Tuesday, January 4, 2011

REVIEW of NIGHTSHADE by MICHELLE ROWEN

I love Michelle Rowen. Well, her writing that is. So, because of my love for her novels, any chance I get to read and review books of hers for Night Owl Reviews, I jump at. If you have ever read her work, you know why.
Her latest novel, NIGHTSHADE, is first in a new series. I recently had the opportunity to review it before it's release date. (yay!)

Here is my initial review:

NIGHTSHADE by MICHELLE ROWEN

Do you believe in vampires?

Jillian Conrad didn’t believe in vampires.  But one day,out to grab a cup of coffee, she is grabbed against her will and injected with a serum. A serum that is supposed to be deadly to vampires. But wait-vampires aren’t real, right? Now she is being held by Declan Reyes, a vamire hunter ,who claims to be a dhampyr (half human,half vampire) and he has told her the poison running through her veins may kill her. He tells her if they can get to his father, they may be able to save her.
Not knowing what to believe , Jillian has no choice but to trust Declan. Because  Declan is not the only one out for Jillian’s blood. Vampires and their human “blood slaves” are after the serum as well so they can destroy it. Now Jillian is pushed into a world she never knew existed and her blood has become irresistable to vampires, including Declan. But is it just her blood he craves?
Michelle Rowen is no stranger to vampires. She is the author of the wildly successful series: “Immortality Bites”. As a fan of Ms Rowen, I was looking forward to reading this new novel, which is set in a much darker world than the lighter previous works I have read by her.
Nightshade was exciting,sexy and suspenseful. An excellent addition to the genre of paranormal romance and the first of what looks to be a promising new series.
(as previously noted, this review will appear on  the website: Night Owl Reviews )

My Latest Book Reviews

Because I am a book lover, I am rarely NOT in the middle of reading some book, sometimes 2 at a time. I slo love to tell people about good books I have read, so when the opportunity arose to become a reviewer for Night Owl Reviews, I jumped at the chance.
I recently finished a few and decided I would also post the reviews here. Just as an FYI, these reviews originally were written for Night Owl Reviews  http://www.nightowlreviews.com/ and do still appear on the site. I have also included the links for the reviews.
Here they are:
SOMETHING WICKED by MICHELLE ROWEN

Something Wicked is book two in Michelle Rowen's newest paranormal romance series: Living In Eden.
In book two, Eden Riley is still possessed by the sexy demon, Darrak (well, sexy when in his HUMAN form , that is) and now because of the possession, has become armed with some magic of her own. Determined to find someone who can help them break the curse that is on Darrak, so he can be once again be free in his own body and Eden can cleanse her ever-darkening soul, they seem to keep hitting obstacles.
Eden and Darrak must fight the still-present attraction between the two of them because it could only make Eden's situation even worse. If that wasn't hard enough, now Ben, the cute detective that Eden once had a major crush on, is part of a group out to rid the world of demons and their kind. He says he wants to help Eden, but other members of the group are not so concerned with Eden's safety. Then there is Theo, Darrak's demon friend. He says he can help, but he has a plan of his own that involves Darrak's help. That mixed with Eden finding out secrets about herself she never knew and a mysterious new neighbor make for lots roadblocks.
Something Wicked is written with that dash of humor I have come to love from Michelle Rowen. She can make a story seem quite serious, but yet there are moments you just have to giggle.
This novel is written well enough to be read on its own, but I highly recommend picking up the first book, The Demon In Me, first if you haven't read it yet. If not for the background information thought, but for the sheer enjoyment of reading another of Michelle's fabulous paranormal romances. I am looking forward to the next novel in the series, titled That Old Black Magic.
http://www.nightowlromance.com/nor/Reviews/Lisa-reviews-Something-Wicked-by-Michelle-Rowen.aspx


UNHOLY ALLIANCE by TOM OLBERT

When Chris was just 5 years old, his parents and sister, Karen, were killed by vampires. A man named Kenny took Chris in. Kenny raised him like his own and taught him how to hunt vampires. Now eleven years later, during a hunt, Kenny is killed and Chris meets Sara, a young vampire. Chris is instantly attracted to Sara, but knows it is wrong for him to feel anything for someone who kills and drinks the blood of humans. Chris and Sara end up teaming up together when they realize they can work together to fight against a common enemy. But can a human vampire hunter truly be happy with someone he has been trained his whole life to battle against?
Though a short story, Unholy Alliance is packed with action. I would have liked to see it written as a longer novel, so I could read more of the story of Chris and Sara. Still, it was quite entertaining, although quite violent as well. A good, easy read for lovers of vampire fiction.
http://www.nightowlromance.com/nor/Reviews/Lisa-reviews-Unholy-Alliance-by-Tom-Olbert.aspx

