Merry Meet (Circle of Three, 2) by Isobel Bird

Circle of Three #2: Merry Meet by Isobel Bird


Joined together hand in hand our circle gathers round, to work our magic, weave the web, and dance on sacred ground. By the goddess we are called, witch to witch and friend to friend, to merry meet, and merry part, and merry meet again.

A book of spells brought Kate, Cooper, and Annie together. The three are coompelled to learn more, and the door is opened with the stirring ritual of the Vernal Equinox.

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
Once again I enjoyed the introduction to Wicca with this book, but the personal problems struggles with the main character did not interest me. I have to keep reminding myself that the main character is a 15 year old girl, which excuses her for some of her more selfish, self-centered behavior.

I will probably read a couple more in the series just to see how it goes. I am also going to encourage my 15 year old dd to read the first couple books as they do offer a nice introduction into what Wicca is and she has recently asked questions about Wicca.

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Circle of Three #1: So Mote It Be (Circle of Three, 1) by Isobel Bird

Circle of Three #1: So Mote It Be by Isobel Bird


Are magical powers real? Can you use them to get good grades or a date with the cutest guy at school? Sophomore Kate Morgan isn't sure, but she's willing to find out. After bringing home some books on the Salem witch trials for a research project, Kate discovers a volume she doesn't remember checking out--Spells and Charms for the Modern Witch. Intrigued, she thinks she has found a quick fix for her Valentine's Day datelessness. But after hastily casting a love spell, Kate realizes she has set a universal force in motion that not only nets her intended hottie, but every guy at school. Suddenly all the boys at Beecher Falls High have a crush on Kate. Desperate to end the curse that makes all guys love her--and consequently, all girls hate her--Kate finds a way to uncover other wannabe teen witches. But shy scholar Annie Crandall and raging riot grrrl Cooper Rivers aren't sure that they want to be a part of Kate's case of bad karma. Unless she can convince them to join her, Kate may be doomed to suffer from uncontrollable popularity forever!

My review

rating: 3 of 5 stars
I am kind of on the fence with this book. While I enjoyed the Wicca aspect of the book and the girl's introduction to magic, I was a little put off by all of the high school drama. Of course the book is a teen book written about a group of 10th grade girls who stumble across a book of spells and decide to experiment with magic. There is a lot of teen drama in the book -- cliques, friends, boys, grades, etc. We all remember those days. lol Having a 15 year old daughter made it a little more interesting to read as I could see a lot of what was in the book in things she talks about from school.

Anyway the book was okay and I intend to read the next in the series before I decide if I want to continue with the series or not.

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Bestial by Ray Garton

Bestial by Ray Garton


Something very strange is happening in the coastal California town of Big Rock. Several residents have died in unexplained, particularly brutal ways, many torn apart in animal attacks. And there's always that eerie howling late at night....


You might think there's a werewolf in town. But you'd be wrong. It's not just one werewolf, but the whole that's gradually transforming. Bit by bit, as the infection spreads, the werewolves are becoming more and more powerful. In fact, humans may soon be the minority, mere prey for their hungry neighbors. Is it too late for the humans to fight back? Did they ever have a chance from the start?

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
As much as I enjoyed 'Ravenous' it was just the appetizer for Bestial. What a great read. I so enjoy Garton's writing and his take on the supernatural. This book was less about the blood and gore and more about the story of what happens to Big Rock when it is invaded by werewolves. Loved the fact that some of the main characters from this book are the Private Investigators from 'Night Life' I am looking forward to more of their adventures in future books (at least that is where I hope that Garton is going with them.)

Excellent read and highly recommended!

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Ravenous by Ray Garton

Ravenous by Ray Garton


From Publishers Weekly
A serial rapist is on the loose in the sleepy California town of Big Rock, and sheriff Farrell Hurley's secretary is the latest victim. When a self-proclaimed werewolf hunter named Daniel Fargo comes into town claiming that Big Rock has an infestation of the creatures, Hurley thinks the man is insane, until the eviscerated corpses and attacks by large animals start in earnest. For Garton, lycanthropy is an STD, spread mostly through rape, that runs rampant through a small town fraught with affairs and intrigues. His werewolf is a terrifying creature: not a remorseful, helpless cursed human but a homicidal beast driven by a dual urge to breed and feed. Hurley is a sheriff to root for, and Garton's well-paced horror novel reworks the werewolf myth to great effect.

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great read. It is really nice to read a werewolf book that is not a romance, but classic horror.

