracts flies. Menolly's a vampire who's still getting the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Delilah, a werecat who's been marked by the Autumn Lord as one of his Death Maidens. And wouldn't you know it, Karvanak--the demon general who stole the third Spirit Seal--is back. And this time, he's out for blood...

The Hags of Fate enjoy seeing me squirm. First, my boyfriend, Chase, mutters another woman's name in his sleep. Then I discover the Autumn Lord has a very special plan for me. But things go from bad to deadly when Karvanak--the Rāksasa--returns. In order to get his greedy hands on both the fourth Spirit Seal and his former associate, Vanzir, he kidnaps Chase. Now, we have to find a way to rescue the man I love without risking the safety of both Otherworld and Earth...

Review:
Whenever I pick up an Otherworld book I'm always surprised by how much I enjoy them. Each sister has a fun take on Galenorn's world. Camille is the eldest, then Delilah, and finally Menolly. This book’s view point is from, my favorite sister, Delilah. It’s fun how the books transition from sister to sister. The plots always merge seamlessly, which is a good thing because there is a lot going on.

Sure, I’ll admit to having some doubts about Night Huntress. Despite that Galenorn made me interested in the relationship between Delilah and Chase (the full blooded human boyfriend). It wasn't the interspecies aspect, but the fact the Chase cheats on poor Delilah. Though, admittedly, Delilah was the first to cheat, except she fesses up to it. Sounds like crazy soap opera junk, right?. Well it works. Galenorn pulls everything off, and in spite of myself, I was cheering the lovebirds on.

These are paranormal romance books so if you have doubts I'd suggest checking them out from the library. The series is peppered with sexual content. Each book has enough insane plot and a wild cast of characters to make up for the crazy soap opera romance aspect. Every mythology you could possibly think of is packed into these books. I find myself not only waiting for the continuing adventures of the sisters, but pondering what crazy mythology Galenorn will think of next.

Sexual Content: These books are fairly graphic, so expect sex scenes.

4/5- Great! Really enjoyed it.

Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW:	Amazon:	Goodreads:
Witchling (1) Changeling (2) Darkling (3) Dragon Wytch (4) Night Huntress (5) Demon Mistress (6) Bone Magic (7) Harvest Hunting (8) Blood Wyne (9) Courting Darkness (10) Shaded Vision (11) Shadow Rising (12) Haunted Moon (13) Autumn Whispers (14) Crimson Veil (15)	Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle Paperback \| Kindle	Witchling (1) Changeling (2) Darkling (3) Dragon Wytch (4) Night Huntress (5) Demon Mistress (6) Bone Magic (7) Harvest Hunting (8) Blood Wyne (9) Courting Darkness (10) Shaded Vision (11) Shadow Rising (12) Haunted Moon (13) Autumn Whispers (14) Crimson Veil (15)

Month by Month: Janruary

This months reviews is just a way to see what I've reviewed for the month. Same rating style as posted on Reviews page.

Book Pile:

Night Huntress by Yasmine Galenorn
The Awakening by Kelley Armstong
Poison Study by Maria V. Snyder
King's Property (Queen of Orcs, book 1) by Morgan Howell
Night's Rose by Annaliese Evans
Uninvited by Amanda Marrone
Revealers by Amanda Marrone
Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney

Top of the Pile:

Is Poison Study. I almost couldn't decide between this one and Revealers.

Bottom of the Pile:

Howling at the Moon. I didn't even have to think about it.

Monthly Reviews

This months reviews is just a way to see what I've reviewed for the month. Same rating style as posted on Reviews page.

I'll add the reviews as a get them posted.

Challenges

This is where all the awesome challenges I'm participating in are posted.

100+ Reading Challenge in 2010

Challenge: 100+ Reading Challenge 2010
Host: J. Kaye's Book Blog
Ends: 1st Jan 2010 - 31st Dec 2010
Rules: The goal is to read a 100 or more books. Anyone can join. You don't need a blog to participate.

Check out my progress here.
Currently 25 out of 100.

Finish that Series Challenge 2010

If you want to join just click on the photo. The lovely ladies at Royal Reviews are hosting this review. If you want see my progress click here.
Currently 1 out of 20.

Reviews

All the Reviews are alphabetized by the authors last name. Not all of the books I've read have reviews posted here. I prefer to write reviews as I read the books. Maybe I'll go back and review the titles I've read in the past. For now, though, I'll start reviewing books I've started reading in 2010.

Disclaimer! Forgive any grammar issues, I'm a reader not a writer. Enjoy.

My review rating goes:

5/5- There are no excuses to miss this one!
4/5- Recommended read
3/5- Good, worth a read
2/5- Disappointing, library check-out
1/5- Terribly boring, I couldn't finish it or wish I hadn't

All of the books reviewed have been bought by me, unless otherwise posted.

Armstrong, Kelley