A Shade of Blood (A Shade of Vampire #2) by Bella Forrest

Paperback: 320 pages

Published April 8th 2013

by http://www.bellaforrest.net

Having been delighted by the Christmas best-selling debut, A Shade Of Vampire, readers are begging for more.

In A Shade Of Blood, Bella Forrest transports you deeper into a unique, enthralling and beautifully sensitive story.
Prepare to be lost in its pages…

When Sofia Claremont was kidnapped to a sunless island, uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet, she believed she’d forever be a captive of its dark ruler, Derek Novak.

Now, after months of surviving an endless night, the morning sun may soon rise again for Sofia. Something has possessed Derek’s heart and he offers her a gift no human slave has ever been given in the history of his cursed island: escape.

High school, prom and a chance to move on with her life now await her. 

But will she be able to forget the horrors that steal her sleep away at night? … and the feelings that haunt her for that tormented prince of darkness?

THIS BOOK CONTAINS: Sexual Situations, Rape, Violence Death and Romance!! 

My Thoughts:

I loved this book!  I know that I am very partial to vampires so this book was right up my alley.   This was so much better than the first book.  Although, I did enjoy the first installment.  The first book lacked a lot of development but it did set the setting  for this book and in its self was just so compelling to me.  I became very invested in these character right from the first book!

This book had so much more back story and the characters were much more developed.  The story line was already very intriguing but this book took it to a whole new level.  I think in the first book the author gave you just enough to get you intrigued but with this one she knocks you on your butt!  Before I was curious to where she planed to take this story, but now I need to know what is going to happen!

I am so invested in Sofia and Derek and want to know what will happen next.  I am not a huge fan of Ben or Lucas but I do understand them and I want to know if they can make me change how I feel about them. Sofia’s dad is very interesting and so is Vivienne. I need to know how their part are going to affect the story. Then there was that twist in the book that I thought was going to happen but when it did it still through me for a loop.  I have felt frustration, elation and so much more while reading this book that is how I know I was reading something brilliant.

When you have so much emotion tied up into a story then you know that it is worth telling every one you know about it. I want everyone to know just how blown away by this book I was and that I have very high expectations for the next book in the series.  I think Bella will soon make the short list of my favorite authors!

 

 

Bout of Books 7.0 – I’m there!

 The Bout of Books read-a-thon is organized by Amanda @ On a Book Bender and Kelly @ Reading the Paranormal. It is a week long read-a-thon that begins 12:01am Monday, May 13th and runs through Sunday, May 19th in whatever time zone you are in. Bout of Books is low-pressure, and the only reading competition is between you and your usual number of books read in a week. There are challenges, giveaways, and a grand prize, but all of these are completely optional. For all Bout of Books 7.0 information and updates, be sure to visit the Bout of Books blog. – From the Bout of Books team YAY!

MY GOALS:

• Read at least 5 books!
• Participate in at least one chat (hopefully all of them!).
• Comment on as many blogs as possible.
• Read lot of books and have fun!!

I will be posting my reading pile closer to the date !

Dewey’s 24 Hour Readathon Update Post

OK, I’m going to do my best at this! I know I have my kids Kung fu tourament today but, I can still get in some reading!

10AM – Hour 1:  starting late just woke up and trying to post this

0 hours 0 min read

1030 AM: -  Starting Falling Kingdoms by Morgan Rhodes

Introductory Questionnaire

1) What fine part of the world are you reading from today? Auburn Hills MI. USA

2) Which book in your stack are you most looking forward to? Deity

 3) Which snack are you most looking forward to? Peanut Butter Shake

4) Tell us a little something about yourself! I have a gained 30lbs in the last year & 1/2

 5) If you participated in the last read-a-thon, what’s one thing you’ll  do different today? If this is your first read-a-thon, what are you most looking forward to? This is the first one of this kind so I am hoping to update twitter as I go.

Astarte’s Wrath (Kythan Guardians 0.5) by Trisha Wolfe

ebook

215 pages

Published March 2nd 2013

A tragic love story.

Two thousand years before Dez Harkly developed her secret powers, Guardian Astarte was vowed to protect by the binds enslaving her to the Egyptian pharaohs. Discover the prophecy that originated from a very different time, and spans generations to link two very different girls.

This is the beginning.

Set against the backdrop of the Battle of Actium, in the city of Alexandria, Star struggles with her guardian duties as her feelings for the newly named pharaoh of Egypt grow deeper. Not only is Caesarion her duty, he’s the son of Cleopatra, and he’s human. All of which makes their love forbidden.

