“Never knock on death's door. Ring the doorbell then run. He totally hates that. - T-shirt”
This is where I use this review to rant about 3 stars!
“Never knock on death's door. Ring the doorbell then run. He totally hates that. - T-shirt”
This is where I use this review to rant about Goodreads a bit. 3 stars is NOT A BAD RATING!! I enjoyed reading this so even if you mean well, please do not say sorry or better luck next time . Remember a 3 star rating according to Goodreads means I liked it . 4 stars is for REALLY liked and 5 is for LOVED.
Back to the real part of the review.
Charley Davidson can see dead people. Technically she's a grim reaper and helps souls cross when they die on earth. Charley spends her time as a private investigator and also helps the police on the side. Her Uncle is a cop and knows about her abilities, so he often uses her to help solve difficult cases. When three lawyers turn up as ghosts, Charley discovers they were all killed at the same time in order to keep an innocent man in prison. On top of all of this, a sexy ghost thing named Reyes shows up in Charley's sleep and does some crazy hot things to her.
“That took balls." "Please," I said with a snort, "that took ovaries. Of which I have two.”
The best part of this book was the snark. I loved the author's snark and Charley's snark. When covering a topic as morbid as death it's important to include the right balance of humor in order to make it not depressing. I especially found some of the stalker ghosts to be funny like the little blond girl.
I found it interesting that for such a central character the reader never spent a lot of face time with Reyes. He was talked about so much it would have been nice to actually here from him rather than about him. I think that may change in the next installments (at least I hope so).
“If I couldn't be a good example, I'd just have to be a horrible warning.”
So why not a 4 or 5? Honestly, when I put this book down, I wasn't eager to pick it back up. The mystery plot was all over the place and the plot lines seriously had some ADD going on. It became a little confusing the constant switch of what case Charley was working on. For lack of a better word, it didn't feel like it was balanced very well.
So to reiterate, I enjoyed this book but didn't love it. I've heard the series gets better as it goes on so I look forward to continuing it. ...more
This was the best book in the series so far! Harper Connelly was struck by lightning when she was fifteen. Since then she has been able to locate dead bodies and determine their cause of death. Harper and her step-brother Tolliver travel the US using her ability to make a living. Harper and Tolliver are brought to North Carolina on their most recent job in an effort to locate missing teenage boys. Not only does Harper locate their bodies, but it turns out there is a serial killer in this small town and he's not happy that Harper has ruined his fun.
An Ice Cold Grave was the best book in the series by far. I felt the mystery was way more interesting in this book and the way it unraveled had a nice flow, compared to the first two novels where it was very all of the sudden. The murders were much more gruesome than previous novels, which was a bit surprising.
But my favorite part was watching Harper and Tolliver FINALLY reveal their attraction to each other. It's not gross to me because they're not related, and they know each other better than anyone else. It made sense. Plus it was a bonus knowing Tolliver had been way more aware of it than Harper had. He was just waiting for her to realize it, too.
So if you like paranormal mystery with some romance thrown in, this is the series for you. I'm going to hold off on reading the next book as I don't want this series to end!!!...more
“I love the South, don’t get me wrong; but it does lag behind the times in social developments.”
The second book in a series of four, y 3.5 stars!
“I love the South, don’t get me wrong; but it does lag behind the times in social developments.”
The second book in a series of four, you must read Grave Sight before reading this book. Harper Connelly and her stepbrother Tolliver travel the US, using Harper's ability to find dead bodies and to know how they died as a means of employment. This came about when Harper was struck by lightning when she was a teenager. Harper and Tolliver are called to Memphis for a grave reading in an old cemetery. While there Harper discovers the body of an eleven year old girl that she had searched for before.
Now the mystery begins as it was obvious someone put the body there for her to find, and instead of a random stranger having taken the girl, it's someone close to home. Tied up in the case, Harper and Tolliver are stuck in Memphis and are further entwined in the case when another body shows up in the same grave, someone they know.
I'm going to say this in the nicest way possible, while I like these books and they're a wonderful urban fantasy guilty pleasure, I think that Charlaine Harris isn't a very good writer. I'm sorry! But the way she writes almost excludes feelings, skipping around settings in a sentence where I have to go back and reread them because I missed it it was so quick. In fact, a ghost showed up and I had no clue he was a ghost until she explicitly said so four pages later! I guess what I'm trying to say is she isn't always very clear with her writing.
“Nothing could stop tragedy from visiting your home. The angel of death would not pass over, leaving you unscathed, no matter how large your house was."
