Challenge Review: Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs

Title: Iron Kissed
Series: Mercy Thompson #3
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Urban Fantasy Fiction
Elements: Werewolves, Fae, Shapeshifters, Ghosts
Publisher: Ace Books, Penguin Group
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 287 Pages
ISBN: 978-0-441-01566-5
Release Date: January 2, 2008 
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: I could smell her fear, and it satisfied something deep inside me that had been writhing under her cool, superior gaze. I curled me upper lip so she could get a good look as my sharp teeth. I might only weigh thirty or so pounds in my coyote shape, but I was a predator...

Mechanic Mercy Thompson can shift her shape--but not her loyalty. When her former boss and mentor is arrested for murder and left to rot behind bars by his own kind, it's up to Mercy to clear his name, whether he wants her to or not.

Mercy's loyalty is under pressure from other directions, too. Werewolves are not known for their patience, and if Mercy can't decide between the two she cares for, Sam and Adam may make the choice for her...

Review:

In Iron Kissed, Uncle Mike and Zee call in the debt Mercy owes them for borrowing fae objects to kill two vampires. Someone has been murdering fae on the reservation, and with Mercy's nose she may be able to sniff out who did it. BFA agent O'Donnell was present in each of the victim's homes, but when Uncle Mike and Zee pay the guard a little visit, they find him dead in his home. Now Zee is being framed for the murder of O'Donnell. Mercy, great and loyal friend that she is, will not let Zee go down for something he didn't do. At least not without a fight.

Mercy couldn't have gotten herself in a more dangerous situation than sticking her nose (literally) into fae business. Though she was asked to help, she has gained the attention of some very powerful fae, ones who aren't very happy with her knowing their secrets.

First, there is the Great Carrion Crow, who goes by the name Nemane, who also happens to be blind. She finds Mercy sniffing around O'Donnell's place and having possession of one of their treasures. Then there is The Fideal, who catches Mercy sniffing around the local Citizens for a Bright Future chapter. He decides that since he hasn't had a good meal in a while, Mercy will make a great snack. It's amazing that Mercy is still alive considering how much trouble that nose of hers gets her into.

The treasure that I mentioned Mercy being in possession of is a walking stick that is supposed to cause its owner's sheep to bear twins. For some reason the walking stick has grown attached to Mercy and will show up wherever she is. I thought it important to mention the walking stick because it appears in future books and sometimes plays a key role in saving Mercy's life.

We learn about a couple anti-fae groups in Iron Kissed. The first is the one O'Donnell was a member of, Citizens for a Bright Future. This anti-fae group is more for the common, blue-collar person. Whereas the John Lauren Society, which is the largest anti-fae group, is geared toward those of the high class variety. Coincidentally, the lawyer Mercy hired to represent Zee is a member of this group.

Another cool thing that is revealed to us is what Zee really looks like beneath his glamour. By my mental image, he looks pretty awesome!

The side story in Iron Kissed centers around Mercy's indecision concerning Adam and Samuel. Warren warns her that she needs to choose one or neither of them before one of them loses control. They both have been in pretty good control of themselves, but Adam is more restless and his temper more volatile.

We learn the reason for this lies in Adam's mate claim being unfulfilled. When Adam claimed Mercy, a spot was opened for her in the pack, and that opening (which has not been filled) is a weakness within the pack. Adam is absorbing the effects and that leaves him constantly on edge. So there is a lot more to Adam's claim than Mercy thought, so she needs to really think about her choice.

Ben was a character that I had a love-hate relationship with. But when Ben had a one-on-one talk with Adam it really made it easier to understand him. His hatred of women and his feelings about the rape he was accused of really make sense after this. Ben even seems to soften toward Mercy after this point. Ben is probably one of my favorite characters in thise series now.

Mercy shows great strength in the face of a terrible circumstance. But it will take time for her to heal completely and I can't wait to see how she grows after this point.

About this Author:

Patricia Briggs was born in Butte, Montana to a children’s librarian who passed on to her kids a love of reading and books. Patricia grew up reading fairy tales and books about horses, and later developed an interest in folklore and history. When she decided to write a book of her own, a fantasy book seemed a natural choice. Patricia graduated from Montana State University with degrees in history and German and she worked for a while as a substitute teacher. Currently, she lives in Montana with her husband, children and six horses and writes full-time, much to the delight of her fans.

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Tour Review: Shadow Sight by E.J. Stevens (Giveaway)

Title: Shadow Sight
Series: Ivy Granger #1
Author: E.J. Stevens
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Urban Fantasy Fiction
Elements: Psychic Abilities, Demons, Witches, Fae, Unicorns
Publisher: Sacred Oaks Press
Format: ARC, 145 Pages
ISBN: 9780984247585
Release Date: July 24, 2012
Source: Author {E.J. Stevens}
Rating:

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Some things are best left unseen...

