Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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Hunted

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Hunted (Brides of the Kindred, #2)

Hunted (Brides of the Kindred #2)

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am really enjoying these books so far. They are so well thought out and the characters have such diverse personalities that you cannot help but feel for whatever they are going through. The plots follow a natural progression which allows to follow along even if you have not read the previous. The flow is seamless and allows for better understanding of not only the characters but also situations which are represented. And to make it even better, at least for me, the stories are told from multiple points of view. I also like the fact that even though each story is about a separate couple you still have interaction with the original couple and are setting the stage for the next book.

Olivia and Sophia Waterhouse are twins and when Olivia is claimed by a Kindred warrior Sophia is devastated. She takes out her anger on Sylvan, brother of the warrior who claimed her sister. Now Sophia is attending her sister’s wedding and finds out that she must kiss the man she has been abusing and feels hates her. While she is worrying about this she does not know that the Scourge are planning to kidnap her, as they did her sister, thinking that she is the one who can fulfill their prophesy. As Sylvan is returning Sophia to Earth they are attacked and crash-land in the mountains and must allude their pursuers. Sophia feels things for Sylvan but is frightened of him because he is a Blood Kindred, they have fangs and bite their mates to bond with them. What follows is a chase across galaxies and the realization that the past cannot stand in the way of a love that is fated in the stars.

This series is beyond HOT! It scorches and can make you blush or reduce you to a puddle, either is good. The heat does not take away from the fact that the story is always front and center. Science fiction is not everyone’s cuppa but this is more than that, it’s a story of finding that one love who completes you, it’s about seeing the difference in someone and accepting it and so many other things.

If you are a romance junky then you have to read this series.

 

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Blood Slave

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Blood Slave (The Nightlife)

Blood Slave (The Nightlife)

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
This was a great read and took me away within the the first few sentences. The characters are fleshed out and vivid giving you a feeling for who they are and what you can expect from them. The language is straight forward and descriptive allowing you to visualize each situation and location. I could relate to all the characters, even those who were not necessarily human because they had personalities like people I had known at one time or another.

The book is about a woman named Esperanza Salvación or as she prefers to be called Hope. Her life in Bogotá Colombia was not an easy one and did not get any better after her arrival in New York. She is also telepathic which can make her useful to anyone who needs information. She is an escort who is tied to the Colombian cartel and unable to get out because of a debt she has with the representative there. Things are not so bad until a client, who is more than human realizes that there is something about Hope that could be dangerous for them. This places her in a world she had no idea existed and she soon finds herself a blood slave, addicted to the bite of a vampire and unable to get away because of it. Her life becomes both a blessing and curse, just another thing she will have to survive.

I liked Hope because she was a survivor and even after years of abuse she still has dreams for the future. She comes across as hard and capable but she has a soft side that she keeps hidden. Enrique de la Riguera is a Spaniard who does not wish to kill Hope and so instead brings her into his family much to the chagrin of his servant Lia, a woman he once loved and turned. While Enrique is a benevolent sort he is blind to many things. Lia on the other hand is a psycho and wants nothing more than to rid herself of Hope. How things play out makes for a fun ride.

This story is SEXY, sad, brutal, and heart breaking in equal measures. But if you are squeamish when it comes to battery of women or menage then you should maybe take a pass. Otherwise enjoy this tale of the Blood Slave, it is well worth the time!

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Booster & Reeves

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Booster & Reeves: The Night of the Revenants

Booster & Reeves: The Night of the Revenants

 

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was not your typical zombie story by any means. When I started this I was unsure of where it was going to go, but it did take me to a pleasant place and made me like it and at least two of the characters a lot. The story may have been a bit odd but it definitely had something rather fun and whimsical about it. Booster and Reeves are both interesting characters who had an interesting chemistry that worked.

The story itself had a flow that was easy to follow once you knew what exactly was happening and allowed you to follow the progression with no problem. The characters themselves are a bit larger than life but fit well within the tale that is being told and you can’t help but smile at what they are attempting to do and the way they go about it.

