Eight grave after dark - Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson has enough going on without having to worry about twelve hellhounds hot on her trail. She is, after all, incredibly pregnant and feeling like she could pop at any moment. But, just her luck, twelve deadly beasts from hell have chosen this time to escape onto our plane, and they've made Charley their target. And so she takes refuge at the only place she thinks they can't get to her: the grounds of an abandoned convent. Of course, if hellhounds aren't enough, Charley also has a new case to hold her attention: the decades-old murder of a newly-vowed nun she keeps seeing in the shadows of the convent.

Add to that the still unsolved murder of her father, the strange behavior of her husband, and Charley's tendency to attract the, shall we say, undead, and she has her hands full...but also tied.

My thoughts:

I did like, I did read it fast, but, oh I just wish it would end! I read the blurb for book 9 and it was SUCH a filler. It was more than a filler, it seemed like a book about nothing. But that is book 9, this is book 8.

Charley is very very very preggers, about to burst. They are hiding at a convent since hellhounds are after them.

We have a wedding.

We have angry hellhounds.

We have Reyes sneaking around.

A new arrival.

Searching for her dad's killer

Wondering what the Vatican is up to.

Wondering what Lucifer is up to.

But yes I enjoyed it, but yes I also wish it would end soon. A series that goes on and on, they tend to turn sour. It has not happened yet but I am scared. 

Cover

boring

Paperback, 297 pages
Published October 6th 2015 by St. Martin's Paperbacks
Charley Davidson #8
Paranormal suspense
Own

3 romance reviews in 1

Cursed with the Irish clairvoyance known as 'The Sight', Donovan O'Shea fled to America to escape his 'gift'. 15 years later, his father's illness has forced him to return to the family homestead where the past comes back to haunt him.

My thoughts:

Short..make it short...

Donovan has the sight.

Rylie comes to Ireland and claims to be his sister

He has the hots for her (euwwww). His excuse is that he refuses to believe her.

There is this stupid cop who is all Tell me who murdered the stranger in your backyard!!!! Seriously, am I supposed to believe a cop is that stupid? Donovan was 7 at the time.

Rylie gets the hots for Donovan.

There are strange things in the Fens.

Bordering ok at times. But enough to pull through to good. Mostly cos I like Ireland. Still, would I read more by her...no. So that ok is reaaaally close

paperback, 336 pages
Published October 1st 2008 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
Contemporary romance /paranormal /suspense
Own

New York Times bestselling author Robyn Carr takes readers back to her beloved Virgin River country in this heartwarming tribute to Rhonda Clemons, founder of Zoe Institute and a winner of a Harlequin More Than Words award.

My thoughts:

60 pages that were good, but rushed. Yes I get that she wanted to tell an entire story, but even though it was good, it also went too fast.

Abused woman struggles with work, and her heart; a charity for single moms. She has two kids. No time for a man.

But oh, there is a sexy neighbor that likes to help out. She is all, leave me alone. But he continues to help and in the end she realizes that he is a good guy. And they will live happily ever after.

Conclusion;

Maybe not the best insight into Carr. But I do wanna try more. 

ebook, 74 pages
Published May 1st 2010 by Harlequin
Virgin River #11.1
Contemporary romance
Own

Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison has spent a year recovering from his combat injuries. A year spent in the arms of the woman of his dreams. But loving Jen comes with a price: every time he touches her, he faces the uncertain fear that loving her might mean losing her forever. 

Jen is a breast cancer survivor and with Shane, she’s found a man who loves her despite her scars. But her scars may be too much for their love to survive. 

As their love grows, so does the risk to Jen’s life. And Shane must make the toughest decision any man can make to save the woman he loves. 

My thoughts:

You know what the worst thing is. Opening a 70 page ebook, thinking it is that long, but no, it was 30 pages. The rest was a preview of another book. Sigh.

