{Book Review} FLEDGE, Book 2 of the Junco series, by JA Huss

Book Title: Fledge, I am Just Junco, Book 2
Author: JA Huss
Publisher: indie
Publishing Date: October 1, 2012
Length: 338 pages
Source: Purchased

When given the choice to kill or die,
It’s a no-fucking-brainer.
When given the choice to obey or not,
Things get gray.
But given the choice,
To kill or save the one who saved you?
Now you’ve got my attention.
And killers don’t work well
With a conscious around to fuck things up.
So, you know…
Hope for the best, but expect the worst.
Because I’m still fucking Junco.
And I’m still at war with everyone.

Well-trained soldier or genetically engineered monster?

Junco Coot can’t even remember her trip off Earth; she was too busy being morphed into her new avian body. But reality hits her hard when she wakes up to find her new life is not what she expected. Not even close.

Tier is on trial for treason, the avian president wants her dead, her new military team is hostile, her body is being taken over by an illicit AI, and her only friend is a ten-year old throwaway boy.

In most places the avian Fledge ritual would be nothing more than mass murder, but here in the capital city of Amelia, it’s called growing up. Junco has two choices: fight to the death to prove her worth, or get sent back to Earth in the hands of her enemies.

In a foreign culture and surrounded by people she can’t trust or count on, Junco must find a way to save herself and Tier without losing her immortal soul in the process

Jaysus Effing Heck. Yeah, this is nice because I need to post this review on amazon and they frown on the words that flew out of my mouth while reading this installment in the Just Junco series. Strings of profanities that Junco herself would admire just were in a constant stream at the turmoil, the action, the everything.

This story is COMPLICATED. It gets more complicated as you learn more and more. There are so many lies and half-told truths, buried secrets, emotional badgering, and things that Junco learns about herself that you will be reeling as much as Junco is as she enters the General Fledge. It's kill or be killed in this culling tournament that decides who gets to be an Aves warrior and who does not. Junco, fresh from her morph and with no training behind her new wings, gets to testify at Tier's trial, be thrown into the General Fledge, and learn on the go.

It's a darn good thing this girl knows how to adapt.

That's what she excels at. She's not only a trained assassin and warrior, but she has the skills to adapt in every situation, shut down what she needs to shut down, and move forward. The action is incredibly well described that you nearly feel that you ARE Junco, flipping, grappling, and slicing necks wide open. You can feel her stomping down on her emotions, her glee in learning to fly, her sorrow, and her going into soldier mode. It's exactly what I hope for when I'm reading: a book that whisks me away into an alternate reality, where I'm shutting out my own world, and am lost in the one unfolding before my eyes.

Gritty? Dark? Jaysus. No. It's not just gritty and dark. It's visceral. It's breathtaking. Kindle-bruising. And addictive. I'm eager to read book 3 and hope you join me on this journey if you haven't already. Feel free to comment here or hit me up on goodreads if you need to discuss. I love Junco, I am beginning to love the 039, I'm frustrated with the 039, I'm frustrated with Junco, and the ending to this book? HOLY CRAP, JA HUSS. What are you doing to us?!

Book 1, Clutch: http://bit.ly/ClutchHuss
Book 2, Fledge: http://bit.ly/FledgeHuss
Book 3, Flight: http://bit.ly/FlightHuss
Book 4, Range : http://bit.ly/RangeHuss
Book 4.5, The MagPie Bridge: http://bit.ly/MagpieBridgeHuss
Book 5, Return: http://bit.ly/ReturnHuss

Omnibus, Books 1, 2, 3: http://bit.ly/JuncoOmnibus

{Blog Tour} SUMMONED by Rainy Kaye -- with review and giveaway!

Book Title: Summoned
Author: Rainy Kaye
Cover Design: Kris Wagner https://www.facebook.com/digitalgunman
Model: Adam Jakubowski https://www.facebook.com/LadyJakubowsky
Photographer: Marcin Rychły https://www.facebook.com/karrdepl

Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker.

Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can't tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn't the type to tolerate secrets.

Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl's ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

Summoned is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.

Find out more at http://www.summonedtheseries.com

 There is no other way to say this...Dimitri is freaking hilarious. He is snarky and has some fantastic one-liners that are gonna make you snort with laughter. Sure, he's evil, but he's also got that gooey center that peeks out once in a while, just enough to keep him likable. And really, you shouldn't like him. He's kinda reprehensible, but you do and you can't help it!

This was a really good paranormal fantasy. Gritty, dark, a touch disturbing, with a character (or two)that is kinda off her rocker (*waves at Syd*), mystery, suspense, insidiousness just begging to be read. The words that often get tossed around in reviews are world-building, character development, etc. And if you want to add the adjectives brilliant and well-developed to those, you'd be right on the money. I really liked this original idea of a genie who is bound to a family and can be inherited. That is the first time I've read something like that and it was truly captivating in that my mind started asking a bunch of what-if's!

