Early Review: Born in Blood by Alexandra Ivy

Born In Blood

Author:Alexandra Ivy

Release Date: December 31, 2013

Publisher: Zebra

The Sentinels Book #1

ISBN:  1420125141

ISBN13: 9781420125146

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Review Copy Source:

In a stunning new paranormal romance series—even edgier than her bestselling Guardians of Eternity books—New York Times bestselling author Alexandra Ivy lures readers into the dark, seductive world of the Sentinels—humans outcast by their hidden abilities, treading the line between life and death, good and evil, pleasure and pain…

Born In Blood

Sergeant Duncan O’Conner has seen it all before. A beautiful erotic dancer is found murdered in her home—no suspect, no motive. But there’s one clue: she’s missing her heart. It’s enough to make the hard-bitten Kansas City cop enlist the help of a necro—one of the dead-channeling freaks who live in the domed city of nearby Valhalla. It’s a long shot, but desperate crimes call for desperate measures.

Unlike the other “high-bloods” in Valhalla, Callie Brown considers her abilities a gift, not a curse. But when she reads the dancer’s final thoughts, she senses a powerful presence blocking her vision. This is no ordinary homicide. This is the work of a legendary necromancer who controls souls. A ravenous force that will put Callie’s skills to the test, O’Conner’s career at risk, and both their hearts on the line…literally.

I can't put my finger on why but I had a hard time getting through BORN IN BLOOD. I am sure typing out my review will make it clear to me. It was one of those books that you want to finish reading but you find yourself skipping over a few parts to get through it faster to find out what happens in the end.

I found Duncan to be a little too pushy at times but he was suitably protective when needed and tolerant of those in Callie's life (except Fane of course). Callie comes off really fragile and quite but hides a strong woman underneath. The two work well together and make a believable couple. The secondary cast of characters seemed to be the ones who kept me reading though. The world building could have used more explanation and it felt like we were always being cut short on information that we needed to finish a scene. The villain of the story just annoyed the heck out of me. I skipped most of his dialog. 

By the end I didn't really feel like I was emotionally invested in the main characters. The events of the story did however bring out emotion in me so I am giving the story a little more star power because of that. I don't think I will go out of my way to pick up book 2 but I will look into who the main characters of the story will be in case that changes my mind.

I gave it 3/5 stars

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

Review: Angelbound by Christina Bauer

Angelbound

Author:Christina Bauer

Release Date: December 17, 2013

Publisher: Ink Monster LLC

Angelbound Book #1

ISBN13:  9780989405003

Genre: Young Adult

Review Copy Source: Netgalley

Eighteen year old Myla Lewis is a girl who loves two things: kicking ass and kicking ass. She’s not your every day quasi-demon, half-demon and half-human, girl. For the past five years, Myla has lived for the days she gets to fight in Purgatory’s arena. When souls want a trial by combat for their right to enter heaven or hell, they go up against her, and she hasn’t lost a battle yet.

But as she starts her senior year at Purgatory High, the arena fights aren’t enough to keep her spirits up anymore. When the demons start to act weird, even for demons, and the King of the Demons, Armageddon, shows up at Myla’s school, she knows that things are changing and it’s not looking good for the quasi-demons. Myla starts to question everything, and doesn’t like the answers she finds. What happened seventeen years ago that turned the quasi-demons into slave labor? Why was her mom always so sad? And why won’t anyone tell her who her father is? Things heat up when Myla meets Lincoln, the High Prince of the Thrax, a super sexy half-human and half-angel demon hunter. But what’s a quasi-demon girl to do when she falls for a demon hunter? It’s a good thing that Myla’s not afraid of breaking a few rules. With a love worth fighting for, Myla’s going to shake up Purgatory.

I will admit it, I wasn't crazy about the blurb for ANGELBOUND and procrastinated when it came to starting it. From the first chapter I was hooked.

