Thursday, June 4, 2015

Review: The Last True Vampire by Kate Baxter

The Last True Vampire
Author: Kate Baxter
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Publisher: St Martin's Paperback
ISBN:   1250053765
ISBN13: 9781250053763
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley
As Michael’s eyes lit on a female not twenty feet away, he knew without a doubt that it was her blood that called to him and her scent that had awakened him.This female had tethered his soul and returned it to him.

Soul Survivor

He is the last of his race. The one true king of the vampires. Michael Aristov roams the nightclubs of L.A. after dark, haunted by his past and driven by his hunger. The last of the Ancient Ones, he alone has survived the destruction of his race at the hands of the slayers. Now he is forced to hunt and feed like a common vampire, a creature of lust. Nothing in this world can fulfill his needs…until he meets a woman who’s everything he’s ever wanted. And more.

Sweet Salvation

Her name is Claire Thompson. Her blood is so sweet, so intoxicating—the smell alone draws Michael to her like a moth to the flame. Sly, sexy, and seductive, Claire seems to be the only mortal who can satisfy his craving and seal his fate…forever. Can she be trusted? From their very first kiss, the last true vampire sweeps Claire into a world in which darkness rules desire—and where falling in love is the greatest danger of all…

THE LAST TRUE VAMPIRE has a very interesting blurb and I quickly got into the storyline when I started reading.

Claire is just getting by as a waitress, but her side job as a pick pocket and hustler makes it so she has a little extra. I had no problem instantly liking her. We find out that she is very loyal and caring with a backbone to boot. Michael has a lot going for him, but it took me a bit to care about him and what happened to him. He has a long and difficult (and pretty hellish) past which leaves him as the only true vampire left.

I wasn't crazy about the relationship between Claire and Michael for a good chunk of the book. He was kinda an a-hole and treated her like she was just a blood bag even though he truly wanted her and had strong feelings for her. I get that he is old and hasn't had a relationship in a really long time, but come on, how can you not know to treat a woman that knows NOTHING about your world and is a scared better than that. It bothered me. He did get better and he did grow, but that was always my first impression of their relationship.

NOW I really enjoyed the secondary characters in THE LAST TRUE VAMPIRE and the world building was pretty good. The danger was heart pounding and there was a nice pace throughout the story. There were plenty of twists thrown in as well and I really enjoyed the point in which the couple were finally on the same page. My favorite secondary character, Ronan, will be featured in book 2, so I plan to pick it up when it's available.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Wednesday, June 3, 2015

Promo: In the Air Tonight by Lori Handeland

Filled with dark magic, dazzling romance, and dire suspense, this is the first book in a thrilling new series by New York Times bestselling author Lori Handeland.

In the Air Tonight 
Sisters of the Craft #1
Four centuries ago, in a small Scottish village, three baby girls escaped the wrath of a witch hunter. Today, one young woman will learn about her secret history, her heart's destiny, and the sisters she never knew she had...

With her blue-black hair and dark eyes, Raye Larsen has never fit in with the Scandinavian community of New Bergin, Wisconsin. Being adopted is part of the reason she feels like an outsider, but what really sets Raye apart is her ability to see dead people. Everywhere.

She’s learned to keep her visions to herself . . . until she stumbles onto the ghost of a murder victim who needs Raye’s help. Enter Bobby Doucet, a distractingly handsome homicide detective who has been tracking a killer all the way from New Orleans. Could this be the break in his case he’s been looking for all along?

Meanwhile, the deeper Raye gets involved with the case—and with Bobby—the closer she comes to unlocking the mystery of her own origins. What she discovers about herself could destroy everything she knows . . . and everyone she loves. Is finding the truth worth the risk?

Read an excerpt
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Lori Handeland is a New York Times, USA Today, Waldenbooks and Bookscan Bestselling Author and the recipient of many industry awards, including two RITA Awards from Romance Writers of America for Best Paranormal (BLUE MOON) and Best Long Contemporary Romance (THE MOMMY QUEST), a Romantic Times Award for Best Harlequin Superromance (A SOLDIER'S QUEST), the Colorado Romance Writers Award of Excellence, the Write Touch Readers Award, the National Readers Choice Award and the Prism Award.

Lori is published world wide in several genres--historical, contemporary, series and paranormal romance, as well as urban fantasy and historical fantasy--by such publishers as: Dorchester, Kensington, Harlequin, St. Martin's Press, Harper-Collins, Simon and Schuster and Penguin/Putnam.
She also publishes gritty, sexy western historical romance under the name Lori Austin.

Lori lives in Wisconsin with her husband, enjoying occasional visits from her grown sons. She loves to hear from readers and can be reached at LHANDEL120@aol.com.

