This mind-blowing new series introduces Sloan Skye, and ambitious intern at the FBI’s paranormal unit, where the usual rules of crime fighting don’t apply…

Sloan has a sky-high IQ, a chaotic personal life, and a dream: to work for the FBI. Her goal is within reach until an error lands her with the FBI’s ugly stepchild: the new Paranormal Behavioral Analysis Unit. She’ll get to profile criminals, but the pool of suspects is a little more…diverse. Yet even as Sloan tackles her first case–a string of victims, all with puncture wounds to the neck–she can’t silence her inner para-skeptic.

To catch the killer she’ll have to think like one. That means casting aside her doubts, and dealing with the bizarre nightmares that started with the job. But the strangeness is only beginning, as Sloan pieces together the shocking truth about a case that’s more personal than she ever would have guessed.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

Dani’s debut urban fantasy novel was one that caught my eye and had me hoping I was going to find my next crack-a-licious UF series.

Sloan is not only insanely smart, but also just a little bit insane. Her life is erratic and crazy with her mentally ill mother, chemist room-mate and her brand new job at the FBI. Working for the new paranormal division, Sloan has a hard time believing, but jumps right into the fray of things. When the first case takes weird after weird turn, Sloan will have to use everything in her arsenal (including some resources from her past she would like to forget) to solve this case.

When things turn from weird to even weirder, Sloan gets pulled into the thick of things and realizes that this case is becoming more and more personal as the days go on. With her sexy partner tempting her at every turn, her arch enemy getting promoted to her team and her personal life crumbling each day, Sloan just might be able to survive another day.

While there were quite a few things I really enjoyed about this book, there were also a few things that I felt were lacking. For a debut novel, there were a lot of great things going on. Sloan was a fun and snark character and although her IQ is off the charts, her lack of streets smarts leaves a little to be desired. But it provides for some awesome comedic relief. However, for those readers who don’t like an endearing but clueless heroine that takes awhile to pick up on social clues, this book wont be for you.

I also liked the set up for the series. I think it’ll be a fun and fast paced series that will encompass a lot of different paranormal creatures (I don’t think I’ve ever read about the particular kind of vamp we had in this story – so fun), and the series has a lot of room to grow and change and morph. I also didn’t feel as if the love triangle was too much. Instead, it felt more relaxed and believable. I just hope it doesn’t get stretched out over time.

I do think that the pacing was a little slow at times, which surprised me a bit given just how much plot was going on. It felt as if there were about 20 different story-lines going on at once, and while most of them did eventually tie in, they still felt disconnected and choppy to me. It did become a little difficult to follow along when there were so many different things going on in each and every scene.

There were also moments that I really didn’t feel the love connection between Sloan and JT. Yes, things developed VERY slowly for these two relationship wise, but there were moments when I just wasn’t sure why they were together, what about each other attracted them. Yes the physical lust was there, but the emotional connection came much later (if at all really).

All in all I think this was a strong urban fantasy debut with a lot of room for growth and improvement. I look forward to reading more about Sloan and JT, I think the paranormal aspects will be unique and refreshing to read. This book seemed to mix a lot of mystery and suspense into the plot as well, so that was great fun as well.
I give Blood of Eden a C+

I have an extra copy of Blood of Eden to giveaway today. Leave a comment below to be entered to win. Open to US/Canada only and ends January  13th. Good Luck!!

Review and Giveaway – Blood of Eden by Tami Dane is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

While the tattered remains of humanity huddle underground, hiding in their virtual world, Devi prefers living topside, making dangerous hauls through the demon-infested wasteland earth has become. The wealth that comes from smuggling supplies to those shunned as summoner-born or demon-touched doesn’t hurt, either.

The man she meets to arrange one of those under-the-table hauls is complicated…and handsome as hell. Literally. A glimpse of the predator beneath his silver gaze and she’s tempted to break her cardinal rule: never mix business with pleasure.

Zel’s first look at the wild-haired hauler threatens to distract him from his mission–and reminds him just how long it’s been since he got laid. As the leader of an outcast settlement, he can’t afford to trust too easily. Devi’s got a reputation for running a tight, disciplined crew, but her very willingness to deal with him means she has something to hide.

Not to mention a hot, tempting package like her could be the cleverest trap his enemies have ever set.

Warning: Contains demon bars, virtual (and literal) fights to the death, forbidden love, renegade AIs, a badass truck-driving heroine who will do anything to protect her crew and the half-demon warrior who will move heaven and hell to make her his.
This blurb came from the authors’ website here.

