Lilo shares her reviews about other books in her genres.
Book Review: MISSING LYNX (Supernatural Romance)
Missing Lynx
The Lynx Series
By Fiona Quinn
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1Rtcqt1
#Supernatural #Psychic #Romance #Mystery #Action
Fiona’s second book of the series is as fantastic as the first and I’m still fangirling over this series. Spyder finally make an appearance, but it is a appearance surrounded by mystery. A creepy lady moves into the neighborhood, who keeps giving Lexi strange looks and her internal sense tells her the woman is bad business. Her internal knowing is correct. A series of events Lexi can’t prevent lead her into the worst mentally and physically damaging situation of her life. At the climax of the story your heart will be beating and you will be wishing with all your heart that Lexi will live.
The romance between Lexi and Striker teases us, the tension increases and their relationship deepens. I really like how Fiona takes her time with the relationship, letting it grow in a natural way. The action in this novel is still non-stop thrills, but the drama is even higher than in book one.
Bottom line: Fiona has created a world with high tension in the case, in the romance, and in physical action. This is a knock-out combination.
Excellent read!
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: CHAIN LYNX (Supernatural Romance)
Chain Lynx
The Lynx Series
By Fiona Quinn
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1NYR0X0
#Supernatural #Psychic #Romance #Mystery #Action
Another fantastic book by Fiona Quinn! The story opens with Lexi waking up in the hospital in the most severe condition imaginable. Her body has been devastated, but her mind, oh her mind, it just never stops. I love how analytical she is and I must be frank, that is one of the main reasons I’m in love with her character. Her mind is like a machine, but it certainly doesn’t mean she is lacking emotion. The other great thing about Lexi is her will. It is like steel. You can totally see her overcoming every physical adversity and how she just pulls her body along.
In this story we really get to see Lexi’s mental acuity as she begins to unwind the case and gets to the heart of who is really causing the problems.
The best news? Striker finally makes his move! Yay! Go Striker and Lexi!
Another non-stop action and thrills story that will leave you begging for more. I can’t wait for book 4!
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Reviews by Lilo
I’m actually embarrassed to say how much I read. A. Lot. Times ten.
I don’t provide critical reviews, because I don’t feel like I should attempt to judge for you. Instead, I simply highlight what I think people will love best about the books I review. Hopefully you will find a new favorite here.
Book Review: BREAKING FAITH (Contemporary Romance)
Breaking Faith
The Jackholes Series
By Joy Eileen
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1hHNpP6
#ContemporaryRomance #Comedy #Drama
For those of you who have been following my reviews you may find it odd that I’m breaking from the Fantasy genre to review a Contemporary Romance. Ohh, but you don’t know me so well, do you? I love romance in all its shades of glory: historical, contemporary, paranormal, Gothic, suspense . . . Fresh out of Nancy Drew books, my hormones first budded under the influence of Victoria Holt and Mary Stewart, but they fully bloomed during a period of Rosemary Rogers and Kathleen Woodiwiss. Romance and I have a long and sultry history. In fact, my affair with Romance has lasted well over twenty times that of my marriage that ended twenty years ago.
Without going into details about why my marriage was so blessedly short, I will say this. Breaking Faith hit very close to home. Now on to the review . . .
The opening of this story is the moment that Faith finally broke away from her abusive boyfriend, Jason. She’s sitting outside a bar with a restraining order in her hand, at a true crossroads in life. The meager amount of belongings she managed to grab are stuffed in the trunk of her car and she has nowhere to stay that night. She’s meeting some friends and hopes one of them will let her crash at their place, but she’s covered in bruises and hasn’t even shared her dark secret with them yet. The secret that Jason wasn’t the perfect boyfriend. In fact, it was an illusion that was so twisted that even Jason believed he was the perfect boyfriend. But the reality of Faith’s bruises, fractures and scars prove the illusion a lie. And stepping into the bar to expose her bruises will be her first step into breaking that illusion to her friends.
This story gives a raw, unadulterated view into the mind of a young woman with low self-esteem who ignores many red flags and gets sucked into a relationship with an abusive man. This woman, like so many women in this situation, is intelligent and kind, but she has been a loner most of her life and has never dealt with a situation like this before. Her nature is so giving, she doesn’t have practice with putting herself first. She has finally managed to break free, but she is not, in any way, whole.
The beginning of the story alternates between Faith’s first days of freedom and flashbacks of her relationship, so you get a good idea of how truly twisted Jason’s mind is. Physical abuse is never just physical. It is emotional and mind bending. Jason built a fairytale facade of their relationship that he shared with the world and he, in fact, wouldn’t even allow himself to see the true reality of the relationship. Jason’s sickness was so deep rooted, he hid his abuse of Faith even from his own mind.
