Tag Archives: sci-fi

Beyond the Veil by Jessica Majzner (Book Review)

 

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A fabled wall, marking the territory of the werewolves and adorned with the severed skull of a once great alpha, stands between Natalya and her prey.

When she finds the body of Anesa, her beloved mentor, she is determined to hunt down the vampire responsible. Crossing the border into Claw Haven to follow him is sacrilege though, and the undead werewolves whose skeletal bodies wane and wax with the moon are more terrifying than the vampire she seeks. But there she meets Voren, a werewolf who is a living contradiction to everything she has been led to believe.

Her journey into the lives of the pack entwines her and Voren’s fates with that of a master vampire’s: Arkadith. Defeating him may lift Voren’s curse and bring peace to Valwood and Claw Haven, but Arkadith is determined to bring an end to this vampire huntress as well…

 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
Throughout the years, I have watched many movies/shows that focused on vampires and werewolves. I’ve also read my share of books centering on them. With all of them, they share one common denominator…..not all “creatures” want the curse bestowed upon them. 
 
Within every faction, wolf or vamp, there was some who fight the pull of the beast within and those who embraced the darkness. Beyond the Veil was no exception to the rule. It had werewolves, vamps, and humans who loved the thrill of the kill and ones who fought for peace instead of death and carnage. 
 
I will say this, the battles between the humans and wolves were brutal – bloody – and everything you’d expect in a scifi (paranormal fantasy) book. The true form of the wolf alone will stand out in your mind as the one of the best shifting scenes in any written form. They are not the beautiful beasts depicted in famous tv shows. They are not even Hallmark card worthy. In my opinion, Jessica’s twist to a well-known shifter was a welcomed change to the norm. She brought fresh life into something gone stale. Good job!
 
As you can tell, I absolutely enjoyed the story except for two smalls thing……Anesa’s quick end and the final moments of Part II (no spoilers). 
 
Anesa: As I watched her fight the vamps in chapter 1 and meet her end, I wondered why Jessica didn’t extend her role a few more chapters. I’d been happy for a flashback or two regarding her training Natalya. Based off Anesa’s combat skills, it would’ve been nice for Natalya to recall times with the fortune teller as they were laying her to rest or at other times Natayla remembered the wise, old woman. 

However, despite my need for more Anesa and the predicable plot twist in Part II, Beyond the Veil didn’t disappoint and I’m sure it won’t for you either. 

 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
 Score: ❤❤❤❤
 
 
 

Jessica Majzner is a 25 year old author who has just released her debut novel, Beyond the Veil. It has always been her dream to share with you her story of a human village struggling to live peacefully alongside werewolves and vampires. Beyond the Veil has been very favorably received and reviewed on such websites as Booksie.com and Wattpad.com where it can be previewed for free.

Jessica lives with her fiancé and two dogs, an American Eskimo named Shyla and a very talented Italian Greyhound mix named Hazel that reviews things at her blog, www.beyondvalwood.com

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Phantom Desire: Psychic Menage Book 2 by Houston Havens (Book Review)

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Mind traveler Chandra Lamar is on the run, not only from her post-catastrophic dystopian government but from a past she can’t remember. A psychic vision pushes her to recall her purpose for being, but it’s a ghost that awakens her desires for a life she fears she’ll never have. Both push her to remember the past because it threatens what she wants in the now, the Nodin men.

Andonis Nodin battles to accept his failures. The heavy burden nearly breaks him when he can’t save a loved one from the grim reaper’s grip and questions his desire for Chandra, the woman he blames for the death around him.

Nikias finds true love with Chandra in his arms, but is desperate to stop her from seeking revenge on a mission he knows is a one-way trip.

Ortello knows for them to recapture the love they once felt for each other, he must be willing to let her go. But overcoming his obsession to make Chandra his and his alone isn’t easy.

Will Chandra go through with the vengeance in her heart or give it up for love? Who is the powerful woman in her haunting visions and will those revealing apparitions crumble her world with the Nodin clan? Does Chandra find true love in the arms of the Nodin men or does her Phantom Desire forever own her heart?

