I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT by Adam Selzer

I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT

ADAM SELZER

Paranormal YA

Delacorte Press

ISBN# 978-0385735032

192 pages

$7.99

Trade—Available Now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

What a fun read! Eighteen year old Algonquin "Alley" Rhodes is determined to get out of small town Cornersville Trace and head to Seattle, where there has be a bigger dating pool. Unlike some of the other girls at school, she isn't aspiring to date an 'undead': a/k/a a vampire, werewolf, or zombie. But one night, covering the local band scene she meets Doug, a guy who sings Cole Porter songs and makes her feel like swooning, something she's never felt before.

Readers looking for a fun, laugh out loud paranormal read should definitely pick up I KISSED A ZOMBIE AND I LIKED IT. This book truly has it all. From plot to interesting characters, including the high school guidance counselor who doesn't believe in mixed relationships between the living and the undead, to amazing wit and a moment the reader can't wait for: Alley to realize the truth about Doug. But along the way Alley realizes the truth about herself, that she doesn't exactly like being the snarky sarcastic 'ice queen' she is at school and prefers who she is when she's with Doug. The humorous moments are plenty, thanks especially to Alley's voice and the situations Mr. Selzer puts the characters in.

One of my favorite scenes is when Alley and Doug go on their first date. There's something a little odd about Doug, but Alley can't quite put her finger on what it is. But if there was a perfect guy in the world for her, Doug could seriously fit his description.

To learn more about Mr. Selzer and his books, visit him online at http://www.adamselzer.com/

Lisa

Enchanting Reviews

February 2010

DREAM LIFE by Lauren Mechling

DREAM LIFE (Dream Girl #2)
LAUREN MECHLING
Paranormal YA
Delacorte Books
ISBN# 978-0385735230
336 Pages
$16.99
Hardcover—Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

When her best friend Becca starts acting funny after returning home from holidays, Claire feels abandoned, until she finds out Becca's been tapped for a secret society, and surprisingly she gets 'invited' to join herself. But if only things were that easy. It seems there's a rival society out to get the Blue Moons and take over New York for themselves. Soon Claire finds herself in the thick of things, trying to solve the mystery before their top secret plans are disclosed and the group is relegated to nothing more than a name forever.

DREAM LIFE is my favorite book in the Dream Girl series so far. The characters seemed much more formed this time and I found myself liking Claire a lot more. DREAM LIFE stands well on its own, so if you haven't read the first novel 'Dream Girl' don't worry about it. The world created is at times a bit eccentric but nonetheless fun to visit.

My favorite scenes happened when Claire was tapped to become a member of the Blue Moons. From the scene where they 'grabbed' her to where the hangout was actually located were really fun. Also, the friendship between Claire and her unusual society grandmother, Kiki, continues, climaxing at her grandmother's birthday party, a scene which turns out to be so horrific for Claire, I could only hope she'd get out of there as fast as she could.

Overall DREAM LIFE is a really fun and unusual read. I can't wait to return to Claire's world and see what happens next.

Lauren Mechling is the coauthor of all three 10th-Grade Social Climber books. She has written for the New York Times, Marie Claire, and Seventeen. She lives and writes in New York City. You can visit her at www.laurenmechling.com.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
February 2010

DIZZY IN YOUR EYES: POEMS ABOUT LOVE by Pat Mora

DIZZY IN YOUR EYES: POEMS ABOUT LOVE
PAT MORA
YA Poetry
Knopf
ISBN# 978-0375843754
176 Pages
$15.99
Hardcover—Available
Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

DIZZY IN YOUR EYES: POEMS ABOUT LOVE is filled with a collection of fifty poems of different types, from a simple poem, to '3 a.m. Blues' which is the blues to the last in the book 'My Song' which is written as a song.

I have to admit, I'm not usually big on poetry but I really enjoyed DIZZY IN YOUR EYES: POEMS ABOUT LOVE. Every poem is different, told from a different narrator's point of view. The one thing they all have in common though is the theme—love. With some of the poems Ms. Mora provides a description of the type of poem on the opposite page, so those interested can learn more about that particular style. Two of my favorite poems are 3 a.m. Blues because I like the lyrical styling and an earlier one in the book, To-Do List because it's very much true to life.

