Showing posts with label Terri Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Terri Review. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Review: Glass Town

Glass Town by Steven Savile
Published December 5, 2017 by Thomas Dunne Books
Reviewed by Terri
5 Mysterious Stars

Synopsis:

A brilliantly rendered story about obsession and one man's attempt to unravel the mystery that destroyed his grandfather's life, set against a magical and intricately woven cityscape.

Steven Savile has been an international sensation, selling over half a million copies of his novels worldwide and writing for cult favorite television shows including Doctor Who, Torchwood, and Stargate. Now, he is finally making his US debut with Glass Town, a brilliantly composed novel revolving around the magic and mystery lurking in London. 

In 1926, two brothers both loved Eleanor Raines, a promising young actress from the East End of London. But, along with Seth Lockwood, she disappeared, never to be seen again. Isaiah, Seth’s younger brother, refused to accept that she was just gone. 

It has been seventy years since and the brothers are long dead. But now their dark, twisted secret, threatens to tear the city apart. Seth made a bargain with Damiola, an illusionist, to make a life size version of his most famous trick, and hide away part of London to act as a prison out of sync with our time, where one year passes as one hundred. That illusion is Glass Town. And now its walls are failing. 

Reminiscent of Clive Barker’s Weaveworld and Neil Gaiman’s American Gods, Savile brings out the magic in the everyday. Glass Town is full of gritty urban landscapes, realistic characters, conflict, secrets, betrayals, magic, and mystery.

Glass TownGlass Town by Steven Savile
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I admire authors who go against the grain and create books that make readers question standard genre rules. Savile created a book that crossed genres and somehow created a new thriller-urban fantasy-magic realism genre. Sometimes that confused me and more than once I put the book down to take a break. However, I could not stop thinking about it and when I was finished it all seemed to gel. The thrilling plot line kept me interested and I’m still thinking about the characters. When I first started the book, it seemed too simple. I was wrong. I fell in love with the main character and, I wouldn’t say I ENJOYED walking in his shoes, but he certainly carried me away to a different time and place. The last highlight of this book I want to mention is the author’s incorporation of history. I honestly want to read it a second time now that I have a basic idea.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Wednesday, January 10, 2018

Review: Alpha & Dark Goddess

Alpha Goddess by Amalie Howard
Book 1
Published March 18, 2014 by Sky Pony Press
Reviewed by Terri
5 Celestial Stars!!

Synopsis:

In Serjana Caelum’s world, gods exist. So do goddesses. Sera knows this because she is one of them. A secret long concealed by her parents, Sera is Lakshmi reborn, the human avatar of an immortal Indian goddess rumored to control all the planes of existence. Marked by the sigils of both heaven and hell, Sera’s avatar is meant to bring balance to the mortal world, but all she creates is chaos. A chaos that Azrath, the Asura Lord of Death, hopes to use to unleash hell on earth.

Torn between reconciling her past and present, Sera must figure out how to stop Azrath before the Mortal Realm is destroyed. But trust doesn’t come easy in a world fissured by lies and betrayal. Her best friend Kyle is hiding his own dark secrets, and her mysterious new neighbor, Devendra, seems to know a lot more than he’s telling. Struggling between her opposing halves and her attraction to the boys tied to each of them, Sera must become the goddess she was meant to be, or risk failing, which means sacrificing the world she was born to protect.
destiny

Alpha Goddess (Alpha Goddess #1)Alpha Goddess by Amalie Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

There is nothing more entertaining than reading a book with a strong female lead who acts like a normal person. When that book is a YA book, it is even more impressive. Howard develops a story with a teenage goddess who is destined to save the world, but unlike many of the other stories like this, Sera acts like a real person. She has faults and struggles to find her way. I do not know much about Hindu mythology, but I still enjoyed the story. It was very easy to "feel" these characters. There was a bit too much exposition expressed as dialog but I think the author felt so compelled to make sure the reader understood everything there was to understand about this story. The author uses this story to challenge the ideas of fate and free will. I think these are ideas that we all struggle with no matter what our religious beliefs. I look forward to reading the next one.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Dark Goddess by Amalie Howard
Alpha Goddess Book 2
Publication Date February 6, 2018 by Sky Pony Press

Synopsis:
After an epic struggle that unseated the Asura Lord of Death and placed Serjana Caelum’s best friend, Kyle, on his throne, the Mortal Realm is peaceful and the balance between good and evil—which Sera is sworn to protect—has been restored.


