Review: Bloodline - Kate Cary

Slowly he drew away, letting his hands trace lightly along my throat.  He shuddered.  Then taking hold of my trembling fingers, he whispered, 'You surely are the sweetest soul . . .'

When Mary's childhood sweetheart returns from the war, she barely recognises the boy she fell in love with.  John is tormented by nightmares - not only the horrors of battle, but the grisly midnight exploits of his captain, Quincey Harker.

So when Harker appears in England, Mary is determined to resist his sinister charm.  But Harker's gaze rests on another party - a bride to restore Count Dracula's poisonous bloodline.

As nightmare becomes reality, Mary soon discovers that the Dynasty of Dracula reaches further than she can possibly imagine.

Bloodline Series:
Bloodline
Reckoning

Visit Kate Cary's website for more information

Review:
Mary is working as a nurse in a sanatorium when she recognises one of her patients as a boy she knew as a child.  John was injured during the war and has been sent home to recover but he is struggling with nightmares of his time in the trenches.  Mary wants to find a way to get through to John so she reads his journal to find out what happened to him, the more she learns about Captain Quincy Harker the more sure she is that something strange was going on.  When Harker turns up at the hospital and sets his sights on John's sister Lily it is up to Mary to try and protect her friend and figure out what the captain is really up to.

I'll admit now it's been years since I read Dracula by Bram Stoker but I was looking forward to reading Kate Cary's sequel Bloodline.  I love reading stories based on old classics and Bloodline wasn't a disappointment.  The story is told using journal entries and letters from each of the 4 main characters which was a great way to see the story from different angles and allowed the author to build suspense.  I actually found it really hard to put down because I'd keep thinking to myself "just one more journal entry" and then I'll go to bed!

I really liked Mary, she was probably the most well rounded out of all of the characters and she was very strong and determined.  It soon becomes obvious how much she cares for John and she is worried for his sister Lily.  I didn't like Lily much, she was very weak and needed constant reassurance from those around her but I was impressed with her when she finally found her backbone towards the end of the book.  John was quite sweet but he really annoyed me with some of his actions (I can't really say more without giving spoilers though).  Harker intrigued me and I'm very curious to see what happens with him in the sequel, there is definitely more to him than it first appears.

I really enjoyed reading John's accounts of life in the trenches, the writing was descriptive and made it easy to picture the sights, sounds and even smells that the soldiers were surrounded by.  This was continued throughout the story and helped me create solid mental pictures as the characters journeyed to Transylvania and arrived at the castle.  There was a great twist at the end that I hadn't seen coming but this is where I became more than a bit disappointed with John, perhaps we will see him redeem himself in the sequel Reckoning but I'm not sure if he can!  Either way I'm definitely looking forward to picking up the next book to find out what happens next, I'm also very tempted to dig out my copy of Dracula for a reread in the meantime.

Source: Received from Egmont in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Dragon Blues - Edie Ramer

Once a dragon…

Saxophone player Noah Long shifted from dragon to human 2500 years ago, but the dragon blood still coursing through his veins has kept him healthy and virile. Now his secret is out, and the man who discovered it will do anything to make Noah’s blood his own. Noah’s only ally is martial arts expert Lila Fox, who heats up the fire in his belly…and his heart.

Twice a killer…

Lila Fox’s first kill was at age sixteen after her stepfather put her mother in a wheelchair. Fourteen years later, she kills another abuser to save a woman’s life. When the man who wants Noah’s blood kills her sister, she can’t let the death go unanswered. She teams up with the strangely compelling Noah, and discovers he’s not all man and has a few tricks of his own.

Visit Edie Ramer's website for more information.
 
Cattitude can be purchased from Smashwords and is also available in the Kindle store from Amazon.
 
Review:
Noah may be a dragon but he has lived as a human for the last 2,500 years since he changed form for a woman he loved.  Now he lives for his music and for his treasures but his heart has never quite recovered from the reaction his first love had when she discovered what he was.  He thought his identity was a well kept secret but it appears that someone has figured out what he is and they are prepared to go to any length to find a way to use him to gain immortal life.  Lila is a strong woman and a martial arts expert who has an intense need to protect those around her.  She has a troubled past and a difficult relationship with the sister who she loves but has been unable to save from a drug addiction and violent boyfriend.  When the person who is after Noah kills Lila's sister she is determined to get revenge but she is going to need Noah's help to draw him out so she can go after him.  Can she bring herself to trust Noah in time to go after their enemy?

