Tag: supernatural

Book Review: 5 Charming Things about COVET by Melissa Darnell

Book Reviews, Books, Bookworms, Readers, reading, Reviews

“Covet”

The Clann #2

by Melissa Darnell

Nikki’s Rating: 5 out of 10

Summary: Being watched by both the Clann and vampire council, Savannah knows that she cannot be with Tristan. To do so would start a war again between the two powerful forces. But as they fight against their love for each other, bodies start turning up and the Clann is screaming for blood. As Tristan tries to maintain order amongst the Clann and save Savannah, he pays the ultimate price for his love.

5 Charming Things about COVET by Melissa Darnell

(May Contain Spoilers)

1. Supernatural

The Clann series is filled with the supernatural. Vampires, witches, and “Covet” introduces shapeshifters. The best is that Savannah, being born from a witch and a vampire, has all the perks of being a vampire while also being able to use magic.

2. Best Friends

Anne is Savannah’s best friend and she takes this role very seriously. Not only does she accept Savannah’s tales of the supernaturals as truth, Anne doesn’t think any different of Savannah when she reveals that she is a vampire-witch hybrid. And although she is just human, Anne rushes into the battle between the supernaturals to protect her friends.

3. Tristan

In “Covet,” Tristan Coleman continues to show what an amazing fictional boyfriend he is, he is willing to give up everything for Savannah. Regardless of Clann and vampire council rules, he wants to follow his heart and be with Savannah. He goes so far as begging Savannah’s father to turn him into a vampire, knowing that it would be the end of his current life. He even takes over the Clann, something he never, ever wanted to do, in order to protect Savannah.

4. Vampire

Faced with losing him forever or turning him into a vampire, Savannah thankfully chooses the latter. While not the life she would have wanted for him, this does fix a lot of their problems. Now Tristan is no longer part of the Clann, there is no way for the Clann or vampire council to oppose Tristan and Savannah from being together as they are both vampires. The other success is that now Tristan is immortal and Savannah will not have to face watching Tristan grow old and die, facing eternity alone without him.

5. Consume

With Tristan now a full fledged young vampire with strong magic capabilities, The Clann series continues in Book 3, “Consume.”

As always, thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you so feel free to contact me or comment below. If you would like to support this blog and/or my paintings please become my patron.

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Book Review: 5 Creative Things about CRAVE by Melissa Darnell

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“Crave”

The Clann #1

by Melissa Darnell

Nikki’s Rating: 5 out of 10

Summary: Ostracized by the Clann, Savannah Colbert is just trying to survive high school without drawing the ire of her old friends. But her biggest secret is that she is still in love with her childhood sweetheart Tristan, the future leader of the Clann. As Tristan and Savanna spend more and more time together, they have a harder time denying their feelings. But if they give in to their forbidden love, they risk an all out deadly war between the Clann and vampires.

5 Creative Things about CRAVE by Melissa Darnell

(May Contain Spoilers)

1. Supernatural

As a lover of the supernatural, “Crave” was a fun read simply because it featured vampires and witches. It is always interesting to see what myths and legends the author will draw upon for their supernatural world. In The Clann series, vampires are immortal, have increased senses and physical capabilities, can’t eat food, must drink blood, but due to evolution can go out in daylight. They are also descendants of Lilith. I also appreciated that there was a little role reversal as the male protagonist Tristan was the witch and the female protagonist Savannah was the vampire.

2. Tristan

Tristan Coleman is an absolutely wonderful fictional boyfriend! Not only is he charming, thoughtful, and kind to Savannah when they are dating but he was also protective of her before that too. Doesn’t hurt that he is also a hot football player who knows how to do magic.

3. Romeo & Juliet

The Clann is ultimately a retelling of the timeless classic Romeo and Juliet with supernatural beings and taking place in the modern world. Being a hopeless romantic, I loved the premise and I’m really hoping for a happily ever after for Tristan and Savannah.

4. Playlist

Melissa Darnell includes a music playlist in the back of the book featuring songs that go along with each chapter. It’s a fun little bonus to help set the tone and capture the emotions of the characters. Darnell also shows that she has good taste in music, many of the songs were already in my Itunes library.

5. Covet

As things really aren’t going their way, Savannah and Tristan’s story continues on in “Covet,” book 2 of The Clann.

