Midnight Lies by Ella Grace (ARC)

Title: Midnight Lies
Author: Ella Grace
Rating: 4 Stars
 

Synopsis: Exonerated following the murder of his ex-wife, Quinn Braddock travels to Midnight, Alabama to win back the heart of the woman who means everything to him. Yet, a killer is waiting in the wings to destroy all that Quinn holds dear, including his love, Samantha Wilde.

Review: Similar to the first book in the series, Midnight Lies is more of a contemporary romance than a romantic suspense novel despite the inclusion of a murder mystery.

Unlike the first book in which there are virtually no clues as to the killer's identity, the villain in this one is painfully obvious as there are no other suspects to be had, and the motive is completely transparent. Nevertheless, the build up to the climax is steady and the tension ratchets up a notch or two toward the end with an intense and thrilling resolution.

In terms of the romance Quinn and Sam have palpable chemistry, however, their inability to trust each other or even hold a single conversation without holding themselves in check begins to grate on the nerves. Their lack of communication leads to a tedious on/off relationship and, unfortunately, this makes it difficult to completely enjoy their story.

That said, Quinn is a scrumptious hero and his past family and marital history more than explain his reticence. The same cannot be said of Sam. Yes, she has trust issues with men, however, by acknowledging that Quinn seems too perfect to be true, she sets him up to fail and when Quinn is under suspicion for murder, the inevitable happens, and Sam allows her distrust to manifest itself. Consequently, Sam's betrayal sets the tone for her character throughout the book and she never manages to be as likable as her sister Savvy.

In terms of the setting and secondary characters, the small town nosiness and gossip mongering contributes greatly to the Southern atmosphere and characterization. We get to catch up on Zach and Savvy, as well as Logan and Brody, who are developing into potential heroes for their own books, and Bri's character is particularly intriguing. Looking forward to her book next.

Midnight Lies is scheduled for release on September 24, 2013. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com

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Lord of the Vampire by Gena Showalter (ARC)

Title: Lord of the Vampires
Author: Gena Showalter

Series: Royal House of Shadows

Next in series: Lord of Rage

**Note**: The other books in this series are written by different authors: Jill Monroe, Jessica Andersen and Nalini Singh.  

My Rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis: Once a vampire renowned for his virility, Nicolai is currently a sex slave to a revolting family of witches. When he summons help, the most unlikely of women is unable to disobey his call. Jane Parker is a human scientist who finds herself in a magical realm and must save the life of the only man she has ever craved.

Review: An intriguing reverse fairytale plot, however, the execution is exceedingly disappointing.

While I’m usually a fan of dominant alpha males, Nicolai is just too much for me – the man is a complete Neanderthal. Jane is supposed to be an intelligent scientist but comes across as a naïve and idiotic simpleton. While their sexual connection is intense and steamy, their dialogue is repetitive and ridiculous. Moreover, the villains are utterly grotesque, which is not that bad but they also come across as cartoonish.

The overall story premise has potential but events become repetitious as the book progresses. There is very little foundation or build up and explanations appear to be tacked on as an afterthought. For example, the idea of Nicolai’s amnesia and returning memory has promise but ultimately misses the mark because the process is difficult to follow with abrupt transitions between reality and memory, and Jane’s role in the return of his memories is under-developed and vague.

Overall, I found it difficult to suspend my disbelief and was unable to become immersed in the fantasy world. Nevertheless, I will most likely continue reading the series as I am interested in seeing how a different author handles the same themes and world.

Lord of the Vampires is scheduled for release on August 23, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com. 

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Body of Sin by Eve Silver (ARC)

Title: Body of Sin
Author: Eve Silver
Series: The Otherkins (book #4)
Previous in series: Sins of the Flesh

My rating: 4.5 Stars
 

**Warning**: This review is for the 4^th book in the series and as such may contain spoilers. You may wish to skip it until after you have read the previous books.

Synopsis: Following his resurrection, Lokan Krayl still finds himself trapped in purgatory with no way out until a woman from his past arrives to guide him through the Twelve Gates. Bryn Carr is a woman with secrets who tricked Lokan once before. Can he trust her to lead him toward salvation?

Review: A fantastic conclusion to the series, which MUST be read in order to full appreciate the complex storyline and impressive world building.   

