January 21, 2013 by Tina Williams

Dragon Rose (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms #2) by Christine Pope

True Love versus Sorcerer’s Curse

As a re–interpretation of the fable Beauty and the Beast, this was a must read for me as it was one of my favourite fairytales as a child! I enjoyed Christine Pope’s, “Welcome to Skullcrusher Mountain” (see my review earlier this month) and Dragon Rose (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms #2) is a compelling read which has you rooting for a seemingly elusive HEA for the cursed Dragon and his Bride!

Dragon Rose is set in Lirinsholme, a town that forms part of “the Latter Kingdoms,” lands which have prospered since the end of the mage wars and the decline of magic. Rhianne, a potter’s daughter, is expected to marry well to secure the financial stability of her family and fund dowries for her younger sisters. In ages past, when sorcerers ruled, Theran Blackmoor’s form was cursed by a mage and he become known as the “Dragon of Black Keep.” The town of Lirinsholme, over which the Dragon presides, is bound to provide him with a Bride when he demands one to avoid the destruction of its property and its citizens. All know that marriage to the Dragon means certain death for the unfortunate Brides as none are ever heard of once they enter the Dragon’s keep.

Rhianne’s actions inadvertently cause a scandal, which threatens her family’s livelihood and reduces her chances of making a good match. The town also learns that the Dragon is demanding a Bride. Rhianne and all unmarried women between the ages of 16 and 20 are summoned to the selection, where Rhianne’s best friend Lilianth, who is affianced to her sweetheart, is selected, by virtue of her name being drawn. Rhianne volunteers in her stead, leaving Lilianth is free to marry her fiancé and ensuring that her own family is compensated generously for their loss.

Rhianne is immediately whisked away to the Dragon’s keep and married to Theran Blackmoor, the Dragon, who has the appearance of a tall, slender man, hidden beneath a cloak and a cowl. Although there is a wedding banquet of sorts, there is no wedding night and Rhianne is given sumptuous chambers, clothes and jewels to wear and is treated kindly by the servants. Theran even indulges her love of painting. Theran initially remains aloof from Rhianne, however, they slowly develop a friendship and Rhianne finds herself falling in love with him. Secrets abound in the castle and Rhianne embarks on a quest to get to the truth of the fate of the Brides and the curse. Rhianne is plagued by vivid dreams, the content of which she becomes obsessed with. She also hears strange voices and grows increasingly melancholic as she becomes terrified of what will be her eventual fate. All seems hopeless but the author manages to secure a HEA with an unexpected twist.

Rhianne is a wholly likeable heroine. Although self-sacrificing and modest, she is also unconventional and has a strong determination to find out the truth. Once she is convinced that the Dragon is not going to eat her, she becomes to regard the castle as home. Her attraction to Theran grows over time and she becomes drawn to him more and more as the tale unfolds, although she feels her love is unrequited as whilst she craves his touch he draws away. Theran remains a mysterious figure throughout the early part of the tale, although his kindness towards Rhianne is shown early on. We also witness him in his Dragon form on a number of occasions, which are terrifying to behold. We see that he grows to admire and care for Rhianne through his speech and actions, but like Rhianne are left wondering at his reticence to invite further intimacies and to not reveal fully the details of the curse and what it means for his Brides.

The story is told from Rhianne’s POV, which enables us to experience her changing emotions, encompassing feelings of fear, pity, love and increasing desperation first hand as the story progresses. The descriptions the author gives of the castle and the town of Lirinsholme and the rest of the kingdom are vivid. Roses and the rose garden at the castle feature prominently, paying homage to the fairytale we know and love. I particularly liked the way the author’s descriptions of the castle and its environs were used to reflect Rhianne’s increasing melancholy towards the conclusion to the book.

I would recommend this novel to all those who enjoy a sweet romance, especially those who enjoy fantasy romances. I was intrigued by Christine Pope’s references to other parts of the world she has created and will be reading the prior novel, “All Fall Down (Tales of the Latter Kingdoms #1)” and the next instalment, “Binding Spell,” the release of which is planned in late Spring this year, details of which are given on the author’s website. At the time of writing this post I noticed that the author also has details of some easy to enter book giveaways on her site, so it might be worth checking these out. if you think you may like her work

Published by Dark Valentine Press www.darkvalentinepress.com

Cover art by Nadica Boskovska www.theswanmaiden.deviantart.com

Cover design and ebook formatting by Indie Author Services www.indieauthorservices.com

Reviewed by Tina Williams

January 19, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Dead Wolf (Keira Hudson Series Two Book 5) by Tim O’Rourke

‘Dead Wolf (Keira Hudson Series Two, Book 5)’ draws the reader in from the very beginning, especially for those of you who have followed this series, as it picks up from where we left off in ‘Dead Seth (Keira Hudson Series Two, Book 4)’. However, for those readers that are not familiar with the Keira Hudson series yet, the beginning of this novel is well-explained, easy to follow and provides the background knowledge that is needed to follow the story.

