Category Archives: Paranormal

October 17, 2016 · 1:28 am

Quote-tastic Monday and a Giveaway! Crimson Death by Laurell K. Hamilton

I have already posted a quote once from this book, but now that it is actually out I want to give you a little bit more from it.  Not to mention that I also want to give everyone a chance at the giveaway that Berkley Publishing has been nice enough to sponsor.  They are donating a previous book from the series (no, you don’t get to choose) which will be mailed directly to one of my commenters.  I plan on selecting someone the end of this week – October 21st.

Anyway, now for another tidbit from the book.  Do you know how hard it is to choose something without spoilers??

Edward has called Anita from Ireland and he is in full-on Ted mode.  Those of you who are familiar with the series will know what I mean.

“Tell Jean-Claude howdy for me?”

“Howdy? Even Ted doesn’t say Howdy.

I’m American, Anita, we’re all cowboys, didn’t you know that darling?” he said in a drawl so thick it sounded like you should be able to do a Texas two-step on it.

Coming from someone born in the South, but raised out west, I completely understand stereotyping.  Yes, I have a Southern accent (although Southerners always said I sounded like a Yankee -sigh-), but that does not mean I am a hick, or stupid, or conservative, or any of another thousand things that have been displayed in books and on film.  And no, all Americans are not cowboys either.

Okay, off my soapbox.

Be sure and comment on this post or the previous review of Crimson Death to be eligible for the giveaway and Good Luck.

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October 10, 2016 · 1:17 am

Quote-tastic Monday: Crimson Death

I am reading Laurell K. Hamilton’s new Anita Blake for the second time BECAUSE I neglected to write the review the first time I read it.  The release date is tomorrow, October 11th and it’s only been a month since I read it.  You would think I would be able to remember it well enough to review and I can.  I just don’t think I can give it the justice it deserves.  It’s a great book although there are things that happen that I really, really didn’t like.

Anyway, that’s why this week’s quote is coming from Crimson Death.  I am reading it again. -sigh-

As long time readers of this series will know, Anita is terrified of flying.  She doesn’t like takeoffs, landings, or anything in between.  In this book, she has no choice but to take a multi-hour flight.  Because she knows her emotions will be out of control, she has to contact everyone she has a metaphysical link with and that’s a really long list.

Her solution:  group texts.

Yay technology. making polyamorous relationships better since the iPhone was invented.

And, once again, how did we survive without our cell/smart phones?

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October 9, 2016 · 1:28 am

Crimson Death (Anita Blake, #25) by Laurell K. Hamilton and a Giveaway

Crimson Death (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #25)Crimson Death by Laurell K. Hamilton
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Review to follow.

But, wow. WOW!

UPDATED ON 10/9/2016

Title: Crimson Death
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Anita Blake, #25
Pages: 576
Publisher: Berkley
Date: October 11, 2016

Summary:

Now, in her twenty-fifth adventure, vampire hunter and zombie raiser Anita Blake learns how far she’ll go to save someone she loves…

When Damian—Anita’s sometimes lover, servant, and friend—is kidnapped, Anita heads to Ireland. There she must face off against the vampire who created him. M’Lady, Moroven, Nemhain…under every name she brings terror and destruction. But Anita brings her own weapon to the party: Edward, the man known as Death itself…

Review:

I read this book the first time (Yes, I know. It’s not even out yet and I’ve already read it twice. That should tell you something.) in August. Because I didn’t review it then AND I enjoyed it so much the first time, I decided it deserved a re-read before a formal review. However, I did post to Goodreads my original reaction.

“Review to follow.

But, wow. WOW!”

After a second reading, I have to add Oh, wow!

It’s really that good. Are there things that happen that I don’t like?

Yes! Definitely. However, the one that bothers me the most really worked in the scene. And no, I’m not telling. Spoilers, people. Spoilers.

The main plot is Anita and a lot of her extended group go to Ireland to help them with a vampire problem. Ireland has never had vampires before or at least so they thought. Damian lived in Ireland for centuries although I had forgotten about that.

To me, the real plot is Anita’s triumvirate with Nathaniel and Damian. They are still learning how it works. The only one Anita has any experience with is the one she shares with Richard and Jean Claude and that one does not work well due to Richard’s issues. Longtime readers of this series know exactly what I am talking about.
Again, to me, it looks like the one she shares with Damian and Nathaniel is going to give her even more power than the one she shares with Jean Claude and Richard.

The main problem I had with the book is there are too many characters. I can’t keep everyone straight. I feel like I need an annotated list of who is who. Even Anita feels overwhelmed at times with all the people she is responsible for. -grin-

Would I get rid of anyone? No! I am just struggling to keep everyone in the correct role.

All of my favorite characters are there: Jean Claude, Nathaniel, Micah (but not enough), even Jason shows up for awhile. There’s a hint that he may have a role in the next book as well. I miss Jason. Edward has a large part, although he is mostly in his Ted character.

