Review: Just One Bite: Volume One

Just One Bite: Volume One
Includes:
1. The Unlikely Vampire by Scarlet Blackwell
2. Sacrifice by J.L. Merrow
3. One Last Wish by Josephine Myles
4. Mayan Time by Erik Orrantia
5. Fire Can Make It Rain by Nix Winter
6. The Hunter & the Hunted by Stevie Woods
Genre: Paranormal, Romance, Adult
Publisher: OmniLit / All Romance eBooks, LLC
Released: November 25, 2010
My copy: Free from the publisher store
Get you own copy from All Romance book store

Synopses from goodreads

Celebrate the best of M/M paranormal romance...  A genie who learns wishes can come true, a love that span time or can save a kingdom, a reluctant vamp, enemies who become lovers, and magic that will warm your soul, there's something for everyone in Volume 1 of ARe's Just One Bite.

My Thoughts

Just One Bite, first volume contain six stories. All the stories in this book are smut based and very short so no way to get bored ;)

Every story is different. The Unlikely Vampire starting story of the book introduces a vampire who finds himself attracted to man while feeding. And that scene alone can make your toes tingle. The following stories all based on the concept of male/male romance but not all of them are vampire. A genie is particularly yumness.

For a little light reading this is recommended to 18 above readers who love mm romance.

I give this

 

Find out more about the series from 

All Romance/ OmniLit

Review: iDrakula by Bekka Black

iDrakula by Bekka Black
Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Released: October 1, 2010
Buy Link
Amazon

Synopsis from goodreads 18-year-old Jonathan Harker is diagnosed with a rare blood disorder after visiting a Romanian Count. His girlfriend Mina and a pre-med student named Van Helsing team up to investigate the source of the disease. The teenagers discover a horrifying truth: the Count is a vampire. The harrowing events unfold through emails, text messages, web pages, Twitter feeds, and instant messaging—the natural modernization of Bram Stoker's original Dracula, which was written in letters, diary entries, and news clippings.

My thoughts

Totally hilarious. I suppose if Bram Stoker's Dracula was based on the 21st century where everyone uses the latest tech gadgets like iphone or ipad, which would be totally awesome ;)

Bekka Black's iDrakula is the modern take on Stoker's Dracula where we see the use of nifty gadgets and emails between the characters for communication. 

click the pic to see in HD

The story was short, got me laughing all all over and totally great. Recommended to everyone! While you guys check this out I will have to go stalk check out more of Bekka Black's work ;)

I give this

 

Find out more about Bekka Black from her

Website/Goodreds/Blog
Oh there is also a iDrakula app

Review: All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins

Genre: Contemporary romance

Publisher: Harlequin

Released: August 2010

My copy: Paperback

Buy Links

Amazon

Barnes & Nobel

Book synopsis from goodreads

One Happily-Ever-After Rocking Chair…  and no sign of any forthcoming babies to rock in ol' Georgebury, Vermont. For Callie Grey, turning thirty means coming to grips with the fact that her boss (and five-week fling) is way overdue in his marriage proposal. And way off track because Mark has suddenly announced his engagement to the company's new Miss Perfect. If that isn't bad enough, her mom decides to throw her a three-oh birthday bash in the family funeral home. Bad goes to worse when she stirs up a crazy relationship with the town's not so warm and fuzzy veterinarian, Ian McFarland, in order to flag Mark's attention. So Ian is more comfortable with animals…. So he's formal, orderly and just a bit tense. The ever-friendly, fun-loving and spontaneous Callie decides it's time for Ian to get a personality makeover. But dang, if he doesn't shock the heck out of her, she might actually fall for Vermont's unlikeliest eligible bachelor….

My Thoughts

You know sometime you read something non fiction and no matter how much you thought you wouldn't like it and end up falling in love with it? Did that ever happen to you?!?

Well, after I read All I Ever Wanted I can honestly say that is EXACTLY how I feel right now.

I just finished reading this like five minutes ago, and finishing the book gave me this floaty gooey sort of feeling and I was afraid if I waited to write the review this unexpected but very welcomed feelz of floatiness (is this even a word?) would disappear.

So in short this was a great non fiction contemporary novel I have read. Makes me want to read more in this genre. Thank you Kristan Higgins for introducing me to all these wonderful characters. I have definitely loved reading about all of them. This was my first read from Kristina Higgins but certainly not the last.

