Daughters of Darkness - Review

Daughters of Darkness Book Two in series by L. J. Smith Genres: Paranormal, Romance, young adult

     This second book in Smith's Night Wold series is completely autonomous. It makes complete sense whether you read the first book or not. In Secret Vampire we had briefly met Ash, James' bad boy cousin who relished the hunt and killing of humans.

     In this adventure in the Night World we meet Jade, Rowan, and Kestrel - vampire sisters on the run from their family and the family's old fashioned male dominated traditions. Ash is dispatched to find his sisters and to bring them back home. On this quest he finds the unexpected, his soulmate, and she's human. Can love tame the savage beast?

     I'm not real big on the whole vampire movement. I don't dislike vampire stories but I don't seek them out either. I have to say that I am enjoying this series immensely though. The characters are so well defined they begin to feel like someone you might know personally. The situations are enthralling as the plot just sucks you right into it. A neighbor had given me these books and I'm very glad that he did, otherwise I may never have stumbled into the Night World on my own.

Dead(ish) - Review

Dead(ish) by Naomi Kramer genres: humor, horror, paranormal

     This short book has been free since I downloaded it a year ago. It is the first installment in a series of 3 short unrelated novellas that are connected with the common theme that one of the main characters is dead(ish). The story begins not long after Linda is murdered by her boyfriend Mike. She can't move on without some closure and feels the need to find where Mike has hidden her body. Linda uses some very clever haunting tactics to try to terrorize Mike into revealing the whereabouts of her corpse.

     The language in this book might make a trucker blush as well as some of the more lewd sexual innuendos and situations, so this is definitely not for kids or young adults. Regardless of the subject matter it is surprisingly funny and light hearted as Kramer describes the ultimate payback from beyond the grave. Jilted women who are too demure to turn psychotic, no matter how much they may dream about it or feel their ex may deserve it, can live vicariously through Linda's acts of revenge.

Bram Stoker's Dracula - Review

Dracula by Bram Stoker Genres: classics, horror

     The ancestor of all modern day vampire stories and beliefs. Stoker would be amazed if he could see how the idea of vampires has infilitrated our culture.

     The story unfolds through an assortment of letters, journal entries, and telegrams from the interested parties. Newspaper clippings also help to enlighten the reader as to certain circumstances. The story begins with the journal of Johnathon Harker. He visits Transylvania to conduct business with Count Dracula. The count insists that Harker remains his guest for at least a month. There seems to be no other business to tend to and I was a bit confused as to how this delay was justified. I know my boss would go ballistic if I decided to extend a business trip for so long for no apparent reason.

Smoke Portrait - Book Review

Smoke Portrait by Trilby Kent Genre: Literary Fiction

     Glenys Phayre volunteers to become penpals with a Belgium prisoner. Due to a misspelling in the city's name, her letters end up in the mailbox of 13 year old Marten. He is as desperate for companionship and a confidant as Glen is and Marten pretends to be said prisoner and writes back to her.

Read the entire review at A Goddess of Frugality.

I give it 3 stars.

Secret Vampire - Review

Secret Vampire Book One in series by L. J. Smith Genres: Paranormal, Romance

     It was the first day of summer vacation and 16yo Poppy had been looking forward to it for weeks. Armed with a brand new CD and her best friend James at her side, Poppy planned to make the most of her new found freedom. Until she suddenly doubled over with pain in her abdomen, and her mom dragged her to the doctor. Poppy's world would never be the same. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer without long to live.

     James offered her an alternative. She would still be dead, but undead. Without much time left before Poppy dies for real, she and James embark on her journey into the Night World.

Top Ten Tuesday - Free Stories for Halloween

     These books tell the story of classic characters that we associate with Halloween or are just good and creepy to get you in the Halloween spirit. The top four will be this October's monthly picks.

When I think of Halloween stories, Dracula by Bram Stoker is the first one that comes to mind! Read my review.

Even though most Frankenstein movies really have nothing to do with Mary Shelley's original story, it is still sufficiently creepy to read for Halloween. Read my review.

This is a new book for me, it was listed in the free Kindle books on Amazon so I thought I would include something for those readers who don't enjoy classics as much as I do. Read my review.

Another new book for me, I decided it might be best to split the monthly picks up between half classics and half new books. I was looking for a zombie story for this month too!

This book of creepy short stories is currently free for download on Amazon! Read my review.

October Featured Author - LJ Smith

L.J. Smith Born:   September 4, 1958 Main genres:   Young-adult, Horror, Science fiction,   Fantasy, Romance

     Smith has said that she realized she wanted to be a writer sometime between kindergarten and first grade, "when a teacher praised a horrible poem I'd written", and she began writing in earnest in elementary school. Lisa has worked as an elementary school teacher before she pursued her writing career full time.