Review: Gateway to Heaven by Beth Kery

Gateway to Heaven by Beth Kery
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Life is rough when you-re gorgeous, rich, talented and so sexy the media won-t leave you alone.

It was certainly the truth in Christian Lasher's case. He returns to the neighborhood of his childhood to escape the spotlight, hungering for a change in his creative endeavors. In the midst of his soul searching he meets Megan and is captured by the tantalizing hint of her hidden fires. Megan knows nothing about his wild, rebellious youth or his career as a rock star-and Christian would prefer to keep it that way.

There was much, much more to her than the role of a fragile victim.

Megan Shreve is a sculptor with creative depths and passions that tragedy had forced into the shadows. When she looks into Christian's eyes she sees herself for the first time as an exciting, sexy woman. She longs to discover more of herself in Christian's arms and in his bed.

Two passionate souls destined for one another-unless the stifling roles imposed by tragedy and fame rip them apart.

My Thoughts: I've read several of Beth Kery's books in the past and I really enjoyed both her writing style and her characters (RAWR! to sexy alpha males!) BUT I'm not a big fan of non-paranormal contemporary storylines. So, I went into this one with one eye on the door in case I needed to make a quick escape. Oh, guys. OH, GUYS! This book was outstanding. Christian and Megan's story was lovely and sweet and sad and I'm so, so glad I decided to step outside my werewolf-infested comfort zone and give them a try.

Megan has been shaped by a horrible tragedy that she really doesn't remember. It's defined her and made everyone treat her with kid gloves. Christian, on the other hand, doesn't know about her past. He simply sees someone he desires. To the chagrin of everyone around Megan, he goes after her and for the first time Megan sees that she doesn't have to be chained down by something that happened years and years ago. Of course, things don't go entirely smoothly for the two of them. When Megan finds out that Christian is a rock superstar, she has to deal with her insecurities and the way the media paints him.

A wonderfully written story, Beth Kery has given us characters with depth and heart. I can't tell you how excited I am to play in her world.

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Kindle |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge, Why Buy the Cow? Challenge
Gateway to Heaven was a free Kindle download I picked up on 04/10/12.

Review: Alien Mate by Eve Langlais

Alien Mate (Alien Mate #1) by Eve Langlais
Synopsis (Goodreads):

What would you do if an alien materialized in your living room and told you he was your leader?

Plump Diana is ironing her underwear when the hottest blue babe in all of the galaxy appears in her living room. Did she forget to mention he was naked? Abducted, decontaminated, and dressed like a harem girl, she’s been chosen to become his mate.

Kor asked his ancestors to find him a biddable, docile mate. Instead they found him Diana--a curvy, argumentative earthling who sets his pulse pounding and his loins on fire. He might be an alien who doesn't understand the meaning of love, but he sure knows what he feels is more than lust.

My Thoughts: I think this is the 3rd Eve Langlais book I've read. Maybe it's the 4th. I'm not sure and that's not really the point. What I'm getting at is that everything I've read by her, whether it's a shifter book or sexy sci-fi, has been awesome. This lady has sassy heroines that make me giggle. She has big blue (and purple!) aliens that make me sit up and smile. She has snark and sexy times galore!

I read a book not too long ago with a similar basic premise (Earth girl gets whisked away to another planet to be the mate of an Alpha alien dude) and I'm amused that I had such different reactions to the way this idea was handled. I loved Alien Mate. I thought it was cute and sexy and I would DEFINITELY read more in this series. The other book? Ehhh... Let's just say that I had more than one issue with the way the heroine was treated and leave it at that. The humor that Eve Langlais writes into what could be a creeptastic situation kept this book light and fun. Oh, and the inherent horniness of her female characters, which I think is AWESOME! Horny girls, FTW!

Kor and Diana are a hoot and a half and although their book is fairly short in length it doesn't skimp on either the sexy times or the emotional side of their relationship. Fun with a side of big, blue alien. What's not to like?

