Book Review: Angel Bait (Angel Assassins #0.5) by Tricia Skinner

Angel Bait (Angel Assassins #0.5)
by Tricia Skinner
He's not that kind of angel. 

Jarrid is a “Bound One”: half angel, half human, trained from childhood to enforce Heaven’s laws on earth. An assassin with no remorse. And no choice. When he discovers an ancient ritual called Ascension, which might give him a shot at freedom, he can’t resist his lifelong dream. He only needs to find one last Renegade angel and take him down…using a certain woman to flush the angel out of hiding.

She's not what he's expecting. 

News reporter Ionie Gifford has no clue an outlaw angel wants her dead, much less why, but she does know one thing: the enigmatic Jarrid, with his penetrating silver eyes and his worship-worthy body, is her ticket to the city's supernatural underworld, where she might finally be able to locate her mother's killer. For that kind of information, she's willing to risk everything...

They can't be together -- but can't keep apart... 

Blindsided by Ionie's beauty and tenacity, Jarrid finds the millennia-old glacier around his heart melting. But when he's faced with a choice, will he sacrifice Ionie for freedom from his brutal servitude—or agree to be bound for eternity, to protect the life of the woman he's falling in love with?

From novelist Tricia Skinner comes a story that will have fans of action-packed love stories applauding. Seamlessly combining elements of paranormal romance and gritty urban fantasy, the Angel Assassins series is a heart-pounding spin on angel mythology.
Half breed anyone? The Bound ones, Half Breeds, Abominations, it does not matter what they are called they are Heaven’s assassins. Their job is to carry out Heaven’s laws on earth and to protect the innocent. They feel no guilt or remorse, it was what they were trained to do. Jarrid one of the bound ones, however wanted out. He wanted freedom. He was not born into this, but was forced to serve heaven where he was not actually allowed because he was not a pure angel. 

A renegade (aka angel gone bad) might be his only hope at freedom. Heaven for sure would give him ascension which is only granted if he attained something very valuable, something Heaven wanted. All he had to do was find the renegade. The only clue came from his last assignment, a vamp he had to kill. The vamp told him about the renegade and a woman they were trying to find for him. It seemed to link to a reporter. Easy right? Find said reporter and bait her to flush out the renegade, WRONG.


Ionie Gifford was called into the chief’s office to find Jarrid, a sexy as hell half angel, wow! He wanted to work with her on some story she wrote. This was her ticket to get an angel story. No one knows anything about the angels so she agreed.

Ionie trying to get her story and Jarrid trying to find his renegade both ended up falling for each other in the process. The problem was one, it was forbidden to interact with a human. Two, Jarrid lost focus therefore putting his family and Ionie in danger and three, weren't they using each other?  

The story was well written, it started off a little slow but then picked up. I would like to have had more depth in the characters, they were a little flat but I liked them well enough. All in all it was an interesting plot.

sheep review: Angel Kin (Angel Assassins #1)

3.75 Half Breed Sheep

TammyK

About the Author: website|FB|Twitter GoodReads|Amazon|Google+|Pinterest|Blog I’m Tricia Skinner and I write Romantic Urban Fantasy. I’m a former journalist who discovered my inspiration to write fiction as an escape from “real life.” My reading tastes are all over the place, but I’m mainly drawn to fantasy (and its subgenres), paranormal, sci-fi, and history. When I’m not writing, I’m a newbie “green” practitioner, strength training fan, and a technology geek. I’m a mother and a wife. My family includes two Great Danes. I’m also a gamer. I enjoy interacting with my fellow geeks and helping other writers. I’m represented by Laurie McLean of Fuse Literary. *Photo by Kauwuane Burton.

Book Review: Gray Bishop (Cornerstone Run Trilogy #2) by Kelly Meade, Kelly Meding

Gray Bishop (Cornerstone Run Trilogy #2)
by Kelly Meade, Kelly MedingPublished October 21st 2014

by InterMix

Some people need something to fight for…

With the attacks on their homes escalating and human half-breeds seeking sanctuary among them, the loup garou are reaching their breaking point. Two, in particular.

After failing to stop his little brother’s kidnapping years ago, Bishop McQueen angrily broods on his shame, though no one else blames him.

Jillian Reynolds is still dealing with a tragic accident that took everything she ever wanted from life. And her attraction to Bishop is only making things more difficult.

