Monday 6 April 2020

Flora's Musings... has moved to WordPress!




I have moved this blog to WordPress to take advantage of the numerous features available. 

I hope you will continue following me in my new setting. 💜

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Wednesday 19 April 2017

Flora Reviews... A Fire in the Blood by Amanda Ashley



Flora Reviews...
A Fire in the Blood 

Read: 18th – 19th April 2015
Format: Kindle
My Goodreads Rating:  3 Stars
The expected publication date for both paperback and ebook is 25th April 2017

So, before we get into what I thought about this book, I want you to know that I was lucky enough to be given a digital version of this book for free from the publisher (Kensington Books) via Netgally.com in exchange for an honest review.
 
Thanks for the advance copy.

...So what’s this book about?
A Fire in the Blood is a standalone novel of approximately 400 pages. I feel that the story is a classic paranormal romance and would happily sit in the young adult genre due to the lack of 18+ content.  

If you’ve read any of my reviews before, you’ll know, I don’t post spoilers of any kind or reveal any plot twists in my book reviews, so here’s what the official blurb has to say about the story:

“I see a man. He is old. Very old. He will come into your life in a moment of danger. He will watch over you and protect you.” The gypsy’s hand gripped Tessa’s tighter. “He will bring you death,” she whispered, her voice like the rustle of dry leaves. “And life.”

Ten years later, when Andrei Dinescu saves Tessa from a vicious attacker, she has no idea that the handsome stranger the gypsy fortune teller predicted is not a hunter but a seven-hundred-year-old vampire. Darkly powerful, unbelievably compelling, he is obviously pursuing Tessa, but is it her love he's after or her blood?


 ...So, what did I like about it?
Amanda Ashley is a new-to-me author and I enjoyed her easy to read, writing style. I never felt lost in this story; the first chapter sets up the world, introduces our leading lady, Tessa Blackburn, and the relevant background for the story.

The pace of this tale isn't fast or frantic and it’s definitely not dark or gritty but it does have suspense and oodles of romantic gestures.

The suspense comes from never knowing when or where Tessa will be attacked by vampires; her blood calls to them. I should mention that the scenes in the book where killings, fighting and hunting take place are never explicit or described using vivid imagery.

The romance element starts very soon after our romantic couple meet, which some reviews have frowned on but don’t we hear about people who experience life threatening incidents forming instant attachments? I think so. Where this book differs from so many others is the fact that our main character, Tessa, believes in (and practices) the Christian value of no sex before marriage, so it was a refreshing change to see the sexual relationship between her and Andrei, being allowed to develop over the chapters; I enjoy it when the physical side of a relationship is allowed to bloom gently, prolonging the sexual anticipation of when they will finally do the deed.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
I understand that this book is first and foremost a romance novel, focussing on the evolving relationship between Tessa and Andrei, however, I am disappointed that there wasn’t more made within the story about the mystery of Tessa’s blood. I would have loved them to research it more; why is it so special? Surely all the vampire hunters in town could be tapped for information, the internet maybe or a trusted witch, gypsy or shaman? I just found it a bit frustrating; researching the mystery could have added an extra dimension to the story.  

...So, basically what I’m saying is...
This is a good paranormal romance and I enjoyed it.  I would recommend this book if you like books in the young adult (YA) genre or sweet paranormal romances. If, however, you are looking for a dark and gritty vampire romance, then this isn’t for you.

So, has my review of A FIRE IN THE BLOOD sparked your interest? Just click on any of the links below to check out the book yourself, or to find out more about other books I’ve read, take a look at my profile on Goodreads.


Buy A FIRE IN THE BLOOD in the usual places including Amazon.com or through Amazon.co.uk
 
Visit AMANDA ASHLEY‘s own little corner of the web

Saturday 15 April 2017

Flora Reviews... The Fallen Chronicles: Dark Angel by Amanda Jones



Flora Reviews...
The Fallen Chronicles: Dark Angel

Read: 9th – 15th April 2017
Format: Kindle
My Goodreads Rating:  4 Stars



 So, before we go any further I just want to tell you that I was lucky enough to be given a digital version of this book for free after making a request to the author via Netgalley.com in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank you, Ms Jones!

...So what’s this book about?

This is basically a paranormal romance novel (approx 298 pages) which feels to me very much like an occult thriller; it features many paranormal characters including, of course, angels, demons and humans.  Dark Angel is the first book in Ms Jones’ new series The Fallen Chronicles. The series will follow the seven angels who were cast out of heaven for rising up against The Deity and causing a war; Asmodeus, Azazel, Baliel, Bataryal, Lucifer, Samael and Yetarel – now known as The Princes of Hell.

This book focuses on Lucifer Morningstar; when a human sells his soul to the devil, Lucifer is the one tasked with bringing that soul to Satan in Sheol (Hell). As my regular followers will know, I don’t post spoilers or reveal any plot twists in my book reviews so here’s what the official blurb has to say:


Katia may be a celebrated musician, but she'd always felt a little like an outsider looking in. Who knew that being abducted by a handsome stranger would set her on a crash course with her destiny...

Luc has spent an eternity keeping everyone and everything at a distance as an unstoppable darkness consumes his soul. Will his beautiful captive be his salvation, or will they both be consumed by the ultimate evil...


 ...So, what did I like about it?

I found this book very easy to read and liked Ms Jones’ writing style; the way she created a very unique interpretation of what Hell is and how she spun her tale. I like the fact that she brought humanity to Lucifer and his fallen angel brothers. My regular followers will know how I crave characters who are a complex amalgam of good and bad, dark and light; I feel it makes them all the more believable.  

I liked the fact that although the romance part of the story develops early, we don’t actually see Luc and Katia take their relationship to that physical level until later in the story. The sex scenes were not graphic or OTT but they still managed to convey the feelings of the characters while getting my temperature rising.

As well as our two main characters, Luc and Katia, we have a few important secondary characters too; I liked the way that Ms Jones wrote sections of every chapter from different character’s point of view without making the experience confusing.

Now, I must confess, there were scenes in this book that made me actually laugh out loud like a lunatic, being the soppy soul that I am it also made me shed a tear once or twice too but rest assured dear follower, the smiles did outweigh the tears.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?

No, I didn’t dislike anything about the story or how it was told. No cliffhanger, so I’m a happy bunny.

I read some reviews that spoke of a few editing and grammar issues but nothing really jumped out enough for me to mention in the copy that I read. I remember a couple of times feeling a bit lost when a scene was being described but again not enough to mention specifically. I just wish that the cover was a real model rather than a drawn one.

...So, basically what I’m saying is...

I really enjoyed this book; it was a wild adventure that kept me reading from start to finish – I was hooked! I look forward to reading Broken Angel, book 2 in this series (we get a chapter 1 at the end of this book) and hope that eventually each of The Princes of Hell get their own book.

I recommend this to anyone who wants read a heart-warming romance with a thrilling story to boot that will keep them turning the pages from start to finish.

So, has my review of THE FALLEN CHRONICLES: DARK ANGEL sparked your interest? Just click on any of the links below to check out the book yourself, or to find out more about other books I’ve read, take a look at my profile on Goodreads.


Buy THE FALLEN CHRONICLES: DARK ANGEL on Amazon.com or through Amazon.co.uk

Visit AMANDA JONES own little corner of the web