MinnChica: When Bree and Donna first announced the Children of the Undying series, I was sooo excited. The moment I got my copy of Hammer Down, I read it immediately and couldn’t even begin to express just how awesome I thought this book was. There were so many amazing things about this, and the set up for the series that it instantly became one of my favorite books and most anticipated new series!

E: Like Minn I was really excited about this new series but I decided to wait to read Hammer Down until right before we were going to write this review. It didn’t help that work got crazy and I thought I would need a treat once things calmed down again. I am very glad I wanted because I think the anticipation of this book made it even better!

MinnChica: We first met Zel in the novella Demon Bait, and although we didn’t get to know his character very well, I knew back then I would love him like crazy, and of course I was right! He was an alpha to the extreme (and we all know how much I love my alpha heroes!) and the thing that I loved most about him, was despite how alpha he was, he also loved the fact that Devi was just as strong, just as alpha, just as kick ass. He didn’t worry about putting her in a bubble or hiding her away. There is just something very sexy about a man who let’s his alpha heroine be just as kick ass as he is.

E: Zel *fans self* he was certainly sizzling from the taste we got to see in Demon Bait and I was rather curious to see if he was going to live up to my first impression. He certainly did! I could see how responsible he felt towards his people and how frustrating he found diplomacy but when the time called for it he clamped down on his demon instincts and let his word talk for him. Those moments when he let everything out were just amazing! Like Minn I was really impressed that almost despite his Alpha-ness he let Devi do what she needed to do. He didn’t always like it but when the chips were down he didn’t waste time trying to stop her. I think it takes a pretty impressive leader to let others use their skills even in danger, especially when they are someone you care deeply about.

MinnChica: Oh definitely! Sometimes with really alpha heroines, I have a hard time getting on board with their character, but to me Devi was the perfect woman for Zel. She fought for him, and when her people needed her to, she fought against him for what she believed in. Watching her with the other truckers was great as well, she really came across as being the mother hen. She was their protector, their boss, their family and for me, that brought her character to a whole other depth.

E: Devi was a great complete character too. She never tried to prove that she was more of a man then any of the men. I loved how she portrayed that you don’t have to do that in order to be an alpha woman. You could see the depths of the trust and how deeply her fellow truckers cared about about her by how they acted. She knew when to push them and when to let them snarl without taking it personally or getting into a testosterone match. In other words she wasn’t portrayed as guy with a double X chromosome. But she wasn’t the only character who really intrigued me. What did you think about Tanner?

MinnChica: Oh Tanner… Oh Trip…. Oh what a kick ass cast of supporting characters! One of the things I love most about Moira Rogers’ series is that I know that I can always count on them to bring me an incredible cast of characters that are developed from the moment they step onto the page. Between Tanner and Trip and Cache I just know that we are in for an AMAZING series that will feature heroes and heroines that will continuously blow us away. I need to know more of Tanner and all his secrets! I need to know what is going to happen with Trip! I’m hooked!!

E: I agree their cast of supporting characters is always a treat. I really enjoy how you get to see glimpses of who they are and what they can do as the book progressed. They are not used as just placeholders. I enjoy their growth as much as I do the main hero/heroine yet they never overshadow the main action. I think the tension between the truckers and the outcasts isn’t completely settled yet. I am really looking forward to seeing what happens as everyone tries to find their places in their changing world. Another thing I enjoyed was the inclusion of not just external tension — humans vs demons vs half-human/half-demon but the internal politics and how should Zel’s community be run.

MinnChica: I can’t wait to find out everything about the world. I think that this world-building is one of the best post-apocalyptic worlds I’ve ever read. There are so many different aspects that I love: the technology, the paranormal, the dynamics between humans and demons, the half-bloods, the politics… I could go on and on. I really just can’t say enough good things… All in all Hammer Down was one book that absolutely blew me away. Everything that I’ve come to expect and love from Moira Rogers was here: wonderfully developed characters, an interesting alternative world and some steamy lovin’. From the first page on I was engaged and in love with the story.
I give Hammer Down an A

E: Moira Rogers packed some very interesting twists and turns in their world. It is amazing the amount of detail they have provided and yet there is still so much more to be discovered. I really liked how technology, mental skills, a certain ‘flexibility’ as well as everything that Minn mentions above has been integrated. Yes this is a dangerous post apocalyptic world but it isn’t complete devastation and lawlessness. People still go on living, satisfying elemental urges and cherishing their dreams. I completely lost track of time while I was reading this which I find to be a wonderful treat.
I give Hammer Down an A.

