Tag Archives: paranormal romance

April 11, 2013 · 5:00 am

SILENCING BREATH by Joanne Brothwell – Review + Giveaway!

I was so happy when Joanne asked me to read and review the second book in her romantic paranormal Stealing Breath series, Silencing Breath. Keep reading after my review to learn about another book of Joanne’s, and you can also enter to win one of (3) e-books of Silencing Breath!

silencing breath cover

Silencing Breath by Joanne Brothwell

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Release date: March 15 2013

Source: e-book from author

Pages: 278

four stars

In a word: sexy, disturbing, violent, and full of nail-biting tension

I read the first book in this series, Stealing Breath, last August, so I was a little worried that I wouldn’t remember enough details to easily get back into the story of Sarah and Evan and the Skinwalkers. But if you have not yet read Stealing Breath, you can still enjoy Silencing Breath, since the author fills in many of the blanks as she goes along in a very unobtrusive way. I think I enjoyed this installment even more, although I wasn’t prepared for some of the extreme graphic violence. But the pages flew by very fast, and I reached the end before I knew it.

The book opens four years after the events in Stealing Breath, and we find Sarah and Evan happily cohabitating and celebrating their recent engagement. Sarah and Evan have a special bond: she is an Indigo Child and has the ability to not only feel other people’s emotions, but to help heal negative thoughts. Evan is a Sapphire Child, and when the two of them touch, they are a powerful force. Both of them have finally recovered from attacking Skinwalkers, followers of black magic that are able to leave their bodies and steal the souls of others. Sarah’s soul is particularly potent due to her Indigo Child status, and she and Evan barely escaped the Skinwalkers at the end of Stealing Breath.

The couple is deliriously happy and relieved that Evan’s evil brother Stefano is no longer a threat. But not too surprisingly, that happiness is about to end, when Evan disappears one day without a trace. Sarah calls upon her besties Amber and Kate (who are aware of Sarah’s powers and privy to the badness of Skinwalkers) to help her find Evan, and before you know it, the girls are once again mixed up in the evil-doings of Evan’s family. Stefano, an evil necromancer, has decided to bring his father Alesandro back from the dead (in a very creepy scene, I might add), and father and son are determined to make Evan pay for leaving his evil ways behind and joining Sarah in the light. What follows is a fast-paced race as the girls, along with some prison guard friends of Kate, search for Evan and try to stay alive long enough to get him safely out of Alesandro’s clutches.

Fair warning to the reader: there are some very bloody and disturbing torture scenes in this book that I wasn’t expecting. This caught me off guard a bit because I don’t think the first book was this violent. Alesandro is a terrifyingly evil creature. He demands complete obedience from those around him, and he’s willing to do anything to get it. The book is filled with descriptions of black magic, much of which involve cutting and stabbing with very large and nasty weapons. Sarah is so focused on doing whatever it takes to get Evan back, that she ignores the obvious traps that Stefano and Alesandro have set for her and brazenly drags her friends into danger not once, but multiple times.

There are some sexy scenes between Sarah and Evan, at least in the beginning before they are separated. I love the relationship they have, and the fact that they’ve been together for four years and are still wildly in love is a charmingly romantic element. But their love is tested, and even by the end we’re not certain if things will work out for the couple. It’s just another example of how well the author uses tension to unsettle the reader. She did throw in some romantic tension between Sarah and a man named Alex (who is helping the girls find Evan), and I was a little worried a love triangle was brewing, but it didn’t really go anywhere.

Brothwell’s prose is wonderfully descriptive and was a joy to read.  She sets her characters up in some very emotional situations, and I felt each one was completely believable. The emotions and tensions run high throughout most of the story, because no one is really safe in Silencing Breath. The author throws in a few twists to keep you guessing, and some characters are deceptively hiding their true natures. Aside from some confusing logistics near the end of the story that slowed the pace a bit for me, the book ends too soon and leaves us with unanswered questions. I’m hoping Joanne is hard at work on Book Three! If you love paranormal romance and can stomach some brutal torture scenes, I highly recommend this book.

Many thanks to the author for supplying a review copy.

Add Silencing Breath on Goodreads * Purchase on Amazon

Joanne BrothwellAbout the author:

Joanne Brothwell lives in the country on the Canadian prairie where her stories are inspired by the dead things that appear at her doorstep on a daily basis. Of course, her two pets, a retired police dog with titanium fangs and a feral barn cat missing two toes, make the safety of surrounding wildlife, at best, uncertain.

