Ramatel’s Vow by Joel Crofoot

Summary

Seventy generations ago, the angel Ramatel was cast into hell for sleeping with human women. Now he has returned to earth, harboring a vendetta against God, only to find himself strapped with a beautiful young apprentice. Will his grudge stop him from letting something good into his life?

Clara has been given a second chance to save her soul by working with her chauvinistic mentor who has antiquated ideas of gender roles. She bucks his authority at every chance, until she has to face the very situation that killed her the first time. Does she have what it takes to face her fear?

Characters

Ramatel is a tortured soul. Despite this he is also a bit of a romantic. He considers himself ugly (due to the scars he acquired while in Hell). Clara is an interesting character. She is feisty and stubborn. Ramatel thinks she is there to clean but she is actually there to fight! It was so awesome to see Michael and Jahi from the first book back again – and Gabriel, of course. Although Ramatel was very well developed I felt there was something about Clara that just didn’t…work.

Plot

This is a paranormal romance. For sure chock full of sexual tension and I loved Ramatel. I was choked up a few times from the emotional scenes but as the book went on it eventually became repetitive. They kept making the same mistakes over and over. I get this was to show they are alike, but it was kind of irritating when it just kept happening. I actually started to resent Clara a little because of her reactions to Ramatel. It was like she was PURPOSEFULLY trying to misunderstand.

That being said the secondary plot was interesting! I loved the twist and what came of it. For sure kept me interested. I read it over the weekend and was great to pick up and read through.

Overall

A great romantic novels. Well worth the read if you’ve read the first one. Even if you haven’t, I still enjoyed it and would recommend it! There is a lot jam packed into the epilogue at the end. I think it was the longest chapter in the book. I think the author was trying to set up the next few books but it was a little overwhelming – so be warned. Despite the few drawbacks of this book I still loved it.

Virtually zero errors, easy to read, and great flow. The setting and characters were well set up and depicted. There was a good balance between the mystery surrounding Clara and the other secondary plot…which I won’t go into detail on.

Rating

4 Stars

It was a really enjoyable book! A little repetitive on the romantic relationships side and Clara felt a little off throughout the book, but well worth the read just for Ramatel! Can’t wait for the next one!

I received a copy in exchange of an honest review.

The Gate Guardian’s Daughter Release!

The Gate Guardian’s Daughter releases today!

I’d like to thank Ellie for the Interview and review. I’d also like to thank Minx for the Review.  Make sure you follow their blogs! For anyone else who was kind enough to take on reviews and for the reviews that already came in (thanks Tabinda) I’d like to extend my appreciation.

Here is the synopsis:

The interplanetary gates require guardians and the reformed demon Malthael is one of them.

His adoptive daughter, Elisabeth, is special, but her dangerous ability hasn’t awoken yet. Malthael knows it will one day and from then on her life will forever be altered. Malthael isolates her from outside world as much to protect everyone else as to safeguard her. It is all he can do to delay the inevitable.

Now that Elisabeth is ten, how long can Malthael keep her confined?

There are two ways to get an eBook copy of The Gate Guardian’s Daughter.

1. Amazon 
2. Sign up for my Mailing List and get a free eBook copy.

You can also see reviews from the lovely individuals listed above here on Goodreads.

Edge of the Future by Andria Stone

Summary

“Edge of the Future” is a Sci-Fi action-packed, military scientific, suspense thriller, novel with a female villain, and the first part of a Trilogy. -One hundred-fifty years after the last war humanity has united to explore space with colonies on Luna and Mars. But the Europa Mission has just failed and 152 people died in space. No one knows why. -When military bioscientist, Captain Mark Warren’s hidden research installation is attacked, he meets armored assault Sergeant Axel Von Radach. They become entangled in a deadly fight to stop the theft of classified military secrets by a lethal female adversary. -Her plan to use enemy cyborgs posing as humans, plus unsuspecting high-ranking military personnel with neural implants altered to accept her commands, has every chance of succeeding. Unless…Captain Warren and Sergeant Von Radach get a chance to end her first.

Characters

Mark is a complex character. Some of his personality is a bit hypocritical but this likely due to the fact that he is at war with himself. Axel is much more straight forward. The soldier. He is cocky but has a reason to be. This book jumps characters, mostly Mark, Axel, and the ‘bad guy’ but it allows insight into the different characters and their motivation. I appreciated that despite the fact that Mark and Axel are more of the main characters there were two female counterparts that were also important.

