Bookathonic Review: Sink 2. Cold Mark by Scarlett Dawn

Sink by Scarlett Dawn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I'm a hardcore fan and I need to mainline. I think I'm in love with Scarlett Dawn - definitely with her writing anyway.

This 2nd episode in the Cold Mark serial is a great feed-on from the 1st. The storyline continues to unfold with tidbits and extras that lead off into new paths keeping the guessing going and the tale fresh.

As usual I can't wait for the next one....

Bookathonic Review: Fall 1. Cold Mark Series by Scarlett Dawn

Fall by Scarlett Dawn
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This is absolutely superb. I love the world that Scarlett has created, together with the imagination and reflection of culture versus relationships.
The characters are individual and varied, together with that their unique personalities are also likable.

A bit of a cliffhanger here, and I'm holding my breath for the next novel.
Scarlett is definitely keeping a tight grip on her title as an excellent story craftsman, with a good grip on the high standard left by Kings Hall.

The only thing I will say for this one, is that I wish it were longer.
Still, if I don't have to keep waiting too long for the next novel - I can hang in there.

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Bookathonic: Twiceborn 1. The Proving by Marina Finlayson 4.5 Stars out of 5 Stars

Twiceborn by Marina Finlayson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Series FREE on Indle Unlimited Check out Paranormal Book Feast for more cheap reads.

4.5* This was excellent and in my opinion a great find. The characters were credible, the writing good, and a great story leading into a great series. Plus no cliffhanger.

The main character, Kate, is likable and easy to identify with. She's gone through some really difficult times in her life, although this could have easily bogged down the novel to a depressing pile of mush, it revealed more of Kate's character and strength setting moods that cushion and evolve points leading up to her actions. This was well done and good background material.

Don't think from the blurb that this is a boring mother focused book, because it's not. Kate is a savvy person and very contemporary. Her relationships in the story are hip and her love life sets up a modern girl and gives the reader a good dose of romance and crap ex action where we all want to see him get what he deserves. Which is possibly death, depending on how much you really hate him.

The book shoots into the supernatural aspect that supplies really good variety from he-man werewolves to bitchy sisters and an overbearing queen. Lot's of shifters and some good magic. This is where the books pops in some good action sequences and sets us up for the next novel.

I've got the next book and will get onto it pretty soon. I'm saving it up.


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Bookathonic: The Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam: A Wise Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril and Murder! by Marilee Brothers

The Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam: A Wise-Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril, and Murder!
by Marilee Brothers
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Book Blurb

REVIEW:

This gives a good mix of snappy romance and mystery.

The romantic style is of the 'he drives me crazy' style with lots of denial going on. The mystery part is what drives the story along, becoming more twisted and full of intrigue as it progresses.

The supporting roles are good comic relief including the sincere nephew, the social aunt and the wacky grandmother with an embarrassing job and embarrassing 'male callers', that is a fine example of family members that drive you to distraction.

The romance angle comes from the direction of the police detective who is maddeningly overbearing, pretty damn nice for a copper, and not bad on the eyes.

The heroine of the day is a school teacher, of the good kind (obviously), so we don't have to hate her. Outside of school, she's ditzy, unpredictable, and a bit of a wild card. This keeps the novel light and fun.

If you want a light hearted, fun romance, with a good contemporary background story, then go for it.
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Bookathonic Book Blurb: Rock & Roll Queen of Bedlam: A Wise Cracking Tale of Secrets, Peril and Murdery by Marilee Brothers

Leggy, karaoke-singing Allegra Thome spends her days teaching dysfunctional teens and her nights with a wealthy new boyfriend. Her life is grand until she finds herself in the middle of a drug bust and meets Sloan, a rough-around-the-edges DEA agent. Soon after a student from her class disappears, things quickly head south, and their search becomes a race against time with dead bodies piling up and her own life in peril.

Bookathonic: Review Moon Tortured Book 1 Sky Brooks Series by McKenzie Hunter

Moon Tortured by McKenzie Hunter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Free on Kindle Unlimited. Find more cheap paranormal books at Paranormal Book Feast
Book Blurb
This is a great new find, and currently book 2 has only recently been released.

The main character keeps up a good level of maturity and sensibility which I find refreshing, considering the quantity of people that are regularly as thick as a whale omelette. I'm not saying she never makes a stupid move, but when she does it tends to be a knee jerk reaction that she believes she can live with.

There's a good cast of character with a diverse crew of shifters. In this book, so far, the vampires are definitely the evil that walks the earth, and the werewolves are hard and tough. That's not to say they aren't attractive. Yep, we're going tough and sexy.

