How to Date Your Dragon (Mystic Bayou #1) by Molly Harper

When Jillian’s career takes her to Mystic Bayou, Louisiana, she thinks it’s a simple case of documenting the facts and learning about the shifter species. When one of her interviewees turns up dead her warm reception turns a little frosty but a dash romance can heat things back up. She quickly realises that Mystic Bayou has a little more magic than the average town.

This is a great introduction to a promising new series. I’m already a big fan of Harper’s work, particularly when it’s on audiobook, and it looks like she has plenty more to give. Jillian is her typical flawed but sweet character and the mixture of humour and romance is just right. I’m hoping book two finds a date for the mayor.

http://www.gothic-mansion-books.com/

Cinderella (Not Quite the Fairy Tale #1) by May Sage

When the king searches his kingdom for a wife Ella doesn’t take it seriously. She’s done with men and especially men like Daniel. She does her duty and sends in a picture of herself that sparks an interest he cannot deny. With a step-mother and two awful step-sisters, Ella doesn’t have time for the king and his wandering eyes so she does what any fairy tale creature does and calls in a favour.

This new spin on Cinderella gave me plenty to think about. Ella’s a woman with a strong mind and she isn’t about to let a man make a fool of her again. Her humour and defiance amused me and gave the story a quirky edge. The fairy godmother and Rumpelstiltskin were revamped for the book and worked really well bringing a little extra to the story.

The politics of the land begins and is set to continue throughout the interlinked series giving the reader something more than just a retold fairy tale. The book does need a polish, but it’s a good read, regardless.

http://www.gothic-mansion-books.com/

Miss Frost Solves a Cold Case: A Nocturne Falls Mystery (Jayne Frost #1) by Kristen Painter

When Jayne’s father, Jack frost, sends her on a secret mission Jayne is thrilled to be outside the North Pole. She sees the job as a chance to improve her skills and her worth but the job gives her more than she bargains for. When she learns to care for the inhabitants of the strange town of Nocturne falls, she knows exactly what she could lose when she eventually reveals her true identity.

I was immediately drawn by the cover of this book and I’m glad I was. Jayne’s character is sweet and funny and the book sits between the fantasy, mystery, and fairy tale genres perfectly. Jayne made me laugh and the balance of characters worked well together. I also appreciated the mixture of fantasy and modern day technology and the Nocturne Falls setting was a good touch of both.

http://www.gothic-mansion-books.com/

Twist (Mageri #2) by Dannika Dark

Silver is suffering from boredom because as a learner mage she is kept protected and in near isolation by her guardian, Justice. Silver just can’t seem to keep herself out of trouble and enlists Adam’s help to reunite with an old friend from her human life, Sunny. When things go wrong, she learns that she is stronger than she realised and more determined than anyone could have anticipated.

I took a while to get into this series but Dark has serious talent and I couldn’t stay away for long. The worlds she creates are so realistic and full of exciting potential that it makes sense to build an entire series from them.

Silver is a strong female lead, and this is something Dark does well. Powerful, sexy characters, alpha males who submit to females, and strong conflict and external dangers. The stories are full of energy and are great for a little escapism but they can become addictive.

Twist features a slow-moving, beautiful, romantic development, and the speed at which it moves forward is unusual but refreshing. It also serves to open up another branch of shifter breed that I can’t wait to get my teeth into.

http://www.gothic-mansion-books.com/

Keystone (Crossbreed #1) By Dannika Dark

Raven is a crossbreed who kills her own kind, but she only kills those who hurt humans. She’s kept herself hidden from the authorities for so long that she’s gotten used to being on her own and when someone asks her to put her talents to use, she can’t seem to be the person they are looking for.

This is a brilliant start to a new series, and it has all my favourite elements in starting with romance. This paranormal romance incudes many strong characters and a storyline that pulls on the heartstrings as well as making the reader laugh. Of course, I’ve come to expect nothing less from Dark and I look forward to reading the next book in the series. If you get the opportunity to listen to the audio version you won’t be disappointed.

http://www.gothic-mansion-books.com/

Prescient (Book 1) by Derek Murphy

Alicia jumps at the chance to hang out in Brett’s bedroom but had she known it would change her life and possibly everyone else’s she might have steered clear. Instead, she is thrown into a future existence with no clue as to what is happening. The future doesn’t look so hot and she is the only one who can save it. The question is, who can she trust?

