Monday, April 30, 2012

Sweet Evil

Sweet EvilSweet Evil
Author: Wendy Higgins
Older YA Book
(Amy’s Review)

Tenderhearted Southern girl, Anna Whitt, was born with the sixth sense to see and feel emotions of other people. She’s aware of a struggle within herself, an inexplicable pull toward danger, but it isn’t until she turns sixteen and meets the alluring Kaidan Rowe that she discovers her terrifying heritage, and her will-power is put to the test. He’s the boy your daddy warned you about. If only someone had warned Anna.  A cross-country trip to meet her father forces Anna to face the reality that hope and love are not options for her kind. When she confronts her destiny, will Anna embrace her halo or her horns?

I really liked this story about Angels and Demons.  The main focus on the story is with Anna, a half angel/half demon human.  Anna is the only one of her kind which makes her dangerous.  Raised by her adopted mother, Anna has gifts that she has no idea what to do with.  She can see people’s auras and feel their emotions.  When Anna meets Kaidan, she feels this strong pull for him.  Anna doesn’t realize that Kaidan is dangerous, and it is forbidden for her to be with him.  Kaidan is a half demon who feeds off of lust, but feels compelled to help Anna figure out where she came from.  Anna faces so much heart break from Kaidan that you feel for her.  Being only 17, she is put in situations even adults wouldn’t be able to handle.  This book pulls so many emotions from you; it’s happy, sad, funny and exciting and even a bit steamy.  The story really focuses on the relationship with Anna and Kaidan, which will break your heart.  There’s some action at the end, so it helps you understand the struggles that are to come for Anna, but leaves you with so many questions.  This is Wendy’s first book, I am very impressed.  It was very well written and the idea for the story is intriguing.  She was able to write a story about Angels, Demons, Lucifer and God without it being overwhelming with religion.  Her scene and character descriptions make you feel like you right there with the characters.  It makes you want to know more about them.   I hope other readers enjoy this book as much as I did.
Rating 4 out of 5 

Saturday, April 28, 2012

Pyxis: The Discovery #1

Pyxis: The Discovery (Pyxis, #1)
Pyxis: The Discovery #1
Author: K.C. Neal
YA Book
(Amy's Review)

Corinne lives an average teenage life working at her dad’s cafe, hanging out with her best friend, and trying to forget a falling-out with her almost-boyfriend Mason. Things take a strange turn when she uses her late grandmother’s food dyes for a bake sale, and her customers suddenly find her irresistibly alluring. Then she discovers she and Mason are haunted by the same dreams of a dark force that consumes everything in its path. Pursued by shadowy figures and a crazy woman with secrets from the past, Corinne must find out who her grandmother really was. In her quest to unravel her family’s history, she learns she is destined to protect this world--and the dark world of her dreams. She races to find the answers she seeks before her nightmares break free.

The first book of this series is a opener.  You find out alot about the characters and this strange Pyxis but you don't really find out what this "Pyxis" is about or its purpose.  It has great character developement so you get to see the relations between them.  Corinne is a Pyxis, what that means yet I don't know.  She is protected by a Shield, Mason, and has 2 Guradians, Angeline and the other has not been named. Other than a aunt who is suffering from a stroke, she has no idea what is happening with her and the source of her dream/visions.  I had to laugh because when Corinne made sweets for a bake sale she used this weird liquid she found for food coloring.  Only a teenager would be that brave.  The character personalities were dead on for teenagers which is a relief because a lot of stories are not realisitc of true teenagers. I think a lot of YA readers will enjoy this story because of the cuteness of it.  I am curious to read the next to find out more about this strange group and see what they are supposed to do. 

Rating 4 out of 5  



Primal Heat: Donna Grant

Primal Heat (Bite Me!)Primal Heat (Novella)
Author: Donna Grant
Adult Book
(Amy's Review)

Being an American in Britain isn't easy. For Krista, its downright hard especially when she's plagued by erotic dreams that increase as Halloween approaches. So when she's given a dare by her co-workers to pluck a rose from the most haunted house in Cardiff, she agrees never thinking it would be more than a scare tactic.  As a Time Agent, all Orrin wants to do is capture the Weres before they feed off the people of Cardiff, but when he lands on Earth and discovers the woman he's been sharing dreams with is there, he can't help but find her. All he planned to do was talk, but the lust that flared between them left no room for talking.  But the Weres have come for more than food. They've come for Krista, to claim her as the mate to their leader. To resist their seduction is futile. Unless a Time Agent is involved.

Short stories are not my favorite because I just don't get enough before they end.  This story was different, werewolves on a spaceship from another planet with aliens hunting them hmmm....definately different.  The character descriptions were good but you just wanted to know more about the others.  Krista's character was complex.  I believed she was older but was put in a situation where she was dared to do something and acted like she was 12. All in all it was a good story but would be nice if it were longer.

