Angels and demons are not what you think. They are aliens, and the Midworlders are their representatives on Earth. Heath is an Angelic Midworlder with a tortured past where he could not save the woman he loved. Evie is a woman haunted by a dark presence in her mind that allows her to see the angels and demons around her. Heath saves her when she is attacked by Demonic Midworlders but will he fail her like he has others before? These two tortured souls are connected by the past, a past that has left an evil lurking inside Evie that could kill them both.
Uncaged Review: The world building done with this series is very original, with angels and demons actually being aliens, some with angelic qualities and the others demonic. The ones sent to earth to protect the humans from the demonic group are midworlder’s, or half-breeds – with the angelic ones. This story revolves around Heath and Evie, Heath feels as if he failed in his past, and Evie has a darkness inside – that is threatening to destroy them both.
This is an intriguing tale and the world building is spot-on, and the characters are well flushed out. This is the second book in the trilogy, and even though I didn’t read the first book, I was never lost or confused, but I’ve definitely put the other two books on my radar. Reviewed by Cyrene
Only the Dead Don’t Die A.D. Popovich Horror/Dystopian
Scarlett Lewis, an ordinary grade school teacher, is so absorbed in hopelessness after being jilted by her fiancé that she doesn’t realize the United States is succumbing to a horrific pandemic. The Super-Summer Flu is sweeping the nation; meanwhile, Scarlett mopes around her condo.
Until . . . she begins noticing the bizarre events unraveling around her.
During her desperate search to find her sister and the rest of civilization, she meets other survivors who may not have her best interests at heart. With hope as her last weapon of defense, Scarlett must learn how to survive in the Creeper-infested world without sacrificing her own humanity as she discovers the dark fate of the human race.
Uncaged Review: We start out with heading right into the beginning of the apocalypse, with two of the main characters, and their two different perspectives – but both will come together as we go along. First off we have Scarlett, a school teacher, and after a trip to the oral surgeon to get her wisdoms pulled, she starts popping the pain meds and is out of it for around five days where she’s barely functioning. When she finally does come back to reality, the reality she’s facing is like a nightmare come to life. The other main character is Dean, a man who is “unplugged” for the most part, doesn’t watch a lot of TV, doesn’t have a cell phone, doesn’t use the Internet and likes to spend most of his time on his boat. Imagine his surprise after a couple days out on his boat, when he comes in and finds out the world has gone to hell. The Super Summer Flu virus has wiped out a huge percentage of the population and the pockets and groups of survivors are not necessarily going to help you out.
I like the originality, the zombies in this book can learn and evolve, which makes life a bit more tense than other apocalypse books. The author does a good job fleshing out the main characters, but also makes them a bit unbelievable in places. I couldn’t see Scarlett, a sort of whimpy school teacher become a strong survivor, I feel in reality, she would have been a creeper in the first few hours – probably like me. Reviewed by Cyrene
To read an interview with the author, please see the October issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.
Releasing the Demons L.D. Rose Urban Fantasy
Blaze Knight has been through hell and back, but the nightmares aren’t over yet.
Five years after Blaze was maimed by Cyrus Chimola, a powerful vampire with a penchant for torture, he’s still trying to pick up the pieces of his shattered life. As a genetically engineered mercenary with the ability to bend fire to his will and to see in infrared, Blaze’s mission is to protect what’s left of humanity. When Chimola and his crew return to the Bronx gunning for Blaze’s blood, Blaze is forced to face the demons of his past. Hell-bent on revenge, he seeks the help of Valerie Medeiros, an NYPD detective who manages to steal his heart and save his life in more ways than one.
Motivated by her sister’s gruesome death, Valerie has made it her life’s goal to bury every vampire in the ground where they belong. When she brings in Blaze Knight for suspected murder, she discovers he’s not only innocent, he isn’t a man at all—he’s a half-vampire hybrid working with a band of brothers for the U.S. military. Valerie has a hard time trusting anything with fangs, yet she quickly falls headlong into Blaze’s life, a life full of darkness and horror she can’t even begin to fathom. The bodies are stacking up, but Valerie can’t seem to let go of this hybrid, a beautiful monster filled with pain, rage, and passion unlike anything she’s ever known.
