Once Upon a Series

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Ashes of Angels by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #3)

2012-02-25T20:53:00.000Z

Publisher - Mills and Boon
Publication Date - 19th August 2011
Paperback - 336 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - Cassandra knows her dark destiny. She is a muse, who will one day be sought by a Fallen angel, to be the mother of his nephilim child - a fate that will destroy her.

Samandiriel walks alone amongst his Fallen brethren. He refuses to use mortal females as vessels for his evil offspring. He's determined to protect them. But now he's been summoned to capture a muse, Cassandra, against his will.

Together Sam and Cassandra must fight to keep her alive and to prevent the Fallen from achieving their sinister goals. Cassandra trusts Sam, but he can't trust his own compulsion to mate with her. Can they stop the apocalypse before Sam's desire overtakes him?

My Thoughts - Once again I really enjoyed entering the world created by Michele Hauf. I love how she always keeps the line blurred between good and evil, keeping the reader on their toes.

In this instalment of the series, Sam, the Fallen angel, is not the evil being that he is supposed to be. He has found his Muse, Cassandra, but he has no intention of impregnating her. Instead, he wants to make amends with God and return to Above. So he plans on killing all the Fallen angels and vampires that he comes across. I liked the character of Sam. He is honest and fearless, whilst having an innocence that is endearing. He speaks in a way that is very old-fashioned, making it easy for the reader to believe he has been around for centuries.

I found Cassandra to be a bit confusing at times. She is a likeable enough character but I found her actions to be pretty inconsistent. She is a Muse - a human who is destined to bear the child of an angel. But this is not a destiny that any woman would want. The nephilim that is produced is a monster. A giant who kills the mother shortly after its birth, and then goes on to consume large amounts of human blood and flesh. Unlike the other Muse's so far in the series, Cassandra actually knows about the existence of angels and demons, and about her destiny. Her grandmother has taught her everything she needs to know about her rather unique situation, and she has grown up thinking that Fallen angels are the ultimate in evil. However, when she catches sight of the gorgeous Sam, she instantly forgets all that and starts throwing herself at him. I just found this to be slightly frustrating considering the fact that in other ways she is so fearless and has a strong sense of doing what is right no matter what the consequences.

The pace of the story moves along nicely and there is a good balance between the action and the romance elements. There is also the introduction of other characters, such as Cassandra's sister, Coco, and her vampire boyfriend, Zane, to add more depth to the story.

Summary - Although this isn't my favourite book of the series, it was still a fun and entertaining read. I love the world that the author has created and I will definitely be reading more of her books in the near future.

Other books in this series:
1. Angel Slayer
2. Fallen
2.5. The Ninja Vampire's Girl
3. Ashes of Angels

Other reviews of this book:
Paranormal Haven / The Romanceaholic

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #7 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #5 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #11 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Paranormal Romance Month Review: The Darkest Kiss by Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld #2)

2012-02-25T20:06:00.000Z

Publisher - Mira Books
Publication Date - 18th September 2009
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death--a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining...

My Thoughts - I found Lucien an intriguing character in the first book of this series so I was really pleased when I realised that this was his story. I wasn't disappointed and I loved reading about his history and his task of transporting souls to either Heaven or Hell.

Anya was definitely the highlight of this novel for me. She is funny, brave and strong. She knows what she wants and will stop at nothing until she has got it.

The chemistry between Anya and Lucien is sizzling, but I did find some of the interactions between them to be pretty frustrating. For a long time they are not able to admit how they feel about each other. They put so much effort into hiding their feelings that they end up constantly hurting each other. At times I felt like screaming at them to drop the act and just get on with it!

Although I really enjoyed most of the novel, I did not like the ending. The way things end up between Lucien and Anya feels a bit too contrived and very rushed. I wish the author had spent a bit more time wrapping up this book so that it felt more satisfactory.

Summary - Despite my feelings about the way the book ends, I am still enjoying this series enough to carry on with it. Plus, book three is about the demon who most intrigues me - Reyes, the keeper of Pain. I can't wait to read his story!

Other books in this series:
0.5. The Darkest Fire
1. The Darkest Night
2. The Darkest Kiss
3. The Darkest Pleasure
3.5. The Darkest Prison
4. The Darkest Whisper
5. The Darkest Passion
6. The Darkest Lie
7. The Darkest Secret
8. The Darkest Surrender

Other reviews of this book:
Buggy's Book Blog / Pedantic Phooka

Paranormal Romance Month: Excerpt from Blood Magic by Jennifer Lyon

2012-02-23T12:48:00.000Z

I have recently come across a great paranormal romance series about witches and the men who protect them from witch hunters - the Wing Slayer series by Jennifer Lyon. I have loved all the books and you can read my reviews of them here.

Jennifer has been kind enough to provide me with an excerpt from Blood Magic, the first book in the series. Please be warned though that this is not an excerpt for the faint hearted - please excuse me while I fan myself *sigh*

Here it is, so relax and enjoy...

She moved up closer behind him. "He looks so real."

Axel stiffened as her rich voice poured over his skin.

"It's almost like if I touched him, I could feel the feathers."

Axel opened his mouth, but it was too late. Her fingers landed on his right shoulder blade where the tip of the tattooed hawk wings began. The bird had his wings straight up like he was coming in for a landing, covering almost all of his back. Her fingers rode the wings down to the waist of his pants. Fire seared from her touch straight to his dick.

Then her touch was gone. He missed it instantly.

"Skin, not feathers," she said softly.

Axel turned. The sight of her wearing his shirt against her sparkling witch-skin made his hands itch to touch her; to lay claim to her in a primitive way. Before he thought about it, he took a step and scooped her up in one arm to bring her face-to-face. "Teasing me, little witch?" It came out in a deep growl.

"Put me down, or I'll…"

He kissed her, laying claim to her mouth, closing his lips over hers, while tracing them with his tongue.

Static crackled in the room, little pops of her undisciplined power. The brush of it against his skin made his dick twitch in painful arousal. He curled his hand behind her head to angle her mouth open.

Her small hands dug into his shoulders as she parted her lips.

He slid his tongue against hers and she tasted so damn good. So hot. He could feel her nipples pebble against through the shirt pressing on his bare chest.

Her body spoke to his. He could smell her desire, a full spicy scent that was blooming around them both.

He slid his hand down her thigh and under her knee. Her skin was warm and smooth and he knew she'd taste like lemon and spice. He pulled her leg up high over his hip, forcing his shirt and her skirt to ride up, until she was exposed and vulnerable to him…

Book Summary - Darcy MacAlister knows nothing of demons or magic. But this beautiful young woman is about to discover that she is a witch and the key to breaking the curse that has plagued witches and the men who hunt them. For if a Wing Slayer Hunter kills an innocent witch by mistake, the price is no less than a piece of his soul.

Axel Locke, gorgeous leader of the Wing Slayer Hunters, has sworn never to shed the blood of the earth witches who have resisted the temptation of demonic power. But when his sister is cursed by a demon witch, he discovers that Darcy MacAlister may hold the cure – if she can master her newfound powers in time.

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Dark Hunger by Christine Feehan (Carpathians #14)

2012-02-22T19:45:00.000Z

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 2nd February 2012
Paperback - 115 pages (this is a novella that is included in Darkest at Dawn)
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Juliette is a beautiful activist devoted to the liberation of animals confined in a foul and humid jungle lab. But then she stumbles upon an unexpected prisoner unlike any she's ever seen. Or touched.

Riordan De La Cruz, an immortal Carpathian male, is trapped and caged, his desire for revenge only beginning. She will release him from his bonds. He will release her from her inhibitions. Both have voracious appetites that must be sated.

My Thoughts - I have never read any of the Carpathian series before but these books have been on my wishlist for a long time. So when I received this book for review I was very excited. I was slightly concerned that starting the series at number fourteen would leave me feeling confused, and in a way it did. I would have liked just a little bit more background information about who, or what, the Carpathians actually are. Riordan seemed to have all the characteristics of a vampire but he is a vampire hunter who has a vicious hatred of the species. I couldn't work out if the Carpathians and vampires are related in some way or if they are two completely different species. Because it was a novella I just don't think there was enough time to include as much information as a first-timer to the series would need. But, as this was my only complaint with Dark Hunger, I am definitely hoping to find out more about this in other books from the series.

The chemistry between Riordan and Juliette is evident from page one and I enjoyed reading about the progression of their relationship. Juliette is Riordan's destined lifemate so from the start he knows that he wants to be with her forever. But Juliette is very independent and she tries to ignore the attraction she feels at the start. Riordan is your typical sexy alpha-male who is used to getting exactly what he wants and I loved watching as he learns to be more patient and to put someone elses needs before his own.

As well as the romance aspect there is also a great deal of action when Juliette's sister is in trouble and Riordan and Juliette have to work together to get her back from the men who have captured her, which adds a great deal of excitement to the novella. Overall there is a good balance between giving the characters time to get to know each other, the romance and the action, making it a novella that is incredibly difficult to put down.

Summary - A very enjoyable novella that has definitely whet my appetite for more from this series.

Other books in this series:
1. Dark Prince
2. Dark Desire
3. Dark Gold
4. Dark Magic
5. Dark Challenge
6. Dark Fire
7. Dark Dream (Novella)
8. Dark Legend
9. Dark Guardian
10. Dark Symphony
11. Dark Descent (Novella)
12. Dark Melody
13. Dark Destiny
14. Dark Hunger (Novella)
15. Dark Secret
16. Dark Demon
17. Dark Celebration
18. Dark Possession
19. Dark Curse
20. Dark Slayer
21. Dark Peril
22. Dark Predator

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #9 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #6 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #13 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Dani Harper Contest Winner!

2012-02-22T18:58:00.001Z

There was a great response to the Dani Harper giveaway but unfortunately only one person can win. And that lucky, lucky individual is...

Erica Nicholas

Congratulations Erica! I understand Dani has already emailed you about the prize so I hope you enjoy it once it arrives :)

Guest post with Jennifer from Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance

2012-02-21T18:58:00.000Z

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Jennifer from the blog, Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance, and she will be telling us all about her favourite characters from a paranormal romance series.

The Most Intriguing Characters of Paranormal Romance History: Acheron and Simi

Let me start off by saying that if you are a Paranormal Romance fan and don’t know who Acheron and Simi are then I have no choice. *Rolls up newspaper and smacks you on the nose* Bad paranormal romance fan, bad. Now, go pick up the Dark-Hunter series by Sherrilyn Kenyon and don’t come out of your room until you want to scratch Tory’s eyes out for stealing your new book boyfriend. With that out of the way, let the Acheron and Simi praising begin.

Let’s start from the beginning. Sherrilyn Kenyon (who I secretly dislike because she can make Acheron do whatever she wants) writes the amazing Dark-Hunter series as well as the interconnected Dream-Hunter and Were-Hunter series. But since research paper sized guest posts are no fun, let’s stick with the Dark-Hunter series. Dark-Hunters are immortals that have sold their souls to Artemis, the Goddess of the hunt and childbirth, for a chance to get revenge on the people who killed/betrayed them. From then on, these Dark-Hunters are in the service of Artemis, spending the rest of their lives killing those who prey on human souls, the Daimons (a twist on the vampire). Each book focuses on one Dark-Hunter who finds love. But let’s get to the good part, right? Acheron, Ash for short, is the first Dark-Hunter. *Caution: the rest of this post will contain some spoilers but I will keep them to a minimum.* But Ash isn’t just a Dark-Hunter, he is much, much more. He is a God, one with a sordid and horrible past that will break your heart. I guess when you’re named after the river of woe, then a sad future will follow.

Kenyon made us wait for fourteen freaking books until she finally came out with Acheron, book fifteen. And through all fourteen books, the mystery that was Acheron built up into a painful crescendo. As a reader, you feared him, you loved him, you just wanted to lick every part of his body. Wait, did I just say that out loud? Oops. The sneak peeks of his true identity drove me crazy with anticipation. His skin turning blue, having his tattoos come to life, bringing his friends back from the dead. Intrigued yet? So when Acheron finally came out, you can imagine the squeals of excitement and funky dances of joy that came out of me that day. Let me give you an idea of how popular this book was. Did you ever notice that no matter how popular a series is, that its number of reviews always dwindle book after book? The most reviews are always for book one of the series and then goes down from there. Well, Acheron got double (600, 4.5 star average) the reviews on Amazon than book one of the Dark-Hunter series. I’ve never seen that before. I thought it was pretty incredible.

Before I go any further, I thought it would be prudent of me to supply everyone with the summary (from Goodreads) of Acheron:

The most anticipated story in the blockbuster Dark-Hunter series. The never-before-revealed story of the Dark-Hunter leader, Acheron. He was made human in order to escape death, but in death he was reborn a god. . .
Eleven thousand years ago a god was born. Cursed into the body of a human, Acheron spent a lifetime of shame. However, his human death unleashed an unspeakable horror that almost destroyed the earth. Then, brought back against his will, Acheron became the sole defender of mankind.
Only it was never that simple. For centuries, he has fought for our survival and hidden a past he’ll do anything to keep concealed. Until a lone woman who refuses to be intimidated by him threatens his very existence.
Now his survival, and ours, hinges on hers and old enemies reawaken and unite to kill them both.
War has never been more deadly... or more fun.

In the first half of Acheron we are taken back in time to witness and endure the horrendous life Acheron was forced to suffer, then the second half is where Acheron finally meets the love of his life. Throughout the series Ash has never been interested in any woman. Of course, on the flip side, that could be farthest from the truth. Pretty much every woman in the series, and in the history of existence, is attracted to Ash. His perfection is boundless, though he tries to tamper down his beauty by dyeing his hair funky colors and sporting some piercings. Which probably had the opposite effect Ash wanted since he only accomplished looking like perfection but in a badass sort of way. Ash is a legend among all Dark-Hunters. No one can’t predict which Ash they will get when they call upon his help. He’s been known to be gentle and caring, aggressive and menacing, and occasionally just straight up horrifying. He has magnetism and raw masculine power beyond any character I have ever read. I can only imagine what it’s like to be in his presence, to ache to touch him but fear you will lose your hand if you dare. Ash has only ever wanted kindness but most often found cruelty. He wants someone to love him not for his body, beauty, and natural draw but for just simply being him. He finally finds that person in Tory. And I’ve hated that wench ever since she took my hopes and dreams away from me when she claimed Ash as hers. One day, Tory, one day. You, me, a dark alley, and our fists. Be ready. (Sorry, I get a little possessive (psychotic) when it comes to Ash.)

But before there was Tory to take care of my man, there was Simi. Simi is a Charonte demon who protects Ash. She was a gift to Ash long, long ago when he needed a friend. As Ash walked the world alone, even amongst a crowd, it was Simi who was there for him. She is his protector, friend, and in way, his daughter. But most of all, Simi is freaking hilarious. Though she’s thousands of years old, she is very young in demon years. She talks and acts like a five year old and dresses like a lusty gothic school girl. Her akri (what she calls Ash, it means something like master in demon language) spoils her rotten. But when Simi does something bad, like eats people, she gets her plastic (credit cards) taken away and her QVC is shut off. Simi does not like this because she loves to shop (especially for sparklies) as much as she loves to eat anything with barbeque sauce, like the heifer goddess and moo moo cows. Except for tires, they give her heartburn. She doesn’t eat quality people though, like Tory, but meanies get what’s coming to them, especially when they threaten her akri. She also refers to herself in the third person which I wish I could pull off. Tried it for a day or two. Got some funny looks, but overall good times.

So, yeah, Acheron and Simi are the most intriguing characters in paranormal romance history. Acheron was a mystery for much of the series, so when his story came out, it was pretty much world changing. For me, watching Acheron interact with Simi was the best parts of every book. So far, I’ve read Acheron eight times, and I doubt I will ever get bored of reading any book, page, paragraph, sentence, or word that has to do with either of these characters. There will never be anyone like them again, and I treasure that I got to be a part of their journey.

Be on the lookout for my upcoming reviews of this entire series on my blog Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance: http://readingandwritingurbanfantasy.blogspot.com/

Thanks Jennifer for such an amazing guest post! I must admit to being one of those bad paranormal romance fans who hasn't read any of this series yet *ducks and hides from the rolled up newspaper*. But these books are now firmly on my TBR list.

So, who else has a lot of love for Acheron? Let us know and I'll try and stop Jennifer from beating down your door in a jealous rage *grin*

Paranormal Romance Month Review: The Ninja Vampire's Girl by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #2.5)

2012-02-21T16:49:00.001Z

Publisher - Mills and Boon
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - Coco Stevens has a taste for adventure - enough to risk stealing a halo from a Fallen angel to help her sister. But she never imagined her mission would land her in the arms of a scarred - but still dangerously sexy - vampire.

Zane is on his own quest to hunt a Fallen angel, and will do whatever it takes to win... including bite the interfering Coco. Even if it joins them by an erotic bond that warms both vampire and mortal's blood with desire...

My Thoughts - This is a very short novella that is included in the UK edition of Ashes and Angels (book three in the series). It is only around 50 pages long, so this is likely to be just a quick review.

I liked both of the characters in this novel, although I had already met them before whilst reading Ashes of Angels (I read them out of order). Coco is a strong character who is very protective of her sister, who is the muse in book three of the series. She has gone to find a halo for her sister to use as a weapon in case a Fallen angel should ever find her, but she meets up with the vampire, Zane. He is a very sexy vampire and it was easy to fall a little bit in love with him. However, because the novella is so short I didn't really feel as though I learnt as much as I would have liked about the characters. At the end they were still a bit of a mystery to me.

There is a good balance between romance and action in this novella, but the background story was lacking slightly, most likely because of the length of it. There was not much explanation of the world in which these characters live and so I think this should only really be read as part of the series. But, as part of the series, this is a fun, sexy and quick read that I would highly recommend.

Summary - A quick read that I managed in one sitting, and that I enjoyed a lot. It is full of romance and action and is a must-read for fans of Michele Hauf's work.

Other books in the series:
1. Angel Slayer
2. Fallen
2.5. The Ninja Vampire's Girl
3. Ashes of Angels

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #8 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #12 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (20th February 2012)

2012-02-20T07:17:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

I didn't have a great reading week last week - no books finished at all! My husband was pretty ill and I just wasn't really in the mood to read much. Hoping to have a better week this week though!

