All posts by skyebjenner

Atlantis Rising by Alyssa Day

Book Review, ,
Overview
Image result for atlantis rising alyssa day book cover

Title: Atlantis Rising
Author: Alyssa Day
Series: Warriors of Poseidon #1
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Pace: Fast
Format: Novel
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: He released his viselike grip on the priest’s throat, looking away.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

Eleven thousand years ago, before the seas swallowed the Atlanteans, Poseidon assigned a few chosen warriors to act as sentinels for humans in the new world. Tehre was only one rule – desiring them was forbidden. But rules were made to be broken…

When she calls…
Riley Dawson is more than a dedicated Virginia Beach social worker. She’s blessed with a mind link that only Atlanteans have been able to access for thousands of years. Being an empath may explain her wistful connection to the roiling waves of the ocean, the sanctuary it provides, and the sexual urges that seem to emanate from fathoms below…

He will come.
Conlan, the high prince of Atlantis, has surfaced on a mission to retrieve Poseidon’s stolen Trident. Yet something else has possessed Conlan: the intimate emotions – and desires – of a human. Irresistibly drawn to the uncanny beauty, Conlan soon shares more than his mind. But in the midst of a battle to reclaim Poseidon’s power, how long can a forbidden love last between two different souls from two different worlds?

Thoughts

It took me a little while to truly get into this story. I almost felt like the beginning of the story was a little overbearingly cliché for a paranormal romance. And I didn’t feel that immediate sense of attachment to the leads that I usually do. But, once I passed over that first hump, I managed to fall into this story. And after the halfway point, I found it impossible to put down.

Riley is a good female lead, and the opening scene with her sets the scene for her personality and battles. But the intensity of her first moment quickly died off, and that was made it hard to fall completely in love with her straight away – an intense situation made way to a bizarre one rather quickly. However, once I got to know the character and her ability to cope with any situation (especially ones that involve vampires), I wanted the happily ever after that I was sure was coming.

For me, Conlan was the biggest hurdle in falling in love with this story. Most of the paranormal romance tales that I read feature men that I immediately fall for. Conlan is one that I still don’t feel passionate towards. There’s just something about his characterisation that doesn’t draw me in. Which I think comes down mostly to personal preference, since in the second novella, I absolutely loved the lead male. And I was certainly drawn to Alaric…

The world that Atlantis Rising creates is multi-layered and fun. It creates a reality in which Poseidon sits side by side with vampires, and one that I can’t wait to read more of. Now I just have to wait for the next novel to arrive in my post-box…

 <- Heart of Atlantis ReviewWild Hearts in Atlantis Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Naughty & Nice by Kevin J. Anderson

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for naughty and nice kevin j. anderson book cover

Title: Naughty & Nice
Author: Kevin J. Anderson
Series: Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. #3.5
In: A Fantastic Holiday Season (Kevin J. Anderson & Keith J. Olexa)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Christmas, Comedy, Cops, Paranormal fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: World Fire Press
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: In order to brainstorm, I invited Sheyenne to lunch.

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Synopsis

Dan Shamble, Zombie P.I. finds himself tackling a bizarre Christmas case when Santa Claus himself becomes a client, hiring Dan to recover some very precious stolen North Pole property. If you like werewolves, vampires, evil elves, zombies, as well as a lot of belly laughs, curl up with this story and some eggnog.

Thoughts

I’m struggling to get into the Christmas spirit this year. So I thought that I would try and read some Christmas themed stories to get the festive feelings going… and it’s kind of working, but mostly it’s giving me that nice,happy, buzzy feeling that a good story gives me. And this was an amazing story to start the collection off with. It was funny, sassy and reminded me of the joy that Christmas time used to bring as a child (and I’m not talking about the presents).

For me, Christmas has always been about the joys of family,friends and community. Although, as with any other kid, I’ve always thoroughly enjoyed present receiving (and giving), it’s been about the people that I’m around. So it’s always been a little annoying to be thrust into a world full of the commercialisation of Christmas. And how many people have bitched about that? Luckily, Anderson feels the same – this story is all about how bad the commercialisation really is. The comedic and entertaining way in which this was done worked nicely.

This story by itself would have made me quite happy and entertained.But the fact that a zombie was the P.I. and his poltergeist girlfriend helped him out… that just made everything ten times better. It introduced a level of dark and urban fantasy to a Christmas tale that worked incredibly well for my happily crazy and convoluted brain.

