Book: Collision Course
Author: S.C. Stephens
Publisher: S.C. Stephens

Date Published: April 25th, 2012
ISBN: B007SV6UQ2
Author's Website: www.goodreads.com/SCStephens

4 out of 5 Stars
Blurb: Lucas had it all – popularity, a devoted girlfriend, a brotherly best friend, and a loving mother who would do anything for him. His life was right on course to be a successful and fulfilling one, until the crash changed everything. It happened late one night during a sudden downpour. That evening, three young lives were lost and one life was left irrevocably altered. As the lone survivor, Lucas finds himself surrounded by swirling gossip of reckless drunkenness from the small town he used to warmly call home. Amid his own guilt and self-hatred, Lucas struggles to find hope, find peace, and maybe, even find love again.
   Wow! S.C. Stephens has done it again! She writes a story that isn't only entertaining, she pulls you right into the world that she has created! I feel every emotion that the character feels. Each character feels real to me. It's just amazing! I think she is probably  one of the best authors out there. This story was a little depressing (of course what would you expect when 3 of Lucas's best friends have been killed in a car accident) Don't get me wrong it wasn't all depressing. It's just very hard to describe! But  Altogether a MUST read! :)

4 out of 5 Stars 
Feature & Follow is a weekly meme hosted by Parajunkee's View & Alison Can Read

This week we are featuring another blog or blogger, since I'm new at this (just started May 1st) I'm just
going to list one of my favorite blogs. Reading and Writing Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance



Book: Unraveling the Past (The Truth About the Sullivans #1)
Author: Beth Andrews
Publisher: Harlequin SuperRomance
Date Published: June 1st, 2012
ISBN: 0373717822
Author's Website: www.bethandrews.net
***Review Copy provided by NetGalley & Harlequin***
4 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: How do you work for a guy who took the job you wanted? Every time Captain Layne Sullivan runs into Chief Ross Taylor, she struggles with that issue. It doesn't help that he's a by-the-book cop who expects everything done his way. It also doesn't help that he's hot. Ignoring that little fact is impossible-she's tried!

Then Layne's world is turned upside down when human remains are discovered...and the case has a personal connection. Suddenly she's glad Ross is so thorough, because he'll get to the truth. And his search brings them closer, fueling the attraction that's out of control. As secrets and lies from the past surface, Layne's biggest challenge is fighting for a future-with Ross in it.

   I really enjoyed reading this book! This is the first book in a three book series and each book is going to feature one of the three Sullivan sisters and the truth of their mother's disappearance. This is Layne's story, well Layne & Ross because this is a romance after all.
   Let me just say that I just loved Layne's character! Being the oldest of the three Sullivan sisters, she has always taken it upon herself to take care of her sisters, whether they wanted her to or not. She is fiercely loyal and independent, and always tries to do what she thinks is best.
   Ross is Layne's superior and the outsider who took the job she was next in line for. Ross moved from Boston to small town Mystic Point to try to raise his rebellious 16 year old niece. Poor Ross has his work cut out for him with a niece who resents him, a town that doesn't take to outsiders well, and a police department that doesn't really respect him.
   Layne and Ross butt heads so much through the beginning of the story, it was funny to see how their mutual attraction made them act a little crazy. I really liked that the characters weren't perfect and each had their own background drama that influenced their behavior, it really made the story believable. Their chemistry together was great and I really enjoyed watching (reading) how it all played out!
   The plot was interesting and there was a lot of drama, which I loved! Although there were some unresolved story-lines, I'm sure the next two books will clear them up. I read it in one day, and now I'm sad because I'm going to have to wait for the next two to come out! Overall, great book!


On Her Side (The Truth About the Sullivans #2) is supposed to come out August 2012

4 out of 5 Stars
Book: Christmas Moon (Vampire for Hire #4.5)
Author: J.R. Rain
Publisher: BenBella Books
Date Published: December 2nd, 2011
ASIN: B006HHDYPS
Author's Website: http://www.jrrain.com
***Review Copy provided by NetGalley***
4 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Seven years ago, federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.

Now with Christmas just around the corner, Samantha Moon finds herself taking on a very strange case. A mysterious family treasure has been stolen, something priceless that's been passed down through the generations, something buried in secrets. Samantha's reward is simple: she gets half of whatever it is...if she can find it first.