When word reaches them that Jillian's hometown is under attack, the Alpha takes Bishop, Jillian, and a group of enforcers to assist in the battle. And it is in this chaos that both Bishop and Jillian will have to face their pasts—and the true feelings they have for each other—if they are going to survive.

Gray Bishop, the second book in the Cornerstone Run Trilogy, centers around Bishop, the oldest son of the Alpha. Bishop the serious brother, feels responsible for protecting his younger siblings, especially with the attacks on his people escalating and putting his brother, Knight, at risk. Bishop, feeling like he has failed to protect Knight in the past, is now determined to save him. That might not be such an easy feat as more and more loup garou end up dead. Tensions are definitely running high in this book.

In addition, it’s Bishop’s turn to find his mate. Jillian the alpha female from another run, is there to help out. She doesn’t plan on staying, but Bishop wants her to. Knowing that he will have to give her up when she returns home, he fights the attraction and attempts to push her away. However, some battles are not meant to be won. When Jillian’s hometown comes under attack, things in their relationship will shift as they have to work together to put the pieces back together.

This book has so many up, downs, twists and turns that it’s hard to tell you too much without adding spoilers. I will say that at times it was really sad. We suffer losses that are totally unexpected. However we also get some triumphs that make us breathe a sigh of relief. The author surprises us with where she is willing to take her story.

The only thing close to a spoiler I will share with you is that it does end on a cliffhanger. I guess that is to be expected since we only have one more book in the trilogy. We can’t expect everything to be wrapped up just yet. I will definitely be reading book three because I need to know how this ends. I’m also excited to read Knight’s and Shay’s story. I think the author definitely saved the best for last.

review: Black Rook (Cornerstone Run #1)

5 Alpha Sheep

Lisa A

Book #3 White Knight releases  Jan 20,2015

About the Author:

KellyMeding.com | Blog | Twitter 

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Raised on a steady diet of Star Wars, Freddy Krueger and “Fear Street” novels, Kelly Meade developed a love for all things paranormal at a very young age. The stealthy adolescent theft of a tattered paperback from her grandmother’s collection of Harlequins sparked an interest in romance that has continued to this day. 

Black Rook is the first novel in her Cornerstone Run series, a paranormal romance trilogy from Berkley Intermix that also includes Gray Bishop and White Knight. It follows three loup garou brothers who will do anything to protect their town, their family, and the secret of their existence—and maybe fall in love in the process.

Writing as Kelly Meding, Three Days to Dead is the first book in herDreg City urban fantasy series. The series follows Evangeline Stone, a paranormal hunter who is resurrected into the body of a stranger and has only three days to solve her own murder and stop a war between the city’s goblins and vampires. Additional books in the series, As Lie the Dead, Another Kind of Dead, and Wrong Side of Dead, are available in both digital format and mass market paperback from Bantam. Book five, Requiem for the Dead, is available digitally through all platforms.

Trance begins the story of the grown-up children of the world’s slaughtered superheroes who receive their superpowers back after a mysterious fifteen-year absence, and who now face not only a fearful public, but also a vengeful villain who wants all of them dead. Trance and Changeling are available now in both digital format and mass market paperback from Pocket Books. Tempest and Chimeraare available in digital format only via Pocket Star. All four MetaWarsbooks can also be purchased as a digital bundle. 

Book Review: Rogue's Paradise (Covenant of Thorns #3) by Jeffe Kennedy

Rogue's Paradise (Covenant of Thorns #3)

by Jeffe Kennedy

Kindle Edition, 280 pages
Published September 8th 2014
by Carina Press

Book three of Covenant of Thorns

Pregnant, possessed, and in love with a man I don't dare to trust—those are the consequences of the risks I took to save my life. But Faerie, the land of blood and magic, is filled with bitter ironies, and the bargains I made now threaten me and my unborn child.

The darkly sensual fae noble Rogue still tempts me to danger and desire. As we await the birth of our child, I've been forced to question whether our offspring is part of a bargain Rogue once made to save himself. He can't tell me the truth due to a spell the vicious Queen Titania has him under. Would he betray our family against his will? Could I ever forgive him if he does?

Rogue insists on an eternal commitment from me, even as Titania's forces close in on us. I don't know if Rogue and I can withstand her onslaught, or that of the beast within me. But I will not stop looking for answers—even if it brings the walls of Faerie crashing down.

