Review: Kiss of Fire by Rebecca Ethington

Series: The Imdalind Series (Book 1)

Electronic: 374 pages

Publisher: Imdalind Press

Genre: Supernatural

Date of Publication: October 31, 2012

Synopsis: 

Joclyn Despain has been marred by a brand on her skin. She doesn't know why the mark appeared on her neck, but she doesn't want anyone to see it, including her best friend Ryland, who knows everything else about her. The scar is the reason she hides herself behind baggy clothes, and won't let the idea of kissing Ryland enter her mind, no matter how much she wants to.

The scar is the reason she is being hunted.

If only she knew that she was.

If only she had known that the cursed stone her estranged father sent for her 16th birthday would trigger a change in her. Now, she is being stalked by a tall blonde man, and is miraculously throwing her high school bully ten feet in the air.

Joclyn attempts to find some answers and the courage to follow her heart. When Ryland finds her scar; only he knows what it means, and who will kill her because of it.

Review:

I love this book!

I felt the complete range of emotions with Kiss of Fire. I became invested in the characters. I wanted them to succeed. Usually I'm a sucker for the villain, but I wanted this one to just burn and die. There were some great twists and plot devices that I enjoyed. 

The entire time I kept wondering what race the characters belonged to--vampires, witches, ancient gods. I liked how they weren't what I expected. 

This novel is a page turner and will kept me enthralled until the end. I highly recommend it.

Rating: 5 out of 5 owls

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Review: Blue Violet by Abigail Owen

Series: The Svatura Series (Book 1)

Paperback: 234 pages

Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Genre: Mythology

Date of Publication: September 17, 2012

Synopsis:

Ellie Aubrey is a centuries-old gypsy princess whose extraordinary abilities once inspired her Roma ancestors' fairytales (or nightmares). Along with her twin-brother, Griffin, Ellie has spent most of her life hiding from the Vyusher, a rival tribe who destroyed their entire powerful family. But after a mysterious dream, Ellie risks discovery in order to find and watch over the Jenners, another group of similarly gifted people. She refuses to let them suffer the same fate.

Alex Jenner has come home to protect his family. His adopted mother can sense danger coming, but not who or when. Suspicious of the new girl in town, Alex challenges Ellie in ways that will spark one of two possible outcomes: they'll spontaneously combust, or she'll lose control of the one power she's fought so hard to contain.

When the Vyusher once again threaten everything she holds dear, Ellie will have to face her worst fear, and Alex will have to face an impossible decision. In this fairy tale, the dragon that the prince must slay is also the princess who holds his heart.

Review:

I enjoyed this book. The family reminded me of the Cullens from Twilight. Trust me, that's a good thing.

The characters are warm and inviting. They genuinely care for one another and want to do good. 

Owen developed an interesting mythology that worked well with her plot. I like the protagonist and the antagonist. My only hiccup is that Ellie seems to have too much strength. She is almost all powerful. I like to see a hero struggle. There wasn't enough serious heart-wrenching struggle for me, though there wasn't an absence of it either. Confusing, I know. 

Anyway, I enjoyed it. If you like reinvented mythologies you should check it out.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

 

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Review: Goddess Legacy by M. W. Muse

Genre: Mythology

Synopsis:

Legacy Kore is an average seventeen year old with your basic insane crush on the hottest guy in school...rather Adin Shepard was the hottest guy in school before he graduated a couple of weeks ago. Now it's summer vacation and she's not sure when she'll get to see him again. Until he shows up at her surprise seventeenth birthday party. Cue saliva glands-it's time to drool.

But her giddiness is cut short when her guardian delivers an emotional blow, telling Legacy her mother hadn't died when she was a baby, but that she'd left for Legacy's protection all those years ago. After the initial shock, she expects some story about how her mother was in the Witness Protection Program or something else just as crazy, but when she is told that her mother is a Greek Goddess and that Legacy is changing into one too, she thinks her guardian needs a trip to a mental hospital.

While trying to make sense out of something that was impossible to believe, Adin asks Legacy out on a date. She is thrilled that her fantasy might become a reality, but when she meets the new guy in town, River, she discovers everything isn't always as it seems, and the legacy she wants just might not be the legacy she is destined to have.

Review:

Muse presents an original interpretation and experimentation  of classical Greek mythology. I greatly enjoyed the concept of the gods being "reborn" and able to rewrite their destinies. Legacy is the heroine that we see time and time again--the teenage girl that is smitten with the hottest guy in school. In typical fashion this handsome stud falls for her and does everything he can to be with her. Adin is the adoring boyfriend who doesn't want to rush things, is very protective of his lady love, and is willing to put himself in harm's way to protect her. Include deceit and omission of details about his love's identity to that list of eligible qualities.

