Archive for the Category »Paranormal Romance «

56436608About the book:

Since time began, the Earth has served as a balance between the world of darkness that is the Abyss, and the paradise known as Eden. Now the battle between good and evil has reached a tipping point, and survival depends on one fallen demon— and the woman he can’t resist…

This book worked for me on some levels and didn’t on others. I loved the main couple. Dax and Eddy were fantastic. From the very beginning they have amazing chemistry and the progression of their relationship (very fast) fit into the story perfectly. Dax only has 7 days on Earth so they don’t have time to be wishy-washy about their feelings. The part that didn’t work for me was the demon’s taking up residence in garden statuary. It was beyond silly and kept pulling me out of the story. Images like the neighbor’s turkey lawn art attacking him just didn’t seem to fit into the story to me. I couldn’t tell if I was supposed to be laughing or not. The rest of the story is serious “we have to save the planet” type action so the two just didn’t fit for me. I am interested to see how the next book in the series plays out though. I want to know what happens to the characters after the end of the story. I’m just hoping for no more possessed lawn decor.

the book girl gives DEMONFIRE a 3/5

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54644725From the back of the book:

HE IS THE SEXIEST, MOST IRKSOME MAN SHE’S EVER ENCOUNTERED…

Micayla is the last Zetithian female left in the universe. She doesn’t know what’s normal for her species, but she knows when she sees Trag that all she wants to do is bite him…

HE HAS SEARCHED ALL OVER THE GALAXY FOR A WOMAN LIKE HER…

Trag has sworn he’ll never marry unless he can find a Zetithian female. But now that he’s finally found Micayla, she may be more of a challenge that even he’s able to take on…

The Cat Star Chronicles is one of those series that I just can’t get enough. I was anxiously awaiting Trag’s story and it didn’t disappoint. Most of the book was fantastic - my favorite part being Trag’s reaction when Micayla hisses at him. The only thing that I didn’t like was Trag’s feelings for his sister-in-law. For more than half the book Trag believes himself in love with his brother’s wife and it bothered me. I don’t think it is an admirable trait and couldn’t help but dislike Trag a little because of it. Other than that one thing, I really did enjoy the story line. This book wraps up the story line of what happened to the Zetithian planet and gives closer to the characters.

the book girl gives HERO a 4/5

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56527299From the book jacket:

Sick of hearing about vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her bosses are making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them,

Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die. (Not that you’re going to believe her. No one ever does.)

But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets - then makes the mistake of falling in love with - Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side. It’s a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, Lucien’s already dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met whom she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future…

If she even has one.

I haven’t read a Meg Cabot book since the last Heather Wells book, but Insatiable sounded to good to pass up. I really enjoyed the story, but Meena was a little annoying at times. She is also a little too pessimistic for my taste - although it does fit the character perfectly. Alaric and Lucien are both quite fun and I never could decide who I wanted Meena to end up with. I was a little sad when the book ended, because we don’t find out if Meena gets her happily ever after or not. I can’t wait for the next book so I can find out what happens to Meena, Alaric, and Lucien.

the book girl gives INSATIABLE a 4/5

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33770959From the back of the book:

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she is the best - but she does not know if even she is good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, Elena knows failure is not an option - even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other - and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt does not destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just might for when archangels play, mortals break..

I don’t really read that much paranormal/urban fantasy anymore, but had heard a lot of great things about Nalini Singh’s books. I picked up ANGELS’ BLOOD not really knowing if I would enjoy it or not, but I didn’t just enjoy it - I loved it! The world the book is set in isn’t a happy one, nor one I would ever want to live in, but yet I was drawn to it. The writing completely captivated me. The different take on vampires/angels/and hunters was fresh and just different enough. I will definitely be reading more by this author. If anyone has recommendations, please leave me a comment.

the book girl gives ANGELS’ BLOOD a 5/5

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50771402From the back of the book:

