Review Time ~ The Ripple Effect

The Ripple Effect

(Rhiannon's Law #3)

By J.A. Saare

5 out of 5 STARS

There is always a price to pay…

Rhiannon Murphy visited the future, witnessed hell on earth and made choices to change things for the greater good. Unfortunately there are consequences for her actions, the penalties for her interference possibly more than she can bear. Determined to sever her debt with a fallen angel, she pushes everything aside, focusing on locating Marigold Vesta’s resting place.

Until death comes knocking at her door.

When Disco’s maker arrives in New York, he resents Rhiannon on a level she can’t begin to comprehend. Yet Marius isn’t her most dangerous adversary, not by a long shot. Marius’s sire -- a half-demon -- is determined to see the necromancer who stunned the vampire world on her knees. If she won’t bend, he’ll do everything in his power to make her break. No price is too high, meaning no one is safe -- including Disco and Paine.

Dealt a blow from which she can never recover, Rhiannon turns to the only person who can help her: the fallen angel who is relying on Rhiannon to save her soul. Bartering with a creature from Heaven is probably just as dangerous as starting a war with a demon from Hell, but with nothing to lose it’s no longer about life or death.

It’s about getting even.

Imagine my surprise when I found out what a crazy ride I was embarking upon in this 3rd installment of the Rhiannon's Law series.  The first two books marked very different journeys for Rhiannon since her life is always in a state of chaos.  With how The Renfield Syndrome ended, I knew that this book could take many turns and that ANY POSSIBLE SCENARIO I could guess still wouldn't come close to falling down this rabbit hole.

The character growth in this book was quite shocking.  Sure, I've always liked Rhiannon.  She's bad ass and independent but I actually was getting pissed at her in this book.  She was really rather selfish not thinking about how her choices affected those around her.  Goose really lays into her and I LOVED him for it.  She really needed some sense smacked in to her.  But certain things are revealed that made me think "Ohhhhh. OK.  I get it now."

Disco.  What can I say about him?  Besides the fact that it's hard for me to call him Gabriel when I first fell in love with him as Disco?  Um, dayum.  He does a complete 180 in this book.  Yes, we already know he is powerful but we never really saw how much so.  In this installment, we see how much power he can wield at any given moment.  Wow.  I was impressed.  But no, it doesn't stop there.  He's even more dominant and independent than ever.  I have never seen Disco take charge like this.  He's an Alpha for sure and I can't wait for this more aggressive and take charge Disco in Edge of Darkness.

Paine. Hmmm... Well, I love Paine.  My heart breaks for him.  He wants something he can't have and has no choice but to be surrounded by it.  Well yes, he does have a choice I suppose, and he makes a decision that leaves me baffled.  I really enjoyed his page time but I'm left wanting more of this enigmatic character.

Overall thoughts?  There are many aspects to this book that grow slowly but eventually meld together to jump this into hyper drive.  Shit hits the fan.  Rhiannon is trying to handle so much: a random serial killer targeting strippers, meeting Disco's sire Marius, trying to find Marigold's body, still bar-tending, finding new and unlikely allies...  But that's nothing compared to the last few chapters of this book.

Whoa.  This is one very dark and twisted ride.  Some of these situations are not for the faint of heart.  But once again I am amazed at the way JA Saare can tell a story.  Please, please, please continue this story!  I am engrossed with this world.

Now for some quotes:

A part of me wanted to run into his arms, hold him close, and never let go. Self preservation and terrifying memories made me want to kick him in the nuts and get as far away as possible. 

I slid between Disco and Paine, trying to pretend it was totally normal to be in the center of a manwich. Disco wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and Paine placed his hand on my thigh.
Okay. Awkward and definitely weird.

"You've been spying on me?"  I lowered the bag, sparks of desire turning to outrage.  Yes, I an idea he had member of the vampire family watching over me.  Learning that he was actuually involved, however, stoked my temper.
“I’ve been watching over you.”  
“Where I’m from, it’s the same thing. Stalking isn’t cool unless you’re an Edward.”

After all, ass was better kicked when you had Yoda moves and an arsenal at your disposal.
Just call me a Jedi ninja in training.

...So much for easygoing Disco.  I was stuck with the hard-edged Gabriel Trevellian from now on.

Review Time! ~ Blade Song

Blade Song

By J.C. Daniels

4 out of 5 Stars

Kit Colbana—half breed, assassin, thief, jack of all trades—has a new job: track down the missing ward of one of the local alpha shapeshifters. It should be a piece of cake.

