Showing posts with label urban fantasy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label urban fantasy. Show all posts

Wednesday, 31 August 2016

Flora Reviews... Uprising (Vampire Federation #1) by Scott G Mariani



Flora Reviews...
Uprising (Vampire Federation #1) 
by Scott G Mariani

Read: 28th – 30th August 2016
Format: Kindle
My Goodreads Rating:  4 Stars

...So what’s this book about?

This book is a vampire horror story with an action thriller theme based in the here and now over approx 483 pages.  At the time of writing this review, Uprising is the first book in a two book series.

The official blurb says;

A new war is dawning…

For millennia, the vampires walked the earth undetected, feasting on humans in keeping with ancient tradition.
 

In the Information Age, vampires realised they must be more careful to avoid detection. In the late 20th century they created the global Vampire Federation to police vampire activity, with special agents like Alex Bishop authorised to hunt down her own kind who break the laws. 
The old traditions are history.

But not all vampires bow down to Federation rule. When rebel vampire Gabriel Stone declares war against them, Alex and her team are plunged into danger.

Police inspector Joel Solomon, haunted by a secret terror of vampires, discovers a series of corpses left behind by Stone's bloodthirsty gang. As he and Alex are drawn together in an unlikely alliance between human and vampire, the race begins to destroy the evil Stone before his uprising tears their world apart.

...So, what did I like about it?
I haven’t read anything by this author before and I must say I found his writing style very easy to read, his story development easy to follow and his characters very believable.
I loved the way that the story kept me guessing; the twists and turns, the mystery and intrigue, it’s a real action thriller. Although most of our main characters are vampires, this is not another paranormal romance; the Vampires here are top predators - humans are food, not equals.  The detail and background that Mr Mariani gives to all of the characters that we meet along the way in this tale adds depth and realism to the whole story without slowing the pace.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
No, not really. The only reason that it didn’t get a 5 star rating from me was due to the ending. The battle may have been temporarily won in this story but the war is far from over and we’re left wondering what happens next to some of our main characters.

...So, basically what I’m saying is...
I really enjoyed this book; I can see it making it onto the big screen!  It’s a suspense thriller with as many twists & turns as The Da Vinci Code with the killer vampire battle feel of Blade! I’ve already added Book 2 “The Cross” to my wish list. I haven’t read many horror/suspense thriller books in this vein (excuse the pun) so the only book I can compare it to is William Massa’s “Ice Shadows (Occult Assassin #2.5)” which I loved too.

So, has my review of UPRISING (Vampire Federation #1) 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.

See UPRISING (VAMPIRE FEDERATION #1) on Goodreads.com

Buy your own copy of UPRISING (VAMPIRE FEDERATION #1) on Amazon.com or through Amazon.co.uk

Visit Scott Mariani ‘s own little corner of the web

Tuesday, 31 May 2016

Flora Reviews... The Veil Series Complete Box Set (Books 1-5) by Pippa DaCosta



The Veil Series Complete Box Set (Books 1 - 5)

Read: 5th – 31st May 2016
Format: Kindle
My Goodreads Rating:  5 Stars


...So what’s this book about?

This is an urban fantasy series featuring humans, demons and half-demons and is the complete 5 book series called The Veil (there are also a couple of novellas including a prequel “Wings Of Hope” which you get for free by signing up to Pippa DaCosta’s Newsletter). I read the first book in this series back in January 2014 and decided to download this box set from Amazon UK.

The blurb says:
All five Veil Series novels now in one place!  Beyond The Veil, #1,  Devil May Care, #2, Darkest Before Dawn, #3, Drowning In The Dark, #4 and Ties That Bind, #5

Beyond The Veil

Charlie Henderson is living a lie. Her real name is Muse and her attempt at a normal life is about to go up in smoke.

When a half-demon assassin walks into her life, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake, Muse must return to the one man she hoped never to see again and ask for help. The Prince of Greed isn’t known for his charity. The price is high, and the cost could tear her apart.

Trapped between the malevolent intentions of a Prince of Hell and an assassin with ulterior motives, Muse must embrace the lure of chaos at her core; the demon inside her, in order to survive.

Devil May Care

Three dead Enforcers in three weeks, their bodies butchered. Muse has seen it before, and when she reads the metal memories in the murder weapon, she sees it all again. Her owner, Damien, is back, and he wants what is rightfully his.

Darkest Before Dawn

When Akil leaves a nine year old half-blood girl on Muse’s doorstep, it’s not long before the demons come hunting, but this time Muse isn’t the target. The Institute, Muse’s immortal brother, and the Princes of Hell, all want a piece of the little half-blood. What’s so special about Dawn, and why has Akil conveniently disappeared just as Muse needs answers?

Drowning In The Dark

As the veil begins to fall and the demons bleed through onto the streets of Boston, Muse knows the battle is lost before it’s even begun.

