Touch of the Angel by Rosalie Lario

Touch of the Angel by Rosalie Lario

Book 3 in the Blood of the Demon series

www.rosalielario.com

All Amara is trying to do is stay alive and save her mother from harm.Unfortunately, since she's succubi, that's much easier said than done. When her accidental and unsuspecting prey one night is a sweet, if a little rough-around-the-edges, angel named Ronin, Amara has trouble forgiving herself for killing him through their one-night-stand (let me interject here for all of you non-paranormal people: succubi kill any non-sex-demon they have sex with). She can't seem to get his face out of her mind. Ronin wakes up drowsy and weakened from his one-night-stand with a beautiful girl - and it doesn't take long before he realizes she's succubi. Can he find her and take her off the streets before she kills anyone else? And what will he think when he discovers her real motivation for her dirty deeds?

This book started out disappointing – especially since the first two books in the series were so incredible. This book began slow, a bit confusing, and not terribly attention-grabbing. I wasn’t sure quite what I was reading and I wasn’t all that interested in reading about it. Luckily, that didn’t last too long! About 1/5 of the way through, it finally started to pick up the pace and turn into the magnificent book I was looking for. Still, that first 1/5 of the book was agonizing to get through and I’m still not certain I understand exactly why it was written the way it was – where the reader is plopped in the middle of a scene as if they should understand it. One other thing I noted that I didn’t like about the story was that the dialogue was a little unnatural and wooden at times. However that also disappeared as the book went on. Really, only the beginning didn’t live up to my very high expectations (well, the ending was a little cliché, but I was still able to enjoy it and put that aside).

I liked the book but there were a few things I absolutely adored: Ronin, Amara, and the unique nature of their romance. How many romances start with the heroine almost killing the hero… with sex? That was amusing, to me. I also really enjoyed how both the romance and the plot became increasingly unusual - and not in a bad way. There were some twists I wasn't expecting, and the focus of the story was far different than what I expected, which was still enjoyable. I also loved the romantic focus on the vulnerability of Amara due to her incredible sexuality. I really liked how Ronin protects her – recognizes that she needs protecting – and looks beyond his own anger at her, to the larger problem (the main villain). Many heroes can be short-sighted, but Ronin was looking far ahead.

Amara, for her part, is a savvy heroine. She's funny, sarcastic, smart and kind-hearted. She's going through a rough time, trying to keep her mom healthy and herself healthy in a deadly game where she's a near-useless pawn. She's struggling but she's keeping her head up. She was generally optimistic and I loved how she was able to keep her self-preservation instincts throughout the entire story instead of turning into a wimp that needed rescuing. Her determination to survive is unmatched. She has to make hard choices throughout the book but she doesn't let her bottom lip quiver - she does the best she can to make the best decision she can. She's definitely a strong woman, in need of an equally caring and equally strong man.

Ronin was really an incredible angst-y hero. Suffering through a nauseatingly awful childhood, he is strong, caring, protective, and smart. He looks past his own suffering to the suffering of others and does his best to ignore his own pain and rescue them from their demons (past and present). He’s a very giving hero, and inspiring. He’s also funny and your ‘typical man’ sometimes, which brings him down from being an obnoxious paragon to simply a caring human being (or rather angel-demon hybrid) capable of mistakes but not prone to them. The way he cares for Amara is beautiful and touching and makes for a great romance. The book's terrible start coupled with its beautiful prose and tender romance throughout the middle and end had this book averaging out to a B- in my mind – still good, but not as good as I’ve come to expect from Lario. Especially since this book became so unusual and interesting throughout the middle, I was extra disappointed by the still adequate but cliche ending.

Still, I would definitely recommend the entire series. Books one and two are phenomenal, and I can't wait for book four. Thank you so much, Ms. Lario, for sending me your book for review!

Favorite Quotes:

Getting captured sounded like the best thing ever.

Ronin’s chest expanded. “I like it. How’s Brynn?”

“Fine. Pissed at me. She says next time I have to be the one to give birth.” (Keegan)

“Sexy”ness rating: Hot! What else could you expect from a sex demon?

Overall Rating: B-

Bottom Line: This book started off slow but quickly picked up its pace to become the enthralling read I expect from Lario. Ronin is a loveable hero and Amara an admirable heroine. The book focuses on their struggles and provokes major amounts of empathy from the reader for both the hero and heroine. I also adored the struggle they faced as lovers – my only wish is that it wasn’t resolved so neatly. Overall, another touching addition to the series!

Pages: 286

Published: December 6, 2011

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

Happy December - Update

Hey everyone!

So this year has been super-busy for me, and I can't even spend too long updating this post! With Yearbook, College Applications, 4 AP classes, and the shows I've been stage managing there hasn't been much time in my life for... ah... anything. Especially this. So here are some reviews you can expect shortly (hopefully!):

Touch of an Angel
Cry Wolf
Cop's Passion
After Midnight

All by very awesome authors who have sent me their books for review and I've been struggling to get to. My goodness, I never expected to be so busy!

In another word, by June 2012 I will have self-published my very first book: Jheym's Silence under the pen name Sapphire Rose Night. It's the first book in a three book series (The Legacy of Mazaida) and I'll be publishing it on createspace but it will also be available at Amazon. It was a lot of fun to write and I can't wait to publish it! I'll try to keep it about 7.99 or 8.99 if I can! Anyways, that's really exciting but editing and formatting is also taking a lot of time out of my reviewing budget sooo... I promise I'm trying guys. I have a whole new respect for authors. I mean, I know they don't have to go to school for eight hours a day, but I can't imagine working eight hours a day and writing too - or even just trying to run a house and write. GEESH!