Links to Purchase:
Nook | Kindle eBook

Joint Review – Hammer Down by Moira Rogers is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Where did you get the book: E-ARC from the author

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: Out today

Review: The Last Slayer by Nadia Lee is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

We would like to give a warm welcome to Nadia Lee, author of Carnal Secrets, Destiny Entwined and Happily Ever After of Her Own. Nadia’s new book, The Last Slayer, is the start of a brand new Urban Fantasy trilogy which is being released today by Carina. Welcome Nadia!

 Nadia: Thank you!

BookPushers: What can you tell us about about The Last Slayer, the first book in the The Heartstone Trilogy?

 Nadia: It’s a full length urban fantasy novel with romantic elements. The blurb is

below:

Ashera del Cid is a talented demon hunter, but when she kills a demigod’s

pet dragon, the hunter becomes the hunted. Her only potential ally is

Ramiel, a sexy-as-hell demon. Now the two must work together to battle

dragons and demigods…and the chemistry crackling between them.

 

Ramiel has his own reasons for offering Ashera his protection. He knows her

true identity and the real reason the demigods want her dead. What he can’t

predict is how she’ll react when she discovers he knew who she was all

along…

 

Ashera is shocked to discover that she is the only daughter of the last

slayer. To claim her destiny, she and Ramiel must join forces to face down

danger and outwit their enemies. Only then will she be able to truly accept

her legacy…

The story’s told from Ashera’s point of view (1st person), and she has to deal with new threats in her life with somebody who she can’t trust a.k.a. Ramiel.

 Bookpushers: Are you able to give us a little run-down on Ashera del Cid, and Ramiel?

 Nadia: Ashera’s an excellent demon hunter who’s managed to carve out a nice life for herself.  She’s good at her job, financially comfortable and has a good friend / foster sister Valerie, who she cares for very much.  She has an innate distrust of all supernatural beings, given her profession.  People don’t hire her when they’re dealing with “good” demons.  (Not that such a thing could exist as far as Ashera’s concerned.)  Ashera’s appalled she has to get Ramiel’s help when he did all sorts of horrible things to her, like blowing up her home.

 Ramiel is a very old supernatural being, and he’s stuck helping Ashera because of a vow he made long ago.  It drives him insane that Ashera doesn’t ask, “How high” whenever he tells her to jump.  He’s basically like an emperor within his own domain, and hates having to explain himself. He’s also afraid of what Ashera might do if she knows the full truth about herself and everyone around her.

Bookpushers: What made you decide to base your story around demons — will they be the only supernaturals featured, or will there be other scary beings ready to make a surprise?

 Nadia: I’ve always found demons fascinating. Vampires, too, of course, but so many authors have done vampires already. I wanted to do something different. Demons such as incubi aren’t the only ones in the story.  There are various types of dragons and supernatural diviners, etc. And maybe a few of them will make an appearance in the sequel.

 Bookpushers: Can you give us any sneak peaks in what to expect in the The Heartstone Trilogy?  Will it follow the same leading protagonists or new narrators in each book?

 Nadia: The trilogy follows the same protagonist — Ashera del Cid — and her coming into her new power and position by pitting herself against those who’d rather see her dead. There are definitely elements of romance as well between Ashera and Ramiel, and they’re probably going to get some kind of happy ending by the time the trilogy winds up.

 Bookpushers: The Last Slayer is the first UF you have written. Did you find any difficulties writing in a new genre compared to your previous contemporary books?

 Nadia: World-building!  I totally didn’t make any notes or create a world bible or anything. And since I always change things as I write, I couldn’t remember what I was going to do with supernatural XYZ when I was going through the story for revision.  The hardest thing I had to keep track of when I was writing contemporary was what kind of car my hero drove to work!

Bookpushers: What other genres do you want to explore in the future?

Nadia: Futuristic/SF romance featuring assassins and mob bosses and fantasy romance loosely based on an old Asian historical text, though I’m not sure if I’ll ever get to work the latter in.  I’ve been hearing from so many industry people how unpopular Asian settings are. :sigh:

 Bookpushers: Can you tell us about any upcoming works you have planned?

 Nadia: Currently I’m working on the sequel to The Last Slayer.  I also need to take another look at the above-mentioned futuristic romance novel and send it off to my agent.