In a world where the line between good and evil is blurred, Blaze and Valerie will find danger at every turn, risking everything they’ve come to know and love, including one another.
Excerpt
Valerie kept her eyes locked on the glass windows covered with cigarette prices and beer ads, watching Tattoos pay up at the cash register. Once she reached the side of the building, she pressed her back against the warm brick wall. Sweat trickled down her spine and she wiped her clammy hands on her jeans before she drew her Beretta. She listened for the bell hanging above the store entrance, and when it jingled, she peered past the corner of the building.
There he is.
Holding a pack of Marlboros, he slipped it into his back pocket along with a silver money clip. He walked back toward the Chevelle, scanning the area one more time as he stepped off the concrete elevation.
This is it. Do it. Now!
With her gun pointed at the ground in a two-handed grip, Valerie pushed off the wall and turned the corner, staring at his back. Her voice was loud and clear as she called, “Blaze.”
He stopped and pivoted around. A fleeting expression of confusion filled his face, but it quickly turned into shock as she lifted her gun and shouted, “Freeze, NYPD!”
Gasps and shouts resounded as everyone turned their attention on her. Some people ducked while others gawked, and she wished they would just climb into their cars and get the hell out of here. She did her best to ignore them, keeping her focus solely on the man before her as she carefully approached him. He didn’t make any sudden movements, his brow furrowing as a muscle in his jaw ticked.
Valerie flashed her badge to prove she wasn’t bullshitting. “Get your hands in the air where I can see them.”
He slowly lifted his arms and spread his hands out wide. Then spoke with a voice like black gravel, matching his appearance all too well. “What’s going on here?”
She closed in on him, his presence becoming more and more overwhelming. Sirens resonated in the distance, sending a trickle of relief through her. He didn’t appear armed but that didn’t mean jack.
“Turn around and get down on the ground. Now!”
Anger consumed the confusion on his face but he surprisingly complied, giving her his back again before dropping to his knees with his hands above his head.
She kept her gun aimed and her mind submerged in the well of her calm. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d arrested someone; she usually shot to kill. “Cross your ankles,” she ordered, and he did so, crossing his booted ankles as if he’d done this before.
Valerie placed her foot in the space between his legs, so if he attempted to stand he would end up flat on his face. People finally backed away as she removed her tungsten carbide handcuffs from her utility belt, gripping the Beretta with knuckles white as chalk. Tungsten carbide was the only metal strong enough to hold a vampire, but she used it on everyone, regardless of species. Two New Rochelle cruisers whipped into the gas station, blocking off both exits before four officers leapt out of their respective vehicles. Valerie put the gun up and cuffed Blaze’s dominant hand, swinging his right arm around before latching onto the left.
He didn’t put up a fight. He didn’t even flinch. But he balled his big hands into fists at his back. She read him his Miranda rights as she cinched the cuffs around both of his thick wrists.
“You have the right to remain silent—”
“I have the right to know what’s going on,” he growled, showing her his savage profile.
“Anything you do or say can be used against you in a court of law.”
“What are you arresting me for?”
“You have the right to an attorney.”
“F**k the attorney—”
She yanked the chain of his cuffs, bringing his solid body against her as the faint scent of cologne tickled her nose. She leaned into his ear, anger flashing through her as she thought of bloody grass and charred flesh.
“You’re under arrest for the murder of Elena Delgado. Now get the f**k up and move.”
EXCERPT TWO (sexy):
His body hardened, his heart thudding in his chest. If that wasn’t enough, the stirring low in his belly sure as hell was.
He wanted her. Badly.
And so did the leech inside him.
“Blaze?” She peered at him with concern, taking a step closer.
