[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Adam

Jacquelyn Frank  was born in NY, started writing romantic fiction at the tender age of 13, and currently lives in North Carolina with her family, which of course includes her 9 beloved furbabies [read:  cats].

Adam, Book #6 of the Nightwalker series

Author:  Jacquelyn Frank

Synopsis:  Hunted by magic, beset by evil, the Nightwalkers face their darkest hour yet. And when the unthinkable happens, only one legendary male has the power, the will, to save them: Adam…

For 400 Years He Was Lost To Her, But He Is Hers Tonight…

From their first tantalizing touch, Jasmine knows he is different. What other lover could unlock her tight control, flood vampire senses jaded by a lifetime of decadent self indulgence? Centuries ago, when he disappeared without a trace, she had given up hope of ever fulfilling the promise of incomparable passion. But here he is, against the very laws of nature, ready to bring down their most vicious enemy, ready to bring her blood to the boiling point…if she will only let him.

Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha – Michelle L Olson]: 

Jacquelyn Frank is an amazing artist with the written word and Adam did not disappoint. 

This book is going to be very hard to review without giving things away (and believe me, with this book, you don’t want ANY spoilers because from the first page to the end it’s an amazing rollercoaster), so I’ll just stick to generalities, character observations and personal feelings and hope that it’s enough to give people what they need when reading a review to determine whether or not to pick up a book. 

Character wise, most of our favorites are back in this installment.  We’re graced by the Enforcers, the Demon King and his mate, the Vampire Prince and his mate, the ‘police’ of the Nightwalkers, our love to loathe villains, and so many more.  Most importantly however, this book focuses on Adam and Jasmine.

Adam is a strong, virile and confident male lead with a turbulent present and feelings that he doesn’t know what to do with.   

Jasmine, as usual, is an amazingly strong, confident heroine, though we get to investigate some vulnerabilities that I wasn’t aware she had, and it made me love her even more. 

Together, these two make an amazing power couple, fighting the good fight, and learning from one another each step of the way.  It was frustrating, titillating, tantalizing, and tender all at the same time.

Plot wise, as I said, I really don’t want to spoil anything, so let me just say that from the first 20 pages of this book, you will be shocked, amazed, awed, and a number of other adjectives I could carry on with.  Jacquelyn grips the reader IMMEDIATELY and doesn’t let go.  Even after the last page you feel that she quite possibly could have more in store, and is chuckling about what might be yet to come.  This book had more surprises, twists and turns and intrigue than I knew what to do with, and if you follow my reviews, you know I’m a HUGE fan of the intrigue, so that’s saying a lot.  J 

As always, Jacquelyn gave us an amazing Nightwalker installment, and I certainly hope that the story as it played out in this book continues, because I would love to learn more. 

LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives Adam 4 1/2 Skulls, and recommends it to all Jacquelyn Frank fans, Urban Fantasy lovers, Paranormal Romance addicts and anyone who wants a gripping, emotion-filled read. 

We highly recommend that you read the entire series in order of publication though.  While this book can be read as a stand-alone, it will have way more reader impact if you’ve lived the lives of the Nightwalkers and know about each couple’s story.

Adam: 

 

 

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Smite the Damned

Zack Kullis works for a Federal law enforcement agency and the work he does is highly sensitive.  He never writes anything work related, but writing Dark Paranormal, Urban Fantasy and Horror are allowed. 

In his spare time Zack’s a diver, a lover of literature and a traveler when the opportunity arises. He has seen some amazing things in his travels - some good, some dark and malevolent.

Smite the Damned

Author:  Zack Kullis

Synopsis:  When Keith Da Silva finally confronts the dark circumstances surrounding his mother’s death, his eyes are opened to the darkness that is waging an ancient war against humanity. Keith is violently confronted by demonic forces, shattering his view of reality, and fights for his life with beings of unspeakable evil.

In Smite the Damned, legions of spirits and demons fight alongside an ancient evil, the Nephilim, that have been hiding among their human prey. Keith is asked to help keep the dark forces at bay, and becomes a hunter of the damned. But, his role as a hunter soon brings pain and death to his family and friends. With only a few people to help, Keith takes the battle to the forces of the Dark Lord, and ultimately, is pulled into a fight within a grand demon’s personal realm.

Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha – Michelle L Olson]: 
When Zack asked if I would read and review this book, one quick preview of the synopsis let me know that the answer would be “yes”.  Little did I know that after just the first few pages, I would audibly be saying “whoa”.  J 

This book is darkly creepy, psychologically unnerving, scientifically intriguing, and philosophically thrilling…and all in the best possible way!

I was trying to come up with a combination of authors to peg Zack and Smite the Damned, and while I couldn’t do it well because both Zack’s writing style and the book itself are its own beautiful creatures, the closest I could come was John Saul meets Dean Koontz’s Frankenstein, meets early Stephen King. 

Smite the Damned has a loveable main hero with a tragic past, incredibly complex supporting characters, villains that are so despicable that you feel them in the pit of your gut, and a storyline that just doesn’t stop.

The descriptives are deep and incredibly vivid without being smothering, and the scene transitions and character play are smooth and combustible.  Zack’s dialogue is well written and truly believable, the action scenes are intense and emotionally charged, and the suspense is well placed and called for.

While my adjectives above pretty much sum up how I felt about the book, I’d like to add that I am constantly on the hunt for a book, movie, etc that sufficiently creep me out and have always struggled finding it.  While  a lot of material pushes one of my buttons, be it psychologically thrilling, surprising in ways that make me jump every now and then, mentally challenging, etc, there had yet to be a combination of everything that actually had me saying “wow, this is really creepy… and I love it!”, until this book that is.  J

Three cheers for Zack Kullis and Smite the Damned and I want to thank him for letting me take a walk through his dark and twisted imagination!

LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives Smite the Damned 4 ½ Skulls. 

I definitely recommend it for ALL horror fans who like deep, dark, twisted psychological thrillers with philosophical roots and scientific overtones.  This book is not for the faint of heart, and if you don’t like your thrillers overly dark, it may disturb you.  If you’re like me, and are always on the hunt for “darker is better”, then you need to read this book!

Smite the Damned:

 

 

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Angel of Darkness

Cynthia Eden  is a national best-selling author of paranormal romance and romantic suspense novels. Her books have received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly, and her novel, DEADLY FEAR, was named a RITA® finalist for best romantic suspense.

Cynthia is a southern girl who loves horror movies, chocolate, and happy endings.

Angel of Darkness, Book #1 of the Fallen series

Author:  Cynthia Eden

Synopsis:  As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James. When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.

Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose…

Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Guest Reviewer – Kathy Miller]: 

Have you ever read a book where by the 2nd or 3rd chapter you knew everything there was to know about the book? When finishing the book becomes just an exercise in reading. Angel of Darkness by Cynthia Eden is nothing like that.

 I was lucky enough to win an ARC of this book, and I was hooked from page one.

Keenan is an angel of death who has fallen. Nicole is a victim of a savage vampire attack, turned vampire herself. They both struggle to adapt to their new worlds, his...living in the human world, hers....living as an ‘other’.

This book is full of twists and turns. Lots of "I didn't see that coming" moments. And the sexual chemistry between Keenan and Nicole sizzles.

I highly recommend this book. It's a definite must have!

LITERAL ADDICTION’s Guest Reviewer gives Angel of Darkness 4 ½ Skulls and would recommend it to all Paranormal Romance addicts, Urban Fantasy lovers and anyone who just wants a great book to curl up with.

Angel of Darkness: 

 

 

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Darkness Unbound

Keri Arthur  author of the New York Times bestselling Riley Jenson, Guardian series, has now written more than 25 books. She's received several nominations in the Best Contemporary Paranormal category of the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Awards, and recently won RT's Career Achievement Award for urban fantasy. She lives in Melbourne with her daughter and two crazy dogs.

