Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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Angel 6.0: Concubine

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Angel 6.0: Concubine (Angel 6.0 #1)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

I was totally not prepared for this in the least. I have read this author before, and loved the other series but was not sure about a space opera. Well, I can say that I have been pleasantly surprised because I found myself liking this from the moment I started reading. I had a feel for the side characters fairly quickly and thought I understood the main character well also. The story flowed perfectly and gave a sense of where it was going to be taking you as it continued. The language seemed appropriate for each character and conveyed who they were.

Angel is different from all those on Nugene Station and she knows that better than anyone. She is an experiment but she is also more to the man she views as her father. The Gran area race of Cat warrior/flesh traders who come to Nugene for bodies to use in their trade.

Angel has been hidden from the Gran on their visits to the station, but in one fateful miscalculation they see her and decide that they must have her to add to their stock of human workers. That one glimpse causes Angel’s world to spin out of control and she finds herself on an adventure she would not have chosen.

Angel seems almost childlike at first, like even though she has the body of a woman she has not really matured. Then you get to see that she is just emotionally open to everything and everyone. I like her for the strength she has and the vulnerability. I can see her growing and becoming a powerful force. I will be continuing to read to find out. Oh yeah, and the sex is so hot it almost melts your device! 🙂 I recommend this highly!

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The Zombie Axiom

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The Zombie Axiom (In the Time of the Dead)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I liked the idea of this story from the first time I read the blurb. It sounded somewhat different from the stories I had read in the past. With that being said it was very hard for me to become engaged with the story for a large portion of it. I never really did feel much for any of the characters, they never fully came to life for me. I was never really able to connect to any of the characters except for small instances near the end. The characters were not completely real to me, they seemed to almost be nothing more than stereotypes. The story did progress well and moved from point to point fairly nicely. The language was easy to follow and seemed to work for those characters as they were drawn. I will also say that I did not particularly like the way it was laid out, two chapters for a book of 311 pages made it hard to pace it.

After a meteor shower some of the people of Connisburgh start to act in murderous ways attacking their family and neighbors for no apparent reasons. Things start so slowly that at first no one notices what is happening. Three people get a front row seat to the apocalypse as it begins even though they are not sure what is happening right away. Virgil is a vet who would rather avoid people at all costs than get close to anyone, Sasha is a nurse who has an abusive home life but is a true survivor, then there is Derek, a Sensei in Akido who has a calm that nothing seems able to rattle.

These people and others will find that things may seem bad at first but that they can get even worse. There is an unknown variable that is pushing to help destroy humanity and our little band has no idea.

While it was not something that grabbed me and held my attention until the end, it did still entertain once I finally got into it. The confrontation could have come earlier since I had been promised that there would be one but it did materialize, if a bit late. I did find that the ending has at least sparked an interest in the next book. I do hope the alien aspect gets a little more play in the next installment.

Zombies good so if you like them I say give it a try.

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Sudden Backtrack

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Sudden Backtrack (The Hollows #13.1)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I was under the impression that this was going to be Al’s story, like him having the last word after all was said and done. This was nothing like what I expected. I was actually kind of bored while reading it, something that has never happened with one of Kim Harrison’s books. This just seemed like an after thought more than anything else, not a thought out short. I didn’t mind the length but I did mind that it was not a better short. It gets 3 stars because I love the characters even if I do not particularly like the story being told.

Newt and Gally (Al) have escaped but are trying to spin a curse on the elves which will affect their future children and they have chosen one of their hunters to be the one to spread it.

This was more about Newt than Al and it did give me the reason that she felt so close to Rachel. This I would say to read if you just want one more look at the world of the demons. It is very limited.

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Exiled

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Exiled (Brides of the Kindred #7)

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

 

It’s kind of obvious that I love these books and am always happy to read a new one. I have not been disappointed yet and will be continuing as long as they do! This was another great entry in the Brides of the Kindred series as far as I am concerned. From the first sentence I was ready to sit back and be taken away on my adventure to the stars. The story as always flows perfectly with multiple story lines to keep you aware of what is happening with all your favorites. The language is fun and flirty at times and at others deadly serious when needed when it suits the character. The characters themselves are well fleshed out, including the new ones, and have personalities that are diverse and give them a life beyond the page.

Lissa and Saber were raised as brother and sister when Lissa was orphaned as a child. By the laws of their clan they are not allowed to be together as mates, something that both of them want more than anything. Lissa is banished to First World and becomes a Priestess of the Goddess while Saber stays on his world and is being groomed to be the next Chieftain.

