Kushiel's Dart (Kushiel's Legacy #1)- Jacqueline Carey

In the land of Terre d' Ange, the mantra is "love as thou wilt", and the inhabitants execute this rule with due diligence. Phedre no Delaunay is a girl born with a scarlet mote in her eye, which marks her as the chosen of the god Kushiel, the god of punishment. She will forever experience pleasure and pain as one in the same. Phedre is born into the Night Court, but is sold into service of Anafiel Delaunay. He trains her to be his eyes and ears in the court, by means of scholarly arts and mastery in the bedchamber (a standard training in this world). However, when Phedre stumbles upon a plot that could be the undoing of Terre d'Ange she must do everything in her power to stop those who wish to upset the balance and beauty of her homeland.

Overall Merit: I love this book, and I thought I'd review it since I just finished rereading it. All of the Terre d'Ange books are brilliant and I think I picked the perfect length of time to wait before rereading them. The characters are excellent and I would willingly follow Phedre and Joscelin to the ends of the earth. Carey's alternative historical world is excellent and filled with lavish details that are a feast to imagine. These books are a perfect example of erotica done in a tasteful and effective manner. There is a legitimate storyline and the sexual interludes enhance the characterization and plot rather than distracting from the point. Score- 12

Characters:  Phedre is a great character, I love her to pieces. She is witty and intelligent and brings dignity to the profession of courtesan, that I've never seen in any other book. Joscelin is excellent as well and his character arc is the most dramatic of any of the characters. Other supporting characters like Hyacinthe shine through as well. The main villain is a femme fatale of the worst kind, you love to hate her, but at the same time are loath to hate her. Great characters overall, definitely will make you want to follow them through the rest of the series. Score- 12

Blush Factor: Phedre and Joscelin might be one of my all time favorite fantasy couplings. They complement each other so nicely with contrasting, but not clashing personalities. This book is definitely explicit so keep the children away. Sex is at the forefront of this world and of Phedre's character so keep that in mind. There is also a lot of BDSM so if that isn't your thing, it might be a bit off-putting, but if you can see past that to the excellent story then please try and read this book. Score- 10

Structure: This book follows Phedre's perspective in first person, but she is such a fascinating character that it is effortless and enjoyable to ride along with her. The world structure is fantastic and I love Carey's laissez faire attitude about things that in our world are considered so taboo. Excellent juxtaposition of romance/erotica with plot line. What can I say? I can't stop raining accolades down upon this book. Score- 13

Plot: Courtly intrigue and culture clash. Not much more you can ask for in a fantasy/alternate history book. The civilizations that Carey brings together are each unique and intricate. She definitely did her research for this series. There is just enough magic to keep the story in the realm of fantasy, but not enough so that I'd classify it as strictly epic. However, the present elements are well-executed and the story is tight. The plot is well-thought out and complex enough to keep you on the edge of your seat. Score- 11

Vervain says: "Phedre is a servant of both Namaah and Kushiel, two gods that are usually not juxtaposed. Josceline on the other hand, is a Cassiline, which adds even more absurdity in to the Phedre x Josceline coupling."

The Bone Doll's Twin (The Tamir Triad #1)- Lynn Flewelling

For centuries, warrior queens protected the land of Skala until the king Erius usurped his younger sister's throne and brought plague and drought upon the land. To make matters worse, the enemy kingdom of Plenimar drains Skala dry. The king fights to ensure that his son and heir is the next to take the throne and to do this, any females born to the royal line have all perished by 'mysterious' means. All except his sister's daughter who was given male form by dark magic to protect her until the time she can ascend the throne. The child, Tobin grows to manhood, ignorant of his true identity and haunted by the demon spirit of the twin whose body he stole. Only, Tobin's father, two wizards, and a forest witch know the truth of his identity and they will have to be enough to protect him until he can stand on his own as the queen of Skala.

Overall Merit: This book is beautiful. I loved this book and read it without stopping for three hours until I was finished. Tobin is a haunting yet bewitching character and your heart bleeds for him as you see him struggle to fit a male mold even though instinctively he wants to play with dolls. Then there is the issue of his deranged mother and the hideous doll she carries around with her that binds the spirit of her child's murdered twin.  The magic is dark and deliciously twisted and the characters are fascinating. Flewelling has created a fantastical story with unique magic. Score- 11.5

Characters: Tobin is wonderful as is his friend Ki, who shows up a bit later in the story. The camaraderie they share is touching and I enjoyed every moment I got to spend with them. Even the antagonists have depth here. The king is a cruel and twisted man, who still has affection for his mad sister even though if he knew the truth of the children she bore he would have executed the girl without a thought. Lhel is creepy, but in a good way, I get a very New Orleans witchdoctor feel from her, which is something I've never gotten in epic fantasy before. The other wizards are interesting I suppose, kind of generic, but perhaps they play a greater role later on in the series. Score- 10

Blush Factor: There is a bit of explicit content here, but I wouldn't exactly call it romance. Score: N/A

