Book Review: Pisces (Zodiac Twin Flame Series Book 1) by Rachel Medhurst

Title: Pisces
Author: Rachel Medhurst
Series: Zodiac Twin Flame #1
Pages: 265
My Rating: ❤❤❤

The bracelet around my wrist was a permanent reminder of my mission. The silver charm that was attached to the leather cord was stamped with my birth sign. Mission: Unite with my twin flame soulmate in this lifetime.

My brothers, sisters, and I were each named after the star sign we were born under. We knew that our soul purpose was to fall madly in love and battle through the obstacles that led to that true love.

Antony crept up on me and caught me unaware. He was nothing like I'd imagined my twin flame soulmate to be. When he started to run, I found that I had to give chase. I had to complete my mission.

Medhurst creates a whole new world that I, a lover of all things fantasy & paranormal, have never heard of before. She introduces the unique idea of zodiac signs into the fantasy genre. Who would have thought?

In this world, people do not know what true love really looks like, instead all they know is chaos. It is up to Pisces, and her 11 siblings, to show them what true love really looks like. To actually do accomplish this feat, they must find and unite with their twin flame, better known as their soulmate. However, there are those that like the chaos of the world and wish to squash the zodiacs (Pisces and her siblings) attempts at exposing the world to true love.

What I liked about this book was the creativeness behind it all. The concept was extremely new to me, and I found the mythology interesting. However, I felt like so much more could have been done. Their mission is to show the world that true love exists. That’s it? There’s no impending doom that they have to save the world from? But I love that impending doom!

Besides the part about their mission, I also had a problem with the pace of the story. Some things were solved super quickly, while others were drawn out, way past their expiration date.

My overall favorite part of the book was how there was not this instant getting together of the main characters. Instead, it was drawn out, because they were both super scared. This is where one of the most important messages of the book came into play. Love is not easy, and it needs work…constant work. It will not always be sunshine and rainbows. That was just such a perfect message to me, because so many books make love look easy, but it definitely is not.

Overall, Pisces was an interesting read. Especially if you are looking for something different from your typical werewolf and vampire mumbo jumbo! Also, it is kind of similar to Storm by Brigid Kemmerer, so if you like Storm, you may enjoy Pisces!

"I considered his words. They went in one ear and out the other."

"I didn't know anyone who wasn't a sucker for dimples."

"People were only allowed to see a part of me. There was a lot more to me than any of them knew."

"Only when you're ready to learn will you seek what you need to find."

"It's not about trying to find something, Pisces. It's about allowing it to find you at the right time."

"Even Scorpio had a frown on his face. Although, to be honest, Scorpio frowning wasn't uncommon."
 

Book Review: Hope(less) (Judgement of the Six Book 1) by Melissa Haag

Title: Hope(less)
Author: Melissa Haag
Series: Judgement of the Six #1
Pages: 352
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤

Gabby's brain is like a human fish finder. It comes in handy when she wants to avoid people. Mostly men. They seem to like her a bit too much. It's lonely being different, but she's adapted to it. Really. She just wishes she knew why she is different, though.

In her search for answers, she discovers a hidden community of werewolves. She immerses herself in their culture, learning about their world until she meets Clay. He's unkempt, prone to mood swings, intense without saying a word, and he thinks Gabby is his.

It's going to take every trick she knows to convince Clay to go away, and every bit of willpower not to fall for him when she discovers the man beneath the rough exterior.

Judgement has begun...

I needed a break from Helen Harper's Blood Destiny series and decided to pick up Hope(less), thinking it would be a nice change. Who knew that once I started it, that I wouldn't be able to put it down until 3:16 in the morning! The entire night I just kept telling myself that after one more chapter I would go to bed. That went on for several hours. I just couldn't put the book down!

Hope(less) has intrigue and humor! I expected it to be similar to all the other werewolf books that I have read, but was pleasantly surprised to find out how different it actually was. In most werewolf books, there is this immediate instant-love connection. Don't get me wrong, Hope(less) does have an instant connection thing going on, but it is pretty different from the norm.

We actually got to see the main characters getting to know about each other at a more gradual pace. And believe me, that was a welcome change from characters proclaiming their love for one another within 15 minutes upon meeting. I know I'm probably going to get sappy here, but I do love the whole idea of finding your soul mate and sometimes the insta-love tactic works, but it was nice to see Melissa Haag put a different spin on it.

For Clay, it was super easy to get to know Gabby, because you guessed it, she can be super Gabby! Okay I know that was super cheesy, but I'm full of cheesy jokes. On the other hand, Gabby struggled to get answers out of Clay, because as Gabby elegantly stated, he is not a chatterbox. She is not exaggerating. Clay takes the strong silent type to a whole new level (you'll see what I mean...).

Clay's actions speak much louder than words. He cooks, he cleans, and he manages to slip his way into your heart without you even knowing it! Despite her many protests, he is exactly what Gabby needed!

