Lord Malachi (House of DeDe) by Sharon Mamaolo

It was a typical night for the powerful and mistrusted half-breed, Lord Malachi. He was working on his daily list of those who needed to be manipulated, seduced, coerced and in extreme cases, eliminated when he suddenly realizes he must reevaluate his long and lurid past with his best friend and shadow, Lord Aleksander. They made many mistakes throughout the years, and he believes he can rectify some of the more egregious crimes. He wants to right the wrongs because the sordid secrets they share have exacted a steep toll; a toll he is no longer willing to pay. In his typical approach to all business matters, the half-breed decides to gamble with their lives one more time. If he succeeds, he'll be able to save the dark-elf from himself; if he fails, they shall lose more than their lives. Book Description.

My reviews are genuine whether I bought book or received it as an ARC, I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.

 A Lady of the Realm was one of the first books I reviewed and I was instantly hooked into the series. I love the world Sharon has created, full of witches, fairies (not with pretty wings and six inches high but some tough characters..) Elves (same for them – no sweet tiny helpful creatures but some scheming manipulative people), vampires, werewolves and demons. None are really stereotypical and they balance really well in Sharon's world. This is book four – initially I was a bit disappointed – I love Malachi, who wouldn't? But was hoping to pick up from where the last book left off. This takes us right back to the start of the boys meeting – a prequel to Lady of the Realm if you like although as it contains elements from later stories where it brings us up to date it couldn't have worked as book one. Its a great book itself , just my wanting to know where and whets happening with Beth right from start that got me feeling a bit lost. Expectations and all they – but book five hopefully later this year will bring that and I'll be eagerly waiting :)

 It was fascinating picking up from the early days and seeing what the “boys” were like then, and seeing some of the events happening that shaped their later behaviours. Sasha is still the same erratic manic person but harder I feel than when he has Beth to temper him in later books – even though she's often the cause of his problems. I liked seeing the young Maria too – and finding out why Sasha married. Malachi was pretty much the same as I see him now – very intelligent, always on the ball and definitely out to give anything to protect Sasha.

As always Sharon's writing is riveting and in the first book I noted the overuse of apostrophes – that's all long gone and these later books are far more polished. Its been good to see how Sharon's writing had developed – more finesse and yet still the same raw, gritty storyline with real people who are tough, bitchy (Beth – definitely Beth!! ) manipulative and yet lovable. (Not cuddly loveable but emotive love) It’s been good to read about how it all started and what happened from a POV other than Beth and to see if what I thought was going on was what actually happened – two sides to all stories and all that...it’s given me a greater understanding of much of the boys actions where it went over my head quite often before.

Sharon does bring us up to date towards the end, and a brief glimpse of the next book - whetting my appetite for more from the Realm...hope you get a quiet life this year Sharon and plenty of writing tine : ) as I'm keen for more to feed my fix!

Stars: four and half – only because of my expectation of what it was going to be, not because the writing isn't up to scratch. Like I said I can see why it wasn't released earlier but I need (OK wanted...) more of the story as it is now. I'm just a terribly impatient person :( and when I'm lost in another world as I ma here I just want to know more of the story. At £1.94 for 198 pages is a good price because its definitely one for my keepers file to be read over again. I love to read a complete series once all books are out and with good writing there's always bits the reader has missed that get picked up second and subsequent readings I've found.

                                                       Reviewed by Midnight Ruby

 You may purchase "Lord Malachi" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Influential Magic (Crescent City Fae) by Deanna Chase

It’s tough being a faery in New Orleans, a city fraught with vampires… especially when their very existence drains your life-force.

Willow Rhoswen, owner of The Fated Cupcake and part-time vampire hunter for the Void is having a rough week. Four years after her twin brother’s mysterious death, Willow’s life is threatened and the director saddles her with a new partner—her ex-boyfriend, David. To her horror, he’s turned vamp, which causes her physical pain whenever she touches him… and any other specimen of the undead.

In order to save Willow’s life, David agrees to turn double agent against the most powerful vampire organization in New Orleans. Or so he says. And she’s convinced they know something about her brother’s death. Unsure where David’s loyalties lie, she turns to Talisen, her childhood crush, to help her solve the mystery.

Caught between two gorgeous men and a director who’ll stop at nothing to control Willow’s gifts, she’ll have to follow her instincts and learn who to trust. Otherwise, she risks losing more than just her life. Book Description.

