Red-Headed Stepchild by Jaye Wells

Title: Red-Headed Stepchild
Author: Jaye Wells
Narrator: Cynthia Holloway
Series: Sabina Kane #1
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 8 hours and 53 minutes
Format: audiobook

Description from Goodreads:

 In a world where being of mixed-blood is a major liability, Sabina Kane has the only profession fit for an outcast: assassin. But, her latest mission threatens the fragile peace between the vampire and mage races and Sabina must scramble to figure out which side she's on. She's never brought her work home with her---until now.

This time, it's personal.

My Thoughts:

      Sabina Kane is an assassin for the vampire Dominae. Her grandmother is the alpha Domina, but Sabina doesn't get special treatment. No, she brings nothing but shame to her family name being half-vampire and half-mage. She is constantly trying to find her place in vampire society, forget her mage half, and finally gain acceptance from her grandmother. She is being sent on the ultimate mission and her hopes are that she will finally be accepted. This mission will have her questioning her beliefs, her lack of morals, and ultimately who and what she is.
      Urban fantasy is one of my favorite genres, but one so often hard to find the perfect book in. Jaye Wells has written an amazing beginning to a series that is sure to become one of my favorites. Sabina is one of those characters that I love to read about. She is smart, sexy, strong, deadly, and is somewhat lacking in the moral department. It's hard to find a heroine like that. One of the best things about her is that from the beginning to the end of the book Sabina displays a great deal of growth. Helping Sabina on her journey is Gighoul. Despite how much I love Sabina, Gighoul is definitely the star of the show for me. He had me constantly laughing and wishing I had a hairless demon cat! Last, but not least, is Lavenia the Domina and Sabina's grandmother. This woman is pure evil! Get ready to be introduced to a woman you will love to hate. She rules the vampires with a wicked iron fist and has hammered into Sabina's mind that she is a disgrace because of her mixed heritage. Add into that other evil deeds we learn about throughout the book and you have the makings of one heinous villainess.
      When talking about Red-Headed Stepchild you can't skip over the world building that Jaye Wells has done. She has managed to bring a fresh new take on the vampire/mage/faerie story. One of the most interesting and intriguing aspects is how these creatures are tied into the Bible. I really enjoyed the lore behind this world. Another aspect of the book is that Ms. Wells stayed true to the story being an urban fantasy and didn't make it about romance. I'm not saying there isn't any, if fact there is the perfect amount, but I was pleasantly surprised that this book didn't turn into a romance novel like so many books do. There isn't that much I would change about Red-Headed Stepchild. The only thing is that at first I was a smidge lost, because I didn't know what some of the terms like Domina, Dominae, mansy/cy, and the religious aspect, but I was soon clued in. Lastly, this is an audiobook review and the narrator must be talked about. Cynthia Holloway is without a doubt my favorite narrator. She lends the perfect sarcasm and strength to the character of Sabina. As for the rest of the voices, which range from: a faerie, to demon, to mages are individual and develop their own personalities with the help of her voice. I give this book a 4 1/2 STAR rating.

Insatiable by Meg Cabot

Title: Insatiable
Author: Meg Cabot
Narrator: Emily Bauer
Series: Insatiable #1
Publisher: Harper Audio
Length: 16 hrs. & 28 mins.


Description from Goodreads:

Sick of vampires? So is Meena Harper.

But her boss is making her write about them anyway, even though Meena doesn’t believe in them.

Not that Meena isn’t familiar with the supernatural. See, Meena Harper knows how you’re going to die (not that you’re going to believe her; no one ever does).

But not even Meena’s precognition can prepare her for what happens when she meets—then makes the mistake of falling in love with—Lucien Antonescu, a modern-day prince with a bit of a dark side . . . a dark side a lot of people, like an ancient society of vampire-hunters, would prefer to see him dead for.

The problem is, he already is dead. Maybe that’s why he’s the first guy Meena’s ever met that she could see herself having a future with. See, while Meena’s always been able to see everyone else’s future, she’s never been able look into her own.

