Review: Fate's Design by Lola James

“A summer vacation in Italy with her twin sister, Morgan, is just what Megan Romano needs. But instead of fun, wine, and relaxation, she finds unexpected romance. Alexandros DiPiero, a sexy and mysterious Italian businessman, falls for Megan the minute he lays eyes on her, but Megan knows it’s too good to be true.

Increasingly haunting dreams that warn of danger and destiny plague Megan’s every sleeping moment. As her nightmares become deadly and her love life heats up, Megan will come face to face with her worst fear.”

Fate’s Design is the second book by Lola James I’ve read. Some of the things that I adored about the book was the idea of twins. The connection Megan and Morgan have is one that you always want with your siblings but in a lot of cases don’t know how to achieve. The setting was refreshing as Lola does a great job of bringing you into the language and scenery of Italy and the Italian speaking hunk Alex is definitely swoon-worthy.

A small pet peeve I had that I feel the need to share was how much Alex said called Megan “love”. The word is said a total 290 times, which was just too much love for me!

While I enjoyed the story, it took me half way through the book to really find myself caring deeply for these characters. I didn’t feel like things were as connected as they could have been and the story didn’t captivate me the way I longed for it to. Some situations felt rushed, while some got too much attention and others not enough. Things do tie together eventually though, with an ending I was pleased to see.

My rating for this book:

One of the things we pride ourselves in here at The Ink Puddle is giving honest reviews. And I know I’ve gotten much critism for doing that in the past but if we’re not honest, what good is our blog for anyway? So as much as this book didn’t personally win me over, there isn’t a doubt in my mind I’ll be picking up Lola’s next novel. 

Stay tuned, tomorrow I'll be posting our interview! :)

 

Review: Angel Fire by L.A. Weatherly

In the wake of the Second Wave, the angel menace has exploded, and Alex and Willow are on the lam. Willow's prophetic dream points them to Mexico City, where they connect with a fledgling group of angel killers led by the exotically beautiful Kara, an Angel Killer from Alex's past. But the team remains suspicious of Willow, even after the more-experienced Alex takes over as leader, training them hard for a rush attack on the Seraphic Council, or "The Twelve." This elite group of all-powerful angels is also under the scrutiny of Willow's angel-father, Raziel, who has his own sinister plan to defeat them.

What Willow hasn't told Alex is that there was also a mysterious boy in her dream, one she felt overpoweringly attracted to. When brooding, gorgeous Seb shows up in the flesh, he turns out to be another - possibly the world's only other - half angel. He's been searching for Willow all his life, and when Alex enlists this rival to help keep Willow safe, he can't predict what chemistry will pass between them . . . or how far Willow might go to keep Alex safe. Will their love endure or spell doomsday for the human race?

Willow and Alex survived the second wave.  But with Willow face being plastered on every Church of Angels website she’s easy to spot.  So it time for a change.  With her new short red hair, she and Alex are headed for Mexico in hopes to build a new Angel Killers team to strike again.  But when Willow has a strange dream that practically pulls her to Mexico City not only because of a strange boy that she feels drawn to although she’s never met but because something big is going to happen that she’ll need to be there for things begin to take a strange turn.  Once they get there things between her and Alex aren’t right and on top of that her Angel seems to have gained a mind of her own.  Willow is afraid that her angel is just as bad as the ones she is trying to fight.  Angel Fire is the exciting sequel to L.A. Weatherly’s Angel Burn.

I Rate This Book A:

I was excited to find that there was a sequel already out after I read the first one and it defiantly delivered.   One of the main things I liked about this one that was different from the first is that there are a handful of new character’s introduced into this one.  This really changes the dynamics between Willow and Alex because in the first book it was always just the two of them.

Two of the characters that I really liked were Seb and Sam.  *Spoiler*  I like Seb because he, like Willow is half angel but he’s known his whole life so therefore he really helps her come into her own.  Sam is a true Texan through and through and frankly if he was a real person he’d probably bug me but there something that is very FNL Tim Riggins about him that I love.

You also get a better sense of the angels dynamics.  There’s a ruling that you didn’t get in the first book because it was just a selective first wave group that was sent the earth as a test run.  But now that it was successful more important people are coming and it really messes with Raziel’s plans.

L.A. Weatherly is the author of several books including Child X and the Angel Trilogy which you will have to stay tuned for the final installment, which I believe may be due to be out sometime in January 2013.

Review: ReVamped by Ada Adams

“A simple mission turned deadly. Nineteen-year-old vampire Dawn has led a sheltered life within the confines of her father’s presidential headquarters. Upon being sent on a mission to revamp four goofy misfits into guardians of a peaceful little town of Angel Creek, Dawn believes that all her dreams have finally come true. What starts off as a simple task, turns into something unexpected, changing Dawn’s life forever and leading the action-loving, thrill-seeking vampire teen on a path of mystery, danger and intrigue. When a human girl is kidnapped by a group of rogue vamps, Dawn discovers that there is more going on in Angel Creek than meets the eye. And it all connects to Ethan, the cute newcomer who seems too perfect to be true, Sebastian, the mysterious vampire with a turbulent past, and even Dawn herself. Dawn must not only succeed in revamping the troubled recruits, but must also prevent the vampire race from being overtaken by a malevolent villain who has a strange and obsessive fascination with her. As threat escalates, romance blooms, and ghosts from her past begin to surface, Dawn is sure of only one thing: her life will never be the same.” 

