Josh of the Damned

Author: Andrea Speed 

Release Date: Volume 1, Josh of the Damned – April 16, 2012

Volume 2, The Final Checkout – April 29, 2013

Publisher: Riptide Publishing

Josh of the Damned Volumes 1&2

ISBN: #978-1937551353

 and #978-1626490062

Genre: GLBT, Comedy, Horror, Urban Fantasy/ Paranormal

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: NetGalley

Volume 1 – Josh of the Damned

What most people call a hellish shift, Josh Caplan calls a normal evening. After all, he works nights at a convenience store beside the mouth of hell, selling snacks to zombies and lizard men. 

Some monsters are odder—and more dangerous—than most. Like the rampaging, oversized mustache who skips the Pringles and eats the customers instead. Or Cthulhu’s half-brother Stan, who doesn't know how to take no for an answer . . . or where to put all those tentacles. 

But killer facial hair and inept hentai beasts pale in comparison to the monster even other monsters fear. When hell’s big boss demands a sit-down with Josh, she reveals a destiny bigger than he’d ever imagined—or wanted. You'd think preventing the apocalypse would net Josh more than minimum wage and a hot vampire boyfriend, but it turns out saving the world can be a pretty thankless job. 

Volume 2 – The Final Checkout

Josh Caplan thought he’d solved his home office problem and stopped the Quik-Mart Corporation from expanding into hell, but it turns out a guardian’s work is never done. Medusa has plans for him, and she’s not the only one. 

What's a poor night clerk to do when he’s besieged on all sides by deluded vampire slayers, angry zombies, crazy gods, and the most terrifying enemy of all: a dickish CEO? 

To survive this, Josh will have to do more than just rely on his necromancer boss, his hot vampire boyfriend, and his yeti stalker. This time, he’ll have to find his own inner hero to save the day. 

Volume 1 of the Josh of the Damned series includes the shorts “Pretty Monsters,” “Peek-A-Boo,” and a third, which is further broken down into three parts titled “Night of the Mustache,” “I was Cthulhu’s Love Slave,” and “Interview with the Empire.” As far as openings go, this just might just be one of my favorites yet:

“The first time the hell vortex opened in the Quick-Mart parking lot, Josh very seriously considered quitting his job. But all that came out of it was a lizard guy, and all it did was amble inside, buy a bag of chips, and leave. All the monsters, while ugly, seemed nicer than his late-night human customers, and Mr. Kwon offered him hazard pay, so he stayed on.”

I suppose there are worse motivations, and Josh doesn’t seem to be interested in expending the effort and determination needed to find a better job. Josh is a flake—a lovable, entertaining flake—that is really only interested in paying his bills however he can, and possibly having sex with the “hot guy” that keeps showing up at the store to buy chocolate. The entire series is, in fact, a gleefully silly romp through any number of creature feature archetypes, and is filled with humor (both slapstick and crude) as well as moments of endearingly goofy affection. 

The first story, “Pretty Monsters,” introduces the reader to Josh’s world and some of the creatures in it. Josh is mostly an observer, adopting a “live and let live” attitude that suggests that as long as none of the monsters try to eat him and the cash drawer balances out, everything’s good. The highlight of this part of the story for me was Josh’s inner monologues about both the creatures and events that transpire, and his complete lack of impulse control when it comes to Colin (the “hot guy”). 

“Peek-A-Boo” continues in a similar vein, introducing an obsessed yeti to the mix, along with a deepening of the relationship between Josh and Colin. The yeti, or “Bobo” as Josh has named him/her/it, is hilarious and revolting all at once, but when danger comes calling at the Quik-Mart, Josh isn’t going to be picky about his allies. He isn’t a natural-born fighter, and tends to need a lot of protecting, so having a vampire boyfriend and a yeti stalker certainly come in handy. 