This dystopian novel hooked me from the start. Alicia’s character is witty and sweet but she soon toughens up. The plot unravels slowly with glimpses of the future but it is part of a series so it leaves many questions unanswered.

This is an incredibly engaging book, with plenty of mystery. I thoroughly enjoyed it and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.

http://gothic-mansion-books.com/

 

Kiss of a Vampire (Paranormal Romance) By Martha Woods

Tessa has had a complicated life so far and when she sits down to read yet another man’s fortune it suddenly becomes even more so. Kristian enlightens her into the world of the paranormal and the dangers that go with it. She soon finds herself falling for the vampire and that is the least of her troubles.

This story has a lot going for it. Tessa’s character is strong, and she definitely held my interest with her back story. Kristian’s addition was equally interesting but I feel there wasn’t much to the story other than the back story and a bit of action. The witches had me intrigued. I would have liked to have seen more action, but the story ended before anything could happen.

The book also needs a polish but otherwise it is a good read and hopefully the start of an interesting series.

http://gothic-mansion-books.com/

Venom and Vanilla (The Venom trilogy #1) by Shannon Mayer

Alena is a successful businesswoman who thought she had her life sorted. When she catches the fatal disease that Supe’s carry she accepts her untimely death as a punishment from God, exactly how her Firstamentalist church had taught her. That is until Roger, her husband, makes a big announcement about what he has planned for her family home and the money she’d saved, not to mention her beloved bakery. Alena’s fate is soon sealed, and she enters a world full of danger, darkness, and a total lack of sleep.

Mayer takes some old themes, monsters, gods, and heroes, and moves them into a contemporary setting. This is an all action story with plenty of characters to enjoy but with one protagonist, Alena. Alena goes from being a God-fearing, duty-bound, perfect wife to a sexy, sassy, supernatural creature in the space of a few paragraphs and the transition is amazing. Her character gives us plenty of insight into her inner workings and best of all she’s funny. This is definitely a brilliant start to a series that you will want to read more of.

http://gothic-mansion-books.com/

Magic of the Gargoyles by Rebecca Chastain

Mika is working a dead-end job while trying to save money to start a business using her magical skills with quartz. All her plans and aspirations fly out of the window when a small stone gargoyle hurtles through the door and lands her troubles on Mika. Mika soon discovers that her rare talent with crystals is instrumental in saving hatchlings but at the cost of her future.

This story is set in a very magical world with all kinds of supernatural entities. It can be a little difficult to visualize but it’s worth it because not only is the book good but the baby gargoyles are adorable. I fell in love with the small stone creatures right from the start.

http://gothic-mansion-books.com/

Red Queen (Red Queen #1) by Victoria Aveyard

Being born a red meant that you were born a sub-citizen, a lesser being than the elite silvers with all of their powers and riches. Mare Barrow knows who she is, and where she’s headed, well that is until a freak turn of events put her in front of the silver court, demonstrating a power equal to that of any red. Mare’s world quickly turns more dangerous than she could have imagined, and she had imagined plenty of dangers throughout her life. Knowing who to trust is the hardest lesson she will have to learn, and watching those she loves die around her only strengthens her resolve; the reds must win.

The story starts at a simple pace only to increase to an intense action-packed plot. It is reminiscent of The Hunger Games with a dystopian world where equality is a thing of the past. Mare is a strong character who gets knocked down countless times only to rise up once more, but she isn’t particularly introspective, and you only get a brief glimpse into the real workings of her mind. It reads like it should be a film (and it will be soon), and this is not a bad thing.

I’m giving the book a five-star rating, but if I was to choose something that I change about it then it would be to add a little more romantic detail on the love triangle with the princes. I guess I’ll just have to read the next book in the series.

http://gothic-mansion-books.com/