 
 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
 
We all deal with death and the loss of a friend or loved one in our own way. We cry, withdraw into ourselves, throw ourselves into work, lash out in anger, or latch on tight to those who are living in fear of losing someone else.
 
No matter the coping mechanism we choose, there’s a common denominator which is essential in helping us move on and that’s LOVE. 
 
Before we reach the last page of this story, I must warn you, they’ll be some unorthrodox scenes. Okay, it might not be weird to you but it was for this chick. I’m not into ghost sex. Yeah, you read that right. Chandra was intimate with a ghost aka Ortello. In fact, the book started off with this unusual, out of the box, sexual relations. 
 
Not my cup of tea but her love scenes with Nikias and Andonis (alone and together) were right up my kinky alley. 
 
Nikias’ first sexual encounter was with Chandra and he caught on fast to the act of fuckery. Gotta love a man who can take direction. 😉 And Adonis, I have four words for you…
 
 
“drawer of sexual treasures”
 
 
If you are into kink and toys, then you’ll love what he pulled out for their pleasure. 
 
Even though they are several chapters of bedroom action, Chandra does see some brief action on the field. The short time away leads to a few major bombshells. Yup, humungous cliffhanger but I won’t be speaking on that. If you want to know, then you must buy the book. A purchase I’m sure you WON’T REGRET making. 
 
 

Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest)

Score: ❤❤❤❤

 
 
 
 
Houston Havens, erotic-romance author, mixes the past, present, and future, and she always gives you love everlasting. She’s a woman of passion and mystery. Between the seductive pages of her intriguing books are titillating and sexy blends of futuristic, paranormal-fantasy, and sensuous westerns. Her sultry books will entertain and fascinate those who dare to take the journey.
 

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The Guardian: Mended Souls, Book 1 by Jacquie Biggar (Book Review)

HOT NEW adventure romance. Spice up your summer with The Guardian

 

Can two lost souls stop a madman with the help of a sarcastic angel?


Lucas Carmichael and Scott Anderson had it all, money, fame, and fortune. But one night’s stupid mistake takes everything they thought they cherished and dumps it upside down.
A car accident ends Lucas’ life and leaves Scott injured and bitter.
As the local ME, Tracy York, investigates the case, discrepancies begin to point to more than a simple drunk driving incident.
When threats are made to Tracy’s life can Scott and his guardian angel, Lucas, protect her, or will she become another casualty?


Excerpt:
 

Scott couldn’t believe he’d escaped from a hospital just a few hours before and now here he was, riding in the back of an ambulance. He was pretty sure it wasn’t SOP to transport a canine, even if it was extenuating circumstances. But the moment the paramedics had shown up, his companion had run roughshod over their objections. It was sort of sexy.

Tracy York.

He had a difficult time equating her as a medical examiner. She seemed too… young. Naïve. Cute.

That is until a person got close enough to read the deep green pools of her gaze. They spoke of suffering, those eyes. They made him ache inside. He wanted to hold her. Offer to help, even though his world was a screwed up mess.

Her thigh rubbed against his every time the ambulance changed lanes and was slowly driving him crazy. Every nerve strained closer, waiting for the next teasing friction of silk and jean meshing together and then apart.

The vehicle took a corner and she lost balance, threw out a hand to steady herself, and came dangerously close to finding out exactly what she was doing to him.

Scott grasped her forearm in his good hand and stopped her forward momentum. He froze, their lips a hairsbreadth apart. Her eyes grew large and he felt like the wolf at Red Riding Hood’s door. His heart skidded along his windpipe like it was an Olympic medal winning luge run. How had he thought her merely cute? She was gorgeous, with hair like the finest brandy and skin that rivalled any fairy tale heroine he’d ever read about. He leaned toward her, solely focused on tasting that lush, honey-sweet mouth.

And she frowned at him.

Just like that the noise came rushing back in, the creak of the van, the beep of machines, and the stifled snort of the paramedic who suddenly pretended to act busy. Tracy pulled her arm free. She ignored him to reach out and pet the mutt’s gnarled coat, and move a careful few inches down the bench.

