Sunday, February 27, 2011

Chloe Neill-Friday Night Bites (Chicagoland Vampires Novel)

Ten months after vampires revealed their existence to the mortals of Chicago, they're enjoying a celebrity status usually reserved for the Hollywood elite. But should people learn about the Raves-mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle-the citizens will start sharpening their stakes. — So now it's up to the new vampire Merit to reconnect with her upper class family and act as liaison between humans and bloodsuckers, and keep the more unsavory aspects of the vampire lifestyle out of the media. But someone doesn't want peace between them--someone with an ancient grudge.


**** (4 stars)
How much trouble can one girl get into in 2 months? Merit can't seem to catch a break, shortly after her battle, Celina is back working a new angle for world dominance. Merit has to play her part and get Ethan into her formal "upper class" world to get to the bottom of the latest drama. And her short life as a vampire comes full circle, new alliances are made, and old ones are tested almost to their breaking point. This is another great installment in the series, I love Merit and her sense of humor. But this book did drag a little for me, I did skim through some pages to get back to the action. I was not disappointed, and the ending leaves me starting book 3 as soon as I post this review.

Friday, February 25, 2011

Chloe Neill--Some Girls Bite (Chicagoland Vampires Novel)

First in a brand new series about a Chicago graduate student's introduction into a society of vampires. — Sure, the life of a graduate student wasn't exactly glamorous, but it was Merit's. She was doing fine until a rogue vampire attacked her. But he only got a sip before he was scared away by another bloodsucker -- and this one decided the best way to save her life was to make her the walking undead.

Turns out her savior was the master vampire of Cadogan House. Now she's traded sweating over her thesis for learning to fit in at a Hyde Park mansion full of vamps loyal to Ethan "Lord o' the Manor" Sullivan. Of course, as a tall, green-eyed, four-hundred- year-old vampire, he has centuries' worth of charm, but unfortunately he expects her gratitude -- and servitude. But an inconvenient sunlight allergy and Ethan's attitude are the least of her concerns. Someones still out to get her. Her initiation into Chicago's nightlife may be the first skirmish in a war -- and there will be blood.


***** (5 stars)
Don't let the cover and title fool you. This book was great! It's charming and funny, with great character development. Each character has their own history and part to play in the whole plot of the series. Merit is so funny, I laughed out loud a few times. And the sexual tension between Merit and Ethan.....HOT! Give this book a try, I don't think anyone would be disappointed. It kind of reminds me of the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I think Mercy and Merit would get along wonderfully.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

Anna Windsor-Captive Heart (Dark Crescent Sisterhood)

Hot, wet, and bothered — As the world’s only fully trained water Sybil, Andy Myles is too busy battling New York’s demonic population and coping with personal tragedy to trust her broken heart to the wrong man. Jack Blackmore, FBI adviser to Manhattan’s Occult Crimes Unit, is Army-tough and rattling Andy’s nerves big-time, criticizing her strategies for attacking the powerful flesh-feasting Rakshasa. She could happily drown Jack with a rogue wave of her water energy -- or her kisses. Honestly, when did hating a man become so hot?

Jack’s all human -- and he puts his trust in bullets, steel, and fists, not magic. Tough and confident, he’s never met a problem he couldn't’t handle. Then again, he’s never fought alongside warrior witches who can kill with a flick of a finger or lost his heart to a wild, unpredictable woman whose kisses taste like sweet southern rain. As a tide of despotic evil sweeps through the streets of New York, Jack’s got one chance to stop a malevolent rampage -- and claim Andy’s heart.


**** (4 stars)
Not the page turning obsession I had hoped for, but not a bad story. I still like the first trilogy better, the story kicks into gear for me in the last 100 pages. The action gets going and the plot moves along at a faster pace. I still caught myself skimming pages to get past the (sometimes) overwhelming details and get to the action, be it fighting or Jack and Andy's love affair. Jack and Andy are my favorite couple of this trilogy. Hopefully the next set of books will be about the children of the Dark Crescent Sisterhood Sybils. Who knows? I'm sure Neala would make for an interesting story along with the future water sybil.

