Book Review: The Ice Goddess, by Hannelore Moore

The Ice Goddess
Hannelore Moore

Initial Thoughts: Epic Read!

My Rating: 4 Stars!

Summary:

In the bitter winter of 1752, Evangeline Grey is determined to return to London, claim her inheritance, and lead a solitary, uneventful existence. York holds too many sad memories for her now, and she's ready to leave it behind. When she finds out that her guardian has designs on her -- and her pending fortune -- Evangeline manages to escape, but her journey south is fraught with uncertainty and danger. Mourning the murder of her brother, still reeling from her aunt's recent death, and close to penniless until she finds her way back to London, she's never been more alone. And then, on a desolate Northern English moor, she meets a benevolent stranger who changes everything. Kendall Beaumont is a man running from a few demons of his own. On his way to his home in remote Almsborough, he stops to help the pretty, young runaway. The future seems fairly bleak for the both of them -- until he decides to make her an offer she can't refuse...

My Thoughts:

First and foremost, this is an epic, historical romance spanning many pages. So if you like to cozy down for a nice, long historical romance, this book is for you!

If there is one word to describe every character in this book, it's 'growth'.

The fate of Evangeline is typical for the time period, where women for the most part are considered property, except for the few lucky ones who meet a man of honor. Evangeline is serious and shy, and like the characters in the book, I found myself taking a while to warm up to her. But that's true in the real world; shy people are considered by the masses aloof, or uncaring, when in reality they're just, well, shy. They find it difficult to talk to people or show their feelings. That's our Evangeline! I did feel for her, and her plight in life, but I loved her spunk and her unwillingness to give up no matter what shit was hitting the proverbial fan.

Kendall is much more likeable as a character (not that I didn't like Evangaline!), but that is the contrast between the two. Kendall, despite his high position in society, is so down to earth that he gets along with all classes. His staff sticks with him even when he's low on money, a testament to his character. And while I do prefer my leading men in romance stories to be a little more in control, there's something about the broken Kendall that I ended enjoying his scenes immensely! He, em, 'grew' on me. :)

So, you're probably wondering how this story could possibly be so long? Well, there's another character, Emmett, whose story runs parallel to Evangeline's. Emmett, quite frankly, is a fop. And while he showed quite a bit of growth, in the end I still found him a tad selfish and immature. I much preferred Kendall. I also feel that this book would have been a great launch to tell Emmett's story in another book.

For me, the plot was solid, and I found no fault in the writing. It has all the elements of a historical romance that those readers are looking for. Highly recommended!

Book Review: The Guardian's Wildchild, by Feather Stone

The Guardian's Wildchild 
Feather Stone

Initial Thoughts: Slow Start

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Summary:
Sidney Davenport is known as Wildchild to her Guardian mentor, Greystone. She rebels against rules. Wildchild is gifted in the paranormal, but carefully conceals her powers from the world. Even in the crises that threaten her life, she refuses to use her powers of telepathy, telekinesis, space/time travel. If her enemies discovered the truth of who she is, her Guardian people would be destroyed. She calls upon her spirit guides, Seamus and Celeste, to guide her through a mine field of the insane - Madame and Captain Butchart.

Sidney leaves her home on Hawk's Island to help the underground stop two people who are about to cause worldwide madness. Unskilled in esponage, she is arrested and sentanced to death. But, God help Sidney, she can't deny her attraction to the man who has orders to perform her execution - the tall, dark eyed Captain Waterhouse. He's meticulous, disciplined and lives by the strict rules expected of an officer of the American navy.

Captain Waterhouse is about to scrap his higher morals to bust out of his hell. When a female prisoner is delivered to his ship, he has no idea she is capable of turning his disciplined life into a storm of unimaginable experiences. His prisoner's enemies, he discovers, are also the ones who hold his life in the palm of their hands.

Through stunning imagery, an intricate and adventurous plot, and a strong cast of characters, Feather Stone gives readers a fast paced story woven with murder and magic.

My Thoughts:
OK, so this really did start off slow. I was intrigued by the description and thought it was a unique paranormal read, so was excited in picking it up.

There's a lot of intrigue, with military muckety-mucks who have personal agendas, blackmail, and of course the Guardians throw in that supernatural twist.

As far as the characters, I didn't care for Sidney all that much, to be honest. She's supposed to be carefree and wild, but to me her character was serious and philosophical. And when she giggles or whatever (she does a lot of giggling, which screams immature to me, not wild) it seems out of character for her. She is a good girl, always doing things for the higher good as is the Guardian way, so this whole description of being a wild child didn't ring true.

Loved Sam, however. He's a great tortured soul, and I loved watching  his development over the course of the story.

The plot was for the most part well-crafted, with a lot of moving pieces and players, but it did leave some confusion in parts, and a number of loose ends, in my opinion, at the end.

