PJ Review: BEFORE THE WITCHES by Karina Cooper

Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Series: Prequel, Novella, Dark Mission Series
Paranormal Element: Witches
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author:  Web | Blog | Twitter
Received from publisher in exchange for a review.

PJVs QUICKIE POV:
A teaser of sorts, BEFORE THE WITCHES is a novella, covering the events that happened before the world of the DARK MISSION series. BFW did it's job and definitely whet the palate for more. I'm intrigued to read more of Karina Cooper's work and see what more she has in store for us in her DARK MISSION series. Her story was compelling, action-packed and emotional. BEFORE THE WITCHES was edge-of-the-seat good and I couldn't stop reading until I was finished.

REVIEW:
Katya did whatever it took to escape Russia and come to America, including selling her body. Forced into prostitution by Russian mafioso types, Katya is doing everything it takes to survive and hopefully help her and the other women escape with their lives. She almost has everything in place when what she assumes is a dirty cop walks through the door to buy some action. He chooses her to her dismay but when she kisses him it tastes real. Her gifts have always been a part of her, one of the reason she fled her native country. They don't believe in witches in America. Nigel Ferris says he won't hurt her and it is truth, but good cops don't buy prostitutes.

When the world begins crumbling around them, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, Katya has no where else to turn but to Nigel and together they must fight to save themselves in a world gone completely insane.

The book was a little crazy, for just a novella it sure crammed a whole bunch of stuff into it's bitty package. The whole END OF THE WORLD to be exact. But, because of it's novella shortness things did get a little out of hand as far as skimming over events and reactions. I got a bit confused at points, but just because they had so much going on. But, that being said, I did find Katya and Nigel very intense and their quick whirlwind romance was quite believable for it's hurried pace. I'm very interested and ready to read more. The next books happen a lot further in the future and I thought it was smart how this prequel covered the apocalypse, while the books in the future will be the dystopian setting. You don't find this a lot in paranormal romances.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
I recommend this for fans of paranormal romance and readers transitioning into paranormal romance.

411 on the series:

1. The first book in the series is Blood of the Wicked, due out May 31, 2011
2. The second book is Lure of the Wicked: A Dark Mission Novel , June 28, 2011

Similar Series:

1. Masked by Moonlight
2. When Blood Calls 

Book Buzz: Witches of East End Book Trailer

A fan of the BLUE BLOODS series, I'm exited about Melissa de la Cruz's soon to be released, Witches of East End. (Release date June 21, 2011)

I don't know if the book trailer makes me want to read it more or less. Kind of up in the air about it, what do you think???

And this is what the goodreads synopsis reads...

The two novels will follow the lives of the Beauchamp girls, who live in the fictional town of North Hampton, as they struggle to stop an arch nemesis and restore the delicate balance between good and evil. De la Cruz will weave characters from her best-selling Blue Bloods young adult series into this new paranormal series for adults.

Firespell by Chloe Neill - A BWB Review

Firespell (Dark Elite, Book 1) by Chloe Neill



This book purchased with my own moolah (kindle version).


PJV's QUICKIE POV: I was very impressed with Some Girls Bite, so I think I had overly high expectations for this book, which led to a bit of disappointment. The book was entertaining, well-written and enjoyable, but it wasn't very original.

Review: Lily has been abandoned by her parents because of a two year research hiatus in Germany. They send her to Chicago, and an all-girl's private school called St. Sophia's.  Away from her friends, away from her parents, and to a world of old money and a lot of secrets.

Immediately she is introduced to Scout, one of her new roommates, and they become fast friends.  Fast enemies are also formed as she is judged and proved unworthy by the brat pack. In typical Mean Girls style they try and trick her and the insults fly around like mosquitoes in June. All the while, Scout is running around in the middle of the night and is obviously lying about something.  The headmistress, Foley lets slip that her parents might also be lying to her about their careers, and even her new crush interest might not be what he appears.

As Lily is sucked deeper and deeper into the world of St. Sophias and Scout's world, her life might never be the same.

Mean Girls meets The Covenant.  Without the weanie bikinis...let's pause for eye candy.

The Covenant (2006)

When they got into the meat and potatoes of this novel all I thought was The Covenant, with a few revisions. The brat pack was very typical in their behavior, reminiscent of Mean Girls and all those other movies that has a trio of ridiculous and well dressed bitches. Like I said earlier, I was entertained, and will probably read the second novel, but it was much like watching a Miley Cyrus movie. Entertaining if you don't think too hard about it.