Even Asher shows up who I could have done without. I do see though how he added to the main plotline.

There is nothing to dislike about this book. No, I didn’t like everything that happened, but everything was important.

Read it! You’ll understand.

I ALMOST FORGOT! The publisher has very nicely offered a free book from the series to a random commenter. You can comment here or on my Goodreads review. If you are selected, I will contact you for your mailing address.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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September 26, 2016 · 1:37 am

Quote-tastic Monday: River Marked by Patricia Briggs

You know there’s a reason I love Mercy Thompson.  She reminds me of myself.  Not that I’m the badass she is, but I can be annoying.

In this quote, she’s talking to Stefan who doesn’t want to listen to her.  I cannot understand why.

You might as well give in because I’ll just annoy you until you do.

Love her, love her, love her!

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September 4, 2016 · 8:10 am

Guardian’s Mate (Shifters Unbound, #9) by Jennifer Ashley

Guardian's Mate (Shifters Unbound, #9)Guardian’s Mate by Jennifer Ashley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Title: Guardian’s Mate
Author: Jennifer Ashley
Series: Shifters Unbound, #9
Pages: 320
Publisher: Berkley
Date: September 6, 2016

Summary:

She wasn’t ready to lead…

Chosen as the Guardian of her Montana Shiftertown, wolf Shifter Rae Lyall is facing opposition—for no woman has ever been selected for this powerful position. Still adjusting to the new authority thrust upon her, Rae travels to train with Zander Moncrieff, a Shifter healer, tasked with teaching her about her new role and its responsibilities.

He wasn’t ready to love…

A polar bear Shifter, Zander wears no Collar and follows no rules but his own. Rae finds him arrogant and demanding, yet compelling and intriguing. Zander has no wish to mate but the sassy Guardian is drawing him out of his shell, stirring feelings long suppressed. And when a new threat looms over Rae’s home, she and Zander must race to the rescue, forced closer to danger…and to each other.

Review:

I love Shifter books and I love Jennifer Ashley books, so this series is a match made in heaven for me.

And Rae, Guardian Shifter, and Zander, Shifter Healer, are mates chosen by the Goddess. However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t hard to convince.

Zander is a loner. He has friends, but mostly he stays by himself. It’s necessary for him to recover whenever he heals a shifter. Rae, however, comes from a loving family in a Shiftertown. They are her adopted family and feline where she is lupine, but that doesn’t mean they don’t love each other. She wants and needs to be part of a pack.

So, of course, she ends up dumped on Zander’s boat in Alaska. Did I mention she’s from Montana? At least she’s used to the cold.

He’s angry to have her forced on him. She’s angry that she’s been exiled from her family. So they take it out on each other.

Obviously, they were meant to be mates.

This is not meant to be a humorous book. It is a drama, an adventure, a mystery, AND has some really funny scenes. Just when you think things are getting too intense, Zander will do or say something to lighten things up. I really, really love Zander.

Like all the books in this series, characters from previous books make an appearance. I can’t imagine reading them out of order. If you haven’t read any of them before, you’re in for a treat. I definitely need to do a straight through read of the series again.

One character that we had not met before is Jake. I love Jake. I’m not going to say anything more about him, but he is totally unexpected and integral to the plot.

As you can tell, I love this series. They are not necessarily happy books, but the couples all have a happy ever after. Read them!

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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July 25, 2016 · 1:14 am

Quote-tastic: The Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston

This quote is from one of my favorite Shelly Laurenston books.  And let me tell you, it is hard for me to say any of these books are my favorites.  I love them all.

The Beast in Him is the second of the Pride series and features Smitty and Jessie Ann.  Smitty is a wolf of the Tennessee wolf pack and if you have ever read any of this series, you know that means something . . . and it’s not good.  Jessie Ann is  the alpha of a wild dog pack.  Like domesticated dogs, they can be goofy and obsessive and absolutely adorable.  Jessie Ann is all of those.

The quote I selected is from Smitty.  He hears what he wants to hear and that is not what Jessie Ann tells him.

The beauty of wolf hearing.  You heard only what you wanted to, made up what was never said but should have been, and the rest meant little or nothing.

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July 4, 2016 · 6:30 am

Quote-tastic: The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones

I told you last week would not be the only time I participated in the Quote-tastic challenge.  The new Charley Davidson book came out on Tuesday and there was no doubt in my mind there would be quotable lines.  Her chapter openings can be the best part of the books.  The one I chose for today is

“I think senility is going to be a fairly smooth transition for me.  — TRUE FACT”

I can remember telling my mother years ago that she didn’t have to worry about getting Alzheimer’s.  We would never notice the difference.  She didn’t appreciate it, but my dad almost fell out of his chair laughing.

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July 4, 2016 · 5:00 am

Illusion Town (Ghosthunters, #13) by Jayne Castle

Illusion Town (Ghost Hunters, #13)Illusion Town by Jayne Castle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Title: Illusion Town
Author: Jayne Castle
Series: Ghosthunters, #13
Pages: 352
Publisher: Jove
Date: July 26, 2016

Summary:

With its opulent casinos and hotels, the desert city of Illusion Town is totally unique—and will take you on a thrill ride you’ll never forget.

