E. BlixReviews

The story has quite a few quirky and unique components that add a refreshing quality to this paranormal read. The way the author arranged the events is also interesting and makes for a nice change. From the beginning to the end there is lots going on that not only keeps the reader’s attention but makes it hard to put it down once started.

I could not find any information that told me if this is to be a series or not, but I certainly hope to read more about the enchanting characters and interesting world created by these two authors.

See my full review at:
http://www.theromancereviews.com/viewbooks.php?bookid=10717

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.

Quick & Dirty: Three werewolves end up in a vampire household. Will they howl or cower in fear?

Opening Sentence: The moon hung low in the sky, fat and heavy among the frosty October clouds.

The Review:

First, I think that this book has many redeeming qualities but the worldbuilding isn’t one of them. I spent the first 2/3 of the book wondering about who were the main characters. We get so many bits and pieces of so many characters that I had to walk away from the book and let it germinate for most of the week. That is not my typical behavior with a book, especially a review book. Partly because I’m always anxious to get to my next book, and partly because if I’m not enjoying the book I want to plow right through it and move on to a better story, characters, or world. However, I felt if I pushed through this book I would be doing a disservice to the book and the author, and I’m glad I was patient.

The final 1/3 of the book was great. The reader now understands why Ms. Haines and Ms. Bux spent such time setting up the story, but it is a shame that the rest of the book was not of this same caliber. The lead up is for basically one scene and that is a shame. There is so much I feel that could have been done that it just feels like a lost opportunity.

Hopefully, I haven’t discouraged you so far that you’ve stopped reading this review. So for those of you that have stuck it out, this is one time when the book synopsis and cover art are not in keeping with the actual book. I get what the artist was going for on the cover, but did they read they book? Probably not.

And don’t get me started on the synopsis, this is part of the reason I was so confused about this book. Yes, the story is about Christoph and his tangle with Vampires and about a vampire nicknamed “Mouse” but the story is truly about all the inhabitants of Alec Royce’s vampire home. All the vampires make appearances in one way or another and this was part of my confusion. Every time I was settled into the “main” story we jumped to another scene that seemed to have nothing to do with the real reason I was reading this story.

To be honest, I don’t even think I would categorize this book with the Paranormal Romance genre. It is more of a paranormal fiction book and that isn’t a bad thing, but not really what I anticipated. As a result, I kept anticipating “more” and was left hanging. This book is something I would feel quite happy to recommend a teenager with the understanding that their parents didn’t take issue with the language. This book contains strong suggestive ideas, but overall is a clean book.

So what is my final stance on the book, I enjoyed the final 1/3 and wish that the rest of the story had lived up to that level of enjoyment.

Notable Scene:

There was one last half-pint of cookies-and-cream hidden under the vanilla. The vamp plucked the slightly freezer-burned container out, grinning as he considered how he and Jessica might use it in their “activities” later.

“What the hell does a leech want with ice cream?”

Royce glanced over his should, then straightened and turned, wary. While the vampire was somewhat muscular from a life of toil when he was human, he was dwarfed by the Were looming behind him. The guy’s muscles strained against what should have been loose sweats, his features ruggedly handsome, sporting artfully curly dark brown locks and narrowed brown eyes that met the vampire’s gaze with a challenging stare.

“I don’t know that it’s any of your business,” Royce said, keeping his visage calm and unperturbed. He didn’t want to encourage the Were’s rude behavior to tip into a physical confrontation, but he wasn’t about to let the dog think he could get away with anything either. “Excuse me.”

FTC Advisory: Musa Publishing provided me with a copy of Silent Cravings. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.