Review: Frost Moon by Anthony Francis

Title: Frost Moon

Author: Anthony Francis

Publisher: Belle Bridge Books

Publication Date: March 2010

ISBN: 9780984325689

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Length: Novel

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Rating: 4/5

Blurb:

In an alternate Atlanta where magic is practiced openly, where witches sip coffee at local cafes, shapeshifters party at urban clubs, vampires rule the southern night like gangsters, and mysterious creatures command dark caverns beneath the city, Dakota Frost's talents are coveted by all. She's the best magical tattooist in the southeast, a Skindancer, able to bring her amazing tats to life. When a serial killer begins stalking Atlanta's tattooed elite, the police and the Feds seek Dakota's help. Can she find the killer on the dark fringe of the city's Edgeworld? Among its powerful outcasts and tortured loners, what kind of enemies and allies will she attract? Will they see her as an invader, as a seducer, as an unexpected champion ... or as delicious prey?

*Book provided by publisher for review

Review:

In Urban Fantasy filled with vampires, witches, demons galore, Anthony Francis has crafted a fresh entry in this field. His main character is walking piece of art Dakota Frost, a tattoo artist in Atlanta and genuine intriguing heroine.

From page one, Mr. Francis throws you into the action and keeps it rolling with the talent of a thriller writer, without coming off as overly gimmicky. The story and its colorful cast of characters keep you intrigued from the first to the last.

The book is full, in the sense a spider web is full. With each chapter, Francis unravels a layer, further untangling the web he’s weaved at the beginning of the book. Sometimes it feels too condensed, other times it feels just right.

Still, this is a great book and highly recommended read. We’ll be looking for that second book Mr. Francis. 

Cheers!

Review: Lost Wages of Sin by Rosalie Stanton

Title: Lost Wages of Sin

Author: Rosalie Stanton

Publisher: Liquid Silver Books

Publication Date: April 2011

ISBN: 978-1-59578-824-5

Genre: Paranormal Erotic Romance

Length: Novella

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Rating: 5/5

Heat Level: Chocolate Martini 

Blurb:

Sin's work is never done...

Ava should know. For nearly two thousand years, she’s worked for Lucifer himself, infecting the heart of man with greed wherever she goes. She wasn't prepared to fall in love, certainly not with an angel. And she definitely wasn't ready to experience her first broken heart after her angel breaks things off in the form of a Dear Jane letter.

Now Ava has a problem. Lucifer believes she might have shared some of Hell’s secrets with her former lover, and her siblings face the possibility of being out of a job due to her indiscretion. Ava flees to the American South, hoping to slip off the radar and is met by a longtime friend, a vampire named Dante. Granted, Ava doesn’t know Dante has been in love with her for centuries, and doesn’t understand why he won’t leave her alone no matter what comes after her.

With Hell on her trail, Ava’s running short on friends. Meanwhile, she can’t ignore the suggestive looks Dante keeps sending her way. Something tells her it doesn’t take Hell to get things hot…

Review:

From the first words on the page, Ms. Stanton had me hooked. Can you say “Hot Vampire”?

Moving on…

Ava is a tough, wounded ball of complication. She’s one of The Seven Deadly Sins…that’s right, she’s one of the forces sent to earth to tempt mere mortals to hell. And for two thousand years, that’s enough. Then she meets Sebastian, an Angel and makes the mistake of falling for him. When he leaves her high and dry, she is understandably wounded—but without having a chance to grieve, she is on the run from hell.

In walks her old friend, Dante (cue swooning), our hot vampire, who is understandably jealous, but his love runs deep for her. Even if his life is in danger, he refuses to walk away. He is determined to win Ava for himself after centuries of unrequited love.

I have to admit, I’m a sucker for unrequited love.

So what’s left? Great plot, complex and believably drawn characters,  and a romance that is swoon worthy make this novella an interesting and engaging read.  This is the first book I’ve read by Ms. Stanton, but rest assured, I am hooked. 

*Book provided by author for review 

5 martinis....cheers!

