June 11, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Ways to See a Ghost by Emily Diamand

A Fun and Dramatic Young Adult Sci-fi/ Paranormal Adventure (11yrs+)

In Ways to See a Ghost two teenagers, Isis and Gray, are brought together during strange circumstances, in which thereafter their parents start dating. In many ways, as well as being a paranormal adventure, this book is a fun read, with Gray’s father, Gil, believing in many different conspiracies relating to UFO’s and the Government, and Isis’ mother, Cal, working as a psychic! However, Isis can see the ghost of her dead, little sister, Angel, and has been able to do so since the terrible ordeal that took her. Isis has never been able to tell anybody that she can see her sister, but this is all about to change since she has formed a friendship with Gray. The drama heightens when Cal, Isis’ mum, joins the Welkin Psychic Society where the intentions of its leader, Philip Syndal is not as they seem. Isis and Gray begin to piece the jigsaw together but will their parents believe them? Will they be able to prevent the danger that lies around the corner?

The reader instantly feels for Isis. She has lost her little sister in a terrible accident, her mother has taken a downturn because of the distressing situation and to make matters worse, Isis can see her sisters ghost and feels that she cannot tell anyone for fear of being labelled as crazy and/or creating more problems for her mother. In addition to this, Isis doesn’t support her mother’s psychic work and this causes a rift between the two at times.

It was Cal’s psychic work that brought Isis and Gray to meet. Cal was visiting a client, Sondra, for a psychic meeting to try and work out where Sondra’s boyfriend, Norman Welkin, was. Meanwhile Gil, Gray’s dad, worked as a gardener for Norman and had taken Gray with him. Whilst in the garden, Gray came across Isis, sitting on a bench, waiting for her mum. Words were exchanged between them before the raised voices of Sondra and Cal could be heard. Trying to get back to her mum, Gray showed Isis a short cut through the garden, when they discovered the body of Norman Welkin.

This discovery really opens the story out as it was confirmed that Norman had died from natural causes. However, Gil with his theories disbelieves this. How can a man be found frozen in Spring as the temperture begins to rise? Gil automatically believes that there is a cover up and that the circumstances are suspicious. Meanwhile, Cal is invited to join the psychic society that Norman had set up. Cal, although dating Gil at this point, is taken in by Philip Syndal, the society’s leader, and worships the ground he walks on. Isis sees through Philip’s charm and between Angel’s ghost, Isis and Gray they begin to work out why Philip is so interested in Cal!

My favourite character is Gray. I love his sense of humour and the manner in which he explains happenings and the descriptions of people. He is full of wit and so honest – maybe a little too honest at times, but this is what makes him so funny and likeable! If he thinks that something is plain rubbish he says exactly that. A couple of examples, whilst in the garden at Norman Welkin’s house he notices Norman’s girlfriend, Sondra, through a window:-

“…I looked through the window into their living room, but there was only Sondra, his girlfriend. Not like that sounds, because she’s really old, as old as him……..She was as weird as him….”

Gray goes on to explain Sondra’s artwork:-

“She said she was an artist, but she showed me a couple of her pictures once, and they were all…swirly and mixed up. Rubbish, I thought.”

Despite Gray’s honest and sarcastic side, he also shows empathy towards Iris and helps her in times of need when no one else will or can. This is quite a sweet side to him, although I bet he’d hate me to say that!

Although both have their own reasons for being isolated from the other kids, Isis and Gray can, overtime, be sympathetic towards each others differences. Isis didn’t want to open up to Gray as she feared his reaction would be to laugh and make fun of her. And yet as they become closer, Isis does decide to open up to Gray, who ,soon enough, has reason to believe her, making him the only one aware of the full story – Isis and Cal’s angle and his father’s UFO theory. Emily Diamand has approached both characters with the reader feeling quite sorry for them as well as making it fun with Gil and Cal at complete opposite ends. It’s surprising that they got together! The story and characters are exciting and interesting. And it is great how it can be witty and funny one moment, scary and creepy another and then dramatic and sad in other parts.

I really liked two of the supporting characters, Mandeville and Stu The Keeper! Mandeville is a ghost that regularly reaches out to Isis. Even though she really doesn’t want him to, I like the idea that she can see him and other ghosts and the settings in which she can see them at times is brilliant. And Stu The Keeper is a great, fun character. He is a friend of Gil’s who is also very serious about conspiracy theories – even moreso than Gil. He visits Gil from time to time with his anorak on to disguise himself, carrying his laptop that has The Database saved and between them they cross reference their findings and discuss in secret what they believe is happening. It is quite hilarious at times!

Whilst Ways to See a Ghost is planned for release next month, July 2013, there is a sequel planned for 2014. It would be great to see how Isis and Gray’s relationship grows further and leaves me wondering what adventure they will be going on next!

Look out for Tina’s review of Ways to See a Ghost over the coming weeks!

