The upcoming New Year

Now that Christmas is finally over, things will start calming down. This means I should ha e more time to read hopefully. I know I've gotten behind in my reviews and many apologies for that. However, if you have contacted me for a review and I've accepted it. I still have them in queue and will get to them asap.

Review: Caressed by Night

Caressed by Night by Amanda J. Greene
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Carressed by Night

I received this book for free for an honest review.
This is the second book in the 'Rulers of Darkness' series. This book is set in Las Vegas Nevada and unlike the previous book this book is set in modern times. So a few hundred years have past. If you read the first book you met Gabriel the outcast who set sail for America. This is his territory however though, you might see more of him; this book is not set around him. It is set around Dimitri and Kerstyn. Dimitri is the last of the true bloods and Kerstyn is just a modern day woman, who is down on her luck.

Fate plays her game once again in putting these two together. It's instant attraction and lust and most definitely a lot of steam. This book seems to be a major turning point into the series as history makes a turn about. Also some insight into how vampires were created in this story, which in my honest opinion was definitely a very creative way to how vampires came to be. I like how this author has added more key characters to the series storyline. This way you know more books will be on their way. I enjoyed this book the same as the last. While reading this one though, I was thinking in my head ok this is going to be a typical, I found my mate she will be mine forever, but in this one there is one difference. It didn't go in the direction I expected it too, the author threw in a nice twist that ended up changing the whole dynamic of the story itself and the characters within. The only problem I had with this story, is that there wasn't enough conflict between the main characters. Kerstyn took everything in stride not really questioning or getting severely angry at anything at all. That's my only complaint with the book. Everything else was just as it should be.

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Review: Caressed by Moonlight

Caressed by Moonlight by Amanda J. Greene
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

SYNOPSIS:

Dorian Vlakhos is no ordinary aristocrat. He is a vampire king, who will do anything to save his clan from complete annihilation, before an ancient curse can claim his immortal life.

Penniless and orphaned, Victoria Kingston has nothing to bring to a marriage, yet she must shackle an unsuspecting gentleman into marriage by the end of the month or forfeit her rights as guardian of her younger sister. With the help of her dearest friend, Victoria begins her hunt, and vows to stay far away from the dark, mysterious, Dorian Vlakhos.

After meeting the beautifully innocent Miss Kingston, Dorian had to have her. He would do absolutely anything to make Victoria his. One sweet stolen kiss would bring them together while a force, more powerful than any vampire would bind them for all eternity. But treachery, war, and death rule Dorian’s dark world and Victoria would be fortunate to survive.

MY REVIEW:

I was given this book in place for an honest review. This is book one of the "Rulers of Darkness" series, this book takes place around Dorian the king of his vampire clan, and Victoria an orphaned young woman just trying to keep her sister. Now while reading this book, it immediately had me engrossed. It however, reminded me of Lara Adrian's midnight breed series and of Christine Feehans Carpathian/ Dark series, but set in the Victorian time frame. Which is a good thing because both series and authors are quite amazing. I whipped through this and am glad the author sent me all 3 books. So I can just continue on with the stories without any delay. I definitely liked how this book ended because it set up the next book, that makes it 100% intriguing, and unfortunately I cannot tell you why because it will ruin a few things that need to be read in the first book. So with that being said, if you like authors like Lara Adrian and Christine Feehan, then definitely grab yourself a copy of "Caressed by Moonlight". You won't be disappointed.


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Review: The Gift-Knight's Quest

The Gift-Knight's Quest by Dylan Madeley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Gift-Knights Quest

SYNOPSIS:

Welcome to Kensrik, a world vividly imagined by Dylan Madeley, in which his debut fantasy novel The Gift-Knight’s
Quest is set. His book follows the youngest descendants of two families that have traditionally been enemies: the
Kenderleys, who now rule the world’s largest empire, and the Wancyeks, who have been reduced to common status.

“Chandra had yet to fathom why Jonnecht could not have lived and ruled for many long years, or why it was so urgent that she ascend immediately.”

Chandra never asked to rule Kensrik, but fate took a strange course. Known as a usurper and sorceress by most and traumatised by all that has transpired, she is forced to make use of the few loyal allies she has in order to hold together her restless empire. In an attempt to identify and defeat the conspirators who inadvertently landed her in power, Chandra risks putting the lives of many in mortal danger, as well as her own.

Derek is an aimless wanderer – the youngest in a lineage that has long fallen from nobility. He finds himself summoned by tradition to serve a family historically considered his bitter enemy. As he journeys down the same path a fateful ancestor once travelled, he struggles with personal demons and begins to reconsider his loyalty to the mission.

Duke Lenn found one true cause in love and it cost him everything. His legacy shaped the present in which Chandra and Derek find themselves. Now their choice will shape the future of Kensrik...

