Happy Hour at Casa Dracula Review

Milagro De Los Santos aspires to live an enchanted life but it’s hard to write a best selling novel when your living quarters is a rat infested basement. For work, Milagro does sporadic jobs such as working as a reading consultant or sometimes gardening at a nursery.

While attending a party for her ex boyfriend Sebastian Beckett- Witherspoon, Milagro meets a mysterious man named Oswald Grant. When he offers to take her away from the festivities for a drink, she is quick to accept his offer. One thing leads to another and before she knows it, Milagro is accidently bitten by Oswald, a vampire.

Oswald’s family takes control of the situation and invites her to stay at their charming cottage estate. They promise to take care of Milagro until she is well and when faced with her other option, a rat infested basement, it doesn’t take long for her to accept the family’s kind offer. Oswald’s family isn’t your typical vampires and Milagro is fascinated by how different they are from what she imagined.

In the meantime, a dangerous organization knows about Milagro being bitten and wants to capture her. This would put the families secret in danger and that is the last thing Milagro wants to do. So she hides out at the estate and develops several relationships with the men there. But deep down, Milagro’s heart skips for one man, and that is Oswald, the man she can not have.

Will Milagro find her happily ever after with a man who will sweep her off her feet or will the organization find her and put an end to her time at the estate?

HAPPY HOUR AT CASA DRACULA is the first book in Marta Acosta’s series featuring the sultry Latina heroine Milagro De Los Santos. I enjoyed reading about Milagro and found her self deprecating humor amusing. The story kept my interest and flowed nicely with the first person narration. The descriptions of the cottage are so picturesque that I found myself wishing to be whisked away by vampires just to stay at such a lovely place!

However, paranormal readers be aware that this story reads more like a romance than a paranormal since the vampire aspect is minimal. There are vampires in this story but they aren’t what you would ordinarily picture. They live like regular people and do not fit your typical vampire stereotypes. I enjoyed this different take on vampires and applaud Marta Acosta for doing something unique with her series.

I will also be reading the next two books in this series, so I look forward to finding out more about these fascinating characters and where their lives will take them next. Overall, this was a captivating romantic story that kept me turning the pages long into the night.

Razor Girl Review

Molly Anderson was a regular teenage girl before an epidemic killed almost everyone in the world. Now huge nasty zombies called Others roam the streets looking for humans to eat. One bite from an Other and it’s not long before you turn into one yourself. Molly has just emerged from the underground shelter her father locked her and her mother in six years ago.

Now that it is time and the door to the shelter has opened, Molly is walking the streets by herself but she is equipped to defend and kill if need be. She has razors that shoot out of her hands and a virtual GPS in her brain that will help her find her way, thanks to her scientist father who prepared her for this epidemic.

When Molly’s father left her and her mother in the shelter, he told her to travel to Disney World to find him as soon as the doors open. Molly is determined to get to her father no matter how dangerous the journey may be.

Molly runs into a boy named Chris Griffin upon leaving the shelter. Things have changed now and Chris is all grown up. She decides to stick with him and perhaps travel together to Florida. But Others are everywhere she looks and they quickly discover that they may not make it to Florida if they’re not careful. Will they find Molly’s father or will an Other attack them and put an end to their plan?

RAZOR GIRL is an exciting and thrilling story set in the future, the year 2036. The story goes back and forth from past to present with every chapter. This was an interesting way to tell the story because the reader has no idea what happened to Molly and why and they find out little by little. I thoroughly enjoyed RAZOR GIRL and it’s nail biting suspense. Marianne Mancusi is an excellent writer and after having read News Blues, also by her, I am amazed at how well she can write in different genres. RAZOR GIRL is overall a fantastic book and I would highly recommend it.

Trust Me Review

Skye Kellerman was a victim of an attempted rape four years ago that changed her life. Now she has formed an organization to help victims of crimes called The Last Stand. Skye’s assailant, Dr. Oliver Burke has served three years in prison and is about to be released early. Skye is in fear for her life and thinks Oliver will be hunting her down to exact his revenge on her. With Skye always in the news with her organization, will Oliver be tempted to find her and finish what he started four years ago?

Detective David Willis’s marriage to his ex wife is over but the guilt of leaving her alone while she is battling a disease makes him think twice about leaving her. Now that Oliver Burke is being released from jail, David is back in touch with Skye and worrying about her safety. Sparks are starting to fly between them once again and his ex wife is starting to notice. How will David move on with his life and find happiness if his ex wife makes him feel so guilty?

The police suspect Oliver of numerous unsolved murders but without the weapon or any proof, they are stuck in a dead end case. Oliver’s wife Jane has no idea what kind of man she is married to. She trusts Oliver and refuses to believe Skye when she warns her about how dangerous her husband really is.

