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Yvonne (12 KP) rated A Secret Muse in Books
Jun 9, 2019
Coco Rhodes was happy with her life, an artist and teacher, she enjoyed her freedom. Her brother Chris was a member of a secret society The Allegiance, and whilst her family and friends were members, she wanted nothing to do with them. However, when her life was put in danger, she had no choice but to accept their protection. But could that be enough to save her from Kenan, one of the evilest vampires they have come across
I liked Coco, she was happy to be herself, she was a free spirit, lost in her art and content with her own company. Even though her best friend and her brother were part of The Allegiance, she wanted nothing to do it, which showed how headstrong she was. Even after her accident, she was still stubborn and was literally forced into having additional protection.
I enjoyed how the supernatural overlapped with the real world, regular humans were not aware that supernatural beings lived and worked with them. Only a few people knew about the Allegiance and this kept everyone safe. Due to the society being large, they're quite a few characters in the story, but each one is relevant to the story and when we are introduced to them, parts of their backstory is revealed. As the story continues you soon come to realise how their lives interweave with each other and how they are connected in the future. There are various supernatural beings in this story, witches, vampires, to name but a few. All have an important role in the story.
This story was well researched and as some of the characters are vampires, the story spans over a long time period. Whilst I do not know anything about art, I enjoyed reading about the supernatural involvement used to create some of the most famous paintings. The scenic views of Italy and the places visited were described in fine detail and whether it is the 15th century or the modern day you feel like you are transported there. The pace would quicken with the action, making it more intense. The fight scenes were full on, but the characters would change from fighters to lovers in a few scenes, slowing the pace making it an enjoyable read.
This is a book for adults and whether you are looking for those tall dark and brooding men or just a good fantasy read to start a new series than this is the story for you
I liked Coco, she was happy to be herself, she was a free spirit, lost in her art and content with her own company. Even though her best friend and her brother were part of The Allegiance, she wanted nothing to do it, which showed how headstrong she was. Even after her accident, she was still stubborn and was literally forced into having additional protection.
I enjoyed how the supernatural overlapped with the real world, regular humans were not aware that supernatural beings lived and worked with them. Only a few people knew about the Allegiance and this kept everyone safe. Due to the society being large, they're quite a few characters in the story, but each one is relevant to the story and when we are introduced to them, parts of their backstory is revealed. As the story continues you soon come to realise how their lives interweave with each other and how they are connected in the future. There are various supernatural beings in this story, witches, vampires, to name but a few. All have an important role in the story.
This story was well researched and as some of the characters are vampires, the story spans over a long time period. Whilst I do not know anything about art, I enjoyed reading about the supernatural involvement used to create some of the most famous paintings. The scenic views of Italy and the places visited were described in fine detail and whether it is the 15th century or the modern day you feel like you are transported there. The pace would quicken with the action, making it more intense. The fight scenes were full on, but the characters would change from fighters to lovers in a few scenes, slowing the pace making it an enjoyable read.
This is a book for adults and whether you are looking for those tall dark and brooding men or just a good fantasy read to start a new series than this is the story for you
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Venus Trap (Hidden Portals Trilogy #1) in Books
Apr 13, 2019
Venus Trap (Hidden Portals Trilogy #1) by Maya Daniels
Venus Trap is the first book in the Hidden Portals series, and we start off with a storm, a death, and a mad king. Sounds good, right? Wrong! This is brilliant.
Artemis is a Fae, Raphael is a vampire. We also meet with other Fae, Humans, Witches, Vampires, and Demons are mentioned. So right there, we have different species, all with their own history and thoughts, and pitted against each other. Who is telling the truth? Who will fight with who?
We find out more about Artemis' history as the story progresses, and the reasons she has for feeling the way she does. Raphael has distanced himself from the rest of his race, partly due to his friend, Claude, otherwise known as the mad king.
With intrigue, steam, action, wit, and a strong, sassy female paired with a strong, opinionated male, this book has something for everyone. There were no editing or grammatical errors I noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed every word.
With an epic finishing line, this will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Artemis is a Fae, Raphael is a vampire. We also meet with other Fae, Humans, Witches, Vampires, and Demons are mentioned. So right there, we have different species, all with their own history and thoughts, and pitted against each other. Who is telling the truth? Who will fight with who?
