The unscrupulous new Council chair has charged Jace, Marc and me with trespassing, kidnapping, murder and treason. Yeah, we’ve been busy. But now it’s time to take justice into our own hands. We must avenge my brother’s death and carve out the rot at the heart of the Council.

But life never waits until you’re ready.

It wasn’t that long ago that I was asking for advice on which series were complete, and now… I’m finishing up three of my favorite series within one month. It’s killing my poor book loving heart. Yet I understand, sometimes it is time to let go of characters because there is only so much torture they can take. I wouldn’t mind a spinoff involving Jace tho… #justsaying

Faythe, Faythe, Faythe, my how you have grown. I went into this last book not expecting her to be so mature and so clear headed considering the emotional beating of the Prey and Shift. I expected her to flail and struggle and make mistake after mistake because her life was in turmoil. She certainly did struggle to find her footing when it came to her romantic interests. She stubbornly held onto her own selfish wants when it came to the men in her life up until the very end. I wanted to grab hold and shake her. It wasn’t fair to either Mark or Jace, but I can overlook it. Why?

Because she may have been acting selfishly and avoiding the problem, but for once it was the right thing to do. There was simply no way for her to stand up and lead in the way that she does, and needs to, in Alpha if she couldn’t see past her own problems and grab hold of the bigger picture. Immature, weak, whiny Faythe has grown into a fearless, courageous, intelligent bad ass motherf**ker (BAMF!). There are losses, there are wins, there is heartbreak… and she handles it all. She fully accepts her role, acknowledges her devotion to her pride, to her family, and it fits her.

I have to admit, Alpha isn’t perfect and won’t be my favorite of the series. I was fairly certain of who would die and the choice she would make in the end, but…. I didn’t care. This book didn’t make me bawl like Prey did, didn’t make me scream OH MY HOLY YODA like Shift did, but it did leave me feeling satisfied. It was a great story and a fitting end to a fantastic series. My favorite aspect of Alpha? The political world of the shifters once more being center stage, while the romance was still there, just as a supporting role along the side.

With this review, I say goodbye to one of my top 10 Urban Fantasy series. You have made me laugh, made me cry, made me gasp, and made me yell in frustration. You have entertained me and given me little pockets of fantasy to escape into. I’ve shared you with friends and pushed you onto complete strangers, all just so I could relive my own excitement through their experience. Thank you Rachel Vincent, may your new series be just as well loved.

FTC Disclaimer: This book was purchased by me.

Related posts:

• Review: Shift by Rachel Vincent
• Author Interview: Rachel Vincent
• Cover Reveal: Alpha by Rachel Vincent

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever. Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years. What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh — a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds. In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves. Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card? From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world… or destroy it.

How does one even start to review what is easily the most anticipated book of the year among urban fantasy fans? I guess I will start by saying, if you want to read my reviews of the previous books go here. If you haven’t read the series, you might want to stop and start at book 1. I’m not going to be purposely spoilerly, but it is hard to be entirely vague.

I’ve been a bit overwhelmed with book choices lately. After reading almost nothing for the last few months because of school, all of a sudden I have a “to read” list that is crazy huge almost solely because of popular series books I have missed the release of. I pushed all of those aside and bought my kindle version of Shadowfever at midnight on release day. I read for about 2 hours for that night before I had to finally admit defeat and get some sleep.

Right out from the gate the book has you twittering “OMG! NOOOOOO”. There were several oh my god moments really. One thing Moning did incredibly well was keep us on our toes. There was not a single event in this story that I had guessed or seen suggested by anyone else. The twists and turns were thought provoking and frustrating all in one. In the end we get answers to some questions, but definitely not all. We get just enough about Barrons and his men to feel slightly satisfied, but still curious. We get in-depth history as well as out of nowhere curve balls regarding the Fae and Mac’s sidhe-seer heritage. We get the long awaited answer to Alina’s death and the future of Mac and Barrons.

Yet, I finished it was left feeling unsettled. Shadowfever is a lot of book, almost 600 pages, and honestly the first half it was a slow read. There was a great deal of emotional monologue and stubborn characters that dragged on the plot. Additionally, I’ve always adored Dani but I felt her character lacked growth in this installment and I can’t help but wonder whether or not the reveal we get was planned all along. I didn’t fully believe the events surrounding V’lane and I still don’t understand Christian’s progression. I almost think that the effort to create a story that lived up to expectation and defy all speculation may have led to an end result that lacked a certain amount of credibility. (I know that’s vauge, I’m sorry! lol).

My last complaint, too much of the finale was focused on the relationship between Barrons and Mac. Yes, their “happy ever after” chances are a huge draw to readers, but it is has never been the focus of the series. For me the series has always been about Mac and her search to find the truth about her sister, to find her place among this new world she has journeyed into. I needed a final scene between Mac and the killer.

