Socialpunk by Monica Leonelle *Blog Tour Review*

Summary:

Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 400 pages (e-book)

Source: Review copy recieved from author

Publication Date: March 27th 2012 by Spaulding House         

First I would like to give a huge thanks to author Monica Leonelle who reached out and e-mailed me requesting that I be a part of her April blog tour!

Now for the review part of the post.

This book really grabbed me once I started it. One night last week I was laying on the couch reading and I was thinking to myself that I better start the book soon so obviously I did.

I was really surprised by how the book started off. It's definitely an interesting read, and I think I was mostly surprised by how much I liked the book considering it's more of a sci0fi dystopian ya novel, when sci-fi isn't one of my favourite genre's it gave the book a neat little edge.

I thought the the characters were good but they still could have been developed more especially as the story went on. For me the book was speeding along fantastically for the first 30% of the book and then it started slowing down, until around the halfway mark it came to a complete and sputtering stop. For the later half of the book it was mainly stop and go with some really intense scenes and plot twists but then there would be too many slower parts for me.

However despite that it had several slow parts I still found it to be an enjoyable read, and most of all it was something very different from what I'd normally read and I'm all for trying new books. I think that the author Monica has a bright writing career ahead of her and I am very much looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I really, really want to see where it goes!

I definitely recommend this book to people who are fans of dystopian ya novels and I urge you to give it a chance if you're unfamiliar with sci-fi because although the book is rife with it the author explains it very well.

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To visit the author's website CLICK HERE

To become a fan on Goodreads CLICK HERE

To follow the author on Twitter CLICK HERE

To "Like" the author on Facebook CLICK HERE

*I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my free and honest review.

★ ★ ★ 1/2

It's Monday! What are you reading? #11

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey and is a great way for others to find out what you are planning to read this week and, best of all, see what others are reading.

Last week I read and finished:

Afrika by Hermann Huppen

30 Days of Night Vol. 1 by Sam Keith

Somebody, Please Tell Me Who I Am by Harry Mazer

Angel's Peak by Robyn Carr

Dissolve by Andrea Heltsley

The Virgin Diaries by Kimberley A. Johnson and Ann Werner

This Week I'm Hoping to Read:

 

And if I can squeeze something else in I will :)

What are YOU reading this week?

What do you think about what I'm reading?

IMM #6

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme from The Story Siren where you can share your new acquisitions. They can come from anywhere: through the mail, via the library, purchased from a store, or downloaded as ebooks.

 

Here's what I got this week:

Books I borrowed from the library:

And a gift from Mr. Turning the Pages:

What did YOU get in YOUR mailbox?

Dissolve by Andrea Heltsley

Summary:
Everything seemed to be going right for Cora. She had a wonderful fiance, a great best friend and a fulfilling life. One day, a tragic event causes that life to crumble around her. She turns to her best friend in her time of need. They embark on a search for answers, delving deeper into a web of magic and destruction. The closer they get to the truth, the more questions they have.To Cora, magic was the stuff of fairy tales. Immersed into a very different kind of world, the real storm was just beginning to take hold.
“It felt like I was nowhere yet everywhere all at once. I was invisible and completely panicked. The millions of pieces I had dissolved to drift on the breeze and away from my nightmares. It was kind of like floating weightless in a pool, perfectly relaxing. The warm breeze from the window embraced and soothed me. I let the air current carry me as far as it could through the summer city.”
“Defeated, I closed my eyes and took a few calming breaths trying to relax myself. I pictured the dandelion in the park today and took a deep breath as to blow the fluffy seeds in all directions. I pretended I was light and fluffy and started to feel a tingling in my body. I began to feel as light as the dandelion seeds and soon I felt like mist floating. This time, I tried to keep myself in the room, swirling in a humid block.”
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 424 pages
Source: Blog tour Review Copy
Publication Date: April 4th 2012

First I'd like to thank both the author Andrea Heltsley and the Innovative Online tours for providing me with the opportunity to read, review and help spread the word of this book.