Art historian Campbell Stratford is about to make a name for herself with her scandalously sexy tell-all “fictographies” of famous seventeenth-century artists, but she’s more intimately familiar with her subjects than her eager readers can imagine. Thanks to a time portal she accidentally discovered, she has caused quite a stir in the Great Beyond. To save their reputations, the Guild protecting dead artists convinces playboy Peter Lely, portraitist to the king, to sabotage Cam’s latest project. A few hours posing on Sir Peter’s modeling chaise leads to a night of seductive passion - then Cam returns home and discovers his betrayal. But before she can turn her angry pen on her lover, Sir Peter makes a surprise visit to the future and transforms Cam’s twenty-first-century life into chaos of classic proportions…

FLIRTING WITH FOREVER is a fun read, but didn’t quite measure up to SEDUCING MR. DARCY for me. I think my problem with the book was that the explanation for the time jump. In the previous books the heroine had just been transported, there was no real explanation as to why or how. In FLIRTING WITH FOREVER we are taught about “time tubes” and how once in the afterlife we are born into new lives. The explanation robbed me of some of the fantasy - even though “time tubes” aren’t real. I did, however, really enjoy the romance between Peter and Cam. The chemistry between the two is off the charts and the descriptions of how they are pulled to each other are some of the best I’ve read. The scene where he is painting her and she is thinking about a lover, Peter, is amazing. I can’t wait for the next book by Gwyn Cready. She is definitely on my auto-buy list.

The book girl gives FLIRTING WITH FOREVER a 5/5 for the romance, and a 3/5 for the “time tubes”

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48424309From the back of the book:

Waiting To Exhale

Chloe Nichols is holding her breath. All her life, finding true happiness with a family has seemed as easy as…well, snagging a bubble off the wind - a bubble that her current boyfriend seems dead set on bursting. Yes, every time Chloe mentions her one true desire, Kyle shoots down her hopes. But he hasn’t reckoned with the awesome power of Gypsy magic, or with loyal kith and kin. One way or another, Chloe’s going to get her happily-ever-after. One could sometimes be found after you’d convinced a man he loves you, right? All Fate needs is a little puff in the right direction…

A BREATH OF MAGIC is a very fun paranormal. I struggled in parts to understand Chloe’s motivation, but by the end of the book I did. The reveal of her magic is what finally made her actions and desires eventually make sense to me. I love, love, love Ben. He is that kind of broken-hearted hero that makes me feel all mushy inside. The writing is a little jumpy in places and some of the scenes didn’t feel necessary, but on the whole the book flowed really well. This book would be perfect for a sunny day by the pool!

The book girl gives A BREATH OF MAGIC a 4/5

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54565409From the back of the book:

HE’S LOST THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF HIMSELF…

Lord Benjamin Westfield is a powerful werewolf - until one full moon. His life now shattered, he rushes off to Scotland in search of the healer who can restore his inner beast, only to find she’s not at all what he expected…

SHE WOULD MAKE HIM WHOLE, IF SHE COULD…

Young, beautiful witch Elspeth Campbell will do anything to help anyone who calls upon her healing arts. Until Lord Benjamin shows up, and she suddenly discovers she may need him even more than he needs her...

This is book 2 in the trilogy about the Westfield brothers - Simon, William, and Benjamin. I loved the first book, but couldn’t get into this one as easily as the first. It had nothing to do with the story. I know that it was because of the Scottish brogue. I have some sort of mental block when it comes to that kind of dialog. I did read the entire book and found the story to be delightful. I loved Ben and his rakish ways. The one thing that makes him unique - his wolfishness - has disappeared and he needs to find a healer to help him get his mojo back. The setting provided the right feeling for a historical paranormal. Elspeth is a young witch and a mystical healer all wrapped up into one, with a mysteriousness of her own. Her father carried “the mark of the beast” and has been absent for her entire life. She is a very strong character, but shows her vulnerable side with Ben. I can’t wait to read Williams story next (hopefully there won’t be any brogue)!

the book girl gives TALL, DARK, and WOLFISH a 4/5 for the story, but a 3/5 for the Scottish brogue and terminology (which isn’t bad, just a personal dislike).

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53000402From the back of the book:

Death

Some people will do anything to avoid it. Even trade their immortal soul for endless existence.

Wraiths

Secretly, inexorable, they are infiltrating our would, sucking the essence out of unsuspecting victims with their hideous parody of a kiss.

