Review of Treats in a Plain Brown Wrapper by Cassandre Dayne

Publisher: Rebel Ink Press, LLC

Release Date: Nov. 2, 2010

Purchasing Info:  Amazon


Book Blurb:

It's fascinating how everything yummy seems to come in plain brown wrapping. Indistinguishable. Just like the naughty little toys that Trista Rogers orders for research for the erotic books she's writing. Hand delivered goodies brought right to her door from her fantasy lover in chocolate brown - the UPS man. The dark cocoa hunk, Al Weatherby, has been on Trista's hit list since he took over her route. Sometimes she orders from the internet just to tease him with her long red hair, creamy skin and naughty clothing. Sadly, she's never tried anything with him. Until one blustery fall day that is. Asking him to join her for a frosty drink, their afternoon together quickly turns erotic. They both know they want more. Or do they?

As Trista plans another sinfully delicious event, another driver appears. Nearly devastated, Trista has no idea what happened to her fantasy man in brown. Fortunately, she quickly learns that the best surprises come in six foot something discrete brown boxes delivered right to her doorstep. And Al has brought his own special basket of toys this time to help Trista round out her research. With copious rounds of hot sex, a little voyeurism, and bodacious amounts of experimentation, come see why the best treats always come in plain brown wrapping.

My Thoughts:

This is a steamy, quick erotic story that will change your view of the UPS driver in your neighborhood. I wish mine were so yummy! "Treats in a Plain Brown Wrapper" is spicy & hot; a story that couples should read together. There's some light bondage and they explore, oh boy do they explore!, some of the sex toys that Trista has bought over the years. Don't make the mistake that I did and read it in a coffee shop. I almost spit out my iced coffee a time or two and I will never, ever look at a chocolate cruller in the same way again. :D 

The story starts when Trista has finally worked up the courage to make a move on her hunky delivery man, Al. She's delightfully surprised to find that not only is he interested, he's very, VERY interested. He wastes no time taking control of the situation, to the enjoyment and pleasure of both of them. Though written primarily as an erotic story, its also sweet and romantic. The story ends on a hopeful noted that there may be a HEA in the future for the two of them. 

Dayne wrote likable characters and mostly credible story lines. There are some copy editing issues and in my experience, it's unlikely that she would have had the same UPS driver for 5 years. But, if you just want a quick, hot story and aren't concerned about accuracy, then this will fit the bill. One thing I really liked is that the story doesn't take itself seriously, it has some nice humorous bits.

"I know you're still on duty but how about a cock..a Coke?"

 And,

 "Trista licked her lips wanting to explore his yummy, thick chocolate stick."

While I smirked and laughed throughout the story at Trista and Al's antics (as well as needed a cold drink), the final line of the novel made me laugh out loud. Overall, she nicely captured the joys of attraction, love and affection while also producing some sensual scenes. "Treats in a Plain Brown Wrapper" was a fun, hot story.

I received the PDF from the author for review. The review first appeared at Book Lovers Inc.

Review of Something Secret This Way Comes by Sierra Dean

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Release Date: May 10, 2011

Series: #1 in the Secret McQueen books

More Info: Amazon

Book Blurb:
 
Some secrets are dangerous. This Secret is deadly.

Secret McQueen, Book 1

For Secret McQueen, her life feels like the punch line for a terrible joke. Abandoned at birth by her werewolf mother, hired as a teen by the vampire council of New York City to kill rogues, Secret is a part of both worlds, but belongs to neither. At twenty-two, she has carved out as close to a normal life as a bounty hunter can.


When an enemy from her past returns with her death on his mind, she is forced to call on every ounce of her mixed heritage to save herself—and everyone else in the city she calls home. As if the fate of the world wasn’t enough to deal with, there’s Lucas Rain, King of the East Coast werewolves, who seems to believe he and Secret are fated to be together. Too bad Secret also feels a connection with Desmond, Lucas’s second-in-command…

 Product Warnings

This book contains a sarcastic, kick-ass bounty hunter; a metaphysical love triangle with two sexy werewolves; a demanding vampire council; and a spicy seasoning of sex and violence.

My Thoughts:

The writing wasn't anything spectacular and the plot was nothing unusual, but the concepts and characters introduced caught and kept my interest.  Dean has created an interesting mythology and social structure for her supernaturals. This despite using some of my least favorite tropes - 1) the destined mates, 2) the three way triangle, and 3) a hero, or heroine if you prefer, who is ALL THAT, with a destiny she can't imagine. So, you might expect I wouldn't like the book.

You'd be wrong. The cover blurb drew me in, the tropes irritated me, but it's the world and the characters that held me. Sierra Dean's character building is very good. Secret McQueen is 22 years old but has seen so much and had so much turmoil that many others in her position would likely call it quits. With a foot in  the werewolf world and a foot in the vampire world, all she's trying to do is keep her footing. Life is never that simple.

She identifies herself as a vampire and ignores her wolf half, denying that werewolves are even people. She is really quite ignorant concerning werewolves, something that Desmond, Lucas's second, remarks on:

"It's true, then, what Lucas said. You really are ignorant of the ways of your own people."  I bristled. 'Wolves are not people.'

She very quickly gets a crash course in werewolf customs, including soul bonding, otherwise known as destined mates, one of Bea's top 5 least favorite tropes. Soul bonding, to be fair, is more than just destined mates, it isn't even always about sex. The werewolf king Lucas explains it thus:

"...There is a call put out by the beasts inside of us that is meant for a select few to hear. It was how I chose Desmond to be my second. His wolf answered the call of my own when we were still very young, before either of us had even been turned. The call is the reason you felt me on the patio tonight."

When Secret is around either Lucas or Desmond, she "tastes" them, a certain flavor fills her mouth - Lucas tastes like cinnamon and Desmond like lime. This reminded me very much of Tony in the Salzi books C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp who identifies emotions by associating them with other smells - fear smells like burnt coffee, etc.  It's unusual, though not completely unexpected, for there to be a three way soul bonding. Since Lucas and Desmond are soul bonded to each other, Secret's bond is to both men. Both men are accepting of this but the practicalities of making it work are another matter. There was one scene where I wanted to smack Secret for being sleazy:

"Is it ok to sleep with someone and say my metaphysical connection to him made me do it? Ok, that's actually a pretty good excuse." 

Umm, no, it's not. For me, that's a cop out, a failure to take responsibility for your own actions. It also reminded me uncomfortably of Laurell K Hamilton Anita Blake and the aurdeur (a metaphysical thing where she constantly hungers for sex and it's ok for her to sleep with any guy she wants. Bugs the crap out of me no end.)