The first thing that grabbed me about the book was the summary, at the time my computer was loading really slowly so I didn't have the opportunity to see the cover for awhile. The summary had me intrigued so I immediately signed up for the tour. Afterwards when my computer decided to cooperate with me I was stunned by the cover it's bewitching, beguiling and stunning but of course it would have to be since it's designed by Phatpuppy Creations. As you can see the cover is really striking and fits remarkably well with the book in my opinion.

I don't know about the rest of you but for me, when I'm reading a new to me author I tend to read it slower in order to adjust to a new writing style but before I knew it I was 10% through the book and I was really enjoying it.

The book itself started well and I really liked Cora, and Nessa because they seem like really sweet characters, and most of all they aren't snobby which is something I hate in books. As the novel went on though I was still glad to see that the author had their attitudes change as the characters themselves grew. Though Cora did come off as being a little to goodie goodie and naive for me she was still a good character. Though all the characters could have been aided by a little more character development.

I thought that the whole idea of the book was really neat, different and a must needed departure for me. Forgive me if my review seems a bit more vague than I usually write them it's because the book is written in such a way that I don't want to give off any spoilers to future readers. The way the book is written was in my opinion quite good because while you're left going "What the heck just happened?" in some places it all works out in the end. You just have to read it to watch it come to pass.

However, though I did indeed enjoy the book there were a couple of area's that the author could work on in the future. At times like I said in the previous paragraph I was left puzzled and lost with the direction in which the story was going. There would be like in any other book times where the book would stop and good and it was as if the author had written some stuff in just as filler I could have done with more detail in the main parts of the book and less detail in the filler parts. This isn't an issue but I think at times there was a wee bit too much filler. She could also do with working on her conjugating as well. She would conjugate words like isn't, didn't, won't etc. but rarely if ever conjugated words like we're, they're, you're etc. and that made it a little harder for me to keep focus because I'm so used to authors conjugating maybe it's just a preference of mine.

All in all the book was pretty good, one that I'm glad I read because I enjoy trying new authors because you never know who may be the next big thing in the writing world. I'd recommend this to those who like a mixture of science fiction and fantasy. I would advise that if you find the book a little slower that the pace does pick up after awhile so I suggest sticking with it.

To purchase the book via Barnes&Noble CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Book Depository CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via Creatspace CLICK HERE

To visit the author's blog CLICK HERE

To become a fan on Goodreads CLICK HERE

To follow the author on Twitter CLICK HERE

To "Like" the author on Facebook CLICK HERE

*I received a copy of this book from the author via Innovative Online Book Tours in exchange for my free and honest review.

★ ★ ★1/2

Wildflower by Anne Schraff

Summary:

Chelsea Spain bridled under her father's harsh rules. But she was growing up too fast. Someone had rein her in until she had enough sense to handle herself better. Whenever there was the temptation to take a risk, she went for it. Egged on by her immature friends, was it too late to learn that some risks are just not worth taking?
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 183 pages (paperback)
Source: Toronto Public Library
Publication Date: 1st 2010 by Saddleback Educational Publishing, Inc.

I love my library, I really do and because I love my library I frequently check their featured books list. This one happened to be on one of those lists and because I was looking for a short easy read and wanted to give this one a shot.

Right off the bat though  I knew this book would not be for me and this was one of the few cases where the book had absolutely no redeemable qualities. In fact readng it gave me a migraine, I'm being truly honest here in saying that.

The book is supposed to be a work of "urban fiction" but in my honest opinion it wasn't even close. The language the author used was forced, you can tell she's unfamiliar with how teens talk now. A few times in the book she had the Chelsea's older brother talking like he as from the early 1900's because he was talking about boys courting her and other such things that didn't fit the time the book was set at all. I mean at my high school no teenage boys used words such as "courting" and I've only been out of highschool a few years. Heck my friends who are loyale followers of the blog can atest to the lack of intelligence portrayed by the guys we went to school with.