Rogue’s Paradise brings the story of Rogue and Gwynn to a close, or at least it seems that way. As all the other novels in this series, it continues from where the last book ends. Gwynn is petrified for the life of her unborn child and trying to decide what will be best for its future.

Lucky for us, Gwynn and Rogue spend a lot of time together. Unlike the other books where Rogue would pop in and out of the story, we get him the whole time. Yay!!! I thoroughly enjoy their constant bickering and making up. It made this book my favorite of the series.

In addition, the ending is not quite what I was expecting and I don’t mean that in a bad way. We all know that the story is leading up to a confrontation with Titania and we get that. However, we also get some surprises along the way.

So, if you’re looking for a series with a lot of romance, some action and great characters, give this I try. I don’t think you will be disappointed.

Book Review: Rogue's Pawn (Covenant of Thorns #1) 

Book Review: Rogue’s Possession (Covenant of Thorns #2)

5 Changeling Sheep

LisaA

About the Author:

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Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author with a writing career that spans decades. Her works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel,Master of the Opera, which released beginning January 2, 2014. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and a fifth, the highly anticipated erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, will release starting in July.

She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter@jeffekennedy. She is represented by Foreword Literary.

Book Review: Rogue’s Possession by Jeffe Kennedy

Rogue's Possession (Covenant of Thorns #2)
by Jeffe Kennedy

Kindle Edition, 280 pages

October 7th 2013

by Carina Press

A human trapped in the world of Faerie, in possession of magic I could not control, I made a bargain for my life: to let the dangerously sensual fae noble known as Rogue sire my firstborn. And one does not break an oath with a fae. But no matter how greatly I desire him, I will not succumb. Not until I know what will happen to the child.

Though unable—or unwilling—to reveal the fate of human-fae offspring himself, Rogue accompanies me on my quest for answers. Along the way he agrees to teach me to harness my power, in exchange for a single kiss each day and sleeping by my side each night. Just as I am about to yield to temptation, I find myself in a deadly game of cat and mouse with an insane goddess. Now my search for the truth will lead me to the darkest of all Faerie secrets.

Rogue’s Possession continues the story from Rogue’s Pawn. It is truly a series that needs to be read in order. We start off right where the last book left off, with Gwynn still fighting to keep Rogue at arm’s length. Lucky for us though, their relationship heats up because of all the time they are spending together. The closer Rogue gets, the harder it is for Gwynn to resist his charms. Rogue is the perfect wolf in sheep’s clothing. You know that he’s dark and dangerous, but he comes across as such the gentlemen you want Gwynn to just give in.

Gwynn is a great character and I love reading about her. She is becoming a power in her own right. I am waiting for the moment when she surprises even Rogue with her abilities. I look forward to watching her transformation in the books to come.

I really did enjoy this book. However, I will admit to feeling some frustration in the beginning. The cat and mouse nature of the relationship, which continues over from the first book, might have been dragged out a bit too long. Once the pace picks up, it does so in a very nice way and delivers more than anticipated. Just be prepared for it to take a while. To round things up, after a bit of a slow start, the author takes us to all new destinations in Faerie. We meet some new characters. We learn a little more about Gwynn’s bargain with Rogue, and by the end you feel like we really turn a corner in the story. I hope I’m right as I’m looking forward to continuing her journey with book three.

Book Review: Rogue's Pawn (Covenant of Thorns #1)

4.5 Wolves in Disguise

LisaA

About the Author:

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Jeffe Kennedy is an award-winning author with a writing career that spans decades. Her works include non-fiction, poetry, short fiction, and novels. She has been a Ucross Foundation Fellow, received the Wyoming Arts Council Fellowship for Poetry, and was awarded a Frank Nelson Doubleday Memorial Award. Her essays have appeared in many publications, including Redbook.

Her most recent works include a number of fiction series: the fantasy romance novels of A Covenant of Thorns; the contemporary BDSM novellas of the Facets of Passion, and an erotic contemporary serial novel,Master of the Opera, which released beginning January 2, 2014. A fourth series, the fantasy trilogy The Twelve Kingdoms, hit the shelves starting in May 2014 and a fifth, the highly anticipated erotic romance trilogy, Falling Under, will release starting in July.

She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico, with two Maine coon cats, plentiful free-range lizards and a very handsome Doctor of Oriental Medicine.

Jeffe can be found online at her website: JeffeKennedy.com, every Sunday at the popular Word Whores blog, on Facebook, and pretty much constantly on Twitter@jeffekennedy. She is represented by Foreword Literary.

