85) Otherworld Chills by Kelley Armstrong

The Blurb :

Embrace the obscure. In the final installment of the Otherworld anthology series, New York Times bestselling author Kelley Armstrong once again opens the gates to the Otherworld. This collection of rare and never-before-published novellas and short stories brings the clever wit, dark twists, and intense suspense Otherworld readers have come to expect. Favorite characters return, secrets are revealed, and several important storylines reach their conclusions.

My Thoughts :

Once again there is another collection of tales from the Otherworld series by Kelley Armstrong.  Once again I rush around hoping to get a copy because I really miss this series and love this author.  While I usually hate anthologies this is an exception to the rule because the stories are all by Kelley, are all from the Otherworld and are all short stories.  No this isn't just a bunch of really short stories these are stories that actually have chapters because they are so long.  This is a book you can get your teeth stuck into and enjoy.  This author gives the fans the good stuff.

BRAZEN

This story is all about Nick.  The threat of Malcolm is topic of the story but the romance aspect seemed to take front stage most of the time.  This one was a little flat and a poor choice for the first story in the collection.  I spent the whole story just hoping that things will get better because this one, while not boring, wasn't exactly exciting either.  Nice to see things from Nick's perspective but sadly not as good as the other stories in the book.

CHAOTIC

A tale about Hope and Karl and how they met. It felt familiar and I had the feeling throughout the story that I have read it before somewhere.  Maybe I have.  Despite that 'I've been here before' déjà vu I still read the story until the end.  It was action packed and interesting but not the best of the bunch.

AMITYVILLE HORRIBLE

I really like Jamie so this one was one of my favourite stories.  Being tricked into taking part in a haunted house reality show, the necromancer manages to find more ghosts that expected.  With Jeremy around for support it was a great read.  I like their relationship and combined with the ghostly mystery I was hooked.  Creepy and definitely putting the chills into the book title, this was definitely my favourite of the bunch.

SORRY SEEMS TO BE THE HARDEST WORD

A vampire story.  It seems the author tried to cover every character or at least every Otherworld supernatural.  Cassandra and Zoe were always around somewhere but they never really got to tell a story like the other women. However this still wasn't their chance.  The story was the shortest of all and disappointing.

OFF-DUTY ANGEL

You can't have an Otherworld collection of stories with one about or featuring Eve Levine.  She is one of the well known and prominent characters in the series and it was a done deal about her being in here somewhere.  However the story wasn't the best of the bunch and not my favourite about her.  It was ok but I wouldn't have missed the story, although I would have missed Eve, if this one had been left out of the book.

THE PUPPY PLAN

So I am very sure I read this one before somewhere and skipped most of this story.  A tale about Elena and Clay's twins and of course, as the title suggests, a puppy.  A nice read and one that all fans of the series will appreciate.  It is always great to check in with Elena and Clay. They really made the series and nearly everything revolved around them.

BABY BOOM

The other characters that took up a lot of the series is Paige, Lukas and Savannah.   So it was a nice surprise to have this story come in at the end.  A good story and a good end to the book.  It's all about pregnancy and may not be the best plot but it was a nice read and I loved catching up with them all.

All in all this is a nice book that fans will appreciate and enjoy.  I really would prefer more full length books in the series but I know that this is most likely never going to happen.  It also sounds like this is the last time any of the characters will be seen again.  Such a shame but it was an amazing series and one I will be re-reading sometime soon.

84) Menagerie by Rachel Vincent

The Blurb :

When Delilah Marlow visits a famous traveling carnival, Metzger's Menagerie, she is an ordinary woman in a not-quite-ordinary world. But under the macabre circus black-top, she discovers a fierce, sharp-clawed creature lurking just beneath her human veneer. Captured and put on exhibition, Delilah in her black swan burlesque costume is stripped of her worldly possessions, including her own name, as she's forced to "perform" in town after town.

But there is breathtaking beauty behind the seamy and grotesque reality of the carnival. Gallagher, her handler, is as kind as he is cryptic and strong. The other "attractions"—mermaids, minotaurs, gryphons and kelpies—are strange, yes, but they share a bond forged by the brutal realities of captivity. And as Delilah struggles for her freedom, and for her fellow menagerie, she'll discover a strength and a purpose she never knew existed.

My Thoughts :

I really like this author and have enjoyed so many of her books over the years.  This one was on my wishlist quite a while until I grabbed it in a sale on Audible.  The last couple of days I have been listening to it as much as possible whenever I had time.  There was something about this one that made it very addictive even if, at the end, I didn't think it was a five star book.  Because while this was well written, unusual, exciting and definitely worth reading, I have to rate it against Rachel's other books and this one just doesn't reach that high standard.

