Review Fury of Fate by Coreene Callahan

Synopsis 

Sasha Cooper is a woman on a mission. Determined to let loose and live a little, she takes her best friend’s advice and embarks on a night of passion with a complete stranger. No regrets in the morning. No looking back either. But when the one she chooses turns out to be a Dragonkind warrior, Sasha knows she’s in trouble—and that the man she believed was a dream come true could end up being her worst nightmare.

He never intended to get involved…

Ivar, leader of a rogue faction of Dragonkind, isn’t a pushover. So when a noisy neighbour jeopardizes the security of his secret lair, he decides to take care of the problem once and for all. Little does he know banging on Sasha’s door will send him on a passionate odyssey unlike any he’s ever experienced? But when the night takes a deadly turn, he’s left little choice—escape from the woman who possesses the power to kill him, or die trying.

Review

I’m not always a fan of novellas, as I get into a story and it ends too soon, but as this was part of the dragonfury series I decided to give it a go. I’ve loved this series right from the start when the first book came out, and couldn’t wait for the rest. Ivan is the ultimate bad boy, his smouldering tension and potential violence send both men and women scurrying away if he crosses their path.  Ivan is a real nasty piece of work, Coreene writes him so well that you can’t help but despise him. Imagine my surprise when I opened this novella to find he’d met his match and it wasn’t another dragonkind, it was a woman on a mission, who scared Ivan to death. Coreene’s idea to bring him to his knees was inspired, who knew I van could be a soft sexual creature, when in other books he is portrayed as the polar opposite. Ivan is drawn to Sasha but he doesn’t know how or why, but maybe the meridian had something to do with it!

This Novella is well worth the read, as the story centres around Ivan and will leave you thinking wow. I so loved reading about this different side to him and I really hope the author develops this relationship further in a future book. I did feel a short novella wasn’t enough for this storyline, but thankful I had Fury of Obsession to move straight on to.

This review is short and sweet just like the book, which if you’re a dragonfury fan I would highly recommend you read it. If you’re new to the series, I’d suggest starting from the first book Fury of Fire, to give you the back ground you need on Ivan, which I believe you need to fully appreciate this book.

I rate this book

 

Review End of Days by Susan Ee

Synopsis  

End of Days is the explosive conclusion to Susan Ee’s bestselling Penryn & the End of Days trilogy.

After a daring escape from the angels, Penryn and Raffe are on the run. They’re both desperate to find a doctor who can reverse the twisted changes inflicted by the angels on Raffe and Penryn’s sister. As they set off in search of answers, a startling revelation about Raffe’s past unleashes dark forces that threaten them all.

When the angels release an apocalyptic nightmare onto humans, both sides are set on a path toward war. As unlikely alliances form and strategies shift, who will emerge victorious? Forced to pick sides in the fight for control of the earthly realm, Raffe and Penryn must choose: Their own kind, or each other?

Review

Finally after a very long wait the much anticipated 3^rd book in the Angelfall trilogy was released, there’s been a lot of hype around this book so I really hoped it would deliver – and it did. Penryn and Raffe’s relationship has more depth and feeling especially as Raffe fights his feelings for her, whilst Penryn tries to steel herself ready for when Raffe will leave her to go back to the Angels. Raffe is desperate to have his wings reattached to his body that he’ll even go with Penryn into the lion’s den aka the resistance camp, when this doesn’t pan out he has no option but to go into the aerie of the angels. I love Raffe he’s everything a girl would want, strong handsome and extremely hot, he tries to do the right thing by Penryn but the need to be with other angels is really strong.

Penryn tries to be the tough independent fighter, but underneath she feels like a soppy teenager in love with an angel. She always tries to look after and protect her mum and sister, but she also has this deep bond with Raffe. It really touched her when Raffe chose her as his number 2 in a battle with angels, when he says she is the only person he can trust 100% to watch his back. She is fearless to the end and I admire her tenacity and faith in Raffe to do the right thing, even when faced with what seems a no win situation. It also appears Raffe’s sword Pooky Bear also approved of their bond as she allows both of them to wield her.

I absolutely loved Penryn’s mum in this third instalment, she’s truly bonkers but she also amazes her daughter when she takes charge at different times. It was hilarious how her store of rotten eggs finally become a useful weapon, she really made me smile throughout the book. I also liked the addition of the fallen watchers to the story, I won’t say why or what for as I don’t want to spoil the book, but they added the male bonding with Raffe which was great.

