Dark Faerie Tales

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A good, fast paced storyline with some unique characters.

Opening Sentence: Zombies got a bad rap these days.

The Review:

Can you truly fall in love with someone if you both are lying to each other? Well apparently Finn and Keira can. They spend most of Heart of the Demon deceiving each other about their true feelings and motivations. They have both been tasked (by different people) to infiltrate a group that is bent on sending many aliens to earth in order to take over human bodies with the intent to overwhelm the human population with supernatural aliens. Finn and Keira must keep their jobs a secret because they don’t know who to trust and they most certainly do not want to be found out. Finn is a demon and Keira is a Fae and together they both have talents that this group can use to try and take over the world.

Heart of the Demon has a straightforward storyline, destroy the group while trying not to fall in love with each other. You know who the bad guy is, thankfully it is not obvious on how they will take him down or even how Finn and Keira will discover each other’s secret. (The overwhelming obviousness was my problem with the last novel, Secret of the Wolf.)

Sparks flew when Finn and Keira met in Secret of the Wolf. A few months have passed since then and they have seen each other off and on, but after a hot but awkward sexual encounter they have been playing it cool. They both act like they don’t want a lasting relationship when in fact they really do.

Finn is the ultimate bad boy. He wears black, leather and drives a motorcycle. He does whatever he wants and doesn’t care about the consequences. He is also quite the ladies man, taking home whatever woman he wants to for the night, but after his encounter with Keira other women just don’t do it for him anymore. Keira is the only woman on his mind and he wants her. He also worries about her safety after they join the group. Keira has been around for thousands of years and as someone who can con people very easily she has a hard time reading Finn’s thoughts for her. Keira is a pushy woman and she has no problem asking the questions on her mind even if she can’t get the answers she needs.

Finn and Keira truly offset the other. They both have a need for positive recognition. Finn just wants his dad to acknowledge him, anything for a “good job, son!” and Keira just wants someone to see her for herself and not the con woman that she used to be. She is tired of being used for other people’s gains. I truly liked Keira and Finn. I just wished they had a hotter, burning relationship than what they had. Although the relationship that they had did work well with the storyline.

I still really liked the uniqueness of the storyline that this series offers. I’m not sure what the plans are for the future of the series but I wouldn’t mind exploring more into someone who had just recently crossed over and has to deal with their new body. I think there may have been a set up for that at the end of Heart of the Demon.

Overall, I would recommend this to someone who likes the uniqueness of the world building but as plots go it is pretty standard fare.

Notable Scene:

She took a few breaths to regain some control, and said more quietly, “The first chance someone got, they used my past against me. The past I’d left behind, the one I’d wanted to forget. To escape. Yet here I am. Again.” She raised her gaze to his. “And you. You wanted a different future than what your father has mapped out for you. Yet here you are, trapped in the present, doing what you’ve always done.” Pain tore her insides to shreds. She gave an abrupt laugh, the sound as brittle as broken glass. “Aren’t we the pair?”

“We’re a pair of something, that’s for sure.”

FTC Advisory: Forever/Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Heart of the Demon. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This amazing series continues with another dark and humorous filled tale with the Druid Atticus, his dog Oberon and Granuaile. I highly recommend this series.

Opening Sentence: The best trick I ever pulled off was watching myself die.

The Review:

The Iron Druid Chronicles is an amazing series and continues its greatness with Tricked. If you have a love for any kind of mythology, you have to give this series a try. The attention to detail about the many gods from different pantheons and other supernatural creatures make this a dark, but fun series.

Tricked is the fourth novel in the Iron Druid series. It picks up not too long after Atticus has come back from Asgard where he and a misfit group took out Thor. Knowing that a bunch of gods are after his two thousand year old arse, Atticus plans his death. Using the god Coyote in his place, Atticus appears to be killed with several gods looking on. But it is all good for Coyote, he revives after each of his deaths plus he needs Atticus’s help in order to gain wealth for his people.

Atticus is led to believe that Coyote just wants land to be reshaped for a wind farm plus a gold mine to help with money issues. Unwittingly, Atticus has been lead into a war with two powerful skinwalkers fighting over that same land. Atticus works with a hataalii (not exactly a medicine man but that is the best way to describe him) in order to use the magic of the First World (the belief system of the native people on the land) to help in defeating the skinwalkers.

For a dead man, Atticus has to fight several wars on different fronts, one with the skinwalkers, one with a former vampire friend, plus, a new war has begun with Hel as she unleashes a powerful weapon that has the scent of Atticus’s blood. She will unleash Ragnarok and she will do it with or without Atticus’s help. He must do all this while training his one and only Druid initiate Granuaile.

Tricked is an action packed nonstop rollercoaster that is all over the place. Each story and fight intertwines with the other. The story is told strictly through Atticus’s first person point of view. Atticus is such a humorous, sarcastic and refreshing personality. His interactions with his dog Oberon really bring comic relief to the overall dark storyline. The atmosphere of this story has everything I enjoy from humor to drama to horror.

The attention to detail on the mythology may bog down the story a wee bit for people who don’t like that but I enjoy it because I love to learn about different myths from all over the world. The action scenes are very meticulous and it is easy to follow along with the fights.

Overall, Tricked is a dark and humorous story filled with many mythological gods and creatures. Some you may have heard of and others you may not have. I really enjoy these books for the mythological basis they have and the fact that I feel like I am learning about some gods I don’t really know about but would love to learn more. I highly recommend this series for fans of mythology and will continue to keep this series near the top of my “to read list”.

Notable Scene:

A snarl and an abrupt pressure announced the arrival of Oberon: He jumped on top of the vampire’s back, and thus on top of me, and did his best to bite through the vampire’s skull. It successfully distracted the vampire, because he tore loose from my neck, hissing, and coldly threw Oberon—all hundred and fifty pounds of him—straight through the open door to slam forcefully against the wall in the papered hallway. I heard his bones break and a pained yelp, closely followed by a startled scream from Granuaile, who was out there, and then the sound of my friend crumpling to the floor.

He had saved my life, because that gave me enough time to finish my unbinding and turn the vampire into a gory accident. He squelched and folded inside his suit until he was naught but a legendary dry-cleaning bill in the middle of the room. I tried to get out of the bed to help Oberon and instead tumbled into the carnage on the floor, too weak to keep my feet. I was still bleeding from the neck, and I had no magic left to heal myself.

“Call a vet!” I managed weakly. They were better last words, I supposed, than many others. I could see Granuaile kneeling next to Oberon, and he wasn’t moving. I couldn’t hear him in my mind either. Granuaile looked up from Oberon’s still form at someone’s approach in the hall. Her mouth dropped open.

Leif Helgarson strolled casually into the room, hands in pockets, a smirk on his misshapen face. It widened into a broad smile when he saw the remains in which I wallowed.

“Congratulations, Atticus,” he said. “You have just killed a vampire nearly as old as yourself. That was Zdenik, erstwhile lord of Prague and, briefly, the state of Arizona.”

No wonder he’d been so strong. “You . . . sent him here?” I said.

Leif removed his hands from his pockets and held them up helplessly. “Were you not the one who told me to orchestrate the deaths of my rivals? I have merely done as you suggested. Thank you for playing your part.”

The oxygen leeched out of the room at his words, and all I could breathe in was horror. What he’d done to Oberon and me—and possibly Granuaile—was all for his worthless territory games? The edges of my vision were going black; my blood was still leaking out of my neck, and I could not think of anything to say that would adequately convey the depth of my revulsion and loathing for him now. If I had the strength left, I would have unbound him on the spot; having no recourse, I fell back on Shakespeare. Leif would recognize it and understand the context properly. With my remaining few seconds of consciousness, I quoted Benedick from Much Ado About Nothing, who spoke these words to his former friend: “You are a villain: I jest not.” And then I collapsed into a pool of my own blood.

