Book Review (LVI) Morgan D'Arcy: A Vampyre Rhapsody by Linda Nightingale

The greatest enemy of a vampire is boredom. Four centuries of existence have taught Lord Morgan Gabriel D'Arcy to fear nothing and no one. Humans and their weapons have little chance against his preternatural speed and arcane powers. Vampires are viral mutations of human DNA. Still, the Vampyre code requires secrecy, and he has learned to hide his nature from the world. The lure of mortality, of a life in the sun, puts Morgan again and again at the mercy of calculating human women though they fail to consider his charm and determination into the equation. However, even grooming a future bride from infancy proves to be fraught with heartbreak. And second chances are not always what they seem unless... you are Morgan. Immortality and beauty, aren’t they grand?

 My Review

I haven't read many vampire books.  But something in the description spoke to me. This book was a crazy ride, that's for sure. A collection of four stories  Devil’s Waltz, Sunrise Sunset, Night Moves and Intermezzo  having a character that links them all - Morgan D’Arcy, vampire. Morgan is a complicated creature.  A vampire who loves to play the piano and craves to become mortal again.

Vampires are no longer monsters, but fine seducers, purveyors of passion.

Excellent read! The author  created a story that captured and held my mind. My interest held, never wavering while my inquisitive nature wouldn't let me put this book down till I reached the last page.

The characters just come to life on the page. Dr. Amber Wolfe, scientist and temptress, will pay a too dear price for her wish to be like Morgan, immortal

Fiona Allman. dark-haired minx who offers Morgan a day in the sun in exchange for murdering a man.

Sheila the thin waif earning her living as a prostitute  but proves a real surprise for him and Ellen Amesworth are his partners in each chapter. I enjoyed all stories, but I must admit I went back and reread paragraphs from Sunset Sunrise.

I am being vague on purpose. I don't want to take from your enjoyment, so you'll have to discover all this on your own. So what are you waiting for? If you haven't read this book yet, go do it now!

Book Review (LV) The Lucky Leprechaun by Susan Day

Blurb

Tricked into going to Ireland by a wicked leprechaun, Astro and the gang are forced to find the King’s special pet.

Only this pet is not the type of animal any dog should be made to save.

It’s wicked and cruel and can make you obey its every command just by purring!

That’s right - the dogs are sent all over Ireland to save a cat!

 My Review

 

Ok, I'll say up front that The  Lucky Leprechaun is a great story  for kids to read. The pace, characters, and action are all perfectly suited. Children who are ready for a chapter book will be delighted to find Lucky Leprechaun is very easy to read. They will enjoy the team of dogs' adventure on trying to save a cat and, of course, it has a very happy ending. The story is delightfully zany and full of humor that is geared for kids.

The characters are Astro, Rocky, Alfie, Stella, Digger and Indy called Operatives. They belong to a secret group that save dogs from neglect. They are simply called:The Organisation. They are trapped by a leprechaun, Paddy O’Shifty, to rescue the King of the Leprechaun’s favorite pet.

The author created a terrific  story, perfect to read-aloud to kids, or to have them read in small-group reading settings. Great way to keep kids interested in reading. My 7 year old grandson loved it. He’s  asking for more. 

Thank you  Astro and all the Operatives!

Guest Promo (CLXXVI) Fall #Romantic Travel Tour Alina K Field

My favorite romantic getaway is Prescott, Arizona. I love checking into a vintage hotel like the St. Michael’s or the Hassayampaand sipping a drink at the same saloon frequented by Wyatt Earp.

Blurb for Bella’s Band:

Bullets, blades, and incendiary bombs—Major Steven Beauverde, the latest Earl of Hackwell, belongs in that world, and is determined to get back to it. His brother’s murder has forced Steven into a new and completely unwanted role, and worse, he has no idea how to salvage his family’s depleted estate. A rumor that his brother had a son by a woman who may be a) the murderer, and b) his brother’s secret wife, sets Steven on a mission to find her, the boy, and—Steven ardently hopes—the proof of a marriage that will set him free.

Confirmed spinster Annabelle Harris is a country heiress with a penchant for taking in orphans and helping the downtrodden. Her philanthropy hides her desperate search for her disgraced sister, the mistress to the Earl of Hackwell. When the Earl is murdered, her sister thrusts her child into Annabelle’s care and disappears. Now, with suspicion pointing at the sister, Annabelle has begun a new quest, to find the woman, and clear her name.

When their paths converge, the reluctant Earl and the independent spinster find themselves rethinking their goals, and battling the real murderer together.

Excerpt

She felt his eyes fixed on her. He drew her head closer and she could smell his woodsy clean scent, so intensely male. The carriage passed by a street lamp and into a dark stretch, and she could no longer discern the outline of his face.

Her heart tingled and her breath came in short little huffs of anticipated pleasure.

“Annabelle,” he whispered. “What do they call you? Anna? Belle?”

She tensed remembering her chat with Lady Rosalyn.

“It is Belle. How very appropriate.” He kissed her hand.

“Bella,” she whispered. “And not appropriate at all. How did you learn my name?”

“Bella.” He breathed her name in a brandy-laced murmur. “The maid at the Harley Street house gave me your last name. And by the way, she worships you.”

Dear Trish. Annabelle pushed at the seat and squirmed, with no success. He still held her fast.

“I’ve found that servants know everything and talk prodigiously.” He dropped a kiss on her nose.

Annabelle bit back a disagreement and stilled. In a properly run household, gossip was squashed. The poor man had never lived in a properly run household.

His lips hovered over her and she waited. He’d kissed her nose. Perhaps he’d been aiming for her mouth and missed. She wanted one more kiss. She would be safe. In a carriage on a public street, he wouldn’t attempt to take more.

***

Steven held himself an inch away from her lips. Her nose had been cold, but heat radiated between them, holding them in a warm cocoon. She smelled of plain soap and faint lavender. There was nothing cloying about Miss Harris. He’d breached a line of defense with the use of the pet name. Bella. She wanted him to kiss her.

Not yet. Not yet. She was lovely, and innocent, and perfect. He was known for his quick thinking under duress, and he’d made up his mind. He would do this honorably. He was not his brother. It would not be a seduction.

“Bella, you are right that we should dispense with the dance. You are right that we should speak to the point, and so I will. I think you and I, we should wed.”

“What?” She jumped a full inch from the seat before settling back.

Purchase Link:Amazon

Author Bio

Alina K. Field hails from the Midwest, but now lives in sunny Southern California. She is the author of the 2014 Book Buyer’s Best novella winner Rosalyn’s Ring, and the novel-length sequel, a 2015 RONE Award finalist, Bella’s Band. Her most recent release is Liliana’s Letter, a Regency novella and 2016 National Readers’ Choice Award finalist. She loves blogging about nerdy historical research and connecting up with readers on social media.

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