Monday, December 17, 2012

Book Review: Redemption

                                                Today's review is on Redemption by Denise Grover Swank


There are some books that make you laugh and some that make you cry.  There are some that you suffer through and those that seem to just fly by.  There are even some that you are thankful for their ending. What there aren't many of, are those that are coming to an end and leave you wanting more.  Redemption is one of those books.  It is the final book in Swank's The Chosen series and let me tell you, I takes you on the most emotional ride of all of them.  You will laugh, you will cry, the pages will seem to fly by, and you WILL be left wanting the series to go on and on.

Swank's ability to capture your heart with her delightful characters is apparent from the very first book.  But whereas some characters in other books loose their appeal, those in this series maintain their grip and become a part of you.

Love, danger, and loss are main components of this series, and as it comes to a close Emma and Will face all three at once.  But even the best played out plans may not work out, and tough decisions must be made.  But at what cost?  Not only is the fate of Emma, Will, and Jake at stake.  The fate of the world hangs in the balance.

I have been a strong proponent of Swank's writing, as I have simply loved each and every book she has written so far.  Her style of writing flows easily and her characters are believable.  Her books do exactly what they are meant to.  They take the reader away on and adventure.  A joyful escape from the days stresses that you know will eventually end in some sort of happiness.

I recommend you pick up any of the books Swank has written.  In a word, they are all........exceptional.

5 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon



Book Description: via Amazon
The explosive conclusion to the bestselling series- The Chosen.

Four shall fight. Two shall remain.
The game of immortal elements has advanced to an unexpected level since Will and Emma have joined. But was their union a part of Water's careful orchestration? Has the game swung to his advantage? With

Emma's life -- and the lives of those she loves -- at risk, every move could be deadly.
A mother's quest to protect her son has turned into a fight with eternal ramifications.
Realizing she's the weakest participant in the final version of the game, Emma will do anything within her power to save Jake and Will. Even if it means dying.

A man who will do anything to save the woman he loves.
As Will struggles with the implications of his destiny, he's left to question the true intentions of the father he's never known and what it means to Emma's survival. The woman he is now bound to for eternity.

A boy who is the key.
In loneliness and desperation, Jake friends the lurking shadows, and now his heart battles between love and hate. The shadows offer to help him save his mother but does it come at a price?

The final confrontation is on the horizon and Emma is forced to confront her nightmare--is she the destruction of the world or the savior?

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Book Review: Fate's Wish

              Today's review is on Fate's Wish by Milly Taiden

Fate's Wish is the first book that I have read by Taiden, and though there was oodles of fantastic hot sex between the two main players, I was left feeling ripped off at the end. This doesn't mean that I did not enjoy the book. In fact I did! It's just that this short and sexy tale is just too short.

There was enough pull in there that I think the author could have written more. That this is just the beginning few chapters of a great sexy paranormal romance. Did no one else see this? Don't just let me wet my toes, I want to jump all the way in! At any rate, I'll be keeping my eye out for more of Taiden's work.

3 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon



 Book Description: via Amazon


The man she loves left her, but he’s the only one that can protect her.

Sharmila is a witch with a problem. Her magic is waning. And her lack of sex may have something to do with it. Her mother’s solution? Easy. Sharmila needs to get laid. Easier said than done, though, because Shar is still in love with the only man to make her melt, Zahir Darkwrath. Her missing husband. Her demon.

Zahir knows he’s a danger to Shar, so he’s done his best to stay far away. Darkness flows through his being, and when emotions run wild, destruction rages around him. And sex with Shar is definitely wild. Staying away from the woman he loves is the hardest thing he’s ever done, but hurting her would be far worse. So he’s astounded when Shar’s mother hires his company to watch over her.

Evil is heading Shar’s way, and Zahir is the only one who can stop it. To save her, Zahir will need more than control; he’ll need the power of his own darkness--which might be his undoing.

Monday, December 10, 2012

Book Review: One Plus One

             Today's review is on One Plus One by Kay Dee Royal

One Plus One is a Hot & Sexy short read that will most definitely save you money on your hot water bills! You, just like the decadent Blade, will need many a cold shower to get you through to the last page, and then some.