I received this from the author in return for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.

 Well, another book from the genre I love, paranormal romance with vampires and Fae. Willow has some special abilities and uses them in her part time work for the Void, as well as owning The Fated Cupcake. She's still reeling from the breakup of her year long relationship when she discovers her life is in danger, and the void have given her a new partner. It’s David, her ex, but he's no longer human but a vampire – and her special abilities leave her vulnerable to their touch. Double whammy for her....and then there's the complications of her longtime friend and childhood crush Talisen who's been searching for info on her twin brothers death four years ago and now turns up in New Orleans. Surrounded by two attractive man and with her life in danger willow doesn't know where to turn or who to trust. It’s a riveting tale of mistrust, double dealing and danger and the action doesn't stop. It’s hard to see how things will turn out – every time I thought I had an idea of what was going to happen Deanna threw in another twist to keep me confused. As always I was tempted to have a quick peek at the ending as I'm always so impatient to know what happens but I resisted and I'm glad I did. It came as a total surprise what was going on and just who the bad guys were.

 I loved Willow – felt so sad for her after the David text breakup – what an ass I thought – but then as always things are not quite as they seem and he seemed to still have strong feelings for Willow. Then there's Talisen, fairy hottie, knows Willow but until now has always been a player for the girls and simply good friend to Willow. Add in her shape shifting Shih-Tzu/wolf Link and her witch best friend Phoebe and there's a cast worthy of a great story full of multiple and sometimes complex plots that entertain the reader to the very end. I loved this book – it’s hard to define what makes the difference between a four and a five star read, I think maybe it’s the complexity of the story and the world building and in this book Deanna has done it just right for me and although first in series rarely get five stars from me this one does. It'll definitely go on my keepers list for re reading and I'll look forward to the next in the sere is. This story is compete – thankfully Deanna hasn't gone the horrible cliffhanger route that I hate yet so many authors seem to love, so you can feel satisfied with a proper ending at the finish of this novel.

 I've not read any of Deanna's other works but will look to see if she has written more like this, as this series looks to become one of my favorites. It’s well edited and written and doesn't leave plots that are unanswered but ties up all loose ends in a way the reader can't imagine (well, this reader anyway ) and that's always good to find.

 Its priced at £2.86 for the kindle version of 273 pages, a decent length that allows for the author to really flesh out the story and contrive some decent plots. I st also available in paperback version for £6.99 on amazon.

 Stars: As I said – full five, excellent start to new urban fantasy series. 

                  Reviewed by Midnight Ruby

  You may purchase "Influential Magic" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Dragons and Cicadas: The Society On Da Run by L'Poni Baldwin

The space dragons are coming home. No vampires rule this land, no wolves take claim to the Dragon's throne. In this collection of interlinked stories, these dragons are unbound by standard cliches. These dragons live among us, taking our forms, drinking our food, breeding with our bloodlines...nobody knew their families dwelled in the stars, awaiting for a time to reclaim what is rightfully theirs. When cruelty and greed pulled the last straw, they attacked with technology superior to our own. Welcome to The Society, and we're running for our lives.Book Description.

Not sure how to start, but I suppose at the beginning. I chose this as it appeared to be up my street, and more importantly it caught my imagination, plus the book was quite a length.

The term book is important as I was anticipating your standard in depth novel. Well I was wrong, it is lengthy but not your standard novel by any sense of the imagination, in fact it does not follow the normal format. It's very much a collection of short stories, novellas & poetry, but all on the same subject. It took me quite a while to get into, and more than once I considered giving up, especially as the stories appear quite random, it continually jumps so that I couldn't fix on any character or storyline, but I couldn't give up as parts of it did grab me and its unfair to give up on something that is different.

I'm glad that I persevered. Yes the format is different for me, but what I did love was the poetry, the authors fantastic imagination, the writing style (not all, but overall) & the fact that the author explained her thought processes at the end of each segment. When you read these thoughts your understanding of the story segment or poetry obviously changes, so that when you read that segment again it takes on another dimension. Very clever.

The fact that the whole thing is a collection of parts allows you to read it at your leisure. I found that  I was able to progress more easily if I read it over time, and not in a continuous session, and I think it is written with that in mind. In fact I'll admit that I am writing this review while still reading the last few segments, and I'm ok with that as you'll understand if you do read this.