So why is she so nervous? It probably has something to do with the insanity that happens when you deal with shifters—especially sexy ones who come bearing promises of easy jobs and easier money.

Or maybe it’s all the other missing kids that Kit discovers while working the case, or the way her gut keeps screaming she’s gotten in over her head. Or maybe it’s because if she fails—she’s dead.

If she can stay just one step ahead, she should be okay. Maybe she’ll even live long to collect her fee…

ARC provided by Netgalley

Release date: August 1st, 2012
Genre: Urban Fantasy

I went into this not really knowing anything about it but it got a rave review from a friend on Goodreads so I thought I would give it a try.  AND I LOVED IT!!!  

Kit Colbana is a warrior with a tortured past.  She works alone, has few close associates, fewer enemies.  That is until Damon walks in to her office with a job proposal from the local cat Alpha.  She tries not to take the case, to stay out of shifter politics, but this type of case tugs at her heart strings.  A kid is missing.

She really can't say no to the case but really wishes it did not come with her own personal bodyguard.  Damon is assigned to Kit and is by her side, breathing down her neck at every opportunity.  These two really are like oil and vinegar at this point.  But as dominant and rough as Damon can be, he's still a flirt.

"Are you afraid I can't keep that cute ass of yours in one piece?"

I kept my head down, letting my hair hide my face as blood rushed up and set my cheeks on fire.  I could handle being a little embarrassed.  What I couldn't handle was the other reaction.

This case is a tough one.  As Kit starts finding clues, a bigger plot unravels that is quite disturbing.  Kit and Damon are in the thick of it with danger trailing not too far behind.  Due to the circumstances, Kit is also getting flashbacks of a past she thought she left behind, but it still haunts her to this day.


This is definitely an urban fantasy.  It's not heavy on romance but there is a slowly growing connection between Kit and Damon.

"Some of the girls don't get out much.  They can use the eye candy."

I couldn't help it.  I laughed.  "Well, he's pretty to look at, but tell them to keep their distance.  He's kind of toxic up close."

Very slowly...

He was bad for me the same way too much coffee was, the same way too much chocolate was, the way everything good and sinful sweet thing was... and I wanted him anyway.

Overall thoughts?  I loved this book.  Great action, quick pace, domineering baddies, a hot/growly aplha, engaging character developments.  A page turner for sure that I devoured in no time.  I can't wait for the next installment!

"Damn it, this is insane."
His hands closed around my wrists.
"Life isn't exactly supposed to make sense, baby girl," Damon said quietly.

Teaser Tuesday {#10}

This is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading

• Open your current read and choose a page at random. 
• Share two sentences (or more) from anywhere on the page, being careful to avoid spoilers. 
• Be sure to share the title and author.

This weeks Teaser comes from The Taken by Vicki Pettersson.

Grif's thoughts on Kit:

But it was physiology that was really at fault. Even the big girls were easy to put down. Craig wasn’t big or small, but right in the middle where a woman should be. She was like that roller coaster he’d loved at Coney Island as a kid, made up of long slopes and wide curves, built for thrills. Something wild, he thought, but also something that made a man just want to let go.

Kit's thoughts on Grif:

Instead she kept catching herself gazing over at him, specifically at his full bottom lip when he spoke, his voice lodged deeply in his throat, as if only escaping reluctantly to take flight in the air. He was not a man overly fond of chitchat. Yet she liked it when he did speak. His voice was like gravel rolling around inside a buckskin pouch, and well-suited to his languid watchfulness, the half-lidded gaze, the wide-legged slump. He was like a lion in repose, his strength quiet and coiled until it was needed.

So yeah, I'm loving this so far.  I love the description of Grif.  But also, he's an angel with a pompadour.  How awesome is that?!  Kit and all her fabulous hairdo's are right up my alley too.  But more-so than the rockabilly lifestyle mentioned, this has a great and intriguing plot.

Teaser Tuesday {#9}

This is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading

• Open your current read and choose a page at random. 
• Share two sentences (or more) from anywhere on the page, being careful to avoid spoilers. 
• Be sure to share the title and author.

This weeks teaser comes from Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster with a release date of September 4th, 2012.

Will groaned again, this time there was no mistaking the sound.  He was enjoying this.  Honoria glanced up.  A mistake.  For Blade was staring at her, his mouth locked against Will's throat, his hand fisted in the shaggy hair and the other arm wrapped around the man, clutching him hard.