Structure: I am not a fan of prophecies in general. However, this novel did something different in that the prophecy had already occurred and it was lack of fulfillment that was causing a problem. Props for that, it didn't make me wince the way most prophecy books do. This was primarily through Tobin's perspective, but it also took a side plot to Lhel and the wizard Arkoniel, which was interesting enough, and I look forward to seeing how that plays out in the next books. Score-10

Plot: The plot didn't progress a ton in this book, but I didn't expect it to. A first in a trilogy is to set the stage, introduce the characters, etc. Flewelling did an excellent job with all the necessary components and I am half-dying waiting for the next books to come in the mail. True the content is a bit twisted and grotesque so if that isn't your thing, too bad, read this book anyway. I got a good feel for the characters and the story kept a good pace. Loved this book, so happy I finally decided to read it. Score-11

Vervain Says: "The reason Tobin's twin haunts him is because the body/soul was not disposed of properly."

The Fairy Godmother- Mercedes Lackey

In the Five Hundred Kingdoms, everyone has a role to play, whether it be that of a normal peasant or noble, or something more important. This role is determined by a force called the Tradition. Once the Tradition decides that a person is useful or important, magic will culminate around said person and push them on a path toward their inevitable destiny. However, sometimes the logistics don't always work out correctly. Elena was supposed to be a "Cinderella" in her world. She has the evil stepmother and sisters to boot, but as luck would have it, the prince of her kingdom is eleven and not a viable candidate. So instead, she finds herself apprenticed to the fairy godmother of her kingdom and is poised to take over her position as soon as she learns how to control and use the magic that the Tradition has bestowed upon her.

Overall Merit: This was a fluffy book. It was fun to read and I did enjoy the world that Lackey created. This was my first Mercedes Lackey book so I don't know a whole lot about her writing style. To sum it up in one word: cute. The book was cutesy and headed for an inevitable happy ending, which I guess is to be expected in a world governed by fairytales. It wasn't anything so amazing, but I liked the concept of the world and it was a quick read. If you're looking for intense, well-written fantasy/characters/plot then this probably isn't your book, but I mean it was a very light read--'beachy' if you will (not that I know so much about beaches, Unseelie is sadly deficient)--so I finished it in a few hours. The main gripe I had was the romance. This romantic sequence pissed me off/confused me to the extreme. More on that in 'Blush Factor'. Score- 7

Characters: Not a whole lot of substance here. As I said, the characters weren't very well-written. I didn't get any real emotion from anyone and I didn't particularly care about Alexander or Elena. They weren't annoying characters, which always buys some points in my book, but they were flat. Elena was ho-hum not that interesting and her personality wasn't there. She never expressed any real emotion--same issue with Alexander. Sure, Lackey told me he was annoyed/wanted to throttle Elena, but she didn't show me his frustration. The other characters were basically sketches, thrown in to help the plot along, but they literally had no personality or were so stereotypical that they may as well have been stick figures. Score- 5

Blush Factor: *SPOILERS* Don't even get me started. This was one of the worst romances I have ever seen. First off, you knew that Elena and Alexander were going to get together as soon as she drags him away from his quest to 'punish' him. Then, he tries to sexually assault her, which I find is never conducive to any sort of kind feelings. After, when he becomes more civil, they start having freaky shared sex dreams and somehow along the lines end up falling in love. And finally, out of the blue he asks her if she's been having the same dreams as him and then when she says yes they go up to his rooms and have a weird variation of sex. What the Hell? Score- 3

Structure: I really did like the world, which is why I give some kudos to this book. I liked the pseudo fairytale setting and the magical rules of the world. Lackey gave good definition to her magic and the rules governing the world, which was amenable since so many writers neglect to do that. The story wove in and out of Elena's and Alexander's perspectives, which was standard, but I wished there had been more definition when the perspectives jumped. I got a line break and that was it, just a formatting issue, but still something to note. If you do decide to check out the book, do it for the world structure. Score- 8

Plot: I mean there was a plot, it wasn't a very good plot, but it was a plot all the same. I hated the ending, it was extremely rushed. It felt like Lackey was trying to avoid major conflict, realized that was impossible, and ended up putting it in at the end and sweeping it under the carpet as quickly as she could. The premise was decent, not super strong, but not awful either. Lackey could have done something much more interesting with the world. There really wasn't enough conflict. Elena mastered her magic in what felt like moments, Alexander was helped by fairies, and the final 'epic' battle was over in a few pages. No one died. Everyone lived happily ever after, even though the message that Lackey kept driving home in the book was that it didn't work like that. Score- 6

Vervain Says: "Fairy Godmothers are responsible for quest giving, testing heros, and keeping magic from running amok."