Towards the end of Volume 1 we’re finally given an explanation as to why Josh is able to remember the monsters when most humans can’t, as well as why so many monsters keep hitting on him. It’s not exactly good news, either. We also get our first taste of the world on the other side of the vortex, or “Dev,” as the monsters call it. There isn’t really a “hell,” and Josh has a lot of readjusting to do, but it is here that he’s forced to accept that things are even more complicated than he thought they were. The boss of all the monsters, Medusa, wants him to stop the greedy CEO of the company he works for, or mankind will be eradicated. It’s not exactly the side job Josh was looking for, but he wasn’t given a choice in the matter, so he tries to make the best of it.

Volume 2, or The Final Checkout, is also divided into smaller chapters called “Clerk of the Living Dead,” “Plaything of the Gods!” and “Josh vs. Destiny.” Still coming to terms with his status as a “Guardian,” as well as his ongoing mission to save the world, Josh continues to work the night shift at the Quik-Mart. Filled with even more creatures, and a human who looks like Silent Bob but calls himself “Kevin the Vampire Slayer,” this part of the series gives us a ringside seat as Josh inadvertently becomes a hero. 

One of the funniest characters in The Final Checkout is Josh’s roommate, Doug, who has a substantially bigger role to play in this volume. Doug is an unapologetic stoner with far more insight than should be possible after smoking as much weed as he does. Or, maybe the bouts of clarity are the result of it. Who knows? But, both Doug and Josh’s boss, Mr. Kwon, who is also a stronger presence this time, have some of the best scenes in the series, and nearly steal the entire show. 

In addition to fighting off a zombie horde sent by the home office of Quik-Mart Industries to kill him, Josh and Colin are sent by Medusa to combat her Gorgon sisters while in Dev, and stop them from sending their failed creature experiments to wreak havoc on earth. By this point Josh has fully traded in his spectator status for that of an active participant, and, rather than having to be rescued, even gets to do a good bit of the saving himself.

Although I thought it was hilarious, Josh of the Damned is not going to be for everyone. It is a goofy, snarky read that is definitely for entertainment purposes only. While Josh is in a relationship, and he and Colin are there’s never anything explicit about their interactions. But, if you need a laugh, tend to geek out on inter-dimensional butt-kicking, and are, to quote Ms. Speed, “anyone who kind of feels sorry for great monsters in really bad movies,” this just may be the perfect series for you. I think that Josh still has lots of potential, and I hope to see more from the Qwik-Mart crew in the near future. 

4 stars: Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

Purchase Info:

The Reunited

Author: Shiloh Walker 

Release Date: Feb. 5, 2013

Publisher: Berkley Trade

The FBI Psychics #3

ISBN: #978-0425246979

Genre: Suspense Romance, Paranormal

Format(s): Paperback (384 pgs), e-book

Book Source: Publisher/ NetGalley

AN ETERNAL DESIRE

With his strong psychic ability, FBI Agent Joss Crawford longs for the woman he loved in a past life. But after years of searching, a new case is drawing him into the last place he'd ever want to find her: an underground slave ring. Going undercover to infiltrate the network, he meets Drucella Chapman--the mastermind's fiancee. Joss has every reason to believe she's evil. So why is he irresistibly drawn to her?

A DANGEROUS GAME

Drucella has made it her personal mission to bring the slave ring down. But the sadistic ring leader is even more careful than he is cruel. In order to gain information, Dru has had to get close to the very man she wishes to kill, psychically reading his memories bit by bit. she'd do anything to finish the job, but agreeing to marry him may have been a step too far--even for her.

A FATEFUL ENCOUNTER

Though Joss and Dru are both undercover, nothing can disguise the sense of deja vu they experience when they meet. Neither can afford to be distracted from the mission at hand, but perhaps their reunion is exactly what this mission needs.

Joss Crawford is finally getting some time off, but is called in by his boss, Taylor Jones, to help work the difficult case trying to bring down the powerful human trafficker, Patrick Whitmore. Joss is one of a handful of psychically talented FBI agents, and his speciality is being a “mirror.” He can “absorb” other agents gifts and use them as his own until he gets rebooted. (It made me think of Rogue from X-men.) 