FTC Advisory: I purchased my own copy of Tricked. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Fun characters but the story is a little predictable.

Opening Sentence: Hard muscles rippled beneath skin and fur.

The Review:

The Warriors of the Rift series features aliens that have been sent to Earth through a rift in space. The end result leaves these aliens transformed into what we know as the various supernatural species that dot the planet. Victoria Joseph is one such alien. Having gone through the rift over 150 years ago, she emerged as a werewolf, taking over the human memories and life from the vessel she inhabited. (Read more about Victoria’s life on the alien planet and the circumstances that forced her to come through the rift in Into the Rift. It is a short novella and it is not necessary in order to know Victoria but it is a nice, quick little backstory.)

Secret of the Wolf continues to follow the events that began in Kiss of the Vampire as Victoria has been put in charge of cracking a device taken from the enemy. Victoria enlists the help of the sexy and very human Dante MacMillan. Together they try to piece together the device and discover the enemies plan. While Dante and Victoria are working on the device, they must also work together to solve a series of werewolf attacks that are leaving the humans transformed with the werewolf virus or dead. As the werewolf liaison to the Council of Preternaturals, Victoria must go to crime scenes that involve werewolves and as a detective, Dante, often works the same crime scenes because humans are involved too.

Victoria is keeping secrets from the Council about her past. Her family has found her again after 150 years apart and she doesn’t want to lose them again. When evidence gives light to someone close to her she chooses not to believe it and goes against everything she stands for.

Victoria has definitely got the hots for Dante and she has no problem acting on it and those scenes are very heated until Dante’s standoffishness washes cold water over Victoria. He is too scared of losing something he doesn’t even have to try and see what could happen. Victoria almost gives up on him but eventually, Dante clears his head and the heat begins.

I liked Victoria. She was tough, strong and for the most part level headed except when it comes to her brother. She has only been able to rely on herself and she makes no excuses for what she has done to get by. She wants a family more than anything so when her brother comes back, she really believes that life could be like it was before she went through the rift. Dante was equally sexy in his own right, taking care of his cancer stricken sister. Understandably he doesn’t want to go through a huge loss but sometimes he was a little too annoying in his vehemence to not start a relationship with Victoria but if anyone needed that relationship, it was Dante.

Secret of the Wolf was a little too predictable. Almost all of it played out like I thought it would. There was only one thing in the end that did surprise me but the rest of the events played out like I figured they would. Even though it was predictable I still enjoyed the characters and story. It has a refreshing twist with the preternaturals that I really found entertaining. Although at times I felt the writing was a little too detailed in the characters actions from opening drawers to cleaning up after dinner. There are several points of view that Secret of the Wolf follows including Victoria and Dante to Finn Evnissyen setting up for his book, Heart of the Demon.

Overall, Secret of the Wolf was a bit predictable but I did enjoy the world that it sets up and I really liked Victoria and Dante. With the impending rift getting ready to open again, I can’t wait to see what happens next with Finn. This demon really has been raring to see where his story leads.

Notable Scene:

With a sigh she pulled out a small can of veggie juice, downing it in three long gulps. After tossing the can into the recycling bin, she scooped her wallet and keys off the counter and headed toward her bedroom. She opened the door and stopped dead in her tracks. “Rand!”

Her brother gave a start and looked up from the small black device he held in one hand. “Uh, hey, Tori.”

With deliberate movements and never taking her eyes off her brother, she put her wallet and keys on the dresser. He’d been so quiet she’d had no idea he was home. “What are you doing in here?”

He shrugged but didn’t do a very good job of hiding his nervousness. “Just wanted to see why you’re always holed up in your room.” He glanced at the small device in his hand. “So, what is this?” His voice was matter-of-fact and filled with just enough nonchalance to make her even more suspicious. For him to have found that device where she’d hidden it in the toe of her hiking shoe meant one of two things. Either he’d been spying on her and had seen her hide it, or he’d searched her room, which meant he was sneakier than she remembered. It also meant she needed to find another hiding spot.

She held out her hand and waited until he placed the device on her palm before she said, “It’s just a little something I’m trying to fix for a friend.” It was her turn to give a nonchalant shrug. “Nothing earth shattering.”

“Maybe I could help?”

Tori stared at him. “I don’t think so.” She forced a smile. “But thanks, though.” She curled her fingers around the cell phone–sized contraption and, as he got up from her bed, asked, “What do you want for dinner?”

FTC Advisory: Forever/Grand Central Publishing/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Secret of the Wolf. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Faith, attraction and love sums up my new guilty pleasure of a paranormal read.

Opening Sentence: Kissing Matthew was one of Jordan’s favorite things to do.

The Review:

Trinity Faegen’s Mephisto brothers have become one of my guilty pleasures. Fallen angels and the brothers of Hell, The Mephisto Kiss is the next book in this exciting series filled with supernatural elements and detailed mythology. I was surprised at how much I would love this series, the world that Faegen built, and especially the characters. There’s excitement around every corner with a great balance of emotional happiness and turmoil. Angst? Check!

The Mephisto Kiss begins shortly after The Mephisto Covenant. In a plan to take down the government, Eryx has begun to infiltrate high levels of the cabinet. As part of the plan to coerce the President to join Eryx’ cause, he kidnaps the President’s daughter, Jordan. Coincidentally, Jordan is Anabo. The Mephisto must now intervene. And in a surprising twist, Jordan’s Anabo traits appeals most to Key.

To be honest, when I was reading The Mephisto Covenant, I wasn’t paying attention to the brothers. It wasn’t until The Mephisto Kiss that I was fully aware of the brothers and who they were. Key, in particular, has become one of my favorites. As the designated oldest, leader, and overall person to look up to, Key has all the traits of someone so strong and someone so vulnerable. It’s always interesting to read a male heroine as one of the “weaker” elements of a story. There is something extra to pay attention to when that happens. Key is not only the constant in a story, but also a variable. His feelings, his past-everything plays a part in the story. And that all affects Jordan, their relationship, and the ultimate goal.

Jordan is a high profile character. For her to be in the front line of a story is smart. There’s a different risk in her case, being Anabo, being immortal. It was nice to see how her life played into it and what the Mephisto did to adapt to the situations. Jordan’s voice was real and easily relatable. I enjoyed her growth as a character and hope to see her again.

My favorite part about The Mephisto Kiss is the history between Key and Eryx. It surprised me, in a great way. The dynamic between the two is different from many other sibling relationships, but Faegen wrote this one with a twist. It was nice and refreshing, and I definitely enjoyed it.

It was easy to get lost reading about the Mephisto, the lost souls, and the Anabo. The world, mythology, and culture that Faegen wrote is so detailed that you can’t help but be intrigued by it. It was easy to fall in love with the world, details and all. Match that up with the wonderful pacing, and you have a great story.

I highly encourage you to read The Mephisto Kiss. It really delivers a whopping of a kiss!

Notable Scene:

While she stood there weighing the decision, allowing her imagination to take her places she really didn’t want to go, Zee said, “It’d be great if you had all the time in the world to decide, but you don’t. Key’s starting to fade, so it’s now or never.”

Drawing herself up, she moved away from the console, around Sasha, and toward the edge of Key’s bed. His breathing was rapid and shallow, and his hands had begun to shake. Whatever color had been left in his cheeks was gone now. There was no doubt he was in the throes of death. She’d seen it before, when her mom slipped away and left her.

The rest of them moved closer, circling the bed. Phoenix looked near to losing it; Zee looked angry; Ty was solemn; Denys had no expression at all; Jax was fighting tears; Sasha was staring at her. “He’s what holds us together, Jordan. Please, do this for him, for all of us.”

