Thursday, September 22, 2011

Second Grave on the Left by Darynda Jones

Kiki & Jules rating: 5 stars

Grim Reapers Are To Die For ~ T-Shirt

Charley, Charley, what can you say about our favorite Grim Reaper.....she's Awesome!!!!  This is a great second book to the series, we can't wait to read book 3!

Kiki & I have been talking....Kiki really had her panties in a bunch about the end of the book, they say love is blind, but goodness its being blind and deaf with Charley..... My panties were O.K., I'm not happy with it, but live and learn....the hard way.

This book is full of action, from helping Cookie find a friend that ends up being a huge, twisted case. Trying to decide what to do about her mystery man who is now found or missing and dying or who knows. Charley is in love with Reyes (who isn't,Yummy), but the whole Son of Satan thing, well she's still having issues digesting that whole issue. If that isn't enough she is dealing with family, we all know how much fun that can be. Oh, and course there is the growing tension with Garrett who may want to be a part of Charley's dreams as well.  Especially now that he totally believes in her and what she is!!  Never!!!

Happy Reading!
~Jules

First Grave on the Right by Darynda Jones

Kiki & Jules Rating: 5 stars and wish we could give more!!

If you wanted to dip into the inner most thoughts and workings of Kiki & Jules, this book would be the first place to start.  Charlie Daniels not only shares that same sarcastic personality that we are known and loved for, but if she we walking here and now we would most defiantly be BFF's with her!!

We don't know how to start with this review. Every time we stop, even for the slightest moment, to put into words all that comes in this book, Kiki and I get caught in a fitful of laughter.  With the tee-shirt and bumper sticker quotes at the beginning of each chapter, the non-stop action, and the laugh your ass off humor in between you will be unable to put this book down.

"Don't fear the Reaper. Just be very, very aware of her."  -Charlotte Jean Davidson

 Charley Davidson is not your typical private investigator.  She has a certain knack for solving the most complicated crimes for her detective Uncle Bob and the Albuquerque Police Department with no evidence.  How is that?  Charley talks to the dead!!  See, Charley is the Grim Reaper.  Not the typical one you think of when you picture the Reaper , but more like a portal for those who have passed.  You know when they tell you to go into the light, well she is that light.  In some cases the recently deceased didn't die in usual terms or has unfinished business, so in comes her PI business.  It has worked well for her so far, and has catapulted her uncle in to detective stardom in the police department.  But things are about to change!!

Charley has been having some very disturbing dreams.  And when I say disturbing, it's not in a bad way.  But the figure in these dreams seems to be incorporeal, but he feels so real and someone she has meet before.  As Charley becomes obsessed with finding her mystery man, she also is asked once again to dive into a mystery for her uncle and the PD.  With the unwanted help of the best skiptracer, and possibly one of the sexiest men alive, Garrett she tries to unravel the mystery of the deaths of three lawyers.  The bad news this time is that she will have to do some real investigating because the lawyers didn't get to see who killed them.  Can Charley help the PD, find her mystery man, and will she like what she finds?  Thank goodness for the most awesome assistant, Cookie, and her retired cop father or else Charley may not make it out alive!!

Trust us when we say this is a MUST READ!!

Happy Reading
~Kiki & Jules

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Paranormal Couples We Can't Get Enough Of

We all have our favorite characters.  Jules and I especially have a few we seem to not get enough of, so we thought we would share our top 5 can't get enough of paranormal couples.

First and Foremost - Cat and Bones from the Night Huntress series by Jeaniene Frost (Too Hot!!)
A Very Close Second - Matthew and Diana from Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
Tie for Third - Charley and Reyes from the Charley Davidson series by Darynda Jones plus Mac and Barrons from the Fever series by Karen Marie Moning
Tie for Fourth -Knight and Dulcie plus Rand and Jolie (even though Sinjin is our favorite) both series by H.P. Mallory
Last but Definitely Not Least - Maggie and Declan from the Demon series by Linda Wisdom (We also love all the witches from the Hex series and their sexy loved ones) 