This book is really fantastic so far.  So much to possibly tease you with but this was my first choice.  ;)

What's your teaser?

Terrible Girls Club Review ~ The Loss of Sunlight

This is the first Terrible Girls Club feature I have participated in.  Terrible Girls first formed on Goodreads with a shared love of Terrible from the Downside Ghosts series, it quickly became more as we discovered our love for books and blogging.

Samina from Escapism From Reality and I decided to pick books for each other to review.  She chose for me Masque of the Red Death by Bethany Griffins.  You can see my review for it here.  I picked The Loss of Sunlight by Lia Black for Samina to read.  I love this book.  It's a self published book and isn't widely known but I found it to be really good.  I had guest posted my review for this over at Paranormal Itch and you can see it here.  But back to Samina, read below to see what she thought of my book suggestion...

The Loss of Sunlight

By Lia Black

4 out of 5 Stars

Sylvie believes she is the perfect modern image of a southern belle. She has a fabulous boyfriend, fashionable career aspirations and everyone is always so eager to help her when she runs into a problem. But her problems were never quite as bad as dying before, and now her biggest problem is trying to keep Aidan Pope, a devilishly handsome man--who insists on calling her by another woman’s name--from ruining her perfect life. 

Aidan is convinced that Sylvie is a woman born between heaven and hell who can save three worlds from a war that is inevitable in a reality where angels kill and demons can be compassionate. 

As Sylvie begins to discover the truth of her origins, she comes to the understanding that she can never have the life she thought she wanted, her days of being a pampered princess are numbered, and she must develop her power enough to defeat her aunt, the devil incarnate, and a woman with whom Aidan may still be in love.

I'm really excited about being a guest at Sinfully Delicious Book Reviews. Emmy is a great friend and we share so many common books that it's ridiculous. I gave her a Young Adult to read (Poor Emmy) and she gave me The Loss of sunlight to read and review. This is how it went.

Sylvie is attacked in a park while going one date to a guy (she thinks she will marry one day) by a large blank mean looking hound. Since that day her life is tuned upside down. She meets a guy named Adrian Pope who tells her how she is supposed to save the world. Not just earth but he two worlds beyond it encompassing the whole universe. She is supposed to defeat her evil Aunt Baine, with whom Aidan may still be in love with.
This is the kind of character you will least expect to become an ass kicking, magic wielding, sexy heroine.  The loss of sunlight is in its core is an UF but to me personally it felt as if it was Sylvie’s journey to become what she was destined to be a strong, beautiful self-independent woman. This book was as much about the action, setting and the world as well as Sylvie’s transformation.

Sylvie is a southern Belle. No, let me re-phrase that. Meet Sylvie your Southern Princess. I have never seen a southern girl having such tendencies before (not that I have seen many). All she thinks about is how to look pretty and get a husband who will look after her. I seriously think Sylvie will give Sookie (Sookie StackHouse series) a run for her money with the amount of thought she puts into how she looks. It takes her hours to get dressed and pick her outfit, her hair, make-up and even the colour of her freaking mascara.

She was shallow and vain, thinking the whole world revolved around her. But never one moment did I dislike her. She had all the characteristics which under normal circumstances would annoy me to no end. She cried at every opportunity, cared too much about how she looked, most of the time only thought about herself, naive to a fault but regardless she had something about her which pulled me in. Perhaps, it was her naivety or maybe the way she looked at the world with rose- tinted glasses. I would not say I loved her but I did not dislike her either. She had serious damsel- in-distress tendencies and sometimes was just waiting for her prince to come and rescue her.

“The road to wherever this was, Hell or otherwise, seemed indeed to be paved and potholed with good-intentions.”

Aidan, on the other hand would fit nicely in my fictional boyfriend list ahem, I mean to say tortured hero list. He has had such a past and due the circumstances, he has had to choose duty over love which must have been so hard for him. He is a lonely soul since birth and was still looking for acceptance. He was loyal fierce loyal and alpha-vicious. I mean tall, dark, handsome mysterious man with tattoos...yes please.

“So how did...what did...why..?”“I see you haven’t lost any of your remarkable communication skills,” Aidan leered at me. “Oh how I’ve missed your insults!” I sobbed.”