A great concept.  One that may or may not of been done before but definitely has an unique twist to it.  I liked the idea from the beginning, even if I couldn't completely follow what the 'Reaping' was and what exactly happened (I think it was harder to follow via Audible).  Delilah was a wonderful character, like so many more from this author.  Strong, fierce and fearless.  Another character to admire and root for.

The first half of the book was very exciting and I was addicted but as things started to get into the end stage I didn't find the story as compelling.  For some reason it turned into what I had expected all along and the lack of surprise or a twist in the tale make me a little disappointed.  Also the book ended like it was a one off but looking around I see that this is at least to be a trilogy.  So now I am left unsure about my feelings for the book altogether.

Definitely worth reading, please don't let me put you off with my ramblings.  This was a great read and a nice audible.  There was some very good storytelling in this book and it was exactly what I expected from the author.  I look forward to seeing what the rest of this trilogy involves and what the author has in store for the Menagerie.

83) Staked by Kevin Hearne

The Blurb :

When a druid has lived for two thousand years like Atticus, he's bound to run afoul of a few vampires. Make that legions of them. Even his former friend and legal counsel turned out to be a bloodsucking backstabber. Now the toothy troublemakers—led by power-mad pain-in-the-neck Theophilus—have become a huge problem requiring a solution. It's time to make a stand.

As always, Atticus wouldn't mind a little backup. But his allies have problems of their own. Ornery archdruid Owen Kennedy is having a wee bit of troll trouble: Turns out when you stiff a troll, it's not water under the bridge. Meanwhile, Granuaile is desperate to free herself of the Norse god Loki's mark and elude his powers of divination—a quest that will bring her face-to-face with several Slavic nightmares.

As Atticus globetrots to stop his nemesis Theophilus, the journey leads to Rome. What better place to end an immortal than the Eternal City? But poetic justice won't come without a price: In order to defeat Theophilus, Atticus may have to lose an old friend.

My Thoughts :

I remember when I started this series and I couldn't get enough of it.  I loved the Iron Druid Chronicles so much that I believe I even binge listened to them.  So when I got to the last installment that was available I waited for the next part and it was a really long wait.  I read somewhere that the next book was going to take a little longer than usual but waited patiently to hear something.  So imagine my surprise when I came across this new installment last week.  Totally by accident.  Amazon and Audible didn't even recommend it to me and it has been out since January!  I couldn't wait to listen to it.

Since the series started this have grown so much that the books started to be narrated by three different druids.  Now at first I forgot about this and when Granuaile took over it totally confused me and I have to start that chapter again.  However when I got back into this I remembered most of what happened in the previous books and caught up.  There was the same witty banter, fun characters and very magical storyline.  Everything was there that I expected and I enjoyed the book until the end.

However I have to say there were certain parts of the book that made me zone out a little.  The narrator is amazing but I am not one for fighting and action scenes and even though he does a great job bringing them to life I just couldn't keep up with that aspect of the story.  The rest was great but the battles and fights just kind of washed over me and I was only interested in the result.

Staked ended like it was the end of the series.  I haven't looked this up but despite enjoying the series a lot I wouldn't be too sad if this book was indeed the last installment.  It has been a hell of a ride but I feel like the druids need a break.  So much has happened and it is time for them to have some rest.

Great series, unusual and unique.  One that I would also re-read at some point but definitely one to listen to on audio.  Great narrator and well worth listening to.

81) The Harvesting by Melaine Karsak

The Blurb :

It's all fun and games until someone ends up undead.

Layla Petrovich has spent her whole life running away from her hometown of Hamletville. Raised by the town's medium, and dubbed the "weird" girl for her fascination with swords, the last thing Layla wants is to go home.

But when she receives a desperate call to return just as a mysterious outbreak sweeps the country, Layla's instincts urge her to go. Good thing, because the dead are rising.

Layla, however, isn't entirely on her own. With her psychic powers growing, surely everything will turn out okay, right?

Not so fast. Just when Layla believes she might survive the apocalypse, a sinister and ancient force rises from the shadows to finish mankind for good.

Because the truth is, we were never alone in this world.

My Thoughts :

I don't know why I picked this book up.  Maybe I saw it recommended somewhere or it was just on sale at Audible.  However I come across it, I know I would have checked the ratings on Amazon and/or Goodreads which both show 4-5 star average reviews.  This confused me a slightly because while the first half of the book was really good, the second half went off into crazy, weird and desperation land and didn't seem to want to let go.

