Review: Dark Kiss

Title:  Dark Kiss
Author:  Michelle Rowen
Series:  Nightwatchers #1
Release Date: May 22, 2012
Publisher:  Harlequin Teen
Format:  Paperback
Pages:  352
Source:  Purchased


Summary:

I don't do dangerous.

Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back.

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me....

NIGHTWATCHERS

When angels and demons must work together, something beyond evil is rising...

Review:

This is the first book by Michelle Rowen that I have read and I am impressed.  The world building was completely unique.  I dont think I have ever read anything quite like it. 

Samantha is an anomaly in the world she just doesnt know it.  She gets her soul sucked out when she is kissed by her long time crush.  Now she is a gray.  She is overwhelmed by all of this but when she meets the dark and sexy if not a little crazy Bishop things start to make a little bit of sense. 

Bishop is an angel that is on a mission from heaven to stop the problem of the grays but when he fell from heaven something went wrong.  His mind is not quite right.  The only time he is himself is when Samantha touches him.   

They work together in this exhillartating tale of heroism and forbidden love.  Samantha helps him find the other angels and demons to help witht the mission.

My favorite character in this book is Kraven.  He is not only Bishops brother but also a demon.  He has secrets but seems to be a part of the team.

Overall I really enjoyed this book!  I cant wait for the next in the series because there is a bit of a cliffhanger. 

Review: Before I Wake

Soul Screamers #6

Paperback

339 pages          

June 26th 2012            

Harlequin Teen

Summary from Goodreads:

I died on a Thursday-killed by a monster intent on stealing my soul. The good news? He didn't get it. The bad news? Turns out not even death will get you out of high school... 

Covering up her own murder was one thing, but faking life is much harder than Kaylee Cavanaugh expected. After weeks spent "recovering," she's back in school, fighting to stay visible to the human world, struggling to fit in with her friends and planning time alone with her new reaper boyfriend. But to earn her keep in the human world, Kaylee must reclaim stolen souls, and when her first assignment brings her face-to-face with an old foe, she knows the game has changed. Her immortal status won't keep her safe. And this time Kaylee isn't just gambling with her own life....

Review:

Before I Wake was just AMAZING.  Kaylee has become this incredibly strong women and I am so proud of her.  She has a series of ups and downs through out this book and I loved it.  She feels everything whole hearted and that is what makes her so great.  

Then there is Tod!  Tod is sweet, strong and completely in love with Kaylee.  He has already offered up his life for hers and he would do it again and again.  He is the only thing keeping Kaylee connected to her humanity.   I swear I love Tod just as much as Kaylee does.  He is why she keeps moving forward.  I was so excited that they finally moved their relationship to the next level.   He offers her sanctuary in this book and I see them having a great future together.

The action was great.  I never expected the Hellions to figure out a way to cross over to the real world.  This changes all the rules.  People die this time and it takes its toll on everyone.  There are deals being made and truths being revealed.  All Hell is about to break loose. 

Before I Wake was an emotional roller coaster for me.  One minute I was wanting to smile and laugh the next I was grabbing the tissues.  Then there were several time that I was mad enough to go up against a Hellion myself.  I loved it!!

Before I Wake is the sixth book in the Soul Screamers series. There is only one book left until it is over. I have grown to love all the characters in this series and I hope they all get happy endings.  Who knows maybe we will get a spin off?

I cant wait for the next book With All My Soul

 All I can say is...

Watch Out All Hellions!!

 Kaylee is pissed off and about to kick some ass.

Review: Kiss The Dead

Adult
Hardcover
359 pages

June 5th 2012           

Berkley

Summary from Goodreads: 


When a fifteen-year-old girl is abducted by vampires, it’s up to U.S. Marshal Anita Blake to find her. And when she does, she’s faced with something she’s never seen before: a terrifyingly ordinary group of people—kids, grandparents, soccer moms—all recently turned and willing to die to avoid serving a master. And where there’s one martyr, there will be more…

But even vampires have monsters that they’re afraid of. And Anita is one of them…


Review:

I have loved every book in this series since the very beginning and this one was no different.  The complex world that LKH has created never lets me down. 

In Kiss The Dead we kind of go back to Anita's roots.  The story surrounded mostly police work on a vampire case.  I loved seeing the interrogations, the standoffs and all the other police action. 

