August 29, 2013

Review: Transforming Love

Transforming Love (Koning Clan, book 1) by Debra Smith

transforminglove

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Edition Reviewed: eBook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Transforming Love

Jenny never expected her thirst for freedom to lead to her capture. Family secrets prevent her from running from the only man tempting enough to make her submit to her body's desires.

Gryph is dark, sexy, and determined to win Jenny in the Slag, a contest revered by his kind. As the leader of his Clan he's used to getting his way, until her. Can he give Jenny her freedom while winning her heart?


Review:

***Copy received for an honest review by author.***

Transforming Love is basically, in house building terms, a frame without a foundation. The basic Paranormal Romance steps are here, but it feels like nothing is expanded on. After the last page turned—even while reading—the characters were instantly forgotten.

The sex scenes, definitely have potential. The romance wasn't fleshed out enough that the full affect of—what is clearly a great romantic concept—the courtship left me empty. The female lead (see still can't come up with names) was solid and I admired that she wanted to do things her way. The male leads acceptance and eventual sacrifice was amazing and I felt so bummed that I couldn't truly enjoy it.

The story feels like a rough draft. There needs to be more effort put in. It feels like I was reading a standard fanfic, an ode to the paranormal romance genre. There's clearly a lot of love for the work here.  To be a true story there needs to be sheetrock, paint, wiring, and a lot of other things to make it a home to paranormal romance readers. Right now those wooden beams are mighty shaky.

Sexual Content: Standard PNR lov’in.

 
1/5- I couldn't finish it or wish I hadn't


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:
Transforming Love (1)
Escaping Love (2) 

Transforming Love (1)
Escaping Love (2)
Transforming Love (1)
Escaping Love (2)

August 28, 2013

Wednesday Wishes

Well I’ve been posting here and there for a bit, but now things should start to get pretty regular around here. (Yeesh. Sounds like something for a stool softener commercial.)

Want to thank everyone for all of your well wishes and concerns.  And for everyone else going through with health scares with loved ones, my prayers are with you.


A Kiss of Blood by Pamela Palmer

kissofbloodGet it: Amazon | Goodreads
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Vamp City, book 2

Only one woman can save Vamp City...

One of the few humans who managed to escape the deadly twilight world of Vamp City, Quinn Lennox vows to never return. But the vampires want her back, for only she has the power to renew the magic of their crumbling world and free the vampires trapped within.

When the dangerous and all-too-seductive Arturo Mazza comes for her, Quinn knows she can never trust him after the betrayal she suffered at his hands. But with her beloved brother's fate hanging in the balance, and her own power beginning to emerge, she chooses to risk all on yet another perilous journey back to Vamp City. And though she tries to deny it, her heart begins to hold hope that even a ruthless vampire can learn the meaning of true love.(

I’ve been lusting after this one since reading book 1.

Damn Him to Hell by Jamie Quaid

damnhimtohellGet it: Amazon | Goodreads
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Saturn’s Daughter, book 2

Justice is blind. Justine isn’t. Book two in the Saturn's Daughter series, in which Tina Clancy is gifted with the power to dispense justice...for good or evil.

Tina Clancy is adapting to her new life as one of Saturn’s Daughters while living in the toxic part of Baltimore known as The Zone, and occasionally acting as a champion of the downtrodden, the weird, the innocent...and the sometimes not-so-innocent.

Just when she finally lands a real law job, the Zone is blasted by poisonous gas and her sometimes-boyfriend starts receiving visitors from Hell. He’s none too pleased about that, or in Tina having sent his granny to Hell in his place. For that matter, neither is granny…

Actually been lusting after the first book in the series and I’ve been goo-goo eyes for this one since I saw the pretty cover.

