[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Death's Rival

Faith Hunter, urban fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. Hunter fell in love with reading in fifth grade, and best loved SciFi, fantasy, and gothic mystery. She decided to become a writer in high school, when a teacher told her she had talent. Now, she writes full-time and works full-time in a hospital lab, (for the benefits) tries to keep house, and is a workaholic with a passion for travel, jewelry making, white-water kayaking, and writing. She and her husband love to RV, traveling with their dogs to whitewater rivers all over the Southeast.

Death's Rival, JANE YELLOWROCK #5

Author: Faith Hunter

Synopsis:

Jane Yellowrock is a shapeshifting skinwalker you don’t want to cross—especially if you’re one of the undead…

For a vampire killer like Jane, having Leo Pellisier as a boss took some getting used to. But now, someone is out to take his place as Master Vampire of the city of New Orleans, and is not afraid to go through Jane to do it. After an attack that’s tantamount to …a war declaration, Leo knows his rival is both powerful and vicious, but Leo’s not about to run scared. After all, he has Jane.

But then, a plague strikes, one that takes down vampires and makes their masters easy prey. Now, to uncover the identity of the vamp who wants Leo’s territory, and to find the cause of the vamp-plague, Jane will have to go to extremes…and maybe even to war.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer - Kathy M:

Faith Hunter’s latest installment in her Jane Yellowrock series, Death’s Rival is one of the best books that I have read all year. 

I’m a big fan of this series, so I was expecting to enjoy the book, but Death’s Rival blew me out of the water. 

Jane is still adjusting to working for Leo, the Master of the City of New Orleans. And while the pay is great and the work is never boring, she still questions the wisdom of working for the vampire. When an unknown foe attempts to take over Leo’s territory by releasing a plague causing sickness and impending death in previously thought invulnerable vampires, it is up to Jane to figure out the who, how and why. And try to stay alive. 

We learn, as Jane begins to remember, more of her past. And her co-existence with Beast, the soul of a mountain lion that lives inside her evolves. 

Death’s Rival totally satisfies, yet leaves one hungry for more. 

LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer gives Death's Rival 5 Skulls!

Death's Rival

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of A Jaguar's Kiss

Katie Reus fell in love with romance at a young age thanks to books she pilfered from her mom’s stash. Years later she loves reading romance almost as much as she loves writing it. However, she didn’t always know she wanted to be a writer. After graduating summa cum laude with a degree in psychology and working too many jobs she hated, she finally figured things out.

She now spends her days writing dark paranormal romance and sexy romantic suspense. Her publishers include Carina Press, Ellora's Cave, Harlequin Nocturne and NAL/Signet Eclipse. Regardless of genre, she always includes a happy ending. When she’s not creating stories she loves spending time with her husband and son.

A Jaguar's Kiss
Author:  Katie Reus

Synopsis:

Owen Wright, alpha of his wolf pack, hasn’t seen jaguar shifter Gabriela Segura in nearly ten years. She was his first love—until he did something to drive her away just as their relationship was heating up. Now Gabriela has returned to Montana, and his craving for her is stronger than ever….

But a recent string of brutal attacks on humans have the wolves suspicious of the jaguars, threatening the tenuous peace between the packs. Before he can claim Gabriela as his mate, they must join forces to prove her family’s innocence and track down the true predator.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

I'm a big fan of big cat shifters, so I figured that I'd like A Jaguar's Kiss. I didn't think that I'd enjoy it quite as much as I did though...

Gabriela is a strong, confident, alpha female jaguar shifter who works for the CIA and is coming back home for some R&R after an incident leaves her shaken.  She's looking forward to her time off, but not looking forward to running into her high school fling, the one man who broke her heart.

Owen is Bear Mountain's wolf Pack Alpha, and an ex-military man. He's sexy, sensitive, and capable, yet he's stepped into some pretty big shoes, taking over the pack at the tender age of 23.  He's also never forgotten his best friend and the woman who he was never able to get out of his thoughts - Gabriela.

When a jaguar shifter killing humans brings the jaguar and wolf packs against each other, Gabriela and Owen find themselves working together to find out what's going on and confronting the still smoldering attraction between them. Owen has never forgotten Gabriela and while she's spent the last 10 years incredibly upset with Owen, she's never been able to get him out of her heart.

Katie did an unbelievable job of fitting a story this intense with romance this steamy and emotion this strong into a novella.  I was hooked and only wanted more when all was said and done.  I would have liked a bit more story, but it is a novella and there are only so many pages to work with. So, if asked to choose between getting into the bad guys' heads a bit more and getting a bit more backstory vs. what Katie gave us with the romance and Owen/Gabriela storyline, I have to say I'll take what I was given. :)

LITERAL ADDICTION gives A Jaguar's Kiss 4 Skulls and would recommend it to pretty much any Paranormal Romance fan.

