Tag Archives: urban fantasy

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A Touch of Midnight

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18220753

A Touch of Midnight (Midnight Breed 0.5)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is the first book I have read in the Midnight Breed series and I am glad this was my introduction. The characters are very well-defined and make you want to know more about them. While I was not pulled into the story from the first moment it did not take long for me to get really involved in the story. The story flowed so well that it was easy to determine what was happening and why things were happening the way they were.

Savannah Dupree is a student at Boston University in 1974 on a full scholarship. She is originally from Louisiana and is a very intelligent girl but has an ability which has always made her feel different from those around her, since nobody knows her here she feels more a part of things. Savannah has the ability to see the history of any object she touches. Gideon is one of the Breed, an elite vampire order which keeps the law by taking out rogue vampires. He has been a warrior for 300 years and in that time has never considered taking a mate.

Savannah is working on a special project in her art history class, helping to identify and catalog items in a collection the school has recently obtained. She finds a sword and after touching it she sees twin boys slaughtered by men who seem wrong in some way. Not long after she finds the sword it is stolen and her friend is killed in a brutal manner by a man who seems to have a lot in common with those she saw kill the twins. While giving an interview on television she is seen by Gideon who seems to know the sword she is talking about and wants to find and question her about it. But when he meets her he finds that the sword may be the least of worries.

There are the usual difficulties for the couple to go through such as misunderstandings about who knew what when and so on. But the story is kind of sweet, in a dark way. I wanted it to go on just a bit longer so I could find out just one more thing about them. I look forward to seeing them again in other novels though. I would say everyone should give it a chance.

“All it took was a chance meeting with a stranger, some unexpected conversation. A few moments of kindness from someone who had no inkling of what she’d been through. Someone who wandered into her workplace on a whim and ended up making the worst day of her life seem less awful simply by being in it. “Nice to meet you, Gideon.” “Likewise, Savannah.”
― Lara Adrian, A Touch of Midnight Lara Adrian
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Lords of the Were

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6680770

Lords of the Were (Tales Of The Were #1)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really liked this story for being interesting enough to keep my attention and having characters who I would love to know in the real world. The story grabs you immediately and makes you want to find out what could possibly be so mysterious about what the ladies are doing. As characters are introduced you will want to continue on because things get more interesting as they progress. The story flows well and is explained as it goes so you do not have some of those gaps which can be so annoying.

Allesandra (Allie) was orphaned at a young age and never knew her real parents, so when a woman comes to her and says that her mother asked her to get in touch with her when the time came she should have been surprised. What she finds out is that her mother was a priestess and now she must be consecrated into the service of the deity that her mother served. Allie feels so comfortable in a world she had no idea existed until her 32nd birthday when it all opened up to her. She seems a little timid at first but steps up and turns into a gutsy woman.

Tim and Rafe are the twin pair Lord’s of The Were who are sworn to protect Allie and love her if she will let them. They rule over all were no matter what they may be and have a pact with the Lady which keeps them all safe. They are two gorgeous hunks of wolf who take their responsibilities very seriously and will do anything to protect their people.

What no one realizes is that a plot to kill their priestess from an ancient evil is moving their way and they may not be as prepared as they think.

This had what I love in a story in that it made me cry, made me laugh, made me hot! Their was hot sex, good fighting, good magic (black and white), emotional moments, and family. A quick read but a satisfying one.

*This book contains scenes of menage a trois
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Side Jobs

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9640495

Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files (The Dresden Files #12.5)

I had to do an average of the stories I read here which came to 4.5 stars, which is pretty darn great for me. I am a total Dresden junky, love me some Harry! Each story gave me another side of Harry, in some instances a side I may not have had a chance to see before since the situation occurred outside the main novels. There was not one story I would give less than a three and most were at least a four. The writing was always tight, even if the first story was a little less detailed, it was still well worth the time. Each story seamlessly flowed into the next advancing and opening the story along with the characters.

There were three stories which I enjoyed more than others and gave five stars. The first story was It’s My Birthday, Too which revolved around Harry’s half-brother and the fact that Harry really does not know how to deal with family issues. I liked this one because it shows how close Thomas and Harry have grown since finding out about each other. It’s not every day you discover the only other family you have is a vampire. Thomas is helping one of his employees with a LARPing group at the mall, Harry is delivering his gift, and something very bad is about to happen.

