Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Paranormal Delight



God Touched by John Conroe


8722254



Book 1 of the Demon Accords.

Chris Gordon is a rookie with the NYPD - one with a secret. In his spare time Chris is an exorcist without equal with a gift from God.

But when he saves a beautiful girl from a demonic attack, he discovers there is more to fear than just demons. Finding himself surrounded by vampires, were weasels, and facing a giant short-faced bear, Chris struggles to stay alive, all while protecting his deadly new girlfriend. And then there's her over protective vampire mother!



Rate & take


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I found this book and series by stalking, and I'm proud of that fact! 
I was looking over some book title or other and wasn't sure if it was for me (it wasn't). 
When I am uncertain of a book I go to the customer reviews. I know some reviews are fake to puff up the book appeal/sales, so I also look to the overall tone of all the reviews. 
In my perusal my eyes landed on a reviewer that really gave much thought to what he had to say about the read, and in no way did it feel contrived. The site I was on gives the option of clicking on all reviews by an individual. I totally stalked ever review he ever gave, and among them I found this gem of a book. 

<Thank you book reviewer whose name I do not recall, I pray you never run out of good reads.>

I am smitten with this series and am already well into book two. It's told from the leading males perspective and he is extraordinary and ordinary all at the same time. The combination somehow makes the character feel very genuine. And oh! The paranormal spectrum is well represented here, I am in LOVE with all that goes bump in the night, and day. I don't feel the book blurb above gives it justice, it deserves a spiffier homage.

If you love the paranormal, this one is a must for your TBR, or right now list !!



Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Wanted to be Twilight/More like, not yet sun down



Hidden Moon by K.R. Thompson


18110734




The first installment of the Keeper Saga, Hidden Moon is a story of danger, romance, and magic. Seventeen year-old Nikki Harmon knows that her life will never be the same. Forced to move after her father's death, she is determined to keep what is left of her family together, even if she can't get cell service. What she doesn't know, is that she will encounter mythical creatures in her quest to solve the mystery of the Trail Killer, and that she will be torn by her feelings for two very different guys. As she unearths the deadliest secret of all--will she lose her heart to one of them, or will she lose her life?




Rate & take


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This was a quick and likable story. The setup was similar to Twilight without the burden of amazingness [sic]. I can't say there were any surprises in the plot and every now and then the female lead seemed to lose her backbone and slip into helpless victim a little too well. This review is starting to sound a lot more like I disliked the book, but really it was a nice way to pass a few hours with some paranormal creatures. I am very visual when I read and can picture people and landscapes easily, this book gave me some very nice visual cues.



Saturday, May 16, 2015

Note from a thrifty reader


If you have stopped by this blog a time or two, you may have noticed I have a pretty decent reading habit going. Since my buying habit is large, and the money to support it is not, I look to many sources for discounts. (I should note here that I read mostly digitally, so my suggestions may not helpful to you if you read bound books.)
In addition to the multiply daily emails I get with the current days ebook deals (see the "Booky sites" page just below the Book Bliss banner for a full listing), I have recently subscribed to a service called, Scribd. For a reasonable monthly fee I have free range to download books, audio books, and comics. So far my picks have more than paid for the monthly fee when compared to the current purchase price of each download. Also, in many areas the local libraries are now offering access to their catalogs digitally, check your local library for details.


I say, read more, pay less!!! 


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HAPPY READING! HAPPY READING! HAPPY READING! HAPPY READING!



Wednesday, May 13, 2015

This is what retirement looks like

The Fallen Angel by Daniel Silva


13390528


After narrowly surviving his last operation, Gabriel Allon, the wayward son of Israeli intelligence, has taken refuge behind the walls of the Vatican, where he is restoring one of Caravaggio's greatest masterpieces. But early one morning he is summoned to St. Peter's Basilica by Monsignor Luigi Donati, the all-powerful private secretary to His Holiness Pope Paul VII. The body of a beautiful woman lies broken beneath Michelangelo's magnificent dome. The Vatican police suspect suicide, though Gabriel believes otherwise. So, it seems, does Donati. But the monsignor is fearful that a public inquiry might inflict another scandal on the Church, and so he calls upon Gabriel to quietly pursue the truth—with one caveat.

"Rule number one at the Vatican," Donati said. "Don't ask too many questions."

Gabriel learns that the dead woman had uncovered a dangerous secret—a secret that threatens a global criminal enterprise that is looting timeless treasures of antiquity and selling them to the highest bidder. But there is more to this network than just greed. A mysterious operative is plotting an act of sabotage that will plunge the world into a conflict of apocalyptic proportions. . . .

An intoxicating blend of art, intrigue, and history, The Fallen Angel moves swiftly from the cloistered chambers of the Vatican to the glamorous ski slopes of St. Moritz to the graceful avenues of Berlin and Vienna—and, finally, to a shocking climax beneath the world's most sacred and contested parcel of land. Each setting in this extraordinary novel is rendered with the care of an Old Master, as are the spies, lovers, priests, and thieves who inhabit its pages. It is a story of faith and of the destructive power of secrets—and an all too timely reminder that those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.



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This is the 12th book in the Gabriel Allon series, and my second dive into the franchise. I think they read very well as stand alone's...just in case you were thinking of having some spy time of your very own. I love the main character, Gabriel, and the fact that part of this book takes place at the Vatican, was just a further draw for me. No matter how "retired" he is, the office just keeps finding need of his services. The book was smooth and kept the action nicely paced. I also appreciated the bits of humor sprinkled along the way and the fact the he juggles his spy craft with his first love, art restoration. That dichotomy of talents always tickles me. I say, leave the gun, take the paint brush! But then all paint and no kill might make Gabriel a dull boy, er, read.


Wednesday, May 6, 2015

Warm & cold



Jake Undone by Penelope Ward


18243828



Nina Kennedy was alive…but not living…until she met him.

Planes, trains, heights…you name it, Nina was afraid of it and led a sheltered life ruled by irrational fears and phobias. When she moves to Brooklyn for nursing school, that life is turned upside down, as she develops an intense but unwanted attraction to her gorgeous roommate, who’s pierced, tattooed and just happens to be the smartest person she’s ever met.

Behind Jake Green’s rough exterior and devilish smile, lies a heart of gold. He makes it his mission to change Nina’s outlook on life. When he agrees to tutor her, they forge a bet and the stakes are high as Jake forces Nina to face her demons. He just wasn't expecting to fall hard for her in the process.

What Nina doesn't realize, is that Jake has been living his own private hell. Once he drops a bombshell, will their love survive it?



Rate & take


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There was a good deal of appeal in this book that kept me reading until the end...and there was also some very thin writing that came with it. At times I would be reading along, taking everything in and enjoying it, then I would realize just how little depth some characters had. Many were only there to utter a few words, some were just a thought in someones head. Others were written out without any further mention. It was as if the author could only really manage the main two characters and very little else. Despite these difficulties I did find this title enjoyable. At first I was mad at myself for falling for it, but there is a thread of charm here that can't be denied.