Initial Thoughts: This is a hard one for me to rate. As a series finale, I found the epic battle lacking. It was just too easy to get rid of Big Bad (Initial Thoughts: This is a hard one for me to rate. As a series finale, I found the epic battle lacking. It was just too easy to get rid of Big Bad (and I'll refer to him as such to avoid spoiling). In fact, Big Bad was my absolute favorite - so full of himself and his observations about his situation made me laugh out loud. I did enjoy the featured couple Kamen and Genvieve who made quite the pair. Those two sizzled. For fans of the series - all the Nightwalkers appear in this book as they battle Big Bad, so it's nice to see how these couples are doing.
Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for a review copy of this book.
Initial Thoughts: I absolutely love this series. Who knew a gargoyle could be so big and sexy and lusty? This is a fun book to read and the hero and hInitial Thoughts: I absolutely love this series. Who knew a gargoyle could be so big and sexy and lusty? This is a fun book to read and the hero and heroine are very hot together.
The Review: I love this series. I love the mix of Egyptian mythology with all sorts of paranormal creatures.
If you have not yet had the opportunity to start this series, the first book is called Forbidden. You could theoretically read this book first; the author recaps well and there is a handy glossary at the beginning of the book which explains a bit of this world. For optimum reading enjoyment, I would highly recommend starting with the first book. That way, you could enjoy all the details and nuances of this fascinating world. Each book focuses on a lead couple and while the couple works through their attraction, the crazy villain is usually up to no good. In this particular installment, a very injured and lusty gargoyle meets a woman who just happens to be his perfect match.
In Forged, our lead couple is a gargoyle named Ahnvil and his love interest Kat. Upon escaping the Templar lair, Ahnvil finds himself injured and just outside Kat’s remote cabin in Washington State. Ahnvil is close to turning to stone and Kat manages to rescue him and nurse him back to health. An interesting fact about these gargoyles: they are a lusty lot and that, combined with his Scottish brogue made Ahnvil almost irresistible.
Kat is well suited to live in the world of the Nightwalkers. She is unable to be out in the sun due to a rare skin condition. His world seems to draw her in, especially once she discovers the amulet stolen by Ahnvil. The amulet has an affinity for Kat and she is unable to remove it.
In another plot thread, Druid Bella is compelled to visit Stoney Gorge, Washington (Kat’s home). She and her demon husband Jacob arrive in town and Kat can only see a ghostly image of Bella. Ahnvil is unable to see or hear her.
The chemistry between Kat and Ahnvil was incredible. He was so hot and sexy and of course, huge. (ha!) I loved the sexual tension between these two, especially when Ahnvil was recuperating from his injuries and was all lusty and gropy. Holy hot sexy scenes, too. These two were smoking hot!
One of the things that draws me to this series is the sheer diversity of all of the paranormal creatures. There are gargoyles, night angels, djynn, and more. I especially enjoyed the villain of this series, who has now taken on a very pregnant female form. Just his inner dialogue made this book worth the read.
Forged is an excellent addition to the World of the Nightwalkers series. I can’t wait to read more of this series. In the meantime, I guess I can go back and read the original Nightwalkers series.
Initial Thoughts:The audio book version was well done. The narrator captured the character's personalities nicely and it was enjoyable to listen to. IInitial Thoughts:The audio book version was well done. The narrator captured the character's personalities nicely and it was enjoyable to listen to. It was fun revisiting Pia and Dragos as they adjust to their relationship as a mated pair. I loved how Pia stood up to the uber-protective Dragos. Full review to come......more
Nice to get inside of his head, but the scene is during Darkfever. Didn't expect that.
Would like more, though.
Merged review:
Initial Mmmm.....Barrons.
Nice to get inside of his head, but the scene is during Darkfever. Didn't expect that.
Would like more, though.
Merged review:
Initial Thoughts: In the aftermath/reading hangover that was Iced, I wondered how I would react to Burned. You see, I love this world. I've read all most of the Highlander series and I've enjoyed watching Mac undergo her various changes in the Fever series. The reviews were coming in for Burned, and they were almost overwhelmingly negative. When I picked up the book, I was worried that I would be disappointed. Well, I am not. Reading the books in this series makes me want to plan a trip to Dublin. I want to see all the places that were mentioned in the books. I love the world and I love the characters, well, most of them.