**Young and Noteworthy:  These young ones we love to read about, but can't really put them in the "grown-up category"

Clary and Jace, Alex and Magnus, Simon and Isabelle from the Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare

Tessa with Will or Jem (whoever she chooses we like) from the Infernal Devices series by Cassandra Clare
Meghan and Ash from the Iron Fey series by Julie Kagawa

Let us know what your top 5 are!!
Happy Reading
~Kiki & Jules

Just For Giggles

Jules and I have decided to add a little more fun to our blog.  We know we are not as big as some of the other bloggers out there, but some day...ha ha.  We have decided to let you all in a little into our twisted minds.  Really people, you have no idea how crazy we can get over a book or the characters we read.  Our husbands love to poke fun at how we get caught up in and story then we can go on and on...  So we are going to try in between reviews to give you all something more to talk about.  You never know where our topics may lead, heck we don't even know sometimes.  So here's hoping you enjoy!!

There are three topics on the agenda today just to get you all caught up on our ever racing minds.  I will post one here and now, one in a separate post, and check out the last little tidbit in our "This -n- That".

First on the docket:  
Hot New Releases

Jules and I are frantic with the upcoming releases of some of our favorite series.  We are on overload reading the authors' blogs for teasers.  If we read another Cassandra Clare teaser about the Clockwork Prince we are going to explode.  Really, I don't think we can make it until DECEMBER.  It is too cruel!!  We did put it on pre-order and of course we entered the giveaway on Goodreads.  At least H.P. Mallory will be releasing her next book in the Dulcie series Great Hexpectations on Halloween!!  Hope you all had the chance to play her question and answer game on FB for prizes.  Crossing my fingers that I get picked for at least one of the items (the tee-shirt please).  Even before that we have Rose Pressey's Ghouls Night Out which comes out September 26th.  This is book 2 in fantastic Larue Donavan series.  We also can't wait for the Iron Knight from the Iron Fey series.  This appears to be the final installment to this series and should be going out with a bang!!  Ash and Puck working together...we may implode from anticipation.  As we look further down the line into early next year we hope to be seeing A Demon Does It Better, Undercover Demon both by Linda Wisdom and How to Date a Vampire by Rose Pressey.

What is a girl to do while she waits?  Do what we do, re-read your favorites!!  For September, Jules and I will be re-reading the Jolie series from H.P. Mallory.  No worries we will review it for you all, but we need a refresher.  For October, in anticipation of the Halloween release, we will be re-reading the Dulcie series also by H.P. Mallory.  Thank goodness H.P. is such a talented writer that you can read and re-read her books with such enjoyment.  Otherwise Jules and I may never survive the wait!!

Happy Reading!!
~Kiki & Jules

P.S. - Remember to check out "This-n-That" to see what else we are doing to bide our time!!

The Four-Year-Old Guardian by S.L. Madden

Kiki's Rating: 4 stars

****Spoiler Alert****

Imagine a place where humans are the minority and the creatures of your nightmares are freely roaming the streets.  This isn't Forks people, this is Averton, Home of the Monsters!

Michelle and her son Nick are roamers. They bounce from town to town never truly settling down, but not this time.  Michelle has decided to spend what little time she has left with her 15 year old son before he grows up and moves on without her.  So she moves them to the small town of Averton.

Nick can't believe his eyes, a real home, and not one they rent but actually own.  He finally can put down some roots.  This was the best present Michelle could ever give him, and right before his sixteenth birthday.  It wasn't the car he wanted and had been saving for, and the town did give him the creeps as they were driving through, but home wasn't something Nick could say very often so he would take it!  Nick quickly adjusts to his life in a new town.  He had been the new kid before and knew all the tricks to settle in.  He uses his smooth talking to form a friendship with his backward, reserved neighbor Myles.  Soon he is off and running like a normal teen.  He is hitting on two particular girls, Melody and Wendy, with Myles, he's trying out for the basketball team, and he is exploring his spooky, and haunted house.  Even though the town itself still creeped him out, and sometimes he felt he missed the punch line of some sick joke, Nick was content with his new life.  But that changes faster than he can say "what?"  On accident in the locker room, Nick stumbles upon a secret.  Averton High didn't need a mascot because the students themselves brought new meaning to Home of the Monsters....they were Monsters!!

