{Review} The Alchemist and an Amaretto by Annette Marie

The Alchemist and an Amaretto by Annette Marie
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
GENRE: Paranormal
THEME: Werewolves, Mages, Fae

The Alchemist and an Amaretto (The Guild Codex: Spellbound, #5)

by Annette Marie

4.48 · 703 Ratings · 117 Reviews

BLURB:

As a guild bartender, I can handle pretty much anything--mages, sorcerers, witches, the occasional demon. But show me anything family-related and I'd rather run for the hills. It doesn't even have to be my family.

So I have no idea why I thought spending the holidays with Aaron's mom and pop was a good idea.

Meeting his famous parents is already terrifying enough, but I've got a bigger problem. Students of his family's renowned mage academy are being attacked on the grounds--and somehow no one has seen a single assailant? Unexplained tracks litter the nearby woods, rumors of forbidden alchemy are circulating the campus...and Ezra has been acting strangely since we arrived.

Something deadly is brewing in the shadow of Sinclair Academy, and the longer we take to uncover it, the more dangerous it becomes. But no matter the risk, we'll protect the students.

And Aaron's parents too, I suppose. If we have to.

REVIEW:

EZRA!!! I love this guy so freaking much! This book was all his, I swear so much else goes on but my heart and all the feels just keeping coming back to this poor guy. Give him some love Marie!

Anywho this book follows our favorite trio of Mage with Tori to Aarons family home and academy. Along with Sin, Tori is mesmerized by the Sinclairs castle, yes its a castle. The students and staff are prudish and Tori must hold back as much as she can so that she doesn't punch a kid in the face. But the snobbishness isn't the only problem, there are beast scaring and attacking people around the castle and when one of their own is threatened Trio and the gang get ready for battle one of their strongest foes.

There was so much I loved about this book, this series is one of my top three favorite paranormal series to date. I love the sass of Tori, the girl power bffness with her and Sin. How much the friendship Aaron, Kai and Eza mean to each other, these guys will do anything to protect strangers but each other they will go through hell and back. Plus those boys adore Tori to pieces, friend goals!! I liked seeing more about how much Aaron has grown, how his family always seems to trigger something in him. The team works together to fight his "demons" and Ezras. But what captured me the most about this book was Ezra, Marie is getting deep into his demon side this time around and also showing the connection he and Tori have. I'm a big shipper for this two, I have wanted them together since the beginning so I'm holding out hope for these two.

The big bads are crazy dangerous and I felt were even scarier that the demons and crazy mages they have fought. I liked the plot twist and the scary moment the group has because, boy the close calls had me cleaning on the my kindle hard. It's all action packed, family drama and friendship goodness. I can't wait for the next one, I need me some more Ezra!

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{Review} of Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs

Fire Touched by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Shifters, Werewolves, Fae, Romance
RECEIVED: Publisher

BLURB:

Tensions between the fae and humans are coming to a head. And when coyote shapeshifter Mercy and her Alpha werewolf mate, Adam, are called upon to stop a rampaging troll, they find themselves with something that could be used to make the fae back down and forestall out-and-out war: a human child stolen long ago by the fae.

Defying the most powerful werewolf in the country, the humans, and the fae, Mercy, Adam, and their pack choose to protect the boy no matter what the cost. But who will protect them from a boy who is fire touched?

REVIEW:

Briggs seems to always know what I’m looking for in her Mercy Thompson series, as this urban fantasy is the one that I’ve stuck with from the beginning for a very good reason. The reason? It’s not just the fantastic writing, it’s the characters, they have progressed so much, they have been challenged, heartbroken, loved and lost through the nine books and they just keep getting stronger and better with each one.

Fire Touched continues from with the tension between the fae, but this time the fae puts lives in danger whom mercy and her husbands pack are sworn to protect. After a troll rampages on a bridge, putting human lives in danger, Mercy and her pack risk their lives to stop it. Luckily working together and getting help from old friend Zee and his son Tad, they are able to stop it. But with their reappearance from the fae world, they brought along a young boy who is anything but young and human. Aiden is fire touched and can help the packs newest member control his fire beast. But the fae want Aiden and Mercy makes a oath for protecting those in need, which causes a big stir among the paranormals.

Mercy is her usual bad ass self, devoted to her husband and pack and always wanting to help those in need. But she puts herself in a bit of a pickle by declaring safety for those in need in the paranormal world, which causes the Marrok to cut ties with Adams pack. It also puts a big target on their heads. Mercy has to deal with a lot of fae drama, which brought back zee and Tad whom I love. Zee is a stubborn old fae, and his interaction with Mercy are always classic, it reminds me of the first few books with Mercy working in the shop.

This book is super heavy on the fae war, the pack has to deal with the backlash of Mercy’s declaration, which introduces a ton of new and familiar faes. I loved the Adam and Mercy moments that we did get, especially when Jesse’s friend brings her mother to their house and tries to sell Mercy oils. There is a hilarious moment with an oil that’s suppose to help in the bedroom, of course the whole pack can hear their conversation and Adam thinks its hilarious. Obviously Mercy and Adam don’t need help in the bedroom.

Anyways the main focus is the pack and Mercy protecting Aiden, who was once human but was taken by fae and changed. He has a unique ability with fire. Along the way the meet some interesting Gray Lords and a very powerful female fae who doesn’t want to join her people in their war. I enjoyed the move forward with the fae and I’m super interested to see how the pack does now that they have been separated from the Marrok. If he will take them back or now that the pack as a few non werewolves in it, does this add a new dynamic to the meaning of packs. I cant wait to see what happens next with Mercy. As always I’m never disappointed and wish this book never ended.

