Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet

Title ~ Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
Series ~ Charley Davidson, #4
Author ~ Darynda Jones
Publisher ~ St. Martin's Press
Published ~ 30 October 2012
Genre ~ Paranormal/Mystery/Romance/UF

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Charley Davidson is a private investigator trying to scrape out a living. Oh, and there’s also the little matter of her being the Grim Reaper. Though she doesn’t like being called that. Before cases, during cases and after cases she helps people cross over. You know, because she has that whole portal-to-Heaven thing going on.

Charley was tortured in the last book and this book starts out with her holed up in her apartment on the couch wearing jammies and working a serious Buy From Home Channel therapy/addiction problem while she skillfully avoids dealing with the aftermath of the torture. But holing up in her apartment means she’s not taking any jobs. Not solving cases. Not bringing in cash. Until Cookie, her friend and assistant, decides enough is enough and starts returning the mountain of purchases and pushing Charley to accept some jobs. When she works up the nerve to leave the apartment a job falls in her lap. After that, we’re off and running.

Once again I tear through a book as I try to keep up with Charley while she solves a case, wanders off track, deals with Reyes the hunky son of Satan and solves a string of bank robberies. Well-written with a fast plot, plenty of humor, awesome characters and steamy sexual heat. I hate it when I read so fast that I’m done before I realize it. Nooooooo!!! More! I.Want.More!

Where did I get this book? ~ From the library hold shelf where, after having it checked out, I grabbed it up and whispered loudly, 'Mine! All mine!' Followed by a softer whisper, 'At least until it's due.' Then I hurried out before I could be shushed.

Audiobook Excerpt

The Walking Dead

Title ~ The Walking Dead
Series ~ The Walking Dead, Books 1-7
Author ~ Robert Kirkman, Charlie Adlard
Publisher ~ Image Comics
Published ~ various listed below
Genre ~ Graphic Novel/Horror/Post Apocalyptic

My Rating ~ 3 bites out of 5

This series of graphic novels follows cop Rick Grimes, his family and other humans as they attempt to survive a zombie apocalypse. 

My daughter wanted to read this series so with all the hype about the tv show (which we haven't watched) we decided to read it together. And by together, I mean I picked them up at the library, she devoured them and then let me read them.

I'm not a big fan of horror, but I do like zombies and paranormal stories. This series of graphic novels is well-written and illustrated and the story keeps you turning the pages. However, I'm not a fan of all the bad things that have happened to Rick and everyone else. Jeez, can't they ever catch a break? After what happened at the end of Book Four I said I wasn't going to read any more, but my daughter wanted to see what came next, so onward we read. Now, after the end of Book Seven, I'm at that point again. Really? Just...really?! It might be a good thing that the library hasn't acquired Book Eight or I would have given up. How much more depressing can this story get? As it is, since I have to wait who knows how long for the library to buy the book, I'll probably pick it up when they do.

I'm told the show isn't like the graphic novels. Is it more depressing or less? If it's more, I don't want to watch it. If it's more positive then I might give it a go.

Published ~ 19 July 2006

Published ~ 7 March 2007

Published ~ 19 December 2007

Published ~ 29 October 2008

Published ~ 5 May 2010

Published ~ 26 October 2010

Published ~ 18 October 2011

Angel Evolution

Title ~ Angel Evolution
Series ~ Evolution Trilogy, #1
Author ~ David Estes
Publisher ~ David Estes
Published ~ 17 October 2011
Genre ~ YA/Paranormal/UF

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

Taylor Kingston heads off to college with her best friend Samantha Collins. Sam is a normal teenager, but Taylor is something else. She’s special to angels and demons and their century long war. She just doesn’t know it yet.

Gabriel Knight is an angel. Christopher Lyon is a demon. They both want Taylor, but for different reasons. Gabriel makes the first move and initiates contact. Then Chris starts dating Sam. Things get really interesting after that.