At first I found Secret to be arrogant, cocky and full of herself. And she is, but she is also funny, determined, loyal to her friends (what ones she has), impulsive, and smart. She starts out stereotypical but Dean develops her and fills her out. We see her relationships with Holden, her handler from the vampire council, Mercedes, a local detective, and Keaty, her friend and associate, and her developing relationships with Lucas and Desmond. Secret learns a lot about herself in the story and some of those discoveries are not pleasant (family can be such a pain, lol).

It doesn't take long before Secret's new life with Lucas and the wolves collides with her job as a hunter for the Vampire Council and that's when the action really kicks in. The story has just about everything you could want - spooky vampires, hunky werewolves, humans who, for the most part, are unaware that monsters exist, romance, sex, treachery, intrigue, fight scenes, etc. Dean makes it all work together and I flew through the last 2/3 of the book.

The cliffhanger at the end had me going "What? Wait, no! You can't do that." I am looking forward to the next book, the prequel and the Christmas short story (which Sierra was talking about on twitter and I teased her about since she was writing it in April). While there is a lot that isn't new, Dean makes it fresh and interesting. It's worth your while to pick up this book and read it. If I could enjoy it despite some of my least favorite tropes and the occasional dry writing, chances are good that you will too.

I received the ebook from the author for review.

Review and Giveaway of Range Feud by J.A. Campbell

Publisher: Echelon Press

Release Date: April 12, 2011

Series:  #2 in the Into The West series

More Info:  Amazon

Book Blurb:

Tina Harker loves malls, manicures, fun clothes, and horses. She has everything she wants until her dad moves the entire family to Arizona. She's trying to adapt to the tiny town, serious lack of a mall, and the strangeness of the desert, not to mention the rattlesnakes. There's no one in Golton her age and no reason to wear any of her fun makeup. The only thing keeping her going is the horse she rides and the cool things she's learning on the Taggarts’ cattle ranch.
 
Anxious for more adventure, Tina agrees to inspect the fence line for the Taggarts like a real cowgirl. She gets more than she wished for. This time she has to rescue the cute cowboy. Along the way, she finds out people will kill over water. Especially in the desert. Tina is determined to help her cowboy, but she has no idea how, or if, a Jersey girl can stand up to real gunslingers.


My Thoughts:

 "Range Feud" picks up shortly after the end of the first book, "Westward, Yo!". You can read this as a stand alone but it might be better enjoyed if you read them in order. These books are part of the new Electric Shorts series by Echelon Press, a series geared toward the reluctant reader from 7-17, although this series is for ages 13-17.

 

Tina's adventures in the first story led to her being missing for a while and getting a second-degree sunburn. She tries to tell her family what happened but they don't believe her, instead they think she suffered sunstroke and hallucinated her adventures. Tina needs to prove her parents and to herself that she didn't hallucinate. In the meantime, she is settling into her new life fairly well. Although she has yet to meet any other teens around her new home, she has made friends with some of the locals and happily helps at a local ranch in exchange for free rides on one of their horses. She does miss her good friend, Jessica, but they  text and talk often.

On one of her days helping at the ranch, Tina gets drawn back to the scene of her prior adventures where she rescues Rowe. Rowe, a young, good-looking cowboy whom Tina met in the previous book, knows that Tina is not a typical girl of his acquaintance.  There is the beginnings of a sweet romance here but J. A. tantalizes us; at the end of this story, it looks as if Tina and Rowe have to part permanently, which leaves her grief-stricken.

 We also get to see Tina's family and her interactions with them. It's refreshing to see a happy yet realistic family - one without the angst or traumas that are common in other YA or teen novels. The characters all feel real, not idealized or stereotypical. They are likable and relatable.

One of things that I enjoy about this series is the strong female lead. The main character is a girl, one who loves city life and malls, etc...but she isn't the stereotypical mall rat city girl that you find portrayed in movies and tv shows. Tina is a girl with a definite feminine side but she's also willing to get down and dirty, and she's not afraid to use her brain. She comes across as a strong young woman who is growing into a strong young adult. Although she does make some rash decisions, she also deals with the consequences, and when there's trouble, she stays calm (usually) and analyzes the problem. She is strong, capable, competent, intelligent but also kind, funny, energetic and full of life.

 

 ***************************************************************************************

 

JA has generously offered up an ebook copy of "Range Feud"  to one lucky commenter. 

 

 To enter, leave a comment telling us what time era and location you would travel to if you could.

 

Don't forget to leave a way to contact you (see the giveaway policy here)

 

The giveaway runs through midnight EST of Monday May 19th, 2011.

 

*******************************************************************************

The reviewer owns this ebook. The review first appeared at Book Lovers Inc.

Review of Those Who Fight Monsters, ed by Justin Gustainis

Authors ed, by Justin Gustainis; authors: C.T. Adams , Jackie Kessler,  Caitlin Kittredge, T.A. Pratt, Lilith Saintcrow, Carrie Vaughn, Cathy Clamp, Rachel Caine, Laura Anne Gilman, Chris Marie Green, Simon R. Green, C.J. Henderson, Tanya Huff, Julie Kenner      

Publisher: EDGE Science Fiction & Fantasy

Release Date: April 12, 2011

More Info:  Amazon  

Book Blurb:

Got Vampires? Ghosts? Monsters? We Can help!

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives, is your one-stop-shop for Urban Fantasy’s finest anthology of the supernatural. 14 sleuths are gathered together for the first time in all-original tales of unusual cases which require services that go far beyond mere deduction!

Those Who Fight Monsters: Tales of Occult Detectives brings together popular characters from many Urban Fantasy paranormal investigative series, for your enjoyment.

Meet the Detectives:

Danny Hendrickson - from Laura Anne Gilman's Cosa Nostradamus series.

Kate Connor - from Julie Kenner’s Demon Hunting Soccer Mom series.

John Taylor - from Simon R. Green’s Nightside series.

Jill Kismet - from Lilith Saintcrow’s Jill Kismet series.

Jessi Hardin - from Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.

Quincey Morris - from Justin Gustainis’ Morris/Chastain Investigations series.

Marla Mason - from T. A. Pratt's Marla Mason series.

Tony Foster - from Tanya Huff’s Smoke and Shadows series.

Dawn Madison - from Chris Marie Green’s Vampire Babylon series.

Pete Caldecott - from Caitlin Kittredge’s Black London series.

Tony Giodone - from C. T. Adams and Cathy Clamp’s Tales of the Sazi series.

Jezebel - from Jackie Kessler’s Hell on Earth series.

Piers Knight - from C. J. Henderson’s Brooklyn Knight series.

Cassiel - from Rachel Caine’s Outcast Season series.