And while Lucien seems like everything Meena has ever dreamed of in a boyfriend, he might turn out to be more like a nightmare.

Now might be a good time for Meena to start learning to predict her own future . . .

If she even has one.

My Thoughts:

I had some high hopes for this book. The amazing Meg Cabot tackles vampires...who wouldn't love that? Insatiable was a mixed bag of hilariously funny quips and retorts that were watered down with unbelievable intensity and a dowsing of insta-love. Insatiable bounces back and forth from the points of view of several different characters...some are good some aren't. Meena was a great character when she was going on about her love for her dog, hatred of vampires, and all things related to her neighbors. There is a quirkiness about her that I just couldn't help but love. Then the love interest was introduced...Lucien. Hot, sexy, intellectual, intense, bad ass, king of vamps, and all around boring. There was nothing remotely interesting about him. He was the stereotypical vampire and it was hard to really connect to him as a character, therefore making his relationship with Meena something I didn't really care about. They didn't know anything about each other with the excetption of a few sexual acts and they were ready to give up their lives to be with each other after two days. Perhaps it was the vampire mojo...guess I'll just have to accept that. In fact all of the vampishness was cliche and had me periodically cringing. Thank goodness there was another male character that saved the day and stole the show and that was vampire hunter Alaric. He is a vampire hunter with the taste for the finer things in life and has a serious side that made me laugh out loud and at the end of the day was the most redeeming part of the book. There is just something about him that pushed me to read further. Insatiable ends on one of those cliffhangers that makes you go WTF? With an extra chapter or two this book could have ended with no need for a sequel. The narration was good, but not spectacular, but if I continue to the sequel it will be on audiobook. This book gets a barely there 3 STAR rating.

Stacking the Shelves

It has been a while since my last Stacking the Shelves, so prepare yourselves for a MASSIVE haul! This great meme that lets everyone share their book hauls is hosted by Tynga at Tynga's Reviews. Just click on the link to see what everyone else got. Hopefully all of the book links lead to their Goodreads page.

 

Possessions by Nancy Holder

Matched by Ally Condie

Outside: A Post-apocalyptic novel by Shalini Boland

Talisman of El by Alecia Stone (won)

Always A Witch by Carolyn MacCullough

 

 

Virals by Kathy Reichs

Survive by Alex Morel

The Treachery of Beautiful Things by Ruth Frances Long

The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney

 

Wuthering High by Cara Lockwood

The Scarlet Letterman by Cara Lockwood

Moby Clique by Cara Lockwood

The Taming of Annabelle (couldn't find on GR)

 

 

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall by Anne Bronte

Innocent Darkness by Suzanne Lazear

Onyx by Jennifer L. Armentrout

 

 

Lies Beneath  by Anne Greenwood Brown

Blood Crave by Jennifer Knight

Silver by Rhiannon Held

Jersey Angel by Beth Ann Bauman

 

 

Such Wicked Intent by Kenneth Opel

Fated by Alyson Noel

Wake by Amanada Hocking

The Hunger Games (DVD)

 

Twelve Months by Steven Manchester (for Review)

 

Kindle/eBook

 

Never Say Never by Kailin Gow

The Childe by C. A. Kunz

Easy by Tamara Webber

Project ELE by Rebecca Gober

Before by Cambria Hebert

Pyxis by K.C. Neal

Dusty the Demon Hunter by D. Michelle Gent

Cold Kiss by Amy Garvin

Hey, Nobody's Perfect by Ann Herrick (for Review)

Ember by Jessica Sorensen (for Review)

 

 

Audiobooks

 

Turned by Morgan Rice

Loved by Morgan Rice

Biting Cold by Chloe Neill

Bite Me by Parker Blue

City of Fallen Angels by Cassandra Clare

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

The Faerie Path by Frewin Jones

The Lost Queen by Frewin Jones

Try Me by Parker Blue

 

Did you get anything good this week? Have you read any of these? Don't forget to leave me a link to your latest book haul.

