Great start to a promising series
931536
Lainey Garcia is a popular TV anchor in Savannah, Georgia, considering a move to a larger market in Tampa, Florida.  She gets waylaid from the Florida job interview when one of her four sisters calls to tell her one of the other sisters, Tessa, has died in an explosion.  Lainey goes back to the small Texas town of Vineyard, a town she swore never to return to after a falling out with Tessa.  Shes conflicted because shes been estranged from Tessa for many years, but feels a need to support her remaining siblings.

She arrives in time for the funeral and who appears to her as a wisecracking ghost but the recently departed Tessa.  Her other sisters think shes a nutball, because they can't see or hear Tessa, and Lainey begins to wonder about her own mental health.  At the reading of the will, she learns her sister has left her a half interest in a winery.  Lainey and the sisters band together to find out who killed Tessa.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  The dialogue between Tessa and Lainey is funny and the relationships between all the sisters ring true.  Theres the added complication of Sheriff Colt Winslow, Tessas ex-husband and father to Laineys niece, Gracie.  Lainey has loved him since she was 15, but always thought he saw her only as Tessas littler sister.

A friend lent me this book, but it would be totally worth buying. And I see there is at least a second book in the series, focusing on the sister Maddie, who works at the police department.  Ill be adding that one to my wish list.
2915431
I really enjoyed this book and the start of a promising new series! Scarlett is a null--she nulls out any paranormal powers around her--turning vampires into humans, were's back to human form and the like. Olsen has an interesting take on the paranormal and has witches, vampires and were's all live in (sort of) harmony in Los Angeles. The book is fast paced and interesting, the characters are interesting and Scarlett is young and complex. There is a small romantic triangle, but it wasn't in the forefront of the story.
472719
This is a great start to a series with tons of potential. I would have liked to see it integrate the concepts and core issues of the remainder of the series more, but it was gripping enough that I went immediately to the second in the series. For that reason I give it 4.5 stars - an amazing read.
3321691
Cerberus is an excellent beginning to a series, and is almost a pleasant surprise for readers. I must admit, I was a bit nervous to read another story that involves vampires, but Gallagher does the supernatural creatures justice. Not completely revolving around that plot line alone, Cerberus is unique, suspenseful and filled with action.
Kaeden is definitely an interesting character to read about, and a great voice. In the beginning, he does seem to be a bit stereotypical (hot guy working at a bookstore? Why doesn't that happen more in my neighborhood?) but soon develops into someone that readers really get emotionally attached to.

My favorite character, however, was Caleb. There was a lot of mystery revolving around him that kept my eyes glued to the pages, eager to figure out more about his past. He has the sarcastic, entertaining lines that every good novel needs to contain. I am always a fan of characters that push limits and make readers question whether they are good or evil, and Gallagher was able to craft this kind of character beautifully.

Cerberus is the exact of of dark writing that I love to read about in books. Through the death and destruction and certain gruesome scenes, the tone at times can be entertaining. This creates a great balance of emotion that continues through the novel.

Certain points of the book were a bit slow, but normally picked up immediately afterward. I also would not have minded seeing a  little bit more of the fallen angels. The way that they were described was different from most novels, and I found the character very intriguing to learn more about.

The ending of Cerberus is absolutely dynamic, and leaves the reader thirsty for more. Filled with action and imagery that allowed me to see the scene play out, and nearly give chills as well, I am excited to see what happens next.

All fans of the supernatural and YA fantasy should definitely look into reading Cerberus, they will definitely not be disappointed.
3663939
A great start for this new world. From the start I thought the characters would be typical young woman running from a unwanted fate, saved by a male hero. But, it was exceptional world building, wonderfully flushed supporting characters, and a unique take on paranormal/sci-fi/steam punk (?). You can tell it's gonna be a good series with the many characters hopefully getting more fully developed stories as the series goes on. Now, I do wish the two main characters' story in this book was completed. I still get like I didn't quite know them by the end, but this may have been because they come across as very young. The ending definitely is set up as a continuation, our cliff hanger.
2777607
Great start to the series.  This is a story of personal struggle and running from God set within a religious terrorist organization in Bolivia.  It is clear very early on that the author has first hand experience in the culture of the small Bolivian town, which makes for a very real and compelling story backdrop.  The main characters are all deeply flawed, and several severely self-tortured by their failings.  It is very easy to get caught up in their personal struggles and see the reality of life reflected in their eyes.
2196414
A fantastic start to a great series.  I enjoyed it so much that, after reading it for free with Amazon Unlimited, I bout a kindle copy just to support a work that I loved.  The strongest of the trilogy, but the other books are still incredibly strong.

It is violent without being over the top, gritty without being grim dark, fantastical without ever losing you.  A truly great read.  I ended up finishing it in one night and finished the rest of the series before the end of the week.  My only gripe is that there isn't more.

Highly, highly recommend for fans of interesting and well thought out fantasy.
127124
I read a review that we are looking at a great series in the making. I have to totally agree. It reminds me of the New Species Series or the ACRO Series except its MM. Yeah.

The world building was short, easy to follow and didn't bore me to tears. The, who done it? was fairly clear early on, but I think the author needed to do that to get this series started up. It sets up the major players in each agency.

I loved the characters and they all had distinct things to love about them. This will definitely be an automatic buy for me like the ACRO series is. Its fun and fast paced and not so far out there that you cant see it possibly happening in the future. Dex started out pretty sad but ended up being a very funny character. Sloane was the typical shifter-type and sexy. He could have used a little more development.

If you love series, love paranormal and shifter-type books, here are your futuristic shifters. Imaginative read. Why 4.5 Stars? It could have used a little more heat for my taste and as I said, Sloane could have use a little more character development.
2289307
Rating: 3.5/5

A fast and interesting book that will introduce you in a world of undercover agents and criminals like you have never seen before. This is the first one on a series that has a lot of potential.
The Caregiver is the story of Scarlett, an Interpol agent who has to be the caregiver of an important Drug Dealer. During her mission, her loyalties will be tested and her heart will be put at stake.

Scarlett is an interesting character; she is a strong woman with a strong personality. I think there is so much of her to see and her character is one of those who will evolve as the series moves on.

One of the best things was to read about the relationship between Scarlett and Armand (Mr. Sayer), to see how it evolve and see where it headed. At first I didn't could figure out how they feel about each other but after a few pages their feelings are better described and you see what is going on.

The business world (which means the criminal world) is a good background; the bad guys are a good addition and some of them are really bad-asses. And all the secondary characters are interesting in their own way.

After we discover who is who, the story takes off. Is full of action and you can't help to read it in one sit. And with a remarkable ending, not only leaves you waiting for the second book but also the scenes are well described and you can picture them in your head in detail.

Overall, a well written book, with good characters, a lot of potential to be a great series and with an ending that leaves you wanting for more.

(I received an ecopy from the author in exchange of an honest review).
4928635
Wizard's First Rule is a great start to the Sword of Truth series by Terry Goodkind.  He does a great job of introducing us to the characters and helping us to really get to know them, while at the same time introducing us to the plot and storyline of the books.  We learn about Richard, Kahlan, Zedd, Darken Rahl, and a number of other characters in this first book, and we get to know the main characters very well.  We learn about the world they live in, and the magic that their world contains.  I won't post a storyline so as to not include any spoilers, but the book is well written and interesting, with a great ending.  It might be a bit long for some people, but if stick with it, you will really enjoy it!

(The reviewer was compensated for posting this review.  However, the opinion stated in the review is that of the reviewer and the reviewer alone. Further, the reviewer independently selected this product to review and has no affiliation with the product maker/distributor, Amazon or the review requester.)
2924054
In my opinion this is a great start to what looks to be an intriguing fantasy series.
The world the author has created is vast and offers multiple possibilities.  Although the story so far only touches on certain races mentioned in the book there is the opportunity for more to be introduced.
Also the characters really drew me in.  I kept wanting to read more to see what made Hurruq and Qurrah tick.  For the main part of the book they are the villains. The author gives the reader the opportunity to see what made them the way they are.  He also lets us see where their thoughts are while they are creating havoc.  I was drawn in, watching as they develop and start to grow apart, yet still struggling to keep the ties that bind them.
I didn't have any real issues with the book, and definitely enjoyed it and want to pick up the rest of the series.  I will say however that the book IS dark.  Not everything is bloodshed and gore, but a lot of it is.  Harruq and Qurrah do some very cruel and evil things.  Dalglish doesn't glorify it,  but he doesn't shy away from it either.  I can see where some scenes could definitely be disturbing to younger readers and I wouldn't recommend this one to any age group but adults.
This is classic fantasy and I hope to get a chance to read more in the near future.
1326480
I received this book free from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a very strong start to a promising series. Diana Laughton is a young professor that is working towards tenure. She experiences vivid, recurring nightmares that haunt her waking thoughts. When she is attacked by a strange creature in her house and receives a mysterious tattoo, she follows the clues to Edinburgh where she meets the Mytheans.

Cadan Trinovante is a Mythean Guardian who has been tormented for two millennia by the memories of his dead lover, Boudica, a fierce and mighty queen. Learning that Boudica has been reincarnated into Diana Laughton, Cadan is tasked with protecting her on a quest. Diana must learn who her past self is on her own, but Cadan fears that with her memories will come the knowledge of his past betrayal. With his feelings for her growing by the day, how will he survive her awakening?

I felt that this book had a very nice pace. I liked all of the characters, main and secondary. The plot was solid and not too complex, and I enjoyed that the author introduced some additional romantic interests to pique our interest for future books. I am very interested in reading the next book in the series. I feel that the series is only going to get better.
3785888
Darkness Haunts is a great start to the new `Sensor Series' by Susan Illene.
Our protagonist is Melina Sanders, studying at university following a stint in the U.S. Army. Melina likes to fly under the radar because her powers are rare, so rare there aren't many of her kind left and if any supernatural were to find out what she is, it would mean certain death just like her carer was murdered for who she was. When her best friend Aniya disappears after travelling to Fairbanks, Alaska to meet a male `friend', Melina takes it upon herself to find answers and follows her. Melina didn't realise just how populated Fairbanks would be with super-naturals and when it becomes clear that's who has her friend, she has no alternative but to start asking questions and in doing so, puts herself in a whole heap of danger. It doesn't take long for the enemy to find out what she is and they aren't above using her friend as leverage in an attempt to get what they want, but they don't count on the others who have approached Melina, the only thing is - when you've been brought up believing that all super-naturals are evil killers, how can you trust a word they say let alone put your life in their hands? But when your friends life is on the line and with no other options - you gotta do what you gotta do.
As I said this was a great start to a new series, I love a good story that encompasses a wide range of supernatural species and this certainly does that. With Melina's power being rare it gives her a special feel and also an understandable reason for her not trusting anyone with her secret, especially when it means death. She's a pretty cool character, I like how her talent comes into play and how she uses it, I like her outlook on life, her loyalty to her friends and her willingness to take a risk. I look forward to seeing more progression in all of these things, there are some promising ways it could go and I'm curious to see how the revelations found during this will affect her in following books. There were some possible love connections for her in this but nothing concrete - I have a couple of prospects that I would like to see play out so I'm looking forward to that playing out too but it wasn't the main focus of the book which I liked too... for now.
The storyline was really good, I couldn't fault it really. I was drawn in straight away and my attention was kept throughout the book, I know it's a good thing when I think I've read 5% but I've actually read 20%. The supernatural thing isn't new to me but the plot was where it was at. I liked the idea of it all, I liked the thought of Melina being used for what she can do, I liked what she ended up searching for, I liked the alliances/enemies that were made, I liked the way the magic & spells were described especially what they could hide - as I said, everything - even the pacing was great. I'm very curious to see what's next for everyone, a lot of things in this book could have repercussions for any number of characters so I couldn't guess as to where the story will go next but I know I will definitely be reading it. For a first book, it was brilliant & with a gritty, UF feel, it's so brimming with potential and definitely worth a read. 4.5*s
3234774
Excellent start for a very intriguing series. Skipping through history with an excellent cast of characters, a fast paced, well premised, story line and relentless action.  It is with great eagerness, I will seek the next installment of the Chronicles.
1206056
Enjoyed a great start to a new series. The characters wer fun. There was action and adventure; so definitely more going on than just the couple getting together, and it was a complete book. It did set itself up for the series without ending on a cliffhanger (no one likes the cliffhanger ending; let's be honest). I like Dannika Dark and also the Bewitched and Bewildered series, and this one had elements I liked as well. Oh, and the sex scenes were steamy!
1156042
Kathy's Review:

This is a cool start to a series. Maya is turned against her will into an "angel" - which I wish the author had named differently. I think that is really my only complaint with this book. The term "Angel" is just too deeply associated with good, and with heavenly creatures. The angels created in this story are chemically enhanced humans with a hunger to suck the life out of living beings. Maya does not get fully turned, so she struggles in the in-between of being human and being superhuman. I don't have a better suggestion for what to call them, but I wasn't a fan of that in particular. However, I think it's a great story otherwise. I love the characters and could definitely see this continuing on. I could see this as a great guilty-pleasure type series on the CW, alongside Vampire Diaries and the like.

Told with wit and non-stop action, Falling nicely establishes this series and the concept of brothers Gabe and Tarren, the vigilantes bent on destroying all the angels in the world. Maya reluctantly accompanies them, because she's got a score to settle with the ultimate baddie - Grand, the angel who turned her, who claims to be her father. This is a series where I would definitely check out future installments.
1405686
A great first book in a "fantasy" series in a modern but magical world. I loved the threading of their world to ours, and I found the reality of their situations much more believable than other popular series of the genre. I appreciate the realism the same way I appreciate Charlaine Harris' world in the Sookie Stackhouse novels. Loved this book, stoked to read the next.