A closet readers take on: Paranormal Romance, Urban Fantasy, Romance, Erotica, YA Fiction & Audiobooks

Friday, November 30, 2012

REVIEW: Megan Hart's COLLIDE




Title: COLLIDE
Author: Megan Hart
Release Date: 06/28/2011
List Price: $14.95
Publisher: Harlequin - Spice
Language: English
Reading Level: Adult
ISBN-10: 0373605579
ISBN-13: 978-0373605576




My Ratings

Plot: 5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Originality of Plot: 5/5
Characters Development: 4/5
Ending: 4.5/5
Cover Art: 5/5
Likelihood to Recommend: 4.5/5

Overall: 36.5/40 = 91%


Synopsis

A childhood accident left Emmaline vulnerable to disturbing fugue states that last only minutes, but feel like an eternity. The blackouts are unsettling but manageable…until she meets Johnny Dellasandro.

The reclusive painter gained notoriety in the '70s for his debauched lifestyle and raunchy art films. His naked body has achieved cult status, especially in Emm's mind—she's obsessed with the man, who's grown even sexier with age. Today Johnny shuns the spotlight and Emm in particular…until she falls into a fugue on his doorstep.

In that moment she's transported back thirty years, crashing a party at Johnny's place in his wild-man heyday— the night is a blur of flesh and heat that lingers on her skin long after she's woken to the present.

It happens again and again, each time-slip another mind-blowing orgy, and soon Emm can't stop, though every episode leaves her weaker and weaker. She's frightened by what's happening to her, but she's even more terrified of losing this portal to the Johnny she wants so badly. The one who wants her, too, and takes her—every chance he gets.


My Review

When I picked up this book, I was unsure how I was going to feel about reading this story with it‘s slightly sci-fi twist and turns. For me, most of Megan Hart’s stories are realistic, touching, and poignant. I go back and read them over-and-over again, because they touch me so deeply. I have to admit, COLLIDE has earned a spot on my bookshelf next to my other Megan Hart favorites.

Emmaline is a truly broken character. She suffered a traumatic brain injury due to a childhood accident. Now Emm suffers from lapses in time, which she calls fugues. During these fugues she loses touch with her body and the reality going on around her. They can be as simple as zoning out and as complex as finding herself in an alternate universe. Emm had been fugue free long enough to move out of her parents house, and get a job on her own. The smell of oranges was Emm’s first sign that the fugues were coming back. Once the fugues start to involve fantasies of 70’s movie sex symbol and present neighbor Johnny Dellasandro, Emm questions whether having the fugues were a bad thing. Her fantasies feel so real to her, and she has to asks herself how can they not be real.

Johnny f*ucking Dellasandro! I loved him in his past and present incarnation. Young-Johnny, is cocky, sexy, and enjoys every bit of his fame. He opened his home and life to his creative group of friends. His fame lead him down a road littered with drugs, alcohol, and depression. Present-Johnny is more private, aloof, and has learned from a majority of his mistakes. He’s lived the fame and fortune. Now all he wants is to live his life out of the spotlight and concentrate on his art. Even when present-Johnny was being cold and aloof, there is just something the draws you in. For me, reading about Johnny was like pealing off the layers of an onion, each chapter you discovered more and more about who is his and who he was. Both young and present-Johnny are sexy for their reasons. Why wouldn’t Emm want them both.

I enjoyed that Megan did not try to hide correlations between time travel stories like, The Time Traveler’s Wife and Dr. Who. Not only did she welcome the parallels, she brought them to light in this book. She used them as a reference to help the reader understand the story better. I felt that these references to pop culture references help the readers relate to this story.

COLLIDE, like many other of Megan’s books, grabs hold of the readers and doesn’t let go until the last page. This book was unique, sexy, and dark. I enjoyed it so much, that I had a very hard time putting it down each night. I would tell myself just one more chapter, and then I’d read another two or three chapters. I’d come home from work and want to jump right back into the Johnny’s world. Bravo Megan Hart!



