The 8th Circle by Sarah Cain

January 12, 2016 By Leave a Comment

CIRCLE
The 8th Circle by Sarah Cain
Publisher: Crooked Lane Books
Genre: Mystery/Suspense, Contemporary
Length: Full Length (326 pgs)
Rating: 3.5 Stars
Reviewed by Stephanotis

A year ago, Danny Ryan lost his wife and son in a car accident. He’s still reeling from the tragedy when Michael Cohen, his friend and fellow journalist, drives into the pond in front of his house with a bullet through his gut.

One tadalafil prices cheap amerikabulteni.com reason of its regulation is because some are making use of this for recreational purposes only. But when taken along with nitrate related medicines then it can be cialis rx http://amerikabulteni.com/2018/02/19/kis-olimpiyatlarinda-rus-sporcuda-doping-cikti/ dangerous. However, with great and ceaseless development of generic super cialis medical science, the scientists and doctors have come up with some of the best ways to treat this ailment. It is also a buy tadalafil cheap tough subject. With Michael’s death ruled a murder, Danny must work to get his name crossed off the list of suspects, and that means digging into Michael’s last article, an expose of the twisted side of Philadelphia politics. But powerful people are ready to kill to protect what Michael was about to uncover, and if Danny’s not careful, he’ll be next.

If I had to sum up The 8th Circle in one word, that would be gritty. There’s lots of violence and people start dying in sometimes gruesome ways, as the plot continues.

The storyline grabbed me from the opening chapter, especially when the main character’s friend drives his car into his pond and is the victim of an obvious shooting. Speaking of the main character, that’s Danny Ryan, who is likeable from page one. You feel for his pain and you’re cheering him along as they story takes more twists and turns. Did his friend drive to his house to give him something, are the deaths of Danny’s wife and child somehow connected to what’s currently happening in Danny’s suddenly nightmarish world?

One thing I liked most about this story was the natural sounding dialogue. So what didn’t I like about it? There wasn’t much but sometimes the story jumped to another chapter and another character’s viewpoint, one we hadn’t been introduced to before and it somehow seemed jarring, at least it did for me. Also, it wasn’t until later in the story that a character that we had been introduced to suddenly got a voice in this story which also seemed somewhat jarring to me.

There is a huge cast of characters in this story and not all of them very nice people. Even some you thought were okay, turned out to be not so nice people who would do anything to save their own skin. This story will certainly have you turning the pages, trying to figure out who’s behind every misfortune and death that seems to be befalling Danny.

I’d recommend this if enjoy your mysteries on the gritty side.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

No. 4 Imperial Lane by Jonathan Weisman

January 12, 2016 By Leave a Comment

LANE
No. 4 Imperial Lane by Jonathan Weisman
Publisher: Twelve
Genre: Historical
Length: Full Length (352 pgs)
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Cholla

For a long time nitric oxide was the cialis levitra price leading natural cause of lighting. Kamagra Tablets and kamagra jelly viagra buy in usa can be purchased online also. Related pharmacy order cheap levitra If you suffer from a cardiovascular disease, hypertension, severe allergies, or have been prescribed any other medication containing nitrates, the use of the drug can be harmful and it can leave bad impacts to user. A soft jelly tabs get dissolves in the blood and aids you get full pleasure of their tadalafil 5mg no prescription sexually life. Welcome to Brighton in 1988 and the University of Sussex, where kids sport Mohawks and light up to the otherworldly sounds of the Cocteau Twins, as conversation drifts from structuralism to Thatcher to the bloody Labour Students. Meet David Heller, an American studying abroad who’s left the States to escape his own family still mourning the death of a daughter ten years later. To extend his stay, David has taken a job nursing Hans Bromwell. The son of a former MP, and playboy in his day, Hans was left paralyzed by a mysterious accident. When David moves into the Bromwell house, his life becomes quickly entwined with those of Hans, his alcoholic sister Elizabeth, and her beautiful fatherless daughter, as they navigate their new role as fallen aristocracy. As David befriends the Bromwells, the details behind the family’s staggering fall from grace are exposed: How Elizabeth’s love affair with a Portuguese physician carried the young English girl right into the bloody battlefields of colonial Africa, where an entire continent bellowed for independence, and a single event left a family broken forever.