I don't think this book should be recommended to only the people who reads romance books, I would say All I Ever Wanted by Kristan Higgins is recommended to all the readers above 18.

You can read an expert by following the link.

I give this

You can find more about Kristina Higgins on her

Website/ Goodreads/ Facebook

Review: The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto

 The Book of Lost Souls by Michelle Muto

Genre : Young-Adult, Paranormal

Released: March 6, 2011

My copy: Won this from Amanda On a Book Bender

Buy Link 

Amazon

Smashwords

Good Reads Synopsis

When teen witch Ivy MacTavish changes a lizard into her date for a Halloween dance, everything turns to chaos. And when no one is powerful enough to transform him back except Ivy, it sparks the rumor: Like father, like daughter. Ivy has heard it all before - that her father, who left when she was seven – was involved with the darkest of magic. Making the rumors worse, someone uses an evil spell book to bring back two of history's most nefarious killers. Ivy's got a simple plan to set things right: find the real dark spell caster, steal the book, and reverse the spell. No problem! But she’ll have to deal with something more dangerous than murderous spirits that want her and her friends dead: the school’s resident bad boy and hotter-than-brimstone demon, Nick Marcelli. Nick’s offering Ivy more than his help with recovering the missing book – he’s offering her a way to ditch her scaly reputation as a lizard-lover. Demons are about as hard to handle as black magic, and as Ivy soon discovers, it’s going to take more than a lot of luck and a little charm if she wants to survive long enough to clear her status as a dark witch, get a warm-blooded boyfriend, and have her former date back to eating meal worms before the week’s end.

My Thoughts

It took me a little while to start this book after I received it but finally got around reading the book this week. I liked the entire world created in this book.

Ivy a witch in her try to capture the attention of the boy she likes is driven to turn a toad lizard in to a real boy which comes back to bite her in the ass, not literally of course. When her magic is hard to un do, Ivy is accused to becoming more like her father. Ivy and her friends are on to the mission to solve the mystery of who has The Book Of Lost Souls, a book that resurrects the dead. The story kept throwing off too many suspects and I kept guessing who actually had the book.

Nick Marcelli a demon and quite hard to resist when his charms is thrown in the mix in Ivy's life. Making Ivy confuse to which boy to actually choose. 

Overall a good book, I liked it and was hooked on it till the end although there were some very cheesy lines and I really really didn't expect a teenage boy to be that much.. ah well cheesy. But very cute nonetheless.

I give this

 

Find out more about Michelle Muto from her

Website/ Goodreads/ 

My Book Boyfriend: James Easton

Today I will gush over another another boyfriend of mine.

In the past few weeks I found a new series (and another book boyfriend) that I fell in love with instantly. James Easton from The Agency series by Y.S. Lee.

Name: James Easton Occupation: Engineer sometimes doing some spy work with Mary Quinn which he doesn't get paid for. Age: 21 Height: Almost 6 feet First Appearance: In a wardrobe hiding with Mary.

James is protective about his family which leads him to spying on the first place. Meeting Mary Quinn was not expected and it's quite impossible to resist his charms for Mary too as she snoops around trying to fit all the pieces of her case. Together they make quite the team!

“He laughed, then became serious once more. "Mary............" The expression in his eyes set her heart pounding. "Yes?" Twice he began to frame a sentence, and twice his voice seemed to fail him. And she thought she understood. What could he possibly say to her now, when he was on the verge of leaving forever? Even something as simple as asking her to write to him carried a distinct sort of promis, the type of promise he was ten years and a half a world removed from being able to make. She forced a polite smile and held out her hand. "Good luck, James." Regret-and relief-flooded his eyes. he took her hand, cradling it for a long moment. "And to you." It was foolish to linger. She slid her fingers from his grasp, turned, and began to walk away in the direction of the Academy. She'd gone about thirty paces when she heard his voice. "Mary!" She spun about. "What is it?" "Stay out of wardrobes!" She laughed, shook her head, and began to walk again. She was smiling this time. ~A Spy In The House

