Tori's Review: The Shattered Dark by Sandy Williams

Released: October 30, 2012
Paperback: 304 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Penguin 
Source: Bought 
Genre: Paranormal Romance 
Series: McKenzie Lewis 
Buy: Amazon


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McKenzie was a normal college student, save for one little twist: she’s a shadow reader, someone who can both see the fae and track their movements between our world and the Realm. It’s a gift for which she has been called insane, one for which she has risked family and friends—and one that has now plunged her into a brutal civil war between the fae.

With the reign of the king and his vicious general at an end, McKenzie hoped to live a more normal life while exploring her new relationship with Aren, the rebel fae who has captured her heart. But when her best friend, Paige, disappears McKenzie knows her wish is, for now, just a dream. McKenzie is the only one who can rescue her friend, but if she’s not careful, her decisions could cost the lives of everyone she’s tried so hard to save.

My Rating:

My Opinion:
I didn't think THE SHATTERED DARK (TSD) was going to blow me away. For starters, I absolutely fell in love with the first book in this series, THE SHADOW READER, and I did not think that any book following could top it. The love triangle was artfully done, the characters were so unique and lovable, and the world was well developed. For those reasons, my expectations were incredibly high.

TSD was good, but unlike the first book in the series, I found many scenes to drag. It seemed like instead of confronting issues, everything was shoved aside for a later date. The beginning was slow for me. It took me a while to get back into the world and to remember everyone's personalities. Once I did adjust, however, I was hooked--even with the slow middle half--because I was reunited with the characters I fell in love with.

One thing is that I wish there was more romance. There were a few teasers, but said teasers were more reflections of the past as opposed to any progress in the present. I took issue with this because the first book in the series set a certain tone, and TSD didn't exactly follow through in the way that I expected. It isn't until the final pages in TSD that we really see any relationship progression, and oh lordy it is heart wrenching. Worth the wait, but now I have to wait until the third book in this series comes out next year in order to find out what happens next.

I'd say that the ending is a reflection of what I fell in love with in THE SHADOW READER. Everything else was a buildup, and while it wasn't my favorite, it certainly got me prepped (without me even realizing it) for what happened.

A good sequel, but THE SHADOW READER is still the best in the series thus far. Regardless of my complaints, this is one series you will want to read because of how well developed and entertaining it is.

Series Order:
1. The Shadow Reader (Tori's Review)
2. The Shattered Dark

Tori's Review: Poison Princess by Kresley Cole

Released: October 2, 2012
Hardcover: 384 pages
Price: $18.99
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Source: BEA (and Karen, specifically!)
Genre: YA Dystopian
Series: The Arcana Chronicles 
Buy: Amazon

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Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side…

My Rating:

My Opinion:
Woah.

Worldbuilding is one of the strongest features in Kresley's books. She has these complex and captivating environments in her series that pull me in and keep me coming back for more--and POISON PRINCESS (PP) is no different. Instead of following before the Flash and after in a chronological order of events, we bounce back and forth between the two. Even better? Instead of a jarring experience, I felt that the shifts enhanced the story. By the end of the novel, all loose ends were tied and I felt like i had an "Aha!" moment. I understood this book in ways I did not before.

The concept of the Arcana is a unique approach to a new series that many YA readers have not yet seen, and I feel that this new and shiny allure will beckon many new readers. I have no doubt that Kresley will earn an even larger following of rabid fans. I'm convinced she can't write a bad book.

My only complaint, and why I rated this 4 stars, is about the characters. I'm used to Kresley's adult romances, which feature one couple per book in an overarching series. I've almost come to expect character flaws to be resolved and for the couple to live HEA and that's it. Instead, I'm now exploring a new series which is solely based on Evie's experiences, and for that reason, we obviously can't have everything perfect between her and Jack by the end of PP. I wish the other Arcana characters didn't annoy me as much as they did at times, but something tells me that they were purposefully written that way because the group just met and don't know each other. Regardless of logic explaining the why's, it was difficult to like many of the characters.

I want Evie and Jack together, and I appreciated the glimpses of the strengths these two shared as a couple. The problem was that both are very...difficult to like due to their pigheadedness. I have no doubt this will change in future installments, since Kresley doesn't ever leave her characters that lacking, but I think those new to her writing will write the duo off as hopeless. I hope new readers will hold out until at least book two.

