Bonded by Nicky Charles

Reno’s a tough Enforcer for Lycan Link who finds himself drawn to Brandi but duty rules his life. Brandi, just on the edge of starting her career as a Disaster Control officer, falls for Reno at first sight, but are they really meant to be? Is it love or lust and does it really even matter? Enforcers and DCs don't get along...unless fate forces them to.

Nicky Charles started the "Law of Lycan" Series with the book - The Mating( Book#1). Bonded , though was written after book#1 , is set in a time line before that of Mating. Hence this is called book#0.5.

I always like to read of societies that describe non-human creatures and their ways. I am glad I got to read this series in the correct order, 'cause this is probably lot better than book#1.

The book describes the set up of packs , the rules , the members and their stature in each pack ,the tensions hovering over the werewolf community and the regulating bodies.

I really like the roles of both enforcers and DC ( Disaster control) and once you read about them , you know they are going to be always  on opposite ways of getting things done. That makes an interesting love plot between Reno and Brandi , but also it gets a little irritating at times.

Still , the story has a good pace , a lot of good action scenes and the character development is good. The book is all about two strong personalities coming to term with their own inhibitions and how every one working for good is neither always right , nor always wrong. 

The sex is a bit too much for my taste and the editing could have gotten rid of some more details , per me. 

Overall a good fast read.

Rating : 2.75/5

Frankly Spooking

                                     

Book: Frankly Spooking

Author: Sriramana Muliya

Synopsis: ( From the book cover)

These are stories that will draw out the fears which lie hidden in the deepest, darkest recesses of your mind. Where the dead meet you in the corridors of a swanky office, a busy shopping mall, a quiet classroom. They may even come knocking on your front door.

Unexpected yet familiar, Frankly Spooking is perfect for those nights when the rains lash against  your windowpane and the lights go off.

Excerpts:

"Then? I mean.. you can tell me, you know. I have always tried to be a friend to all my teammates."

"I'm telling you, Preeti. She'll not come back."

"But why?" Preeti demanded.

"Because we just had her for supper."

Padma trudged up the stairs to the first-floor bathroom where the machine stood. It was spinning. Her mouth went dry. Who had switched it on? Heart throbbing, she looked closer. She stopped the machine and opened it to inspect the clothes inside. Her blood froze.

Tangled amidst the clothes was Aniket's face, staring right at her.

Maithili Speaks: 

After terrorizing his readers for years on his blog, Sriramana Muliya makes his debut with "Frankly Spooking".

As the book promises, the darkest fears in the recesses of the mind are unraveled. 

The most mundane events become paranormal, the most harmless possessions become deadly. 

 The book has stories that you will flip through the day and dread at night :O 

The starting chapters are light and set in a feel for what is next to come. You only get over the inertia of what happened last, when you are knocked with a new dose of the ghost. This time it is the innocent looking teddy in your bedroom or that pair of earphones that are always circling your neck.. 

There are stories that you have to read again to make sure you read that right. Some will make  you petrified for life if you are weak minded. 

"Breath taking sight" and "Team Player" are my personal favorites. A common pursuit of lovers to seek for deserted places takes a ghastly turn in "Breath taking sight". Trust me, you wouldn't go peeking your nose in other's business if you read "Team Player".  That is what makes this book a winner. It makes you scared and think twice about what is second nature to you. Would you do it again? 

This unchartered territory, as Sriramana puts it, is a breathe of fresh air from all those college romances, MBA tragedies and sleazy engineered fantasies. The book explores the fear of the dead, the undead and those in between. 

Read it at night when it is raining outside and there is no power in the house. I dare you to get out of bed ! This book goes into my collection. If nothing, you will have a whole range of stories to scare the hell out of people staying over and talking late into the night about ghosts.

Come on, its been ages and we are hearing the same "Reverse footed, floating, candle bearing ghost". 

Caution: Read at your own risk. Do not hold me responsible if you are paralyzed the whole night :D 

Rating: 3.5/5

Price: Rs 299/-

LOVE’S LABOURS WON- The Stone Chronicles (Book I)

Review on request by Author

AUTHOR: Sheilagh Lee, a.k.a S. G. Lee.

She is a mystery and paranormal writer/book blogger who lives in Ontario, Canada. You may read some of her works at-

http://deadwrite.blogspot.com/

http://poeticyearnings.blogspot.com/ and

http://sheilaghlee.blogspot.com/


GENRE: Paranormal/Suspense Thriller

SYNOPSIS:

"Sarah is a young single woman in dire straits. Her rent is due, she was fired from her last job and she has no family to turn to. So she accepts the fateful offer of a mysterious job, which turns out to be a ruse to steal powers that she never even realized she had. As she sets upon this journey Sarah discovers a world of magic, mystery and the supernatural. As Sarah learns about this new world she is exposed to adventure, danger and intrigue...and romance in the form of the mysterious Demetrious Blackstone. All the while Sarah must learn to control her gifts and suppress her own demons to defeat the perils that await her. Only then can she discover her inner voice and follow her own path that will lead to the true love she knows she deserves."