Find Lori and her books
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Tuesday, June 2, 2015

New Releases: 5/31-6/6


Tue. June 2nd

Deadly Design by Debra Dockter
 The Dragons of Heaven by Alyc Helms
 The Shadow Revolution (Crown & Key #1) by Clay Griffith, Susan Griffith


 Thur. June 4th

 Endgame (Night School #5) by C.J. Daugherty

Happy Reading!
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Monday, June 1, 2015

Early Review: The Edge of Forever by Melissa E. Hurst

The Edge of Forever
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Publisher: Sky Pony Press
ISBN:  163220424X
ISBN13: 9781632204240
Genre: YA Science Fiction
Review Copy Source: Edelweiss
In 2013: Sixteen-year-old Alora is having blackouts. Each time she wakes up in a different place with no idea of how she got there. The one thing she is certain of? Someone is following her.

In 2146: Seventeen-year-old Bridger is one of a small number of people born with the ability to travel to the past. While on a routine school time trip, he sees the last person he expected—his dead father. The strangest part is that, according to the Department of Temporal Affairs, his father was never assigned to be in that time. Bridger’s even more stunned when he learns that his by-the-book father was there to break the most important rule of time travel—to prevent someone’s murder.

And that someone is named Alora.

Determined to discover why his father wanted to help a “ghost,” Bridger illegally shifts to 2013 and, along with Alora, races to solve the mystery surrounding her past and her connection to his father before the DTA finds him. If he can stop Alora’s death without altering the timeline, maybe he can save his father too.
One problem I see a lot in time travel books and books with multiple POVs is that it can get a bit confusing as to when,where and to whom something is happening. I am happy to say that this did not the case in THE EDGE OF FOREVER, everything was very easy to follow.
I really enjoyed both points of views. Bridger, who is from the future, is thrust into the past trying to continue the work his father died trying to solve. He doesn't know who he can trust, but he is determined to save Alora. Alora keeps blacking out and finding herself in different places. She is pretty freaked out by this as you can imagine. When a mysterious boy finds his way to her aunts bed and breakfast she is drawn to him and befriends him pretty quickly even though she is usually a loner. She also has the issue of her past. She remembers nothing of her parents or the time before she came to live with her aunt. Her aunt will not tell her anything and that makes her more curious.

Together they search for their separate answers until they realize everything they are looking for is connected in some way to the future. There is a bit of romance between the two, but it's very slow going and kind of on the back burner of everything else that is going on. There is some good action tucked into a good pace and an interesting world.  Despite a few slow parts I found it easy to stay interested in the story.

I finished reading THE EDGE OF FOREVER with the feeling that the story isn't over, they seem to make that clear with the events at he end, so I will be on the lookout for information on book two.

I gave it 3.5/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from the Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
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Sunday, May 31, 2015

Week in Review: 5/24-5/30



Books Received for Review

Shades of Loss by L.M. Pruitt - eCopy- Bewitching Book Tours

Shades of Vengeance by L.M. Pruitt - eCopy- Bewitching Book Tours

Books I've Read

Endgame by C.J. Daugherty
Flight From Death by Yasmine Galenorn

Reviews Posted

Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh
Sisters of the Craft Series by Lori Handeland

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

* Monday- Interview & Giveaway for Stricken by Marcia Colette

* Wednesday-Promo for The Clockwork Crown by Beth Cato

* Thursday- Interview & Giveaway for Witches Be Burned by Stacey Kennedy

* Friday- Giveaway from author Nalini Singh to go along with my review for Slave to Sensation.

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

* 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.

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Saturday, May 30, 2015

Early Series Review: The Sisters of the Craft Series by Lori Handeland

In the Air Tonight
Release Date: June 2, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN:  1250020123
ISBN13: 9781250020123
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Four centuries ago, in a small Scottish village, three baby girls escaped the wrath of a witch hunter. Today, one young woman will learn about her secret history, her heart's destiny, and the sisters she never knew she had...

With her blue-black hair and dark eyes, Raye Larsen has never fit in with the Scandinavian community of New Bergin, Wisconsin. Being adopted is part of the reason she feels like an outsider, but what really sets Raye apart is her ability to see dead people. Everywhere.

She’s learned to keep her visions to herself . . . until she stumbles onto the ghost of a murder victim who needs Raye’s help. Enter Bobby Doucet, a distractingly handsome homicide detective who has been tracking a killer all the way from New Orleans. Could this be the break in his case he’s been looking for all along?

Meanwhile, the deeper Raye gets involved with the case—and with Bobby—the closer she comes to unlocking the mystery of her own origins. What she discovers about herself could destroy everything she knows . . . and everyone she loves. Is finding the truth worth the risk?

Heat of the Moment
Release Date: June 30, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN:  1250020131
ISBN13: 9781250020130
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

A spell that tore three sisters apart is broken four hundred years later, when the magic in their blood reunites them. Now, one of them will discover her gift—and reignite a love long thought lost…

Flame-haired Becca Carstairs was born to be a veterinarian. Since childhood, her affinity for animals has been special, and her healing touch nothing short of magic. But only Becca knows the truth—that she alone can hear the creatures’ voices. She’s always trusted her sixth sense… until a string of missing pets, an attempted murder, and a face from her past converge into one explosive mystery, with her at its center.