Another fascinating thing for me, is that the story is continually being refreshed and added to, so it continues to evolve, no end in sight, which can be good or bad depending on preference.

I will say it is worth trying out, the poetry I found especially good, so try to stick with it even through the difficult bits, of which there are a few, especially if like me you are more used to long in depth novels.

Overall even though it is really not my thing, I would quite happily recommend it, but I can only give it 3.5 stars, though I am and will keep reading.    

                                     Reviewed by Cardmon

You  may purchase "The Society on Da Run" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Kickass Guns and Samurai Swords by Craig Askham

 Eleven men died, and three women,” Lukwaro countered straight back at me, and there was a bit more bite to his voice. “Four gamers and ten locals, each of them as real as you and me. No saving and starting again, no repeating the level until you stop getting killed, just a distinct lack of heartbeats and no more air in your lungs. Dead on that planet, dead on this planet, dead on every planet. How many of them did you kill, I wonder?”

Please use Stillwater responsibly. As you can see from the above, it's really not a game. You pay your money, we send you on holiday to another planet. It's a bit medieval, and you'll need to get your head around the fact that magic exists. Oh, and your ability to protect yourself from life-threatening situations will really need to be top notch. Because, like we said, it's a bit medieval. In fact, it's a fantasy geek's adventure playground.

We understand that accidents happen, and sometimes you might need to kill a local or two. But you don't kill other gamers, because that's something we'll need to explain to their families back home. And the paperwork is immense.

So please use Stillwater responsibly. It's been said before, but it's worth mentioning again.

Kickass Guns and Samurai Swords is a novella, and Part 1 of the Eredian Alliance trilogy. 40,00 words approx. Book Description

Craig supplied me with a copy of this novel.

 Like Craig's short story Both Sides of the Portal this is a Gaming novel, based around real life Gaming. As I said before what I know of gaming can be written on a postage stamp, my only experience is with Legend of Zelda on the Snez back in eighties....tells you a lot doesn't it!!

 This time we meet /Troy, single male – lives with parents. To be honest I think Troy fits the Geek Gamer stereotype to a T. He lives, works and trains in order to fulfill his cravings to enter another world via Stillwater. What is Stillwater ? – well it seems a company have found a way of opening a portal to another dimension, and people rich enough can pay and be transported through to play out real life scenes with real people. It’s expensive and Troy only manages to go about once a month. His parents don't know of his visits and his alter ego Kalyan is a product of his imagination creating a character. All Stillwater visitors do the same so when they meet through the other side they could be anyone – the names and appearances have changed so no-one knows who they are in real life, well the reality we live in. The world through Stillwater is real also but on a different plane, however it’s not without danger – this is playing for real and not a game of “Life ended do you want to play again?”.

 Kal meets up with a small group and they agree to form a group and buy a consignment of silks and spices to trade – of course the trade is illegal and that’s where they'll make money as well as having the adventure they all seek. It’s risky though and they face brigands, cut-throats and others keen to strip them of their cargo as well as the problems of bribing guards and getting the cargo sold. As they don't know each other for real they take a risk in trusting each other – and they need to be careful because they'll rely on that support to save their lives.

 Despite my usual aversion to fantasy of this type I was quickly immersed in the world Craig has created. Even for none readers like myself of this type of fantasy its easy to follow, and I felt as if I was there with the characters, fighting alongside them, holding my breath til they were safe at times. Of course nothing is straightforward, there are problems with the trade, Stillwater rules are broken, people get killed and subsequently the Stillwater team gets involved as they do when a cover up is needed to keep the other world out of this worlds eyes. When people die there they need to arrange a story for the death here that will be believed, and not cast any glances to the secret world of Stillwater. The trade goes wrong, there's deaths and betrayals and Troy comes back a bitter man vowing vengeance. Stillwater won't allow anything that exposes their world though and he's warned off – but then they discover things that make them need his involvement to find out the truth.

 Its a great book, short but realistic and I can see that there's lots of opportunity for further Stillwater adventures and take the world Craig has created into a series. I like the way the Stillwater reach goes so far that the reader is left wondering just how its all done. Its like a conventional type thriller but with two worlds to carry the story, and the added dimension of the unforeseen through the portal into the other world and staying within Stillwater rules – and they are rigorous about keeping hidden.

