Hounded (Iron Druid Chronicles #1) by Kevin Hearne

I first heard about this book through a friend of mine. He isn't a huge reader so for a book to really pique his interest I knew it had to be something different. He got me the first three for my reader and told me that I had to read them, especially since now they were gift. With a laugh I opened the book and that was it, I was just as hooked. 

The story begins with Atticus, the 2100 year old druid, who is hiding out in Arizona so the Fey can't find him and either harass him or attempt to kill him. I guess in that amount of time you are definitely going to make a few enemies. His ever constant companion is his dog Oberon. Atticus has awakened Oberon's mind so that he understands English and they can communicate mind to mind. ( Even if you don't normally like urban fantasy settings you should pick up this novel just for Oberon!) Atticus is just trying to live his life and enjoy the small things, like working with the happiest goth kid ever. Atticus' life is interrupted when the fey finally figure out where he is hiding and remember that he has something that they want. 

The rest of the book is filled with action, smexy gods and goddess', hindu witches, werewolf lawyers, and the random vampire, almost normal barmaids and of course delicious fish and chips! The action flows smoothly and is well described without taking over the whole book. The dialogue is witty and interesting to read. There are several side characters that are super interesting and you can't wait to find out more about them in later books. For Kevin Hearne's first novel this is well written and entertaining from beginning to end. 

The Pygmalion Complex by Elaine Gordon

The Pygmalion Complex is Elaine Gordon's newest novel. When most people hear Pygmalion they think of My Fair Lady but this novel is much more modern and steamy then that classic could hope to be, hopefully soon this edition will be the new classic.

Romana Randall starts off as a naive married woman brought up in the lap of luxury and soon realizes that the life that she idolizes isn't the life she is really living. Forced to make hard decisions for her and her two children she tries to reassemble her life after divorce. Moving far from everything she has known in the attempt to make a new life she meets the dynamic Kent Cunningham who quickly shows her everything that she has been missing out on. Quickly torn between family expectations and the woman of passion that Kent is showing her that she can be Romana most choose who she is going to try and make happy, her family, Kent or most importantly herself.

I found this novel a really interesting idea. The characters each have their own paths to walk and some really hard decisions to face. Each of the obstacles comes from a different view point and I think it could appeal to so many people from different walks of life. I think it really does show that at the end of the day you need to make yourself happy and strive to achieve something for yourself rather then worry about what other people may think.

Elaine Gordon is great at evoking moods and places with her words which I found great. I loved the way she described both New York on a Sunday in the Park as well as the glittering lights of Paris. Mrs. Gordon's characters are believable and entertaining to read about.

The book was a good quick read, when I was done I was a little disappointed that it was finished so quickly actually. So if you are looking for something a little different but something that has a hint of steamy innocence to it then this would definitely be something that you should pick up!

Absence!

Hello to all my readers,

       Yes I know there aren't many of you yet but for you loyal readers I am so sorry for my absence over the past few months. With helping to manage a hotel out in the boonies to moving once again (yes again! I swear if I never move again it will be too soon!) and moving back home to Toronto on top of everything else. But I am back and I have read some great books over the past few months and I can't wait to share them with everyone! 

     Remember if you have any suggestions I would love to hear them and check out any books that you guys recommend as well!

Always, 

     Me!

Look for reviews for these titles coming soon!

Iron Druid series 1-4
Secret Shapeshifter
Poison Princess
Discovery of Witches

And Pygmalion Complex as a blog stop tour for this wonderful new book!

Eyes of Fire by Heather Graham

Eyes of Fire by Heather Graham is a suspenseful romance. The action moves quickly and has some twists thrown in which is always nice though it was fairly predictable. Heather Graham has a great writing style though with believable characters and a good story line.

The female protagonist is Samantha Carlyle who is beautiful and spunky. She lives on a secluded island renowned for it's diving and the intrigue of being inside the Devil's Triangle (The Bermuda Triangle). She is surprised when a man from her past Adam O'Conner shows up on the island. The antagonism between the two isn't fully explained at first which is a little frustrating but eventually the author explains what happened between these two in the past. Over the course of a week you see the sparks begin to flare again if they could only get past all their anger.

Mean while there is the intrigue about a ship wreck that lies close to the island possibly. Samantha has already lost two important men in her life to this ship wreck and she wants nothing more to do with it though someone else has a different idea entirely. Several people on the island have been lying about who they are and what they really want from Samantha besides diving lessons.

It's a great light read if you aren't really wanting to think too much! Great light reading and intriguing if you like ship wrecks and some of the history of the ship wrecks through out the Bermuda Triangle.

The Servants of Twilight by Dean Koontz

This is a fast paced horror novel by Dean Koontz who is a master story teller.

Imagine that you and your child are leaving the mall when you are accosted by an old lady dressed all in green. She starts asking you if you know what your little boy is. She then starts telling you that your child is the anti christ and needs to die. Screaming and attacking you as you attempt to flee into your car. That is how the novel begins and keeps up the fast paced action.

