Otherworld Nights by Kelley Armstrong

Genre:  Adult Paranormal Short Stories

Otherworld Stories, Book 3

Kelley Armstrong's website

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Description (taken from Kelley Armstrong's website):

The first of three Otherworld collections pulling together previously published stories along with new material.

Collection Contents

1) Demonology – Adam’s mother discovers what he is
2) Stalked – Clay/Elena honeymoon story from “My Big Fat Supernatural Honeymoon” & The Hunter & the Hunted
3) Hidden – SubPress 2012 Elena/Clay novella
4) Twilight – my unfortunately-titled Cass story from “Many Bloody Returns”
5) Chivalrous – Reese’s backstory from SubPress’s long sold-out “Tales of Dark Fantasy 2”
6) Lucifer’s Daughter – Hope/Karl story from “Blood Lite 2”
7) From Russia with Love – Elena bonus story included with hardcover of Thirteen
8) Vanishing Act – brand-new Savannah/Adam novella set after Thirteen

I'm going to keep my review very short because obviously, you're not going to read this collection of short stories unless you've read the series...  One of my favorite series to read, and it's one of those where I definitely did not feel like the last few books were lacking.  I was so sad to see it end.  But these short stories give us a small moment to go back to this world and see how the characters are doing.

While I would like to say I had never read these short stories until picking up the book, I have no idea if that's the case.  Either I had read some years ago and it still felt fresh this time around.  Or they were new.  But I loved spending an hour in Elena's world.  And then jumping into Savannah's world.  While some of the stories regarded other werewolves that I wasn't as familiar with, I still wanted more.

Definitely worth your time if you're already a major fan of the Otherworld series.  I'm going to have to grab the next short story book.

Bound by Flames by Jeaniene Frost

Genre:  Adult Paranormal Romance

Night Prince Series, Book 3

Jeaniene Frost's website

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Note:  This is the third book in a series that is a spinoff from another series.  If you don't want plots from earlier books slightly exposed, don't read anything in this post.  Your time would be better spent just starting the books from the very beginning.

Description (taken from Jeaniene Frost's website):

Play with fire, pay the price.

Leila’s years on the carnie circuit were certainly an education. What she didn’t learn: how to be a vampire, or how to be married to the most famous vampire of them all. Adjusting to both has Leila teetering on a knife edge between passion and peril, and now the real danger is about to begin…

Vlad must battle with a centuries-old enemy whose reach stretches across continents and whose strength equals his own. It isn’t like Vlad to feel fear, but he does…for Leila, because his enemy knows she is Vlad’s greatest weakness. As friend and foe alike align against him—and his overprotectiveness drives Leila away—Vlad’s love for his new bride could be the very thing that dooms them both…

Leila has just become a new vampire and married the most infamous vampire in the world:  Vlad the Impaler.  After the last book ended with Vlad's arch nemesis announcing his alive status and declaring vengeance against Dracul, this book kind of starts off with a bang.  Leila is allowed to help Vald find this enemy as long as it doesn't compromise her safety.  Then he turns into a crazy guy trying to protect his bride.

Anyone who reads this book has the basic plotlines summed down; so I'm not going to dive into them.  But I will say I enjoyed this book.  And it's exactly what I'd expect from Jeaniene Frost: vampires, action, romance, and blood.  While reading this series is kind of turning me off from Vlad's character (he's a medieval psycho controller), I still enjoy the story.  But maybe I am hoping to see more of Cat and Bones in these books.

Another one for Jeaniene Frost fans.  It doesn't disappoint for sure...

Velvet by Temple West

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Temple West' website

Expected publication date:  May 12, 2015

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Description (taken from Temple West' website):

CAITLIN IS YOUR TYPICAL ORPHAN:

...pissed off and grieving. After her mother dies of bone cancer, she's uprooted to Stony Creek, a pitiful excuse for a town in the rural mountains of upstate New York. Stuck living on her aunt and uncle's struggling horse ranch, Caitlin vows to simply survive until she graduates high school. Then, it's on to New York and wrangling a scholarship at The Fashion Institute so she can become a designer and start her own line.

But shortly after arriving in Stony Creek, a freak storm sets her on a dangerous path: right in the middle of vampires, demons, and age-old secrets. The only person she can trust? Adrian, the vampire who rescued her. Problem is, he has to pretend to be her boyfriend in order to keep his status as her personal bodyguard under wraps. And in a small town, it's not long before some secrets get real big.