To make matters worse, Adam and the Institute have captured Akil at a time when the city has never needed him more. Muse believes Akil’s incarceration is a ruse, because if he truly is at the mercy of the Institute, she must choose which side she’ll fight for. Human or demon?

Ties That Bind

Demons are here. Muse knows she can stop the slaughter, but to do so, she must return to the battle-scarred streets of Boston and face the cold, hard, truth. Her old life is ashes. Her love, turned to dust. But all is not lost; a spark of hope remains. A spark from which an inferno can blaze.

“They say I’m half demon, but I like to think of myself as half human, especially as the demons want me dead.”

Charlie Henderson is living a lie. Her real name is Muse and her attempt at a normal life is about to go up in smoke.

When a half-demon assassin walks into her life, leaving a trail of destruction in his wake, Muse must return to the one man she hoped never to see again and ask for help. The Prince of Greed isn’t known for his charity. The price is high, and the cost could tear her apart.

Trapped between the malevolent intentions of a Prince of Hell and an assassin with ulterior motives, Muse must embrace the lure of chaos at her core; the demon inside her, in order to survive.

When your ex is the Prince of Greed, you'd better be ready to raise hell.

(Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award 2014 Quarter-Finalist Top 100 in Genre.)

 ...So, what did I like about it?

I found Ms DaCosta’s writing style very easy to read and I never felt lost in the plot. I liked the premise for her world; humans know about the existence of demons (but we don’t know the full truth of their power) some of which have chosen to live in our world (in a human look-a-like shell) while the rest live in their realm the “Netherworld”, half-demons are considered abominations/scum by the full demons and usually killed at birth.  I appreciated the way that Ms DaCosta revealed the complexities and practises of the demon world without upsetting the pace of the tale and the seed of doubt she planted in what we knew or thought we knew about circumstances, characters and fate.

I loved that our main male characters were not your typical “good” or “evil”, yes it made it hard to tell who was on Muse’s side but then people are a myriad of greys with the potential of great kindness and great evil in us all which is what added a very believable dimension to Ms DaCosta’s characters for me; both higher demon and human.

The plot kept me guessing right to the end; it made me laugh, cry, blush from naughty thoughts and had me, literally, on the edge of my seat at times.

...So, ummm, was there anything I disliked about it?
In a word – no not really.

That’s not to say that I didn’t find the actions, reasoning and behaviour of some of our main characters frustrating at times but (in my opinion), that’s deliberate; it’s all part of the journey and character/story development that Ms DaCosta  makes us, the reader, experience to make the whole tale so involving.

This is a series, so don’t expect answers to be easily discovered, yes there are cliffhangers at the end of a couple of books but that’s the advantage of buying a set, you don’t have to wait…

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

I really loved this series!

I found it well written with a huge amount of twists & turns that kept me guessing throughout this action packed, emotional rollercoaster of an urban fantasy tale! I loved the development of our main characters and the direction of the story that we were taken on. In my mind it had it all!

So, have I sparked an interested for THE VEIL COMPLETE BOX SET (Books 1-5) in you? Just click on the links below and check out the set yourself.


Or visit Pippa DaCosta’s website for more information about the author herself.

Tuesday, 1 December 2015

Flora Reviews... Passion Bites (Biting Love #9) by Mary Hughes



Passion Bites (Biting Love #9) 


Read: 28th – 30th November 2015

Format: Kindle

My Goodreads Rating:  3 Stars




...So what’s this book about?

This is a passionate paranormal romance running alongside a good mystery/action adventure and is the ninth book in Mary Hughes’s Biting Love Series. Although, I haven’t read the previous eight books, I don’t think it was essential to enjoy this one. Saying that, someone who has read the previous books in the series will obviously "get" more from the nuances displayed between the supporting characters and the history of previous story arcs will add depth for them that I missed.

The official blurb says:


A broken vampire and a driven doctor, seized by a passion neither can afford.

Dr. Alexis Byornsson has her hands full in the ER when her patient’s uncle blows into the exam room. Stitching up a five-year-old’s cut is hard enough without a blond god distracting her all to hell.

To say she’s furious is putting it mildly—not that anyone would notice. Not with the legendary control that’s earned her the nickname “Dr. Frozen”.
Luke Steel never knew a woman chastising him could be so sexy. But for the first time in three hundred years, passion stirs in his gut—along with panic. Since his wife was taken before his eyes in a brutal attack, he’s sworn he’d never feel that powerless again.

Almost before either Luke or Alexis realize what’s happening, they’re sharing a blazing kiss that shatters her logical armor and unleashes his wholly unwanted mating instinct. And spurs a closer-than-skin enemy to put into motion a devastating plan for revenge.


The publication date for this book is 8th December 2015, however, I was lucky enough to be given this book for free from the publisher (Samhain Publishing, Ltd) via NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair review.

Thank you.


 ...So, what did I like about it?

