Unmasking Miss Appleby by Emily Larkin

Book 1 in the Baleful Godmother series

http://www.emilylarkin.com/

Charlotte Appleby is a good woman in a bad situation; both her parents have passed and she now approaches the ripe old age of 25 under the roof of her insufferable aunt and uncle, still without having received the Season she was due. As a 'charity' case, her aunt and uncle don't seem inclined to help Charlotte find her way in the world, so Charlotte needs to forge her own path; something that becomes a trifle easier when her (albeit scary) Fairy Godmother shows up on her 25th birthday to grant her a special power...metamorphosis. Armed with the ability to transform into whatever, or whomever, she pleases, 'Mr. Albin' decides to make 'his' way in the world by answering an ad in the paper for a secretary... an ad placed by a very handsome earl.

Marcus, Lord Cosgrove, is in need of a new secretary after his last one was ambushed and hurt in a fight; Mr. Albin, while a bit unusual (and clearly untutored in all things manly), seems to be the only one in England who's willing to stomach the risk. Together, Albin and Cosgrove set off on an adventure to find whoever is smashing the Earl's windows, leaving 'nightsoil' on his doorstep, and, apparently, even trying to kill him. Albin and the Earl become good friends as they begin to unravel the mysteries surrounding Cosgrove's life - but will that all change when Cosgrove learns Albin, er, Charlotte's secret?

Charlotte is an amazing heroine - truly, her story and her personality captivated me. She was generous and thoughtful, and willing to take responsibility for her actions at all times - even when it was hard. She was honest (as much as can be expected when one is hiding a major, magical secret) and hard-working, her caring for Marcus stemming from a deeply personal place of friendship and concern. She is a self-made woman, someone who is reasonably afraid but takes action anyway; I found her to be one of the more admirable heroines I've read about. For his part, Marcus was also a gem; funny and loyal, incredibly caring, sexy in his competence and confidence, and very thoughtful. He actually took a backseat in my estimation, with Charlotte really being the mover and shaker in this book, which might be why he shines a little less brightly than she does despite still being a wonderful, consistent character.

The plot was fast-paced; the mystery of who was behind the events happening to Marcus (and when/how he would discover Charlotte's secret) kept the pages flying by and provided a lot of opportunities for Charlotte to prove her worth as Albin. I liked Charlotte's freedom to move through the plot and make change happen, so unusual for women in Regency that often are being pushed around by the ton and relatives, and I loved her growing self-confidence and bravery as she took charge. The setup for the magic is well-done so it doesn't feel ridiculous or overbearing, and the ending - the way Marcus and Charlotte resolve their differences - is classic and sweet. 

Honestly, there was only one thing that brought this book from an A/A+ region to a solid A-, and *SPOILER ALERT HERE - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK* the issue was really only a page, making it even sadder that it brought the book down in my estimation so much. Marcus has been sleeping with a woman called 'Miss Brown' (Charlotte); he realizes that Miss Brown and his secretary, Albin, are one and the same. He flies into a violent rage using his punching bag, repeating over and over in his head 'I fucked a man' while he tears his hands to pieces. The episode smacked of some very real and violent homophobia/transphobia, echoing real world events where trans women who come out to their partners are summarily beaten or murdered; overall, the inclusion of this scene made me wildly uncomfortable and I think there were better ways for the author to express Marcus's discomfort - perhaps by focusing on the lies that Charlotte had told rather than the gender. *END SPOILER ALERT HERE* 

Overall, I would definitely recommend this book - a fast-paced, fun and unique plot with a take-charge heroine and a man that matches her fire and spirit. What's not to love? Fun fact: by heading over to Emily's website and joining her reader group, I hear you can get this book for free! What's better than that?

Favorite Quotes: Unfortunately, I was not reading this book with the intention to review it (but once I discovered how good it was I knew I needed to share it with the world!) so I did not mark favorite quotes. Be rest assured, this book is really fun. 

"Sexy"ness rating: One thing I loved about this book was that it got hotter over time - you could see the way the friendship benefited the intimacy. Definitely does not leave you at the bedroom door. 

Overall Rating: A-

Bottom Line: Charlotte is a heroine of her own making; her bravery and self-direction, honesty and selflessness, make her an admirable woman - it felt like an honor to witness her journey to love. Marcus is also honorable, kind, and humorous; he is an alpha hero for sure - self-assured, a bit domineering, but still soft enough inside to be more than lovable.