Evie is a spoiled brat, which did not bother me since she does have a few redeeming qualities (which I think are related with her abilities), but I know many will not like her initially. My problem with her had more to do with her lack of development as a character until literally the last ten pages. She has a bad case of denial, and tried to run away from her problems and avoid confrontations. It took me until the end of the book to fully understand why she was so reluctant to tell Jack any of her secrets, and by that time, I was honestly glad that she didn't. The girl needed to have her own badass moment.

Jack...not many are going to like him, I think. He's a sexy Cajun, but he also drinks booze way too much. To top it off, he is a loose cannon ready to go off on anyone around him that doesn't deserve the treatment (but perhaps my conclusion has been tainted since I was reading this from Evie's POV). I couldn't understand his temper tantrums half the time, and yet, despite that, part of me connected with this character and his frustrations. I think Evie's annoying denials would have made anyone explode, and for that reason, he didn't come off as a completely unlikable hero. Just one that is a bit too rough around the edges at this point in time.

Aside from that complaint, this book was flawless, and I think this series is going to be another big hit amongst the reading community. Definitely recommend reading this!


Series Order:
1. Poison Princess

Tori's Review: Grave Memory by Kalayna Price

Released: July 3, 2012
Paperback: 384 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Publisher
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Alex Craft 
Buy: Amazon

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When the dead need to talk, Alex Craft is always ready to listen…

As a Grave Witch, Alex solves murders by raising the dead—an ability that comes at a cost, and after her last few cases, that cost is compounding. But her magic isn’t the only thing causing havoc in her life. While she’s always been on friendly terms with Death himself, things have recently become a whole lot more close and personal. Then there’s her sometime partner, agent Falin Andrews, who is under the glamour of the Winter Queen. To top everything off, her best friend has been forever changed by her time spent captive in Faerie.

But the personal takes a backseat to the professional when a mysterious suicide occurs in Nekros City and Alex is hired to investigate. The shade she raises has no memory of the days leading up to his brutal ending, so despite the very public apparent suicide, this is murder. But what kind of magic can overcome the human will to survive? And why does the shade lack the memory of his death? Searching for the answer might mean Alex won’t have a life to remember at all…

My Rating:

My Opinion:
I don't think I have ever closed a book and immediately had to satisfy the need to rage on twitter as badly as I had to after finishing GRAVE MEMORY. As I attempt to type this review, I am trembling because I am so pissed off (and happy, I'm very happy too) and I can't stand it. For that reason, I will start the review off with negatives, and end it with positives so I can go to bed thinking about my book husband.

Falin. I want to snarl whenever I think of him now. If anyone has read my reviews of the other two books in this series, then they know I am definitely rooting for Death/Alex. Hell, my placeholder review on Goodreads was "GIVE ME DEATH! I love that sexy beast! Rawr." So for that reason, I was not thrilled reading about Alex still straddling the fence regarding these two men. What is even worse is the fact that, while I actually DO like Falin's character, I do not like how he is being flung around as this object by the Winter Queen (understandable, but I don't have to like it), and I don't like how everyone's feelings in this triangle are getting trampled on.

I suppose this means I am invested in the story, huh?

What is even worse is the ending--literally the last couple of paragraphs--that totally trampled on the happy bubble I was temporarily living in. I think I was even on the verge of squeeing because I was so thrilled with how things were going. This ending is the sole reason for my rage. It literally jumped out of the bushes, stole my candy, and flipped me off before scampering away. It is somewhat like a cliffhanger, but not in the traditional sense. I won't say anything more, and I feel only those invested in the universe will truly feel elation or rage over the conclusion. You know which side I'm on.

The last thing that was a bit of a bummer was the first half of the book. There was a lot of detective work in this novel, and frankly, it was not my thing. I dont like books based soley on mystery; I want my fantasy, and I want my worldbuilding, and I certainly want my romance and kick ass scenes where the supernatural villain dies a supernaturally violent death that he/she deserved. That is why I read urban fantasy. Regarding the first half of the novel, well, I wanted more action, and I wanted all the characters I love in this series to have appeared sooner and stayed longer. I thought there was something wrong with me initially, since this series always sucked me in from page one, but once more of the fantasy elements resurfaced, I was engaged again.

Now for the good: Death.

No seriously, he made this book for me. I've never claimed a book boyfriend out loud before (though I may have thought of a few throughout the years as one. It's like polyandry, minus the marriage and the boyfriends knowing about each other...because I've claimed so many), and Death, after the scenes in this book, has been upgraded from boyfriend to fiancé, and now I am claiming him as my book husband. I know I sound like a total lunatic, but I am okay with that.

