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Ivory Terrors

21848242

Ivory Terrors (The Cavaliers #3)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have enjoyed this series from the first book and actually wish that we could have just one more so that I could see how things turn out for everyone after they have gotten past the worst. I love the fact that historical facts as well as fictions are interwoven giving it a richer feel and giving a fuller life to the characters. I have fond characters that I really liked and some that were kind of annoying but always got some type of reaction from me, which means they are well established in mind as more than two-dimensional. Descriptions of locations are so vivid that you can almost see them. I was immediately drawn back into the story of vampires who have forgotten their humanity and see killing a few people as nothing in the grand scheme of things.

The action starts right on the heels of the last book with Harriet still unconscious after George has mesmerized her and kidnapped her from the summer party. She is not allowed to wake until they arrive at their destination and finds herself in France with him, her mother and the man she has always believed to be her father, though he, was supposed to be dead. What she finds is that she has been brought to a man/vampire who wishes to kill her enemies but also wishes to kill the only father she has ever known, Augustine, who he hates for abandoning him. He wants Harriet’s help in setting up all his enemies and gaining him the power to take the Cavaliers in another direction. But does Harriet want to see Augustine dead, even if he is somewhat ruthless he has always been good to her.

The Roundheads are still out there and plotting their own retribution for the Cavaliers unaware of a third-party plotting to decimate their ranks. They are also not aware that a traitor has infiltrated their ranks and is working against them. When things finally come to a head everyone will be surprised by what is learned and what is lost.

This was a great way to end a series that has been riff with conspiracies from the very beginning. Betrayals were a way of life for all those involved whether human or vampire, love was given and taken away only to be redirected, lying was taken to a high art. I was very glad to get the full story behind Augustine because he was a big part of this and finally knowing what he had gone through to make him who he was made this so much more interesting. The only thing that annoyed me was who Harriet ended up with, really, him! While I loved everything else that was my one sticking point. Harriet went up and down for me because she was so mercurial about everything from her family to the men she claimed to love, but in the end she did what I would have done.

If you want to step off into a world that has beautiful men, fabulous parties, and more death than the law allows, then you have to read these books. I’d still like another one! 🙂

Look for the arrival of this last in the Cavaliers trilogy on May 1st.
  “Harriet dreamt of someone well dressed and flamboyant, who spoke like the lead in a black and white film, who drank champagne like other people drank Carling and who could talk about history and philosophy and life for hours, without making themselves sound like an idiot. Someone who made romantic gestures, who was generous to everyone and extravagant towards her. Someone, for preference, who rowed and had the muscles to prove it. When she was really having a bad day, someone with a title. Every time a well-meaning access scheme leaflet tried to reassure her and all the other state school applicants that Oxford wasn’t wall to wall Old Etonians permanently dressed in tuxedos, she died a little inside.”  ― Georgiana Derwent, Oxford Blood
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Another Year Comes to a Close

     2013

This was a year of firsts for me, a year I started doing things I had always said I would not.  It has been an interesting and good year, if my reading list is any indication that is. When this year started I would never have guessed that I would be using any type of social media, other than Facebook, but here I am.  I started a blog when everything in me said don’t do it, what’s the point, you have no idea what you are doing. And it is all true, I have no idea what I am doing and it looks like it, but I don’t care about that because I am finally at least giving myself a voice about something I like. I got on Twitter and though it may not be the most scintillating exchanges I have ever had it once again gives me a place to voice my opinions on my books. Last but not least I joined Goodreads where I have found a lot of people who enjoy reading as much as I do and have given me so many new authors and genres that I had not explored before.  This has been a year of making new friends and doing something I find fun which gives me an outlet for all those thoughts that swirl around my head.

Twitter

Twitter (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It is obvious that I am not a professional reviewer by any means. I think amateur might even be a stretch, but I enjoy it none the less. I loved English classes in school and took as many as I could get away with because they allowed me to read and write more than any others. I have never thought my writing all the great but others told me I did it well. I will never be able to write a novel because I don’t have the imagination to create an entire world and characters who have a life, short short stories are about as much as I could do. But I can put thought to paper in a fairly coherent manner. What I have hoped for here was simply to convey how I felt about the books I have read and whether I think they would be worth the time of others.

Goodreads Avatar

Goodreads Avatar (Photo credit: minifig)

Well, this was just to say Thank You! Thank you to all those who have stopped by and to those who have chosen to follow along as I wend my way through a galaxy of books. Hopefully with time I will get a better understanding of this and give you more to enjoy.

New Year 2014 Pictures & Images

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Magic Possessed

Magic Possessed (The Hidden, #2)

Magic Possessed (The Hidden #2)

I received this book from Goodreads First Reads for free.

I totally loved this book and would give it 4.5 stars because it grabbed me and kept me engrossed until the end. I will definitely be reading the first book in the series and following up with the rest. The characters are so well written that I came to really care about them and what they were going through. Of course some were filled out better than others but the main ones and most of the side characters made this worth while. The world they inhabit is like ours but just different enough to make it interesting.

