Review: "Hunted" by Lindsay Buroker

"Hunted" (The Flash Gold Chronicles, #2)

by Lindsay Buroker

Genre: Steampunk/Adventure

Reading Grade: Adult (short story/novella)

Publishing Type: self-published

Publication Date: August 12, 2011

Source: Kindle store

Age Rating: 13+

Amazon |

Self-taught tinkerer Kali McAlister is determined to build an airship and escape the frigid Yukon forever. Unfortunately, she’s the heir to the secrets of flash gold, an alchemical energy source that tends to make her a popular target for bandits, gangsters, and pirates.

With the help of her bounty-hunting business partner, Cedar, Kali has outwitted and eluded attackers before, and she thinks she’s prepared for anything. Then her ex-fiancé strolls into her workshop.

As if fooling her once wasn’t enough, he aims to embroil her in a fresh scheme. Meanwhile, a new nemesis is stalking her, a shrouded figure with an arsenal of deadly machines that make Kali’s inventions seem like toys. This time, it’ll take more than her ingenuity and Cedar’s combat skills to survive. 

My Review

She does it again—Lindsay does some more awesome! In this sequel to “Flash Gold,” Kali and Cedar are working together and splitting their earnings 50/50, while both striving to achieve very different goals. Kali wants to get out of town in a self-made airship, which she hasn't been able to build yet, and Cedar wants to kill the man he's been tracking since the first story. But, Kali's lovely former fiance strolls into town and shakes things up a bit.

It's fun to finally meet Sebastian, the jerk that broke Kali's heart, and see how idiotic this guy is, especially when he meets Cedar. Sebastian becomes the reason the plot progresses, as Cedar wants to use him as bait to get closer to his target. Unfortunately, Kali has to go along for this journey, and that pans out poorly for her. But, another enemy is targeting Kali as they travel to Sebastian's claim, so they spend a good amount of time running for their lives.

Kali and Cedar really get to know each other better in this story, and get to explore the possibility of a budding romance. I won't say too much about that since it should be experienced by the reader. By the end, there is still much potential for them to get together. But, will either of them accomplish their individual goals? Will they have to separate someday, as a result?

“Hunted” continues the action and excitement of “Flash Gold,” and simply takes it further with the main characters and their relationship. These stories could go on forever and they'd always make some progress. I can't wait to read novella number three!

My score: 5 out of 5 stars.

Hurry over to Smashwords.com to get "Flash Gold," the first novella in this series for FREE!

Smashwords link 

Future Reads #10: Kiss of Night by Debbie Viguié

Current Giveaway! Enter the giveaway for Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning. 

Follow this link... [click]

...In which I blog about a yet-to-be published novel that I'm anticipating reading... This book is about to be officially released in a few days time, so I needed to act fast!

Kiss of Night  (Kiss of Night, #1)

by Debbie Viguié

Publication Date: October 7, 2011

Centuries ago, Raphael was a blasphemous knight who fought in the Crusades purely for his own mercenary benefit, and to satisfy his taste for killing. Now, condemned for his evil passions and hypocrisy, he wanders the earth a vampire, cursed with first-hand knowledge of the supernatural world he once denied existed. The powerful relic he still possesses from his days as a Crusader has been stolen by a rival vampire who has recruited an army of soulless underlings to aid him in spreading evil. At the time he learns this, Raphael has been hunting this vampire for nearly a century, and it seems the final battle is destined to take place in Prague. For help in this quest, Raphael must enlist the aid of two humans, David and Susan, who suddenly find themselves immersed in a world they never imagined, entangled with supernatural forces they can't control. Susan, in particular, finds herself conflicted as she struggles with her inexplicable attraction to Raphael. In the end, both Susan and Raphael will be called upon to exercise courage and faith, and in the process, the question, "What would happen if a vampire truly accepted God?" is answered.

Why do I want to read this? Because I've got a weird fetish with lonely centuries-old broody vampires. It's true--I love those guys for some reason. Plus, this book has a really interesting premise and sounds like it deals with vampires in the Vampire Chronicles sort of way. That's the kind of vampire fiction I like, and usually my favorite vamp fiction uses the vampire as a symbol of the human that is ineligible for God's redemption. They're not meant to be sparkly vegetarian Disney characters, after all.  

This may be Christian fiction, but I'm not daunted by that, so long as it's not preachy. (I've read that it's not.) I'm Christian, anyway, but not necessarily of the author's specific faith. Still, it sounds like a read that will be up my alley.

P.S. The cover is amazing...!! Looks like the lower-half of Johnny Depp's face!