"I know I'm asking a lot. You'd need to start talking, stop growling, and bathe. No offense meant, but you look like a crazy man the way you are."

"If a guy doesn't trip over himself to get to me, I'm not interested. I don't want to waste my time chasing what doesn't want to be caught."

"If Sam told him, I'd have to kill Sam. Since I didn't have the stomach for outright murder, I'd break his coffee maker."

"I could tell he was concerned, but trust, once lost, took longer to earn back."

"You don't need to talk to get to know someone. You just need to listen."

"Actions speak louder than words...He's there when I need him, he's kind and caring, he keeps me safe, and as you've seen, he cooks and cleans. What's not to like, Rachel?"

"If I'd spoken, even just one word, I would have never been able to hold back what I feel for you. You would have run." 

Book Review: Blood Politics (Blood Destiny Book 4) by Helen Harper

Title: Blood Politics
Author: Helen Harper
Series: Blood Destiny #4
Pages: 220
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤

You'd think that life would finally be dealing Mack Smith a kind hand. Living in London, and with the opening of the new improved city version of Clava Books mere days away, things appear to be settling down. Other than the terrible nightmares about dragons, that is. Or the fact that she's being constantly tailed by a string of mages, shifters and faeries, all of whom are constantly demanding her attention. And that's without even bringing the temptation of Corrigan, Lord Alpha of the Brethren, into the equation.

Then, when a local dryad asks her for some help, things really start to fire up. There are some long hot summer days ahead...

All I could think about while reading Blood Politics was just how perfect the title was for the book. It is extremely political, and no, there is no campaigning, but the rest is still there. Power struggles. Lies. Deceit. Manipulation. Greater Good. You know, the messy part of politics. Even though in school I have always hated politics (and preferred to happily daydream during those particular lectures...), I found myself extremely invested in the politics of the Otherworld. By far, this is one of my favorite books in the Blood Destiny Series!

I cannot help it, I love books that are filled with action and Harper does not disappoint! There were just so many twists in this one and I happily just read along, sometimes I sported a big goofy grin, while others I had my lips squished together trying not to cry (what can I say, I am an extremely expressive reader). Harper just has me way to invested in Mack's life, and at this point I don't think I can go back. I have definitely already committed. My favorite little dragon better have a happy ending.

Also, for those of you that have already become just as invested in Mack's life as I have, I will go ahead and tell you that the moment happened. It actually happened! This is one of those times I referred to earlier, you know where I had a cheesy grin on my face. However, I will warn you, Harper just absolutely loves twists and turns...

"Great, now he'd woken up the neighbours. I'd only moved in four days ago; it was hardly time to start pissing them off just yet."

"Another car drove past, horn blaring as its occupants caught sight of me. Some guy leaned out and wolf-whistled. Solus didn't look at them, but he jerked his wrist and there was a loud bang as the rear tyre burst and the car skidded off to the side, slamming into the side of a nearby building. I smirked"

Book Review: BloodMagic (Blood Destiny Series Book 2) by Helen Harper

Title: Bloodmagic
Author: Helen Harper
Series: Blood Destiny #2
Pages: 228
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤

After escaping the claws of Corrigan, the Lord Alpha of the Brethren, Mack is trying to lead a quiet lonely life in Inverness in rural Scotland, away from anyone who might happen to be a shapeshifter. However, when she lands a job at an old bookstore owned by a mysterious elderly woman who not only has a familiar passion for herbal lore but also seems to know more than she should, Mack ends up caught in a maelstrom between the Ministry of Mages, the Fae and the Brethren.

Now she has to decide between staying hidden and facing the music, as well as confronting her real feelings for the green eyed power of Corrigan himself.

BloodMagic picks up a few months after the events that took place in Bloodfire. Mackenzie/Mack/Kitten/Red (for someone that doesn't like nick names she sure has a lot of them!) essentially left her family. Now she is on the run, just picking up odd jobs and making enough cash to stay alive. Eventually, she thinks she has found the solace she is looking for in a little town in Scotland. However, her past, and what she is has a way of catching up with her.

During this whole being on the run ordeal, she is starting to learn more about herself and her mysterious dragon blood (well 1/8 to be exact). But, as it would go, the more she learns about herself and her "powers," the more questions pop up that just need to be answered.

As with the first installment, Mackenzie has some major character development. She is actually somewhat complex. She has dimension! Her emotions and thoughts are often conflicting and she tries her best to do what is right by those that she cares about. Including those who, somewhere along the way have managed to wiggle their way into her heart without her consent...

Book Review: Bloodfire (Blood Destiny Book 1) by Helen Harper

Title: Bloodfire
Author: Helen Harper
Series: Blood Destiny #1
Pages: 246
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤

Mack might be, to all intents and purposes, a normal looking human, but she lives with a pack of shapeshifters in Cornwall in rural England after being dumped there by her mother when she was just a young child. She desperately wants to be accepted by her surrogate family, not least because a lot of them hate her for merely being human, but for some reason her blood just won't allow the transformation to occur.

