Vampires Gone Wild (Vamp City, #1.5; Love at Stake, #13.5; Diaries of an Urban Panther, #3.5) by Kerrelyn Sparks, Pamela Palmer, Amanda Arista, Kim Falconer

Vampires Gone Wild by Kerrelyn Sparks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


V is for VampWoman by Kerrelyn Sparks

Pamela decides to shed her prim and proper ways for spandex and a mask to help fight the Malcontents. Now if only she weren't so distracted by the sexy vampire fighting by her side . . .

A Forever Love by Pamela Palmer

Trapped in Vamp City, Lukas has been unable to return to the beauty who stole his heart. But now that she's stumbled into his world, it will take every ounce of cunning he possesses to keep her alive.

First Dates Are Hell by Amanda Arista

Valiance's first date in a hundred years is going great . . . until they're attacked in the parking lot and quiet, unassuming Esme turns out to be way more than she appears.

Blood and Water by Kim Falconer

Beneath the waves of San Francisco Bay lives a vampire race that wants nothing to do with the "landers" except to feed on them. But when Stellan sets eyes on Angelina, everything changes.
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I picked up this book at Amazon solely for the Love at Stake story. I of course enjoyed the story of Lady Pamela and Mikhail, as I do all of the Love at Stake stories.

I did not really care much for Blood and Water by Kim Falconer. There were elements of the story that were okay but overall I was not drawn into the story like the others in this book. I did however very much enjoy the other two stories in the book, A Forever Love by Pamela Palmer & First Dates Are Hell by Amanda Arista, and look forward to finding the other books in the series where these two worlds exist.

So overall a quite enjoyable read that introduced me to 2 new authors and two new worlds that I can not wait to explore.



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Endgame (Sirantha Jax, #6) by Ann Aguirre

Endgame by Ann Aguirre

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Regret nothing.

Sirantha Jax has the J-gene, which permits her to “jump” faster-than-light ships through grimspace. She loves nothing more than that rush, but the star roads have to wait…

Her final mission takes her to La’heng, a planet subjugated during first contact. Since then, the La’hengrin homeworld has been occupied by foreign conquerors.

All that’s about to change.

Now, as part of a grassroots resistance, Jax means to liberate the La’hengrin. But political intrigue and guerrilla warfare are new to her, and this will be the most dangerous game she’s ever played—spies and conspiracies, a war of weapons and hearts, and not everyone is guaranteed to make it out alive..

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As much as I am going to miss the world of Sirantha Jax I was pleased to see everything wrapped up and the series end the way that it did. Ann Aguirre has a very special talent for creating worlds that the reader can immerse themselves in. The world of Sirantha Jax has been an exciting one to visit.



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Turkey Day Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery, #7) by Leslie Meier

Turkey Day Murder by Leslie Meier

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Tinker’s Cove has a long history of Thanksgiving festivities, from visits with TomTom Turkey to the annual Warriors high school football game and Lucy Stone’s impressive pumpkin pie. But this year, someone has added murder to the menu, and Lucy intends to discover who left Metinnicut Indian activist Curt Nolan deader than the proverbial Thanksgiving turkey—with an ancient war club next to his head.

The list of suspects isn’t exactly a brief one. Nolan had a habit of disagreeing with just about everybody he met. Between fixing dinner for twelve and keeping her four kids from tearing each other limb from limb, Lucy has a pretty full plate already. So what’s a little investigation? But if she’s not careful, she just may find herself served up as a last-minute course, stone-cold dead with all the trimmings…

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Typical Lucy Stone mystery. I did not know who the killer was until they caught him, so that is a plus. I was actually going to give Bill credit for not being a neanderthal in this book, but in the end, he was. I enjoy reading these mysteries mostly because I enjoy visiting the folks of Tinker Cove and seeing how Lucy's kids are growing.





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Jack: The Tale of Frost by Tony Bertauski

Jack: The Tale of Frost by Tony Bertauski

My rating: 3 of 5 stars


Sura is sixteen years old when she meets Mr. Frost. He’s very short and very fat and he likes his room very, very cold. Some might say inhumanly cold. His first name isn’t Jack, she’s told. And that’s all she needed to know.

Mr. Frost’s love for Christmas is over-the-top and slightly psychotic. And why not? He’s made billions of dollars off the holiday he invented. Or so he claims. Rumor is he’s an elven, but that’s silly. Elven aren’t real. And if they were, they wouldn’t live in South Carolina. They wouldn’t hide in a tower and go to the basement to make…things.

Nonetheless, Sura will work for this odd little recluse. Frost Plantation is where she’ll meet the love of her life. It’s where she’ll finally feel like she belongs somewhere. And it’s where she’ll meet someone fatter, balder and stranger than Mr. Frost. It’s where she’ll meet Jack.

