Review: Angel Kin by Tricia Skinner

Angel Kin

Author: Tricia Skinner

Release Date: April 28, 2014

Publisher: Entangled Edge

Angel Assassins Book #1

ASIN:  B00JI09FIG

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

While channeling Robin Hood's "steal from the rich and give to the poor" attitude at a local politician's house, ex-con Katie Logan witnesses a forced suicide. Dirty or not, supernatural or not, he didn't deserve to die, especially not by his own hand. But with her record, stepping forward as a witness isn't an option. On the run from the police and the murderer, she turns to The Bound Ones for help.

When a beautiful woman comes to The Bound Ones, half-angel assassin Cain is immediately drawn to her. But when she fingers him as the killer, he can come to only one conclusion. The twin he thought was dead is very much alive…and trying to send him a message. Unfortunately, that message is: "You're next."

It's a race against time as Cain fights to save the woman he's falling in love with before his brother Abel destroys them both.

If you have been following my blog for a while you know heavy religious type Angel books are not my thing. If you feel the same way you will be happy to know that ANGEL KIN is not a religious type Angel book.There have actually been quite a few Angel type books out lately that I have read and none have been heavy on religion.

Katie is an ex-thief who jumps back in for a job to help save her friends band. While she is in the middle of burglarizing her marks home she witnesses a murder. Scared for her life, she goes to her firefighter brother for help and he connects her to The Bound Ones. Katie had a tendency to do a few things that annoyed the heck out of me, they mostly had to do with lying about stupid stuff that could have helped earlier or doing something stupid that put her in more danger when she didn't need to be. I tend to get annoyed pretty easily about those types of things though, so they might not be as bad as I'm thinking. Over all it didn't make me like the story any less. Cain comes off as a big brute. As you learn more about him and see him interact with Katie, you get to know a softer side of him. I wouldn't have expected the two to get so into each other in normal circumstances, but the storyline blended in their attraction and relationship quite nicely.

I liked that we got to know a little about all of The Bound Ones. I assumed correctly that this means that each book will feature one Bound One as a main character as the story continues. With a nice quick pace and an easy flowing story, ANGEL KIN starts us off on a nice urban fantasy ride. ANGEL LOVER is set to release Aug 2014.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Interview & Giveaway: Trusting an Angel by Missy Jane

UFI welcomes Missy Jane Author of Trusting An Angel. Thanks for Joining us!!

What can you tell my readers about yourself that they might not know from looking on your bio or reading in another interview?
 
Hmmm, that I'm kind of a control freak. Which isn't all that easy with four daughters and a husband who likes to rile me up. But that doesn't exactly translate into my writing since I'm a pantser and my characters completely control my writing.  

What do you enjoy doing on your down time?
 
I'm always on the computer, whether writing or playing on social media sites. I also love to read, but I'm sure that's not a surprise. 

What is your Favorite part of writing?
 
Creating new worlds. I have a crazy and vivid imagination and I love putting it down on paper, so to speak. I write dialogue in my head all day long and often various scenarios. I can't tell you how many stories I've made-up in my mind that have never been written out.

Do you have any certain routines you must follow as you write?
 
Not really. The closest thing would be that I play classical music to help me concentrate, and it's often the same thing over and over. But I'm not exactly an organized writer.

What are some of your Favorite books or Authors in the Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal Genres?
 
Lilith Saintcrow, Patricia Briggs, Kerrelyn Sparks, Lynsay Sands, Gena Showalter, and Nina Bangs, to name a few. There are many others. I'm not sure I really have favorite individual books, but when it comes to series I LOVE: the Dante Valentine series, the Mercy Thompson series, and the Merry Gentry series.

How would you pitch Trusting an Angel to someone who has not heard of it before?
 
Trusting an Angel is the story of an archangel pretending to be a human businessman. However, Zerach's real job is protecting the human realm from demons, alongside his five brothers. His human secretary, Isadora, is in lust with him but she has her own secrets. When she is forced into considering the marriage propsal of a notorious playboy who may be in league with demons, Zerach has to step in.

Can you tell us a little bit about the world that the Archangels series is set in?
 
My archangels are in the human realm, in a world very much like ours. The difference is there are demons who make their way through portals to cause havoc among the humans. At this time, I only envision angels and demons as being the paranormal part of this world. Everyone else is strictly human and the animals we're used to. 

Do you have a favorite scene in Trusting an Angel ?
 
Hmm, I'm not sure. I like a lot of them. But if I have to choose then I think the scene where Zerach and Isadora meet at the mall is my favorite. There's a bit of sexual tension and Zerach shows a playful side of himself she's not used to. I think it's the point where they really fall in love.

