Rating: 5 Stars 

Title:  Ghost Island

Author:  Bonnie Hearn Hill

Publisher: Black Opal Books 
     Cover Art: Black Opal Books

Genre:  Young Adult Paranormal

Length: 193 Pages 

Summary : 

Is Aaron a dream or something much more deadly?

Livia Hinson has just begun a Seminar at Sea when a storm hits their yacht. Now, she is stranded with the other students on an island off the coast of California. Far away from her foster home and her heartbreak, Livia finds Aaron, the perfect love. But the only way they can be together is in her dreams.

The other students are having tempting dreams of their own, and Livia begins to realize that the storm has blown in more than rain. Is Aaron flesh or spirit? Can he come to her world, or will he pull her into his? Together, they explore the blurred territory between love and illusion on a dangerous journey that will force Livia to make the most important decision of her life.

Review: 

A great late night, spooky read - preferably with the lights out. Ghost Island starts out detailing a trip a bunch of students are about to embark on as they participate in a "Seminar at Sea" but end up on an island to wait out a storm. It reminds me a lot of the books I used to read as a teenager by Christopher Pike, where the lines of reality are blurred and you can never tell what is real and what isn't. 

Livia seems to be a pretty average teenage girl that has had a hard time recently. Her mom has disappeared, her dad has been accused of murdering her, she's been in foster care and her boyfriend has broken up with her. Not the easiest few months for a teenage girl. When a teacher offers her a chance to attend a "Seminar at Sea" for the summer, she sees her chance to escape her life for a few weeks.

Unfortunately, before they can begin their trip they get stranded on an island to wait out a storm, but strange things begin to happen. Nothing is what it seems, dreams are strangely real and some of the other kids are....different when they wake up.

I loved the mystery and suspense of this story. It's one of those delicious plots where nothing is what it seems and when you think you have figured out what or who is real, there is a twist that leaves you digging back in. The characters were typical teenagers and well portrayed. Livia was very likeable but most of the others left me realistically equally liking and disliking them.The only thing that left me a little perplexed, and was never really explained by the end, was the complete about face of one character's behavior.

The ending was left open enough with some of the characters that it leaves you with a few questions. A possible sequel? I'm not sure. There are enough questions left with the characters that it's possible, but I'm not sure where the plot would go. It would be fun to find out though. Definitely worth checking out.

Twin Flames by Debbie Christiana

Rating: 5 Stars

Title: Twin Flames

Author: Debbie Christiana

Publisher: Black Opal Books

      Cover Art: Cindy Hammock

Genre:  Paranormal/Women's Fiction

Length: 278 Pages

Summary: 

She’d never met him before…or had she?

The last thing forty-year old Natalia Santagario expected was to be sitting on a Manhattan barstool ogling a man she’s never met, but swears she knows.

 He didn’t know her at all…or did her?

The mysterious dark-haired woman at the end of the bar stops twenty-eight year old Marc Tremonti in his tracks. His head assures him she’s a stranger, but his heart tells him otherwise.

 Together they embark on an adventure that will change their lives forever.

Their attraction instant and enigmatic, they undergo past life regression and discover that, not only have they spent hundreds of lives together as lovers, Natalia holds the secret to Marc’s puzzling birthmark.

But what should have been a joyful reunion is complicated by a kind, albeit confused, almost ex-wife, an unfortunate accident in a taxicab, and a bout of temporary amnesia that threatens to ruin everything. On top of all that, they must contend with a mischievous ghost from their past.

What else could possibly go wrong?

 

Review: 

Anybody that reads romances regularly (or even those that don't) knows that a common theme, whether it is subtle or not so subtle, is the idea of soul mates. But one that isn't so common (at least to me) is that of "Twin Flame" soul mates. The idea of twin flame soul mates is that each person is one half of the same soul instead of just souls that are destined to be together.

I just loved this book. I'm not quite sure why it doesn't have a romance tag attached to it though, because the main storyline is the love story between two people. The elements used in this book are, quite obviously, extremely well researched and woven throughout the story in a seamless manner. It left me fascinated and wanting to learn more about twin flame soul mates. 

Natalia is a very successful, independent woman. She runs a small vineyard, with the help of a close family friend and manager of the whole operation, and makes her own wine to sell locally. She has a few close friends to lean on but, with her family primarily out of the picture, she is on her own for the most part. She has also been hurt by a past boyfriend, so her friends talk her into a weekend in New York City where she meets Marc. 

