Rabid Reads

Ripper
Author: Lexi Blake
Series: Hunter #1
Publisher: DLZ Entertainment
Published on: January 15, 2015
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: 288 pages, eBook
Provided by: Purchased

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A New Heroine Rises...

Kelsey Atwood is a private detective with a problem. She came from a family of hunters, growing up on the wrong side of the supernatural world. Tracking down bail jumpers and deadbeat dads may not make her a lot of friends, but it’s a lot safer than the life she turned her back on. She was hoping to escape from the nightmares of her past, but her latest case has brought them right back to her door.

A young woman has gone missing, and she didn’t go willingly. When Kelsey discovers that the girl is actually a shifter, she knows she should drop the case and walk away. But this shifter was a sweet kid, and she’s in serious trouble. More females are missing and the evidence points to a legendary killer. Bodies are piling up, and her case is becoming center stage for a conflict that could shatter the fragile peace between wolves and vampires.

As the hunt intensifies, she finds herself trapped between two men—Gray, a magnetic half-demon lawman, and the ancient vampire Marcus Vorenus. Both men call to her, but when a shocking secret about Kelsey’s family is revealed, it could ruin them all. To stop the killer, she will have to embrace the truth about who—and what—she truly is.

Contradictions. I wrestled with how I wanted to review this, but the word contradictions kept running through my mind, not only after I was finished, but all the way through the read. I liked it, I loved it, and at times I truly didn’t care for it. Ultimately, that means at times I was wondering where the story was going, because I wasn’t totally invested, and at other times, I couldn’t put it down.

Kelsey is a private investigator who, although she is very aware of the supernatural world, has stayed as far away from it as she can for years. She does have her reasons. She has one friend in this world, Liv, a witch. When Liv gets Kelsey involved in a missing girl case, she gets yanked back into the world she never wanted to be part of.

Throughout the first half of the book, I really enjoyed myself. I thought Kelsey was a really different sort of character, really liked Liv due to her warmhearted caring attitude towards Kelsey, and even liked Kelsey’s at times, overbearing brothers. When Kelsey starts falling for her brother’s friend, Gray, I had problems with how fast, a closed off character that Kelsey ultimately is, falls in love, and it just didn’t ring true with me. And when the first sex scene began, that’s when I really didn’t like the book. I have nothing against a good sex scene, but I am just not into the whole tying someone up(and don’t get me started on the use of the p word for a part of the female anatomy!). Had I known, I would never have picked up this book. I know a lot of people don’t mind this, and that’s perfectly fine. Just my personal preference. Gray is a half demon and I just really didn’t like him that much. Now to the character that I loved. Marcus is the oldest living vampire in the world, and he’s a supernatural counsel member. When Kelsey meets him, he’s pretty bored with his life, but perks up considerably when he realizes what Kelsey is, and actually becomes enamored with her.

Okay so what is Kelsey? I am so not telling. That’s the fun part of this book, and became the part of the book that I loved. In fact the whole last maybe thirty five percent of the book, I was on the edge of my seat with all the suspense and action involved-due in large part to what Kelsey is. So yes, the last part of the book was the part I loved. It also is the reason I will be reading the next book, because I am so intrigued with Kelsey, and with Marcus as well.

Early on, you realize that many of the supernatural characters that Kelsey comes into contact with in her investigation, have been in a book series of their own. This was my first book by this author, but I don’t think I was lost by not knowing any of these characters back story. I am sure the author’s fans of that series will gobble this book up. I think readers that like supernatural characters of all types, or that like books featuring gory murders(involving shifters), will enjoy this read as well. Maybe I should mention that it’s not a feel good read, although Kelsey does have a lot of snark, which I always enjoy in a main character, and certainly added some much needed levity to the read.

If it seems like this review is all over the place, that might be because I was all over the place while reading it. I do think that a lot of people will enjoy this read, and if bondage doesn’t bother you, then I do recommend it.

Side note-I had a horrible time rating this-I wish there was a 3.75, I just couldn’t give it 4, but I do think it’s better then a 3.5

Paranormal Romance:

	Viper Game (GhostWalkers #11) by Christine Feehan Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description GhostWalker Wyatt Fontenot knows the price he paid for the secret military experiments that gave him his special catlike abilities. After all, he left his bayou home a healer and came back a killer. While Wyatt and his GhostWalker brother Gator may have known exactly the sort of game they were getting into, Wyatt never anticipated where it would lead—or to whom. The swamps hold many mysteries, but few are as sinuously seductive as Le Poivre de Cayenne. The woman the locals call Pepper is every bit as enigmatic as the three little girls she’s desperately trying to protect. From what, Wyatt is soon to discover. Right now Pepper needs a man like Wyatt. Passionately. But her secrets are about to take them both deeper into the bayou than either imagined—where desire is the deadliest poison of all.

	Bound by Flames (Night Prince #3) by Jeaniene Frost Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Play with fire, pay the price Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin . . . Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does . . . for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both . . .

	Craved by an Alpha (Eternal Mates #5) by Felicity Heaton Paranormal Romance Amazon GoodReads
Book Description Having turned his back on his snow leopard pride, Cavanaugh has been counting the days until he’s free of a role he never wanted—one that separated him from his fated female and stands between him and the future he craves with her. Just days from the night he will finally be free to be with the low-ranking beauty who stole his heart, she walks back into his life and threatens to destroy everything he’s worked towards in the five long years they’ve been apart. Eloise has travelled across continents searching for the male who was once her best friend and so much more to her, but was now her pride’s true alpha. Desperate to fulfil a promise to her kin to save them from the tyrant he left in charge, she convinces Cavanaugh to return to his pride, but as they journey to Bhutan, doubts bloom and old feelings resurface, tearing her between duty and her deepest desires and impossible dreams. Will Eloise be able to resist the burning need that Cavanaugh reignites in her and remember her place in the pride? And can Cavanaugh find a way to save his kin and claim the future he craves with the woman he loves?

	The Three Fates of Ryan Love (Beyond #2) by Erin Quinn Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Ryan Love’s life is about to go up in flames—literally—when a mystical being named Sabelle appears, claiming to be from the Beyond—the realm of heaven, hell, and mysteries both awesome and terrifying. As Ryan’s family business and home are destroyed in a freak explosion, Sabelle saves him just in time. So why does Ryan feel like she’s the one who needs saving? He wants to resist this dangerous attraction, but how can he fight a fate this tempting? Sabelle is a powerful oracle who has broken the laws of the Beyond to save Ryan’s life, but once she meets Ryan, everything changes. Ryan steals her heart and awakens her passions, making her long to be human. But corruption is seeping out of the Beyond and Sabelle must choose between saving the fate of mankind and following her heart. Is she Ryan’s fate or the destiny he won’t survive?

	Her Sexy Sentinel by Jenn Burke Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description The most dangerous thing they could do is fall in love… Callie Noble fled to Ottawa to escape danger. But she is far from safe. Overwhelmed by a strange new power she can’t control, Callie is terrified and painfully incapacitated. Her only hope is to seek the help of the one man who broke her heart… Derrick Llewellyn is one of the Sentinels charged with the protection of the city’s mysterious secret. Seeing Callie again is a shock enough, but the electricity between them is stronger than ever. Still, loving another marked individual is forbidden, and Callie needs his help—not romantic complications. But there are forces at work in the city, and Callie finds herself inexorably drawn into a world filled with danger and untold magics. A world where loving Derrick isn’t just forbidden…it’s the surest way to drive them both mad.

	Hunger’s Mate Part 3 (The Shadow Shifters #5) by A.C. Arthur Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description In Hunger’s Mate: Part 3 by A.C. Arthur, Jewel has plotted and schemed for months, hiding her knowledge of a top-secret operation—and keeping Ezra guessing…and hungry for more. Captivated by her passion, skill, and courage, Ezra wants to help Jewel on her mission. But can she be trusted? Is his desire for her worth the risk?