Rating 3 out of 5

Whisper: Heather Hildenbrand


Get your copy now on Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/Whisper-ebook/dp/B007VDNIQM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1335630006&sr=1-1

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Slave to Sensation: Psy Changling #1

La noche del cazador (Paperback)Slave to Sensation: Psy Changling #1
Author: Nalini Singh
Adult Book
(Amy’s Review)

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”—the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was…  Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…
Sascha is a Psy, a human with no emotions, no feelings, just a shell.  In this world, the Psy are above all others, they are the leaders and they believe they are perfect.  With no feelings, no anger or hate, no lust or emotion, they believe they have the perfect world.  When Sascha is asked to take charge of a deal between the Psy and the Changlings, (shapeshifters), she believes that this will help her status as a Psy.  Sascha is a Cardinal, a Psy with the potential for great gifts, but her gifts have not developed yet.  When she meets Lucas, the alpha for the Dark River Pack, she begins to feel different.  Sascha is not supposed to feel at all, but now she is.  This book is awesome and different.  I love the world that Nalini has created.  It has a sci-fi/paranormal feel to it.  So different than anything I’ve read.  The characters have so much depth that you could write stand alone stories on each of them.  Both the main characters, Sascha and Lucas are such head strong characters that you feel empowered by them.  This is the first book in the series which I will continue to read. 
Rating: 4 out of 5

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Prophecy: Child of Light


Prophecy: Child of Light (Vampires Realm, #1)Prophecy: Child of Light (Vampire Realm #1)
Author: Felicity Heaton
Adult Book
(Amy's Review)


A vampire unlike any other, Prophecy lives life in the dark until the night she encounters Valentine, a gorgeous vampire who is both her enemy and the man who will change her life forever.
Convinced that the prophecy about her is wrong and unable to ignore the vision of them that he saw in her blood, Valentine goes against his orders to execute Prophecy and kidnaps her instead. The attraction between them grows as they search for the truth behind the prophecy, battle a dark evil that threatens to destroy the world, and attempt to evade their families and the Law Keepers. When the truth about her is revealed, will Prophecy be strong enough to face it? Will they discover a way to save the world from Hell? And will they finally see past the hatred bred into them by their families and surrender to their love?


Prophecy has lived inside her vampire home her entire life without ever stepping outside the front gate. She has no idea of what life is like outside of her home besides what she has seen on TV. Her vampire family tells her it's because they want to keep her safe. What Prophecy doesn't know is that she is the long awaited Prophecy for the vampires, one that is supposed to destroy her entire race. When Prophecy decides one night to sneak outside the walls of her home to feed on a human, she meets Valentine. Valentine is a vampire from a rival family. When Valentine finds out who Prophecy is by biting her, Valentine has to tell his family what he has found. Valentine didn't count on his vampire leader to have him kill Prophecy. When Valentine decides to kidnap Prophecy and try to help her, it is the beginning of an adventure for her. One that will not only help her find out who she really is but what she has to do. This story is a long one but a good one. You can't help but feel for Prophecy in this story, she is like a child, just getting to see the world for the first time but she is in her 20s. Felicity has created this vampire story with the vampire families living in different "Houses". They are all rival Houses. This story has vampire, witches and werewolves all with different pasts. There is action throughout the story, and the story with Prophecy keeps you reading just so you can find out the mystery about her.

Rating: 3 out of 5

Friday, April 20, 2012

Bloody Little Secrets

Bloody Little SecretsBloody Little Secrets
Author: Karly Kirkpatrick
YA Book
(Amy’s Review)

17-year-old Vicky Hernandez has a big problem. She's dead. Or not quite. After discovering she's been turned into a vampire, she tries to settle into a quiet suburb of Chicago and return to a normal life.  If only she could stop wanting to bite her boyfriend. Not to mention she is dying to find out who turned her, and why. She doesn't have to wait long before they come to her.

Vicki wakes up in a coffin and has no idea why.  Thinking that this must be some kind of prank, she quickly learns this was not a joke.  She has been in a coffin for 5 days and her family thinks she’s dead.  Vicki has been turned into a vampire.  With no one to help guide her and teach her about her abilities, Vicki runs to Chicago to keep her family safe from her.  Vicki meets Drake, a human boy that immediately catches her eye and her heart.  Vicki tries to blend in as a normal teen by compelling everyone that she is a normal girl.  When vampires start showing up at night trying to take her, Vicki starts killing.  Vicki will need the help of Drake and his friends if she was to stay alive, alive as a vampire, and stay with Drake.  This book is a true YA, vampire story.  Vicki may be strong but she is needy and immature.  It was tough to believe she was supposed to be a senior in High School.  She shows that she cares for her family by moving away from them, but shows herself to be selfish when she tells herself she doesn’t want to be alone and puts everyone around her in danger because she wants to go back to high school and have a human life again.  Ultimately the one she loves pays the most.  There are small fighting scenes that are very quick and all of the action/drama happens right at the end and you don’t really get to know much about the villain/other vampires.  Although I believe that many young adults will like this story, it was just to YA for me. 
Rating: 2 out of 5   

