Monday, October 30, 2017

Early Review: The Trouble with Twelfth Grave by Darynda Jones

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave
Release Date: October 31, 2017
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
ISBN:  1250147557
ISBN13: 9781250147554
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Publisher

Grim Reaper Charley Davidson is back in the twelfth installment of Darynda Jones’ New York Times bestselling paranormal series.

Ever since Reyes escaped from a hell dimension in which Charley accidently trapped him, the son of Satan has been brimstone-bent on destroying the world his heavenly Brother created. His volatile tendencies have put Charley in a bit of a pickle. But that’s not the only briny vegetable on her plate. While trying to domesticate the feral being that used to be her husband, she also has to deal with her everyday life of annoying all manner of beings—some corporeal, some not so much—as she struggles to right the wrongs of society. Only this time she’s not uncovering a murder. This time she’s covering one up.

Add to that her new occupation of keeping a startup PI venture—the indomitable mystery-solving team of Amber Kowalski and Quentin Rutherford—out of trouble and dealing with the Vatican’s inquiries into her beloved daughter, and Charley is on the brink of throwing in the towel and becoming a professional shopper. Or possibly a live mannequin. But when someone starts attacking humans who are sensitive to the supernatural world, Charley knows it’s time to let loose her razor sharp claws. Then again, her number one suspect is the dark entity she’s loved for centuries. So the question becomes, can she tame the unruly beast before it destroys everything she’s worked so hard to protect?

Now you see him, now you don't. I love that things aren't always as bad as they seem to be at the end of the previous book, but man, waiting to find out is always a killer.

Charley continues to amaze me. I know that this is a story, but when I'm reading, it really does feel like real life and I can't fathom how Charley continues to do all she does. Well maybe I do, a lot of coffee and humor might have something to do with it.

There was quite a bit of things in THE TROUBLE WITH TWELFTH GRAVE that surprised me. We get answers to things we didn't even know we didn't have the answers to. People we didn't expect to see show up in unexpected places. Characters we didn't think could get any more awesome, get even more awesome. You would think after 12 books that not much else could surprise me—good and bad—, but Darynda Jones continues to pull out all the stops when it comes to her characters, their world and the storyline I can't seem to get enough of.  

I have a lot of feelings about a lot of things in the twelfth installment of the Charley Davidson series, but I don't want to give anything away, it would totally kill your reading experience.

The end is upon us. How will things end for the Charley Davidson series? I am both excited and sad to find out. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sunday, October 29, 2017

Week in Review: 10/22-10/28



Books Received for Review

Rise of a Phoenix by Shannon Mayer
The Last Wolf by Maria Vale

Books I've Read

Forever Wilde by Jenn Stark
Wilde Child by Jenn Stark
Call of the Wilde by Jenn Stark

Reviews Posted


The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano
The White Lily by Juliette Cross
 
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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Cover Reveal for StoneKing by Donna Migliaccio

* Thursday- Promo + Giveaway for The White Lily by Juliette Cross

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, October 27, 2017

Review: The White Lily by Juliette Cross

The White Lily
Release Date: October 23, 2017
Publisher: Entangled Publishing: Amara
Vampire Blood Book #3
ISBN13: 9781640631984
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGaley

To the north of the Varis empire, a mysterious faction spreads propaganda against the vampire monarchy. Friedrich Volya, the Duke of Winter Hill, seeks to discover who they are before his uncle finds them first. King Dominik will punish the traitors with brutal force.

Local schoolteacher, the raven-haired Brennalyn, is on her own mission—to spy on the duke and discover what she can for the Black Lily. She longs to help the commonwealth and bring justice to the many orphans left behind from the ravages of the blood madness, like the children she lovingly keeps in her care. What she doesn’t plan for is the heart-pounding attraction she feels for the duke, enemy to the Black Lily.

But when Brennalyn’s secret puts her life and the life of her children in danger, Friedrich steps in as her protector, she finds out there’s more to the duke than she thought.

I was a little hesitant to pick up THE WHITE LILY after THE RED LILY. Book two just didn't draw me in like THE BLACK LILY did and I was nervous that book three would be the same way. Thankfully THE WHITE LILY left me wanting more.

I very much enjoyed Brennalyn from the start. I loved her independence, her fortitude, her heart, her spirit and her loyalty. Her children were just as likable and they fit so well into the story. Friedrich wasn't an instant like for me. I didn't dislike him, just didn't instantly stick out as likable. We did meet him in THE RED LILY and for some reason I pictured him as someone completely different than what he ended up being. He grew on me pretty fast and was definitely worthy of Brenna and her children.

