April 2015 - Night Owl Book CaféNight Owl Book Café

Review: Soulbound (Darkest London #6) by Kristen Callihan

April 4, 2015 Lily B Review 9 ★★★★

Soulbound by Kristen Callihan
Series: Darkest London #6
Published by Forever on February 24th 2015
Genres: Adult Paranormal Romance, Adult Urban Fantasy
Pages: 366
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Goodreads
Rating:
Heat Rating: three-flames

This book may be unsuitable for people under 17 years of age due to its use of sexual content, drug and alcohol use, and/or violence.

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Once two souls are joined...
When Adam's soul mate rejected him, there was more at stake than his heart. After seven hundred years of searching, his true match would have ended the curse that keeps his spirit in chains. But beautiful, stubborn Eliza May fled—and now Adam is doomed to an eternity of anguish, his only hope for salvation gone...
Their hearts will beat together forever...
No matter how devilishly irresistible Adam was, Eliza couldn't stand the thought of relinquishing her freedom forever. So she escaped. But she soon discovers she is being hunted—by someone far more dangerous. The only man who can help is the one man she vowed never to see again. Now Adam's kindness is an unexpected refuge, and Eliza finds that some vows are made to be broken...

My first go at the Darkest London series and I have enjoyed it so much that I cannot believe I have missed out on the earlier books. Adam has been cursed and the only one who can ended is his soul mate. After spending hundreds of years searching and waiting, he finally finds her, only to have her reject him. Eliza May has managed to flee Adam the king of GIM’s, with the help of a few unlikely characters. After being chain and treated ungracefully by the King of GIM’s it’s no wonder she grew to hate the man, until she finds him chained and broken in Mab’s house. Unable to watch him in such a horrible soul crushing situation, Eliza decides to try to rescue Adam. Now they are on the run, not only are they being chased by the dangerously obsessed Mab, but also a very dangerous man who wants her all to himself. With Adam’s powers dampened by the chains, the two of them would need to find help from people who may or may not still be loyal to Adam.Great story. I love how it takes Historical Fiction and Paranormal Romance and turns out a very interesting read. I liked the time period and the
two elements work well together, which also happen to be two of my favorite things. Adam was, well… He grew on me let’s just put it at that. The way he treated Eliza at first was infuriating, which made me understand why Eliza ran. It also paved a great road for conflict and why Eliza did not accept him as her soul mate at first. At the same time his actions were also a bit understandable. Because of his curse, people are attracted to him, but Adam does not feel any sort of emotion towards them so he has lived a very lonely life for a hundred of years. In a way, he doesn’t really know how to act towards a woman he is suddenly in love with.Eliza was a fierce female lead, I liked her well enough. I enjoyed the slow building relationship between the two and glad that the author did not
rush it and make it feel like insta-love, especially because these two are supposed to be soul mates.Filled with action, excitement, paranormal and secrets, Soulbound was a very entertaining read. I enjoyed the story line, I likedlearning about Eliza’s secret and the extra story with Sin that branched out and paved the way for the next book. Soulbound had some very original and creative elements that remind me again and again why I love Paranormal Romance.

Review: Dark Alchemy by Laura Bickle

April 3, 2015 Lily B Review 5 ★★★½

Dark Alchemy by Laura Bickle
Series: Dark Alchemy #1
Published by Harper Voyager Impulse on April 28th 2015
Genres: Adult Urban Fantasy, Adult Paranormal
Pages: 384
Format: Paperback
Source: Publisher
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
Rating:
Heat Rating: one-flame

Geologist Petra Dee arrives in Wyoming looking for clues to her father's disappearance years before. What she finds instead is Temperance, a dying Western town with a gold rush past and a meth-infested present. But under the town's dust and quiet, an old power is shifting. When bodies start turning up - desiccated and twisted skeletons that Petra can't scientifically explain - her investigations land her in the middle of a covert war between the town's most powerful interests. Petra's father wasn't the only one searching for the alchemical secrets of Temperance, and those still looking are now ready to kill. Armed with nothing but shaky alliances, a pair of antique guns, and a relic she doesn't understand, the only thing Petra knows for sure is that she and her coyote sidekick are going to have to move fast, or die next.

I was always the curious one standing on the outside looking in when it came to Laura Bickle books. I have never read her other series, but have read so many wonderful reviews on it from friends that I have wished for more time in order to read them. When Dark Alchemy was bought to my attention, I decided to finally jump on Bickle’s bandwagon and after I was done with it, it left me wanting even more.Petra Dee is a geologist who arrives in Wymoning looking for any clues in her father’s disappearance years before, when she finds herself in Temperance an old Western town with a gold rush past and a possibly meth-infestation. What Petra is about to find out that there is something more underneath the dusty quiet town, especially when bodies start showing up and she finds herself in a middle of something more than she was willing to bargain for.Great story, rather dark and creepy and I found myself enjoying and hooked from the very first chapter. Petra’s character was flawed. She wasn’t like most Urban Fantasy lead females that I have been used to and I liked that, it made her seem more human, which is exactly what she was in the book.

The storyline and the concept were both original and fascinating. I found myself immersed in a world that was even more darker and compelling when read in the middle of the night. I liked the stories take on alchemy and how certain people used to obtain certain stages of power, which in turn wasn’t always for the good of everyone.

The supporting cast of characters were just as equally interesting. I liked Maria and Frankie, but they left me wanting a little more. I thought Frankie’s story was interesting, even if it was talked about briefly in the book.

The idea of the Hanged Man was also part of the creepy factor but I found myself liking Gabe and wanting to know more about him. If you are looking for romance, this book is not for you. The romance in it was subtle and don’t ask for happy endings, which left it refreshing in a way.

The book did leave some holes for me.

I don’t think I completely understood what happened to Petra’s father?
I did not get why Petra was called the Green Lion. I don’t think this was covered well.
I wanted to know more about Maria and Frankie. In the end their stuff kind of got faded out.
I wanted to know more about Gabe’s story especially after Petra found that old picture of him.
What happened to Cal in the end kind of felt almost like a cliffhanger.

I think this is a stand-alone. If it is, it feels a little bit full of holes. If there are more coming, I hope stuff will be a little bit more explained.