Origins Review

Origins by Sean Hayden

Demonkin Book 1

RePublised September 2, 2014

5 BLOODY CLAWS AND FANGS!

"Urban Fantasy at its Bloody best. All Paranormal lovers will love this, regardless of gender."

Synopsis -

Being different is never easy, especially when you're a vampire.

Ashlyn is far from normal. She was born a vampire, a trait that makes her utterly unique. Knowing this, her family strived to keep her existence a secret. Tragedy forces her from hiding and hunger drives her into the open. Unfortunately, living in a world that has accepted, embraced, and yet still fears the supernatural is never a good place to stand out. Especially when the one who notices you wants you dead. The only people who can save her want to use her as well, but she's left with little choice. Ashlyn joins the FBI and becomes torn between two worlds. She can either be a monster, or she can help destroy them. (Goodreads)

Review -

This is one tale of "Who's the Daddy?" that would have even me watching Maury Povich. Readers won't be finding any romance within these pages. What they will find is plenty of action, blood and a sinisterly good plot. As Ashlyn tries in vane to discover what she truly is, readers will know from page one exactly that, and just which infamous demon spawned her.

Ashlyn would believe that she was a vampire as everyone else does, if it wasn't for all of the anomalies that is her. The biggest one of all being the fact that she was born this way, not made. It isn't until she is unexpectedly thrust into the real world, after growing up in compete seclusion, that she realizes just how many differences she truly has. 

After having gone two days without feeding, Ashlyn's hunger strikes with a vengeance. Only her thirst doesn't seem to be for human blood at all, unless it contains more than a taste of magic within its cells. So when she allows her nose to lead her to a vampire bar it could prove to be the either the best decision she has ever made, or the worst mistake of her unlife.

Readers will not be able to put Origins down until they reach the bloody end. This is a read not intended for the squeamish in any way, as it is filled with blood, violence and plenty of macabre mayhem. Sean Hayden has created a true monster, and one that is loyal to a fault. Walk into a world where all of the creatures that go bump in the night are a part your everyday society and policing them would be impossible had the FBI not brought about a task force comprised of their very brethren. And when the revelation is made at the end, the Demon in question will despise the phrase, "You are the Father!", but the question readers will be left with is will he do what he has been decreed?

Any and all fans of Urban Fantasy and Supernatural are sure to love this read, and be more than ready to get their hands on Book 2, Deceptions.

Accidentally...Over? Review

Accidentally...Over? by Mimi Jean Pamflioff (ARC Review)
Accidentally Yours Book 5
Published August 26, 2014 by Forever Yours
4.75 BLOODY FANGS & CELESTIAL STARS!

"Well, the series that accidentally became one my favorites has come to an end, or has it?"

Review -

The time has come for Cimil to pay for all of her crimes. As she sits back and enjoys her incarceration the question remains, will she be enjoying a giant bowl of popcorn while watching the apocalypse begin, or still attempting to prevent it? Or planning a giant hoopla to celebrate it? Her victim of the day is Maax, though it turns out she has been using him for a very long time. Though now he may finally get his reward, after he jumps through a few more fiery hoops.

Cimil sends Max on one final mission; to go back in time to save the only person able to stop the Apocalypse. No problem right? Wrong. There are a few catches; 1) Death has its eyes set on this mystery woman. 2) He must save her in her own time, as a mortal. 3) She has to stay in her own time. Easy simple tasks, if she hadn't turned out to be his. And saving her life seems to be a tasks even harder to accomplish than evading the end of the world. Oh, and he's still invisible. So what's a god to do when faced with such enormous tasks set out by a sister who is one of the craziest beings alive and always has something up her sleeve?

Ashli Rosewood is beginning to think she has lost her ever loving mind. Not only does she keep dreaming of her own demise, but the being she believes to be the god of death. Only instead of fearing him she lusts after him. Ever since losing her parents Ashli has felt not only the guilt of surviving, but that Death was out to get her. So when Maax steps into her life, she is more than sure he is there to end hers. But if/when she decides that may not be what he after, her world is turned beyond upside down.

In this final ride of the Accidentally Yours Series just may blow a gasket from laughing so hard, and be watching the ground closely for banana peels. Every answer to every question will finally be answered, and the full extent to all of Cimil's plans will be revealed. And we finally learn what the hell Jess, Ann and Nichole are!!!! See, I waited so patiently, as I am sure all of you did as well. This is a must read for any and all who have read the series.  Those of you who haven't, what are you waiting for? Full of action, not toooo much drama, laughter, mayhem, love and a whole lot of fun. Sadly, there isn't that much bloodshed in this final book, and I really would have loved one more bloody battle with all of the gods battling it out with the Scabs and Obscuros. But all of the dark humor did indeed make up for that. This series is for all readers, regardless of gender, that love their humor dark, deadly and sinister. And completely unpredictable, a truly unique read, which is a rare find these days. One will not be able to say, 'didn't I just read this same thing happening in a different book?' Really, I haven't heard of many invisible deities who were made in invisible as a punishment to a crime that wasn't even really a crime who could travel through time and do other very manly deeds.

So fans of Krestley Cole, Sherrilyn Kenyon and Kerrelyn Sparks, be sure to make this series your next read. And when you do, be sure to pick up the entire series at once. When reading this series, readers will not want to stop until they get to the very end.

Vampires Need Not...Apply? Review

Vampires Need Not Apply? by Mimi Jean Pampfiloff (ARC Review)
Accidentally Yours Book 4
5 Bloody Fangs and Galactic Stars!

"Most titles in this series have hidden meanings, turns out this installment has more than just one."

Synopsis -

This is book 4 in the New York Times and USA Today bestselling Accidentally Yours paranormal romance series. 

Meet Dr. Antonio Acero. Heir to Spain's wealthiest family, world-renowned physicist, and dedicated bachelor. While on vacation in southern Mexico, Antonio discovers an ancient Mayan tablet. Local legends say it contains magical properties, properties that could put his stalling research on the map. 

But is this really his lucky break? 

When Antonio attempts to put the tablet to use, he'll discover that Fate has other plans. Her name is Ixtab, and she's quite possibly the deadliest deity who ever lived.

Approx. 85,000 words. (Goodreads)

The Accidentally Yours Series 

BOOK 1: Accidentally in Love with...a God?