We find out more about Artemis' history as the story progresses, and the reasons she has for feeling the way she does. Raphael has distanced himself from the rest of his race, partly due to his friend, Claude, otherwise known as the mad king.
With intrigue, steam, action, wit, and a strong, sassy female paired with a strong, opinionated male, this book has something for everyone. There were no editing or grammatical errors I noticed, and I thoroughly enjoyed every word.
With an epic finishing line, this will definitely leave you wanting more. Absolutely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Vegas (725 KP) rated Buffy The Vampire Slayer in TV
Oct 26, 2019
The cast (4 more)
The story
The humour
Spike
Giles
Holds up well for it's age.
Returning to watch Buffy after quite a few years, fully expecting the nostalgic feeling I had towards it to be ruined by it not aging well. I actually found it still held the same appeal and could easily have been made a couple of years ago, the humour, action and cast chemistry make it a joy to watch, even now.
The idea (for those who don't know) is one girl, being the chosen one, The Slayer who fights the forces of darkness, secretly, with the aid of a mentor "The Watcher" brilliantly played by Anthony Head. Except, Buffy is a bit different from other previous Slayers... She has a life, friends, relationship issues and so the "secret" part of the the task at hand isn't quite so secret... With help and hindrance in almost equal measure from humans, vampires, daemons, military, and witches to name but a few...
The 2 main watchers we encounter during the series are superbly played and could almost be clones of each other and Spike is still one of the best characters of all time on TV...
If you haven't seen it, it is really worth a go and if you haven't seen it for some time, spare a little time for a classic...
The idea (for those who don't know) is one girl, being the chosen one, The Slayer who fights the forces of darkness, secretly, with the aid of a mentor "The Watcher" brilliantly played by Anthony Head. Except, Buffy is a bit different from other previous Slayers... She has a life, friends, relationship issues and so the "secret" part of the the task at hand isn't quite so secret... With help and hindrance in almost equal measure from humans, vampires, daemons, military, and witches to name but a few...
The 2 main watchers we encounter during the series are superbly played and could almost be clones of each other and Spike is still one of the best characters of all time on TV...
If you haven't seen it, it is really worth a go and if you haven't seen it for some time, spare a little time for a classic...
Smolder (Underground Encounters #1)
8.0
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I never thought a gym crush could be deadly... We all lead double lives in a way. Only the most...
Paranormal Romance
Merissa (12051 KP) rated In Due Time (Time #2) in Books
Jun 19, 2023
IN DUE TIME is the second book in the Times series and we continue with Tatum as she tries to sort out the world and its problems! You probably could read this as a standalone but I think it is definitely worth reading book one first as it will give you smaller details that help make this story so good.
This book helps to bring further elements of the paranormal world into the story, including human shapeshifters, vampires, and witches. Leo acts like a jerk but claims ignorance (pfft, I sort of get it, but still…) Oliver also finds his true mate (which I loved) and James and Nat have rocky times (because James lost his path.) As much as Tatum sorts something out, something else comes along to cause her worry and stress. We also find out more about Tatum and her past, and her connection with Oliver's true mate, which was great! Can I just add, I loved the bit with Lexly!
A thoroughly enjoyable addition to the series and I look forward to reading Adina's story.
Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 19, 2023
This book helps to bring further elements of the paranormal world into the story, including human shapeshifters, vampires, and witches. Leo acts like a jerk but claims ignorance (pfft, I sort of get it, but still…) Oliver also finds his true mate (which I loved) and James and Nat have rocky times (because James lost his path.) As much as Tatum sorts something out, something else comes along to cause her worry and stress. We also find out more about Tatum and her past, and her connection with Oliver's true mate, which was great! Can I just add, I loved the bit with Lexly!
A thoroughly enjoyable addition to the series and I look forward to reading Adina's story.
Definitely recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Jun 19, 2023
Rachel King (13 KP) rated Hex Hall (Hex Hall, #1) in Books
Feb 11, 2019
The first thing that I found curious was that the author does not begin with when Sophie first discovers who she is, but instead begins with what incident propels her to switch to the paranormal-reject-filled boarding school, Hecate Hall - also affectionately known as "Hex Hall." The incident shows the softer side of Sophie, so it is easy to predict the choices she makes throughout the rest of the book.