Demons may lurk, werewolves may prowl, vampires may ride the wind. These are things that go bump in the night, but we are the ones who bump back!

My Thoughts:

So, this is the first anthology I've ever reviewed. I spent some time thinking about how I should do it. I hope the format that I came up with will work for you all. If not, let me so I can do it differently if I review any more anthologies.

I'm going to take a quick look at whether the stories as a whole met the title and the theme of the book, then I'll do a quick run-down of each story (there are 14). I'll quote a line that I really enjoyed, state if I liked it and whether or not it left me wanting to go and read more in that series or by that author, also whether it works as a stand-alone or if you need to be current on the books before reading.

The collection features 14 sleuths, some traditional, some not, in original tales of unusual cases involving vampires, demons, succubi, and other supernatural critters. Gustainis, the editor, defines occult detectives broadly by his own admission - "to include any fictional character who contends regularly with the  supernatural." That broad definition allows for a wide range of detectives, supernatural beings and occurrences and mysteries. The stories all fit well in the given range. The authors are all well known to moderately well known in the urban fantasy field; some I had read before, many were new for me.

 

As is true in most anthologies, there were a few favorites in the collection:  Simon R. Green's "The Spirit of the Thing," was one of the best ghost stories I have read in ages. It was haunting and cryptic, and didn't go in the direction that I expected. Jackie Kessler's "Hell Bound" made me laugh and reminded me that I need to catch up on that series (I'm several books behind).

1. "Little Better Than A Beast" by T.A.Pratt - quote: "She considered reprimanding him for not bringing the letter on time, but it would be like hitting a puppy fifteen minutes after it pissed on the carpet -the poor thing wouldn't even understand what it was being disciplined for." An ok story, it didn't leave me wanting to go find more in the series; it works as a stand alone but is probably better appreciated if familiar with the Marla Mason series.
2. "Dusted" by Laura Anne Gilman - quote: "My father's species wasn't much for sunlight, except maybe to nap in while recovering from their hangovers, and I'm willing to admit I'd inherited significant night-owl tendencies." A reminder that the fae have a dark side; it works as a stand alone but if I didn't already read the Cosa Nostradamus it probably wouldn't lure me in. It does focus on a secondary character from the books and gives him a chance to shine.
3. "The Demon You Know..." by Julie Kenner - quote: "There are a lot of things that make moms nervous. The first time you leave your baby with a sitter. The first day of kindergarten. And, of course, the first time your daughter battles a demon right in her own backyard." I suggest reading one of the books first, it's a bit confusing otherwise. I had read the first book when it was released and found it self-consciously cute. Judging by this story, Kenner has gotten past that and I may try the books again.
4. "The Spirit of the Thing" by Simon R Green - quote: "I didn't pay her much attention at first, except to wonder what someone so normal-looking was doing in dive like this...and then she walked right through the table next to me and the people sitting around it." As I mentioned above, it's a very good ghost story, with a touch of humor, and it serves as good introduction to the Nightside series while working very well as a stand-alone story.
5. "Holding the Line" by Lilith Saintcrow - quote: "Even if your heart is breaking, you've got to get the job done." I confess, I'm not a fan of Saintcrow's writing, it just doesn't do it for me and this story was no exception. I just couldn't care what happened to the characters, and if you aren't familiar with the Jill Kismet series, this story is very confusing. I won't be picking up the books.
6. "Defining Shadows" by Carrie Vaughn - quote: "Hardin imagined trying to explain this to the captain. She managed to get the werewolves pushed through and on record, but this was so much weirder." Part of the Kitty Norville series, it's not bad as a stand alone but is so-so as an introduction to the series. Again, if I didn't already read the books, this wouldn't have had me rushing out to buy them. That said, I loved that Vaughn used a non-European supernatural creature, it was a pleasant change from the standard European and American traditions.    
7. "Deal Breaker" by Justin Gustainis (also the anthology editor) - quote: "...bargaining away your soul to a minion of Hell has become a ...a cultural trope that has no basis in actual practice. Sort of like the Easter Bunny, but a lot more sinister." A fresh, funny but not over the top take on the Faust story; very good as a stand-alone and as an intro to the Quincey Morris books. I definitely want to read more. 
8. "See Me" by Tanya Huff - quote: "She's terrified she's going to be charged with murder." "Death by hand job?" I loved Tony in the Victoria Nelson books but was disappointed in Tony's spin off series. This short story though, I enjoyed. Tony shone as a character but it had more of the flavor of the Vicki Neslon stories. Sorry, Henry is not in the story and neither is Vicki. This is another ghost story and like Green's story it's an update of an old one. Not bad as a stand alone but it might be confusing if you are unfamiliar with Tony's books, the Smoke and Shadows series.
9. "Soul Stain" by Chris Marie Green - quote: "So we took care of her, dressed her in her favorite outfits, fed her, adored her." This was very confusing. I haven't read any of the other books in the Vampire Babylon series and there was a lot that I was missing. Green has a different take on vampires and ghosts and I didn't see the ending coming. But, read after reading the books for maximum enjoyment and minimal confusion.
10. "Under the Hill and Far Away" by Kaitlin Kittredge - quote: "He had pupiless eyes, silver. Beautiful, if you were into that Tolkien bullshit. Or Shark Week." Smart, funny, and another reminder that the fae are Other, with a nice little mystery. Part of the Black London series, I intend to find and read them; a good stand alone. 
11. "An Ace in the Hole" by C.T. Adams & Cathy Clamp - quote: "She should have an aura, but didn't. No scent, no magic aura, but a shifter? That was just wrong on so many levels." Tony is my favorite from the Sazi books so I was excited that he had a story but when I read it, it didn't feel like Tony. He seemed different, calmer, milder, not Tony. It works as a stand alone but might be confusing. I'm behind on this series too and several scenes had me going, "What? when did that happen?"    
12. "Hell Bound" by Jackie Kessler - quote: "Noel actually talked to me and not to my chest. Hmm. To fix that, I took a deep breath. Yep, there we go-now he was staring at my twin assets. Much better." Funny, smart and when I thought I knew where Kessler was going with the story, she threw me a curve ball. Works well as a stand alone and intro to the Hell on Earth series but might be slightly confusing.
13. Impossible Love" by C.J. Henderson = quote: "New Age grasping at straws. Superstition. Nonsense." A modern day tale of demonic possession, it reads a bit like a journal article but not on purpose. It's dry but Henderson deftly mixes various religious and mythological traditions with modern day tragedy; not bad as a stand alone, I doubt if it will inspire many readers to seek out more of the Piers Knight books.
14. "Running Wild" by Rachel Caine - quote: " 'I really love you right now," he said and then thought about it for a second. 'Evil bitch.' " Funny, sassy, typical Caine writing, this works well as a stand alone with only mild confusion. This is from her Outcast series, which is a spinoff from the Weather Wardens series. It was fun and will likely inspire new readers to seek out the books.