Books Completed:
None!

Books Reviewed:
Fallen by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #2)
Sinful Magic by Jennifer Lyon (Wing Slayer #4)
Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #3)
The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld #1)
A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole (Immortals After Dark #1)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Dark Secret by Christine Feehan (Carpathian #15)
My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley (Inferno Club #4)

Books Up Next:
Radiant Desire by Inara Scott (Handmaid's Seduction #1)
Demon Soul by Christine Ashworth (Caine Brothers #1)

Current Giveaways:
February is Paranormal Romance Month here at Once Upon A Series so there are going to be lots of reviews and giveaways going on this month. The ones that are currently open are:

1. Win the entire Lords of the Underworld Series by Gena Showalter (UK ONLY)
2. Win an ebook of your choice from the Demons of Infernum series by Rosalie Lario (INTERNATIONAL)
3. Win a signed copy of Changeling Dawn by Dani Harper and a "Dani Harper" tote bag (INTERNATIONAL)
4. Win two signed books by Michele Hauf (INTERNATIONAL)

So please come along and take part :)

Paranormal Romance Month Review: A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole (Immortals After Dark #1)

2012-02-19T19:55:00.000Z

Publisher - Simon and Schuster
Publication Date - 3rd March 2011
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Library

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - A mythic warrior who’ll stop at nothing to possess her…
After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he’s waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy…
Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents – until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae – and their notorious dark desires – ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

An all-consuming desire…
Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

My Thoughts - Both Lachlain and Emmaline go on an emotional journey throughout A Hunger Like No Other, and I loved reading about this journey. Lachlain starts off as a (literally) tortured soul who has trouble keeping his animal instincts in check. But as he spends more time with Emmaline, he becomes a lot more content and, although at times he does lie to his mate or treat her in a way that is perhaps not quite right, he would do anything for her and do anything to keep her at his side. And it is easy to forgive Lachlain for his little indiscretions when you consider that he has not had any contact with others (apart from the vampires torturing him) for 150 years.

Emmaline, however, starts off as a very timid creature who is used to the protection of her aunts – a coven of vicious Valkyries. Although she is part vampire, she has never drunk ‘from the source’ and wants to protect living things (a way of life that earns her a lot of ridicule from her family). But during her time with Lachlain, she finds herself in many dangerous situations and she finds strength from them. The result of this is that by the end of the novel she is an incredibly strong female who can hold her own in a fight as well as refusing to be walked over by her family and Lachlain.

I loved both of the main characters and the relationship that develops between the two of them – there is certainly a huge amount of sexual chemistry between them, even if it does take them a long time to realise that their feelings run a lot deeper that just this physical connection. I also found the storyline of the book, involving all the threats from their enemies, to be intriguing, well-written and full of action.

Summary - Overall, I really enjoyed reading A Hunger Like No Other and I can’t wait to read the others in the series.

Other books in the series:
0.5. The Warlord Wants Forever
1. A Hunger Like No Other
2. No Rest for the Wicked
3. Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
4. Dark Needs at Night's Edge
5. Dark Desires After Dusk
6. Kiss of a Demon King
6.5. Untouchable
7. Pleasure of a Dark Prince
8. Demon from the Dark
9. Dreams of a Dark Warrior
10. Lothaire

Other reviews of this book:
Dear Author / Feeling Fictional / Love Vampires

Paranormal Romance Month Review: The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld #1)

2012-02-18T21:25:00.000Z

Publisher - Mira Books
Publication Date - 18th September 2009
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - All her life, Ashlyn Darrow has been tormented by voices from the past. To end the nightmare, she has come to Budapest seeking help from men rumored to have supernatural abilities, not knowing she'll be swept into the arms of Maddox, their most dangerous member -- a man trapped in a hell of his own.

Neither can resist the instant hunger than calms their torments . . . and ignites an irresistible passion. But every heated touch and burning kiss will edge them closer to destruction -- and a soul-shattering test of love...

My Thoughts - The Lords of the Underworld are immortal men who are each possessed by a Demon Lord who escaped from Hell centuries ago. Maddox is the keeper of Violence. He often suffers from violent rages so he stays within the confines of their large home. He was also cursed by the gods because he killed Pandora, the keeper of the box where the demons were originally secured after their escape from Hell (yes, it's Pandora's Box). Because of this curse Maddox has to be killed every night at midnight in the same way that Pandora was killed - by being stabbed six times in the stomach. He has to spend all night in the depths of Hell, only to return to his body again the following morning.

One night he meets Ashlyn, who has her own special ability - she can hear all conversations that have ever taken place in any given area. When she meets Maddox she is stunned to realise that the voices stop whenever he is around. As seems to be fairly common in the realm of Paranormal Romance, Maddox takes Ashlyn captive believing that she works for a group of Hunters who want the Lords dead.

What drew me in straight away was the premise of the story. I loved reading about the way these men, who are all essentially good men, battle on a daily basis with the demon that lives inside of them. Maddox often has to try and keep his demon in check to stop himself from bringing destruction to everybody and everything around him.

Ashlyn is also an interesting character to read about. She is incredibly feisty and is not afraid of anything - not even the group of overly-muscled, demon-possessed men holding her captive. The romance between Ashlyn and Maddox holds some very passionate moments as well as some tender ones as she works to tame both man and demon.

My only complaint would be the insta-love aspect. The whole novel takes place over about three days and I just felt that it all happened too quickly between them. I really can't imagine any woman instantly falling in love with the demon-possessed man who is keeping her locked up.

Summary - Despite this problem I had with the speed with which the romance happened between Ashlyn and Maddox, I still found it a really enjoyable novel and I will be starting the next book in the series straight away. I can't wait to read about how the other men live with their demons.

Other books in this series:
0.5. The Darkest Fire
1. The Darkest Night
2. The Darkest Kiss
3. The Darkest Pleasure
3.5. The Darkest Prison
4. The Darkest Whisper
5. The Darkest Passion
6. The Darkest Lie
7. The Darkest Secret
8. The Darkest Surrender

Other reviews of this book:
Bailey's Dark Fantasy Reviews / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Archangel's Consort by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #3)

2012-02-17T12:46:00.001Z

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 10th February 2011
Paperback - 336 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Library

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux and her lover, the lethally beautiful archangel Raphael, have returned home to New York only to face an uncompromising new evil...

A vampire has attacked a girls' school - the assault one of sheer, vicious madness - and it is only the first act. Rampant bloodlust takes vampire after vampire, threatening to make the streets run with blood. Then Raphael himself begins to show signs of an uncontrolled rage, as inexplicable storms darken the city skyline and the earth itself shudders. The omens are suddenly terrifyingly clear. An ancient and malevolent immortal is rising. The violent winds whisper her name: Caliane. She has returned to reclaim her son, Raphael. Only one thing stands in her way: Elena, the consort who must be destroyed...

My Thoughts - I am a big fan of this series and I absolutely loved Angels' Blood and Archangel's Kiss. But I must admit that I did not enjoy this book as much as I did the others in this series.

Most of the things that I loved about the first two books were still there, such as the chemistry and connection between Raphael and Elena, her strong personality and ability to stand up to her Archangel, and lots of action as Raphael and Elena take down the bad guys.

Although the book was a bit slow to start with, the pace did pick up about half way through and from that point onward I was hooked to the storyline.

I only had a couple of minor complaints with Archangel's Consort, but as they appeared frequently they started to annoy me a bit and affect my enjoyment of the book. The first one is that Raphael and Elena have such a strong connection that they are able to communicate telepathically. At first this didn't bother me at all. But after a while it felt as though this was the only way that Raphael would communicate with Elena. There were several points where they would be alone in a room having a conversation and Elena would be talking to him normally, and Raphael would keep answering in her mind. Rather than driving home the connection between the two of them, the overuse of this plot device just made me feel that Raphael was too lazy to talk to Elena.

The second point was the over-repetition of the tragic events that happened during Elena's childhood. I can understand why the author does this - to show Elena's strength and to highlight her survival instincts - but it was just too much. And in the end the tragic flashbacks lost their effect on me because of the sheer number of times that they are mentioned.

Summary - Overall, Archangel's Consort is an enjoyable installment of a great paranormal romance series. Although it's not my favourite I still liked it and am looking forward to reading Archangel's Blade. However, I am hoping that the author soon realises that less is more and stops with the over-repetition of certain points.

Other books in this series:
1. Angels' Blood
2. Archangel's Kiss
3. Archangel's Consort
4. Archangel's Blade

Other reviews of this book:
Book Chick City / Dear Author / Love Vampires

Win two signed books by Michele Hauf (INTERNATIONAL)

2012-02-17T12:44:00.001Z

Author Michele Hauf has very kindly offered two books for a giveaway here at Once Upon a Series. And, as if that wasn't enough, she has offered to sign them and to hold the contest worldwide!

So the books up for grabs are the Of Angels and Demons series omnibus (yes people, that's three books in one!) and The Werewolf's Wife, which isn't even out until 20th March!

To be in with a chance to win, just leave a comment below (along with your email address) and a winner will be picked at random. The contest is open until 29th February!

Paranormal Romance Month Guest Post: Michele Hauf

2012-02-15T22:10:00.001Z

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming Michele Hauf to Once Upon a Series for a guest post. She is the author of the Of Angels and Demons series that I have been reviewing as part of Paranormal Romance Month, as well as many other novels.

Today she is here to tell us about her latest writing adventure, so here she is:

Zombie Love?

Did you all have a great Valentine's Day? Spend it with someone you care about? It's a time of year that romance authors are expected to shine, and you wouldn't believe how many calls I get from local reporters who want my point of view on romance for articles they are writing. Love is great. Love makes the world go round.

But what about zombie love?

Heh. Did that one take you aback? Zombies can't love. Can they? Well, I recently had opportunity to find out if that is possible when I was invited to write a super short story for an anthology Harlequin is giving away this month. They invited six different authors, gave them each the same opening paragraphs, and let us go our own way. Why zombies? Why not! I figured it would be fun to try with the shorter format. And you know? I had a lot of fun creating a really twisted adventure/romp/horror/love story. Hee. And yes, I do believe zombies can find love too.

The anthology is SIX DEGREES OF ROMANCE, and you can download it for free at Amazon, B&N.com, or Harlequin. Or if you just want to read my story, you can right at my website.

So, in the realm of paranormal romances, what pairings between hero and heroine have you found to be a little wacky, maybe extreme?

Oh, good question, and I look forward to seeing which couples get picked!

If you would like to find out more about Michele, you can find her online at:

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Sinful Magic by Jennifer Lyon (Wing Slayer #4)

2012-02-14T20:28:00.000Z

Publisher - Rouge Romance
Publication Date - 14th December 2011
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - Witch Roxy Banfield is determined to become mortal in order to pursue her dream of real love and a family. All she has to do is avoid meeting the one man whose sensuality can release her powers.

Wing Slayer Hunter Kieran "Key" DeMicca channels the dark violence that lives inside him his art and telling stories. Lately he finds himself drawing images of a young woman in peril, and assumes that she's just a product of his imagination - until he meets Roxy. Struck by her beauty and her resemblance to his sketches, he feels compelled to protect her.

As steamy magic, lethal danger, and timeless love collide, Roxy must become what she swore she would never be - and inadvertently awaken a part of Key that will threaten to destroy them both.

My Thoughts - Jennifer Lyon has once again offered a great instalment to a series that I am growing to love more and more with each book. It has magic, romance and mystery - what more could a girl want? And it all moves along at a good pace, making it a book that is very difficult to put down.

I really enjoyed learning about the main characters, Roxy and Kieran. Roxy is a fertility which who has not come into her magic yet. To do this, she has to have sex with a specific man (known as her Awakening) before the fertility mark on her thigh disappears. However, Roxy has no intention of awakening her magic and instead longs for the day that she becomes a normal mortal woman. This is a different take on witches that hasn't been used so far in the series and it has kept the series feeling fresh. The author doesn't feel the need to repeat the same pattern over and over again in her books.

And as for Kieran *sigh*. He has the soul of an immortal dragon locked inside of him and has a huge dragon tattoo across his chest. As if that wasn't enough he is creative too - he is a talented artist who provides the tattoos for all the other Wing Slayers. And because he is a Wing Slayer he is incredibly strong, loyal and protective of others who are not as strong as he is. Come on ladies, what's not to love? I know I've said it before but I'll say it again *sigh*

As well as the likeable main characters, there is a veritable feast of secondary characters to fall in love with. All of the Wing Slayers are incredibly close and I just love reading about them. They share a bond that means they would do anything for each other. And the witches are just as interesting to read about. The three witches who have become friends over the previous books in the series also share a close bond and I enjoyed reading about how Roxy integrates with the group - even though at first they have a hard time trusting her.

And Ms. Lyon definitely has the ability to put together a good love scene. Not only were there some very hot and steamy moments, but also some tender ones that really showed the depth of their feelings for each other.

Summary - Another great paranormal romance from Jennifer Lyon, with a great cast of characters, steamy romance and just the right amount of action. I really can't wait to read more about the Wing Slayers.

Other books in the series:
1. Blood Magic
2. Soul Magic
3. Night Magic
4. Sinful Magic

Other reviews of this book:
Joyfully Reviewed / Vampires, Werewolves and Fairies, Oh My!

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #2 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #4 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

New Release: Taming the Fire by Sydney Croft

2012-02-14T07:38:00.001Z

Today sees the UK release of Taming the Fire by Sydney Croft. I think it sounds amazing and the cover art is absolutely beautiful so I thought I would spotlight it here on my blog. It is being released by Rouge Romance as an e-book only.

Power. Pleasure. Danger. It doesn't get any hotter than this.

He came to the underground London club for a night of extreme sex play with the enigmatic "Mistress Rik". But the Special Agent known as Trance is really on a search-and-rescue mission to keep her alive.

Part predator, Ulrika "Rik" Jaegar possesses feral powers that make her a danger to others - and to herself. That's why the Agency for Covert Rare Operatives (ACRO) wants to recruit her to their side....To do so, Trance will have to pull off the impossible: capture and control Rik, both woman and beast.

Author Biography
Sydney Croft is the alter-ego of Larissa Ione and Stephanie Tyler, who came together to blend their very different writing interests into adventurous tales of erotic paranormal fiction. Though they love to write together as Sydney Croft, they also write individually.

As Sydney Croft, they are the authors of Riding the Storm, Unleashing the Storm, Seduced by the Storm, Taming the Fire, Tempting the Fire and Taken by Fire.

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Fallen by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #2)

2012-02-13T19:17:00.001Z

Publisher - Mills and Boon
Publication Date - 20th May 2011
Paperback - 336 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - He fell because he loved mankind. It cost him his soul. Now Cooper seeks his halo, his only to chance to regain what he lost. But wherever the Fallen walk, a Sinistari demon is not far behind; their only task is to slay the earthbound angels. Pyxion stalks Cooper. When she kills an angel, she can claim her own soul. His death will be her chance at redemption. Yet Cooper's first encounter with the Sinistari leaves him hungering for more. And Pyx finds herself drawn desperately, sensually towards Cooper. With a vampire trailing both of them, relying on each other could be their best hope of survival - but they cannot give in to their lust or they'll both be doomed.

My Thoughts - This book is not what I expected and as a result I found that I ejoyed it a lot more than the first book in the series. Most PNR series that I read tend to follow a basic formula, so I was expecting this book to roughly follow the same formula as the first book - fallen angel is the ultimate bad guy out to destroy mankind, demon sent to protect the human woman the fallen angel wants to impregnate, demon and human woman fall in love while taking down the bad guy. But the author mixed it up a lot and I really enjoyed reading Fallen.

Cooper (the fallen angel) is not a bad guy. When he was working up in heaven he was an angel warrior who would basically smite anybody he was told to by the archangels. He fell because he didn't want to kill people anymore and this would give him a chance to make a choice about what he wants to do with his life. Plus he has absolutely no intention of finding his muse - the human woman that he is destined to impregnate to produce a blood-drinking, flesh-eating nephilim. He breaks all the rules for a fallen angel and I absolutely loved this about him. He is just a good guy who is trying to fight his destiny.

Pyxion, or Pyx as she likes to be known, is also a very intruiging character. When she is called from Beneath to track the fallen angel she has a sexual identity crisis. In Beneath the Sinistari demons are all sexless but she has always believed herself to be male like all the other demons - so imagine her surprise when she realises that she has been given the body of a female on earth. I must admit that I wasn't sure what to make of this at first, especially when she feels an attraction to Cooper and still thinks of herself as male, but I soon got used to it as Pyx became more comfortable in her female body and starts to think of herself as a woman. And I loved watching her as she got used to all the things that are involved with being a woman - shopping, nice clothes, make up etc. It gave her a sense of vulnerability which I found really endearing. Although what I loved most about her is the fact that she is completely kick-ass. She loves nothing more than spending an evening ridding the world of vampires and she is just completely fearless.

The romance aspect between Cooper and Pyx was really sweet. They are both outcasts amongst their own kind and they are just looking for a place to belong. And it is obvious that they feel most comfortable with each other and that they want to find a place to belong together. There is a lot of chemistry between the two of them but I could also feel a much deeper connection between them which I loved.

I also felt as though there is a much better balance between all the elements in this novel - romance, action, suspense - and as a result it flowed a lot better than the first book in the series. I read the book in just one day and I literally could not put it down.

Summary - A great paranormal romance that questions everything we believe in the genre. With likeable characters, great world-building and a steamy romance this book is a must-read for all fans of paranormal romance.

