The Scent of Shadows and Never cry Wolf

Joanna Archer knows all about darkness. Raped at age 16, she's spent the last 9 years watching the dark side of humanity. At night she prowls the forsaken streets looking for revenge. Until a chance date turned horrific reveals a world beyond the bright lights and big action of Sin City - an otherworld filled with supernatural forces.

My thoughts:

What's up with rape and UF. I know UF is PNRs darker sister, but all the rape, must we?

So yes Jo was raped at 16 and is all messed up cos of that. Also suddenly after almost 10 years she sees her former BF and wants to do something about it. Why wait that long? Ok so that was not my point. What is my point?

One messed up heroine who knows krav maga. She has a bimbo smart sister. She has a dad who hates her. She has painful memories she can let go of.

But she is also special, but the road there was a bit, did you have do that?

Also, I am not sure I actually like Jo. She is not very likable....and neither is anyone else.

Conclusion:

I did think the book was good. Interesting, darker than usual somehow. But that still does not make me wanna read more. I felt it was not a good UF fit for me. I still read it fast though, but something was still off. 

Cover

Boring

Paperback, 455 pages
Published June 2nd 2008 by Voyager
Signs of the Zodiac #1
Urban fantasy
own

Lucas Simone is not the kind of guy you mess with. He’s big, he’s strong, and his eyes hint at a wilder side most women can’t handle. Of course, that’s because his predatory instincts are no metaphor–he’s a genuine Grade-A top-quality werewolf, tough enough to fight his way to dominance over the scariest pack on the West Coast. There’s only one chink in his armor. Unlike most alpha dogs, Lucas has a reputation for protecting the weak and innocent.

Sarah King is counting on that protective impulse–it’s the only thing standing between her and certain death. There are only two problems: one, she’s not quite as innocent as she’d like Lucas to believe. And two, if he doesn’t stop stoking Sarah’s animal lust, it’s only a matter of time before her own wild side gets unleashed… 

My thoughts:

There is still hope...

I did not have a lot of hope when I started this book, it was pnr after all, and we all know how that has turned out lately. But to my surprise the book was good and hooked me from the beginning. I was all what? For reels? Yup, I enjoyed a PNR book, and there was that anthology a few weeks back too. Freaky. But then this one was not a cliche ridden mess of true mates, big bad alpha who is really sweet, and hot smexy times after confessing undying love.

SO yes Lucas was a big bad alpha. But he was bad. Seriously, sure he protected peeps but he was not afraid to kill..a lot. Shifters were described as psychopaths about to happen. There was this claustrophobic feeling like they could rip her throat out at any minute. She truly was in a cage with wild animals. He was never that alpha a-hole. He was just dangerous.

And Sarah may have played damsel in distress but she was none. She was lying and had an agenda. She had her own powers.

Of course there was smexy times. He found her hot, she found him scary and hot and they did it. That did not mean they loved each other.

I also liked the explanation for mates. It's just who fits you genetically, that does not mean true love is involved. No destiny shit here.

Conclusion:

Yes, I enjoyed the book. There was action, bad people, death and mayhem. And two people fell in lust.

Cover

meh

Paperback, 310 pages
Published June 28th 2011 by Kensington
Night Watch #4
Paranormal romance
Own

The demon door - Kim Alexander

The demon Prince of Eriis has turned out to be something of a disappointment. Rhuun is crap at magic. He can’t fly, can’t even shoot flames from his hands. His poor girlfriend has just about had it with him. It’s no wonder he drinks. All Rhuun really does is daydream about visiting the other world, the world without magic—the human world of Mistra. No one has been there for a generation, but Rhuun knows all about the humans. He’s got a book. It’s the only human book on Eriis, and he’s been studying it his whole life. The fact that his book is a bodice-ripping romance novel, well… it’ll make his adventures in the human world a little more complicated. 

Tip #1 – Human women do not generally like to be called “wench.”

In Mistra, Lelet va’Everly could use a little magic herself. Parties and boys have lost their luster, and she’s desperate for an adventure. When a bizarre, exasperating, extremely good looking – and hot (literally) stranger shows up, he might be the person, and purpose that she had been waiting for. But why does he keep calling her a wench?

Sometimes love doesn’t just change your own world… it changes all of them. 

