To Kill a Warlock by H.P. Mallory

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. 

Dulcie O’Neil is a fairy. And not the type to frolic in gardens. She’s a Regulator—a law-enforcement agent who monitors the creatures of the Netherworld to keep them from wreaking havoc in the mortal world. When a warlock is murdered and Dulcie was the last person to see him alive, she must uncover the truth before she’s either deported back to the Netherworld, or she becomes the next victim. 

Enter Knight Vander, a sinfully attractive investigator sent from the Netherworld to work the case with Dulcie. Between battling her attraction to her self-appointed partner, keeping a sadomasochistic demon in check, and fending off the advances of a sexy and powerful vampire, Dulcie’s got her hands full. As the body count increases, Dulcie finds herself battling dark magic, reconnoitering in S&M clubs and suffering the greatest of all betrayals.

My Thoughts

I can't say, I absolutely love this book, but I still like it alot. I love pretty much all of the characters. Even the cocky Knight Vader. Love him to pieces. It's nice to have a male lead who knows who he wants and how to get it. 

Can I get one in real life? Much appreciated! :)

The only thing I didn't particularly like with this book is all of the romantic potential partners. There was the vampire, the elf, and Knight all vying for her attention. It was way too many for me to juggle even though I get the fact she is a very attractive fairy and wanted by many men. 

Other then that, I think I have no complaints. I think I was expecting so much since I've heard many great things about this author, but I just disappointed by the lack of wow factor that I was so expecting.

Characters: Like I said, I love all of the characters. I don't remember any character that annoyed me, which is unusual. I even ended up liking an unlikable character. I know a total tongue twister, but still. That's pretty decent characterization.

I also really liked the fact that Dulcie and pretty much all the characters had layers. Especially Dulcie and Knight. Delving into their past and discovering their current situations was interesting to say the least.

I also liked the powers given to Dulcie. I had to tip my hate to Ms. Mallory for giving them unique powers. I love the fact that the author took it back to Peter Pan with the fairy dust, and then shaking the hand to accumulate fairy dust? Ultra nice touch. 

I didn't understand why the author gave Knight these powers and associated them with the god Loki. It such a weird mix, but I do dig it. I just don't particularly like it. I don't know why, maybe it's because I can't really get why she picked certain aspects that make Loki Loki and added other powers that have relation to that character. So I have mixed feelings about his powers.

Then, to me, the whole elf thing just didn't really register. It's almost like she's recreating some of the old fairy tales and their powers and I don't really like the way she did. Making an elf tall for example kinda irks me .I don't know what it is. And of course, there were no Keebler jokes (which is beyond me) but that's just a sarcastic twist that I wish she would have put in there. It dead obvious that she should have put at least one cookie joke, but then again, it's probably just me. 

I guess in general, some of the powers for some characters made sense and others had no correlation at all, which kinda bugs me. Anyway, I think it could have been done with a better respect to the older versions but still given a unique twist. I'm thinking something along the lines of Grimm or Once Upon Time type of twist.

Plot: Love the twist at the end! Overall, I would give the plot a thumbs up. I even give her credit for developing a solid plot.

The only thing, plot wise, I didn't like was the fact that bdsm was treated like some kind of foreign entity. I didn't like the way it was portrayed. I know that bondage is part of the kinky realm of sex, but it doesn't mean that it has to be treated like only freaks love that sort of stuff. 

I think it could have been handled better with a lot more research and some more delicacy. Maybe I'm partial since I'm into it a bit, but I still feel like I can't be the only one who felt like, "Sheesh, bdsm isn't THAT weird." I guess for me, I think it could have handled better.

But I do love the fact that Knight likes it. So there's some hope that bdsm will get its due in the book and shown in a more favorable light.

Setting: While I understand the main setting, I didn't completely understand the Netherworld. Maybe she'll explain that in more detail throughout the series since I thought the Netherworld is suppose to be hell. So where is hell and why did she change it to a place that is reflective of the earth as is? I mean, what is the point of having a duplicate of earth anyway? 

And this is the same problem I had before, she's not really paying her dues toward the historical aspect of the Netherworld. Like I think, and I could be wrong, I thought in the Greek history that Hades was in charge of the Netherworld. That's where all of the dead go. 

So in her new world, where do all the dead go?

