Review: Alterant (Belador #2) by Sherrilyn Kenyon & Dianna Love

Title: Alterant
Series: Belador #2
Authors: Sherrilyn Kenyon | Website
& Dianna Love | Website
Available: Now
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Source: Publisher (Thanks!)


*Possible Series Spoilers Below*






Synopsis via Goodreads:


From #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon and Dianna Love comes the second book in the Belador series—featuring a league of international warriors with extraordinary abilities who rise up to save mankind from supernatural terrorists.


On the heels of saving mankind from destruction at the hands of the Medb coven, Evalle attempts to convince the Tribunal that she is an Alterant who can be trusted around humans. But the gods and goddess ruling over this Tribunal twist words she’d uttered in the heat of combat and hold her responsible for three dangerous Alterants that escaped their prisons. She is given a choice to either recapture those three who will lose their freedom forever or face the same sentence. Unsure that she can condemn another Alterant to a life she’d die before accepting, Evalle takes on an impossible task only to learn that the entire future of the Beladors rides on her success—and the only person who can help her is the one who wants to gut her.

My thoughts:

Alterant takes us back to an Atlanta bursting with all kinds of preternatural characters. I really liked the first book in this series and was excited to see what adventures (maybe predicaments would be a better word) Evalle would take part in next. 

I'm not sure if it was because of the amount of time that had passed since I read book one, Blood Trinity, but I had difficulty getting invested in Alterant during the first 100 or so pages. The world Kenyon and Love created is unbelievably complex. I found this to be both an asset and a hindrance. There was so very much happening along with a massive cast of characters. I was left feeling a little overwhelmed. Thankfully, events from Blood Trinity eventually started to come back to me, and I was able to remember how everyone was connected. The large cast also possessed an array of unusual names that I found myself stumbling over quite a bit. The ARC copy did have a glossary in the back. I definitely recommend using it. If you visit Sherrilyn Kenyon’s website she has a super cool character section complete with pictures. I referred to it numerous times while reading. It can be found here. 

The Belador series doesn't contain the amount of romance you would typically expect from Kenyon. If you dig urban fantasy you'll eat this up. If you’re more of a paranormal romance fan you might be left underwhelmed. There is a little more smoochy time in Alterant than Blood Trinity.  Evalle's traumatizing past, and the resulting emotional scars, cause her not to be super comfortable with lots of mushy romance. I totally respect that and like her even more because of it. If she forgot all her troubles because a hot guy showed an interest I’d have a problem finding it believable. I love the way the authors have handled the traumas Evalle has suffered and the slow going process of healing . They could rush it and make Evalle fall victim to insta-love, but they chose a pacing that is perfect, consistent and believable. I can't wait to see how her character evolves as this series continues. I have to say I'm not feeling the chemistry with Storm though. A little more Black Ops Isak would make me a very happy girl :)  

While I had trouble initially, I did thoroughly enjoy the last 200 pages of Alterant, but still felt it didn’t live up to Blood Trinity. I will still continue the series because I really like Evalle and am patiently waiting for Isak’s reaction when he figures out she isn’t just a human girl who attracts paranormal trouble. 

My Rating:

Books in this series:

ARC Review: Succubus Revealed by Richelle Mead

Title: Succubus Revealed
Series: Georgina Kincaid #6
Author: Richelle Mead - Website
Available: Now
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Source: ALA


*Spoilers for earlier books in this series below*








Description from Goodreads:


In Georgina Kincaid, succubus and she-demon, #1 New York Timesbestselling author Richelle Mead has created one of her most enticing characters. But with a shot at love, and maybe even redemption, is the ultimate seductress finally going soft? Like hell she is. . .

Georgina Kincaid has had an eternity to figure out the opposite sex, but sometimes they still surprise her. Take Seth Mortensen. The man has risked his soul to become Georgina's boyfriend. Still, with Lucifer for a boss, Georgina can't just hang up her killer heels and settle down to domestic bliss. In fact, she's being forced to transfer operations. . .to Las Vegas.

The City of Sin is a dream gig for a succubus, but Georgina's allies are suspicious. Why are the powers-that-be so eager to get her away from Seattle—and from Seth? Georgina is one of Hell's most valuable assets, but if there's any way out of the succubus business she plans to take it—no matter how much roadkill she leaves behind. She just hopes the casualties won't include the one man she's risking everything for. . .