As always, thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you so feel free to contact me or comment below. If you would like to support this blog and/or my paintings please become my patron.

Be Authentic. Be Unique. Be You.

Book Review: 7 Horrors of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson

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The Haunting of Hill House

by Shirley Jackson

Nikki’s Rating: 7 out of 10

Summary: Four strangers come together to spend a summer at Hill House. Hoping to observe paranormal occurrences, they may have gotten more than they bargained for. Rooms covered in blood, personal messages written on the walls, the house appears to have a mind of its own.

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7 Horrors of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson

(May Contain Spoilers)

1. Quick Read

All in all, The Haunting of Hill House is a quick read and I’m extremely grateful for this as I do not think my anxiety could deal with a full-length horror novel.

2. Horror

The Haunting of Hill House is an effective horror story and is really quite disturbing to read; makes the reader think and question if they have ever experienced a house that might have been sentient.

3. Description

Nothing can drag a story and bore the reader than too much description. However, Jackson uses description effectively. While description could be heavy throughout The Haunting of Hill House it did not appear to be drawn out past what was necessary for the reader to know and understand.

4. Characters

There are a few rather vile and hated characters in The Haunting of Hill House and Jackson writes them well! Character development is no easy feat in a short story as there is less interaction with the characters overall but Jackson does an amazing job with her unfavorable characters. Just thinking about Dudley makes me cringe.

5. Build Up

One of the reasons The Haunting of Hill House is an effective horror story is because Jackson is a masterful writer in that she builds the intensity. At first Hill House is strange, then there is some unease that eventually grows into feeling like there is an actual sinister presence which leads to all out fear.

6. Eleanor Vance

Another extremely effective piece of The Haunting of Hill House is that readers are left questioning whether Eleanor’s demise was because of an evil presence that is Hill House or her own psychological break.

7. The Beginning is the End

The book begins and ends in exactly the same way and it is quite unsettling:

“Hill House itself, not sane, stood against its hills, holding darkness within; it had stood so for eighty years and might stand for eighty more. Within, its walls continued upright, bricks met nearly, floors were firm, and doors were sensibly shut; silence lay steadily against the wood and stone of Hill House, and whatever walked there, walked alone.”

(p.3 & 235)

As always, thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you so feel free to contact me or comment below. If you would like to support this blog and/or my paintings please become my patron.

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Book Review: 7 Liked Things about MIDNIGHT’S LOVER by Donna Grant

Book Reviews, Books, Bookworms, Readers, reading, Reviews, Romance

“Midnight’s Lover”

Dark World #8; Dark Warriors #2

by Donna Grant

Nikki’s Rating: 7 out of 10

Summary: Thrown four centuries into the future, Ian is in bad shape. Torn apart by the death of his twin brother, Ian is now in a desperate battle against the demon god he and his brother shared. Worst of all, if he cannot control his god, he may end up hurting and possibly killing Danielle, the beautiful druid that has captured his heart.

7 Liked Things about MIDNIGHT’S LOVER by Donna Grant

(May Contain Spoilers)

1. Twins

While it was absolutely tragic that Duncan died, I think Grant really captured the beauty of the special connection many twins can share with each other. Made total sense that they equally shared one god and could feel each other’s pain.

2. The Villains

Ugh, Deirdre and Declan. These two are just so vile, greedy, and delusional. They truly deserve each other and I’m hoping that one of them will take out the other in their grab for power.

3. Malcolm

Malcolm continues to struggle with his orders from Deirdre and I’m hoping that it will be enough for him to walk away from her soon and join up with the MacLeods et al. Always intriguing to have those characters that are more fluid in their morals and alliances because you are never really sure what they are going to do in the end.

4. Sizzling

A true romance, “Midnight’s Lover” features sizzling erotic scenes between Ian and Danielle.

5. Pacing

As always, Grant gives a good story with some twists and turns. As a whole, she writes well with likeable characters, enjoyable banter, a vivid imagination, and great pacing, keeping the story going and readers interested.

6. Happy Ending

Overall the ending was pretty positive and I’m grateful for that as things could have gone totally south. Ian and Dani survived and stay together, the infiltrator was discovered and destroyed, but most importantly, Duncan has moved on and found peace.