What bothered me was that the entire time Legacy was explaining her identity and River's role in her life to Adin, he already knew all of it. Yes, I understand that it was a plot device to throw in a twist at the very end; however, when I realized that Legacy could have avoided a great deal of heartache if he would have come forward at the beginning, I became frustrated. Instead of throwing out more drama in the end, Muse could have had some major event happen--Legacy getting herself hurt doesn't count. I was not biting my nails over that. By having Adin withhold the information from Legacy, Muse not only discredited her characters, but it squashed a great climax into nothing. There was no peak of action in the plot of this book. It was an overload of information that was repeated several times, yet left me wondering where the author was taking the plot. Based on the information in the first book, the next will be the same--an encyclopedia of cryptic information that does essentially nothing to progress the plot.

Here is what happens--Legacy gets a boyfriend, finds out she's a goddess, is courted by a new guy she is destined to be with, ends up getting herself hurt, and finds out her boyfriend has been lying to her from the beginning and her mother still wants nothing to do with her. Nothing "big" happens.

The saving grace for this book was the focus on Legacy developing her powers. It isn't just a love story. The characters are affected by her powers and her reactions are somewhat realistic. Overall, I believe Goddess Legacy is more suited for a younger (teen) audience. Muse has a great idea going for her and I hope the next books develop more that the first.

If you enjoy Greek Mythology I would recommend you to at least check out Goddess Legacy. You may find it worthwhile.



Rating: 3 out of 5 owls



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Review: Deer in Headlights by Staci Hart

Genre: New Adult | Mythology

Synopsis:

What do Greek gods do when they're bored? Because they're always bored, so humans are the perfect

players in their games. 

Aphrodite owns love; she hasn't lost a competition on her turf in over three millennia. Apollo is on a mission to win. He's counting on it to finally get the one woman he's never been able to have. The two gods will choose their human players, and if Aphrodite can't get them together before the clock runs out, Apollo will her his way. And Aphrodite couldn't have that. 

Lew and Dean are perfect for each other, they just don't know it yet. Dean is a perpetual bachelor, and a brooding, beautiful rock star. Lex is always with a man, but she'll never fully give herself up. Aphrodite has her work cut out for her, but if she can't make it work, no one can. 

The gods have their own drama. Apollo killed Aphrodite's mortal love--they've got beef that's been dragging on for thousands of years. Ares, the douchebag, is forever trying to pick a fight, and trying to get Aphrodite into bed. And Persephone, Aphrodite's best friend, is the one person who Aphrodite shares everything with. 

Follow the gods as they fight, laugh, cry, lose love, gain power, and make a mess with humans. 

Review:

This book is hot, steamy, and just a tad bit sexy.

I have mentioned this before in other posts, but I am a huge fan of Greek mythology. Staci Hart sticks very close to the classic lore while still managing to make the characters her own.

The banter and competitive nature was perfect. While I love books that portray the gods in their infinite wisdom, it was refreshing to see them keeping up with the times and the change in lingo.

Staci managed her transitions very smoothly, though I felt a few of the flashbacks were unnecessary--but I know the lore so it could just be me. Still, they were beautifully written and Staci has a great style. Overall, I stepped away from Deer in Headlights feeling like "I just read a good book."

There are some steamy scenes. Just letting you know.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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Review: Destined by Jessie Harrell

Genre: Mythology

Synopsis:

When Psyche receives a prophecy gone horribly wrong, she learns that even the most beautiful girl in Greece can have a hideous future. Her fate? Fall in love with the one creature even the gods fear.

As she feels herself slipping closer into the arms of the prophecy, Psyche must choose between the terrifyingly tender touch she feels almost powerless to resist and the one constant she's come to expect out of life: you cannot escape what is destined.

Destined is a fresh and heart-achingly romantic retelling of the Cupid & Psyche myth from debut novelist, Jessie Harrell.


Review:

Destined is an original twist on the myth of Cupid and Psyche. In Jessie Harrell's version Aphrodite actually asks Psyche to marry her son. However, after meeting the selfish jerk Psyche refuses. Aphrodite then manipulates the couple, with a "mother knows best" attitude, and the couple falls in love in typical myth fashion.

When I was a young girl of only 8 years old (cue sappy elevator music) I found a beautifully illustrated book about the mysterious and fantastical Greek Pantheon. Greek mythology quickly became an obsession and I studied the characters and stories for years. This love for Greek mythology followed me to college, where I took multiple mythology classes for my English degree. During those classes I realized that while I knew the myths backwards and forwards, the humanistic flaws that plagued the gods, along with the symbolic tie to moral and principles (much like in fairy tales), still appealed to my love for lore. During my student teaching earlier this year, I had the privilege of reading Destined.

Honestly, I was afraid Destined would read like fanfiction, but I was pleasantly surprised. I loved Psyche's spunky attitude and Eros was, as expected, a heartbroken swoon-worthy sexy hunk of man-flesh.  Jessie Harrell incorporated aspects of the actual myth while adding some spice and sass. It was the perfect book to read on Valentine's Day. I look forward to reading more from Jessie.

Rating: 4 out of 5 owls

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Book Trailer:

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