Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Destiny of the Wolf ~ Terry Spear

Destiny of the Wolf (Heart of the Wolf, #2)Destiny of the Wolf by Terry Spear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I have to say Terry Spear is moving her way up in the ranks of my favorite Werewolf romance authors. Her wolves are strong, loyal and compassionate. I also love how the characters from different books interact, meaning you may hear more from some of your favorites later on in the series. Now the trouble is that I have to hunt down the rest...


Summary: 
All she wants is the truth...
Lelandi Wildhaven is determined to discover the truth about her beloved sister's mysterious death. But everyone thinks she's out to make a bid for her sister's widowed mate...

He's a pack leader tormented by memories... 
Darien Silver blames himself for his mate's death. When her twin arrives in his town, he finds himself bewitched, and when someone attempts to silence her, he realizes that protecting the beautiful stranger might be the only way to protect his pack--and himself...


My Take:

This is book 2 of the series and now that I am trying to read them in order things seems to make a lot more sense. As you may recall I picked up a book in the middle of the series at a local used book store, Well Read Books. I loved the first one so much I managed to hunt two more now at another used book store. Luckily this time it was books one and two.

As for this book itself. At first I was a little confused because the story centers around two twins, with similar names and one twin has lied and said she's the other twin. SInce I am awful with names to begin with the first few chapters had my head spinning. That and the thought that one twin could be attracted to the other twins dead mate.

Not surprisingly Terry Spear managed to pull it all off in a beautiful and believable story. The entire novel is riddled with intrigue. She could probably be a great mystery writer if she decided to. Although personally I hope she sticks with werewolves!



Monday, August 27, 2012

In my mailbox

In My Mailbox is a weekly MEM hosted by The Story Siren
Well my TBR shelf just seems to keep getting bigger. I was able to score some great free downloads on Amazon this week. I also had a chance to pick up a few books at The Used Book Superstore and at Well Read Books. Add to those some great novels sent to me by authors and my shelf is practically bursting...

I am Wolf (the children of Nox series)
by Joann H Buchanan

summary:


“You can’t fight who you really are, Jonah . . .you are wolf.”

When Jonah unknowingly creates an unnatural creature, he is thrust upon a path of unremitting shadows and unrelenting torment from the creature he becomes connected to. In stark contrast, seven teens, the youngling pack from the tribe of Tibolt, join forces with Jonah, their newest member. Together, they must stop the “unnatural,” who brings horror wherever he travels. As the murderous creature makes his way east to Tennessee, it becomes a race against time to save a small child of destiny known as the Dream Maker. Will Jonah reach her before the creature is able to turn her for his evil purposes?


Summary:
She was born to save what he is sworn to destroy

A lapsed Wiccan, Indira Simon doesn't believe in magic anymore. But when strange dreams of being sacrificed to an ancient Babylonian god have her waking up with real rope burns on her wrists, she's forced to acknowledge that she may have been too hasty in her rejection of the unknown. Then she meets mysterious and handsome Father Thomas. Emerging from the secrecy of an obscure Gnostic sect, he arrives with stories of a demon, a trio of warrior witches—and Indira's sacred calling.

Yet there's something even Tomas doesn't know, an inescapable truth that will force him to choose between saving the life of the woman he's come to love—and saving the world.


Summary:
Megan Cartwright thought she had her life figured out. Her job as a waitress paid the rent and left her the free time to do as she pleased. Sure, now and again she might wish for a little excitement to liven things up. But finding a wild animal in her apartment was not what she had in mind…Jack Douglass has entered his mating cycle and he can no longer ignore his body's physical and sexual demands. He needs a mate and he's come to Scotland to claim her.It should have been simple.Now with their bond established and a killer targeting them, Jack has to keep both of them alive long enough to convince Megan that she is his. Time is running out and soon Jack could be lost forever.



Summary: 

All she wants is the truth?
Lelandi Wildhaven is determined to discover the truth about her beloved sister's mysterious death. But everyone thinks she's out to make a bid for her sister's widowed mate?

He's a pack leader tormented by memories? 
Darien Silver blames himself for his mate's death. When her twin arrives in his town, he finds himself bewitched, and when someone attempts to silence her, he realizes that protecting the beautiful stranger might be the only way to protect his pack?and himself?