Everyone that lives in Purgatory has a purpose. Myla goes to school but she also fights in the arena and happens to be the best fighter they have. Her mom is extremely over protective but Myla loves what she does and has no want to give it up. Myla has never really been interested in boys until she meets Lincoln. They are both drawn to each other but also get on each others nerves. It's pretty comical watching them fight with each other. His whole race is a bit wonky when it comes to the roles or perceived roles of men and woman. I instantly liked Lincolns mom and looked forward to parts where she was present. They story was extremely well written. The author seemed to know when to shell out information to cause the best reaction. The world building was complex. There are a lot of things that made up the world but I never felt lost or overpowered with information.

I am left with so many questions. When will they get to be together? Will she leave Purgatory to be with him? Half time there, half time here? They MUST be together! How do their parents feel now? So many questions, so long of a wait to find the answers. SCALA will be here in May.

I gave it 5/5 stars

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

Review: The Spider by Jennifer Estep

The Spider

Author:Jennifer Estep

Release Date: December 24, 2013

Publisher: Pocket Books

Elemental Assassin Book #10

ISBN:   1451689012

ISBN13: 9781451689013

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source: Edelweiss

The tenth book in the bestselling and “outstanding” (Romantic Times) Elemental Assassin urban fantasy series finally reveals for the first time the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadliest of assassins.

For the first time, the origins of Gin Blanco’s career as the deadly assassin “the Spider” are revealed in full. In a story that pre-dates the other nine books in the series, Gin Blanco goes through her paces to become the most feared assassin in the Ashland.

THE SPIDER brings us back to the beginning of Gin's career. I admit that it was a little weird at times and I know this will sound bad but I really enjoyed watching Gin stumble around and make crazy decisions based on anything but her head. Seeing Fletcher again was nice as well. He is present in other novels but he was front and center for a good chunk of THE SPIDER. You can really get a feel for their connection as well as how he trained Gin.

As for the plot, I enjoyed it. It was a little predictable and I wasn't crazy about all the coincidental run ins involving people who are now in her life but I still enjoyed reading about Gin's adventure and trials as a new assassin trying to find herself. Could I have gone on with the series without reading THE SPIDER? Probably, but I wouldn't want to. Jennifer is a fantastic writer and Gin is a fantastic character that I can not seem to get enough of. I am patiently (OK maybe not so patiently) waiting for POISON PROMISE and I am looking forward to getting back to the present day with Gin and her gang. 

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, Season's Greetings....

Warm wishes to all. Have a fantastic holiday!

Review: Clean Sweep by Ilona Andrews

Clean Sweep

Author:Ilona Andrews

Release Date: December 2, 2013

Publisher: Self-Published

Innkeeper Chronicles Book #1

ISBN13:  9781625173430

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Review Copy Source:Author

On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

I've wanted to read CLEAN SWEEP since it was introduced as a free serial on Ilona Andrew's Website, but didn't want to sit at my computer screen to read it. When I saw the authors were offering up review copies to bloggers I jumped at the chance to read it from the comfort of my e-reader.

CLEAN SWEEP introduces a fun and well-built new world with a great cast of characters. The paranormal elements were fresh and interesting with a nice balance of the real world thrown in. I had no issue picturing the characters, especially Dina. She ends up being nothing like the typical innkeeper because she gets involved where others would not. We dive right into a bit of her past and why she's an innkeeper. I look forward to learning more in future books. There is a bit of a love triangle involved. Sean is an ex-military werewolf that knows nothing about the history of his people and happens to be Dina's neighbor. Then there is Arland the vampire soldier that's introduced during the conflict of the story. He ends up as a resident of the Inn for the duration. The two men clash at every turn and fight for Dina's affection when they can. The romance is very light but it's nicely played out with plenty of drama and frustration.