“I’m so sorry. I don’t think the etiquette manuals cover this sort of situation.” He leaned in close, his lips all but grazing her neck, and inhaled. “Mmm. You smell good, too.” She nearly choked. Took a step backwards, until her back met cold stone. “Th-thank you.” “That’s better. May I kiss you?” His finger dipped into her shirt collar, stroking the tender nape of her neck. “I d-don’t th-think that’s a good idea.” “Why not? We’re alone.” His hands were at her waist. Her lungs felt tight and much too small. “Wh-what if somebody comes in?” He considered for a moment. “Well, I suppose they’ll think I fancy grubby little boys.” ~The Body at the Tower

He smiled. "I suppose I thought we'd have a madly impractical, terrifyingly modern sort of marriage. One based on love. Not to mention dangerous undertakings and hair's-breadth escapes from burning buildings, high ledges and exploding sewers." "And bickering." "Always that, yes." "Assuming I want to marry at all." "True. I know of no good way of forcing you to do anything." "And you're mad enough to think it could work - one day?" He cupped her face in his hands. His smile was so brilliant it seemed to illuminate the room. "I think it would be heaven." She trembled, then. "You have a very strange idea of heaven." "Kiss me and see.”  ~The Traitor and the Tunnel

Le sigh. James finds the most unusual situations to be in. I for one  looking forward to reading the next series of The Agency series.

James Easton was played by Ben Barnes.

MBB My Book Boyfriend is a weekly meme hosted by Missie at The Unread Reader 

Review: The Traitor and the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

The Traitor and the Tunnel by Y.S. Lee

Series: The Agency #1

A Spy In The House

The Agency #2

The Body at the tower

The Agency #3

The Traitor and the Tunnel

Genre: Mystery, Young -Adult, Historical

Publisher: Walker

Released: 28 February, 2012

My Copy: Paperback

Buy Link

Amazon

Synopsis from goodreads:

Get steeped in suspense, romance, and high Victorian intrigue as Mary goes undercover at Buckingham Palace - and learns a startling secret at the Tower of London.  Queen Victoria has a little problem: there's a petty thief at work in Buckingham Palace. Charged with discretion, the Agency puts quickwitted Mary Quinn on the case, where she must pose as a domestic while fending off the attentions of a feckless Prince of Wales. But when the prince witnesses the murder of one of his friends in an opium den, the potential for scandal looms large. And Mary faces an even more unsettling possibility: the accused killer, a Chinese sailor imprisoned in the Tower of London, shares a name with her long-lost father. Meanwhile, engineer James Easton, Mary's onetime paramour, is at work shoring up the sewers beneath the palace, where an unexpected tunnel seems to be very much in use. Can Mary and James trust each other (and put their simmering feelings aside) long enough to solve the mystery and protect the Royal Family? Hoist on your waders for Mary's most personal case yet, where the stakes couldn't be higher - and she has everything to lose.

My Thoughts:

After reading all three books of The Agency series, I have to say this has been my favorite. 

Mary is yet again set to solve a mystery set in Buckingham Palace, and who else is there to cross her path? Why it was James Easton. The duo manages to keep out of the others toe for a time being but that was only momentary of course.

While trying to discover the main culprit to the case of missing pieces from the palace Mary stumbles on to something much more darker. A murder, and she is hell bound to find out the truth. Her venture to truth leads her to a secret of her own past and for the first time since I have been reading this books, I see Mary thinking with her heart rather than her head. As a trained spy Mary evaluates what she says, do sometimes not that much. But in the end, even when it was James Easton she has always been guarded of herself. So I think I liked this Mary as well as I did her in the previous books. James and Mary's relationship which they finally acknowledge as 'friendship' might finally see the light of day.

At the end, I say this will be one of my favorite series from now on. If you love young adult mysteries this is a book you need to read.

I give thiiis:

  AND 

Find yout more about Y.S. Lee from her

Website / Facebook / Fan page / Twitter

Me and my box #2

Drags in box for my weekly updates

Hello, last week was a good week. It started with Eid, so lots of celebration in my part of the world along with ALLOT of bbq'ing. My sisters are big on making stick kabab's. My younger sister made this

It was very yum! And 10 seconds later

How those four remained 10 seconds later is still a mystery o_O

So in other news I read and reviewed TWO books in a week! I know I am surprised myself ;) 

I read Heart Of Steel by Meljean Brook. I was not disappointed. And I think I shall be buying the audiobooks as well. WOOT! Archimedes Fox and Lady Corsair was absolutely awesome to read about. And I still love the Iron seas series so I will be following this series in the future.