Or is she creating an alternative dimension where all the demons reside along with other paranormal creatures? And that hell is still there, just beneath Netherworld?

To me something isn't making any sense to me about her world. I wish I could figure it out, but I'm struggling to piece it altogether.

Ending: I like the ending. It's realistic and ties the story with a bow at the end. It still leaves me with a lot questions about her world and about what will happen next, but it was still a nice ending. I especially liked what she did for the main character and how she changed her. So I'll give her props on that too. Clever idea.

Overall: Would I recommend this book to friends?

I don't know.

I think I'm still on the fence about this one. I would be willing to give it to them since it's a free book. Would I tell them to buy the second?

I would have to read it and find out.

Am I tempted to buy the second book?

A little bit. The thing is: Lucy has A LOT of explaining to do, and if she doesn't do it in the next book, where does it leave all of my questions? And sure, I could ask the author, but shouldn't her book have the answers? Shouldn't the world building be sufficient enough that I wouldn't have all of these deep questions?

Shouldn't she have done the research? And sure, she might have, but then where is the hat tipping off to the history? That's where I just have an itchy feeling that I'm not going to be satisfied with her style of twisting the old.

It's not I wouldn't give her a chance. I would have to think about it some more first. And I would have to read the reviews to find out. Maybe ask one of the reviewers what they think about her world.

For right now, I would say read it and see if you find it suitable to your tastes. As of right now, I'm leaning on not reading any more books out of that series. But I might try some other book in her collection since she has demonstrated clear talent and work through this book. Hmm. This is tough.

Anyway, I hope that helps. Enjoy and tell me what you think about it!

Dreams of Gray by Maurice Lawless

Dreama Cargill is in trouble. She woke up naked, cold, and sporting a back mural. Where did it come from? Tattoos aren’t her usual scene. Then again, neither is blood and a strange attraction to the woods at night. Something is changing her, and not for the better. Can she unravel the mystery before the moon calls her to kill?

My Thoughts

Overall, I wasn't too impressed to be honest. Like I will give him his props for giving werewolves a different twist, but I just wasn't that into it. I will also give him major credit on the layout of the plot. It had enough twists and turns to keep my attention. And I love the cover. God, you guys know how I love a great cover story. 

 It was interesting enough to hold my attention but not interesting enough to make me go, "WOW!" I think the biggest problem I had with was the characters. I did like Dree but I didn't identify with her. I understood her, liked her in some parts, but I didn't like bond with her as the main character. I think if he spent a little more time on her and less time on her sex life, it could have been a lot better. 

But let's break this down.

Characters: I don't absolutely, positively love the characters. I like them and can relate to them. I like Dree well enough. But I do not like PJ at all. Something about her bothers me so much. Needless to say, in real life, she would definitely not be my friend. 

She's a slob, she is constantly cussing like a sailor for no reason. She came into a bathroom cussing about how she had to go. To me, that is just so classless. She is always calling Dree a ho.

Which granted, she may be one, but why bring your friend down like that? I just can't stand derogatory name calling. I expect an enemy to call her a ho, not her friend. Maybe it's a culture difference, since I know girlfriends may call each other b-words and such, but I just can't identify with someone like that. 

I also didn't like Slate but I liked her character development. She just came across to me like a stalker gone wrong. I just wish there could have been a different angle the author could have gone off from. I can see the layers that he built in her. I can see all of the time he spent developing her character, but I just couldn't like her either.

I think the only character I kinda liked more than Dree was Alan. But to me, he's a punk. He's a nice guy, he's a loyal guy. I liked his character a lot. I could also identify with him. He would be the guy you would bring home to your mother and be proud of. But I can't stand his, "We can make it through any problems you have baby!" attitude. Like that, to me, is a slight indication of desperation. You want to be in a relationship so bad, you are willing to go through practically Hades and back for a girl who treats you like crap.

That's a punk.

**SPOIL ALERT** If you don't want to know about the love interest and how it ends, turn away NOW!

 Like I understand this isn't a paranormal romance (which is clearly identified in the beginning as such), but why introduce a guy who could really have Dree's back then tear him away? I understand that there's a lot going on. I understand that he adds nothing to plot line. However, I'm a hopeless romantic. If a guy is great guy in all aspects (which Dree admits), then why not develop a romantic interest there? It's like she used him like a condom. And I can't really stand that about her character. I know there are people like her all over the world and probably have their own show (Keeping Up With the Kardashians rings a bell), but still. 

The author really annoyed me with the love interest. That's all.

**SPOIL ALERT OVER** You may now look at the rest of the review without me spoiling it for you. :)

Plot: I can't argue with this: He developed the plot well. The only problem I had was pacing. Some bits were too fast and some were too slow. But that's me being a bit picky. He could have done it on purpose but I still felt in some places the pacing was a bit off.

I also didn't like the fact that every chapter had some sort of sex in it. To me, that doesn't add to the plot. I get it, sex is part of it, but I still think it could have been left out. Like I'm a bit old school with romance. I get where he was going with it, and the changes. But at the same time, I think it could have been done a bit better. And with less graphic stuff in it. I just wasn't into it.

Granted, she's an adult. She's single. However, did he have to make it so focused on sex? I don't think so. Besides, I think some of the sex-fueled stuff could have been shown in other ways. I would go into it, but I'm trying not to ruin the story for you.

Setting: I didn't even know we were in the south, much less Houston. I didn't hear a y'all, any southern sayings or anything. And y'all know I'm from the south. I was so excited, then the author didn't use any terms that were from that place. I was slightly disappointed. We could have been anywhere.

Additionally, we didn't get any other mention of the weather or anything. I wish he could have delved deeper into the culture down there instead of doing a drive-by style: The setting is in Houston and now we're going to keep moving with the plot.

Now, I could be wrong about the sayings not being there, but for me, there wasn't any. Maybe the author could point them out to me. That would be great, then I will retract my comment.

Ending: I liked the ending a lot. It was a nice ending, I just wish it ended differently. The author stated the reasons why he ended like that, but for me, it could have been better.

Overall: Would I recommend this book?

Probably not, even though it is a free book. 

Especially if you are picky, like me, about some of the issues I had. 

I know you guys are looking at me and asking, "What?! It's a FREE book, why are you complaining?"

Because I've had better free books. I've had free books that have made me cry and tell the whole world how great this book is. And just because it's free, doesn't mean the quality should be lower. My expectations are still there. Granted, they may be a bit more forgiving, but still my expectations are still up there.

I hold the same standards for indie or traditionally published. Free or not free book. Of course, I'll be a bit more critical of the paid book (since I had to pay for it), but still. I expect the same overall.

And before y'all criticize me, yes, I know my views are slanted. I totally know I root for the underdog. The indie authors. However, my standards are the same: Make great characters and plot, and I will love you forever. And I will wait for your wonderful books to come out. Just keep the quality the same. That is literally all I ask. Keep the quality up and I will not whip you like you stole something from me. 

Bonus points for great sarcasm and wit. Bonus points if the main character is a minority. Double bonus points  if you incorporate both.

Anyway, that's what I thought of this book. If you had a different experience with this book, please let me know! I would love to talk about it more in depth. 

And please, never stop reading!

Tempest (#1 Destroyers Series) by Holly Hook

Sixteen-year-old Janelle knows something's not right with her father when they move to their new home in Florida. He refuses to evacuate them from the coast when a hurricane bears down on them, despite the fact that all their neighbors have gone. Even worse, it seems like there's something he wants to tell her, something terrifying, but he's not quite opening up.

Then Janelle's life flips upside down when a teenage boy, Gary, materializes out of the storm right in front of her. He bears a strange marking on his arm, a gray spiral that matches the one she was born with. Perhaps her strange birthmark means something after all. But when she points out Gary's mark to her father, he refuses to speak more about it. 

It's up to Janelle to find the truth about the connection she and Gary share. When she tracks Gary down again and discovers it, it's far more terrifying than she could ever imagine: she and Gary share a powerful, deadly curse. Worse, learning the truth is only the start of Janelle's horrifying adventure into a world she had never imagined.

My Thoughts

First off, I love the idea of people being storms. It's just an awesome idea that I wish I would have come up with. It's just an interesting way to make the normal paranormal.

I like the characters, the plot, and the idea. It just all spins (pun intended) wonderfully. The only problem I really had was the romance. At times, it was just plain ol' awkward. 

And trust me, I get it. Been there, done that. However, it seemed like a Dia Reeves problem. Like the author was struggling with developing the romantic tension between them. And I wish she could have done a better job of it.

But you really can't beat the price: It's free! :) 

Anyway, let's dissect this book further.

Characters: I love all of the characters. I love the fact that Janelle is discovering the "ugly" side of her family and it helps to understand herself. It's like discovering layer after layer of what makes her . . . Well, her.

I liked Gary. I liked how they both met but I just didn't like the development of the romance. Like I said, it was awkward. I do like the fact that they were willing to go all out for each other.

Other then that, I liked them all. Even the bad guy. They were all believable, thought-out characters.

Plot: Well developed plot as well. I loved how piece by piece was discovered and the more you discovered, the more confusing it was. 

I also would love to add: I HEART the beginning. Sucks you right into the story and gets right to the point. I love how we see the problem from the word go.

I loved how much the author created just enough pressure, just enough acceptance to make us see the real Janelle. It was just nice to see.

Setting: I like the setting in Florida. She didn't wow me with the description of the setting, but there was a good reason why the setting was in Florida. I'll leave it at that. 

Ending: Perfect ending with a bow on top. And it leaves you wanting more. So no complaints here.

Overall: Would I read the second book in this series?

Absolutely!

I still love the idea, care about the characters, and love the plot development.  Additionally, this whole series has major potential. I would just read it to see where she takes this whole storm people thing. How deep does the rabbit hole go.

I would definitely recommend this book to someone who loves paranormal romance but is tired with vampires and werewolves. It's a wonderfully refreshing type of paranormal romance.

Actually, I would recommend this book to people who haven't read YA paranormal romance. This would be a wonderful introduction to the genre. Of course, if my complaint about the romance really bothers some people, then fine. Don't try it.

But I would still give this book a shot. The romance didn't bother me so much that I wouldn't continue the series. It's still solid on characters, plot and setting. What more can you want? :)

The Accidental Demon Slayer by Angie Fox

It's never a good day when an ancient demon shows up on your toilet bowl. For Lizzie Brown that's just the beginning. Soon her hyperactive terrier starts talking and her long-lost biker witch Grandma is hurling Smuckers jars filled with magic. Just when she thinks she's seen it all Lizzie learns she's a demon slayer-and all hell is after her.

Of course that's not the only thing after her. Dimitri Kallinikos a devastatingly handsome shape-shifting griffin needs Lizzie to slay a demon of his own. But how do you talk a girl you've never met into going straight to the underworld? Lie. And if that doesn't work how dangerous could a little seduction be...?

My Thoughts

This free book definitely grabbed my attention from the first page. I love the main character, Lizzie, who actually reminds me of my very own Lindsey character in my book. Smart, funny, and just a normal woman who lands herself int he paranormal world. Love her to pieces! :) And to top it all off, blonde!

I also love, love, love the grandma witch character who completes the protagonist tough female character perfectly. I love how she toughens Lizzie up! 

Anyway, there are so many reasons why I love this book, I have to list them in my typical analytical format. :)

Have I mentioned that this book is one hundred percent FREE?!

Characters: I don't think there is a character I don't love. I even love the bad guy. He has a razor sharp humor that caught me off guard. 

I have to say, every character plays their part and I even remember all of their names (even though it has been a week since I read the book). 

I also love the romantic tension between Dimitri and Lizzie. It plays out perfectly. 

Dialogue: Full of wit and awkward moments. I heart it. It's also realistic and deep when needed. 

Plot: I have to say, I love the twists and turns that were unexpected in this novel. There were some predicable parts, but for the most part, she held my attention and kept me on the edge of my seat with some unexpected turns.

Setting: I love the setting. I love how we have the rough and tumble part of grandma's setting versus Lizzie's suburban type of home. It's a great contrast.

Ending: Everything I wanted it to be and more. The romantic tension is resolved. Her ultimate question is resolved. And the whole quest is resolved. I don't think she left much for the second one, except to make up another problem, but I look forward to finding it out.

Overall: I love the book and I couldn't think of anything to complain about. All the characters have plenty of layers to delve into. The plot wasn't too predicable. And there was a great dose of humor used.

I would recommend this to people who love to read paranormal romance novels. Especially to people who are total Buffy fans. Who are lovers of Spike versus Angel. 

And did I mention it was free? :D

The Faerie Guardian: Volume One by Rachel Morgan

Enter a hidden world...

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day's work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone--she's about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can somehow see through her faerie glamour follows her into the fae realm. Now she's broken Guild Law, a crime that could lead to her expulsion. The last thing Vi wants to do is spend any more time with the boy who got her into this mess, but the Guild requires that she return Nate to his home and make him forget everything he's discovered of the fae realm. Easy, right? Not when you factor in evil faeries, long-lost family members, and inconvenient feelings of the romantic kind. Vi is about to find herself tangled up in a dangerous plot--and it'll take all her training to get out alive.

My Thoughts

Okay, let me come clean: I read the first part of this book for free on Amazon (but I learned afterwards that it is free on Smashwords too). And from then on, I was hooked. 

If I could summarize this book into two words it would be: Refreshingly original. I love the world that Rachel Morgan created. I love the fact that I could identify with each character in their different stages of life. I love the romantic tension building between the two main characters Violet and Nate.

What didn't I like about the novel . . . That it was so short! Okay, another confession: The book wasn't that short, I just read it in a day. It got me so hooked that i was reading it at the table with my family surrounding me talking about stuff.

Yep, I'm addicted to the series! Completely and whole-heartedly.

Now onto the dissection!

Characters: I love all the different characters, especially Violet. She is the strong female protagonist with a history that it slowly unfolds itself. I just love all of the layers this protagonist have and how she carefully unveils it throughout the book. It's kinda like what Shrek said about the onions. 

I also like Nate and Ryn. They are both loveable in their own way. Even though Violet has her reasons to hate both of them, I like them equally.

The only thing that I didn't like was that there seemed to be too many side characters. I kept confusing like Scarlett and some of the other characters. I know what the author was trying to do (give everybody their own identity and purpose) but it got a bit confusing near the end to remember all of those names.

Additionally, I love the bonus material that gave us readers a chance to see what really happened from Nate and Ryn's point of view. It also verified what I thought what happened with Nate. So yeah. Liked that little treat she gave us. 

Dialogue: Realistic and funny to watch the culture references Violet didn't get but I did (I'll let the author explain it in her novel what I meant). I kept laughing at her awkwardness with Nate and her lack of American culture. It was great and witty at times too. 

Overall, I enjoyed it.

Plot: Okay, I have another confession: I kinda knew what was going to happen with Nate and Violet. The author gave me a helpful foreshadow with them, and I knew what was going to happen. I won't let y'all know and ruin it but to me, it was a bit obvious after the conversation they had, what Nate was going to do.

You'll have to read the book to see what I'm talking about. :)

Other then that, I was hanging on the edge of my seat to find out what was going on with the characters.

Setting: I love the fae setting, I think it's called Creepy Hollow. I like how she built her fae world and her human world. Actually, I'm a bit jealous of how well developed it is since I'm currently building my own world. She makes it look so easy and effortlessly, when I know the opposite is true.

Definitely believe I'm taking notes on how thoroughly she built her world, and what I need to think about in developing my own.

Ending: It was bittersweet. I loved how she resolved all the character conflicts except one which I think will be resolved in the next book. I just wish there was more of it. And I wish a certain romantic conflict would be resolved before the next book, but overall, no lose ends to be wary of. 

She tied the major plot conflicts with a nice bow, and left some undone for the next novel. 

Overall: I would recommend the first part of the book (which is 100 hundred percent FREE) to anyone who wants to read an adventurous paranormal romance/paranormal fantasy. I'll leave the link on the bottom along with the cover (which I think outshines the original cover by a long shot). 

I bought the full book after reading the first part, and probably tomorrow, I'll buy and read the second book. I look forward to it! 

Anyway, I would definitely recommend this book to family and friends who love the fae world and couldn't get enough of it from Aprilynne Pike!

[This is Part I of THE FAERIE GUARDIAN] 

Protecting humans from dangerous magical creatures is all in a day’s work for a faerie training to be a guardian. Seventeen-year-old Violet Fairdale knows this better than anyone—she’s about to become the best guardian the Guild has seen in years. That is, until a cute human boy who can see through her faerie glamour shows up and ruins it all... 

Isn't this cover gorgeous!? I literally couldn't help myself from clicking the HECK YES button, a.k.a. get it and read it button.