Teaser Tuesday #7: Trinity Blood: Rage Against the Moons

Current Giveaway! Enter the giveaway for Dark Seeker by Taryn Browning. 

Follow this link... [click] 

"Teaser Tuesdays" is a book blogger meme hosted by

Should Be Reading.

Today, my teaser comes from my favorite Japanese light novel series, Trinity Blood... So good, I have to reread it.

"I'm almost done here, pussycat," he said over his shoulder to Jessica. "After this, I'm gonna kill ya 'til you love me."

- from Trinity Blood: Rage Against the Moons (Volume 1: From the Empire), page 40.

*****

Trinity Blood: Rage Against the Moons (Volume 1: From the Empire)

by Sunao Yoshida

Political turmoil, terrorist plots, and the relentless desire for personal revenge threaten to escalate the conflict between humans and vampires into a full-blown war. Special Ops Team AX will use every brutal weapon on hand--including a Crusnik, a vampire that preys upon other vampires--to save mankind. Packed with action, emotion, and artistry, this first volume of Rage Against the Moons contains tales of heroism, sacrifice, and retribution, as the AX agents strive to protect the innocent and keep the peace.

Author Interview + Giveaway! Featured: Taryn Browning

Today, I have the delightful Taryn Browning, author of the Dark Seeker novel series here doing an interview for the blog! She was kind enough to answer some questions about her vampire hunter series, short story "Dark Beauty," and its following novel series, Dark Seeker. The questions are about the prequel story, "Dark Beauty," since that's all I've read, so far, but they are both part of the same fictional universe.

At the end of the interview, find out how ONE lucky reader can win a free Kindle ebook copy of Taryn's novel, Dark Seeker, which is now available for sale. UPDATE (10/18/2011): THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW EXPIRED...

1. Is “Dark Beauty” your first published work? Tell us a little about your history and experience as an author.

Yes. I’ve written three independent novels ranging from YA paranormal romance to urban fantasy, and a short story (Dark Beauty). I also have a bunch of partials and a novella floating around that I hope to get back to sometime in the not-so-distant future. Although, I’m not counting on it since I already have ideas for book #2 in the Seeker series.

2. I've seen you mention that you are represented by a literary agent. Your vampire-hunter short story, “Dark Beauty,” seems to be self-published. Why did you decide to self-publish this title?

Even though I’m represented by an agent, I am self-publishing a short story and the first novel in a series of books to come. I think many authors are starting to dip their feet into both the traditional and self-publishing worlds. For me, self-publishing allows me to share my stories with readers while also pursuing my traditional publishing dreams. Plus, I’m having a great time getting to know readers and I enjoy discussing YA. I absolutely love the diverse characters in Dark Seeker—and I also happen to have a crush on Kai! :) Each character—good, bad, or both (sometimes it’s hard to determine)—has a unique personality and background. They definitely make the book fun to write, and read.

3. Will you be writing more “Dark Beauty”?

Yes. I’ve actually started writing the second story in the prequel series. I’ve had lots of people ask for more of Isabelle and Abram during their Seeker years, so, I’m writing more. Plus, I feel like they still have more to share. Their relationship is touched upon in Dark Seeker. I’d love to fill in more of their back story by continuing Dark Beauty. More of their relationship will also be revealed in the next Seeker novel.

4. What inspired you to write “Dark Beauty”? Did anything from your life or the media influence you?

I am a huge Buffy fan, so I guess you could say it was influenced by my love of the show. I love strong female characters. Like Buffy, Isabelle and Janie can definitely hold their own.

5. Your main character, Isabelle, is from Cherokee descent. What made you decide to give her that particular cultural heritage?

I wanted Isabelle to have a unique background and there are a lot of really cool Native American legends about vampires and demons to further explore in the series.

6. In the world of “Dark Beauty,” the vampire-hunters are called Seekers and they live all over the United States. Can you explain a little about their origin, without spoiling any possible future installments?

Seekers have been around for as long as vampires have existed. They are overseen by the Apotheosis, who place Chapters made up of mentors and past Seekers in each city to supervise Seeker duties. Being a Seeker runs in the family. The offspring of Seekers grow up to be Seekers themselves once they turn 15, or enter high school. From there, they do four-year rotations, starting over again in a different city once they complete their senior year. This continues until they make the decision to leave the Seeker life. During their time as a Seeker they don’t age.

