Wicked Lovely (bk 1-3) by Melissa Marr

This series was recommended to me by my mom. I loved them. I read all 3 books in 3 days! The cover art for all the books is absolutely beautiful. This is a series that you have to read in order. My mom didn't realize that and read them out of order and was kind of confused by the story line. These are the first books by Melissa Marr I have ever read. But I already plan on reading the 4th book in the series, "Radiant Shadows"- which is already out, and the 5th book, "Darkest Mercy"- which is coming out in 2011. If you like faeries, subtle romance, and drama these books are for you.

BK 1 "Wicked Lovely"- (synopsis from back cover)- Rule #3 Don't stare at invisible faeries. Rule #2 Don't speak to invisible faeries. Rule #1 Don't ever attract their attention. Aislin has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous they walk hidden in the mortal world. When the rules have kept her safe from them stop working, everything suddenly is on the line: her freedom, her best friend Seth: her life: everything.

My thoughts: Aislin has a crazy talent that very few humans have. She has a best friend Seth who is a really interesting character. Keenan is a faery who is very interested in Aislin. I didn't really like Keenan. There is an evil winter witch, come one what else could you ask for?! 4/5

Bk 2 "Ink Exchange"- (synopsis from back of book) 17 y.o. Leslie knows nothing of faeries or their shadowy power struggles. When she is attracted to an eerily beautiful tattoo, all she knows is that she has to have it, convinced it is a tangible symbol of changes she desperately craves for her own life. The tattoo does bring changes- not the kind that Leslie has dreamed of, but sinister, compelling changes that bind her to Irial, a dark and dangerous feary king fighting for the soul of his court. Slowly, Leslie is drawn deeper and deeper into the faery world, unable to resist its allures, and helpless to withstand its perils...

My thoughts: This was my favorite book out of the 3. It is darker and more intense. This is Leslie's story and Aislinn, Keenan, and Seth kind of take the background. The only part I was dissapointed in was the ending but hopefully that just means this story will pick up in a future book! I want to tell you all about it but at the same time think the reader should read this book to find out how much it rocks!! 5/5

Bk 3- "Fragile Eternity"- (synopsis from book) Seth never expected he would want to settle down with anyone- but that was before Aislinn. She is everything he's ever dreamed of, and he wants to be with her forever. Forever takes on new meaning though, when your girlfriend is an immortal faery queen. Aislinn never expected to rule the very creatures who'd always terrified her-but that was before Keenan. He stole her mortality to make her a monarch, and now she faces challenges and enticements beyond any she'd ever imagined.

My thoughts: I am not fond of Aislinn, because she is so blind sometimes, or Keenan because he is kind of a skeez, but I absolutely adore Seth. I thought learning more of Seth's perspective was very cool. I liked this book because the story flowed and kept my attention, but it just didn't have that special something the other ones did. 3/5

SoulTaker by Bryan Smith

Recently at Big Lots I found this book tucked in the back of a display. I had never heard of the author but the book looked & sounded interesting enough to give it a try. I was pleasantly surprised.

Story (from back of book): Beautiful, sexy, inhuman. Jake McAllister knows that his brother Trey's new girlfriend is a bad influence, but he doesn't know what Myra's really after- Trey's soul. Trey is just one of her new playthings, a pawn in her centuries long game. One by one, Myra has seduced and enslaved the young men of the town. The women have joined her cult as eager priestesses, lured by promises of sex and power. But Myra's unholy plan is almost complete. Can one man hope to battle such seductive evil? Will he be able to resist the.... Soultaker.

My thoughts: This book is darker than what I usually read. Be forewarned that parts of this book are not for the squeamish. I was hooked by page 2. Myra is a naughty girl. Jake is battling his own demons with alcoholism and child hood issues. Trey was they only character I didn't really like. He seemed kind of wussy. This book was a fast roller coaster of a ride! I highly recommend. 4/5 stars. Bryan Smith is an author I will be watching out for.

Nocturne City Series by Caitlin Kittredge

I have read books by Caitlin Kittredge before, so I kind of had an idea of what to expect with this series. For some reason to me the first book in Caitlin's series is always the best. I thought so with this series and with her Black London series.