Now here's a small spoiler I'm not tagging: I went into this series knowing that a romantic relationship developed between Harper and her stepbrother Tolliver. And while it doesn't bother me I could see how people would be a little creeped out by it, especially since they refer to each other as brother and sister in the books. But since I knew going in I felt it was fairly obvious what was developing since the beginning, and I'm not really creeped out by it because they aren't blood related. It was interesting to see Harper's revelation of her feelings in this book and I really want to see how she'll handle it in the next book.
As for the mystery, it was slow and came together all too quickly at the end. As all of Ms. Harris's books do. At this point I'm not reading for the mystery, I'm reading for the character development and the use of Harper's abilities and how they affect her life. That's the part I enjoy about these books.
So remember everyone, 3 stars means I liked it! Don't pity the 3 star rating, I still very much enjoyed! I'll continue the series as I am intrigued by these characters. ...more
Ok, I'm going to be nice and round this up to 4 stars. My reasoning? I LOATHED, HATED Dead Until Dark by this author. I used to be Tru Blo 3.5 stars!
Ok, I'm going to be nice and round this up to 4 stars. My reasoning? I LOATHED, HATED Dead Until Dark by this author. I used to be Tru Blood obsessed (the television series) and the book series was a huge let down.
So when my manager/boss who doesn't read PNR or urban fantasy very often told me that this was a guilty pleasure series, I HAD to read it. Plus this sounded like an adult version of the Meg Cabot (Jenny Carroll) series 1-800-WHERE-R-U, a series I grew up on and loved.
When Harper Connelly was a teenager she was hit by lightning in a freak accident that should have left her dead. Instead, she is left with the ability to locate dead bodies and can see what happened to them when they die. Harper along with her stepbrother Tolliver, travel the country making a living locating bodies and determining how they died. Most people think she's a quack or spawn of the devil but they keep coming to her for answers.
In a small town in Arkansas, Harper is asked to find the body of a teen girl suspected to have been abducted or killed after her boyfriend supposedly committed suicide. Through a series of events Harper and Tolliver become entwined in the investigation of the two deaths despite desperately wanting to leave town. As time goes by and things become more twisted Harper cannot help but become curious, and soon she is working on the case herself.
I really enjoyed reading this. It surprised me because I hadn't liked this author's previous work, but this series is strong on its own and honestly much better than the Sookie Stackhouse series. I would love to see this book made into a series or film. So for those of you who like murder mysteries with a little bit of a paranormal aspect, this book is for you. Just ignore that godawful cover....more
I pretty much feel the same way I did when I first read it. It's been two years and I didn't remember anything, so it was a nic Reread September 2017
I pretty much feel the same way I did when I first read it. It's been two years and I didn't remember anything, so it was a nice refresher before I read the next book.
--------original review below-----------
4 Dracul-A stars!
“Love cuts deeper than the sharpest blade, cripples more than shattered bones, and leaves scars that can never fade.”
Yet another fun and action packed novel by Jeaniene Frost! I will say, I had my doubts about this spin-off series, but Ms. Frost has made me fall in love with Vlad and Leila.
In this third (yet not final) book in the Night Prince series, Leila and Vlad have discovered the existance of a once thought dead enemy. I would write his name in the review, but it's so damn weird and complicated, I would have to look back into my paperback copy for the spelling and then copy and paste that shit because dude, it's a weird name. Like souvlaki or something.
Anyways, Leila and Vlad are doing their best to find their enemy before his finds them, but this is easier said than done. I can't say anymore about the plot without giving it away so I'll stop while I'm ahead.
Really loved the development of Leila and Vlad's relationship in this one. It was a giant lesson in marriage being a give and take situation, and both Vlad and Leila did their best to support the other's beliefs and actions to some extent. Well, kind of.
“Compromise Lesson One: Pull a dick move, and your dick gets denied. Every woman knew that, and now, so did the vampire sitting next to me.”
I will say, this book was HOT. And by hot, I mean steamy, and the fact that Vlad literally melted stone. Thats 2000+ degrees F!!
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I don't think I've said it before, but because I am a giant nerd I'm going to say it now. Did anyone else watch the tv show Angel? You know, the Buffy the Vampire Slayer spinoff? Well there was a character named Gwen who could electrocute people with her skin. Sounds familiar?
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"You are in my soul, and nothing you did before we met or will do in the future can change that.”
Well there's not much more to say, this is a weird and short review for me. I absolutely enjoyed reading this book, and now I'm kind of pissed that there's a fourth one out there in the universe. Now just got to wait patiently.
