Through Hell and High Water by Christle Gray

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9.5
Total: 18
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Spicy Fantasy
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Blurb: What if your life is nothing but a spell full of lies…?

When Melaina attends her friend’s Halloween party she never expects to be thrust into a surreal world. But she finds herself irresistibly drawn to a broad-shouldered stranger who somehow knows her name. When one of the guests disappears in flames, the sexy hunk whisks her away…and spins a fantastic tale.

Oren knows Melaina is a real-life water nymph under a faery’s memory spell. Melaina is his soul mate and their betrothal restored power to the naiad people--until a demon decided he'd rather have Melaina for himself. Now, the demon has tracked her down and Oren must find a way to restore Melaina's memory before it is too late.

Melaina is astonished. Naiads? Faeries? Demons? But she can't ignore her attraction to Oren--or the way his touch is making her body remember things her brain can't...

Review: If you like reading short romances full of water nymphs, demons, fairies, magic, creatures from hell, magical spells, hot sex, and lots of amusing fun reading; this is a story for you. This is the first story by Ms. Gray I have read and I don't know what I was expecting but this was an enjoyable reading adventure for me. I'm not really into fairies and demons, but this had enough humor in it to be fun reading.

Enjoy !

The Gatekeeper Series: Lynn by Stacey Thompson-Geer

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Wicked Nights
Futuristic
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Blurb: I have been a warrior my entire existence. From the very first life I lived, I knew this to be true. My purpose is not my own. I’m to save people that are not ready to see the truth, not ready for the world that seems to have unraveled around them.

NOTE: this is a short story to build anticipation for the novel release of Dark Magick in June 2010.

Review: Now THIS is a series that I think I can get on board with. The world isn’t like it is now. There are things out there hunting and killing humans. Fast paced, action packed. If this little tease is anything to go on, Ms Thompson-Geer might have just written my new fascination :) There are very few series that I follow like a stalker. Ok fine, really only 2 come to mind. I am a Kenyon minion to the bone. I like action. Hard core action with not much time to draw a breath between action. Be it ass kicking or sex, I want it fast and seat gripping.

Ms Geer, I think I love you :)

I Dream of Genies by Judi Fennell

Story: 8.5
Presentation: 9
Total: 17.5
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Fantasy
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Blurb: He needs to change his luck, and fast!


Matt Ewing would gladly hunt down a fortune in lucky pennies if he thought it would help save his business. But for all his hoping, Matt’s clueless when his long-awaited lucky charm falls in his lap in the form of a beguiling genie. He just can’t believe that this beautiful woman could be the answer to his prayers...

She’s been bottled up for far too long!

Spending 2,000 years in a bottle would make any woman a little stir-crazy. So when Matt releases Eden from her luxurious captivity, she’s thrilled to repay him by giving him the magical boost he needs...

But for all her good intentions, Eden’s magical prowess is a little rusty and her magical mistakes become more than embarrassing. And though Eden knows falling in love will end her magic and immortality, she can’t help but be drawn to the one man who wants her just for herself...
Review: I have just finished reading the final page of this book and have to say that it was way cute :) Full of vivid imagination and totally good scenes. Laugh out loud parts and some really invintive situations and locations.

While the vast majority of the story takes place in just a few days and this couple voices their love in that time, I bought it. The went through some pretty amazing things together and their emotions just bloomed. Totally worked and I really dug it. While there was some confusion for me about exactly how long she was actually a prisinor in her bottle (the # of years changed a couple times) it wasn't a  big deal and didn't detract from the wild ride and fulfillung ending for these two :)

Melting Frost by Kelly Daniels

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Fantasy
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Blurb: Bitter and lonely, Jack Frost wishes for a special holiday - one filled with family and friends, but it was impossible. His usual solitary travels leave him wandering from window to window, watching happy folks celebrate the holiday season, which only hardens his resolve, until he spots a car slide off the road into a ditch.


He goes to inspect the damage—only to find a miracle.
Rory sees him while no one else can and her warmth immediately starts to melt the ice within him. As she grants him his wish, he realizes he is keeping her from her own true Christmas. Can he let her go or would he be willing to give up his old life…forever?

