'Rock Hard' Sinners on Tour #2 by Olivia CUNNING

From the BLURB:

An ultimatum can break your heart....

Every night lead singer, Sed Lionheart whips thousands of women into a frenzy with his voice alone. But the stage is the only place Sed feels any passion since he lost Jessica...

If you’re not willing to break all the rules...

It shattered her heart, but law student Jessica broke off her engagement to Sed, determined to be successful on her own terms. But no other man can ever hold a candle to Sed...

Then a chance meeting and tortuously close quarters lead to uncontrollable flares of passion and rediscovery of their unique penchant for public encounters. Now, in addition to the risk of mutual heartbreak every time they get together, they’re in danger of truly scandalous public exposure...

Sedric Lionheart is lead singer of the fabulous rock band, ‘The Sinners’. He is the growling heart and soul of the band, but he has also been the thorn in the side of his band mates for the past two years . . . because two years ago Sed got his heart eviscerated by the only woman he has ever loved.

Jessica Chase had dreams before she met Sed, and shortly after they became engaged it looked as though one of those dreams was going to come true. Jessica was accepted into law school – and well on the path to becoming a renowned lawyer. But ‘The Sinners’ didn’t have the same success two years ago as they do now, and Sed forbade Jessica from taking the scholarship. Money was tight and Sed couldn’t stomach the thought of his fiancée leaving him for dusty school books and stuffy lecturers. So Jessica called off the engagement. She did the unthinkable and walked out on Sedric Lionheart . . .

Two years later and Sed is an infamous rocker with the reputation to match. ‘The Sinners’ have become his sole focus in life, and the band’s groupies have helped him to forget Jessica. But along the way he has also stolen women from his band-mates, Brian Sinclair in particular has had to bear the brunt of Sed’s insatiable sexual appetite. But on the eve of Brian’s wedding to the one woman Sed didn’t manage to snatch, the Sinners go on the bachelor party from hell. Because in a sad little Las Vegas strip club Sed comes face-to-face with the woman who crushed his soul, as she swings around a stripper pole. It only takes one scantily-clad twirl to ignite Sed’s territorial instincts, followed by a bouncer-brawl as he drags his woman from the stage.

Sedric Lionheart has stormed back into Jessica’s life, and he’s just as addictive as she remembered. Being around Sed triggers all of her lusty wants, and she can’t deny that the attraction is still fierce between them. Sed has turned up like a bad penny – right when Jessica’s law scholarship is in jeopardy and she desperately needs tuition money. And worse than that, being with Sed again has reignited her extreme need for public displays of affection . . . but what happens when one X-rated PDA winds up on the internet? Is Sed just a bad addiction that Jessica needs to flush out of her system, or is he a changed man desperate to win back her heart?

‘Rock Hard’ is the second book in Olivia Cunning’s contemporary erotica series, ‘Sinners on Tour’.

I went into ‘Rock Hard’ with high expectations. I love, love, loved ‘Backstage Pass’ and the sweetly erotic story of lead guitarist Brian Sinclair and sexy professor Myrna Evans. I especially loved the series premise of ‘The Sinners’. I could not believe that Olivia Cunning had tapped into such an obvious erotic setting and characters – rock stars on tour! Brilliant! I loved getting to know all the Sinners, their quirks and cravings.

I have to admit, I didn’t like Sed in ‘Backstage Pass’, and for good reason. Sedric had stolen every single one of Brian’s girlfriends, until Myrna. There was a cryptic reason for Sed’s insatiable sexual cravings, and it all centred on the one that got away, Jessica Chase. I didn’t like Sed when he was introduced in the first book, but I was curious to find out about his battered heart . . . Sadly, I found ‘Rock Hard’ to be a lukewarm follow-up to ‘Backstage Pass’.

My biggest problem with ‘Rock Hard’ was the characters of Sed and Jessica. I did not like them, at all.

I think Cunning was on the back-foot from the get-go by giving Jessica and Sed a romantic past. The book opens two years earlier, when Jessica storms out on Sed and their engagement because he literally forbids her from going to law school. Straight away I thought Sed was a misogynistic ape. And, to some extent, I immediately considered Jessica an idiot for ever going out with him. After that little snatch of a scene I found myself reluctant to explore Sed and Jessica’s relationship further . . .

