Book Review: Twice Cursed

                     Today's review is on Twice Cursed by Jacqueline Paige

Of the last three books I have read by Paige, Twice Cursed is my favorite. However, just as all of the books, Twice Cursed is full of editing misses. And though the story in and of itself is an interesting and captivating one, at times I felt that it moved a bit to slow.

Maddy is a twenty-four-year-old witchling who should have graduated years ago but for the curse that was placed upon her. With both of her parents gone, she has no one to turn to her but her best friend and her mother; who was her mothers best friend. Other than that, she is alone. Finally reaching a really low point one day, Maddy decides that she needs some time out of the house and goes to the local museum.

Across town, Colin too has been feeling down. He has tried to occupy his time each day, and has decided to get out of the house. While waiting for the bus, he notices an advertisement for the museum and heads there.

When they both gaze at the same artifact, they are both cursed. Now they can't be more than sixty feet apart, and when they are closer, the spirits of their ancestors want to possess their bodies. But how can they keep apart when the attraction they feel for each other is so strong?

What follows is a magical journey to find the truth and a love story that will touch your heart. (Though the ending was a bit anticlimactic) Just try to ignore all of the many mistakes in the writing.

3 of 5 stars

Available @ Amazon

Book Review: Mystic Perceptions

             Today's review is on Mystic Perceptions by Jacqueline Paige

There is something about the books that Paige writes that keeps me going back to get more and more. Perhaps it is that though there is a paranormal element in each, there is also a story that could really exist.

Detectives Reid Merritt and Brent Jordan are investigating a string of murders. Four women so far have been discovered, but the detectives have run into dead ends with each lead. Until the department received a call from an unknown investigator, it looked like the case wouldn't be moving forward.

Enter the beautiful Jacinda Brown. Usually only dealing with investigative research involving furniture, Jacinda agrees to look into the disappearance of a missing woman at the urging of the woman's sister. Little did Jacinda know that this decision would take her out of her comfort zone and change her life forever.

Both Jacinda and Reid have had the misfortune of being on the receiving end of a cheating relationship, and have decided that being single is the best option. Along with that, Jacinda also has a gift; or a curse according to her, that allows her to see emotions, faces, and events of people and places. This only adds to her resolve to stay out of relationships and away from people.

Upon first meeting Jacinda, Reid is taken in by her beauty as she is taken in by his. And though at first neither one wants to be working together on this case, they grow on each other. What's better is that Reid is so much in control of his emotions that he is able to touch her, to hold her, and to kiss her.

As the case begins moving forward again, Jacinda decides to use her ability to help find the killer. Will Brent and Reid believe her or send her to the looney bin? Will Reid call her a freak and run for the hills? More importantly, can they catch a killer before he strikes again?

I love reading Paige's books, I really do. I just wish that she would get a better editor! Perhaps I'm just to old fashion, but I still feel that there is NO excuse for a book being sold to have mistakes in it.

3 of 5 stars
Available @ Amazon

Book Review: Beltane Magic

         Today's review is on Beltane Magic by Jacquelie Paige


Like the other books that I have read by Paige, Beltane Magic was just as hard to put down. The character's she creates in each book are easy to fall in love with, and the stories she tells keep me glued to my favorite reading spot until I finish the very last page. Their only downfall is the quality of the editing.

Leena Duncan returned to her small home town after a terrible marriage. Her then husband Tyler abused her physically, and at least once sexually. Since she's been "home", she hasn't let another man get close to her and that's just how she wants it. She can't let herself trust another man and risk getting hurt like that again. She has her job and her friends. She is even able to use her magic around them, as they too have magical abilities. She never thought that she would ever fall in love again until she met Owen; her high school crush, again at the Beltane celebration.

Owen Grey knows what it is like to be physically abused. He was beat as a child by his father. When he finally turned eighteen he left town and didn't come back until his father had died. Sadly his mother died shortly thereafter. The hate he feels for his father has caused him to make a vow that he would never marry or have children. Always afraid of becoming like his father he is thrown for a loop when he falls head over heals in love with Leena and begins to want those very things.