Will Oliver’s release from jail end with Skye being murdered? How many people will lose their lives because of coming into contact with Oliver? Will Detective David Willis be able to solve the case before Oliver can complete his plan of revenge on everyone who has ever hurt him? Oliver is a terrifyingly real bad guy and no one can stop him. Skye will fight with everything she has to protect herself from becoming his victim again but can she succeed against him?

TRUST ME is the first book in Brenda Novak’s new Last Stand Trilogy with books being released back to back in June, July and August. The suspense builds up throughout the story as the reader forms a picture of Oliver Burke in their mind. As the story develops, Oliver becomes more and more scary and there’s no telling what he may do next.

The idea of living with a man and not truly knowing his real identity is scary in itself. But the characterization and quick moving story really added to the suspense and gave me goose bumps. TRUST ME is a great first installment in this trilogy and I look forward to reading STOP ME and WATCH ME also.

The Accidental Demon Slayer Review

In Angie Fox’s debut novel, the reader is introduced to Lizzie Brown, reluctant Demon Slayer. Lizzie was a preschool teacher and about to leave for her thirtieth birthday party when the grandmother she never knew she had showed up at her door, pink Harley and all.

Grandma claims that Lizzie is about to turn into a Demon Slayer in a few minutes and throws her into the bathroom for safe keeping. As Grandma chants spells and throws Smuckers jars filled with odd concoctions around the room, a little demon named Xerves appears on the toilet. After a quick explanation from Grandma about how Lizzie is now a Demon Slayer and that bad guys will now be after her, she insists that Lizzie hop on her pink Harley with her and run for her life!

Lizzie grabs her dog Pirate, who now is suddenly able to talk to her, and runs for her life with her spunky Grandma. Along the trip Lizzie meets a hunky man named Dimitri who says he is her protector and there to teach her about being a Demon Slayer.

With the help of Dimitri and Grandma’s biker witch friends, Lizzie must quickly learn how to fight like a Demon Slayer and defend herself and her new found friends. But before Lizzie’s training is done, she finds out that she is going to have to go to Hell to battle the baddest demon alive, Vald. How will Lizzie battle her first demon when she doesn’t even know how to fight yet?

THE ACCIDENTAL DEMON SLAYER is a delightful new paranormal romance that is hilarious, exciting, suspenseful, dangerous, and an adventure ride of action from start to finish. The characters are eccentric, the writing flows great, and the storyline is original. I adored every page of this outstanding debut novel and I hungrily look forward to getting my hands on Angie Fox’s next book due out in 2009.

Skin and Bone Review

In Kathryn Fox’s new electrifying thriller, Detective Kate Farrer is back after her four month leave due to her abduction and the stress she suffered because of it. She has a new partner, a rookie named Oliver Parke and a couple new cases that demand to be solved right away.

The first case is that of a house fire where a badly burned corpse was found inside. The owners of the house are away on vacation and the identity of the corpse is unknown. After some investigating, Kate and Oliver find a diaper bag with baby supplies in it; but no baby to be found anywhere in the house. Also a credit card is found with a woman’s name on it. But without any other clues, the detectives are stuck in a dead end case without any ideas on who the perpetrator is and why they would set fire to the house.

When Kate and Oliver’s superior assigns them a new case and tells them to hand over the house fire case, Kate becomes very angry. The new case is that of a missing nineteen year old girl whose rich parents are worried about her whereabouts. Kate feels that the case isn’t worth her time, but when it starts relating to the house fire case, she becomes determined to solve the mystery.

There are numerous suspects and no one can be trusted. In the meantime, Kate suspects that the Homicide Unit is under investigation and she starts to mistrust her partner Oliver. Is Oliver really the family man he says he is, or is he secretly taking bribes from criminals?

Skin and Bone is the first novel that I’ve read by Kathryn Fox and I am immensely impressed! The mystery is tightly woven and there are plenty of red herrings to keep readers guessing until the exciting conclusion. Every page of this novel is suspenseful and filled with clues to put together to solve the case. The characters are strong and the dialogue is well written. This is a truly fantastic, superb mystery that will knock your socks off!

Twilight Review

Bella is seventeen years old and has never experienced love before. Since her mother and her new husband are always away for his job as a baseball player, Bella has moved from Phoenix to Forks, Washington to live with her father. This means she will be attending a brand new high school and having to make all new friends. Bella is a bit of a klutz and nervous but she quickly makes several new friends at school.

All of the boys are infatuated with Bella and attempt to ask her out but she turns them all down. But one boy, Edward Cullen, has captured Bella’s attention. Edward sits at a table with his brothers and sisters in the lunch room, none of them associating with any of the other kids at school. They’re loners and very odd. Edward glares at Bella quite a bit and she is puzzled by why he won’t talk to her like all the other kids do.