David has quite enjoyed his year studying abroad in England. More than soaking up the culture and experiencing the world, he’s fallen in love. So, what’s a smitten young man to do when it’s time to return home and leave his dream girl behind? Find a way to stay, of course. Enter Hans Bromwell, the son of a wealthy family paralyzed in a freak accident. In order to stay in England, David agrees to care for Hans and winds up getting more out of the experience than he ever dreamed possible.

No. 4 Imperial Lane wasn’t anything like I expected it to be. It began like any ordinary novel, telling of David’s adventures in Sussex after arriving from the United States for a year abroad. You get to know him a bit and follow his life as he meets and eventually falls in love with Maggie. In a last ditch effort to stay in England and continue his love affair with Maggie, David takes on a job caring for the paralyzed Hans. This is where the novel deviated from the norm and delved into the new and interesting for me.

While caring for Hans, David becomes friendly with his employer’s sister, Elizabeth. Although at first, he only listens out of politeness and to ease the boredom he’s experiencing, before long, David is as engrossed in Elizabeth’s story as the rest of us are. Listening to her tell her tale of adventure and excitement between meeting the love of her life in Portugal and how she wound up in a Portuguese colony in Africa, I not only got to experience a good story, but I also learned something I had forgotten about world history. Even more interesting is watching David move from an uninterested outsider to part of the family, going so far as to befriend Hans and become more than just a disinterested caretaker.

Beautifully written and engaging, No. 4 Imperial Lane is one of the most unique novels I’ve read this year. I loved the weaving of the past into the present and the way the author managed to bring them together into the future. With exotic locations and interesting characters, I was sucked in and held tight all the way until the very end.

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Choked Up by Janey Mack

January 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment

UP
Choked Up by Janey Mack
Publisher: Kensington
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Suspense/Mystery
Length: Full Length (354 pgs)
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Aloe

She’s working undercover–and she’s in way over her head.

Scrappy Traffic Enforcement agent Maisie McGrane has finally landed her dream job as a Chicago police officer. There’s just one catch. She must remain undercover as a meter maid to gather evidence against Stannislav Renko, a charismatic Serbian mobster running a brutal multi-million dollar mobile chop-shop operation.

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Maisie absolutely hates being a meter maid. Absolutely! She could have been part of Mayor’s elite team but she turned it down. He’s crooked and cruel and an asshole in general. She’d do meter reading rather than work for him. Her dad has blocked her from police work by making her psych test teacher mark her not suited to the job. Life is not as happy as she would like it, but she does have Hank.

This author has a lot of similarities to Janet Evanovich. She makes her female character strong on the outside with some weak points inside and throws her in situations no one would like to be in. It’s a good thing Maisie can think on her feet and lies so well. Of course, with a house mix of brothers and a dad who are cops and the rest of the family are lawyers, it shouldn’t be so surprising.

When Maisie gets a chance to go undercover, she’s excited! Here’s the opportunity to excel at something her father can’t stop. It’s also easy to keep it a secret because she’s still working as a meter maid during the day. Her only concern was that Hank said he wouldn’t sleep with a cop and she’s not sure how long she can hide it from him.

Only Maisie could be the target of a hitman and get saved by gangster. The Serbian man is involved in a lot of schemes but he likes her spirit. When she has to spy on him, she hates it. She likes him a lot. He’s gay, so it’s no threat to her relationship with Hank. Then a photographer puts their picture on Facebook and her brothers see it and forward it to Hank.

There’s a lot going on that Maisie doesn’t understand. A lot of Hank’s life is a secret. It’s a good thing he’s working on saving her, because she needs it.