I love seeing Anita interact with all her men.  She seems to have finally found a happy place with herself and what her life is like.  Since Anita is not fighting everything anymore she is more at ease which in turn makes all the men easier for her deal with. 

The sex scenes were mild but very enjoyable.  LKH seemed to concentrate more on Anita's relationships than she did then the sex in this book and it was very refreshing to see everyone evolve so much.

Jean-Claude has been there for Anita from the very beginning and it was great to have him be such a large part of this book.  Nathaniel, Micah, Sin and Asher were also major players this time.

I loved every page of this book and I am anxiously awaiting the next installment of the Anita Blake Series.

Author Interview & Giveaway with Heather Jensen

Thank you so much Heather for stopping by Mortality Bites to talk with us today.  Heather is the amazing author of Blood and Guitars.  She has finished the second book in the series Immorals and Melodies and is currently working on the third book.

You can find our review of Blood and Guitars here. 

The Interview:

MB:  Why did you self publish? It seems like you could easily get a publisher.

 

HJ:  I self-publish because I really like to have some say in every aspect of my book. I like being able to set the price of my books so they are affordable to readers. Some publishing companies still charge around $10 or more for an e-book, and that just doesn't work for me. I guess I'm a bit of a control freak when it comes to my passion. I like having the final say on the cover, the price, the format and feel of the actual book layout and so on.

MB:   How did you come up with Blood laced wine. I really liked that.

HJ:  Thanks! The blood-laced wine is something I always sort of imagined when I started dreaming up this series over ten years ago. I imagined my vampires having something that appeared classy and elegant, but at the same time was not at all what it appeared to be.

MB: Was it difficult to come up with the the lyrics for Treys songs.

HJ:  Yes and no. Writing songs for the books has been one of the most rewarding parts for me. I've always loved writing songs, but it wasn't until I began writing songs for Blood And Guitars that I realized I'm a much better songwriter as Trey than I ever have been as Heather...lol. Some of the songs were written in as little as ten minutes and others were a labor of love that I poured over on and off for several months. I love every second of it, though.

MB:   Is root beer your drink of choice because it seemed to be Aurora's favorite?

HJ:  It's funny that you ask. I was just talking about the beauty of Root Beer with my dad yesterday at a McDonald's. His Pepsi from the fountain drink machine was gross, and I told him to dump it out and get Root Beer. Without even asking for an explanation he responded with, "You know. You're probably right. Root Beer is a safe choice pretty much anywhere."

In that way, I guess I do prefer Root Beer sometimes. My favorite is actually Dr. Pepper but I don't drink a lot of soda in general.

MB:  Will this continue as a series or will it be wrapped up after the second book?

HJ:  I'm currently writing the third, and what I expect to be the last, book in the series. It's titled Fangs And Fame.

MB:  I really enjoyed reading about Mark. Will he ever get his own book?

HJ:  What a great question. As I mentioned before, I've only planned three books for the series but I will never rule out the possibility of doing a spin off in the future in that same world I've created. I'm happy to hear that you enjoyed Mark's character so much. He really doesn't get the credit he deserves for being such a great guy and his story really is an intriguing one. He plays an even bigger role in Immortals And Melodies than he does in Blood And Guitars.

You can purchase your copy of Blood and Guitars at

Barnes and Noble, Amazon or Smashwords

You can purchase your copy of Immortals and Melodies at  Amazon

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Reveiw: Blood and Guitars

Ebook

358 pages

May 21, 2011

Createspace

Summary:

When Aurora meets Trey, a famous singer and musician, she’s only hoping to get her fill of human blood for the week. The last thing Aurora expects is for Trey to make her feel alive for the first time since she was, well, alive. It begins with a casual painting lesson at her art studio, The Waking Moon, and quickly turns into a forbidden romance. Aurora is forced to hide her true identity from Trey, while keeping her relationship with the human a secret from other vampires in her Brood. Trey’s band is recording a new album and with Aurora as his muse, Trey is writing songs like never before. After being hired by their record label to paint the cover of the new album, Aurora has a legitimate reason for spending so much time with Trey and his band mates. Aurora can’t deny the unexpected connection she has with Trey, which is fueled by glimpses into his emotions every time they share a kiss. Caught between two worlds, Aurora must attend celebrity award shows and vampire rituals, find time to feed, and protect Trey from the dangers of the night, all while preserving her secrets. 