DIZZY IN YOUR EYES: POEMS ABOUT LOVE is Pat's second collection for young adults. Pat also wrote My Own True Name: New and Selected Poems for Young Adults and six poetry collections for adults. To learn more about Pat and her books visit her online at www.patmora.com.


Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
January 2010

TALL, DARK AND FANGSOME (Immortality Bites series) by Michelle Rowen

TALL, DARK AND FANGSOME (Immortality Bites series)

MICHELLE ROWEN
Paranormal Romance
Grand Central Publishing - Forever
Sensuality Rating: Sexy
ISBN# 978-0446505857
352 pages
$6.99
Paperback—Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Sarah Dearly finds herself in a bit of a complicated mess. Still cursed from a malevolent witch, there's a nightwalker inside her just dying to get out. The only thing that can control her is the thin gold chain around her neck. There's also the fact Gideon is blackmailing her to make him an immortal, in hopes that it will heal him and finally get rid of the hellfire burning within him. If that weren't bad enough, as part of the blackmail, she's had to break up with the love of her life, master vampire Thierry.

I've loved this series from the first book and am sad to see it end, as I loved Sarah and Thierry, two of my favorite vampires. Who can forget Barry, her best friend's husband and Thierry's butler, and all the other memorable characters throughout the series.

The best part about TALL, DARK AND FANGSOME is all the best characters return for the end, including surprisingly Quinn, who is always nice to see as I enjoyed his relationship with Sarah. While darker then some of the other books in the series, TALL, DARK AND FANGSOME has the same humor that made me a fan early on and I loved the chemistry between Sarah and Thierry, even while they had to hide their relationship because of Gideon's threats to Sarah's friends and family.

Between hiding her on-going relationship with Thierry from her closest friends and trying not to find herself attracted to Gideon, she also has to deal with the mysterious Red Devil who seems to have appointed himself her bodyguard. Which wouldn't be too bad, until she finds out he's telling Thierry everything he sees. Can't a girl even have a few little secrets? I liked the addition of the Red Devil, even if I had kind of figured out what Sarah did about him a little before she did.

The tension between Gideon and Sarah and whether or not he was fully bad or still partly good was a good subplot. My favorite scene had to be when Sarah goes out to meet 'the wizard', who can supposedly wipe out the nightwalker. Imagine her surprise when he turns out to be a Goth teenager—a surprise that turns jaw dropping when he offers her a chance at reversing her entire vampness. Her friend thinks she should leap at the chance, even if it wipes out the last few months of her life, but that means giving up her relationship with Thierry, something she can't bring herself to think about. I liked how the teenager showed up again in a frightening scene at Sarah's place and warned her about the impending danger.

Filled with unexpected twists, turns and appearances, TALL, DARK AND FANGSOME has become one of my favorites in the Immortality Bites series.

Michelle Rowen is a full-time writer and self-confessed bibliophile living in Ontario, Canada. Her first young adult fantasy novel will be published in Fall 2009 from Walker Books for Young Readers. Under the pseudonym Michelle Maddox she has also written futuristic romantic suspense for Dorchester.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
September 2009

THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER, Book #1 by Leanna Renee Hieber

THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER, Book #1

LEANNA RENEE HIEBER
Gothic Victorian Fantasy Romance
Dorchester Publishing
Sensuality Rating: Sexy
ISBN #978-0-8439-6296-3
320 Pages
$6.99
Paperback: Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

Enchanting and shy, Percy Parker plans to try and blend in as much as possible as a student in Victorian London's Athens Academy. Well, to blend in as much an albino that can see and talk to ghosts possibly can.

Professor Alexi Rychman is focused on his studies at the Academy, deciphering the prophecy that he has been anticipating since childhood, and fighting the demons that threaten to consume the earth. He doesn't know quite what to think of Percy, while he pities her for her odd appearance, he is captivated by her personality and her unusual gift.

A sadistic killer know as The Ripper is terrorizing the streets of London. Is he naught but a madman or is he a demon? Is Percy entering Alexi's life just a coincidence or does she somehow fit into the prophecy? Can their feelings expand beyond teacher/student?

I absolutely loved this book. It was nothing like I expected, though in all honesty, when I first opened THE STRANGELY BEAUTIFUL TALE OF MISS PERCY PARKER, I really didn't know what to expect. The depth of emotion and the complexity of the characters drew me in completely. I can't remember the last time I read a tear-jerker, but I definitely will have a few tissues handy when I pick this up to reread, and reread it I will. This book has definitely earned a spot on my Keeper Shelf. There is also an element of humor that balances the book out, keeping it from being depressing.