Warbreaker- Brandon Sanderson

This is the story of two princesses, Vivenna and Siri, one of whom is destined to marry the God King of Hallandren. It is also the story of a minor god who hates his job as one of the Returned, and another immortal who is trying to correct his mistakes made centuries ago. In their world, people who die under the right circumstances join the pantheon of the Returned, and live as gods for the rest of eternity. However, the gods need Breath to live, Breath, which is the source of Biochromatic power that every person possesses to a certain extent. A power that will prove to be the undoing of many and the fortune maker of few. Only through the collective efforts of Siri, Vivenna, Lightsong, Susebron the God King, and Vasher the Warbreaker will an inevitable war come to a less than devastating conclusion.

-I apologize for the vague and patchy synopsis. However, given the contents of the story I had little to work with. Here's an interview with Sanderson that might clarify things a bit.

Overall Merit: First off, the cover is gorgeous, but that's through no merit of the author. I think this book disappointed me more than it would someone else because the Mistborn Trilogy was just fantastic. For some reason, Sanderson was able to capture all of his literary prowess in those books, but fell far from the mark in this standalone novel. I do have to give credit where it's due and say that Sanderson is a genius at creating new worlds. The world in Warbreaker was intrinsically fascinating and thrilling, but the rest of the story, plot, characters, etc fell flat. Score- 7

Characters: Often times when there are a lot of perspectives going on at the same time, a reader will favor one perspective over the other perspectives. In fact, I've yet to find a multi-perspective book where this hasn't been the case for me. Then again, this is all relative because I found nearly all the characters to be annoying. Vivenna was bratty and spoiled and Sanderson kept talking about how she was 'so well controlled', but I never really saw it. Okay, I sort of did, but only through a really annoying plot device that he exploited far more than he should have. Vivenna and Siri, as royal princesses of Idris have the ability to change their hair color based on mood. Sanderson used this as a copout because instead of giving us other indicators as to how the girls were feeling it would just be like "her hair flared red", "her hair bleached", etc. Siri was also annoying because for such a 'rebellious' girl, she really didn't do anything all that rebellious. I don't know, Vin and Elend (Mistborn) were more real for me and I actually liked them as people. Score- 5

Blush Factor: This was a presence in the book, somewhat. I mean it's weird, Mistborn was uber chaste and then Sanderson spends a good deal of time talking about just how big Mercystar and Blushweaver's (two of the Returned) breasts are. Then there's the whole weird thing going on with Susebron and Siri (horrible name choice by the way). I don't know, I mean the Siri x Susebron thing wasn't bad, it was kind of sweet actually so kudos for that, but then he tried to do something with Vivenna and Vasher. The whole book was all over the place. This wasn't a terrible aspect, but neither was it that important. Solid, I guess. Score- 7

Structure: There were too many perspectives and I didn't enjoy reading most of them, in fact I kind of skimmed all the chapters that didn't involve Siri and Susebron--the only side story I found moderately entertaining. Perhaps it had to do with the fact that I didn't really care about most of the characters, but Susebron, the God King intrigued me and I actually somewhat wanted to find out what happened with him, even though I could care less about the rest of the story. Score- 6

Plot: Ok, this was really, really contrived. There were way too many things going on and I even though the book was very long, it wasn't nearly long enough to flesh out all the details Sanderson was trying to cram into 600 pages. To be honest, all I got was there was some kind of conspiracy with the God King and a war was on the horizon. There were about 20 different rebel factions and it was nigh impossible to keep track of. Things were going on with Vivenna and some other things with Lightsong. Like I said, the only chapters I actually liked reading were the ones with Siri and Susebron. Score- 5

Vervain says: "Read the Mistborn Trilogy, but avoid this book unless you're absolutely desperate to read something else by Sanderson."

Vengeance Born (Light Blade #1)- Kylie Griffin

Annika is a half-breed demon (Na'Chi) and in her world this puts her lower than even the lowest caste of demon (Na'Reish). She is abused and punished for her lineage and spends most of her time hiding and treating injured prisoners in the dungeons. Through her mortal blood she inherited an unparalleled gift  for healing, which she hides because on the flip side it also allows her to kill. Annika thinks she will spend the rest of her life in her miserable existence until one day she discovers that the newest prisoner is a Light Blade, a warrior of the mortals' Goddess, named Kalan. They make a pact: Annika will help Kalan safely out of Na'Reish territory and Kalan will protect Annika once they reach the human realm. The two embark on a perilous journey that they will only survive if they can learn to trust each other.

Overall Merit: I enjoyed several aspects of this book and for the most part it was a very solid read. Griffin does a good job with the characters at the beginning, but their strength seems to fade as the book goes on. I thought the structure and characteristics of Na'Reish society were interesting and I would have liked more of a background. There weren't any radically new ideas in the book, but Griffin took a pre-established story and wove it into a world of her own making. Some aspects definitely seemed a little too cliched, but I mean while there wasn't anything stunning in the book, it was a quick read and I didn't have any major issues with it. I'd say it's worth checking out if you want a pretty standard romantic fantasy. Score- 8

