{Review} of White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout

White Hot Kiss by Jennifer L. Armentrout
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult
THEME: Paranormal, Demons, Supernatural
RECEIVED: Bought

BLURB:

One kiss could be the last.

Seventeen-year-old Layla just wants to be normal. But with a kiss that kills anything with a soul, she's anything but normal. Half demon, half gargoyle, Layla has abilities no one else possesses.

Raised among the Wardens—a race of gargoyles tasked with hunting demons and keeping humanity safe—Layla tries to fit in, but that means hiding her own dark side from those she loves the most. Especially Zayne, the swoon-worthy, incredibly gorgeous and completely off-limits Warden she's crushed on since forever.

Then she meets Roth—a tattooed, sinfully hot demon who claims to know all her secrets. Layla knows she should stay away, but she's not sure she wants to—especially when that whole no-kissing thing isn't an issue, considering Roth has no soul.

But when Layla discovers she's the reason for the violent demon uprising, trusting Roth could not only ruin her chances with Zayne…it could brand her a traitor to her family. Worse yet, it could become a one-way ticket to the end of the world.

REVIEW:

Armentrout hasn’t let me down yet, again another series that has me hooked. With a mix of supernaturals, demons and gargoyles are the good versus evil; it all revolves around one young woman who is sucked into the middle of a war.

White Hot Kiss is the first in the Dark Elements series, which follows seventeen-year-old Layla. At a young age she was taken in by the most powerful protectors known as the Wardens, who are gargoyles that shift into human to protect the world from demons that roam the cities. Layla has always felt like an outsider, as her blood is half Warden and Half demon. But what she doesn’t know is that on the day of her birthday, her life is about to change forever. The demons want her, the wardens are keeping a secret and one demon is sent to protect her. With Layla heart torn between a Warden and childhood crush Zayne and the mysterious demon that is determined to protect her, Roth. Her life can make or break the beginning of a war between good and evil.

Layla is a strong young woman, always been on the outside of both her Warden family and her human friends. She doesn’t quite seem to fit in anywhere, but hoping that one-day the Wardens will fully welcome her. That is until she meets a demon named Roth, who seems to want to protect her and is the only one who seems to understand her the most. With her childhood friend and crush Zayne beginning to pull away from her, it seem her demon side may be winning the battle. I loved the idea of a girl with good and evil inside her, it makes her flawed but also the perfect middle ground to help with a war the most likely will happen. She has good intentions and has been kept in the dark for so long, it’s understandable that she wants to get to the bottom of all the lies. Her relationship with the Wardens changes so much as she discovers more about herself and also she opens their eyes to the demon world, and made them see that there isn’t all doom and gloom with some of them.

The boys are complete opposites, good and evil but both have good intensions and hearts for Layla. Zayne has always been her number one supporter and never judged her because she had demon blood. But he also is easily swayed by his father’s actions and makes mistakes when it comes to handling Layla. Where Roth, is the ultimate bad boy with the persona to fit it, he has one job and that’s to keep Layla safe. Roth starts out a mystery but soon becomes Laylas partner in crime and they just connect. It was hard for me to decide which guy I liked best because they both have the best intensions for Layla. But in the end it’s a major win for me with Roth, because he knows how to make the biggest statement.

Overall this series has become my new favorite, I wasn’t expecting the intense plot line but all the wonderful aspects of Armentrout’s fantastic writing are all here. The paranormal world building is fantastic, and I love the mix of two supernatural’s that don’t normally go together. The romance is sweet and sexy but not the major focus; Layla is the key to unfolding the mystery behind why the demons want her. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this exciting new series.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is a new adult romance story with some mature content. Fans of the Sweet Trilogy by Wendy Higgins and the Lux series by Jennifer Armentrout, will love White Hot Kiss.

View all my reviews

{Release Day Bltiz} Michael (Sons of Old Trilogy, #2) by Annabell Cadiz

Michael (Sons of Old Trilogy, #2)

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Genre: YA/NA Urban Fantasy, Supernatural, Paranormal

Publication: May 28, 2014

Cover Designed by Hot Damn Designs

Synopsis: Zahara Faraday looks like a normal eighteen-year-old and lives in a quiet neighborhood with her overprotective parents. She works at a bookstore and hangs out with her best friend Becca King on a daily basis. But underneath the normal lies a secret life filled with dangerous supernaturals. Zahara belongs to a world made of Light Witches, rogue Imagoes (supernatural creatures with super strength, speed, and silver skin when the moon is out), fallen angels, and Nephilim (hybrid children born half-human, half-angel). Where her father Solomon Faraday is human, her mother Mia and her Aunt Catalina are Light Witches. They help protect the human world by hunting down rogue supernaturals who commit heinous acts against humans. What they never expected was the possibility of having to hunt down the one rogue coven they had befriended and come to trust in their battle against Lucifer. Rekesh Saint-Louis is the leader of the most powerful Imago coven in Florida and now he’s the most suspected. Supernatural bodies are starting to pile up with an ancient ritual long forbade being used to murder them and the symbol, one large cross with four smaller crosses around it—which represents Rekesh’s coven— being left behind. Rekesh and the Elders of his coven set out to find who is behind the murders and clearing his name before a war between the covens begins. To make matters more difficult, Rekesh also has to deal with the return of someone he has been keeping a secret.