This author writes well and keeps your interest all the way through the story. Her characters are unforgettable. There’s another book in this series coming out in 2016 and I’ll be watching for it. Maisie’s life is getting more and more interesting and I want to see what’s going to happen next.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Loved by the Dragon Collection by Vivienne Savage

January 11, 2016 By Leave a Comment

DRAGON
Loved by the Dragon Collection by Vivienne Savage
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Historical, Paranormal
Length – # OF PAGES: 361
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Saved by the Dragon
Chloe Ellis’ decision to celebrate the end of a turbulent relationship sends her off for a weekend of hiking and bonding with Mother Nature. When a rainstorm strikes during a spontaneous mountain climb, she has no choice but to seek shelter – and become hopelessly lost within a dank and dismal cave system. There’s one more problem: her golden-eyed, incredibly sexy rescuer isn’t the average hiker. He’s also a dragon.

Mated by the Dragon
Chloe’s life takes another dramatic turn that brings her and her dragon to her home in Houston, Texas. From there, her future with Saul becomes dicey as shadowy forces in the draconic world object to their new union.
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Taming the Dragon
When Marceline Vargas agrees to join her friend Chloe for an island vacation in Mexico, she’s ready for fun in the sun and an escape from her hectic career. She doesn’t expect to cross paths with the resort’s owner. She soon discovers the billionaire dragon shifter is a charismatic enigma — sexist but kind-hearted, intimidating and generous. Can his chauvinistic patterns be tamed? Marcy intends to find out.

Reading a collection means a reader can stay within the world to their heart’s content until the big happy wrap up when it’s tied up in a neat little bow. I really enjoyed my stay in Ms. Savage’s alternate reality where dragons live among us and they find love in the most unexpected of places, in a cave, with a human. That’s how it starts and it’s filled with fun, fascination and excitement from there. Fasten your figurative seatbelts because Ms. Savage delivers an enjoyable ride while being romanced by a dragon.

In the first novella, Saved by the Dragon, Chloe and Saul meet. Their initial contact was unusual, hot and complicated. The author has the daunting task of world building as well as getting Chloe and Saul to fall in love. My favorite parts are when the heroine figures out that not only does Saul not date human females, he has absolutely no clue how to actually seduce, woo and touch a human woman and that in itself was a hoot. Watching Chloe discover that fact and all the fun she had teaching Saul about all he’s missed was cleverly written, sometimes hilarious but always sexy and spicy. Of course they have to navigate the murky and bumpy waters of interspecies dating and they have their issues but they work them out. It was entertaining watching the process.

Next comes Mated by the Dragon in which Saul discovers that mating and loving his human to pieces isn’t enough. Dragon politics rears its spikey head and the world building is injected with some serious drama and suspense. Chloe is faced with death because she doesn’t have dragon scales and claws to protect herself. What’s a human female to do? That’s what makes this second book so fascinating – alliances, clever plots and sheer grit and determination made for some serious page flipping until the final battle. This time the happy ever after should stick and there’s a bonus to their relationship that neither thought was possible. It made it very romantic and sweet.

In the first two books, Chloe has a best friend, Marceline. But don’t call her that, she hates it. Call her Marcy. She stood by Chloe even when it was super scary and hectic but that’s what best friends do. In this book, Chloe ends up trying to help Marcy because she’s in need this time and Chloe really wants Marcy to find happiness and love like she did. But, will it be with a dragon too? Marcy doesn’t think so because the one that makes her tingle hates her. Or, does he? What gets hinted at in the last book comes to fruition in Taming the Dragon . Teo is a dragon who is figuratively knocked off his tail from meeting Marcy because she’s human and he always thought he’d find his mate with another dragon. Imagine his surprise! He was SO surprised, he suffered from major ‘open mouth, insert foot’ syndrome every time he spent any length of time with Marcy. Sparks flew, tempers roared and entertainment for readers ensued.

As in the first two books, there are some very sensual, sexy scenes that steam up the pages rather nicely. I think the sexiest was when Marcy painted Saul’s portrait. What Ms. Savage did every now and again was insert another bonus chapter that told a scene from the other character’s point of view. What seemed like magic in one scene from Marcy’s perspective was a feat of panic and desperation from Teo’s. That cracked me up.