I realize how one sided this review is. The truth is for all my complaints, it is an entertaining and good story. Mac 5.0 is broken down and then built up stronger and smarter than we have ever seen her. Barrons is everything we have come to expect from him and most people will be content with the series ending. Shadowfever may not have hit all the perfect buttons for me, but I enjoyed the creatively twisted story that kept me guessing and am sad to see the series come to an end.


Favorite Quote:

With Barrons, you aren’t sure if you’re going to get fucked or turned inside out and left a new, unrecognizable person, adrift with no moorings, on a sea with no bottom and no rules.

I was never immune to him. There were merely degrees of denial.

FTC Disclaimer: This book was purchased by me

Related posts:

• Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
• Review: The Fever Series
• Review: Beneath the Skin by Adrian Phoenix

Cerise Mar and her clan are cash poor but land rich, claiming a large swathe of the Mire, the Edge swamplands. When her parents vanish, her clan’s long-time rivals are suspect. But all is not as it seems.

Two nations of the Weird are waging a cold war fought by feint and espionage, and their conflict is about to spill over into the Edge-and Cerise’s life.

For as much as I enjoyed the first book in this new series from Ilona Andrews, I loved the second even more. I liked Declan, but I absolutely adore William. He is complicated, flawed, and yet just so…. damn adorable. I really enjoyed the glimpses into his mind and the whispers of doubt when he thought about how he wanted Rose, the heroine from book 1, for himself. It was so obvious that he just wanted a family of his own, people to care for, people to love. I just wanted to cuddle and caress him til he was better…. and then jump all over his sexy weapon wielding ass.

Cerise reminded me of Kate, from the Andrews’ Urban Fantasy series, yet she isn’t Kate. Yes, she carries the same kick ass girl aura and the same courage and strength, but she isn’t afraid to be emotionally vulnerable. She is cautious but also trusting and and easy to relate to.

What I adore most about Ilona Andrews writing paranormal romance is that she holds nothing back. Bayou Moon is about the romance and the characters’ journey of finding each other, but it is also about the story. The plots are complicated and the world is detailed, filled with intense characters and tricky politics. These aren’t books that you can skip over the “non sexy parts” and still keep up. Andrews’ writes more than a story of boy meet girl. It is a story of boy meets girl with kick ass world building, intelligence, humor, and nerve tingling tension.

FTC Disclaimer: This book was given to me by the author and/or publisher in exchange for an honest review

Related posts:

• Cover Reveal: Bayou Moon by Ilona Andrews
• Review: Magic Slays by Ilona Andrews
• Review: Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

I am obviously biased, but I absolutely can not wait to get my hands on a new Kindle 3. I’m still debating if I need the 3G or not and am willing to wait til this winter to order since technically nothing is wrong with my Kindle 1. But I am itching to click “buy now” on it. You should be too! Absolutely great new features and the lowest price yet!

Related posts:

• Kindle Vixen’s E-reader Comparison Chart
• Kindle Price Drop
• Tips & Tricks ~ Downloading to your Kindle from your online library

Fatal Shadows – 4 stars

Goodreads entry here.
Someone’s out to get Los Angeles bookseller Adrien English. His best friend has been viciously murdered, now he’s getting weird phone calls and sinister gifts from a mysterious “admirer.” The cops think he’s trying to divert suspicion from himself-with the exception of sexy and homophobic homicide detective Jake Riordan. Is Riordan really such a great detective–or does he have a few secrets of his own? Is his offer to help Adrien on the level or is he out to nail his favorite suspect — to the wall?

A Dangerous Thing – 3 stars

Goodreads entry here
Suffering from writer’s block and frustrated with his tentative relationship with hot but closeted L.A.P.D. Homicide Detective Jake Riordan, gay bookseller and mystery writer Adrien English travels to northern California where he finds a body in his front drive. By the time the sheriffs arrive, the body has disappeared, and Adrien once again finds himself playing amateur sleuth. But when the game turns deadly, Adrien turns to Jake. Jake may be confused about some things, but keeping his lover alive is not one of them–no matter what the cost.

The Hell You Say – 5 stars

Goodreads entry here
The long anticipated third novel in the Adrien English series finds the “ill-starred and bookish” mystery writer and bookseller battling demons–maybe literally.

And, oh, yes, murder…

Death of a Pirate King – 5 stars

Goodreads entry here
Gay bookseller and reluctant amateur sleuth Adrien English’s writing career is suddenly taking off. His first novel, Murder Will Out, has been optioned by notorious Hollywood actor Paul Kane. But when murder makes an appearance at a dinner party, who should be called in but Adrien’s former lover, handsome closeted detective Jake Riordan, now a Lieutenant with LAPD — which may just drive Adrien’s new boyfriend, sexy UCLA professor Guy Snowden, to commit a murder of his own!