Book Review: The Midnight Queen by Sylvia Izzo Hunter + giveaway

The Midnight Queen
by Sylvia Izzo Hunter

Paperback, 432 pages
Published September 2nd 2014

by Ace Trade

In the hallowed halls of Oxford’s Merlin College, the most talented—and highest born—sons of the Kingdom of Britain are taught the intricacies of magickal theory. But what dazzles can also destroy, as Gray Marshall is about to discover…

Gray’s deep talent for magick has won him a place at Merlin College. But when he accompanies four fellow students on a mysterious midnight errand that ends in disaster and death, he is sent away in disgrace—and without a trace of his power. He must spend the summer under the watchful eye of his domineering professor, Appius Callender, working in the gardens of Callender’s country estate and hoping to recover his abilities. And it is there, toiling away on a summer afternoon, that he meets the professor’s daughter.

Even though she has no talent of her own, Sophie Callender longs to be educated in the lore of magick. Her father has kept her isolated at the estate and forbidden her interest; everyone knows that teaching arcane magickal theory to women is the height of impropriety. But against her father’s wishes, Sophie has studied his ancient volumes on the subject. And in the tall, stammering, yet oddly charming Gray, she finally finds someone who encourages her interest and awakens new ideas and feelings.

Sophie and Gray’s meeting touches off a series of events that begins to unravel secrets about each of them. And after the king’s closest advisor pays the professor a closed-door visit, they begin to wonder if what Gray witnessed in Oxford might be even more sinister than it seemed. They are determined to find out, no matter the cost.

The Midnight Queen is Sylvia Izzo Hunter’s debut novel. It is to be the first in A Noctis Magicae Novel series. However, it can definitely be read as a stand-alone and is quite complete all by itself.

The story revolves around Gray Marshall. Gray is a student of the Oxford’s Merlin College who is depicted as a stuttering young man with a complete lack of confidence. He finds himself in some trouble after he allows some fellow students to talk him into a midnight errand that goes terribly wrong. As punishment for his actions, his professor, Appius Callender, requires Gray to spend the summer at his country estate working his gardens.

At the estate, Gray meets Sophie Callender, the professor’s daughter. Sophie is immediately drawn to Gray because of her interest in magic. She seeks him out daily, and a friendship is born. As the summer progresses, a series of events leads these two unlikely friends to become allies in a search for the truth of what really happened that night back at Merlin College.

The Midnight Queen is an interesting story, with lots of twists and turns. Although, I have to admit that the story blurb did not draw me in. In truth, I almost skipped the book entirely because of it. As it was, I wasn’t unhappy that I decided to give it a read.

The story has the feel of a historical novel with a touch of paranormal. You will get a bit of romance but not enough to be categorized that way. My favorite part of the story, and the part that I feel the author did best, was the development of the two main characters. Gray, who starts out lacking confidence and seems very much a boy, will become a more confident young man and Sophie will discover many truths about herself and her past. I enjoyed watching the growth of both of these characters and found them extremely likeable.

Although I enjoyed the story, the book did start to lag towards the middle. It seemed to take an awful long time to get where it was going, and I found myself frustrated. In addition, I wondered if some of the things that happened were necessary at all. In the end, the book did pick up and the author wraps everything up for us nicely. Not a bad book overall, but not sure that it was really my cup of tea.

3.75 Sheep with Character

Lisa A.

About the Author:

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Sylvia Izzo Hunter was born in Calgary, Alberta, back in the days before Star Wars, and started making up stories at approximately the time she learned to talk. A couple of decades ago she moved to Toronto, Ontario, where she now lives with her husband and daughter and their slightly out-of-control collections of books, comics, and DVDs. She studied English and French literature (with a particular focus on medieval and Renaissance poetry and drama) at York University; she has since discovered that her mom was right: in order to be a functioning grown-up, you really do need to know how to do math.

Over the course of her working life Sylvia has been a slinger of tacos, a filer of patient charts and answerer of phones, a freelance looker-up of unconsidered trifles, an Orff-singing stage monk, and an exam tutor, but has mostly worked in not-for-profit scholarly publishing, where she started out making lots of photocopies and now gets to make XML and EPUB files (which is more fun). She also sings in two choirs (including the Orpheus Choir of Toronto), reads as much as possible, knits (mostly hats), and engages in experimental baking.