The beginning of the book was a little bit of a rough start for me, but I quickly got into it. When you read this, if you feel the same way, I urge you to keep trying. Keep going. Just a little more! And...while there IS a sequel, I think you'll be happy with the ending of this book. Well done, Ms Kaye! 

Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark.com and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. When not plotting world domination, she enjoys getting lost around the globe, studying music so she can sing along with symphonic metal bands, and becoming distracted by Twitter (@rainyofthedark). She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA.
Author Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/rainyofthedark
Author Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/rainyofthedark
Author Blog: http://www.rainyofthedark.com

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BLOG TOUR: Day 5 of 6, D.N. Simmons Knights of the Darkness Chronicles: THE LION'S DEN

The Lion's Den (Knights of the Darkness Chronicles #5)

Darian, Elise and Xander have been through very rough times in the past, but nothing has prepared them for the menace that is causing all kinds of havoc in their territory this time around. Chicago is at the mercy, or lack thereof, of a ruthless gang of supernaturals who seem to take extreme pleasure in other people's pain. In this game of cat and mouse, there's no way to tell who's the predator and who's the prey.

Purchase now:  Amazon | B&N

A_TiffyFit's Review:

I think this is the most action packed of the 5 I have read so far! This one has a vicious, ancient vampire named Marcus and his coven, including a shifter lover. As we know now from the previous novels, drinking a master’s blood imbues some of his strength into you, enhancing whatever powers you may already have, whether shifter, vampire, or human. It worked to strengthen Natasha’s visions, it worked to strengthen Darian’s will so he could now see sunrise and sunset despite his “younger” age (compared to the ancients, younger).

Warning: There are horrific crimes in this novel. If you can’t stand watching Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, you will have a hard time with some scenes in this book. It is, unfortunately, true to life with the horrors that monsters force upon others, and some of it was really hard to read. Mutilation, rape, & murder of both adults and children.

The book starts off with Natasha’s pregnancy cravings and her asking Xavier and Darian to get her a juicy burger. I was pleasantly surprised to find out that this is baby numero dos! I love how we get to see the every day lives of these characters: from Natasha’s nesting and cravings to how the two vamps spoil her to Christopher, the newest vamp, working in the club and learning about being a vampire, to Warren & Matthew’s daily job. Warren’s shock as Marshall asks if he was the one to turn Matthew was adorable! “No! Wait…you knew about me?!”

This one starts off with the crime and it is horrific. A shifter is murdered, flayed, and dumped on the door step of Desires Unleashed. From there, more and more crimes pop up faster and faster, forcing the captain of the S.U.I.T. unit to bring in reinforcements much to the dismay, and then later relief, of Warren.

The new coven on the scene is terrifying and terrorizing the citizens of Darian’s territory. Wickedly strong, horrific, evil, and smart, Marcus’s coven and Marcus himself are wreaking havoc. Lives are lost, not just the victims of the murders, but also during the fights: coven, pride, and pack lose members. We have a new shifter pack alliance, and really they are the reason why the coven is here, not that it makes it solely their fight alone.

It’s intense! D.N. Simmons kept me up late at night, turning my pages, wanting resolution, cheering them on during the fight, and finally…when it’s finished, there is another problem. And how does the book end? With this:

To Be Continued.
Oh yeah! … I ended this on a cliffhanger, baby!
Love ya!
D.N.

*jaw drops* GEEEEZ. Okay! I get it! Onto the final book in the series! UNHOLY ALLIANCE

Tune in tomorrow to see how this story ends...well as much as I'm willing to give away anyway ;) 

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BLOG TOUR: Day 3 of 6: D.N. Simmons THE KNIGHTS OF THE DARKNESS CHRONICLES Book 3: The Royal Flush

Welcome back! So have you started reading yet? The series is getting better and better! Book 1, DESIRES UNLEASHED, sets the stage and then it's nothing but action action action. Sexy action, battle action, fights, kidnapping, torture, etc.

The Royal Flush is the third novel in the edgy, action-packed, sexually-charged, Knights of the Darkness Chronicles.In the third installment of this tale, the hunt is on! The coven, Pack and Pride must join forces to stop a group of big game hunters by any means necessary! Hold on to your seat as the Knights take you on yet another wild ride that will not let you go until the last word is read and the book is closed!

Purchase now:  Amazon | B&N


A_TiffyFit's Review:
This series certainly isn’t losing any momentum! Usually in a longer series, book 3 is the flop where things are starting to drag or become redundant. That is NOT the case here. This time, the pride, the coven, and the pack are each missing one member, one of their younger ones. Our main characters soon find out that it’s a rich man’s hunt: the prey is the supernaturals that were kidnapped. 