BOOK 2: Accidentally Married to...a Vampire?

BOOK 3: Sun God Seeks...Surrogate?

BOOK 3.5: Accidentally...Evil? (a Novella)

BOOK 4: Vampires Need Not...Apply?

BOOK 4.5: Accidentally...Cimil? (a Novella) (Coming in January 2014)

BOOK 5: Accidentally...Over? (Coming in August 2014)

Review -

I have yet to come across one book in this series that I dislike.  Its as though Pamfiloff has conjured Krestley Cole, Lynsay Sands, Sherrilyn Kenyon (because if characters from different books could be related, Cimil would most definitely be at Simi and Nucking Futs Nix family reunion) and Kerrilyn Sparks, and mixed them with the talented, darkly passionate brain that is all her. Readers can feel the passion she has coming off in waves from each and every page, fall in love with all of her characters, both the good ones and the bad. She is also one of the few authors that have taken the time to actually do her research on the Pantheons and incorporated it in this series, blending all into one, well fourteen, nutty gods. Mostly, her biggest goal has been accomplished ten-fold, bringing smiles to the faces of her readers, when they need it most. There has been many a day where I have been on the verge of going on a homicidal rampage that would give Ixtab, Goddess of Suicide, a run for her money, but getting lost in the world that she creates helps to laugh off some of the flames.  Mimi Jean's humor is nicely dark and twisted, just the way I like it.

Vampires Need Not...Apply? features the goddess none of the others would ever want to trade titles with, the Goddess of Suicide.  Ixtab feels as though she is cursed even more-so than all of the others, since she can't allow any living creature to touch her, even cats, without them instantly committing suicide, in various creative ways.  What drove her to begin wearing her black veil and shapeless clothing was one death that has taken her two centuries to get over, her mate.  So when she comes face to face with the womanizing physicist she has been charged to help, and she finds herself staring into the same face as her Francisco sparks fly, just not the kind with butterflies and rainbows.  After seeing what an arrogant pig he presents himself as, she is ready to walk away and let Fate take over, until she realizes she can touch him without killing him.

Dr. Antonio Acero is dead set on discovering the secrets of the tablet and to open the portal in can create, and not just to save humanity.  Acero's driving force is to save his brother from a father that gives the term Dead Beat Dad a whole new meaning, but his time is running out.  And when a chain of events leads to him becoming a Vampire at Ixtab's request he's ready to rip her head off, since it puts a rather huge flaw in his plans. Though she seems to drive him stark raving mad, he can't deny the pull he feels toward her, even before he sees how beautiful she is. And her simple touch makes him realize the necessity of vampires wearing triple stitch leather pants. The real question is, why is he so ready to accept a world where vampires, deities and other such creatures exist? Is he, a man of science, truly that open minded? Or is he something else altogether.

And my question: WHO AND WHAT THE HELL ARE ANN AND JESS?! The question has yet to be answered and is driving me bonkers. We have seen the duo interact and befriend quite a few of the women, tho never with all of them at once. And exactly what is Cimil up to, and what is her end game? Seems as though all of the chaos she created is leading up to a devastating outcome. Only question: will it stop the Apocalypse, or actually cause it? Hopefully those questions will be answered soon.

Do not do this book the injustice of reading it as a Stand Alone, while it can be done, you will not receive the full impact. Even the Novella's must be read. Fans will be happy with all of the interactions with characters we know and love, and a reunion that will cause a few tears to be shed.

Accidentally...Evil?

Accidentally...Evil? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff (ARC Review)
Accidentally Yours Book 3.5
RePublished April 30, 2013 by Forever Yours
5 Mystical Stars!

"Without evil there would be no need for heroes, and life would be a lot more dull."

Synopsis -

Backlum Chaam, the God of Male Virility, wasn't always such a bad guy. Before his heart turned black and his biggest goal in life became destroying mankind, he was just like any god. Compassionate, loyal, and dedicated. So where did it all go wrong? Sometimes broken hearts don't heal... (Goodreads)

Review -

Did it really all go wrong?  Or did it go exactly according to plan? Looks as though our favorite do-badder is up to her usual antics. The question readers will be left hanging with is why.

Accidentally...Evil? answers more questions than readers even thought to ask. It has been assumes since book 1 that Chaam had been evil from the beginning,  simply tired of his lot in life, as most of the other gods fans have come to know and love. Turns out we couldn't have been farther from the truth. And the reason for his descent will have not only readers in tears, but even el loco, Cimil. The reason for exuberance is also brought to light in this novella.

In this heart-wrenching, darkly hilarious novella, with a devastating ending, readers will fall madly in love with the most hated of all of the gods, as did his mate, Maggie.  Though most novellas fail to give a believable love story in such few pages, that is not the case here. Both except  what fate has lay before them. Only their happily ever after is very short lived.

Some may be tempted to skip this book, I strongly advise against doing so. It is a very important aspect to this series, and an extremely enjoyable read.

Midnight Dawn Review

Midnight Dawn by Jocelyn Adams (ARC Review)
Mortal Machine Book 2
Published August 4, 2014 by Entangled Embrace
4 Galactic Stars

"Sometimes your soul knows exactly what it is you need, even if your mind has yet to realize it."

Synopsis -

A new adult title from Entangled’s Embrace imprint…

Her soul remembers his touch, even if she doesn’t.

With only three days until the wraith king turns the earth into an all-you-can-eat buffet, Addison Beckett is forced to enlist brooding sentinel Asher Green’s help to unlock the Mortal Machine. According to the founder, all she has to do is find the sanctuary—the same sanctuary she can’t remember because Asher erased her memories.

Trying to save humanity while navigating Asher’s lies is a royal pain. But the more time she and Asher spend together, the harder her soul tries to remind her what else he’s made her forget—that he loves her, wants her, needs her.

When she’s trapped by the wraith king and forced to pick who will stand by her in the coming battle, Addison is faced with an impossible choice: the sentinel she loves who refuses to love her back, or a powerful stranger who insists they’re meant to be together. Her decision will decide the fate of humanity, and once decided, can’t be undone.  (Goodreads)

Review -

Think The Mortal Instruments minus the incest and with a much more complex storyline. Adams brings a brand new world to the page, one that may have readers second guessing their beliefs.  And while Addison may still be viewing everything through lust-filled eyes, she has finally decided to be the Architect she was always meant to be.  Though a lot of her obsessive musings about a man who seemingly wants nothing to do with her, and does his best to drive him away at every turn, do distract from the story and will have readers wanting to slap the stupid out of her.  In the end it will be explained why she has such an infatuation with him, and it goes even deeper than the brief relationship they had in Book 1, Darkside Sun. 