Stone Cold Lover by Mel Teshco

stonecoldloverGet it: Amazon | Goodreads
Genre: Paranormal Erotica
Series: Stone Cold and Dangerous, book 1

Stone-Cold Lover Mel Teshco Heiress Loretta Shaw is notorious for her loose morals and sexual needs. Trouble is, it's taken her one too many one-night stands to realize that no man can extinguish the sexual fire she feels toward her guardian, Cray Diamond. A long-ago curse made Cray immortal-a gargoyle, a guardian, who is impelled to protect a human chosen by the curse. He is imprisoned in stone during daylight hours but dusk returns him to flesh and bone to carry out his immortal duty. That Cray can shift between human and living gargoyle at night bothers Loretta not one bit. She's seen him naked many times and her desire for him-in any shape or form-knows no bounds. She's tired of his resistance. He's her gargoyle...and she wants him in her bed.

all right, I admit it. I’ve got a thing for Gargoyle erotica. Someone shared one with me and it totally fed my hunger. (Let’s be honest, if you’ve ever watched Gargoyles you’ve got the hots for Goliath.)

August 27, 2013

Review: Mist

Mist (Mist, book 1) by Susan Krinard

mist

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Edition Reviewed: eBook
Amazon: Paperback | Kindle
Goodreads: Mist

New York Times bestselling author Susan Krinard launches her first urban fantasy series

Centuries ago, all was lost in the Last Battle when the Norse gods and goddesses went to war. The elves, the giants, and the gods and goddesses themselves were all destroyed, leaving the Valkyrie Mist one of the only survivors.

Or so she thought.

When a snowy winter descends upon modern-day San Francisco in June, Mist’s quiet existence starts to feel all too familiar. In quick succession, Mist is attacked by a frost giant in a public park and runs into an elf disguised as a homeless person on the streets…and then the man Mist believed was her mortal boyfriend reveals himself to be the trickster god, Loki, alive and well after all these years.

Loki has big plans for the modern world, and he’s been hanging around Mist for access to a staff that once belonged to the great god Odin. Mist is certain of one thing: Loki must be stopped if there is to be any hope for Earth. But the fight is even bigger than she knows….

Because Loki wasn’t the only god to survive.


Review:

***Review copy provided through Netgalley for an honest review.***

Susan Krinard is a new to me author, but once I heard that there would be Valkyries I was all up in this book! Norse mythology! Um, yes please. A classic trickster Loki that can change shape into anything he wants, male or female, making for a pretty steamy and deceptive read! Sexy scandals. Check. Did I mention Valkyrie?? This title had everything that makes me foam at my metaphorical mouth! Then a few pages into the book it hit . . .

Valkyrie titles must be jinxed for me. Especially, the characters. To be honest I think Krinard was trying to make Mist the mythical legend—AKA the Valkyrie in question—more human. She isn't aware of how stunningly gorgeous she is, or when men are openly lusting after her. Mist also suffers from serious self doubt. Now I'm not saying those are bad qualities. But Mist is old. I mean she's a walking fossil old. At a certain point in her centuries old life I'd expect her to realize that "girls got sex appeal." One huge mistake in her past causes her to question every step she takes after that. It's just so unrealistic. Yes, it's good to question yourself. But not to a point where you would blindly trust a stranger, who clearly has evil intentions. Or to ignore your instincts when a "clue" just up and slaps you across the face. Mist has to be rescued numerous times, comes off as really-really stupid, and while her genuine kindness makes her endearing it can't save her character.

That stranger I mentioned above just happens to be a elf named Dainin. Who is a emotionless, cold hearted guy, who just happened to start Ragnarok. Of course he was tricked and is now living with a monster inside him. So for the write price he'd betray Mist. The majority of the book is set up to show what a hotty Dainin is, his suffering, and his eventual arrival to the point that he needs to help Mist out. Of course I can't forget that he would allow someone else to pay for his sins. Or the way he is willing to betray Mist. It's purely evil and it over shadows every move he makes, even when he's finally willing to die for Mist. Clearly he's the love interest in this series. One that I'm not feeling. He's a great character and highly fascinating, but it just doesn't work out for me. He still deceives Mist even after he realizes that he needs to help her. Hot N cold, sing it Perry.