The romance was fun. No matter how hard feelings were denied, the attraction and draw to each other continued to show strong between Brenna and Friedrich. Everything happened at a slow burn and that is how I prefer it. Even though the romance was the focal point of the story, the plot still continued the overall Vampire Blood mission. 

The ending of THE WHITE LILY was great. I love that all the characters are together again and I hope we get some good stories out of them in the next book before they separate.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, October 26, 2017

Promo + Giveaway: The White Lily by Juliette Cross


The White Lily
Vampire Blood #3

To the north of the Varis empire, a mysterious faction spreads propaganda against the vampire monarchy. Friedrich Volya, the Duke of Winter Hill, seeks to discover who they are before his uncle finds them first. King Dominik will punish the traitors with brutal force.

Local schoolteacher, the raven-haired Brennalyn, is on her own mission—to spy on the duke and discover what she can for the Black Lily. She longs to help the commonwealth and bring justice to the many orphans left behind from the ravages of the blood madness, like the children she lovingly keeps in her care. What she doesn’t plan for is the heart-pounding attraction she feels for the duke, enemy to the Black Lily.

But when Brennalyn’s secret puts her life and the life of her children in danger, Friedrich steps in as her protector, she finds out there’s more to the duke than she thought.
Book 2, THE RED LILY, will be on sale for .99 from 10/30 - 11/5



Long Excerpt:

On the next turn, he pulled her close, till her breasts brushed his chest. The friction, as brief as it was, rasped her nipples. She gasped then quickly clamped her mouth shut, trying to put some distance between them. But he was in full control, his large frame engulfing her, his intimidating presence swallowing her with each turn.

“Your dress is quite beautiful on you.” He ignored her question entirely. “So much more appealing than your gray frocks.”

“What is wrong with my frocks?”

“They’re hideous.”

She gasped. “My frocks are entirely suitable to a woman of my role in society.”

“And what role is that? An old crone?” She caught his mischievous smile. He was goading her. And it was working.

“An unmarried woman. The town’s schoolteacher.”

He scoffed, slowing their waltz. “You think yourself a spinster at three and twenty? I think not. I’m going to burn every one of them when I get the chance.”

“Your Grace. You will do no such thing. You have no right to destroy any of my possessions.”

He grinned and slowed their forward movement to a stop, drawing her even closer. She tried to step from his embrace, but he held her good.

“Your Grace?”

“I’m not quite sure you know what’s happening between us, Miss Snow. But let me be clear. Those hideous rags are not worthy of your luscious body. Not worthy of you. You may try to hide your beauty behind drab colors and formless frocks and tight buns. But I see what’s beneath. And I want—no, I will have you in all your glory. Therefore, prepare yourself to be draped in silk quite soon.”

She saw the lion in the man, gazing down at her with steadfast calm and confidence. All of which was breathtaking and alluring. She spent the majority of her life trying to order and control her surroundings, only to find her world tilted at every turn. She wondered how the duke would feel to lose his control.

“It must be very difficult,” she said.

“What must be difficult?” He swept her away from clumsy Mr. Powell, who nearly barreled into them with his dance partner.

“Believing that you own everyone you meet.”

“You wound me. I don’t believe that at all.”

“Really? You just stated as if it were a decree that I’d be draped in silk. What if I don’t like silk?”

His smoldering smile made her knees buckle. “Come now, Miss Snow.” He leaned close to her ear, his lip brushing the shell as he whispered on the turn, “If not a silk dress, how about silk sheets?”

She laughed, his naughty teasing bringing a heated flush to her face. “You’re most improper for a royal duke.”

“Thank you,” he said with a smirk. “I do my best.”

“It wasn’t a compliment.”

“It most certainly was.”

She narrowed her gaze. “Well, whatever you may believe, I’d like to clarify that you do not own me, Your Grace.”

“I don’t want to own you, kitten. I want to possess you.”

“There is no difference.”

“Indeed. There is.”

Eyes darkening and hooded in shadow, she caught them drifting over her face before they landed on her mouth. His own parted slightly.

“Your Grace,” she warned, “if you are making plans to kiss me on the dance floor, let me tell you that it will not be welcome.”

“All right. Will it be welcome in my carriage on the way home?”

She arched her brow. “Are you always so forward with ladies you’re trying to woo?”