Sylvia’s favourite Doctor is Tom Baker, her favourite pasta shape is rotini, and her favourite Beethoven symphony is the Seventh.

Giveaway

a print copy of The Midnight Queen

US only

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Book Review: Air Bound by Christine Feehan release day! + giveaway

Air Bound (Sisters of the Heart #3)
By: Christine Feehan
Paperback, 400 pages
Released: May 27th 2014 by Jove

The sisters of Sea Haven, bound by the heart and the magical power of the elements, return in this soul-stirring new novel from Christine Feehan, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Spirit Bound...

For as far back as she can remember, Airiana Ridell has always been aware of her extraordinary gift. She can intuit revealing and illuminating 'patterns' in the air around her-whether in a spray of mist, in billowing clouds, or in the dense swirls of an impenetrable fog. Her abilities led to her placement in a secret government training facility when she was a child, but everything changed after her mother was murdered.

Airiana fled the program, but she couldn't outrun the desperate members of a shadowy cabal who want her, who need her, who will kill to get her. Kidnapped and held aboard a ship bound for dangerous seas, her only chance for rescue is Maxim Prakenskii. He has his reasons for helping her, but he isn't about to reveal them to Airiana. Not yet. Not as the two are drawn together as moth to flame. Not when there are so many secrets yet untold that could shatter the quaint community of Sea Haven and all who reside there.

Air Bound by Christine Feehan is the third book in the Sisters of the Heart series. Airiana Ridell was placed into a government program as a child because of her extraordinary gifts, but the loss of her mother makes her leave it all behind. In an attempt to move on with her life, she moves to Sea Haven to live with her chosen family. However, some people are not so keen on letting her go. Now, kidnapped from her home, she finds her only hope of making it back comes in the form of Maxim Prakenskii. He is ruthlessly sexy and maybe even the man of her dreams.

Although Air Bound is the third in the series, it can definitely be read as a standalone. I have not read the other installments. However, I didn't feel as if I was missing anything. It was a nice change. Many of the series nowadays hold you captive, as you are slowly fed the story and always waiting for the next release. This series didn’t do that and sometimes it’s nice to read just one.

So, what can you expect from this book? Well, it was action packed, for sure. At times, it was a little too violent for my taste. Beware if that is something you don’t really enjoy because there is a lot of it. For those of you with a strong stomach, it will definitely keep you on your toes.

The story was involved and well thought out, which I always appreciate. Christine Feehan does a nice job of weaving a complicated tale without losing you. In addition, the romance was wonderful. Yes, I know I sound like some love struck fool, but I kind of felt like one. I actually can’t wait to read the other installments. Enjoy!!!

4 ½ Lovey Little Sheep

Lisa A.

About the Author:
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I write every day and have done so since I was old enough to pick up a pen. (I spent a lot of time getting in trouble at school for writing instead of doing the things I was supposed to do.) Once I create my characters, I try very hard to have them react to situations as they really would. Sometimes I have preconceived ideas of what I would like them to do, but they don't mind me, because it would be out of character for them. They take on a life of their own. Sometimes when I throw difficult situations at them in the hopes I'll get a certain reaction and they don't do what I want, I complain bitterly to my husband and he laughs at me. Still, it is important to me to have them be real, not perfect people, so they make mistakes we lesser mortals might make.

Book Review: Angel Kin by Tricia Skinner

Angel Kin (Angel Assassins #1)

by Tricia Skinner

Kindle Edition, 183 pages
Expected publication: April 28th 2014 by Entangled: Edge

While channeling Robin Hood's "steal from the rich and give to the poor" attitude at a local politician's house, ex-con Katie Logan witnesses a forced suicide. Dirty or not, supernatural or not, he didn't deserve to die, especially not by his own hand. But with her record, stepping forward as a witness isn't an option. On the run from the police and the murderer, she turns to The Bound Ones for help.

When a beautiful woman comes to The Bound Ones, half-angel assassin Cain is immediately drawn to her. But when she fingers him as the killer, he can come to only one conclusion. The twin he thought was dead is very much alive…and trying to send him a message. Unfortunately, that message is: "You're next."

It's a race against time as Cain fights to save the woman he's falling in love with before his brother Abel destroys them both.