Caitlin has just lost her mother to cancer and is forced to move to the middle of nowhere, New York.  Trying to deal with the family that's taken her in without ever having been there before makes it worse.  All she can do is keep going until high school's over.  While trying to find solitude one day in the woods, she experiences a storm that disorients her.  Cue mysterious vampire boy saving the day.

Adrian has been the guy who's kept to himself ever since he came to Stony Creek.  But he's suddenly opening up to Caitlin.  And while there are definitely ulterior motives keeping them together, Caitlin begins to enjoy life again.  She has the pleasure to meet his little brother as well as gain an interest again in her hobbies.  And as her friendship develops, she finds some things are worth the risk.  But does Adrian agree or is she only an assignment to him?

At best, I'm apathetic to this story.  I felt like this story had 350 pages of romance and 30 pages of action.  And I'm beginning to dislike the fluffy teenage romances and I-must-hate-my-elders attitude that a lot of YA books have.  It feels childish.  But that wasn't my only complaint.  I felt like I was being told the story instead of having the story visualized.  Don't tell me the hot boy is cute and chiseled; instead, describe him in minute detail until I don't even have to be told he is drop-dead-gorgeous.

This book is definitely for the die-hard young adult vampire romance fans.  As for me?  I'm beginning to regret my love of YA vampire romances...

Thanks goes to Around the World ARC Tours for providing me a review copy.

The Ruby Circle by Richelle Mead

Genre:  NA Paranormal Romance

Bloodlines Series, Book 6

Richelle Mead's website

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Note:  This is the final book in a series.  If you haven't read any of them, I suggest you not read anything below this line.  They might spoil plots from earlier books.

Description (taken from Goodreads):

Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets—and human lives.

After their secret romance is exposed, Sydney and Adrian find themselves facing the wrath of both the Alchemists and the Moroi in this electrifying conclusion to Richelle Mead’s New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series. When the life of someone they both love is put on the line, Sydney risks everything to hunt down a deadly former nemesis. Meanwhile, Adrian becomes enmeshed in a puzzle that could hold the key to a shocking secret about spirit magic, a secret that could shake the entire Moroi world.

This story picks up a couple of weeks after the last one ends.  Adrian and Sydney are currently enjoying their hard earned freedom by being cooped up at Moroi court.  Only problem is they're being shunned by the Moroi for doing such a taboo thing (hint: read the fifth book).  A vampire fall in love with a human?  Inconceivable...

With no news of Jill's whereabouts, Sydney receives a visitor from a witch:  Ms. Terwilliger.  She believes she holds a message meant for Sydney, and only Sydney can view said message.  Once viewed, Sydney finds herself determined to locate Jill regardless of the consequences that could come with leaving court.  Only Adrian refuses to let her go alone.  So off on a journey they go to find Jill.  But in between that crisis, they find themselves helping another friend in need.

This story ties everything up nicely.  And before I get the masses disagreeing with me, I have to say the author left the perfect amount of open-ended material that wasn't especially relevant to Sydney and Adrian's story.  But honestly?  Can I go back to Rose and Dimitri's story now?  As much as I love Adrian, I still feel like this second series rates a number two in the Richelle Mead vampire world for me.  But it's still definitely good.

If you haven't picked up Richelle Mead's books yet, just be glad I'm not in the same room as you.  I'd throw my books at you (it'd probably be a shoe - less damage to books this way).

Friday Night Bites by Chloe Neill

Genre:  Adult Urban Fantasy

Chicagoland Vampires Series, Book 2

Chloe Neill's website

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Description (taken from Goodreads):

Vamps in Chicago!

You’d think headlines like that would have provoked the fine citizens of the Windy City to take up arms against us bloodsucking fiends. Instead, ten months later, we’re enjoying a celebrity status reserved for the Hollywood elite—fending off paparazzi only slightly less dangerous than cross and stake-wielding slayers. Don’t get me wrong, Joe Public isn’t exactly thrilled to be living side-by-side with the undead, but at least they haven’t stormed the castle yet.

But all that will change once they learn about the Raves—mass feeding parties where vampires round up humans like cattle and drink themselves silly. Most civilized vampires frown on this behavior, putting mere mortals at ease with their policy of asking a person’s consent before taking a big gulp of the red stuff. However, that doesn’t make good copy for a first time reporter looking to impress his high society family.

So now my “master,” the centuries old, yet gorgeously well-preserved Ethan Sullivan, wants me to reconnect with my own upper class family and act as liaison between humans and vampires—and keep the more unsavory aspects of our existence out of the media. But someone doesn’t want people and vamps to play nicey-nice—someone with an ancient grudge.

