Time for some mini-reviews! What are mini-reviews, you ask? As the title suggests, these are short reviews, consisting of one paragraph tops, about a book. It’s a way to catch up on the books I’ve read a while ago, but never got around to reviewing.
Bite Me
Title: Bite Me
Author: Parker Blue
Genre: Young Adult, Urban Fantasy
Rating: 4 stars
Purchase: Amazon
Barely eighteen-year-old heroine Valentine Shapiro got a raw deal in the parent lottery. Her father was part incubus demon, and her mother’s never forgiven her for that.
Life after high school is tough enough without having to go 15 rounds with your inner demon. Thrown out of the house by her mother, Val puts one foot in front of the other and does the only thing that seems to make any sense – she takes aim at the town vampires. A stake a day, keeps the demon at bay. But don’t call her Buffy. That makes Lola, her demon, very cranky.)
Her dark side makes everyday life a roller coaster, but means she’s perfect for her night job as a bounty hunter. San Antonio’s vampires are out of control, and it’s up to Val, her faithful hellhound Fang, and her new partner, a handsome San Antonio police detective, to get the deadly fangbangers off the city streets.
Soon enough she finds herself deep in the underbelly of the city, discovering the secrets of the Demon Underground and fighting to save those she loves. Whether they love her back or not.
Review: Val Shapiro is the most unlikely heroine I’ve read about in ages. Daughter of a part incubus demon, whose mother never really loved her. After getting kicked out, Val starts hunting down vampires. The book reminded me of Buffy, but possibly with an even darker undertone. Solid writing too.
Don’t Breathe A Word
Title: Don’t Breathe A Word
Author: Jennifer McMahon
Genre: Mystery, Fantasy
Rating: 3 stars
Purchase: Amazon
On a soft summer night in Vermont, twelve-year-old Lisa went into the woods behind her house and never came out again. Before she disappeared, she told her little brother, Sam, about a door that led to a magical place where she would meet the King of the Fairies and become his queen.
Fifteen years later, Phoebe is in love with Sam, a practical, sensible man who doesn’t fear the dark and doesn’t have bad dreams—who, in fact, helps Phoebe ignore her own. But suddenly the couple is faced with a series of eerie, unexplained occurrences that challenge Sam’s hardheaded, realistic view of the world. As they question their reality, a terrible promise Sam made years ago is revealed—a promise that could destroy them all.
Review: I expected this book to be creepier than it was. Truth to be told, the wtiting was good, and the book started out great, but when it turned out most of the fantasy elements had practical explanations, it kind of lost me. The ending was a bit of a letdown. Started out great, but lost track along the way.
The Lightkeeper’s Ball
Title: The Lightkeeper’s Ball
Author: Colleen Coble
Genre: Historical Romance, Mystery
Rating: 3 stars
Purchase: Amazon
At the elegant Mercy Falls masquerade ball, Olivia’s hidden identity will be revealed.
It is the dawn of a new century and Olivia Stewart is heiress to an empire. Her family numbers among the Four Hundred–those considered the wealthiest and most distinguished in America. Unfortunately their wealth has nearly disappeared, and now their security rests upon the Stewart daughters marrying well.
Olivia’s sister, Eleanor, was engaged to Harrison Bennett, one of the nation’s wealthiest men, but has since died. Now the pressure is on Olivia to take her place, despite her suspicions about Eleanor’s fiance. Using her family’s long-forgotten English title, Olivia travels to Mercy Falls, California, as Lady Devonworth, hoping to learn more before committing to marriage. There she finds that Eleanor’s death was no accident. And Harrison is not the man she thought he would be.
When Mercy Falls holds a charity masquerade ball to raise funds for the new lighthouse, secrets–and truths long hidden–will be revealed. But can Harrison really love Olivia when he finds her true identity? Can she live with the repercussions of failing her family, or will she finally realize that nothing–not money, family, or romance–will ever compare to God’s unconditional love?
Review: I requested this book mostly for its gorgeous cover, but once I started reading, I enjoyed the story of Olivia Stewart, heirress to an empire. The story may be enjoyable, but it’s also a tad predictable. The murder mystery wasn’t that surprising, but the setting provided a wealth of historical background, and Olivia was an okay character.
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