Monster Island by David Wellington Review & Giveaway

Monster Island
By: David Wellington

Book 1 of 3
Genre: YA thriller
Publisher: Running Press

It's one month after a global disaster. The most "develop nations of the world have fallen to the shambling zombi Only a few pockets of humanity survive — in places rife powered weaponry, such as Somalia. In New York City, t walk the streets, driven by an insatiable hunger for all t living. One amongst them is different; though he shares t appetites he has retained his human intelligence. Alone mindless zombies, Gary Fleck is an eyewitness to the end world — and perhaps the evil genius behind it all. From side of the planet, a small but heavily-armed group of sc turned-soldiers has come in search of desperately neede medicine. Dekalb, a former United Nations weapons insp leads them as their local guide. Ayaan, a crack shot at th sixteen, will stop at nothing to complete her mission. The they are prepared for anything. On Monster Island they that there is something worse even than being undead, a learns the true price of survival.

My Thoughts:
When I first picked up this book I had very high hopes. I mean its a zombie book, yay! However it took me a really long time to get into this book. I couldn't connect witth the characters as well as I would've liked either. I think part of my issue is that since reading the As the World Dies Trilogy everything else suffers from comparison.
I am undecided on whether or not I will continue the trilogy. In short, I am still looking for that next zombie story.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Buy it from Amazon

Add it to Goodreads

Giveaway!!

Leave us a comment to enter to win my paperback copy of Monster Island! (US only please, I will have a giveaway soon for our international readers.) Giveaway ends Monday Sept 16. Winner will be announced Tuesday!

Changes...

Last night I was debating what I was going to post about today and I kept drawing a blank. Yes, I know that is aweful, but my reading time has been drastically downsized. I have gone from reading 35+ books a month down to around 10. On top of that my taste in books and formats has changed as well. Basically if it's not an ebook and an adult book, I don't even bother. The young adult and paranormal romance books don't hold my attention like they used to and I am too easily distracted.

So, what does this mean for me? 

Since I am only reading books on my kindle I am cleaning house! We just moved and I have 28 cases of books to sort through. There are very few that I will be keeping so most of them will be finding new homes. Some will go to the library and local bookstore, but others I will be giving away here starting next tuesday.

Upcoming Posts...
Along with the Giveaway posts I will have reviews coming for...

• Monster Island by David Wellington
• Ghost Hold by Ripley Patton
• Rise Again by Ben Tripp

While I still enjoy my zombie books as well as cowboy and rockstar romances the other books I used to crave no longer suck me in. Has this ever happened to you?

Twisted Perfection (Perfection #1) by Abbi Glines

Twisted Perfection
By: Abbi Glines

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Series: Perfection #1
Publisher: Abbi Glines

Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…

Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.

What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came. The carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…

Twisted Perfection on Goodreads,Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Abbi Glines website.

My Thoughts:

Gosh, where do I begin..? Woods was a favorite character of mine in the first two books of the 'Too Far' series. I was so excited to read his story. He has such a big heart but has been manipulated by his father into doing things he doesn't want to do.
Della has a lot of issues. She has a very troubled past and starts off the book on a road trip to experience life. She meets Woods along the way and they have an extremely memorable one night stand.
When Della and Woods meet again life gets a whole lot more complicated.
I absolutely loved this book! I think it was even better than the Too Far books. The ending... oh my, lets just say I can not wait for the second book!! Abbi Glines is definitely an author that does not disappoint her readers! I very highly recommend this book as well as the author.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

To my understanding it is best to read both of these series together to avoid spoiling the books for yourself. The timeline of the books coincide, so it is best to read them in this order...
Fallen Too Far (Too Far #1)
Never Too Far (Too Far #2)
Twisted Perfection (Perfection #1)
Forever Too Far (Too Far #3)

Never Too Far (Too Far #2) by Abbi Glines

Never Too Far
By: Abbi Glines

Series: Too Far #2
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Smashwords

He had held a secret that destroyed her world.

Everything she had known was no longer true.

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him. Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again. What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately?

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

Never Too Far on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Abbi Glines website.