Meanwhile, Zahara and Becca are spending more time brushing up on their training, knowing an attack from Lucifer can come at any moment. Between patrolling neighborhoods and hanging at the boarding school created by Charles Stephens—a fallen angel who created the school to protect the children of rogue supernaturals—they are thrown into one battle after another. Zahara begins to develop a closer bond with Jason as they train and chase down clues to clear Rekesh’s name. What she doesn’t know is the very powerful secret Jason is keeping; a secret that will change the course of the fight with Lucifer.

But Rekesh’s coven being set up isn’t the only danger. A new powerful and lethal drug has emerged from the shadows of the supernatural world called Inferi. The drug has two deadly side effects: it leaves the supernatural hungering for blood—both human and supernatural—and grants them the elemental power they had once possessed.

Lucifer is on the move and he will stop at nothing to get his hands on Zahara and complete the first act of his plan. 

A battle is about to begin. 

One that may cost the Faraday family everything they hold dear.

Make sure to get your copy of Lucifer (Sons of Old Trilogy, #1) which is on sale for ONLY 99 CENTS until JUNE 1^st!

Add on Goodreads!

Purchase on Barnes & Noble and Amazon!

Have you ever wondered what could be hiding in the shadows?

Well, for eighteen-year-old Zahara Faraday, she doesn’t have to wonder. You see she comes from a lineage of Light Witches, those who have chosen to help protect and serve between the supernatural world and the human world. The only problem is Zahara, like her father Solomon, is as human as a human being can be whereas her mother, Mia, and her Aunt Catalina, were born as Light Witches. As a family they hunt down rogue supernaturals—creatures who harm humans or who have committed an act against their kingdom.

Zahara’s hunting skills are usually kept dormant since her parents would prefer she live life as a normal human girl without knowledge of the supernatural world. She plans on doing just that—except when she finds a couple being attacked by fairies, she has no choice but to step in. Before she can return to pretending to be blissfully ignorant, Zahara encounters a problem she isn’t the least equip to handle: Bryan Hamilton, the good looking new co-worker she has to help train. In a heartbeat, her best friend, Becca King, has set her up on a double date with herself and her new crush, Rekesh Saint-Louis, who happens to be the most powerful leader of the biggest Imago Coven in South Florida –supernatural creatures with the ability to control water . . . and suck out human souls.

Zahara has no time to focus on how she’s going to explain her double date with her best friend and the enemy they have a tentative truce with to her parents because soon one of the members of Mia and Catalina’s coven is found murdered with a strange tattoo of a snake with wings carved into his arm.

Zahara is then thrown into a whirlwind battle with an angel determined to have revenge against God, an Imago coven she doesn’t think they should trust, and slew of dream-eating fairies and powerful Nephilims, hybrid children of angels and humans, more than happy to rip her to shreds.

Normal just got a deadlier definition.

About the Author

Born and raised in the sweltering suburbs of South Florida, Annabell Cadiz grew up fine-tuned to the cuisine of various Spanish cultures, learned to master the art of Puerto Rican cooking thanks to her parents, and learned to converse crazy thanks to her band of siblings. She is now working toward attaining a B.A. in Psychology at Trinity International University to better understand how to converse with the weirdoes and crazies of the world. (After all, she is one of them.) A self-proclaimed nerd and a book-a-holic (her room holds dozens of shelves with much evidence to prove that her claims are indeed true), she created TeamNerd Reviews along with her best friend, Bridget Strahin, to showcase their EXTREME love for all things book related.

Where to Friendly Stalk Annabell: Website/Goodreads/Amazon/Twitter/Facebook

 

**Must be 13 or older to enter**

**Giveaway begins WEDNESDAY, MAY 28 and ends WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4, 2014**

**Winner will receive an ecopy of LUCIFER (SONS OF OLD TRILOGY, #1) and an ecopy of MICHAEL (SONS OF OLD TRILOGY, #2) along with a SIGNED bookmark and bow & arrow keychain**

{Review} of Vengeance Borne by Amanda Bonilla

Vengeance Borne by Amanda Bonilla
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Supernatural, Romance
RECEIVED: Author
AUTHORS BLOG: Amanda Bonillas' Site

BLURB:

Fated to Hunt…

As the local hunter, and a ward of the Sentry, a secret organization dedicated to eradicating the forces of evil, Jacquelyn has been protecting the small town of McCall, Idaho for the past five years. The hours are horrible, the pay is nonexistent, she has to work with her jealous ex-boyfriend – and forget about quitting. She’s in for life.