My second favorite story was The Warrior, which had the retired knight Michael in it. When Michael and the knights were first introduced I was very happy to see them. Here was something I had never seen before and some very interesting people. Someone seems to be targeting Michael and his family, sending pictures of them to Harry as a warning. While Harry tries to find out who is after the ex-knight, Michael does not fear for himself but his family. What this person wants could cause more trouble than solve it.

The final favorite in this anthology of good stories was Last Call. Finally a chance to get a closer look at Mac. A psychic compulsion is placed on the crates containing his beer which of course transfers to the beer itself. Harry was just planning on having a beer and a steak sandwich but finds utter chaos and a plot that needs to be solved before all hell breaks loose.

All I can really say is that it is Harry Dresden and I love Harry in all his sarcastic, gloomy, sad sack, wizardly ways. If you have enjoyed the Dresden Files in the past this will only make you want more.

“God isn’t about making good things happen to you,or bad things happen to you. He’s all about making choice – exercising the gift of free will.”
― Jim Butcher, Side Jobs: Stories From the Dresden Files Jim Butcher
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Witch’s Bell 2

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18910467

Witch’s Bell 2 (The Adventures of Ebony Bell #2)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The first book in this series did not exactly grab me, but this one made me more of a fan. This time around I was ready and got into the story a lot quicker with a lot more interest in what was going on. The fact that Ebony seemed a bit more subdued and not so manic and annoying helped get me there. The plot here was a lot tighter and well thought out, at least for me, then the first which I completed but was not sure if I even liked the character. The characters felt more real to me here though I am still not fully invested in the world they inhabit.

After almost losing herself and being rewritten months ago Ebony has finally found her purpose and balance in life. She and Harry the bookstore are doing well and she has moved in to be closer. Things are going well with her job. The only thing seems to be that the police are busier than ever as magic seems to be running amok and her job seems to never end.

Something deadly and sinister is happening in Vale and Ebony is about to find herself at the center of trouble once again. And just to keep things interesting she is being courted by a handsome wizard from out of town named Aaron Heart who is in town to talk about security for a wizards convention. Meanwhile, Detective Nate Wall seems decidely jealous, though he hasn’t made a move of his own.

There is only one thing that really bugged me and that was the fact that so many words had been misused throughout the book. The word ‘where’ was used when they meant ‘were’ as well as ‘allowed’ for ‘aloud’. It kind of throws off your train of though while you try to make sense of it.

The books are sweet with a hint of danger and darkness with the potential for romance eventually. Ebony Bell is a likeable character most of the time but sometimes seems a bit naive for someone who grew up a witch. I hope to get better acquainted with the other characters who populate Vale.

“Magic is like silver cutlery, Ebony, you only bring it out to either impress, or stab, important guests.”
― Odette C. Bell, Witch’s Bell Book One
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Embracing the Wolf

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18890922

Embracing the Wolf

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I was looking forward to getting to know the other Ritter brother and it was well worth the wait. The writing here is crisp and expressive with characters who are as real as any I have ever seen. The story flows easily and pulls you along as the tension builds to a great conclusion. The language is perfect and makes me feel connected to everyone.

Kate Davis is a waitress at The Eatery and is working the graveyard shift when a man and a wolf come in to rob it. Unfortunately she is shot when she tries to protect one of her co-workers who wanders in not knowing what is happening and wakes without knowing what happened. Enter Richard Ritter who runs the security company which monitors the diner. He needs to speak to her and so goes to the hospital to continue the questions but never really got around to it. What he does find out is that Kate is the next target of a wolf who has been kidnapping and changing young women against their will. He feels drawn to protect her for a reason he is not sure about and the only way to do that is by taking a step he has avoided for years even while being nagged by his family. Has he found his true mate?

I really fell in love with these characters and the story fit what I would have expected from them. This was a sweet, sexy story with paranormal overtones. Not many wolves seen but a nice fight scene.

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Marked

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13320713

Marked (Eternal Guardians #1)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I wasn’t looking for one but seems like I have found a new series that I have to read. This book just creeped up and grabbed my attention. I have a new author who knows how to lay it out and make you want to read until dawn. I started this and wasn’t particularly drawn in, then in the next instant I found myself unable to put it down. I kept telling myself I would read just one more chapter, but ended up still reading at 3am, not good for a work day. This was one of those books that you fly through because it is going at breakneck speed and you don’t want to wait to find out what is coming next. But then it ends and all you can think about is getting to the next one as soon as possible to continue to that next adventure. The romance here was just what you would want, not to fast, even though they are fated but with enough obstacles to make it interesting. The characters are so well fleshed that you come to know enough about them to really care for them and want things to work out for them.

