A Book Obsession..

Kirsten Reviews: Stone Cold by Devon Monk

, by KT

Stone Cold by Devon Monk

Broken Magic #2

Marked by Life and Death magic, Shame Flynn and Terric Conley are “breakers”—those who can use magic to its full extent. Most of the time, they can barely stand each other, but they know they have to work together to defeat a common enemy—rogue magic user Eli Collins.

Backed by the government, Eli is trying to use magic as a weapon by carving spells into the flesh of innocents and turning them into brainless walking bombs. To stop him, Shame and Terric will need to call on their magic, even as it threatens to consume them—because the price they must pay to wield Life and Death could change the very fate of the world...and magic itself.

Stone Cold by Devon Monk is the sequel to Hell Bent, and the second book in the author’s Broken Magic series. Firstly, this is a spinoff from Monk’s Allie Beckstrom series, but new readers don’t need to have read those books first in order to jump right into the storyline. For the record, that’s a good thing, because if you like this book, then you can go back and read the others to pick up additional details.

The shortest way to describe the world these books take place in is: magic is real and so are its problems. That’s putting it extremely simply, but this book is replete with interesting characters, and the issues that come from having any sort of contact with, or ability to wield magic. As is amply demonstrated by the two protagonists, Shamus ‘Shame’ Flynn and Terric Conley, who happen to be Death and Life magic users, and soul complements. This doesn’t mean they’re the best of friends, or that they want to spend every waking moment together. In fact, they often want to avoid each other for some very good reasons. But, they have a common foe; Eli Collins, who has aims beyond mundane crime and mayhem, and is the sort of adversary that will take both of them working together, in the truly impressive, and often scary way that they do so well.

Shame, as he’s called by everyone, is the most powerful wielder of Death magic alive. Terric is his equal in Life magic, and were close growing up, but finding out that they were soul complements made things more complicated between them. Notably, their relationship is platonic, while Terric is gay, and Shame is not, and Shame often pushes Terric to go out and find love, as he deserves it. Meanwhile Shame has a ghost or two following him around, and tries to avoid emotional entanglements because he literally kills people for a living.

Ordinarily, being so powerful would give Terric and Shame an edge on somebody like Eli Collins, but there’s the not insignificant issue of them having become the literal embodiments of Life and Death. Unsurprisingly, this is slowly eating away at their humanity, and each of them has issues asking for help.

Throw in complications from a coterie of other characters, including Davy, Allie, and Zay, a large amount of mortal peril, and this book stands alone from its parent series, and is a pleasure to read.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
A Book Obsession (Katie's Review)
BiblioSanctum
Bookworm Blues

Previous Books:
1. Hell Bent

Release Day Review: Push by Eve Silver

, by KT

Push by Eve Silver

The Game #2

It’s either break the rules or die.

Miki Jones lives her life by her own strict set of rules, to keep control, to keep the gray fog of grief at bay. Then she’s pulled into the Game, where she—and her team—will die unless she follows a new set of rules: those set by the mysterious Committee.

But rules don’t mean answers, and without answers, it’s hard to trust. People are dying. The rules are unraveling. And Miki knows she’s being watched, uncertain if it’s the Drau or someone—something—else. Forced to make impossible choices and battling to save those she loves, Miki begins to see the Committee in a glaring new light.

And then the Game crosses a new boundary, pushes harder into Miki’s and her friends’ lives, and there’s nothing in the rules that can save them now.

Push is the sequel Rush fans will be screaming for.

One of the most impressive things about this series is how fast paced it is, which I love as it gives a thrilling ride while reading. Yet, even more important, that frenzy pace never once got too out of hand where it would have become too hard to follow. There was just the right amount of downtime and slower moments plus character development mixed in to keep things moving along perfectly. Trust me, this is one of those books that will suck you right in and when you finally emerge, time will have passed without you noticing. And for me, that's the best kind of read.

