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DanielleDeVor

The Fevered Imagination of Danielle DeVor

Ramblings of a vampire obsessed author who can't get enough books to read.

Portals (The Thulukan Chronicles, #2)

Portals (The Thulukan Chronicles, #2) - Maer Wilson Maer Wilson's Portals is a great follow-up in her Thulukan Chronicles series. The stakes are higher as the danger from other beings and humans themselves become a threat to Thulu and La Fi.

A fan girl like me will be happy to know that we learn a lot more about Jones. Still delicious. Still amazingly awesome.

In Relics, Wilson made me want to play with unicorns. Now, in Portals, she'd made me want to watch Light Ones fly.

If you can't tell, I'm a huge fan of this book and I can't wait for the next one.

Haven of Dante: The Staff of Moshe

Haven of Dante: The Staff of Moshe - Leonardo Ramirez Leonardo Ramirez's Haven of Dante: The Staff of Moishe is a very unusual book. Part sci-fi, part religious fiction, and part high fantasy, the story takes may twists and turns.

The Dante family's epic history falls to Haven Dante who must save the world from the creatures of the 9 levels of hell. Full of danger, the dead-beat (in personality) dad is irritating and horrible enough that you want to report him to CPS.

The one drawback of the book is that each chapter feels more like a separate book. Sometimes, a chapter based largely in the distant past is followed by one based far into the future and it left me feeling a little discombobulated.

Still though, Haven of Dante is definitely a read if you are looking for something different.

Phantom Touch

Phantom Touch - Jessica Hawke Hawke's Phantom Touch is a thoroughly engaging red. Bridget, a young girl who can see ghosts, is perfectly charming. Her friend, Emily, is at times, irritating, but overall she is loyal.

When Bridget is faced with a spirit that frightens her, the stakes get higher. No longer can she hope to be normal, and perhaps, risk her own life.

This book was a great YA read. I look forward to reading more of Hawke's work.

Switch! The Lost Kingdoms of Karibu

Switch! The Lost Kingdoms of Karibu - Karen  Prince Wonderful YA read full of magic, energy and adventure.

Price's love of her homeland, Zimbabwe, is evident in the story.

Phantom Bigfoot Strikes Again

Phantom Bigfoot Strikes Again - Simon Okill I wasn't sure what to expect when I started this book. I'll be honest. I'm kind of a cynical person and not a huge fan of modern comedy. But, Simon's Bigfoot story was entertaining.

Were parts of the story gross? Yup. Were some of the characters kind of irritating? Yes. But they are supposed to be. Think Peter Griffin of Family Guy.

Duane, the bigfoot friend, is a strange goofy guy. And, with his care for the bigfoot, you just have to kind of love him. Not many people would deal with half the things the bigfoot do to his house.

And- the bigfoot are adorable in their own stinky way. I could have done without the graphic bigfoot mating acts, but being as they are animals, I can understand why Simon included that part of their lives.

The Black Eagle Inn

The Black Eagle Inn - Christoph Fischer Fischer has such a talent at portraying family dynamics. Having read all three of his books niw, I consider myself a fan.

The Black Eagle Inn, again portraying Germany's history, deals with the trials and tribulations of a country family who own a farm and inn. What is different about this book us that Fischer approaches the issues of foreigners in Germany post World War II and the acceptance of homosexuality in Germany.

As usual, Fischer approaches these subjects with poise and class.

Sebastian

Sebastian - Christoph Fischer Christoph Fischer has done it again with Sebastian. This is a story of love, heartbreak, and war.

Sebastian, at the beginning if the tale, is a weak child who allowed an infection take hold of him so badly in his leg that he ended up with an amputation. His equally weak mother, Vera, makes mistakes that jeopardize his health.

Again as t the odds, Sebastian is able to live a full rich life. Full of colorful characters and extensive historical accuracy, this is one to add to your historical fiction shelves.

Night Film

Night Film - Marisha Pessl If I had to sum up this book in one word, it would be "amazing".

It hit all my happy points- recluse film director ala Cigarette Burns, horror films, a mysterious suicide, and a fractured hero. This will be one of those books that I will reread over and over again.

The Luck of the Weissensteiners

The Luck of the Weissensteiners - Christoph Fischer Stories entertaining the lives of Jews in Eastern Europe prior to the advancement of Hitler have always fascinated me. You find yourself wondering if they had some inkling that something was coming. In the case of Fischer's "The Luck of the Weissensteiners". some of those questions are answered.