Welcome to Merit's world: living in Chicago where vampires have outed themselves, and there are three major vampire houses in the windy city.  And while Merit is beginning to deal with her change to vampire status without consent, bad happenings are occurring with the vampires.  So Merit must use her old social elite contacts to make sure the negative vampire aspects don't make the headlines.

But Merit's still trying to deal with her own relationship status.  Being attracted to multiple guys at once can be a problem.  And when one of them's willing to let the other man win, Merit feels like there's little option for her.  So she distracts herself with the vampire problem.

I feel like this series is a typical run-of-the-mill vampire series, except the main character is also a vampire.  Yes, the first book introduces her as a fledgling vampire, and then the series moves on to introduce the rest of the supernatural community.  However, I feel like there isn't a whole lot to the story yet.  Nothing shock-worthy.  Yet I still want to keep reading this series...

Another vampire series I'm sure most vampire fans enjoy.  I'm just really crossing my fingers that the storylines pick up pace and interest soon, otherwise I'll be dropping this series.

Daylighters by Rachel Caine

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Morganville Vampires Series, Book 5

Rachel Caine's website

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Note:  This is the last book in a long series.  If you like anything vampire and young adult, I highly recommend this series.  But reading anything below can slightly spoil earlier plots.

Description (taken from Goodreads):

While Morganville, Texas, is often a troubled town, Claire Danvers and her friends are looking forward to coming home. But the Morganville they return to isn’t the one they know; it’s become a different place—a deadly one…

Something drastic has happened in Morganville while Claire and her friends were away. The town looks cleaner and happier than they’ve ever seen it before, but when their incoming group is arrested and separated—vampires from humans—they realize that the changes definitely aren’t for the better.

It seems that an organization called the Daylight Foundation has offered the population of Morganville something they’ve never had: hope of a vampire-free future. And while it sounds like salvation—even for the vampires themselves—the truth is far more sinister and deadly.

Now, Claire, Shane and Eve need to find a way to break their friends out of Daylighter custody, before the vampires of Morganville meet their untimely end.

Welcome to Morganville, a town with vampires.  But the vampires have been corralled, and the humans are calling the shots.  However just because they're not at the top of the food chain doesn't mean they can't be just as evil as the blood-suckers.

Claire, Shane, Michael, and Eve are coming home.  They're finally ready for familiar territory.  But their homecoming is nothing like they expected.  All of the vampires have been forced into a building while a new organization, the Daylight Foundtion, calls the shots.  But with Claire's warped view of right and wrong, is the town really doing the right thing by trying to eradicate the vampires?  A question that can only be hard to answer if you're a Morganville resident.

The ending to this series has come and gone.  Honestly, it's been a long time coming.  Yes, I loved the books.  I love Claire's character.  But honestly?  I think Shane's an idiot.  And I don't see how Claire could ever have fallen for him other than a silly high school girl crush.  Of course, I still have a silly crush on Myrnin.  So I guess that makes us even.  But back to the book.  It was a good happliy-ever after ending that you'd expect in Morganville.  I'm happy and sad to see it end.

This is a series I would give to my sister to read.  I loved reading this books throughout college.  And I'm glad I stuck with the series to the end.

Sunshine by Nikki Rae

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

Sunshine Series, Book 1

Nikki Rae's website

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Description (taken from Goodreads):

Sophie Jean is pretty good at acting normal. She can pretend she’s not allergic to the sun. She can hide what her ex-boyfriend did to her. She can cover up the scars she’s made for herself. Ignore anything. Forget anything.

Then Myles enters her life, and he has more than a few secrets of his own. Sophie discovers that when she's with him she is feeling too much. Remembering too much.

It’s one thing covering up her own dark past, but does she really need to worry about people finding out just how much Myles likes her? Or that despite how much she doesn’t want to repeat past mistakes, she kind of likes him back? Not to mention the fact that she now has to conceal that Myles drinks blood-that he says he’s about four hundred years old.

But Sophie can deal with this little glitch, no problem. Even if she’s putting the few people she loves at risk. Suddenly, those who were monsters before are just people, and the monsters? They’re real. Now being a normal human being is the least of her problems. Now she has to stay alive.