The story then skips ahead to two years later, when Jessica is failing a law class. Once again, I came up against a barrier to my liking the character. Jessica isn’t just failing because she’s burned out or because she handed in a sub-par paper. She’s failing because her mean, female lecturer has it in for Jessica . . . in particular; this lecturer seems to think Jessica attracts too much male attention and must therefore be a dimwit bimbo. Thus begins a long and tragic exposé about how Jessica is stunningly beautiful, and completely unaware of her gorgeousness. The poor dear is always getting asked out on dates, and judged on the size of her bra rather than the content of her character. *Sigh*. She’s a bit of a Mary-Sue, and therefore a lot hard to stomach.

Then there’s Sedric Lionheart. At the beginning of the book I had him down as a womanizing Neanderthal, but by the end of the novel I thought he was a little too pussy-whipped. It might sound crazy, but Sed’s promiscuity was one of the more interesting things about him. I was curious to delve into his psyche and learn why he went through groupies like they were going out of fashion. But the second he sees Jessica twirling on stage at a strip club, he clicks into territorial mode and decides he still loves Jessica, and needs to have her back in his life. Sed’s voracious sexual appetite was the cause of Brian’s distress in ‘Backstage Pass’, and he was set-up as the classic rocker man-whore in that book . . . but it doesn’t take long before he’s a committed and doting boyfriend to Jessica in ‘Rock Hard’.

Now, admittedly, this wouldn’t be much of a romance if Sed was banging groupies all while trying to win Jessica back. But I thought it would be interesting to understand his need to seek sexual comfort and gratification from his female fans. And I thought that Jessica would be a little more concerned with his two years worth of promiscuity while they were broken up. . . as it is, Jessica seems satisfied to learn that Sed never kissed any of the women he slept with (seriously? Not even a talk about “have you been checked for STDs in between having groupie orgies?”).

I really thought that Sed and Jessica’s reunion was a little too easy. There wasn’t enough tension, for my liking. There were no real obstacles to Sed and Jessica getting together . . . except maybe their respective egos. It only gets worse when a grainy YouTube video of Sed and Jessica getting down n’ dirty makes its way around the internet;

“I wonder if my law professors already know about my amateur porn debut.”

“You’re not supposed to be thinking about that.” He stuffed the final quarter of his hamburger into his mouth. He could be such a pig. She wasn’t sure why it turned her on.

“This is a big deal in my life, Sed. What am I supposed to be thinking about?”

He peeled his shirt off over his head and tossed it aside. “Me.”

I know Sed is a rock star, and he has to have a certain level of egotism to get up on a stage in front of thousands of adoring fans. But seriously, it’s not an attractive quality in a man. And Jessica’s just as unlikeable – a veritable Yoko Ono.

I may have warmed a little to Jessica if she was capable of articulating her feelings and voicing her concerns about her relationship with Sed – but she’s just as emotionally repressed as he is. Two closed-off characters bouncing off each other does not make for fascinating reading. . . There just needed to be more depth, to both characters. As it is, Jessica and Sed come across as two childish adults who keep clashing and fucking each other. They needed to be grown-ups and use their words to express themselves.

Even the sex scenes were frustrating in ‘Rock Hard’. There were too many, for starters, to the point that Sed and Jessica seemed to replace actual conversations with mad grunting and fornicating. And the plentiful sex scenes were also too technical . . . sometimes I found myself having to re-read paragraphs just to know where whose arm went where while they were being balanced against the wall (but then how did his hand get there to do that?!). It’s not a good sex scene when the logistics leave your head spinning.

Quite a big focus of ‘Rock Hard’ is on the crazed fans that follow the Sinners around. It was touched on in ‘Backstage Pass’ when Myrna started collecting scientific data on what drives women to fandom. . . but in ‘Rock Hard’ Jessica clashes with quite a few of Sed’s fans. It’s quite an interesting exploration in the book, and it always makes for funny and/or frightening scenes when certain female fans get a little too rambunctious with the Sinners and their female companions. I think Cunning is setting up a storyline with the Sinners fanatical fans, so I am interested to ‘watch this space’ and see where that plot goes. . .