As a fan of the series, I would urge those readers that haven’t already done so, to read the entire Keira Hudson series for the stories of each of the characters. This is because they all have their own story to tell in-between the main focus of their adventure and these stories are written from each characters point of view. It is amazing how Tim O’Rourke places himself in the mindset of each of his characters and describes every emotion that they are feeling intensely.

So, ‘Dead Wolf’ is told mostly from Murphy’s point of view. However, it does begin from Keira’s, after she has found out a great deal about Jack Seth’s history and about herself. Keira is still at a crossroads when it comes to choices and the information she has learned will not make her choice any easier to make, if she makes one at all.

Keira and her friends are in a world that has been ‘pushed’ from the one that they knew before, there are statues that appear to be sending them signs and, without making a decision, it is highly possible that Keira herself will turn to stone. The only lead they seem to have at the moment between the world they knew and this new ‘pushed’ version is that of a mystery photographer who has managed somehow to go from one world to the other, leaving photographs for some of them to find.

Meanwhile, Murphy, Kayla and Sam have an ordeal of their own in Chapter 2. This chapter really excited me due to its intensity, passion, action, violence and gore. There are moments where I found myself cringing, but loving every word. I truly feel alive as I visualise every movement as if I am there when reading this series, and this scene was no exception. My heart is racing as I am hoping for a positive outcome. I worry for the characters and long to be of assistance. The reader is completely gripped as the story then moves on.

Shortly after, ‘Dead Wolf’ becomes Murphy’s story, as he narrates his history of family, friends, relationships and his career. Murphy’s story throughout is full of emotion. The reader finds out how Murphy became a police officer, how he feels about the Vampyrus and Lycanthrope, who has touched his heart and, on a lighter note, why he wears his beloved slippers! Although Murphy’s story is emotionally intense as it is full of sorrow, lies, deceipt, betrayal there are also some lighter moments and I found myself laugh out loud on a few occasions.

The emotional rollercoaster that Murphy has been on does not seem that different in one way than that of Jack Seth’s. They have both seen their fair share of deceipt and lies and they have both lost people that are dear to them. They are two sides of the same coin in one way: they have both been through great ordeals, they both care about family, they have both been deceived. However, one is Vampyrus and the other Lycanthrope. They are possible enemies under most circumstances.

Tim O’Rourke always brings something new and fresh to each instalment of the series. ‘Dead Wolf’ introduces the reader to different characters that have played parts in Murphy’s life, such as his mother, Pen, Chloe, Marc, Steve and Annie. We are also made aware of how much Rom, a character from earlier in the series, has supported Murphy and helped him with his career and his ordeal.

It was lovely to read this book as it was snowing out of my window, as was the setting for some scenes in ‘Dead Wolf’. This assisted me even moreso (not that it needed to whatsoever) to relate to the scenery in the story. We are taken on a scenic journey as well as an emotional adventure in regard to the scenery, as always with this series, as we go deep in the caves at The Hollows to the forest and the lake.

The end of this novel is written from Keira’s point of view, which I feel wraps it up really nicely and brings us back to the here and now with Keira and her friends. The reader has travelled a long journey with Murphy, but then returned to the present situation that the characters are in. Will they find the photographer? Will Keira turn to stone? How are Potter and Keira going to be with each other? Will they all return to the world they once knew as their reality/home?

The next instalment is ‘Dead Water (Keira Hudson Series Two, Book 6) which should be out soon! I really cannot wait to see where the characters will go from here, on their next adventure, to try and get their lives back on track.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

January 15, 2013 by Caroline Barker

A Presence in Russell County (The Organization #1) by SJ Sprague

After reading many paranormal novels, I decided to take a break and read another of my favourite genres. ‘A Presence in Russell County’ is a crime thriller that is generally a full and interesting novel that is easy to read and has a nice collection of characters. As I wasn’t sure what to read I chose this book for the title and because the description of the story sounded like it was just right up my street. I love crime thrillers and this appealed to me as after watching programmes such as ‘The Shield’ and ‘The Unit’ this book combines the two for me. It’s almost like sending in the ‘The Unit’ guys to crack down on the Strike Team from ‘The Shield’, with an extra twist of the Organization.

The police are corrupt. Stealing, drug running and murder are only some of their crimes. And after being harrassed by one of them in particular, Samantha Biggers opens up to a man that she has only knew online but for a couple of years. He happens to be ex-military and when times become more intense for Sam she leans on him for support. As he realises the extent of the corruption surrounding the police in Russell County with the help of the Organization, of which he is part of, they begin to obtain as much evidence as they can against the police.

The Organization is generally unheard of by the public, however if in any way corruption is brought to their attention they seek out the culprits and with evidence, are able to carry out a proper trial in which the defendant could be found guilty and detained very quickly. Without the evidence there is little they can do and if the defendant is found innocent they are free to go. It works almost identical to the system already in place, however it is quick. Within days a defendant could be imprisoned if found guilty. The people that make up The Organization are from all walks of life, however they appear to mostly be retired military.