See you soon and Merry Christmas!

Doctor's Delight by Angela Verdenius

Book 1 in the Big Girl’s Lovin’ series

www.angelaverdenius.com

Cherry is getting older and she’s still a virgin. Getting desperate to have her ‘cherry popped’ she contacts Helen at the escort agency, and arranges for a man to meet her at a hotel room. She meets the man there, has wonderful, blow-your-mind sex with him, then pays and leaves while he sleeps. The next day she gets a call from the escort agency saying the man, Damien, got into an accident and couldn’t meet her last night, explaining how sorry the agency is. So who did Cherry have sex with? She finds out when she heads to work (she’s a nurse) and sees the new doctor, Rick Reed. Looks like things at work are about to heat up…

I’d like to start off by saying I really liked the heroine of this story. Cherry is a plus-sized heroine with plus-sized fears and insecurities. I myself am thin, I’ve always been thin, and it’s very likely I will remain thin. I’ve never had to worry about my size, or see models way, way thinner than me prancing about in bras and panties as the only definition of sexy. I felt bad for Cherry because I could realistically see why she was so insecure, and consequently it made the story of her discovering her own self-worth very moving. It was a great idea to pick a plus-sized heroine, because it’s original. A great idea with good execution. Well done, Verdenius!

However, there were some things that dimmed my enjoyment of the story. First, our hero was a bit of a cad. Rick comes off as domineering, crude, and way too forward for my tastes. While I liked how good he was to Cherry at the beginning of the novel, he was kind of an inconsiderate brute. A jerk. A dick. I didn’t like him. And my like for him didn’t grow exponentially throughout the novel, so I ended up with an overall sense of ‘meh’-ness as far as his character was concerned.

The story was a little cliché and moved pretty slowly, but it wasn’t unbearable or completely uninteresting – but it wasn’t a book I was wholly unable to put down and therefore is best read in a few sittings. There was a lot of humor interjected, though the syntax was a little awkward in places. Other than Cherry who was multi-layered and well-developed, the rest of the characters were static, flat, and stereotypical – down to the bitchy, thin girl, the evil teenage boys and the crazy BFFs. I might be wrong in saying this, but I don’t hear that many people making fun of the fat girls at my school, or indeed the fat girls at the pool at my local YMCA. The sheer number of torments Cherry went through seemed a little unrealistic to me, as did Annabelle’s (the skinny bitch) character. Not all of us pretty, skinny gals are bitches; and some fat, pretty or fat ugly women can be. See the stereotype?

Overall, what I had hoped this book would do is not villianize the pretty, skinny, or the fat. While society tends to villianize the fat, this book took a stab at the skinny and I didn’t like that. What I’d hoped was that people of all body types could be embraced in Verdenius’s book, and instead it seemed only the fat were acceptable (especially because such a big deal was made over Annabelle’s size). The prose and dialogue were nothing exceptional and the plot was a little slow, and as already discussed there were problems with the syntax. I did appreciate the humor and Cherry’s character, as well as the uniqueness of the book, but overall it really hit a few nerves with me due to its hypocrisy.

There were a number of demeaning comments made in regards to a skinny woman’s figure that sounded more like spite than anything else. And much as I hate to say this – just like some people can’t help being absurdly fat, some people can’t help being absurdly skinny. There’s a medical condition called hyperthyroidism that can cause women (or men) to end up looking a little like sticks with a lollipop head. You really just can’t eat enough. And some women are simply skinny because they want to be - and that's not bad, just like being fat isn't bad. I wished the book had been universally accepting of figure instead of pinging on the skinny in an effort to make the fat seem better. That’s just as bad as what society does now.

Still, it’s an enjoyable story about a plus-size woman getting her hot, dreamy doctor and I would encourage anyone who enjoys plus-size heroines or who may have some of their own insecurities (like Cherry) to read this book.

You are beautiful.

Favorite Quotes:

There was humor in Helen’s voice. “It depends on what you’re look for in an escort.”

Cherry somehow didn’t think answering “a penis,” would be the correct thing to say.

“Oh dear.” Tim raised the beer can to his mouth. “Something I said?”

“Yes, thank God.” Rick raised his wine glass in salute.

“To the matter at hand,” Maxie said. “Who thinks Annabelle has had so many face lifts that her belly button is now on her face? I always though her lips were a little puckered.”

 “Sexy”ness rating: WHEW!  

Overall Rating: C+

Bottom Line: A good heroine, an ‘eh’ hero, some definite hypocrisy, good humor, awkward syntax, average plot and dialogue, a little slow on pace, unique ideas… did I cover it all?

Pages: 118

Published: May 11, 2011

Genre: Contemporary

Too Hot to Touch by Lousia Edwards

Book 1 in the Rising Star Chef series

www.lousiaedwards.com

Max Lunden has been traveling the world for several years, learning to cook a wide variety of cultural foods from local masters, when he gets a call from home. His mother pleads with him to come home for a few short weeks to help them win a chef competition. His dad wants to win so that their small family restaurant is put back on the map - but he needs Max to win. While Max is reluctant, he’ll do anything for his mother, and so he makes arrangements to come home for a month before leaving for Italy. However when he gets home he finds that his younger brother’s best friend, Juliet Cavanaugh, is now all grown up and works in the restaurant kitchen – and the pretty girl is now a gorgeous, hot-headed woman that Max sets out to seduce. Jules, however, is not so easily turned by Max’s handsome face – she’s definitely gotten over her school-girl crush, and is solely focused on wining the competition. But what happens when the passion building between Max and Jules... boils over?

