Amy's Book Nook

Books reviewed: Eternal Pleasure by Nina Bangs and Undead and Unworthy by MaryJanice Davidson

Books reviewed: Mind th Gap by Christopher Golden, Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine

 

Review from Graffiti Magazine: Rogue by Rachel Vincent

I knew I was emotionally invested in Rachel Vincent’s “Rogue” when I was getting angry and upset with how the other characters were treating Faythe. I found myself wanting to defend her actions and her mistakes to a group of fictional people.


So I was hooked.


“Rogue” is the sequel to Vincent’s equally engrossing “Stray” - a story of a Pride of werecats and in particular, the Alpha’s daughter, Faythe, who escaped her family’s hold on her in search of a normal life at college, complete with roommates and boyfriend. In”Stray,” Faythe found her old life coming back in the form of her ex-boyfriend, Marc, who also happened to be her father’s enforcer, and was trying to protect her from a dangerous non-Pride cat, a Stray. Faythe’s independent streak and well, brattiness, ended up putting her in danger and she was kidnapped by the Stray. And Faythe had to grow up fast and became a very interesting character.


Now, in “Rogue,” Faythe has settled back into Pride life, at least for now. She and Marc are back together and working together to round up Strays that invade her fatherás territory and she has cut all strings to her past at the college.


But when Faythe and Marc start finding dead Strays, they investigate further and find a link with missing human women - who bear an uncanny resemblance to Faythe. All of Faythe’s actions are under scrutiny by her Pride, her father, and Marc, and relationships are strained to the breaking point.


Faythe is such an engrossing character in that she’s not perfect. She makes mistakes, sometimes big ones that affect more than just her, and may not even be aware of it. But she tries to move on and fix things, and you have to like that in a character. She might be a supernatural creature, but she has ordinary human fears and desires - not sure about wanting to commit, wanting her independence, wanting to do her own thing and not what her family expects - and that makes her highly relatable. Vincent’s strength lies in creating these wonderful, flawed characters who practically step off the pages, putting her on the list of authors to watch.


The ending doesn’t exactly end, setting itself up for the next book, “Pride,” coming out this fall, which frankly, can’t get here soon enough for me.


“Rogue” is published by Mira Books. It is $6.99 and 394 pages long.



 

Review from Graffiti Magazine blog:

A far-off future where people can be downloaded into a hive consciousness of computers and a mega-conglomerate rules all is the setting of Michele Lang's science-fiction romance, "Netherwood."

Talia Fortune has spent enough time in the virtual reality Netherwood as her avatar personna, Amazonia, that she has become attached to the illicit pleasures of that world - fighting, romance and danger, with her cyber lover, Avenger. But Talia's Real position is sheriff and as the primary shareholder of FortuneCorp. Her grandmother and employer, Violet, who has recently forgone her body and being downloaded into the computer hive mind, gives Talia the task of tracking down a cyber outlaw Kovner in the Real, and after the last encounter with Avenger, Talia's beginning to suspect they are one in the same.

Traveling to the off-world colony, Fresh Havens, she meets with her uncle and finds that Fresh Havens is being sabotaged by the people hiding out in Gray Forest. Traveling there to put a stop to the saboteurs once and for all, she finds Kovner, who tells her something unbelievable - the computers of FortuneCorp are trying to take over and get rid of humanity and she is key to saving his people. Talia refuses to believe him though she still has feelings for him, but when circumstances begin to lead her to believe he is right, will she have the courage to stand and fight against seemingly impossible odds?

A fun blend of science-fiction scares, honorable outlaws and romance, "Netherwood" is reminscent of "Matrix" and "Terminator" movies with a bit of "Robin Hood" thrown in. It's a cool page turner that could keep you up all night reading.

"Netherwood" is published under Dorchester Publishing's Shomi line, all combining science-fiction, paranormal, action-adventure and romantic elements. It is $6.99 and is 303 pages long.

 

Not under this headline in the newspaper, I would say whatever copy editor wrote the headline didn't bother to read the story as it was "Books that describe ways of living, enjoying life" What does that even mean?

Books reviewed: Don't Hex with Texas by Shanna Swendson, These Boots Were Made for Strutting by Lisa Cach, Gemma Halliday and Melanie Jackson, Wicked Game by Jeri Smith-Ready and From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris. 

Oh, please do visit my blog on the newspaper's website http://www.newsandsentinel.com/page/blogs.detail/display/188.html to see Shanna Swendson's gues blog this week, and Jeri Smith-Ready's in upcoming weeks! Any authors out there interested in guest blogging, feel free to contact me here.

From my Graffiti Magazine blog:

Stylish women sipping cocktails at the latest it restaurant, wearing the latest designer work, shoes, and carrying the right bags, complaining about the quality of available men while working their glamourous jobs at fashion magazines and investment firms.

Sounds like a scene from Sex in the City?

That is the life that Lily inhabits along with her best gal pals, Sybil, Desi, and Eros. There's just one big difference - she's also a succubus, and all of her friends work for the woman downstairs, nicknamed "Martha" in Nina Harper's new book, "Succubus in the City."

After centuries of serving up all the bad boys, cheating husbands, and chauvinist pigs to their just desserts, Lily's getting tired of it all. She just wants a man of her own - someone to cuddle her after a long day, someone who sees her without makeup and in sweatpants, someone to actually DATE and love. But it's hard enough for a single woman in New York to find a quality man, let alone a single woman who serves the forces of darkness. Yet Lily thinks she's got a prospect in Nathan Coleman, a private investigator with a love of ancient languages. Her friends and boss keep warning her to tread carefully, but Lily, with an out of her contract in sight (true love really can save her soul) she's persuing Nathan while trying to fill her quota for the month and outwit a group called the Burning Men that want to put a stop to she and her friends - forever.

A wicked, devilish delight, this book is sure to please fashionistas and dark fantasy readers alike.

"Succubus in the City" is published by Del Ray. It is $6.99 and 392 pages long.

Books reviewed: Highlander Ever After and These Boots Were Made for Stomping

 Books reviewed: Personal Demon by Kelley Armstrong, Lady and the Vamp by Michelle Rowen, Magic Burns by Ilona Andrews, Small Favor by Jim Butcher

Books reviewed: Howling at the Moon by Karen MacInerney, Dead to Me by Anton Strout, Dead Over Heels by MaryJanice Davidson

A remote viewer tries to solve a murder mystery in Natasha Mostert's "Season of the Witch."

Gabriel Blackstone was Britain's most successful remote viewer, a method of using E.S.P. to solve crimes. When a case goes wrong due to his arrogance, he leaves it all behind to become an information thief with the help of his best friend and hacker.

When his old girlfriend shows up on his door, needing help in finding her stepson, Gabriel can't turn her down. But his remote viewing turns up more questions than answers and sends him into the path of two bewitching sisters. One is the killer and the other an innocent. But which one? As Gabriel finds himself being pulled into their web of alchemy and memory, he doesn't know if he will make it out alive.

The story comes to light in a slow, but entrancing pace, blending science, religion, mysticism and magic together in a dark gothic tale. Its atmospheric, moody and enthralling story will pull you in before you know it.

"Season of the Witch" is published by New American Library. It is $14 and 395 pages long.

Time-draining vampires from outer space. An apocalyptic future. A debate on pirates versus ninjas. And one coffee-craving woman armed with a kitana stuck in the middle.

Sounds like a strange plot for a science-fiction movie? No, it is the latest in Dorchester's Shomi line of action and speculative fiction romances, "Twist" by Colby Hodge.

Abbey Shore is a college and martial arts student who flips houses to pay for her tuition after her father's new wife left her penniless in the aftermath of his tragic death. She loves her dog and enjoys going to her favorite coffee spot, Java Joes, and drooling on the hunky doctor she rides the L with. When an accident at her site lands her in the emergency room and into the arms of said hunky doctor, Shane Maddox, Abbey's arm may be hurting, but she now has a date! Despite a moment of wierdness in the hospital when a woman dressed like a character out of 'The Matrix' shows up in her room, Abbey is looking forward to the future.

And then she discovers something very odd behind a wall in her house - a swirling vortex in a tub of peroxide. When it breaks, Abbey actually opens a gateway to the future - 100 years to be exact. There, she finds the world overrun by Ticks - alien vampires who drain time out of you instead of blood - who now let groups of humans live to repopulate the food chain. Abbey finds that the humans are lead by a familiar face - Shane - who was turned into a Tick the night Abbey disappeared and blames her. Abbey throws in her lot with the humans and finds she has an affinity for killing Ticks -something that just might be otherworldly -and has the Tick Queen, Lucinda, wanting to capture her alive. What does the vampire want? Can Abbey ever make it back home? And what will become of the human race?

A fun mix of science-fiction, vampires, romance, and ninjas, Hodge's boisterous story is pure fun for fans of the genres. Hodge has a way of writing intense action and turning around and adding bits of pop culture, romance, even humor. It's a first-rate ride, and, forgive me, a new "twist" on typical vampire fiction.

Hodge has written several other books for Dorchester, including "Star Shadows," "Shooting Star," and "Stargazer." She has also written historical romances under the name Cindy Holby.

"Twist" is published by Dorchester Publishing. It is $6.99 and 308 pages long.

Books reviewed: The Unnatural Inquirer by Simon R. Green, Duma Key by Stephen King

 

 Books reviewed: One Bite Stand by Nina Bangs, Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs, and Kitty and The Silver Bullet by Carrie Vaughn

Books reviewed: Where Angels Go by Debbie Macomber and An Enchanted Season

Happy reading!
AM

Books reviewed: Sexiest Man Alive - Diana Holquist, Once Bitten Twice Shy - Jennifer Rardin, Switchcraft - Mary Castillo

 

Review From Graffiti Magazine: Blood is the New Black by Valerie Stivers

Books reviewed: Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen and Beg for Mercy by Toni Andrews

 
Happy reading!
AM

 Books Reviewed: I Want Those Shoes! and Many Bloody Returns

Books reviewed: Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Dark Congress by Christopher Golden, Embraced by Darkness by Keri Arthur, Force of Nature by Suzanne Brockmann, How to Lose an Extraterrestrial in 10 Days by Susan Grant

Happy reading!
AM

Books reviewed: Fanged and Fabulous by Michelle Rowen, Don't Talk Back to Your Vampire by Michelle Bardsley
Happy reading!
AM