Dark Side of the Moon Review

Dark Side of the Moon (Dark Hunter novel #11)
Sherrilyn Kenyon


Synopsis - 9/10
Plot - 7/10
Characters - 9/10
Overall Story - 8/10
Conclusion - 7/10

Overall Score - 40/50

*Optional*Smuttiness - 8/10


Synopsis: Susan Michaels was the hottest reporter on the Beltway Beat until she walked into a setup that ruined her reputation. Now she’s working for a small Seattle paper, penning stories about killer moths and alien babies, convinced that her life couldn’t get any worse…
That was before an idea for a breaking news piece brought her to a local animal shelter where she ends up listening to her source rant about vampires and gets coerced into adopting a cat despite her allergies. But when her new pet suddenly reveals himself to be a gorgeous—and lethal—shapeshifter, Susan realizes that there’s far more at stake than a career-saving by-line.
Born into a world of predators, Were-Hunter Ravyn Kontis was betrayed by those he loved best. Soulless, pitiless, he has spent three hundred years battling the Daimons who seek to subjugate humankind. Against all odds, Susan evokes in Ravyn feelings of tenderness. Desire. Love. And with the ultimate battle about to begin, this one very human woman holds the power to shatter both their worlds...

Review: This is the first book that I've ever read by this author. I liked it but I didn't really LOVE it. Ravyn and Susan are both characters that are dealing with some extra "baggage" shall we say. Susan is this reporter who always get's her story (which has cost her dearly) but at the same time has a pretty quirky sense of humor (which you see a lot in the book) and Ravyn he's pretty much a no-nonsense kind of guy who doesn't particularly care to be around humans at all because they have cost him dearly. Well now that the Daimons (with the help of some humans) are trying to kill both Susan AND Ravyn they are kind of stuck with one another. The more time they spend together the more that we the readers learn about these two character's pasts...Not a pretty picture. There is even a little twist thrown in for good measure too. If you like a little Death, Destruction and Mayhem with some smutt thrown in this is a good book to check out.

A Cover Alert! Lover Mine by J.R. Ward

I found the image for the cover of the next Black Dagger Brotherhood novel on Lovin' Me Some Romance. I can HARDLY WAIT until April!

Synopsis: In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - vampire warriors, defenders of their race...John Matthew has been through his vampire transition and taken to the life of the Brotherhood with a vengeance, but he still can't shake the nightmare of his past and is unsure of his future as a warrior hero. He's made a promise to honour the Brotherhood and their fight with the slayers at all costs, until the love of his life is kidnapped and he is forced to make a choice that could change his life and the Brotherhood's forever...

Blog with Bite - Intertwined Review

Intertwined
Gina Showalter
440 pages

Synopsis - 8/10
Plot - 9/10
Characters - 10/10
Overall Story - 9/10
Conclusion - 6/10

*Overall Score - 42/50


Synopsis: Most sixteen-year-olds have friends. Aden Stone has four human souls living inside him:

One can time-travel.
One can raise the dead.
One can tell the future.
And one can possess another human.

With no other family and a life spent in and out of institutions, Aden and the souls have become friends. But now, they're causing him all kinds of trouble.

Like, he'll blink and suddenly he's a younger Aden, reliving the past. One wrong move, and he'll change the future. Or, he'll walk past a total stranger and know how and when she's going to die.

He's so over it. All he wants is peace.

And then he meets a girl who quiets the voices. Well, for as long as he's with her. Why? Mary Ann Gray is his total opposite. He's a loner; she has friends. He doesn't care what anyone thinks; she tries to make everyone happy. And while he attracts the paranormal, she repels it. For her sake, he should stay away. But it's too late. . .

Somehow, they share an inexplicable bond of friendship. A bond about to be tested by a werewolf shape-shifter who wants Mary Ann for his own and a vampire princess Aden can’t resist. Two romances, both forbidden... doomed. Still, the four will enter a dark underworld of intrigue and danger... but not everyone will come out alive...








I had heard a little bit about this book on a couple of different blogs and forums before I stumbled upon Blog with Bite. At first I was a little iffy on reading it because it's not something that I would normally read....Honestly I'm a big ole sap for a sappy love story. But I'm really glad that I decided to read this book. The first chapter was a little creepy in my opinion but that's exactly what it is...my opinion. The main character Aden Stone is viewed by society as a "troubled" teen but in actuality he is possessed by 4 souls...LOVE the souls...There's just something about them I just really liked. Aden wants to go public high school so that he can spend more time with Mary Ann...who has a couple "issues" of her own. Heck there is even a little forbidden romance thrown in for both Aden and Mary Ann. I don't want to say too much more because I don't want to give away anything. I really only had two gripes with the book....Just a tad bit too many paranormal characters make an apperance in the book and the rushed ending. Overall, I'm SUPER happy with the book and I'm glad that I decided to purchase a copy instead of wait for a copy from my library.

