Black Heart Loa

An eye for an eye is never enough.

Kallie Riviere, hoodoo trouble magnet thought things couldn't get worse after the hoodoo bogeyman, Doctor Heron came after her and hers over a case of mistaken identity. But when Kallie finds her cousin Jackson's protective juju bag laying in the yard of their aunt's house and no trace of her cousin or his beloved pooch, Kallie knows her nightmare has only just begun. Now magic is backfiring and an unnaturally large storm is heading straight for Louisiana, Kallie fears she's the cause and might be the only one who can save the lives of not only the people she loves but herself as well. Kallie will stop at nothing to fix what has been broken and charges head first into danger, and finds a loups-garous looking to steal her heart....literally.

Review

I'm in absolute love with this series. Black Heart Loa picks up right where Black Dust Mambo leaves off. The book starts with Kallie, Belladonna, her aunt and the real Gabbi LaRue looking for a way to find Kallie's cousin Jackson, who they fear has also fallen victim to the dastardly Doctor Heron. But their plans go to hellfire when a couple of thugs in ski-masks burst in shotguns swinging. Meanwhile we're informed that Jackson was indeed taken and buried alive only to be saved by three strangers. And as luck would have it, during their get away, they run none other than Layne Valin, our sexy nomad Vessel off the road, sending his motorcycle and him tumbling to the ditch. As Layne lies unconscious his passenger, the late Augustine Basil fights to keep Layne safe against the clutches of one very pissed off ghost, Babette St. Cyr, Doctor Heron's wife. This happens all with in the first handful of chapters. I know many people might dislike the way the characters seem to effect each other even without knowing they're in fact responsible for that event, I do. I like Jackson's rescuers being the ones to drive Layne off the road, it lends the feeling of that old saying when it rains it pours. Plus it helps give hope to not only the characters but the reader as well when you finally get an affirmative that hey Jackson and his dog are alive (YAY! jazz hands). I enjoyed the new twist and turns, you don't look at the book and say how bout some loups-garous, and maybe Baron Samedi possessing a man with a mullet. It's fun. I loved the point of view of Cielo, Jackson's husky, I think it's sweet and very child like. I want to read more of this series, I'm so intrigued by Delvin Daniels, the Demon Wolf, loups-garous born on the cross-roads, I mean how can there not be an epic story there. He's only in the book for maybe a chapter but it left me wanting so much more. I want to know his deal and why did he mark Kallie, I mean what's going on? I encourage everyone who likes magic and mayhem and sexy southern men to read this series, you will not be disappointed. 

 

 





Grave Witch

Not even Death can save her now.

 

 

Alex Craft is a grave witch, a witch with a knack for the dead, a P.I. and a part time consultant for the police department, and Death is one of her personal acquaintances. So raising a shade should be business as usual but when the shade she's raising attacks her, which it shouldn't be able to do Alex's life gets turned upside down. Now not only does she have to figure out who's killing women, but she also has the irritatingly good-looking Falin Andrews doggy her every move. Falin's keeping secrets and Death is acting weird, but Alex is going to need both of them if she is going to survive both body and soul.  

 

 

Review

 

Grave Witch by Kalayna Price is about Alex Craft witch with an attitude, she's got a close personal relationship with Death and man does that boy know how to fill out a t-shirt. Life is normal until she's attacked by a shade and is almost shot and killed. Now she has to work side by annoyingly handsome side of Falin Andrews, new homicide detective and royal pain in her rare-end. I loved the combination of both fae and soul collectors/death magic. Death is swoon-worthy even though I know I'm supposed to be drooling over Falin, sorry I'm a sucker for the mysterious bad boys. But the one person who stole my heart was P.C. there's nothing cuter than a tiny dog in a leg cast. This book is filled with twists and turns, and is just pure fun.

 

 

Black Dust Mambo

Out of the frying pan and into the Hellfire.

 

 

Kallie Riviere is a sassy, fiery, Cajun hoodoo with a knack for trouble, and she finds herself smack dab in the middle of the last thing she ever dreamed of touching, dark juju. After a night of drinking and partying in New Orleans for the annual carnival of magic, with her good-looking, hard-bodied nomad conjurer hookup, Kallie wakes up finding Gage's dead bloodied souless body. Not knowing what to do she does the only thing a girl can do when in this situation, she calls her best friend, Belladonna Brown. But before Bell can get to Kallie's room another knocks on her door, opening it she finds herself face to face with the honey dreaded, nomad vessel, Layne Valin. Not knowing who he is or what he wants, Kallie only knows is that when their gazes meet she feels an overwelming connection to the nomad. Fate's a cruel bitch because Layne's best friend is the very man lying dead in Kallie's bed and the worst part is Gage doesn't seem to be the intended target of the soul-eating hex. As Kallie and her friends try to stay alive, Kallie's search for the truth leads her to the one place she never anticipated, Bayou Cypres Noir, her home and to Gabrielle LaRue, her aunt who is looking more and more like she's the one who wants Kallie dead.

