The Iron King (The Iron Fey1) by Julie Kagawa

Happy Easter to ALL!!!

I do hope you are having a good day and no chocolade indigestion ^^. For my part, i'm been resting and reading because i had a long day yesterday but i'm glad i can share one last review during March .
Like i told you i wanted to follow up my discovering of books with fey but this time i've tried a YA book.... enjoyable surprise. I had an ebook of Iron King for a long time but it was really hard for me to get into it until Abby kindly offered me a print copy for my birthday ( thank you once again dear!!) so finally i did read it completly and i can't wait to read teh rest of teh series ( i have book 4 so need to get book 2 and 3 first)

So before i go back enjoying some family time i wish you once again a wonderful Easter Time and i do hope you will have a better weather than the one i have^^.

Happy Reading

Publisher: Harlequin Teen

Publication: 2010

ISBN:  0373210086

Genre: YA, fantasy, paranormal romance, fey
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: print copy as a RAK birthday gift, (ebook, free promotion)

Short description from goodreads :

 Meghan Chase has a secret destiny; one she could never have imagined.

Something has always felt slightly off in Meghan's life, ever since her father disappeared before her eyes when she was six. She has never quite fit in at school or at home.

When a dark stranger begins watching her from afar, and her prankster best friend becomes strangely protective of her, Meghan senses that everything she's known is about to change.

But she could never have guessed the truth - that she is the daughter of a mythical faery king and is a pawn in a deadly war. Now Meghan will learn just how far she'll go to save someone she cares about, to stop a mysterious evil no faery creature dare face; and to find love with a young prince who might rather see her dead than let her touch his icy heart.

My opinion:

          Such a long wait before reading this book even if it has been on my computer for months but I can’t resist print book. So many have told me about this series and I did own iron knight first so I was terribly tempted to discover this series but I had to start at the beginning but I was sick, then the computer wasn’t working so the copy I got one day it was free stayed unread… I can only regret a little to have wait so long (why a little? Because now I will have to wait for book 2 and 3 and I think I will have to wait until I have them both to read them back to back until the last book)

To start it was my first incursion in a YA book with fey, until now I only read adult book with that creatures, I do have hoped it would be a lighter read but I can’t qualify “Iron King” of that label. So After my readings of this month I must face the fact that fey and books means a minimum of darkness in the majority of the case (and of course they are different level and this one is the lowest one so far) . Fey are linked to treacheries, alliances, revenge and a part of cruelty.

The rhythm is quite rapid and some parts are predictable but in a whole it’s a great adventure. I loved to have a brief but vivid description of the different kind of fey we encountered. The characters were well done, Puck is so funny and protective but Meghan doesn’t see his reasons for acting as he does… Ash seems so arrogant, loyal yes but a little too little minded but i think he has a good heart despite everything. Now Meghan..she is kind, determined and for me really stupid!. I lost count how many time i wanted to shout at her to be careful. I mean she never thought to ask what were the rules, what were the law no like she don’t remember a thing she read about fey, she jumps in it giving her name, making promise, granting favour putting herself in so many debt i lost count and she says” thank you” never thank a fey, those words are taboo. Puck drag her in this world but yes he tells her it will be dangerous but nothing about the rules and consequences then he is angry when she makes a mistakes.. Ash is a little worse, oki he doesn’t have to help her but still instead of eyes rolling, sad face etc whet doesn’t just put the  dot on the “i” by explaining everything?!

I ‘m not sure where i stand with Grimalkin… i guess i’m more cautious ( now he doesn’t stand a chance in front of Tybalt ^^;;  who is THE cait sidhe for me until further notice)

Now the ending isn’t really a cliffhanger but Ash could have waited before claiming her part of the contract  it would have been a complete no cliffhanger and a good start for book 2 )… it makes me anxious for the rest of the series and the reason why i will wait until i can read them back to back to avoid more tension.

 If you want a good YA story with action, romance but not all simple, happy things; then this is a book for you.
Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

A Local Habitation (October Daye2) by Seanan McGuire

Hello to all,

              only a few days left before April and i want to read as much as paranormal romance including fae before i switch to another kind of creatures.. though i've become really addicted on some series this month so you can expect to hear more about them in the future

Like i told you in my last review i really wanted more of the October Daye series so read it without waiting despite it being dark urban fantasy ( i guess i'm more dark that what i thought^^ or i really can't resist Tybalt ( i need to get the book with it's short story in it!!!!))  now i did have a little problem because my page 179 is smeared by a big ink spot si i couldn't read it , i hope teh editor will do something but until then i had to do with what i have and book 2 finished i really want to start book3 already ;) but it will have to wait a little because now i'm reading Iron King that i want to finish before then end of March to review it.