In all seriousness though, readers finally get to catch a glimpse of this mysterious, yet sexy, character, and he did not disappoint. I wouldn't go so far as to say he's an alpha male, but he certainly has some qualities of one. He also has so beta qualities, but is not entirely beta, either. I only wish he had more screen time, because I just cannot get enough of him. He made such an impression that it truly kills me to know that there was ever a love triangle to begin with.

I'm only tacking off a star because of the mystery-novel-who-dun-it that pervaded throughout most of the first half of the novel. Aside from that, I really do not have any other complaints, and I think the "bad" that I mentioned is bad because this series has sunken its claws into me and made me care. How often do we truly feel passionate about a book enough that we feel not only mad, but sad, and happy as well by the end? Especially as reviewers? Not often enough for me, that's for sure.

I'll take it, love triangle and all. If anything, I'll just claim Death for myself and Alex can have Falin.

Verdict: Must read. Go buy it now.

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

Tori's Review: Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione

Released: May 22, 2012
Paperback: 464 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Source: Netgalley 
Genre: Paranormal Romance 
Series: Lords of Deliverance 
Buy: Amazon


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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.

My Rating:

My Opinion:
You know when you get addicted to a series or an author, and you can't help but go crazy in anticipation for the next book release? Well, ever since reading Larissa's Demonica series, that's how I've been. First it was with those books, and now it's with her HOTA series.

My craving--a craving I didn't even realize I had, what with how swamped I've been recently with grad school pre-reqs--has been temporarily satisfied. Or perhaps I should say it's been reawakened? After reading LETHAL RIDER, I'm practically salivating for the next book in the series, and yet, at the same time, I'm eerily content.

I'm wary when an author kills off characters and then revives them. I used to be a Gena Showalter junkie. Ask Karen (@teamsheltie) how I acted at BEA whenever I had the opportunity to go to a Gena signing, and she'll tell you how starstruck I'd get. Well, after one too many angsty heroes, I finally gave up on her LOTU series. I feel that there is really no suspense anymore--especially when she kills and resurrects her characters as often as she does. I hate to say this, but whenever something dramatic happens, I can't help but feel like it's a joke now.

So of course, I was wary when we started killing characters in LETHAL RIDER, and I was terrified that the heartbreaking moments and all that suspense would suddenly shrivel away in the wake of these deaths. And of course, Larissa alleviated my fears by making each scene heartbreaking and... Suspenseful! I knew people would die eventually in a series where the Apocalypse is on the world's doorstep, so I don't feel like I'm spoiling anything by stating that. I just feel that it's important to point out when an author retains his or her ability to create a tearjerking scene--or when he/she loses that power and makes coming back to life an everyday occurrence.

The suspense in Than's book is great. The plot kept me guessing, and I was anxious to see more of Pestilence. In fact, I was kind of disappointed that he didn't have as much "screen" time as the other characters, but it was also nice seeing prior heroes and heroines making another appearance this time around. The emotional punches kept on coming, and I felt myself tearing once or twice while reading. Also, I wanted to shake Than and Regan equally, which I found refreshing since there's usually only one character in a PNR who I find to be annoyingly irrational. and, of course, like any Ione book, I was glued to the pages and was pissed when I had to put my kindle down to go to bed.

Two things didn't work for me:

1) the sex scenes. Don't get me wrong. I don't have anything against pregnant women, and they can have sex all they want, but I just did not find myself emotionally invested this time around when things got hot and heavy. I suppose it had more to do with the fact that I kept wondering what positions wouldn't squish their kid, and then before I knew it, they were done. There wasn't a lot of emphasis on how unsexy Regan may have felt, but the comments on her swollen feet, etc, made me, in turn, believe that she was probably feeling unsexy. And that lack of sex appeal may have reflected on my reading when the two finally did connect. Plus, a part of me felt like Than was really attracted to her this time around because she was carrying his kid.

2) Regan didn't stand out as a character. I'm not exactly sure what it was about her, but I didn't feel the usual "omg what an awesome kickass heroine!" like I did with Ione's other heroines. I wasn't a fan of Cara either, but I think I liked her more than Regan because I felt like I got to know what made her tick. In comparison, we see the speedy version of Than's relationship with Regan in an earlier book, and then in LETHAL RIDER, the two just bicker like they're an old married couple. I saw brief glimpses of Than in the earlier books, which made me appreciate him more, but Regan felt rushed.