I really didn’t like Sed and Jessica. But ‘Rock Hard’ reiterates what’s so great about Olivia Cunning’s overall series focus – the band! I loved reading about the other band members. Cunning has great pace in ‘Rock Hard’, and always when I was sick to death of Sed and Jessica’s yo-yoing emotions, a scene would focus on the other band members. We’re learning more about Jace’s place on the bottom of the band totem-pole (and his need to exert himself in other aspects of his life). Trey has a very harrowing storyline in ‘Rock Hard’, and I am interested to see how it develops in future books. And Eric, though the funniest band member, has a vicious streak that I look forward to picking apart in future books. And, of course, first favourite Brian and his lovely Myrna make a reappearance and assure fans that they are still just as hot for each other in ‘Rock Hard’ as they were in ‘Backstage Pass’.

This much-anticipated book left me a little cold. Sedric was promiscuous one second and pussy-whipped the next. Jessica was a ‘woe-is-me’ stunner who was as emotionally stunted as her rocker boyfriend. Luckily, the other band members picked up the slack for Sed’s disappointing instalment. I can’t wait to read Jace and Eric’s books, but Trey has fast become my favourite Sinner. I didn’t love ‘Rock Hard’, but I still love Olivia Cunnings ‘Sinners on Tour’ series, and I want more, more, more!

2/5

'Snowball in Hell' Spain and Doyle #1 by Josh LANYON

Received from NetGalley

From the BLURB:

Los Angeles, 1943

Reporter Nathan Doyle had his reasons to want Phil Arlen dead, but when he sees the man's body pulled from the La Brea tar pit, he knows he'll be the prime suspect. He also knows that his life won't stand up to intense police scrutiny, so he sets out to crack the case himself.

Lieutenant Matthew Spain's official inquiries soon lead him to believe that Nathan knows more than he's saying. But that's not the only reason Matt takes notice of the handsome journalist. Matt's been drawn to men before, but he must hide his true feelings—or risk his entire career.

As Nathan digs deeper, it becomes increasingly difficult to stay one step ahead of Matt Spain—and to deny his intense attraction to him. Nathan's secrets may not include murder, but has his hunt put him right in the path of the real killer?

Lieutenant Matthew Spain has his work cut out for him. America is at war and after a harrowing escape from the Guadalcanal Campaign it’s now Spain’s job to clean up Los Angeles’s mess . . . and the city is certainly in a state when the body of Phil Arlen is found in the tar pits. Arlen comes from money and was recently kidnapped – but even after his big-bucks daddy coffed up the dough, Arlen still wound up dead. And Spain’s best suspect in the murder is a war reporter recently returned from a close-escape in Tunisia.

Nathan Doyle had good motive to kill Phil Arlen, but he has even more reasons to keep the details of his arrangement with the deceased a secret . . . a secret that Lieutenant Matthew Spain might just share. . .

Josh Lanyon’s ‘Snowball in Hell’ was originally released in 2007, but the good people at Carina press are re-releasing the book with a few adjustments by the author as it heralds a new noir series called ‘Spain and Doyle’, to be continued in 2012. . .

I love Josh Lanyon. Completely, utterly and unabashedly love him! ‘Snowball in Hell’ is more romantic mystery brilliance from the man who has made a niche for himself in the M/M genre.

The ‘Spain and Doyle’ series is set in 1940’s Los Angeles. It has an ‘L.A. Confidential’ vibe, with a head-nod to Dashiell Hammett and ‘The Black Dahlia’. People say things like “putting the screws on you” and characters are so named Sid Szabo and Nora Noonan, and they hang out in joints called Las Palmas Club and the High Hat. The book is deliciously noir and Lanyon absolutely revels in the smoky clubs and descriptions of tough-as-nails detectives. Lanyon’s ‘Adrien English’ series also had a noir-bent, albeit with a cozy mystery vibe threaded throughout.

In ‘Spain and Doyle’ Lanyon gets to drench himself in the hard-boiled detective schtick, and he’s well-suited to the immersive genre. Especially because the seedy-underbelly inherent in most noir makes for a fascinating double-meaning when Lanyon is also writing about gay characters. This is 1940’s America, war is raging overseas and homosexuality is thought to be a disease, and the only cure can be found in mental institutions hooked-up to electroshocks. While Spain and Doyle investigate the murder of a rich society boy, they also delve into the somewhat seedy double-life of people who have to keep their sexuality hidden or face jail-time. This makes for fascinating reading; both Spain and Doyle served overseas (as a marine and war reporter, respectively) we learn the ways they embraced their sexual explorations, or (in Nathan Doyle’s case) repressed them;

The hungry, restless feeling was on him again. For a few months in hospital he’d hoped – prayed – he was cured, but it was worse since he’d returned to Los Angeles. Much worse. Need was like a fever burning him up, burning up his inhibitions, his common sense, his instinct for self-preservation. Ironically, the war had kept him reasonably sane, reasonably steady. But now he was back to where he’d started.

