Madeleine "Maddy" Niteclif needs a change. Where better to start anew than England. Upon her arrival, she feels a strong pull to head straight to Stonehenge. Once there, she makes a wish for "a changed reality".

That night, she quickly learns that wish or no wish, a changed reality is exactly what she's gotten. Turns out, she's a third generation Niteclif, descendant of Sherlock, and she's required to "... accept [her legacy] by age of thirty and pick up the mantle of service for minimum of ten years." And, to her surprise, two men (one dragon-shifter and one fae - both gorgeous, of course) want to "help her" and be her one and only.

The book was a quick read, however I wasn't fond of Maddy and the ending felt rushed. Had it not been for the supernatural twist on a old favorite, I probably would've rated it lower. I'd wanted to love this book and dig into another fun series. Hell, I even bought Wrath (book #2) before reading book 1. I'm just not sure I liked it enough to continue.

Good bits:
* Great opening line ... "I once heard someone say it's a good thing the world sucks or we'd all fall off."
* Nice paranormal spin on the story of Sherlock Holmes
* Dragon shifter with a Scottish accent *sigh*

Frustrating bit:
* Maddy says, "I don't read romance novels, so I refuse to use the words burgeoning, smoldering, blazing, heroic, manly, or turgid in any of my conversations - even in my dreams. So yeah, look pretty."

Then ...

She says, "I'm not into that supernatural, paranormal crap that seems to have taken over literature - okay, the world. Though I really do absolutely love Laurell K. Hamilton, and I did like Twilight, but ..."

Then ...

When asked, "I thought you said you didn't read romance novels." Her response is, "I had one forgettable adventure with that type of novel, and it was so generally bad that I had to put it down. Now I stick to the darker stuff."

For the record, thanks to my handy-dandy Kindle, I'm able to tell ya that she said "manly" once in reference to someone's "manly potpourri" scent. But, other than that she didn't use the other words at all.

I've never read a LKH book (shocker, I know), but I believe they are classified as supernatural, paranormal crap romances. Twilight is as well and it's definitely not classifiable as "dark". The disdain for "supernatural, paranormal crap" one minute, admitting to not only reading them but loving them the next, and then immediately accepting that her new reality is overflowing with the supernatural didn't fit for me.

In BloodSworn, we meet Trina Weyebridge, one of the most powerful, most feared type of witch, and the last of her line. She's a BloodSworn witch whose magic comes from her blood. As powerful as this type of witch is, Trina doesn't practice magic. Her powers were bound for her protection ten years ago. Since then she's been living her life in the human world as a hematologist. However, things are about to change. Vampires have kidnapped her sister and she'll do anything to get her back.

The war between vampires and shifters had ended one hundred and fifty years ago with a shaky truce that neither race would encroach on the others' territory.

Witches were little threat to the pack, but something about their magic disturbed the virus that kept vampires alive. Vampires and witches had hunted each other fanatically for centuries. The only thing that stopped an out-right war between the races was the pack's pledge to keep the peace.

I enjoyed this world that Stacey Brutger created. Vampires are not seductive or sparkly. They, along with the witches, are the bad guys in this novel. The shifters play an integral part in this world and keep the peace. Merrick, the Leo, was my favorite character. I also liked Merrick, Trina's protector. I was intrigued by the power and history of the BloodSworn. This would make a good series and, if the author chooses to write more in this world, I would definitely read it.

"'If onlys' will drive you mad."

If Only tells the story of sassy sub Sally and Co-Doms Galen and Vance, both FBI agents and new Shadowland Masters.

For months, they'd watched the little sprite.  Never silent, never modest.  She didn't submit gracefully.  Both he and Vance had wanted to take her on.  Nothing serious - they didn't do serious - but just for the challenge.

The first thing they noticed when Sally returned to the club after a month-long absence was that her bubbling enthusiasm and perkiness were gone - "... a subdued Sally was like a bird with a damaged wing."

The hunt for the remaining members of the Harvest Association continues. Sally, in school to become a computer forensics specialist, seizes an opportunity to become a silent hero in the hunt. She knows that "unhappy Doms weren't good for a submissive's health", so she tries to avoid the two Feds in an attempt to keep her actions stealthy.

That all changes when she's caught doing the one thing a Shadowkitten should never do - fake it. Z decides her punishment is to be handled by none other than the Co-Doms.

I loved these three together! It was great getting a deeper look at both Galen and Vance, who have been seen throughout the previous books. Sally and the Feds each have their own qualities that, when brought together, help mend the wounds of the others.