Ways to See A Ghost was received gratefully from Templar Publishing in return for an honest and fair review.

Other works by author, Emily Diamand, are Flood Child (2009) and Flood and Fire (2011)

Cover art by Ben Kovar

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

June 5, 2013 by Caroline Barker

The Mating (Law of the Lycans Book 1) by Nicky Charles

‘The Mating (Law of the Lycans, Book 1)’ is a powerfully dramatic and beautifully written paranormal werewolf romantic suspense novel. It had me gripped from the very beginning, and what’s more – it’s free! The main character, Elise, has just been mated to the Alpha of a neighbouring pack, however this was not her choice of mate. Between her father, The Elders and Kane, the Alpha she is mated to, it was decided it was in the best interests of both packs to have these two young people mated to create a political alliance between the two packs and help maintain the wolves territories.

The reader initially feels sad for Elise, being forced into such an arrangement, without anybody caring for her feelings. There are very passionate and sensuous love scenes between two people that may not even be right for each other, and yet the wolf’s instinct inside takes over. Kane reaches out for Elise, taking into account that she’s in unfamiliar territory and unsure of the whole situation. This helps the reader view Kane in a good light, realising that he too is in this predicament but willing to be caring and positive towards Elise and his future with her.

However, to make matters worse, Elise had formed a closer relationship with her longtime friend, Bryan. Elise had grown up with Bryan and so he is familiar and comfortable and she loves spending time with him, roaming the woods and running free. They were on the verge of taking things to the next level when the whole issue of being mated with Kane arose. As it was agreed by so many, so quickly Elise and Kane were mated that night, leaving a whole bunch of questions and emotions swimming around Elise’s mind. How was Bryan feeling about this? Will she ever grow to love Kane, or will their relationship just be physical? Does she have it in her to be an Alpha-female?

That being said, despite the uncertainties, I’m sure many a woman wouldn’t mind having Kane as their Alpha and mate with his domination, possessiveness, and love – not to mention his dark floppy hair, rippling muscles and his whole sexiness!!! Throughout the whole mating process and thereafter, Kane is very sensual and passionate and both of their animalistic instincts kick in when it comes to their physical relationship. I thought Kane was a hot character (if you haven’t noticed already!) who tries in his own way to make Elise feel comfortable and when he isn’t too busy being the Alpha of his pack he does take the time to empathise with the situation that Elise is in. He understands that she is lost when she leaves her pack to stay with him and his pack, surrounded by strangers who are quite possibly sizing her up and making up their own minds on whether or not she can live up to her status as their Alpha-female.

Throughout the novel there is the ongoing worry of the Oil Company and how their decisions will affect the pack and their land. I love how Nicky Charles keeps the reader involved with this plot, despite concentrating on the main characters and their personal relationship. At around three quarters through the book Elise begins to write down all of the recent serious problems that the pack have been having and who the problems are associated with to try and piece the puzzle together. There are the main suspicions as to who is behind the trouble but the question is why. With Elise making these lists it provides the reader with an update on the goings on, keeping the reader constantly aware of the whole story. I thought this was written very cleverly.

Aside from Elise and Kane, there are many other great supporting characters in ‘The Mating’. One of my favourites being Helen. Helen was the Alpha-female prior to Elise and she lost her mate and Alpha, Zack, in an awful car accident. Helen still lives in the Alpha house and takes pride in cooking and hosting for guests. She provides Kane with a motherly figure and offers a great deal of advice to Elise which really helps Elise to feel welcome and accepted in her new pack as the Alpha-female.

On the opposite end of the scale, the reader becomes acquainted to Marla. Marla is calculating, jealous and manipulative. She has a history with Kane and also his half-brother, Ryne. Marla loves reminding Elise regularly that she knows Kane better than her and tries to manipulate Elise in order to get what she wants. She is a great villainous character that the reader will just love to hate. I can assure you that Marla will get under your skin.

The reader’s knowledge of Ryne throughout most of the book comes mostly from what we are told by Helen, Kane and Marla. After Zack’s death he wished to be Alpha of the pack and challenged Kane to fight for the position. Once Ryne lost the challenge, although being asked to stay as Beta, he decided to leave the pack in the hope of starting his own! But, Ryne is hot-headed, impulsive and strongly wanted the position of Alpha. And it was really since Zack’s death that the pack began having so many troubles.

The whole story comes to a powerful crescendo and is very dramatic. It reaches the reader on all levels of emotion throughout. Will the pack’s problems be resolved? Will they be able to prove who was behind their troubles? How will this affect Elise and Kane’s relationship? Will they find love or will their relationship remain purely physical?

I would like to thank one of our followers for suggesting this novel. I thoroughly enjoyed it! And guys, this novel is absolutely FREE, available on Amazon UK, Amazon US and Smashwords. Enjoy! I cannot wait to read the sequel, ‘The Keeping (Law of the Lycans Book 2)!