Which character was your favorite to write about? What about the hardest to write about?
 
I really liked writing Zerach because I've never written an angel before. He was also a challenge because he's a man. A lot of my other books are in first person from the woman's point of view. But the hardest was probably Isadora. She has some weaknesses, however, her inner strengths finally shine through and that wasn't easy for me. She popped into my head as a very innocent woman and a lot of that had to change to make her the character she became.

What Other Projects can we look forward to reading from you?
 
My next release on May 27th, from Samhain Publishing, will be about gargoyles. It's a fantasy romance set in a completely made-up realm where the gargoyle men are protectors of the humans. That one is Born of Stone. I'm also in the midst of writing the sequel to Trusting an Angel, and I'm almost always in the middle of writing a contemporary erotic novella at any given time.

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Ms. Missy Jane is the alter ego of a Texas mother of four who has been married to the same wonderful man for over sixteen years. A few years ago Missy finished reading a book by Mercedes Lackey and James Mallory, titled The Outstretched Shadow, and thought -Now, what if? -and a monster was created. Missy now spends most of her time lost in worlds of her own making alternately loving and hating such creatures as vampires, shape-shifters and gargoyles (to name a few). When not writing, she spends her time reading, taking photos of her four beautiful daughters and training her husband to believe she's always right.

Find Missy and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Trusting An Angel
Archangels #1
Amazon / BN 

 As the owner of a string of successful nightclubs all over the world, Zerach can have any woman--except for his assistant Isadora O'Donnell. First off, Isadora isn't a one-night-stand kind of girl, and second, her dominating godparents don't approve of him. There's also the fact that he is an archangel with a mission to protect humans from demons, something Isadora can never find out about.

Isadora secretly longs for Zerach's attention but her scarred body and his playboy ways keep her from acting on her feelings. With her only family on the brink of bankruptcy, shes determined to help them, even if it means trying to forget Zerach and marrying the womanizing Jake, a man she'll never love.

Zerach tries to keep Isadora at arm's length, but when a demon starts stalking her, Zerach will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves. But protecting her could cost him his wings.

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Review: Trusting An Angel by Missy Jane

Trusting An Angel

Author:Missy Jane

Release Date: April 28, 2014

Publisher: Entangled: Covet

Archangels Book #1

ASIN:  B00JI12AFU

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source: NetGalley

 As the owner of a string of successful nightclubs all over the world, Zerach can have any woman--except for his assistant Isadora O'Donnell. First off, Isadora isn't a one-night-stand kind of girl, and second, her dominating godparents don't approve of him. There's also the fact that he is an archangel with a mission to protect humans from demons, something Isadora can never find out about.

Isadora secretly longs for Zerach's attention but her scarred body and his playboy ways keep her from acting on her feelings. With her only family on the brink of bankruptcy, shes determined to help them, even if it means trying to forget Zerach and marrying the womanizing Jake, a man she'll never love.

Zerach tries to keep Isadora at arm's length, but when a demon starts stalking her, Zerach will stop at nothing to protect the woman he loves. But protecting her could cost him his wings.

What a great start to a new paranormal romance series. TRUSTING AN ANGEL follows Zerach and Isadora as they fall in love and defeat those who stand in their way.

Zerach is a bit of a playboy that doesn't expect to settle down. He has wanted Isodora for a while but as the blurb says, she isn't one-night-stand material. He also happens to be an Angel. Isadora is as innocent as they come and her god parents seem to think that she should be used to save their business by marrying her off to Jake, someone she isn't in love with and hasn't known for many years. Her loyalty convinces her to say yes. I disliked Jake from the moment he was introduced as a character. His attitude towards Isadora and the way he carried himself sent off red flags immediately. When Zerach makes his feelings for Isadora known to hear I did a jig. They couldn't have been more perfect for each other. Both their personalities played well off each other and their romance was nicely paced and felt real. 

* Warning... Minor spoiler...*
I had a bit of an issue with a part of the book/storyline. We quickly find out that Isadora was in a fire and has scars she is ashamed/embarrassed of/scared to show anyone. There is a point in which Isadora finally tells Zerach about it and of course they don't bother him but he tells her that he can heal her and does so right away. Although that is great and all, there was so much emotion towards them that the quickness of them ending felt a bit cheated, short, unemotional. It bothered me that it was dealt with so fast and without as much thought as something like that should be.
*Mild spoiler ended*

TRUSTING AN ANGEL did a really great job of introducing us to the world of the Archangels Series. Zerach's brothers are introduced and I can imagine that they will each be getting their own book and romance as the series continues. I enjoyed the authors writing and I plan to check out her back list.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

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

Promo & Giveaway: Warrior's Curse by Alexa Egan

Warrior's Curse
Imnada Brotherhood #3

The third novel in the dark and sexy Imnada Brotherhood series about shape shifters in Regency-era England.