My Thoughts:
This was an excellent sequel! I still love Rush! It was an amazing story and it is so worth reading! This was the first series by Abbi Glines that I have read and I can't wait for more! I will be reading Twisted Perfection next. I can't wait for Woods!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines (Too Far #1)

Fallen Too Far
By: Abbi Glines

Series: Too Far #1
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Publisher: Abbi Glines

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

Fallen Too Far on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

Abbi Glines Website

My Thoughts:

I loved Rush! At first he was a complete ass, but it didn't take long before he was completely swoon-worthy! I hated the ending of this book! I highly suggest you have book 2 ready and waiting when you finish this one as you will want to start it right away!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Series Reviews: Kate Daniels #5

Goodreads Summary:
Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she's still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate's mate.

So when Atlanta's premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price . . .

My Thoughts:
Wow! I can't believe how much this series has sucked me in! Each book is just as good if not better than the last. I love how the relationship between Kate and Curran has progressed.
Once again there is no shortage of action and suspense! I am going to be diving into the next in the series right away. It is impossible to wait!
If you haven't started this series yet you simply must, I promise you won't regret it!

Overall Rating: 5*

Add it toGoodreads
Buy it from Amazonor Barnes & Noble

Correct Reading Order:
0.5- "A Questionable Client"*
1- Magic Bites
2- Magic Burns
3- Magic Strikes
3.5- "Magic Mourns"*
4- Magic Bleeds
4.5- "Magic Dreams"*
5- Magic Slays
5.3- "Magic Tests"
5.4- "Magic Gifts"*
5.5- Gunmetal Magic
5.6- "Retribution Clause"*
6- Magic Rises- Release date: 07/30/13

Ilona Andrews on Goodreads and her Website

Series Reviews: Kate Daniels #4 and 4.5

Magic Bleeds (Kate Daniels #4)

Goodreads Summary:

Kate Daniels keeps the peace in Atlanta for the Order, humans caught between the vampire controlling People led by her biological father and best kept secret, Roland, and the shape-shifter Pack, led by her mate-to-be Curran, the Lord of the Beasts. But her look-alike aunt Erra, Babylon's god of chaos and terror, has come to town controlling seven naked warriors: Deluge (flood water), Tremor (earth quake), Gale (hurricane wind), Torch (fire inferno), Venom (disease poison), Beast (animal monster), and Darkness (overpowering dread).

My Thoughts:

The tension between Kate and Curran has been building throughout this series. Finally they took it to the next level! The "big bad" they faced in this book was the worst yet. I was quite shocked while reading and learning more about Kate, who she is and where she came from. The story of the first vampire that Kate reveals really tells a lot.

I am moving onto the next part of the series right away! I still can't believe it has taken me this long to read these books, they are so good! I very highly recommend these books!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble














Magic Dreams (Kate Daniels #4.5)

Goodreads Summary:

From New York Times bestselling author Ilona Andrews comes a tale of darkness, desire, and werecats.
Alpha Pack leader Jim Shrapshire has always been the strong, silent type. But something has come over him--a magic force currently residing in one of the Pack's headquarters. Were-tigress Dali Harimau has always wished she could get Jim's attention--but now he needs her help.

Stricken with a magic-sickness, Jim needs Dali's flair for magic. And to save him, she must challenge a powerful, dark being to a battle of wits.

My Thoughts:

It was good to see more of Jim and Dali and to finally read his reasons for not making a move. Both of these characters are ones I wanted to know more about so it was great to finally get that. I love how Dali handles the "baddie" in this one too!

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

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Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

*This short story is also available in the anthology "Hexed". (Link will take you to Goodreads.)*

Correct Reading Order:

√0.5- "A Questionable Client"*
√1- Magic Bites
√2- Magic Burns
√3- Magic Strikes
√3.5- "Magic Mourns"*
√4- Magic Bleeds
√4.5- "Magic Dreams"*
5- Magic Slays
5.3- "Magic Tests"*
5.4- "Magic Gifts"*
5.5- Gunmetal Magic
5.6- "Retribution Clause"*
6- Magic Rises- Release date: 07/30/13
*= short story

Find Ilona Andrews on Goodreads or her Website.

Series Reviews: Kate Daniels #3 & 3.5

Magic Strikes (Kate Daniels #3)

Goodreads Summary:

When magic strikes and Atlanta goes to pieces, it’s a job for Kate Daniels…

Drafted into working for the Order of Merciful Aid, mercenary Kate Daniels has more paranormal problems than she knows what to do with these days. And in Atlanta, where magic comes and goes like the tide, that’s saying a lot.