This was a great take on Greek mythology which can be stale in some hands. Instead of trotting out the same old gods we get to see what happened to the half mortal children of those titans. There is only direct interaction with a few of the actual gods and they are the ones who are always interesting.

Theron is a direct descendent of Heracles (Hercules)and the leader of the Argonauts, those who sailed with Jason on his quest. He is loyal to the King and will do what is needed to save his race, even if that means sacrificing his own happiness. Casey (Acacia) is just a girl, or so she believes who works at a strip club at night to help make ends meet, by day she owns and operates a bookstore which had belonged to her grandmother.

Casey has no idea that a place called Argolea even exists or that the gods of mythology are real. She just knows that she has never seemed to fit in with anyone outside of her family and connections were something she could not make. Then a mysterious man comes into her life and things get a lot more interesting and dangerous than she could have ever imagined. Theron must help to fulfill the prophesy which could help save his race but is he willing to send an innocent girl to her death in order to do so, that is his dilemma.

Love, love, loved this! I think Casey has become one of my favorite female characters because she has a backbone and will not back down just because she is faced with someone bigger and stronger than she is. Give me a girl who can hold her own and I am hooked every time. This had the right balance of romance, violence, betrayal, revenge, redemption, and hot sex. Can’t wait to get to the next one!

“Some nights, a woman just wanted to bash her brain against a wall to keep from screaming.”
― Elisabeth Naughton, Marked
Elisabeth Naughton
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The Judge

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20431728

The Judge (The Elite #3)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have loved this trilogy from the first sentence of the first book and would be just as happy if I got to spend little more time with the characters. I feel like I know each and every one of them personally and that they are friends who are about to move away for good. This is a plea for maybe a chance to find out how things went after for them. 🙂 The characters have from the beginning been very well fleshed out and real, whether they were good guys, bad guys, or somewhere in between. They react and interact in a way that feels genuine to who they are supposed to be. They are a part of this world and you have no doubt about that for a minute. This story begins directly as the second book ends, with the Island playing host to many Elite families and preparing for war.

Connor Moore passed the ancient tests which would declare him as the Judge and been accepted by the five Elite families as their leader in this fight. The most important thing for Connor at this moment however is the fact that Laren has been taken and how quickly they can get to her rescue. Lu wants to run off without a plan but Connor and his father understand they need to be sure of what they do.

When Laren is found it is discovered that Vercin has found a way to turn off the Elite gene, which means he could destroy them without much effort if it is used as a weapon. Connor does not wish to kill but he may find that Vercin is not going to give him any choice, it is a matter of kill or be killed. The final battle for the future of both mankind and Elites is drawing near and everyone will have to sacrifice to keep from being overrun by a tyrant who would be king.

This had one of the best battle scenes I have ever read! It was seen from multiple points of view which give you a glimpse of how things were going in varying locations around the area of battle and allowed you to check in with characters who you may have been worried about. This was visual and visceral for me as I held my breath fearing that someone I cared about would be killed or injured badly. I think that everyone needs to read these books and enjoy the growth of a boy to a man.

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Poe

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18729914

Poe

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I received this book for free through NetGalley for an honest review.

I was really happy that I decided to get this book, it caught me off guard and made me love the characters. The writing was fun but still managed to convey a feeling of menace, maybe because even the bad guy had a sense of humor. The characters are all well-developed and give you a sense of reality in who they are and who they may become. I could identify with each of the characters on one level or another and that just made it even better for me. I wondered about the title at first but it quickly resolved itself in an interesting way. I am a big fan of Edgar Allan and one of my favorite stories of his is The Tell-Tale Heart, which is referenced here. There was no lag in the story and everything played out quickly with just the right amount of tension.

Dimitri is a nice guy who has had his fair share of tragedy in his life. When his parents died on their way to visit him at college he decided to leave instead of completing the semester. He ends up taking a job with the local paper writing obituaries while he continues to work on his novel, a paranormal tomb about Rasputin, not exactly the life he had envisioned but it pays the bills. There is a girl he is interested in and he has not even asked her out yet, though he talks to regularly as a source, Lisa works at the local convalescent home and gives him information on the residents.

The real complications start when he is sent out to cover a séance at the local haunted house, the Aspinwall mansion, where a lot of people died years before. This assignment changes his life in ways he would never have been able to imagine. It is also the beginning of a rash of killings that are linked to his family which will shock and terrify the community he lives in.

