CAROLYN

Sadly, August wasn’t a good month for reading and I didn’t get to read that much due to one thing or another. But I did manage to read a completely new genre to me m/m erotic romance. I heard about DARK SOUL by Alexandr Voinov from Tori (aka @smexys_sidekick) and thought I’d give it a go as she was seriously raving about it. I’m always open to new experiences and DARK SOUL was certainly that. With two awesome characters, Stefano and Silvio, I went on a roller coaster of emotion and Voinov had me reeling with graphic, sometimes disturbing, scenes, to then heart-melting moments of seeing a strong mafia boss in the closet slowly coming to terms with who he is and how much he’s falling in love.

This book may not be for everyone as it is graphically violent and sexual in places, at times these aren’t mutually exclusive, which did make for uncomfortable reading, however, these stories were utterly compelling and I just couldn’t stop reading. So this months recommendation from me is DARK SOUL (review).

LAURA

This month there are two books that have reach the top of my recommendations list. Top of that list is LOVER UNBOUND by J.R. Ward. This book five in the series and V’s story, and wow was it good! The best so far without a doubt. V’s story had a surprising, rich and dark back story that I found utterly compelling, even if the ending wasn’t quite what I hoped. The more I read this series, the more I love it! As with the other books you will have to wait for my review as I’m reading them all for an event which will probably be early next year now.

My second book is THE GUARDIAN by Sherrilyn Kenyon. I’ve found that Kenyon’s recent books have not had the same sparkle as the early books, but THE GUARDIAN is the best book I’ve read of hers for a while, with a brilliant tortured hero I completely fell for. Seth has spent over four thousand years literally being tortured in hell. The romance was a slow one, but it needed to be to be believable. Definitely one for Kenyon fans.

BECS

WOW, where has August gone! I have read quite a few books this month and only one that has really stood out for me and I’m surprising myself when I say it was REBEL HEART by Moira Young (review) I rated it 3.5 stars but it has left me greatly anticipating the final book, only a year to wait

I also enjoyed IMMORTAL CITY by Scott Speer (review), murder mystery and guardian angels with a Hollyood twist. Finally a light hearted, fun read, THE VAMPIRE STALKER by Allison Van Diepen (review).

With so many great books to look forward to next month, I’m hoping I’ll have more to report.

MELANIE

I have read so many fantastic books in August I barely know where to start and I could go on and on.  I am sure you don’t want to read several pages of me waxing lyrical about all the great books I read so I have decided  am not going to talk about the 3 fantastic books that have already been reviewed by Gemma.

August was another month of new releases from a series and I was super excited when both GUNMETAL MAGIC by Ilona Andrews and CHASING MAGIC by Stacia Kane downloaded onto my Kindle. Although GUNMETAL MAGIC was not a continuation of the Kate Daniel series but rather the first book in the series about the secondary characters and this one was dedicated to Andrea. I was lucky enough to review it as well. Hurrah! CHASING MAGIC was excellent although I didn’t enjoy it quite as much as some of the others in the series. On the completely new book scene I got to read and review two excellent books by new authors - KISS OF STEEL by Bec McMaster and IRONSKIN by Tina Connolly. I was extremely lucky to get early release copies of both of these books and while KISS OF STEEL has now been reviewed, you will have to wait a little longer to learn more about IRONSKIN. OK, I am going to stop now before I start recommending all the books I read this month!

GEMMA

Looking back over this month, I don’t seem to have read very much. However, I can safely say that I do have a recommendation. Now it will come as no surprise to the regular readers of the blog as what it will be since I am a bit obsessed with this series. So my recommendation is…..WOLFSBANE by Gillian Philip.

This book is just beyond awesome, which you will see when you read my review, when it is up on the blog. The writer is fantastic, building up so smoothly and effortlessly that you are not aware that you are heading to a real game changer of a plot. Jaw dropping doesn’t even describe it. The only thing is, you have to start with FIREBRAND and read them in order to fully appreciate the book.

REBECCA

This month my main recommendation goes to Kate Harrison’s Soul Beach series, as I read both SOUL BEACH (review) and SOUL FIRE and loved them both! This is a YA series focused on a murder mystery with a twist, as the dead souls can still communicate with the living via the Soul Beach website.

Next up, following my recent love for steampunk I recommend GOD SAVE THE QUEEN by Kate Locke (review), a kickass heroine in an alternate Victorian England plagued with vampires, werewolves, half-bloods and goblins. I loved this book, and the beautiful covers make me more excited for book two!

I also think the fantasy novels THE FINAL EMPIRE by Brandon Sanderson (review) and QUEEN OF THE WORLD by Ben Hennessy deserve a special mention, and I recommend them to anyone looking for a new fantasy series to start!

VICKIE

Ho hum… well… To be honest I don’t think I have had a spectacular month of reading this month. I seem to have gotten through quite a few books, but nothing has really grabbed me by the throat shook me around and said LOVE ME! By far the most enjoyable has been 13 (Women of the otherworld) by one of my favourite authors Kelley Armstrong. Sadly it is the last book in a series that has been going on for quite some time. The first book in the series, Bitten, was my first introduction to Were’s and after finishing it I was hooked. I loved Clay and Elena’s chemistry, and how much she was just a totally kick ass kind of gal. As you go through the series you are introduced to a few different kinds of paranormals, including witches, warlocks, and vampires and you get to enjoy books from all different perspectives.

To say I was looking forward to this, the last book in the series, is an understatement, but I have to admit to being a little disappointed in it. Perhaps its because Elena is my favourite female in the series, second only to Jaime Vegas, that I was saddened to see that she didn’t play a more important role in this, the last book. She came across as something other than I know her to be from her previous books, and it left me feeling that she was rather let down by Kelley Armstrong. On the flip side of that however, it was lovely to see that Savannah Levine has now come into her own, as a fully fledged woman of the otherworld in her own right, rather than the troublesome daughter of the ever magnificent black witch, Eve. So my monthly recommendation for August is not so much the book 13, as for the Women of the Otherworld series as a whole. If you haven’t had a nibble yet, go and have a tasting session, and you will soon be gobbling it up!

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MONTHLY RECS – July 2012

WEEKLY ROUNDUP – 26th Aug 2012

WEEKLY ROUNDUP – 2nd Sept 2012

MONTHLY RECS – May 2012