Taking the last step to the bed, Jordan bent low, held Key’s face within her hands, and settled her lips against his. She forced his mouth open and gave him the wettest kiss ever, trying not to think of Matthew and how badly it would hurt him if he knew. He’d kissed her a thousand times, a thousand different ways, but always with feeling. Affection. Love.

This was nothing like that. The kiss was clinical, an exchange of saliva that might or might not help Key, but would change her forever.

FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of The Mephisto Kiss  No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.(

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Really fun YA paranormal with an engaging story, fun characters, and a really good premise.  The drama is a little over done at times, but overall I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it.

Opening Sentence: They were here.

The Review: 

Kylie Galen has been at Shadow Falls all summer now, but she still hasn’t been able to figure out what she is.  With new powers and traits emerging all the time she honestly has no idea what she is going to end up being.  On top of that her current ghost that needs help can only seem to remember a cryptic message: someone lives and someone dies.  If Kylie can’t figure out the ghost’s past and help solve the mystery someone she loves is going to die.

Kylie is also torn between the fairy who left her behind and betrayed her trust.  Or the werewolf who she wants to give her heart to, but it is forbidden for him to be with anyone but another werewolf.  She cares about both of the boys but she can’t choose both of them. Kylie has some tough decisions to make and someone is going to get their heart broken.

So Kylie is our wonderful heroine and for the most part I love her.  She is kind and caring but she also doesn’t take crap from anyone.  She’s not afraid to speak her mind and be honest with people.  She has a lot of fears but she is usually willing to face them head on.  My only problem with Kylie is the love triangle. She can never make up her mind and she goes back in forth so much it drives me nuts.  Honestly, I wish that the love triangle would end.  I feel that it adds unneeded drama to the story and it is a little annoying.  There is enough drama in her relationships with both boys that she doesn’t need the added drama by being torn between them as well.  I think that it takes from the story versus adding to it.  But with that being said I love everything else about Kylie and can’t wait to see what happens next in her story.

Even though the boys drive me nuts I still have to talk about them. First off we have Derek.  He is a fairy and had been drawn to Kylie ever since they met, but he can also feel her emotions and at times it is overwhelming for him.  When he realized that she was attracted to Lucas he pushed her away and left Shadow Falls to get away from her.  He is now back and things are awkward between them. Kylie doesn’t know how to act around him, which was sad to me.  I missed their easy conversations and the fun they had together.  I think Derek is a total hottie, but I also thought he turned into a little bit of a jerk in this one.  I am hoping he will redeem himself in the next book.

Next we have Lucas.  My feelings for Lucas are very hot and cold.  There are times when I totally adore him and then there are times when I can’t believe Kylie likes him.  There are a lot of times when he acts before he thinks and Kylie always seems to get hurt because of it.  I realize he has an impossible situation, but honestly I felt that Kylie deserved better most of the time.  The one thing Lucas does have going for him is that him and Kylie have really hot chemistry.  He also can be really sweet and when he messes up he does try to make things right, which I respect.  Overall, I have to say that I am Team Lucas.

This was a really fun book and a great addition to the series.  I loved the action and the mystery. It is fast paced and once you start it’s really hard to put down.  One of my other favorite parts about this book is the friendships that Kylie has developed with her roommates.  They are so fun together and they have so many funny teenage girl moments that I loved.  Overall, I really love all of the characters.  Even though I’m not a fan of the love triangle, the romance in this book is actually really well done and very sexy. Like the two books before this one there is a wonderful cliffhanger ending, but lucky for me all of the books have been released so I don’t have to wait to read the next one.  I would highly recommend this book to anyone that is a YA Paranormal fan, and fans of the series it will not disappoint.

Notable Scene:

“Let’s make a deal,” Della said. “You give Lucas a chance and I’ll give Steve a chance.”

Kylie smiled. “Are you that worried about me, or do you just need an excuse to go after the good-looking shape-shifter?”

“Maybe both.” Della grinned. “We got a deal?”

Kylie considered it, and mentally she stopped trying to hang on, stopped trying to fix something that didn’t seem fixable, and opened herself up to other possibilities. “Yeah.”

Della started walking, and Kylie took a step. Then the cold grabbed her. She turned and watched Jane Doe’s spirit materialize in the beam of sunlight.

The woman met Kylie’s gaze. “Do you know?”

“Know what?” Kylie asked.

Della turned around. “What?” She stared at kylie for a second and the said. “Oh Shit. Not again.” She backed up. “I’m not freaking out. I’m not. Really, I’m not freaking out.”

Kylie held up her hand to silence Della and stared at the spirit as she edged closer.

“Do you know what I am?”  Jane spoke in a hushed tone that seemed to whisper through the trees. The blue jay in the tree chirped extra loud.

“No,” Kylie said. “I don’t.” Then the bird chirped oddly and fell from the tree and landed with a lifeless thud at the spirit’s feet.

FTC Advisory: St. Martin’s Press/Macmillan provided me with a copy of Taken at Dusk. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.(

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A very scandalous and sexy New Adult book with a unique story. It is filled with steamy romance, engaging characters, and true love.

Opening Sentence: MY EX IS a douche.

The Review:

Lexi Banks has done some things in her life that she’s not proud of, but sleeping with her stepbrother Trent would be at the top of that list.  But if being with Trent was so wrong, then why did it feel so right to Lexi?  For the last year Lexi’s love life has been a hot mess.  Her long time boyfriend cheated on her while she was away at school and now she has slept with the one person she could confide in completely.  Ever since their parents got married Trent has been her best friend and confidant.  Sure there was always an underlying attraction between them, but they never acted on it till now.  Can they go back to the way things were and forget it ever happened or will their relationship be changed forever?

Lucky for Lexi she has a year to figure things out.  She is going to school aboard in the beautiful city of Rome.  Upon arriving in Rome Lexi has found that she feels extremely guilty about what happened back home, and she decides that it is time to clear her conscience.  She goes to confession and spills her soul.  But instead of finding comfort she finds a gorgeous Deacon getting ready to become a priest.  As they spend more time together they develop a strong friendship and possibly something more.  Lexi is torn between a man she shouldn’t want and a man that’s off limits.

Lexi is a great protagonist.  It was a little hard for me to connect with Lexi because her moral compass was so skewed, but that made her entertaining and unpredictable.  So even though I couldn’t really relate to her, I still found her an interesting character.  She is funny and clever.  Her dialog was witty and the more I was in her head the more I liked her. It was interesting to see the internal struggle she went through between following her heart and abiding by the social norms. Overall, she was a fun character with an interesting story.

There is a fine line between scandalous and just plain gross.  I felt that Lexi’s love life flirted with that line.  For all intents and purposes, Trent was her brother so the way she felt about him seemed so wrong.  Obliviously they aren’t technically related, but in my head they might as well have been.  As Lexi tries to move on it seems that Trent keeps creeping back into her mind.  She can’t help but think that one time with him was the most unforgettable moment of her life.   Trent really was a great guy; he has been there for Lexi through everything.   They had really hot chemistry and seem to go really well together.  So no matter how many degree’s of wrong it was, I still found myself secretly wanting them to end up together.

Then there is the irresistible Deacon.  Lexi feels safe with him and doesn’t think that anything could ever happen between them.  She is so hurt from losing Trent that she needs to fill that void somehow.  They have a slow connection, but it blossoms into a beautiful friendship.  I loved the stolen moments and the longing looks they would exchange.  I found myself slowing falling in love with this desirable Deacon, with his tortured past and caring heart, it was hard not to love him.  I really enjoyed experiencing his and Lexi’s relationship; it was hot and sweet at the same time.

