Cleopatra Ascending by Maureen Lipinski

Cleopatra Ascending

Shadow’s Edge Series Book Two

By Maureen Lipinski

Rhea has just turned sweet sixteen and discovered she is Cleopatra’s reincarnate. This really isn’t much of a surprise, more like a let-down, she wishes she had cooler powers like her sisters or her mom the most she can do is draw attention from the people around her. That is until her powers begin to manifest themselves and she is soon in danger from people who would wish to use Cleopatra’s abilities against mankind.

I had no idea that this was the second book in a series; you can definitely tell you’ve missed something when you start reading but it’s still a great story even if you start in the middle like I did. Maureen Lipinski has created a fantastic story here centering on Rhea and her past life. Even though Rhea is absolutely intriguing and the main character of the novel there are several times when her sisters and mother draw the attention away from Rhea making you want to know more about their unique gifts. Through the blending of dreams Rhea glimpses events in her past life that are so well written and descriptive you can almost see yourself in ancient Egypt.  The author takes something simple from Egyptian mythology and plays it to its fullest captivating readers and transporting us into another world. I cannot wait to see what else the author has in store for Rhea.

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City of Dark Magic By Magnus Flyte

City of Dark Magic

City Of Dark Magic Book One

By Magnus Flyte

Strange things are happening in Prague, beginning with a party where all the guests in attendance begin to jump to their deaths. Shortly after this Sarah Weston receives the opportunity of a lifetime to travel to Prague Castle and begin cataloguing Beethoven’s manuscripts. As a musicologist who specializes in the life of Ludwig van Beethoven how could she turn down such an invitation? Soon after she arrives however she learns that her mentor had committed “suicide” but his is the first in many unusual deaths that begin to occur.

I am a fan of Beethoven’s music so it’s no surprise I wanted to read a book in which present day seems to intertwine with the story of Beethoven himself. I had no idea how amazing this book would actually turn out Magnus Flyte has taken multiple pasts and managed to bring them into the present in an unusual way yet it all blends together so wonderfully and precisely. I must warn you that this is truly an adult book with drugs and sex mixed into the storyline it may not be suitable for everyone, for me however the free spirited Sarah is the perfect character to tell this story. The theory behind the book is absolutely intriguing strange deaths, a drug that can let you see into the past, and all tying in with Ludwig van Beethoven what more could you ask for? 

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The Demon Lover by Carol Goodman Review

The Demon Lover

Fairwick Chronicles Book One

By Carol Goodman writing as Juliet Dark

Callie McFay’s dreams are haunted, every night she has the same erotic encounter with a handsome stranger. What she assumes are just vivid dreams turn out to be an encounter with an incubus wanting nothing more than for her to love him. This is only the tip of the story as Callie has started teaching at Fairwick College and after her encounters with the incubus her colleagues assemble to aid her and she learns that most everyone at the college is not who they seem to be.

There is no way I could do this novel justice, for one there are three main story lines to this book instead of the usual one and to tell you each of them is most likely going to spoil on or another of the twists that happen so regularly. Though the novel is a bit busy it makes it interesting as you have no idea what scene will lead to which conclusion. I had a ton of fun reading this one, not only is Callie a highly likable character but the surrounding cast each has their own interesting story. The romance is superb and the bonds that Callie creates make this more than just your average romance novel. I cannot wait to find out more about the college and what will happen next, it is a highly unique well written and beautiful novel.

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Souled By Diana Murdock Review

Souled

By Diana Murdock

Seth is completely head over heels in love with his girlfriend, Dani, he would do anything for her and to keep her. So when he comes across an ad proclaiming a soul for sale that would give him more control over his life he reluctantly jumps at the opportunity, even if it turns out to be a hoax he would only be out one dollar. But then the ad turns out to be true and he finds himself with more than he bargained for.

 

I am always interested in a paranormal romance that is unique; this one is one of those occasions. The first half of the novel is written completely in Seth’s perspective as he becomes the host to another soul that soon begins to become more frightening. The second half of this novel is written from Dani’s perspective as she fights to save the one she loves. I have yet to come across another book like this where it is broken down into the different perspectives, it makes the novel truly original and interesting yet when we come to Dani’s side of the story it feels odd because we do not know her side personally by the time we get to it.  But the biggest problem I had with this book was that it was highly anti climatic, the author starts off with an amazing action scene that abruptly halts and the conclusion is settled by the click of a mouse, I think if she had gone back to Seth’s perspective in this instance it may have turned out much better but in the end it was a complete let down.