7. Dark Heat

The Dark World series continues in Donna Grant’s “Dark Heat,” a collection of short stories that begins her Dark Kings series.

As always, thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you so feel free to contact me or comment below. If you would like to support this blog and/or my paintings please become my patron.

Be Authentic. Be Unique. Be You.

Book Review: 4 Heroic Things about HEARTS OF CHAOS by Kira Brady

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“Hearts of Chaos”

Deadglass #3

by Kira Brady

Nikki’s Rating: 4 out of 10

Summary:  While Emory rules with an iron-fist and expects a dutiful, compliant, dainty wife, his betrothed Lucia is defiant, outspoken, and challenges Emory at every turn. Destined to save their world and the Kivati, a race of shapeshifters, Emory and Lucia must find a way to each other’s hearts and destroy the ancient goddess Tiamet before its too late.

4 Heroic Things about HEARTS OF SHADOW by Kira Brady

(May Contain Spoilers)

1. Babylonian Myths

The Deadglass series features a lot of lore from the religion of ancient Babylon and in “Hearts of Chaos” we finally get to see the Babylonian Goddess of Primordial Chaos, Tiamet. She has an interesting backstory and learning about unfamiliar lore, myths, and religion of other cultures is always fascinating.

2. Adventures

“Hearts of Chaos” follows Lucia and Emory through the Land of the Dead. Like a tale of old, they must complete tasks set by the gods to test different strengths. It was most intriguing to find out what the trials were and see how the characters overcame them.

3. Lucia and Emory

The best part of “Hearts of Chaos” was watching Lucia and Emory find respect, friendship, and then eventually love with one another. While some of their traits were drastically different, they were able to find common ground in their values, and realize that they really weren’t that different.

4. Happy Ending

“Heart of Chaos” concludes Kira Brady’s Deadglass series and thankfully while the world at large experienced drastic changes and all were affected by loss throughout the novels, there is a happy ending and hope for the future.

As always, thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you so feel free to contact me or comment below. If you would like to support this blog and/or my paintings please become my patron.

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Book Review: 5 Hardy Things about HEARTS OF DARKNESS by Kira Brady

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“Hearts of Darkness”

Deadglass #1

by Kira Brady

Nikki’s Rating: 5 out of 10

Summary:  Wanting nothing more than his freedom from bondage, werewolf and mercenary Hart prepares for his last mission, capturing Kayla Friday. As Kayla searches for answers about her sister’s death, she finds herself drawn to Hart even after he warns her to stay away. Having never failed a mission before, Hart struggles to handover the beautiful, smart, and tenacious nurse Kayla to his boss but if he doesn’t, he will be bound to servitude even in death.

5 Hardy Things about HEARTS OF DARKNESS by Kira Brady

(May Contain Spoilers)

1. Supernatural

Werewolves, wraiths, shapeshifters, oh my! As a fan of the supernatural, it was enjoyable to have a book with so many supernatural beings but best of all, “Hearts of Darkness” features a clan of dragon shifters. Have I mentioned that I love dragons?! If I was a shifter, I would totally be a dragon shifter.

2. The Bad Guys

While the dragon shifters were the central bad guys of the “Hearts of Darkness”, I appreciated that Kira Brady didn’t write them as all bad. The dragon shifters are power-hungry, greedy, and manipulative but also amusing, intriguing, and complex, as you would expect real dragons to be. Antagonists that have redeemable qualities are much more interesting and captivating.

3. Lore

Kira Brady’s Deadglass universe is unique. While featuring supernatural elements is not uncommon, Brady provided her own twists on things such as the dragon shifter clan being influenced by Viking culture and the Kivati shapeshifters being more influenced by Native American culture. And then you also have the background of these 2 races being in a war that is hidden from the humans and the ominous Gate.

4. Steamy

Things get hot and heavy between Kayla and Hart in “Hearts of Darkness.”

5. Hearts of Shadow

Thankfully Kira Brady’s Deadglass series continues in “Hearts of Shadow” because we all need to know what happens now that the Gate has been ripped open!

As always, thank you for reading. I would love to hear from you so feel free to contact me or comment below. If you would like to support this blog and/or my paintings please become my patron.

Be Authentic. Be Unique. Be You.