If I have one small (smidgeon, really) complaint it’s in the fact that the romance wasn’t quite on-point for me. I think it’s because the book is quite short (44,490 words according to Amazon) so the romance feels a little rushed. Spain and Doyle’s emotions and heart-on-sleeve declarations seemed to come a little too quickly, considering the times and their high-profile professions (and the fact that Spain is a widower, having lost his wife recently to cancer). I almost wish that Lanyon had held more back and concentrated on writing romantic tension, rather than pairing them in this first book (although this might just be me wishing to recreate the infamous Adiren/Jake yo-yo relationship).

That being said, there is plenty of romantic fodder to be had in future books as the ‘Spain and Doyle’ series continues. The 1940’s setting will certainly make for an interesting backdrop to Lanyon’s M/M mystery romance series, and I can’t wait for more . . . especially considering the romantic conclusions of ‘Snowball in Hell’;

He immediately let him go, and said quietly, painfully, “It’s not that I don’t – I'm a cop, Nathan. It’s . . . too dangerous.”

Nathan nodded. Smiled suddenly. “I know. Nice to have had a taste of . . . what it could be like. That’s more than I ever thought I'd have.”

‘Snowball in Hell’ is dripping in delicious noir. Josh Lanyon is in his element writing about the love affair between a journo and hard-boiled detective in war-time Los Angeles. The murder mystery is worthy of Hammett himself, while the romance is fraught with sensuous intrigue. I love Josh Lanyon, and I am unbelievably thrilled that he has a new series in ‘Spain and Doyle’ – you better believe I'm going to be hanging out for more of this duo in 2012!

4.5/5

'I'll Walk Alone' by Mary Higgins Clark

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

Two years after the day that her son, Matthew, was kidnapped in broad daylight in Central Park, Alexandra Moreland still finds herself torn between hope and despair. As no trace of Matthew was ever found, she has never been able to give him up for dead. But now, on what would have been Matthew's fifth birthday, photos surface that seem to show Alexandra kidnapping her own child.

Then, as her bank accounts are suddenly drained, and her reputation as a successful architect comes under immense pressure, Alexandra begins to suspect that someone is using her credit cards to steal her identity. But who would want to ruin her so completely?

Hounded by the press, under investigation by the police, attacked by both her angry ex-husband and a vindictive business rival, Alexandra, sustained only by her belief that Matthew is still alive, sets out to discover who is behind this cruel hoax. Little does she realize that with every step she takes toward the truth, she is putting herself -and those she loves most - in mortal danger.

Alexander “Zan” Moreland has lived through every mother’s worst nightmare – the abduction of her child. When he was just three years old, young Matthew Moreland was nabbed from his stroller while his babysitter slept nearby. For years after his disappearance Zan, at the time an up and coming architect, believed her former boss and business rival was responsible for her son’s kidnapping. She spent huge sums of money on private investigators and psychics in the search for her son . . . to no avail.

Two years later and Zan is dreading Matthew’s upcoming fifth birthday, yet another year she will have to mark his absence from her life. But then something happens that gives Zan hope that Matthew is still alive, coupled with the choking torment of false accusation.

A surveillance video surfaces of that awful day in Central Park, the day Matthew was taken. Except Zan appears in the grainy footage – or someone who looks like Zan – and she is seen taking Matthew from his stroller.

Shortly after this video surfaces, Zan’s accounts are drained and her identity stolen.

Suddenly the grieving mother becomes the number one suspect in a two-year old cold case. Zan’s friends think she killed Matthew and nobody believes that a doppelganger is out to wreck her life.

But is this identity theft, or is someone out there intent on stealing Zan’s entire life?

‘I’ll Walk Alone’ is the latest suspense thriller from Mary Higgins Clark.

If you can believe it, this is actually my first ever Higgins Clark read. Of course I have heard a lot about her, and even watched a few telemovie adaptations of her novels. But ‘I’ll Walk Alone’ is the first novel of hers I've read, and I’ve got to say it’s about time.