Destined to See…

When a rugged drifter comes through town, Jacquelyn immediately knows what he is – an Empath who can read emotions and sense what others are thinking – even though it’s clear the handsome stranger has no idea what, or how powerful, he is…

A Town in Peril…

When people in McCall start turning up dead, viciously ripped to shreds as if by a wild animal, Jacquelyn knows better. Furies are loose in Idaho and hell-bent on exacting revenge. But against whom? And for what purpose? Jacquelyn has until the full moon to stop the Furies’ killing spree and save the people of McCall, figure out how to work with her ex – oh, and there’s a handsome stranger in town who’s in desperate need of some schooling…

REVIEW:

I’m already a big fan of Amanda Bonilla’s Shaede Assassins series and I couldn’t wait to read her latest Urban Fantasy. The Sentry of Evil series is one heck of a ride, with a tough as nails heroine, two powerful men who have her back and a small town that seems to have everything that goes bump in the night hanging around.

Vengeance Borne follows Jacquelyn a woman who was born a hunter, she works for a secret organization that hunts and kills evil. Now living in a small town some would think nothing crazy would happen but for Jacquelyn she knows better. Once the banshee screams come its time for her to hunt, along with her partner and bearer Finn. But when a new bearer comes to town that doesn’t know he has a gift and people start ending up murdered, it’s Jacquelyn’s job to find out what evil is out there.

Jacquelyn is a unique woman, born a killer and being a Waerd (hunter) is who she is to the core. After the loss of her old partner she was sent to her small town in Idaho where 5 years have passed and she finally feels settled. With her Bearer (empath/healer) Finn whom she cares for but are now recently separated, they fight the evil at night. What I liked about her character is that she is in no means perfect; she likes to jump into action without thinking about the consequence’s or danger. She also has a hard time keeping a job as she always has to run off because of her other “job” that is unknown to the towns people. I can’t imagine the stress that she goes through and sometimes wish she would just open up to Finn or Micah a bit more than she does. But she is stubborn and will do anything to get the job done.

Finn is a complicated guy who cares for Jacquelyn, he does come off as a bit overprotective but it comes with the job. He’s been fighting by her side for years and lovers for most of it. But since their break up he isn’t taking it too well and the poor guy is having a hard time because of his gift. As a bearer he is an empath and a healer, which means he can feel her emotion and also tries to take away her pain. Most of the book I loved him, pitied him or wanted to shake him out of his slump. But in the end I just think he’s a good guy who cares.

Micah is the new guy in town who is running away from himself. He has lived a hard life not knowing what he is and using medicine to take away the feelings. But he meets Jacquelyn who has answers to everything he was trying to get rid of. He discovers he has a gift and he’s darn powerful. Micah is an all around good guy, someone who wants to learn about what he is and also help Jacquelyn with whatever he can. I loved this guy, he was compassionate, understanding and helped people who were strangers.

Overall I loved this new series, the supernatural creatures were creepy and I can’t imagine what else is out there. I loved all the secrets, mystery behind Jacquelyn power and that this girl really kicks some butt. My only issue was that I figured out the villain way too quickly, though I don’t think it mattered since the readers can’t guess how it will end. There is so many great side characters, twist and turns, and of course romance. Bonilla’s writing is better than ever and she knows her Urban Fantasy, she will draw you in right at the first line.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is an adult novel with some creepy creatures that will go bump in the night. Fans of Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampire series and Jennifer Estep’s Elemental Assassins series will love Vengeance Borne by Amanda Bonilla.

View all my reviews

{Review + Giveaway} of Under A Spell by Hannah Jayne

Under A Spell by Hannah Jayne
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Werewolves, Vampires, Supernatural and Witches
RECEIVED: Author
AUTHORS BLOG: Hannah Jaynes' Site

BLURB:

Sophie Lawson was seriously hoping life at the UDA would get back to relative normal now that her boss Pete Sampson has been reinstated. Unfortunately, her new assignment is sending her undercover into a realm where even the most powerful paranormals fear to tread…her old high school. Being a human immune to magic is no defense against soulless picture-perfect mean girls—or a secret witch coven about to sacrifice a missing female student. And Sophie's Guardian, uber-proper Englishman Will, is determined to convince Sophie he's the kind of temptation she should indulge in permanently. Now, as the clock ticks down to apocalypse, he and Sophie will have to summon every trick in the book to battle devilish illusion, lethal sorcery—and betrayals they'll never see coming…

REVIEW:

I can’t believe its already been five books for the Underworld Detective Agency, I feel like this series is still just getting started. Jayne’s writing is still strong and her lead character Sophie is growing up more and more, starting to hold her own and fight back. As a die-hard fan I’m hoping that we finally get to know more about the Vessel of Souls in the next book because I’m ready to find out more about what Sophie is.

Under a Spell follows Sophie Lawson who is once again stuck in the middle of some supernatural chaos. But not only that…she has to go back to the one place she never wanted to see again, high school. Sophie is sent to go undercover with her Guardian Will to her high school where missing girls maybe connected to witchcraft. As always with Sophie things never go smoothly and it seems she may be getting closer to finding out what it means to be the Vessel of Souls.

Sophie has always been an awkward, clumsy and well liked character. She may be the Vessel of Souls but in the end she’s just a human who has no special skill, except for getting in the middle of trouble. I think that’s why I can connect to her so easily is because most Urban Fantasy heroines are usually kick butt super powered woman and Sophie is just like the reader, normal. She has been dealt with a handful of dangers in the last four books, but this one hits a personal note. She connects to a student who reminds her of herself in high school. Her character has started to become a super sleuth, she’s getting to be more confident in her detective work. I’m also rooting for Sophie to keep going in the direction she is now, independent and determined to get the case done and save people.

The boys this time around actually switched places for me. I liked Alex the fallen angel and cop with a major bad attitude in the first two books, but he’s too much drama and changes his mind too much. I didn’t like how he treated Sophie, and pretty much if he’d listen to her the case would of moved a lot quicker. I’m glad Sophie is opening her eyes more and I really don’t want her to like Alex again. Until I get some answer about his mood swings, he’s on my bad list. I’m rooting for Will on the romance side, he’s a sweet charmer and protector, but I also feel like he’s letting Sophie make decision for herself, he’s not always jumping in to protect her now. Plus we get Sophie and Will working together to sole this case. I adored their scenes together, I was either laughing or feeling the chemistry. So I’m definitely team Will and can’t wait to see how his job title will change a little more in the next book due to the spoiler in the end of the book.

Overall I still love this series, the characters are always fresh and can make me laugh. I like Urban Fantasies with a splash of humor, mystery, intense villains, and surprising twists; this book had it all. Nina is back as well; along with her nephew Vlad and the duo have some great one-liners that always make me smile. The plot in this one was spot on; I can see the author is starting to connect to the back-story plot now. I can wait to see what Jayne is going to surprise the readers with next!

RECOMMENDATION:

This is an adult novel with humor, action and all the right stuff that everyone wants in the Urban Fantasy story. Fans of authors Ann Aguirre and Jennifer Estep will be captivated by Hannah Jayne’s novel Under A Spell.

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1 Print copy of Under A Spell

{Trailer Reveal with Excerpt + Giveaway} of SOUL TAKEN by Katlyn Duncan

I am super excited to be able to participate in the trailer reveal for Katlyn Duncan’s SOUL TAKEN which released on June 4th!

This book sounds absolutely amazing and I can't wait to share the TRAILER and the EXCERPT the author provided, both of which are below.

There is also an awesome GIVEAWAY for an eBook Kindle copy of the book to one winner. So be sure to check that out, too!

With its gorgeous cover, it's intriguing description, its totally captivating excerpt and awesome trailer, I am thrilled to be able share SOUL TAKEN with you. So without further ado....

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The SOUL TAKEN Trailer

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About the Book

Title: SOUL TAKEN (The Life After #1)
Author: Katlyn Duncan
Publisher: Carina UK
Release date: June 4th
Formats: eBook

After-life just got a lot more complicated

Maggie is a Soul Collector. It’s her job to transport souls from the Living Realm to the After – but during a mission to find a stolen soul, she ends up stuck in a teen mean girl’s body.

Trapped, Maggie’s soul is catapulted into Ally’s life – and the human world she hasn’t experienced for one hundred years. But, as a descendant of the most powerful beings in the After, Maggie must rescue Ally before the girl’s soul dies…

To survive, Maggie must uncover devastating secrets – because with one soul taken by a terrifying enemy, Maggie’s could be next!

GOODREADS | AMAZON US | AMAZON UK | NOOK UK | KOBO | iTunes US | iTunes UK | CARINA UK

About the Author

Katlyn Duncan was born and raised in a small town in western Massachusetts. Her overactive imagination involved invisible friends, wanting to be a Disney Princess and making up her own stories. Her bibliophile mom always encouraged her love of reading and that stayed with her since. Even though she works full time in the medical field Katlyn has always made time for books, whether she is reading or writing them.

