Release Day Review: A Kiss of Blood by Pamela Palmer

A Kiss of Blood

by Pamela Palmer

Vamp City #2

Published June 25th 2013 by Avon

Source: Publisher via Edelweiss

ONLY ONE WOMAN CAN SAVE VAMP CITY

One of the few humans who managed to escape the deadly twilight world of Vamp City, Quinn Lennox vows to never return. But the vampires want her back, for only she has the power to renew the magic of their crumbling world--and free the vampires trapped within.

When the handsome, dangerous, and all too seductive Arturo Mazza comes for her, Quinn knows she can never trust him after the betrayal she suffered at his hands. But with her beloved brother's fate hanging in the balance, and her own power beginning to emerge, she chooses to risk all on yet another perilous journey back to Vamp City. And though she tries to deny it, her heart begins to hold hope that even a ruthless vampire can learn the meaning of true love…

REVIEW

Last year when A Blood Seduction came out many didn't like it because it was VERY dark. (I loved it for that reason) Well this time around Palmer pulled back on the dark, mind you Vamp City is not filled with rainbows and fluffy unicorns but we get to see a different side to some of the vampires this time around.

Which brings me to the other problem some had with the first book... the "hero". Many were turned off by Arturo as the love interest. I was on the fence. Yeah he was the lesser evil in Vamp City. He was a lying bastard. He was... He was... He was... See the pattern. Arturo starts making up for some of the things he did to Quinn when they first meet. He starts showing a softer and trusthy side. No he did not make a complete 180 and no Quinn doesn't trust or forgive him completely. But that doesn't mean the two doesn't have some SMOKING SEX while they are working on their trust issues.

But the two are becoming closer and developing feelings for each other and Palmer is completely selling it! She has said that their relationship will be one that will build over the series and in A Kiss of Blood we see the small steps toward a relationship forming between the two. They both need to change and grow and I think with each book we will be rooting more and more for them to be a true couple. One much like Cat and Bones, Mac and Barrons. A couple that are equals and partners. Not an alpha male taking care of a weak heroine.

Quinn comes to realize that not all vampires are evil in Vamp City. She makes new friends and sees that if she learns to open up that she could possibly have a small circle of friends that will come to her aid when she needs them the most. Quinn's magic skills grow over the storyline and that chick is going to be one strong ass bad.

While Quinn is dealing with her issues, her brother Zack is learning to deal with his. He feels useless since he could not save the two women in his life; his sister and best friend Lily. Zack with working out and building strength of his own and I think we will get to see him shine in the next book as he works on trying to find and save Lily.

If the darker elements in A Blood Seduction turned you off, you should give the series another try by reading A Kiss of Blood. I think you would agree that by the end, you'll be wanting more of Arturo and Vamp City.

#Audiobook Review: Working Stiff by Rache Caine

Working Stiff 

(Revivalist #1) 

by Rachel Caine

Narrated by Julia Whelan 

Published August 2nd 2011
Source: Purchased from Audible.com

 

Bryn Davis was killed on the job after discovering her bosses were selling a drug designed to resurrect the dead. Now, revived by that same drug, she becomes an undead soldier in a corporate war to take down the very pharmaceutical company responsible for her new condition...

REVIEW

First Thought
Not your "classic" zombies but still an interesting concept.

Why I Listen
I've had Working Stiff on my TBR since it's release day and after listening to a sample of the audio, the narration sounded like one I would enjoy. And I was right. The story and narration both kept me entertain. Julia Whelan get a great job with the voices and timing of the narration. I've already purchased the next book on audio.

The Story
Bryn Davis has the worst first day on a job ever.... She dies and then comes back as a "zombie".

After serving in the military and dealing with dead bodies, Bryn thought she would be a good match in the postion as the new funeral director at Fairview Mortuary. But little did she know that her sales training was not going to help her when she stumbles upon a secret side business her new boss is running from the basement of the mortuary.

Bryn quickly finds herself wrapped up in government and corporate red tape and plans to take over the world, while still having a little time for romance.

Issue(s) I Had
The only real issue I had with Working Stiff is that I had a hard time believing that Bryn, who was over in Iraq for 4 years would be so "helpless" and naive at times. I'm hoping after the events toward the end of the story that we get a tougher Bryn in the next book, Two Week's Notice.


