Book Review ~ The Beast

The Beast (Black Dagger Brotherhood #14 )

by J.R. Ward
published by NAL
genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy, PNR, 

Summary (Goodreads): Nothing is as it used to be for the Black Dagger Brotherhood. After avoiding war with the Shadows, alliances have shifted and lines have been drawn. The slayers of the Lessening Society are stronger than ever, preying on human weakness to acquire more money, more weapons, more power. But as the Brotherhood readies for an all-out attack on them, one of their own fights a battle within himself…

For Rhage, the Brother with the biggest appetites, but also the biggest heart, life was supposed to be perfect—or at the very least, perfectly enjoyable. Mary, his beloved shellan, is by his side and his King and his brothers are thriving. But Rhage can’t understand—or control—the panic and insecurity that plague him…
 And that terrifies him—as well as distances him from his mate. After suffering mortal injury in battle, Rhage must reassess his priorities—and the answer, when it comes to him, rocks his world...and Mary’s. But Mary is on a journey of her own, one that will either bring them closer together or cause a split that neither will recover from...

**I tried to come up with a review that did not include any spoilers but really couldn't. There may be some things given away below from this or previous books.

My Thoughts:  I haven't read these books in order since the first 6-7. Some I just was not interested in and others I just haven't gotten around to. I read the Shadows but not the King so there may be some things I've missed.
With the length of these books being so long I think I'm going to break my thoughts down by person/couples/family.
Rhage, Mary, Bitsy: I like Rhage but don't love him like most. He is the most romantic out of all the brothers but I found it annoying at times. This may be more the slang the author uses rather than the character. As far as him and Mary, I came away from the book just thinking their story was nice or sweet. It felt kind of bland to me. Throw in the newly orphaned child and you have an insta family. Bitsy sudden change from quiet speaking to no one to outgoing happy child was way too fast for me. As the main story for the book, like I said, it was nice and seemed to come together in the end.
Xcor, Layla: The couple for the next book The Chosen. I will either be skipping this one and reading the spoilers or waiting until a bunch of the review come out. Layla is one of my least favorite people in this series. She has been since she first showed up and she hasn't done a lot to change my feelings. Unfortunately, I like Xcor, but don't see how he can redeem himself to make this coupling acceptable to everyone else. If it ends up being just who he's related to, it won't work for me. At the same time, I want to see him and the rest of the BoB teaming up with the Brothers.
Assail, his Cousins, Markus: There's something about Assail that I like even though I know I shouldn't. I felt his story moved further along in the book than anyone else's. There were still moments that were questionable. I don't know what happened in the last book but I didn't really understand how he could do somethings that he did if he is bonded (?not sure if he is?) with another female. I'm also not sure how I feel about him and Markus, he just seemed to latch onto him awfully quick. I hope Ward uses Markus as something more than Zsadist 2.0.
Vishous and family: Not sure what was up with V in this one. He just seemed off. I've never been a fan of him and Jane but having him say that their relationship is clinical (or something similar) was not normal behavior. I also don't understand how the Scribe Virgin can just leave. This was not explained well enough for me. She is the creator of the race, how does she just go and appoint a successor at a later date? Another thing I need more info on. Lastly, is the Omega. I want more of him. The lessers have become a joke lately. They are not believable as bad guys and sending the guys out to fight them just feels like busy work. One of my favorite moments in this books was when the Omega showed up in the field where some of the brothers were. You could feel the tension and fear from V while he was trying to keep and him and his Brothers hidden. This is what I want in villain.
Overall, it was a good book. I came away with the feeling that it was a "nice" story which is probably not what you want to feel after reading a Ward book. While I want to know what happens next I just don't know if I can bring myself to read a full book about Layla and her dramas.

Rating: 4

mini Reviews ~ Night Shift

Night Shift

by Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Lisa Shearin, Milla Vane
published by Berkley
Genre: Adult, Anthology, UF, PNR, Supernatural, Shifters

Summary (Goodreads): New York Times bestselling author Nalini Singh delivers a smoldering story with Secrets at Midnight , as the scent of Bastien Smith’s elusive lover ignites a possessiveness in him that’s as feral as it is ecstatic. And now that he’s found his mate, he’ll do anything to keep her.