He snapped out of it, realizing she’d asked him something he completely missed. “Huh?”
“Do you want some coffee? Something to drink? Eat?”
Yeah, you. He swallowed his saliva, straightening. “I should get going.”
“Oh.” She tried to hide her disappointment but she was bad at it. She wants you to stay. “Where are you heading?”
“Probably home for a few hours. Rest up a bit.” And drink about a gallon of blood while thinking of you. “You know.”
Valerie set what he assumed was the bag of coffee on the counter. She took another step toward him as a wave of jasmine swept over him, tugging him in places he shouldn’t be tugged.
He took a reflexive step back. Goddamn it, he was fine. He’d been fine right up until now. What the hell just happened?
Bad idea, Blaze. Bad f**king idea to starve yourself and walk into her apartment at dusk, with that body, and that face, and those eyes, and that smell . . .
“I’ll show myself out.”
She looked entirely confused as he turned away and headed for the door. Christ, he was acting like he’d never been in a woman’s apartment before, and God knew he’d been in many. But he’d never been this hungry around a woman before—at least, not in ordinary circumstances. And he wasn’t famous for his control.
He could feel it, that ugly darkness inside him spreading through his veins, making his lips and toes tingle. The leech opened its jaws and yawned, sucking down what was left of his civility. His gums tightened, squeezing his canines, urging them to grow, to elongate.
To spring free.
“Blaze—”
He needed to get out. Now.
“I’ll see you in the morning,” he ground out, his voice a near growl. “Good night, Val.”
He slammed the door behind him and managed to stagger ten paces down the hall before his limbs stopped working. Sweat dripped down the sides of his face and trickled down his spine. His hands shook and he clenched them into fists. He stood there, chest heaving, heart pounding, fangs pulsing, cock throbbing. He closed his eyes and lifted his face toward the ceiling, trying to wrestle the monster down, trying to beat it back into submission.
But it was already too late.
Through the din in his head, Blaze heard a door click behind him, disengaging from its frame. It creaked open slowly as jasmine slithered through the hallway toward him, rising up and striking at his senses, delivering the final blow. He craned his neck and spotted her.
Valerie’s blond hair fell in a curtain as she peeked out, looking for him. Her eyes widened when she found him, still standing in the corridor, and she quickly retreated.
“Sorry,” she murmured, but before she could close the door, he was already there, his hand propped against it.
She looked at him in pleasant surprise. “Blaze, I—”
He didn’t give her a chance to finish. He seized her mouth with his before he slammed the door behind him and locked it shut.
Uncaged Review:
L.D. Rose has created a dark, gritty world with an alternate history of New York, and vampires or leeches are the rulers of the night, with human body counts way too high each night. Detective Valerie and her partner Deron are two of the brave on the force that go on patrol at night, when most people are holed up in their homes. When they are called to a murder scene for a girl whose body was bitten and burned from the inside out, the black and white world that Val knows becomes many shades of grey…
Blaze is a hybrid, a genetic science experiment, half human, half vampire. During these experiments, each hybrid developed a special talent, unique to them. Blaze, as his name implies, has the ability to control fire. Captured and tortured for 7 months, Blaze is a walking time bomb – and has become a person of interest to Valerie and her team after the murder of the charred girl.
This is as gritty as they get, and when I hit about the 30% mark, it ramped up, and at 50%, I could not put this book down. Emotional and action-packed – it will have you anxiously turning pages. One series that will go on my to-read-again list as I’m sure in all my excitement, I missed something the first go around. Reviewed by Cyrene
5 Stars
Black Bullet L.D. Rose Urban Fantasy
Fledgling vampire Jonathan Kerr has just met his match.