Will I Continue the Series?
Yes. I enjoyed the world that Caine has created and I look forward to seeing what's next for Bryn.


Looking for Something Similar?
White Trash Zombie series by Diana Rowland

Review: House Rules by Chloe Neill

House Rules 

by Chloe Neill 

(Chicagoland Vampires #7) 

Published February 5th 2013 by NAL Penguin

Source: From Publisher for honest review

In a city full of vampires, trouble never sleeps.

At the tender age of 27, Merit became a sword-wielding vampire. Since then, she’s become the protector of her House, watched Chicago nearly burn to the ground, and seen her Master fall and rise. Now she’ll see her mettle—and her metal —tested like never before.

It started with two . . . Two rogues vanishing without a trace. Someone is targeting Chicago’s vampires, and anyone could be next. With their house in peril, Merit and her Master, the centuries old Ethan Sullivan, must race to stop the disappearances. But as they untangle a web of secret alliances and ancient evils, they realize their foe is more familiar, and more powerful, than they could have ever imagined

REVIEW

This is book 7 in a series, so don't be surprised if I talk about plots in earlier books. If you're not update on the series you may want to come back and read my review once you've read House Rules. 

 "I think Chloe Neill has finally brought the series back around to where I can be excited about it again." - The Book Nympho

#Audiobook Review: Sandman Slim by Richard Kadrey

Sandman Slim  

by Richard Kadrey

(Sandman Slim #1)

MacLeod Andrews (Narrator)

Source: Library Audio

Adult Content: Contains lots of adult language, lots of violence.

 

Life sucks, and then you die. Or, if you?re James Stark, you spend eleven years in Hell as a hitman before finally escaping, only to land back in the hell-on-earth that is Los Angeles. Now Stark's back, and ready for revenge. And absolution, and maybe even love. But when his first stop saddles him with an abusive talking head, Stark discovers that the road to absolution and revenge is much longer than you?d expect, and both Heaven and Hell have their own ideas for his future. Resurrection sucks. Saving the world is worse. Darkly twisted, irreverent, and completely hilarious, Sandman Slim is the breakthrough novel by an acclaimed author.

REVIEW

First Thought 
Quentin Tarantino should direct the movie for this book!

Why I Read It

I saw Richard Kadrey on an Urban Fantasy panel at RT and was impressed with him and thought his Sandman Slim world sounded great and something different from what I've been reading.

Set up
Sandman Slim gets a lot of comparison to Jim Buthcer's Harry Dresden series. I've not read that series so I can say. But I will compare to something to give you an idea of how I saw it..... The darkest parts of Supernatural and Kill Bill rolled up into a noir type urban fantasy with an anti-hero named Stark, on a revenge mission.

See, Supernatural got your attention didn't it? Take the angel/demon mythology from the show there you go. Angels are just as big dicks as the demons. They also think humans are just talking monkeys. In Sandman Slim's world there is only gray, no black and white, no plan good or evil. Everyone is a douche bag on some level.

The "Hero"
James Stark is Sandman Slim but don't call him anything but Stark or he might shot you. But in his defense he did just spend 11 years in hell after his magical circle screwed him over and sent him there.

Stark is very much an antihero but not the swoon-worthy type, not yet anyway. He's a real tool. But he's one of those tools that you find yourself rooting for. Stark is on a bloody and gritty ride and I found myself hoping he would burn the world down along the way.

He is a total bad ass that spews sarcasm with every breath.

“No hospitals", she says. 
"I know."
“Where are we going?"

"For ice cream. What's your favorite flavor?"

"Fuck you."

"That's my favorite, too.” - Allegra and Stark

“You're a cop..."

"U.S. Marshal." 

"Fine. A cop who can read.”  - Stark and Wells

But the reason he is on his revenge trip is not to avenge himself but that of the murder of his girlfriend. And toward the end of the book there is a real touching scene that shows that even the biggest tools has a heart underneath.

WTH?
I picked up a copy for free at Avon Red Slipper event at RT. I put it on my shelf with all my other books without thumbing through it. So when I decided to check out the audio from the library I went in cold. After a couple of hours of listening I got to noticing that the narrator never announced the chapter numbers which was old. Then I looked at the book and there is NO CHAPTERS. All of the books are that way. Weird.

Someone on Twitter said they asked Kadrey at RT why he work the books that way, and his response that the main character, Stark, is crazy. Ok so crazy people can't have chapters. LOL

The Narration 
I'm not a huge fan of male narrators (so far), just because the few I've listened to doesn't do the female voices that well. But with a male main character, I wasn't that bothered by MacLeod Andrews' female narrations (which there was only really two recurring female characters) . I thought that he voice and timing was great for Stark. I don't know that I would enjoy his voice for other books but he is well suited for the dark and gritty world of Sandman Slim.

Will I Continue The Series?
Yes. While I thought that the writing was a little rough around the edges and that the author was dating himself with some of the pop culture references and I thought it dragged a little toward the end, I still enjoyed Sandman Slim enough to continue the series and read the second book, Kill the Dead.

#Audiobook Review: Eye of the Tempest by Nicole Peeler

Eye of the Tempest 

 by Nicole Peeler 

(Jane True #4) 

Khristine Hvam (Narrator)

Source: Purchased audio from Audible.com

 

Nothing says "home" like being attacked by humans with very large guns, as Jane and Anyan discover when they arrive in Rockabill. These are professionals, brought in to kill, and they bring Anyan down before either Jane or the barghest can react. Seeing Anyan fall awakens a terrible power within Jane, and she nearly destroys herself taking out their attackers. Jane wakes, weeks later, to discover that she's not the only thing that's been stirring. Something underneath Rockabill is coming to life: something ancient, something powerful, and something that just might destroy the world.Jane and her friends must act, striking out on a quest that only Jane can finish. For whatever lurks beneath the Old Sow must be stopped . . . and Jane's just the halfling for the job.

REVIEW

The Rant/Spoiler:
I’m starting this review with a small rant and spoiler and it can be summed up with ... cock blocking.

I mean how many times can Peeler stop Jane and Anyan from doing the deed? That part where his dick was knocking on her vagina and Blondie popped in. GRRRR! And then she goes and makes him a dog for 80% of the book. I guess that was better than having more people walking in on them. When they finally get around to it, it better be fucking amazing!

The Plot:

Eye of the Tempest was a little on the weird side. It felt like a bridge book; connecting the previous book and the next book. It's a turning point in Jane's life and I think it sets the tone for the rest of the series.

The weird part is the octopus-like creature that is hiding under Rockabill that has a powerful connection with Jane. Blondie is around a lot in this installment to help Jane with her inner and outer journey in becoming the champion. Actually most of the book is about Jane, Blondie and the creature. Definitely a different feel from the other books. But I felt like it was necessary in order to have a few questions answered even if it only made other questions pop up.

The Series:

Even though Eye of the Tempest had a very different feel to it and it was not my favorite in the series, Jane True is still going strong in my heart and I'm a little nervous for the next two books. I've heard they have some tough moments. But when there looks to be a supe war in the gang's every near future that is to be expected.

The Romance:

Now that it looks like Jane and Anyan might be moving to having a future together I can't wait to see how that part of the story ends. And NO MORE COCK BLOCKING!!

The Narration:

I was so freaking excited when I found out that Khristine Hvam was narrating the rest of the series. She has breathed new life into the Jane True series. Peeler's writing is great but the narration for books 1 -3 was not letting it shine. But the team of Hvam and Peeler is the right fit for bring Jane and crew to live for audio listeners.

Audio Review: Flesh and Blood by Kristen Painter

Flesh and Blood

by Kristen Painter

House of Camarre #2
Narrated by Abby Craden

Source: Purchased from Audible.com

With the ring of sorrows still missing, and the covenant between othernaturals and mortals broken, Chrysabelle and Malkolm's problems are just beginning. Chrysabelle still owes Malkolm for his help, but fulfilling that debt means returning to Corvinestri, the hidden vampire city neither of them is welcome in.The discovery that Chrysabelle has a brother could mean reneging on her promise to Malkolm, something that might make him angry enough to loose the beast living inside him. And fulfilling her vow could prove devastating for Chrysabelle-especially when you throw in power hungry witches, dead fringe vampires, and the Kubai Mata.

Normally I save my thoughts about the narration of the audiobook to the end of the review. But since I almost gave Flesh and Blood a 3 star rating based on the narration I going to talk about it first.

Abby Craden's narration of the main characters was pretty good and her "reading" voice (non dialogue narration) was good. Where I had a problem with the narration was her choices for A LOT of the secondary characters more to the point the minority characters. For example Katsumi is an Asian vampire and Craden's narration of her sounded like siamese cats from Lady and the Tramp. I had that song "We are Siamese if You Please" stuck in my head whenever Katsumi can on scene.

Doc

Another character I had problem with was Doc. I read the first book, Blood Rights and I didn't either remember or picked up on the fact that he is Africain American but listing to Carden's voice for him I thought, is Doc black? So I asked my two read along co-hosts that recently read Blood Rights and they were not sure either. I looked him up on the House of Comarre website and saw a picture of the character. Yep, he's Africain American. But I didn't enjoy the stereo-type voice that the narrator gave him; she made him sound like a street thug mixed with a white raper (Vanilla Ice). I thought he would say Yo-Yo at any moment.

I was so focused on how much I disliked the narration of the minority characters that it took me out of the story many times. But I thought it was unfair to lower my rating of the writing that Kristen Painter brought to life. It's just a case where I will read the rest of the series instead of listening. It happens.

Ok now that my rant about the narration of the audiobook is over I'll talk about the book.

Audio Review: Moonshifted by Cassie Alexander

Moonshifted

by Cassie Alexander

(Edie Spence #2)

Narrated by Tai Sammons

Source: Library Audio

After surviving a brutal vampire attack, Nurse Edie Spence is ready to get back to work—attending to supernatural creatures in need of medical help. But her nursing skills are put to the test when she witnesses a hit-and-run on her lunch break. The injured pedestrian is not only a werewolf, he’s the pack leader. And now Edie’s stuck in the middle of an all-out were-war…

With two rival packs fighting tooth and nail, Edie has no intention of crossing enemy lines. But when she meets her patient’s nephew—a tattooed werewolf named Lucas with a predatory gleam in his eye that’s hard to resist—Edie can’t help but choose sides. The question is: can she trust this dangerous new ally? And can she trust her own instincts when she’s near him? Either way, Edie can’t seem to pull away—even if getting involved makes her easy prey…

I'm done with audios in this series. I can't help but wonder if the narrator is killing my thoughts on these books. Time will time when I read book three, Shapeshifted.

While I'm talking about how the narration bugs me I'm going to take about something else that bothers me in this series so far. The weird ass German Grandfather voice coming from the radio. Edie has in her possession a radio from a patience that seems to be haunted by the grandfather of said patience and he only speaks German. This has not been explained clearly enough IMO and now there's an extra WTF part to it when the voice gets another side character to implant the wiring from different household appliances around Edie's apartment. The ending result is just plain twisted and I can't think of how it works into the plot.  

Ok so I'm told you what bugs me now let me tell you want I did like. I still like Edie as the main character. She's a human nurse working in the supernatural wing of the county hospital. Dealing with all kinds of weird supe stuff. In the last book, Nightshifted, Edie learns about vampires and some of their political rules. Just enough to get herself into to trouble. This time around Edie is in the middle of werewolf laws and is under the protect of the local pack because she witness the pack leader get hit by a truck.

Edie is doing her best to juggle work, holidays with the family and her smexy werewolf bodyguard. Oh and the sexy shapeshifter, Asher.

Asher finds himself going from hot one two night stand guy to the friend zone. I'm right there with Edie and not knowing if Asher can be trusted, time will tell. I'm thinking since the three book is titled, Shapeshifted that we will get more Asher time. One can hope.

Anyway, I'm enjoying Edie and her world enough to give the series another book to see if it really is the narration that's killing my excitement. I think once I read it for myself and hopefully the weird ass thing with German grandfather/Cyborg human thingy won't be back or at the very least explained better to where it makes sense.
 

Review: Blue-Blooded Vamp by Jaye Wells

Blue-Blooded Vamp 

by Jaye Wells 

(Sabina Kane #5)
Source: Purchased 

 

The epic conclusion to the amazing Sabina Kane urban fantasy series.

Sabina Kane is on the hunt. Her prey: Cain, the father of the vampire race and the one who murdered her family and her friends. Unfortunately, Cain is hunting Sabina, too. The one man who holds the key to defeating Cain is, of course, Abel. A mage with secrets to spare and, hopefully, the power to match it. Unfortunately, for Sabina, he's in Rome and may not want to be found.

Sabina sets out for Italy with her friends, Giguhl and Adam Lazarus, to track down the only man who can get her the revenge she hungers for. But will he help her or oppose her? And just who is Abel, really? Worst of all, when Sabina figures out the goddess Lilith has a plan for her-she realizes this trip is getting deadlier by the minute.

As they say: when in Rome-SURVIVE.

First Thought: Ass womb!

The Action: The conclusion of Sabina Kane series is jam packed with fight scenes with Sabina taking on Cain. Sabina (with the help of Team Awesome) goes through a long road and many tests to get to the final battle with Cain. She really shows her badassery on her road to hell.

The Romance: After only having luke warm feelings for the romance part of the series, I am satisfied that Adam ended up being the right man for Sabina. (No the series doesn't have a love triangle but I thought another male character was hotter for a while.)

The Humor: Jaye Wells continues to bring the dark and twisted humor I've come to love. Gighual is the best comic relief character I've read in a long time, if not ever.

The End: It was hard saying good bye to Team Awesome but all good things must end and Wells did it at the right time and in the right fashion. Blue-Blooded Vamp is a great end to the series. We get questions answered. We get shocks. We get laughs. We get tears. And we get closure without it being sugary.

Would I recommend this series? Hell ya botches. For Gighual alone it's worth the read. If you enjoy Urban Fantasy with a kick ass heroine that learns that being a team player is better than being a cold heart bitch loner and you like dark humor that will sure to scandalize you, then Jaye Well's Sabina Kane series is for you.

Audio Review: Raven Cursed by Faith Hunter

Raven Cursed

by Faith Hunter

Jane Yellowrock #4

Narrated by Khristine Hvam Kies

Source: Purchased at Audible.com

The vampires of Asheville, North Carolina, want to establish their own clan, but since they owe loyalty to the Master Vampire of New Orleans they must work out the terms with him. To come up with an equitable solution, he sends an envoy with the best bodyguard blood money can buy: Jane Yellowrock.

But when a group of local campers are attacked by something fanged, Jane goes from escort to investigator. Unless she wants to face a very angry master vampire, she will have to work overtime to find the killer. It's a good thing she's worth every penny.

The Heroine(s): Jane's a kick ass rouge vampire hunter. She's a skinwalker which means she more than just a were. She can change into almost any animal but her beast prefers the form of a mountain lion. I find the inner monologue between Jane and Beast every interesting and well written. So instead of one heroine you get two.

The Plot: Jane is back at home in North Caroline but she can't get away from events that took place in New Orleans during Mercy Blade and she definitely can't get away from the people from New Orleans.  Leo the head vamp of the South has hired Jane as the head of security for the vampire meeting. Jane hires Derek Lee and his group of good ol' boys. Then there's Ricky Bo. Jane brought him near Ashland, NC to get help with his issue. So Jane may have left New Orleans but she brought the major players with her.

Before the vamps can have their important conference about making peace with the witches, Jane is faced with dead bodies all over town. Humans are blaming vampires but then it starts looking like werewolves might be the ones ripping the humans apart.

Since Jane is back in NC we get to see more of Molly and her family. I love Angie Baby, Molly's young daughter so I'm glad we get to see her again. We also get to see more of Big Evan, Molly's husband. In fact Molly's whole family (sisters included) into the action this time around.

The Big Bad(s): This time around we get two bad guys that Jane has to fight. Neither is easy. One is a friend that tries to harm loved ones of Jane. Another is a bad ass that happens to be a shapeshifting witch that happens to be a demon.

Jane's Love Life: Jane and Beast are still not seeing eye to eye on the mate front. If Beast has her way Jane would be sleeping with Ricky, Bruiser and Leo. After all big cats don't mate for life. Jane may have lusty thoughts about more than one man but she is a one man gal. I've never really been a fan of Ricky as the love interest. I just didn't feel the connection between him and Jane. Then he cheats on her while working a case in Mercy Blade. But I starting liking him a little in Raven Cursed.

Quotes: Evan stood at bottom of stairs with hands on hips, studying room. Saying things low under breath. More sex talk about mothers. Humans think of sex at strange times. Jane laughed. I did not understand. - Beast

"Your cat did this?"
"Yeah, she was hungry and Molly wouldn't let her eat Evangeline"
When Rick arched an eyebrow at me, I shook my head and said, "For dinner, Ricky Bo."
"Of course."

Will I Continue Series? Hell yes! Even though I'm a little frustrated with Jane's love life I'm still on board for more Beast and Jane action.

Narration: Khristine Hvam Kies continues to make this series a real enjoy to listen to. I love her voices for Beast, Angie Baby, and many others. She does an amazing job with the timing and I feel like she is acting the story out instead of just reading a book.

Audio Review: Nightshifted by Cassie Alexander

Nightshifted

by Cassie Alexander

Edie Spence #1
Narrated by Tai Sammons

Published May 22nd 2012 by Blackstone Audio, Inc.
  Source: Purchased at Audible.com

Nursing school prepared Edie Spence for a lot of things. Burn victims? No problem. Severed limbs? Piece of cake. Vampires? No way in hell. But as the newest nurse on Y4, the secret ward hidden in the bowels of County Hospital, Edie has her hands full with every paranormal patient you can imagine—from vamps and were-things to zombies and beyond...

Edie’s just trying to learn the ropes so she can get through her latest shift unscathed. But when a vampire servant turns to dust under her watch, all hell breaks loose. Now she’s haunted by the man’s dying words—Save Anna—and before she knows it, she’s on a mission to rescue some poor girl from the undead. Which involves crashing a vampire den, falling for a zombie, and fighting for her soul. Grey’s Anatomy was never like this ..

Nightshifted had a kind of slow start for me. It took me about half of the book to really get into the story. But I think the biggest part was due to the narration. Tai Sammons didn't change her pitch enough so I was confused sometimes as to which character was speaking. I felt like she was just reading the book to me instead of "acting" the story out like some great narrators can do. With that being said I will be listening to the next book, Moonshifted because it's free through my library and I'm on a time crunch to get it done so that I can read the 3rd book, Shapeshifted. And that will be the real telling point for me if the narration is what brought Nightshifted from a 4 Halo book to a 3 Halo book. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

What drew me into Nightshifted is the fact that the story is set mostly in a hospital so I knew that it would be a different kind of book. (Cassie Alexander is a nurse by day (or night) so I was a little worried that the medical parts would be a little too technical but she did a great job of keeping it in dumby terms.)  I thought of the hospital scenes in Larissa Ione's Demoncia series when I started and was wondering if Edie's hospital would be similar. There was a few small similarities in the fact that Y4, the supernatural underground level of the county hospital is a secret from the humans and they only treat the supes. But that was about it.

Edie is not your usual urban fantasy heroine. First she is just a plain human, no special abilities. She's just a nurse working the nightshift that switched over to Y4 to help get her drug user brother some help. She made a deal and now he can't get high or drunk no matter how much he tries. We'll have to see if he change the type of person he is in the following books. (I'm assuming we will see more of him.)

While Edie is working a shift at Y4 she makes a rookie mistake with a vampire patient causing his death. But before he dies, he asks Edie to help Anna. So now our everyday human nurse has a mission to save a girl that she has no clue where or who/what she is. Not only is Edie is trying to keep afloat in her life by working to pay her rent, trying to keep her brother from ending up dead by a drug overdose but now she has to keep her promise to a patient that she feels she killed.

Alexander kept me entertained with the developing mystery within the plot about Anna and I grew to like Edie as the main character. Some of the secondary characters have potential. But one thing I didn't care too much for was the romantic relationship that Edie has with the zombie patient (I don't even remember his name). He was a good guy but the part where he has to replace his body parts with other people's was just a little off putting for him to be the romantic lead IMO.

Another thing I had a hard time with was the grandfather speaking German through a radio. I was very confused by who's grandfather it was. I'm not sure if the grandfather was Edie's or one of her patients. I don't know if that was just not written well to be clear or if I had tuned out during the part it was explained. (A bad side effect of having a not so great narrator.)

There was some funny moments. One that sticks out for me is the scene where a dragon shifter with syphillis get loose in the hospital and Edie wonders at one point if she had slept with the dragon shifter while he was in his human form.

In any case I enjoyed Nightshifted enough to check out the next book to see if Edie and her world will grow on me more.