Pages: 391

Published: November 2016

Genre: Historical/Regency

Dangerous Highlander by Donna Grant

Book 1 in the Dark Sword series

www.donnagrant.com

The McLeod brothers captured my heart with their desperate, sad situation. My heart broke for Quinn and Fallon especially (the brothers of our hero, Lucan) seeing as they had such a hard time adjusting. But they all lost their family, their lives, their sense of self and their happiness. Unfortunately, empathy was one of the few emotions this book made me feel. I couldn’t feel the love blossoming between Cara and Lucan, nor could I understand some of the feelings of our protagonists. There was some silliness in this book that I just didn’t appreciate, as well.

Cara meets the McLeod brothers when, as she gathers mushrooms nearby, she starts to fall off a cliff. Lucan saves her from death and brings her to the castle, where the brothers argue about what to do with her, then end up protecting her from an attack. The book revolves around Cara learning about and understanding the gods inside each of the McLeod brothers, and helping them. She also learns about her own magical powers (she’s found to be a druid) and Lucan teaches her how to defend herself in case of another attack. While I felt the suspense, the attacks were too long and drawn out, clearly to give Cara time to learn to fight. I would have thought that Diedre (our villian) would’ve been smarter in her attack strategy, if she was as all-powerful as we were told. It made the plot slow, and a bit boring, on top of being unrealistic.

There was a lot of silliness in this book that I didn’t understand. For instance, the McLeod brothers have been in hiding, from everyone, in their castle for the last three centuries. Apparently, neither Deirdre nor the other Warriors thought to look for them in the castle. That would be the first logical place to look! Of course they returned home! They’re highlanders! And if you had 300 years to look for them, wouldn't you circle back to the castle on occasion just to see? Also, Cara discovers she has powers when she accidentally almost kills a plant (when she was angry and touching one). She then gets all freaked out about her powers. Why? It’s a plant! If I discovered I had powers that could potentially save me from being taken captive by an evil drough I would be hoping about trying to learn everything I could and explore. Her reasoning and fears, in that regard, didn’t make much sense. One of the things I hate the most in books is when things don’t make sense. It simply ruins the world-building and character-building. I mean, come on. Who WOULDN’T look at the castle? Seriously?

Finally, the characters were not consistent, nor well developed. With the exception of Quinn, I didn’t form a real bond with any of the characters and couldn’t see any real depth. There were also several inconsistencies in regards to Cara. At one point she pulls the typical heroine move - the ‘I must run away because my presence puts the hero in danger’. Then later in the book, with no significant thought-process to indicate why there would be this sudden change in though, Grant writes something like this: ‘he was just trying to protect her - the least she could do is cooperate.’ from Cara’s view. Huh. Where, Ms. Grant, did this new attitude come from? There were also occasional grammatical errors - talking in third person for a sentence, using the name of the person when speaking when they’re standing right next to you (not to gain their attention or anything), etc. It was enough to make me take note, but not so bad as to make me rant about it. Still, the silliness and stupidity, the inconsistency and lack of depth, and the inability to make me feel much beyond empathy leaves this book solidly at a C.

“Sexy”ness rating: Hot

Overall Rating: C

Bottom Line: The book was good, but I was feeling the lust more than the love. I had a hard time feeling the characters connect with one another. I felt plenty of empathy for both Cara and the McLeods, and felt fairly connected to them. The plot was interesting, but too slow and occasionally unrealistic. An average read.

Pages: 339

Published: December 29, 2009

Genre: Historical

Enable screen reader

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison

Book 1 in The Elder Races series

www.theaharrison.com

I was really looking forward to this book, and it did not disappoint. Hailed as one of the best paranormal romances of the year, I was ready to be blown away - and for the most part, I was.
 
Pia Giovanni is blackmailed by her ex-boyfriend into stealing something from Lord Wyr Dragon dude Dragos Cuelebre. Dragos, extraordinarily displeased with this discovery, takes it upon himself to find the thief of this most treasured and valuable item (honestly, I would recommend this book just for the hilarity of seeing exactly what she stole. I loved that). After finding the lovely lady, Dragos determines he doesn’t want to kill her - but someone else might. They embark on a dangerous journey together as unlikely companions that fall in love in a funny, light-hearted, very contemporary romance.

I loved Dragos. He’s the ultimate Dragon, Alpha-male, OCD control freak, lover, you name it. He was male in his uncertainties and I liked how well Harrison infused his character with Dragon reasoning and logic. He was a very powerful, intense character and I liked him a lot. Pia confused me occasionally, and I wasn’t such a big fan of her - though I admired her strength, determination, and her honesty. They made an explosive couple in and out of bed, and they were a pleasure to read about. Their banter was witty and humorous, their conflicts equally amusing and very realistic. I only wished I’d felt a bit more depth to their emotion. I felt like Harrison was only grazing the surface of what was a very deep well of emotion and that disappointed me.