 Stars: well its well written and edited, priced at £2.06 for 120 pages on kindle. Its not one I’ll read again but I did enjoy it as a one off and for sci-fi type fantasy readers its a fun read. So 4 stars from me. Maybe it was from being more familiar with the setting from reading the short story but I was surprised at how much I actually enjoyed reading this – it’s the type of fantasy I normally avoid but was easy to read and get involved in.

            Reviewed by Midnight Ruby 

You may purchase "Kickass Guns and Samurai Swords" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Silver/Steel by Belinda McBride

When dream hunter Dylan Ryve spots a beautiful shapeshifter raising hell in a bar, he knows he wants the wild young man. But Travis Feris is more to Dylan than a few hot minutes outside in the snow; he's the assassin's ticket into the magical town of Arcada. He didn't plan to rescue the kid, but when he found the shifter being attacked, the opportunity to play hero was too good to pass up.

Through the solitude of a long winter night, Dylan walks in Travis's fevered dreams, learning about Arcada and the pack, and showing the shifter the man he'd been so very long ago. When morning comes, both men know their lives will be forever entwined.

From Dylan, Travis learns that he is a strong, valued member of the pack. The dreamwalker sees his own worth reflected back at him in the dark blue eyes of the wolf. Yet when Dylan has the chance to free himself from centuries of enslavement, can he betray the man he has come to love

Note: This book contains explicit sexual situations, graphic language, and material that some readers may find objectionable: BDSM elements, domination/submission. Book Description. Book Description

I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.

My first Belinda McBride novel was Blacque/Bleu – if you've read my review you'll recall my problem with the twee names...this time we meet others from the pack along with a mysterious fae named Dylan – a name I can deal with much easier : ) This is gay (m/m) romance which I feel is often very touching, and heartbreaking. If you're offended at work like this don't read it – but you'll miss out on a good romance. It’s in the LGBT Shape-shifter/Vampire Paranormal Genre, and please take note of the publishers warning “contains explicit sexual content, graphic language, and situations that some readers may find objectionable: Bondage, domination, male/male sexual practices, violence.” I hate reading reviews where people complain about content when its clearly labeled beforehand....

As with book one the description covers the storyline pretty well so I won't repeat that but say why I enjoyed this story. Firstly the characters – once more they're well written and feel like “real” people even though they are simple imaginary and of fantasy type beings. That’s a tough one to do – but Belinda does it and made me feel once again as though I was there with them.

The story itself is thorough, not too complicated but clearly defined and with a number of interrelated plots. So many erotic romance books use the story as simply a vehicle to tie together myriad sex scenes - and to me that's just boring. Belinda does more with keeping the undoubtedly explicit sex to its proper place within the framework of a good story. The whole town of Arcada has a contingent of mystical people that deserve to be heard more of and are solid enough to carry further novels, so as I noted in the Blacque/Bleu review its good to read more of them. They're an interesting mix of characters, not just Pack, but a mix of beings welcome in a village that looks after them. Dylan speaks to Arcada in dreams here being a dream-walker himself, and it was intriguing to learn more about the construct of a being that can take over and look after inhabitants of a village. I enjoyed the whole of this story – even more so that book one maybe because I felt I was getting to know the people and the world its set in – I think the Fae element is particularly intriguing and hope Belinda includes more of those in the future. Poor Dylan had a tough choice to make and in the beginning I wasn't happy with what he was trying to do even though I understood why – but as in the best novels (well – my best anyway – I like a HEA ) it all works out in the end. Interesting and gripping journey getting there though.

Its priced at £5.14 for 258 pages, even more expensive that book one – and I found that quite dear for the length. Still, as I noted then Belinda is a well-established author so I guess her works command a higher price. It’s well edited too with few spelling or grammar errors and a book I would enjoy reading again at a later date. Again this is not a strong enough story to make it to my five star rating but it's a well-deserved 4 stars.

                                       Reviewed by Midnight Ruby

  You may purchase "Silver/Steel" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Celtic Fury by Ria Cantrell

Celtic Fury

Intended for Audiences 18 and older.

In 14th Century Scotland amid Highland Feuds and Clan division, rugged men fight for their birthrights and their place in history. The MacCollum and Campbell Clans are bitter enemies, especially for the son of the Laird MacCollum, Rory, the fabled and lethal Wolf of the Highlands. When his betrothed is killed at the hands of his enemies, Rory has sworn vengeance on all named Campbell. Darkness pervades this warrior to the point of poisonous destruction. Each day the darkness creeps forth, changing him and embattling his psyche. Each day, the blackness is becoming harder and harder to quell. Only Love can save him from the impending darkness, but his heart is walled. 

