Levi ( The Garguiem 1) by Lola White

Hello to all,


                        Surprise! For once i manage to post my review on Tuesday like i had planned to^^. Now it's true that i had hoped at first to  finish and post this review for the release date of this book but that wasn't possible so a few days later it's nothing.

I know that this book won't please everybody because of the topic, some really don't like when Religion is used in a romance paranormal or erotic or when religious person are put in question. I can understand that and if it's your case then  you can skip today post if you want. However if you can put your beliefs aside for a moment and see that a story is only a story then you could give this one a try.


Happy Reading!

Publisher: Excessica

Publication: 2016

ISBN:  0373277210

Genre: romance, paranormal, religion, angel, erotic
Violence: strong
Language: strong
sex: very strong
Public: 18+

Source: eARC received in exchange for an honest review

Description from goodreads :

 The Garguiem—fighting evil and corruption through faith, duty and love.

He’s part of an ancient order that’s been fighting corruption within the Catholic Church since the Middle Ages. She’s two months away from taking permanent vows to become a nun.

When Levi is sent to Waterview to investigate the possibility of demonic influences among the diocesan clergy, he meets Marcella, and immediately recognizes her as his other half, his gift from God.

He just has to convince her that love is worth leaving the nunnery for.


But as Levi starts leading Marcella down the path of temptation, her faith is tested in ways she never expected, and the one responsible for bringing evil to Waterview sees his chance to exploit her weakness.

My opinion:

          A very good discovery! This is my first  book from this author and i really enjoyed it ...The Garguiem are a special  group among the catholic  Church dedicated to fight evil when it manifest in  real life. They are part of the Church but no priest at all which means they can have family  but also to help them in their task they got some powers... it differs for each warrior as we learn it can be empathy, better sense, etc.

I admit that  this book could hurt some sensibilities if religion is something for you that can’t be touched and that the simple idea that some people in the system can be corrupted. But if you are open minded this become a very captivating story. For me  all people even priest are first of all human which means that they are not above making errors or worse so the idea of a “real “ divine order to keep the rank clean was very interesting.

I really loved how the author constructed the origins of the Garguiem ( or what we learn of it at this point) and i really loved the fact that for them Female are worth as much as males. It made me smile as for such an old order they were very progressive from teh start in comparaison to the whole clergy. The author also gave nuns an important role in the story, putting them under the light and acknologing their worth that was refreshing.

Now i can still imagine what could bother you but if you remember that Marcella isn’t a nun yet it makes perfect sense! I really loved the Mother Superior and how attentive and open she was, you will see what i means if you read this but i don’t want to reveal too much.

The plot is well constructed, the characters are  touching even if Levi can be very VERY straightforward. We do get to learn a bit of his past so it’s easier to understand his reasonning but still  i admit i wasn’t always at ease with his actions.

This story is a kind of thriller, you have an investigations, suspects and a big dose of mystical/ paranormal elements  added to the romance. It’s also very steamy  so better be prepared for that. If teh beginning can be a little confusing you get into the story quite rapidly and then, you can’t stop turning the pages to learn more.

I’ve read this as an arc so the final version will perhaps vary from what i’ve read but in what i’ve read two elements bothered me. Sometimes the jumping between the chapters was a little too harsh and rapid  you end a chapter with a character and an setting then  it’s completly different without the link easily made, that got me confused sometimes and i even had to check if i hadn’t missed a page or something.

Then it’s a little more a personnal opinion but i didn’t like some of the place where the characters did what they did or when they did it ... i can be open minded but that was  too much for me, too unappropriate ( somehow i was expecting Levi to be more respectful i guess).

That aside i really enjoyed this story so if you think this could be something you could like give it a try! I do hope to read the next one as well if given teh opportunity.

Score:  3,5/5

Disclaimer: All opinions are my own and no compensation was received in exchange for this review; Source: a copy in exchange for an honest review, no other compensation was received.

Murder of Crows ( The Others 2 ) by Anne Bishop

Hello to all,

                     Winter is definitively here now with minus 10 or slighly less today and all temperature under zero for the next days....the perfect weather to stay safely inside near the fire with a good cup of tea and a book to spend a excelllent time don't you think?