All-in-all, I think Larissa did a great job with the next installment of her LOD series. My complaints weren't, by any means, major. For some reason, I'm a lot pickier about liking heroines than I am about the heroes, so I don't usually take my complaints too seriously when I don't like one of the female leads. As for the sex? Well, I've never been pregnant, I don't plan on being pregnant anytime soon, and for that reason, there was a bit of a disconnect regarding the sexy times. And really, the sex plays such a minuscule part in my eyes. What's important to me in this series is the story, seeing how Reseph will eventually be redeemed, and then seeing my past favorites from the Demonica series.

Recommended? Obvs. But only if you read the Demonica series first!


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

Tori's Review: Mind Games by Carolyn Crane

Released: March 23, 2010
Paperback: 384 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Spectra 
Source: Karen, For What It's Worth
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Disillusionists Trilogy
Buy: Amazon





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JUSTINE KNOWS
SHE'S GOING TO DIE.
ANY SECOND NOW.

Justine Jones has a secret. A hardcore hypochondriac, she's convinced a blood vessel is about to burst in her brain. Then, out of the blue, a startlingly handsome man named Packard peers into Justine's soul and invites her to join his private crime-fighting team. It's a once-in-a-lifetime deal. With a little of Packard's hands-on training, Justine can weaponize her neurosis, turning it outward on Midcity's worst criminals, and finally get the freedom from fear she's always craved. End of problem.

Or is it?

In Midcity, a dashing police chief is fighting a unique breed of outlaw with more than human powers. And while Justine's first missions, including one against a nymphomaniac husband-killer, are thrilling successes, there is more to Packard than meets the eye. Soon, while battling her attraction to two very different men, Justine is plunging deeper into a world of wizardry, eroticism, and cosmic secrets. With Packard's help, Justine has freed herself from her madness - only to discover a reality more frightening than anyone's worst fears.

My Rating:

My Opinion: 
I love me some realistic heroines, and I think Justine topped the charts. I've never read a book about a heroine prone to panic attacks (something Karen and anyone who is good friends with me can affirm I suffer from), which made me feel closer to her character on a totally new level. She never annoyed me--okay, maybe once or twice---and she was funny as hell. No heroine has ever thrown a frying pan at someone she's pissed at, and I totally appreciated that sort of twisted humor.

I've been coping with a reading slump due to college work, and it actually took me the entire month of February to get through MIND GAMES. I wish it didn't. I've been waiting two days now for my library to get a copy of book 2, and I'm ready to just buy the ebook version for my Kindle because I'm so impatient to continue this series.

Why am I suddenly so passionate about reading (at least this series) again? Because of the world building. This urban fantasy is not your typical UF; the characters are quirky, the world is refreshingly unique, and the powers each character has makes this fun. No vampires, no werewolves, no typical paranormal creatures. I didn't realize that I was getting so sick of the characters in my favorite genre until Karen sent me her copy of MIND GAMES to check out.

If you're a fan of urban fantasy thirsting for something new, then this series is definitely something you should look into. I cant wait to read the next two books in this series! Highly recommended.

PS: I finally understand the cucumber reference that used to float around Twitter!


Series Order:
1. Mind Games
2. Double Cross (Tori's Review)
3. Head Rush (Tori's Review)
3.5 Devil's Luck

Tori's Review: Fair Game by Patricia Briggs (Plus giveaway!)

Released: March 6, 2012
Hardcover: 304 pages
Price: $26.95
Publisher: Penguin
Source: Publisher
Genre: Paranormal Romance 
Series: Alpha and Omega
Buy: Amazon



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They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

My Rating:

My Opinion: I love Patricia Briggs. I love her Mercy series, and I sure as hell love her Alpha and Omega series; this woman has a way with words--and a way with depicting werewolf interactions that makes me melt inside and fall back in love with the fuzzy critters all over again.

Alas, the reason I gave FAIR GAME a 4 instead of 5 star review was because the romance seemed to be lacking, and also because those very same werewolf interactions seldom happened. I will explain:

Romance: we know that Charles and Anna have overcome quite a few difficulties in both their lives and in their relationship. Nevertheless, it is quite clear--if the conflict is any indicator--that their issues have not been fully resolved. Meaning there is still plenty of room for romance, without overwhelming readers with countless scenes of fluff that just made a person want to roll his or her eyes when it gets to be overkill. I read this series because I love Briggs, her writing, and the universe, but I also read it because sometimes I want a good old romance that doesn't rely on countless sex scenes, and that truly focuses on the evolution of each character and their relationship. I was disappointed when the romance gave way to the mystery.