Not all is happiness and love however. Two women had been murdered at the Beltane celebration and the police have no leads. Through magical rituals, the group of friends is able to see that the murderer plans to kill again at the Solstice celebration. Can they thwart the killer before then? The answer will be in Book 2.

I loved this book, but just can't get over how many editing mistakes were throughout it. It really is a shame. A Really Good book gets bumped down to average because the editor did so poorly of a job.

3 of 5 stars
Available @ Amazon
 

Book Review: Eternal Desire

              Today's review is on Eternal Desire by Roxanne Rhoads

Hot, Steamy, and Heavy are just a few words that came to my mind while I was reading this short erotic tale. Set in New Orleans just in time for Halloween, there is nothing but passion for ghosts, vampires, and humans alike.

Though Liz Beth keeps her relationships with men short and oh so sweet, she has always had Quillon. When she was a child, he would talk to her,  guide her, and protect her,  though she never saw him. Now as an adult, Quillon has added things more carnal in nature. He visit's her in her dreams giving her her most erotic dreams.

When he tells her one evening to travel to New Orleans she does not hesitate. Once there however, she meets Christien, a gorgeous man of God like quality. Though she thinks of Quillon, she can't help but give in to her desire to HAVE Christien whenever and however she can. After all, he is there. She can actually see him and touch him, where with Quillon she cannot.

Candy and treats aren't the only things given out on All Hallows Eve though, surprises are also thrown into the mix. And I don't know about you, but I just love surprises!!

Will Quillon ever come out from the shadows, or will Christien take his place in her head, heart, and ultimately her bed?

A fantastic erotic piece to spice up any rainy day. It certainly did today. Before you read it, just be sure your hunny bunny is close by for some surprises of your own.

5 of 5 stars
Available @ Amazon

Book Review: The Fool's Journey

             Today's review is on The Fool's Journey by Kristina Jackson

The Fool's Journey is the first book that I have read by Jackson, and though it does have some paranormal aspect to it, I found that I lost interest after getting half way through. The cause? There seemed to have been just to many sub plots. A woman using her body for advancement in her company, a budding romance, the death of a loved one, the surprise pregnancy of another, two ghost stories, and a wedding that we never actually see.

After spending most of her career; basically selling her body to her bosses, Moira sees another woman being abused on the street. The woman is pregnant and later dies from her injuries. Shocked that one of the men that she sleeps with could treat this other woman so poorly, Moira seeks out advice from a psychic at a fair and receives a tarot reading.

Having full confidence in her the tarot, Moira sells her home and moves to start a new life. He new home however already has two occupants. A ghost named Jimmy, and the spirit of a young girl who resides in an old trunk.

She befriends her elderly neighbor and falls in love with her nephew. Once she becomes his fiance she is welcomed with open arms to the rest of his family.

Throughout everything, Moira checks her faithful tarot cards each day and meditates on their meaning. In doing this, she bases all of her decisions.

I originally thought that I would love this book, but I found that I just could not. There were mistakes throughout the copy that I was provided, and I had to force myself to continue through to the end. I guess in the end it just wasn't my cup of tea. Perhaps if there was more focus on the romantic aspect of Moira and fiance's life, I would have enjoyed it more.

Though I would probably have given the book a three star rating, with the number of mistakes that were within it, I just cannot, in good faith do even that.

2 of 5 stars
Available @ Amazon

Book Review: Cold in California

                                   Today's review is on Cold in California by Deborah Riley-Magnus


Cold in California is the first book in Riley-Magnus' The Twice-Baked Vampire Series, and it is off like a flying stake straight through to your heart. Though I did find numerous editing mistakes, I found that I just could not resist falling in love with the "twice-baked" vampire hero, Gabriel Strickland.

Gabriel is not your average vampire. He still maintains much of his humanness. Sure he still feeds from mortals, but he only takes what he needs. He's not interested in hanging around with other vamps, but he longs for a relationship. When he meets Starling; a beautiful Goth girl who knows what he is, he thinks he may have found someone he could love. But that would not come to pass.