Things started off so well, a nice female character, strong, well educated with a nice background story you could relate to.  The fact that she just happens to know a thing or two about weapons is just an added bonus as soon as the zombies appear.  Which is still where the story was actually interesting, somewhat the usual thing but still keeping a bit of the unique.

Where did things start going pear-shaped?  I guess the New Years party.  I think anyone who has read the book will understand.  Because up until then it was all ok.  The story was keeping me hooked enough and even though there was a feeling of 'When will something else happen?' I wasn't quite expecting that.  What was that?  It was vampires, spirits and other things thrown in what felt like a desperate attempt to make the story go somewhere.  I got the feeling like the author had taken a break from writing and came back with a whole new idea that she just had to work into this story.  It was surprising and like someone switched films while you weren't looking.

However I am not saying it was that bad.  While the story suddenly became the 'second part' and changed all the rules and scenery, there was still something about it that kept me listening to the audio book.  Now if I had been reading this one I may have stopped reading but the audible kept going as I was walking along and I kept listening.  Things got very sexual, weird and violent (yeah even more than killing zombies) and the story got a wee bit confusing.  Yet all the time I wondered where the author was going with it all and also if she actually has a plan.

Which is why I am most likely, despite the semi bad review, going to try the next book.  I want to know what the author does next.  The ending was a total cliffhanger and while I know it won't keep me awake at night, I do need to know what happens next.  Not straight away, because there is some parts of this book that I still need to digest...but soon.  

71) Immortal Nights by Lynsay Sands

The Blurb :

Abigail Forsythe’s life hasn’t been easy lately. Still, if there’s one thing guaranteed to take her mind off an empty bank account and abandoned dreams, it’s a naked man locked in a plane’s cargo hold. A very big, incredibly gorgeous naked man. And when instinct prompts her to free him, Abigail must rely on this stranger for survival…a stranger who leaves her thrumming with need every time they touch.

Tomasso Notte knows he’s found his life mate in Abigail. Now he just has to hold on to her. They’re miles from civilization, hunted by his kidnappers. Abigail has no idea of Tomasso’s abilities, or of how intensely pleasurable their unique connection can be. But he’s about to show her, beginning with one wild, hot, immortal night…

My Thoughts :

I haven't read much the last couple of weeks and I haven't even got an audio book on the go either.  So I needed a book to read that I knew would grab me and keep me hooked and I knew just what book to pick.  Immortal Nights is the twenty-four book in the Argeneau series and was, just like every installment that came before it, a pleasure to read.

Fans of the series will know that the immortals are not really vampires but the descendants and survivors of Atlantis.  The nano technology they have in their blood keeps them healthy, young and can heal nearly any injury.  Lovers of the series will also know the rules the Immortals follow and how hard it is for them to find a life-mate.  If you have read any of the books you will know that the general story repeats with all this information.  Boring?  No!  The author makes each story feel new, and unique while the story is always individually tailored to the immortal and life-mate who are the center of each installment.  It is a recipe that has worked all these years and one that doesn't seem to be going bad any time soon.

This time around we get to follow Tomasso's tale which is nicely entwined with that of Dante, his twin brother.  His story was told in the previous installment and the on-going story continues with Tomasso and joins up with Dante's.  The on-going story slowly progresses in Immortal Nights and there is even a nice cliffhanger but the general plot doesn't make too much headway which means more Argeneau books to come.  I can't wait for the next part of the story and look forward to another romantic, action packed paranormal delight.

Lynsay Sands has a gift and hopefully she will keep using it.  This series has come a long way and I hope there is still a lot more to go.  The Argeneau's are entertaining, exciting and inspirational.  I love delving back into their world and always hate to leave it.  Hopefully the wait for number twenty-five won't be a long one and it won't be the last one.

69) Unraveled by Jennifer Estep

The Blurb :

As the current queen of the Ashland underworld, you would think that I, Gin Blanco, would know all about some secret society controlling things from behind the scenes. I might be the Spider, the city’s most fearsome assassin, but all my Ice and Stone elemental magic hasn’t done me a lick of good in learning more about “the Circle”. Despite my continued investigations, the trail’s gone as cold as the coming winter.