Is haunted Owen McAllister, the boy who broke her heart ten years ago, related to the sinister crimes that have peaceful Three Harbors, Wisconsin, on its guard? Or is his reappearance part of the answer to questions that have troubled her all her life? As Becca delves into her strange heritage, she’ll have to fight for her life… and the man she will always love.

Smoke on the Water
Release Date: August 4, 2015
Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks
ISBN:  125002014X
ISBN13: 9781250020147
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: NetGalley

Abandoned beneath a black willow tree on the banks of a northern Wisconsin creek, Willow Black spent her entire childhood in foster care. Her entire life she's had terrifying visions, and it is these visions that eventually land her in a psychiatric facility. And so Willow takes her meds and believes she is getting better. Until she meets a fellow patient who doesn't think she is crazy at all. She thinks Willow is a witch.

Willow's psychiatrist, Dr. Sebastian Crane, works hard to resist his feeling that he and Willow are destined to be together while also working to convince her that strange occurrences aren't the result of witchcraft… until he is thrown into the middle of a storm of supernatural events that can't be explained any other way…
**WARNING: I stayed away from spoilers, but this review talks about all the books in the Sisters of the Craft Series**

You can't read one of the books in the Sisters of the Craft series without reading them all so I decided to write a series review instead of individual book reviews.

IN THE AIR TONIGHT follows Raye. I found her to be strong and loyal, but lonely. Being adopted has made her a bit of an outsider in the town she great up in, but she doesn't really have a want to go anywhere else. Bobby drew her attention pretty quickly and they had a lot of chemistry. He has some issues believing in the supernatural so has a hard time with Raye's abilities.We learn a lot about where the sisters come from and why the conflict exists in IN THE AIR TONIGHT.

HEAT OF THE MOMENT follows Becca. She has a great family and never knew she wasn't a blood part of it. She is independent, confident in her career, but we find out that she is still heartbroken over her teenage love OWEN. They both have to work through their pasts to make it to the future stronger and together. I really loved Reggie. I don't know how someone couldn't, he was a great addition to the story.

SMOKE ON THE WATER follows Willow. Everyone, including Willow thinks she's crazy. She currently resides in a psychiatric facility. When the man she's been having visions of for years walks into her life as her new psychiatrist she doesn't know what to think besides the fact that they belong together and he is going to save her. I don't have a ton of thoughts on the events of SMOKE ON THE WATER that revolves around getting to know Willow. That part of the story was a little slow, but I enjoyed the addition of Mary in her story and it really drew the other books into the story before the sisters actually all met up. The relationship between Willow and Sebastian wasn't as smooth as the other couples, but it really couldn't be easy because of where they were and their relationships.

I actually loved each of the sisters in their own way. They were all able to complement each other and work together from the start. Each book did a great job in continuing the major storyline and building up the world it takes place in. The story was wrapped up nicely at the end of SMOKE ON THE WATER and although I would have loved to read more about the sister's futures, I was happy with the way things ended. The Sisters of the Craft series gave me a great few days of reading. If I was you, I would wait until they are all out so you can read them back to back.

I gave the series 4/5 stars

* This book was provided free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Friday, May 29, 2015

Review & Giveaway: Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Slave to Sensation
Release Date: September 5, 2006
Publisher: Berkley
ISBN13: 9780425212868
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Review Copy Source: Publisher
Nalini Singh dives into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind-and none of the heart.

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation" - the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was...

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion - and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities - or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation.

I have had Nalini Singh's Psy-Changling series on my wishlist for quite some time (*cough* years) and I finally had a bit of free time in my reading schedule to jump into the first book SLAVE TO SENSATION. I admit that the previous cover for this book made it hard to want to pick it up so the revamped cover is a nice treat.

Sascha isn't like the other Psy, she feels, and when Lucas walks into her life, she isn't sure if that is a good or bad thing. Lucas is a Changing and alpha of a very powerful pack and Sascha tempts his animal from the moment he lays eyes on her. He isn't sure why, but he wants  nothing more than to tear down the walls she has around herself and discover why she seems so much different tan the cold Psy he's used to. Sascha and Lucas come from two different worlds, but find themselves coming together the more time they are in each others company. There was a lot of push-pull to their relationship, but you could tell from early on that they would be a hot couple.

Besides the couple and the romance that grows throughout, SLAVE TO SENSATION also has the pleasure of having a really great cast of supporting characters and I really look forward to reading their stories as the series continues.

SLAVE TO SENSATION was a great introduction into the Psy-Changling world and made me want to read and know more about the characters introduced. I loved that I was immediately able to jump into the next book in the series and since book 13 is set to release on June 2nd, I have quite a few books to read before I catch up.

I gave it 4/5 stars

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