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Dark Dates by Tracey Sinclair Review

Dark Dates

Cassandra Bick Chronicles Book One

By Tracey Sinclair

In modern day London a vampire has to keep up with the times, and this is exactly what Cassandra Bick caters to with her dating service for vampires. Though he own dating life has been nothing but heart ache being a Sensitive, yes with a capitol S, she has found a talent for introducing people who will soon hit it off and this ability comes in handy when matching a vampire with their willing donor. But as her business grows she soon comes to the attention of people who don’t appreciate what she has to offer.

This is truly a unique idea for a novel; I mean a dating service for vampires? I loved the main character as she is snarky and bad ass reminding me of Anita Blake before she got all “promiscuous.” The author does a wonderful job in creating several lovable characters such as the Wiccan that Cassandra employs who soon turns into one of her biggest allies. With hunky men and juicy love scenes this is a fun paranormal romance novel. And, if a vampire dating service isn’t enough to lure you into reading this book Tracey Sinclair also provides several twists and surprises that are definitely worth checking out.

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Necromancer By C. Bryan Brown Review

Necromancer

By C. Bryan Brown

Torrin McGlynne is what some might consider a “Dirty” cop, he steals from the drug dealers, murders, and thieves to secure his twin daughters future in the world. Soon Torrin finds himself in a world that is unlike his everyday normal existence when his investigation leads him straight into a magic wielding villain unlike any other.

The first half of this book starts off a bit differently than you would expect, the main character starts off by killing not only a drug dealer but his daughter who bears witness to his crimes. When I picked up this novel I thought it would be full of paranormal activity, but the magic is subtle until about sixty percent through the novel when the real fun begins. The one question that this novel left me with was, “Who are the good guys?” We start off with Torrin the one, who begins the novel by murdering a little girl, then you have the partner who seems to be the only upstanding person in this book and he soon becomes a victim to the ways of the magical world. I always thought a novel needed a hero and a villain but C. Bryan Brown managed to write an entire novel where you have no clue who to actually root for, it was interesting to read though it leaves you feeling a bit lackluster when you are done.

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Ironskin by Tina Connolly Review

Ironskin

Ironskin Book One

By Tina Connolly

Five years after the Great War the world is still recovering from the aftermath of the Fey, from losing their technology to the curses some people bore. Jane is one of the people cursed with rage she must where an iron mask or risk the rage infecting people around her. When she sees a carefully worded advertisement for a governess that can assist with a “Delicate Situation” Jane knows that the child in question has been cursed as well. Soon she discovers there is more to the child and the home she resides in than Jane ever expected.

I absolutely loved this novel, the alternate history aspect is so well brought to life by Tina Connolly that you become thoroughly immersed into the war torn world. In a way it reminds me a of a steam punk novel though in this book the world is recovering from losing their technology and the “new” technology is gas lamps. Tina Connolly has created a world that is both familiar and original at the same time. She also manages to bring to life many different characters showing different aspects of the world, from Jane the Governess, to her sister Helen who lives in the upper echelon circle of the society, to Niklas who is the creator of the Ironskin and has saved many people over the past five years.  This is truly a unique and fascinating novel making it well worth the read.

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Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Sandman Slim

Sandman Slim Book One

By Richard Kadrey

What happens when your supposed friends sent you to Hell, and kills the woman you love? Well for James Stark he survives, returning to earth after eleven years of being a gladiator fighting many different kinds of monsters and fallen angels, and now he is set on revenge. Stark will hunt down each of the people responsible, but he soon realizes there is a lot to learn in this new world as well as a lot more to his little group of friends than just sending him to hell.

This was an amazing novel, Stark is snarky and so hostile, but after eleven years in hell I think I would be too. The story itself is intriguing the author blends snippets of the past into the current day story so you’re able to appreciate the magnitude of loss that Stark faces when Alice is murdered. The world Richard Kadrey creates for Stark is purely original, if you are a hard core Christian and cannot appreciate that this is a fictitious novel you may want to skip it, Stark is neither for Heaven, Hell, or any other creatures that lie waiting in the dark he is purely for himself and the revenge that motivates him. This is definitely a fun read, though I don’t know how the author will ever be able to top this one but I look forward to seeing him try.