Plot

This felt like an action thriller movie with a sci-fi twist then a sci-fi. There is a militaristic component as well. The plot will keep you on your toes for the length of it! The advances in science beyond what exists today but is possible from today is what makes this a sci-fi.

There were a few minor plot inconsistencies. Mostly in the finer details of the plot. A big one was Mark and money (contradicted itself a few times). There were a few more, they didn’t detract from the story too much.

Overall

The author does a good job of building the world seamlessly around the  main characters. All of the characters feel real and were really well done. The plot was interesting. The writing detailed, a little bit much at time, but that was appropriate considering the genre. There were very few errors.

Rating

4 stars

This is a solid 4 star book. Despite a few minor inconsistencies this is a highly enjoyable action-packed read. If you love action-packed thrillers and sci-fi then this is a must read!

I received a copy in exchange of the honest review.

The Gate Trilogy Prequel and Interview

Firstly I’d like to thank Ellie for doing an interview in preparation of the kickoff of The Gate Trilogy next weekend. You can read about my writing process, Unfathomable Chance, and the new trilogy. Go here: Interview.

The Gate Guardian’s Daughter releases next weekend on May 20th.

Here is the synopsis:

The interplanetary gates require guardians and the reformed demon Malthael is one of them.

His adoptive daughter, Elisabeth, is special, but her dangerous ability hasn’t awoken yet. Malthael knows it will one day and from then on her life will forever be altered. Malthael isolates her from outside world as much to protect everyone else as to safeguard her. It is all he can do to delay the inevitable.

Now that Elisabeth is ten, how long can Malthael keep her confined?

There are two ways to get an eBook copy of The Gate Guardian’s Daughter.

1. Amazon (pre-order)
2. Sign up for my Mailing List and get a free eBook copy.

You can also see reviews here on Goodreads.

 

The Last Resort by Ember Leigh

Summary

Rose Delaney is a baby bounty hunter, rescuing children from fugitive ex-spouses. All she wants is to return a recovered child to its mother and get back to her regimented solitary life. But when a snow storm leaves her and baby Emmy stranded, Rose has no choice but to lean on the ruggedly handsome rescuer, who thinks the baby is hers. Holed up in their mountain resort-under-construction and unable to contact Emmy’s mother, Rose’s priority is hitting the road—even if Garrett’s erotic touch entices her to ride out the storm.

Construction boss Garrett Galo loves his job, but he never imagined a perk like being snowbound during a whiteout with the sassy brunette he just rear-ended. He’s learned to stay away from women who want a family, especially when they come with a kid in tow. When passionate nighttime encounters flare between them, Garrett begins to question what he’d risk to keep Rose.

This isn’t the time or the place for romance—but will five days on a mountain make these loners reconsider giving in to love?

Characters

The two main characters are Rose and Garrett. Rose is the baby bounty hunter who has walls around her heart and the wish for a normal but not entirely normal life. She doesn’t want kids. Ironic since she saves babies but that complication is from her past. No spoilers – you’ll have to read it. Enter Garrett: Handsome, hotel renovator, and can nail fancy dives (former swimmer with the bod to prove it). There is really only one supporting character and that is Wesley ‘Wes’ who is Garrett’s brother. Technically Emmy, the baby, is also a secondary character – wouldn’t want to forget the bundle of joy!

Plot

There are two plots. The romantic plot, which plays it safe with a nice twist of being non-conforming. Also it ends with a realistic ‘happy for now’ ending which I really appreciated. I would have not enjoyed it as much if the author would have taken that extra step. The second plot is Emmy.  Rose is mid-way to bringing Emmy back to her mother from her deadbeat dad that violated their shared custody when a white out snow storm hits. Technically Rose isn’t working outside the law – just in a ‘gray area’ but she doesn’t trust the brothers and decides to pose as Emmy’s mother. The plot continues from there and adds an extra zing to the story.

Overall

The book was easy to read and was enjoyable. Rose and Garrett are perfect for each other. They practically sizzle off the page. It is nice to get both Rose and Garrett’s point of view but there are a few POV issues where they cross over.