Books in this series
1. Alien Mate - Paperback | Kindle
2. Alien Mate 2
3. Alien Mate 3

Author Links
| Website | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge, Why Buy the Cow? Challenge
Alien Mate was a free download I picked up from ARE on 04/05/12.

Review: On Demon Wings by Karina Halle

On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror #5) by Karina Halle
Synopsis (Goodreads):

When the life you wanted has crumbled beneath your fingers, there’s nothing left to do but pick up the pieces and soldier on. You’ve done this before.

But what happens when you no longer feel like yourself anymore? When fires spontaneously start-up around you, when you hear growling coming from underneath your bed, and you no longer recognize your face in the mirror. What happens then?

Ghost-hunter Perry Palomino doesn’t have much time to find out. Now, the evil she used to hunt is a lot closer to home. It’s inside of her, taking over her life bit-by-terrifying bit, and there’s only one person who can help her.

If part of her doesn’t kill him first.

My Thoughts: I don't think it's a secret that I am crazy in love with this series. I was hooked from book 1 and I was DYING at the end of Lying Season. Absolutely dying. There might have been actual tears. Possibly some dramatic flailing. I *want* Perry and Dex together so badly I can almost taste it. So when this book opened and Perry was dealing with the fallout of what happened with Dex, I was all twisted up in knots. I don't want things to be easy for these two because so much of their charm is the way they're always pushing and pulling at one another but it was still hard to see Perry so ground down by the circumstances that had brought her to that point.

That said, this book was a whirlwind ride of ups and downs. Perry's dealing with her heartache as best she can but it's taking a physical toll on her. Ada comes through as a staunch ally and is there for Perry when the chips are down. We're finally starting to get answers to some of the questions that have been popping up and those answers are doozies!

I loved this book and at the same time it was hard to read. Karina Halle does a wonderful job of pulling us into Perry's pain. It's not pretty and it's not easy. Her life feels like it's spinning out of control and it's chaotic and confusing. Perry's issues with the supernatural aren't doing her any favors in this case and the experiences she's having just continue to push her closer to the edge. The secrets that come bubbling out of all this are a teeny, tiny bit terrifying. The idea of telling the complete truth and having the people you trust put the proverbial smackdown on you is absolutely chilling. It's one of those things that I find utterly frightening.

For anyone who likes convoluted love stories, creepy ghosts and an intricately plotted storyline, this book... no, this entire series is for you. Perry and Dex are two of my all-time favorite characters because they feel so damn real. Also, Karina Halle gets a gold star for multiple uses of the word "douchecanoe".

Books in this series
1. Darkhouse
2. Red Fox
2.5. The Benson
3. Dead Sky Morning
4. Lying Season
5. On Demon Wings - Paperback | Kindle
5.5. Old Blood
6. Into the Hollow

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge

On Demon Wings was provided by the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

And now for some giveaways...
Giveaway #1:
An On Demon Wings Kindle Cover

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway #2:
An ebook copy of On Demon Wings

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck and happy reading!

Spotlight on... How much is too much?

How much is too much when it comes to posts?

I can't even tell you how hard it is to start this post without cracking a size joke. I'm holding on by a thread here, people. A THREAD!

*ahem*

This is a topic I'm genuinely curious about and it's something that Amanda and I were discussing via email the other day. As a reader, what is the optimal length for posts and/or reviews that you're comfortable with? At what point do you give up and resort to skimming? Do you end up skipping the longer posts all together?

For me, I follow all my bloggy peeps in Google Reader. It's convenient, it keeps track of new posts for me and it keeps me in the loop. The downside is that the longer posts - and I'm talking about posts that include full chapter excerpts and give me a raging case of carpal tunnel to scroll through - have a tendency to get skipped over when I have 200+ new posts and a limited amount of time.


What about reviews?

As a blogger, I try to keep my reviews short and sweet. Generally speaking they're 3 to 4 paragraphs, although there are times when that guideline gets thrown completely out the window. What? Sometimes I ramble. It happens. Right. Anything less than 3 paragraphs and I feel like I'm shorting both the book and the author. Anything substantially over and I start wondering if I'm making the slightest amount of sense*.
*for the record, I'm probably not.