Friday, August 24, 2012

Her Unwelcome Inheritance ~ J. Aleksandy Wootton

Her Unwelcome Inheritance by J. Aleksandr Wootton
My rating: 3.5 stars

I have to say this review may have been much different if I hadn't been given the updated version. The original ARC was a little confusing at first but the finished product been sold on Amazon is well edited making it far easier to get through. Scroll down to the bottom to find out about my giveaway to get a free ebook version of the novel.

Summary: 

A story about Faerie, going off to university, family tensions, supernatural stalkers, and what to do when people you respect reveal that they believe in something absurd and impossible.



My Take: The above summary does not do this one justice. The story itself is very interesting. I personally don't know too much about Fairy legends, just what I've learned from reading Patricia Briggs novels, so for me there was a lot of information to take in.  We follow a college bound girl who ends out her mother has been on the run from a crazed boyfriend since before her birth. Worse than that everyone around her suddenly believes in magic and talking animals! The characters were well done but there were a fair number of them for you to follow.

About halfway through the novel seems to really pick up pace. This may be because I was able to understand the minor characters better by this point, I can't be fully sure. Overall I enjoyed the read and probably learned a few things along the way. For someone who usually sticks to werewolves and serial killers, the Fae is a bit out of my usual realm. I have a feeling if your really into fairies and there legends you will find the reading easier than I did.

I will warn you that the ending is a cliffhanger. Which I did ask the author about in my interview with him, as well as a few other interesting questions. So if you want to know more about what built this story be sure to check out my interview.


While your here add a post with your email and you will be automatically entered to win a free ebook copy of the novel.





Interview with J. Aleksandr Wootton




Wolf Majick Reviews would like to welcome J. Aleksandr Wootton author of Her Unwelcome Inhertiance



Delia: What inspired you to write this novel?

JAleksandr Wootton:Well, first, I was very excited by the various premises of the story, which sort of accosted me in thunderous succession like a series of freak meteorite strikes:

Refugees from a civil war in Faerie, hiding on earth, and thereby becoming the source for most of our mythology and folklore. Protective enchantments preventing accurate records from being made on earth about Faerie or the Fay, and the resulting importance of oral storytelling and tradition and probable lapse of historical knowledge. And now, at last, a modern girl who doesn't know her own importance, being pursued by people from an ancient, broken, and magical world - the very idea totally at odds with her everyday life. 

Who wouldn't get excited about that?

Then, the story began to shape itself around some questions that I wanted to explore - questions about achieving self-identity, the relationship between rationality and wisdom, the importance and meaning of family. 

Of course these are all questions that fairytales and folklore have been posing and answering for centuries, and I'm no less interested in them now than the people who've passed them on to us were. So it quickly become a very passionate project.
Delia: Who is your favorite character in the novel and why?

JAleksandr Wootton: I think I must own up to it being Wysteria Morningstar, a character who appears rather late in the novel. She's a little flighty, a touch absurd, endearingly clumsy socially, and slightly foolish (through no fault of her own). 

When she first meets the main character, Petra, Wysteria proudly announces that "she believes in fairies" - having, of course, no idea what Petra and her family have been going through because of James Oberon's obsession with them.

I don't want to give too much away about the next book, but I will say that although Wysteria may not seem like much to readers of Her Unwelcome Inheritance, her time is coming and she's going to be doing big things very, very soon =)
Delia: I couldn't help but notice a character with a similar name to yours, is there any significance? 
JAleksandr Wootton: "J. Aleksandr Wootton" is the pen name I invented to publish under because my real name, "Jason Smith", is a little too generic to be really memorable. I intended it to be nothing more than a pen name, appearing only as the author of the "editor's note" at the beginning of the story. 

I started using the name on social media sites a few years ago (facebook, goodreads, my personal blog, etc.) and very quickly Mr Wootton took on a voice and background of his own.  

Then, when I began outlining Her Unwelcome Inheritance, it became clear that I needed a character fitting Wootton's description for Petra to have certain kinds of conversations with. I think I'd had some vague idea that some of that dialogue would occur with her godfather, "Uncle" Tod, but as Tod is supposed to echo Toad from Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows he wasn't really suited for the type of logic and philosophy Wootton, as a folklore professor, was able to voice. I realize it's dreadfully Lemony Snicket of me to write my own pen name into the story as a character but I assure you the process was entirely organic.