Ivy Granger's second sight is finally giving her life purpose. Ivy and her best friend Jinx may not be raking in the dough, but their psychic detective agency pays the bills--most of the time. Their only worry is the boredom of a slow day and the occasional crazy client--until a demon walks through their door.

Demons are never a good sign...

A demon attorney representing the water fae? Stranger things have happened. And things are about to get very, very strange as a bloodthirsty nightmare hunts the city of Harborsmouth.

There's blood in the water...

Kelpies have a reputation for eating humans. Unfortunately, Kelpies are the clients. When an Unseelie faerie this evil stalks the waterways of your city, you have to make hard choices.

The lesser of two evils...

Review:

REVIEW WILL BE POSTED LATER TODAY. SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE.

Chapter 2: Excerpt

     I sniffed the air and smelled a whiff of sulfur.  Oh, Mab’s bloody bones!  My hand snagged a crucifix off the desk and I started muttering the Lord’s Prayer.  I may not follow any particular faith, but Kaye had taught me a trick or two.  Ten to one odds my client wasn’t bothered by today’s intense heat.
     Color me pixed—the guy sitting on the other side of my desk was a demon.  My hand, the one holding the crucifix in a white-knuckled grip, was starting to shake.
     “You seem to have some inkling as to my lineage, however I am not here for myself,” he said.  “Hell has no interest in you…yet.  I represent a client, someone very powerful who requires your special services.”
     “You’re telling me that you’re some other dude’s lackey?” I asked.  My hand steadied as I held the crucifix out before me.
     “Attorney,” he said, shooting me a narrow eyed glare.
     “Lower than a lackey then,” I said.
     I was playing with fire, or brimstone.  I should order the demon to leave, but there was something intriguing about his story.  I couldn’t help becoming curious.  Someone had made a deal with a devil, literally, to gain my services.  I wasn’t sure if I should be flattered or die of fright.
     At least I knew my instincts were good—this was definitely going to be a long day and this really was a client from Hell. 

About this Author:  

E.J. Stevens writes poetry, urban fantasy, and young adult paranormal novels. E.J. is the author of the haunting collection of dark poetry FROM THE SHADOWS, the chilling collection of paranormal poetry SHADOWS OF MYTH AND LEGEND, the young adult paranormal SPIRIT GUIDE series (SHE SMELLS THE DEAD, SPIRIT STORM, and LEGEND OF WITCHTROT ROAD) and the IVY GRANGER urban fantasy series (SHADOW SIGHT).

When E.J. isn't at her writing desk she can be found blogging at From the Shadows, a paranormal book blog, or hanging out on Goodreads and Twitter.

E.J. is a graduate of the University of Maine at Farmington with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. She currently resides in a magical forest on the coast of Maine where she finds daily inspiration for her writing.



Shadow Sight, the first novel in the Ivy Granger urban fantasy series, goes on sale in trade paperback and ebook editions July 24, 2012.

GIVEAWAY: 

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Tour Review: Twice Cursed by Jacqueline Paige

Title: Twice Cursed
Author: Jacqueline Paige
Genre: Supernatural Fictions, Paranormal Romance
Elements: Witches
Publisher: Whiskey Creek Press
Format: PDF, 265 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-60313-924-3
Release Date: February 2, 2011
Source: Tour Host {Bewitching Book Tours}
Rating: 5/5

Tagline(s): ~NONE~

Summary: Maddy is the oldest witchling to ever attend the Hidden Cove Academy, having been cursed as a teen; she’s forced to have a solitary life outside of her own magical community. With her magic so dangerously unpredictable, she rarely takes the chance on mixing with the general public.

From one harmless trip to a museum she finds herself spellbound yet again by an invisible boundary, caused by a three hundred year old curse, dictating that Maddy must stay close to the stunningly sexy Colin.

Being stuck with a tall, dark, incredibly lick-able stranger can’t be all that bad, right? Until they discover if they get too close the spirits bound with the curse will take over their bodies ... at the same time if they’re too far from one another the curse will kill them both.

Will the curse's secrets be unravelled in time or does certain death await them both?

Review:

Maddy Darcy was the brightest student at Hidden Cove until she turned 15 years old and her mother passed onto the High Council. When her eyes changed color from green to turquoise, it was evident that someone placed a blocking curse on her powers, causing her to be the oldest witchling in the history of Hidden Cove. Now 27 years old, Maddy rarely ventures out in public for fear that her powers will cause harm to those around her.