The novel opens with spine-tingling intrigue as a priest listens to the guilty confession of a mystery woman;

“I. . .” The woman paused, then the words came rushing out. “I know about a murder that someone is planning to commit and I can’t stop it.”

Her expression horrified, she clasped her hand over her mouth and abruptly stood up. “I should never have come here,” she whispered. Then, her voice trembling with emotion, she said “Bless me, Father, for I have sinned. I confess that I am an accessory to a crime that is ongoing and to a murder that is going to happen very soon. You’ll probably read about it in the headlines. I don’t want to be part of it, but it’s too late to stop.”

She turned and in five steps had her hand on the door.

Thus begins Clark’s disturbing tale of kidnap and stolen identity. I was pretty much hooked from the start, following that perplexing opening chapter. What comes next is the heartbreaking story of young Matthew Moreland’s disappearance and his mother’s two years of torment wondering what became of her son . . .

When video footage surfaces of Zan Moreland kidnapping her son (followed shortly with the draining of her bank accounts) the story careens into a thrilling new trajectory of suspense. Zan is suddenly public enemy number one – a piranha in the community and vilified by the media. The police start asking questions about Matthew’s cold case and Zan’s friends all but turn their back on her. . . Clark really delves into the shattered psyche of an accused parent. We’ve seen it in the media again and again, dating back to the Azaria Chamberlain disappearance and the subsequent witch-hunt of her mother, Lindy Chamberlain.

I think what makes the spine-tingle and the goosebumps spread while reading this book is the ‘what if?’ aspect. A missing child is every parent’s worst nightmare, it’s the basis of every “don’t take candy from strangers!” teaching. And when coupled with the latest public paranoia of identity theft, Mary Higgins Clark has concocted a guaranteed thriller.

The initial storyline of Matthew’s kidnapping reminded me a little of the Michelle Pfeiffer movie about a kidnapped son who is found nine years later, ‘The Deep End of the Ocean’ (1999). But once the identity theft plot comes into play, the novel catapults into a whole new stratosphere of ‘worst nightmare’.

Kidnapped and missing children have (bizarrely and unfortunately) been at the centre of many news stories in recent years. The still-missing Madeleine McCann who was abducted in 2007, and more recently (and with a tragic conclusion) Zahra Baker.

My one complaint is perhaps to do with the wide scope of the novel. I thought a missing child storyline would offer plenty of juicy plot twists and turbulence, and sometimes I felt that the addition of an identity theft plot was just a little too much . . . but I suppose that’s what Higgins Clark is known for – her outlandish thrillers with killer twists.

Mary Higgins Clark’s latest novel is certainly a nail-biter. It takes us through an accused parent’s hopeless frustration with the police and media while she continues to hunt for her missing child. The novel veers into a cautionary tale of identity theft, and also plays-out a courtroom drama that will have you gritting your teeth. The twists and turns are fabulous and careening, even if the many thrilling storylines are somewhat over-cooked.

4/5

'Called Home: Two Hearts Answer' by Gloria SCHUMANN

Received from the Author

From the BLURB:

The simplicity of rural life spirals into deadly mind games.

Emma Benson's view of life was crafted as a child by the death of her brother, the abandonment by her father and later, the man she trusted she would marry. A teacher by training, she forgoes her chosen path to save the Wisconsin farm she calls home from financial ruin.

A tornado threatens damage, but David Schlosser—back in town after years in New York writing best-selling novels—could ruin her neatly tended life. He's looking for the charms of the small town he once rejected and finds more than he bargained for. He risks everything to get what he wants.

The storms of life throw Emma and David together and into the world of a criminal determined to ruin their plans by any means necessary. Robbery and near death connect Emma and David to their nemesis and during the throes of securing life and limb they make every effort to resist falling for one another.

Emma Benson is feeling a little lost. She is giving up on her teaching career to return to her family home in Wisconsin. She once had little love for the rural Podunk town of her childhood, but after the collapse of her engagement she suddenly feels the need to reassess her life and go back to the beginning. Her childhood wasn’t exactly idyllic, punctuated by the death of her brother and abandonment by her father. But when the family dairy farm faces foreclosure, Emma is happily pulled home to help her mother.

Coincidentally, David Schlosser is also coming home to Wisconsin… and the fortuitous return of the prodigal son is heralded by a tornado. David takes shelter at the nearest farm, the Benson’s (much to Emma’s chagrin).

