Thursday, March 17, 2011

Book Review: Black Wings


Product Description:

As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.

Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.

Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.
Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...
 _______________________________________________

Review:
I had never heard of this author and was browsing Amazon, looking for something new to read and this was in the recommendations part of the page I was on, thought I would try it and had a very nice surprise!  

Without giving too much away, Maddy has a lot going on in her life and when her new tenant moves in, her life becomes even more full: angels, demons, her cranky boss JB, her gargoyle, possessions, trying to save the city… It’s more than enough to make a girl question her sanity!  Maddy is a likeable heroine and the supporting characters are well-drawn.  Since this is the beginning of a series, we still have some unanswered questions about the world Maddy lives in and the author leaves much room for Maddy’s character growth, world development as well as supporting characters to explore. 

This is a different take on angels, demons and death.  The author combines a unique world and a few unusual ideas and creates an interesting world worth visiting again.  Suffice it to say, not everything is as it seems.   I Recommend this book and look forward to reading the next  in the series!
Sensuality:  a few kisses

Rating: 4 stars

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Book Review: Pale Demon

Pale Demon (The Hollows, Book 9)
Product Description:

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles?
And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.




Review:

Wow!    Kim Harrison really outdid herself with this installment.  The Great American Road Trip combined with loads of action, assassination attempts and bonding, not to mention Jenks’ brand of humor and swearing.  As usual, Rachel faces a set of unusual circumstances that would make a lesser woman shake in her leather boots and faces them head-on. 

Trent, Al, Ivy and Jenks all have a good amount of page time as well as fantastic character development.  Trent’s elf quest is an unexpected plot turn (didn’t see that one coming!) as well.  Rachel learns quite a lot about trust in this installment as well as some very important lessons about herself.

The bad guy, Ku’Sox, is a day-walking demon who wreaks havoc everywhere he goes.  Hold onto your seat as you read the book because it’s a wild, breathtaking ride you won’t want to end.  I highly recommend it for all Hollows fans and will be waiting very impatiently for the next Rachel adventure. 

If you have never heard of Rachel Morgan or the Hollows, there’s too much backstory for you to start with this book.  Pick up Dead Witch Walking (The Hollows, Book 1), and read all about the adventures of Rachel, Ivy, Jenks and the rest of the crew, making sure to have the next one in the series lined up and ready to go as you complete each one.

Sensuality:  Several kisses and some lustful thoughts but no sex.

Rating: 5 stars

Friday, March 11, 2011

Review: Tempest’s Legacy


Tempest's Legacy (Jane True)Product Description
After a peaceful hiatus at home in Rockabill, Jane True thinks that her worst problem is that she still throws like a girl - at least while throwing fireballs. Her peace of mind ends, however, when Anyan arrives one night with terrible news . . . news that will rock Jane's world to its very core.
After demanding to help investigate a series of gruesome attacks on females -- supernatural, halfling, and human -- Jane quickly finds herself forced to confront her darkest nightmares as well as her deepest desires.
And she's not sure which she finds more frightening.

Review
 
I loved this book.  I’ll admit it: I’ve been eagerly anticipating this book for months hoping Nicole Peeler would finally bring Jane and Anyan together.  I’m not sure I’ve ever read a book with more chemistry between a man and a woman (if I have, it was a REALLY long time ago); it literally took my breath away a few times.
 
Jane grows quite a lot as a character in this book as she experiences a wide range of emotions and events.  Ms. Peeler advances several story lines in a satisfactory manner, leaving me anxiously awaiting the next installment, which is due sometime in the summer of 2011.
 
Sensuality: one sex scene, semi graphic
 
Rating: 5 stars

Sporadic Blogging

 

I haven’t had much time over the past few months to do any blogging because I started a pretty intense nursing school program in January.  That, added to me not finding many books I could even finish in December put me far, far behind what I wanted to accomplish here.  That said, I have read a few books over the past few months that were wonderful and I can’t wait to tell people about them.  Over the next few weeks or so, I should have several new posts up including one on Pale Demon, Tempest’s Legacy, Black Wings, This Side of the Grave and River Marked.  By then, the latest Black Dagger Brotherhood release date should be close.  There’s lots of good reading ahead for me and I can’t wait to share it with you!