Not even his past life as a former marine and FBI agent could prepare him for the battle against the monster inside him, struggling to take hold. After an old nemesis of the Senary surfaces in Brooklyn, unleashing chaos and terror in the battered borough, Jon sets out to take him down. Instead, he ends up with far more than he bargained for when he clashes with the beautiful half-vampire hybrid, Lawan Knight…
Uncaged Review: In book two, we follow Jon and Lawan’s story. In this series, when a vampire is turned, they lose their soul and all of their humanity. When Jon died, and the Senary saved him by turning him, Rome was able to keep Jon’s soul within his body. Unfortunately, Jon’s also sharing his body with Taylon, the vampire that was killed.
Lawan is a female hybrid, living on the edges on her own, killing leeches. But after the torture of her past, she trusts no one, getting through to her is not going to be a piece of cake.
Again, the story is well written with a brilliant well thought out world. Most of New York City is owned by the leeches, and with them gaining ground – the Senary is stretched too thin as it is. The action scenes and the storyline is spot on, and the romance only enhances the story. It will pull all your emotions through the wringer and give the ending it deserves. This is a book you can’t read fast as you don’t want to miss a thing. Reviewed by Cyrene
5 Stars
L.D. Rose
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]L.D. Rose is a neurotic physician by day, crazed writer by night, and all around wannabe superhero. She writes paranormal romance and urban fantasy, but she’s been known to delve into horror, sci-fi, and medical suspense on occasion. L.D. Rose is a PAN member of the RWA, FF&P, NEC-RWA and CoLoNY. She currently lives in Rhode Island with her studly hubby, her hyperactive boxer, and her two devious cats. Sign up for her newsletter for the latest on the Senary, sneak peeks, giveaways, and other fun stuff: http://eepurl.com/bKvuXD You’ll receive a free horror short story with sign-up! You can also join her reader group on FB for more shenanigans. 😉 DEVOUR THE NIGHT: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1544747369161573/[/symple_box]
Dark Lord of the Night S.K. Ryder Dark Fantasy/Vampire
The only thing standing between a new vampire and eternal darkness is the mortal woman who claims his heart. Youngling vampire Dominic Marchant struggles to master his deadly instincts as he hunts the urban jungles of South Florida. He keeps his hunger confined to the blood of the guilty with help from Cassidy Chandler, a human woman who can literally touch his soul. Their love is his last remaining tether to humanity, which is tested beyond endurance when powerful forces from his past introduce him to terrifying new appetites he could never have imagined.
His efforts to protect Cassidy from the depravity overtaking him push their relationship to the brink of shattering. Refusing to give up on the man who is her heart, she takes an unthinkable gamble to save him. But is she fulfilling an ominous prophecy that ensnares them both? Or has she become just another pawn in a cunning game played by the five-thousand-year-old vampire who claims Dominic as his own?
Desperate to rescue her from a fate worse than death, Dominic strikes a perilous bargain with his greatest enemies only to face an impossible choice–embrace his darkest self . . . or destroy the woman he cannot live without.
Uncaged Review: Several months ago I had the privilege to review the first book in this series, Dark Heart of the Sun, where we meet Dominic and Cassidy. So it was nice to return to the characters in part two. This book is much darker than the first one, and it’s not easy going for Dominic and Cassidy, Dominic is still struggling with his beast and Cassidy has fears of losing him. But the danger is only just beginning with Dominic’s sire and Cassidy will make a huge gamble to save Dominic.
A lot of action, nice sequences and very little downtime for the couple in this book, but you definitely won’t doubt that these two belong together, and even though this book wraps up its own storyline and doesn’t leave you on a cliffhanger, the series is still wide open for more. Reviewed by Cyrene
Being a Guardian for the Black Mesa Wolf Pack meant everything to Lily Bardou. Until the night she made a fatal mistake. Since then, she’s kept her wild side tightly leashed, denying her responsibilities to both her pack and her own sensual needs.
Then Kieran Rendall stalks into her life.
Kieran’s wanted Lily for two long years, and he’s finally done waiting. Convinced she’s part of his destiny, he’s back in town with a plan: to help Lily let go of the past–and to unlock her caged passions.