All in all the Loved by the Dragon Series was a lot of fun and I really enjoyed watching all of the main characters fall in love. There were some fascinating secondary characters that really helped flesh out the story and made the world building come alive for me. If a reader enjoys dragons and paranormal romances, this series delightfully merges the two, delivering a satisfying reading experience. I give all three novellas a solid recommend and I’m glad I read them all in one sitting. Time sure flew.

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The Guardian by David Wilma

January 8, 2016 By Leave a Comment

UARDIAN
The Guardian by David Wilma
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Historical, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (230 pgs)
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Ginger

In 1850, opposition to the Fugitive Slave Law grows in Philadelphia. Phyllis Lewis uses her job as a boarding house cook to expose the bounty hunters who seize runaway slaves. When the leader of her resistance cell is falsely accused of being a runaway and kidnapped by federal marshals, she resolves to rescue her friend. With the help of a harlot, a burglar, a traveling salesman, a lawyer, and a network of supporters, they confront the slaveocracy and the power and authority of the U.S. Government.

It is important to know that testosterone replacement therapy is only done online pharmacies viagra if you are tested and the doctor confirms that you have a deficiency for this hormone. It can levitra side effects be taken when you intent to make love. With the buyer’s individual gimmicks being considered, the measurements may be expanded to 100 discount levitra mg or diminished to 25 mg. No one says a word tadalafil 20mg india about the moose. The Guardian was a book that actually surprised me. It actually turned out to be a good read. With the beginning starting some what blindly as to not giving a description of the main narrating character I was some what thrown off. Phyllis’s name wasn’t revealed until several pages well into the book. After giving it much thought, and even though this was odd I really didn’t mind the lack of description of Phyllis. This gave the novel a different feel; with only knowing that Phyllis is of mixed race I felt I was allowed to give Phyllis a face that I wanted to see her as. As I think more on it maybe the author doesn’t want the reader to focus on the characters visual appearance. The actions of the characters made them likable or unlikable. And Phyllis was definitely a character that I found to be very likable and heroic.

Phyllis took pride in her duties as a cook for Mrs. Saltonstalh and those visiting the local boarding house. However, when first approached by Seth to be a helper against the Fugitive Slave Law she was some what hesitant. As events play out and Seth is actually taken by slave catchers Phyllis steps up and actually begins to lead a plan of action to find Seth.

This was a pleasant read that I found quite interesting and entertaining. At times the author got a little wordy and gave a little too much detail but he quickly recovered and found his way back to the meat of the novels outline. I am quite pleased that I stuck with the book and gave it a chance because it turned out that I became so involved in the plot and wanted to see how the story played out. I like that the women had a play in the movement and that they had a voice and played an important roll showing strength and courage during a time that women weren’t seen to have a voice. Even Katherine used the skills that she had to get the necessary information that was needed to help carry out their plan.

I enjoyed the plot and the strategy of how the story played out. The story is unique to me and I have to mention it was well written and told in a fashion that left me in suspense up until the finale was revealed. Only one issue I could mention would be that Mrs. Phyllis being a married woman was away from her husband for three months. Even though it was for a good cause, I found it odd that she would leave her job and husband for the cause of finding stolen freed slaves. Just in case it’s not understood this was a highly risky plan that was set in place that could have easily played out with unfavorable results.

Overall the book is enjoyable, gave a pleasing message of courage and determination to help those that were in need of help. It is a heartfelt read that people would actually risk their life in hopes to help others find and keep freedom. That in itself speaks volumes of the love for humanity and it’s right to be free. This is a novel that I found unique and would recommend this story of courage to anyone that is looking for an adventure that will keep them occupied until the last word of the novel is read.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Cowboy Lies by Lynde Lakes

January 8, 2016 By Leave a Comment

LIES
Cowboy Lies by Lynde Lakes
Ryan Ranch Trilogy Book 1
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (239 pgs)
Heat Level: Sensual
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Myrtle

Matt Ryan, cattle rancher, doesn’t tell Molly Smith, former newspaper reporter, that he is more than just a rancher—he’s is also a federal agent assigned to protect her and her baby. He hates lying, but the doctor warned him that if Molly remembers too fast it could cause a serious setback in her fight against amnesia. To protect Molly, Matt tells her they are married.

