Book Review: "Summer Coven" by Kat Hillis and Rosiee Thor

I was so excited to see that my favorite vampires/bed and breakfast owners were back for a second adventure! Thanks so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the advance copy!

Arthur Miller (no relation) and his husband, Sal Conte, finally feel at home in Trident Falls. Business at their bed and breakfast (called Dead & Breakfast) is booming, especially with the summer solstice festival coming to town. And since Arthur was able to solve a murder (and clear Sal as a suspect), they’ve finally made friends in town.

The summer solstice festival is absolutely packed, and all of the food and activities bring out Sal’s inner child. When he takes their cat, Rumble, to a pet psychic, there is a bit of a kerfuffle. Later that day, the pet psychic is found dead, apparently poisoned. (She obviously couldn’t intuit she was drinking poison.)

At first, Sal once again is the primary suspect, but Arthur is able to quickly clear his name. But his skills as a VAMP (Very Astute Married Paranormal) PI are requested by Ambrosia, the head of the Celestine Coven, a group of witches essentially operating an MLM of sorts. Of course, Arthur hasn’t solved his other case yet—the disappearance of their friend’s missing mother—but he realizes the two cases are connected.

It turns out Ambrosia isn’t the benevolently powerful witch she’s pretending to be. The coven is getting investigated for fraud, and Ambrosia (who used to be called Amanda) may not even be a real witch. Can Arthur expose the real criminals before it’s too late? How many diversions can Sal create?

This is a fun series. Arthur and Sal are an adorable couple, as each balances the other out. Sal is flighty, flaky, and utterly melodramatic, while Arthur could use a little more loosening up. I hope to see them again in another book!

Book Review: "Be Still My Unbeating Heart" by Josh Winning

What fun this was! I mean, I was already sold on the description: “A cozy vampire vacation mystery set in a seaside Italian village, featuring a reformed vampire, his magical talking cat, and a handsome, brooding detective.” But Josh Winning did such a great job with this book.

Bastian is a vampire. But a vegetarian one. Five years ago he cleaned up his act and kicked the whole feeding off humans thing.

Everybody needs a little time away, even the undead. So Bastian and his best friend, Whitby (the aforementioned talking cat), head to Vernazza, a beautiful Italian village. Bastian is hoping to enjoy the sunshine (as long as he has sunscreen), take in the sights, dance a little, and maybe find a handsome man to enjoy it all with.

However, on their first beach walk, Bastian stumbles over the body of a young woman. It looks like she’s been killed by a…vampire? Of course, the police find him near the body and immediately suspect Bastian of murder and take him into custody.

Bastian is put on house arrest, guarded by Nicole, a handsome police inspector, who initially seems immune to his charms. But Nico starts to fall for Bastian, and realizes, as more bodies appear, that someone else is responsible, and is framing vampires. Yet the police commissioner has summoned the Vampire Council, and that could wind up causing more harm than good.

I really enjoyed this book. Bastian and Whitby are the oddest of pairs and their banter is quite fun. And while the mystery is definitely twisty, there’s a lot of dialogue about accepting who you are and embracing your differences—which works for everyone, not just vampires. I’d love to see another book in this series!

Book Review: "So Thirsty" by Rachel Harrison

While I (mostly) tend to steer clear of scary books, I do love a vampire novel every once in a while. And Rachel Harrison’s new book is more than just a vampire novel—it’s a story of friendship, taking chances, bravery, and the occasional existential crisis.

“If there is a happy medium between being a resigned, mildly depressed thirty-six-year-old woman with a thankless job and cheating husband, and being an immortal vampire indulging her lust for blood and sex and her desire for love and excitement, it sure would be nice to find it.”

Sloane is going through the motions in her life. She has her routines, her job, her vaguely unsatisfying marriage, but she doesn’t love stepping out of her comfort zone. But when her husband Josh surprises her with a birthday vacation—for her and her best friend Naomi—she’s excited and dreading it simultaneously.

Naomi has always been the risk taker, the unapologetic flirt. She’s been traveling the world with her boyfriend and his band, and she’s starting to hate it. But what she hates even more is seeing Sloane settle for a boring life, avoiding conflict and any inkling of happiness.

Determined to show Sloane a great time on her birthday, she arranges for them to attend a party thrown by a man she met the night before. But this party is everything Sloane hates, and then things go so spectacularly off the rails that the friends are changed forever. Now, however, they have immortality—but their new thirst overrides logical thought.

This is definitely a bit graphic but it’s also thought-provoking and sexy. How far would you go for your best friend?

Book Review: "A Curse of Scales and Flame" by Max Walker

It’s been a while since I’ve read a fantasy (and even longer since I’ve read an M/M one), but when a guy I thirst follow on Instagram (whatever) raved about this, I thought I’d give it a try. I was totally hooked!

There is a curse all over the world that seems to be killing dragons or, more specifically, humans who turn into dragons. No one understands who is responsible or how it can be reversed.