Thank you to ACE publishing for sending me a copy to read and review.

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{Review} of Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Werewolves, Fae, Romance
RECEIVED: NetGalley

BLURB:

For once, mated werewolves Charles and Anna are not traveling because of Charles’s role as his father’s enforcer. This time, their trip to Arizona is purely personal, as Charles plans to buy Anna a horse for her birthday. Or at least it starts out that way...

Charles and Anna soon discover that a dangerous Fae being is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up—and Charles and Anna are in the cross fire.

REVIEW:

I love stepping into Patricia Briggs’ magical world of werewolves, vampires, fae and all paranormal creatures alike. When I was first introduced to Anna and Charles I loved how different this pair was to Adam and Mercy. Charles is far older, wiser and a lot more broken, as Anna is his strength in keeping him collected as well as she is still learning about her unique ability. They have grown so much together since Charles found Anna, their bond and ability to adapt to dangerous situations makes them an unstoppable duo.

Dead Heat follows Charles and Anna to Arizona, where Charles wants to introduce his wife to an old friend whose old age is taking its toll, as well as pick out a horse for her birthday. While they are visiting Charles’ friend’s family, a Fae who has injured and targeted children threatens them. Charles will do anything to help his friend and stop the Fae who seem to be taking things into their own hands.

Anna as always is a calm collected and strong woman, she is always supportive of her mate but is a powerful omega in her own right. I’ve enjoyed seeing her grow stronger from the terrible situation she was in from her old pact. I love how Charles cherishes her, Brother Wolf too listens and is always ready to protect Anna. It was nice to see her learn more about her mate, he has lived lifetimes compared to her, met so many people and lost just as many. Meeting Charles’ friend Joseph and his family shows her another side of him, his love for horses and people who helped him grow.

Charles has always been a bit of a mystery to me, his magic, Brother Wolf and closed of demeanor has always intrigued me to know more about him. I loved seeing a different and more cheerful side to him; even though his friend only had a few more days left they shared such great memories while he was there. The readers will be thrilled to get some flashback stories and seeing Charles use his magic.

Overall I loved the continued development behind the fae danger. Since the fae went into “hiding” after everything that happened its been tense. I know something is building up and Charles and Anna know that the threat that they took on in Arizona is only the beginning. It was great to see the growth of Anna and Charles bond and it was sweet of Charles to show her a bit of his past and enjoy their love for horses together. I cant wait to see what they will have to overcome next.

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{Review} of Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs

Shifting Shadows: Stories from the World of Mercy Thompson by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Werewolves, Fae, Vampires, Ghost
RECEIVED: Publisher

BLURB:

Mercy Thompson’s world just got a whole lot bigger…

A collection of all-new and previously published short stories featuring Mercy Thompson, “one of the best heroines in the urban fantasy genre today” (Fiction Vixen Book Reviews), and the characters she calls friends…

Includes the new stories…
“Silver”
“Roses in Winter”
“Redemption”
“Hollow”

…and reader favorites
“Fairy Gifts”
“Gray”
“Alpha and Omega”
“Seeing Eye”
“The Star of David”
“In Red, with Pearls”

REVIEW:

The Mercy world is one I love to step into whenever I get the chance, I cant even count how many times I’ve re-read the series because I love it so much. Patricia Briggs knows what her fans enjoy and in this short story set Briggs takes her readers into the lives of some of our favorite secondary characters, Samuel, Bran, Asil and my all time favorite, Ben. Plus a Mercy story with Mercy and Adam! I also loved re-reading older short story favorites that I haven’t read in a while and I was actually quite happy that Alpha and Omega was in this because I hadn’t read that one. (Loved it!)

Since some of these were already published I’ll talk about the ones that are brand new and seriously were awesome! I’m never disappointed and always love to know more about everyone in the Mercy world.

Silver is a story about Brand and Samuel, it follows their lives from when they became werewolves and it was not a good or easy life for either of them. I loved seeing so many interactions between Bran and his son, they are dealt with a hard blow when Brans mother turns them into monsters. I have to say Brans mother is intense and quite terrifying. She makes them live a life which she controls and it actually has them end up meeting Ariana, whom if you have read the Mercy books you know how important she is. In the end the readers will be thrilled to know the background story of Bran and Samuel, as well as how Ariana grew up and tough life too. Such an emotional story however, so be prepared for one heck of a journey.

Roses in Winter was fantastic, I ladored Asil and was so very curious about Kara, the youngest werewolf. Kara is such a unique case, being so young she has to grow up fast and Asil is the only one who can help her. I loved Asil in the story; he is old, wise and someone not to mess with. He also has a big heart when it comes to Kara and he helps Bran with patients and understanding when it comes to someone like her. Anyone who enjoyed Asil before will go crazy over this story.

Redemption was actually hilarious to me because I work for a computer and design company, so I loved the office banter. But mostly because Ben is such an angry fellow and totally a good guy at the same time, it was fun too see him in his computer techy setting. Ben is shown outside the pack, an office environment surrounded by humans whom he gets irritated with very quickly. He actually stands up for his offices’ secretary who is being harassed by her boss, but doesn’t really do it with grace. It was great to see how he handles the office staff and how he has a lot of alpha in him.