An interesting character of the book is a journalist, Cap Finch. He becomes involved early on when a policeman is shot and he arrives at the hospital ready to make notes for a story. However, whilst there he begins to find reactions a little strange. There are hardly any police there, the ones that are present are walking down the corridor laughing and joking amongst themselves, not acting in the least bit bothered that one of their fellow officers has been shot and could probably die at any moment. The officers’ wife is sitting alone, waiting for doctors to let her know how her husband is doing – there is no one comforting her. This is unbelievable to Cap Finch.

As the story unfolds Cap Finch finds other odd actions of the police, however his editor has told him he cannot publish these stories. He knows deep down that something isn’t right and as he comes across other stories and people that have been affected he almost falls into the lap of the Organization. Towards the end of the book we are left wondering whether he will go on to work for them and whether he will write a novel based on what he has been a part of. The idea passed through my mind whether this was the case in SJ Sprague. Has the author came across information in which they could not act upon and therefore used it loosely for the novel? Is Cap Finch another side of SJ Sprague?

The whole novel was quite exciting. When it comes to Sam’s lovelife however, I was a little confused towards the end. After becoming a widow she had been online with John Hollingsworth and over two years she had a very close on-line relationship. This seemed to grow naturally and when meeting him in person and becoming more intimate with him I thought that it was happily ever after for them. However, the last few chapters see her engage a little more with Crogan, John’s closest friend. I’m not quite sure what the reader is to make of this.

Also, during the last few chapters I felt that the story was a little rushed. The trial seemed to end abruptly. I was reading intensely and then the following chapter moved on completely and I wondered whether I’d missed something out. I was a little disappointed about this. However, the story and characters in general were really good. If it wasn’t for the ending I would have given this book five stars. I will be reading the following novels and I am hoping the series goes from strength to strength.

I apologise now for a scatty review. This novel is one I would have loved to have read in one go. However, other priorities came up and therefore I read this book very sporadically. I am hoping to read the sequels much more quickly than this. I cannot wait to read ‘Mulberry: The Organization Book 2’. If you would like to contact SJ Sprague you can e-mail the author at sjsprague01@gmail.com.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

January 9, 2013 by Caroline Barker

Welcome to Skullcrusher Mountain by Christine Pope

A Whimsical Captor-Captive Romance

The wonderful title of this novella immediately attracted me. When I learned that it features a mad scientist, abduction, a weird laboratory inside a mountain and a plot exploring true love versus Stockholm Syndrome, I just had to read it! I obtained the book some months ago via Smashwords. It is no longer available there, but it is still free in pdf format on the author, Christine Pope’s website www.christinepope.com. The work is based on the song “Skullcrusher Mountain,” by Jonathan Coulton, www.jonathancoulton.com , which is written under a Creative Commons license that permits the creation of derivative work as long as no profit is made from it.

In “Welcome to Skullcrusher Mounatin” Jenna Masterson, a newly employed newspaper reporter, is curious to discover what people are wary of on Black’s Peak, a mountain known locally as Skullcrusher Mountain. Whilst she is exploring the mountain she is abducted by a monstrous hairy man and delivered to Dr Theophilus Black, an eccentric scientist who lives deep within the mountain. When Jenna accuses Theo of kidnapping her, he denies it and says that he is simply “collecting” her.

Jenna recognises that Theo is not of sane mind, naturally fearing him and to what end he has kidnapped her. This fear is compounded when she learns that women previously abducted by him have disappeared. However, Theo does not pose an immediate threat and she decides to play along with him, doing what it takes to save her own skin. She therefore accepts his invitation to dinner and thus begins a bizarre relationship and courtship. Theo is surprised by Jenna’s apparent lack of fear and is determined to make a good impression on her, serving her fine wines and food and is quick to have her moved into a spacious apartment within his home. He hopes that she will be different from the other women, who tended to turn hysterical when introduced to him, and tries to impress her with his scientific endeavours within his laboratory.

Theo is the archetypal ‘mad’ scientist, a recluse, caring little for his appearance. He is attracted to Jenna from the off, viewing her as “exquisite” and “the best yet.” He is also a hero who does not know how to relate to others, especially women, due to his isolation and his upbringing, being more comfortable with quantifiable facts and data. When Jenna is upset at one of his creations he is not only angry but confused and hurt, which was endearing. Although I found him a little threatening and strange to begin with, I soon came to sympathise with him in the same way that Jenna does. He appears to be very vulnerable and suspects Jenna’s motives when she reciprocates his advances and they become lovers. We also learn of the past goings on in the Black household, and we are left wondering if it will all end happily or not. Much rests on what will happen when Jenna asks Theo about the fate of the other women abducted and to what extent he had a hand in their disappearances.

The humorous repartee between Jenna and Theo is very entertaining, as are Jenna and Theo’s respective conversations with Scarface, Theo’s loyal servant who has been “collecting” girls for him all his life. The scene where Scarface offers Theo advice on how to court women is particularly humorous. I very easily found myself transported into the heart of Skullcrusher Mountain, due to the vivid manner in which the author describes Theo’s home, with its mixture of ‘faux gothic’ and up- to- date modern conveniences and strange inventions.