Katlyn now lives in southern Connecticut with her husband and adorable Wheaten Terrier and she is thrilled to finally share her stories with the world.

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS | GOOGLE+ | PINTEREST | TUMBLR

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The SOUL TAKEN Excerpt

A suffocating heat pressed all points of my soul. Even though I hadn’t breathed in a hundred years, I felt the need to inhale, yet I couldn’t. A fire burned in my chest.

I attempted to open my eyes, to move one finger, a toe maybe, but the pressure immobilized my body. The burning sensation tore through me over and over until I had just about given up the fight.

But, just as quickly as the pressure came, it lifted, bringing a seemingly endless barrage of images. I was experiencing someone else’s memories, as if I took a back seat in her mind and watched her life flash before our eyes. I caught her image in a mirror, a small golden-haired girl.

Ally?

I tried to slow the images or possibly make sense of them but, just as I grabbed a hold on one of them, it slipped through my fingers and moved onto the next. I followed this girl through all the moments of her life as her memories flashed before my eyes.

Darker emotions overlapped the girl’s happy memories. I saw a young red-haired girl in an old-fashioned dress; her demure eyes looked back at me. Jealousy flared through me. My heart squeezed, watching this girl who was not part of Ally’s memories. A rush of energy pumped through my body; the power touched every fiber of my soul. Then the vision dissolved and I was forced back to experiencing Ally.

Was I dreaming?

Souls didn’t dream. I told myself firmly.

The visions started to slow and I was able to focus on one.

I had to tell them, even though Dad said I couldn’t. But in a week I wouldn’t be the same girl. Or would I? I still wasn’t clear on everything. Becoming a Guard: it was my life’s mission, he had said. A life that was no longer my own. Would it be easier to let this life slip away? I would regret each day if I didn’t. Maybe I would start with Seth. Sweet Seth. He’d be crushed, but someone would take my place. Dad had said something about people—humans— was I not human? Humans were drawn to those like me. Maybe Seth only liked me because I was different, unexplainably different.

I ripped the paper off the coffee sleeve. It was now or never.

***

The SOUL TAKEN Giveaway

An eBook Kindle copy of SOUL TAKEN to ONE (1) winner.

Must be 13 or older to enter

Must be able to accept Amazon Kindle eBook gifts from the U.S.

Enter in the Rafflecopter below...

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{Early Review} of The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce

The Weight of Souls by Bryony Pearce
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

GENRE: Young Adult Urban Fantasy
THEME: Ghost, Romance, and Supernatural
RECEIVED: Publisher
AUTHORS BLOG: Bryony Pearces' Site

BLURB:

Sixteen year old Taylor Oh is cursed: if she is touched by the ghost of a murder victim then they pass a mark beneath her skin. She has three weeks to find their murderer and pass the mark to them – letting justice take place and sending them into the Darkness. And if she doesn’t make it in time? The Darkness will come for her…

She spends her life trying to avoid ghosts, make it through school where she’s bullied by popular Justin and his cronies, keep her one remaining friend, and persuade her father that this is real and that she’s not going crazy.

But then Justin is murdered and everything gets a whole lot worse. Justin doesn’t know who killed him, so there’s no obvious person for Taylor to go after. The clues she has lead her to the V Club, a vicious secret society at her school where no one is allowed to leave… and where Justin was dared to do the stunt which led to his death.

Can she find out who was responsible for his murder before the Darkness comes for her? Can she put aside her hatred for her former bully to truly help him?

And what happens if she starts to fall for him?

REVIEW:

A clever ghost story with an interesting take on an Egyptian curse, Pearce takes the readers on a scary but mysterious journey with a sixteen-year-old girl who has a big responsibility. Ghost may be scary but the darkness that takes the souls who have sinned is the thing everyone should be afraid of.

The Weight of Souls follows Taylor Oh a young teen who is living with a curse that has been passed down each generation. She sees ghosts and the ghost who were murdered want revenge and Taylor can help them. Her curse allows ghosts to mark her then to pass the mark to their murder, which will send them into darkness. Even though her life is already complicated enough, her school bully Justin is murdered and he leaves his mark, now she must find his murder before the darkness decides to take her instead.

Taylor Oh is an outcast, a girl who has been picked on for quite a while by the “popular” kids. But she also has the curse to deal with, the loss of her mother and a father who insist she’s crazy. Her life is far from easy and I give her a lot of credit for not going crazy with all the emotional set backs in her life. Pearce does a great job creating a character with some backbone that understands her responsibility and tries her best to get through each day. The hardest part for me was Taylor’s relationship with her father; he is a stubborn man who is doing more harm than good. She needs all the support she can get and he keeps nagging her about how she ill, I felt so bad for her since she really needed a dads comfort. She also has a great friend, her only friend Hannah who is a sweet girl that really wants Taylor to open up to her. Their friendship has its ups and downs but I felt it was written well and realistic. In the end Taylor is just starting to get a handle of things and has a lot to learn and look forward too.

