Review: The Road to Helltown by S.M. Reine

The Road to Helltown by S.M. Reine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, Sara Reine has done it again! Prolific equals S. M. Reine. Sorry, I’m late coming around with my review. Since Kindle did a bunch of updates I have had quite a time trying to get back to reading because they messed up the text-to-speech they messed up the backgrounds they messed up the font sizes and hardly ever can save my place in a book. And as much as they want to think of themselves as a tablet, I choose to think of Kindle as a reading apparatus. I don’t read on my tablet I use my tablet for other things.

Enough of my rant. Cèsar Hawke is not my favorite character in Ms. Raines books. I go into those books kicking and screaming. These books are more male-oriented. Cèsar reminds me of the old detective movies, film noir, I think is called. But when we get past that were back in Ms. Raines universe. Regardless of how San Francisco looks now, through her eyes, it isn’t. Same holds true when she incorporates Reno or Las Vegas. It just is more fun reading from her point of view. Cèsar is a witch who is allergic to magic. If you don’t think that puts some complications on things, you’re not paying attention. It takes a lot of magic to fight a demon. Especially a really big one. So in spite of his allergies, Cèsar does the job.

Even though I would give any of the Cèsar books 3 stars, because they’re okay, the overall stories are always superb, exciting, and hard to put down. I can blame these books for nights of lack of sleep. Not because they’re so scary, but because you want to see what happens.

Please come to the Sara Reine universe starting with the Six Moon Summer series and keep going through all the different series that Miss Reine puts out. They’re all good!

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Review: Suicide Queen by S.M. Reine

Suicide Queen by S.M. Reine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

For some reason, I thought I had already written this review. Boo Me! This was my favorite Dana story yet! And even that may be a bit of a spoiler! Only for those following this part of the series.

Timeout. I just need to say how much I love the cover pictures of Dana! She is so cool! She isn’t some starved skinny-mini. This gal means business! The story reflects the cover or vice versa. Geez, with all the vampires, Las Vegas will never be the same. But that is why Dana is there, to rid that fine city of those bloodsuckers.

As I’m writing this review, I am having the hardest time making sure not to put out spoilers. Just take it from me, this was a marvelous series and Dana is my favorite of all of Ms. Reine’s characters. So sorry to see this series end. How I hope Sara will bring Dana back again soon!

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Review: Cashing Out: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by SM Reine

Cashing Out: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by SM Reine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Yippee! Another Dana installment! I still don’t like vampires. That may be why I like Dana. She doesn’t either, even when she becomes one.

I’m not lowering my star rating from five to four even though most of the beginning is about Nessa, not Dana. After finishing the read, I saw why that was so. Picture me rubbing my hands together in anticipation. More is to come!!!!

Though not left on a cliffhanger, this book did leave me anxious to read what comes next. More Dana! Please, please, please!

Oh, and though this part of the series(s) is rather stand alone I suggest you all read of the Saraverse from Six Moon Summer on. SM Reine is one of the most prolific writers I know. Her places are alternates of places many have been, just add a were-beings, demons, vampires, fae, etc. thrown in amongst we muggles. And GODS/GODDESS and many layers of heavens and hells Yet if you see her on Instagram, Sara is a fascinating mom person.

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Review: Kill Game: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by SM Reine

Kill Game: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by SM Reine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I love Dana! My first born son and this female powerhouse character that we all met long ago in Sara Reine’s series. In this case, it is the first character I could personally relate to in size and shape. I’m much older but a part of me thinks I looked like her when I was in my forties. I think I had similar beliefs to hers. I don’t know that I hate vampires. But I never saw the craze. Now Ms. Reine has brought me along to expand my imaginary creatures profile.

And Dana isn’t a perfect person in any way. She makes mistakes. She has a mindset that needs taming. But she is lovable and loves deeply. And it is wonderful that she is getting her own series. This was the second book. I think it may read as a stand alone but I love that I have read all the history of these altered Nevada stories from the beginning. Other states are in her other books but most of Sara Reine’s books are in places I have lived or visited enough to know ‘our’ versions. It gives a depth to the books that a made up place never has.

Dana is going through divorce in this series and it is messing with her mind. As it does for most of us. The reasons seem weird to me, but most folks from the outside of the couple going through this might think that, also. But will the ending of this book change that? Gosh, Sara, if you’re going to bring us to this ending can’t you write faster and let us see what happens next?