REVIEW:

I was given this book in place of an honest review. Upon reading this book, I noticed quite a few things. First, the author writing and use of words and descriptions was impeccable. It was a very vivid world of imagination in this book. Second, it had the tendency to bounce around a lot and it had no indication of it until you were already in a paragraph or two, which was really distracting and made the book hard to get through. If it was separated by italics or any indication that it was in a different time in the story, would have made it so much easier to get through. So needless to say, for most of the book I was wholly confused on what was really going on; however, the last quarter of the book when it stopped jumping all over the place did the book become really intriguing and I enjoyed it immensely. It is just saddening that it was only the last quarter that held my attention the most.

I'm not saying it was a bad book by any means, because the writing was great and the character build up was pretty amazing, the plot itself had some definite potential. However be it as it may I can only rate this book three out of five stars because of the constant bouncing around it did, and the confusion it had caused.



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Review: Awakening

Awakening by A.C. Deen
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was given this book in place of an honest review.

Synopsis:

Awakening is a gripping coming of age story. It takes place in the small town of Reindeer Lake which is surrounded by the picturesque boreal forest. The protagonist, Ellie is a teenager who has found herself suddenly transformed into a vampire. Will she learn to cope with blood lust, love, and sexuality now that she finds herself unstoppably drawn to her best friend's brother?

Review:

This was a very fast read, most novellas are. It was easy to get through, and took me know time at all. AC Deen created this world in a quick story, of course it's to set up the next book I'm sure. But you get introduced to the characters, some quick back story is placed. Which is great because you get an idea of who, what, where without the dragging of a full novel. This way in the next book you can get more of the why, and more. I'm intrigued to read the next book to see where this goes from here. I give this Novella 4 stars.

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Review: Cogling

Cogling by Jordan Elizabeth Mierek
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was given this book in place of an honest review.

Synopsis:

When fifteen-year-old Edna Mather tears an expensive and unfamiliar pocket watch off her little brother's neck, he crumbles into a pile of cogs right before her eyes. Horrified, Edna flees for help, but encounters Ike, a thief who attempts to steal the watch before he realizes what it is: a device to power Coglings—clockwork changelings left in place of stolen children who have been forced to work in factories.

Desperate to rescue her brother, Edna sets off across the kingdom to the hags' swamp, with Ike in tow. There, they learn Coglings are also replacing nobility so the hags can stage a rebellion and rule over humanity. Edna and Ike must stop the revolt, but the populace believes hags are helpful godmothers and healers. No one wants to believe a lowly servant and a thief, especially when Ike has secrets that label them both as traitors.

Together, Edna and Ike must make the ingdom trust them or stop the hags themselves, even if Ike is forced to embrace his dark heritage and Edna must surrender her family.


My review:
This is the third book I've reviewed by Ms. Mierek. And I have enjoyed them all. However 'Cogling' I must admit is now my favorite of hers. This book was just amazing with its storyline,  the setting, and the intrigue. I mean throughout this entire book you get thrown into a whirlwind of an adventure. And oh my the things that are revealed at certain times of the book was priceless I mean one minute you find one thing out only to have e another surprise awaiting around the next corner. I seriously cannot wait to read the next book in this series. Thank you Ms. Mierek for letting me review your books for you, and I hope we can continue our relationship for a long time.

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Review: Phoenix Child

Phoenix Child by Alica McKenna-Johnson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was given this book in place for an honest review.

Synopsis:

There should be a law, a Universal Rule, as to how much weirdness can happen to a person.

Fifteen-year-old Sara walks into the San Francisco Center for the Circus Arts determined to ignore the freaky things happening to her. As powers she doesn't want and can't control overwhelm her, Sara must decide if she can trust the strangers who say they are her family... descended from a common ancestor four thousand years ago.

Sara clings to her contented and well-planned life as a foster kid, successfully working the system, as dreams, powers, and magical creatures drag her towards her destiny.

When the ancient evil that killed her parents comes to San Francisco, Sara is forced to choose between her fears and her desire to protect those she loves.

Sometimes great things are thrust upon us. Sara wishes this supposed 'greatness' didn't include a new name, unicorns, and catching on fire.


Review:

Once again, I apologize to the author for taking so long to get this read. But now that I have I'm glad I did. When I first picked up this book I really didn't want to put it down, it was very intriguing. However, somewhere in the middle it felt to me really slow and I was having a hard time actually sitting down and reading this. But once again I'm so glad I did. Here's why.... ok first it's a new and interesting story and even though it felt slow at some pints is only because it needed to build the foundation of the series itself. Finally though once you get near the 3/4 mark of the book things really start to pick up. And that's where the book/series hooks you. And BAM! Now I have all these questions running through my head. Like will Sapphire/Sara ever feel comfortable with her uncle and her new family? What is up with Taliesin? Is he the possible live interest or what? And a few others. All in all this was a good book, deserving of a 4 star rating. Now I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book on the series.

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