Damien is the oldest son in a family of dragons. He’s had to watch, powerless, as his mother died, and now his youngest brother is sick. Will the curse get each of them, one by one?

At his best friend’s magic store, Damien meets Robby, a friendly and somewhat klutzy guy. Damien rescues Robby from vampires twice, and then they find out that Robby is being hunted. Damien and his family want to protect Robby, and when they discover that somehow he has a link to those involved in the curse, they all want to find answers.

Of course, it’s not long before Damien and Robby’s intense attraction to one another brings them together in some very steamy ways. Can Damien protect Robby and find out how to reverse the curse before it’s too late for his brother? Can the two ever have a chance at happiness together?

I really enjoyed this and was so impressed with Max Walters’ creativity, his world-building, and the fascinating characters he created. This was an emotional, sexy, and completely entertaining, and I’ll be reading the second book in the series for sure!!

Book Review: "We Love the Nightlife" by Rachel Koller Croft

If you grew up in the 1970s and/or are a fan of disco music, you might know what song has been running through my head since getting an ARC of this book!!

Nicola and Amber meet in a London dance club in 1979, the tail end of disco’s popularity. Amber, a vivacious young American married to a staid Englishman, longs for fun and attention, so she goes clubbing alone many nights. Both women see each other as kindred spirits, and their shared love of dancing cements their friendship.

But while they may share similar interests, they’re actually quite different. Nicola has actually been a vampire for nearly 200 years, and she thinks Amber might be the perfect companion to spend eternity with. Realizing Amber’s unhappiness, Nicola offers her the opportunity for immortality, where every night can be full of music, dancing, and glamour, without any of the trapping burdens of human life.

While becoming a vampire is exotic and exciting, Amber realizes that she still needs friends, and perhaps more. But Nicola is full of rules and wants to control Amber. And after nearly 50 years, Amber discovers just how far Nicola has gone to keep Amber right where she is, so Amber is ready to start a new life. The thing is, though, leaving Nicola may be the most dangerous thing she does—if she can even succeed.

The book is narrated by both Amber and Nicola, and shifts through time, from Nicola’s childhood in the 1800s to the present. It’s rare to find a story which has female vampires at its core, and these are really fascinating characters.

Rachel Koller Croft’s debut, Stone Cold Fox, was excellent, and this book, while very different, once again proves what a talent she is.

Thanks to Berkley and NetGalley for the advance copy. The book publishes 8/20.

Book Review: "My Roommate is a Vampire" by Jenna Levine

Cassie Greenberg is on the verge of being evicted from her apartment. As an artist, she just can't seem to make ends meet, even with two part-time jobs. When she spots an ad to share a beautiful, spacious apartment for an unbelievably cheap price, she knows it's probably too good to be true, but she really doesn't have a choice except to move in.

And then there's her new roommate: Frederick J. Fitzwilliam. Although he's in his mid-30s, he speaks like a character from Downton Abbey and dresses like he stepped out of a Jane Austen novel. He sleeps during the day and works during the night, so while they don't see each other that often, Frederick leaves Cassie beautifully hand-written notes all over the apartment. He asks about her day, gives her encouragement about everything she's struggling with, and praises her art. Plus, he's absolutely gorgeous—whenever Cassie sees him, she gets totally tongue-tied. (Especially on the few occasions she's seen him shirtless.)

One day, she comes home unexpectedly to find several bags of blood in the refrigerator, which she knows weren't there earlier. Then Frederick's friend, Reginald, actually drinks one of the bags in front of her. And then he forces Frederick to tell Cassie the truth: he's a vampire. After she gets over her initial shock and horror, Frederick explains he would never harm her. And then he asks her a favor: can she help teach him about the modern world? He needs to find a way to blend in with society, not stand out.

She reluctantly agrees, and he proves to be a willing student. As the attraction between the two grows, Cassie has to wonder what the future could hold for the two of them. Can love blossom, or are they doomed for heartbreak?

This was a really cute book. The characters definitely had chemistry, and boy, did Frederick sound hot! I loved the banter between Frederick and Reginald as well. I could have done without one subplot that didn't seem to advance the story much, but it didn't dull my enjoyment. Definitely a fun read!

Book Review: "Crave" by Tracy Wolff

Does the world need another brooding vampire love story? Yes.

Grace’s parents were killed in an accident, so she has to move from San Diego to Alaska, where her uncle is the head of a fancy prep school in a remote town. And while Alaska itself is a total shock to her system, she’s not expecting school to be in an actual castle, nor is she expecting everyone to take an immediate dislike to her.

When she catches the eye of Jaxon Vega, the hottest guy she’s ever seen, surrounded by a group of brooding, handsome guys, she is mesmerized. But he quickly breaks the spell by telling her she’s in danger and should never have come to the school.

