I chose two urban fantasies this week. Both books sounded so good, I had a hard time deciding which one to select. I read the first chapter of each and came to the conclusion that I must read them both. First up is:

Title: Full Blooded (Jessica McClain)

Author: Amanda Carlson

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Orbit

Release date: September 2012

Pages: 352

ISBN-10: 0316205206

ISBN-13: 978-0316205207

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:

REVIEW:

The blurb didn’t really wow me. I ran across Full Blooded on a review site, and the fabulous reviews made me decided to pick up a copy. And I’m glad I did! This author totally blew me away, both with the story and the characters. As soon as I finished reading, I went online and added the rest of the series to my wish list. I’m not sure I can wait for my next order to get my greedy little hands on Hot Blooded, book two in the series.

Jessica McClain came from a long line of werewolves…only they were all males. When she was born, rumors spread like wildfire that she would be the death of their race. After puberty hit and she didn’t shift, the rumors died down, security relaxed and Jessica fought for a life outside of the pack. A chance to be normal. Just when she thought she was safe, her life flipped upside down and her wolf makes herself know with a vengeance. Now, everyone wants a piece of her, including an assassin sent to capture and deliver her to the highest bidder. Only, after spending a few hours together, he can’t bear to release her.

I’ll stop to avoid spoilers, but the tension on each page kept me coming back for more. The romance was light, but enough that I thoroughly enjoyed each second. The action was fast paced, Jessica being no wilting flower waiting to be rescued. And though the book ended on a cliffhanger, the story stopped in a logical spot that it didn’t make me curse. If you’re looking for a new and edgy author on the Urban Fantasy scene, check out Amanda Carlson’s Full Blooded.

For reaching one of my goals, I’m rewarded myself by reading a book. I need to re-charge my batteries and gain perspective with all the editing I’ve been doing.  And what sounds better than a good Urban Fantasy?

Here are the blurbs:

Full Blooded (Jessica McClain)~

 I’ve joined a number of other authors to promote a large sale with over 150 books for just $0.99 each.

To see the list of books, click on the banner above or go here:

Book Lover’s Buffet

I’m offering two of my books, both BloodSworn and Electric Storm.

If you haven’t purchased your copies yet, click on the below links:

 BloodSworn at Amazon

Electric Storm at Amazon or Barnes & Noble or ARe.

*You’ll be happy to note book two, Electric Moon, will be available soon!

BloodSworn Blurb:

Ten years after they bound her powers and banished her, Trina Weyebridge had successfully carved out a new existence in the human world. She put her life as a witch behind her. But, her magic would not be denied, the bindings holding them in check are weakening. Vampires who crave a taste of the powers stored in her blood are hunting her with deadly force and have kidnapped her sister to lure her out. In a desperate bid to free her sister and gain her own freedom, Trina bargains with the all-too-tempting lion shifter who calls out the long forgotten wild side in her…she would be his concubine in return for pack protection. She’d be safe…until they found out the truth.

UNDENIABLE DESIRE. FORBIDDEN LOVE. INESCAPABLE DESTINY.

When Merrick spots a female intruder living on his property, he’s intrigued by her daring. Curious to find out more, he follows her and comes to her aid when she falls prey to an attack. After weeks of unnatural silence, his beast awakens at her touch, and he suspects that she might be the only one able to save his race from a disease killing his kind. Not willing to take the chance of losing her, he binds her to him the only way he knows how…by claiming her as his own. All he has to do to save her is uncover the secrets of her past, stop a pack revolt, convince her that she’s desperately in love with him in return, and prevent a war.

Electric Storm Blurb:

Everything changed when Raven, a natural born conduit, accidentally walks in on a slave auction. She only wants a night out with her friends before her next case as a paranormal liaison with the police. Instead, she ends up in possession of a shifter and his guardian. When your touch can kill, living with two touchy-feely shifters is a disaster waiting to happen.

To make matters worse, a vicious killer is on the loose. As mutilated bodies turn up, she can’t help fear that her new acquisitions are keeping secrets from her. The strain of keeping everyone alive, not to mention catching the killer, pushes her tenuous control of her gift and her emotions to their limits. If they hope to survive, they must work together as a pack or risk becoming hunted themselves.

I fell in love with this series when I ran across the first book, Bitter Night, and devoured it in one sitting. I’ve even pre-ordered this book. I’ve only done that for one other author. When I learned that Blood Winter was the last book in the series, I mourned. Then I delayed reading it because I didn’t want it to ever end. This was my choice for last week’s face-off. Be warned, this is a very dark urban fantasy. Delicious!

