Sasha is at the Halloween Party of the vampires. But she isn’t just a pretty face. And tonight’s activities are going to take all of her talents and patience.
The whole time I was reading this I had ninety-nine bottles
of beer stuck in my head. Ringing again and again. It was kind of annoying and
distracting. But also incredibly fun. And it helped to mimic the fun and engaging
story that followed. It did make it a little hard to read anything else when I
turned the last page though.
Most of the vampire romances that I’ve been reading involve
a male vampire rescuing the sweet female human. I loved that it was the total
opposite. The vampire was completely prone and at a disadvantage, and the woman,
although entirely human, was also competent, strong and independent. I also loved
the fact that although Mary (or Sasha as we first meet her) knows that she
loves the man, she still wants to find herself. This independence and need to
prove herself in the world was completely admirable. And even when she finally
gets everything that she wants, she still plans on spending the next five years
on her own, growing into the woman that she can become.
Anita is attending a friend’s wedding when Nathaniel, her pomme de sang, makes known in no uncertain terms that he wants to take the relationship to the next level. Anita’s subsequent actions take her to a place she has hitherto carefully avoided.
This was kind of a confusing novella. Which, considering I
found out after I read it that it’s the condensed version of a novel… kind of
completely makes sense. And, even though it wasn’t completely sensical, it was
a fun, smutty kind of journey. And one that I would like to discover more
about. There was just enough information to enthral me, but not enough to make
me feel like I really knew what was going. Which, for a curious girlchild like
myself, was the perfect little teaser.
Although this story really pulled me in and made me kind of
fascinated, it was a little bit smutty for my preferences. I’m really not into
reading about characters with multiple partners, and found that some of the
moments when talking about her relationships (yes, as in plural) a bit
uncomfortable. The redeeming factor with that though was the fact that Anita,
the lead, also felt incredibly uncomfortable with the situation she seemed to
have found herself in. Which made me interested enough to add Guilty
Pleasures to my wishlist.
Title: Bit the Jackpot Author: Erin McCarthy Series: Vegas Vampires #2 Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Paranormal romance, Romance, Vampires Dates read: 15th – 16th May 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Novel Publisher: Berkley Sensation Year: 2006 5th sentence, 74th page: In fact, at the moment, as she stood up, she had a sly little smile of satisfaction on her face, despite her no-nonsense words.
The USA Today bestselling author of High Stakes returns to Sin City, where you can get bitten by the gambling bug – or by the sexiest vampire you’ve ever seen…
Campaign manager – and vampire – Seamus Fox has had his fill of women, since he’s been keeping tabs on his presidential candidate’s wife and female entourage. But suddenly he finds himself obsessed with a mysterious stripper who dances behind a screen. The sultry, yet shy, Cara Kim whets his appetite for more. Leave it to Seamus to fall fangs over feet for that rarest of Vegas attractions – a good girl. After a sudden run-in on the street, thought they may soon have a lot more in common…
This is such a fun, easy, cutsey little read. It doesn’t
involve a lot of thought processes to actually read. But it definitely leaves
you with a happy, completed feeling when you finish it. Alright, throughout the
story there are a number of moments in which you want to just smack Seamus over
the head. And tell Cara to get over her shit and be a real adult. But, as a
general, this is a fun, easy and cute read. One that I will probably pick up
again and again, whenever I just need something happy and cheerful. Something
to remind me that the world is actually a happy place and true love does exist.
I never thought I’d read a story about a virgin stripper. It was something of a paradox. One that I wasn’t entirely sure I’d like at the beginning. After all, it is dealing with a number of extremes of a woman’s sexuality. But, somehow McCarthy makes it work. Cara is completely strong and independent. But she’s also incredibly vulnerable, unsure… and in so many ways, prejudiced. She has such odd ideals that make her act and think in a way that makes you want to smack her around the back of her head and tell her to get a clue. Which of course makes the book impossible to put down.
I don’t like uptight men. I don’t like them in real life.