Greta Weissensteiner, in particular, is charmingly naive. Her love for Wilhelm, a German, is forthright. It takes her father asking her what Wilhelm thinks about her being a Jew for her to even address the thought.

Fischer's tale weaves around Greta and Wilhelm's trials and tribulations with their love affair doomed by both time and circumstance. I do not want to spoil the story, but I will say that Fischer has constructed a heck of a story.

I'll be looking forward to reading his other books.

Unwanted Ghost (A Thulukan Chronicles Story, #2)

Unwanted Ghost (A Thulukan Chronicles Story, #2) - Maer Wilson Thulu and La Fi are at it again. This time, though, the haunting starts out in their own home- the home they just inherited from a client who recently passed away. The new thing, this ghost isn't exactly trustworthy.

Wilson does an amazing job at creating a character that really irritated me. The ghost, Darla, is not someone I think anyone could easily like, and I have to applaud Wilson for managing to get that much emotion out of me with a short story.

The Shepherd

The Shepherd - Travis Luedke Beautifully written, Travis Ludeke's The Shepherd reminds me a lot of Let Me In, but with teens instead of children. Natasha is kind in her own way, but, as you'll see during the course of the story, she isn't quite as safe as Mike believes her to be. Nothing like having a vampire as a body guard. Take a minute to imagine that.

Full of larger than life characters and fraught emotion, this is a good addition to the YA vampire pantheon.

Center Point

Center Point - R.M. Clark R. M. Clark's debut adult novel, Center Point, is a charming mystery embroiled in history. Dennis Kozma is a charming young man, given a quest by his dead father to clear his name. Soon, it becomes apparent that there is more to the story than just his father's good name.

The secondary characters are both charming and diabolical. Dennis' stepfather, Stan, particularly, is a piece of work.

Clark's voice is wonderful and make the story a very fast read. If I had one complaint, it was that in areas there seemed to be a little too much Dennis telling us about things when the reader would rather be in the middle of the action.

This is a story not to be ignored though. Full of charm and wit, Dennis is a lovable character.

Council Courtship (Fairyproof 2)

Council Courtship (Fairyproof 2) - Constance Phillips Sweet and charming, Phillips fairy world feels both magical and real. The love between Tristan and Quinn is strong and heartfelt. I think, though, that my favorite aspect of the story is the inside look into the fairy government. Phillips has created one heck of a world and I can't wait to read more.

Confronting the Demon

Confronting the Demon - Ciara Ballintyne Alloran is a wizard on the run. Because of his dark past, when murders start occurring around town, he's the first they blame. Too bad the killer is actually an old friend of Alloran's who has gotten corrupted by dark magic. When he runs into an old flame that is a sword sorceress, chaos and a little heat ensue.

I'm not usually much of an epic fantasy reader, but this one kept me gripped. While it is a short read, you will find yourself completely engrossed until you finish it. Team Alloran all the way!

Luna Aeturnus

Luna Aeturnus - Simon Okill Mr. Okill has continued the story that began with Delicate Rose and has done so with flair. The slipping in and out of Rose's mangled mind between the past and present is much more segmented, which was great for me because I was able to really imagine how her mind had shattered at the atrocities Lucian (the big baddie) has put her through over the years.

The steamy bits are steamy when dealing with Eduoard and revolting when dealing with the sexually depraved orderly at the mental hospital- as they should be.

I would have given this book five stars, but I kept getting distracted by Lucian repeating the same phrase over and over when about to fight or in the middle of a fight. I'm sure Mr. Okill meant this to be Lucian's call to battle, but it just took me away from the story.

MIND: The Beginning

MIND: The Beginning - Jenn Nixon Dina Ranger is a psychic, but not just a “let’s find your dog” sort. She has true powers, can make people do things she wants them to do- essentially she’s bad ass.

When she discovers that her twin brother is suddenly the head of a government agency designed to track psychics like her, she joins forces, hopefully for the good of mankind.

Then, she meets Liam and falls for him like oil on a hot stone. They sizzle.

I don’t want to give away the ending, but let’s just say there is a final showdown between the good psychics and the bad psychics and the tension leading up to the event really makes your heart beat fast. I’d recommend this to anyone who loves sci-fi romance.