Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Stone Guardian ~ Danielle Monsch

Stone Guardian (Entwined Realms, #1)Stone Guardian by Danielle Monsch
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publication Date July 15 (so what are you waiting for?)

Guess I'm out of my book slump. Here is another one I could not put down.

Summary:
Gryphons flying past skyscrapers? Wizards battling it out in coffeehouses? Women riding motorcycles with large swords strapped to their backs? All normal sights since the Great Collision happened twenty-six years ago.

Well, not normal for everyone. Larissa Miller may have been born after the Great Collision, but as a history teacher who lives in the human-only city, she has never come into contact with any other race or species, nor has she wanted to. Her life is as ordinary as it gets - that is, until one day she walks out of her apartment and is attacked by a mob of Zombies, only to be saved by a Gargoyle.

Gargoyles trust no one outside their Clan, but due to a cryptic prophecy, Terak, Leader of the Gargoyles, has been watching over the human woman for months. While he can find no reason why the woman has been singled out, something about her stirs every protective instinct within him. When the attack confirms that the threats against her exist and are real, he convinces Larissa that though their races have never been allies, the best chance of discovering why she has been brought into his world is by working together.

In the course of their investigation Terak becomes entranced by his little human. But when he discovers why Necromancers want her and the great reward that awaits him if he betrays her, he must choose between the welfare of his Clan and not only Larissa’s life, but the fate of this New Realm as well

My Take:
I really enjoyed this one. I won't lie the cover is what grabbed me at first. I really love Gargoyles. Since there are not a lot of good Gargoyle Paranormal Romances out there I jumped at the chance to read this one. I was expecting your typical PR storyline; creature meats girl, creature saves girl, love and steamy-ness etc.. What I got with this novel was a well thought out, character driven, multilayered story.
The world of the Entwined Realms is one that is both easy to imagine and easy to understand. I always find these kinds of stories the most intriguing. Reading about a world very close to our own makes the characters more real and their situations more heart pounding.
This story centers along a woman born at the time when two worlds collided. Other than that fact she has grown up a pretty sheltered life staying away from magic and otherworld creatures. All that is changed suddenly when she finds herself the target of every magical bad guy in town. Her only chance at survival is to trust in creatures of myth and magic. Enter one exceptionally hot Gargoyle.
This was a total page turner. I was glad it was too hot today to do anything other than sit in the Ac and finish this one! I now have a new series to add to my list because I will be waiting less than patiently for the next one to come out. Maybe we will actually meet a dragon...

 

Summer Kindle Fire Giveaway


Kindle Summer

Just thought I would share this fantastic Giveaway with all of my readers! Who wouldn't enjoy a new kindle fire or an Amazon Gift card? I know I could use both :)

  This is a joint AUTHOR & BLOGGER GIVEAWAY EVENT! Bloggers & Authors have joined together and each chipped in a little money towards a Kindle Fire HD 7".
Kindle Fire HD 7" Giveaway
The winner will have the option of receiving a 7" Kindle Fire HD (US Only)
  Or $199 Amazon.com Gift Card (International)
  Or $199 in Paypal Cash (International)
 

Sponsoring Bloggers & Authors

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  Giveaway Details 1 winner will receive their choice of a Kindle Fire 7" HD (US Only), $199 Amazon Gift Card or $199 in Paypal Cash (International). There is a second separate giveaway for bloggers who post this giveaway on their blog. See details in the rafflecopter on how to enter to win the 2nd Kindle Fire. Sponsor a future Kindle Fire Giveaway by signing up HERE. Ends 8/15/13 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader, Not A Writer http://iamareader.com and sponsored by the participating authors & bloggers. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

A Seal Wolf Christmas ~ Terry Spear

A SEAL Wolf Christmas (Heart of the Wolf, #12)A SEAL Wolf Christmas by Terry Spear
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Publication Date October 2013

Well I'll be honest I've been in a bt of a slump reading lately. I just haven't been able to find something I couldn't put down. That is until I picked up this one. I should have known three pages in I'd want to lock myself in a room and do nothing but read! Terry Spear always delivers a fantastic story with exceptional characters. If you have somehow missed this series and you are a paranormal romance reader then you need to go order them, right now.