And I don’t like them in books. Generally. There is something about Seamus that
made me start to think about revising my opinion of uptight men. Only a little
bit because every stupid moment that he had was because he was completely rigid
and unbending. This was not the kind of man that you think of as your dream
man…or at least, it’s not the kind of man I could picture as that. But him and
Cara work so incredibly well together that you still have a skipping heart
every moment that you read about such a perfect couple.
Although this is very much a cutesy love story, I like how it becomes a little more complex with the back storyline. The election battle which is set up in High Stakes continues, but gains a lot of traction. Things start to get a lot more hairy and you wonder what evil levels the Italian will sink to next time. What the next plot will be and how the “good guys” are going to beat it. Everything you need to create a storyline that is not only fun and engaging, but also makes you impatient to turn the next page.
Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father – the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.
In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner – are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn’t have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side… and Bones is turnign out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.
I couldn’t believe how much I loved this story! I knew it was
something that was going to go to the top of my favourites lists, but I had no
idea how much I would love it. I was kind of expecting another great urban
fantasy story that would sweep me along with a kick ass chick as a lead and a
great alpha male by her side. I didn’t realise that this story would seriously investigate
issues of prejudice. That it would highlight the ways in which people turn
against a minority just because they’re perceived as something a little
different.
Cat is the kind of woman I want to be. She is strong and
independent. Has a mind of her own, and even when she falls in love, she
doesn’t let it consume her. Rather, it acts as a vessel through which she can become
even more independent and accepting of herself. Something that I sometimes
struggle with. I think it’s something that we all sometimes struggle with. And
it is this independence and strength that makes her make one of the hardest
decisions of all at the end of the story. A decision I’m not really sure I
could make myself…
Most stories of this type that I’ve read don’t really have a
parental figure at all. So having Cat have a mother who starts as her driver,
and ends as her executioner was a great twist on the typical trope. Not only
did it include the difficulties of family, it also highlighted how the crimes
of the past can inform the future. And not always to the best interests of
anyone involved. Their relationship breaks your heart a little, but it also shows
that not every relationship is good or bad, but a complicated mix of something
in between.
Yet another new series that I would absolutely love to read! Which is kind of annoying, because I need to finish one or two of the 140 odd series that I have gotten partway through… I guess I’ll just have to add another one to the shelves. Since I honestly can’t stop thinking about this novella. There was something that was great about the lead female character, the setting in which it was in and the fantastic urban fantasy world that Drake takes you to.
One of the common themes I find in series is the idea that to
be strong and independent, to be respected, women often have to be fierce, and
kind of scary. Mira embodies this perfectly. But, what made me love this far
too much was the fact that it really bothers her when others fear her strength.
After all, her insane powers are what keeps her people safe… and makes them all
fear her completely.
The Academy is teaching young police recruits about those odd cases. But one woman is about to be singled out… and it’s not for the reasons you’ll think.
It was surprising to read a cop story in this collection.
Mostly because it’s a collection that is surrounded by ideas of school and teaching.
And well, cops aren’t normally what I would associate with such a topic. Having
said that, it was still a thoroughly fun and exciting journey to be taken on. And
probably a little more enjoyable because it was such a surprise…
Since this was a cop story, I was kind of expecting a
typical one – you know, the cops outline an issue, pull a newbie in to help
them solve it. And after you turn the last page, you find that the bad guy has
been caught, stopped whichever. This didn’t quite work out like that. Actually,
it really wasn’t about the bad guy at all. It was more so about the battles
that are fought. About the woman who is caught up in a vampire’s snare. And the
ways in which the battle for good doesn’t stop, but sometimes does blur the
lines a little.
Title: Love Bites Author: Angie Fox In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep) Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again) My Bookshelves:Paranormal romance, Vampires Dates read: 27th April 2019 Pace: Medium Format: Short story Publisher: Robinson Year: 2009 5th sentence, 74th page: Would you like to tell me what’s going on here?
Kat is just looking for a new adventure after she finally escapes from a loveless marriage. But a trap has been set for her, one that she’s not entirely sure she wants to escape from.