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

May 30, 2013 by Tina Williams

Minutes Before Sunset, by Shannon A Thompson

Epic Battle between Light and Dark – Young Adult Paranormal Romance

Minutes Before Sunset is the first book in Shannon A Thompson’s Timely Death Trilogy which tells of the elemental power struggle between Dark and Light. It is an amazingly well crafted and multifaceted novel with a fantastic hero and heroine and memorable supporting characters.

In Minutes Before Sunset, seventeen year old Eric Welborn lives in the Midwest town of Hayworth. Eric is a shade, not just any shade, but a descendant, destined by prophecy to battle with the descendant of Light, ancient enemies of the Dark, when he is eighteen, in a battle that will decide the fate of many. Eric has been rocked by tragedy in his life and his obligations weigh heavily on his shoulders, making him a loner, who fears to care for anyone, lest they be taken away from him. However, two encounters are about to change his life – one with Jessica Taylor, a new student at his high school and another, with a powerful, nameless shade, ignorant of her birthright and as such vulnerable to not only his shade community who do not trust outsiders, but also to the Light. He breaks the rules by not reporting her to his Elders and trains her to develop and control her powers, but cannot reveal all his secrets to her.

Jessica Taylor has moved to Hayworth with her adoptive parents, committed to finding out about her deceased biological family who were local to the town. To garner help from her adoptive parents in this quest they require her to obtain perfect grades. This task appears impossible as she is paired with the taciturn Eric Welborn on a key science project. Eric is distant and preoccupied, often skipping class and is disinterested in completing the project with her. However, not only will Jessica not fail her science project, but she also wants to find out more about his secrets and at the same time feels drawn to him.

As the battle between Light and Dark approaches Eric must devote more time to his training and remain focused. However, his thoughts often stray to the nameless shade, who grows more and more powerful and he is also distracted by Jessica, who piques his human side. Key players in the Light close in on Eric and he must protect those he cares about and keep himself alive until the battle commences, a battle he fears that he is destined to lose. Yet when he discovers that the Dark Elders have lied by omission about key elements of the prophecy, he feels deceived and the events which ensue threaten dire consequence for all he holds dear.

The cast of supporting characters is strong, from the adults to Eric and Jessica’s fellow pupils. The fact that neither the shades nor the Light recognise each other easily in their human form adds an element of mystery to the plot and we as reader are therefore not party to the secret identity of many characters. We can only guess at their true nature and I am sure that the author will reveal more in subsequent books in the trilogy.

Minutes Before Sunset is an original and compulsive read. The tale is told in the first person, with chapters told from the perspective of Eric and Jessica. This is effective in terms of both advancing the plot and giving depth to the characters. I particularly enjoyed the maturity and selflessness of the hero and heroine, Eric and Jessica, and found their growing attraction and love for one another both believable and sweet. The novel ends in such a way that I am chomping at the bit to read the next instalment.

Minutes Before Sunset is a magical, if slightly dark tale, containing romance and adventure, which explores fate and free will and self-sacrifice. I recommend it to readers of both adult and young adult paranormal romance.

To read author Shannon A Thompson’s author post, in which she talks about her inspiration behind the series, lease click here. Tina 🙂

Author Shannon A Thompson website

AEC Stellar Publishing

Cover artist Grace Griffin, Autumn Fog Photography

May 15, 2013 by Tina Williams

Archangel’s Storm, by Nalini Singh

Sensual Tale of Love and Vengeance

Nalini Singh is one of my automatic ‘go to’ paranormal authors, where I know that I can be guaranteed an awesome read. I have been following her series of Guild Hunter Novels and also her Psy/Changeling Series for some time now and they are both amongst my favourite paranormal series. The Guild Hunter Series novels, the first of which was Angels’ Blood, take place on an earth where the Cadre of Ten Archangels, supported by vampires, rule across the various continents. These angels however, are far from angelic. They are thousands of years old and have become jaded in their immortality, indulging in great power games to stave off their boredom and trying to avoid the madness that can overcome them.

In Archangel’s Storm, Jason, the taciturn spymaster for Archangel Raphael, is sent on a mission to the court of Archangel Neha. Neha’s consort Eris has been murdered and her rage threatens cataclysmic devastation unless Jason uses all his skills to unearth the killer. Neha, like many of the Cadre’s Ten, is deadly and capricious and to earn her trust necessary to complete his mission, Jason is compelled to tie himself to her bloodline through a blood bond to the princess Mahiya. Jason believes that Mahija will pose no threat to his investigations. However, Mahija has secrets and an agenda of her own and neither she nor Jason is willing to trust each other. Neha’s court is dangerous however, and there is a great deal more than politics at play as the body count continues to rise. As Jason and Mahija are thrown together they are blindsided by an unexpected passion they feel for one another. Yet can Jason, who has kept his emotions tightly controlled after a horrific childhood experience, find it within himself to let Mahija in, and will Mahija survive the machinations of the Archangel and her court and other dark forces that are at play?

