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Showing posts with label Hanaford Park. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Hanaford Park. Show all posts
Tuesday, January 22, 2013
Review: Faythe Reclaimed by Lisa Sanchez
Faythe Reclaimed
Author: Lisa Sanchez
Release Date: May 22, 2013
Publisher: Tulipe Noire Press
Hanaford Park #3
ISBN: #978-0983979760
Genre: Paranormal Romance, New Adult
Format(s): Paperback (260 pgs), e-book
Book Source: Author
About the book:
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Running through a strange forest with a bloodthirsty demon hot on her heels wasn't Taylor's idea of a rockin' evening. Then again, neither was soaring backward through time and space. Time travel chafed and left a rank, nasty aftertaste. So, when she finds herself floundering amidst a sea of Commandment-loving holy rollers who fling accusations of witchcraft and bedevilment like hotcakes in a diner, finding her way home jumps to the top of her to do list. Too bad she can't remember who she is or where she came from.
And if that wasn't bad enough, Taylor has to fall for the mysterious Latin warlock living on the edge of Salem Village and who comes to her rescue, Gabriel Castillo. Battling an identity crisis and lost in a time that's not her own, Taylor is determined to find her way back to twenty-first century Hanaford Park. But first, she and Gabriel must work together to uncover the dark scourge lurking in Salem's shadows, and in doing so, save their own lives, and the lives of countless innocents from a lethal date with the hangman's noose.
What I’m talking about:
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Our story opens in the present, with “The Traveler” aka Gabriel engaged in a battle with long-time enemy, Lucian. In these few short moments, we learn that Gabriel recently discovered his true love, Taylor, and that Lucian is ripping her away from Gabriel by sending her back in time... to the days of the Salem Witch Trials, when a young Gabriel first meets Taylor aka Faythe.
Taylor wakes in a society where nothing is familiar, however her amnesia could be what’s making her talk weird and not recall from where she hailed. The only person who seems familiar to her is the sexy Latin warlock who saved her from a demon attack. As Taylor/Faythe struggles to find out the truth, she becomes the target of the denizens, who are, literally, on a witch hunt.
Confused? I was. The first few chapters of Faythe Reclaimed were difficult for me to follow. The reader is tossed into the action, which shifts and changes abruptly, and I had to glean what was happening. On top of that, the story is told in first person point-of-view (POV), from multiple characters. Although the character POV only changed with the start of a new chapter, and the character whose POV it was, was listed at the beginning of the chapter, it was difficult for my mind to make the shifts from one POV to another. And the final piece was that we were reading a POV from two different Gabriels... the present day man and the man from the past.
After adjusting to the shifting POVs and getting settled into 1600’s Salem, Massachusetts, the story was more enjoyable. Taylor/Faythe's relationship with young Gabriel was wonderful. I enjoyed their brief "getting to know you" phase. Their chemistry was smoking - and their sex scenes hot. I liked that Gabriel allowed Taylor in - but only after she forced the issue. He was a little too stubborn there for a while.
The mystery of who was responsible for plaguing the innocent citizens with evil creatures and dark magic was entertaining. Having read previous accounts of this period (The Crucible by Arthur Miller, for example), I enjoyed the different twists that Ms. Sanchez used in her version. I was guessing “whodunit” until the end.
Unfortunately, as much as I enjoyed the story, the changing first person POVs was distracting. Not only did I have to readjust my bearings each time, but I also had to deal with a new set of internal idiosyncrasies. Taylor/Faythe's vernacular was very modern and full of slang, which was annoying at times. Gabriel was constantly slipping in Spanish words, plus his self-doubt and verbal flagellation bogged me down. I felt like I spent too much time dealing with what was in the different character’s heads rather than focusing on the plot.
With that said, I did enjoy the overall story, and I was able to settle down in the book when I could read from the same POV for more than one chapter - the best POV for me being that of Taylor/Faythe. I enjoyed the twist and play of history. The author drew from history, using historical figures to create a new story. The last quarter or so of the book moved quickly, and I got wrapped up in the action. The final conclusion was a tad too easy, but still, a good ending.
Although Faythe Reclaimed is the third book in the Hanaford Park series, one does not need to have read the earlier books. The main characters did appear in the second book, but it has no impact on this story.
My Rating:
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Liked it, but I had some issues - recommend (B)
Reviews in the Series:
Labels:
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Winners - Hanaford Park Series
I would like to thank everyone for stopping by That’s What I’m Talking About for my review of Pleasures Untold by Lisa Sanchez. I especially want to thank Omnific Publishing for providing two (2) electronic-copy SETS (two winners) of Lisa’s Hanaford Park series: Eve of Samhain and Pleasures Untold, to giveaway here at my blog.
