[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Shadow's Claim

Kresley Cole  is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the electrifying Immortals After Dark paranormal series and the young adult Arcana Chronicles. She has also written five award-winning historical romances.

Since her first novel was released in 2003, Kresley has published nineteen books with Simon & Schuster and has seen her releases translated into more than eighteen foreign languages. She has traveled over much of the world and draws from those experiences to create her memorable characters and settings. Two of her favorite places to visit include the rain forests of Central America and the Queensland area of Australia.

Cole’s trademark action, sensuality, and humor are exemplified in her popular Immortals After Dark Series, which revolves around the Lore, a secret stratum of hundreds of immortal creatures--ranging from Vampires to Lykae, Furies to Shifters, and Fey to Valkyrie--that each have their strengths, weaknesses, and age old prejudices against the others. Though they secretly live among humans, they constantly war among themselves, which gives her a lot of material.

In 2007, Kresley won the prestigious Romance Writers of America RITA award for best paranormal for her novel A Hunger Like No Other, and in January 2009, she became a #1 New York Times and Publishers Weekly bestseller with her sixth IAD installment, Kiss of a Demon King. In 2010, Kiss of a Demon King earned Kresley her second RITA award. 2011 brought Cole her second #1 NYT bestseller with Dreams of a Dark Warrior.

She lives in Florida with her husband and far too many animals. She spends any free time traveling and enjoys all things related to boats and water. You can learn more about Kresley at www.kresleycole.com.

Shadow's Claim - THE DACIANS: REALM OF BLOOD & MIST Book #1
Author: Kresley Cole

Synopsis:
#1 New York Times bestseller Kresley Cole introduces The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist, a new paranormal series following the royal bloodline of Dacia, a vampire kingdom hidden within the Lore of the Immortals After Dark. Shadow’s Claim features Prince Trehan, a ruthless master assassin who will do anything to possess Bettina, his beautiful sorceress mate, even compete for her hand in a blood-sport tournament— to the death.

HE WON’T BE DENIED

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people—striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore’s most fearsome villains.

SHE’S BOUND TO ANOTHER

Desperate to earn her guardians’ approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she’s lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A BATTLE FOR HER BODY AND SOUL

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina’s heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium’s worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina’s own desires to a fever pitch. . . .

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*ARC received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Shadow’s Claim was an amazing blend of the best of the IAD series.  It included some of my favorites of the Lore and overlaps beautifully with the timeline of the last release, Lothaire.

Unlike other ‘spin-off’ series that I’ve read recently, wherein the plot of the debut book picks up where the last book of the previous series left off, Shadow’s Claim takes a subset of characters and actually happens in parallel with the events of Lothaire. This was made even more enjoyable when the timelines mesh at the end of the book.

Our hero and heroine: Trehan and Bettina are phenomenal together and easily worked their way into my top 3 IAD power couples. Their journey is intense, riddled with emotion, sexy as sin, and full of surprises.  I loved how it wasn’t a foregone conclusion that things were going to work out and give us that “Happily Ever After” that we expect from Paranormal Romances, and I actually wondered if Kresley might make us wait for Book #2 to find out what would ultimately happen.

The world: The realm of blood and mist was magical and complex, and Shadow’s Claim was made even more intricate by the fact that it took place in several different locales. Kresley painted the set beautifully with her descriptive prose, impeccable timing, and enthralling character interaction.

Overall story: The book was chock full of danger, intrigue, action, and romance.  The multiple twists and turns that were introduced made things fabulously unpredictable and extremely entertaining.

Some of my favorite things...
1)  Simply put, the depth of Trehan! It was completely mystifying, and he may very well have become one of my favorite PNR heroes.  Yes he’s a ruthless, detached assassin, but he’s also a somewhat vulnerable, bookish introvert. He shows indications of being a closet romantic, an art aficionado, and a loyal family man, and somehow manages to perfectly balance being an uber alpha male with having a surprising and wonderful soft side.

2)  The fact that Bettina’s entire future hinged on the outcome of a gladiator style life and death tournament was unique and made for high anxiety reading. It also paved the way for some very interesting little surprises that Kresley introduced, as well as some wonderful dialogue.

3)  The supporting characters were solid and felt necessary to the story. I found myself finding favorites among them outside of our leading couple and hoping that we find out even more in future releases. In addition, we get cameos from some great IAD veterans and more storyline on a couple that were only briefly mentioned before, therefore making me yearn for the future releases because there is just so much potential with these characters in play.

All in all, LITERAL ADDICTION gives Shadow’s Claim 5 Skulls and would recommend it to ALL Kresley Cole IMMORTALS AFTER DARK fans.

While I don’t think it’s 100% necessary to read the entire IAD series before reading Shadow’s Claim, I do feel that having done so made Shadow’s Claim more enjoyable. Reading Lothaire before Shadow’s Claim was a definite plus. With that said, IMMORTALS AFTER DARK is an incredible series and should be devoured by paranormal romance lovers far and wide, so take the plunge and get lost in the Lore. You won’t be disappointed! :)

Shadow's Claim

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Personal Demon

Susan Sizemore's life and interests include such varied activities as medieval costuming and embroidery, being a chef, and working in the defense industry.She is owned by her spoiled rotten, beloved mutt dog, rather than the other way around, and this is just fine with her.Current hobbies include hiking and studying t'ai chi. She travels whenever she can, loves history, loud music, movies, good coffee, and writes constantly.She hopes readers enjoy her stories as much as she enjoys writing them.She has won the Romance Writers of America's Golden Heart Award and has been nominated for two Romantic Times awards.

