Priceless by Shannon Mayer

All right, I found a new addiction, as in author I love and stay up too late reading…

Those of you who know me, know I am very disciplined as far as my schedule goes. I am a cranky bitch when I’m tired or when I need to eat. It’s just one of those annoying things about me.  I would like to be one of those people who can forget about eating until dinner. Me? I would either keel over from low blood sugar or rip your eyes out. Both options suck, therefore I eat at least six times a day and make sure my ass is in bed and lights out before midnight.

I started reading Priceless by Shannon Mayer mid-last week. I picked it up through BookBub (which if you’re not subscribed to, I recommend highly).

And couldn’t put it down.

Bad Lisa! I forced my kindle down on “school nights” but Friday and Saturday? Stayed up. Needless to say, I bought all the remaining books in the series. I burned through Book 2 (Immune) between yesterday and today and started Book 3 (Raising Innocence) today. Sigh. So good. [What chores? Oh, you wanted dinner? What’s wrong with cereal? Damn, do I have any clean underwear?]

If you like books like the Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs or the Sookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine Harris, then I really think this series will be up your ally. I’m not going to explain what it’s about, you can check it out here though and then go buy it at Amazon.

Further, Mrs. Mayer inspires me to be a better writer. Have more fun with my characters. And a lot of other things. I even followed her blog which I rarely do. So go now. To Amazon and get a hold of Priceless. And enjoy the ride. xo

Elemental Mysteries by Elizabeth Hunter

Fuck me, I enjoyed that book.

Admittedly, I was low on funds last week and after finishing my last Kindle book, I needed something to read. I went to the freebies and browsed through, downloading 3-4 possibilities. One of them was called A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter. I was turned off by the cover (a haze of bare chest over teaming bookshelves) but the term ‘Elemental Mysteries’ was intriguing (I also read the blurb on it but frankly have no recollection of what it said).

I ended up reading one of the other books first which was enjoyable but nothing special for me. So I ‘cracked’ open A Hidden Fire. As I said, fuck me, I enjoyed that book. I finished it just before 2am last night. For those that know me, you know I am one of the most disciplined readers around. I go to bed by midnight and start the next day early. But I didn’t want to put this book down.

Elizabeth Hunter not only has created a fascinating story of intrigue and mystery but a beautiful romantic twist. You get inside the characters heads, learn to love them, faults and all. The dark sides of the characters come out while you get into the twist and turn of their lives and the mystery that has brought them together.

I only hope that readers enjoy my upcoming first book release as much as I enjoyed this one. I’ve already purchased Book two of the series and am fighting myself about whether or not getting the laundry done and working on book two of my own series is more important than what happens next in this fantastic series. Alas, my rational side is winning and the laundry is rolling…I will start book two tonight (hums with anticipation).

 

Book Review: HP Mallory

Just discovered HP Mallory. I picked up the book To Kill a Warlock on a whim, having no information on the author. Took me no time to finish it and, yes, I bought the second in the series  immediately after turning the last page on my Kindle. The book was very easy to read, has very likable characters, the lead character, Dulcie, is a fairy who kills plants but kicks butt as a Regulator, which could be compared to a cop but for the supernatural. It’s funny, quirky and I really enjoyed the book. I’d like to say more but I just got called in from my day off to work on an emergency…

So if you enjoyed the Sookie Stackhouse series or Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series, than this series is a sure thing. 🙂 Here’s a link: http://hpmallory.com/dulcie-oneil-series/

Enjoy!

Something Witchy This Way Comes by Veronica Blade

A friend of mine recommended this YA novel. I checked it out from the kindle library but was mowing through another series and didn’t get to it before it expired. This past weekend I finished another series and was reminded of it so I picked it up.

Loved it.

If you enjoy reading YA, read it. I’ll write more about it later but I’m on my kindle at the moment and it’s a pain in the arse to write anything lengthy.

Cheers!

Christopher Farnsworth – Nathanial Cade series

I’m on a roll today. Making up for not blogging last month!

I found a series I am really enjoying. I’m on book 3 and already know I will buy Book 4 when it comes out. The Nathaniel Cade series by Chris Farnsworth.

The Nathaniel Cade series features a vampire who is blood oathed to the President of the US and has been pledged to every President for the last 140 years.

The US has been plagued by supernatural elements, not nice ones. Alone, the government cannot protect the citizens and keep the evil bay. So when they discover a newly turned vampire in 1700 something or other, the President was able to get the vampire, Nathaniel Cade’s agreement to blood oath his life to the protection of the President from whatever bad guys start to come out of the woodwork.

Cade is not your fluffy, shiny, womanizing vampire. He’s a cold-hearted killer who happens to be on the good side. He has a new handler, Zach, who is the go between for Cade and the President. Zach starts off a wuss (he was a politician after all) and grows into his position as the series progresses. The first book through me off slightly as it started in military style but after I got through the first chapter, I was hooked. I read the first chapter to my husband (story time) and He Who Dislikes Fantasy even thought it was awesome.

I read some of the not-so-nice reviews on Amazon before buying the book (the good reviews too). I thought it mildly funny and definitely ridiculous that someone would read a fantasy book and then say it was too unreal. Seriously? Isn’t that the point of reading fantasy? To bring out our imagination and enjoy other peoples self-created worlds?

I thoroughly enjoyed the first two books (even stayed up past midnight a couple of nights reading which is highly unusual) and continue to enjoy book 3. Cheers Chris!

Hope you all enjoy it too!