I was really impressed with Miki's growth in PUSH. She's been through so much and obsessively tries to control her life, but if nothing else that's good has come from her being forced into the game, it's that she's learning to let some things go. She's made amazing steps towards learning where to push for that control and when to let things go that only serve to hold her back. Honestly, I'm surprised that she's doing so well. Most people would be in far worse shape, yet shes finding her way and taking charge. There was one scene where she stood up for herself and others despite facing certain death, and I wanted to give her a standing ovation. My kind of gal.

Fair warning, PUSH ends in a cliffhanger just like the first book. I'm not a fan of them, so when I finished RUSH, I had to give myself a few days before writing this review to allow my annoyance with the ending to settle in order for it to not color my review. I want a book to grab me enough on it's own merit rather than using a ploy to drag me into reading the next book. They just aren't necessary, and I especially think that's the case here. But, cliffhanger aside, much like the first installment PUSH is a very enjoyable and fast paced read that will appeal to YA fans who are looking for a fresh series that outside the box.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:
The Nocturnal Library
Bloody Bookaholic
My Guilty Obsession

Previous Books:
1. Rush

Review: Masks by Karen Chance

, by KT

Masks by Karen Chance

Cassie Palmer #4.3

Fifteenth century Venice is a safe haven for the masterless dregs of the vampire world, a city where they can live without the fear of retribution for violating another’s territory.
Still, there are plenty of ways for a young vampire to die in the glittering city, a lesson that prince turned pauper Mircea Basarab must learn quickly. But there are opportunities, too—in the service of a secretive courtesan, in the bed of a beautiful senator, and in the hunt for an ancient assassin.
As a vendetta older than Venice itself comes to a climax, Mircea struggles to evade the dangers of his current life, to come to terms with his past, and to uncover the truth hidden behind a city of masks…

Masks was a real treat for me. I loved seeing into Mircea's head back before he became so powerful and had lived as long as the vampire Cassie knows today. To see him powerless and the bottom rung was really different. It's interesting to note that despite his lower power level and much less experience, at the core he was still the same man. He still was a leader and one not satisfied to just let things happen around him without him trying to fix or influence them for the better. Sure, this wasn't apparent to him at the start of this book, but the experiences in this book definitely were the turning point in him finding his confidence as a vampire.

Not only was MASKS very focused on Mircea and him finding his way, there also was a fully formed plot interwoven into the story as well. Granted, it's nowhere near the typical frenzy pace of the rest of the two series, but more than enough to fully hold my attention. I loved the mix of political intrigue and the way it kept me on my toes throughout. The little hints and clues added together, and while I had my suspicions on certain things, I still was caught off guard by the big reveal at the end, which I loved.

For a novel that was just supposed to be an extra bonus story, MASKS caught me completely off guard. Don't get me wrong, I knew I would enjoy the story as I love Karen's books, but I definitely wasn't expecting such a well crafted and lengthy story. What I had thought was a bonus look into Mircea's past actually wound up being a fully fledged story and one heck of a read. Trust me, this is a must read for any Cassie fan as it gives some much needed look into our favorite (or not so favorite, depending on your preference) master that you won't want to miss.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
Under the Covers
The Demon Librarian
Bitten By Books

Previous Books:
1. Touch the Dark
2. Claimed by Shadow
3. Embrace the Night
4. Curse the Dawn
5. Hunt the Moon
6. Tempt the Stars

Kirsten Reviews: Dragons Wild by Robert Asprin

, by KT

Dragons Wild by Robert Aspirin

Dragons #1

First in a brand new series from the "New York Times" bestselling creator of the Myth and Phule novels.

A low-stakes con artist and killer poker player, Griffen "Grifter" McCandles graduated college fully expecting his wealthy family to have a job waiting for him. Instead, his mysterious uncle reveals a strange family secret: Griffen and his sister, Valerie, are actually dragons.