And just as the holidays threaten to consume her, Samantha is approached by a very mysterious man, someone who knows all her secrets, a man who might not be a man at all. This Christmas, Samantha Moon's world is about to be rocked...

   This is just a novella, so it isn't really long, but it was really good! Although it has a main storyline that is solved in it, most of the novella just raises questions that I hope are answered in book Five. 
   There are just so many different things going on in it and most of those are leading to the next book. I just don't know what to think about it exactly, even though it was good, I just have way to may questions about what happens next lol. If you're a fan of the Samantha Moon series I seriously recommend reading it before you read the next book!


4 out of 5 Stars
Book: Moon Child (Vampire for Hire #4)
Author: J.R. Rain
Publisher: BenBella Books
Date Published: July 13th, 2011
ASIN: B005CQ80R2
Author's Website: http://www.jrrain.com
***Review Copy provided by NetGalley***
4 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.

Now in MOON CHILD, sequel to AMERICAN VAMPIRE, private investigator Samantha Moon is faced with an impossible decision—a decision that no mother should ever have to make. A decision that will change her life, and those she loves, forever.

And through it all, Sam finds herself in a lethal game of vampire vs. vampire as a powerful—and desperate—enemy will stop at nothing to claim what he most desires.

    Okay, so I enjoyed this one too! It was another interesting mystery with lots of things going on at once. I don't want to give anything away, because there were just so many things going on in this one.
    Again Sam is trying to be a good mother and balance her job as a private investigator and her job as a mother and I think she does a fairly good job. She has to try to figure out how to save her child and she only has four days in which to do it. Meanwhile, she has her relationship with Kinsley and Fang to figure out and I still don't know for sure where either one is heading lol. Hopefully the next book will give us a little bit more to go on regarding her relationships.
   Sam grows stronger in her vampiric abilities in each and every book and this one is no different. I've also enjoyed seeing her grow as a person and her character feels real in every one.
   The story was entertaining and enjoyable, but it felt a little short to me. It was still really good, but I wish there was a little more to it. Overall though it was a really good read.


4 out of 5 Stars
Book: American Vampire (Vampire for Hire #3)
Author: J.R. Rain
Publisher: BenBella Books
Date Published: March 29th, 2011
ASIN: B004UHLW1K
Author's Website: http://jrrain.com
***Review Copy provided by NetGalley***
4 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.

Now in AMERICAN VAMPIRE, sequel to VAMPIRE MOON, private investigator Samantha Moon receives a heartbreaking phone call from a very unlikely source: a five-year-old girl who's been missing for three months. Now on the hunt, Samantha will use her considerable resources - including her growing supernatural abilities - to locate the missing girl before it's too late. And as she gets closer and closer to the horrible truth, she receives devastating news on the home front. Now with her world turned upside down, Samantha Moon is forced to make the ultimate choice of life and death.

And through it all, she discovers the identity of one mysterious man...a man she has grown to love.

   The third book in the American Vampire Series was really good! I've really enjoyed seeing Samantha change and grow throughout this series. Her supernatural abilities have grown so much since the first book and it's been very interesting to see where it's leading her.
   In this book we finally get to see who Fang is, although I'm still not sure what to think of him. I don't know where things are going to go with the two of them. Her relationship with both Fang and Kingsley is a little murky and it's hard to tell what is going to happen relationship-wise with them. 
   Also, Sam is trying to find and save a missing child from an evil man. Her son gets extremely sick and she has to make a very tough decision. This was a really emotional book for me, it was hard to see Sam struggle with the decisions she had to make. Being a mom too, I could feel her pain and indecision as if it were my own.
   The story was interesting and I stayed up late yet again to finish this book and I wasn't disappointed. The story moved right along and kept me interested the whole time. It was emotional, funny and all around good!


4 out of 5 Stars
Book: Vampire Moon (Vampire for Hire #2)
Author: J.R. Rain
Publisher: BenBella Books
Date Published: October 6th, 2010
ISBN: 1257381067
Author's Website: http://www.jrrain.com/
***Review Copy provided by NetGalley***
4 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.

Now in VAMPIRE MOON, sequel to MOON DANCE, private investigator Samantha Moon finds herself hunting down a powerful crime lord and protecting an innocent woman from her ruthless ex-husband — all while two very different men vie for her heart. And as the stakes grow higher and her cases turn personal, Samantha Moon will do whatever it takes to protect the innocent and bring two cold-blooded killers to justice — her own brand of justice.