I debated for a few moments on whether to give this book an A-plus or an A. It wasn’t an overpowering romance – it wasn’t a bring-you-to-your-knees book. Instead, its emotional power was ingrained in its ability to subtly bring out a reader’s emotions. Several times throughout the book I could feel my heart panging in sympathy or tears pricking my eyes. I wasn’t sobbing. I wasn’t overwhelmed with emotion. Instead, the amount of emotion Edwards wrung out of me was just right. Her characters masterfully commanded my full attention, emotionally and mentally, in a story that is unique and unforgettable and as much about the romance as each protagonist's journey to self-discovery and improvement.

I loved Max, the hero. He was funny, witty – and confused. I liked watching him struggle with his feelings, watching as his desire to stay home gradually overcame him before he even recognized any willingness at all to stay home. He was a natural character, a well-developed character, and a very likeable character. He was protective without being a barbarian, charming without being an ass, thoughtful without being clingy, and emotional without being too sappy. A good balance was definitely achieved with Max. I also loved Juliet, with all her crankiness and passion for people, family, and cooking. She was smart, too, and willing to stand independently. I could definitely understand her motivations. What I loved most, however, was the two of them, together. They brought out the best in each other and helped one another realize their dreams and full potential, which is the mark of a successful relationship.

The book moved at a great pace, with expressive and well-written prose and dialogue. Edwards manages to say a lot, with a little. I haven’t read that many chef contemporaries, so I felt the story was focused on a unique occupation, which added to my interest in the story. The book was also very well-researched; Edwards clearly knew what she was writing about when discussing cooking terms, ingredients, etc. That increased my enjoyment of her novel exponentially – there’s nothing more interesting than a really well-researched novel, in part because it shows how much the author cares.

In short, this book was a subtle stunner. I could feel the emotion, the heat, the love. I could feel the Max’s desire to wander warring with his love for Juliet and his family. I could feel his younger brother’s bitterness at being left behind. This book certainly didn’t let Max off the hook lightly for his ‘abandonment’ of his family – and dealing with that dynamic and all those emotions left my heart aching with sympathy for all involved. What a sad, sweet reunion and what wonderful love. The book won’t overwhelm you – but you’ll treasure it just the same for its ability to be real, and I believe the author’s mastery of writing, plots, character development, and manipulation of the reader’s empathy all make this book worthy of an A+.

Favorite Quotes:

Jules. I seem to remember a Juliet hanging out with you, the two of you following me around, looking to get into trouble. Same girl? I bet it is. A chick on the team. Score. Come on, dish it up. Is she hot now? I bet she’s hot.” (Max)
Danny shook his head, amusement relaxing the tense line of his mouth. “Is that all you ever think about?”
“No! Sometimes I think about food. And beer. Scuba diving. Horse races. The color cyan. I’m a complex and multilayered flower, Danny.”

“Sadly, I’m pretty sure he doesn’t bat for my team. But hey, if you and Max really aren’t bucking for Cutest Couple on the Manhattan Restaurant Scene, maybe you can make a jump for Kane.” (Winslow)
A loud crack shocked Jules stiff, and she looked over to see Max sheepishly dropping the chopstick he’d been playing with, snapped into two pieces.
“Or not,” Winslow said, eyes wide.

 “Sexy”ness rating: Hot, hot, hot!

Overall Rating: A+

Bottom Line: The characters are sexy and passionate, the emotion is tender, sweet, and sexy, and the plot is ‘saucy’ and unique. Bon Appétit! 

Pages: 348

Published: August 2, 2011

Genre: Contemporary

Courting Darkness by Yasmine Galenorn

Book 10 in the Sisters of the Moon series

http://www.galenorn.com

Many thanks to The Season ForRomance for providing me with this arc copy to review! 

The D’Artigo sisters are operatives working for the Otherworld Intelligence Agency. Each of the sisters has her own special talents and gifts. Camille (our protagonist) has three husbands – Trillian, Smoky, and Morio. One of them, dragon Smoky, has a father who’s none-too-pleased with Camille and kidnaps her to his Dragon Reaches. The question is – can Camille survive long enough to escape before the father breaks her, body and spirit? Well, I never got the chance to find out because this book was way too hard for me to struggle through, and I set it down less than half way through.

This book is the tenth in the Sisters of the Moon series, and it was very clear from the first page that if you hadn’t read the first nine books you wouldn’t have a clue what was going on. And so it went – terminology I didn’t know, people and places that were unfamiliar to me, customs, cultures, and events referenced that I knew nothing about. Every other word was something different and crazy and alien. This book is definitely not a stand-alone. It was very confusing and difficult to read – although with the sheer amount of characters, worlds, and species, I think it could have been difficult to read even if you did follow the series. The world was far too complex while being poorly crafted to make a good story.