The Dark Tide – 5 stars

Goodreads entry here
As if recovering from heart surgery beneath the gaze of his over-protective family wasn’t exasperating enough, someone keeps trying to break into Adrien English’s bookstore. What is this determined midnight intruder searching for?

Jake is only too happy to have reason to stay in close contact with Adrien, but there are more surprises in Adrien’s past than either one of them expects — and one of them may prove hazardous to Jake’s own heart.

It is 3:40am and here I am typing away on my laptop writing a review for a series I just finished reading. I should have packed it up and called it a night as the girls will no doubt be pestering me for breakfast bright and early, but the last book of the Adrien English series was so perfect, so sigh worthy that I absolutely had to get my thoughts out before I could fall asleep.

I started this series not knowing what to expect. It came highly recommended by Smexybooks and she has never steered anyone wrong before, but I have never read a M/M romance before. True to form, Ms. Smexy did not disappoint and this series is a must read. Fictionwise has this series classified as M/M erotica but I have a hard time classifying it as erotica. Yes, there are some smexy scenes in it, but the plot and relationships between characters steal the show in every book. Because of the strength of the last 3 books, I am giving the series as a whole 5 stars.

Adrien English is likable and funny, often sarcastic but not overly so. He is curious, finding himself close to far more dead bodies than one would think is possibly. The relationship between him and Jake is an unlikely one where they seem to knock heads more than kiss. I would have liked to sit them down and stage an intervention more on several occassions. They seemed to take turns being unable to be emotionally honest and often saying the wrong words. On one hand I am glad this series was only 5 books long, I am not sure my heart could take the emotional turmoil that their relationship caused me!

The plots for all 5 books were well done. The mysteries were interesting and demanded equal footing with the romantic plot. I did find the storyline in A Dangerous Thing, book 2, to be less interesting than the others. I felt the changes in Jake and Adrien’s relationship were most important to the series, but the plot kept trying to push them out of the way.

Ultimately, book 5 left the biggest impression on me. I laughed out loud at the one liners and sighed at the tender side Jake finally showed us. I held my breath during many scenes hoping one of them would say the right thing and happiness would be in their future. Never have I read a series that was completed so well and did so without compromising the characters or the growth they had to experience. Even upon finishing The Dark Tide I kept hitting the “next” button trying to deny the book was really done. Realizing it was truly the end, I actually grinned and hugged my kindle for a moment in gratefulness.

Thank you Mandi for helping me spread my book horizons and thank you Josh Lanyon for giving readers a little piece of joyful perfection.

FTC Disclaimer: These books were purchased by me

Related posts:

• Review: The Fever Series
• Review: Lords of the Underworld Series
• Review: Gobsmacked and Cover Me by L.B. Gregg

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Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning

Review: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Review: The Adrien English series by Josh Lanyon

]]> The Fever Series
Karen Marie Moning
Buy Kindle Versions: here
Rating: 4 to 5 Stars

Darkfever – 4 stars Goodreads entry here.	Bloodfever – 4 stars Goodreads entry here	Faefever – 5 stars Goodreads entry here	Dreamfever – 5 stars Goodreads entry here

You can find my review for book 1 of the series here. The plan was to review them all by themselves, but each book is so closely linked to each other, I think its impossible to do without spoiling things! Because of that I am going to be vague and hope you trust me that you absolutely must read this series if you haven’t!

Darkfever and Bloodfever were good. They weren’t OMG YOU HAVE TO READ THIS good for me, but I read them quickly and really enjoyed them. The same can not be said for book 3 and 4. Faefever and Dreamfever are OMG YOU HAVE TO READ THIS good. They are full of surprises, storyline, and action. A small warning, both do end with cliffhangers…. Dreamfever probably being one of the worst I have read…. EVER! It is going to be a long wait for book 5, Shadowfever.

There were things I absolutely loved about this series. There are also things that made me frown and things that disappointed me. Most importantly, this series grabs you by the shirt and drags you in, makes you care about the characters and what is going on in their world.

I love Mac, I especially love Mac version 4.0. Her character arc and the growth in her is captivating.

Barrons…. still an jerk. But book 4 warms me up to him and I can see all the soft goey nugget inside. I know I would happily volunteer to poke around with him and try to find more of it.

Barrons and Mac together…. they make me swear like a sailor. They are stubborn and pigheaded and I just want to hit both of them upside the head.

*sigh* How much longer until Shadowfever?

FTC Disclaimer: These books were purchased by me

Related posts:

• Review: Darkfever by Karen Marie Moning
• Review: Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning
• Review: The Adrien English series by Josh Lanyon

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