Other books in this series:
1. Angel Slayer
2. Fallen
3. Ashes of Angels

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #4 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #3 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #8 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (13th February 2012)

2012-02-13T07:01:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Completed:
The Ninja Vampire's Girl by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #2.5)
Ashes of Angels by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #3)
Dark Hunger by Christine Feehan (Carpathian #14)

Books Reviewed:
The Darkest Fire by Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld #0.5)
Eternal Kiss by Laura Wright (Mark of the Vampire #2)
Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #2)
A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands (Argeneau Vampires #1)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Dark Secret by Christine Feehan (Carpathian #15)
My Ruthless Prince by Gaelen Foley (Inferno Club #4)

Books Up Next:
Radiant Desire by Inara Scott (Handmaid's Seduction #1)
Demon Soul by Christine Ashworth (Caine Brothers #1)

Current Giveaways:
February is Paranormal Romance Month here at Once Upon A Series so there are going to be lots of reviews and giveaways going on this month. The ones that are currently open are:

1. Win the entire Lords of the Underworld Series by Gena Showalter (UK ONLY)
2. Win an ebook of your choice from the Demons of Infernum series by Rosalie Lario (INTERNATIONAL)
3. Win a signed copy of Changeling Dawn by Dani Harper and a "Dani Harper" tote bag (INTERNATIONAL)

So please come along and take part :)

Paranormal Romance Month Review: A Quick Bite by Lynsay Sands (Argeneau Vampires #1)

2012-02-12T19:22:00.000Z

Publisher - Avon Books
Publication Date - 10th February 2006
Paperback - 384 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Library

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - That hot guy tied to Lissianna Argeneau’s bed? He’s not dessert – he’s the main course!

Lissianna has been spending her centuries pining for Mr. Right, not just a quick snack, and this sexy guy she finds in her bed looks like he might be a candidate. But there’s another, more pressing issue: her tendency to faint at the sight of blood… an especially annoying quirk for a vampire. Of course it doesn’t hurt that this man has a delicious-looking neck. What kind of cold-blooded vampire woman could resist a bite of that?

Dr. Gregory Hewitt recovers from the shock of waking up in a stranger’s bedroom pretty quickly – once he sees a gorgeous woman about to treat him to a wild night of passion. But is it possible for the good doctor to find true love with a vampire vixen, or will he be just a good meal? That’s a question Dr. Greg might be willing to sink his teeth into… if he can just get Lissianna to bite.

My Thoughts - I had mixed feelings about this book whilst reading it. I think I’ll start off by mentioning a couple of the things that I wasn’t keen on. Firstly, not much happens in this book. It definitely lacks pace and for quite a large chunk of the book I was wondering when something was actually going to happen. Secondly, the mystery part of the novel wasn’t that strong as I was able to guess from the beginning who was after Lissianna and Greg and this kind of spoiled the ending for me as there was no surprise twist to make things interesting.

Now, onto the good stuff. I really liked the explanation of what vampires are and how they came into existence. For me, this was a very new idea and completely different to any other vampire novels I have read in the past. I also really liked the style of writing – it was easy to read and very funny in places.

Lissianna is a great character who I really liked. She is kind, intelligent and is always willing to put other people first. Greg is another great character who is incredibly likeable. However, I found it a bit difficult to believe that a man who was being held captive by a group of vampires would be more concerned with getting one of them into bed than with trying to escape. I loved all of the character is Lissianna’s family and they helped to provide many of the funny moments during the course of this book.

Summary - Despite the not-so-good points that I mentioned, I did enjoy the book quite a lot and I will be looking for the other books in the series.

Other books in this series:
1. A Quick Bite
2. Love Bites
3. Single White Vampire
4. Tall Dark and Hungry
5. A Bite to Remember
6. Bite Me If You Can
7. The Accidental Vampire
8. Vampires are Forever
9. Vampire, Interrupted
10. The Rogue Hunter
11. The Immortal Hunter
12. The Renegade Hunter
13. Born to Bite
14. Hungry for You
15. The Reluctant Vampire

Other reviews of this book:
Fangs for the Fantasy / Under the Covers / Yummy Men and Kick Ass Chicks

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Archangel's Kiss by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #2)

2012-02-11T19:02:00.001Z

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 4th March 2010
Paperback - 336 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it!

Book Info - Welcome to a dark new world where lethal, beautiful archangels hold sway over immortals and mortals both, with the Guild Hunters caught in between, tasked with retrieving those vampires who break their contracts with their angelic masters.

Elena Deveraux is a Guild Hunter. She was hired to do the impossible – to hunt down a rogue Archangel – and she succeeded where none had believed she could. But in the process, she fell in love. And not just with anyone: with the Archangel Raphael. It a love that’s as powerful, entrancing and incredible as it is terrifying, and dangerous. But the world won’t stand still while Elena and Raphael enjoy their new-found love. Vampires and angels still go rogue, and it’s still Elena’s job to hunt them down, and return them to their angelic masters. For all that she is exceptional, Elena isn’t invulnerable – and the more obvious her talents become, the bigger a target she could find herself…

My Thoughts - This book continues on from where the first book in the series, Angels’ Blood, left off. If you haven’t read Angels’ Blood then I would advise reading that one first as it will be difficult to completely understand the events in Archangel’s Kiss if you do not read the series in order.

Once again, the romance between Elena and Raphael made for very interesting reading. Elena was a strong and independent woman when she was human, and nothing has changed at all now that she is an angel. She still has trouble obeying Raphael and she prefers dealing with her troubles on her own rather than leaning on her archangel lover. Raphael, on the other hand, is used to being completely in control, so he finds Elena’s independence quite hard to deal with at times. But because of their love for each other they are willing to work hard to try and find a compromise. Also, there is a huge amount of chemistry between these two that will leave most readers feeling a bit hot and bothered!

Although most of the story is told from Elena’s point of view, there are parts told by Raphael and this adds a whole new dimension to the story. Raphael has a tough outer shell that comes from being one of the most powerful archangels around. But the parts of the story written from his viewpoint allow the reader to see exactly how he feels about Elena. He loves her above all else and will do all he can to protect her. The reader also sees that Raphael has a vulnerable side as we get to see the intense fear he feels whenever Elena is in danger or is hurting.

The action/mystery aspects of the novel are gripping and make it a page-turning read, however, at times I found the book to be slightly confusing due to the sheer number of minor characters involved. A lot of names are thrown around whilst trying to find out who is behind the threats towards Elena without many reminders as to who these people are. So I ended up spending quite a bit of time trying to remember if the character in question is archangel/angel/vampire/human and which side they belong to.

Summary - Overall, I loved this story with its interesting mix of unusual angel/vampire mythology, romance, action and mystery. I would recommend this series to all Paranormal Romance fans.

Other books in this series:
1. Angels' Blood
2. Archangel's Kiss
3. Archangel's Consort
4. Archangel's Blade

Other reviews of this book:
Book Chick City / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional / Love Vampires

Guest Post and Giveaway with Author Dani Harper! (GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED)

2012-02-10T12:32:00.002Z

Today I have the pleasure of welcoming author Dani Harper who will be telling us all about her paranormal romce series. At the end of her guest post she will also be giving you the details of a fantastic giveaway that she is hosting here at Once Upon a Series. So don't be shy, give Dani a warm welcome and don't forget to enter the giveaway!

Changelings 101 - not your mother's werewolves

Hi, I’m Dani Harper and in my new paranormal series from Kensington-Brava, I’ve created a world in which wolfen shapeshifters live as humans among us, hiding in plain sight. Extremely long-lived and very strong, they call themselves Changelings and they regard their innate ability to become a wolf at will as a gift.

Each story revolves around a member of the Macleod family. Driven from Scotland two centuries ago when wolves were being exterminated there, these Changelings found sanctuary in the wilds of northern Canada. An entire community has since sprung up around them and the Macleods and their pack are part of the human community. But there’s just enough unspoiled forest left for them to joyfully run as wolves whenever they please. They seem to have the best of both worlds – but there are still dangers lurking for their kind. And love, when it arrives, brings dangers and complications of its own.

There are 2 immutable laws in the Changeling world:

1. Never harm a human

2. Never turn a human against their will

The wolf within, however, has its own set of primal rules. If a Changeling’s life is in danger, the wolf will emerge to defend it. The wolf will also rise, unbidden, to defend a mate at all costs. And Changelings mate for life.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE A CHANGELING

Changelings in their lupine form are attractive. Graceful and swift, they stand on all fours like natural wolves. Aha, you say, then how do you tell a Changeling from a real wolf? Easy. Changelings are much bigger. And while their fur color seldom corresponds to the color of their human hair, their eyes never change.

Stealthy as a ghost, a Changeling is intent on guarding his secret identity. Humans are unlikely to ever encounter him in his wolfen persona. Unless of course you’ve been foolish enough to endanger him, his pack or (worst of all) his mate. Yes, Changelings have rules they choose to live by, but that doesn’t mean they’re tame!

As for recognizing a Changeling when he’s on two legs? Not going to happen. They may run on four feet in their free time but they choose to live as humans. They have jobs, pay bills, drive cars … they could be your neighbor, your boss, your banker. The only thing that’s certain is that you will never, ever know. But don’t worry. Thanks to the rules, a Changeling will never harm humans unless he turns rogue. And that’s only happened once. So far….

THE CHANGELING BOOKS

There are 3 books in the series at present (and by the way, each has been written to stand alone). Changeling Moon focuses on Connor Macleod. Changeling Dream is about James Macleod, the oldest of the siblings. And my newest release, Changeling Dawn is about the youngest Macleod, Kenzie. Here’s the blurb:

Kenzie Macleod has spent her whole life hiding the fact that she's a werewolf. She's not about to open up to any man, even one as powerfully attractive as wildlife expert Josh Talarkoteen. But legend says that a Changeling cannot escape the call of her true mate, even in the wilderness of backcountry Alaska. An isolated archaeological site, a terrified Changeling cub, a shadowy research facility - as Kenzie and Josh face the ultimate betrayal, his obsidian eyes promise untold pleasure and hint at dark secrets of his own...

For more information, reviews and excerpts of each of my novels, check out my website!

WHERE TO FIND DANI HARPER

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Newsletter / Blog

DANI'S GIVEAWAY FOR READERS (GIVEAWAY NOW CLOSED)
I love to talk books and I love to give away prizes! So name one or more of your favorite paranormal or urban fantasy series authors. (I love Patricia Briggs, Karen Chance, Jeaniene Frost and Keith Hearne myself!) A name will be drawn at random from the commenters on Feb. 21st . The winner will receive a signed copy of my new release, Changeling Dawn, and a “Dani Harper” tote bag to put it in. PS – the giveaway is International!

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Eternal Kiss by Laura Wright (Mark of the Vampire #2)

2012-02-09T19:32:00.000Z

Publisher - Piatkus
Publication Date - 5th January 2012
Paperback - 320 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - His father unknown, his mother dead, Nicholas Roman was raised by the vampire Breed with one wish: to live as a normal vampire. But when he's transformed against his will into a gifted immortal, Nicholas has one goal: to stop the Eternal Order of vampires from controlling his life. Then comes a beautiful stranger with a startling secret.

Vampire Kate Everborne claims she's sheltering Nicholas's long lost son. If this is true, then who is the mother? And how endangered are they if, indeed, Nicholas does possess the bloodline so coveted by the Order? These are questions that with every seductive whisper and every silken touch draw Nicholas and Kate intimately closer, and nearer still to the truth.

Review - I hadn't heard of this author or series before being sent this book for review, and I became very intrigued by it after reading the blurb. And I will admit that Eternal Kiss provides a fairly unique take on a subject that has been done a lot.

I really enjoyed the world building in this book around the different classes of vampire. There are Purebloods and Impurebloods (human/vampire halfbreeds) and they are all controlled by the Eternal Order - a group of ten Purebloods who punish any vampires who break the rules and who keep their existence hidden from the humans. Also there is a breeding male who can impregnate any female vampire at will and who is kept in a cage at all times as his desire to reproduce is uncontrollable.

I instantly fell into the world that the author describes but I did have a bit of trouble with some of the language. The author has created some words in a new language that the vampires use and it isn't always necessarily clear what they mean during reading (eg. Balas = vampire child / Paven = male vampire of pureblood / Veana = female vampire of Pureblood. And this is just a small selection). A glossary is provided at the start of the book but it can definitely affect the flow of reading when you have to keep flicking to the front of the book to find out what a word means. But I got to grips with these words after the first few chapters so I was then able read on quite happily and I felt that it did add to the world created by the author.

I really liked the two main characters. Kate is fearless and always does the right thing even if it brings trouble to her doorstep. And Nicholas is very sexy in an overbearing Alpha male kind of way. There are descriptions of some tragic things that happened in his past and, although they made for uncomfortable reading and added a very dark tone to the story, it made me understand him so much better.

There is a lot of chemistry between the two of them which doesn't feel forced at all like it can in some paranormal romance novels. Vampires each have a True Mate who they are destined to be with and they share the same mark somewhere on their bodies. Kate and Nicholas are True Mates but I loved the fact that their feelings started to develop before they even realised they were destined for each other. It just made the romance feel a lot more real to me.

My biggest problem with the book was the overuse of a certain four lettered C-word during some of the more intimate moments. This is a personal peeve as it is a word that I really don't like and it kept on distracting me from what was happening on the page. I can see how it fit in with the tone of the story, which is very dark, but I just wish the author could have occasionally used another word for that part of the body.

Summary - Despite this complaint, I am still very intrigued by the world of the Roman brothers and I am hoping to read the next book in the series, Eternal Captive, very soon and I may even go back and read the first book that I missed, Eternal Hunger.

Other books in this series:
1. Eternal Hunger
2. Eternal Kiss
3. Eternal Captive

Other reviews of this book:
A Bookworm's Haven / Good Choice Reading / Leontine's Book Realm

Paranormal Romance Month Review: The Darkest Fire by Gena Showalter (Lords of the Underworld #0.5)

2012-02-07T20:20:00.001Z

Publisher - Mira Books
Publication Date - 16th April 2010
Paperback - 80 pages (this is a novella that is included in Dark Beginnings)
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it

Book Info - He is the guardian of hell, more monster than man.

She is the goddess of oppression, more angel than woman.

Together they will enter the flames to battle a horde of demon lords -- and discover a passion unlike any other...

Discover the origin of the dimOuniak and the demon spirits trapped within.

My Thoughts - The Darkest Fire is a novella that explains the origins of the Lord of the Underworld series. It tells the story of Geryon, the demon who is tasked with guarding the gates of Hell, and Kadence, the Goddess of Oppression, who has to make daily checks of the walls of Hell to make sure they are secure. They have to work together to ensure that a group of demon lords do not escape from Hell.

It is an enjoyable short story that gives a good background to the story of the Lords of the Underworld series. Geryon, despite being a demon, comes across as a very likeable character - he saves Kadence's life and he obviously takes his job incredibly seriously. Kadence seems very unsure of herself and it's not until later on in this story that she gains in strength and confidence.

There is a lot of chemistry between these two characters, but the romance between them is sweet and tender. The author's writing style had me hooked from the start and I really enjoyed the way she described the interactions between Geryon and Kadence. The ending is very heart-warming and leads nicely onto the first novel in the series.

Summary - Although it's not essential to read this story to fully understand what is happening in the other books in the series, I highly recommend it anyway. A very sweet love story set in the depths of Hell sounds like it shouldn't work at all - but it really does!

Other books in this series:
0.5. The Darkest Fire
1. The Darkest Night
2. The Darkest Kiss
3. The Darkest Pleasure
3.5. The Darkest Prison
4. The Darkest Whisper
5. The Darkest Passion
6. The Darkest Lie
7. The Darkest Secret
8. The Darkest Surrender

Other reviews of this book:
Dear Author / The Babbling Bookworm / The Wormhole

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (6th February 2012)

2012-02-06T10:58:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Completed:
Eternal Kiss by Laura Wright (Mark of the Vampire #2)
Archangel's Blade by Nalini SIngh (Guild Hunter #4)

Books Reviewed:
Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #1)
Water Bound by Christine Feehan (Sisters of the Heart #1)
Angel Slayer by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #1)
Heart of the Incubus by Rosalie Lario (Demons of Infernum #4)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Ashes of Angels by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #3)

Books Up Next:
Radiant Desire by Inara Scott (Handmaid's Seduction #1)
Darkest at Dawn by Christine Feehan (Includes Carpathian books #14 & 15)

Current Giveaways:
February is Paranormal Romance Month here at Once Upon A Series so there are going to be lots of reviews and giveaways going on this month. The ones that are currently open are:

1. Win the entire Lords of the Underworld Series by Gena Showalter (UK ONLY)
2. Win an ebook of your choice from the Demons of Infernum series by Rosalie Lario (INTERNATIONAL)

So please come along and take part :)

Demons of Infernum Giveaway!!!

2012-02-05T11:11:00.000Z

Now, as you may have noticed, I am a bit of a fangirl when it comes to the Demons of Infernum series by Rosalie Lario. It is my favourite series ever and I'm very excited to announce that Rosalie has offered up an ebook as a giveaway prize here at Once Upon a Series.

As the prize is an ebook then the contest is open internationally and the winner can choose any book from the series as their prize. So to help you choose, here are the summaries for all four books:

1. Blood of the Demon (read my review)
Keegan lives to exact revenge on the evil demon who sired and abused him. When his father devises a plan to bring on the apocalypse, he and his three half-brothers, interdimensional bounty hunters for the Elden Council, are charged with capturing and delivering their father for punishment.

Art gallery owner Brynn Meyers has no idea that her ability to read memories embedded in objects and drain people of their life force means she has demon ancestry. Unfortunately for Brynn, she's also the key to raising an ancient zombie army, which puts her on every demon's Most Wanted List. And no one wants her more than Keegan's father. Keegan must protect Brynn from his father by any means necessary, but he'll have to learn to harness the other half of his genetics-the far deadlier, uncontrollable half-when he starts to fall for the one woman standing between him and the vengeance he so desperately seeks. The one woman he'll never be able to resist.

2. Mark of the Sylph (read my review)
Half-demon Taeg is desperate to free his pregnant sister-in-law, who is spellbound to an indestructible book that will create an army of the undead. He is convinced that an ancient sword can destroy the book and the spell forever, but this relic has been hidden for a millennia by a powerful glamour. The clock begins to run out on his search when an old rival goes after the book and Taeg’s family in his quest for revenge.

Librarian Maya Flores has a secret: she’s immune to magic and is well aware of the supernatural beings prowling the streets of New York City. Haunted by a brutal demon attack that took her family, she is on a one-woman mission to destroy the evil demons who did it—and any others who get in her way.