 Bookpushers: You have released self-published books as well as traditional pubbed via e-pubs. What do you think of the ever-changing landscape of publishing and the impact it has on authors?

Nadia: I think it’s fantastic for authors.  Authors are no longer limited by the whims of publishing companies.  Before ebooks became as popular and dominant as they are now, publishing companies controlled distribution.  Print distribution is enormously expensive and difficult for most authors, and many booksellers weren’t interested in carrying self-published titles. Furthermore, print distribution is extremely inefficient and costly with returns.  Most authors couldn’t afford to have more than half of their books returned to them.

Ebooks made it possible for authors to reach out to their readers more directly, and it’s much faster to turn your edited manuscript into an ebook than a print book.  In addition, authors get to experiment with small niche genres that their publishers aren’t too interested in.  (Of course, some authors go through smaller digital presses, but given some of the things we’ve seen, such as Triskelion and other e-presses that either went bankrupt, didn’t edit or pay royalties, etc., authors have to be very careful and choose one that’s professional and honest and can do things that authors can’t do on their own or outsource easily.) This has also benefited readers as well.  Speaking as a reader, I love buying self-pubbed novellas or shorts from my favorite authors to tide me over while I’m waiting for their big novel release. The big challenge for authors who are interested in self-pubbing is ensuring that they put out a good story that is well-edited and converted.  (And put a good-looking cover too!)  Readers demand a professional production, not something that looks like authors put it together while making a sandwich for lunch.

Bookpushers: What is your all-time favourite Happy Ever After scene in a Romance? And why do you think HEA has a strong resonance for so many readers of Romance?

 Nadia: Oh this is so tough!  I’m extremely fond of old Linda Howard category romance novels and the resolution in which the hero must win the heroine over.  I still remember the scene from Cutting Edge in which the hero holds the heroine and says he’d want to take it all back.  I haven’t read that book in at least half a decade, and that scene still lingers in my mind with such force. HEA has a strong resonance because we want to believe that good peopledeserve good things, especially after such a difficult struggle.  HEA isn’t unique to romance either.  Mystery  has a HEA-equivalent in that the crime is solved and the bad guys get caught.  In general, I don’t want to read romance in which the heroine dies of some horrible disease at the end and the hero is left behind and cries his eyes out.  (BTW — the terminal-disease-killing-the-heroine was — or maybe still is? — a very popular trope in Japan…)  I want to feel good when I read for entertainment.

 Bookpushers: And now for a little fun:

 If there was a BATTLE ROYAL of kick-ass heroines, who would you choose as the winner?

 Nadia: Oooh, tough!  Provided that mine sits out (it wouldn’t be fair since I’m biased), I’d choose Kate Daniels.

 Bookpushers: Which fictional hero would you like to kiss, marry or chuck over a cliff?

 Nadia: I’d like to kiss Heathcliffe from Wuthering Heights AND chuck him over a cliff.

 Bookpushers: And what is your most guilty pleasure in reading a romance?

 Nadia: Right now it’s forced seduction.  I have no idea why, but I’m just in the mood for it right now.  And I’m not talking about the modern twist or whatever.  I’m talking about the old-style bodice ripper-type stuff.

 Nadia has kindly giving away an ebook copy of The Last Slayer. To Enter just comment below and state what is favourite myth or books that feature dragons. The giveaway will end on the 3rd of January and is open to everyone!

Interview and Giveaway with Nadia Lee is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

To all the Ilona Andrews fans out there, we have been given a present. It is available for a limited time only so click the banner above this and enjoy!
Thank you Ilona Andrews!

Happy reading .

Extra! Extra! Extra! Read all about it!!!! is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Publisher: Samhain

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The season for mistletoe, Christmas lights…and a killing spree. When Secret’s friend, Detective Mercedes Castilla, asks for help to solve a series of murders longer than a string of lights, Secret resigns herself to the fact her holidays will be anything but peaceful.

It seems someone is killing New Yorkers in an unusually gruesome way, and as the bodies pile up faster than presents under the tree, the police are no closer to finding the killer than Secret is to finding the perfect present for one of her boyfriends, Lucas.

Tracking down a monster in Manhattan the week before Christmas is almost as difficult as shopping for her ever-expanding collection of loved ones. When tragedy strikes close to home, Secret must do everything in her power to put an end to the horror in time for Santa to come down the chimney.

Warning: Contains a less than merry McQueen with a sword and a reason to use it; a festive new use for mistletoe; and a promise that will haunt Secret like the Ghost of Christmas Future.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

Dean is back again with another installment of the Secret McQueen series, and a cute little Christmas novella at that.