With a number of mythical characters, chief among them dragons, sorcerers, and caidos (descendants of fallen angels). These people came from a place called Luciferia, a place that no longer exists except as the Bermuda Triangle we know today. When their home is destroyed they head to Florida and make a home for themselves there among the back roads and small communities. While they do not always get along they have managed to create a place they can live and thrive until someone decides that things are going to well and starts to shake the hornet’s nest.

Violet Castanega and her family are Dragon shifters and a bit of a rowdy bunch, along with most of her neighbors. She was a brawler when she was younger but has grown into a responsible woman and then the murders start. I liked Violet because she was a strong woman who was not afraid to do whatever was needed to protect her family and those around her. She was also able to trust when she had no reason to.

Kade Kavanaugh is a Deuce (sorcerer) and he works for the Guard, they are a police force for the supernatural folks in the area. They do not have any love for the dragons who they see as completely uncivilized and therefore are unconcerned when dragon bodies start dropping. That is until Violet shows up and he is ordered to assassinate her with no explanation or proof of wrong doing. Kade is an honorable guy who would never do anything he felt was wrong, and you have to love him for it.

This was a fun and emotional ride with mystery, hot sex, conspiracies, murder, revenge, and above all Love. I laughed, cried, yelled, and thoroughly enjoyed myself! If you want something that will take you away and entertain you, then you have got to read this. You will be missing out if you don’t give it a look.

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Blood Slave

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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Ascent of Blood

Ascent of Blood by Elizabeth Marx

Ascent of Blood (The Red Veil Series, #1)
by Elizabeth Marx

My rating:  5 of 5 stars

I received this book for free from Goodreads First Reads.

I truly loved this entry! After reading Descent of Blood I could not wait to find out what else was in store for The House of Imperials. Here we are transported from 1465 Cardiff to 1990 London and I was not disappointed!

When Dr. Everleigh Marbut, an American, comes to London in search of the Book of Descent she finds much more than she ever thought possible. She is studying vampire lore, though she does not believe in them, and the House of Imperials in particular. Her inquiry draws the attention of Prince Sebastian Pearce, the son of Severian and Meridian, who will rule the House of Imperials when his father steps down. When they meet there is an instant connection, but he cannot believe that after waiting 600 years for a mate, one who could carry immortal children, the fates would send him someone who seems to be so damaged. As Everleigh and Sebastian fight against their connection they do not realize that forces are aligning against them.

” Sometimes, love is conceived in the mind of a man long before it is ever realized.”

While this is a story of two people who are destined for each other but would rather fight than admit their feelings. It is also a story about genetic manipulation, betrayal, political posturing, and obsession. The House of Imperials is being targeted from multiple sides but can Sebastian stop the fall and still find the love he has sought for centuries?

   ” The destiny of his lineage, and the bond forged between them, now rests in their acceptance of each other AS THEY ARE.”

A book you will not be able to put down until the last page has been read. And then you will simply want more.

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How to Date a Werewolf

English: French Quarter - New Orleans

English: French Quarter – New Orleans (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

How to Date a Werewolf (Rylie Cruz #1)How to Date a Werewolf by Rose Pressey

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rylie Cruz has quickly become one of my favorite characters. She is
witty, smart, feisty, and a little paranoid about her furry condition.
I  was torn when I first started reading not knowing where exactly it was
going to go as well as wondering who the werewolf was. Rylie runs a
matchmaking service for paranormal and humans in the French Quarter of
New Orleans. When she has a problem with one of her clients strange
things start to happen which endanger her life and a new relationship.

Rylie lives with her best friend, who is human, above her office space, She has told her friend that she is a werewolf and that she has a curse on her which prevents her from ever finding a lasting mate. While her friend has always claimed to believe her all it takes is a man to infer that Rylie has a psychological problem for her to decide he must be right. While Rylie deals with a client trying to ruin her business and thugs breaking her door looking for her Uncle, her friend and potential boyfriend are plotting to get her into therapy. Maybe she should have changed for them after all.

I’m definitely adding this series to my to read list.

 

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Reunited

The Reunited (The FBI Psychics, #3)The Reunited by Shiloh Walker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received this book for free through Goodreads first reads and I would give 4 1/2 stars if I could. I really liked this book.

I got caught up in it because of the possibilities it presented for the characters. The characters are vivid and you either love them, hate them, or don’t care (but still are interested). I could visualize them, which made them more real, which in turn made the story that much more enjoyable. It started a bit slow for me but once I passed page 20 it got moving and putting it down was not an easy thing to do. Every time I decided I had to go to bed, something would happen and I had to get to that next chapter to see what was going to happen and to whom. The subject matter could be considered distasteful but it’s handled in a mature and tasteful manner.

I will be reading the previous books and looking for the next with anticipation. For me the mark of a good book is if I find myself absorbed in the characters and rooting for them. If romance and mystery/suspense interest you. Then this is a book to go for.