So when Finnegan Lane, my foster brother, gets word of a surprising inheritance, we figure why not skip town for someplace less dangerous for a few days? That place: Bullet Pointe, a fancy hotel resort complex plus Old West theme park that Finn now owns lock, stock, and barrel. At first, all the struttin’ cowboys and sassy saloon girls are just hokey fun. But add in some shady coincidences and Circle assassins lurking all around, and vacationing becomes wilder—and deadlier—than any of us expected.

Good thing this assassin brought plenty of knives to the gunfight …

My Thoughts :

It is a great week in the reading world because the newest installment in the Elemental Assassin Series was released.  Unraveled is the 15th book in the series and there can be no way that this series will ever get boring.  I don't think I could ever give any book in this series a bad review.  This has got to be one of my all time favourites and I don't think I ever want to see this one end.  Ever.

Another installment filled with the characters I have come to know so well and love.  Once more there is a great plot with the on-going story developing, twisting, evolving and making progress.  Gin has been through so much and her strength and determination continue to leave me in admiration of her even if she is only a character in a book.

The story this time around focused on the revelations made in the previous book and even though Gin gets that little bit closer to finding out the truth, once again it is snatched away from her.  She does get some answers but there are always more questions.  However the progression isn't boring or annoying. You just find yourself even more invested in Gin's future as well as all the others who are along for the ride.

Jennifer Estep does it again.  She really can't stop this series from being amazing.  I dread the day it will end and only take comfort in the fact that I can then finally read the whole series again.  Yes I could do that now but it isn't done yet.  It isn't over.  It won't be over until the assassin of Ashland puts away those knives forever.  Hopefully it will a while.

One of the best Paranormal Urban Fantasy series out there.  Unique, exciting and compelling this is a must read, a pre-order and a devour in one sitting kind of series.  I look forward to the next installment and anymore that come along.  I also can't wait for anything else this author releases.  She has a talent and style that I can't get enough of.

65) Boundary Born by Melissa F. Olson

The Blurb :

Something wicked is at work in Colorado’s supernatural community. Vampires are being paralyzed or killed with poison…a weapon favored by witches. This offense threatens to break apart the already-fractured alliance between witches and the undead.

The state’s cardinal vampire, Maven, summons boundary witch Allison “Lex” Luther to stop the killing before it ignites a war. Lex has barely started investigating when she gets another surprise: the biological father she’s never met arrives on her doorstep. He has answers to all of Lex’s questions about her bloodline, but getting those answers could mean betraying the life she’s already built.

Then the next vampire is poisoned—and this time it’s Maven herself. The new evil that hunts Lex is powerful and ruthless enough to stop the strongest supernatural creature in the state. In order to find such a killer, Lex will have to face down her own birthright and call on every ally—both living and dead.

My Thoughts :

I hadn't realised that a new installment in the Boundary Magic series had been released so I was pleasantly surprised when I saw this one pop up on Audible and of course I couldn't wait to listen to it.  I have listened to all of the Boundary books on Audio and can highly recommend them.  The narrator is great and I enjoy the series a little bit more because of the well read version.

It didn't take me long to get back into the series.  This one is so unique that it isn't hard to forget and I got hooked within a few minutes of listening.  It became harder and harder to take a break from the book as things unfolded so I even sped up the book a little (yes on Audible you can speed up the books!) so I could pack more into my reading time.

While I didn't even like Lex as much as I liked Scarlett, I still admired her.  This installment only fortified that admiration when she faces an evil that she didn't expect and would have broken most people.  She showed her strengths, her weaknesses and then she kicked ass.  A great heroine and definitely someone you want on your side if a fight breaks out.

This felt a little like the last of the series or at least trilogy.  If I remember correctly there were also on three books in the Scarlett Bernhard series which this series is connected to.  I am ok with this being the last book about Lex but I hope it isn't the last time the author visits this world she has put so much effort into creating.  It is a masterpiece that should be enjoyed more and I am so there are a lot more things that can be written about based on this paranormal community.

I look forward to reading more from this world but all in all I will wait in anticipation for the next release from this author.  She tells a great story and weaves a wonderful plot.  I enjoyed every book I have read from her so far and I am pretty sure that this is a trend that will continue.

61) Grave Visions by Kalayna Price

The Blurb :

If you want to hear voices from the dead in Nekros City, you call Alex Craft. She's a Grave Witch with reasonable rates and extraordinary powers, who specializes in revealing the secrets of the dead. But now she's the one fighting to keep her own secret. She's not human—and her newly discovered heritage is causing havoc for her both in the human realm and in Faerie. But her status as an unaffiliated fae also makes her an ideal candidate to investigate a new street drug that has surfaced in several of the spaces between the human and fae worlds.

