Category: great reads

Books, great reads, paranormal romance, Reviews, Romance, scifi, steampunk, Urban Fantasy

The Irin Chronicles by Elizabeth Hunter

debra
  • The Irin Chronicles is a series of three books that are titled (in order):

The Scribe
The Singer
The Secret

I am going to review all three as a set because all three have to be read to get the whole story. Book one is a real cliffhanger!

This story evolves around 2 distinct cultures (or are they distinct?). You learn throughout the story that the cultures involved are the offspring of the Fallen and the Forgiven. Twenty-one angels fell from heaven. Seven died, seven returned (Forgiven) and seven stayed on earth (Fallen). The offspring of the Forgiven are the Irin and the offspring of the Fallen are the Grigori. Both sets of offspring have inherited magic abilities from their angel fathers. The Irin’s stated role on earth is to protect the humans (who are unaware of what is going on) and to hunt/kill the Grigori. The Grigori are vicious hunters and users of the humans (but are all of them this way?). The Irin society’s numbers are decreasing because two centuries ago, the Grigori attacked the Irina (the females) and decimated their numbers. However, all is not what we think it is throughout the story. Actually, what we learn in Books 2 and 3 totally turns the story upside down and nothing is quite what it seems in the early stages of the story. The author does this very well. There were several spots in books 2 and 3 (I was reading these on my Kindle), that I had to stop and put in a note so I would make sure I remembered a few things. Many passages are highlighted. I normally do not do these things—a good indication of how the story evolves over the life of the books.

My thoughts: I loved this trilogy. I found book 1 because it was the monthly selection of an online book club I am in some time ago and I really enjoyed it. I had other reading obligations at the time so I could not get to books 2 and 3 until now. But the story just would not leave my head and others recommended it to me that I knew I had to finish the series. And I am so glad I did. The author has created a rich and complex world and is very good at the world building. Her world is very descriptive in the narrative but not so descriptive that she bogs us down with it. A lot of the world building is also done in the character interaction/dialogue which the author did a great job with. I am very critical when it comes to dialogue. If I don’t feel that the dialogue is believable for the characters to say to each other, the book falls flat for me. Sorry—that’s just the way I roll. It’s a quirk. The main characters in this trilogy are Malachi, a centuries old Irin scribe, and Ava, a current day very special human (or is she?),  and of course, they are going to become fated mates. The secondary characters are wonderful and add so much life to the story. Much of the story takes place in the Istanbul and Vienna areas and these locations also add a lot of life to the story.

We learn in a note to the readers after the story concludes in book 3 that the author is now planning more books in this world for some of the other characters and I for one, am looking forward to reading them also.

 

 

Books, great reads, paranormal romance, Reviews, Romance, scifi, Urban Fantasy

Outtakes from the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

debra

The series for Cat and Bones is over and Ms. Frost has given us a book of outtakes and deleted scenes.  I have always enjoyed reading deleted scenes and outtakes from books that authors choose to share. I like finding out why they were deleted or re-written. I like seeing if things might have been different for our characters in some way. I think it is just fun. Jeanine has shared with us some great deleted scenes and she gave us the context of the story at the time of the scene so we would understand where the characters were at story wise as well as why the scene ended up on the chopping block. If you enjoyed the adventures of Cat and Bones, you will enjoy this collection.

Books, great reads, Reviews

Meredith Wild Giveaway SIGN UP GUYS!

Les

 

 

Into the Fire (Bridge Series #2)
by Meredith Wild
Pre-order Now:
http://www.meredithwild.com/book/into-the-fire/

 

 

 

 

Synopsis
Release Date: June 21, 2016
Darren Bridge is living a bachelor’s dream. When he’s not running into burning buildings
with his crew, he’s training the flavor of the week at his brother’s gym. Few women have
ever been off limits…until Vanessa. Smart, beautiful, and legs for days, she’s unlike
anyone he’s ever met. Too bad he’s sworn to leave her alone.
Overworked with no end in sight, Vanessa Hawkins hasn’t had a vacation in nearly two
years. When Cameron and Maya’s destination wedding takes her out of the office for a
much-needed break, she finds herself struggling to resist her attraction to the best man.
Darren is dangerously good-looking with enough charm to make any hot-blooded
woman want to drop her panties and enjoy the ride, no matter how long it lasts.
When they return to the city, Darren realizes the single life has lost its glimmer. But with

everything else on her plate, Vanessa doesn’t have room in her life for a man, let alone

a player. Can Darren find his way into her heart and convince her that he’s worth the
risk?

 

 

Pre-order links:
http://www.meredithwild.com/book/into-the-fire/
Other books in The Bridge Series

 

Other books in The Bridge Series

Over the Edge (Bridge #3)
Release Date: October 25, 2016
PRE-ORDER YOUR EBOOK EXCLUSIVELY ON iBOOKS!
http://www.meredithwild.com/book/over–the-edge/
Olivia Bridge has always been a good girl—good grades, good friends, a good job that
her wealthy parents handed her. The only thing missing is a husband to complete her
role of the perfect daughter.
Then she walked away from it all.
Desperate to carve out a new life that is truly hers, Liv takes on the challenge of helping
her brothers open a new fitness center in New York City. When she comes between two
men who couldn’t be more different or more determined to turn all her goodness inside
out, she has to decide how far she’s really willing to step outside of her family’s
expectations.

 

On My Knees (Bridge Series #1)

Available Now:
http://www.meredithwild.com/book/on-my-knees/
Haunted by the responsibility of caring for her troubled family, Maya Jacobs gave the
only answer she could when Cameron asked her to marry him. Years later, entrenched
in a soulless professional routine, she distracts herself from the lingering regret of her
decision with a “work hard, play hard” lifestyle that guarantees no man will ever find his
way into her heart again.
Cameron Bridge has spent the past five years married to the military, trying to escape
the painful memory of losing Maya. After fighting his own war in the desert, he starts a
new life in New York City, with his siblings, Olivia and Darren, by his side. When fate
brings Maya back to him in the heart of a city filled with its own hopes and shadows, can
Cameron find the girl he once loved in the woman she’s become?
https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/7a6f20d021/
Into the Fire (Bridge Series #2)
by Meredith Wild

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Books, great reads, Out of the Box Blogs, Reviews

Happy Pants Cafe by: Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Les

Well just look at the name. I have to admit I love Mimi Jean Pamfiloff books. I read one book and I was done for. I love the way she writes, and the story lines.

Ok, so two reporters are at a wedding of a famous movie star, where no press is allowed. They are both trying to get an exclusive with the bride and things turn into a disaster. Albeit, a hilarious one, but a disaster none the less.

After being kicked out of the wedding, Harper convinces her editor that she has a better story. She is going to find out the story behind the happy pants café, where all these celebrities are meeting their husbands.

She arrives in town and the line is down the street for the café. She then bumps into the Austin (the other reporter from the wedding). They argue and of course things get out of hand. There are arrests, community service, cookies, parties, crazy people, always crazy people, a farm and a sheriff that just wants them gone. People are getting fired and others getting offers, however nothing is as it seems at the Happy Pants Café.

They get into so much trouble together, it is amazing. As per my usual Harper gets on my nerves sometimes. I won’t tell you anymore. You need to read it for yourself. It is hilarious, crazy, and you won’t want to put it down. I think I read this story in one day.

I told you there were some books I wish I had found sooner, and this is one of them.

Give it a chance, you won’t be disappointed.

Peace,

Les