 Happy Reading!

Publisher: DAW

Publication: 2010

ISBN:  0756405963

Genre: dark urban fantasy, paranormal, romance, fey, fantasy

Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 Now comes the second in the series-from a dynamic new fantasy talent!

Toby Daye-a half-human, half-fae changeling-has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the fae world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world had other ideas...

Now her liege, the Duke of the Shadowed Hills, has asked Toby to go to the County of Tamed Lightning to make sure all is well with his niece, Countess January O'Leary. It seems like a simple enough assignment-until Toby discovers that someone has begun murdering people close to January, and that if the killer isn't stopped, January may be the next victim.

My opinion:

          I did love this book….i admit I was a bit afraid at first since I was told it was becoming darker and darker but  I enjoyed it and I didn’t feel it was that dark either. It’s not light yes but I’m starting to think that as long as fey are concerned it’s never light and all happy… however there is some humour too not too much but just the right level for that kind of universe. I absolutely adore Tybalt and I was glad to learn a little more about how his kind of creatures was organised. They really have a special place between the fey and I find this really interesting…. I also enjoy to see how Toby isn’t getting any clue about Tybalt ‘s feeling ^^;;.

In this book we also see more of Quentin and it’s was interesting to see Toby as a teacher because it’s not a role I would have thought for her but she is managing quite well…. I mean, there is a lot of fear, blood and risks but she keeps her charge with her so it’s a good point. Her luck isn’t the best…and I’m sure the insurance will be crazy at the rhythm she destroy her cars^^;; . Oh and yes Connor will be there too (we need some tension after all;) )

Now that being said, the plot in a whole wasn’t bad but I did guess a part of the solution (culprit and reason) but the author managed to keep me interested all along the book. Also learning about the creatures that come for the fey’s body when they die and why was really, really interesting.

Toby is a character quite complex and in each book, I’m discovering more about her in each book. She is loyal and determined, she could have become hateful but she didn’t and I appreciate that. She is trying to do her best which is quite difficult with the intricacies and rules in place in the world of fey. This time, we didn’t see her thinking about her “human family” which could be strange but I appreciated that she was immersed in her fae part. The way she is reacting with Connor is something I like, she doesn’t want to interfere in the relationship he has (though she does a little but not from her decision most of the time. I just hope she will understand Tybalt soon because I want them together)

I really recommend this book to those who want a dark urban fantasy, fey and tension  with a touch of romance and humour.

Score:  4/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

The Sweet Scent of Blood (Spellcrackers.com 1) by Suzanne McLeod

Hello to all,

    I will try to give you some more reviews before the end of this month because i did read a little more but now i still neeed to write and i also have some deadline to meet and i'm getting more stressed each day.  However, i won't give up. So one thing at a time and today i follow up with my discovery of paranormal romance including fae... so far i've read mostly dark urban fantasy because it's look like the most common genre with fae ..( i will read also a YA if i manage to finish it on time^^) this time i found it was a lighter urban fantasy.... i guess it wasn't as dark as my precedent choices yet but  in the end  i can't wait to go back to the series i've started before this one. This one is a good read but not probably not for me.

So if you want fae, vampires and witches here comes The Sweet Scent of Blood first book of the Spellcrakers.com series by Suzanne McLeod.

Publisher: Ace Fantasy

Publication: 2008

ISBN: 0575084286

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 Genevieve Taylor is a sidhe - one of the noble fae - and she's unusual even in a London where celebrity vampires, eccentric goblins and scheming lesser fae mix freely with humanity...

Genny is a rising star at Spellcrackers.com, where she finds the "M" in magic - which can mean anything from mischief to malice to murder. The spellcrackers are run by the Witch Council, whose ancient tenets prohibit any contact with vampires. And that's just fine with Genny, who wants as little to do with the bloodsuckers as possible.

But when a sinfully sexy vamp is accused of killing his lover, an old debt forces Genny to help prove his innocence, risking her job, her safety - and the exposure of her own dark secrets. Genny soon realizes that she and her client are both unwitting pawns in a centuries-old power struggle. And it's not just her own neck at stake but the lives of all of London's supernatural beings.