This glamour-infused drug causes hallucinations that turn real—at least for a while and often with deadly consequences. Searching for the source of this drug—and its purpose—lands Alex front and center in the conflict brewing in Faerie and she must find answers before she's dragged so deep she loses her freedom.

My Thoughts :

It has been a long wait for the fourth Alex Craft installment.  Actually it has been so long I missed the release.  After all this time I hoped I wouldn't be lost and that I would remember at least something of what had happened in the previous books.  Luckily this series is so unusual and unique that it wasn't difficult to remember all about Alex and her visions and situation.  Anything I may of forgotten and needed to know was quickly brought up in the story.  The author did a great job of getting the story back on track and the reader into the story again.

Was it worth the extra wait?  Yes.  I am not a lover of the fae or any series with fae but this one is good.  Very good.  The whole Grave Witch angle is just too interesting to ignore and the brutal but interesting plots are well written and compelling.  Grave Visions reminded me why I loved this series so much and gave me a Paranormal Urban Fantasy boost that I needed.

If you haven't tried this series yet then I really recommend giving it a try.  Fans of the series who may of, like me, forgot about it during the long absence of anything new, should get a copy of this fourth installment asap and enjoy!  Oh and there is a fifth book coming out next year!  Rejoice!!  Hopefully this series is here to stay and will be more of a regular occurrence.

60) Where the Wild Things Bite by Molly Harper

The Blurb :

Delivering a rare book to a valued customer is definitely part of mild-mannered archivist Anna Winthrop's job description. You know what isn't? Protecting her precious cargo from mid-flight theft by the very pilot who is flying her to Half-Moon Hollow...while trying to appear as unappetizing as possible to the only other passenger, a vampire. Undead bookstore owner Jane Jameson could be waiting a very long time for her book. Possibly forever.

Fortunately, Anna's dashing fanged companion Finn Palmeroy helps her fend off the attack, but not before their plane crash lands in the forest hundreds of miles from civilization. Great, now she's stranded with a priceless tome and a rakish vampire whose bedtime is fast approaching. Why does everyone want this book so badly, anyway? Anna just wants to get it to Jane before Finn decides to turn her into dinner-or sweep her off her feet. Okay, the second option is really tempting. But they're not out of the woods yet...

My Thoughts :

I love Molly Harper's books and I couldn't wait to download the audio version of this new release.  The narrator is amazing and the stories are always enjoyable.  So what can else I say? Other than this was another fun and quirky installment in the Half-Moon Hollow series?  I can say you should be off reading it instead of reading this....

Once again there were hilarious moments, sarcastic wit and hot romance.  This time it was all about Anna and Finn but it was always implied that at some point the crew from Half-Moon Hollow would get involved.  So if you are a huge fan of Jane and the others, don't despair! They appear in the story but this one isn't located in the Hollow so you will have to be patient.

The author managed to come up with another great plot and introduce some wonderful characters.  I enjoyed listening to both of their stories and grew to like them a lot.  I just hope that we hear more about them in upcoming books because I fear they are going to be too far away for regular appearances.

If you haven't read any of Molly's books then you should really give them a try.  She has a great humour which works both on paper and on audio.  However I can highly recommend the audio versions because the narrator does a brilliant job bringing Molly's books to life.  If you have already read some or all of Molly's books then I expect it won't be long until you get to this one.  Don't wait too long though!

52) The Curse of Tenth Grave by Darynda Jones

The Blurb :

As a Part-time PI and fulltime grim reaper, Charley Davidson has asked a lot of questions throughout her life: Why can I see dead people? Who is the hot supernatural entity following me? How do I get gum out of my sister’s hair before she wakes up? But, “How do I trap not one malevolent god, but three?” was never among them. Until now. And since those gods are on earth to kill her daughter, she has little choice but to track them down, trap them, and cast them from this dimension.

There’s just one problem. One of the three stole her heart a very long time ago. Can the Razer, a god of absolute death and destruction, change his omniscient spots, or will his allegiances lie with his brothers?

Those are just a few of the questions Charley must answer, and quick. Add to that a homeless girl running for her life, an innocent man who’s been charged with murder, and a pendant made from god glass that has the entire supernatural world in an uproar, and Charley has her hands full. If she can manage to take care of the whole world-destroying-gods thing, we’re saved. If not, well…

My Thoughts :

Another superb installment in the Charley Davidson series awaits fans in The Curse of Tenth Grave.  It has everything that, anyone following the series, would expect from Darynda's amazing series about Grim Reaper Charley Davidson.  The continuing story is filled with the usually wit and fun while the regular characters show up when they are needed and sometimes when they are not.  The plot in this tenth installment is on par with all the previous books and there isn't a bad word you can actually say about this or any of the installments in this fantastically original series.

If you haven't already had the pleasure of reading this series then get to it as fast as you can.  Charley is funny, crazy and sometimes annoying but she solves cases and looks after the good people.  She even gets involved with cases that don't even pay.  In this case she checks out a children's home where the inhabitants have been mysteriously dying due to a curse.  All the while she tries to solve the mystery surrounding a disappearance that could see an innocent main going to jail.

But it isn't just murder and mystery in Charley's world that makes this series so readable.  There is the supernatural aspect that weaves its way into the story.  Ghosts, gods and lots more are all entwined in the story which gives away a few secrets in each installment.  Despite many questions getting answered there are always more discoveries and twists that keep things going.  Which makes this series even more exciting, addictive and original.

I absolutely love this series and even though I managed to get a review copy of the book I still waited until the Audio version came out.  Why?  Because this is just one of those series that is made even more special and amazing by the wonderful narrator.  If you are looking for an audio, love audios or just want to try one, then I highly recommend this series.  The whole sass and wit that is Charley is captured by the narrator so well.  It makes the story even more enjoyable.

So in conclusion, make sure you check out this series.  Make sure you start from the beginning.  Oh and definitely give the audio version a chance.  Can't wait for more!  Keep them coming!

51) Firewalker by Allyson James

The Blurb :

Janet Begay's Crossroads Hotel has attracted the supernatural from the day it opened. Witches, Changers, and a mouthy magic mirror have decided to make it their home. But a new, dark power is rising—this time inside Janet herself.

Her boyfriend, Mick, a sexy dragon shape-shifter the Navajo call a Firewalker, knows what terrifying magic is threatening to overwhelm Janet and her Stormwalker powers. He watches over her, ready to fight for her, to do anything to keep her safe.

But then a mysterious corpse is found near the Crossroads Hotel—and Janet becomes Sheriff Nash Jones' main suspect. Trouble is, even she can't be sure she didn't do it. Now Janet and Mick must uncover what really happened, and their investigation leads to the most perilous decision of their lives: Mick must choose between protecting his own people or guarding Janet, the woman he loves, from the many forces amassing against her.

My Thoughts :

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, Stormwalker, and have been looking forward to continuing the series.  This sequel and second in the series has been on my Kindle for a while and it seemed like a good choice.  After all I have so many books on my Kindle and I need to start reading more of them.

Things started off good.  I could remember most of what happened in the first book within a couple of chapters.  The author didn't do a whole 'last time on...' but there was enough in there to remind me of what was what and who was who.  The concept is a good one with a nice interesting twist of dragons and witches amongst other paranormals.  The series unique and compelling but this installment didn't leave me wanting more.

While the beginning had me hooked the middle made me lose interest.  By the last quarter of the book I just wanted things to wrap up quickly and finish.  There wasn't any particular reason for my lack of love for the story.  It just all got a little strange somewhere along the way and the plot wasn't that interesting anymore.  What started off as a good strong story went a little all over the place and felt wrong.

I still see this series as one to keep reading.  I have felt this was about the second installment in a series on many occasions.  Then I have picked up the third part and been so swept away that I couldn't remember why I didn't enjoy the second book.  So the Stormwalker series is going to get another chance from me because it really shows promise.  There are some great ideas mixed up in this one with some great characters and some nice steamy scenes with a smoking hot dragon.

50) Big Vamp on Campus by Molly Harper

The Blurb :

How will Ophelia adjust to living in a dorm room now that she has been banished from the Council and forced to matriculate at college with Jamie? Communal showers! Horrible, pretentious roommates! Humans who try to be FRIENDS! The horror!

My Thoughts :

I actually listened to this one last weekend but for some reason or another I didn't get around to posting a review.  So a week too late, I have to say, I still love Molly Harper!  I still love the Half-Moon Hollow Series and I can't wait for more!

Luckily the wait until the next book isn't too long but I am a little annoyed that this novella was released before the next novel.  Why?  Because apparently this short story takes place after the next novel.  Stupid order to release the books...but luckily it didn't make any difference.  Otherwise I would have been really mad.