Lots of action and a plot that keeps rolling forward, the only blips were one or two grammatical/spelling issues (his versus he’s, vain versus vein). I’m used to spelling kidnapped with double Ps, but kidnaped is an acceptable spelling.

Natasha’s visions are increased in power although we only see a few of them. This increase is thanks to Darian’s decision to have her drink more blood to strengthen them, to help track down the missing members. 

I love how this book is bringing together pride, pack, and coven as they work together more and more, all because of Natasha. She is one special character as they keep stressing. She genuinely cares for others, more than herself, is incredibly feisty, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. 

The most exciting development in this series is WE GET TO MEET DARIAN’S MASTER, KYSEN! Ohhhhh yes you do! =) So you have kidnapping, strategizing, banter between the pack/pride/coven, relationship development between Warren & Matthew & Adrian as well as Natasha & Xavier & Darian. The former is not what you think; the latter IS. The sex is still hot and still present in the books and again, as an extension of the characters and their personalities instead of gratuitous. It’s for comfort, for demonstrations of love, for celebration of living through something that ought to have killed them etc.


Natasha’s surprise for Darian’s birthday is awesome and I’m hoping that by the end of the series…we see this to completion! ON TO BOOK FOUR! 

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BLOG TOUR Day 2 of 6: D.N. Simmons KNIGHTS OF THE DARKNESS CHRONICLES Book Two: The Guilty Innocent

Hi, welcome back! :) Are you ready for more? Now that we've gotten the info-laying book one out of the way, the action SURE DOES HEAT UP in this second novel!

The Guilty Innocent is the second novel in the edgy, action-packed, sexually-charged, Knights of the Darkness Chronicles.

In this installment, Darian, the gorgeous, charismatic and charming master vampire of Chicago is framed for a crime he didn't commit, but why? His lover, Xavier, Natasha and a few others must travel halfway across the world to find out who and why before time runs out and all hell breaks loose!

Original, sexy and gritty, the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles will suck you in and take you for a ride you won't forget!

Purchase now:  Amazon | B&N

A_TiffyFit's Review: 

This series is HEATING UP. Sadly, this one starts with the murder of Tasha’s best friend and roommate, Annette. Her body is found in the trunk of Darian’s car, framing him for the murder. Tasha, Xavier, Warren, Matthew, Elise, Sergio, and their supernatural allies together have only 7 days to prove his innocence before Darian will be executed per law. (Supernaturals are not privy to the same rights as humans, even though humans can be more monstrous. :( )

Now that we have all the players from book one and their backgrounds, there is much more action in this book. I think many would call this world hedonistic, and it is. I mean…if you have lived for hundreds of years, wouldn’t you revel in pleasures as you can take them, too? 

I’m already hoping that something happens to Tasha to make her live a longer/immortal life. Human lives are just too short. She nearly died in the first book while helping out on an investigation! In this book, she is in harm’s way lots of times, but so is everybody else. 

Back to the hedonism: this book is a guilty pleasure filled with Tasha’s curiosity, her honest questions, her blatant interest in how sexual a vampire’s kiss can be, etc. It’s very human in that it’s so focused on sex: so many humans are focused on sex. 

Now here’s the strange part: despite many scenes of sexual nature, it does NOT take over the book. Once again, it’s seamlessly woven in so that it isn’t the main focal point. The main point is tracking down the bastards who are framing Darian. And it gets worse…shifters are turning on their own kind all for the sake of…Ah. No spoilers for you. 

Natasha and Xavier’s relationship develops further, and her experiences in Russia seem to help her open up to other possibilities. I’m enjoying reading and seeing these developments. 

Favorite passages from this book: 

“In reality, there was no more danger from shape-shifter children than there was from other, fully human children. I thought it would be good for the schools to be integrated. It would allow the human and shape-shifter children to interact with each other. Kids weren’t born with prejudices; they were learned from their parents. If you enlightened both the children and their parents, then the world would grow to be a better place.” Pg 9

Didn’t I say how I felt it was disgusting how quickly humans slam others and one another into second-class citizenship roles? 

“Being five-feet-two has its disadvantages as well as its perks. I’ve never had to reach for high things. I just looked for a tall person then acted helpless; it never failed.” Pg 71

I liked this one because this is my mom (she’s Korean and 4’10”. She has perfected the “look helpless” way of getting people to do things for her)

“Well, I hold the act of making love in high regards. I don’t think you should just screw anybody just because you’re hot for them. People should treat themselves with more respect than that, especially women. I know some people may call me a prude, but that’s how I feel about it. A lot of heartache in this world is due to people giving themselves away far too easily. …people put so much emphasis on sex, like it’s the end of the world if they don’t get any. And it’s the actions of the irresponsible people engaging in these shallow sex acts that cause so much trouble. The vast spread of AIDS, herpes, and other STDs, not to mention unwanted pregnancies and abortions, can be contributed [sic] to some people who just wanted to have sex simply to have sex. People kill people over sex, people betray others over sex, and it’s ugly.” Pg 170-171
I couldn’t agree more. In my opinion, this is why people break up so often, why there’s so much divorce, disease, and that feeling of unfulfillment no matter what. There’s no connection. It’s just fucking. 