	Forged in Fire (The Vessel #1) by Juliette Cross Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description She never knew this demon world existed. Now she just wants to survive it. Genevieve Drake never needed a man to come to her rescue. Not until the night of her twentieth birthday, when some dude nearly chokes her to death in an alley behind a New Orleans Goth club. And a hot stranger splits the guy in half, rips a monster from inside, and incinerates it into ash. The hunky rescuer? Jude Delacroix—Dominus Daemonum, Master of Demons, now her guardian, whether she likes it or not. But she’s seriously beginning to like it. Her would-be murderer turns out to be only the first of many minions of the demon prince, Danté, who has all kinds of lascivious and sadistic plans. Which means when the formidably beautiful Jude offers his protection, Genevieve has no problem accepting it. For Jude and his fellow demon hunters tell her she is a Vessel, one who is born to serve the Light, but can be corrupted into a weapon of darkness. And to survive, she must trust a man whose unearthly eyes promise heaven…but whose powers unleash hell. Warning: Contains a dark and brooding demon hunter who harbors even darker secrets, a snarky heroine who’s being hunted by every demon in the underworld, and a sadistic demon prince with a fancy for violent sexual encounters.

	Ghost of a Promise (Phantoms #1) by Kelly Moran Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description It might be love…but will they survive the night? The ghosts of her family’s estate on the coast of Maine never troubled Ava Trumble. When she finally inherits the historic mansion, however, there’s a small string attached: Ava has exactly one year to solve a 200-year-old mystery of a missing girl, or lose her family’s home… The lead investigator for paranormal TV show Phantoms, Jackson Granger, is prepared for any metaphysical encounter—until now. It’s not just the uncanny sense of “coming home” or even his reaction to the fiery redhead who seems to consume his every waking thought. No, it’s that the ghosts are using Jackson and Ava’s attraction to play out a centuries-old tragedy. Heartbreak. Loss. Overwhelming passion. Now Jackson and Ava must determine if they’re sharing something real…or if they’ve been possessed by a love that never died.

	The Second Lie (Immortal Vikings #2) by Anna Richland Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description A businesswoman desperate to achieve her dream. Wineseller Christina Alvarez Mancini told one little lie—to reassure wealthy clients, she invented a suave British boss. With her ultimate dream, a winery of her own, close to becoming reality, she can’t allow irregularities at a high-end wine auction to jeopardize her reputation. A conman in love with a good plan. Stig needs money, fast. An immortal Viking thief who discovered the perfect role as a fictional wine merchant, he’s days away from the big payoff. Even if the California woman who created his character realizes a real person is conducting business in London, he’ll disappear. That’s what he does best. Secrets that turn deadly. Stig has success in his sights when Christina walks into his auction preview, ready to ruin his plan. Experience tells Stig to cut and run; a thousand years of boredom compel him to flirt. And when deadly Vikings from Stig’s past crash the party, Christina and Stig are forced to cooperate in order to escape. Yet everywhere they flee, it’s these two rivals’ own lies that set the greatest traps…

Urban Fantasy:

	Panther Prowling (Otherworld #17) by Yasmine Galenorn Urban Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description We’re the D’Artigo sisters: savvy half-human, half-Fae operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. My sister Camille is a wicked-good witch with three gorgeous husbands. Menolly is a vampire married to a werepuma. And me? I’m Delilah, a two-faced werecat and a Death Maiden. While the war in Otherworld is expanding, so is my newly renamed PI business. And my next case is about to make life very interesting… While waiting for Shadow Wing’s next move, I decide to revamp my ragtag PI agency into the Cat’s Eye Investigations firm. My first client turns out to be our cousin Daniel. During the grand reopening for the Wayfarer, he shows up while being chased by a rampaging ghost. Daniel has procured a rare and valuable sword, and a ring of ghostly warriors comes attached to it. Protectors of the soul trapped within it, the spirits are out to stop anybody who threatens the weapon. As my sisters and I unravel the history of the sword, we quickly realize that the entity locked within the blade is a dangerous king from times gone by—and he’s about to break free and try to recover his crown…

	Forsaken (Otherworld Stories #13.3) by Kelley Armstrong Urban Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Being Alpha of the North American Pack is like being a small-town sheriff — nobody wants the job, but someone’s gotta do it. For the most part, Elena Michaels likes it just fine, even if it means dealing with arrogant misogynists in the werewolf world who are convinced that a woman isn’t up to the job. That she could handle. What she never expected was a deadly threat to her eight-year-old twins. That her little girl could go missing in the night. The enemy thought he was dealing with a hysterical mother. Mother, yes. Hysterical, no. Elena was Alpha for a reason. And nothing would stop her from getting her child back.

	The Dragon Conspiracy (SPI Files #2) by Lisa Shearin Urban Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description We’re Supernatural Protection & Investigations, known as SPI. We battle the real monsters of myth and legend, but this Halloween, we’re searching for diamonds… A gala opening at the Metropolitan Museum of Art has attracted the upper crust of Manhattan—and thieves. A trio of vile harpies attacks the crowd and steals the stars of the exhibition: a colorful cluster of seven cursed diamonds known as the Dragon Eggs. In the right mage’s hands, each stone can pack a magical wallop. Together they have the power to “cure” the supernaturals of the tristate area—but for many of those vampires and werewolves, that means turning into dust. I’m Makenna Fraser, a seer for SPI. With the help of my partner, Ian, and the other agents, I have twenty-four hours to prevent total global panic, find the diamonds, and save the supernatural community. No biggie…

Sci Fi / Fantasy:

	The Mime Order (The Bone Season #2) by Samantha Shannon Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description In the internationally bestselling The Bone Season, Paige Mahoney escaped the brutal penal colony of Sheol I, but now her problems have only just begun: many of the fugitives are still missing and she is the most wanted person in London. As Scion turns its all-seeing eye on Paige, the mime-lords and mime-queens of the city’s gangs are invited to a rare meeting of the Unnatural Assembly. Jaxon Hall and his Seven Seals prepare to take center stage, but there are bitter fault lines running through the clairvoyant community and dark secrets around every corner. Then the Rephaim begin crawling out from the shadows. But where is Warden? Paige must keep moving, from Seven Dials to Grub Street to the secret catacombs of Camden, until the fate of the underworld can be decided. Will Paige know who to trust? The hunt for the dreamwalker is on.

	Gemini Cell (Shadow Ops #0.5) by Myke Cole Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description US Navy SEAL Jim Schweitzer is a consummate professional, a fierce warrior, and a hard man to kill. But when he sees something he was never meant to see on a covert mission gone bad, he finds himself—and his family—in the crosshairs. Nothing means more to Jim than protecting his loved ones, but when the enemy brings the battle to his front door, he is overwhelmed and taken down. That should be the end of the story. But Jim is raised from the dead by a sorcerer and recruited by a top secret unit dabbling in the occult, known only as the Gemini Cell. With powers he doesn’t understand, Jim is called back to duty—as the ultimate warrior. As he wrestles with a literal inner demon, Jim realizes his new superiors are determined to use him for their own ends and keep him in the dark—especially about the fates of his wife and son…

	Pacific Fire (Daniel Blackland #2) by Greg Van Eekhout Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description I’m Sam. I’m just this guy. Okay, yeah, I’m a golem created from the substance of his own magic by the late Hierarch of Southern California. With a lot of work, I might be able to wield magic myself. I kind of doubt it, though. Not like Daniel Blackland can. Daniel’s the reason the Hierarch’s gone and I’m still alive. He’s also the reason I’ve lived my entire life on the run. Ten years of never, ever going back to Los Angeles. Daniel’s determined to protect me. To teach me. But it gets old. I’ve got nobody but Daniel. I’ll never do anything normal. Like attend school. Or date a girl. Now it’s worse. Because things are happening back in LA. Very bad people are building a Pacific firedrake, a kind of ultimate weapon of mass magical destruction. Daniel seemed to think only he could stop them. Now Daniel’s been hurt. I managed to get us to the place run by the Emmas. (Many of them. All named Emma. It’s a long story.) They seem to be healing him, but he isn’t going anyplace soon. Do I even have a reason for existing, if it isn’t to prevent this firedrake from happening? I’m good at escaping from things. Now I’ve escaped from Daniel and the Emmas, and I’m on my way to LA. This may be the worst idea I ever had.