But when a conspiracy linked to Caesar creeps into Alexandria, Star must choose between helping her fellow Kythan free themselves of their servitude, and protecting her charge—the last pharaoh—while Egypt burns around her.

New Adult/Mature YA: sexual content, drinking, drugs, violence, language, death, and other mature content intended for readers 17 and older. Astarte’s Wrath is a companion novel to Destiny’s Fire, but can be read as a standalone novel.

 I will be doing a review for this book on my vlog on YouTube in the next couple of days.  I would also like to thank Trisha for so generously providing a copy of her book for review.

My Thoughts:

First off, I was a little disappointed that this wasn’t the sequel to Destiny’s Fire because I have been waiting for it anxiously.  Then I read this book and I was blown away by how amazing it was.  I knew Trisha was a really good writer but now I known Trisha Wolfe’s writing is just amazing.  Her words move you to the point of awe and then they take to the point of heart-break at the same time.  Not many writers can write and make feel so many emotions at once.  I have reread this book twice and still want to read it again so I can experience the amazing feelings I got while read it.  This book takes the historical and the mythical and combines them into a very compelling story that is without a doubt is one of the most unique stories that I have ever read.

Honestly, this novel is  so intense  that I was just not able to put it down either time I read it!   The battle scenes were phenomenal and the betrayal was so completely shocking that I actually found myself yelling at the book.  Although, for me it was the romance that had me flipping pages as fast as I could just to see what was going to happen next.  To explain how intense this book was I thought it would be good to include a couple of my favorite quotes.

Quotes:

“Would you trade a long, nearly immortal life of servitude in exchange for a short one…with me?”

“I would give up my crown if it meant finding a way to free you, Star.”

“Cocky little king. You assume you’re the only one that gives me satisfaction?” His smile widens as he lifts one of my arms and kisses the sensitive skin of my wrist. “If there is something in this world that can please you more than me,” he says, his warm breath caressing my skin, “then I’ll be extra diligent in my duties tonight, my queen.

That is just a little glimpse of how incredibly sexy and emotional this book is.  There are many more but I think that if I included them it would end up spoiling the book for you.

The Characters:

Astarte is a heroine that you can relate to because she is a guardian but she is also very real.   She has her duty that she feels very strongly about but she also is very much a women in love with a man she shouldn’t be.  Then you have Xarion the prince of Egypt who I have to say made me swoon all through out this  book.  He was thoughtful brave and very loving just what a man should be.  I couldn’t help falling for him a little myself.  It also, had  a long list of other amazing characters that helped make up  this very passionate story.

Recommendation:

I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone who has read Destiny’s Fire.   It is a fantastic addition to the series.  This contains the back story to the Kythan race and why they serve Egypt.  I also think that those who haven’t read Destiny’s Fire will just love this series and will want to read it after reading this book.

Simple put Astarte Wrath is packed full of action, romance, heart-break and just completely amazing!  I think everyone should put this on their list to read along with any thing that Trisha writes, I know I will!

 

Love Sucks! (Bite Me #2) by Melissa Francis

Paperback

285 pages

Published July 27th 2010

by HarperCollins

AJ Ashe is moving on. Sure she still has not-so-sisterly feelings for Ryan, her ex-boyfriend-turned-step-brother, but there’s a new vampire in town and his name is Alexander Archer. Caught between the desire to move forward with Sexy Lexy and being drawn to her past with Ryan, AJ thinks life couldn’t get anymore complicated. Yeah, right. When her mother’s pregnancy is threatened, it looks like AJ’s long lost father is the only person who can save her. But Dad’s help comes with a price. AJ is forced join the evil side of her family, and a very creepy shape-shifting demon is there to make sure AJ cooperates. All this and she’s still got to plan the prom. Being a teenager is tough, but being a teenage vampire just flat out sucks. Pun totally intended.

This Book Contains: Violence, Family Struggle, Death, Magic and Romance.

My Thoughts:

I didn’t like this book as much as the first.  I felt that the story was rushed.  I think the author wanted to wrap this up and it definitely felt that way.   Over all though it was an enjoyable read and it wrapped up nicely.

The Book:

This picks up five months after the first one.  AJ and Ryan are trying to adjust to their new family situation.  While trying to protect their family from AJ’s vampire father and their clan.  AJ is finds this hard to do because the clan seem to be entering her dreams.