Discussion Questions:

#1 Do you feel the ending was cut short and needed more to be resolved before the book ended? I feel that the ending was pretty rushed...It wasn't the worst ending in the world but I wasn't particularly happy with it.

#2 Regarding Question #1, what are your thoughts on series books? For one you get more and more and more - depending on how long the series drags on - for another some series leave you with very little resolution at the end of the novels, i.e. the Merry Gentry series where only a couple of hours pass within the time span of one book. Do you find this is just an authors way of having guaranteed book sales - or do you really enjoy series and love reading about your fav characters over and over again? There are some series I feel that have been written just to get the books sold...Others I have enjoyed immensly...Overall I LOVE a GOOD series and enjoy reading about my favorite characters over and over again.

#3 Which "trapped" soul was your favorite and do you see potential in the future story lines with the remaining three? I liked Eve a lot....I felt that sometimes she was the "voice of reason" for Aden.

#4 When a larger-than-life character such as Vlad Tepes aka Dracula is used as a side-plot character do you believe it gives the story a more factual base, or makes it less real? I liked that Gena used actual characters in the story...I think it made the story more "real" for me personally.

#5 What did you think of the side plot involving Tucker and Penny? Do you think the issues from that plot were adequately resolved? Honestly, I didn't care for Tucker or Penny.

#6 What is your best guess as to what Aden Stone's superpower is - the power he possess without his souls? I think he's kind of got the "Jack of all trades" superpower...But that's just me.

Breaking Dawn - Review

Breaking Dawn
Stephenie Meyer

Rating: 2/5

Synopsis: It ought to seem redundant to dismiss the fourth and final Twilight novel as escapist fantasy-but how else could anyone look at a romance about an ordinary, even clumsy teenager torn between a vampire and a werewolf, both of whom are willing to sacrifice their happiness for hers? Flaws and all, however, Meyer's first three novels touched on something powerful in their weird refraction of our culture's paradoxical messages about sex and sexuality. The conclusion is much thinner, despite its interminable length. Everygirl Bella achieves her wishes quickly (marriage and sex, in that order, are two, and becoming an immortal is another), and once she becomes a vampire it's almost impossible to identify with her. But that's not the main problem. Essentially, everyone gets everything they want, even if their desires necessitate an about-face in characterization or the messy introduction of some back story. Nobody has to renounce anything or suffer more than temporarily-in other words, grandeur is out. This isn't about happy endings; it's about gratification. A sign of the times?

Review: Didn't care for it at all....And that right there is what I REALLY thought.

Eclipse - Review

Eclipse
Stephenie Meyer

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Readers captivated by Twilight and New Moon will eagerly devour Eclipse, the much anticipated third book in Stephenie Meyer's riveting vampire love saga. As Seattle is ravaged by a string of mysterious killings and a malicious vampire continues her quest for revenge, Bella once again finds herself surrounded by danger. In the midst of it all, she is forced to choose between her love for Edward and her friendship with Jacob —- knowing that her decision has the potential to ignite the ageless struggle between vampire and werewolf. With her graduation quickly approaching, Bella has one more decision to make: life or death. But which is which?

Review: I kept going with the series because I wanted to see what happened with Jacob really. The highlight of the book was when the vampires and the werewolves worked together.

What I REALLY thought:

Beginning: It happened.

Middle: Really Jacob and the werewolves are what are keeping reading at this point.

End: Again, it happened.

New Moon - Review

New Moon
Stephenie Meyer

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

Legions of readers entranced by Twilight are hungry for more and they won't be disappointed. In New Moon, Stephenie Meyer delivers another irresistible combination of romance and suspense with a supernatural twist. The "star-crossed" lovers theme continues as Bella and Edward find themselves facing new obstacles, including a devastating separation, the mysterious appearance of dangerous wolves roaming the forest in Forks, a terrifying threat of revenge from a female vampire and a deliciously sinister encounter with Italy's reigning royal family of vampires, the Volturi. Passionate, riveting, and full of surprising twists and turns, this vampire love saga is well on its way to literary immortality.

Review: I'll be honest...The only reason this book got 4/5 is because about the time of the "separation" I started to really NOT like Edward and at times Bella and really started to dig Jacob. Thought Edward was just being outrageously mean in his attempt to keep Bella from further danger.

What I REALLY thought:

Beginning: It started off great and in my opinion went downhill from there.

Middle: Dang it Bella....You're a total USER!

Ending: Whatever.

Twilight - Review

Twilight
Stephenie Meyer

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis:

About three things I was absolutely positive:First, Edward was a vampire.Second, there was a part of him–and I didn’t know how dominant that part might be–that thirsted for my blood.And third, I was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with him.

Isabella Swan's move to Forks, a small, perpetually rainy town in Washington, could have been the most boring move she ever made. But once she meets the mysterious and alluring Edward Cullen, Isabella's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn. Up until now, Edward has managed to keep his vampire identity a secret in the small community he lives in, but now nobody is safe, especially Isabella, the person Edward holds most dear. The lovers find themselves balanced precariously on the point of a knife -- between desire and danger.

Deeply romantic and extraordinarily suspenseful, Twilight captures the struggle between defying our instincts and satisfying our desires. This is a love story with bite.

Review: I know a LOT of people out there have already read this so I am going to keep it short and sweet. I really enjoyed this book. It's hard not to like Edward in this book, he's so noble and even though he's not a "normal" teen like Bella he tries to do "normal" things with her. It's a classic "first love" story. Let's not forget Jacob...he's there and he's also starting to become attracted to Bella. Now we're headed for a classic love triangle.

What I REALLY thought:

Beginning: When I first started reading it for the first time, I didn't really understand the beginning. Now that I've read it a couple times I really like it.

Middle: A vampire trying to act like a "normal" teen for the sake of his relationship.

End: Really liked it alot.

Lover Awakened - Review

Lover Awakened (The Black Dagger Brotherhood #3) J.R. Ward

5/5

Synopsis:

Even within the vampire brotherhood, Zsadist is feared. Still bearing the scars from a tortured past, he is renowned for his unquenchable fury. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion-until he rescues a beautiful female from the evil Lessening Society.

Review: I don't think you can really go wrong with this group of vampires. I'm half way through the series (which I will be taking a tiny break from) and I could not be happier. I think that this story has a little bit of a "lesson" in it too....everybody has their "scars" and nobody is unloveable. I really liked how the author let the readers in on Zsadist's tortured past...It really helps and makes Zsadist seem a little more "human."

What I REALLY think:

Beginning: Very fast paced....I started it last Friday morning and before I knew it I had read over 100 pages before I had to get some sleep.

Middle: Intense. Zsadist goes through a whole lot of "I do but I don't" phases with Bella because of his past. Then throw in the lessers and you get get a whol bunch of AWESOME!

End: Oh how the mighty have fallen.

Lover Eternal - Review

Lover Eternal (The Black Dagger Brotherhood #2) - J.R. Ward

5/5

Synopsis:

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetite. He's the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover-for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin.

Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him. When Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world, she must rely on Rhage's protection. Knowing that Mary feels the same intense animal attraction, Rhage must make her his alone...

Review:

I LOVED it! I'm soooo very glad that I purchased these books....I don't particularly like to share all the time. I'm going to keep this short and sweet....If you've not read this book please do!

What I Really Thought:

Beginning - Fast paced right off the bat. When the beast comes out the brothers help take care of Rhage when the beast goes back into hiding....LOVE IT! Mary tries to avoid Rhage but Rhage just won't quit.

Middle - HOT!

End - Was a little bit predictable but I still really liked it.

Dark Lover - Review

Dark Lover (The Black Dagger Brotherhood #1) - J.R. Ward
5/5

Synopsis:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There exists a secret band of brothers like no other-six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Yet none of them relishes killing more than Wrath, the leader of The Black Dagger Brotherhood.

The only purebred vampire left on earth, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But, when one of his most trusted fighters is killed-leaving his half-breed daughter unaware of his existence or her fate-Wrath must usher her into the world of the undead-a world of sensuality beyond her wildest dreams.

Review: I've read about this series of books ALL OVER the place and finally caved in and decided to give it a try. I'm definitely glad that I did cave. I LOVED this book. I'm even more glad that I purchased this book...Now I'll be able to "check it out" when ever I want. I had a very hard time putting it down so that I could get other things done...You know like eating, laundry, sleeping. I loved all the characters....Wrath is tall, dark, gorgeous, and views Beth as a liability. Beth has no idea that she's actually 1/2 vampire and gives crap as good as she get's it. The other "brothers" tall, dark, gorgeous and ISSUES in all capital letters. Butch the cop...well he's just beside himself. The lessers...they make really great bad guys....flat out EVIL!

What I REALLY thought:

Beginning: I thought that beginning started off a little bit slow. It also took me a little bit to figure out that the book itself is broken down and told from everybodies perspective. LOVED the descriptions of Wrath and all the brothers!

Middle: HOT!

End: INTENSE with a bunch tender thrown in for good measure.

The Blood Dagger Brotherhood

I'm only a little ways into the first book of the Blood Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward but so far I am really enjoying what I'm reading. I think I'm going to read some this series for the 3-4-5 challenge that I joined last week. I can hardly wait to read more of this series!

Calling all Vampires!!

Ok, since reading the Twilight series I've been more than a little bit into vampires. Ok, so more than just a little bit into vampires....Oh and certain werewolves aren't bad either. I'm looking for a "few," ok as many as I get my hands on, vampire novels. After I complete the book that I'm currently reading (I have this issue where I can only read one book at a time) I will be starting J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. What are some other good vampire novels?!