Now, even if I had been following this series from the beginning there would are several things that would have lowered this book in my esteem. The story read like a series of disjointed vignettes, stapled together. There was no flow, no underlying connection between the scenes – instead each scene was like opening a new box of confusing ideas and relationships that had nothing to do with the last. Furthermore, the way the author writes was distracting. The syntax was strange and awkward, and I found the sentences jarring. The book was unnatural, and instead of flowing smoothly it limped along like a zombie from a low-budget horror flick.

Finally, the characters were unlikeable. I found it hard to understand their motives, thoughts, and ideals. I didn’t understand them, found them lacking in any real depth, and therefore was unable to connect with them – adding to my frustration. They were so cliché. And the sex scenes… lets just say they hit my ‘squick’ button, multiple times. One of the husbands has HAIR that lifts itself up and strokes her. What is that? Not my cup of tea, that's what.

“Sexy”ness rating: Explicit and squicky

Overall Rating: DNF

Bottom Line: All in all, I didn’t enjoy the characters, the plot, or the prose enough to keep reading. While long-time fans of the series may enjoy this book, I would recommend others to skip this one and read something else.

Pages: 336

Published: Nov 1, 2011

Genre: Paranormal/Urban Fantasy

Fallen Warrior Giveaway Winner!!!

My goodness! I'm so sorry I'm late getting this post out to you wonderful readers. I hope you don't mind me saying that school, work, stage crew, yearbook, vocal lessons, piano, reviews, and just about anything and everything else is really getting to me! However, without any FURTHER ado: The winner of the Rosalie Lario Fallen Warrior giveaway is:




Denise Z!

Congrats to Denise!!! Please contact me at romanticrosemay@yahoo.com so I can let Rosalie know which book you want and get you in contact with her! Once again, thanks to all who entered - and a special thanks to Rosalie for stopping by with her interesting guest post. May you all have an angelic rest of your week!

Angel's Desire by Rosalie Lario

Book 2 in the Fallen Warriors series

www.rosalielario.com

Ethan is an angel – and one of the Fallen. Condemned to die by others of his race when he didn’t go along with their plan to eradicate the human race, he barely escaped with his life. Ethan knows he’s among the lucky. After all, his best friend, Caleb, died – leaving a nephilim daughter (his best kept secret) behind. Ethan has known ‘Taylee’ her entire life and has felt radiating shame for his attraction to his best friend’s young daughter. However, many years later and with a wealth of hurt holding the pair apart, Ethan knows he can’t live without her any longer – and sets out on a quest to make her his mate. Tayla, though, is not convinced. Grown up now, and with plenty of misconceptions regarding Ethan’s role in her father’s death, Tayla is not going to give her heart to Ethan again for him to turn around and break it like he did all those years ago. Is there any hope for this hopelessly misguided couple?

I liked the couple well enough  – I could definitely feel the drama and conflict, even if I wasn’t sure I understood it (this book seemed guilty of the big-misconception-that-was-cleared-up-with-one-conversation-but-has-kept-us-apart-for-years ploy). Ethan was sexy, playful, and dark. I liked, of course, how handsome and adorably boyish he was. He also had some really great lines (as witnessed in my favorite quotes portion) and was incredibly romantic at times – in that angst-y hero way. *Fans self* Ethan really brings the heat, and the sexual tension was overwhelming in a good way. As for the heroine, Tayla, I was occasionally annoyed by her because she seemed overly dramatic and pig-headed, but I was still able to empathize with her. At the end, when she finally gets herself out of her me-me-me rut, she was endearing and sweet. I was charmed by Tayla and Ethan's interactions at the end, and wished them the happiest happy-ever-after there could be.

The plot in the novella was fast-paced but enjoyable. The ending, with it’s last big conflict, left me slightly breathless with anticipation and I wish I’d had a little bit of a better explanation about how it all went down – it was over too quickly for me to truly savor the suspense aspect. The majority of the book serves to further the ‘big-show-down’ plot that runs through the series, as we wait on the edge of our seats for our Fallen Warriors to save the world from their angelic (or not) counterparts. I’m very excited to see how this pans out through the rest of the series. I can’t wait to see this super-team at work!

There’s some excellent world-building, although there are a few loopholes that could bother you depending on how attuned you are to the exact reality of humanity. For example, the suspicious nature of humanity is neglected completely, however the length of the novella would have to be increased considerably were we to account for the reality of human behavior and aspiration for conspiracy. These loopholes didn’t bother me too much, and with some truly fun characters and an interesting story-line I was suitably impressed by Lario’s second novella in her Fallen Warrior series, and am definitely looking forward to the third – I can’t wait to see the rest of the absolutely adorable Fallen fall again – this time in love.

Favorite Quotes:

She'd deserved to be left alone so that she could grow into womanhood unmarred by the sins of angels.

"Touch me and tell me you don't believe we’re meant to be together. Tell me you aren't mine."

Tayla noticed him watching her. She turned her head and raised a brow. "What are you looking at?"

"I'm looking at you," he answered evenly.

"No, and don't call me that," she snapped. Hearing her childhood nickname [Taylee] had a way of mentally taking her back to that time. It was too weird.

Ethan turned to face her, a wicked grin lighting his face. "What shall I call you then? I need some term of endearment to address you by."

An impish thought prompted her to suggest, "You can call me Master."

 “Sexy”ness rating: Hot!

Overall Rating: B

Bottom Line: With great sexual tension, good character development, and lots of emotion don’t miss book two in the Fallen Warriors series! Ethan is a hero you won’t soon forget!