Characters: I'm all for character change, but this felt way too fast. Over the course of maybe a week Annika goes from being fearful for her life to trusting Kalan absolutely. I mean this is a pretty common issue in novels where romance is present, but I just felt like their relationship was very rushed. Annika is interesting and I liked the way her Na'Chi characteristics presented (color changing eyes, body markings, etc.), but I felt that as she got closer to Kalan her personality got watered down. Kalan was hmm I wouldn't call him an alpha or a beta, maybe somewhere in between? I'm having a difficult time deciding because his personality wasn't very strong in either direction. He needed some serious fleshing out and I felt like he made a lot of threats, but didn't actually do anything. Score- 6

Blush Factor: Ok, if you read this genre you know the deal. This was a basic fantasy smut novel. The sex scenes didn't overpower the rest of the book, but they were definitely a presence. There was the whole "Oh Annika's a virgin, let's take it slow" (but not really). Pretty standard sequence here. If this is your thing then enjoy. I really don't have a whole lot to say or rant about. Score- 7

Structure: For this category, I feel like all the pieces were there, but Griffin didn't utilize them to their full potential. I very much enjoyed learning about Na'Chi and Na'Reish abilities, but I felt kind of jilted because they weren't spelled out enough for me. Yes, I got the body markings and some of the abilities, but I felt like I was missing something. The main problem was that Griffin didn't keep Annika's powers consistent, or maybe she didn't explain them very well. For example, apparently Annika is super strong, but I wanted to know how strong. Like can she lift two men? Five? Laying out the parameters for supernatural powers is essential because otherwise it leaves the reader wondering whether or not they could have used said powers to get out of a difficult situation. Same goes for the Light Blades. I know they're talented with weapons, but is that it? I've said this before and I'll say it again: A reader can't possibly know what's going on in a writer's head. So writers, please spell it out for us. Score- 5

Plot: This gets kudos because it actually existed. Finally, someone remembers to include a plot along with the other elements of a story! I liked that it wasn't just Annika's story, but that we also got to see a side plot weaving in at the same time. I think this really helped the book along because it gave more substance to the story whereas if it had just been about Annika and Kalan, it would have pretty much only had the romance to go on and that would definitely not have been enough. Score- 8

Vervain says: "Annika's eyes change color depending on her mood."

Katie's Hellion (Rhyn Trilogy #1)- Lizzy Ford

Katie is having a terrible day. First she gets pulled over for driving two miles over the speed limit, and then she gets in trouble for not taking care of a son that she knows she doesn't have. According to everyone around her, she has amnesia due to a rape, but Katie knows that this can't possibly be the case. Her suspicions are confirmed when it turns out her "son", Toby is actually an eons old angel and a mysterious man named Gabriel shows up at her house claiming to be something called a 'Death Dealer'. Apparently, Katie's blood is special and it has something in it that makes her immune to immortals and therefore an immortal's mate. However, she isn't just an immortal's mate, she's an ancient's mate (which is like a step above an immortal's mate). By all rights, she should go to the eldest Ancient, but instead she is claimed by the outcast half-breed, Rhyn who rescues her from the depths of Hell.

Overall Merit: The problem with this book was that there were way too many things going on at the same time. Since the books were short, I read the whole trilogy, but the problem was consistent throughout. There were a million things going on and it was difficult to keep a firm grasp on the storyline. The characters were strong, which is always a plus, but I felt like the story was going in like twenty different directions at the same time and I found myself confused by what was going on and where the plot was going. I think that the other book by Ford that I scored (Damian's Oracle) was a much stronger book. Score- 6

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Characters: Rhyn is interesting. He is definitely a typical bad boy stereotype, but centuries in Hell have made him bitter and at times cruel. He was my favorite character if only because Katie wasn't nearly as solid. Her character tended to waver at times and I didn't get a good sense of who she really was. I do rather detest the annoying sister. I feel like this is an oft used character who is remarkably irritating. True, she can act as a foil for the heroine, but more often than not, she overstays her welcome and starts to get in the way of an enjoyable reading experience. There is a good reason everyone hates their siblings at one point or another. I already hate my siblings, I don't need to hate someone else's too. Score- 6

Blush Factor: To be honest, there wasn't a ton of romance in this book, that didn't come until the later books in the trilogy. I mean you know who's going to end up together from the start and I was a bit disappointed that Rhyn and Katie never really resolved their feelings for each other until later on. Even the end result of their romance was disappointing (by the third book). Not my favorite part, I liked the romance much better in Damian's Oracle. It wasn't horrible, it was kind of just nonexistent. Score- 6

Structure: Nothing new here in terms of writing style. I think Ford's problem is that she tried to cram a ton of information into a small amount of pages without giving the reader a chance to let it all sink in. She could have made the book a lot longer and structured it better so that all the plot lines had a chance to naturally converge. Instead, the writing seemed hurried as if she wanted to get a crazy amount of story down without developing the world or the conflict well enough. Score- 5

Plot: As I've said several times--way too much going on at once. I was incredibly confused. Ford needed to pick one or two subplots max instead of having twenty going on all at once. Also, I kept reading and reading waiting for Katie and Rhyn to get together, but she dragged it out horribly so that by the time I got to the end of the book I basically didn't even care anymore. This book had potential, but I wasn't seeing the necessary execution. Damian's Oracle takes place under a similar premise, in a similar world so go for that instead of this one. Score- 6

Vervain says: "There are seven Ancients, but most of them are dead."