Addison has no memories of her life before the Machine, which makes it that much easier for her to accept her role as the Architect.  Sadly, not many others trust her enough to follow her lead.  Trying to convince the other Guardians that she is there to help and rebuild the Machine will be an even bigger battle than facing the Wraith King.  Especially after she has killed Marcus, and tells them what she believes each and every one of them to do, have physical contact with one another.  After what happened with Taka's girlfriend decades ago, only a handful of people are willing to take that risk.  The problem is if they do not the Mortal Machine will never reach its true potential, nor will they have enough power to defeat the wraiths and save humanity.  Addison also must deal with the wholes in her memory.  She knows that she asked Asher to erase her past in order to protect her father, but there are even more wholes than there should be.  Memories from after she was already in the Machine, and echoes of those memories are haunting, and taunting her.

Asher has been plagued by what he believes to be premonitions of Addison's death.  So he has convinced himself that taking away her memories of the two of them together, of the love they shared, and staying away from her, he can prevent it.  What he fails to realize is the two of them together are much stronger than either of them are apart.  And when the Wraith King continues to call Addison by the name of Adaline, teasing that the two of them have no clue who they truly are, will he realize those premonitions just may be echoes of his own memories.

Enter a strange new Guardian who comes in just the nick of time to save the day.  One willing to go to any length to get Addison, and the Machine, whole and ready and at the apex of their potential.  Only question is, why is he so determined?  Why has he been exiled from the Machine all this time?  More importantly, do they have yet another trader in their mists?

Midnight Dawn is one of those can't-put-down-until-I-finish type of book, the kind where you tell yourself, 'Just one last chapter...'.  A true must read for PNR and Sci-Fi fans.  There is romance, but not so much that it exceeds the entire plot.  Just ignore some of her inner monologue.

Accidentally Married to...a Vampire? Review

Accidentally Married To....A Vampire? by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff (ARC Review)
Accidentally Yours Book 2
Re-Published March 5, 2013 by Forever
5 Bloody Fangs

"Dark humor, dark love and action packed with a good dose of violence, what more could a girl ask for?"

Synopsis -

“If you love her, set her free. If she comes back, she’s yours. If she doesn’t…Christ! Stubborn woman! Hunt her down, and bring her the hell back; she’s still yours according to vampire law.”

- Niccolo DiConti, General of the Vampire Queen’s Army.

THE DETERMINED VAMPIRE: Niccolo DiConti has faithfully served as leader of Her Majesty’s army for over a millennium, but he’d rather sunbathe in the Sahara than spend another grueling day under his demented queen’s command. However, no one has ever left her side and lived to tell. So when a powerful goddess prophesies he will meet his salvation—a human woman he must turn into a vampire with her consent—he eagerly rises to the challenge. After all, how hard could it be to seduce a human female into taking the immortal plunge? Harder than he thinks. Because his mate won’t be born for another three centuries, and when he wakes up in the goddess’ tomb, not only is his life a mess, but his destined female isn’t about to settle for a coldhearted vampire. Can he win her over before it’s too late? Not if his enemies have anything to do with it. 

AN UNWILLING BRIDE: On the night Helena Strauss meets the fierce, devastatingly handsome vampire who saves her life in the jungles of Mexico, she knows her world will be forever changed. Because an attraction this mind blowing only comes along once in a lifetime—or existence. And when he claims she is his one true mate, destined to be his for all eternity, it’s a fairytale come true. So what if her knight in shining armor is a vampire? Nobody’s perfect. But discovering the powerful, overbearing immortal doesn’t “do love”? Deal breaker. Helena will flee and set out to accomplish the impossible…sever the otherworldly bond between them. And it turns out, Helena is just the leverage Niccolo’s enemies need to break the mighty warrior and wipe out his people.  (Goodreads)

Review -

If Krestley Cole and Kerrelyn Sparks had a love child, her name would be Mimi Jean Pamfiloff.  When sitting down to read any book in the Accidentally Yours Series, be prepared to laugh, cry, cringe and lose a good nights sleep.  Accidentally Married to...a Vampire will take readers on an emotional roller coaster ride that all Paranormal lovers are sure to enjoy.

Cimil, a Goddess who would make Nucking Futs Nix proud, is still up to her old tricks when a vampire, Niccolo Diconti, comes seeking her help.  Instead of just giving him straight forward advice (I mean, really, where is the fun in that?) she gives him the advice he "needs".  And knowing that he will not survive the 300 years it will take for his salvation to even be born, she knocks him out, for 300 years.  While he's sleeping she gifts him with a lil surprise.  

Niccolo is more than sure he will have no trouble at all doing as Cimil has told him, after-all, as gorgeous as he is it can't be too hard to seduce his mate.  After living for thirteen centuries, surviving countless battles, leading the Vampire Army, earning the name of the Executioner, it seems winning over his Vampire Bride may be the hardest challenge he has ever faced.  Because when it comes to matters of the heart he is completely clueless, especially since he never realized how much trust played into the equation.  Trust is very hard to build when you have been forbade to reveal the secrets of your world.  It is even harder when the person you are trying desperately to avoid any and all questions from just happens to be a scientist.  His heated and passionate kisses can only hold her off of demanding answers for so long.

Helena is willing to except the fact that not only is Niccolo a vampire, seeing as she is a scientists whom studies things of the unnatural variety it isn't exactly that far stretched for her, and even the fact that he cannot reveal any secrets of his world until she has been transformed.  But, when he tells vampires are unable to love, she wants out, and she doesn't just sit around twiddling her thumbs but takes matters into her own hands and escapes her penthouse prison.  Which takes her on the adventure of a lifetime; running across a drop dead scrumptious looking Demilord with plans of his own, a bar full of leather-clad men with the same sexual preferences as her own, and face to face with the sadistic Vampire Queen that is the ultimate proof of how dangerous it can be for a vampires mate to be human.  

Unpredictability at its best, readers will be guessing as to what will happen from one page to the next and won't experience even one dull moment.  A true must read for Paranormal and PNR lovers everywhere.