My problems with this book lay within the plot.  Friends that Lily had and missed in Sagamore were quickly forgotten after a text message and introduction to the crush interest. Lily and Scout also became fast friends without any kind of development. It was like "Your my future BFF." "Ok." It just lacked the depth of character and relationship building that Neill's Chicagoland books possess.  I hope the second novel is better. Once again, though, excellent writing and I can see that this series might have a great future.

Recommendations: Nothing to worry about parents, book is completely innocent. Recommended for younger teens and all the way up to the adults.

1. Lily and Jason.  Discuss. What do you think the next book holds for them? 
1. Well they will probably finally hook up.  I'm predicting that they might have a few issues with Lily maybe being destined to be evil or something. Which will probably lead to some relationship issues between them. 
2. Lily & Scout's friendship had a lot of secrets, so in the end who did you relate to more, Lily or Scout? How about Lesley or Veronica? Would you hang with the brat pack or be a loner?
1. I related to Lily more of course. The character of Scout was not as developed as I would have thought. Lesley was like a non-entity, and Veronica was just a typical snob queen.  I would most likely be a loner.
3. What do think of the overwhelming trend in YA literature where the parents of the protagonists are either- dead, strung out or shipping their children off to boarding schools? Do you think this is a real look at parents today and what teens are dealing with?
1. I think it might happen more these days than before, especially with  people having to work harder these days and more single parent homes. It might not be typical, but neither is witchcraft.
4. Follow up to parental question.  Authors employ the missing parents to mature their teenage protagonist. The protagonist doesn't have the option to act as an irresponsible teen, because they do not have any parental supervision.  Did you find Lily's behaviour normal for a teenager, or more mature than most?
1. Lily showed some maturity that I don't think many teenagers might posses, especially since she wasn't used to the parental abandonment, which would mature a teen. 

Beautiful Creatures by Kai Garcia & Margaret Stohl - Blog with Bite Review

Beautiful Creatures
Hardcover version, purchased from Border's (used my 30% off coupon!)
Beautiful Creatures Fansite | Book's Website


PJV's Quickie POV: Beautiful Creatures paints a captivating picture of young love and heart-break that had me engrossed from the beginning.  The tone is rich and wet and full of southern elegance.  While not the best YA novel I've read all year, it did live up to the hype.  Very much enjoyed this book and you definitely should mark this as a must read if you haven't already.

Review: Ethan Wate is stuck in a world that he desperately wants to be rid of. The world is Gaitlan, small-town, small-minded Gaitlan. Where he has been put in a box, a box where you have to date this sort of girl, you have to play this sort of sport and you have to think these sort of thoughts - or else.

Ethan can't wait to leave, he can't wait to break out of his little Gaitlan box and head to college, yet in the 2 years he has before college he knows he has to play the game - or else. That is of course, until a new girl comes to his small town and breaks down Ethan's little box with a bang.

Lena Duchannes does not fit in at all.  Everything about her screams different, but Ethan can't help himself, he is drawn to Lena and he believes the feeling is mutual. His classmates and what he thought were his friends do not feel the same way as Ethan.  Lena is different, Lena is weird, Lena is not right for Gaitlin. Ethan, doesn't care, he knows one thing - he belongs with Lena and he will give up everything and anything to belong to her. Just how much will he be asked to give up though???

The tone of the book is very rich and descriptive.  I have to say that was the best part of the book.  Descriptions were heavy and real.  The entire novel breathed southern depth, reading this book I could almost taste the humidity the tone was so well brought to life.  The love development was well-done, not one of the best I've read, but I could empathize with the emotional struggle.  Characters were wonderful, even the secondary characters had rich development that had me enjoying their plights.  The plot was compelling and original.  Some side plots were dropped but nothing that was so obvious.

My only dislikes about this novel was that it might have been a bit much at times.  When I read heavily descriptive novels sometimes I have to skim through the scenes, which I found myself doing in the middle of the novel, so some of that could have been left out and still maintained the integrity of the book. Some of the plot was also predictable, I had the "bad-guy" pegged early on.  I also found all the secrecy very frustrating, I mean why would they lie to Lena sooo much?

The stereo-typing in this novel was also very frustrating. The novel  oozed a message of closed-minded intolerance, but I think it was a testament to a reverse message of intolerance to small town southern conservatives.  I believe yes, small towns can be a little behind in forward thinking, but I don't believe that in general they are as intolerant as they were portrayed in this book.  The good guys were the liberal minded youth - the bad guys the religious conservatives, in life it is never that black and white.

Recommendations: I would pass this on to teens and adults.  The story has an innocence to it that is suitable for young teens, yet it has a depth that adults will enjoy.

I give it a 3/4 BWB rating. PJV 3 rating.

The Queen's Bastard by C.E. Murphy

Author Spotlight C.E. Murphy

For today an tomorrow I will be reviewing first in series books by author C.E. Murphy.  I enjoy her books - even though the tend to get mediocre reviews.

Author Bio from Amazon:

C.E. Murphy was born and raised in Alaska and has since moved to her ancestral homeland of Ireland. She lives there with her husband, a chef, and three very spoiled pets. 


She's a full-time writer. Thus far her plans to take over the publishing world are proceeding apace.




Spotlight Book #1:

The Queens Bastard (The Inheritors’ Cycle, Book 1)

Set in an alternate reality of Elizabethan Europe, The Queen’s Bastard highlights the life of Belinda – The queens bastard and trained assassin. Magic, death and court politics, this book drips full-bodied, lusty appeal.

Belinda, while a strong, death-wielding assassin, is basically a slave to the system she was bred into. She has been raised in total ignorance of who she is. She has been taught to act a certain way, believe a certain belief system and follow her Queen with blind faith. She kills indiscriminately and has very little remorse over doing so. In fact, Belinda shows very little feeling what-so-ever. She is just a tool.

When Belinda is given an assignment to infiltrate the elite of a neighboring enemy country, Belinda is given the opportunity to behave differently then she is used to. Her usual roles have been those of the servant class, on missions of assassination. This role is that of a spy and for that she has to get close to her targets, befriend them and wait for word. She is not used to this role and in so doing, her feelings, which she has pushed to the side as meaningless become more and more apparent. Belinda begins to care for the people she may have to kill.

Along with her realization of the magnitude of emotions, Belinda also realizes that there is something quite different about her, something that gives her the ability to blend into the shadows and become the perfect assassin. Belinda is witchbreed and she is not the only one of her kind.

This is a very different read than my usual modern books with bit, but I do recommend it for those interested in historical dramas and the paranormal. There are some explicitly violent and sexual scenes in this book. Overall the book was good and kept my interest. I do plan on picking up the second novel when I get a chance.

Check back tomorrow for the review of C.E. Murphy’s Heart of Stone.

Bitter Night by Diana Pharoah Francis

This is the first Diana Pharoah Francis that I have had the pleasure to read, and I was not disappointed. Bitter Night packs a punch that had me riveted page after page. In fact as the book ended the only disappointment I had was the fact that I would have to wait for the next installment.

Max, is one of the toughest heroines I have run into in a long time. Look-up tough as nails chick in the dictionary and next to it will be Max. In a drinking palooza with her college roommate Max made a life-changing decision. Give up her humanity for eternal life and eternal servitude to a witch. Embrace power like no other, superior strength, senses and the ability to heal quickly - and all you give in return is your freedom. Bound to a witch named Giselle, Max is forced by magic compulsions to do her bidding, from investigating signs of magic, to killing people for her.

As Max is sent to investigate a murder that is about to take place, she stumbles upon something much bigger than she expected. Her world is about to be torn asunder and plunged into war - and now all that she has known and everything she has believed is about to change.

This novel is a fresh take on urban fantasy. A fresh look at the world of witches and their familiars. I highly recommend this book to urban fantasy lovers who like a lot of action - with just a smidgen of lusty thoughts. The tone is very similar to Patricia Brigg's Mercy Thomas series - except Max is in control instead of lost in a world of overly aggressive and take-charge men. When I grow up, I want to be Max. Unfortunately I would look really bad as a blond.

Stuffed full of blood and gore, nothing explicit though, Bitter Night is one of the best books I have read in awhile.

Read an excerpt...

Author Profile:

Diana Pharaoh Francis has written the fantasy novel trilogy that includes Path of Fate, Path of Honor and Path of Blood. Path of Fate was nominated for the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award. Her latest series is The Crosspointe Chronicles. They include The Cipher and The Black Ship. Her next book, The Turning Tide, will be available in May of 2009. Diana teaches at the University of Montana Western. For a lot more information including where to go to read her blog, maps of her worlds, updated news, and other odd and fun tidbits, go to www.dianapfrancis.com.

Wicked (Witch & Cursed) by Nancy Holder & Debbie Viguié

Dark and full of shivers, this book is a perfect precursor for the Halloween season! Pick it up and get your pointed hats out of the closet, I recommend this book to witch lovers, adult and teen alike. Just settle in a for a long ride, because its a hard read, but worth it in the end.

This book was much darker than I expected for a YA novel and from the beginning I must say that I do not recommend this book for younger teens. I don't believe in eradicating sexuality or darker subjects for a teens reading repertoire, but some of the subjects touched on, should be kept for an older audience, 16+.

The book starts with tragedy, as the scene Holly Cathers is introduced in, is where her entire world is shattered with the death of her parents and her best friend. Forced from San Francisco, she accompanies her aunt, whom she has never even heard of before, to Seattle. There she meets her twin cousins, Amanda and Nicole and is introduced to the world of witchcraft as strange occurrences start happening around her.

As more and more tragic happenings occur in her life, Holly and her cousins begin realizing that their life is not their own and they are actually stuck by fate in a battle between witches and warlocks that dates back centuries.

I found myself drawn into the dark depths of this novel.  It was almost a love/hate relationship.  The characters weren't lovable, they weren't cute and fuzzy, in fact I don't even know if I liked them - which is very different for a YA novel. The character of Holly is broken and unsure, she believes she is the tragic heroine that is destined for impending doom.  Because of her grief and almost self-hate it is hard to relate to her, but she becomes memorable and strong, which brings about respect, if not like. The characters of Amanda and Nicole are both characters to be pitied.  Amanda becomes the better liked because of her transition from innocuous to powerful...and Nicole is almost just secondary vapid fodder, so nothing really strikes you as relatable. She is the crutch that keeps the cousins from becoming all powerful too soon.

The Devereux men are almost too evil.  Their embracing their heritage so easily lends them to demonic status and not human.  One of the things that  I did not like about the book was how it focused on Michael Devereux so much, I could have used a lot less of him - because he was just too grimy for me.


The book is non-stop action, one thing after another after another.  The attacks on the cousins are so intense that you almost find that you can't put the book down, because you are always in the middle of an action sequence or flash back.  Which leads me to the hardest part of this book, and the reason I gave it a lower ranking that I would normally.  The constant flash backs are very confusing - and the embodiment of the ancestors had this reader confused as to who was driving... I was lost to whether Holly and Jer were reincarnations of their ancestors, or were they just stuck in the same pattern...destined to repeat fate.

If you can get by the POV switches, it really is a good book.  The writing is excellent and the storyline is unique and fast paced. The authors did a good job of tackling so much material without being bogged down in lengthy descriptions and side plots. I also really enjoyed that their is no discernible line in the sand between good and evil. 

If you enjoy yur paranormal dark, this is the book for you.

Eastwick on ABC

Based on the novel by John Updike and inspired by the popular movie The Witches of Eastwick, this series follows three very different women who find they suddenly possess very unique powers when a mysterious  man arrives in their small New England town.

Directed by David Nutter, (ER, Roswell)

Eastwick started out very similar to Desperate Housewives...the narrator is Bun, the crazy matron of Eastwick, who gets attacked by army ants and lands herself in a coma in the first five minutes. Will she die like the Desperate Housewives narrator, or will she live on, quirky and intrusive like the Head of Historical Society ladies are supposed to be?

The main characters are Joanna Frank (the librarian sexy, yet self-conscious reporter), Kat, (the repressed wife/mom) and Roxie (the "Merry Widow" who is a little hot and very scandalous). The three women live in the same small town, but really couldn't stand each other - that is until they are bonked on the head by silver coins and all make a wish at the same time - for change.

Change is in the form of Darryl Van Horne, whom I might add - they could have cast a bit better.  I don't know if it is his voice, or his resemblance to Mr. Big - or his subtle impersonation of Jack Nicholas (without the charm - better looking though). Darryl is rich, mysterious and hot in the pants for the three ladies, who now even though they hated each other, are now best buds. They're are a lot of satanic references with Van Horne - shown leaving a building with the address 666, etc.  So, I don't know if this character is going to go from "magic inspiring" to antagonist within the time-line of the series.

Best quote from the show, Roxie: "....Sometimes I wish I could meet someone who got me, you know, someone dark and dangerous and exciting. Who moves here on a cloud of scandal and everywhere he goes he stirs up sex and trouble.  And he's got a really HUGE {pause for effect} appreciation for art. A mysterious and fabulously wealthy eccentric, who buys up all my statues for fifty thousand dollars and then we have amazing animal sex on Egyptian cotton sheets. Is that too much to ask?"

Indeed is that too much to ask? Personally if my wish was granted with the guy playing Darryl Van Horne I would ask for my money back.  He did kind of wear through my wall though, by the end of the show, as his charm kicked in gear. He had some not so snooty moments (saving Roxie's daughter from an attempted date rape) which played well. 

I really like the character of Kat, but isn't that the same actress from Eureka, Tess???? I guess she ditched the syfy and moved on to syndicated.

Overall it was ok, I did keep thinking Desperate Housewives meets Charmed - without all the whinyness of those two shows, but I'm sure it will come.  I'll watch the next episode.  Man I wish the Darryl character was hot - c'mon we need epic like Cole from Charmed - which is the only reason I still succumb to watching Nip/Tuck every now and again (random bootie shots).

Give it a chance if you missed it, I'm sure ABC has it online.  This show could go either way.

666 Horror / Paranormal Book Challenge (2009)

This is my response to the 666 Reading Challenge.

RULES:

1. You must read 6 books in 6 categories by at least 6 authors
2. Books must be horror, thriller, or supernatural.
3. You cannot include audiobooks, journals, comic books, or manga. You can include ebooks.
4. Keep a running book count/completed list.
5. If rereading a book, you have to have finished it at least a year ago.
6. Books can overlap categories.
7. You can use books for this challenge that you are reading for other challenges.
8. This challenge will run January 1, 2009-December 31, 2009.

Vampires

1. Lover Unbound, by Ward, J.R.
2. One Foot in the Grave, by Frost, Jeanine
3. All Together Dead, by Harris, Charlaine
4. You Suck, A Love Story, by Moore, Christopher
5. Zen and the Art of Vampires, by MacAlister, Katie
   
6. The Vampire Diaries, The Fury and Dark Reunion, by Smith, L.J.
   

Werewolves

1. Stolen, Armstrong, Kelley
2. Iron Kissed, by Briggs, Patricia
3. All Together Dead, by Harris, Charlaine
4. Blood and Chocolate, by Klause, Annette Curtis
5. New Moon, by York, Rebecca
6. Every Witch Way but Dead, by Harrison, Kim

Witches/Warlocks

1. Sorcery and the Single Girl, by Klasky, Mindy
2. Every Witch Way but Dead, by Harrison, Kim
3. The Witching Hour, by Rice, Anne
4. Wizard by Trade, by Butcher, Jim
5. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows, by Rowling, J.K.
6. Fire Study, by Snyder Maria V.
   

Horror creatures/Monsters

1. Every Witch Way but Dead, by Harrison, Kim (DEMONS)
   
2. Iron Kissed, by Briggs, Patricia (CRAZY SCARY FAE)
   
3. Lover Unbound, by Ward, J.R. (OMEGA)
   
4. Thorn Queen, by Mead, Richelle (Fire/Water Demons)
5. Alien Taste, by Spencer, Wen (Hex)
6. The Hollow, by Roberts, Nora (Demon)
   

Paranormal creatures/events

1. The Hollow, by Roberts, Nora (Demon)
2. The Host, Meyer, Stephanie
3. All Together Dead, by Harris, Charlaine
4. The Vampire Diaries, The Fury and Dark Reunion, by Smith, L.J.
5. The Witching Hour, by Rice, Anne
6. City of Glass, by Clare, Cassandra

Faeries / Otherworldly creatures (my own category)

1. Thorn Queen, by Mead, Richelle (Faeries)
   
2. FaeFever, by Moning, Karen Marie
3. Ink Exchange, by Marr, Melissa
4. Vulnerable, by Lane, Amy
5. Selling Out, by Robson, Justina (Elves & Faeries & Demons - oh my!)
6. All Together Dead, by Harris, Charlaine