Unwilling to let Uncle Mal take him under his wing, so to speak, Griffen heads to New Orleans with Valerie to make a living the only way he knows how. And even the criminal underworld of the French Quarter will heat up when Griffen lands in town.

Dragons Wild is the first in a series of books, by the late Robert Asprin. It should be noted that although Asprin has passed away, there are several more books in the series, should readers be interested. That is fortunate, as it’s clear that this book’s plot is set up to be continued in future sequels.

Anyone who’s enjoyed other works by Asprin may or may not enjoy this book, the Phule series stands out from the rest, and at times, this book feels as though it is trying to do too much, even for a book introducing a new universe and a wide array of characters.

The premise is that Griffen McCandles, college graduate, and slacker has a job interview with the uncle who paid for Griffen’s schooling. But rather than being told he will be paid to schlep paper in an office, Griffen learns that he and his sister are actually dragons. While this isn’t a revelation that Griffen or his sister Valerie take seriously, others do, and soon there is an assassin out to get him and he and Valerie have been relocated to New Orleans.

Asprin obviously had a great love of New Orleans, and that familiarity and affection show through, as the city is a character in and of itself. At some points, it feels that one could plan a trip around some of the details slotted into the story, but whether that’s distracting or not will depend on the reader.

As with all his books, Asprin’s characters find themselves in situations that are dangerous or inconvenient and solve them in unconventional ways. This makes for a plot that often goes in more circuitous directions than one might expect, but overall, there is very little in the way of actual peril, as Griffen and other characters feel as if they can roll with just about anything that is thrown at them. Again, there are more books in this series, and if readers are interested in Asprin’s style of storytelling and dragons, they may enjoy them all.
(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:
The Reading Addict

Early Review: (Don't You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

, by KT

(Don't You) Forget About Me by Kate Karyus Quinn

Welcome to Gardnerville.

A place where no one gets sick. And no one ever dies.
Except...
There’s a price to pay for paradise. Every fourth year, the strange power that fuels the town exacts its payment by infecting teens with deadly urges. In a normal year in Gardnerville, teens might stop talking to their best friends. In a fourth year, they’d kill them.

Four years ago, Skylar’s sister, Piper, was locked away after leading sixteen of her classmates to a watery grave. Since then, Skylar has lived in a numb haze, struggling to forget her past and dull the pain of losing her sister. But the secrets and memories Piper left behind keep taunting Skylar—whispering that the only way to get her sister back is to stop Gardnerville’s murderous cycle once and for all.

I'm honestly not sure how to explain how I feel about this book. On one hand it was really, well odd, hard to follow at first, and honestly way out there. But then on the other hand I was sucked in turning the pages as fast as I could read them even though all the while I kept thinking to myself what the.. But that was some of the charm of the book as nothing was as it seems. Sure, the multiple time threads kept throwing me as I tried to unravel the secrets, and while I came to appreciate the way it all unfurled by the end it was just a bit frustrating while reading it due to my confusion. Also there was one element that was so off the wall that honestly I just had to convince myself to overlook the absurdity. Let me just say that rodents should not have played the role they did, and leave it at that. That being said, there were other twists that really made the read step up a major notch by the end as it made you look back over everything that had happened prior to that point with a new eye, amping up the intrigue in my book.

It's funny, not only did the plot line start out one way as far as enjoyment and wind up in a completely different category for me by the end, the main character also followed this pattern for me. At first I was rather annoyed with Skylar's pill popping and lack of care. She was an utter and complete mess, and not really relatable. But again as the story unfurled and you got to see more of her past and she also started stepping up in the future, I saw her in a new eye. Don't get me wrong, she was still incredibly broken and rather a mess, but as I started to see why she was that way, and as she started to work towards turning herself around, I fell for her, and only that much further into the story.