When Bella nearly gets hit by a car, Edward is the person to rescue her. But it’s the way that he rescues her that baffles Bella. Edward literally pushes the oncoming car off of her. He wasn’t even near her when the car was coming to hit her, and none of this adds up. Either Edward has some kind of super human powers or he’s not a regular teenage boy.

Shortly after the near accident, Bella becomes closer with Edward. In fact he tells her a secret after she kind of uncovers it herself. He’s a vampire. And so are his brothers and sisters. But Bella doesn’t care. She is quickly falling for Edward, his charm, his gorgeous face, his muscular body, and everything about him. How can Bella fall in love with a vampire? Will this put her life in jeopardy?

Vampires in Meyer’s book are different from any of the other books that I’ve read lately. Her vampires CAN go out during the day, but they look kind of different when they do. They don’t eat food but can if they want to. But most interesting to me is that the romanticized idea of vampires and humans together is more truthful in this novel. This vampire hungers for the blood of his love and the two of them can’t simply exist safely together unless Edward is careful to control his vampire urges.

In all of the books that I’ve read, the vampires and humans fall in love and have the most amazing sex ever and there is no problem with them being near each other. In Twilight there isn’t any sex as this is a clean book for Young Adults. There is romance though and plenty of it to satisfy adults.

Twilight is the first book in the Twilight Series by Stephenie Meyer. Although it’s been out since 2004, this is my first time reading it. After constantly hearing about how wonderful Twilight is, I had to give it a try myself. This book is about 500 pages and although the genre is Young Adult, millions of adults are also reading this series just like with Harry Potter.

It took me three days to read Twilight, but that is only because I read it slower then normal, wanting to treasure every word. The writing is captivating, sweet, and romantic. I adored every page of this book and desperately need to get my hands on the next two books right away. If you haven’t yet read Twilight, I highly suggest that you go out and get a copy right away!

Phantom Pleasures Review

Alexa Chandler is a successful hotel developer who has inherited an abandoned castle off the coast of Florida. The castle sits on an island that is believed to be haunted but that doesn’t stop Alexa from wanting to turn it into a fancy resort. Alexa decides to visit the castle despite the rumors of ghosts haunting the place.

After arriving at the castle, Alexa is drawn to the only object in the entire castle, an old oil panting hanging above the grand staircase. In the portrait is a man who is very attractive to Alexa. The painting seems to be calling to her and asking to be touched.

But when Alexa touches the portrait, the man inside of it, Damon Forsyth, is released from the painting. Damon is a Gypsy who was cursed and put into the painting by his enemy, Rogan, several centuries ago. Damon was on the verge of saving his sister from Rogan when he ended up inside of the painting. Damon doesn’t know how long he’s been trapped in the painting or what’s happened to his family. This strange woman, Alexa, may be the answer to all of his problems if she can help him completely free himself from the castle that he is trapped in.

Alexa has always dreamed of meeting a man who she could have endless hours of pleasure from with no strings attached. Instantly, there is chemistry between Alexa and Damon and they waste no time putting that to good use. But is Damon real or is he just a figment of Alexa’s imagination?

In the mean time, Alexa’s best friend Cat is trying to find out information on the castle. There is a long mysterious history behind it and she is determined to help Alexa find out the truth before she puts herself in a dangerous situation. But Cat and Alexa’s brother Jacob have no idea that Alexa has released the phantom Damon from his portrait and that she is alone in the castle with him. Will Damon turn out to be evil and put Alexa’s life in danger? What is the story behind this haunted castle?

Phantom Pleasures reads like a wonderful ghost story with lots of suspense, romance and twists to keep readers entertained. The writing was beautifully vivid as I could picture the haunted castle and all the little details inside of it. Phantom Pleasures exceeded my expectations and I was very pleasantly surprised on what a wonderful novel this turned out to be. It is classified as a paranormal but that is due to ghosts as there aren’t any vampires or werewolves in this novel.

This story is very well written and I think Julie Leto fans are going to be blown away with Phantom Pleasures. The next book Phantom’s Touch is due out in December 2008 and I can’t wait to read it! Great book, great author, great fun!

Eight in the Box Review

On the streets of Boston, one by one women are being murdered by a vicious serial killer, The Blood Bath Killer, who leaves nothing behind but a bathtub full of the victim’s blood. The bodies of the victims are missing from the crime scene and the police are wondering if the victims are still alive or not. The amount of blood in the tub leaves the police to assume the victims have been murdered and the killer is keeping the bodies as trophies.

Angel Alves is newly promoted as a Homicide Detective but he must still prove himself to his boss, Sergeant Wayne Mooney. Alves is working the Blood Bath Killer case alongside Mooney but he is also a husband and father and finds the unconventional work hours hard to juggle. Will Alves find the killer and make a name for himself as a top Homicide Detective?