So, if you are a fan of the series, go ahead and read Burned. You know you want to.
I'll need some more time to digest and to write a proper review.
Update 2/13/15 Check out our group book review on Badass Book Reviews. Did this book meet our expectations? You betcha....more
A really fun read! I barely finished the first chapter when I went online and quickly ordered the next 2 books in the series.
There is so muchAwesome!
A really fun read! I barely finished the first chapter when I went online and quickly ordered the next 2 books in the series.
There is so much to like about Kevin Hearne’s book Hounded, book 1 of the Iron Druid Chronicles. Take a look at the cover. Nice. Read the blurb on the back cover. Amusing. Hounded is the story of Atticus O’Sullivan, a 2100 year old Druid living as a 21 year old in Arizona. Atticus is in possession of a magical sword Fragarach, The Answer. A whole slew of characters want the sword; the very imposing and scary Aenghus Og at the head of the line.
The narrative voice is wonderful. Told from Atticus’ point of view, the main character is very likeable and witty. Atticus has some distinct observations of modern society and a great sense of humor. Most of the books I’ve encountered in the Urban Fantasy genre so far have been written by women and have a woman’s point of view that this book was a refreshing change.
The lore is well researched and detailed. The magic and spells feel authentic. Each supernatural creature (and there are many) seems to come alive. I liked how the author melded the mythologies and magic of the fae and druid together and juxtaposes them with current cultural references.
For dog lovers, there’s Oberon, the talking Irish wolfhound. Oberon is a loyal companion with a thing for French poodles. Oberon has a almost a child-like view of the world and is totally lovable. Who can dislike a talking dog that quotes Cartman from Southpark?
Eccentric characters abound in this book. Atticus’ neighbor, the widow is a hoot! She has no problem keeping bodies buried in her backyard. Atticus entertains powerful goddesses and sleeps with them too. His lawyers are a vampire and a werewolf.
What a great start to a series. I can’t wait to read the next book Hexed! ...more
Erich’s Plea is the first book of Tracey Alley’s The Witchcraft Wars series. It was a fun book to reI won this book on Goodreads FirstReads giveaway.
Erich’s Plea is the first book of Tracey Alley’s The Witchcraft Wars series. It was a fun book to read and reminded me of a cross between a Dungeons and Dragons game and a fantasy world like that of Lord of the Rings. There is a large cast of characters and creatures in this book. There are humans, Halflings, orcs, goblins, hobgoblins, ogres, trolls, necromancers, even a minotaur. I liked that each chapter had a small hand drawn picture of a character or item in the story.
I enjoyed reading the book and I am looking forward to the second book in the series. ...more
I have been reading a lot about Druids lately, so I was excited to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Druid Bride is the story of a young Druid priI have been reading a lot about Druids lately, so I was excited to win this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
Druid Bride is the story of a young Druid priestess who travels to another tribe to marry the son of the chief. When Tanwen arrives at the village, she is immediately accepted by the villagers and she takes on a leadership role. Brude, the chief’s son, has difficulty accepting our Druid priestess at first, but his problem is quickly rectified and he eventually agrees to marry Tanwen.
Tanwen is an interesting character. She is dedicated to her Druid priestess role and she seemed to fit in to the community rather quickly. She is a strong woman and very smart. Her knowledge and experience of Roman battle strategies helped her people prevail.
I liked the story. The author does a great job of describing life in the village. There are interesting descriptions of the Druid rituals and festivals. There is a lot of information on the uses of herbs and plant life. The discussions on war strategy were very astute. The battle scenes were exciting. I just had a little trouble with the sex scenes. There is a lot of sex in this book. And the language used to describe the sex was a little strange at times.
If you are interested in historical fiction with a touch of Druid mysticism, then this would be the book for you.
It’s hard to describe Daughter of the Forest. It is a fantasy, a historical, and a romance. It reads like a fablWhat a breathtakingly beautiful book!