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Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich Review

Wicked Business

Lizzy and Diesel Book Two

By Janet Evanovich

Pastry Chef Lizzy Tucker has been pulled into a world of magic and mischief when she finds out that she is someone who can find magic objects. Diesel comes into her life to protect her from his cousin and so that she can help him find the seven stones that hold the seven deadly sins. When an English professor is thrown off his fourth floor balcony Lizzy and Diesel begin a scavenger hunt that will lead them all over Boston in search for the stone that represents Lust.

Janet Evanovich did a wonderful job with this novel; she manages to encompass fantasy, romance, mystery, and fantastic comedy. Though this one may not be as funny as the first one in the series, the author did add new characters into this one that adds an interesting take into the magical world that Janet Evanovich is creating. What is interesting is the series of events towards the end of the book when we find out what happens when two magically tuned people consummate, it is interesting and adds to the fact that Lizzy and Diesel cannot be together physically in a much more potent way. This was a fantastic novel and I look forward to seeing where the rest of the series will take us. The only problem I have with the book is reading it makes me hungry, they talk about and consume food constantly and the author describes the pastries so well I almost drool for a cup cake!

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The Second Prophecy by R. Alan Ferguson Review

The Second Prophecy

The Dragdani Prophecies Part One

By R. Alan Ferguson

John Stark has been exiled to the “normal” world where he has married and created a life for himself, but one day a great wizard arrives to tell him that he is no ordinary wizard he is the last remaining descendant of the only Dragon/Wizard/Elf and he must return to his home to defeat the Evil Ulicoth. Things do not go as planned though as the King John Stark is murdered bringing about a reign of terror. When it comes to light that his wife is with child all they can do is wait for their savior to be born and come into his full powers. But Peter Stark is not like his father or any other that has come before him, he is something more powerful than their world has ever seen.

From the beginning this story captivates your attention; it is truly an imaginative tale full of creatures rarely used in novels to the most creative invention of beings. The story itself is fast paced with so many things involved I was afraid I would not be able to do it justice in my synopsis. The only problem I found is that there are quite a few typos, such as though instead of through, though they are small mistakes it gets a little annoying if not for this then this would be one of the best books I have read in a long time.

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Wicked Appetite by Janet Evanovich Review

Wicked Appetite

Lizzy and Diesel Book One

By Janet Evanovich

Lizzie Tucker gave up her fast paced career in New York and moved into her aunt’s old house in Marblehead and soon started working in a small local bakery life was quiet and fit her just fine. One day a handsome stranger brands her with his mark and disappears shortly after this unusual encounter another gorgeous man comes looking for her and tells her the other man is his evil cousin who is after a relic that represents gluttony, if his cousin manages to collect all of the relics that represent the deadly sins he can open the gates to hell on earth.

Not only is this a wonderful thriller it is also hilarious with outlandish characters such as the monkey who continually flips people the bird to the would-be witch whose spells continually go awry. Janet Evanovich does a wonderful job in blending multiple genres into one brilliant and cohesive novel. With fantasy, mystery, romance, and comedy this book has a little bit of everything for everyone. It is a light hearted and fun read, so if you are looking for something thought provoking you may want to go elsewhere.

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Kiss the Crystal Sun by Penelope King Review

Kiss the Crystal Sun

Book Two of the Spellbound Trilogy

By Penelope King

Calista isn’t an ordinary girl she recently found out that the special powers she has always exhibited have come from a long line of witches, but when she was a baby her mother placed a spell on her that made her all but invisible to the rest of her maternal family and when her mother died she grew up thinking she was the only one of her kind. Soon after she moved to California and met her maternal grandmother she also met the boy of her dreams literally, Nicholas he too has special abilities and grew up without the guidance of a family but unlike Callista he was able to explore many different facets of the magical world. Now Nicholas is trying to save Callista’s friend Justin and purge him of an ancient gypsy curse that causes him to kill witches making him a witch hunter.

This book is full of twists and turns not only is Callista trying to save her best friend but she also finds out that her grandmother has been hiding devastating secrets from her. We also find out more about Callista’s mother and Callista’s life before she moved from Louisiana, with all that has happened in this book I don’t know how Penelope King will be able to top it but I look forward to find out what she will come up with next.