I would recommend this book to those who like to read romances which are a little bit different, especially if you enjoy captor-captive tales with a bit of weird science and skulking henchman thrown in! Readers of paranormal and fantasy romances are urged to check it out. I have since read Christine Pope’s novel “ Dragon Rose ( Tales of the Latter Kingdoms)”, which I will review later this month.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Permission to use book cover art for “Welcome to Skullcrusher Mountain” kindly given by Indie Author Services, www.indieauthorservices.com

December 21, 2012 by Caroline Barker

The Heat (Book 1 of the Big Bad Wolf series) by Heather Killough-Walden

The Heat (The Big Bad Wolf, #1)

A Smoking Hot Werewolf Romance

Heather Killough-Walden’s Big Bad Wolf series has been near the top of my to read pile for some time and after finishing ‘The Heat’ I am asking myself why I left it so long! This book has made me seriously reassess my usual preference for vampires as this author’s werewolves are not only smart and uber dominant, but have an earthy get down and dirty sex appeal.

In ‘The Heat’, 28 year old Lily St Claire returns to her childhood town of Baton Rouge, which she left after high school, to take up a post of Social Worker at a local hospital. The plot opens with her having a girly night in with her lifelong friend Tabitha, with whom she has kept in touch with. Daniel, Tabitha’s big brother (an alpha werewolf) has just been promoted to Police Chief, soon arrives at the scene. Daniel was attracted to Lily at school, but was warned off her by Tabitha. Daniel contented himself with meaningless short term flings, many of which were with Lily’s friends, to compensate. Lily for her part has always been attracted to Daniel, but believed that she was not his type as he always kept a distance. She has been having vivid dreams about Daniel changing into wolf since her teenage years. Now Daniel is older he immediately catches Lily’s scent and recognises that she is a true dormant and therefore a potential mate. Dormants are in decline and highly valued as werewolves can only get their chosen mate pregnant and thus ensure the future of their race. He vows to succumb to his attraction this time and Lily, although knowing nothing of the werewolf world, is equally attracted.

Lily mentions to Tabitha that her favourite mystery author, Malcolm Cole (of whom she has also had vivid dreams), is in town and that she plans to attend his book signing. Malcolm is a very powerful alpha werewolf who is also a violent killer who has avoided prosecution by both werewolf and human law. Tabitha warns Daniel who fears that Malcom recognises that Lily is a dormant and plans to make her his mate, a situation he cannot tolerate.

To protect Lily Daniel virtually kidnaps her and takes her back to his home intent on explaining the situation to her to protect her from harm. He manages to explain that Malclolm is a killer but then he is called away to a violent scene of carnage and murder at the Mayor’s home and only has time to mark her as his mate, without explaining his true nature or what he is doing. This scene is sexually charged and highly erotic. Lily is very angry and confused when she wakes up. Fortunately Tabitha, sent by Daniel to watch over her, is able to reveal the existence of werewolves and to apologise on Daniel’s behalf, explaining that his actions, although appearing callous were carried out to protect her from other alphas, principally Malcolm Cole. She explains that only dormants dream of werewolves in their true form and that Lily is likely to be Daniel’s intended mate.

I will not divulge any more of the plot, but suffice to say that it involves a Malcolm Cole determined to have Lily as his mate at any cost, numerous fight scenes and black magic, lots of sexual tension and a number of erotic sex scenes. We are also introduced to the respective members of Daniel’s and Malcolm’s packs and hunters determined to eradicate werewolves as they view them as evil. We have to wait until the book’s exciting conclusion before we find out if Lily and Daniel complete their mating bond and find their HEA.

The author’s character descriptions and development are strong. I found Daniel to be a sexy, dominant werewolf, full of Southern charm and very protective of those close to him. However, as a relatively young alpha, he can act a little impulsively and will have to learn to curb this trait as he becomes more powerful. I found this slight flaw to be endearing and I am sure that Lily will be more than a match for him to keep him in check. Lily is a strong woman, showing strong empathy. She is brave and does not hesitate to sacrifice herself to help others. Whilst attracted to Daniel, she is understandably resentful that he marked her without her consent. There is also strong chemistry between her and Malcolm, although she does her best to resist it as she is repelled by his murderous past.

I adored the character of Malcolm Cole. At 94 years old he is a very powerful werewolf with a dark history. He is a tortured character and desperate to find his true mate and does not care how ruthless he needs to be to ensure that Lily is his. Lily’s dreams help explain his actions but Malcolm is not keen to discuss his past. The scenes between him and Lily are also very erotic as they engage in a battle of wills and sparkling repartee.

Secondary characters include Tabitha, Daniel’s sister and Lily’s friend, who is very defensive of Lily and furious with how Daniel forces his mark on her, Jennings, a human, who is one of Daniel’s trusted team members on the force and James, also an alpha, who is allied with Malcolm, but is very protective of Lily and thinks that Daniel is not good enough for her.

