Review of The Necromancer's Dilemma (Beacon Hill Scorer #2) by SJ Himes

by SJ Himes

4.5 Stars

Even love can die without trust.

Angel’s brother, Isaac, has returned home, and the pair begin to make slow and awkward attempts back to each other. Learning how to be a brother to a grown man instead of a parental figure has Angel adjusting his behaviors and habits, and Isaac still remains a mystery. Was it merely entering adulthood that turned Isaac away from an overprotective Angel, or does Isaac carry a secret that will keep them from finally being a real family?

Daniel Macavoy, Angel’s new apprentice, is torn between his bond with Angel and the grasping machinations of his father. Dealing with a traumatized apprentice with dangerous holes in his magical education, saving Daniel may be harder than Angel first thought—especially since the biggest problem is not revenge, but guilt.

The one shining beacon in his life is Simeon, Elder vampire of Boston’s only Bloodclan. Four hundred years old and sexy as sin, Simeon is warrior and sage, patient and cunning. The strength Angel draws from Simeon’s devotion and the newborn mate-bond between them is steadfast and true…and the fount of death magic that animates the undead lord places Angel in the midst of a power struggle for control over himself, his lover, and his family.

Through it all, Angel is beleaguered by the unwanted attention of a troll-hybrid, the adventures of a dragon in the city, and a serial killer has decided to hunt the back alleys and midnight streets of Boston.

The second in the Beacon Hill Scorers series and it is as good as the first.  We aren’t much for vampire romance, but SJ Himes has created a fantasy that is so imaginative that it makes you believe.

We start again visiting with Angel, and his hodge podge of family.  Isaac his brother has finally returned home and is learning how to let Angel in and understand his magical gift.  Daniel Macavoy has come to stay as Angel’s apprentice and struggles between his family and his desire to learn.  And as always there is Simeon.  Sweet, sexy Simeon. 

SJ Himes has such a way for storytelling, just as the first Necromancer book, the second edition is aa layered world that pulls you in and, immerses you in a bubble around Simeon and Angel.  Himes takes us deeper into her magical world exploring dragons, trolls and the mystical fae.  She balance the real wold, being set in Boston with actual Boston landmarks, and a fantasy work in a perfect harmony, so much you expect to see vampires walking around. 

The first book dealt with a new love between Simon and, this book is easier paced and heartwarming as they fall deeper in love.  And let’s not forget the best part of a scorer and vampire getting together, yep, the steam between the sheets.  Yummmm.  This does not disappoint, the chemistry is smoking hot, hot, hot! But regardless of the between-the-sheets, Simeon and Angel grow more into their relationship, working together, living together, and being a real blood bonded couple. 

There is so much going on in this book; family drama, return of an ex, mysterious murders, vampire power struggle, but it all fits together so well.  The book has a great flow that kept us engaged in the mystery and how everything fits together.   And we get to visit with our favorite characters.  Seriously loving Isaac and Daniel, and hoping the next book feature each one of these two hotties! 

So all in all, this is a fantastic addition to the Beacon Hill Sorcerer series.  Fast-paced, romantic, sexy, mysteries, a must read m/m romance.  Even if you don’t love fantasy, go pick up the series by SJ Himes, you won’t be disappointed.  And this 6-7 books planned in the series, there is lots of good reading to come!

Review of Audiobook Cronin's Key by NR Walker, narrated by Joel Leslie

 

Review of Audiobook Cronin's Key by NR Walker, narrated by Joel Leslie

5 stars

NYPD Detective Alec MacAidan has always been good with weird. After all, his life has been a string of the unexplainable. But when an injured man gives him cryptic clues, then turns to dust in front of him, Alec's view on weird is changed forever.

Cronin, a vampire Elder, has spent the last thousand years waiting for Alec. He'd been told his fated one would be a man wielding a shield, but he didn't expect him to be human, and he certainly didn't expect that shield to be a police badge.

Both men, strong-willed and stubborn, are still learning how to cope with the push and pull of being fated, when fate throws them another curveball.

Rumors have spread quickly of turmoil in Egypt. Covens are fleeing with news of a vampire who has a talent like no other, hell-bent on unleashing the wrath of Death.

Alec and Cronin are thrown into a world of weird Alec cannot imagine. What he learned in school of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian gods was far from the truth. Instead, he finds out firsthand that history isn't always what it seems.

We don’t need to start by saying how much we love anything and everything but NR Walker, and the Cronin’s Key series is right up there.  But, there is something that Joel Leslie creates, that brings this fantastic book to life.  One of the best audio narrations we have heard in a while, so much we are downloading everything else Joel has recorded!

Cronin is a thousand year old vampire who has been waiting for his fated one, his mate, who shows up in the form of Alec, a NYPD detective that has always attracted the weird.  There is other vampires, and a newly born one wanted to take over the world, and happiness of finding each other and the sad thoughts that they might not have forever together. 

But, we love this story, so let’s talk about the narration.  Joel has this husky quality to his voice that creates each individual voice for the characters.  And his accents are out of this world.  Reading this book, you feel the sexual tension between Cronin and Alec, but hearing it voices brings the tension, but the sweet heat they are both feeling for finding each other.  Joel finds that caring between these two strong men, and their whispered words of love are so endearing.  Our favourite scene in when Cronin first takes Alec to the Scottish fields, we could feel he love and tenderness between them.