My thoughts:


About two years ago I’d just discovered the fun to be had with books starring supernatural characters. I happened to find Richelle Mead’s Succubus Blues while browsing the shelves of my local library. Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance were both new to me and up until that point I was strictly a werewolf and vampire kind of girl. I read the synopsis on the back. Succubus living in Seattle...Works at a local bookstore...Demon boss obsessed with John Cusack...Succubus has a huge crush on a hottie author. I had to see what this series was about. I took it home and was hooked after just one chapter. Thankfully several books in Georgina’s series were all ready published, and I had several crazy tales involving Georgina and her friends to keep me busy. I actually read the first four one right after the other and it easily won a spot as one of my most favorite series.


Georgina is a character I couldn’t help but to be drawn to (even with the whole minion of hell thing). She isn’t at all like you’d expect a succubus to behave. She struggled with guilt often over the choices she had made. She also cares so strongly when it comes to the people (human and not) in her life. I love quirky characters and definitely think that is an apt description for Georgina’s circle of friends. I loved this series from start to finish, even when things got a little dark towards the middle. 


Longtime readers of this series won't be disappointed. Richelle Mead gives us the closure we hoped for. I enjoyed spending this final action packed and emotional installment with the characters I've come to know and love. While I was so very pleased with the perfect conclusion to this amazing series, I was also saddened that it was the end. I hope Richelle Mead will consider using characters from Georgina’s world in a future series. I’d love the chance to see them again.


Love Urban Fantasy? Hate waiting for the next book in a series? If you haven’t started this series you really must and you won’t even have to play the dreaded series waiting game. You know the one I’m talking about. Where you obsessively wait for the release date to finally get answers to the questions raised in the previous book, only to find yourself left with more questions at the end of the new release. The Georgina Kincaid series is complete and ready to be devoured :) 


P.S Congratulations on the birth of your beautiful baby boy, Richelle! You can read about her new baby here.

My Rating:

Books in this series:

FYI: Succubus Blues for Kindle is on sale for just $2.99!

Review: The Hour of Dust and Ashes by Kelly Gay (Blog Tour)

Title: The Hour of Dust and Ashes
Series: Charlie Madigan #3
Author: Kelly Gay | Author Website
Available: Now
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult
Source: Publisher
*Series Spoilers Below*










Description from Goodreads:


To save her sister, she must stop a silent killer. . . .

Protecting Atlanta from the off-world criminals of Underground is tough enough, but now Detective Charlie Madigan and her siren partner, Hank, learn that the addicts of the offworld drug ash have begun taking their own lives. Ash makes humans the perfect vessels for possession, and something or someone is leading them to their deaths. Charlie is desperate to save her addicted sister, Bryn, from a similar fate. As New Year’s Eve approaches and time runs out, Charlie makes a deadly bargain with an ancient race of beings and embarks on a dangerous journey into hellish Charbydon with Hank and the Revenant Rex to save Bryn and make it back before it’s too late. Only, for one of them, coming home means facing a fate worse than death. . . .

Quotable Quotes:

“Before we go,” he said as I turned to him, “I think this is the part where we’re supposed to kiss before facing mortal danger.”

“Says the guy who is pretty much immortal.” I pointed out.

My thoughts:

Oh how I love this series! Kelly Gay has tackled the Urban Fantasy genre and created a series that breaks the mold. She weaved a complex plot that didn’t leave me feeling confused. World building doesn’t get better than this! While reading I was torn between the desire to fly through the pages as quickly as I could and slowly savoring each word. Part of me was dying for the conclusion, but at the same time I didn’t want to see the newest action packed installment of Charlie’s crazy life come to an end. 

So it isn’t just the world building that has me fangirling over this series. The characters are stellar, and the stellarness (is that a word?) doesn’t stop with the main character. The secondary characters are also full of awesome. They each have such distinct personalities and voices. Rex is the comedian in the group, but I love that we’re seeing a more sensitive side as the series progresses. Charlie’s sweet daughter Emma seems to be following in mom’s badass footsteps. Then there is Hank. I’m not shy when it comes to my love for Charlie’s Siren partner. He is just the right mix of brave, cocky, and sarcastic. Exactly how I like my book boyfriends! Charlie’s sister, Bryn, and her boyfriend Aaron round out the plot not only in the personality department, but also with their super cool mage powers. This is such an eclectic group of supernatural characters and each one is developed perfectly.