Marc, on the other hand, is surrounded by family - including an estranged wife. He is also twelve years younger than Natalia. When the two meet at his family's restaurant where he is bartending for the evening, there is an instant connection and chemistry between the two that confuses and frightens them a little. 

Even though the chemistry is immediate, rather than something that is built up through the course of the book, the author did an excellent job by showing the reactions of the characters as being wary of the whole thing. They both resist the attraction they feel for each other, feeling like it's an infatuation that will pass. Throw in a meddling aunt and mischievous ghost though, and they don't stand a chance. 

While they both have the same Italian background and love of food and wine, that's where the similarities seem to end. There seem to be so many things against this couple getting together that just about everything but the kitchen sink seems to stand in their way. Between the fact that they are from two entirely different types of areas (country vs. city), an age difference, a wife, a car accident and amnesia, it seems like they will never overcome the obstacles.

I loved how Ms. Christiana built the tension through this book. As I mentioned above, it wasn't a matter of building chemistry, that was there from the beginning, but rather a matter of building acceptance. The reactions and thoughts associated with them seemed completely believable and realistic to me. With so many things standing in their way, including themselves, by the end of the book you are left feeling like love can conquer anything and that there really is such a thing as two souls that are absolutely meant for nobody else but each other. 

I would highly recommend this book to anyone and it is one that will go on my keeper shelf for sure. I will want to read this one again.

e-book: 



Paperback:

My Killer, My Love by Mona Karel

Rating: 4 Stars

Title: My Killer, My Love

Author: Mona Karel

Publisher: Black Opal Books

      Cover Art: Pepper O'Neal and Mona Karel

Genre:  Paranormal/Fantasy/Romantic Suspense

Length: 233 Pages

Summary: 

She came to the woods to heal and found evil lurking among the trees....

Upon her grandmother’s death, Kendra inherits a cottage deep within the sequoia forest, along with the powers given only to certain women in her family—powers she doesn’t know she has. Recovering from a vicious attack in Phoenix, Kendra returns home to the remote cabin determined to heal both her body and her spirit. But the forest is ailing, too. Evil lurks in its dark places, turning its quiet glades into a battlefield. When a strangely beautiful man appears at her cabin intent on punishing her for a crime she didn’t commit, Kendra needs all her strength to protect her forest, her life... and her heart. Can she learn to use her powers and to trust Mykhael in time to save the ancient forest? 

He came to the woods to redeem himself and found innocence that would be his undoing....

Throughout his long life, Mykhael has struggled, often in vain, to please the Atrahasis, immortal overlords of the sacred places in the universe. Now they have given him one last chance to redeem himself. He must punish the person they think desecrated an ancient forest in Northern California. But when he meets Kendra, he realizes he’s doomed to disappoint them yet again. Not only is she innocent of the crime the Atrahasis have accused her of, Kendra is the missing part of the soul he didn’t know he still possessed. Can he defy the Atrahasis yet again and live long enough to save the only thing in his life that matters?

Review: 

When I first sat down to read this book, I wasn't really sure what to expect. The blurb seemed a little vague to me and I wasn't entirely sure what I was dealing with. Then, the first few pages confused me a little. I persisted though, and things cleared up nicely. It's not that the beginning doesn't hook you. Not at all. I just wasn't sure what was going on. The beginning is actually intriguing, and you'll get the gist of the plot with in a few pages. 

Kendra has had a rough life, at least in some respects. Her parents had other priorities and very rarely made appearances. She grew up with her grandmother, who taught her the ways of the women of the family. Later, she is severely injured in an attack and returns to the house she grew up in to recover. It's here that she meets Mykhael. 

Mykhael shows up out of nowhere. His job, ultimately, is to kill Kendra, per orders. After spending sometime with her, he realizes that she is not who his superiors thinks he is. He is also falling in love with her. A lot hinges on him following the orders he's been given, but he can't bring himself to do it. Together, Kendra and Mykhael try to figure a way out of their dilemma. 

Kendra is a strange mixture of a quiet, introspective and sassy woman that, once committed to something, stuck by it. And Mykhael is just one of those guys that is sexy and sensitive but still able to take care of things in most situations.