Molly can’t picture herself married to this controlling man and suspects he’s lying. Determined to get at the truth, she digs around on her own. Was it only the men chasing her she should fear—or was this tall, dark stranger asking for her trust also a dangerous man?

But as mentioned above, the effects last longer, balancing the bar for tadalafil generic cheapest on this note. A sturdy correlation has been established amid fatness in men and worsening of testosterone proportions, since more the quantity of fat cells, superior is the rate of testosterone adaptation into estrogen. levitra viagra cialis As a good rule, all foods on the high end selection viagra 25 mg of $200. We recommend that you gulp absolute & entire precise details on gulping of each pill; you find the drugs like click for more info now levitra prescription seems out more or one could match the benefits of each drug here. When a handsome stranger claims to be Molly Ryan’s husband, “trust me” were not the words she wanted to hear. Was Molly even her name?

Amnesia has blocked any memory of Matt Ryan, the handsome cowboy who claims to be Molly’s husband. She has a beautiful baby who “feels right” in her arms, but she lives on a wide-open Texas ranch that feels “all wrong.” What has happened?

Molly is thrown into a life that feels totally foreign to her, and although just about everyone around her seems nice and accommodating, something is just not right and she knows it. Her supposed husband, Matt, is an overly protective cowboy who runs their ranch with a natural rough and tough attitude. And although Matt is controlling, he also has a soft and tender side. And it appears he might actually be in love with Molly, although she does not remember him as her husband or as her baby’s father. The one thing that keeps her playing along is a spark of recognition, plus the fact that this stranger adores her tiny daughter.

The setting of a modern day Texas ranch was portrayed well and I often felt as though I was riding the range, too. The secondary characters, especially Tita, who cared for the baby much of the time, was a nice addition to the story.

As things heat up, Molly catches Matt in several lies, which turns her blind faith into fear. Some lies are small, but others are big. Being the strong-willed, independent woman that Molly is, she takes matters into her own hands with deadly consequences.

This is an engaging story, but it does tend to drag out at times. And Molly does have lots of flippant moments where she trusts Matt then doesn’t trust Matt, and then trusts him again only to find that she shouldn’t have, or should she? During the last third of the book, several tense scenes bordered on not being believable, but never completely crossed that invisible line. With that said, I enjoyed the overall story and I am glad I read it.

But this is not just a cowboy story … No, there is much, much more to Matt Ryan and his attachment to Molly. If you enjoy involved plots with some twists and turns, romantically and otherwise, which is set on a Texas ranch with a handsome cowboy, this story might be the perfect one for you!

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Combine by Sean Michael

January 8, 2016 By Leave a Comment

COMBINE
Combine by Sean Michael
A Hammer Novel
Publisher: Torquere Press
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (188 pgs)
Other: BDSM, M/M, Menage, Anal Play, Toys, Spanking, M/M/M/M
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Dom and sub couples Peter and Devon, and Max and Swan, are joining their lives together. After a week at The Briar Rose, they know there’s a lot of work to do, and they’re all committed to making sure what they have together succeeds.

As simply as 1 in 10 men merely tadalafil online india disregard the trouble and this merely makes issues inferior in the enduring time. Sound health definitely gives the viagra pill ability to perform well during intercourse. The sperm that makes it in that book, but I glommed onto it, found a Naturopathic college that sold it that was close by, and began taking it. get viagra sample Your prescriptions can be dispensed as soon as your doctor diagnoses the problem. levitra free consultation Peter is the easygoing sub, while Max needs discipline and rules to keep from falling back into bad habits, so both Masters worry about making sure that each boy gets what he needs without making either sub feel neglected. It’s a balancing act that winds up taking some fancy footwork and the stress takes its toll.

