Review: Taken by the Others by Jess Haines

Taken By the Others
Author:Jess Haines
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Zebra
H & W Investigations Book #2
ISBN:  1420111884
ISBN13: 9781420111880
Genre: Urban Fantasy


Jess Haines draws readers deep into the mesmerizing world of the Others–werewolves, vampires, and mages who make their home among humans, and are turning Shiarra Waynest’s life upside down…

Once, New York P.I. Shiarra Waynest’s most pressing problem was keeping her agency afloat. Now she’s dealing with two dangerous, seductive vampires who have been enemies for centuries. The only thing Max Carlyle and Alec Royce agree on is that they both want Shia–for very different reasons.

Max is determined to destroy Shia for killing his progeny, while Royce’s interest is a lot… more personal. That’s not sitting well with Shia’s werewolf boyfriend, Chaz. As the feud between Max and Royce gets ever more deadly, a powerful vampire-hunting faction is urging Shia to join their side. Shia has always believed vamps were the bad guys, but she’s discovering unexpected shades of grey that are about to redefine her friends, her loyalties–and even her desires.

TAKEN BY THE OTHERS is jam packed full of action. Shia seriously just rocks, I love her character. The tension between Royce and Shia is killing me (in a good way), I just cant wait to see what comes of these two. Will they become friends? More than friends? I'm seriously dying to find out what comes next with them. I have to say I'm kind of disappointed in Chaz at the end, you think even though he was hurting he might be a tad bit more supportive, its not like Shia has asked to be in any of the situations she was put in. I enjoyed the white hats in book 2, It was neat to get to know them more and I'm sure we will get more in the future. The dialogue is always fantastic coming from Jess Haines she knows how to keep you entertained and wanting more. You will not be disappointing in picking up any of Jess's books, start with HUNTED BY THE OTHERS, Follow with TAKEN BY THE OTHERS and make sure to pre-order the next book in the series DECEIVED BY THE OTHERS you wont want to miss it

I gave it 4/5 Stars

Week in Review 1/16-1/22

Books Ive Bought/received

*Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra- From publisher for review tour

*The Demon Trappers Daughter by Jana Oliver- ARC- From Publisher for review

*Demon Song by Cat Adams- ARC- From publisher for review

Tor also sent me some other books they thought Might interest me with Demon Song that I will make sure to read and review.

• The Reckoning by Doranna Durgin
• Storm of Reckoning by Doranna Durgin- ARC
• Game Over by Taylor Keating- ARC
• Mind Games by Taylor Keating- ARC
• Kitty Goes to War by Carrie Vaughn (Have already read but have not reviewed so will get one written up :) )

*Divergent by Veronica Roth- ARC- from Shelf Awereness for review

*Vampire Federation: Uprising by Sean McCabe- ARC-  Win from Librarything Early review program 

* Dark Goddess by Sarwat Chadda- Win from KidsBuzz through Shelf Awareness



Books I read

Taken by the Others by Jess Haines

Nightshade by Michelle Rowen
Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

The Iron Witch by Karen Mahoney

Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins

Visions of Magic by Regan Hastings

Reviews posted

Death's Sweet Embrace by Tracey O'Hara
Minder by Kate Kaynak
Adversary by Kate Kayanak
Burning Darkness by Jaime Rush
Across the Universe by Beth Revis
Awakened by P.C. Cast




~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

*Winner of the Dreaming of Books Giveaway Hop has been posted.

*Looking for books to swap? Visit my Book Swap page to see what I have.

*New Releases for the week.

* You can still help me win a contest for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE by Beth Revis, and have a chance to win yourself PLEASE visit HERE to read how you can :) ENDS 1/31

*Like what you read? Make sure to leave a comment.

Review: Awakened by P.C. Cast, Kristin Cast

Awakened
Author:P.C.Cast , Kristin Cast
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: St. Martin's
House Of Night Book #8
ISBN:  0312650248
ISBN13:  9780312650247
Genre: Young Adult

Zoey has returned from the Otherworld to her rightful place as High Priestess at the House of Night. Her friends are just glad to have her back, but after losing her human consort, Heath, will Zoey--or her relationship with her super-hot Warrior, Stark--ever be the same?

“My love, speak to me.  Tell me everything.”  Neferet went to Kalona, kneeling before him, stroking the soft, dark wings that unfurled loosely around the immortal. 

“What would you have me say?”  He didn’t meet her eyes.  

 “Zoey lives.” Neferet’s voice was flat, cold, lifeless.

“She does.”

“Then you owe me the subservience of your immortal soul.”  She started to walk away from him.

“Where are you going?  What will happen next?”

 “It is quite simple.  I will ensure Zoey is drawn back to Oklahoma.  There, on my own terms, I will complete the task you failed.”
Exonerated by the Vampyre High Council and returned to her position of High Priestess at Tulsa’s House of Night, Neferet has sworn vengeance on Zoey.  Dominion over Kalona is only one of the weapons she plans to use against Z.  But Zoey has found sanctuary on the Isle of Skye and is being groomed by Queen Sgiach to take over for her there.  Being Queen would be cool, wouldn’t it?  Why should she return to Tulsa? After losing her human consort, Heath, she will never be the same – and her relationship with her super-hot-warrior, Stark, may never be the same either…

And what about Stevie Rae and Rephaim?  The Raven Mocker refuses to be used against Stevie Rae, but what choice does he have when no one in the entire world, including Zoey, would be okay with their relationship?  Does he betray his father or his heart?
In the pulse-pounding 8th book in the bestselling House of Night series, how far will the bonds of friendship stretch and how strong are the ties that bind one girl’s heart?