I wasn't crazy about the ending but it didn't take away much from the story. It would have just been nice to have a happy type ending after all the drama that the love triangle caused. I guess I will just have to read book 2 when it's available to find out what happens next. Any fan of the writing duo known as Ilona Andrews will fall right into The Innkeeper series and hang on for the ride.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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

New Releases: 12/22-12/28

Mon Dec 23rd

 Ashes to Ashes (Ashes #1) by Melissa C. Walker

Tues Dec 24th

 The Spider (Elemental Assassin #10) by Jennifer Estep

Thur Dec 26th

 Control (Control #1) by Lydia Kang

Happy Reading!

Guest Blog & Giveaway: Snow White and the Vampire by Marina Myles

UFI welcomes Marina Myles Author of The Cursed Princes Series. Thanks for Joining us!!

Fellow creatures of the night. If you love the holidays as much as I do then this post is right up your alley!

~ TOP TEN ONLINE HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR VAMPIRE LOVERS ~

That’s right! Online shopping means you won’t have to go out in the daylight. And if you overnight your purchase, you’ll have it time for Christmas. Sigh of relief!
 
After surfing the internet while enjoying a glass of Vampire wine (yes, they have that) here are my favorite presents:

~ Vampire Lover’s Pajamas ~ Come alive at night in these cozy PJs…
http://www.cafepress.com/+vampire-lover+gifts

~ Vampire Wine~ “Bloody good!”
http://www.vampirevineyards.com/

~ Key Chain ~

Clue the world in on your vampire obsession with…
http://www.zazzle.com/vampire+lover+gifts

~Baseball Cap~
What could be better for a bad hair day!

http://www.zazzle.com/vampire+lover+gifts

~ Bumper Sticker~

Entertain the car behind you with this heartfelt message! http://www.zazzle.com/vampire+lover+gifts?pg=3


~ Pet Shirt ~

Get your dog in on the act!

http://www.cafepress.com/+vampire-lover+gifts?page=2

~ Clock ~

I’m not a big fan of Twilight, but I thought this item was so cute…

http://www.cafepress.com/+vampire-lover+gifts?page=7

~ Vampire Perfume ~ Explore your senses!

http://www.fragrancerebel.com/vampire

~ The Entire Series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer ~

Love the T.V. show? You can wear your cozy PJ’s, drink your Vampire wine, and wear your Vampire perfume while you watch every season!

http://www.amazon.com/Buffy-Vampire-Slayer-Collectors-discs/dp/B000AQ68RI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1229648774&sr=1-1

~ Bram’s Stoker’s Dracula Novel ~

How about the latest annotated version of the story that started it all!

http://www.amazon.com/New-Annotated-Dracula-Bram-Stoker/dp/0393064506
Hope you enjoyed this holiday gift extravaganza! And I hope you (or your vampire lover) are easier to shop for than your mother-in-law! Lol!

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Although Marina Myles lives under the sunny skies of Arizona, she would reside in a historic manor house in foggy England if she had her way. Her love of books began as soon as she read her first fairy tale and eventually led to degrees in English Literature and Communications. Now, with her loyal Maltese close by, she relishes the hours she gets to escape into worlds filled with fiery—but not easily attained—love affairs.

She’s busy being a wife and a mother, but she is never too busy to hear from her amazing readers.

Find Marina and her books

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

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Snow White and the Vampire  
The Cursed Princes #2
Amazon BN iTunes eKensington Blio

Fog And Fascination

Alba Spencer thought her past in Romania and the dark magic that haunted it was behind her forever. She is one of the first female barristers now, safe in London. But London has its dark side, too. A man called the Ripper stalks the midnight streets. There are rumors that her hated stepmother has found her again, suggestions that the nightmares of her childhood are returning. And with them appears the cursed Gypsy boy she once loved, grown into a man more seductive and more terrifying than she ever could have dreamed…

Dimitri Grigorescu has become a surgeon, a gentleman—and a vampire. The lusts that drive his body are scarcely under control, and even he does not truly know what he is capable of. To fight evil and confusion, Alba must rely only on her wits—and a desire that overwhelms her doubts…

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