Personal Demon, LAWS OF THE BLOOD Book #6
Author:  Susan Sizemore

Synopsis:

Vampire Enforcer Christopher Bell is in Chicago to investigate rumors of a revolution, but when he comes across vampire hunter Ivy Bailey being followed through dark streets, what he finds is a ghost from his past. Over a century ago, Christopher fought the vicious London serial killer Jack the Ripper—and won. But now, the Ripper’s tainted soul is back—on the hunt once more.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer - Kathy M:

I wasn’t familiar with author Susan Sizemore’s work and so I was wonderfully surprised by how much I enjoyed Personal Demon.

Someone or something is committing horrifying murders with dark magic involved and Ivy Bailey, one of Chicago’s vampire hunters, is given the task of stopping the killings. Unfortunately, Vampire Enforcer Christopher Bell has his own investigation going on which keeps derailing Ivy’s mission.

One of my favorite aspects of this book is the bantering and bickering that goes one between these two.

Personal Demon has the perfect balance of darkness and snarkiness.

When I first started reading this book, I wasn’t aware that it was part of a series, The Laws Of The Blood Novels. Just a short way into Personal Demon, I knew that I would be getting the first 5 books of this series. It was just that good.

I happily give Personal Demon 5 skulls.

Personal Demon

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of The Dirty Streets of Heaven

Tad Williams has held more jobs than any sane person should admit to—singing in a band, selling shoes, managing a financial institution, throwing newspapers, and designing military manuals, to name just a few. He also hosted a syndicated radio show for ten years, worked in theater and television production, taught both grade-school and college classes, and worked in multimedia for a major computer firm. He is cofounder of an interactive television company, and is currently writing comic books and film and television scripts as well as novels.

Tad and his wife, Deborah Beale, live in the San Francisco Bay Area with their children and far more cats, dogs, turtles, pet ants and banana slugs than they can count.

The Dirty Streets of Heaven, BOBBY DOLLAR Book #1
Author:  Tad Williams

Synopsis:

Bobby Dollar is an angel—a real one. He knows a lot about sin, and not just in his professional capacity as an advocate for souls caught between Heaven and Hell. Bobby’s wrestling with a few deadly sins of his own—pride, anger, even lust.

But his problems aren’t all his fault. Bobby can’t entirely trust his heavenly superiors, and he’s not too sure about any of his fellow earthbound angels either, especially the new kid that Heaven has dropped into their midst, a trainee angel who asks too many questions. And he sure as hell doesn’t trust the achingly gorgeous Countess of Cold Hands, a mysterious she-demon who seems to be the only one willing to tell him the truth.

When the souls of the recently departed start disappearing, catching both Heaven and Hell by surprise, things get bad very quickly for Bobby D.End-of-the-world bad. Beast of Revelations bad. Caught between the angry forces of Hell, the dangerous strategies of his own side, and a monstrous undead avenger that wants to rip his head off and suck out his soul, Bobby’s going to need all the friends he can get—in Heaven, on Earth, or anywhere else he can find them.

You’ve never met an angel like Bobby Dollar. And you’ve never read anything like The Dirty Streets of Heaven.

Brace yourself—the afterlife is weirder than you ever believed.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer - Michelle M:

I have never really read a book about angels so I was definitely interested in reviewing this book. Although a little too detailed in some areas I did enjoy the story line. Heaven is a lot like our government in many ways and this is where I found there were too many details and I wanted to skip ahead. When a soul breaks away from the body it was in, an advocate from Heaven and Hell tell a judge the "good and bad" about this person so it is decided where they shall go following their death. This is where Bobby Dollar comes in.

Bobby Dollar is not your average angel, he cusses, drinks, loves women and is always getting himself into sticky situations. I honestly found him quite funny in a lot of the book and that was refreshing. The fact that he is an angel but in his "human" body and an average "bad boy" was a interesting concept. After a soul goes missing, Bobby questions the actions of both Heaven and Hell and it tends to bring some interesting characters to his door. You have his friend who can only talk while in pig form, a demon Countess that he is infatuated with and a guy that is a wanna be rapper/wanna be sidekick.

I tend to think of Urban Fantasy books as having a lot of action, this one didn't have as much as I would have liked. I would recommend this book to an Urban Fantasy lover and overall I give this book a 3 Skull rating.

The Dirty Streets of Heaven

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Dark Currents

Jacqueline Carey (born 1964 in Highland Park, Illinois) is an author and novelist, primarily of fantasy fiction.

She attended Lake Forest College, receiving B.A.'s in psychology and English literature. During college, she spent 6 months working in a bookstore as part of a work exchange program. While there, she decided to write professionally. After returning she started her writing career while working at the art center of a local college. After ten years, she discovered success with the publication of her first book in 2001.

Currently, Carey lives in western Michigan and is a member of the oldest Mardi Gras krewe in the state.

Dark Currents, AGENT OF HEL Book #1
Author:  Jacqueline Carey

Synopsis:

The Midwestern resort town of Pemkowet boasts a diverse population: eccentric locals, wealthy summer people, and tourists by the busload; not to mention fairies, sprites, vampires, naiads, ogres and a whole host of eldritch folk, presided over by Hel, a reclusive Norse goddess.

To Daisy Johanssen, fathered by an incubus and raised by a single mother, it’s home. And as Hel’s enforcer and the designated liaison to the Pemkowet Police Department, it’s up to her to ensure relations between the mundane and eldritch communities run smoothly.