There was one irritant for me. While "imp", by definition, fits Sally's sneaky, mischievous personality perfectly, I didn't care for the endearment. Other than that, If Only is another fantastic addition to the Masters of Shadowlands series. And, I was thrilled to discover Cherise will be doing writing another MotS book! :D

I’ll admit it–I got my arm twisted and I’ll be doing another Masters of the Shadowlands. I’m going to see what happens when Rainie takes on Master Jake. That should come out in late summer, around August.

Secret McQueen's name is almost legendary among vampires. She's ½ vampire, ½ werewolf bounty hunter who "... takes out rogue vampires at the request of the vampire council." As far as she knows, she's the only ½ vamp, ½ were hybrid and she guards the truth about her heritage - telling only a handful of people. But, she feels it's only a matter of time before her secret is out. Although she was born this way, she doesn't fully embrace her werewolf side. In fact, she's never shifted as an adult.

So, it's a surprise to her when her werewolf half is instantly attracted to a handsome stranger. Animal magnetism, it appears, is extremely difficult for her to control. She quickly learns just who this sexy stranger is and what this attraction means. In the process, she also learns a great deal more about her family history and another reason why her name is well-known.

In the six years she's been a bounty hunter, "... the closest anyone had ever come to truly killing [her] was Alexandre Peyton, and he had promised [her] that next time [they] met he wouldn't fail." When she notices his "mark" while rescuing a human, she knows their meeting will come sooner rather than later.

Last year, I read Secret's prequel, The Secret Guide to Dating Monsters. I liked it and was looking forward to more of the story. I enjoyed Something Secret This Way Comes and the opportunity to get to know Secret, Holden, Sig, Calliope (and others) better. I'm not a big fan of love triangles and this one has that in spades. Nevertheless, the ending of this one was such that I will definitely continue on with the series.

They were not just driving each other insane.  Collectively they were driving everyone else insane too. Echoes of their feud began to ripple through the other sentinels.

At each others throats since the Games, Dragos has had enough of Aryal and Quentin. What's a dragon to do? Both are strong sentinels and he doesn't want to lose either, so he "sends them on a reconnaissance mission to the Elven land of Numenlaur". While gone, they must either make peace with each other or risk losing their positions.

Sadly, Kinked had a slow start for me. I'd read more than half of the book before I was thoroughly interested in the events happening in Numenlaur. However, familiar with Aryal's love for conflict and fierce loyalty to those she loves, the tension between her and Quentin made sense - as did their attraction to each other. In the end, I grew to like both more than I had when I started the book and felt they were a good match and complimented each other well.

My favorite line was in the beginning of the book when Aryal's heart takes a hit as she gets her first look at Pia's baby. Noticing Aryal's reaction, Pia whispers to Eva, "Behold the Power of the peanut. His body mass may be small, but his influence is mighty." I'm anxious to learn more about Liam, the powerful little Prince, in Dragos Takes a Holiday due out later this month.

After what happened to Elena the last time she attended an immortal ball, it's no surprise she's not thrilled about attending another. But, before she has much time to worry about it, "Angels are falling from the sky in New York, struck down by a vicious, unknown force. Vampires are dying impossibly of disease." These tragic events weaken the Tower's defenses at a time when they can ill afford it. Elena and Raphael race to find the cause, save their people and protect their city.

"Eternity would mean nothing without you.  For no power on this earth would I trade my Elena."

For me, this was one of the best books in the series so far. Fans of the series will love seeing how Elena and Raphael not only continue to change, but grow as a couple and individuals. Each immensely strong and powerful in their own right, they are also realizing their true strength comes when they face things together. She reminds him of his humanity and he helps her navigate the immortal world.

In addition to learning more about about the couple, we are given further insight into Illium's past and punishment as well as seeing Aodhan creep out of his shell. I'm as frighteningly fascinated with Naasir as Elena. I am chomping at the bit for book #7. 2014 seems so very far away.

❉ ✣ SOS: Serious Overload of Series has come to BookLikes! ✣ ❉

Do you have a serious series addiction?  Are you compelled to read series books in order?  Are you always on the lookout for new paranormal romances, urban fantasies, and sci-fi series? 

If so, join us at SOS where your series addiction is celebrated and shared by all!

SOS on BookLikes is the sister group of SOS on Goodreads.  If you're a GR member, feel free to stop by and chat with us there as well.  On GR, we host book of the month and yearly series (re)reads, as well as challenges (both team and individual) and much more.

Cheers,

All of this gives me a migraine.  And, it's just plain depressing, frustrating, infuriating, add feeling/adjectives here ...