After years of self-enforced exile in England, Rory returns to Scotland to seek his own destiny. On his journey, Rory aids and rescues a young woman who is broken and battered from a terrible accident. Rory knows he has to save her. In saving her, is it possible to save himself? His heart gradually opens, only to find this woman is his most sworn and hated enemy. Amid lies and betrayal, can Brielle’s love save Rory from the Darkness that seeps through his veins? Can her love prevent him from the self-destructive course he has been destined to run?

Celtic Fury is the first book in the Celtic Storm series by Ria Cantrell, and is classed as a paranormal romance. However after reading this story it is a romance novel with whispers of the paranormal. The story follows the Ruiri MacCollum who on his way back to the Scottish Highlands stumbles on the carriage accident and discovers a very injured young woman – Brielle Val Cour. Compelled to help her Ruiri takes her under his protective wing as their story becomes complicated by a long standing hatred between Clan MacCollum and Clan Campbell. The two struggle to come to terms with their growing love for each other. Will the hatred between the clans tear them apart or will it bring them closer together?

 As I started to read I realized that this book was going to be more about the romance, than things that go bump in the night.  It is a bit formulaic and brings nothing new to the genre other than a different story to be told. For those who love romance novels will be intrigued and delighted to read this story.

In my option the first book in any series much is the most difficult one to write. For the author has to lay the groundwork for future story lines  so I keep that in mind as I read and try not to make quick judgments and to understand that this book is a special creation of the author and as I read they are growing as a writer. This first book in the Celtic Storm series is just that, the first book in the series.  The book started off a bit choppy and I was struggling to find the rhythm of the author’s writing. With a series of stop and go paragraphs coupled with the Scottish dialect it was a bit confusing but as I continued to read it started to flow and the grammar and formatting much improved. This book is rated for adults and it has its fair share of steamy scenes, which is fitting for it is a romance book. However, I felt that it stalled the story a bit and slowed the plot down. 

The Characters of the is novel are interesting and have great potential to become bigger than the story. The author really has a love for them which can be felt through her writing. The hero of the story Rory MacCollum is said to be feared throughout the highlands and his dark past stemmed from loved lost. However as I read Rory was never really dark, there were only hits of his darkness, it was to evenly balanced with love for his family to be a flawed dark hero and he felt a bit flat and never had the depth that I would have liked to have seen. Though this is the first book and I would hope to learn more about Rory as the series continues.

 As for the Heroine of the story Brielle, she felt much more defined and was the only character that had any kind of growth as the story progressed. We see her morph from a timid and fearful person to coming alive within her relationship with Rory, even in the height of terror or danger she found strength within herself to survive.  She is the survivor of this story and in my opinion had darker demons than Rory. There were many supporting characters of the book that were either briefly introduced during the telling of this story whom may or may not make appearance in future installments of this book.

This is an easy book to read once you get past the beginning and it moves along at a decent pace until the steamy bits of the book, but then the pace returns to normal and we see the plot unfold. We see a bit of excitement at the end of the book that ties everything together nicely so you will not be left hanging at the end of this novel and be waiting for the next book.  I would recommend this book for those who have a love for the romance genre. The story was light-hearted, predicable though it brings nothing new to this genre still enjoyable if you are looking for something to pass the time. With that said I give this book 3 stars.  

This is the first published book for the author Ria Cantrell and is available at amazon as an ebook for $3.99.

                                                                 Reviewed by Rayven

 You may purchase "Celtic Storm" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

You may find more about Ria Cantrell here : 

 Ria Cantrell Facebook page

 GoodReads - Ria Cantrell

Ria Cantrell Twitter Page

Night Blade. (Colbana Files) by J.C.Daniels

Kit Colbana is always biting off more than she can chew. She has a knack for finding trouble. This time, though, trouble finds her. Someone from her past drops a case into her lap that she just can’t refuse…literally.

People on the Council are dying left and right and she’s been requested to investigate the deaths. The number one suspect? Her lover, Damon. If she doesn’t clear his name, he gets a death sentence. Even if she succeeds? They still might try to execute him. Oh, and she’s not allowed to tell him about the case, either.