But signs of a new threat to the world of men quickly begin to appear: A scourge of demons descends on the Mortal Realm, and Sera is beside herself trying to locate their source. She sends word to the gods for help, and their answer comes in the form of Kira, the living incarnation of Kali, goddess of destruction.


Stunning and dangerous, Kira plans to protect the heavens at all cost, even if it means destroying the entire Mortal Realm. Soon Sera and Kyle find themselves fighting not just the demon plague, but Kira and her twin. But when an even more sinister threat arises—putting not just the human world but all planes of existence in jeopardy—they must all learn to work together or lose everything they sacrificed so much to save.

Dark Goddess (Alpha Goddess #2)Dark Goddess by Amalie Howard
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This exciting story picks up a few months after the first one ended. I think it's possible to read this without reading the first, but I believe reading book one will make this easier and more fun to read. It's easy to forget character arcs in subsequent stories. However, I feel like this author did a great job of pushing her characters to new levels. She also added a few new characters to push this story to a whip rousing ending. Having established the worldbulding in book one, it felt like the author trusted her readers to understand more of the story. She used the mythology and histories to enhance this story and not define it. This created a much richer story that I think was better than the first.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team


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Monday, December 11, 2017

Review: Dragon Fire Angel Light

Dragon Fire, Angel Light by Shara Godwinson
Published December 11, 2017 by NineStar Press
Reviewed by Terri
5 FLAMES!

Synopsis:

William is a dragon shifter who, despite having lived for over two thousand years, has never found a true love. When he meets Evyn, a quirky musician/journalist who wants to be a real photographer, he immediately finds him irresistible.

But Evyn’s a little supernatural too, and an evil brotherhood and a band of soul reavers are after him to destroy his pure soul.

Can William protect his love from evil?

Dragon Fire, Angel LightDragon Fire, Angel Light by Shara Godwinson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Let me preface this review. I saw the blurb about dragons and paid no attention to the M/M relationship in this story. I have not read a story where the main characters are male lovers. This book was just so much to read that I forgot about the genre it was and focused on the story. So if you choose to read this, you know what you're reading.

The characters felt real. I felt like I was walking in their shoes. There were even a couple of times I found myself moving as if I was fighting the battle scenes. I enjoyed the world Godwinson created. It's fun to think of paranormal beings living beside me and not even knowing it. The plot was clearly laid out and developed in such a way, I HAD to keep reading because I wanted to know what happened next. I need to investigate this author more because I want another book. This one did not end in a cliffhanger, but there are certainly some unanswered questions.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Thursday, November 30, 2017

Review: To Seize a Wayward Spirit

To Seize A Wayward Spirit
Djinn Have Book 1
Publication Date January 1, 2018
Reviewed by Terri
4 Wayward Stars

Synopsis -

Fans of R.L. Naquin’s Monster Haven series will love this beguiling spin-off, featuring a djinn caught in a hot mess of lost souls, fast food and otherwordly murder.

Sometimes monsters like to pretend to be humans dressing up as monsters…

After a major goof turned their last mission into chaos, Hidden Government chaser Kam and her friends must hunt and recapture a crapton of souls. Seventeen, to be precise. But by the time they chase down the first one—a goblin en route back home to Oklahoma—a banshee ups and gets assassinated, leaving their progress at exactly negative one.

The connection between Kam’s goblin and her banshee? A cosplay club, natch. Because sometimes monsters like to pretend to be humans dressing up as monsters.

As the body count rises and the Hidden cosplayers point fingers at each other, it’s up to Kam and her team to stop the insanity. One costumed faction has a secret they’re not sharing—even with each other—and if the bad seed isn’t found soon, the others are likely to be murdered…or worse.

