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Dawn of the Dreadfuls
Dawn of the Dreadfuls
Jane Austen, Steve Hockensmith | 2010 | Fiction & Poetry
10
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies: Dawn of the Dreadfuls
by Jane Austen and Steve Hockensmith
Genre: Re-mixed classic
Rating: 5

Dawn of the Dreadfuls is hilarious! Hockensmith has captured Austen’s original characters and brought them back (from the dead) in a gruesomely wonderful prequel to Pride and Prejudice. This Zombiefied quirky classic will have you snickering and giggling like Lydia and Kitty. (By the way, I’m officially adding Zombiefied to my dictionary. It’s an awesome word.)

The writing was so much like Austen’s that I began to wonder if it really wasn’t by her. It was eloquent and witty and almost audible in that you could hear the accents of the speakers and the narrator.

Content: an occasional dirty word (I think d--- was used like, twice in the whole book?), very few sexual references. But remember that we’re talking about dead brain-eating zombies here, people. It’s not for the faint of heart (or stomach) and it’s not for kids.

Recommendation: 12+ If you love the paranormal, horror, or anything Jane Austen, this one is for you.

Dawn of the Dreadfuls will be published on March 24th 2010.
  
Don’t get in the way of me and my sai. At least, not if you’re a vampire. That’s a quick way to end up dead.
My name is Ashryn Barker, and I’m a vampire hunter. One of the best in fact.
I also have a secret. One I can never tell anyone else. When I look someone in the eyes, I can see their deepest secret, the one hidden behind the illusion they show the world.
My name is Ashryn Barker, and I’m here to shatter your illusions.
Shattered Illusions is a paranormal reverse harem filled with vampires, hunters, and some very wrong assumptions.

Shattered Illusions is the first book in the Ashryn Barker series, and is a novella.
This a very action packed novella and a good start to a series.
We have betrayal, deceit and all is definitely not what it seems when dealing with everyone.
I liked the character of Ashryn; strong, determined and knows her own mind.
I'm interested to see where the story leads through the rest of the books.
Highly recommend reading.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
  
AF
Awaiting Fate (Fated Immortals, #1)
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I loved this so much. I read this one not realizing it was a spin off from another series, but it wasn't necessary to read the other series first even though I do have a feeling I would understand some of the characters more if I had. However, it is NOT needed at all. Cain is so hott. He is a demon, he is sexy, and when he turns demon so much yummy. He has insecurities and jealousy. He loves his mate so much but is worried she won't want or need him so he takes his time. Olivia is amazing. She is so strong but thinks she isn't. She was sheltered because of her fear and needing her brother so much. She falls for Cain who is a demon and she is a werewolf so she isn't supposed to love a demon. They both have to work through so much just to be together including his issues and her brother. This is an amazing start to this series and thanks to reading this one I now need to read the other series before this one. I highly recommend this book if you love paranormal romance.
  
This Case Is Gonna Kill Me (Linnet Ellery, #1)
This Case Is Gonna Kill Me (Linnet Ellery, #1)
Phillipa Bornikova | 2012 | Fiction & Poetry
10
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book was an unexpected delight. Lawyers? Meh. Even lawyers with paranormal spice.

But Linnet Ellery is no ordinary lawyer, even for a young lawyer in a White Fang law firm. She has no end of backbone and smarts, not to mention luck - or should I say Luck? Because fortune swirls around her like nobody else, making her a nexus of events and a little too conspicuous for her very discreet employers.

That's not to say that she doesn't make her share of mistakes - that wouldn't be any fun, now would it? She survives and learns from them, then helps others avoid the same.

Living in a world of vampires, werewolves, and Alfar (elves) might be intimidating to most humans, especially when those beings (Powers) are essentially in charge. Linnet doesn't let them intimidate her. She uses her contacts and plays to her strengths, winning more and more significant battles every time she goes to bat.

Bornikova sets things up very nicely for a sequel, and I am personally hungry to read more. I strongly suggest this book to anyone who enjoys paranormals, urban fantasy, or simply good, humorous fiction with a dollop of suspense and a strong heroine.
  