Broderick Booster is a bit of a lay about, rich and idle, he likes to play video games where he kills zombies. Reeves is a manservant, Boosters manservant and undeniably the brains in the house. When the dead start to walk an unexpected visitor shows up at the door, Boosters Aunt Gertie who has been dead for two weeks. She comes to tell him that he can stop the dead from walking if he takes on the quest that she has come to tell him about. He and Reeves cannot refuse and take off to stop the madness before it can destroy everything in its path.

There is not a lot of carnage or violence but enough to satisfy. You do have the added bonus of black magic and time travel to balance that all out. These guys should have another adventure because they are so good together. Enjoy this for the light take on zombies and some interesting people.

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Affliction

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Affliction (Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter, #22)

Affliction

(Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #22)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have been reading about Anita Blake since the first book “Guilty Pleasures” and have always been happy where they took me. This is no
exception, I was not disappointed in the least. Anita is a kick-ass woman who may have some issues and may sometimes be unsure about her
status as human, she still always does what needs doing, and that usually involves a lot of killing.
The exploration of Micah‘s background and family made this a story that held my interest from the beginning. While we have had glimpses of what his life was like before he met Anita never anything personal. From the phone call that initiated the story to the arrival home, this story flowed effortlessly from scene to scene and kept me awake well past bed time. The characters are so rich and diversified, you have people from all walks of life and whether they are vampires, were-animals, men, women, black, white or something in between they each have their own flavor.

The world Anita inhabits is so much like the world we live in with all the same problems but amplified to fit the existence of the supernatural creatures who live there too. You have envy, betrayal by friends, love, hate, and varying degrees of violence. But you have a group of people who have found a way to live that suits them and allows them to function within the chaos. That’s what everyone wants. Anita has evolved from a one note character to a well rounded one who can see all sides, but she maintains her core values even though they now include “the monsters”.

The story itself takes us to Colorado where Micah’s father has contracted a rotting disease from a zombie bite. Anita and Nathaniel accompany him for the sad reunion with his estranged family. Even though Anita is not there in an official capacity she soon finds herself sucked into the investigation due to her expertise with zombie raising. What ensues is a fight to save not only Micah’s father but all of humanity from a threat she thought had been neutralized when they killed Marmee Noir.

Edward/Ted comes to her aid as well as Jean-Claude and many of the best who reside and protect them from the Circus of the Damned. There is a lot of violence, a little sex, and a lot of heart on display. One of the best novels in this series and there have been many.

If you have not tried out the Anita Blake series I would suggest you give it a try! I Love Anita and her Men!!

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Trail of Dead

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Trail of Dead (Scarlett Bernard, #2)

Trail of Dead (Scarlett Bernard #2)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
There is something about these books that just make me like them. It partly has to do with the characters but it is also the fact that you have very little down time. The action is almost continuous with them running from one thing to the next without very much rest. There is always introspection or planning but things flow along and keep you pondering the next move that will be made. The characters seem very real, probably because they seem to be grappling with the same things we do every day, thoughts of morality, keeping family safe, whether they are loved, and who can be trusted. When you cannot put a book down you know that you have found a winner.When we last saw Scarlett she had just been released from the hospital. Her friend and mentor Olivia, who as a null was supposed to have died, shows up as a vampire and lets her know she is still hers. Scarlett goes to New York to see another null and try to get information on why and how they can negate the magic within others,but the trip is a bust. Upon her arrival home she is met at the airport by Detective Jesse Cruz who does not let her get a breath before he whisks her off to a crime scene, which appears to be related to the Old World. What ensues is a race against time to find a killer and save Scarlett from a woman who has killed to possess her and will not let her go, even if it means killing her.

You have your vampire king, Dashiell, who runs things in Los Angeles but shares governance with two other groups. The witches, who are lead by Kirsten, very powerful and a nice woman who likes Scarlett. Then there are the werewolves who are led by Will, their Alpha, who owns a bar called Hair of the Dog. each of them are powerful in their own right but band together to keep the peace. They all have a stake in what Olivia is ding and want to stop her before its to late.