Also in this final book we find out why Beleil became a demon and so bitter and angry towards Raffe and Penryn, the ending of his story line tied up nicely. In the final battle between the angels and humans neither side came out unscathed at the end of the book and I must admit to cheering when Uriel got his comeuppance. I must also state that this is the first book in a long time where I’ve liked and been happy with the ending. A lot of authors leave too many loose threads at the end of their books, or leave the book as if there’s another instalment to come. Susan has cleverly ended her book with finality and left me feeling ‘what a great ending’.

This trilogy has been one of the best I’ve read, the only downside was waiting for each book to be published. Susan Ee has come a long way from being an unknown author to one whose final book was hotly anticipated. Her writing style is simple and clear she doesn’t throw in too many red herrings nor does she try to fill her books with too many twists and turns making it difficult to follow. Instead she leads her readers through the book in a way they can thoroughly enjoy it, without having to try too hard. There’s also not loads of sex either, there’s just enough romance peppered through which was realistic in the world Penry and Raffe were living.

I’ve absolutely enjoyed reading this book and series, and would highly recommend them. If you’ve never read any books about angels, this isn’t all sweetness and light with guardian angels, this is the nitty gritty tough warrior angels, with a bit of teen romance and apocalypse thrown in. Also you’ll not have to wait for each book to be published either, before you can read the whole series.

I rate this book 

I rate this series



Review for Artful A Novel by Peter David

Synopsis 

Oliver Twist is one of the most well-known stories ever told, about a young orphan who has to survive the mean streets of London before ultimately being rescued by a kindly benefactor.
But it is his friend, the Artful Dodger, who has the far more intriguing tale, filled with more adventure and excitement than anything boring Oliver could possibly get up to.

Throw in some vampires and a plot to overthrow the British monarchy, and what you have is the thrilling account that Charles Dickens was too scared to share with the world.

From the brilliant mind of novelist and comic book veteran Peter David, Artful is the dark, funny, and action-packed story of one of the most fascinating characters in literary history

Review

Well I'll begin this review by saying this is the first book I gave up reading half way through, since I started reviewing the books I read. I just couldn't get my head around the fact that Fagin and The Magistrate were vampires, who were plotting to turn Princess Alexandria Victoria in to a vampire to meet their own ends. It was a nice idea to use the Artful Dodger as the central character following on from the end of Oliver Twist, but the plot was ludicrous, Artful, junior Van Helsing and the Princess becoming vampire hunters in Victorian London, just doesn't ring true.

The authors style of writing and his attempt to replicate Dickensian language is really annoying and frankly, he doesn't really have the ability to pull it off. I checked the reviews on Goodreads and Amazon to check if I was being unduly harsh or was wrong about the book, and there were plenty that agreed with me.

I rate this book 

The Ouroboros Cycle; A Long Awaited Treachery by G D Falksen

Synopsis

For a thousand years, the immortal Shashavani have hidden from the world in the halls of their mountain fortress, amassing great stores of knowledge in a haven of academic tranquillity. And while Doctor Varanus has never found tranquillity much to her taste, even she cannot deny that the peace and quiet make for a pleasant diversion following the chaos of her recent adventures in London. Having left the horrors of bloodshed and wellness behind her, Varanus has thrown herself headlong into the study of the Shashavani condition, determined to learn the secrets of their undying power.

But all is not as it seems in the House of Shashava. As winter snow covers the Shashavani valley and chokes the mountain passes, sinister events are unfolding in the shadows. Whispers of conspiracy echo through the halls. Soon loyalties will be tested and friendships betrayed. Blood will flow. For upon the frozen steppe, an ancient evil stirs and turns its gaze toward the House of Shashava, hungering for power and revenge.

 Review

In the third book of the series we find Varanus and Ekaterine back home at the House of Shashava, with Varanus throwing herself into her work seeking the answers to her condition. Unfortunately Varanus and Ekaterine are caught stealing some of the holy water for her experiments ending with Varanus spending months in a cell with orders to reflect on her wrongdoing. Her mentor Iosef has gone on a sojourn with Sofio, unbeknown to them, sinister events start to unfold.

 In this third instalment Varanus develops a whole new side to her character as she fights against those disloyal to the Shashavani way. She is fierce fighter even when the odds are against her, wearing a plague doctors masque, cycling outfit and leather coat, she becomes the scourge of the new rulers and their soldiers. She wins time and again when the odds are stacked against her, the most amazing being when she kills an ancient centuries old vampire, I must admit I did go ‘Yes’ and cheer her on at the point. The multiple layers the author gives to Varanus adds real depth to her character and she is nothing like the Babette we met in the first book. I must say the more Varanus’ character develops the more I like her. The cover picture really gives you an image of what Varanus would have looked like in the book.