But when Kate's werewolf friend Derek is discovered nearly dead, she must confront her greatest challenge yet. As her investigation leads her to the Midnight Games—an invitation only, no holds barred, ultimate preternatural fighting tournament—she and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, uncover a dark plot that may forever alter the face of Atlanta's shapeshifting community…

My Thoughts:

This book was even better than the last. I laughed and I cried, for me that usually makes for an excellent read.

The action does not stop, which is something I am finding I love about this series. The banter and sexual tension between Kate & Curran builds with each book. I wonder...How long will it take for them to give in?
There were points in this story that made me gasp. I was sure one of the characters I have become so attatched to was not going to make it. This is definitely an "edge of your seat" kind of read and onr I highly recommend!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

Magic Mourns (Kate Daniels #3.5)

Goodreads Summary:

Andrea Nash of the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid - with an assist from her friend, Kate Daniels - tries to figure out why the giant three-headed dog who guards the gates of Hades is sniffing around Atlanta.

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed seeing more of Andrea and Raphael. To top it off they were after Cerberus! How cool is that! Then theres vampires too. This story was certainly an adventure and not to be missed.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazon or Barnes & Noble

*This short story is also available in the anthology Must Love Hellhounds. (Link will take you to Goodreads.)*

Correct Reading Order:

√0.5- "A Questionable Client"*
√1- Magic Bites
√2- Magic Burns
√3- Magic Strikes
√3.5- "Magic Mourns"*
4- Magic Bleeds
4.5- "Magic Dreams"*
5- Magic Slays
5.3- "Magic Tests"*
5.4- "Magic Gifts"*
5.5- Gunmetal Magic
5.6- "Retribution Clause"*
6- Magic Rises- Release date: 07/30/13
*= short story

Series Reviews: Kate Daniels # 2

Goodreads Summary:
Down in Atlanta, tempers – and temperatures – are about to flare…
As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels has seen her share of occupational hazards. Normally, waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. Now Kate’s going to have to deal with problems on a much bigger scale: a divine one.

When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta’s paramilitary clan of shapeshifters, she quickly realizes much more at stake. During a flare, gods and goddesses can manifest –and battle for power. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug-of-war between two gods hoping for rebirth. And if Kate can’t stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive…

My Thoughts:

After finishing book 1 (Magic Bites) I immediately dove into this one. I am so glad I did. I loved this one even more than the first. I am really kicking myself for putting this series off as long as I have, it is fantastic so far.

The characters just pull you right into their world. Kate is definitely a heroine that can hold her own in a fight. Curran...*sigh* is such an Alpha male. The tension and banter between them is as funny as it is frustrating.

As for the side characters, I really like Derek (a wolf) and Andrea. Her little reveal in this one was a shocker! Raphael (a hyena) is another character I want to know more about too.

I would definitely recommend this book. So far the series has not disappointed!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Add to Goodreads.
Buy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Find Ilona Andrews on Goodreads or her Website.

Correct Reading Order:

√ 0.5- "A Questionable Client"*
√ 1- Magic Bites
√ 2- Magic Burns
3- Magic Strikes
3.5- "Magic Mourns"*
4- Magic Bleeds
4.5- "Magic Dreams"*
5- Magic Slays
5.3- "Magic Tests"*
5.4- "Magic Gifts"*
5.5- Gunmetal Magic
5.6- "Retribution Clause"*
6- Magic Rises- Release date: 07/30/13
*~short story

Series reviews: Kate Daniels .5 & 1

I have decided to work on some of the series that I have started and just haven't gotten around to finishing. I will be reviewing all of the books in the series as well as the short stories (when possible). I will also let you know where (in what anthology) the short stories can be found as well as the correct reading order.

I am starting out this week with the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews.I started this series last year and only read the first book. No real reason why I stopped, just that other books got in the way I guess ;-)
Correct Reading Order:

0.5- "A Questionable Client"*
1- Magic Bites
2- Magic Burns
3- Magic Strikes
3.5- "Magic Mourns"*
4- Magic Bleeds
4.5- "Magic Dreams"*
5- Magic Slays
5.3- "Magic Tests"*
5.4- "Magic Gifts"*
5.5- Gunmetal Magic
5.6- "Retribution Clause"*
6- Magic Rises- Release date: 07/30/13
*-short story
0.5 "A Questionable Client"

Synopsis-

A Questionable Client, is a prequel to her award-winning Kate Daniels series. In a world beset by magic waves, Kate Daniels works as a mercenary. She is tired, hungry, and there is foul-smelling blood on her boots. All she wants to do is to go home, but when Mercenary Guild offers her a job she can't refuse, she finds herself protecting a man against Russian wizards.