But when a young man from a nearby college drowns—and signs point to eldritch involvement—the town’s booming paranormal tourism trade is at stake. Teamed up with her childhood crush, Officer Cody Fairfax, a sexy werewolf on the down-low, Daisy must solve the crime—and keep a tight rein on the darker side of her nature. For if she’s ever tempted to invoke her demonic birthright, it could accidentally unleash nothing less than Armageddon.
Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer, Tanya C:

Dark Currents by Jacqueline Carey is the first book in her new series
Agent of Hel and it quickly became one of my favorite books of 2012.
Each character played an important part in the overall story but
Daisy, the main female character was by far my favorite because she
kept things from getting too serious with her sense of humor. The main
male character Cody evened things out with his alpha male personality.
I loved the relationship between Daisy and her mother because it was
so easy going and they almost seemed to be more like best friends
instead of mother and daughter.

This book has almost any paranormal/supernatural being you can think
of which is just one of the reasons I found it to be such an enjoyable
book. Most books of this genre focus on one paranormal/supernatural
being but Jacqueline Carey has given us an incredibly well written
book with these amazing characters you can't help to like. Another
thing that I thought was great was the fact that the story focused on
the case instead of a potential romance. I found that to be refreshing
and very different. The pace of Dark Currents was just right and
Jacqueline Carey made sure that the mystery lasted throughout the
entire story.

LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer gives Dark Currents 5 Skulls.

Dark Currents

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Alchemystic

When not plotting against his mortal enemy Patrick Rothfuss, Anton Strout is the author of the Simon Canderous urban fantasy series for Ace Books including Dead To Me, Deader Still, Dead Matter and Dead Waters.
His new series with Ace Books is entitled The Spellmason Chronicles. Alchemystic is first in the series with the upcoming second book Stonecast due out on 9/24/12.

He is also the host and curator of content for The Once & Future Podcast, a weekly show that focuses on discussions with other working writers.

His other writing has appeared in a variety of anthologies—some of which include Simon Canderous tie-in stories—including: Boondocks Fantasy, The Dimension Next Door, A Girl’s Guide to Guns & Monsters, Pandora’s Closet, Spells of the City, and Zombie Raccoons & Killer Bunnies, Spells of the City, Boondocks Fantasy, After Hours: Tales from the Ur-Bar, and the upcoming Human For A Day .

He currently lives outside New York City in the haunted corn maze that is New Jersey (where nothing paranormal ever really happens, he assures you). In his scant spare time, he is an always writer, sometimes actor, sometimes musician, occasional RPGer, and the world’s most casual and controller-smashing video gamer. He also works in the exciting world of publishing, and yes, it is as glamorous as it sounds.

You can keep up with Anton online his Website, on Facebook, on Twitter, & G00dReads.

Alchemystic, SPELLMASON CHRONICLES Book #1

by Anton Strout

Buy from Amazon | B&N

Synopsis:AN OLD FRIEND OF THE FAMILY…
Alexandra Belarus is a struggling artist living in New York City, even though her family is rich in real estate, including a towering Gothic Gramercy Park building built by her great-great-grandfather. But the truth of her bloodline is revealed when she is attacked on the street and saved by an inhumanly powerful winged figure. A figure who knows the Belarus name…

Lexi’s great-great-grandfather was a Spellmason—an artisan who could work magic on stone. But in his day, dark forces conspired against him and his, so he left a spell of protection on his family. Now that Lexi is in danger, the spell has awoken her ancestor’s most trusted and fearsome creation: a gargoyle named Stanis.

Lexi and Stanis are equally surprised to find themselves bound to each other. But as they learn to work together, they realize that only united can they save the city they both love…

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer, LadyTechnie:

Truly amazing book! I received an early copy of the paperback edition for review from Literal Addiction. I am already a fan of gargoyles. I was a fan of the cartoon and love seeing pictures of them and especially love seen buildings that have gargoyles carved into the architecture. Alchemystic was a great adventure. I loved every page of it. It was the story of Alexandra Belarus who comes from a family with a deep architectural history in Manhattan. The Belarus clan also has a secret which they were not even aware, Alexander Belarus was gifted in magic that could control stone. He did leave them protection from something they are not even aware is a danger to them, something from his past. This protection comes in the form of Stanis, the coolest gargoyle ever!

This book has some wonderful character development. There were times that I wanted to kick Alexandra. She had her moments of being obviously entitled, bossing her friends around as if they were her sidekicks until she was faced with how treating them that way might affect her relationship with them. We watch her grow as a person and as she comes into her gifts. Alexandra's parents have secrets of their own as do most people. What happens when family secrets come to light? Some serious tension which pushes this book's characters stand out more. Alexandra's relationship with her brother is best depicted by the opening scene of the book. Words cannot express my opinion of Devon. He has to be experienced by each reader for themselves.

The action and magic in this book was truly great. The fight scenes were very well written and they did not all involve Stanis, though he was truly bada**. We learn a lot about his background and what his desires and goals are and how he is driven to complete those goals. No other words describe it and I love a well developed action sequence. This book had several exciting action scenes and architectural exploration hunting for hidden items needed to solve a mystery. I loved being introduced to Anton Stout's creatures in this book and his own spin on alchemy and gargoyles. I am totally enthralled by this story and I am really ready to know when book two comes out because it promises to be a serious knuckle biter!

LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer gives Alchemystic 5 Skulls.

Alchemystic

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Cold Days

Jim Butcher is a martial arts enthusiast with fifteen years of experience in various styles including Ryukyu Kempo, Tae Kwon Do, Gojo Shorei Ryu, and a sprinkling of Kung Fu. He is a skilled rider and has worked as a summer camp horse wrangler and performed in front of large audiences in both drill riding and stunt riding exhibitions.