Well-written with in-depth characters, a fast plot and hidden agendas. I have to say I wanted to shake Taylor. I realize she’s a teenager, but she ignored her own first rule, listen to her gut. Then she didn’t get both sides of the story before making a decision. Never make decisions, especially monumental far-reaching decisions without getting all the info you can get from all sides. *sigh* Love! And boys! They’ll mess up a girl’s mind if given a chance. I’m sure we’ve all been there.

This is the first book in a trilogy and it ended in a bit of a cliffhanger. I look forward to reading what happens next in Demon Evolution.

*Many thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page.   

The Boss's Pet: The Contract

Title ~ The Boss's Pet: The Contract
Series ~ The Boss's Pet, #1
Author ~ Tonya Kinzer
Publisher ~ Tonya Kinzer
Published ~ 10 March 2011
Genre ~ Erotica

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

Sondra Prentice has joined Nick Carrington’s investment firm. She brings many clients, a can-do attitude and more than a little sexual attraction. Mixing business with pleasure is always a risky, but Nick wants much more than simple pleasure. He wants Sondra’s submission.

This is a great short story about the beginnings of a D/s relationship. The dialogue is just a tad stilted at times, but otherwise the writing flows easily around well-developed characters and hot steamy sex. I enjoyed being a witness to Sondra and Nick’s beginning.

Bonjour Sensualitié

Title ~ Bonjour Sensualitié
Series ~ Bonjour Sensualitié, Episodes 1 & 2
Author ~ Ellé
Publisher ~ Ellé
Published ~ 14 November 2012
Genre ~ Erotica/Short

My Rating ~ 3.5 bites out of 5

Simone had a fall from her horse and the only injury she sustained was the loss of her sight. The doctor believed the loss was only temporary and ordered Simone to wear a mask at all times in order to completely rest her eyes. Simone adhered to the doctor’s orders about 90% of the time and was heartened to see some improvement on those times she needed the mask off, such as when she bathed. To keep herself occupied she listened to many audiobooks. It was during Simone’s listening to Lady Chatterley’s Lover that her Aunt Macy discovered a job for a young woman posing for an artist and his student. The artist, William, was happy to hire her even wearing the mask. So off Simone went to her first sitting with William and his student, Eve.

The first episode in this series is about Simone and Lady Chatterley. Simone is enthralled with Lady C and the story helps her to relax and blossom while sitting for the painting especially after Eve has arranged her legs and breast for a full sensual effect. Having a mask frees Simone to be more uninhibited, to feel more sensual, to identify more with Lady C. Aroused to the point of pain, when the sitting is over she feels bereft, but then as Simone is ready to leave, Eve whispers in her ear to leave her panties off for the next sitting.

The second episode in this series is about Simone and Eve. After the first sitting Simone has been restless and aroused. Her body is no longer known to her. She’s feeling things she hasn’t felt before. At her next sitting will she wear her red panties or won’t she? When Simone arrives at the studio, Eve guides her into place, arranging her body like last time only this time she licks Simone’s nipple and while raising Simone’s skirt whispers her praise at seeing no panties. By the end of the sitting Simone is once again painfully aroused and bereft of relief. Before she leaves William whispers to her that he wants her naked at the next sitting and it will be just the two of them.

Both stories were fascinating, sensual and arousing. I’m not a fan of Lady Chatterley’s Lover, but I like how Simone is identifying with her and blossoming into a sensual woman. I’m looking forward to reading the third story about Simone and William.

*Many thanks to the author for providing me with review copies. Please see disclaimer page.

The Trinity Signs

Title ~ The Trinity Signs
Author ~ Scott M. Sullivan
Publisher ~ Digital Ink Publishing
Published ~ 28 June 2012
Genre ~ Paranormal/Fantasy/Suspense

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

John Benjamin is the last of the bloodline linked to the Brotherhood of the Sealed and Tobias Ramsey is the last of the Guardian bloodline who protected the Sealed. It’s up to them to find each of the three Trinity Signs, activating the last one to banish the Devil for the next thousand years and not die along the way. Two guys against all the evil in Hell and the Devil, too. Not a problem. Right?