“No. Indeed not. I’m usually much more charming, but you seem to bring out the beast in me, Miss Snow. I’d rather skip all the games and get straight to the prize.”



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Juliette is a multi-published author of paranormal and fantasy romance and lives in lush, moss-laden Louisiana where she lives with her husband, four kids, and black lab, Kona. She loves reading and writing brooding characters, mysterious settings, persevering heroines, and dark, sexy heroes.

From the moment she read JANE EYRE as a teenager, she fell in love with the Gothic romance. Even then, she not only longed to read more novels set in Gothic worlds, she wanted to create her own.

Find Juliette and her books
__________________________________
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Wednesday, October 25, 2017

Review: The Glass Spare by Lauren DeStefano

The Glass Spare
Release Date: October 24, 2017
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
ISBN:  0062491288
ISBN13: 9780062491282
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

A banished princess.
A deadly curse.
A kingdom at war.

Wil Heidle, the only daughter of the king of the world’s wealthiest nation, has grown up in the shadows. Kept hidden from the world in order to serve as a spy for her father—whose obsession with building his empire is causing a war—Wil wants nothing more than to explore the world beyond her kingdom, if only her father would give her the chance.

Until one night Wil is attacked, and she discovers a dangerous secret. Her touch turns people into gemstone. At first Wil is horrified—but as she tests its limits, she’s drawn more and more to the strange and volatile ability. When it leads to tragedy, Wil is forced to face the destructive power within her and finally leave her home to seek the truth and a cure.

But finding the key to her redemption puts her in the path of a cursed prince who has his own ideas for what to do with her power.

With a world on the brink of war and a power of ultimate destruction, can Wil find a way to help the kingdom that’s turned its back on her, or will she betray her past and her family forever?

THE GLASS SPARE is another one of those books that I'm not totally convinced on my feelings about it. On one level, I read it and didn't have issues with it while reading, but looking back there are a few things I can think of that were lacking. I will know my rating—and so will you—by the time I'm done writing my review.

I will start my review by telling you what I enjoyed. I really enjoyed Wil's relationship with her brothers. They have a tight bond and are willing to do anything for each other. I would have loved to read more about them before things turned. For the most part, I enjoyed the characters. They worked well together and some interesting people were thrown into the mix. The technology that is involved in THE GLASS SPARE was fun and interesting to read about. Had a bit of a steampunk type feel to it.

After coming back to write my review, these are the issues that popped up as I was thinking about what I thought about THE GLASS SPARE. The world building wasn't very strong. I didn't get lost in the world or feel the world around me while I was reading. I could picture things, but I didn't get drawn in. The romance just was. Nothing swoon worthy and feelings developed pretty instantly. There was no build up and I just didn't feel the "feels" they were trying to throw out. The pace tended to be a bit slow at times.

I would probably read more if the sequel was to fall into my hands, but THE GLASS SPARE didn't leave me yearning for book two.

I gave it 3/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Monday, October 23, 2017

Cover Reveal: StoneKing by Donna Migliaccio



StoneKing
Gemeta Stone #3

They call him StoneKing: the lord of four countries, the vanquisher of the Wichelord Daazna, the man who will restore his people to prosperity and peace.

But there is no peace for Kristan Gemeta. Already weighed down by the cares of his new realm, Kristan carries a secret burden – the knowledge that Daazna is not dead. He isolates himself in his ruined castle in Fandrall, where he struggles to control the destructive Tabi’a power that may be his only hope of defeating the Wichelord once and for all.

And there’s trouble elsewhere in his realm. His Reaches are squabbling in Dyer, Melissa and Nigel are experiencing heartache in Norwinn, and Heather’s command in Hogia is in jeopardy. Unaware of this turmoil, Kristan receives an unexpected gift – one that forces him, his knights, an inexperienced squire and a crafty young shape-shifter into a hazardous winter journey.

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Donna Migliaccio is a professional stage actress with credits that include Broadway, National Tours and prominent regional theatres.  She is based in the Washington, DC Metro area, where she co-founded Tony award-winning Signature Theatre and is in demand as an entertainer, teacher and public speaker.  Her award-winning short story, "Yaa and The Coffins," was featured in Thinkerbeat's 2015 anthology The Art of Losing.

Find Donna and her books
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Sunday, October 22, 2017

Week in Review: 10/15-10/21



Books Received for Review

Nothing this week...