There's a hint of romance, but it doesn't go much further than suggestion, and I expect this is going to move onwards and upwards (yes, I am very funny) in future novels. There's loads of areas where this book has room to branch out, vampires, shifters and magic, with lots of inner political wrangling.

I would recommend this to readers of the solid werewolf/vampire novels with a good bit of action, and a sensitive down to earth heroine.

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Bookathonic: Moon Tortured Book 1 Sky Brooks Series by McKenzie Hunter

Skylar’s death came not at the end, after a long fulfilling existence, not in the middle, as a result of an untimely tragic event—but at the beginning, with her birth.

As a final effort to save her dying unborn child, Skylar’s pregnant mother, a witch, sacrificed herself by invoking a powerful spirit shade to inhabit Skylar’s body, imbuing her with life. For twenty-three years, Skylar lived a life of oblivion, content with her simple job, loving adoptive mother and the monthly inconvenience of a full moon hangover after being sedated and caged when she changed into a wolf. It wasn’t exciting but it was her life until one night, she woke up in a strange room in the middle of rural Illinois—bruised and with jumbled memories of her mother’s death from a vampire attack. The Midwest pack comes to her rescue. Known for being more ruthless than altruistic she doesn’t know if she can trust them.

But after an assassination attempt by a necromancer, an abduction attempt by a mercenary, and more aggressive and violent attacks by the vampires, she has no other choice but to accept their help. The Midwest pack quickly discover that Skylar is the host to a spirit shade, who gives her magical abilities, that make her as much of a danger as an asset and that she is the key to the vampires’ plan to perform a ritual that will give them unrestricted power. Tension rises as the pack become divided between those who think her life is worth protecting as a potential ally and those who believe she is too dangerous to live. In the end, Skylar finds herself fighting for her life—a life that may be tragically taken too soon.

Bookathonic: Review Darkness Unchaned Book 2 of Sky Brooks Series by McKenzie Hunter

Darkness Unchained by McKenzie Hunter
My rating: 4.7 of 5 stars
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Book Blurb
A 4.7* I can't make up my mind if this book is better than the first. This book injected with quite a lot of new material giving insight while maintaining freshness in the novel. "O, what a tangled web we weave when first we practise to deceive!"

I also have to add that I love the way this author writes, both the sentence structure and excellent vocabulary. The novel also manages to jump upon the reader with some real surprises, leaving me thinking 'wow, I didn't see that one coming'.

This book brings a whole new level of intrigue to this series, with the reader being left curious and curiouser. It comes up with some real surprises, and leaves the reader somewhat shocked about actions, reactions and responsibility.

A lot more material is focused on Chris and I was hesitant about her at first, but it definitely adds more depth to her character and as a result of that, the novel as a whole.

Of course, it is debatable whether or not the reader finds her merely tolerable, her actions understandable, or if we all hate her even more. In many ways, she is not a likable person, whether you're able to empathise with her or not.

The reader also finds out more about the enigmatic Quell. He's different to all the other characters and this adds something extra to the novel. I definitely want to see where things go with Quell, and where his relationships with the people surrounding him go.

Yep, the vampires are still particularly evil, and the shifters still seem to, overall, maintain a dodgy spot in Skylar's life.

This novel completely keeps the reader's interest which is paramount to maintaining a successful series, and I believe this is done with verve and great finesse.

I'm completely loving these, and I understand book three is out in August. Yehh!


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Bookathonic: Blurb for Darkness Unchained Book 2 Sky Brooks Series by McKenzie Hunter

Just try to survive. That had been Skylar’s goal since she discovered that she had died at birth and become a host to a very powerful spirit shade. She was a werewolf with the ability to manipulate magic, and that made Skylar an enigma that most viewed as either an asset or a danger. Being an anomaly in the otherworld was a hazard, and last year she had barely survived. After declining membership in the Midwest Pack, Skylar naively thought she could return to a normal life and fade into obscurity. She was wrong.  

After saving the life of a pack member who was brutally attacked, Skylar finds herself pulled back into the otherworld to help the Northern Seethe and Midwest Pack find the person responsible for the recent attacks on their people. The situation is further complicated when the Seethe hires Chris, a hunter and the pack’s Beta’s ex. With her connections and extensive knowledge of the otherworld she should have been a welcomed asset; but her turbulent history with the pack, complicated relationship with the Master of the Northern Seethe, and the lingering feelings between her and the Beta create conflict between the enemies-turned-allies.

Once again, Skylar must negotiate the lies, secrets and strange politics that govern the otherworld while struggling not to draw attention to her abilities. It falls apart when she inadvertently changes a peculiar vampire and Chris discovers the link between Skylar and the culprit responsible for the attacks on the vampires and were-animals.

Now Skylar wonders if she will be able to survive the otherworld this time.