Despite being cast out of his clan, Gray de Coursy has been summoned to his estranged grandfather’s deathbed. A perfect opportunity to steal Jai Idrish, the Imnada’s most sacred relic and his last hope for breaking the fiendish spell imprisoning him.

Chosen as the Imnada clans’ next high shaman, Alys Swynford’s very soul has become inextricably bound to Jai Idrish—a crystal sphere that dates to the very origins of the Imnada. So when she catches Gray stealing it, he is left with only one choice—keep shaman and sphere together as the pair travel to The Gateway, the door between this world and the one the Imnada left behind aeons ago. For only there can the curse be lifted and Gray freed.

But conspirators among the Imnada have already opened the door to the shape-shifters’ ancient and deadly enemy. Now it will take the strength of the warrior and the power of the shaman to stop this otherworldly executioner—before it’s too late.

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Alexa Egan lives in Maryland with a husband who’s waiting impatiently for her fame and fortune to support them in a new and lavish lifestyle, three children for whom she serves as chauffeur, cook, nurse, social secretary, banker, and maid (not necessarily in that order), one cat, one dog… and twenty-seven fish.




Find Alexa and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Excerpt:

Meeryn Munro was the last person Gray had expected to visit him—in his bedchamber—in the middle of the night . . . alone. Yet here she was, shed of her mouse’s skin and seated on the edge of his bed in nothing but his borrowed robe. At this point, he would have preferred her covered in fur. It was far less revealing. Far less apt to make his thoughts wander away from what her unexpected arrival meant. 

“You’ve changed—grown up.” A trite and pointless comment. Of course she’d changed since he’d seen her last. 

“Age happens to the best of us, I’m told,” she answered with a wry smile. 

“Yes, but . . .” He waved a hand in her general direction. “The curls are gone”—replaced by soft waves of honey colored hair—“and your figure has matured”—the gawky, flat-chested girl of his memories was now a woman of luscious feminine curves and long elegant limbs—“and you used to have . . . I mean there were the . . . the . . .” 

She wrinkled her nose. “Spots. I know, they were positively horrid, but thankfully long gone. Lemon juice and oil of talc every evening before bed. But surely, I haven’t changed that much.” 

“No, not exactly.” His gaze traveled over her from head to foot and back. The ghost of the old Meeryn lingered in the narrow elfin face, pert chin, and full coral lips, but there was a shrewdness in her eyes and a severity to her jaw that had never been present in the laughing playmate of his youth. “And then again—yes.” 

“Well, you haven’t. You look just as you always did.” 

His smile came laced with bitterness. “That’s the first lie I’ve caught you in tonight.” 

“It’s true. You do look the same. A bit longer in the tooth and leaner in the face, of course, but that’s to be expected after . . . well . . . after all you’ve been through.” 

She couldn’t say the words. He didn’t blame her. It had taken months before he could speak of his banishment without vomiting his guts until his throat and stomach were raw and even then he’d not been able to say the word. A sensibility he’d overcome as he had so many others. There was no room in his life for sentiment. He rubbed his scarred palm without even thinking. Dropped his hand to his side when he caught her watching him. 

“I heard rumors that you’d lifted the curse,” she said. 

“Contained . . . not lifted.” 

“But it’s night”—her gaze cut to the window—“the sun is down and you’re still . . . they said when the sun left the sky, you were forced to become your animal aspect. Forced from man to beast against your will. That’s what I was told.” 

“There are ways to hold the spell at bay and keep to the form I choose, but it comes at a price.” He cleared away the various manuscripts he’d been studying, arranging his pencils in a row, pocketing the four ancient metal disks, being careful to return the Krylesos Pryth, the silver disk of the Gylferion, to its leather drawstring bag. The draught made him sick enough. He needn’t add silver’s poison to his list of illnesses. 

“How long has it been—ten years? It’s hard to believe,” she commented. 