Books I've Read

Ever the Brave by Erin Summerill
Getting Wilde by Jenn Stark
Wilde Card by Jenn Stark
Born to Be Wilde by Jenn Stark
Wicked and Wilde by Jenn Stark
Aces Wilde by Jenn Stark

Reviews Posted


The Last Namsara by Kristin Cavallari
Haunted Blade by JC Daniels

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* New Releases for the week. Was there anything you were looking forward to reading?

* Monday- Interview + Giveaway for Dragon’s First Rule by Silver Milan

* Thursday- Promo + Giveaway for Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear

* Friday- The Writers Awards Top Book Blogs of 2017- UFI made #28!

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* Did you know you can follow UFI on these other sites?

You can also add me (as in Stacy) to your friends on these sites if you're on them.
 

 * I love comments so if you see something you like (or not) please comment away and let me know.

Friday, October 20, 2017

The Writers Awards Top Book Blogs of 2017- UFI made #28!

The Book Blogger Awards 2017

It was so great to get an email from The Writer Awards letting me know that out of 1000+ blogs reviewed, Urban Fantasy Investigations made #28!

If it weren't for my fabulous readers I wouldn't be successful, so I share this win with you!

Here is what The Writers Awards had to say about why they chose UFI as a top book blog of 2017.


Review: Haunted Blade by JC Daniels

Haunted Blade
Release Date: September 30, 2017
Publisher: Self-Published
Colbana Files Book #6
ISBN13:  9781495639050
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Haunted, Hunted…and harassed.

Never let it be said that Kit Colbana had ever been given the easy road. Or even the semi-paved road. Only weeks after dealing with the mysterious—and murderous—being called Puck, she’s got another killer on her hands. Perhaps even two.

Some of the bodies turning up bring up haunting memories of a past she longs to forget, but as always, that past is chasing her at her heels, like a hated shadow.

As the body count racks up, there’s an imbalance of power, particularly among the vampire population, and Kit must yet again deal with ugly memories as one of the monsters who tried to break her is set free to deal with the imbalance of power. Yet while a power struggle rages in East Orlando, there’s another, more subtle battle taking place and Kit feels like the center of it all.

Arrogant? Maybe. But the dead bodies don’t bear the mark of her grandmother’s pet killer by sheer coincidence…and she doubts her nemesis being released is either.

Kit is a very complex character with a very tangled past—and sometimes present—that never ceases to amaze me even after 6 books. I haven't always loved each and every book, but I always enjoyed them and HAUNTED was one of the better ones.

There was a lot happening in HAUNTED BLADE. There was plenty of action, plenty of overall story development and plenty of twists. The suspense was pretty consistent from front to back and I can't even begin to tell you how many feelings—good and bad—each scene invoked.  I wish the pace would have been a little smoother and there were a few points in HAUNTED BLADE where the scenes were a little choppy, but overall I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

As for the ending of HAUNTED BLADE all I have to say is what just happened? Is it really ending there? How long do I have to wait to find out what will happen next? Ahhhhh I definitely need more.

I gave it 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Promo + Giveaway: Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear



Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas
White Wolf #1
Purchase
In the first installment of Terry Spear's bold, sexy White Wolf series, a romance writer's life is changed forever when a white puppy bites her and turns her into an Arctic wolf shifter.

May all your Christmas wolves be bright...
Romance writer Candice Mayfair never missed a deadline in her life--until the playful bite of a werewolf puppy accidentally turns her into an Arctic wolf shifter. Talk about a life-changing event! Candice is at the end of her rope with the unpredictable shifting, a strong desire to howl, and the need to vacuum constantly to keep the shedding fur under control.

Enter werewolf private investigator Owen Nottingham. Owen has a new mission: convince the pretty she-wolf she needs to join his pack in time for Christmas...and be his mate. It's the only way he can think of to keep her safe...

Excerpt:

Candice had been writing for two days straight, working on her publisher’s book deadline, when she wrote the ending, smiled, and set the book aside. She would start proofing it tomorrow after she’d given her brain a break. Now she’d do what she always did when she finished a book or reached a good stopping point in one. Clean house. Check her backlog of emails. Pick up some more groceries. And take a run on the wolf side.

She finished vacuuming and dusting, swearing every window must let in all the outdoors, and then started a batch of gingerbread cookie cutouts to celebrate the Christmas holiday season and finishing another book. While they were baking, she finally settled down to check her emails. Fan mail always came first, and one from her website got her attention right off. She opened it and read:

Hello, I’m Owen Nottingham, private investigator for White River Investigations, White River Falls, Minnesota. My client, Strom Hart, hired me to locate you. Your parents, John and Cynthia Hart, left you an inheritance, and you need to see the lawyer about it so you can claim it. I need to verify that
you are the right woman first. Is there any way we could meet and get this taken care of so you can collect your inheritance? Strom Hart will be the one to receive it by the end of the month otherwise. His assistant, Jim Winchester, said Mr. Hart is your uncle.

