Sunday 16 June 2013

The Vis Vires Trilogy


A few months ago I was able to interview Marissa Caramel and help promote the second book in her Vis Vires Trilogy. Now at the time I had not read any of Marissa's book but the story fascinated me and I quickly added it to me 'To be read' list. Luckily for me Marissa gave me the chance to read and review her books and who was I to turn down an opportunity like that?








Blurb:

Lust. Anger. Hate. Desire. Love. Happiness. Joy. iFeel. What happens when an unknowing empath meets a pixie who wears leather, a snitch who is repulsive and a fiery angel who can literally set your soul on fire? A whole lot of emotional turmoil and one love story ignited. Liv Christianni is isolated, alone, tortured and withdrawn, saddled with the torrential downpour of the world’s emotions. Accepting of her providence Liv has lost all hope, until one day fate steps in and spins the course of her life like a spiraling top. Hunted by a Spirit Stalker, Liv is forced to gain control of herself and her surroundings, threatened by the touch of her immortal love; she must find a way to survive both physically and emotionally. Can she find the courage to accept her true self? Can she love unconditionally cognizant of the condemning consequences? Can she rise from the ashes to become the person she was always meant to be? Funny, witty, real, and poignant, iFeel rips into your soul, and sets your emotions on fire. If you are a fan of Charmed or Supernatural, The Vampire Diaries or The Secret Circle this series is for you! What readers are saying- This was super good!!- This story was just absolutely perfect!! 5 stars! Riveting- This was one of the best books I have read in a very long time! Awesome paranormal story- This book was like one of those suspense movies that you had to keep your attention on or you would miss something very important.


Review:

I really enjoyed this story about a young woman called Liv and how she is a recluse in her own home due to what she calls a disability.

Liv is unique with her purple eyes and the fact she can feel everything everyone feels around her. She struggles to differentiate between what are her own feelings and what are her own.
One night she is dragged out for her birthday when she encounters a being called a Stalker who wants to take her soul.
In steps Justice a Seraph who hunts Stalkers and now he needs to protect Liv when she discovers she is an Empath.
This is a great all round story and I can not wait to read the second book.
The only reason I gave it a four star was due to the writing style. I spent a long time trying to figure out what it was and after awhile I figured out it is wrote in a scripted style. Now even though there is nothing wrong with that I just personally found it hard to get completely lost in the book, but I was able to look past it and see the story in its entirety and I would definitely recommend this to everyone :)







Blurb:



Touch me, and bring me to life...

How do you move on when you don’t even know where you were going in the first place?

The Spirit Stalker is dead and I have finally started to erect my life. But I quickly discover, that just because the structure is built doesn’t mean the foundation is sturdy. As much as I try to manage my abilities, I can’t completely control them. The physical impossibility of the relationship I have with Justice has reached a boiling point; our fundamental problem is my inability to control myself from absorbing his power, and his fears of touching me because of it.

As if that wasn’t deal-breaker enough, a new threat looms on my horizon - Darklings.
They are grim reapers of the immortal world who surface every five-hundred-years to feed off the souls of magical beings who are weak, aimless, lost; those who have given up and want to move on.

They also hunt power. Which means, they’re hunting me.

Abandoned by the one person I need the most, I find myself in Melenia’s realm.  There, I’m courted by Siberian, a dangerous pixie who covets me, hunted by Death personified; all the while hiding my powers and my ancient bloodline. The pixie prince is alluring, and I feel so broken and vulnerable. I know giving in to him means giving myself over to him. But right now, I don’t care. All I want is to feel anything other than the loss and rejection Justice left me with.
Anything other than pain.

So what do I do when I’m scared to be touched, even though I know it’s the only way to bring my soul back to life?