Joanne is known to daydream, and ever since grade school has been accused of having a poor attention span. The truth is, Joanne has an alternate reality inside her head, where characters speak to her, sometimes so loudly (and incessantly) she just can’t hear anything else!

You can rest assured you’ll see much more of Joanne’s writing in the future, as those characters in her head, having tasted the sweet freedom of release, simply refuse to be silenced!

Find Joanne:

Facebook * Twitter * Goodreads * Website

Just can’t get enough Joanne Brothwell? Her book Forest of the Forsaken: The Witch’s Snare is also available now:

Forest of the Forsaken Cover with subtitle[1]

In this eerie adaptation of Hansel and Gretel, the fairy tale ending may be far from happy.Following her mother’s death to cancer, Meg’s world crashes in around her. Her father re-marries within weeks of their loss, her witch step-mother is cold and rejecting, and her new step-brother, Joey, has some rather unusual sexual preferences. Meg’s only hope is to move away and leave her father and the tainted memories behind.When her father forces her to attend his honeymoon with this new and unwanted blended family, Meg finds herself in the remote wilderness of the Rocky Mountains, miles from civilization. Meg begins to see things in the forbidding forest—strange, unexplainable things she believes are the result of compounding stress. But when her father and step-mother disappear, leaving Meg and Joey to fend for themselves, lost and without supplies, she realizes her paranormal visions are not merely her imagination after all.

Meg’s knows of the dangerous and tortured demons of Joey’s past but her heart can’t resist him. Bound together in desperation and fear, their romance blooms bright and all-consuming despite the evil magic of the formidable forest.

Will Meg and Joey find their way back to civilization? Or will their love wither in submission to the shadows within the Forest of the Forsaken?

Add Forest of the Forsaken to Goodreads * Purchase from Amazon

And now for the giveaway! Joanne is kindly offering (3) e-book copies of Silencing Breath, and the giveaway is international! Simply fill out the form below to enter. You get one free entry for giving us your name and email, and you can get extra entries by tweeting, following, or commenting. Please note: this book is suggested for older readers, age 17+. Giveaway will end on April 25 at midnight, Pacific Time. Good luck!

This giveaway is now over. Thank you to everyone who entered! The three winners are: Annah Schoonover, Michelle Koerner, and Amel Armeliana!

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March 8, 2013 · 7:17 am

THE DEVIL’S TRIANGLE by Toni De Palma – Review

The Devil's TriangleThe Devil’s Triangle by Toni De Palma

Genre: Teen Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Crescent Moon Press

Release date: February 2013

Source: e-ARC from publisher

Pages: 216

four stars

In a word:  laugh-out-loud funny, romantic, character-driven and exciting.

I had such fun reading The Devil’s Triangle, an entertaining story about second chances and the lengths one might go to for love. I was a bit worried when I started reading, since the story begins after our main character, Cooper Wanderman, has died and is facing St. Peter at the Pearly Gates.  I really wasn’t looking forward to reading a book crowded with morality lessons, and I hoped it wasn’t going to get too heavy-handed and preachy. But my fears were laid to rest, happily. Although De Palma clearly has a message to impart, I was too thoroughly caught up in the story and the engaging relationships and characters to worry about the author’s agenda.

The story begins in Purgatory, as newly deceased Cooper faces a beautiful girl named Lucy (who just happens to be Lucifer’s sister) who is about to decide the future of his afterlife. Lucy seems to have a heart, however, and she agrees to give Cooper one more chance at a shot in Heaven. All he has to do is go back to Earth for one month and help a girl named Grace. Easier said than done, however, because when Cooper wakes up in his new life, he doesn’t recognize anyone, even though everyone knows him. Cooper does his best to fit in to his new role as a high school football star and get to know his new family, including an older brother named Ryan and a mother and father who make him feel loved and welcome, a far cry from his old life as a foster kid. Cooper soon finds Grace, the girl he’s meant to help, but he doesn’t have any idea what kind of help she needs.

When Cooper realizes that a bully named Blake is dating Grace against her will, he thinks he may have found his mission: to help Grace get out of an abusive relationship. But why does Grace seem so familiar to Cooper? And why do memories of an unfamiliar life keep intruding into his memories from his other life? It may seem confusing, but De Palma takes all these story elements and weaves them together, and the outcome may surprise you.