Pages: 114

Published: September 30, 2011

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Author Interview with Mitzi Penzes

Hi everyone! I'm pleased to welcome author Mitzi Penzes to my blog today for an interview! Mirzi has graciously allowed me to ask her all sorts of questions regarding her writing career and her book - Perfectly Crazy. Let's get started!

RM: Hi Mitzi - I'm so glad you could join us today! My first question is: how has your background, growing up in Hungary and moving to the US, influenced your writing? Did your background as a neurologist influence Perfectly Crazy character Nell?

Mitzi: It had to in several ways. She is obviously someone very similar to me in the respect that she was a medical doctor and became an entrepreneur. I did that, I got criticized in one review that who in their right mind would do that? It is completely unrealistic and in a sense it might be if you went through medical school here and you had to spend hundreds of thousands on your education. I did not, just had to pass an exam to prove my ability to learn the necessary science, but my education was free otherwise in Hungary. Also I love being a business person, despite my love for medicine which is probably obvious on my pages, I loved owning a business which I did for many years. If it had been fashion, even better. I work in labs, not in the fashion business and love it, too. I love writing as well, I think I am just a person who does things with zeal.

RM: Do you model your characters after anyone in particular - perhaps even yourself - or is each character their own person entirely?

 

Mitzi: Nell's love of Mustangs, fashion and shoes are from me and the medical info in the book comes from my background and my experience when practicing. I also love the locales shown here, I visited them or lived in them and I enjoyed it.

Nell's starting relationship with David is very similar to the circumstances of my mother's. Her second marriage was comfortable yet not too exciting when my dashing and determined dad showed up on the scene and made her chose him. It was unusual, sudden and surprising just like the one in the story. Despite the strange start, their marriage was very happy and lasting.

 

 

RM: What got you started on writing - and why romance?

 

Mitzi: My main character popped into my mind and it just went from there. It flowed and gave me a story to write down. I am very romantic and like loves stories, one of my favorite story is Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare. I love happy ending, too so in that sense I am rather like any romance writer.

 

RM: What do you like most about your writing? What makes your novel unique from other romance novels? 

 

Mitzi: In my stories it will be a lots of love, action and intrigue, some twists and unexpected turns. These are the things I enjoy in life the most and I hope my readers would feel I can portray them the way they just want to see what would be in the next chapter. When I go through my story I see these scenes like a movie, I am a very visual person. Maybe that is why I write about locales I have seen before, it makes it fell more real. On the other hand books are better than movies in a sense that everyone is allowed to picture their own faces for a character whatever they feel would fit the story or their ideals.

 

RM: If you had one word to describe your 'voice' what would it be?

 

Mitzi: Optimistic.

 

RM: Can you tell me about the process of writing and publishing your debut novel, Perfectly Crazy?

 

Mitzi: It was so much fun! I loved to write it and enjoyed working with all the people who published it, it was an amazing experience. The website is not up yet. Hopefully it will be very soon. 

I just had Nell as my leading character and she made the story unfold. It was unusual, but very interesting, I had expected the story to be there first, but it was not that way for me.  

 

RM: If you were stuck on an island (yes, I know, the old cliche) what book would you pack and what romance hero would you bring with you?

 

Mitzi: My  favorite book is also a romantic one, written some time ago by the French writer Alexandre Dumas. It is the Count of Monte Cristo, his story of human achievement and winning against all odds is just amazing. Through education he discovers that knowledge is such power it can forge anyone's fate and from the deepest despair he transforms himself to be a very powerful and successful individual ready to take on the world. He does take on the world and serves justice to the deserving and revenge to the ones who harmed him. 

My other favorite book is the Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell  for obvious reasons. Scarlett O'Hara is a heroine most woman thought emulating with her quick wit, good business sense, her inner strength and infallible instincts except when it comes to her love life. I felt so desperate and disappointed, that she did not return Rhett's love I wanted to shout to her or shake her to realize what a man she is missing. The book is a masterpiece both when it comes to portraying a war and  giving an account of a heart wrenching love story ending badly. 

So the above two books shaped my life immensely. I wanted to be so powerful as the Count of Monte Cristo and as strong as Scarlett or as resourceful and capable as Rhett Butler. All these characters shaped me in a way maybe a very close friend  could have, I related to them, tried to learn their ways and become a little bit like them. I felt they pushed me do things I might not have done otherwise, like emigrating to another country. It is not easy, but I just felt if this is how I  feel, I will have to act on my desire. I was fortunate and I am happy with my decision and some of the courage came from these characters from books.

 

RM: What have your characters, Nell and David, in Perfectly Crazy taught you about life? 

 

Mitzi: That there is more than one way to happiness. I think this story touches upon issues like motherhood, relationships, fertility, illnesses and its effect on families. I just want everyone to muse about these subjects and draw their own conclusions maybe different ones than my characters and still a good one for themselves. Not everyone is the same we all have our personalities, me and Nell were going through one story line maybe some of my readers would go on a different one, but the fact that they speculated about these issues are the real asset of the book, I hope. 

 

RM: Are you planning on writing, or currently in the process of writing, any more books? Will they be connected to Nell and David's story?