Uncaged Review: A short novella, introduction into the Black Mesa Wolves series. This short read actually gives just enough information to spark your interest in this series, as it was meant to. Lily is a Guardian for her pack, but she’s been off her duties since she had to kill her human lover, whom she bit during sex, which is against pack laws. Enter Kieran, an alpha from a pack up north, observing the pack as it is with tradition, and he’s been watching Lily for the past tow years. Will Kieran be the one to unlock the passion in Lily to bring her back to her true self, or will the rogue wolves that come into their territory deny her a chance to bring back her Guardian status?
A hot and sexy romance, and well worth the read. Definitely looking forward to book two. Reviewed by Cyrene
To read an interview with Jennifer Siddoway, please see the October issue of Uncaged Book Reviews.
Dealing with the Devil Jennifer Siddoway Young Adult/Paranormal
All Wynn wants to do is finish high school, but anything normal seems impossible when the monsters under your bed are real…All Wynn wants to do is finish high school, but anything normal seems impossible when the monsters under your bed are real…
Wynonna Hendricks’ world is turned upside down when A Demon Lord shows up in her bedroom and declares her soul his property. To regain her freedom, she must conquer the seven deadly sins. In doing so, she finds herself caught between the realms of Heaven, Hell, and Earth, with the angel Caleb as her only ally. His refusal to end her life may have started a war between the factions and thrown the Mortal Realm into mayhem.Wynn discovers new powers, new allies, and enemies she never knew existed—including her own human weakness. To protect her family, she vows to fight. Like. HELL.
Excerpt
I whirled in my seat and let out a frightened gasp, but before I had the chance to scream he was off the bed and slamming me against the wall. I cried out in pain as the back of my head made a nasty crack against the door frame, but my muffled shriek was heard by no one. His hand clamped firmly over my mouth and I could feel the heat of his breath on my skin. The subtle musk of cologne and tobacco still lingered on his fingertips and made me want to gag. My vision blurred as agonizing pain shot through my skull in response to the brutal impact and I stared at the face of my attacker. He was tall, handsome too, with exquisite, bleach-blond hair and an expensive suit that had a gold chain hanging from the pocket of his vest. His eyes were dark and perfectly set beneath a well-groomed brow line and prominent cheek bones. I expected to find someone like him in the pages of a fashion magazine, not breaking into people’s houses.
Noticing my assessment, the man grinned, still holding me in his iron grip, and waved his other hand. The bedroom door swung shut at his command and I heard it lock in place. “Good evening, Wynn. Sorry for the intrusion, but you and I need to have a little chat.”
My insides lurched violently when he spoke my name and I could feel the bile rising in my stomach. He broke into my bedroom with Elyse home? How was that possible? She would have heard him? I felt violated and dirty at the very thought of it, knowing that he could cause me physical injury without even breaking a sweat. There was a very real possibility that he would kill me, and Elyse was still downstairs…I had to warn her.
My heart must have been going a mile a minute as I tried to think of anything I could use to fight him off. As if he knew what I was planning, the dark man sneered. “I wouldn’t get any smart ideas. While I don’t mean you any harm, there is nothing keeping me from amending that decision.”
The tone of his voice warned me that it was not an idle threat and I nodded as tears pricked at the corners of my eyes. My insides were all twisted up in knots; I was terrified. The man smiled slightly, his face mere inches from my own.
“Good. I’m only going to say this once, so I hope you listen carefully: there are three other people living in this house who do not know of my existence. You and I are going to keep it that way. If one of them should find out, I will rip out their beating heart in front of you and feed it to you for dinner.”
He paused to make sure that his threat had sufficiently sunk in before deciding to continue. My obvious horror must have pleased him, because the ghost of a smile played at the corner of his lips. “I’m going to release you now, but if you run, or try screaming for help again, it will be the last thing you ever do. Understood?”