Jim enjoys fencing, singing, bad science fiction movies and live-action gaming. He lives in Missouri with his wife, son, and a vicious guard dog.

Jim goes by the moniker Longshot in a number of online locales. He came by this name in the early 1990′s when he decided he would become a published author. Usually only 3 in 1000 who make such an attempt actually manage to become published; of those, only 1 in 10 make enough money to call it a living. The sale of a second series was the breakthrough that let him beat the long odds against attaining a career as a novelist.

All the same, he refuses to change his nickname.

Cold Days, THE DRESDEN FILES #14
Author: Jim Butcher

Synopsis:HARRY DRESDEN LIVES!!!

After being murdered by a mystery assailant, navigating his way through the realm between life and death, and being brought back to the mortal world, Harry realizes that maybe death wasn’t all that bad. Because he is no longer Harry Dresden, Chicago’s only professional wizard.He is now Harry Dresden, Winter Knight to Mab, the Queen of Air and Darkness. After Harry had no choice but to swear his fealty, Mab wasn’t about to let something as petty as death steal away the prize she had sought for so long. And now, her word is his command, no matter what she wants him to do, no matter where she wants him to go, and no matter who she wants him to kill.
Guess which Mab wants first?Of course, it won’t be an ordinary, everyday assassination. Mab wants her newest minion to pull off the impossible: kill an immortal. No problem there, right? And to make matters worse, there exists a growing threat to an unfathomable source of magic that could land Harry in the sort of trouble that will make death look like a holiday.
Beset by enemies new and old, Harry must gather his friends and allies, prevent the annihilation of countless innocents, and find a way out of his eternal subservience before his newfound powers claim the only thing he has left to call his own…

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
THE DRESDEN FILES is one of my absolute favorites and I don't wait long to read the installments when they're released, so to say that I was a bit giddy after receiving an ARC from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review would be an understatement.

I settled in as soon as I could with it, and 100 pages in I was already saying: "The brilliance of Jim Butcher & the fantastical world of Harry Dresden never cease to amaze me! 20 pages in I had counted no less than 3 pop culture reference, laughed audibly at least a handful of times, shook my head with wonder & wanted nothing more than to call in sick & read for the next 18+ hours straight"

Upon completion of the book 2 days later, my exact words were: "5 stars isn't nearly enough for a book that had me laughing, crying, gasping, and so much more. And only Jim Butcher could give me 515 pages of so much goodness that it was almost overwhelming, yet leave me desperately wanting more after the last page was turned. Just...wow!"

This release had it all and then some, and this review isn't going to begin to do it justice, but...

One statement could sum up this book: Harry's back - bigger and better than ever!

The reference humor was stellar, the action, as always, was intense and mystifying, the intrigue and mystery were compelling and gripping and every last page left me wanting more and there were more than enough surprises to go around.

In true Jim Butcher fashion, Cold Days starts quick, builds steadily, grows to an almost combustible crescendo and then closes with a sequence of events that literally had my heart racing and me screaming out loud in outrage, shock, and frustration.

Well over 10 books ago I would have said that I didn't think it could get any better. I'd have been wrong. It has, it does, and I have a feeling it will continue to do so.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Cold Days a WELL deserved 5 Skulls and strongly urges anyone who hasn't read The Dresden files to start, and soon. This series is epic and will continue to be an easy favorite and an automatic auto-buy for me.

Cold Days

 

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Dire Wants

Stephanie Tyler  New York Times Bestselling author Stephanie Tyler writes what she loves to read - romantic suspense novels starring military heroes and paranormal romance novels novels starring warrior heroes, all complete with happy endings. She also co-writes as Sydney Croft. She lives in New York with her husband, her kids and her crazy Weimaraner, Gus.

For more information on Stephanie, please visit www.stephanietyler.com or email her at stephanie@stephanietyler.com.
For more information on Sydney, please visit www.sydneycroft.com or email Sydney at sydney@sydneycroft.com

Dire Wants, ETERNAL WOLF CLAN Book #2
Author: Stephanie Tyler

Synopsis:
The supernatural world is rising up against the human one. The weretrappers want control, and only the immortal Dire wolves stand in the way of total destruction. Stray, a Dire, and his long-lost brother, Killian, emerge as the leaders of their pack. To keep themselves and the humans safe, the Dires need a witch as powerful as Seb, who betrayed the Dires to work for the weretrappers.
They find what they are looking for in Kate, a human who survived a horrible car accident that left her back scarred with a handprint no one else can see. Stray senses Kate's abilities as a witch and recruits her to help the Dires—all the while knowing she is so powerful they will need to kill her once she helps defeat the weretrappers.
Stray doesn't expect the powerful connection that he feels with Kate, or his irresistible need to protect her. They cannot hide their feelings or each other, and what once was taboo now seems inevitable…

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
Dire Wants is the second book of the ETERNAL WOLF CLAN series, and is action packed, deep, intriguing & stuffed with goodness!

Soooo much happens in this installment, it might be a little difficult review to write a review keeping to my 'no spoiler' policy, but I will try...

Dire Wants picks up where Dire Needs left off, with the Dire wolves and their Were allies fighting against the Were Trappers and the demon possessed witch Seb and his Were minions in a race to save the world.

Stray, the newest and youngest of the Dire pack and his estranged older brother Killian are 2 parts of a prophecy that could either save all of the wolves and humans or utterly destroy everything. Together with a powerful witch who doesn't yet know that she IS a witch, they could defeat the Dire Ghost Army that Seb has called up AND save Jinx's twin brother Rogue from the curse he's been under. The problem is that all of this takes trust on everyone's part, and after the tortured histories these wolves have, trust doesn't come easily.