I enjoyed Edie Ramer's previous story Cattitude and love dragons so was looking forward to reading Dragon Blues and it didn't disappoint.  I loved her characterisation of Noah and even in his human form you could tell he was still a dragon underneath.  His obsession with his treasure was hilarious and I would love to get a look at his collection!  He isn't just a dragon though, he is also a sexy man but one who has suffered in past relationships and is wary of love.  Noah is intensely lonely though and when Lila catches his eye he doesn't hesitate to go after what he wants despite his fears which is something I really liked about him.

Lila struggles against the idea of trusting Noah, her past has shown her that even the people closest to her can't be relied upon so she has always kept to herself.  Despite feeling drawn to Noah she is wary of him and worried about giving in to her feelings.  She was a great character though, very strong and so protective of those that she cares about.  Lila didn't think twice about putting herself in harms way even for the chance of saving a stranger.

I really enjoyed the action in the story and Edie Ramer certainly knows how to create a great bad guy.  One of the things that sometimes annoys me is when there is no real motive for the bad guy's behaviour but in this case it is explained very well and understandable even if you don't agree with what he is doing.  With some sexy love scenes between Noah and Lila and a fast paced story line Dragon Blues is a great story and one I would recommend to paranormal romance fans.  I'm looking forward to seeing what the author comes up with next!

Source: Received for review from author Edie Ramer in exchange for an honest review.

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London Book Fair - 11th & 12th April 2011

Back in April I spent 2 days in London with the lovely Kirsty (from The Overflowing Library) so that we could visit The London Book Fair.  When Kirsty first mentioned the idea of going I was put off by the ticket prices but we both managed to get free press passes (How cool is that!  I would never in a million years of thought that they would give those out to bloggers!) so I couldn't resist going.  Kirsty had got us invites to a couple of publisher events so we decided to stay overnight in a hotel and go to the Book Fair on two days.  I've never actually stayed in London before so it was quite a fun experience.

Kirsty & I met up at about lunch time on the Monday and made our way straight to Earls Court to have a look around the stands.  I have to admit I was quite intimidated when I saw the number of people and the number of different publishers who were there - I've never been anywhere like it!  I didn't think to take pictures as we were walking around but this one shows from the LBF website shows just part of the conference, it really was massive.

We decided to just make our way up and down the aisles and stop whenever we saw a publisher we wanted to chat to but we still ended up getting confused and I'm sure we missed some.  It was great to see all of the different displays though and we got to introduce ourselves to quite a few publishers, it was a shame we didn't spot any of the publicists we already knew though. 

Paula Rawsthorne

That afternoon we had been invited by Usborne to the launch of The Truth About Celia Frost by debut author Paula Rawsthorne.  The book doesn't come out in the UK until July but it sounds amazing and I was very excited that we were able to get our hands on a proof copy.  We got to meet Paula and she was absolutely lovely, she spent time chatting to us all and we were able to get our books signed.  It was really great to meet her and the staff from Usborne who I've chatted to on Twitter for ages.  We also go to meet Casey from Dark Readers - it's always lovely to meet another blogger.

Here are some of the pictures I took at the event:

After the Usborne event Kirsty and I were both feeling quite tired so we decided to head back to our hotel and rest.  We did manage to sneak in a trip to Foyles on the way though (how could we resist!).  The hotel was a Travelodge so it was quite basic (& cheap which was why we booked it!) but our room was nice enough and they had food so we didn't need to go back out again (my feet were ready to fall off by that point - I had not picked the most sensible shoes to wear lol).  It was great to spend the evening chatting and we were both quite excited about the few books we'd managed to pick up.  I was given copies of Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly thanks to Bloomsbury, Dreaming Anastasia by Joy Preble from Sourcebooks and of course The Truth about Celia Frost by Paula Rawsthorne from Usborne.