But there’s something about Jaxon that she can’t shake, and despite his veil of disdain, she knows he feels it, too. After a series of near-death experiences have him rescuing her every time, she starts to discover that maybe Jaxon is right, and she is a pawn in a battle she has no idea about.

As their relationship intensifies, Grace must make a choice: go back to San Diego, where she will be safe, or possibly sacrifice everything for Jaxon—including her life. She doesn’t know much about the world of vampires, dragons, werewolves, witches, and shapeshifters, but she’s in the middle of all of it.

Of course, Crave immediately reminded me of Twilight, and even its cover design is similar. But while both share brooding, passionate stories of dangerous love, Crave really set up a tantalizing world of humans being torn apart by events some don’t even understand.

This was an angsty yet romantic book, but it took a long, long time to hit its stride. There were far too many times where things happened and people clammed up rather than tell Grace the truth about what was going on. But once she figured it all out, it was like a roller coaster, speeding toward a cliffhanger conclusion for which we’ll have to wait until the next book!

There are no sparkling vampires, no earnest werewolves, but there are plenty of characters to swoon over. And that’s just fine with me.

Book Review: "Wayward Son" by Rainbow Rowell

That feeling when you’ve been anticipating a book for over a year and it’s, well, lackluster...

Some background: a few years ago Rainbow Rowell wrote an amazing book called Fangirl. One of the main characters in that book wrote fan fiction about a Harry Potter-esque character named Simon Snow and his nemesis/crush Baz (think Draco Malfoy).

Rowell then wrote Carry On, which followed Simon and Baz, Simon’s best friend Penny, and their battles to save the magickal world.

This book is the sequel. It chronicles what happened after the events in Carry On, what it’s like to be the Chosen One when what it seems like you were chosen to do is all but done, and how to move on.

Simon and Baz are in love with each other but they’re reluctant to fully express it. And Simon has been so depressed and unable to do magick that it’s taking a toll on all of them. So Penny decides they need a road trip to America and they’ll go see an old friend, Agatha (Simon's ex-girlfriend of sorts), who’s in San Diego.

What they get is far much more than they bargained for. Their magick, their relationships, their lives will be tested by circumstances they would never have expected, as they try to rescue their friend and each other.

I love these characters. Simon and Baz make my heart melt and there were so many tender moments I loved between them. But those moments were fleeting, and their relationship is in such stress, that it was hard to enjoy the highs as much as I wanted to.

This book is narrated by five or six people, which also irritated me, because I didn’t feel enough of a distinction between their storytelling. And the whole storyline with Agatha really didn’t catch my interest until the end.

I’m disappointed but of course I've hyped this book up for a year, so it's partially my fault. This clearly has been written to set up a third book, which of course I’ll still read, because I love the way Rowell writes and I can’t get enough of Simon and Baz. Others have felt differently so if you’re a fan of the series give it a go and let me know what you think.

Movie Review: "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"

When I read Seth Grahame-Smith's wildly inventive Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter last year, I was amazed at how much I enjoyed it. So when I saw that not only was it being adapted into a film, but one of my favorite actors, Benjamin Walker (who was absolutely amazing in the Broadway musical Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson two years ago), would play the title role, the movie quickly made it onto my list of most-anticipated films of the summer of 2012.

Like many things you eagerly anticipate, the movie didn't quite live up to my expectations. It definitely was an enjoyable, well-acted, action-packed film, but in the translation from page to screen, it lost a little bit of its off-kilter creativity, even though Grahame-Smith wrote the screenplay himself.

As in the book, Abraham Lincoln first comes into contact with vampires at a young age, and as a teenager, finds himself under the tutelage of the mysterious Henry Sturgess (Dominic Cooper). Henry turns Abe into a one-man, vampire-ass-kicking vigilante, who promises to kill those vampires Henry sends him after, with the idea that one day Henry will let him kill the vampire responsible for his mother's death. Lincoln settles in Springfield, Illinois, where he meets Stephen Douglas and is charmed by the beautiful and independent Mary Todd (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), although Henry warns Abe not to build attachments to anyone, because the vampires will use those connections to hurt.

The movie, as the book did, interprets history in a very interesting way, even if the movie isn't quite as true to Lincoln's life as the book was. The Civil War is held in parallel with a war Abe has with Adam (Rufus Sewell), the creator of the vampires, and his mysterious henchwoman, Vadoma (Erin Wasson)—but interestingly enough, both struggle over similar core issues.

For an action movie, this movie isn't as fast-paced as you'd expect, although there are some terrific fight scenes and special effects. Walker and Cooper both have a terrific magnetism, and Anthony Mackie (The Hurt Locker), who plays Lincoln's childhood friend, Will, brings a quiet power to his role. In the end, I enjoyed this movie, but not as much as I'd hoped I would. I'd definitely recommend you not spend the extra few bucks for the 3D version—while the effects are cool, they're not crucial to the story.