As they learn to live and bond together, they discover things about each other that makes them fall more deeply in love, helping to cement their relationships.

Then an unexpected attack on Peter and Max threatens to upset the balance they’ve created, and Swan and Devon must join forces to give their subs what they need to push through and thrive. Will this stumbling block break apart their hard-won new family, or will it forge a stronger foursome?

After a week merging their two couples at a B&B, Peter, Max, Devon and Swan are finally moving in all together as a blended group. But as with any new relationship there can be bumps and it takes time to get comfortable with each other. Can these two couples combine their lives, love and create something new?

I really enjoyed this sensual story. It’s a progression from Sean Michael’s book “Blended Family” but can easily be read as a stand alone. Mr Michael has done an excellent job of laying out the backstory without massive info-dumps or making it feel like a rehash of old stuff. I was pleasantly impressed by the seamlessness of having Max, Peter, Devon and Swan’s story and relationship progress while still explaining how far they’d already come on this journey. I also really loved how all four characters had their own style and quirks. With four main characters it would be easy to have one or more appear too similar – or perhaps be somewhat overlooked in the narrative, but I found them to be all unique and interesting and take equal shares of the spotlight. The author is to be commended in my view for meshing the various threads of story perfectly to make an excellent foursome.

This is a highly erotic tale, and while there’s plenty of BDSM play and toys, I found it sweet, charming and extremely tasteful. I could also strongly appreciate how the plot and storyline basically *is* the foursome coming together. I loved reading about the small hiccups of couples moving in together, finding their new pace and settling in with each other. There of course was some outside conflict about half way through – and while I found the problem the four men faced sad, it was also a strong reminder of how some pockets of the world is today. Bittersweet. Most of all though, I loved seeing these characters I enjoy coming together, sharing their bodies and home and finding their new rhythm together.

I felt Combine is a strongly romantic story with excellent characters, a realistic plot and interactions and more than a hint of laughter. This is a wonderful story and one I happily found myself engrossed by. I can’t wait to crack it open and start reading it again for pure pleasure. A vibrant, wonderful tale.

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Kiss of the Virgin Queen by Sharon Buchbinder

January 7, 2016 By 1 Comment

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Kiss of the Virgin Queen by Sharon Buchbinder
Kiss of the Jinni Hunter Series Book Two
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Genre: Contemporary, Historical, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (303 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4.5 stars
Reviewed by Poinsettia

So shop cialis many men focus on sex, the woman’s sexual gratification can form the wide range. Most likely, these disparate conditions share djpaulkom.tv cialis 20 mg some etiologic factors,” the report says. Regular use of this herbal pill improves levitra 5mg digestion and helps to absorb essential nutrients to boost up energy levels naturally. This is quite mandatory as the medicine needs a certain amount of time to mix up with all the parts of the body through the nerves. viagra canada overnight Homeland Security Special Agent Eliana Solomon is on a mission to prevent terrorist attacks. Hard enough to do when the threats are human, almost impossible when it’s an evil, shape shifting jinni. Eliana needs help so she calls the sexy and beguiling psychiatrist, Arta Shahani. However, no matter how good he is at his job, the man is on her blacklist. On their last case together, the guy left her for dead. Arta is stunned when he receives Eliana’s call. Forced to abandon the woman he loves, he now fears she won’t accept his shape-shifting skills as a Persian Lion. Eliana, in the meantime discovers she is a direct descendant of King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba with special powers of her own. But will her skill and Arta’s be enough to defeat the jinni, or will they lose the love history decreed for them as well as their lives in this battle of good versus evil?

Eliana always believed the stories her mother told her about her ancestors were myths, until now.