This was a really good read for me.  I thought that the story was unique and entertaining.  The romance was sexy yet very sweet.  The characters were interesting and well developed. The fact that Lexi goes from one forbidden love interest to another is a little over the top, but that is what makes the story so intriguing. I felt that the end of Lexi’s story was very satisfying.  She ended up with the person she was meant to be with, and I really enjoyed her story.  There is going to be a sequel and I am super excited to read it.  To avoid spoilers I’m not going to say whose story it is, but it was my favorite character in this book so I can’t wait.  I would highly recommend this to anyone that is looking for a fun New Adult novel with fun characters and a sweet love story.

Notable Scene:

THE CHURCH IS very old, with sculptures in every corner and crevice. The only light in the room filters through cut-glass windows that stretch to the high ceiling above. Carved beams held up by immense wooden pillars support the ceiling, and most of the walls are ancient, painted frescoes, some of which are starting to crumble. The art history major in me wants to study them for hours, but that’s not why I’m here.

When I see the carved wooden confessionals at the back, I freeze. Do I really want to do this?

Oh, God.

I dip my shaking fingers into the holy water and cross myself as I move to the back pew. The act of contrition seems like a good place to start, so I kneel and fold my hands in front of me, bowing my head and closing my eyes.

“My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against you whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In His name, my God, have mercy. Amen.”

I sit back in the pew, chewing the inside of my cheek, and look up at Jesus on the cross above the altar. Will he forgive me for having sex with my stepbrother? My face scrunches as the feeling of Trent on top of me flashes in my memory. But as much as it mortifies me, sitting here in a church and all, my body reacts without my permission, my pulse rising as an electric tingle races through my groin.

I’m going to hell.

FTC Advisory: HarperCollins provided me with a copy of A Little Too Far. No goody

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Wonderful post apocalyptic story with engaging characters, intense action, intriguing plot, and filled with an adorable romance. I enjoyed every minute of this book and would highly recommend it to YA fans.

Opening Sentence: They were coming for her.

The Review:

The world has turned to ice or at least most of the ground.  The ocean is full of trash and pollution.  Almost all plants, animals, and any living species have ceased to exist as it once was.  The planet only has one temperature and that is freezing.  Now humans have flocked to some of the only surviving cities and it is survival of the fittest.  Everyone now has grey eyes and brown hair, if you have any other eye color you are one of the marked. The marked are born with special powers that range from telepathic to being able to fly.  It is said that they are descendants from sylph, a magical people that everyone fears.  Anyone that is marked is considered dangerous and needs to be contained by the government.  The world is slowly dying and the only hope is the strange rumors of the Blue.  Legend says that there is still a land with blue skies and the warm sun, but no one really knows where it is.  Supposedly, there is a doorway in the middle of the ocean, but the journey is full of unspeakable dangers.

Natasha Kestal , more commonly known as Nat is a blackjack dealer in New Vegas.  She escaped from the institution for the marked and has disguised herself to look like a normal human.  She has been biding her time waiting for the right moment to leave New Vegas and try to get to the mysterious land she has heard about.  She is lucky enough to stumble across a map that is suppose to lead her to “the blue” and now all she needs is someone to take her there.

Ryan Wesson is ex-army and now he is a runner.  Runners are illegal crews that take people wherever they want to go for a price. It’s not the most honest work, but they have to get food somehow.  Wes may do some shady things, but he is also known to be very honorable.  This is what leads Nat to pick Wes as her runner to get her out of New Vegas.  They have a very dangerous journey ahead of them full of deceit, betrayal, and surprisingly love.

The story alters between Nat and Wes’s POV.  First you get to meet Nat and I absolutely adored her.  She is a very strong character with a good voice and a spunky personality.  She always has a comeback and is full of witty charm. She is brave and smart.  She was orphaned at a young age and raised in the army to do unthinkable things.  Then she was locked up in a prison for the marked. She was able to escape, but finding the Blue is her only chance at happiness.  Captain Ryan Wesson is a pain, but Nat can’t help but be drawn to him. She knows that it will only end in heartbreak, but she can’t seem to stay away.  Everything about her character was fun and easy to connect with.  I can’t wait to read more of her story.

I instantly fell in love with Wes.  He is gorgeous, charming, cocky, sweet, honorable, loyal, and just an amazing character.  He also has a very sad past that has lead him down a road that he’s not totally proud of.  He lives a rough life and has secrets that he doesn’t care to share with anyone else.  Nat piques an interest in him that he hasn’t felt in a very long time.  Relationships have never worked out well for Wes and he knows that it would be no different with Nat.  Their relationship is full of lots of tension, witty banter, and some really sweet moments.  I loved watching their romance develop through the pages, it was done perfectly.  I am really looking forward to getting to know more about Wes and his story in the next book.

This was a really fun read for me.  Once I picked it up, I had a hard time putting it down.  There was great action and a very intriguing plot line.  The setting was post apocalyptic but it had a magical touch to it as well.  I loved the cast of characters in this book.  There were a lot of secondary characters that I didn’t mention that played a very important part to the story as well, and I am looking forward to seeing more of them in the sequel.  The writing was very captivating and the book flowed perfectly.  There really wasn’t anything that I didn’t love about this book.  The ending left you satisfied but still wanting a lot more.  This was a very good read for me and I would highly recommend it to anyone that is a fan of YA books.

Notable Scene:

Nat didn’t know what to make of Ryan Wesson–whether she wanted to slap him or kiss him. Slap him, definitely. He looked so smug, standing at her doorway, with his hair slicked back and his collar turned up, a gun belt strapped low on his hips, his beat-up vest shrugged off his shoulders like some kind of snow cowboy, grinning as if he’d won the fireball lottery.

She’d just left the casino that evening, only a few hours after closing the deal with Shakes, and while she had impressed upon him her need to leave immediately, she was still surprised at how quickly Wes had appeared.

“Hey there, remember me?” His voice was low and pleasantly hoarse, sexy, she thought, just like all the rest of him. Nat shoved the thought out of her mind. He’s a runner and a con man, she reminded herself. A liar.

“How could I forget?” she asked.

“Ryan Wesson,” he said, offering a hand.

“Like the gun or the cooking oil?”

His grin broadened. “What about you, Nat? Like the insect or the princess?”

FTC Advisory: Putnam Juvenile/Penguin provided me with a copy of Frozen. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.(

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: There are two sides of evil, and a girl must choose which side she belongs to. A good fantasy, filled with promises of forever.

Opening Sentence: “Your father’s ring is gone!”

The Review:

The Mephisto Covenant has a gorgeous cover. I remember when this first came out. It was something that I had to have and it looked like it belonged on my shelf. The Mephisto Covenant by Trinity Faegen is a great read. Paranormal is one of my favorite genres, and I think Faegen did a good job balancing the realm of good and evil.

Hell has two sides. One with death and destruction, and the other living life in purgatory. Of the two, the sons of Hell live their lives battling against their oldest brother. Jax looks to redemption from God, from a promise that he will find peace if he has found the love of an Anabo. Sasha does not know of this world. But the death of her father has opened her eyes to things she was never aware of. Promises of love, pledging her soul, Sasha must choose. And as for Jax? He must keep her safe, even if it means that he won’t be able to have his forever.

I enjoyed Sasha. At times, she was a bit bothersome, but that is the case for most teens her age. Given that she’s lost her father, about to lose her mother, it’s okay to question and be agitated. She lives with family that doesn’t necessarily want her, and that must hurt. Her voice was realistic, despite anything thrown her way. There were a few moments where I had to glaze over her scenes, but I felt that it became repetitive. Her actions weren’t something that I wanted to experience at that moment, but it has a lot to do with my age and less about the character and/or writing.

