Review: Captured by Erica Stevens

Book: Captured (The Captive Series Book 1) By: Erica Stevens
Published: June 6, 2012
Published By: Gilmour-Cox (Free on Smashwords)

Description: Blood Slave.

Captured, taken from her beloved family and woods, Aria’s biggest fear is not the imminent death facing her, but that she will be chosen as a blood slave for a member of the ruling vampire race. No matter what becomes of her though, Aria knows that she must keep her identity hidden from the monsters imprisoning her. She has already been branded a member of the rebellion, but the vampires do not know the true depth of her involvement with it, and they must never know. Though hoping for death, Aria’s world is turned upside down when a vampire named Braith steps forward to claim her. He delays her execution, but Aria knows it’s only a matter of time before he drains her, and destroys her. Especially once she learns his true identity as a prince within the royal family; the same royal family that started the war that ultimately brought down humankind, reducing them to nothing more than servants and slaves. Aria is determined to hate the prince, determined not to give into him in anyway, but his strange kindness, and surprising gentleness astonish her. Torn between her loyalties to the rebellion, and her growing love for her greatest enemy, Aria struggles to decide between everything she has ever known, and a love she never dreamed of finding.

My Thoughts: This free book (on smashwords) was a savior during my boring last few days at work.  I hadn't expected much from it, since it was free, but it was a a lot better that I had ever hoped. Since the description gives away pretty much everything I could say about this book, and since it was short at only 113 pages, my review will be brief.

This was a love story between Braith and Aria told from their alternating points of view that keeps you wanting more and more. It captures your interest and has you feeling just as confused as they do about it. You find yourself hoping that something could be done to keep these two together. A love like theirs shouldn't be hidden, it should be allowed, but after knowing all about the world they live in, you know that they can't. You know that, like Juliet and Romeo, there's nothing that will stop the horrible ending, there's no way to stop the hate between the two races. There is a second story (which I've already begun to read as I'm writing this) so obviously they don't die at the end, but just know that these two become quite dark and depressed, and I would like to see if they'll every be able to overcome their differences and come back together. I loved this short read and I would probably read it again. Due to the grammatical errors and other little inconsistencies, I can't give this book a full 5 stars, but 4.5 will do the trick.

Review: The Devil's Metal by Karina Halle

Book: The Devil's Metal
By: Karina Halle
Published: September 21, 2012
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books

Description: It’s the summer of 1974 and 21-year old Dawn Emerson has only three things she wants to do: compete one last time in the Ellensburg Rodeo, win back her ex-boyfriend Ryan, and become the best damn music journalist at Central Washington University. But all her plans are left in the dust when she’s contacted by Creem magazine to go on the road with one of her favorite groups, the up-and-coming metal band, Hybrid.


At first the assignment reads like a dream come true. Not only will Dawn land some much-needed credibility as a female music journalist, but she’ll finally get to experience life from the other side of the stage, and maybe crack the drunken, enigmatic code that is guitarist Sage Knightly. Instead, Dawn finds herself on an aging tour bus filled with ego-maniacs, band politics and a whole lot of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. When monsters start showing up in dressing rooms and some of Sage’s groupies become increasingly strange and dangerous, Dawn discovers the band is not only going places – they’re going straight to Hell.

And Dawn has a backstage pass.

My Thoughts: First let me start off by saying "OH SHIT, OH SHIT, OH SHIT" (sorry for those of you that don't like profanity but after reading this book, you'll be saying the same thing). Now that that's out of the way, I can get to my review.

The Devil's Metal follows Dawn Emerson alias, Rusty a tall red head on her journey to becoming an amazing journalist by documenting the tour of her favorite band, Hybrid. After receiving the call, Dawn jumped at the opportunity. I mean really, how often does something this monumental happen to a girl, and with their favorite metal band of all bands. She goes to join the tour leaving behind her alcoholic father and her little brother suffering from tourettes. At first, it's amazing. Granted the bands only woman, Noelle, doesn't seem to like her and treats her like a groupie, and the band's drummer, Graham, seems to be a little...er...strange, and the bands leading guitar player, Sage, doesn't want her there but so what. She's on tour darnit and she's making the best out of it.

It's not long though before things start to go downhill. First, there are these 3 groupie women, the GTFO's (Get the F**k Outs...too funny I must admit) that follow the band around and are at every stop. They're creepy, and we know from the beginning that something is not quite right with them. Then there's Graham. He's all dark and satanic and upside down crosses and all that, but is it for real or just a show? Then there's Sage and Jacob who seem as if everything is okay, but is it really? And why do they always seem to be at the middle of things. Eventually we find the answers to our questions, and some big surprises along the way, things we didn't even consider, things that make you fear for these poor characters lives and enforce the ever popular saying, "Be careful what you wish for." This book ends in such a way that I'm still somewhat shaken up and I'd die to get my hands on the second book. (Please, don't take that literally. I'd prefer not to die)Yes, this book was so good and creepy that I'm somewhat worried about the promises, deals, and general statements I may or may not have made in the past, and it's a good thing when a book is so good that it makes you question your own choices.