Mahija and Jason, like all of the author’s heroines and heroes are a great couple. Mahija has been abused both physically and mentally by Neha, her aunt. Her crime being that she was born out of a liaison between Neha’s sister Nivriti and Neha’s consort Eris. Neha murdered Nivriti as soon as she birthed Mahija, who has paid for her mother’s sin on many occasions. Despite her tortured past, she has not allowed her aunt to poison her mind. Indeed, she has an inner strength and optimism, despite her outward facade of compliance, which many see as weakness. Jason soon sees through this outward show however and connects with the strong but vulnerable woman within.

Such was the extent of Jason’s childhood trauma, that he has closed his mind to any close emotional attachments. He tells Mahija that he can never offer her a long term relationship. However, I loved that Mahija little by little, through her acceptance of what Jason was willing to give, managed to break down the barriers that he had put up for his own protection. It was beautiful to watch how the relationship developed between them and there were plenty of sensual and erotic lovemaking scenes, which the author excels in.

I also enjoyed the character of the Archangel Neha, who we meet in previous books. Although not at all likable, she is complex and unpredictable, with her own code of honour, which Jason and Mahija must play on to survive. It was also gratifying to meet other characters integral to the Guild Hunter world, such as Archangel Raphael and his consort Elena, the vampire Dmitri and his new wife, the Guild Hunter Honor and other characters such as the vampire Venom.

Nalini Singh has a fantastic ability to create a beautiful love story at the heart of each of her Guild Hunter novels, setting them within the framework of the overall story arc, neither of which detracts from the other. Her novels also contain vivid and beautiful descriptions of the magical world she creates. In this novel, for example, many of the buildings comprising Neha’s court she has based on forts in Rajasthan, India. This beauty contrasts vividly with the violence which she does not shy away from featuring in great detail. Her descriptions of broken bones, blood and internal organs ripped from body cavities is not for the squeamish, but reflect events which can occur in the world she has created.

I recommend this novel for lovers of paranormal romance and urban fantasy. Whilst I feel that it could be read as a ‘standalone’, the reader would gain maximum enjoyment by reading the Guild Hunter Series novels in sequence.

Cover art by kind permission of Patrick Knowles

Author Nalini Singh’s website

www.orionbooks.co.uk

www.gollancz.co.uk

May 9, 2013 by Tina Williams

Burn’s World, by Eve Rabi

Crazy and Compelling Love Story!

Burn’s World (books 1-4) describes a compulsive and addictive love triangle. Once again Eve Rabi has created a unique plot full of humour, mayhem and emotional highs and lows. The tale is also peppered with hilarious observations of the human condition. This is the second book that I have read by the author, the first being Gringa – In the Clutches of a Ruthless Drug Lord (click for review). Once again I could not stop reading until I had finished it as I was so enthralled. Although more light hearted than Gringa, it does contain profanities, racial slurs, drug taking and some violence and is therefore suited to those aged 18 and over.

In Burn’s World, we witness the trials and tribulations of Burn, an American of mixed race, from her teenage to her adult years. Her main source of both joy and heartbreak is the love she develops for two men who are polar opposites, thus creating the classic love triangle. She also has to grapple with a ‘special gift’ she has inherited, giving the story a paranormal twist.

When the tale begins, Burn and her little sister Angel are living with their aunt Carlene and her two daughters Daisy and Lanie, where they have lived since the death of her parents. Carlene is a tramp and her daughters are lazy and selfish and all three are happy to let Burn keep house and hold down a part-time job on top of her school work. Burn does all this so that Angel, the sister she adores, does not go without.

At school Burn is the butt of many a racist remark, especially from a group of white boys led by Bud McGraw. She meets Brody McGraw, the school heartthrob and all American boy and they fall in love. Brody is Burn’s first boyfriend and she is ecstatic. However, their love is doomed as Brody’s parents do not approve of a girl of mixed race. Heartbroken, Burn walks away, realising that she will never be good enough for Brody’s family. Brody and Burn however, still have strong feelings for each other, which manfest in some memorable scenes throughout the tale. At this point badass Trojan moves in on Burn, wanting what the ‘white boy’ has. His gang has had a run in with Brody and his cousins and Burn fears that Brody is Trojan’s next target. In return for leaving Brody untouched, Burn allows Trojan to ‘date’ her. Trojan does so and tones down his bad boy image and he supports her through some rough times. They form a strong attachment and become a couple.

However, how will Burn react when Brody once again walks into her life? Is her future with Brody or Trojan, who has given up so much for her? The road to love is a rocky one for Burn as she leaves her teenage years and enters adulthood and there are many unexpected plot twists, where Burn is forced to examine her feelings for Trojan and Brody. The tale is both tragic and heart warming. Where will it all end? Will Burn’s ‘special gift’ endanger her as it exposes her to those who have secrets to keep? There is resolution to the love triangle but it is a tale that had me hooked from start to finish and made me laugh, cry and feel every emotion in between.