Jax was a perfect character to introduce me with! He was someone strong-willed and tenacious, but had this soft spot. The history behind Anabo’s and the sons of Hell is interesting, and looking at the story from Jax’s point of view made it much more enjoyable. His growth as a character was one of my favorite parts of the story. (As well as some steamy scenes that include him!)

I loved the mythology and lore behind The Mephisto Covenant. The religious theme behind Hell, Lucifer, the Anabo and the sons was a good twist. It made the content seemed updated, fitting for the young adult genre. Sasha and Jax stood out as a couple, but also as characters. Each with their own troubles, it was nice to see their parallels and contrasts.

At times, I felt that the content was a little too advanced for this specific genre. I  worried about the context of the situations and wondered if I was overthinking the situation or if I had a valid thought. There were definitely scenes that were hot and racy, but as The Mephisto Convenant’s mythology dictates, things were bound to happen. They were some of my favorite scenes, but wow.

Faegen’s writing is beautiful. Her words flow so well that time passes by. Her world building is magnificent and I enjoyed each detail within. Her characters captivated me, demanding my attention. I cannot wait for the rest of the series to unfold.

Notable Scene:

Sasha hurriedly finished the rest of her peas, then scooted her chair back and excused herself.

“Melanie,” Mr. Bruno said, “surely you can find something more for her to eat? We can’t have our new student fainting from hunger, can we?”

“Would you like some flaxseed cereal?” Melanie offered, halfheartedly. Yeah, and maybe a side of dirt to go with it. “No, thank you.”

“It was a great pleasure to meet you, Sasha, and I look forward to getting to know you better. I take special pride in my friendships with my students. It’s the whole reason I organized the Ravens.”

… but deliver us from evil.

She ran for the stairs, taking them two at a time to the landing, then down the hall to her room. She barely made it to the bathroom before she lost the peas, his voice repeating in her head. Ravens. Ravens. Ravens.

FTC Advisory: EgmontUSA provided me with a copy of The Mephisto Covenant.  No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: An action-packed novel with great characters in an amazing setting of Scotland. This was a great follow-up novel in the Lost Angels series.

Opening Sentence: Juliette sidled back on the massive four-poster bed, a remotely hesitant part of her still wanting to get away.

The Review:

I was way more impressed with Messenger’s Angel than I was with Avenger’s Angel. Maybe it was because the series has been set up so I didn’t have to sit through long bouts of exposition. Messenger’s Angel was much more action packed and the tension brought on by the bad guys hunting down Juliette really helped move this book along. The page length of this book, to me, was pretty long but it certainly didn’t feel that way. I also thoroughly enjoyed Gabriel, his Scottish accent and Juliette.

Messenger’s Angel begins with Juliette traveling to Scotland to do research for a television pilot and to finish her paper for her PhD. She is being funded by Samael, the archangel whose grand scale plan isn’t known as of yet. Unknown to Juliette, she is also being followed by an Adarian, one of the evil archangels that fought against the four favored (Uriel, Gabriel, Azrael and Michael) from the previous book. He needs Juliette if he wants to survive what the Adarian leader (Kevin) has in store.

Juliette’s powers as an archess have just recently surfaced. She is still trying to figure things out when she runs into Gabriel at a bar and is instantly struck by his beauty. He equally returns the favor by kissing her and she runs away. Right after, she is attacked by the Adarian but saved by Gabriel. Events unfold leaving her with lies told by Samael before she uncovers the truth about what she is and about what Gabriel is.

Kevin or Abraxos as he is often called has gone completely insane. He was nuts before but now he has come up with a plan that will certainly get him the healing powers he so very wants. It is his insanity that makes him a perfect bad guy because he will stop at nothing to get what he wants. The rest of the Adarians follow him without question and they have no problem using what powers they have to fight the four favored angels.

The romance is quick and hot since it is one of those love at first sight romances. Even though Juliette tried to deny it at first it doesn’t take her long to give in. And you can feel the romance they have for each other in every glance and touch they have, but since they are constantly fighting off someone it is hard for the romance to stay hot.

Juliette is a level-headed woman. She doesn’t really go insane like you think she would when she realizes she has powers. She investigates and experiments and knows that it is her doing these things. She freaks out inwardly but on the outside she realizes that she has these powers for a reason. Gabriel is just drop dead sexy, with his dark hair and silver eyes, and his Scottish accent. He does his best to woo her. He is definitely not the domineering/demanding man that Uriel was in Avenger’s Angel.

Messenger’s Angel also has many points of view from Gabriel, Juliette, Lilith, Samael, Daniel to Kevin. Seeing inside the bad guys heads really added to the depths that they would go to get Juliette’s powers and just to see how plain crazy they are. The setting of this book in Scotland was an amazing detail and I loved to read the detail in the scenery and places that these characters went.

Overall, Messenger’s Angel was an amazing follow up to Avenger’s Angel with better characters, an amazing setting and uber-creepy baddies to suit. With the revelations that were brought to light in this novel about the archesses, I can’t wait to read Azrael’s and Sophie’s story next.

Notable Scene:

Somewhere in the distance thunder rolled, barely audible over the rhythmic sound of the train on the tracks. But Black’s eyes cut from the hair in his hand to Juliette’s eyes once more, and he cocked his head to one side. He said nothing, as if waiting for her to continue.

“But I don’t know you and you’re…” She trailed off again.

“I’m wha’, Juliette?” he asked softly.

He knows my name, she thought. For some reason, she wasn’t surprised. He seemed unreal, sitting there only inches from her, more solid than a sable-draped statue of bronze. He seemed impossible, like a superhero. Like a dream. You’re scaring me.

Thunder boomed closer to the train, the storm obviously having moved in, as it was easier to hear over the metal slide of the rails. Something strange flashed in the light gray depths of Gabriel’s eyes. He gently released her hair and leaned in a bit, closing the space between them. “You’ll want to control that, luv.” He smiled a decidedly dark smile. “Let it rage an’ it’ll drain your strength.” He leaned in even farther so that Juliette’s head bumped the wall behind her. “An’ then how will you fight me off, lass?”

Juliette could barely breathe now. Her mind fought to process what he had just said, even as her body fought with itself over the effect he was having on her. Enough of his words got through that her blood pressure shot through the roof, and adrenaline poured into her bloodstream. “Control what?” she asked, her voice barely more than a whisper.

“The storm, Juliette,” he replied. “It’s one of your powers as an archess, it it no’? An’ from the way it’s growin’ stronger by the moment, I’d wager it’s a fairly new one to you.”

FTC Advisory: Signet/Penguin provided me with a copy of Messenger’s Angel. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.(

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A fast paced novel with a fun heroine and sweet young love.  The plot was predictable, but overall this was a good read.

Opening Sentence: The day began as a beautiful and vivid dream.

The Review:

It is 2090 and the world is very different from today.  A series of natural disasters ravaged the earth and now all that’s left is a polluted earth with desperate humans.  There is very little food, most of the water has been contaminated, and no electronics work anymore.  The people are desperate need of a strong leader and they hope to find that in the current King, but his throne is being threatened by a long time enemy of the crown.  Cornelius Holister is raising an army with the intent of taking the throne for himself and he will stop at nothing to get it.

Princess Eliza Windsor is the youngest daughter to the King of England.  Her mother was poisoned before her eyes when she was a young girl by the evil Cornelius Holister.  He manages to kill the king and start a revolution.  He also captures Princess Mary and Prince Jamie, Eliza’s brother and sister, but Eliza narrowly escapes capture and flees to the streets of London.  She knows that she’s not going to survive long on her own.  She makes a plan to join the enemy army, and try to save her brother and sister.  Through this process she finds that she is stronger than she ever thought and if the people of England are going to survive they are going to need her help.