My Thoughts:

This was an excellent preview of what is to come. There was a lot of action as well as a bit of mystery/suspense. Kate Daniels is a kick-ass heroine and I am so excited to read this series (finally)

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

"A Questionable Client" can be found in the anthologies:

Dark and Stormy Knights and Magic Graves (links will take you to Goodreads).

Magic Bites (Kate Daniels #1) by Ilona Andrews

Synopsis-

When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings; and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league but she wouldn't have it any other way...

My Thoughts:

I forgot so much of this I had to re-read it and was quickly absorbed in the story. There were some parts I vaguely recalled, but not many. The world building doesn't overwhelm the reader it sucks you in and makes you want more. The action does not stop. The book starts with the murder of Kate's guardian and her taking on the task of finding the killer. I won't go into many details as I don't want to spoil anything. Suffice it to say this is certainly a must read and what I am sure is going to be a fantastic series!

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Add to Goodreads
Buy it from Amazonor Barnes & Noble.
Ilona Andrews on Goodreads and her Website

Wildest Dreams (Fantasyland #1) by Kristen Ashley

Goodreads Summary:

Seoafin "Finnie" Wilde was taught by her parents that life was meant to be lived, every breath was a treasure and to seek every adventure she could find. And she learns this lesson the hard way when they perish in a plane crash when she's fifteen. But she never forgets and when she discovers there is a parallel universe where every person has a twin, she finds a witch who can send her there so she can see her parents again and have the adventure of a lifetime.

But nearly upon arrival in the Winter Wonderland of Lunwyn, she realizes she's been played by her twin of the alternate universe and shortly finds herself walking down the aisle to be wed to The Drakkar.

Instantly thrown into inauspicious circumstances, with years of practice (she did, of course, survive that elephant stampede, if she could do that, she can do anything), Finnie bests the challenges and digs into her adventure. But as Frey Drakkar discovers the woman who is his new wife is not Princess Sjofn, a woman he dislikes (intensely) but instead, his Finnie, a free-spirit with a thirst for venture just like him (not to mention she is his destiny), without her knowledge he orders his new bride bound to his frozen world, everlasting.

My Thoughts:

I put this book off for a long time because it is over 450 pages. So it is true to form being a Kristen Ashley book. Once I started reading the pages just flew by amd it didn't seem nearly as long as it is.

This is the first book in the Fantasyland series and it is definitely off to a great start! I am a fan of time travel romances and that is exactly what this is. It is a mix of Fantasy, time travel and also has some paranormal creatures. It is definitely one that spans several romance genres and one I recommend as well!

Overall Rating: 4.5 out of 5

Buy it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or Smashwords.
Find Kristen Ashley on her Website or Goodreads.

The Palaver Tree by Wendy Unsworth

Goodreads Summary:

Africa; beautiful, serene ... and often, deadly. Lives and fortunes change in the blink of an eye. Now that she is alone, volunteering at a school in the Central African Republic of Ducana seems like everything schoolteacher Ellie Hathaway needs. Here is the opportunity to get away from the sleepy Cornish village where recent tragedy still haunts her and with it comes the chance to help the children's charity her friend has worked so tirelessly to promote. But dark forces and ambitions are in play long before Ellie’s arrival in the dusty town of Limba. Even as she begins to believe she can at last find true happiness, she realises that something at the school is very wrong. Is this really the place of loving and giving she had first thought it to be, and is headmaster, Gabriel Cole, really their guardian angel? With so many questions left unanswered Ellie struggles to decide what she must do, but then political chaos descends and suddenly Ellie finds herself more alone than she had ever imagined she could be....

My Thoughts:

I really enjoyed this book once it started to pick up. It had a slow start and took me awhile to really get into it. However, once it picked up I had trouble putting it down.

I liked the characters and enjoyed reading their story. There is a lot about politics in this book, which isn't something I usually go for. In this case it worked for me. Overall I really think this story is worth reading and quite enjoyable.

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Add it to Goodreads
Buy from Amazon

Nightfall by Lois Gresh

Goodreads Summary:

NEW ADULT PARANORMAL ROMANCE WITH A ZING! CAN TRUE LOVE CONQUER BAD BLOOD? Forbidden love, yearning desire, and seduction.

