A Chance for Charity (The Immortal Ones) by SL Baum

My Rating: 4 STARS

“This time, everything is about to change, I can feel it.”

Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book I think A Chance for Charity is best suited for early teens. This is a great book for readers that like the paranormal but not the heated sexual scenes that you get in most Young Adult books. There are some kissing scenes and a part that talks about Charity’s purity, but they never shared a room…just one all-nighter of cuddling!

SL Baum uses exceptional vocabulary throughout this book to describe in detail the scenes in this book; it’s so vivid you can picture yourself there! The author also incorporated historical dates and events, which made the book more realistic than any book I’ve read! Another bonus to this book is that each character is introduced slowly to the book so you have a chance to get to know each one before another character is added! There may be some confusion in the beginning with the birth names and their current names, but the author sufficiently reusing their name throughout the beginning so it’s easy to catch on.

As a parent, I would recommend this book to other parents should they have a 13+ child looking for an appropriate book to read in this genre!

“Love had finally found a way to sneak back into my well guarded heart.”

SL Baum

Click here to download a free Kindle Edition for a Chance For Charity!

Samson's Lovely Mortal (Scanguards Vampires #1) by Tina Folsom

My Rating: 3.7 STARS

“A few more seconds and she’d have a fever that was going to require medical attention. Or his attention.”

First, I want my Book Review Readers to understand I encourage you to give this book a chance—if you're mature and love a good vampire romance novel.

Samson’s Lovely Mortal starts with a very, umm…raunchy beginning! I was almost turned off to the book, but I’m glad I stuck it through! The first part of the book seemed to focus merely on sexual desires and boats that are rocking, and it was unclear if there was more to the story than just sex. I do have to admit that Tina Folsom’s characters were very candid and their thoughts were explicit to the point you could picture what they were doing and thinking. So, a mature reader, with an open mindset, is required for this book.

It seemed there was no compassion from any vampire towards humans; even the vamp psychologist had no compassion.  I was beginning to become frustrated with the attitude, and lack of depth in the story.

Finally, by the middle of the book you start sense the compassion from Samson, and his true intentions with Delilah. I was pleasantly surprised how their first intimate moment happened (you’ll have to read the book to find out).  The plot also starts to thicken towards the middle of book, and it finally grabbed my attention.  Beside the relationship issues there became a dire situation with keeping Delilah safe, and making her see she needed help beyond her control.

By the end of the book I was intensely focused on the relationship between Delilah and Samson, and the main action in the book--the traitor among them.

If you can push past the steamy beginning of this book, I ensure you that the ending will be well worth it.

“He was falling for her, falling for a mortal.”

Click here for a free Kindle download from Amazon, for Samson's Lovely Mortal

Moon Dance (A Vampire for Hire #1) by J.R. Rain

“I pity any poor bastard who crosses your path.”

My Rating: 5 STARS

I didn’t find out until after finishing this book that the author was a male—wow does he know a woman!

Things I loved about this book:

• ·        I wanted to jump into this book and solve the case myself
• ·        The specific details and locations the author gives
• ·        Samantha Moon’s unlimited courage

• ·        “…slashing the blade up. Had he hit home, I would have been cleaved from groin to throat.” J.R. Rain gives vivid lines in this story that you picture clearly in your head—phenomenal descriptions!
• ·        I love that Samantha has an internet friend she confides in, this allows the author to give more heartfelt expressions from her.
• ·        The dialect is smooth and natural! (I find authors struggle with this)
• ·        Mature vocabulary but easy to understand
• ·        “…2:00 a.m., the vampire’s hour,…” J.R. Rain puts time to when Samantha Moon is at her best, when she can easily breathe and be a vampire. (And it just so happened to be 2:00 a.m.  while I was reading this)
• ·        The author made me ugly cry!

J.R. Rain (He's a bit of a hunk)

Things I didn’t care for:

• ·        I wasn’t ready for the ending
• ·        The ending was a cliffhanger

“I was three dimensional. I could feel. I could laugh. I could love my kids.”

“Don’t schools realize mothers want to spend quality time with their children in the evenings?”

Click here to download Moon Dance free from Amazon, for your kindle

Anathema (The Causal Enchantment Series) by K.A. Tucker

My Rating: 3.7 STARS

I have never read a vampire book such as Anathema. This book goes beyond the typical romantic paranormal love story! The plot is fresh and new and gives a great spin on Vampires, but the main focus is more than just a love story—it’s about the survival the Vampire race!

