Quicksilver by Callie Hart

Quicksilver by Callie Hart
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 624

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Do not touch the sword. Do not turn the key. Do not open the gate.

Twenty-four-year-old Saeris Fane is good at keeping secrets. No one knows about the strange powers she possesses, or the fact that she has been picking pockets and stealing from the Undying Queen’s reservoirs for as long as she can remember. In the land of the unforgiving desert, there isn’t much a girl wouldn’t do for a glass of water. But a secret is like a knot. Sooner or later, it is bound to come undone.

When Saeris comes face-to-face with Death himself, she inadvertently reopens a gateway between realms and is transported to a land of ice and snow. The Fae have always been the stuff of myth, of legend, of nightmares…but it turns out they’re real, and Saeris has landed right in the middle of a centuries-long conflict that might just get her killed.

The first of her kind to tread the frozen mountains of Yvelia in over a thousand years, Saeris mistakenly binds herself to Kingfisher, a handsome Fae warrior, who has secrets and nefarious agendas of his own. He will use her Alchemist’s magic to protect his people, no matter what it costs him… or her. Death has a name. It is Kingfisher of the Ajun Gate. His past is murky. His attitude stinks. And he’s the only way Saeris is going to make it home.

Be careful of the deals you make, dear child. The devil is in the details... Now with an embossed cover, silver foiling, and an updated interior design.


My Review

Saeris lives in a place ruled by the undying queen, their land is dirt poor, disease and poverty is rife, Saeris survives by her wit and quick light fingers. She steals and sells anything she can and steals water from the royal reserves because the rations aren't nearly enough for survival. When Saeris robs from a guard and her brother once again gets them into trouble Saeris is arrested and certainly will be put to death. When she accidentally opens a portal she ends up taken by "Death" and into a different land. One where the beings have long been told of, killers, evil, worse than the undying queen or are they? As Saeris navigates through this new and strange place, dressed up like a girly (Saeris is all trousers and fighting) as expected to behave and do as she is told, two things Saeris will not do. What lies ahead is questioning of everything she knew, as much food and drink as she could dream of and the expectation to create what is needed for this land is going through war, vampires and more.

This is such a good fantasy book and I absolutely need to get book two, danger, mythical beings, war torn countries, portals, vampires, family, friendship, loyalty and spicy scenes. Saeris is desperate to get back home, in order to get there she needs to learn and master what is expected of her in this new place, alchemy ooft. There is danger galore but she knows the undying queen will punish her whole land if she doesn't get back. She is pulled towards Kingfisher (the guy she thought was death), he is a fierce warrior, the attraction is undeniable but she is raging and refuses to admit to it. Plus he is a bit of a tool, arrogant and busts her chops so they are very competitive to each other.

I really liked this, couldn't wait to see where it was heading. Whilst there was a lot of people and places the book has a book map I could follow it fine, even with brain fog. There is a lot of catty fiery attitude which I love, violence, war, battles and Saeris despite being a human is pretty handy looking after herself, we love a strong female! 4/5 for me, this is my first time reading this author, it won't be my last.

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Road Trip with a Vampire by Jenna Levine

Road Trip With a Vampire by Jenna Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out as able over 4 days

Pages - 384

Publisher -

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

A vampire who can’t remember his past and a witch with secrets of her own hit the road in this zany, cross-country romantic comedy from beloved author Jenna Levine.

Reformed bad witch Grizelda “Zelda” Watson had hoped to never see another vampire again when she slipped away to sunny California for a fresh start. She'd grown tired of them and their nonsense ages ago. But when a vampire with amnesia unexpectedly shows up on her doorstep with a letter from her old friend Reggie, and asks for her help, she can’t say no. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that Peter Elliott is tall and gorgeous, looks great in yoga shorts, and has the kind of dark hair and surly expression Zelda’s been a sucker for for hundreds of years.

Peter isn’t completely harmless—he is fanged, after all—but he’s harmless enough, and soon becomes the only person in Zelda’s new life who knows the truth about what she is. If she can help him decipher the cryptic notes in his journal, the only clues to his lost memories, she might as well try before sending him on his way.

But when an alarming message from Peter's past coincides with a clear sign that Zelda can't keep running from her own, they embark on a cross-country road trip for answers—only to find what they're looking for in each other.


My Review

This is book three of the vampire series but they absolutely can be read as standalones because each book focuses on the individuals involved own story. Zelda is a super powerful witch with a shady past, she really lived it up over her hundreds of years however after some bad things happened she toned it down and disappeared. She hasn't spoken to her old vamp pal for a decade and now had a wee yoga retreat and rarely practices magic now which brings its own perils. Now a vampire (Peter), WITH AMNESIA no less has rocked up to her quiet wee life, sent by her auld pal as he thinks she can help. Zelda has been helped in her time of need so she kinda feels like she needs to but also Mr memory loss vamp is also hot, like HOT so agrees she does and they both head off on a road trip with just a book of his memories and a building sizzling attraction, oh my!