Review:



I want to start by saying that after reading the first book I was so happy that this books writing was different and flowed beautifully. It was so much easier for my to get lost in the story line

Just when you think Liv and Justice are on the right track with each other Justice goes and breaks up with Liv with no explanation.
Liv doesnt understand why and starts drinking. As a way of helping her Jocelyn and Melenia decide to take Liv away to Devonshire which is the land of pixies. The Prince of Pixies, Serbian becomes fascinated by Liv and wants to take her as his own but during all of this Darklings attack not long after the rest of the Seraphs arrive.
Liv also meets a gypsy woman who give her a locket along with a warning about her future. But who is this woman and how does she know Liv and Justice?
This is a great read and I recommend this to everyone





My favourite line from this book is : "You are the only thing on this earth that thrills me, scares me and makes me question myself all at the same time, 




Interview:



Hi Marissa, thank you for agreeing to be interviewed by me again J

Thank you so much for having me again!

So tell me how are you feeling now that you are two books that are now published?

It’s an amazing feeling and it definitely fuels me to keep on writing.

How did you come up with the story?

It was a daydream really.  My mind is constantly wandering, but these characters and this story compelled me, so I just had to write it.

Now your book series is a Trilogy and I have been wondering if you will release any novellas to do with the series, such as the story of Justice and Derrin, or the story of Derrin and Melenia or even the story of AJ. I for one would be interested in reading those.

Yes, there will be spin off novellas. I’m working on Derrin and Justice’s story now, it will be called Affliction. I’m also playing with the idea of Jocelyn and AJ’s story too.

I see the third book is titled Constellation, do you have a date for release it?

Not at the moment. I have the story in my head, but I haven’t begun writing it. If I had to project, I’d say it will be done sometime early next year.

Now the IFeel was written in a different style to the Gravitational Pull and for me it didn’t flow as well as it could have. I just wondered if you will be changing it to fit the fluidity of Gravitational Pull?

Maybe. iFeel was my first novel, so sort of like a first child you make most of your mistakes with it. I think with Gravitational Pull I was more confident in my voice which helped my writing flow better. I’m always looking to improve, whether it’s through writing or reading or constructive criticism. So I think one day I’ll go back and revamp iFeel.

Last time I spoke to you didn’t have any other writing projects on the go but I have recently seen you have one called ‘Strip Me Bare’ Can you tell me a little bit about this?


Yes! I’m very excited about it. It’s a New Adult contemporary novel. It’s about a law student who finds out her estranged love is an infamous stripper at a New York City night club. The foundation of the story is about two people fighting for what they want while struggling to be together. Some major themes are prejudice, drug abuse, sexuality, familial struggles, standing up for what you believe in and of course love. I’m very excited about it.


Thursday 13 June 2013

No Brainer Blog Tour


No Brainer Blog Tour

Today is the final day of this fantastic blog tour and I would like to thank everyone who has helped. It is great when we can all come together and help out a fellow author and I have to say that I absolutely love this book series and I feel completely honoured to be able to take part in this tour.
So why don't I begin with talking about the first book in The Darcy Walker series:



Blurb:


Fifteen years ago, Darcy Walker's parents thought it was a good idea to give her a unique name: Darcy, meaning "dark walker." Whether that was a stroke of genius or stroke of stupid, they definitely nailed the irony. She lacks direction, her grades stink despite a high IQ, she's boringly average--although flirting admirers claim otherwise--and God help her, she's infatuated with a bad-boy.


A bad-boy that her hottie best friend, Dylan, wishes would get acquainted with his fist.



And, oh yeah, there's that tattoo that was a royally stupid idea.



With her life spiraling out of control, everything changes when she skips class and finds a dead body...in fact, it gets worse. It jump starts Darcy's inner-verb, and her brain hardwired for action gets caught up in a situation she can't let go.



Set in the fictional Cincinnati town of Valley, Ohio, Darcy falls into a world of threats, violence, and gangland exploits chasing down every clue to finger the murderer. When a fellow misfit is fingered for the crime, Darcy goes from zero-to-sixty trying to clear his name--constructing aliases, breaking the law, everything that makes perfect sense to her but reeks of Grade A Stupid to everyone else.
Trouble is...will she live to see 16?








My review:

When I first downloaded this I wasnt sure what to expect.