A great heroine in Christine Scavello who defends her son with everything she has, giving up everything in her life to keep him safe. Charlie Harrison is the epitome of the hero as he sacrifices so much after Christine hires the private investigator to find out what's going on and keep her son safe.

There are small hints all through out the book that the old lady may not be totally crazy but the little boy Joey is just so adorable. The book definitely leaves you wondering exactly what's up with Joey all the way up to the end and beyond! I am actually hoping for a sequel to this novel about 10 to 15 years in the future. If Joey is the anti christ I want to know for sure!

If you like a good fast paced horror novel that makes you wonder about the war between God and the Devil that definitely pick this up and give it a read!

Dracula the Undead by Dacre Stoker and Ian Holt

The first thing about this book was the fact that it is a sequel written by an actual Stoker which I think is great! It is a blend of the older story that continues into a new generation with all the old characters making appearances. It makes a great effort to close up the holes from the first novel while still making Dracula a character that fills you full of anger, lust (if you're that kind of girl) and sadness.

One of the things that I want to mention that the book brings up at the end is the fact that Stoker never owned the rights to his own novel in the States and that is why so many of the movies that have been made here have been so .... well so shitty. The family has also never seen a dime from any of the movies or plays made or produced in the U.S. which I think is a shame. If people had to follow the story more closely we would be able to get so many more decent productions going! Of course I could feel this way since I have had a small love affair with the idea of the vampire since I was about 11.

The original Dracula is and hopefully always will be a classic. It was decadent and brought to life a story that most of us had never even dreamed of except in our nightmares. Though Bram Stoker never saw success in his life time the images from his novel have fueled peoples imaginations for generations to come. And Dracula is a great novel with lavish scenes and a villain both cruel and heartrending there were definitely things that we felt were left out. Especially at the end when he just faded to mist. That's where the second novel comes into play.

Dracula has survived but he is not the horrible creature that everyone thought. I mean he is still Dracula, harsh and cruel but you see more of the passionate man underneath the creature of the night. They introduce a new villain Countess Elizabeth Bathory. I adore this since I have been fascinated with the idea of the Blood Countess for years!

Mina and Harker have a child at this time and he is in his twenties. He ends up leaving law school to become an actor and finds the play that Bram Stoker has written and is trying to get produced. The premise is that the original story was created from certain details that were told to Bram Stoker in a pub by a drunk old man. Quincy is surprised and soon horrified to learn of the adventure his parents went through.

The action is quick paced and the characters are in depth. You can see how the characters have fought with the demons over the years as they look back at what had happened with Dracula. Dracula speaks more fully about being Vlad Tepes from Romania and the things he had to do to ensure a strong country. All in all I really enjoyed the novel and thought the love story between Mina and Dracula even better! I would definitely suggest picking this novel up if you can find it.

Immortal Sins by Amanda Ashley

So who doesn't love some paranormal romance? This book is filled with vampires, warlocks and evil curses. What could be better? Well at least for me there could be some better plot and not a rushed through ending. The book had a great premise with a good headstart on a heroine and hero. She was willowy and virginal and he was stuck in a painting, vampy and smexy. No vampire can resist a virgin!

The hero, Jason Rourke, had been cursed to stay in a painting since he had seduced a warlocks virginal daughter. Of course the virginal daughter wanted it and she too had been locked in a painting when daddy found out. This really intrigued me, I love a warlock who will just throw everyone in a painting for pissing him off.

The heroine, Karinna Adams, becomes entranced with the moving figure in the painting and wishes he was real after certain messages appear on the painting for her. Thus begins their love affair. Karinna is intrigued by Jason but turned off by the fact that he is a vampire and has to live on blood. They do have an adventure together when they travel to Romania to save the Warlock's daughter Ana Luisa, whom Jason feels responsible for.

This is where I feel the author could have done so much more, Ana is in love with Jason and is upset for only a chapter that Jason is falling for Karinna since she finds another vampire and falls for him in a night. Within another few chapters she is a vampire and going to spend eternity with this other vampire. Where as Karinna is still disgusted by the fact that Jason is a vampire. They barely touch on how this affects Jason or the fact that Karinna won't sleep with him and constantly pulls away from him because of what he is.

Ok if you don't want spoilers about the ending of the novel then stop reading now! I am sorry.

The main bad guy is only part of the novel for the last 10 chapters or so and he kind of dies like a punk between the three vampires. Of course this is after he has trapped Karinna in a painting. Killing him doesn't break the spell and Karinna is still trapped. Jason is able to use his abilities to reach her and speak with her. He offers to turn her in the hopes that it will set her free. She adamantly refuses and tells him to destroy the painting. He makes her anyway.

The part that frustrated me so much was that she forgives him so easily because he loved her. I mean I wanted them together but there is just never the depth of emotion or intimacy in this novel that I would have liked.

So in all, a vaguely amusing read but not great nor meaningful.