This book was received was from the editor for review. The review first appeared at Book Lovers Inc.  

Review of The Ancillary's Mark by Daniel A Cohen

Publisher: Black Rose Writing

Release Date:  November 4, 2010

More Info:  Amazon, 

Book Blurb:

The legend of the Ancillary flower has existed for centuries. Foretold to bring out the limitless potential of its bearer, the flower and the legend have been forgotten by many. Recently, strange events in a shrouded Tibetan town have sparked rumors among those who still believe.

Jacob Deer is a quirky young man, bound for college, with an eccentric old librarian for a best friend, an obsession with sitting down in elevators, and a strange birthmark on his hand that's shaped mysteriously like the markings on the Ancillary's petals. When Jacob's mentor Mr. Maddock reveals to him his connection with the legendary Ancillary, it sets in motion a series of events that sends Jacob and friends across the world. Alongside an alluring young woman, a marine-reject, and a Tibetan kid obsessed with comic books, Jacob must face off against a vengeful maniac for the fate of the flower, the legend, and all mankind.


My thoughts:

Jacob is a quirky teenage American boy killing time before he heads off for college in the autumn. A few aspects of his character could have been more developed; for example, his quirks are thrown out there in a deliberate manner rather than 'unveiled', told to us instead of shown. He also need some faults to round him out and make him more believable. One of his "flaws", which is really an outgrowth of his quirkiness, is that he doesn't have many friends. His only real friend is the elderly librarian, Mr. Maddock, at the local library. Jacob, or Cob, as Mr. Maddock calls him, has a feeling, a certain and strong belief, that there is something out there waiting for him, if he can just figure out what it is. In the meantime, he reads voraciously in any genre or subject and enjoys his life.

On one of his daily visits to the library, he meets Maddock's granddaughter, Sophia. Jacob is instantly attracted to her. His lack of social skills leave her less than impressed but he makes up for it by showing her his special spot in the local forest. Soon, their trip there is cut short by a phone call from her grandfather.

The action kicks in when Mr Maddock reads of important discoveries happening in a little town in the middle of nowhere in Tibet. Mr Maddock believes that those events signal the return of the mythical blue flower, the Ancillary. It's reputed to give individuals the ability to tap into and live up to their fullest potential. Here, the story gets mystical, spiritual and philosophical all at once. It's a mishmash of ancient and new age beliefs that the author devised for this book. Maddock believes that Jacob is the one person in the current life cycle of the flower meant to benefit the most from the flower because Jacob bears the mark of the flower -  the odd birthmark on Jacob's hand is actually the symbol of the flower. 

In no time, and with no reasonable explanation provided for Mr Maddock's considerable financial resources, Cob and Sophia head off to Tibet with a bodyguard/survival guide, Diego, that Maddock has hired. Of course, they aren't the only ones in search of the mythical Ancillary flower and its gifts. There are unexpected allies, surprise foes, betrayals, and some minor twists and turns. 

Cohen's storytelling style is simplistic and his characters need more depth but he does quirky very well. Jacob was too perfect, too smart despite Cohen telling us that he's not a genius, but he is likable and delightfully odd, if calculatedly so. My favorite character is actually a secondary one, Clark (not his real name) a young Tibetan native who quickly becomes an ally. Clark loves Superman, hence the nickname, wears a tuxedo to sing to bonsai trees, and, thanks to the Ancillary flower, is a master linguist. He provides a great deal of help to Jacob and Sophia.

The author, Daniel Cohen, is a 22 year old business student who decided that writing was more fun. He doesn't currently have a website but he is at work on the first book of a new YA trilogy. Overall, The Ancillary's Mark is a good debut and a pleasant YA adventure novel.

This PDF was received from the author for review. This review first appeared at Book Lovers Inc. 

Review of Dead Man's Debt by Grace Elliot

Publisher:Solstice Publishing

Release: October 10, 2010

More info: goodreads


Book Blurb:  A Dead Man's Debt - a story of blackmail, duty and an unexpected love.

After publically humiliating a suitor, Miss Celeste Armitage is sent from the Ton in disgrace and resolves never to marry. But when she finds a sketch book of nude studies and discovers the artist is her hostess's eldest son, Lord Ranulf Charing, she finds herself dangerously attracted to exactly the sort of rogue she is sworn to avoid.
Nothing is as it seems. Lord Ranulf's life is a facade and he is being blackmailed over his late brother's debts. But just as the darkly restless Ranulf unexpectedly learns to love, the vengeful fury of his nemesis unleashed. In order to protect Celeste, Lord Ranulf faces a stark choice between duty and true love...

However Ranulf has underestimated Miss Armitage's stubborn resolve to clear his name, and in so doing places the woman he loves in mortal danger.

My Thoughts: Grace Elliot has a gift for telling a story though she sometimes has trouble with language. Her descriptions and her story progression are not cliched or expected. The love story itself is sweet, and both Ranulf and Celeste are intriguing characters. Celeste sees herself as a fiercely independent woman. She prefers being a governess to being married, and beingcontrolled by a man she doesn’t love. That is until she meets Lord Ranulf Charing, seemingly a rogue, with the worst of reputations. Ranulf is handsome, sexy, a rake, in some ways a cold man. Yet, he believes in familial duty,even though he also believes his mother does not love him, and that his recently deceased older brother was his mother's favorite. He has no interest in marriage either and is content to let the title pass to another relative.


What follows is full of twists and turns as Celeste and Ranulf grow closer while Ranulf deals with being blackmailed over his late brother's debts. Elliot shows us Celeste's and Ranulf's growing feelings for each other and their internal struggles to reconcile that with their respective desires to stay single and their individual dreams. We see Celeste and Ranulf, but especially Ranulf, change and grow. Elliot takes her time, building events carefully.

However,other characters don't stay true to themselves: Ranulf's mother, Lady Cadnum, and a soldier, Captain Harry Engerfield, who's part of the blackmail scheme. They are portrayed as one way, then abruptly change midway through the story. Engerfield's was particularly frustrating as his personality change plays a major role in the latter part of the story, and the ending. After so carefully showing us Ranulf and Celeste's emotional changes, it was so disappointing that she failed to do so with Engerfield and Lady Cadnum.

