PJ Review: Ascension (Dark Breed #1) by Sable Grace

Genre: Adult, Paranormal Romance
Paranormal Element: Everything! Mythology, Gods, Vampires, Shifters...
Series: Dark Breed #1
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author: Web | Twitter
Digital copy from Netgalley.com for Review

PJ's QUICKIE POV:
Ascension strikes fast, hits you hard as it thrusts you into a very dark world that had my imagination spinning. It wasn’t a world I want to visit anytime soon, either. Despite the darkness, I was quickly taken in, I wanted to find out more about this violent and scary place. There was so much going on in this novel, new breeds of paranormals, mixed races...it was quite fascinating. And then with the intermix of the Greek gods and goddesses I thought it might be too much, but it worked and made for one of the most creatively spun Urban Fantasy novel that I’ve read in awhile. The one drawback of the novel was that it really did drag towards the end of the novel. It was fast fast fast --- and then came to a screeching halt. It would have been PERFECT if it would have kept up that high intensity pace. And the thing about pace - if you don't get it right it will bring a good idea crashing.

REVIEW:
Kyana is half Vampyre, half Lychen a dark breed of an unholy joining for two species. Her kind, the dark breeds are overrunning the world after the gates of Hell opened and released madness into the world. Yet, Kyana has forced herself to step out of her kinds usual evil nature and joined the Order of Ancients to fight the dark breeds and protect the mortals. Kyana is highly ambitious and when she is given one of the most important missions of her career she sees it as a chance to prove herself. But, she is quickly deflated when she finds she’ll be paired with Ryker, a demigod who knows how to push all the wrong buttons where she is concerned. Together they team up, but with a lot of reservations, because there mission is a lot more important then their personal problems.

A highly imaginative Urban Fantasy. Ascension is over-run with uniquely formed paranormals. It had my head spinning. And on top of the crazy world-building the sexual tension between Kyana and Ryker was enough to have me salivating. It was one of those romantic episodes where you want to beat both their heads against the table and scream “Get it on already!” Those are always fun...but, Sable Grace took it to a whole new level. This is definitely one you should look out for.

Now for the not so fun parts. The dragging almost killed me, at some point I was ready to just put the book down. The anticipation was gone, because Kyana and Ryker had already somewhat settled their differences and then there was just so much more book to trudge through and clue finding and things like that. I also found the patsy rather convenient and I also found it hard to understand how different the dark breeds were from Kyana...I don’t think there was enough explanation. Was it just that if she drank human blood it would drive her to a crazy hunger that she couldn’t control? Then how did she stop in the first place? Besides that the book was an enjoyable read and highly creative (I keep saying that!). I can’t wait to see what Ms. Grace has in store for us next.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Recommended for fans of darker Urban Fantasy series like the series written by Kelly Gay and Jennifer Esteps. There is a lot of violence, bad language and sexual interaction in this novel, recommended for adults only.







Like this Like That

1. The Better Part of Darkness (Charlie Madigan, Book 1) by Kelly Gay
2. Bitter Nights by Diana Pharaoh Francis

PJ Review: Need by Carrie Jones

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal Romance
SciFi Element: Shape-Shifters, Pixies
Series: Need #1
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author: Web | Twitter
Audible.com purchase.

PJ's QUICKIE POV:
This is what I have to label as one of the sweetest young adult paranormal romance novels that I’ve ever read. (Well listened to). I wouldn’t say that it was the greatest PNR to ever be written, or even one of the best, but...I’m completely smitten with Zara and Nick and am dying for more. Through the whole novel I just wanted to sigh in contentment as Carrie Jones described normal feelings and events so well that I could almost taste them on my tongue. Between Carrie Jone’s words and the perfect narration by Julia Whelan I was in Young Adult bliss. The sweetness that was the blooming relationship between Zara and Nick and the intensity that was Zara’s passions for her beliefs and hurt over losing her father made the novel brilliant. I had certain expectations going into NEED and I can admit I was taken completely by surprise.

REVIEW:
Zara is a shell of herself. The death of her father has destroyed her. Vibrant and in love with life, Zara had always been a force to be reckoned with, but the light has left her eyes and her mother is worried. To combat Zara’s depression, Zara’s mother has decided to send her to live with her Gram in Bangor, Maine. Far away from warm Charleston, basically a whole other world...as far as Zara is concerned.

From the charming way that the characters interacted, like real teens, to the recitation of fears that was a constant litany in Zara’s inner-dialogue, I was hooked. I loved the characters, even the supporting characters -- even the evil characters! And there was just something in the way Jones described things. They meant something to me, it felt real. There was this one scene, where Nick sits down next to Zara and their thighs almost touch, it was so simple, such a nothing moment, but for Zara it was momentous and Jones description made it that way for me also.

Now, for the part I didn't like, because while I thoroughly enjoyed this book, there were a few things that didn’t sit well with me. I thought parts were skipped over and not explained as well as they should have been. I felt Zara’s reactions to certain revelations were real at some point (Nick’s reveal was the best) but the father’s reveal was just -- bleh. I was once again thinking after the reveal -- why are these people going to high school?? I think I might have missed something there. And then the big one...why did her mom send her in the first place? It was casually touched upon, but really Mom? Really? Epic fail on that one. As you can see I really had no problems with the writing or the plot, just character behaviors.

AUDIO BOOK REVIEW:
The book was narrated by Julia Whelan, who is absolutely amazing. I love narration that just breaths the main character and Whelan conveyed Zara perfectly and then switched into the other characters with ease. Her pronunciation was also seamless. She has narrated a lot of books, including ELIXIR which I also reviewed. (Didn't like that book though - but the writing not the narration). I'm almost templted to download The Magnolia League just so I can hear her again.


RECOMMENDATIONS:
For fans of paranormal romance of the young adult variety. If you like the Wolves of Mercy Falls series by Maggie Stiefvater, you might just like this one.







Similar Novels

1. Shiver (wolves)
2. Strange Angels (vamps & wolves)
3. Unearthly (angels)
4. Iron King (Faeries)
5. The Summoning (wolves, witches, and much more)

The 411:

1. Book 4 will be released in January 2012
2. They have won a ton of Indie awards 
3. Teams are being formed on the Facebook page so I don’t want to stalk the site too much, since I haven’t read book two, and so far there was no one else to be on a team!!

PJ Review: Rogue by Rachel Vincent

Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Series: Shifter Series, Book 2
Paranormal Element: Shifters
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author:  Web | Blog | Twitter
Audio book review from audible.com

PJVs QUICKIE POV:
Rachel Vincent's  Shifter series is not one of the best Urban Fantasy / Paranormal romance series on the market, but the main character Faythe is a likeable sort and the plot lines are entertaining, so I definitely recommend them for fans of the genre. Just, with these power-house series and larger-than life characters such as Sookie, Bones, Anita, Mac, Barrons...Faythe and Marc are eclipsed, literally. These books just don’t have as much depth as some of my favorite series and while I had fun listening to it on audio book, this won’t be one of those series that I like to revisit and I’ll only move on if the third book falls in my lap.

REVIEW:
Faythe has rejoined her Pride in the hopes of one day attaining freedom from her father’s oppressive ruling. She’s been put in the position of enforcer and it might be fun slapping around a few strays -- but having to wrestle dead bodies into trunks and question lecherous strip club bartenders is a bit out of her comfort zone. But, it is what she has to do to prove to her father and the rest of the Pride that she has what it takes.

Unfortunately something odd is occurring in her father’s territory. Murdered strays keep on popping up and the similarities are too great to dismiss as random violent acts. There is someone out there killing cats and now it’s up to Faythe and Marc to find out who it is and take care of the problem.

Like I stated earlier, while entertaining and well-written these books are a shallow comparison to other urban fantasy and paranormal romance series. Faythe does a lot of internalizing which can drive you off the plot track, which I find distracting and her behavior is sometimes ridiculous and immature, which I find annoying. I personally don’t “feel” the love between Faythe and Marc. I’m really convinced Faythe is with him because it is convenient and Marc because he is scared to death of becoming a stray. It’s a rather complicated relationship where I feel they are co-dependent on one another, so nothing really in the relationship makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. My final thoughts on this series: something to waste away the time...but nothing to write mother about.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Recommended for fans of lighter urban fantasy and paranormal romance novels, such as the Sookie Stackhouse series. This is an adult novel, there is plenty of explicit violence, sex and compromising situations.

Similar Series:

1. Dead Until Dark (Sookie Stackhouse, Book 1)
2. Dead Witch Walking (Rachel Morgan 1}

8/20 books

Sayuri's Review: Sabine by Moira Rogers

Genre: Paranormal Romance,
Paranormal Element: Werewolves, Witches
Series: And The Beast (Book One)
Order Online:  Amazon.com
Stalk the Author:  Web | Twitter | Blog
Review copy received from author.

SAYURIs QUICKIE POV:

This new novella from writing duo Moira Rogers (Bree & Donna) is a curious fusion of fairytale and shifter paranormal romance. It switches between erotic and heartbreaking at break-neck speed and is over before it’s begun. So much so I was it was just a tad longer. Who am I kidding? I wanted it to be 5 times longer. I felt that we had only just begun to scratch the surface of the characters and while I enjoyed it immensely, there was a feeling of ‘Huh? Is that it?’ at the end. I felt like I had only gotten a nibble at the cookie when I wanted to devour the whole thing. (I’m greedy like that!) 

REVIEW:

Sabine is a wild woman, living alone in the woods. Forgotten by everyone almost instantly, due to a spell cast upon her by her lover’s mother, she is alone in the truest sense of the word. Every friend, every enemy, even her family, no longer remember her. Her former lover, Ciar, left to fight in the war and Sabine has come to except that he has forgotten her too and that she will be alone for the rest of her life.

Ciar, High Lord of the Forest, has come home from the war to find his lover, Sabine, gone. Angry and confused as to why she would leave, he goes in search of her. He finds her and discovers his mother and her witch cast a spell upon Sabine. Cair is frustrated that Sabine won’t let him touch her as the spell acts quicker through touch and she is deathly afraid that he will forget her now he is home and within the spell’s reach. All he wants to do is claim her as his mate and go home and live happily ever after. Instead they have to race against the spell and find a way to rid Sabine of it.

I really enjoyed this story. It was short and there was so much in here that it could have been a full length novel with no problem. (I think I mentioned that before, right?? Also it's selling at Samhain for only $1.75 this week so I felt like there was value for money.) That said the authors did a great job of conveying the desperate loneliness of Sabine and when Cair found and remembered her the bittersweet realization that he too would forget was heartbreaking. I shed a wee tear at the end it was so good. I liked the mix of fairytale and shifter myths. They combined to make a new and interesting world to me and, even with the constraints of the format, one I would visit again. Lucky for me as there is a follow –up novella coming in June named Kisri

Recomendations:
Although there are fairytale elements there are also paranormal romance elements and there are some hawt love scenes therefore this is for the adults in the room. Fans of Dana Marie Bell, Vivi Andrews and Jeigh Lynn will enjoy this.

Stray by Rachel Vincent - Review

Genre: Adult, Urban Fantasy
Series: Shifter Series, Book 1
Paranormal Element: Shifters
Order Online:  Amazon.com | BookDepository.com
Stalk the Author:  Web | Blog | Twitter
Audio book review from audible.com

PJVs QUICKIE POV:
A sucker for Rachel Vincent, many of you are probably surprised that I haven’t partaken of the Shifter series yet. But, my goodness I have not had enough time! So, who comes to my rescue, but the wonderfulness that is audible.com and their First of Series sale. Yeah! Now, like the sale intended, I’m am now undeniably hooked into another series. Hello, Faythe. You freakin’ rock.

REVIEW:
Faythe is definitely one of a kind. One of eight remaining breeding females of her kind she is something that her pride would love to cherish, lock away and keep safe. Too bad, Faythe is not having that. Stifled by the over-bearing nature of her male werecat counterparts, Faythe has tried over and over again to run away from her life on the ranch, until finally her father relents and lets her attend college away from home. Into her first year of grad school a run in with a stray has her daddy’s boys swooping in and yanking her back home, somewhere she doesn’t want to be, especially since she will have to face the music of her last quick departure. Combined with the stress everyone is under from the stray that seems to be targeting young female werecats, Faythe’s life has suddenly become very complicated.

Reason why I idolize Faythe:

"I'd take a slashed throat over a broken neck any day. At least I'd bleed all over his shoes. One final fuck you before I die." - Faythe, Stray

Packed full of mystery, violence, sexual tension and a kickass freakin’ heroine, STRAY is everything I like in an Urban Fantasy. I loved Faythe’s sense of humor and her rebellious nature. Her transition was excellently played and I could understand her growth perfectly. The bad guys were certifiably insane and well executed. Even though I found the final confrontational scene a little two over-the-top on whacked out behavior, I did enjoy their diabolical behavior. Where I found the novel a bit on the lacking side was in Mark’s character. I wasn’t really that impressed, he was a bit over-bearing and their love was “pre-established” so I didn’t get the transition. I actually liked the character of Jace much better, and found his transition kind of a cop-out, but I’m sure he might come into play in later books. These silly little problems were only slight though and did not detract from the overall enjoyment of the book. A definite must read for Urban Fantasy fans.

RECOMMENDATIONS:
Adults only, this book contains strong scenes with violence, hints at rape and sexual encounters. Recommended for fans of the Mercy Thompson series.

3/20 books