After not being super crazy about the last book I am glad to see I enjoyed AWAKENED a tad bit more but i still dont feel that it was on the same page as earlier books. I enjoyed reading about Rephaim, we get to see him really change in AWAKENED and I think he will be a major part of the group as the series continues. I am entirely tired of the whole Neferet situation, it seems to just keep dragging on and on without much going on at all. I'm hoping her deal at the end will make for better stories to come.  I enjoyed the plot ideas, but the execution and dialogue wasn't up to par for me. I'm having a hard time getting excited to continue the series but seeing as I have read the books until now I cant imagine that I wont pick up STOLEN when it comes out, but I really hope the books get better or STOLEN might be the last I read.

I gave it a 3/5

Follow Friday

I am once again participating in Follow Friday Hosted by Parajunkie.com. Thank you everyone for stopping by and Follow me if you like what you see!!

Follow Friday 

This weeks question comes from

Logan E. Turner

"Who do you cheer for?"

 

I'm not a huge sports fan BUT when I cheer for someone its for the Chicago Bears, I was born and raised North of Chicago what did you expect?

Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Across the Universe
Author:Beth Revis
Release Date: January 11, 2011
Publisher: Razorbill
Across the Universe Book #1
ISBN:   1595143971
ISBN13: 9781595143976
Genre: Young Adult Science Fiction/ Dystopian
Review Copy Source: ARC Win from Frenzy of Noise

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder. 
  Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules. 

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next. 

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming.



ACROSS THE UNIVERSE is wonderfully written. The world on Godspeed is unique and engaging. The plot was easy to follow along with and kept me interested from page one. Although the ARC I received had almost 400 pages I found it to be a pretty fast read. Beth did a good job with switching from POV to POV. The characters were great and I had no problem connecting to them and cheering or yelling at them as needed but the plot is the big selling point for ACROSS THE UNIVERSE. This is a great Science Fiction novel that you should pick up if you get the chance. I'm excited to see what comes next for Amy and Elder.


I gave it 4/5 Stars

Reviewer Wanted: Down the Road by Bowie Ibarra

**UPDATE: REVIEWER PICKED AND EMAILED. Thank you for your offers**

Down the Road
Author:Bowie Ibarra
Release Date: January 4, 2011
Publisher: Gallery Books
ISBN13: 9781439180693
Genre: Horror
Review Copy Source: Publisher for blog tour

From his small apartment in Austin, Texas, George Zaragosa watches in awe as surreal reports of a bizarre plague flood the national news. Until today, his life as a local theater teacher was stable and ordinary, if overshadowed by the unsolved murder of his beautiful fiancée. Now, hearing how those who died from an unstoppable virus are coming back to life in growing numbers, George knows what he has to do: leave everything behind in the city and get home to San Uvalde, just down the road. 

It began in New York City, when the dead arose from the hospitals and morgues, attacking the living and pulling them into their growing hordes. State by state, the nation goes into lockdown, whole cities and towns fight for survival, and George must navigate military roadblocks, FEMA camps, and street thugs to make it home. But most of all, his journey down the road will require him to stave off the horrifying creatures hungering for his flesh. . . .


I got this book from the publisher for a blog tour that they were doing but the book didn't get here by the date of the blog tour and now I just dont have time to read it with the other books in my pile waiting to be reviewed. SO I'm looking for a guest reviewer to read and review it for me. Here is how it will work.
 

*This is open to U.S. residents only
*I will send my copy of DOWN THE ROAD (print copy) to you and it will then belong to you.
*You will be expected to review it within a week of receiving it.
*You will send me your review and I will post it as a guest review giving you full credit on my blog. You are also welcome to post it on your blog if you have one.
*Having your own blog is not required.

If you would like to be considered to review DOWN THE ROAD by Bowie Ibarra please leave a comment on THIS post including the following information. I will pick someone Friday night and hopefully have it in the mail on Sat morning.

1. Why do you want to review this book?
2. Do you post reviews online anywhere? e.x. Amazon, Goodreads, Librarything Barnes & Noble, Borders etc. (Not required but would like to know)
3. Will you be able to review it within a week of receiving it?
4. What is your email address so I can contact contact you?

Early Review: Burning Darkness by Jaime Rush

Burning Darkness
Author:Jaime Rush
Release Date: January 25, 2011
Publisher: Avon
Offspring Book #4
ISBN:   006201885X
ISBN13: 9780062018854
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Netgalley.com


Fonda Raine lives for one thing: killing Eric Aruda for slaying her lover. But she'll have to be careful--Eric can set fires with his mind. Seconds from plunging her knife into his heart, an assassin tries to take them both out. Now, she must choose: join forces with the man who's burning through her defenses or go down in flames. 


Finally Eric is getting his chance for love. I have always liked Eric and we finally see a totally different side of him from the Hard ass tough guy he has been through out the series. Fonda defiantly isn't who we thought she was and I enjoyed watching her and Eric bring each others true selves out. There is plenty of action, romance and twists to keep you turning the pages. I liked learning all the new info given about the offspring's and how they came to be. I enjoyed reading BURNING DARKNESS but it seemed like nothing really HAPPENED, even though there is a bunch of action it just seemed like they ran, they fought, they ran they fought and that was about it besides the relationship growing. I also found that the ending didn't really correspond with the past experiences of the book, I cant really explain more about what I mean due to spoiling it for you but I'm sure you will understand what I'm talking about after you read it. If you enjoyed the previous books in the Offspring series I'm sure you will still enjoy BURNING DARKNESS.


I gave it a 3/5 Stars