Burn is a great heroine, sassy and strong, with an inner goodness that shines through. I really felt for her when she was faced with the open hostility of Brody’s racist parents and I empathised with how she could love two men. Although I thought that Brody stayed under the influence of his parents for too long, I was pleased with how his character turned out and that when Burn faced some difficult situations he did step in to help. Unlike Brody, Trojan has had to fight to survive. He has a heart of gold and is very protective of her and those she cares for. Yes he is violent on occasion, but he does change for Burn and this was endearing. I really felt the love that the two guys had for Burn and the love making scenes between Burn and Brody and Burn and Trojan ranged from sweet to downright hot and I loved them!

There is a great cast of supporting characters, from Burn’s skanky aunt, to her cousins, friends and co-workers. Of special mention are Hawk and Erro, who are connected with Burn’s special gift. I love Eve Rabi’s characters, as they embrace all types of human strengths and frailties and the plot highlights these traits in the extreme, making for an entertaining and insightful read. Her characters are not perfect, they do not always make the right decisions or act within the law, but they are all the more believable and lovable because of it.

I recommend this series to those who like an emotional and sometimes hilarious read, full of romance, mayhem and vibrant characters.

A copy of the Burn’s World series was given to me by the author for the purpose of providing an honest and fair review.

Eve Rabi’s website

Burn’s World on Goodreads, Amazon UK, Amazon US and Smashwords , where there is also a great video promo of the series.

May 4, 2013 by Caroline Barker

‘The Wolfstone Curse’ by Justin Richards

‘The Wolfstone Curse’ is an action-packed thriller of horror and adventure where teenager Peter, visits the remote village of Wolfstone with his archaeologist father, Professor Crichton, who is due to be carrying out his work at the ancient Wolfstone Circle in the Cotswolds. As a teenager, in a very isolated place, Peter becomes bored and goes to explore the surrounding area, in particular the Wolfstone Manor. As the story unfolds Peter discovers the existence of werewolves and the curse that is placed upon them.

The story begins with a diary entry, dating from the Second World War, by a soldier who has just been briefed on the Nazi experiments taking place at Castle Wolfenburg. His group of commandos are sent to attack the genetically engineered SS Wolfen soldiers to prevent these experiments from taking place. There is no holding back with Justin Richards as the reader enters the story at the very beginning with plenty of action taking place. The reader is gripped from the first page!

I love the historical element of the story as the reader has insights to generations before in order to learn of the origins of the Wolfstone Circle and Manor. This in itself gives the story a great deal of depth, enabling the reader to have a great deal of background knowledge and to see the full picture and the development of the werewolves and their curse.

Whilst in Wolfstone Peter and his father are staying at The Red Fleece, a seventeenth century inn that is run by Faye Seymour, with the help of her teenage daughter, Carys. As events take place and Peter talks to them about what he has seen the reader becomes aware that Carys and her mum are not oblivious of the village life. As Peter becomes more curious and decides to explore further, Carys assists him and their relationship grows as they rely on each other during the dark and horrific times.

Peter and Carys are great, strong characters. Even when frightened they handle situations well. Although the book began with Peter, and it appeared that he alone was the hero and focus of the story, I feel that over time Carys’ character opened up and was equally as heroic as Peter. Carys seemed to be very determined to get to the bottom of the Wolfstone mystery, when Peter begun having doubts when events took a turn for the worse, and yet there were times that this led them into even more danger. However, Peter worked well with Carys and on several occasions helped her out of trouble.These two characters really compliment each other and both take on the lead roles, making them great heroes for both genders.

This action-packed adventure takes us across Europe as the characters discover a similar stone circle in Vrolask, Russia. Is there a connection between Vrolask and Wolfstone?

The way in which Richards describes Wolfstone Manor, the wolves and their actions is absolutely brilliant. These descriptions make it a fast-paced and very visual story and it is accompanied with plenty of dialogue from the characters. The reader grasps the characters and the story very easily due to this style of writing, enabling the reader to connect very quickly with the characters.

Justin’s description of some of the scenes is fantastic. His use of onomatopoeia, with words such as, smash, snap and crunch and the context in which they are used allow the reader to really get a feel for the horror and gore. There are great descriptions of the transformations, blood, gore and bones. And yet written so brilliantly in a way that is suitable for its young target audience. Short, sharp, punchy sentences are also used to emphasize the actions and their speed, which in turn helps the reader to play out the scenes in their mind. This also helps to connect with the characters and easily helps the reader to visualise the characters and their actions. Thus, making it a more exciting read for the reader. It never loses momentum from start to finish, despite being around 430 pages.