The following morning we were up nice and early ready to head back to LBF.  We had been invited to meet up with Non and Pip from Catnip & Bounce publishers and were joined there by Becky (The Bookette) and Essjay (My Favourite Books).  Non had brought some lovely homemade cakes for us to nibble on along with a flask of tea, the second picture in the slide show below shows the look on her face when she first tasted the tea - I think you can tell she wasn't impressed but I actually thought it was quite nice!

Non and Pip were both very excited to tell us about a couple of their new releases debut Clash by Colin Mulhern and The Deeping Secrets by Victor Watson.  They both sound fantastic and we were very lucky to be given copies, I'm looking forward to reading them.  We chatted a bit about possible upcoming trends in YA fiction.  I still love anything paranormal - I don't think I'll ever get bored of that lol but Becky had some great ideas for crime fiction books that she would like to see.  It's hard to guess what trends will come next but it will be interesting to see what happens.  We were given some super exciting news but at the moment it is still top secret so I'm afraid I can't say any more yet.  It was lovely chatting to everyone and while we were there we spotted Phillip Pullman at a nearby table - very exciting but unfortunately I wasn't brave enough to go over and say hi.

Kirsty and I had to head home after the event with Catnip so we didn't miss our trains home but we had a fantastic couple of days & I'd like to say a massive thanks to everyone at Usborne and Catnip for a great couple of events.  Thanks also to Kirsty because I wouldn't have even thought about going to LBF if she hadn't suggested it!

Who was there:

Amy, Sally & Rebecca - Usborne

Paula Rawsthorne - website

Non & Pip - Catnip & Bounce

Becky - The Bookette

Casey - Dark Readers

Essjay - My Favourite Books

Kirsty - The Overflowing Library

Review: The Hitchhiker Part 1: On The Run - Kathleen Dienne

Stevie Baines is on the run. She left behind the tiny town of Huck Gully, her dead end job, and her vindictive ex. With no money and no resources beyond her own strength, it’s hard to imagine she’ll survive for long on the road.

Her friend and lover, Barry, is only trying to help when he introduces her to the alien Grath, whose body is miles away – and whose thoughts are in the head of whoever holds an otherworldly device. That device can cure, heal, protect, and even grant wishes. That kind of power can also make enemies.

Now she’s running from more than ever, but she’s finally on her way.

The Hitchhiker is a new serialised novel from author Kathleen Dienne.  She will be releasing a new installment each month with the second part due to become available in June.

Visit Kathleen Dienne's website for more information

Review:
I was really intrigued by the idea of a serialised novel where you can download a bit more of the story every month.  Apart from the fact that I'm impatient and already want to know what happens next I really like the idea of having short installments that can be easily read when you don't have much time to spare. 

On the Run is part one of the novel and although it is short it was able to catch my attention and hook me enough to want to continue reading the rest of the story.  Main character Stevie is on the run and although we are given a hint at who or what she is running from we don't know the full history and that is something I'm curious to find out about.  Her friend Barry is a truck driver who is helping her get away from her home town but he gives her a gift that is sure to prove very interesting as the story continues.  I don't think Barry is going to be a major character in the novel and he is less well developed than Stevie but I'm very curious to find out more about Grath.  It will be interesting to see how these characters change over the couse of the series and where Stevie's travels take her.

It's hard to say too much more without giving spoilers but I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next and would say it is well worth giving this a try if you're a fan of erotic science fiction and want something that you can easily fit in during your lunch break.

Source: Received from author Kathleen Dienne in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Wintercraft - Jenna Burtenshaw

When Kate Winters' uncle is taken by the wardens of war-torn Albion, just as her parents were ten years earlier, she is determined to rescue him.

But Kate is being hunted by a far more dangerous enemy.  Silas Dane - a killer with a haunted past - has recognised Kate as one of the Skilled who have the rare ability to see through the veil between life and death.  He's determined that she'll help end his own personal nightmare; unfortunately, he isn't the only one with plans for her . . .

As the Night of Souls approaches, a secret hidden deep beneath a graveyard city holds the key to the fate of Kate, those she loves and Albion itself . . . the lost book of Wintercraft.