How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

Title: How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire
Author: Kerrrelyn Sparks
Narrator: Suzanne Cypress
Series: Love At Stake #1
Publisher: Harper Audio
Length: 11hrs. & 35 mins.
Format: audiobook


Description from Goodreads:

Nobody said love was perfect...

Roman Draganesti is charming, handsome, rich...he's also a vampire. But this vampire just lost one of his fangs sinking his teeth into something he shouldn't have. Now he has one night to find a dentist before his natural healing abilities close the wound, leaving him a lop-sided eater for all eternity.

Things aren't going well for Shanna Whelan, either. After witnessing a gruesome murder, she's next on the mob's hit list. And her career as a dentist appears to be on a downward spiral, because she's afraid of blood. When Roman rescues her from an assassination attempt, she wonders if she's found the one man who can keep her alive. Though the attraction between them is immediate and hot, can Shanna conquer her fear of blood to fix Roman's fang? And if she does, what will prevent Roman from using his fangs on her?

My Thoughts:

I'm not really sure where to start with this book. Shanna is a dentist in the witness protection program on the run from some Russian bad guys. Roman is a vampire master who breaks a fang while testing out a faux human blood surrogate made from a sex doll. From that alone I thought this book was going to be hilarious with some sexy vamps thrown in for fun...not so much. How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire bounced back and forth from entertaining to emotionally brain damaged to coincidental absurdity.

The Good:

I loved the idea of a high tech vampire society who is just as consumerist as us normal human people. The BloodLite and Choco'lood (not sure if I spelled those right) had me laughing.  Then there were the Russian female vampires. They were the funniest thing about the book. They provided comic relief as well as some much needed vampitude. To go along on the awesome character list were the Highlanders. Connor in particular was my favorite character of the book. He was funny, sweet, endearing, and sexy. In other words, the perfect combination for a lead character. Too bad he wasn't one. This is an audiobook and I must say the reader, Suzanne Cypress, was good. I especially enjoyed the Russian and Scottish accents:)

The Bad:

When reading a book the most important thing is to connect and enjoy the main characters. It was really tough for me do that with Shanna and Roman. Shanna was all over the place in this book. One moment she was depressed and helpless/then she was kick-ass, she liked Roman/she hated Roman, being a vampire was OK/the relationship would never work, and just all around whiny. You are living with a hot and sexy vampire who is loaded, smart, and has an army of equally hot and sexy Highlanders to take care of you ...quit complaining. Then there was Roman. He was noble, smart, and pretty, but other than that kind of boring. It was hard for me to buy into the whole amazing vampire master when he can't fight and certain sexual aspects about him are revealed. Even though a character is "supernatural" they should be relatable, these weren't.

The Ugly:

For a book to work a certain amount of coincidence must be accepted. In How To Marry A Millionaire Vampire the author asks readers to do a whole lot of accepting. I don't want to give too much away in case you decided to read the book, but I will say that asking me to believe that the only 24hr dentist around is in the witness protection program, hiding from the Russian mob who has hired a Russian vampire assassin who just happens to by your arch nemesis, you show up at the same time as him to get her to fix your tooth you broke while biting a sex toy....well, you get the picture. That is just the tip of the coincidental iceberg and for me it sunk the story. Will I continue this series? If Connor has his own story...maybe. I give this book a 2 1/2 STAR rating.

Die For Me by Amy Plum

Title: Die For Me
Author: Amy Plum
Series: Revenants #1
Narrator: Julia Whelan
Publisher: Harper Audio
Length: 9 hours and 20 minutes (352 pages)
Format: Audiobook


Description from Goodreads:

In the City of Lights, two star-crossed lovers battle a fate that is destined to tear them apart again and again for eternity.

When Kate Mercier's parents die in a tragic car accident, she leaves her life--and memories--behind to live with her grandparents in Paris. For Kate, the only way to survive her pain is escaping into the world of books and Parisian art. Until she meets Vincent.