Although Cooper’s adventures on Earth and the meddling Lucy and Lucifer up above mingle throughout the story, it was the action on the ground that really kept me reading. I found it much more interesting to observe as Cooper slowly figures out what his purpose is and how he is able to change his destiny, as well as the destinies of his friends and family. But when he occasionally speaks out loud to Lucy, who is presumably watching him from “above,” I was jarred out of the story. Even though Lucy appears to be part of the “triangle” of the book title, and her purpose in the story is to play “puppeteer” with Cooper’s destiny, I thought she was one of the weaker characters and could have been developed more. All of the earthly characters are well drawn and I loved spending time with them, but the sections that take place in Purgatory made me uncomfortable, and just like Cooper, I wanted to get out of there as soon as I could.

De Palma’s dialog is pretty funny, and I thought Cooper and his friends sounded like typical high school students, and there were plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. A few metaphors did make me cringe, however, and I wasn’t sure if it was the author’s voice coming through, or Cooper’s sense of humor. Lines like “My tongue sat in my mouth as still as a lizard sunning itself” and “My dreams flew at me like a gaggle of geese desperately flying out-of-the-way of a plane’s propeller” made me laugh, but to me they felt out-of-place. When a line is so bizarre that it takes you out of the story while you try to visualize the metaphor, in my opinion it’s a line that needs to be cut.

And yes, there is some romance in the story, because Cooper’s driving force to help Grace is based on love. The author does a great job adding romance in just the right amount so that she doesn’t scare off male readers, while also showing the seedier side of high school relationships, like the one between Blake and Grace, which is about power and control rather than love. De Palma will keep you reading until the satisfying resolution at the end, and this short story may seem all too brief when you’re finished.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for supplying a review copy.

Find Toni De Palma and The Devil’s Triangle:  Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Facebook * Twitter * The Devil’s Triangle FB Page

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February 15, 2013 · 1:00 am

AWAKEN by Jaime Gerard – Sneak Peek!

I’m very happy to be participating in a special SNEAK PEEK for Jaime Guerard’s soon-to-be-released Awaken! Keep reading for a “sneak peek” from the book. Here’s the stunning cover:

Final Awaken Coverdamask

Awakenfinal

Title: Awaken

Author: Jaime Guerard

Expected release date: March 15, 2013

Genre: Paranormal Romantic Thriller

Age Group:  Young Adult; 14 – 20+

Cover Designer: B Design;  http://bdesignpublishingservices.wordpress.com/

Event organized by: AToMR Tours

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17281806-awaken

Book Description:

Three things run through my mind at this very moment…

ONE, my life as I once knew it will never be the same.

TWO, the person I’m in love with might not even exist.

THREE, the deception that has unfolded before me has the power of life and death.

Sixteen year old, Breanna Davis, has heard the saying; life isn’t always what it seems…well, that saying rings true now more than ever. As horrifying visions appear before her, revealing tragedies that will forever change the fate of those she loves, she realizes that she may be the only person who can stop them from becoming reality.

Amongst the chaos of this new discovery, Bre is faced with a stranger, Eve, who moves in on Bre’s friends and begins to follow her every move. As Eve’s true motives begin to surface, Bre must fight against, not only the visions, but the dangers Eve holds close.

There is another secret kept- Collin, a boy held captive in Bre’s dreams, the boy she is secretly falling in love with but isn’t sure he even exists. As she tries to make it work with Austin, an old friend who could possibly be more, Bre battles against her feelings for Collin.

Bre is faced with an almost impossible decision, to choose her life or follow her destiny.  If she doesn’t intercede, people will certainly die. If she does, her own life could be at stake. In the end, if she fails, she’ll lose everything.

About the Author:

Jaime Guerard - Copy (2)Jaime grew up in a small town in Northern California. Having a passion for dance and music, never would she have thought herself to become an author.

In late 2008, a story was born and a writer was developed. Jaime found the pieces of her novel beginning to take form and soon she had a full novel in her hands. Awaken is Jaime’s first published novel. With many features still in the works, this debut novel is just a taste of the action-packed romantic thrillers to come from this aspiring new author.

Jaime is a committed wife and mother of 3, who loves life and doesn’t take anything for granted.

Blog | Facebook | Twitter

And now for a special Sneak Peek:

PROLOGUE

I stood there, silently watching him, my mind willing me to move forward, but my body remained frozen. My heart began to beat heavily, the way it always does when he comes into view.  He was just ten feet away from me now. I felt lightheaded and found it difficult to breathe.

I decided this time I had to move slowly. I had to focus on slowing down my mind to take everything in.

I took one step closer, studying him carefully. His dark, almost black hair glistened in the descending sun. Even though I wasn’t looking directly at his face just yet, his beauty took my breath away. I felt it coming, one more step and he would know I was here.

I was anxious to see his face again, but unwilling for our encounter to end. I took a deep breath and moved, as if the simple action of taking each step was timed, he turned and rose to his feet, his face blank. I thought my heart was going to race out of my chest. I hoped for a sign this time, some kind of acknowledgment from him. Was he happy to see me? Was I not what he was expecting? What secret thoughts were running through his mind?

I knew the time had come. No more stalling, I had to go to him. I began moving toward the stream where he stood.  This time, I would look directly at him, look into his eyes and make myself known.

“Bre, this is Collin,” a voice introduced me as I approached. Though the voice was somehow familiar, I was oblivious to who had said it. All I cared about was making sure I captured this moment in every detail.  Collin’s deep, royal blue eyes looked into mine and I realized I had never felt like this before.  My nerves flared with an intensity that burned deep within me and held me captive in his gaze. Every bit of him was perfect. His silky hair fell perfectly over each side of his face. Occasionally, a strand or two would move gently across his forehead and dance along his eyes. His shirt melted into his chest, making it impossible for me to ignore the definition of his body.

He slowly lifted his hand, gesturing for me to take it. “It’s nice to meet you Bre.” His bright smile stretched across his mouth as he waited for me to respond.

I swallowed, knowing what was going to happen next. I tried again to slow my mind down even more, pleading with myself to make this moment last. When I couldn’t hold on any longer, I reached out my hand in one last attempt to succeed. But I failed, and woke up.

Sounds intriguing, right? I want to thank AToMR Tours for bringing this special Sneak Peek to you today!

AToMR 2

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December 7, 2012 · 8:08 am

GUARDIANS OF STONE Interview with Anita Clenney + Giveaway!

Guardians of Stone bigGuardians of Stone (A Relic Seekers Novel Book 1) by Anita Clenney

I’m very excited to welcome Anita Clenney to Books, Bones & Buffy today. I recently reviewed Guardians of Stone (you can read my review here) and I’m so glad I can get some of my questions answered! Keep reading, because after the interview you can enter to win a copy of Guardians of Stone!

Author InterviewWelcome, Anita! I’m so happy to have you here today!

Hi, thanks for having me over! I love talking about my characters:)

I was surprised by how funny and comedic Guardians of Stone was, especially when the three main characters, Kendall, Jake and Nathan, get together in the same room. Did you intend to add comedy to the story, or did it evolve as the characters evolved?

I always have humor in my stories. It just seems to happen. The level depends on the character. It makes sense that I include humor, because I also love a good chuckle when I’m reading, no matter what the genre. 

I have to say, in the romance department, I was left, well, wanting more! I know this is the first book in the series, so dare I ask if the next installment delves a little further into a romantic partner for Kendall?

This romance has a lot of mystery. Even the identity of the hero is a mystery:)  For now. Kendall has strong feelings for each of them and for good reason. The romance will get more intense later on.

Kendall mentions her friend Adam, a boy who died in a plane crash when he was only twelve, several times throughout the story, but we never really get the scoop on him. What made you decide to add the character of Adam to the story, and will we learn more about him in the next book?

Yes, we’ll learn lots more about Adam. He’s very important to the story, and was part of the story almost from the beginning. I love when things aren’t what they seem, and Adam’s part in the story fits.

Guardians of Stone is about relic hunters and collectors. What sort of research was involved in coming up with some of the detailed parts of the story that dealt with historical relics and archeology?

I wish I could say I travel as part of my research, but unfortunately it’s all online. Relics are fascinating to me, so this makes for fun research. I used to think I wanted to be an archaeologist. Sometimes I still do.

I love that Kendall has the unique gift of being able to sense things about objects by touching them. What gave you the idea to use this ability for one of your characters?

Kendall’s character just appeared. I don’t know what triggered it, but I thought it was an amazing, and terrible, gift to have. And so much fun to write.

Just for fun, can you tell us three things about you that can’t be found on your website?

I once crowd surfed at a Slayer concert. (Not one of my finer moments). I have a pile of laundry right now that a large child could get lost in. (Another not-so-grand admission). My first meeting with my husband could have come straight from the pages of a romance. Fate! (A very fine moment!)

So what’s up next for Anita Clenney? Can you give us a glimpse of what you’re currently working on?

I’m working on the next book in the Relic Seeker series. Jake, Kendall, and Nathan will find themselves in England as they search out the second of the four relics. Lots of adventure, mystery, and surprises are in store.

I can’t wait…Thank you for stopping by, Anita!

Anita ClenneyAnita Clenney is the New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author of Awaken the Highland Warrior, the first in the Connor Clan series about Secret Warriors, Ancient Evil, and Destined Love.

Before giving herself over to the writing bug, she worked in a pickle factory, a preschool, booked shows for Aztec Fire Dancers, and has been a secretary, executive assistant, and a real estate agent. She lives with her husband and two children in suburban Virginia.

Find Anita!

Website * Goodreads * Amazon * Barnes & Noble * Twitter * Facebook

And now for the Giveaway! One lucky person will win a copy of Guardians of Stone (paperback). You automatically get one entry for filling out the form, and you can receive extra entries for following & liking Anita and Books, Bones & Buffy in various ways, as well as tweeting! Simply check all that you have done. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, and ends at midnight Pacific Time on Friday December 14.

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November 28, 2012 · 5:22 pm

GUARDIANS OF STONE by Anita Clenney – Review

Title: Guardians of Stone (A Relic Seekers Novel, Book 1) by Anita Clenney

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Montlake Romance

Release Date: December 4 2012

Pages: 311

Full of adventure, romance and a bit of the supernatural, Guardians of Stone is a fun and exciting story about a race to find a hidden relic, with some unexpected and extremely well-done comedy thrown in for good measure. This book has been compared to Indian Jones for good reason: the exotic locations, romantic entanglements and action sequences definitely reminded me of the movie, but Guardians of Stone has its own flavor and lots of mystery to keep readers entertained.

Kendall Morgan is a girl with an interesting talent: she can sense things about people and places when she touches objects. This makes her a perfect relic hunter and a desirable employee, if you happen to be a collector of precious archeological relics.  Nathan Larraby is the collector, an enigmatic man with looks, money and charisma who uses Kendall’s talent by sending her on reconnaissance trips around the world to find and purchase items for his collection. When the story opens, Nathan tells Kendall that she will be heading off to Italy to look for a very old box that houses a priceless relic, and Jake Stone will be going along to help, which doesn’t make Kendall happy at all. Nathan tells them that when they arrive they will be given the contact name of someone who can point them in the right direction, but other than that, they have very little to go on.

Their troubles start as soon as they arrive in Rome. Sparks start to fly between Jake and Kendall, but not necessarily the right kind. Jake is bossy and controlling, and Kendall is an independent spirit who just wants to do her job and go home. Unbeknownst to Kendall, Jake has been sent along to protect her, and he does everything in his power to keep her under control. But Kendall has a way of slipping out of sight when Jake isn’t looking, and it’s driving him crazy. In the midst of these antics, the two begin searching for the elusive box, only to find obstacles thrown in their path time and again. Part of the story takes place in a creepy castle that is shrouded in rumors and mystical energy, a castle that may be important in the hunt to find Nathan’s mystery box. There are characters galore that all seem to be connected to the box in one way or another, and Kendall and Jake must try to work together, sometimes reluctantly, to untangle all the threads of the story and find the box.

Guardians of Stone is in many ways a comedy of errors. The intricate plot hinges on misdirection, as Jake and Kendall find and then lose the box more than once. Characters spy on and secretly follow each other, turn up dead, and appear to be one thing but turn out to be another. By the end of the story some plot points are still left unexplained, but I’m assuming this will be taken care of in future installments of this series. The pacing is really well done, and Clenney obviously knows how to keep the action going while teasing the reader by dropping hints about the box and its origins.

I really like Kendall. She has all of the qualities that I like in a heroine: strength, smarts and gumption, and she isn’t afraid to tell Jake what she thinks of him. She also has disturbing dreams, which could be linked to past events in her life. Clenney doesn’t explain the dreams, but she may be saving their true meaning for future books. A boy from Kendall’s childhood named Adam is also a mystery throughout the story, a boy who died along with her father in a plane crash when Kendall was eleven. Kendall refers to Adam as being her best friend and even tells Jake that she loves him. I was intrigued by Adam and I felt there was way more to his relationship with Kendall than meets the eye.

The most dynamic and interesting parts of the story for me were when Jake, Nathan and Kendall all appear together, and I’ll admit I enjoyed their banter more than the actual plot machinations of trying to locate the box. Although I found Jake to be quite annoying with his obvious come-ons to Kendall, the three together were magic. Clenney’s dialog is super, especially between Nathan and Jake. Nathan’s aloof manner towards Kendall is obviously his way of covering up his attraction to her, and along with Jake’s growing appreciation of Kendall and Clenney’s hysterical dialog, these were the scenes I loved the most.

The author sets the stage for the next book by giving us hints about something not-quite-right with Nathan, who occasionally loses control when he gets angry. Along with other plot points that don’t quite resolve themselves, Clenney leaves the reader wanting more and ready for Kendall’s next adventure.