As for Isabelle, Abram and Janie, you’ll just have to wait to find out more about their lives as Seekers and when/if they decide to leave it—and what roles they play within the Seeker “world” in the future. One thing that’s certain is their primary enemy isn’t vampires anymore. There is a new, more deadly hybrid with plans to create more of their kind.

7. I love the snarky friction between Isabelle and Abram. Is there a chance it will lead to some romance between them?

There is definitely a spark between Isabelle and Abram. Since they are much older in Dark Seeker, they have a relationship and history, but I’m not going to tell you what type. You’ll have to read Dark Seeker and the next story in the prequel series to find out. Sorry! :)

8. My final question for you, Taryn, is about your writing process, something I can't help but be curious about with authors... Planner or Pantser?
   
   I’m a panster. I come up with an idea and run with it. I’ve jumped up from the dinner table, rushed out of the shower, and woken up in the middle of the night with a thought in my head. I have to immediately jot it down or I will forget (story of my life). I don’t know if it’s just a glitch in my brain, but stories just seem to roll out of my head. I’ve always had an over-active imagination. I thought it was normal to think up stuff—until my husband told me it wasn’t, lol! :) That’s okay—I embrace it.  

GIVEAWAY TIME!

Enter the giveaway for a chance to win ONE free Kindle ebook copy of Taryn's latest novel, Dark Seeker! All you need to do is leave a comment on this blog post with your name and email address so I can contact you if you win. All entrants who follow this blog will get an extra entry (+1), so be sure to leave me your Google Friend Connect name in the comment below, too!

This giveaway will stay open for entries from Tuesday, October 4, 2011 through Monday, October 17, 2011. That's TWO weeks!

Review: Fallen by Lauren Kate

Fallen (Fallen, #1)

by Lauren Kate

Genre: Paranormal Romance/Angels

Reading Grade: Young Adult

Publishing Type: traditional

Publication Date: December 8, 2009

Source: local library (Audio CD)

Age Rating: 14+ (for light profanity)

Amazon | Book Depository

Seventeen-Year-Old Luce is a new student at Sword & Cross, an unwelcoming boarding/reform school in Savannah, Georgia. Luce’s boyfriend died under suspicious circumstances, and now she carries the guilt over his death with her as she navigates the unfriendly halls at Sword & Cross, where every student seems to have an unpleasant—even evil—history.

It’s only when she sees Daniel, a gorgeous fellow student, that Luce feels there’s a reason to be here—though she doesn’t know what it is. And Daniel’s frosty cold demeanor toward her? It’s really a protective device that he’s used again . . . and again. For Daniel is a fallen angel, doomed to fall in love with the same girl every 17 years . . . and watch her die. And Luce is a fellow immortal, cursed to be reincarnated again and again as a mortal girl who has no idea of who she really is.

My Review

Fallen is another popular YA paranormal romance title that I was afraid to read because I figured I'd dislike it. Sometimes I just don't like what everyone else is gushing over. But, this is a good novel, so the gushy people are somewhat right this time.

Luce is actually not a totally annoying teenage girl protagonist, and sometimes they just get on my nerves. She's pretty cool, if just pretty clueless, but that's not her fault. The story is set up for her to discover the tiny pieces of her true identity very gradually, and even by the end we still don't know who she is. We do get some info on who Daniel and the students at Sword & Cross really are.

Not much plot happens in this story, and it painstakingly maps out the details of every little eye flit and hair flip you can imagine (or don't want to), but it's not boring. There's plenty of tension on every page to keep you wanting to know who everyone is and why all the weird things keep happening to Luce while she's attending the reform school. The writing is excellent, and if you love knowing exactly how everything that's happening makes the protagonist feel, then you'll be in seventh heaven with this book. Otherwise, it might annoy you.

The characters are interesting, although the main ones, Luce and Daniel, are middle-of-the-road personality-wise. But, there are some quirky, eccentric ones in Arianne, Penn, and Cam. They are funny, intriguing characters, Cam being my favorite for having plenty of attitude in a good way (or, at least I think it's good).

There is a ton of emphasis on the romance between Luce and Daniel and how much they already love each other, which makes sense given the centuries they've known each other. Nevertheless, I'd still like to see evidence that they have a reason to love each other. The romance is so sappy and sweet, I got a serious toothache and a few canker sores in my mouth. It suits readers who live for that kind of thing in fiction. I'm all for true love, but not being beaten over the head with the kind that has yet to be proven.

Still, this novel is good, and lovers of YA paranormal romance should take to this one really well. I haven't decided if I'll get caught up with the rest of the books, but I will see the film adaptation whenever that comes out.

My score: 3.5 stars out of 5.