Hecate Hall is similar to any other high school, just with a paranormal twist. The werewolves can still talk and walk upright, so they are not considered true shapeshifters. The fairies don't have to hide their wings, can turn into balls of light for travel, communicate through mirrors, as well as many other traditions of legend - but all seem to be pretentious snobs. The witches are divided into dark and light, and Sophie is unknowingly cast as a dark witch, though she can't guess how, which puts her in the line of fire from the other three dark witches on campus, who swing from classic "mean girls" to her best friends unpredictably. Plus, what school would be complete without the resident "hottie", whom Sophie can't help but fall for, especially since fate keeps putting the two of them together. And finally, two vampires also reside at school - though they are not considered equals - Sophie's roommate, Jenna, as well as a teacher condemned into hiding, none other than Lord Byron, the poet. While Lord Byron's role turned out to be a major disappointment, Jenna seemed to be the one with all of the secrets, even as she is repeatedly blamed for the new deaths cropping up.
Sophie is easy to like, with a fantastic sense of humor and strong moral sense. The flip-flopping emotions of the cast of characters matched the average teenager well, and made for many entertaining situations. The many surprises that saturated the plot made the book engaging, and I look forward to reading about what Sophie does with her new-found information about herself in the next book, Demonglass.
Hecate Hall is similar to any other high school, just with a paranormal twist. The werewolves can still talk and walk upright, so they are not considered true shapeshifters. The fairies don't have to hide their wings, can turn into balls of light for travel, communicate through mirrors, as well as many other traditions of legend - but all seem to be pretentious snobs. The witches are divided into dark and light, and Sophie is unknowingly cast as a dark witch, though she can't guess how, which puts her in the line of fire from the other three dark witches on campus, who swing from classic "mean girls" to her best friends unpredictably. Plus, what school would be complete without the resident "hottie", whom Sophie can't help but fall for, especially since fate keeps putting the two of them together. And finally, two vampires also reside at school - though they are not considered equals - Sophie's roommate, Jenna, as well as a teacher condemned into hiding, none other than Lord Byron, the poet. While Lord Byron's role turned out to be a major disappointment, Jenna seemed to be the one with all of the secrets, even as she is repeatedly blamed for the new deaths cropping up.
Sophie is easy to like, with a fantastic sense of humor and strong moral sense. The flip-flopping emotions of the cast of characters matched the average teenager well, and made for many entertaining situations. The many surprises that saturated the plot made the book engaging, and I look forward to reading about what Sophie does with her new-found information about herself in the next book, Demonglass.
Merissa (12051 KP) rated The Silver Ones (The Silver Series, #1) in Books
Sep 20, 2022
A very different shifter story that stands out from the crowd.
THE SILVER ONES is the first book in The Silver Series and we learn about a world inhabited by shifters, hunters, vampires, witches, and the 'normal' folk. Except something has happened recently that means some of the normals have turned into Silvers. They have silver hair and their eyes changed colour. This marks them out from the crowd but no one knows why.
In Rem's village, the witches control everything. No one is taught how to read and write in case it gives them too many ideas. She is one of the newly changed Silvers and doesn't know what to do. The plans that were made were too late as Rem and her brother, Oliver, were kidnapped by shifters, and Rem was cursed by an Elder Witch. How will she protect her brother and break this curse?
I loved this story! It's a long one so I was able to fully immerse myself in it. I loved how the different factions were described, especially the shifters. I love that Finnish is their native language and the difficulties Rem has trying to learn it. As someone learning German, it was brilliant to read that she translated everything in her head first, instead of just being able to speak fluently within a couple of days!
Hold onto your hats though because it is Intrigue Central. There are so many twists and turns to hold your interest. Some are obvious, some are not; all are fantastic.
It is a slow burn for the majority of the story, with a steamy scene near the end. The connection between Ronan and Rem leaps off the pages though and I can't wait to see where their story takes them next.
A very different shifter story that stands out from the crowd. Highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
In Rem's village, the witches control everything. No one is taught how to read and write in case it gives them too many ideas. She is one of the newly changed Silvers and doesn't know what to do. The plans that were made were too late as Rem and her brother, Oliver, were kidnapped by shifters, and Rem was cursed by an Elder Witch. How will she protect her brother and break this curse?
I loved this story! It's a long one so I was able to fully immerse myself in it. I loved how the different factions were described, especially the shifters. I love that Finnish is their native language and the difficulties Rem has trying to learn it. As someone learning German, it was brilliant to read that she translated everything in her head first, instead of just being able to speak fluently within a couple of days!
Hold onto your hats though because it is Intrigue Central. There are so many twists and turns to hold your interest. Some are obvious, some are not; all are fantastic.
It is a slow burn for the majority of the story, with a steamy scene near the end. The connection between Ronan and Rem leaps off the pages though and I can't wait to see where their story takes them next.
A very different shifter story that stands out from the crowd. Highly recommended by me.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
graveyardgremlin (7194 KP) rated Red Hot Fury (Shades of Fury, #1) in Books
Feb 15, 2019
For about the first forty pages, RED HOT FURY has a rocky start, but after it gets over that hump it's a worthwhile read. The Furies are an interesting breed that brings a welcome change from all the vampires, weres, witches, et al. to the urban fantasy genre, and the author adds her own spin to the species. Marissa, or rather Riss, is a tough, sarcastic, sure-of-herself character that won't appeal to everyone, but if you like them more on the gritty side then she might be the heroine for you. The world is interesting and there are good ideas, which includes Greek, Egyptian, and European mythology, but unfortunately the execution could have been better. Sometimes I was confused by explanations of the world, organizations, magic, etc., all of which, at times, were vague and periodically the dialogue fell flat. Adding to that, there was an unnecessary number of action scenes and a few too many characters to keep completely straight. However, there were some nice twists and turns, and although I saw the big reveal coming a mile away, I enjoyed the book and will look for the second in the series. Hopefully, all the kinks will be ironed out for that one. It's not quite a 4-star book, but a little better than a 3, so I'll settle for 3.5 stars.
Provided to me free for review through Amazon Vine.
Provided to me free for review through Amazon Vine.
Merissa (12051 KP) rated Hunters' Watch Brigade: Initiation in Books
Jun 8, 2018
Hunters' Watch Brigade: Initiation by Paula Millhouse
Hunters' Watch Brigade: Initiation is the first book in the Hunters' Watch Brigade series, that deals with witches, vampires, demi-gods, shifters, and all other paranormal personnel.
Sam is a sassy, sometimes cheeky, female who is confident in herself and her abilities. Her father is Poseidon, and she has an easy relationship with him, even though she doesn't understand why he didn't stick around when she was a child. Max is her Maine Coon familiar (yes, she's also part witch). Max is more to her than that though, but he is resisting with every fibre of his being. He knows he can shift and become a guardian, but is worried about being taken away from Sam if he does so.
I loved these two, both separately and together. Things go full on between them once Max does shift, but then it wouldn't seem right any other way, considering all the time they have spent together.
There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing of this book, with smooth transitions from one scene to the next. It does end on a sort-of cliffhanger, so fair warning. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Sam is a sassy, sometimes cheeky, female who is confident in herself and her abilities. Her father is Poseidon, and she has an easy relationship with him, even though she doesn't understand why he didn't stick around when she was a child. Max is her Maine Coon familiar (yes, she's also part witch). Max is more to her than that though, but he is resisting with every fibre of his being. He knows he can shift and become a guardian, but is worried about being taken away from Sam if he does so.
I loved these two, both separately and together. Things go full on between them once Max does shift, but then it wouldn't seem right any other way, considering all the time they have spent together.
There were no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading flow, and I thoroughly enjoyed the pacing of this book, with smooth transitions from one scene to the next. It does end on a sort-of cliffhanger, so fair warning. Definitely recommended by me.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and my comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Pandora (New Tales of the Vampires, #1)
8.0
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Anne Rice, creator of the Vampire Lestat, the Mayfair witches and the amazing worlds they inhabit,...