Book review

The Scorpion Queen

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Title: The Scorpion Queen

Publisher: Red Sage Publishing

Imprint: Red Sage Presents

Pub Date: 1 March 2011

ISBN: 9781603105934

Author: Alexis Ke

I’m quite a feminist in some ways, so, when it comes to reading fiction, I don’t exactly sit too well with stories where the heroines are weak, mindless and submissive. I like strong female characters who hold their own. That is why I hated fairy tales when I was a child. There’s much more to a story for a woman than waiting for a prince to rescue her in a locked tower or just a plain happily ever after at the end of the story.

I enjoyed Scorpion Queen very much because the heroine is one hell of a heroine. This is an adult fiction, yes, but while there’s lotsa steamy scene that can make you sizzle, you may also find strength in the main female character, The Scorpion Queen.

The Scorpion Queen is highly original with dynamics in it, and if you’re the kind of reader like me… one who enjoy refreshing stories with strong heroines in it, I’d recommend you The Scorpion Queen by Alexis Ke. I promise you, you’ll be amazed by this book.

Book description:

Mystical, magical and mysterious.
She’s every mortal’s dream and every mortal’s nightmare.  She will slip into your sleep and entice you, take you to heights you’ve never dreamed but beware, do not cross over without her call, because if you do she will …
Queen Scorpathia is tired.  Many years have gone by since she sought a mate.  Ten decades. It may be anger.  It may be fear but the time has come.  She has entered another’s dream state one last time.  Now she will have to fight more than her fear of losing yet another.  She will have to fight the passion, lust and desires that are plaguing her mind, body and soul.  No one has ever given and taken as much as this warrior and no one will ever again. But will his strength and love be enough to fight the battles raging around her.  Will the powers of her land be enough to bring forth yet another day?  Only time will tell.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars, and I received this ARC from Red Sage Publishing via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

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Book review

Frost Moon

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Title: Frost Moon

SubTitle: Book One, The Skin Dancer Series

Publisher:Bell Bridge Books

Pub Date: 4 June 2010

ISBN: 9780984325689

Author: Anthony Francis

I regret picking up this book in the middle of the night where I plan to relax. This is one book you shouldn’t pick up if you intend on resting or relaxing, because this book definitely will not give you that effect. It’s a gripping tale that will surely get your adrenaline pumping. I could have sworn that my heart beat skipped a few beats while I was flipping tha pages.

This is a truly intriguing thriller. Highly recommended to those who love thrillers and fast-paced stories.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received this ARC from Bell Bridge Books via Netgalley and I was not compensated in any ways for writing this. For more information on this title, please click here.

Product description:

In an alternate Atlanta where magic is practiced openly, where shapeshifters party at the urban clubs and vampires rule the southern nights like gangsters, where demure witches sip coffees at the local cafes and mysterious creatures command the dark caverns beneath the city, Dakota Frost’s talents are coveted by all: She’s the best magical tattoo artist 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 Feds seek Dakota’s help. Can she find the killer in the dark fringe of the city’s magical Edgeworld? What kind of enemies and allies will she attract among the powerful outcasts and tormented loners, who see her as a threat, a seduction, an unexpected champion . . . or as delicious prey.

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Book review

Feast

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Title: Feast

SubTitle: Harvest of Dreams

Publisher: HarperCollins

Imprint: HarperVoyager

Pub Date: 1st July 2011

ISBN: 9780061990823

Author: Merrie Destefano

Reading this book, Feast by Merrie Destefano reminds me a little bit of Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland as well as through The Looking Glass. I’m not quite sure why… but perhaps because of the queer and mind boggling nature of this book.

I couldn’t actually grasps the story for the first few chapter, but as the story goes by, I find this book rather irresistible and rather drawn to the characters in this book.

This is not a bad book to read, in my humble opinion. But to me… this is the kind of book that you’ll need to get yourself in the mood first before reading it.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I received an ARC of this book from Harper Collins Publisher via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this book.

For more information on this book, please click here.

Book description:

Madeline MacFadden spent blissful childhood summers in  Ticonderoga Falls. And this is where she wants to be now that her adult life is falling apart. The dense surrounding forest holds many memories, some joyous, some tantalizingly only half-remembered.  And she’s always believed there was something living in these wooded hills.

But Maddie doesn’t remember the dark parts — and knows nothing of the mountain legend that holds the area’s terrified residents captive. She has no recollection of Ash, the strange and magnificent creature who once saved her life as a child, even though it is the destiny of his kind to prey upon humanity. And soon it will be the Harvest. . . the time to feast.

Once again Maddie’s dreams — and her soul — are in grave danger. But magic runs deep during Harvest. Even a spinner of enchanted tales has wondrous powers of her own.