Nick soon discovers that, along with Wendy and his mom, he is one of the few humans living in Averton.  Even Myles, his new best friend, is some kind of mouse creature.  You would think this would send Nick running for the hills, but it doesn't.  This was the first time he had been offered the chance to grow some roots, so he was angry he wasn't going to fit in.  Yes folks, he was upset that he wasn't a monster. He was searching for anything that would give him the opportunity to fit into this freaky town.  And like a genie in a bottle in pops Heather to grant his wish.  Heather explains to Nick that life as we know it is not real.  There are two planes in which creatures live.  One with humans and half-breed demons, and one with the real deal, demons and other creatures.  To keep the Earthly plane safe a magical force was created to entrap creatures in their own realm.  Averton just happened to be home to that magic called the Orb.  The energy  produced by the Orb was like a beacon for all demons, monsters, and other creatures a like.  They wanted the power and to release all the captured demons inside.  See, the true believers felt that demons had the right to be on Earth and humans should all perish or be slaves to them.  The greatest of these evil doers was Muvari who killed the last Guardian and was out to capture the power for his own means. Heather is the Keeper of the Orb and was the last Guardian.  Based on her ghostly status, she wasn't quite successful.  Now she was entrusting Nick to help her.

Nick was ecstatic at the idea of being some secret protector.  His ability to adapt to the odd was quite amazing.  But he gets a little squashed when Heather informs him he is not the next Guardian, but the Seeker of the next one.  She sends Nick and his new band Team Monster Force (Myles, Wendy, and Melody) in search of a four-year-old that will become the next Guardian.  Diminished just a little, Nick takes on the task and the hunt for a new protector and battle monsters along the way.  Will he find this child in time?  And will this child be able to protect the Orb?  Well, I'm not about to give that away, so you will have to read to find out!

This first of the series by S.L. madden is very intriguing.  I loved Nick and all his little quirks!!  He was a typical teen, hormones and all, wrapped in the middle of monster madness.  This is the first book, so there is a lot of background information setting you up for the next installment.  The real action didn't start until 3/4 of the way through and then stops, leaving you hanging.

Happy Reading
~Kiki

Tuesday, September 6, 2011

Enchanted by Rachel Wells

Jules Ratings:   4 stars

Seventeen year old Mandy is moving back to the small town of York Beach, Maine. Her parents feel its time for to be around her Nana full time. Little does she know, how life changing this will be, and what she perceived as fictional, turns out to be real.

Mandy is working at Nana's flower shop, Enchanted Dew Drop, making friends, has her first boyfriend, and is starting her Senior year at a new school. She listens to rumors that her great, great, great grandmother was a healer/white witch. Intrigued she starts to research this, and finds old letters in the antique chest she was given, along with dreams about the past and future. Plus a psychic in town keeps giving her cryptic readings. This leads to more mystery, hard questions and very hard decision's. Trying to make things right from tragic events that were done hundreds of years ago. Will she be able to dig deep down in herself to learn what her powers are, and lead the town out of the gray and into the light?  I won't give anymore details, you'll have to read this book and find out.

I really liked Enchanted, it is very well written, and the ending is great! This is a fast read, and you really feel like you get to know Mandy, and everything she is going through. On a side note, I was disappointed that her mother didn't play a bigger part in Mandy's training, especially since it is passed down in their family. There is just a passing comment from Nana on Mandy's mother's abilities, I think it would have been interesting if she had been more involved.


~Jules

Monday, September 5, 2011

Rain Plays Barefoot by Jennifer Steen

Kiki's Rating:  5 stars

***Spoiler Alert***
As I have said before, Jennifer Steen is the short story goddess!!  She once again pulls you into the the life of her main character.  You quickly become invested in the small twists and turns in the peek she gives you.  This time Steen takes us back to middle school and what it was like to have that first crush.  I was so taken back, and loved every minute of it.

