Tori's Review: Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Released: December 1, 2011
Paperback: 448 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 
Source: Bought 
Genre: Paranormal Romance 
Series: Lords of Deliverance 
Buy: Amazon



Add this book to your Goodreads shelf

Sexy, powerful, and immortal, Limos is on a crash course with destiny. She’s been marked as Satan’s bride and her jealous fiancé wants her all to himself. The only way this Horseman can keep herself—and everyone else—safe is to keep her distance. But not even Limos can save herself from the secrets she’s kept . . . or resist the seductive allure of one very brave human.

Arik Wagner knows the saying “love hurts” better than most, yet he never thought stealing a kiss from Limos would land him in Hell. Literally. It takes all his military training to survive the demon torture, but once he’s topside, Arik realizes that the agony has just begun. With the Apocalypse looming and Satan demanding his bride, will Arik and Limos surrender to the desire smoldering between them? Or will giving in to their passion unleash hell on earth?

My Rating:

 
My Opinion:
What a book. Larissa knows how to weave such intricate details and conflict into a book without bogging me down with too many details. I absolutely loved the complexity of IMMORTAL RIDER and thought that only someone with incredible writing skills could pull this sort of book off without failing miserably in the process.

Limos: She's spunky and has lying issues. It was interesting following her journey of overcoming her addiction to lies. Part of me felt that she was forgiven a bit too quickly, and sometimes I found her to be somewhat wishy-washy (said wishy-washyness DOES reinforce the fact that she wanted to be normal, though). I would have enjoyed more of a focus on her particular abilities as Famine. Perhaps even seeing her reaction when visiting a scene that compels her to visit an area, like we saw with Ares. Overall, I enjoyed her character, and felt that she was more interesting than Cara and Regan.

Arik: I appreciated his loyalty and how defensive he got, despite how ambivalent he felt about Limos at times. I felt like he got over some of his issues a bit too quickly, especially considering what he went through for a month, and would have appreciated more of a transition from scarred to healed. I also could not understand, at times, how he could so easily forgive Limos.

Than: What a sexy beast. I enjoyed his scene time in IMMORTAL RIDER, and cannot wait for his book. The clarification regarding what will actually break Than's seal was appreciated, since I could not, for the life of me, figure out how he was ever going to get a HEA in his book. Sneaky. Very sneaky.

Regan: Eh, I'm feeling ambivalent about her. We'll see if she grows on me more in the next book.

I was looking for more of a focus on the resolution of the betrothal between Limos and Satan. I wouldn't necessarily say that what happened was a cop-out (it was anything but), however, I felt that with all the emphasis placed on such a predicament, the resolution was too brief for my liking.

Another thing that I wish received more attention was the couple time in this book. The other characters, including Ares and Than, got some page time--which isn't bad since I enjoyed the teaser for Than's story--but I wanted Limos/Arik's relationship to be developed further. Like some other reviewers, I felt it somewhat rushed and sometimes forced.

Overall, IMMORTAL RIDER felt like the complete opposite of its predecessor, ETERNAL RIDER. While Ares' book focused more on the romance, Limos' book was action-packed and a setup for what will happen next in the series.

The novel started off strong, and while I was absorbed in the story from first page to last, I felt that the romance waned the further I progressed. As a paranormal romance, I expected more romance, but I am, by no means, complaining about the lack of it this time around. Sometimes less is more, and I definitely appreciated not getting clubbed over the head by "I love yous" and corny love scenes (even though I wish there was still more development of the relationship overall).

Like I said in ETERNAL RIDER, I suggest you read the Demonica series before beginning the LoD series. There is a lot of worldbuilding and characters you would miss out on, which, in turn, would affect your overall experience while reading this novel. Do yourself a favor and start from the beginning.


Series Order:
1. Eternal Rider (Tori's Review)
2. Immortal Rider
3. Lethal Rider (Tori's Review)
4. Rogue Rider (coming soon)

Tori's Review: Everneath by Brodi Ashton

Released: January 24, 2012
Hardcover: 384 pages
Price: $17.99
Publisher: HarperCollins 
Source: Publisher 
Genre: YA 
Series: Everneath 
Buy: Amazon


Add this book to your Goodreads shelf

Last spring, Nikki Beckett vanished, sucked into an underworld known as the Everneath, where immortals Feed on the emotions of despairing humans. Now she's returned- to her old life, her family, her friends- before being banished back to the underworld... this time forever.

She has six months before the Everneath comes to claim her, six months for good-byes she can't find the words for, six months to find redemption, if it exists.

Nikki longs to spend these months reconnecting with her boyfriend, Jack, the one person she loves more than anything. But there's a problem: Cole, the smoldering immortal who first enticed her to the Everneath, has followed Nikki to the mortal world. And he'll do whatever it takes to bring her back- this time as his queen.

As Nikki's time grows short and her relationships begin slipping from her grasp, she's forced to make the hardest decision of her life: find a way to cheat fate and remain on the Surface with Jack or return to the Everneath and become Cole's...