Review: This was a really sweet holiday story. Aside from the fact that Rory seems not to be too bothered by sudenly appearing in front of her parents house, I have to say that it was really cute. I enjoy a nice short, cute read even if sometimes there are things that just don't seem to jive. This was one that even with the little things, it read very smooth and flowed good.

Very nice :)

Hidden Magic by Ashlynn Monroe

Story: 7
Presentation: 9
Total: 16
Publisher: Wild Horse Press
Sweet Fantasy Romance
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Blurb: Alexis is happy with her life and feels that it is ordinary, until a strange magician threatens her family and exposes her brother's secrets. Discovering nothing she believes about herself is true, she is confronted with a family secret that leaves her at the mercy of her brother's nemesis, the man who claims she belongs to him.


Hidden Magic is a tale of fairies, magic, and love.

Review: Hidden Magic was a dichotomy of reading experiences. There were parts that I loved and could not get enough of and other areas that I nearly put the story aside. And that would have been a shame since I would have missed the best parts of the book. The beginning is slow and most of what was there was a telling of back story and the mundane activities of Alexis’ daily life. But don’t give up, keep reading because when the story kicks in about a third of the way through, it’s exciting. Good vs perceived evil. Only the evil isn’t so evil at all just a difference of viewpoints between two powerful forces. The Fae and Humans are on the brink of war. A woman discovers her destiny and cant help falling in love with an enemy sworn to destroy her brother. Whew, this story has so much to offer if you trudge through the opening and get to the heart of Hidden Magic.

Grounded by Sandra Cox

Story: 8
Presentation: 8
Total: 16
Publisher: Class Act Books
YA Fantasy
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Blurb: On the surface, Gillian Stone has it all: wealth, beauty, and the freedom to come and go as she pleases…at least from sunset to dawn. From dawn to dusk, she’s grounded in several hundred pounds of marble. And if that’s not bad enough, her life expectancy is preordained to be short…unless, she can find a certain genie and reverse the wish-spell.

Review: This was a really good story. Well developed characters and plot. Interesting and engaging premise. All delivered with a bang.  With all the problems that most young women face, who needs problems like this. Great secondary characters only added to the dynamic of the story and gave it a very well rounded feel. Very nicely done Ms Cox.

Do You Hear What I Hear by Teri Wilson

Story:8

Presentation:8

Total Score 16

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

To Purchase

Sweet full length novel

BLURB: As a child, Simone Littleton adores the European folktale that animals are given the gift of speech at midnight on Christmas Eve. She makes a wish to talk to animals "forever and ever" and, when her pet Dalmatian asks her for a biscuit, she discovers her wish has been granted. Now Simone is all grown up and she uses her unique gift to rehabilitate unwanted horses. When racehorse trainer Chet Wallace rolls into San Antonio, with chocolate eyes and dimples blazing beneath his black Stetson, romantic sparks fly. He is immediately drawn to the beautiful woman who has a mesmerizing affect on both his horses and his dog, but his less than enthusiastic response to Simone's claims threatens their budding romance. It takes a scheming Jack Russell terrier and a dose of Christmas magic to convince Chet she just may be telling the truth.

REVIEW: This was a cute story. A good make you feel warm and fuzzy, romance with no sex. I adore the way Ms Wilson uses the animals in her writing and the personality she gives to them. A unique spin, but not so far out of the realm of possibility that you find the story unbelievable.

As a child growing up, I lived on my mothers 12 acres and went to my family ranch all the time. I was surounded by a variety of animals from dogs and cats, to birds of every sort, cows and horses, pigs and rabbits.........Well, you get the idea :) I think most little girls who loved animals as much as I did always wanted to be able to actually talk to them. Maybe that is what pulled me to this story.

The fact that this story is the first book in a series Ms Wilson has called Hoofbeats & Heartstrings may have played into my purchase. Or maybe it was that a portion of the proceeds go to an equine rescue.....Then again maybe it was all the factors put together more than anything.

The characters in the story were real life people with real issues. The story will open eyes to the cruelty that can and does happen to unwanded equines when they have no one to turn to. When they are cast aside and all hope is lost. Perhaps if there were more people who took the extra step, made just a small donation, more horses could be spared unimaginable horors.

This story can be bought in E-Book or Print version. Buy a book......Help save the life of a horse......Give them a second chance at a wonderful life!

Ms. Wilson........My hats off to you. I look forward to the next in this series.