Delia: Why have a cliffhanger ending?
JAleksandr Wootton: Ah. Normally I'm against cliffhanger endings, as a rule, but in this case the story I'd mapped out was, on the one hand, simply too big for a single volume, and on the other, completely without a good breaking-point for anything resembling a "complete" first book. The cliffhanger ending was my best option. As they say, "If you can't fix it, feature it."

Delia: When do you plan on having the second book published?

JAleksandr Wootton: I expect to release A First or Final Mischief by early next summer.
Delia: Did you do a lot of research before you began writing?
JAleksandr Wootton: Yes. It's funny, I can remember telling someone - my mother, probably - that I would write fantasy so I could avoid doing research, and make everything up instead. Turns out that's not how it works.

The good news is that research starts to feel a lot less like work as you grow up. Before long the challenge becomes pulling yourself away from your pleasure reading (aka, your "research") to do your writing.

A few significant titles undergirding this book are Bradley Birzer's J.R.R. Tolkien's Sanctifying Myth, Michael Ward's Planet Narnia, and Bruno Bettelheim's The Uses of Enchantment, plus literally an entire shelf of folklore and fairytale collections from every populated corner of the globe.  

Should you be interested in a complete list of everything I read while writing Her Unwelcome Inheritance, you can visit me on Goodreads =) www.goodreads.com/mrwootton

Delia: Do you have a favorite fay related story?
JAleksandr Wootton: A few - especially short stories. Peter S. Beagle has a heartbreaking collection called Giant Bones. Neil Gaiman's Sandman series of graphic novels and his children's story Coraline.  The complete set of Hans Christian Andersen. Charles de Lint's Moonlight and Vines. And, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien's Tales from the Perilous Realm. I could go on.

But I won't.

Thanks again for stopping by! Be sure to check out my review of Her Unwelcome inheritance and don't forget to post a comment so you can be entered to win one free ebook vernon of the novel :)



Tuesday, August 21, 2012

To Tempt the Wolf ~ Terry Spear

To Tempt the Wolf (Heart of the Wolf, #3)To Tempt the Wolf by Terry Spear
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Fun and fast paced. Filled with hunky Alpha males and enough action to keep the story rolling. I have to say I almost didn't pick this one up. I happened to be in a local used book store (Well read books) and was trying to hit my credit minimum because of course I had no cash. 
This was probably the best book I picked up that day at at only $1 it was a steal. If your in the Plaistow NH area I recommend stopping by Well Read Books. They has a ton of great books on sale for just a dollar or two. Anyways back to the book.

Summary: In this third in the series, wildlife photographer Tessa Anderson must prove her brother innocent of murder charges. But when she discovers a gorgeous naked man barely alive on her beach, she's got a new world of troubles to deal with, not least of which is how he affects her with just a look, a touch, or a whispered word.
Hunter Greymore is a lupus garou, a grey werewolf. Hoping to keep a low profile at Tessa's cabin on the coast, he's drawn into her life—and into her bed. His animal instincts war with his human half, but in the end, the only thing he can do about this fascinating, adorable woman is to leave her forever —unless she becomes one of them.
My Take: I'm not sure what it was that I liked about this book so much but I found myself unable to put it down. The story line flowed extremely well, I made it through over 400 pages in about a day. I have even google the rest of the books in this series to see if I can pick any more of them up.
The story focuses on Tessa and Hunter, two people drawn together by circumstance and pheromones. Tessa's character is enjoyable. Strong and independent, she is willing to take a strange man into her home in order to help him. Hunter's role is a little tougher. He is being pulled in different directions, not sure which way to turn but unable to deny his feelings for Tessa.
Along the way they meet a whole slew of interesting character, try to solve a murder and thwart a stalker. That is a lot of ground to cover, even in 400 pages. Somehow Terry Spear manages to pull it off leaving the reader wanting more.
If you run across any of the novels from this series then they are worth picking up.