But this story isn’t about Jason. This story is about Faith, broken and bruised, who steps through the door of Ray’s bar and meets a new circle of friends, including the gorgeous Rock and Roll singer, Killian (Kill). This story is about how Faith starts to pull all the shattered pieces of herself together again, still tentatively glued in places, so full of holes if she were a vase, water would flow out of it like a sieve. But she does it, by sheer force of will. She doesn’t even really believe she’s worthy of love because of how terribly she has allowed herself to be treated by Jason, but slowly, she begins to remember that maybe she might be worth something.
Now this story isn’t all dark drama. In fact, Faith has a sense of humor and has an ongoing monologue with her vagina who seems to have different opinions about the sexy Kill than her broken soul does. Part of Faith’s healing is her insistence and success at denying her vagina its way because she knows she’s not ready to delve into any sort of relationship until she has a better grasp of herself. Through the eyes of her new circle of friends and Kill, who actually adores her, she begins to shape a new and better self-image.
I recommend this story to contemporary romance lovers, lovers of truth, people who can quirk a smile in the face of great pain, and people who are brave enough to stand by the side of a not-so-perfect heroine and watch the sometimes agonizing and sometimes comedic process of her rebirth.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: WEAKEST LYNX (Supernatural Romance)
Weakest Lynx
The Lynx Series
By Fiona Quinn
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1hdXLpH
#Supernatural #Psychic #Romance #Mystery
It’s official, I’m a Quinn Fangirl. This book has been on my reading list for a while, but I had to get through publishing my latest in my series and I had a couple of books ahead of this. I finally got to it just the week before my ‘break between writing books’ ended. And boy am I glad I did. By the third chapter this story grabbed me with iron hooks and sucked me into a powerful vortex and a week later I emerged having read every single one of Ms. Quinn’s books. I couldn’t stop. I wouldn’t stop. I hoped fervently she wrote under a pseudonym so I could find more books, but no dice. Yeah, it was like that. One more point before I’m on to the review. This book isn’t a paranormal shifter novel and has absolutely nothing to do with a Lynx cat. Instead, it is ohh so much better . . .
Lexi is orphaned a year before the story takes place and a fire forces her out of an apartment building where she’s lived as part of a close-knit community all her life. She’s been unschooled. By that, the author means she hasn’t gone to traditional school, but has instead been tutored by and has apprenticed with many people. Some of these people she calls her Grandma’s. They’re six elderly women of different ethnic backgrounds who teach her different languages and cultures. Other tutors are more specialized, such as her training to fly airplanes, her martial arts training by Master Wang, or her training by Spyder, a special undercover operative of a group called Iniquus.
Lexi also has some special psychic and supernatural abilities. She can perform Reiki, which is a method of healing using energy transformation, she has psychic ‘knowings’, she can perform simple searches for lost things, and most startling of all, she can go ‘beyond the veil’. I’m not going to tell you what that is, but let me just say, it is freaking cool. It happens during the most shocking climax of the book.
Spyder recognizes that Lexi is a genius operative in the making as a young teen between her unorthodox education, her martial arts training and her supernatural abilities. She becomes his secret weapon and puzzles out complex crime scenarios to find the truth.
All of this so far is background and as you can see, it’s very rich. The story really starts the day after Lexi’s wedding. It opens with Lexi on her way to speak with her friend, a father figure, to tell him about a threatening note she received on her wedding day. She’s near tears and scared out of her mind because her husband left for service in Afghanistan that morning and she’s alone. She didn’t tell her husband about the threatening letter because she didn’t want him focusing on her when his life was at stake on his own mission. She’s never been the victim of a crime like this, or involved in dangerous situations before. She’s only lent her mind to puzzle out the crimes against other people.
The person she really needs to speak with is Spyder, but he’s been undercover for about a year and a half after the last big case she puzzled out. She hasn’t heard from him and though he suggested she go to a man named Striker if she has problems, she is independent enough not to want to get their help. Since she’s been working directly in secret with Spyder, she doesn’t even think they will believe her. Well, after more threatening notes she realizes she’s being stalked by a crazed serial killer.
I can’t really tell you more without giving away major plot points. The story covers some brutal scenes and holds a strong thread of romance. This is a phenomenal story. We have a serial killer, a team of hunky special operatives, supernatural powers, a genius heroine, and romance. What more can you possibly want?
You can want the next two books in the series and more that the author hasn’t even written yet. And you will. You will want it bad . . .