The writing style here is very straight forward and keeps you guessing what is going to happen next. Scarlett is a troubled person who has lost so much that she can seem self-destructive at times, but she is likable in spite of that, mainly because you can see her love for the people around her. The first entry Dead Spot was good, this one was even better and I can only see it going up from here.

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Third Time’s A Charm Contest

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Contest time!

Posted on September 2, 2013 by Rose Pressey

ThirdTimesaCharm

Third Time’s a Charm is now available for preorder on Amazon. It’s the third book in the Halloween LaVaeu series. To celebrate the release, I’m giving away a wonderful haunted barn luminary from Bath and Body Works and a Kindle!

hauntedbarn

Preorder Third Time’s a Charm.

Here are the contest details:

There will be two winners. One winner will get a haunted barn luminary from Bath and Body Works and the next winner will receive a Kindle. *I am not affiliated with Bath and Body Works.*

The following are ways to enter the contest:

Leave a comment on this blog post (1 entry)
Follow me on Twitter (2 entries)
Friend me on Facebook (2 entries)
Tweet about the contest (2 entries)
Mention the contest on Facebook (2 entries)
Mention the contest on your blog (2 entries)
Purchase Third Time’s a Charm (6 entries—simply send an email with your receipt to rose at rosepressey dot com.
Review Third Time’s a Charm on Amazon or Barnes and Noble (5 entries)

Just mention in your comment below how many entries you have for the contest. Here is a sample comment:

“Hi, Rose! I purchased your book and emailed you a copy of the receipt, plus posted about your contest on Twitter. That gives me 8 entries.”

This contest runs through October 4, 2013 with the winner announced on October 5! The winners will be drawn at random. Remember, the more entries you get, the more chance you have to win!

http://rosepressey.com/blog/2013/09/02/contest-time/

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Gabriel’s Hope

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Gabriel's Hope by Lizzy Ford    Gabriel’s Hope (Rhyn Eternal, #1)
by Lizzy Ford

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Though it did not make me immediately interested it did catch me after the first 3 chapters. The plot is interesting when you realize that what you are dealing with are immortals, and not just any immortals but those who have been a part of our mythology for generations. Death, Fate, Demons, and the Devil are all here and vying for our attention.

Gabriel has just been appointed as Death and he has no idea how to handle his elevated status. He has been a hired hand for countless years and now he is expected to take the reins and make sure that all souls are collected as they should be. When he is sent out by Fate to collect a soul he runs into someone who may change his life in unexpected ways, Deidre, she has been diagnosed with a terminal brain tumor and has only months to live. While Gabriel tries to fix the problems in the underworld he finds that his heart is being effected by a human who he does not want to lose.

This story was entertaining but could have been so much more. While I liked Deidre, she was so conflicted at times that all I wanted to do was hit her. She started as a strong woman and then became this frail little then went back to being strong. I get that she needed a range of emotions but sometimes less is more.

There is a cliff hanger ending and if nothing else that makes me want to read the next entry because now I want to know what happens next.

 

 

 

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Growl

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Growl

Growl (Lacey Hannigan Trilogy #1)

 

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I liked it but it was not that grab you and entrance you type read. Don’t get me wrong though, there is plenty to like here and make you want to continue. The story has a slow build but then goes straight to action, which is refreshing since most of the time you have to wait several chapters before anything of note happens. I did want to find out more as I read and was not tempted to just skim, which is a good thing because sometimes things can get bogged down in the details. So it flowed well enough for me to keep track of what was important to the story.

Lacey Hannigan has a power, she can move things with her, not great for a seventeen year old who just wants to be normal. Her father left when was 4 unable to deal with a child so different, her mother was afraid of her, and her step-father wanted to her. So, Lacey runs away to the big city and lands in a situation she could not have anticipated. Her first night in town she becomes the target of a hunting pack and only her ability saves her, but it also peaks the interest of the Alpha and he wants her at any costs.

This is almost a coming of age story just with telekinesis and wolves. Lacey is a lost little girl who has been hurt by the people who should have loved and protected her. And while she thinks that she is able to take care of herself, she still needs the comfort of a family and friends. I liked Lacey most of the time but she was so much like most female characters, wishy-washy when it came to her love interest. The whole which one will it be thing.