When Maddy takes a rare trip to the museum to see an exhibit showcasing Scottish and Irish artifacts, she has a brief encounter with Colin Gregor when they are both viewing a Scottish quaich from the 1600's. Colin and Maddy go their separate ways, but Maddy feels a trace of magic from out of nowhere. Now Colin and Maddy can't be more than 60 feet from each other without intense stomach pains that get worse the farther apart they are.

It is discovered that Colin and Maddy are somehow tied to the Scottish vessel by a red aura indicating that the strongest emotions are involved in the curse. As time to find a way to break the curse dwindles and the future looks uncertain, one thing Maddy knows for sure: She's been twice cursed.

Forbidden starcrossed lovers, feuding families, and a curse of the past, all tie Maddy and Colin together now in the present. Robert MacGregor and Brenna Darcy--one from a Scottish clan, the other from an Irish clan--fell in love. But when their families found out, they were forbidden from seeing each other. Unwilling to part, Robert and Brenna ran away together. As their families chased after them, though, Robert and Brenna were killed in an accident, which then sparked a feud between the MacGregor and Darcy clans that lasted for over 60 years. In an attempt to bring peace to the clans, one of the MacGregor's placed a curse upon a quaich, stating that should a MacGregor and Darcy love each other and the bloodlines unite, peace will finally come to the clans.

I really don't think that Colin and Maddy find this curse very peaceful (and who uses a curse to bring peace?). Incredibly painful stomach pains assault them if they are too far apart and they start to "wither," but if they are too close the spirits of Robert and Brenna begin to take them over. Basically if they are too far apart they risk death, and if they are too close they risk possession. This is definitely not a peaceful way to bring about peace for their families. It doesn't hurt that Colin and Maddy were already attracted to each other before the curse took hold, so they aren't completely miserable being stuck with each other.

I loved the Scottish and Irish history and ancestry in Twice Cursed. These cultures are two of my very favorites and I love reading books that incorporate it in the story. I've always loved the richness of these culture's history and mythology, and though Twice Cursed focuses on ancestry, the richness still manages to show.

There were many great tension breakers that kept me laughing even after the last sentence. I loved Colin's reactions to the "dragon lady" Alice. The way she gets under his skin and cracks his carefully placed calm exterior is just too funny. And I can't forget to mention Sarabi's attempts at match-making. A huge black panther familiar trying to play cupid for a twice-cursed, 27 year old witchling and a gorgeous, shell-shocked science geek, is not something you see every day.

I was a little disappointed with the ending. Since Twice Cursed is a stand alone novel, I thought that the conclusion was too open-ended. It leaves the impression that there is more to come, and then leaves you disappointed that there isn't. I thought that an epilogue chapter was needed to tie up the book. Other than that, I liked that there was happiness for Colin and Maddy in the end.

About this Author:

Jacqueline Paige is a world class multi-tasker being a mother to five adventurous and unpredictable children, a cafe manager and having a colossal imagination that allows her to step outside of reality into a world of paranormal romance —with just a touch of suspense.

Jacqueline lives in Ontario, Canada and avoids the ever changing weather of the region she lives in by creating other worlds to fall into in her stories of all things paranormal.

Her first book was published in 2009 and since then has published ten. She is always writing and currently has more than a dozen stories in one stage or another of the writing process.

You can find all of Jacqueline’s books at: www.jacqpaige.webs.com

Excerpt:

“There is just no way to tell you this without you thinking I’m completely insane.” He sat there giving her a puzzled look. “Do you believe in magic, Colin?”

He smirked. “Like a magician?”

Maddy shook her head. “Um, no. Although a few that play at that game of illusions do have special abilities. I’m talking about magical people, who can do spectacular things...”

Colin smirked again. “Like witches?” He chuckled. “Are you an actress; is that what you’re trying to tell me?”

The kettle whistled. Maddy turned to pour it. “No, I’m not an actress. I’m a hereditary witch.” She fiddled with the tea bags, not wanting to turn around and see his expression.

“I see.” He really had no idea what to say to that.

She knew by his tone he was probably plotting on how to leave as soon as possible now. “I’m not sure you do. Have you ever seen someone do something that you just couldn’t ex-plain? Or thought you were seeing things?” She shrugged. “We’re really not supposed to use magic in the general public, but some do, at a terrible risk.” She glanced over to look at him. His look said it all: he thought she was a weirdo.

“Okay. Uh, so is there a reason for telling me this?” Why did the beautiful ones always have to have some sort of mental flaw?