I truly wish this book could’ve been longer. I loved the romance plot, watching them grow in their capacity to love one another instead of just lust and watching them begin to explore and admire one another’s characters. I liked how Pia got used to Dragos violent, bipolar moods and calmed him, and how Dragos learned to respect someone else’s wishes instead of doing exactly as he pleased.The romantic journey, especially on Drago’s part was especially cool as this old as time being learns something new about life and love. The action plot was extraordinarily well-written and very suspenseful. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire book because the dramatic tension simply never let up.

The secondary characters were also amusing - Tricks the Dark Fae was fun and snappy, and I’m looking forward to reading her book. The Gryffons and other Wyrs were each well-developed and unique in their personalities. Graydon and Rune, in particular were excellent additions to the story and the bad guy was your typical self-assured evil villain. The ending, where Pia is brave and clever, was one of my favorite parts. I also loved it when she told Dragos her Name and he promised never to use it against her. Her trust and his possessive nature were beautifully intertwined to make this book extraordinary. I could’ve used a little more explanation on some of the Wyr stuff and the significance of mating and being able to change into one’s Wyr form, not being a paranormal reader for the most part. However this book was still very good as I mostly understood what was happening and anybody who reads paranormal a lot will love LOVE LOVE this book.

Favorite quotes:

“That’s my long, scaly, reptilian tail - and it’s bigger than anyone else’s.” (Dragos)

“I’ve had it up to here with your mulish bad-tempered crap, Tiago! I’ll thank you to remember my name is not ‘Tricks goddammit’ or ‘God damn you, Tricks.’ Henceforth those phrases are against the law - when you yell at me again the next one out of your mouth better be ‘Goddammit, ma’am’!” (Tricks)

Well, Dragos, it’s one thing to agree that we’re mates, but I don’t know about marriage,” she said. “I read Cosmo. You eat people. I think divorce court might call that the definition of irreconcilable.”

“A dragon just gave me a piece of jewelry,” she said. She took another swig and handed the bottle back to Graydon. “Have I been added to his hoard?”
He shook his head and drank too. “No, cupcake,” he said. “I’m pretty sure you’ve replaced it.”

“Sexy”ness rating: Hot - like, really super hot. He’s a dragon. What would you expect?

Overall Rating: A-

Bottom Line: This book is a definite to-read for paranormal romance lovers/dragon lovers. Dragos and Pia’s relationship is amusing, the story is fast-paced, suspenseful and fun, and the journey they share is well-written if a bit shallow for my tastes. Pick up this book on your next trip to the book store!

Pages: 328
Published: May 3, 2011
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy

Blood of the Demon by Rosalie Lario

This review was done on an ebook ARC copy provided by the lovely ladies at Sirens Song Reviews. Check out my post on their website at: Blood of the Demon by Rosalie Lario

Book 1 in the Demons of the Infernum Series

www.rosalielario.com

Wow, has it been a while since I’ve read a paranormal – and let me tell you, it was great! This was such a fun book to read. The hero and heroine were well done. The plot, besides being a tad silly at times, was refreshingly original. I loved the unique presentation of demons, angels, and their roles in the universe. This book has convinced me to look out for more Rosalie Lario works and perhaps read a few more paranormals, to keep it ‘unreal’. J That was a pun. Laugh. Please.

Thank you.

Anyways, on to the plot. Our hero, Keegan (I honestly could not find a last name. Coming from the land of historicals, where every character has not only a last name but thirteen titles, this was a disconcerting event for me), is a demon. He and his half-brothers, Taeg, Ronin, and Dagan, have been sent to Earth by ‘The Council’ to stop their father, Mammon (an insane, greed demon) from taking over the planet with an army of super-strong-flesh-eating zombies that he’s hoping to awaken with a spell from an ancient book. Only problem seems to be no one knows where the book is – or the heir, the only person on the planet who can make the spell work.

Keegan and his crew discover their heir’s identity before their father and whisk her away to… ah… safety. Brynn Meyers, however, is none too pleased at being whisked out of her art gallery and stolen by crazy kidnappers who believe she’s the key to the apocalypse. And thus, in a race against time to beat the maniacal father, the half-brothers and Brynn have to decide to work together. Although ridiculous at some points, I thought the book had a great pace. The plot was intriguing and definitely suspenseful. I was thoroughly entertained.

There were a few not-so-good plot problems. There were a few moments I wish were elaborated, for clarification and better understanding – and things were a tad rushed at the end. There were also a few minor plot details that didn’t exactly sit right, (for example if demons are never as strong as their parents, wouldn’t the entire species eventually die out from weakness as each successive generation would be weaker than the first?) but overall the plot was great and I was happily caught in the flow and the funny, sarcastic writing.