I don’t like reality tv shows. They’re contrived, annoying
and highlight all of the worst aspects of humanity. Yet, I always seem to enjoy
stories that take a paranormal spin on such things. A little like this. Alright,
the majority of the story isn’t even a tv show, it’s about another matter
entirely, but still… I loved the beginning.
The movement in this story from something incredibly modern
(a TV dating show) to a more archaic outlook (marrying off the princess to
whoever gave the most benefit) was kind of fun. It married two worlds together
in a way that I really wasn’t expecting from the outset. I always enjoy a good joining
of genres and this kind of worked in my favour. From a modern vampire, just out
looking for some fun, to a princess who is forced into loveless marriage after
loveless marriage, Kat manages to encompass a number of tropes all in the one
short story.
Sookie Stackhouse brings enough birthday cupcakes for her nephew’s entire class but finds she’s one short when the angry ex-boyfriend of the school secretary shows up.
I both thoroughly enjoyed this story and felt kind of
concerned by it. This is the first short story in a collection of short stories
based on our experiences in school. And it has a shooter entering the school
grounds. Granted, this was written and published quite a few years ago and may
not have been such a hot issue… but considering the constant gunning down of
children happening in America at the moment… it was more than a little
concerning that the story starts with a tale about a gunman.
I’ve only briefly dabbled into the world of Sookie Stackhouse, but every time I read one of the short stories based in this world, I really want to pick up another one. It’s not great for my self-control when I have two unread Sookie Stackhouse books sitting on my bookshelf just waiting to go… especially since I’ve been told again and again that the stories get better as they unfold, and short stories like Playing Possum really support this idea.
Although this was a tale that I thoroughly enjoyed in the
moment, I still find it incredibly problematic. A crazy man taking a gun into a
kindergarten in revenge of a woman… it’s a strong comment on our society today
that that is so normalised that a short story can be written about it. After
all, if this was far fetched, it wouldn’t work in this series…
Isobel was forced to walk away from her lover years ago. But, now, a twist of fate, or maybe something more has thrust them back together again as they rush to find a killer and save their races from war.
There are a few books in my shelves that deal with demons.
But not many. So, finding a new series that features (I think) demons, vampires
and a heavy dose of paranormal romance was really exciting. Especially since
the writing and the characters were incredibly enjoyable, and they come to the
storyline already laden with burdens of the past.
I thought that this was going to be a fairly typical paranormal
romance story. Two individuals are investigating a series of deaths, meet, fall
in love and live happily ever after. That was until I found out that there is a
lot of history between the two leads. Which both upped the stakes and also meant
that there was no certainty of a happily-ever-after. After all, it is
incredibly difficult to get over the past when you’ve been hurt by it before…
Sometimes I love when a short story begins (or takes place
in) a series. Sometimes, I kind of hate it. This is one of those kind of hate
it moments… I absolutely adored this short story, but won’t have the chance to
buy the next tale in this series for a little while. I’m currently on a book
buying ban… so now I’m just frustratedly waiting until I am allowed to buy
books again…
Bones, faces New Orleans ghouls who eat victims alive – horror.
I really enjoyed this introduction to Bones. This story hints that he’s going to be a great male lead for the Night Huntress series. Or at least, one that is going to make me happy. He has a strong moral compass, is incredibly tough and has a slightly rebellious streak. All things which I love in any literary character… the fact that it’s wrapped up in a good-looking package with an English accent just makes it all the better…
I’ve read a lot of stories set in America. It’s a bit like
all forms of entertainment media, America seems to be the centre for a lot of
this. This is the first story I’ve read set in New Orleans though. And I’m
really hoping that the rest of the series is set here too. There is such a fun
and different flavour to this town. It is so unlike any other American setting
which I’ve read. Actually, it’s honestly the only place in the US that I’m
really interested in visiting…
The name Reckoning made this seem like it was going to be about revenge, or somebody turning, or the end of the world as we know it. It was a little bit about revenge, but mostly it was about hunting down the crazies. And the moral arguments that Bones has to make with himself while he does so. Becca is used to find the villains, but at what cost? Does the sacrifice of one person’s safety mean the survival of so many more? Is it a fair trade off?
Earth and Skye 