Book Review: Bound by Kira Saito

First of all, don't you just adore this cover? Now, a synopsis I stole from Amazon....

Sixteen year old Arelia LaRue lives in New Orleans where the music is loud, voodoo queens inhabit every street corner, and the ghosts are alive and well. Despite her surroundings, all she wants is to help her Grand-mere Bea pay the rent and save up for college.

When her best friend Sabrina convinces her to take a well-paying summer job at the infamous Darkwood plantation, owned by the wealthy LaPlante family, Arelia agrees.

However, at Darkwood strange things start to happen, and gorgeous Lucus LaPlante insists that he needs her help. Soon, the powers that Arelia has been denying all her life, come out to play and she discovers mysteries about herself that she could have never imagined.

****
The first thing I have to say about this book is that I'm fairly certain the author cast a spell on me. I was sucked into the scenery and could almost smell the magic within the haunting city of New Orleans.  There were also several times I felt myself wanting to be a hot voodoo queen like our feisty heroin-Arelia.

This is also the first time I've seen voodoo portrayed in this way. Namely, Arelia isn't some old hag. She's young, she's white, and she's instantly likable. The author brought her to life, and I found myself wishing we could meet one day.  Reading Saito is like a breath of fresh air. I would recommend this title to any and all lovers of the young adult-paranormal romance genre. If you want something new and inventive, meet your next book.

Check it out here:
Amazon 

Smashwords




To learn more about the author and her books, visit her blog: Here

Come back on the 15th for a giveaway that includes...yes, a voodoo doll. =)

Guest Book Review: The Night Watchman Express by Alison DeLuca

The Night Watchman Express

By Alison DeLuca

Price$ 2.99

Orphaned Miriam has always been terrified by the sound of THE NIGHT WATCHMAN EXPRESS as it hurtles by her house. The sound of the train gives her nightmares of an underground factory, and a laboratory where brutal experiments take place.

During the day she has very different problems. Her new guardians, the Marchpanes, have arrived with their son, Simon, to live in Miriam’s house. The Marchpanes are plotting to take over her dead father’s business.

As they are both strong willed and stubborn, Miriam and Simon develop an instant dislike for each other. They have to work together, however, in order to solve the mystery of what the Marchpanes are doing with Miriam’s inheritance.

As they come closer to learning the truth, Miriam is kidnapped and put on THE NIGHT WATCHMAN EXPRESS, and Simon must try to rescue her. In doing so, he will have to confront his own parents and the evil forces behind them.

But as he tries to help Miriam, he is captured. Simon is put in a strange, luxurious prison, where his jailers are as hauntingly beautiful as they are dangerous.

Young Adult Fantasy.-
As THE NIGHT WATCHMAN EXPRESS arrives at its destination, Miriam comes to the shocking realization that her nightmares about the subterranean factory and the dark laboratory were not just dreams…

What she always feared more than anything is going to come true.

My Review:

When I read the Synopsis for The Night Watchman Express, I truthfully didn’t think I would enjoy this book. After the second chapter I realized that I was terribly wrong. This book is Great! It kicks off and takes you on a fast paced adventure following orphan Miriam with her problems with her new Guardians and let me tell you, the problems just keep escalating. This book was so exciting it was hard to put down. i give this fantastic story 5 out of 5 stars!

Links:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/The-Night-Watchman-Express-ebook/dp/B004Q3RT7E/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1312073700&sr=1-1

NOOK: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-night-watchman-express-alison-deluca/1030630430?ean=2940012401908&itm=1&usri=the%2bnight%2bwatchman%2bexpress

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alison.deluca.author

Guest Book Review: The Blood Moon of Winter by Courtney Conant

Paper back 8.99

EBook 1.99

As the land of Makayra deteriorates, its people seek the help of one that might save them. The only chance of survival is the return of the goddess of the land yet she is nowhere to be found in their world. Through magic and determination, the Prophecy of Resurgence will come to pass. Their search leads them to discover Lilyana, a shy, young woman hiding behind her books to avoid the interactions of daily life. The Makayrans must transcend time and space, to bring forth the goddess hidden within Lily and find a way to return her to their world before it is too late.

My review:

I would have to say that although I liked this book, I was a little disappointed. The book has a great love story. Courtney Conant created a wonderful cast of characters: from the overly obsessive sister, who is always trying to meddle in the love life of others, to the perfect man. The readers will be drawn in to the well written love story aspect of this book. It does get a little racy towards the end of the story (borderline pornographic) which I feel clashed with the young adult feel of the rest of the story.

I was disappointed with the paranormal / fantasy aspect of the book. I feel the author should have touch more on the crisis in the land of Makayra more instead of just having it talk to a panther by the lake. I wanted to fee l more for the other world. I waited to see some part of the world that would make the decision for Lily not to give up her life on earth that much harder (maybe its people starving in a Barron waste land anything to pull at my heart and make me want to help them). 

In the end I give The Blood moon of Winter 3 out of 5 stars for it's delightful story line and it's wonderful cast of characters. I will be looking forward to the next book so I can see more of the paranormal aspect of the tale.

Buy now:

Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/dp/0615439403

NOOK: http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Blood-Moon-of-Winter/Courtney-Conant/e/2940012624642

Links below:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/courtneyconant

Website: http://www.courtneyconant.com/

Blog: http://courtneyconantreading.blogspot.com/

Twitter: @Courtney_Conant




**Book was reviewed by Tony. You can find more of his reviews on Amazon. 

Book Review: Eye of the Wizard by Daniel Arenson

I'd like to start this review off by saying I spent the first moments reading Daniel Arenson's, Eye of the Wizard by asking myself what the hell a grobbler was. I took to google and found no answers, so I tweeted the question to my minions...er, followers on Twitter.

When no one seemed to know what the hell a grobbler is...I figured if I read the rest of it he'd probably let me in on the secret. I was right, and no, I'm not going to tell you here...

Now for a brief synopsis...

Eye of the Wizard is about an evil warlock that must be defeated by a group of heroes and has a real Robin Hood feel to it.

Now for what I think....

I love reading Arenson because his writing is efficient, fast paced, and quirky. This isn't my usual kind of read, but I found I liked this better than even Flaming Dove because of the humor reminiscent of Monty Python one can see in the opening scenes. This author is a smooth one, and even masters the tone of a scene with an artistry that is just damned  impressive. Would I recommend it for serious fantasy fans? Probably not, but if you just plain love good writing, here it is.