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Seraphs

, by KT

Seraphs by Faith Hunter

Rogue Mage Series #2

After the events of Bloodring, Thorn can no longer hide who she is. She has a few very loyal allies, but as for the rest of the town most are wary of, if not outright against her. Most fear her, and a few would love nothing more than to prosecute and execute her. Although their fears are mostly based on prejudice, some of them are warranted. The dark forces on the Trine are drawn to Thorn as they want Thorn and her powers, bringing the fight to the town. In the end, to save the ones she loves she must do something she vowed never to do again, go underground into the Darkness' lair to rescue a fallen Seraph that is vital to the looming war.

This book was much less confusing than the last one, and while we still do not know the entire truth of Thorn's past, things are starting to become a little more clear. Considering how frustrating it is to me to not know what she truly is, I cannot imagine what it would be like for Thorn. The poor mage has had so many things thrown at her, and everyone seems to know much more about her than she does, its a wonder she can even begin to handle it all. Throughout this book Thorn continues to prove her inner "goodness" regardless of what the townspeople may say, nor the fact that she is supposed to be soulless as all mages are. She never hesitates to risk and sacrifice her safety to protect others and that it a very admirable trait. The mage heat is still an issue for me as you would expect something to come of it, but nothing ever does. While Thorn is so strong willed that she can mostly avoid the temptation, a normal person would not be able to. Since mage heat affects the person it is directed at as well, it would make sense that one of these times something would have happened. Putting that aside Thorn is an amazing character and her selflessness is amazing. I hope in the next book she get some recovery time and a little peace as a reward for all she has done and sacrificed.

Buy now at Amazon:
Seraphs: A Rogue Mage Novel

Its Monday, What are you Reading?

, by KT

It's Monday! What Are You Reading, hosted by Book Journey, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

This is my first week participating, but it looks like really great way to recap your week as well as to see what other bloggers have been up to. Here is my list for the week:

Stray by Rachel Vincent
Rogue by Rachel Vincent
Pride by Rachel Vincent
Prey by Rachel Vincent
Shift by Rachel Vincent
Bloodring by Faith Hunter
Seraphs by Faith Hunter

This was my second time reading the Shifters series by Rachel Vincent. She posted the first Chapter of Alpha, the final book on her website, and I probably shouldn't have read it since it made me really impatient for the book to come out. October is such a long time away! I wound up going back and re-reading the series since I just couldn't get Faythe out of my head. I also read the first two books in the Rogue Mage series by Faith Hunter. I posted my review on the first book, but since I just finished the second book last night, I haven't written its review yet. I also participated in the Book Blogger Hop as well as follower friday.

For this week look for the review on the Seraphs by Faith Hunter, as well as any other reviews I get finished. As far as reading, this is the list I'm looking at for now:

Host by Faith Hunter
Eternal Kiss of Darkness by Jeaniene Frost (releases Tuesday SQUEE!!)
Wait for Dusk by Jocelynn Drake (Also Tuesday release, another I've been waiting for!)
Some Girls by Chloe Neil
Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neil
Twice Bitten by Chloe Neil

Name Change

, by KT

Well due to the book hop, I stumbled upon another blog with the same name as mine. The blog is by Page over here. Since her blog has been around much longer, I feel a name change is in order. Even though I just found out on Friday the names were the same, and I really love the name, I just have to change it. I've been thinking about what to change it to all weekend, and for now I think I'm going to change it to "A Book Obsession." I'm not really sure if that's going to be the final name. I like it, and it does fit since I really am obsessed with books, I just think I'm a little partial to the old name, so its kinda hard to accept anything else.

What do you guys think about the new name? Good, terrible, let me know ;)

Bloodring

, by KT

Bloodring by Faith Hunter

Rogue Mage Series #1

Bloodring is told from the perspective of Thorn St. Croix. Thorn is a stone mage, the only one of her kind who is not confined to a mage community called Enclave. On the run, she must keep her identity a secret for fear of her life. If she is found by the Seraphs, who are angel-like beings, she will be sent back to the enclave where she faces certain insanity for she has a "gift" of mind reading her own kind, and thousands of minds get a little noisy. However, if she is discovered by the humans she hides amongst she faces death by stoning. When a temptingly attractive police officer named Thaddeus knocks on her door in the middle of the night to tell Thorn her ex-husband has been kidnapped, she must risk using her powers to find him, even with the fear of discovery looming over her.

