Category Archives: Urban Fantasy

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Witch’s Bell

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Witch's Bell Book One (Witch's Bell, #1)

Witch’s Bell Book One (Witch’s Bell #1)

My rating: 3 of 5 stars
Though I eventually ended up liking this book it was a close thing. From the beginning I was not sure what was going on or what the story was about, other than a witch who was really cocky, and worked for the police. Most books I will read between 1-2 days but it took me 6 days to get through this one, partly because I started reading another book that grabbed my attention. I kept going because I wanted to see where things were headed and whether there would be a payoff in the end. It did finally pick up nicely by the time I got 65% through. The only character I felt even remotely stood out was the main one, the others were not fleshed out enough to really form a good opinion of them one way or the other.

Ebony Bell is a summoner witch residing in the city of Vale which sits on a Portal or gate between worlds. She is the official witch consultant to the Vale police and helps them when magical crimes occur, and that is quite often because of the door. After revealing to a mortal that she is a witch Ebony has her magic taken away for a month and must live as a human. Though this is the worst thing that has ever happened to her she soon finds that things can be much worse than she had ever thought possible.

I do not require non-stop action in a book, or for the heroine to be in love by the third chapter, it would have just been nice if all the peripheral characters had been more interesting or just more involved. A little more background information on Senior Detective Ben, who had known Ebony since she was a child would have helped. Or more information on Detective Nathan Wall, who arrives with secrets and they are not revealed until the final chapters. There were so many characters who I felt could have been fleshed out and not focused so much on Ebony being whiny.

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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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Minion

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Minion (Vampire Huntress Legend, #1)Minion by L.A. Banks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I was in the bookstore and told the clerk I was looking for a good vampire novel, he suggested this one. I am very glad he did because I immediately got caught up into the story. This is about a Vampire Huntress (think Buffy with more attitude)who is also a spoken word entertainer. The themes are spiritual but with a real world feel. This is the first in a 12 book series which takes you around the world and rewrites the fight between good and evil in a way that makes it very entertaining. You will find a lot of characters from the bible and myth within the covers but it is not preachy.

Damali Richards is a girl who only wanted to make music but because of who she is her destiny is to fight Vampires and Demons. Her backup musicians are more than they that, they are a part of her Guardian team, all special people who are sworn to fight the darkness and bring in the light. Bodies are being found which do not have the neat holes most vampires leave behind but are being savagely mauled. Though she wishes she could turn away from it Damali finds herself pulled deeper into the darkness than she could ever imagine going.

I found it to be a great lead in novel and think it would be great for anyone who has a thing for vampires and those who slay them.

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Mystic Wolves

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The Mystic Wolves (Mystic Wolves, #1)The Mystic Wolves by Belinda Boring

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This caught me off guard. I was not sure what to expect and found myself totally involved in the story. I liked Darcy from the moment I met her, she is a strong woman who has a strong sense of who she is and what she wants. Mason is the epitome of what an Alpha should be, strong, centered, capable, and devoted to the protection of his people. Devlin is the Vampire enforcer who is friends with them both as well as others in their pack.

They are being targeted by an outside force which wants to take over and destroy the alliance they have with the Vampire King. By attempting to break Mason through his loved ones, especially his future mate Darcy, this interloper has bit off more than he can chew. There are all manner of supernatural creatures involved in this world and they all have a stake in how things turn out in the end.

There are some transformations, murder, grief, and mild romantic scenes.

A very nice introduction to these characters which has made me anxious to read the next installment and find out what happens to everyone.

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Carwyn

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Building From Ashes (Elemental World, #1)Building From Ashes by Elizabeth Hunter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have loved this family of vampires from the first book I picked up and this one is no exception.

The basics: Carwyn, a 1000 yr old priest finds that he is no longer as satisfied in his life or vocation as he once was. We see the events of the previous books from his perspective as well as find out what was really happening to him during this time without interruption. Can a thousand-year old vampire find love after so long? Carwyn is the “father” of a large and close-knit clan in Ireland that he will do anything to protect.

What made this nice was that you still had cameos by characters you had come to love and miss. Gio and Beatrice had a voice, so it was not like you only had new characters to get to know. We even get to see a bit of what Ben was doing while Beatrice was getting her blood lust under control.

I loved this because it had all the romance, mystery, blood lust, family, vampire intrigue that I come to expect. If you have a love of vampires with the best powers and best personalities then you will want to read this. Never disappoints and leaves me wanting more!

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Nullified Magic

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I would give this 4.5 stars actually. This is a great story and one I have not read before.

Scarlett Bernard is a null, this means that magic of any kind is nullified within a certain range of her. Vampires become human again, werewolves are unable to change, and spells have no effect and the practitioner is unable to cast. In her line of work that is a very good thing, because Scarlett cleans up crime scenes for supernatural beings.

When a murder is committed and she becomes the prime suspect Scarlett has no choice but to try and find out who is responsible. The master Vampire of the Los Angeles has told her that if she cannot do it, she dies as the guilty party.

I loved the characters and of course the setting of this tale. Murder, suspense, betrayal, you have a bit of everything with the hint of a love triangle. This is a great read for fans of urban fantasy.

Dead Spots (Scarlett Bernard, #1)Dead Spots by Melissa F. Olson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

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