Dire Wants is Stray and Kate's story, but it also delves into the disfunctional family workings of Stray and Killian, as well as Jinx and the rest of the Dire pack, not to mention the Were brothers Cyd and Cain and their relationship with the FBI agent Angus Young. It also gives some background on Seb's lost love and introduces what previously would have been a very unlikely ally.

The ETERNAL WOLF CLAN series is very deep. It's a complex world with lots of different pieces, a plethora of characters who each play their respective roles, and several smaller storylines that integrate to create the plot as a whole. With that said, while Stephanie did a great job of recapping in Dire Wants, I would strongly suggest that you read the Dire Warning eNovella and Dire Needs before you take the plunge with Dire Wants.

For the sake of a complete review, I have to mention that there are some homosexual scenes in this installment. Stephanie did a beautiful job of writing them in and I was incredibly excited to see where she took that particular sub-story. Even if you're not generally a fan of m/m romance, this is so much more than that. It's the strugglings of a somewhat forbidden relationship, regardless of sex, and I'm really looking forward to reading more as the series progresses.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Dire Wants 4 Skulls. I'm very eager to see where this series goes next!

Dire Wants

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Between Their Worlds

Barb and JC Hendee live south of Portland, Oregon. Together, they write the best-selling Noble Dead Saga, mixing high fantasy with creatures of the undead in an epic structure. www.NobleDead.org

Between Their Worlds, NOBLE DEAD SAGA Series #3, Book #1
Authors: Barb & JC Hendee

Synopsis:

Magiere and Leesil must rescue Wynn Hygeort from her captivity in the Guild of Sagecraft. But Wynn doesn’t want to give up access to the ancient scrolls that may help them locate the last of the magical Orbs coveted by the Ancient Enemy.


Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:Between Their Worlds is Book #1 of Series #3 of the NOBLE DEAD SAGA and reunites the characters from the first two series after they had broken off to take care of their respective pieces of the puzzle.
It was so nice to have my favorites back in one place - for better or worse - and now that the baseline has been reestablished for what needs to be done and they've split up yet again, the mystery and action to come promises to be incredible!

Between Their Worlds allows the reader into the minds of Wynn, Chane, Magiere, Leesil, Chap and Shade as they meet up again after their long separation and continue on with some unlikely allies and the reappearance of some old friends.

Not all Noble Dead fans will love this book, and some may feel like it was an unnecessary filler novel. I personally feel that it was necessary for the continuation of the saga, and was a beautifully emotional read. To me, it was like coming home again...
LITERAL ADDICTION gives Between Their Worlds 4 Skulls.

Between Their Worlds

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of The Fangover

Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love
Erin and Kathy have been friends for over ten years and have taken many trips to New Orleans together - they've made friends on Bourbon Street, listened to lots of Journey, seen many a weird thing, and shared a lot of laughs. So, when they talked about collaborating on a book, it made sense to combine three things that they both love: New Orleans, vampires, and a sense of the absurd.

While they conceived the story idea and time line together (not to mention the awesome chapter headings), Erin rote Wyatt and Stella's story and Kathy wrote Cort and Katie's.


The Fangover
Authors: Erin McCarthy & Kathy Love

Synopsis:

When rock-god vampire Johnny Malone commits suicide, the rest of The Impalers gather for an Irish wake and jam session to send their bandmate off in style. But alcohol-laced blood and grief make for one hell of a combination…

When her brother, Johnny, dies, Stella Malone’s grief lands her in the buff arms of The Impalers’ bass player. While her tryst with Wyatt had some serious bite, Stella isn’t looking for a relationship, especially after a tipsy argument leads to her getting stuck in bat form at the wake. The rest of the hungover Impalers are in no shape to help her, meaning that Stella’s one night stand is the only one who can help her figure out what really happened last night. Only Wyatt doesn’t have a clue what happened last night, either, nor does he know that Stella is the bat currently dive-bombing his head. But he does have her purse and that has to be a start, right? Or not. On the other hand, there is a priest passed out in the bathtub and an alcoholic parrot squawking about a chapel of love... Which might explain the ring on Berto Cortez’s finger. How did a night of rock ’n’ roll debauchery result in him turning sexy washboard player Katie Lambert into a vampire and then marrying her? He wouldn’t. He couldn’t. But he can’t quite remember, exactly. Which means these four friends turned amnesiac couples have only one choice: hit the famed Bourbon Street for some answers…


Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

I've been excited for this release since the last time that LITERAL ADDICTION hosted Kathy Love and then Erin McCarthy separately for Author Events and we chatted about it a bit in the Live chat with Erin.
I jumped on it the minute it was auto-delivered to my Kindle and spent the night laughing, shaking my head with a smile and ultimately loving the light-heartedness and cohesiveness of the tale.
As the intro states, Kathy and Erin each took a different couple and wrote their tales and then sat down and worked out the timeline and chapter layout. When all was said and done, what they ended up with was a Paranormal Hangover/Bridesmaids spoof with lots of humor and mystery, revolving around some truly lovable characters and a wonderful setting, all wrapped up with 2 unique love stories and some fun surprises.

All in all, it was sex, blood, & rock-n-roll and I found myself asking "What more could you want?", then answering with: "Maybe an alcoholic parrot singing Barry White, a priest in a bathtub, a curiously missing fang, a couple of wedding rings, a newly made vampire, & an Elvis cookie jar!?"