A Jaguar's Kiss

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Darklands

Nancy Holzner grew up in western Massachusetts with her nose stuck in a book. This meant that she tended to walk into things, wore glasses before she was out of elementary school, and forced her parents to institute a "no reading at the dinner table" rule. It was probably inevitable that she majored in English in college and then, because there were still a lot of books she wanted to read, continued her studies long enough to earn a masters degree and a PhD.

She began her career as a medievalist, then jumped off the tenure track to try some other things. Besides teaching English and philosophy, shes worked as a technical writer, freelance editor and instructional designer, college admissions counselor, and corporate trainer.

Nancy lives in upstate New York with her husband Steve, where they both work from home without getting on each others nerves. She enjoys visiting local wineries and listening obsessively to opera. There are still a lot of books she wants to read.

Darklands, Deadtown #4
Author:  Nancy Holzner

Synopsis:  

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

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

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

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer, Kathy M:

I’ve enjoyed Nancy Holzner’s Deadtown series and her latest offering was no exception. Darklands is fast paced, action packed and laced with humor, thanks in large part to the introduction of a demon named Butterfly. 

Vicky, the heroine, is Boston’s only demon exterminator and she’s really good at her job. But when it comes to dealing with her feelings of guilt regarding her father’s death, or her uncertainty of her relationship with her sexy werewolf boyfriend Kane, Vicky struggles big time. When demons start disappearing and a powerful cauldron goes missing, Vicky must travel to the land of the dead, known as the Darklands, to stop her demi-demon cousin from bringing down the fall of humanity. 

Nancy Holzner does an excellent job of laying down the foundation of the prior books in the first couple chapters of Darkland, bringing new readers up to speed. But I would recommend reading the first three books in this series so that you don’t miss a thing. Darkland is a must read for fans who love urban fantasy with a dash of mystery.

LITERAL ADDICTION's Guest Reviewer gives Darklands 4 Skulls.

Darklands

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Fury's Kiss

Karen Chance is the author of two New York Times bestselling series, plus a number of novellas and short stories, all set in the Cassandra Palmer universe. A full-time writer since 2008, she was previously a university history teacher, which comes in handy when writing the time-travel aspect of Cassie’s crazy adventures. She loves Las Vegas, the main setting for her novels, but currently lives in Florida near her family home.

Fury's Kiss, DORINA BASARAB #3

Author:  Karen Chance

Synopsis:  

Dorina Basarab is a dhampir—half-human, half-vampire. Subject to uncontrollable rages, most dhampirs live very short, very violent lives. But so far, Dory has managed to maintain her sanity by unleashing her anger on those demons and vampires who deserve killing... 

Dory is used to fighting hard and nasty. So when she wakes up in a strange scientific lab with a strange man standing over her, her first instinct is to take his head off. Luckily, the man is actually the master vampire Louis-Cesare, so he’s not an easy kill.

It turns out that Dory had been working with a Vampire Senate task force on the smuggling of magical items and weaponry out of Faerie when she was captured and brought to the lab. But when Louis-Cesare rescues her, she has no memory of what happened to her.

To find out what was done to her—and who is behind it—Dory will have to face off with fallen angels, the maddest of mad scientists, and a new breed of vampires that are far worse than undead…

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

I knew I had missed the world of MIDNIGHT'S DAUGHTER, but I didn't realize exactly how much until I dove into Fury's Kiss and was reunited with Dorina Basarab. 

The enchanting world of sexy and dangerous (and often times utterly entertaining) Master Vampires, Fey Warriors, Mages of both the Light and Dark persuasion, and more, all wrapped up in an action-packed, suspenseful plotline with heat, heart and intrigue.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the previous installments of both series of this world, but there was something special about this book. I think because we got to see the OTHER side of Dorina, the more vulnerable side - the more human side if you will.

I also loved it because it brought back, in stunning display, pretty much all of my other favorite characters as they each played their role. 

Unexpected heroes, thrilling allies, dirty secrets and more abound in this installment and if I wasn't on a review schedule I think I'd read it again.

I can't go into detail of what happened during the book because just about everything I would say would be spoiler, so I'll just say this... LITERAL ADDICTION gives Fury's Kiss 5 Skulls and highly recommends it. I do, however, recommend that you read the previous installments before this one as there is a lot of history that is used to set up the premise of this book. It may even be a good idea to read the CASANDRA PALMER series as well before starting the DORINA BASARAB books as you get insight into several of the key players in those books (and they're fabulous).

Fury's Kiss

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Gunmetal Magic

“Ilona Andrews” is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Texas with their two children and many dogs and cats.