Do ya'll think this will eventually be resolved to everyone's liking?    A happy medium, maybe?  I'm feeling skeptical. And, that's very unlike me, which makes me even more sad.  Goodreads used to represent happiness, community, friendship, like-minds, discovery, exploration, laughter.  *sad*so very, very sad*

On GR, I've never bashed anyone or been bashed, for that matter.  I count myself lucky.  Bullying and censorship are disgusting and unacceptable.  

Whenever I try to stop and think about all I'm reading on the chaos, I can't help but wonder how GR/TPTB won't/can't admit that book buying (and by default reading and reviewing) is often based on more than an appealing cover and blurb.  At times, the author(s), the publisher, the marketer are consideration factors as well.  If you don't support those entities you won't buy the book.  

-- This makes me think of the  tuna boycotts in the '80s when Sam La Budde films dolphins being caught and killed while netting for tuna. 

As a result, "In 1990, the three largest tuna companies in the world - StarKist, Bumblebee, and Chicken of the Sea - agreed to stop purchasing, processing, and selling tuna caught by intentional chasing and netting of dolphins.

Due to legislation in the U.S. Congress, supported by IMMP and the tuna industry, this standard of "non-encirclement" of dolphins became the U.S. legal standard for the "Dolphin Safe" tuna label."

Authors cannot expect readers to create "author's feelings safe" review labels.  Surely, the majority do not intentionally seek to hurt the feelings of an author.  However, honest reviews and ratings will sometimes do just that.  And, if a person chose to avoid an author because of their improper, impolite, unappealing behavior and their shelves are there to sort their books, it's not surprising shelves such as "author to avoid" or "will not read" would begin to appear.  The fact that others share their opinion and chose to create similar shelves should also be no big surprise.  Why do they (GR/TPTB) think they have enough similar shelving habits to create a "Top shelves" list in the first place.  

I read an article someplace that remarked on the behaviors of self-published authors (those who do not have -a brain- or a publicist or such to -teach them manners- help them navigate the waters of good and bad reviews to know when to -keep negative thoughts between themselves and their therapist/partner/family- refrain from engaging in direct and inflammatory communication with or about their readers).  And, the influx of self-published authors, due in large part to the ease of doing so, has led to (or at the very least contributed greatly) the author/reviewer battles of late.  

I can see that.  I can see that some may find it difficult to turn away from the screen, focus on the good vs. bad, and just accept that not everyone will love what they've put out there for the world to read.  But, why should the reader/review be punished?  

Like it or not, authors and readers have a symbiotic relationship - albeit a sometimes parasitic one.  If authors do not write books, we do not have books to read.  During my time on GR, I have learned the power a book review can have when it is shared with another person.  That said, I still have a mind of my own.  If I love Coke and you love Pepsi, no matter how well you describe your love for the taste or the color of its pretty blue can, I will still avoid Pepsi and drink Coke.  That does not mean, I cannot enjoy your montage about the joys of crackin' open a can of Pepsi and your drinking experience.

I truly and sincerely hope that this is not the beginning of the end of GR.  I trusted the TPTB  when they said,

It's important to be clear that Goodreads and the awesome team behind it are not going away. Goodreads will continue to be the wonderful community that we all cherish. We plan to continue offering you everything that you love about the site—the ability to track what you read, discover great books, discuss and share them with fellow book lovers, and connect directly with your favorite authors—and your reviews and ratings will remain here on Goodreads.

Well, some of that is already proving false.  Here's hoping wrongs can be righted before all those who made GR GReat are gone.

Thus ends my cry and rant.  Apologies for anything that doesn't quite make sense outside of my rattled brain; thank you for listening!  (((GR friends)))

The beginning of Biting Bad was a bit ho-hum for me.  Merit and Mallory meet over pizza at Saul's when they learn Bryant Industries, local distributor of Blood4You,  has been hit by protester group "Clean Chicago".  From there things progress as you'd expect.  Valentine's Day is approaching and the recent chaos in the city is going to cause Merit and Ethan to scrub their date.  Yada yada yada.

Up until about the 60% mark, I was able to walk away from the book with no problem.  The second half of the book is where things picked up and actually became interesting.  I read straight through at that point, anxious to find out whodunnit and why, and was left with an ending that has me looking forward to Wild Things in Feb 2014.  

Sadly, the past several books have gone that way for me.  They start out just okay, a bit meh, but by the end I'm once again looking forward to the next book. Seems to be a sad recurrence with books within the series lately. I wish the whole book was as exciting as the last half.  