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So, I'm not sure if I've ever divulged this on Goodreads, but my career goal is to one day become a Young Adult Librarian. Beca 3.5 It was cute stars
So, I'm not sure if I've ever divulged this on Goodreads, but my career goal is to one day become a Young Adult Librarian. Because of this I try to read a wide range of YA so I know what to recommend to teens. Glass Houses is one of the books that I normally wouldn't read, but decided to anyway. You know, for the teens ;-)
Glass Houses is about Claire, a teenage genius who finds herself in college at the young age of sixteen. Claire is being bullied in the dorms by some fairly sociopathic girls that made me glad my dorm experience wasn't at all like this book. Bitches were scary, like they pushed Claire down a flight of stairs and that was just the warning . In fear for her life, Claire looks for another place to live off campus, and finds herself at the Glass House. In the Glass House, a cross between Gone with the Wind's Tara and The Munsters design, Claire makes new roommates and friends with Eve, Shane and Michael. As time goes by, weird stuff begins to happen and the four of them must band together in order to survive.
I ended up liking this a lot more than I thought I would. It's a fun read that I would recommend to the younger spectrum of teens. I had issues with a few of the concepts/plot points. One of which being that if Claire was such a genius, why wasn't she smarter with her actions? I feel like there was something missing there... Also (view spoiler)[ I felt Claire and Michael had more of a romantic connection than Claire and Shane, but I guess I'll see where this series goes (hide spoiler)]
So while I didn't love the book, it was fun and cute, and I'm probably going to continue the series just to see where things go.
**4 "I'm glad I read this despite the most horrible cover ever", stars**
A spinoff from the Night Huntress series, this is the story of Denise, Cat’s **4 "I'm glad I read this despite the most horrible cover ever", stars**
A spinoff from the Night Huntress series, this is the story of Denise, Cat’s friend, and Spade, Bones’ friend. When Denise watches her cousin murdered right in front of her by a supernatural being, she tries to get in contact with her friends Cat and Bones for help, but they are unreachable taking time off in New Zealand. Instead, Bones’ old vampire friend Spade decides to look into Denise’s dilemma, but isn’t quick enough when the demon comes back and brands Denise with marks and infusing her with his essence. Bottom line? Denise must find a long lost relative and return him to the demon, or he’ll kill her entire family.
I liked this book, Denise and Spade both had such a tragic past and it was nice to see how their relationship developed with all of their emotional obstacles. Some of Frost’s humor came through in this book, but the loss of the banter between Cat and Bones was too noticeable. So an enjoyable read, but not my favorite in these two series.
I am a huge Karina Halle fan, I love the Experiment in Terror series. I was a bit hesitant to read this book based on the t4.5 chilling, creepy stars!
I am a huge Karina Halle fan, I love the Experiment in Terror series. I was a bit hesitant to read this book based on the teaser, but I'm glad I stuck to my guns and went ahead and read it.
From the first page I was riveted and I read this baby in a day. There were moments I admit when I was utterly terrified, but the fear didn't overwhelm the book. I loved all of the 1970's music references, from Lester Bangs to Tom Waits. Halle has shown in all her books that she has incredible taste in rock music, in this one she dives into the classics.
My favorite part of the book was being in Dawn's head, her thoughts and reactions making the given scenarios believable. Halle is very good at not re-writing the same character in her books; I never once thought of Dawn as Perry Palamino or Ellie Watts. Dawn is truly original.
The romance was a slow-build, which I prefer in my romance books, and very well done, but I feel the reader didn't really get to know Sage as well as I would have liked to. Because of this, 4.5 and not 5 stars. I look forward to reading the next book, hopefully soon!!!
PS: There's a small connection with this book and Come Alive (EiT #7) that made me smile. Those who have read both books will get it ;-)
A good ending to a great series. It makes me sad to think that there will be no more primary Cat and Bones books from Ms. Fro 4.25 final stars (sobs)
A good ending to a great series. It makes me sad to think that there will be no more primary Cat and Bones books from Ms. Frost. I did read on her website that she didn't want to ruin the characters and drag things out for 9 books and I totally agree. Give us the best quality ending that the author can give and I am a happy reader.
Up From the Grave is about tying loose ends. Cat and Bones must go up against government agent and all around bad guy Madigan, and stop the experiments he has been doing on vampires and ghouls. Along the way the author threw a curve ball in the plot (which I loved because it gave good angst) and then threw a second curve ball once the first was resolved.
Best part of the book? That sexy, hilarious strut that Ian did. This character really deserves his own book!!! And also, can Tate have a book please? I know most people don't care about him, but he's my favorite minor character and he needs a happy ending, stat!
The last book in this series that I love, love, loved was the 4th one. Books 5-7 all got a 4 star ratings from me because they seem to have lost something.... oh yeah. The steam factor from books 1-3! It pretty much disappeared, which is sad because it was written so well. Also for me books 5 and 6 seemed to have recycled plots, but that is not the case with this one. Much more original and much more enjoyable.
I'm sad to see Cat and Bones go, but I guess that's what rereading is for. Bravo Ms. Frost for creating a wonderful series for PNR readers, you are on my auto book buy list for life. ...more
I still remember quite clearly the day I first picked up Darkhouse while I was serving jury duty. I had seen some rave reviews from one of my favorite Goodreads reviewers (Kristin (KC), for which I thank you), and I didn’t know what to expect. I literally read the first two books while sitting in that room, waiting to be selected or sent home, and from then on, I was hooked.
Ms. Halle created an original universe that cannot be replicated, and sent me on a journey that will stay with me the rest of my life, as will the characters of Perry and Dex. These books have made me feel so many different emotions this last year of reading them: terror, angst, happiness, sadness, anticipation, and comfort.
In the final installment, Dust to Dust , an unexpected threat attacks the life that Dex and Perry have begun together. I can't say any more than that, you just have to read it.
“This was not how I imagined our engagement would start off.”
Once again, Karina Halle did her best to give me nightmares that only years of counseling will eradicate. Mirrors are going to be a little bit difficult for me to be around for a while after this book. Plus, that House of Hell? Way to combine scary shit with the added fear of not being able to escape! (And I loved every second of it!)
"When you're my wife, I know I'll be a good husband so as long as I never let you forget that, that you, only you, just as you are, are my reason for being."
Dust to Dust also brought to the table that wonderful sense of humor that I enjoy so much. The amount of times I laughed equaled the amount of times tears came to my eyes reading this.
“And how do you know about blood play?” “I read kinkier books than you do.”
This book was a perfect end to a perfect series. It’s hard to believe that this series is 9 books! I could easily and happily read another 9 about Perry and Dex.
"I wanted joy, forever. I wanted her forever. I wanted all the wonderful things that life was giving me and I wanted them over and over and over again."
Some of my favorite moments from the series: Red Fox: “Less dog breath.” Dead Sky Morning: That tent scene. YOU KNOW what I’m talking about! Lying Season: Quite honestly, the ending. Masterfully written, I am constantly rereading it. On Demon Wings: The entire damn book. That one was my favorite. Into the Hollow: Twatwaffle. Ashes to Ashes: Duckspunk.
If you haven't read these books, pick them up now. Many people have told me that they are hesitant because it's paranormal romance. Ignore that. All you need to know is that these books are awesome, no matter what genre slot people put them in. Plus, the first book Darkhouse is FREE on amazon. So what are you waiting for?
Watching Dex and Perry grow, from strangers meeting in a lighthouse, to a couple so in love they would do anything for each other has been such an incredible voyage, and one I would happily take again and again and again. So this leaves the question, what am I going to do without any new Derry in my life?
(And I so totally ugly cried when I finished this book. It’s actually pretty embarrassing).
Last of all, thank you Ms. Halle for these books. Just, thank you.
“Are you ready to become Mrs. Dex Foray?” “I always have been.” ...more
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE SO MUCH LOVE FOR KARINA HALLE RIGHT NOW!!!!!
Anyways, after that little Reread December 2020
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE SO MUCH LOVE FOR KARINA HALLE RIGHT NOW!!!!!
Anyways, after that little mini meltdown, Ashes to Ashes was exactly the follow up book we EIT readers needed after Come Alive.
One of the best things about this book?.... It scared the ever-living sh** of out me. As in, I was reading this at night, and had to put the Kindle down because I was too scared to read it in the dark. For me, Into the Hollow and Come Alive did not have scary story-lines (sorry but bigfoot and evil voodoo just don't do it for me) but with a haunted sanatorium with ghost children? I won't be able to see swing-sets and rubber bouncing balls the same way again. I loved the addition of Rebecca to the EIT team, she added in some of the Scully the skeptic element the books had been missing.
The other best thing about this book? Dex's commitment to his relationship with Perry and making it work. Seriously, I melted when I read some of the things he said to Perry. He is in my book, forever a best book boyfriend. He also says the best inappropriate things.
This reread of the Experiment in Terror series has completely blasted through my covid pandemic reading slump. I am tearin Reread October 2020
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This reread of the Experiment in Terror series has completely blasted through my covid pandemic reading slump. I am tearing through these books just like I did when I first read them seven years ago. And they still hold up!
I’m not super into the whole Bigfoot/Sasquatch plot line of this book, for me this book is about the ANGST between Dex and Perry and how they both are navigating how they feel about each other. So many great moments, I can’t wait to reread the next book!...more
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