	Deadeye (Mutant Files #1) by William C. Dietz Sci Fi Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description In the year 2038, an act of bioengineered terrorism decimated humanity. Those who survived were either completely unaffected or developed horrible mutations. Across the globe, nations are now divided between areas populated by “norms” and lands run by “mutants”… Detective Cassandra Lee of Los Angeles’s Special Investigative Section has built a fierce reputation taking down some of the city’s most notorious criminals. But the serial cop killer known as Bonebreaker—who murdered Lee’s father—is still at large. Officially, she’s too personally involved to work on the Bonebreaker case. Unofficially, she’s going to hunt him to the ends of the earth. In the meantime, duty calls when the daughter of Bishop Screed, head of the Church of Human Purity, is kidnapped by mutants and taken into the red zone to be used for breeding. Assigned to rescue her, Lee must trust her new partner—mutant lawman Deputy Ras Omo—to guide her not only through the unfamiliar territory but through the prejudicial divisions between mutants and norms…

	Master Sergeant (The Makaum War #1) by Mel Odom Sci Fi Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description They call it The Green Hell. A maze of tangled jungle, the planet Makaum is one of the most dangerous places in the universe. And for Terran Military Master Sergeant Frank Sage, it is now home. The war between the Terrans and the Phrenorians rages, and both sides have their sights set on Makaum. If the planet’s rich resources fall into enemy hands it could mean devastation for the Terran Army. To ensure that doesn’t happen, Sage is sent to assess the Makaum troops and bring them in line with Terran Military standards. But soon after arriving at his post, he realizes the Phrenorians are not the only threat. Heading up a small but fearless unit, Sage must stop a brewing civil war with the power to unleash a galactic cataclysm unlike anything ever seen.

	Transmuted (The St. Croix Chronicles #6) by Karina Cooper Sci Fi / Steampunk Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description In this final installment of Cherry St. Croix’s adventures, only one thing could compel the disgraced countess to return to Society—the threat of immortality. All is not peaceful in the wake of the Midnight Menagerie’s ruin. Although the Karakash Veil has been forced to flee its stronghold, the mysterious head of the criminal organization is not content to fade away. Above the foggy drift, a priceless diamond vanishes. In the dangerous Underground, a murderous rampage demands retribution. The hunt for the mastermind behind these misdeeds sends me back to Society—and into the unforgiving embrace of the world I’d left behind. Nothing is what it seems. Enemies, allies—and a man who struggles with a nature even devotion cannot tame. Torn between the scars of the past and fragile new beginnings, I must create balance in the world I have chosen—and with the people I have come to love. The game has changed; should the Veil achieve the immortality it craves, I will have nowhere left to run.

	Jacaranda (The Clockwork Century #6) by Cherie Priest Sci Fi / Steampunk Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description The Ranger On the island of Galveston, off the coast of southeast Texas, lies a hotel called the Jacaranda. In its single year of operation, two dozen people have died there. The locals say it’s cursed. The Rangers say that’s nonsense, but they know a man who might be willing to investigate. Horatio Korman crosses the water from the mainland, and hopes for the best. The Nun But the bodies pile up, and a hurricane is brewing up fast. One of the Jacaranda’s guests sees time running out, so she seeks an authority of a different sort: a priest from El Huizache who is good at solving problems and keeping secrets. Eileen Callahan has a problem to solve, and a secret to keep. She crosses her fingers, and sends a message that could save them all. The Padre Juan Miguel Quintero Rios broke a promise to the Virgin, and so he was punished…but his intentions were pure, so he was also blessed. Now he walks the southwest with second sight and a tattoo across his back: ”Deo, non Fortuna”–By God, not chance. The former gunslinger crosses himself, and makes for the Jacaranda Hotel. Novella takes place 20 years after the events of Fiddlehead, and will be unrelated to the main arc.

Young Adult:

	Tear You Apart (Beau Rivage #1) by Sarah Cross Young Adult / Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description If you want to live happily ever after, first you have to stay alive. Viv knows there’s no escaping her fairy-tale curse. One day her beautiful stepmother will feed her a poison apple or convince her on-again-off-again boyfriend, Henley, to hunt her down and cut out her heart before she breaks his. In the city of Beau Rivage, some princesses are destined to be prey. But then Viv receives an invitation to the exclusive club where the Twelve Dancing Princess twirl away their nights. There she meets Jasper, an underworld prince who seems to have everything–but what he really wants is her. He vows to save her from her dark fate if she’ll join him and be his queen. All Viv has to do is tear herself away from the huntsman boy who still holds her heart. Then she might live to see if happily ever after is a promise the prince can keep. But is life as an underworld queen worth sacrificing the true love that might kill her?

	Woven by Michael Jensen & David Powers King Young Adult / Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Two unlikely allies must journey across a kingdom in the hopes of thwarting death itself. All his life, Nels has wanted to be a knight of the kingdom of Avërand. Tall and strong, and with a knack for helping those in need, the people of his sleepy little village have even taken to calling him the Knight of Cobblestown. But that was before Nels died, murdered outside his home by a mysterious figure. Now the young hero has awoken as a ghost, invisible to all around him save one person — his only hope for understanding what happened to him — the kingdom’s heir, Princess Tyra. At first the spoiled royal wants nothing to do with Nels, but as the mystery of his death unravels, the two find themselves linked by a secret, and an enemy who could be hiding behind any face. Nels and Tyra have no choice but to abscond from the castle, charting a hidden world of tangled magic and forlorn phantoms. They must seek out an ancient needle with the power to mend what has been torn, and they have to move fast. Because soon Nels will disappear forever.

	The Empty Throne (Heirs of Chrior #2) by Cayla Kluver Young Adult / Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description How do you find the strength to save your kingdom when you’ve lost everything? Anya has failed in her mission to bring Prince Zabriel back to the Faerie realm of Chrior so that he can ascend his rightful throne. Instead, Zabriel, her prince, cousin and dear friend, is standing trial for crimes committed under the false name William Wolfram Pyrite. Worst of all, the last possible heir to the Faerie throne is Illumina—the cousin Anya suspects of the foulest betrayal possible. In a desperate last attempt to put things right, Anya must partner with the unlikeliest of allies and venture into ever more dangerous situations if there is to be any hope of peace for her people.

	Fairest (The Lunar Chronicles #0.1) by Marissa Meyer Young Adult / Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest of them all? Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story – a story that has never been told . . . until now. Marissa Meyer spins yet another unforgettable tale about love and war, deceit and death. This extraordinary book includes full-color art and an excerpt from Winter, the next book in the Lunar Chronicles series.

	Zombified (Zombie Apocalypse #2) by Adam Gallardo Young Adult / Horror Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description What’s that low-pitched groaning sound? My name is Courtney, and I don’t sell Vitamin Z at the Bully Burger anymore. These days my friends and I spend our after-school hours kicking zombie butt. Half the school is mad at me, even though I’m the one keeping their gray matter off the menu. And my dad won’t let me talk about going to Columbia next year, even though the Army’s clearing shufflers out of NYC. These fast new super-zombies are pretty scary, and if it wasn’t for the new guy’s awesome moves we’d be toast. Between him, my maybe-boyfriend Phil, and my Z-head ex Brandon, stupid boys are going to lead the undead right to my doorstep. They can chase me all they want–whatever else happens, I am going to get the Z out of Zomburbia.