My thoughts:

I think this book could have been much more. The world is there. But not really. I would have wanted a fuller world building, cos I love that stuff. Now it was lacking. Like a theater setting, you see something, but behind it there is nothing.

Was this YA? Fantasy romance? I guess...maybe. It seems to be adult, but yeah no. The romance came late though and I was all, what? I got a bit surprised. Which was good, I like surprises. But did I care? No. But I guess I should not call it fantasy romance then cos there were no romance, but still, it had that feeling.

Truthfully, like I have said earlier. I just wanted more. More of the world. Better character development. Better make me care...

Cos I did not really care. Rhuun was kind of pathetic. Ok so I know you are a freak, no wings, no magic, still, you are a loser. His 2 friends are not even his friends. His mother was cool though, that is why I enjoyed the book at first, but then it became about Rhuun and I felt all meh.

Right. There is a demon world, a human world. A door between. The door is no closed. Time moves differently for some reason. Humans are assholes. Poor demons (give me some faults please.) Poor Rhuun the prince is a loser. He wants to visit the human world, he obviously will. That part was dull.

Conclusion:

I wanted more than I was given. It had potential but did not come through. It left me disappointed. I only finished it cos I got it from NG. I would not recommend it.

ebook, dunno like 300?
Expected publication: May 19th 2015 by Booktrope
Powers of the Air #1
Fantasy
NG

Historical romance x2: Seven Nights in a rogue's Bed and The way to a Duke's heart

Desperate to save her sister's life, Sidonie Forsythe has agreed to submit herself to a terrible fate: Beyond the foreboding walls of Castle Craven, a notorious, hideously scarred scoundrel will take her virtue over the course of seven sinful nights. Yet instead of a monster, she encounters a man like no other. And during this week, she comes to care for Jonas Merrick in ways that defy all logic—even as a dark secret she carries threatens them both.

Ruthless loner Jonas knows exactly who he is. Should he forget, even for a moment, the curse he bears, a mere glance in the mirror serves as an agonizing reminder. So when the lovely Sidonie turns up on his doorstep, her seduction is an even more delicious prospect than he originally planned. But the hardened outcast is soon moved by her innocent beauty, sharp wit, and surprising courage. Now as dangerous enemies gather at the gate to destroy them, can their new, fragile love survive? 

My thoughts:

I must say that they were both kind of idiots, but hey they were idiots who fell in love with each other.

Sidonie is a virgin. Now why is this important? Well her sister is a gambler with a debt and Sidonie takes over the debt. Wow, you are nice. You think you are going to spend the week with a monster who could beat and rape you. Sorry sis, you are on your own. But Sidonie is way too nice. Ok sure, her sister is married to an asshole but still...

Jonas is the monster in question. He has a scar, ohh, scary! He is a bastard, but ok that I get, the ton was cruel. His title went to his asshole cousin. But Jonas has all the money (so stop complaining.) But he still wants revenge on his asshole cousin (who totally deserves that.)

So the virgin meets the monster and the monster is really nice. Sure he wants to smex that, but he is nice and tries to seduce her instead. And this is a  HR so we all know he will get to that. I think that was the only boring part in the book, they had like smexy times for 80 pages. Seriously! The book could have been 80 pages shorter. I skimmed that. I do not need 80 pages.

Ok so yes she was an idiot for being that kind. And then for being all, but oh I will not marry ever. He cos of his whole revenge thing. But they were idiots together who fell in love.

Oh and I so did not like the sister, ever. She had no redeeming qualities. 

Conclusion:

Kind of a beauty meets beast book. 

Cover

No scar in sight

Mass Market Paperback, 385 pages
Published September 25th 2012 by Forever
Sons of Sin #1
Historical romance
Own

Charles de Lacey, Lord Gresham, is running out of time, running from his responsibilities, andrunning from love.

Destined to be a duke, Charles de Lacey has led a life of decadent pleasure, free of any care for propriety or responsibility. It comes as a terrible shock to learn that he might be stripped of everything, thanks to his father's scandalous past. He has no choice but to find the blackmailer who would ruin him—and his only link to the villain is a woman who may be part of the plot…

To save his fortune and title, he vows he'll stop at nothing—in fact, he's all too eager to unravel the beautiful, tart-tongued Tessa Neville. She intrigues him and tempts him like no other lady ever has. With only his heart to guide him, and keenly aware that his entire future is at stake, Charles must decide: is she the woman of his dreams, or an enemy in disguise? 