　Review

Black Dust Mambo by Adrian Phoenix is a magically good time. I'm a Louisiana girl so I can't tell you enough how much I enjoy reading books set in beautiful Louisiana. I so very much adore reading about subjects that aren't beat to death and a novel saturated in loas and hoodoo and all it's facinating bits was extremely enteraining. I also enjoyed the characters, I could so easily hear their cajun drawl in my head evertime they spoke and Layne Valin is so yummily written he is most definately on my book-boyfriend-list. There is so much to like about Black Dust Mambo, all I can say is give me more.

A Promise of Fire

Kingdoms will rise and fall for her, but not if she can help it.

 

 

Cat is on the run and living as a soothsayer with a traveling circus. She likes where she is and the family she's made for herself with the other performers, that is until Griffin comes along. Everyone has heard the stories about the ambitious warlord from the magic-deprived south who single handedly over threw the Sinta royals and placed his sister on the thrown. Griffin knows Cat's secret and he'll stop at nothing to get what he wants. Cat's a Kingmaker, one who can divine truth from lies and Griffin wants her as the powerful weapon she is. But little does he know that this Cat has claws. After being taken hostage, Cat finds the warlord and his group aren't as bad as she first thought and they just might be the ones she needs to over come her past and help her fight to change her future. And maybe together they can handle the heat of what's to come.

 

 



 

Review

A Promise of Fire by Amanda Bouchet is the first novel in The Kingmaker Chronicles and what a damn fine way to begin a series. I have one question before I begin, Why did it take so long for me to find this book. I mean it was so good. Have you ever read something and you completely fall in love with it at the first few pages, that's how much I enjoyed this book from start to finish. I immensely enjoyed the Greek mythology combined with a completely new world, it was so cleverly written. The world was so beautifully crafted I felt like I had been there. The main character Cat had both pros and cons, pro: she's a smart ass with zero filter on her mouth who can take care of herself, con: her wishy washy feelings for Griffin got kind of old. I mean I get it she was doing it to protect him, blah blah blah! But come on your attracted to the guy and you know, so it suck it up, just because you admit it to yourself doesn't mean you have to give him the satisfaction of admitting it to him. All in all this book was awesome and I can not wait for the next. 

Black Wing

She's an angel of death in desperate need of a life.

 

 

Madeline Black is an Agent of Death, one of the many who are charged with the collection and escorting of recently departed souls, it's a lonely job but somebody's got to do it. So when her best friend asks her to pick up one of the souls on his list while he hooks up with his latest beau, Maddy  agrees. Little does she know that the stubborn old woman who just kicked the bucket was more interested in spending her afterlife with her cats instead of moving on. Maddy thinks nothing can get any worse than the nightmare of paperwork and the inevitable butt chewing she's going to receive from her boss J.B, not to mention trying to pay for her gargoyle guardian's, Beezle, chocolate and popcorn addiction.  She couldn't have been more wrong, first her new tenant is a gorgeous but utter weirdo and her best friend is murdered by the same monster that killed her mother when she was young, and that's all in the same evening. Monster start coming out of the woodwork and her hot new neighbor, Gabriel is actually the half angel thrall of her absentee fallen angel father, who has been tasked with Maddy's survival. Add to that her demon half brother hell-bent on making her suffer because of his own jealousy and daddy issues. When Maddy starts developing powers no one has ever seen before and having visions of Lucifer and his lost love Evangeline, she knows she's in for one Hell of a week. If she has any hopes of surviving she'll need a little divine intervention.

 

Quote

I don't do things or go places. - Beezle

 

Review

Black Wings by Christina Henry was a delightful read. I know from different reviews I've read that a good number of people felt differently, but I enjoyed this fresh take on angels and soul collectors. I liked that Maddy just kind of bumbles her way into one mess to another and I like that she's not your typical badass. Yes she's powerful but it's all new to her so she gets by, by the help of those around her. I absolutely adore Beezle and his mother hen like affection for her and I like the bickering relationship between her and J.B. I, on the other hand, am not a fan of the insta-love relationships. The book is written over the span of five days (maybe?)  and by day like three she is already in love with Gabriel. I know this happens a lot and most of the time I think it ruins the story but I don't believe it hurt this book because it's not what the story's about, it's just a detail in the overall. I digress, the book is great for a quick fun read and I recommend it to everyone just so they can experience Beezle.