Maya is Taeg’s best hope for uncovering the sword. Unfortunately, she wants nothing more than to kill him. As he fights for her trust and to save his family, she is forced to face the truth that not all demons are evil. And the worst part? She might be falling in love with one, too.

3. Touch of the Angel (read my review)
After months of no work, interdimensional bounty hunter Ronin Meyers jumps at the chance to locate an incubus who’s using succubi as murder weapons. Faced with the possibility of being forced to return to hellish Infernum if he fails, Ronin and his brothers will stop at nothing to take out the incubus and anyone else involved—even the beautiful succubus who stole his heart, then nearly his life, during the most mind-blowing hour of his existence.

Night after night, Amara and her fellow succubi are forced to extract special abilities from the strongest Otherworlders for their psychotic master’s growing collection. When the gorgeous angel-demon hybrid she believed to be dead captures her, Amara is both stunned and elated. But the happily ever after she’s dreamed of will have to wait. Together, they must bring down the madman hellbent on destroying them…and become each other’s salvation in the process.

4. Heart of the Incubus (novella) (read my review)
Biochemist Cresso Taylor lives the sort of lifestyle most men would envy—he has wealth, natural incubus charm, and more women than he can handle. But it’s not enough anymore. Not after meeting Genevieve Russell, the sexy scientist who works with him at Elcorp Laboratory. And she wants absolutely nothing to do with him.

After her fiancé broke her heart, Genevieve has had enough of womanizers. She’s determined to steer clear of sexy-as-sin Dr. Taylor, despite the fact that his incubus allure makes her want to rip his clothes off. But when a secret admirer’s affection turns to the macabre with threatening notes and grisly gifts, Cresso appoints himself her protector. As she and Cresso hunt her stalker, she discovers there’s a lot more to the sensual incubus than she ever imagined.

So here's what you have to do for a chance to win this fantastic prize:

Just leave a comment below stating your email address and which book you would like if you win!

The contest is open INTERNATIONALLY until 29th February!

Good luck everybody :)

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Heart of the Incubus by Rosalie Lario (Demons of Infernum #4)

2012-02-05T10:30:00.000Z

Publisher - Entangled Publishing
Publication Date - January 2012
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Received from author for review

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!

Book Info - Biochemist Cresso Taylor lives the sort of lifestyle most men would envy—he has wealth, natural incubus charm, and more women than he can handle. But it’s not enough anymore. Not after meeting Genevieve Russell, the sexy scientist who works with him at Elcorp Laboratory. And she wants absolutely nothing to do with him.

After her fiancé broke her heart, Genevieve has had enough of womanizers. She’s determined to steer clear of sexy-as-sin Dr. Taylor, despite the fact that his incubus allure makes her want to rip his clothes off. But when a secret admirer’s affection turns to the macabre with threatening notes and grisly gifts, Cresso appoints himself her protector. As she and Cresso hunt her stalker, she discovers there’s a lot more to the sensual incubus than she ever imagined.

My Thoughts - To say that I am a fan of the Demons of Infernum series would, I think, be quite an understatement. This is the fourth installment of the series and it just keeps getting better and better. I'm awaiting the final book (due for release later this year) with a mixture of intense excitement and complete and utter dread because I just don't want to series to finish!

In Heart of the Incubus, Ms Lario introduces the reader to a cast of incredibly real and instantly loveable characters. The hero of the piece is Cresso - an Incubus fiend of the Meyers brothers that the rest of the series focuses on. Cresso has fallen in love with a colleague, Genevieve, but she doesn't want anything to do with him. He is basically starving himself because he can't bear the thought of being with anybody who isn't Genevieve. The author describes his feelings of torture over this situation so well that it is impossible not to fall in love with him. And when he finds out Genevieve is being stalked, his alpha male protective side comes to the forefront - making him even more sexy!

Genevieve has been hurt by a man in the past so she is wary of any man who seems like too much of a playboy - especially an incubus! But she ends up spending a lot of time with Cresso when he volunteers himself as her protector. She is strong and intelligent but she isn't very confident so she hides behind a geeky scientist persona, and I loved this vulnerablility. One thing that I didn't much like about her though was the way that past events in her life lead her to be very critical of Cresso and the lifestyle he used to lead, despite the fact that he is now risking his life to protect her. I'm just glad she came to her senses eventually!

The mystery element involving the stalker was well written and kept me hooked. It added a layer of suspense to the novel that really complimented the romantic aspects of the story. I wasn't able to work out who the stalker was so the ending was a complete surprise for me. And the romance between Cresso and Genieveve was well written and very steamy, keeping me on the edge of my seat waiting for the big moment to happen!

Summary - An amazing installment in one of my favourite series. I was hooked from the first page and read the whole thing in one sitting. If you are a paranormal romance fan who hasn't started this series yet, then you REALLY need to pick up one of these books today!

Other books in this series:
1. Blood of the Demon
2. Mark of the Sylph
3. Touch of the Angel
4. Heart of the Incubus
5. Call of the Siren (Released later this year)

Other reviews of this book:
Grave Tells / Reading Between the Wines Book Club / Red Hot Books

This book counts towards the following challenges:Book #1 for 2012 Specualtive Romance Reading Challenge
Book #3 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Angel Slayer by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #1)

2012-02-04T19:25:00.001Z

Publisher - Mills and Boon
Publication Date - 18th March 2011
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - All her life Eden Campbell had dreamed of angels…but none that she painted was like the fallen angel who attacked her. A muse, Eden was now to bear her attacker's offspring—one who promised the apocalypse and foretold her death. Where else could she turn but into the arms of a mesmerizingly handsome angel slayer? But Ashur's protection came with a price.

The dark, dangerous and oh-so-sexy slayer tormented her, made her remember how long it'd been since she'd had a man. But Ashur was no man, and no angel. He was a demon. Called from Beneath to slay her attacker, he could commit every sin but couldn't fall in love. And that was the one thing Eden wanted from him. How could she choose between a death sentence or a life without Ashur?

My Thoughts - I am a big fan of paranormal romance novels about angels and, although this book really changes things up with regards to angels and demons, this book was no exception. Ms. Hauf portrays angels in a way that is completely different from any I have read about before. The angels that Eden dreams about - and paints in her pictures - are very steampunky, and I loved reading the descriptions of these angels. Here is a quote of Eden explaining one of her pictures:

"Hence, her titanium angel with Steampunk-geared wings of binary code. Its face was hollow, exposing honeycomb bone, and silver filaments sprouted on the skull. A halo spun like the rings of Saturn at the back of its head."

Certainly not how angels are usually thought of!

And I absolutely fell in love with Ashur, the demon who is brought to earth to kill the Fallen angel who is after Eden. He is a demon with a softer side - although he would probably kill anybody who dared to suggest that! He has just been released from Beneath after being tortured there for a thousand years as a punishment for falling in love on his last trip to earth. And it is this ability of his to fall in love with a woman, despite what he is and everything that he has done, that really endeared him to me. And I just loved his innocence! The world has changed a lot since he last visited a thousand years ago and it was a lot of fun to view our world through his eyes as he learns all about life as it is now.

I enjoyed entering the world that the author has created and learning about angels and demons as she sees them. The storyline was also fresh and unique in a genre that has become very popular lately. However, there were some parts of the story that moved pretty slowly as Ashur seemed intent on hiding Eden away from the Fallen angel, resulting in a lack of action for fairly large portions of the book.

I also had some problems with the romance aspect of the novel. There was definitely chemistry between the two of them, but to me it just felt more like lust rather than any deeper connection. Don't get me wrong, a romance novel wouldn't be the same without a good dose of lust, but I just felt as though there could have been something more between them.

Summary - A promising start to the Of Angels and Demons series with loveable characters set in an intruiging world. Despite my reservations about the pacing of the novel and the connection between the two main characters, I still really enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to entering this seductive new world again soon.

Other books in this series:
1. Angel Slayer
2. Fallen
3. Ashes of Angels

Other reviews of this book:
Bitten by Books / CataRomance

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #3 for 2012 Speculative Romance Reading Challenge
Book #1 for 2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge
Book #5 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Water Bound by Christine Feehan (Sisters of the Heart #1)

2012-02-03T19:59:00.000Z

Publisher - Piatkus Books
Publication Date - 29th July 2010
Paperback - 480 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - For Lev Prakenskii, the last thing he remembers is being lost in the swirling currents of the ocean and sucked deeper into the nothingness of a freezing black eddy off the coastal town of Sea Haven. Just as quickly, just as miraculously, he was saved – pulled ashore by a beautiful stranger – but Lev has no memory of who he was – or why he seems to possess the violent instincts of a trained killer. All he knows is that he fears for his life, and the life of his unexpected saviour. Her name is Rikki, a sea-urchin diver in the small town of Sea Haven. She always felt an affinity for the ocean and the seductive pull of the tides – and now, for the enigmatic man she rescued. But soon they will be bound by something even stronger – each other’s tantalising secrets that will engulf them both in a whirlpool of dizzying passion and inescapable danger.

My Thoughts - This book is the first in the Sisters of the Heart series, but it is tied to another series written by Feehan – the Sea Haven series. Although there are quite a few references to events that happened in the other series, I did not have any trouble reading this book as a stand alone from the other series.

The biggest strength of this book is the way that Feehan is able to describe her characters and bring them to life. Rikki is a troubled young woman with a lot of problems. She has had a tragic past but she also suffers from autism and has to live by her routines. She gets so overwhelmed by lights, sounds, people and deviations from this routine that at times she is not able to function. Feehan describes these breakdowns so well that you feel as if you are right inside Rikki’s head and you can’t help but feel for her. Lev has also had a tragic past and has been trained as a killer. Although he believes himself to be a bad man, he finds a different side to himself whenever he is around Rikki. You can really feel his pain as he tries to discover who he is, as well as who he would like to be.

The romance between these two characters is well written and believable. I have read quite a lot of paranormal romance books lately and it seems the norm that the main characters jump into bed with each other and then fall in love with each other later. However, in Water Bound, Rikki and Lev take time to get to know each other and give their love time to grow before starting a relationship. This just gave the book a more romantic feel than some others I have read recently. I also enjoyed reading about the psychic link between Rikki and Lev as this added a new dimension to their love for each other.

However, I wasn’t very impressed with the mystery part of the novel. They are both in danger from unknown sources and this should have brought in an element of intrigue and excitement. But I felt like this part of the story moved too slowly and I will admit to being bored during a few parts. Also, I just wasn’t happy with the way that the mystery part of the story was concluded. To me it felt a bit rushed and I found it a bit unbelievable, leaving me with a slightly unsatisfied feeling.

Summary - Despite my dissatisfaction with the mystery elements of Water Bound, I did still enjoy it and I am hoping to try more from this author soon.

Other books in this series:
1. Water Bound
2. Spirit Bound

Other reviews of this book:
Book Binge / Book Chick City / Smexy Books

Paranormal Romance Month Review: Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #1)

2012-02-02T12:00:00.002Z

Publisher - Gollancz
Publication Date - 11th February 2010
Paperback - 368 pages
Genre - Paranormal Romance

Source - Library

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it!

Book Info - Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she’s the best – but she doesn’t know if she’s good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear – failure is not an option… even if the task she’s been set is impossible. Because this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other… and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn’t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just may. Because when archangels play, mortals break…

My Thoughts - I loved the main characters of Elena and Raphael. Elena is strong and independent and I love that she will not back down on things, even when facing an archangel (although this does tend to get her in a lot of trouble). She has been through a lot in her life and although at times her past comes back to haunt her, she fights through her fear and still manages to get on with the job at hand. Raphael is dark, dangerous and incredibly sexy. There is a huge amount of sexual chemistry between these two characters and I love the way the relationship develops between them.

I also really enjoyed reading about the world created by Nalini Singh. Angels are the most powerful creatures on the earth and they are beautiful and deadly. Vampires, on the other hand, are created by angels and are their subordinates. In Angels’ Blood the vampires are not portrayed as all evil beings - although they do drink blood, they do not kill people.

Summary - I loved reading Angels’ Blood; it is full of action, romance, sexual tension and mystery. I especially loved the ending – it brought a little tear to my eye! I cannot recommend this book enough to anybody who loves paranormal romance.

Other books in this series:
1. Angels' Blood
2. Archangel's Kiss
3. Archangel's Consort
4. Archangel's Blade

Other reviews of this book:
Book Chick City / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional / Love Vampires / The Word Fiend

It's the start of Paranormal Romance Month! Let's celebrate with a huge giveaway!!

2012-02-01T13:06:00.008Z

PLEASE NOTE: THIS GIVEAWAY IS FOR UK ONLY!

As February is the month of love, what with Valentine's Day and all, I have decided to dedicate the whole of the month to one of my favourite genres - Paranormal Romance!

I have got a whole host of reviews coming up this month from authors such as:
Gena Showalter
Nalini Singh
Christine Feehan
Michele Hauf
Rosalie Lario
Laura Wright
Lynsay Sands
Kresley Cole
Inara Scott
Phew, that was a long list!

But that is not all, dear readers! I have also got some great guest posts lined up and some amazing giveaways! And I'm so excited about the start of PNR Month today that I am going to kick things off with a MEGA giveaway!

However, due to the EPICNESS of the giveaway and the extortionate price of postage, I'm afraid that this contest is only open to readers in the UK. But don't worry international readers, there will be lots of other contests for you to enter over the coming weeks so keep your eyes peeled.

So, I can hear you all asking what this amazing prize is that I am talking about. I won't make you wait any longer. The very generous people from Mira Books UK have donated two (yes that's two!) entire sets of the Lords of the Underworld series! So that is nine books each for two very lucky readers!

Now for the terms and conditions:

All you have to do is use the Rafflecopter form below to enter..
As I have already stated, the giveaway is open to people in the UK only.
The closing date for this giveaway is 29/02/2012.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

So, good luck everybody! And don't forget to come back during the rest of the month for even more giveaways, reviews and guest posts.

A Perfect Ten with Sarah from The Bibliomouse!

2012-01-31T13:08:00.000Z

It's time for my new feature A Perfect Ten, where bloggers talk about their top ten favourite series of all time! Today I am being joined by Sarah from The Bibliomouse who has picked some great series for you all to salivate over. So without further ado I will hand you over to Sarah.

It was so hard to pick ten series, especially as once I’d begun to think of them, all of my favourite books seemed to be part of a series!

Chalet School by Elinor Brent Dyer
I’ve read this series for almost as long as I can remember; I think I got my first one when I was about 8, and I certainly remember spending my pocket money on them in Waterstones on a Saturday morning. I desperately wanted to be Jo, whose sister starts a school in the Austrian Tyrol. The series starts when she’s 12, and the first pupil at the Chalet School, and ends, 62 books later, when her eldest daughter is head-girl. I still read them when I’m feeling ill, they’re perfect comfort-reading.

The Babysitter's Club by Ann M. Martin
These also fall under the ‘comfort reading’ banner, especially since it takes about half an hour to rip through one! Martin’s stories about a group of 13 year olds who set up a club to make money by babysitting for the neighbourhood’s small children, intrigued me when I was about 7. Looking back, 13 seems incredibly young for that, but at the time they seemed like the most grown-up beings (especially Stacey, with her leggings and perm...)

"The Burglar..." Series by Lawrence Block
Bernie Rhodenbarr owns a second-hand bookstore in New York, but makes most of his money from his second job, as a burglar. The books are fun easy-reading, and Bernie is, in the words of a reviewer quoted on the cover, ‘adorable’. They’re very American, but none the worse for it, and I’ve even learnt to forgive Bernie for loving someone called Lettice.

The Adam Dalgliesh novels by PD James
For a crime fiction nut like me, it’s surprising, and a little embarrassing, that I only read my first PD James novel last year. I really should have read them before as I was hooked after the first one. I’m trying to read them in order, starting with Cover Her Face. Adam Dalgliesh is a typically flawed policeman, who is also a poet, charming and very English. Luckily for me, James has written 14 Dalgliesh novels so far.

Agatha Raisin Series by MC Beaton
Written by the author who created Hamish McBeth, the Agatha Raisin novels were never going to be serious crime novels. Instead, they are as fluffy and light as cream puffs, to be devoured quickly, but addictively. Raisin is a middle-aged P.R. who moves to the Cotswolds, becomes involved in solving some local murders and sets up a detective agency. There are as many murders in her part of Gloucestershire as there are in Midsomer…

Delirium Series by Lauren Oliver
I love Oliver’s writing, and Before I Fall was one of my novels of 2010. This series explores what it would be like living in a dystopian world in which love was classed as a disease. Lena is approaching her 18th birthday, which is when citizens undergo ‘the cure’, when she does the unthinkable and falls in love. Deliruim is the first of a trilogy, the second part of which is published at the end of Feb. 2012. I, for one, cannot wait.

Sherston's Trilogy by Siegfried Sassoon
Slightly more serious than my other choices, Sassoon’s largely autobiographical trilogy are about George Sherston’s journey from a shy and nervous child, growing up surrounded by fox hunting and village cricket, to an officer in the trenches of the First World War, to his time at Craiglockhart hospital and brief time in Palestine and then back to the trenches. Sassoon is obviously a brilliant and lyrical writer, and this trilogy, especially the middle book, Memoirs of an Infantry Officer, moves me every time.

The Flavia de Luce by Alan Bradley
Continuing my love of mysteries, I had to choose Bradley’s novels featuring Flavia de Luce, 11 years old when the series starts, and a keen chemist with a particular interest in poisons. She lives with her two awful sisters and her father in a crumbling mansion in the village of Bishop’s Lacey. She’s precocious, opinionated, wilful and fabulous, and I’ve loved all of the four books in the series so far.

Tiffany Aching (part of Discworld) by Sir Terry Pratchett
My boyfriend introduced me to Sir Terry’s books, having loved them since childhood, and I do enjoy the ones written for adults, but the ones that really got me hooked were the ones featuring young witch, Tiffany Aching. They are apparently aimed at young adults, but they deal with much more serious issues than Pratchett’s adult novels, especially my favourite, I Shall Wear Midnight, but without being preachy or in any way less than fantastic, literally.

Poirot's mysteries by Agatha Christie
Last year I completed my Masters, and somehow I managed to persuade my supervisor to let me write my thesis on Poirot, which was ace. I started reading Christie’s novels when I was about 11, and have now read them all. Poirot is such a memorable character, with all of his quirks and his ‘little grey cells’, and even though I’ve read them all numerous times, they never fail to make me smile.