Echoes in the Darkness Review

Echoes in the Darkness by Jane Godmn (ARC Review)
Published July 7, 2014 by Harlequin E
5 CREEPY CHILLS!

"Some Legacies are so dark that not the strongest of loves can revert them."

Synopsis -

Not betrothed, but beguiled.

In artistic circles she is the Divine Dita, Paris’ most sought-after nude model. But now she’s not so much posing as playing a role: fiancée to the next Earl of Athal. The charade is a favor to Dita’s friend, Eddie Jago, a dissolute painter…and the aforementioned heir. As deceptions go, it is innocent compared with what will come.

On the grim Cornish coast, from the ashes of a ruined castle rises the Jagos’ sumptuous new manor house. The fresh-hewn stone, however, cannot absorb the blood of centuries or quiet the echoes of past crimes. Dita struggles to decipher the family: the infirm Earl and his inscrutable wife; resentful Eddie; sheltered sister Eleanor. And Cad: the handsome second son whose reputation is spotless in business—scandalous everywhere else.

Drawn by friendship, ensnared by lust, Dita uncovers a sordid tangle of murder, desire and madness. It will lay her bare as no portraitist has done before.  (Goodreads)

Review -

Godman has truly mastered the art of Gothic Romance.  Every aspect needed to create the scene for a truly epic dark romance is within these pages; dark and deadly atmosphere, chills running up and down your spine, forbidden and dangerous love, question in the back of the readers mind if the lover is truly the killer and will he/she murder the one they love.

Many readers may have questioned the how wise of a choice it was for Lucy and Tynan to have children knowing the ghastly legacy they were passing on.  Especially when they ended up having three children, two sons and a daughter, in essence recreating the doomed trio of Uther, Demelza and Tynan's father.  If anyone were to know just how real the Jago Legacy was, it would be them.  Maybe the two fated lovers believed their love was so great that with the right upbringing of their children, they could overcome the curse of the name Jago.  Sadly, they couldn't have been more wrong.  Especially when they bring the family back to the Athal estate, rebuilding and renaming the castle to Tenebris, as though that would cleanse the old blood within its very soil.  Lucy and Tynan's mistake will cause countless others their lives.

Arwen Jago has been born again to the Jago line, the question readers will be questioning is to which brother?  The quiet Eddie, reluctant heir who despises the Jago name and the very walls Tenebris feel as though they are closing in on him, and ripping away his sanity.  Or is it Cad, the wild, scandalous Jago, who is the spitting image of Arwen and Uther, from the hair to the eyes, to the sinister smile.  And has Demelza been born again in the youngest Jago, Elizabeth?  And is Elizabeth even the youngest Jago?

Dita Vargo is the new lead in this dark tale, one with a sordid past of her own.  On the run from a man who has sworn to get her back at any cost, she is forced to remove her clothes for money, as a nude model.  Her only rule, no artists is to ever paint her face, for fear that her not so secret admirer will learn of her whereabouts.  So when she is warned by a friend that he is close, and Eddie her dear friend, asks her to accompany him to Cornwall, it seems the perfect escape.  Little does she know that she will be stepping into more danger, not less.

Echoes in the Darkness is a beautiful and epic Gothic Romance, keeping readers guessing until the very end, and leave goosebumps on every inch of the skin.  This incarnation of Arwen Jago will give Jack the Ripper a run for his money and have Norman Bates looking like a saint.

Q&A With D. B. Reynolds

Q&A With D. B. Reynolds

Author of the Vampires in America Series'

Where is it that your vampires originate? Fallen angels, or were they simply spawned from hell? 

It’s unclear in my universe who the very first vampire was, or where he came from, but it definitely wasn’t heaven or hell. My vampires carry a virus-like symbiote in their blood which changes them physically. There’s magic, too, because all of my vampires, but especially the vampire lords, have skills/talents that can’t be explained by currently known science. 

What do you think of authors who have no love for the genre, yet try to just throw in a couple sets of fangs and call it a paranormal? 

One of the great things about writing in the paranormal genre is that you can write pretty much anything you want. As a reader, however, I like my paranormal characters to observe the well-established traditions of paranormal creatures. Some modification is great, like what J. R. Ward did with her vampires/Black Dagger Brothers. And my vampires, for example, aren’t risen from the dead. But it takes more than a set of fangs to make a vampire, and I prefer books/authors who understand that. 

When you write, do you feel yourself being pulled into the world you create?

Oh, definitely. When I emerge from hours of writing, it can take a while to adjust back to the real world.  

Do you have a set schedule for when and where you write? Or just whenever the words come to you? Or when your characters are screaming in your head to get out? 

I write pretty much every night, and I usually start at the same time and stay up very, very late. Like all night long. As for my characters screaming at me, if I go too long without writing, my brain starts to itch until I get back to it again.

Is there anyone, someone you knew personally or otherwise, that inspired you to become a writer? 

I was fortunate enough to have the encouragement of several wonderful people, both friends and family. But there’s no one person who inspired me.

Did you always picture yourself as a writer, or did you have another fantasy career?

I ended up in a career that had nothing to do with my university major, and it was a job I really enjoyed. But the only career I ever dreamed of was being a writer. 

If you could be any one of your characters, who would you be? Who would you be with? 

I’d want to be Cyn, which means I’d have to be with Raphael. It’s a tough job, but someone’s gotta do it.

Would you like to see your books on screen? Or do you think they'd screw up too badly? Like they usually do.  Lol

I’d love to see my stories on–screen, but, yeah, I’d worry about what they would do to them. One needn’t look too far to see the distortion of a wonderful series (cough, True Blood, cough.)

What do you think of television today? Has it gone to hell in a hand basket with all the supposed reality TV? 

I don’t watch any reality TV at all. On the other hand, there are many excellent programs still on TV.  Supernatural and Grimm are just two examples of great paranormal stories currently on TV. Black List and Justified are two non-paranormal series with brilliant writing. 

How do you feel about authors taking history as we know it and intertwining Vampires; Abraham Lincoln Vampire Slayer, the Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot, the DarKyn series? 

As long as they’re well-written, I think it’s great and innovative. As a history buff, I thought Seth Grahame-Smith’s Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter was creative and fun, and I love Lynn Viehl’s DarKyn stories.