This book is approximately 65,000 words

To Seize a Wayward Spirit (Djinn Haven, #2)To Seize a Wayward Spirit by R.L. Naquin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading this book. It was fast, and the characters were funny. I tend to be a bit snarky, and I love matching wits with other people. The author did such a great job creating these characters, especially the main character; I see myself hanging out with the main character. The combination of different paranormal creatures works well to drive the plot forward and keep the reader turning the pages to find out what happens next. I thought the author did a great job of creating tension between the main character and her intended without making it awkward and all about their love story. I can't wait to read more about these people and their story.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Wednesday, November 8, 2017

Review: Magician's Keeper

The Magician's Keeper by Nicola E. Sheridan
Published November 4, 2017 by Escape Publishing
Reviewed by Terri
4 Super-Sized Stars

Synopsis:
A brand new steamy paranormal romance about learning to love all of yourself.

In a world where people judge one another by exacting standards of size and style, being a big girl like Eudora Splat was never going to be easy.

Though trouble is brewing between magic folk and human purists who would see them all destroyed, Dora, a half-giant, tries to eke out a quiet, unnoticed life for herself, but it’s hard to be subtle when you’re over seven feet tall.

Losing her job as a gardener due to human complaints, Dora is recruited as a prison guard, where she’s enlisted to protect the magician Evander “Bear” Gordon from human purist attack. Bear encourages her to embrace her power and celebrate her heritage, introducing her to a world where she can be extraordinary and not just weird. 

But after years of hiding and shying away, can Dora find the strength to grab onto a new life — and hold on to the man she’s falling in love with?


The Magician's KeeperThe Magician's Keeper by Nicola E. Sheridan
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is a different kind of read for me in that it didn't include the usual group of paranormal beings. I'm also not used to giants playing an intelligent character. They are normally stereotyped as being a little slow or even dumb. So it was fun to read about Dora, a half-giant because she was very real. She had all kinds of emotions and ideas. She was also pretty tough and held her own in every fight she had. She was the one who rode in and saved the day. (I always like when the female characters are tough and kick a$$). The author did a great job creating a fantasy world but mirroring it close enough to real life that it was relatable. The plot wasn't fast-paced, but I actually found that enjoyable. Too many books just bombard the reader with intense action scene after intense action scene, and they forget to develop the story and characters. I think this book made for a great start to what could become a decent series.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Tuesday, November 7, 2017

Review: Maid of Ice

Maid of Ice by Shona Husk
Blood and Silver Book 3
Publication Date November 21, 2017 by Lyrical Press
Reviewed by Terri
4 Magical Stars!

Stalkers and death threats . . . 
For Finlay Ryder, danger means playing a racecar driver on a daytime soap. That is, until he’s forced to reckon with his true identity as an Albah, a magical ancient race, by one of his own kind. Someone wants him dead. And worse, an ancient vampire is on the prowl, drawing blood left and right. Now, Finlay has no choice but to hunt enemies with unspeakable powers—or risk being hunted himself . . .

. . . and that’s just the first date 
Ice skater Alina Nyx is using her broken wrist as an excuse for a career change. And when she falls for handsome Finlay, Albah drama feels like her new full-time job. Learning about magic and vampires is exciting, until her life is threatened. Now, as she begins to uncover her own mysterious powers, she must combine forces with Finlay to eradicate their foes for good, or all Albah will suffer . . .
 


Maid of Ice (Blood and Silver, #3)Maid of Ice by Shona Husk
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

In the PNR world, it is hard to come up with something new. I think this author did a good job creating a twist in order to create a great "something new". This is a fun romance with unique world building. I enjoyed the way the author used an ordinary backdrop/setting and added the right amount of urban fantasy to appease this fantasy lover. I think the characters are well-developed, I liked the interplay between the two main characters and the dialog read natural and felt "real" (that's important to me). I'm thinking (and hoping) that this is the first of a series.

Reviewed by Terri of the GothicMoms Review Team

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Friday, October 20, 2017

Review: The Spark

The Spark by David Drake
Publication Date November 7, 2017 by Baen
Reviewed by Terri
4 Twisted Stars

Synopsis:

NEW STANDALONE NOVEL BY SF MASTER DAVID DRAKE. In a violent world in which civilization has fallen and monsters roam, a young hero will rise.

In the time of the Ancients the universe was united—but that was so far in the past that not even memory remains, only the broken artifacts that a few Makers can reshape into their original uses. What survives is shattered into enclaves—some tiny, some ruined, some wild.

Into the gaps between settlements, and onto the Road that connects all human reality and the reality that is not human and may never have been human, have crept monsters. Some creatures are men, twisted into inhuman evil; some of them are alien to Mankind—

And there are things which are hostile to all life, things which will raven and kill until they are stopped.