The Hour of Dust and Ashes is an amazing mix of the sarcastic dialogue and edge of your seat action I’ve come to expect from this series, but at the same time we see more vulnerable moments with the characters. They’re letting their guards down and finding out it is ok to not always be the hero. A few scenes were absolutely heartbreaking. My emotions were all over the place while reading, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t love every minute of it. There is also just the right amount of romance, and I won’t deny the fact I earned more than a few strange looks from my husband for giggling out load or having a silly grin on my face while reading. This is a series that just keep getting better and better. Kelly Gay is doing an absolutely fabulous job of creating a world that hooks readers and characters you’ll consider friends.

I only have two complaints about The Hour of Dust and Ashes to address. 1. The wait for Hank to finally show up in a scene was pure torture. Man I love that Siren, but I will admit the suspense while waiting and wondering hurt so good. AND 2. That ending! Holy crap! Not a cliff hanger really, but the perfect set up for book 4 will have me seriously pining during the long wait for the next installment. 

If you love Urban Fantasy this is a series you don’t want to miss!

My Rating:

Books in this series:

Review: A Tale of Two Goblins by H. P Mallory

Title: A Tale of Two Goblins
Series: Dulcie O’Neil #2
Author: H. P. Mallory | Author Website
Available: Now
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult


**SPOILERS for the first book in this series below**








Description from Goodreads:


A Dreamstalker— a creature that stalks and kills its victims in sleep. 

A fairy in law enforcement determined to stop him. 

A potions smuggler who possesses something she wants. 

A vampire with his own agenda. 

And a partner who couldn’t possibly be sexier or more frustrating. 

Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy working in law enforcement for the Netherworld. 
When Knight Vander approaches her with a case regarding comatose victims, she agrees to help him, imagining the most difficult part will be combating her attraction to him. 

But, what Dulcie isn’t betting on is the fact that the case becomes personal when she learns all the victims are somehow linked to her. 

When her best friend falls victim to the Dreamstalker, Dulcie must do everything in her power to ensure her friend’s survival, including associating with criminals and accepting the fact that desperate times do definitely call for desperate measures.


My thoughts:


A Tale of Two Goblins gets us back in the action with the much-loved fairy Dulcie O’Neil. At the end of To Kill A Warlock she left A.N.S (Association for Netherworld Creatures) because of the outcome of the last case she was working on. (Quill: Shame on you!) She agreed to the role of consultant when A.N.S. needs her. Hopefully this will give her time to deal with the emotional backlash triggered by the events of book 1. It also means more time to work on her novel.

Acting Chief of Headquarters (& super hot Loki) ,Knight, approaches Dulcie about a case involving a possible Dreamstalker. The maybe Dreamstalker has rendered several victims unconscious and trapped between a state of life and death. When Dulcie realizes she has a connection to almost all of the victims she becomes concerned it might be personal and agrees to help. Over the course of the case Dulcie finds she has to make some tough choices to stay one step ahead of the Dreamstalker.

The sophomore novel in this UF series is just as full of action and suspense as its predecessor. It also has the snark and wit I’ve come to associate with the sassy fairy, Dulcie. Events do take a darker turn when Dulcie makes some hard choices in order to save the victims of the Dreamstalker. It fit and gave the plot a nice amount of depth. No fluff here!

She is still being pursued by some seriously hot guys and hasn’t dealt with her commitment issues (who can blame her!). I was thrilled that we got to know the men in Dulcie’s life a little better including the fascinating Bram. If you dig vampires, you will fall madly in love with him no doubt. Even after two books I still can’t decide who I think she should be with. I can’t even pick a favorite! They all have qualities that I need the romantic interest in books I read to possess. What a lucky fairy!

Not only does this series contain great characters, but the author also offers up a solid plot with multiple twists and turns. This is a series that is going places! If you are a fan of Urban Fantasy I recommend giving Dulcie O’Neil’s world a try. 

My Rating:

Books in this series:

Source: Bookish Snob Promotions

Review: To Kill A Warlock by H.P Mallory

Title: To Kill A Warlock
Series: Dulcie O’Neil #1
Author: H.P Mallory | Author Website
Available: Now
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Adult












Description via Goodreads:


The murder of a dark arts warlock. A shape-shifting, ravenous creature on the loose. A devilishly handsome stranger sent to investigate. Sometimes working law enforcement for the Netherworld is a real bitch. 


My thoughts:


Dulcie O’Neil is a Regulator working for the A.N.C (Association for Netherworld Creatures). This is a law enforcement agency that makes sure Netherworld creatures, which are living openly among the human race, are abiding by the laws in place. She also happens to be a fairy and a pretty badass one at that. When she isn’t working as a Regulator she spends time writing romance novels with the hopes of one day being able to retire from the A.N.C and write full time. In this series debut we follow Dulcie as she tries to track down a murderer that did an awful good job of making Dulcie look guilty of the crime he/she committed.