Scott glared at the grinning paramedic and sat back, his head resting against the cool metal wall behind him. He couldn’t honestly remember the last time a woman turned him down. He was disappointed, but there was no denying the fact that the doc intrigued him. If she were anyone else he’d be tempted to pursue the matter. But she held his and Lucas’ reputation in her dainty little hands. He couldn’t afford to alienate her.

 
GET YOUR KINDLE OR PAPERBACK COPY TODAY!! 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 
They say the Lord works in mysterious ways and HE sure did in The Guardian. He partnered up Mike and Lucas who’s paths crossed one unfortunate night. A night filled with pain, heartache and lost lives. 
 
When Mike visited his family and relived his final moments before the impact, I admit I cried. I pictured myself as Jules, chanting “I love you” to my family because I needed them to know, had to let them know, because the inevitable was about to happen.  Even as I am typing this, I’m tearing up and I am not a huge crier. So before you read chapter 11, grab a tissue. Trust me, you’ll need it. 
 
For the rest of the story, I didn’t shed one tear. I did raise an eyebrow at a few passages. I’ll share those with you now. 
 
1.) When Scott took Tracy on a picnic, he brought and drank wine. You’d think a man who was still recovering from an accident, where he lost his best friend and sister, would abstain from any form of alcohol. There was more at play with the accident but I’m not divulging any secrets. Lets just say at this point and time, Scott thought the accident centered around alcohol. Case closed. 
 
2.) Angels curse? Ok Lucas and Mike are NEW ANGELS so maybe that’s why they didn’t censure themselves. Maybe cursing isn’t going against the heavenly rulebook. 
 
3.) Without giving out a spoiler, I will say I was shocked when a certain deceased individual could still get hurt/be knocked out. 
 
Other than those three things, I rather enjoyed this book. I’m pleased to see Jacquie didn’t have the Lord appear only at the start of the book. Those who believe in HIM, hope HE watches out for us, guides us every day, will be delighted the number of times the Lord “appears” and his words of guidance. He was basically Lucas’ conscience, pointing him on the right path which is exactly what I expected of HIM to do.  
 
I should make note of one more thing, this book does end on a CLIFFHANGER and one I think will have you anticipating book 2. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5
(highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤1/2
 
GET YOUR KINDLE OR PAPERBACK COPY TODAY!! 
Goodreads Link
 


Jacquie writes Romantic Suspense with tough, alpha males who know what they want, until they’re gob-smacked by heroines who are strong, contemporary women willing to show them that what they really need is love.
She has been blessed with a long, happy marriage and enjoys writing romance novels that end with happy-ever-afters.
Jacquie lives in paradise along the west coast of Canada with her family and loves reading, writing, and flower gardening. She swears she can’t function without coffee, preferably at the beach with her sweetheart. 🙂

 
Follow Jacquie’s website below – if you check out her giveaways page you’ll find tons of great prizes every month!

 
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Secret of the Gargoyles: Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles, Book 3 by Rebecca Chastain (Book Review)

I place the lives of all gargoyles into your hands with what I am about to tell you…

In her brief career as a gargoyle healer, Mika Stillwater has faced some daunting challenges, but none have stumped her—until now. A strange sickness infects a handful of gargoyles in Terra Haven, rendering them comatose and paralyzed. Worse, the cure she seeks is shrouded in the gargoyles’ mysterious culture and the secret they guard with their lives.

Gaining the gargoyles’ trust is only the first step. To save the sick gargoyles, Mika must embark on a perilous mission into the heart of deadly wild magic to a place no human has ever survived…

The captivating conclusion to the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles trilogy, Secret of the Gargoyles will charm readers of all ages, especially those who love extraordinary magic and endearing gargoyles.

 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
Secret of the Gargoyles picks up where Curse of the Gargoyles left off at. Elsa Lansing is in prison but the gargoyles used for her own gains are still comatose. Mika embarks on a journey to save the seven gargoyles who can’t escape the dormancy sickness. With the help of Oliver, Celeste (another gargoyle) and Marcus, they go where no one dares to venture — Reaper’s Ridge. 
 