My thoughts

I read book 1 not that long ago, and was all, hey what about the mystery? Aye it took book 3, the last book, to find out.

Charles is about to lose his dukedom if he is a bastard. Yes that if part is the question. Was his dad married before and when did that wife die? Was he married to two women? Ohh the plot thickens and I got my answers.

Back to Charles, he finds a lead and that lead leads him to a beautiful smart woman named Tessa. Is Tessa the one blackmailing them, or?

Charles, I was not a fan of him in book 1, but here I got to understand why he was like he was. And I did like him. As for Tessa, of course I liked her too. She was smart and her family said she thought like a man. Well good for you.

They meet. She is annoyed by him. He is intrigued. They start to fall for each other. Oh you know the history ;)

Conclusion:

A fun romantic story. 

Cover

nice

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages
Published August 28th 2012 by Avon
The Truth About the Duke #3
Historical romance
Own

Carole Reviews: Aurelia - Alison Morton

Author: Alison Morton

Title: Aurelia (Roma Nova #4)

Genre: Historical Fiction, What-if, Drama, & action

Pages: ebook

First Published: May 5th. 2015

Where I Got It: My shelf (Given to me by the publisher/author)

Late 1960s, Roma Nova, the last Roman colony that has survived into the 20th century Aurelia Mitela is alone - her partner gone, her child sickly and her mother dead - and forced to give up her beloved career as a Praetorian officer. 

But her country needs her unique skills. Somebody is smuggling silver - Roma Nova's lifeblood - on an industrial scale. Sent to Berlin to investigate, she encounters the mysterious and attractive Miklos who knows too much and Caius Tellus, a Roma Novan she has despised and feared since childhood.

Barely escaping a trap set by a gang boss intent on terminating her, she discovers that her old enemy is at the heart of all her troubles and pursues him back home to Roma Nova... 

This is the fourth book in the series, but worry-not, this does well as a stand alone.

This book would not relent! I could hardly put it down, because I needed to know what was next. I would have finished this book within a day, but I could not keep my eyes open, so I was forced to go to sleep and resume in the morning. When it ended...I was not happy.

1) It ended and I wanted more.

2) The ending was a cliff-hanger and I do not approve of those (even though I am the queen of those when I write...hahahaha)

3) AND WHAT!? I WAS NOT HAPPY WITH AURELIA IN DOING WHAT SHE DID!!! NOOOOOO! HE DOES NOT DESERVE YOU OR YOUR FORGIVENESSSSSSSS!!!!!!!!

Okay...I am done. But yes, I adore Aurelia....however....her decision at the end was not to my liking and I am not happy with her. >_>

Anyways, this was an interesting world. Imagine if a piece of Rome lived into this century. When Rome fell a group of its people left and rebuilt a small piece of Rome. It's an interesting concept and I honestly wish this country existed. It would be interesting to visit and learn about. Me...being the nerd I am....want the author to write a book about the history of this country of Roma Nova. This parallel universe is so interesting and it is a great "what-if" story. I do love my WIs.

I do have many questions about this world that I wished was further explained in he book. Maybe they are in the earlier books? I'll have to read the other ones I suppose to learn more about this world and culture. 

ANYWAYS....

Poor Aurelia. She is in for a long and dangerous journey that is not kind to her. Damn Caius...he certainly is a great baddie. He is very complex, manipulative, and certainly a crazy person. Ah, kuddos for a great baddie! They are hard to find in some of these novels lately. However, I do hope to see him later on, because the "conclusion" with him was not satisfying for me. 

This was a really good book! Lots of action, drama, mystery, and a kick-ass heroine! The ending was the weak spot for this novel. It was a cliff-hanger, which I get because this is a series, but I was not happy with it. I am curious to see what happened BEFORE and what is going to happen AFTER. This seems like a fun series and I plan on reading more! I love the world and I loved the characters. I totally recommend this to those that like WIs and a good story. Out of five stars, I stamp this with 4 stars. 

Favorite Character(s): Aurelia (loved her even tho she upset me at the end), Caius (a great baddie), and Justina  

Not-so Favorite Character(s): Aurelia's mom, the "gypsy" (>_> I get it, but I don't like it), & Caius' aunt (mmmmmm).