Percy is someone that is easy to feel sympathy for, she's had a difficult time, being so different from everyone else, and I'm not talking about the fact that she can see and talk to dead people. Her experiences have given her an inner-strength that is easy to admire, but it has also given her a complex of inferiority, which is fascinating watching her emerge from. Alexi, while being a strong, yummy, Alpha-male did exhibit a few moments of idiocy, where I wanted to slap him, but I could understand his reluctance to be with Percy, mostly the whole student/teacher relationship taboo, if he'd not fought to cross that line, I wouldn't have been able to respect him quite so much.

I can't wait until April 27, 2010, when Book #2 THE DARKLY LUMINOUS FIGHT FOR PERSEPHONE PARKER is release, as I will be right there to scoop it up and devour it!

Leanna Renee Hieber is a bestselling author, actress and playwright. Originally from rural Ohio, she is now a resident of New York City. She is also the co-founder of Lady Jane's Salon a Romance Reading series held at Madam X's in Manhattan, where on the first Monday of every month, authors read from their latest writings. All proceeds from Lady Jane's go to Share the Love a non-profit organization focused on helping women transition into independent lives, to find out more you can visit: http://www.leannareneehieber.com, http://www.share-the-love.org and http://www.ladyjanesalon.com.


Aemelia
Enchanting Reviewer
January 2010

SO STILL THE NIGHT by Kim Lenox

SO STILL THE NIGHT (A Novel of the Shadow Guard)

KIM LENOX

Paranormal Romance

Signet Eclipse

Sensuality Level: Sexy

ISBN# 978-0451226785

304 Pages

$6.99

Paperback—Available Now

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Marcus Helios is not only an immortal, a former member of the elite Shadow Guard and the son of Antony and Cleopatra, but he also in the depths of Transcension, bringing him to the depths of madness. His only hope of salvation lies in two ancient scrolls he believes are in the possession of the beautiful Willowmina, and he'll do whatever it takes to get his hands on them. But with the mysterious Dark Bride hunting him in London and having to deal with his twin sister Seline, who's desperate to become his official assassin, things are complicated enough without falling for the beautiful Mina.

With her father faking his own death, sending her back to London to report the grim news, then to go into deep mourning for her own safety, Mina suddenly finds herself on her own. When strange things begin to happen, such as being the victim of an apparent random attack in the street and having her father's papers shredded in her room, she becomes uncomfortable and slightly scared for her own safety Surprisingly, she finds herself inexplicably drawn to Mark, Lord Alexander. When he unexpectedly asks for her hand in marriage, she's thrilled when her uncle agrees to the betrothal. Now she can get out of the house and hopefully start over, completely unaware of her new husband's immortality.

I adored SO STILL THE NIGHT. While not your typical historical romance, Mina and Mark are two strong individuals, both fighting their own battles: Mark's for his sanity and Mina for trying to overcome the loss of her father. The chemistry between the two is some of the strongest I've read and the scenes between them are sizzling hot. I loved how Mark wore down Mina's resistance to him, especially the scene with the hot air balloon at the club. My favorite scene though is after the two are married and Mina learns his secret. While on the search for her father, they visit an old family friend of Mina's, a rather eccentric character who owns a warehouse full of unusual items. It's a fun and a nice respite from the darker tone of a lot of the book, it's one that made me laugh and stayed with me through the rest of the book.

I have to say SO STILL THE NIGHT is a wonderful read that quickly earned a spot on my keeper shelf. Mark is a delicious hero, filled with a dark intensity and a purpose that I haven't read in awhile and quickly fell for. Mina's strong enough on her own, but watching her fall for Mark and accept who he truly is makes this a great read. The only drawback to the story is the ending chapters are rather fast paced, and rush by quicker than the rest of the story.

With a fast paced ending with a few surprising twists and revelations, SO STILL THE NIGHT leaves the reader breathless, going back through the story for clues they may have missed as to the Dark Bride and her cohorts identities. I can't wait to read the next in this series, Darker Than Night, due out in April 2010.

To learn more about this book and the Shadow Guard series, visit Ms. Lenox online at her website: http://www.kimlenox.com/.

Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
January 2010

BATTLE OF THE NETWORK ZOMBIES by Mark Henry

BATTLE OF THE NETWORK ZOMBIES (Amanda Feral Book #3)
MARK HENRY
Urban Fantasy
Kensington
Sensuality Level: Sexy
ISBN# 978-0758225269
288 Pages
$15.00
Trade—Available

Rating: 4.5 Enchantments

Celeb zombie Amanda Feral seems to be having a stream of bad luck. Between her car getting repossessed in the parking lot of her mother's strip club; her relationship with Scott breaking up (all his idea) and Elizabeth Karkaroff wanting to get out of the business, which means Amanda would owe her a staggering sum of money she doesn't have, not to mention she owes the reaper her first born, if she'd have one. But there might be a way out of all of this mess. Amanda can't stand Johnny Birch, the weird little wood nymph, but if being a judge on his new reality show will save her, what's wrong with that? Until she discovers Johnny's charred body on the floor of his room and suddenly the show's no more. With some quick thinking on her part, Amanda turns the show into a whodunnit and she's the lead detective, which would be great if she'd ever been a detective before.

What do I like best about the latest in Mark Henry's 'Amanda Feral' series? Hard to say, between the gruesome and sometimes macabre scenes and characters, not to mention all the dark humor, with every scene sometimes so gruesomely detailed, it's hard to pick just one. But perhaps it's Amanda herself, with her sarcastic barbs and outlook on life, especially dark in this particular tale. And who can forget the footnotes, where Amanda talks straight to the reader?

BATTLE OF THE NETWORK ZOMBIES brings the reader back into Amanda's life and she's just as delightful as ever, as are her two good friends Wendy and Gil. Hands down, one of my favorite scenes in the book is when Amanda first arrives at the mansion where the reality show is set to be filmed. Thanks to Johnny's woodland nymph nature, the place is literally alive with vegetation. Amanda meets the unusual Mama Montserrat, who takes an instant liking to her, and an instant dislike to Wendy, who's tagged along on the trip, posing as Amanda's agent.

The fun really begins when the contestants are introduced, a handful of wanna-be bodyguards you'd never imagine. I especially enjoyed some of the new characters Mr. Henry brings to the mix in this one, from Mama Montserrat, the producer of the ill-fated Johnny Birch reality show and possible suspect in Johnny's demise to Hairy Sue, the unusual stripper from Amanda's mother's club and a surprising contestant on the reality show. Who would have figured her for the role of bodyguard? Filled with some memorable characters, including my new favorite Tanesha, and a heck of an unusual mystery, readers looking for something a little dark and twisted won't go wrong picking up BATTLE OF THE NETWORK ZOMBIES.

Mark is the co-founder of both The South Sound Algonquin writer’s group in Washington and the highly regarded (and/or degraded) League of Reluctant Adults, an online cabal of disturbed urban fantasy and paranormal romance writers. He’s a member of the Pacific Northwest Writer’s Association and the Fangs, Fur and Fey online writer’s community. Visit him online at http://www.markhenry.us.


Lisa
Enchanting Reviews
January 2010

NIKOLAI'S WOLF by Zera Wynn

NIKOLAI'S WOLF
ZERA WYNN
Shifter/paranormal romance
Loose Id
Sensuality Rating: Sizzling
ISBN# 978-1-59632-894-5
133 Pages
$6.99
EBook–Available Now

Rating: 5 Enchantments

A blue moon's coming, and for shape-shifter Shannon McFelan, it's bringing nothing but trouble. Something she's got enough of already. Her body has mysteriously turned on her, going into Heat at the worst possible time. It will take all the cunning in her possession to survive this lunar cycle without finding herself mated.

Vampire Nikolai Taranosky has waited centuries for his Chosen. He doesn't care that Shannon's a werewolf, and he knows exactly what's wrong with her. It's because of him that she's in Heat. By the waning of the blue moon she'll definitely be mated ... to him!

What can I say that could possibly do the justice to this book it deserves? Well written, no mistakes. It gives you chills as well as passion. I was glued to the book from the time I started reading until I finished it in two days. The alpha female, Shannon, is strong. She’s got so much heart you can feel her essence even after you put the book down. Nikolai is strong, sexy, and dominate. He’s a vampire with wolf blood and determined to make headstrong Shannon not only his mate, but make her fall in love with him too. I loved the interplay between all of the characters. Shannon and her stubborn brother, Rory face off in challenge after challenge.

