Category Archives: 3 Flames

Embrace
Author: Jessica Shirvington
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Source: Amazon Vine
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
 (March 6, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-1402268403

It starts with a whisper: “It’s time for you to know who you are…” 


Violet Eden dreads her seventeenth birthday. After all, it’s hard to get too excited about the day that marks the anniversary of your mother’s death. As if that wasn’t enough, disturbing dreams haunt her sleep and leave her with very real injuries. There’s a dark tattoo weaving its way up her arms that wasn’t there before. 


Violet is determined to get some answers, but nothing could have prepared her for the truth. The guy she thought she could fall in love with has been keeping his identity a secret: he’s only half-human—oh, and same goes for her. 


A centuries-old battle between fallen angels and the protectors of humanity has chosen its new warrior. It’s a fight Violet doesn’t want, but she lives her life by two rules: don’t run and don’t quit. When angels seek vengeance and humans are the warriors, you could do a lot worse than betting on Violet Eden…

This is a perfect example of a gorgeous cover sucking you in!  I absolutely fell in love with this cover — especially since its purple! — and you can’t help but to pick it up off the shelf in the store.  You read the back blurb and you decide to purchase it.  You get it home and settle in for a great new read.  Then you wait for the story to unfold in your mind with the words on the page.

I was a little disappointed in the book though as I read it.  It was good and the writing was great but the characters were off for me.  I kept waiting for things to happen in a good direction — and you will understand this sentence when you read it — but it doesn’t.  Now I don’t know if the writer did this on purpose since it is a series or just to torture the reader, but it didn’t sit well with me.  I wanted something at least a little satisfying by the last page.  You also learn about the angel world with the different levels it has.  There are many ranks of angels and different jobs each one can do.

Again, it was a good book, but not what I was really expecting.  Will I continue the series? Yes.  I think this is one of those series that might just get better as it progresses.  If you are a fan of the angel books, and like the tortured romance, then this series can give you both.

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Under A Vampire Moon
Argeneau Family #16
Source: Publisher
Genre: Adult Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Avon
  (April 24, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0062100207

Christian Notte’s story, the sixteenth book in the Argeneau series is set on an island paradise called St. Lucia. 


After a bad relationship and an even worse divorce, Carolyn decides to go on a long overdue and much needed vacation with the ‘girls’. Only the rest of the vacationers didn’t get the memo. Around every corner there seems to be another couple celebrating their honeymoon or anniversary and the few single men she does see are far too young to even consider, including an irresistibly attractive rock violinist she meets. It’s really too bad he’s so young but in the end it doesn’t matter because according to his cousin, Giacinta, women in general aren’t Christian’s type. 


But there’s a catch, Christian needs Carolyn’s help. He needs her to be his beard (to play the part of his fake girlfriend) for the week to appease his ‘machismo’ family. Carolyn just can’t seem to say No and decides to help Gia’s cousin. The only problem is that being around Christian and acting like they are a loving couple is wreaking havoc on her emotions. Carolyn’s thoughts keep drifting back to places they shouldn’t, like kissing his full lips or feeling his broad shoulders under her fingertips… good lord, she’s in trouble.

This is the book that Argeneau fans have been dying for!  The author finally gives the fans the happily ever after for Christian Notte.  Christian is the son of Marguerite and Julius.  When the married couple are on their honeymoon in St. Lucia, they run into Carolyn who is out celebrating her soon to be divorce.  Marguerite instantly knows that Carolyn is the perfect mate for Christian since she has an knack for matching up immortals with life mates.  Julius calls Christian and his cousins out to St. Lucia to perform as a substitute band at the villa they are staying at.

Carolyn finds Christian attractive, but she is hesitant on dating him due to the fact that he looks to be in his mid-twenties while she is in her forties.  She does not want to look like a cougar to everyone.  What Carolyn doesn’t know is Christian is older than he appears since he is an Immortal.  To ease Carolyn’s fear of dating an older man — and to get her comfortable around Christian — his family comes up with the idea of pretending he is gay and have Carolyn pose as ‘beard’.  Carolyn thinks Christian needs her to pretend to be his girlfriend to keep his family on the down low of being gay.