My opinion:

          Interesting but not captivating enough for me.  I had some difficulty to immersed myself in the story and even after I wasn’t completely in. It’s a less dark book than the other urban fantasy ones I’ve read this month so I though I would appreciate more but in fact it was the opposite.  I don’t like to have so many unanswered questions because yes the murder is solved but there is a lot of unknown….for example who is her father …we know he was a vampire.. an important one but not at the top of the hierarchy either because he was giving her to his master. ..Who is the “prince” she is trying to avoid. Etc etc

 I’m guessing this would be revealed slowly as the series continues but for me it wasn’t enough to catch and keep my interest.  Same, the reaction of Hugh is strange… first he tells her to avoid others faes, but then he confesses he wasn’t fully honest and that some would love to help her… then why didn’t he tell her that when she needed that help. She still needs it so why not directly tell her the ones he knows and trust that could be on her side. Then Finn, I like him but  I’m curious about what he knows and how. Also there are all the questions about Rosa….

I’m not sure I really understood what happened there or the reasons she acted like that…the consequences are evident or plausible but having just the point of view of Malik isn’t enough for me.

The characters are well built, and it was interesting to see a world where the paranormal creatures were under the light, living between the mortals but where a category was more ostracized. The witches have their councils, have jobs, the vampires have special laws that give them the right to take care of their problem… but the fae.. they are suffering from discriminations, in the laws, for the job and the humans seems to be hard bend against them while all the others are tolerated or even loved like a cult.  All while at the same time they are the more vulnerable since they can even use their own powers because the humans decided it was too dangerous….strange. It’s something I liked to see and learn from.

So it’s not a favourite series , not even one I loved to be honest but it was a good read and I want to follow up this series to see if I will love it more as the next books explore and answer the questions I have or not. If you want a book about witches, fae and vampires this is a good shot ^^

Score:  3/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Storm Force by Susannah Sandlin Episode 1 and 2 ( review and discussion)

Hello to all!

Today is the release of the second episode of Storm Force, the new book of Susannah Sandlin released first as a serial.

Like I told you I can’t resist this author’s books so I have to share it with you ^^, but it’s my first time to review a serial so I’m a little unsure about how to do a review of it. After thinking a lot about it, I’ve decided to try something different that I hope you will enjoy.

I will give you when possible a small summary of the episode, my opinion so far (without spoilers if I manage) and I would like to ask you some questions to start a little discussion each time.

Now I do hope these posts will make you want to get the kindle edition and join the fun but even if you are not reading the book as of yet please feel free to join the discussion I will always try to put at least a general question (linked to the story but since it will ask your opinion not a right answer you can answer without prior knowledge of the story)

If you want some info on this book and the link to buy it please go to my promotion post here

So this week you are lucky because you get my opinion on book 1 and 2.

Story:

               Episode One: We discover Kell, an ex ranger from the US army, who is the chief of a new team constituted of military and shifters. This is a newly built team and each of them still have to adjust but they got an important mission. In Houston a bombing has destroyed a building and its surrounding causing several death and the governor is unaccounted for. Worse, the anonymous call has let it know in high place that there could be a new repetition of this in New Orleans two weeks later…. First Suspect is Mori, head of a environmental group until now know for his pacifism. Kell has to divide his team to investigate in both place but he didn’t expect to be distracted by Mori.

Episode 2: Kell is starting to believe Mori Innocent but he knows she is keeping a secret and that’s troubling him… he wants to save her but he admits that his feeling could be speaking. He must fulfil his mission and for that some means could be put to use even if he doesn’t like that.

 On her side, Mori is starting to react to Kell even if she knows it’s not possible for at even more after the bombing and the police investigations. Worse, she discovers that the situation is worse that what she feared with all her co-workers on the line now…she has some decisions to take.

My opinion:

          As you can see I couldn’t wait any longer and I had to read this..; I can’t tell you how happy I’m to have been able to read two chapters in a row because it’s really excellent and I do read quickly when I love a story so as you can imagine it was just matter of minutes before I was done. It’s really an addictive story that will get so many emotions out of you.. I love Kell.. he is suffering but he doesn’t want it to be known.  Though that part bothered me a little because it’s shown he still doesn’t trust completely his team but it’s understandable after all it’s a new team and his ego has already taken several blows so he is trying to hide one more weakness and only his friend Nick knows about it like Kell knows his secret too. I do hope he will reinforce the trust in all his team mates but that can take time. I do love how honest he is , the way he admit his pride is suffering from the shifters comparison makes him so realist and human. The way he interact with Nick is a proof how dedicated to his friend he can be and thoughtful of their need too.

I love how Susannah manage to describe so well the nature as well as the intense event like the bombing, both are a different genre but I really felt like I was living in them and it was peaceful at a time and terrifying at the other so it was really well done.