There, they battle magical storms, gargoyles, and the power of the baetyle (sacred place of the gargoyles) to restore things as they were before. 
 
Was the mission a 100% success? Sadly no but in a great story we don’t expect everything to go exactly as planned. What would the fun be in that? We like action, suspense, and —  Holy sh!t,  did you see that?! — moments.  Rebecca most certainly delivers all those in the latest installment in the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles. 
 
In Secret of the Gargoyles, will readers finally see a relationship take form between Marcus and Mika? Abso-freaking-lutely and about damn time too!!!
 
However, now I have to wonder a few things. We met Naomi, the train conductor, at the start of their journey. Her and Marcus seemed to have a connection. They flirted a bit which made Mika jealous. Will we see Naomi again and, if so, will she impact their new budding romance?
 
Guess only time will tell and I, for one, will be eagerly awaiting where Rebecca’s creative mind takes us next. 
 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5
(highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤1/2
 
 
 
Reading Order (click on the titles to be redirected to Amazon):
 
 

Rebecca Chastain is the international bestselling author of the Madison Fox, Illuminant Enforcer series and the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles, among others works. She has found seven four-leaf clovers to date, won a purebred Arabian horse in a drawing, and once tamed a blackbird for a day. Writing stories designed to amuse and entertain has been her passion since she was eleven years old. She lives in Northern California with her wonderful husband and three bossy cats.


Website: http://www.rebeccachastain.com
Newsletter: http://www.rebeccachastain.com/fantasy-newsletter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccachastainnovels
Twitter: @Author_Rebecca or https://twitter.com/Author_Rebecca
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5660379.Rebecca_Chastain

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Curse of the Gargoyles by Rebecca Chastain (Book Review)

 
Mika was trying to save a gargoyle, not doom the world…
 

Mika Stillwater isn’t known for her skills with combat magic. As a gargoyle healer, she spends her days mending broken appendages and curing illnesses in the living-quartz bodies of Terra Haven’s gargoyles. But when a squad of the city’s elite Federal Pentagon Defense warriors requests her assistance in freeing a gargoyle ensnared in a vicious invention, Mika jumps into the fray.

No one could have predicted that her involvement would ignite a chain reaction set to destroy the city, the world, and magic itself.

Brimming with epic magic and loveable gargoyles, Curse of the Gargoyles is the second story in the mesmerizing Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles trilogy. Fantasy fans young and old will delight in this highly original world and exciting, action-packed adventure.

 
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 
If you’re in search of a book that’ll have non-stop, nail-biting action, then you should pick up Curse of the Gargoyles. It is worth every damn penny spent on it. 
 
From beginning to end, Rebecca will have you on the edge of your seat. She’ll also have you rooting for the gargoyles and wishing for just one more chapter. 
 
Of course, you know the good guys won but, seriously, what a helluva ride to the emotional finale. 
 
If I had only one wish, I would’ve had Marcus and Mika share a celebratory kiss. Just a small peck or two. 
 
There’s always next time……. 
 
Until then, I again encourage you to purchase this wonderfully constructed scifi/fantasy masterpiece. TODAY!! 

 

Heart Rating System:

1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 

Score: ❤❤❤❤

 
 
 

Rebecca Chastain is the international bestselling author of the Madison Fox, Illuminant Enforcer series and the Gargoyle Guardian Chronicles, among others works. She has found seven four-leaf clovers to date, won a purebred Arabian horse in a drawing, and once tamed a blackbird for a day. Writing stories designed to amuse and entertain has been her passion since she was eleven years old. She lives in Northern California with her wonderful husband and three bossy cats.

Website: http://www.rebeccachastain.com
Newsletter: http://www.rebeccachastain.com/fantasy-newsletter/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebeccachastainnovels
Twitter: @Author_Rebecca or https://twitter.com/Author_Rebecca
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5660379.Rebecca_Chastain

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