Thursday, August 16, 2012

The Moonlight Series ~ Nancy Gideon


If you read my blog regularly you may remember I did a review not to long ago on the latest installment in Nancy Gideon's Moonlight series. Since I love to do things backwards I read book 6 first (Seeker of Shadows) then I liked it so much I read book 5 (Hunter of Shadows). So since that book was great as well I decided to read the first four, in order this time.

I was honestly considered they wouldn't be as exciting, since I already know who gets together with who, but I shouldn't have worried. The first four books in the series were fantastic. Fast paced, heart pumping action with equally pulse lifting romance scenes. They were so well done that I was unable to put them down until I had made it through all four. I loved them so much I may even re read the last two to make sure I haven't missed anything.

The first four books focus on the ever evolving relationship between Max Savoie, lethal shape shifter and Charlotte Caissie, police detective. Max is the kind of character any romance reader can appreciate. Strong and deadly yet at the same time caring and extremely loyal. Starting out first as a mob enforcer and then making his way into an impressive business man, Max's character really grows and takes on depth as the series progresses.

Detective Caissie has just as many layers, strong, defiant and insecure. Damaged emotionally due to the same mob boss who has raised Max, she finds herself drawn to the dark and dangerous Max Savoie. At times having to put aside her ethics she becomes loyal to Max and all their relationship may give her.

Gideon has done a great job slowly adding to her shifters world. Each book adds a little to what the reader, and character, know about the shifters and the creatures that wish to control them. The information seeps through in a non overwhelming fashion giving the reader time to understand and digest each new fact.

Through the first four books we hunt killers with the detective and her unlikely boyfriend. The suspense and storyline will keep you at the edge of your seat. These are the kind of books that are hard to put down and then once your done you feel a little sad that its over.

My only one complaint is that Charlotte has so many knick names it can be overwhelming. Especially when you read the last book first! This is one series you should read in order. If you haven't tried this series yet go out and get it, you will not regret it!

The Moonlight Series
Masked by Moonlight
Chased by Moonlight
Captured by Moonlight
Bound by Moonlight

Hunter of Shadows
Seeker of Shadows


Bound by Moonlight (Moonlight, #4)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Monday, August 13, 2012

The Ravenous Dead ~ Natasha Hoar

The Ravenous Dead (Lost Souls, #2)The Ravenous Dead by Natasha Hoar
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Having not read the first book in this series I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't feel at all left behind. The Ravenous dead was a quick moving and intense supernatural ride that will leave you waiting less than patiently looking for the next installment.

Summary:
This time the dead are hungry…

Rachel Miller doesn't just see dead people, she rescues them. As a member of The Order of Rescue Mediums, she spends most of her time helping stubborn spirits move on from the world. But after she learns the details of three brutal murders, she knows the culprit can only be a reaper, an undead monster that relentlessly stalks its victims to feed on their souls.

A reaper once consumed the soul of Rachel's mentor as she watched frozen in fear. Now, Rachel is in the role of teacher to Kit Elkeles, a rodach just learning to control his wraithlike powers. After Kit and Rachel rescue a half-vampire, they work to protect him while searching for a way to stop the reaper. But when Rachel realizes who the monster is really after—and just what kind of dark magic she'll need to stop it—will she be able to do what is necessary before it devours one of her friends…or even herself?

27,000 words


My Take:

Natasha Hoar has sculpted an interesting character in Rachel. Rachel is both powerful, headstrong and somehow still vulnerable. Unsure where she came from or the capacity of her powers Rachel seems to throw herself into danger any chance she gets. To complicate things there seems to be a budding romance between her an Kit that the author will hopefully explore in the future.

I think its also important to note that although Rachel's powers are specific and in-depth they were never confusing. Sometimes authors try too hard and leave the reader behind. Not so with Natasha Hoar, she has the ability to hold the reader till the end.

My only complaint is that the story is to short. I think this series has a lot of promise and would love to see the author work it into a full length novel. 

Friday, August 10, 2012

Biting Cold ~ Chloe Neill

Biting Cold (Chicagoland Vampires, #6)Biting Cold by Chloe Neill
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Loved this one. Chloe Neill has done it again! Merit is back to kick some butt and try to make the world a safer place for Vampire and humans alike.

