First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Originally reviewed 2/3/11

Synopsis: Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else
                                    entirely.

My Thoughts: The first book in what I hope is a long running series. Darynda Jones has put a new twist on the paranormal genre by having her main character, Charley Davidson, as the Grim Reaper. She's sassy and funny with a touch of ADD. At times I did feel that there were too many little sub-plots going on (a LOT happened in this first book!), but I didn't have trouble following along. I'm really excited about this "series" and can't wait to see what kind of trouble Charley can get into next book!

The Unsung Hero - Suzanne Brockmann

Synopsis:

After a near-fatal head injury, navy SEAL lieutenant Tom Paoletti catches a terrifying glimpse of an international terrorist in his New England hometown. When he calls for help, the navy dismisses the danger as injury-induced imaginings. In a desperate, last-ditch effort to prevent disaster, Tom creates his own makeshift counterterrorist team, assembling his most loyal officers, two elderly war veterans, a couple of misfit teenagers, and Dr. Kelly Ashton-the sweet "girl next door" who has grown into a remarkable woman. The town's infamous bad boy, Tom has always longed for Kelly. Now he has one final chance for happiness, one last chance to win her heart, and one desperate chance to save the day . . .

My Thoughts:

Usually when it comes to books labeled as romance, I tend to stick with the paranormal variety. However, I have a couple of good friends who continually have recommended this author and this series to me, which I would tend to call romantic suspense, so I decided to give it a try.

I absolutely loved this book! I thought the story was pretty interesting, and the characters were wonderful. I really enjoyed how Brockmann had the love story going on with Tom and Kelly, as well as you find out about their fathers' times in the war and a love triangle that was going on there. All this time, there is the story of Tom trying to capture this terrorist in his hometown, and getting the backing from is superior officers.

Rating: A-

Undead and Unwed - Mary Janice Davidson

Synopsis:

First Betsy Taylor loses her job, then she's killed in a car accident. But what really bites is that she can't seem to stay dead. And now her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious power-hungry vampire in five centuries.

My Thoughts:

Poor Betsy! First she is attacked in an alley by some nasty people (if you could call them that) that aren't that familiar with soap and water. Then she gets hit by a truck, thrown into a tree and dies. Then she wakes up only to realize that her horrible stepmother stole all her designer shoes, and oh yeah - she's now the undead.

In my opinion, this is the ultimate humorous chick-lit paranormal! My favorite parts where the times that she continually tried to kill herself and be really dead, instead of undead or in-between. I also loved that fact that to get her involved with overthrowing the bad vampire, her friends bribed her with designer shoes!

I'm looking foward to reading more in this funny series!

Rating: A-

Naked in Death - J.D. Robb

Synopsis:

It is 2058. New York cop Eve Dallas doesn't have to confront gun crime anymore, no one does. Guns are simply relics. She is assisted in detection by instant communications and probability predictions from the all-pervasive computer network. But this latest homicide is an old-fashioned crime in many ways. Sharon DeBlass is a high-class hooker from a wealthy, powerful family. Her brutal, possibly sexually motivated shooting sends shockwaves through her family, the upper echelons of political society and police headquarters. From the note under her body, it seems that a serial killer with a penchant for antique weaponry and a grudge against prostitutes is on the loose. The killer gets uncomfortably close to Eve Dallas as she pieces together his identity, flying in the face of authority and risking her career. Naked in Death introduces the reader to Dallas: a fascinating heroine, complex and vulnerable, a great detective with an aeroplane hold full of baggage. In the course of this murder investigation she meets Roarke, a charming self-made billionaire, and passions are stirred.

My Thoughts:

I really loved this book! I thought it was a solid introduction to Eve Dallas and Roarke, with a good mystery/thriller story line that kept me guessing for most of the book. I thought that Robb did a great job of mixing mystery and crime with a start of a great romance that didn't feel forced, but really moved the story along. I'm looking foward to reading more in this series, and I know I have a lot more ahead of me, considering that there are about 35 books in this series :)

Rating: B+

Once Bitten, Twice Shy - Jennifer Rardin

Synopsis:
I'm Jaz Parks. My boss is Vayl, born in Romania in 1744. Died there too, at the hand of his vampire wife, Liliana. But that's ancient history. For the moment Vayl works for the C.I.A. doing what he does best--assassination. And I help. You could say I'm an Assistant Assassin. But then I'd have to kick your ass. Our current assignment seemed easy. Get close to a Miami plastic surgeon named Assan, a charmer with ties to terrorism that run deeper than a buried body. Find out what he's meeting with that can help him and his comrades bring America to her knees. And then close his beady little eyes forever. Why is it that nothing's ever as easy as it seems?

My Thoughts:
I absolutely love Jaz Parks! She's a no-nonsense smart ass :) The characters were well developed, the story line was good and kept me interested through the whole thing. There's a lot of action, a conspiracy, and some humor. I always say this, but I'm really looking foward to reading more in this series to see what happens with Jaz and Vayl!

Rating: A-

Fantasy Lover - Sherrilyn Kenyon

 

Synopsis:
Dear Reader, Being trapped in a bedroom with a woman is a grand thing. Being trapped in hundreds of bedrooms over two thousand years isn't. And being cursed into a book as a love-slave for eternity can ruin even a Spartan warrior's day. As a love-slave, I knew everything about women. How to touch them, how to savor them, and most of all how to pleasure them. But when I was summoned to fulfill Grace Alexander's sexual fantasies, I found the first woman in history who saw me as a man with a tormented past. She, alone, bothered to take me out of the bedroom and into the world. She taught me to love again. But I was not born to know love. I was cursed to walk eternity alone. As a general, I had long ago accepted my sentence. Yet now I have found Grace-the one thing my wounded heart cannot survive without. Sure, love can heal all wounds, but can it break a two thousand year old curse? Julian of Macedon

My Thoughts:
I really thought this was a nice introduction into Sherrilyn Kenyon's series. Personally, I felt the story started a little slow, and was more of a romance than a paranormal that everyone was telling me this series is. Luckily about halfway through, it really picked up for me. That's where Kenyon really started to mix the Greek Mythology in with the present day, and started to get really interesting. Having read the second book in this series, I can say that it definitely picks up from this one and is more entertaining. Fantasy Lover was a nice, but not great, introduction to this series.

Rating: B-

Dead Witch Walking - Kim Harrison

 

Synopsis:
All the creatures of the night gather in "the Hollows" of Cincinnatie, to hide, to prowl, to party...and to feed.
Vampires rule the darkness in a predator-eat-predator world rife with dangers beyond imagining - and it's RAchel Morgan's job to keep that world civilized.
A bounty hunter and witch with serious sex appeal and an attitude, she'll bring 'em back alive, dead...or undead.

My Thoughts:
This is my first Kim Harrison book and I absolutely loved it. I thought the world she creates is fantastic, and am excited to see how that evolves. I also loved the characters and their interaction with one another (my personal favorite being the fiesty pixie, Jenks). I thought the story was intersting with touches of humor here and there, and definitely left some things open for the next book. I'm really looking foward to reading more in this series!

Rating: A

Jacob - Jacquelyn Frank

 

Synopsis:
Since time began, there have been Nightwalkers - the races of the night who live in the shadows of the moonlight. Love with humans is absolutely forbidden, and one man makes certain to uphold this ancient law: Jacob, the Enforcer...
FOR 700 YEARS, HE HAS RESISTED TEMPTATION.BUT NOT TONIGHT...Jacob knows the excuses his people give when the madness overtakes them and they fall prey to their lust for humans. He's heard every one and still brought the trespassers to justice. Immune to forbidden desires, uncontrollable hungers, or the curse of the moon, his control is total...until the moment he sees Isabella on a shadowy New York City street. Saving her life wasn't in his plans. Nor were the overwhelming feelings she arouses in him. But the moment he holds her in his arms and feels the soft explosion of her body against his, everything changes. Their attraction is undeniable, volatile, and completely against the law. Suddenly everything Jacob has ever believed is inflamed by the heat of desire...

My Thoughts:
Yes, this is a paranormal romance, but it's so much more than what the synopsis says! Jacob is the Enforcer of the Demon race, making sure that demon kind do nothing to harm humans. Not only does Jacob have to do this job, along with trying to deny the fact that he himself is falling in love with a human, but there are also demons who have been 'summoned' and turned into horrible creatures, of which he must hunt down and kill. He also must find the human necromancers who are summoning these gentle, kind demons and turning them into the most horrible monsters ever.
This is such a fast paced book with a lot of action and a lot of romance. I love the world Jacquelyn Frank has built with this story. I've been recommending this to anyone who likes the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J.R. Ward.

Rating: A+

Guilty Pleasures - Laurell K. Hamilton

Synopsis:
Anita Blake may be small and young, but vampires call her the Executioner. Anita is a necromancer and vampire hunter in a time when vampires are protected by law--as long as they don't get too nasty. Now someone's killing innocent vampires and Anita agrees--with a bit of vampiric arm-twisting--to help figure out who and why.
Trust is a luxury Anita can't afford when her allies aren't human. The city's most powerful vampire, Nikolaos, is 1,000 years old and looks like a 10-year-old girl. The second most powerful vampire, Jean-Claude, is interested in more than just Anita's professional talents, but the feisty necromancer isn't playing along--yet. This popular series has a wild energy and humor, and some very appealing characters--both dead and alive.

My Thoughts:
A nice introduction to the Anita Blake Series. I have been reading a bit of paranormal romance lately, and I was suprised that this read more like a detective story involving paranormal creatures. Anita Blake is a tough lady that can definitely hold her own with the boys (and the vampires, zombies, and ghouls!) I'm anxious to see what my reaction is to Hamilton's newer books in the series, because there is so much controversy surrounding them, and I wonder what side of the fence I'm gonna be on :)

Rating: A

Witchling - Yasmine Galenorn

Synopsis:

The first in an engrossing new series about conflict in the magic modern world—as told by the half-human, half-Faerie D'Artigo sisters—is a whimsical reminder of fantasy's importance in everyday life. Narrator Camille is a good witch with unpredictable powers who runs a Seattle bookstore while working as an Otherworld Intelligence operative, sent Earthside to keep an eye on things. When an operative from the Wayfaerer, a human/Faerie hangout, is killed, Camille springs into action with her sisters Delilah, a werecat, and Menolly, a freshly minted vampire. Tracing the murder back to evil demon leader Shadow Wing, the sisters find evidence of a far-reaching plot, but the Otherworld Intelligence Agency offers no help, stifled by bureaucratic red tape and a nasty Otherworld battle.


My Thoughts:
I love the spin that Galenorn puts on these girls: They each have their own talent (Menolly's a Vampire, Delilah's a Were, and Camille is a Witch), and all three are half human and half faerie. Because of their mixed blood their magic tends to short circut ocassionaly, which really add an element of humor to a darker story line.

There is a lot going on in this story, from the demons coming earthside, to a battle that's brewing in the Other World. With all the different plot lines that are going on, it does make the book a bit confusing at times, but it also makes for a very fast read. I think this was a great start to the series, you get to know a lot of background information, as well as getting to know the sisters better. It was a really nice blend of paranormal, action, mystery and romance!

Rating: B+

Tempting Danger - Eileen Wilks

 

Synopsis:

Lily Yu is a San Diego police detective investigating a series of grisly murders that appear to be the work of a werewolf. To hunt down the killer, she must infiltrate the clans. Only one man can help her - a werewolf named Rule Turner, a prince of the lupi, whose charismatic presence disturbs Lily. Rule has his own reasons for helping the investigation - reasons he doesn't want to share with Lily. Logic and honor demand she keep her distance, but the attraction between them is immediate and devastating - and beyond human reason. Now in a race to fend off evil, Lily finds herself in uncharted territory, tested as never before, and, at her back, a man she's not sure she can trust.

My Thoughts:

An excellent start to a series!! This was such a fast paced and intense story that it definitely held my attention. There is a lot of paranormal and magic in this story along with some great characters - my personal favorite is Grandmother Yu; I really hope they do more with her character in future books. Even though this is categorized as a "paranormal romance" I consider it to be more of a paranormal murder/mystery.

My one complaint about the book was that the big battle at the end was very anticlimactic. The battle starts and then cuts away to a time period later where everyone is recovering, and Lily explains what happened at the battle. I was disappointed, but I thought it was done well, and didn't upset me too much.

Rating: B+

Dark Prince - Christine Feehan

Synopsis:

Raven Whitney, a telepathic hunter of serial killers, travels to the Carpathian Mountains for a little rest, hears telepathically Mikhail Dubrinsky's cries of loneliness and answers, only to find she is his life mate. Dubrinsky, Prince of the Carpathians, enchants Raven, while fending off a group of vampire killers who are attacking Carpathians.

My Thoughts:

I thought this book started a bit slow, but I think that's partly due to the fact that this is the first book in the series. Feehan really takes time to explain The Carpathians (basically they are 'good' vampires), as well as a bit of their history and customs. I thought this was a really nice set up for the series, and you meet some more Carpathians that have their own story on down the line. Despite the fact that it was a slow start, it did definitely pick up towards the middle, and the action and romance in the book really made the rest of the story fly by. As with a majority of paranormals, this one is definitely intense as well as dark.

Rating: B+

Twilight - Stephenie Meyer

Synopsis:
Bella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Bella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Bella, the person Edward holds most dear.

My Thoughts:
First, the good news - I enjoyed the plot. Bella moves to a crappy little town and meets a gorgeous boy, Edward, who turns out to be a vampire. She wants to be with him, and he wants to be with her, but that puts Bella in danger in more ways than one. I can see why so many teenagers like this book (and so many girls) :). I also really enjoyed Stephenie Meyer's writing in the sense that it is so fluid. It's one of those books that I pick up and in no time I've read 100 pages just because the writing flows so well.
Now the bad news - the combination of the character Bella and the book being told in first person narrative drove me up the wall! Maybe if the story would have been told from third person, I would have enjoyed it more, but who knows. I usually don't have too much of a problem with reading first person narratives, but all of Bella's internal dialogue was too much like a junior high student to me...yes, I know she is in high school, and at that age everyone pretty much only thinks about the opposite sex, but it just made her seem really shallow and mundane.
Bella got on my nerves so much, I haven't been able to pick up the next book, but with much coaxing from friends who are addicted to the series, I have a copy on hold at the library. If I'm that annoyed with Bella after New Moon, I'm giving up on the series, and waiting to watch the movies.

Rating: C

Dead Until Dark - Charlaine Harris

 

Originally Reviewed July 30, 2008:

A great start to a series I'm excited to continue with. This book has humor and suspense, a good romance, and a great mystery. I thought it started off slow, but as you get to know the characters it definitely picks up. I love the main character, Sookie Stackhouse, and her 'gift' of being able to read people's minds which is both a blessing and a curse. I've heard that later books in the series are even more exciting, and am anxious to continue on with this series!

Rating: B

Dark Lover - J.R. Ward

 

Originally Reviewed May 13, 2008:

At first I thought the book was kind of corny, with vampires with names like Wrath, Phury, Rhage, Zsadist, and Vishious! But as the story went on, the more I was drawn in. JR Ward writes a really good vampire novel with a lot of romance, and enough suspense to keep me hanging on! Can't wait to start on the next one in the series.

June 22, 2009:

This has quickly become one of my favorite series! Ward creates such a great society with the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and I continually look foward to more books from her!

Rating: A

Tempting the Beast by Lora Leigh

 

Originally reviewed 6/21/09

Description:
Callan Lyons is a genetic experiment. One of six fighting for freedom and the survival of their Pride. Merinus Tyler is the reporter who will tempt him, draw him, until the fury of the “mating frenzy” locks them into a battle of sexual heat there is no escape from.
Deception, blood, and the evil Genetics Council are hot on their trail. Callan will use his strength to try and save them both…and do all in his power to keep his woman in the process.

My Thoughts:
First of all, this is one of the hottest books I've ever read! I would say it definitely crosses over from the "normal" steamy paranormal romances I read into erotica. The sex scenes were ver explicit, and there were many of them, but I think in this case it really added to the story. You got more of a sense of what the characters were going through in their "mating frenzy". Even if you were to take out the sex of this book, it was a really good story! Scientists have fused feline DNA with that of humans. These hybrids have been put through hell from experiments and tests and training, and they have escaped and are hiding from those that hunt them. I'm really looking foward to read the next book and finding out what happenes to the Pride.

Rating B+

Dies the Fire by S.M. Stirling

 

Originally reviewed 6/14/09

Description:
What is the foundation of our civilization? asks Stirling (Conquistador) in this rousing tale of the aftermath of an uncanny event, "the Change," that renders electronics and explosives (including firearms) inoperative. As American society disintegrates, without either a government able to maintain order or an economy capable of sustaining a large population, most of the world dies off from a combination of famine, plague, brigandage and just plain bad luck. The survivors are those who adapt most quickly, either by making it to the country and growing their own crops—or by taking those crops from others by force. Chief among the latter is a former professor of medieval history with visions of empire, who sends bicycling hordes of street thugs into the countryside. Those opposing him include an ex-Marine bush pilot, who teams up with a Texas horse wrangler and a teenage Tolkien fanatic to create something very much like the Riders of Rohan.

My Thoughts:

My boyfriend really got into this series and recommended this to me, and I'm so glad I picked it up. It does start slow, but that's mainly because you are learning about the characters and learning about "the Change" and how it is effecting everyone. The story mainly centers on two different people, and how each of them work to protect and feed themselves, their friends, and their family. Really interesting and I'm looking foward to reading more!

Rating: B+

Blue Moon by Lori Handeland

 

Originally Reviewed 6/14/09

Description:
No-nonsense Jessie has never believed in magic or other supernatural "woo woo," but when she sees schoolteacher Karen Larson turn rabid in the classroom and attempt to bite one of her students shortly after being bitten by a wolf herself, she begins to realize that the world is not just black and white but "a host of annoying shades of gray." Before long, she's tramping through the forest with a self-professed werewolf hunter by her side and lusty thoughts of gorgeous professor Will Cadote, an expert in Native American mythology, racing through her mind. The enigmatic professor may be able to help Jessie figure out why the onyx wolf totem she found on the road near where Karen was bitten is so important, but it's possible he may be a werewolf himself.

My Thoughts:

I thought the story started off a bit slow, but it did certainly pick up about a third of the way into it. Handeland does a really good job of mixing mystery with paranormal romance in this story, which I think is what made it so intriguing. I'm really looking foward to reading the next in the series.

Rating: B+

A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony

Orginally reviewed 5/19/09

Description:
The book's young hero, Bink, is without magical powers in a world ruled entirely by magic. Worse still, if he doesn't discover his own magical talent soon, he will be forever banished from his homeland. Naturally, it takes an epic quest for Bink to learn what his unique talent truly is--and perhaps to win the girl of his dreams as well.

My Thoughts:A fun fantasy read which focuses on Bink and his journey to find the Good Magician Humphrey to find out what his magic is. This book is jammed pack with almost any kind of magic and magical beings you can think of. The story has a little bit of everything really: humor, adventure, fantasy, coming of age story. I'm really looking foward to reading the next in this long series.

Rating: B+

Bitten by Kelley Armstrong

 

Originally reviewed 5/14/09

Description: Elena is a werewolf the only female werewolf in the world. Betrayed by Clay, her former lover, who bit her while in his werewolf form, she is now resigned to a life of secret changes while attempting to remain in human society. Meanwhile, the power of the Pack and her deep-seated ties to Clay continually press on her, preventing a true commitment to her human lover. When the Pack Alpha calls her to help rout a band of murderous "mutts" (werewolves not affiliated with the Pack), Elena reluctantly becomes the animal she has fought so long to suppress. First novelist Armstrong presents true werewolves as those who follow Pack law and don't kill for pleasure. Changing into a werewolf becomes an act of nature, as does ripping mutts to shreds for threatening the Pack. Elena's struggle with her wolf nature and her love for two men is caught up in the werewolves' fight for dominance and territory.

My Thoughts:
I really got into this book! It's full of action and some love scenes. I love Armstrong's take on werewolves, and how they take care of each other in the pack. The mutts are causing problems in this book, and Elena Michaels must come back to her old home to help her pack and stop the mutts from killing more people. Awesome book, and I can't wait to read more in this series.

Rating: A