Mysterious, charming, and devastatingly handsome, Vincent threatens to melt the ice around Kate's guarded heart with just his smile. As she begins to fall in love with Vincent, Kate discovers that he's a revenant--an undead being whose fate forces him to sacrifice himself over and over again to save the lives of others. Vincent and those like him are bound in a centuries-old war against a group of evil revenants who exist only to murder and betray. Kate soon realizes that if she follows her heart, she may never be safe again.

My Thoughts:

At first I was slightly apprehensive to read this book because of the description. For some reason I just kept picturing angels and reincarnation. Die For Me isn't about either of those things. I really enjoyed this book. Kate isn't a kick-butt action packed heroine, but she is tough when she needs to be in the face of danger. The fact that Kate isn't the typical "stoic" heroine also drew me in. She shows normal distraught emotion over the horrible things that she has went  through recently.  She is the type of main character that doesn't get utilized much in YA paranormal fiction. The fact that she is a semi-average girl was refreshing. Then you had Vincent. He is a pretty amazing guy. It would be hard not to fall for him. Vincent is tough, chivalrous, protective, funny, and has just a little bit of a dangerous streak. The only thing I found "faulty" about this couple was how hard and fast they fell for each other. The other characters in the story are also written perfectly. Each one has their own personality and identity. They were enjoyable and I don't think the book would have been as good without them.

The world of the Revenants is definitely a unique one. I know I've never read another book with this type of supernatural creature before. It isn't hard to make a "creature" up, but to have them actually make sense is completely different. If I believed in the supernatural I could see revenants existing. I can't tell you what they are because it is too good of a surprise. Making this book even more awesome was the fact that it takes place in Paris. I must admit between the Parisian places/sights and the smattering of French throughout the book I did get a little lost at times. Other than that this new world was an easy one to get immersed in.

This is an audiobook review so...the audio must be addressed. The narrator for Die For Me is Julia Whelan and she did an excellent job. She had to switch back and forth from French and English accents. I've never really been around many people with that accent, but it sounded good to me. I give this book a 4 STAR rating.

Dark Kiss by Michelle Rowen

Title: Dark Kiss
Author: Michelle Rowen
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi
Series: Nightwatchers #1
Publisher:
Length:
Format: audiobook

Description from Goodreads:

I don't do dangerous. Smart, über-careful, ordinary Samantha-that's me. But I just couldn't pass up a surprise kiss from my number-one unattainable crush. A kiss that did something to me...something strange. Now I feel hungry all the time, but not for food. It's like part of me is missing-and I don't know if I can get it back.

Then there's Bishop. At first I thought he was just a street kid, but the secrets he's keeping are as intense as his unearthly blue eyes. If he's what I think he is, he may be the only one who can help me. But something terrifying is closing in, and the one chance Bishop and I have to stop it means losing everything I ever wanted and embracing the darkness inside me....

My Thoughts:

     Dark Kiss was a mixed bag of tricks for me. Going into the book I was a little leery about the angel/demon world, but was extremely looking forward to the romance. Surprisingly Dark Kiss was switched for me. Samantha was a good heroine for the story. She was funny and had flaws and quirks.  These things contributed to making her a believable character. On the romance side was Bishop. Don't get me wrong he seems like a nice guy, but there just wasn't any spark in him. The whole time I couldn't figure out what made him so irresistible. Then there was Craven....I don't want to give too much away, but I'm hoping for a love triangle in the future. The thing that I liked about him was that he actually had a personality. He was sort of deadpan and sarcastic, yet you could tell he has a softer side.

     This is a book about angels and demons, good vs. evil, and doomed love. As far as a storyline goes this has been done before. That said, there are some original surprises that have the potential to make this a truly unique series. There is also mystery added to the book in the form of the relationship and history between Craven and Bishop. I can't wait to learn more about them. The ending of the book is what really surprised me. It was one of those "oh no she didn't" moments.