While I am huge fan of Lynsay Sands, I have to say I was a little disappointed in this book.  Yes, the humor and fun is still part of the story, but I expected so much more for Christian and his life mate.  I wanted action and drama so I could be swept away in the romance.  Unfortunately, the romance fell flat for me and I never could bring myself to enjoy Carolyn’s character.  While the family dynamics were humorous and fun to read about with the cover-ups and last minute ploys,  I just didn’t feel that the author gave it her all with Christian’s story.  Plus the ending was so rushed when Carolyn found out the truth that it felt as though the author did a rush job on it to get it finished.

While I agree with recommending this book if you are a die hard fan as I am, don’t expect it to blow you away and be a favorite of the series.  Expect laughter, some romance thrown in, and an odd cast of characters.  Not bad, but definitely not my favorite of the series.

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

The Cowboy Takes A Bride
Author: Lori Wilde
Source: Publisher
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon
 (March 27, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0062047755

SUMMARY:

Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy Joe Daniels isn’t quite sure how he ended up sleeping in a horse trough wearing nothing but his Stetson and cowboy boots. But now he’s wide-awake, and a citified woman is glaring down at him. His goal? Get rid of her ASAP. The obstacle? Fighting the attraction he feels toward the blond-haired filly with the big, vulnerable eyes. 


When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots…

I am a huge fan of author Lori Wilde!  I love her romantic tales of love and small town charm.  In The Cowboy Takes A Bride we visit the small town of Jubilee.  Insert a sexy cowboy, a big city girl who has lost her way, and a deceased father who leaves her the ranch and you have the fixings for an angst filled romance full of fun.

When Mariah loses her job in the big city as an assistant to a big time wedding planner, she is at a loss of what to do next.  Her ex-boss is making sure that she can’t get a job anywhere in the city and she has been selling her personal belongings just to make ends meet.  When her absentee Father passes away, Mariah is stunned to find out that he has left her the ranch he owned.  Mariah finds herself moving to Jubilee in hopes of selling the ranch for enough money to start over and begin building her own wedding planning business in the city.

When she arrives to the ranch, she meets sexy cutter cowboy Joe Daniels.  Joe lost his wife 2 years to the day of losing his best friend.  Mariah’s father was Joe’s best friend and business partner involving Miracle, the horse that was suppose to be the next prize winning Cutter Horse.  He wants to buy back the land that belonged to Mariah’s father so he can fulfill his friends last wish of opening an Equine Center for disadvantaged children.  He doesn’t have the cash on hand to buy it right away, but he offers a deal to Mariah.  If she will wait until the next show, he will use the winnings to buy the land.  The only problem is that the show isn’t for another two months.  While she agrees to the offer, she starts to discover the need for a wedding planning business in a small town. She decides to build a business of her own in the country town focusing on cowboy weddings.

While I enjoyed the small town feel of the book, the side characters are what made this story enjoyable.  I loved the side story of Ila and Cordy.  Ila has loved Joe forever, but Cordy has been in love with Ila as well.  Insert a love triangle that intercepts the attempts of Mariah and Joe at connecting.  Joe was a great character as well, but I didn’t feel he was suited for Mariah.  Mariah rubbed me the wrong way for some reason and I couldn’t seem to connect with her character.  She seemed selfish and stubborn without giving an inch at times. She seemed cold about the death of her father — even if she didn’t really know him.

This doesn’t happen to be one of my favorites by this author, but it is a sweet and western themed romance for readers to enjoy.

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Goddess Interrupted
Goddess Test #2
Author: Aimee Carter
Source: Publisher
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Harlequin Teen
 (March 27, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0373210459

Kate Winters has won immortality. 


But if she wants a life in the Underworld with Henry, she’ll have to fight for it. 


Becoming immortal wasn’t supposed to be the easy part. Though Kate is about to be crowned Queen of the Underworld, she’s as isolated as ever. And despite her growing love for Henry, ruler of the Underworld, he’s becoming ever more distant and secretive. Then, in the midst of Kate’s coronation, Henry is abducted by the only being powerful enough to kill him: the King of the Titans. 


As the other gods prepare for a war that could end them all, it is up to Kate to save Henry from the depths of Tartarus. But in order to navigate the endless caverns of the Underworld, Kate must enlist the help of the one person who is the greatest threat to her future. 


Henry’s first wife, Persephone.