An interesting twist on the paranormal genre, once I got into the book I really enjoyed it. The resolution was a little unexpected and threw a little monkey-wrench into things initially, but worked out in the end. I was a little confused on what Mykhael's race actually is. I narrowed it down to two possibilities, but I'm still not sure which one is correct. Despite the confusion (for me) about that, it is a good read and I really enjoyed it.

Ebook:



Paperback:

Clubbed to Death (Jordan Davis Mysteries, Book #2) by Alyssa Lyons

My Ratings: 5 Stars 

Title: Clubbed to Death (Jordan Davis Mysteries, Book #2)

Author: Alyssa Lyons

Publisher: Black Opal Books

Cover Art: Dawné Dominique

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense

Length: 199 Pages with a sneak peak at the previous book in the series following at the end.

Summary:  

She’s up to her old tricks again... 

Newly minted private detective Jordan Davis takes on a murder case where family loyalty trumps sisterly hate, when she sets out to prove her half-sister innocent of murder. 

He’s wondering if he wouldn’t be safer in jail... 

Her lover, Gray, thought he had it rough during Jordan's last escapade. After all, he ended up spending a night in jail. Now with her packing heat, he wonders if jail isn't the safest place in town to be. 

Together, they’ll flip the town of Lynchburg, VA on its ear, provided they live long enough. 

As Jordan gets closer to the truth about the murder in the Junior League clubhouse, the killer is determined to see her dead. And what about the three kids Gray and Jordan are hiding?

Review: 

Don't you just love finding a new series that you, well....love? I do. It's like Christmas morning for me. When I find a series that I really enjoy, it goes on the keeper shelf. Then, when I am bored, or feeling nostalgic, or simply missing the new friends I've made in these books, I can just snag one off the shelf and re-visit them. This one is no exception. In the first book of the series, Last Wishes, I fell in love with Gray and Jordan. Getting to re-visit them has been a treat.

In fact, I've never really understood the whole “sexy little schoolgirl” fantasy that men have until I met Gray. Men in suits have never been my thing. To me they just say....soft. I like my men hard-bodied. But Gray? Well, Gray has inspired me to have “sexy men in suits” or “sexy men in black judge's robes” fantasies. That can be just downright disturbing considering how often I visit courthouses for work. Especially when you consider the fact that most judges that I see could (almost) be my dad. Or, at the very least, the creepy perverted uncle at family gatherings. Just eww. Gray is about as far on the opposite end of the spectrum from “eww” as you can get though. Whether he is doing the “I'm on the side of the law, obey me” routine, or the “I'm a sensitive guy, let me run a bath for you” routine, he is H.O.T. And, the scenes between the sheets are sizzling.

Then there is Jordan. I want Jordan to be my new BFF. She is so much fun with such a devil-may-care attitude. I love the fact that she rides a motorcycle and wears red leather. I adore the fact that she got her dog a leather jacket to ride her motorcycle with her. And the fact that she wants nothing to do with the snobby junior league. On the flip side of that, she is open-minded enough to take those junior league snobs and see to the people they are beneath the surface instead of just the picture they present to the world. Jordan is compassionate, caring and there is so much more to her than what she appears to be. The way she gets around Gray's concerns and sometimes overly protective attitude are so similar to how I get around my husband on occasion that I feel as though we could be sisters.

The secondary characters are, as usual, vivid and entertaining. Fireball is still sexy and mysterious. I would love to see more of this guy. Gray's mother is her usual fun self and the kids are adorable. Kiki is just too pinch-her-cheeks cute, making you want to just scoop her up and hug her. The other two, Paul and Emma, are the type of kids that are old beyond their years and make you want to see them have the childhood they deserve. It also wouldn't surprise me to see them on their own adventures on the written page when they are all grown up. The addition of the kids does make me wonder about the future dynamics between all of the characters, most especially (naturally) Gray and Jordan. The mystery is nail-biting with plenty of misdirection and suspense.

I look forward to the next installment in this series (there will be another installment, won't there Ms. Lyons? Pretty please?) with great anticipation. If you enjoy the romantic suspense genre, real characters and great humor, I highly recommend checking this series out. If you haven't yet had the chance to check out Last Wishes, well...what are you waiting for? But, even if you haven't, these books can be read as stand-alone books. 