Angel Kin is the first installment of the new Angels Assassins Series by Tricia Skinner. The story revolves around beautiful burglar, Katie Logan, who finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time when she witnesses a murder. In need of help and afraid to turn to the police, she finds herself asking for assistance from The Bound Ones. There she meets Cain, a half-angel assassin, who looks remarkably like the murderer. Leading all involved to the same conclusion, the murderer could be none other than Cain’s twin brother, who everyone thought was dead.

Angel Kin left me slightly conflicted. It was a good paced novel with a nice touch of romance. I’m sure many people will read it and truly enjoy what it has to offer. Make no mistake about it, I enjoyed it too. It had my prerequisite hunk of a hero, and the beautiful damsel in distress. It should have been a slam-dunk, but somehow it wasn’t. It just missed the mark for me. Although the story moved right along with lots of action, it lacked some depth. I tend to like stories with lots of things going on. In addition, even though the gorgeous hero was everything you could want, some of his actions just seemed out of character. Those things have a tendency to stick with me and detract from the story.

So, how to rate it? Maybe now you can understand my dilemma. Would I read another book by Tricia Skinner? Yes. Would I try the second in the series? Probably. But, I can't say she hit it out of the pasture.

3 Sheep, all standing on a fence

Lisa A

About the Author:
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I’m Tri­cia Skin­ner and I write Urban Fan­tasy with Roman­tic Ele­ments. I’m a for­mer jour­nal­ist who dis­cov­ered my inspi­ra­tion to write fic­tion as an escape from “real life.” My read­ing tastes are all over the place, but I’m mainly drawn to fan­tasy (and its sub­gen­res), para­nor­mal, sci-fi, and history.

When I’m not writ­ing, I’m a new­bie “green” prac­ti­tioner, fit­ness pro­cras­ti­na­tor, and a tech­nol­ogy geek. I’m a mother and a wife. My fam­ily includes two Great Danes. I’m also a gamer. I enjoy inter­act­ing with my fel­low geeks and help­ing other writ­ers, espe­cially through the Fan­tasy, Futur­is­tic& Para­nor­mal Chap­ter of Romance Writ­ers of Amer­ica where I’ve served as Newslet­ter Edi­tor. I’m rep­re­sented by Lau­rie McLean of Fore­word Lit­er­ary.

Book Review: Vampires Don't Sparkle! Anthology edited by Michael West

Vampires Don't Sparkle!
by Michael West, (Editor) 
Paperback, 233 pages
Published March 15th 2013 by Seventh Star Press
What would you do if you had unlimited power and eternal life?

Would you…go back to high school? Attend the same classes year after year, going through the pomp and circumstance of one graduation after another, until you found the perfect date to take to prom? Would you…spend your days moping and brooding, finding your only joy in a game of baseball on a stormy day? Or would you…do something else?

The authors of this collection have a few ideas; some fanciful, some humorous, and some as dark as an endless night. Join us, and discover what it truly means to be “vampyre.”

Edited by Michael West
Foreword by Michael West
“A New Life” by J. F. Gonzalez
“What Once was Flesh” by Tim Waggoner
“The Darkton Circus Mystery” by Elizabeth Massie
“Robot Vampire” by R. J. Sullivan
“Beneath a Templar Cross” by Gord Rollo
“The Weapon of Memory” by Kyle S. Johnson
“The Excavation” by Stephen Zimmer
“Skraeling” by Joel A. Sutherland
“Dreams of Winter” by Bob Freeman
“Dracula’s Winkee: Bloodsucker Blues” by Gregory L. Hall
“I Fuck Your Sunshine” by Lucy A. Snyder
“A Soldier’s Story” by Maurice Broaddus
“Rattenkönig” by Douglas F. Warrick
“Vampire Nation” by Jerry Gordon
“Curtain Call” by Gary A. Braunbeck

A portion of the proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to cancer research institutions to fight the real horrors of Cancer.

Vampires Don’t Sparkle! Is an anthology of, you guessed it, vampire stories. But not just any vampires, the tried and true monsters of the night that came before the new good guy version that have popped up in a lot of paranormal romance. Well, you won’t find any of the good vampire variety in this collection. If you like horror, then this is an entertaining read that I’m sure you will enjoy. The collection itself contains about fifteen short stories from all different authors. In addition, before each story, you're given a little background on the author, including recent publications and vampire stories they personally enjoyed.