The characters are believable but could have been fleshed out more, particularly those that are central to the story. The dialogue is appropriate but a little stiff in places, mostly when Lacey and Jesse are interacting. But as I have said, an enjoyable story which does make you want to continue the series in the end. I would recommend this to anyone who likes a wolf shifter with a little twist. This has violence, a little romance,and family dysfunction.

 

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Claimed

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Claimed (Brides of the Kindred, #1)

Claimed (Brides of the Kindred #1)

 

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Oh!My!Goodness! I loved this! I have not really read much sci-fi romance/erotica but if this is what I can expect then I will definitely be reading more. It got my attention from the first chapter and would not let me go. Everything flows so well that I was able to follow half asleep (I really wanted to keep going)and I was enjoying Baird and Olivia sparring.

Baird is a Kindred, an alien who came to Earth along with his race to help when the planet was attacked. They are genetic traders and only asked for the right to choose brides from the female population for their help. They were defending the planet from a menace called the Scourge who rape and destroy every planet they come upon. Baird finds his bride, Olivia, through dream sharing while he is a captive of the Allfather aboard a Scourge ship and once he escapes wants to claim her immediately. Olivia has just finished nursing school and looking forward to life with her twin sister and friends, the thought of being claimed is not something she is happy with. She has to spend thirty days on the kindred ship while her intended is allowed to attempt to seduce her into staying, she is determined that it will not happen.

There are three kinds of Kindred; Ragers (Beast), Tranque (Vampire), and Twins (two inseparable brothers). There are no women and these warriors need them to continue their race. Baird is a beast kindred and much bigger than normal Earth men, in a yummy sort of way. Just one more little thing, each week is broken up into specific actions: during week 1 is holding, week 2 is bathing (together), week 3 is tasting, and week 4 is full on press. And they have to sleep in the same bed every night.

I’m not sure if I liked this because of the characters, who I loved, the bad guys, who I hated (in a good way) or just the story itself. It all came together in a way that made for a compelling story with danger, love, sex, and family.

Evangeline Anderson has given me a series that I am ready to follow to the end. It has all the things I love. Romance, sex, aliens, interstellar war, and family ties.

“Just tell him to keep his hands to himself and his python in his pants.”
― Evangeline Anderson, Claimed

 

 

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The Nightlife New York

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The Nightlife: New York (The Nightlife, #1)

The Nightlife: New York (The Nightlife #1)

My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars
When I started reading this I was not sure what to expect. All I knew for sure was that it was going to involve Vampires and I love Vampires. Well, after reading it through I can say without a doubt that I really, really liked this. It didn’t snatch me into the story but drew me in slowly as I started to get an idea about the characters and what they were like. I like this this new style vampire who are part of the world and not at the same time. This was a getting to know you kind of thing for me and the story was just what I would have wanted to get me in the right place.

Aaron Pilan is a nineteen year old who seems to be drifting through life, working as a waiter and hanging out with his friends. Then one night he happens upon a beautiful woman being hassled by the police and tries to step in to help, not a good idea. The lady can take care of herself and he gets a hole in his chest for his trouble. Michelle is beautiful, french, and a vampire, she is also alone. When she sees the boy shot she takes him with her and tries to help, but the only thing she can do is make him like her. What ensues is a story of two people, one already in love and another who does not believe it is possible for her to love.

I liked Michelle even though she seemed a bit psychotic at first, the reasons were justified for all the actions she took. Aaron has his own issues but is like any boy of his age you might meet, an attractive woman can make things seem just fine.I think I would have liked to see him more anguished or even angry about becoming a vampire but that was just a small thing. Overall I enjoyed the story so much that one thing could not detract from the rest. It didn’t hurt that they had some great chemistry as well. 🙂

I will definitely be reading the next installment because I think there is a lot more to both of them and I want to see it unfold. This offers hot romance, corrupt police, and a flawed vampire. This is well worth the read and once you start I think you will not put it down until the final page has been turned.

 

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