   Another enjoyable book by J.R. Rain! Definitely not your usual paranormal novel, it's a no holds barred view of what becoming vampire might actually entail. It has a grittier feel to it than most and the whole series reminds me somewhat of an old black & white detective movie...only better!
   In this book we see Sam trying to find herself after a failed marriage and trying to get to see her kids. You can feel her despair and helplessness at losing her children to her ex, and his reluctance to allow her to visit them is maddening. Through it all she is trying to bring down a crime lord and protect a woman from her ex-husbands death threats. Not to mention dealing with the fact that Kinsley's job as a defense attorney is causing friction in their relationship and Fang wants to finally meet face to face.
   There is a lot of emotion in this book, not all of it happy, but it does make you feel what Samantha is going through. The author does a good job of making Sam feel realistic and her problems will make you feel for her.
   It was a really good read, and even though it has a little bit of a cliffhanger, most everything is resolved happily by the end. I finished it in a day and immediately started the next book!

4 out of 5 Stars 

Love is Darkness

Book: Love Is Darkness (Valerie Dearborn #1)
Author: Caroline Hanson

Publisher: Host of the Hills
Date Published:  August 27, 2011
ISBN: 1466365951
Author's Website: http://carolinehanson.blogspot.com/
Twitter Username: https://twitter.com/#!/caroline_hanson
5 out of 5 Stars
Blurb: Valerie Dearborn wants a cotton candy life, but it’s more like a puffer fish: pointy, unusual, and—if not prepared exactly right—deadly.
In London for graduate school, Val knows she's finally free. Her father and ex-almost-boyfriend are back in California and she's out of the Vampire hunting biz for good. Or is she?
She draws the attention of Lucas, a 1600 year old Vampire, and King to his kind. He’s also wicked hot. As golden as Lucifer, and just as tempting, he makes Valerie an offer she can't refuse— help him find out if the Others (Empaths, Fey and Werewolves) still exist or he'll stop protecting those she loves.
Lucas tells her that Empaths were a Vampire’s biggest weakness before going extinct hundreds of years ago. While the Fey or a Werewolf might kill a Vampire, an Empath could enslave them, seducing or harming with emotions at will. The one detail he leaves out? Valerie is an Empath.
And after 1600 years of an emotionless existence, Lucas wants Valerie like a recovering alcoholic wants a wine cooler.
Can she keep those she loves alive, stop Lucas from munching on her, survive a fanged revolution and still find a way to have that boring, normal life she’s always wanted? Probably not, but boy is she gonna try!
This is a full length novel and contains adult content.

Love is Fear

Author: Caroline Hanson

Publisher:
Date Published:  December 14, 2011 
ISBN: B006M6XV1Q
Author's Website: http://carolinehanson.blogspot.com/
twitter username: https://twitter.com/#!/caroline_hanson
5 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: Love is Fear is the highly anticipated sequel to the Number One Fantasy Bestseller, Love is Darkness.
After a lot of swearing and only a little nookie, Valerie Dearborn has decided to make a change. No more lusting after Lucas, the hot, but emotionless, vampire king who can’t commit. Instead she’s going to make it work with Jack. After all, not only is he breathing, but he’s the love of her life….Isn’t he?
Valerie is an Empath, with supernatural abilities that seem to do nothing more than give her the hots for Lucas. Once upon a time, Empath’s had a purpose. They were ambassadors to the Others—Fey, Witches, Werewolves and Vampires. They could settle the emotions of a Werewolf and make Vampires feel again.
But that was long ago.
Lucas isn’t about to let Valerie go. He needs her to help him find the Fey, last seen in the Colony of Roanoke, South Carolina, circa 1587. He still believes they are the key to restoring balance to the world and the only way to keep vampires under control. They won’t trust him, but they will trust Val.
Between Jack, Lucas and Rachel, Val knows life won’t be dull. Nor will it be the normal, 2.5 kids kind of life she’s always wanted.
As their enemies close in, Val must ask herself what life is really about–trust, duty or mind-blowing orgasms? And even if she finds the answer, she may not live long enough to enjoy it.
Please note—this novel is not YA and has lots of sass, swearing and sex. Not necessarily in that order.
   I wanted to review both books at the same time. Because if you read the first one, you'll have to read the second one. Just so you can see what happens next! I really enjoyed both books and I cannot wait until the next comes out. For all of you Sookie Stackhouse lovers you're not going to want to miss this new hot and sexy series . It was fast paced and completely engrossing, read and it left me wanting more. 
 