Thanks Sarah! There are a few series there I haven't heard of before and a couple that are already on my ever-growing TBR list!

How about you guys? Anything here you've read and loved? Anything that you'll be adding to your TBR list? Let Sarah and I know what you think!

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (30th January 2012)

2012-01-30T09:23:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Completed:
Seizure by Kathy Reichs (Virals #2)
Fallen by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #2)

Books Reviewed:
The Icebound Land by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #3)
Seizure by Kathy Reichs (Virals #2)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Eternal Kiss by Laura Wright (Mark of the Vampire #2)

Books Up Next:
Ashes of Angels by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #3)
Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh (Guild Hunter #4)

Series of the Week: Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews

2012-01-29T20:26:00.000Z

Each Sunday I will be highlighting a series that I have been wanting to read for a while, and that I hope to read very soon! This week my pick is the Kate Daniels series by Ilona Andrews. I've heard so many good things about this series and I really can't wait to make a start on it... and hopefully soon!

Have you read this series? Let me know what you thought!

Magic Bites
When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose, leaving all kinds of paranormal problems in its wake.

Kate Daniels is a down-on-her-luck mercenary who makes her living cleaning up these magical problems. But when Kate's guardian is murdered, her quest for justice draws her into a power struggle between two strong factions within Atlanta's magic circles.

The Masters of the Dead, necromancers who can control vampires, and the Pack, a paramilitary clan of shapechangers, blame each other for a series of bizarre killings—and the death of Kate's guardian may be part of the same mystery. Pressured by both sides to find the killer, Kate realizes she's way out of her league—but she wouldn't have it any other way…

Magic Burns
As a mercenary who cleans up after magic gone wrong, Kate Daniels knows how waves of paranormal energy ebb and flow across Atlanta like a tide. But once every seven years, a flare comes, a time when magic runs rampant. When Kate sets out to retrieve a set of stolen maps for the Pack, Atlanta's paramilitary clan of shape shifters, she quickly realizes much more is at stake. The stolen maps are only the opening gambit in an epic tug of war between two gods hoping for rebirth, and if Kate can't stop the cataclysmic showdown, the city may not survive.

Magic Strikes
When her werewolf friend Derek is discovered half dead, Kate Daniels knows that she cannot rest until she neutralizes his attackers. Her hunt for the culprits ultimately leads her to the Midnight Games, an invitation-only, no-holds-barred paranormal fighting tournament. Magically appealing.

Magic Bleeds
Kate Daniels cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to deal with- especially if they involve Atlanta's shapeshifting community.

And now there's a new player in town-a foe that may be too much for even Kate and Curran, the Lord of the Beasts, to handle. Because this time, Kate will be taking on family.

Magic Slays
Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.

So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price...

Review: Seizure by Kathy Reichs (Virals #2)

2012-01-26T11:14:00.001Z

Publisher - Arrow (Young)
Publication Date - 5th January 2012
Paperback - 496 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Paranormal

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3.5 out of 5: I liked it

Book Info - Since their dangerous transformation, the Virals have been lying low. But now Loggerhead Island is at risk, and with it, their parents' jobs. The pack suddenly faces seperation, and the only thing that can save them from dealing with the fall-out from their new powers alone is money, and lots of it.

Never one to shy away from a challenge, Tory Brennan, great-niece of famous forensic anthropologist Tempe Brennan, thinks she's devised the perfect plan, so she rounds up her fellow Virals and persuades them that the only way they're going to get the money they need is if they find famous she-pirate Anne Bonney's legendary treasure. Rumour has it that she hid it in Charleston, but in over 200 years no one has been able to find it.

With the help of their new-found powers, and a nudge from modern technology, the Virals are on the right track. The problem is they're not the only ones looking and, as well as being followed, they discover that Anne Bonney booby-trapped the trail every step of the way, with dead bodies to prove it... One way or another, the path ahead is fraught with danger. And this time, their special powers may not be enough to save them.

Review - Now, those of you who read my review for Virals, the first book in the series, will know that I wasn't all that impressed. But I'm glad to say that I enjoyed Seizure a lot more! I didn't go into reading this book with the wrong impression, as I did with Virals, so I could focus more on the story instead of waiting for something that is never going to happen. As a result I instantly got pulled into the story and found it difficult to put down. With the mixture of action and suspense, I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat wanting to know what would happen next. And Ms. Reich's style of writing is so easy to read, with great depictions of characters and places.

My favourite aspect of the story though is the interaction between Tory and her friends, who now call themselves the Virals. The banter between the four of them provides some light relief between all the action, which was great fun to read. I love how the book doesn't focus on romance - and with Tory being surrounded by three boys all the time it would be easy to fall into this trap. Although there have been hints that one of the friends has a slight thing for Tory the author is obviously taking this aspect of the storyline very slowly. I am actually pretty happy about this though as I think if Tory did start taking a romantic interest in one of her friends it would completely change the group dynamics - which would not be good at all.

The one thing that did spoil it for me a bit though was that they were searching for pirate treasure to save Loggerhead Island. It just seemed like quite an immature thing for such mature teenagers to do and reminded me of things I used to read in stories as a child. Although this is obviously a large part of the storyline I didn't find that it ruined by enjoyment of the book by much though. More like I would get swept up in the action and mystery and then every now and then I would remember what it was they were looking for and think - Pirate treasure? Really? And even with this I still enjoyed the book.

Summary - A great mystery, full of action and intrigue, with a group of incredibly likeable main characters. After not liking the start of the series, I now find myself looking forward to finding out what else is in store for the Virals.

Other books in this series:
1. Virals
2. Seizure

Other reviews of this book:
Ella Bella Reviews / Much Loved Books / Nayu's Reading Corner

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #7 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

A Perfect Ten with Heather from Based On A True Story...

2012-01-24T20:25:00.000Z

It's time for my new feature A Perfect Ten, where bloggers talk about their top ten favourite series of all time! Today I am being joined by Heather from Based On A True Story who has picked some great series for you all to salivate over. So without further ado I will hand you over to Heather.

I'd like to thank Chrissie for having me as a guest blogger. When I first started thinking about my favorite series I thought it would be hard to find ten but it wasn't. In no particular order:

1. Harry Potter by J.K. Rowling
Of course. What else is there to say that hasn't been said a million times? I go back and reread these over and over.

2. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins
These are dystopia with a strong female lead. It is The Running Man meets American Idol.

3. Women of the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong
This starts with Bitten and there are 12 books so far. Each features a woman of one of the supernatural races - werewolf, witch, necromancer, or demon. This series progresses by introducing secondary characters in one book who will be the protagonists in the next book. By book 12 there is a complex universe that is a delight to explore.

4. The Rachel Morgan series by Kim Harrison
In an alternate history, the humans on Earth were almost killed off by a virus in genetically modified tomatoes in the 1960s. Since then vampires, werewolves, witches, and all manner of magical creatures have started to live openly since they are no longer outnumbered. Rachel Morgan is a private investigator working with supernaturals. These books are more about her life than just about the cases that she is working on.

5. Percy Jackson and the Olympians series and Heroes of Olympus series by Rick Riordan
I'm counting these as one since Heroes of Olympus builds on Percy's story. I heard about these first after the movie version came out. The books are so much better! Percy is a teenager who finds out that his father is a Greek god. He goes to Camp Half-Blood to learn how to deal with his powers.

6. Gabriel Allon series by Daniel Silva
Gabriel Allon is an Israeli spy and assassin. He was trained to be part of the team that killed the people responsible for murdering Israeli athletes at the Olympics in 1972. Since then he has lived undercover as an art restorer which lets him travel around Europe as needed. This series is similar to Robert Ludlum-type thrillers with the twist that time is passing in the books. By the later books Allon is at retirement age and trying to get out. His exploits necessarily become more cerebral than brawny.

7. The Discworld series by Terry Pratchett
If I was forced to pick, I'd have to say this is my favorite series ever. The Discworld is an alternate universe where anything can and will happen. There are several subseries in this series - stories following the police, the witches, the wizard professors of Unseen University - as well as stand alone stories. On the surface these seem like silly fantasy stories and then there will be a great satirical insight. I read them over and over but I particularly love the witches. I want to be Granny Weatherwax when I grow up.

8. Marcus Didius Falco series by Lindsey Davis
Marcus Didius Falco is a down on his luck investigator in ancient Rome. This series makes Rome come alive like nothing else I've ever read. It is funny too.

9. The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher
Harry Dresden is the only wizard in the Chicago phone book. Most people thing he is a fake but when the Chicago PD have a case that might have a supernatural element they call him in even if they don't totally believe. I've read all of these in the past year and I've totally fallen in love with Harry. The world is wonderfully detailed and complicated. You have to read these in order or you will be totally lost. Even better, listen to the incredible audio books read by James Marsters who played Spike on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

10. Shades of Grey by Jasper Fforde
This is cheating because this isn't a series yet. It is the first book in a series and the series I can't wait for the author to finish writing. This is my favorite book of his because it is a completely original premise. In the distant future humans have lost the ability to see more than one color. Everything about their society from social status to careers to medicine is dictated by what color you are able to see. Kids are tested one time only for their color ability. This is the story of a group of kids in an outlying province who start to discover some disturbing things about their society on the eve of their color test.

Thanks Heather for taking the time to put together such a great list for us! I loved The Hunger Games and Women of the Otherworld, but I still haven't read the others yet! But a lot of them are already on my TBR list.

How about you guys? Anything here you've read and loved? Anything that you'll be adding to your TBR list? Let Heather and I know what you think!

Review: The Icebound Land by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #3)

2012-01-23T09:22:00.001Z

Publisher - Corgi Yearling
Publication Date - 7th February 2008
Paperback - 320 pages
Genre - YA Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it.

Book Info - Will and Evanlyn are bound for Skandia as the captives of the fearsome Skandian wolfship captain, Erak. Halt has sworn to rescue Will, and he will do anything to keep his promise - even defy his King. Expelled from the Rangers, Halt is joined by Horace as he travels through Gallica towards Skandia. On their way they are constantly challenged by freelance knights - otherwise known as thieving thugs. Horace knows a thing or two about combat, though, and he soon begins to attract the attention of knights and warlords for miles around with his uncanny skill. But will they be in time to rescue Will from a life of slavery?

My Thoughts - The first thing I would like to say about this book is that it states on the back that these stories do not need to be read in order as each book is a separate adventure. However, I do not agree with this. There is a strong plot arc throughout this series that I think would make it difficult to read them out of order. The Icebound Land carries on directly from book two with little explanation of past events. I think I would have found it difficult to really understand what was going on if I hadn't already read the first two books in the series and I recommend that they be read in order.

Anyway, now onto the review. Once again, Mr Flanagan has written an engaging adventure story that I think a lot of young boys will love. Will and Evanlyn have been kidnapped by the Skandians and this book tells of their sea voyage to Skandia and how they are sold into slavery once they arrive. I really enjoyed seeing a new mature Will as he is away from Halt and has to try and get himself out of the predicament that he has found himself in. But he never gives up, no matter how desperate the situation seems. I love this aspect of his character and I am sure this will be inspiration to any boys who read this series.

But there are certain things that happen to Will in the second part of this novel that absolutely broke my heart. I just wanted to reach into the pages of the book and give him a big hug. It upset me to think of a young boy being put into such a position and the ending did bring a little tear to my eye. However, this part of the storyline seemed a lot more mature than the rest of the series so far and it makes me wonder if the author is trying to reach out to older readers too. I will be interested to see where the author goes with this as the series continues.

The Icebound Land also details the travels of Halt and Horace as they go in pursuit of Will and Evanlyn in an attempt to get them back. I really started to like Halt in this novel. Up until now I have felt pretty indifferent towards him but, for me, he really shone in this book. He will, literally, go to the ends of the earth to help his apprentice and this really endeared him to me. And I really noticed his sense of humour as he travels with Horace. I felt as though we were finally seeing the human side of the legendary Ranger and I hope to learn even more about him as the series continues.

Summary - An engaging adventure story that had me hooked from the start. But for me, the real strength of The Icebound Land is its lovable and realistic characters. I can't wait to read more about this fascinating group of people.

Other books in this series:
1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land
4. Oakleaf Bearers
5. The Sorcerer in the North
6. The Siege of Macindaw
7. Erak's Ransom
8. The Kings of Clonmel
9. Halt's Peril
10. The Emperor of Nihon-Ja
11. The Lost Stories

Other reviews of this book:
Eclectic/Eccentric / Kids Reads

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #2 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (23rd January 2012)

2012-01-23T09:17:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Completed:
Angel Slayer by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #1)
Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #1)

Books Reviewed:
Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #5)
Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly (Angel #2)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Seizure by Kathy Reichs (Virals #2)

Books Up Next:
Bloodfever by Karen Marie Moning (Fever #2)
Eternal Kiss by Laura Wright (Mark of the Vampire #2)

Series of the Week: Infernal Devices by Cassandra Clare

2012-01-22T06:32:00.000Z

Each Sunday I will be highlighting a series that I have been wanting to read for a while, and that I hope to read very soon! This week my pick is the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare. I am currently halfway through the Mortal Instruments series and I am really enjoying it so I am hoping to get a chance to read this series soon too!

Have you read this series? Let me know what you thought!

Clockwork Angel
Magic is dangerous - but love is more dangerous still...

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray arrives in England during the reign of Queen Victoria, something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Friendless and hunted, Tessa seeks refuge with the Shadowhunters, a band of warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons. Drawn ever deeper into their world, she finds herself fascinated by - and torn between - two best friends, and quickly realizes that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

Clockwork Prince
Love and lies can corrupt even the purest heart...

In the magical underworld of Victorian London, Tessa Gray finds her heart drawn more and more to Jem, while her longing for Will, despite his dark moods, continues to unsettle her. But something is changing in Will - the wall he has built around himself is crumbling. Could finding the Magister free Will from his secrets and give Tessa the answers to who she is and what she was born to do? As their search for the truth leads the three friends into peril, Tessa's heart is increasingly torn, especially when one of their own betrays them.

Follow Friday #14

2012-01-20T18:26:00.000Z

Hi all and welcome to Follow Friday!

This is a great feature hosted by Parajunkee's View and Alison Can Read and I am very excited to be taking part today.

Every week participants have to answer a question so that we can all get to know each other a little better. This week's question is:

What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever done to get your hands on any particular book?

Umm, I'm not sure how to put this without making myself sound incredibly boring. I have never done anything crazy to get my hands on a book. But I am looking forward to reading some crazy stories as I work my way through the blog hop :)

On a side note, next month I will be devoting my blog to all things paranormal romance to celebrate Valentine's Day. I have got loads of reviews and author guest posts lined up and I have organised some very good giveaways for you all. But what I am lacking is some blogger guest posts. If you are a fan of paranormal romance and you think you've got a few minutes to put together a short guest post for me then please see my post here for more details.

Review: Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly (Angel #2)

2012-01-19T13:10:00.000Z

Publisher - Usborne
Publication Date - 1st October 2011
Paperback - 720 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Paranormal Romance

Source - Purchased

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!

Book Info - Only Willow has the power to defeat the malevolent Church of Angels, and they will stop at nothing to destroy her. Willow isn't alone, though. She has Alex by her side - a trained Angel Killer and her one true love.

But Willow will always be a half-angel, and when Alex joins forces with a group of AKs, she's treated with mistrust and suspicion. She's never felt more alone... until she meets Seb. He's been searching for Willow his whole life - because Seb is a half-angel too.

My Thoughts - Wow, what a rollercoaster this book is! I really can't remember the last time I got so emotionally involved with a book and I felt all the pain and heartbreak that Willow and Alex did over the course of their story. And once I had finished reading Angel Fire, it was all I could think about for days afterwards. In fact, hubby got slightly bored hearing me talk about it so much!

I have to say that Alex and Willow are, by far, my favourite YA couple ever! Not only did their love grow slowly in the first book (no insta-love here!) but it has grown into a strong love that makes them seem so perfect together. So at first I really wasn't sure if I was going to like the introduction of Seb. I didn't want anything to come along that could spoil the perfection that is Willow and Alex and I most certainly didn't want a love triangle! But I have to say that Ms. Weatherly handled it perfectly and it did bring a lot of emotion into the story.

There were many times that I found myself screaming at the book or clutching my chest to stop the heartache as either Alex or Willow made another mistake that would tear them slightly further apart. I didn't think there was any way that the pair could survive the arrival of a half-angel who has been in love with Willow for his entire life and I became absolutely hooked to this part of the storyline to see how it would end. I was slightly worried that the love triangle wouldn't be resolved by the end of Angel Fire, leaving me heartbroken for another few months, but I was so happy to find out this wasn't the case!

And the storyline involving the angels was amazing too! It provides lots of action, suspense and an ending that was completely devastating. It has made me very eager for the next book in the series to find out what else the angels have planned for the humans.

Summary - All in all, Angel Fire was a completely compelling read that was impossible to put down! It had highs that would have me cheering with joy, and lows that would leave me heartbroken. I really can't recommend this series enough. You need to read these books now!

Other books in this series:
1. Angel
2. Angel Fire

Other reviews of this series:
About Happy Books / Excellent Reads / Heaven, Hell and Purgatory

A Perfect Ten with Amanda from One More Page!

2012-01-17T20:05:00.000Z

It's time for my new feature A Perfect Ten, where bloggers talk about their top ten favourite series of all time! Today I am being joined by Amanda from One More Page who has picked some great series for you all to salivate over. So without further ado I will hand you over to Amanda.

I didn’t think I’d read many series’ but when I started listing them there were loads!! Here are ten of my favourites in the order that I first read them:

Mallory Towers by Enid Blyton
I was about 10 when I found the first book in this series on my gran’s bookshelf and I was soon hooked. The series follows the adventures of Darrell Rivers as she attends boarding school Mallory Towers. I loved reading about Darrell and friends with their tricks and capers and midnight feasts – it made boarding school sound like so much fun! Seeing the cover on the left brings back lots of happy memories.

Tales of the City by Armistead Maupin
I started this series on the recommendation of a friend when I was at university and have loved all of Maupin’s eclectic San Francisco ‘family’ ever since. Tales of the City was first published in 1978 as a newspaper serialisation and follows the lives of the occupants of 28 Barbary Lane in San Francisco. The seventh novel in the series was released last year after a twenty year break and is as good as ever!

Queen of Babble by Meg Cabot
I’m a big fan of all of Meg Cabot’s adult novels but the three books in this series are my absolute favourites. Queen of Babble, Queen of Babble in the Big City and Queen of Babble Gets Hitched follow the story of Lizzie Nichols and are light fluffy chick lit at its best with tonnes of Meg Cabot’s sparkly humour – guaranteed to make me smile every time.

Blue Bloods by Melissa de la Cruz

My favourite Vampire series at the moment; I discovered Blue Bloods when I was looking for something to fill the gap after reading the Twilight series. Set in New York with a cast of rich and fabulous teenage vampires at the centre, these are quick but gripping reads and I’m now looking forward to reading the spinoff series Witches of the East.

Secret Shopper by Kate Harrison
There are three books in this series; The Secret Shopper’s Revenge, The Secret Shopper Unwrapped and The Secret Shopper Affair. I haven’t actually managed to read the third one yet but it’s on my Kindle waiting! The series follows three women who meet as a result of secret shopping; young mum Emily, Shop manager Sandie and the glamorous Grazia who recruits them into her secret shopping team. I love Kate Harrison’s writing; despite the titles, these books aren’t really about shopping but are funny and observant takes on life and Kate isn’t afraid to tackle more serious issues (bereavement, single parenthood, losing your job) and the characters and the situations they find themselves in are very real.

Nightshade Series by Andrea Cremer
Nightshade, Wolfsbane and Bloodrose (out in February 2012) tell the story of Seventeen year old Calla Tor, the leader of the Nightshade pack. Calla and her pack have the ability to shift into wolf form at will and are designated ‘Guardians’, charged with protecting the secrets and sacred sites of their masters ‘The Keepers’ from their enemies ‘The Seekers’. Calla, as female Alpha, is the leader of her pack and is destined to unite with her opposite number Renier (Ren) Bane, Alpha of the Bane pack bringing their packs together in a powerful alliance. Throw in the mysterious new boy Shay Doran and things quickly get complicated. The mythology is complex and well thought out with a huge cast of fantastic characters and creatures who move seamlessly through our world; the romantic element is gripping and the plot fast paced.

The Cousin’s War series by Philippa Gregory
There have been three books in this series so far (The White Queen, The Red Queen and The Lady of the Rivers) set during the Wars of the Roses. I love the way Philippa Gregory focusses on ‘forgotten’ women in history and gives them a voice by trying to piece their stories together.

I Heart … series by Lindsey Kelk
Part travel guides, part witty, fun chick lit, this series (I Heart New York, I Heart Hollywood, I Heart Paris and I Heart Vegas) follows Angela Clark who after discovering her boyfriend is cheating on her at her best friend’s wedding flees to New York and starts a new life. Angela is one of my favourite chick lit heroines ever. She’s incredibly lucky and unlucky at the same time and her escapades never fail to make me smile. The books in this series are all brilliant escapist reads and I love the travel guides at the back. The final book in the series, I Heart London will be out next year.

A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
My favourite book of 2011! This is the first in a planned trilogy (book two, Shadow of the Night will be out in July 2012) and tells the story of Diana Bishop who discovers a bewitched manuscript, Ashmole 782, in the Bodleian Library, Oxford; a manuscript that has been ‘lost’ for centuries and soon has a whole host of witches, daemons and vampires trying to get their hands on it.

I love this book/series firstly, because the early part of the book is set in Oxford and more specifically the Bodleian Library where I worked as a trainee librarian. Secondly, it’s a book about books, libraries and history which are three of my absolute favourite subjects and finally, it combines of all of these elements with a good dose of paranormal romance involving vampires, witches and daemons!

The Taker by Alma Katsu
Another 2011 debut that blew me away. The Taker is something a little different in the paranormal market. It’s about immortals and immortal love but there are none of the usual paranormal subjects here just a mysterious vial promising eternal life. In contrast to the majority of immortal love stories I’ve read, the driving force behind most of the action in this book is unrequited love which makes for a story that is both dark and gripping. This book is as dark as it gets with some shocking scenes and kept me thinking long after I’d read it. I can’t wait to find out where the story goes next. Book two The Reckoning will be published in 2012.

Thanks for taking part today Amanda! I have only read one series on your list so I think I will be adding some more to my TBR list today! I have had A Discovery of Witches on my bookshelf for ages and I really must stop worrying about how big it is and just get on and read it!

How about you guys? Anything here you've read and loved? Anything that you'll be adding to your TBR list? Let Amanda and I know what you think!

Review: Silver Borne by Patricia Briggs (Mercy Thompson #5)

2012-01-16T10:21:00.000Z

Publisher - Orbit
Publication Date - 1st April 2010
Paperback - 352 pages
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 5 out of 5: It was amazing!

Book Info - When mechanic and shapeshifter Mercy Thompson attempts to return a powerful Fae book she'd previously borrowed in an act of desperation, she finds the bookstore locked up and closed down. It seems the book contains secret knowledge - and the Fae will do just about anything to keep it out of the wrong hands. And if that doesn't take enough of Mercy's attention, her friend Samuel is struggling with his wolf side - leaving Mercy to cover for him, lest his own father declare Sam's life forfeit. All in all, Mercy has had better days. And if she isn't careful, she might not have many more to live...

Review - Wow, I really love this series! There is a great mystery surrounding a fae item that Mercy was given in a previous book and once again Mercy finds herself in a whole heap of trouble as the fae try to find this item. This part of the storyline is full of intrigue and, luckily, was nowhere near as complicated as the plot for Bone Crossed.

Samuel plays a big part in Silver Borne too, as he becomes suicidal and his wolf has to take control (this is only a slight spoiler as it happens very early on in the book). It becomes Mercy's responsibility to care for him and to make sure he doesn't have a run in with Adam's pack. It is obvious that Mercy cares a great deal about Samuel and I really hope he gets his Happy Ever After.

But, for me, the best part of Silver Borne is seeing how Mercy interacts with the others in her new pack and watching how she learns to deal with her mate bond with Adam. Although this storyline is first established in Bone Crossed, it was never fully examined as she spends a lot of time away from the pack. In Silver Borne it becomes obvious that, although Mercy does have some supporters, there are a lot of members of the pack who think a coyote has no place within a wolf pack and Mercy has to work hard to prove her worth to them.

In this book I also felt as though Mercy and Adam are a real couple now. She is slowly learning to trust him and to rely on him to help when she gets into trouble - not that she has become any less kick-ass though! Mercy and Adam are, by far, my favourite fictional couple and I hope to see them become stronger as the series continues.

Summary - I loved this book! It is full of drama, mystery, action, romance and supernatural creatures. If you haven't started this series yet then you need to go to your nearest bookshop/library today and get your hands on the first book!

Other books in the series:
1. Moon Called
2. Blood Bound
3. Iron Kissed
4. Bone Crossed
5. Silver Borne
6. River Marked

Other reviews of this book:
Book Smugglers / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (16th January 2012)

2012-01-16T06:22:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Completed:
Heart of the Incubus by Rosalie Lario (Demons of Infernum #4)
Sinful Magic by Jennifer Lyon (Wing Slayer #4)

Books Reviewed:
Angel by L.A. Weatherly (Angel #1)
Virals by Kathy Reichs (Virals #1)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Seizure by Kathy Reichs (Virals #2)

Books Up Next:
Angel Slayer by Michele Hauf (Of Angels and Demons #1)
Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione (Lords of Deliverance #1)

Series of the Week: Paranormalcy by Kiersten White

2012-01-15T19:28:00.000Z

Each Sunday I will be highlighting a series that I have been wanting to read for a while, and that I hope to read very soon! This week my pick is Paranormalcy by Kiersten White. I've heard so many good things about this series and I really can't wait to make a start on it... and hopefully soon!

Have you read this series? Let me know what you thought!

Paranormalcy
Evie's always thought of herself as a normal teenager, even though she works for the International Paranormal Containment Agency, her ex-boyfriend is a faerie, she's falling for a shape-shifter, and she's the only person who can see through paranormals' glamours.

But Evie's about to realize that she may very well be at the center of a dark faerie prophecy promising destruction to all paranormal creatures.

So much for normal.

Supernaturally

Evie finally has the normal life she's always longed for. But she's shocked to discover that being ordinary can be... kind of boring. Just when Evie starts to long for her days at the International Paranormal Containment Agency, she's given a chance to work for them again. Desperate for a break from all the normalcy, she agrees.

But as one disastrous mission leads to another, Evie starts to wonder if she made the right choice. And when Evie's faerie ex-boyfriend Reth appears with devastating revelations about her past, she discovers that there's a battle brewing between the faerie courts that could throw the whole supernatural world into chaos. The prize in question? Evie herself.

Follow Friday #13

2012-01-13T19:28:00.000Z

Review: Virals by Kathy Reichs (Virals #1)

2012-01-12T14:40:00.001Z

Publisher - Arrow (Young)
Publication Date - 27 Oct 2011
Paperback - 464 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Paranormal

Source - Purchased

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok

Book Info - Tory Brennan, niece of acclaimed forensic anthropologist Temperance Brennan (of the Bones novels and hit TV show), is the leader of a ragtag band of teenage 'sci-philes' who live on a secluded island off the coast of South Carolina. When the group rescues a dog caged for medical testing on a nearby island, they are exposed to an experimental strain of canine parvovirus that changes their lives forever.

As the friends discover their heightened senses and animal-quick reflexes, they must combine their scientific curiosity with their newfound physical gifts to solve a cold-case murder that has suddenly become very hot - if they can stay alive long enough to catch the killer's scent.

Fortunately, they are now more than friends - they're a pack. They are Virals.

My Thoughts - I will admit that I went into this book expecting something entirely different to what it was and I think that this may have something to do with my dissatisfaction with the story. I somehow got the wrong impression that this was a book about a group of kids becoming werewolves. Instead it is about a group of kids who get infected with a virus who then develop some characteristics of a wolf, such as super-sensitive sense of smell/hearing/sight etc. So I kept on waiting and waiting for this major event to happen but when it never did I found myself confused and slightly disappointed. Although my misconception of the book is not at all the authors fault, it did hinder my enjoyment of the book.

Also, I found the pace of the story very slow-going at the start and I found I really had to push myself to continue reading. The first half of the book focuses too heavily on setting the scene and describing the locations and I just felt as though it was too much and my attention kept on wandering.

But once the action did start, I enjoyed the story a lot more and I became a lot more engaged in the story. Also, there were some good twists near the end which meant that the killer's identity was a complete surprise for me.

One of the best parts of the book, for me, were the characters. I really liked Tory - she's brave, intelligent bordering on genius, and not afraid of anything. She is quite awkward socially with the other kids at school though and I liked the vulnerable side that this showed us. Tory's group of friends were all fun to read about too and the group's interactions were realistically portrayed. I loved the closeness that they felt for each other without there being any romantic feelings to complicate matters.

Summary - A good murder mystery that could have done with kicking into gear quite a lot sooner than it did. I loved the characters and, now that I have put myself right on the nature of the changes that have happened to them, I look forward to reading the sequel and finding out about how they learn to cope with these new-found powers.

Other books in this series:
1. Virals
2. Seizure

Other reviews of this book:
Annette's Book Spot / Between the Covers / Book Chick City / Feeling Fictional

This book counts towards the following challenges:
Book #1 for 2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

Review: Angel by L.A. Weatherly (Angel #1)

2012-01-10T20:57:00.001Z

Publisher - Usborne
Publication Date - 1st October 2010
Paperback - 506 pages
Genre - Young Adult/Paranormal Romance

Source - Library

Rating - 4 out of 5: I really liked it!

Book Info - Angels are all around us: beautiful, awe-inspiring, irresistible. Ordinary mortals yearn to catch a glimpse of one of these stunning beings and thousands flock to The Church of Angels to feel their healing touch. But what if their potent magnetism isn't what it seems?

Willow knows she's different from other girls. And not just because she loves tinkering around with cars.
Willow has a gift. She can look into people's futures, know their dreams, their hopes and their regrets, just by touching them. But she has no idea where she gets this power from.

Until she meets Alex…
Alex is one of the few who know the truth about angels. He knows Willow's secret and is on a mission to stop her. The dark forces within Willow make her dangerous – and irresistible. In spite of himself, Alex finds he is falling in love with his sworn enemy.

My Thoughts - In this book angels are the bad guys who have come to earth to feed off of the life energy of humans. It is because of the angels that humans suffer from things like cancer and mental illness. For me, this was an entirely new take on the angel genre that made it stand out as a unique and completely engaging read.

I fell in love with both of the main characters from the start. Willow is a young girl who has never really fit in well with her peers due to her skills as a mechanic and her psychic abilities. Her world begins to fall apart when she realises that these predatory angels walk among humans every day, and that she is in fact half-angel, half-human. But Willow shows an amazing strength of character as she comes to understand this other side to herself that she initially hates.

Alex is an Angel Killer who has been hunting angels ever since he was twelve. Despite his young age he has lost a lot of people that he loves and at times this pain emanates from the page like a living thing. But he has somehow managed to overcome all of this loss to become a caring and compassionate young man. Alex is quite possibly my favourite YA male character.

The romance element between Willow and Alex is incredibly sweet. They work well together as a couple and, although at first they find their differences hard to work around, after a while they come to accept each other completely.

The slow pace of the romance is offset by the fast pace of the action and mystery elements of the novel. Apart from a couple of slow points when Alex and Willow are in hiding, Angel kept me completely gripped and I had real difficulty putting it down once I had started reading the book.

There are a lot of surprises throughout the course of Angel and, with the exception of one minor plot point that I guessed at about halfway through the novel, the ending was a complete surprise to me.

Summary - I absolutely loved Angel, with its complex characters and combination of unique plot, mystery and romance. I am really excited about reading Angel Fire and this has got to be one of my favourite YA books ever!

Other books in the series:
1. Angel
2. Angel Fire

Other reviews of this book:
About Happy Books / Dear Author / Feeling Fictional / Girls Without a Bookshelf /

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (9th January 2012)

2012-01-09T06:59:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week.

Books Completed:
Virals by Kathy Reichs (Virals #1)
The Icebound Land by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #3)

Books Reviewed:
Hellsbane by Paige Cuccaro (Hellsbane #1)
Four to Score/High Five/Hot Six by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum #4/5/6)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Heart of the Incubus by Rosalie Lario (Demons of Infernum #4)

Books Up Next:
Seizure by Kathy Reichs (Virals #2)

Also, I'm still on the lookout for bloggers/authors who would like to write a guest post for my special paranormal romance event in February. If you are a fan of the genre and would like to get involved then please see my post here.

Series of the Week: Downside Series by Stacia Kane

2012-01-07T19:19:00.000Z

Each Sunday I will be highlighting a series that I have been wanting to read for a while, and that I hope to read very soon! This week my pick is the Downside Series by Stacia Kane! I've heard so many good things about this series and I really can't wait to make a start on it... and hopefully soon!

Have you read this series? Let me know what you thought!

Unholy Ghosts
The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen and constantly attack the living. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Consequently, there are many false claims of hauntings from those hoping to profit.

Enter Chess Putnam, a fully-tattooed witch and freewheeling Debunker and ghost hunter. She's got a real talent for nailing the human liars or banishing the wicked dead. But she's keeping a dark secret from the Church: a little drug problem that's landed her in hot and dangerous water.

Chess owes a murderous drug lord named Bump a lot of money. And Bump wants immediate payback. All Chess has to do is dispatch a very nasty species of undead from an old airport. But the job involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and crossing swords with enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust with a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump's ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

Unholy Magic

Chess is a fiercely independent witch and talented Debunker - working for the Church of Real Truth to exorcise ghosts and expose human liars. But she has a dark little secret that is causing her a lot of problems… a drug addiction.

Trying to catch a spectral serial killer with a fondness for his victims’ eyes is distracting Chess from her day job, and her growing attraction to Terrible is making things worse.

Life is getting too complicated and Chess must break the rules to keep her head above water.

City of Ghosts

Rogue spirits and psychopomps are terrorising people, and now someone is planning to open the gates to the City of Ghosts and unleash the dead on humanity.

Faced with her greatest challenge yet, Chess has to travel to the spirit city to finally lay all her ghosts to rest…

Review: Four to Score/High Five/Hot Six by Janet Evanovich (Stephanie Plum #4,5 &6)

2012-01-05T13:09:00.000Z

Four to Score (My Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it)
The problem with being a bounty hunter is it's all on-the-job training. And Stephanie Plum is still learning the ways to get yourself killed. Take the case of Maxine Norwicki....
When Maxine failed to turn up for her day in court, Stephanie was given the task of bringing her in. Simple. Except Maxine's boyfriend has now begun receiving mysterious, coded notes from the runaway that hint at buried treasure. In fact the notes are so indecipherable that Stephanie has to call on the help of Sally Sweet, giant drag queen and code-breaker extraordinaire.
And Steph's knight errant, cop Joe Morelli. is also proving useful - although he can't decide what he wants most: Maxine's bounty or Stephanie's body. Meanwhile a friend loses a finger, a mother is scalped, an apartment is firebombed and a store clerk is murdered. And out in the street, the crazy treasure hunt game goes on....

High Five (My Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it)
Stephanie Plum has a whole lot of trouble on her doorsteps. Her Uncle Fred has disappeared and Grandma Mazur is convinced he's been abducted by aliens. Meanwhile, cousin Vinnie has asked her to bring in the vertically challenged Randy Briggs who's jumped bail. But instead of coming quietly, he has taken up residence in Stephanie's closet. The mysterious man called Bunchy is trailing Stephanie in the hope of tracking down Fred. And Benito Ramirez is back from jail, quoting Scripture and vowing to introduce Stephanie to God - face to face. Thankfully Joe Morelli, the irresistible cop, is still around to give her the odd sleepless night - through now he faces tough competition from the enigmatic Ranger...

Hot Six (My Rating - 3 out of 5: I liked it)
First there's fellow bounty hunter Ranger, currently on the run from a murder rap and requesting Stephanie's help. Trouble is she can't decide if she should turn him in or keep him for herself. Then there's sexy vice cop Joe Morelli - the man her heart says she's in love with (even though her head says otherwise). He's after Ranger too - but for less romantic reasons...
And now there's another male in her life. He's big, he's orange, and he howls when he's left alone. Sexual temptation, homicidal maniacs, car crashes and doughnut addiction are all part of Stephanie Plum's daily routine. But all that pales into insignificance when Grandma Mazur moves in...

My Thoughts - In books 4, 5 and 6 of the Stephanie Plum series, the author has managed to deliver the things that I loved about the first three books in the series - mystery, humour and romance. Although I felt that High Five was missing out on a lot of the humour that I have come to expect from Ms. Evanovich, Four to Score and Hot Six were still completely hilarious and had me in tears of laughter.

Most of this humour comes from the crazy situations that Stephanie manages to find herself in as a Bounty Hunter, but there are also a lot of laugh out loud moments provided by her family. They are all complete nut-cases and I would give pretty much anything to be a fly on the wall in the Plum household. The author's biggest strength is definitely in creating characters who the reader can grow to love, whilst making them completely hilarious at the same time.

As in the first three books there are a huge number of supporting characters which did, at times, confuse me and make me have to read back over pages as I tried to remember who was who. Each time there is always a lot of leads/witnesses/suspects and I think this is done to provide plenty of red herrings to stop the reader from guessing who is behind the crimes. However, I still always managed to guess from quite early on who was responsible.

Stephanie is still in the will they/won't they romantic situation with Joe Morelli, which I absolutely love. I really enjoy reading about the chemistry between these two and trying to work out if they will ever get together properly. But in these books Ranger also comes into play as a possible love interest for Stephanie and we start to find out more about him. At first, I wasn't sure if I liked this turn of events - I liked him as a mysterious character in the background - but the more I found out about him the sexier he became! I am looking forward to reading more about this love triangle in the future.

Summary - More light-hearted fun from the queen of humourous mysteries. The Stephanie Plum books are a great way to pass the time and are a fun escape from reality for the reader.

Other books in the series:
1. One for the Money
2. Two for the Dough
3. Three to get Deadly
4. Four to Score
5. High Five
6. Hot Six
7. Seven Up
8. Hard Eight
9. To the Nines
10. Ten Big Ones
11. Eleven on Top
12. Twelve Sharp
13. Lean Mean Thirteen
14. Fearless Fourteen
15. Finger Lickin' Fifteen
16. Sizzling Sixteen
17. Smokin' Seventeen
18. Explosive Eighteen

Waiting on Wednesday: Grave Dance

2012-01-04T06:06:00.000Z

"Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

The book that I have picked today was released in the US a while ago but isn't being released here in the UK until next month. And this week my choice is:

Grave Dance by Kalayna Price(Alex Craft #2)
"Memories hid in every cell of the body. Memories that my grave magic could unlock and give shape as a shade. Of course, that depended on having enough of the body at my disposal for my magic to fill in the gaps."

After a month spent recovering from a vicious fight with a sorcerer, Grave Witch Alex Craft is ready to get back to solving murders by raising the dead. With her love life in turmoil thanks to the disappearance of FBI agent Falin Andrews and Death's shocking 'L word' confession, Alex is eager for the distractions of work. But her new case turns out to be more of a challenge than she was expecting.

The police hire Alex to consult on a particularly strange investigation in a nature preserve. The strange part? There are no bodies, just leftover pieces. With a probable serial killer on the loose and no way to raise a shade without a body, Alex will have to rely solely on her ability to sense the grave to lead her to the dead. But with the strain of overusing her magic, this might be the last case Alex ever solves...

Review: Hellsbane by Paige Cuccaro (Hellsbane #1)

2012-01-02T20:08:00.000Z

Publisher - Entangled Publishing
Publication Date - 6th December 2011
Genre - Urban Fantasy

Source - Received from publisher for review

Rating - 2 out of 5: It was ok.

Book Info - Twenty-three-year-old Emma Jane Hellsbane just found out she’s not human - or, at least, not only human. She’s half angel, too, and now Heaven’s got a job for her: round up all the Fallen angels and their red-skinned, horned devil-demon minions and boot their butts back into the abyss. Only problem? The demons and their Fallen masters fight back… and they don’t fight fair.

Luckily for Emma, she can put a stop to the constant threat of having her head hacked off if she figures out which Fallen angel is her father—and then kill him before he kills her. Of course, in the meantime, she’ll have to avoid accidentally seducing her angelic mentor, help an old friend conquer his own Fallen sperm donor, and basically save the world from a cataclysmic divine smack down.

No one said being Heaven’s bounty hunter would be easy. But with a name like Hellsbane, Emma Jane was born for the job.

My Thoughts - I had very high hopes for this book. I had read some good reviews for it and I thought the premise sounded very good, but unfortunately I just didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

Emma is a likeable heroine who is thrown in at the deep end one day when an old friend turns up on her doorstep and she finds out that she is in fact half-human, half-angel. Since making this discovery, Emma has been continually chased by Fallen Angels and their demon henchmen and she copes with all this with her snarky and laid-back attitude to life. Emma's is a fun voice to read and her light-hearted commentary on the events around her made the book easy to read.

However, the story doesn't flow very well and I found it difficult to follow at times. For example, her old friend Tommy is also a nephilim and he is showing her the ropes of her new life. They are just friends who haven't seen each other since high school. Then all of a sudden a couple of weeks have passed and they seem to be more than friends, although this wasn't made very clear. An emotional intimacy was hinted at that made me think there was more between them than friendship, but there was no mention of any physical intimacy. And then, in the blink of an eye, Tommy was out of the story. This whole section was just very disjointed, left me feeling slightly confused and really distracted from my enjoyment of the story.

The other part of the story that I didn't particularly enjoy was the relationship between Emma and Eli. Eli is an angel who is tasked with looking after nephilim as they search for the Fallen angels. They seem to be attracted to each other, but Eli makes it known that he is able to influence other people's feelings and Emma is aware of him doing this to her at times. As a result of this, it's difficult to know how much of the attraction she feels for him is real and how much is forced on her by Eli. The whole situation just left me feeling uncomfortable.

Summary - A great idea for a novel that is written with a fresh, fun voice. However, the story does not flow well and the relationships between the characters are all very confusing. I did not enjoy it enough to feel that I would like to read the next book in the series.

Other reviews of this book:
Bending the Spine / Reading Reality / The Page Turner

It's Monday! What are you Reading? (2nd January 2012)

2012-01-02T05:58:00.000Z

This is a weekly meme hosted by Book Journey that gives us all a chance to list the books that we read last week and what we hope to read this week. I didn't take part last week so this is a round up of the last two weeks!

Books Completed:
Hellsbane by Paige Cuccaro
Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly

Books Reviewed:
Grave Witch by Kalayna Price (Alex Craft #1)
Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs (Alpha and Omega #2)

Books I'm Currently Reading:
Virals by Kathy Reichs (Virals #1)
The Icebound Land by John Flanagan (Ranger's Apprentice #3)

Books Up Next:
Seizure by Kathy Reichs (Virals #2)

Also, I'm on the lookout for bloggers/authors who would like to write a guest post for my special paranormal romance event in February. If you are a fan of the genre and would like to get involved then please see my post here.

Anybody want to write a guest post for my event in February?

2012-01-01T22:05:00.001Z

As we all know, February is the month of love so I have decided to dedicate the whole month to one of my favourite genres - Paranormal Romance!

I have got lots of reviews and some giveaways lined up but I need something else to make it a bit more of an event, and this is (hopefully!) where you guys come in. I am looking for some fans of this genre to write some guest posts.

It could be about anything related to the genre - talking about your favourite book/series/author, why you love a particular supernatural creature above all others, what it is you love about the genre in general, upcoming PNR books you are anxiously awaiting, or any other idea you can come up with.

And authors, I'd love to get you involved too! If you would like to be interviewed or write a guest post then please contact me. I'm also looking out for anybody who may be willing to donate a book/ebook/swag for a giveaway or who would be willing to provide an extract of their book to be posted my site.

If you would like to get involved in anyway at all then please email me on onceuponaseries [at] live.co.uk

2012 Outdo Yourself Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T14:11:00.000Z

As I didn't have a great reading year during 2011 due to the fact that hubby was very ill and in and out of hospital, I thought I would join this challenge to see if I could outdo myself!

Here are the Details:

Runs January 1, 2012 – December 31, 2012 (books read prior to 1/1/12 do not count towards the challenge). You can join at anytime. Sign up on The Book Vixen’s blog.
The goal is to outdo yourself by reading more books in 2012 than you did in 2011. See the different levels below and pick the one that works best for you. Nothing is set in stone; you can change levels at any time during the challenge.
Books can be any format (bound, eBook, audio).

Re-reads and crossovers from other reading challenges are allowed.

Grab the reading challenge button and post this reading challenge on your blog to track your progress. Please include a link back to this sign-up post so others can join the reading challenge too. You do not have to be a book blogger to participate; you could track your progress on Goodreads or LibraryThing.

Levels:
Getting my heart rate up – Read 1–5 more books
Out of breath – Read 6–10 more books
Breaking a sweat – Read 11–15 more books
I’m on fire! – Read 16+ more books

In 2011 I read 70 books and this year I would like to try and beat that by 6 - 10 books, meaning I'm going to try the Out of Breath Level.

2012 TBR Pile Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T14:08:00.000Z

I have A LOT of books at home (something I'm sure everybody reading this can identify with!) and I really need to try and work my way through some of them, and this challenge seems the perfect way to do that!

Challenge Guidelines:

This challenge will run from Jan 1, 2012 - Dec 31, 2012.

As we would like to see quality reviews linked up to our monthly wrap-ups, only bloggers can enter. Sorry about that!

Any genre, length or format of book counts, as long as it is a book that's been sitting on your shelf for some time now. Only books released in 2011 and earlier! NO ARCs and 2012 fresh-off-the-press releases allowed!

You can list your books in advance or just put them in a wrap-up post. If you list them, feel free to change them as the mood takes you. When you sign up in the linky, put the direct link to your post about joining the 2012 TBR PILE Reading Challenge (You need to include the info + host list + challenge button. You can also grab the button code and add it to your sidebar!)

You can move up levels, but no moving down.

Sign-ups will be open until Dec 15, 2012, so feel free to join at any time throughout the year.

At the end of each month one of the hosts will post a wrap-up. Every wrap-up will have it's unique theme, a mini-challenge, a giveaway and place for you to link up your reviews from this month. For each review you link up, you will get one entry in a drawing of one book of choice from Book Depository. It's open to INTERNATIONALS. For participating in the mini-challenge you will get +1 entry.

If you miss a wrap-up post + giveaway, you can link up your reviews next month. Do not, however, try to link up one review twice - we will be checking ;)

December is a wrap-up for the whole year. All the book reviews you linked up January-November + the ones you'll link up in December will be entered into a HUGE giveaway - 12 books, 12 winners, INTERNATIONAL.

You don't have to follow all the hosts to join the challenge, but you do have to follow all of us to be entered in giveaways!

Levels:1-10 - A Firm Handshake
11-20 - A Friendly Hug
21-30 - A Sweet Kiss
31-40 - Love At First Sight
41-50 - Married With Children

Hosts:

Evie from Bookish - http://www.evie-bookish.blogspot.com @SeoEvie
Nicole from All I Ever Read - http://www.nicoleabouttown.com/ @Nicoleabouttown
Bonnie from Hands and Home - http://www.handsandhome.ca/ @HandsHomeBlog
Donna from Book Passion For Life - http://bookpassionforlife.blogspot.com/ @BookPforLife
Caitlin from WatchYA Reading - http://whatchyareading.net @caitlingss
Rie from Mission To Read - http://missiontoread.com/ @missiontoread
Vicky from Books, Biscuits & Tea -http://booksbiscuitsandtea.blogspot.com/ @alouetteuette
Christa from Hooked On Books - http://christashookedonbooks.blogspot.com @ChristasBooks
Jenna from Fans Of Fiction - http://fansoffiction.blogspot.com/ @fansoffiction
Angel from Mermaids Vision - http://mermaidvision.wordpress.com @mermaidvisions

I have got quite a list of books I would like to read for this challenge so I will be going for the Sweet Kiss level with the hope that I will complete about 30 books.

Here is the list of books I hope to be able to read but I have got such a huge TBR pile that there is a big possibility that these may change as the year goes on!

1. River Marked by Patricia Briggs

2. Last Breath by Rachel Caine

3. City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

4. City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

5. Seven Up by Janet Evanovich

6. Dead as a Doornail by Charlaine Harris

7. Definitely Dead by Charlaine Harris

8. All Together Dead by Charlaine Harris

9.From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris

10. Dead and Gone by Charlaine Harris

11. Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

12. Dead Reckoning by Charlain Harris

13. Angel Slayer by Michele Hauf

14. Fallen by Michele Hauf

15. Ashes of Angels by Michele Hauf

16. Spirit Bound by Richelle Mead

17. Last Sacrifice by Richelle Mead

18. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone by J.K. Rowling

19. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K Rowling

20. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

21. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling

22. Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix by J.K. Rowling

23. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling

24. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

25. The Darkest Whisper by Gena Showalter

26. The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter

27. The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter

28. The Darkest Secret by Gena Showalter

29. The Darkest Surrender by Gena Showalter

30. Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

2012 Mystery & Suspense Reading Challenge

2012-01-01T14:05:00.000Z

I've managed to find yet another reading challenge to take part in - Book Chick City's Mystery and Suspense Reading Challenge. I've got a lot of mysteries on my TBR pile and hopefully this will help me to work my way through some of them!

Here are the details:

Timeline: 01 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012

Rules: There are TWO LEVELS you can choose from:
- Read TWELVE (12) mystery & suspense novels in 2012
- Read TWENTY FOUR (24) mystery & suspense novels in 2012

You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

You can join at anytime. All books read in 2012 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.

At the beginning of Jan 2012, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews.

Audiobooks do not count, but all other formats are accepted.

This challenge can crossover to other challenges.

You can choose from the numerous sub-genres of mystery and suspense, from cosy mysteries such as Agatha Christie to the more hard-boiled kind like V I Warshawski by Sara Paretsky, or romantic suspense written by the likes of Linda Howard, forensic crime such as those written by Kathy Reichs and even paranormal/supernatural suspense such as Kelley Armstrong. I'm sure this challenge will have something for everyone! :)

I am going to try and read 12 books for this challenge. I don't know specifically which twelve books they will be but I have some series that I would like to try and dip into for this challenge so more than likely it will be books from the following series:

Stephanie Plum Series by Janet Evanovich
Alex Cross Series by James Patterson
Women's Murder Club Series by James Patterson
In Death Series by J.D. Robb

2012 Speculative Romance Challenge

2011-12-29T20:10:00.000Z

As I've been reading a lot of Paranormal Romance recently, I thought that this challenge would be perfect for me!

So here are the rules:

Timeline: 01 Jan 2012 - 31 Dec 2012

Rules: There are FOUR (4) LEVELS to choose from:
- One Sexy Demon: Read 6 Speculative Romance novels in 2012
- Two Sexy Werewolves: Read 12 Speculative Romance novels in 2012
- Three Sexy Vampires: Read 18 Speculative Romance novels in 2012
- Four Sexy Archangels: Read 24 Speculative Romance novels in 2012

You don't have to select your books ahead of time, you can just add them as you go. Also if you do list them upfront you can change them, nothing is set in stone! The books you choose can crossover into other challenges you have on the go.

You can join at anytime. All books read in 2012 count towards the challenge regardless of when you sign up.

At the beginning of Jan 2012, you will find a link to specific month to add your reviews.

Audiobooks do not count, but all other formats are accepted.

Only fiction, no non-fiction.

This challenge can crossover to other challenges.