A Leader has arisen, welding the scattered human settlements together in peace and safety and smashing the enemies of order with an iron fist. In his capital, Dun Add, the Leader provides law and justice. In the universe beyond, his Champions advance—and enforce—the return of civilization.

Pal, a youth from the sticks, has come to Dun Add to become a Champion. Pal is a bit of a Maker, and in his rural home he's been able to think of himself as a warrior because he can wield the weapons of the Ancient civilization.

Pal has no idea of what he's really getting into in Dun Add. On the other hand, the Leader and Dun Add have no real idea of what might be inside this hayseed with high hopes.

THE SPARK: A story of hope and violence and courage. And especially, a story of determination. (Goodreads)


Review:

Fantasy is not for every reader but I happen to like it a lot. For me, the most important part of fantasy is world-building. The idea of creating a world from nothing fascinates and challenges me. This author nailed the world-building and created a mesh between high fantasy and techno science fiction. There were some parts I needed to reread to understand all the details but overall it was fun and tickled my imagination.

This is a true hero's journey where Pal fights to live a life that is to the betterment of mankind. He is an all around good guy. I liked that. He never steered from his focus and lost motivation. It was easy to see his true character in the dialog and the plot development. In fact, I thought every character was well developed and the author stayed true to each of them.

The only issue I have with this story is more a personal preference thing. Pal went on several adventures and had several big fights. However, there wasn't one big climactic moment. It was a series of smaller moments. I don't remember much of the literary devices used in a "hero's journey" story so I that may have been the author's goal. I don't think this distracted from the story. It was a good story and I kept turning the pages because I wanted to see how it ended.

Tuesday, September 26, 2017

Review: Temptation Trials

Temptation Trials Part 1 by B. Truly
Self-Published June 3, 2017
Reviewed by Terri
3 Stars

Synopsis:

The Bachelorettes Meet Wild Things 

Part I of Temptation Trials

Will you be Tempted? Will Love save your Soul?

One nation under his reign.
Cardinal sins of man caused humanity to pay the price. Cali Nasser grew up in a world succeeding World War III. The aftermath forced the world dictatorship that she must now live in. A new Regime arose from the ashes. They demanded obedience and cooperation from every citizen, even in matters of the heart.

One domain ... One accord … One nation. In Cali’s eyes, the moral code revolves around a twisted plot for control.
It used to sicken Cali how people would allow the Regime to test their love through the Temptation Trials. That is, until she met Kincade. Cali’s entire point of view changes when she falls for him. She struggles with herself, debating if she should challenge the government’s law of arranged marriage.

Cali’s childhood friend, Stefani, always kept a positive perspective about their lives until she was threatened with the same dilemma, at odds over the man she loves.

Now Cali and Stefani face a desperate choice—submit to the Regime’s will, or fight for what they value most—love. Although lust, mistaken for love, could lead to damnation. Do they give up on love or sign up for the Temptation Trials, a reality TV show where every temptation is laid before them?
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. Can love save their souls?

Rated Mature 18 +
Adult, Dystopian Romance with sensuality, sexual content, and love triangles. (Goodreads)


Review:

The best part of dystopian stories is the slight sense of reality in the storyline. And with as crazy as the world seems these days, it's almost like watching the aftermath of a car accident; ya know you shouldn't, but you can't help but slow down and stare as you drive by. The storyline for this book is great. A pair of new adult girls hook up with a pair of hot new adult rebels and join together to fight the good fight. The author uses a dual POV and does a good job distinguishing between the two main characters. 

Where this story lacked and why I'm rating it a three has to do with the overall execution and presentation. There were several holes in the plot line. For example, in one scene one of the couples comes under some heavy shooting. In the previous scene, they were handcuffed together. They discuss running away at separate times but don't mention getting out of the handcuffs until several scenes later. Some of the dialog and word choices felt a little off for young adults. There was also a lot of repetitive info dumps. 

I think the author has done a great job creating a whole story. It has strong merit and deserves a chance to shine. With a little editing, this book could easily be a five-star.