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Book review

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth

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Title: Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth

Publisher: Cedar Fort

Imprint: Bonneville Books

Pub Date: 1 August 2011

ISBN:9781599554884

Author: Andy Hueller

Initially, I thought that I would not like this book, but boy was I wrong. Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller is one tale you wouldn’t want to miss if you’re the kind of people who wouldn’t mind reliving your teenage emotions and fantasy.

Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earth by Andy Hueller is a very absorbing and gripping tale, and if you’re a fantasy lovers, you might want to consider reading this book.

I rate this book 3 out of 5 stars. I received and ARC of this book from Cedar Fort Publisher via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

Book description:

Calvin Comet Cobble lives at Hidden Shores Orphanage—at the very center of the earth. Cal’s life is full of school bullies and mean teachers,but when he meets Mr. E, who can skip a stone clear across Lake Arctic, everything about Cal’s life changes. Told with wit and charm, Skipping Stones at the Center of the Earthis guaranteed to inspire readers of all ages.

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Book review

Two Moon Princess

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Title: Two Moon Princess

Publisher: Tanglewood

Pub Date: 15 April 2010

ISBN: 9781933718279

Author: Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban

Two Moon Princess by Carmen Ferreiro-Esteban is a must read if you’re looking for escapism. It’s one fiction that you would not want to miss if you’re looking not only for adventure, but romance as well.

Two Moon Princess is wonderfully written and the characters was very inspiring. This is one book that I wouldn’t mind reading over and over again. There’s much more to a fairy tale than just a happily ever after, and Two Moon Princess shows us just that.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received this ARC from Tanglewood Publisher via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review.

Product description:

To Andrea, the life of a princess is not a dream; it’s tedious and stifling. But the certainties of her life, both good and bad, are thrown into chaos when she accidentally travels to an alternative world, from a cave on a forbidden beach in her family’s kingdom to the warm and carefree life of Southern California. Then a careless visit to the cave results in terrible consequences: a brewing war between kingdoms, her sister’s love for the wrong man, Andrea’s own conflicted feelings for an enemy leader, and dark family secrets exposed. Andrea needs to act to resolve problems which she helped to create, and she faces many difficult choices, torn between duty and desire on so many levels. Readers will enjoy the mix of traditional elements of the fantasy genre,with fresh ideas and a look at our culture through the eyes of a stranger.

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Book review

Between Two Ends

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Title: Between Two Ends

Publisher: Abrams Books

Imprint: Amulet Books

Pub Date: 1st May 2011

ISBN: 9780810997141

Author: David Ward

Between Two Ends by David Ward is one fantastic, satisfying read. It’s all I ever want in an adventure-fairy tale kind of fiction. You see, I’ve always adored the Arabian Nights… and the story of Scheherezade, the legendary Persian Queen who spin stories night after night for her beloved husband who only marries a virgin and sends them to the gallow the day after their wedding because of the betrayal of his first wife.

And now, reading Between Two Ends, I was hurled into the world of One Thousand Nights where her world became alive. I feel like a child again when I read this book. It has such a positive effect on me.

This is a very interesting and wonderful read, and I highly recommend this book to everyone who loves a good fairy tale adventure.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars. I received this ARC in exchange of an honest review from Abrams Books via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this.

Book description:

When Yeats and his parents visit his grandmother’s creepy old house, Yeats reunites a pair of pirate bookends and uncovers the amazing truth: Years ago, Yeats’s father traveled into The Arabian Nights with a friend, and the friend, Shari, is still stuck in the tales. Assisted by the not-always-trustworthy pirates, Yeats must navigate the unfamiliar world of the story of Shaharazad–dodging guards and tigers and the dangerous things that lurk in the margins of the stories–in order to save Shari and bring peace to his family.

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Book review

The Harlot

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Title: The Harlot

Publisher: Harlequin

Imprint: SPICE

Pub Date: 31st May 2011

ISBN: 9780373605569

Author: Saskia Walker

The Harloy by Saskia Walker is a story about a whore. But that does not make this book distasteful. No. It was not distasteful. In fact, it was highly entertaining, intriguing and of course, rather explicit and arousing.

The Harlot brings the readers into a sexy adventure where a world of passion and fantasy awaits. There’s story of dark magic vs. white magic, betrayal, revenge, seduction, passion and true love inside this book. I enjoyed this book very much and I have to say that this is one book that’s hard to put down, despite the fact that the book is very sexually explicit.

If I were to rate this book. I’d give it4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended to romance lovers.

This book will be published on 31st may 2011. For more information on this title, please : click here to go to the author’s website.

Book description:

It is a dark era, one when a lusty lass will do what she must to survive. Even if it means bartering flesh for a palmful of coins…

Forced to watch her mother burn at the stake, Jessie Taskill knows the danger of the gift she inherited—a powerful magic that must stay hidden. Until one night when she’s accused of witchcraft and Jessie finds herself behind prison walls, awaiting certain death with a roguish priest unlike any man of the cloth she has known.