It’s hard to describe Daughter of the Forest. It is a fantasy, a historical, and a romance. It reads like a fable or a fairy tale. It has all the elements of a fairy tale – the evil stepmother, a fairy godmother (sort of), an enchantment, an impossible task to accomplish, a prince charming, and a happily ever after.
This has to be my all time favorite book now. I was captivated by the story, mesmerized by the voice of Sorcha, our heroine. I did not put this book down for days. I probably used up an entire box of Kleenex reading this and my kids looked at me quite strangely.
Sorcha is a very special young lady. She is the seventh child of a seventh son. Her mother died in childbirth. Her six older brothers care for her and they all share a special bond. Sorcha can communicate telepathically with two of her brothers. She is also well trained in healing. So much happens to Sorcha in this novel, but one thing remains in my mind – she is totally devoted to her brothers. Such love brings her much angst and suffering, yet she endures.
For most of the story, Sorcha endures an impossible task to free her brothers from an enchantment. Sorcha is not allowed to speak until the task has been completed. At one point she must leave her lands and is found by a Briton, Red. Red rescues Sorcha from nearly drowning and brings her back to his home.
I loved Sorcha’s character. So strong, so determined, and way too young to go through such an impossible task on her own. Imagine not speaking for three years, not being able to explain what you are doing, and this is Sorcha’s life. Despite her burden, Sorcha was also able to see the beauty in the world around her.
Red or Lord Hugh was a wonderful character as well. He was so patient and kind to Sorcha. Sorcha’s brothers are also very interesting characters. Conor and Finbar were my favorites.
A fairy tale would not be complete without the evil villains. In this book, there is the scary Lady Oonagh who reminded me of a Disney evil Stepmother. Absolutely scary. The power hungry creepy Uncle Richard made for a very nasty villainous character.
I think what makes this book so special is that the author is so gifted in her writing style. She gives a girl who is mute for most of the book a voice. We feel this girl’s love, devotion, and desperation. We feel all of this girl’s emotion. I also loved how the author included the Fair Folk in her story. They are never really in the main part of the book, they just happen to always be in the background. You are never really sure if they are responsible for a spell or not.
I highly recommend this book. Be prepared with a lot of Kleenex. I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series.
What more could I say about this book that hasn't been said in the many thousands of reviews? Men in kilts and their wee lasses...this was a wonderful What more could I say about this book that hasn't been said in the many thousands of reviews? Men in kilts and their wee lasses...this was a wonderful but very long audio book. It took me a few chapters to warm up to the narrator and the story and it was worth the read.
Wow! I am speechless! What a twisty, turny tale you weave, Ms. Moning. For two whole days I was sequestered in a Shadowfever stupor screaming, “Oh my Wow! I am speechless! What a twisty, turny tale you weave, Ms. Moning. For two whole days I was sequestered in a Shadowfever stupor screaming, “Oh my Gawd!” “No Way!” “Didn’t see that coming!” and “Oh my Gawd!” yet again. I looked at my updates and those that know me know that I update frequently – this time my only updates were “Intense” and “K’Vrucked.”
I discovered the Fever series last year and thanks to all the Goodreads friends that recommended this series. I have had so much fun reading these books. It has been a wonderful ride. I now tell everyone that they have to read these books.
This was an excellent way to end a series. So many surprises. So many villains. What I loved about this book is that nothing was as it seemed. Just when I thought I had figured something out, something else surprised me. Throw in a few highlanders and their wives just to satisfy those of us who spent the entire last few months speculating.
The best part of these books has been the characters. I love Mac and how she developed as a character. From Pretty in Pink Mac of the first book straight through to Mac 5.0, I enjoyed her growth from a naïve tourist to a strong, determined young woman. And Barrons – let’s face it, most of us are reading this series for Barrons. YUM.
"You’re Mac,” he says. And I’m Jericho. Nothing else matters. Never will. You exist in a place that is beyond all rules for me. Do you understand that?” I do. Jericho Barrons just told me he loves me.