Meanwhile, Drucella (Dru) Chapman is already on the case. Working uncover for no one but herself, Dru has posed as Ella, Patrick Whitmore’s love interest and fiancee, for the past two years. Dru has sold her soul to be the perfect woman for a man she vehemently despises and plans to kill. With no way out and only one friend who knows the truth, Dru has committed to see this through until either Patrick or she dies.

With such a heavy topic as human trafficking, I was worried that The Reunited would be a gruesome read. However, Ms. Walker handled a very horrible topic with decorum. She didn't try to shock the reader with graphic details and images, but brought to light the horrors of the situation. She gave the seriousness of the topic respect and did not sensationalize the problems.

I also want to mention that although The Reunited can be read stand alone, there are several characters from the first two books that are prominent in this storyline. I did not read the first book, The Missing, and I really wish I had. I think that would have helped me follow what was happening with some of the minor characters (Taiga and Cullen) better. They played a fairly significant part in the storyline, and I had a hard time connecting with them.

One thing I really liked about this case was knowing who the target was the entire time. I enjoyed the thrill of trying to take down scum and worrying about how it would all play out and if everyone would survive rather than trying to figure out who the bad guy was. The “case” part of the storyline was well done - keeping me on the edge of my seat for most of the book. Ms. Walker has a talent for suspenseful storytelling!

Another piece to the story (other than capturing the bad guy) that added a lot is the fact that both Joss and Dru experience memories of a past life. The flashbacks were confusing at first, but as the book moved on, the repressed memories added a lot to Joss and Dru’s relationship. It was a way for them to connect and fall in love, even though they were surrounded by such horrible circumstances. It also made Joss’ immediately intense feelings understandable and believable. 

Joss and Dru were both extremely sensual and hot together, but also aggravatingly frustrating. Dru was in a bad place - undercover for two years. But her constant flip-flop of emotions from fearful and whiny to determined was overwhelming sometimes. And Joss was a difficult character to follow during parts of the story. He had a lot going on in his head - being “sync’d” with two agents - one that sees/hears ghosts and another who had the memories of the captive girls and Patrick himself. In addition, he kept having flashbacks... it was a lot to follow at times. When Dru and Joss were in sync with one another, they were great; however, when they were not in sync, things were awkward and not as fun to read. For example, I got frustrated when as expected, each mistakenly believes the other is actually the undercover roll they are playing rather than their true selves. Each immediately assumed the worse about the other regardless of the bonds they had formed. 

Overall, another enjoyable story from Ms. Walker. Even with the bumps I experienced along the way, The Departed is an exciting journey, full of suspense, personal growth, drama, and romance. Plus, the reader was introduced to new characters, a few that I think we’ll be reading more of in the next book, The Protected, coming September 2013!

Liked it - recommend (B+)

The Reunited

Reviews in the Series:

The Departed (Book 2)

The Inventor

Author: Theresa Meyers 

Release Date: Dec. 24, 2012

Publisher: Zebra Books

The Legend Chronicles prequel

Genre: Paranormal Steampunk

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: Purchased with my own funds

Sir Marley Turlock doesn’t normally bother with flirtation. He’s an inventor, a scientist, not a gadabout. And the floor of the inaugural London Aeronautical Exhibition, just before he presents his groundbreaking new device to the Queen herself, is not the place to change his habits toward the fairer sex.

But Lady Persephone Hargrieve has her delicate fingers engaged in the innards of his device before Marley can catch his breath at her beauty. He’s never met a woman like her—a fiery intelligence to match his own, a genius for mechanics, and more secrets than he can guess.

Of course, Sephie’s secrets aren’t all innocuous tricks to make the gears spin smoother. It’s no coincidence that she’s turned up to investigate Marley’s machines—if they’re good enough, if he can be trusted enough, they might save the country. Even if along the way she ends up losing her heart…

For those of us that read The Legend Chronicles series by Theresa Meyers, we know and love grouchy ol’ Marley: genius inventor extraordinaire. He is friend to the Winn Brothers (the men of legend fighting the evil Darken), but lives alone. He has a mysterious past, one hinted full of lost love and sadness. So when Ms. Meyers shared with me (at AADNOLA) that she was telling Marley’s backstory in an upcoming novella, I was giddy! And a note to those that haven’t read the series, The Inventor is a prequel set several years before the beginning of the series and can be read at any time. There are no series spoilers in this novella.