The novel is both sexy and fun. It has its dark moments and does contain some violence, but it also has a humorous side. The author’s descriptions of the nature of werewolves and aspects of their culture were also well done. I would recommend this book to those who enjoy paranormal romance or urban fantasy. I will certainly not be leaving it too long before I read the next book in the series.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

December 18, 2012 by Caroline Barker

Bloodroom by Naima Haviland

A dark paranormal romance

In Bloodroom we meet Julian Mouret a master vampire have his loyalties torn between upholding vampire law and letting the human he has become obsessed with survive when he is honour bound to kill her.

Natalie Heyward, a ballerina with the Charleston ballet troupe, saw Julian’s true nature when she and her dance partner Andrew came across Julian when he was engaged in a feeding frenzy on some wolves in a local wood. Julian retaliated quickly, tossing Andrew in the air and pursuing and attacking Natalie, whom he could not bring himself to kill. Andrew, who now resides in hospital, never saw his attacker’s face. However, Julian knows that Natalie did and seeks her out, under the guise of patron of the ballet company, intent on killing her to prevent her from revealing the existence of vampires to humans. To cope with the horror of that night Natalie’s mind has blocked out her memories of it. Julian and Natalie have an immediate mutual attraction which develops into a deeply obsessive and erotic sexual relationship. Throughout the novel Julian intends to kill Natalie once he has had his sexual fill of her but he cannot seem to get enough. He knows that he must kill her as soon as she shows any signs of remembering that night and what he really is. Thus we are embroiled in a roller coaster game of cat and mouse with Natalie’s memories – will he, won’t he kill her and when and how? The story is both a paranormal romance and a thriller, with elements of pure horror. It is also very dark and erotic. All the while we are waiting for Natalie’s memory to resurface, wondering that when it does whether her demise will swiftly follow.

Natalie is immediately drawn to Julian. Sexual tension between them is high and soon develops into lust and an obsessive love on her part. Natalie’s parents died when she was very young and she craves love and affection and very soon feels that Julian is the one to fill that void. She is very protective of Andrew, who is now hospitalised and is recovering from his injuries. She is called to his bedside on more than one occasion when Andrew is apparently harmed whilst under medical care, necessitating blood transfusions and he reports that he has been attacked by a woman with fangs. Natalie begins to believe that something is not right about this or the initial attack and becomes fixated on recovering her repressed memories and finding out what really happened that night. She enlists Julian’s help in this and trusts him to help her. She begins to research the history of Lion’s Court, Julian’s ancestral home, near to where the attack in the woods took place, to see if it can shed light on the matter.

Julian is a stickler for upholding vampire law where other vampires are concerned and we are given graphic examples of this. He is swift to act, delivering, through Mick, his chief executioner, the ultimate punishment when other vampires do anything to threaten the security of the vampires. His feelings for Nalalie are thus conflicted to say the least. He is attracted to her as he has been attracted to no female before and yet he also knows it is his duty to extinguish her life. There are a number of scenes in the book when he is about to do the deed but he is prevented from doing so and these scenes are very harrowing. Julian’s mind is torn between acting the attentive lover to Natalie and releasing the desires of the beast within him.

The main supporting characters include the Swisher, a hauntingly beautiful yet deadly, cigar smoking vampire, barely out of adolescence when turned and Mick, a vampire who plays the role of cop, executioner and internal affairs, appointed to Julian by those higher up in the vampire world. Swisher and Mick are lovers, but Swisher, is also attracted to humans. Swisher’s reactions to learning of Julian and Natalie’s affair and her actions move the plot to its denouement.

The descriptions the author gives of the graveyard and its mausoleum, adjacent to Julian’s mansion, are gothic, whilst the descriptions of the bloodroom (to which the book owes its title) and the activities of the vampires at play are truly horrific. The originality of the plot and the vivid imagery contrasting the beauty of the ballet and the ethereal and fragile beauty that is Natalie and the dark, evil doings of the vampires makes this book extremely memorable and it has haunted me since reading it. The author does not shy away from showing the true nature of vampires, their boredom, capriciousness and total lack of humanity. I found myself drawn to Julian (almost against my will), yet repelled at the same time. His obvious attraction to and care of Natalie changes instantly when he gets a hint that she will remember and he plots throughout the book about how he will kill her. As the days go by we are left wondering what will happen to Natalie and whether Julian has a spark of humanity left to enable him to redeem himself or whether he will succumb to his vampire nature and uphold the law. The whole book and final denouement kept me on the edge of my seat and I could not have possibly predicted the ending. I read the book several weeks ago before writing this review and the storyline and the emotions that it evoked have remained with me.

I would recommend Bloodroom to lovers of dark paranormal romance and horror, especially for those with a love of the modern gothic and the erotic. Naima Haviland is an author who is new to me, but I will definitely be looking out for her other works.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

December 4, 2012 by Caroline Barker

Tsunami Blue (The Tsunami Blue Series) by Gayle Ann Williams

An Original Vision of the Future

Tsunami Blue, a post apocalyptic paranormal romance, is set in the year 2023, when most of the Earth, following a series of cataclysmic tsunamis, becomes covered by water with small isolated island communities. Modern technology and conveniences have all but disappeared under the waves, which continue to plague the world.