I really enjoy Garton's writing and his take on the supernatural. Highly recommend this to horror fans.

Looking forward to reading the sequel 'Bestial'.


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The Lost Ones (The Veil, #3) by Christopher Golden

The Lost Ones by Christopher Golden


Bestselling author Christopher Golden brings his epic, innovative trilogy, the Veil, to an astonishing conclusion as the mythic realm of heroes and monsters becomes the site of humanity’s last—and greatest—showdown.

In the world of the legendary, every myth and folktale is real. That is what Oliver Bascombe learned on the other side of the Veil, where humanity's legends have hidden away for centuries. But even legends have legends, and Oliver has learned of a prophecy that many believe he and his sister, Collette, have come to the Two Kingdoms to fulfill. Before they can discover the truth, the Bascombe siblings must help to stop an apocalyptic war that threatens to destroy the Two Kingdoms, unravel a conspiracy, and prevent a powerful sorcerer from severing the world of humans from the realm of the legendary forever.

But first Oliver will have to plot an escape from an impregnable palace dungeon where he and his allies have been imprisoned . . . for regicide.

As old heroes and friends ally themselves for one last battle, even older enemies stand arrayed against them. Is humanity ready to face its legends head-on? For Oliver Bascombe, the price may be dearer than even he could ever imagine.

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a good ending to the trilogy. Most of the book is about the war between the Borderkind/Legends and the Atlanteans. The gathering of forces and actual battle. Oliver and Collette also come into their magical abilities and see themselves for the legend-born that they are. All in all a satisfying end.

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Carpe Corpus (The Morganville Vampires, #6) by Rachel Caine

Carpe Corpus by Rachel Caine

In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace—until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He’s kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths. He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants—the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Another wonderful jaunt in Morganville.

In this book Claire and friends find themselves caught up in the middle of the war between Bishop and Amelie. The fate of Morganville depends on the outcome of this war and Claire has her part to play in that outcome. I can't go into much detail without giving everything away, but it was a nice quick read. We do finally get an ending and not a major cliff-hanger, which makes it a lot easier to wait till the next book is released in November.

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Night Life by Ray Garton

Night Life by Ray Garton


Davey Owen is a man with a death sentence. Nearly twenty years and a lifetime ago, Davey battled a circle of vampires and survived...forever changed. Many of the vampires were destroyed, but the ones who escaped have been hunting Davey ever since. Now they’ve found him. The passing years have only intensified their thirst for revenge, and at last their prey is within sight. They will make sure that this time he does not escape. They will not rest until Davey pays for what he did to them. With his last drop of blood.

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
While not as good as 'Live Girls' still an interesting sequel.

Davey and Casey have made a quiet, happy life for themselves after escaping the vampires in the last book. They have learned to live as vampires without killing and have discovered a network of other vampires like themselves who want to exist without killing. Unfortunately that all comes to an end when a famous horror writer hires a couple of private investigators to find Walter Benedek who leads them to Davey and Casey.

When Casey and one of the investigators are kidnapped by the Brutals -- the vamps who kill to feed -- Davey must team up with some new friends to try to save them.

While not as well written as the first book I still enjoyed this sequel. Looking forward to seeing how Garton tackles werewolves next!

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Live Girls by Ray Garton

Live Girls by Ray Garton


Davey's on the down and out when he loses his girl, his job and practically his sanity. While some men drown themselves in a forgiving bottle, Davey believes it's much more profitable to sink into Times Square's nightlife and lose himself inside Live Girls. They are the free ravishing pleasures who beckon Davey into a world of irresistible fantasy and ecstasy. One of them propositions him with a kiss, an insatiable kiss that leads him far from the misery he once felt to a demonic place where body and soul are sacrificed for obsessions.

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Great horror read. I read this in one day since I did not want to put it down once I started. Wonderfully dark and interesting take on modern day vampires. The characters were well developed and the story was great. Just the right amount of horror to make it interesting but not go over the top. Can not wait to get into the sequel 'Night Life'.

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Death Perception (Psychic Eye Mystery, Book 6) by Victoria Laurie

Death Perception by Victoria Laurie


Abby Cooper's betting the house on her inner eye...

It took a while for Abby Cooper's FBI agent boyfriend, Dutch Rivers, to accept her psychic gifts as the real deal. But these days he knows better than to question Abby's visions. So when his favorite cousin Chase is kidnapped in Vegas, they both catch the next flight to Sin City. Abby's inner eye insists that Chase is still alive, but nothing else about the case adds up, especially Dutch's reluctance to involve his own Bureau.