Mori is an interesting character, we still know quite little about her but we can already see how independent she can be and how she is willing to fight for what she believes in. She is suffering and she has many troubles but still she think about other first and I liked that about her. Ifound strange she knew about shifters but at the same time her first thought when she see the eagle is “mechanical one”. I do dislike her family already and I hate Michael how is so arrogant and *arg!* I hate him! Taylor isn’t far behind either.

 Now we know little about the other characters, members of the team, yet but I do feel compassion for Nick, his powers is as much a gift than a curse and he has a good heart so it must be really hard for him to protect himself when he want to help so much.

Robin is so funny, she like to tease Kell but I think she understand Nick better than the humans think. I’m curious to see if they relation will move to something more series.

I’m glad the publisher decided to do a weekly release instead of a biweekly one even if I regret the pressure it means on the author’s shoulders because I really really want more.

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Discussion:

So the question: 1)since it still happening in some place in the world.. What do you think about traditions imposed to the children? 

If that happened to you (or has happened) how would you react?

2)Do you think a man must hide his weaknesses or acknowledge them? What do you think about imperfect heroes?

For those who read the story: a)What do you think Mori Is. 

b)What do think about the fact that the male is human in this paranormal romance?

* Please keep it friendly and if you want to answer only some of the questions and not all please feel free to do so, it just a way to exchange on the book together nothing more. Thanks*

Red Zone (Daniels Brothers 2) by Sherri Hayes

Hello to all,

 i won't be long because i'm really out and i'm not sure how long the connection will last.. i should be in bed the never ending winter is taking me down with his freezing weather and snow when my flowers should start to bloom.. it starting to get depressing. Fortunately they are always good books to keep you happy as long as you stay warm^^ ( i love the fireplace so much this year)

So i wanted to post this earlier but life happened so you get it today ( better late than never). As you can see i'm following my goal of discovering the subgenre of sport romance. When i've discovered this book book newly released i knew i wanted to read it so i'm really glad i could. I'm back with football for the sport but don't worry, i got some other sports in my pile so you won't get only football or motor racing^^.

So today a sport romance mixed with romantic suspense: Red Zone by Sherri Hayes, it's the second book of a series but keep in mind that if this book is a sport romance it's not the case of the series as a whole. Books can be read out of order without problem.

Happy reading!

Publisher: The Writer's Coffee Shop Publishing House

Publication: 2013

ISBN:  1612131433

Genre: romantic suspense, contemporary, sport romance
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: strong
Public: 18+

Source: won

Short description from goodreads :

 After a case ended badly for Rebecca Carson, she’s losing her mind sitting around her apartment waiting on her superiors to allow her to return to work. Since she was a teenager, the only thing she’d ever wanted was to join the FBI. Now that dream was in danger.

Gage Daniels has made a pretty good life for himself. A nice house. A career he loves. As a professional football player, he’s used to getting almost everything he’d ever want with just the snap of his fingers. This includes women. A well-timed smile is usually all it takes to attract the opposite sex, especially in Nashville.

When a stalker threatens Gage, the team owner calls an old friend, Rebecca’s ex-partner Travis Hansen, to help protect his star quarterback and find the person responsible. Hansen offers Rebecca the job, and she jumps at the chance. It’s work, and it will get her out of her apartment. How bad can it be?

Posing as Gage’s girlfriend, however, isn’t as easy as it seems. The man is relentless. Rebecca must work to protect Gage while staving off his advances. She’s there to do a job, nothing more. The last thing she wants is to be another notch on a hotshot athlete’s belt.

As the stalker continues to up the ante, Rebecca finds it harder and harder to keep her distance from Nashville’s star quarterback. He isn’t what she expected in one of the city’s most notorious playboys. Now all she has to do is keep him safe until they can find his stalker, and hope she doesn’t lose her heart in the process.

My opinion:

          As soon as I learned about this book I wanted to read it because it has one thing I love and one I was looking for: suspense romance and sport romance…together these things made this a book to be read for me and I was delighted to win it during the blog tour.

This is the second book of the Daniel Brothers series but it can be read as a stand alone without difficulty which I really appreciated. As we learn about Gage, we also discover his family a little but nothing is amiss and I would be happy to read book 1 even if I started with the younger of the brother in book 2 first.