Justin is a complex character; the readers learn a bit about his past but are probably not going to like him at the beginning. He has secrets, has been misunderstood and also just wanted Taylor to open up to him as well. He works with Taylor to figure out what happened to him and that there is a whole secret society that’s affecting kids and adults. His life is tied to a club called V and it’s dangerous and they’re in way over their heads. I actually liked Justin’s characters once I got to know more about him, there are still a lot of unanswered questions that I’m hoping the next book will dive into it.

Overall I found this story really unique; there are many books about people who can see ghost, but not because of an ancient curse. I can tell there is so much potential with the curse and that there is a lot more to discover with Taylor’s family history. There are bits and pieces that were pretty creepy and the darkness is something I never would want to encounter. My only negative was Taylor’s father; it may be because I’m close with my dad but I hated how much he didn’t listen to her and was actually hurting her by not being supportive. I’m also super curious about V Club and how big and what dangers lie ahead for Taylor. The ending was great and a new beginning takes place for what ever ghost she must help next.

RECOMMENDATION:

This is a young adult novel with some darker tones that set the eerie scenes. Fans of Tara Hudson’s Hereafter series and Michelle Hodkin’s Mara Dyer series will enjoy The Weight of Souls.

View all my reviews

{Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway} of Come Alive by Karina Halle

Seeing Night Reviews is the next stop ing the Come Alive tour book #7 in the EIT series by Karina Halle. Hosted by Book Asylum and Reading books like a boss.

Come Alive by Karina Halle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Horror
THEME: Supernatural, Romance, and Mature
RECEIVED: Bought
BLOG: Karina Halles' Site

BLURB:

It’s one thing to bring the woman you love back into your life. It’s another to try and keep her there. For Dex Foray, con­vinc­ing Perry Palomino to open her­self to their bur­geon­ing rela­tion­ship has been more chal­leng­ing than hunt­ing ghosts, bat­tling demons and stalk­ing Sasquatch com­bined. Add in the fact that the only way they can keep their Exper­i­ment in Ter­ror show run­ning is to take on a third part­ner in the form of the mys­te­ri­ous Max­imus Jacobs — all while inves­ti­gat­ing a sin­is­ter voodoo sect in New Orleans — and you’ve got the per­fect South­ern storm and a recipe for dis­as­ter. Luck­ily, Dex has never been one to back down, even when his life –and heart — are on the line.

Come Alive is told from Dex’s POV.

REVIEW:

I can’t believe were already at book seven in the series, this is one of those stories that either has me jumping for joy, scaring the bejesus out of me, or making me strangle my book. As I’ve probably said time and time again, I just can’t get enough of Dex and Perry! They are characters that are permanently embedded into my head; I’m always wondering what craziness is going to happen to them next. Karina Halle I thank you again for writing a series that keeps on ticking and holds nothing back.

Come Alive follows the ghost-hunting duo Dex and Perry on their next adventure. Now with their relationship heading in a better direction, everything seems to be right on track. Well kind of… When they find out their show is hanging on by a thread they are forced to work with the one person neither of them wanted to see again. Maximus joins the team, which is heading for New Orleans to check out a hunted house. But what is waiting for them is something far beyond what they expected, with voodoo involved they are about to get one heck of a wake up call.

Dex, oh for the love of Dexy. I love this man, even if he has a one-track mind that’s mostly focused on Perry’s behind and other parts. Come Alive is all from Dex’s Point of View, making this one potty-mouthed bundle of entertainment. I love how he loves Perry, that’s what made reading his POV a little bit more special; the readers felt his emotions and dug deep in his fears. The readers will also love that wonderful banter between Dex and Max pretty much through the entire story, Dex knows how to hit Max’s buttons. There were points that had me a little worried (and yes I did strangle my kindle just a bit) but Halle saved me from buying a new one. I’m also so curious about his family now, his mother is one creepy woman but his brother is one big question mark.

Perry is more of a side character in this one, which didn’t bother me one bit. I liked seeing a different side to her. She was so strong from Dex’s eyes, she held her own and emotionally was hanging on by a thread. I’m glad these two understand their craziness and have each other’s backs.

Maximus actually surprised me, I was glad to get a bit of a background and meet someone from his past. I’m still a bit angry with what he did, but all I’ll say is that he ain’t so bad.