Summary:
Turned into a vampire against her will, twenty-eight-year-old Merit found her way into the dark circle of Chicago’s vampire underground, where she learned there was more to supernaturals than met the eye—and more supernaturals than the public ever imagined.And not all the secrets she learned were for sharing—among humans or inhumans. Now Merit is on the hunt, charging across the stark American Midwest, tailing a rogue supernatural intent on stealing an ancient artifact that could unleash catastrophic evil on the world. But Merit is also the prey. An enemy of Chicagoland is hunting her, and he’ll stop at nothing to get the book for himself. No mercy allowed.

No rules apply. No lives spared. The race is on.


My take: 
This book picks up shortly after the last. Merit and a newly raised from the dead Ethan are headed towards the middle of no where in the hopes to reach the Maleficium before Mallory or Tate. Merit isn't given a lot of time to dwell on her relationship with Ethan since the world seems to be ready to explode around them.

Fast paced a fun this was a great addition to Merits story. We have seen her grow into a Vampire with quick wits, good decisions and amazing battle skills. Even her handling of her up and down relationship with Ethan seems more mature.

Neill has also taken Mallory's addiction seriously. There is no wishy washy I'll be better speech. Mallory acts true to an addicts behavior. First uncaring and then remorseful. Crafting fantasy after real life is the best way to hold an audience. It would have been unbelievable if everyone just forgave Mallory and she was suddenly all better. Showing her struggle was an important addition to the story line.

An even more interesting development was Tate himself. He shows his true colors, so to speak, and we are finally able to understand just what he is. Biting Cold introduced us to some new supernatural players and revisited some old friends, or fiends depending on the day. The ending was a tiny cliffhanger but certainly not as bad as ; hey your best friends and evil magic addict and your sort of boyfriend is back from the dead! I will still be looking forward to the next book though :)

Monday, August 6, 2012

Darklands ~ Nancy Holzner

Darklands (Deadtown, #4)

Darklands by Nancy Holzner
My rating: 4 of 5 stars


With a  Kick ass heroine and some really crazy demons this book is a lot of fun to read! It is set in Boston after a virus turns a chunk of the population into zombies and the supernatural community has come out of the closet.


Summary:
They call it Deadtown: the city’s quarantined section for its inhuman and undead residents. Most humans stay far from its border—but Victory Vaughn, Boston’s only professional demon slayer, isn’t exactly human…

Boston’s demons have been disappearing, and Vicky’s clients are canceling left and right. While fewer demons might seem like a good thing, Vicky suspects foul play. A missing Celtic cauldron from Harvard’s Peabody museum leads her to an unwelcome conclusion: Pryce, her demi-demon cousin and bitter enemy, is trying to regain his full powers.

But Pryce isn’t alone. He’s conjured another, darker villain from Vicky’s past. To stop them from destroying everything she loves, she’ll have to face her own worst fear—in the realm of the dead itself



What I thought


Vicky is the kind of girl who I would want on my side in a fight. Even with the odds against her she is willing to risk her life, and maybe her afterlife, to save the world. Of course she has her problems as well but who doesn't. 


I really enjoyed the Boston aspect. Usually I pick apart novels set in Boston because a fair amount of authors seem to google Boston and think they can right about it. It always reminds me of what my college writing teacher said "write what you know".  In this case the author has done a fabulous job. She describes just enough Boston for it to feel real and then added her own spin to it, this is a UF after all.


Also I  thought her zombies were great. Instead of mindless brain eating creatures they are functional paranormals with big appetites for junk food. Even Holzners demons had there own flair. All of these creatures blended well and in an easy to understand format. I never felt confused or left behind. That says a lot about the authors skill considering this was the fourth book in the series and I have never read any of the other ones.


After finishing Darklands I find myself wanting to pick up the rest of the series, in order. I think if your a Kate Daniels fan this series should be right up your alley. You can check out my interview with Nancy Holzner for more behind the scenes info or check out her webpage. Happy reading everyone.







Interview with Nancy Holzner


Wolf Majick Reviews would like to welcome author Nancy Holzner!

Delia:Can you tell my readers a little about your series?