Bonded (Law of the Lycans #0.5)- Nicky Charles

Brandi is a recruit at Lycan Link Academy with hopes of becoming a member of the Disaster Control Unit (DC). She couldn't really do anything else of course because she only passed her physical defense class out of pity. However, Brandi thought she could ignore this fact until one day she is volunteered to help Reno, an Enforcer (a werewolf equipped to use physical confrontation to break up dangerous situations) , do a demonstration for some of the newer recruits. True, she is pummeled, but she also discovers an unexplainable attraction to this near-rogue were. Enforcers and DCs are notorious in their inability to get along, but under the circumstances, Reno and Brandi may not have a choice. 

Overall Merit: Nicky Charles is officially up there with some of my favorite paranormal/fantasy romance novelists (Anne Bishop, C.L. Wilson, Jacqueline Carey). She earns a spot because Charles knows how to tell a story. There are sex scenes, yes, but that's a characteristic of the genre--what sets writers apart is their ability to hook me with the story. Sex scene after sex scene gets boring as hell. (I haven't read Fifty Shades of Gray, but people keep telling me I should). I've read her entire Law of the Lycans series and another thing that struck me was how different she managed to make all her characters. Major kudos to her for that! It is definitely difficult to make alpha males different people and too often authors will botch it and the male leads seem exactly the same. The only thing I didn't like about this book was the twist at the end. It was so out of left field that it wasn't believable at all, Charles needed to plant more indicators earlier on in the story for it to work properly. Either way, Charles is a powerhouse. Read her stuff! Score- 9.5

Characters: Brandi is great, she's a definite alpha female and the only type of personality that could counter the over-macho Reno. I liked Reno too, he was a stereotypic powerful male, but there were moments when you could see that a lot of his manliness was bluster, but it wasn't in your face so as to be obnoxious. Little things, like him playing with children were enough to show this facet of his personality. I also enjoyed 'cult leader' Victor, he was creepy and underhanded, a very good villain in my opinion. Strong characters, strong category. Score-10

Blush Factor: This was pretty standard Charles, but there wasn't as much explicit sex in this book as in the others in the series. It was fine, I needed a break from all that and it seems like she did too. The romance was there and the tension was great, but if you're looking for more heart-pounding sex scenes you'd be better off with books 2 or 3 of the series. Score-9

Structure: Same style as her other novels, it switches perspective in third person between Brandi and Reno for the most part. Solid narrative, but nothing new was done here. The only thing about this book that threw me was the ending (more the resolution, really) where blame is placed somewhere that doesn't make any sense. Score-7

Plot: Like I said, this was mainly a plot driven book and for the vast majority of the novel I was quite pleased with the fast-paced action and the subtle build up to the climax, but the resolution to the main problem was definitely disappointing. I was kind of upset that Charles copped out the way she did because usually her solutions are much tighter and more believable. Score-8

In summation: Read this book for the paranormal thriller aspect, not for the sex.

Vervain Says: "Lycan Link usually has a problem with purist Alphas weeding out any half-bloods from their pack and either killing or forcing them into servitude." 

Dragon Bound (Elder Races #1)- Thea Harrison

When Pia, a half wyr (shapeshifter) half human is blackmailed into stealing something from Dragos Cuelebre, she thinks that changing her name and appearance will be enough to hide herself from his wrath. Of course, hiding from an extremely powerful and wealthy dragon shapeshifter does tend to be a bit of a challenge--especially if he's after your head. Under any other circumstances, Pia would likely be dead, but it turns out that Dragos is intrigued and amused by the fact that she was able to get past the powerful warding spells on his hoard. So instead, Dragos claims her for his own and intends to explore the curious desire she sparks in him as well as her secret abilities.

Overall Merit: This was a class A romantic fantasy as in it followed the cookie cutter format that brings lonely, single girls temporary happiness everywhere. Well, at least the ones who aren't jaded like me. Pretty much: boy meets girl, boy feels very protective of girl, girl pretends she doesn't like being protected even though she secretly does, boy and girl have sex after like twenty pages, girl ends up getting pregnant with magical and illicit baby, girls tries to hide this from boy, boy finds out and becomes even more protective, girl admits she loves boy with all her heart, boy and girl live happily ever after for the rest of eternity. The end. Wow, because who doesn't want a super-rich boyfriend who puts his private bodyguards up to babysitting you? I mean sure all the girls in these books protest, but they love the attention, we all know they do. If this is your thing, and I'm sure it is for many people then go for it. I'm going to give this book two scores: one based on my fed up and jaded brain, and the other based on the average 20-some-odd-year-old lonely and sexually frustrated romantic (LSFR).
Me-6 LSFR-11