Born from an ancient voodoo priestess clan, Alexandra Leveau falls in love with sexy vampire Vadim Blerinc. But these two are a dangerous match, and making love could literally kill them.

And then local townies begin to die. Can Alexandra and Vadim save the people around them? Can they overcome the curse that has hung over their families for centuries? Can true love conquer bad blood?

My Thoughts:

I was very quickly pulled into this story. The characters were amazing. Alexandra being a descendant/connected to the Voodoo Priestess Marie Leveau was fascinating to me. All the legends surrounding Marie have always held my interest and I loved the spin Lois has taken in this book.

Vadim is the sexy vampire that had me smitten from the beginning. His restraint was phenominal as was the chemistry between these characters.

I am looking forward to reading more of Lois's work in the future and I highly recommend Nightfall to fans of PNR and New Adult alike.

Nightfall on Goodreads, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Authors Website

Posts on Pages (2): Book Quotes

Posts on Pages

Who handwrites things these days? Not many people I'm sure. I'm a big list person so I'm always writing (and rewriting) lists, etc. and I thought it would be fun to do a series of Posts on Pages where Wendy and I will hand write blog posts. Please excuse any messy writing or white out marks :)

The topic of our second set of Posts on Pages is book quotes.

Stop back tomorrow for Jen's Posts on Pages.

If you missed our first Posts on Pages you can find them here and here.

- - - - -

"I can't be the star in your sky when you're the only star left shining in mine."

~Kristen Ashley, Rock Chick Reckoning

"One day you will kiss a man you can't breathe without, and find that breath is of little consequence."

~Karen Marie Moning, Bloodfever

"Tears could not be equal if I wept diamonds from the skies."

~Kim Harrison, Black Magic Sanction

"There's so much love in your life, but you don't recognize it. You won't let it in. That's why you feel so lonely, baby. Don't you get it. It's not them. It's you. You don't see it."

~Olivia Cunning, Hot Ticket

"It wasn't just me, and it wasn't just him, it was what we were together that was the exception."

~Jamie McGuire, Beautiful Disaster

Lover Eternal (Black Dagger Brotherhood #2) by J.R Ward

Goodreads Summary:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war raging between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret bound of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Owned by this dark side, Rhage fears the time when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant to Rhage's protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. She lost her faith in miracles years ago. But when Rhage's intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves...

My Thoughts:

I have absolutely no idea why it has taken me this long to continue this series. I read Dark Lover (BDB #1) in 2011 and never got around to the rest. I am correcting that mistake now!

I was sucked into this book immediately! If it wouldn't have been for my aweful cold I would have read it in one sitting. I love love loved Rhage! Mary was exactly what this damaged warrior needed.

I thought it was awesome that Mary was able to tame the beast inside Rhage. I confess I teared up at the "sacrifice" part of the book too.

J.R Ward has got me hooked on this series after only 2 books. Zsadist's book is next and I am diving in right away! I just love a man with scars, but I don't know if he will be able to top Rhage...

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Find Lover Eternal on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Goodreads.

J.R Ward can be found on her website.

You can view my review of Dark Lover on Goodreads.

Readers, I have to know... Who is your favorite Brother?

Ghost Hand (PSS Chronicles #1) by: Ripley Patton

Goodreads Summary:

Olivia Black just discovered that her ghost hand, a rare birth defect, can do more than light up a room. It can reach into people and pull things out. Things from the darkest depths of the human psyche never meant to exist in this world.

Olivia can pickpocket the soul.

But she can’t control her ability, or the strange items it extracts, and the only thing between Olivia and the men bent on taking the power of her hand is a boy she barely knows and doesn't trust.

My Thoughts:

I was quickly pulled into this story. I found the characters compelling and I just had to know more about them. Marcus and Olivia are great together, I am really looking forward to reading more about them in future books.

The storyline was unique and well thought out. I was taken by surprise by the slight plot twist and I am very eager for book 2! Ripley Patton is certainly an author to watch for. I very highly recommend this book for any fans of the Paranormal Romance genre. Ghost hand is classified as a YA paranormal thriller, but I would say it is more toward New Adult due to some of the content. Either way it is an excellent read.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Ghost Hand on Goodreads
Ghost Hand on Amazon

Author on Goodreads
Author's Website

Shadows of the Past by Carmen Stefanescu

Goodreads Summary:

When Anne and Neil leave on a one-week holiday hoping to reconcile after a two-year separation, little do they know that destiny has other plans for them. Their discovery of human bones and a bejeweled cross in the hollow of a tree open the door to the supernatural realm and the anguished life of Genevieve, a nun from medieval England.