(DON'T YOU) FORGET ABOUT ME may require a bit of patience to get used to the way it jumps time frames and the overall strangeness, but it's a very fast paced read whose build up is more than worth it. It's definitely more than a little unique and a breath of fresh air for such a voracious but sometimes bored reader such as myself. Give it a shot, you'll be glad you did.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:
The Social Potato
Xpresso Reads
Realm of Fiction

Covet 6/2 Release & Giveaway

, by KT

Covets have all the sexiness, emotion, and happily ever after that readers have come to expect and love from Entangled. They are firmly grounded in the contemporary world, but each novel brings in supernatural twists, breaking the contemporary and paranormal rules, alike. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books you’ll be coveting next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, LIKE their Facebook page, and join the Book Club.

Today I'm happy to be featuring Covet's June 2nd release:

Love Potions by Michelle Pillow

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!

Erik MacGregor, from a clan of ancient Scottish warlocks, isn’t looking for love. After centuries, it’s not even a consideration… until he moves in next door to Lydia Barratt. It’s clear that the shy beauty wants nothing to do with him, but he’s drawn to her nonetheless and determined to win her over.

Lydia Barratt just wants to be left alone to grow flowers and make lotions in her old Victorian home. The last thing she needs is a demanding Scottish man meddling in her private life. Just because he’s gorgeous and totally rocks a kilt doesn’t mean she’s going to fall for his seductive manner.

But Erik won’t give up and just as Lydia let’s her guard down, his sister decides to get involved. Her little love potion prank goes terribly wrong, making Lydia the target of his sudden embarrassingly obsessive behavior. They’ll have to find a way to pull Erik out of the spell fast when it becomes clear that Lydia has more than a lovesick warlock to worry about. Evil lurks within the shadows and it plans to use Lydia, alive or dead, to take out Erik and his clan for good.

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Review: White Heart of Justice by Jill Archer

, by KT

White Heart of Justice by Jill Archer

Noon Onyx #3

Since Lucifer claimed victory at Armageddon, demons, angels, and humans have coexisted in uneasy harmony. Those with waning magic are trained to maintain peace and order. But hostilities are never far from erupting...

After years of denying her abilities, Noon Onyx, the first woman in history to wield waning magic, has embraced her power. She’s won the right to compete in the prestigious Laurel Crown Race—an event that will not only earn her the respect of her peers but also, if she wins, the right to control her future.

However, Noon’s task is nearly impossible: retrieve the White Heart of Justice, a mythical sword that disappeared hundreds of years ago. The sword is rumored to be hidden in a dangerous region of Halja that she is unlikely to return from. But Noon’s life isn’t the only thing hanging in the balance. The sword holds an awesome power that, in the wrong hands, could reboot the apocalypse—and Noon is the only one who can prevent Armageddon from starting again…

Noon has grown by leaps and bounds from where we first met her, almost to the point where she's almost unrecognizable in comparison. Gone is the whiny, insecure overall annoying girl, and in her place is this confident woman, not afraid to use her magic and fight for what she wants. It honestly was refreshing to see. There were several times throughout reading this book where I was cheering her on and wanted to give her around of applause. Funny thing was, this quest was by far her most daunting yet, but she never once faltered. So major kudos to you Ms. Archer for writing a heroine with incredible character growth!

Now as much as I did enjoy this book, there is a bit of a "Danger Will Robinson" warning I have to give. It looks like there's a love triangle well on its way. Since that's typically an annoyance of mine it's ironic that despite it's inclusion, this series has drastically turned around for me. But again, the main character's maturity level is one of the fastest ways to turn me off, so it's good that's resolved. This also helped things work well with the addition of this new love interest. Since Noon is so much more mature, I felt stronger about their potential than I ever had with her and Ari. But of course, things aren't exactly smooth, thus the love triangle statement. I'm not completely sure it's headed that way, but based on the way things ended, I have a good feeling it's all going to get messy. Only time will tell.

WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE is the perfect example as to why I try and give series multiple chances before giving up. I had only rated the first two books two stars each, but this one easily earns a four from me. Don't get me wrong, the books weren't terrible, I just had some issues, but I had seen the spark of potential there. Granted in my review of the previous book I was largely frustrated and stated I wouldn't be continuing on, but the blurb for this one intrigued me so I figured one last shot was warranted, and after finishing, I'm glad I did. WHITE HEART OF JUSTICE pulls together all of the best elements from the first two books with none of the bad, making me a very happy reader.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:
The Reading Cafe

Previous Books:
1. Dark Light of Day
2. Fiery Edge of Steel

Kirsten Reviews: Defender by Mike Shepherd

, by KT

Defender by Mike Shepherd

Kris Longknife #11

Kris Longknife is back in the good graces of the brass—and to demonstrate that, they've promoted her to Admiral. Now her mission is to find the home base of the space pirates who are plaguing the fringes of the galaxy.

But no mission is ever simple when your name is Longknife. And this time the complications range from the military to the personal, as Kris finds herself—reluctantly—having to make some command decisions about her future...

Defender by Mike Shepherd is, for anybody looking to pick up the series, the eleventh book centering on Kris Longknife. That means new readers need to start at the beginning, because most of what happens in this book won’t have any emotional or storytelling payoff otherwise.

The short version is that Kris Longknife has gotten back in the good graces of the higher ups, and in the course of the first few chapters, the brass even promote her to Admiral. With renewed confidence in her abilities, she has been tasked with finding the hideout of the space pirates who are continuing to plague the edges of the galaxy. But, since this is a mission which includes Kris Longknife, there are complications, and she has to handle both military and personal issues, which naturally prevents this from being a simple matter of finding and capturing a bunch of pirates.

For any longtime readers of the series, there is a good bit of time spent in the beginning focusing on the relationship between Kris and Jack, but once that’s been covered, the story begins to pick up.

The solution to many of the problems of having a planet in a pre-industrial state, and then accelerating its growth to advancements in weaponry, factories, cities, and mining seems to be the use of smart metal, by default, which is awfully convenient.

Setting that issue aside, there are plenty of space battles for anyone who felt the other books were lacking in them, and more importantly, Kris is the one giving the orders this time. That means far more responsibility falls on her shoulders, and some of it is handled with more ease than other things.

The author’s comfort with the characters, and their evolution are evident, and will make anybody who’s stuck with the series up until now feel that character evolution, particularly that of Kris, has been well-earned. As is the case with a series, especially one that has lasted for so many books, numerous things are explained and some plot threads are tied up by the end of the book, while others are left hanging until the next book.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

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Other Reviews:

Mixed Book Bag
PG's Ramblings

Previous Books:

1. Mutineer

2. Deserter

3. Defiant

4. Resolute

5. Audacious

6. Intrepid

7. Undaunted

8. Redoubtable

9. Daring

10. Furious

5/27 Select Releases & Giveaways

, by KT

Whether you’re looking for a romance that makes you laugh, makes you ‘walk the plank’, keeps you guessing, or stars your favorite paranormal, look no further. Select books have the single-title stories you crave, and the longer length you need to really get ‘lost’ in a great book. To find out more about their titles, chat with authors, participate in special events, and to find out what books are coming next, visit the Entangled website, follow them on Twitter, and like their Facebook page.

Today I'm happy to be featuring Select's May releases:


A Hornet Novel Available in Print and eCopy! Find out more! Giveaway	A Sanctify Novel Available in Print and eCopy! Find out more! Giveaway


Never show fear to a demon. Special $0.99 Introductory Price! Find out more! Giveaway	Save the Dragons Special $0.99 Introductory Price! Find out more! Giveaway


A week together could be just the cure she needs... Only 99 Cents! Find out more! Giveaway	It's never the same old song... Only 99 Cents! Find out more! Giveaway

Fall in love,
save some immortal souls,
break a curse...
No problem.

Special $0.99 Introductory Price!

Find out more!