Armyman is thinking of a vasectomy. His wife had breast cancer and kids could make it come back. She does want kids. They think about it, and live happily ever after. The end.

ebook, 30 pages
Published February 1st 2013 by Jessica Scott
Coming Home #1.5
Contemporary romance
Own

Hexed - Michael Alan Nelson

Luci Jenifer Inacio das Neves, Lucifer for short, isn't your typical teenaged girl.  She's a thief who survives by stealing bad things from bad people in the magical and mystical underworld hidden beneath our own.  So when a policeman's daughter, Gina, is kidnapped by a force he can't explain, Lucifer is the only one who has a chance at getting his daughter back.  

With the unsolicited help of Gina's friends, including Gina's boyfriend David, Lucifer's investigation leads to the unfortunate truth of the kidnapping.  Gina was taken to an otherworldly dimension by a creature of unspeakable evil: one of the Seven Sisters of Witchdown.  Against all odds, Lucifer must use every magical tool hidden in her trick bag to steal her way into the Shade and bring Gina back before the Sister sacrifices her for her own dark ends.  But the closer Lucifer gets to Gina, the closer she gets to David.  And David to her.  Lucifer must risk her life by confronting demons, witches, and the cruel demigoddess controlling her destiny - all to save the one girl who stands in the way of Lucifer finally finding love.  

My thoughts:

A good book is one which when you start to read it the pages just fly by. I enjoyed this one. Easy to read, entertaining, fun.

Lucifer, oh I can't remember all her names, but it's shortened Lucifer. She sees it as a memory to her grandmothers and is proud over her nickname, and since I named my cat that. Good name girl.

She is a thief of magical objects, living on her own and well able to protect herself. She is hired to find a missing girl that has been taken by magic. She gets some help from the girl's dad who is a cop and the girl's boyfriend. That part was a bit hm, as she starts to like him, and he likes her, and I was all, but he is in love with another...isn't he? But I did not mind that much, they are teens after all. And truthfully nothing romantic is going on, there is just this feeling.

The case brings them in contact with more magic, witches and all those things Normal people do not think exist. There is danger, and a twist too about her. I liked that.

Conclusion:

I enjoyed the book. A quick read. A nice plot, and with a promise of so much more to come. And I do hope more will come.

Cover

nice

Paperback, 290 pages
Expected publication: May 5th 2015 by Pyr
Paranormal suspense..ish /YA
For review

Review: The Restorer - Amanda Stevens + The Abandoned

My name is Amelia Gray. I'm a cemetery restorer who sees ghosts. In order to protect myself from the parasitic nature of the dead, I've always held fast to the rules passed down from my father. But now a haunted police detective has entered my world and everything is changing, including the rules that have always kept me safe.It started with the discovery of a young woman's brutalized body in an old Charleston graveyard I've been hired to restore. The clues to the killer--and to his other victims--lie in the headstone symbolism that only I can interpret. Devlin needs my help, but his ghosts shadow his every move, feeding off his warmth, sustaining their presence with his energy. To warn him would be to invite them into my life. I've vowed to keep my distance, but the pull of his magnetism grows ever stronger even as the symbols lead me closer to the killer and to the gossamer veil that separates this world from the next.

My thoughts:

 I really do not understand how I rate. Here I wondered if I should give it a 3 or 4. It was good, a compelling story, chilling feelings, and great writing, still I felt unsure. But the good writing tips it over to a 4 this time. Which is the best you can get.

I do not really know how to classify this one, southern Gothic mystery? With a touch of romance and yes of course paranormal. I like the mix, I like how it stands out.

Amelia can see ghosts, but she must NEVER let the ghosts know. Which gives the whole book an eerie feeling. Ghosts are present a lot, but she can't acknowledge them. That would open the door to unknown dangers. Not to mention that ghosts here are not kind. They suck the life force out from those they haunt. It did make me look over my shoulder. I hope no ghosts are around me, looking over my shoulder.

There is also that hint of romance, just a hint as it can not happen. I shall not say why. But the pull of passion is there and I wonder...

The mystery is good. A body in the cemetery where Amelia is working, dark dealings going on and in comes Devlin, the officer who tries to solve the crime. All while those ghosts are there. And the setting is of course perfect for this.

Conclusion:

A book that made me want more.