We meet Blue, the 24 year old heroine, who has lived alone on an island with her dog since her uncle was murdered by Runners, violent pirates who rule the waves. Blue is special – she ‘listens’ to the sea and can predict where and when the next big waves will hit. She transmits this information over the radio. Blue chooses to remain alone due to this ability, knowing how valuable she would be to the Runners if they captured her and her gift used by them to extort valuable goods and punish and terrorise communities.

Blue’s peaceful existence is shattered one day when a man washes up on the beach, half dead. Blue rescues him and saves his life, learning that his name is Gabriel Black. She is kidnapped by him the next day and forced to flee her island and her home, as it is overrun with Runners looking for her and trying to take her away from Gabriel. She is left wondering what Gabriel wants with her and what her fate will be. Suspicious that he too is a Runner, she tries to prevent the growth of their mutual attraction and resolves to escape him.

The story is narrated in the first person. This is effective in that whilst we are privy to Blue’s personal feelings and motivations we too are uncertain of Gabriel’s true intent and this both heightens and prolongs the suspense, which added to my enjoyment of the novel. In fact I could not put it down until I had finished it! I liked the author’s writing style, which was sharp and descriptive enough to paint a vivid picture of the post –apocalyptic world, without getting bogged down in detail. I imagined the world to have elements of ‘Mad Max’, ‘Waterworld’ and ‘Pirates of the Caribbean.’ The dialogue between all of the characters was witty and entertaining, particularly the repartee between Blue and Gabriel.

Blue is a strong heroine with an interesting past. She prefers her life of solitude as it gives her the freedom to broadcast what she knows about the next big wave in the hope of saving others. Life has taught her valuable survival and combat skills and she has plenty of chances to put these to use in the book – she does not just use her knives to filet fish! She is devoted to her dog Max and is loyal not only to Gabriel, even when she is suspicious of him, but can also be relied on by other characters, who the author introduces us to. She despises Runners and suspects that Gabriel, the man she is overwhelmingly attracted to, is one, thus creating a great deal of tension, not least sexual, throughout the book.

Gabriel, is all male and Blue is instantly attracted to him. I wondered what he wanted from Blue and whether he could be trusted not to hand her over to one of the groups of Runners who were pursuing her, particularly as he appears to be a Runner himself. He is clearly attracted to Blue and has a compassionate side, which he exhibits from the start, not just in relation to how he treats Blue, but others. He also has a wicked sense of humour and is a skilled fighter.

The other main characters include Trace and Indigo, the leaders of the two opposing factions of Runners who are eager to capture Blue and use her for their own nefarious ends. Both characters were twisted and evil and there are descriptions of many violent scenes within the book, in a society where only the strong survive and it does not pay to exhibit a weakness. The violence highlights how social order has collapsed since the apocalypse. The author did well to also imbue the sea with feelings, to the extent that it becomes a character in its own right, its actions adding to the twists and turns in the plot.

The romance between Blue and Gabriel was both sweet and hot, but not graphic and it provided an excellent counterpoint to the violence going on around them and the fear of where and when the next big wave would come. The paranormal elements of Blue’s communication with the sea were well done and there is a nice twist at the end, which I did not see coming.

I would recommend this book to lovers of post apocalyptic tales, particularly those who enjoy romance with the story. I believe that the style of the book and the witty dialogue, along with violence and ‘kick ass’ hero and heroine, would also appeal to lovers of urban fantasy. I was totally absorbed in the book and will be reading the next in the series.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

November 27, 2012 by Caroline Barker

Enchanted Immortals by C.J. Pinard

‘Enchanted Immortals’ is C.J. Pinard’s debut novel. This is a great book that put me in the mind-set of authors like J.R. Ward and Laurell K. Hamilton. As well as being a fantasy/paranormal it is also a good cop thriller. The novel is full of action, adventure, emotion, great characters and great storyline.

There are many characters and different groups of people. Each of them adding their own layer to the story. There are the Immortals, the sylphs, humans, vampires and shapeshifters. For a debut novel this is a splendid introduction to many of the characters, enabling the reader to connect instantly and thus, making it easier to follow them should there be more books in the series.

The main focus of the story is on Thomas O’Malley. Thomas O’Malley endured a life-changing ordeal and ultimately became an Immortal. It is an Immortal’s job to protect the sylph and humans from vampires and shapeshifters. To remain an Immortal they need doses of ‘Enchantment’ provided by the sylph. The vampires want to steal the ‘Enchantment in the hope that it will allow them to daywalk. But will they succeed in obtaining it? If they do, will it work? Thomas works with Jonathan and Kathryn and at times they find themselves in some predicaments with the vampires and shapeshifters.