I haven’t read any of Ms Hughes Biting Love series before so it was nice that there is a breakdown of all the different vampire families (Households), the main characters and a quick 1 or 2 line bio on each at the front of the book before the story starts.

Ms Hughes is a self confessed romantic and a champion of the “Happily-Ever-After” ending which mirrors my own soppy soul, so the ending for our pair of lovers wasn’t a surprise, however, I enjoyed her fast paced action and the mysteries that she also managed to weave into this romantic tale.

I enjoy my books more when our main female lead is intelligent, resilient and not afraid of a challenge and I wasn’t disappointed here with Dr Alexis Byornsson. She was all this and more. In fact, I enjoyed the emotional journey/healing process that both our main characters went through during this book – very engaging.

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

The only things that I struggled with at times were; the overly wordy prose (especially when Alexis and Luke were together), some allegories used here and there that didn’t really make sense to me and the instant sexual relationship between Alexis and Luke. I’m more of a build up kinda gal.

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

I liked this story; it was good. It’s got a blooming (steamy) romance, thriller style mystery, murder, abduction, good versus evil… 
If you like your relationship/romance novels to feature emotional repressed (love-scarred) but loyal heroes/heroines against a background story full of fast paced action then I think you’ll appreciate this tale.  

So, have I sparked an interested for Passion Bites in you? Just click on the links below and check out the book yourself.

A Challenge To Read More... PNR-UF Group November 2015 Challenge



A challenge to read more…

Since joining Goodreads I have found many “new to me” authors and series.
I took the site’s general “2014 Reading Challenge” and have signed up again this year. In addition to that I decided to sign up for a few reading challenges that the groups I belong to set.

“Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy” Group is for the discussion and recommendation of paranormal romances and paranormal erotic romance, along with urban fantasy, science fiction, futuristic, and fantasy romance. If you love vampires, werewolves, and hot faery men, this is the group for you. Join up and discuss your favourite books!

If you have questions or concerns, please contact a mod other than Pamela. She unfortunately doesn't have a lot of goodreads time at the moment, and you'll get a quicker response from another mod. Thanks!

We recommend members be over 18, since we do discuss books with adult content, but this is not strictly enforced. Please be aware that there will be adult discussion in this group!

So, this post is all about the monthly reading challenge that the “Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy” group have set for November 2015.


It's a couple of days early, but, well, Halloween is a biggie around my house, and I'm getting ready to ramp up the costume race, so thought I'd get this posted now.

November
Have I Read This One Before?
Have you noticed that a lot of PNR and UF books have similar titles? Read a book that has one of the words in each list in it's title
.

You can pluralise the word, but it has to be a separate word, e.g. Angel or Angels could be used but not Archangel.

1 – Dark or Darkness or Darker – Dark and Stormy Knight (Knights of Avalon #2) by Nina Mason
2
– Heat or Hot or Fire – Dragons Don’t Cry (Fire Chronicles #1) by D’Elen McClain
3
– Passion or Kiss or Desire – Passion Bites (Biting Love #9) by Mary Hughes
4
– Magic or Spell or Witch – The Silver Witch by Paula Brackston
5
– Night or Midnight or Wolf – Wolves (I Bring The Fire  # 1) by C Gockel (Read as part of the “The Paranormal 13” box set)
6
– Vampire or Blood or Bite – Blood Magic (Wing Slayer Hunters #1) by Jennifer Lyon
7
– Shadow or Deadly or Hunger – The Company of Shadows by Lisa Olsen
8
– Seduction or Lover or Mate – Marked by an Assassin (Eternal Mates series #8) by Felicity Heaton
9
– Hunter or Eternal or Heart - The Witch Hunter by Nicole R Taylor (Read as part of the “The Paranormal 13” box set)
10
– Angel or Demon or Dragon – Angel of Mercy by Lisa Olsen



PNR-UF Group November 2015 Challenge Book Montage

Angel Of Mercy
Blood Magic
The Company of Shadows
Dark and Stormy Knight
Dragons Don't Cry
Marked by an Assassin
Passion Bites
The Silver Witch
The Witch Hunter
Wolves


*flora*'s favorite books »


So have you read any of the above books? Recognise any of the authors? As usual you can click on the authors’ names to be whisked away to their own websites….

As my regular followers will know, I love these reading challenges – just search my site for reading challenges and see how many results you get!! Lol!  Reading challenges are a fun way to “force” us to look further than our noses, to look past those tried and trusted authors and genres that we always read and step into the world of the unknown… we may experience disappointment but we could discover a new “favourite” author and a myriad of new worlds, characters and tales to sink our teeth into! Isn’t it worth the risk?

Funnily enough I found this challenge harder than I expected. My TBR (To Be Read) shelf was lacking in titles containing these words, I really had to scour, however, looking back over the past couple of years, yes I agree PNR and UF book titles frequently contain these words in their titles! Lol!