Every person that commented on the review was entered into the contest - one entry per person. The winners were selected using random.org.
The Winners:
Una
Denise
CONGRATULATIONS!!
I’m sending both winners a message; please verify your emails by responding back to me at twimom227 (at) gmail (dot) com so Omnific can send you your ebooks! You have until Wednesday February 23, 2011 (end of day) to contact me. If I don’t hear from you by then, I will draw another winner.
Thank you and Happy Reading!
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Review & Giveaway: Pleasures Untold
Pleasures UntoldAuthor: Lisa Sanchez
Release Date: February 8, 2011
Publisher: Omnific Publishing
Hanaford Park Series Book #2
ISBN: #978-1936305599
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Format(s): paperback (191 pgs), e-book
I received a e-ARC of this book from the PUBLISHER for the purposes of an honest review.
From Goodreads:
Hell hath no fury like a witch done wrong. Pissed off and packing an arsenal of witchy mojo, Martha is on the warpath. Determined to avenge the murder of her mother and grandmother, her mission is simple: kill every vampire, demon and underworld bastard she comes across, because one of those hell beasts might be the monster that stole her childhood from her. But when a sexy Latin vamp literally falls from the sky, saving her from becoming an undead Happy Meal, she has no choice but to reassess everything she thinks she knows.
Xan is an anomaly--a vampire born, not turned. A powerful warlock who walks in daylight, Xan spends his days, and nights, watching over Martha, protecting her from Lucian, the blood-sucking monstrosity whose sole mission in death is to drain her dry. Undeniable attraction and the promise of pleasures untold draw the two lovers into a frustrating dance of one step forward, two steps back. When Lucian throws down a deadly ultimatum, Martha is forced to choose between relying on her own mystical woo woo to save the lives of her stolen friends or succumbing to the lure of dark, voodoo magic. Xan and Martha must work together to save those closest to her and put an end to Lucian's reign of terror before it's too late.
What I’m talking about:
Lisa Sanchez’s sophomore release opens with a trio of roommates heading for a night out after one of the girls broke up with her cheating boyfriend. Never one to conform with the crowds, Martha uses wit and sarcasm to pass the time as they wait to enter the club. Things quickly take a turn for the worse when one roommate heads off alone with a vampire disguised as a co-ed. Using her Wiccan and slaying skills, Martha takes on the undead romeo and finds herself face-to-face with the man of her dreams, literally. Soon after, Martha’s world begins to turn on edge as she discovers secrets about her own past that have been long hidden.
Pleasures Untold is the second story in Ms. Sanchez’s Hanaford Park series about paranormal activities on/near a college campus. Although Martha and her roommate Jessica appear in the first book, Eve of Samhain (my review HERE), the stories are independent of one another and can be enjoyed individually. Pleasures Untold is told in first-person POV from Martha’s perspective.
I completely enjoyed Martha’s snark, wit and humor. Her one-liners had me rolling from the get-go. I also liked how she spoke directly to the reader at times. It’s not the norm for a paranormal romance, but it works. She is a bit flawed - selfish and childish in her behavior at times. But she learns and grows, which provides great satisfaction for me. I did find myself annoyed with Martha’s sudden loss of brain function at times. For example, she lectured her roommates about the dangers of leaving the club with an unknown guy because of the evil that likes to prey at clubs. Yet when her “spidey senses” go off while watching a girl getting into a limo with an unknown male, she blows it off. *headdesk*
Xan is hot. He’s a tortured soul due to experiencing a number of emotionally devastating events throughout his long life. I liked his strength and sincerity, but he was a bit too brooding at times for my tastes. He played the conflicted hero well, but it bothered me sometimes, and I wanted him to just admit his feelings and dive in head-first. He and Martha play a drawn-out game of “does he like me?” and while rewarding in the end, it did go on for almost the entire book.
The plot involved a big bad vampire who has been chasing after Martha and her family her whole life. It provided some excellent tension and exciting action. There were also some interesting plots twists - most of which I was able to figure out, but found compelling none the less. There were a few unanswered questions, but it didn’t impact my overall enjoyment of the book. Pleasures Untold is another delightful read from Ms. Sanchez.
My Rating:
Liked it a lot - recommend (B+)
GIVEAWAY: I have two (2) electronic-copy SETS (two winners) of Lisa’s Hanaford Park series: Eve of Samhain and Pleasures Untold, to giveaway here at That’s What I’m Talking About. Thank you to Omnific Publishing for sponsoring the giveaway. To enter, please leave a comment and your email at the end of today’s review of Pleasures Untold. One entry per person. Contest open from now until 9:00 PM EST on Saturday February 19, 2011. Two (2) winners will be selected from the comment entries using random.org.
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