I took copious notes this time around. I wanted to see if the author left us any clues to rectify that aReread Jan 2011 in anticipation of Shadowfever
I took copious notes this time around. I wanted to see if the author left us any clues to rectify that awful cliffhanger hangover that I had the last time I read this book. Alas, I have even more questions now than I did before. I have more "suspects" (you all know what I'm talking about if you've read the book - and if you haven't I'm not spoiling) than ever for that last page of agony.
Mac undergoes every kind of emotion under the sun in this installment of the Fever series. At one point, Mac is not able to speak, so the young Dani takes over the narrative and POV. This actually works. It is refreshing to see the world through another sidhe-seer's eyes, especially one that has been raised in this world. Dani speaks with a maturity, yet that 13 year old slides out at the cutest moments.
It amazes me how little time has passed from the moment Mac arrived in Dublin to this point in the story. This book starts in November. Mac has changed from Barbie princess to a black leather clad warrior. Mac has grown, matured, and adapted to the world around her. I love her interactions with Barrons. There is a chemistry between these two characters and it is most enjoyable when they are at odds with each other.
In the other corner V'lane, the fairy Prince, the death by sex fae. Mac is fearless when she interacts with V'lane. V'lane's effects on Mac become more and more subdued as time goes on. V'lane seems to be falling for Mac.
Mac learns more about her background, and her mother. There still are a lot of questions remaining, and even Barrons wants to know what Mac is.
Karen Moning - you are a genius. I had more fun reading this series a second time. I can't wait to read Shadowfever! I hope all of our questions get answered.
When we last left our heroine, it was Halloween and all sorts of bad things were happening...and then Cliffhanger! So this book starts right where we were dropped off.
What I loved about this book is the continued development of the characters. Mac has changed. Gone are the pretty pink fingernails, the matching outfits, and her innocence. Mac is a fighter now, dressed in black leather and fighting for the human race.
I especially liked Dani's character. Dani is super-fast, a little snarky, and a perfect partner for Mac. We still don't know who or what Barrons is, but you have got to love him just the same.
I had to chuckle at the "Recipes from Dublin" section at the end of the book. All different ways to serve Unseelie. Yum.
So, this book made me laugh, sit on the edge of my seat, cry, and want to throw the book across the room. Read it, it's totally awesome!
And yes, there is another CLIFFHANGER of all CLIFFHANGERS at the end!
There’s something to be said about a book that takes you off to faraway lands, lands where the men are breathtakingly beautiful and oh, so sexy. SpellThere’s something to be said about a book that takes you off to faraway lands, lands where the men are breathtakingly beautiful and oh, so sexy. Spell of the Highlander is one such book. As I was reading, I felt myself getting lost in this world.
Cian has been imprisoned for 1,133 years in the Dark Mirror. The mirror is delivered to Chicago where Jessica St-James, an archaeology student accepts the delivery on behalf of her professor. From that point on, Jessica and Cian were hunted by Lucan Trevayne. They end up in Scotland, where they run into Dageus MacKeltar.
Spell of the Highlander is the seventh book in the Karen Moning’s Highlander series. It is easily the best book of the series for many reasons. First of all, it is a love story, complete with exquisite sexual tension and very passionate love scenes. It is a story of finding your true soul mate, someone that is on this earth especially for you.
The characters are well developed. A lot of thought went into our hero, Cian MacKeltar: “six and a half feet of smoldering, insatiable alpha male. A towering, muscle ripped, darkly beautiful man, dripping with power.” What’s there not to like? Our heroine, Jessica St. James is also likeable, smart, and resourceful and a perfect match to her highlander. Jessica is also quite spunky, knocking out an airline employee to get to her man.
The plot was intense, with our hero and heroine staying a step ahead of the bad guys. I also liked that the MacKeltar twins and their wives also got an appearance in this book. I really enjoyed how Cian saw the 21st century. His perceptions and values added some comical relief. For those of you that have read the Fever series, there is some good foreshadowing and background to that series.
If you are waiting for Shadowfever, the Highlander series is a lot of fun to read. There’s always a big, hunky, drop-dead gorgeous Highlander, a wee lass, some travel or time travel, and a little Druid magic. Enjoy! ...more
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