Review: Shadow Play by Christie Palmer

Shadow Play
Author:Christie Palmer
Release Date: December 12, 2012
Publisher: Jinx Fantasy Fiction
Tracker Book #1
ISBN13:  9780988555709
Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Bewitching Book Tours

A small town in the mountains of Marshall, Montana is being plagued by an unknown entity. It’s mutilating and killing the women of the town. At his wits end the Sheriff of Marshall has nowhere to turn but to a friend. A friend, with the abilities to track and kill any prey.
Ryder doesn’t normally do mortal issues. However, he can’t turn his back on a friend. Besides he is the best at what he does. After all he is a Tracker, an ancient race with unparalleled abilities to track down any prey. With one of the three essential elements: Taste, Touch or Smell. Heartless and cold, Ryder knows what needs to be done and performs his duty without feeling.
Kyra, an Air Element and the only female Elemental Enforcer, is sent on a fact finding mission to Marshall, by the Druid Council. She needs to find out exactly what is happening in Montana before the Tribunal goes in and kills everyone.
The last thing she expects to find is a Tracker, and is even more surprised to find out that he is on her side. But can they get past their initial feelings upon meeting and the sexual tension? Or will the evil that is living in the mountain kill them both.
Ryder and Kyra must learn to work together to destroy the shadow and save Kyra from a fate worse than death. When pure evil is involved is love enough?

Kyra was a strong lead character. She kicks butt and doesn't shy away from danger easily. Ryder is a bit of a hard ass and not as easy to like until you get to know him a little better. There is a great deal of push and shove between the two with their stubbornness and the romance doesn't start right away but when it does it was fun to witness. I enjoyed the supporting characters and felt they were adequately developed. Since it is the first in the series there is a bit more character building involved with them. There were a few instances where I felt things were not explained enough or resolved enough but it didn't keep me from enjoying SHADOW PLAY until the end.

The characters were extremely easy to connect with and the story was easy to follow. The author did a good job at conveying background and laying out the world for her readers. Book Two is slated to release in the Spring of 2013 and features 2 different characters. Although I will miss Kyra and Ryder at the front I'm sure I will enjoy the new characters as well. 

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

Books Im looking forward to in 2013!!

As we put another year behind us its that time to talk about what we are most looking forward to reading in 2013. Here is my top 10 list in no particular order.

  Magic Rises (Kate Daniels #6) by Ilona Andrews 

July 30, 2013

-It has been way to long since the last Kate book and I need a fix of her and Curran.

 Hot Blooded (Jessica McClain #2) by Amanda Carlson

April 23, 2013

- Love this series!! Amanda has some great characters and storyline with the Jessica McClain series.

 Heart of Venom (Elemental Assassin #9) by Jennifer Estep 

August 27, 2013

- You can not go wrong with anything written by Jennifer Estep and Gin Blanco is my #1 Urban Fantasy heroine. Book 8 Deadly Sting releases March 26, 2013 but I have already been lucky enough to read it so book 9 makes my list instead.

 Up From the Grave (Night Huntress #7) by Jeaniene Frost 

Winter 2013

-  The Night Huntress series was one of the first series I read when I started reading Urban Fantasy and I can never miss an episode with Cat and Bones.

 Ever After (The Hollows #11) by Kim Harrison

January 22, 2013

- You never know what kind of trouble Rachel will get herself in next but with Jinx, Ivy, and the sexy Trent by her side it is guaranteed to be a great read.

 Frost Burned (Mercy Thompson #7) by Patricia Briggs 

March 5, 2013

- Mercy is a girl I wouldn't mind knowing. I'm excited to see Mercy back with the pack after her honeymoon adventures in River Marked.

 Tempest Reborn (Jane True #6) by Nicole Peeler

May 28, 2013

- The suspenseful ending of Book 5 Tempest's Fury absolutely killed me and I'm dying to see what will happen with Anyan.

 Fifth Grave Past the Light (Charley Davidson #5) by Darynda Jones

July 9, 2013

- You are always guaranteed to laugh your butt off when Charley Davidson is involved. 

 Dead Ever After (Sookie Stackhouse #13) by Charlaine Harris 

May 7, 2013

- I have not always loved all the books in the Sookie Stackhouse series but how can anyone that has followed Sookie not be interested in seeing how the series ends? Who will she end up with? What will happen? So many questions.

 Apollyon (Covenant #4) by Jennifer L. Armentrout

April 9, 2013

- Alex has been fighting to stay herself but now that she has Awakened she not only lost who she is but she is a danger to those she loves. I'm very interested in seeing how everything unfolds.






What are you most looking forward to reading??

New Releases: 12/30-1/5

Mon Dec 31

A Taste of Ice (The Elementals, #2) by Hanna Martine
Black Fallen (Dark Ink Chronicles, #4) by Elle Jasper
Blessed by a Demon's Mark (Kat Redding, #3) by E.S. Moore
Death's Angel (Lost Angels, #3) by Heather Killough-Walden
Doktor Glass by Thomas Brennan
Sealed With a Curse (Weird Girls, #1) by Cecy Robson
Touch of the Demon (Kara Gillian, #5) by Diana Rowland
What a Ghoul Wants (Ghost Hunter Mystery, #7) by Victoria Laurie

Tue Jan 1

Altered (Altered, #1) by Jennifer Rush
The Dead and Buried by Kim Harrington
The Essence (The Pledge, #2) by Kimberly Dertling
For The Love of a Goblin Warrior (Shadowlands, #3) by Shona Husk
Splintered by A.G. Howard

Thurs Jan 3

Grave Intentions by Lori Sjoberg

 

Happy Reading!!