 <- A Fantastic Holiday Season ReviewClose Knit Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

110 Grimmer Fairy Tales by Brothers Grimm

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for 110 grimmer fairy tales word cloud classics book cover

Title: 110 Grimmer Fairy Tales
Author: Brothers Grimm
Series: Word Cloud Classics
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Classics, Easy reading, Fairy tales, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Collection
Publisher: Word Cloud Classics
Year: 1819
5th sentence, 74th page: So she did the old woman’s bidding, placed herself at the window and looked on the distant country, as if she were very sorrowful.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

We all know the stories — or do we? We know who Snow White is, but what about Rose Red? And what happens to an all-too willful child? Learn more intriguing stories about “Wise Folks,” “The King’s Son Who Feared Nothing,” and . . . well . . . “Donkey Cabbages”–to name a few. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm were well-known nineteenth-century German storytellers, academics, linguists, and cultural researchers who did not hold back when telling terrifying tales, including parables and fables designed to teach and entertain readers of all ages.

The Brothers Grimm Volume 2: 110 Grimmer Fairy Tales is perfect for the short story lover, and offers many entertaining tales to delight–and fright–literature lovers.

Thoughts

There seems to be a lot of stupid Hans’ in this collection. Or at least a patch towards the later middle that has a lot of stories that feature a dumb young man named Hans. And the recurrent theme seemed to be honesty, truth and fairness. Give to others. The typical ideas of fairy tales that I grew up with. Just with a far more twisted take and journey.

It’s a little difficult for me to seriously review a collection of traditional fairy tales. The things which normally trigger me and make me frustrated are rife throughout (stories of women beating, princess needing saving, etc.). But it is a different time, and I don’t really believe in rampaging about ideals of different times and places. The fact that the underlying message and themes are all about integrity and honesty. Not taking others for granted. Treating people as you wish to be treated. The kinds of things that I love to see perpetuated through tales, stories and journeys.

<- 101 Fairy TalesBulfinch’s Mythology ->

Image source: Amazon

In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead by Colleen Gleason

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance

Title: In Which a Masquerade Ball Unmasks an Undead
Author: Colleen Gleason
Series: The Gardella Vampire Hunters #1.75
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires,
Pace: Medium
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: I’ve slipped one o’ your littler stakes here in the back of your hair.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

All Victoria wants is to dance the night away with Robin Hood, but the vampires have different plans…

Thoughts

There’s something weirdly romantic about Victorian London. Which is weird, because living in a time when women were just expected to marry and procreate sounds like a special kind of hell on earth. This short story, yet again, makes me love the romance of the time and the incredibly beautiful storylines that are built in this world.

Victoria is the kind of heroine that I often enjoy reading about – a female who is forced into a specific role. But, who is also independent,and able to kick butt when needed. I also love the imagery of her with a huge beehive of hair on her hand, dressed up as Marie Antoinette. With a stake in amongst all of her charms. Actually, it was almost a little like a Victorian Buffy… and now I want to see if the rest of the series has that go-against-the-grain vampire hunter feel to it.

 <- Play Dead ReviewA Temporary Vampire Review ->
Image source: Goodreads

The Language of Thorns by Leigh Bardugo

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for the language of thorns book cover

Title: The Language of Thorns: Midnight Tales and Dangerous Magic
Author: Leigh Bardugo
Series: The Language of Thorns (Leigh Bardugo)
In: Grishaverse Companion
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Easy reading, Fairy tales, Fantasy, Illustrated, 
Short story collections
Pace: Medium
Format: Collection
Publisher: Imprint
Year: 2017
5th sentence, 74th page: The bear craved jokes.

Synopsis

Love speaks in flowers. Truth requires thorns.

Travel to a world of dark bargains struck by moonlight, of haunted towns and hungry woods, of talking beasts and gingerbread golems, where a young mermaid’s voice can summon deadly storms and where a river might do a lovestruck boy’s bidding but only for a terrible price.

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

Perfect for new readers and dedicated fans, these tales will transport you to lands both familiar and strange—to a fully realized world of dangerous magic that millions have visited through the novels of the Grishaverse.

This collection of six stories includes three brand-new tales, all of them lavishly illustrated with art that changes with each turn of the page, culminating in six stunning full-spread illustrations as rich in detail as the stories themselves.