Segue

Adam Thorn founded the Segue Institute to study and destroy his monster of a brother, but the key to its success is held in the pale, slender hand of a woman on the run. There is something hauntingly different about Talia O’Brien, her unknowing sensuality, her uncanny way of slipping into Shadow.

Twilight

This is the place between life and what comes after - a dark forest of fantasy, filled with beauty, peril, mystery. And Talia is about to open the door.

I received this book from the publisher and wasn’t sure if it was a right fit, but I always give the books I receive a chance. I am so glad that is my policy. THIS BOOK IS FANTASTIC!! From the minute I started reading it I couldn’t put it down. This book takes on a different view of the paranormal, one I hadn’t read before. SHADOW BOUND is a fantastic combination between romance, urban fantasy, and suspense. The love story between Adam and Talia is full of twists and turns that get the heart pumping. Talia is a complicated character. She has spent her life knowing that she was different and struggling to fit in. Adam lived a charmed life until his brother changed into a monster, now he is devoting his life and inheritance to making sure that his brother’s time of Earth comes to an end. This isn’t something he takes lightly and the author did a fantastic way of portraying his struggle. I could feel his pain. There were a few times when the book moved a little too fast and I had to reread to understand exactly what had happened. But, all in all this was a great book! I can’t wait to read more by this author!!

the book girl gives SHADOW BOUND a 4/5

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48426019From the back of the book:

With radiant, snow-white skin and hair, Percy Parker was a beacon for Fate. True love had found her, in the tempestuous form of Professor Alexi Rychman. But her mythic destiny was not complete. Accompanying the ghosts with which she alone could converse, new and terrifying omens loomed. A war was coming, a desperate ploy of a spectral host. Victorian London would be overrun.

Yet, Percy kept faith. Within the mighty bastion of Athens Academy, alongside The Guard whose magic shielded mortals from the agents of the Underworld, she counted herself among friends. Wreathed in hallowed fire, they would stand together, no matter what dreams - or nightmares - might come.

Wow, Wow, Wow…that’s really all that I can say about this book. It picks up immediately where the first book left off. We are treated to the confirmation of the love between Percy and Alexi and then all hell breaks loose. This book explores Percy’s past as well as the other members of The Guard. I loved getting to know more about the other characters - especially Jane. Each character undergoes a change for the better during this book. The ending of this book was my favorite part, it tied up the story perfectly and there isn’t a single thing I would change. I can’t wait to read Michael and Rebecca’s story this winter!

the book girl gives THE DARKLY LUMINOUS FIGHT FOR PERSEPHONE PARKER a 5/5!

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41318647From the back of the book:

What fortune awaited sweet, timid Percy Parker at Athens Academy? Hidden in the dark heart of Victorian London, the Romanesque school was dreadfully imposing, a veritable fortress, and little could Percy guess what lay inside. She had never met its powerful and mysterious Professor Alexi Rychman, knew nothing of the growing shadows, of the Ripper and other supernatural terrors against which his coterie stood guard. She saw simply that she was different, haunted, with her snow white hair, pearlescent skin and uncanny gift. This arched stone doorway was a portal to a new life, to an education far from what could be had at a convent - and it was an invitation to an intimate yet dangerous dance at the threshold of life and death…

I’m not sure if I can put into words how much I loved this book. I took me a while to actually start reading it, since I wasn’t sure if it was right for me. I wish I hadn’t waited. There is such a sense of setting in the writing. I could visualize Athens Academy and Percy herself. There is so much detail given to the descriptions. The story is also perfect. I was immediately drawn into this Gothic world where The Guard protects the mortals from ghosts and  other creatures. The characters are more than friends, they are a family. Percy and Alexi are a great couple and their romance is the stuff of legends. My favorite part is their waltz - one of the most romantic things I’ve read in a while. There are a few loose ends left at the end of this book, so I recommend reading both THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER and THE DARKLY LUMINOUS FIGHT FOR PERSEPHONE PARKER one right after the other.

Look for my review of the next Percy Parker book tomorrow.

the book girl gives THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER a 5/5!

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