Monday, December 31, 2012

Dare to Believe - Dana Marie Bell

Dare to Believe is the first book in the Gray Court series. The book was free for the kindle when I downloaded it. It's now $2.99.

Leo Dunne has finally found his mate. Ruby Halloway isn't aware of Leo's need, because Ruby is mortal and Leo is not. They have to explore each others needs and wants to complete their bond. They do way more exploring than I was comfortable with. There is a good story in this book, but it's tangled up with some heavy breathing, wet and wild, kinky bondage sex. Not my cup of tea. Too bad the rest of the story was splashed with the porn. You decide.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

The Pearl Savage - Tamara Rose Blodgett

The Pearl Savage is book one in the Savage Series. This book is free for the kindle. This story describes an interesting alternate future, where a divided humanity is starting to come back together after a disastrous meteor strike.

Clara Williamson is the princess of the Kingdom of Ohio. 140 years ago a catastrophe drove parts of humanity into the spheres, a controlled environment where they've flourished since. Clara just turned 17, and she wants to escape to the outside world from the persecution of her mother and her betrothed. Since she's seen a savage from her window, she hopes it's possible.

Bracus Goodman is the captain of the Band of the Ohio Clan. The Band are the protectors of the clan. The clans survived outside of the spheres, and want to reunite with the sphere-dwellers. Bracus is the savage that Clara saw from her window. Their futures are entwined if Clara can survive her cruel mother and the evil prince her mother had chosen for her to marry.

This is science fiction with a big dose of steampunk and post-apocalypse. The dialog drags from time-to-time, but the story is good. It kept me turning pages late into the night. Highly recommended.

Wednesday, December 26, 2012

Extreme Malice - R E Swirsky, Ray Swirsky

Extreme Malice is a free book. It's about how to commit the perfect murder. The book is far from perfect though.

Jack and Donna Gardner seem to have the perfect marriage. Then Jack's wife Donna is murdered while he's on a business trip. He has to cope with the loss, but is that all he's coping with? The premise of the book is good. The execution, not so much. I read to the last page to find out how it ends, but not because I was excited to do so. I've learned to skip past of the editing problems with self-published books. This story didn't keep my interest enough to ignore the missing words, extra words, and misspellings. Not recommended.

Sweet Shadows - Childs, Tera Lynn

Sweet Shadows is the sequel to Sweet Venom. I paid $7.99, but it was worth it. Now I just have to wait for the next book to come out!

Gretchen, Grace, and Greer are united now in their efforts to live up to their destiny. Breaking the seal and restoring the balance. There are a whole lot of people who want to stop them though, humans and monsters. They'll find some unlikely allies and enemies, but in the end it's up to them. First they have to rescue the people who have the knowledge they need. Very highly recommended.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Sweet Venom - Childs, Tera Lynn

Sweet Venom was free the day I got it. Barnes & Noble had it as a Free Friday nook book, and Amazon made it free for that day too. Can you say good marketing? Now this book is $9.49 for the kindle and nook. It's worth it though.

Grace Whitfield is 16. Her family just moved to San Francisco so she can attend a new school on full scholarship. Grace wants to try and change her life at the same time she changes her address. She's going to get way more than she bargained for.

Gretchen Sharpe is 16 as well. She's a huntress. That means she kills monsters. She's been doing it since she was 12. Now Gretchen's mentor has gone missing and the monster killing business is picking up. She's going to need help.

Greer Morgenthal is also 16. She's the most popular girl in her exclusive all-girls school, and her parents are at the top of the San Francisco social circle. Greer is happy with her life and wants to keep it that way. Too bad for Greer.

This book is great. The pace keeps you turning pages. The main characters are engaging and interesting. The action is top notch. I've been reading free books all year, with the exception of a few that were a couple bucks. I paid full price for the sequel to this book as soon as I finished this one. Some things are worth paying for. Very highly recommended.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Ring of Destiny - Knowles, Eric Quinn

Ring of Destiny is book one in the Reynald Tale series. It feels like it should be book two or later. It is free though. There are just too many things that are unexplained in the beginning. Things that become a little clearer as the book progresses.

Jared Wasson is new in town. He and his father just moved to Reynald, and Jared is having trouble fitting in. Things start to pick up when he gets the courage to ask Sarah out, but that's before he found out she's a vampire. This is a disjointed tale at first, but as it rolls along it begins to make sense. Reynald is an interesting place to live. That is if you can survive. Recommended.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Jane Carver of Waar - Long, Nathan

Jane Carver of Waar is about as much fun as a book can get. Long borrows liberally from Edgar Rice Burroughs, but this is a whole new adventure that will keep you turning pages way into the night. It was a Free Friday nook book when I got it. It's now $8.09 for the nook and $7.99 for the kindle.

Jane Carver is an ex-airborne ranger turned biker chick, and as bad-ass as they come. Jane finds herself running from the police after "accidentally" killing a guy who groped her one too many times. She ends up hiding in a cave that transports her to a whole new world. Jane has to deal with aliens, animals, and court intrigue. She mixes it up with sky pirates, gladiators, and tribes of six legged savages. There's enough fighting, running, and laughing for two or three books. Very highly recommended.

Saturday, December 15, 2012

Inherited Danger - Rathbone, Brian

Inherited Danger is book two in the Godsland Series. It's also free. I'd like to continue the series, but you have to start paying after book two.

Catrin Volker makes it to Greatland and begins her search for knowledge on the power she wields. The Zjhon are still after her and that make her presence a danger to all who offer her shelter. Catrin travels through the lands of her Mother, on a journey to destroy a weapon of great power that threatens the whole world. She finds that she's inherited responsibility in addition to her Mother's looks. A really frustrating cliff hanger waits at the end of the book. Still, highly recommended.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Pets in a Pickle - Welshman, Malcolm D.

Pets in a Pickle was a Free Friday nook book. It's now $7.69 for the kindle and $8.19 for the nook. If you like animals this is the book for you. It takes a while to get used to the British colloquialisms, but the book is worth the effort.

Paul Mitchell is right out of vet school and looking for a job. He interviews at the Prospect House veterinary hospital in Westcott-on-Sea and falls in love. This is a humorous telling of Paul's adventures with interesting animals and their equally interesting owners as he settles into being an English veterinarian. Highly recommended.

Empire - Hicks, Michael R.

Empire is part of the In Her Name group of books, and book one in the Redemption series. If that's confusing, you're not the lone ranger. Check out Hicks' website for more. This story is some awesome science fiction, so take advantage of this free book.

This book follows the life of Reza Gard. Reza was a young boy living on the plant of New Constantinople when the Kreelans destroy his planet and killed his parents. His first encounter with the Kreelan priestess Tesh-Dar became a turning point in his young life. Reza's fate is entwined with the Kreelan in a way no other human's has ever been. This is an amazing story of Reza's coming of age. I had a hard time putting my kindle down. Very highly recommended.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Fatal Affair - Force, Marie

Fatal Affair is book one of the Fatal Series. It's free, and there's no onerous cliff hanger. Just a nice murder mystery with more good parts than I prefer. When I was younger I looked forward to the good parts. Now I just skip through them :)

Nick Cappuano is the chief of staff to senator John O'Connor. When Nick finds the senator dead, with a knife through his neck, he calls the police and Sam Holland is the detective assigned to the case. That's Samantha Holland. Sam and Nick had a fling six years ago that neither have ever gotten over. Sam and Nick juggle finding the senator's killer, a budding romance, and someone who's trying to kill them, in a story that is non-stop. Very highly recommended.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Call of the Herald - Rathbone, Brian

Call of the Herald is book one in the Godsland Series. This book will leave you wanting to read the whole series. Books one and two free, but the rest are $2.99.

Catrin is a young woman who helps her father around the farm while she's still in school. She doesn't realize her destiny is about to change her whole world. The Zjhon empire is about to come hunting for her while laying siege to her homeland, and Catrin will have to defeat them if she can. A great adventure with plenty of action and magic. The ending begs you to keep reading. There are four more books to keep you happy. Highly recommended.

Never Buried - Claire, Edie

Never Buried is the first book in the Leigh Koslow Mystery Series, but a nice stand-alone with nothing left dangling. This book is free and a bargain at 10 times that price.

Leigh Koslow is an advertising copywriter who has just lost her job. She's staying with her cousin Cara because moving home at her age is unthinkable. Her cousin can use the help since she very pregnant. When Leigh finds a body in the back yard the police investigate, but that's just the beginning of mystery that spans decades and could put Leigh and Cara's lives in danger. Lots of twists and turns. Highly recommended.