The Fangover was entertainment that only Erin McCarthy & Kathy Love could provide! It had lots of laughs, red-hot romance, baffling intrigue & surprise and was truly a mood-lifting read.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives The Fangover 4 Skulls.


The Fangover

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of The Watcher

Charles Maclean was born in 1946 and educated at Eton and Oxford. In the mid-seventies he researched and wrote "The Wolf Children", a true story of two girls found living with wolves in the jungles of Bengal. It was published to wide acclaim in 1977. A founder of The Ecologist magazine, he has written a number of books on the landscape and culture of Scotland, including Island on the Edge of the World (1972), winner of the Scottish Arts Council Award, Scottish Country (1992) AND rOMANTIC sCOTLAND (2000). His fiction includes The Watcher (1982), The Silence (1996) and Home Before Dark (2009). Charles is married with four children and lives in Aryll.

The Watcher
Author: Charles Maclean

Synopsis:

Friday, Rush Hour. Martin Gregory just manages to catch the 4:48 train. Tomorrow is his wife's birthday and he plans to devote the weekend to her and their beloved dogs. But when he rises in the morning, Gregory does something so horrific, so inexplicable, and so out of character that his only option is to run.

A lost horror classic back in print at last, The Watcher chronicles Martin as his quest for understanding plunges him through shifting realities and twisted corridors of time, and into the deepest recesses of the human mind.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*Complimentary copy received in exchange for an honest review

The Watcher is a deep psychological thriller with mind numbing twists and turns, reminiscent of the good 80's style psycho-horrors where nothing is quite as frightening as the human mind.

I honestly wasn't sure if I would be able to read this book to completion. The Event that takes place at the beginning that sets up the rest of the story is utterly and completely disturbing and I literally had to take a break from the book after reading it to let it settle.
Once I got back to the tale though, it was a steady influx of madness and paranoia, mystery and intrigue, and had me wondering over and over again who the hero and villain really were, or if there were actually any at all!
It's definitely a tale that will have your mind working overtime to try and figure out what's really going on, and even when it's all said and done, if you're like me, you still won't be sure what exactly happened, which all leads to the beauty of the doubt that Charles Maclean weaves into his story.

While not the best horror/thriller I've read recently, it was solid and compelling, and I'm glad I had the chance to read it.
LITERAL ADDICTION gives The Watcher 3 1/2 Skulls.

The Watcher

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Edge of Oblivion

J.T Geissinger A life-long lover of reading and a self-professed “book addict,” J.T. Geissinger didn’t realize her dream of writing a novel until a milestone birthday forced her to take stock of her goals in life. Always believing the right time to commit to putting pen to paper would magically announce itself, it took waking up one cold January morning with a shiny new zero as the second number in her age to kick start her determination.

Starting on that very day, she wrote what would become Shadow’s Edge in a little over four months and submitted it to several literary agents. Nothing happened. Thinking that was the end of that but by no means willing to give up on her dreams of being published, she began work on a second manuscript.

Then, during a trip to Italy in honor of their 10th wedding anniversary and the honeymoon she and her husband never took, she received an email that would change her life. It was from an agent, Marlene Stringer of Stringer Literary, and it contained the three words every aspiring author longs to hear: “I loved it.”

Marlene sold the manuscript, initially titled The Skinwalker’s Daughter, to Montlake Romance who published it six months later. Hitting the #1 Amazon bestseller lists for Fantasy Romance in both the US and the UK within weeks of publication, Shadow’s Edge is the culmination of the refusal to give up (some would say grow up) with the staunch belief that all good things come to those who wait…and sometimes to those who wait longest.


Edge of Oblivion - NIGHT PROWLER series Book #2
Author: J.T Geissinger

Synopsis:

In a dark underground cell, Morgan Montgomery waits to die. A member of the Ikati, an ancient tribe of shape-shifters, Morgan stands convicted of treason. And Ikati law clearly spells out her fate: death to all who dare betray.But there is a glimmer of hope. Thanks to her friendship with Jenna, the new queen of the Ikati, Morgan has one last chance to prove her loyalty. She must discover and infiltrate the headquarters of the Expurgari, the Ikati’s ancient enemy, so they can be destroyed once and for all. The catch? She has only a fortnight to complete her mission and will be accompanied by Xander Luna, the tribe's most feared enforcer. If Morgan fails, her life is forfeit. Because Xander is as lethal as he is loyal, and no one—not even this beautiful, passionate renegade—will distract him from his mission. But as the pair races across Europe into the heart of Italy, the attraction blooming between them becomes undeniable. Suddenly more than justice is at stake: so is love.Sensual, thrilling, and action-packed, Edge of Oblivion will enthrall readers with nail-biting suspense and heart-pounding passion.


Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
*ARC received from the Publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Edge of Oblivion was my first foray into the world of NIGHT PROWLER and the mind of J.T Geissinger and immediately upon completion of the book I was kicking myself because I didn't take the time to read Shadow's Edge first - not that Edge of Oblivion didn't stand well on its own, on the contrary, it worked as a standalone just fine - but because it was so amazing I simply wanted more!

My exact words upon completion of the book were "Wow, quite possibly the best shifter book I have read in awhile. A diabolical villain with a God complex, supporters of the villain who are trapped and brainwashed, a headstrong, smart, confident heroine, a tortured, sexy alpha male looking for his redemption, supporting characters you NEED to know more about, and a plot that keeps you guessing, gasping, and wanting more. The NIGHT PROWLER series is truly something special, and after the end of Edge of Oblivion, I cannot wait to see what happens next!"

It was all of that and more...