Now like I said I enjoyed this story even if it wasn’t my favourite either but I will come to that later. First let see what was good or wonderful.  I really loved how Gage was trying to make Rebecca crack her walls. They were really funny together. Gage is arrogant sometimes full of himself but he is also really dedicated to his team and sport. When he is practising he become a different man and show how reliable he can be. He isn’t bad but when  suddenly he find himself forced to live with Rebecca he decide to make things hard on her so it could be fun for him… not really kind but understandable in a sense and he wasn’t never cruel.

Rebecca has been really damaged by her childhood and I feel like we don’t know the entire story still. Sometimes she reacts like she has been beaten or worse, but she only speak about attending some illegal acts and a drunken mother… I feel like something is amiss..; the way she doesn’t like to be touched, like she closes herself to the world… Perhaps it will be hinted later in the series but as it is  it didn’t feel right ( not exactly wrong but unsettling at least) She is a responsible, even too much, woman. She took care of her sister since young and the result is destroying her life. She is seeing all the wrongs, seeing how her sister is repeatedly heartbroken and thus

She doesn’t even try. I understand that but it also make me think…. When Gage immobilise her to get answers…the result should have been violent in the sense she must have been freaked, panicked no matter what he was doing and trying to break free… but no she panics a little, gets distracted and worse…she obeys? That didn’t feel right to me.

The plot is well done and I enjoyed it even if I did guess who the culprit was (too used to see police’s investigation on TV^^;;) , the romance progresses nicely and I appreciated that she didn’t wield immediately and tried to stay professional. Really it was enjoyable but they are others details that bothers me at least a little…for example the ending. I appreciate the happy end really I do but I still find curious that with everything that happens they aren’t any repercussions…part of me is glad there are none but another part finds that too unrealistic at least without some explanations… now that’s me and perhaps you will read it and not see at all what made me say that ( it’s great then) but perhaps you will too^^. It doesn’t makes the story bad far from it it’s just that I think it could have been even better

 I would be happy to discover the rest of this series though and if you want a sport romance with suspense this really a good book^^, I enjoyed to see a little how a football player lived, the system for the wives and also^^ how the coach reacted when they are distracted^^. I’m not someone fan of this sport or knowing a lot about it but really it was one of my favourite part^^.

To recommend

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

The Darkest Edge of Dawn (Charlie Madigan2) by Kelly Gay

Hi!

 I won't be long because i really need to be resting, this winter is a little too long and too harsh for me. Sometimes life is strange... i wanted to take a book that wasn't entering a specific challenge (apart the 2013 tbr reading pile) and i nerly forgot what this series was about...Anna told me sometimes ago that i shouldn't stop at the first book that it was just getting better in the next one so i decided to take this one from my shelf... as soon as i started it i remembered all book 1 and that this series does have fae in it so it was good one for this month ... so i did read for pleasure AND for the challenge for once ;) ( but i really need to pick some books i just want to read without having a reason to do so)

Enjoy Reading!

Publisher: Pocket

Publication: 2010

ISBN:  1439110042

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought

Short description from goodreads :

 It takes a strong woman to keep the peace in a city of endless night. . . .
Deep beneath Underground, a cunning bid for power and revenge has begun—one that threatens to make Atlanta the new battleground in the ultimate confrontation between good and evil. The powers of hellish Charbydon have the upper hand after plunging the city into primordial night. And under the cover of darkness, a serial killer targets the most powerful Elysians in the city, the angelic Adonai. For Detective Charlie Madigan and her siren partner Hank, tracking deadly predators is all in a day’s work . . . but this case will test the limits of their strength and friendship as it draws them into a deadly world of power plays, ancient myths, explosive secrets, and a race against time that risks all that Charlie holds dear.

My opinion:

         Globally, I enjoyed this book more than the first one; this series still isn’t my favourite but I do want to read it without waiting so long.

It was really an enjoyable read and in this book we get new creatures like nymph and a dragon…I guess I’m in a diversity phase because I really prefer those to the book on one kind of paranormal creatures only. I enjoy seeing the alliances, treaties, conflicts between all these groups and how they adjust differently in our universe. I really loved this arrogant but loyal dragon, druid and also ruler. I hope we will see more of him.

Kelly Gay manages to create a really good story with each book so far having its own and complete investigations and conclusion while staying in a perfect continuity of the general plot. It’s not always easy to be done but the advantage is that you can read each book without worry if you have to wait for the next one even if you really want to read it and continue following those characters you are not left hanging.

Now, that Charlie knows what has been done to her she is showing some changes, some that terrifies her other that can seem useful. For example she is starting to see sometimes a few seconds in the future, can see invisible things or under glamour. The trouble is she isn’t mastering those news “gifts” and when she is needing them the most for healing for example she has trouble concentrating. I loved to see her discovering them and how she was affected but those. Her daughter is also proving to have inherited special talents whose she is keeping secret from her mother.