What really killed the story for me was the actual writing. I seriously questioned, at one point, if English was her native language (according to her website she was born and raised in the UK so presumably it is). I could have forgiven a lot if that were the case. The writing quality veers wildly from descriptive and emotive to WTF? There are numerous wrong word choices, including this one: "With a horrible sinking sensation, she caste around the room." Or "He caste a disapproving glance at dishevelled Ranulf." Yet, there are times when she uses the correct word, cast, appropriately. (and yes, that is the spelling she used for disheveled, not a typo on my part.) That is not the only wrong word choice, there are others. There are also numerous run on sentences and sentence fragments. My favorite sentence fragment would have to be this one: "Indeed, there were sparse bookshelves, furnished mainly with arm chairs, sofas and card tables." Now that's quite an image. Are we talking about dollhouse furniture? Or did she forget (I'm assuming "yes") the correct antecedent and she really meant that the library mentioned in the preceding (correctly formed) sentence was sparsely furnished?

There are too many examples, I could give many more. There were so many in fact, that I found myself proofreading and copy-editing as I read, instead of reading the story. I was tempted to email her and offer my services as copy-editor and proofreader for her next book. I did actually email her and ask if perhaps she had sent me the wrong PDF, a draft instead of the final product. She responded that it was possible but didn't offer to send me the correct PDF. Therefore, based on what I received and read, I give the actual love story 3.5 stars but the writing only 1 star. BTW, I looked on Amazon and goodreads, and none of the reviews I skimmed mentioned the typos, misspellings, etc so perhaps it was the copy that I received.

Overall, the story itself is good but the writing has tremendous room for improvement.

Review of The Genie of the Portrait by Misty Burke

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

Release Date: February 16, 2011



More info: goodreads

Book Blurb: 

Amanda had always been forgiving, until the night of her engagement. It was at that moment, when she found her new fiancé banging the waitress in the bathroom, that she changed. Never again. Men were not going to use her ever again.

So when she found William’s portrait and learned that his whole purpose for existing was to let her use him, an electrifying relationship resulted. This genie offered her three nights of pleasure. And Amanda quickly realized she wanted more.

My Thoughts: 

     This is a fun and sexy to read. I liked the story, though I wish it could have been a little bit longer. Still, Burke made good use of her length constraints; she went straight to the point yet at the same time she was descriptive, including some hot sex. Burke tells a sweet tale in this romantic novella.

     I liked Amanda. She shows strength when she throws out her cheating fiancé, after being his doormat for their entire relationship. I was less impressed with Jason, her ex's, behavior, when he meets up with Amanda and William on the street. I thought the confrontation could have been handled without the violence, but it does underscore his flaws and moral weaknesses. Her revenge on him was well deserved and fun to read, revenge really can be sweet.

     I liked William, he is just what Amanda needed. He behaves like a perfect gentleman, treating Amanda perfectly while also being her perfect lover. He is resigned to his fate, accepting of the consequences of his decision making. Unlike Jason, William is responsible and honorable, but he is not a stick in the mud. Amanda is also resourceful and wastes no time figuring out how to free William and maybe, just maybe, have him in her life forever. As I said earlier, she gets her revenge on Jason and oh, how inventive she was.

The Genie of the Portrait is a fun, sweet, sexy story; don't pass it up.

This review was originally published at Book Lovers Inc.

ARC Review: Pretty Souls by Julie Particka

Publisher: Decadent Publishing

Book Blurb: Print - Feb. 14, 2011 digital - soon


More info: goodreads

Book Blurb: Elle hasn’t been afraid of the things that go bump in the night since she became a werewolf. She'd happily give up her inner monster to get her family back though. Hell, she'd give up the beast for nothing. Of course her foster sister doesn't get it. After all, she doesn't battle with her own darker half, but vampire blood can do that to a person. 

Their nightly patrols have become more habit than necessity—until a demon spawncomes to town, ripping souls from strangers, enemies, and friends alike. When it threatens her foster mom, Elle's peaceful life is shattered, but she's not going to give up without a fight. Fighting the beast for control at the same time is more than she can handle though. Armed with more attitude than experience, Elle and her sister have to track down the demon spawn before it collects enough souls to fulfill its birthright and open a doorway to hell. 

For the first time in years, Elle is scared. She's willing to lose herself in the beast if that's what it takes, but saving the world could cost her soul.

My Thoughts:

Pretty Souls is Julie Particka’s debut novel under that name but she has several published works as Seleste de Laney. “Pretty Souls”, her first YA and the first in her Paranormal Response Team series, continues her interest in the paranormal. This book has werewolves, vampires, demons and zombies, oh my!

Pretty Souls tells the story of two foster sisters, Elle and Cass, who are not your average teenage girls: Elle is a werewolf and Cass is a vampire. They met and clicked immediately. In an unlikely series of events, they stay together through several foster families, all the while trying to blend into the human world and not draw attention to themselves. (NOTE: that was my understanding of the story but on IM, Particka says they met at their current foster home. I didn't read it that way, but I can't swear that it's not in the book.) They’ve found foster parents that they like and try to do all the right things so they can remain in a safe, loving home.

Elle and Cass sneak out at nights to patrol the town for supernatural beings but are startled when they encounter peers and other townspeople who have been turned into living zombies. These zombies are not dead nor are they rotting; their body remains unchanged but their souls are gone. The girls start to hunt for the being or beings responsible and quickly encounter more suspects than they know what to do with. Additionally, their school work suffers from their nocturnal activities and as a result they find themselves saddled with tutors. Unsurprisingly, there is more to the eye concerning the tutors than the girls first believe. Cass appears to be head over heels for her tutor, Corbin, a college student, while Elle has feelings for Jax, her tutor and a new kid in town. Elle believes that she is less attractive than her blond, tiny, and perky sister and is convinced that Jax is attracted to Cass; she worries that Cass is interested in Jax and is prepared to step aside despite her own feelings for him.

Things aren’t always what they seem in this novel, there are more secrets than they realized. Their foster parents begin to act suspiciously, and overheard whispered conversations only raise more questions for the girls. The villain they hunt lays down numerous false trails and pretty much everyone around them is a suspect. As they fumble around in their investigation, we see them learn about themselves both as supernatural beings and teenage girls. They make their share of mistakes during their hunt for the zombie maker, whom they eventually realize is trying to find a way into Hell. They feel real and are likable, even when being stupid or unreasonable.

They struggle with their feelings towards each other as sisters and as supernatural beings, with their interactions with teenage boys, and just generally fitting in, something most teens struggle with. Just like normal teenagers, they deal with family issues, school, friends, peers, and emerging romantic and sexual feelings.

The story is told in first person by Elle. She narrates the events and we get a close up look at her struggles to control the beast inside her, cope with the mundane activities and concerns of an American teenager, and her feelings for her foster family including Cass. Their devotion to each other is demonstrated time and again but is never saccharine; just like real-life siblings, they squabble and argue. Particka makes them seem real and her world is believable. The story moves along but never feels rushed and she takes her time in developing her characters. Even the minor characters that are on page briefly are fleshed out; you can imagine that you know them or could know them.