This book was fairly long. But I felt like I just read the first half of a novel, where it's trying to frantically build up the world while making plot progress. For me there's barely anything that truly happens. Boredom is a feeling no reader should ever feel. The mythology was half baked at best and I felt that Krinard stepped back on a few of her "rules" of magic. There's too many questions running about at the end. Is Norse mythology the only true mythology of this world, are there others? How do they tie in? And on, and on! Plus, Loki's name gets mixed up with a few of the other characters. You can't have errors like that! Not when there is a character that can become anyone. I spent a good time wondering if it was an error, or if it was actually Loki.

In the end this title has potential I'm really curious as to what will happen in future books, but I'm only continuing if the next title can transform this series into what it could be. The action is tons of fun, even if Mist really never brings the heat. There's an interesting romance developing, even if I'm not that into it. The main reason for reading Mist is for Loki. Man is he scandalously delicious! Probably one of my favorite literary renditions of him. Come for the Norse mythology, stay for Loki.

Sexual Content: Nothing overly graphic, but there’s some sex and some naughty-naughty by Loki.

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


Previous book(s) in series:
Reviewed on BW: Amazon: Goodreads:
Mist (1)

Mist (1)
Mist (1)

August 21, 2013

Attention C.L. Wilson Fans!!

 

Honestly I thought us eager fans had scared Wilson off from ever giving us news about her much awaited The Winter King. However, being patient and waiting for her newsletter to come out fans have been rewarded!


From author C.L. Wilson’s newsletter:

CL WilsonIt’s official. My next fantasy romance, THE WINTER KING, is complete, submitted and scheduled for release August 2014.

The Winter King
Wynter Atrialan, the Winter King, once lived in peace with his southern, Summerlander neighbors, but when the prince of Summerlea steals Wynter’s bride and murders his young brother, Wynter calls upon a dangerous Wintercraig magic called the Ice Heart and marches against Summerlea.
 
After three bitter years of battle, a victorious Wynter arrives at Summerlea’s royal palace to issue his terms of surrender. The prince of Summerlea stole Wynter’s bride and slew Wynter’s Heir. He wants the loss replaced. The Ice Heart is consuming him. Wynter hopes holding his own child in his arms will rekindle the warmth in his heart before he becomes the monster of Wintercraig legend, the Ice King.
 
The Summer King has three very precious daughters whom he loves dearly. Wynter will take one of them to wife. She will have one year to provide him with an Heir. If she fails, he will send her to face the mercy of the mountains and claim another princess for his wife. And so it will continue until Wynter has his Heir or the Summer King is out of daughters.
 
The plan is perfect—except for one small detail. The Summer King has a fourth daughter. One of which he is not so fond. And she is a fiercely passionate creature, with a temper as volatile as the forces of her weathergift, the power of storms.
 
This book will be released August 2014 from Avon.
 
- Watch for updates at: http://clwilson.com

Goodness it sounds amazing! Even if it is a year off I’m still excited. (Plus, it gives me time to finally finish her first series . . . Yes. You already know I have a finishing-series-problem. Pity me.)

So what do you guys think? Excited? Nervous? Drop me a line.

August 19, 2013

Vampire Academy Official Trailer!

Despite many horrid adaptations of some of my favorite books, I never get tired of book to movies. I don’t know why. Maybe it’s because the few that I just adore. Whether they follow the book to the letter, or they’re more based off the idea. Such as Vampire Dairies, Blood and Chocolate, Stardust, Harry Potter, and so on.

Ahem. Now to the on to the main event.

Finally it’s the big reveal for the first Vampire Academy trailer!


I'm well . . . I’m excited. But to be honest it looks really tacky, and nothing like the humor of Mead’s world. It definitely comes off like the True Blood series to Sookie. Inspired by VA universe, but that’s probably where it ends.