In #1 New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews’ novella, Magic Steals , when people start going missing, shapeshifting tigress Dali Harimau and jaguar shifter Jim Shrapshire must uncover the truth about the mysterious creatures responsible.

From Milla Vane—a warrior princess must tame The Beast of Blackmoor to earn a place among her people. But she quickly discovers that the beast isn't a monster, but a barbarian warrior who intends to do some taming himself.

It’s seer Makenna Frazier's first day on the job at Supernatural Protection and Investigations, and her first assignment is more than she bargained for when bodyguard duty for a leprechaun prince’s bachelor party goes every which way but right in national bestselling author Lisa Shearin’s Lucky Charms

My Thoughts: 
Secrets at Midnight / Nalini Singh (Psy-Changling 12.5): I have only read 1 of the books from this series. I remember liking it so not sure why I haven't read more. This is a definite PNR story. It's all about Bastien finding his mate Kirby. Once he's found her it moves right into HEA territory. I did like what we got of Kirby's backstory and why she was repressing her other half. I didn't hate or love this story. It was cute.
Magic Steals / Ilona Andrewa (Kate Daniels 6.5): This is another series that I've only read short stories from even though I own the first couple of books. I didn't like this as a PNR story. I was ok with Dali being insecure and not feeling she is as good as other bad ass women in this series. What I didn't like was how immature she was. Things like hiding Jim in her closest because her mother showed up at her place. I was reading it going "Really". I did like mystery/story that took place. This was where Dali shined and she became more likable.
The Beast of Blackmoor / Milla Vane: Not Read, ran out of time before had to return to library.
Lucky Charms / Lisa Shearin (SPI Files 0.5): This was my favorite of the bunch. The author did a good job of introducing her new world and characters in a short amount of time. We find out about SPI, meet some crazy leprechauns, and learn Makenna's new dream job may not be as great as she thinks, even with the health benefits. There is something for everyone if you like the supernatural. From the Russian werewolf to the boss lady who's a real dragon.
Having read book 1 right after this, I will say I hope the author gets back to the things that were set up in this story. Other groups trying to get their hands on the Seer so they have the advantage, etc.

Rating: 4 This is an overall rating for the anthology as a whole.

E.J. Stevens New Series: Hunters' Guild ~ Cover and Giveaway

It's time for a cover reveal!  Feast your eyes on the cover for HUNTING IN BRUGES, the debut novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series by E.J. Stevens.

Keep reading for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card!

Hunting in Bruges (Hunters' Guild #1) by E.J. Stevens.

The only thing worse than being a Hunter in the fae-ridden city of Harborsmouth, is hunting vamps in Bruges.

Being shipped off to Belgium sucks. The medieval city of Bruges is quaint, but the local Hunters' Guild is understaffed, the canals are choked with dead bodies, and there's no shortage of supernatural predators as likely suspects.

On second thought, maybe Bruges isn't so bad after all.

With a desire to prove herself, protect the innocent, and advance within the ranks of the Hunters' Guild, Jenna Lehane hits the cobbled streets of Bruges with blades at the ready. Someone, or something, is murdering tourists and dumping their bodies in the city's scenic canals.  With the help of a mysterious stranger, Jenna begins to piece together clues that are dotted throughout the city like blood spatter.

Determined to stop the killings, Jenna delves into a bloody local history that only raises more questions--but some secrets are best left buried. Jenna must put her combat training to the test as she struggles to unearth the truth about an ancient enemy.

Hunting in Bruges is the first novel in the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series set in the world of Ivy Granger.

Release Date:  November 11, 2014
Genre:  Paranormal, Urban Fantasy
Pre-order on Amazon.
Add to Goodreads.

About the Hunters' Guild Series

The Hunters' Guild series is an urban fantasy series written by E.J. Stevens and set in the world of Ivy Granger.  The series is told in the first-person point-of-view of Jenna Lehane, a Hunter with a troubled past, a proficiency with weapons, and an intolerance for monsters who target the innocent.