The one real quibble I have is the author's habit of being sparse with details. Actually, I mostly like that as I am not one who needs a great deal of detail about a character's looks, clothes, house, etc. However, there were several times in the story when I was confused, primarily where and when the sisters met (see above) and where the story takes place. I eventually figured out that it was in the Midwestern part of the US but some clarity would have been appreciated. To be fair, I was sick when I read it and had a killer headache so I could have missed some of the informtation.

The story ends after they find the zombie maker but not all of the loose ends are tied up. The ending makes it clear that there is another book to come. I look forward to reading it.

NOTE: The author and the reviewer are friends.

I received this as a PDF ARC from the author for review.

Review: Hunger Aroused by Dee Carney

Book Blurb:  Jasmine is sick in bed when a sexy stranger breaks in and reveals she's suffering an irreversible case of vampirism. And because her turning wasn't approved by the Council, he must kill her once the transition is complete. In the meantime, the executioner offers to ease her torment with chocolate, hot peppers or sexual release. Fortunately for them both, Jasmine's kitchen is bare...

Corin's honor demands he do his duty, but he cannot execute the lovely woman while any part of her humanity remains. He must also find-and kill-her sire. Jasmine denies ever having contact with a vampire, causing Corin to question the justice of his orders. Sensing his hesitation, the Council dispatches another executioner, forcing the pair to make a run for it. 

Every hour they spend together-every sensual encounter they share-finds them growing closer. Now Corin will have to choose: kill the woman he loves, or go against everything he believes to set her free.

My thoughts: The first paragraph of the book blurb caught me eye and had me laughing out loud in the library. I knew I had to read this story. Unfortunately, the story did not meet my expectations. The blurb starts out humorous and then gets serious. The book starts out serious and stays there. There is little humor in the story; the story itself does progress in the fashion described by the blurb so that was accurate but I expected humor and also heat.  I got neither.

I have to say that Carney's writing style really put me off. It's choppy, full of sentence fragements. One paragraph will consist of nothing but one sentence fragment after another, making it difficult, for me anyway, to read and to follow. It really disrupted the flow of the story; I would find myself mentally re-writing fragments or whole paragraphs into something that made sense. Then there would be passages that were grammatically fine but just didn't hold my attention. Over the course of five days, I would constantly pick it up and put it down; finishing the story was a struggle for me. The last quarter of the story, approximately, was when I got involved and I finished that in one sitting.

That last bit is when the excrement hits the fan and the action really begins. Up until then, I was having a hard time really caring what happened, if Jasmine lived, if they had a HEA, etc. I liked the ending, it was a mix of predictable and surprising.

We get several scenes of Corin in the past, before and after he becomes a vampire. I liked him in those scenes and I felt for him but whenever the action shifted back to the present, he became stiff, a cardboard character. Jasmine seems like she could be your next door neighbor, she comes across as likable but I could never quite connect to her. I think the story length was part of the problem; Carney needed more time to develop the characters and make them less cardboard.  Instead, they are stock characters - Jasmine is the workaholic adult orphan too busy to make friends or have a life, and that hasn't changed by story's end. Corin is the brooding, alpha male scarred by his past. We do see some slight change in him, but not enough. In addition, it wasn't explained to my satisfaction why Jasmine needed to be executed simply because she was turned vampire without the ruling council's permission. I understood going after her sire, the vampire who turned her, but no reasonable explanation was given for the council's decree to kill the innocent progeny.

I mentioned earlier that I never felt the heat between Jasmine and Corin. They have plenty of scenes where they make out or have sex but to me, it was all insert Tab A into Slot B. The erotic scenes just didn't feel erotic to me, and that's a fairly large component of the novella.

The story has promise but Carney fails to deliver.

Publisher: Carina Press

Release Date: Nov. 8th, 2010

This review was first published at Book Lovers Inc. I received this as an e-galley from NetGalley.

Review: DragonArt Evolution by J "Neon Dragon" Peffer

Book Blurb:  A dragon artist’s guide to better drawing

Magnificent and powerful creatures, these dragons be, with bone-crushing jaws and razor-sharp teeth, it’s difficult to tell whether you’re dealing with a hotheaded nature or a wise and benevolent beast. Therein lies the trouble with drawing them from life. Make your dragon portraits more authentic (while avoiding loss of life and limbs) with the help of this guide. A follow-up to the fiercely popular DragonArt, this book features ALL NEW dragons and EVEN MORE detailed dragon anatomy instruction. 

· 60+ step-by-step demonstrations cover a variety of dragons, including medieval, fairy and sea-dwelling varieties

· In-depth advice for drawing every part of the beast—eyes, ears, horns, wings, scale patterns, limbs and more

· Extra tips and tricks provided by your dragon guide, Dolosus

It’s everything you need to draw a variety of dragons—from enormous, ancient beasts with broken scales and fractured horns, to sleek, sinuous creatures with leathery skin and fancy frills. So steel your heart, prepare your trusty inking pen, and venture forth, brave artist … unleash the ferocious, extraordinary, original beasts that dwell within your fiery imaginings!

***NOTE: This review originally appeared at The Book Lovers Inc blog as a dual review. The review was actually two sided of myself, the school teacher and the book reviewer, working together. I have reproduced the review as it originally appeared. My review name at that blog is The Charmed Lover. ***

My/Our Thoughts:  
The book came with a flyer describing it as a tool for increasing creativity and quoted some studies concerning children's creativity. I teach (pre-school) so that jumped out at me. Perusing the book, I had two very distinct reactions: my teacher's voice was saying one thing and my reader's voice was saying something else so I decided to do this review using both voices.

Why did you decide to read DragonArt Evolution?

Bea The Teacher: My interest was immediately caught by the publisher's claim that the book could help counter loss of chidlren's creativity due to the amount of time they spend watching tv. That topic is a hot button at my own school so I was curious to see how, or if, the book met the publishers claims. Additionally, I'm of the school of thought that it's the process, not the product, that matters.

The Charmed Lover: I have always loved dragons, they are one of my favorite mythological creatures but I can't draw worth a darn. Even my stick figures are sad little creatures. The teacher part of me knows that I shouldn't care so much about the result but I get  frustrated nonetheless. I hoped that I might be able to draw something resembling a dragon.

What were your expectations before you started the book?

Bea The Teacher: I worried that it would be a paint, or in this case, draw by the numbers book.

The Charmed Lover: I had the same worry and also worried that the illustrators pictures were so gorgeous that someone trying to draw their own dragon might feel intimidated.