After years of training within the walls of the presidential headquarters where she lives with her father, Dawn is practically itching to see what the outside world is like. So, when her father sends her on a simple mission to prepare four young vampires to become guardians of the small town of Angel Creek, Dawn jumps at the chance to prove her worth. However, she soon learns that while Angel Creek seems peaceful, there are some strange things going on under the surface – things that she’s not even fully aware of yet – and she may have bitten off more than she can handle. ReVamped provides readers with a refreshing change to the vampire genre and keeps them guessing until the very end.

I rate this book: 

I really enjoyed the fact that this book is clearly different from many of the other vampire novels out there. For example, in most vampire books today vampires are created solely through biting a human being or some variation on that particular theme. In ReVamped, however, vampires can either be Made, in the traditional fashion, or Born. Born vampires are rare and have certain attributes that make them more unique than Made vampires. This interesting distinction definitely adds to the book’s intrigue. If you’re looking for a vampire novel that differs from most books in the genre, then you should definitely pick up ReVamped. It’s well worth the read, I assure you.

At age five, Ada read her first chapter book - Pippi Longstocking. Ever since that moment, she developed an intense passion for the stories and characters found within the pages of literature. In her career as an actress and a writer, Ada currently spends most of her days immersed in imaginary worlds. Much like the characters she enjoys playing and writing about, Ada is a martial artist with a Black Belt in Shotokan Karate. She is also a big proponent of lifelong learning, and has attained a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology (it aids in creating characters with unique quirks!) as well as a Master's of Science in Education. Ada strives to bring a fresh voice and perspective to fiction. She has been writing creatively for many years, and is an editor of a global fashion/literary magazine called VEUX. ReVamped is her debut novel. She lives in Toronto, Canada, and enjoys adventurous nature hikes with her adorable puppies Cara and Oreo.

Happy Birthday to Sarah Ross!

Since her birthday is today, she has placed her book for FREE on Amazon! (Isn't this more like... Happy Birthday to us?)

So click the picture above for a direct link to Amazon's site to grab this book. You don't want to miss out on this!

To see our review, click here. To see our guest post with Sarah, click here.

Stay tuned tomorrow for our review on Lola James' book Fate's Design along with an interview! So what are you waiting for? Sounds to me like you have some reading to do!

Review: Living Dead in Dallas by Charlaine Harris

“When a vampire asks cocktail waitress Sookie Stackhouse to use her telepathic skills to find another missing vampire, she agrees under one condition: the vampires must promise to behave and let the humans that are involved to go unharmed. Easier said than done. All it takes is one delicious blond and one small mistake for things to turn deadly.”

Just when Sookie Stackhouse thinks she has enough problems in her life – her strange ability to read the minds of others around her, her new vampire boyfriend, and the odd way that she seems to attract attention from other vampires in the area, just to name a few – she somehow finds her way into a mess that is sure to make her life just a little bit more complicated. In this case, Sookie has agreed to help a powerful vampire in Shreveport, Louisiana find another vampire who has gone missing, by using her telepathic abilities. What follows is a fast-paced story of intrigue, action, and plot twists at almost every turn. Living Dead in Dallas is the second book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries series by Charlaine Harris. And it is one that will definitely leave you wanting more.

I rate this book: 

What I really liked about this book is how we were able to see Sookie stand her ground, even when she seems to be in way over her head in the task that she takes on. Most human characters that you read about in vampire novels are quiet, submissive, and generally don’t question what it is they’re asked to do by the vampires in the story. They always act as if they fear the vampires involved. Not Sookie. While she may fear them on the inside, her outward appearance shows her as a stubborn, determined young woman who isn’t going to back down from what it is she wants. Charlaine Harris has done a fantastic job of developing her character into someone that isn’t always seen in books similar to this one. If you’re looking for an interesting and quick read, then you should definitely check out this series. If you’ve already read the first book, Dead Until Dark, then you absolutely must pick up Living Dead in Dallas. You won’t be sorry that you did.

Charlaine Harris grew up in the Mississippi Delta and was raised by two avid readers. So, naturally, she was too, which lead her from writing plays and poems to her first two hit series that came out in the 80’s. Her most successful series was the Sookie Stackhouse/Southern Vampire Mysteries, which debuted in 2001 and has been adapted into the hit HBO series, True Blood. To find out more about Charlaine Harris visit http://www.charlaineharris.com/.

Review: Angel Burn By L.A. Weatherly

Willow knows she’s different from other girls, and not just because she loves tinkering with cars. Willow has a gift. She can look into the future and know people’s dreams and hopes, their sorrows and regrets, just by touching them. She has no idea where this power comes from. But the assassin, Alex, does. Gorgeous, mysterious Alex knows more about Willow than Willow herself. He knows that her powers link to dark and dangerous forces, and that he’s one of the few humans left who can fight them. When Alex finds himself falling in love with his sworn enemy, he discovers that nothing is as it seems, least of all good and evil. In the first book in an action-packed, romantic trilogy, L..A. Weatherly sends readers on a thrill-ride of a road trip - and depicts the human race at the brink of a future as catastrophic as it is deceptively beautiful.