I really loved to see more of Hank and learning little bits of his past… still a lot of secrets yes but we see another side of him and the romance is heating up quite a lot in this second book. This time, Hank confesses his attraction but even if Charlie is sharing it she is trying to avoid admitting it and succumbing to it….though Hank isn’t the kind of siren to give up. I also enjoyed to see more about his powers, thing I regretted in book 1 where the siren’s part was nearly off immediately, this time we get to see how his “voice” influence his life and relationship with other sirens, why kind of powers he has without his voice and what is linked to that specific powers.

We get to learn more about Brym and the “ash” drug from book 1 too so the primary plot thickens, seems like the Adonai  have some embarrassing secret, one real enemy makes himself now etc. In the same time, we get the investigations about the adonais ‘murders which constitutes the main plot of this book. Solving this mystery gives Charlie clues to solving her main goal: make the darkness disappear from the city. And we do learn a lot even if a large part is still speculations.

 This is really an excellent dark urban fantasy and I recommend it to lovers of this genre. I can’t wait to jump on book3

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Do you get sometimes the feeling that you don't read what you really want to? That the pressure in the selection of your books is too strong?

Storm Force ( Omega Force 1) by Susannah Sandlin

Hello to all,

 Today is little special because it's not a book review but a little promotion for an author you know i adore and the release of the spin off of “The Penton Legacy” series which  was one of my recent favourite paranormal romance.

So this is the big day for Storm Force or to be more precise for the first instalment of this book because yes it will be a serial before being released as a normal print book. It’s now that it could be interesting for you because if you order the kindle now you will only pay 1,99 dollars ( if you are in the US, from outside the US the price can vary if it's available for you) for the whole book. You will get the first part now then, each time a new instalment is released you will get it without additional charge. In the end the kindle price will be 1,99 for you but only now…once the book is finished the price will go up.

 So for once, being impatient and not wanting to wait the final release in July would be an advantage. (Part of me is jealous but honestly I still prefer to have the print book and I already made some room of my shelves just for it) Believe me for such a small price you shouldn’t hesitate to buy it, Susannah’s books never disappointed me and I’m really happy she offers us a new one like that.

It’s also a first experience for her to write this serial so she would be really happy to have interaction with the readers while her work is still in progress so jump on this opportunity.

 I can’t afford you a review at the moment but if I can’t review the serial as it goes or part of it then when I get the final book I will make one, so you will get a review on what and when that’s the question^^;

Anyway I will give you the info available at the moment so it’s the first book of  a series that take place is the same universe as the Penton Legacy series yes but you won’t see our dear vampires at all. This time we concentrate on human and shifters (different kinds). As for the genre it’s a mix of paranormal romance and thriller so you can expect action, suspense, adventure and romance (if you find some excerpts you will see that you can add humour to the list).

If you follow the serial you will get 4 chapters every two weeks to keep you on edge and wanting more ^^.

The release date for the complete kindle edition, the audiobook and the print book is July 9^th (so far away ç_ç)

A rapid look at the cover and the summary to give you even more reason to go immediately buy it from amazon? 

Short description from goodreads :
As leader of the elite counter-terrorism team Omega Force, former army ranger Jack “Kell” Kellison is always focused on getting the job done. So when a Houston high-rise is bombed and the governor killed or missing, Kell’s mission is clear: infiltrate the group suspected of the bombing and neutralize the threat by any means necessary. But once Kell meets beautiful chief suspect Mori Chastaine, he realizes there’s more to this case than meets the eye. And more to Mori than any man—any human man—could imagine. 

Mori Chastaine is running out of options. Suspected for a crime she didn’t commit, forced into a marriage she doesn’t want, she sees no escape—until Kell walks through her door. A lifetime hiding her true nature warns her Kell might not be who he seems. But he could be the only one able to help save more innocent humans from becoming pawns in an ancient paranormal power play. If Mori reveals her secret, will Kell join her fight? Or will she become his next target? 

NOTE: To be released first as a Kindle Serial beginning March 19, 2013. Print and audio and full digital editions to be released on July 9, 2013. 

So What are you waiting for?

 For more info on Susannah and her books you can check her blog HERE
 To buy Storm Force on amazon click on Storm Force serial


 So the book is tempting no? What do you think? Will you get the serial ( if you can have it in your country) or you prefer to wait for the book ? Have you already read a serial?Is is a good concept?