Cover: Works

Series: Graveyard Queen #1
Genre: Southern, Gothic Mystery, ghost-story, paranormal suspense, romance ;)
Pages: 376
Published: 2011 by Mira
Source: Own

There are rules for dealing with ghosts. Too bad Ree Hutchins doesn't know them.

When her favorite patient at a private mental hospital passes away, psychology student Ree Hutchins mourns the elderly woman's death. But more unsettling is her growing suspicion that something unnatural is shadowing her.

Amateur ghost hunter Hayden Priest believes Ree is being haunted. Even Amelia Gray, known in Charleston as The Graveyard Queen, senses a gathering darkness. Driven by a force she doesn't understand, Ree is compelled to uncover an old secret and put abandoned souls to rest--before she is locked away forever....

My thoughts:

I remembered I had this book while reading The Restorer so I quickly changed books. But, I did not think the stories went hand in hand. I would have had a story from long before. Than a story about a girl haunted by a ghost and looking into a shady society.

It was still good, as it was. But when I then think about The Restorer I find holes.

So it works better as it is, than as a prequel.

Series: Graveyard Queen 0,5
Pages: 73
Published: 2011 by Mira
Source: Own

Review: First Grave on the Right - Darynda Jones

Series: Charley Davidson #1
Genre: I would like to call it.. UFR
Pages: 310
Published: 2010
Publisher: St:Martin's Griffin
Source: Won

Charley sees dead people. That’s right, she sees dead people. And it’s her job to convince them to “go into the light.” But when these very dead people have died under less than ideal circumstances (i.e. murder), sometimes they want Charley to bring the bad guys to justice. Complicating matters are the intensely hot dreams she’s been having about an Entity who has been following her all her life...and it turns out he might not be dead after all. In fact, he might be something else entirely.

My thoughts:

Oh no! what? you all think, is it bad? The opposite actually, the oh no comes from that I now have another series to read, luckily I do not have much to catch up on. 

I liked the sense of humour, I liked the heroine, I certainly liked the hunky dreamlover she had, and I liked the plot. I had actually judged it a bit harshly from the cover, it looks so chick-lit, no what is wrong with that? Nothing, I adore chick-lit, but here it felt strange. Luckily I do not always listen to my brain and went for it. 

Charley is a great heroine, she takes chances, and she wants the best for the dead around her (well almost for all). I liked her from the start. The plot is fast paced as she has a bunch of dead people around her and she is trying to figure out who killed them. She is also dreaming about a hunky guy who seduces her, and she is seeing something big and bad in the shadows. All is not well in her reaper world. 

And then there are the questions and the thing that made me go all "wicked"! Haha, yes I loved that part, sadly I can't tell you anything about it, but it was good. So freaking good!

Conclusion:

So yes recommended and I need book 2.

Cover:

I do like it, but yes chick-litish

Joint Review: Entangled (anthology)

Genre: Paranormal romance/historical romance/paranormal suspense etc

Pages: 335 Ebook

Published: September 7, 2011

Source: for review

All proceeds go to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation. 

Lis: Alrighty, I’m not a big fan of anthologies. The stories are always too short, underdeveloped and usually focused on one thing. In short, they are not as fleshed out as I like to be and for me to read an anthology there have to be some damn good authors in it who know what they are doing. 

Blodeuedd: I am with Lis on this one. I am not a big fan of anthologies, because I always want more and everything is so rushed. But lately I they have surprised me and I have found myself liking short stories.

Lis: I was pleasantly surprised by Entangled. Not only does it revolve around my favorite themes: ghosts, werewolves, vampires and other creepy crawlies, the stories were well written. (yes I ate my hat!). To top it off, the proceeds for this anthology go to the breast cancer foundation. 

Blodeuedd: Some of the stories I liked and some clearly suffered cos I was in a hurry. All in all it was a  nice little anthology with many authors to choose from, and many different subgenres. I do think everyone would find something to choose from.

Lis: The foreword is a tear jerker and very fitting for this anthology. 

So without further ado: the reviews:

Halloween Frost by Jennifer Estep

It’s Halloween at Mythos Academy, but Gwen Frost and her friends are in for more tricks than treats when they run into a mythological monster intent on killing them.