Giveaway

Plus don't miss these two special events!

http://www.entangledinromance.com/2014/05/21/spreecast-with-tonya-burrows-katee-robert/

https://www.facebook.com/events/299681326861531/

Early Review: A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton

, by KT

A Shiver of Light by Laurell K. Hamilton

Merry Gentry #9

I am Princess Meredith NicEssus. Legal name Meredith Gentry, because “Princess” looks so pretentious on a driver’s license. I was the first faerie princess born on American soil, but I wouldn't be the only one for much longer...

Merry Gentry, ex–private detective, now full-time princess, knew she was descended from fertility goddesses, but when she learned she was about to have triplets, she began to understand what that might mean. Infertility has plagued the high ranks of faerie for centuries. Now nobles of both courts of faerie are coming to court Merry and her men, at their home in exile in the Western Lands of Los Angeles, because they will do anything to have babies of their own.

Taranis, King of Light and Illusion, is a more dangerous problem. He tried to seduce Merry and, failing that, raped her. He’s using the human courts to sue for visitation rights, claiming that one of the babies is his. And though Merry knows she was already pregnant when he took her, she can’t prove it.

To save herself and her babies from Taranis she will use the most dangerous powers in all of faerie: a god of death, a warrior known as the Darkness, the Killing Frost, and a king of nightmares. They are her lovers, and her dearest loves, and they will face down the might of the high courts of faerie—while trying to keep the war from spreading to innocent humans in Los Angeles, who are in danger of becoming collateral damage.

My first thought when I heard about this book: "Finally, a new Merry book!" My last thought when finishing this book: "I wonder how long we'll have to wait until the next Merry book..." For some reason I had thought that since there was such a very long stretch between the last installment and this one that A SHIVER OF LIGHT would be the final installment and would wrap everything up in the series. No such luck, and I'm trying really hard not to let that sour my experience with book. I was really hoping for some resolution, but while things definitely moved forward on the personal front, the actual overall plot with faerie and the different factions honestly didn't change all that much. However, all of that being said I don't think any of this would have been a complaint at all if it had not have been for the long wait to get to this book, as the story moved a long well and there was more than enough going on with that personal front with Merry's babies and men and her court, and of course there was plenty of political stuff too, because how couldn't there be in a Merry book. So, now onward with things putting my wants aside...

Poor poor Merry. I honestly don't know how she does it. No one respects her except for her men, and yet they are some of the reason she is so looked down up. It doesn't seem to matter who it is, but everyone from fae to humans all sneer at her for one reason or another. While she does have moments where she breaks down and falls to pieces and it takes Frost and Doyle to comfort her through it, she always picks herself back up and continues on. She is amazingly strong and I just love how she doesn't back down from anything she believes in. It's both funny and awesome to watch her go all momma bear when one of the "elite" fae make negative comments about the lessor fae, especially one of her men. She truly is one of the most fair, yet ruthless rulers, and frankly incredibly admirable. If all of her opponents just paid even the slightest bit of attention to how much her people love her, well it would be a real eye opener for sure. But no, she's left with fear, elitism, and resentment to deal with and it just breaks my heart for her. But I guess that's the sign of a truly good book where challenges to the characters break the reader's heart right alongside them, and that's definitely the case here.

There's so much more I could say about this book, like how great it was to finally "meet" the babies, and see the fathers interact. There's also much to be said about the political machinations going on, and the way things ended, but all of that is better left alone for readers to enjoy themselves. So I'll end things by saying that the long awaited A SHIVER OF LIGHT doesn't disappoint and is an absolute must buy for all Merry fans out there.

(Received a copy from the publisher)

Rating:

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Other Reviews:

Fangs, Wands, and Fairy Dust

Liezel's Book Blog

Literal Addiction

Previous Books:

1. A Kiss of Shadows

2. A Caress of Twilight

3. Seduced by Moonlight

4. A Stroke of Midnight