Racing to Love: Carter’s Treasure ( Racing to Love1) by Amy Gregory

Hello to all,

 It's soon St Patrick's day - just the day after my birthday-so i decided to share with you a book i felt lucky to discover. As you know , this year i've entered a challenge to read sport romance because it's a subgenre i didn't know... i wanted to try and not to limit myself to more common sports either. So when weeks ago, a friend blogger i trust, introduce me to a new series for the release of it's second book i was delighted. A sport romance yes but a really well written one from the excerpt i saw. Even better Brenda and me we share common taste so when she loves a book  i will most likely love it ( and vice versa).. only downside... there wasn't a pdf version at our knowledge but the author kindly told me that if i was to win she was going to try to get a pdf format. Amy gregory was so kind and fun that i started to follow her immediately......

A few week later i was lucky to win not book 2 but book 1 AND 2 and as promised she asked for the pdf for me so i can tell you how delighted i was and still am. i love when the authors take their readers into account.

And it's with ggreat pleasure i offer you my opinion on book 1  "Carter's Treasure" today, don't worry you will get one for book 2 too but i wanted to separe both of them so you could enjoy those books, can be read out of order but reading the series in order will give you more pleasure.

Happy reading!

Publisher: Sapphire Star Publishing

Publication: 2012

ISBN:  1938404084

Genre: romantic suspense, sport romance, contemporary
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: won

Short description from goodreads :

 From the outside, Molly West had everything, beauty, brains, and a career she d retired from not once, but twice. Being in the limelight and in a sport that was male driven, she was often surrounded by men. She ignored first the boys, and as she got older, the men. Her cold shoulder and patented not a chance in hell look were usually enough to get her point across. Molly had no plans in changing what was a perfectly good system. That is until she walked into the pits. Carter Sterling had traveled the racing circuit since he was a boy. He d heard all the old standbys, She s out there somewhere, love comes along when you least expect it. Good things come to those that Yeah, he d heard them all. The last place he expected to meet the love of his life was on a pro track. All she did was smile, and he knew, looking into her sapphire blue eyes, Molly West was his. Forever. If it was only that easy. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he had a gripping feeling in him. An overwhelming need to protect her a girl he d just met. Carter had learned a long time ago that gut feelings are almost never wrong. Molly now held his heart in her hands, but it was going to take a lot more than just love to protect her from the past she thought she d buried a long time ago.

My opinion:

          When I discovered Amy Gregory during the blog tour for her second book, she caught my interest with an excerpt only. As you know I’ve decided to try to discover the sport romance subgenre so it entered that category but it seemed really well thought too. So when I won book 1 and 2 I was jumping everywhere, really happy and I couldn’t wait to discover her universe of motor bike racing.…

Each book can be read as a stand alone but Brenda ( a blogger i admire and trust) told me that while I could easily read book 2 first it would be better to start with the first one “Carter’s treasure” and I really don’t regret it.

This book is a wonderful romance and offered me a glimpse, oki even more than that, of the motor bike racing universe which I was completely clueless about. The author really managed to make you feel comfortable with that sport even if you don’t have any prior knowledge because the character are racers and retired racers, the setting is different place where the races are held but we don’t get into the technicalities of said sport so really no need to be afraid. For me it was also really interesting because it’s not a sport I saw a lot in the books I could read (often it‘s football or baseball so great change)

Even better, there is apart of suspense, a little investigation and it’s something I appreciate so it was an added bonus in my eyes.

The characters are really believable, Molly has been traumatized and still suffer the consequences more than 10years after the trauma, that’s the reason she is really overprotected by her  adoptive parents and her ”brother”. She is riding a bike since she was toddler and racing just a little after… that’s all she know all her life and she love that sport. However, that kind of wandering life following the races and the training this sport requires had the effect to cut in her social life. She didn’t date, go out etc. Always surrounded by others racers, mostly male, but protected by her family she has kept her distances. Some could think strange that she accepts how Carter is touching her already the first night but  it didn’t bothered me…perhaps because of the kind of traumatism she had..; she wasn’t violated so the “touch part” isn’t the problem it’s more the trust and yes sometimes we offer our trust immediately without knowing why. She is also in her late twenties so not a child anymore and she is a little uncomfortable with those marks of affection at first, just she is not hurt. What is more affecting her is the violence and shouts and the authors described several scenes to better make us understand that.