Lis: This story is set in the Mythos world. Since I’m not familiar with this world as I have not read any other work by this author, I felt a little left out. Yet, it wasn’t so bad. It’s about Gwen Frost and her friends. They are in some trouble when they encounter a mythological monster hell bent on killing them. It was a good YA story and I’m now intruiged by this world

Blodeuedd: This story is a short from her Mythos Academy world. I have not read book 1 and this story took place after that, but I still could read and enjoy this story (perhaps it came from reading tons of reviews). I liked Gwen who is the heroine, we got to see her fight and we got to hear about her doomed crush. All which made me interested in this world.

The Fat Cat by Edie Ramer

In a battle for the souls of seven women, a wizard has the god of war on his side; all the witch has is a fat, black cat.

Lis: Edie Ramer never manages to disappoint me and she sure didn’t with this wiyty, fun story about a witch, a talking male cat and a pretty but rotten warlock. I really loved Tory and her comments. It’s an awesome story with a surprising ending. 

Blodeuedd: A witch adopts a fat cat and together they try to bring down a warlock. What a cute story about Tory and her adopted cat Samson. He is really old and ugly looking, but he talks to her so she had to adopt him. And as a catlover I approve. And the end was the best thing about this story.

Medium Rare by Nancy Haddock

What’s spooking the spirits of St. Augustine? As the witching hour of Halloween approaches, ghost seer Colleen Cotton must team with a by-the-book paranormal investigator to locate the one ghost who can save the city’s specters. If she fails, her own great grandfather’s spirit may be lost forever.

Lis: Even ghost gets therapists in this story. As well a team of ghost hunters as there is something up in the city of St. Augustine. The ghosts are spooked (pun intended) and it’s up to Colleen Cotton to find out what as she teams up with a ghost hunter. Very enjoyable story with a sweet story. One of my favorites in this anthology!

Blodeuedd: I liked this one. It had a good heroine, a good story and there was some tension between her and Brock. All in all making it an interesting story. Freaky ghosts too and it worked really well as just a short story. 

Sweet Demon by Misty Evans

When Chicago’s vampire king insists Kali Sweet join his empire, the vengeance demon must rely on her ex – the half-human, half-chaos demon who left her at the altar three hundred years ago – in order to escape the vamp’s clutches.

Lis : What are exes for if not to help you out? Kali Sweet is in a bind when a big bad vampire asks her to join his empire. She must rely on her ex, the half chaos demon, who left her at the alter some 300 years ago, to help her out. Very nice story that felt like a prelude to so much more. It’s filled with intriguing characters. 

Blodeuedd: I like the setting of this one. A demon named Kali who has her own practice and who also runs errands for a council. She deals in vengeance and her she has to deliver it to an evil vampire and she also meets an old lover. I did like the evil vampire, but then I always like the baddies.

Sian‘s Solution by Dale Mayer

When a vampire discovers the human man she loves has been captured and hung in a blood farm, she goes against her own kind and risks everything to save him.

Lis: Love conquers all, even between a vampire and a human. She’s willing to do anything to get her human lover back, even if it means exposing herself. Not my favorite story, but not bad either. 

Blodeuedd: I liked this one too, I think it was the world that made it so. Vampires and humans share the earth but stay on their sides. I do think I’d like more of this world, yes I would. I always like the dark ones.

A Bit of a Bite by Cynthia Eden

A killer is stalking the streets of Crossroads, Mississippi, and it’s up to Sheriff Ava Dushaine to stop him. But when suspicion falls on werewolf alpha Julian Kasey—Ava’s ex-lover and the man who still haunts her dreams—Ava knows that she’ll either have to prove his innocence…or watch the whole town go up in flames.

Lis: Wooooweeeee, this story was hot!! And one of which I would have loved to see more of. Note to self: see to more of author’s work. It’s a world in which the supernaturals are known to humans. Now a killer prowls the street and it’s up to sheriff Ava to catch him. Things become complicated when suspicion falls on her never forgotten one night stand, the werewolf alpha Julian. 