I found the first half of this book to be a very frustrating read. I did not have much of a clue what was going on in the novel, and just when things started to become clear new revelations would be made, further confusing Thorn's identity. I enjoy a little mystery to a character, but this book could have used just a little more back story sooner for everything to make more sense. The book loosely follows biblical aspects, and at root is a war between good and evil. Thorn is on the side of "light" and makes stands against the evil "darkness" that tries to hurt the ones she loves. She is a very strong character, and when she sets out to do something she perseveres, not matter the risk to herself. One aspect I didn't care for was the "mage-heat," it is portrayed as this all consuming desire, but never seems to serve a true purpose in the book other than to "throw a wrench" into things for Thorn, possibly in future books it will have more meaning, but for this book I just didn't feel it was necessary. Poor Thorn had enough thrown at her without it. Thorn's personality, her "voice," is great and her world is interesting, however the story was hard to follow at times. The ending resolution was only a partial one, and the peace Thorn gains seems tentative at best. With how the ending played out, there is definite potential for this series, and I think as more about Thorn's true identity and past are revealed, the better it will get.

Buy now at Amazon:
Bloodring (Rogue Mage, Book 1)

Book Blogger Hop

, by KT

This is a weekly blog hop that seems to be a great way for bloggers to meet each other. This is my first time stumbling upon it, but I think its going to be a lot of fun.

This week's question is: TELL US ABOUT THE BOOK YOU ARE CURRENTLY READING!

I am currently reading Bloodring by Faith Hunter. I'm only a few chapters in, and since this is the first book in a series, I do not have much of a clue as to whats going on yet. As of right all I know is the book is told from the point of view of a neomage named Thorn, who is in hiding for fear of her life since she is the only one not in the Enclave. She is hiding amongst humans, and when her ex-husband is kidnapped, she becomes a suspect.

Starting a new series is always exciting yet frustrating for me. I love new things, but at the same time its very frustrating to not understand whats going on. Eventually, after reading for a while, you start to make sense of whats happening. However, once I finish reading the most recent book in a series I get frustrated all over again because I want to keep reading, but the books are not out yet. Then, the process starts all over again with a new series. I think it wouldn't be so bad if I did not read so fast, because then the process would be drawn out longer. However, when you finish most novels in 2-4 hours, the cycle never seems to end. Anyone else have this frustration problem?

Follow Friday

, by KT

To join the fun and make now book blogger friends, just follow these simple rules:

1. Follow the Follow My Book Blog Friday Host { Parajunkee.com } and any one else you want to follow on the list
2. Follow our Featured Bloggers - toreadornottoread-vampangel.blogspot.com/
3. Put your Blog name & URL in the Linky thing.
4. Grab the button up there and place it in a post, this post is for people to find a place to say hi in your comments
5. Follow Follow Follow as many as you can
6. If someone comments and says they are following you, be a dear and follow back. Spread the Love...and the followers

Magic on the Storm

, by KT

Magic on the Storm by Devon Monk

Allie Beckstrom Series #4

After two uneventful months, Allie and Zayvion get the phone call about danger they have been dreading. They knew the peace could not last with the Authority splitting into factions causing a brewing war, and something would bring everything to a head. What they did not count on was a Wild Magical storm to be brewing. In the last storm Allie tapped into it and saved Zayvion's life, but that came at a very steep cost, a month in a coma and almost cost her life. It is unusual for them to have prior notice of the storms, and all indications point this to being a storm to destroy the entire city. It is up to Allie and Zayvion to band with the rest of the Authority if there is to be any chance at saving the city.

In this book Allie's father isn't quite as prevalent, but when he is there he doesn't seem to be as bad as he used to be. We started to see another side to him, one that actually cares for Allie, but even more so, his pregnant wife, Violet. I think Allie is finally coming to terms with the fact that she cannot be truly rid of her father and must find a way to work with him to protect the ones they care about. The storm and the war really rip everything to shreds, and the fate of the Authority and magic is left in the balance. Allie has to make a tough decision at the end which shows her true devotion to Zayvion, but leaves us with a pretty big cliffhanger. In the next book it looks like Allie is in for the fight not only for her life, but more so Zayvion's as well.