Hollow is all Mercy and of course she’s at her best. This story takes place after Night Broken so we all know Mercy has gone through a lot. In this story Mercy is approached by a woman who is in need of getting rid of a Ghost, who is haunted her boss and love. But this isn’t any normal ghost and Mercy who is still a bit injured is going to take on more than she should. Of course we get some awesome banter and I liked getting to know the new wolf Zack. But the murder mystery of the man Mercy is help was actually really cool and creepy. Of course I wont forget the readers do get some Adam in the mix, as he isn’t too far when Mercy gets herself in trouble.

Overall this was a fantastic bundle of new and old stories, it’s a mix of all the characters the fans have grown to love over the years. But the best part is being able to see the characters in a different setting as well as some background. Also I loved the outtakes from other books in the series, it was nice to see what happened in parts of the stories where I felt I wanted to know more. If you’re a Mercy fan you’ll love this and you should have this in your collection. If you’re new to Mercy, it’s a bit harder to understand but you’ll still get sucked into this series and should start it!

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{Review} of Fire Kin by M.J. Scott

Fire Kin by M.J. Scott
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Fae, Magic, Werewolves
RECEIVED: Publisher

BLURB:

Imagine a city divided…a city readying itself for a war. The vampire Blood and the shape-shifting Beast Kind seek to seize control now that the treaty is broken. Only the humans stand in their way…but they stand without their Fae allies…and they desperately need help....

I chose to stay with the humans when the Fae withdrew from the City. I am a healer, and they need me. I know the odds are against them. I know they need reinforcements. But I never expected them to turn and seek aid from the depths of my past. Asharic is a powerful Fae, exiled by the Veiled Queen thirty years ago. Leaving me behind. But now the queen is dead and the throne is vacant, and Ash is returning to the City—my City—with his mercenary army.

It would be false to deny that there is still a spark between us, but I will not be taken in again. And I’m not the only one disturbed by his return. A Blood lord is poised to conquer the Half-Light City, and other enemies new and old are gathering to eliminate the threat Ash poses. To save the City, we will have to join forces. And pray we’re not the ones who burn…

REVIEW:

It’s been way too long since I got sucked back into the world of The Half-light City. I adored the first and second and missed the third, but since I did read the first two I wasn’t lost at all stepping into the fourth book in the series. The whole gang is back, my two favorite boys Guy and Simon, along with their kick butt ladies are back in action. But this time the plot focuses on the death of the fae queen and the possibility of vampires and werewolves taking over control. The new couple in focus is Asharic an exiled fae and the healer Bryony.

Fire Kin follows right where the third book left off, which helped me understand what happened in the third that I missed. It follows Asharic a powerful fae who can now return to the City since the queen’s death. Byrony and Asharic have a long history and with him being back tension rises between the two. But Asharic wont give up on Bryony and knows that there is a connection and no matter how much she denies it, they belong together. With a war on the verge or coming to the city they must work together with the fae and templar knights to stop the vampires and werewolves from taking over once and for all.

Bryony is passionate about helping others and is not at all happy to have Asharic back in her life. I had a hard time with Bryony’s character, as she was a little too stubborn and pushy for my liking. It frustrated me when she pushed Asharic into doing something he never wanted in the first place. However M.J. Scott knows how to make her female characters strong and always on the verge of sacrificing their happiness, it just went to show Bryony was only thinking of the city and not love.

Asharic was fantastic; he is a warrior and has a good head on his shoulders, which helps the Templar Knights plan how to stop their enemies. His background was fascinating, he is also so very powerful, but doesn’t seem to care much about it as he only wants to help and get Bryony back into his life. I love his persona of passion and charm, frustrating Bryony to not ends, which makes her cave at some points. In the end he has to make a tough decision that I made me love him even more.

Overall I loved coming back into this world; there is always so much excitement and danger that I never know what going to happen. It was also great seeing how the characters from the other books are progressing. I’m definitely going to step back and read book three now that I’m all caught up, the last duo had a lot happened to them. Again this is one Urban Fantasy series that I will continue to come back too and look forward to seeing where Scott takes them next.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is an adult novel with some violence and adult situations. Fans of authors Christina Henry of the Madeline Black series and Keri Arthur of the Dark Angels series will love The Half-Light City series Blood Kin by M.J. Scott.

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{Review} of Night Broken by Patricia Briggs

Night Broken by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Werewolves, Romance, Vampires, and Fae
RECEIVED: Publisher

BLURB:

An unexpected phone call heralds a new challenge for Mercy. Her mate Adam’s ex-wife is in trouble, on the run from her new boyfriend. Adam isn’t the kind of man to turn away a person in need—and Mercy knows it. But with Christy holed up in Adam’s house, Mercy can’t shake the feeling that something about the situation isn’t right.

Soon, her suspicions are confirmed when she learns that Christy has the farthest thing from good intentions. She wants Adam back and she’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen, including turning Adam’s pack against Mercy.

Mercy isn’t about to step down without a fight, but there’s a more dangerous threat circling. Christy’s ex is more than a bad man—in fact, he may not be human at all. As the bodies start piling up, Mercy must put her personal troubles aside to face a creature with the power to tear her whole world apart.

REVIEW:

A series that gets better and better as it goes on, Briggs once again knows how to keep her readers hooked. I’m such a huge fan of the Mercy Thompson and Alpha Omega series; the characters are so widely developed and no matter what always stick to their true self in each book. What I love most is that Briggs’ lead character Mercy has grown in each book, her life is a constant change but she sticks to her instincts and I can always count on her character to never lose her persona.