Title: Blood Winter (Horngate Witches)

Author: Diana Pharaoh Francis

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Publisher: Pocket Books

Release date: December 2012

Pages: 400

ISBN-10: 1451613865

ISBN-13: 978-1451613865

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:
NEW GAME. SAME RULES. SHE FIGHTS. THEY DIE.

Max always does her job, no matter how brutal and bloody. That’s how it’s been ever since she was enslaved by a witch, turned into a supernatural warrior, and assigned to protect the coven of Horngate. But her job just got harder. . . .

Waves of wild magic have returned much of the world to a time when fairy tales were real and danger now lurks behind every tree and bush. As winter descends and food, heat, and water are harder to come by, many have turned to Benjamin Sterling for protection. Leader of the Earth’s Last Stand cult, Sterling claims to be the Hand of God, but his power and charisma secretly come from a dark and terrible source. With devout followers eager to do his sadistic bidding, he has his eyes on Horngate and its magical inhabitants. To save those she loves, Max will knowingly walk into a trap. But when the cult strips Max’s soul bare for all to see, will even Alexander—her lover and her strength—remain? And if she were to lose him, what does it matter if she gains the whole world…

REVIEW:

There is something about the Horngate Witches series that captured me from the first book. The covers were great, but it’s what’s between the pages that kept me coming back. The author sets us up with unique characters and unforgettable world building. Each book built upon the last, and I loved revisiting the characters.

Max is an alpha female at her best, determined to do whatever it takes to keep her people safe. Her counterpart, Alex, is the perfect hero…tough, compassionate and just as deadly. I loved them as a couple, though I wish I could’ve seen them together more. Then you have the angels – they are two bad-ass macho men who can kick some serious ass! And the rest of her coven is just as memorable. I loved how magic was portrayed in the story…so very different from everything else I’ve read that I eagerly turned the pages. I enjoyed how the tension grew into a big crescendo then watched as the character had to dig their way out of the shit-storm.

This book wasn’t perfect, though, not that I was expecting it, but there were spots that disappointed me a little. Max seemed consumed with her feelings for Alex, almost to the detriment of the story. I also thought the story went too quickly, the action scenes cut a little too short. There were threads in the overlying arch of the series that were left dangling. Despite all that, if the author ever came out with another Horngate Witches book, I would snatch it up in a heartbeat! 

Previous books in the series:

I love reading series. I’m in the middle of at least a dozen, maybe more. This week I chose two series out of some of my favorites.

Here are the blurbs:

Blood Winter (Horngate Witches)~

Isn’t this cover just gorgeous! I didn’t even read the back blurb before I snatched the book up in my greedy little hands and hurried toward the check-out.

Title: Last Kiss Goodnight: An Otherworld Assassin Novel

Author: Gena Showalter

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Pocket Books

Release date: December 2012

Pages: 436

ISBN-10: 1451671598

ISBN-13: 978-1451671599

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:

THE SWEETEST TEMPTATION . . .

Black ops agent Solomon Judah awakens caged and bound in a twisted zoo where otherworlders are the main attraction. Vika Lukas, the owner’s daughter, is tasked with Solo’s care and feeding. The monster inside him yearns to kill her on sight, even though she holds the key to his escape. But the human side of him realizes the beautiful deaf girl is more than she seems—she’s his.

THE ULTIMATE PRICE . . .

Vika endures the captives’ taunts and loathing, hoping to keep them alive even if she can’t free them. Only, Solo is different— he protects her. But as hostility turns to forbidden romance, his feelings for her will be used against him . . . and he’ll be put to a killer test.

REVIEW:

I’ve enjoyed Gena Showalter’s writing in the past, so I didn’t hesitate to purchase this book. After reading it though, I’m actually torn on how to feel. I loved the hero and the romance between the main characters, but the book just didn’t flow like a normal Showalter. The first chapter was a little choppy for me, and I found it jarring to start a story from someone else’s point of view other than the main characters. And while the plot was unique, I’m not sure I believed in the story enough to suspend my disbelief, which is a real shame.

What saved the book for me was the romance between the main characters. Both Solo and Vika are tortured people, yearning for something more, but not sure they really deserve to be saved. They didn’t immediately fall in love, they had doubts, but each knew that they wanted to give their love a chance…even if it cost them. I also liked the uniqueness of all the characters, even the villains. I’m not sure I’ll purchase the next book, but I might borrow it.

I’m not sure I’ll have a lot of time to read this week, I’m suppose to be writing, but I did pick out two of my favorite authors. Comfort reading. Anyone have one of those days that seems to stretch into weeks?

Here are the blurbs:

The Last Kiss Goodnight~

I first read Jory Strong in an anthology and loved her work. When I placed my last book order, I added this book to my list because of the blurb. Sounds like something right up my alley.