Nancy: My Deadtown series follows the adventures of Victory Vaughn, a shapeshifter who kills other people's personal demons for a living. Vicky lives in Deadtown, Boston's paranormal-only district that was formed after a mysterious plague swept through the downtown and transformed two thousand Bostonians into zombies. The series looks at tensions between the human and paranormal populations, in the context of a crazy demi-demon whose ambition is to lead the legions of Hell beyond its boundaries to rule the other realms. In the middle of all that, Vicky is dealing with her werewolf lawyer boyfriend, a teenage zombie apprentice, a sister who wishes for nothing more than a normal suburban life, and a 300-year-old aunt who can kick any demon's butt. Not to mention a young niece coming into her own shapeshifter powers and a vampire roommate who quotes Shakespeare.

Delia: Why pick Boston?

Nancy: I've spent a lot of time in Boston. I went to college there, and I lived within commuting distance for many years. Also, Boston is a city of contrasts. It’s a centuries-old city brimming over with college students and young professionals. Eighteenth-century buildings such as the State House, Faneuil Hall, and the Old North Church stand in the shadows of skyscrapers. It’s the home of “banned in Boston” and also (before it was cleaned up) the red-light district known as the Combat Zone. This dual nature made Boston the perfect location for my city-within-a-city.

Given Boston's duality, in my Deadtown series I wanted to explore how Bostonians would react to the sudden emergence of terrifying paranormal beings in their midst. A plague that turns 2,000 Bostonians into zombies seemed like a good way to start. It's a polarizing event that causes fear and splits the populace: Some want to control or even eliminate the paranormals, while others want to integrate them and get along peacefully.

Finally, it's just been a whole lot of fun to imagine demons and zombies in sites I've visited around town!

Delia: What gave you the idea for your Zombies? Can you explain what makes your Zombies different from your typical Zombies?

Nancy: Deadtown's zombies are not the groaning, shambling brain-munchers that you see in horror films. (Those zombies definitely have their place, of course, but that's not the story I'm telling.) The zombies in my novels retain their personality and their will. They can talk and function in society. In fact, although most Bostonians call them "zombies," the politically correct term is Previously Deceased Human, or PDH for short.

But the zombies are different from the nondeceased humans. The plague that ripped through downtown Boston at lunchtime on an ordinary workday killed every human being it touched (paranormals like Vicky and her werewolf boyfriend Kane were immune). A quarantine zone was enforced, and Boston's paranormal population came forward to deal with the dead. Except the plague victims didn't stay dead. Three days after the plague, they began to rise. Now, the zombies have red eyes and spongy, gray-green skin. They can't go out in the sun. They're super-strong. Although their injuries don't heal, almost nothing can kill them. They're always, always hungry, although in general they prefer junk food to brains—unless they catch the scent of fresh human blood, which induces a blood lust that sends them gnawing on any living flesh they can find. That's why zombies don't get invited to many human parties. That whole bloodlust thing can be a tad awkward in social situations.

Delia: Is Vicky modeled after anyone in real life?

Nancy: No, I wouldn't say so. It was more like she was hanging around in my subconscious, waiting for me to let her out. Of course, some of her thoughts and experiences (not the actual demon-slaying, though!) are drawn from my own life. I mean things like dealing with loss or feeling insecure in a relationship. But those are universal, I think.

Delia: What has been the biggest challenge in working on this series?

Nancy: I initially wrote Deadtown as a stand-alone, although I hoped it would be the start of a series. One thing I didn't fully anticipate when I began writing was how complex a series becomes with each subsequent book. You want readers to be able to pick up any book in the series and follow its story, even if they happen to pick up, say, book 4 without having read books 1–3. You also want to help readers who are following the series remember what's come before (especially if they read the previous book several months ago) without dumping info on them. And finally, you don't want to bore readers who finished the previous book yesterday and jumped right into the current book by rehashing too much.

I'm always very aware of these three potential readers when I start a new book in the series and try to accommodate the needs of each, while at the same time launching the new book's story. It's a big challenge!

Delia: Where can my readers find out more about you and your books?