Candice reread the message, not believing her eyes, tears filling them. She quickly looked at the date of the message. Two days ago! She knew she shouldn’t have neglected her emails, but when she was into a story, she couldn’t break away.

She ground her teeth, raised her fingers to respond, and heard a knocking at her door. No one came here. Never. Ever. Not even salesmen.

She glanced at her phases-of-the moon calendar. The waxing gibbous was just beginning. She should be fine. Just to be on the safe side, in case the person at the door was trouble, she pulled a can of mace from her desk drawer and headed for the door. She peered through the peephole. Waiting at the door was a handsome black-haired man with rugged features and intense blue eyes. He was dressed in a black suit, a red shirt, and a dark-purple tie covered in red, purple, and gold Christmas balls. She raised her brows.

“I’m Owen Nottingham,” he said to the door, holding up his PI license and driver’s license. He couldn’t know that she was watching him, so he must have hoped she was there, observing him. “I tried getting ahold of you through the contact form on your website about your inheritance. Your contact form might not be working, so I had to locate you in person.”
So this was the man who had sent the message. Was he for real? He had to be. He wouldn’t have come all this way to see her if he wasn’t. But how had he found her?

Candice opened the door, the bells jingling on her Christmas wreath, and the man glanced down at the can of mace in her hand. He smiled, his gaze holding hers with such intensity that it was as though he could see clear through to her soul. “Really, just a PI doing my job.”

A chilly breeze carried his scent to her. Wolf scent. All at once, she felt so light-headed that she grabbed the door to keep herself upright and dropped the can of mace on the tile floor. It clattered, but she couldn’t have reached for it if her life depended on it.

Oh. My. God.

This couldn’t be real. He couldn’t be real. No wonder he’d been talking to the door. He must have heard her footfalls as she’d approached.

He took a deep breath at the same time, and when he smelled her scent, his eyes widened in surprise. His hand shot out to grab her arm and steady her. For a minute, she tried to control her breathing and her heart rate, neither of which she could steady. She felt like she was going to pass out.

“Hell, you’re the wolf I saw across the White River, aren’t you?”

Her jaw dropped, and her knees buckled. He swept her up in his arms and she wanted to object, but he slammed the door behind him with his hip and carried her into the house. He was the wolf she’d seen across the river that day on the camping trip in Minnesota two years ago, sipping from the water? She still remembered it like it was yesterday. Him looking up and seeing her staring at him while she’d believed she was hallucinating.
Until the next night, and then she knew she hadn’t been dreaming at all.





White Wolf Series:
Dreaming of a White Wolf Christmas (Book 1)
Flight of the White Wolf (Book 2)

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USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear has written over sixty paranormal and medieval Highland romances. In 2008, Heart of the Wolf was named a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. A retired officer of the U.S. Army Reserves, Terry also creates award-winning teddy bears that have found homes all over the world. She lives in Spring, Texas with two Havanese puppies.

Find Terry and her books
__________________________________
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Wednesday, October 18, 2017

Review: The Last Namsara by Kristen Ciccarelli

The Last Namsara
Release Date: October 3, 2017
Publisher: HarperTeen
Iskari Book #1
ISBN:  0062567985
ISBN13: 9780062567987
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be dark—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death bringer.

These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up hearing in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl.

Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

Even months after reading THE LAST NAMSARA I am still on the fence with my rating.

The world building in THE LAST NAMSARA was fantastic. Ciccarelli set up every scene so that I had no problem picturing it in my mind. I found the storyline to be both imaginative and original and I really loved how the author incorporated the dragons into everything.

So why might I be on the fence with how I felt? Well I loved the plot and the world, but the characters didn't really blow me away. I liked Asha. She had some great growth throughout the book, but I didn't love her. I liked the supporting characters, but again, didn't love them. The relationship between Asha and Torwin didn't really draw me in and I wish that we got to see more of Safire's story.

Even though my overall feelings about book one in the Iskari series are stuck in the middle, I had zero issues staying interested in THE LAST NAMSARA and will keep my eyes out . THE CAGED QUEEN is set to come out in the Fall of 2018 and I see myself giving it a shot.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.