Vampires, Massages, Scarcrows, oh my.
584261
Vampires in the Lemon Grove and other stories reveals sharp and lyrical writing that leads the reader down the rabbit hole.
1252501
I was given a free copy for the purpose of reviewing it. So far I have only had time to read Heated Holiday by Mandy M. Roth but I am looking forward to reading the other stories in this wonderful anthology. I will add my reviews for the other stories as I finish reading them.

Heated Holiday by Mandy M Roth.

Cambridge is a lonely vampire that was sent to Columbus, OH to make sure the peace talks between humans and supernaturals goes off without a hitch. half fae Cassie's step father wants to make sure there is a huge hitch in the peace talks by blowing them up and blaming the supernaturals for it. After literately bumping into each other they must make sure Cassie's step father does not accomplish his goal while coming to terms with meeting their mate.

This story is full of the humor and suspense that I have come to expect from Ms. Roth's writing. I loved it and can't wait for the next story in this series.
4728958
Brings weres together with shape shifters, vamps, adepts and spirits in a delightful story that stretches the readers imaginations to overdrive.
4615192
Elizabeth Silk is in Romania working on her doctoral thesis on historical superstitions.  Through all of her interviews, the name Saloman kept coming up.  This name was the one name and superstition that she couldn't disprove, which threw a wrench in her thesis.  With a helpful hint by one of the locals, Dmitru, Elizabeth heads to the crypt of a castle ruins (which coincidentally was being demolished from vacation homes.  LOL!) in search burial spot of the elusive Saloman.

When she enters the crypt, she's excited by her find...a beautiful sarcophagus of a beautiful man she can only assume is Saloman.  As she runs her hands over the sarcophagus, she discovers she dripped some blood on the stone (damn rose thorn).  She tries to rub it off the stone lips, but only makes it worse.  Instead of continuing down that path, she instead looks for a latch on the sarcophagus.  What she gets instead is a painful pinch on her neck and then the sensual drinking of her blood. She manages to escape her attacker, who claims he's Saloman, but she's left wondering if she hadn't imaged everything.  The next morning, she learns that not only didn't she image what happened but she had infact awakened the ancient vampire, Saloman.  As his awakener, she is now in great danger from other vampire hunters and vampires who wish to kill her for waking Saloman and also from Saloman himself who wishes to kill her as a decent of his original killer and lover, Tsigana, and his awakener.

Elizabeth soon finds herself immersed in a vampire's need for revenge and the vampire hunter's league's need to silence Saloman forever.  The only probably, Saloman keeps getting underneath Elizabeth's skin and she finds herself questioning whether she should kill him or love him.

I'm starting to amass quite a Vampire Boyfriend list.  Saloman is one of those bad vampires that I just love.  He's out for revenge and seems to only worry about himself, but he finds himself torn when it comes to Elizabeth.  He knows he must kill her, but he enjoys her too much and wants her all the time, so he finds himself in a strange place with her.

Of course, Elizabeth feels the same way.  She knows Saloman means to kills her.  She hates him for putting her smack dab in the middle of this vampire nonsense and ruining her thesis (he can't be a superstition if he's real), but she's also drawn to him.  The minute he kisses her, all her reasons for hating him go out the window.  She knows everyone wants to kill him, but she's not sure if she can really take part in ending her eternal life.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one, especially the push and pull that happened with Elizabeth and Saloman.  The ending was cliffhangerish, so I'm glad I had the next book to jump into.  Can't wait to see what happens next.
4671232
Title:  The Vampires Mail Order Bride (Nocturne Falls #1)
Author: Kristen Painter
Source: Downloaded free Kindle book from Amazon.
My Rating : 5 stars

I have to confess a couple of things. First, Im not into vampire stories. The only decent vampire story that I liked was by a fellow self- published author called The Bathory Curse. Second, I secretly love Happily Ever After stories, though don't tell that to anyone. Its a secret. Third, the cover of The Vampires Mail Order Bride (Nocturne Falls #1) is beautiful, though the guy is ugly. Good thing my imagination fixed Hughs image for me.