 This book is completely set in the House of Shashava, enabling Falksen to develop the home of the Shashavani in much more depth. We learn about the different immortals there and their backgrounds in philosophy, maths etc. all striving with the goal to amass knowledge. We also find out more about the people living in the valley, the army that protects the House and the council who work with the vicar of Shashava, Sofio to maintain the running of the house and community. The way the immortals work, taking no notice of time, seasons or events, and to the scholars, the events unfolding shock them to their core, the peace and tranquillity within the House of Shashava is broken and the Shashava are pitted against each other.

 This book is different to the first two, it’s fast paced with twists you never seen coming, which just keep you reading. I really couldn’t put it down, and the ending will keep you hanging on for the next book, and I can’t wait for the next instalment. The plot is well written, and for those of you who want blood n guts in your vampire books then you won’t be disappointed. The only downside to reading this book, is the wait for book 4 to be published. There’s the great images at the beginning of each chapter giving an insight into what each chapter holds.

 I must admit I was very dubious about reading these books as historically set fantasy/vampire books are really not the usual kind of books I read. Despite this, as it was recommended by a friend I decided to give it a go, and surprisingly I was hooked from the first book. So the moral of the story is, don’t say no to a book that is not typical of what you read, you may be pleasantly surprised.

 I rate this book

 

Pre-order

You can now pre-order End of Days by Susan EE, this is the third and last book in the trilogy, click on the link to find out more directly from Susan's website

End of Days

The Ouroboros Cycle; A Cautionary Tale for Young Vampires

Synopsis

The year is 1888 and a madman is terrorizing the East End of London. But Doctor Varanus Shashavani has far more pressing concerns to worry about than a lunatic in Whitechapel. Her charitable hospital is under siege by gang lords, her English cousins are threatening to steal her inheritance, and her best friend has become obsessed with Gothic novels. To make matters worse, her son Friedrich is associating with an American who talks endlessly of wellness and yoghurt, while her bodyguard is pestering her to return home to Georgia, half a world away. It seems that everyone--friends, enemies, and "Saucy Jack" alike--have conspired to interrupt her work. But Varanus did not obtain immortality just to have mad killers and distant relations get in the way of scientific progress. Though supernatural conspiracies and all-too-human monsters confront her at every turn, Varanus will stand firm against all odds. After all, she is accustomed to fighting for what is rightfully hers

Review

In book two we find Babette know known as Varanus, living in London with her best friend Ekaterine and Lukas her body guard. She’s waiting to meet with her English relatives over her grandfather & father’s will, meanwhile she’s opened a small clinic in the East End of London in one of the poorest areas to treat the locals for free. Unfortunately the clinic is constantly undermined and under siege by local gangs and Varanus decides to do something about it.

Varanus has transformed not only name but in what she does as well, having being a vampire a number of years she uses her new found skills to deal will the local criminal element. Varanus has become more lethal, despite her diminutive size she can certainly deal with men far larger than her, leaving them shocked and usually dead in her wake. I really like the new Varanus, as well as being an intelligent forward thinking women not of her time she certainly can look after herself as well. Varanus’ vampiric tendencies are surprisingly subtle in the books, and to look at her they aren’t apparent, as she comes across as a normal person, except for the fact that she can do far more than a normal human being.

Ekaterine is the perfect best friend for Varanus, being of the same mind as far as women’s role in the world, she takes care of Varanus ensuring she comes to no harm etc. Although she is Shashavani she isn’t immortal like Varanus but she still lives under ‘The Shadow of Death’ with the added perks of quick healing and ageing extremely slowly. Ekaterine takes to English life and fashion like a duck to water, yet still completely refuses to wear corsets, much to the chagrin of Varanus, as they stop her being able to fight.

We also meet Varanus’ son once again, this time he’s in the company of a rather dodgy American doctor who expounds the virtue of wellness and yogurt. Varanus is most displeased to find him in London and not back home in Fushberg where she’d sent him, and it’s great to see how the mother and son relationship develops. I like Fredrick especially the sometimes desperate way he chases Ekaterine and he also provides some humour in the book as well.

The back ground of 18^th century London in the story, depicts how poor life was in the east end of London, where life was very cheap and murder an everyday hazard for the locals. I liked how the author weaved the story of Jack the Ripper into the book when Lukas ends up in a police cell on suspicion of being Jack just because he’s a foreigner. The way the small alleys and rat runs are described, the whores on every street corner plying their trade, certainly brings to life 18^th century London.