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The Gatekeeper by Jason D. Morrow Review

The Gatekeeper

Book Two of The Marenon Chronicles

By Jason D. Morrow

We return to Marenon in the midst of the war between the Stuhocs and the citizens of Marenon. Silas Ainsley is searching for the gatekeeper in hopes of finding out more of the prophecy that has led to him being the chosen one and find out what exactly he is supposed to be the deliverer of. While this is happening Nalani, a member of the Dunarians, is trying to retrieve the orange pendant from the Nestorians and newly appointed King Jullian Hobbes investigates the corruption within the Dunarians. With all that is happening each character goes through their own individual struggles some more so than others but in the end will what they face bring them any closer to being able to defeat the Stuhocs once and for all?

So much happened in this book I don’t think I did it justice in my brief synopsis. In this book we travel to new places within Marenon and we watch as Silas falls in love, insert girly sigh here. This was definitely a great continuation of the previous book but if you haven’t read the first one you may want to go back and familiarize yourself with the players thus far, the story is very intricate and so far has been a fantastic fantasy series. I loved the progression of Jullian after the death of his brother in the last book I honestly didn’t expect what happened to him and I found it quite entertaining to read, of course I can’t tell you more than that otherwise it would spoil it so I suggest you read it and find out!

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The River Runes by Ken Lindsey Review

The River Runes

By Ken Lindsey

He has stood in the shadows and observed the village grow into the bustling city but his mother, his ruler, has forbidden him to interact with the people of the town. But mother has been gone for a long time now and his curiosity grows everyday especially where the magicians are concerned. Soon he will build up the courage to venture into the city, but when he does, he unintentionally brings about a war between his people and the humans. 

The author manages to create an interesting story full of Fairies and magicians and the coinciding war between these two factions it is so well written and thought out that you can imagine yourself there in the midst of the chaos. With fairies that eat humans and a bloody battle this almost seems to be a man’s book but then the author encompasses romance between some of the characters that is sweet and beautiful adding a different dimension to the book altogether. This novel brings to life the complexities of love and the growth of a young man into a strong warrior, if you are a fan of fantasy, and I do not mean the vampire romance craze, well then you will love this book.

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Abigail Deane and The Demon's Gate by L.H. Thomson Review

Abigail Deane and the Demon’s Gate

Abigail Deane Book One

By L.H. Thomson

Abigail’s life has just been turned upside down, her mother was killed and now she must adjust to living with an aunt she never even knew existed in a small town in England a far cry from her home in Chicago. But this is just the beginning of Abigail’s story she soon finds out that she is a sorceress and must learn to control her magic before she becomes the target of a more sinister plot. Shortly after she realizes what she actually is strange things begin occurring and she is pulled into a nightmare that stretches all the way back to ancient Africa and the Holy Land.

L.H. Thomson did a wonderful job bringing this story to life and considering he incorporates such places as London, Spain, and Jerusalem that is a remarkable task in and of itself but with vivid details of the landscape each one is impressive in its own way. The story itself is intriguing though Abigail is recently orphaned she is strong and does her best not to let her own life stop with that of her mother’s as she learns more about her gifts she also learns more about her mother and feels a connection with her that she had never felt before it is truly beautiful. But do not misunderstand my review this far it is not a sappy sort of novel but full of extraordinary twists and enough adventure and action to keep you coming back for more.

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When, At Last, He Found Me by Adrianna Stepiano Review

When, At Last, He Found Me

Memoir of a Mermaid Book One

By Adrianna Stepiano

All Seraphin wants to do is make it through graduation and get the keys to her family home, after the death of her father Seraphin has been troubled by visions and randomly blacks which has led her to become an outcast. But after graduation she realizes that the black outs are only the tip of the ice berg where her life is concerned and when a mysterious man comes into her life she realizes she has been lied to her entire life. As she is tossed into an unexpected world she must come to terms with who she really is and find out who she can and cannot trust.

Adrianna Stepiano did a wonderful job in bringing to life the mythical world of mermaids, she managed to take a classic tale and bring it into a whole new dimension. Seraphin is a strong willed character unlike a lot of the young adult female characters who are coming to terms with themselves and growing up within the pages of a book and her love interest is arrogant and stubborn but when you combine the two they blend perfectly. In this story Seraphin turns out to be a guardian amongst mermaids and if this is not enough of a plot for you the author throws in one of the best fight scenes imaginable, as I read this book I kept thinking there is no way the author will be able to top this novel until she drops a bomb at the end that is sure to bring you back for more. This was definitely a great book and I look forward to reading more of the series.