The short story takes place in London, 1868, and opens with Marley working on his latest invention. He hopes to impress the Queen and be invited to join the prestigious Aeronautical Society of Great Britain. While stumped trying to work out a kink in his inventions, the lovely Lady Persephone Hargrieve sits down and starts tinkering (with his permission). Marley is immediately taken with Sephie and hopes to court her, even though she is daughter of Lord Hargrieve and above his station.

Lord Hargrieve is impressed with Marley and invites him to his home to discuss a project. It is here that Marley learns the true nature of Lord Hargrieve’s work: he fights the things that go bump in the night, the Darken. Marley is overcome with the knowledge that demons, vampires and other beings exist, and quickly becomes wrapped up in the dangerous life.

Overall, The Inventor is an enjoyable tale, a short story that gives a very small insight into Marley’s past. It is entertaining for both readers and new-comers to The Legend Chronicles. Marley is an amusing character, and I want to know more. His relationship with Sephie is sweet and romantic, and appropriately chaste for the setting.

However, the story left so much still unknown and unsaid, which was frustrating for me as someone who knows what becomes of Marley! If you read the series, you know that things go wrong at some point, and I had hoped this novella would have shared the entire story of Marley’s past.

With that said, The Inventor is a delightful tale centered on beginnings of a sweet love story. It can be read prior to reading the series, or at any time in between. Readers get a great taste of Marley’s gadgets and of what is to come. 

Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

The Inventor (The Legend Chronicles)

Reviews in the Series:

The Hunter (Book 1)

The Slayer (Book 2)

The Farm

Author: Emily McKay 

Release Date: Dec. 4, 2012

Publisher: Berkley Trade

The Farm #1

ISBN: #978-0425257807

Genre: Young Adult (Paranormal)

Format(s): Paperback (420 pgs), e-book

Book Source: Publisher

Life was different in the Before: before vampires began devouring humans in a swarm across America; before the surviving young people were rounded up and quarantined. These days, we know what those quarantines are—holding pens where human blood is turned into more food for the undead monsters, known as Ticks. Surrounded by electrical fences, most kids try to survive the Farms by turning on each other…

And when trust is a thing of the past, escape is nearly impossible.

Lily and her twin sister Mel have a plan. Though Mel can barely communicate, her autism helps her notice things no one else notices—like the portion of electrical fence that gets turned off every night. Getting across won’t be easy, but as Lily gathers what they need to escape, a familiar face appears out of nowhere, offering to help…

Carter was a schoolmate of Lily’s in the Before. Managing to evade capture until now, he has valuable knowledge of the outside world. But like everyone on the Farm, Carter has his own agenda, and he knows that behind the Ticks is an even more dangerous threat to the human race...

The Farm is the first book in a new post-apocalyptic young adult series.  From the first page, you will be drawn into the plight of Lily and her sister, Mel.  However, do not base your opinion on the book blurb above…there is so much more to The Farm than it suggests.  This is a young adult novel for the more mature teen, high school age or older.  There are some serious topics discussed and some violence.

The world as we know ended six months prior to the beginning of The Farm, a time conveniently referred to as “Before”.  A pathogen was accidentally released, causing some humans to become mindless blood craving beasts: Ticks.  To protect the last vestiges of humanity, teenagers were gathered up and placed on “farms” for their protection.  However, all is not what it seems.  There is so much more going on than what Lily can fathom.

Although told from predominately Lily’s point of view, The Farm also gives the point of view of Mel (which is quite fascinating) and Carter – Lily’s crush from Before.  Lily and Mel are identical twin sisters except that Mel has autism.  Not only does it make Mel extraordinarily unique, it also means that Lily is her sole provider and protector in this different world.  In many ways you wonder if they aren’t truly trying to protect each other and provide for each other.

The plot moves slowly and simply.  However, it does not move in directions you expect.  Truly, The Farm is a gripping read.  Despite being a 400+ book, it is a really fast read.  So much occurs, so much tension and anticipation that it just steams off the page, immobilizing you and forcing you to keep reading.  