I feel that this book is suitable and will intrigue readers from the age of 12 onwards. When reading ‘The Wolfstone Curse’ I experienced feelings that I had as a child when reading Enid Blyton’s Famous Five novels – there is this great mix of young people, mystery and curiousity that creates an eeriness. (However, ‘The Wolstone Curse’ has a more modern twist and a darker and eerier entity.) For example, when Peter checks out Wolfstone Manor it is an eery, dark and mysterious ruin in a very remote area. He and the reader knows he shouldn’t be there so he and the reader are afraid and yet far too curious to leave the story there and so Peter and the reader alike continue to delve into the unknown!. As the story moves on it becomes even more darker and horrific with the introduction of the wolves!

I say that Justin Richards’ ‘The Wolfstone Curse’ is a must-read for any reader that enjoys mystery, action/adventure and paranormal fantasy novels that are fast-paced with great heroic characters as well as fantastic supporting characters. There is never a dull moment. It is a very, very exciting thriller. Roll on July 2013 when ‘The Wolfstone Curse’ will be released and available to the public. You will not be disappointed!!!

‘The Wolfstone Curse’ was received by A Readers Review Blog by Templar Publishing in return for an honest and fair review.

Cover art by the-parish.com

Please check out Justin Richards, the Creative Consultant for BBC Books on the Dr Who titles, author biog and look out for Tina’s review on ‘The Wolfstone Curse’ in the coming weeks with a video exclusive! ‘The Wolfstone Curse’ will be available from July 2013!

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

May 3, 2013 by Tina Williams

Bloodright, by Karin Tabke

Erotic Paranormal Romance

Adult Content/18+

Lycan Love Triangle

Bloodright is the second instalment in the erotic paranormal romance Blood Moon Rising Trilogy by Karin Tabke. It continues the tale of Falon who has been drawn into a blood feud between two alpha werewolves, Raphael and Lucien. Do not read any further if you intend to read this series and have not yet read book 1, Blood Law, as this review contains spoilers for book 1. Click to see my review of Blood Law.

Bloodright takes off immediately after Blood Law ended. The Amorak Council has decreed under Blood Law that Falon’s life will not be forfeit to Lucien. Instead Falon is his to either return to Raphael as his chosen one, or to make her his own mate. Raphael is left to find and mark another, to ensure that the Vulkasin pack continues. Falon is heartbroken, not believing that the Council could reach such a decision. When Lucien and Raphael start to fight to the death, she shoots herself to save Raphael’s life. Lucien takes her back to his Mondragon pack and heals her. Lucien is ecstatic that circumstances have played into his hands. He is filled with lust for Falon and believes that it is just revenge on Raphael for killing Mara, his own mate, as he will suffer greatly as Falon now belongs to him.

Lucien and Falon could not have had a worse start. Falon knows that she can never stop loving Raphael. However, she allows Lucien to mark her as his, to secure the future of Lucien’s pack, essential to defeat the Slayers at the coming Blood Moon. She resolves that Lucien will never have her heart. Lucien and Falon’s lovemaking however is off the Richter scale and Lucien pushes her well out of her comfort zone and their physical connection is something magical.

As Falon and Lucien try to accommodate their turbulent feelings, their physical attraction grows into more emotional bonds. Raphael’s state of mind suffers greatly at the loss of Falon and her growing attraction to Lucien. Also the spirit of the ancient wolf Fenrir, contained in the ring worn by Raphael, fights for release. At the same time Lucien and Falon have a number of violent encounters with the Slayers. Raphael is compelled to choose another mate and some major truths are revealed before the novel reaches yet another startling conclusion, setting the scene for the final book in the trilogy.

I love the characters of both alphas. However, I felt for Lucien more as it becomes clear that his bad ass personality is really a front and he has great capacity to feel emotions. He soon develops deep feelings for Falon and cannot accept that she still loves Raphael, even though she is his chosen one. He wants her heart not just her body. Raphael is devastated at his loss of Falon and knows that there will never be another that holds his heart. Yet again he is bound by his strong code of honour and prepares to mark another.

Falon goes through a lot in this novel – the loss of her chosen one, becoming the mate of a hated enemy and then dealing with her conflicted emotions. Although she initially despises Lucien, she begins to see a different side to him and grows to love him. Falon also discovers some secrets of her own birthright and begins to explore her ever growing powers, which are at their strongest when united with both brothers.

Once again Karin Tabke has successfully woven the erotic romance into a great plot and a cast of supporting characters. We learn a great deal more about the Slayers in this novel and characters come to light that impact on the pasts of Falon, Lucien and Raphael. The Amoraks, the human spirit keepers of the wolves also play a role. As the Blood Moon approaches packs and Slayers converge for the great battle yet to come.

This novel is full of mind blowing erotic Lycan sex. If you are not comfortable with explicit love making scenes, ranging from violent to sweet, wolf/ wolf sex and on one occasion human/wolf sex and a ménage scene (albeit in a dream state), you will not want to read this book. However, if you sometimes like your paranormals to get down and dirty and only an erotic romance can do, you will love this series. For lovers of erotic romance and paranormal romance who wish to experience a passionate read. The final book in the trilogy, Blood Vow is already near the top of my ‘to read’ pile.

