-->

Thursday, November 29, 2012

not long now

I get the stitches out tomorrow and can get on with typing 'properly'. This means I can catch up on my reviews from the last ten days :D

Sunday, November 18, 2012

5* Review of Lethal Rider by Larissa Ione

Well book three of Lord Of Deliverance was everything I have come to expect from Larissa Ione.

It had heartbreak, action, love and life (even though the Hero is Death!) and all in the right doses to make this an excellent read. I loved that all the old Characters were there but you found out so much more about the main two characters that hadn't been previously suspected (at least not by me :D). Although the rocky road to happy ever after was just a side road to the main story of the Apocalypse it was also the main focus of most of the story and made me eager to read book four when it comes out.

Friday, November 16, 2012

Reviews again

Review of Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione 5*

Arik has been a reoccurring character in Larissa Ione books and it was great to read his story. Not that it was his story alone! This book kept the main theme of the apocalypse on fast forward with lots of action and characters from previous books showing up.

Larissa Ione also brought a new dimension to sibling relationships with Limos having to admit to lots of stuff her brothers aren't to happy about. This is one book where it helps to have read the previous one though, as it is full on serial writing. I can't wait to read the next two in the series (even though book four isn't due until next week).

Review Of Bolos: Their Finest Hour 4*

I have been a lover of the stories about Bolos (giant war machines)since I read my first one many years ago. When I found this anthology of them by different authors I couldn't resist adding it to my collection.

Many of the stories in there can be found elsewhere but it was great having so many in one book. The foreword by David Weber summed up my own opinion about the stories and warns (for those who aren't in the know) that there is absolutely no continuity to the Bolo universe, not even by the original author Kieth Laumer. These things aside if you like military science fiction then this anthology is a must read.

Review of Knox's Irregulars by J Wesley Bush 3*

This was a well written war story placed in a slightly Science Fiction setting of another planet.However the Theological overtones throughout the book slightly spoiled my enjoyment of this over all fast paced action packed story.

The whole thing was full of wonderful technology and well written guerilla warfare and some really interesting characters. But the enemy of the Christian soldiers (who are the 'Heroes' of the story)are portrayed in a very stereotypical fashion as sadists and fanatics without any redeeming features.

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Review of two more books

Embracing Eternity by Voirey Linger 5*

Voirey Linger did it again. In a short novel she gave me a large story full of emotion and action and just about everything I have come to expect from her writing.

In the beginning I couldn't see how she could make a romance work between an Angel and a Demon but somehow she not only did it, she made it unforgettable too. Can't wait to see what she does next!

Brush With Catastrophe by Tara Lain 4*

I don't know quite what I expected from the second Aloysius tale but I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed this story. The mystery of Ryder and the honesty and modesty of Sammy were a complete contrast to the previous Heroes yet they soon enthralled me so that I didn't want to stop reading.

I really loved the background story of mystery and intrigue. Trying to figure out who Sammy would end up with was fun and kept me interested. But what really had me hooked was the way Sammy's witch powers manifested themselves (read the book yourself to find out - I'm not posting spoilers!).

Review of Cat Spell by Tara Lain

I've wanted to read this book for a while because the write up on it was so intriguing. I am glad to say it lived up to my every expectation.

Killian and Blaine are wonderful heroes and the back ground storyline was just fantastic. The use of a black cat familiar called Aloysius who causes Killian a few problems gave the touch of humour that lifted this book into one of my new favourites. I am so looking forward to reading book two.

Saturday, November 10, 2012

A Five star read

Eternal Rider by Larissa Ione

In the last book of her Demonica series Ms Ione gives us a taste of this new series about the four horsemen of the apocalypse. In Eternal Rider she takes us on a roller-coaster of a ride with the first of the horsemen, Ares (aka War). This spin-off from the Demonica series can however be read as a stand alone story, with enough back story in it to cover the previous series without detracting from this one.

I loved this story and the interaction between the Four horsemen (even though one is actually a woman) and I especially liked the relationship conflicts and surprises between Ares and his Heroine Cara. An added bonus for me was the inclusion of animals, especially the Hellhounds. The fights between Demons, Angels, Fallen Angels and assorted beings were a lovely addition to turn this into an action packed read.

Thursday, November 08, 2012

A birthday gift I REALLY liked

I was given some money to buy books for my birthday and bought Tara Lain's digital book Sinders & Ash. I loved it and here is my review of it:


Sinders & Ash by Tara Lain (4*)

I've read a few Tara Lain books now and can't get enough of her writing style. In this one Tara Lain has taken a classic fairytale and put a more modern twist on it.

I loved the whole concept of Cinderella with two males in the lead parts but couldn't see how it could be done without making it a farce. Tara showed me how with panache! The characters were never caricatures and the constant hint at the original fairytale ideas was excellent. I loved the way she had the Ash character grow more responsible and open and the Sinder character learn to trust others more.

If you like variants on fairy tales with a modern twist and down to earth characters then this is for you :D

Monday, November 05, 2012

Been reading!!

I've been so busy reading I've forgotten to keep up with my reviews so here are some from the books I most remember from the last few days.


A Company Of Swans by Eva Ibbotson
I really enjoyed this book. The historical details and the background of ballet dancing and it's hardship made a great foundation for a romance that was part tragedy and part ecstasy. The heroine was well written, as were the hero and all the secondary characters. The descriptions of the places (especially The Amazon area pre WW1)and the ballets added the seasoning to this wonderfully tasty book.

The Murray Leinster’s Mega Pack: 30 Complete Stories and Novels by Murray Leinster
I've been reading these stories in between other books as they are easier to read in pieces rather than all at once. For me it was a trip down memory lane as I had read them all as a child/teenager. I enjoyed them then and I was pleasantly surprised to find that I enjoyed them now too. Even though most of them no longer hold up with modern day science, and are very outdated in that respect, Mr Leinster's ability to write interesting and absorbing stories with great characters overrides the problems of the old fashioned ideas.

A Plain Jane (Book One) by Odette C Bell
I'm a huge Science Fiction fan and thought that I would give this book a try as the write up sounded intriguing. I am so thankful I did as it was a wonderfully written story. The characters and the world building were excellent and I can't wait until I get hold of book two to continue the saga.