Characters: Pia was plucky, I liked that, but it seemed like all her spark was doused as soon as Dragos took his shirt off. Come on, be realistic, when was the last time you felt lightheaded and lost all coherent thought because a hot guy took his shirt off. Yes, I know I hate everything, but still. While Pia had potential, Dragos was such a stereotypic alpha-male that it made me kind of nauseous. (For a much better alpha-male dominated romantic fantasy check out the Tairen Soul series, that one had a phenomenal plot.) He basically got angry if anyone touched Pia except him and went all dragon on their ass. Also, he was supposed to be an ancient "Elder wyr", but I wasn't getting that impression from him, he acted young and hotheaded so I didn't buy his supposed age. Score- 7

Blush Factor: Oh my was there sex here. Keep the children away. You know when Pia describes herself as being "destroyed" that there's a hardcore male dominance thing going on. The problem was, there wasn't any real 'romance' here, just Dragos constantly smothering Pia, rescuing her from falling/walking into things, and then throwing her onto the bed and ravaging her every 20 or 30 pages. All romance was further destroyed when she was like, "Omg I'm preggers with a dragon baby!" Why does Pia have to get pregnant to finally admit that she loves Dragos? Pregnancy shouldn't be a contract of love, it certainly isn't in real life, but in this book it definitely felt that way. Harrison tried to make this better by having Pia seem like a 'mystery' to Dragos, but to be honest I'm pretty sure he was the only one who thought anything was even vaguely mysterious about her. Score- 6

Structure: The mythology behind books like these is essential to having a smooth story, but somehow it is always forgotten. It seemed like Harrison was inventing the rules of the world as she went along, rather than having a firm idea when she started writing. I didn't quite understand the structure of her "Other World", which seemed like it would be important and also, the wyr, half-wyr structure confused me. Other worlds are difficult to pull off, for sure, and the main issue is they tend to be too ephemeral and difficult for the reader to envision. The scenes that took place there were difficult for me to follow because it was tough for me to orient myself within the new world. Score-5

Plot: Books like this often spend too much time focusing on the romance (sex) as opposed to the plot line. There was a story going on, but it brought me to a lot of dead ends. For example, there was something brought up about Pia having a relation to the Elves, but after the initial mention, Harrison never mentioned it again, which would be fine, but I know this book doesn't have a technical sequel (it has companion books). I can also understand that Pia might not want to know about her past, but there definitely should have been more curiosity there if not from her, then at least from Dragos. I felt like Harrison didn't know exactly where her story was going because it sort of faded in and out of focus and the conclusion seemed too simple and didn't really work that well. I wasn't pleased. Score- 5

In summation: if you're looking for a good romantic alpha male smut book then go for it. Otherwise, you'd best seek your fantasy fix elsewhere.


Vervain says: "In this book, names have power, but when it comes time for Pia to reveal her true name, we never actually find out what it is! That seems like a cop out to me."

The Mating (Law of the Lycans #1)- Nicky Charles

Elise comes home from a run one day to find out that her father is mating her with a complete stranger in order to form an alliance between their (werewolf) packs. She is forced to uproot and join her new mate, Kane's pack. When she gets there, most are welcoming aside from one female named Marla who seems to be vying for all of Kane's attention. Elise must adjust to her new pack and assert her position as Alpha Female. At the same time, she has to navigate and try to put a stop to Marla's advances and manipulations so she can form a proper bond with her new mate and ensure the stability of the pack.

Overall Merit: This is the first time I've seen something like this done in paranormal fantasy. Charles combines paranormal romance with a crime novel, which I found fascinating. The plot isn't overly complicated, but it keeps you on the edge of your seat trying to guess who is friend or foe. The characters were all strong and Charles created a phenomenal villain--something I haven't seen in a long while. I think that if you have the time, this book is actually worth your while. Not to mention, it's free for e-readers so even if you don't like it, no harm no foul. Score- 9

Blush Factor: There is definitely R-rated content in this book so keep the kiddies and overzealous young adults (12-15) away from this. Kane and Elise's relationship feels natural, which I really liked and I think their chemistry is great. Charles really nailed this aspect of the book. The sex scenes are there, but they're tastefully done and not excessive. Score- 10

Characters: Talk about a kick ass villain. Marla is priceless, she is manipulative and sneaky and as a reader sometimes I couldn't even tell what she was up to. Elise is a strong protagonist and I enjoyed her story and her perspective. Kane was a solid character as well in that he frustrated me sometimes in his inability to see what was right in front of his face. This was a good thing. Too many times a protagonist is designed to please the reader instead of challenging them to see a different perspective. Very solid. Score- 9

Structure: This novel was very well structured and kept me turning pages. Once I got to the end I had to flip back to earlier pages to get a full perspective of how all the parts fit together. The suspense was well crafted and Charles writes with finesse. Score- 10

Plot: There wasn't anything super innovative here, but it was the suspense that kept me reading. Charles mastered the plot twists, which made me excited even in a story that was essentially mundane. She did a lot of describing pack tradition and structure and the action was isolated mostly to the end of the novel. Nevertheless, it was a strong book overall. Score- 8

Vervain says: "In this book, being a werewolf was a hereditary thing rather than a curse forced upon an unwilling mortal."