When Darcy comes across a dead body in a dumpster her life is turned upside down to try and find the killer after her friend is framed for the murder.

Now any regular person who finds a dead body would scream, vomit and/or phone the police. What did Darcy do?........ she decides to take off her shoes and jump in for a closer inspection!

I could say Darcy is all brains and no common sense but her grades are not really reflecting any brain cells.

I absolutely love Darcy and how she sees the world. I also love her relationship with her best friend Dylan (are they or arent they)

I love how the whole book is intense and gripping and I only put it down because I had to sleep.

The build up to discover who was the killer was fantastic and I was definitely not disappointed.

This book is definitely a must read for everyone. I am going to be buying a copy for my daughter for her 12th birthday.





Blurb:


Two weeks before junior year, Darcy hops a plane to Orlando for a little R&R with her best friend Dylan and his family. Fresh off the heels of solving three murders in Valley, you'd think she'd sit back and enjoy the vacation capital of the world … maybe if you're a noun. Darcy Walker, however, is nothing but verb. 


Before her feet hit the Orlando soil, she's meddling in the disappearance of a five-year-old boy who vanished six months earlier. 



With authorities still no closer to solving the case, Darcy is shanghaied by her impulsivity and runs headlong into that proverbial burning building, convinced she can bring him home. 



She travels down a road that not only follows this missing child but branches off into the corrupt and sinister world of mob activity when she tampers in a case on which Dylan's detective grandfather is working.

After a near disastrous midnight meeting in a warehouse and a date with a mechanical bull, Darcy realizes she might've bitten off more than she can chew. Add the boiling flirtationship with her best friend and the appearance of his romantic rival, and she is in over her head. 


Will she survive a life of flirting with death too easily? Or will her flirtationship with Dylan become the actual death of her instead? 



For a girl with a habit of finding dead bodies, No Brainer gives Darcy Walker more of the same…surprising twists and turns…and running for her life




My review:

LOVE IT! LOVE IT! LOVE IT!
In this second installment we see Darcy go away to Florida for two weeks with Dylan and his family.

Now you may think, 'okay she is with Dylan, how can she possibly get into any trouble?' well Darcy is Darcy and it doesnt help that Dylans grandfather Lincoln works in the police force.

This book gets more and more gripping the more you read it. Today I could not put it down until I had finished it.

I was intrigued in Darcy as she tried to track down a five year old boy called Cisco who has been kidnapped whilst wondering how the case Lincoln was working on would some how cross paths.

Whilst all this is going on both Darcy and Dylan are battling with their feelings for each other and I do love the will they? wont they? scenario.

I know others just roll their eyes but with Darcy's insecurities and the fact that lets say they get together and it doesnt work out then they have lost the other as a best friend.

I want to know will they? :)

I still have one other burning question......What happened to Darcy's mum? Please tell me soon as it is killing me.


So with all of these questions swimming around in my head I thought why not ask the author herself. So that is exactly what I did.



Interview:


As both a reader and writer myself I just loved how your books hook the readers from the start and I love Darcy speak. Some of the conversations she has with her father are brilliant.

How old were you when you first started writing?

I started writing the Darcy Walker Series five years ago. Did I write before that? Not really. I majored in English and Journalism in college but I never imagined I’d become an author of a series.

Did you always want to be a writer?

My first love was journalism. So I did like to write, but always I imagined myself cracking big news stories with the mob breathing down my neck because I was ratting them out.

What inspired you to write the Darcy Walker series?

I wrote the first word to the Darcy Walker Series on Friday, June 13, 2008. She was an outlet for me during a particularly horrible time. The louder she became, the more I realized she deserved to live.

How many books will there be in the series?

I have outlines for nine books, but hopefully there will be more than that.

Awesome news. I will have to have them all and I have a feeling my daughter is going to love Darcy too.
How long did it take you to write each book?

On average, eight months.

Do you have a favourite character? And if so who?

Obviously, I love Darcy but I have a huge soft spot for her best friend, Dylan Taylor. I like what he says and how he views the world. To him, life and love are simple. If you love someone, then you have their back during the good and bad times. His loyalty is unmatched. And for me? Let’s just say I love a good alpha male.

