Healer

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Read from September 26 to 27, 2013

Amazing Debut for B.N. Toler! A Paranormal series so different from the rest I hate to call it a PNR!

Description:

Healers, such as Aldo Lawson understand the power of their gift, although at times, it seems more a curse. Upon meeting a handsome young healer named Thomas, Aldo's life heads into a tailspin. With his arrival, Aldo's aunt, the woman who raised her, is forced to share a hard and scary truth--vampires exist. And not only do they exist, but they thirst for healer blood.

Aldo's world is turned upside down when her aunt is murdered and Thomas disappears. Riddled with questions, she sets out to find him.

Submerged in a world filled with sex and danger, Aldo hopes to find the vampires that will lead her to Thomas. When they find her first, she is forced to piece together truths, deal with her pain, and finds that not everything is what it seems

The Author gave me this book for an honest review. Thanks Ms Toler

My Thoughts:

Wow, where do I start.

Is the book perfect no, it is a first novel by a very new writer however, that being said holy cow! this is a breath of fresh air in the Vampire genre. In fact, it is not so much a Vampire novel as it is a truly paranormal novel. The writing is fabulous and as you keeping reading the novel it gets better and better. Her characters were interesting, in some places sketchy but since this is a 3 part series I think a lot of the blanks will be filled in as we make our way to the ending of book 3. Aldo is an interesting character although at times confusing but confusing in a young girl way. She struggles with her feelings and fears. She has the normal teenage angst and behaves as expected around a cute older guy. Thomas is a mystery from moment one and that is what keep us readers on our toes right until the end and actually even then I was chomping at the bit for the next one.

The book started out writing from Aldo's "present" and then we are faced with chapters bouncing from present to 6 years before. I was a bit confused at first but muddled my way through and got used to it. I wonder if a simple chapter title would make this a smoother transition? Apart from that the story flows with it's bends and twirls and sudden change in direction then twisting once again. I admittedly was finding myself flabbergasted in the last 1/4 of the book. The spins were enough to make me want to read all night.

Starting a world from scratch is difficult for even the most experience authors and even then the first book of the series is often the worst as there is so much to explain. BNT did this seemlessly and using the different points in time as a vehicle to further her plot and keep the story moving.

Brava Ms Toler on an excellent first book and I can't wait for 2014 to read the next book in this trilogy! Toler's name is now in my *watch* list and with writing this good I know her future books will be amazing.

5 stars for this budding author and a standing ovation for the uniquness of the story and the ingenuity used to keep readers surprised. A MUST read this Fall ..don't miss what the buzz is all about read this today:) 

Romero

Read from September 20 to 21, 2013

Listened to Book on Audiobook

We knew Romero's romance wouldn't be an easy one but the ins and outs of Izzy and Romero made me dizzy!

Description:


Prim and proper middle school teacher Isabel Montenegro always runs the opposite direction from men like Ramon Romero. A foul-mouthed, uneducated, loose cannon has no place in her careful plans. But instead of running away, Isabel is completely captivated. The intensity of his nature, while a bit daunting, mesmerizes her in ways she can’t begin to understand. She’s unwilling to walk away—even when her instincts are screaming at her to run.

Romero has no idea what he's getting himself into when he first kisses Isabel. Shocked at the passion she invokes in him, he believes he can keep his usual short fuse under wraps. Falling fast and hard for someone so flawlessly sweet only makes him more aware that he’s far from perfect. If she is ever witness to his biggest imperfection, he’s sure she’ll bail. But when her meddling sister does the worst thing imaginable—bring other men between him and his Izzy—that fuse is lit and all bets are off.

Can two people who are worlds apart teach each other how to love, or will the reality of their differences drive them apart?

My Thoughts:

Elizabeth Reyes makes each book in this series better than the last ...and to top that she makes each book unique and individual to the MC.

Though out the series there was anger issues in most (not all) of the male MCs. This book would have been a great place to introduce anger management to make the characters even better mates for their women. My second issue was how much of a doormat Izzy was to Pat and Pat's huge turn around right at the end. People just don't change their spots that quickly regardless of the trauma they may have been through. But this is pretty much the only criticism I have for the book.

ER's characters are always easy to connect with as she does a great job of fill out their backgrounds and letting us in theirs. I knew exactly what each character was feeling and how valid their feelings were to them. I enjoyed how we got more insight into Sal who to date has been very much in the background.

The intrigue aspect of the plot was great, I would have enjoyed seeing Romero do more of his PI work with this and have a bit more suspense built up with it. In someways it felt like the tie up at the end was rushed. This could be resolved in the next book. I have noticed some of my issues with past books in the series were addressed in the next book through one of the other character's aspect.

This is a solid 4 bear read for me. I wanted to give it 5 bears but the few issues I did have made me rate it 4 bears. I recommend this book as well as the entire Moreno Brother series. I have totally enjoyed it and can't wait to read the next one. If you haven't been introduced to the brothers Moreno and their group of friends I suggest you don't wait another day. These are well written easy reads..don't miss out. 

t'irla

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Shine Not Burn

t'irla ~The BookSlayer~'s review Sep 20, 13



Ok, Ok I know Bookie recommended this book months ago but the title put me off a bit...and YES I should have read it then. Holy sh%t what a wonderful romance!

Description:

IT HAPPENED IN VEGAS.

I can't be held responsible. Things that happen there are supposed to stay there, right? Right? Yeeeah. Not so much.

Andie's just days away from tying the knot, but there's just ooooone little glitch. Apparently, she's already married. Or someone with her name is married to a guy out in Oregon of all places, and the courthouse won't issue her a marriage license until it's all cleared up. Tripping her way through cow pies and country songs to meet up with a man who gets around places on horseback is her very last idea of how to have a good time, but if she's going to get married, make partner at the firm, and have two point five kids before she's thirty-five, she needs to get to the bottom of this snafu and fix it quick ... before her fiance finds out and everything she's been working toward goes up in flames.(

My Thoughts:

LOVED this book it is exactly what I needed a wonderfully funny read with some of the sweetest romantic moments that I have ever read in a book. Let me chat about this for a sec, a lot of books have sex, lust, attraction, and the list goes on but very few have true romantic gestures and if for nothing else I loved the book for that alone. Add in a to die for cowboy, a drunken trip to vegas and an uptight heroine running from her memories and you have all the makings of a great romance.

Mack.. I really need to mention this wonderful character and how much I appreciate that EC wrote a alpha male who has forgiveness in his heart and who keeps his eye on what he wants and doesn't get sidetracked by outside influences. This is the sweetest alpha male I have met and the most romantic. I totally have made him one of my top 5 Book Boyfriends of the year.

Elle Casey is a wonderful writer, not only for her imagination but also for her skill at moving the series along using very different vehicles than normal. Her way of creating her characters and introducing them to reader through their personalities and actions was a breath of fresh air. Her use of humor had me laughing out loud (I was reading in the middle of the night at the time and woke my hubby aka Mr. Crankypants up) I also need to mention the supporting cast aka secondary characters what a hooot! First her ditzy girlfriends...loved them !!! then Boog the man bear pig..which she keeps calling him...and actually did it to his face close to the end.. OH and the fight...well I can't go on I don't want to spoil this fabulous book.

EC is a new author to me and I will definitely be looking for other books by her and she is on my *watch* list for new releases. Thanks for keeping me up all night Miss Casey I had a great time! 

5 Dancing Bears Vegas style for this wonderfully sweet romance with steeeam! I"m surprised the sheets didn't catch fire. 

t'irla

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The First Alpha

Read on September 18, 2013

For a short novel that had so much potential this was a disappointing read.

Description:

dam has waited an eternity for his mate. After three thousand years of searching he's almost lost hope that he'll ever find her... almost convinced himself that God has forsaken him.

Cassie is miserable. At just 23 the buxom, beautiful werewolf has found herself caught up in her mother's Machiavellian power struggles, forced into an arranged marriage with the cruel, violent alpha of the Ironclaws, Lucius. When the Long Night arrives Cassie will become his property, to do with as he will.

Imprisoned in Lucius' summer home with Megan, a gutter-minded 400 year old teenager, and Rutherford, a senile housekeeper who can't remember where he left his trousers, Cassie has resigned herself to her fate. She'd never dare go against her mother, and to reject Lucius would lead the weak Darkfangs into war against the mighty Ironclaws. Cassie knows she has no choice but to sacrifice her happiness for her tribe...

... And then she picks up a scent on the breeze.

The First Alpha is a tale of love against all odds; of betrayal, scheming and intrigue, and of two souls linked together across time.

My Thoughts:

Cons: Character development was poor so we didn't connect with the characters
No chemistry between the love interests
confusing back story on the mating of werewolves

Pros: Wonderful premise of where werewolves came from.
Loved the idea of Adam and would have loved to have him share some of it
Cassie.
For the mate of an alpha Cassie had no spine. Her decisions were stupid and
a great deal of the angst would have avoided if she thought about what she
was doing.