In reality, Gregor Ramsay is as far from holy as the devil himself, but his promise of freedom in return for her services may be her salvation. Locked into a dubious agreement, Jessie resents his plan to have her seduce and ruin his lifelong enemy. But toying with Gregor’s own lust for her is enjoyable, and she agrees to be his pawn while secretly intending to use him just as he is using her…

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Book review

Wedding of the Century and Other Stories

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Title: Wedding of the Century and Other Stories

Publisher: Harlequin

Imprint: HQN Books

Pub Date:31st May 2011

ISBN: 9780373775507

Author: Mary Jo Putney, Kristin James & Charlotte Featherstone

Wedding of the Century and Other Stories is an anthology of stories written by Mary Jo Putney, Kristin James & Charlotte Featherstone. There’s 3 stories in this book, and I found all of the stories are irresistably heartwarming.

The first story, The Wedding of The Century by Mary Jo Putney stays true to the Harlequin tradition where sometimes, love comes after marriage. The story theme was based on marriage of convenience. The heroine married her husband because of social expectation of her, and had assumed that her marriage will be quite a bore. Little did she know that what’s waiting for her is not boredom, but a marriage full of love and passion. This story follows the real tradition of Harlequin stories, but it was enjoyable nevertheless.

My favourite was the second story, Jesse’s Wife by Kristin James. I find it sweet, innocent and endearing, and I would have read it over and over again and would not feel bored about it. I couldn’t get enough of it, and truthfully, I thought that the author could have added an epilogue to this story.

The last story in this book was Seduced by Starlight written by Charlotte Featherstone. This story is all about seduction. It is a little bit far-fetch, though, considering the social setting and whatnot. Not quite realistic in my opinion, but the story is enjoyable nevertheless.

I received an ARC of this book from Harlequin via Netgalley. I was not compensated in any ways for writing this review, and if I were to rate this book, I’d give it a 3 out of 5 stars.

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Book review

The Outlaw Bride

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Title: The Outlaw Bride

Publisher: Carina Press

Pub Date: 18th April 2011

ISBN: 9781426891489

Author: Kelly Boyce

I was expecting a Regency romance when I requested this book for review from Netgalley, but I was pleasantly surprised that this is no Regency romance book, but a Western romance book. I enjoyed the plot and the subplot of this book, and while the story starts did not catch my attention in the beginning, I began to grow to like it as I slip the pages.

Not a bad book to read on a lazy Sunday. Highly recommended to those who loves ‘incognito’, forbidden romance as well as dual identity kind of story.

If I were to rate this book, i’d give it a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

Book description:

Katherine Slade has two goals: to escape her outlaw husband and to find the family of the man who died saving her life. Taking the place of a mail-order bride isn’t part of her plan-until she’s forced to continue the charade and become Sheriff Connor Langston’s housekeeper to stay out of jail. Pretending to be another woman is hard, but Katherine’s real challenge is resisting her growing attraction to the handsome lawman…

Falling in love is the last thing Connor needs, even if the rest of Fatal Bluff wants him to. His hands are full with a band of outlaws threatening the safety of his town, and a child to raise. But Kate has a way of getting under his skin and into little Jenny’s heart. Soon Connor can’t get the fiery beauty out of his head-along with his suspicion that Kate isn’t who she claims to be.

When Connor learns the truth about Kate, is there any way for this outlaw bride to become the sheriff’s wife?

The publication date for this book is 18th April 2011. For more information on this title, please click here to go to the author’s website.

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Book review

Journeyman’s Ride

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Title: Journeyman’s Ride

Publisher: Carina Press

Pub Date: 25th April 2011

ISBN: 9781426891519

Author: Marie Harte

Journeyman’s Ride by Marie Harte, is an erotica, and like most erotica, it’s filled with sexy, imaginative sex scenes, but what I like about this book is that it’s not entirely plotless and most of the scenes are tastefully done.The book is a novella length, short, but enough to keep you satisfied.

I enjoyed this book very much and I hope there’s more to come from Marie Harte.

Book description:

Miranda is duty-bound to journey across the Damned Plains to rescue the Princess of York from ruination. Her selfish cousin doesn’t deserve her help, but the mission offers an opportunity to escape the smothering confines of life as an indentured companion to a spoiled princess.

Danner is a journeyman, a traveler with an extraordinary gift: the ability to withstand the deadly lightning bolts sent by moody gods. Drawn by her lush beauty, he agrees to guide Miranda across the Plains if she’ll let him explore her body each night.

They face danger-blood ravens, cannibals, mechanical spyders-but Danner never anticipated that the bigger risk would be from Miranda and the things she makes him feel. A journeyman’s life doesn’t lend itself to commitment, but if they can rescue the princess and make it out of the Plains without getting zapped or eaten, Danner might have to make an exception for one amazing woman. If she’ll have him.

I rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars.  The release date of this book is 25th April 2011. For more information on this title, please click here to visit the publisher’s website, or click here to go to the author’s website.

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