This review does refer to the audiobook version. Amanda Ronconi did the narration for Dark Kiss. She has a great cadence to her voice and the characters all had distinguishable voices. None of them were too over the top and all sounded age appropriate. She did a wonderful job. Overall Dark Kiss was a good, but not great read. I give this book a 3 STAR rating.

Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Title: Raised by Wolves
Author: Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Series: Raised by Wolves #1
Narrator: Eileen Stevens
Publisher: Audible, Inc. (July 20, 2010)
Length:10 hrs. & 53 mins.
Format: audiobook
Source: Audible.com
Series:  Raised by Wolves #1

Description from Goodreads:

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed
her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped? Check it out on Goodreads.

My Thoughts:

Jennifer Lynn Barnes has easily written what is one of my favorite werewolf novels. Raised by Wolves flows effortlessly and the language is absolutely beautiful. Her descriptions and the way she takes you into Bren's head have readers feeling as if they are right there with Bren. There isn't a character wasted in Raised by Wolves; every single one of them serves a purpose. This is an extremely rare find! Besides Bren, Callum, the pack alpha and all around head wolf and Devon the metro sexual best friend are my favorite characters. They seem to keep Bren grounded in a world where she is never sure she fits in. I must say that Chase, the male interest, isn't one of my favorites, but seems to have the potential to grow in the next book.
     Bren has been raised by werewolves and in the process has adopted many of their mannerisms, yet she maintains a distinctly human independence that the wolves lack. I have never read a werewolf book that so completely explains the intricacies of the wolf world and the hierarchy that exists. World building in my opinion is extremely important! I can't stress how much I love this book!
     This is a review of the audiobook and I wasn't disappointed! I originally bought this book in hardcover, but never really got into it. I joined Audible and this was the first book that I got. I was hooked! Eileen Stevens does a perfect job of voicing the characters. Once you start the book you will see why this is so impressive! Raised by Wolves gets a 5 STAR rating!

* Raised by Wolves is the first novel in the series, the second is Trial by Fire (out now), the third Taken by Storm is scheduled for publication May 22, 2012.

Q & A: What is your favorite werewolf book?

The Gathering by Kelly Armstrong (Darkness Rising #1)

Title: The Gathering
Series: Darkness Rising #1
Author: Kelley Armstrong
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda
Length: 8 hours & 8 minutes
Format: audiobook
Source: Audible.com


Description from Goodreads:

Sixteen-year-old Maya is just an ordinary teen in an ordinary town. Sure, she doesn't know much about her background - the only thing she really has to cling to is an odd paw-print birthmark on her hip - but she never really put much thought into who her parents were or how she ended up with her adopted parents in this tiny medical-research community on Vancouver Island.

Until now.

Strange things have been happening in this claustrophobic town - from the mountain lions that have been approaching Maya to her best friend's hidden talent for "feeling" out people and situations, to the sexy new bad boy who makes Maya feel . . . . different. Combine that with a few unexplained deaths and a mystery involving Maya's biological parents and it's easy to suspect that this town might have more than its share of skeletons in its closet.

My Thoughts:

The Gathering by Kelley Armstrong is a unique blend of mystery, Native America folklore, and teenaged drama. Maya is a character I found not only likeable, but also relatable. She has an intense connection to the wildlife, is loyal to her friends, has a good relationship with her parents, and her only real fault is in sometimes judging people too soon. Daniel and Rafe are the two main male characters in the book. I wish taht I could combine the two guys and then the story would have the perfect male lead. Daniel is protective and sweet, but he needs to stand up for what he wants. His lack of doing this makes his character seem a little too flat at times. When it comes to Rafe I love his protectiveness of his sister, but he isn't a favorite character of mine and this is a bit of a disappointment when he is the love interest in the book. The secondary characters bring a little levity and mystery to The Gathering and the animals, especially Marv, are cute and interesting. The whole concept and idea behind the story is intriguing. The mix of old world folktales and new medical research are two subjects that Ms. Armstrong shows go very nicely together. The Gathering ends on a rather abrupt cliffhanger and I can't wait to pick up the next installment.