Night Broken follows Mercy Thompson and the pack having to deal with the trouble that Adams ex has brought with her. Christy, Adams ex and Jesse’s mother has a stalker and it isn’t a normal kind of stalker, it’s a god and he’s not too happy. This brings a lot of drama to the pack and Mercy needs to keep calm with Christy manipulative presence putting a strain in the already tense pack. But Mercy and Adam have to now deal with the god and all the chaos that comes with him.

Mercy is a character that never lets me down, she is a constant strength and Briggs always knows how to bring the best out of her. She is dealt with a lot of low blows from Adams ex Christy, but she takes it with stride and some Mercy attitude of snark. We actually get a lot of goodies with Mercy’s interesting father Coyote and discover she has a half brother, Gary. Coyote of course is either helping or adding trouble in Mercy’s life, but in the end helps her immensely. I have a feeling Coyote knows what path Mercy is heading too and it’s frustrating at times because it feel like he’s messing with her. The readers do get some revelation to her lifeline and what it means to be a coyote shape-shifter. However I’m hoping that Briggs changes this not so fun surprise and twists it for a happier ending, I want a happy ending to this series (even if I never want it to end).

Adam, this man is such a patient and loving person. I’m so glad that Briggs brought Mercy and him together, their growing relationship and strength really make them such a fantastic couple. He adores his new wife and I love that he just gets her and understand the patients she is giving him, by having his ex barge into their lives. He also has to deal with her constant trouble streak; she always is in the wrong place and she never back down no matter the cost.

Overall this was a solid action packed plot line. The readers will get to see how their old favorites are doing like, Sam, Stefan, Tad, Warren and more of the awesome secondary characters that I have grown to love over the last eight books. The pack is still growing through their “growing” pains with Mercy and I’m happy to see some realizing that she is a good addition to their power and protection. As always Briggs brings all the right stuff with her fantastic writing, creative plot-line, always-welcomed humor and of course the ever growing Tri-Cities (home of the supernatural). I look forward to more Mercy and Adam, and can’t wait to see what challenges them next.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is Urban Fantasy novel and the eighth in the series, I recommend reading this series from the beginning. Fans of Jennifer Esteps’ Elemental Assassins series and Chloe Neills’ Chicagoland Vampire series will love Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs.

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{Review} of Past the Witching Hour by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

Past the Witching Hour by Joanna Mazurkiewicz
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Paranormal
THEME: Mature Romance, Mystery, and Vampires
RECEIVED: Publisher

BLURB:

Julia is determined to forget about her recent break up and just move on, but this doesn’t come easy when she have to deal with her ex-boyfriend’s company every day.

When her regional manager Rufus, asks her to attend a networking event she can’t wait to break the routine and just have some fun. The same night he disappears and Nathaniel La Caz who was supposed to be in Switzerland interrupts Julia’s sales pitch.

Yet again Julia can’t control her magic and Nathaniel insists that he wants her back. Her mind screams no, but the flames of desire are instantly rekindled.

Moreover her best friend Ella witnesses a terrible crime and becomes immune to the memory spell. Apart from dealing with kidnapping, knocking out rapists in the dark alley and just getting on with life itself Julia discovers that her regional manager had been kidnapped. The rival agency is ready to take over the contract with La Caz Corporation and Ella wants nothing to do with her.

Soon she is caught between the devil and the deep blue sea.

Can she find happiness with a half vampire when everyone else is against it?

REVIEW: 
After finishing the first in the Paranormal Personnel sage, I was dying to know the fate of Julie and Nathaniel’s relationship. The sequel digs deep into their relationship, challenging Nathaniel and having Julie question if an Elf can really be with a vampire.

Past the Witching Hour follows Julie a half elf and half human who is trying to move forward after her break up with Nathaniel La Caz, a vampire and Owner of La Caz Corporation. But after a terrible death at a company-networking event Nathaniel sneaks his way back into her life. But a relationship between a vampire and Elf is not heard of and they must face some pretty big challenges and dangers if they want to be together. Especially when Nathaniel’s enemy is waiting for the right moment and Julia’s best friend is having a break down, the duo can’t seem to catch a break.

Julia is a tough cookie who seems to just be in a rut of bad luck. After her boss Rufus goes missing Julia feels that she has to step in, her gilt about her relationship possibly causing his disappearance hit her hard. But that’s not her only problem, when her best friend Ella sees a crime of paranormal and she remembers everything. The strongest part of the story for me was the focus on Ella’s and Juila’s friendship, seeing if they could survive the truth and lies that Julia has had since they were young. I enjoyed seeing the human and paranormal interaction, I’m curious as to how Ella will move forward. .Julia’s character has grown so much since the first book as well, learning from mistake and doing her best to help people she cares the most for.

Nathaniel wasn’t my favorite this time around, I felt Julia was at her best when she was away from him. Even her grandmother realizes the dangers and sacrifices that Julia would have to make by being with him. But he doesn’t see what his heart is trying to tell him and that his mistake may lose him Julia forever. What I did love about him is we get more insight into his family, meeting his sister and his father pops in as well.