Summary:
SEAL Bjornolf Jorgenson and undercover operative Anna Johnson get off to a rocky start when they're tasked to play newlyweds preparing for the holidays while investigating a SEAL's murder at a Christmas tree farm. Anna and Bjornolf are both dreading the season, and are happy to work instead of celebrate. Together they learn that a little Christmas cheer can become so much more when you have someone special under the mistletoe.

My Take:

Another Fantastic novel by Terry Spear. The Oregon wolves are back and as hot as ever. I also have to say I was excited to see that Spear has gone back to referring to her wolves as lupus garous as opposed to just werewolves. I have always enjoyed the way she has set her wolves apart from other shifters.

Anyways back to this specific novel. If you are a fan of the series than you will remember some of the players from previous novels. It was nice to see how Hunter and Tessa are doing as well as Hunters sister Meara.

This time we find ourselves following Bjornolf and Anna as they try and uncover a murder with nothing but the smell to go on. Using their special ops training these two will uncover a very twisted plot and of course a little romance too Action packed with steamy romance this was an excellent addition to the series! As usual I just can't wait till the next one come out :) Don't forget to preorder this one.



Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Nano ~ Robin Cook

NanoNano by Robin Cook
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I try to wait till I'm finished with a novel before reading other peoples reviews. I know that may seem odd but I don't want someone elses opinion to shape mine. In this case that worked to my advantage. I've seen some less than stellar reviews for this novel on goodreads but I couldn't disagree more. I really enjoyed this book.

Summary: A lavishly funded, security-conscious nanotechnology institute in the foothills of the Rockies, Nano is ahead of the curve in the competitive world of molecular manufacturing, including the construction of microbivores, tiny nanorobots with the ability to gobble up viruses and bacteria.

But when Pia Grazdani takes a job there, she’s shocked by the secretive corporate culture. She’s warned by her boss not to investigate the other work being done at the gigantic facility, nor to ask questions about the source of the seemingly endless capital that funds the institute’s research. And when Pia encounters a fellow employee on a corporate jogging path suffering the effects of a seizure, she soon realizes she may have literally stumbled upon Nano’s human guinea pigs. Is the tech giant on the cusp of one of the biggest medical discoveries of the twenty-first century—a treatment option for millions—or have they already sold out to the highest bidder?

My Take: I was able to relate with the main character Pia. A driven, independant woman who gets in way over her head. I felt bad for George the hapless, lovestruck friend who is constantly being dragged into trouble because of his relationship with Pia. This being the fourth book I've read this year in regards to nano tech I have to say the subject was well done. The science felt convincing but also understandable. The author did a fantastic job keeping the storyline moving forward, captivating the reader. My only complaint is the ending. I won't spoil it for you though so you will just have to check it out yourself!

 

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Cover of Darkness ~ Gregory Delaurentis

Cover of DarknessCover of Darkness by Gregory Delaurentis
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I got this one as a review request a few weeks ago and have just gotten around to reading it. I am so behind these past few weeks! Now this one is totally different from my normal Sci-fi/paranormal stuff.

Summary:The local Westchester police turn to One Police Plaza when a high profile murder lands in their backyard. Captain Sam Jefferies takes the case and assigns it to two ex-police detectives turned private investigators. Kevin Whitehouse possesses a keen analytical mind necessary for deconstructing especially challenging cases, while his partner David Allerton functions as the embodiment of the skills he honed from his Special Forces–Army Rangers training. Margaret Alexander, Kevin’s feisty yet nurturing lover, enhances the duo’s investigative powers with her own unique perspective on their case. The murder leads the two detectives into the glitzy and tawdry side of Manhattan’s nightlife, encountering both the guilty and the innocent as they follow the leads that bring them to the brink of madness and despair—as well as test the limits of friendship and loyalty. 


My take:
This was one of those times I was torn with the rating. On the one hand I think the story line itself was good. The characters were interesting and had some depth. The author has done some research to give the police qwork an accurate feel. Kind of like watching Law and order, only edgier. My only trouble was with the whole snow bunnies thing. Over and over. I don't know why it bugged me but it did. Maybe it was just that the copish talk felt forced. But either way if you enjoy the old style PI novels I think you will like this one.