Cover photo – kind permission received from Claudio Marinesco

Author, Karin Tabke’s website http://karintabke.com/

Cover design – www.isitdesign.co.uk

Published by www.headline.co.uk www.eternalromancebooks.co.uk

May 1, 2013 by Caroline Barker

‘Bewitching the Werewolf’ short story by Caroline Hanson

Are you looking for a FREE, fun and hot story to read just before bed, during a lunch break or even for on the train? ‘Bewitching the Werewolf’ is just the book. I found myself smiling on the first page alone! The story is so enjoyable with plenty of magic, heat and great characters.

Megan Stephens is an outspoken, quirky Wiccan who, as a witch for hire, is asked to aid the leader of a local werewolf pack to find his mate. Although she initially laughs it off, when she meets Zach Connor he is like no other werewolf. He is tall, dark and handsome, smartly dressed and smells great. He has had his fair share of women but so far none have been his mate. If he doesn’t find his mate soon the pack will disperse.

Caroline Hanson sure knows how to write these characters and allows you to become up, close and personal with them on just a few pages! I thought the whole story was just perfect: the timing, the characters, the use of magic, hot scenes, etc.

As these characters are so likeable it would be nice for them to be written into another story and maybe allow the reader to discover Zach’s transformation during a full moon and how Megan handles it! Alternatively, how would Zach deal with Megan’s sorcery?

‘Bewitching the Werewolf’ is a must-read for paranormal romance fans, preferably over the age of 16yrs due to the more intimate scenes. For such a short story it really does pack everything! And did I mention it was FREE?

I am hoping to read Caroline Hanson’s ‘Love is Darkness (Valerie Dearborn #1)’ in the near future. The synopsis and excerpt is inside ‘Bewitching the Werewolf’ and after reading them I can’t wait to read the full novel!

You can follow Caroline on Twitter @caroline_hanson and you can check her blog at http://carolinehanson.blogspot.co.uk/

Cover art by Kim Van Meter

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

April 26, 2013 by Tina Williams

Blood Law (A Blood Moon Rising Novel #1), by Karin Tabke

EROTIC PARANORMAL ROMANCE

ADULT CONTENT

Vengeance, Love and Lycan Destiny

Blood Law is an erotic paranormal romance. It is the tale of two alpha werewolves, twins Raphael and Lucien and of Falon, who is inadvertently drawn into their blood feud.

In Blood Law, Raphael slew Lucien’s chosen one, believing that she was a Slayer, pledged to eradicate his kind. Under Blood Law, which governs the Lycans, Lucien now has the right to kill Raphael’s chosen one. Raphael therefore remains unmated, not wanting to lose his future consort. This has prevented his pack from procreating, for it is only when an alpha’s mate conceives that the females become fertile. Similarly Lucien remains unmated and his pack has also declined, a great risk with the coming Blood Moon, when wolves will be pitted against slayers in a violent showdown.

Raphael rescues Falon from a Slayer and thinking that she, a human, has seen too much, he orders one of his men to kill her. However, he uses his Lycan powers to bring her back from death’s door, intrigued as to what the Slayer could have wanted with her. At the same time he removes a ring, the Eye of Fenrir, from the finger of the dead Slayer. The ring holds the powerful spirit of the immortal wolf Fenrir, who aided the Slayers and nearly annihilated the Lycans centuries ago. He takes Falon back to his pack, heals her and marks her as his mate, willing to sacrifice her, a non Lycan, to the Blood Law. This will leave him free to mate with one of his own kind, allowing his pack to procreate.

Lucien scents that Raphael has claimed a mate and appears ready to kill her. Falon, an orphan, has always felt apart from humans and once marked by Raphael, her ability to heal and her physic powers increase, as does her strength. Falon physically repels Lucien and he departs, vowing to return to exact his due. Raphael and Falon’s bond grows and Raphael wars with himself over whether he can sacrifice her life. Falon proves herself a worthy mate, is useful in the war with the Slayers, and is accepted by his pack. However, it is the Lycan Council who will decide her fate.

Both brothers are natural alphas, Raphael the light twin and Lucien the dark, and I adored them. Honour rules Raphael and although I understood that as alpha he has to put the future of his pack first, I disliked that he deliberately mated with Falon, accepting that she would die by his brother’s hand. However, as his love for Falon grows, his attitude softens. For Lucien, the prodigal son, passion rules and I loved his bad ass attitude, particularly when sparring with Falon, with whom there is a strong attraction.

