Promo Post: The Rising Moon by Nilsa Rodriguez

Title: The Rising Moon
Author: Nilsa Rodriguez
Series: Standalone
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: E-book
Source:  FMB Book Tours
Pub. Year: 2012
Purchase: Amz/ B&N/ Smashwords

Blurb from Goodreads:
How many lives do you have to live to realize that love is stronger than time and death?

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Orphaned at the age of five, Angelia (Lia) Lafosse was left with questions about whom and what she truly was. One thing was clear. Lia was different. Some might even say cursed.

With the help of her best friend, Ryan Woodruff, she begins to unlock the secrets of her families past and discover answers that prove more startling than she ever imagined. Not only was she a werewolf, but a reincarnation of the immortal werewolf, a werewolf with immense powers beyond any of her kind. A werewolf that if discovered by the Lobison’s to have returned, can jeopardize both Lia and those she love.

As destiny finds her love does too…and they couldn’t be more different. Torn between Lyle Ulric, the charming werewolf whose bloodline is as ancient and powerful as her own. And Adam Ambrose, the mysterious and alluring vampire who’s determined not to allow fate or anyone tear their love apart again.

Lia has to make a choice… Destiny or Love…Run or Fight…Live or Die

Review: Intangible by J. Meyers

Title: Intangible
Author: J. Meyers
Series: Intangible # 1
Genre: YA Paranormal
Format: E-book
Source: Author
Pub. Year: 2012
Purchase: Amz/ B&N
I received a copy of this novel free of charge in exchange for an honest review.

Twins Sera and Luke Raine have a well-kept secret–she heals with a touch of her hand, he sees the future. All their lives they’ve helped those in need on the sly. They’ve always thought of their abilities as being a gift.

Then Luke has a vision that Sera is killed. That gift they’ve always cherished begins to feel an awful lot like a curse. Because the thing about Luke’s ability? He’s always right.
And he can’t do anything about it.

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Cover Love: I love the purple color.

There is so much more to the book than the blurb is willing to give away. It starts with a bang, there is a little lull in the middle due to the romance addition, and it ends quite different than what I expected in a good way.

The blurb keeps things hidden so I’m going to exposed just a little bit. It blew my mind away when vampires came into the pictures. It’s a “What the hell is going on” moment because the blurb never mentions vampires and another supernatural creature that I won’t reveal. I assumed it would just be psychic siblings in a contemporary setting instead the siblings are dropped right in the middle of a paranormal world. It’s a bang to start with because there is no warning about other paranormal creatures.

Character-wise, there is ambiguity on what side the supporting characters are on. Sera and Luke are the good side; there is no doubt about that. Fey is a good friend of the twins but she knows more than she lets on. That’s always problematic. Marc certainly has his own motivations for seeking the twins but his own emotions make him a complicated character. He is a not a bad guy (entirely) because we see his reasoning but it just hard to root for him. Jonas is a vampire who is not entirely sure if he wants to kill or protect the twins. We see the interactions with the twins shake his thinking about them. The supporting cast is interesting because they are just not define by good vs. evil ideology.

The romance, for me, hit a snag early on. I think it has to do with knowing right off the bat that Marc has darker intentions for Sera. It’s not entirely romantic to root for Marc but his conflicted emotions does bring realistic qualities to him. I much prefer a Jonas and Sera romance storyline. Healer and fighter.

World-building, I did find interesting that vampires live in the Realm which is separate from the human realm or maybe they just called the supernatural society the Realm. I’m a little unsure but it is fascinating. Lilith as the mother of all vampires makes a fantastic antagonist. She is more stable in her moral guiding so she leans towards the dark side. There is some sort of peace agreement that appears to be fragile. It kept Lilith from being too extreme but it is interesting how she pushes the boundaries of the agreement.

I can’t wait to read the second book in the series. The ending was a small cliffhanger because the leading force of the novel was resolved. There is a also a minor character called Quinn that I would like to get know better. Plus, the politics of the world created by Meyers is getting interesting and I hope we meet some of the major players there.

4.5 BB-Ready for capture, Total keeper

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27th in the 150+ Reading Challenge
Also qualifies for: First in a Series, Self-published, E-book, Where are you reading?-Vermont

Review: Cameron’s Law by Mia Darien

Title: Cameron’s Law
Author: Mia Darien
Series: Adelheid # 1
Genre: Paranormal Fantasy, Vampire
Source: Smashwords
Format: E-book
Pub. Year: Dec.26, 2011
Purchase: Smashwords, Amazon
I receive this book free of charge from Smashwords in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb from Smashwords:
Vampires are people, too. Cameron’s Law says so. Vampire and public face Sadie Stanton called Adelheid, CT home and it attracts a lot of attention. It attracts a lot more when vampires start attacking werewolves without provocation. Can Sadie keep the community from descending into chaos and war before it brings all of to harm? And can she do it when she herself gets thrust into the spotlight?

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What I will remember: Definitely not a Sookie Stackhouse book

I’m going to label this book as an oddity for now. It reads like a slice of life for Sadie Stanton running a preternatural agency with some paranormal elements thrown in for good measure. The book has vampires and werewolves (and shifters) but they are really reserved and conservative. This could be in part because Darien doesn’t show a more basic animalistic version of any of the characters except three times and they don’t feel right. So much of the action and suspense is happening off the pages and in locations where Sadie is not there that the book feels really tame.

This book is missing a heartbeat. It flows like one straight line with very few interruptions to that line. Sadie Stanton is the protagonist of this book; she is a strong female character because she can kick ass and defend herself….and I have no idea what she looks like except that she is 5’4. Her style of clothing, her hair color, her eyes, body build are completely not mention. Darien knows what her character looks like but I sure don’t. It bothers me that I don’t know but at the same time, it’s not like it stopped me from reading. Her actions scenes (plus the one romantic scene) are tame as well; they don’t spike my heart. I do have to applaud Darien for not having Sadie have sex with Vance in one book. There was something tragically broken about Sadie holding a torch for Cameron, an old flame.

Cameron was an interesting “concept.” I thought it was really tragic and nice that the he had a law named after him. He was the lover of Sadie who was killed during what I would called the civil rights movement for the preternatural. He’s an idea but also a person.

I personally like the secondary characters and minor characters better than the main characters. They had interesting “titles.” There was an  animator Summoner  who can summon demons, a lawyer that specializes in demon law, Dakota the bounty hunter, and a few others that I thought were interesting because of their abilities and uniqueness to the story. I especially like the medical examiner, Carl Wright with his lack of humor. I love how the medical examiner always tend to be a quirky character. Even  Gabriel, the pack master, was interesting and he wasn’t involved much in the book. Sad thing is that besides Dakota, they only showed up once and are forgotten…mostly.

The ending was unsatisfying in that its too neatly wrapped up. We conveniently find out why vampires are attacking werewolves and it has a scientific explanation which is great but the information is relayed through a third source; not through Sadie or the mad scientist himself. Sadie’s prison breakout is forgotten; Dakota conveniently calls the cops and rescues Madison and Sadie.  It’s too neat and easy. Endings for series are meant to be like a horror movie ending. The protagonists think the murderer is dead only to discover his body is missing and we have to see sequel to find out what happens next. Cameron’s Law doesn’t have that feeling. It can stand as a standalone which is a good thing but it is part of a brand new series and I feel there should have been plot bunnies drops in the book in order to build anticipation for the next book.

It’s an oddity for me, this book. I read it through one sitting and never thought “I have to stop reading” so it was entertaining. At the same time, there are things that are heavily lacking such as physical descriptions of the character, more bite to the supernatural creatures, and more intensity. I would prefer a messy ending but that it is just me. I like Cameron’s Law, I do but I’m not sure if it’s memorable enough for me to remember. With that being said, I’m giving this book a 3.5 because it is above a 3 but it doesn’t quite reach a 4. It would have garner a rating of 4 if there was more character description.

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3.5-Pretty to look at, maybe capture

1st book in the 150+Challenge
Other challenges it qualifies for: Self-Published, Why Buy The Cow, 1st in A series, E-book, Where are you reading? (Colorado)

Reviews: Dark Shadows by D.J Arneson

Title: Dark Shadows: The Original Series Story Digest Interrupted Voyage
Author: D.J. Arneson
Illustrated by: Joe Carta
Series: Standalone
Genre:  Supernatural, Horror
Source: Netgalley
Format: Galley
Pub. Year: Feb. 15, 2012
Purchase: B&N /Amazon
I received this book free of charge from Netgalley in return for an honest opinion.

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What I will remember: A great mix of supernatural creatures.

I had to get this book from Netgalley, it’s Dark Shadows. It was a gothic drama on daytime TV in the late 60’s -70’s and again in the late-90’s. If that doesn’t captivate someone, Johnny Depp is playing Barnabas in the new Dark Shadows film by Tim Burton. My favorite combination, Depp and Burton.

