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Review: Condemned

Solid 5 Stars

My first time reading anything by Marianne Morea and well into the series and I am still absolutely blown away by this book. I haven’t been this drawn into and invested in a world like this in years! If Sherrilyn Kenyon and J.R. Ward’s writing had a child, it would be Marianne Morea’s writing. She creates a world that comes to life with richness and detail that pulls you straight into the story and keeps you hooked from start to finish.

Belinda was someone I liked instantly. Wickedly smart, but still down to earth and relatable it was easy for me to quickly find myself pulled in from the first moment with her. Dominic was also someone I found myself immensely drawn to. A complete mystery to me at first, especially since this is my first introduction to the series, I didn’t feel lost when first being introduced to him but I did find myself very much intrigued. I loved how brilliantly the author filled in all of the history almost like a story within a story as I discovered more about this ancient vampire. It created a whole other layer to Dominic and Belinda’s story that hooked me even deeper as I read.
An abundance of mystery and suspense intertwine with a beautiful and rather sweet romance that bursts with sizzling heat in this book. I don’t want to give anything away because all of these discoveries that come to life as you read is a such a wonderful part of the magic in reading this book! I’m so glad I took a chance and dove in even this far into the series because I’ve now discovered a new favorite for me and get to enjoy going back to the beginning to catch up. 

Review: Blood Legacy

Solid 5 Stars
This story starts with just enough interest and action to keep you engaged but make no mistake, this is a romance. The fact that it is filled with action in various places do not stop the main thrust from being Carlos' attraction to Trina. This is your usual entertaining story about love , romance and the problems that come with it. Carlos' was turned hundreds of years ago in a violent act and has been struggling with his humanity because he promised his first love that he would remain the decent person that he was before his life was changed forever.

This is a love story that spans hundreds of years and has several nice plot twists and peaks into the past that make you feel more a part of Carlos'. Trina the girl with seemingly no real direction is working as a waitress at an old church turned nightclub which plays a part in the beginning to let Carlos' know that Trina is more than she seems.

The story is engaging and even in the parts of introspection it stays interesting. There are a few surprises along the way which astute readers can see coming in a general sense but that does not take away from the entertainment value of this novel.

If I have any complaints it would be that the majority of the secondary characters are somewhat 2 dimensional (with a couple of notable exceptions). This small note does little to impede the enjoyment of the reader but you got the feeling there was going to be more to some of them that never really materialized.

Blood Legacy combines romance, action and character development in a good mix that results in a very satisfied feeling at the end. This is probably about 4.5 Stars (a bit more or less depending on the reader) but I consider it a highly recommended reading experience. The sexual level of this novel is probably quite a bit above YA but short of erotic, good passion and emotional involvement. This will feed your revenge junkie a bit and sooth your White Knight syndrome a bit also, got it all. 

ABNA PUBLISHER'S WEEKLY REVIEW: Twice Cursed 

Solid 4 stars

(Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarter-Finalist)
Werewolves, diseased vampires, and a tough-as-nails human psychic provide the plot in this suspenseful semi-erotic romance. Someone -- or something -- is creating increasingly gruesome crime scenes in Manhattan with young victims found drained of nearly all their blood. NYPD detective Ryan Martinez knows he has a sixth sense, so when a colleague insists on calling in Lily Saburi, a psychic who has often worked with the NYPD, to help, he reluctantly allows her to assist. Lily’s been in Maine with her boyfriend, Sean, the alpha male of his Were pack, recovering from her best friend’s murder. Due to infighting among the Were clans, Sean stays behind while Lily and his clansman, Jack, head to Manhattan to help solve the crimes. After an assassination attempt aimed at Sean is foiled, he realizes that the culprit might be Edward Parr, a conniving Were who’s made no secret of the fact that he wants to be the top Alpha.
While solidly written, the work often reads like a sequel to a previous book and makes references to many events which occurred before the story started, which is distracting in several places. But a series of clever and completely unexpected twists at the end -- as well as quirky and appealing characters and unexpected humor -- make the good moments far outweigh the bad.  

TJ Mackay's Review: Hollow's End

Solid 4-Stars

Rowan knows she’s considered weird.  She has had to deal with it all her life.  Being the daughter of a long line of self-proclaimed witches in the modern day town famous for the Sleepy Hallow and headless horseman legend, it can’t be avoided.  That doesn’t make it easy, however, and Rowan just wants a chance to be normal!  When Hunter, a childhood friend, moves back to town all grown up and gorgeous... and looking at her, Rowan dares to hope things might just go her way for once.  

As Halloween draws closer, Rowan’s legacy comes crashing down in the form of horrible visions that leave her screaming.  Hunter seems to be the catalyst to these visions and answers must be found before something terrible happens to both them and the town whose secrets have never really died.

What a perfect read for a misty autumn night!   Filled with everything one would want in a ghost story, this one will make your fingers tingle and your heart race!  Ms. Morea has taken the well known tale of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman and thrown it’s after effects right into the 21st century.  It does get a little mish-mash confusing in places near the end, and the sexuality is questionable for adolescents. However, the play between historical accuracies and fiction is brilliantly accomplished. This truly is a scrumptiously scary story that incorporates historical fact while spinning reality, leaving the reader biting their nails and turning the pages!