The story line and setting were really well done. The ‘apocalypse’ brought upon the people was very real and I could feel the world coming off the pages. The adventure and plot were engaging and pulled me right in. The romance was well done too and I was rooting for Sylvie and Aidan throughout and obviously waiting for Baine (or the bane of everyone’s existence) die. Since it was revealed that she was Aidan’s ex she was automatically hated. The flashbacks into Aidan life were a great device in providing the reader with insight upon what had happened in him past and also how Sylvie’s father was like.

“Ah yes,” he sighed, “the saviour of the universe is afraid of bugs.”
“Having some fear is healthy.”

After all that, The Loss of Sunlight could have been epic and fell short. It felt like 3 books crammed into one. I’m not saying this because this is a self-published work, but because some parts felt neglected. After 30 present of the book, it kind of slowed down and then everything changed at break neck speed. Scenes which were enjoyable could have been extended and the fight scenes and love scenes could have had more. The chemistry between Sylvie and Aidan was great and there banter was full of sexual tension but I wish she had taken slightly longer to declare her love for him. I just wish it was lower. I loved the grit and the darkness in the book but it simply could have been so much better. I wish I could have been rating this book on what it could have been but I can only comment on what it is now .Strings were left dangling and incidents unexplained. The last half of the book seemed rushed and crammed too much in.

 “There is beauty in darkness and evil in the light; still hope raises eternal above it all.”

I also saw some similarities between s certain popular Urban-fantasy and this book. A southern belle meant to save the world paired with a tall dark hero with tattoos who is horrible to her. Sounds familiar? Well it certainly did to be but after that the similarities end the real plot begins which was fun to read and it was engaging and interesting. I simply wish there was more.

“He was depending on me to be merciful, even though he’d been quite merciless when I was at my weakest. It eyed with the idea of making home go down on his knees and beg, maybe force home to paint my toenails while he was down there, but I was a bigger person than that.
“Say please,”
I never claimed to be a giant.

Thanks again Samina for for pairing up with me this month!  This was great fun and we'll have to do it again!
Now go check out Samina's blog for more awesome reviews and book talk! ~ Emmy

Review ~ Unholy Ghosts

Unholy Ghosts 

By Stacia Kane

4 of 5 STARS!!!

THE DEPARTED HAVE ARRIVED.

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen, and the living are under attack. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully tattooed witch and freewheeling ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for banishing the wicked dead. But Chess is keeping a dark secret: She owes a lot of money to a murderous drug lord named Bump, who wants immediate payback in the form of a dangerous job that involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust for a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

(via Goodreads)

Downside Ghosts is dark and gritty. I love it. Chess is a debunker for the Church of Truth. Because Facts are Truth you know. What does that mean you ask? Debunkers get cases for huantings and has to figure out if its real or not. The Church will pay the family that makes the claim if there is a true haunting in which case Chess then banishes the ghost to the City of Eternity using magic. If the people making the claim are lying? Well, not so pleasant to lie to the Church.

But back to Chess. She is a junkie, unapologetically so. She's covered with tattoos, has Bettie Page bangs and, to me at least, an I Don't Give a Fuck attitude. She does care though to an extent. I think it's more a safety precaution from being judged, to give off the vibe that how people perceive her doesn't affect her. That attitude paired with her addiction seem to keep her safe from the skeletons in her closet as well. Her past was difficult and sad though we don't get to know too much about it, thanks to the drugs usually keeping her mind elsewhere or indifferent to what has happened. I like Chess. A lot. She's fucked up, she fucks up and finds herself in some real intense situations but keeps her cool. She's unlike any other lead character in a series I have read before. She's a very believable character and the addiction she struggles with is a very real thing that people deal with all the time. Writing this right now I am reminded of Go Ask Alice that I read in grade school. The descriptions of what Chess feels when coming down, how she knows it's time to take more or she'll start the very horrible process of going through withdrawal, is very intense. Through this addiction, she has connections to Bump, or more importantly, Terrible...

Now before I really start on Terrible let me just say how much I love Elvis. Like a lot. My husband teases me when he sees me all doe eyed and giggly when I watch Elvis videos. The authors description of him as ugly is not how I see him. I picture him as a tank of a man that has lived a hard life. Sometimes you can just tell looking at a person that growing up has not been easy whether it be more wrinkles than normal, scars, broken bones. There are events in life that just age people, or make their features a little bit more harsh. But with how he interacts with Chess, we get to see his humor and intelligence as their relationship progresses. And ok, let's not forget the car. A 69 Chevelle? Awesome and I can totally picture this.