Maddy turned from the cups and crossed her arms over her chest. “Yes, actually I do.” She hesitated for a few seconds. “When we were leaving the museum I thought I felt a trace...that’s kind of a feeling you...my kind get when magic has been used close by or to you...”

“A trace?” He studied her for a moment. “Again, why are you...” He looked like he really wanted to give her a chance. Just in case she wasn’t insane.

She let out a quick breath. “I think something was done to us...the pains hitting, but then leaving just as quickly.”

Colin raised one eyebrow at her and crossed his arms. Now he probably just wanted to go home. “I’m sure there’s a much more...sane explanation for this.”

Sane? Of course he thought she was insane. How did she prove to him she wasn’t some lunatic?

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Review: Warrior by Kristina Douglas

Title: Warrior
Series: The Fallen #3
Author: Kristina Douglas
Genre: Supernatural Fiction, Paranormal Romance
Elements: Angels, Deities, Wraiths
Publisher: Pocket Books, Simon and Schuster Inc.
Format: Mass Market Paperback, 373 Pages
ISBN: 978-1-4516-5591-9
Release Date: April 24, 2012
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): He denied  her love until a stunning revelation made their destiny impossible to ignore. / There comes a time in every angel's life to show his brethren what he's made of.

Summary: A born warrior, archangel Michael is dedicated to the Fallen’s survival. But only one woman understands the seductive hunger that he cannot forsake.  

Every little girl imagines, now and then, that she’s a princess held captive in a tower. But Victoria Bellona is almost twenty-five. And that whole fairy-tale scenario? That’s her real life. The drop-dead gorgeous man who rescues her is no Prince Charming. He’s the gruff archangel Michael, and he insists that Tory is the Fallen’s only hope for ending Uriel’s vicious rule. She insists he’s crazy.

According to the prophecy, Michael must marry this frustrating, fascinating creature, bed her, and drink her blood. But their fate is a double-edged sword. If they give in to their urgently growing desires, Tory will die in battle. If they refuse, she will die anyway, and with her, all of mankind. Michael is determined to find another solution when a traitorous kidnapper forces him into a deadly confrontation. Even if he can save Tory from Uriel’s ruthless clutches, will they ever really be together? Or is her fatal destiny—and the world’s—written in stone?

Review: 

Warrior begins with a prophecy stating that Michael must mate with the reincarnation of the Roman goddess of War, Victoria Bellona, if they are to prevail in the upcoming battle with Uriel and his armies of angels. Having been secluded and basically held prisoner her whole life, Victoria jumps at the chance to leave and finally experience life when Michael comes for her.

Neither Michael or Victoria wants this marriage--Michael is a warrior to the core and needs to train and lead the others in battle, and Victoria just wants to experience the life that was denied her growing up. But when another prophecy arises predicting Victoria's death in battle, Michael will do anything to prevent it.

Like in the previous books in The Fallen series, the featured member of the Fallen always fights against the attraction to his chosen mate. That is no different in Warrior. In fact, I would say that the fight is even stronger in this book with both sides being natural fighters. But, just like in the previous books, the attraction wins. Even the great Archangel Michael and the Roman goddess of War can't fight the inevitable. But Victoria's impending death brings a fragile and heartbreaking note to their relationship. The night they have together before the big battle was truly magical and Kristina Douglas does an amazing job bringing it alive in my mind with her words.

In Raziel, we were introduced to the setting to Sheol. In Demon, we were taken to the Dark City. Now in Warrior, Kristina Douglas expands the world and setting of The Fallen by showing us the many worlds within the Darkness. One such world, called the Candy Land, was reminiscent of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, but with a much more sinister twist. Within the Candy Land, a person feels a constant sense of euphoria, but it's a false sense. The Fallen world is becoming more expansive and complex, I can't wait to see where we're taken next.

Martha's vision predicting the arrival of the black angel coming to Sheol and the mystery surrounding Cain, transition the story perfectly to the next book, Rebel. It's too bad that we have to wait until 2013, but I can't wait for the next story in this series.

About this Author:

Kristina Douglas is the pseudonym for a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author with over sixty published novels. She lives with her husband in the dark woods of northern Vermont.

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Manga Review: Blue Exorcist Volume 7 by Kazue Kato

Title: Blue Exorcist Volume 7 
Japanese Title: Ao no Exorcist
Series: Blue Exorcist #7 
Manga-ka: Kazue Kato
Genre: Young Adult Fiction, Graphic Novels, Older Teen Ages 16+
Publisher: Viz Media, Shonen Jump Advanced, Shueisha Inc.
Format: Paperback, 177 Pages
ISBN-13: 978-1-4215-4262-1 
Release Date: April 3, 2012
Source: Borrowed from Wentworth Library
Rating: 4.5/5

Tagline(s): Fight hellfire with hellfire!