Eliza is a fun heroine.  She is pretty helpless at first but she grows stronger and more determined as the story progresses.  She gets her first taste of independence while training in the camp and it gives her a strength she didn’t know she possessed.  You get to experience a lot of firsts with Eliza which made it easy to connect with her.  She is smart, but a little bit naive.  She has never really had any experience with boys so when she meets a sweet young soldier in the army it is hard for her to resist his charm.  She is far too trusting at times, but it fit with her situation.  Overall, I thought she was a very likeable character.

Wesley is the dashing young man that sweeps Eliza off her feet.  He is very cute and sweet, but he didn’t really stick out to me.  He was just like a lot of other boys in YA books, which made him a little boring.  I still liked him, I just wanted him to make me swoon more when he came around.  His relationship with Eliza was sweet, but a little rushed.  I would have liked to have seen it develop more slowly, it would have made it more believable.

This was a good read for me.  I liked the premise and the references to the current royal family were amusing.  There was good action and it was fairly fast paced.  The plot was very predictable, but it was still entertaining.  This was the first novel that I read by Galaxy Craze and I really enjoyed her writing.  It was engaging and flowed very well.  There is a slight cliff hanger at the end and I am very excited to see where the story goes in the next book.  I would recommend this to anyone that likes a light, clean dystopian book.

Notable Scene:

The terrified guests turned toward us. My father stood still, aiming a golden, pencil-thin gun at Cornelius. Without warning, he pulled the trigger. The bullet hit Cornelius’s vest making a pinging sound as it fell to the floor. I stared helplessly at the useless bullet, lying like a lost penny on the floor. Cornelius was un harmed, but in the moment of distraction my father ran to me. I felt for one last, brief moment the safety of my father’s arms. Then Cornelius Holister looked up, his eyes narrowed to angry slits.

“No!” I screamed as he pulled the trigger. The bullet entered through my father’s back and exited through his chest. He fell to the floor, his body going limp.

“Dad!” I cried, pressing me hand against his white tuxedo shirt.

“I-I’m so sorry,” he murmured, his voice trembling weakly. “You must run.” He reached for me, but his hand dropped lifelessly to his side as he looked upward and his body went still. In that moment, I knew that my father was gone.

FTC Advisory: Poppy/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of The Last Princess. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A well-developed world with slow parts and characters that were hard to connect with.

Opening Sentence: The archangel Michael gripped the rock in his right hand so hard that his fingers left imprints in the stone.

The Review:

Avenger’s Angel is a story about friendship, love, faith and free will. Do you even have free will if your mate has been determined for you from the start? This is one conflict that Eleanore Granger must go through when determining her relationship with the archangel Uriel. Many years ago, four angels were given an archess (basically a soul mate) from God but a jealous archangel managed to scatter these women’s souls before they were given to the four angels, Michael, Gabriel, Uriel and Azrael. They decided to leave God’s side and find their chosen mates on Earth.

Many years passed and the angels had never found any evidence of their mates, until Uriel walks into a bookstore and sees Eleanore. He knows right away that she is his archess, while Ellie is attracted to him she doesn’t quite feel the pull he has. Ellie chalks up her reaction to Uriel being a famous movie star, she feels that she doesn’t have a chance with him. But not only that Ellie is hiding a secret. She has secret powers that she must keep hidden and since she was a teenager there are people out looking for her. She must keep hidden and being the girlfriend of a popular actor would definitely give her some notoriety. The men would surely find her.

Uriel and Eleanore have to deal with another threat with the archangel Samael. He wants Eleanore as his own archess and makes deals with both Uriel and Eleanore that have drastic consequences on their relationship.

I had mixed feelings about this book. I really liked the concept of these two people meeting, especially how they met. I enjoyed the concept of the fallen angels and the women that were made for them. I never really thought of the loss of free will for these women until it was mentioned in passing in the book. Parts of this book had some interaction scenes between the characters but there were a lot of slow passages in between. Even with the slow scenes setting up this world, I really enjoyed the development that went into creating this world. I also liked that it wasn’t a preachy religious book, they had their love of God and stood up for Him and His ideals but I wasn’t being preached at about it. I had a really hard time with one of the sex scenes – it really felt like a rape scene to me – he forces himself into her mind and forces her to submit to him. It seemed as though he took all of her will power. It took me a long time to get through this scene – I know because of circumstances with the story something would have stopped it if she didn’t want it – but it wasn’t until afterwards that is was declared something she secretly wanted – and his being in her head allowed him to see this. I just wish I had some forewarning or it wouldn’t have been such a hard scene to read.

Avenger’s Angel had many points of view throughout the story from the good guys to the bad guys. I think because of this I had a hard time connecting with the characters, Uriel more so than Eleanore. Uriel was hot and cold at times and because of this I liked Azrael more than I liked Uriel and I already can’t wait to read his story. Eleanore was a tough woman when she needed to be. For the most part, I liked her, I just wish I understood her feelings better as the story went along.

Overall, Avenger’s Angel had a well-developed world. As the first book in a series, it was a decent enough read that I would pick up the next book in the series. I would recommend this novel for those who like paranormal/angel stories.

Notable Scene:

He had given her a taste of something she had always yearned for and, in return, she’d felt true happiness. Somehow, it made him love her even more.

Love her?

He could hear that her heart beat rapidly in her chest and he couldn’t help it when his gaze slipped to the curve of her taut ass in those tight jeans, swaying gently as she walked ahead of him.

He swore under his breath and bit back his groan.

He watched as she tentatively placed a slim-fingered hand on the wall and peeked her hea around the corner of the entry hall into the foyer. The hair slipped from her neck when she didm exposing the long, slim column of her throat. He bit back another groan.

And there it was.

Fuck me, he thought. I do love her. I love everything about her. It didn’t actually come as a surprise to him. She was his archess, after all. But he’d existed for countless generations and had never known love before this. It was a new emotion for him, and it was bewildering in its own right.

FTC Advisory: Signet/Penguin provided me with a copy of Avenger’s Angel. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.(

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: A fast paced post apocalyptic story with an interesting premise, but too many different POV’s. I got a little lost at times and had a hard time connecting with the characters.

Opening Sentence: My stupid friends are nothing but power struggles and politics.

The Review:

A mysterious virus has spread throughout the United States and it is only affecting teenagers.  The changes it makes are different for everyone.  Anyone that has caught the virus has developed some type of super power.  Some are useless like being able to blow really hot breath, but others are amazing like being able to become invisible.  On top of the virus spreading there is a huge terrorist attack happening all over the country.  Small groups of teenagers have been trained and prepared to destroy certain land marks all over the country. The U.S. is in trouble and if they don’t do something drastic to stop the attacks they won’t survive for much longer.  They will have to rely on some of the most unlikely candidates: unpredictable teenagers with superhuman powers.

This was told from at least four different POV’s; it could have been more, I lost count because there were so many.  But some of the main characters were Laura, Alec, Aubrey, and Jack. Laura and Alec are part of the terrorist groups trying to bring down the U.S. Laura is a built in body guard, the virus has made her have superhuman strength, speed, and endurance.  Alec is the leader and plans all the next moves that his little group makes.  He has the special ability to plant images into other peoples mind to make them do whatever he wants them to.  One of their plans gets disrupted and they end up in a facility with a bunch of other infected teenagers.

One the other aspect of things is that Jack and Aubrey are normal teenagers living a normal life.  Well, at least as normal as they can in this desperate time.  They grew up together in a small town in Utah and have been friends their whole lives. A few months ago Aubrey realized she had the power to become invisible.  Turns out that Jack isn’t as normal as he thought.  All of his senses have heightened by 1000 times, he can see, smell, and hear from miles away.   The army shows up and rounds up all the teenagers and tests them for the virus.  Jack and Aubrey end up getting recruited to try and help save their country that is in desperate need of their help.