Tobias Ramsey has spent his life protecting mankind from monstrous beasts, beasts they never know about or would believe if they saw them. John Benjamin is a drunk with no clue as to his bloodline until a monk shows up with the Crux Signate (a silver cross) and a couple of Hell Hounds on his heels. Passing the Crux to John he sacrifices himself holding off the Hell Hounds so John can escape into the woods which is where Tobias meets up with him, dispatching the beasts. They head to a neighbor’s cabin to fix Tobias’s wounded hand and after an attack by a Phantom, end up taking the lovely Sam with them when they head to The Trinity Church in Boston to look for the first Sign. That’s when things get really interesting.

Well-written, great plot, fast pace, interesting characters and a race against time. I love a good race against time story to get the blood pumping. Will they or won’t they? What happens next? Will they all make it to the end? What’s the answer to the riddle for the next Sign? What kind of monstrous evil will strike next? All things that keep me reading until the end. This is my first book by Sullivan, but I enjoyed it so much it won’t be my last.

*Many thanks to the author for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page.

Tainted Night, Tainted Blood

Title ~ Tainted Night, Tainted Blood
Series ~ Kat Redding, #2
Author ~ E.S. Moore
Publisher ~ Kensington
Published ~ 3 July 2012
Genre ~ Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

My Rating ~ 4.5 bites out of 5

Kat Redding was a monster hunter, hunting down vampires and werewolves with her brother Thomas until they were captured and she was turned into a vampire and Thomas was tainted with both vampire and werewolf blood making him an uncontrollable insane killing machine. It’s been years since her turning and the last time she saw her brother, but Kat continues to hunt the rogues who torture and kill Purebloods (humans) earning her the title Lady Death.

There are few who know that Lady Death and Kat are the same person. When brutal killings show up with her style and signature sword marks the monsters believe Lady Death has gone mad. After it’s determined by the local werewolves she’s not the one doing the killing, Kat agrees to an uneasy alliance with them to find the person responsible for the carnage. But when Kat discovers who the killer is will she survive what needs to be done?

A compelling second book about Kat Redding and the delving into the psyche of a monster who hates being a monster. Kat hates what she is, but she’s dealing with it as best she can. In this book she has problem after problem dumped onto her and when she’s confronted with her past, the result sends her over the edge. This is one of those books that you love and you hate. The story is excellent, but you hate what a character you care about has to endure. And the ending, can I say how much I hated the ending? Not that it was a bad ending, far from it. I just hated that it ended the way it did. Read it and you’ll understand. I’ll say no more except to say I’m so glad Book 3, Blessed by a Demon’s Mark is out and I can see what happens next.

Well-written, compelling characters, fast action and internal struggling, this book is an excellent read. I highly recommend this series to anyone who likes books similar to the early Anita Blake series by LKH or the new Deacon Chalk series by James R. Tuck.

*Many thanks to Kensington for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page.

Angel in Chains

Title ~ Angel in Chains
Series ~ The Fallen, #3
Author ~ Cynthia Eden
Publisher ~ Brava
Published ~ 27 November 2012
Genre ~ Paranormal/Romance

My Rating ~ 5 bites out of 5

Azrael had been the head honcho of the Angels of Death until he Fell. Now, he wants redemption so he can go back to the Heavens and not deal with all the pesky emotions that come with being a Fallen. When he comes across a human woman in a dark alley being surrounded by panther shifters he thinks he might have found his ticket home. Save her and be redeemed. However, things aren’t going the way Az expected.

Jade Pierce has been running from her psycho ex-boyfriend for years. He’s a panther shifter and he always ends up finding her. Staying ahead of him is wearing her down and she needs to find a way to kill him or she’ll never have peace. When the stranger steps into the alley and kicks the crap out of the panthers who wanted to take her back to Brandt, she thinks she might have finally found someone who could help her rid the Earth of Brandt forever. She decides to do whatever it takes to persuade the hot powerful stranger to help her, but with both using the other, attraction burning out of control and a prophecy foretelling of Az’s destruction of the world will they survive what is coming?