	Atlanta Burns (Atlanta Burns #1+2) by Chuck Wendig Young Adult Amazon GoodReads
Book Description You don’t mess with Atlanta Burns. Everyone knows that. And that’s kinda how she likes it—until the day Atlanta is drawn into a battle against two groups of bullies and saves a pair of new, unexpected friends. But actions have consequences, and when another teen turns up dead—by an apparent suicide—Atlanta knows foul play is involved. And worse: she knows it’s her fault. You go poking rattlesnakes, maybe you get bit. Afraid of stirring up the snakes further by investigating, Atlanta turns her focus to the killing of a neighborhood dog. All paths lead to a rural dogfighting ring, and once more Atlanta finds herself face-to-face with bullies of the worst sort. Atlanta cannot abide letting bad men do awful things to those who don’t deserve it. So she sets out to unleash her own brand of teenage justice. Will Atlanta triumph? Or is fighting back just asking for a face full of bad news?

	A Cold Legacy (The Madman’s Daughter #3) by Megan Shepherd Young Adult Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description After killing the men who tried to steal her father’s research, Juliet—along with Montgomery, Lucy, Balthazar, and a deathly ill Edward—has escaped to a remote estate on the Scottish moors. Owned by the enigmatic Elizabeth von Stein, the mansion is full of mysteries and unexplained oddities: dead bodies in the basement, secret passages, and fortune-tellers who seem to know Juliet’s secrets. Though it appears to be a safe haven, Juliet fears new dangers may be present within the manor’s own walls. Then she uncovers the truth about the manor’s long history of scientific experimentation—and her own intended role in it—which forces her to determine where the line falls between right and wrong, life and death, magic and science, and promises and secrets. Juliet must decide if she’ll follow her father’s dark footsteps or her mother’s tragic ones—or make her own.

	Chaos (Fates #2) by Lanie Bross Young Adult Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Can they change their destiny? They kissed only once—and it was electric, like the air before a storm. But Corinthe and Luc broke the rules of the universe, and learned too late that their love would have consequences. In the dizzying aftermath, Luc refuses to accept his destiny—not if it means a life without Corinthe. As a fire rages through the Crossroads that connect worlds, Luc must find a way to turn back time and save Corinthe once and for all. Meanwhile, Luc’s 15-year-old sister Jasmine starts to realize things are not as they seem when time begins stuttering, sending her everyday life in San Francisco spinning into chaos. She’s thrown into the path of Ford, a troubled soul with a secret past, who helps her unravel the mysterious threads that connect them all. Two breathtaking romances interweave across time in this story of what lies on the other side of Fate, as both Jas and Luc discover the incredible lengths they will go for love.

	The Inquisitor’s Mark (Eighth Day #2) by Dianne K. Salerni Middle Grade Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description After an all-out battle in Mexico, Jax, Riley, and Evangeline have gone into hiding. There are still rogue Transitioners and evil Kin lords on the hunt for Riley, a descendant of King Arthur, and Evangeline, a powerful wizard with bloodlines to Merlin, in order to gain control over the Eighth Day. So when Finn Ambrose, a mysterious stranger, contacts Jax claiming to be his uncle, Jax’s defenses go up—especially after Jax learns that he’s holding Jax’s best friend, Billy, hostage. To rescue Billy and keep Riley and Evangeline out of the fray, Jax sneaks off to New York City on his own. But once there, he discovers a surprising truth: Finn is his uncle and Jax comes from a long line of Dulacs—a notoriously corrupt and dangerous Transitioner clan who want Riley dead and Evangeline as their prisoner. And family or not, the Dulacs will stop at nothing to get what they want.

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Craved by an Alpha
Author: Felicity Heaton
Series: Eternal Mates #5
Publisher: Indie
Published on: January 27, 2015
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format: 163 pages, eARC
Provided by: Author
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Having turned his back on his snow leopard pride, Cavanaugh has been counting the days until he’s free of a role he never wanted—one that separated him from his fated female and stands between him and the future he craves with her.

Just days from the night he will finally be free to be with the low-ranking beauty who stole his heart, she walks back into his life and threatens to destroy everything he’s worked towards in the five long years they’ve been apart.

Eloise has traveled across continents searching for the male who was once her best friend and so much more to her, but was now her pride’s true alpha. Desperate to fulfill a promise to her kin to save them from the tyrant he left in charge, she convinces Cavanaugh to return to his pride, but as they journey to Bhutan, doubts bloom and old feelings resurface, tearing her between duty and her deepest desires and impossible dreams.

Will Eloise be able to resist the burning need that Cavanaugh reignites in her and remember her place in the pride? And can Cavanaugh find a way to save his kin and claim the future he craves with the woman he loves?

After chain reading the last two ETERNAL MATES installments one thing has become evident, Felicity Heaton’s big cat shifters are misogynistic jerks! Well, generally speaking anyway, but as in every society there are those that defy tradition, and although Cavanaugh doesn’t outright spit in his prides’ face, he does utilize the rules to his advantage which was even better because H-E-L-L-O! Smart AND dreamy! I briefly met this kissable snow leopard in HUNTED BY A JAGUAR, and his similarities to Kyter (that novel’s hero) paired with his mysterious back story were more than enough to make me say yes to book 5.

This was the first novella in this series, so I was a little hesitant for the simple reason that shorts rarely succeed in completely fulfilling my Paranormal Romance appetite. Those doubts proved to be unwarranted because CRAVED BY AN ALPHA had all of the ingredients of the previous EM titles, minus the lengthy couple’s dance which the author managed to establish in a single chapter thanks to the characters’ past. So yeah, the excess fat was trimmed in all of the right places, and the outcome was a quick paced tale of love, cat fights, and cave sex.

Cavanaugh was pretty secretive about his background in book 4, but I just knew that it involved a girl, so when Eloise showed up at Underworld, I wasn’t the least bit taken aback. His reasons for jumping ship were sweet, however as with most rash decisions, consequences were unavoidable, and unfortunately his lady friend suffered the brunt of them. It was mildly annoying that they didn’t own up to their feelings from day one; on the other hand five years is a long time to spend building something up in your head, so the conflict between them wasn’t far-fetched.

Eloise won’t be winning any awards as my favourite EM heroine because she came off as rather beaten, although again, that was understandable in her case considering everything she’s been through. It’s tough to break free from extended oppression, and there was still a high degree of courage, and self-sacrifice to her given how she’s been globetrotting for two years on threadbare resources in the hopes of saving her pride while also condemning herself to a loveless life. Still, Cavanaugh was compelling enough for the both of them as was the humping.

CRAVED BY AN ALPHA was like catnip for readers!

Eternal Mates Series
My Review	My Review	My Review	My Review

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This series' main plot arc got kicked into overdrive in this installment, some political intrigue was added, and the Dean brothers were as sexy as ever. Can't wait to find out how their story ends in March! And, Karen White rocked the narration once again. Full review to follow. ~ 4.5 stars

There's a whole lotta backstabbing going on.

Three the Hard Way
Author: Sydney Croft
Series: ACRO #7
Publisher: Amazon Digital
Published on: December 1st 2014
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance
Format: 160 pages, eBook
Provided by: NetGalley

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Lovers Taggart Brody and Justice McKinney possess special abilities that make them valuable to agencies who employ—or enslave—people with extraordinary talents. When tragedy tears them apart, Justice finds purpose working for the good guys: ACRO, the super-secret Agency for Covert Rare Operatives. But he never forgets Taggart or the past they once shared.

Heartbroken, Taggart runs from who he is . . . right into the arms of Ian Bridges. But Ian, battling his own demons, betrays Tag to the terrorist organization Itor. After months of torture, Tag manages to escape, but kills an ACRO agent in the process.

With nowhere left to turn, Tag disappears into the Alaskan wilderness, but it’s only a matter of time before his enemies track him down. He reaches out to Justice, and somehow Ian finds him too, hoping to right his wrongs. With ACRO and Itor both bearing down, the three men must figure out how to forgive, how to work together, and how to love each other—or the coming battle will destroy them all.

******************

Twenty percent of all proceeds from the sale of this book will be donated to the It Gets Better Project.

The It Gets Better Project’s mission is to communicate to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youth around the world that it gets better, and to create and inspire the changes needed to make it better for them. Visit their website for more information and to find out how you can get involved.