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Raphael Book 1  (Click here for Review)

Malibu, California-home to rock-and-roll gods and movie stars, the beautiful, the rich . . . and vampires.

Powerful and charismatic, Raphael is a Vampire Lord, one of the few who hold the power of life and death over every vampire in existence. Thousands call him Master and have pledged absolute loyalty on their very lives. But when, in a brazen and deadly daylight attack, a gang of human killers kidnaps the one female vampire he'd give his life for, Raphael turns to a human investigator to find his enemies before it's too late.

Cynthia Leighton is smart, tough and sexy, a private investigator and former cop who's tired of spying on cheating spouses and digging out old bank accounts. When Raphael asks for her help in tracking down the kidnappers, Cyn's happy to accept. But she soon realizes her greatest danger comes not from the humans, but from Raphael himself.

Battling Russian mobsters and treacherous vampires, and betrayed by those they trusted, Cyn and Raphael find themselves fighting for their lives while caught up in a passion of blood and violence that is destined to destroy them both.  (Goodreads)

Jabril Book 2 (Click here for Review)

Houston, Texas-Cowboy boots, baseball and journeys to the stars . . . right? Wrong. Because Houston is also home to Jabril Karim, one of the eight powerful Vampire Lords who control all of North America. And as Private Investigator Cynthia Leighton will soon discover, not all Vampire Lords are created equal. For Jabril is the face of evil in the new world, a vampire who values no life but his own, who enslaves those he desires, steals whatever he covets and destroys anyone who stands in his way. 

Running from L.A. and its seductive Vampire Lord, Raphael, Cyn sees the Houston job as a welcome refuge, a place to get away and heal her broken heart. But Texas will be no vacation. For in Jabril Karim, Cyn will confront a true enemy, one who will go to any lengths to satisfy his lusts, enrich his coffers and expand his power. Fighting for the lives of two young sisters, Cyn's journey will take her through the streets of Houston and back to L.A., where the human police are determined to bring Raphael down for the murder of one of their own. 

But the danger doesn't end there. For Jabril has set his sights on Cyn, and he will stop at nothing to have her.  (Goodreads)

Book 3 (Click here for Review)

RAJMUND GREGOR is a vampire . . . and the undisputed Master of New York City. He bows to no one but his Sire, Krystof, who is the Vampire Lord for the entire Northeastern U.S. Based in Buffalo, NY, Krystof is an old vampire—-too old, it would seem, because he’s slowly losing his mind. Summoned back to Buffalo by his Sire, Rajmund finds his master out of touch and rapidly weakening. He knows the territory will crumble if something isn’t done, and he’s the only one of Krystof’s children strong enough to seize power. But there’s also the matter of some missing women and a rogue vampire who seems to be moving in for the kill.

SARAH STRATTON has a secret, one she’s never shared with anyone–—at least not anyone who knows her now, not even her good friend Cyn. It’s a secret that could destroy her carefully constructed life, but it’s one she may have to share with a vampire, if she’s going to save the lives of the missing women.  (Goodreads)

Vampires in America

The Guardians Review

Feel the Fire by Jennifer Raygoza (ARC Review)
The Guardians Book 1
Re-Published April 13, 2014 by Vamptasy Publishing
4 Bloody Fangs

"A new bloodthirsty take in the ever growing world of Vampirsm."

Synopsis - 

I thought I had life all figured out. We live. We suffer pain. We die. Death never bothered me much. It is love that scares the hell out of me, because love makes you weak, and in my line of work there is no room for that. My name is Gianna Botticelli. I am the daughter and only female employee of a Los Angeles mafia boss. Today was supposed to be like any other day, and then Caleb walked into my life. 

He is sexy and mysterious and knows things he shouldn’t. I don’t like it at all, but I can’t help the way he makes me feel inside. There is something different about him. What is he? All I know is that after meeting Caleb, things will never be the same as he introduces me into his world, an unknown world where the battle of good versus evil rages on. 

Sacrifices will be made, hearts will break and lives will be taken. How far am I willing to take this journey, I keep asking myself? If I have to sacrifice myself to save everyone and everything then the answer is easy. All the way.  (Goodreads)

Review -

This is the most original Vampire novel I have read in a very long time.  And for this to not only be the first book in a series', but the first novel for Raygoza, it was truly a great read.  Raygoza has that rare natural knack for pulling readers in and keeping them begging for more.  The tails she spins on her vampires is a truly unique one indeed, and in a good way.  Readers will feel her passion coming off of the pages, and vampire lovers of any gender will be able to appreciate every aspect, from the love, the lust to the pure unadulterated violence.  Think of it as the Godfather meets Dracula.  Gianna goes from being mafia princess to Vampire Queen, and the trials and tribulations she experiences along the way turns her into a true force to be reckoned with.

When Gianna takes on a job to pick up an associate for her father, never did she imagine the letter she hands over to the two rather pale gentlemen will alter her fate.  The attraction and pull she feels towards one of them, Caleb, is a dangerous one, and she doesn't trust it, or him.  Especially when her father invites him to stay in their home, something he has never done.  But something that saves her life in the long run, and also turns her entire life upside down, taking her into a dark world she never knew existed.  One that, as it turns out, she was always destined to to be a part of.  A dark world where vampires exist, either born or made, some dead set on destroying the human race, the Dark Angels, and others sworn to protect them, The Guardians, and she is a part of both, making her both different, stronger and wanted by both factions.

Gianna comes to learn that being a vampire is even more dangerous than being in the mafia, at least there she knew all of the rules.  Being a vampire, the rules seem to change with every step she takes.  Though along the way she meets some very interesting characters who quickly become her family; a childlike sweetheart with prophetic visions, a nemesis; a vixen with attitude to spare, suitors of her affection; one she feels the same strange pull for, one from her past that just can't seem to let go in both life and undeath and one she can't stand to even be in the same room with, and old family turned into the enemy against their will.  And the sacrifice she makes in the end may save both her old world and the new one.

The Guardians seems to be one of those rare series' that will have fans from every generation and gender, taking the world by storm and keeping readers glued to the page.  Granted, there are a few rocky points, like how quickly Caleb and Gianna fall so deep in love after she faces such a devastating tragedy and is completely uprooted from the world she knows, and maybe just a tad more clarity on the Angel aspect.  Though that may be just me and my anal stickler for detail.  All and all, The Guardians is truly a must read for all vampire lovers.  Full of violence, blood, lust, betrayal, loyalty, brutal battles and real vampires.

The Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot Review

The Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot (ARC Review)
Published April 15, 2014 by Koehler Books
5 BLOODY FANGS!!!

"The phrase 'I forgive you' can truly be a powerful thing."

Synopsis - 

Of all the people who ever lived, surely Judas Iscariot, history’s most notorious betrayer, must be in hell. Or maybe not.

After watching the crucifixion of Jesus, Judas despairs over what he has done and fumes that the Messiah he put his trust in has turned out to be just another pretender like all the rest. The toxic mix of emotions is too much for him to bear and Judas commits suicide by hanging himself.

He is restored to life by the Devil and made into a vampire apostle. The Devil teaches Judas to manipulate men and history. He becomes a king, a general, a teacher and a blacksmith, whatever is needed to effect the outcome of history and move it towards the goal of his new master.

Each time he is ready to move on to his next incarnation he must drink the blood of an innocent victim to be restored to his youthful vigor. But despite his many powers and abilities Judas knows there is one thing he desires and cannot have. Finally Judas meets a laicized priest, Raymond Breviary, and tries to steal from him what he was denied two thousand years before.  (Goodreads)

Review - 

This is a true must-read for true vampire lovers, male or female.  The takes this author gives on both historical and biblical events is beyond amazing.  Powerful, devine, sadistic, shocking, those are only some of the best ways to describe The Last Confession of the Vampire Judas Iscariot.

The story starts back in biblical history when Judas betrays Jesus Christ.  The guilt and more-so the anger he feels  at being betrayed driving him to commit suicide, and the Devil stepping in to resurrect him, as a vampire.  Feeding Judas' anger for more than two thousand years, egging him on to get the vengeance he so rightfully deserves, the Father of all Lies drives Judas to help history along the side of Evil.  Judas not seeing the truth of what is really going on.  From the fall of the Roman Empire to the birth of Vlad Dracul himself, Judas plays a part in many of the world's most prominent events, thinking himself to be the true Messiah.  All he needs to become a true Anti-Christ is the life blood of a Priest.  Which up until now has been beyond his grasp.  Though as events play out, he and the Devil both may have met their match.

A gripping, intriguing tale that will have readers desperate to know what happens next, and questioning everything they thought they knew.  Not for the faint of heart, definitely for every vampire fan out there. 

Illusion Review

Illusion by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Chronicles of Nick Book 5
Published April 1, 2014 by St. Martins Griffin
5 DEMONIC FANGS!!!!


"While some try to run away their past, Nick is in a perpetual race to change his future."

Synopsis - 

Be careful what you wish for…

You just might get it.

Nick Gautier is tired of his destiny. He doesn’t want to be the son of a demon who’s fated to end the world. Nor does he want to see another demon or other preternatural creature who wants to kill or enslave him. He just wants to be normal and have normal problems like everyone else.

But normality isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. When he gets sucked into an alternate reality where his mother has married his mentor and his Atlantean god best friend has become a human geek, he begins to understand that no life is free of pain, and that every person has a specific place in the universe… Even the son of a hated demon.

Most of all, he sees that his powers aren’t the curse he thought they were, and that the world needs a champion, especially one its enemies can’t imagine rising up to defend the ones he should destroy.

Old enemies and new friends square off for a major battle that will either restore Nick to his real world, or end him forever.  (Goodreads)

Review -

One of the best books in the series', Illusion is the first in the Chronicles of Nick series that will bring a tear or two to readers eyes.  The heartfelt scene between Nick and his Dad is one that will leave an impression in readers minds for years to come.  The name is also the most apt, as Nick finds himself in a world that he thinks is nothing more than a dream, though the reality of his situation is much worst.  When Kody and Caleb cast a binding spell on Nick's Malachi powers, they didn't take into consideration just how vulnerable they were leaving him.

Ambrose has been on a desperate quest to change his future, helping his past self along the way, desperate to do whatever it takes to change his fate and that of the worlds'.  Only this time, he won't be able to help at all.  Nick has been thrown into a whole other dimension; one where different decisions have been made changing the lives of everyone he knows and loves, including Ash, Kyrian, Tabitha and Simi.  One where Caleb is still his best-friend, but not a demon.  Where Bubba is only known as Michael, but, he never stopped playing pro football and his wife is Cherise, and yes, he is Nick's Dad, making Nick one-hundred percent normal, and human.  Something he has been wishing for from the very beginning, but like the old saying goes, be careful what you wish for cause you just may get it.  Because the body that he's in now is making it a whole lot harder to fight off all of the demons, witches, ghosts, including his own evil army, that are all out for his blood, with not a single power to his name.  Not to mention the body he's stuck in is scrawnier, shorter and has probably never been in a real fight.  And while he desperately fights for his life in a body not his own, his true body is left vulnerable with the Nick of this dimension trapped inside screaming like a little girl and if he doesn't get to it in time, it will be a permanent lights out.

Illusion is a fast paced novel that should definitely not be read as a stand alone, and is a must-read for fans, especially those also following the Dark Hunter series.  Just be sure to read Styxx first, as you will appreciate it all the more.  Never a dull moment, and in the end readers just may learn to appreciate what they have in life, the good with the bad, because things can almost always get worst.  As always, Kenyon delivers a page-turner readers will not be able to put down until the very end.  Some questions will be answered and many more will be raised, and Nick brings in a couple more into the fold, always believing people, be they demon or anything else, deserve a second chance.  One can only hope that character flaw of his does not bring about his doom. 

The Undead Pool Review

The Undead Pool by Kim Harrison
The Hollows Book 12
Published February 25, 2014 by Voyager
5 Demonic Fangs!!!


"If you do not know your history, you're doomed to repeat it."


Synopsis -

Witch and day-walking demon Rachel Morgan has managed to save the demonic ever after from shrinking, but at a high cost. Now strange magic is attacking Cincinnati and the Hollows, causing spells to backfire or go horribly wrong, and the truce between the races, between Inderlander and human, is shattering. 