I nodded again, this time much more vigorously. The minute his hand released me I gasped to catch my breath, massaging the tendons in my throat. He backed away slowly and turned to place his hand on against the wall. A kind of mirage seemed to ripple across my room before he returned to his seat on my bed. I blinked in shock, still trying to process what had happened.
“Silence barrier, just to be safe,” he told me with a tight grin. I fought against the impulse inside of me that was telling me to run and stared at him defiantly.
“Who are you?”
“Currently, I go by Aidan,” the man informed me. “Though I’ve gone by many others in the past.”
Swallowing hard, I tried feigning bravery and asked him, “What do you want?” “To finish what I started,” he responded icily. “I’m not fond of leaving things unfinished. Your mother and I were partners a long time ago, she and I had an arrangement of sorts which ended working out well for the both of us. However, given her current circumstance, I was hoping you’d be willing to help with a project of mine.”
My hands were shaking as I listened to his odd request. “What?! No way, I don’t want anything to do with you. I’m just a kid—”
“I’m perfectly aware of your age,” Aidan snapped, “and I’ve already deemed that to be irrelevant. Michele was a valuable asset, but unfortunately she has managed to outlive her usefulness. You, on the other hand, have become my primary interest for quite some time now. I thought it was high time we finally met. I’ve heard so much about you over the years that I had to come and see if her stories were true—if you lived up to my expectations. You’re not what I’d been expecting to be quite honest.”
I scowled at his thinly veiled insult and crossed my arms in front of my chest, “Should I be offended?”
Aidan gave a wolfish grin as he looked me over critically. “Hardly. You’re far more than what I’d envisioned Michele’s daughter to be, lovely too in fact—I couldn’t be more pleased. What could I do to change your mind?”
“You just broke into my house and threatened to kill my family! You’re CRAZY! Why would I help you?”
“I’m so glad you asked. You see, I wasn’t going to stand by and let all those years of planning get flushed down the toilet just because Michele had a sudden attack of conscience…so I’ve decided to take matters into my own hands. I’m prepared to offer you a deal. Help me tie off a few loose ends, and I’ll see to it that your mother makes a full recovery.”
“Just like that?” I asked sarcastically.
“Just. Like. That.” There was no hint in his voice that it was an empty promise. He’d already managed to appear out of thin air and shut my door from across the room, so I wondered if it was possible that he could heal my mother. Still, what could she possibly have been doing with a man like this? And why would he choose to seek me out? It didn’t make any sense. A glimmer of hope for her return was enough to keep me listening.
“How?”
His eyes grew wistful for a moment as he looked me over, eventually resting his gaze upon my necklace. “I meant what I said before about the necklace suiting you. It’s no mere trinket that can be passed down as a family heirloom and it was never meant for some ordinary girl who does not respect its power.”
I stiffened at his change in tone and stared at him confused. “P-power? What are you talking about?”
“Did you think it was coincidence that I showed up when I did?”
“What do you know about Mom’s necklace?”
His grin widened and that’s when I noticed his teeth: perfect canines carefully concealed behind pale, ashen lips. “Quite a bit, considering I’m the one who gave it to her.” Realization struck me like a punch in the gut and I started backing towards the door.
“You’re not human…” I stated flatly, remembering that he’d been able to shut the door with a simple wave of his hand, and the unnatural speed with which he’d flown across the room before slamming me against the wall. The ripple that had spread across my wall alluded to further power that was unlike any human I had seen. My heart started pounding harder in my chest and I felt my mouth run dry at the thought of it. “What are you?”
He chuckled slightly and crossed his arms in front of his chest, shifting his weight on the edge of my bed. “My my my, aren’t you the perceptive one,” he crooned. “What I am is not important. Do we have a deal, or not?”
He needs to leave.
“What happens if I refuse? Are you going to kill me?” I asked, slowly edging towards the door. There was no way I was going to enter into an agreement with a man who had broken into my bedroom and threatened me repeatedly. My eyes kept flitting towards the exit and Aidan blocked it like a well-trained bloodhound that had backed its prey into a corner.
