Sunday, October 30, 2011

Book Review ~ The Babylon Prophecy

The Babylon Prophecy
By Sean Salazar
Published By Andante Publishing
*received from author for review

Summary:
Within hours of an accidental bombing in Iraq, retired CIA sniper Al Robek is summoned to investigate. While battling his own demons from post-traumatic syndrome, Al uncovers one mystery after another. He learns that his former girlfriend, Jess Contreras, was the pilot responsible for the bombing. Together, they find an ancient city buried by the Biblical flood and become the targets of a secret brotherhood bent on triggering an early Armageddon. Enter Ed Collins, an unassuming British code-cracker, who has been tracking the brotherhood since the end of World War II. With the help of the CIA and the British SAS and MI-5, the trio embarks on a dangerous mission that takes them to the Middle East, Europe, and South America--slowly uncovering evidence of a conspiracy hatched thousands of years ago. Ultra-secret espionage involving the highest level of government, the Vatican, and international banking brings about new discoveries, but with each comes new questions, new missing pieces to the puzzle. Can they figure out what is going on before it's too late? Is there anyone they can really trust? Do they know who they're fighting against? Or even what they're fighting for? The survival of mankind ultimately lies in this unlikely team's hands

My Thoughts: This was my foray into this genre for the year. While there were some misses throughout the book, I enjoyed the read and can see myself taking the time to read the second.
The action starts on page one and does not let up until there are no more pages. While the characters seem stereotypical of what you would expect, I don't think they would work if you tried to take them to a different direction. I loved the quirky British bunker agents, they made up some of the best scenes in the book. Al works as the main character and his background is well explained throughout so some of the things he does seem more probable. I'm not sure how I feel about Jess, she was a good side character but the twist didn't really make sense and was not really explained.
I had two main problems that I could not get past. The first, trying to add romance to the story. The author did a good job of establishing the past history between Al and Jess but needed to leave it at that. Al displaying jealousy just seemed to pop up in weird place and broke up the flow of the story. The other problem was, if this is a series it needs to have smaller issues that will be resolved inside the book while still working on the overall big picture that runs throughout the series. The big picture of the Brotherhood vs. the Mason vs. Al and friends was established very well but when I finished reading I didn't fell as if anything was accomplished that made the reading overly satisfying. As stated, the big picture was interesting enough that I will take the time to read the second but I hope something is resolved, even if it's a small something, to make it feel more like a series book.


Rating: 3

Wednesday, October 26, 2011

Waiting On Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine.It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating

Touch of Power (Healer #1)
By Maria V. Snyder
Published By Mira
expected Release Date: December 20, 2011


Summary: Laying hands upon the injured and dying, Avry of Kazan assumes their wounds and diseases into herself. But rather than being honored for her skills, she is hunted.
Healers like Avry are accused of spreading the plague that has decimated the Territories, leaving the survivors in a state of chaos.

Stressed and tired from hiding, Avry is abducted by a band of rogues who, shockingly, value her gift above the golden bounty offered for her capture.
Their leader, an enigmatic captor-protector with powers of his own, is unequivocal in his demands: Avry must heal a plague-stricken prince—leader of a campaign against her people.

As they traverse the daunting Nine Mountains, beset by mercenaries and magical dangers, Avry must decide who is worth healing and what is worth dying for. Because the price of peace may well be her life....

**I love Maria V Snyders books and am really glad to see another new series from her. I also love the cover for this one.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Book Review ~ Retribution

Retribution (Dark-Hunters #20)
By Sherrrilyn Kenyon
Published By St. Martin's Press

Summary: Harm no human... 

A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.

Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief- Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meets the man who killed her family: Jess Brady.

A gun in the hand is worth two in the holster...

Jess has been charged with finding and terminating the creature who’s assassinating Dark-Hunters. The last thing he expects to find is a human face behind the killings, but when that face bears a striking resemblance to the one who murdered him centuries ago, he knows something evil is going on. He also knows he’s not the one who killed her parents. But Abigail refuses to believe the truth and is determined to see him dead once and for all.

Brought together by an angry god and chased by ancient enemies out to kill them both, they must find a way to overcome their mutual hatred or watch as one of the darkest of powers rises and kills both the races they’ve sworn to protect.


My Thoughts: I enjoyed this book overall with one small exception. While I liked Abigail, I had a hard time believing that Acheron (pregnant Tori or not) or the other dark hunters would just let her off for killing their own kinda with nothing but some simple barbs. It goes against everything we know about these characters and their world. I think I may have been more forgiving of this if there had been more hatred/animosity towards her that eventually diminished rather than straight "whateverness".
I have always liked Jess when he has shown up in earlier books and it was nice to get his full story. I loved the mix of his heritage and the dark hunter/greek world of the series. 
This book was also filled with plenty of action and old friends. I like when the books of the series seem to go towards a larger overall goal than just the HEA and this one fit that bill. Not that long to wait for the next one (11/11).