With a terrible temper to match her fiery red hair, Mack is extraordinarily useful in a fight, and when her pack alpha is brutally and abruptly murdered, she swears vengeance. Unfortunately, his murder also draws in the Brethren - the leaders of the shapeshifter world - who will slaughter everyone in Mack's small rural pack if they discover her true identity. Unfortunately Corrigan, the green-eyed muscle-bound Lord Alpha of the Brethren, doesn't let much slip by him...

Bloodfire isn't just another shifter book. It actually has everything! Vampires, gods, demi-gods, werepanthers, werewolves, and even werehamsters. Oh, and that's definitely not all, Harper manages to come up with all kinds of different creatures. Her imagination is just out of this world, and the descriptions are absolutely amazing!

There were definitely some crazy parts in Bloodfire, but the way Harper described things and the imagery developed actually made it believable (crazy, I know)! Her character Mackenzie is extremely developed. She is a fiery hot-head with a temper, but is also extremely loyal and caring. She will risk anything and everything to protect those that she loves. I dare you to read this book and not root for her!

I wish that I had gotten to know the other characters in the book better, but I guess I'll just have to read the next book to find out more. I mean it is a series, everything can't just be revealed in book 1. You need to be kept on your toes, and Harper does just that! I can't wait for more!

"I silently apologised to John for the lie but kind of also applauded myself for my genius."

"There were nineteen of us in total...It felt like a goddamn school outing. I wouldn't have been surprised if Staines had pulled out a little flag and started waving it around for us all to follow." 

Book Review: Second Grave on the Left (Charley Davidson Book 2) byDarynda Jones

Title: Second Grave on the Left
Author: Darynda Jones
Series: Charley Davidson #2
Pages: 316
My Rating: ❤❤❤❤

If you hang around with dead people, life can get pretty complicated. Take it from Charley Davidson, part-time private investigator and full-time Grim Reaper. Complicated is her middle name. The deceased find her very sparkly. Demons find her irresistible. And one entity in particular wants to seduce her in every way possible.

When Charley and Cookie (her best friend/receptionist) have to track down a missing woman, the case is not quite as open and shut as they anticipate. Cookie's friend Mimi disappeared five days earlier. Mimi then sends Cookie a cryptic message telling Cookie to meet her at an nearby coffee shop. The coffee is brewing, but Mimi's still missing. There is, however, a clue Mimi left on the bathroom wall: a woman's name. Mimi's husband explains to them that his wife had been acting strange since she found out an old high school friend had been murdered. The same woman whose name Mimi had scribbled on the bathroom wall.

Meanwhile, Reyes Alexander Farrow (otherwise known as the Son of Satan. Yes. Literally) has left his corporeal body and is haunting Charley. He's left his body because he's being tortured by demons who want to lure Charley closer. But Reyes can't let that happen. Because if the demons get to Charley, they'll have a portal to heaven...well, let's just say it wouldn't be pretty.

Can Charley handle hot nights with Reyes and even hotter days tracking down a missing woman? Can she keep those she loves out of harm's way? And is there enough coffee and chocolate in the world to fuel her as she does?

Here is your signpost for the most hilarious read of the year: Second Grave on the Left.

In the second installment of the Charley Davidson series, Charley is up to her usual shenanigans. You know, drinking coffee, getting injured, and as always providing some snarky commentary.....the usual. After wrapping up the case she solved in First Grave on the Right, Charley has only a week to recuperate before she is dragged, and I mean literally dragged out of bed...in her bunny slippers, into another case.

With this new case, the stakes are even higher, because the missing person just so happens to be one of Cookie's friends. And she is in some major trouble. I couldn't even keep up with how many different men in suits were involved with this case!

However, if that's not enough, she still has the tall, dark, and mysterious Reyes Farrow to worry about. To put the icing on the cake so to speak, her dad is acting strange (stranger than usual anyway).

The case about Cookie's friend, Reyes Farrow, and a dad exhibiting abnormal behavior all caused Charlie, your favorite grim reaper, a ton (and I mean a TON) of problems. Which, of course made for an action packed story! I actually enjoyed this case a lot more than I did the case from the first book! This case had a few twists that I was definitely not expecting!

I found one quote from the book that just perfectly sums up Charley's attitude, "Is it sexy in here or is it just me?" Charley Davidson lives up to the name (crazy, I know!) and is most definitely my favorite grim reaper. I mean, come on, who knew the grim reaper had a sense of humor?

"Chocolate and coffee? Together? Whoever came up with that combination should have won a Nobel Peace Prize. Or at least a subscription to Reader's Digest."

"You're doing that weird thing you do."

"Sorry. I just can't seem to help myself. My brain is freaking out. Two predawn mornings in a row. It doesn't know what to think, how to act. I'll have a talk with it later. Perhaps get it into counseling."

"Denial really wasn't just a river in Egypt."

"...saying no to coffee would be like saying no to world peace."

"We were venturing into Denialville again, which was not really as fun as Margaritaville."