SECRETS OF THE DEMON by DIANA ROWLAND

Kara Gillian is a homicide detective with the Beaulac, Louisiana Police Department. She also happens to have a special talent for detecting anything "arcane" in our world. Not to mention she can summon demons in her basement.
Kara is currently assigned to a special task force along with FBI agents Ryan Krystoff and Zack Garner. Right now they are assigned to investigate murders linked to a rock band. But these murders are definitely looking like the work of someone or something "otherworldly".
Readers of books one and two in Diana Rowland's series will definitely not be disappointed by this third installment. Rowland once again writes the perfect blend of police procedural and paranormal fantasy. So whether you are a fan of either genre or both, you will be sure to enjoy this riveting novel.
I really liked how Ms. Rowland gave some more info (although just a few hints) into the background of agents Garner and Krystoff. And speaking about the sexy Agent Ryan Krystoff (in my mind he is sexy) I am dying to know where his and Kara's relationship will go. Does he want friendship-or something more?
Also explored is the relationship between Kara and the demon Lord , Rhyzkahl, who she is now bound to and must summon once a month so he can "explore" our world. Sure Kara gets to ask him three questions, but asking questions of a demon lord must have a price, right?
Diana Rowland has worn many hats in her life including a street cop, detective, crime scene investigator, computer forensics expert and morgue assistant (among many others) and I can see where she uses her expertise in these fields to add to her research for the Kara Gillian series.
I really enjoyed Secrets of The Demon and highly anticipate book four from Ms. Rowland.
http://www.nightowlparanormal.com/nor/Reviews/Lisa-reviews-Secrets-Of-The-Demon-by-Diana-Rowland.aspx


THE GALLERY by DAVID D. LANDRUM

Martin Rollins is a musician who has fallen for the beautiful artist, Sioban O'Conner. Siobhan paints portraits of goddesses, but she also suffers from partial amnesia due to a past accident.
When a strange man starts showing up around Siobhan, Martin is worried about her safety. Who is this mysterious man? What does he want with Siobhan? Martin begins to get curious and finds out the man knows a lot more about Siobhan than he is letting on. He doesn't want her to sell her paintings and it seems he wil not give up until he gets his way.
Overall, this is a good short story, although I must admit I found myself wishing it were longer. It seemed to grab me in just as the author was starting to near the end and that left me feeling a little disappointed.
I did like the way the author included bits about the different goddesses in Siobhan's paintings.
This would definitely make a good entry in a collection of other paranormal romance with similar themes. I would like to see more of Martin and Siobhan, as I feel there definitely could be more to the story of Siobhan's past.
http://www.nightowlparanormal.com/nor/Reviews/Lisa-reviews-The-Gallery-by-David-D-Landrum.aspx


PRESUMED DEAD by SHIRLEY WELLS

Thirteen years ago, Anita Champion went out for a night on the town and never came home. Most people including the local police figured she just took off, either with a man, or just to get away. But not the daughter she left behind at age 11. Holly Champion is now 25 an she wants answers. So she hires ex cop Dylan Scott who is now a PI to take the case. Dylan has problems of his own. He was kicked off the police force due to his 5 month incarceration for assualt, his wife kicked him out and his mother just moved in. Maybe this case is just the diversion he needs.
So what DID happen to Anita? She had been known to take off before, sometimes for up to a week. Or was foul play involved? One thing is for sure, not many people are talking and Dylan has his work cut out for him.
This book has everything to make a good mystery. A missing woman, a known criminal who may or may not have connections to Anita, lots of people who look like they know something, but aren't willing to talk, My only complaints were the book's title, because to me it seemed most of the people presumed Anita was ALIVE and just took off. Also, I would not catergorize it as romantic suspense, since there really wasn't any "romance" involved, unless you count Dylan hoping his wife would take him back. I found the pace a little slow in the beginning, but once I got into the "thick" of it, I couldn't stop reading. There were a lot of suspicious characters and I really had no guesses as to what really happened to Anita. Fans of mystery'suspense will enjoy this read
http://www.nightowlsuspense.com/nor/Reviews/Lisa-reviews-Presumed-Dead-by-Shirley-Wells.aspx