Damian's Oracle- Lizzy Ford

When Sofia begins to suffer from strange, incurable symptoms, she cries out for help in desperation. Her call is heard by two forces: the White God- Damian and his counterpart, the Black God-Czerno. It turns out that Sofia is a Natural- a human with strong paranormal gifts. If she were any normal natural, Damian would not waste his time with her. However, she is an Oracle, the first in thousands of years and whoever controls the Oracle will tip the balance in their favor. When the Black God kidnaps her and tries to force her to go through a binding ceremony, she is rescued by Damian. Now, instead, Sofia must bind herself to the White God to stop the Black God from taking over humanity and to weed out the traitors he has planted among the Guardians (Naturals who belong to Damian's regime).

Overall Merit: Wait for it, wait for it...I actually liked this book. True I have to give it a bit of leniency seeing as it was self published (if it were published by a big house then I'd bump each of the scores down about a point), but that aside, once I got past the errors and looked at it big picture, I truly enjoyed this book. The characters had legitimate struggles and there were times when I thought Sofia was literally going to go insane. The only thing that really bothered me (aside from the minor typos) was the beginning. This book was good. It was a great concept with a great cast of characters and if it had gone through a more intense publishing/editing process, I think I would be in love. Score- 9

Characters: Wow, Sophia had kick in her. I was actually so proud of her for not being a typical fantasy heroine and being like "Damian is so hot. We MUST be soul mates." Nope. After the initial realization that he was indeed very hot she fought tooth and nail to keep herself from falling for him. Hell, they didn't even sleep together until the very end of the book! Damian was such a bad-ass, and a legitimate one too. So many times, writers will try to make a "bad-ass" character who just falls flat on his or her face. Damian did not disappoint and neither did his immortal siblings who were super fun characters as well. The only character that upset me a bit was the antagonist. There was the typical femme fatale character floating around and she was annoying, but not gut-wrenchingly evil. However, Czerno played a surprisingly small role. It seemed like his henchmen were scurrying around while he sat back and didn't do all that much. For the most part, solid protagonists and a few good supporting characters. Score-8

Blush Factor: This was refreshing. They were attracted, but they resisted. Key word being: RESISTED. It was like a dream come true (pardon my platitude). Most power couples will make a flimsy effort to resist and end up in each other's arms by page 100, Sofia whacked Damian upside the face and made him work for her attention. I'm not a crazy feminist by any means and would have been just as please if Sofia had to work to make Damian admit he liked her. Turns out they were a great couple, which made me even happier when they finally got together. So many romance novels smoosh the love interests together without making them do any work! Score- 10 (yes, look at that, a 10)

Structure: The viewpoints weaved a bit between Sofia and another character named Two, but I loved all the perspectives, which is rare. Usually I find I like on perspective over the other(s), but Ford kept me entertained throughout. The only issues I had with this were sometimes she didn't explain some of the technical inner workings of her world well enough e.g the way the powers worked, the hierarchy of gods/Watchers and the beginning. The beginning felt rushed, the characters didn't get fleshed out until later and the premise wasn't explained very well so I was sort of lost until I got a good 50 pages in. Score- 8

Plot: There were a ton of things going on at the same time and the non-stop action kept me reading. I liked the underlying storyline, which was essentially the timeless battle between good and evil. However, I would have liked more insight into the world of the "baddies". Great idea, great potential. I'm not sure if I'll read the sequel, but it's a possibility. Score- 8

In summation: Read this book and support a self-publishing author. Best part is, it's super inexpensive so I should hear no complaints on that front.


Vervain says: "There are three levels of deities: the primordial gods, the Watchers, and then the gods on Earth (Damian, Dusty, Jule, and Czerno). It's a bit hard to keep straight sometimes."

Insatiable- Meg Cabot

Meena Harper is sick of hearing about vampires (I think everyone in the world is sick of hearing about vampires), but this doesn't stop her bosses from forcing her to work on a project that incorporates the supernatural beings into her television show. However, Meena has a supernatural talent herself that seems to always get her into trouble: Meena can see when someone is going to die. So when she meets Lucien Antonescu, she can't understand why she can't see his demise--maybe because he's already dead. Meena and Lucien fall in love, a dangerous action seeing that he is being hunted by holy knights from the Vatican. Soon it will be up to Meena to decide where her loyalties lie and if love is enough to make her choose a new fate.