I enjoyed this book.  It was a fun and fast read with a great premise.  The story was interesting and very action packed.  The plot had some good twists and the writing was very engaging.  My biggest problem with this book was that there were too many different POV’s.  It was really hard for me to get to know any of the characters very well because you were in so many different people’s heads; which made it really hard for me to connect with any of them.  By the end, I felt like I knew each character pretty good, it just took the whole book to get there.  Since this is a series I don’t think this will be as much of a problem in the next book, because I know the characters better now. There is a pretty good cliffhanger at the end and I am interested to see where Wells takes the story. I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys an action packed post apocalyptic read.

Notable Scene:

Twenty yards from the teens, the guardsman raised his rifle. “Hey, get over here.”

Hurry up. Alec could fill the soldier’s head with false memories, but he couldn’t quickly override the soldier’s deeply ingrained training to follow orders.

Laura dropped the rope and held up her hands, but Dan didn’t move. An alarm was sounding now, and Private Diamond stopped, training his rifle on the two teens.

“Turn around,” he barked.

Dan ignored him.

There was a sharp crack, and for an instant Alec thought Diamond had pulled the trigger. But the sound was much louder than a gunshot, reverberating off the canyon walls and shaking the ground under their feet. The face of the cement was splintered with a thousand tiny cracks and a thin cloud of dust burst skyward.

“You have three seconds,” Diamond shouted.

The radio was screaming at him to fire.

That was all Alec needed. If no one else was firing at Dan, then there weren’t snipers. The voice on the other end of the radio was probably inside the dam itself, watching the four of them on security cameras. They’d be feeling the real impact of what Dan was doing.

Alec pulled the private’s sidearm from the holster. There wasn’t even time for Diamond to respond before Alec fired three shots into the soldier’s neck and head.

The dam rumbled, deep and grinding, knocking Alec to his knees.

Ahead of him he saw Dan try to stand, wobbling on weak legs. It was finally Laura’s turn. She grabbed Dan and slung him over her shoulder as easily as if he’d been a stuffed toy. She ran toward Alec and the visitor’s center.

FTC Advisory: HarperTeen provided me with a copy of Blackout. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.(

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: This was a sweet romance filled with lots of sexy moments, and drama.  It was the perfect ending for a wonderful series.

Opening Sentence: Up, down.

The Review:

It’s been three years since Lucy and Jude got engaged.  They just finished their junior year of college and life couldn’t be better.  Jude has just been drafted by the San Diego Chargers and signed a multi-million dollar contract. Now on top of being the happiest couple ever they are totally rich, what could possibly go wrong. But if you know Jude and Lucy you know that their relationship is no walk in the park.  They both have spit fire tempers and sometimes it seems that they fight more than they get along.

Jude is living his dream of being a professional football player, but what about Lucy’s dream.  She wants to be a professional ballet dancer and San Diego isn’t exactly the ideal place to do that.  She also wants to finish school at Julliard which happens to be in New York. Now they have the whole country between them. Can their love survive the distance? Will they be able to compromise and work out their problems? Will Lucy and Jude get their happily ever after?

Lucy is our very independent protagonist.  She definitely has a mind of her own, and doesn’t like to be told what to do.  She has a pretty quick temper, but she has worked on trying to rein it in especially when it comes to Jude.  I loved Lucy in the first book, her spunk and attitude was fun and endearing, but as the books progressed my like for Lucy lessened slightly.  It’s not that I didn’t like her still, but I just had a harder time connecting with her.  She went from strong and independent to being over dramatic and a little irritating.  She didn’t want her life to change, which I understand, but life is full of changes whether you want them or not.  So for a good portion of the book I wasn’t Lucy’s biggest fan, but by the end she once again became the Lucy I loved in the beginning of the series.

Jude Ryder is one sexy sweet man.   He is as gorgeous as ever and he is so cute to Lucy.  She is his reason for existing and he tries so hard to make her happy.  Jude is far from perfect with his raging temper, and jealous streak, but all that makes him more human.  He is respectful and very giving, but he also stubborn.  Him and Lucy clash on a lot of things, but they have amazing hot chemistry.  Watching Jude go from a broken boy in the first book to a grown man is a wonderful process.  I loved his character and I’m sad to see his story end.

I have to start off by saying I really loved this series.  It was so fun, dramatic, sexy, entertaining, and heartfelt.  I love that Jude and Lucy don’t have a perfect relationship.  The fact that they have to work at it every day made it more real.  There were parts there were a little overdone, especially with Lucy’s character, but overall, I still enjoyed this book.  There are a lot more steamy scenes in this book then the previous two books which was a fun change.  As always, I really enjoy Nicole’s writing. It’s engaging and so easy to get lost in.  Her stories are always heartfelt and beautifully done.  This was a perfect ending to a wonderful series.  I would highly recommend it to anyone that wants a good steamy NA contemporary novel.

Notable Scene:

I saw Jude before he saw me. He was spinning circles in place, and his eyes fell on me after a final revolution. His shoulders relaxed when he smiled. “Yo, Lu-cy!” he shouted–Rocky-style—above the noise in the airport, breaking into a run my way.

I didn’t care that we were catching the attention of everyone within hearing and seeing distance; nor did I care about the show we’d be giving them soon.  The only thing I cared about was the guy running at breakneck speed and getting his arms around me.

I wasn’t walking anymore. My bags were bouncing against me as I dodged around people, and the corners of my eyes stung with the tears forming.  You would have thought he’d been deployed to the Middle East for the past year from the way we were charging at each other.

When Jude reached me, he grabbed me up and spun me around. I held on for the ride, wondering how another person could make me feel whole again. When Jude finally set me back down, I let my purse and carry-on fall to the floor. Folding me back into his arms, he pressed into me as tightly as two people could fit together. God, it felt so good.

FTC Advisory: Harper Collins provided me with a copy of Crush. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Very funny contemporary with great drama and an engaging story.  I loved the underlying message and really enjoyed this book.

Opening Sentence: There is nothing more humiliating than being topless in the backseat of your boyfriend’s car when someone decides to throw an egg at the windshield.

The Review:

Hamilton High has a serious school rivalry, but unlike most schools it is between two of their own teams.  The football players and the soccer players have hated each other ever since the soccer program was started 10 years ago.  Lissa is so tired of the rivalry and getting ditched by her long time boyfriend.  Randy is the quarterback for the football team and the rivalry always seems to come first to him.  Then things really start to get out of hand and people start to get hurt.  Lissa knows that something has to be done or things are going to get way to out of control.  So Lissa comes up with a brilliant plan that is sure to be a success.

Lissa and the girlfriends from both teams gang up and go on a sex strike.  They have told their boyfriends that they won’t be having sex with them or doing any other kind of sexual favor until the football and soccer players can get along.  But they weren’t expecting a new rivalry to form one between the boys and girls.  The ultimate battle of the sexes has begun and only one race can rain supreme.

Lissa is the protagonist and I had a little bit of a hard time with her, but by the end I liked her.  At first she comes across as a high maintenance snob.   She gets mad at her boyfriend for everything, but she won’t talk to him about it.  She is very standoffish toward people and doesn’t know how to communicate very well.  But as the story unfolds she starts to change and become a much more likable character.  She starts to open up to others and express some of her concerns.  She goes from being an annoying character to a very likable one by the end of the book.  My only problem was that it took a little longer to connect with her than I like.