About the Author

E.J. Stevens is the author of the Spirit Guide young adult series, the bestselling Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, and the Hunters' Guild urban fantasy series.  When E.J. isn't at her writing desk she enjoys dancing along seaside cliffs, singing in graveyards, and sleeping in faerie circles.  E.J. currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.

Hunting in Bruges Cover Reveal Giveaway

The author is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner!

To enter, use the Rafflecopter form below.  This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.  Giveaway ends October 7, 2014.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What do you think of the cover?

Book Review ~ Visions

Visions (Cainsville #2)

by Kelley Armstrong
published by Dutton
genre: Adult, Supernatural, UF, 

Summary (Goodreads): Omens, the first installment in Kelley Armstrong’s exciting new series, introduced Olivia Taylor-Jones, daughter of notorious serial killers, and Gabriel Walsh, the self-serving, morally ambiguous lawyer who became her unlikely ally. Together, they chased down a devious killer and partially cleared her parents of their horrifying crimes.

Their success, however, is short-lived. While Olivia takes refuge in the old, secluded town of Cainsville, Gabriel’s past mistakes have come to light, creating a rift between the pair just when she needs his help the most.

Olivia finds a dead woman in her car, dressed to look like her, but the body vanishes before anyone else sees it. Olivia’s convinced it’s another omen, a sign of impending danger. But then she learns that a troubled young woman went missing just days ago—the same woman Olivia found dead in her car. Someone has gone to great lengths to kill and leave this young woman as a warning. But why? And what role has her new home played in this disturbing murder?

Olivia’s effort to uncover the truth places her in the cross-hairs of old and powerful forces, forces that have their own agenda, and closely guarded secrets they don’t want revealed.

My Thoughts: I'm enjoying the mix of mythology and supernatural crime drama. We find out a lot more about the town of Cainsville and it's inhabitants in this book. I actually found this part of the story more interesting than the dead person in the car. The person in the car did become a part of the overall story but still felt disconnected to me.
The three men in Olivia's life were also a big part of the book. I have to say I like Ricky above the rest as far as couple material. James is just crazy and if there is not more to his story then I will be amazed. Then there's Gabriel. I really like this guy but at the same time I'm torn. I've reached the point that I'm tired of over half of Olivia's commentary being excuses for Gabriel. Whether it's for his actions or his in actions I don't need her excuses, it's part of who is he is and I wish it could just be.
Overall, I'm still happy with this series and where it seems to be going. I like the Fae aspect and want to know more about how all three are intertwined in this ongoing feud between the different factions.

Rating: 4

Mini Reviews ~ Blood Lite

Blood Lite (Blood Lite #1)

edited by Kevin J Anderson
genre: Anthologies, Adult, Fantasy, PNR, UF

Summary (Goodreads): The Horror Writers Association Presents Blood Lite...a collection of entertaining tales that puts the fun back into dark fiction, with ironic twists and tongue-in-cheek wit to temper the jagged edge.

My Thoughts: I only read the stories by the authors on the front of the book. I tried reading some of the others but wasn't in the right mood, will try and go back when I have more reading time.
Jim Butcher (Dresden 10.1): Harry's Day Off: Cute story about Harry trying to keep plans for a day off and everything going wrong. From his assistant blowing up his lab to the local were's getting fleas.
Sherrilyn Kenyon (Dark Hunter 15.5): Where Angels Fear to Tread: This was the one that had me turning the page and going wait I want more.
Kelley Armstrong (Otherworld 8.2): The Ungrateful Dead: This was another I enjoyed even though I'm not this far into the series yet (really need to finish).
Overall, I bought this for these three stories and they were worth the price of the book. Since I own the book, if I'm ever looking for new authors I can check out their works in this book.

