Review: Blurred Nights by Kallysten

Book 1, The Blurred Trilogy

Publisher:  CreateSpace (paperback)/Alinar Publishing (e-book)

ISBN:  9781461058250 (paperback)/1461058252 (e-book)

Pages: 178 pages (paperback)/215KB (e-book)

Date:  May 20, 2011 (paperback)/October 05, 2008 (e-book)

Rating:  4 ½ stars

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for review from the author.  I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".

Buy Links:

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001J6OUZA

Amazon Canada:  http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B001J6OUZA

Amazon UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Blurred-Nights-Trilogy/dp/B001J6OUZA/

Barnes & Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/books/1102680915?ean=2940014215251

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/blurred-nights/id393745414?mt=11

Marc and Blake are hunting demons.  Kallysten starts this book with a fight right away - what a great way to grab the reader’s attention.  And it shows Marc and Blake’s alpha side – what a visual.  In their hunt they come upon some human fighters.  And to make this story different from others, our humans have a way of testing the vampires.

Kate meets our fighters in some interesting circumstances and I love how she doesn’t like them right away.  Then we have a scene where Blake and Marc seem to be arguing like two teenage boys with their testosterone raging.  You can just picture them as young boys fighting over the same girl – in this case, Kate.  You won’t think of them as vampires until you read this scene and you can just imagine them having a fang showdown. 

Blake is a character that you have to laugh at.  He’s the little boy who acts out to get attention from the ones he loves.  And he has to learn that there are consequences for your actions.  But our author also shows how serious he can be when someone he cares about gets hurt.

What makes Kallysten’s stories so good is it’s not all about the sex.  She develops the story first and the romance between characters is just icing on the cake.  It’s a story you can finish in just a couple of hours and because it’s so short you will find it difficult to put down.  The action and suspense are what will hold your attention right up until the end where you’ll be left wanting to read more.  And you’ll be happy to note that the second and third books titled Blurred Bloodlines and Blurred Memories are also currently available.

Heart of the Dragon by Myra Nour

Volarn Chronicles II

CreateSpace

Published:  June 12, 2012 (paperback); June 12, 2012 (e-book)

ISBN:  9781477618677 (paperback)/1477618678 (e-book)

514 pages (paperback); 471KB (e-book)

Rating:  4 ½ stars

Eric is a soldier and right from the beginning we see how strong he is.  Myra starts the action right from the first chapter.  This story continues book one titled Love’s Captive.

Eric has come to Volarn to see his sister. They are at a ceremony when he looks at a woman standing near Rhamus.  Kasha is seen attending the Tartha ceremony.  It’s a place she doesn’t want to be.  But then he walks up to her.  She doesn’t make anything easy.

Myra puts her readers into a world that we don’t think exists.  She also develops a language but she doesn’t make it so difficult that you can’t figure out what she’s talking about.  She has made Eric a soldier but he’s also a man who cares about things around him. 

While Kasha and Eric are out they discover something that Kasha doesn’t believe exists.  You will find that this animal they discover will steal every scene Myra writes him into.  He’s just so loveable.  He will also make you laugh.  You may also start to reminisce about your pet.

If you love to read outside, this is the perfect book to find a place in a park, maybe a beautiful garden, or even in your favorite chair with some favorite music to listen to.  But Myra has also left me wondering if she has a book three for her readers.  I want to learn more about the residents of Volarn.  We will just have to wait and see if Eric’s sister has a story.  Maybe even Jarvic has a happy ending in store for him.  But in the meantime, you can always check out to see what other books she has available.

“Wicked Allure” by Leslie C. Megahey and Shirley H. Ferdinand

CreateSpace

Published:  March 20, 2012 (paperback); April 06, 2012 (e-book)

ISBN:  9781475010800 (paperback)

280 pages (paperback); 391KB (e-book)

Rating:  4 stars

Zachary Steele likes his coke – and I don’t mean the soda.  And he’s mixed it with scotch.  Madigan is next to him in bed.  Madigan DeLeon is an exotic looking beauty.  At one point, Zach hurt her and pushed her away.  In his drug induced mind, he doesn’t know what is real and what isn’t.  He thinks Madi is a fantasy.  And later on they will learn that there are always consequences for their actions.

Madi’s sisters end up in the room and one of them gives the hint that someone else may have been the one to keep her and Zach apart.  She has a great job – she’s a junior vice president of development at a multimedia company.  Madi’s mother, Karolyn, seems like a controlling bitch.  Besides controlling her daughters, she also took controlling interest in Zach’s company.

And then Karolyn springs a surprise on Madi.  This leaves Madi questioning what she should do.  Even her sisters get involved in her life.  I guess I should be grateful that I only have brothers.  They wouldn’t dare sticking their noses in where they don’t belong.  Karolyn also likes to torture those around her.

Leslie and Shirley do a great job of creating Karolyn’s character – she’s pure evil on two legs.  They also make Madi sound like pure sex in stiletto knee-high boots.  Karolyn seems to be the puppeteer and she holds all the strings. I can definitely say that she is one of my least favorite characters. But isn’t that what Leslie and Shirley want?  It means you are involved in what is going on in the book.

One reoccurring theme is the past between Zach and Madi.  I understand it made them who they are now but I have to wonder how many times it will keep coming up.  Do we really need to hear about it over and over?  That was my only negative thing about the whole story.  Although that is also what brings them back together.

We then find out how the book got its title.  If our writing team ever decide to make this the start of a series, I hope we will hear more about the business that Madi and Zach start.  I’d love to know more about what people do there.

I found it funny that while reading a scene where Zach is at the business, the song “The Cheater” http://youtu.be/zToZZOTmeXo sung by Bob Kuban came on.  It was then followed up by “Tears on my pillow” http://youtu.be/8HXugnXK8Js  by Little Anthony and the Imperials.  It couldn’t have been planned any better.

At the beginning of this story, upon meeting Zach’s brother Dakota I didn’t think he was all that smart.  But then there is a point where the two of them have a serious discussion and he gives Zach some very sound advice – I was very impressed.  And I can say the same about this book.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading the love story of Zach and Madi.  And I was also impressed that our mother and daughter writing team didn’t change the mother character.  She was a bitch at the beginning of the story and she was that same at the end.  

This may have some explicit language in it but not enough to offend anyone.  And the sex scenes – hot!  You now have a choice to make.  Which would you prefer, paperback or e-book copy - tough choice.

I have included the book's trailer in the hopes you will watch and it will pique your interest even more.