Falon is a strong heroine, in an impossible situation, where she could lose her life, through no fault of her own. She is drawn to Raphael and quickly falls in love, having an affinity with him, but also his pack. She nevertheless feels a strong pull to Lucien, a pull which he exploits, undermining her relationship with Raphael. Falon’s powers grow the longer she is mated with Raphael and as the Council meeting approaches, we wonder whether she will pay the ultimate sacrifice. The novel does end in a cliff hanger, but as all three books have now been published, the final one in December 2012, you will not have to wait long if you choose to indulge!

There is a strong cast of supporting characters, including the evil Slayers, the Amoraks, the human spirit keepers of the wolves, and Lycans loyal to Raphael and Lucien in their respective packs. I loved how the author explained the history of the Lycan nation and their 800 year old battle with the Slayers, entwining both medieval English history and Inuit culture and beliefs.

This novel has a strong plot , punctuated by frequent and scorching sex scenes, often lasting several pages, as you would expect from an erotic romance. If you are not comfortable with reading erotic romance, I would not recommend this novel to you. However, if, like me, you enjoy descriptions of rampant and inventive sex scenes between consenting adults who exhibit great stamina and supernatural powers you will enjoy this book. For lovers of erotic romance or those who want to experience some explosive passion with their paranormal read! I plan to read book 2 in the series, Bloodright and book 3, Blood Vow very shortly – I desperately need to know what happens next!

Cover photograph – Kind permission received from Claudio Marinesco

Cover design by Rita Frangie

Text design by Laura K. Corless

Publisher’s website Penguin – Berkely Heat

Author, Karin Tabke’s website http://karintabke.com/

April 24, 2013 by Caroline Barker

‘Cursed (A Werewolf’s Tale #1)’ otherwise known as ‘Frostbite’ by David Wellington

Cursed: A Werewolf's Tale The first book to be reviewed for our Werewolf theme, ‘Cursed: a Werewolf’s Tale’, otherwise known as Frostbite, is an urban fantasy that will blow your mind with panic and horror. A very quick-paced novel with plenty of action that the reader will read in no time at all. David Wellington surely knows how to scare the pants off you and yet allow you to completely endure the ferocious attacks and animalistic behaviour no matter how chilling and raw!!!

The story begins with Cheyenne Clark lost, hungry, cold and lonely in the Arctic amid the trees and snow. Before too long she is being tracked by a pack of wolves. Knowing that she couldn’t possibly run from them, and with very little energy, her only chance is to climb a tree high enough so that the pack can’t reach her. However, when howling of another is heard nearby the pack of timber wolves below Cheyenne’s feet soon flee, leaving her sitting on a branch of the tree. Moments later Cheyenne meets with the wolf whose howling she heard. Much larger than the timber wolves and much more ferocious this one tries to reach Cheyenne, jumping at her, lashing at her with large paws. Until he reaches her ankle and manages to claw into her flesh!

Although the beast couldn’t quite attack Cheyenne completely, enough damage was done to make Cheyenne’s world come crashing down. She would never be the same again. She was a werewolf, a monster, a Lycanthrope. There are many names for these species and now she herself carried the curse! For every time the moon rises, Cheyenne would transform, having to learn a different way to survive and avoiding the one element that could kill her: silver, silver, silver!

Loneliness is not natural for a wolf as they tend to live and move around in packs. As a new lone wolf, Cheyenne could really do with a companion. This proves to be just as difficult as trying to deal with her new ‘self’ as the only one who could truly understand is the one that tried to kill her. Now a wolf, Cheyenne not only needs to worry about being the victim, the prey, but also has to live with being a hunter. Will she kill the one that cursed her? Will he return to kill her?

Cheyenne’s character is written with a great deal of contrast from how she feels and thinks as a human and how she is in her wolf state. The natural animalistic behaviour takes over when she is transformed, her sense of smell and hearing is much greater than her sight. As a wolf she doesn’t reason, she doesn’t use logic she survives the only way she can. Back in human form, Cheyenne wakes frozen, naked and never fully aware of what her wolf has done.

Without trying to spoil the story one of my favourite areas of the novel was when the reader begins to understand the man of the wolf that attacked Cheyenne, Powell. The reader is educated in Powell’s history as a man and how the curse affected him and we also learn a little of werewolf mythology! I found this to be very interesting and exciting but cannot elaborate more than that. This novel simply needs to be read without much explanation beforehand. It truly does speak for itself!

On a different note, David Wellington has written the setting of the scenes beautifully as one can imagine the freezing cold of the Arctic wind, the icy water of the small streams and lakes, all silent and remote from most civilisation with only the sun or moonlight to estimate time. Although not a novel of romance it most certainly is a novel of survival! But can one survive alone? Would one want to survive alone? Or is their only option to try and kill the other to eliminate a dangerous threat?

‘Cursed: A Werewolf’s Tale’ is an absolutely fascinating read. For more fur, fangs and fear I am hoping to read the sequel, ‘Ravaged’, otherwise known as ‘Overwinter’, very soon!

Cover design: Unreal-uk.com

Photograph: Getty Images

Reviewed by Caroline Barker