 
Secret is trying to figure out what to get all her friends for Christmas. It’s the first year she has had to worry about buying for anyone else besides her grandma. But shopping ends up being the last thing on Secret’s mind once she gets pulled in to assist on a case of grizzly murders. Once Desmond’s sister goes missing, Secret fears that it is connected with her murders. With Holden at her side, Secret will search the city to try and find her before it’s too late.

I absolutely adore this series. I love that Secret is such a fun and snarky heroine. I love that despite her bad ass skills, she is still clumsy and unsure of herself. I absolutely loved the mystery plot surrounding this novella. It was action packed, gruesome and totally twisted. I liked the way Dean combined the plots with the killer and the missing children, especially Penny.

I have to say, I love Secret with Desmond. They are such fun together, and the sexy times as totally hot. The only thing that I am nervous about with this series is the love triangle aspect. Although there is no page time with her other werewolf boyfriend Lucas, there are so many love interests in Secret’s life, and I am not a fan of that uncertainty. Add in the fact that Secret made a promise to Holden that she is worried about keeping, I’m not seeing any resolution to her love life anytime soon.

Although this is listed as a Christmas novella, the Christmas moments are few and far between. I do wish we would have seen a bit more of Secret’s time with Demsond’s family, and their Christmas traditions, but I understand why the plot moved the way it did. I did love the fact that Secret was able to have her own little Christmas celebration with the new friends and family in her life though. It’s nice to see her have more people to rely on.

All in all this was another great addition to the Secret Series. The novella is action packed while trying to chase the killer, but there are also some really sweet and tender moments between Secret and Desmond that are setting up their relationship in a beautiful way. I just hope that Dean doesn’t drag on Secret’s love life for the remainder of the series.

I give Secret Santa a B-

Kindle eBook

Review – Secret Santa by Sierra Dean is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Alysha Gale’s cousin Charlotte is a Wild Power, who allies herself with a family of Selkies in a fight against offshore oil drilling. The oil company has hired another of the Gale family’s Wild Powers, the fearsome Auntie Catherine, to steal the Selkies’ sealskins. To defeat her, Charlotte will have to learn what born to be Wild really means in the Gale family…

This blurb came from DAW Books here.

I have read most of what Ms Huff has published so I know that sometimes she writes series and other times she writes standalones. I have also learned during my years of reading that even though I might think a book is screaming for a sequel the author doesn’t agree with my line of thinking so I don’t always get my sequels. I am not saying that every book must become part of a series just that some of them I think should. I am sure you can image my excitement when I found out that Ms Huff was writing a sequel to THE ENCHANTMENT EMPORIUM my review is posted here. Since I really enjoyed reading , I felt like I was dancing on air when I was given the opportunity to read and review THE WILD WAYS.

Charlotte commonly known as Charlie played a significant role in the previous book. Some of her actions enabled key people to be in certain places at certain important times. I apologize for the vagueness but I am trying to avoid any major spoilers. Charlie is what they call a Wild Power. Wild Powers are those ones that only show up occasionally and those that have them don’t tend to exactly follow the established ways. The Aunties tend to be torn between wanting to see if they can tame and keep that power within the family or if that particular power should die out when the individual possessing it does.

Charlie continues to make her living as a traveling musician because while she cares deeply about her family she continues to be too wild to put down roots in one location. Over several different locations and times Charlie keeps hearing about a new proposed offshore oil drilling site and the associated protests. While working in a Celtic band that was working a particular circuit over the season she meets some of the Selkies and becomes embroiled in their situation.

I enjoyed several things about this book. One of which I have mentioned in other reviews and that is I got to find out “what happened next”. Ms Huff provided a definite sense of continuity and didn’t just leave the reader with the belief that after the climatic events in THE ENCHANTMENT EMPORIUM that everything was going to be perfectly smooth. After all once an Auntie, always an Auntie, regardless of what happened to your previous power base.

Another thing that I enjoyed was that Charlie remained true to her character as it was previously established. Just because her favorite cousin settled down didn’t mean that she was going to follow suit and settle. She also retained her loyalty to her family by blood and those by choice. The underlying theme in this series about the importance of choice continues as Charlie was required to make choice after choice that would result in defining what she could do and who she would become. A saying I have read and heard many times is that, “with great power comes great responsibility,” and Charlie gets the chance to live up to that saying.