Gikany and Una realize that we are being fairly vague in this review, but it is only because we do not wish to give anything away.  The Farm is a fantastic new series and we cannot wait to read the next book.  We are on the edge of our seats…waiting to know what happens next from the bombshell we were left with. 

If you are looking for an enthralling and fascinating new vampire post-apocalyptic series, look no farther.  Pick up The Farm and see if you don’t get caught up in trying to elude the Ticks…and other predators and still escape the Farm.

Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)

Purchase Info:

The Farm

Carnal Desires

Carnal Attraction

Carnal Denial

Author: DL Jackson 

Release Date: Feb-Mar 2012

Publisher: Decadent

Carnality Series 1-3

Decadent’s Edge Series

Genre: Erotic Romance, Paranomal, Novella

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: Publisher

Carnal Desires...

When Mercedes, the town librarian, enters a place no good girl would dare to tread, she meets a man who says he’s an incubus, who has an offer too tempting to pass. After the encounter with the stranger, sanity returns and Mercedes begins to wonder if she’s lost her mind along with her memory, or if the man in the back of the adult toy store really was who he claimed to be.

Carnal Attraction...

Thousands of years have passed. Azael has returned to Jezebel, and he’s brought her memories with him. Now that Jezebel has them back, she doesn’t intend to lose them again by starving herself of life energies. So, when she encounters a broken heart in the seedy strip club where she works, she knows dinner will be special that night. This time, the feeding will be on her terms, and the man who’s wandered into her snare, shouldn’t miss the small bite of soul she takes. Much.

Carnal Denial...

Another lamb for the feast. Not likely. Jezebel knows that taking a bite out of the virgin bait the demon slayers have tossed into the club is a bad idea. But there’s also more than one way to skin a proverbial cat, or in this instance, pop a slayer’s cherry before she causes any problems. There’s nothing in the succubus rule book that says Jezebel has to play fair. After all, she need only suggest. What the slayer does with the nudge is up to her.

Book 1: Carnal Desires

Mercedes has spent her whole life being the good girl. So after her fiancé dumped her for another, Mercedes finds herself looking at sex toys in the back room of an adult-only shop. When a mysterious man shows up smelling of sex and chocolate she finds that she cannot say no to his offer for a quickie. 

All three of these books are from Decadent Publishing’s Edge series--a short story/vignette format. The first book consists of the interaction between Mercedes and the mystery lover who claims to be an incubus. It is sensual and sexy. There is an interesting twist at the end, and it leaves you with the "to be continued" feeling. Of the three stories, the was probably my “least favorite,” but I still really enjoyed. It lays the groundwork for the subsequent stories.

Book 2: Carnal Attraction

The second story picks up with Mercedes née Jezebel working in a strip club. She selects a broken-hearted solider (Mike) for a private lap dance in the back. Little does this unsuspecting soul know that he's dinner for Jezebel and her incubus lover, Azael. The couple share an intense and highly erotic time with Mike before planting false memories in his head and sending him on his way. 

The second story is a bit more erotic than the first, to include a ménage scene. Once again, the snippet is all about sex, but we can see that Jezabel and Azael love one another. The first two stories fit well with each other and can be read as 2 chapters from the same book. 

Book 3: Carnal Denial

Cass and Theo are demon hunters, prepared to take down sex demons Azael and Jezebel. Cass is a virgin (which you have to be for hunting lust demons) and successfully infiltrates Azael and Jezebel's club - or so she thinks. However the pair of demons are well aware of who Cass is, and Jezebel has a plan to deflower the hunter.

The third story is the most "romantic" of the trio of tales - bringing together broken-hearted Mike from Attraction and our newest character, Cass. Their coupling is very hot, and gives the hint that there may be an HEA in the future for the pair. 