Ten years—the blink of an eye. An eternity. They’d grown up together; duke’s grandson and duke’s ward. Close as siblings—closer even. His brother had been eight years his senior and barely noticed Gray except as a nuisance to be shed at the first possible opportunity. Meeryn had filled that slot, becoming his boon companion in all things, from illicit raids on the Deepings kitchens and nasty pranks on the string of tutors and governesses when they were young, to illicit raids on the Deepings wine cellar and midnight forays beyond the protections of Deepings’ walls as they grew older. 

As a child, he’d foolishly imagined their friendship would last forever. First school, then university, and finally the army ended that dream. Yet, she’d remained a bright memory among so much he’d tried to put behind him when he’d been condemned to exile. Was that remembrance, like so many other things in his life, about to be irrevocably shattered? 

“Why are you here, Meeryn? And why sneak in?” 

She offered him a flippant roll of her eyes. “Would you have welcomed me if I’d knocked and presented my calling card?” 

“Not while Pryor and his enforcers scour London, hunting those they believe to be in league with me.” He poured himself a brandy. 

“But, you see,” she said, “it was Pryor who sent me.”

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Review: Sweet Reckoning by Wendy Higgins

Sweet Reckoning

Author: Wendy Higgins

Release Date: April 29, 2014

Publisher: Harper Teen

The Sweet Trilogy Book #3

ISBN:  0062265970

ISBN13: 9780062265975

Genre: Young Adult

Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

It’s time.

Evil is running rampant and sweet Anna Whitt is its target. Nobody knows when or how the Dukes will strike, but Anna and her Nephilim allies will do anything necessary to rid the earth of the demons and their oppressive ways.

The stakes are higher than ever, and Anna is determined that the love she feels will be her strength, not a liability. But trying to protect the ones she loves while running for her life and battling demonic forces proves to be perilous—especially as faces are changing and trust is fleeting. When the Duke of Lust sends Anna’s great love, Kaidan Rowe, to work against her, Anna must decide how much she’s prepared to risk.

In the most sensual and fast-paced installment yet, Sweet Reckoning brings all the beloved Neph together one last time to fight for their freedom.

There was not one moment in the final book of The Sweet Series that I did not enjoy. From beginning to end the characters showed us what they were made of and fought with everything they had. I want to leave this as spoiler free as possible so I will just pour out some of my main thoughts and feelings.

The characters have grown SO much in just 3 books. The final book was the best of all. I loved how Anna and Kaidan are able to pull off their deception. I loved the way their relationship grew. I loved seeing the other cast of characters help and band together. The final showdown was nothing short of spectacular. It was everything I hoped it would be and there are a few shocking moments that left me with a huge grin on my face. There are a few heartbreaking moments in SWEET RECKONING but war never comes without loss.

The very end of SWEET RECKONING truly melted my heart. The characters have all been through so much and seeing that very last glimpse of them years past their troubles was just amazing. It was definitely what I would consider a happily ever after.

I gave it 5/5 stars

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

Guest Blog & Giveaway: Night Child by Lisa Kessler

UFI welcomes Lisa Kessler Author of Night Child. Thanks for Joining us!!

Night Child is on sale for $0.99 for one week only. Get your copy here.
Amazon: Barnes and Noble: Entangled Page

I love writing vampire novels, but watching a good vampire movie is always fun too! Here are my

Top 10 favorites…
Top Ten Vampire movies: 

10) Love at First Bite – George Hamilton at his best! It’s cheesy and Dracula is tan, but it’s suave and silly fun! Definitely worth seeing if you get the chance.

9) Hotel Transylvania – This was a really cute animated flick about Dracula’s daughter growing up. It’s got a lot of heart hidden under the humor and not just for kids.

8) Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter – This is a fun vampire slaying flick with very evil and powerful vampires and our President learning to throw a mean axe. Totally fun flick!

7) Interview with a Vampire – This one was dark and moody and at times horrific. I thought the adaptation was pretty true to Anne Rice’s series and Tom Cruise really rose to the occasion to take on the role of Lestat. If you’ve never seen it before it’s worth a look.

6) Van Helsing – Hugh Jackman as a vampire slayer. Long Hair. Enough said! J Seriously though this one was another fun vampire movie and the Dracula was great! Very sexy and evil…

5) Fright Night (the remake) – I will be the first to admit that I cringed when I heard Colin Farrell was cast at Jerry Dandridge the vampire next door, but I’m happy to say I LOVED his portrayal. He was so wicked and without remorse. They even went with some classic monster make-up at the end. It was a fun ride!

4) Underworld – I loved the idea of an underground war fought right under our noses between he vampires and the lycans and it’s been going on so long that it’s hazy about how it all started. Lots of cool effects and Kate Beckinsale ROCKED the black leather.