I'm extremely surprised by how much I enjoyed this anthology! I picked it up intending to just read the stories by authors I know I like—Kelley Armstrong, Ilona Andrews, Carrie Vaughn, Holly Lisle, Jeaniene Frost, Maria V. Snyder. I had never heard of some of the other authors. A few names I remembered seeing in other anthologies and not enjoying their work.

I did, however, deliberately put myself in a tolerant mindset: this is a book of romance stories. It wouldn't be fair to judge them as anything else.

That worked rather better than it has in the past. I still got a little annoyed at having so much of each story dedicated to couples (and all het/mono couples, at that!) rather than some intriguing world ideas, but managed to stay on track.

In the end, I only skipped one story—I just don't like the Weather Wardens stuff at all. I found a couple of others substandard, but all in all, Telep chose very well. I definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance (maybe even those who usually stick to just romance), and most urban fantasy fans.
  
Fleeing a tragic accident, Ruby Proulx crosses from Canada to Old Orchard, Maine. She’s run there to meet her mother’s side of the family for the first time. They are about to reopen the family home as a resort for spiritualists, and the summer of 1898 will be make or break for them. But when her past catches up to her and a murder threatens her new home, will Ruby be able to solve any problems?

While I am not a fan of paranormal cozies (because I don’t believe in the things they are based on), I still found this a very fun debut. The characters are charming, and I fell in love with them. Even though the murder comes a little late, I still found Ruby’s introduction to Old Orchard fun, and there is plenty of conflict early on. When the murder does happen, the pace picks up and leads us to a logical conclusion.

 NOTE: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2016/09/book-review-whispers-beyond-veil-by.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
Georgia Thackery has had to move back home to take her new adjunct teach job, but the bright side is that means reconnecting with her best friend, Sid the skeleton. Yes, Sid is a walking, talking skeleton, and he just appeared in Georgia’s life 30 years ago. But when he suddenly recognizes a face from his living past, he begins to wonder who he was and what happened to him. Georgia and Sid quickly realize they are dealing with a 30 year old murder mystery. Can they solve this cold case?

I don’t normally read paranormal mysteries, but I’m glad I made an exception in this case. The story is a bit slower than I would have liked, but it did pick up as we grew closer to the climax, and I was satisfied at the end. The characters are wonderful, and yes, that includes the very life like Sid. Sid’s puns help lighten the mood. After all, there’s no such thing as a bad pun.

Read my full review at <a href="http://carstairsconsiders.blogspot.com/2015/10/book-review-skeleton-in-family-by-leigh.html">Carstairs Considers</a>.
  
The Body Finder (The Body Finder, #1)
The Body Finder (The Body Finder, #1)
Kimberly Derting | 2011 | Thriller
8
7.3 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Okay, so I didn't fall in love with this book right away. For awhile, I thought I was going to rate the book 2, maybe 3 stars. However, about 2/3 of the way into the book, it became really good, and it definitely got boosted to 4 stars.

I loved, loved, loved the relationship between Jay & Violet. I thought it was really sweet =) I loved how protective he was of her, not in the "she's a girl so she can't take care of herself" way but because he genuinely cared for her.

The character of Chelsea made me laugh. I loved her sarcasm =)

It did have a hint of Mean Girls in it though. The character of Claire reminded me a lot of Amanda Seyfried's character in the film. And there is the mention of a Queen Bee.

I loved the plot as well. I've never read anything like it. I like the way the author brought together the elements of suspense, crime, romance, and paranormal. They all blended very well.

I'd definitely recommend this book. It does take a long time to get going, as I've said before, but once it does, it definitely drags you in!
  
T(
Trust (Alex Conner Chronicles, #1)
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This book is very different then my normal go to paranormal so I am glad it didn’t leave me disappointed. Alex is a event planner but she takes it to a new level of partying. She grows up with powers she didn’t really understand and a mother who was more high than sober. This book gave me chills at times but I loved it.
You get what you want out of this book. The author leaves so many possibilities open that you just can not guess where it will lead. You get views of her past and you understand how she turn out this way. But it seems nothing is working for her. Her therapist and friend are no help. The scenes are hot but classy.
I enjoyed her highs and lows because even though she had magic her life wasn’t perfect. She was learning and still struggling like any other person. If you don’t believe in a little magic you will after reading this. I love reading books when the author is a word magician. With every moment and emotion you feel what they feel.