 

Mitzi: I have another story half written titled Perfectly Accidental and despite it is not about Nell and David, the main character could be a sister of Nell's, she is very similar in her background, likes dislikes etc. In other words if someone liked my first book, they will like the second one, too. Some others did not think Nell was a likable character, so for them it won't be a good book to read. I loved Nell and her struggling and moving with life's challenges. She is a strong and very educated woman, very independent and successful so I relate to her. My new heroine is just like her, loves to be a business woman and knows what she wants as long as it does not come to love and emotions that are so hard to rationalize sometimes. Even in that she realizes what the right choice would be, but there are circumstances she had to fight. If I will get great success from my first novel, maybe I will write a sequel to Nell's story. Maybe Chelsea has to find a man fitting to her great spirit. I do know a lot about the infertility issues in this book, some first hand, so that was "easy" to me to give a glimpse of. The one thing everyone commented on was the "quickness"of the book, so maybe next time I will give more details of the things in the story. 

 

RM:The Favorites Questionnaire (pick one or the other!)

 

a) Alpha or Beta hero?  Alpha

b) Beatles or the Rolling Stones? Beatles

c) Boxers or Briefs? Briefs

d) Best-friends-to-lovers or Tycoon's-secret-baby? Best-friend-to-lovers

e) Writing or reading? I can't pick!!! Both

f) Roses or Wildflowers? Roses or poppies, again it is impossible to choose...

g) Winter, Summer, Spring, or Fall? Summer

h) Dresses or Sweats/PJs? Dresses!!!

i) Werewolf or Vampire? Neither

j) Smart, but plain, heroine or knock-out ditz? Knock-out for sure!!

 

I'd like to thank Mitzi once again for stopping by today to share a little bit of her experiences with us! Don't forget to check out Mitzi's debut novel: Perfectly Crazy! 

Darkness Descending by Devyn Quinn

Book 1 in the Vampire Armageddon series

http://www.devynquinn.com/

First, I’d like to thank the wonderful ladies at Romance Reviews Today for sending me this book for review – check out their website here: www.romrevtoday.com.  Thanks again, ladies!!!

Alright, down to business. This book was one of them puzzlers. The book started out and I wanted to cry. The book was all tell. The characters were wimpy, not at all kick-ass, their actions were awkward and all over the place and there was absolutely NO build-up of sexual tension so the ‘smoldering heat’ and lust kinda smacks you in the face when it first comes up. I was terribly disappointed because, well, I hate not liking books. And the first third of this book was headed toward a low D grade. But then…

But then the book totally changed pace. I don’t know if the author wrote the first 130 pages, set the book down for a while, and then picked it back up again when she had developed some actual writing and character development skills, but after that 130 page mark the book actually became… decent. Enjoyable. Kinda cool. Not kick-ass awesome… but not bad. And I was overjoyed – really, really excited that I wasn’t going to have to read another 240 pages in the style of the first 130 because I might have taken Maddox’s gun and shot the book to pieces. The book, after page 130, showed that this author had potential – and since the plot was really interesting, I’m hoping that Quinn develops her talent very quickly for the next book in the series – which I will be reading.

So, here’s a quick re-cap of the plot for ya’ll before I dissect the book a little more closely. Jesse Burke is a human infected with a demon – it crawls under her skin and whispers dreams of immortality in her ear at night. However unlike every other human being who has been infected, Jesse refuses to give in to the demon’s demands – and thus hovers between a state of humanity and undead-ness (which is what one turns into when yielding to the demon's demands). Angry and feeling the hopelessness of her situation, Jesse decides to kill as many of the vampire/demons that infected her as she can. After doing some research into vampire slaying, Jesse sets out for a cemetery in the middle of the night and attempts to kill her first undead. Only it doesn’t go so well. And Jesse almost dies. Until some guy named Maddox shows up with his gun and blows the thing to pieces. Maddox then invites Jesse to his home sweet home for some training and sleep – after all, if she wants to be a slayer she has to learn from the best, right? But what happens when Maddox learns that Jesse has a demon inside her – and is on the verge of becoming something he’s determined to destroy?

So, let’s start off with what sucked (vampire pun – get it?). The first 130 pages, as we already established, sucked in very frustrating ways. The characters don’t act believably make really weird decisions, talk like they’re best friends when they’ve really just met, sleep in the same bed even though they’ve known each other for mere hours… it’s all very odd and unrealistic and awkward for the reader. The romance is terrible, with no build-up of sexual tension or even hints at it. The world building is confusing and doesn’t make much sense – there are a lot of holes in the story. People are dying all over the place from strange bites to their body and the police all think it’s because of some rabid animals? I don’t think so. Humans are way too suspicious for that, and we love conspiracy theories. Surely someone has decided on vampires by now. Also, hasn’t anyone seen the attacks or the feedings? No one is that careful. If there are truly that many vampire/demons (that also isn’t explained very well – are they demons that look like vampires, or are they pretty much what we would call vampires except they have demons inside them… it’s bad when you can’t tell what species something is) someone would’ve caught them at something by now and in such a viral world, it would’ve been all over the place. The book makes humans out to be a very non-assuming, kind of stupid race which is pretty dumb. Just sayin’.

But after a while I got used to the shaky grasp I had on Quinn’s world and I got comfortable enough with it to enjoy the story. And the plot was AWESOME. And Jesse was pretty cool, too. I liked how strong she was and how enigmatic her role in the epic battle between heaven and hell’s warriors (on earth, of course) is. I really wanted to know more, and that kept me hooked for a lot of the story. I loved the legends and the action – that was my kind of story. The plot was well-developed, moved at a good pace, and always had a hook to keep you reading. The plot was this book’s saving grace, along with the admiration I felt for the heroine. She’s stuck between two worlds, hurt and hunted by everyone, lied to and very confused yet she’s strong, determined, and ready for action. Boo. Yah. Baby.