Overall: I was disappointed I thought by spending so much time on Adam's background and that the title was directly related to this we would have more use of it in the actual story line. It was a complete waste as all it did in the end was say why he was stronger than the bad wolf. Lucius the badguy created more emotion than the mcs...

I give this book a 2.5 bear rating. I can't give it a recommendation but can wish the writer would go back and rewrite the story in a novel format and I think she would have a winner on her hands.

t'irla
tirlastalk.blogspot.ca

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Always Been Mine

t'irla ~The BookSlayer~'s review Sep 16, 13


Totally getting into this series love how the novels run parallel to each other until they catch up and pass the previous book!

Description:

New Adult/ Contemporary Romantic suspense: Contains adult content

After one heartache too many, Valerie Zuniga vows to never let Alex Moreno hurt her again. A year later, she is forced to reunite with him at a party where one unexpected sizzling kiss tells her she’s far from over him. No way will she allow herself to get sucked back into that torment. She’ll resist him even if that means using the one thing that’ll stop Alex dead in his tracks: another man.

Alex is coming off one of the worst years of his life. He spent so much time wallowing in self-pity, he never realized how much he’d missed Valerie. That is, until that kiss. Now, he’s determined to get her back one way or another, and no other man will stand in his way. Especially after discovering that Valerie may be in danger, a danger he blames himself for.

My Thoughts:

Going into this series I was a bit unsure because I don't read Young Adult books which I classify as high school age and under. Book one did start in high school but in senior year for the mc's. Book two....this book actually starts with the characters having left school and are busy creating their careers, so this book is definitely New Adult which I am finding that I enjoy. The great thing about this series is you have already met the characters and have already formed a "relationship" with them so when it comes to their stories they are already multidimensional with in depth backgrounds. This allows the author to focus on their story and friends more which leaves the reader extremely satisfied. I totally enjoyed this book I love how ER creates the suspense and intrigue in her novels. I was totally freaked out for Val and loved how Alex had to do the chasing this time. The writing is wonderful it flows comfortably and you just don't want to stop reading. In my case I was listening to it on audio and loved the narrator. I had my MP3 player glued to my ear for a day and a half:) For me it was a all nighter and today I am a very tired reviewer.

I am giving this book a strong 4 bears it would have been 4.5 however I did feel that Val strung Alex along a bit too much. I was over the angst long before she was..But boy oh boy it was muy caliente *sizzle*

t'irla

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Lady Luck

Holy Moly!!!!! What a Great Book!!!!...Ty is to die for...*sigh*

Description:

Ty Walker was wrongly imprisoned and for the five years he was inside, he honed his plan so when he gets out, he has nothing but vengeance on his mind.

But then he walks straight to stylish, leggy, beautiful, goofy Lexie Berry and he suddenly has something else to think about. He knows within seconds he wants her and within days he can love her but with the filth that was flung at him clinging; he also knows he can’t have her.

Since birth, Lexie Berry has been Lady Luck’s favorite toy and because of that, Lexie is cautious. But within a day, she senses Ty is something special. With her luck, however, she can’t trust it. Then she finds out what was done to Ty and she’s willing to do anything to make it right.

Even what Ty will never forgive her for doing.

Ty clings to vengeance and Lexie goes all out to give him back the time he lost. But Ty is battling demons within and they’re up against dirty cops and criminals who will stop at nothing to sway Lady Luck against them. All Ty and Lexie have is hope Lady Luck will finally swing their way

My Thoughts:

Best of the Colorado Mountain Series so far. The first book in this series was ok, I enjoyed it. The second book was much better but this 3rd book has blown me away. Kristen Ashley is the master at creating over the top alphas who you start out hating but end up loving. I also give her kudos for touching on topics that do not usually appear in Romance books. The twists and turns in this novel have my head spinning around like a darn owl. It was like the book was coming to an HEA ending and BAM! something happened again. The crafting of the plot was spectacular. I also enjoyed that the couple was interracial and it was mentioned but not made a subplot of the book. After reading KA's Rock Chick, Mystery Men, Unfinished Heroes series I have to say I think Ty is right up there with Tack as one of my favorite KA heroes. I totally can't wait to read the next one. Chace's story which is basically a continuation of this book carrying the plot deeper to get to the roots of the evil that was brought to Carnal.

A humongo 5 Bear and a recommendation for everyone to run out and get this wonderful novel..It has everything a romance lover needs in a book!!

t'irla
tirlastalk.blogspot.ca

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