When you started reading the book what was your first impression?

Bea The Teacher: I loved the illustrations! The colors, the details, everything was so gorgeous and the faces have such emotion to them.

The Charmed Lover: I felt the same. I spent a long time just looking at the final products and enjoying their loveliness.

Final Verdict? Does the book meet it's goal?

Bea The Teacher: Yes and no. I think it definitely meets the author's stated goal of helping the reader learn to draw dragons. Does it meet the publisher's goal? Well, that's harder to measure but I'm doubtful. I do think that the book will encourage the readers both to practice and to experiment. Peffer gives not only detailed steps for each dragon and illustration but she explains the reasons behind each step and the book has mini lessons on topics such as shading and perspective. If this is the readers first introduction to thinking about art that way, it might encourage them to keep experimenting and to seek out instruction.

I really like that Peffer continually encourages the reader to experiment and to draw their own dragons; her illustrations are both a goal and a starting point. She never makes the reader feel like their work is lesser if it doesn't look like her finished product.

It's definitely not a draw by the numbers sort of book so it may end up encouraging some creativity after all.

The Charmed Lover: I still can't draw a dragon, or a decent stick figure, but I liked this book. The author is very encouraging and frequently reassures the reader that the desired results take time and practice. She encourages the reader to make their own dragons, not just the ones that she has drawn in the book. She gives detailed instructions, complete with explanations, and offers mini art lessons on such topics as anatomy, the color wheel and even geography ie how a dragon's environment would affect it's build. The book is fun, never dry, humorous and a joy to look at even if you never try to draw.

Publisher: Impact

Release Date:  August 19, 2010

Review: Dark Road to Darjeeling by Deanna Raybourn

Book Blurb: After eight idyllic months in the Mediterranean, Lady Julia Grey and her detective husband are ready to put their investigative talents to work once more. At the urging of Julia's eccentric family, they hurry to India to aid an old friend, the newly widowed Jane Cavendish. Living on the Cavendish tea plantation with the remnants of her husband's family, Jane is consumed with the impending birth of her child—and with discovering the truth about her husband's death. Was he murdered for his estate? And if he was, could Jane and her unborn child be next? 

     Amid the lush foothills of the Himalayas, dark deeds are buried and malicious thoughts flourish. The Brisbanes uncover secrets and scandal, illicit affairs and twisted legacies. In this remote and exotic place, exploration is perilous and discovery, deadly. The danger is palpable and, if they are not careful, Julia and Nicholas will not live to celebrate their first anniversary.

My Thoughts: A friend reads the Lady Grey (Heh, that name always makes me think of the tea, Earl Grey :D) series and had been talking it up so when the chance to review this book came up, I jumped at it. This is book four in the series. I then contacted my friend to ask whether I should hurriedly read the first three or if she thought I could get by without reading them. The final decision? I might be less confused if I read the first three but it should be doable. She was right. I think that if I had read the others first, maybe I could have better appreciated some of the nuances and the character growth but overall, I didn't find it to be a big problem. For the most part the book stands on it's own although Ms. Raybourn does a nice job of weaving in back information with a light touch.

     Despite my anticipation, or maybe because of it, the story didn't grab me right away. It's hard to say, I think it may have been because the initial story setup was relatively slow. Once we got into the meat of the book, I was more involved.

     We meet up with Lady Grey and her groom, Brisbane, on their honeymoon, which is interrupted by the arrival of her brother Plum and sister Portia. The story hops around a  bit here, jumping locations and times, before settling in at their final destination. We do see Brisbane and Julia have a disagreement early on about whether he will travel on with Julia and her siblings or catch up and it nicely showcases their relationship.

     Actually, that brings up something that I very much liked, and appreciated on Raybourn's part: the realism of Brisbane and Julia's relationship. I suspect I would really appreciate it if I had read the first three books but even so, it's well done. They disagree, they argue, they take care of each other, and like any newly married couple, they are still learning and still negotiating how things will work. Everything is not all sweetness and light just because they are now married. They love each other, they enjoy marital relations but they still have to adjust and make accommodations. There were times that I wanted to smack each of them but that just shows you how well  Ms Raybourn wrote the characters.

     I also liked that the story was set in India as that country has always enchanted me. We get glimpses into what life was like back then, both for the Indian people and the British settlers. It was interesting to me to see the attitudes that the Brits had to the natives, especially as it felt real.

     Of course, the meat of the story is the mystery and it's a doozy. Jane, Portia's old flame, is worried that her husband Freddy didn't die of natural causes but was murdered. Julia, Brisbane, Plum and Portia all get involved, to varying degrees, in the investigation. Julia and Brisbane alternately work together and against each other as they try to sort out their roles in their marriage and in Brisbane's professional business.

     I really enjoyed this part. There were many suspects, many red herrings, and I kept changing my mind about who was the guilty party or if there even was one. I was completely surprised by the resolution of mystery around Freddy's death but when I looked back, I could see it. It made sense. I didn't like however the amazing number of coincidences in the story, particularly the people involved. I felt at times like I was reading a "Murder She Wrote" episode where JB Fletcher always had a relative in every city or country that she went to.

     The ending was a shocker, for me at least, and I cried. Well done Ms Raybourn.\

 Publisher: Mira

 Release Date: October 1st, 2010

The book was received from the author for review. The review originally appeared at Book Lovers Inc.

Review: Black Wings by Christina Henry

Book Blurb:

As an Agent of Death, Madeline Black is responsible for escorting the souls of the dearly departed to the afterlife. It's a 24/7 job with a lousy benefits package.

Maddy's position may come with magical powers and an impressive wingspan, but it doesn't pay the bills. And then there are her infuriating boss, tenant woes, and a cranky, popcorn-loving gargoyle to contend with.

Things start looking up, though, when tall, dark, and handsome Gabriel Angeloscuro agrees to rent the empty apartment in Maddy's building. It's probably just a coincidence that as soon as he moves in demons appear on the front lawn. But when an unholy monster is unleashed upon the streets of Chicago, Maddy discovers powers she never knew she possessed. Powers linked to a family legacy of tarnished halos.

Powers that place her directly between the light of Heaven and the fires of Hell...

My Thoughts:  This is the first in a new series, and although definitely an urban fantasy, it's roots are in Christian mythology. It uses stories that are not are an official part of the bible, though they have been around just as long, and tweaks them. That caught my eye, and my interest, right off the bat.