I read the first book in this series, Riding the Storm, and found the world fascinating. When I saw that this was still on available for review, I asked around and found that I could read this one before reading the rest of the series, so I jumped on the chance to review it.

If you aren’t familiar with the ACRO series, it is a series that has a similar premise as the X-Men. The characters have different supernatural powers and there are two groups, good (ACRO) and bad (ITOR). Both with military training.

Three the Hard Way starts of with Taggart and Justice when they are just boys. Both of their mothers had been tested on by the bad group. Their mothers didn’t have much trust for outsiders. They passed that distrust to the boys. Both Tag and Justice have an affinity with metal and magnetic fields. Their powers work very well together. These two boys grew up as best friends.

Then we jump to several years later. Both of their mothers have been been killed by ITOR. Tag and Justice go their separate ways. Justice joins ACRO. Tag gets captured by ITOR. Tag is tortured and forced to do some really bad things. Tag escapes and is hiding out in Alaska, but thinks he has been spotted, so he turns to the only family he has, Justice.

Enter Ian. Ian is a mercenary. He generally works for ITOR. He was to bring Tag in to ITOR. He told ITOR that Tag was not the right man for the job, but they really don’t care. So, Ian turns Tag in and it is the worse decision he has ever made. ITOR wants Ian to find Tag now that he’s escaped. Ian, on the other hand, tracks Tag down to warn him that ITOR is on his tail.

Three the Hard Way is a short, fun and quick read. You have Tag, who has had relationships with both men, but has been betrayed in different ways by both. I got Tag reconnecting with each of the men quickly. I don’t know that I buy Justice and Ian taking to each other quite so quickly, but that’s okay.

The story was well written. Three the Hard Way was fully developed, even if the romance was quick. I really liked all the characters. As per the theme of this series, the story is pretty erotic. I still enjoy the world and can’t wait to get into more books in this series even if I am reading them a little out of order.

ACRO Series
My Review

In Too Deep
Author: Christy Gissendaner
Series: Tybee Island Shifters #1
Publisher: Etopia Press
Published on: April 2, 2014
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Werewolves
Format: 196 pages, eBook
Provided by: Purchased

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He’ll risk everything for the love of one human.

Agreeing to be her good friend’s bridesmaid, Emma Anderson jets off to Tybee Island for the wedding. Her dress is perfect and her shoes are adorable, but her friend’s elegant beachside home hides an ancient secret…one that threatens to expose a secret society of werewolves.

Drake Randolph has watched his sister’s friend grow into a ravishing woman, but he’s always kept his distance. As the heir to the Randolph fortune and the alpha of the Secret Society of Savannah Lycanthropes, Drake cannot afford to draw the innocent little brunette into the dangerous lycan world.

Passion between them soon blazes hotter than the Georgia summer. But when the wrong woman is kidnapped to prevent the wedding of a lycan to a mortal, Drake must risk everything to save Emma from the ones who will see the downfall of all he holds dear.

Hot werewolf shifter anyone? Add in that he is a millionaire, and alpha of the pack, and you have the basis of this book. Throw in a twist or two, and you have a pretty good read.

Emma has traveled to Tybee Island for ten days of festivities surrounding her best friend, Alyssa’s wedding. She adores her best friend, but even Alyssa doesn’t know that Emma is secretly in love with her oldest brother, Drake. She is expecting things to be really difficult around him, but what she doesn’t know is that he has a thing for her too, and has had for a long time. As he is the alpha of his pack, he can never be with a human, so he avoids her. Of course being in this close proximity with him for these events is bound to bring them into each others orbit a lot, and that’s what happens. Behind the scenes his pack is in turmoil due to Alyssa marrying a human, because it goes against every law of the pack. When Drake stands up to the pack, some members are really not happy. As in scary not happy!

Emma is a beauty, but she was raised in the middle class so she isn’t exactly in her element at this huge family beach front mansion. Alyssa is wearing designer outfits, and Emma is buying her clothes off the sales rack at Target. To make matters really weird, whenever she goes near the ocean, she feels drawn to it, or the waves seem to move at her will. This has never happened before now. Drake is aware of the ocean’s strange behavior around her also. I enjoyed both of their characters, and was rooting for them to finally get together, even though it’s supposedly not possible. There are also twin brothers in Drake’s family, and they are country singers located in Nashville. From what I understand, the next book is going to be about one of them. I am always up for a famous musician romance, throw in werewolf, and I am so there!

This ended up being a bit more then just a lighthearted romantic read. An angry pack, a few scary incidents, and Emma’s new abilities made it a more satisfying, and at times suspenseful read. So I did have a good time with the characters,the premise, the island setting, and of course the romance. I should mention that it has some really hot sexy scenes as well, although I didn’t consider it true erotica.

I would recommend this to adult paranormal romance fans, and I have every intention of reading the next one- you know, because of the hot werewolf country singer romance!

#Listening

Neill's CHICAGOLAND VAMPIRES mob-it-up in this latest installment which was pretty wicked as far as plots go, but then Morgan mans up, Merit's dad shows that he's not a complete tool, and then there was Mallory & Catcher's thread—AAAWWW! PS Jonah you suck. Full review to follow.

Burned
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Series: Fever #7
Narrated by: Natalie Ross, Phil Gigante
Publisher: Brilliance Audio
Published on: January 20, 2015
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: 13 hrs & 9 mins, Audiobook
Provided by: Purchased
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It’s easy to walk away from lies. Power is another thing.

MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she’s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh—an ancient book of terrible evil—yet its hold on her has never been stronger.

When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed. Seelie and Unseelie vie for power against nine ancient immortals who have governed Dublin for millennia; a rival band of sidhe-seers invades the city, determined to claim it for their own; Mac’s former protégé and best friend, Dani “Mega” O’Malley, is now her fierce enemy; and even more urgent, Highland druid Christian MacKeltar has been captured by the Crimson Hag and is being driven deeper into Unseelie madness with each passing day. The only one Mac can depend on is the powerful, dangerous immortal Jericho Barrons, but even their fiery bond is tested by betrayal.

It’s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil is blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.

This novel was obviously for all of the ICED haters out there, so if you fall into that category, you’ll probably love BURNED. As for the rest of us, this installment was a tremendous letdown. Karen Marie Moning tried to right the wrongs of book 6 by reshaping several of the characters into more ‘acceptable’ versions of themselves, distracting readers from this story’s numerous plot holes with an outrageous amount of POVs, and taking the easy (predictable) road twist-wise instead of the one less traveled. It wasn’t awful, I still enjoyed the writing, narration, and being back in this world, but the FEVER edge is gone.

I kind of wish that I’d bypassed this audiobook altogether because it completely obliterated the Mac & Barrons of old. Some HEAs should NOT be revisited! Apparently sex has fried Miss Lane’s brain, and she’s now a halfwit unworthy of the nine’s respect more concerned with talking to herself than saving Dublin. Jericho ghosts through this novel, finally avenges his lover, but not really because he doesn’t unleash his beast for her. Their chemistry as a couple is dead, and instead in its wake we’re left with heaps of empty steam. And, the source of this installment’s title was just another log on the fire of LAME.

I don’t have nearly enough fingers to count how many POVs we cycled through. Something definitely needed to be done about Dani’s age in order for this series to continue on its current trajectory, however KMM’s solution was entirely too child-proof. As was her time-saving use of the Sinsar Dubh, and the supposed cliff hanger was a two-bit sneeze in comparison to those from previous books. Ryo underwent a major personality overhaul which so didn’t suit him, and I really wish that the author had built upon the new Unseelie arc. I liked learning more about the nine, Lor’s scenes were fantastic, and Jada showed promise, but they were just duct tape, not a permanent fix.