Review: Blessed By a Demon's Mark by E.S. Moore

Blessed By A Demon's Mark
Author:E.S. Moore
Release Date: December 31, 2012
Publisher: Kensington
Kat Redding Book #3
ISBN:   0758268742
ISBN13: 9780758268747
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Review Copy Source: Netgalley

In a job like this, there’s no retirement plan

Kat Redding’s life is dangerous enough when she’s hunting the rogue vampires who prey on Pureblood humans. But now that Kat is thinking of getting out of the killing business, she’s faced with a slew of new problems. Like the demon Beligral, who offers help at an escalating cost, and the werewolf cult with whom she’s entwined professionally and personally. And then there’s Countess Baset—the terrifying vampire who wants Kat to become her personal assassin.

It’s no wonder that Kat has been seeking refuge in the mysterious town known as Delai, a place where she can shed her Lady Death persona and live a life that’s as close to normal as she’s ever known. But even in this haven, something feels askew. Delai is a little too serene. And the more she discovers, the more Kat realizes that the only choice left to her is not whether to do battle, but which side she’ll risk her life to defend…

E.S. Moore's Kat Redding series is on the darker side of Urban Fantasy. His characters live in a time where humans are at the bottom of the food chain and even though Kat is a vampire she does what she can to keep them safe. Delai has become a refuge for Kat but when she leaves to take care of her demon mark she starts questioning why she was there and what Delai is really all about. On top of her personal struggles Countess Baset, a vampire that might just be Kat's doom is after her and is willing to go to extremes to get to her.

In Book 3 Kat struggles with not only who she is but what she wants out of life more then any other book in the series so far. I hate to say it but the way that Kat acted and treated everyone in BLESSED BY A DEMON'S MARK really annoyed me and made me dislike the book a bit more then I normally would. It was a struggle not to stop reading at some points because of the annoyance with her and the situations she got herself in because of her hard headed, closed off personality. On another note book 3 made me like a few of the supporting characters a little more and got me excited to see what more they might bring to the series in the future. The demon Beligral of course is a crazy ass creature but he defiantly brings some suspense to an already action packed, danger filled series. It's always hard to know what his newest mark or demands might bring and you cant help but want to yell at Kat for agreeing with him even though Ethan is on the sidelines begging her not to. I have always enjoyed the world that Moore has created and I like that we learn a little more about it with every book he ads to the series.

I would not read the series without starting from the beginning as it will help you get to know the characters better and learn a bit more about he world and its struggles but I do not think it would be disastrous if you decided to read book 3 as a stand alone. Kat has some major issues to work out and although Book 3 made me really question if I liked her enough to keep reading I will most likely pick up book 4.

 I gave it 3/5 stars

Week in Review: 12/23-12/29

Books Ive Bought/received

* Prodigy by Marie Lu- Arc- Publisher


Books I Read

I started Blood Winter by Diana Pharaoh Francis but have not finished it yet :)

Reviews Posted

Wilde's Meadow by Krystal Wade

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

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

* Monday Christie Palmer Author of Shadow Play was on UFI for a guest post and giveaway.

* I was traveling for the holiday's so did not have any posts up Wed-Fri. Thanks for sticking with me and I hope all who celebrate had a wonderful Christmas.

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

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

Review: Wilde's Meadow by Krystal Wade

Wilde's Meadow
Author:Krystal Wade
Release Date: November 5, 2012
Publisher: Curiosity Quills Press
Darkness Falls Book #3
ISBN:  1620071096
ISBN13: 9781620071090
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Kismet Tours

Happy endings are hard to find, and even though Katriona is in the middle of a war with someone who’s already stolen more than she can replace, she aches for a positive future with her Draíochtans.

Armed with hope, confidence in her abilities, and a strange new gift from her mother, Kate ventures into the Darkness to defeat a fallen god.

Losses add up, and new obstacles rise to stand in the way. Is the one determined to bring Encardia light strong enough to keep fighting, or will all the sacrifices to stop those who seek domination be for nothing?

The Darkness Falls series was fast paced, filled with interesting characters and was rounded off with a great imaginative storyline.  The world building from book 1 was attention grabbing and I loved learning everything about Encardia. Katriona started out as any girl next door, knew nothing of her true self or where she came from and grew into a great heroine that was destined to save a world. She went through many ups and downs, lost many and gained some as well. 

WILDE'S MEADOW rounded off the series with action, suspense, and tears of loss and joy. Just about everyone from book 1 and book 2 had a role to play in WILDE'S MEADOW and a lot lost their lives in support of Katriona's destiny. When I say a lot of people were lost I'm not exaggerating and they were not all small role characters. I had no clue what would really happen until it happened and there were many times were I was 100 percent positive the outcome would be different than how it really turned out.

I'm happy with how things turned out for Kate and Arland and the ending of the book left me satisfied with the end of the series. I think everyone who survived found a great niche to live happily ever after in.

I gave it 4/5 stars

Winner: Diane Thorne Giveaway

Thank you to everyone who entered!!

Prize: Any Book fron The Sexy & Damned Series

The Winner chosen by Rafflecopter is.....

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Congrats!! I have emailed winner who has 48 hours to respond with mailing address or I will pick another.