Bk 1, Night Life: You are introduced to Luna who is an insoli werewolf- which means without a pack. She is also a cop. She is tough and witty. Her cousin, Sunny- a witch is her roommate. She is investigating murders and meets a guy named Dmitri who is also a were. This book was definitely my favorite of the series. Luna is kick ass and Dmitri is just the kind of rough edged guy Luna needs. 4.5/5

Bk 2, Pure Blood: A good story but not my favorite. Luna is now a detective. Dmitri is settling issues with his elders. Luna is investigating murders caused by rival witch clans. I was into Luna missing Dmitiri and wondering how that would play out with them. Sunny is not in this one as much and I missed her character. 4/5

Bk 3, Second Skin: And this is the book in which the series start to slowly descend downhill. I felt like this book didn't resolve any conflicts and just made new ones. Dmitri and Luna are not getting along, someone is killing elder were pack members. Luna meets Lucas who is in a class all on his own. 3/5

Bk 4, Witch Craft: By far my least favorite in the series. Luna is now running her own paranormal division. I just felt that everything that could have been done already in this series was. There was not really any new element added to this book. I really struggled to finish this one. 2/5

Overall Thoughts: Fire whoever does the cover art. Seriously. The first book looks like a drawn girl they tried to make look real- not attractive. The second book cover was okay, but the title had nothing to do with this book. The third book cover has Luna in heels and a lingerie corset thing, when she is more of a jeans gal, and the title is completely random. The 4th book has Luna in skimpy clothes holding onto rope- okay, what?! Caitlin must have a thing for the leading gals being cops (or private investigators). I hope that the next bk in the series isn't as predictable. *sigh*

The Shadowdwellers Series by Jacquelyn Frank

I really enjoy Jacquelyn Frank's writing style. She always manages to create unique worlds that I thoroughly enjoy!

Bk 1 "Ecstasy": I am not sure what was going on here. While I did enjoy the book I felt like I was overwhelmed with information. This was by far my least favorite book of the series. A shadowdweller is someone who lives in darkness and can not be in the light. There are different dimensions that a shadowdweller can go- there are just simply too many to name here and they get rather confusing. Trace is the main man in this book and Ashla is the girl. I liked them both okay but did not love them. Trace is a shadowdweller and Ashla is someone with a healing ability. I think what turned me off the most about this book is that the history of the shadowdwellers society became overwhelming. 3/5

Bk 2 "Rapture": This book was way better than the first in the series. Magnus is Trace's father. Dae is his disturbed but gutsy handmaiden, who has had a hard life to say the least. What I did find weird was that is the first book Magnus is portrayed as the older, wiser, father. Then in this one he was supposed to be the virile lover...hmmm. Once I got over my hangups about that the storyline was really good. Honestly I thought I wouldn't like this book at all but it was very good. 4/5

Bk 3 "Pleasure": I really enjoyed this book but I was disappointed all at the same time. Instead of just one main love story this book condenses two. Sagan is a loner priest who has been captured and then wakes up to be in the Alaskan wilderness in Valera's home. I thought Sagan and Valera got skimped with their story. They are hardly in the book at all. Instead you get Guin and Malaya's story which you knew was coming way back in bk 1. Malaya is a chancellor and Guin is her body guard. I liked Guin and Malaya, even though for someone who is supposed to be so smart Malaya acts pretty dumb. I liked the book but these two stories should have been made into two separate books. 4/5.

Sisters of the Moon Series by Yasmine Galenorn

This is a review of books 1-5. I have never read any other books by Yasmine Galenorn. These stories are about 3 sisters.

The background info for BK 1, "Witchling" is- We're the D'Artigo sisters: half-human, half-fae, we're savvy- and sexy-operatives for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency (OIA). But our mixed-blood heritage short-circuits our talents at all the wrong times. My sister Delilah shape shifts into a tabby cant whenever she's stressed. Menolly's a vampire who's still trying to get the hang of being undead. And me? I'm Camille- a wicked-good witch. Except my magic's as unpredictable as the weather, which my enemies are about to find out the hard way...

Story: Camille is the oldest sister. Her and her sisters are trying to keep the bad guys from taking control of both earth and otherworld. They must find portal seals to keep the main bad guys- Shadow Wing and other Demons.

My thoughts: Camille is not my favorite sister, she is kind of arrogant and annoying. Camille runs a bookstore as a cover job on earth. The main problem I had with this book is that the story is bombarded with unneeded information. I know it is necessary to know the story history but in this case it was almost too much. I liked the book but didn't love it. 3/5

Bk 2, "Changeling": Delilah is the middle sister but is treated like the baby. She is a werecat but shifts into a tabby. Her cover job is running a private investigator office. She takes a job for another werepuma and the sparks fly. Her and her sisters are still fighting Shadow Wing. Of all the sister's Delilah is my favorite. Delilah's love life gets tricky in this story she likes both the were-puma and an FBH (full blooded human) named Chase.

My thoughts: This book is much better than the first one. Delilah is a force to be reckoned with. I gave it a 4/5.