“Sleep is needed to rest and rejuvenate the body. We never tire so we never sleep.”

Evangeline a loner in life drifting through foster-care finds herself  captured in a world she never knew existed. During the day Evangeline is on Earth trying to unravel the unfortunate circumstances she has found herself in, by the hands of Sophie. But each time Evangeline falls asleep she lands in an Earthly realm known as Ratheus—and she’s the only living human there!

“Even with my spirit drained from the day’s revelations, my heart still skipped a beat at the sight of him, and I knew it wasn’t out of fear.”

K.A. Tucker keeps her readers engaged to the very end, she throws in some really good character twists and of course ends the book with you drooling for me!

“He knows…he knows what I know.”

My only negative for this book is lack of visual images provided. There are two clear scenes that unfolded that were easy to picture, but the rest of the book had me following along to the story without seeing the picture.  

“It was all a masquerade.”

Click her to get a free copy from Amazon for your kindle!

REVISED:
The more I think about this book the more I wish I was still wrapped up in the story. My new rating: 4 STARS.

Final Hour of the Hunter (Midnight Hunter Trilogy) by Bonnie Bernard

My Rating: 4 STARS

“Vengeance for the side of Might.”

Final Hour of the Hunter starts off fast paced and flies through time rather quickly, and maybe a bit disappointing.  A bit more focus on Lucinda and the relationship of Mo and Trent would have been a pleasure. But, as it goes the story plot continues to thicken and more drama and war are on the way! Bonnie Bernard is phenomenal for keeping her readers engaged, with pages that are locked and loaded!

“An ounce of care is worth a pound of regret.”

“We’re like fire and gasoline in a fireworks factory.”

I have to say Howie has been one of my favorite characters, and I’ve often wanted to stick my hand through the book and slap his demon attitude right out of his thick skull! I will miss Howie and his disdain for “stupid humans!”

“You can’t just lock people up because they annoy you, Howie.”

As the final book in the trilogy goes on Bonnie Bernard throws in twists and turns you wouldn’t dare expect! The ending of Final Hour of the Hunter is stellar, and leaves you hoping a spin off character book by Bonnie Bernard lay written in the future!

“And heaven knows the future is relying on you, Donna Deangelo.”

Click here to purchase Final Hour of the Hunter from Amazon!

Dawn of the Hunter (Midnight Hunter Trilogy) by Bonnie Bernard

My Rating: 5 STARS

“The Warrior Woman is coming alive in you, Donna.”

Bonnie Bernard blew me away with Dawn of the Hunter! This book is chucked full of passion, humor, vivid fight scenes, love scenes and undeniable friendships that form.  In this 2^nd book in the Trilogy there is character growth, changes of heart and the birth of the Prophecy Holder.  Even with the Underworld War erupting, the humor in this book has you laughing out loud, and by the end of the book I even shed a few tears! The unconditional friendship that is built between Donna and a male character (no spoilers) is beautiful beyond belief, and even teaches the readers that everyone is worth loving!

Let us not forget Thrasher, Cassie’s evil cat, who “…glowered at Donna like she was a turd in his litter box.” Or Froederick who “…looked like a plucked turkey.”

Dawn of the Hunter will not disappoint!

“The shadows I carefully avoid every day are invisible at night.”

Click here to purchase Dawn of the Hunter from Amazon

GIVEAWAY:

I will be giving away the e-book Trilogy Midnight  Hunter by Bonnie Bernard to one lucky follower of my blog. Here's how it works: When Sparrow's Book Reviews reaches 10 followers I will email one lucky winner the complete Trilogy!

Midnight Hunter (Midnight Hunter Trilogy) by Bonnie Bernard

My Rating: 4.5 STARS

All Donna wants is normalcy, but her life is anything but normal.  With her home-life falling apart, being back-stabbed by a friend, and learning about the “Underworld”, Donna will never have a chance to be normal, “[and she] stood there, wondering why the universe had deiced to deliver two of its most unreasonable inhabitants to the middle of her life.”  She can’t even sleep without someone haunting her in her dreams!

Midnight Hunter is beautifully written! The characters are full, with no details missing, the history of Vampires and the “Underworld” explained, and the plot grows and matures throughout the book! You have your vampire romance, suspense, action, humor, and plenty of drama.

I honestly couldn’t put this book down! And Bonnie Barnard has left me wanting more!