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Quest One: The Golden Scarab by S.W. Lothian Review

Quest One:

The Golden Scarab

By S.W. Lothian

Twelve year old JJ Sterling has been enlisted by Horus to retrieve the Golden Scarab for him so he may be able to defeat his evil brother Seth. Thrust back in time to Ancient Egypt JJ must travel through a dangerous tomb and dodge Seth’s minions at every turn. Will JJ be able to complete his mission and return back to modern day London in one piece?

This was a great “Early Young Adult” novel. The author did a wonderful job in brining Egyptian mythology to life and weaving it into a story that is fascinating and full of action and adventure. Even if you don’t know much about the Egyptian Gods S.W. Lothian does a fantastic job in explaining them without losing the readers interest. As soon as JJ and his best friend travel back to Ancient Egypt this book turns into nonstop action keeping you on the edge of your seat wondering what will happen next. The book is only about two hundred pages long, which is perfect for young readers or those who are just beginning.

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Legends Lost Amborese by Janet McNulty Review

Legends Lost

Amborese

By Janet McNulty

An evil wizard has plunged the land of Tesnayr into darkness, three hundred years later Amborese finds a necklace that signifies she will be the one who will be able to reunite the five lands and put a stop to Clymorus. Amborese must travel to the land of the elves to find the other half of her pendant and combine them to make the Gantylla Shealayr and save her people. Along the way she meets several beings who soon become her allies in the fight for freedom.

Janet McNulty managed to incorporate many classical fantasy characters including a gryphon, unicorns and even orcs, making this a great read just to see what she will bring to life next. This book has so many sub story lines you know precisely what each character is going through and each one plays a role in the epic battle, though this can be a daunting task for some authors Janet McNulty did a wonderful job keeping you informed and never loosing you in the process. I did enjoy this book but it wasn’t as original as I had hoped we have seen a lot of the characters in the past and the story line is a bit clichéd; chosen one must stop the big battle and gains several allies along the way. If you are a hard core fan of the genre I am sure you will love this book.

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Alison Wonderland by Helen Smith Review

Alison Wonderland

By Helen Smith

Alison Templar hires a detective agency to find out if her husband is cheating on her, unfortunately he is so she leaves him in a blaze of glory and decides to work for the all-female P.I. firm that she had hired. Taron, Alison’s crazy best friend, hires Alison to help her find an abandoned baby for her mother to apprentice in magic. All the while there are people who are after Alison because she may know too much.

This book is not for everyone but if you are a fan of the Christopher Moore style of writing then you will love this book. It’s crude and funny and with a touch of magic the author manages to bring to life a novel that is so ridiculous it’s hilarious. Taron is my favorite character with her outlandish ways and her farfetched stories that hold just a hint of truth behind them. It was definitely an interesting read! Though like I said not everyone will like this novel it has sex and drugs, even a few other things not for the faint of heart.

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Exiled by J.R. Wagner Advanced Review

Exiled

By J.R. Wagner

James has been falsely accused of a murder he did not commit and exiled to The Never. Though James is the Anointed One, a powerful sorcerer who will bring about the end of the Epoch Terminus a war between the Faithful, those who believe in magic, and the Unfaithful, those who do not, in The Never James does not have any powers in this strange land where even the plants are dangerous. Along the way he meets a woman who shows him how to find water that makes him feel stronger and introduces him to her village where they have been awaiting him to save them all.

The main story line of this book is very interesting but it’s the secondary story line that became quite irritating. The Secondary story line is a mass of events that took place after James was discovered to be the Anointed One and mainly involves James’ mother the irritating part is that they have no flow to them for instance in one chapter his mother is visiting the seer and roughly a hundred pages later it is his mother and father on their way to the seer.  This notwithstanding it could definitely use a bit more editing there are several places where the he is confused with she and vice versa, this would not be so bad but when there are both male and female in the scene it makes it confusing. I would like to see what happens next, this book just ended abruptly I think to get the reader to check out the next book, all in all it’s not a terrible book the main story line is actually quite enthralling just be sure to pay attention to the dates on the secondary one!

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