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This is going to be a very hard review to write. I have been eagerly anticipating this book every since I read Claus: Legend of the Fat Man earlier this year. Claus was easily one of my favorite reads of the year, so I was expecting a lot from this book. Sadly I did not quite find what I was hoping for. Where Claus had amazing world building with so much detail that I was totally immersed in the story, I felt that Jack lacked those exact things. I was able to fill in some gaps because I had read Claus (which in my opinion is a necessity before you read Jack) but I just did not feel like I was being drawn in like I had been while reading Claus. I don't feel like I really got to know any of the characters well enough to connect to them. I almost feel like I was just getting a glimpse into Mr. Frost's life, whereas I wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to get to know May, Templeton, Jonah, Joe and Sura. I wanted to be a part of Frost's plan, not just see the end result of it. I wanted more! This will not deter me from reading the next installment -- Frosty: Journey of a Snowman, but I do hope that Tony gives us more of what I so loved about Claus -- all those wonderful little details that made me believe that the world that he created on the North Pole could exist and could be the basis for our modern day beliefs in Santa Claus.



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The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo (Love at Stake, #14) by Kerrelyn Sparks

The Vampire With the Dragon Tattoo by Kerrelyn Sparks

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


He's Out of Control

Dougal Kincaid has something to prove. After being injured in a battle with the Malcontents, he's ready for active duty protecting unsuspecting mortals from these villainous vampires who want to rule the world. But first he has to get control of himself . . . because just the sight of a certain lovely doctor has his injured hand doing some peculiar things, not to mention the sizzling sensation that burns along his dragon tattoo.

Vampires? Vampires?! As a scientist, Leah is having trouble believing that these immortal creatures exist. But there they are, standing in front of her, asking for help in solving a genetic puzzle that can save mankind. There's even one in a sexy kilt! Just one look into Dougal's gorgeous green eyes sets her pulse racing. But can she trust him—and the overwhelming desire that refuses to be ignored?

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Another enjoyable read in the Love at Stake series. Dougal finally gets his chance at love. The vamps make some headway in their war against the Malcontents and we get to revisit several of the couples that have been featured in earlier books. Love this series!!



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Slashback (Cal Leandros, #8) by Rob Thurman

Slashback by Rob Thurman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


I stopped and let them circle me, first because it was intriguing and, second, because, honestly, what could they do? Only knives, but all armed, and that made them even more interesting. Interesting. Fun.

Playtime…

Taking on bloodthirsty supernatural monsters is how Caliban and Niko Leandros make a living. But years ago—before they became a force to be reckoned with—the brothers were almost victims of a very human serial killer.

Almost.

Unfortunately for them, that particular depraved killer was working as apprentice to a creature far more malevolent—the legendary Spring-heeled Jack. He’s just hit town. He hasn’t forgotten what the Leandros brothers did to his murderous protégé. He hasn’t forgotten what they owe him.

And now they are going to pay… and pay… and pay.…

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I am glad that Thurman seems to be going back to the action that I enjoyed so much in the earlier books in this series. A lot of information came out in this book. Robin's tie to the Leandros brothers. Things that happened in the past that relate to who and what the brothers are today. A lot of loose ends were tied up, but at the same time a lot was left open to the possibility of new story lines. I have not seen anything about rather another book is in the works for this series but with all of the things still left open I am certainly hoping so.



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UR by Stephen King

UR by Stephen King

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


As quickly as a spider spins its web, King reminds us why he's the master of the novella - a format which, up until now that is, one might have thought is fast disappearing. In his new novella, UR, King is at his unsettling best as he examines the future of the written word - for better or worse. Following a nasty break-up, lovelorn college English instructor Wesley Smith can't seem to get his ex-girlfriend's parting shot out of his head: "Why can't you just read off the computer like the rest of us?" Egged on by her question and piqued by a student's suggestion, Wesley places an order for Amazon.com's Kindle eReader. The [pink?] device that arrives in a box stamped with the smile logo -via one-day delivery that he hadn't requested - unlocks a literary world that even the most avid of book lovers could never imagine. But once the door is open, there are those things that one hopes we'll never read or live through. Firm, gripping, and deftly written by a craftsman at the top of his game, this is King at his crisp, clear, page-turning best.

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This was a good, quick read. The ending came a bit abruptly for me. I was reading along and went to turn the page and was like "what?" I was not expecting an ending right then. lol Loved the glimpse into the Dark Tower series. I always love how King manages to bring other books into each of his stories.

Definitely worth the time that it takes to read.



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Doubletake (Cal Leandros, #7) by Rob Thurman

Doubletake by Rob Thurman

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Half-human/half-monster Cal Leandros knows that family is a pain. But now that pain belongs to his half-brother, Niko. Niko's shady father is in town, and he needs a big favor. Even worse is the reunion being held by the devious Puck race-including the Leandros' friend, Robin- featuring a lottery that no Puck wants to win.

As Cal tries to keep both Niko and Robin from paying the ultimate price for their kin, a horrific reminder from Cal's own past arrives to remind him that blood is thicker than water-and that's why it's so much more fun to spill.

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I am glad that the author has gone back to her excellent use of nonstop action to keep the novel moving along. I am glad that Cal has begun to accept what/who he is and that the author moved away from all of the philosophical waxing that was rampant in the last couple of books. I love the relationship between Cal and Niko and the fact that nothing can ever come between them. The introduction of Grimm allows us to explore the Auphe aspect of Cal from a different point of view. We can now see what Cal could have been if not for the bond with Niko while still holding on to the possibility that Cal can retain his humanity.



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