Nancy: There's a lot of information at my website, which you can visit at either nancyholzner.com or nancyholzner.wordpress.com. My Facebook page is www.facebook.com/NancyHolznerBooks, and my Twitter account is twitter.com/NancyHolzner. Finally, anyone who's interested in supporting a collection of short stories set in Deadtown's world, including a novella-length prequel about Boston's zombie plague, should visit my Kickstarter project to learn about Tales from Deadtown, which I hope to write and release by the end of the year.

Delia: Do you have any advice for aspiring authors?

Nancy: Write every day. I have to admit I don't always manage to do that, myself, but when I spend even a couple of days away from my writing, I find it much harder to return to my characters and their world. Even 15 minutes a day keeps you in touch with your story.

I also think aspiring authors should read voraciously and widely. Familiarize yourself with your genre, but also read works outside that genre. You can absorb a lot about story structure and the rhythms of good prose simply by reading a lot.

Delia: Thanks so much for stopping by!

Nancy: Thank you for having me! I enjoyed the interview and look forward to meeting some of your readers.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

A Wolfs Song ~ Shannon Pheonix

A Wolfs Song by Shannon Pheonix
3.5 stars


I have to say this one took me by surprise, and I really enjoyed it. I was lucky enough to pick it up as part of the blog tour.


Summary:
Hamish hasn't been interested in love since his beloved wife died four hundred years ago. He knows that it's impossible for her to reincarnate, but he hasn't been able to let her go. Until now.

When he meets Desiree in Colorado, Hamish can't resist her. When she moves to Vermont to work, she's right in his back yard. He sets about winning her, ready for a future with her.

Yet his past won't let that happen



My take:
Ok I will warn you this one may be a long one. So first off I cut the summary down a bit from the one on amazon. The reason for that is that the summary gives too much away. I think so stories, like this one, are better if you don't know whats going to happen next. Its like when movie trailers have all the good parts in the movie, don't give it away too soon or no one will be interested.


That being said, I really did enjoy this book. Shannon Pheonix has done an excellent job working supernaturals into the regular world in a very smooth and seamless fashion. I found her slow addition of characters made the story easier to digest. Now after complaining about the summary giving too many things away I don't want to do it myself but I do feel the need to mention that there are Gargoyles! I mean Gargoyles, you know stone figures on churches and castles, who walk and talk. Their interaction with the main characters really made this book for me. Alright, enough spoilers lets move on.


I enjoyed the romance between Hamish and Desiree. Desiree is a little stubborn, but willing to take a chance and of course Hamish is your typical Alpha male. As far as love stories go I found it endearing that Hamish had held out for 400 years. That is true love as only an author can right, lets face it in real life people tend to move on in months not years. But isn't that one of the reasons we enjoy romances? They give us everything real life is unable to.


Another enjoyable part was the limited sex scenes. This is a romance novel so although there were I think two or three scenes they do not dominate the storyline. It has been awhile since I have read a romance that wasn't filled with sex scenes, this was a nice change of pace.


Now your thinking why the 3.5 if the story is so great? There are a few things that kept this novel from four stars for me. First I think the author has a few favorite words that she overused a little bit. I think a quick look at a thesaurus would clear this up (maybe in the next release). The only other thing I would mention is that the sex scenes themselves are rough. This is one of those instances when think the author may be trying too hard. This may just be a personal preference but I'm not into hearing about the fast of sperm, maybe its just me.


Seriously though if you skip past the sex scenes this is a great book. It has a truly original story line with fantastically crafted supernaturals. It takes a lot to surprise me and this one did. I will be keeping my eyes open for the next one in the series. 



Author Bio: 

Shannon Phoenix always wrote stories. She watched the characters take on their lives within her mind, and began to write down what they were doing. She would write the stories and then let them go. But a few years ago, she got caught writing those stories. You know... those stories.

To her surprise, the person who found her stories loved her characters as much as Shannon did. She tentatively allowed others to read the stories, as well, and it was from that first foray into the scary world of letting others read her 'little tales' that Shannon Phoenix Books was born.

Shannon lives in New Hampshire with her husband, her daughter, and their family cat. Her full time job is parenting, her part time job is as a mother's helper to a family friend, and her passion is letting the characters in her mind out on paper--or keyboard, as the case may be.
Welcome to Shannon Phoenix's Books. May you find the magic in your own life.



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