Lissa volunteers to make a trip to Yonnie Six in order to bring back scrolls which had been stolen and sold. These scrolls hold the key to getting rid of the Hoard and ending the darkness. When Saber hears this he asks to go with her so that he can protect her and make sure that she returns in the same condition she left in. Neither are prepared for what they will have to do in order to procure the scrolls and get away with their lives. Yonnie Six is a decadent planet where women use men as slaves, both sexual and domestic, and brutality is a way of life. Shy and reverent Lissa will be posing as the Mistress of Saber, her body-slave, and will have to get closer than either thought they would be able to.

Meanwhile, Draven has hatched a plot to cause chaos on the mothership and is using L a shadow caster who has her own reason for hating the Kindred. Together they hope to get revenge for the perceived slights that they both have sustained.

This was an exciting book that kept me on the edge for most of the book. I was ranting at it when I thought something I would hate to see happen seemed about to occur. I got a good laugh at the craziness on the mothership and felt for them as well. I got to catch up with characters who I have come to really like and appreciate. Not to mention that there were some really good, hot sex scenes to sink into. Love this series and hope it does not end soon!

 

 

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Kidnapped for Christmas

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Kidnapped for Christmas

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have found my way to another of the marvelous Evangeline Anderson’s titles. Having read only one series for so long every new discovery makes me glad that I found this author. While not a long story it manages to give you some romance along with a Dom who knows what he is doing and a sub who never knew she was one. The characters are fun and sexy and very well realized. The settings are good and make for easy visualization as well as the props alluded to. I will admit I knew what was going to happen fairly quickly but it did not take anything away from the story. It actually made me want to see exactly how it was going to play out.

Sabrina and Jilly are sisters but while they have similar hair color and eye color their body types are completely different. Sabrina is super skinny while Jilly is a plus size girl. Sabrina is impulsive and headstrong while Jilly is a bit straight-laced and responsible. When Sabrina makes a plan for herself and then flakes Jilly gets a chance to walk on the wild side.

I cannot say anything more or I will give it all away. This is super hot with a hunky Dom who made me wish I was a sub. If you like a hot read and do not have a problem with a little BDSM then go for it. You will find a lot to like.

“Hey.” He caught her chin in one hand and lifted it so that she had no choice but to look at him. “It’s all right,” he rumbled, as though he understood everything. “It’s hard at first, admitting you want to give in. To let someone else do whatever they want to you without a fight. But it’s okay. Some of us are wired to be submissive, some of us are wired to be dominant. You can’t fight what’s inside you any more than you can change the color of your eyes or how tall you are. You can try to disguise it, but in the end what you really want always comes through.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Kidnapped for Christmas Evangeline Anderson
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Thirteen Roses

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Thirteen Roses Book One: Before: An Apocalyptic Zombie Fable

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I do love a good zombie story! The one thing that did kind of annoy me about this one is that it seemed like it took so long to get to the zombies. Don’t get me wrong, I was enjoying the lead up completely, it’s just I was looking all over for the zombies. I like the way the characters were introduced one at a time in order to give you a feel for who they are. It gave me a chance to decide if I liked them or not, meaning whether I was going to be rooting for or against them. I liked the use of interludes to give more background on the state of things as they unfolded. This was definitely a different type of zombie story with what seem to be spiritual/religious undertones.

A flower seller who appears to be nothing special but who speaks like a very well-educated man, and is much more than anyone would believe. Flowers are given to seven carefully chosen people for reasons that can mean life or death for them. One of those people has the ability to cause the release of a plague that will devastate the world and it seems to have been made possible by someone associated with our flower seller.

You have to read this in order to truly appreciate it. Angels, demons, the almighty, and an interesting cross of humanity. I want book two to be just as interesting as this one because I am highly motivated to read it as soon as it comes out. Great characters, good action, nice premise, and kind of fun. I would call it a must read.

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If you have not yet read book 1 do so immediately!

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Kiss of Crimson

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Kiss of Crimson (Midnight Breed #2)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book a great deal! This grabbed me from the opening and kept me fully engaged for the entire book. The characters are wonderful and well fleshed out giving them the feel of true life. I liked them as real people because their feelings seemed so genuine and they were not perfect but slightly flawed like most people are.

Dante is out looking for a quick nip and maybe something more. On his way out of the club he encounters a Rogue that is not affected by titanium and fights like a crazed animal. When he is attacked during his fight he ends up in the river but manages to find his way into the back room of a veterinary hospital owned by Tess. While trying to help the battered man in her business she is attacked and bitten by the handsome man. Dante later notices that she has a Breedmate mark, and is shocked to realize what he has started.

Tess does not remember being attacked and so continues with her life never knowing that a man/warrior has marked her. She also does not know that her ex is doing something that will ultimately come back and hurt her. Ben, her ex is obsessed with Tess and she has no idea what lengths he goes to see her. With a new drug on the streets that is causing havoc among Breed youth and Darkhaven youth disappearing, the question is are they linked.

These two people are both a little broken but want to be fixed, even they don’t always admit it. You have violence, kidnapping, and drug use, you also have honor, loyalty, and love. You get the best of everything here with vampires both good and bad who fight hard. If you have not started this series yet you need to.