One of my favourite elements of the story are the flashbacks throughout the separate era’s. The reader is taken on a journey through Thomas’ past and how his disappearance affected his parents. Joseph O’Malley, Thomas’ dad, is one of my favourite characters. His story is heartbreaking, sorrowful but completely full of unconditional love. He works as a cop for the San Francisco Police Department and tries to do everything within his power to try and find out what happened to Thomas. As Thomas is an Immortal he is not supposed to be known to man, and therefore Thomas must not contact his father in any way. This is beautifully written and I was very touched by these characters and this particular storyline.

The magic element of ‘Enchanted Immortals’ along with the ‘Enchantment’ and the fae people holds a similar imagery in my mind as that in the ‘Meredith Gentry’ novels by Laurell K. Hamilton. However, this novel has more realism, with the San Francisco Police Department, the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations (BSI) and Thomas’ parents and past. The combination of the two, fantasy and realism, remind me of J.R. Ward’s ‘Fallen Angel’ series.

In ‘Enchanted Immortals’ the government have set up a new body, the Bureau of Supernatural Investigations (BSI), to investigate the strange happenings of missing people, mutilated bodies, anything that seems to have no explanation. This set up brought back memories of watching ‘The X-Files’, although instead of ‘Dana Scully’ and ‘Fox Mulder’, C.J. Pinard has Agent Adam Swift and Agent Anthony Bianchi. These are another pair of my favourite characters. I love the thriller side of this novel, the investigations, the mysteries that these agents need to try and unfold.

There is also some romance in parts but I am sure this will become more intense during the follow-up novels. I was excited to hear that there would be a follow-up as the reader is left needing to know so much more even though this book is wrapped up beautifully. Thank you C.J. Pinard!

If you would like to contact C.J. Pinard you can reach her on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/CJPinardAuthor or you can e-mail her at cjpinardauthor@gmail.com.

Reviewed by Caroline Barker

November 25, 2012 by Caroline Barker

Rapture by J.R. Ward

Compelling Urban Fantasy

Rapture is the fourth book in J.R. Ward’s Fallen Angel’s series, which focuses on the battle between good and evil for the souls of seven chosen humans. The chief protagonists are Jim Heron, a fallen angel, representing Heaven and Devina, a demon, who bats for Hell. I will try not to give away any spoilers in this review, in relation to events in previous books.

The soul up for grabs is Matthias’, Jim’s boss when he was human and worked for XOps. We met Matthias earlier on in the series and he has now been sent back to Earth and given a chance to redeem or eternally dam himself. Jim, aided by co fallen angel Adrian are doing all they can to influence him to make the right decision when he comes to the crucial cross-roads – except, as in previous books, it is not always obvious where that crossroads will be or what the decision is. Devina, on the other hand, is doing all she can to ensure that Matthias makes a very different decision, so that she wins this round.

Mels Carmichael, a reporter at the Caldwell Courier Journal, runs into Matthias when he stumbles in front of her car. Feeling guilty, she seeks him out in hospital to find out the extent of his injuries and apologize. Matthais is suffering from amnesia and Mels offers to help him find out who he is and they form an instant attraction that quickly turns to passion. As Matthias’ memory slowly returns he realises what he must do to redeem himself and seeks to distance himself from Mels to protect her from the dangers that begin to present themselves. Devina plots to thwart any signs of salvation for Matthias’ soul, taking actions against him and Mels and also measures to undermine Jim’s sanity so that he is less effective in supporting Matthias.

Matthias’ character is fundamentally alpha, even when faced with mental and physical challenges, loyal to his friends and devoted to his woman, to the extent of thinking that he is not good enough for her. He is also coldly efficient when it comes to dealing with his enemies or anyone he thinks is a threat to those he cares for. I loved the fact that even though he is suffering from amnesia he soon realised what his previous work had likely been and that he even seeks to protect Mels from himself. However, he is vulnerable due to past events in the series. Mels too is a strong, capable character, who can look after herself. However, she too has vulnerabilities since the death of her father, a cop and Matthais makes her feel more alive than she has felt for a long time. She is attracted to him, despite some initial suspicions and quickly finds herself drawn to his side and that of Jim and Adrian. She becomes more and more embroiled in his life, although she is ignorant of Jim and Adrian’s true nature and the wider forces at play.

Jim is becoming more confident with his powers, although he is not immune to Devina’s machinations, with the intent of tormenting him, due to his reaction to events in previous books. His ongoing preoccupation with what is happening in Devina’s ‘Well of Souls’ linfluences his actions at the end of the book. Adrian is in self-destruct mode for much of the novel, as he too has been affected by previous events. Jim fears that Adrian cannot be trusted to keep his eye on the mission and provide the appropriate back – up. Both Jim and Adrian grow to both like and respect Mels and Matthias and the development of Jim’s relationship with Matthias, his former boss, is a powerful factor within the novel. Jim realises early on that Mels is the key to Matthias’ salvation and both angels do all they can to foster a relationship between the two.