The plot was interesting and you really wanted Emmy to get home safe. The one things that stuck was some of the story line was just a little bit too convenient and the inner dialogue was repetitive. That were the only issues with the book though. Despite that it was a cute romance the was easy to read.

Rating

4 Stars

If you like romances that are for those that are non-confirming to societies expectations this is the right book for you! Interesting read but the inner dialogue and some of the plot was a little repetitive.

I received a copy of this in exchange of an honest review.

Cover Reveal – The Sixth Gate (The Gate Trilogy #1)

I am proud to announce that the cover for The Sixth Gate has been fully finalized.  The Sixth Gate is due out July 7, 2017 – exactly two months away. I’ve also finished the back of the book text – welcome to the first of The Gate Trilogy, a dark fantasy.

The interplanetary gates have existed between the five planets and the Netherworld for as long as living memory.

Dr. Elisabeth Avery is a woman caught between two worlds. Little does she know that others like her, other half-breeds, are being hunted. When a creature drags a princess into the Netherworld, Elisabeth is determined to save her.

Meanwhile, on the planet of Hystera, a Keeper and his assistant investigate a grisly string of suicides. The Gate Guardians know something is coming, know that the Netherworld has begun to bleed through to the planets, but not why.

Will Elisabeth be able to come to terms with what she is so that she can face the coming evil?

Here is the full cover wrap:

What do you think? Can you feel the eeriness – the dark world I built? I’d love to get your thoughts!

Interested in a sneak peak? You can get the pre-order prequel to the entire series HERE. Get to know Elisabeth as a child and what put her on her path. Want a free copy? Sign up HERE for my mailing list and you’ll get a free eBook copy.

 

I also want to give a special shout out to Asahi Art who designed this amazing cover. As you can see I was fortunate to find someone so talented. He is diligently working on the cover for the second and third books so they all match! I highly recommend him.

See more of his amazing art HERE.

Perax Frontier by Alistair Potter

Summary

You might wonder why Perax Frontier, a small doughnut-shaped asteroid floating in the vast emptiness of interstellar space, would merit the presence of a full Imperial Ambassador. The simplest answer is that nobody could think of a more elevated dignitary for the post; after all, at the asteroid’s hollow centre is the Interface, a bright, shimmering gateway between this and another Universe. Then you might wonder; if it’s such an important posting, why would each Ambassador only serve for six months? The answer to that comes as another question; how long could you manage without computers, antigravity transport and wireless communications? How long could you last in a place where electricity doesn’t work?

Bathed in the constant glow of the Interface, the two frontier townships of Praxton, and Millaki on the Atlathian side, function without any electrically based technologies. Set against this unusual background, and fighting the hierarchal restrictions of Imperial society, Sheriff Artur Perax investigates the murder of the Imperial Ambassador, Madam Lintsa Kroft. And all the time still keeping order among the visitors, frustrated scientists, religious fanatics, misfits, reformed felons and plain good folks who keep the flow of trade goods moving across the Interface.

Characters

Sheriff Artur Perax is charming. I actually liked him immediately. It was only made stronger by his wife Holly. They are so sweet together! All of deputies made such a great team. Fair warning there are a lot of characters in this book, but it isn’t too overwhelming because they are all from Artur’s point of view.

Plot

This felt like a small town murder mystery with a science fiction twist. Although parts of it were pretty predictable there were a few last minute twists that were a little more subtle that were very enjoyable. I also liked the little snippets of normal life that continued to happen along side the mystery – gave it an entirely different facet.  I can’t say much more without fear of giving away the overall plot but the story telling was steady but interesting.

Overall

The author did an amazing job building this setting. The Perax Frontier was vivid in my mind and it was amazing. It was the most captivating part of the entire book. The author did an amazing job creating an entirely complete and beautiful world.

The book was a little lengthy but mostly enjoyable. The ending was a bit anticlimactic. I also think it went too far to be a happy ending and ended up feeling over the top. Love the last sentence though. I can say for sure the cover doesn’t do the story justice.

Rating

4 stars

This is a solid 4 star book. The characters were interesting, the setting was amazing, and the story line engaging. I felt like the book ending was a bit much but it was still an enjoyable read.

I received a copy in exchange of an honest review.