Thoughts

I found it almost impossible to put this damn book down. Which is a little problematic… since I have a whole heap of other productive things to do… the illustrations in this version just helped to make it ten thousand times more difficult to put down.

I’ve been on a bit of a fairytale binge lately. But there is always something that sits a little funny when I read the old school stories. They don’t really feature strong women, or women with any kind of power at all. Bardugo’s versions were completely different. They were dark and twisted. They featured women with power and independence.

One of the tales throughout this constantly says, it all would have been different if they’d just asked her what she wanted… and this works brilliantly as a theme throughout the entire collection.

The only disappointing thing about this novel was that it ended. I sat there staring into space for ages, wondering when I would next find such an amazing read… luckily there is a whole series to sink my teeth into now!

 <- More Leigh BardugoAyama and the Thorn Wood ->

Image source: The Grishaverse Wiki

Highland Heart by Heather McCollum

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of scottish romance book cover

Title: Highland Heart
Author: Heather McCollum
In: The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Historical romance, Romance,
Scottish romance
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2011
5th sentence, 74th page: Prisoners doona fair well in the dungeons.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

Rachel is a young Engliswoman travelling with her father through the Highlands of Scotland. What starts out as a typical journey for the secret-wielding young woman quickly turns into a fast paced tale of romance, passion and subterfuge.

Thoughts

This is the very first book in a new collection of stories that I’ve found on my shelf – The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance. And it is a fantastic way to start it off. I haven’t read much Scottish-themed anything, but this straight away threw me into the subgenre and made me hungry for more. Between the roughness of the highlanders, the cultural and social aspects entrenched in the story, and the glorious setting, Highland Heart is a great way to start and pull you straight into the novel.

Rachel is a great lead character – she rescues herself, bitches at the man she’s obviously attracted to for not really helping her and constantly shows her own strong backbone. I don’t really enjoy any tales that have wilting females as the leads – I just can’t relate, so even though the love story is very quick in this (what do you expect, it’s a short story), Rachel doesn’t wilt. She even manages to save herself in the end when she’s at risk of being killed. Really, her male counterpart is just there to give her a happily ever after and a love that she hasn’t experienced before…

 <- The Mammoth Book of Scottish Romance ReviewThe Pagan Bride Review ->
Image source: Hachette Australia

Wild Thing by Marjorie M. Liu, Maggie Shayne, Alyssa Day & Meljean Brook

Book Review, , , , , , ,
Overview
Wild Thing

Title: Wild Thing
Author: Marjorie M. Liu, Maggie Shayne, Alyssa Day & Meljean Brook
In: Wild Thing (Marjorie M. Liu, Maggie Shayne, Alyssa Day & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2007
5th sentence, 74th page: Plump, ripe, sweet.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide
Synopsis

Four extraordinary talents bring the most uncommon desires to life in a bold new anthology of romance on the edge.

Enter the forbidden and recklessly exciting world of the demon horde and their willing victims…

Listen to the secrets of a beautiful animal whisperer who’s drawn intimately closer to danger, and to the most suspect of all male animals – man…

Get swept away by the passions that rise out of the unfathomable depths of the lost city of Atlantis…

Follow the dark shadows that stalk both the living and the undead in a world of restless vampires and guardian angels…

Thoughts

I tend to buy these small collections of novellas to contribute to one of the series on my shelf. And then when I read them, I get to discover new authors and series that just continue to expand on my collection…

I loved this collection of novellas. I was expecting a very mushy gushy collection judging by the fact that it is classified as paranormal romance. However, it wasn’t like that at all. Each of the stories did feature sex and some form of romance, but it wasn’t incredibly intense. The sexual tension helped to add an extra layer to the storyline, without taking over it.

And don’t get me wrong… I love the stories that are all about the romance, but sometimes it’s nice to have a set of stories which have a sexual tension component, without it just being about that.