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: MELABETH THE VAMPIRE (Urban Fantasy)
Melabeth The Vampire
Melabeth Series: Book 1
By E.B. Hood
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1dGSWn5
#UrbanFantasy #Vampire #Necromancer #Sorcerer
As a little context, Melanie, the heroine, is fifteen years old so officially this book fits into the young adult category. But due to the adult themes I think it is more appropriate for an adult audience. On to the review.
Wow! This story is jam packed with action and drama. If I were to sum it up in one word, I’d enthusiastically say that this story is very interesting. And by that I mean it kept my attention riveted until 6 a.m. when I finally had to sleep a tiny bit before picking it up again.
Melanie is born to careless parents. Her mother dies of a heroin overdose and her father ends up allowing some thugs to take her from him when he couldn’t repay a drug debt. She’s brought to a house where a pedophile forces her take part in a pornographic movie with the same thugs who captured her. At the end of the movie, he has one of her “partners” kill her. Thankfully, all this bad stuff is highly glossed over and just sets the history.
A vampire named Nicks finds her in a trash can and tries to turn her. He puts her in the ground where she’s supposed to arise in five days. Instead, fifteen years later she wakes up in the coffin, trying to remember what happened to her. She escapes the coffin and thus Melabeth is born. Her sole purpose in life is to find the men who defiled her and killed her. And she’s not looking for justice. She’s looking for VENGEANCE. Trust me, you will want her to find it too.
Naturally, after fifteen years Nicks gave up that she would ever rise and had moved on, so she has to navigate learning the rules of being a vampire on her own. Most of the story takes place after she’s been born again as a vampire. It documents in vivid detail the confusion and cluelessness of a newly born bloodsucker as she navigates the new world.
The story that follows is filled with tentative love interests, first friends, necromancers, sorcerers, witches, a new vampire family, and plenty of blood, death, and destruction. Not to mention a crazy vampire named Alice who was turned at age fourteen but is over four hundred years old.
Besides Alice, who I absolutely hated at first then came to adore for her wicked ways, I really enjoyed the way Mr. Hood described Melabeth’s awakening within the coffin. He also does some interesting things with flashbacks and memories, weaving them seamlessly into the story. Not all authors can do that well and Mr. Hood does.
I recommend this book for adults who enjoy vengeful minded non-sparkly vampires and great action. The romance is extremely light, so if romance isn’t your thing, this book should still do the trick.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: BLOODGIFTED (Urban Fantasy / Romance / Myth & Legend)
Bloodgifted
The Dantonville Series: Book 1
By Tima Maria Lacoba
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1zvdKIn
#UrbanFantasy #Romance #Historical #Myth #Legend
A deftly woven tale of myth, legend, action, and romance.
Bloodgifted starts out with a prologue that takes us back to 263 AD when the battle between two warring parties, the Pictish and the Romans, culminates in a curse thus creating the first vampires and the bloodgifted.
Author Tima Maria Lacoba spins an exciting tale of romance and intrigue as her heroine, Laura, comes into her bloodgift and the vampire race grapples at a chance to shift the power. This story is an exciting recount of the struggle between two factions of vampires, those who want to maintain order and integrate with human society and those who see humans only as food to be devoured.
Trapped in the middle, Laura struggles to survive the violent power-plays between these volatile factions, who both consider her the winner’s prize. To spice things up further, Laura must deal with the rivalry between her current boyfriend Matt, a tenacious detective, and the irresistible Alec, a vampire from the new underworld she is just discovering. But there is more! An obsessive stalker is on the loose . . .
If you love action packed urban fantasy or paranormal romance, and have a taste for history, myth, and legends, you should definitely try this story.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: NIKO (Urban Fantasy / Science Fiction / Gene Mutations)
Niko
The Outsider Chronicles: Book 1
By Kayti Nika Raet
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1OGgLvO
#UrbanFantasy #ScienceFiction #GeneMutations #Monsters
Before I even go into the review, I feel this cover must be mentioned. IMHO it is kick-ass. Not only does Niko look tough, but she looks sexy with some great booty. And, pleases, let’s talk about the bat. Chains and nails and dripping blood? Sweet . . .
Okay, moving on to the story. If you like original stories, creativity, and new creatures, this story is for you.
Niko lives in a time where something happened to the atmosphere to turn all rain to acid rain. The acid is so strong you can’t let it touch you, least it eats through you. Acid proof shingles have to be put on roofs. Your shoes have to be acid proof or they will melt away. And all water must be treated or it will kill you. This is a harsh world.