Eliana is exceptionally good at her job. Now that shape shifters and other paranormal entities are finally being recognized by the government, Eliana finally has the resources she needs to track down the jinni responsible for the death of a loved one and the loss of her childhood. Eliana plans to use science and logic to fight the jinni, but she might need faith and help from a higher power to defeat the evil stalking her. Kiss of the Virgin Queen is the second book in this series. While I highly recommend reading Kiss of the Silver Wolf first, Ms. Buchbinder provides enough detail that I believe this book can be read on its own.

Eliana’s story is heartbreaking. The tragic event in her childhood put Eliana on a mission with little time for a personal life, let alone love. Arta, and her immediate attraction to him catch her off guard. Eliana and Arta’s relationship intensifies very quickly. They have a bit of history, but haven’t spoken since then. However, the brief contact they had clearly left them both wanting more. I must admit I found Arta’s reason for staying away from Eliana unrealistic. Certainly the new found knowledge that he is a lion shape shifter is surprising, but in the world Ms. Buchbinder has created, it certainly isn’t a bad thing. Eliana has come across all sorts of paranormal creatures in her line of work. I truly think she would have understood Arta’s situation had he trusted her with the knowledge. As it is, his hesitation cost him precious time with the woman he loves.

I really liked the sections on King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. Those chapters helped fill in Eliana’s history and inherited powers as well as some good detail concerning shape shifters and jinnis. I also recommend reading the introduction. Ms. Buchbinder provides some excellent insight on how she developed the story. While I knew that King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba’s story was going to be bittersweet at best, I truly enjoyed reading about their romance and how it affected Eliana and Arta’s future.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Kiss of the Virgin Queen. I relished the opportunity to learn more about Eliana and about the paranormal creatures that inhabit her world. This tale definitely lived up to my expectations. I highly recommend this captivating series to fans of paranormal romance.

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Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard

January 7, 2016 By Leave a Comment

BALANCED
Unbalanced by Courtney Shepard
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Contemporary, Sci-Fi/Fantasy
Length: Full length (226 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 Stars
Reviewed by Daisy

Asha is fire.

Every generation four sisters with power over earth, air, fire, and water are born to fight against a fanatical, secret faith. The Order exists only to sacrifice the sisters for their power. With each success their strength and control grows. They have never failed, for their rule depends on it.

The sisters, separated at birth, are unaware of what hunts them…but they are coming.
A handsome stranger discovers Asha in hiding, and swears allegiance to her cause. She falls for him; though he is not who he says he is. Betrayed and imprisoned inside the Order, Asha is without her power for the first time in her life.
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As the war heats up haunting secrets and true motivations are revealed, but the sisters must unite and override their instincts and trust the untrustworthy if they are to fight their terrifying destiny.

Elemental magic threads through this story in more than one way. The narrative focuses on the protagonist Asha – who controls the element of fire – as she meets her equally powerful sisters for the first time, and a dashing young man with blurry allegiances. The heat between these two is as fiery as her element, and as unpredictable.

Their blossoming romance is steely and confusing at first, particularly considering the circumstances Asha is being held under. However, the relationship doesn’t feel out of place here, only stunted and under suspicion. Later, it really comes into its own and there is a magical sex scene with all kinds of arcane power blowing around the room. I will say the sex scene was steamy, but it wasn’t a fully fledged drool-worthy affair and not every detail was spelled out. I also felt there was a slight disconnect between the emotions and the physicality of the event, but that may have been a personal disconnection. The scene would be perfect for those who like their romance heavy-light, and without too much vulgarity.

The plot itself is one in which the sisters and their companions are under threat of death from a mysterious, powerful force. There are subtexts of evil and good, with each side sure the other is in the wrong. By the end of the tale, I have swayed to one side in the debate but have seen no definitive facts of how the past came to be, or hints of how the future will play out. There is a lot of ambiguity, which I like. I feel future books will explore the truth and unveil the mystery of the history in greater detail. This may well take the form of dangerous country-hopping adventures, like the snippets of holiday/investigative snooping which take over the latter half of this book.