Another thng that bothered me a lot about the book that instead of being a book about Chelsea it was a book about her brother and his inner thoughts and told from his point of view the majority of the time. The book was terribly written and I wish I had not spent the time reading this book while I could have been reading a book I enjoyed. This book was so disjointed I wish that it had never been published.

I would never in a million years recommend this book to anyone at all especially not to my readers. I wouldn't wish this book on anyone it was just that bad. However, if you do read it come back and tell me your thoughts on it.

★

Dirty Little Secret #5

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by at Under the Covers. Every Thursday they ask a question hoping to reveal other bloggers "dirty little secrets"

This week's question is:

Who is your favorite flawed hero and/or heroine and why do you still love them despite their faults?

Since I don't really have a favourite flawed heroine I'll just answer with my favourite flawed hero which is Zsadist from J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. He has major issues from his past that results in him being an emotionless, lethal killer but deep down he's a softy when it comes to two girls in his life; Bella and Nalla. I loved his book in the series and because Ward mentions him at least a little in each book we the readers see him changing and evolving.

Who is YOUR favourite flawed hero and/or heroine?

Portuguese Irregular Verbs (Portuguese Irregular Verbs #1) by Alexander McCall Smith

Summary:
Readers who fell in love with Precious Ramotswe, proprietor of The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, now have new cause for celebration in the protagonist of these three light-footed comic novels by Alexander McCall Smith. Welcome to the insane and rarified world of Professor Dr. Moritz-Maria von Igelfeld of the Institute of Romance Philology. Von Igelfeld is engaged in a never-ending quest to win the respect he feels certain he is due–a quest which has the tendency to go hilariously astray.


In Portuguese Irregular Verbs, Professor Dr von Igelfeld learns to play tennis, and forces a college chum to enter into a duel that results in a nipped nose. He also takes a field trip to Ireland where he becomes acquainted with the rich world of archaic Irishisms, and he develops an aching infatuation with a Dentist fatale. Along the way, he takes two ill-fated Italian sojourns, the first merely uncomfortable, the second definitely dangerous.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com
Length: 128 pages (Paperback)
Source: Toronto Public Library
Publication Date: August 4th 2004

Last spring I attempted to read this book because I love Alexander McCall Smith's bestselling series The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency and since I had read all of the books in the series at the time I was looking for a quick fix for his writing. Unfortunately the first time I tried reading this I gave up 20 pages in. Then, a couple weeks ago I decided to give this another go and liked it much better the second time around.

Those who are interested in reading this be advised that it is written very differently from his No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series and it will take some getting some getting used to. Even though I liked this one more this time around I still had my share of trouble keeping focus on it.

The book itself follows the main character Dr. von Igfeld on his many journeys and experiences which were mildly amusing. When I first started reading it the book made very little sense to me, it felt as if Smith were trying to hard to replicate the style of writing used pre 1900 in a lot of ways and for me it came off very flawed and forced, but as the book progressed I ended up liking it more than I thought I would. I thought Igfeld was an interesting character and I enjoyed reading about his varying opinions of the things in his world. He's a quirky man but one who intrigues me enough to try the second book.

It was a quick and easy read that was certainly very different from anything else that I've ever read and I mean that in a good way and a bad way. Good, because I enjoy reading new things and bad because I was frequently lost and confused but the whole book had one special redeeming quality and that was Smith's characteristic "cozy" feeling that I get when I read his book. I found it to be an interesting read and one series that I do plan on reading the second book in the near future but if that book isn't any better than this one  I'll have to write this series off as one that is not for me.

I would recommend this to people interested in trying this author out since it is a short book and for those who have read some of his other books before, but I urge you to go in with an open mind and to give it a shot.