Barnabas and Quentin

I absolutely love the artwork that accompanies the book. The art has an old feel to it which I love. It has very dark tones and shades. The best part is that it accompanies the storyline so the pictures capture moments in the story. Plus, all the characters are drawn there so there is no need for a physical description of them. It may have to do with the fact the story was written while Dark Shadows was on TV. I wished I knew what the art style was called so I could better explain it.

Story wise, I love it. It is a gothic tale through and through. We have Annabelle as the ghost, Barnabas as the vampire turned human, Angelique as the evil sister of Annabelle, and Calandra the witch. Oh, and Michael the zombie as well. The setting also contributes to the gothic feeling. It is a shore city where the inhabitants don’t trust strangers and are into burning at the stake. Plus, it is a tragic love story where the lovers (Annabelle and Michael)  are both dead and are trying to reunite with each other in the afterlife. A very lovely story.

The bonus features at the end is something that I really enjoyed. It mainly consists of the photographs of the original Dark Shadows with Jonathan Frid as Barnabas.  Some photos are of the cast posing for pictures and a few screenshots. Most are in black and white but some are in color.

Final thoughts on Dark Shadows, it is awesome. The artwork reminds me of the style use in comic books. It has an eclectic mix of supernatural creatures and somehow it makes sense for a witch to control a zombie. It is a gothic tale. Plus, Johnny Depp is going to be in the film adaptation and so is Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix from Harry Potter and Mrs. Lovett in Sweeney Todd) but more important, Tim Burton is directing it. I totally have to see this film. The only thing that would make this film even more exciting would be having Alan Rickman in it. Oh, I love him.  Hmm, getting off topic. Um, this is a five for me because I’m a huge fan of Dark Shadows and the movie has me pretty hype up.

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5 BB- Total Keeper

Dark Shadows Photo Promo (from Teaser Trailer)

Review: Vampire Knight Vol.1

Author: Matsuri Hino
Title: Vampire Knight
Series: Volume 1
Genre: Manga, Paranormal
Source: Personal Purchase
Format: Paperback
Pub. Year: 2007
Purchase: Amazon/ B&N

Book Blurb from Amazon:
Cross Adademy is attended by two groups of students: the Day Class and the Night Class. At twilight, when the students of the Day Class return to their dorm, they cross paths with the Night Class on their way to school. Yuki Cross and Zero Kiryu are the Guardians of the school, protecting the Day Class from the Academy’s dark secret: the Night Class is full of vampires!

Yuki Cross has no memory of her past prior to the moment she was saved from a vampire attack ten years ago. She was adopted by the headmaster of Cross Academy, and now works alongside Zero to guard the Academy’s secret. Yuki believes that vampires and humans can coexist peacefully, but her partner has different ideas…

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What I will remember: Headmaster Cross, I love you for being funny

I’m a huge fan of vampires so I was easily captivated by this manga. I love the artwork, especially the buildings. They have so much details. The uniforms are easy on the eyes but I really like the artwork that accompanies the chapter divisions. Really pretty. That being said, the story line does raises a couple of questions for me. Such as why do vampires attend school where they are not biting anyone? That’s the only reason I could think of for vampires to be attending school. Unless they are really there to learn but learn what exactly.

The manga is surrounded by cliches but the book is entertaining. The basics consists of what the blurb mentioned. Day Class and Night Class attend the Academy. But more importantly, the vampires are all drop dead gorgeous looking. The Guardians are Yuki Cross (daughter of Headmaster Cross) and Zero (stepbrother to Yuki). They are supposed to keep the Day Class safe from the Night Class but their skills should be in question. Yuki, who is trained to do her job, has a hard time actually doing her job. She let Aido, a vampire, licked her bloody hand when she knows that vampires are not allowed to drink blood on campus.

And of course, we have the lovely love triangle between Kaname, Yuki, and Zero. I’m a supporter of Yuki and Kaname, not Zero. Kaname is apparently the supreme leader of the vampires in the academy and Zero is a descendant from a vampire slaying family. To add a cliche and a spoiler (I’m sorry),  Zero is slowly becoming a vampire, the one thing he detests with a passion (and he does have a reason). And both, Zero and Kaname, are in love with Yuki but won’t admit it to her. Plus, Yuki is a little naive when it comes to both of them.

I am giving this manga 4.5 butterflies because I like vampires and the book is entertaining (even if its full of cliches). The artwork is decent on the people but better on aesthetics. The main point of this volume is to introduce the characters and reveal the love triangle. I had laugh-out moments when I was reading such as when Headmaster Cross comes into the picture and Aido. They are both hilarious and steal the scenes they are in.

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4.5 BB-Ready for capture

OMG, isn't the dress amazing? I love it and the lovely, gothic ensemble will keep me coming back