Carter is determined but also really patient. He is sure she is “the one” for him as soon as he saw her but he doesn’t put too much pressure on her. Yes he is touchy and yes he flirts with her but when he discovers how innocent she is he let her set the speed. I really appreciate that and how he was protective but not suffocating her. He keeps his promises, doesn’t try to change her and he is persistent despite all Brody’s attempt to make him leave he stays like promised, even when he see her at her worst he stays by her side and for me that a great show of love.

I loved how Carter’s friends were supportive of them and helped when needed, I’m glad I will see more of them in book 2.

The romance is really well constructed and the rhythm is adapted to the character, their life and the situation they are in , Amy Gregory really drew me in her story and my hearth went to the characters so often that I couldn’t make a break in this book. I just wanted more. The plot with the stalker, the threats was really a perfect idea to make the things happens more quickly, to push her to make some decisions while showing her how much she could trust her family, friends and lovers. It was also one really well thought and I didn’t guess who was the culprit or why he was doing it before it was revealed.

The only downside is that sometimes the change of setting or time had me surprised and I went back  a few page to be sure I didn’t miss a passage, page or something. But it was her first book so I’m sure the author must have improved that (and still could) but despite those few and short moments where I felt lost I really enjoyed this story greatly and the ending was just perfect!

I really recommend this story if you want to discover a good sport romance with a lot of feeling, happy end and well written even if not perfect.

Score:  4,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges:

Now you could be lucky too because the author has a giveaway on her blog to win a copy of the second book Jesse's soul. You can enter here until the 18th so hurry and good luck ;)

Rosemary and Rue ( October Daye1) by Seanan McGuire

Hello to all,

             Since it's the second day of the "Carnaval" in my city, i'm writing with music in the background .. i must admit i'm impressed to see how enthousiastic they are when it's minus 5 and snowing...i really prefer to stay warm with a good book and a cup of tea.

I've decided to share with you a new series that i discovered thanks to a recomendation.... it's really not what i expected, i was really surprised, but i did spend a enjoyable moment reading so if you want a book with fae and love urban fantasy you can try this one though keep in mind it's at least a little dark. I still have several books in this series to read -and some others are on my wishlist if you want to offer them to me ;) - so you will probably hear more about October Daye.. i just don't know when^^

Happy reading

Publisher: DAW BOOKS Inc

Publication: 2009

ISBN:  0756405718

Genre: urban fantasy, paranormal, romance
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 October "Toby" Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After getting burned by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a "normal" life. Unfortunately for her, the Faerie world has other ideas...

The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances. As she steps back into fae society, dealing with a cast of characters not entirely good or evil, she realizes that more than her own life will be forfeited if she cannot find Evening's killer

My opinion:

         I was quite surprised by this story….when this series was recommended to me I expected a good story of urban fantasy and something original… I wasn’t disappointed but I didn’t expect something so dark either.

Now, it’s really a good story I enjoyed the mystery and the faeries’ universe. It’s really well writing and I was captivated…however I also think it’s better to know it’s not a soft urban fantasy either… I lost count of the deaths (some completely too unfair) and the violence….faeries yes but forgot fairy tales…. They are vindictive, treacherous, deadly, arrogant and cruel … I admit I loved some of them Sylvester and Luna are good characters, loyal (at least for now) and I really loved them… but the one I preferred immediately was Tybalt, the way how he acted with October, Toby, make me think about Adam Hauptman in the mercy Thompson series and how he acted with Mercy in the beginning of the series. Pushing her buttons but never being cruel without reason and helping when needed…. The difference… if both are alpha Tybalt is a cat (with all that it includes…) and Adam a wolf ^^;;  I’m sure you understand what it means.

I was really surprised to discover such a cruel universe; the faeries do kill the children of mixed blood when they are young if they want to stay “ human”… then they treat changelings, those who choose fae’s blood over humans, like dirt. (Though that’s not the original part it something that still makes me angry) Treachery, alliance, arranged marriage, political intrigues…. Really it’s not a world I would love to life in.

 Despite being quite dark I enjoyed this read and I think I would have given an higher score if I didn’t felt lost so often. This books includes a large variety of Faeries and I’m sure they will be even more in the future books, the problem is that if you don’t have a vast knowledge of faeries before reading this you can easily becoming lost. Yes some are described, explained but not all and not in an extensive way either…. There is a pronunciation guide useful perhaps but I would have preferred a small listing with principal characteristics, or descriptions of the creatures cited it would have been more useful for me.  I hope I will learn and becoming less and less lost in the future but to start it wasn’t easy. I’m really interested in continuing this series though.

Still if you want a good urban fantasy, you don’t mind it being dark, this is a perfect reads for you!

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review

Challenges: