GtPGKogPYT4p61R1biicqBXsUzo" /> Google+ Book Review: Guarded (The Silverton Chronicles #1) by Carmen Fox + giveaway | I Smell Sheep

Friday, July 31, 2015

Book Review: Guarded (The Silverton Chronicles #1) by Carmen Fox + giveaway

Guarded (The Silverton Chronicles #1)
by Carmen Fox

Hardcover
276 pages
Published July 30, 2015
by Smart Heart Publishing
When everyone's existence depends on the lies they tell, trust doesn't come easy.

Ivy’s neighbors have a secret. They aren’t human. But Ivy has a secret, too. She knows. As long as everyone keeps quiet, she’s happy working as a P.I. by day and chillaxing with her BFF Florian, a vampire, by night. When a routine pickup drops her in the middle of a murder, her two worlds collide. While Florian knows how to throw a punch, deep down he's a softie. His idea of scary? Running out of hair product. It’s time Ivy faced facts. Even with a vampire on stand-by, one gal can only kick so many asses.

For help, she must put her faith in others. A human, who might just be the one. A demon, who will, for a price, open the doors to her heritage. And a werewolf, who wants to protect her from herself.

Torn between these men, Ivy must tread carefully, because one wants her heart, one wants her body, and one wants her dead.
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Blurb Read by Voiceover Artist: http://youtu.be/6i3DmvcaMWs


First of all I want to say that I really loved the cover of this book. I liked the simplistic lines and bright colors. It was a significant reason for me choosing this book to read.
This story line is not necessarily an "off the beaten path" tale but does incorporate a multitude of paranormal characters and an intertwining plot that keeps you intrigued and interested until the end of the story. A 25 year old female Private Investigator that has been raised as a "normal" child is finding out that her real roots are grounded in a multi-cultural background and as such is struggling with her new found "powers"!

Yeah...being desired by almost every male in a half mile area could definitely be a "struggle"!

Even though raised as a "normal," Ivy had just recently escaped after being kidnapped by a powerful "kin" demon. A nasty little bugger that taught her (under duress) to make "guards" for paranormals to use as protective devices. He knew at 25 she would come into her real powers and wanted to keep her in Althea to combine her powers with his so he might gain majority control of his world. Ivy thwarted that plan by escaping to the "old world" before her maturity (and powers) kicked in but Lantham still haunts her dreams and seems to have a direct, though weak, connection to her mind. He will try anything to get her back to his realm.

Of course, there is a best friend, a hunky neighbor and another "potty mouth" hunky mentor that set the main stage for her dilemma. A simple case of retrieving an artifact for her boss turns out to be a major case of "foul" intentions of which she finds herself front and center in both the cause and the solution. Clues build around her bringing the different cases to a single "dangerous" assignment.

Ivy is your typical "don't tell me what to do" female that finds herself in some dangerous situations and begins to understand the significance of real "connection" with a mate instead of hot unbridled lust and passion. HMMMM...both would be nice! Not only does she have syncubus powers but throw in some demon, slynth and who knows what else and you can understand her struggle to adjust!

I found this easy to read but thought Ivy's multicolored background a little much. I could do with just one or two genetic features to keep tract of instead of 3 or 4. There were a couple "ah-ha" moments in the story which is always a delight for me. Being able to strategically reveal a clue before the reader picks up on it is a great feat.

I would say pick this up and enjoy the passionate scenes then yearn and watch for the romance...I feel that is the purpose here.

I give this 3 1/2 'lusty' sheep





Jeanie G


Excerpt
A shadow peeled off a dark corner and rushed across the road. My thoughts of the unfairness of life lifted, and I smiled. Dressed in his usual muted colors, Florian gave a mock salute. Not even the lack of a California tan detracted from the fact that he was, by all accounts, a handsome devil. But it was his inner qualities that made him my best friend.

I got out and slammed the door shut.

Flo shot me his trademark grin that half begged to be mothered, half promised a naughty night. “Happy birthday, Ivy!”

“Not so far. I think my car’s kaput.” I sent an eyeroll toward the steam escaping the hood.

“Oh?” His forehead puckered. “Let’s see. Did it slug and thud into the drive?” His index finger in his ear, he shook his tilted head, as if to force out some lingering noise. “Check. Is it stinky?” He sniffed the noxious plume surrounding the vehicle. “Check. Broken side view mirror? Check. Well, I can confidently say I notice nothing out of the ordinary.”

“You’re a funny guy, mister. If you’re not too busy doing standup tomorrow night, do you think you could chauffeur me?” I pouted. “I have a work thing, and getting the car fixed might take some time.”

“Aww, come here. Of course I will.” He yanked me into a firm mother-bear hug.

I held tight. His fresh, if powerful, cologne was a scent for sore noses, and I added another couple of gratuitous sniffs. “Thanks. I needed that.”

“I’ll let you get some rest, then. You don’t seem in the mood for a birthday bash. But if you change your mind, you know where to find me.” Despite his curious looks at my front door, he knew better than to invite himself in. With a wave, he turned and crossed the road to the large building he and his siblings called home.

I never let anyone enter my house without at least half an hour’s notice. The metal guards on my walls would reveal my secret. And more than anything, my friendship with Florian was based on mutual subterfuge.

He didn’t tell me he was a vampire. And I didn’t tell him I already knew.

About the Author:
Website-FB -Twitter
Carmen lives in the south of England with her beloved tea maker and a stuffed sheep called Fergus. An avid reader since childhood, she caught the writing bug when her Nana asked her to write a story. She also has a law degree, studied physics for a few years, dabbled in marketing and human resources, and speaks native-level German and fluent Geek. Her preferred niches of geekdom are tabletop games, comics, sci-fi and fantasy.

She writes about smart women with sassitude, about pretty cool guys too, and will chase that plot twist, no matter how elusive.

Expect to be kept guessing.

DIVIDE AND CONQUER, Carmen’s first urban fantasy novel, was published in March 2015. To find out more, visit her at www.carmen-fox.com.


Tour giveaway 

1 copy of the Guarded e-book (for Kindle)
1copy of the Guarded paperback
1 copy of the Guarded hardback
2 $15 Amazon giftcards
a Rafflecopter giveaway

12 comments:

  1. Thank you very much for featuring me and for the review. It's very much appreciated. :-)

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  2. You're welcome! I really enjoyed your book and will definitely check out your future installments!

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  3. I enjoyed the excerpt and the review, thanks for sharing them, sounds like a good book and I like the cover as well,

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  4. First, I LOVE the cover. It really drew me in when Sharon posted it on facebook. The excerpt was cool too, and I'm adding it to my wish list since I'm currently broke. LOL

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  5. Replies
    1. I hope you like it, Nancy. :-) Thanks for letting me know.

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  6. I enjoyed reading the excerpt. This book sounds like such an interesting and intriguing read! I will totally have to add it to my "to-read" list.

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