Overall, I enjoyed the mystery and friendship that was focused on in this book. There were some twist that had me guessing and I just hope that Julia can get through the next challenge that’s thrown at her. The only flaw I noted in this one compared to the first was more grammatical errors and the romance was not what I was hoping for. As I mentioned before the high points were Julia solving the big mystery, dealing with Ella and having to meet with her ex that just won’t go away. The ending was actually a plus for me as I feel that it was for the best, Mazurkiewicz really knows how to end her books with a tense and surprising tone.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is an adult novel with lots of sexual and adult content that is for mature readers 18+. Fans of Hannah Jayne’s Supernatural Detective Agency series and Phillipa Bornikova’s Linnet Ellery series will love Past Witching Hour by Joanna Mazurkiewicz.

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{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway} of Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown

Seeing Night Reviews is the next stop in the Darkness of Light/Fire in the Darkness tour by Stacey Marie Brown.

Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult
THEME: Paranormal, Romance, fae
RECEIVED: Tour


BLURB:

Freak. Witch. Crazy. Schizo.

Ember Brycin has been called them all. She’s always known she’s different. No one has ever called her normal, even under the best circumstances. Bizarre and inexplicable things continually happen to her, and having two different colored eyes, strange hair, and an unusual tattoo only contributes to the gossip about her.

When the latest school explosion lands her in a facility for trouble teens, she meets Eli Dragen, who’s hot as hell and darkly mysterious. Their connection is full of passion, danger, and secrets. Secrets that will not only change her life, but what and who she is—leading her down a path she never imagined possible.

Between Light and Dark, Ember finds a world where truth and knowledge are power and no one can be trusted. But her survival depends on finding out the truth about herself. In her pursuit, she is forced between love and destiny and good and evil, even when the differences between them aren’t always clear. At worst, she will incite a war that could destroy both worlds. At best, she will not only lose her heart but her life and everyone she loves. Once the truth is out, however, there will be no going back. And she’ll definitely wish she could.

REVIEW:

This is definitely a series I’m going to continue with, I enjoyed the dark aspects, mystery behind what magical world I was in and the tension in the romance was exactly what I was looking for in a new series. Brown created a dark world of fae, magic and a young woman who is discovering who and what she really is.

Darkness of Light follows Ember Brycin, an eighteen-year-old woman who’s never had any luck on her side. Ever since she can remember strange things happen around her, she doesn’t know why or how, but knows she is doing it. In her senior year she has been kicked out of her school and sent to a place for misunderstood young adults. Ember meets Eli, someone dark and mysterious and seems to know more about her than she’s comfortable with. Plus with her strange dreams of another man and a power she can’t control, Embers life is anything but normal and everything dangerous.

Ember is a cool girl; I’d most likely get along with her because of her tough personality and protective nature of her friends. She doesn’t back down and hates when people try to make others feel like their nothing. But her attitude and her strange ability to make bad things happen always end up getting her in trouble. Readers will easily connect to her character and root for her to finally find some happiness along with hoping she gets revenge on the people who were terrible to her. What I enjoyed most was her friendship with her stepfather and how they had a great bond and really looked out for each other. I’m use to mother daughter stories, so this was a nice change. Ember also has two love interests, one more present through out the book than the other, but I feel a love triangle coming in the next book.

Eli is the epitome of a bad boy, not just because he is in a biker club but also because his presence is always ready for a fight. He has a bad attitude and clashes with Ember on a daily basis, making for some great tension. His background is slowly unfolded, I still don’t know enough about him yet but I know enough to love this guy. No matter how frustrating he is in keeping secrets from Ember and the reader, I liked how he usually went against everything he stood for to help her.

Overall this was a great start to this series; I was constantly wondering what paranormal world I was stepping into. I figure it was fae, but there are many more creatures that pop in. Ember is the most complex when it comes to her origins and I have to say the reveal took a little too long for my liking but I loved the idea of her background. I’m extremely curious about her father side and what more she can learn from who he is. In the end I felt this was a good mix of young adult and new adult, combing some great elements from both when it came to romance. Ember is defiantly on a path to discovery and I can’t wait to see what Brown brings to the table in the next book.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is a young adult novel that will have you guessing until the very end. Fans of Wendy Higgins The Sweet Trilogy and Jeaniene Frosts Night Huntress series will enjoy Darkness of Light by Stacey Marie Brown.

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Goodreads Book 1 | Goodreads Book 2

Purchase Book 1 | Amazon  | B&N

Purchase Book 2 | Amazon:

AUTHOR BIO
Stacey Marie Brown by day is an Interior/Set Designer, by night a writer of Paranormal Fantasy, Adventure, and Literary Fiction. She grew up in Northern California, where she ran around on her family’s farm, raising animals, riding horses, playing flashlight tag, and turning hay bales into cool forts. Even before she could write, she was creating stories and making up intricate fantasies. Writing came as easy as breathing. She later turned that passion into acting, living and traveling abroad, and designing. Though she had never stopped writing, moving back to San Francisco seemed to have brought it back to the forefront and this time it would not be ignored.

When she’s not writing she’s out hiking, spending time with friends, traveling, listening to music, or designing.

Author Links: Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

{Review} of The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans

The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Werewolves, Fae, Romance
RECEIVED: Netgalley
BLOG: Leigh Evans' Blog

BLURB:

THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER

In the never-ending saga that is my love-hate relationship with Robson Trowbridge, I, half-Were Hedi Peacock, have had a change of heart. Ever since I shoved Trowbridge through the Gates of Merenwyn, I’ve been the leader of the pack—hard to believe, right? The thing is: I’m half-Fae. So even though my Were side is ready to heed the call of the wild, the other part of me is desperate to take flight. And much as it pains me to admit it, life without Trowbridge is really starting to were me down…

I AM WERE, HEAR ME ROAR.