David extends the olive branch of friendship to Emma, but his efforts aren’t solidified until the night he’s there to intercede a robbery that takes place at the bookstore where Emma works. Thus triggers a series of mysterious and frightening events of vandalism and menace that pose a danger to Emma, and a threat to the tentative romance she has started with David.

‘Called Home: Two Hearts Answer’ is the debut novel by Gloria Schumann.

The novel is a bit of a cozy mystery – heavy on the romance, with a sprinkle of distress and mayhem. I would say the book has a definite ‘Midsomer Murders’ vibe – it’s all about the picturesque village with a murderous underbelly. And really, the small-town setting is one of the best aspects of the book. Schumann really lands the reader in the middle of scenic Wisconsin, America’s quintessential Podunk state. She writes the rural accents with pitch-perfect description, so that even as an Australian I could hear the lovely twang.

The romance between Emma and David is the real focus of the book. Emma has not had many great male role-models in her life. Between her father abandoning their family and her brother’s death, Emma’s life has been irrevocably marked by people leaving her. Add to that her fiancée as the latest man to disappoint, and Emma is a woman with her guard up. Enter David – an A-list novelist who is giving up his New York life to become a writer-in-residence back home in Wisconsin. Emma and David have a surprise meeting (tornado, anyone?) and from that moment David is pretty much smitten with the reluctant Emma. . .

I did think that David’s feelings were a little too spontaneous, especially considering Emma’s treatment of him. Emma is really rude, bordering on awful, when she first meets David. I understand that she has a wounded heart and is determined to avoid further pain, but I couldn’t fathom why David would bother with her when she was so cutting and awful.

Schumann somewhat explains David’s instant attraction when he plays knight in shining armour to Emma during a robbery. Add to that the fact that David himself is surprised at the instant chemistry and the romance becomes more plausible. At some point I just had to put my scepticism aside and accept the romance, and really David is a sweetheart and the romance is hotly sweet;

. . . his depth of feeling for Emma clearly crystallized. He would have never thought it possible for a person to become ingrained into his life in a matter of days, but she had. Now, the fear he felt at the thought of the remote chance of losing her was physically apparent, his head and stomach churned and his pulse raced. However irrational the thought of losing her at this point was, it didn’t matter. It exited. So did the ache in the very core of him.

The mystery aspect of the book is twistingly brilliant. For a long time I thought Schumann had written a very simple mystery, as I was convinced I knew who the one culprit was . . . as it turns out, Schumann wrote a very good red herring. I won’t give anything away, but it was a pleasantly surprising ‘whodunit’.

‘Called Home’ is a lovely little cozy mystery and an impressive debut novel. The mystery aspect a twisted fare, and the romance is sweetly romantic. This is definitely a novel for lovers of the good old cozy!

4/5

'Enticed' The Violet Eden Chapters #2 by Jessica SHIRVINGTON

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

Violet Eden is Grigori - part angel, part human. Her destiny is to protect humans from the vengeance of exiled angels.

Knowing who to trust is key but, when Grigori reinforcements arrive, it becomes clear everyone is hiding something. Even Lincoln. The only thing Violet does know: Phoenix's hold over her is more dangerous than ever.

The race to find the one thing that could tilt the balance of power brings them all to the sacred mountains of Jordan, where Violet's power will be pushed to the extreme. And the ultimate betrayal exposed.

When we left her, seventeen-year-old Violet Eden was struggling with all the typical teen problems. She had a crush on a guy who thought of her only as a friend. She was struggling to connect with her distant father, who was never the same after Violet’s mother died. And Violet herself was trying to figure out her place in the world and why she always felt so out of touch . . . and then secrets began falling into place for Violet. A long-ago message from her mother in a wooden box exposed Violet for what she really is: Grigori - part angel, part human.

Grigori are charged with protecting the human race from the threat of bitter and exiled Fallen Angels. One such angel is Phoenix, the bad boy who breezed into town and turned Violet’s world upside down, and her heart inside out.

Violet thought she was half in love with her best friend, Lincoln. But once Violet’s angelic heritage was exposed, Linc had a few secrets of his own to shed. He is a ‘watcher’, like Violet, he is charged with watching and protecting the human race. And in his quest to help steer Violet on the path to Angeldom, Linc had to lie to her for two years.