Darkness Unbound, Book #1 of the Dark Angel series

Author:  Keri Arthur

Synopsis:  Risa Jones is as extraordinary as her heritage. Born from a lab-enhanced clone mother and an Aedh father, she can not only talk to the souls of the dying and the dead, but she can see the reapers and walk the gray fields that divide this world from the next. 
They are skill she rarely uses, however, preferring to concentrate on the business she shares with her two best friends. But when her mother asks her to help the parents of a little girl locked in a coma, she reluctantly agrees. What she discovers scares the hell out of her. Because the little girl’s soul no longer resides in her body, and it wasn’t death and the reapers that took her. 
Someone had ripped her soul from her flesh. 
As it turns out, a creature consuming the souls of the innocent–and not so innocent–is the least of her problems. 
Because someone wants to rip open the gates that divided hell from earth, and Risa is a key component in their plans. 
And the only person standing between her and disaster is a reaper who isn’t exactly on her side.

Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha – Michelle L Olson]: 

Keri Arthur has been one of my favorite authors for quite some time and the Riley Jenson series has been one of my favorites.  With 9 books in that series that held me captive, you can imagine how excited I was to hear that Keri was writing a spin-off series featuring the incredible daughter of Dia Jones.  What I didn’t expect when starting Darkness Unbound was that it would quickly jump to the forefront of ‘my favorite books ever’ list. 

I was asked the other day what I look for in a good Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance book.  My answer, “intrigue”.  Well, Darkness Unbound gave me that times 100, and so, SO much more!

This series is going to be incredible, if the first installment is anything to go by.  It literally had it all… Heart pumping action, massive amounts of intrigue, toe curling romance, a captivating plot, and the ending had you wishing that the next book was sitting inches away so you could start it immediately. 

The characters were amazing as well.  Strong, capable, female leads, uber sexy alpha males, and enough magick to keep even the pickiest of readers happy; there were shifters, witches, angels (the Aedh), reapers, demons, vampires, clairvoyants and more. 

LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives Darkness Unbound 5 Skulls, and sincerely wishes there were more to give! 

We HIGHLY recommend it for, well… EVERYONE!  Keri Arthur fans will adore it, but more than that, it had everything you want in a perfectly written Urban Fantasy, and just enough hot and steamy sex and romance to keep Paranormal Romance lovers happy as well. 

While it definitely isn’t necessary to read the Riley Jenson, Guardian series first in order to understand and appreciate the Dark Angels series, in my personal opinion it would help.  The supporting characters and historical references (from a book standpoint) will mean SO much more to you as a reader if you’ve lived their lives with them first, and grew up with Risa, so to speak, before jumping into her incredible life at age 28, where Darkness Unbound picks up. 

BIG kudos for Keri and the Dark Angels series!  November cannot get here fast enough to get Darkness Rising into my hot little hands…

Darkness Unbound:

 

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Where Demons Fear to Tread

Stephanie Chong worked as a lawyer at a top-tier Canadian firm and completed five university degrees before landing her dream job: romance novelist. Her degrees include a J.D. and a Ph.D. from the University of Toronto, and a Master’s in Creative Writing from Oxford University.
When she’s not writing, Stephanie enjoys yoga, traveling and outdoor adventures. She lives in Vancouver with her husband and their pug, Dexter.

Where Demons Fear to Tread, The Company of Angels Book #1

Author:  Stephanie Chong

Synopsis:  Fledging guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil's Paradise nightclub on a mission—to retrieve the wayward Hollywood "It Boy" she's assigned to protect. But she's ambushed by the club's owner, arch demon Julian Ascher. The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure–seeking humans. He won't release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard. Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…

After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again. Yet this sexy–sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries–old feelings. Now, their high–stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell.or a deliciously hot heaven.

Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Guest Reviewer – Carlyn McKechnie]: 
Serena is a new Guardian Angel.  She died while saving two children and attempting to save their mother as well.  As a Guardian Angel, she is charged with saving the soul of Nick, a young and up-and-coming actor.   

Nick was a slightly neglected child, and therefore loves his new found fame and fortune – attention he never received from his parents.  He goes to Devil's Paradise where sinning is expected (and encouraged!), especially since it’s owned by an Archdemon called Julian, whose job it is to deliver souls to hell, and whose specialty is corrupting people.   
When Serena goes into the club to try and coax Nick away from the tempting influences, she meets Julian who is immediately enthralled by her.  Julian decides that he would like to add Serena’s soul to his collection…

This is a classic story of good and evil, but is written beautifully. Serena tries so hard to be a good Guardian, but she is out of her league when she goes up against Julian who has had centuries of experience in seduction. Her belief in ‘good’  is put to the test, but she handles it well and you end up loving her for her faith.
I loved Julian for exactly the opposite reason though; I love his efforts to seduce Serena and the underhanded tactics he uses to get her to go along with his plans, but then again I am a big fan of a bad boy! The story flows very well and you can feel the struggle Serena has with her feelings for Julian. It is a great story about love and faith I'm hoping to see more stories from this world!

 LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club’s Guest Reviewer gives Where Demons Fear to Tread 4 Skulls. 

LITERAL ADDICTION recommends it for Urban Fantasy readers, Angel and Demon lovers, and Paranormal Romance addicts. 

Where Demons Fear to Tread:

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Bound by Darkness

Alexandra Ivy “I’m not exactly sure when I fell in love with books. Probably on my mother’s knee listening to her read Dr. Seuss to me. I do remember that I was barely old enough to cross the street by myself when I discovered the delights of the local library. Could anything be more wonderful than spending summer days surrounded by stacks of Nancy Drew mysteries? Over the years I fell in love with Victoria Holt, Jane Austen, Agatha Christie, and J.R.R. Tolkien just to name a few. I read poetry, essays, biographies, and plays. In fact, I read anything I could get my hands on.

Years later (no, I’m not admitting how many) I’m still an avid reader, and my tastes are still as varied as they were in my youth, which I suppose helps to explain why I enjoy writing regency historicals under the name of Deborah Raleigh, as well as my contemporary paranormals as Alexandra Ivy. For now that is enough to keep me busy, but who knows what the future might hold!

I do have a few other loves in my life besides reading and writing, the most important being my unbelievably patient husband, David, and my two sons, Chance and Alexander. Without their constant support and belief in me, I never could have been able to follow my dreams. They are truly my heroes.”

Bound by Darkness, Book #8 of the Guardians of Eternity series

Author:  Alexandra Ivy

Synopsis:  The Sylvermyst have a reputation as sinister cousins to the fey, and none are more mysterious than Ariyal and his tribe. To save his people from banishment, he sold himself to the evil Morgana. Finally free, he faces a new challenge: Jaelyn, an elite vampire warrior sent to capture him. By rights, he should kill her on sight. Yet he cannot bring himself to hurt her--or to resist her. . .

Jaelyn is stunningly beautiful, utterly lethal--and always alone. Until Ariyal. From their first encounter, she knows that what's between them is more dangerous than simple lust. And as they unite to thwart a terrifying prophecy that will mean the end of his clan and of the world they know, she will risk everything to fulfill her destiny by his side. . .

Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha – Michelle L Olson]: 

Alexandra Ivy’s Guardians of Eternity series is one of my all time favorites.  It has everything a reader could want in a long running Paranormal series – wit, loveable heroes and heroines, detestable villains, intrigue, plot, action…

Upon completion of Book #7, Devoured by Darkness, I was chomping at the bit for Book #8 and swearing that I had to wait as long as I did, simply because upon meeting Ariyel and Jaelyn for the first time in Book #7, you just KNEW they were going to be something special no matter what direction the plot twists took them. 

Alexandra Ivy did not disappoint!!  She gave me an Ariyel/Jaelyn story that had me cheering, holding my breath, laughing, and sighing contently. 

Ariyel is an amazing hero.  He started out as a villain in Book #7, but you knew he wasn’t destined to remain that way.  He’s a Fey Prince with a conscience, and has spent his entire life running from the Dark Lord; why would he return to him and/or help resurrect him to flesh? 

Jaelyn is the kind of heroine I yearn for in a Paranormal Romance.  She’s strong, capable, independent, but with a soft heart underneath the steel, and a will that she isn’t afraid to exert when going after what she wants. 

The ‘bad guys’ in this story were REALLY bad, and you couldn’t help but hold your breath each time something swung in their favor.  The biggest shocker what ‘who’ one of the bad guys is (you’ll just have to read Bound by Darkness to find out of whom I speak!).