To make matters worse, the wolves of Creemore want my blood—and the North American Council of Weres wants me dead. So I’m just counting the days until Trowbridge returns from the other realm…and comes to my brave rescue…and becomes my alpha mate. Wishful thinking? Of course it is. But given all the mess I’ve been through already, what’s the harm in doing a little bit of daisy-plucking? Besides, Trowbridge owes me bigtime. A girl can dream.

REVIEW:

As much as I enjoyed the first Mystwalker book, I loved the second installment The Thing About Weres. The plot was intense; I never knew what was going to happen next for the female lead, good or bad. But this time I also felt I was able to connect to both leads and root for them to find some happiness.

The Thing About Weres follows Heidi Peakcock, she is half were half fae and in a bit of a bind at the moment. She is left in charge of the Creemore pack after she sent her dying mate and alpha through the Gates of Merenwyn to heal. She is unsure if she can get him back and the wolves are getting restless. She must come to terms with her wolf side and hope that there wont be a war for sending her mate into fae territory.

Heidi has been through a lot in her life, losing her parents at a young age, watching her brother be dragging through the Gates of Merenwyn, and now hoping she will see her mate one day alive. I felt emotionally Heidi was in a sad state most of the book; she is dealt quite a bit of shocking facts about her Mate and her brother that changes everything. Robson and Heidi have this fiery chemistry that makes them such a great pair. I do however wish that Robson would of discussed things with her a little more than have her guess and worry about all the craziness that was happening. Their relationship is hot and cold but they always have each other’s backs. She is also given the shock of her life when her brother appears, but he is not the boy she remembers.

Robson Trowbridge is one smoking hot alpha; he also has gone through hell and back living apart from his pack and mate in the fae world. He’s a whole new man and has a lot to fix between Heidi and him. He does frustrate me a bit with he’s lack of telling Heidi about important details that in the end are just thrown at her. He has a lot to learn about Heidi, that she’s a strong woman who lives to protect her family and him. However he is a born leader and someone who can take a lot of hits and keep on fighting.

Overall I seriously couldn’t get enough of this series, the romance, paranormal tidbits, humor and a plot twist that was shocking. I do hope the leads will grow up a bit more and start listening to each other instead of just acting without thinking, but I still enjoy their humorous banter and love. Evan’s writing hooked me at the start, her character development and world building made me feel like I was there. The secondary characters are highly important, with Heidi’s bother being a huge liability and secret. I can’t wait to see what happens next!

RECOMMENDATION:

This is an adult novel, fans of both paranormal romance and urban fantasy wont want to miss out on this series. If you enjoyed Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series and Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series than you’ll love The Thing About Weres by Leigh Evans.

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{Review} of £6.19 per Witching Hour by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

£6.19 per Witching Hour by Joanna Mazurkiewicz
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Paranormal Romance
THEME: ,Fae, Vampires, Supernatural
RECEIVED: Author
AUTHORS BLOG: Joanna Mazurkiewiczs' Site

BLURB:

Julia Taylor works as a recruitment consultant for Paranormal Personnel in London. Her days at work seem normal. She sees clients that regularly are looking for work; she searches for new vacancies, updates CVs and visits employers.

Everything is pretty ordinary for her, apart from the fact that Julia is half elf and Paranormal Personnel is not an ordinary recruitment agency at all because all jobless supernatural creatures come to the agency to look for work. Fairies, vampires, witches, hags, wizards, mermaids, elves, giants and trolls, they all need to find employment, and during this economic climate, this seems pretty challenging.

Julia doesn’t want her life to be complicated, but when her day is interrupted by the shapeshifter with the chain saw, she just has to deal with him as she always does. She is normally calm, confident and is not afraid to stand up for herself, but when the meeting with Nathaniel’s Corporation goes not as well as she had hoped, she wants to bury herself under the ground and die.

Then, to make matters worse, Mr. La Caz gets under her skin, lighting up a fire inside her. She accidentally reads his thoughts and learns that he craves her; he wants to suck her dry, but she is convinced that he is not even a vampire.

REVIEW:

This is a series that holds nothing back, with suspense, mystery, romance, and anything and everything supernatural that will hook you right from the start. I had no idea what to expect, but Joanna Mazurkiewicz has gained a fan in me with her new series.

£6.19 per Witching Hour follows Julia a young half human half fae who works for the Paranormal Personnel. She is a top consultant who helps supernaturals find work in a world where humans don’t know they exist. When Julia gets a promotion her first task is to handle their new client whom is looking for many supernatural employees. She meets Nathaniel La Caz the head honcho of the La Caz Corporation and a vampire who sparks something inside her. But when these two start to get closer dangers from each other’s past stir up trouble in their lives and in the supernatural world.

Julia is your “average” girl who goes to work, goes home and just wants to read a book. But again she has fae blood and life in the supernatural world is anything but normal. She really enjoys her job and has to control her fae abilities at times when she’s nervous or stressed. I liked that no matter what she is an old fashioned kind of girl who likes have a real relationship and not just hit the sack with any guy. After meeting Nathaniel her life gets a bit more chaotic but their chemistry and banter just kept me hooked on these two and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next. The readers also get to know Julia’s family, her human mother and fae father. Her father is very protective and is an officer for the supernatural side and we get some insight on his cases. But most importantly this story focuses on Julia and how she is trying to survive getting involved with a vampire. A fae and vampire dating is a big no in the supernatural world.