“Then run to me.” Dante’s eyes were fierce as he held her gaze. “I know all about fear, Tess. It lives in me too. That ‘seizure’ I had in your clinic? It’s not a medical condition, not even close.” “What is it?” “Death,” he said woodenly. “For as long as I can remember, I’ve had these attacks—these visions—of my last moments alive. It’s hellish beyond imagining, but I see it as if it’s happening. I feel it, Tess. It’s my fate.” “I don’t understand. How can you be sure of that?” His smile was wry. “I’m sure. My mother had similar visions of her own death, and my father’s too. They happened precisely as she envisioned them. She couldn’t change what was to happen, or turn it back. So I’ve been trying to outrun my own end. I’ve been running from it forever. I’ve kept myself insulated from things that might make me want to slow down and live. I’ve never permitted myself to truly feel.” “There’s danger in feeling,” Tess murmured. Although she could not begin to imagine what kind of pain Dante carried within him, she felt a kinship growing between them. Both alone, both adrift in their worlds. “I don’t want to feel anything for you, Dante.” “God, Tess. I don’t want to feel anything for you either.”
― Lara Adrian, Kiss of CrimsonLara Adrian
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The Offer

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The Offer (Call Girl, Inc #1)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is another author I will be adding to my reading list. This particular story drew me in fairly quickly and kept me reading until the very end. The characters were well-defined although some better than others in this particular book. The language works perfectly to make the people seem like anyone you might meet on the street.

Nina lived in a home with a mother who was not there for her or her sister in the most important ways. When a boyfriend of her mothers makes moves on her and then seems like he might move on to her sister so she makes sure he cannot. In the process they end up on their own and have to survive. After years of scrapping by she finally has a good life, but thanks to a man it all comes crashing down. It’s at this low point she receives what could be a very lucrative offer.

I would definitely recommend to lovers of hot stories.

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Night Of The Living Trekkies

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Night Of The Living Trekkies

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Being a major Star Trek fan I had to get this book as soon as I saw it. This was a really fun novel as far as I am concerned. The writing was great and made good use of the world of Star Trek and its characters as well as those from Star Wars ( Personally I don’t think there would have been a Star Wars if not for Star Trek to lead the way). There were what I believe were a few nods, though I could be wrong, to characters from the show. The characters for the most part were interesting and felt fleshed out enough that you were invested in whether or not they survived.

Jim Pike (James T. Kirk and Christopher Pike)had been a fan of Star Trek when he was younger, but after his tour of duty in Afghanistan and the loss of his squad he no longer wishes to indulge in that fantasy world. He is working at the hotel which is hosting The Gulf Con for Trekkie’s, an exclusive convention for Star Trek fans only. He just wants to get through it with minimal fuss. The best thing about the whole thing is that his sister is attending with some friends and plans to spend some time with her big brother.

They are not far from Johnson Space Center and the secrets that it houses which could cause the destruction of all mankind. There are many Star Trek fans working there and they manage to bring something to the convention that stops it before it going. A zombie virus is unleashed and all those people who wanted to boldly go end up gone and back to munch on their crews.

It did take me a few chapters in to really get into it but I was going to finish no matter what just because it combined two of my favorite things, Star Trek and zombies. This has a bit more of twist than just throwing zombies into the mix with our Trekkie and it was a pretty good one that caught me a little off guard. If you want something that will make you smile, make you laugh, and gross you out a bit, then this is for you.

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The Witch with No Name

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The Witch With No Name (The Hollows #13)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I hate to see a favorite series end but if it must then this is the way I want it to go out. I am so happy that Kim Harrison saw fit to to actually tie up all the loose threads that had come into play along the way. This was an exciting and tense entry that was well crafted and made for a great send off for Rachel, Ivy, and Jenks as they started to go their separate ways. The world inhabited by our people has always been vivid and very real, both reality and the Ever After.

Rachel made a deal with Cormel that she would find a way to return the souls of the undead vampires, because she was looking for a way to save Ivy. Cormel has become impatient and wants it done sooner than later. He makes an attempt on Ivy hoping to push Rachel into working faster. Rachel goes to the man who tried to kill her with the elves Goddess, Landon, for help and he pulls as fast one on her.

Rachel and Trent end up in a race to save not only Ivy but the source of magic as well from a madman who thinks he can destroy it and bring it back. Trent is also dealing with Ellasbeth again and trying to come to an agreement.

There is a lot going on and it may seem chaotic but it is what you would expect from these characters. Rachel does work my nerves a bit with her self-pity parties every step of the way. But I got the HEA I wanted and for me that is the best thing of all.

If you have been a fan of the Hollows then you cannot miss this! I would recommend it to everyone, but start at the beginning.  😀