Blodeuedd: I do like a good werewolf story. I was not blown away, but then I was kind of tired when reading it. At least you got Lis' happy thoughts on it ;)

Sinfully Sweet by Michelle Miles

When Chloe bakes a little magic into her pastries, she attracts the attention of Edward, the sexy half-demon, half-witch, who’s come to warn her those who murdered her sister are now after her.

Lis: Be careful who you bake what for, you might get a hell of a lot more than you bargained for. That’s what happens when Chloe bakes some goodies for sunfully hot Edward. Nice story, loved the set up!

Blodeuedd: A nice little story about a witch and the incubus that show up. A little passion, a little fighting, and a story that made me crave cupcakes!

A Night of Forever by Lori Brighton

Who is Aidan Callaghan? Mary Ellen James is intent on uncovering the truth about the mysterious man, but as she soon finds out, some things are best left buried in the past.

Lis: Some things are better left deep in the closet. Of course, Mary Ellen doesn’t listen and sets out to find out who Aiden Callaghan is. He is definitely not the quiet, boring man she thought he was. Dayaaaam this story was hot and I found myself like this one despite the setting. 

Blodeuedd; A nice little love story set in the 1800s in England and dealing with, oh yes vampires.  Lori has previously also written a story about Mary’s sister and this story was just as good. Enjoyable. Lol, I like how I said it was sweet and Lis said it was hot, I better mentioned passion too then ;) 

Feel the Magic by Liz Kreger

Jenna Carmichael’s magical attempt to rectify Jessica Manfield’s birth identity takes an unexpected turn when the past comes back to haunt her.

Lis: Some mistakes come back to bite you in the ass. This is what happens to the witch Jenna. Funny little story that never quite managed to catch my attention. 

Blodeuedd: This one was fun. Jessica wants to become a cat, yes you heard me. And Jenna is the witch to do it.

Breaking Out by Michelle Diener

Imprisoned in a secret facility, powerful telekinetic Kelli Barrack and two other ‘special’ inmates grab a chance to escape, only to confront their worst nightmares on the outside.

Lis: This story reminded me very much of Christine Feehan, but didn’t make it any less bad. A powerful telekinetic and two other special ability inmates make a daring escape from the facility they are held in. All the while something is brewing between them!

Blodeuedd: I am afraid this one and the last were the ones I read quickly since I was pressed for time. It did make it hard to focus and to know if I liked it or not.

Ghostly Justice by Allison Brennan

Demon hunters Moira O’Donnell and Rafe Cooper are dragged into the dangerous world of nocturnal predators to find “Ghostly Justice” for a virgin sacrificed to an ancient blood demon.

Lis: Time to get justices in this short story that is set in a series I’m not familiar with. Moira and Rafe try to get justice for a virgin sacrificed to a blood demon. That justice doesn’t come easy of course and there are many obstacles to overcome. Good story, hot too with lots going on. Very black and white too!

Blodeuedd: It was ok, but this one was another one that I was not blown away by.

Come back tomorrow when Lis and I interview Lori Brighton and Edie Ramer and give away several books :D Open to all too.

Review: Taste Me - Tamara Hogan + tiny tradtion post

TASTE ME is the first book in a gritty, fast-paced, and sexy urban fantasy romance series featuring a world where incubi, sirens, valkyries, vampires, and werewolves live undetected alongside humankind. Someone has to keep the peace-and the secrets.

Siren rock star Scarlett Fontaine is finally home after an exhausting year on tour with her band. Incubus security guru Lukas Sebastiani has more urgent problems than protecting the stubborn diva, but now that they're forced into close proximity, they're fighting an attraction that leads them to the brink of disaster.

My thoughts:

This book was a mix of many things, paranormal romance mixed with suspense and urban fantasy. The love of music, and passion between the lead characters. 

Scarlett is a siren and rock star. She is tired and she is trying to stay away from Lukas with whom she had one glorious fling. She can't forget him. But he is put to protect her and of course things will heat up cos these two really want each other. Lukas is the protective guy who thinks he hurt her in the past, and she, well she just want him, but she also upset over things that have happened. And I believed the passion.