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via BookDepository CLICK HERE

To visit the author's website CLICK HERE

To follow the author on Twitter CLICK HERE

To "Like" the author on Facebook CLICK HERE

★ ★ ★

Explosive Eighteen (Stephanie Plum, #18) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:

Bounty hunter Stephanie Plum’s life is set to blow sky high when international murder hits dangerously close to home, in this dynamite novel by Janet Evanovich.

Before Stephanie can even step foot off Flight 127 from Hawaii to Newark, she’s knee deep in trouble. Her dream vacation turned into a nightmare, she’s flying back to New Jersey solo, and someone who sounds like Sasquatch is snoring in row 22. Worse still, her seatmate never returned to the plane after the L.A. layover. Now he’s dead, in a garbage can, waiting for curbside pickup. His killer could be anyone. The FBI, the fake FBI, and guns-for-hire are all looking for a photograph the dead man was supposed to be carrying.


Only one other person has seen the missing photograph—Stephanie Plum. Now she’s the target, and she doesn’t intend to end up in a garbage can. With the help of an FBI sketch artist Stephanie re-creates the person in the photo. Unfortunately the first sketch turns out to look like Tom Cruise, and the second sketch like Ashton Kutcher. Until Stephanie can improve her descriptive skills, she’ll need to watch her back.


Over at the Bail Bonds Agency it’s business as usual—until the bonds bus serving as Vinnie’s temporary HQ goes up in smoke, Stephanie’s wheelman, Lula, falls in love with their “largest” FTA yet, lifetime arch nemesis Joyce Barnhardt moves into Stephanie’s apartment, and everyone wants to know what happened in Hawaii?!

Morelli, Trenton’s hottest cop, isn’t talking about Hawaii. Ranger, the man of mystery, isn’t talking about Hawaii. And all Stephanie is willing to say about her Hawaiian vacation is . . . It’s complicated.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 305 pages (Hardcover Edition)

Source: Toronto Public Library

Publication Date: November 22nd 2011

As soon as I finished Smokin' Seventeen I immediately grabbed this one and began reading it and by the next night I was finished. It was that damn good.

I'd heard a lot of mixed reviews on this one before I read it so I was initially very wary of it despite the fact that I've read the rest of the series and loved them, and I loved this one too. At the same time  can sort of see why people didn't like it as much as other books in the series.

At first I was pretty baffled by the whole summary but once I started reading the book I began to piece things together, and  really enjoyed how it turned out in the end even though Evanovich didn't really reveal the surprise until it was closer to the end of the book, but I think it worked well.

Stephanie's antics were even more hilarious in this one and of course Lula, decides to get herself into a bit of mischief as well and Mooner makes another appearance (I love Mooner) and Connie is in this one a bit more too which was amusing. I really enjoyed the way this one played out because Evanovich seemed to me at least to take her time with this one and the fact that what happened in Hawaii wasn't made clear until later on added to the book for me.

My one and only issue is that I have to wait forever to read the next Stephanie Plum book to be written and published and who knows when that will happen. On the brighter side I still have to read the between the numbers books and Evanovich is releasing Wicked Business soon so that should in theory help tide me over. All in all I'm pleased with how the series has left off at this point.

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via BookDepository CLICK HERE

To visit the author's website CLICK HERE

To follow the author on Twitter CLICK HERE

To "Like" the author on Facebook CLICK HERE

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Smokin' Seventeen (Stephanie Plum, #17) by Janet Evanovich

Summary:

Where there’s smoke there’s fire, and no one knows this better than New Jersey bounty hunter Stephanie Plum.
Dead bodies are showing up in shallow graves on the empty construction lot of Vincent Plum Bail Bonds. No one is sure who the killer is, or why the victims have been offed, but what is clear is that Stephanie’s name is on the killer’s list.