Werewolf interactions: this one is a bit vague, for there are plenty of werewolves, just like there are plenty of interactions. If you've read book 2 in the A&O series, then you may remember one of the first scenes with Anna as her wolf as she coaxed Charles into playing with her. It was a warm, moving scene, and truly exemplified the animalistic nature of these characters--and THAT is what made me fall in love with this series. Those sorts of heartwarming scenes.

Maybe it's just me; I don't know. Aside from those two complaints, this is your typical kick ass, mysterious Briggs novel and one that you obviously need to read. Characterization is spot on, as per usual. The mystery, which I loved, don't get me wrong, was equally mysterious. While I wish it did not overshadow the romance at times, there's not much I can do about that, and it was a wonderfully written book, so read it!


Series Order:
0.5 On the Prowl (anthology)
1. Cry Wolf
2. Hunting Ground
3. Fair Game





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Book Dragon Review - Scars on the Face of God by C.G. Bauer

Released: November 1, 2009
Paperback: 266 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Drollerie Press
Source: Author
Genre: Horror
Series: N/A
Buy: Amazon




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Hex signs protect every barn and outbuilding. The local tannery spews its poison on the land and in the river. And babies disappear at birth. An orphan and one-time felon who earned his nickname "from the sound a crowbar makes when it hits a man's head," Johannes "Wump" Hozer is now the custodian of Our Lady of the Innocents parish in Three Bridges, PA. Wump is old and tired. He's fought all his life against the tannery's waste, against God, and against the blind eyes of his good neighbors. Nowadays he tries to ignore the old priest's exploits with the young women of the parish and the strangeness surrounding the local orphanage, and does what good he can for his wife, the church, the sisters who run the orphanage, and the poor orphans themselves. 

Then childhood memories and strange presentments begin to plague Wump when a brick wall unearthed at the site of a new restaurant collapses, and raw sewage carries hundreds of baby bones into the pit left behind. Looks like the devil's made Three Bridges his playground, and Wump needs to find out why; the babies keep screaming and he has to make it stop.

My Rating:

My Opinion:

This is one strange book.  Book Dragon has not yet figured out exactly what the hell possessed her to agree to read it—but that didn’t stop her.

Mr. Bauer has created a strange and compelling tale about The Devil’s Bible (this is an actual religious relic with a very interesting history).  The story pulls no punches in the way it addresses environmental, political, and religious bullshit. The story is told from the viewpoint of a man nicknamed Wump who has a very down-to-earth, easygoing voice.  For the first few pages, I found it difficult to get into the story because at first that “voice” comes across as gratingly uneducated and perhaps a bit too blunt.  Also, having a character named Heinie in the opening pages made it very difficult to take this book seriously at the outset. My inner five-year-old is still giggling.

I’m glad I stuck with it, though.  Once you get past the prologue, the language smooths out and becomes more "adult". The story may seem to plod along at times, but the mystery of why so many people in Schuetten/Three Bridges were getting sick with leukemia, being born with mental and physical disorders, and where all the bones of dead babies in the sewer systems had come from, was sufficient to propel me through to the end.

There are some points about this book which may be found offensive. Personally, Book Dragon doesn’t mind.  The good guys win out.  Evil is soundly (and quite painfully – yeeowch!) trounced. 

It’s hard to pinpoint who the audience for this might be.  My tastes are very eclectic, and I know I occasionally enjoy books that others would find distasteful to the extreme.  This, I believe, falls into that category.

If you are sensitive to any of the topics I mentioned above, you will probably not like this, but if you like horror novels—truly gritty, dark, and occasionally disgusting (both in the literal and figurative sense) horror novels—then you will probably enjoy this. I’d have to say that the closest comparison I can think of are Stephen King’s Bachman Books. If you’ve read the collection I’m referring to, think the bluntness of the story Rage. The styles and content are very different, as is the narrative voice, but in terms of the “tone” and frank language of the piece, it’s the best comparison I can come up with.

That in mind, this book is very well written, the story engaging, and—while at times predictable—is quite entertaining. I look forward to reading more of Mr. Bauer’s work in the future.