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Just One Drop: Quinn Loftis

Just One Drop (The Grey Wol...Just One Drop (The Grey Wolves #3)
Author: Quinn Loftis
YA Book
(Amy's Review)



Jennifer Adams, best friend to Jacque Pierce and Sally Morgan, spicy, out spoken, a little crazy and human...or so she thought. Jen has just found out that human DNA is not the only thing that resides in her veins, she happens to share that little pesky werewolf gene, although it isn't more than just a drop. Now that she and her friends are living in Romania with Fane's pack, she is also oh so conveniently stuck with the object of her affection, the fur ball Decebel. Drawn to each other by something they don't understand Jen finds herself frustrated by the lack of mating signs between her and said fur ball. Not only is she dealing with that not so un-frustrating problem, she now has been informed that because of that little drop of werewolf blood in her she is now required to attended a multi-pack gathering for un-mated wolves. This type of gathering hasn't taken place in over a century but with a shortage of females among the werewolf population the males are getting worried they won't ever find their true mates. Meanwhile Decebel struggles with the emotions he is feeling towards Jen. He tries to keep his distance but there is just something about the mouthy blonde that keeps him coming back for more of her verbal abuse that he just can't seem to get enough of...go figure.


Just One Drop is hands down my favorite book in the series. I loved this book. I have never smiled and laughed more reading a book then I did with this one. Just One Drop kept me on the edge of my seat reading non-stop just to see what Jennifer would say or do next. Poor Jennifer, better yet, poor Decebel. Decebel has the hots for Jennifer, major hots, but he has no mating signs to show that Jennifer is the one. In this book, the Romanian pack has to travel to a gathering of packs so they can help all wolves find their mate. Well as Jenn would call it "the mate fest", only puts extra strain on Jennifer and Decebel's situation. Jennifer gets this whole book to herself and I am so glad. This book shows the real Jennifer, all her funny comments and her vulnerable side. Jennifer will do anything for her friends and Decebel, even if it means her life. You will learn new things about the pack in this book including what Sally's place in the pack will be. I am so excited for Out of the Dark. I even have the countdown widget on my computer. Just One Drop is another hit for Quinn. On to the next.


Rating: 5 out of 5

Blood Rites: Quinn Loftis

Blood Rites (The Grey Wolve...Blood Rites (The Grey Wolves #2)
Author: Quinn Loftis
YA Book
(Amy's Review)



With the challenge complete and the corrupt Alpha of Coldspring defeated Fane is now free to complete the mate bond with Jacque and perform the Blood Rites. Although the challenge is done, the affects are far reaching. Once it is known that Vasile, one of the strongest Alphas in the world is in America, specifically Coldspring, TX, there is one Alpha who cannot over look the significance of this. An Alpha who happens to share Jacque's DNA, but is this the one she needs to fear? With her mom driving and her two best friends, Jen and Sally in tow, Jacque sets off for her happily ever after. She will soon realize a plan has been put in motion that will change her course and possibly tear her from Fane's grasp forever. It will take a wolf pack, her mother's love, her two best friend's unrelenting determination, her own will to survive and the undying love of her mate to bring her home. The question remains, if she fights, if she endures, who will she be, what will be left once she is back in her mates arms?


Sometimes with books in a series, the following books are never quite as good as the first, well in this case, Quinn has proven that wrong. Blood Rites blew me away! I loved it!
Just when Jacque and Fane think they are about to go through the mating ritual, there is a tragic accident. Just when things can't get any worse, they do and Jacque's long lost father (Dillon) shows up to throw a wrench in Jacque and Fane's happiness. Jacque and Fane will have to fight even harder in this story to finally get their happy ending, even if it causes Jacque extreme pain. I think what caught me off guard the most with this story is Jennifer. I loved Jennifer in the first book with all her funny comments but she is freakin hilarious in this book. I don't ever think I will listen to Katy Perry's ET again without thinking of Jennifer. This series is so awesome. I am so excited to continue and read Just One Drop. I think Jennifer and Decebel's story is going to take this series to a whole new level (that's a good thing). Keep reading, it only gets better.


Rating: 5 out of 5

Friday, April 13, 2012

Happy Friday the 13th!

Did you know that this year is a special one for Friday the 13ths: There are three of them: Jan. 13, April 13 and July 13. The freaky thing? The dates fall exactly 13 weeks apart. That hasn't happened since 1984. Creepy......