Gameboard of the Gods by Richelle Mead (Age of X #1) Dutton Adult (June 2013) Ebook, 464 pages Urban Fantasy When I heard that Richelle Mead was releasing a new series, I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to get my hands on it, even though I had no idea what it was about. Gameboard of the Gods is a sexy and violent adult dystopian novel, with an undercurrent of paranormal activity and mythology, lots of action and a slow-revealed mystery that didn’t disappoint. Written from the point of view of…
Any Other Name by Emma Newman (The Split Worlds #2) Angry Robot (May 2013) Ebook, 400 pages Urban Fantasy *Warning: Contains spoilers for book one* At the end of my review for Between Two Thorns I said that most of the characters were harbouring secrets, and boy, was I proved right in Emma Newman’s sequel, Any Other Name. Kicking off immediately after book one, Cathy Rhoeas-Papaver is awaiting her wedding day to William Reticulata-Iris with a sense of dread, hating the old-fashioned and compressing society of the Nether. She longs…
Lady of Light and Shadows by C. L. Wilson (Tairen Soul #2) Audio Realms (Nov 2011) Audiobook, 12 hrs & 42 mins Fantasy Romance *Warning: Contains minor spoilers* Lady of Light and Shadows in the second book in C.L. Wilson’s Tairen Soul series and takes off pretty much where Lord of the Fading Lands left us. It follows the aftermath of the psychic assault on Ellie, and Ellie’s accidental amorous spell on the court (much to her embarrassment). Both of which have had larger implications than either she or Rain could…
On Dublin Street by Samantha Young (On Dublin Street #1) Penguin (January 2013) Paperback, 407 Pages Erotic Contemporary Romance On Dublin Street is part of a collection of books I own called, “The publishers claim it’s hotter, darker, sexier, edgier than 50 Shades of Grey”. Anyone who has read any of my reviews on erotic romance knows how much I didn’t like 50 Shades to the point I only managed to read 10%. So again, I picked up this book, waiting to see what On Dublin Street had in store…
The Silver Rose by Rowena May O’Sullivan (Greenwood Witches #1) Crimson Romance (Nov 2012) Ebook, 320 pages Paranormal Romance When the Bells of Marylebone toll, a witch has one month to bind her magic with a magical mate or give up her powers. Rosa is unprepared when she hears the bells toll for her, as there is no warlock in town powerful enough to help her. Aden is sent to Rosa’s town to help her find her mate and ensure she fulfills her destiny. He just doesn’t realize it is with him. The Silver Rose is…
Pretty When They Collide by Rhiannon Frater (Pretty When She Dies #0.5) Self-Published (March 2013) Ebook, 145 pages Urban Fantasy A beautiful, brave Dhamphir with a weakness for stunning blondes sets out to rescue the damsel in distress who is also a rare full blooded witch, but the master vampire Frank loves his little witchy slave and will not let her go without a fight. Pretty When They Collide is a spin off from the main Pretty When She Dies series using two characters that were introduced in Pretty When…
Seal of Surrender by Traci Douglass (The Seven Seals #2) Crimson Romance (May 2013) Ebook, 187 Pages Paranormal Romance Seal of Surrender is the second instalment in The Seven Seals series. With the second in a series, there is always that worry that it will not live up to the first. This is not an issue here. I personally think it was better than Seal of Destiny. This is not to say that Seal of Destiny wasn’t good in the first place – I loved it. In this novel we…
Dream Lake by Lisa Kleypas (Friday Harbour #3) Piatkus Books (August 2012) Paperbook, 336 pages Contemporary / Paranormal Romance Dream Lake is book number three in Lisa Kleypas’s contemporary romance series Friday Harbour. It follows three brothers who have all suffered from a neglectful upbringing, so much so that none of them have believed in happily ever afters. The last book had a paranormal twist, as does Dream Lake, this time in the shape of a ghost. The story centres around Alex the third brother of the family. Alex is…
Esperanza by Trish J. MacGregor (Hungry Ghosts #1) Tor Books (Sept 2010) Hardback, 336 pages Urban Fantasy Esperanza by Trish J. MacGregor takes fantasy to new heights with a thriller that will leave you cowering behind a cushion with all your curtains closed, praying the fog can’t get in… Those of you with a knowledge of Spanish will know that Esperanza means ‘hope’, but this novel strips hope away in the town of Esperanza, Ecuador. It very much takes advantage of the American perspective of Latin America as a mystical…
Poison by Sarah Pinborough Gollancz (April 2013) Hardcover, 200 Pages Fantasy Poison is a retelling of the Snow White fairy-tale but with a modern edge and some wonderfully delicious touches. First off this is a book well worth purchasing in hardcover, it is like one of those old treasury editions albeit one with shiny holographic effects etched into it. It is gorgeous to look at and has some lovely illustrations by Val and Les Edwards. The main character in this version of the tale is the Queen, Lilith. Sarah Pinborough…
Bittersweet by Brooke Moss Entangled Publishing (Apr 2012) Ebook, 95 pages Contemporary Romance Having loved Brooke Moss’s novel, Keeping Secrets in Seattle, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect from her short novella, Bittersweet. Expectations were high and, although it didn’t quite live up to my previous experience, it was still a sweet romance to indulge in. The book begins with Anna and her eight-year-old autistic son, Bowen, at one of their weekly sessions with therapist, Gianna. Bowen has sensory issues, and struggles with the idea of touching or walking…
Wicked As She Wants by Delilah S Dawson (Blud #2) Pocket Books (April 2013) Ebook, 384 Pages Steampunk Romance Warning: contains minor spoilers The expectations for Wicked As She Wants were extremely high for me, since I adored Wicked As They Come, The Mysterious Madam Morpho and The Peculiar Pets of Miss Pleasance. Dawson had set the bar very high for this book and the fact that it had the vagabond Casper Sterling, AKA The Maestro, had me giddy with anticipation. However, this book just didn’t reach those giddy heights of the…
In This Life by Terri Herman-Poncé (Past Life #1) Crimson Romance (Oct 2012) Ebook, 226 pages Paranormal Romantic Suspense In This Life follows the story of Lottie Morgan. She is suffering from episodes where she completely blacks out and sees visions of memories with a lover she has never had. The fever that she blames these happenings on promptly goes after a week and the hallucinations are still present and unfortunately, are becoming increasingly more real. Lottie is determined to find out why they are happening, even at the cost of…
Article 5 by Kristen Simmons (Article 5 #1) Tor Teen (Jan 2012) Hardback, 364 pages Dystopian YA There may be a multitude of dystopian fiction out there at the moment, but Kristen Simmons’ Article 5 is a game changer, and provokes a whole host of thoughts about what could happen in the world in the wake of a war and a change of government. We begin with an introduction to seventeen-year-old Ember Miller and her mother, a family struggling to cope in the aftermath of ‘the war’, although we are…
Dark Magic by James Swain (Peter Warlock #1) Tor Books (May 2012) Hardback, 352 pages Urban Fantasy I sometimes select books based on their titles without knowing any further details, I did this with Dark Magic thinking it would have something to do with witches. What I found was a sinister, supernatural thriller based in New York City, written from the third person point of view, following a group of psychics who use their gifts to try and help others. Peter Warlock is the lead psychic and holds a regular…