Book: Moon Dance (Vampire for Hire #1)
Author: J.R. Rain
Publisher:
Date Published: August 10th, 2009
ISBN: 0557175216
Author's Website: http://www.jrrain.com/
***Review Copy provided by NetGalley***
4 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: Mother, wife, private investigator...vampire. Six years ago federal agent Samantha Moon was the perfect wife and mother, your typical soccer mom with the minivan and suburban home. Then the unthinkable happens, an attack that changes her life forever. And forever is a very long time for a vampire.

Now the world at large thinks Samantha has developed a rare skin disease, a disease which forces her to quit her day job and stay out of the light of the sun. Now working the night shift as a private investigator, Samantha is hired by Kingsley Fulcrum to investigate the murder attempt on his life, a horrific scene captured on TV and seen around the country. But as the case unfolds, Samantha discovers Kingsley isn't exactly what he appears to be; after all, there is a reason why he survived five shots to the head.

   I really liked this book (and the whole series). I liked that it showed another side, a less glitzy side to becoming a vampire. Most books glamorize vampires but I thought that it was refreshing to see the other side. It was interesting to see what kind of problems becoming a vamp would cause in the life of the average person.
   Samantha is a mother, wife & private investigator trying to do the best that she can with the hand she has been dealt. After being attacked six years ago, she is still struggling with the fact that she is a vampire and how she should deal with it. Although she seems to have a handle on it most of the time, the people surrounding her aren't really the most supportive, mainly her husband. I think Sam was a really likable character. She seemed so real & honest. Her dry humor and snark really made the book what it was.
   The mystery aspect of the story was great and I didn't suspect the culprit throughout most of the book. I love a good mystery though, and this book delivered.
   I think the only thing that I didn't really like in this book was that there should have been more interaction between Sam and Kingsley. That part of the story seemed a little rushed and disjointed, to me anyway.
   It was a really good book though, and even the parts that I didn't like still wouldn't keep me from recommending this book. It was a thoroughly enjoyable book!


4 out of 5 Stars



  
Book: Chase Me (Underbelly Chronicles #2)
Author: Tamara Hogan
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Date Published: June 5th, 2012
ISBN: 1402246048
Author's Website: http://www.tamarahogan.com/
***ARC Provided by NetGalley & Sourcebooks Casablanca***
4 out of 5 Stars

Blurb: Incubi, sirens, vampires, Valkyerie, faeries, and were-creatures live secretly alongside humanity in this gritty, sexy series.
In the second installment, Valkyrie archaeologist Lorin Schlessinger and werewolf geologist Garbriel Lupinsky are assigned to work together on a dig site. Gabriel's methodical work practices and Lorin's inexplicable attraction to him grate on the archaeologist's nerves. But when she unlocks a cryptic box that sends a signal to intergalactic enemies, Lorin will have to set aside her feelings and work with Gabriel...or risk losing everything.

   This book was great and had just about everything! All manner of paranormal creatures, action, danger, a little mystery, and sizzling hot romance! 
   The main story focuses on Lorin, a valkyerie princess, and Gabe, a smokin' hot werewolf. The chemistry between Gabe & Lorin is amazing, like of the charts hot! I looked forward to seeing them interact throughout the book. Let's just say their chemistry is the kind that you try to find in any romance novel!
   While the side story, with Beddoe and the other aliens, is left unresolved, this is the 2nd in a series of books so that is to be expected. I liked the variety of character and the vastness of the world the book was set in.
   I do recommend reading the first book, Taste Me, before you read this one so that you know a little more of the story so far. Although the author does explain the story so far, you might miss it if you hadn't already read the first book. I personally like it when an author doesn't recap too much, because I believe you should read previous titles first when reading a series (don't blame it on the author if you don't know what's going on).
   The author was an excellent writer, and I was extremely surprised to see that this is only her 2nd book. She seriously writes like a seasoned pro. I am looking forward to many more books from her & can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

4 out of 5 Stars