As Ms Huff moved between the actions on each side, it was fascinating to match what I guessed with what Charlie learned. Yes I had an advantage because I could see both sides but I couldn’t see or predict what the other players would do or what Charlie would choose to do. I think this technique also added to the tension as events unfolded and the reactions to those events came quicker and quicker. And yes, Ms Huff gave me Dragons (I mentioned that I hoped to see more of them in my review of THE ENCHANTMENT EMPORIUM). Not the way I imagined, but this story couldn’t have happened without them.

I enjoyed reading this, finding out ‘what happens next,’ and delving into the unpredictable Charlie. The only thing that some readers might find problematic with THE WILD WAYS is that it does not seem to stand on its own. In other words you really need to read THE ENCHANTMENT EMPORIUM to understand a large amount of the nuances that are key to THE WILD WAYS. Since I read the previous book and I have a habit of re-reading an entire series before I read the newest installment this did not bother me. Taking both reader habits in mind I give THE WILD WAYS an A-.

Links to purchase:
Nook | BN Book | Amazon Book | Kindle eBook

Review – The Wild Ways by Tanya Huff is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

Publisher: Ace/Penguin

Release Date: Out now

A detective with a secret lineage. An undercover Hunter with a bullet-proof soul. And a world made to pay for the sins of an angel…

Homicide detective Alexandra Jarvis answers to no one. Especially not to the new partner assigned to her in the middle of a gruesome serial killer case—a partner who is obstructive, irritatingly magnetic, and arrogant as hell.

Aramael is a Power—a hunter of the Fallen Angels. A millennium ago, he sentenced his own brother to eternal exile for crimes against humanity. Now his brother is back and wreaking murderous havoc in the mortal realm. To find him, Aramael must play second to a human police officer who wants nothing to do with him and whose very bloodline threatens both his mission and his soul.

Now, faced with a fallen angel hell-bent on triggering the apocalypse, Alex and Aramael have no choice but to join forces, because only together can they stop the end of days.

*Blurb taken from Goodreads*

When I first came across the  Sins of the Angels a few months ago,  it perked my interest because I am always a sucker for dark avenging angels which this series encompasses. But I was also intrigued because it combined dark urban fantasy elements, and a police procedural mystery and the main characters were also engaging. The heroine, Alex Jarvis, is in the midst of  a brutal serial killer case where there is no correlating common factor amongst the victims. The case also reminds Alex of her painful past which makes her questions her grip on her sanity as she is paired up with her new partner, the enigmatic Jacob Trent, who is really a powerful angel in disguise, called Aramael, sent from heaven to guard Alex from the serial killer who is on the hunt for the Nephlim (the descendants of angels and humans) which Alex descends from. It also turns out that  serial killer is Aramael’s fallen angel brother and is slaughtering innocent humans due to his search to find a Nephlim because he wants to find a way to ascend back to heaven.

I have to admit, I did find the opening of the book a bit slow to get into even though it opens up with a grim murder scene and the intense meeting between Aramael and Alex. But the book settles down with a taut and tense pace as the hunt intensifies for the Caim, Aramael’s fallen brother who is bitter with his exile from heaven and his brother’s  betrayal and is the reason why he was cast out. The police procedural elements was detailed, and added a gritty layer to the story and the murder scenes, and how Alex coped and dealt with these cases was realistic. I also felt that this element really gelled well with the world-building with the angel hierarchy, which consists of different types of angels who help run heaven and guiding humans. There was also hints of political intrigue which will definitely expand in future books.

Nonetheless for me, my favourite aspect of the book was the relationship between Alex and Aramael in which they both feel reluctant to explore. The tension between them was wonderfully built-up and Aramael’s confusion about the strength of his feeling for a mortal human conveyed really well. Although it was also very frustrating because whilst the  romance was pretty subtle which I didn’t mind at all, because the emotional intensity was bubbling nicely throughout the book. I did get tired of the constant antagonistic wrangling between Alex and Aramael over the case and their personal feelings which is spurred on by fear of her visions of seeing him in his true form which makes her question her sanity. And for Aramael, the frustration and lost of control he has over her which for an angel like him is unheard of. I did think that this factor dragged on for too long and kind of bogged the story down especially in the middle of the book, which affected the pace.

However the book does pick up, and the ending is a taut and tense ride to a shocking and bloody conclusion,  although I have to warn you the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger that leaves you hankering for more. Sins of the Angels is a great start to a brand new series which has an appealing gritty setting,  and well drawn out characters. I will definitely look out for the sequel.