Review: Mojo Queen by Sonya Clark

Title: Mojo Queen

Author: Sonya Clark

Publisher: Lyrical Press

Publication Date: May 2011

ISBN: 978-1-6165027-1-3

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Length: Novel

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Rating: 4.5/5

Heat Level: Chocolate Martini

Blurb: 

Hoodoo and high magic are on a collision course.

Roxanne Mathis isn't like everyone else. Not only can she see auras and spectral entities, she can mix herbs and roots for spells to do good or ill. She can even light a candle without the benefit of a match. But when she’s hired to exorcise a demon from a young girl, she discovers the limits of her powers.

With her vampire cousin at her side and a sexy sorcerer chasing her on the rebound, Roxie sets out to send that evil entity back to where she came from.

Nothing is as it seems and Roxie’s in over her head. It’s not going to be enough for her to just be a paranormal investigator and old school root worker – to defeat this demon, she’s going to have to be the Mojo Queen.

Review:

In Sonya Clark’s Mojo Queen, protagonist Roxanne Mathis is pitted against, the ex-girlfriend from hell, literally.

She’s hired by uber sexy (yes, he dripped with sex appeal) sorcerer, Blake to send his ex back to hell, but his demon girlfriend is a worthy foe, not to be dismissed so easily. And yes, there is quite a bit of chemistry between Blake and Roxanne. Enough that I can’t wait for another dose of it,

Throughout the novel, Roxanne is aided by her cousin, vampire, Daniel Rambin. Daniel is a fun vampire. He’s not broody, nor is he truly mysterious. He’s fun—in the same way a pet tiger is fun. He’s adorable, yet you know he could tear your throat out in a less than a heartbeat.

In Mojo Queen, Clark has managed to weave southern attitude, great music, and sex appeal into a welcomed tale well-suited for the urban fantasy genre. I highly recommend this read.

4.5 Martinis...cheers!

*Book provided by author for review

Review: Unbreak Me by Lex Valentine

Title: Unbreak Me

Author: Lex Valentine

Publisher: Pink Petal Books

Publication Date: December 2010

ISBN: 978-0-9830904-5-8

Genre: Futuristic Erotic Romance

Length: Novella

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Rating: 4/5

Heat Level: Jalapeno Martini

Blurb:

Two magic wielding warriors (M/F) are torn apart by betrayal, imprisonment, and torture. When a magical heart that formerly belonged to them comes up on the auction block, both fight to win it. Major Marcus (Ren) Renniger was betrayed on a mission and became a POW. All fingers point to the woman he loved. Captain Tait Boland was told Ren had died. Unable to believe it, she set out to find the truth and exact revenge on the man who stole Ren from her. Her revenge comes at the cost of her freedom and her spirit.

Six years later, Ren and Tait have both escaped imprisonment. When they meet at Spellbound Treasure because of the heart, their passions explode. For Tait, knowing that her lover is alive fills her with bittersweet elation. Broken in body and spirit, she knows she has nothing left to give him. Seeing Tait so changed strikes fear in Ren’s heart. He sets out to unravel the mystery surrounding his capture and Tait’s imprisonment. To give her back her future and regain their life together, Ren must figure out how to unbreak Tait’s heart, soul, and spirit.

Review:

In Unbreak Me, Lex Valentine transports the readers to a furturistic realm where magic is real and portals to other worlds exist. She immediately sucked me in with a strong opening, where the character of Tait enters the Crossroads and is stripped of her powers. The character has experienced this before, under force and you instantly want to know what happened.

Rather than weave a tale of wam--bam—thank you ma’am, Valentine uses her words with precision, to tell a story of past mistakes and regrets that have transformed a once fiery woman to stone. Her former flame, Ren (a likeable male character) is an equally well drawn character. His motives and regrets are clear, his actions defined, and the result is two characters you root for. Oh and the sex—it was good.

Unbreak Me is a captivating tale and a worthy read. Its short, and though I would’ve liked it to be a bit longer, I couldn’t put it down.

Cheers!

*Book provided by author for review