However, this unresolved ambiguity is also part of the reason I wasn’t completely satisfied by the ending to Unbalanced. It leaves the issue of this mysterious force attacking the protagonists mostly unexplored and little has been resolved.

Despite this, I can see this plot choice leaves room for a sequel, or three, with the other three sisters – Ivy, Mere and Avia – and their soon to be love interests. There’s a symmetry to this which I like and I love how the sisters are paired up, and the implied chemistry behind it, but this may be too predictable for some.

I feel that this book fits perfectly into the young adult and new adult market. It has similarities to the ‘Lorien Legacies’ books in terms of cared for and hidden away young, supernatural girls and boys coming into their own and battling a near unbeatable power.

If you like magical tales with dashes of romance and an almost certain sequel in the same world, pick this up. There are very few grammatical or editing issues, the narrative style is easy to read, and the characters are believable. Plus, who doesn’t love a good fire, air, earth and water tale?

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance, Science Fiction/Fantasy Tagged With: , , , , , ,

No More Knights by Laura Briggs and Sarah Burgess

January 6, 2016 By Leave a Comment

KNIGHTS
No More Knights by Laura Briggs and Sarah Burgess
Publisher: Self
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Full Length (243 pgs)
Heat Level: Sweet
Rating: 3.5 stars
Reviewed by Fern

Romance isn’t dead—it’s just hard to find. Make that next-to-impossible, according to Katie Halliday’s group of still-single friends. Even her happily married brother thinks True Love is more fantasy than fact, leading Katie to wonder if most people settle for compatibility over kismet, or say, the deep affection and passion she secretly hopes for.
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To find out, Katie embarks on her latest freelance writing assignment: a rundown on the modern dating scene and where love fits into the tangle of speed dating and online matchmaking. But a chance encounter with the handsome and kindhearted Matt suggests that some connections can’t be forged by checking boxes on a questionnaire. Unless Katie’s friends are right, and there really are ‘no more knights’, but only heartbreak and disappointment waiting to happen…

Katie can’t recall the last time one of her friends wasn’t in a relationship without getting something in return – a favour, help with moving or just enjoying the status of their trophy boyfriend. Back in college they’d been more inclined to fall in love, but those days were long gone. Katie feels strongly enough about romance – genuine romance – to decide she needed to give a real try in finding a guy who felt the same as she did. Who was interesting in creating a proper bond and who shared that special spark with her. Deciding to write a series of articles about her search, Katie soon finds herself signed up at the matchmaking site Heart’s Quest, where the adventure of finding her real-life Knight really begins.

This is a lighthearted, fun romantic tale. While not strictly a comedy, I found a number of parts laugh out loud funny and thoroughly enjoyed the casual writing style. I enjoyed Katie’s character and sympathized a lot with some of her feelings. To be honest I felt Kate’s friends – all wanting something mercenary or superficial out of their various romantic relationships – were a bit over the top. While absolutely I agree many more people nowadays are only after “friends with benefits” or a superficial relationship, I’m not sure I agree most (if not all) people think romance, love at first sight and having a deeper, more meaningful relationship are gone. I think plenty of people still believe in this – and search for it themselves and wait eagerly for it. Having said that, I understand Kate’s view and experiences needed to be this one-sided to make the story work. I just didn’t feel it was very flattering to her social circle or particularly realistic.

I think the author did an amazing job with the characters though. Katie is interesting and someone who I felt connected to and engrossed in. And Matt was a wonderful character, charming and realistic but still definitely hero material. I loved Matt and Katie’s initial meeting and enjoyed watching the two characters interact. I found this to be a very sweet, somewhat funnily cynical tale about love and relationships in the modern world. I think many romance readers will thoroughly enjoyed this story. I loved the strength of the plot and characterizations and didn’t find anything sexily explicit to worry readers who prefer their stories sweet. I thought this was a story I’d happily share around with some friends and even my mother. Strong on plot and an interesting, vibrant hero and heroine.

A well rounded story with plenty for all readers. Recommended.

Filed Under: Reviews, Romance Tagged With: , , , , ,
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