Overall I loved the resolve of this story, I knew that having a setting like New Orleans meant bringing out the big guns aka the true creepy supernatural’s. Let’s just say what Dex’s see’s is some scary stuff and Halle makes sure to detail every eerie moment to make you read with the light on. There are lots of ups and downs for these characters but that’s what makes me love them, they can make mistakes and I always hope that they can make it through. The bonus of this entire story was reading with Dex Foray, that boy really knows how to make me laugh, cry, scream, and want to hug him. I don’t want to point out anything else because there is so much that happens and I want everyone to read it! I look forward to Dex and Perry’s next journey, with the awesome ending.

RECOMMADATION:

This is a mature adult novel, with sexual content and very scary moments. I highly recommend this to fans of Stephen King, who like some really great twist with mystery and intensely shocking moments.

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Author links: Site | Blog | EIT Facebook | Author FB | Twitter | Goodreads

Reading Books Like a Boss & The Book Asylum are giving away signed books. US ONLY! This is NOT an international giveaway.

(1) And With Madness Comes the Light – 1 winner 1) Into the Hollow – 1 winner (2) Darkhouse – 2 winners - The entire Experiment in Terror series in e-book format

{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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{Review} of Deep Down by Deborah Coates

Deep Down by Deborah Coates
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

GENRE: Urban Fantasy
THEME: Romance, Supernatural, Ghost
RECEIVED: Received from Tor
AUTHORS BLOG: Deborah Coates' Site

BLURB:

Death stalks the haunted, windswept prairie in this chilling sequel to Wide Open

Now that she's solved her sister's murder, Hallie Michaels has left the army and isn't sure what to do next. Her relationship with deputy Boyd Davies is tentative, there's still distance between her and her father, and she needs a job. The good news is, she hasn't seen a ghost in weeks.

All that changes when she gets a call asking her to help an elderly neighbor who is being stalked by black dogs, creatures from the underworld that are harbingers of death. When a black dog appears, Hallie learns, a reaper is sure to follow. And if the dark visions she's suddenly receiving are any indication, it looks like the reaper is now following her.

Meanwhile, strange events herald the arrival of ghosts from Boyd's past, ghosts the young deputy isn't ready to face. Refusing Hallie's help, Boyd takes off to deal with the problem on his own, only to find that he's facing something much larger and more frightening than he'd imagined.

Stalked by a reaper and plagued by dark visions, Hallie finds she must face her fears and travel into Death's own realm to save those she most loves.

REVIEW:
Loved this! Deep Down was pretty much just as good as Wide Open, but I felt had more eerie paranormal goodness that I liked it that much more. Hallie is really getting deeper into her supernatural side and the ghost aren’t her only problem this time.

Hallie is done with the Army and is back on her father’s farm trying to figure out her next step. She also is still trying to figure out her relationship with deputy Boyd and find out the story behind this ghost that’s been following him around. But once she finds out the truth, death appears, along with black dogs that follow death and the reapers. Hallie is about to get up close and personal with “real” Death and find out what he wants from her.

Hallie is one of those characters you just connect to right off. In Wide Open she was heart broken and angry after her sisters death, but now all she wants is to move on and protect those closest to her, she is ready to fight back hard. Hallie learns a lot about her gift, she sees things know one else can and that means she can see Harbringers (black dogs) that go wherever death is. Coates really digs in deep with the supernatural this time around, I loved having Hallie work with Maker one of the Harbingers to stop this evil reaper that’s trying to hurt Boyd. I know it may sound strange but Id totally love having my own Harbinger as my back up. Hallie is one tough girl and I think with each book she's just going to keep getting stronger.

Boyd is highly focused on this time around, where in Wide Open he just shows up to help Hallie, this time he’s the one stuck in the middle. His wife’s ghost is following him, bringing along the person who killed her. The problem is the man who killed her isn’t exactly dead or alive and he’s ready to make Boyd’s life miserable by using Hallie. Though Hallie wont back down for anyone and helps Boyd however she can. I liked digging in deep into Boyd’s past; we get to see what kind of man he was before and how much he changed.

Overall Hallie is dealt a lot of questions and she gets help from a very interesting “psychic” through out the book along with Maker. She’s starting to handle all the ghost, death and reaper situations quite well and becoming more comfortable with what she is. At the end she is giving an interesting choice and I’m so curious on how things are going to pan out for her now. Coates once again wrote a story that kept me guessing and not once did I put this book down. I applaud Coates for creating such a strong group of characters, a supernatural world with a touch of humor and eeriness that kept me on my toes. The supernatural characters and world almost feel “real” it gave me chills and I can’t imagine seeing what Hallie sees everyday. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Hallie and Boyd.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a series that you don’t want to miss and Urban Fantasy that will have you on the edge of you seat until the very last word. Fans of Patricia Briggs’ Mercy Thompson series and Kim Harrisons’ The Hollows series will want to get their hands on this second installment Deep Down by Deborah Coates.

