Fallen

Description:

There’s something achingly familiar about Daniel Grigori.
Mysterious and aloof, he captures Luce Price’s attention from the moment she sees him on her first day at the Sword & Cross boarding school in sultry Savannah, Georgia. He’s the one bright spot in a place where cell phones are forbidden, the other students are all screw-ups, and security cameras watch every move.
Even though Daniel wants nothing to do with Luce–and goes out of his way to make that very clear–she can’t let it go. Drawn to him like a moth to a flame, she has to find out what Daniel is so desperate to keep secret . . . even if it kills her.
Dangerously exciting and darkly romantic, Fallen is a page turning thriller and the ultimate love story.

My Take: 

Meh. Worth a read if you are really hard up for something different from the YA Vampire/Were merry go round. The basic story line is awesome but the writing kinda falls flat. The 1^st book was pretty good, the second not as much; I haven’t read the 3^rd book yet but I’ll wait till it comes out in paperback. Not willing to shell out $20 for a book I’m wary of. I’m in no rush (really not a good sign).

Both the main protagonists annoyed the crap out of me to tell you the truth. The hero is controlling and is constantly talking down to the heroine. And I wanted to bludgeon the heroine numerous times for displaying such rampant sheer stupidity. It reminds me of the Twilight series and not in a good way. Way to once again sell unhealthy relationships to teens and market it as romantic.

Don’t get me wrong. I can sort of relate to the protagonist’s dilemma. Are you in love with the person you think of as your soul mate because of who he is now or because of who he WAS and the relationship you once had? It’s a hard, gritty thing to deal with and it has so much potential to be a great story. But, it feels like the author is still working on getting into her groove and working out the kinks which means I was left feeling disappointed. When I finished the book I felt like I’d just taken home a tall, sexy Viking warrior who turned out to have a very tiny…package.

Last Word: If you are curious about this book, I’d suggest borrowing it from a friend or the library. I wouldn’t recommend committing to buying this book before you at least have a taste test.

Where to Buy:

If you really want to buy this book (no judgment) then here's the link to it on Amazon: 

Dark Taste of Rapture

Description:

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter captivates with a dark, tantalizing world of humans, otherworlders, and a powerful AIR agent consumed by his desire for a woman he can never have. . . .

With one caress, he can give unforgettable pleasure…or unending pain...

Hector Dean is shaved, tattooed, and totally ripped -- and he has a deadly secret.  He is a walking weapon, capable of killing with a single brush of his fingertips.  Little wonder he’s determined to remain on his own.  But Noelle Tremain is a temptation like no other.  She is beautiful and rich, with a party girl smile that hides a shocking vulnerability, and from the beginning his sizzling attraction to her is undeniable.  For the first time, his stone-cold resistance is tested.  But to be with her, he risks destroying her. 

When a wealthy businessman is murdered in New Chicago’s seediest district, the two are partnered, and there’s no escaping what they both want: each other.  Yet neither Hector nor Noelle knows what to fear more—the killer case, or their own lethal desires. . . .

My Take:

Well when I picked up this book I was actually not looking forward to reading it. It’s a futuristic, sci–fi paranormal romance. Way too many genres in one and I tend not to like futuristic stuff. They tend to have no basis in reality and therefore isn’t something the reader can fully relate to, it takes away from the believability of the world and the characters. And to top it off there are a few books I’ve read from Gena Showalter that I wasn’t completely satisfied with (I’ll probably review one at a later date). But I’m happy to say that I was very pleasantly surprised.

Once I started it, I just could not put this book down. I was constantly roaring out loud with laughter or biting my lip as the steamy scenes practically set me ablaze, kind of like the delicious hero (read the book and you’ll know what I’m taking about).

And I totally fell for the heroine. Witty, sarcastic, badass, kinda spoiled and endearingly human with her emotions. I felt like she would be my best-gal pal that was number one on my speed dial. As the book ended I actually felt like I would miss her. She didn’t annoy me once (a huge accomplishment I assure you as most heroines make me want to slap them at least once), and I found myself rooting for her whole heartedly from page one.

The futuristic world Gena creates in this series (yes it’s a series and no this isn’t the 1^st book) is actually very believable and it’s a very original take on the paranormal genre. The writing was superb, the characters are sexy and it left me definitely wishing for more.