When Varanus and Ekaterine visit the English cousins, we are once more drawn into the mystery of the scions and their relationship to both sides of Varanus’ family. She once again tries to unravel the mystery and find out more, with little avail, and we are once again left with the suspicion that Fredrick may also be scion as well, but this is all left hanging with lots of questions unanswered, which hopefully will be picked in later books.

Overall I enjoyed this book more than the first which is unusual as second books in series sometimes are a let-down, but no fear with this one. Although I’m not into historical/period books, the 18^th century London background felt real to me, with little artistic manipulation. I must admit it really added to the story in this book, and the Ripper twist was great. If you’ve read book one then I’d definitely recommend continuing on with book two. Once again I can’t finish the review without commenting on the fantastic art work that features throughout the book, loved it.

I rate this book

 

Artful A Novel by Peter David

Synopsis

Oliver Twist is one of the most well-known stories ever told, about a young orphan who has to survive the mean streets of London before ultimately being rescued by a kindly benefactor.
But it is his friend, the Artful Dodger, who has the far more intriguing tale, filled with more adventure and excitement than anything boring Oliver could possibly get up to. Throw in some vampires and a plot to overthrow the British monarchy, and what you have is the thrilling account that Charles Dickens was too scared to share with the world.
From the brilliant mind of novelist and comic book veteran Peter David, Artful is the dark, funny, and action-packed story of one of the most fascinating characters in literary history.

Cuurently reading this, but struggling to get into it, I'll let you know how I got on soon

The Ouroboros Cycle; A Monster Coming of Age by G D Falksen

Synopsis

How far would you go to avenge the one you love? Would you go beyond death? Born into the stifling confines of French upper society, Babette Varanus never thought that she would have to answer that question. Surrounded by wealth yet ostracized by her peers, Babette had little interest in love until she met Korbinian, a scandalous German baron with the audacity to regard her as his equal. But when the intrigues of her grandfather's enemies conspire to tear them apart, Varanus will embark upon a journey of vengeance, love, and redemption that will take her beyond the limitations of mortality and reveal to her the dark forces that command humanity from the shadows. Faced with madness, murder, hidden cults, and erudite vampires, does she have the strength to withstand the storm that rises against her?

Review

The story revolves around Babette, a young lady born into a privileged family in France she finds life in the upper class society stifling and her peers ostracize her, leading to her live a solitary life, which she doesn’t mind at all. At one of her grandfather’s balls she meets Korbinian a German Baron whom she falls madly in love with, whilst unbeknown to her, her grandfather is battling with enemies who conspire to make Babette marry an overbearing son of a Count. As Babette and Korbinian’s love flourishes the enemies conspire against Korbinian who manages to stay alive until Christmas Eve.

Babette initially comes across as a young lady only interested in learning, reading etc. and would be quite happy becoming a spinster with her books to keep her company, unfortunately her father and others have no intention of letting this happen. As the story continues Babette’s character develops and she is surprisingly strong willed and determined young lady. She is so not a woman of her times, but more an emancipated woman of the 20th century, she hates gossiping about the latest fashion, preferring a more intellectual conversation. Her love for Korbinian runs deep and it was so sad when he died, but the way the author turned him into a lovelorn ghost who forever stays with Babette is inspired and really adds humour to the tale.

The historical background to the book is well written, I was a bit concerned about its historical nature at the beginning as I’m not really into historical tails, but in this case it really adds depth, interest and intrigue to the book. The way women were treated as chattels or objects to be owned and how they were repressed when it came to education further than a tutor, all adds to the depth of the books background. The book has a mix of humour, adventure and sadness which gives a multidimensional feel.

The twist regarding the vampire element in the book was great, it made such a change from the bloodlust in a lot of books. One thing I have found really different NO VAMPIRE SEX nor loads and loads of erotic scenes which make for a very good change from the usual vampire books. Vampirism along with the other supernatural element are more in the background of the book and not a main element, allowing for a lot of character building and setting the scene of life in the 18th century. The author also lays lots of little nuggets of information for the reader which I hope will be developed in the next books.

Finally I can’t leave the review without mentioning the art work at the beginning of each chapter and the front cover done by Fyodor Pavlov & Lawrence Gullo. What can I say other than I loved it, and the way it depicts part of the story within the chapter is inspired, it also has a feel of Steam Punk which I adore. Overall a well written book, which would be an ideal book to give a gentle introduction into the genre of fantasy and super natural. I would definitely recommend adding it to your list of books to read. If you prefer books full of horror, blood thirsty vampires and hot vampire sex, then this may not be the book for you, although this book was a first for me away from the typical books I read, this wasstill a great book to read

I rate this book