A Job from Hell, by Jayde Scott: 3 stars

Jayde Scott started this off brilliantly. Literally, I was almost breathless reading the opening chapters. A young woman arrives to work as the housekeeper in a creepy, remote mansion for a man who’s never around when she’s awake. The writing was good, the witty conversation great. And then it went kind of mushy after that. Not necessarily in a bad way, but just not up to the same strength as the beginning.

The storyline of A Job from Hell is pretty solid if not basic, with a few original twists and characters: turns out Amber won a paranormal prize she wasn’t aware of winning, and the problem is, she’s mortal. Enter Adrian, the mystery employer, who’s determined to save Amber and win her heart, if he doesn’t kill her first.

Stuff I loved: smart one-liners, great humor and snappy conversations. This was definitely Jayde Scott’s strength. There were also a few unusual characters in the mix, including Satan’s daughter, and a species called the Shadows that I really want to know more about.

Stuff I didn’t like as much: I already mentioned the mush. I’ve got nothing against romance, but I have to admit to a tendency I have: I start rolling my eyes when a story relies heavily on soul mates, predestined love and repeated declarations of undying adoration, unless it’s very well done. And even then, I don’t want to read about it every few pages.

Amber kept flipping back and forth between “No way can I stay with him, he’s way too dangerous” to “I’d give up everything to save him”. Seriously, make up your mind. And there were a few inconsistencies, like how does a vampire wake up with his heart beating rapidly? Being dead kinda implies his heart no longer works, right?

But that’s just me. I actually think it was a decently written story, despite the bits I rolled my eyes at, and I know other more romantically inclined readers will enjoy it.

http://www.amazon.com/From-Hell-Ancient-Legends-ebook/dp/B004YTI17M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349251738&sr=1-1&keywords=A+job+from+hell

Arson, by Estevan Vega: 3 stars

Talk about unusual. Arson has a gift / curse: he can start fires with his mind. But this is much more than a paranormal story. Estevan Vega pulls you into the secrets of his family, and they are dark. It was fascinating to be part of his life, especially as he gets to know his neighbor, a girl who wears a mask. The ending was dramatic and unexpected and sets the scene beautifully for the next book. 

I did find that some of the scenes could’ve been tightened up, especially the dialogue, and those slowed the story down. Plus the scenes with the neighbor’s mother didn’t really add to the story and distracted from the main flow, at least for me. With a bit of editing, spit and polish, this could be a 4 star. I’d still recommend it though, if for only the dark, brooding sense of mystery it creates.

http://www.amazon.com/Arson-Book-One-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B0052ZRKAG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349251617&sr=1-1&keywords=Arson

One foot in the grave, by Jeaniene Frost: 5 stars

So after devouring the first book in this series, I immediately bought one Foot in the Grave, which continues the story of Cat and Bones. Cat has a new boss now and a new support team, but we know where her heart and mind really are. The energy and intensity is still high and the action is non-stop.

If you like the Sookie Stackhouse stories, you’ll love this series. It’s not as dark and even more fun. Jeaniene Frost maintains her strong writing style and great story flow, and gives us more insights into this crazy world she’s created. Love it! Not for the kiddies to read…

http://www.amazon.com/Foot-Grave-Night-Huntress-ebook/dp/B0010SEMP0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349251469&sr=1-1&keywords=one+foot+in+the+grave

Halfway to the grave, by Jeaniene Frost: 5 stars

I’d seen the names Cat and Bones in different ‘favourite couples’ polls floating around Goodreads, but I had no idea who could possibly get away with naming characters with those names. Aparantly Jeaniene Frost can. By the time I’d finished Halfway to the Garve, the first in a series, I was frantically rushing to my computer to by the next book, thanking the technology gods for Kindle and wireless.

Imagine Sookie Stackhouse meets Buffy the Vampire Slayer. That gives you some idea. Cat is half vamp, half human and full on vampire killer. Bones is her next target. Suffice it to say that things don’t go according to plan.

While there are elements of the story that remind me of other vampire stories, the overall result is wonderfully original. Excellent writing style, great story flow, just the right amounts of romance, adventure and drama, fascinating characters who are ultimately likeable (maybe even lovable, but not in a fluffy kitten kind of way). Yup, I’ll probably cave in and get the third one as well! 

Important Note: this is definitely not young adult lit. Just letting you know…

http://www.amazon.com/Halfway-Grave-Night-Huntress-ebook/dp/B000W94FU0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349251343&sr=1-1&keywords=halfway+to+the+grave

Hollowland, by Amanda Hocking: 5 stars

A deadly mutation of the rabies virus has wrecked havoc on the world, transforming the victims into monsters resembling zombies from a B movie. The only safe place to live is in military controlled compounds. Unfortunately, the compound Remy lives in has just been overrun with zombies and now she’s on the run through a hellish landscape of monsters, weirdoes and escaped circus lions.

This book pulled me right in, immersing me in this new world that Remy and her friends struggled to survive. I loved how Remy was such a strong character. I have to admit to being a little jumpy reading it when I was in a quiet house at night and wondering if that was the dog barking or the death cough of a zombie. 

Intense and absorbing, I recommend this book, unless you’re by yourself, at night, with strange sounds outside…

http://www.amazon.com/Hollowland-The-Hollows-1-ebook/dp/B00466H8JK/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1349251182&sr=1-1&keywords=Hollowland

The Hunger Games, by Suzanne Collins: 5 stars

I get it now, what all the hype was over this book. It was good, really good. Suzanne Collins takes something as familiar as a TV game show and twists it into an evil mechanism to control the population. In the arena, 24 teens must fight to the death; only one victor will leave alive. Sounds grim and gruesome, but somehow the humanity of the characters shines out amidst the darkness. The Hunger is definitely worth reading.

http://www.amazon.com/The-Hunger-Games-ebook/dp/B002MQYOFW/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1346153556&sr=8-2