Can Anne save her relationship and help Genevieve her eternal rest?

The twists and turns in this paranormal tale keep the reader guessing up to the end and weave themselves together into a quest to rekindle love.

My Thoughts:

This was a great story. It is a historical paranormal romance and it kept me guessing. I think that the mystery and suspense involved really made the book for me. I was trying to figure out what would happen next the entire time I was reading and never got it right. It didn't suck me in quite as fast as I thought it would, but it made up for it in the end. 

Overall Rating: 4 out of 5

Author on Goodreads
Authors website
Shadows of the past on Goodreads
Shadows of the past on Amazon
Shadows of the past on Barnes & Noble

Posts on Pages: Books that changed our reading habits

Posts on Pages

Who handwrites things these days? Not many people I'm sure. I'm a big list person so I'm always writing (and rewriting) lists, etc. and I thought it would be fun to do a series of Posts on Pages where Wendy and I will hand write blog posts. Please excuse any messy writing or white out marks :)

For our first set of Posts on Pages, we will show/write about books that have changed our reading habits.

I have been reading books of all kinds for as far back as I can remember. I was 19 when I read my first romance which was "The Mirror and the Magic" by Coral Saxe Smith. It is a Time Travel Romance and I loved it!

From then on I have mostly read romances. It wasn't long until I read my first PNR "Dark Guardian" by Christine Feehan *Gasp* It's the middle of the series! Sadly I didn't know this at the time, but have since started reading from the beginning.

My most recent change has been to Erotica, more specifically M/M romances  and that was because of "Conquest" by S.J. Frost.

I still enjoy all kinds of books but these three were the major changes in my book choices. Has any book changed your reading habits?

To see Jen's first Posts on Pages click here.

White Witch (Coven #1) by Trish Milburn

Goodreads Summary:

Witchcraft Is Her Family's Business.

No One Quits The Family And Lives To Tell About It.

"Jax" Pherson has power, enough power to know her future will end in service tothe dark coven her father controls.Unless she can stay hidden in a small community in the mountains of NorthCarolina. She must find a way to live without magic and deny the darkness she feels welling up inside her-the same dark power that fuels the covens around the world.

All she wants is a normal life. A boyfriend. Friends. Some place to belong, but alltoo soon Jax's barely begun new life hangs in the balance when she discovers that the boy she's attracted to is sworn to kill her kind.

He's a hunter with good reason tokill everything that goes bump in the night. Even the most fleeting use of her power is tantamount to signingher deathwarrant and will bring both hunter and coven down on her. But can she walk away when her friends are threatened by an old evil? Something created by the magic of witches?

Jax's only hope of survival is to convince the boy she loves to forget everything he's ever been taught and help her find a way tofight the covens. To believe there is some good in her.

My Thoughts:

I found myself pulled into this book from the very beginning. Once I started I couldn't stop reading and before I knew it I was at the end. The characters are a great match for each other despite their differences. I think I really liked that their relationship was forbidden (considering he is a hunter and she is a witch) but they overcame that. This is an excellent story and is very well written.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Trish's website
White Witch on Amazon
White Witch on Goodreads

Relativity (Proximity #2) by M.A. George

My review of Proximity (Proximity #1) by M.A. George

Goodreads Summary:

The wait is over! Relativity is the much-anticipated second book in the Proximity series:

No matter the planet, Palta Capal is an alien.

She’s lived a lifetime where she never belonged…but relocating to the “home world” she’s never seen has her feeling more like an outsider than ever.

Teetering between the thrill of newfound love and the despair of family loss—not to mention the looming threat of global war—Palta doesn’t need any more excitement in her life.

But what she needs and what she gets are two entirely different things.

My Thoughts:

This is the sequel to Proximity. I really enjoyed this story. It pulled me in fairly quickly and kept my attention. I liked the blend of action, mystery and romance in this one too. I will definitely continue the series and I would recommend it as well, especially for readers looking for something a little different.

Overall rating: 4 out of 5

Buy it on Amazon

Author on Goodreads

Authors website