BK 3, "Darkling"- Menolly runs a bar and she is a vampire. She is a tough, scary (but in a good way) chick. She is facing demons of her own. She attends VA, vampire anonymous, meetings. She has to face the wicked vampire who turned her.

My thoughts: Menolly is strong but you do get to see her vulnerable side. She is dealing with a lot of personal issues in this book. Her love life is complicated, but I wanted more in that area out of this story. All in all not a bad story. 4/5.

Bk 4, "Dragon Wytch"- This story goes back to Camille's side. Her love life is crazy, she has 3 main men. A Demon, a svartan, and a dragon. The girls are still fighting bad guys.

My thoughts: I was disappointed in this book. Maybe it's because I don't really like Camille, or maybe it's because judging by the title I thought, Smoky, the dragon would play a bigger role in the story than he did. Also the cover is disturbing. Camille is supposed to be hot and while her body is banging, her face looks like a drag queen (and not a hot one). 3/5

Bk 5, "Night Huntress"- Throughout the story Delilah and Chase, the FBH, have become very close. But Chase screws up majorly. Delilah is trying to figure out what she wants in life and love. She also finds out some surprising info about her past.

My thoughts: Really liked this book. Delilah is growing up and you get to see her evolve and not seem so naive. 4/5.

The 6th bk is Demon Mistress and it follows up with Menolly's story. I liked this series well enough to definitely put this book on my to-read, wish list.

Street Magic by Caitlin Kittredge

This is the first book I have ever read by Caitlin Kittredge. This is book 1 of the Black London series. I liked it enough to run out and by the second book in the series "Demon Bound".

Synopsis (from back of book): Her name is Pete Caldecott. She was just sixteen when she met Jack Winter, a gorgeous, larger-than-life mage who thrilled her with his witchcraft. Then a spirit Jack summoned killed him before Pete's eyes-or so she thought. Now a detective, Pete is investigating the kidnapping of a young girl from the streets of London...a case that brings her face to face with Jack.

Strung out on heroin, Jack is a shadow of his former self. But he's able to tell Pete exactly where Bridget's kidnappers are hiding: in the supernatural shadow-world of the fey. Pete follows Jack into the fey underworld, where she hopes to discover the truth about what happened to Bridget-and what happened to Jack on that dark day so long ago...

My thoughts: I am not sure what the cover of the book is made out of but it is really soft. The cover art is very nicely done. I am not sure but I really hated Pete's name, which is also short for something else that is even worse. Yuck. Jack is a jerk. Pete and Jack fight throughout the entire book. I thought this book would be more of a romance than it was. Also there is an obscene amount of cursing in this book that could have been toned down a little. I liked that Pete was an investigator, usually it is they guy that has that job role. That being said once I started reading this book I read it straight through. I gave this book a 4/5.

Moon Fever

This is a collection of 4 short stories. I usually don't like short stories but every once in a while they are all I have time for. The cover of this book is generic and could have been made to be more appealing.

Synopsis (from back of book):

1. In "Tempting Fate" by Susan Sizemore, Desiree dreams she spent a passion-filled night with sexy rock star Jon Coyote...and that he told her he was a vampire. But when Desiree discovers she is mysteriously pregnant, her erotic fantasy takes a strangely realistic turn.

2. An angry ghost haunting Caroline's house in "The Darkness Within" by award-winning author Maggie Shayne. But when sexy private investigator Jim Lipton offers to help discover what is going on, Caroline suspects that he has a personal interest in her ghost- and in her.

3. In "Cobwebs Over The Moon" by Lori Handeland, Manhattanite Carly Kelly is pursued by werewolves across the wintry Alaskan Wilderness, and only ruggedly handsome soldier Dylan Shepard stands between her and death.

4. Lycanthropy takes an exotic tropical twist in "Crazy for the Cat" by Caridad Pineiro. When scientist Jessica Morales travels to the Amazon jungle, she discovers that beneath the savage grace of her local guide, the handsome Javier da Costa, lurks a hidden wildness that is as tempting as it is dangerous.

My thoughts: Overall I rated this book a 2.5/5. I liked half the stories so I gave it half the score.

1. This story was descent but a little melodramatic. Ms. Sizemore tried to incorporate comedy into this story and it just didn't work for me. At the end of the story I just felt short changed.

2. I didn't think I would like this story at all but it was actually my favorite. Maggie Shayne wrote a short-to-the-point paranormal romance mystery.

3. This story starts off very fast paced and stays that way through the entire story. This was my second favorite story. It kept me guessing and interested. Dylan is definitely my kind of man.

4. Out of all the stories, this one was my least favorite. Honestly, I couldn't even get into this story enough to finish it.