Aidan laughed at my question, which was more terrifying than the reaction I expected. A deadly silence fell across the room as he sat back in his seat. “No, my dear, I need you alive for now. But I also don’t need your consent to get what I am after. It’s come to my attention that you possess a certain skill which interests me, and I believe you hold the power to do great things. I want you to embrace that part of yourself and follow me to a world you’ve never seen before.”
“And then?” “I’ll assign you tasks as I see fit—ones that are suitable to a creature of your particular talent rather than being tempered by this human façade.”
“Façade?”
Aidan grinned, his brown eyes twinkling in the cloudy haze that filtered through my window. “Not all things are what they appear to be. I can make you powerful. I can make you strong. All you have to do is come with me and leave this world behind you.”My throat felt tight as I contemplated his request, my blood pressure steadily rising. “You’d save my mother only to take me away from her…what kind of monster are you?”
His face hardened at my refusal and he stood up, rising to his full height so that he towered over me.
“Fine, we’ll do it your way.”
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Jennifer is an author from Tallahassee, Florida with Duncurra LLC who writes paranormal romance and young adult fantasy. She is a member of both Gulf Coast Authors and the Florida Writers Association. After receiving a degree in theatre from BYU and working as a scenic artist for twelve years, she changed careers to do what she really loves—writing. Jennifer believes that part of her job as an artist and story teller is to create a narrative that explores a fresh perspective and leaves the audience thinking. When she’s not busy writing or burying her nose in a book, Jennifer enjoys doing medieval reenactment with her husband and two children.[/symple_box]
For a debut novel from an author, this is a fantastic first book. When high school student Wynn has a demon show up in her bedroom, she learns that the world isn’t as black and white as it seemed and she’s not all that she believes either. To be free of the demon, she will have to pass a series of tests, and good thing she’s got support from Caleb, the angel.
I loved the characters – and I even enjoyed Lucifer, or Aidan as he wants to go by in this book – and the author did a good job making him a complex character, at times you liked him and he was amusing, and other times you hated him. I do think that the relationship between Caleb and Wynn needs to develop more, and the pace was off and on, some points it was going well, other times things were too drawn out, but the ending will keep you looking for the next one. Reviewed by Cyrene
Edgar Burgess has devoted his life to keeping New York free of vampires, and is usually successful at sensing and staking them… at least until the night his beautiful next door neighbor and unrequited love is enthralled and kidnapped by one. Finding Molly McKillip becomes his life’s focus at the expense of everything else.
Molly has always liked the rambunctious Burgess family, especially Edgar, but she never thought she would see them again after being lured away from her boarding house by a monster. Edgar’s rescuing her from a vampire den is a shocking and unexpected surprise, and it’s only the first one he has to deliver. Hearing him pour his heart out to her is the second. But before they can sort through their feelings for each other, they have one thing left to do: eliminate the vampire that’s still stalking Molly.
Uncaged Review: A throw back in time, back to the 1800’s New York City, and the city is infested with vampires. Vampire hunters known as Searchers, have the inherited ability from their dhampir ancestors to be able to sense when a vampire is near. Edgar and his family are born Searchers, and when their widowed neighbor goes missing, Edgar hunts daily never giving up his search.
Since this is novella length, I won’t go into any more details, but the book was a nice switch from all the modern day vampire books on the market, they have holy water, crosses and stakes to do the job, not any fancy weaponry. There are no hero vampires in this book. Very refreshing and unique. Reviewed by Cyrene
Ghosts of Kingston Cottage Libby Bishop Paranormal/Ghosts
Medium and paranormal investigator Arabella Pierce is sent with her crew to Kingston Cottage, a haunted Maine seafarer’s cottage on an isolated island. For this investigation, her boss has stuck them with skeptical reporter Lucas Brown. Though he’s hot as they come, Arabella can’t trust a man whose sole job is to discredit her and the work she does. Not after what happened with the last few skeptics…
All Lucas may want is the truth, but that doesn’t change her feelings towards him. And when the ghosts appear, she and Lucas must work together—in tight quarters—to convince the resident ghosts to move on before a storm strands the entire crew on the island. Can Arabella put aside her prejudices long enough to see what the ghosts are trying to tell her? And if she does, will she and Lucas have a shot at a lifetime?