Monday, February 7, 2011

Nalini Singh-Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter Novel)

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil… — A vampire has attacked a girls' school—the assault one of sheer, vicious madness—and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders.

The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear.

An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed.


*****(5 stars)
WOW!!! ABSOLUTELY A PAGE TURNING ADDICTION!!! I haven't been this addicted to a series since I discovered Kenyon's Dark Hunters. Have you ever read a book that you stayed up all night to finish? This is that series. I love Elena and Raphael (and Illium too). This series is so fast paced and passionate that I fall into the story as if I'm there. (this series makes me want to fly....) As before, Elena's life is in constant motion, from learning to fly and fight, to dealing with her family drama, and creating the balance with her and Raphael. We should all be so lucky as to have a Raphael! I don't want to give away any hints, but this is a MUST READ book. If you have not read the first 2 in this series, start at the beginning, I know you will fall in love with it too.

Saturday, February 5, 2011

Stephanie Meyer-The Short 2nd life of Bree Tanner (an eclipse novella)

Bree Tanner can barely remember life before she had uncannily powerful senses, superhuman reflexes and unstoppable physical strength. Life before she had a relentless thirst for blood... life before she became a vampire. — All Bree knows is that living with her fellow newborns has few certainties and even fewer rules: watch your back, don't draw attention to yourself and, above all, make it home by sunrise or die. What she doesn't know: her time as an immortal is quickly running out.

Then Bree finds an unexpected friend in Diego, a newborn just as curious as Bree about their mysterious creator, whom they know only as "her." As they come to realize that the newborns are pawns in a game larger than anything they could have imagined, Bree and Diego must choose sides and decide whom to trust. But when everything you know about vampires is based on a lie, how do you find the truth?

***** (5 stars)
For anyone that loves the Twilight books, this is a great story. It takes an interesting side trip into the vampire army Victoria created, all through the eyes of one young Bree Tanner. She is smart and catches on quickly to the lies and manipulations guiding her "coven". But when she has more than one chance to escape her fated path, she keeps going, hoping to save her friend Diego. Poor Bree, we all know how her path turned out from reading the Twilight series, but I really liked reading about how she got there.

Anna Windsor--Captive Soul (Dark Crescent Sisterhood)

Her flame power nearly extinguished in a battle against the dark forces attempting to control Manhattan, fire Sybil Camille Fitzgerald is down but not out. Joining a new quad of warrior witches, she hopes to reclaim her fighting spirit and, with luck, her pyrotechnic mastery. Two problems on that front: a new army of cannibalistic demons and her superheated lust for John Cole, an unholy blend of demon and U.S. Special Forces agent now working under cover for New York's Occult Crimes Unit.

John knows he can't be trusted--hell, he can't trust himself. Unfortunately, it's a body belonging to the Sybil's worst enemy, whose supernasty essence still lingers. But when John's demon energy seems more alive than dead, it's Camille whose scorching kiss keeps him human--for now. All he's got to do is master his dark side and save Camille and the Sybils from an army of satanic hellboys planning their ultimate destruction.


*** (3 stars)
I like this series and this is the second book in the second trilogy. John and Camille have their own personal demons and doubts to combat to win against their new enemy. John has gone from his own body, to living inside Duncan's head for a while, to being thrust into a demon's body he must control to remain himself. Camille must discover how to tame and control her new pyrosentience. Their love story is complicated and cute. But we spend more time in the war against their new enemy than falling into their love. I liked this book better than the first, but it is not the page-turning obsession I had hoped for. The first story had to have a lot of plot building, so I had hoped this one would move along with more action. It's about a 100 pages to long, it gets bogged down in the lengthy, lengthy, amount of details. I found myself skimming through sections only reading the dialogue to get to the action which starts moving in the last 100 pages. I don't feel like I missed anything. If you haven't read this series, start with the first trilogy. Even though it is long, the series is a good one.