** This is an audiobook review and the narrator, Jennifer Ikeda, does a great job. Nothing is too over the top, all voices are appropriate to the characters, and they each have a unique voice. I give this book a 3 1/2 STAR rating.

Musings on Strange Angels by Lili St.Crow

Title: Strange Angels

Author: Lili St.Crow

Narrator:Alyssa Bresnahan

Publisher: Razorbill (May 24, 2009)

Recorded Books (October 26, 2009)

Series: Strange Angels #1

Source: Amazon/Audible

Length:  304 pgs./ 11 hrs.

Description from Amazon:

Dru Anderson is a very special girl - even if she doesn't always feel it. Gifted with "the touch", Dru travels about with her dad, hunting all manner of things that go bump in the night. But then her dad turns up dead - or, er, undead - and everything changes.

My Musings on the Book v. the Audiobook:

     This is more of a musing on my differing opinions of the book and the audiobook rather than an actual book review. I first read Strange Angels a couple of years ago and absolutely loved it. I went on to tell all my friends how awesome it was and to eagerly await the release of the next books. The final book in the series came out not too long ago and it had been a while since I finished the one before it. To refresh my memory I was going to start the series over. I was pleasantly surprised to find the series on Audible. I could listen to one of my favorite series and work at the same time.

     When I first read Strange Angels I instantly fell in love with Dru, Graves and Christoffe. They quickly became my guilty character obsessions. I found their world and the lore behind it engrossing. Strange Angels was one of the few book in YA that I had read that had a bit of an edge to it at the time. That said, if I hadn't bought the audiobook and listened to I probably would have given this book a 4 to 4 1/2 STAR rating. I loved it that much.

     Some books I can reread/listen to over and over again and find that they are still just as good if not better than the first time I read them. Strange Angels just didn't hold true in it's audiobook form for me. It wasn't just because it  is on audiobook or that the narrator isn't one of my favorites. I've listened to Vampire Academy, Tithe, and Wicked Lovely some of my most favorite series and found nothing wrong with them. While listening to this audiobook the main character Dru started to quickly go down and down in my opinion. One of the things that I noticed more in the audiobook than I did in the written book was her cursing, especially the use of God D%#n. I'm the first to admit that I have a potty mouth sometimes, but this isn't a particular curse that I use. To each their own though. The thing is that it is used excessively. I would almost say its Dru's catch phrase.

     Graves is a unique character not only to this book, but to the genre in particular. There aren't many Asian characters that I have came across in my reading. I really enjoyed the fact that he was. Dru on the other hand seems to wallow in the fact that he is. It's almost as if she is constantly thinking Oh, there's my half Asian friend. He's such a good guy. She can't go one or two chapters without expounding on the fact that he is her half Asian friend or commenting  on his half Asian looks. Lastly while listening to the audiobook I came to the conclusion that Strange Angels really doesn't go anywhere. It's just a build up to the second book.This really could have been a prequel or combined with the second book. The end showdown with the "big bad" of the book was over in the blink of an eye.

     I know that I have complained and complained in this post. I don't hate Strange Angels I still like it a lot. Its just that I am amazed about the differences I noticed in my interpretation of the audiobook and the print book. I noticed different things in each. This has never happened to me before. I bought the second book on audio this week and will start listening to it when I go back to work. I have to know if it was just Strange Angels or the whole series that I have changed my mind about. None of the things above are huge deals, but they are annoyances. If you asked my to rate Strange Angels only having listened to the audiobook I would give it a 3 STAR rating.

    



A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness (audiobook)

Title: A Discovery of Witches
Author: Deborah Harkness
Narrator: Jennifer Ikeda
Series: All Souls, Book 1
Publisher: Penguin Audio (February 8, 2011)
Length: 24 hrs. & 2 mins.
Source: Audible.com
Edition: audiobook

Description from Audible

A richly inventive novel about a centuries-old vampire, a spellbound witch, and the mysterious manuscript that draws them together.

