Tag: paranormal (Page 3 of 5)

February Round Up

March 2, 2015 / Kaetrin

Monthly Mini Review

Protecting Their Mate (Part 1) by Mia Thorne – B- (review copy provided via author) This is a very hot, very short read, coming in (heh) at around 30 pages. Ashley is a 20 year old wolf shifter who has been kept away from the pack by her parents, to live only in the human world. Every month it is increasingly difficult for her to manage the sexual craving she has at the full moon and her parents lock her away in the basement. This month has been even worse and it has been four days and no-one has given her any food.

The local pack Alpha has sent his second, Blake, to find Ashley after hearing word she is being mistreated. When he finds her, she is not only in serious need of his help (in a number of ways) he also finds that she is in mating heat. It appears she’s the only remaining female werewolf who can bear offspring. This obviously makes her very important to the survival of the pack. Continue reading

Uncertain Magic by Laura Kinsale, narrated by Nicholas Boulton

January 28, 2015 / Kaetrin

Why I read it: This one is from my own audiobook library. I listened over Christmas as a special gift to myself.

What it’s about: (from Goodreads) As a lovely heiress, Roderica Delamore should be a prize catch–except for her shameful secret. She has the ability to hear the thoughts of those around her. Even her family and close friends can’t hide from her strange gift. Knowing that she can never marry, for no man could bear it, Roddy still longs hopelessly for a family of her own. Until she meets the man she’s been waiting for–the Earl of Iveragh, a mysterious Irish aristocrat whose thoughts are entirely closed to her.

The impoverished Devil Earl is damned in society by dark rumor and innuendo, and, for all she knows, he could be a liar, a rogue, or much, much worse. But Roddy must dance with him at midnight on All Hallows Eve, and entrust her life–and her heart–to a riveting stranger, called by his torment into the faerie mists to discover what she most fears about herself and her own magic.

What worked for me (and what didn’t): I read this book ages ago and it was originally published in the 1980s. I had fond memories of it. Listening to it, the story didn’t feel dated – or, at least, it felt dated in the time it was set, which is late Georgian England and Ireland. It’s quite an unusual book and different to Kinsale’s other romances in that it incorporates paranormal aspects. Roddy Delamore can hear the thoughts of others and for her entire life, this has set her apart. People see her as a freak and she feels she will have no life of her own as no husband will want her. When she happens to meet Faelan Savigar, the Earl of Iveragh, he is the only person she’s ever come across who’s mind is closed to her. It is pretty much that which decides her on him for her husband. She is wealthy and he needs money to repair his broken down estate. He is 35 and she is only 19 and very pretty and he can’t quite understand his good fortune to have attracted her but he is not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
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Kaetrin’s favourites of 2014 (part the second)

December 22, 2014 / Kaetrin

I read some other wonderful books this year but which were published before (in some cases, well before) 2014 and some which were published on audio for the first time in 2014. I felt they deserved a mention. In no particular order:

Mrs. Drew Plays Her Hand by Carla Kelly. I read this one because my friend Merrian sent it to me and because I was on a plane and needed a non-ebook to read during take-off and landing. I’ve been in a bit of a historical romance slump but this was a delightful surprise. I was inspired to then buy a whole pile of other Carla Kelly books (all of which currently languish on my TBR – the vast majority of books I buy do that. Don’t worry Carla Kelly books, you have some awesome company in there.)

Kaetrin’s Favourites for 2014 (part the first)

December 22, 2014 / Kaetrin

I tweeted out my top 10 (or 12 depending on how you count them) books for the year on 17 December so those who follow me on Twitter will not be surprised by this list. Here’s the version with pretty pictures. It’s a list of books I liked. That’s it.

These are my favourite new releases for 2014. It’s not a best of because I’m sure there are many wonderful books on my TBR of Doom or which haven’t made it that far even. Besides, personal taste being what it is, what does “best” really mean anyway?

I’m not really ranking the top 10. They were all wonderful and memorable and enjoyable and I loved them. That said, perhaps the biggest surprise to me is that when I do a “favourite book of 2014. Go!” gut check, the 1st answer which pops into my head isn’t even a romance. (Do I need to turn in my romance card?) So, I guess, *if pushed* I’d say the number one read was:

The Martian by Andy Weir. It’s a cracker of a book. If a reader has any interest in sci-fi or space travel books at all, I highly recommend it. The science is sound and the writing is engaging and funny and the tension is dialled right up there all the way to the end of the book. You don’t have to be a rocket scientist (heh) to read or understand it (trust me on this) and did I mention that it’s funny? Continue reading

October Round Up

November 2, 2014 / Kaetrin

Monthly Mini Review

Frozen by Meljean Brook – C The author kindly provided a review copy of this self-published paranormal novella. I have great respect for her writing and some of my friends adore her books so I didn’t even really care what the book was about. That may have been a mistake – but then again, I’m not sure the blurb could have helped me out here.

Olivia Martin is a civil engineer working for Gullbrandr Engineering. On her way to spend Christmas with her family outside of Denver, she is asked to drop off some important papers by the CEO, to his son, Erik Gullbrandr, who is staying at their country property. Olivia and Erik first met some time ago and there were sparks of attraction and one very steamy kiss. Erik shut things down very quickly. Olivia thought initially this was because they were working together but after the project was finished, she asked him on a date and he turned her down flat. Subsequently, Olivia’s company was bought out by Erik’s father’s company and they have been no more than colleagues. Olivia still nurses a crush on him – she admires and likes him and though he could be “the One”. She never understood the reason for his rejection.

Erik is horrified and enraged to see Olivia at his castle (it really is, with a portcullis and everything). It turns out there’s a curse, he’s a paranormal being and on the winter solstice (2 days hence) he will lose control and fuck Olivia whether she wants it or not. Something about Olivia has triggered the curse and Erik has been trying to keep away from her ever since. Continue reading

Joint Review at Dear Author

October 8, 2014 / Kaetrin

Sirius and I join forces at Dear Author today to review The Devil Lancer by Astrid Amara. It’s a paranormal queer romance set during the Crimean War. I wanted to like it more than I did.