 

Blood Fest: Chasing Destiny by Pepper O'Neal

My Rating: 5 Stars

Title: Blood Fest: Chasing Destiny

Author: Pepper O'Neal

Publisher: Black Opal Books

      Cover Art: Dawné Dominique

Genre: Contemporary Paranormal Romance

Length: 237 Pages

Summary: 

She didn’t know what she was—or that what she was could get her killed...

A struggling private detective in Los Angeles, Chase Alcott has no idea about her unique genetic makeup. So when she takes on a new client—an old man with ulterior motives—she’s unaware of the danger she’ll soon face. Traveling to England to solve a mysterious murder at the request of her new client, Chase encounters terrifying creatures she thought only existed in her nightmares—only to find out she’s one of them. Caught in a web of evil and deception after learning some terrifying truths about her long dead parents, Chase doesn’t know who to believe. Does she dare trust the enigmatic Roman, a man with dark secrets of his own?

He knew what she was—he just had no idea what to do about her…

English nobleman, Roman Fernwood, half-werewolf/half-vampire, doesn’t want a mate, especially not a half human/half-weretiger with no knowledge of what she is. But there’s something about Chase, Roman can’t resist in spite of his determination not to fall in love. Is it her fascinating American spunk and courage or her stunning cinnamon eyes? Or could it be the passion he senses just beneath her calm, unruffled demeanor? Whatever it is, Roman must keep her safe from those who want to kill her—and find a way to show her what she is without driving her into the arms of the other Weres who also want her for a mate.

Review: 

The paranormal genre is, without a doubt, my favorite genre to read so I was really looking forward to reviewing this book and it did not disappoint. Take a sexy man, make him into not only a vampire but also a werewolf, throw him in England with that killer accent and make him a nobleman? Drool. Then put him together with a woman that can handle him and sit back and watch the fireworks fly.

Chase is just the kind of female character that I love to read about. She is strong, smart and sassy. She knows what she wants and goes after it. She doesn't need a man in her life, but who is she to resist when the opportunity presents itself in the form of tall, dark and yummy?

Roman is an aloof English aristocrat that has no interest in finding a mate, much to his adoptive father's dismay. His father sets out to find him one anyway, sending Chase his way. Once he meets Chase, and realizes that she doesn't know what she is, he can't turn her away.

Chase's best friend and business partner, David (who is drooling over Roman as well), goes to England with her. David is a fun secondary character that is well developed and adds to the book. Then there is Grayson and Drake. They are part of the local were-tiger pack and both sexy in their own right. If I had to pick a secondary character that I wanted to see more of in a future book it would probably be one of these three.

Chasing Destiny is a well written book with well developed characters and a fun new world of vampires and shape-shifters, with plenty of page turning action, fun characters and humor. The way Roman and Chase go at each other is funny and realistic. David is the friend you'll wish you could have that is loyal, caring and amusing. His reactions to situations are totally believable and amusing. The added characters from other were-packs are mysterious and sexy and will leave you wanting to see more of them.

The background that the author gave Chase adds a sort of an “Anastasia” mysteriousness to her, with the potential for a prequel sometime in the future, if Ms. O'Neal is so inclined. It would be a history that would add depth to not only Chase, but the entire were-tiger culture in the book.

It looks like Ms. O'Neal may plan to make this a series, based on the title but that is pure speculation (and hope) on my part. I look forward to being able to revisit some of these characters in the future if that is the case and I'll keep my fingers cross that Grayson and/or Drake are in future installments.

If you enjoy paranormal romance, vampires and shape-shifters – you will definitely want to check out this book. It is one that may end up on your keeper shelf. Wouldn't want to miss out on that would you? This book is also available in paperback, as well as ebook format.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

(From the publisher)

WE HAVE DISCOVERED A TEMP WORKER UPLOADED A DRAFT COPY OF PEPPER O'NEAL'S BLOOD FEST: CHASING DESTINY TO OUR EBOOK DISTRIBUTORS. THIS COPY HAD NOT BEEN THROUGH A FINAL EDIT OR PROOFING. ANYONE WHO PURCHASED THIS BOOK BETWEEN APRIL 30 & JUNE 3, 2011, PLEASE CONTACT US AT INFO [AT] BLACK OPAL BOOKS [DOT] COM TO RECEIVE A FREE CORRECTED COPY & A 50%-OFF COUPON FOR ANOTHER OF OUR BOOKS.