Websites

Buy COLLIDE Here
Except from COLLIDE
Megan Hart’s Website
Megan’s Blog
Megan’s Twitter


Friday, November 23, 2012

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW: Michelle Rowen's BLOODLUST (Nightshade Bk 2)




Title: BLOODLUST (Nightshade Bk 2)
Author: Michelle Rowen
Narrator: Cynthia Holloway
Release Date: July 19, 2011
Format: MP3 Audiobook CD
Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
List Price: $29.99
Publisher: Tantor Media
ISBN-10: 145265297X
ISBN-13: 978-1452652979



My Ratings

Plot: 4.5/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Originality of Plot: 4.5/5
Characters Development: 4.5/5
Ending: 5/5
Narration 5/5
Cover Art: 4/5
Likelihood to Recommend: 4.5/5

Overall: 40.5/45 = 90%


Synopsis

One taste is all it takes...

For those who feast on blood, Jillian Conrad is a fatal attraction. After being injected with a serum that made her blood both irresistible and deadly to vampires, she was used as a pawn to assassinate the vampire king. Now, the vampires want her eliminated.

Hunted and unable to return to her old life, Jillian desperately seeks to prevent the poison in her veins from killing her. And she must find a way to help her dhampyr protector, Declan, whose exposure to the serum has split his personality into one part uncontrolled desire, and one part stone-cold killer.

But an even greater danger is rising. The Amarantos---a secret society of vampires---are seeking the infant daughter of the slain king to complete their quest for true immortality. And if they succeed, no one, living or undead, will escape the darkness.


My Review

I really enjoy reading about Jillian, the reluctant heroin. She is just your run-of-the-mill 20-something temp secretary. She doesn’t know who she is or what she really wants to be. I actually see a bit of myself in her, as well. Jillian is thrust into the world of vamps and damps, and she doesn’t look back. She has accepts the role that she has been given, and strives to use her gifts in a more positive way then they were initially meant for. Her love life is a complete mess, and that is one of my favorite parts of this book. She cares for Declan, but she’s clearly drawn to Matthias.

My feelings for Declan aren’t quite as clear. He’s not the usual urban fantasy sexy hero. I give Michelle Rowen major points for going against the grain. He’s not tall, dark, and smoldering. Declan is strong, gruff, and loyal as his ties will allow him to be. I love him for his flaws, but sometimes his stubbornness makes me crazy. He feels that he need to be the one so single-handedly save the day. For this book most of all, I feel sad for Declan. He is forced into a situation that makes him do things against his own will. He is left no other choice then to go after those he loves and trusts. I clung to his moments of clarity, when he gets to be himself with Jillian. I hope to get more of those in the future.

Where do I start with Matthias? He might just be my favorite character of all in this series. He is the stereotypical sexy, cocky vamp. Just as soon as you start to believe that that is all he is, he turns around and does something selfless that you would never expect! I love seeing the emotional bits and pieces that Matthias hides deep down. Also there is nothing I enjoy more then a juicy love triangle! He makes a very valiant effort in seducing Jillian. I have to admit that part of me enjoys the time that they spend together. Can you say, sexy bathroon scene? Yes, please!

One of my favorite parts of this book is that us moves so quickly. Every time that I felt like I could catch my breath, Jillian would walk right back into harms way. I had a very hard time putting this book down, because of all of the action. I also love that Michelle Rowen does an amazing job misdirecting the reader. You truly believe that something is fact, and then you begin to hate a certain character. Next thing you know you’re completely shocked when the truth is reveled.

Cynthia Holloway, as always, lends a sense of high emotion, sexuality, and passion to her narration of BLOODLUST. She has such and amazing range of character voices, that bring this story to life. Her stellar performance brought this story to a higher level for me. She made this almost 9 hour audiobook fly by for me.

BLOODLUST, has a wonderful mix of dark adventure and steamy sexuality. It’s a must read for all urban fantasy and paranormal romance readers!


Nightshade Series


Nightshade (Nightshade #1) — June 6, 2011
Bloodlust (Nightshade #2) – July 19, 2011


Related Websites

Buy BLOODLUST on Audiobook
Michelle Rowen’s Website
Michelle Rowen’s
Twitter
Tantor Audio Website