Summary: Mamushi and Todo now have both eyes of the Impure King and are headed for the temple that was once the center of the Myodha sect. Mamushi wants to seal the eyes away, but may be too late to realize Todo’s true purpose—the awakening of the Impure King! Meanwhile, Rin learns more about Father Fujimoto’s connection to Tatsuma and the origin of the Koma Sword. Rin will need the weapon and all of his strength to face the terrible power of the Impure King!

Review:

As the past continues to be revealed, Todo and Mamushi take the Eyes of the Impure King to the husk that was its body. Once the eyes are returned, the Impure King will live once again. But Tatsuma won't let that happen without a fight. But as it turns out, Tatsuma (or rather his familiar, Karura) was Todo's target all along. Reviving the Impure King was just an added bonus.

When Rin come to the end of Tatsuma's letter, he wishes to help in any way he can. There's just one problem: He can't draw his sword! Rin is scared of what he is capable of and has lost all his confidence. And it really doesn't help that he's been given a death sentence for using his flame. But Rin's power is needed to defeat the Impure King, so it's up to his friends to break him out!

I don't really have much to say about this volume, but one thing stood out. While all the chaos with the Impure King is raging and Rin is facing death for using his flame, his friends realize that they couldn't bear for him to die, so they set out to free him. Shiemi realizes her mistake in only thinking of her own hurt feelings and not what Rin must be going through. I think the most powerful moment between Rin and his friends was when Rin asked Konekomaru if he would trust Rin with protecting Suguro. Konekomaru's nod yes was really important to Rin because he knows how much Suguro means to Konekomaru, and his trust is priceless to Rin.

I can't wait to see what happens next with the fight against the Impure King and what Rin's fate will be when it's all said and done.

About this Manga-ka:

Kazue Katō (加藤和恵, Katō Kazue), born on July 20th, 1980 in the district of Shinjuku, in Tokyo, is a Japanese mangaka, author of shōnen manga. She is mainly known to be author of Blue Exorcist. She also created Robot to Usakichi ( ロボとうさ吉 ), for which she received the price Osamu Tezuka Award.

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#HSReadathon: High Summer Read-A-Thon Goals

The High Summer Read-a-Thon is hosted by Michelle @ The True Book Addict at Seasons of Reading!!

Books To Read:

• Iron Kissed by Patricia Briggs
• Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews
• Warrior by Kristina Douglas
• Sacrifice of Passion by Melissa Bourbon Ramirez
• Twice Cursed by Jacqueline Paige
• Shadow Sight by E.J. Stevens

Manga To Read:

• Blue Exorcist Volume 7 by Kazue Kato
• Black Butler Volume 7 by Yana Toboso
• Black Butler Volume 8 by Yana Toboso
• Black Butler Volume 9 by Yana Toboso
• Witch & Wizard Volume 2 by James Patterson with Ned Rust, art Svetlana Chmakova

• Bleach Volume 40 by Tite Kubo
• Bleach Volume 41 by Tite Kubo
• Bakuman Volume 10 by Tsugumi Ohba & Takeshi Obata
• Stepping on Roses Volume 7 by Rinko Ueda

To see all updates, check out the read-a-thon page at the top of the blog or CLICK HERE. 

#HSReadathon: High Summer Read-A-Thon {Sign Up}

The High Summer Read-A-Thon is hosted by Michelle @ The True Book Addict @ Seasons of Reading!

The High Summer Read-a-Thon, coming your way Monday, July 16 through Sunday, July 22. Times are central standard time so adjust your times accordingly. 

Now, let's get down to brass tacks on the read-a-thon details:

• Books read must be novels or novellas, adult or young adult are fine, but no children's books.  Of course, non-fiction is fine too.
• You DO NOT have to participate the entire week.  Join in when you can, start in the middle, end early...whatever works best for your schedule.
• I will not be hosting any mini-challenges during the read-a-thon.  Trying to keep it more about the reading here by eliminating time spent completing mini-challenges.
• There will be a participant giveaway at the end of the read-a-thon for those who sign in at the starting line and complete a wrap-up post.  Number of winners will be determined by the number of prize donations I receive.
• Other participants may host their own mini-challenges/giveaways, but participation in these is entirely optional.
• You do not have to have a blog to participate. You can sign-up, sign-in, and wrap-up...all from Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads. You can also do updates from those locations, if you do not have a blog.
• We will be on Twitter during the read-a-thon, tweeting under #HSreadathon  We had some nice little reading sprints last time on Twitter.  No prizes, just bragging rights.  Fun!

 Sign up now!