Our heroine, Morgan, has been sentenced to death for endangering the secrets and wellfare of her Ikati colony. Luckily for her, the Queen of the colony is a close friend and not one who is willing to just see Morgan executed. Her only saving grace is to travel to Rome under the watchful eye of the Queen's Consort's brother (and one of the colony's best assassins), Xander, to find the elusive Expurgari - the tribe's enemy of old.

During their trip, Morgan and Xander get WAY more than they bargained for - secrets, mayhem, murder, betrayal, and lust to just name a few, all wrapped up in the secretive world of the Ikati and layered under the ancient history of the Vatican.

Edge of Oblivion was a dark, dangerous, sexy, action-packed thrill ride and I wanted more the minute the last page was flipped.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Edge of Oblivion 5 Skulls and recommends it to Paranormal addicts far and wide (Urban Fantasy junkies, Paranormal Romance lovers, and fans of the Shifter supe-group should definitely check out this book and the series as a whole).

Edge of Oblivion

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Lethal Rider

Larissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who penned her first novel at the age of 13 and hasn't stopped writing since. She has been a U.S. Air Force meteorologist, an EMT, and a professional dog trainer, and you never know when one of those interests will pop into her novels.

She lives a nomadic existence with her U.S. Coast Guard husband and son, so her writing career has been a blessing -- a job that moves easily.


Lethal Rider, Book #3 of the Lords of Deliverance series
Author: Larissa Ione

Synopsis:
They're here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday...or let it ride...

LETHAL RIDER

Thanatos, the most deadly Horseman of the Apocalypse, has endured thousands of years of celibacy to prevent the end of days. But just one night with the wickedly sexy Aegis Guardian, Regan Cooper, shatters centuries of resolve. Yet their passion comes with a price. And Thanatos must face a truth more terrifying than an apocalypse-he's about to become a father.

Demon-slayer Regan Cooper never imagined herself the maternal type, but with the fate of the world hanging in the balance she had no choice but to seduce Thanatos and bear his child. Now, as the final battle draws closer and his rage at being betrayed is overshadowed by an undeniable passion for the mother of his child, Thanatos has a life-shattering realization: To save the world, he must sacrifice the only thing he's ever wanted-a family.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Associate Reviewer - Mich M:

I have always had faith in Larissa as she's yet to steer me wrong, though after the events in Immortal Rider I was doubly curious as to what would happen in Lethal Rider and how she would redeem Regan in the readers eyes.

Thanatos & Regan are both hiding secrets from each other and everyone around them, neither fully trusting anyone - that alone gave me an idea that this would be an emotional journey! Throw in a heavily pregnant Regan, a pending apocalypse and people trying to kill her and you have an action packed plot.

I must admit that I absolutely adore stories with pregnancies and babies, it's not to common in the world of Paranormal romance though so I always expect a little more from it and I certainly wasn't disappointed.
I couldn't help but feel for Regan as you uncover the truth about her history with the Aegis and her origins, you could feel her struggling to deal with her actions and also her feelings with both Thanatos and the baby growing inside her. Yes her actions in Immortal Rider weren't forgiveable but I do like the fact that she felt remorse and I like to believe that if she hadn't been drugged also then there may have been a different outcome. At the end of the day she can't change the past and the only forgiveness she needs is her own and Thanatos's.

Thanatos owns the page when he's in a scene, seriously he's my favourite brother. I loved the insights we get into his character and his developing relationship with Regan. I love the fact that they didn't resolve their issue's right away, they had to put the effort in and I believe it was worth it.
There's so much going on with Thanatos & Regan's relationship. I enjoyed catching up with Wraith the most, though the plot developments in this book are amazing and it really sets everything up nicely for Reseph's book. I can't wait for Rogue Rider and the upcoming Demonica novels. Larissa is an amazingly talented woman and her books remain on my favourites list. A well deserved 5 skulls!


Lethal Rider

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Kissed by a Vampire

Caridad Pineiro was born in Havana, Cuba and settled in the New York Metropolitan area after coming to the States. She attended Villanova University (Go Wildcats!) on a Presidential Scholarship and graduated magna cum laude. Caridad earned her juris doctor from St. John’s University and became the first female partner of Abelman, Frayne & Scwab, and intellectual property firm in midtown Manhattan.

She is a multi-published and award-winning author whose love of the written word developed when her fifth grade teacher assigned a project – to write a book that would be placed in a class lending library. She has been hooked on writing ever since.

When not writing, Caridad teaches workshops on various topics related to writing and heads a writing group.


Kissed by a Vampire, THE CALLING series
Author: Caridad Pineiro
Synopsis:

For two thousand years, vampire elder Stacia has roamed on her own, haunted by the betrayal that turned her into a creature of the night. Her nights looming empty and eternal, Stacia longs for love, but settles for quick bites and sinful pleasures in South Beach. Until she comes face-to-face with the unforgettable DEA agent she once brought back from the brink of death.Alex Garcia knows that demons exist—the real kind, the kind that are kidnapping women and selling them into slavery. Finding those victims is his focus—not a beautiful seductress whose otherworldly abilities can't possibly be real. But when Stacia summons all her powers to prove what she really is, Alex will summon all his to believe in the vampire's kiss.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
I LOVE The Calling series! It's easily one of my favorite vampire series out there. When I discovered it, I devoured every book that was out there in a 3 day span I think, and then... I waited. Hoping that Caridad would be putting out another book in the series soon. I finally got my wish!