The stories themselves were well written and entertaining. They range from the slightly comical version to the downright eerie, but they were all quick reads. I found that I would pick a story right before bed and finish it in that sitting. Maybe not the best time to read horror but who needs sleep. Anyway, I have to admit that a couple of the stories were soooo good that I was sorry that they ended. I found myself wondering What happens next? Are they really leaving me there? Of course, there were a couple that were just a little too weird for my taste, but all in all, I enjoyed the book.

Another thing I have to mention is that a part of the proceeds from the sale of the book is being donated to the American Cancer Society. I must say that I alone made me want to buy the book.

4 Frightening Sheep

Guest review: Lisa A

Seventh Star Press

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Seventh Star Press is a small press publisher located in Lexington, KY. SSP specializes in speculative fiction (fantasy, science fiction, and horror). The company was established in October of 2008.

Book Review: Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1) by Ilona Andrews

 Clean Sweep (Innkeeper Chronicles #1)
By: Ilona Andrews
On the outside, Dina Demille is the epitome of normal. She runs a quaint Victorian Bed and Breakfast in a small Texas town, owns a Shih Tzu named Beast, and is a perfect neighbor, whose biggest problem should be what to serve her guests for breakfast. But Dina is...different: Her broom is a deadly weapon; her Inn is magic and thinks for itself. Meant to be a lodging for otherworldly visitors, the only permanent guest is a retired Galactic aristocrat who can’t leave the grounds because she’s responsible for the deaths of millions and someone might shoot her on sight. Under the circumstances, "normal" is a bit of a stretch for Dina.

And now, something with wicked claws and deepwater teeth has begun to hunt at night....Feeling responsible for her neighbors, Dina decides to get involved. Before long, she has to juggle dealing with the annoyingly attractive, ex-military, new neighbor, Sean Evans—an alpha-strain werewolf—and the equally arresting cosmic vampire soldier, Arland, while trying to keep her inn and its guests safe. But the enemy she’s facing is unlike anything she’s ever encountered before. It’s smart, vicious, and lethal, and putting herself between this creature and her neighbors might just cost her everything.

Clean Sweep is the beginning of a new series by author Ilona Andrews. Andrews is also the best selling author of the Kate Daniels Series and The Edge Series. It's the story of an other worldly Inn Keeper, Dina Demille, who's trying to rebuild her life around an Old Victorian Bed and Breakfast that she has reopened. When something deadly invades her neighborhood and threatens the lives around her, Dina decides to take matters into her own hands. With a little help from a sexy neighbor, Seth Evans, and some added difficulties from a visiting vampire, Arland, you have a pretty intriguing story.

I was hooked on Clean Sweep right from the beginning. Having enjoyed other stories by Ilona Andrews, I was excited to read this one. It didn’t disappoint. Andrews who has a knack for building new worlds has done it again. Personally, I’m a huge fan of world building and was intrigued with the Inn right away. I mean who wouldn’t want a house that can decorate itself? The inn adds such a unique twist to the story that the whole idea felt fresh and new. So much in fact, that although it does include the usual cast of characters typically found in this genre, a really sexy werewolf (Seth), and some vampires, the inn makes the whole story feel like you’ve never heard of them before. Andrews also manages to change up the werewolf and the vampire in intriguing new ways.

Dina Demille, the Innkeeper, is a great lead character. I liked her instantly. She has unique talents, doesn’t take no for an answer and is brave but not stupid. The key being, she is not stupid like many leads now a days. In addition, she has a great little dog, a trusty broom and a kick ass attitude. I can’t wait to learn more about her. The only complaint some may have is that the story is light on the romance, but I would say hang in there. There was just enough sparks between the main characters to keep me happy, and the story definitely hinted that there was more to come. I suspect, we may even be in for a love triangle. All in all it was a great start to what seems to be a pretty promising series. I for one can’t wait for book two. And just for record, come home SETH!!!!!

5 Wooly Warmth Sheep

By Lisa A

About the authors:

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Ilona Andrews is the pseudonym for a husband-and-wife writing team. author2sm“Ilona is a native-born Russian and Gordon is a former communications sergeant in the U.S. Army. Contrary to popular belief, Gordon was never an intelligence officer with a license to kill, and Ilona was never the mysterious Russian spy who seduced him. They met in college, in English Composition 101, where Ilona got a better grade. (Gordon is still sore about that.)

Gordon and Ilona currently reside in Oregon with their two children, three dogs and a cat. They have co-authored two series, the bestselling urban fantasy of Kate Daniels and romantic urban fantasy of The Edge.