GENRES:
- Paranormal romance
- Dark fantasy romance
- Urban fantasy romance
- Steampunk romance
- Sci-fi romance
- Apocalyptic romance

I'm going to attempt the Two Sexy Werewolves level and read 12 Speculative Romance novels. Hopefully I will read more than this but I thought I'd go for a level I'm pretty certain I can achieve. I'm not sure what all of the 12 books will be yet, but here are the ones I definitely want to read in 2012:

1. Angel Slayer by Michele Hauf
2.Fallen by Michele Hauf
3. Ashes of Angels by Michele Hauf
4. The Darkest Whisper by Gena Showalter
5. The Darkest Passion by Gena Showalter
6. The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter
7. The Darkest Secret by Gena Showalter
8. The Darkest Surrender by Gena Showalter
9. Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

Reviews by Rating: Five Stars

2011-12-28T16:09:00.003Z

Patricia Briggs - Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson #2)
Patricia Briggs - Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson #5)

Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games (Hunger Games #1)
Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3)

Andrea Cremer - Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2)

Rachel Hawkins - Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)

Heather Killough-Walden - Avenger's Angel (Lost Angels #1)

Rosalie Lario - Mark of the Sylph (Demons of Infernum #2)
Rosalie Lario - Touch of the Angel (Demons of Infernum #3)
Rosalie Lario - Heart of the Incubus (Demons of Infernum #4)

Richelle Mead - Storm Born (Dark Swan #1)
Richelle Mead - Iron Crowned (Dark Swan #2)

L.A. Weatherly - Angel Fire (Angel #2)

Reviews by Rating: Four Stars

2011-12-28T16:03:00.008Z

Patricia Briggs - Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega #1)

Patricia Briggs - Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)
Patricia Briggs - Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3)
Patricia Briggs - Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson #4)

Kresley Cole - A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark #1)

Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire (Hunger Games #1)

Andrea Cremer - Nightshade (Nightshade #1)

Janet Evanovich - Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum #2)
Janet Evanovich - Three to get Deadly (Stephanie Plum #3)

Christine Feehan - Dark Hunger (Carpathian #14)

John Flanagan - The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)

Michele Hauf - Fallen (Of Angels and Demons #2)

Julie Hyzy - Grace Under Pressure (Manor of Murder Mystery #1)

Lauren Kate - Torment (Fallen #2)
Lauren Kate - Passion (Fallen #3)

Rosalie Lario - Blood of the Demon (Demons of Infernum #1)

Rosalie Lario - For Love of an Angel (Fallen Warriors #1)
Rosalie Lario - Angel's Desire (Fallen Warriors #2)

Jennifer Lyon - Blood Magic (Wing Slayer #1)
Jennifer Lyon - Soul Magic (Wing Slayer #2)
Jennifer Lyon - Sinful Magic (Wing Slayer #4)

Richelle Mead - Thorn Queen (Dark Swan #2)

Richelle Mead - Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Nights (Georgina Kincaid #2)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Dreams (Georgina Kincaid #3)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid #4)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid #5)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Revealed (Georgina Kincaid #6)

Kalayna Price - Grave Witch (Alex Craft #1)

Todd Ritter - Death Notice (Kat Campbell #1)

Gena Showalter - The Darkest Fire (Lords of the Underworld #0.5)

Nalini Singh - Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1)
Nalini Singh - Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter #2)

L.A. Weatherly - Angel (Angel #1)

Reviews by Rating: Three Stars

2011-12-28T15:41:00.012Z

Jus Accardo - Touch (Denazens #1)

Bella Andre - Wild Heat (Hot Shots #1)
Bella Andre - Hot as Sin (Hot Shots #2)

Janet Evanovich - One for the Money (Stephanie Plum #1)
Janet Evanovich - Four to Score (Stephanie Plum #4)
Janet Evanovich - High Five (Stephanie Plum #5)
Janet Evanovich - Hot Six (Stephanie Plum #6)

Christine Feehan - Water Bound (Sisters of the Heart #1)

John Flanagan - The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice #2)
John Flanagan - The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice #3)

Michele Hauf - Angel Slayer (Of Angels and Demons #1)
Michele Hauf - The Ninja Vampire's Girl (Of Angels and Demons #2.5)
Michele Hauf - Ashes of Angels (Of Angels and Demons #3)

Julie Hyzy - Grace Interrupted (Manor of Murder Mystery #2)

Lauren Kate - Fallen (Fallen #1)

Amy Meredith - The Hunt (Dark Touch #2)

Devon Monk - Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom #1)

Kathy Reichs - Seizure (Virals #1)

Lynsay Sands - A Quick Bite (Argeneau Vampires #1)

Gena Showalter - The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1)
Gena Showalter - The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld #2)

Nalini Singh - Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter #3)

Rob Thurman - Nightlife (Cal Leandros #1)

Laura Wright - Eternal Kiss (Mark of the Vampire #2)

Reviews by Rating: Two Stars

2011-12-28T15:34:00.002Z

Patricia Briggs - Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega #1)

Paige Cuccaro - Hellsbane (Hellsbane #1)

Carol Goodman - Incubus (Fairwick Chronicles #1)

Amy Meredith - Shadows (Dark Touch #1)

Kathy Reichs - Virals (Virals #1)

Todd Ritter - Bad Moon (Kat Campbell #2)

Reviews by Series

2011-12-28T15:30:00.026Z

Alex Craft Series - Kalayna Price
1. Grave Witch

Allie Beckstrom Series - Devon Monk
1. Magic to the Bone

Alpha and Omega Series - Patricia Briggs
1. Cry Wolf
2. Hunting Ground

Angel Trilogy - L.A. Weatherly
1. Angel
2. Angel Fire

Argeneau Vampires Series - Lynsay Sands
1. A Quick Bite

Cal Leandros Series - Rob Thurman
1. Nightlife

Carpathian Series - Christine Feehan
14. Dark Hunger

Dark Swan Series - Richelle Mead
1. Storm Born
2. Thorn Queen
3. Iron Crowned

Dark Touch Series - Amy Meredith
1. Shadows
2. The Hunt

Demons of Infernum Series - Rosalie Lario
1. Blood of the Demon
2. Mark of the Sylph
3. Touch of the Angel
4. Heart of the Incubus

Denazen Series - Jus Accardo
1. Touch

Fairwick Chronicles - Carol Goodman
1. Incubus

Fallen Series - Lauren Kate
1. Fallen
2. Torment
3. Passion

Fallen Warriors Series - Rosalie Lario
1. For Love of an Angel
2. Angel's Desire

Georgina Kincaid Series - Richelle Mead
1. Succubus Blues
2. Succubus Nights
3. Succubus Dreams
4. Succubus Heat
5. Succubus Shadows
6. Succubus Revealed

Guild Hunter Series - Nalini Singh
1. Angels' Blood
2. Archangel's Kiss
3. Archangel's Consort

Hellsbane Series - Paige Cuccaro
1. Hellsbane

Hex Hall Series - Rachel Hawkins
1. Hex Hall
2. Raising Demons

Hot Shots Series - Bella Andre
1. Wild Heat
2. Hot as Sin

Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
1. The Hunger Games
2. Catching Fire
3. Mockingjay

Immortals After Dark Series - Kresley Cole
1. A Hunger Like No Other

Kat Campbell Series - Todd Ritter
1. Death Notice
2. Bad Moon

Lords of the Underworld Series - Gena Showalter
0.5. The Darkest Fire
1. The Darkest Night
2. The Darkest Kiss

Lost Angels Series - Heather Killough-Walden
1. Avenger's Angel

Manor of Muder Mystery Series - Julie Hyzy
1. Grace Under Pressure
2. Grace Interrupted

Mark of the Vampire Series - Laura Wright
2. Eternal Kiss

Mercy Thompson Series - Patricia Briggs
1. Moon Called
2. Blood Bound
3. Iron Kissed
4. Bone Crossed
5. Silver Borne

Nightshade Series - Andrea Cremer
1. Nightshade
2. Wolfsbane

Of Angels and Demons Series - Michele Hauf
1. Angel Slayer
2. Fallen
2.5. The Ninja Vampire's Girl
3. Ashes of Angels

Ranger's Apprentice Series - John Flanagan
1. The Ruins of Gorlan
2. The Burning Bridge
3. The Icebound Land

Sisters of the Heart Series - Christine Feehan
1. Water Bound

Stephanie Plum Series - Janet Evanovich
1. One for the Money
2. Two for the Dough
3. Three to get Deadly
4. Four to Score
5. High Five
6. Hot Six

Virals Series - Kathy Reichs
1. Virals
2. Seizure

Wing Slayer Series - Jennifer Lyon
1. Blood Magic
2. Soul Magic
4. Sinful Magic

Reviews by Genre: Romantic Suspense

2011-12-28T14:56:00.000Z

Bella Andre - Wild Heat (Hot Shots #1)
Bella Andre - Hot as Sin (Hot Shots #2)

Reviews by Genre: Young Adult

2011-12-28T14:54:00.005Z

Jus Accardo - Touch (Denazen #1)

Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games (Hunger Games #1)
Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2)
Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3)

Andrea Cremer - Nightshade (Nightshade #1)
Andrea Cremer - Wolfsbane (Nightshade #2)

John Flanagan - The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)
John Flanagan - The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice #2)
John Flanagan - The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice #3)

Rachel Hawkins - Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)
Rachel Hawkins - Raising Demons (Hex Hall #2)

Lauren Kate - Fallen (Fallen #1)
Lauren Kate - Torment (Fallen #2)
Lauren Kate - Passion (Fallen #3)

Amy Meredith - Shadows (Dark Touch #1)
Amy Meredith - The Hunt (Dark Touch #2)

Kathy Reichs - Virals (Virals #1)
Kathy Reichs - Seizure (Virals #2)

L.A. Weatherly - Angel (Angel #1)
L.A. Weatherly - Angel Fire (Angel #2)

Reviews by Genre: Urban Fantasy

2011-12-28T14:44:00.002Z

Patricia Briggs - Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega #1)
Patricia Briggs - Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega #2)

Patricia Briggs - Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)
Patricia Briggs - Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson #2)
Patricia Briggs - Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3)
Patricia Briggs - Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson #4)
Patricia Briggs - Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson #5)

Paige Cuccaro - Hellsbane (Hellsbane #1)

Richelle Mead - Storm Born (Dark Swan #1)
Richelle Mead - Thorn Queen (Dark Swan #2)
Richelle Mead - Iron Crowned (Dark Swan #3)

Richelle Mead - Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Nights (Georgina Kincaid #2)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Dreams (Georgina Kincaid #3)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid #4)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid #5)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Revealed (Georgina Kincaid #6)

Devon Monk - Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom #1)

Kalayna Price - Grave Witch (Alex Craft #1)

Rob Thurman - Nightlife (Cal Leandros #1)

Reviews by Genre: Paranormal Romance

2011-12-28T14:30:00.017Z

Kresley Cole - A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark #1)

Christine Feehan - Dark Hunger (Carpathians #14)

Christine Feehan - Water Bound (Sisters of the Heart #1)

Carol Goodman - Incubus (Fairwick Chronicles #1)

Michele Hauf - Angel Slayer (Of Angels and Demons #1)
Michele Hauf - Fallen (Of Angels and Demons #2)
Michele Hauf - The Ninja Vampire's Girl (Of Angels and Demons #2.5)
Michele Hauf - Ashes of Angels (Of Angels and Demons #3)

Heather Killough-Walden - Avenger's Angel (Lost Angels #1)

Rosalie Lario - Blood of the Demon (Demons of Infernum #1)
Rosalie Lario - Mark of the Sylph (Demons of Infernum #2)
Rosalie Lario - Touch of the Angel (Demons of Infernum #3)
Rosalie Lario - Heart of the Incubus (Demons of Infernum #4)

Rosalie Lario - For Love of an Angel (Fallen Warriors #1)
Rosalie Lario - Angel's Desire (Fallen Warriors #2)

Jennifer Lyon - Blood Magic (Wing Slayer #1)
Jennifer Lyon - Soul Magic (Wing Slayer #2)
Jennifer Lyon - Sinful Magic (Wing Slayer #4)

Gena Showalter - The Darkest Fire (Lords of the Underworld #0.5)
Gena Showalter - The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1)
Gena Showalter - The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld #2)

Lynsay Sands - A Quick Bite (Argeneau Vampires #1)

Nalini Singh - Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1)
Nalini Singh - Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter #2)
Nalini Singh - Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter #3)

Laura Wright - Eternal Kiss (Mark of the Vampire #2)

Reviews by Genre: Mystery

2011-12-28T14:22:00.002Z

Janet Evanovich - One for the Money (Stephanie Plum #1)
Janet Evanovich - Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum #2)
Janet Evanovich - Three to get Deadly (Stephanie Plum #3)
Janet Evanovich - Four to Score (Stephanie Plum #4)
Janet Evanovich - High Five (Stephanie Plum #5)
Janet Evanovich -Hot Six (Stephanie Plum #6)

Julie Hyzy - Grace Under Pressure (Manor of Murder Mystery #1)
Julie Hyzy - Grace Interrupted (Manor of Murder Mystery #2)

Todd Ritter - Death Notice (Kat Campbell #1)
Todd Ritter - Bad Moon (Kat Campbell #2)

Reviews By Author

2011-12-28T14:12:00.028Z

A
Jus Accardo - Touch (Denazen #1)

Bella Andre - Wild Heat (Hot Shots #1)
Bella Andre - Hot as Sin (Hot Shots #2)

B
Patricia Briggs - Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega #1)
Patricia Briggs - Hunting Ground (Alpha and Omega #2)

Patricia Briggs - Moon Called (Mercy Thompson #1)
Patricia Briggs - Blood Bound (Mercy Thompson #2)
Patricia Briggs - Iron Kissed (Mercy Thompson #3)
Patricia Briggs - Bone Crossed (Mercy Thompson #4)
Patricia Briggs - Silver Borne (Mercy Thompson #5)

C
Kresley Cole - A Hunger Like No Other (Immortals After Dark #1)

Suzanne Collins - The Hunger Games (Hunger Games #1)
Suzanne Collins - Catching Fire (Hunger Games #2)
Suzanne Collins - Mockingjay (Hunger Games #3)

Andrea Cremer - Nightshade (Nightshade #1)
Andrea Cremer - Wolfsbane (Nightshde #2)

Paige Cuccaro - Hellsbane (Hellsbane #1)

E
Janet Evanovich - One For the Money (Stephanie Plum #1)
Janet Evanovich - Two for the Dough (Stephanie Plum #2)
Janet Evanovich - Three to get Deadly (Stephanie Plum #3)
Janet Evanovich - Four to Score (Stephanie Plum #4)
Janet Evanovich - High Five (Stephanie Plum #5)
Janet Evanovich - Hot Six (Stephanie Plum #6)

F
Christine Feehan - Dark Hunger (Carpathians #14)

Christine Feehan - Water Bound (Sisters of the Heart #1)

John Flanagan - The Ruins of Gorlan (Ranger's Apprentice #1)
John Flanagan - The Burning Bridge (Ranger's Apprentice #2)
John Flanagan - The Icebound Land (Ranger's Apprentice #3)

G
Carol Goodman - Incubus (Fairwick Chronicles #1)

H
Michele Hauf - Angel Slayer (Of Angels and Demons #1)
Michele Hauf - Fallen (Of Angels and Demons #2)
Michele Hauf - The Ninja Vampire's Girl (Of Angels and Demons #2.5)
Michele Hauf - Ashes of Angels (Of Angels and Demons #3)

Rachel Hawkins - Hex Hall (Hex Hall #1)
Rachel Hawkins - Raising Demons (Hex Hall #2)

Julie Hyzy - Grace Under Pressure (Manor of Murder Mystery #1)
Julie Hyzy - Grace Interrupted (Manor of Murder Mystery #2)

K
Lauren Kate - Fallen (Fallen #1)
Lauren Kate - Torment (Fallen #2)
Lauren Kate - Passion (Fallen #3)

Heather Killough-Walden - Avenger's Angel (Lost Angels #1)

L
Rosalie Lario - Blood of the Demon (Demons of Infernum #1)
Rosalie Lario - Mark of the Sylph (Demons of Infernum #2)
Rosalie Lario - Touch of the Angel (Demons of Infernum #3)
Rosalie Lario - Heart of the Incubus (Demons of Infernum #4)

Rosalie Lario - For Love of an Angel (Fallen Warriors #1)
Rosalie Lario - Angel's Desire (Fallen Warrior's #2)

Jennifer Lyon - Blood Magic (Wing Slayer #1)
Jennifer Lyon - Soul Magic (Wing Slayer #2)
Jennifer Lyon - Sinful Magic (Wing Slayer #4)

M
Richelle Mead - Storm Born (Dark Swan #1)
Richelle Mead - Thorn Queen (Dark Swan #2)
Richelle Mead - Iron Crowned (Dark Swan #3)

Richelle Mead - Succubus Blues (Georgina Kincaid #1)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Nights (Georgina Kincaid #2)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Dreams (Georgina Kincaid #3)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Heat (Georgina Kincaid #4)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Shadows (Georgina Kincaid #5)
Richelle Mead - Succubus Revealed (Georgina Kincaid #6)

Amy Meredith - Shadows (Dark Touch #1)
Amy Meredith - The Hunt (Dark Touch #2)

Devon Monk - Magic to the Bone (Allie Beckstrom #1)

P
Kalayna Price - Grave Witch (Alex Craft #1)

R
Kathy Reichs - Virals (Virals #1)
Kathy Reichs - Seizure (Virals #2)

Todd Ritter - Death Notice (Kat Campbell #1)
Todd Ritter - Bad Moon (Kat Campbell #2)

S
Lynsay Sands - A Quick Bite (Argeneau Vampires #1)

Gena Showalter - The Darkest Fire (Lords of the Underworld #0.5)
Gena Showalter - The Darkest Night (Lords of the Underworld #1)
Gena Showalter - The Darkest Kiss (Lords of the Underworld #2)

Nalini Singh - Angels' Blood (Guild Hunter #1)
Nalini Singh - Archangel's Kiss (Guild Hunter #2)
Nalini Singh - Archangel's Consort (Guild Hunter #3)

T
Rob Thurman - Nightlife (Cal Leandros #1)

W
L.A. Weatherly - Angel (Angel #1)
L.A. Weatherly - Angel Fire (Angel #2)

Laura Wright - Eternal Kiss (Mark of the Vampire #2)

2012 Finish the Series Reading Challenge

2011-12-27T20:37:00.000Z

Well, as soon as I saw this challenge I knew it was perfect for me! I am so bad at starting a series and never finishing it. In fact I started this blog with the hope that it would encourage me to complete a few more series - so with the help of this challenge I should be cruising through all my unfinished series!

Here are the rules:

1) All books that are part of a continuing series qualify (i.e. Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove, Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum, James Patterson's Alex Cross, etc. etc.)

2) It doesn't matter if you have 1 or 10 books in a series to complete it, it qualifies (i.e. if you only need to read one more Sookie Stackhouse book to complete the goal, that's fine) The goal is to complete a series from wherever you are up to until the last published book.

3) The qualification period is January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Books must be read during this time frame to count.

4) Take the button above and post about it. Use the Mr. Linky below to sign up, but make sure you link it directly to your post about this challenge.

5) If you don't have a blog, that's fine. Just leave a comment to sign up and tell us what you are reading.

6) Any format of book counts - audio, ebook, etc.

7) You should choose the series you want to finish before the challenge begins, but it isn't necessary. It's fine to change series during the year - as long as you complete whichever series it is.

8) Choose a level....
Level 1 - Complete 1 series.
Level 2 - Complete 2 series.
Level 3 - Complete 3 or more series.

Of course, I have decided to go for level three to try and complete three or more series. During 2012 I am going to try and complete the following series:

1) Morganville Vampire by Rachel Caine (Only 1 left to read)
A. Last Breath

2) Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare (2 to read)
A. City of Glass
B. City of Fallen Angels

3) Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris (7 to read)
A. Dead as a Doornail
B. Definitely Dead
C. All Together Dead
D. From Dead to Worse
E. Dead and Gone
F. Dead in the Family
G. Dead Reckoning

4) Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead (2 to read)
A. Spirit Bound
B. Last Sacrifice

5) Lords of the Underworld by Gena Showalter (5 to read)
A. The Darkest Whisper
B. The Darkest Passion
C. The Darkest Lie
D. The Darkest Secret
E. The Darkest Surrender