I have loved a lot of female characters. Shannon is my favorite. Her headstrong ways remind me so much of myself. Nikolai represents the kind of man every woman dreams of. The story itself left me wishing and at times holding my breath. I couldn’t wait to see what was going to happen next. Shannon’s ways kept me laughing all through this wonderful book. This is a sequel to 'True Mates' also by Ms. Wynn. The ending leaves you breathless and also leaves room for her third book in the series.

Ms. Wynn is the mother of three (four, if you count Lady, her family dog) and grandmother of two, when not busy with family or church, she can most likely be found in front of the computer writing or escaping into a book. She loves to read. She loves books that can take her out of her ordinary life into an extraordinary reality. She doesn’t just read. She becomes. To her, a really well written book is like a mini-vacation, without all of the hassle. Her greatest hope is that after reading one of her stories, you'll feel the same.


Angel
Enchanting Reviews
June 2009

POWER PLAY by Deirdre Martin

POWER PLAY
DEIRDRE MARTIN
Romance
Berkley Sensation (Penquin)
Sensuality Rating: Sensuous
ISBN# 978-0-425-22451-9
$7.99
Available October 2008

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Monica Geary is a leading lady in a soap opera. Her status as leading lady is being threatened by the "new face on the block". Monica is desperate to please her peers with "pure" acting, yet doesn't want to lose her daytime status on top.

Eric Mitchell is a a playboy hockey star who is secretly a soap opera watcher. He is desperately trying to be accepted as the newest member of the New York Blades.

Monica and Eric's publicity managers devise a scheme to get them back on top through a public, fake romance. In private, though, they can't stand each other. Or can they? Both learn about the person behind the public image during their 'fake' dating. The media eats up the handsome couple; they are seen together all over the place. The news coverage pumps both their careers, so how can they break it off? Are they staying together just to boost their careers or will they actually fall in love?

POWER PLAY is well written and fun. The whole dating in the spotlight makes this fun. People always wonder what it would be like to be famous and POWER PLAY lets you step into the lives of two famous people for a time. Ms. Martin also brings in the softer side of two tough people in the spotlight and their insecurities. It is endearing to know that people who seem to have it all, have things they worry about and that they are insecure about. The sex scenes are few, but very steamy. There are several sub-plots that make POWER PLAY very interesting and hard to put down. I would definitely read this author again.

Ms. Martin is a New York Times bestselling author. Her website is www.deirdremartin.com which includes excerpts and upcoming books.


Sandy Maffeo
Enchanting Reviews
March 2009

RED FIRE by Deidre Knight

RED FIRE
DEIDRE KNIGHT
Paranormal Romance
Signet
Sensuality Rating: Sexy
ISBN# 978-0-451-22538-2
400 pages
$6.99
Print - Available now

Rating: 4 Enchantments

Ajax Petrakos and his Spartan brothers made a deal with Ares to become immortal to protect the human race from the evil that threatens us. After centuries, Ajax is ready for peace in his life and to find that he must find his true love.

Shay Angel is part of a demon hunting family. Being the youngest and a female, her brothers are overly protective of her. She can see the demons roaming the streets but she can’t help but wonder if there is something more to her special gift.

To Ajax, eternity has become a prison. What gets him through the long years is his destiny of finding his one true mate. When the Oracle sends him to Savannah, Georgia, he finally finds Shay but he isn’t the first. Ajax’s worst enemy Sable has come back and knows Shay’s true gift and destiny. Because of a past conflict, Sable will do anything to ruin Ajax even if it means taking Shay. Ajax is on a time limit to keep Shay protected and also find the clues to an ancient prophecy detailing what Shay’s and his true destiny will be.

This was a great concept to the Spartan soldiers. I did get a bit lost in a few places around the beginning, but the description was good so it didn’t take long to get back on track. You can’t go wrong with this fast paced, action packed book. I would read it again and I recommend it to all my friends. This is the first in the Gods of Midnight series (Yay! There will be more.).

Along with being a novelist, Ms. Knight is a mom and a literary agent. You can check out her website at http://www.deidreknight.com/ you can also send her emails at deidre@deidreknight.com.


Kim Graham
ENCHANTING REVIEWS
August 2009