Friday, September 1, 2017

Interview With The Villain & Review: Torment





Torment
The Damned Series
Book Four
By LM Pruitt

Release Date August 8, 2017

Genre: PNR

Book Description:

Enemies are so stimulating.--Katherine Hepburn

If you can look past the part where they're trying to kill you.

The Damned want my head on a platter. The Winged have similar plans.

As for Morning Star and the Power... well, only They know.

One false step... and everything is lost.

CONTAINS SCENES OF GRAPHIC LANGUAGE AND SEXUAL ACTIVITY. READER DISCRETION IS ADVISED.

Amazon


Interview with a Villain

(I’ll admit, when I was given this particular interview topic, I was stumped—mostly because the true villain for the Damned series has yet to be revealed. So instead, I decided to sit down a fan favorite who may or may not have villainous intent—Lilith, the current reigning leader of the succubae.)

--So, I think we’d all like to know—why make the jump from being Adam’s first wife to being, for all intents and purposes, a demon?

I’ll be honest, I’m surprised anyone in this day and age even remembers I was married to Adam before Eve—who was, I’m not ashamed to say, a much better wife than me, even taking in to account the whole eating the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge thing. I’m not surprised by the fact people just assume I went straight for the so-called dark side. It’s never really a fall from grace—it’s more a gradual slide and tumble down the hill.

--So what caused your slide down the hill?
A man, of course (light laughter). The man, at least for me. And not a man so much as one of the Watchers, although they weren’t called that in the beginning. In the beginning, he was just Samael. And then, when the other Watchers Fell and Heaven was closed, he became the Angel of Death—fitting, since it was the career change which killed our marriage.

--And it was after this… career change that you had a change of your own?

People do desperate and stupid things when they’ve had their heart broken. I don’t apologize for any of the things I did or the choices I made. I rebuilt myself and then I gave other women the chance to do the same.

--Now, I understand in theory what a succubae is and what they do but I’d like to hear from the original succubus on those topics.

We tempt people—mostly men, although some of the girls specialize in women and some are indiscriminate—with the sex of their wildest dreams and then harvest their energy. We rarely kill anyone, simply because it’s messy and time-consuming and causes so many complications with the other side. The energy is pooled, some of it being sent to Morning Star and the rest being redistributed back to the girls. It’s a nice, tidy little system.

--But not everybody is happy with the system.

If I spent my time trying to make everybody happy I would never get anything else done.

--Which isn’t really an answer to the question.

Well, you didn’t really ask a question, did you? (long pause) The situation is being handled. Not as quickly and efficiently as I would prefer but it’s being handled. I fully believe it will be resolved in the next few months.

--My sources tell me you’re looking at abdicating your position to one of the leaders of the so-called rebellion, Julie Watson, who also happens to be one of your newest girls. Why would you willing step down from the position you created after all this time?


What can I say? We all make sacrifices for love.


4 DEMONIC STAR REVIEW:

Starting a series in the middle is always a risk. It must be hard for authors to balance continuing the story for devoted fans while also creating a book that could attack new readers. I think the author of this book did a good job of both. This is book four of the Damned series. I will admit, there were times when I was a little confused as to what was going one, but Pruitt did a good job of filling in the gaps of the story line. I like the fast speed of the plot kept me entertained and I pretty much ignored everyone until I made it to the end. I just wanted to see what would happen next. I like the idea behind this story and I do not know of another story that creates demon characters as anti-heroes. I believe, if I had started this book from the beginning I would have a closer connection to the characters and the premise of the story. 

Reviewed by Terri


Excerpt:

“You’ll catch cold if you stay out here much longer.”
I didn’t turn around, continuing to study the skyline. “I’m fine.”
“It’s three in the morning. You should be asleep.” He didn’t sound angry about the fact I wasn’t or the fact I was standing outside in late September in sleep pants and a thin cotton tank. If anything, his scolding sounded as if it was for form and nothing else. “It’s been a long day for all of us.”
“Yes.” Now I did turn around, studying Barry with the same intensity I’d shown the various buildings of Prague. “Why are you mad at me?”
“I’m not mad.” He pulled a cigar from the pocket of his sleep pants but didn’t light it, staring at the tip for a moment before sliding it back in his pocket. “I’m tired, Julie. As I said, it’s been a long day. The next few days—weeks, rather—promise to be equally long. We all need to sleep, to keep our strength up for what lies ahead.”
“You haven’t touched me since we got back.” Since he stood in front of my sister and ripped her heart out and then walked away without a backward glance. “You’ve barely said anything all night long.”
“As I said, I’m tired.” He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long sigh. “There’s been quite a bit of upheaval in the last thirty-six hours or so. Quite a bit. Forgive me if I’m not my usual charming self. You have more than enough people here to pay you attention if you’re feeling uncared for.”
“That’s not what I meant.” I turned back to the city view, widening my eyes and blinking rapidly in an effort to keep the tears at bay. I didn’t have a problem with using tears as a weapon when they were called for but I wouldn’t use them with him, ever. “You’re right. It’s late. Go to sleep. I’m fine.”
“We both know I’m not going to sleep until you do.” I heard the sound of metal scraping over concrete and glanced over my shoulder to find he’d pulled one of the patio chairs free of the table. Sitting down and stretching out his legs, he said, “As long as you’re here, I’m here.”
“Barry—.”
“Arguing will only frustrate us both, Julie Elizabeth, and we’ve had enough frustration for the day.” He slid further down in the seat, almost slouching, and crossed his arms. “As long as you’re here, I’m here.”
“But do you want to be here?” The question tumbled out before I even realized it was in my mind and I bit my tongue, already regretting it. “Never mind. You don’t have to answer that.”
“Come here.” When I didn’t move, he uncrossed his arms and held out one hand. “Please.”
Crossing the balcony, I took his hand, curling up in his lap and resting my head on his shoulder. We sat in silence for a few minutes before he cleared his throat. “I don’t know any other way to say it. I can simply say as long as you’re here, I’m here. When you want to leave, we’ll leave.”
“And where would we go?” Joanne’s face in the instant after Barry verbally sucker punched her, Asmodeus’s face the second after I shot him, flashed through my mind and I hunched my shoulders as if the memory carried a physical blow. “There’s no place left. We burned all those bridges today.”
“The thing about bridges is they can always be rebuilt and when they are, they’re stronger than before they burned.” He brushed my hair away from my face, stroking one hand down my back and pulling me tighter against him. “But since you don’t want to leave, the discussion is moot.”
“We’re doing the right thing.”
“The right thing done the wrong way is no longer the right thing.”
“If there was a way to do this differently, we would have taken it.” We’d tried to take it. We’d tried to meet the others halfway. Nobody—Lilith, Asmodeus, the Power, Morning Star—wanted to bend.
So we would have to break them.
“After the raids begin today, there is no turning back. You and your supporters will be branded traitors. There will be bounties on your heads.” He pressed his lips to my hair, breathing deep. “On all our heads. You’ve never lived through a war.”
It wasn’t a question but I answered anyway. “No, I haven’t.”
“I’ve been through more than my fair share, even considering my age. When it’s impossible to die from manmade weapons, you tend to fight in wars simply to alleviate the boredom.” He turned, pressing his face in to my hair. “And they’re nothing compared to supernatural wars. So far you’ve only seen the pretty side of Hell. There are things which will be unleashed which should never exist out of nightmares.”
“On us or by us?”
“Both.” His hand shook as he stroked my back and I wasn’t sure if he was trying to comfort me or himself. “Some things can’t be unseen or unfelt. You’ll carry it with you until the day you die.”
“Are you trying to scare me?”
“I’m trying to warn you. Up until now, everything about this war has been theoretical. Until today, no true shots were fired.” He drew back, his face unnaturally somber, even for him. “I know you did what you had to do and I don’t fault you for that decision.”
“But I officially started the war.” I nodded. “I know. I’ll live with it.”
“Things will get worse.” He pressed a kiss to my forehead. “They always do.”
“And then they get better.” I had to believe that. If I didn’t, then there was a good chance I was wrecking and ruining lives for no reason at all. I pressed my lips to his, lightly, for comfort more than anything else. “Things will be better. We’re going to make them better.”
We didn’t have any other choice.


About the Author:

L.M. Pruitt has been reading and writing for as long as she can remember. A native of Florida with a love of New Orleans, she has the uncanny ability to find humor in most things and would probably kill a plastic plant. She knows this because she's killed bamboo. Twice.  She is the author of the Winged series, the Plaisir Coupable series, Jude Magdalyn series, the Moon Rising series, and Taken: A Frankie Post Novel.