I really ended up liking Dimitri, right from the start he was this gawky, self-effacing guy with a personality you couldn’t help but be drawn to. Lisa was is the cool girl that you wouldn’t expect to be with him but she has more going for her than just looks, she is everything that he needs and they fit together. While you have some good gory scenes they are not over the top but just right to keep the interest. I found myself laughing, smiling, talking back to the characters (out loud) and being worried for their safety. I had a great time reading it and am hoping for more time with them, not to mention Poe and Nachiel. Seems like things ended on a draw and payback would be nice. I definitely recommend this to anyone who likes a little romance, ghosts, demons, angels, and immortal exorcist.

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Logan’s Acadian Wolves

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18457827

Logan’s Acadian Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans #4)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was another great entry in the Immortals of New Orleans series. I am never disappointed and get great characters, great action, great romance and a mysterious person in the shadows who needs to be found. The introduction of new characters and old ones who have become like family is handled in a way that makes it plausible, for the world where  the supernatural exist, and easy to follow. The narration and language are always well done with few if any typos and grammar errors to drive you crazy. All the characters have a back story that helps you get to know who they are and what their place is in the current and past story if necessary.

Logan had been the Beta for Tristan and his friend for many years, but when he goes to check on things in New Orleans he finds that Marcel is dying and insists that he become the Alpha of the Acadian wolves when he dies. This is not something that Logan has ever considered but for his friend he takes the challenge. This means returning to his roots full-time and facing challenges from those who did believe that he should lead them.

Logan has been dreaming of a woman who he watches be murdered over and over again. Then he finds her running through the streets being chased by vampires and unwilling to disclose why. Wynter has grown up around wolves and understands many things about pack life but not what it means to be attracted to the Alpha. She has been working on something that could have bad results if it falls into the wrong hands and those hands are looking for her because they want her back along with the knowledge she carries. Logan has no idea what or who he has allowed into his pack and the danger that he has brought among them.

I loved Logan the first time I read about him with Tristan, he is hot and forceful and all male. But he does not like being lied to and he can hold a grudge easily, he is also loyal and kind. He is everything you could want in a man and then some. Wynter is a sweet girl who gets in over her head but is brilliant and a good match for Logan.

Alright, we know I recommend this because I think it’s wonderful. Now this one is not as hot as the others but gives some good action sequences along with a love story that has a lot of rocky moments that make them together even better.

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Moon Dance

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8129929

Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have never read anything by this author before but that is all about to change. I really enjoyed this novel more than I though I would. I was drawn into the story from the beginning, probably because it seemed at first that things were just so normal when I knew they weren’t. I’m glad that it started after she had been dealing with the situation for a while instead of taking us through the whole thing and having to arrive at that point. The characters are interesting and the situation unique to anything I have read in the past. The story is simple but at the same time incorporates a mystery that is fairly complex and keeps you guessing. You have the occasional missing word, wrong word, or typo but nothing that detracts from the action. The story moves along quickly with language that is fitting and characters who are given life enough to allow you to get a sense of who they are and what you can expect from them later.

Samantha Moon was your ordinary wife and mother who had a job in a government agency. She was attacked and when she recovers from her injuries discovers that her life has been changed forever. She has become a vampire and has to adapt this new life to her old one, which means changing jobs as well as being a much more tired mom since she must forego regular sleep in order to be awake during the day for her children. Samantha has become a very good private investigator in demand because she closes cases using her new abilities and her government connections. Her life seems normal on the surface but things are not as good at home as she could hope them to be.

Samantha is hired to find the person who attempted to kill Kingsley Fulcrum, a defense attorney who is maybe to good at his job. He was attacked and shot multiple times but survived and now wants to know who did it and why. If anyone can find out it is Sam.

I felt sorry for Sam because she was turned against her will and it made her life so much more difficult. Their was not a lot of action but for a get to know you story it was just right. Light romantic moments, introspection, a nasty husband, and a hot werewolf. Worth reading and worth following her continued story.

“I surveyed the others, who had all stopped in their tracks. “So what was the plan, boys? You were all going to get a fuck in? The very definition of sloppy seconds – hell, sloppy thirds and fourths and fifths. Than what? Slit my throat? Leave me for dead? Let some school janitor find me stuffed in a dumpster? You would deny my children their mother for one night of cheap thrills?”
― J.R. Rain, Moon Dance   J.R. Rain