I have loved roguish Dante since his appearance way back when, but after completing Bound by Darkness, Dante has new competition for top GoE stud in my book; Ariyel is quite the yummy fairy.  J

The only complaint that I have about this book is that there wasn’t quite enough Levet.  I love that French Gargoyle, and though he was present, and you got what you love about him, he didn’t play the dashing knight to the heroine’s damsel in distress as much in this installation.  Probably because Jaelyn is no damsel in distress! 

The set up for Book #9, which I can only assume with be Santiago’s story (yay!), was great.  Not too much to distract from the meat of ‘Darkness, but enough to have you salivating for the next book.

LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives Bound by Darkness 4 ½ Skulls. 

We definitely recommend it for ALL Alexandra Ivy fans, Urban Fantasy readers, Vampire lovers, and Paranormal Romance addicts.

Love Alexandra Ivy and Guardians of Eternity.  Can’t wait to see what you cook up for us next beyond the Veil.

Bound by Darkness:

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of The Darkest Surrender

Gena Showalter is a New York Times and national bestselling author of more than thirty novels in a wide range of genres.  Her fiction has appeared in Cosmopolitan and Seventeen magazines as well as on MTV, and has been nominated for the prestigious RITA, as well as the National Reader’s Choice Award. 

She has always believed in love...  An avid romance reader, she decided to try her hand at a story of her own, and is now the author of a multitude of white-hot paranormal romances, sexy contemporary novels, and thrilling young adult titles.

Gena’s wildly sensual page-turners have a mix of humor, danger, and wickedly hot sex – a combination that is sure to enthrall!  After all, she is universally known to be “made of awesome”, and we couldn’t agree more! J

The Darkest Surrender, Book #8 of the Lords of the Underworld series

Author:  Gena Showalter

Synopsis:  Possessed by the demon of Defeat, Strider cannot lose a challenge without suffering unimaginable pain. For him, nothing stands in the way of victory. Until Kaia, an enchanting Harpy, tempts him to the razor's edge of surrender.Known among her people as The Disappointment, Kaia must bring home the gold in the Harpy Games or die. Strider is a distraction she can't afford because he has an agenda of his own-steal first prize, an ancient godly artifact, before the winner can be named. But as the competition heats up, only one prize will matter-the love neither had thought possible...

Our Review [by LITERAL ADDICTION’s Pack Alpha – Michelle L Olson]: 

There have been 7 books before The Darkest Surrender that kept my interest, made me cringe to put them down, and made me clamor for the next installment.  The Darkest Surrender took those things to an infinite level.  I can safely say that this has been my personal favorite of the series and Gena just keeps getting more brilliant with each book she writes.  

Strider gave us what we loved from him in each of the previous books – an ego-maniacal smartass who makes it impossible NOT to love him.  :-)  Like the ending of the previous book though, you start out the book just wanting to slap him because he’s fighting the inevitable – his undeniable attraction to Kaia.  

Kaia is the type of heroine I love…Strong, independent, fighting personal demons, but not afraid to admit her need for her man.  

I absolutely loved the cross-over again of the Immortals After Dark characters from Kresley Cole’s series and Gena’s Lords of the Underworld.  If there were any immortals that were perfect for the Lords, it’d be those girls.  J  I am waiting for the day when we see if Nix gets her pick of a Lord; though we’re running short on them, since Gena has been finding their perfect matches book after book.  LOL.

This book had it all!  Endless action, incredibly witty moments that had me embarrassingly snorting my laughter out loud and disturbing the people around me, unbelievably tender moments that were made even the more amazing because of the people they were happening to/between , intrigue, suspense, oh…did I mention the sizzling romance.

The Darkest Surrender was a great set up for the rest of the series as well.  We learn more about Paris and his inner struggles that I can only hope are resolved in The Darkest Seduction, and we get the set up for Kane’s story as well.  It just made me want the next 2 books even more.

LITERAL ADDICTION Paranormal Book Club gives The Darkest Surrender 5 Skulls.  

We definitely recommend it for ALL Gena Showalter fans,  Paranormal Romance addicts, and even Urban Fantasy readers because there is plenty of darkness and action between a multitude of different supernatural creatures in-between the romance to keep those readers happy as well.

Love Gena Showalter and Lords of the Underworld!  Keep up the incredible work; I can’t wait to read Paris and Kane’s stories!  :-)

The Darkest Surrender: