Review: Haunted Honeymoon - Marta Acosta

Series: Casa Dracula #4
Genre: Paranormal romance with a twist
Published: 2010
Publisher: Gallery
Source: From Marta

As the only human to survive vampire infection, Milagro de Los Santos has become quite a celebrity among the blood-drinking elite. Too bad the perks of her condition—increased strength, super-fast healing—don’t pay her condo fees. There are other complications too. She’s feeling guilty about her fling with enigmatic Vampire Council member Ian Ducharme, and pining for her ex-fiancé, Dr. Oswald Grant . . . the fabulous man whose kiss changed her life. It’s when Milagro—irked by Ian’s attentions to his neighbor—travels to London and enjoys a sexy flirtation of her own, that the blood really hits the fan. Suddenly, those around her are dying gruesome deaths and Milagro’s being interrogated. Who would kill to set her up as a murder suspect? Milagro just wants to turn back the clock and have another chance to make things right, but no sooner has she escaped to Oswald’s ranch than an accident obliterates her memory. Will the murderer come after her now? And will amnesia spark a romantic do-over with Oswald—or will she make all the same mistakes before she ever gets to say "I do"?

My thoughts:

This is the end and I am sad, but at the same time I am very happy because it was truly the end I wanted. 

Milagros is now with Ian but things are still not great. She can't seem to find her place, and she still thinks about Oswald. Oh yes Oswald, the hot but for me boring wasp vampire. So not for our curvy and lively Milagros. But they will meet again as she gets amnesia and there is a chance to start all over again. What happens? Oh I am not telling you that, but she will get one of these men. 

This book is about a fun trip to London, a crazy scientist, trouble with Ian, murder charges and a happy ever after. 

But let's get back to the men since they are so interesting. Ian, oh that goddamn Ian Ducharme. I said last time that he is like chocolate and that is so true. You look at it on the shelf and crave it, then you get it and eat too much. But if you try to stay away you just long for it again. So what does this tell you? Well you just have to learn that chocolate is awesome, just do not eat too much, and do not try to stay away from it. And that is Ian, lol, Milagros just have to come to terms with her Ian-addiction. Because in the end a bit of chocolate is actually good for you. But will Milagros stay with her chocolate or go back to healthier food that taste funny? Find out! The book throws a few surpries and I liked it. 

Conclusion:

What we have is a fun book and even though I am sad that it is ending it was fun while it lasted. It is a series that I totally would recommend to others.

Rating:
Fun

Cover:
Nice

Review: The Bride of Casa Dracula - Marta Acosta

Series: Casa Dracula #3
Genre: Humour/Paranormal romance with a twist
Pages: 268
Published: 2008
Publisher: Gallery Simon & Schuster
Source: Bought

Milagro De Los Santos is having serious problems planning her wedding to fabulous Oswald Grant, M.D. Her future in-laws loathe her, her dog just died, and Oswald's family has a genetic anomaly that makes them crave blood. Then her extravagant best friend hijacks the role of wedding coordinator, and the secretive Vampire Council assigns conniving Cornelia Ducharme to guide the couple through the ancient vampire marriage rituals.

To top it all off, Milagro's career is on the skids. She's reduced to ghost-writing the memoirs of a loony little man who claims to be a shapeshifter. And why does Cornelia's decadent, way too attractive brother, Ian, always show up whenever Milagro is away from Oswald? When a series of accidents interferes with wedding plans, Oswald worries that Milagro is cracking under the pressure. Is she just paranoid, or is a hidden enemy trying to make sure Milagro doesn't wed the undead?

My thoughts:

First I have to post what Acosta herself called her books: comedies-of-manners, or romantic comedies with lots of chaos, confusion, charming villains, eccentrics, and flirting. Which really fits since this is not the normal kind of paranormal romance. Far from it. I just want to called it a witty romantic comedy involving humans who like blood and as Acosta said lots of flirting. 

Read her books! Lol, honestly they are so funny. I just love Milagros, she is witty, she has curves, she flirts, she has opinions and I think I really would enjoy having her as a friend.

Her men, oh I do like Oswald but, yes there is that but, he is just so nice and normal. Can he truly keep up with this crazy Latina when he is just so waspy. But she does love him and is marrying him and he does do a great job keeping up with her. But then there is goddamn Ian Ducharme as Oswald calls him. He is like fine wine, ok forget since I hate wine. He is like a yummy chocolate that melts in your mouth and makes you crave more and more. He makes you blood pump in your veins and he is just delicious. And he wants her *faints*.

Right the story, well as I said they are getting married and making preparations. She has to deal with the council who does not approve of her since she is the only human who was turned (a little mistake) and lived. And someone is after her. She is also ghost-writing for a freaky guy. All as is should be in Milagros universe.

All in all a highly enjoyable book that makes you want more. The way it ends, well it does end with an ending and you could be happy there. But there is one more after it so yay.

Conclusion:

Just read it, come one you know you want to! Start with book 1, you will not be sorry. You will smile, laugh and hopefully think Ian is as delicious as I find him. The book is witty and so just impossible to put down. I do wonder what happens in book 4, I mean..ohhhhhhhhh.

Rating:
I do think I made it clear. Read it :) I could not put it down.

Cover:
Fun :D

Review: Midnight Brunch at Casa Dracula - Marta Acosta

Hip, funny Milagro de los Santos thinks she's finally found love and a home at the California ranch of fabulous Oswald Grant and his urbane relatives, who have a rare genetic disorder that some call vampirism. But Milagro is bewildered when she's excluded from an ancient and mysterious midnight ceremony whose participants include Oswald's unfriendly parents, a creepy family elder, and Milagro's ex-lover, the powerful and decadent Ian Ducharme. What skeletons are the vampires keeping in their designer closets?
When Milagro's life is threatened by a rogue family member, she flees to the desert to hide. Instead of solitude, she encounters an egomaniacal actor, a partying heiress, a sly tabloid reporter, and a lavish spa full of dark secrets -- all of which might help her find a way home.

Edit: I had meant to save this review and put it in a 2 for 1 review but a few weeks ago I realized that I had totally forgotten about that. So here is the review before I forget about it again. I am just so happy that I actually wrote it back then at once cos else I would have been in trouble.

My thoughts:
I have said it before that PNR is seldom a genre that makes me really like a book, but to every rule there are exceptions. And Acosta is one of those. Her funny PNR books are just the best.

Milagro is still having trouble with her new family. The whole "we are not vampires, we have a genetic disorder" also still throws her for a loop. But as always Milagro is fun, quirky and a great heroine. I truly like her. I can't say the same for her boyfriend. Sure Oswald is nice and all but I do not have any particular feelings for him and I do wish he would stand up more for her. Especially when she met his wasp parents who does not think she is good enough. But who cares cos there is Ian. Oh he is delicious! I love him to pieces since he is all dark and mysterious and gives her gifts. Oh please Milagro run away with him! But no she likes her boyfriend. At least it gives us some great tension.

This book then, well she feels excluded again since they do not want her in on their secrets. And someone wants her dead. Quite a few things will happen. There will be danger, new things to get under control and fun flirting.

Conclusion:
All in all this is a great paranormal romance that I would recommend to everyone. Fun and light, just the way I want it

Series: Casa Dracula 2
Genre: paranormal romance
Pages: 336
Published: 2007
Source: My own

 My flash fiction for this week

Review: Happy Hour at Casa Dracula - Marta Acosta

Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta

Book 1, Casa Dracula series

Genre: Paranormal romance
Published:2006
Pages: 320

Latina Ivy League grad Milagro de Los Santos can't find her place in the world or a man to go with it. Then one night, at a book party for her pretentious ex-boyfriend, she meets an oddly attractive man. After she is bitten while kissing him, she falls ill and is squirreled away to his family's estate to recover. Vampires don't exist in this day and age -- or do they? As Milagro falls for a fabulously inappropriate man, she finds herself caught between a family who has accepted her as one of their own and a shady organization that refuses to let the undead live and love in peace.

This was a fun book, it was like paranormal chic-lit in a way. Just because the funny way it was written and it didn't take everything so serious and tried to explain that it's so real. A reason why I ended up choosing this cover for my review cos it more says fun than the other one that says paranormal.

I do expect a smile on my face when the main character is a graduate from F.U. Lol, yes. It might not have been laughing out loud. But it was a sweet book that made you smile and a giggle here and there.

Milagro is a spicy Latina that got into a great uni and felt a bit out of place there with all those blonde wasps. One of her secret weapons are her boobs, they are great now and again when you are late with rent and need some sympathy. She is a writer who writes about zombies and gore, and she sure does not believe in anything paranormal. But then she meets a guy who sweeps her off her feet, there is some kissing involved and soon she is going crazy from hearing rats in the walls and gets really ill. In sweeps attractive guy and takes her away to a country estate, but there is also the matter of her ex who wants to stake her.

Oswald, well I liked him, I disliked him, I liked, and yes then I disliked him in the end. He was a roller coaster, and the writer made me feel like Milagro. Could she like and trust him or? There were others I liked instead, I did keep changing my mind and some things just worked out for the best in the end.

As for side character, slimy creep wasp Ex, a good evil person who I wanted to kick in the ass. Edna, oh I loved her. Oswalds grandmother who has a lot of class, and dislikes Milagro, or perhaps just really likes her. And more, who I sure want to know more about later on.

Are they vampires or not is the question here, and I did wonder. It's a different sort of vampire tale, some bites yes, but so much else too. Culture and social classes clash when Milagro shows up, and with her bantering with Edna, there we got the smiles. Romance, yes, and more is to come.

A fun vampire tale with a funny twist. I will keep an eye out for book 2 and 3 because I do want to know what will happen, and if there is that HEA we all love. A recommendation for paranormal lovers out there.