Review 2015

Review: Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward

/ beckireads / Leave a comment
Cover of the fourth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by J. R. Ward

Lover Revealed by J. R. Ward

 Title: Lover Revealed (The Black Dagger Brotherhood, 4)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (3rd February 2011)
Blurb:

In the Shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now, an ally of the BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD will face the challenge of his life and the evil of the ages.

Butch O’Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard living ex-homicide cop, he’s the only human ever allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world – to engage in the turf war with the lessers.

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, found by a miracle, the Brotherhood calls on the beautiful vampire Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVER REVEALED by J. R. Ward is the fourth book in her brilliant Black Dagger Brotherhood series. This book tells the story of Butch, the only human to fit in with the Brotherhood and know their secret, and Marissa, the former shellan of the king of the vampire race.

Continue reading →

Review: Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

Lover Awakened by J. R. Ward

Title: Lover Awakened (The Black Dagger Brotherhood, 3)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (5th August 2010)
Blurb:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And their exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage, feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion – until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVE AWAKENED is the third book in J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood novels. The story follows Zsadist and Bella, who was involved in a storyline in the previous book. LOVER AWAKEND continues this story, answering the questions readers are left with at the end of LOVER ETERNAL.

Continue reading →

Review: The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle by Christopher Healy (UK edition)

Title: The Hero’s Guide to Storming the Castle (The Hero’s Guide 2)
Author: Christopher Healy
Genre: Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Middle Grade
Publisher: Harper Collins (4th July 2013)
Blurb:

The League of Princes are out to prove themselves true heroes, and stop their kingdoms from falling into the wrong hands.

Magical swords, man-eating eels, evil warlords?

All in a day’s work.

And it’s going to be a looooong day . . .

Rating: ** (2 stars)
Review:

THE HERO’S GUIDE TO STORMING THE CASTLE by Christopher Healy is the second book in the series. Things have gone downhill for our heroes (princes Liam, Frederic, Gustav, and Duncan) with the Bandit King getting his revenge, but the princes soon find themselves involved in another adventure.

Continue reading →

Review: Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

Vision in Silver by Anne Bishop

Title: Vision in Silver (A Novel of The Others, 3)
Author: Anne Bishop
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: ROC (3rd March 2015)
Blurb:

New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop transports readers to a “mesmerizing”* world of magic and political unrest – where the only chance at peace requires a deadly price . . .

The Others freed the cassandra sangue to protect the blood prophets from exploitation, not realizing their actions would have dire consequences. Now the fragile seers are in a greater danger than ever before – both from their own weaknesses and from those who seek to control their divinations for wicked purposes. In desperate need of answers, Simon Wolfgard, a shape-shifter leader among the Others, has no choice but to enlist blood prophet Meg Corbyn’s help, regardless of the risks she faces by aiding him.

Meg is still deep in the throes of her addiction to the euphoria she feels when she cuts and speaks prophecy. She knows each slice of her blade temps death. But Others and humans alike need answers, and her visions may be Simon’s only hope of ending the conflict.

For the shadows of war are deepening across the Atlantik, and the prejudice of a fanatic faction is threatening to bring the battle right to Meg and Simon’s doorstep . . .

*RT Book Reviews

Rating: ***** (5 stars)
Review:

VISION IN SILVER is the third book in Anne Bishop’s brilliant The Others series. In this series Bishop has moved from high fantasy to urban fantasy/paranormal romance; and she does it well. There are repercussions for the events in MURDER OF CROWS (review) which are far reaching. Meg is the only one who can help with one situation, but it means putting herself in danger something her friends oppose as it means she must put her own life at risk.

Continue reading →

Review: Blood Games by Chloe Neill

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

Blood Games by Chloe Neill (UK edition)

Title: Blood Games (A Chicagoland Vampires Novel, 10)
Author: Chloe Neill
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Gollancz Fiction (7th August 2014)
Blurb:

While Merit didn’t choose to become a vampire or Sentinel of Cadogan House, she vowed to fight for her House and its Master, and she’s managed to forge strong alliances with powerful supernaturals across Chicago. But even though Merit has had wild adventures, this may be her deadliest yet . . .

A killer is stalking Chicago, preying on humans and leaving his victims with magical souvenirs. The CPD hadn’t been able to track the assailant, and as the body count rises, the city is running out of options. Vampires and humans aren’t on great terms, but murder makes for strange bedfellows. Can Merit find the killer before she becomes a target?

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

BLOOD GAMES is the tenth book in Chloe Neill’s Chicagoland Vampires series. Things have settled down a bit after the events of WILD THINGS (review), and vampires are once again seen as something cool by some humans. Someone is murdering people in a way that suggests there is a supernatural connection, and Merit finds herself investigating. Meanwhile, things are afoot in the vampire world.

Continue reading →

Review: Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

Dead Heat by Patricia Briggs (UK edition)

Title: Dead Heat (Alpha and Omega, 4)
Author: Patricia Briggs
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy
Publisher: Orbit (3rd March 2015)
Blurb:

THE THRILLING NEW ALPHA AND OMEGA NOVEL FROM NO. 1 INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER PATRICIA BRIGGS

The Alpha and Omega novels transported readers into the realm of the werewolf, where Charles Cornick and Anna Latham embody opposite sides of the shifter personality. Now, a holiday to Arizona drops them into some bad supernatural business . . .

Charles and Anna will discover that a dangerous Fae is on the loose, replacing human children with simulacrums. The Fae’s cold war with humanity is about to heat up – and Charles and Anna are in the crossfire.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

DEAD HEAT is the fourth book in Patricia Briggs brilliant Alpha and Omega series, a spin-off from her Mercy Thompson series. Charles and Anna decide to take a break and visit Arizona with the dual purposes of Charles visiting an old friend and Anna getting a new horse. Unfortunately, the trip isn’t quite as uneventful as either of them would like when the Fae start causing trouble.

Continue reading →

Review: Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

Lover Eternal by J. R. Ward (UK edition)

Title: Lover Eternal (A Black Dagger Brotherhood Novel, 2)
Author: J. R. Ward
Genre: Erotica, Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Piatkus (3rd February 2011)
Blurb:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other – six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beat, Rhage is the most dangerous of the BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD . . .

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the best fighter, and the most voracious lover – for inside him burns a ferocious curse. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves . . .

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

LOVER ETERNAL is the second book in J. R. Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood. This book takes place after DARK LOVER (review), the first book in the series, and the focus of the book shifts to a new member of the brotherhood – Rhage. Rhage has been cursed; forced to unleash and possessed by his dark side he is a danger to everyone around him. Mary faces her own curse, as her world threatens to come tumbling down around her.

Continue reading →

Review: In the Age of Love and Chocolate by Gabrielle Zevin

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

In the Age of Love and Chocolate by Gabrielle Zevin (UK edition)

Title: In the Age of Love and Chocolate (The Birthright trilogy, 3)
Author: Gabrielle Zevin
Genre: Dystopian, Romance, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books (31st July 2014)
Blurb:

Anya Balanchine is a teenager with the responsibilities of a grown woman.

Now eighteen, her life has been more bitter than sweet. She has lost her mafia-boss father, her mother and her grandmother, and spent the better part of her high-school years in trouble with the law. Perhaps hardest of all, her decision to open a nightclub with her old nemesis, Charles Delacroix, has cost Anya her relationship with his son, Win.

Against the odds, the nightclub becomes an enormous success and Anya feels she’s finally on her way. Until a terrible misjudgement leaves her fighting for her life . . .

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

IN THE AGE OF LOVE AND CHOCOLATE brings to a conclusion Gabrielle Zevin’s The Birthright trilogy. Anya Balanchine has made some tough decisions, and gone through some very difficult circumstances, but her journey isn’t over yet. In this concluding book, Anya has to decide what she wants for her future.

Continue reading →

Review: Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

/ beckireads / 1 Comment

Hyperbole and a Half by Allie Brosh

Title: Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things that Happened
Author: Allie Brosh
Genre: Biography, Humour, Illustrated
Publisher: Square Peg (31st October 2013)
Blurb:

Hyperbole and a Half is a blog by a twenty-something American, Allie Brosh. Her debut book – half new stories, half favourites from the blog – chronicles her ‘learning experiences’ and character flaws. It includes stories about her rambunctious childhood; owning a mentally challenged dog; and a moving account of her struggles with depression.

Rating: **** (4 stars)
Review:

HYPERBOLE AND A HALF is Allie Brosh’s first book, based on her blog by the same name. The book is made up of stories about Brosh’s life; stories about her childhood, how she sees herself, life at home, and what depression is to her. Each tale has illustrations which bring the story to life in Brosh’s unique style.

Continue reading →

Review: My True Love Gave To Me Edited by Stephanie Perkins

/ beckireads / Leave a comment

My True Love Gave to Me edited by Stephanie Perkins (UK edition)

Title: My True Love Gave To Me: Twelve Winter Romances
Editor: Stephanie Perkins
Authors: Holly Black, Ally Carter, Matt de la Peña, Gayle Forman, Jenny Han, David Levithan, Kelly Link, Myra McEntire, Stephanie Perkins, Rainbow Rowell, Laini Taylor, Kiersten White
Genre: Contemporary, Fantasy, Romance, Short Story, Young Adult
Publisher: Macmillan Children’s Books (9th October 2014)
Blurb:

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me . . .

This beautiful collection features twelve gorgeously romantic stories set during the festive period, by some of the most talented and exciting YA authors writing today. The stories are filled with the magic of first love and the magic of the holidays.

Rating: *** (3 stars)
Review:

MY TRUE LOVE GAVE TO ME is a collection of Young Adult short stories edited by Stephanie Perkins. All twelve of the short stories are set during the Christmas period. Each story varies in length, some of the stories read like a contemporary story, whilst others are more fantastic.

Continue reading →