Series Order:
1. N/A

Tori's Review: Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

Released: April 1, 2011 
Paperback: 432 pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing 
Source: Bought 
Genre: Paranormal Romance 
Series: Lords of Deliverance 
Buy: Amazon



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They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

My Rating:

My Opinion:
I am a rabid fan of Larissa Ione's characters and worlds. Her writing has the uncanny ability to engross me within a matter of pages, and then I am doomed to remain glued to the book until I finish... and when I do finish, I'm upset, because I want to read more, but there's no more left. It's really a nasty cycle, and it happens every. single. time; ETERNAL RIDER was no exception.

When I first read the teaser at the end of SIN UNDONE, I was literally foaming at the mouth, dying to read what I knew would be an awesome HOTA series. I even pre-ordered this book the second after I shut Sin's book because I was that excited for it. And come on, Ares? I love the god of war, and while the Ares in this book was not the Greek god, he was still pretty cool.

It took a while for ETERNAL RIDER to gain momentum. I'd say about the first third/fourth of the book is dedicated to world building, and thus, was fairly slow to draw the reader in. One of my friends (who did not read the Demonica books first) thought that it was incredibly difficult to get into the storyline, and I can see why she had trouble with Ares' book. Once you adjust to the world, however, it's just like any of the Demonica books--you're doomed to keep reading until the very end... assuming you're a fan of Larissa's books to begin with. If not, then I don't know how you'll react ;)

All of the Horsemen were awesome, and I grew fond of them fairly quickly. Pestilence's character was reviling, and I loved that Larissa was not timid about making him a truly monstrous character. He had my skin crawling at some points, and I was freaking out during one scene with Cara and Ares.

Speaking of Cara: her character threw me off. I enjoyed her at the start and found her attitude around Ares amusing. Definitely got a kick out of her throwing Ares off his game because he needed someone like that...but then at some point later in the story, that feisty attitude got kind of boring for me and I grew tired of her character/her interactions with Ares. I have no explanation whatsoever for why I suddenly disengaged with the couple, but I did.

That is not to say that I grew tired of the story or any of the other characters. Quite the contrary, actually. Thanatos and Limos are two of my favorites, and I highly anticipate both of their stories (I'm in the process of reading Limos' book now, actually, and I am loving every minute of it). It was nice reacquainting myself with the Demonica characters also, though I did feel somewhat distant from them this time around. Guess that just comes with the territory.

All in all, while ETERNAL RIDER had a slow start, it finished strong and is another amazing book by the incredibly talented Larissa Ione. I highly suggest checking this series out--after you acquaint yourself with the Demonica series, that is. You won't regret it.


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

Tori's Review: Raven Cursed by Faith Hunter

Released: January 3, 2012
Paperback: X pages
Price: $7.99
Publisher: Penguin 
Source: Publisher 
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Series: Jane Yellowrock
Buy: Amazon

Add this book to your Goodreads shelf

The vampires of Asheville, North Carolina, want to establish their own clan, but since they owe loyalty to the Master Vampire of New Orleans they must work out the terms with him. To come up with an equitable solution, he sends an envoy with the best bodyguard blood money can buy: Jane Yellowrock.

But when a group of local campers are attacked by something fanged, Jane goes from escort to investigator. Unless she wants to face a very angry mast vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It's a good thing she's worth every penny.

My Rating:

My Opinion:
I thoroughly enjoyed RAVEN CURSED (RC), and yet, despite how much I love Jane and Beast, I haven't the faintest clue how I should write this review. SKINWALKER was Book Faery's first book review ever, so I feel a certain sort of fondness for this series, and yet, I will readily admit that there are sometimes elements in these books that bother me.

One, for instance, was the fact that I could barely remember certain characters and scenes from the last book while reading RC. Some characters literally felt brand new to me, but from the way Jane and the others behaved around so-and-so, they obviously played a role in a past book. I know I read MERCY BLADE almost exactly a year ago, so that may contribute to the fuzzies, but I was disconcerted when a number of references to the past caught me off guard. My memory is not THAT bad...

Another thing that made me a bit disappointed was the slow start. If I was new to the Jane Yellowrock series, you best be believing that I would have given up within the first few pages. It was slow and I couldn't get attached to Jane or the plot line. Eventually the pace did pick up and I re-entered the world, but I think some may not give Jane and Beast the pages they deserve.