Deep in the stacks of Oxford's Bodleian Library, young scholar Diana Bishop unwittingly calls up a bewitched alchemical manuscript in the course of her research. Descended from an old and distinguished line of witches, Diana wants nothing to do with sorcery; so after a furtive glance and a few notes, she banishes the book to the stacks. But her discovery sets a fantastical underworld stirring, and a horde of daemons, witches, and vampires soon descends upon the library. Diana has stumbled upon a coveted treasure lost for centuries - and she is the only creature who can break its spell.

My Thoughts
One of my friends read this and I had heard so thought I would once again join the literary bandwagon. When I first started this book it moved a little slow and was a tad bit confusing. I couldn't quite figure out if in Diana's world, humans knew about the supernatural creatures. Once I got past the first two chapters I really got into the book. I will say that this is a very long book. The author could have cut out some of the scenes between Diana and Matthew because at times they seem repetitive. An aspect of the book that might deter some readers is all of the historical references and biology. Me being the nerd that I am...I love it! I'm a history major who wouldn't mind giving a pint of blood or two to Matthew if he would let me ask questions. He is one interesting man! The people that he has met and things he has been a part of are extraordinary.

Onto the center, the heart, the plot of the story. The idea of relationships between witches, vampires, and demons is one that has been done over and over again. Ms. Harkness brings a newer, more intellectual and historical bent to the idea that completely sucked me in. The take on this topic wasn't the only thing unusual, the characters were as well. The main character/heroine, Diana, wasn't the leader in the story. Yes, she is powerful, but she is smart and acknowledges that Matthew and other have more experience than she does, and the she can learn from them. In many novels the heroine automatically knows how to use and control her powers or seems to pick them up over night. Diana struggles throughout the whole book. The ending of the book is a pretty good cliffhanger in my opinion. I can't wait until the second one comes out! This book is one that I see as a cross over between the adult and the older YA genre. There isn't really anything "bad" in the book and the supernatural aspect will appeal to many. much hype about it, that I

As stated in my other audiobook review, I stress how important the narrator is. Jenniger Ikeda does an amazing job with A Discovery of Witches. This was an extremely long audiobook with many difficult characters to give voice to. She has a tremendous talent voicing several accents (maybe 5 or more) and at least three languages throughout the book. This narrator really did a good job. I give this book a
4 1/2 STAR rating.

Last Breath by Rachel Caine (Morganville Vampires #11) audiobook

Title: Last Breath
Series: The Morganville Vampires #11
Author: Rachel Caine
Narrator: Cynthia Holloway
Publisher: Tantor Audio
Length: 10 hrs. & 46 min.
Source: Audible.com
Edition: audio unabridged

From the Publisher Summary

With her boss preoccupied researching the Founder Houses in Morganville, student Claire Danvers is left to her own devices when she learns that three vampires have vanished without a trace. She soon discovers that the last person seen with one of the missing vampires is someone new to town - a mysterious individual named Magnus. After an uneasy encounter with Morganville's latest resident, Claire is certain Magnus isn't merely human. But is he a vampire - or something else entirely?
Bite into another Morganville Vampires novel.

My Thoughts

I have been a longtime fan of the Morganville Vampires series. The last book was a  bit of a disappointment to me, so I went into this one with a lot of apprehension. This is a super long series and I was starting to wonder if Rachel Caine still had it. Boy, did she show me in Last Breath. This was one action packed installment that held my rapt attention! In this book many questions that I had and aspects I wanted Ms. Caine to bring up FINALLY happened!

