about

Thursday, March 31

Review: Demonglass by Rachel Hawkins


Sophie Mercer thought she was a witch. 

That was the whole reason she was sent to Hex Hall, a reform school for delinquent Prodigium (aka witches, shapeshifters, and fairies). But that was before she discovered the family secret, and that her hot crush, Archer Cross, is an agent for The Eye, a group bent on wiping Prodigium off the face of the earth. 

Turns out, Sophie’s a demon, one of only two in the world—the other being her father. What’s worse, she has powers that threaten the lives of everyone she loves. Which is precisely why Sophie decides she must go to London for the Removal, a dangerous procedure that will destroy her powers. 

But once Sophie arrives she makes a shocking discovery. Her new friends? They’re demons too. Meaning someone is raising them in secret with creepy plans to use their powers, and probably not for good. Meanwhile, The Eye is set on hunting Sophie down, and they’re using Archer to do it. But it’s not like she has feelings for him anymore. Does she? {goodreads}
 ♦ Reviewed by: Rachel ♦

(Contains Spoilers From Book 1, Hex Hall)
Once again, Rachel Hawkins has succeeded in writing an amazing novel with this second installment in the Hex Hall series. I love how she manages to include so much humor and wit in the story while still keeping it dramatic and suspenseful. I honestly can’t count how many times I laughed out loud while reading Demonglass. It seemed every page had me cracking up.

The story in Demonglass is interesting and intriguing, and the plot is perfectly paced. The book picks up about six months after the end of Hex Hall. At the beginning of the book, we finally get to meet Sophie’s dad. In fact, this is the first time even Sophie has seen him in person. Upon showing up, he has many questions about the events that occurred back in the fall, regarding Alice, Elodie, and Archer. Sophie has been waiting months for him to come get her and take her to London where she can go through the Removal; a process that strips away a supernatural’s powers and even has the potential to kill them.

Ever since learning she was a demon, Sophie has been scared and worried about losing control of herself and her powers, fearing she could become like Alice. Sophie’s father makes her a deal, hoping to get her to change her mind about losing her magic: if she spends the summer with him, he’ll allow her to go through the Removal if she still wants to at the end of that time. Sophie agrees, and soon leaves Hecate accompanied by her vampire best friend Jenna, and Cal, the healer for Hex Hall, who we get to learn a lot more about in this book. Sophie is wary about the trip to England, but she can’t help but feel anticipation due to the fact that Archer Cross was last seen in London. However, Sophie still feels hurt and betrayed over Archer’s deception after discovering he worked for the Eye.

As the story continues, Sophie works on controlling her powers, finds out that Archer has been sent to find her, and oh yeah, she discovers a mysterious and dangerous conspiracy that threatens the entire supernatural world. The book has tons of romance, humor, drama, and action, and the story will capture your attention completely and pull you into the amazing world Hawkins has created. I liked the relationship that developed between Sophie and her father, and I loved getting to learn more about the lives of the paranormals in Sophie’s universe. Full of twists and surprises, Demonglass is sure to leave readers eager for the final book in the Hex Hall series. It’s for sure one of the best YA books I’ve read this year.

Some of my favorite funny quotes (There are way too many to post, so I had to choose a few):
“‘What are those people doing?’ Jenna whispered to me.
“I don’t know,” I replied through a frozen grin, “but I’m afraid a musical number might be involved.”’

“‘We’ll have our usual.”
I wondered what that might be. Evil juice? Some kind of demonic energy drink?’”

“‘I don’t drink”
He laughed. “Oh my God, a straight-edge demon! I freaking love it!”
“Yeah, I figure occasionally ripping people’s internal organs out is vice enough for me.”’ 

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Liked Rachel's review?? Check her out on Goodreads here

Book Information
Title: Demonglass (Hex Hall #2)
Author: Rachel Hawkins
Publisher: Hyperion
Published: 03/01/2011
Page Count: 359
Available at:  Borders  Barnes & Noble  Amazon

Monday, March 28

BDB Store is OPEN

Is anyone else out there going crazy waiting for tomorrow, March 29th to arrive? I am having trouble containing myself...my excitement is through the roof right now, waiting for Manny and Payne's book, LOVER UNLEASHED.  Woot! Woot!


Anywho, I just checked out Ward's site and found that the Merchandise store is finally up and running. This is awesome news, as the Warden has been talking about selling BDB fan gear for the longest time. Yeah!! Most importantly, ALL proceeds from sales are being donated to Animal Charities. (Yet, one more reason to love this woman!!) I'm sold!! Check out some of the merchandise, most of which is customizable by brother, below!!

Saturday, March 26

Review: Truth or Demon
by Kathy Love


Hot? Hell, Yeah.

If you ask Killian O'Brien, Hell gets a bad rap. True, he's a demon, so he's bound to be a little biased. But he's got great job security, all the women he can handle, a body to die for--literally--and free reign to do as he likes. Or he did, until teenager Daisy Reed and her two friends got hold of a book of spells and summoned him to do their bidding. Their demand: find Daisy's older sister, Poppy, a boyfriend. Can't be that difficult, right? It's not like the woman is unattractive. Truth be told, Poppy is irresistible--and mind-blowingly sexy. Which is exactly why finishing this simple little assignment so he can be sent back where he came from is turning out to be the hardest thing Killian's ever done. . . {goodreads}

I found this book at the local bookstore not too long ago and was immediately smitten with the cover. Not too shabby, right? Truth or Demon is a light-hearted read about a sexy demon that falls in love with an average girl.

Killian is beautiful, confident, and eager to get back to his lair. First, however, Killian must find Poppy a soul mate. This task seems like a piece of cake at first, but as Killian gets to know Poppy, he finds he doesn't want to let her go. Although I really enjoyed Killian's character, I did have some issues with Poppy. For one thing, I found her to be way too nice... Anything Killian wants, she pretty much does, no questions asked. I also did not like her agreeing to be Killian's "friend with benefits." Having casual sex with a guy your clearly head over heals for is a big "No-No." DUHH!!

The first hundred pages of Truth or Demon is a bit slow.With that said, I found myself skipping ahead to the romance scenes, which, by the way, were HAWT! Kudos to Kathy Love for the Bedroom action! The second half of the book picks up in pace, although there are no big surprises, plot twists, etc, so the fairytale ending is pretty much predictible.

My favorite scene involves a drunk Poppy getting indecent in an elevator. Yes, very embarrassing! Props to Killian though for waking up early to remedy Poppy's hangover blues. Very sweet! Anywho, Truth and Demon is a good read. Not great, but definitely enjoyable. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a light-hearted romance with a fairy tale ending.

Overall Rating: 2.25 out of 5

Book Information
Title: Truth or Demon (New Orleans Vampire #5)
Author: Kathy Love
Publisher: Kensington
Pubished: 03/01/11
Page Count: 313, paperback
Available at: Borders Barnes & Noble Amazon

Wednesday, March 23

TSOTG Giveaway Winner #5

The 5th and Final Winner in the TSOTG Giveaway is:

~Steph~
steph(at)fangswandsandfairydust.com




A BIG thanks to everyone who participated!!

Sunday, March 20

Review: Etched in Bone by Adrian Phoenix

Reviewed by Rachel! {Welcome back Rach!!}


SON OF A FALLEN ANGEL. FORGED IN VAMPIRE’S BLOOD. SWORN TO A MORTAL WOMAN. IF DANTE FALLS, THE WORLD FALLS WITH HIM. . . .

THREE LEGACIES ETCHED IN BONE
More beautiful and powerful than any creature the world has ever seen, Dante Baptiste has become the supreme target of the three worlds that spawned him. The mortal agents of the Shadow Branch have tried to control his mind through psychological torture. The vampire elders who guide nightkind society have plotted to use him in their bloodthirsty bid for power. And the Fallen have waited for millennia for Dante to claim his birthright as their Maker. But Dante belongs to no one—except the woman he loves. . .

ONE PASSION SWORN IN BLOOD
Determined to face the Fallen and the world on his own terms, Dante hopes to piece together his shattered past and claim his future, with FBI agent Heather Wallace at his side. But in Heather’s human family awaits an unexpected enemy. One who could rip Heather from Dante’s heart and fill the holes with bullets. One who could force Dante to choose his darkest destiny—as the Great Destroyer. . . .
Etched In Bone is the fourth book in Adrian Phoenix's Maker's Song series. Our hero, Dante Baptiste, is being hunted by the agents of the mysterious Shadow Branch, as well as Nightkind, who each want to use him for their own purposes. Being half Nightkind and half Fallen makes Dante an extremely rare individual, which means those who are looking for him will not give up easily.

The book begins with ex-FBI agent and Dante's lover, Heather Wallace, standing in Club Hell with her sister Annie, surprised and not at all pleased to see that her father, James Wallace, has shown up in the club. Things quickly go south when James brings in backup to help him capture Heather and Annie and force them to leave with him since he believes the two women have been manipulated and brainwashed by Dante.

The chapter ends, and the book goes back to three days earlier, and picks up where the end of Beneath the Skin left off, with Dante and Heather in Gehenna, the home of the Fallen, to rescue Lucien, who is Dante's father. During these chapters, we get more insight into the lives of the Fallen. They have been waiting for Dante for many years, and they expect him to immediately accept his role as their Maker. But Dante isn't ready to take on those responsibilites yet, for various reasons. Dante is fighting harder than ever to stay in the present and not get lost in the memories of his traumatic past. Heather is the only one capable of anchoring Dante, and I loved getting to see the bond between them strengthen. Heather and Dante have great chemistry together, and I love Heather's courage and determination to stay by Dante's side every step of the way to face whatever the future brings.

There are also other storylines in Etched In Bone that feature characters from previous books, such as Caterina Cortini, Merri Goodnight and Emmett Thibadaux, Monica Rutgers, Purcell, and several others. Because of the amount of secondary characters and plotlines, I would definitely recommend reading the first three books in the series, that way the reader doesn't feel lost.

Etched In Bone is full of mystery, suspense, romance, action, and betrayal. The stakes are high in this book, and Heather and Dante don't have much time left to piece together Dante's past before Nightkind, Fallen, and Shadow Branch agents show up and attempt to control him. It's an emotional read, and the ending is sure to leave readers dying to find out what happens in the next book, On Midnight Wings.

Favorite Quotes:

"Because you're worth fighting for! I'm willing to take my chances Baptiste-for you."
"Aint letting them touch you. Aint letting them take you. I promised."
Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

Book Information
Title: Etched in Bone (The Maker's Song #4)
Author: Adrian Phoenix
Publisher: Pocket
Published: 02/22/11
Page Count: 382, paperback
Available at: Amazon Barnes + Noble Borders

Wednesday, March 16

TSOTG Giveaway Winner #4


The 4th Winner in the TSOTG Giveaway is:

~Kaity~
bittenbooks(at)gmail(dot)com




There's still one book left to giveaway!! If you haven't yet entered, make sure you do so ♦♦ HERE ♦♦ by 3/23/11!! (this contest is open to US and Canada)

Wednesday, March 9

TSOTG Giveaway Winner #3

The 3rd Winner in the TSOTG Giveaway is:

~Victoria~
vsloboda(at)gmail(dot)com




There's still two books left to giveaway!! If you haven't yet entered, make sure you do so ♦♦ HERE ♦♦ by 3/23/11!! (this contest is open to US and Canada)

Monday, March 7

Review: Standoff by Lauren Dane


Cade Warden has always put his Pack first, setting aside everything else even his need for a mate. Now Warren Pellini has a new biological weapon, threatening everything Cade holds dear. Into his life walks Grace Pellini, sister of his greatest enemy and his destined mate. Grace walks a dangerous line, gathering information to aid the Nationally Allied Packs. In the midst of their rising passion and desperate search for the key to disabling the weapon, Pellini raises the stakes with a Challenge. Grace must stand by, Cades life in her hands, as her mate risks everything for his people. {goodreads}
The fifth book in the Cascadia Wolves series by Lauren Dane features Pack Alpha, Cade Warden. I told myself I wasn't going to read this.Why?? Because I wasn't crazy about the last two books, Tribond and Wolfbound. The story lines were underwhelming, as was the character development. With that said, I decided to give this series one more shot because of how much I loved the first book, Enforcer. Cade played a prominent role in book 1, so I was anxious to see him get his HEA.

What cracks me up with this series is how the whole bonding/mating thing between wolves happens. When mates find each other, they instantly fall in love and do the deed. Yes, that deed and to heck with getting to know each other first. In Standoff, the irony is that Cade's mate just so happens to be sister to his worst enemy, Pellini. To me, this is a huge conflict, especially since the two packs are at war with each other. Nevertheless, Grace submits to Cade, allying against her only brother and parents.

The best part of this book, in my opinion, is the stage time both Nina and Lex, from book 1 get. Nina, Lex, and Cade share a tri-bond, an emotional link that binds Nina to Cade in the event Lex gets killed or dies. Although  Nina is in love with her mate, she's also intimately connected to Cade through their bond. Now that Grace is in the picture, Nina is no longer number one in Cade's eye, a fact she struggles with, but also understands.

Despite the fact that Grace is the enemy's sister, I actually grew to like her. Grace is strong, courageous, smart and despite her tiny stature, a perfect match for Cade. I like the fact that Grace is just your average girl next store, and not perfect or exceptionally beautiful. Also, Grace has to prove her loyalty to the pack, it's not just handed to her.

What threw me off with this book, is the fact that Grace has no emotional ties to her family, whatsoever. I kept waiting for Grace to say, "Yes, Pellini is a monster. But he's still my brother." This never happens. Even when told that her parents fate is tied to her brother's, Grace's reaction is one of detachment. This just didn't mesh with me. Oh well, to each his own, I guess.

Overall Rating: 3 out of 5

Book Information
Title: Standoff (Cascadia Wolves #5)
Author: Lauren Dane
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Published: 03/04/08
Page Count: 198, ebook
Available at: Amazon Barnes + Noble Borders

Saturday, March 5

Bonded by Blood Winner

The Winner of the Bonded by Blood Giveaway is:

~ Danielle Gorman ~
iqb99@yahoo.com

Congrats Danielle, an email is on its way!! Thanks to everyone who entered and an even bigger Thanks to Laurie London for providing this awesome giveaway!!

Thursday, March 3

Book Blogger Tag Along

Book Blogger Tag Along Friday is a weekly meme posted by Laurie over at Bitten by Paranormal Romance.

Photobucket

This weeks question is:

How many books do you read in a month?
On average, I read about 8-10 books per month. Of course, depending on how good my reading selection is at the time, this number can go up and down. I think the most I read in one month was 20 books, although some of them were in audio format.

Have a great weekend!!

Wednesday, March 2

TSOTG Giveaway Winner #2

The 2nd Winner in the TSOTG Giveaway is:

~Donnas~
bacchus76 at myself dot com




There's still three books left to giveaway!! If you haven't yet entered, make sure you do so ♦♦ HERE ♦♦ by 3/23/11!! (this contest is open to US and Canada)

Tuesday, March 1

Teaser Tuesday #2

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
  • Grab your current read
  • Open to a random page
  • Share (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
This teaser comes from Janet Evanovich's One for the Money, book 1 in the Stephanie Plum series. I must say, this book is suprisinly entertaining. Although, not my normal read, 1.) It's not a romance book. 2.) Lacks a Paranormal element, I am really enjoying this book.

Evanovich writes characters that are down right hilarious. In addition, the setting of this book is Trenton, New Jersey, a city that neighbors my own. Hearing Evanovich talk about street names, restaurants, notorious hangouts, and other landmarks I'm so familiar with makes this read that much more enjoyable, in a nostalgic sort of way.

My Teaser is:

 


"Grandma Mazur stood two feet back from my mother. "I gotta get me a pair of those," she said, eyeballing my shorts. "I've still got pretty good legs, you know." She raised her skirt and looked down at her knees. "What do you think? You think I'd look good in them biker things?"
 -Grandma Mazur had knees like doorknobs."

Happy Reading Everyone!!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...