Child of Fire by Harry Connolly

Loved this book.  Talk about distracting.  The first chapter starts with Ray Lilly driving along with a very powerful sorceress (or magician or something) who hates his guts but isn’t allowed to kill him.  He’s following her driving orders only to pull over to confront a couple on the run and then watch one of their children burst into flame.  It doesn’t stop after that.  Ray is a criminal who’s trying to not to be one, fresh out of jail and suddenly stuck with a member of the Twenty Palaces, a secret group that’s sole purpose is to rid the earth of people wielding illegal magics or taken over by demons, killing whatever gets in the way to that goal.

This is one of those books where you finish it and immediately feel the void of needing the next fix, the next impossible situation of Ray Lilly and the thirst to see how it ends.

Harry Connolly rocks. A new role model for me and my writing.  It made me feel like my writing was sub-standard and yet inspired me to be better.  To figure out how to create my characters more, unroll my story more intelligently.  Or certainly try like hell.

Click here to go to Harry Connolly’s website.

Lucy Snyder’s Spellbent and Shotgun Sorceress

I finished these two off pretty quick back to back.  Honestly, I think I’m going to have to remove books from my house.  It’s so easy to get involved in someone else’s story and stop working on my own.  But at the same time, they can be so inspiring.  I’m torn.

These books start off with a bang and keep going.  I enjoyed them.  If you enjoyed any of the other books I’ve recommended, you’ll like these too.  There were parts where I could put the book down and others that I couldn’t.  I like that. I know some people like a book that grips them to the point of staying up half the night.  Sure, I can appreciate that but I also appreciate a book that I can put down periodically and get something else done.  I don’t always want to but life has to be taken by the horns and wrangled with, can’t live it sitting on the couch or the comfy chair in the back porch.

These books are about a gal named Jesse Shimmer who, despite her crappy life thus far, finally finds her place only to have it ripped out from under her, ground up and tossed into the fire.  She feels it but still has the guts and tenacity to kick some arse and get it back.  I like a strong character who feels it, even has a good cry but gets back up on her feet.

Good times. Enjoy.

Click here to go to Lucy’s Website.

Stacia Kane’s Ghost Series

Okay, I’m back.  I didn’t fall off a cliff or in Florida, a boat.  I am here just doing everything possible except blogging and writing my story.  So after much soul searching (and kicking my own arse) I’m getting it back together again as it should be…writing daily.  Maybe not on the blog but for sure the novel.  It’s finally moving again.  I promised myself I would finish two novels this year.  See, last year I said I would finish the one, didn’t make it. So this year, if I go for two I sure as hell better get one done.

That said, I just finished the third book in Stacia Kane’s Ghosts Series.  That’s not actually what it’s called, I’ve just been calling it that.  The first book is Unholy Ghosts, the second is Unholy Magic and the third is City of Ghosts.   You can see them here.

I gotta tell you.  After the first chapter of the book I did not think much of the main character.  I think it’s mostly because I’m one of those people who has never taken drugs, don’t care too either.  This character is chock full of ’em, literally.  It was a real turn off BUT the story was friggin interesting.  So the further I go, page after page, the more I’m liking this character.  By the time I finished the last book, I knew she had come along way and was not just glad about it but genuinely happy for her.

All I can say is…read them.  They’re good.  Really good.  Now I’m going to hunt down her other series. 🙂

Warrior by Marie Brennan

Recently finished Warrior by Marie Brennan.  In this world, witches are not just the norm but an established part of the world.  They are feared and revered due to the powers but their purpose is to do the bidding of the Goddess and generally help the others less fortunate.  But they are also secretive and something is going on among the ranks.  One of the Keys of one of the witch factions is killed in a seemingly normal event but a couple of bounty hunters are called in confidentially to investigate the possible murder.  One of these warriors is a beautiful young girl whose rough life has sharpened her skills and hardened her heart into one of the best.

The witches have schools where witch daughters are left by their parents at a young age to learn and train spells, herbs and rituals until their powers come in.  One girl specifically goes to take her test of readiness only to find that she can’t fully control them until she finds and kills her doppelganger.

While the witch, a gentle and thoughtful girl, searches the countryside for her assigned kill, the warrior searches for the murderer of a Key witch.  When they meet up, hell breaks loose as the girl discovers that the warrior is her doppelganger.

The beginning of the book I found to be a bit slow albeit interesting but about half way it pulls you in while you explore two very different worlds living together and the adventures of the two girls.  I am looking forward to reading the second in the series, Witches, to see how it all pans out.

Night World series by L.J. Smith

There are 9 books in the series by L.J. Smith so far as I can tell although another one needs to come out to close everything up.  They are:
Secret Vampire
Daughters of Darkness
Spellbinder
Dark Angel
The Chosen
Soulmate
Huntress
Black Dawn
Witchlight

I got them all in three volumes. They are a young adult series but L.J. writes so well that despite the fact that many of stories are the same as far as the soulmate concept goes, with different characters and places, they were very enjoyable and kept you wanting to see what happens next.  I really liked them and plan to have them lying around for my daughter to find when she’s a bit older.

The books are about the Night World, a world that is not different from our modern day society but hidden and active within it.  Those that are part of the night world, vampires, shape shifters, werewolves, witches, are bound by night world law with two rules; they cannot fall in love with humans and they cannot disclose the night world to humans.  The first story introduces us to Poppy who is human and James who is her best friend and unbeknownst to her, a vampire.  She finds out she’s not got long to live.  James, trying as he might, realizes he’s in love with her and goes against everything he was brought up as to save her.  The soulmate concept comes up in each book so you get action, adventure, drama and love.  They’re a very nice, easy read and even though I’m way past young adult age, I would read them again.

I went to the author website to find out about the final book.  It says it is called “Strange Fate” and it is ‘to come’.  The last book in the above series was finished in 1998 so I am hoping that the final does make it’s way out so I can see the final conclusion.  Don’t let that stop you though – the books are individual and don’t even have to be read in order but it’s more fun that way because the characters from each book are spattered here and there through the following books.