Aside from those two complaints, I still loved this book. Beast is as funny as ever. She is one of the most developed characters thus far in the series.

Leo still makes me swoon, and I was squeeing like a fan-girl when he actually played a role in person this time around. I missed that crazy vampire.

Jane has never bothered me before, though I will admit that her penance/religion plot-line can be a little overkill for some. I don't really pay it much attention in general, but this time around, I kind of enjoyed the stark contrast between Jane and her repenting and Beast's "screw it" attitude that a predator would presumably have.

Evangelina... oh Evangelina, you evil dirty little witch. I was not expecting this sort of twist, but I loved what happened to her at the end. She so deserved it.

Big Evan frustrated me. I felt like his dislike for Jane was a bit... overkill. I can understand his point of view, and WHY he may have behaved the way he did, but I think it was done solely to reinforce the penance theme, and if that is truly the case, I was not enjoying that aspect.

I'm feeling a bit ambivalent about Molly now after what happened in this book. Considering Jane and Molly were best friends, I'm surprised she sometimes behaved the way she did. It's not like Jane could really help what happened in the past--it was part of her job, and Molly should have understood that was part of the job description (look at me, sympathizing with Jane ha!).

Bruiser and Rick... now those two are hot messes--emphasis on hot. I love this series, so the "love triangle" (if you would call it that) doesn't really bother me, and I love the mind games, but I know a lot of people who would get annoyed with how we, as readers, keep getting baited along.

The characters in Hunter's series are so well-fleshed out that it is hard to recall that they are not real. The plot line in RC is as good as past storylines, but I will not be going into detail since I don't want to spoil any details for newbies and Jane Yellowrock fans alike.

Once again, another Jane Yellowrock novel receives a highly recommended review from me. If you want an awesome UF with some crazy ass old school-ish vampires, skinwalkers, and many other paranormaly creatures, then this series is for you.


Series Order:
1. Skinwalker (book review)
2. Blood Cross (book review)
3. Mercy Blade (book review)
4. Raven Cursed

Tori's Review: Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin

Paperback: 336 pages
Price: $7.99
ISBN: 978-0441020911 
Released: September 27, 2011
Publisher: Penguin 
Author's Website: Linda Poitevin
Buy it: Amazon
Obtained: Publisher 
Genre: Urban Fantasy 
Series: Grigori Legacy 
Book Order:
1. Sins of the Angels 

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

My Rating: 

My Opinion:
An engaging, unique read. The beginning had me hooked, the middle had a slight lull (where it felt like characters were running in circles), but the mysterious ending totally had me interested again.

The strongest point for this book--and what ultimately kept me going--was the plot. Like many, I have grown tired of angels/fallen angels, but that did not matter in SINS OF THE ANGELS. I loved the new world and story Linda weaved together, and it was quite fun attempting to figure out what purpose each character's caste served.

Characterization was good too, though there were a few moments where a character felt flat for me. No deal breaker, though. For the most part, I felt the emotional impact for a lot of scenes. I also felt a chill or two, and my blood ran cold at one point in particular... for those of you who have read this title, it was the bloodbath scene. Brutal imagery, definitely creepy, and definitely well done.

SINS OF THE ANGELS has an excellent thriller element to it. I absolutely LOVED the surprises in this book. Caim could be one creepy bastard at times, and it was absolutely chilling when I pictured him in certain scenes--particularly one near the end where he just sort of appears out of nowhere. I don't usually get freaked out, but I did then!

A couple of complaints include:

A lot of sentence fragments. It's more of a style Linda seemed to have adopted, and when not used constantly, is a great way for an author to emphasize a point. After reading numerous pages laden with these fragments, however, I grew somewhat tired of it. This may irk some readers.

I would have loved more development of the romantic relationship because we essentially went from the two being wary/seemingly disliking each other to suddenly being unable to part. The shift felt abrupt--almost like a switch was turned on and the two were in love. I think that this part was the biggest disappointment in the book for me. I wanted so desperately to feel the passion shared, but instead, I felt more of their initial ambivalence instead.

There seemed to be potential for a love triangle; I sincerely hope this is not the case.

Overall, a great start to what sounds like an awesome paranormal series. So long as there are no love triangles, and the romance is developed a bit further (assuming the idea of soulmates is emphasized in future books), I think I will be a fan for a long, long time. Hell, even if there is a love triangle, I will definitely be reading future installments.