I have also finished The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee last week. This book is the second book of The Agency series. And I am happy to say I have found another series to love and adore. I am so glad that the third book The Traitor and the Tunnel is already out in UK. So no problem purchasing it from there.

 

Weekly posts my attempt on making blog button #2

I reviewed 

Heart of Steel by Meljean Brook

&

The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

I signed up for debut author challenge on 2012

My new boyfriend Archimedes Fox

And the post on my name

Hi I am Prangon

Blogging with a nick name seemed like a good idea when I first started blogging. After I got a hang of things with blog and stuff I just feel silly signing my nick name when I post something, so after much thought I decided to go with the name I was given. 

Mind you, my real name is tough to pronounce maybe only five-six people knows how to pronounce it. And sadly I am not one of them, according to my mother *le sigh* It's Prangon. You sort of pronounce it like Pra - ang - gon. NO it sounds nothing like Dragon. I might be fierce like a one minus the fire breathing thing (but how cool would it be if I could breath fire!) My mother is big on earth power and Rabindranath Tagore's poetry so I was named Prangon, which means the power of earth.

So just wanted to let everyone know. Smittenskitten, it was fun while it lasted but I think I better stick to my own name.

Review: The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

 The Body at the Tower by Y.S. Lee

Series: The Agency #1
A Spy In The House
The Agency #2
The Body at the Tower
The Agency #3
The Traitor and the Tunnel

Genre: Mystery, Young-Adult, Historical, Fiction.

Publisher: Candlewick

Released: August 10, 2010

My copy: ebook

Buy Link

Amazon

Book synopsis from goodreads

This is another colourful, action-packed Victorian detective novel about the exploits of agent Mary Quinn. At a young age, Mary Quinn is rescued from the gallows and taken to Miss Scrimshaw's Academy for Girls. The school turns out to be a front for a private detective agency. At age 17, Mary takes on her first case (A Spy in the House). In this, the second book of the series, Mary Quinn sets out to uncover the truth behind a suspicious death at St. Stephen's Tower, better known as the clock tower of the Houses of Parliament. The accident occurred after hours in a highly public part of town and despite the presence of night watchmen. Mary, disguised as Mark Quinn, becomes a builder's assistant to find out the truth about the body at the tower.

My thoughts

After finishing A Spy In The House, the first book of The Agency series I just couldn't wait to read The Body at the Tower as well. I loved the book. The time during building the clock tower and all the rumors that grew with it helped placing this story in that period.

Mary is back to her Agency solving another mystery disguised as a boy. She comes close to blowing her cover when errand boys are beaten into pulp by the superior. But somehow she manages to slip away from that situation. In every verge it seems like people will find out she is not Mark Quinn but she comes to manage to uphold herself as a boy to most till the end of the book.

I was very happy to see another name returning to this book as well, James Easton. James is not in good health after returning from India but he tries to act tough. And Mary fails to disguise herself in front of the man. No matter what she does he seems to know it's her.

One of the scene that I loved is when James confronts Mary about being Mark and what happens afterword

“I’m so sorry. I don’t think the etiquette manuals cover this sort of situation.” He leaned in close, his lips all but grazing her neck, and inhaled. “Mmm. You smell good, too.”  She nearly choked. Took a step backwards, until her back met cold stone. “Th-thank you.” “That’s better. May I kiss you?” His finger dipped into her shirt collar, stroking the tender nape of her neck.  “I d-don’t th-think that’s a good idea.”  “Why not? We’re alone.” His hands were at her waist.  Her lungs felt tight and much too small. “Wh-what if somebody comes in?”  He considered for a moment. “Well, I suppose they’ll think I fancy grubby little boys.”

In this book Mary's feelings for James grows a little but he is still unaware of her reputation as a spy. Even though he have come to know some secret about Mary's past there are allot that's still uncovered.

Overall a good book. If you love reading young-adult, Victorian era this is a book worth checking out. 

I give this

 

Find out more about Y.S. Lee from her

Website / Facebook / Fan page / Twitter

2012 Debut Author Challenge

2012 Debut Author Challenge is hosted by The Story Siren. For More information click here.

Check out the books from debut authors of 2012 here.