Oh, but ladies. One more thing that made this book sink low, low, low. The hero. Was. Pathetic. He does NOT deserve a capital 'h'. He was addicted to a demon’s kiss (otherwise known as a vampire bite) really weird and kinky-odd, he was awkward, out-of-place and pretty depressing. I sincerely hope he gets better because I did not like him. He was the antithesis of Jesse and instead of helping her I feel like he drags her down. That’s a no-no in a romance, so Mr. Hero Maddox better get his broad backside in gear and fast. He’s also inconsistent and a bit of a Debbie-downer. Like I said. Pathetic.

That’s all there is to this considerably long review! Stay tuned to my blog for updates on the series and if it’s worth your while!

Favorite Quote:

No one came near them. In fact, everyone seemed intent on maintaining a respectful distance. It could be that the shotgun Maddox carried jacked his street cred up considerably.

“Sexy”ness rating: is rated hot, however it’s not terribly sexy due to its rather unpredictable nature. No build-up of sexual tension… it was really weird. Just a sex scene plopped randomly into the middle of the book because the author thought she needed one.

Overall Rating: C-

Bottom Line: I can’t give this book any higher than a C-, but the second half of the book shows the author has some real potential. I’ll be keeping up with this series to let you know how it develops and if you should struggle through this one to get to the rest. While the romance isn’t very well developed the plot is pretty cool.

Pages: 353

Published: August 2, 2011

Genre: Urban Fantasy/Paranormal

For Love of An Angel by Rosalie Lario

Book 1 in the Fallen Warriors series

www.rosalielario.com

A big thanks to Rosalie for sending me this book for review!

Angels aren’t really God’s servants, in For Love of an Angel. No, instead they come from a different dimension. When the veil fell and angels found themselves stuck on Earth, for good, they decided to play up to the fact that humans worshiped them and do what any invasive species does - take over the planet. First, by turning humans into slave laborers and mindless drones fed by pro-angelic propaganda. Second, by methodically exterminating said humans until the planet is all their own. However there are some angels that want to co-exist peacefully with humans – who believe in preserving a species instead of wiping it out. They are known as The Fallen – and they fight a losing battle. Eva is a human, working as a barista, when she meets Michael, who is one of the Fallen. While he is devastatingly sexy, Eva knows that’s not enough to form a connection. But Michael knows Eva’s secrets, and soon reveals how Eva’s very life is in danger. The two must make a daring escape and Eva knows she will be on the run from the angels (the evil, not-fallen ones) for the rest of her life. Can she forgive Michael for risking her safety to meet her, and acknowledge their love? Or will she turn her back on him and leave for a life below-the-radar - and alone?

I love Rosalie’s writing. There were sentences in this novella that literally gave me the chills – that made my eyes light up, made me bounce in my seat in excitement and a shiver crawl up my back. Stealthily eerie and ominous, sentences like “Angels were not known for their compassion” were short and to the point. Sentences like that – that get their message across in so few words – are the mark of a truly great writer. And Rosalie is a fabulous writer. She has good voice and focus, and her writing is exciting. It builds inside you, each sentence upon wonderful sentence of prose and dialogue. I really enjoyed this book. I was entertained by most every page. The book didn’t let up – it was consistent, through and through, in it’s riveting qualities. Let’s sum up this paragraph by saying that, quite simply, there is absolutely nothing lacking in Rosalie’s writing style.

Unfortunately, I didn’t get the character development or plot development I needed. While the story moved at a great pace, there was way too much sex and not enough relationship/bonding thrown in. The sexual tension between Michael and Eva could literally be compared to a blazing bonfire, but I wanted to see the more emotional connection underlying the lust. Whether that connection was under-developed because Rosalie chose not to write about it or because there simply weren’t enough pages in the book and something had to get cut out, I was surprised by the lack of bonding. As far as plot went, many of the scenes occurred a bit too quickly for my taste – leaving a few things lackluster in description or in believability.

However the book was suspenseful, and very unique. As with Rosalie’s other series Blood of the Infernum (which I strongly recommend), in For Love of an Angel beings like angels are not from heaven as in human lore, but are instead akin to aliens (that's as apt a description I can give you). I really enjoy the intriguing twist this brings to the story-line (you can read more about that twist here, in Rosalie’s own words when she did a guest post on my blog!) because the book is definitely more interesting than the average angel-infused paranormal. I loved the creativity and imagery in this book – and Michael is mouth-watering both in his dialogue and his physique. I must admit that at first, his pet name for Eva – ‘beloved’ – kinda freaked me out, but as the story progressed I found I liked it. It fit him, and their situation. All in all, this was a good novella – interesting, well-written, and unique. I would highly recommend For Love of an Angel by Rosalie Lario for a quick, fun-filled afternoon of reading.

Favorite Quotes:

Angels were not known for their compassion.

The walking orgasm in front of her hadn’t gotten laid in years?... How was that even possible?

But despite their differences, they all had one thing in common. They all exhibited a blatant, rip-their-shirt-off type of sexual appeal.

Not that any of them was wearing a shirt.