In terms of the characters, I loved Dawn. She just made sense, she wasn't an idiot and she knew when things got a little fishy. She could have been a real person for all I knew (and I suppose she was since the author took some real life occurrences and added them to the story....I'd like to know which ones were real...hmmm). In terms of Sage. OMG SAGE. He's a sexy mix of Mexican and Caucasian and I'd love to meet him and....oh! I forgot you were still here. Just know that Sage is definitely a man. The secondary characters, Noelle, Jacob, Graham, Robbie, and Mickey were designed in such a way that I loved every last one of them (except Graham) in different ways. I even liked the GTFO's (as far as bad guys go). This book was so well thought out and I loved it.

This book does take place in the 70's, and does follow rock stars so u can expect to hear quite a bit of vulgar language, encounter some very sexual scenes, and read about gratuitous drug use so be advised that you should probably be 18 to read this. For all you scaredy cat's out there, I must say that this book is no more scary than Karina's other series Experiment in Terror. Somewhat less so even. And, to further bring you over to the dark side (pun intended), know that this book isn't like a scary movie. Your mind can skitter over the scary parts and still get by without keeping you up at night. The pictures don't haunt your dreams because you can choose not to completely visualize them. It's a book you MUST read (this means you!) Give it a chance, or checkout Darkhouse (it's free on kindle right now. You have nothing to lose). Trust me, you'll love them, and all things Karina Halle.

Karina Halle is a very talented author. I absolutely love all her work and am now a die hard fan. I'd read anything she put out (and tell me that cover isnt gorgeous. I'm in love). As for this book, I give it 5 stars!

Review: Bared to you by Sylvia Day

Note: The following book review is for followers and readers who are 18 years of age or older. If you are younger, I love you dearly but please feel free to skip this one and peruse my other reviews. Thanks!!!

Book: Bared to you
By: Sylvia Day
Published: April 3, 2012
Published by: Berkley Publishing Group

Description: Gideon Cross came into my life like lightning in the darkness...
He was beautiful and brilliant, jagged and white-hot. I was drawn to him as I'd never been to anything or anyone in my life. I craved his touch like a drug, even knowing it would weaken me. I was flawed and damaged, and he opened those cracks in me so easily...

Gideon knew. He had demons of his own. And we would become the mirrors that reflected each other's most private wounds... and desires. The bonds of his love transformed me, even as I prayed that the torment of our pasts didn't tear us apart...

My Thoughts: Being a lover of Fifty Shades of Grey but still having a few qualms about it's writing style and the main characters made me slowly lean toward giving this book a try. Many people say its better than FSOG, especially in terms of writing style and the characters. In my opinion, it was. Like FSOG, both main characters have haunting pasts, they connect through sex, and they like dominance/submission, although Eva didn't allow the whole whips, chains and spankings (at least not yet). Yes, this book was everything FSOG wasn't.

Since this book is not for those under 18, and since I'm sure many of my followers who are under the age of 18 are still reading this, I won't give out all the gory, hot, and steamy details of this book (boy, were there many). Just know that they were definitely in there in full swing. Gideon Cross was powerful, rich, dominating, and sexy as crap. To me, visually, he was like the definition of everything good and bad about a man. He had a temper, he was protective, he had wounds he wanted to cover up, he craved sex, and he wanted control and power. If I'd have met him, I honestly would have felt the same way Eva did. (Don't tell anyone, but there's this guy at my job that gives off the same vibes, minus the rich part, it seems I can't quite talk correctly every time he's around, and I tend to stare at him like he was gods gift to women. Unfortunately he doesn't seem to really know me, or that I blush uncontrollably every time I see him. Pitiful!)

Eva is strong, and weak at the same time. She makes some really stupid decisions, but she still makes sense. She also (infuriatingly) tends to run away from her problems a lot, which annoys me a bit, but I do it too so I can't talk. She knows not to let a man control her. She knows not to do stuff she doesn't want to do. She's her own woman and she stands on her own two feet, but she too has a past that she fights with, and the two of them together help them overcome the atrocities of their pasts. I love their chemistry and devotion, and irrational love for each other.

I don't want to give too much away, most of the appeal of this book (besides the steamy scenes) is finding out the inner workings of these characters and watching to see what happens next. I give it 4 stars.