Here is my opinion on the second book in the Others series by Anne Bishop.. i discovered it late but she has me captivated by this series now.


Happy reading

Publisher: Roc

Publication: 2015

ISBN: 0451466160

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: mild
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 16+

Source: bought

Description from goodreads :

 Return to New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop’s “phenomenal” (Urban Fantasy Investigations) world of the Others—where supernatural entities and humans struggle to co-exist, and one woman has begun to change all the rules…

After winning the trust of the Others residing in the Lakeside Courtyard, Meg Corbyn has had trouble figuring out what it means to live among them. As a human, Meg should be barely tolerated prey, but her abilities as a cassandra sangue make her something more.

The appearance of two addictive drugs has sparked violence between the humans and the Others, resulting in the murder of both species in nearby cities. So when Meg has a dream about blood and black feathers in the snow, Simon Wolfgard—Lakeside’s shape-shifting leader—wonders if their blood prophet dreamed of a past attack or a future threat.


As the urge to speak prophecies strikes Meg more frequently, trouble finds its way inside the Courtyard. Now, the Others and the handful of humans residing there must work together to stop the man bent on reclaiming their blood prophet—and stop the danger that threatens to destroy them all.

My opinion:

         

 I so loved  this sequel... i mean it’s even better than book 1....so much that i couldn’t stop reading even if i should have since it was deep night but it was so good that  i could only switch off the light for 5min before i had to get up again and continue reading until the last page.

Anne Bishop created an universe complexe but so captivating that  you get immersed easily even if you don’t know a lot about if you are just  so  immersed in the story that you don’t feel as you are missing anything. I really loved to see in this sequel how Others from the world lived, reacted to humans being and at the same time to see how those we already know adjust to the changes that are happening.

I don’t want to tell you too much to avoid spoiler and it’s the kind of story where it’s really difficult to reduce our opinion on a few facts only... to resume this one had me laughing as crazy, cry a little, smiling most of the time.

Simon is still Simon and  it was great to see how he is viewing his human pack now, i want more of Skippy and Sam...also of Whirlpool

Now ity’s also true that this one was a bit darker than the precedent book which fit perfectly with the events happening or that could happen as the author manages to always let us know a little more but keeps a large bit a mystery.

Really it’s a series to discover if you haven’t started it already and i can’t wait to get my hand on the next book as soon as i can and book 4 releases this year ( hardcover first but hey it’s around my birthday so i can hope because waiting one more year ( which i will have to do for book 5 ) is way WAY too long!!!)

Score:  5/5

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

Chimes At Midnight ( october Daye 7) by Seanan McGuire

hello to all,

                      It's well time that i post my review for this week but depites my best effort so far  i'm not really managing my time easily . It's one of my resolutions for 2016 so too early to give up as well^^

Still today, in the deep of the night, i'm sharing with you my opinion of an instalment in one of my favourites series since i've decided to read a little more in the sequels part of my TBR pile.


Happy reading!

Publisher: Daw

Publication: 2013

ISBN:  0756408148

Genre: urban fantasy,fae
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: none
Public: 18+

Source: bought
 

Short description from goodreads :

 Things are starting to look up for October "Toby" Daye. She's training her squire, doing her job, and has finally allowed herself to grow closer to the local King of Cats. It seems like her life may finally be settling down...at least until dead changelings start appearing in the alleys of San Francisco, killed by an overdose of goblin fruit.

Toby's efforts to take the problem to the Queen of the Mists are met with harsh reprisals, leaving her under sentence of exile from her home and everyone she loves. Now Toby must find a way to reverse the Queens decree, get the goblin fruit off the streets--and, oh, yes, save her own life, since more than a few of her problems have once again followed her home. And then there's the question of the Queen herself, who seems increasingly unlikely to have a valid claim to the throne....

To find the answers, October and her friends will have to travel from the legendary Library of Stars into the hidden depths of the Kingdom of the Mists--and they'll have to do it fast, because time is running out. In faerie, some fates are worse than death.


October Daye is about to find out what they are.