They’re out for your soul . . . and they don’t have heaven in mind.

Willow Fields is the weird girl at school.  Aside from Nina, she has now friends.  She and her mother live with her aunt because her mom is mentally broken.  To add to her freak factor she is this gorgeous tiny girl that likes vintage clothes and works on cars.  Oh, and for money she gives people psychic readings because she is just that, psychic.  But the day she gives Beth Hartley a reading her life changes forever.  Beth has seen an angel.  And although this angel makes her the most happy she has ever been he is slowly killing her.  When Willow tries to warn Beth her world is turned upside down.

Alex is the AK sent to rid the world of Willow Fields but when he sees that she is in fact not an angel but something else entirely he is intrigued and for the first time chooses not to kill something angelic and instead watch out for her.   Angel Burn is an exciting fantasy novel with a brand new take on angels (not naked babies with wings).

My rating for this book:

I loved this book.  I was so refreshing to read about something other than vampires and dystopian, which don’t get me wrong, I love, but I was in dire need of a break.  The take on angels in this book is also different than any I have ever heard.  Instead of angels being good and holy they are predators and parasites ultimately damaging earth for their own means.  They also aren’t immortal, they can be killed.

I liked that although Willow is a teenager, the books isn’t based in high school.  I’m at that between age where there really isn’t any books for my particular age group (you have YA and then adult fiction) so it skips a whole decade of ages almost.  But because this book wasn’t set in high school it felt like it could be read by a wider variety of readers.  It was more about the action and fighting and new found relationships than going from class to class with that stuff in between.

I also really like the characters in this book.  I truly enjoy when an author can come up with a unique and interesting story for each of the characters.  I loved that Willow could fix anything with an engine and hot wire a car and Alex, who can kill anything with anything and is mister manly, can’t. 

Lastly I enjoyed the different point of views in this story.  You not only get to see Willow’s and Alex’s pov but you also get to see into the minds of Raziel (Angel) and his assistant who is human.  So ultimately you are getting the full story from someone who has known and vault angels his whole life, someone that is basically a whole new species, an angel, and an angel obsessed.


L.A. Weatherly is the author of several books including Child X. She was born in Little Rock, Arkansas and now lives in England.

Review: Vaempire: White Christmas by Thomas Winship

Hello everyone!
Today we are showcasing Thomas Winship. The Bewitching Book Tour is actually for Vaempires: Revolution, but we reviewed that one last last Friday (click here to see that review) to prepare you guys for this one! And be sure to comment because we are giving away a copy of Vaempires: Revolution today!!

It’s almost Christmas. With the global holiday days away, the people of the world should be turning their attention toward celebrating peace and goodwill, but tension between humans, vampires, and væmpires is at an all-time high. Desperate for solutions, King Brant schedules a secret summit deep in North America’s Northern Forest. Along with Queen Anne, Princess Cassandra, Daniel’s family, and the human president and First Lady, the vampire leader seeks to reaffirm the ties between humans and vampires, while brainstorming ways to respond to the growing hostility among væmpires.

Meanwhile, Daniel and Cassie’s relationship is at an all-time low. The princess is still reeling from her breakup with Vielyn, and Daniel doesn’t know what he should or shouldn’t do to help. Little does he know that the summit will be flooded with surprises—guests, allegations, accusations, proposals, and even Christmas Eve revelations—but not all of the surprises will be pleasant.

Vaempire: White Christmas is the prequel to Vaempire Revolution.  It takes place the Christmas before the revolution and Daniel and Cassandra have traveled to Washington, the capital from North America that the humans ran for a top secret meeting.  Daniel only wants one thing more than to finally see a white Christmas and that is to be with Cassie.  But Cassie has been heartbroken ever since she and Vielyn had to break things off because he had become a vaempire.  And now he and Cassie were her in Washington together, the only young people, and now might be his chance to really reconnect with her.  But when a group of vaempires show up in Washington demanding to join things begin to tense up  What are the blood thirsty vaempires doing there and how did they even find out about this super secret meeting?  Vaempies White Christmas is one prequel you don’t want to miss out on.

My rating for this book:

I really like that there was a prequel to the first book because gave more insight into what had been happening that had led up to the revolution.  In the first book it was just bam here’s a war and you kind of  get an idea why but with this one it shows you what was happening before hand.

I also like that we got to see more of Daniel and Cassie even if they weren’t together in this one.  In the first book you saw their love for each other but you didn’t really get to see them together as a couple, you saw them as separate individuals.

Lastly, I liked that it was based around Christmas time.  I have yet to come across another fantasy/sci-fi book that was based around Christmas.  I may read it again in December in light of the holiday spirit regardless of how spirit-y it is.

Thomas Winship is the author of the Vaempire series.  He lives in New York.   He went to college at St. Aquinas where he received a MBA.