Buy now at Amazon:
Magic on the Storm: An Allie Beckstrom Novel

Magic in the Shadows

, by KT

Magic in the Shadows by Devon Monk

Allie Beckstrom #3

Not only does Allie have to deal with losing her memories, but now her father's soul is invading her mind as well. She turns to Zayvion, the lover she has no memory of, and the Authority, a secret group of magical enforcers for help getting her father out of her mind. She must tread carefully for not everyone in the order wishes to help her. Meanwhile, one of her hounds gets into trouble, and Allie finds herself in the center of yet another plot for power. In the end it becomes a fight of wills, and if she isn't careful the fight could cost her much more; all her memories, her magical powers, even her life.

Allie's father is like the ghost that just will not quit. I found myself saying "You died in the first book, now just go away already!" Poor Allie has had so much thrown at her in such a short amount of time. She really has had to learn to pick up the pieces. While she is not physically strong, she has the tenacity and willpower of a tiger. It has become clear that she is incredibly powerful even though she does not realize this herself. She doubts herself and her powers, and I think that isn't always a bad thing. Overconfidence is a very dangerous thing for someone in a world like hers. There was a good amount of progression in the relationship between Allie and Zayvion, and my earlier frustration at their starting over because of her memory loss is gone. I think this time around will work much better for them, and helps build the interest in the series. I look forward to Allie building her confidence and powers so she can protect the ones she loves, as that is her greatest wish.

Buy now at Amazon:
Magic in the Shadows: An Allie Beckstrom Novel

Magic in the Blood

, by KT

Magic in the blood by Devon Monk

Allie Beckstrom Series #2

After losing her memory of the terrible events of the last month, as well as everything about the man she supposedly loves, Allie is trying to pick the pieces of her life up and put them back together. She accepts a job tracking kidnappings for a special police division called MERC, and as a result finds suspicion in a fellow hound. Once again Allie finds herself in the middle of a dangerous plot and if she's to survive she must trust more than just her magical instincts.

I found the major backtracking of the relationship between Allie and Zayvion to be rather frustrating. I can only hope this was done to build a better foundation for them to have a more solid and meaningful relationship since in the first book everything was rushed and built on sex rather than love. After finding out a little more about the mysterious Zayvion and who he really is, I found him all the more intriguing. Sometimes when a character's unknown background is revealed they lose some of their mystique, but not Zayvion. He is the type of character that will always be a little mystery. I find her father's continued "influence" on her to be a little aggravating, but I also feel the need to say the phrase: "And the plot thickens." In the next book I hope to see more of Allie and Zayvion together, strong, and full of love, as well as Allie finally being able to rid herself of everything to do with her manipulative father once and for all.

Buy now at Amazon:
Magic in the Blood (Allie Beckstrom)

Magic to the Bone

, by KT

Magic to the Bone by Devon Monk

Allie Beckstrom Series #1

Allie Beckstrom is a hound, someone who traces magic back to the caster. In her world magic is readily available to those who wish to pay the price. Allie has to pay twice the price when she uses magic as it steals parts of her memory. She carries a book with her at all times to jot down notes of her experiences so that when she loses the memories, she doesn't truly forget. Allie spends her time hunting those who offload their spell costs onto the innocent. When a friend's little boy ends up very ill from a spell offload things get a little crazy. Allie tracks the source back to her estranged billionaire father, and in the process meets the mysterious Zayvion. There is an instant attraction, but can she really trust him?

Allie is very strong willed, but she isn't overly physically powerful as many paranormal heroines are. As far as strength goes, shes just an ordinary person. Also magic and powers in her world do not come without a price. I find both of these things to be very refreshing. Most novels have their heroines seem to have endless powers, and not that ruins a book, but sometimes it is nice to have more consequences of power in a novel. One thing I did not care for was the excessive memory loss. Allie forgets almost every important thing that happens to her and whenever she doesn't remember to jot them down in her book she truly loses those memories forever. Based on how things ended in this book, it seems as if Allie will be "starting all over again," and I find that to be a little frustrating. I hope in future novels Allie learns how to stop the memory loss. All in all however, it was very good book and I am very interested to see where the series goes.

Buy now at Amazon:
Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom)