Review: "Sins of the Heart" by Eve Silver

Title: Sins of the Heart
Author: Eve Silver
ISBN: 0373774826

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Otherkin Trilogy #1

Publisher: HQN
Published: 1 August 2010

Source of my copy: Publisher via Netgalley

About the book (from Goodreads)

National bestselling author Eve Silver returns with a darkly sexy new series about forbidden alliances... and inescapable desires.

As the son of Sutekh, the lord of evil, Dagan Krayle is one of the most powerful soul reapers. Dagan intends to use every ounce of his power to find his brother's remains and punish those responsible for his brutal death. But he must move swiftly-and carefully-if he is to have any chance of bringing his brother back to this world, because his enemy is on the hunt.

Otherkin Roxy Tam will stop at nothing to keep the soul reapers from resurrecting Dagan's brother. To allow Sutekh access to his remains would wreak havoc and destruction on the mortal world...and would be her unforgivable failure.

Neither Dagan nor Roxy expect to join forces for the sake of mankind. Or have their loyalties tested as they struggle against the potent desire that threatens to consume them both....

 

My Review

Roxy Tam is strong, yet venerable at the same time, a member of the Artesian Guard.  She was abandoned by her mother when she was only five then experienced the care system and suffered a tragic event which lead to her becoming strong, self reliant and afraid of being alone forever.  She has no real family and is scarred by her early life.

Roxy is tied up when we first meet her, when Dagan appears she thinks he’s come to kill her rather than her original capture.   But he tells her “this is not your night to die” before she witnesses him killing her two captures then removing their hearts and dark souls.  He was entranced by the female who was shaking with fear yet did not scream and was defiant towards him.  

Although he is a soul reaper, an immortal, he allows Roxy not only to go free but to see his face, and live, unheard of.  But Dagan has some sort of connection to Roxy and when he sees her pendant tries to warn her ageist the Daughters of Aset.  Only nineteen “and a half” - he has no choice but to leave her.  Warned her noting more he can do.  He tries to forget about her.

Dagan Kryale is a soul reaper, he harvest dark souls for the consumption of his father Sutekh.  Dagan is one of four brother Sutekh bred with human women and raised all of them apart, Dagan the only one raised in the Underworlds.   The brothers bonded and become very close.  

Eleven years later Roxy and Dagan are reunited when chasing information which turns out to be about the same case, but Roxy has not been told the full story about what is going on, as usual.   Lokan, one of Dagan’s brothers, has been killed, something which should be almost impossible.  Both Sutekh and the Asetian Guard want to find the body first but for very different reasons.  Dagan wants vengeance and a chance to resurrect his brother, all the evidence seems to point towards the Daughters of Aset being responsible. 

Dagan can not understand his overwhelming reaction to Roxy, Soul Reapers do not have much emotion, certainly not towards their enemies, the Daughters of Aset.  Throughout the eleven years Roxy had dreams about Dagan in a strange overly real way, which would waken her sweating.  Dagan had what can best be described as waking dreams of Roxy, but he tells him self soul reapers do not dream.   The attraction between Roxy and Dagan burns under the surface for a long time before they finally give in to desire.  Theirs is an attraction between two venerable and distant people who are just right together. 

The perpetrators of the crime are not what the reader anticipates, the twists and turns kept me interested and I did not feel that the murderer was made to obvious too soon.  The other characters were all well written and developed, even the minor ones.  A lot of the information given about each will probably become even more relevant as the trilogy develops.  

Sins of the Heart is dominated by lots of detailed world building with a lot information about the many characters, Topside and the various realms of the Underworld.  Egyptian mythology is heavily used in building the world and the detail was fascinating, even if it does make you concentrate on which bit is about who!  The complex information is a lot to take in but made the story really powerful and much more intriguing.

Sins of the Heart is a great first book in the Oherkin Trilogy.  It ends on a real cliff hanger and I am really looking forward to Sins of the Soul and Sins of the Flesh.

 

Find out more about Eve Silver and her other books: 

website, blog, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Amazon author page.

Review: "Darkfever" by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Darkfever
Author: Karen Marie Moning
ISBN 10: 0385339151
ISBN13:  9780739474235

About the book (from Goodreads)

MacKayla Lane’s life is good. She has great friends, a decent job, and a car that breaks down only every other week or so. In other words, she’s your perfectly ordinary twenty-first-century woman. Or so she thinks…until something extraordinary happens.

When her sister is murdered, leaving a single clue to her death–a cryptic message on Mac’s cell phone–Mac journeys to Ireland in search of answers. The quest to find her sister’s killer draws her into a shadowy realm where nothing is as it seems, where good and evil wear the same treacherously seductive mask. She is soon faced with an even greater challenge: staying alive long enough to learn how to handle a power she had no idea she possessed–a gift that allows her to see beyond the world of man, into the dangerous realm of the Fae….

As Mac delves deeper into the mystery of her sister’s death, her every move is shadowed by the dark, mysterious Jericho, a man with no past and only mockery for a future. As she begins to close in on the truth, the ruthless Vlane–an alpha Fae who makes sex an addiction for human women–closes in on her. And as the boundary between worlds begins to crumble, Mac’s true mission becomes clear: find the elusive Sinsar Dubh before someone else claims the all-powerful Dark Book–because whoever gets to it first holds nothing less than complete control of the very fabric of both worlds in their hands….

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Fever #1
Published: 31st October 2006
Publisher:  Delacorte Press
Website: Karen Marie Moning
Excert: Read chapter one here


My Review

Mac Kayla “Mac” Lane had a comfortable life in her small town with her family and worrying about nothing more than her suntan or what to wear the next day.  Her world changes forever when she receives a telephone call telling her that her sister has been killed in Ireland.  Mac decides to travel to Ireland to find out who killed her sister, almost as soon as she arrives her troubles and danger start.

Mac stumbles upon Barrons Books and Baubles after wandering the dangerous deserted streets she later learns are the Dark Zone.  Here she asks about the “Sinsar Dubh” which her sister told her she had to find.  Although initially extremely unhelpful, understandably so we come to learn later, events conspire to force Mac back there where she begins to discover what it means to be a  Sidhe-seer.

Mac grows as a character so much more than I expected her to from our introduction to her.  She turns out to be smart, tough and able to look after herself (all be it with a lot of guidance from Barrons).  I liked how she was able to be some much more than her “Barbie” type looks.

Jericho Barons is a difficult character to weigh up, he is very secretive and there is clearly much more to him than meets the eye.  He is Mac’s main source of information and safety as well as the subject of attraction bubbling under the surface.  Barrons is hot, mysterious, sexy and dark, in other words exactly what we like in an alpha male in urban fantasy.  I’m looking forward to more Barrons in the rest of the series!

The Unseelie Fae are the stuff of your nightmares!  The descriptions of them are hideous and I really never want to meet them.  The Seelie Fae on the other hand are as attractive as can be, I won’t say any more as I’m trying to be spoiler free! 

The world building in Darkfever is woven wonderfully into the story, an intriguing and exciting world has been created by Karen Marie Moning that will hook you in.  The mythology of the world is seamlessly woven into the story.

If you like kick ass heroines and an alpha male who is mysterious, hot and more than a little difficult at times then Darkfever is probably for you!  Thrown in the wonderful setting of Dublin and you can not go wrong in my opinion.

I really enjoyed Darkfever and will definitely continue to read the series.  I am looking forward to reading Bloodfever (look out for a review sometime soon) and am going to try to pace myself so I’m ready to read Shadowfever when it’s released early next year!

Review: "Guilty Pleasures" by Laurell K. Hamilton

Title: Guilty Pleasures
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
ISBN 10: 0425197549
ISBN13: 9780425197547


About the book (from Laurell's website)
"My name is Anita Blake. Vampires call me "The Executioner". What I call them isn't repeatable.

Ever since the Supreme Court granted the undead equal rights, most people think vampires are just ordinary folks with fangs. I know better. I've seen their victims. I carry the scars...

But now a serial killer is murdering vampires —and the most powerful bloodsucker in town wants me to find the killer... "

"In a world where vampires, zombies and werewolves have been declared legal citizens of the United States, Anita Blake is an "animator" - a profession that involves raising the dead for mourning relatives. But Anita is also known as a fearsome hunter of criminal vampires, and she's often employed to investigate cases that are far too much for conventional police. But as Anita gains the attention of the vampire masters of her hometown of St Louis, she also risks revealing an intriguing secret about herself - the source of her unusual strength and power."


Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #1
Published: First Published 1993
Publisher: Berkley Trade
Website: Laurell K. Hamilton
Excert: You can download the first two chapters

My Review

Anita Blake is an Animator and vampire executioner in a world where the supernatural creatures “came out of the coffin” a couple of years ago and the whole community is still adjusting to everything.  The world is very much our own with a bit of a twist.  Vampires and other supernaturals seem to keep separate from ordinary people in Anita’s’ world, except for the very popular vampire bars!  

Anita is known as “The executioner” to the vampires which gives a very good insight into the sort of kick ass and strong minded individual she is.   Anita seems to be someone who will not give up and believes in what she is doing.  When 

Anita’s “friend” Edward turns up we get a good contrast, here is someone who will go further than she is prepared to go, he has no boundaries.  I have the feeling we will see Edward again in later books.

Jean Claude is an interesting character, sexy and powerful he seems very much how a vampire in a story “should” be!!  I look forward to more Jean Claude!  

Guilty Pleasures is a great first book in the series, full of action, sexy vampires, some were rats, great characters and the promise of great things to come!  There are plenty of plot twists to keep you interested until the last page.  If you’re looking for a well paced action urban fantasy give it a go. 

I enjoyed Guilty Pleasures and will continue with the series.   I did not realise when I started to read the book it was first published in 1993!  Good to see it stay so popular.  I’ve read very mixed reviews of the later books in the series but I’ll see when I get there!

( Just one thing, please don’t tell me what happens in the later books or to make sure I stop at number x.  I know they sort of change track later on but I avoid reviews like the plague as I want to make up my own mind!) 

How do you like the cover of my edition?  


This is an old copy, 2000 the original published date in the UK I think??  The covers are quite different now!

Review: Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble by H.P. Mallory

Title: Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble

Author: H.P.  Mallory

ASIN: B003UNL8OG

Review requested by the author - free ebook

About the book (from Goodreads)

A self-deprecating witch with the unique ability to reanimate the dead. A dangerously handsome warlock torn between being her boss and her would-be lover. A six hundred year old English vampire with his own agenda; one that includes an appetite for witches. The Underworld in a state of chaos. Let the games begin. 

Life isn’t bad for psychic Jolie Wilkins. True, she doesn’t have a love life to speak of, but she has a cute house in the suburbs of Los Angeles, a cat and a quirky best friend. 

Enter Rand Balfour, a sinfully attractive warlock who insists she’s a witch and who just might turn her life upside down. Rand hires her to help him solve a mystery regarding the death of his client who also happens to be a ghost. Jolie not only uncovers the cause of the ghost’s demise but, in the process, she brings him back to life! 

Word of Jolie’s incredible ability to bring back the dead spreads like wildfire, putting her at the top of the Underworld’s most wanted list. Consequently, she finds herself at the center of a custody battle between a villainous witch, a dangerous but oh-so-sexy vampire, and her warlock boss, Rand. 


Genre: Urban Fantasy

Series: Jolie Wilkins #1

Published: 2nd July 2010

Publisher:  Kindle edition or find it on Smashwords

Website: H.P. Mallory - Urban Fantasy Novels

Excert: Chapter one

My Review

Jolie Wilkins is a psychic who is living life quietly running her fortune telling shop until the mysterious Rand, a warlock,  turns up on her doorstep and everything changes forever.  Offered a job she can not refuse Jolie travels to Chicago where she discovers her special talent.  It is this special talent which causes her to be drawn into a world of vampires, magic and mayhem!  Watch out for a fun and fast paced journey into this world as Jolie learns about her new life!

Jolie is a very likeable character, she seems very normal (well except the seeing auras bit and all that) and manages to remain so despite all the incredible things which happen to her once she is plunged into the supernatural world after working for Rand.

Rand is everything an alpha urban fantasy male should be.  Mysterious, hot and more than a little difficult at times, but genuine and wonderful with Jolie.

Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble is set for the main part in England, this is quite unusual for an urban fantasy book but I loved it (being English!!) and thought H.P. Mallory captured England very well.  Pelham Manor’s description reminded me of many manor houses I’ve seen (I live fairly close to where Pelham Manor is set) and brought it to life wonderfully.

I liked how the characters seemed well rounded and very real to me, not just Rand and Jolie.  I felt I knew exactly what Jolie’s best friend Christa looked like and was like.  The descriptions of how different people saw the fairies was very interesting.  Also watch out for the vampire Sinjin, is he what he seems to be?

I really enjoyed Fire Burn & Cauldron Bubble, it is excellent fun, sexy and a fast paced read.   I am looking forward to the next book in the Jolie Wilkins series, we are left with plenty of questions to keep us coming back!

Review: Covet by J. R. Ward

Title: Covet

Author: J. R. Ward

ISBN 10: 0451228219

ISBN 13: 9780451228215

About the book (from Goodreads)

Redemption isn't a word Jim Heron knows much about-his specialty is revenge, and to him, sin is all relative. But everything changes when he becomes a fallen angel and is charged with saving the souls of seven people from the seven deadly sins. And failure is not an option. Vin DiPietro long ago sold his soul to his business, and he's good with that-until fate intervenes in the form of a tough- talking, Harley-riding, self-professed savior. But then he meets a woman who will make him question his destiny, his sanity, and his heart-and he has to work with a fallen angel to win her over and redeem his own soul.

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Fallen Angels #1
Published: 29 October 2009
Publisher: Signet
Website: J. R. Ward
Excert: Excert

My Review
Jim Heron has returned, having accepted his mission to save the souls of seven people as part of the ultimate battle between good and evil. The age old battle will be decided by the outcomes of the trials these seven face, some one acceptable to both sides, good v evil, had to be appointed to oversee them - that would be Jim.

Jim is a strong character with plenty of flaws. He is ex Black Ops who hoped for a new life working in construction in Caldwell, he certainly gets his new life but it’s not exactly what he had planned. Jim is a fighter who gets on and finds a way to make things happen. I really liked the way he adopted Dog as it showed early on that he was clearly good hearted despite all the bad things he’s done in the past and hints he will do the right thing in the end.

Vin diPietro, like Jim, is a strong character with plenty of flaws but with good heart. When we first meet Vin he seems every inch the cold, calculating business man that nothing but money and appearance matter to. He has Devina who is exactly what he thought he wanted, that is until he locks eyes with Marie-Terese across the floor at The Iron Mask. Right away he recognises that he has been missing something and this must be it. He realises he has everything and nothing at the same time. Vin treats women right, never abusing or cheating on them which makes him a pleasant character, a surprise considering how he seems when we first meet him.

Marie-Terese Boudreau is a woman who has fallen on very rough times and has turned to prostitution to repay all the money she owes as quickly as she can. As we learn more about Marie-Terese it is clear its not the life for her but she won’t wait for a man to come to her aid, she is doing what she had to. Having no faith in men she knows Vin’s heart when he believes her rather than Devina, having tried to ignore what she’d felt since their eyes had locked across the club. Marie-Terese is afraid of her attraction to Vin as he seems like the sort of man her ex husband was, Vin however proves not to be as he first appears.

Vin and Marie-Terese fit together well as a couple with a wonderful respectful simmering love which is clearly very deep and exactly what both have been in need of but had thought they could never find. They both just know its right.

The fallen angels who are sent to aid and teach Jim, Adrian and Eddie, are Harley ridding guys who are as they say more fallen than most, they are not perfect of wholly likeable which is why they are great characters! Devina, however is not at all likeable but I would have liked to see a little more on her story.

Covet is the first book in The Fallen Angels series by J. R. Ward author of the immensely popular Black Dagger Brotherhood series. The book has a similar writing style, so if you did not like the style of BDB you probably won’t like it here either. Fans should watch out for the appearance of Trez being every inch a great guy. You should not, however, expect Covet to be like BDB you are likely to be disappointed if you do. Covet is much less about the romance and more about the trials and tribulations of the character - there is of course though romance there between Vin and Marie-Terese!

I enjoyed Covet and am looking forward to the second Fallen Angels book, Crave.

Review: Soulless By Gail Carriger

Title: Soulless
Author: Gail Carriger
ISBN-10: 0316056634
ISBN-13: 978-0316056632

About the book
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Parasol Protectorate, book #1
Published: 1st October 2009
Publisher: Orbit
Website: Gail Carriger

My Review
Alexia Tarabotti is a 26 year old spinster who is intelligent and fashionable, who is prone to dark skin and drinks a lot of tea! Always found with her parasol and two hair pins made of silver and wood, she would one day like to fly in a dirigible. She also happens to be a preternatural, “Soulless” which is almost as embarrassing as having an Italian father.

A preternatural is born without a soul. When she touches a supernatural Alexia effectively neutralises them, the vampires fang retreat and the werewolf becomes human again. Alexia accidentally kills a rogue vampire at start of book with a wooden hat pin when she is attacked. She is most perturbed when he did not seem to know she was a preternatural!

Alexia is a wonderfully strong and interesting character. She is very much the alpha female, yet manages to do this within the social constraints of 1870’s London!

In the Victorian London world created by Gail Carriger, vampires and werewolves have been integrated into society. Queen Victoria even has a werewolf and a vampire advisor (dewan and potentate) who we are told have helped immensely in developing the British Empire. The werewolves are, of course, lead by their alpha - Lord Macon while the vampires live in hives. This world is very enjoyable and the requirements of Victorian society makes a wonderful contrast with werewolf society, Lord Macon finding it especially difficult to maintain the proper etiquette around the full moon!

There are many excellent characters in Soulless. Lord Aceldama, Alexia’s eccentric flamboyant friend who happens to be a gay vampire. Professor Lyall, the beta werewolf, carries his role as ‘second’ to Lord Macon wonderfully in a capable and humorous way! Not forgetting Miss Hisselpenny with her questionable taste in hats and Floote the butler.

Soulless is not primarily a romance but there is Lord Macon who Alexia has been at odds with since “The Hedgehog Incident”, who it turns out rather like Alexia after all!

The style and language takes a little getting used to but once you do it helps build the atmosphere of Victorian London.

Souless is humorous and very well written with a little bit of mystery mixed in with the fantasy and it may just leave you hankering after a treacle tart! Well worth the read and I’m very much looking forward to reading the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series, Changeless!

Review: Stray by Rachel Vincent

Book Blurb
I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays -- werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever -- and whoever -- I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays -- 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Shifters
Published: 1st June 2007
Publisher: Mira
Excert: Excert
Website: Rachel Vincent

My Review
Faythe is one of only eight Tabbies in the country and now they have started to go missing. After she is attacked on campus she returns to the Pride but in characteristic fashion refuses to just do as she is told. Once returned she is also confronted with dealing with her ex-boyfriend Marc, more unfinished business.

Faythe can be a challenging character to like at times, she is strong, determined and can seem a little immature at times but comes to take on her responsibilities and matures nicely towards the end of the book. Maybe she is this way because she has hidden as much as she could from being a werecat for so long but now must face her destiny.

I liked the world Rachel Vincent builds for her Werecats because it is believable in a modern day country. Being a first book in a series quite a lot of time is devoted to telling us about the world Faythe and the Pride operate in.

Stray is a great start to the Shifters series which leaves you wanting to know what comes next for Faythe and the other Werecats.