We get glimpses of both their pasts, Peter's brings us up to present day and the fall out. In between trying to unravel his memories, Zelda trying to deal with her magic issues and doing controlled experiments allowing for controlled bursts of magic, Peter they both try to unravel his mystery between his diary, how people seem to react to him and threatening notes from ?who.

It is an attraction slow burn romance that sparks fire, some mystery for both of them, we learn as we go and the threat from an outside party who want something from Peter but neither he nor us know. Magic, sass, amnesia, vampire, witch, road trip and building attraction with some spicey scenes, I am sad this is the last book because they are all great characters, 4/5.

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My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine

My Vampire Plus-One by Jenna Levine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - 3 days

Pages - 372

Publisher -

Source - Aldi

Blurb from Goodreads

Nothing sucks more than fake dating a vampire in this paranormal romantic comedy from the USA Today bestselling author of My Roommate Is a Vampire.

Amelia Collins is by definition successful. She would even go so far as to say successfully single. But not according to her family, and she’s tired of the constant questions about her nonexistent dating life. When an invitation to yet another family wedding arrives, she decides to get everyone off her back once and for all by finding someone–anyone–to pose as her date.

After a chance encounter with Reginald Cleaves, Amelia decides he’s perfect for her purposes. He’s a bit strange, but that’s fine; it’ll discourage tough questions from her family. (And it certainly doesn’t hurt that he’s very handsome.) For centuries-old vampire Reggie, posing as her plus-one sounds like the ultimate fun. And if it helps his ruse of pretending to be human, so much the better.

As Amelia and Reggie practice their fauxmance, it becomes clear that Reggie is as loyal to her as the day is long, and that Amelia’s first impressions could not have been more wrong. Suddenly, being in a real relationship with Reggie sounds pretty fang-tastic.



My Review

I seen this on offer in Aldi for £2.99, hadn't read the author before and to be honest, they had me at vampire! Amelia is an accountant and her family are always hounding her for being single, Reginald aka Reggie is a very badly behaved flamboyant vampire who happens to be being hunted. When their paths cross an unlikely arrangement comes about. He agrees to be her plus one to a family event to get the vultures off her back after she helped him out. It all goes from there with some hilarity, silliness, romance and spice, twit twoo!

So this is book two but you can absolutely read it as a standalone. Amelia and Reggie are so very different, she is quiet and an absolute people pleaser to the point of her own discomfort and detriment. Reggie is a riot, he is being hunted for previous "crimes" committed to other vamps, he is chaos, cheeky and quite self involved. Something about Amelia brings a change though and we get to see a different side to Reggie.

We also see small snippets from his friend Frederick through correspondences, Frederick is so prim and proper (he is in book one which I am reading just now) and introduces Reggie into a form of journaling which gives us more insight into who he is. It is funny. cutesy, romantic, I liked the "crossed wires" between Amelia & Reggie, the contrast between Frederick & Reggie yet they are friends , 4/5. I am reading book one just now and will absolutely be getting book three.

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Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris

Midnight Crossroad by Charlaine Harris
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 4 days

Pages - 305

Publisher - Orion Publisher

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

From Charlaine Harris, the bestselling author who created Sookie Stackhouse and her world of Bon Temps, Louisiana, comes a darker locale - populated by more strangers than friends. But then, that’s how the locals prefer it...
Welcome to Midnight, Texas, a town with many boarded-up windows and few full-time inhabitants, located at the crossing of Witch Light Road and Davy Road. It’s a pretty standard dried-up western town.

There’s a pawnshop (someone lives in the basement and is seen only at night). There’s a diner (people who are just passing through tend not to linger). And there’s new resident Manfred Bernardo, who thinks he’s found the perfect place to work in private (and who has secrets of his own).

Stop at the one traffic light in town, and everything looks normal. Stay awhile, and learn the truth...



My Review

Welcome to Midnight Crossing, a small town in book one of a new (well new to me) series. We have a psychic or is it a scammer? a witch and a vampire all living in the one wee town because Midnight Crossroad is the perfect place to go when you need to get away. A missing person, a new arrival, a very special wee cat, some small minded people, some trouble and a whole lot of someone has something they are keeping to themselves.

So I haven't read any of her other books, this was my first, I am led to believe some of these characters appear in other series but I don't think any spoilers are here. Friendships, relationships, magic, murder, mayhem, a little bit of mystery and an absolute wee show stealer in the cat. I love animals and this wee pair of paws is a special little star so I hope to see more in the other books.