By a freak accident, Gabriel is staked with a broken baseball bat. thinking that he is going to die, he is surprised to find himself standing on the corner of Hollywood and Vine in West Hollywood, California. It seems that instead of heading straight to Hell; where he fears all vampires go, he is given a chance at redemption. Now everything he does could be held against him or for him.

When he meets Dori Gallagher at an employment agency his twice-baked life becomes more bearable. And when they fall in love it becomes even more complicated. He's not the only one after the affections of Ms. Gallagher. A powerful Warlock wants her, and he'll do anything in his power to have her. In order to keep the woman he loves safe, Gabriel will need the help of all of his new friends living at the wearhouse. But will it be enough?

Cold in California is off to a good start, I just hope that the others in the series are edited a bit better. I don't know what it is, but books just seem to be poorly edited these days.

3 of 5 stars
Available @ Amazon

Book Review: Legend of Witchtrot Road

                                                         ****SPOLIER****

                                 Today's review is on Legend of Witchtrot Road by E.J. Stevens

Legend of Witchtrot Road is the third book in Stevens' Spirit Guide series, and is my favorite one so far. Not that I feel that it is exceedingly better than the other two, but I have seen some growth and improvement in the author. I also like how the relationships between Yuki and Cal, and more importantly Emma and Simon are moving along.

In the previous two books we have come to learn about Simon's past and his first love. We learn how he loved her so much, he went away with her when she entered college. We also learned how; while in wolf form, she was shot by a human and died in Simon's arms, and the pain that he carries with him because of that loss.

In this installment we get to meet Gabriel, the little brother of Simon's dead girlfriend. He has been harboring his anger for eight years and wants nothing more than to get revenge for his sisters death. Since he blames Simon, he wants that revenge let loose on him. It takes a lot of Cal's time and energy to keep Simon and Gabriel from killing each other, but he is still able to come to Yuki's rescue.

When Yuki is blamed for the death of a football player; on the so called cursed Witchtrot Road, the J-team gets the rest of the team to back them up. They want her to reverse the spell she put on the now dead player, and bring him back.

Wanting to get to the bottom of the curse, Yuki and Emma head out to Witchtrot Road alone one night. This results in a terrible accident that will have Emma seriously injured.

Everything comes to a close with the bad guys caught, the spirits moving into the light, and the gang all together. Especially Emma and Simon!!

Though there were still editing mistakes, the stories seem to be growing on me. I still feel that the stories are a bit to short, but I have given up and accepted that that is just how these books are. I will still read the next two that are planned for the series though because I just have to see how the relationship between Emma and Simon plays out.

3 of 5 stars
Available @ Amazon

Book Review: Spirit Storm

                        Today's review is on Spirit Storm by E.J. Stevens

Spirit Storm is the second book in Stevens' Spirit Guide series. Though another short one, I enjoyed the continuing story of Yuki, Calvin, Emma and Simon.

Though the four have recently had an adventure, they come to find out that there is significant danger ahead. All Hallows Eve is coming up, the night when the spirits of those who have died are free to walk among the living.

Even though they have to prepare for Halloween, they also have a mystery to solve. A wolf in Cal's pack has been murdered. Along with his body they find items that have been suggested to protect from Werewolves. But who is this murderer? When a second wolf goes missing, Yuki, Cal, Simon and the spirit of the murdered wolf; who has the smell impression of "burnt brownies", set out to find the him. Cal gets seriously hurt however, and it will be up to Yuki to bring him back from the brink of death.

If that's not enough, Yuki also needs to find a way to get her hands on an amulet. This amulet is not only miles away in Salem, Massachusetts, it's in a store owned and run by Witches, and sits in a locked case. Her only hope in surviving the dangers of Samhain is to do a little B&E and "swap" a fake for the real thing. Luckily she has her friends to help.

Though I really enjoy the series so far, I am a bit disappointed that there are still editing mistakes within it's pages. I love the plot lines that Stevens weaves into the story, however I strongly feel that she could add so much more to them. For me, the ride is just to short. Give me a little more build up, draw it out more. Give me a least 300 pages, I know the author can do it, she's already a quarter way there.

3 of 5 stars

Available @ Amazon