Okay, I need to clear this up. This is not a cliffhanger. You all know how much I hate those! And I don’t know a more prolific author than S.M. Reine. I just love her books so much I can’t wait to see what she comes up with next. Hey–since I moved from there two years ago, how about another Reno setting? Las Vegas is too busy, too much of a tourist trap–even in the alternate universe. Is there a place for Dana, the vampire-slayer in demon possessed Reno? Or, since I can’t seem to find a way, could you take her to the beaches of California? Orange County, LA County? Mojave Desert?

Okay, I’ll read it no matter where you take us! Can’t wait!!!!

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Review: Drawing Dead: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by S.M. Reine

Drawing Dead: An Urban Fantasy Thriller by S.M. Reine

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW!!!! OMG!!!!! Of all of S.M. Reine’s massive series(s), this is my favorite!!!! I couldn’t stop reading once I started.

I almost missed this one. I had gotten so far behind in my email that I didn’t see the one offering to read/review Drawing Dana. Luckily I was offered a reprieve and allowed to read it even though late. Because since I met Dana McIntyre I have loved her. She is the bitch with a heart of gold. She is strong with the right amount of weakness. She is the vampire slayer who has been bitten. And I love the name of the weapon of choice. Spoilers! Can’t tell you!

Some of the many series(s) are a little dark or ‘demonie’, or too far into fae. And as much as I hate vampire stories, this should have been a non-starter. But it was Dana!!! I knew I couldn’t go wrong.

What I like and have liked about Sara’s writing has been her use of places where I have lived or at least visited. This one takes place in Las Vegas. Never lived there but been there enough to recognize the place. I never saw the vampires there but it is easy to imagine them there. Ms. Reine often writes of Reno. I did live there a while. But my Reno looked nothing like the one in her books, except, they did. Her imagination put beings there that I must have overlooked.

Please, if you get the chance, read this book. It is written so that you can start here. BUT… I suggest you start at the beginning: Six Moon Summer. Watch the world around you change into Reine’s world. So many adventures await, including this one.

I can’t wait for the next book!!!!!!!

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Review: Cast in Angelfire by S.M. Reine

Cast in Angelfire by S.M. Reine

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was given this book by the author for an honest review.

I always love it when I can go into the worlds Ms. Reine has built. And I feel exhilarated when I come back to the real world safe and sound. Yes, there will be more to the story but it didn’t leave you on a cliffhanger.

BUT, there is something I wish Sara would do: Please, at the end of the book or the beginning or somewhere on the internet, a cast of characters. Somehow I was under the impression that Marion was Elise’s mother. I did remember she was someone important to Elise. And somehow I had forgotten what had happened to Seth in previous books. Yes, I can understand keeping the history vague due to the fact of Marion’s amnesia but somewhere to be able to look it all up would be great for those of us who have read ALL the books so far and have our own memory problems.

Marion was a growing character in this book and one falls in love with Dr. Luke. And you do feel the connection. You feel that there may be history yet because of the memory lapse on Marion’s side Dr. Luke seems hesitant to do certain things. This ebb and flow of curiosity keeps one moving through the book to find out how and what this connection is, was or is going to be.

As usual, I wish everyone could read all of Ms. Reine’s books starting with Seasons of the Moon. Hard to believe all the characters, beings, and worlds that this prolific writer has brought into being from that young girl, Riley, and to see her make an appearance in this book made it all the better. These worlds and people are as real to me now as they have to be to Sara Reine. Can’t wait for the next one!

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Review: Pas by S.M. Reine

Pas by S.M. Reine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I was given this 4-in-1 series book free for honest review.

So here goes! This is the only one in this series I haven’t read before, yet it seamlessly followed the others. At least I knew when this one began as suddenly new stuff was happening that I didn’t recognize.

Diedre Tombs is a mixed up, abused person with addictions and is trying to get it together now that she is attempting growing up and gaining responsibilities. She is hard to love as a character, but when has Sara Reine written characters that are Suzy Sunshines? Yet the abuse she endures and the addictions she continues are hard to read about. And her misguided thoughts about our old friend Rylie hurt.

Then Rylie shows the stuff she’d made of and all is well.

This is a great finisher book. All the threads are nicely tied up and you feel their universe will go on without you.

One of the problems I have with this book, and it may be that it was explained and I missed it with my text-to-speech reading, why is this called PAS? It makes no sense.

I’m glad to see that Ms. Reine has more for us from this LONG bunch of series. Another point of view will be written about soon. Yay!