Did you base Darcy on anyone?

Darcy has my sense of humor. I prefer to laugh than anything, and unfortunately, her penchant for getting messed up with the wrong type of guys is a little autobiographical. If there was a bad teenage decision to be made, God help me, I was first in line to make it. That being said, I’m not afraid to speak of my bad decisions. What the heck, I should probably be more embarrassed of things, but I’m just not. I figure they make you who you are and you just need to roll with it. I wish I was as smart as Darcy, though. That’s all her.

Okay, when are you going to tell us what happened to Darcy’s mum? I am itching to know and I am sure the rest of your readers are too 

Aaah, Darcy’s mother. If I had a dollar for every time someone asked me this question I’d be one rich woman! Darcy obviously is harbouring some really deep feelings where her mother is concerned. She’s given subtle hints that whatever happened was bad (it was), and it happened while she was nine years old. Too young to be able to process. Darcy has processed what she can; unfortunately, she has stuffed a lot of things down as a coping mechanism. Book four (untitled at the moment) will open up the floodgates of her life. There will be no secrets in her past after that book.

Now how long do I have to wait until book three will be released?

Fall 2013.

I am not sure if I can wait that long :(
Do you have a title for book three?

100 Proof Stud…let your imaginations soar J

My imagination is going wild lol. I am hoping the book I referring to Dylan and him and Darcy get together lol.
When is Darcy finally going to release she is beautiful?

There’s a good chance that might be never.

Yeah I know that happens with a lot of people. No matter how times a person is told they are beautiful they have to feel it inside themselves.
Do you do a lot of research for your books? And if so do you have help?

I read about ten online newspapers a day to get ideas but currently I have no research assistant. I’d like to have one, though. If anyone reads this that would like to help, message me!!

Ooooo we could make an advert for one for you ;)
Okay so between you and me…… will Darcy and Dylan get together? 

I plead the Fifth. That’s a saying in the US that refers to the Fifth Amendment…which states that every American has a right to not incriminate themselves. In other words, I’m not playing all of my cards right now!!

Booooo I am so impatient. I want to read all your books now 
I don’t want to give anything away but OMG. How dare you write an epilogue like that! You are worse than me with cliff hangers. I was going to ask you questions about that but I have decided to leave that alone so it doesn’t give too much away

:) SERIOUSLY….I”LL ANSWER SOMETHING IF YOU WANT ME TO!!!

Oh really? Well how about this question:
You had a major cliffhanger, AJ. Can you give me any hints as to how it is going to turn out for those four characters involved?

I can't give you exact details other than the four characters in question will never be the same. I mean, how could they? Some will be affected more than others, but trust me, I have a master plan. This shakeup NEEDED to happen for several reasons. It will be the beginning of the end for one of the story arcs, and it will also be so life-changing for two characters that it sets them on a lifelong career path.
Does anyone die??? Good question...really good question.
*throws head back with an evil mad scientist laugh*
All I will say is...???????.

Oh lady you do not play fair :p

So now I have asked the technical questions you may be aware that my blog is entitled ‘Complete randomness from a crazy author’ so now I will be asking you complete and utter random questions. You have been warned *evil laugh*
Now I have your dad Gene Miracle (loving the surname btw) on my facebook. Now if I am honest I did not realise he was your dad until I read Grade A Stupid and saw his name in the acknowledgements. It must be great have the support from your family. What I want to know is….. is your dad anything like Murphy?

My parents have always been uber supportive. Whatever my sister and I wanted to do they were all for us being the best. He’s a little like Murphy, but he’s more like Darcy’s grandfather Winston who shows up a couple of books later. My dad is full of trivia. He can work crossword puzzles like a maniac, and at 80 years old still might be the sharpest person I’ve ever met. He never forgets a name, face, or details to anything. My father is a minister. Murphy works as an insurance underwriter—and so does my husband. In other words, they are the people that decide whether something is a good risk or not. My husband knows what he pays for everything, how much something will cost him if it’s a loss, and absolutely loves it when he “beats the system.”