Assistant DA Conrad Darget or Connie to his friends is working side by side with the police department hoping to find the serial killer. Connie is the district attorney that represents the office at all murder scenes so he has a privileged inside look at what is happening behind the scenes in the case. When he isn’t at the murder scenes, Connie is prosecuting in court and teaching his fellow peers how to become a successful prosecutor.

Will the Boston Police Department be able to solve the Blood Bath Killer case and put an end to his murderous spree or will things blow out of control when the killer decides to change his MO and anyone could be his next victim?

Eight in the Box is an outstanding, suspenseful, thrilling, debut novel by Yessayan. The chapters are short which makes for fast reading. The story is superbly plotted and there are numerous possibilities on who the killer could be. Every character is nicely developed and shines through the pages of this book. The suspense is relentless and I couldn’t put this book down. This is a truly fantastic thriller that I definitely recommend.

How to Ditch Your Fairy Review

HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY is the newest YA book by the very talented Justine Larbalestier, author of the Magic or Madness Trilogy. The reader is introduced to the town of New Avalon, a place where everyone has their own fairy. Having the right kind of fairy at New Avalon Sports High School is very important because it can affect your entire high school experience.

Charlotte Adele Donna Seto Steele or just Charlie to her friends and family, is fourteen years old and has a parking fairy. Charlie doesn’t drive yet and finds her fairy to be completely annoying and useless. No matter where she is, or whose car she is in, her fairy always finds the closest and best parking spot around.

But all good things come with a downside. One of the guys at school has taken to kidnapping Charlie so she can help him get a good spot for his car. He doesn’t care what she’s doing; he will just snatch her up and throw her in his car so he can use her parking fairy. Charlie is tired of it and wants to be rid of her fairy for once and for all. Charlie decides if she walks everywhere and avoids all transportation, she will starve her fairy from having parking fun and it will eventually fade away and leave her.

In the mean time, the most popular girl in school, Fiorenza, is sick of all the attention she receives. Sure all the boys love her thanks to her fairy, but all the girls hate her! This includes Charlie since the new boy at school Stephan or Steffi to her, is following Fiorenza around like a love sick puppy. He seemed to like Charlie but because of Fiorenza’s fairy, he has no control over what he really thinks or feels about her anymore.

Charlie and Fiorenza form an unlikely friendship when they decide they will rid themselves of their fairies together. Fiorenza’s mom has a book about fairies but it’s hidden in a locked box. Fiorenza is positive the answer to ridding yourself of your fairy is within the pages of her mother’s book. So the two girls must work together to ditch their fairies. Will the girls successfully lose their fairies or will they end up with worse fairies then before?

HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY is a funny and cute book that I thoroughly enjoyed. I adore Justine Larbalestier’s writing and will read anything she writes. This new book is a bit different from her Magic and Madness Trilogy as it’s not full of magic but it is still a fun read. The writing flows very well and I could see Young Adults and Adults both loving this book. Overall, HOW TO DITCH YOUR FAIRY is a fun read that left me with a smile on my face.

Happy 4th of July Everyone!

Night Child Review

Tess Corday is twenty four years old and works as a junior employee for the Mystical Crime lab unit of CORE in Vancouver, Canada. Tess’ job as an Occult Special Investigator (OSI) is to investigate the mystical cases involving vampires and demons. She is also a mage –half human and half demon, which leaves Tess with some powers to assist her while solving crimes.

Tess’s best friend Derek also works for CORE but as a telepath using his abilities to read the last thoughts of the victims at crime scenes.

Tess and Derek’s latest case is that of a dead male vampire found in an alley. There is no blood or any defensive wounds on the vampire or at the crime scene. But in the vamp’s pocket is an address that leads them to the home of a thirteen year old girl named Mia Polanski.

Tess has no idea how Mia is related to the dead vamp and how the pieces fit together. But it’s the girl’s resemblance to someone Tess knew long ago that makes this case a tough one for her. Things get personal and Tess will do whatever it takes to make sure Mia is kept safe.

A necromancer named Lucian Agrado tries to assist Tess with her case but she is weary of trusting him. Tess starts to have dreams about Lucian, her past and the case she is currently working on. Can the necromancer be trusted or is he bad news?

When the case turns deadly, Tess’ boss Marcus orders her to take a leave of absence. But Tess is in too deep to just walk away from everything. Can Tess find out who killed the vampire and why? Will Tess’ past haunt her to the point where she isn’t able to concentrate on her current case? Will Tess, Derek, and Mia make it out of this alive?

NIGHT CHILD is a dark urban fantasy told in first person point of view by the main character Tess Corday. This is the first book in a new series and I saw a lot of promise with this installment. The characters are intelligent and good people despite being half demon.

The action sequences were brutal and exciting to read about. Tess appears to be a very complex character with a dark and haunted past that she has yet to deal with. Hopefully we can learn more about Tess and her life before becoming an investigator in the next book.