I was fortunate enough to win a signed copy of this book and was ecstatic to say the least. I've waited a long time for Stacia to find the perfect guy & get her happily ever after and it was wonderful to see it all come together.
Alex and Stacia met in a previous book of the series and in an unusual way. They went their separate ways, but even though life carried on, neither of them really forgot the other. When fate intervenes and they both end up back in Miami years later, things heat up in more ways and in more places than the beach, and they both find in each other something worth holding on to.
Alex is a fabulous hero. He's super sexy, ambitious, honorable and alpha and he knows when it's not smart to push a woman too far. He's also incredibly romantic (at least he was to me) and I loved watching him fight for the girl.

Stacia is one of the oldest vampires around. She's powerful beyond believe, stubborn, independent, confident, and yet vulnerable. Her turning broke something in her that has never really healed and throughout The Calling series you find her doing things that you know SHE knows she shouldn't be doing, and yet... she does. When she meets Alex again she tries to quickly put that wall back up and keep her distance because it's like she doesn't think she deserves to be loved, but Alex isn't having that and brick by brick that wall is broken down.

Alex and Stacia's relationship journey was really something special and amidst all of the action, drama, mystery and danger that the storyline provided, it was an incredible read that had me melting by the end. Both of these characters had to learn and realize things about themselves before they could make it work as a team and it was truly beautiful when everything fell into place.

The Calling remains one of my very favorite vampire series, and I am SO happy that we finally got Stacia and Alex's tale. I'm curious to see if they'll ever get their 'Happily Forever' instead of just they're 'Happily Ever After', but we'll just have to wait and see. ;)

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Kissed by a Vampire 4 1/2 Skulls and would recommend The Calling series to EVERYONE! You can read Kissed by a Vampire as a standalone novel, but I highly suggest that you read the other books of the series first. You won't be disappointed. Caridad is a master storyteller and the books will grab you from page 1.


Kissed by a Vampire
 

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Rogue Rider

Larissa Ione is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who penned her first novel at the age of 13 and hasn't stopped writing since. She has been a U.S. Air Force meteorologist, an EMT, and a professional dog trainer, and you never know when one of those interests will pop into her novels.

She lives a nomadic existence with her U.S. Coast Guard husband and son, so her writing career has been a blessing -- a job that moves easily.


Rogue Rider, Book #4 of the Lords of Deliverance series
Author: Larissa Ione

Synopsis:
They're here.

They ride.The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

Born of a match between good and evil, four siblings stand between hell's minions and everything they want to destroy. They are the Lords of Deliverance, and they have the power to ward off Doomsday . . . or let it ride . . .

ROGUE RIDER

Jillian Cardiff came to this remote mountain town to forget the demon attack that almost killed her. Instead, she rescues-and falls for-a gorgeous stranger who has no memory of anything other than his name. Handsome, charming, and protective, Reseph seems like the kind of man whom Jillian can trust. But with hints of a troubling history of his own, he's also the kind of man who can be very dangerous . . .

Reseph may not know why he mysteriously appeared in Jillian's life, but he knows he wants to stay. Yet when Jillian's neighbors are killed, and demon hunters arrive on the scene, Reseph fears that he's putting Jillian in danger. And once it's revealed that Reseph is also Pestilence, the Horseman responsible for ravaging the world, he and Jillian must face the greatest challenge of all: Can they forget the horrors of a chilling past to save the future they both desire?

Our Review [by Michelle L. Olson – LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha]:
*ARC received from NetGalley

Rogue Rider is the 4th installment of the LORDS OF DELIVERANCE series and Larissa wraps things up with a beautiful bow in this 'final' release.

I have been a HUGE Larissa Ione fan since the day I discovered her first DEMONICA novel. When the LORDS OF DELIVERANCE series kicked off I was immediately drawn in. The world is grand and compelling, the characters are unique and complex, the storylines are action packed and full of beautiful romance and drama...in short, they're a Paranormal Romance lover's dream!

After Ares', Limos' and Than's books, I was wondering how in the world Larissa would be able to redeem Reseph and give him a believable happily ever after. After all of the death and destruction he caused as Pestilence and the hate-on he earned from me as a reader because of it, I couldn't draft out an idea in my head of how Larissa could spin it, wrap it up and make me love him again. I shouldn't have worried.

Following the climactic ending of Lethal Rider, Rogue Rider starts out with Reseph as an amnesiac back in the human realm. When he's discovered by Jillian, a gorgeous young woman healing from a traumatic past, they start to undertake the journey of discovering Reseph's story together and get more than they could ever bargained for.This book was chock full of goodness and I so badly want to tell you all about it but I just don't do spoilers in my reviews, so I will simply say this... there was mystery, intrigue, betrayal, forgiveness, heartache and loss, healing and romance, epic surprises, and so much more - all tied into the world we've come to know and love and the characters we can't get enough of. Here are some key points that I can share:*Reseph will probably never forgive himself for everything that he did as Pestilence and having Jillian in his life is going to make dealing with things both easier and harder because their paths have crossed before. However, he couldn't have found a more perfect mate.

*Reseph's family deals with his return in varying ways, and there is going to be a long road of trust rebuilding ahead!*One of the epic surprises in this book is an incredible set up for the next book and its hero (FYI: Larissa is merging the 2 series even more in the next installment due out Summer of '13).

Rogue Rider was wonderful and LITERAL ADDICTION gives it 4 1/2 Skulls.

I HIGHLY recommend all of Larissa's books! With that said, I suggest that readers start with her DEMONICA series and then move on to her LORDS OF DELIVERANCE novels - in order - to fully appreciate the brilliance. Trust me, you will not be sorry you did...

Rogue Rider