You father is 80? *jaw drops to the floor* He must have had a good life as he certainly does not look his age.
What would you rather be attacked by - 20 duck sized horses or 1 horse sized duck?

Oooh, good question. That one actually keeps me up at night J I’d say one horse-sized duck. I’d stay low and take it out at the knees. Always stay low, that’s my mantra in life. The bigger they are, the harder they fall.

Do you have any other books in the pipeline besides The Darcy Walker series?

The Saga of Jude Nichols is in the pipeline…she’s taken a backseat because Darcy is keeping me so busy, but yeah…she’s going to be good when she gets her day!

Yeah sometimes it is difficult to start something fresh when you are so focused on one. I have released three books from one of my series and even though I am currently writing a novella for it I have decided to write a complete different book. It feels both strange and refreshing at the same time, but I know I will have to be quick because my readers will get impatient lol
What is your favourite cheese?

Swiss or provolone…it’s a toss up

Do you have any scars? If so what is your most memorable?

I have a scar on my left hand from a car wreck when I was twenty years old. I should’ve died in that wreck but walked away. It’s a great reminder that life is a gift.

Wow we are very lucky that you walked away. The world would be a boring place without you and Darcy J
Tell me a funny story from your childhood J

Oh, jeez, the first that pops into my mind is my first and only attempt at being a kleptomaniac. I went to the grocery with my father and stole a pack of gum and Band-Aids. I mean, every girls needs gum and Band-Aids, right? I boldly sat down in the front seat of our car and like an idiot started to blow bubbles. My dad asked me where I’d gotten the gum, and I had to fess-up that my sticky fingers stole it. I had to march back in the store and confess what I’d done and pay for what I’d stolen. I never stole again I was so humiliated.

So funny. We call band-aids plasters here but our parents always kept them so I cant understand stealing them lol. I stole bio oil once. Which is like a plant feeder. Why? I have no idea lol.
If you could give advice to anyone out there who is thinking of writing a story what would it be?

Be real…don’t censor your characters and don’t be afraid of your imagination. If you are afraid of your imagination, then creativity is going to die on the vine.

If I could grant you one wish what would it be and why?

I wish I had perfect eyesight. That would be awesome if I could chuck the glasses and contacts.

I wear glasses so I hear ya there. I have never ever tried contacts though. Kind of scares me. I do need to buy sunglasses with my lenses.  But wow these things are expensive!


Where to buy:


Grade A Stupid - Amazon US
Grade A Stupid - Amazon UK
No Brainer - Amazon US
No Brainer - Amazon UK
No Brainer - Barnes & Noble


About Author:





A. J. lives in Cincinnati with her husband, two feministic daughters, an ADD dog, a spoiled hamster, and an unapologetic and unrepentant addiction to Coca-Cola. She studied English, Journalism, and Political Science at Morehead State University and left the business world when her daughters were born. Her love for suspense and a good story was born from watching Mystery Science Theater with her sister during childhood. That and any B-movie with comedic undertones they could get their hands on.
From a small town in Kentucky, her sister and she lived in their imaginations on a regular basis, and A.J.'s love for the bizarre and paranormal still holds true to this day. She loves roller coasters, scary movies, and haunted houses and the weird sense of accomplishment it gives her when she can make it through without keeling over.
When she's not riding that razor-thin line between creativity and insanity, she likes to read, watch too much cable TV, or cheer like a banshee at her daughter's sporting events. She's an avid Cincinnati sports fan and when she can watch a professional game, she's going to jump at the chance.
She's currently hard at work on the first installment of her urban fantasy series, The Curse of Jude Nichols.