My Rating:

My Opinion:
Ultra sexy cover, fairly sexy book. EVERNEATH's cover fits the story perfectly and grants the reader a taste of what the book is about--which is why I think that while the cover is beautiful, it truly wins points for being relevant to the story. Kudos to the art department.

Speaking of the story itself, I read it in two days during my winter break, and while I did enjoy it, I was not completely blown away like some other readers. The writing was good, the main characters were well developed, and I found myself generally engaged from first page to last with a few lulls, since this story is not an action story.

I thought that, out of all the paranormal YAs out there, EVERNEATH was the best I've read in a while when it came to creativity--especially when one realizes that Ashton morphed the Persephone/Hades myth in such a remarkable way. 

Despite all that worked (and there was quite a bit that did), what bothered me the most were the secondary characters. Why have Nikki's family play any role if they were not going to have their issues resolved? Her father frustrated me. I wanted to see more of her sweet little brother. I wanted more of a resolution with Nikki's family, since they did play a somewhat significant role in the book.

The romance between Nikki and Jack was beautiful, albeit shaky. I found it to be believable when they finally did start to interact, however, I'm somewhat hesitant to fully believe in the bond they shared. Part of me wants to, but another, more realistic part of me wants to say that a high school boy--especially someone depicted as a playboy--would not stay so... umm, how do I say this without getting too spoilery? ...well, stay the way he was. Although another part of me realizes that there ARE some guys out there who would react the way Jack did.

While it has been a few weeks since reading EVERNEATH, I forgot the character names fairly quickly, reaffirming that while I did enjoy the story, it did not resonate with me for very long. Nevertheless, I am anticipating the second book in this series, and I would like to see how the characters cope after such a cliffhangery ending. I would also love to see more of the world that Cole was trying to convince Nikki to join.

Would I recommend EVERNEATH? Yes, but I would say borrow it from a friend or the library, as opposed to buying it (unless you want that beautiful cover gracing your bookshelf).


Series Order:
1. Everneath

Book Dragon's Review: Death's Hand by S.M. Reine

Paperback: 336 pages
Price: $12.99 paperback / $3.99 Kindle
ISBN: 978-1937733001
Released: October 21, 2011
Publisher: Red Iris Books
Author's Website: http://www.smreine.com
Buy it: Amazon
Obtained: Author/Publisher
Genre: Dark Urban Fantasy
Series: The Descent
Book Order:
1. Death's Hand
2. (unknown)

Policing relations between Heaven, Hell, and Earth is messy and violent, but Elise Kavanagh and James Faulkner excelled at it -- until coming across a job so brutal that even they couldn't stand to see one more dead body. Now they've been pretending to be normal for five years, leaving their horrific history a dark secret.  Elise works in an office.  James owns a business.  None of their friends realize they used to be one of the world's best killing teams.

After years of hiding, something stirs. Bodies are vanishing. Demons scurry in the shadows of the night. A child has been possessed. Some enemies aren't willing to let the secrets of the past stay dead...

My Rating: 3.5 Dragons


My Opinion:

I have mixed feelings about this book.  Reine definitely has a way with words, and the writing was decent, but the flashbacks were jarring and a few things about this story didn’t totally add up.   The first 50-70 pages make it difficult to tell what’s going on or where the story is going.  The prologue confused the hell out of me because it doesn’t tie in to anything that happens and isn’t explained until very far along in the story.  When I was offered this book for review, it was the first thing I read, so it surprised me that there was no easily spotted connection between the prologue and the opening of the story.  The scenes felt very disconnected from each other at first.  Please bear in mind that might just be Book Dragon’s senile mind kicking in—you readers out there might have an easier time of it than she did.  It all comes together later, but there wasn’t really a feel for where the crazy train was going until I’d already put a significant page count behind me.  After a while, it becomes crystal clear—super powerful demon intends to take over the world using an idiot sockpuppet human (“ISH”) and countless faceless demons and reanimated corpses.  ISH is overweight, lonely, and is just pleased as punch to have found a demon to give her power and be BFF in her head.    They need a few things in order to carry out the world domination plan.  Cue entrance of our heroine, Elise.  Who comes across like a more prickly, less charming version of Anita Blake.  She’s a retired but still badass demon hunter/exorcist who is living out her old age as an accountant to the seedy demonic underbelly of her city.    James bugs me.  He’s supposed to be Elise’s mentor, has known her since she was little, and should theoretically know her moods better than anyone else in the world.  Yet he does things which seem calculated to piss her off, go against her convictions, needles her in subtle ways about her decisions, and keeps things from her that are guaranteed to hurt her feelings.  It just doesn’t make sense to me that someone who knew so much about her would have made such an effort to go out of his way to ask her to do things that she clearly doesn’t want to do and that make her uncomfortable. Why didn’t he handle some of the issues himself, if he was so insistent they be taken care of?  Why drag her into it?  Why not the other witches in his coven?   Not to say Elise was entirely consistent, either.  If she was bent on laying low so she could retire, why would she take a job as an accountant for demons when she’s supposedly infamous among their kind?  Wouldn’t one of her clients have recognized her?  If she knew they wouldn’t pay her, why would she continue to work for them instead of taking on human clients?  Why the hell is she hanging out with a TSTL creampuff like Betty?  (Yes, yes, I know this question is answered in the book, but really—they are from such totally different worlds that I can’t understand why Betty would persist in trying to make a friendship work or why Elise would let her.)  Elise is very hard to like as a main character due to her attitude.  By the middle/end of the book, her gruff nature softens somewhat, but I think part of the problem and confusion with the beginning/setup of this book was that she was just so damned cold and unpleasant that I didn’t want to accept that this was the MC right away.    Once I stopped questioning the greater “why” underlying some of the characters’ actions, it came together like a typical horror/action flick.  There was a very cinematic feel to some of the descriptions, particularly the fight scenes, and some very vivid descriptions.  There are a few clever one-liners and a couple plucky, clueless human sidekick types.  The ending is suitably epic and gives the obligatory sequel bait.  Though the story is not the same, it reminded me a great deal of that Schwarzenegger movie, End of Days, with a little bit of The Exorcist on the side.  As long as you don’t question what’s going on too closely, and you’re into that sort of thing (blood, mayhem, explosions, demons, etc), it’s a decent way to amuse yourself for a few hours.   There is a lot of horror, violence, and gore.  More so than I’ve seen in most recent urban fantasy novels.  Some of the descriptions are pretty gross, so if you don’t have a strong stomach for that sort of thing, this may not be the book for you.  Personally, I loved the fight scenes, particularly the first exorcism, because that was some of the most compelling writing.  It makes for a good October/Halloween read.  As much as I may be coming across like I’m ragging on it or nitpicking the details, it was worth the read and kept me engaged.  If you enjoyed early Anita Blake novels (particularly the one where a zombie rose and started eating its way through the fine folks in town) and have a taste for some of the grittier Stephen King offerings, chances are you will like this book.   Overall, I have to say I was entertained.  It’s not bad, but not great, either.  The author shows potential, and I’ll be on the lookout from the depths of my cave for books by her in the future.