Uncaged Review: This is a shorter novella length, and it’s really a love story, or should I say, two love stories in one. Arabella and her team work for a paranormal investigations unit that has been called out to a home on an island, that has been known to be haunted. The owner’s want the home “cleaned” so they can sell it. Much to the Arabella and the team’s dismay, a reporter and skeptic is joining them on this hunt to report to his readers about the company – if they are the real deal or frauds. The love stories that are involved in this story are heartwarming. Even with multiple viewpoints, it was easy to keep up. When you have an hour or two and want something quick to read, you won’t be disappointed in this one. Reviewed by Cyrene
Leda’s quest to gain the magic she needs to save her brother leads her to the castle of the Dragons, home of four soldiers in the Legion of Angels with extraordinary powers over the elements. If she makes it through their training, she might just survive her next sip of the gods’ Nectar and level up her magic.
But the gods’ gifts of magic come at a price. Leda can already feel the Nectar changing her, making her less human—and so is her budding romance with the angel Nero. Sip by sip, kiss by kiss, the change is taking hold of her.
As if that’s not enough, Leda finds herself once again caught between the armies of heaven and hell—and tempted by a darkness that threatens to consume the Earth.
Uncaged Review: My favorite book of this series so far – and the development of the characters moves to a new level, and the action that this series is known for doesn’t let up for a second. One of the 4 soldiers who are powerful elementals and known as Dragons and keep the magic powers in balance around Storm Castle has gone missing. Without the elementals to control the magic, it would take over the lands and destroy everything in its path. Leda and Nero lead a group to the Fire Mountain, to find and bring the soldier back.
The relationship between Nero and his father, and between Leda and Nero completely ramps up and both relationships evolve, with more backstory – and the book did not suffer the grammar/spelling issues that the last one did, or if there were, I was so well engaged I never saw them. If you’ve been waiting for Leda and Nero to take the next step in their relationship – the wait is worth it. Reviewed by Cyrene
Fireflies of the Dead is a collection of poetry and short stories. Exposing images of the strange, the grotesque and morbidly macabre.
An alien from a distant world falls to earth with an insatiable craving for human flesh and something even more frightening, a desire to mate! Witness the tragic tale of a lonely man with an unhealthy affection toward the fire.
Seven short stories and poems that will take you on a blood-soaked thrill ride filled with mayhem and horrific images.
Uncaged Review: A collection of very dark and twisted tales and poems. Not for the easily offended as this author likes to push the reader to the extreme. With some of the stories showing some talented writing others left me feeling a little uncomfortable. So yes this book did leave an impression on me. After reading this book I thought the last story in the book was the best in the book. Featuring a thirty-something Noah who hates his job and is still living with his parent’s. Goes a little stir crazy with an online virtual world game. This book is a good read if you can overlook the Dark Sexual elements of the stories throughout the book. I would give this book adults only warning due to its extreme graphic nature. Reviewed by Jennifer
Scarred Protector
[symple_box color=”black” fade_in=”false” float=”center” text_align=”left” width=””]Jennifer is an author from Tallahassee, Florida with Duncurra LLC who writes paranormal romance and young adult fantasy. She is a member of both Gulf Coast Authors and the Florida Writers Association. After receiving a degree in theatre from BYU and working as a scenic artist for twelve years, she changed careers to do what she really loves—writing. Jennifer believes that part of her job as an artist and story teller is to create a narrative that explores a fresh perspective and leaves the audience thinking. When she’s not busy writing or burying her nose in a book, Jennifer enjoys doing medieval reenactment with her husband and two children.[/symple_box]