Short on time to find evidence proving the killer’s identity, Stephanie faces further complications when her family and friends decide that it’s time for her to choose between her longtime off-again-on-again boyfriend, Trenton cop Joe Morelli, and the bad boy in her life, security expert Ranger. Stephanie’s mom is encouraging Stephanie to dump them both and choose a former high school football star who’s just returned to town. Stephanie’s sidekick, Lula, is encouraging Stephanie to have a red-hot boudoir “bake-off.” And Grandma Bella, Morelli’s old-world grandmother, is encouraging Stephanie to move to a new state when she puts “the eye” on Stephanie.


With a cold-blooded killer after her, a handful of hot men, and a capture list that includes a dancing bear and a senior citizen vampire, Stephanie’s life looks like it’s about to go up in smoke.
Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 308 pages (Hardcover Edition)

Source: Toronto Public Library 

Publication Date: June 21st 2011

Two weeks ago I was finally able to get my hands on a copy of this from the library and I am so glad I did! I had been dying to read this one for ages but because it was so hard to get from the library I ended up having to slow down on reading the series in just so I wouldn't have to wait forever to read this one once I finished the other books in the series.

This one was hilarious. I know I say that about EVERY book in the series but I honestly just love this series. As always I had a lot of laugh out loud moments in this book, it was even funnier than Sizzlin' Sixteen!

I really enjoyed how Evanovich wrote this one because of course there's more tension between Morelli and Ranger but when Morelli's crazy old Grandma Bella got involved (haven't seen her in a few books) I knew I was in for one heck of a ride especially when there are dead bodies being found at the bonds office, Stephanie gets "The Eye" put on her and her family are setting her up with some weirdos and of course Grandma Mazur was a pip in this one! I found that this one was a little more fast paced than the previous one, but it wasn't rushed at all. In fact I don't have a single bad thing to say about this book I loved it, and while I was reading it poor Mr. Turning The Pages was left neglected while I delved into Stephanie's world. This resulted in a lot of sighing on his part and eye rolling when I would laugh but he put up with it. Thanks Babe!

Seriously, I can't say it enough if you haven't started this series do it now. You'll laugh your pants off!

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via BookDepository CLICK HERE

To visit the author's website CLICK HERE

To follow the author on Twitter CLICK HERE

To "Like" the author on Facebook CLICK HERE

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Waiting On Wednesday #8

Waiting on Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jill at Breaking The Spineand is where we can talk about books we are looking forward to being released!

Here is my pick for the week:

Summary:

Before Peter Pan belonged to Wendy, he belonged to the girl with the crow feather in her hair. . . .

Fifteen-year-old Tiger Lily doesn't believe in love stories or happy endings. Then she meets the alluring teenage Peter Pan in the forbidden woods of Neverland and immediately falls under hisspell.

Peter is unlike anyone she's ever known. Impetuous and brave, he both scares and enthralls her. As the leader of the Lost Boys, the most fearsome of Neverland's inhabitants, Peter is an unthinkable match for Tiger Lily. Soon, she is risking everything—her family, her future—to be with him. When she is faced with marriage to a terrible man in her own tribe, she must choose between the life she's always known and running away to an uncertain future with Peter.

With enemies threatening to tear them apart, the lovers seem doomed. But it's the arrival of Wendy Darling, an English girl who's everything Tiger Lily is not, that leads Tiger Lily to discover that the most dangerous enemies can live inside even the most loyal and loving heart.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Peaches comes a magical and bewitching story of the romance between a fearless heroine and the boy who wouldn't grow up.

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 304 pages

Expected publication: July 3rd 2012 by Harper Collins Children's Books

Why I'm Waiting:

 I love the cover (isn't it gorgeous?) and I love Peter Pan and I've always wanted to read a book about Tiger Lily, I can't wait to buy this one!

Now, what are YOU waiting for this Wednesday?

Top Ten Tuesday #7

Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created here at The Broke and the Bookish. This feature was created because we are particularly fond of lists here at The Broke and the Bookish. We'd love to share our lists with other bookish folks and would LOVE to see your top ten lists!

This week's topic is Top Ten Favourite Characters in Books:

1. All the Characters from J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series, I can't for the life of me pick just one. As a kid these characters were like my fictional best friends the good ones and the bad ones.


2. Jamie and Claire Fraser from Diana Gabaldon's Outlander series. I love the chemistry between the two and I love how they were written.


3. Stephanie Plum and the rest of the merry band of characters from Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum series. The characters ALWAYS have me cracking up!


4. Elena and Clay from Kelley Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. I love how those two always bicker with each other. It cracks m up, and the intensity they have for eacho other is so heated.


5. Captain Harding from Jules Verne's The Mysterious Island. I love the book and if I were ever to be stranded on an island with him (and Mr. Turning The Pages) I know we wouldn't die. A more resourceful character I've never met.


6. Deuce from Ann Aguirre's Enclave.
What an intense book and what an intense character.
I love her and think she's much more awesome than Katniss (Sorry folks!)

7. Mercedes Thompson from the Mercedes Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. I love how even though she's a smaller shifter she has a lot of strength.

8. Anita Blake from Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series
The woman is pure awesome!
She likes guns and can raise the dead.

9. Dirk Pitt and Al Giordino  from Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt series.
I love these books, Dirk and Al are so funny in the books I had to include them, I discovered them almost a decade ago and I never get tired of their adventures.


10. Myron and Win from Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series.
Harlan Coben gave both these guys wicked senses of humour I can't help but love them plus Win is a psycho and I happen to love that about him :)

Who are YOUR Top Ten Favourite Characters?

It's Monday! What are you reading? #10

It's Monday! What Are You Reading? is a meme hosted by Book Journey and is a great way for others to find out what you are planning to read this week and, best of all, see what others are reading.

Last week I read and finshed:

Visions by Sara Daniell

Wildflower by Anne Schraff

The Finishing of Lady Amelia by Scarlett Rains

Wolf Signs by Vivian Arend

The Desperate Dad's Guide to Getting Some by Jackie Papandrew

A Dixie Chirstmas by Sandra Hill

Reluctant Protector by Nana Malone

When the Sea is Rising Red by Cat Hellisen

This Week I'm reading:

Socialpunk (Social Punk #1) by Monica Leonelle

Dissolve by Andrea Heltsley

The Third Fate by Nadja Notariani

The Dragon's Harp by Rachael Pruitt

And if I can squeeze something else in I will :)

What are YOU reading this week?

What do you think about what I'm reading?

INDIE GIVEAWAY HOP!

There will be ONE winner.

This giveaway is INTERNATIONAL.

 

The Winner will have 48 hours to respond to the notification of their winning the giveaway. IF no response is given another name WILL be drawn.

You MUST be 13 years old or older to enter.

The giveaway is from April 23rd - April 30th.

The Prize is ONE e-copy of:

IMM #5

In My Mailbox is a weekly meme from The Story Siren where you can share your new acquisitions. They can come from anywhere: through the mail, via the library, purchased from a store, or downloaded as ebooks.

Here's what I got this week:

Books I recieved for review:

Books I bought:

(Click to enlarge)

I scored these at my local Goodwill store for a grand total of $9.28 :)

What I won:

From my fellow Torontonian bloggers Kelly and Lisa from BookmarkBelles

Thanks ladies!

And as always I got  a ton of kindle freebies but I won't list them :)

What's in YOUR mailbox?

Dirty Little Secret #4

Dirty Little Secret is a weekly meme hosted by at Under the Covers. Every Thursday they ask a question hoping to reveal other bloggers "dirty little secrets"

This week's question is:

If you could visit any country with a fictional character as your guide, who would you pick and why?

Hmmm... Good question.

I think I would bring Jamie Fraser from Diana Gabldon's Outlander series. If I ever had a fictional crush it would be on him. I mean honestly, who doesn't love a big, brawny Highlander?

I'd also pick him since he's closer to my age than a lot of the heros in the books I read.