Rating: 3.5(on stories read)

Book Review ~ Night Broken

Night Broken (Mercy Thompson #8)

by Patricia Briggs
published by Ace
genre: Adult, UF, PNR

Summary (Goodreads): An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

My Thoughts:  While there may have been some things I did not like, overall this was a great read for me. I had to keep reading until the end and when it was finished I wanted more.
I'll start with Christy. Can't say I liked her (I know I'm not supposed to). I could understand how/why some in the pack could have felt close to her because she was married to their alpha. What I could not understand was how they would still feel that way after what she did to Adam and Jesse. It just felt off to me. I'm also not sure how I feel about her staying in town.
The twist with the stalker was interesting and delved into areas/cultures that I am not familiar with. I liked how Mercy's circle is expanding and her heritage is being used more and more. She seems more willing to learn from the things that Coyote does than her half brother is. It may seem off at the time but it usually leads to something that helps.
We also had some old regulars return. Waiting for to see how Tad's help comes back to haunt him in future books (it's already started to). Also, the link between Mercy and Stefan. How does a walking stick become one of the best side characters, or at least one of my favorites.
Overall, this was a favorite read for me so far this year. It kept me entertained and reading right until the end. Is it time for the next book yet?

Rating: 5

Book Review ~ Blood Trinity

Blood Trinity (Belador #1)

by Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love
published by Pocket Books
genre: Adult, UF (Urban Fantasy), Paranormal

Summary (Goodreads): All her life, Evalle has been straddling the line between human and demon. Curious about her origins, but content to live in the shadows, she finds that anonymity threatened by escalating conflicts between species. Accused of a savage murder, she's forced center stage in what seems like the beginning of an Atlanta apocalypse. Before long though, her personal problems will submerge as she learns startling facts about a hoard of supernatural terrorists.

My Thoughts: I went into this only being familiar with one of the authors. I'm a huge fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon but know nothing about Dianna Love. I had glanced at some reviews/opinions of this book and knew going in that this was more on the Urban Fantasy side rather than the Para Romance that I'm used to reading from Kenyon. Knowing this helped a great deal since I also enjoy UF I just had to make sure I was in the right mind set to read it.
Character wise, Evalle was hit and miss with me. I liked her for the most part but there were times that I just wanted to shake her. Parts were intentional, like when she was mouthing off to Sen knowing that he didn't like her and was the one person (?) that could ruin her life. Most of the time though she was the tough heroine that you expect dealing with powers and conditions that make her life more difficult than easy.
Tzader and Quinn, who we meet right away, are the only two real friends Evalle has and the only two people she trusts. I liked both of these guys and cannot wait to find out more about them. There were some things mentioned in this book that I'm sure will be the focus of later stories.
There were potential love interests/relationships. I liked Storm, found him interesting and was intrigued by his back story and look forward to finding out more about it. Isak, not so much. This was someone that just didn't work for me but I know he is going to feature prominently in at least part of Evalle's story going forward.
We are introduced to many more people that play either a part in this book's story or are being set up for later books. The HEA that we got between at the end between two of the side characters fell into the sweet territory for me but I still liked it.
Overall, I thought this was a promising start to a new (for me) series. There was enough action to keep me interested even if I didn't like some people and enough given about others that I want to continue reading to find out more.

Rating: 4

Book Birthday ... a little late :)

Release Date: October 30, 2012 (didn't have power for most of Tuesday which is way this is late)
Author: Yasmine Galenorn; website, twitter, facebook
Genre: Adult, Paranormal, UF

Summary (author website): We're the D'Artigo sisters: sexy, savvy ex-operatives from the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. Being half human, half-Fae means our powers go haywire at all the wrong times. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch, with three gorgeous husbands. My sister Delilah is a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. And me? I'm Menolly, a jian-tu turned vampire, and I'm dating a sexy werepuma and the godfather of vampires. Unfortunately, life is about to get very, very nasty...

Nerissa and I can't decide on what we want to do for our promise ceremony and we're bickering like an old married couple. My sisters and I head to Otherworld for a meeting with Queen Asteria, where we discover that Shadow Wing has dispatched Telazhar to reignite the Scorching Wars. And as soon as we return back home, we find Gulakah, the Lord of Ghosts, waging a battle to control the magical beings over Earthside.  Caught between two terrible enemies in a battle spanning two worlds, we can only hope we're in time to stop all-out annihilation.

Book Review ~ A Perfect Blood

A Perfect Blood (The Hollows #10)
by Kim Harrison
published by HarperVoyager
genre: Adult, Fantasy, UF

Summary (Goodreads): Ritually murdered corpses are appearing across Cincinnati, terrifying amalgams of human and other. Pulled in to help investigate by the I.S. and FIB, former witch turned day-walking demon Rachel Morgan soon realizes a horrifying truth: a human hate group is trying to create its own demons to destroy all Inderlanders, and to do so, it needs her blood.