The addition of the two young men that come to help train AJ was a really nice touch.  I think that the author could have taken it further than what she did.   I really had problems with Ryan and his attitude through out this book.  So when everything got settled I was a little disappointed that AJ did tell him off for the way he had been treating her.

The good thing is that everything was tied up nicely by the end of the book.  I liked that there was no need to write a third and with all the series out there it is nice to have one wrapped up in two books for a change.   Although I think the author could have put a little more into the book so it didn’t feel so rushed.

Recommended:

I would recommend reading this book if you read the first.  I do like the series overall and think it is well worth the read.

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Paperback

366 pages

Published  August 14th 2012

by Entangled Teen

Being connected to Daemon Black sucks…

Thanks to his alien mojo, Daemon’s determined to prove what he feels for me is more than a product of our bizarro connection. So I’ve sworn him off, even though he’s running more hot than cold these days. But we’ve got bigger problems.

Something worse than the Arum has come to town…

The Department of Defense are here. If they ever find out what Daemon can do and that we’re linked, I’m a goner. So is he. And there’s this new boy in school who’s got a secret of his own. He knows what’s happened to me and he can help, but to do so, I have to lie to Daemon and stay away from him. Like that’s possible. Against all common sense, I’m falling for Daemon. Hard.

But then everything changes…

I’ve seen someone who shouldn’t be alive. And I have to tell Daemon, even though I know he’s never going to stop searching until he gets the truth. What happened to his brother? Who betrayed him? And what does the DOD want from them—from me?

No one is who they seem. And not everyone will survive the lies…

This Book Contains: Violence, Sexual Situations, Colorful Language, Romance and Death.

My Thoughts:

Just when I thought this series couldn’t get better, boy was I wrong!   I want Daemon to call me Kitten instead.
Daemon is even more incredibly sexy and still extremely cocky.  Although, now we get to see the nice side of Daemon.  He is now determined to show Katy how he feels which, had me giggling like a little girl.   He decides to pursue Katy which made for some of the steamier scenes in the book.

There is also somewhat of love triangle in this book which, just amps up the sexual tension in this book.  There are a lot of twist that you don’t see coming and some that you do.  The action is more intense than the first and the danger even feels more immediate. The characters really grow as individual but also as a group.  They are even more determined to protect each other from the dangers that are coming.
The writing just seems to be getting even better and more intense.   I picked up Onyx and couldn’t put it down until I was done reading!  This series will have you addicted and screaming for more.  It will have you wanting to check out everything that Jennifer L. Armentrout writes to see if  it’s as good.   I for one have to say that all the thing I have read that she write is fantastic.

Recommend: 

This series is fantastic and not just because of the romance.  This book will appeal to a lot of different reader.  It is extremely action packed with major kick but action.  It has science fiction aspects with government cover ups and lots of plot twist which will keep you on your toes.  So, I highly recommend this book to just about everyone who likes a great read.  I don’t think anyone will be disappointed.

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Hardcover

372 pages

Published September 29th 2011

by Putnam Juvenile

The day Louisiana teenager Rory Deveaux arrives in London marks a memorable occasion. For Rory, it’s the start of a new life at a London boarding school. But for many, this will be remembered as the day a series of brutal murders broke out across the city, gruesome crimes mimicking the horrific Jack the Ripper events of more than a century ago.

Soon “Rippermania” takes hold of modern-day London, and the police are left with few leads and no witnesses. Except one. Rory spotted the man police believe to be the prime suspect. But she is the only one who saw him. Even her roommate, who was walking with her at the time, didn’t notice the mysterious man. So why can only Rory see him? And more urgently, why has Rory become his next target? In this edge-of-your-seat thriller, full of suspense, humor, and romance, Rory will learn the truth about the secret ghost police of London and discover her own shocking abilities.

This Book Contains:  Death, Mystery, Violence, Ghost and Romance.

To start of I just want to say this book was not for me.  I was not at all intrigued by the Jack the Ripper killings.  I am not a person who likes all that blood and gore.   A lot of the book was interesting but the plot it self did nothing for me.

Well with that being said, the this I did like were the boarding school english setting.  I also, enjoyed Rory and her friends.  I think I liked Boo the best. She was funny, forceful and very good friend to Rory.   I could have read this whole book and enjoyed it a lot better if you took out the whole Jack the Ripper thing..

The things I didn’t like were the murders and of course the killer himself.  I also didn’t care for the twist on the killer.  I do not think that I will be reading the sequel to this book unless the plot is very different from this one.  Which, is a shame because I really enjoyed Rory and her friends.  So, I will be hoping for a better plot in the sequel.