Series Read Order:

{Personal review reblogged @ 10/2013 to fix formatting issues due to GR import}

[ALERT: This book deals with rape, suicide and drug abuse]

One of my 2013 favorite reads.  Currently, Amazon Prime members can borrow the book for free.  I recommend it and not simply because it's free.  

Sanctum introduces us to Lela Santos who has survived foster family horrors and will do anything to protect herself.  Not used to letting anyone get close, Lela is overwhelmed by the friendship Nadia, the popular girl at school, has given her.  Nadia's helped her realize she doesn't want to simply survive life, she wants to live it.  "Life seemed worth living, and a future seemed worth having ..." So, when Nadia overdoses, she's devastated.  While mourning her friend's death, she accidentally falls to her own death.  

Sanctum tells the story of a girl who is willing to go through hell, literally, to do whatever it takes to save her friend.  She does this knowing what she will experience when she gets there - nightmares of the Suicide Gates and what lies behind them have haunted her every night for two years.  Once she's there, however, things are even worse than she'd expected.  She's beginning to realize that she may never find Nadia or save her if she does.

My plan: Get into the city. Get Nadia. Keep us safe. Find a way out. Simple.

Malachi (a name that always make me think of the character in the 1984 version of Children of the Corn - ewww) has been in the city for seventy years; he's the Shadowlands' Captain of the Guard.  While interrogating Nadia, he learns why and how she came to be there.  He is in awe of her strength, tenacity and courage, but worries that alone she will never be able to find her friend or get out alive.  

In the Shadowlands, it's all about what you NEED versus what you WANT.  Until you know the difference, you're not going anywhere.  Together, Lela, Malachi, and Ana (another guard) work together to survive the city, find Nadia, and get Lela out.

With Sanctum, Sarah Fine has created a type of purgatory (several, actually) that is haunting, intriguing, dark, but not without hope.  Parts of the Shadowlands reminded me a bit of "Constantine" and "Defending Your Life", but only a tiny bit.  These characters fight not only to survive, but also to forgive and heal themselves.  I fell in love with Malachi and admire Lela's inner strength.  I am so excited to have found this series!  I look forward to their future adventures - Book 2: Fractured and a special short: Captive: A Guard's Tale from Malachi's Perspective.

Want/Need More? The author publishes entries from Malachi's Journal on Tumblr and shares a map of the Shadowlands on her website.

{Personal review reblogged @ 10/2013 to fix formatting issues due to GR import}

Captive is a short told from Malachi's perspective.  We learn what he was doing when Lela is captured in Sanctum and how caught off guard he is by her strength. 

She was a girl.  Not the prettiest he'd ever seen, but there was something about her that made him want to stare for hours.  Something mysterious and challenging.  Something unbreakable and defiant.

He's unsure how to proceed.  Cautiously, most definitely. 

No matter what happened now, no matter who she turned out to be, something had shifted inside of him.   

Nothing would ever be the same.

{Personal review reblogged @ 10/2013 to fix formatting issues due to GR import}

Spoiler Warning: If you haven't read Sanctum, I recommend you skip this review.  I have left it open because the blurb gives away more than I have, but both my review and the blurb are spoilerish.  So, go back and start at the beginning!

Fractured picks up shortly after Sanctum.  Lela is back in Rhode Island, as ordered by the Judge, and must now battle the Mazikin who have escaped from the Shadowlands.  For her, a lot has changed because of the time she spent in the Shadowlands, but for Diane, her foster mother, only a day has passed since she last saw her.  Lela's still a teenager who must stay out of trouble and attend high school.  All of which is easier said than done when she's meant to be battling evil and protecting the living.  

Thankfully for Lela, Malachi and Raphael (their angel-esque companion) are there to help.  Soon after, two guards from other cities join their guard as well.  Jim, from the Blinding City, has trouble following orders.  However, Henry, from the Wasteland, does not.  Lela's new leadership position proves challenging, but with the support of the men, they begin hunting the Mazikin.  Recently, people in RI have spotted others running on all fours, which the team knows to be a characteristic of Mazikin (spirits that can possess people, not only possessing their bodies, but also accessing their memories and skills). They begin to fear four guards may not be enough to get the job done.  

Although some battles have been won, the war is just beginning.  The team must work together, which proves challenging, if they have any hope of succeeding in their mission.  Another challenge - these men have been out of the "real world" for decades and much has changed.  Not only that, they are no longer able to kill at will, they must follow societal laws.