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Saturday 8 June 2013

K. S. HAIGWOOD'S FRESH NEW LOOK FOR A BEST-SELLING SERIES


~*~ Over 200 reviews! ~*~
*Paranormal * Suspense * Fantasy * Romance*

~ Guardian Angels ~ Guardian Demons ~ Heaven ~ Hell ~ Hate ~ Love ~ Soulmates ~

SAVE MY SOUL - Book 1 in the 'Save My Soul' series. 4.6/5 star rating
Kendra Larkin had everything going in the right direction. Her life was seemingly perfect, and she wouldn't have changed a thing about it. Unfortunately, the course of her life was about to be forever altered. A tragic rappelling accident lands her on Dr. Adam Chamberlain's operating table. She agrees to a deal proposed by a guardian angel to help save the soul of the man who is both her doctor and soulmate. If she is successful, she gets to keep her life. However, she later learns that it isn't just her life that's in jeopardy, but her soul as well. Even with the help of her handsome guardian angel, Rhyan, it seems there is no happy ending in sight. Torn between her newly discovered love of Rhyan, and the undeniable attraction she has for Adam, Kendra finds herself at a crossroad. With Adam's steadfast rejection of God, and his guardian demon conspiring against her, she fears her soul may already be lost. Will she find a way to overcome the evil her life is suddenly burdened with? Or will Adam's guardian demon win both their souls and make Kendra his own personal puppet in Hell?
REVIEW QUOTES!!!
“ I finished this book in one day, couldn't put it down!! ” Brandi
“ Save my Soul is a page-turner that I would recommend to anyone with an appreciation for romance and the paranormal. ” Mandy Trouten
REVIEW FROM A READER: Okay so I'm writing this through tears. Wow, this story was just amazing, especially the ending. That was an ending I wasn't anticipating. The plot always kept me guessing and kept me on the edge of my seat. The concept of the story was unique, so different than what I read all the time. It was refreshing, and truly amazing. What happens if you woke up to find yourself dying on a hospital bed? What if you couldn't move, couldn't speak, but could hear everything that was occurring? Well that is what happens to 29 year old Kendra who had a bad accident after going rappelling with her friends. Imagine her surprise when being patched up and stitched back together by a doctor, who voice she finds safe and soothing, she hears a voice in her mind. Actually not just one voice, but two of them. Who are they? Well it turns out it is her guardian angel and the guardian angel of the doctor who saved her life. The doctor's guardian angel, Coen, literally makes her an offer she couldn't refuse. He made it so that Kendra lives, even after that tragic accident that was suppose to end her life. But he gives her a task in exchange for her life. Her task? Make the misguided doctor believe in God again. But there is one catch to this. Kendra only has one week to make Dr. Adam Chamberlain believe in God or she loses her soul and dies all over again except this time, permanently. How do you make a man who has given up on God believe again? Especially after a tragic event that caused the doctor to lose his faith in God in the first place. Can love conquer years of resentment and heartbreak? Or will both Kendra's and Adam's souls be lost forever? Okay, I really loved the idea of putting guardian angels and guardian demons in this book. I never heard of a story like this before, it's a really neat idea if you ask me. Kendra's character in the book made me smile a lot. She was a strong female character who knows what she wants and isn't afraid to speak her mind. But not only is she brave and outspoken, she is also sweet and caring. She surprised me so much in this book with her generosity and kind actions. She was a character that many girls and women can relate to. I personally hope I can be something like Kendra one day. And the doctor in the story? I have one word to describe him: Amazing! Adam was what I expected him to be: sweet, remote, misguided but overall he was loyal to the end. His stubbornness added to his character and I think he was the perfect man for Kendra. Even Rhyan, Kendra's guardian angel, will always have a place in my heart as well. He was so funny in the book and very charming. The emotion and love he shows to Kendra made me want to cry and give him a hug. His character added something unique to this book. Overall, an amazing book! I highly recommend this book to everyone who enjoys a great story with amazing characters. Some of my favorite quotes from the book: "I wasn't talking to you, I was talking to myself." "Don't do that, people will think you're crazy." "You better watch it, Ms. Larkin, Ashley's looks will break that nice camera of yours." her boyfriend joined in with the cruel laughter. I started to speak, but Adam beat me to it. "If it made it through your shots, the camera will be just fine after Ashley's session." "Are you going to tell me the reason I can't stop looking at you?" "Love conquers all evil. Don't judge a book by its cover. Everything happens for a reason and ... If you haven't found your soul mate yet, don't ever, ever give up hope; he or she is out there somewhere." - Joc