Oh, and the ending is quite good for me, one of those twisty ones where the story doesn't necessarily evolve the way you think it will.

Giveaway! Kiss Me Dead

Kiss Me Dead
Dale Ibitz

Summary:
One curse . . .
Christian, a nineteen-year-old reaper-human hybrid enslaved to the Other World to harvest souls, earns his freedom by making a bargain with the Goddess of Death. As part of the bargain, he’s been cursed with the kiss of death.

One kiss . . .

The only way Christian can break his curse is for an angel to kiss him. Willingly. He finds Brooke, a nineteen-year-old descendant of a Naphil whose destiny is to hunt rogue reapers, suffocating in a semi-agoraphobic cocoon since witnessing a reaper steal her brother’s soul.

Two destinies . . .

Christian has found the angel who can break his curse, and the seduction begins. To break her phobia’s hold, Brooke embraces her angelic role and makes it her mission to kill rogue reapers to avenge her brother’s murder. Christian can break his curse by kissing Brooke dead . . . but will she figure out his game and kill him first?

Rafflecopter Giveaway: Click below and ENTER to win one of 5 PDF copies!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Jenny Pox, by J. L. Bryan

Jenny Pox
J. L. Bryan

Initial Thoughts: Ew and Ick and Good!

My Rating: 5 Stars!

Summary: 
Eighteen-year-old Jenny Morton has a horrific secret: her touch spreads a deadly supernatural plague, the "Jenny pox." She lives by a single rule: Never touch anyone. A lifetime of avoiding any physical contact with others has made her isolated and painfully lonely in her small rural town.

Then she meets the one boy she can touch. Jenny feels herself falling for Seth...but if she's going to be with him, Jenny must learn to use the deadly pox inside her to confront his ruthless and manipulative girlfriend Ashleigh, who secretly wields the most dangerous power of all.

* * *

Not recommended for readers under eighteen.

My Thoughts:

First, not sure why the warning label...I certainly think any kid 14 and older who loves horror can handle this book. 

So, let's get down to business. Characters. You have the good, the bad, and the ugly. Truly well developed characters. Ashleigh is so wickedly evil you just have to love that character. She's a brilliant master-mind and a master manipulator. Of course, she has a little help with her paranormal ability, but damn, the girl knows how to use it.

On the other hand, you have Jenny, who has done everything in her life to dial back her powers because, ya know, they're deadly. And she doesn't just pass on the plague...she is the plague. I mean, super gross! I have to give Seth kudos for over-looking that one kinda major gross thing. Ew and ick! It gave me chills just reading it. And that, my friends, makes the book yummy.

All the manipulating is so painfully well-written. There was a time or 2 I had to set the book aside, just to take a moment, because I could feel Jenny's pain and humiliation. Really good, my pretties.

All of the events in the book simmer gently, slowly boiling to a blow-out explosion in the end that I didn't see coming.

Book Review: Wicked Sense, by Fabio Bueno

Wicked Sense
Fabio Bueno

Initial Thoughts: Wicked good!

My Rating: 5 wicked stars!

Summary:
Witches inhabit our world, organized in covens and hiding behind a shroud of secrecy—the Veil.

Skye’s London coven sends her to Seattle’s Greenwood High to find the Singularity, an unusually gifted witch who may break the Veil and trigger a dangerous new era of witch-hunting. Things get complicated when Skye meets a charming new classmate, Drake. Skye’s job becomes even trickier when she clashes with Jane, an intimidating rival witch.

Drake falls for the mysterious Skye, but odd accidents, potion mix-ups, and the occasional brush with death kind of get in the way of romance. Once he discovers Skye is a witch, he goes to war for her, even though his only weapons are a nice set of abs and a sharp sense of humor.

Fighting off wicked Jane and the other dark forces hell-bent on seizing the Singularity's immense power, Skye and Drake will risk everything to save the covens.

Going on a date has never been harder.

My Thoughts:

First, loved the characters. The story is told in 2 points of view, Drake's and Skye's. Drake's chapters are especially good, and the voice is so strong, it's perfect the book opens in his POV because it immediately draws you in.  Loved, loved Fabio's writing style. I do like Skye as well, but Drake is 'the man'!

What is especially captivating is not only the characters, because even the minor characters are exceptionally drawn, is the interaction between them. And I don't mean just our 2 main squeezes, but their interactions with the other characters. I don't believe I have a single complaint! Woot!

I liked the plot, I likde the world-building, I liked the ebb and flow of the story. There are some red herrings about who the Singularity is. While you can kinda guess, you can't know for sure because there are a few options, so you have to read to the end to confirm your suspicions.

I'm not quite sure I dig the ending. The scheme they come up with in the end seems tetchy at best, and as I was reading it, I was thinking "This is never gonna fly". But maybe that's the point. It's not going to fly, and their innocent, naive plans in hiding you-know-who is perhaps the bridge to the next book. Which I will definitely read!