My favorite part of this book was the wide variety of supernatural characters thrown into the mix. If you’re into hot supernatural guys you want to give this series a try. I’ve read the first two books in this series and still can’t pick a favorite. Dulcie is also such a fabulous main character and I adore her best friend Sam. The moments witnessed between the two of them were some of my favorites. It seems the female protags in UF books are usually seriously lacking in the BFF department. I was so happy this wasn’t the case with Dulcie.

The plot and pacing of To Kill a Warlock was very impressive. Sometimes smaller novels can feel rushed and the characters will lack the development I need to connect. This didn’t feel like an issue to me while reading. The dialogue was fun and I enjoyed Dulcie’s wit. She is a really fun character to spend time with. All in all H.P Mallory offers readers a wonderful and engaging Urban Fantasy debut. At just 99 cents for the e-book version this is a steal!

My Rating:

Books in this series:

Buy To Kill A Warlock:

Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Source: Bookish Snob Promotions

ARC Review: Born at Midnight by C. C Hunter

Title: Born at Midnight
Series: Shadow Falls #1
Author: C. C Hunter | Author Website
Available: Now
Reading Level: Young Adult












Description from Goodreads:


Don’t miss this spectacular new series that will steal your heart and haunt your dreams,  Welcome to Shadow Falls camp, nestled deep in the woods of a town called Fallen…

One night Kylie Galen finds herself at the wrong party, with the wrong people, and it changes her life forever.  Her mother ships her off to Shadow Falls—a camp for troubled teens, and within hours of arriving, it becomes painfully clear that her fellow campers aren’t just “troubled.”  Here at Shadow Falls, vampires, werewolves, shapshifters, witches and fairies train side by side—learning to harness their powers, control their magic and live in the normal world.

Kylie’s never felt normal, but surely she doesn’t belong here with a bunch of paranormal freaks either.  Or does she?  They insist Kylie is one of them, and that she was brought here for a reason.  As if life wasn’t complicated enough, enter Derek and Lucas.  Derek’s a half-fae who’s determined to be her boyfriend, and Lucas is a smokin’ hot werewolf with whom Kylie shares a secret past.  Both Derek and Lucas couldn’t be more different, but they both have a powerful hold on her heart. 

Even though Kylie feels deeply uncertain about everything, one thing is becoming painfully clear—Shadow Falls is exactly where she belongs…

Favorite quote:

“Just because a guy rings your bell, doesn’t mean you have to toot his horn” 

My thoughts:

Kylie finds herself caught at a party with alcohol (that she wasn’t even drinking), and shipped off to a camp for troubled teens. Or at least that is what her therapist claims. On day one she discovers it is a camp for teens with supernatural lineage. Werewolves, faeries, and even vampires. Unfortunately, they haven’t figured out what Kylie is, and she strongly denies having any type of preternatural skills. She quickly gains the attentions of a boy named Derek, and meets another boy from her past who scares her witless (even with all his hotness). While balancing boys, new friends, and family drama, she also has to come to terms with the fact it is very likely she has supernatural abilities.

You will never look at summer camp the same way again. Really, how cool a setting did the author choose for her YA debut? I loved her take on supernaturals (especially vampires) and how she threw them all together in a camp setting. Add in hot boys, a love triangle (yes, I still love them!), and a mystery to solve, and you have a book that rocked my socks! 


Kylie is an amazing main character. I just loved her. She isn’t afraid to stand up for herself even when the person she is standing up to could rip her to shreds. You might not love her at first, but her character really evolves so much over the course of the book. She has to come to terms with so much change in such a short time. I really felt for the poor girl, but she handled it quite well. There is also a great cast of secondary characters who I hope to see more of as this series continues. 


Now let us discuss previously mentioned hot boys. Derek is your typical nice guy. I really liked him and he is a great love interest for Kylie, but if you know me or read my blog often, you’ll know I’m addicted to the bad (but sweet behind the tough facade) boy. In this case that would be Lucas. He won me over even though I initially didn’t like him. As the book progressed I became firmly fixed on the Team Lucas side. He has all the characteristics that blend to create the perfect "bad boy". Mystery, attitude, dangerously good looks, and he is a werewolf! In the battle of hot fae and hot weres, the furry guys always win with me.


Still loving YA paranormal books, but want a fresh take? Give Born At Midnight a try! I think even adult fans will enjoy this series. In case you didn’t know C.C Hunter is a pseudonym for romance author Christie Craig. While this is definitely aimed at young adults, the writing had a certain feel that can only be created by a seasoned romance writer. This series just has so much to offer. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series!

My Rating:

Source:

Around the World Tours

ARC Review & Giveaway: The Demon Trapper’s Daughter by Jana Oliver

Title: The Demon Trapper’s Daughter
Series: Demon Trapper’s #1
Author: Jana Oliver - Author’s Website
Available: Now
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Reading Level: Young Adult












Description from Goodreads:


Riley Blackthorne just needs a chance to prove herself – and that’s exactly what the demons are counting on…

Seventeen-year-old Riley, the only daughter of legendary Demon Trapper, Paul Blackthorne, has always dreamed of following in her father's footsteps.  The good news is, with human society seriously disrupted by economic upheaval and Lucifer increasing the number of demons in all major cities, Atlanta’s local Trappers’ Guild needs all the help they can get – even from a girl. When she’s not keeping up with her homework or trying to manage her growing crush on fellow apprentice, Simon, Riley’s out saving distressed citizens from foul-mouthed little devils – Grade One Hellspawn only, of course, per the strict rules of the Guild. Life’s about as normal as can be for the average demon-trapping teen.

But then a Grade Five Geo-Fiend crashes Riley’s routine assignment at a library, jeopardizing her life and her chosen livelihood.  And, as if that wasn’t bad enough, sudden tragedy strikes the Trappers’ Guild, spinning Riley down a more dangerous path than she ever could have imagined. As her whole world crashes down around her, who can Riley trust with her heart – and her life?

My thoughts:

Riley is training to become a Demon Trapper just like her very skilled demon trapping father. Being young and a girl doesn’t earn her any cool points from fellow trappers. Some even make comments about her only being accepted because of her father’s status. As demon activity around the city increases, and their usual predictable behavior changes, Riley finds herself facing a devastating loss. The demons have also started referring to her by name. Not the norm, and Riley is growing more concerned with every encounter.

I need to start by saying how much I enjoyed this book. I read it in one sitting. The author really brings a fresh idea into the world of Young Adult and Urban Fantasy. The whole demon trapping idea is uber-cool. With that said, I do have a couple of teeny tiny complaints. I found myself seriously jonesing for a better explanation as to why demons were running amuck in Atlanta. Also some points seemed to contradict the status of the world in which the novel takes place. Cars and gasoline were a luxury, but the just getting by trappers all had one. With such an emphasis on how people were struggling it seemed the author wasn’t consistently demonstrating the hardship.

I really liked main character, Riley. After reading other reviews I found she doesn’t have much of a fan club. I admit I didn’t like how she treated her dad’s trapping partner, Beck, over the course of the book. In her defense after having a huge crush on him, she is bound to suffer from a case of bruised pride over him not reciprocating the feelings. Does it give her a free pass to be a bitch? Of course not, but she is obviously a character who has trouble channeling her feelings without losing her temper. She is far from perfect, but I like that her “flaws" give her character so much room for personal growth as this series progresses. I wasn’t feeling any chemistry between Riley and love interest, Simon. I can actually say I didn’t like anything about Simon. I loved Beck, and this is probably where my hate strong dislike for Simon stems. I’m Team Beck 100%, but could do without the dialogue the author used to emphasize his southern accent. I lost count of how many times he said “yer”, and found it very distracting, but I still ♥ him. There is also a third boy thrown into the mix, but he wasn’t around enough for me to give him a love him or hate him label.

Final Verdict: I feel this is a series with huge amounts of promise, and one that I will continue without a doubt. I noticed the UK version has about 80 pages more than the US version. I’d love to get my hands on a copy to compare. I’m giving this one a very high 3 kitty rating (leaning oh so close to a 4 kitty rating). I feel like the author offered us characters and a world that has so much room for growth. I’m eager to see how this story continues, and hope the author will delve a little deeper into how the demon infested world came to be.


Content Warning: This is YA, but is very heavy on the adult language/situations. I’d be hesitant to recommend it to anyone under the age of 15 or 16.

My Rating:

If you want a peek at the world Riley lives in there is a free bonus story in e-book form titled Retro Demonology. 

Order The Demon Trapper’s Daughter from Amazon:

Want to win my gently used ARC? Just leave a comment with a way to contact you (email/Twitter/Blog Address/etc.) I’ll choose a winner on 3/19 I’m willing to ship within the U.S or to Canada.