Title: Healer’s Choice

Author: Jory Strong

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Fantasy

Publisher: Berkley

Release date: September 2010

Pages: 377

ISBN-13: 978-0425236536

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:

Born into a world of violence and paid-for sex, Rebekka longs for a family of her own and dreams of freeing those trapped in the shapeshifter brothels of the red zone. A witch’s prophecy claims she’ll one day use her gift to heal the Weres made outcast by their mixed human-animal forms.  
 
 
But Rebekka knows that everything comes at a cost. A plea to save five children sends her into the arms of Aryck, a Jaguar enforcer-and into territory controlled by pure Weres. It’s a place where humans and outcasts aren’t welcomed, where plague threatens and the fate of the Weres hangs in the balance. And where the choices Rebekka and Aryck make are paid for with their hearts…if not their souls.

Review:

It wasn’t long after the first chapter that I ran across a little snag. This is book three in a series. I hate reading books out of order, but the blurb was so interesting that I kept reading.

I found myself drawn to Rebekka and her unique magic. Her almost compulsive need to help others drew me into her world. I enjoyed the first meet between the characters and their instant attraction. Aryck was a wonderful alpha hero and the perfect match for Rebekka. He could be an ass, but when he realized his mistakes, he was quick to make amends. Their opposing view points on some issues kept the tension steady through the book. I loved the way shifters and outcasts were depicted. The world building was fascinating, while the different threads of the book kept me interested in what would happen next.

Unfortunately, when an issue came up for Rebekka, people from past books magically appeared and took care of some of her problems. The funny thing was that Rebekka didn’t question that the problem just went away. After the first few times, it became a little annoying and took away from what could have been a more compeling story. I had a love/hate relationship with this book. There were characteristics of the book that I adored, but others parts were I felt cheated out of the whole stroy. Maybe reading the books in order would solve my qualms? Hmmmm…

For reaching one of my goals this year, I’ve rewarded myself to a small book order. Here are two of the book that came in the mail.

Here are the blurbs:

Silence (Queen of the Dead)~

I’m always on the lookout for something a little bit different from my normal reading habits, so when I was offered a chance to review this book, I jumped on it. Look at that cover! Isn’t it gorgeous?

Title: Gambling On A Secret (Colter Gamblers)

Author: Sara Walter Ellwood

Genre: Contemporary Western

Publisher: Lyrical Press, Inc.

Release date: December 2012

Pages: 276

ASIN : B00AVLL4XA

Rating:  

DESCRIPTION:
Colter Gamblers, #1

When Charli bets everything on a secret, will she find the deck stacked against her?

Former runaway-turned heiress Charli Monroe is hiding her sordid past and planning a future in Colton, Texas. Attending the local college for a degree in social work, she intends to raise cattle on her newly purchased ranch, which she plans to open as a home for troubled teens. Only a few glitches, the Victorian mansion is crumbling, the barn needs a roof, and her oilman neighbor wants more than friendship. When she meets Dylan Quinn, Charli is willing to take a chance on the town drunk to help her rebuild the rundown ranch.

Dylan has his demons, too. The former Special Forces commander can’t get past his ex-wife’s betrayal and the botched mission that left him with much more than a bad limp. Certain the greedy oilman next door to Charli wants much more than just her heart, Dylan’s even willing to stop drinking in order to protect her.

When things get dangerous and secrets of the past are revealed, is he only looking out for his new employer, or is she the new start he so desperately needs?

CONTENT WARNING: Details abuse of a minor, drug abuse, alcoholism, swearing, spicy sex, murder.

REVIEW:

I read the blurb on the back cover, and couldn’t wait to dig into this book. The story reminded me of the old Harlequin books I’d devoured by the hundreds in my earlier years. I adored Dylan. He was far from perfect, but he was perfect for the heroine. There’s just something about a deeply wounded man that I can’t resist. He’s had more than a couple of hard knocks, and it took one determine woman to shake him up to the world around him.

Though Charli had a rough childhood, she managed to overcome her past, but not without collecting a few scars along the way. I liked her spunk, and her determination to make a better life for herself. Unfortunately, I didn’t sink into her life the way I did with Dylan.

The story itself was structured perfectly for a Texas cattle ranch setting, and I could easily envision the details described. The beginning of the book unfolded like a western family saga, where you’re submerged in the town and generations of family. The only drawback was the romance took second place to it at times. There were a number of plots in the story. I didn’t feel overwhelmed, but my sense of disbelieve began to wear thin in places. Overall, if you like a slow build to your suspense and romance, a good old-fashion western, pick up a copy of Gambling on a Secret.