The narrators were the heart and soul of this audiobook. If I were to rate this listen based wholly on their performances, it would be a resounding five. Phil Gigante’s voice gave me shivers when JZB’s words fell flat, and I loved the subtle variations of his Scottish accents when he was reading the MacKeltars. Natalie Ross did a comparably awesome job of the female characters with her Irish fluctuations, and somehow managed to bring excitement to a story that would have otherwise been boring without her leading the charge. I also appreciated that both narrators gave an echo / cave-like quality to the internal dialogues, it made them easy to spot.

BURNED is an island that would have been better left unexplored in the FEVER realm.

Fever Series:
My Review	My Review	My Review	My Review	My Review
My Review

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I prefer to start at the beginning, and work my way through the installments in order, except for novellas & anthologies. I’ll usually leave these for a rainy day. The only time I’ll bend this rule is when an advanced copy lands in my P.O. box, and either the author has assured me that it can be read as a stand-alone, or it’s a Paranormal Romance because this genre typically alternates couples with each new addition, so aside from missing out on a bit of world-building you don’t end up feeling completely lost if you dive-in at book 5.

As for whether I’ll inhale a series in one go, that really depends on when I discovered the author, and how much free time I have available. If I’m a late comer, and I really enjoy the first installment, then I’d rather read all of the novels as close to back-to-back as possible for maximum immersion. Unfortunately, since I signed on to blog, chain consumption has become more difficult to manage because I constantly have to re-prioritize, and no longer have the luxury of hibernating for weeks on end.

On the other hand, I prefer to get in on the ground floor, and tackle each book as it hits shelves because it’s less daunting than playing catch-up, although there is a downside to that in that titles often release years apart which can make it difficult to remember previous happenings, and cliffhangers become a real b*tch. However, this approach can be beneficial due to the sometimes redundant nature of series; not all writers have mastered the art of the recap, and as a result reading too many installments in a row can make this fact annoyingly obvious.

The story itself is another important consideration; I like PNR, but I find that it’s easy to get burnt out on this genre when you tackle too many of ‘em in quick succession. It has been my experience that I appreciate the boy meets girl plots more when I space them apart while as Urban Fantasy for example, has oodles of variety to it, so I’m less likely to get bored.

Have a bookish question you’d like Rabid Reads to weigh-in on? E-mail me, and be sure you include your blog URL (if you have one), so we can give you credit!

I waited 2+ years for THIS!? Too many POVS, band-aids, character 180's, and zero FEVER edge. This book was obviously for all of the ICED haters out there. As for the rest of us... Full review to follow.

Owl and the Japanese Circus
Author: Kristi Charish
Series: The Adventures of Owl #1
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published on: January 13 2015
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Format: 432 pages,Provided by: NetGalley

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Fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, and Linda Hamilton will flock to the kick-ass world of Owl, a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world.

Ex-archaeology grad student turned international antiquities thief, Alix—better known now as Owl—has one rule. No supernatural jobs. Ever. Until she crosses paths with Mr. Kurosawa, a red dragon who owns and runs the Japanese Circus Casino in Las Vegas. He insists Owl retrieve an artifact stolen three thousand years ago, and makes her an offer she can’t refuse: he’ll get rid of a pack of vampires that want her dead. A dragon is about the only entity on the planet that can deliver on Owl’s vampire problem – and let’s face it, dragons are known to eat the odd thief.

Owl retraces the steps of Mr. Kurosawa’s ancient thief from Japan to Bali with the help of her best friend, Nadya, and an attractive mercenary. As it turns out though, finding the scroll is the least of her worries. When she figures out one of Mr. Kurosawa’s trusted advisors is orchestrating a plan to use a weapon powerful enough to wipe out a city, things go to hell in a hand basket fast…and Owl has to pick sides.

A lot of you know that Urban Fantasy is my go-to genre—I can go (and have) for a straight six months of reading it and nothing else.

This can be a problem, b/c compared to others, UF is kind of a small genre, and an even bigger problem is that a LOT of the big series have been concluding over the last few years, and while many of those authors are starting new series (eventually), some of the new players often leave something to be desired.

I cannot tell you how many times a new series has caught my eye in the last eighteen(ish) months, only to leave me feeling MEH on a good day, and downright frustrated or misled on a bad day.

Enter Owl and the Japanese Circus by Kristi Charish:

Fans of Kim Harrison, Jim Butcher, and Linda Hamilton will flock to the kick-ass world of Owl, a modern-day “Indiana Jane” who reluctantly navigates the hidden supernatural world.

Let’s take a minute to dissect this claim.

1. I have no idea who Linda (Laurell K.?) Hamilton is, but Kim Harrison and Jim Butcher . . . those are mighty big shoes to fill.
2. The original Indiana Jones movies are (IMO) some of the BEST movies ever made.

Publicists have been doing this sort of thing a lot lately. I’ve been lured into reading books by claims of “perfect for fans of insert-Big-Deal-author-here” or “dark debut reminiscent of random-Genre-Defying/Ground-Breaking-novel” and, sadly, these carrots have always left me feeling like a put-upon donkey.

I don’t like feeling like a jackass.

So when I saw the above comparison . . . I admit it . . . there were a few squints, and perhaps a snort of disbelief (or three).

BUT “Indiana Jane” was too fantastic a possibility for me to bypass.

Which is a good thing, b/c for the first time ever, a book has actually lived up to it’s hype.

Owl is a . . . procurer of rare things . . . old things . . . artifacts, if you will.

She got into this line of work after being laughably expelled from her doctoral studies when she discovered things that ought not be discovered, and true to her tenacious nature, refused to bury said discovery.

This made her understandably bitter.

Now most “normal” people in this situation would probably find a teaching position at some third-rate institution. After all, one must complete a Masters degree before starting work towards a PhD . . . but not Owl.

What she didn’t realize at the time, was that frequently the “people” with the means and inclination to hire her for her services are the same “people” who destroyed her dreams of becoming a legitimate archaeologist, and after one such job goes south, Owl finds herself living on the run, in a Winnebago, with her cat.

As it turns out, an angry vampire is just as tenacious as Owl herself.

SO. No working for supernaturals. Ever.

Unless a dragon sends his goons to track you down to the parking lot of an abandoned service station, toss you unceremoniously into a helicopter, and deliver you to his Las Vegas doorstep for a face-to-face chat . . . then, you know . . . you do as you’re told. B/c DRAGON.

If you missed my Interview with Kristi Charish, my first question was “is Owl really 100% human?” b/c humans don’t tend to hold up well in the supernatural world. BUT through a combination of cleverness, tech savvy, and friends (supernatural and otherwise), Owl does quite well for herself.

I have two concerns. The first is (like the Special Snowflake MC) the Human-among-Creatures character has a list of stereotypes they can easily fall into, the foremost being serendipitously-rescued-by-bigger-stronger-b/c-NOT-human-friends. However, this type of character is typically relegated to sidekick status, and Charish is determined that Owl stand on her own two feet.

The second is habitual use of an extremely offensive term. Owl isn’t great with people. She also has trust issues, and the resulting incredibly small circle of friends. When one of these friends reveals previously unknown (and admittedly important) information about himself, Owl is both shocked and hurt, so she lashes out, and says something . . . so far over the line that I had a flashback to adolescence of my mother saying, “Don’t speak in anger, b/c once you say something to someone you love, it can never be unsaid.”

Stuff happens, and they reconcile, but afterwards that same ugly word is used as a sort of joke. Friend calls Owl something not nice in return, but it’s the equivalent of a friend calling you a hot mess, and you calling them a hideous skank or a stupid cow in return. Over and over again. Maybe this is just one of my trigger words View Spoiler »whore « Hide Spoiler, and it won’t bother anyone else. Regardless, to me, the “joke” only served as a reminder of the terrible thing Owl said to Friend that can never be unsaid.

BUT of those two concerns, one will hopefully not be an issue, and the other . . . maybe part of Owl’s new gig will include a required class on workplace sensitivity that will bleed into other areas of her life. *crosses fingers*

Overall, Owl and the Japanese Circus is the surprisingly good first installment of an Urban Fantasy series that has made my inner cynic shut her mouth about publicity plugs in book blurbs. Charish is the cool new kid you don’t want to miss, and Owl just might be the human to make the creatures sit up and pay attention. Highly recommended.