The stakes are high this time around, higher than they’ve ever been. Kit may be forced to pay the ultimate price to save her lover’s life…a price that could destroy her and everything she loves. Book Description.

I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.

 I read the first book and was instantly hooked on Kit’s life and adventures. She's a great character, flawed and believable, strongly moral when it comes to fairness and trouble seems to find her like a magnet. From the start the interaction between her and Damon was entrancing, sexual tension at its best, with Jude the vampire being a great protagonist. Half Aneira and half human Kits knows her strengths – and her weaknesses, and protecting her lover, Cat alpha Damon, turns out to be a mental weakness for her in this novel. She has to clear his name – quickly – or he'll be killed, but the catch is she can't speak about what she's doing to him or anyone.... trouble in store – yep, bucket-loads! The description is exact and yes – she really faced a huge problem. It makes for a very emotional read at times.

 J.C.Daniels is the alter ego of popular novelist Shiloh Walker – I didn't know this when I bought the first Colbana novel, which was good as I'd only read one Shiloh Walker novel, Tori and Declan, and it wasn't really one I enjoyed..., good enough but the sex was more than the story and though I like some sizzle in my reading the story always comes first. In the Colbana Files the story is definitely first, with sex and romance there but very secondary. The world building and cast of characters is excellent and plots all intertwine seamlessly. There's so much to take in it makes for one of my favorite types of novel, one that stays fresh after multiple reads. Great value for money that way as opposed to the Shiloh work which was a one read only for me – that’s personal taste of course and lots of people like light and easy novels. I like something meaty that makes you wonder where the story – and characters – are going next and this novel delivers all that and more.

 At £3.31 for 351 pages its excellent value for money and a series I'm totally hooked on. Its well edited, pretty much error free. I'd say totally but we're human and there's bound to be one or two somewhere – suffice to say I didn't see many and that’s a treat considering how full of mistakes many ebooks are : ( If you want a read that keeps you on the edge, plays with your emotions and plays out well this is the book for you. Its not a cliffhanger ending either – I HATE those, but I'm anxious for the next novel to see if Kit can pick up on what went awry in this one – can't say more without spoiling the novel but J.C – get writing quickly, Please!!

Stars: well, has to be five of course. One for my keepers file and one I'll happily re read : )

                                   Reviewed by Midnight Ruby

You may purchase "Night Blade" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Wishing For A Highlander (Highland Wishes) by Jessi Gage

Highland Wishes, #1

For Melanie, "Be careful what you wish for" becomes "Be careful what you wish on."

While examining Andrew Carnegie’s lucky rosewood box, single-and-pregnant museum worker Melanie makes a tongue in cheek wish on the artifact--for a Highland warrior to help her forget about her cheating ex. Suddenly transported to the middle of a clan skirmish in sixteenth-century Scotland, she realizes she should have been a tad more specific.

Darcy, laird in waiting, should be the most eligible bachelor in Ackergill, but a cruel prank played on him in his teenage years has led him to believe he is too large under his kilt to ever join with a woman. He has committed himself to a life of bachelorhood, running his deceased father's windmills and keeping up the family manor house...alone.

Darcy's uncle, Laird Steafan welcomes the strangely dressed woman into his clan, immediately marrying her to Darcy in hopes of an heir. But when Steafan learns of her magic box and brands her a witch, Darcy must do what any good husband would--protect his wife, even if it means forsaking his clan.

WARNING: A pregnant museum worker, a sixteenth-century Scot, and a meddlesome wishing box. Book Description.

I received this book free via Darkissreads.com in exchange for an honest review.

It’s an easy to read time travel romance and immediately reminded me of a very simplified version of Diana Gabaldons Outlander series. That's long been one of my favorites. 