Many thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy. Guardians of Stone goes on sale next week and is available here, and you can visit Anita’s website here.

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November 24, 2012 · 11:59 am

HOW BEAUTY MET THE BEAST by Jax Garren – Review

How Beauty Met the Beast by Jax Garren

Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: November 19 2012

Pages: 104

It’s been a long time since I’ve actually sat down and read a novella, but for a busy book reviewer it was a nice change of pace. How Beauty Met the Beast is only 38,000 words, and I spent a pleasant evening breezing through it. A modern re-telling of the Beauty and the Beast story, it has many positive elements: engaging characters, a wonderfully unique setting, and a very surprising sex scene. Now that I have your attention (!)…

Jolie Benoit is a burlesque dancer at a club called Pussy Will-Oh! in Austin, Texas when she has an unexpected encounter with a hulk of a man who visits her dressing room after a show one night. The twist is that Jolie is changing behind a sheet that has been strung up to give her privacy, and their anonymous encounter takes place with the sheet between them. Hauk, the beast of the story, is an Army Ranger vet who is terribly scarred from a fire in Afghanistan. Although he is attracted to the beautiful dancer he watches at the club, he knows she is off-limits and way too refined to ever be attracted to him. They part ways, and Hauk never expects to see her again. But fate throws them together, of course, when a group of men called the Order of Ananke tries to kidnap and rape Jolie. Hauk rescues her and takes her to an underground community called the Underlight, a place that Hauk calls home and whose residents work in secret to overthrow groups like the Ananke, who are dumping chemicals into Austin’s water supply.

Jolie is shocked and scared when she sees Hauk’s face for the first time, but she doesn’t connect him with the man from her dressing room until later in the story. When he tells her that a twelve-year-old girl named Whitney has been kidnapped by the Ananke in order to blackmail her grandfather, Reginald Benoit, Jolie admits that Whitney is her niece, and Benoit is actually Jolie’s father. Hauk and Jolie, along with other friends from the Underlight, join forces to help rescue Whitney from the clutches of the Ananke.

The story takes off in a fast-paced race to track down Whitney. Along the way we get to know more about the elusive Hauk and his terrible past as well as a host of flavorful characters that interact with Hauk and Jolie, both above ground and below. The relationship between the two slowly evolves as Jolie begins to see past Hauk’s scars into the gem of a man that he is inside. What I really enjoyed about this book was the quirkiness of the characters, many of them misfits of one type or another that are simply trying to fit in and find love and acceptance.

I absolutely loved the Underlight, an almost technology-free underground city where residents each learn a craft to keep their world sustainable. It reminded me of the tunnel world under the subways of New York City in the original Beauty and the Beast TV show, and I wanted to know more about this fascinating world. What didn’t work as well for me was the Order of Ananke, the bad guys that are trying to presumably rule the world and corrupt society.  Some supernatural elements are added into the story when the gang breaks into the Order’s stronghold to find Whitney, as the Order of Ananke uses magic and goddess worship to control their enemies, but I honesty felt the story would have been just fine without the magic, which almost seemed thrown in so that the book could be called “paranormal fiction.”

What really makes the story shine are the characters and the relationships between them. I love Hauk and his tragic back-story, and I think Jolie is a perfect foil for his dark and haunted past. Other characters, such as the likeable cross-dressing Catrina who runs the Pussy Will-Oh! and Hauk’s computer hacking sidekick Brayden, add interesting side stories and fodder for future books. I wasn’t as impressed with musician Paul, Jolie’s philandering boyfriend, or Jolie’s niece Whitney, a somewhat annoying character that didn’t do much other that act as a device to try to get Hauk and Jolie together, but I loved most of Garren’s characters and wanted to get to know them better.

I had such a fun time reading How Beauty Met the Beast, a story that shows how people from different sides of the tracks can find happiness together. I’m anxious to read more about the Underlight and the people who live there, and luckily the next two novellas in the trilogy both come out in 2013. I fervently hope that the author finishes what she started with Jolie and Hauk (*wink wink*) because I was definitely left wanting more in that department.

Many thanks to Carina Press for supplying a review copy. You can purchase the book from Amazon or Barnes & Noble, and visit Jax Garren’s website here.