She's faced vampires, witches, werewolves, demons, and more, but humanity itself might be her toughest challenge yet.

My Thoughts: The Good:  Lots of Trent in this one. While I loved how Rachel and Trent's relationship seemed to grow, part of me was impatient and just wanted it to move faster. I've always liked when they worked together even when they were hating each other.
I also liked the bad guys (not literally). They were a group of crazies that you could really hate without feeling bad about it. You also didn't get the impression that there would be any redemption with this group.
The Bad: This is more like the sad. I understand the growth and people going in different directions, I was sad to see the main three not be as close as they usually are. With only a couple of books left in this series, it made me curious where they were going as a group in these final books. They also felt disconnected, especially Ivy. Where before we would see her reaction when something bad happened to Rachel, in this one we are told in one line, that Ivy was crazy with worry when Rachel was missing.
I'm also not sure how I feel about them not having any allies in the FIB going forward.
Overall: This was another great book in this series. What I liked outweighed what I didn't. I'll be interested to see where these storylines go. I also want to know who is funding this hate group. Here's hoping that this series ends with a bang and not a fizzle.

Rating: 4

Book Review ~ DawnKeepers

DawnKeepers (Nightkeepers #2)
by Jessica Andersen
published by Signet
genre: Adult, UF, PNR, Fantasy, Mythology

Summary (Goodreads): Though a Nightkeeper, Nate Blackhawk refuses to allow others to control his fate. The gods have even tried to influence his love life, sending him visions of Alexis Gray, a sleek blonde who is everything he’s ever wanted in a woman.

The two warriors can’t deny their attraction. But a frightening vision leads Nate to distance himself in spite of the intense passion he feels. Thrown together once more, they must reassemble seven Mayan artifacts that hold the key to preventing the end of the world…

My Thoughts: Mixed on this one. Even more than I was on the first book. I really enjoyed the UF feel of the good vs evil storyline. I also liked the Xibalan as the bad guys. They seemed more credible than the 2012 group from the first book. They also seemed to have more of a lasting presence going forward.
What made me rate this lower than book 1 was the romance.
I liked Nate he was one of my favorites of the group. He  fits the whole damaged Alpha male part of this couple. Alexis on the other hand was a big NO. She has been a snobby, stuck up sort since the beginning but that didn't bother me. What bothered me was her willingness to sleep with anyone for more power, while saying how in love with Nate she was and she believed completely in the whole destiny mates. Luckily the remaining available guys at the compound weren't interested in playing her game. It did lead to a great "letting steam off" fight between Nate and another. After all this happened, it made it impossible for me to believe them as a complete HEA.
Overall, I'm looking forward to reading the next book. I'm wanting to read more about Rabbit. He is my favorite Hot Mess. I like this better when I go into it as a UF book rather than PNR.

Rating: 3

Waiting on Wednesday

Spellfire (NightKeepers #8)

by Jessica Andersen
published by Signet
expected release date: November 6, 2012
genre: Adult, Fantasy, PNR, UF

Summary (Goodreads): Imprisoned and tortured by the demoness who tricked him into betraying the Nightkeepers and the woman he loves, Rabbit must endure excruciating pain to protect the diminished Skywatch army as the end-time approaches. Although an ancient prophecy says his unique powers are key to winning the final battle in the doomsday war, he hasn’t just lost his credibility—he’s lost his magic.

Myrinne is far from the woman Rabbit once knew—she’s got magic now, and despite emotional scars, she’s strong enough to help the Nightkeepers. And yet she’s not prepared to handle the fiercely driven man he’s become or the new, dangerous feelings that spark between them.

With the barrier ready to fall and a xombi outbreak in the human world, Rabbit and Myrinne must forge a new partnership amid dangerous instability and the threat of an undead army. In the end, it will be up to Rabbit to master his ferocious magic—or all will be lost. For him, for the woman he doesn’t have the right to love anymore, and for the fate of the world…

**I'm only on the second book but already Rabbit is one of my favorites and I cannot wait to get to his book.


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.