I’m lazy and hate rafflecopter, so this is how it’s going to work. Charish has generously offered up a signed copy of Owl and the Japanese Circus for a winner from the US or Canada, OR a digital ebook for a winner from anywhere (US, Canada, or otherwise). I have pre-selected a comment number as winner, and if you are that commenter, and are from the US or Canada, you can tell me which you want when I email you. If you are from somewhere else, you get the ebook, but HOORAY for international giveaways, right? Right. *winks*

Was this review helpful to you? If so, please consider voting for it on Amazon or like it on Goodreads!

The change in POV makes sense now.

Paranormal Romance:

	Grave Vengeance (Grave #3) by Lori Sjoberg Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Handsome and haunted, he’s a reaper who prefers to work alone. But Fate has other plans for him and the sassy secret agent who shot him in another life—if their pasts don’t catch up with them first. Dmitri Stavitsky has never played well with others—a Soviet KGB spy in life turned reaper after death, his work of bringing souls to the other side is best done alone. But orders from the top soon place him alongside fellow reaper Gwen Peterson, the American counter intelligence agent who took his life so many years ago. Now, as a ghost from Gwen’s past resurfaces with the power to steal reapers’ souls, the two have no choice but to set aside their differences and apprehend the rogue together. But their cross-country mission soon ignites feelings Dmitri thought he was no longer capable of—for the woman who helped destroy him. With an ancient force and a small army against them, he’ll have to let go of old grudges or risk his future with Gwen…as Fate hangs dangerously in the balance.

	The Tempted (Rogues of Scotland #3) by Donna Grant Paranormal Romance Amazon GoodReads
Book Description A MAN CONSUMED BY RAGE Stefan Kennedy was cursed by a gypsy and sentenced to a prison of darkness and despair. A hell that only served to feed the monster within. Unexpectedly released from his mystical cell, he’s engulfed by fury and overcome by his need for vengeance until a beautiful and caring woman unexpectedly tames his inner beast. With just one touch, she makes his rage fade away. Stefan knows that he owes it to his friends to find out what happened to them after their run-in with the gypsy, but the mysterious and enchanting Morvan may be a temptation that he cannot resist. A WOMAN’S MAGICAL TOUCH Morvan has always been a child of the forest. She spends her days using her unique gifts to calm and heal the animals she encounters near her woodland cottage. But when she finds herself compelled across clan borders to a mysterious cliff with a wall of strange etchings, she’s helpless to resist. Somehow, Morvan magically brings forth a stranger seemingly more beast than man, yet despite the inherent dangers, she’s driven to help the handsome Highlander. While his appearance in her life may end up shattering the peace she’s worked so hard to find, he could also prove to be the man of her dreams.

	Hunger’s Mate Part 2 (The Shadow Shifters #5) by A.C. Arthur Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Ezra can’t help but be on the prowl. Jewel is stunning. Sly. Insatiable. But she is no ordinary human—and he’s about to find out that he’s stalking an alluring and mysterious cat thief. One who possesses dangerous secrets of her own…

	White Knight (Cornerstone Run #3) by Kelly Meade Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Checkmate… Despite a month of peace from hybrid attacks, the constant threat of violence has the loup garou on edge. Knight McQueen’s home feels like a military compound and his people have become battle-weary soldiers. And Knight’s tenuous grip on his own self-control has been further damaged by the disappearance of the only woman whose touch brings him peace. Held prisoner by her hybrid half-sisters and forced to care for an unknown child, Shay Butler’s quarterly is approaching but a silver-laced collar prevents her from shifting. As her time draws closer, her sanity begins to slip. The opportunity to rescue Shay arrives when Magus enemy Archimedes Atwood requests a parley to discuss ways to end the conflict between their people and stop the rogue hybrids. Alpha Bishop McQueen agrees, bringing his brothers together to form a plan that will bring Shay home to Knight, stop the final two hybrids—and finally bring Archimedes to justice once and for all…

	The Prince (The Florentine #0.5) by Sylvain Reynard Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description The unveiling of a set of priceless illustrations of Dante’s Divine Comedy at the Uffizi Gallery exposes the unsuspecting Professor Gabriel Emerson and his beloved wife, Julianne, to a mysterious and dangerous enemy. Unbeknownst to the Professor, the illustrations he secretly acquired years ago were stolen a century earlier from the ruler of Florence’s underworld. Now one of the most dangerous beings in Italy is determined to reclaim his prized artwork and exact revenge on the Emersons, but not before he uncovers something disturbing about Julianne …

	Ghostly Liaison (Ghostly Encounters #1) by Stacy McKitrick Paranormal Romance Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description You can move in, but you can never leave… Avoiding love is hard. Catching a killer can be fatal… When Rob’s sister passed away, she left him her dog and her house. He can handle the dog part, but he doesn’t need another home. Especially a fixer-upper the neighbor swears is haunted. Then he meets Bridget, who’s working on getting her life back together after a car accident left her scarred in more ways than one. She can’t pass up Rob’s offer of free lodging, regardless of the shape it’s in. Or the roommate that’s part of the package. She’s never believed in ghosts, but now she’s living with one who wants Bridget’s help in catching a killer. There’s only one problem: the killer has unfinished business…

Urban Fantasy:

	Burned (Fever #7) by Karen Marie Moning Urban Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description It’s easy to walk away from lies. Power is another thing. MacKayla Lane would do anything to save the home she loves. A gifted sidhe-seer, she’s already fought and defeated the deadly Sinsar Dubh—an ancient book of terrible evil—yet its hold on her has never been stronger. When the wall that protected humans from the seductive, insatiable Fae was destroyed on Halloween, long-imprisoned immortals ravaged the planet. Now Dublin is a war zone with factions battling for control. As the city heats up and the ice left by the Hoar Frost King melts, tempers flare, passions run red-hot, and dangerous lines get crossed. Seelie and Unseelie vie for power against nine ancient immortals who have governed Dublin for millennia; a rival band of sidhe-seers invades the city, determined to claim it for their own; Mac’s former protégé and best friend, Dani “Mega” O’Malley, is now her fierce enemy; and even more urgent, Highland druid Christian MacKeltar has been captured by the Crimson Hag and is being driven deeper into Unseelie madness with each passing day. The only one Mac can depend on is the powerful, dangerous immortal Jericho Barrons, but even their fiery bond is tested by betrayal. It’s a world where staying alive is a constant struggle, the line between good and evil is blurred, and every alliance comes at a price. In an epic battle against dark forces, Mac must decide who she can trust, and what her survival is ultimately worth.

	Ripper (Hunter #1) by Lexi Blake Urban Fantasy Amazon GoodReads
Book Description A New Heroine Rises… Kelsey Atwood is a private detective with a problem. She came from a family of hunters, growing up on the wrong side of the supernatural world. Tracking down bail jumpers and deadbeat dads may not make her a lot of friends, but it’s a lot safer than the life she turned her back on. She was hoping to escape from the nightmares of her past, but her latest case has brought them right back to her door. A young woman has gone missing, and she didn’t go willingly. When Kelsey discovers that the girl is actually a shifter, she knows she should drop the case and walk away. But this shifter was a sweet kid, and she’s in serious trouble. More females are missing and the evidence points to a legendary killer. Bodies are piling up, and her case is becoming center stage for a conflict that could shatter the fragile peace between wolves and vampires. As the hunt intensifies, she finds herself trapped between two men—Gray, a magnetic half-demon lawman, and the ancient vampire Marcus Vorenus. Both men call to her, but when a shocking secret about Kelsey’s family is revealed, it could ruin them all. To stop the killer, she will have to embrace the truth about who—and what—she truly is.

	Broken Shadows (The Shadowminds #3) by A.J. Larrieu Urban Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Everyone has a breaking point. Mina Tanner was once a converter, a human with telekinetic and telepathic abilities. After a vicious mental assault by an evil shadowmind stripped her of her powers, she was forced to flee her home to escape her attacker. Now, she’s trying to start a new life in San Francisco, far away from any and all reminders of the gifts she grew up using. But her precariously balanced “normal” life topples as her apartment and her job fall victim to a new luxury development. Jackson Herring, an old family friend and powerful converter, offers Mina his spare bedroom while she gets on her feet, and she agrees…reluctantly. Mina’s finding it difficult enough to adjust without a daily reminder of what she’s lost, especially when that reminder is six-foot-four, super-talented and gorgeous. When a mugger attacks her and she somehow burns his hands, Mina realizes that despite everything she’s lost, she may have gained something far more powerful—and dangerous—than she ever imagined. And when the rest of the shadowmind community learns about it, Mina will find herself on the run once again.

Sci Fi / Fantasy:

	The Yellow Wood by Melanie Tem Fantasy / Horror Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Alexander waits in his yellow-gray house in a yellow wood for his namesake daughter, the one who “of all my children … has always stirred me most, with love, with rage and fear, with envy and disappointment.” He has summoned her. She is his prodigal child, and she is his scion, and it’s time. Alexandra left as soon as she turned eighteen, the only way she could keep from being swallowed up by her father, her only chance of having a life of her own. Alexandra grew up with her father’s voice in her head, his will on her in one form or another. Now, though she vowed she never would, she is going back. Because his voice came into her head, ordering her home. The longer Alexandra stays with her father in her childhood home, the stronger her suspicions that his control over her is more insidious than she knew. Her siblings are all oddly under his control, exactly what he made them, and she discovers evidence of what he has planned for her. “She fled to live her own life,” Alexander observes. “As if there ever were such a thing.”

	This is Your Destiny (The Curse Keepers #0.7) by Denise Grover Swank Fantasy Amazon GoodReads
Book Description Collin Dailey is a trapped man: struggling to make a living as a fisherman, deep in debt to the gangster he does business with…and shackled to his destiny as a Curse Keeper. Sworn to guard the sealed portal to hell, Collin yearns to escape the dark duty that binds him. But his dream of outrunning his tormented life may be an impossible one. After all, he can’t turn his back on centuries of sacred tradition—or ignore his iron-fisted conjurer grandmother and her dire prophecies of a terrifying enemy bent on destroying him. When the fearsome creator god Ahone reaches out with a tempting offer, Collin may not be able to resist. If he breaks the curse that barricades the demon realm, he’ll be liberated forever…as long as he can survive a confrontation with his deadly counterpart.

	Polaris (Avalon #2) by Mindee Arnett Sci Fi Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Jeth Seagrave and his crew of mercenaries are pulled into one last high-stakes mission in this breathtaking sequel to Mindee Arnett’s Avalon, which SLJ called “an exciting piece of science fiction that keeps up its energy from beginning to end” in a starred review. Jeth Seagrave and his crew are on the run. The ITA, still holding Jeth’s mother in a remote research lab, is now intent on acquiring the metatech secrets Jeth’s sister Cora carries inside her DNA, and Jeth is desperate to find the resources he needs to rescue his mother and start a new life outside the Confederation. But the ITA is just as desperate, and Jeth soon finds himself pursued by a mysterious figure hell-bent on capturing him and his crew—dead or alive. With nowhere to run and only one play left, Jeth enters into a bargain with the last person he ever thought he’d see again: Daxton Price, the galaxy’s newest and most fearsome crime lord. Dax promises to help Jeth, but his help will only come at a price—a price that could mean sacrificing everything Jeth has fought for until now.

Young Adult:

	The Prey (The Hatchery #1) by Tom Isbell Young Adult / Sci Fi Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description After a radiation blast burned most of the Earth to a crisp, the new government established settlement camps for the survivors. At one such camp, the sixteen-year-old “LTs” are eager to graduate as part of the Rite. Until they learn the dark truth: “LTs” doesn’t stand for lieutenant but for Less Thans, feared by society and raised to be hunted for sport. They escape and join forces with the Sisters, twin girls who’ve suffered their own haunting fate. Together they seek the fabled New Territory, with sadistic hunters hot on their trail. Secrets are revealed, allegiances are made, and lives are at stake. As unlikely Book and fearless Hope lead their quest for freedom, these teens must find the best in themselves to fight the worst in their enemies.

	Bridges Burned (Going Down in Flames #2) by Chris Cannon Young Adult / Fantasy Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Don’t just fight the system…burn it. Since discovering she is a shape-shifting, fire-breathing dragon on her sixteenth birthday (surprise!), Bryn McKenna’s world has been thrown into chaos. Being a “crossbreed”—part Red dragon and part Blue—means Bryn will never fit in. Not with dragon society. Not with the archaic and controlling Directorate. And definitely not when she has striped hair and a not-so-popular affection for rule-breaking… But sneaking around with her secret boyfriend, Zavien, gets a whole lot harder when he’s betrothed to someone else. Someone who isn’t a mixed breed and totally forbidden. And for an added complication, it turns out Bryn’s former archnemesis Jaxon Westgate isn’t quite the evil asshat she thought. Now she’s caught between her desire to fit in and a need to set things on fire. Literally. Because if Bryn can’t adapt to the status quo…well, then maybe it’s time for her to change it.

	The Wicked Awakening of Anne Merchant (The V #2) by Joanna Wiebe Young Adult Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Behind every secret lurks one much darker… Thrust back into the cryptic world of Cania Christy, Anne Merchant finds herself tangled in a mystic plot she can’t escape. Eerie visions haunt her. Whispers of her nefarious past vex her. But it’s not until Ben Zin is forced to compete for the Big V—with a vengeful guardian to assure his failure—that she faces the reality of life in a world ruled by wickedness: she must embrace her inner demons to help those she loves. Hoping the ends will justify the means, Anne starts down a slippery slope that, if she lets temptation guide her, could lead her straight to the underworld.

	Tunnel Vision by Susan Adrian Young Adult Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Jake Lukin just turned 18. He’s decent at tennis and Halo, and waiting to hear on his app to Stanford. But he’s also being followed by a creep with a gun, and there’s a DARPA agent waiting in his bedroom. His secret is blown. When Jake holds a personal object, like a pet rock or a ring, he has the ability to “tunnel” into the owner. He can sense where they are, like a human GPS, and can see, hear, and feel what they do. It’s an ability the government would do anything to possess: a perfect surveillance unit who could locate fugitives, spies, or terrorists with a single touch. Jake promised his dad he’d never tell anyone about his ability. But his dad died two years ago, and Jake slipped. If he doesn’t agree to help the government, his mother and sister may be in danger. Suddenly he’s juggling high school, tennis tryouts, flirting with Rachel Watkins, and work as a government asset, complete with 24-hour bodyguards. Forced to lie to his friends and family, and then to choose whether to give up everything for their safety, Jake hopes the good he’s doing—finding kidnap victims and hostages, and tracking down terrorists—is worth it. But he starts to suspect the good guys may not be so good after all. With Rachel’s help, Jake has to try to escape both good guys and bad guys and find a way to live his own life instead of tunneling through others.

	Ward Against Disaster (Chronicles of a Reluctant Necromancer #3) by Melanie Card Young Adult Amazon B&N GoodReads
Book Description Ward de’Ath should be dead by now. Instead, he’s chasing after a soul-eating creature—that he unleashed— and is bent on stopping her before she slaughters more innocents. Fortunately, Celia Carlyle remains by his side, a nobleman’s gorgeous and deadly daughter, who is…well, dead. Celia claims she’ll champion Ward wherever he goes, even when she thinks his quest is hopeless. He can only hope her pledge comes from her heart, and not because she’s bound to him through his magic. When they enter Dulthyne, they stumble upon a dark power that threatens the entire town. Ward, with his unreliable necromancy, is determined to help but finds himself ensnared in the lure of white-hot magic…blood magic he struggles to resist. But if Celia’s love is a lie, it might just doom his soul to the dark arts forever.

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