My opinion:

          If you are looking for a urban fantasy series about Fae, this is the one i would recommend without a doubt. Chimes at Midnight is book 7 and  Seanan Mcguire still captes my attention from the first page to the last one  it’s full of action with a big dosis of humour and so, so many fae species.

I love to learn about new ones in each book  - i’m fond of Cu sidhe now ; )  - and how they interact with each others even if i hate most of the nobles politics at the same time...fae can be so cruel

I’m really fond of Toby as she did mature a lot from book 1 ( getting trickier at the same time but with a Cait sidhe at her side that’s quite normal i guess^^). She is so fiercely loyal and wanting things to be fair.....but also getting in the worse situations possible...

Tybalt is here and so protective as well as Danny ( he alone would make you change your mind on trolls forever), we do get to see a lot of the Luiadeg as well which is always a moment a savor.

This time, wanting to protect Changeling, and Faerie in general, from a deadly drug, Toby manages to get exiled by the Queen (such a b*****)....since it would mean also big consequences for her friends she is determined to change the situation even if it means going against the monarch... and at the same time she is discovering how numerous her allies are and how glad she is for them.

 I don’t want to reveal too much as the mysteries slowly revealed are part of what makes these books so captivating but  i can tell you that once again i’m anxious for the next book as well as fearing it . You see Toby tend to do a lot of things that can have consequences in the long run and once again she jumped head first in a binding that could be so, so disastrous that i really want to discover what will be asked  while a little afraid of what will happen... that’s the magic of this author... in each book you get answers ( big one this time^^) and at teh same time more questions nearly driving you insane ^^

So definitively  great instalment and soon  i will read the next book ( or see if a short story doresn’t take place between this book and the next as i don’t want to miss anything)

Score:  4,5/5

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

Challenges:

Did you decide to formulate some resolutions/goals for 2016?Which Ones?

Night Owls ( Night Owls 1) by Lauren M. Roy

Hello to all!

This first week of January has been quite hetic for me already but not in a bad kind of way... just a lot of things to do so i kept rushing  and it affected my health of course but i'm already taking care of that ( no one wants elephant feet when humanshaped^^) so i'm trying to stay positive.

So far i've started by telling you which challenges i've entered for 2016 but who says challenge says books and it was time for me to start reading and give you my opinion on it.

I started this year with a book that was gifted to me by Roger ( thanks again!) and it was a delicious surprise so  here comes my point of view on Night Owls by Lauren M. Roy


 Happy reading!

Publisher: Ace

Publication: 2014

ISBN: 0425272486

Genre: urban fantasy
Violence: strong
Language: normal
sex: mild, lgtb allusion
Public: 18+

Source: gifted

Short description from goodreads :

 Night Owls book store is the one spot on campus open late enough to help out even the most practiced slacker. The employees’ penchant for fighting the evil creatures of the night is just a perk…

Valerie McTeague’s business model is simple: provide the students of Edgewood College with a late-night study haven and stay as far away from the underworld conflicts of her vampire brethren as possible. She’s lived that life, and the price she paid was far too high to ever want to return.

Elly Garrett hasn’t known any life except that of fighting the supernatural werewolf-like beings known as Creeps or Jackals. But she always had her mentor and foster father by her side—until he gave his life protecting a book that the Creeps desperately want to get their hands on.

When the book gets stashed at Night Owls for safe keeping, those Val holds nearest and dearest are put in mortal peril. Now Val and Elly will have to team up, along with a mismatched crew of humans, vampires, and lesbian succubi

My opinion:

          For this one it’s actually the title that caught my attention first ( it’s “owls” after all^^;;) then the blurb even if the part with the succubi had me hesitant at first, them being secondary characters i couldn’t resist so when Roger surprised me by sending me the books already released in this series i was over the moon.

Night owls didn’t disappointed me at all, i admit at time it was a bit confusing as the author switch of characters point of view and setting  when we still don’t know all the characters yet but if you don’t give up for that it gets better and better after each chapters.