This was a fun book to read. There is lots of good drama, funny moments, sexual tension, and an engaging story.  There was also a good message about how important communication is in a relationship.  If you can’t be honest with someone and open about who you are then you shouldn’t be dating them.  You should feel comfortable with yourself and the person you are with.   I really enjoyed watching the characters grow and learn about life, friendship, and love.  This is the first book that I have read by Keplinger, but it will not be my last.  Her writing is entertaining and I loved that she took on a subject that is very serious, but can be really fun as well.  While this is a young adult book I would recommend that you be an older teen to read it.  As you can see from the description it does have sex in it and I think it is meant for a little older audience.  I would highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a funny contemporary with a good underlying message.

Notable Scene:

“Okay, so the thing is to get control of our boys, and to do it all together, as a unified force,” I continued. “Because when it was just football versus soccer, it was a stalemate and a never-ending cycle. But add in an extra party –the girls- and it’s possible to totally upend the balance.  Finding our leverage is the hard part, and like you, I didn’t think it was possible, I thought we were all just screwed. But last night, I figured it out. I know exactly how we can get control of the boys and end this war for good.”

“Out with it already,” Chloe urged.

I grinned. “It’s the one thing they could never say no to. The one thing they beg and pled and cajole for. Up until now, I didn’t realize we could use it to our advantage. But last night, I realized that it’s our best shot.” I paused, took a breath. “We go on … a sex strike!”

FTC Advisory: Poppy/Hachette Book Group provided me with a copy of Shut Out. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: To save historical items for future generations, Maris agrees to have an affair with a man approved by her husband in order to produce an heir.

Opening Sentence: “You cannot go up there, madam!”

The Review:

Some of my earliest memories are of a wonderful afternoon were I was swept away to stories set in a historical time period with swashbuckling heroes and damsels in distress or a sheik stealing away a woman from a caravan.  These stories are ones that linger on even once we grow up and often forget the heritage of historical book in our reading lives.  In truth, my main area of focus is contemporary but I was delighted to be able to be drawn back in time with Reyn and Maris’ story.

My only quibble with this book is just the means of bringing our hero, Captain Reynold “Reyn” Durant and heroine, Countess of Kelby Maris Kelby together.  The producing an heir to protect the family is an old one and has been used countless times.  However, this theme is not one that I like but Ms. Robinson turned it around for me and I appreciate her skill.

On a side note, this book does start with Maris walking in on Reyn and a woman involved in some whipping and this is something I was not expecting at all.  So I want to ensure you all know about that up front.

The relationship between Maris and Reyn is at the epicenter of this story and one that I truly enjoyed.  Our hero discovers quite quickly how charming and enjoyable spending time with Maris will be in and out of the bedroom.  While Maris is dealing with guilt over this relationship and other things that occurred in her past.

Lord Kelby does make a brief appearance in the first portion of this book and does in fact encourage this “relationship” between Maris and Reyn which was a little off putting.  But does make you wonder how many times in history the “heir” was in fact not the child of the titled gentleman.

The other male figure that plays a huge role in this novel is Lord Kelby’s heir, David, an all around nasty piece of work.  This man is the reason for Lord Kelby’s concern over the history and wants to ensure the succession is passed down to someone who will treasure it.  There is also a belief that David was responsible for Lord Kelby’s daughter committing suicide.

By the end of the story I was pleased with the progression of both of our main characters and truly saw were they had experience growth and maturity separately and together.

Now since this is a second book I always like to give you an idea of whether it is a good idea to jump into the series here or not.  This book could very well have been a stand alone historical and that is how I read it.  The story has depth and it was nice to have a complete arc in one novel when I seem to be stuck in cliffhangers for all of my current favorite reads.  If you are looking for a good historical and I haven’t scared you off after my review then I say, “Read it.  I enjoyed it.”

Notable Scene:

“You must come!  It is your duty!”

“Don’t talk to me of duty, madam.  I’ve done my share and have the scars to prove it.”  Maris’s gaze couldn’t help but follow his large brown hand, where it rubbed against a muscled thigh slashed with a long red line.

He noticed. “Bayonet wound.  There’s still a ball in my shoulder, too.  Hurts like the devil when the weather is damp, which is pretty much every day in England.  Look your fill–I’ve nicks and knots everywhere.  Even my pretty face didn’t escape the French.  Some ladies like it, though.”  He grinned rakishly, the saber scar doubling his dimple.

Maris could see where some ladies would.

He was not yet thirty, but there was a worn look about him that went beyond whatever injuries he’d sustained.  Dissipation, she thought, but something else as well.  She watch as his fingers drummed against his thigh, and quickly realized where her eyes were straying.

A few minutes in this horrible house and she was good as corrupted.  But that was necessary, wasn’t it, if she were to go through with Henry’s plan?

FTC Advisory: Kensington provided me with a copy of Captain Durant’s Countess. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.(

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Fast-paced paranormal book filled with great characters, adventure, romance, and an intriguing plot.  This was a great sequel to the first book and I really enjoyed it.

Opening Sentence: When Jie’s letter came in the mail, I was so elated I forgot I had no hand.

The Review:

Eleanor can’t believe how much her life has fallen apart.  Her brother is dead and her mother has gone insane.  Her friends, the Spirit Hunters, fled Philadelphia and headed to Paris to start over.  She is now left with no money, no family, and no friends.  She is determined to stay in Philadelphia until her mother recovers, but the evil Marcus makes a reappearance and Eleanor knows she is going to need help.  She takes the first ship to Paris in hopes of finding help from the Spirit Hunters.

Along her journey she is forced to make some tough decisions to keep herself safe, and she starts to practice the art of necromancy, something she promised herself she would never do.  But tough times call for tough measures.  Upon arriving in Paris she finds a whole new darkness that has to be dealt with, and she’s not sure if she is going to be welcomed by her friends.  She also has to confront the man that rejected her and left her with a broken heart.

Eleanor is the heroine in this story and the book is told from her point of view.  I really like Eleanor and you get to see a very different side of her in this book.  Her dark side makes quite an appearance, which is very different from the first book.  I really liked seeing this side of her, but it did make it a little harder to connect with her at times.  She has a prideful streak in her that is cute and funny.  But she also is a really sweet loyal person and she tries to do the right thing.  I think she is a great character and I can’t wait to see where her story goes from here.

Now for the infuriating, stubborn, adorable Daniel.  I fell in love with Daniel in the first book; his rough personality was endearing and sexy.  He has actually become quite the gentleman now, but when he is around Eleanor you get to see glimpses of the real Daniel.  He is so sweet and so loyal. He is totally swoon worthy.  They have really great chemistry and there is a lot of good tension between them.  I loved their romance, it is well developed and super cute.

I really enjoyed this book.  It is a little darker than the first book, but I really liked where Dennard took the story.  The characters were fleshed out even more and you get to see so many different sides of their personalities.  There is great action and it is fast paced.  It hooked me right at the beginning and I had a hard time putting it down.  I love the setting of the book and the premise is really intriguing. There were some good surprises in the plot that I wasn’t expecting.  As for the ending, it’s not a terrible cliffhanger, but it leaves you wanting to know what happens next.  This was a great sequel to the first book and I can’t wait to see how the story ends. Also, I LOVE the covers of these books, they are so pretty.    I would highly recommend this book to fans of YA Paranormal, it was a really good read.

Notable Scene:

The wind shoved me. I flew forward onto my chest. My face slammed into the gray, splintered dock, and the roaring hounds swallowed everything. I tried to scrabble to my feet, but the moment I lifted my face, the howling stopped.

And I froze.

The dogs were there. Four of them, lips drawn back and fangs bared.

They were huge-bigger than me, bigger than a horse. Hulking, black, and with eyes of sun-bright yellow.

Eyes that were locked on me.

FTC Advisory: Harper Teen provided me with a copy of A Darkness Strange and Lovely. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.