Wintercraft Series:
Wintercraft
Blackwatch
Legacy (2012)

Visit the Wintercraft website for more information

Review:
Since her parents were taken by the wardens 10 years ago Kate has lived with her uncle helping him run their family bookstore in a remote town in Albion.  Their quiet life is shattered when the wardens return to the town to round up more men for the countries army.  But it isn't just soldiers the wardens are looking for and Silas, the most terrifying warden of all, is specifically searching for Kate as he believes she has an ability that will help him.  When her uncle is captured Kate and her friend Edgar are determined to find a way to free him but with Silas and another unknown enemy searching for her can Kate avoid capture herself?

I've had Wintercraft on my to read pile for ages now so I'm not sure why it took me so long to pick it up, now I only wish I'd read it sooner.  This is a quick and easy to read dark fantasy story that had me gripped from the first page and I'm looking forward to reading the sequel.  Jenna Burtenshaw has created a scary but interesting world that I will enjoy revisiting in the future.

Kate was a likable main character who is brave and caring, she will do anything to help her family and keep her uncle safe.  Throughout the story she discovers that she is one of the Skilled - she can walk through the veil to the land of the dead.  I did find she learnt about her ability a little too quickly and easily but I can forgive that because it was so interesting to see what she was capable of doing.  The scenes where she steps through the veil reminded me of Garth Nix's Abhorsen series and if you're a fan of those books I'm sure you will enjoy Wintercraft.

My favourite character by far was Silas, at the beginning of the story he was someone it was easy to hate - he seemed truly evil and leaves a string of dead bodies in his wake as he travels across the country.  By the end of the book though it is a lot harder to decide if he is really evil or just a product of his circumstances, he was a complex character and I loved trying to figure him out.  I'll leave you to decide for yourselves what you think of him but whether you peg him as good or evil I'm sure he will intrigue you!  I really hope we get to see a lot more of him as the series progresses.

Jenna Burtenshaw is definitely an author to watch out for and I have high hopes for the rest of the series.  If you're a fan of dark fantasy it is well worth checking out the series and I'm looking forward to seeing what comes next!

Source: Received from Headline in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Fantasy Lover - Sherrilyn Kenyon

It might sound like a man's favourite fantasy - to live forever, destined to be the lover of thousands of women.  But for Julian of Macedon, it's a nightmare.  Once he was a proud Spartan general; now he's a love-slave, his essence magically held captive in a book, cursed to spend all eternity pleasing women.  Then, one day, Grace Alexander summons Julian to fulfill her passionate dreams - and sees beyond the fantasy to the man himself.

Long years as a sex therapist, listening to other people's bedroom problems, have taken a lot of the fun out of the physical side of love for Grace.  But with or without sex, the rules of the enchantment cannot be changed - Julian is hers for the next month.  And, as their time together slips by, Julian and Grace find more to share than sympathy and conversation and they begin to wonder if love might be within their grasp.  That leaves only one question.  Is love enough to break a 2,000-year-old curse?

The Dark-Hunters Series:
The Beginning (Short Story)
Fantasy Lover
Dragonswan (Novella) (Were-Hunter 0.5)
Night Pleasures
Night Embrace
Dance with the Devil
Kiss of the Night
Night Play (Were-Hunter 1)
Seize the Night
Sins of the Night
Unleash the Night (Were-Hunter 2)
Dark Side of the Moon (Were-Hunter 3)
The Dream-Hunter (Dream-Hunter 1)
Fear the Darkness (Short Story)
Devil May Cry
Upon the Midnight Clear (Dream-Hunter 2)
Dream Chaser (Dream-Hunter 3)
Acheron
One Silent Night
Dream Warrior (Dream-Hunter 4)
Bad Moon Rising (Hellchaser 1, Were-Hunter 4)
Dark-Hunter: An Insider's Guide (Hellchaser 2)
No Mercy (Were-Hunter 5)
Retribution
The Guardian (Dream-Hunter 5, Were-Hunter 6, Hellchaser 3)
Time Untime (Were-Hunter 7, Hellchaser 4)
Styxx
Dark Bites (Short Story Anthology)
Son of No One (Were-Hunter 8, Hellchaser 5)
Dragonbane (Were-Hunter 9, Hellchaser 6)
Dragonmark (2016)

Chronicles of Nick Series:
(This is a YA spin off from Sherrilyn Kenyon's adult Dark-Hunters series)
Infinity
Invincible
Infamous
Inferno
Illusion
Instinct
Invasion (2016)
Intensity (2017)

Visit Sherrilyn Kenyon's website for more information

Review:
Julian has spent the last 2,000 years trapped inside a book suffering from endless loneliness and torment.  The only time he is free is when a woman summons him but even then he becomes an unwilling slave for a month - the conditions of his curse ensuring that he must do whatever is requested of him by the person who called him.  Grace is a sex therapist and listening to other people's problems, along with her own disastrous relationship history, has put her off men.  When her friend gives her a book and promises her a month of passion if she follows the ritual inside she thinks it's a joke but fueled by alcohol she decides she has nothing to lose.  She couldn't be more shocked when Julian appears naked in her front room but she has never been interested in a casual relationship.  Julian is surprised to find he has been summoned by someone who doesn't seem to want him just for his body, as they get to know each other better they both start to develop feelings but can they find a way to break the curse before Julian's month is up?

I've heard people raving about the Dark Hunters series for a long time now, in fact I bought the first 4 books in the series about 2 years ago but still hadn't got around to giving them a try.  Now I'm kicking myself for not picking this up sooner!  If Fantasy Lover is any indication this is going to be a series I love and I can't wait to get started on the next book.  I have to admit from the description I was expecting the story to be nothing but a sex fest (which would have been fine as I do love some well written smut occasionally) so I was pleasantly surprised to find that there was much more to the story.  Don't worry if you're a smut lover though - there was enough of that to keep me happy too. 

I really liked both of the main characters, Grace has been hurt in the past and hates the idea of just using Julian for his body and then letting him be sucked back into the book to wait for the next woman to call on him.  Julian has suffered endlessly since he was cursed, alternating between loneliness inside the book and being used by women who are only interested in sex when he called on.  Even before the curse he didn't have the best track record with love so he has become disillusioned about romance and never expected to meet someone like Grace.  Seeing what life could be like with her he feels hope for the first time but is there any way that they can be together?  The two of them make a great couple and I enjoyed watching their feelings develop throughout the book.

I loved the smattering of Greek mythology and hope to see more of that in the rest of the series.  I can't wait to actually get to know the Dark Hunters now - although this novel is in the Dark Hunter series we haven't actually met any of them yet.  If you're a paranormal romance fan and haven't started this series yet I'd definitely recommend giving it a try.  I'm sure Sherrilyn Kenyon is soon going to join my list of favorite authors!

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Flip - Martyn Bedford

One morning 14-year-old Alex wakes up to find himself in the wrong bedroom, in an unfamiliar house, in a different part of the country. Six months have disappeared overnight. The family at the breakfast table are total strangers.

And when he looks in the mirror, another boy’s face stares back. A boy named Flip.

With no idea what has happened, or how to switch back again, or who “he” is anymore, Alex finds himself in a deadly race against time to save himself from being trapped forever in the wrong life.

Visit Martyn Bedford's website for more information

Review:
When Alex wakes up one morning in a strange bed in a strange house with people he's never met before he is understandably confused.  He's sure there has been some kind of mix up that will be quickly resolved but that changes when he gets his first look in a mirror and doesn't recognise the person he sees.  How did he end up in someone else's body?  Can he get anyone to believe that he isn't who they think he is and more importantly can he find a way to get back to his own body?

I've watched quite a few body swap films over the years but I've never read a book about it so I was quite excited to read Flip and found the story really interesting.  Most of the body swap films I've seen have involved people swapping bodies with someone that they know so it was really intriguing that Alex found himself in the body of someone he had never met before and surrounded by people he doesn't know.  Alex's reactions were so realistic and the author has obviously put a great deal of thought into the issues that he would face which made for fascinating reading. 

Alex is a great character and I enjoyed his interactions with Flip's family and friends.  The characters were all well fleshed out and a particular favorite of mine was Rob but I can't say too much about him without giving spoilers.  The story is fast paced and the reasons for the swap were great, it was done in a different way to any I've seen before but again I'm not going to give any hints so you'll have to read the book to find out more.  I'd definitely recommend Flip if you're looking for something a bit different and I'm looking forward to seeing what Martyn Bedford comes up with in the future.

Source: Received from Walker in exchange for an honest review

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