Linc’s lies and Phoenix’s magnetism has drawn Violet into a devastating triangle of the heart. Lincoln on one side, the boy she has grown to love but whose deceit run deep. And Phoenix, the renegade angel who is drawn to Violet, but is also the sworn enemy of the Grigori.

Now Violet finds herself in the middle of a bloody war between Grigori and the Exiles. She and Lincoln have to stop the Exiled Angels from discovering the key to destroying all Grigori and plunging the human race into imminent destruction. But will Violet be able to trust Linc, after what his lies have put her through? And exactly how much of a hold does Phoenix have over Violet, and will he use it against her and the Grigori?

Violet Eden thought she was a typical teenager, until she discovered her life was intricately linked to heaven, hell and the fate of humanity.

‘Enticed’ is the second book in Jessica Shirvington’s young adult paranormal trilogy, ‘The Violet Eden Chapters’.

‘Enticed’ is set one month after the events of ‘Embrace’. Violet is deep into her battle training with Lincoln

I have to applaud Shirvington for focusing on Violet’s moral compass in this book. It doesn’t happen often in YA paranormal/fantasy novels that the young characters take the time to have a meaningful introspection of their violent actions. But in ‘Enticed’ Violet actually takes the time to question Linc’s training and how God’s teaching of ‘thou shalt not kill’ factors into fighting the Exiled. So often in this genre it’s the case of heightened reality replacing moral conundrums. Characters kill without thought and readers can become equally anesthetized to violence and think it’s just the norm for the universe. Very few paranormal books take the time to pause and question the status quo of violence. And it especially makes sense, in this Biblical-bent series, that Violet would wonder as to the merits of a part-angel having to drench herself in such bloodshed.

There were three of me: the now me, watching this vision; the killer me, holding the dagger; and the dead me, dropping to the ground in a pool of blood, lifeless and . . . gone.

I didn’t particularly rate Lincoln as a character in ‘Embrace’. I felt that the first book was definitely more the Violet and Phoenix show, and Linc was a fairly poor contender for Violet’s affections. He came across as a cardboard cut-out, cookie-cutter hero and a little boring when compared to the enigmatic rebel, Phoenix. Well, Shirvington definitely adds to Linc’s appeal in ‘Enticed’. He comes across as being much older and wiser than he was in ‘Embrace’ (maybe because he has shaken off the shackles of his lies and revealed his true ‘watcher’ self to Violet?). In ‘Enticed’ Linc is battle-weary and ferocious, and Violet once again feels drawn to him (and really, I can’t blame her!).

But I do still have a soft spot for Phoenix. His appeal and mysticism grows in ‘Enticed’, as Shirvington weaves his character history with Biblical mythology to become utterly enigmatic and fascinating;

Griffin nodded. “You’re right. But Phoenix has capabilities we are not fully aware of yet.” He turned to everyone else. “For the benefit of those who do not know, Phoenix is something of an anomaly. He is the son of an ancient dark exile, Lilith, and also . . .” he looked down, worried, “he is the son of man.”

I will warn you that Phoenix isn’t the same man he was in ‘Embrace’ . . . yes, his history and character have become even more interesting, but it is at a price to Violet. Be warned!

Another minor complaint I had about ‘Embrace’ was the lack of definitive-setting. Shirvington deliberately kept the locations ambiguous (in order to appeal to the overseas market?) and I couldn’t tell if the story was set in Australia, USA, UK or an imaginary amalgamation? Well, in ‘Enticed’ setting is key, and the book is all the more vibrant for it!

Violet and Lincoln jet off to ‘The Academy’ in New York, where she meets other Grigori and watchers in training. We meet a new cast of characters who add fullness and energy to the universe Shirvington has created; Spence, Rudyard and Zoe were amongst my favourites (Spence in particular for a little dance floor interlude with Violet!).

A particularly climactic part of the book also takes place in Jordan. This is a great location, rich in history and conflict and the perfect setting for the scene that takes place there. Shirvington does such a wonderful job of writing Jordan in all its dusky beauty; it just reiterates how important location, location, location is (even in novels!).

I am proud to bursting that ‘The Violet Eden Chapters’ are a slice of Australian YA brilliance. Jessica Shirvington really comes into her own and stretches her imagination in this second book – the cast is increased, settings are majestic and the characters are spiralling towards a fantastic hell-bent finale. I cannot wait for the final book, ‘Emblaze’ to come out in October this year, capping off Violet Eden’s wonderful adventures. Bring it on!