Another home run from Cynthia Eden. I loved Az’s story. I wasn’t sure how Az, who was a bit of a villain in the other two books, would make a great hero, but I shouldn’t have worried. How do you keep the most powerful Fallen from bringing about the world’s destruction? With an unlikely hero. I will say no more, but one character that I found intriguing, but didn’t particularly like, might just have changed my opinion of him. Maybe. Possibly. We’ll just have to see.

Well-written, fast action, great plot, twists & turns, excellent characters, nasty psychotic villain, steamy sex and an ending I didn’t see coming made for an awesome read. I’m in for the next book Avenging Angel due out May 28^th.

*Many thanks to Kensington for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page. 

Notorious Nineteen

Title ~ Notorious Nineteen
Series ~ Stephanie Plum, #19
Author ~ Janet Evanovich
Publisher ~ Bantam Books
Published ~ 20 November 2012
Genre ~ Contemporary/Mystery/Humor

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

Stephanie Plum is a Bail Enforcement Agent. A bounty hunter extraordinaire. Well, a bounty hunter anyway. One who gets her target usually more by dumb luck than any real skill. Once again she needs rent and this time she has a big fish to catch. Geoffrey Cubbin was accused of embezzling $5 million from a retirement home, but he disappeared after being taken to a hospital for an appendectomy. How did he manage to leave without anyone seeing? Did he have help on the hospital staff? Stephanie is about to dig around to find out because she has bills to pay and his high bond means big bucks for her if she can bring him in. Trouble is, nothing is ever easy for Stephanie.

I’ve read all of the Stephanie Plum books over the years and I’ve enjoyed them all. Some more than others especially in the middle when they seemed to lag and tended to be same ol’, same ol’, but they’ve picked back up again. This book was a quick humorous read with my favorite characters, Lula, Grandma Mazur and Ranger. Ah, Ranger. Yes, I am firmly on Team Ranger.  I don’t like how Morelli treats Stephanie and I really don’t like how Stephanie lets him do it. Ranger may not be a marrying man, but he’s always there for her and he isn’t trying to change her.

Anyway, *wipes drool away* I’m not sure how much longer the series will be able to go on with Stephanie not able to pick one firmly over the other, but I’ll be along for the ride. I enjoy watching her screw up yet still get the job done. And those cars. *shakes head* How does she manage to get any insurance? LOL Bring on #20!

*Thank you to my husband for giving this book to me for Christmas. :)

The Bewitching of Alison Allbright

Title ~ The Bewitching of Alison Allbright
Author ~ Alan Davidson
Publisher ~ Straw Hat Publishing
Published ~ 20 May 2012
Genre ~ YA/Contemporary

My Rating ~ 4 bites out of 5

Alison Allbright is a high school nobody. She is prickly and selfish, so she has no friends. She resents being poor, living in a shabby home and not having the money to do the fun things her well-off classmates do. There isn’t even money for class trips, so Alison has to stay behind. All of her daydreams revolve around material things and the wish for more. And then Mrs Considine steps into her life.

Mrs Considine is an upstanding citizen with tons of funds and a daughter who looks exactly like Alison. When her chauffeur runs over Alison’s beat up bicycle and they stop at Alison’s home to replace it with a bright shiny new one, Alison’s life takes a momentous turn. But is it a turn for the better? Or worse?

Being inside Alison’s head and listening to her justify what she allowed to happen was an interesting experience. I thought she was a self-centered little idiot, but I can understand why she was constantly dreaming of bigger and better things instead of being happy with what she had. The fact that she let things get as far as they did made me want to shake her repeatedly, but at least Alison wakes up and finally smells the decaying roses. My favorite part of the book is when Alison gets a rude awakening by a friend. There’s nothing quite like cold hard truths told by someone you respect to slap some sense into a person.