As it was, this was all I have come to expect from the author and series.  Funny, witty and worth reading.  I love listening to this series because the narrator is just amazing.  Give me a review copy and I will still wait for the audio version to come out because the actress just brings the series to life.

I don't want to go into details regarding the story because it is a short one and it may give away too much of the plot.  I can say it is a must read for all fans of the series and a definite must read if you wanted to hear Ophelia's side of things.  Interesting and well written.  Love this author and series.

42) Wickedly Dangerous by Deborah Blake

The Blurb :

Known as the wicked witch of Russian fairy tales, Baba Yaga is not one woman, but rather a title carried by a chosen few. They keep the balance of nature and guard the borders of our world, but don’t make the mistake of crossing one of them…

Older than she looks and powerful beyond measure, Barbara Yager no longer has much in common with the mortal life she left behind long ago. Posing as an herbalist and researcher, she travels the country with her faithful (mostly) dragon-turned-dog in an enchanted Airstream, fulfilling her duties as a Baba Yaga and avoiding any possibility of human attachment.

But when she is summoned to find a missing child, Barbara suddenly finds herself caught up in a web of deceit and an unexpected attraction to the charming but frustrating Sheriff Liam McClellan.

Now, as Barbara fights both human enemies and Otherworld creatures to save the lives of three innocent children, she discovers that her most difficult battle may be with her own heart…

My Thoughts :

This series has been on my radar for a while and the first book on my Kindle for what seems like years.  Well actually it may have been years but who is counting...Anyway I finally picked this one up months after reading the amazing prequel and I wish I hadn't waited so long to read it.  It was a wonderful read.  One of those Paranormal Urban Fantasy books that really makes an impact and I really am kicking myself for not getting to this one earlier.

Why was this so good?  Here a re a few reasons.  Firstly, this is a nice original story.  Baba Yaga isn't a well known paranormal tale and I haven't come across anything like this take on the story.  Secondly, there are dragons.  This is, without a doubt, a huge plus point.  We definitely don't have enough dragons these days and especially not ones who can talk and make jokes or ones who turn into sexy motorbike riders.

Thirdly, and maybe most importantly, the plot was exciting, interesting and unusual.  I couldn't get enough of this story and kept picking up my Kindle whenever I could.  I even ended up downloading the book to my phone when I had time to read and didn't have my Kindle with me.  This has never happened before, usually I would just play a game. This one was a very addictive read.

I can't wait to delve into the next book and nearly just picked up the next one because I wanted more.  However, as you readers out there know, it isn't always that simple.  There are other books that have priority or are next in line for some reason or another so I have to put off book two for now but I will definitely be picking it up with the next month.  I don't think I will be able to wait longer than that.

If you haven't already tried this one then start with the prequel to get the lay of the land.  Make sure you don't wait too long because this one has the makings of an all time favourite series!

38) Unwanted by Jennifer Estep

The Blurb :

The fallout from his disastrous “family reunion” in Bitter Bite has left Finn feeling hurt, angry, and depressed. He can barely stand to look at himself in the mirror, much less eat any of the delicious barbecue from Gin’s famed Pork Pit restaurant.

But when the funeral for a slain security guard at his bank turns into a showdown with some nasty underworld giants, Finn knows that he must act in order to protect an innocent family.

Finnegan Lane might be the most unwanted man in Ashland these days, but he’s determined to try to make amends for his past mistakes...

My Thoughts :

Unwanted is a novella set in the Elemental Assassin series and is told from Finn's perspective.  This short story picks up things from where Bitter Bite ended and releases in July.  Due to the wait for everyone else to read this I won't go into too many plot details.  I don't want to spoil anything!

What really stood out in this novella is that Jennifer Estep is a great storyteller.  After the events in Bitter Bite we would have usually just moved on to the next full length book with Gin taking the reins as always.  However here we have a wonderful, if somewhat slightly depressing, short story about how Finn is dealing with everything he went through.  This is a delight for readers of the series and offers a chance to see how Finn is coping.

It takes a great author to write a short story that doesn't feel rushed or low on details and Jennifer Estep manages this without a doubt.  There is good balance of information in Unwanted and there of course there is a good plot.  I was hooked from the moment I started reading and the story progressed at a nice and steady pace with the emotions and mystery building up until the very end.  Then just when you think things are over there is a nice little twist in the tale.

Any fans of the series will love Unwanted even if it is a little bleak at times.  It is a pleasure to read about Finn from his perspective but he isn't his usual happy go lucky self that readers of the series will be used to.  However there is all the usual action and excitement there with a nice interesting continuation of the story.