Hannah West isn’t the first woman to wake up in Illusion Town married to a man she barely knows, but she has no memory of the ceremony at all. For that matter, neither does Elias Coppersmith, her new husband. All either can remember is that they were on the run…

With Hannah’s dubious background and shaky para-psych profile, she could have done much worse. The coolly competent mining heir arouses her curiosity—as well as other parts of her mind and body. And even her dust bunny likes him.

But a honeymoon spent retracing their footsteps leads Hannah and Elias into the twisting underground catacombs, where secrets from both their pasts will come to light—and where the energy of their clashing auras will grow hot enough to burn…

Review:

I know it’s a cliche, but Jayne Ann Krentz aka Jayne Castle has done it again. She has written a fun, romantic mystery with clues that will lead you right down a dust bunny hole. Do dust bunnies even live in holes?

Hannah is a dream walker with a twist. She has a doppelganger who always has the answers. It’s just Hannah doesn’t always have the right questions.

But she’s not crazy or fragile regardless of what the parashrink said.

Elias is a Coppersmith. Yes, of those Coppersmiths. We met his family in the previous book, Siren’s Call, and he is just as strong in his talent as is expected.

And he doesn’t think Hannah is crazy or fragile either.

I love Jayne Ann Krentz/Jayne Castle/Amanda Quick books regardless of what name she is writing under, but I ADORE her dust bunny books. They are all good, but I have to admit I didn’t like the last few books set on Rainshadow Island as much as I have the others. I am so glad she has moved her setting to Illusion Town (where the thrills are real). They just seem more like her earlier writings.

In other words, this book is even better than the last one.

Read them. Read all of them. You don’t have to read them in order, but why not? You will love them all.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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June 27, 2016 · 4:29 pm

Quote-tastic: Bear Meets Girl by Shelly Laurenston

This is the first time I have participated in Quote-tastic, but it will not be the last.  Bear Meets Girl is the seventh book in Shelly Laurenston’s Pride series and one of my favorites.  I have read this series since its beginning for many reasons:  shifters, hot shifters, kick-ass females, and most of all, the books are hysterically funny.  This one is no exception.  Crush was briefly introduced in the first book in the series:  The Mane Event: Christmas Pride.  I can still remember Dez screaming “There are bears?”

We never really saw anymore about Crush until he got his own book.  His personality is not what I expected, but he is adorable.  He doesn’t like Cella or at least he doesn’t want to, but he certain lusts after her.  Of course, they eventually get their happily ever after and when Cella’s ex tells her to be happy, she responds,

“I’m always happy,” she told him.  “It annoys people.”

And that describes Cella’s personality perfectly.

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June 26, 2016 · 9:36 am

Shadow Rider (Shadow, #1) by Christine Feehan

Shadow Rider (Shadow, #1)Shadow Rider by Christine Feehan
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Title: Shadow Rider
Author: Christine Feehan
Series: Shadow, #1
Pages: 480
Publisher: Jove
Date: June 28, 2016

Summary:

Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate.

While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now…

With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her…

Review:

Any fan of Christine Feehan knows she does not write “light” books. Her most famous (to me) series is even called Dark, although I always think of it as The Carpathians. Her Ghostwalker series is even more intense and even the Drake sisters is more dark than happy.

The new Shadow series is no exception. It definitely leans (and sometimes falls over) to the dark side . . . and I love it.

I have to admit it started out slow. I understand that any new series is going to have some world building, but I swear I was a third of the way through the book before I figured out where it was going. That is the reason I only gave it three stars. It was well worth the time though.

Stefano takes the whole alpha male/protector personality to an extreme . . . sometimes too much for me and definitely too much for Francesca. He could be hard to like. After his family background is explained, he becomes, if not more likeable, definitely more understandable.

SPOILERS — SPOILERS — SPOILERS — SPOILERS — SPOILERS — SPOILERS

I did not like the fact that the Shadow Riders could only mate/breed with someone who has Shadow Rider blood. There is only one actually mate for a Rider, although they can breed with another with the right bloodline. The one mate thing was not really the problem (Carpathians, anyone?); it was the fact that they also had to be of the Shadow Rider line as well.
I guess that leaves me out.

The other thing that bothered me was not with the book itself, but with this blurb which is on Goodreads.

The #1 New York Times bestselling “queen of paranormal romance”* is back with a sexy new series starring a Chicago crime family that hides a dark, mystical secret…

The Shadow Riders are NOT criminals. They are assassins, and yes, in my world there is a difference. They only go after the bad guys that the law can’t touch.

I think this is a great beginning to a new series and I can’t wait for the next one. Hopefully, since the author is so prolific it won’t be long in coming.

This book was sent to me by NetGalley in return for an honest review.

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