HELL'S GIFT - Book 2 in the 'Save My Soul' series. 4.8/5 star rating
Depression consumes the guardian angel, Rhyan, after his human charge chooses her soulmate over him. Filled with anger and despair, he lashes out. And when his hate-filled words land him neck-deep in Hell, he realizes he's gone too far. He expects trouble, but not to discover his own soulmate in the fiery depths. Abigail is there with good reason, but she's done her time, and in order to save them both, Rhyan must strike a deal with the Devil. The stakes are higher than ever before, with his soul, his friends and even the fate of Heaven and Earth in jeopardy. If he fails, Rhyan stands to lose more than he ever feared. Will true love be denied? It will take everything he's got to break down the traps Lucifer puts in his way. New lines are drawn and old scores are settled, and Rhyan is in for the fight of his life. With Abigail as the prize, and humanity in the balance, he will stop at nothing to claim...Hell's Gift.
REVIEW QUOTES!!!
“ A well written plotline filled with twists and very believable characters. ” Shiralyn Lee
“ After the first book in this series, Save My Soul, I could hardly wait for this one to come out. ” Kelly The Red
“ Hell's Gift was a page turner from start to finish! ” Jennifer Wedmore
REVIEW FROM A READER: Hell’s Gift is the second novel in the Save My Soul series, yet a standalone story, just like the first. You can read my review of book one, Save My Soul, here. A completely original idea for a fantasy romance, this book is a huge accomplishment on so many levels. For a start, there’s a lot of story within those pages, and not one word of that is useless waffle. The action starts on page one and finishes with the last sentence. What made it more interesting for me was the frequent change of environment. Most of the action takes place in Hell, but it’s not the sort of Hell you would have imagined. I won’t tell you how it’s different, just trust that it is. Sometimes it’s better, often it’s worse, and the pain is not necessarily physical. Rhyan’s trials are imaginative, and the secondary plots developed enough to allow us a glimpse into the psyche of many of the demons and fallen angels that populate the upper classes of this incredibly rich world. There are minions and beasts, love and hate, fear and debauchery – you’ve really got to read it and see for yourself. Characterisation is one of K.S. Haigwood’s strongest points. Rhyan, a depressed guardian angel, is very well developed, his voice clear and easily identifiable throughout the story. You can understand his predicament – who doesn’t know the feeling of unrequited love? – and you can almost foresee his reactions. But. There’s always a but, with this author, because K.S. Haigwood can deliver enough twists and turns to turn a tornado on its head. Just as you think you’ve figured where the story is going next, she’s duped you again. Rhyan grows through his experiences and, in the background, you can see a few cracks beginning to appear in the personalities of secondary characters, too. Each one gets what they deserve, even if it’s just another chance to prove themselves. I loved the story and the idea behind it. Love conquers all is the message in many books, but you rarely see it as challenged and as humorised as here. Take this short dialogue, for example: “Which direction should I go?” I said to both Pogo and Malcolm. “North,” Pogo replied. “South,” Malcolm said. “West it is, then,” I said, and stepped out into the acid blizzard. The whole novel is littered with good chuckle moments, and even in the darkest hour, the thinnest hint of a silver lining is still visible among the clouds. I wholeheartedly recommend reading this book. Shock therapy for body and soul, delivered at a hundred miles an hour with the humor and charisma of a trendsetter, Hell’s Gift is certain to be hailed the new wonder-drug to cure all ills. No one is perfect, and this books shows you why you don’t have to be. Get ready to laugh, cry and most of all feel your way through this addictive story. Kristie Haigwood is a skilled sorceress of the fantasy world. Five very well-deserved stars for this effort. - E Medler
Look for 'GOOD SIDE OF SIN' - Book 3, Coming Fall 2013
*
Is going to Hell the worst thing that could happen to you?
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