... it felt so upside down.  Malachi was the leader between us, not me.  I wanted him to be in charge, but at the same time I realized he couldn't be.  Not here.  Not on my turf, where everything he'd learned over the last seventy years would get us in a crapload of trouble.

"I never expected to be a liability, Lela.  I want to be an asset to you.  I want to destroy anything that threatens you."

The setting of the book differs from that of Sanctum.  No longer in the Shadowlands, the gang must attend high school, which creates all sorts of new experiences for the guards as well as teenage drama. Regardless, Lela's determined to stay on track.  The sexual tension between Lela and Malachi melts the page. Their fragility is almost palpable.  The ending will take your breath away! I really like Sarah Fine's writing style and am now fully invested in these characters.  I cannot wait for the next installment.  I NEED it, but sadly, will have to wait.  


Thank you to Amazon Children's Publishing and NetGalley for providing an advanced copy.  Quotes are taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final copy.

{Personal review reblogged @ 10/2013 to fix formatting issues due to GR import}

Hover takes place about three weeks after Gravity.  Now on Loge, Ari is trying to learn all she can about the planet, its inhabitants (the Ancients), and Jackson.  She has yet to see another human, but she knows that thousands fled Earth when she did.  Zeus said they would be safe on Loge, but while she never fully trusted him, she's learning he's even more devious and cruel than expected.  The more she learns, the more she realizes she's in a race against time to save not only herself and those she loves, but an entire race. 

I know that part of becoming okay with myself and the future, no matter where it takes me, is because of Jackson.  On Earth he taught me that there was a world outside of what I had always known.  Now here, on Loge, he's taught me that even the strongest, most guarded people have a vulnerable side. 

I love watching the relationship between Ari and Jackson change and grow.  I like the worlds that Melissa West has created.  I like that we were given a look at both Earth and Loge.  I also like learning more about the Ancients and Ari's friends.  What I don't like -- the cliffhanger endings.  But, the sting has worn off a bit and I'm anxious for Collide, due out sometime in 2014.

{Personal review reblogged @ 10/2013 to fix formatting issues due to GR import}

Saved by His Submissive introduces us to Sergeant Garrett Hawkins and his team of WILD Boys, namely Sergeant Zeke Hayes and Corporal Ethan Archer who appear in books 2, Handcuffed by Her Hero and 3, Surrendering to Her Sergeant respectively.  Garrett has been mourning the loss of his fiancé, Sage Weston for a year, two months, sixteen days and counting.  And, he's been struggling with his "kinky-minded demon" even longer.  

Zeke and Garrett head to Bangkok to rescue American women who have been kidnapped and are about to be sold into slavery.  When they arrive, they find more than they ever expected.  Sage is alive!  

I had a hard time settling on a rating for this one.  On the one hand - I love guys in uniform, especially when they are wounded warriors (inside and/or out) who find the happiness they deserve.  Even better when their story has a splash of BDSM.  So, in that regard, this series is sure to be a favorite for me.  Yet, on the other hand, bits of the story didn't work for me.  Some of the main characters' reactions to past traumas felt unrealistic and took away from the story, hence my struggle with the rating.

With that in mind, I have rated the book 3.5★.  

I liked the side characters and look forward to learning more about each of them in future installments of the series.

{Personal review reblogged @ 10/2013 to fix formatting issues due to GR import}

On Midnight Wings picks up where Etched in Bone left off.  However, that was over two years ago, so you may need to re-read it before starting this book.  I didn't and found it a bit difficult to keep everything straight at times.  However, Adrian Phoenix did provide snippets from Etched in Bone throughout to help remind readers what "recently" happened to the characters.

Dante's strength continues to amaze me.  He's been continually abused - mentally and physically - for most of his life.  Yet, despite the agency's attempts, he still hasn't broken.  Throughout the series it's been clear that his close ties with friends like Von and his bond with Heather are partly responsible.  So, when he's taken from those who he depends on we see the barrier between Dante and S become even thinner.  Will he be able to separate the here-and-now from the past? 

The truth is never what you hope it will be.

The character development and story progression we are accustomed to in previous books in the series is unfortunately lacking in On Midnight Wings.  By the end of the book we are no closer to answers than we were by the end of Etched in Bone.  Nevertheless, this continues to be one of my favorite series, mostly because of the unique Creawdwr/Fallen/Nightkind/Ilygad character types Phoenix has created.  


Thank you to Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster for a review copy of this book. The quote was taken from the pre-published copy and may be altered or omitted from the final copy.

Series Read Order:

Worth a read and currently free at Amazon