Overall Merit: I was actually so excited when I thought I found a book that was going to go against the stereotypes of a vampire romance novel, even the trailer suggested that this was the case. However, while it started off with the heroine renouncing the whole vampire love story nonsense, she ended up falling right into the hum drum cliche that Twilight started. I was desperately hoping for something a bit more snarky and satirical. Meena had the potential to turn this into a satirical biting novel, just by the nature of her character, but she was too busy swooning over Lucien and his "hotness" to channel that snark power. Also, making a vampire turn into a dragon does not count as original. It counts as weird and unnecessary, especially when it seems like it's being used as an excuse for a horrible metaphor. Score- 6

Check out the trailer:

Characters: I liked Meena, I really did. Or at least I thought I did. I thought she was going to do something epic with her death discerning powers, but she didn't. This element seemed extraneous and I wondered why Cabot even bothered putting it into the story. Sure, it gave Meena something to morally struggle with, but the moral struggle shouldn't be over something that takes away from the story. There was definitely humor brought mostly by Alaric Wulf (my favorite character in the novel). I mean he was pretty hilarious: a socially awkward, comic book collecting vampire hunter--doesn't get much better than that. Alaric was the saving grace of this book because he actually made me laugh. However, I had a real *bang head on desk* moment when he fell in love with Meena. I love geeky guys, but when they fall in love with the wrong person it upsets me. Lucien was a cliched vampire prince who could read minds. Cough Edward Cullen Cough. Do I need to elaborate? Score- 8 (because I loved Alaric)

Blush Factor: Yes, there is sex. This is a vampire romance novel, not written by a Mormon, of course there's casual sex. Keep young adolescents away from this book because the smut is pretty blatant. Nothing new happened here, you knew from page 20 that Meena and Lucien were going to get it on, and get it on they did--after one date. Score- 4

Structure: If you couldn't tell, this was mainly third person from Meena's perspective, with glimpses of Lucien and Alaric sprinkled throughout. Nothing new happened here, the technical writing was effective and clean. Score-8

Plot: Cliche. If I had to say it in one word it would be cliche. It was advertised as a parody or a satire, but what I got was a standard love triangle vampire story. This book was pretty much what Twilight would have been if Bella weren't such a block of tofu. The supporting characters saved it a little bit as some of their antics were mildly amusing, but overall this book made me very sad about the future of fantasy. Score-5

In summation: If you want the perfect example of a lovable and epic geek then read this book or at least skim the parts with Alaric.

Vervain says: "Meena's visions of the future aren't definite, she has the capacity to change them. However, this doesn't make the power any more useful as a plot device."

Cry Wolf (Alpha and Omega #1)- Patricia Briggs

After her abusive pack leader is killed, Anna is taken in by a new leader whose son, Charles claims Anna as his mate. Anna always thought that she was just a particularly weak beta wolf, but it turns out that she is a rare omega instead. Omegas have the ability to sense neutralize tension in other wolves, therefore protecting themselves from the ferocity of others. News comes to the new pack that a rogue werewolf has been killing humans in the surrounding areas and it is up to Charles and Anna to hunt it down. Not only do they need to eliminate the threat, but they also need to work on stabilizing their pair-bond or Anna is fair game to any other wolf who comes along. Sounds vaguely familiar...

Overall Merit: This book was decent as far as paranormal romance is concerned. It didn't bring anything new to the table, but for fans of the genre, go for it. I did like that Briggs played around a bit with werewolf powers and didn't just stick to the by the book rules (nor did she make them sparkle, phew). The actual conflict in the story was interesting, but without revealing too much detail, some of the mythology didn't seem to click properly. By that I mean: it was an interesting idea, but the technical details didn't convince me of the possibility of said magical occurrence. Score- 9

Characters: Anna wasn't the most interesting character, but neither was she unlikeable. Same goes for Charles. There were times when I could really feel their personalities shine through, but I wished I could sense that throughout. There was some interesting flashback stuff going on with some of the side characters and the antagonist and I almost wish that Briggs had gone into that more. The book was fairly short by genre standard and she definitely could have fleshed that part out without any difficulty. Also, the supporting characters were very stereotypic and would have merited from some more depth. Score-7

Blush Factor: Wow, for paranormal romance, this was surprisingly PG. Usually book with similar covers and premises are dripping with smut, but this was clean--as in I would let a mature thirteen year old read it. The romance was sweet, but not overwhelming and I liked the romantic dynamic of Charles and Anna. Unlike many paranormal couples, they were both pretty balanced (for werewolves).

Structure: This wasn't linear with a few brooding side chapters from the jilted lover, as many paranormal books are. Instead, there was a side story from a different character entirely and his story was fascinating, which is why I was so disappointed that Briggs only chose to brush the surface. She really could have done so much more with it and I would have put this into the "must read" category. The main story (Charles and Anna) plodded along, but there was enough action to keep me interested. Score- 8

Plot: As I mentioned earlier, the plot was solid as in fairly predictable with a few refreshing twists. However, I found myself more entranced by the side plot than by the main plot, which can end up being kind of dangerous if the reader isn't invested in the primary story. It didn't help that the character with the most depth was also a member of said side plot. It was a sturdy story and it held its own, to the point that I'm actually considering reading the next book, even though I find that the second book in any series isn't nearly as good as the first one. We shall have to see if Briggs can keep me reading once again. Score- 8

In summation, it was a pretty good book and a quick read so if you have time then by all means. I was actually surprised that it had a legitimate plot instead of being a smut book.