Rating: 4

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

In My Mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly feature hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren.

Received my first books, since moving,  and won a prize pack from a book release. Overall a good week!

For review from author:

Helpless by Daniel Palmer










Triple Shot by Sandra Balzo
(Maggy Thorsen Mystery #7)










From netgalley and Harlequin:
Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh
(Royal House of Shadows #4)
*I don't know why I did not request this when I requested the first 3








Won from E.J. @ From The Shadows

Legend of  Witchtrot Road (Spirit Guide #3) prize pack. Included signed copy of the book as well as bookmarks, postcards, etc.










Happy Reading Everyone!!

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Book Review ~ The Alchemyst

The Alchemyst (The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel #1)
By Michael Scott
Published By Delacorte

Summary: The tomb of Nicholas Flamel is empty. The greatest alchemist of his day supposedly died in 1418, but rumors continue to swirl that he continues to walk among us. Could it be true that this magician/chemist has access to the secret of eternal life? Could the Book of Abraham, which he purportedly owns, hold the key to this elixir? If it does, the theft of this single ancient volume could destroy the world as we know it. 

My Thoughts: I'm so very torn about this book/series. I wanted to like it and for the most part I did but there was a big flaw that is still nagging at me and causing me to not want to read the next book. I really dislike books that are good vs evil and only one side seems to be having any success while the other spends the whole book just surviving. There were several times while reading where it felt like the author was going to need to come up with some new characters because the current batch was not going to make it.
That aside, I did like the most of the characters. I found Dr John Dee to be a suitable "evil" even if everything seemed to be a little to easy for him. The twins came off as likable but kinda generic. For most of the book you never would have known they were teenagers if the author did not remind you. Scatty and Perenelle were my favorite characters and may be the thing that causes me to pick up the next book.
Overall, it wasn't a waste of a read but also didn't feel completely satisfying once finished. It may be awhile before I try the second book.

Rating: 3

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday

The Time In Between
By Maria Duenas
Published By Atria
expected Release Date: November 8, 2011

Summary: This sweeping novel, which combines the storytelling power of The Shadow of the Wind with the irresistible romance of Casablanca, moves at an unstoppable pace. Suddenly left abandoned and penniless in Algiers by her lover, Sira Quiroga forges a new identity. Against all odds she becomes the most sought-after couture designer for the socialite wives of German Nazi officers. But she is soon embroiled in a dangerous political conspiracy as she passes information to the British Secret Service through a code stitched into the hems of her dresses. 


** This is outside of my norm but still sounded like a great read.


Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine.It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Book Review ~ Lord of the Vampires

Lord of the Vampires (Royal House of Shadows #1)
By Gena Showalter
Published By Harlequin
eGalley received from Harlequin via netGalley

Summary:
Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden. To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with a need for vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.

Nicolai the Vampire is renowned for his virility, but in a cruel twist of fate “The Dark Seducer” has become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remains is a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who can help him.

When the wanton vampire summons Jane Parker, she is helpless to obey. She's drawn to his dark sexuality and into his magical realm. But for this human, all is not a fairy tale. For saving Nicolai could mean losing the only man she's ever craved.


My Thoughts: I wanted to like this much more than I did. The premise of Nicolai trying get his memories back and seek revenge seemed good in theory but seemed to fall short. It felt like there were chunks of the story that were taken out in editting to meet a page count.
I also had a problem with how Nicolai seemed more caveman posessive than Alpha posessive. It made him harder to like than the story called for. I liked Jane more than I thought I would at the beginning. She seemed to be trying to hard at first. Later, when she was dealing with Laila and trying to get back to Nicolai she seemed like the strong female we were supposed to be seeing her as.
Overall it fell a little short on story but I will read the rest of the series to see if it picks up. I'm also intrigued by a series written by four different authors.


Rating:3.5

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Jill over at Breaking The Spine.It's a weekly event that spotlights upcoming releases we are eagerly anticipating.


Easing back into blogging this week. Even though it's been awhile, I still haven't got much read. I've been way too tired by the end of the day. Hoping things start going back to normal now. 
Have a great week and enjoy the picks!


Courting Darkness (Sisters of the Moon #10)
By Yasmine Galenorn
Published By Jove
expected Release Date: November 1, 2011


Summary: Camille D'Artigo is Priestess of the Moon Mother and wife of a dragon. But her dragon father-in-law doesn't want her in the family. Captured and swept off to the Dragon Reaches, Camille must find a way to escape before her husband's father breaks her spirit...


**I sometimes have trouble with Camille's books but I'm looking forward to delving more into the dragon's world.