So much good, but one sad thing, we have to wait for the other 2 installments in the Cronin’s Key series!!!  But really, it is a great book, and a fantastic narration, we will patiently wait if the rest are a good as this one.

Review of The Necromancer's Dance by SJ Himes

by S.J. Himes

4.5 Stars

In a world where magic is real and evil walks amongst humanity, a young sorcerer is beset upon by enemies, both old and new. Angelus Salvatore is the only necromancer in all of Boston, and his name is whispered warily by the undead and fellow sorcerers alike. He and his brother Isaac are the lone survivors of an attack by an army of the undead, in which Angel used a spell so powerful it forever marked his place in history. Now, years later, Angel struggles to balance his career as a teacher of the higher magical arts, his role as big brother, and a tenuous relationship with an Elder vampire from the local clan. When his brother’s boyfriend is used as a pawn in a mysterious plot to draw Angel out, Angel is once again pulled back into the old hostilities that fueled the Blood Wars and led to his family’s death.

Leaning on others for help is something Angel cannot do, and while he searches for clues into who may be targeting him and his brother, Angel finds his heart steadily growing occupied with Simeon, Elder and vampire. Dealing with death magic and vampires on a daily basis may leave Angel jaded when it comes to life and staying that way, but the more time he spends fending off the ancient vampire’s attention and affections, the more he realizes he wants to give in.

Can Angel find out who wants him dead, and keep his heart safe in the process? How can he fall for a vampire, when his whole family was torn apart by an army of the undead? Death stalks the streets of Boston’s historic Beacon Hill….and there is no one more suited to battle against death than a necromancer.

We couldn’t put this down, such and interesting story and a great read!  S.J. Himes creates this fantastic, paranormal romance between a Sorcerer and a Vampire that is riveting. 

Angel Salvatore is a bit of a reclusive celebrity in the Sorcerer world, he managed to defeat 100 vampires during the blood wars with 1 spell, but it is not how he wasn’t to be remembered.  A number of years later he starts a wary friendship with Simeon, an Elder in the Boston Vampire clan.  But what he doesn’t know is that Simeon is actually falling in love with him, and Angel is used to being on his own.  As these 2 try to find their connection, Angels past comes back, to haunt him.

There is so much in The Necromancer’s Dance, we don’t know where to start.  We aren’t really a fantasy, paranormal fans, but this world is so fascinating.  How Vampires, Sorcerers and other fantastical creatures live out in the real world, under their own laws and governing.  It kept us really interested in the story itself, kept us reading, and really enjoyed meeting new characters.

Angel and Simeon are both strong independent men, but together they work so well.  Angel has had to be strong, but realizes that he has been craving the intimacy he has been pushing away since his family died.  Simeon is fascinated by Angel, he loves his strength, his mind, his magically gift, and he wants to treasure him.  And, sigh, it works so so so so well.  As the relationship grows between Angel and Simeon, The Necromancer’s Dance gets seriously hot; there are some serious sparks between the two men.  There is a lot of between the sheets action, but we felt that it added to the story, make you really feel that these men are falling in love and not just lust. 

S.J. Himes has created a magical story here.  Fast-paces, action-filled, sheets-burning enjoyment form start to finish.  It is the first in the Beacon Hill Sorcerers series, and we can’t wait to dive into the rest of this fantastic world!

Review of Hemovore by Jordan Castillo Price

By Jordan Castillo Price

3 stars

A vampire slow-burn love-story that slides easily into fantasy/paranormal.

Hemovore by Jordan Castillo Price starts by introducing us to Mark Hansen, an artist assistant who finds himself going above and beyond.  The Vampire artist, Jonathan Varga, is essentially a recluse, staying hidden from the world, creating his all-black art, and making Mark do all his beck and call.  Mark has a soft spot for Jonathan and can’t refuse his requests; find a new cat-blood dealer, never drive the same route, anywhere and essentially doing everything outside the house that Jonathan refuses to do.   But Jonathan leaving the house to meet an art collector changes their relationship forever.

The story has a bit of a fantasy/paranormal lens, 10 years ago the virus Human Hemovore virus blazed throughout the world, leaving an odd new reality of v-negative and v-positive vampires. The world is carefully divided as the virus can be spread by bodily fluids, and the progression of the virus is horrific with many people succumbing at stage-3. 

First and foremost Hemovore is a romance, but not traditional in any way.  Yes, there is a slow burn to Mark and Jonathan’s relationship, but as they have already worked together for 4-years before the story starts, it feels like the relationship is already there, even if they don’t want to admit their feelings to each other.  There is a bit of sexual tension, but might actually call it physical tension.  Being a v-neg man and a v-positive vampire means they can’t touch, at all, and they do wear gloves but even that is risky.  They long to just touch each other; we didn’t feel the need of sexual tension.  And we kinda missed that heat.

Jordan Castillo Price has built this vampire fantasy world that is fascinating.  Jonathan and Mark encounter some other v-negative/v-positive couples along the way, and the descriptions of their lives, the separate bathrooms, kitchen spaces, and sleeping arrangements kept us entranced, and the pages turning.

So, although there is a lack of heat in Hemovore, this exciting world is not to be missed.  And the bonus book Sweet is the perfect follow-up that will have you falling in love with Mark and Jonathan all over again!