Gunmetal Magic, Book #1 of the Kate Daniels World series

Author:  Ilona Andrews

Synopsis:

Ilona Andrews delves deeper into Kate's world, and reveals its untold stories... 

After being kicked out of the Order of the Knights of Merciful Aid, Andrea's whole existence is in shambles. She tries to put herself back together by working for Cutting Edge, a small investigative firm owned by her best friend. When several shapeshifters working for Raphael Medrano--the male alpha of the Clan Bouda, and Andrea's former lover--die unexpectedly at a dig site, Andrea is assigned to investigate. Now she must work with Raphael as her search for the killer leads into the secret underbelly of supernatural Atlanta. And dealing with her feelings for him might have to take a back seat to saving the world... 

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Associate Reviewer, Mich M:

When we first met Andrea in the Kate Daniels books I found it really hard to form an opinion of her, I liked her to an extent but I wasn't really attached to her, now after getting to know her better and spending time with her as the main focus I really like her! 

I feel like Andrea grew up a little through this journey and it was something she had to do if she wanted a life with Raphael. Which brings me to Raphael... Where oh where do you start with him? He has p*ssed me off through the series and that continued into the beginning of this book, especially their first meeting. If ever I wanted to slap someone silly, that would do it! 

The little teasers with Kate & Curran made me hungry for their next book. I love Curran, he dominates the page whenever he is around even just for a sentence or two. I miss him. 

I loved the interactions with Kate & Andrea and I liked Aunt B in this one. 

LITERAL ADDICTION's Associate Reviewer gives Gunmetal Magic 4 Skulls.

Gunmetal Magic

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Death and the Girl Next Door

Darynda Jones would pick up a pencil and paper and scribble nonsense on it even when she was a toddler, asking her mother to read her literary genius aloud.  Soon after, she started writing plays for the neighborhood kids, making up stories for her brother, and creating age inappropriate fantastical stories for Barbie and Ken to enact.  In high school she almost finished her first manuscript, and even then, was dabbling in romance and the paranormal. 
Darynda took a break from actively writing for several years, wherein she got married, had a couple children, graduated Summa cum Laude from UNM and got a job as a teacher and sign language translator.  She missed writing though, and started up again in 2002 with the goal of getting a publishing contract securely in her mind’s eye.  After 3 complete manuscripts, she finally landed an agent, a three book deal, and won the 2009 Golden Heart award for Best Paranormal Romance in 2009.

Death and the Girl Next Door, Book #1 of the DARKLIGHT series
Author:  Darynda Jones

Synopsis:

Ten years ago, Lorelei's parents disappeared without a trace.  Raised by her grandparents and leaning on the support of her best friends, Lorelei is finally beginning to accept the fact that her parents are never coming home.  For Lorelei, life goes on.

High school is not quite as painful as she thinks it will be, and things are as normal as they can be.  Until the day the school's designated loner, Cameron Lusk, begins to stalk her, turning up where she least expects it,  standing outside her house in the dark, night after night.  Things get even more complicated when a new guy—terrifying, tough, sexy Jared Kovach—comes to school.  Cameron and Jared instantly despise each other and Lorelei seems to be the reason for their animosity.  What does Jared know about her parents?  Why does Cameron tell Jared he can't have Lorelei?  And what will any of them do when Death comes knocking for real?  Thrilling, sassy, sexy, and inventive, Darynda Jones's first foray into the world of teens will leave readers eager for the next installment.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

*eARC received from the author

Tis the season for several of my favorite paranormal authors to take the plunge and dive into the Young Adult sub-genre.

I have been incredibly lucky and honored lately to be able to advance read and review these new endeavors, and for me personally, it's been no tricks, only treats thus far. And with nothing but love and the utmost respect for each and every one of those authors, I still have to say that this was my absolute favorite of them all!

Over the past few years there have been several YA series that I let go by the wayside because of changes in my reading preferences and sadly, yes, disappointment. There is only 1 YA series whose installments are on auto-buy for me, at least there WAS. Not anymore!! :)

Death and the Girl Next Door was a 'YA for the not so young adult' that hooked me 2 pages in and didn't let go. Darklight is a unique & exciting new series with amazing characters, solid world building and plot, beautiful romance and dialogue to die for.

Lorelei, our heroine, is quirky, fun, confident and yeah, a bit extraordinary. She's forever flanked by her two besties, Brooklyn & Glitch, who leap off the page in their own right and beg for more page time.

Our hero [OK hero #1], Jared, is kinda heavenly - he's sexy, strong, sensitive, and willing to fight for what he wants, consequences be damned. Seriously, I think I'm in love! ;-) To back up my claims of the incredible dialogue in this book and the swoon factor of Jared, I want to share 1 - of many - memorable quotes from the book (condensed for the use of this review): "Because you move like fire rushing across the floor"..."Like flames licking up a wall"...Your energy is liquid and hot. Even from a distance you burn, you scorch anyone who gets too close. You are wine on my tongue and honey in my veins, and I cannot get enough of you."..."You intoxicate me...You will be my downfall".** ((sigh))

Hero #2, Cameron, is the dark, mysterious, loner bad boy. He's much deeper than he likes people to believe though, and I found unraveling some of his mysteries to be enchanting. He's also got a snarky side that I absolutely loved, and a loyalty & sense of purpose I found endearing.

25 pages into this book I posted an update to GoodReads that said: "Darynda Jones is a genius; a master of the written word. Just sayin... I swear she could rewrite the phone book and I would read and enjoy it because of her instantaneously gripping & witty writing style. I may only be a handful of pages in, but I already know I'm going to love this book!" I stand by that statement, and would highly recommend it.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Death and the Girl Next Door 5 Skulls and cannot wait for book #2. While there was a plethora of goodness in this book, Darynda ended it with a fabulous twist that opened it up for several more possible storylines and seriously had me jonesing for the next installment immediately. You really need to add this book and it's upcoming sequel(s) to your TBR and 1 Click Pre-Order ASAP.

**Reference: From page 206 of the .pdf version of Death and the Girl Next Door

Death and the Girl Next Door

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Savage Hunger

Terry Spear is an award-winning author of urban fantasy and medieval historical romantic suspense.  Her HEART OF THE WOLF series was named in Publishers Weekly’s “Best Books of the Year” and received the NOR Reader Choice for Best Paranormal Romance. 

She also writes true stories for adult and young adult audiences, and is a retired lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserves.  She has an MBA from Monmouth University and a Bachelors in Business, and is a Distinguished Military Graduate of West Texas A & M.

When she’s not writing, she also creates award-winning teddy bears!  Her Wilde & Woolly Bears have an array of personalized bears designed to commemorate authors’ books.

When she’s not writing or making bears, she’s teaching online writing courses.

Savage Hunger – Heart of the Jaguar Book #1
Author:  Terry Spear

Synopsis:  
In the heat of the jungle, jaguars are clawed, dangerous, and hungry for love. With hopes of overcoming night terrors and thanking the man who saved her life, Kathleen McKnight returns to the Amazon. A jaguar at heart, Connor Anderson doesn’t just protect her, but wants to claim her for his own.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

*ARC received from NetGalley.

I'm a huge fan of Terry's HEART OF THE WOLF series, and one of my favorite Supe Groups is easily the big cat shifters, so when I heard that Terry was coming out with her new HEART OF THE JAGUAR series I was very excited to see what she had in store.

Savage Hunger is the 1st installment of the HEART OF THE JAGUAR series, and while I didn't find this first book as action packed as Terry's HEART OF THE WOLF books, it was a pleasant, light-hearted and enjoyable read.

Connor is a Nursery owner and jaguar shifter. He's not an uber macho alpha male. He's more the type of guy you'd want to meet and marry - sensitive, strong, possessive without being overbearing, and family oriented. 

Kat is a black-ops military Captain. She's a strong confident female who has a fascination with the Amazon rainforests and jaguars in general. She's a bit scarred though and has a few issues to work through. 

The two meet in the worst possible of circumstances and are forced to go their separate ways afterward. Neither can forget the other, however, and after trying several different avenues to track Connor down again, Kat finds him back in the rainforest with his sister Maya.

They are thrown together by danger again and this time it's for keeps. Maya realizes the potential Kat presents as a mate for her brother and decides to become matchmaker, though she doesn't have to try real hard because there's already some heady chemistry between the pair.

Savage Hunger offers up drama, tons of emotion, and some pretty intense romance. 

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Savage Hunger 4 Skulls and is excited to see what Terry brings us with book #2 of the series.

Savage Hunger

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Ravenous

V.K. Forrest and Hunter Morgan are pseudonyms used by Colleen Faulkner.

Colleen Faulkner is the daughter of best-selling author Judith E. French. A Southern Delaware resident, Colleen has published more than forty historical romance, contemporary romance, and suspense novels, and won numerous awards, including The Diamond Award for literary excellence in the state of Delaware.

Ravenous, CLARE POINT #4
Author: V.K Forrest
Synopsis:
Welcome to the quiet coastal town of Clare Point, Delaware, where the Kahill vampire clan has made its home for centuries. . .and where one vampire's love for a human woman could put their entire world at risk. . .

Ravenous

As a member of his clan's kill team, Liam McCathal helps rid the world of undesirables. It's the perfect job for a vampire of his talents--except that lately, Liam is getting a little too good at it. Which is why he's back home to "cool off," when Mai walks into his antique store and changes everything.

Liam's not in the habit of making friends--least of all with beautiful, exotic human females. But something about Mai ignites a spark he hasn't felt in over a century. When Mai's uncle is killed and her father threatened, Liam takes on a ruthless crime boss and puts every vampire in Clare Point in danger of discovery. Because Mai's father has secrets too, and Liam is edging ever closer to losing his reputation, his clan, and the woman he would do anything to protect. . .

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:

Ravenous is the 4th book of the CLARE POINT series, and in keeping with the rest of the series, is gripping and intensely suspenseful. While books 1-3 were more of the murder/mystery variety of Urban Fantasy Romance, this installment was murder/mystery with a side of Goodfellas - it had a mob connection storyline that I thoroughly enjoyed.:)

After years as an integral member of the Kahill sect's Kill Team - those vampires that the Council dispatches to take care of the human murderers, rapists, pedophiles, etc that they deem too dangerous to let live - introverted, sheltered, and somewhat insecure Liam is back home in Clare Point on sabbatical awaiting the Council's vote to clear his latest actions and return him to active duty.

Mai Ricci is a rival antique's dealer from a nearby town playing the dutiful daughter and niece by taking care of her elderly father and uncle. She's tried to stop into Liam's Antique shop several times to check things out, but has never actually met the owner. When she finally lucks out and arrives at the store when Liam's home and working on getting things in order, she gets much more than she bargained for.

When tragedy strikes Mai's life in the most unusual of circumstances, she acts on instinct and dials the number on the business card she receives from Liam's store. Having a soft spot for damsels in distress, Liam runs to Mai's aid and thus starts off a chain reaction of life changing events, never-ending questions and undeniable chemistry.

With the help of the sect's teenage wisewoman and some other Kahill members with unique abilities and friends in high places, Liam is able to keep Mai safe and unravel the mystery of Mai's uncle Donato and his sketchy past.

Full of twists and turns, incredible suspense, steamy romance and fabulous dialogue, Ravenous kept me reading and wanting more.

Like the previous 3 installments V.K doesn't give us a traditional happily ever after though it does have an interesting ending. A lot of PNR readers will probably hate the endings to these books, but like the uniqueness Colleen brings to the vampire genre, I love the change up with that aspect as well.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Ravenous 4 1/2 Skulls and would still recommend this series to Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and Mystery fans who are looking for something different. I can't wait to finish Voracious to see how things end up for our next Kahill.


Ravenous

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Immortal

V.K. Forrest and Hunter Morgan are pseudonyms used by Colleen Faulkner.

Colleen Faulkner is the daughter of best-selling author Judith E. French. A Southern Delaware resident, Colleen has published more than forty historical romance, contemporary romance, and suspense novels, and won numerous awards, including The Diamond Award for literary excellence in the state of Delaware.


Immortal, CLARE POINT #3
Author: V.K Forrest

Synopsis:
For centuries, the Kahill vampire clan has lived quietly among locals and tourists in the tranquil beachfront village of Clare Point. In Immortal,V.K. Forrest weaves the unforgettable tale of Fin, a Kahill clan leader who discovers that the woman he loves may harbor a secret too dark to comprehend...

Immortal

Magnetic, fearless Fin Kahill has dedicated his life to ridding the world of its most vicious serial killers. Fin is used to roaming the earth freely—not getting stuck in sleepy Clare Point. But when the clan needs him close by, Fin agrees to take a summer job on the town's tiny police force. He expects little excitement—until he meets Elena, an ethereal Italian beauty.


As Fin struggles against his feelings for Elena, the peace in Clare Point is shattered by the inexplicable murder of a tourist. The young man's throat has been cut, his body eerily posed. When the killer strikes again, Fin wonders if a member of his own clan is responsible. The only one he can turn to is Elena, but he knows that falling in love with a human can be a deadly mistake. Yet just as Fin edges closer to solving the murders, he discovers Elena may not be exactly who, or what, she appears...


Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
CLARE POINT continues to keep me captivated and I find myself just wanting more!

As one of the Celtic Immortal sect of Kahill vampires, each member has a responsibility to keep the human race safe. The way they chose to do this is by investigating, judging and if voted, executing human serial killers, rapists, pedophiles and other monsters.

Fin Kahill is an integral member of this team. We meet Fin - Fia's younger brother and troubled bad boy Regan's twin - briefly in book #1 of the series. After Regan gets himself into some trouble during a mission, Fin is reeled back in and put on Regan babysitting duty back in Clare Point for the summer. He hates it, but makes the best of it by helping out his uncle Sean on the police force and keeping his family happy.

Like most small beachside tourist towns, Clare Point is hopping during the summer. There are numerous humans visiting and lots of activity all over town. When young men start turning up dead all of a sudden, Fin takes over the lead on the investigation. While he's looking into the murders he runs into Elena, a gorgeous older Italian woman in Clare Point on holiday with her family. Fin knows he's not suppose to have anything to do with human females, but he feels an immediate connection to Elena and figures it's the least the town can do - look the other way - especially since he's being forced to do just about everything he doesn't want to be doing.

As the murder mystery gets more and more involved, and blame gets shifted numerous times, Fin realizes that things aren't what they seem and Elena just might be in the middle of it all.

The ending of this installment was very interesting and I loved the growth and development of the 'reborn' group of Kahills - those members who have just recently died and have been reborn as 16 year olds - during the story. I especially like the development and growth of Kaleigh, the sect's wisewoman. She's starting to come into her own and I'm finding that I love her character.

The romance in this one was super steamy as well. Not that the other books were anything to sneeze at, but this one was great. I think maybe it's because I've always sort of had a thing for Fin, but it was just hot! :)

I can't wait to see which Kahill we'll learn more about next, and I'm excited to see what exciting mysterious journey V.K takes us on in the future. This is definitely a new favorite series for me and I can't wait to keep reading.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Immortal 4 Skulls.


Immortal

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Undying

V.K. Forrest and Hunter Morgan are pseudonyms used by Colleen Faulkner.

Colleen Faulkner is the daughter of best-selling author Judith E. French. A Southern Delaware resident, Colleen has published more than forty historical romance, contemporary romance, and suspense novels, and won numerous awards, including The Diamond Award for literary excellence in the state of Delaware.


Undying, CLARE POINT #2
Author: V.K Forrest
Synopsis:
Returning to the Kahill vampire clan, the second installment of the Clare Point series introduces Arlan, a fierce member of the clan who must fight his desire for a love most forbidden.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
V.K Forrest continues the tale of the Kahill vampires, a Celtic sect of immortals cursed by God to be reborn lifetime after lifetime until they get it right.

In book #1, we meet Arlan. Arlan is a Kahill vampire with the unique ability to shapeshift. He's also been in love with Fia Kahill, the heroine of Eternal, for centuries.

When a serial killer continues his rampage across the U.S, Fia finds herself investigating the murders and enlisting Arlan's help. As members of the sect's Council, Fia and Arlan have a responsibility to keep the humans safe from monsters like this Buried Alive Killer, and so they are just as invested (if not more so) than the human authorities.

Fia is also receiving help from an anonymous caller who has ties to the serial killer. Macy finds herself caught up in the disturbing life and activities of the psycho, and after seeing Fia on TV during the Clare Point murders the year before (the storyline of Eternal, book #1) she immediately feels a connection to her and knows that she can help.

During the course of the mystery Arlan and Macy meet and sparks fly. Arlan knows that he's not supposed to be with a human female, but he can't deny the attraction he feels for Macy and Macy is a progressive woman - she knows what she wants and she's not afraid to ask for it.

The action packed storyline of Undying was even better than Eternal. A nail-biting, gasp inducing thrill ride. It was dark, disturbing, and beautifully written.

One thing I will say for V.K's books... they don't follow rules and they don't have expected happy endings. If you're looking for a series with 'guy meets girl, couple falls in love, everyone lives happily ever after' then these might not be right for you. :)

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Undying 4 1/2 Skulls. I absolutely love this series - it's the best mesh of each of my favorite sub-genres and nothing like anything I've read before.


Undying

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Eternal

V.K Forrest and Hunter Morgan are pseudonyms used by Colleen Faulkner.

Colleen Faulkner is the daughter of best-selling author Judith F. French.  A Southern Delaware resident, Colleen has published more than forty historical roance, contemporary romance, and suspense novels, and won numerous awards including The Diamond Award for literary excellence in the state of Delaware.

Eternal, CLARE POINT #1

Author:  V.K Forrest

 

Synopsis:

Centuries ago, the shipwrecked vampire clan known as the Kahills came ashore on the sleepy Delaware peninsula of Clare Point. In Eternal, V.K. Forrest introduces readers to the ravishing, undead Fia Kahill, an FBI agent, who's in danger from a vampire slayer and the one man she must resist but can't

Eternal

FBI agent Fia Kahill has just learned her cousin Bobby McCathal is dead. His body is found burned, and his head and hands are missing—the unmistakable calling card of a vampire slayer. When more vampires' corpses surface, Fia knows it's only a matter of time before the killer catches up to her. But that's not her only worry. She's been assigned to work with FBI agent Glen Duncan who is the spitting image of Ian, the man she once loved—and the man who betrayed her

Fia wants Glen like no other man she's ever desired—and before she knows what's happening, she is deeply immersed in a forbidden love affair. But this time the consequences could be far graver than Fia ever could have imagined. For a killer has her in his sights as his next deadly victim

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
Eternal was a refreshing vampire novel, a paranormal murder mystery with a kick butt, strong female lead and an incredible supporting cast.

Unlike 'normal' vampires, the Kahill vampires are a sect of Celtic immortals cursed by God to live their lives over and over until they get it right and are forgiven by the Almighty.

Fia Kahill is one of the most human among them. Having left her home town of Clare Point years ago to pursue her career as an FBI agent she tries to distance herself from the rest of the sect as much as possible. She still struggles with what she is a bit and she finds that living as humanly as possible helps to keep her grounded. Unfortunately she still has responsibilities to her brethren, and when a murder happens in her old home town she must return and confront her past and her inner demons.

Glen Duncan is an FBI agent from another field office and is sent to Clare Point to investigate the bizarre murder of the small town postal worker. After arriving, he meets Agent Fia Kahill, a fiery, headstrong, and mysterious woman that he can't help but be drawn to. The chemistry between the two is undeniable and explosive, but neither is willing to act upon their feelings for reasons all their own.

Despite the secrets Fia's obviously keeping, the oddness of the townspeople in general, the strangeness of the case and the unsettling feelings they are having for one another, Glen and Fia work tirelessly to get to the bottom of what's going on in Clare Point and solve the murder.

The mystery was fabulous and I had absolutely no idea until the very end who the bad guy was. I also loved the way that VK introduced numerous members of the supporting cast throughout the story and let us in on little secrets that made me want not only more of this book, but more of the series in general.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Eternal 4 Skulls and would recommend it for Urban Fantasy, Paranormal Romance, and even murder mystery lovers. I can't wait to continue the journey...

Eternal

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Widow's Web

Jennifer Estep is a New York Times bestselling author, prowling the streets of her imagination in search of her next fantasy idea.

Jennifer writes the Elemental Assassin adult urban fantasy series for Pocket. Books in the series are SPIDER'S BITE, WEB OF LIES, VENOM, TANGLED THREADS, SPIDER'S REVENGE, and BY A THREAD. THREAD OF DEATH, an e-novella, is also available.

HAINTS AND HOBWEBS: AN ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN SHORT STORY can be found in THE MAMMOTH BOOK OF GHOST ROMANCE.

WIDOW'S WEB, the seventh book, is set to be released on Aug. 21, 2012.

Jennifer also writes the Mythos Academy young adult urban fantasy series for Kensington.


Widow's Web, Book #7 of the ELEMENTAL ASSASSIN SERIES
Author: Jennifer EstepSynopsis:
I used to murder people for money, but these days it’s more of a survival technique.

Once an assassin, always an assassin. So much for being plain old Gin Blanco. With every lowlife in Ashland gunning for me, I don’t need another problem, but a new one has come to town.

Salina might seem like a sweet Southern belle, but she’s really a dangerous enemy whose water elemental magic can go head-to-head with my own Ice and Stone power. Salina also has an intimate history with my lover, Owen Grayson, and now that she’s back in town, she thinks he’s hers for the taking.

Salina’s playing a mysterious game that involves a shady local casino owner with a surprising connection to Owen. But they call me the Spider for a reason. I’m going to untangle her deadly scheme, even if it leaves my love affair hanging by a thread.


Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Associate Reviewer, Mich M:
In Spiders Bite we met Gin Blanco, cook by day and assassin by night. Over the past six books I have got to know Gin, I've cried with her, laughed with her, cheered as she defeated the bad guys, comiserated with her as she got her heart broke and finally fell in love as she did with Owen Grayson. In By a Thread Gin confronted her past in the form of Donovan Caine her ex-boyfriend, now in Widow's Web it's Owen's turn to confront his past.

Since Owen entered Gin's life it's been apparent that there is more to him than we are yet aware of, with the sudden arrival of Salina we start to unravel his secrets. Unfortunately there seems to be more to Salina and the reasons behind her sudden arrival in Ashland than just her history with Owen. Everyone close to Owen is suspicious but Owen can't see any fault with Salina and is always giving her the benefit of the doubt even when people close to him start getting hurt. Will Gin & Owen's relationship survive or will Salina succeed in driving a wedge between them.

I believe that Jennifer may upset people with this book but I throughly enjoyed it, it was an emotional journey as always and Gin continues to grow and develop as a character, her story has been filled with everything from violence and pain, to love and acceptance from day one and this part of her journey is no different. My heart trully went out to her in this book. Salina's appearance turns Owen back into a scared confused kid, he's a shell of the man I have came to love. I can't wait for the next installment to discover what is next for Gin.

The Elemental Assasin series is one of my all time favourite series and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys stories with a strong kick-ass female. I award Widow's Web 5 Skulls and Jennifer Estep remains on my auto-buy author list!


Widow's Web

[Archive] LITERAL ADDICTION's Review of Immortal Surrender

Claire Ashgrove has been writing since her early teens and maintained the hobby for twenty years before deciding to leap into the professional world. Her first contemporary novel, Seduction's Stakes, sold to The Wild Rose Press in 2008, where she continues to write steamy, sexy stories for the Champagne and Black Rose lines. Adding to these critically acclaimed contemporaries, Claire’s paranormal romance series, The Curse of the Templars, will debut with Tor in January 2012. For those who prefer the more erotic side of romance, she also writes for Berkley Heat under the pen name Tori St. Claire.

Claire lives on a small farm in Missouri with her two toddler sons, fifteen horses, four cats, and five dogs. In her “free” time, she enjoys cooking, winning at rummy, studying ancient civilizations, and spending quiet moments with her family, including the critters. She credits her success to her family's constant support and endless patience.


Immortal Surrender, THE CURSE OF THE TEMPLARS Book #2
Author: Claire AshgroveSynopsis:

Farran de Clare, loyal member of the cursed Knights Templar, wants nothing to do with predestined mates. Even the Almighty won’t turn him into a fool again—he’d rather sacrifice his soul. Yet in the scientist Noelle Keane, a devout atheist, Farran meets the seraph designed for him.

Ordered by the archangel Gabriel to protect Noelle, the possessor of a sacred relic that could give Azazel incredible power, Farran swears to do his duty—but in name only. Fighting an attraction that grows with each day, he’s determined that he’ll never pledge himself to her.

As they war over her future, their mutual passion ignites a conflict far more damning. But before Noelle will agree to eternity with him, she demands the ultimate sacrifice – his heart.

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Pack Alpha - Michelle L. Olson:
Another incredible installment in THE CURSE OF THE TEMPLARS series by Claire Ashgrove. Not quite as action packed as Immortal Hope, but engaging and thrilling just the same.

Picking up where Immortal Hope, book #1, left off, the Order is still guarding the gates, fighting back Azazel’s minions, their fallen brethren, and doing whatever they can to keep the darkness within themselves at bay.

Dr. Noelle Keane, the 2nd of the prophesied seraphs, is commissioned to carbon date and validate another of the sacred relics. In keeping with his meddling ways, Archangel Gabriel presents Noelle with her Templar torc, thus setting in motion events beyond her control. As the prophesied 2nd seraph, Noelle is said to be ‘The Blind’. That is at first taken literally due to her declining eye sight, but what it comes to mean is much more profound – the fact that she’s blind to the truth and the glories of the Almighty. She’s a true scientist and struggles with faith.

When one of her appointed guards, Farran de Clare, realizes that Noelle bears his matching mark and that she is HIS seraph, things get a little dicey. Farran is quite possibly one of the only Order Knights who wants nothing to do with a seraph. He has some pretty heavy duty baggage from his past and refuses to be made a fool again by any woman. His honor and allegiance to the Order supercede everything, however, and he resolves to take the oath with Noelle, if only to strengthen his sword for the cause.

Grumpy, duty bound Farran and naïve, insecure Noelle are an interesting match. Despite their mutual passions, their combined stubbornness is overwhelming and quite the roadblock. Misunderstandings abound, and the entire situation is quite volatile. Farran does everything in his power to distance himself from Noelle, and Noelle simply thinks Farran is insane. The back and forth of these things and the growth of the characters both individually and as a pair is a large part of the tale. Unlike Immortal Hope, Immortal Surrender didn’t get action packed until the end, but was an enjoyable read none-the-less.

Outside of Farran and Noelle’s story, Claire begins several side tales in this installment. The growing darkness within the other unmated knights, the side sects beginning to form, the organization of Azazel’s army, etc. The prologue confused me a bit though. It was about a Knight named Iain and his seraph Bianca, but after that initial action packed sequence Iain was never mentioned again. I can only assume that it was a segue to a future book and that we’ll find out what happens to him at a later date…

Once again I give Claire huge kudos for her attention to detail and the obvious research that went into writing these books. She has created an amazing world full of wonder and mystery and it’s obvious that she has taken the time to research what she’s writing about. I also like the journey she took with the growth of the characters in this book. Acerbic, unshakable Farran’s edges get softened and he caves to his heart, and Noelle’s insecurities and naivety give way to an inner strength and determination I wasn’t sure that we’d see from her.

LITERAL ADDICTION gives Immortal Surrender 4 Skulls and would recommend it to Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance lovers who are looking for something a bit different. I would suggest that readers start out with Immortal Hope before reading Immortal Surrender, however. While it can be read as a stand-alone, the introduction to the world and the supporting cast will be much more appreciated if the series is read as a whole.


Immortal Surrender