The characters. Keegan is a dark hero – the Alpha male, beaten by his father as a young boy, obsessed with responsibility in an effort to not turn out like dear ol' dad. He is the eldest, a leader, and very serious in terms of duty until Brynn comes along and rocks his world. Oh. Also, he’s really sexy. I don’t know if you like Tall, Dark, and Handsome but I definitely do. His brothers are all a riot, and I loved how they interacted! Taeg, especially was a hoot. He was uproarious, and a great comic relief but still loyal to his brother and intelligent and not simply a hopeless jokester. I liked that all of the guys had several dimensions. That can be hard to pull off, but Lario creates true characters matsterfully.

As far as our heroine, Brynn, I knew I liked her from page fifteen when she wakes up, remembers being kidnapped and says “That asshole.” Her spunk was charming, her strength an undeniable draw. She was open-minded, giving, compassionate, intelligent, curious, strong, and sarcastic. She stood up for herself and her man when it counted. She took all the strange things Keegan was telling her in stride, but she was intelligent enough to think about them, consider what they meant. She was definitely not an airhead. I loved her - she just got more and more admirable as the book went on.

The romantic plot, unfortunately, was probably my least favorite part – though it was still good! It lacked a proper build-up, and so some of the events seemed a little sudden. I couldn’t always feel the heat and sexual tension between Keegan and Brynn, especially in the beginning. I did love, however, how Keegan protected her and loved her fiercely at the end. His sacrifices for her and his family were so touching and emotional – and her bravery to save him was just as poignant. Overall, it was good – and it picked up steam as we went to a rip-roaring finish. This book was creative and dramatic - sensually and otherwise.

Favorite quotes (there were many more):

“Why don’t we take her to Disney World next? The Taj Mahal?” (Taeg)

“You were sent to Earth? So how are you supposed to have gotten here? Through a tornado?” (Brynn)

“What?” (Keegan)
“You know, like Dorothy? Wizard of Oz?”
Straight-faced, he said, “I’ve never met this wizard.”

“Wait a second. If there’s a portal in every major city, how come we couldn’t just use that to get here instead of flying?” (Brynn)

“Traffic control.” (Keegan)
“Are… are you shitting me?”

“Sexy”ness rating: Smokin!

Overall Rating: B+

Bottom Line: A sexy hero, a smart and spunky heroine, an insane father with apocalypse on the brain... this book had great characters, and a fun plot! I loved some of the unique ideas presented in this book. Reading this book made me remember why I love paranormal romance. A definite to read!

Pages: 241
Published: August 2011
Genre: Paranormal (Humans, Demons, Dragons, Zombies, Fae, Angels, Vampires, and Sirens all mentioned. Helluva zoo, I’ll say.)

Familiar by Michelle Rowen

www.michellerowen.com (buy the story at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/59524)

First off, let me say that some of the very first adult paranormal romance books I read were by Michelle Rowen, and I loved them (I believe it was her series about Thierry and Sarah Dearly). Her young adult short story, Familiar, captures some of her signature spunk that I love – though I really did wish it was longer. It had a lot of potential that simply wasn’t fulfilled in the 10,000 word limit.

The short story is about a young witch-in-training, Brenda, going to pick out her familiar. She chooses a runty little kitten – only to find out that this kitten is actually a shape-shifter named Owen. Brenda and Owen, in their little two-day adventure, run into quite a bit of trouble with werewolves and a really nasty older brother named Jeremy (Gr!!!). They help one another explore their situations and fears (albeit, rather hurriedly – this is a short story). A little bit of love blossoms, a happy ending occurs.

What does Ms. Rowen do well? She captures the essence of teenage uncertainty, desire to belong, and desire to please. She also writes the completely illogical nature of teenage logic (i.e. I don't want to disappoint my mother by being bad at magic, so instead I won't even try) really well. Any teenager would be able to easily relate, and all of us who have been teenagers once recall those feelings with clarity. If the story had been a little bit longer she could’ve done a better job developing the story and the characters and added more of her signature witty flair. As it was, it wasn’t bad – in fact it was pretty good for a story of its length. If you’re looking for a quick, fast-paced, light read, this is a book to pick up.

Favorite quote:

“Um, Owen? Do you want some breakfast or something?”

A smile stretched across his face, making him better looking, if that was even possible. “Breakfast sounds really good. Almost as good as ‘or something.’”

 “Sexy”ness rating: It’s Young Adult, so it’s totally PG with very sweet, chaste kisses 

(note – this book is graded on a Young Adult, Short Story scale. Do not compare its grade to those of full length, adult novels) Overall Rating:

B

Bottom Line: Perfect for an hour/two hour wait when you want to read an uncomplicated, fast-paced, young adult love story.

Pages: 10,000 words
Published: May 13, 2011
Genre: Young Adult Paranormal