In whole, the trio of stories can be read as individual short, erotic tales, but in this case, I highly recommend purchasing all three together. Each is a scene in a larger, exciting story. As I mentioned in my reviews of the "Shifter and Biker series," another one of Decadent's Edge offerings, these vignettes seem to be most effective as a "romance" when there is some history between the characters involved. This way the "getting to know you" is in the past, and the sex scenes are more meaningful and the story feels more complete and satisfying.  This is most certainly the case for the Carnality series. In the first story, we meet our main couple, who end up actually having a (very long) history together. Their characters continue to develop in the short spaces of the follow up books, and through them we are introduced to Mike and Cass. 

Ms. Jackson demonstrates a suburb talent for this form of storytelling - it's not easy to convey all that she did in such a short space. I throughly enjoyed the Carnality Series and look forward to reading more from Ms. Jackson. If you are in the mood for some erotic yet sweet stories, please check out the Carnality Series.

Enjoyed - strongly recommend (A-)

Carnal Desires #1
Carnal Attraction #2
Carnal Denial #3

Shadow of Night

Author: Deborah Harkness  

Release Date: July 10, 2012

Publisher: Viking

All Souls Trilogy #2

ISBN: 978-0670023486

Genre: Paranormal Fantasy

Format(s): Hardcover (592 pgs), e-book

Book Source: Publisher

Shadow of Night picks up right where A Discovery of Witches left off.  Diana Bishop and Matthew Clairmont, a witch historian and vampire geneticist respectively, have timewalked to Elizabethan England on their hunt for a magical alchemical manuscript, Ashmole 782—its sudden appearance and sudden disappearance have upended the delicately ordered world of magical creatures (witches, vampires, and daemons), threatening to unleash unprecedented metaphysical chaos. 

Though Diana and Matthew have escaped the threats of the present, they soon find the past holds its own challenges—Diana must find a witch to continue her magical education, a task made difficult by a rash of witch hunts across the British Isles.  And Matthew finds himself back in a life he thought he left behind, reuniting with friends and family that had long been reduced to memory, opening wounds he thought had healed.  Some of those friends comprise the infamous School of Night, a coterie of visionaries that includes Christopher Marlowe and Sir Walter Raleigh.  Together, Matthew and Diana must navigate the new dangers of an old century—bringing them closer and closer to solving the mystery of Ashmole 782.

NOTE: Shadow of Night picks up immediately after the first title, A Discovery of Witches, ends (seriously, it was a cliffhanger, and I was ecstatic that I had the second title at the ready).  So, yes.  Read the first book of the trilogy.  Have the second on stand-by so you can immediately pick it up and begin reading where the first book leaves off!  Consider yourself warned!  

As A Discovery of Witches draws to a close, our hero, Matthew, and heroine, Diana, are preparing for a journey.  Shadow of Night begins upon arrival at their destination (See?  I'm even keeping the review spoiler-free for the first book!).  This is where I started to  **squee** like a fan-girl.  Excellent depictions of some major authors of the time as well as mathematicians and scientists.  Can I simply state that the first 20ish percent of this book had me riveted!  The interactions with Matthew and Diana and the School of Night members were fascinating for me!

“Mad, bad, and dangerous to know” described this group perfectly.  We hadn't joined a cozy reunion of friends on Halloween night.  We'd fallen into a hornet's nest of Elizabethan intrigue.  

Even when forced to change plans, Matthew does so with precision and forethought.  Our couple were commanded to return to France, where Matthew would struggle with several issues.  However, Diana's fierce protection and unwavering love for him manages to bind the couple even closer.  I really enjoyed the way the relationship between Diana and Matthew's father evolved.  There couldn't have been any other way to have the two grow together, due to their love of Matthew.  While Matthew and Diana had been married prior to their trip at the end of Discovery of Witches, a third marriage ceremony was performed.  Ms. Harkness' scholarly endeavors were definitely revealed as she explained the marriage rituals, including both Christian and Pagan rites, in a flowing, believable manner.  

Matthew and Diana traveled to a few places, and during their journeys, Diana met a lot of interesting people.  Matthew renewed acquaintances.  However, Matthew's possessive nature, much like Edward's in the Twilight Saga, punctuated these meetings with a certain sense of hostility and discomfort for all parties concerned, as well as the reader.  I think this is what propelled me through the story.