Sophie is just your average musically-inclined teenager who's allergic to the sun and hiding something from her past.  Wait a second?  Allergic to the sun?  Kind of makes me think of vampires, right?  Well, there are some vampires in this novel, and they're not as allergic as she is.  But anywho, you've got Sophie trying to survive high school, her mom's crazy ideas for normalcy, and this weird attraction to the new guy.  But the new guy's definitely got her attention.

This story begins with Sophie trying a new 'cure-all' drug that will help keep her sun allergy at bay.  With her mom trying to keep everyone on the normal page, Sophie (aka Sunshine) has to work twice as hard to hide the weirdness.  But then Myles shows up at school as the new guy.  And Sophie's friends are dying to meet him and set him up with Sophie.  Maybe making a new friend wouldn't be so bad.  But Myles has a secret.  And Sophie's got a past that's she's trying to protect.  But when the monsters appear, all hell seems to break loose.

This is a classic young adult vampire romance that introduces mystery in the interactions.  And I feel like there's a subtle mystery hidden between the lines that might be explained in the later books; so yes, expect that mystery all the way through to the end.  But we get to deal with a character that's trying to survive life, and she's growing through various interactions.  Really I had only two problems with this novel.  One - I couldn't connect with the main character and wasn't a fan.  Dissing your parents is a major turn off for me (although I'm pretty sure my teenager self wouldn't have this issue).  Two - this book follows a typical theme that we've seen before (except these vampires don't sparkle).  However, this story becomes different when we explore the depths of the characters.

This is a book for the vampire-romance lovers.  I might even say it'd go well for YA romance lovers as well.  Check it out.

Thanks goes to Nikki Rae for providing me a review copy.

Silver Shadows by Richelle Mead

Genre:  New Adult Paranormal Romance

Bloodlines Series, Book 5

Richelle Mead's website

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Description (taken from Richelle Mead's website):

In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive.

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

In regards to how this book turns out, my lips are sealed.  But I would totally unseal them and squeal with you once you've read this one.  I think this is one of my favorites in the series right after the first book.  And Richelle Mead is so good at putting real characters who mess up as well as shine in her books.

Sydney has been captured by her fellow alchemists and sent to re-education.  There, they will try to change her ways and close her mind.  But she has faith in Adrian and that they will find her.  Adrian on the other hand is beginning to lose hope.  And with the depression that Spirit brings, he finds himself digging a hole.  But when reality returns, he's determined to save Sydney even if it means risking himself.

I feel like this book can be divided into two sections. One has a very Program-esque feeling (go check out Suzanne Young's books if you have no idea what I'm talking about).  And then it has a really dreamy happy-gooey romance.  And oh my goodness, I feel like I saw the bad in Adrian and then the sweet.  I think this was the first time I ever felt slightly ashamed for calling him my book boyfriend.  But he redeems himself, and I'm still in love with him.

Oh goodness, if you've never read any of Richelle Mead's books, you are missing out...  Go check out her books, and then you can join the fandom.

City of Heavenly Fire by Cassandra Clare

Genre:  YA Paranormal Romance

The Mortal Instruments Series, Book 6

Cassandra Clare's website

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Note:  This is the last book in a series.  If you haven't jumped onto the Shadowhunter train yet, get your butt on it.  I'd recommend not reading the stuff below if you're unfamiliar with the series...

Description (taken from Goodreads):

In this dazzling and long-awaited conclusion to the acclaimed Mortal Instruments series, Clary and her friends fight the greatest evil they have ever faced: Clary's own brother.

Sebastian Morgenstern is on the move, systematically turning Shadowhunter against Shadowhunter. Bearing the Infernal Cup, he transforms Shadowhunters into creatures out of nightmare, tearing apart families and lovers as the ranks of his Endarkened army swell.

The embattled Shadowhunters withdraw to Idris - but not even the famed demon towers of Alicante can keep Sebastian at bay. And with the Nephilim trapped in Idris, who will guard the world against demons?

When one of the greatest betrayals the Nephilim have ever known is revealed, Clary, Jace, Isabelle, Simon, and Alec must flee - even if their journey takes them deep into the demon realms, where no Shadowhunter has set foot before, and from which no human being has ever returned...

Love will be sacrificed and lives lost in the terrible battle for the fate of the word in the thrilling final installment of the classic urban fantasy series The Mortal Instruments!

Sebastian is going to destroy the Shadowhunter society by turning them against each other.  Using the Infernal Cup, he takes away their will and souls turning them into a fighting army that reports to him.  But when Sebastian's plans come to fruition, he decides it's not enough.  He has a different goal in mind.

Clary has just survived a battle between her brother and the Endarkened.  When the Clave deems Sebastian and his army a small threat, Clary finds herself battling against the Clave to get them to understand the seriousness.  But with the small steps taken forward in regards to Downworlder relations, we find everyone running backwards to their old prejudices.  But Clary's going to do her hardest to bring peace to the Shadowhunters and Downworlders.

The last book in a series, and it was huge (~725 pages).  We've got some fighting, some love stories, some paranormal species, and learning moments.  I was so excited to read this last book, and I plowed right through it.  And while I loved the story, I hated to see it end.  And I felt like the ending wasn't enough of a bang for me (I might be a little too hard on last -books-in-a-series).  But that shouldn't stop anyone from reading these books.  They're good.

For anyone unfamiliar to Cassandra Clare, I highly recommend you read her books in the order they were published.  And keep going even if you're not quite sold on City of Bones.  My favorite books were from The Infernal Devices series.  But you need both series to get the whole story.  (By the way, having stories from the other series tie into this one was sweet!!)

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford

Welcome to my stop for the Bad Blood tour.  I must admit that I am new to this series, but I plan on continuing it since it has good humor and a fun story.  Below, you'll find information about the newest book (#3) in the series, my review of the first book, about the author, and a giveaway.

Bad Blood by Nikki Jefford

Genre:  YA (or NA) Urban Fantasy

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Series, Book 3

Nikki Jefford's website

Amazon | Goodreads

Description (taken from Xpresso Reads Tour):

Aurora returns from boot camp to a new assignment, an unwelcome roommate, and the increasingly amorous attentions of a certain vampire hunter.

College is starting, and so is Aurora’s undercover work at a network of swanky parties known as “Tastings” for high rolling vampires who like their blood laced with fine wine. But Aurora’s not the only one on the prowl. An underground investigation is under way to find out who killed one of Anchorage’s most prominent vampires… and Aurora is a prime suspect.

If you're new to the series like me, the first book will be free during the duration of the tour.  So go check out this series; you won't regret it.

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter by Nikki Jefford
Genre:  YA (or NA) Urban Fantasy

Aurora Sky: Vampire Hunter Series, Book 1
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Description (taken from Nikki Jefford's website):

If there is one thing eighteen-year-old Aurora Sky wants, it's to get off the iceberg she calls home. Being kissed before she graduates wouldn't hurt either. Then a near-fatal car wreck changes everything. Government agents step in and save Aurora's life in exchange for her services as a vampire hunter in Alaska. Basically she's a glorified chew toy. All thanks to her rare blood type which sends a vampire into temporary paralysis before she has to finish the job...by hand. Now Aurora's only friends are groupies of the undead and the only boy she can think about may very well be a vampire. And if he's a vampire, will she be forced to kill him?

Aurora Sky is living the average teenage life trying to finish high school and get out of Alaska.  But even though she's a senior, she hasn't experienced much in life nor has she held very high expectations.  But a near death experience is about to change all of that.

When Aurora wakes up from the dead (well, almost literally), she finds she owes her life to a few government agents.  And they're enlisting her to help them take out the undead.  But Aurora's not even done with high school yet.  In fact what almost ended up being her bucket list is now her new year's resolution list, and she's determined to get kissed by a boy, even if it kills her.  As Aurora becomes acquainted with vampire groupies, other hunters, and vampires, her life kind of becomes interesting and dangerous.

Aurora has a nice sense of humor.  I spent the majority of this read smiling and rolling my eyes (because I could relate to her shortcomings).  Nikki Jefford plays a nice twist to how vampires come about, and I'm not quite sure I follow it completely, but I figure it's just going to make the series more interesting.  I kind of felt like this book went super quick; I finished it in one day.  And the benefits to that is it kept you on the edge of your seat as new situations came up, Aurora's fickle mind changed constantly, and crazy vampires tried to kill her (or suck her blood).

This is a fun series that gives us a perspective from a teenage vampire hunter's point of view.  I enjoyed it and look forward to more eye-rolls from this series.

Thanks goes to Nikki Jefford and Xpresso Reads Book Tours for providing me a review copy.

About the Author

Bookaholic, nature girl, and animal lover.

Nikki Jefford is a third generation Alaskan who found paradise in the not-so-tropical San Juan Islands (WA) where she is, once more, neighbors with Canada in a town without a single traffic light.

She married the love of her life, Sebastien, while working as a teaching assistant in France. They reside with their Westie, Cosmo in Friday Harbor.

Loves fictional bad boys and heroines who kick butt.

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