I know that when I'm reading reviews, I go a little blurry when they start to get overly long. This goes back to that pesky time issue. While I can appreciate the time someone takes to write an incredibly detailed review, I tend to skim them because I have 2 dogs, a loud (occasionally obnoxious) kid, a nieceling who doesn't stop talking and a TBR pile that has officially intimidated me with its fierce scowl.

But that's just me.

I want to know how all you feel about this. Do you skim? Do you love chapter excerpts? Do you read everything regardless of length?

Inquiring minds (which mostly means ME) want to know!

Review: Capture by Brina Courtney

Capture (Cryptid Tales #2) by Brina Courtney
Synopsis (Goodreads):

As the highly anticipated second novel in the Cryptid Tales series, Capture is sure to satisfy the YA SciFi reader. This action packed story picks up right where Reveal left off with Shay realizing that someone she holds close may not be totally lost. But can Hugh, her cryptid mate, protect her from the evil Malsumis? Or will she fall victim to his horrible plans?

One this is for sure, Shay is in for the fight of her life.

My Thoughts: Capture picks up with us taking a look at the events that happened at the end of book 1. Shay and Hugh are trying to blend in and be normal kids (which is a tiny bit difficult due to their golden eyes and the fact that they're irrevocably mated to one another) when chaos descends on Shay's school. Shay and Hugh escape but Malsumis' minions are hot on their tails (must.not.make.shapeshifter.pun) and there aren't many places they can go that won't put their friends or families in danger.

So they flee into the wilds and set up camp in a safe house. And then Shay invites all the other displaced cryptids to them. I'm going to be honest, I was with Hugh on Shay's spur of the moment invitation. She put herself and everyone else in the house in danger because she has so little knowledge of the way the cryptid world works. Yes, things worked out and she's ultimately fulfilling her part of the prophecy but, holy hannah!, didn't your mama ever teach you not to invite strangers into your house when you're being chased by a madman? That said, I liked learning about the different types of cryptids that are roaming the wilds of America and I hope we learn more about their social structure and how some of the more extreme ones have managed to stay hidden from humans.

An entertaining read that tied up several loose ends from book 1 while opening the door for more adventures (and danger) for Shay and Hugh in the future.

Books in this series
0.5. Ignite
1. Reveal
2. Capture - Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge

Capture was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Caressed by Night by Amanda J. Greene

Caressed by Night (Rulers of Darkness #2) by Amanda J. Greene
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Dimitri Arsov, the last remaining pure vampire, was thought to be dead for the past four hundreds years. Now, he is back and has a score to settle with the traitor that had tried to kill him centuries ago. But as he waits for his prey to blindly step into his carefully laid trap, his overwhelming hunger for blood is triggered when he saves a beautiful art historian.

Kerstyn Ingmar’s life was normal and straight up boring until the night she is rescued by the dangerously sexy, powerfully mesmerizing, Dimitri. Unable to resist his diamond blue eyes and intense kisses, she is drawn into his world of darkness and closer to her impending doom.

While their desire consumes them, Dimitri is haunted by images of a bloody and deadly future. As his enemies draw near, he must find a way to save his mate from her destiny before fate destroys them both.

My Thoughts: I was suitably impressed with book 1 in this series and the way it slipped paranormal beasties into a historical romance setting. This book propels us into the present and manages to keep the tension that I enjoyed in the first book alive and humming. It helps that Dimitri is a warrior of the old world who has managed to integrate himself nicely into the present. It also helps that we get to see how characters from book 1 have weathered the years since then. I always love that!

As far as Kerstyn and Dimitri go, they are suitably hot together. Dimitri's gift of foresight puts a little kink in their happily ever after when he keeps seeing Kerstyn's death but, hey, that's the price you pay for being an uber-powerful vampire king. That's right, your lady friend is on the bad guy's menu. Don't worry, guys, Dimitri can stand firm in the face of adversity. What's one more bump in the road? But seriously, I liked the two of them together and I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop and the really bad things to happen as Dimitri and Kerstyn fell deeper into a relationship.