Nathaniel is one smoking hot vampire, well kind of vampire. He is complicated and see’s Julia as an addiction almost. He cant resists her and makes sure she knows how much he wants her. The readers get bits of insight about him and his past and see even though he’s rich and “perfect” he has a lot of enemies. It was interesting to watch his character try to “grow up” and be a real gentleman toward Julia who was in no mood to be with a guy who cant commit. Plus being with him brings all kinds of danger to light. I was frustrated with him at times and I hope he can wake up and see how Julia can take on any challenge that comes to her. She is one tough girl.

Overall I loved this story, it is one long book that doesn’t leave any details out and you’ll never feel bored. I was constantly trying to solve the mystery that is going on; Julia’s father has a particular case he’s investigating plus the twist and turns just kept on coming. I love the idea that the Supernatural world hasn’t come out yet to the humans and how much of a challenge it is to keep hidden. Plus the supernaturals are just like humans trying to survive and life a “normal life”. The ending was a bit of a shocker for me and now I’m suffering while waiting for the next book but I’ll defiantly be continuing this series.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is an adult novel with lots of sexual and adult content that is for mature readers. Fans of Hannah Jayne’s Supernatural Detective Agency series and Phillipa Bornikova’s Linnet Ellery series will love £6.19 per Witching Hour by Joanna Mazurkiewicz.

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{Book Tour} Review + Giveaway of Playing Hooky by Rita Webb

Seeing Night Reviews is the next stop in the Playing Hooky blog tour for Rita Webb.

Playing Hooky by Rita Webb
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Magic
RECEIVED: Publisher
BLURB:

Valentine’s Day.

And my 21st birthday.

Whoop-de-doo.

Just another college day full of classes and more homework than is humanly possible.

…until Jason, my best-friend-since-kindergarten, shows up to take me out for the day.

Like old times: the two of us on a wacky adventure, playing hooky from real life. With his lopsided grin and tickets to a circus full of misfits and monsters, he introduces me to a whole new world—one full of magic and mystery—and turns my reality upside down.

Except nothing goes as planned, and we end up running through the city to find a missing siren before someone brews a love potion with her blood.

Sirens and love potions, witches and elves, and Valentine kisses. Nothing will be the same for me again.

REVIEW:
Playing Hooky follows Emma on her 21st birthday, as always she’s excited to spend this day with her best friend Jason on some sort of adventure. But Jason has a special day planned for her that she’ll likely never forget.

Emma is a typical college girl; she’s not perfect and seems to be the total opposite of her pretty and perfectly sweet sister. But her friend Jason, likes her for who she is. Which is rough around the edges and ready for adventures. Jason introduces her to what he’s grown up knowing is real, magic. Emma actually takes the news of his secret with stride and not as many questions as I would have. But I guess it might have to settle in a bit more.

Jason has been best friends with Emma since they were kids, always harboring a soft spot for her. On her birthday he wants to tell her one of his big secrets and introduces her to a world he’s tried to tell her about for forever. But things take a turn when a mystical creature goes missing and they set off looking for it. I loved how much he cared for Emma, they had some cute moments of chemistry and you can just see the sparks.

The hard part about this story is that since it’s a novella, the readers only get a sneak peak into this magical world. We do learn a little backstory about Jason and of course some great chemistry with Emma and him. Luckily this is only the beginning, as with this being a series, I can’t wait to find about more about Jason and this world he’s brought Emma too. I don’t want to say much more since it will spoil the story.

Overall this was a great introduction, I can’t wait to see more chemistry bloom with Emma and Jason, plus get more of a background story. There were a lot of unique characters introduced that I can already tell they’ll be coming back in the future books. We do get a very shocking villain and I so can’t wait to get more detail about that one. In the end a fast read with mystery, romance, magic, and a promising start to a new series.

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Playing Hooky by Rita Webb
Series: Paranormal Investigations #1
Publication: January 21st 2013
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
Length: Novella (100 pages)

GOODREADS | Amazon | Barnes and Noble

AUTHOR BIO
Leaving the house to go to school, I had schoolbooks spilling out of one hand, the other holding my place in a Nancy Drew novel, and bunny slippers still on my feet. My mom was a wee bit upset.

I haven't changed much. Still always have a book (or two) in my hand or creating stories in my head, and although I don't have any bunny slippers, I love writing in my jammies and snuggly slipper socks.

When I grow up (maybe a hundred years from now), I'd like to be a superhero, but for now, saving the day, one page at a time, suits me just fine.

With my husband TJ (my own cuddly werewolf), I home-school our three girls, who keep us busy with art, science projects, books to read, dance classes, and walks about the park.

Author Links:
Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

{Review} of Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre

Bronze Gods by A.A. Aguirre
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Steampunk, Fae
RECEIVED: Publisher
AUTHORS BLOG: A.A. Aguirres' Site

BLURB:

Hy Breasil is grimmer than it used to be.

Before the Architect closed the door, there were regular crossings, and a great war decimated both humans and Ferishers. The native fae who refused to treat with the invaders faded; their bodies withered and died, stranding them as hungry, angry spirits that haunt the countryside.

That means there’s always trouble brewing in Dorstaad.

Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko work for the Criminal Investigation Department, keeping citizens safe from things that go bump in the night. He’s a hardboiled cynic with an uncanny sixth sense; she’s determined to justify her promotion as the first female detective in her division. Together, they’re trying to keep a black tide from drowning the city.

But when the second body surfaces, murdered with the same type of infernal device, the entire CID must face the truth. There’s a madman on the loose, twining magic and blood… and only Mikani and Ritsuko can unravel the intricate, lethal conspiracy before the Royale killer completes his macabre plan, unleashing old, forbidden magic on an unsuspecting populace. If the maniac succeeds, it could mean the end of everything…

REVIEW:
Aguirre has done it again! She has sucked me into another one of her creatively detail edworlds and two lead characters that carried so much spark. This is one heck of a mystery story with lots of steampunk elements mixed with some Fae folklore and magic.

Bronze Gods follows Janus Mikani and Celeste Ritsuko, two CID inspectors who have been brought in on a missing persons case. But when the case take a turn for the worse and both inspectors began a hunt for a madman that has created an unusual machine that has now killed. With magic and chaos missed in they will stop at nothing until they catch this murder, even if it means they maybe come face to face with death.

Janus Mikani is one heck of a charmer with the ladies but also a fine inspector who has an unusual sense that helps him with cases. He’s definitely the act first aggressor, while his partner Ritsuko does all the logical thinking. His ability helps him see impressions and heightened sense while at crimes scene or when interviewing. It was an interesting dynamic with Mikani and Ritsuko, she is his number one supporter and always understands when he needed her.

Celeste Ritsuko is one smart girl who is trying to do a “mans” job. She is the calmer half in the duo, making sure to smooth things over when her partner steps on some toes along the way. Both of them are work alcoholics and determined to take down this murderer. I like how she becomes more independent the longer shes around Mikani, he makes her stronger and feel safe.

What I loved most about these two working together was that they really enjoy their work, they want to stop the bad guys, but they have such great respect for each other. The humor and sarcasm create such a fun dynamic between the two and some intensely great scene of chemistry. The possibility of romance is hinted, kind of like the television show Castle, its focused on and they both are trying to figure out their true feelings.

The folklore, the backstory is brought to life through dreams in each chapter. The main point is that ships with humans came to the land that was once ruled by the Ferishers aka Fae people. But a war came that needed to be stopped and the compromised was of a fae prince and human married. This created the Houses and those who have some Ferisher blood with unique abilities (Like Mikani).

Overall I loved this intense mystery, the steampunk is very lax and only focused on with the machine the murder created. I loved that the mystery took so many twist and turns, introducing many secondary characters that took the reader more into the Fae storyline. There is a lot of humor, romantic chemistry, fantastic mystery, and one heck of an ending. This of course is only the beginning of the series and some questions still need to be answered, I can’t wait to continue on the next mystery adventure with this entertaining duo.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is adult urban fantasy with lots of mystery; fans of Rachel Vincent’s Unbound series and Kim Harrison’s Hollow series will love Bronze Gods by A.A. Agurrie.

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{Review} of Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs

Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Werewolves, Romance, Vampires
RECEIVED: Bought
AUTHORS BLOG: Patricia Briggs' Site

BLURB:

Mercy Thompson returns in the seventh novel in the #1 New York Times bestselling series.

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman—the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack—has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more…

After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted.

Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related—and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.

REVIEW:
This is a series that never gets old. Each book gets better and better, while the characters have become like family to me with how easy they are to connect to. Patricia Briggs is an author that knows her characters deep down and created a world of danger, romance, friendship and magic that keeps them busy.

Frost Burned follows the always-entertaining Mercy Thompson who is spending some time with her stepdaughter Jesse during Black Friday. But after a random car accident Mercy notices that she can’t get ahold of her Mate (Husband) Adam and their pack. She discovers they have all been kidnapped with the exception of Ben who came to warn Mercy before it was too late. With werewolves being out to the public now, the dangers are high and Mercy will put herself in the middle of danger to find and Adam and their pack.

Mercy is a character that always stays true to herself; she is very strong hearted and has found her place with the pack. Her connection to Adam develops even more in this chapter; she learns that she can do things through her connection that shouldn’t be possible. I have always been a fan of Mercy and Adam, the readers will love to see how much they have grown and continue to do so. As always Mercy puts herself in danger but for all the right reason, getting involved with some vampire politics and fae magic.

Adam gets many chapters from his point of view; I love his character and really enjoyed seeing and understand his side of the story. He’s a good man who is truly devoted to his pack and Mercy; he is the type to risk his life to protect them all. I loved seeing him take control of the situation he’s in and get a lot more aggressive and gets his hand dirty.

World building is a major part of Frost Burned. With werewolves being out to the public a lot of politics and conspiracy are starting to come out. The readers also get some more insight on the Vampire politics and a little bit about what’s happening since the fae went into hiding in their own territory.

Overall this was definitely the best of the series, there is still a lot of character developing, emotional high notes and Mercy taking on the task of protecting the people she loves. I can’t wait for Night Broken, which should come out in 2014 of March. I hope we get some more Adam POV and digging in deeper with what the fae are going to do. All in all this is a must read series with fantastic characters, mystery, supernatural goodness, romance and writing that will keep you hooked through the authors creativity thought out plot.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is Urban Fantasy novel and the seventh in the series, I recommend reading this series from the beginning. Fans of Jennifer Esteps’ Elemental Assassins series and Chloe Neills’ Chicagoland Vampire series will love Frost Burned by Patricia Briggs.

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