Tori's Review: Grave Dance by Kalayna Price

Released: July 5, 2011
Paperback: 400 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Publisher
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Alex Craft 
Buy: Amazon

Add this book to your Goodreads shelf

After a month of down time, Grave Witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But when her new case forces her to overuse her magic, it might be the last mystery the Grave Witch ever gets to solve...

My Rating:

My Opinion:
I am suffering from a horrible cold/sinus infection as I write this, so please excuse me if I sound incoherent at any point in this review.

GRAVE DANCE, by Kalayna Price, is the second book in the Alex Craft series. Alex is a grave witch, and a quirky one at that. Between book one and two, so many discoveries are made--including her powers evolving (or perhaps manifesting would be a better word?) and learning of her heritage. Some may view all of these additions as over the top, and I admit that some moments in GRAVE DANCE made me roll my eyes, but I do not feel that these changes will ultimately ruin the story for readers... as it may in some other books.

While I did enjoy this book, it did not blow me away like its predecessor. There was one primary reason why I grew exasperated with the title--which I will state below--but despite my exasperation (and the intense desire to fling the book away at one point), I simply couldn't. I needed to know what happened next, and if I didn't, my life would suck until I did know. That alone is proof that while I may not approve of what is occurring within the novel's pages, Kalayna is a kick ass author and one I will follow with the utmost fangirly dedication.

The bad: the love triangle this time around infuriated me. In GRAVE WITCH (GW), readers were introduced to both love interests (Falin and Death). Like I said in my other review, I equally liked both men--though I was leaning more towards Death. In GRAVE DANCE (GD), there was no contest; Death had stolen my heart.

I felt that, while he did not appear as often as I would have liked, Death was a lot more developed in GD than Falin. Death has a vivacity about him that Falin lacks. Falin, I've noticed, is a lot more two dimensional in comparison. He's either injured, trying to hit on Alex, or he's depressed/pissed off. It worked for him in GW, but in GD, it made him seem like the weakest link amongst all the characters.

My frustrations--as a Death/Alex shipper--elevated after each scene where Alex kept fawning over the fae. She kept trying to be logical about the entire situation, but she would literally turn into jello whenever Falin touched her. And considering how Death was not shy about revealing his affections... I don't know, I was disappointed in Alex. Meanwhile, she would get flustered around Death--who didn't manhandle her--but she would mostly avoid her feelings regarding our mystery man.

The good: Death! What can I say, that guy is one sexy character. There were a lot of cool action scenes that kept me glued to the pages, and secondary characters that I've begun to like in GW made appearances. I enjoyed the descriptions of all the realms and the effects Alex's magic had on her and the environment when she tapped into her power.

My favorite part, despite my exasperation with Alex/Falin/Death, was learning more about faerie. The ending of the book was interesting in that regard, and I think the descriptions truly added another intriguing element to this series.

I also want to kick that soul reaper in the face for saying what he said to Alex by the end of the book. UNACCEPTABLE!

The Alex Craft series is one of those new urban fantasies that has captured this unsuspecting reader's attention. I would be stupid not to recommend this series to other readers who are searching for a great UF to read.


Series Order:
1. Grave Witch (Tori's Review)
2. Grace Dance
3. Grave Memory (Tori's Review)