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{Blog Tour} Review + Giveaway for The Crimson Hunt by Victoria H. Smith

The Crimson Hunt by Victoria H. Smith
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

GENRE: New Adult Science Fiction
THEME: Romance, Supernatural, Worlds
RECEIVED: Blog Tour
AUTHORS BLOG: Victoria H Smith

BLURB:

College junior Ariel Richmond is working on year three of Project Normalcy.

Her house reeks of keggers past and her bestie is just a slight bit vulgar. But the thing is—they both aid in making life refreshingly uneventful.

So much for hard-earned mediocrity when Luca Grinaldi appears on the scene.

Luca’s sudden presence on campus is hard to ignore. Those bright eyes act like a beacon to unsuspecting females, and with features like his, he’s got to be moonlighting for GQ. Luca hopelessly captivates Ariel with his confidence and charisma, but the mysteries surrounding him make him nearly untouchable. And just when Ariel grows close enough to unlock his secrets, a tragic event sends her life in a downward spiral.

That steady life is no longer an option and allies quickly become scarce. The mysterious Luca seems to be the only one willing to help her—but with that trust comes the burden of his secrets. He has a dark mission of otherworldly proportions, and is willing to sacrifice as many lives as it takes to see it completed.

Gone are the days of simply maintaining normalcy, and if Ariel isn’t cautious with her trust, so soon may be her future.

REVIEW:
The Crimson Hunt follows Ariel Richmond a third year college student who is trying to get through college and pass her Zoology class. But college is never so simple and when she bumps into the mysterious Luca, she can’t seem to get him out of her head. When more strange deaths happen on campus and Ariel discovers that Lucas is not what he seems, she is sucked into a world of mystery and supernatural powers.

Ariel is an interesting character; the readers are introduced to her as a young girl after a horrible incident happens to her and her family. The book jumps forward to her college years. She is now living with her roommate Piper and struggling to pass her hardest class and beat the annoying popular girl in getting chosen for the Art Showcase. There is a lot to her that is a mystery and slowly unfolds throughout the book and how she is connected to all the occurrences that happen. I enjoyed her relationship with Piper; they were opposite and could be blunt to the point where they can understand one another and just trying to help each other. It was a great dynamic that I felt should have continued. Piper was definitely my favorite character and I was sad that she wasn’t a more prominent one. I also wanted to know more about Ariel’s talent in painting and why she liked painting and how she became so good.

Luca is a whole bunch of mystery. At first the readers meet a moody and very unapproachable young guy. Ariel is attracted to him and also annoyed with him at the same time, which frustrates her. But he soon starts making his way into her life and to the annoyance to her friend Piper; who thinks there is something off about him. Luca was a character I sadly could not connect too or really understand why Ariel would like this guy, until about half way through the book. Then she forgives him for something I would totally run away from a guy for. So, in the end it took me a while to like Luca until he proved it way later in the book.

The plot was really heart pumping and seriously had me worried for Ariel and how she was going to get out of this dangerous situation. I was however confused about what was going on for a while and I started to loose interest until the readers were finally introduced to some science fiction goodness. Once I found about Luca’s task and the other world I was hooked. The readers discover some secrets about this world and a group of people assigned missions to help prevent something happening to their world. I loved the idea of duel worlds and how these Hunters have supernatural powers.

In the end I really was sucked into the mystery side, trying to figure out why Ariel was chosen, what really happened to her when she was little and why this other world is doing what they are doing. It was an interesting twist that kept me guessing. The romance was sweet, steamy and the readers will get to see the sexy and romantic side of Luca. The ending will leave you with some questions but its just getting started with what’s next for Ariel and Luca in their next journey. Ariel has a lot to prepare for and I can’t wait to see what the future has in store for her as she now has a very interesting role to play.

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a New Adult novel with minor adult content and lot of science fiction awesomeness that will keep you glued in to the end. Fans of the Crescent Chronicles by Alyssa Rose Ivy and The Forever Girls by Rebecca Hamilton will enjoy The Crescent Hunt by Victoria Smith.

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PURCHASE LINKS:
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | The Book Depository

AUTHOR LINKS: Site | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

AUTHOR BIO
Victoria H. Smith has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. She puts it to good use writing romance all day. She resides in the Midwest with her Macbook on her lap and a cornfield to her right. She often draws inspiration for her stories from her own life experiences, and the twenty-something characters she writes give her an earful about it.

In her free time, she enjoys extreme couponing, blogging, reading, and sending off a few tweets on Twitter when she can. She writes new adult fiction romance in the sub-genres of science fiction, urban fantasy, and contemporary, but really, anywhere her pen takes her she goes. Her new adult science fiction romance, The Crimson Hunt, will be published November 2012.