“When he spoke, it felt like death rushing up to great her.”

 Click here to download a FREE copy of Midnight Hunter for your Kindle on Amazon

Darkness Falls (Darkness Falls Series) by Jessica Sorensen

My Rating: 4 out of 5 STARS

“Rule # 1 – Never go out after dark

Rule #2 – Always have a weapon in hand

Rule # 3 – No matter what, never EVER get bit”

Jessica Sorensen puts a whole new twist on the Vampire World. Her vampires are dangerous bloodsuckers— and won’t fall in a love with a human.  Darkness Falls takes place in the future around 2031 and the world as we know it becomes the “Old World.” Vampires rule the night, and Highers rule the day. The days of true freedom are gone. This isn’t your typical vampire love story, but it’s a story of survival, and the main character Kayla is destined to save the world—if only she could remember how. Sorensen is sure to pull you in until you’ve read the last page of the book, but beware she’ll leave you wanting more.

Darkness Falls had very little grammar errors for being an Amazon Freebie, I only detected 6 significant errors, but they were easily read over.  

My only negative for this book is wanting more information, because I’m just as confused as Kayla. “Blood. Blood everywhere.”  Unfortunately everyone has to wait until they read book 2 in the series.

“Because people fear those who are different. And fear can make people do stupid things.” 

Free on Amazon for your kindle, click here!

Dare to Bleed (Emily Sullivan Series) by Mary Whitten

My Rating: 4 STAR (due to grammar errors)

Dare to Bleed has left me in a whirlwind of fast paced page turning! From page one I was completely drawn in and couldn't put the book down until I finished!

Emily is lovable and a hilarious character, Mary Whitten did a phenomenal job creating her. No matter what situation Emily finds herself in she has a—slap your knee—funny way to explain it. Even when her predicament was intense she made me laugh. She is so clumsy and prone to nearly killing herself that it almost seems that her inevitable encounters with the Supernatural world are just another day in the life of Emily Sullivan; and may I add very attractive Supernaturals. I must agree with her best friend Kimmy that it’s a “sausage fest”; this book is full of hunky guys that you want to reach through the page and touch them yourself. Who will Emily choose? Read the book and see—you won’t be disappointed!

My only negative for this book is the grammar errors. The beginning of the book took off well and slowly faded into multiple grammar mishaps. Although many were easy to understand and didn't affect the flow of reading, some unfortunately made me pause and reread the sentence in order to understand what the writer was trying to say.

However this is the best book I have read since the beloved Fifty Shades of Grey and even better—this book is FREE on Amazon!

“Why, Gavin, if we weren't in hell right now I would think you were hitting on me,” 

Click her to download Dare to Bleed free from Amazon, on your kindle.

Renegade (Captive Series) Erica Stevens

My rating: 3 STARS (out of a possible 5)

I eagerly purchased Renegade and was a bit disappointed.  There was a large amount of Captured reviewed and integrated into Renegade, and having read the first book readers didn't need the extensive story line repeated from book one. Throughout the book Erica Stevens seems to get a bit wordy, almost in order to lengthen the book. This book, as with Captured, has very little dialectic, which is disappointing for me; but this may be the style of writing that Ms. Stevens prefers to use.

However, Renegade still holds onto the strong plot and keeps readers curious and wanting more. It is my hope that the 3^rd book in the series is less redundant, not excessively wordy but full of dialectic and delves deeper into the plot.

This is another easy read for both tween and Young Adult readers.

"It wasn't until she rested her forehead against his chest and began to sob heavily that he realized they were both doomed."

Renegade can be purchased from Amazon for your kindle for $2.99

Captured (The Captive Series) written by Erica Stevens

My Rating: 4.5 STARS (out of a possible 5)

Aria the daughter of the Rebellion leader and Braith the prince of Vampires are drawn to one another and both must figure out where their loyalties lay. The biggest question for them is love—is it worth the risk?

Captured is a quick and easy read, with the only downfall of having very little dialectic. The plot is thick and captures you right away. You’re quickly pulled into a dramatic scene, and soon the loves starts to blossom. This is a well-rounded book and Erica Stevens leaves you wanting more.

“It was funny; a skinny wisp of a girl had managed to do in one month what his father had failed to do in over nine hundred years. And that was to turn him into a coldhearted, blood thirsty monster.” Captured 

Purchase this book at Amazon, on your Kindle for Free!