It’s made even harsher because humans have divided into the Haves and Have Nots because there are limited resources. Only the wealthy can afford to live in the city where purified water is in plentiful supply. The rest are kept out by gates, guards, and guns, surviving by their brawn and wits.
If that isn’t bad enough, there are genetically mutated humans who have transformed into scary as hell creatures called Slithers. Slithers eat people and move with incredible speed, far beyond the average human. Luckily, some rare people have an innate ability to move fast enough to kill them.
Enter Niko, a seventeen year old girl who’s entire family is killed by Slithers, except for one brother who goes missing. When the insider populace finds out Niko can kill Slithers, she’s taken to the city to protect the populace. However, her brother is on the outside and all Niko cares about is finding her brother. Outside of the gate waits Slithers galore, acid rain, starvation, thirst, gangs, and other people doing whatever required to survive their brutal existence.
I highly recommend this book for anyone who wants a unique kick-ass urban fantasy with science fiction elements in a dystopian environment.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: JADE (YA Urban Fantasy / Action)
Jade
Three J’amigos Series: Book 1
By Rose Montague
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1bFej6S
#UrbanFantasy #Paranormal #Action #Shifter #YA
An Action Packed Story of Good Versus Evil
The story opens up with Jade Smith joining her new police partner, Rolfe, a shifter who takes the shape of a huge Kodiak bear. Rolfe initially thinks Jade will be a weak female partner, a liability if you will, but he is soon disavowed of that notion. Jade kicks butt.
But what is Jade? She has the build of a shifter, but keeps mum about her shifter form. She has vampire fangs and fay relatives. One part of her is even more secret than all the rest. Where did Jade come from and what did she do in her life prior to working with Rolfe? How does she happen to know the secret of a weapon legend says was used by angels?
The plot is rife with twists and turns, new friends and lovers, and set-ups and betrayals. The mysteries are slowly revealed.
This story will be enjoyed by YA readers and adults alike. Kudos to Ms. Montague for weaving in a LGBT relationship into the story. There is considerable focus on diversity, which I really appreciate.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: THE CALLING (YA Urban Fantasy / Romance)
The Calling
The Gateway Series: Book 1
by Louise White
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1Fz42Wb
#YA #UrbanFantasy #Romance #Action
I loved this book. The beginning was absolutely incredible. Carolyn walks in to see her family being destroyed and something happens to her. She becomes this beautiful feral wild thang. She is called the Destroyer and her purpose is to kill Demons who steal humans.
Let’s just pause here a moment and reflect on the Feral Wild Thang. When I say feral, I actually mean feral, as in the movie Nell with the feral child, starring Jodi Foster. It’s fantastic like that too. I am soooo envious that Author Louise White thought of this idea before I did. Now that she’s written it and I’ve read it, I can’t use it. Maybe in about 20 years. But for now, I can’t. So . . . major envy here.
The story is filled with thrilling action as Carolyn completes her mission of destroying demons. Eventually, she starts to move toward a more aware mind and way from being a raving killing beast. The transition is fascinating to watch. Then, several possible love interests appear, each with potential ulterior motives, leaving the reader unclear who’s safe and best for her. I’m rooting for one male, but I’m not sure if Louise is with me on that. 🙂 Deception and betrayal complicate the plot and the characterization is excellent, allowing you to feel deeply for Carolyn’s team.
Several side plots further enrich the story and mysteries abound. Do some of the secondary characters have a relationship? What is the relationship of the strongest Mage to the God-like Protector? What is this parasitic power that has attached to her first, and secondly to Note? So many mysteries . . .
I’m looking forward the next book!
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: THE SUMMER SOLSTICE ENCHANTED (Fantasy, Magic, Greek Mythology, Romance, Fun)
The Summer Solstice Enchanted
The Summer Solstice Series: Book 1
By Author K.K. Allen
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1bgapkq
#Fantasy #Magic #Greek Mythology #Romance #YA #Fun
Well, I’ve been in love with this cover for the longest time. Now that my second book is with my beta readers, I finally had a chance to read it. And let me just say that the cover exactly portrays the story. This was such a light fun read, I loved it.
Kat, recently orphaned, moves in with her estranged Grandmother and weird things start happening. Her sight and hearing senses become impossibly accurate. Disturbing and dangerous dreams haunt her sleep. She’s confused about what’s happening and her Grandmother isn’t giving her much. Plus, she’s lonely, and nervous about being the new kid in school. Then along comes the handsome neighbor boy. He gives her some confidence, but the two girls who feel she’s infringing on their territory give her equal measures of trouble.