3) Fright Night (Original) I loved the lost love secondary plot and Jerry Dandridge was sexy and wicked! I also enjoyed the old-school monster make-up when he shifted and when he got burned. Classic!

2) Francis Ford Coppola’s Dracula – Seeing Dracula as a tortured hero, but at the same time he’s scary and dangerous, made this movie gold for me. I also really enjoyed the atmospheric filming of this one. The thick mists, the castles, it all worked together for a great gothic vampire film.

1) The Lost Boys – Keifer Sutherland is still one of my all-time vampires and you put it together with the rest of the cast and it’s amazing. I loved the concept of the Lost Boys needing a mother figure, and it’s always nice to have dangerous vampires. For me the sex appeal and the danger mixed together makes a vampire movie tough to resist.

So did I miss any of your favorites? Please share… I might need to find them!

Lisa

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Lisa Kessler is an award winning author of dark paranormal fiction. Her debut novel, Night Walker, won a San Diego Book Award for Best Published Fantasy-Sci-fi-Horror as well as the Romance Through the Ages Award for Best Paranormal and Best First Book.

Her short stories have been published in print anthologies and magazines, and her vampire story, Immortal Beloved, was a finalist for a Bram Stoker award.

When she's not writing, Lisa is a professional vocalist, performing with the San Diego Opera as well as other musical theater companies in San Diego.

Find Lisa and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Night Child
Night #3

A psychic gift...

Muriah La Deaux's latest job requires her to locate an ancient codex detailing a prophecy of an immortal birth. But before she can deliver it, her client is brutally murdered. Now a man with chaos in his eyes wants the codex she's hiding.

An immortal child...

Issa is one of the original Night Walkers, a proud protector of the mortal world. Now, when the survival of his entire race rests on protecting an unborn child, Issa is the only immortal strong enough to protect Muriah on a risky mission--locate the lost scrolls that will trap their foe--but his tenuous grasp on his sanity is slipping.

The ultimate sacrifice...

Muriah's headstrong spirit awakens feelings in Issa that are best left buried. But as the battle between love and chaos ensues, sacrifices must be made...

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Review: The Taking by Kim Derting

The Taking

Author: Kimberly Derting

Release Date: October 14, 2014

Publisher: Harper Teen

The Taking Book #1

ISBN:   0062293605

ISBN13: 9780062293602

Genre: Young Adult

Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

A flash of white light . . . and then . . . nothing.

When sixteen-year-old Kyra Agnew wakes up behind a Dumpster at the Gas ’n’ Sip, she has no memory of how she got there. With a terrible headache and a major case of déjà vu, she heads home only to discover that five years have passed . . . yet she hasn’t aged a day.

Everything else about Kyra’s old life is different. Her parents are divorced, her boyfriend, Austin, is in college and dating her best friend, and her dad has changed from an uptight neat-freak to a drunken conspiracy theorist who blames her five-year disappearance on little green men.

Confused and lost, Kyra isn’t sure how to move forward unless she uncovers the truth. With Austin gone, she turns to Tyler, Austin’s annoying kid brother, who is now seventeen and who she has a sudden undeniable attraction to. As Tyler and Kyra retrace her steps from the fateful night of her disappearance, they discover strange phenomena that no one can explain, and they begin to wonder if Kyra’s father is not as crazy as he seems. There are others like her who have been taken . . . and returned. Kyra races to find an explanation and reclaim the life she once had, but what if the life she wants back is not her own?

Imagine having a fight with your dad, a bright white light, waking up behind a dumpster and heading home thinking you were in so much trouble for being out all night only to find out its been 5 years since you have been seen and everyone you love has moved on with their life. Yeah, that is what happens to Kyra.

Not only does a story like this need great world building to pull it off, but great characters are needed to make you believe in what they are selling. THE TAKING managed to have both. I am pretty sure I would have reacted exactly the same way that Kyra did to the bizarre new life that greets her when she walks back into her life. It was very easy to put myself in her shoes and feel what she was going through. One of my favorite characters besides Kyra, was Tyler. Could he be any more perfect? He was a kid when she disappeared but always had a crush on her and he stepped up to be her rock and confidant from the moment she stepped foot back into her life.

This book was crazy! In a good way! Original, creepy, and intriguing all wrapped up in one great book. Just when you thought you were up to speed another twist is thrown in. THE TAKING starts out a bit slow but quickly picks up the pace. I was into it from page one and it never lost momentum for me. Book 2 was immediately put on my wishlist!

I gave it 4/5 stars

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