By the way, because of the adult content this is better to be read by new adults and older. Maybe mature teens will get some of the issues involved here but even this old lady finds it hard to look at some of these issues. Still, it is well worth the read.

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Re-Review: Alpha: An Urban Fantasy Novel by S.M. Reine

Alpha: An Urban Fantasy Novel by S.M. Reine
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Disclaimer: I was given this 4 in 1 book containing this series for free for review. I have to admit that is has been the best way to read it. One right after the other. In this case, listening to British female text-to-speech just kept the story going. But I couldn’t tell when I was in the “Alpha” book. I did feel Deidre becoming stronger though this book shows her struggles with authority and addictions more than the others, I feel. Even so, it is fun to watch her grow as a character and as a leader. Mostly I stick to the first review below.

Disclaimer: I was gifted this book for an honest review.

Maybe it was because my life has been so busy with fun road trips and not so fun hospital time for my husband, but, I had a hard time getting through this story. Usually, I can’t stop reading a Sara Reine book. There were just so many places where my mind wandered away from the story.

I think it is hard to make the main character a favorite for me. Deidre has no respect for Rylie our favorite Alpha werewolf. She doesn’t even have respect for her own alpha. But then he isn’t worth the respect. Meanwhile, Deidre Tombs goes all gooey about a dragon shifter and/or her alpha. It’s hard to know where she stands. She hasn’t much to stand on as she searches for her own animal to shift to. Once she finds it, she has a hard time making it happen.

Okay, all that aside, I am still looking forward to the next book to see what happens next. No, we weren’t left on a cliffhanger. We were left with many threads left undone, possibly fraying at the ends. How can our prolific author tie this all up? Wow!

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Re-Review: Beta by S.M. Reine

Beta by S.M. Reine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclosure: I was given this 4 in 1 book of this series free for review. What I have to add to what is written below is that reading it this way I can hardly tell where one book ends and the next begins. That may be because I am ‘reading’ rather listening by text-to-speech. I use the British female–sounds like Julie Andrews reading to me! The books are seamlessly woven together. I do not like the main character as much as I do Rylie, the first one we meet in Ms. Reine’s worlds and the Alpha that remains Alpha through everything. Deidre is full of flaws and teen mistaken ideas and addictions. Yet, she grows on you and you find yourself rooting for her.

Disclosure: I was gifted this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Wow! What a sequel! I must admit that I am confused as to what our Omega/Beta, Deidre Tombs actually is as a shifter, still we were given a few clues in this book. I really love her character. Shoot, by saying that I show how Sara Reine writes her characters; so realistic that I forgot there is a writer! Yet how realistic is a shapeshifter? Yet, I believe it while reading it. As always, I am left gasping and wanting to become the main character in Stephen King’s Misery. I want the next book NOW!!!! I want to see if I am correct in my guesses. Don’t worry, Ms. Reine. I’m generally a passive person and have plenty to keep me reading until you can crank out the next.

I was glad to see old friends from Seasons of the Moon and on through other series our prolific author has scribed. By the way, I do highly recommend reading all her books start with Season of the Moon. Her books are full of chills and thrills and characters, places and scenes that are at once unbelievable yet the reader sees everything that is taking place. All senses are engaged and you are there! Beta felt as good as any of her books. And the ending, though not quite a cliffhanger, leaves you wanting to know more. What will happen next? What is she? Great job, Sara!

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Re-Review: Omega by S.M. Reine

Omega by S.M. Reine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Disclosure: This was my second read of Omega as it was included in a four book gift from the author including the newest in the series, PAS. I decided to reread just to remind myself of the story so far. I stick with the review below. This current copy isn’t loanable as it is just for review.

Disclosure: I received this ebook from the author in exchange for an honest review.

But, hey! This was another Sara Reine adventure! How could I not love it? Yet another series is grown from the Six Moon Summer beginning. How it is possible Ms. Reine can be so prolific? She’s the alpha writer!

I have to admit to being a bit lost at first. What in the world is an Omega shifter? But that is, indeed, what the question of the book is. Even though we get to see Rylie for a bit, this story isn’t from her point of view. Now we get to see what has happened to the world since it ended and started again. Yet evil still exists and causes all kind of problems. Our Omega shifter must learn to deal with it all and figure out where she fits in.

This was not my favorite of all the books, but it was fun to revisit old friends and see that there is still hope of more story yet to come.

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