I’m doing this on Bank Holiday Monday as I spent much of yesterday reading. Bank holidays for me are days spent in your pj’s chilling with the children and generally being as lazy as they are! The children didn’t feel like getting dressed so it meant a nice easy Easter. This week I have 2 books to share with you; 1 I struggled with most of the week but it turned out worth a read and the other I consumed yesterday (The latter are my favourite kind of books that mean I get to read them in one sitting).

Here’s this weeks review…

For Full Synopsis click here…

The story follows Amara a Dryad who is hated by the supernatural town she lives in and Parker a vampire with a difference – due to being a major slut he was cursed by a witch. The curse went terribly wrong as he managed to interrupt the spell and instead of always needing the witch to be his only source of food he now can only live off of a green vegetarian diet. Parker moves to a new town after his best friend Greg (Who’s also a witch) dies and tells him he must start a new. The story follows Parker as he tries to rid himself of the curse and the mean witch who put it on him, plus stop her from killing his new love and friends.

If I’m honest this book took at least 75 pages to actually get going. Although I loved Parker out vegetarian vampire as a character at times I felt he needed a ‘kick of the arse’. I think my favourite characters are Greg (Parker’s gay best friend) and Brian his renfield. They were the ones who injected the humour into this book which is badly needed! Without them I would have given up.

I don’t know if it was because I didn’t feel ‘Amara’ as a character or I wasn’t keen on the whole ‘Dryad’ angle but it just wasn’t working for me at all.

The story had a lot of promise and is listed as book one in the series although at present I don’t see any listing of a sequel being written – I think Dana may have left this open in case she wishes to revisit these characters.

I still gave this book 3 stars which was me ring slightly generous, it nearly got 2. It’s not a bad story and if you like a paranormal romance with characters who aren’t afraid to do the ‘nasty’ then you will probably enjoy this book. I would not class it as erotica to anywhere near as the sex scenes are not hardcore but will add this book is not suitable for teens and is an adults only book.

For a full synopsis click here…

To say I thoroughly enjoyed Croak is an understatement. This book was brilliant and will appeal to many different readers. Humour, wit, sarcasm, adventure, paranormal, romance and lots of death.

The story follows Lex a delinquent in the largest sense of the word who is so angry with life but doesn’t understand why. After a discussion with her parents (Where she is tied to a chair for fear of biting them like she had her class mates) it is decided she will go to her Uncle Mort’s for the Summer on his farm (Under duress). Unbeknown to the family Uncle Mort isn’t really a farmer and is Mayor of Croak, a town where the Grim’s of the area live and are trained and where Lex is destined to be.

The story was a little slow to start and in places jumps large periods of time, but this is made up for with quick wit and humour. Some of the deaths they have to attend are hilarious and so strange.

The characters are all very likeable. Lex, obviously is rather complex but throughout the story we learn more about her and see her growing up and coming into her own. I really love Mort, if I could have a down to earth uncle like him my childhood would have been filled with hilarious antics. Driggs is a complex character and a great match for Lex.

I liked the realism in parts of the story, when it need to be serious you could feel it change and feel the characters take this on board.

I really look forward to reading part 2 in the series later this year (September I believe). This was my first book by Gina Damico and I was very impressed. I would definitely recommend this book to others. Suitable for mid teens up, there is mentions of sex but its mild and nothing actually happens apart from kissing.

I give this book 5 out of 5 because I consumed it so quickly and can’t wait to read the sequal!

That’s my reviews for this week. Next weeks book reviews will be one paranormal young adult review and a possible spine chilling fantasy book if I get around to finishing it!

Lots of Love,

Mel xxxx