Rachel must stop the occurrences before the undead vampire masters who keep the rest of the undead under control are lost and it becomes all-out supernatural war. However, the only way to do so is through the ancient elven wild magic, which carries its own perils.  (Goodreads)

Review - 

For years now fans of The Hollows have been wanting to know what happened to drive Newt insane.  Well, hold onto your seats ghouls and gals cause its going to be a bumpy ride as Rachel finally learns the truth, the hard way.  The one question that will be remaining at the end, will Rachel be able to maintain her own sanity?  And for those of you that have been rooting for a Trent and Rachel union, are NOT going to want to miss this.

Rachel finds herself yet again having to save the world.  Someone has been tampering with her line, but far more than just that.  Turns out the Goddess of the elves was once a very real thing indeed, but during the great war between Elves and Demons, she was not only destroyed but shattered.  Now someone has found a way to collect those particles of her and use them to keep the undead vampire masters asleep, in turn slowly starving them to death.  And while that seems like a great plan in theory, especially for the not so secret faction known as the Free Vampires, there is now nothing to stop the living vampires to do any and everything they want, can anyone say bloodbath?  It seems that no-one is safe from vampires, not even themselves.  That's not the only troubles Interlanders are facing.  With whoever out there capturing mystics, all magic is misfiring, causing simple cleaning charms to backfire to the point of death.   

Quite naturally Rachel goes to her demonic teacher for help, but he is less than willing.  The question is, does he truly not know what is going on, and if he does, why is he holding back.  The answer comes in the form of the only other female demon, the less than sane Newt.  And if Rachel goes through with her plan to save everyone she may end up just as insane.

The reason behind Newts' sanity isn't the only thing that comes to light, so do Trent and Rachel's' true feelings toward one another.  But will he finally listen to his heart, or put his responsibilities to his elven people first.  And Ivy finds herself yet again battling for Nina's soul because there is one undead who never went to sleep, Felix.

This is a true must read for Hollow's fans, and for readers who are newbies, this stand-alone will leave you craving for more.   Full of lust, love, blood, gore, excitement, honor and characters who will pull at your heart strings, make you want to tap a ley line and stand by their sides and fight whether you're as small as a pixy or as big as a were.

Styxx Review

Styxx by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Dark Hunters Book 22
Published September 3, 2014 by St. Martin's Press
5 BLOODY FANGS!!!


"Sometimes we can be so caught up in our own misery that we can no longer determine the truth from lies."


Synopsis -

Just when you thought doomsday was over...

Centuries ago Acheron saved the human race by imprisoning an ancient evil bent on absolute destruction. Now that evil has been unleashed and it is out for revenge.

As the twin to Acheron, Styxx hasn’t always been on his brother’s side. They’ve spent more centuries going at each other’s throats than protecting their backs. Now Styxx has a chance to prove his loyalty to his brother, but only if he’s willing to trade his life and future for Acheron’s.

The Atlantean goddess of Wrath and Misery, Bethany was born to right wrongs. But it was never a task she relished. Until now. She owes Acheron a debt that she vows to repay, no matter what it takes. He will join their fellow gods in hell and nothing is going to stop her.

But things are never what they seem, and Acheron is no longer the last of his line. Styxx and Acheron must put aside their past and learn to trust each other or more will suffer.

Yet it’s hard to risk your own life for someone who once tried to take yours, even when it's your own twin, and when loyalties are skewed and no one can be trusted, not even yourself, how do you find a way back from the darkness that wants to consume the entire world? One that wants to start by devouring your very soul?  (Goodreads)

Review - 

Please do not do this novel as an injustice by reading it as a stand alone.  If you are reading the both the Dark Hunter series and Chronicles of Nick, this should be read before Illusion, as it gives away some secrets to Styxx life.  Not only can this be seen as the Acheron novel in Styxxs' viewpoint, but it is also the truth behind all of the lies Acheron was, the story of what really happened between these two brothers whom were doomed to a life of tragedy before they even took their first breath.

Fans of the Dark Hunter series, me included, have probably always hated Styxx.  Seeing him as the arrogant, selfish, s.o.b. Prince who cared for nothing or anyone other than himself.  The good son that was doted on, loved and adored by all, who had to want for n, othing, the brother that was allowed to be a boy.  We were all so dreadfully wrong.  Styxx not only suffered as much as Acheron, but more-so, because the Destiny that he should had was stripped from him when Ash was placed inside of his womb.  Leaving him with only half of his powers, the half that caused him pain with no way to alleviate it.  And while Acheron's suffering ended after twenty one years, Styxx had to endure an additional eleven thousand years of misery.  Readers will learn that not only did Styxx love his brother, he loved him so much, that even though he was suffering through his own Hel, he wanted nothing more than to free his brother of his, even at the cost of his own life.  So much so that the only object in his possession that he ever held value to was a wooden horse; a horse that belonged to Acheron whom he promised he would hold on to and take care of, which he did for eleven thousand years.

  

A new light is cast upon Ryssa as well; the supposedly loving sister whose journals told the original story of Acheron.  The only person in the Aricles family to show Ash any type of love or compassion, or so it seemed.  Had it not been for her, two brothers' who loved one another more than anything else until the day they were cruelly ripped apart, would have found there way back to each other if her fueling the hatred within Acheron.  A hatred placed there by Ryssa, the sister he held dear, and Estes, the uncle who turned his childhood to something even worst than a living Hel.  

Bet'anya, the Egyptian Goddess of Wrath, Misery and the Hunt, was reborn after unleashing a fury so strong it made Apolymi look like a Saint when tricked into killing the only man she gave her heart to.  But there's was a love so strong that her Warrior swore to her before battle, a battle to defend her honor, that should he parish, his soul would not rest until it found its way back to her.  Though when they do find one another again, they may be forced to repeat their own history.

Readers who needed one box of tissues when reading Acheron, prepare to need two while reading Styxx.  Never has there been a character more noble, loving, selfless than he.  Forced to endure unspeakable horrors at the hands of the very people who were supposed to love him in total silence.  A silence he perfected so well that from the outside everyone thought him to be the privileged Prince that he should have been.  Styxx is a must read if there ever was one.  A story that will pull at the heart-strings of even the most cold-blooded of people.  Even Savitar shed a tear when he learned the real truth of events.  And it is by no means lacking in action.

For The Sake Of Revenge Review

For The Sake of Revenge by D L Altha (ARC Review)
An Alaskan Vampire Novel
Published June 30, 2013 by Foxboro Press
5 BLOODY FANGS!!!