I did get confused once though. No one know about these aliens from another planet, and at one time I thought people knew. But I guess they just have hospitals of their own. And if they arrived 1000 years ago then why are there myths about sirens long before that? What I would have liked is why all these aliens came to the planet and from where. I got interested in that and would want a bit more than was given.

The suspense is about the killer on the loose, but we know who it is. Cos we get the name on page 1, so that took some of the suspense away. It was more a wait to see whom he would go after next.

Still the book does have an interesting premise with all the Valkyrie and sirens and such. There is a lot of talk about music and that does give it another feel to it. I did want to listen to some music while reading.

Conclusion:

An ok book with bit of genremix in it. I would read more if that meant getting more info on why they are on earth.

Rating:

OK

Cover:

Meh

Reason for reading:

Sounded interesting

Info:

Series: Underbelly Chronicles 1

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal romance

Pages: 384

Release date: March 1st 2011

Source: Publisher

Tradition Post

Fat Tuesday

This is my last tradition post. I started last Easter and nothing else will happen after today. It's the start of Lent. Do we celebrate that, eh, not really. It's just today that is left. In Swedish the name is Fastlags Tuesday, which I googled and it comes from the German word, Evening of Fasting. Oh and something is going on in Sunday too, but we didn't do anything special then so let's forget about it ;)

Anyway do we actually do anything? Yes, we eat these yummy things:

And students play in the snow, sledding and yup that it is, lol.

Review: Dragon Blues - Edie Ramer

Genre: Paranormal romance (with a hint of suspense)
Pages: 274
Published: February 15th 2011

Once a dragon
Saxophone player Noah Long shifted from dragon to human 2500 years ago, but the dragon blood still coursing through his veins has kept him healthy and virile. Now his secret is out, and the man who discovered it will do anything to make Noah's blood his own. Noah's only ally is martial arts expert Lila Fox, who heats up the fire in his belly and his heart.

Twice a killer
Lila Fox's first kill was at age sixteen after her stepfather put her mother in a wheelchair. Fourteen years later, she kills another abuser to save a woman's life. When her sister is in trouble and ends up at Noah's place, Lily comes to help. She teams up with the strangely compelling Noah, and discovers he's not all man and has a few tricks of his own.

My thoughts:

I have read reviews of her books and now I finally got a chance to read one of Edie's books, and it did live up to the good things I have heard.

In this book we meet Noah who once was a dragon but then turned human to pursue a woman, but he never shifted back to dragon after that. He has lived alone for long, and he only lives for his music and his treasures (cos he is a dragon and he lives the bling). He is strong, but also vulnerable, he is lonely, and saddened by the all the years on his own. But he is also protective and sweet, and I liked him (of course it did help that he had a cat he loved too).

.

Then there is Lila, she is also a broken by things from the past. An abusive stepfather used to hit her mum and Lila was left on her own raising her little sister. She also did something she can't forget to protect her mother. She is very protective, strong, can kick ass, but she also finds it hard to trust people and let go. And when these two meet there is that passion simmering beneath the surface wanting to break out. Together they could be so great.

Which brings me to the rest of the book. First there is Lila's sister who Noah calls Beauty and this is because of a certain beauty and the beast fairytale, an aspect to the story I truly liked. But this Beauty is a drug-addict, beaten down and with a scumbag boyfriend. She only causes trouble. The other aspect is the suspense part. Someone thinks that Noah's blood will make him live forever and the hunt is on and that person does not care who he kills to get Noah. Blood will flow.

I am coming to the end then. Edie is a great writer and pens a wonderful story.

Recommendation and final thoughts:

It's a good paranormal romance, and it does feel original. There is this sadness to Noah that I really enjoyed, and it made me wonder if there are any other dragons left in the world. A good suspense part and some nice passion. Plus, the story about him in Wales was good ( I will say no more.)

Reason for reading:

Lis had reviewed one Edie book and I sure wanted to do the same :)

Cover:

Ok so not the best, but do not let the cover fool you. There is a great story beneath it.