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October 11, 2012 · 5:17 pm

VIOLET MIDNIGHT by Lynn Rush – Review

It’s not hard to imagine Buffy the Vampire Slayer while reading this inventive vampire tale. The girl on the cover even sort of looks like Buffy. But Emma, the vampire slayer in Violet Midnight, has skills that would put Buffy to shame. Known as a Hunter, Emma has been hunting and killing “Vamps” (as she refers to them) for the past two years, since she woke up from an accident with a tattoo on her wrist that glows whenever the creatures are near. Her most impressive talent is being able to “call” her weapons to her and have them magically appear in her hand at exactly the right moment, and then send them home when she’s finished slaying. But she’s also burdened with some physical characteristics that are a bit unusual. She never eats or sleeps, and her body temperature is a constantly chilly 74.7 degrees. Oh, and did I mention that she has violet eyes? For the past two years she’s been trying to keep her extra-curricular activities a secret from her best friend Ava, but is forced to perform “mind wipes” on occasion when Ava gets in the way of her hunting activities.

Jake is a college student working on his master’s degree when he meets Emma at a party, and the attraction between them is immediate. When Emma is forced outside to hunt down some Vamps, Jake follows her, and inadvertently gets caught up in the action. After the Vamps are dead, Jake asks Emma about her tattoo, then shows her his ink, an intricate design that covers his shoulder, a tattoo he also woke up with two years earlier. This shared history fuels their attraction, and before you know it, the two are locking lips and working to solve the mystery of Jake’s tattoo and the strange physical changes that he is experiencing. When Emma uncovers a prophecy that says a powerful family of vampires is about to threaten the existence of humans everywhere, the two must make some hard choices in order to keep the evil at bay.

I had a blast reading Violet Midnight! Rush’s variations on vampire mythology were original and entertaining. Her Vamps are not of the sparkly and hunky variety. They are more like animals than humans, and Emma often describes them as “chomping” on their victims.  Rush’s Vamps, like Joss Whedon’s, explode in a shower of dust when staked, but in this book, humans who have been bitten and drained also turn to dust when they die – white dust. And I have to admit I’m a sucker (no pun intended!) for stories with magical tattoos. Rush gives some intriguing back story to the tattoos that Emma and Jake sport, and she does a great job describing their intricate designs and meanings.

The characters were well-drawn, especially the females. Emma is indeed a kick-ass Hunter with enough determination to take down every Vamp in town and then some. I loved the dialog between Emma and Jake. They fall for each other pretty quickly, but the road to happiness is still rocky, and their banter was refreshingly funny but tender-hearted. One of my favorite characters, I have to admit, is unfortunately dead. We get to know Emma’s previous love, Gabriel, who was killed by a Vamp, when he appears in ghostly form whenever Emma needs advice. I’m hoping maybe the author will consider writing a prequel someday so we can get to know Gabriel better (hint hint!)

The only story element that didn’t sit quite right with me was the “insta-love” between Emma and Jake. There was very little simmer and burn up to the moment when they feel compelled to kiss for the first time, and I think the romance would have been more believable if their relationship had progressed more slowly. But since this is the first book in a trilogy, you know there is much more in store for these characters, and I look forward to seeing the direction they take in future stories. If you’re looking for a romantic and action-packed story with more bad guys than you can hit with a crossbow, Violet Midnight will keep you up all night.

Many thanks to Lynn Rush for providing a review copy. You can visit Lynn’s website here and purchase Violet Midnight here. A portion of all proceeds will go to cancer research and awareness.

But wait! There’s more! I’m so excited to be involved in the Release Day Event for Violet Midnight on October 16! Come back for a giveaway of Violet Midnight and lots of other goodies!

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· 8:02 am

Giveaway Ending Soon! EDGE OF OBLIVION by J. T. Geissinger

If you haven’t entered to win a signed copy of Edge of Oblivion by J. T. Geissinger, now’s your chance! This book completely took me by surprise, in a good way! I loved every word, and you will too. You can enter here and read my review here. Giveaway is open to U.S. residents only, and due to mature subject matter, please don’t enter if you are under eighteen. Please enter by tomorrow, Friday October 12 at midnight, PST. Winner will be randomly selected by random.org. Good Luck!

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October 4, 2012 · 4:00 pm

*Giveaway! EDGE OF OBLIVION by J. T. Geissinger

This giveaway is over.

 I’m so excited to be able to host a giveaway for a paperback copy of J. T. Geissinger’s Edge of Oblivion! I recently wrote a very gushy review (click here to read it) about this amazing book, and it’s one of my favorite books so far this year.  This giveaway is for U. S. residents only, and I’m sorry, but due to mature subject matter, you must be eighteen or over to enter this giveaway. Here it is:

Isn’t it pretty? Even though this is the second book in a series (I explain this more in my review), you do not need to read the first one, Shadow’s Edge, in order to enjoy the story. I hadn’t read it, and I enjoyed it just fine:) Contest ends on Friday, October 12 at midnight, Pacific Standard Time. Please fill out the form below to enter. Everyone automatically gets one entry, but you can get *extra* entries for Liking Books, Bones & Buffy on Facebook, following me on Twitter, (see sidebar) or leaving a comment either on this post or the review post. Don’t forget to come back here and fill out the form and click *submit*!  Good luck everyone!