I give Sins of the Angels a C+

Barnes & Noble |

Review: Sins of the Angels by Linda Poitevin is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

The Gale family can change the world with the charms they cast, and they like to keep this in the family. Alysha Gale is tired of having all her aunts try to run her life, both personally and magically. So when the letter from her Gran arrives willing her a “junk” shop in Calgary, Alysha jumps at the chance. It isn’t until she gets there that she realizes her customers are fey. And no one told her there’s trouble brewing in Calgary-trouble so big that even calling in the family may not save the day…
This blurb came from Daw Books HERE.

I know that when I pick up a story by Ms Huff I am in for a treat. I will get action/adventure, strong well-rounded characters be they male, female or other, relationships that further the plot, a vivid and detailed setting, world-building that doesn’t involve the dreaded info-dump, and character growth. In this first book of her new urban fantasy series Ms Huff does not disappoint me and actually made this review rather difficult to write. Difficult because I have to come up with hopefully some sort of coherent way of stating why I enjoyed reading this and have re-read it multiple times since its release instead of just “GO, READ THIS NOW”, which only works on my family and the PSAs (public service announcements) I send them.

Family, regardless of how you decide to define it is a very emotional word that affects people on multiple levels. Some of those levels can be determined by your interpretation of who makes up a family. Is it only by blood, by choice, by emotional ties or is it a combination of those and more? When I think of family I think of mine, which is full of the sometimes messy entanglements of blood, choice and emotional ties as well as our traditions that bind the family together and bewilder the newcomers. *evil grin*

The Enchantment Emporium introduces the Gale family and a Canada populated by fae, creatures of fable, myth and legend, and magic. The Gales are full of those same messy entanglements only the implications of their blood, choice and emotional ties can have life changing if not world changing results. Since blood, choice and emotion have a lot of the potential impact, the Gales have a lot of traditions. Some are as simple as any family gathering requiring pies, lots of pies, all of which are entirely homemade. For the Gale women making pies are a way to de-stress, show that you care, try to control a situation, make a point, and prevent the younger ones from starving away from home. Others were far more complex concerning what each person’s role is in the family and how you transition from one to another. Traditions can be great but they can also be stifling because when you know what people expect you to do and meeting that expectation is easy you need a reason to live up to your potential.

Alysha Gale appeared willing to just go along with the status quo. She figured someone would eventually choose her or if not there she would always her dream of Michael, then some significant time later she would become an Auntie. A word about Aunties, you didn’t cross them, you didn’t tell them “no”, and the Aunties ran everything. The local and some not so local businesses knew of and were extremely cautious around the Aunties. Younger generations did whatever the Aunties said to do regardless of their personal opinion. Alysha went along with that unless it involved the Aunties attempts to manage her brother David, her cousin Charlie or her habit of a crush Michael. Then she demonstrated flashes of the power and potential she had and actually backed the Aunties down but she never seemed to want more.

Alysha’s calm acceptance of her life as just one of the Gale girls changed when she received a chance to become something more with the inheritance of a junk shop two time zones away from her family’s area. There she walked into a rather complex situation that ended up requiring power, skill, stubbornness, caring, and determination as well as involving Dragon Lords, leprechauns, a sorcerer, more family entanglements and of course the Aunties. I really enjoyed watching Alysha grow as she figured out what she had walked into in Calgary. Even separated from her family, Alysha continued to remain determined to protect those she claimed, Charlie, David and Michael, from the Aunties or whoever else might decide to interfere. As she grew into her power her emotional ties to other people also changed along with what or whom she chose to claim. Her choices and those changes gave her the determination to ultimately decide what she was going to put up with and what she wasn’t.

I learned the importance of making a choice along with Graham, the talented assassin bound to the sorcerer. He was lucky enough to have a few Gales on his side so his first choice wasn’t his last. This served as a nice reminder that even when we think we aren’t making a choice we really are and that each choice changes something. It was entertaining to watch Graham deal with the Gale traditions, their messy family entanglements and start to realize what it really meant to become part of the Gale family. Lets just say he will never get the opportunity to be bored.

While I liked Graham, I think my favorite male characters were the Dragon Lords. They were also part of a messy family with their own traditions that could be bent and stretched only to a certain point. Adam, the oldest Dragon Lord, walked a very careful line as he tried to help Alysha when her choices started to make an impact. I really hope I get to see more of them *cough* Adam *cough* in The Wild Ways, the second book involving the Gale family.