5/5

'Defiance' Strange Angels #4 by Lili St CROW

Received from the Publisher

From the BLURB:

Hey Sucker. It's showtime.

The Real World is a frighting place. Just ask sixteen-year-old orphan Dru Anderson, a tough girl who has taken on her fair share of bad guys. She's armed, dangerous, and not going down with a fight. So it's gonna take her a while to figure out who she can trust . . .

Dru Anderson has always been a good listener. She listened to her dad, but had to gun him down when he turned zombie. She listened to the Order, but got nothing but lied to in return. She listened to Christophe, but still lost the only friend she had left.

Time to buckle up, boys and girls. Dru Anderson is done listening. From here on out, she'll face the King of the Vampires on her own terms. And if the Order has a problem with that, they can kiss their sweet little svetocha goodbye.

DRU ANDERSON'S NOT AFRAID OF THE DARK.

BUT SHE SHOULD BE.

‘Defiance’ picks up where ‘Jealousy’ left off on a nail-biting cliff-hanger. Now that sixteen-year-old Dru's worst fears have come true and Sergej has kidnapped her best friend Graves, she'll have to go on a suicidal rescue mission to bring him back in one piece. That is, if she can put all of Christophe's training to good use, defeat her mother's traitor, Anna, once and for all, and manage to survive another day...

This is the fourth book in Lili St. Crow’s ‘Strange Angels’ series.

So many questions and only two books left! I will put your mind at ease and say, yes, the biggest cliff-hanger of ‘Jealousy’ has a resolution, but there is still much about the ‘Strange Angels’ series that is shrouded in mystery . . .

I love ‘Strange Angels’. This is a dark, kick-ass young adult paranormal series. Lili St. Crow writes violence, profanity and a main character that is at odds with her inner demons and great expectations. Dru is not perfect; she is magnificently flawed and emotionally broken. But in ‘Defiance’, she completely and utterly dominates. She comes into her own and embraces the woman she is becoming, and the girl she used to be;

How would Dad have dealt with all this? He hadn’t even told me the most basic things about myself. About who or what I was, who he was, who Mom had been . . . but I hadn’t needed to know, had I? I'd known everything there was to know when I was his helper. His little girl.

Daddy’s little princess. Who had emptied a clip into the shambling corpse that used to be her father.

Of all the things that will fuck you up in the head, that had to be in a class all its own.

In the past Dru has been on the back-foot. From having to kill her father, to learning about the svetocha and The Order, Dru has been reacting throughout the series, and on the defence instead of offense. Well that all ends right here, right now. In ‘Defiance’ Dru shakes off the shackles of her past, and takes control of her life and future . . . and her transformation is glorious!

Fury boiled up inside me, pushing aside the pain. The hunger fed on the rage, feasted on it, and this time I was a clear glass girl full of red wrath, but it didn’t own me. I stood in the middle of all that anger, a ribbon of cold steel inside me, and felt something inside me shift like a key clicking over in a lock.

As to the love triangle . . . I don’t want to give anything away! Grr. For those of you who thought Dru had been a little bit naively oblivious to Graves and Christophe’s interest in her, I can say that in this instalment she is confronted with the conundrum of her emotions. It’s all lain bare, in heart-on-sleeve, cheek-cracking glory . . . There are some hot, tense moments in ‘Defiance’ that will have both Team Christophe and Team Graves cheering (and squealing!).

There’s only one book left in the ‘Strange Angels’ series (‘Reckoning’, coming out November this year!) so it should come as no surprise that ‘Defiance’ ends on a cliff-hanger. Though I don’t know that it’s an overly steep cliff . . . fans should be anticipating this curve-ball, but will still be rabid to know how it impacts the finale.

Sorry if that’s frustratingly cryptic!

‘Defiance’ is a wonderful lead into what I am sure will be one hell of an explosively wonderful finale in Lil St. Crow’s ‘Strange Angels’ series. Dru is coming into her own; she is embracing the lies of her past and the violence in her future. Fantastic!

5/5

★ 'Alien Tango' winner! ★

★

Congratulations to Ina!

★

You have won a copy of Gini Koch's fabulous 'Alien Tango' book! Woo-Hoo!

Thanks to everyone who entered, and Gini Koch herself for a wicked Q&A session!