Well worth reading and definitely a must read for anyone following the series.  Missing this short story most likely won't make a difference in the whole scheme of things but it definitely has some interesting tidbits that will surely come up in the next full length Elemental Assassin's book.  A quick read to curl up on a nice day this Summer.

33) Night Shift by Charlene Harris

The Blurb :

At Midnight’s local pawnshop, weapons are flying off the shelves—only to be used in sudden and dramatic suicides right at the main crossroads in town.

Who better to figure out why blood is being spilled than the vampire Lemuel, who, while translating mysterious texts, discovers what makes Midnight the town it is. There’s a reason why witches and werewolves, killers and psychics, have been drawn to this place.

And now they must come together to stop the bloodshed in the heart of Midnight. For if all hell breaks loose—which just might happen—it will put the secretive town on the map, where no one wants it to be...

My Thoughts :

Sorry about the silence lately.  It has been a busy couple of weeks and the books haven't been left untouched but they definitely didn't get enough attention.

Charlaine Harris is one of my favourite authors.  She has offered many a great cozy mystery and paranormal or not she always tells a great story with characters that are full of strange and interesting backgrounds. The Texas Midnight books keep to this trademark and with Night Shift bringing the trilogy to an end there are more and more unusual revelations and some intriguing twists and turns.

The crossroads town is waking up and not in a good way.  Finally the residents have noticed that not everyone is who they seem to be and that the new hotel isn't what it claims to be but very strangely there is a new resident that nobody seems to care about meeting.  However the most bizarre thing of all is the suicides and the voice that is talking to one of the residents.

If things were somewhat spooky and odd in the last two books then this third installment is even more peculiar and extraordinary.  There are a lot of surprises and revelations but most of all there are some fascinating developments and depth in the stories of the town and residents of Midnight.  I was hooked after a couple of chapters and found it really hard to put down.  Like most of Charlene's books you can't help but get sucked completely.

After listening to the first two books I actually read this one and I have to say it was just as enjoyable.  The characters are likable and compelling and each has its own strange quality.  Also the tie ins to her other books/series are enough to make any fan love this book and the previous ones.  Vampires, werewovles, witches and a nod or mention to many other aspects of the well known books from years past.

While there is always a 'I want more feeling' when a series is over I have to say that this trilogy is definitely ending too soon.  Usually a series coming to and end feels right despite wanting more but I was only left thinking that Midnight or at least the residents still have more stories to tell.  Maybe Charlene will have a change of heart and continue writing stories about this crossroads in Texas but I guess I would also be happy to see another 'spin-off' type of story where Midnight is mentioned and some of its characters show up just like in this trilogy.  Whatever comes next will however be on my reading list.  So far the author hasn't disappointed me and I can't wait to see what she has in store for us readers next.

32) Bright Blaze of Magic by Jennifer Estep

The Blurb :

Bad Things Always Come In Threes…

As a thief, I'm good at three things: hiding in the shadows, getting in and out unseen, and uncovering secrets. I put these skills to work for the Sinclair Family, one of the magical mobs that run the tourist town of Cloudburst Falls.

Everyone knows Victor Draconi wants to take over all the other Families--and kill every last Sinclair. What they don't know is that I'm on to him, and no way will I let the man who murdered my mom get away with hurting all the other people I care about. Especially when I've got places to break into, stuff to steal, and Devon Sinclair fighting right by my side…


My Thoughts :

Jennifer Estep has done it again!  Another amazing story!  I continue to be in constant awe of the original and exciting books that this author keeps coming up with.  There are so many Paranormal Urban Fantasy writers out there who are dredging up the same old ideas but Jennifer Estep continues to make up her own worlds with original and compelling magical aspects.

Anyone who has been following this series will be eager to read this third installment.  The cover is spectacular and the blurb doesn't give too much away but believe me this one is more action packed that both the books before it. It is also quite dark with a lot of death and destruction.  Things come to a head and you won't believe what happens.

I don't want to give anything away so I will keep this review short.  Read all of Jennifer Estep's books, including this series.  Don't let the term Young Adult put you off in anyway.  These maybe youngsters but they are living and fighting in an adult world.  If you love the paranormal then you will be blown away by the wonderful new monsters and magic that the author has dreamt up for this series.  Each book adds more depth and this third book is no exception!

A wonderful author with a great grasp on what excitement and adventure should be and how they can be made even more special with the right characters and unusual twists.  I can't wait for her next book and anymore after that, in this series or any of her others or even something new!