Final Word: READ READ READ! And make sure your lover or toy of choice is around just in case the heat gets to be a little too much (that was a pun you’ll get after you read it, just so you know). Now Im off to find the rest of this series! Enjoy! 

Where to Buy:
As with all the books I review, this one (and the rest of the series) can also be found in The Mystic Bookkeeper's Emporium.

The Summoning

Description:
My name is Chloe Saunders and my life will never be the same again.
All I wanted was to make friends, meet boys, and keep on being ordinary. I don't even know what that means anymore. It all started on the day that I saw my first ghost—and the ghost saw me.
Now there are ghosts everywhere and they won't leave me alone. To top it all off, I somehow got myself locked up in Lyle House, a "special home" for troubled teens. Yet the home isn't what it seems. Don't tell anyone, but I think there might be more to my housemates than meets the eye. The question is, whose side are they on? It's up to me to figure out the dangerous secrets behind Lyle House . . . before its skeletons come back to haunt me.
 HarperTeen • Trade Paper • March 2009 • ISBN: 0061450545


My Take:
When I heard that Kelly Armstrong, one of my favourite authors, had come out with a Young Adult/Teen Fiction Novel I admit I was wary. After a few bad experiences with YA novels I wasn't sure what to expect from Ms. Armstrong's newest venture but I have to say I'm very pleasantly surprised. The Summoning is the first book in the Darkest Powers series which is the YA sister series to her Otherworld Series.

I found that the characters are very well developed and very believable. The relationships between the characters are also quite believable and there is just a touch of (appropriate) sexual tension that had me sighing in remembrance of my own teen-hood sexual angst.

And then of course there was the delicious paranormal drama: young paranormal powerhouses just coming into their powers! The story is Chock-full of witches, sorcerers, necromancers, demons, ghosts and of course werewolves (OH MY!).

All in all this was a very well written book that had me emotionally invested in the story almost immediately. I read it in one sitting because I couldn't put it down and I ran out to the get the second book the first thing in the morning (which, I'm happy to report, was even better than the first).

"But wait!" you say. "Are there any downsides? This review is just too positive to believe!" Well, actually I have only one minor thing that's bugging me: because its a YA novel I don't see any steamy sex scenes in its future. Now before you go rolling your eyes there is a reason I say this. The books start setting up attractions and even oh so mild partial nudity that you want the relationships to grow into their natural (steamy) conclusions (I'm betting you were no saint as a teen either, none of us were). But I will just wait and see where the story goes.

Final Word: I would definitely recommend this book for teen and adult readers alike.

Where to buy:
All the books I review and more can be found in The Mystic Bookkeeper's Emporium. You can also find them on Chapters , Barnes and Noble and Amazon .

Welcome my pretties!

(Evil cackle) Ok I'll stop with the witch jokes...for now. Welcome to my memoirs (read "blog")! I am your host, who will hereby be known as The Mystic Bookkeeper. What's with the somewhat (ok very) hokey name? Well its keeping in theme of this blog which is basically me reviewing books, namely paranormal fiction.
 Why Paranormal fiction you ask? Well namely because it's my favourite genre and also because the genre has exploded and is rapidly taking over bookstore shelves everywhere. If you are like me and enjoy a GOOD paranormal read, you may find yourself wondering if they are letting any moron with a computer or pen publish a book because it is getting harder every day to find one that doesn't totally turn you off (read: "that isn't complete crap"). Well you're in luck, I am going to do you the immense favour of reading every one I can get my greedy little hands on, reviewing it, and letting you know (in my opinion) if it's worth a read or if you should run screaming in the opposite direction.
But wait, a word of caution my friends! The majority of paranormal fiction out there seems to be romantically inclined, so expect to read quite a few reviews on those. Don't worry, though I enjoy steamy sex scenes and happy endings (pun totally intended) as much as the next sappy chick I have very discerning tastes. There needs to be a good plot, characters with substance, and the more dry humour and sarcasm the better (and no scenes where "his burning member" can be found).
I will also do you all the immense favour (I should be sainted really) of not only reviewing the books but providing direct links to where the books can be purchased. I tend to favour Chapters (being Canadian), Barnes and Noble and the almighty Amazon. Aren't I a treat?
So, that being said, enough with the preliminaries BRING ON THE BOOKS!!!!