 “Sexy”ness rating: HOT but a little overwhelming in mass and repetitive nature

Overall Rating: B

Bottom Line:  With sexy angels and a sweet but sensible heroine, For Love of an Angel is electric, riveting, inspired, and unique. You don't want to miss this fabulous novella by Rosalie Lario!

Pages: 35,000 words

Published: May 8, 2011

Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

A Guest Post and Giveaway with Rosalie Lario: Fallen Angels with a Twist

Hi everyone!

Today I'm very excited to welcome Rosalie Lario to my blog! I'm a great admirer of her Demons of the Infernum series and just got involved with her Fallen Warrior series - which is what Rosalie is here to talk about today. So without further ado I give you: Rosalie!

Fallen Angels – With a Twist

First off, I’d like to thank Rose May for hosting me on her site. So glad to be here!

I’m here today to talk about the fallen angels in my paranormal romance series, The Fallen Warriors.

I would imagine everyone is familiar with the biblical creation myth featuring angels and fallen angels. In the Bible, angels are servants of Heaven, and fallen angels have been banished from Heaven for their disobedience to God. It’s an interesting story, and one that’s been used as fodder for much fiction.

While thinking up The Fallen Warriors series, I knew I wanted to use angels, but not in the biblical sense. As interesting as that story is, I wanted to distance my angels from any of the religious aspects of the creation myth. So I twisted the mythology. Rather than servants of Heaven, the angels on my world are a race of beings from an alternate dimension. They are forced into our world when the walls between the dimensions collapse.

Once the angels realize they are forever stuck in our world, they convince humans to allow them to rule over Earth in exchange for peace and security...the ultimate utopia. But in reality, their designs on Earth are far more sinister. Total subjugation—and eventually, annihilation—of mankind.

The heroes of my series are a group of angels who seek to protect humankind. Because of this they have been cast out of their society and condemned to die. They are the Fallen.

Read on for more about Angel’s Desire, Book 2 of The Fallen Warriors Series:

Blurb:

In a world where angels rule over humans, twelve outcasts dare to defy expectation, warring with their angel brethren to prevent the extinction of humankind.

They are The Fallen...

Fallen angel Ethan has been outcast due to his love of humankind. In order to preserve his immortality, he must find a mate with angel blood…but the one woman he desires blames him for her father’s death. As a teenager, Tayla had a fierce crush on Ethan, her angel father’s best friend. She was humiliated when he rejected her, claiming she was too young for him. Her love turned to hate when he failed to save her father from being killed by the other angels.

Battle looms on the horizon, and Ethan can no longer afford to waste time. He must claim Tayla as his…but convincing her she’s his mate won’t be so easy.

Here’s a brief Excerpt that takes place shortly after Ethan seeks out Tayla:

The door had no more than slid shut when she felt a rush of wind behind her. She whirled, and Ethan was right there, standing so close she instinctively pressed her back to the front door. "Wh—what are you doing?"

His topaz eyes flashed and a tendril of frustration wafted off him. "An old high school friend, hmm?"

Stunned, she blinked her eyes. "Um...yeah?"

"You seemed very friendly."

When he reached out to wrap a finger around a strand of her hair, she couldn't help her gasp. He was acting like he was jealous or something, which was crazy considering she'd once offered herself to him, and he'd firmly refused. "What's your deal?"

"Why didn't you just tell him no?"

"I don't kno—" She cut off as his finger trailed up to her neck where he slid it along the crease of her jaw. Electric tingles crackled against her skin, racking her body with tremors. A wave of longing heat coursed through her veins. God, he'd always smelled so good—like cinnamon and vanilla and earthier spices.

I'm always going to respond to him like this.

The thought was so distressing she had to put it aside. For now. She could reflect on what that meant later.

Tayla tried her hardest to concentrate on their conversation. On his direct gaze.

"Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?" he countered, his voice silky.

"Possessive."

Ethan laughed, the heat of his breath flicking up a few strands of her hair. He lifted his other arm to the wall, effectively blocking her in. "That’s my nature, little Tayla. You of all people should know."

She blinked up at him. "Okay...now you're really confusing me."

A hint of impatience drifted off him. "I didn't like the thought of him touching you."

"What?" Shock and anger permeated her senses. He wasn't her father. He didn't get to tell her whom she could and couldn't see. She lifted her hands to his chest and tried to shove him backward, but he didn't budge. "Why are you being such a caveman?"

A soft whisper of laughter drifted off him. "Don't you get it, Tayla?"

In a blink, he closed the distance between them, his lips mere inches from hers.

Suddenly she did get it. With the hardness of his body pressed against hers, there was no way she couldn't get it. She froze, plastering herself to the wall, and her heart rate tripled in the span of an instant.

Find out more about Angel’s Desire at:

http://rosalielario.com/the-fallen-warriors/

Want to Chat? Visit me at:

Website: www.rosalielario.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rosalielario

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RosalieLario

For you readers, I’d love to know if you’ve read paranormal romances featuring angels (regular or fallen). If so, do you have a favorite? Do share!

I’ll be giving an ecopy of For Love of an Angel or Angel's Desire (winner's choice) to one random commenter.

I really appreciate Rosalie coming to chat on my blog, and the giveaway which will run until the 22nd of October! You'll be getting reviews of both For Love of an Angel and Angel's Desire in the next two days but I'll give you a sneak preview:

For Love of an Angel is electric, riveting, inspired, and unique. You don't want to miss this fabulous book by Rosalie Lario!