It seems like we have waited forever for the next book in this series!  I quickly dived into the Greek mythology and needed to find out what sort of things the Gods were going to put Kate through next.  Unfortunately, the Gods aren’t the ones who are going to test Kate in this installment.  It is the Titans!  Cronus is waking and he wants revenge on the Gods who bested him in the past.  With help from Calliope, Cronus is able to capture Henry — along with two others — and getting ready to strike against the Gods for all they have done.

I must say that even though I was excited to continue on with this story,  I actually had forgotten most of what happened in the previous book.  I had to go back and reread the first book so I knew what was going on.  That is why it is so hard for me to enjoy a series when the books are published so far apart.  The first half of this book moved a little slow for me.  Plus the constant crying from Kate about whether or not Henry truly loves her.  It got to the point to where I just wanted her to shut up or grow up.  Yes, Henry doesn’t really show much love towards her when she arrives back, but Henry is not the type of man to constantly fall at a woman’s feet since his last relationship with Persephone was such a disaster.

The book does pick back up though about half way through.  Then the action really starts.  Without giving away any spoilers, be prepared for a shocking ending.  Your mouth will drop and you will be full of frustration that the author gave us the ending she did.  I couldn’t believe it ended the way it did and wanted more!  Goddess Interrupted has a ‘true’ cliffhanger of an ending!

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

* I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review *

Slide
Author: Jill Hathaway
Source: Amazon Vine
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal
Publisher: Balzer + Bray
 (March 27, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0062077905

Vee Bell is certain of one irrefutable truth—her sister’s friend Sophie didn’t kill herself. She was murdered. 


Vee knows this because she was there. Everyone believes Vee is narcoleptic, but she doesn’t actually fall asleep during these episodes: When she passes out, she slides into somebody else’s mind and experiences the world through that person’s eyes. She’s slid into her sister as she cheated on a math test, into a teacher sneaking a drink before class. She learned the worst about a supposed “friend” when she slid into her during a school dance. But nothing could have prepared Vee for what happens one October night when she slides into the mind of someone holding a bloody knife, standing over Sophie’s slashed body. 


Vee desperately wishes she could share her secret, but who would believe her? It sounds so crazy that she can’t bring herself to tell her best friend, Rollins, let alone the police. Even if she could confide in Rollins, he has been acting off lately, more distant, especially now that she’s been spending more time with Zane. 


Enmeshed in a terrifying web of secrets, lies, and danger and with no one to turn to, Vee must find a way to unmask the killer before he or she strikes again.

This had an interesting summary and had me anticipating the story I was about to dive into reading.  While I enjoyed the book — enough to recommend it to everyone — there were a few problems I had with it that I think the readers should be aware of.

I loved the concept!  Vee has the ability to ‘slide’ into someones body when she least expects it.  All she has to do is touch something that someone has had in their possession and she slips into them briefly.  Sometimes she witnesses boring stuff, romantic stuff and this time she witnesses murder that has been ruled a suicide.  Vee is the only one who knows that her sisters best friend didn’t commit suicide.  She witnessed it from the killers perspective but no one will believe her if she tried to explain.  She is determined to try and figure out who did it and find a way to bring justice to her sisters best friend.

While I everything I mentioned above was great to read about, a few things stuck out as needing a little work in the story.  For one, at times I felt it to be a little reminiscent of early years young adult books.  Just some of the phrases that Vee would use and even some of her actions seemed a little out of character.  Another problem I had was the relationship between Vee and Rollins.  The author had plenty of chances to elaborate on their growing friendship and give the reader better glimpses into how Rollins really felt about Vee.  I didn’t like how he was rarely around her through the book and in turn it made it feel like a forced connection.  I couldn’t bring myself to enjoy a blossoming romance between the two friends when they hardly had any private time for it to grow.

As for the character of Zane the author leaves an aura of mystery around him.  He is the new hot guy in school but for some reason he is interested in Vee.  While I could see these two as a couple since they spent quite a bit of time together, the author does leave enough mystery to him that keeps you guessing about his true motives.

With the small clues that the author drops about Zane, Rollins, Vee’s family and friends along with a teacher who might have questionable intentions, the author does intertwine many plot angles to leave the reader guessing.  While I really did like the book,  some of the things I mentioned above keeps me from giving it a better rating.  Great for teens to pick up and give a try, but not one that made a huge impression on me.

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*