27 June 2012

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (IAD 4) by Kresley Cole

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}



Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (Immortals After Dark, #3)View a preview of this book online

Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (Immortals After Dark #3)

by 
4.36 of 5 stars 4.36  ·  rating details  ·  11,789 ratings  ·  502 reviews
Her breathless kiss haunts him...
Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed--until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible...
Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It's rumored that no one can tempt Bowen's hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction...
If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul--or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?


























Just finished this book last night! And I was soooo sad to finish! I purposely DIDN'T give it a listen several times because I didn't want the book to end! This is one series that is at the VERY VERY top of my most favorite series OF ALL TIME and a lot of it has to do with the narration. This book (as well as others in the series) are read by Robert Petkoff- and he's just simply AMAZING! This particular book has a Scottish werewolf in it named Bowen and oh my... that accent. *sigh* Why is this my favorite series of all time? Well, I have listened to (prior to my creating this review blog) the other books in this series leading up to this book and instantly fell madly in love with the writing style and especially the narrator! Robert Petkoff has read them all except for the very first book in the series, that one went between a male and a female reader, which really worked and wasn't strange at all, I really liked it! But this particular book was so fun and really tied into the previous book in the series which I loved as well. It's another along the same vein as having to find your one true mate etc etc, which is fine and dandy- everyone's a romantic deep down inside, LOL! There is fun, humor, love, hot scenes, action and magic and wolf-y-ness and everything any paranormal addict would want in a book! LOL! I mostly really like how it gave nods to the previous book and was during the same time line, just a different part of the main story/plot. There was not a single thing that I didn't enjoy about this book, the lush scenery that Cole paints as most of it takes place in Guatemala, and the characters that we've 'heard' of in previous books but are now really getting to know better. Just a fantastic book that makes me sooo sad to know the next audio release in this series isn't scheduled to be released until NOV! Gah!!!! Long time between books, since they've all been published on hard and softback and even nook/kindle version as well- why's audio format the last?! *sigh* Luckily most of the books published now-a-days comes out shortly in audio (like her most recent in this series- Lothaire, went to audio format immediately- but I WILL NOT skip ahead lol!) so that's a plus! So not a whole lot of spoiler action in this review- just my not so humble opinion! I loved this book, love this author, LOVE the narrator and LOVE LOVE LOVE this series!!!

If I could give this book a million stars, I would... LOL! I give Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night: 
★★★★★ = Loved it!


Here is what I'm loading up on my mp3 player today~ wish me luck!

23 June 2012

Kiss the Dead by Laurell K Hamilton

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}

Kiss the Dead (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, #21)

Kiss the Dead (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #21)

3.5 of 5 stars 3.50  ·   rating details  ·  1,608 ratings  ·  417 reviews
When a fifteen-year-old girl is abducted by vampires, it’s up to U.S. Marshal Anita Blake to find her. And when she does, she’s faced with something she’s never seen before: a terrifyingly ordinary group of people—kids, grandparents, soccer moms—all recently turned and willing to die to avoid serving a master. And where there’s one martyr, there will be more…

But even vampires have monsters that they’re afraid of. And Anita is one of them…





























I have to admit, when I was done with Hit List (her book PRIOR to this one), I realllllly did not have that sense of WOW like I had with all the other Anita Blake books. I'm a HUGE LKH fan. I have to just come out and say it! About 2 yrs ago, an internet buddy of mine turned me onto the Anita Blake series and I devoured each audiobook one right after the other, then I had a lonnnnng wait for Hit List. I was very disappointed in Hit List (her book before Kiss the Dead). It was just meh for me. There just wasn't enough meat on the bones of that book and I finished it with an empty feeling and thought the last chapter was corny as hell! (sorry LKH!) So when I got Kiss the Dead, I was a little wary... kind of worried... kind of holding my breath, crossing my fingers hoping for the best. I was NOT let down. This book DID it for me! It felt a little rushed, but I think that is because I was used to day after day, month after month of constant Anita Blake in my ear for like seriously 6 months straight when I listened to every single book in the series. I know, I know, generally you aren't really supposed to "read" them that way, but how could I NOT!? And when the freaky orgy shit started happening around the middle of the whole series, I was just hooked (oh my, that makes me sound... of questionable morals doesn't it?! *wink*)!! I love her writing, love her pictures she paints and what I REALLY love is the narrator! Kimberly Alexis has read nearly all of the books in the series save a few towards the beginning (and there is NOTHING worse than plugging right along with your audiobook format series and getting used to the fact that someone's literally speaking TO YOUR EAR DRUMS lol then BAM! the company switches narrators! GAH! That is seriously, THE WORST!) and she is amazing! It almost felt like in the very start of the book she was almost told to "go hard" or to read it like forcefully or whatever, but it felt like it was a little overboard in the forcefulness of her just speaking the words, it was odd... but I got used to it and it all just blended together after she had a few softer scenario's to read. And another thing!!! That hasn't happened in very many other series / books that I really recall, and I'm not sure if it's the writer (don't think so), the publisher... what, but when there is ACTION in the book (and in this one there is TONS! I loved it!) there is music and "sound effects" that start up. I remember back when I listened to some of her older books, when there is gun shot that is being read about, there is ACTUAL gun shot sound in the book, and it echo's through the headphones and it scared the living shit out of me the first time, but wow, does it ever just MAKE the book. Almost like watching a movie, and SOOOOO much easier to imagine in your head. Such a difference than all of the other audiobooks out there. So I'm assuming it's the audiobook publishing company that is in charge of it, so kudo's to them or whomever is in charge of the sound effects and bits of music they put into really intense scene's... it's AH-MAZING! :) I completely loved everything about this book to be quite honest, there wasn't anything I really didn't like. The characters were all the familiar ones I had gotten to know over the course of the whole series (which is extremely long- 21 books) and everything just flowed really nicely. The plot was spot on and the end just had that extra special twist at the end that made me hold my breath!!! Great, great book and I recommend it to anyone who wants a little action, loves LKH & Anita Blake, wants a bit of sex (there was much more in this book than Hit List but not nearly as much as some of her other books, she did a fine job balancing it out in this book I think. I could have gone with a little more, but I'm a shameless hussy... *cough*)- it has the whole nine yards! Loved it!!!


I gave Kiss the Dead : ★★★★★ = Loved it! 


After Kiss the Dead finished up last night on my mp3 player, I popped over to my next one... I'm now a few chapters into and I can not wait to get more into the book, one of my top 5 favorite series EVER :


Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (Immortals After Dark, #3)

14 June 2012

Elijah by Jacquelyn Frank

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}



Elijah (Nightwalkers, #3)View a preview of this book online

Elijah (Nightwalkers #3)

by 
4.13 of 5 stars 4.13  ·   rating details  ·  4,213 ratings  ·  191 reviews

They are called the Demons, one of the elusive Nightwalker races living in shadow and struggling for survival against their human enemies. Their proudest warrior is Elijah, a man who bends for nothing and no one...until one woman brings him to his knees...
Some Feelings You Just Can't Fight
He is known as the Warrior Captain--a master of every weapon, a fierce soldier sworn to protect his kind. Powerful, relentless, merciless, Elijah has always won every battle he's ever taken on--until now. Ambushed by necromancers, he is left for dead only to be discovered by the woman who could very well deliver the final blow...Siena, the Lycanthrope Queen.
With three centuries of warring, little more than a decade of uneasy peace has existed between the Lycanthropes and Elijah's people. Now, after a lifetime of suspicion, the warrior in Elijah is consumed with a different battle--winning Siena's heart by giving her pleasure beyond all boundaries. What starts as attraction and arousal soon burns into a passion with consequences that will echo through the ages for both their people. And as would-be enemies become inseparable lovers, another threat approaches, one with the power to destroy them all...
Surrender to the night.














































Hello again!!! I just recently finished this one today... book 3 of the Nightwalker Series, written by Jacquelyn Frank, narrated by Xe Sands. Now, this has been my favorite book so far! (did I say that about Gideon? LOL!) I just loved how there was such a struggle for the Queen, Siena. I loved every single thing about Elijah and really enjoyed the voice Xe Sands took when reading him. The other characters she gives an accent to the voices because of where ever they are from etc etc, but Elijah's voice was pretty typical and I completely loved it! It is always a wonder for me, when listening to audiobooks how the narrators take on such different voices. Women readers seem to do it far easier than men readers... when men try and make their voices female and soft, it tends to sound kind of creepy LOL! But, don't get me wrong, I adore both male and female narrators alike and definitely have my list of favorites! ;) This was another 'feel good' book, along the same vein as the other in the series, there is a struggle with the whole finding a mate, accepting the mate (in this case, the female of the pair was a little bit reluctant, but she came around... good little kitten!), then there's a big drama which came more near towards the end of the book in this one, it felt like, but was very enjoyable nonetheless. I WILL be finishing these books, but am going to take a small break to listen to a couple of others that I've been a follower of (books in a series) for some time now... I think a nice, small break will give this fantastic series that fresh feel again! :)




Elijah gets this many stars from me:
★★★★★ = Loved it! 





And I just loaded up onto my audio book the following books:





^^^^ Starting this afternoon!!



Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night (Immortals After Dark, #3)




Lethal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, #3)

09 June 2012

Gideon by Jacquelyn Frank

{YES, I've listened to this book on audio and YES this post contains spoilers, as I am reviewing a book!! LOL! may contain questionable language, discretion is advised! Excerpt below from Good Reads.}


Gideon (Nightwalkers, #2)View a preview of this book online

Gideon (Nightwalkers #2)

by 
4.06 of 5 stars 4.06  ·   rating details  ·  4,184 ratings  ·  251 review

They're called the Nightwalkers--proud, ancient beings who live in the shadows, existing just beyond the human world. But there are also dangerous humans who hunt them--necromancers who use the blackest magic to manipulate them. And for a Demon named Gideon, the battle against these evil forces will soon be all too personal...

AS A HEALER, HE KNOWS HER BODY. BUT IT'S HER HEART HE WANTS.

For a thousand years, Gideon has healed his people. And as the oldest surviving male of his race, his wisdom has always been respected without question. But Gideon knows that even he is vulnerable to the powerful, primitive desires that befall his kind during Hallowed moons--and nine years ago that truth was hammered home when he found himself claiming Magdalegna, the Demon King's sister, in a wild embrace. Horrified by his lack of control, he left her wanting and furious--and then exiled himself for the better part of a decade. Now, with necromancers threatening his people--and Magdalegna nearly their victim--Gideon must face another truth. He and the beautiful, stubborn Magdalegna are destined to be together, to share a love as deep and old as time itself. But first he needs to regain her trust. Then he'll have to save her life...

Every night holds secrets.












































Here is the second installment of the Nightwalker series by Jaquelyn Frank, narrated by Xe Sands~ Gideon. I was actually really looking forward to listening to this book based on getting "a little taste" of Gideon in the first book (Jacob). I really enjoyed that they gave him a chosen mate that we'd already gotten "a little taste" of in the first book at well... it was a nice twist. Although uncommon for demons to pair bond as the two in this particular book did (in the premise of these books, demons generally pair with their counterparts whom happen to be of druid decent but appear for all intents and purposes as humans...), it was a bit different, but very much so welcomed (at least by myself!). I loved meeting the king and queen of the vampires and the lycanthropes as well- Damien and Siena, which I'm sure we will meet more of in the coming books! The plot, again, was pretty basic, there was one real big battle scene and that was that... nothing too long and drawn out, fairly interesting and enough to capture my attention and keep it. Again, as the first book in the series, a nice, light listen, easy to attach to characters and just overall enjoyable. And again, the narration was spot on, perfectly executed and as great as the first book! I just started Elijah, the next book in the series, so expect that review soon! Thanks for stopping by!

Stars I give Gideon:
★★★★ = Liked it! 

 

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