My Book Boyfriend: Archimedes Fox

This week my book boyfriend is, Archimedes Fox from Herat Of Steel by Meljean Brook.

Archimedes Fox is an adventurer often doing very stupid things. He can get away or talk his way out of absolutely anything. Zombies, death, machine tentacle hands anything at all.

What he wants to do most is fall in love with the one person that can kill him quite easily. Captain Corsair.

Name:Archimedes Fox also known as Wolfram Gunther Baptiste Age: unknown Occupation: Explorer. thief First seen: The Iron Duke and reappears in Heart Of Steel

Now in bits and pieces from Heart Of Steel to show you how sexy Fox is!

“If you wish to wash yourself, Mr. Fox, I will pretend not to notice.” A hoarse laugh escaped him, and was strangled when her hand slipped around, soaping those delicious ridges at his hip. “Be practical in this matter, Mr. Fox. We will wake up in Vienna, where we might be chased by zombies. You can try to run after staying awake half the night with a stiff cock, or try to hide what you are doing in your bunk—or you can take care of it now.”

“And who are you now?” “The man who plans to fall in love with you.” “Wolfram, then.” “No,” he said, and the gravity in his voice must have surprised her. She paused, looked back at him. “With you, I am always Archimedes.”

Two steps carried her to the cabin door. She opened it. And like a fool, looked back. Archimedes wasn’t angry anymore. His face had whitened, skin taut with shock and hurt, eyes bleak as if he were already watching her with another man. Pain slashed across her chest. She’d done that. She’d deliberately done that to him, hacking away at the bond that had formed between them. And if she stepped out of the cabin, she’d break it. Maybe she already had.

And that was Archimedes Fox. Josh Kloss played Archimedes quite nicely ;)

My Book Boyfriend is hosted by Missie from The Unread Reader. 

Review: Heart Of Steel by Meljean Brook

Heart Of Steel by Meljean Brook

Series: The Iron Seas #2

Genre: Stempunk, Sci-fi, Romance

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Released: November 1, 2011

My copy: ebook

Buy Links

Amazon

Barnes & Nobel

The Iron Seas #1

The Iron Duke

Book synopsis from goodreads

Return to the gritty, alluring world of steampunk with the New York Times bestselling author of The Iron Duke.  Growing up in the dangerous world of the Iron Seas, the mercenary captain of the airship Lady Corsair, Yasmeen, has learned to keep her heart hard as steel. Ruthless and cunning, her only loyalty is to her ship and her crew-until one man comes along and changes everything...Treasurehunter Archimedes Fox isn't interested in the Lady Corsair-just the captain and the valuable da Vinci sketch she stole from him. When it attracts a dangerous amount of attention, Yasmeen and Archimedes journey to Horde-occupied Morocco- and straight into enemy hands.

My thoughts

It's been almost a year long wait after The Iron Duke release. After so anticipated wait for Heart Of Steel to come out, I have to say it was not disappointing. 

What I loved most about this book is Meljean Brook's word building and characters. Iron Seas is known for it's strong female role and Heart Of Steel is no different. Yasmeen or Captain Corsair is met with a tragedy in the very beginning which makes her team up with a very unlikely Archimedes Fox. 

Captain Corsair has made quite a name for herself with her tales. Her ship Lady Corsair is one of her greatest possession and something she deeply loves. However she doesn't let any man in on her heart.

As for Archimedes Fox, he  is hell bent to falling in love with her even if she doesn't return the sentiment. Archimedes is an adventurer and all he wants from Yasmeen is to let him love her. At the beginning of the agreement everything seem easy enough to Archimedes until finally he realized how much it would hurt if Yasmeen breaks his heart. 

Archimedes is not the alpha male we read about in stories, but he is capable of taking control. Just not when it comes to Yasmeen. His promise to let her be and he wouldn't undermine her stands till the very end. Even though Archimedes seems like an unlikely hero for Yasmeen, he was in many ways as Captain Corsair says, "Perfect for each other." 

Heart Of Steel was not heartbreaking like The Iron Duke, it had more humor in it. So the book ended with me smiling and not sobbing.

The cover still not an improvement in my opinion. The man candy was okay to look at but the cover just lacks the depth of the story.

Recommended to all who loves reading about Zombies, steampunk and romance.

I give this

 

Find out more about Meljean Brook from her
website/facebook/twitter