On top of everything, Dutch is battling a mysterious illness, and Abby keeps having disturbing dreams that predict his death. Dutch wants Abby to promise that if the investigation goes south, she'll head home to safety. But when the chips are down, Abby won't fold without a fight...

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another great Psychic Eye Mystery.

Dutch and Abby head to Vegas when Dutch gets word that his cousin Chase has been kidnapped along with a wealthy business man that he was working for. As Dutch and Abby join the local PD to try to find Chase things get more complicated by the minute. Dutch is suffering from some sort of sickness and Abby keeps having dreams about his death. When Dutch disappears Abby calls in Candice and Cat to help her find him. The three of them go on a heck of an adventure to find Dutch as Abby keeps getting the feeling that time is running out for him.

I loved when the girls teemed up in Vegas. What a fun ride. I really enjoy this series and plan to pre-order the next which is due to be released in September. Pre-orders are very rare for me, but I love this series that much!

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Crime Seen (Psychic Eye Mystery, Book 5) by Victoria Laurie

Crime Seen by Victoria Laurie
Abby Cooper, Psychic Eye, is having a hard time getting over a gunshot wound from her last case-especially because she didn't see the shots coming. Out of work and second-guessing her abilities, she tries to get back in the saddle by helping her boyfriend Dutch with some of his FBI cases. And soon enough, her intuition returns-with a vengeance.

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another great Psychic Eye book. In this book Abby is recovering from the gunshot wound that she received in her last book. She is staying with Dutch and is having a hard time trusting her intuitive powers since she feels that they let her down when she got shot. In steps Candice, her PI friend with an offer that Abby just can not refuse, and which helps to get Abby right back into the thick of things. She helps Dutch with a couple of FBI cases while at the same time works behind Dutch's back with Candice on a cold case that both Dutch and Milo are personally involved in, putting herself once more in the middle of some dangerous situations.

A great mystery in this book as well Dutch and Abby working on their relationship. As a whole a great read!

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Killer Insight (Psychic Eye Mystery, Book 4) by Victoria Laurie

Killer Insight by Victoria Laurie

Died to Match


When her relationship with FBI agent Dutch Rivers skids to a halt, Abby Cooper is fully aware that a wedding isn't the best post-breakup scenario. But when a friend from the Mile High City finds herself short one bridesmaid, it doesn't take a professional psychic to see the opportunity for a much-needed get-away.

High altitudes can be healing, and Abby reunites with friends--especially her childhood crush Duffy McGinnis, now town sherrif... not to mention tall tark and yummy. But Abby needs more than a shoulder to cry on. One bridesmaid after another is mysteriously flying the coop, and Abby's intuition tells her that their final destinations aren't pretty.

With the wedding party falling apart and her gift of sight never quite so foggy, Abby has to save the date--and herself from becoming the next taffeta-clad target...

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
When Abby and Dutch break up on Valentine's Day, Abby decides to leave early for the wedding of her childhood friend to try to mend her broken heart. Of course she ends up right in the middle of a mystery when it ends up that the missing bridesmaid that she is replacing is dead. As bridesmaids start disappearing and Abby finds herself getting reacquainted with her old crush Duffy, now the local sheriff, Abby finds herself right in the middle of the mayhem.

I do have to say that Abby is a little better this time about not jumping right into danger, but it still seems to find her.

I really enjoyed this book and loved new cast of characters that we met. Looking forward to more of Abby's story.

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A Vision of Murder (A Psychic Eye Mystery, Book 3) by Victoria Laurie

A Vision of Murder by Victoria Laurie

Professional psychic Abby Cooper has invested in a fixer-upper, hoping to make a killing in the real estate market. But a killing of another kind puts her plans awry, as the ghost of a murdered woman and some troublesome poltergeists lead her into a mystery that stretches all the way back to World War II.

My review

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Another great Abby Cooper mystery.

This time around Abby, her sister Cat and Dave her handyman decide to form a company and purchase homes that need work to fix up and resell. Unfortunately for them the first home that they buy is haunted. Abby is drawn into the growing mystery of why the house is haunted and by whom as her whole life is turned upside down by a madman who seems to have targeted her.

Add to that the fact that Abby is playing nursemaid to a healing Dutch who managed to get shot in the behind on his last case and you have a great read!

I am really enjoying this series and can not wait to move on to the next book.
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