It's not the best erotic novella that I have read, but it is right up there along side them. It's written well and takes you right to the meat of things; pun intended, with characters that you want to undress and dream about. After all, who among us wouldn't enjoy a singles cruise where we could let our hair and have a little uninhibited fun? Or who doesn't need a little erotic pick me up?

One Plus One is a great addition to my library's erotica section.

4 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon

Book Description: via Amazon

Coerced by her friend, Lacinda, a woman crushed by love, winds up on a three week singles cruise.

Blade, a man of means, discovers Miss Right under the guise of a singles cruise set up by his business partner.

Once Blade focuses his efforts he always gets what he’s after, until Lacinda throws his arrogant reputation back in his face.
Can Blade break through Lacinda’s angry barriers? Will she ever see him as anything more than a player?


One Plus One
Kay Dee Royal

Contemporary Erotic Romance –

WARNING: Explicit sex scenes 18+

Muse Info/Buy Page
Amazon Buy Page

Tagline: Lacinda and Blade discover more than sexual ecstasy on a lust-filled singles cruise. Winners can’t be losers.

One Plus One Blurb:

Coerced by her friend, Lacinda, a woman crushed by love, winds up on a three-week singles cruise.

Blade, a man of means, discovers Miss Right under the guise of a singles cruise set up by his business partner.

Once Blade focuses his efforts he always gets what he’s after, until Lacinda throws his arrogant reputation back in his face.

Can Blade break through Lacinda’s angry barriers? Will she ever see him as anything more than a player?


 About the Author:

Kay Dee Royal writes paranormal and fantasy romance—maybe because it's also her favorite genre to read! She pens tales with wild, rugged heroes and strong, intelligent heroines. She'll give them both a few shadowy secrets, making her stories intriguing and fun. She resides in Southern Michigan with her family (her dogs, her cats, her caged husband... you get the idea). You can reach her at her blog and find the latest on her titles from her publisher, MuseItHot.

http://www.kaydeeroyal.blogspot.com

http://ravencraftrealm.blogspot.com

FB: http://www.facebook.com/kaydee.royal

Twitter: http://twitter.com/KayDeeRoyal

GoodReads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5227617-kay-dee-royal

Amazon Author Page

Sunday, December 9, 2012

VACATION ANNOUNCEMENT

The Gothic Mom will be on VACATION from December 20th -  January 13, 2013.  During that time, NO book reviews will posted, nor will any requests be accepted.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Book Review: Girl of Nightmares

                                                   Today's review is on Girl of Nightmares by Kendare Blake

Girl of Nightmares is the second and final installment in Blake's Anna Dressed in Blood series, and though I loved the first book I was a bit let down with this one.  After waiting so long and being so excited, for it to end like this makes it just that much more worse.

The writing is still exceptional, and the premise is still good.  There's even a healthy amount of drama thrown in.  It maintained the level of gothic charm, but lacked some of the stronger elements I had come to depend on.  In other words, the love was a bit lacking.  Sure, Cas still loves Anna, and she loves him, but I wasn't feeling it as much as I did in the first book.

Cas' level of depression over the loss of Anna takes up a large portion of the book, and when the action finally gets started, it's over too quickly.  I kept turning page after page, wondering when the story would pick up pace, only to find myself 3/4 of the way through the book when it began.

Thankfully the series is over, because if there was another installment I wouldn't even pick it up.  I just hate when a first book holds so much promise for a series only to fall flat on it's a@@. 

3 of 5 stars
Available at Amazon



Book Description: via Amazon

It's been months since the ghost of Anna Korlov opened a door to Hell in her basement and disappeared into it, but ghost-hunter Cas Lowood can't move on.

His friends remind him that Anna sacrificed herself so that Cas could live—not walk around half dead. He knows they're right, but in Cas's eyes, no living girl he meets can compare to the dead girl he fell in love with.

Now he's seeing Anna everywhere: sometimes when he's asleep and sometimes in waking nightmares. But something is very wrong...these aren't just daydreams. Anna seems tortured, torn apart in new and ever more gruesome ways every time she appears.

Cas doesn't know what happened to Anna when she disappeared into Hell, but he knows she doesn't deserve whatever is happening to her now. Anna saved Cas more than once, and it's time for him to return the favor.