Let's start with the characters. Claire and Myrnin were once again the stars of the show for me. Claire as always is a mix of fearless heroine and dependent teenage girl. I have nothing against her dependency (especially in Shane) that I would normally hate in other characters. In Claire's instance she has no one but her friends in a town that she can't escape. Caine shows this dependency through Claire's compassion and insecurities in a completely believable way. Onto Myrnin! Myrnin is my favorite character, even more so than Claire. (I thought I would be honest) Everything he says or does holds my attention. In a weird way, his eccentricities are actually quite sane and insightful. I particularly enjoyed him in Last Breath because insight into the way he views Claire is given. The one character throughout the whole series that I just can't seem to like is... Shane. Last Breath didn't help his case in my opinion. Shane just seems like a self indulgent, self centered violent ass. ( I might be a little biased as I'm Team Myrnin or Team Anyone But Shane) As for Eve and Michael they are completely wrapped up in each other as usual with their impending nuptials. The "Big Bad" in this book was particularly interesting and Rachel Caine's interpretation of this mythical creature was completely original and entertaining.

The whole book just renewed my faith in this series. There were various different point of views in this book including Shane, Eve, Michael, and Amalie that I thought were necessary and very interesting. Of all of the Morganville books this one is my favorite. I laughed, said nuh-uh a thousand times, and cried. I give this book a 4 1/2 STAR rating.

As for the audio aspect...I am a huge fan of narrator Cynthia Holloway. She is a large part of why I bought this book. Cynthia does a wonderful job voicing the characters just as she does with The Chicagoland Vampires series by Chloe Neill. If you have never listened to an audio book before give one of her books a shot.

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (audiobook)

Title: Daughter of Smoke and Bone
Author: Laini Taylor
Narrator: Khrisitine Hvam
Publisher: Hachette Audio
Length: 12 hours and 32 minutes
Source: Audible
Edition: audiobook

From the Back of the Book:

Around the world, black handprints are appearing on doorways, scorched there by winged strangers who have crept through a slit in the sky.

In a dark and dusty shop, a devil's supply of human teeth grown dangerously low.

And in the tangled lanes of Prague, a young art student is about to be caught up in a brutal otherwordly war.

Meet Karou. She fills her sketchbooks with monsters that may or may not be real; she's prone to disappearing on mysterious "errands"; she speaks many languages - not all of them human; and her bright blue hair actually grows out of her head that color. Who is she? That is the question that haunts her, and she's about to find out.

When one of the strangers - beautiful, haunted Akiva - fixes his fire-colored eyes on her in an alley in Marrakesh, the result is blood and starlight, secrets unveiled, and a star-crossed love whose roots drink deep of a violent past. But will Karou live to regret learning the truth about herself?

My Thoughts:

I bought this first in book form and just never picked it up. Then the other day I got an email from audible and this book was only $7.95. I was bored at work so I thought I would buy and listen to it. THE BEST DECISION EVER! I am so glad that I did. Laini Taylor is a master storyteller. Daughter of Smoke and Bone has the most unique take I have ever heard of on the age old tale. The characters and world are unlike any I have ever encountered. The vivid imagery used in this book is simply beautiful. I could not get enough. Instead of just listening at work, I listened between classes, in the car, washing dishes, you name it until I finished.  The main character Karou is a girl who's grit and determination will steal your heart. Akiva? Oh, Akiva! In him a my favorite male character of any book in quite a long time is born. Even the secondary characters are funny and simply amazing. The setting of this YA novel is unique also. It takes place in Prague!  This is a country that I don't often think about, but if it's anything like Laini describes it, I want to go there. I cannot wait until the next book. Daughter of Smoke and Bone ends in a HUGE cliffhanger. Will I be listenint to/reading the next book? Oh yes! I will be getting a print and an audio copy!

 One of the things that made this audiobook amazing was the person who read it. Her voices for each character is one of if not the best I've ever heard. I've probably listened to around 25 audio books. Each character's voice is unique, not over the top, and is age appropriate. There is nothing more that turns me off of an audio book than a 60 year old woman voicing a 17 year old girl. This is one of the best books I have heard/read in a long time and is a definite must read. I give Daughter of Smoke and Bone a 5 STAR rating.