EXCERPT:

The receptionist’s bright blue eyes were like diamonds and red lipstick finished the face that could launch a thousand ships. She was dressed in a very tight red dress. It didn’t seem quite appropriate for the office but who was Sarah to judge? Sarah couldn’t help but wonder if this was the type of beauty that they hired here. If so, she was in trouble. She couldn’t compete with someone that lovely.

“Hi, my name is Sarah. I have a little problem… I’m hoping that someone as knowledgeable and as intelligent as you are could help me with.” Sarah began.

“Well, I will if I can. That’s so flattering that you think I can help you. People tend to treat me like a bit of an airhead because I’m just a receptionist. And my parents didn’t do me any favors by naming me Brandy.” stated Brandy breathlessly while snapping her gum.

“Oh, your name is Brandy? You know, some say brandy is better than fine wine.” Sarah piled on the charm.

“I’m not... you know…. so if …you know if that's what this is all about you can stop right there. Nothing against your preferences but I’m seeing a guy,” replied Brandy awkwardly misunderstanding.

“Oh no….no …. Really, there’s nothing to worry about. I am straight too. I’m just here trying to get a job. You see, I applied for this job but the man on the phone forgot to tell me the office number where the interview is.” explained Sarah.

(I know it’s not a very significant part of the story but I found it really funny…ahem!)

ARPITA SPEAKS:

In the first book of the Stone Chronicles, Sarah Dexler Maidenstone takes you on a ride that you would truly enjoy if you are looking for a book that’s full of magic, adventure and love. Orphaned and abandoned, Sarah struggles to make ends meet, when she suddenly hears from her long lost grandfather one day, under very suspicious circumstances. While Lord Eccklestone tries to reunite his family, the mysterious, handsome Demetrious Blackstone insists that Sarah’s grandfather is not who he claims to be. Before she can accept the fact that she still has a family to call her own, she finds herself unwittingly drawn into an age old battle between the Stone families.

With an interesting narrative and a fairly good portrayal of characters this novel keeps one entertained all along. Each of them- good and evil- is so believable, yet seems to be larger than life. Demetrious is depicted as the perfect hero with a noble spirit; Darius is brilliant with his flirtatious sense of humor. While the proud and independent female protagonists, Sarah and Aunt Iva, leave you impressed, Alexander (the “almost eight years old” son of the awful being that Lord Eccklestone is) comes across as a surprise package.

Vampires, werewolves, “magick” and true love- this novel has got all the ingredients of a paranormal romance. Although, ultimately “love’s labours won,” the author ended the story with a completely unexpected twist, leaving me eager to read the next book in the series. This is The House of Night, the Harry Potter series, Stardust and Twilight all thrown together, making the book a pleasurable read. It’s the kind that you love to get your hands on when you need an escape from the drudgeries of life. Looking for a breezy novel for light reading? Try this one. It left me with a smile on my face.

PS- thanks to you,FL. :)

RATING: 3 on 5

PRICE: $2.99 (Amazon)

Blood Ties (Blood Series#3 , Special Crime Unit#12)

by Kay Hooper

Kay Hooper is mostly known for her SCU (Special Crime Unit) books, further divided into Shadows trilogy, Fear trilogy , Evil trilogy and lastly the  Blood trilogy. I came across one of these books 2 years back and read few more randomly. Paranormal thriller + dash of romance + crime ! That makes a really good cocktail for me any day ! 

This one being the last of blood series is a conclusion to the previous two books. I liked the closing of all ends, bringing together all of the SCU team in a single book, the bonds each of them shared with each other .. perfect ! Enough to make me finish this one in 5 straight hours !

Try to start with Blood Dreams (Blood#1) and read all three in order. 

Kay Hooper sure knows her stuff when she writes about mind games and the evil it can hold.

Synopsis:

The elite Special Crimes Unit, the FBI’s most controversial and effective team, is a group of mavericks and misfits trained to use their unique psychic abilities to hunt the worst monsters imaginable – human ones. Led by the enigmatic Noah Bishop, the SCU team has earned a reputation for pitting their skills and cunning against killers that other cops fear.
But this time Bishop and his agents face an enemy who has them in his sights, a trained sniper with a deadly plan — and more than one ace up his sleeve.
It starts with an unspeakable series of grisly murders across three states, a trail of blood leading, finally, to the small Tennessee town of Serenade. There, two more brutal murders lure the SCU into what may be the ultimate trap.
One of the first investigators on the scene, Special Agent Hollis Templeton is willing to push herself as hard and as far as necessary. Risking more than her life to help and protect her fellow SCU members, Hollis is coping with psychic abilities that are evolving in unprecedented ways, an attraction to the most complex man she’s ever known, and a serial murder investigation that has just turned very, very personal. In her time with the SCU, Hollis has shown an uncanny ability to survive even the most deadly attacks. But what she doesn’t count on is that this killer intends to destroy the team from within.
The clock is ticking. The body count is rising. And as Bishop and his agents race to uncover the identity of their true enemy, not even their special senses can warn them just how bloody, and how terrifyingly close, the truth will be.

---

More details:

ISBN: 055358927X
ISBN-13: 9780553589276,978-0553589276
Binding: Paperback
Publishing Date: 08/2010
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Number of Pages: 406

Download book from here