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October 2, 2012 · 5:17 pm

EDGE OF OBLIVION by J. T. Geissinger – Review

Sometimes an author is lucky (or maybe I should say talented) and all the stars align perfectly so that the end result of all their hard work, a finished and published book, is exquisite. Edge of Oblivion is a sublime example of a paranormal romance, and I was both dreading and anticipating getting to the last page. Edge of Oblivion is published by Montlake Romance, a publishing arm of Amazon. I’m extremely impressed with my first experience with this publisher. Geissinger’s writing is top-notch, and the cover art is gorgeous. Have I used enough superlatives yet to describe how much I enjoyed this book? A word of warning to any under-aged readers, however: this book is recommended for adults due to some extremely hot and unexpected sex scenes!

Although I haven’t read the first book in the Night Prowler series, Shadow’s Edge, I was immediately immersed in the story and only felt a few twinges of confusion here and there. But the author does a great job of subtly inserting vital information from the first book where needed, without bashing the reader over the head trying to catch us up to speed. Morgan is an Ikati, a secret race of shape-shifters descended from Cleopatra who can turn into panthers or vapor, or both. Morgan is part of the Ikati colony in England, one of four known colonies. The story begins in high gear as we find Morgan in prison, awaiting her fate for betraying her tribe at the end of Shadow’s Edge. At the last minute, Queen Jenna makes a deal with Morgan. She has two weeks to track down the sworn enemy of the Ikati, the Expurgari, whom they know to be hidden somewhere in Rome, or she will be killed. Accompanying her on this fated journey is an assassin named Alexander, the man assigned to kill Morgan if she can’t complete her task. Geissinger sets these two characters up in typical romance fashion by pitting them against each other in the beginning, and then creating opportunities for them to grow closer together.

In Rome Morgan and Xander run into a rogue Alpha named Dominus who is not affiliated with any of the four colonies. Xander senses danger and tries to catch him, but he gets away. But the damage has been done. Dominus, having the superior sense of smell that all Ikati have, has figured out that Morgan is a full-blooded female who is unmated, and he wants to use her in his evil plan (which I will not give away in this review!). Xander and Morgan temporarily forget the reason they have come to Rome in the first place, as they try to avoid Dominus and his band of powerful and feral Ikati, who are all relentlessly chasing Morgan. The story is nearly non-stop action from this point on, as Morgan and Xander find themselves in danger time and again, while continuing to look for the hidden Expurgari before the two weeks is up. In the midst of all the action is the blooming romance between Xander and Morgan, with plenty of misunderstandings thrown in to muddy the waters and keep readers hearts palpitating before the climax comes, so to speak. A few sub-plots are mixed in to give the story a broader feel, as well as several characters who will most certainly play a leading role in Geissinger’s next book.

The author has done a bang up job with her world building, and I enjoyed every detail of the Ikati, including their powers of shape-shifting. Xander can not only turn into a panther, but he can also shift into vapor form or pass through walls. Geissinger doesn’t overdo it with the shape-shifting, however, which I was grateful for. She concentrates more on the relationships between the characters, and less on their lives as panthers. The life of an Ikati is a hard one, since they are required to live in secrecy, and several of the characters, in particular the female ones, have never seen the light of day. The author does a great job portraying the horrible loss of freedom these women suffer, and their desire to live beyond the constraints of their male superiors.

I honestly couldn’t find anything wrong with this book, and I have to admit it’s one of the most exciting reading experiences I’ve had in quite a while. Some of the scenes had an almost Shakespearian intensity to them, and I’m bemoaning the fact that Night Prowler #3 is probably months away from publication. Romance novels may fall into the category of “guilty pleasure,” but if that’s the case with this book, I happily consider myself guilty as charged. Full of perfect pacing, seriously dangerous characters, and some super steamy romance (and I do mean super steamy, folks!), Edge of Oblivion should be the next book you read. If you’re over eighteen, of course.

Many thanks to Emily LaBeaume from Wunderkind PR for bring this book to my attention, and for supplying a review copy. You can purchase Edge of Oblivion here and visit J. T. Geissinger’s website here.

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