I'd love to visit Scotland with him even though it isn't much of a vacation for him since he lives there but that's where I'd go.

Now, which fictional character would YOU pick as your guide?

Night Pleasures (Dark-Hunter #1) by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Summary:

Dear Reader,


Have you ever wanted to know what it's like to be immortal? To journey through the night stalking the evil that preys on humans? To have unlimited wealth, unlimited power? That is my existence, and it is dark and dangerous. I play hero to thousands, but am known to none. And I love every minutes of it.


Or so I thought until one night when I woke up handcuffed to my worst nightmare: a conservative woman in a button-down shirt. Or in Amanda's case, one buttoned all the way up to her chin. She's smart, sexy, witty, and wants nothing to do with the paranormal--in other words, me.


My attraction to Amanda Devereaux goes against everything I stand for. Not to mention the last time I fell in love it cost me not only my human life, but also my very soul. Yet every time I look at her, I find myself wanting to try again. Wanting to believe that love and loyalty do exist.


Even more disturbing, I find myself wondering if there's any way a woman like Amanda can love a man whose battle scars run deep, and whose heart was damaged by a betrayal so savage that he's not sure it will ever beat again.

Kyrian of Thrace

Summary taken from Goodreads.com

Length: 320 pages (Hardcover Edition)

Source: Gift purchased by Mr. Turning The Pages for me.

Publication Date: October 13th 2002

I finally did it! I read my first Sherrilyn Kenyon book thanks to the urging from my Facebook followers especially Michelle from The Passionate Bookworm Thanks again Michelle!

Night Embrace is definitely a great start to a new series to read in my opinion. I think the thing that I enjoyed most about it was that the book didn't take itself too seriously, for me it was a lighter paranormal romance novel because Kenyon gave her characters pretty good senses of humour. After all the paranormal romance I've read it's nice to find one that is a bit of a lighter read but don't get me wrong there was certainly a lot of action in it as well.

I really liked Amanda, the heroine of the novel because low and behold she had a brain. She was opinionated, funny, and she wasn't the least bit helpless. I don't know about you but I've gotten a bit sick of author's writing paranormal romances where the heroine is helpless, tiny, blonde, and ditzy. For the love of all things chocolate ENOUGH of that already. It's fine once in a while but honestly, I think women reading the books want characters with some brains. Lucky for me this was one of the books that had an intelligent heroine along with an intriguing hero who while he's an alpha male it's not in an over done way.

Since this is my first Sherrilyn Kenyon book I wasn't expecting to like it as much as I did but it really was a good read. I really enjoyed the world building and learning what Kyrian being a Dark Hunter really means and being slightly introduced to what were-hunters and dream-hunters are. Because it's the first book I'm left with a lot more questions regarding the dream-hunters but I find the whole idea really interesting. I mean Kyrian of Thrace is 2,000 years old, his best friend is Julian who just happens to be the son of Aphrodite the goddess of love and his step father is Hephaestus. How awesome is that? Plus Kyrian's "boss" Acheron is 11.000 years old. If that doesn't peak your interest than I don't know what's wrong with you.

I think Kenyon wrote a really balanced paranormal romance novel. I love how while there was a lighter side to the romance it didn't lose the action that I really love to see in my paranormal romances so this one didn't disappoint me at all. Plus the chemistry between Kyrian and Amanda was great they really are a well balanced couple and I hope to see them more as the series continues.

If you haven't read this book or any book by Sherrilyn Kenyon you MUST try this one. It's so good that I stayed up until the wee hours of the night to read it and managed to read the whole book in 3 hours. It was just that damned good. Seriously. Pick this book up now! I highly recommend it.

Have you read this book, or series? Have you read anything by Sherrilyn Kenyon before? If you have what are your thoughts? Please refrain from posting spoilers!

To purchase the book via Amazon CLICK HERE

To purchase the book via BookDepository CLICK HERE

To visit the author's website CLICK HERE

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