I also enjoy the snarky humor between Diana and Matthew:

“Vampires reckon time differently than warmbloods do,” he said, still unwilling to release me.

“How long is a vampire minute, then?”  I asked, snuggling under his chin.

“It's hard to say,” Matthew murmured.  “Some length of time between an ordinary minute and forever.” 

Matthew and Diana also unearthed truths about their relationship, and their place within the grand scheme of things.  Their revelations were sometimes so intimate that I felt as though I were trespassing on a private moment.  Even after finding a treasure they sought on their journey, these intimate moments were powerful and full of emotion.

“Maybe my questions don't need answers as urgently as I thought they did.”  To prove his point, Matthew put the book on the floor, out of sight.  “I thought it would tell me who I am and why I'm here.  Perhaps I already know.”

I waited for him to explain.

“After all my searching, I discover that I am who I always was:  Matthew de Clermont.  Husband.  Father.  Vampire.  And I am here for only one reason:  To make a difference.”

At the conclusion of Matthew and Diana's journey, they returned home, to find those they loved waiting.  The de Clermonts are ready to face a battle to protect the right to love the ones that have chained themselves to our souls.  I look forward to that battle in the next installment of the All Souls Trilogy.

Loved it - enthusiastically recommend (A)

GIVEAWAY: Viking/Penguin Publishing is sponsoring an awesome giveaway to celebrate the release of Shadow of Night. They are offering a specially designed “Ashmole 782” temporary tattoo and a set of 6 buttons, along with a finished copy of Deborah Harkness’s new release, Shadow of Night.  The buttons each display a different alchemical symbol; readers will discover their meaning as they read the new novel. To enter, please leave a comment below and include your email address if it is not part of your profile. While you do not have to be a Google Friend Connect to enter, it is appreciated. The winner is restricted to US mailing addresses only. Contest is open from July 16 until July 20, 2012 at 10:00 PM EDT. The winner will be selected from the comment entries using random.org. The prize will be mailed to the winner by the publisher; I am not responsible for items lost in the mail.

Purchase Info:

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy 1)
Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy 2)

Demonically Tempted

Author: Stacey Kennedy 

Release Date: April 13, 2012

Publisher: Self-Published

Frostbite Series #2

ISBN: #978-1476341873

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Format(s): e-book

Book Source: Author

Tess Jennings, now a member of the Memphis Police Department, is on her first cold case. The suspected suicide of Lizbeth Knapp ten years ago isn’t a theory her family accepts—they believe she was murdered.

But the case is only one of Tess’s worries. Ghosts are talking, and word of her abilities rapidly spreads. A dark ghost is terrifying the spirits of Memphis, and she must force the entity to cross over.

Tess doesn’t have to do this alone. Not only does she have her ghost-lover, Kipp McGowen, but the department has brought in a medium. Dane Wolfe might answer all her questions, but he also brings a world of trouble. Will Tess finally have all she’s ever wanted, or will everything she’s vowed to protect be ripped away?

**NOTE: I’m trying my new “hidden spoilers” button in this review. I have been told it pretty much always works - however if you are reading this via an RSS Feed Reader it will NOT work and the spoiler text will appear. HOWEVER, I have noted in all caps where the spoiler text begins and ends, so you can still read this review without the spoilers.  Thanks!**

After getting to know all about Tess and her “ghost whispering” abilities in the first Frostbite book, Supernaturally Kissed, Ms. Kennedy jumps right into the thick of things in Demonically Tempted. Tess is now working for the Memphis Police Department with her ghostly, police officer boyfriend, Kipp, in tow. She has stepped into Kipp’s job, working along side of his best friend and partner, Zach. They are investigating cold cases, and the current case is a creepy apparent suicide. The team visits the old farmhouse where the dead girl’s sister still lives, yet Tess cannot find her ghost. What they do hear is a tale of darkness and strange behavior.

Meanwhile, in present day, Tess’s abilities are now making the circles among ghosts - who knew that they would chat it up in the afterlife? They fear a dark presence and want Tess to make it go away. Why she didn’t see the connection between the cold case and this evil spirit is beyond me. But... she doesn’t and she agrees to help these ghosts.