Review: Of Fame and Fate

of Flame and Fate by Cecy Robson
Weird Girls Book 8, Flame Book 2
Publication Date September 26, 2017
Reviewed by Terri
5 FLAMING STARS!

Synopsis:

Taran Wird, who commands the power to wield fire and lightning, is an oddity in the supernatural world. But neither Taran nor her unique sisters compare to the bizarre entity known as Destiny. And Taran is assigned to protect her.

Born of two witches, Destiny is revered among the supernatural elite for her acute ability to predict the future. Her biggest prophecy involves Taran’s sister, Celia, whom Destiny decreed will bear children strong enough to take on the evil that’s rising. Yet Destiny is not alone in her predictions, or individuality.

When Johnny Fate, a rock star among humans and a male version of Destiny is discovered, his powers and Destiny’s clash, triggering the start of Destiny’s demise and altering the fate of Celia’s unborn children.

Taran, her werewolf lover Gemini, and their allies must determine if it’s Fate who will decide what will become of Celia’s children, or if their lives and the world will perish with Destiny. (Goodreads)


Review: 

I read Cecy Robson's first book in this series a couple of years ago. I read the next two as fast as I could. Then every time the next book released, I ordered it and read it within a day. There was a lag between a couple, and I found a few other series, and I lost track of this series. When I came across the chance to review this book, I realized there were two books I had not read. So I quickly read those two, so I could catch up in this series. I think this book CAN be read as a stand alone, but it is a lot better if you read the whole series or at least the two books right before this. 

The women in this series are as kick-ass as any I've read. The spotlight is on Taran in this book. She struggles with accepting that unconditional love is not only possible, but she is worthy of it.  The passion she feels for Gemini is strong, and it will help her through anything if she remembers to trust and rely on it. Robson has created such life-like characters I feel a strong connection and would totally take them all out for a beer if I could.

The fast-paced action pushed me to read "just one more chapter" until I finished it. The world building is so solid; it was easy to SEE this book as if I was watching a movie.

Monday, August 14, 2017

Review: Gone With The Dead

Stories By 
Christina and the Virus by Sarah Bale - A Dead Man is Hard to Find by Ellay Branton - A Piece of Him by R. L. Merrill - A Happy Medium by Freddie Milano - Bait by Isabelle Drake - Bloody Line by Carolyn Haven - Devil’s in the Well by Harley Easton - A Ferocious Blossom by Marie Piper - Kissing Summer by Megan Hart - If I Only Knew By Genevieve Williams - Animals by Sue Ayers - Dogs of War by Andrew Robertson - The Music Man by Kimberlie L. Faye - Fallen by Xio Axelrod - Leftovers by Cassandra Chandler - Here for You by Kate L. Mary
Published May 3, 2017 by Riverdale Avenue Books
Reviewed by Terri
5 Deadly Stars!!



Synopsis:

An Anthology of Romance and Horror where Gone with the Wind meets The Walking Dead! 

When a convention of more than 4,000 romance writers and readers descends upon Atlanta Georgia, it can only mean one thing…a mash-up of two of the finest Georgia traditions. 

Erotic romance anthologist Lori Perkins has brought together 16 tales of Southern love and death in this unique short story collection. (Goodreads)




Review:

I am not a huge Gone With the Wind fan (please don't throw rocks), but I am in love with the antebellum south. And if you read many of my reviews, you know I love a good paranormal story line. So this anthology of short stories truly felt like a good fit for me. I enjoy reading anthologies because I get introduced to several authors at one time. There was not one author in this group that I had heard about before reading this. Now I'm in love with each one of them and added several to my TBR.

Not everyone likes short stories, but I love them. I honestly think they are harder to write because there is limited space to tell the story. Each one of these authors did a fantastic job of creating powerful stories that started with a bang and ended with an even bigger bang. The plots moved fast, the characters were well-developed, and the stories felt original. It's hard to say which were my favorites. There was only one I could not finish and that was no because it was written badly. In fact, it was written so well it gave me the willies. It was about bugs and I hated bugs. If a gun was held to my head and I had to pick two, I would pick "A Piece of Him" and "A Ferocious Blossom".  But trust me when I say all these stories are good. It would be fun to read some of these for a Halloween book club.
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