Fewer scenes in the book take place in Heaven and Hell, than in previous books, though the references are certainly there and Nigel, Jim and Adrian’s boss, does make a few key appearances. Ward does not shy away from describing violent scenes within the story and the horror that is Devina and we also have rather gruesome depictions of her actions. Devina’s character is as complex as ever and it is clear that her fascination with Jim is not going away. I liked the way Ward continues to highlight Devina’s weaknesses with her visits to the therapist.

I am a fan of this series and also Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood Vampire series. I love how the author teases us with the occasional references to places and people who form part of the Black Dagger world. To me this adds both depth and breadth to both series and I am eager to see at what point, if any the two worlds will collide in earnest. I would recommend Rapture to all readers who are already following this series and to all those who love reading about the paranormal or urban fantasy and who love a complex plot and characters. Although the book could be read alone I feel that the reader would find it even more enjoyable if they had read the others in the series, which I also recommend.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

November 20, 2012 by Caroline Barker

Captured (The Captive Series Book 1) by Erica Stevens

Captivating Vampire Romance

My sister recommended this book to me, knowing that I like a good vampire romance and I’m glad that she did as I found it to be a really entertaining read. It has an interesting take on vampires and is a sweet romance, with enough potential for violence and evil to satisfy my darker needs!

The world of Captive, is set in the future where vampires have come out of hiding and have gained supremacy over the humans who are either subservient to them or live on the fringes of society in the woods and caves, forming part of a human resistance. Arianna, daughter of rebel leader, is captured and sold to Prince Braith as a blood slave. Arianna is kept captive in the Prince’s apartment at the palace. Despite her status as blood slave she is treated well by Braith, and they form a friendship, which develops into more, although they both in their own way struggle with their feelings. Relationships between masters and their blood slaves are forbidden and both Braith and Arianna realise that there is no future for them.

Just as they begin to acknowledge their mutual attraction, the return of Braith’s younger brother, Jericho, after an absence of six years, leads to shocking revelations, impacting on Braith’s and Arianna’s burgeoning relationship and paving the way for Book 2 in the series.

Although Arianna is young, 17, compared to Braith’s 952 years, she is a strong heroine. Indeed, she was captured whilst saving a small boy from the vampires. When being put on the auctioneer’s platform to be sold, at first she prefers death, to the constant torment of being purchased and used as a blood slave. However, once she discovers that her childhood friend Max has also been captured, she resolves to help him escape. I loved how she was captivated by the beauty of the palace and its gardens, which contain luxuries she has never before experienced. Arianna is at first suspicious of Braith’s motives in being so kind to her, fearing that he plans to gain her trust, only to then cruelly destroy her. She comes to care for the prince against her better judgement.

Braith, the first born prince, has a fearsome reputation and demands respect. I liked the fact that although he was instantly drawn to Arianna and was compelled to purchase her, it was not for the usual reason in vampire romances – he does not immediately desire to mate with her or dominate her sexually for example! Indeed, she is not the type of woman he is usually attracted to. However, she does have a strong physical effect on him, which I will not divulge here as it would spoil the book for those who wish to read it.

He is both protective and possessive of Arianna, although there are scenes where he does dominate her and barely keeps his violence in check. He is also fearful of her being taken away from him if anyone discovers that she is anything more to him than a blood slave. I loved how he became increasingly attracted to Arianna, begining to empathise with her. He does not desire anyone else’s blood but hers, but at the same time will not force his attentions on her. Braith recognises the importance of gaining Arianna’s trust and it is this that he wants in the end more than her blood, which I found to be endearing.

There are many tender scenes between Braith and Arianna in the book. The tale is different from many vampire novels I have read in that the relationship between the hero and heroine is a slow burn, rather than them jumping into bed with each other from the start. However, I did not think that this detracted from the romance and it made it all the more meaningful. For example, I found that the scene where they experienced their first kiss and was very moving. Moreover, the level of heat certainly increases as the plot develops.

The main secondary characters in the book included the human Max, Caleb, Braith’s brother and Jericho, the youngest of his brothers. Max seeks to help Arianna escape. He believes all vampires are evil and his experience of being a blood slave is vastly different from Arianna’s. Caleb is pure evil and suspicious of Braith’s relationship with Arianna and Braith takes special care with how he treats Arianna when he is present. Jericho, who returns after an absence of six years is an interesting character. Whilst Braith is wary of Caleb and his motives, he feels more affinity with Jericho. However, it is Jericho’s actions, not those of Caleb, that have a profound impact on Braith and Arianna’s relationship at the end of the book and set the scene for the next instalment.

I enjoyed the author’s writing style, which was fresh and direct. The story flowed easily and at its core focused on the relationship between the two main characters, which I liked, whilst still making me want to know about the world they inhabited and the other characters. I will certainly be purchasing book 2 in the series very soon as I am eager to learn what happens next. I would recommend this book to readers of all ages from young adult upwards, especially those who enjoy a good vampire romance.

Reviewed by Tina Williams

Author’s website http://ericasteven.blogspot.co.uk

Cover art by www.EbookLaunch.com and image used by kind permission of Erica Stevens