Short chapters, a bit of a cozy mystery type feel with little snippets dark than a usual cozy. I did like it and will be reading more of her stuff, pretty sure I have the vampire books up the stair, 3.5/5 for me.

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Dracula by Bram Stoker

Dracula by Bram Stoker
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Time taken to read - in and out over 5 days

Pages - 382

Publisher - Signet Classics

Source - Bought

Blurb from Goodreads

Dracula is perhaps almost as interesting regarded historically as the product of a specific time as it is engaging to continuing generations of readers in a 'timeless' fashion. In her introduction Byron first discusses the famous novel as an expression not of universal fears and desires but of specifically late nineteenth-century concerns. At the same time she is entirely attuned to the ways in which, however much Dracula is a Victorian text, Dracula is a very twentieth-century character, a representative of modernity and of the future.


My review

Guys this has been on my shelves for donkeys years! Cannot believe I hadn't read it before now :O We all know the story, we have saw the movies. Jonathan Harker is headed to meet and stay with Dracula as part of his job and Dracula is the client. This is a huge task for Jonathan and he is committed to doing a great job. As we all know who and what Dracula is but poor Jonathan does not and we follow his journey via his diary entries. We also hear from Mina, his fiance's through her diary entries, in fact all the entries/stories/sides of the tale are in diary format.

Atmospheric, spooky and although a bit of a slower pace than many of the books we devour nowadays it keeps your attention and the suspense throughout. I have just watched two of the movies (I had seen before) and it is interesting to see the changes and takes from the book, mostly it stays true to the important parts.

I am no a fan of the classics at all, I find them a struggle to get through yet I did enjoy this one, took me a wee bit longer than a normal book would, espesh one so thin. A different time and style of writing but I think if you are a fan of Dracula and don't mind diary entries style of writing you will also enjoy the book.

Perfect for this time of year, revisiting an old fave and of course Van Helsing is in it (I won't eve be able to visualize anyone but Price when I read him in books, indeed why would you want to). 4/5 for me this time, if you struggle with the classics but want to read one, look no further!

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World Book Night 2012 - Are you participating?

Well this is my first year. I have picked up my books and tonight I am labeling them all for Monday. I had said I will be giving them away to randoms, at work and maybe one or two via my website. My books are John Ajvide Lindqvist's Let The Right One In.

I am really looking forward to this and having a chance to introduce people to reading and a new author/genre. I haven't read the book yet myself (I will) but have seen the movie and with all the vampire hype I am sure this will entice one or more people to pick up a book when normally it would be tv all the way.

Technically as it isn't until Monday I still have all my books but 2 are spoken for and one of which is to someone who never reads but is going to give it a go (the books are fairly thick so I am delighted.)

Are you taking part? If so what are you doing and what is your book?

Happy book night when it comes and I hope you all have a blast

Review - Double Dead by Chuck Wendig

Double Dead by Chuck Wendig

My rating: 2 of 5 stars


Blurb From Goodreads

Coburn’s been dead now for close to a century, but seeing as how he’s a vampire and all, it doesn’t much bother him. Or at least it didn’t, not until he awoke from a forced five-year slumber to discover that most of human civilization was now dead—but not dead like him, oh no.

See, Coburn likes blood. The rest of the walking dead, they like brains. He’s smart. Them, not so much. But they outnumber him by about a million to one. And the clotted blood of the walking dead cannot sustain him. Now he’s starving. And nocturnal. And more pissed-off than a bee-stung rattlesnake. The vampire not only has to find human survivors (with their sweet, sweet blood), but now he has to transition from predator to protector—after all, a man has to look after his food supply.

My Review

Aw I so wanted to love this book, the idea is pure brilliance however the story just didn't cut it for me (to be fair I had huge expectations). Some of it is really good to be honest for example we get to know how the disease started and spread and I love that and find it is usually lacking in zombie books (and movies). All questions that were raised throughout the book is answered which is another huge must for me.

However there was so much I disliked, for this to be a fair and honest review I had to give a two star rating. The vampire is a poor show compared to what we have viewed over the years, he gets his butt handed to him more often than not. His attitude really sucks for the most part (I did start to warm to him near the very end) and some of the dialogue seemed just a bit over the top although some of it was funny. That said the things I didn't like my o/h thought was quite funny (I read it out to him) so I definately think that whilst I thought the book was ok some readers will love it.

The other characters are varied and have some good traits but again there was noone who stood out for me or stayed with me, well maybe creampuff :D The way it ended I think there will be more to the series, will I get it? Yes I think so and hope that Coburn is more endearing and a better vampire than our first meeting. The writing of the book is very easy to follow and barring the swearing (which doesn't bother me but sometimes it just seemed over the top and there for the sake of it) I quite enjoyed the authors style of writing. 2/5 for me this time but I am very picky so if your a zombie and or vampire fan give it a try

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