 <- Animal Magnetism ReviewWild Hearts in Atlantis Review ->
Image source: Amazon

The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance edited by Trisha Telep

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Overview
The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance

Title: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance
Author: Trisha Telep, Shirley Kennedy, Claire Delacroix, Margo Maguire, Cat Adams, Cindy Miles, Patricia Rice, Jennifer Ashley, Kathleen Givens, Jenna Maclaine, Dara England, Cindy Holby, Helen Scott Taylor, Roberta Gellis, Ciar Cullen, Susan Krinard, Nadia Williams, Penelope Neri, Sandra Newgent, Sue-Ellen Welfonder & Pat McDermott
Series: Mammoth Books
In: The Mammoth Book of Irish Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Celtic, Fae, Romance, Short story collections
Pace: Slow
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Running Press
Year: 2010
5th sentence, 74th page: He gazed around the tiny room and frowned.

Synopsis

An enthralling collection of romantic tales set amidst beautiful Ireland’s lush ancient landscapes: pre-Christian ruins, green hills, rugged cliffs, and pounding Atlantic surf. These stories–by writers such as Roberta Gellis, Bertice Small, Jennifer Ashley, Claire Delacroix, and Mary Jo Putney–honor Ireland’s rich heritage as a land of poets, magic, and mystery. The publication will be just in time for St. Patrick’s Day.

Thoughts

I loved, loved, loved this collection. My heart melted. My soul sang. And I had a constant smile on my lips throughout the tale.

Irish folklore has always fascinated me and pulled me in. Probably because some of my family is originally from there. And so I collection of romances that are guaranteed to make your heart melt all based in the folklore and mythos of this beautiful country… well, for me, it is a dream come true.

I mostly read each of these beautiful short stories when I was up late at night and struggling to sleep. The short stories guaranteed that I couldn’t get too involved in the storyline. But the romantic and beautiful angle of the stories meant that I was guaranteed to have pleasant dreams and drift off with a smile on my face.

<- Just AskThe Blue Pebble ->

Image source: Goodreads

My Soul to Lose by Rachel Vincent

Book Review, , , ,

Overview

My Soul to LoseTitle: My Soul to Lose
Author: Rachel Vincent
Series: Soul Screamers #0.5
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Banshees, Paranormal fantasy, Urban fantasy
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: And it’s not really a lie.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

Synopsis

It was supposed to be a fun day, shopping at the mall with her best friend. Then the panic attack started and Kaylee Cavanaugh finds herself screaming, unable to stop. Her secret fears are exposed and it’s the worst day of her life.

Until she wakes up in the psychiatric unit.

She tries to convince everyone she’s fine–despite the shadows she sees forming around another patient and the urge to scream which comes burbling up again and again. Everyone thinks she’s crazy. Everyone except Lydia, that is. Another patient with some special abilities….

Thoughts

Oh my god. Now I have to wait until the first novel in this series arrives. Which will probably be in about two weeks from this point… which is a long time when you have found a new series to obsess over. This was just such a great introduction. And I haven’t ever had any book or series on my shelf that features a banshee. And since they are so awesome in folklore, I’m not entirely sure why this is…

I always enjoy reading about creatures and characters from folklore in our modern day settings. But, as previously mentioned, this is my first banshee tale. And it worked amazingly. Imagine screaming whenever someone near you is going to die… now imagine being a teenager. In and of itself each of these things can be incredibly difficult. But combined? Wow. And this was only an incredibly short novella that helped to introduce Kaylee. I can’t imagine what the rest of the series is going to be like!

Half of this story involves Kaylee being incarcerated in a psych ward. And it is as truly horrible as I imagine it to be. Kaylee’s experiences and emotions tore at my heartstrings and pulled me incredibly far into this story. And now I need to wait for my copy of My Soul to Take to see what the aftermath of her incarceration will be…I honestly don’t know if I have the patience.

 <- Last Request Review My Soul to Take Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Comfort Challenge

Challenges

Duration: 1st December – 31st Deceomber
Number of books: 4
Hosted by:Bookworm Bitches

December
1. Read a genre outside your usual, or a book that addresses views outside your comfort zone. – Reckless by Maggie Shayne (a thriller romance)
2. Reread your favorite book or a book by a favorite author. – Atlantis Unleashed by Alyssa Day
3. Read a book in your favorite location with your favorite beverage. – Atlantis Awakening by Alyssa Day (along the coast with a CC’s & dry)
BONUS: Read a book about a holiday outside your heritage (i.e. Hanukkah if you celebrate Christmas normally). – Holidays Are Hell by Kim Harrison, Lynsay Sands, Marjorie M. Liu & Vicki Pettersson (Thanksgiving and Chinese New Year)