Review:

Blood and Guitars was a great story about forbiden love between a young vampire and a young rock star. A chance meeting between the two at a bar changes both their lives forever. Trey who has been experiencing writers block is now full of lyrics. Aurora knows that spending so much time with Trey is dangerous when she starts to have feelings for him. Relationships between vampires and humans are forbidden. When Aurora is hired on by the band to do the artwork for their new album cover the wrong vampires find out about their relationship. With Treys life in danger Aurora struggles to find a way to keep him safe but how is that possible? The odds are against them. Will they find a way to stay together, will love be enough to pull them through or will everything fall apart? I can't wait to read the next book and find out.

You can purchase your copy of Blood and Guitars at 

Barnes and Noble, Amazon or Smashwords!!

 

ARC Review: The Lady is a Vamp by Lynsay Sands

ARC Ebook

384 pages

July 31st 2012

Avon/HarperCollins

Summary from Goodreads:

"New York Times" bestselling author Lynsay Sands, one of paranormal romance's original superstars, delivers a scorching and delightful story of a mortal man on a mission--and the Vamp who is his only hope.

One late night leads to . . .

Kidnapped When Jeanne Louise Argeneau left work, she never thought she'd end up tied down by a good-looking mortal. More attracted than annoyed, she quickly realizes there is more to her abductor than meets the eye.

One desperate act leads to . . .

Love? Paul Jones has need of a vampire, and only Jeanne Louise will do. He just has to convince this beauty of a Vamp to help him . . . never imagining that he would fall in love. But with the immortal world's answer to law enforcement hunting them, their time together is running out . . . and Paul and Jeanne Louise will need to risk everything to spend an eternity together.


Review:

The Lady is A Vamp is the 17th Argeneau novel.  I just cant get enough of this series and this book was no exception. 

Jeanne Louise has always been a character that has intrigued me.  She is a very fun loving but serious type of gal.  I was very excited for her to finally get to tell her story.  The book starts off with Jeanne Louise being kidnapped by Paul.  He is her co worker and one of the few humans who know about immortals.  Paul wants her to turn his terminally ill daughter into a vampire.  Livy is only five years old and he will do anything to save her. 

Jeanne Louise quickly becomes a willing victim when she realizes that Paul is her life mate.  She quickly falls in love with both Paul and Livy.  However they are on the run from the immortal enforcers because no one is allowed to kidnap an immortal and not be punished for it. 

While on the run they all get really close as a family and Paul finds that he loves Jeanne Louise,  He wants to be her life mate and live happily ever after but he is a great Dad and is set to give it all up so that Livy can be saved. 

In the end Jeanne Louise is faced with the decision to either save the life of the child she has grown to love or turn the life mate she was destined to have. 

This book is all about love.  The love of a father, a daughter and the love of a life mate.  It was very different form the rest of the series and it was heartbreaking but lovely all at the same time.

I couldn't ask for a better story and I cant wait to see what happens with their family in future installments of the Argeneau series.

Review: Beauty by LKH

  

Paranormal / Urban Fantasy

ebook

31 pages

May 8th 2012           

Berkley

Summary:

The steamy outtake that takes readers even further into Laurell K. Hamilton’s bestselling novel, Kiss the Dead.

You’d think I’d get used to seeing such a beautiful man and knowing he was mine, but it never grew old, as if his beauty and the fact that he was mine, and I was his, would forever surprise me.

With a vampire like Jean Claude around, it’s far too easy for Anita Blake to doubt her own appearance—and the hold it has on those who love her. But one hot tub and two incredibly sexy men—Jean Claude and Asher—will make her feel like the most lusted-after woman alive…or undead. Not bad for a mere human…

Includes an excerpt of Kiss the Dead, the new Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter novel.

Review:

I really enjoy LKH books.  I know that a lot of people have stopped reading her books but I find myself returning to them often.  I love a good paranormal book with lots of drama, mystery and sex and LKH still delivers that for me!

Beauty was a very short especial.  The entire short story a sex scene between JC, Asher and Anita and I loved every min of it. 

My only complaint is that she gives us a whole chapter of character descriptions.  As a long time reader of this series I don't need that I just want to get to the good stuff.  So if you already know how sexy JC and Asher are then just start right up with chapter two.  If your new to the series then set back and enjoy seeing just how hot and sexy two Vampires look in a steaming hot bathtub sex scene.