I really loved  the bunch of characters so different and at the same time wanting the same thing: a quiet life ( and obviously not getting it) I must say that i prefer Cavale a little bit as he sound to be the most reasonnable from the group. Elly is young and unexperiencied in social relation which make her a little to straight forward but we get to like her netherless... i’m still a little unsure about her though...she seems very sharp ( seeing that strangely they all came to that city without  speaking to each other about it and at the same time completly closed up and obtuse when it comes to her own past) . I do like the magic  Elly and Cavale are using, they are a combinaison of fighter and magic user and they don’t exactly use the same amgic either so i would love to read more on that as well.

Val is a vampire and and booksellers ( yes the fact that there was a bookstore is another thing that sold me the book^^;; i can be predictable yes) , she was ( still is) a warrior , called hunter in that world, but after a tragic past event she wants a normal quiet life with Chaz her human follower, so loyal and master of his own mind. She doesn’t want to take part in vampire feud and politic ( really after living so long it’s a wonder why they still go at it like that).

 The rythm is just the one we need to be kept inside the story and not lost , the action is fast paced but we do get info on each character which is really welcome... so while this isn’t fully original it’s a very enjoyable story.

I really loved that the end was only a kind of cliffhanger making me smile, wanting to read the next book but at the same time if it hadn’t been possible it wouldn’t left me in anguish state as we can imagien how it will go as well.

 If you want a good urban fantasy debut you can try this one!

Score:  4/5

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

Challenges:

How are your first reads of the year so far?

2016 Reading Challenge part 3: The novelties

Hello to all!

 When i was looking for new Challenge to motivate me a little when i need it i came across one challenge that  i glimpsed last year but didn't dare to try: The prequel and sequel reading challenge.

 How often we have series in our TBR pile and somehow delay reading teh next one in favor of trying a new one? i admit it happen to me regulary so  i think this challenge is simply perfect for 2016.

I won't set myself a specific list of titles for this challenge since it's not required ( *ouf* ) but i will do my best to get up to date in the series i've started while still discovering new ones.

This challenge works following a score of points for example a prequel or sequel novella is worth one point, a full book is worth 2 points etc....so can see all the rules here

2016 Prequel & Sequel Challenge

hosted by Jessi from  Novel Heartbeat and Melissa from Writer Grrl Reads

Since i'm not too sure of the number of sequels ( and prequel) i have in my TBR pile at this time and being cautious after the year 2015 i had i prefer to start at the first level especially since it's possible to move up of level if needed ( and the name of that level is perfect in my case too^^)

so at this time i'm aiming for level 1: 10-25 points Newbie

i will post my progress on the 2016 Challenges page.

 Have you already tried this challenge? interested to?

2016 Reading Challenge(s) part 2: the one(s) i'm trying again

 Hello again,

 As i told you before, this year i will try to do some challenge that i did in the past and wasn't that happy with perhaps or simply that i had no more books to qualify for the next edition... so those i've entered in the past but only once or twice and not regulary.

This is the case of the Witches and Witchcraft reading Challenge hosted by Melissa from Melissa's Eclectic Bookshelf which i had entered in 2014 and i've giving another try this year.

2016 Witches & Witchcraft Reading Challenge

i'm aiming for level 1 as well: Initiate so it means between 1 and 5 books with a witch as main character.


 You can sign up and read all the rules here!




 i will update my progress on the 2016 Challenges page but feel free to give me suggestions here, which books would you choose for this challenge?

2016 Reading Challenge part 1 ( the usual ones)

Hello to all,


 First Sunday of 2016 so time for me to think a little more about which challenge i will undertake...a lot of those i did in teh past were cancelled by their host so i have been loking in some i took in the past but not each year and some news

 To start the annual ones which i do every year so far:

 goodreads, the most common one that you can see on my profile

and

TBR Pile reading Challenge hosted by Evie from Bookish Lifestyle

This one is simple you have to read books that are in your TBR pile from several months and that were released in 2015 or earlier.

You can sign up and check all the rules Here  i will put my progress on the 2016 challenges page

As always i prefer to start low so i'm aiming to level 1 1-10 A Firm Handshake


Are there some challenge that you participate in each year? Which ones and for how long?