The story starts off fast and never lets up the pace. In short order Maddy has a new mysterious tenant (though, for me, the name was a dead giveaway), her job goes awry, other Agents of Death start dying themselves when it's not their time, and Maddy comes up against her mother's murderer. Before she knows it, she's neck deep in mysteries and plots both old and new, finds herself attracted to her tenant Gabriel (who I keep wanting to call Gabe), and discovers powers hidden within her. She also discovers her father and his somewhat dysfunctional family. Interspersed with all this, she finds herself having visions that she comes to realize are actually seeings of past events.

Although a lot is going on, Henry doesn't forget about the character development. I particularly liked when she had Maddy realize that however chaotic things were, she really needed to slow down and look, really look, at what's happening instead of just jumping from one crisis to the next. Too often, that's what the lead character in urban fantasies (and other genres) do and it gets old very quickly. I also liked that Maddy wasn't quick to trust Gabriel despite her attraction to him. She realizes that something is not right with him and pursues that before pursuing him. Maddy is no shrinking violet, she has backbone in spades, yet is also compassionate and likable.

I was less thrilled with the obstacles thrown up in the path of the possible relationship between Maddy and Gabriel, though Maddy's newfound fiance is one of those obnoxious guys you enjoy not liking. He thinks he's better than she is but he's just starting to see what she's really made of. The other obstacle, though it follows from what Henry has already established, still felt a bit fake to me.

I got a bit confused at times, and occasionally had to go back and reread sections but overall I really enjoyed this book and am ready for the next one to come out.

Publisher: Ace

Release Date: November 30, 2010

The book was provided by the author in paperback form. This review originally appeared at Book Lovers Inc.

Review: Harvest Moon by Krista D Ball

Book Blurb: 

Cursed, abused, and desperate to know her future, Dancing Cat sneaks a glimpse inside her tribe’s Sacred Bundle, a powerful source of spirit magic. Instead of the future, she sees her most powerful ancestor, Small Tree and incurs her wrath. Small Tree strips Dancing Cat of everything —her home, her identity, even her gender – and drops her in the middle of enemy lands.

Injured, and in a strange, new body, she is befriended by Bearclaw who is on a spirit quest. He offers her assistance and asks for nothing in return; a kindness Dancing Cat had forgotten existed. She struggles to weave a path around the obstacles of friendship, identity, and longing in order to survive her eventual return home to face even further punishment. 

 And she does it while wearing someone else's skin.

My Thoughts: 

I was pulled into this story right from the beginning. I really enjoyed it and hope that Ball writes more stories with these characters.

It's told in first person narrative and moves right along. The setting appears to be an American Indian, sometime after the appearance of the Europeans. The setting is part of the story, almost another character.

Dancing Cat, through circumstances not of her doing, is living on the edges of  her tribe, barely tolerated even by her own family. She has been given a new name, "Cursed One", and is allowed barely enough food to survive. She is frustrated, lonely, starving for both food and human kindness, and considering a desperate course of action. Uncertain what she should do, she "borrows" her tribe's sacred bundle, seeking answers. 

What she gets is something she could never have imagined. There's a small hint for the readers, but I only caught on a re-read. The story takes twists and turns, but also takes it's time before arriving at at a sweet ending. I actually found myself tearing up. Writing short-form is hard to do well, and Ball has nailed it. The balance of detail and character development is just right. She reveals details slowly, she doesn't rush, and there's no info dump, yet the story isn't padded; it's as long as it needs to be. 

Harvest Moon is a delightful blend of history, romance, and fantasy. I didn't put it down until it was done, and I really want to see more of Dancing Cat and Bearclaw. 

Publisher: MuseItUp Publishing

Format: ebook

The PDF was received from the author for review.

Review: Ivan and Marya by Anna Kashina

Book Blurb: 
 Every Solstice, every year, a young girl dies to prolong the life of a madman.

While the girl's soul is fed to Kaschey the undead by his daughter, the gloriously beautiful Marya, the girl's body drowns in the clutches of Vodyanoy at the bottom of the Sacrifice Pool.

Every Solstice a hero tries to stop them...and dies.

But this is Ivan's year. Though his brothers plot his death, and the villagers whose daughters are dying warn him not to interfere, Ivan the Fool is determined to stop the sacrifice.

With the help of the immortals, gotten by sympathy, force, or guile, Ivan believes his love will save the beautiful Marya from herself.

My Thoughts: 

Reading this story made me wish I was more familiar with Russian mythology. Not because I needed it to understand or follow the story (although a little more background would have been nice), but because it was so intriguing that it piqued my interest. Kashina uses classic mythological elements: the youngest son of a royal family on a hero's quest,  a riddle-asking being, small acts of kindness on the hero's part are repaid in ways that aid his quest, to a female who needs rescuing (though she doesn't know it), an ancient, wise, mysterious mentor for the hero, etc. All of these elements are woven with traditional (or so I assume) Russian mythology in a coming-of-age story that is also a love story.

Ivan, who has been nicknamed the Fool in large part due to his oldest brother's manipulations, is the youngest son of a tzar. He sets off on a quest and encounters a wolf who is no ordinary wolf but a primal being,a deity in animal form. Wolf, the only name he is ever given, first tries to kill Ivan then saves him, recognizing a potential hero and saviour in Ivan. There's a prophecy that Wolf believes Ivan can fulfill. The prophecy dovetails with Ivan's quest so they work together. In addition to fulfilling the prophecy, Wolf helps that Ivan might be able to help him make amends for something that he did years ago that went wrong.

Marya is also a tzar's child but that particular tzar is also a sorcerer, and Marya a sorceress. Her father, Kaschey, is also known as the Undead. While not a vampire in the traditional sense, he does need to feed off of others to live., Each year, at the Summer Solstice, a young maiden, a virgin in her teens, is sacrificed, so that Kaschey can absorb her soul, which gains him another year of life and slows (or maybe halts; I was unclear on that) the aging process. Each year the search for the maiden who will be sacrificed extends further as Kaschey's reign extends, absorbing other kingdoms.

At it's heart, Ivan and Marya is a story of redemption and of  love: Ivan redeems his reputation, Marya redeems her soul, Wolf redeems, partially anyway, for a past mistake; Ivan falls in love, Marya learns how to love; various characters act out of love - romantic, familial, patriotic.

Kashina takes some chances with her story, primarily with viewpoints. Ivan's story is told in third person while Marya's is told in first person. As I've said before, I don't mind multiple viewpoints, or changing tenses, when handled well. Kashina does it very well, I was well into the story before I even realized that the viewpoints and tenses kept changing. The transitions are smooth and well-defined. Her descriptions are spare yet evocative, and the story is just the right length. I really like that the author did not try to pad it but let it runs it's course, even though it may not be full book length.

This review first appeared at The Book Lovers Inc. I received this story as a PDF from the author.

Publisher:  Drollerie Press
Release Date: June 15th, 2010