Once again Ms Huff has produced a fantastic read in other words *ahem* “go, read this now,” *ahem*. I am glad to see her return to the worlds of urban fantasy.

I give The Enchantment Emporium an A

Links to purchase:

Amazon Book | Kindle eBook | BN Nook | BN Paperback

Review – The Enchantment Emporium by Tanya Huff is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter

New York Times bestselling authors Jeaniene Frost and Ilona Andrews bring you two short stories of paranormal.
Jeaniene Frost’s story, One For the Money, features vampires Cat and Bones trying to protect a spoiled heiress with a price on her head and an undead hitman on her trail. Previously published in Death’s Excellent Vacation. Also includes the first three chapters from Jeaniene’s story in The Bite Before Christmas anthology, as well as a sneak peak at ONCE BURNED, the first novel in the new Night Prince series.

Ilona Andrews story, A Questionable Client, is a prequel to her award-winning Kate Daniels series. In a world beset by magic waves, Kate Daniels works as a mercenary. She is tired, hungry, and there is foul-smelling blood on her boots. All she wants to do is to go home, but when Mercenary Guild offers her a job she can’t refuse, she find herself protecting a man against Russian wizards. Previously published in Dark and Stormy Knights. Also includes first two chapters of FATE’S EDGE, book 3 in the Edge series, and first two chapters of Magic Grieves, a Kate Daniels novella.

This blurb came from Ilona Andrews’ website here, it is also available on Jeaniene Frost’s website here.

Those of you who have follow us on Twitter have probably seen one or more of us raving about the works of Ilona Andrews and Jeaniene Frost so it should come to no surprise that we were certainly willing to review this latest offering. I do want to state up front that the new material in this isn’t the two novellas, which were previous published in DEATH’S EXCELLENT VACATION (Frost) and DARK AND STORMY KNIGHTS (Andrews), but the excerpts from some of their upcoming works. I personally happen to enjoy seeing short stories from anthologies being released as separate electronic books at a later date. It certainly helps my OCD book organization, and in addition I have had several conversations with different people lately about purchasing anthologies for specific stories or authors and only reading those works. If you do this then the price you pay to read one, two or maybe three stories is pretty high. This spreading trend is a way that for some authors you can get, after a bit of a wait, the story you were looking for at a much more reasonable cost.

ONE FOR THE MONEY by Jeaniene Frost

Jeaniene Frost treats us to a short snapshot into the lives of Cat and Bones. We get to revisit a vampire hangout first introduced in HALFWAY TO THE GRAVE as well as meet up with one of the consistent supporting characters. I don’t know who Ms Frost was channeling as she developed her spoiled heiress but she certainly had to be a bodyguard’s worst nightmare. I have often wondered if people with bodyguards ever think that they might be endangering themselves by their behavior towards said bodyguards. It was blatantly obvious that this particular heiress wasn’t worried about that at all. I really liked how despite the short word count not only did we get to see Cat and Bones being themselves but Ms Frost also included character growth and some new facets to vampires.

I was looking forward to seeing the confrontation with the individual who put the price on the heiress’ head but that was handled differently then I expected and actually set the stage for some potentially significant character growth. This proved yet again there is a reason why some people write and other people (me) read.

A QUESTIONABLE CLIENT by Ilona Andrews

I had previously purchased DARK AND STORMY KNIGHTS so with this release I was able to revisit the very entertaining story of how Kate meets a rather infamous reoccurring character. I have to say that Ilona Andrews never disappoints with snappy, humorous, and informative prose. While this story could serve as the introduction to the Kate Daniels world, I think readers will enjoy it more if they are already familiar with the idiosyncrasies of Kate and her client. One of the things that impressed me the most with the writing of this novella is how Ilona Andrews was able to reach back and write Kate in the same character voice as she started the series. If you haven’t read any of the Kate Daniels stories yet then this will be a minor spoiler.

These authors have teamed up before to release their short stories together and just like then, I enjoyed these as well. Another thing I really like overall is the official blurb. It makes it clear that the short stories have previously been published and that it contains excerpts from future works so readers don’t think they are getting something else.

Talking about the excerpts I am just going to say that I wish I had a time machine so I could move forward and read their finished works!

I give MAGIC GRAVES an A

Links to purchase
BN Nook | Kindle eBook

Review – Magic Graves by Ilona Andrews and Jeaniene Frost is a post from: The Book Pushers | Book Reviews | Book Chatter