Author K.K. Allen has filled this story with all the drama of a young girl in this situation. There’s suspense woven in through the enigmatic Grandmother, the unfolding of the family history, and the magic capabilities Kat is learning to control. Unbeknownst to her, danger is creeping up as she comes to the attention of evil forces. But, Allen keeps it light with the beach town setting and the threads of romance.
I recommend this lovely story for YA readers or anyone who enjoys YA and magic. It was quite an enjoyable read.
Let’s give a collective sigh for young love. Sighhhh . . .
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: THE GIRL (Urban Fantasy, Action, Romance)
The Girl
The Sanctum Trilogy: Book 1
by Madhuri Blaylock
Link: http://amzn.to/1EEmlIB
#UrbanFantasy #Action #Romance #Warriors
This is ABSOLUTELY a most Kick-ass Book!
We have The Sanctum, an organization put in place by the Gods to rule and protect. However, where power exists, so often does corruption. The leadership of The Sanctum is sick and twisted.
We have The Sanctum warriors. They are honorable and highly trained warriors. Unfortunately, they follow orders blindly. The exception are three of our four main characters, Wyatt, Ryker, and Jools who see with clear eyes the corruption in The Sanctum. Yet, they feel honor-bound to defend it, for what it was in it’s better days and with the hope that it will shine again.
Finally, we have Dev, The Girl. She is a hybrid of demon and angel and she is being hunted by The Sanctum. Her crime? Being born.
When Dev and Wyatt meet, the two mortal enemies feel an instant connection, and Wyatt does the unthinkable. He defies The Sanctum for the very first time.
This book is filled with thrilling action and kick-ass scenes. There are battles, torture, healing, despair, triumph, love, but most of all, friendship. The story is a coming of age for these four main characters as they step into leadership roles and act as the catalyst for the righting of decades of wrongs. The story leaves you on the edge of your seat and you will love it. I promise. By the end of it, you will come to care for the characters.
I want to take a moment to speak about Ms. Blaylock’s writing style. She is a skilled writer who carries a rhythm in her written words. It’s not a lyrical style, but rather you can hear the ups and downs of tone and the quickening and slowing of pacing as though she were reading it to you. With grace and style, she will sweep you along the journey with her.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: THE FURY (Horror, Crime, Mystery)
The Fury
By John Reinhard Dizon
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1JCbcva
#Horror #Occult #Crime #Mystery
Holy Freaking Voodoo Mojo… that was scary!
I’m pretty sure I read most of this book from between the fingers of the hand covering my eyes. It is not gruesome due to explicit detail, but there is plenty of ‘WTF! Did That Just Happen?’ violence and the suspense is amazing. It will have you clutching a comforter and will freak you the shit out! Seriously.
The plot is anchored around private investigator, Bridge (short for Bridgette), who is hired by a New York Mob Boss to run surveillance on his daughter, Annabell. Annabell gets mixed in with a fortune telling Voodoo crowd and is closeted in a building where horrific murders keep happening. Bridge is a strong female heroine, and I love her. I especially love when she retorts back to an insult by grabbing her breast and saying “Suck on this.” She is hard-ass all the way.
The evil Voodoo queen is soooo EVIL! You will quake in your boots. And The Fury, what can I say? It simply destroys.
The intertwining relationships in this story are amazing, both current, and in snippets from generations past. This author did his research well, and you can tell. A lot of this story takes place in New York, between cops and the ‘hood. The lingo is believable, the situations, authentic.
If you like New York rough neighborhoods, private detectives, cop investigations, thrillers, horrors, suspense, paranormal, strong heroines, possessions, and voodoo magic scariness, then you will totally love this book.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover
Book Review: Bombardier (Vampire / Short Story)
Bombardier
by K. Edwin Fritz
Amazon Link: http://amzn.to/1HSLgsT
#Vampire #ShortStory #Emotional #Awesome
A Strikingly Emotional Non-traditional Vampire Short Story
This story grabs your guts and won’t let go. It is a HUMAN story of a man recently bitten and facing the life-long curse of Vampirism.
The story doesn’t reveal that he is a vampire until the very end. It is a sweet and tantalizing unfolding of the truth. I LOVED the mystery and the slow revealing.
The story is about a man, struggling with the pain and addiction of the vampire infection, seeking solace in the company of others in similar situations. He searches for, and finds it in a bar named Bombardier, where others of his kind gather.
Once there he sees glimpses of what he could be if he held out against the addiction, and what he will be when he eventually gives in. But most of all, he finds human empathy for his struggle against the inevitability of his final human death.
If you want something fresh and unusual, this is it! I highly recommend it.
Lilo Abernathy
Author and Book Lover