There's the 20^th century lady falling back through time via a stone circle (though aided by a magic box) in Scotland. Gets caught in a skirmish, suspected as a spy and has to marry a virgin Scot, tall and good-looking – sound familiar? Well I guess there's only so many ways to write a story and along with the legendary saying there are only seven original plots for stories I guess some overlap is inevitable. Jessi's writing is very different from Diana though and far simpler and briefer. Diana would have taken the book length to cover a single plot-line! I enjoy heavy lengthy stories but lots of readers just want a gentle easy to read escape for a few hours and for that Jessi's book is perfect. Some things I thought were too thin – the reason “big Darcy” was a virgin – he's an intelligent man and I just thought that ploy was one he'd not have fallen for – it made me think of him as a local yokel rather than a well-educated and kind man. Still, he was well described other than that and I can understand why Melanie fell for him. It’s that Alpha male protective thing.... Then marrying with Outlander again there's the witch theme that forces them to run (later there's even the common thread of deadly snakebite, and the way of leaving notes to be found by her family in the future, even when meeting another time traveler we find her rescue echoes Claire’s from the pyre in Outlander...) – anyway,  I found it hard to believe the Laird would have acted as he did, as quickly as he did on such flimsy evidence of witchery – first we're told he's fair and clever, then he seems to have a streak of madness that erupts sometimes and yet the clan do nothing? Given the quality of rest of the writing these little irritating problems could have been done better IMO and the book would be far improved. But then I'm a reader and not an author so......

Anyway – the characters – well described but I felt they acted out of character at times just to fit the story line – to me its like a farrier altering the horse's foot to fit the shoe (yes * sigh * I’m a horse nut, sorry...) Its better to make the shoe fit the horse and the actions fit the character, even if that means changing the story or finding a different way of telling that part. Even though the characters were clearly written I found it hard to empathize with them. I understood Melanie's let down by her ex but to blame pregnancy hormones on her actions, or to find her longing so quickly for Darcy after being in love with ex made her seem shallow and I really don't think that was the intent. As with all Lyrical books I've read the spelling and grammar were perfect, a treat when sadly too many still are error ridden :( though that’s improving slowly.

 So overall – only two and a half stars from me, it’s got good premise but far too simplistic and too many out of character actions to rate higher for me. It’s not one I'd re read so doesn't get my cost per read value either... at £3.71 for 265 pages its mid-line priced – there are cheaper novels but also lots that are in the £5+ bracket. I guess value depends on what you want to read - If you want a simple escapist story and can live with things like that fine – I want more from a book though

                           Reviewed by Midnight Ruby

You may purchase " Wishing for a Highlander" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

Timepiece by Heather Albano

A steampunk time travel adventure about a girl, a pocket watch, Frankenstein's monster, the Battle of Waterloo, and giant clockwork robots taking over London. 

Elizabeth Barton longs to escape the endless round of social ritual that defines life in the village of Hartwich during the Regency of Prince George. Her neighbor William Carrington has lost the use of his arm in the Napoleonic Wars, and now must watch from the sidelines as the final act of that conflict unfolds without him. Both go through the motions of their lives, dutiful but dissatisfied, as the Battle of Waterloo looms on the horizon. When an anonymous benefactor sends Elizabeth a pocket watch that is more than what it seems, they are swept seventy years into the future.

The London of 1885 is a steampunk dystopia where the streets are patrolled by Gatling-gun-wielding robots and the clockwork of the British Empire is slick with its subjects' blood. This future has its roots on the field of Waterloo--in the secret weapon Wellington employed there--and it will come true in seventy years' time unless Elizabeth and William find a way to stop it.

I was looking for something that I thought would be enjoyable and fairly light hearted to read while the extended winter snow was still falling and this in Spring. I couldn't decide between two, so I picked both and I'll review the other in a few weeks’ time.

It got off to a good start, straight into a well-known battle, though with a slight twist as you might expect from a Steampunk novel. Straight away the writing of the Author came to the fore, descriptive & written in such a style that she was able to convey the mood exactly. It was I thought both somber, exciting and eventually dark. Best start to a novel that I've seen in a while.

The story throughout was well paced, not too fast & the descriptions of the various scenes were like the start, very well thought out with the right note hit more times than not. The main two characters were as you tend to find in a story of this theme, but they were likable and grew as the story went along, an added bonus was their Mentor so to speak in the time travelling department. The same thing can be said for the general theme of the story, though I found it better than most. The time travelling element was handled well, though I would like to know more about the device used for this (hopefully in time), and the interactions with historic events and the possible outcomes thoroughly enjoyable, with just enough surprises to keep you guessing.

The ending was a slight surprise to me, but it has set it up for the next installment, which I believe is out now. As usual my review is short, suffice to say that the Author can weave a story well, writes well & has enough of a mix between action and story to keep things interesting, plus her use of alternate technologies were well used and thought out.

For me an impressive novel of the genre, a fantastic price for a well written and enjoyable novel. Looking forward to the next chapter, and I can happily recommend this, so 5 stars from me.