Rain is not your typical tween.  Not that she is weird, but she's not really on the same page as her fellow classmates. As her best friend, Jacey, and the other girls her age primp and poof themselves in hopes to catch some young man's attention, Rain would rather skip it all and just hang with the boys.  She feels very comfortable in her own skin and feels no need to primp for attention.  Not that she doesn't care what others think, but feels she has to do what she is most comfortable with.  Most of the time that's on the basketball court with James or in band on the drum line with the rest of the guys.  But there is a point where all Jacey's talk of boys and her current pubescent emotions get the best of her and she develops her first crush.  Rain ends up conflicted and changing her ways to fit the ideals of a boy.

I refuse to tell any more of this delightful short story and encourage you to read.  I will say I love, love the ending.  It is perfect and sends the message I would want my child to see.  Always stay true to yourself.  If people don't love you just the way you are, then they aren't the people for you!!

~Kiki

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews

Jules ratings   4 stars

 Summer Rental is a really good, quick read. I always enjoy Mary Kay Andrews books, and have read all of them.

This book takes you to Nags Head, NC, where 3 childhood friends rent a beach house for the month of August to reconnect. Ellis, Julia and Dorie are in their 30's and at big turning points in their lives. Which we have all been through in our own lives. I really felt their ups and downs in this story, and felt I could be friends with these ladies. Some conversations in this book sounded like me and Kiki. Its nice to see friendships with loyalty, laughs, cries, jokes, bickering....real life folks.

 Enjoyable read!!

~ Jules

One Grave at a Time by Jeaniene Frost (Book 6)

Jules rating  5 stars

The Red Reaper is back in all her glory!! I love, love, this series. I have no clue where Jeaniene Frost comes up with her stories, but I love them !! If you have not read this series, start with book 1, Halfway to the Grave, the books take off right where the last one left off. Action packed, I read the book in one day. I could not put it down, it seems every book gets better.

Cat and Bones are back, and are in a good place with their marriage. They are the greatest couple, very hot, and as always never a dull moment. Fabian comes to Cat for help with one of his ghostly friends. They need help to hunt down the crazed ghost/witch hunter Heinrich Kramer. Who comes into a physical form on Halloween, then picks out 3 innocent women to torture and burn alive. He's a real peach.....of course Cat ends up being one of his targets. Hmm, How do you capture and kill a ghost?? Answer, not easily.

Crazy issues start popping up at The Compound, when Jason Madigan takes over where Don left off, and knows way to much to be acting so clueless.....and has big issues with Cat. Don is very upset that Jason is there, but will not tell anyone why, even as a ghost he is still a stubborn man that keeps secrets. Can't wait to see where this story line takes us, hopefully we will start to find out in the next book.

The whole gang is back, with the exception of Vlad(whom I love) and Mercheres. The new addition of Tyler, who is a medium, is great. He is so funny and flamboyant. Tyler has a thing for Ian, so cute.  I hope he is in future books.

Can't wait for book 7 to come out!!! Happy reading !!!

~Jules

Friday, September 2, 2011

Updates

Hello,
   Kiki and I have been so busy with our kids getting back to school and Kiki back to work, me healing from surgery and my husband deploying overseas for the 4th time.........Its been Crazy !!!

More reviews to come, plus books we can't wait to get our hands on to read... wish they would come out sooner, but what can you do ?!?!
Here is our list of most wanted:

The Iron Kight by Julie Kagawa Oct 25, 2011

Clockwork Prince(Infernal Devices) by Cassandra Clare  Dec 6th, 2011

Matt Posner's second book to The School of the Ages end of 2011

Third Grave Ahead   By Darynda Jones  Jan 31, 2012

Witchful Thinking & Great Hexpectations  by H.P. Mallory  Feb 28, 2012

A Demon Does It Better   by Linda Wisdom   2012

Shadow of the Night   by Deborah Harkness   Summer 2012

How to Date a Vampire; How to Date a Demon & Ghouls Night Out   by Rose Pressey    2012

We can't wait !!!!!!!!!!!   Happy Reading !!!!!!

~Jules & Kiki