Enter Dane - apparent ghost expert who works for the FBI. Tess’s boss, Max, has hired Dane to work with Tess on her abilities. And much to Tess’s chagrin, Dane’s an arrogant jerk that constantly makes her feel stupid. Dane recognizes that this darkness is a demon and knows just the right person to help the team, Gretchen - a witch.

First of all, I really like how this story starts out... it jumps right into things with no need for a big backstory about Tess and Kipp or her powers. We are right in the heart of the story from the beginning, and this grabs the reader and pulls them in quickly. Overall the demonic story line, while briefly skirting a “horror” line with the possession concerns, brings several new aspects of Tess’s abilities and widens the known mythology extensively. And it was done in a way that isn't “telling” the reader what is going on, but rather “shows” the reader more about this exciting world.

As for the characters - let me start with newcomer, Dane. He is painted in a fairly negative light. I really didn’t like him, and I credit the author with successfully portraying him to be such an ass. Kipp does NOT like Dane - and is constantly telling Tess he has a feeling Dane is hiding something. Tess continually attributes Kipp’s feelings as jealousy. I have to say after a while I got annoyed that Tess would not accept Kipp’s “gut feeling.” 

It turns out that Dane is up to something - but not as nefarious as I thought at first. He wants to protect Tess because he’s seen what happens to others when they let their special abilities rule their lives. I did not like how he approached Tess. But again, I'm sure that's what I'm supposed to feel and it is the author’s intension, so kudos to Ms. Kennedy. But I felt he could have gone about his purpose a different way and achieved better results. 

As for our main couple... I still adore Tess and Kipp. Although we don’t have as much time for relationship building in this story, they are still an exciting pair to read. The author did find a way to insert a few sexy scenes which don’t detract from the overall story line. Although I’m not at all happy about something that happens at the end of the book-not that it happened but rather the timing of the event (read about it below in the spoiler section), I am very excited to see what is in store for the couple. 

I felt Tess could be a little dense and whiny at times, but I love that she stood her ground with Dane and that she took on the demon. Over the course of this book, she learns to believe in herself and the supernatural world surrounding her. With Kipp, I felt he was a bit too angry; however he was rightfully so. There is a scene in which Kipp “goes off the deep end” over something Dane does, and I felt it was way too dramatic for his character. But then later we find out all is not as it seems. I like that!

*********NOTE: SPOILER TEXT STARTS HERE*********

Okay so here is my issue with this book. We find out that Kipp is actually in a coma. If you read my review of the first book, Supernaturally Kissed I specifically said that I thought that would happen, just like Reese Witherspoon’s character in the movie Just like Heaven. But no... he was ... dead. Yet, in the final scenes of Demonically Tempted, we are told that Kipp has been in a coma this entire time. Wait... what? And NO ONE bothered to mention that to Tess? No one asked if she wanted to see him? Ms. Kennedy has her characters do a little side stepping and get around this, but not to my satisfaction. It was like finding out Luke and Leia are brother and sister in Return of the Jedi after seeing them kiss pretty passionately in Empire Strikes Back. To me it was poor continuity and I felt cheated. Kipp’s best friend and coworkers would have brought it up well before the end of this book.

With that said, I will forgive this and move on because I really do like these characters a lot and look forward to finding out what will happen next!

*********SPOILER TEXT ENDS HERE*********

So in the end I was a bit conflicted over this book. I like Tess and Kipp, and the new supporting characters are an excellent addition. I am very happy that we learned so much more about the supernatural world. But, I did have some issues with the book... The biggest being what happens near then end of the book (in the spoiler section). It was just very hard for me to accept. But with that said, I am interested to know who the "others" (with special abilities) are and where Tess is headed. I have a strong desire to keep reading this series and seeing it to the end. And so I am highly anticipating Mystically Bound (Book 3) coming in Fall 2012. 

Liked it, but I had some issues - recommend (B)

Purchase Info:

Demonically Tempted (Frostbite 2)

Reviews of books in the series:

Supernaturally Kissed (Book 1)