                                                      Reviewed by Cardmon

You may purchase "Timepiece" here : DarkissReads Bookstore

You may find more about Heather Albano here : www.heatheralbano.com

Lucifer's Daughter by Eve Langlais

Hi, I'm Muriel, the only white sheep in a sea of black ones, and a virgin to boot. I am determined to wait for love, but my Dad, more commonly known as Lucifer, just wants me to stop being an embarrassment. I'm hoping the hunk I met in my bar will turn out to be the one-just looking at him makes my insides melt like marshmallows over the coals of Hell, but trusting is hard when it seems everyone I get close to ends up trying to kill me. 

Not only am I dealing with an extreme case of lust, there's a new threat in Hell, one my Dad says to ignore. Something easier said than done since it seems everywhere I turn demons are trying to kill me. But I'm okay with that, because one thing I've learned being a princess of Hell is that sometimes I have to grab a demon by the horns and slap it around a bit.

A rebellion in Hell, demon assassins and scorching kisses, could my life get any more interesting? Book Description

I received this book free via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I don't gush and give false praise – I don't believe that helps readers or authors so what you read is what I truly feel about a book.

 Muriel is Satan’s daughter – a virgin still at 23 and holding out for true love Satan is disappointed in her failure to live up to the demonizing ways he wants. He loves her though, and is always trying to get her to flip over to the “dark” side of morality. She has lots of half siblings, mostly incubus/succubus so Satan’s very happy with their morals of course! We meet one, Bambi (Bambi the succubus – what irony!) who tries to help Muriel and protect her. Satan isn't the bad guy we expect – just one who loves his family and tries to live up to his reputation. He's a soft spot for Muriel and pops in almost daily to chat to her and offer tips on how to lose her virginity or do something to keep up the family reputation for evil. Muriel owns a bar and one evening three gorgeous hunks stroll in...life is never quite the same after wards.

 Eve has a great way with words – I read one of her books last summer and it had me in stitches, this one has similar results. Whilst I was reading I couldn't help the sniggers slipping out and Him Indoors kept saying “what’s so funny?” but you have to read it in context to understand it. Satan has some great lines, Muriel is lovely, one of life's innocents in many ways and yet being brought up by Lucifer she is very familiar with the world of hell-hounds and the dangers of demons. Suddenly however it seems that more than usual numbers of demons are out to kill her and there are whispers of another uprising to overthrow Lucifer. The plot thickens, Muriel's finds sizzling romance ( and a good helping of lust), demons abound, there are captures and escapes and all wrapped up in some fantastic snarky quips from Lucifer.

 The book is written from Muriel's point of view and very dialogue based – my favourite type. It allows the quips and humour to come through and makes me feel as though I'm present in the novel. The characters are well written and feel real, and I was quickly drawn into the novel and the actions and drama. Its fast paced and the humour just shines through – it’s a kind of demon-lit novel. Super-lit? Fantasy-lit? Hard to describe but like a chick-lit but with supernatural characters. They feel real though and it’s easy to get absorbed into the events. Muriel's brilliant, proud she can protect herself and yet happy like lots of females for a real Alpha male to take charge (or at least think he's in charge – we all know how to do that don't we?) And Auric is certainly all Alpha male. He has secrets though and Muriel needs to know what they are. I love when she goes out with him against dads edict and he them tells her she's grounded – but the demon carrying the message is confused by it :) the novel is full of little quirks like that and made me laugh – a lot.

 It’s a funny light-hearted feel good book, not a great in-depth drama but one to relax with and lose yourself in for a few hours. It’s an easy read with no huge surprises but fun all the way through. There’s sex here, scorching hot sex at times but not too graphic and it fits the plot lines perfectly. If you want a sexy, light, romantic fantasy read to brighten your spirits for a while this is it. I hope Eve writes more from Lucifer and Muriel ( and the delicious Auric of course).

Stars: well, it’s well edited, a bit short for me at 110 pages but that’s personal taste. I love long novels being a quick reader, but have friends who want short books as they only read a few pages at a time and want a book they can finish. Actually this is the perfect read for a train ride or something like that. Priced at £1.99 its par for the course with similar novels and worth the money. I'm giving it four stars. 

                                                Reviewed by Midnight Ruby

You may purchase" Lucifer's Daughter" here : DarkissReads Bookstore