Now Lex, I like Lex. But their first encounter is messed up. Even though what happens between them is casual beyond their "business arrangement", I feel like deep down somewhere there is a good guy and that he does care. But more on him in a different book review.

Now some quotes.

“How’re those big sideburns working for you, Terrible? You managed to find yourself a steady ladyfriend yet?”

She's so bad teasing Terrible but I love every minute of it.

“Thought you was good with the spook stuff,” he said. “You look like some dead.” 

“And you look like Elvis vomited you up,” she managed. “So?”

Hinges creaked in her ears again as he laughed. “So we both looking bad, guesses. But I do always, and you do never. You right now?”

*sigh* He's adorable

It was strange to see him without a shirt on, though. Chess tended to think of his bowling shirts as armor, and stripped of them he…well, he still looked like a tank.
A surprisingly attractive tank. Tattoos and scars decorated his bare skin and a patch of thick dark hair spread over his chest and dipped down in a thin line to his waist, but underneath them was solid, sculpted muscle, exquisitely delineated, obviously created from real work and not trips to a gym.  

He glanced at her, then looked again with an eyebrow cocked, and she realized she was frankly staring. Heat rushed to her face as her fingernails suddenly became fascinating to her. It wasn’t until she heard him saying goodbye that she looked up again.

Mmmm hmmm.  I wouldn't be able to stop myself staring either Chess.

“Terrible,” she managed. “You know how to use this thing?”

This entire scene. Wow, just wow. Lots of emotions come in to play with this scene. At the end, I wanted to hug Terrible so bad. Then Chess goes and makes a decision that has serious repercussions down the road.

I won't go into the plot. It was amazing and kept me turning the page. I didn't want to put this down. Not only do I love all the music referenced (Ramones, Misfits, The Stooges, etc.), I love the scene. Punk, Rock and Roll, Rhythm and Blues in a dive bar setting. I love it.

Waiting on Wednesday

Hosted by Breaking the Spine, a way to share upcoming highly anticipated releases.

My pick this week is The Ripple Effect by JA Saare with an expected publication of July 31st.  

There is always a price to pay…


Rhiannon Murphy visited the future, witnessed hell on earth and made choices to change things for the greater good. Unfortunately there are consequences for her actions, the penalties for her interference possibly more than she can bear. Determined to sever her debt with a fallen angel, she pushes everything aside, focusing on locating Marigold Vesta’s resting place.


Until death comes knocking at her door.


When Disco’s maker arrives in New York, he resents Rhiannon on a level she can’t begin to comprehend. Yet Marius isn’t her most dangerous adversary, not by a long shot. Marius’s sire -- a half-demon -- is determined to see the necromancer who stunned the vampire world on her knees. If she won’t bend, he’ll do everything in his power to make her break. No price is too high, meaning no one is safe -- including Disco and Paine.


Dealt a blow from which she can never recover, Rhiannon turns to the only person who can help her: the fallen angel who is relying on Rhiannon to save her soul. Bartering with a creature from Heaven is probably just as dangerous as starting a war with a demon from Hell, but with nothing to lose it’s no longer about life or death.


It’s about getting even.


With the powerful debut of Dead, Undead, or Somewhere in Between followed by The Renfield Syndrome, we meet Rhiannon who has taken us on quite the journey.  She is surrounded by two vampires who have both been there for her in very different ways and with very different motives.  I can't wait to see how this installment plays out!

PS... I like them both ;)

What's your Waiting On Wednesday?

Teaser Tuesday

This is a weekly meme hosted by Should Be Reading

• Open your current read and choose a page at random. 
• Share two sentences (or more) from anywhere on the page, being careful to avoid spoilers. 
• Be sure to share the title and author.

This weeks teaser comes from Pretty When She Dies by Rhiannon Frater.

Biting her bottom lip, she touched the doorknob. She could feel the beat of the music pulsating through it. Gripping the knob tightly, she tried to turn it, but it resisted. She tried again, and still, it resisted.  

Desperation gripped her, nonsensical but overwhelming. She banged her hands against the door. 

“Please,” she whispered, but did not know what she was asking for.

Frater, Rhiannon (2008-11-24). Pretty When She Dies: A Vampire Novel (pp. 7-8).  . Kindle Edition. 

This book was great!  It's dark and has some pretty intense scenes.  I definitely need dark thrown in my rotation and often.  I'm happy that Rhiannon is continuing the series.  She's currently working on Pretty When She Kills.  I still need to check out As The World Dies: A Zombie Trilogy.  

What is your Teaser Tuesday????