Well-written, interesting and a great plot. I enjoyed this book very much.

*Many thanks to Straw Hat Publishers for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page.

Angel Betrayed

Title ~ Angel Betrayed
Series ~ The Fallen, #2
Author ~ Cynthia Eden
Publisher ~ Brava
Published ~ 26 June 2012
Genre ~ Paranormal/Romance

My Rating ~ 4.5 bites out of 5

Sammael is a Fallen Angel. Once an Angel of Death in the Heavens his touch can still kill on Earth. And Sam likes to use his Touch of Death on those who deserve it.

Seline O’Shaw is a half-breed with a problem. She’s not exactly sure what Sam is, but she is sure he can help her escape the life she’s living. All she has to do is convince him, in a round-about sneaky way, to help her. Neither one of them expected the intense sexual attraction between them. Now, not only do they have to fight an evil Punishment Angel and his hellhound, but the sexual heat they generate. Someone’s going to get burned and in more ways than one. It’s just a matter of how hot it will get.

I love Cynthia Eden’s books. When I pick one up I am 99.9% guaranteed that I will thoroughly enjoy it. She doesn’t disappoint in Angel Betrayed. Great twisty-turny plot, fast-moving, excellent writing, well-developed characters, humorous, hot steamy sex and interesting secondary characters. An outstanding second book to the series. I’m looking forward to book 3, Angel in Chains.

*Many thanks to Kensington for providing me with a review copy. Please see disclaimer page.

The Darkest Seduction

Title ~ The Darkest Seduction
Series ~ Lords of the Underworld, #9
Author ~ Gena Showalter
Publisher ~ HQN Books
Published ~ 28 February 2012
Genre ~ Paranormal/Romance

My Rating ~ 4.5 bites  out of 5

Immortal warrior Paris is the keeper of the demon Promiscuity. Paris must have sex daily or he weakens. Not only sex daily, but never with the same person twice. A weak warrior is no good in the fight against evil and Paris has never had a problem staying strong. Until the day he met Sienna Blackstone.

Sienna Blackstone was a Hunter, seeking out the Lords of the Underworld in a quest to kill them and trap the demons they carried in attempt to cleanse the world of evil. Sienna was Bait, meant to lure Paris into a trap and it worked. However, while captive Paris discovered he could have sex with Sienna more than once. What did this mean? Before he could pursue this interesting development, Sienna was shot and killed by her own Hunter brethren in the crossfire that followed Paris’s escape.

After her death Sienna’s ghost was claimed by Chronos and when Aeron lost his demon Wrath upon his death, Chronos forced Sienna to be Wrath’s keeper. While this was happening Paris became an ambrosia addict in an attempt to forget Sienna’s death. When Paris discovers that Sienna, while not alive and not dead, is a pawn of Chronos he decides nothing will stop him from reaching her. So begins The Darkest Seduction.

I worried that Paris’s story would be hard to get into, but I shouldn’t have worried at all. Another excellent Lord of the Underworlds book! Multiple storylines have been slowly coming together in each book over the course of the series and this book is no exception. There is a lot going on in this book and I love multiple POVs! Well-written, excellent characters, steamy sex, humor, scheming, plotting, kicking ass and a tortured hero who is channeling the Dark Side. *satisfied sigh*

I can’t wait for Kane’s story as well as William’s and Cameo’s. Poor Cameo, keeper of Misery. Her mate should be interesting and special. Though I really think she needs a deaf person who can’t hear her misery-laden voice. *shudder*

I will be so sad when this series is over.

Happy New Year!

Despite the dire predictions of an apocalypse, 2013 has arrived!

I wanted to take a moment and wish you all a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

I also wanted to thank from the bottom of my heart all of the authors who are waiting patiently for my reviews. My life got off track in the later half of 2012 and slowed me way down. I am so hoping that 2013 will be trouble-free and smooth sailing. I have set a goal for 20 books per month. My fingers are crossed that nothing will interfere with that goal.

Ready. Set. Read!