One thing I'm sucker for are secondary characters with some real meat to their stories. I swear that every vampire here could have their own book written about them. That is just FABULOUS to me. We need more vampire goodness and we need it now. I love it when books leave me waiting impatiently to see whose story we're going to get next.

Books in this series
1: Caressed by Moonlight
2. Caressed by Night

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge
Caressed by Night was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Serial Killers' Featured Review: The Witch is Dead by Shirley Damsgaard

Want to know more about the idea behind Serial Killers? This post is the place to start.

This month's book is The Witch is Dead the 5th book in the Ophelia and Abby Mystery series by Shirley Damsgaard. I'm the established reader and Odd is new to the series...

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Life is busier than ever for witch Ophelia Jensen. In addition to her day job at the library, she--with the help of her grandmother Abby--is preparing to officially adopt Tink, the young medium she's taken under her wing. So when Ophelia's elderly Aunt Dot, eager for adventure, wants to investigate the murder of a funeral director in the neighboring town, Ophelia tries to say no. But then Tink's dog pulls a skull out of the woods--a skull that may belong to a murder victim.

Finding mysterious bones in the woods isn't the only strange thing that's happened to Tink lately. She's been having visions of ghastly ghosts imploring her for help. But before Ophelia can connect the apparitions with the murder, Tink is kidnapped Ophelia and Abby will have to battle a creepy crematorium owner and an invasion from some modern-day body snatchers to find their protege . . . or else they'll have to hold a seance just to speak to her again.

Odd's Thoughts:

Serial Killer Casualty: Odd had a DNF at 20 pages!

My Thoughts: I don't know if it's really fair to say that I'm "established" with this series because it's been almost 4 years since I last read anything in it and, quite frankly, I remember ... not much of what came before. There was possibly a summer camp. Or maybe it was a beach cottage. Or... a cabin? No, that doesn't seem right. The point I'm trying to make is that I vaguely remember the characters. You know, if I tilt my head and squint. I mean, I did remember that Abby was Ophelia's grandma and Ophelia had rescued Tink from some very bad goings on but beyond that ... *deer in the headlights stare*

So... there's a murder. Ophelia's known for stumbling over dead bodies and, sure enough, bodies start popping up. Skulls and ghostly visitations are flying left and right. Not literally. Ophelia and her grandma have to deal with the pesky Appalachian aunt who never comes down off the mountain and wants some adventure before heading home. Tink disappears! More bodies! Sexy dude from the previous book (or possibly the one before that) that I don't remember at all but now want Ophelia to hook up with!

Fairly enjoyable and nicely gruesome, I probably could have used a refresher course before slipping back into this series. One of the mysteries completely stymied me since I had such a vague recollection of the previous books. Which goes to show you that after 4 years I have no memory. Sad.

Kelly: I actually downgraded my original rating from 4 to 3 stars after this reread (to be honest, if Goodreads allowed half stars it probably would have been downgraded further to a 2.5). I last read this book in 2008 so it's been a while and I had a tough time remembering who was who and why I needed to know them. This made it difficult to get into the flow of the story.

Ophelia acts like she's ANCIENT at times. This makes me laugh because I think she's supposed to be in her early to mid 30s. Clearly that's not old. Amirite?

Odd: Dude, I'm 37. Ophelia was acting like she was 47 and I was guessing the book wanted us to think Cobra kept looking at her and was all OH YEAH.

Hung Jury

In this case, reading previous books in the series seemed to be the tipping point between caring about the characters and not giving a rat's ass. Ophelia's character, especially, lost a lot in the reread and poor Odd didn't care for her AT ALL.

Books in this series
1. Witch Way to Murder
2. Charmed to Death
3. The Trouble with Witches
4. Witch Hunt
5. The Witch is Dead - Paperback | Kindle
6. The Witch's Grave
7. The Seventh Witch

Author Links
| Website | Amazon |