The story and characters are beautifully written. Lokan and Bryn’s relationship is gritty and emotional. The fact that they have known each other for seven years and share a daughter contributes to the sensitivity and intensity of their connection. The flashback scenes to when they first met are woven seamlessly into the storyline and are crucial to understanding their bond. So often this kind of information is either missing or poorly scripted but this is definitely not the case in Body of Sin.  

The plot continues where Sins of the Flesh left off and had me hooked from the get go. I could barely put the book down for bathroom breaks and read it in less than 6 hours. While the resolution of the Soul Reapers' conflict with Sutekh is not particularly original, it was entertaining and extremely satisfying. The inclusion of tidbits about both Lokan and Bryn's brothers was also enjoyable and I wonder if Silver isn't setting up for another trilogy with the Falconer brothers as the main protagonists – that is definitely a series I would read.

The only thing missing from the book to make this book absolute perfection is an epilogue that follows up on the brothers and their mates.

Body of Sin is scheduled for release on August 23, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.

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Heart of Evil by Heather Graham (ARC)

Title: Heart of Evil
Author: Heather Graham
Series: Krewe of Hunters
Previous in series: Phantom Evil
Next in series: Sacred Evil

My rating: 3 Stars



Synopsis: When a man is found murdered following a civil war reenactment, Ashley Donegal seeks the help of an old flame, Jake Mallory, a member of the FBI's paranormal investigative unit. It soon becomes clear that a madman with a grudge is on the rampage and Ashley and her family are his target.

Review: The idea of a killer with a historic score to settle is interesting and constitutes a strong foundation for the story. Nevertheless, the plot is poorly executed. The prologue provides no preliminary information and could easily have been another chapter. The division into chapters is problematic in the sense that the narrative begins from the POV of one character and switches to another in the same chapter with no warning, which can be confusing at times.

The characters are like cardboard cutouts and their characterization lacks substance. Even though the romantic couple has more of a connection than the pair in the first book; there is still a serious absence of chemistry in their relationship. The secondary characters are not sufficiently developed and the suspects are merely candidates for a police line-up. Very few clues are provided for the reader to follow, and the villain is ultimately revealed after everyone else is either killed or has an alibi. I would like to point out that I enjoyed the plot in this book more than in the first.

Ms. Graham has many fans out there. Unfortunately, I am not one of them. Her writing does not appeal to me as I do not enjoy having the story spoon fed to me as if I am unable to follow a narrative thread.

I can only recommend this for Graham devotees but I will not be continuing with the series.

Heart of Evil is scheduled for release on June 28, 2011. An advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.

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The Ideal Man by Julie Garwood (ARC)

Title: An Ideal Man

Author: Julie Garwood

My rating: 3 Stars

Synopsis: Trauma Surgeon, Ellie Sullivan, is no stranger to crisis. As a teenager, she was almost killed by a psychopathic stalker and now she is in need of FBI protection after witnessing the shooting of an agent. Tough, sexy and no-nonsense agent, Max Daniels, takes on the assignment of shadowing Ellie and soon the two are fighting not only for their lives but for their hearts as well.

Review: This is my first ARC review and as much as it pains me to write a less than stellar review, I really have no choice.

This is a quick read that never quite lives up to its potential.  The writing is overly descriptive and includes several annoying and excessively detailed anecdotes. While one or two might have been entertaining, they only manage to fill up the pages and add nothing to the plot or characterization.  

The title should have been “An Ideal Woman” because Ellie is so sweet and perfect that she makes your teeth hurt. No one is that beautiful, intelligent, compassionate, forgiving, etc. It sort of helps to understand why her sister, Ava, dislikes her so much.

The plot has a strong premise but lacks suspense and credibility. It is difficult to believe that so many terrible things can happen to one person. Despite everything Ellie has endured, I could not empathize with her or become emotionally invested in her story. Perhaps this is due to the fact that there are too many sub-plots that distract from the main story and romance. The last chapter is dedicated to tying up the loose ends but merely emphasizes the unnecessary and artificial descriptions.

The romance is the one saving grace in the book. Max and Ellie have tremendous tension and chemistry, and their dialogue is witty and entertaining. The interaction between Ellie and her family is as real as it gets.

Overall, not too bad but not a must read either.

An Ideal Man is scheduled for release on August 9, 2011. A advance copy of the book was provided to me for review by the publisher and NetGalley.com.

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