"They say everything eventually comes full circle, so indeed does Revenge."

Summary -

How far was Tamara willing to go for the sake of revenge? And who would pay the price? She didn’t know as she tipped the bottle of vampire blood up to her lips but she was about to find out.

Stepping off the ferry in Sitka, Alaska was bittersweet for Tamara Semenov. A decade earlier she had abandoned her mother and high school sweetheart, Peter, to marry a man she hardly knew only to find herself in an abusive relationship. Now ten years later, she had escaped with her life but at what cost. Her mother was dead.

Although the police had ruled her mother’s death an accident, Tamara was convinced her estranged husband was to blame and to make matters worse, she knows she is his next target. 

While putting her mother’s affairs in order, Tamara finds the blood of a vampire named Adrik, who as a human was falsely accused of raping a wealthy Russian heiress and excommunicated from the Church. For the sake of revenge, he willing condemned himself to vampirism.

Learning that the blood could tie the living to the undead, Tamara seeks out a connection with the long buried vampire in hopes of striking a deal, his freedom for her revenge. Will he be the edge she needs to out maneuver her estranged husband or will she become entangled in a two century old web of revenge?  (Goodreads)

Review - 

For The Sake Of Revenge was the first print (yes, a good old fashioned paper back, they still make them) ARC sent to me for review, from the Author herself, since beginning this blog.  The only disappointment is that it took me so long to get a chance to start it.  This novel was Gothic Horror at its finest, a tragic tale with no happy ending.  I loved it!  Altha has proved to be right in league with both Bram Stoker and Anne Rice, using the Russian legend of Vampirism.  A tale of revenge two hundred years in the making proving that once revenge begins, it never truly ends.  So if you plan on plotting vengeance against someone at all costs, going so far as selling your very soul, keep in mind that may not only come back to bite you, but those that you hold dear.

Tamara is just like any other girl living in a small town, so desperate to make an escape she could see how good she truly had it.  That escape comes in the form a tall, dark and handsome stranger, an abusive one.  It may have taken Tamara ten years, but once she truly saw a reflection of what had become of her she took made plans to get away, and she did.  But as with most cases, her husband, Joel, was not going to let her go easily.  And he is willing to kill anyone standing in his way.  When that someone ends up being Tam's Mother she will stop at nothing to have her vengeance meted out, even if that means unleashing the Devil himself.  So, when she comes across some old family secrets and a trunk that holds her key to revenge.  

Adrik's tale was one that was doomed from the very beginning.  Born into a life a serfdom, he never truly had any free will, but he did have his pride and his religion.  When both were stripped from him after being falsely accused of rape, a rage so fierce begins to consume him until he can think of nothing more than obtaining revenge, even if that means digging his own grave and lying in it.  What he doesn't know is that his fate was sealed when someone else set to have revenge against him.  And though he swears on everything that he will never hurt the only man he was ever able to call friend, in the very end he does just that.

While this may not be an action packed book, there is plenty of blood and gore, and a very Dark tale filled with plenty of chills to snake down readers' spines.   Oh, and the ending is one that is truly satisfying as it is unpredictable.  So readers who are fans of true vampires; tragic, bloody and deadly, this is a definite must-read.

Jabril Review

Jabril by D. B. Reynolds 
Vampires In America Book 2 (Netgalley ARC)
Republished December 31, 2013 by ImaJinn
5 BLOODY FANGS!!!


"There's nothing more deadly than an underestimated woman with a brain and brave enough to use it."


Summary -

Houston, Texas-Cowboy boots, baseball and journeys to the stars . . . right? Wrong. Because Houston is also home to Jabril Karim, one of the eight powerful Vampire Lords who control all of North America. And as Private Investigator Cynthia Leighton will soon discover, not all Vampire Lords are created equal. For Jabril is the face of evil in the new world, a vampire who values no life but his own, who enslaves those he desires, steals whatever he covets and destroys anyone who stands in his way. Running from L.A. and its seductive Vampire Lord, Raphael, Cyn sees the Houston job as a welcome refuge, a place to get away and heal her broken heart. But Texas will be no vacation. For in Jabril Karim, Cyn will confront a true enemy, one who will go to any lengths to satisfy his lusts, enrich his coffers and expand his power. Fighting for the lives of two young sisters, Cyn's journey will take her through the streets of Houston and back to L.A., where the human police are determined to bring Raphael down for the murder of one of their own. But the danger doesn't end there. For Jabril has set his sights on Cyn, and he will stop at nothing to have her.  (Goodreads)

Review -

Cyn and Raphael are turning out to be another dynamic couple, right up there with Jean Claude and Anita Blake, you know, before the series' turned into porn, as well as Cat and Bones.  What I truly love about their relationship is the fact that Reynolds did not drag it out book after book, readers already knowing what the ultimate outcome would be.   Watching their frozen hearts unthaw and let one another in was a beautiful thing.  Especially when neither had to lose any aspect of him/herself in the process.  And what they feel for one another is truly love, not just thrown together by a predetermined fate.

Book 2 of Vampires in America is centered around Jabril Karim, a blood thirsty Vampire Lord stuck in the past where a woman should be seen and not heard.   One who enjoys the thrill of the blood, but doesn't bother with the hunt.  Though he has power to bring fear within anyone around him, he only does it for the sheer pleasure of it.  After-all, when one thinks himself a king, everything should be handed to you right down to your meals, even if that happens to be in the form of a blood-slave.  And as far as money is concerned...the scheme he has set up is so elaborate and out cold, it would do the Devil proud.  But Jabril is about to make a fatal mistake.  When one his little cash cows' escapes before he can do to her what he did to her sister, he hires two Private Investigators; one a man to truly 'get the job done' and Cynthia Leighton, but only as a way to irritate Raphael, and find out what is so special about her.  Jabril's belief that women are nothing more than tools to be used may prove to be his ultimate downfall.  Though what turns out to be the biggest surprise is the ally he seems to hold within Raphael's own court.

Reynolds does not disappoint in this second novel, in fact, the series' is seeming to get better with each book, as most good series' do.  With a no-wholes-barred take on vampire society, not being squeamish on sensitive topics, these ARE indeed true vampires, this series' is a definite must read.  While this could be a stand alone read, I recommend starting with book one to get a true feel for all of the characters.