Review ~ Cold Iron by D. L. McDermott

Book: Cold Iron

Series: Cold Iron #1

Author: D. L. McDermott

Format: e-book

Page Count: 381

Published: Pocket Star, February 10, 2014

Source: Publisher

 

 The Fae, the Good Neighbors, the Fair Folk, the Aes Sídhe, creatures of preternatural beauty and seduction. Archaeologist Beth Carter doesn’t believe in them. She’s always credited her extraordinary ability to identify ancient Celtic sites to hard work and intuition—until she discovers a tomb filled with ancient treasure but missing a body. Her ex-husband, the scholar who stifled her career to advance his own, is unconcerned. Corpses don’t fetch much on the antiquities market. Gold does. Beth knows from past experience that if she isn’t vigilant, Frank will make off with the hoard.

So when a man—tall, broad shouldered, and impossibly handsome—turns up in her bedroom claiming to be the tomb’s inhabitant, one of mythic god-kings of old Ireland, Beth believes it is a ploy cooked up by her ex-husband to scare her away from the excavation.

But Conn is all too real. Ancient, alien, irresistible, the Fae are the stuff of dreams and nightmares, their attentions so addictive their abandoned human lovers wither and die. And this one has fixed his supernatural desire on Beth.

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I’m no stranger to the Fae race. Although, they weren’t exactly the bring-home-to-your-momma kinda heroes. They still aren’t in this book, but at least you can assure your mom that your man loves you and would pretty much give up his immortality to be with you. Well, Beth Carter can. Me, I haven’t found a gorgeous Fae of my own to play with. Yet.

Beth is an archeologist who has a knack for finding ancient Celtic sites to dig, and she believes her ability depends heavily on instinct. Well, she’s about to be proven wrong when she stumbles upon a tomb filled with treasure, and the owner seems to be mysteriously missing. With a precious sword coming to her possession and the tomb owner, beautiful Fae Conn hot on her heels, as well as others, Beth is catapulted into a world of magic, beauty combined with cruelty, and discovers that her instinct may just be something a little bit more.

 

Review ~ External Forces by Deborah Rix

Book: External Forces

Series: The Laws of Motion #1

Author: Deborah Rix

Format: e-book

Page Count: 268

Published: Dime Store Books, November 16, 2013

Source: Publisher

 

It’s 100 years since the Genetic Integrity Act was passed and America closed its borders to prevent genetic contamination. Now only the enemy, dysgenic Deviants, remain beyond the heavily guarded border. The Department of Evolution carefully guides the creation of each generation and deviations from the divine plan are not permitted.

When 16-year-old Jess begins to show signs of deviance she enlists in the Special Forces, with her best friend Jay, in a desperate bid to evade detection by the Devotees. Jess is good with data, not so good with a knife. So when the handsome and secretive Sergeant Matt Anderson selects her for his Black Ops squad, Jess is determined to figure out why.

As her deviance continues to change her, Jess is forced to decide who to trust with her deadly secret. Jess needs to know what’s really out there, in the Deviant wasteland over the border, if she has any hope of making it to her 17th birthday. Because if the enemy doesn’t kill her first, the Department of Evolution probably will.

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Although I have read several Young Adult titles, I can’t say they’re my forte in reader experience. But, the ones I’ve read were all good ones so I think I got lucky. With External Forces , I hit the jackpot again.

We’re far into the future where the people are considered either one of two options. The Devotees, genetically correct people whose lives and procreation is controlled by the Department of Evolution, and the Deviants, who are basically everyone else that’s left, the discarded ones because of their imperfect nature. 16 year old Jess starts her life as a Devotee but on the verge of deciding her future, she realizes she might be becoming a Deviant. With the pressure of the future, the fear of being discovered by the Department of Evolution, and the tumble into the world of Special Forces, Jess’ routine albeit dull life becomes a fight for survival.

 

Review ~ The Trouble With Honor by Julia London

Book: The Trouble With Honor

Series: The Cabot Sisters #1

Author: Julia London

Format: e-book

Page Count: 384

Published: Harlequin HQN, February 25, 2014

Source: Publisher

 

Desperate times call for daring measures as Honor Cabot, the eldest stepdaughter of the wealthy Earl of Beckington, awaits her family’s ruin. Upon the earl’s death she and her sisters stand to lose the luxury of their grand home – and their place on the pedestal of society – to their stepbrother and his social-climbing fiancée. Forced to act quickly, Honor makes a devil’s bargain with the only rogue in London who can seduce her stepbrother’s fiancée out of the Cabots’ lives for good.

An illegitimate son of a duke, George Easton was born of scandal and grows his fortune through dangerous risks. But now he and Honor are dabbling in a perilous dance of seduction that puts her reputation and his jaded heart on the line. And as unexpected desire threatens to change the rules of their secret game, the stakes may become too high even for a notorious gambler and a determined, free-spirited debutante to handle.

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I don’t know why or how I never had the honor of reading-yes,I did this- a Julia London book before. Oh well, you know what they say, everything has a first, and this book was mine regarding this author whose work I’ll definitely follow.

Although I loved the book as a whole, with its fun sounding-if not a bit clichéd- plot and the witty banter between the hero and the heroine, I’ve had a tiny bit of hard time warming up to Honor’s character. I loved her independent and somewhat shallow view of the world in the beginning, but what really got me to like her was her turn for the better as the story progressed. What started out as a slightly spoiled, heavily fun and games oriented lifestyle, quickly turned into one of inspiration born out of desperation and fear for her future and that of her family’s. The transformation was subtle and yet present all the same, hidden in her serious moments when her facade had slipped. And that transformation was what made me put myself in her shoes and understand and ultimately like her.

George Eston, on the other hand, was a case of instant liking. He had all the characteristics of an historical hero, and yet in his continuous fear for his self made fortune, and his inability of resisting Honor’s charm and their witty banter inbetween, Julia London has managed to make him unique. There’s nothing more than reading the same character over and over again, so I was very glad for that.