This novel is about a young woman who witnessed a crime. She figures that taking some womans identity can help her survive her ex-boss and ends up being a bride for a vampire though it takes a while for her to learn that Hugh is a vampire. She also didn't figure on falling in love and staying in the Halloween town.

This paranormal romance is a nice story to read by the fire with ice cream and popcorn. It sent me into giggling fits a couple of times because of a couple of fun scenes and it is beautifully written. I am truly a fan of romance, mainly because romances tend to end well and at the moment, I am all too happy to read about something happy. This story has enough of paranormal and even better enough of scenes with normality in them, like Delaney wanting to cook for herself, dreaming about owning a sweets shop, and her witty conversations with the women in Hughs life. Lets not forget Hughs awesome rook.

I highly recommend to the readers  (18+ years) who have an interest in paranormal romance, witches, fae, and vampires. You guys will love this. There are more books in the series which are for sale on Amazon and involve other paranormal couples of the Nocturne Falls. I am still debating on reading them.
1759420
If you like your vampires ala Kim Harrison, Laurell K Hamilton, or even Patricia Briggs, don't expect more of the same here.  Those writers obviously draw a compelling dark fantasy realm, where the vampires are frightening, complex, and darkly mysterious.  Here the vampires are as human as you or I.  They even refer to themselves that way.  There are no evil demons in possession in "A Quick Bite" but I found myself suprisingly drawn into the story of how Lissa, a 202 year old vamp, and Gregory a mid-thirties physchiatrist meet.  I found the vamp's family all to be intriguing and fairly fleshed out and I can see reading more books about them.  There are definately some aspects of the relationship that don't ring true, for example how quickly they fall in love.  Obviously, also, in real circumstances, if you were mind tricked, tied to a bed, and made 'dessert' for a vampire, you'd probably be freaked out and running away from, and not straight to, the vampire.  However, this isn't reality and that is what I like to escape from when I read.  I found this to be a fast, lightweight read that I enjoyed every minute of.
482194
Full Disclosure: I am the editor of this book, and I bought the Kindle version. I had great fun reading and editing these wonderful tales of THE CAT'S ASS BOUTIQUE, a very strange, alluring and unsettling establishment. Shebat Legion's quirkiness shines through in every story, stories unique in the way they are plotted and told. Each story blends into the next story, with recurring characters such as Petra, Duke, his sister Lilly . . . vampires all, and all under the thumb of the Master Vampire known as Mister Abraham. There's even a few visits by the Three Fate Sisters, as well as a Leprechaun. Most of the stories take place on some of the major holidays, like Christmas, Easter and New Year's. But there are also "stories within stories," featuring other characters who often cross paths with these sometimes likable, sometimes frightening vampires. There's one funny, complex little gem called "The Day That Many Things Happened," which deals with a cast of humans who live in and around the town of Temagazombie, and the unusual and crazy set of circumstances that perfectly illustrates the meaning of "for every action there is a reaction." If you're familiar with a "Rube Goldberg invention" or just know how one domino can fall and affect all others, you'll get some idea of what I mean. There's even a visit to a most unusual store, "The Melody Shop," by a married man who doesn't know what to expect, what happens when his wife walks in, and how it may or may not affect their marriage . . . and how, once again, the Fates may or may not have played a role. The stories range from the humorous to the poignant, and there is a nice discussion in one tale regarding the nature of Death. These vampires may or may not be dead: they are not your traditional vampires, and this is at the heart of the Chronicles. Are they dead? If not . . . what sort of vampires are they? -- for they do drink blood and are capable of great mayhem and, in one story, great healing. They are merciful and merciless. Each vampire is totally unique in his or her own fashion, from the solid, protective Petra, to the very troubled and moody Lilly, to her quite confused and not-so-bright brother Duke . . . to the powerful and mysterious Elder Vampire they call Mister Abraham. VAMPIRE THERAPY, indeed! For these vampires are, indeed, in need of therapy. I guarantee, you'll enjoy these stories: they are fun and interesting and very different. Legion has truly created a universe totally her own. The book is designed to resemble a children's fairy tale book, with wonderful, evocative illustrations by the artist calling himself simply "Phil." In many ways, this IS a fairy tale book -- for adults. For besides the blood-drinking and mayhem, there is quite a bit of erotica and a few scenes of graphic sex. You're going to really enjoy this one.

-- Joe Bonadonna, author of MAD SHADOWS: THE WEIRD TALES OF DORGO THE DOWSER, THREE AGAINST THE STARS, and WATERS OF DARKNESS (in collaboration with David C. Smith.)
2857938
It's refreshing to see a bit of urban fantasy without vampires, werewolves or zombies. Perennial makes interesting use of religious folklore, though I did roll my eyes at the old "ouija boards summon demons" schtick. So, instead of vampires, werewolves and demons, we have paranormal mystery, ghosts, truly repulsive and imaginatively designed demons, Detroit and drugs. In the midst of all this emerges Alix the demon-slayer. It's not a close enough parallel to Buffy the Vampire Slayer to feel like a rip-off, but there is a reflection there. The plot twists and turns every time you think you've figured things out, with lies on top of lies on top of illusions; I like a story that keeps me guessing like that. I'll have to see if there's a sequel: the current story has been resolved, but Alix will surely have many adventures to come, whether author Ryan Potter writes them down or not.
1137463
The little town of Elvira may not be well known to the human world, but it's no stranger to the paranormal.

Joshua and his best buddy Archie are ghost hunters, but when a faerie is gruesomely murdered, he'll be on a different kind of hunt. There are plenty of suspects, from werewolves to vampires, and the chaos comes amid the first push to drive tourism to save the little town.

Can they discover the killer while keeping the tourists and "newcomers" happy or will Elvira fall off the map permanently?

This book is a relatively slow paced read, the mystery of the killer not really taking full steam until about 3/4 of the way through. For the rest of the book, we get to explore the little town and the relationships being formed, from Joshua and Georgia, to Archie and Bobbi, and some of the younger ladies with the "newcomers", aka vampires. I loved all the nuances, like how only some vampires are sensitive to light, there are two different factions of faeries, and werewolves are pretty much a club for the families with the deepest roots in Elvira.

Besides the pacing, I found it a little difficult to get into at first, as we're thrown into the mix with several characters, we cycle through a few different viewpoints, and some of the terminology isn't consistent (naiads/nymphs, the vampires being called Mayans and Egyptians based on where they were from, and not being sure if the Egyptian temple/priests were paranormal or just human).

But overall, it was a fun read, great for anyone who likes cozy mysteries, paranormal/contemporary fantasies, and a healthy dose of romance.

I received a free copy of this book with no obligation to review.
3214464
What can I say? I'm a sucker for a good vampire story, and this anthology has some of the best I've read. Arranged in chronological order by the date they appeared, these stories date back to the very first, classic bloodsucker stories to be published in the early 19th century, up to late 20th century offerings from current authors.

The lore evolves as time goes by, with the monsters becoming something more than stylized leaches. Some of the characters are not really vampires in the sense that it's not the blood of their victims they require. It's fascinating to witness how different authors put their own spin on the legends, creating much deeper, and also more unsettling, motives and desires for these eternal outcasts.

If you're a horror fan with a penchant for the Undead, this collection is definitely for you.
4446221
Vampires are a huge favorite of mine and this series is FANG-TASTIC! This is book two in the Vampire Favors amazing series. This time around Addison finds herself deeper in debt to sexy hot Cannon Blackwood (I so love his name). When Cannon's bro Lachlan turns up missing, she goes out on a limb and asks for the master vamps help.

We introduce some new characters...Rat, who is a pusher and his tubby twin brother Twinkie, Evie, a bat-shit crazy witch and Merriam, a very old vampire....also nuttier than a fruitcake. Plus there are a couple baddies to add to the mix....a very scary decomposing creature with intense powers and someone mysterious known as, "the money man" among other things.

This book had all kinds of stuff going on that really makes the reader think. I love stories like this.....trying to figure out WTH is going on and who all the bad guys are. Our author has quite the sense of humor, so this book had me laughing a lot. Addison is forever forgetting to engage her filter and continuously blurts out things at the most inopportune times. I can't wait for the next book in this series....Fight or Flight!
1139301
Prom and paranormal. What could be better? This is a fun collection of paranormal stories by a group of great writers.  Love the concept and love the cover.
722801
Pretty good stuff. Virus makes vampires. But, not all vampires are created equal. Plenty of action, battles, that all end up leaving one with a thirst for more...pun intended.
3445116
With a strange porn-crazed ghost, wear-my-sunglasses-at-night cool vampire, and stinky werewolf, this had all the makings of a solid urban fantasy. The traditional sense to these creatures didn't waver much, but how they adapted to their surroundings did. Also, Onyx's little gift is something new, and really fun to learn about.

We start off with Onyx who is a funny, stereotypical goth girl who has as much sharp sarcasm as she does black eyeliner. What sets her apart is that she can smell supernatural creatures. As we run along with her, she starts to understand her powers by meeting supernatural creatures out there, and when murder strikes after one of her ghost cleansings, she takes it upon herself to find out why.

She has a heart of gold, if not a little closed off -- as you'd expect. There were awkward, hilarious friendships and situations that made me laugh out loud. There were a few taboo subjects breached without batting an eye, or apology. I found I liked this. It was open about sexuality, and definitely suited the main character.

The only thing that kind of made me mad was the ending. Nothing was concluded. The story built up to a certain point, and blank page...I double checked to see if maybe there was a mistake, but it ended without much being accomplished other than Onyx's new understanding to her powers, which isn't concluded either really.

CONCLUSION

Ghosts, vampires, clairvoyants, porn shops and muuuuurder. This was a fun read. I was disappointed that nothing was really concluded, but I was entertained all the way up to that end. The characters are hilarious and I definitely had a good laugh over some of the situations Onyx got herself into.
725749
Elizabeth Donald's "Nocturne" brings together in print, for the first time, two short novels from the same urban fantasy series, Nocturnal Urges, both with HEA endings. She has put a lot of thought into her contemporary world, and I really appreciate and admire it.

I read most paranormal romances I get my hands on, and Donald's vampires, and how they get along in her world, are a first for me. In her world, vampires are no longer a myth or even a secret. They are known entities, and a vaccine is available that is (generally) given in childhood that keeps recipients from catching the "virus" that makes a vampire. Most vampires, therefore, are over 50 or so years old. Donald has not yet explored the idea of what happens when the vampire world realizes that they are an endangered species, and I look forward to that book when she writes it.

Instead of being secret, powerful, rich, behind-the-scenes entities, Donald's vampires, having been jerked out of the closet, are instead legal second-class citizens. Their status is similar to that of American blacks in the early 20th century. In one or two ways, their status is a little worse, because early 20th century blacks, when and where they could develop segregated communities with black-serving-black businesses, like New York's Harlem from 1900 to 1930, had some business owners and some homeowners. This is generally untrue of Donald's vampires, usually because of laws prohibiting vampires from owning much of anything, and allowing legal discrimination in renting anything.

I found no smut, erotica or even romantica in this book. It is published by Cerridwen Press, the sister house to Ellora's Cave Publishing, and one big difference between the two publishing houses is their approach to sex. Cerridwen Press publishes sexual encounters such as you might find in today's standard romances, like those put out by Mira, Avon, Brava and Dorchester's Love Spell, but Cerridwen Press books do NOT go over the erotica line in the way that is typical of Ellora's Cave, Samhain, Avon Red, and Kensington's Aphrodisia.

Overall, I really enjoyed the two Nocturnal Urges books by Elizabeth Donald. Because of the status of the vamps in those books, they are somewhat dark, but, like good romances do, they have good HEA endings. I look forward to more Nocturnal Urges books.

Roxanne Pierce
2219565
Very pleasurable read.  Touches of the paranormal or "magic" made it all the more enjoyable.
658643
This was a lot of fun.  I had had my fill of Vampire books back in the Ann Rice (et al) craze but this is more like a paranormal/parody hybrid.  The characters are well-developed and could easily become a series.

Pre-teens/Teens with a scientific slant will probably like it, too, with some of the asides and biological explanations that are sprinkled throughout.