Well, I’ll let you read. I gotta get onto book 3, THE ROYAL FLUSH. 

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BLOG TOUR Day 1 of 6: D.N. Simmons THE KNIGHTS OF THE DARKNESS Chronicles Book One: DESIRES UNLEASHED

This week on the Reading Corner is nothing but the gritty, sexy, paranormal world of D.N. Simmons KNIGHTS OF THE DARKNESS series! Today is the opening book to the series: DESIRES UNLEASHED and you're about to meet Darian, Xavier, Natasha, Warren, Matthew, Elise, Sergio, and a host of other cats, wolves, and vamps who are all amazing!

Desires Unleashed is the first novel in the riveting, highly-addictive and sexually-charged Knights of the Darkness Chronicles. Experience the heart-pounding thrill of the chase in this electrifying page-turner as you uncover the mystery behind the series of gruesome killings that have been terrorizing the citizens of Chicago. When a grisly decapitated corpse pops up on a Chicago Street, drained of blood, the highly-trained, government-funded special police force assigned two of their best detectives to the case. S.U.I.T. Detectives Warren Davis and Matthew Eric delve deep into their investigation to discover just who or what is leaving mutilated bodies in public places. They soon realize that the killer or killers is one step ahead of them and if they are going to stop the menace before another innocent human is viciously attack, they are going to need help. Natasha Hemingway liked her life just the way it was... normal and supernatural-free. The vampires and shape-shifters were just where she wanted them to be--far away from her. All was going well until an unfortunate accident landed her in the hospital. It was then that she discovered she had an ability that could help her save countless lives. All of a sudden, she finds herself thrust into the dangerous and alluring world of the supernatural and into the arms of two very sexy and deadly vampires. Original, gritty and sprinkled with just the right amount of humor and wit, the Knights of the Darkness Chronicles will suck you in and take you for a ride you won't forget. You don't want to miss out on this amazing series! This book has been previously published and has been substantially revised from its original release.

Purchase now for $0.99:  Kindle| Nook

A_TiffyFit's Review:  

Adjectives to describe the genre or what is in this book: Paranormal, crime/detective, with sexual situations (M/M, M/F), shifter, vampire, werewolves, urban fantasy

Wowza. Really, where do I start? I’m trying to make sense of my notes! This is a re-release after a re-edit by the author to correct grammatical mistakes and errors, etc. The author’s note tells you that in the beginning. There are no gross errors in this novel that throw you out of the (sacred) Reader Zone. 

Warning: This book does deal with detectives trying to solve a gruesome murder case. If well-described gory scenes are not your thing, you’re going to have to skim those parts. Also, there are sex scenes of various natures, including M/M and M/F. This is definitely an adult-themed book with machinations of politics, violent crime, sex, and the grittiness of life.

This is the first novel in the series, however, so I was prepared for a ton of info-dumping. And it’s there, but this is info-dumping done RIGHT. There are full explanations, it’s told to us through conversations with questions and answers from characters, through different points of view from different characters. At first, it feels as if this is more than one story, and it is as we’re getting the different viewpoints. Unlike some other novels I have read that have shifting points of view, these transitioned seamlessly as a part of the storyline. Warren and Matthew are detectives in Chicago’s S.U.I.T. division (Supernatural Unit Investigative Team).

Vampires and shifters have been “outed” to the human population, and S.U.I.T. was the government answer to keeping everyone under control as much as they are able. Warren Davis is a natural-born werewolf. His partner, Matthew Eric, knows he is a werewolf, but it’s a secret they keep. While vamps and shifters are out, it’s not necessarily accepted. This bothers me (not the book or the plot line, but the human behavior). Simmons nails it: humans would not be able to tolerate the “difference” and therefore vampires/shifters/others are not granted full human benefits, especially when it comes to breaking the law. Humans trying to keep up with the supernatural have come up with their own defenses for law enforcement to use against misbehaving supernaturals: UV gel bullets, silver nitrate bullets, exploding bullets, and a pretty cool car that turns into a sunshine oven if they have an unruly vamp in the back seat. O.O 

So, you meet the two detectives as they’re called in for a gruesome case. Through meeting them, you get the story behind Warren’s pack and Alpha, Xander. Next, we meet Natasha Hemingway, and her roommate Annette Balfour. Annette is a stripper at the vampire owned DESIRES UNLEASHED and Natasha is job hunting. I wasn’t sure I was going to like Natasha. The description of her is of a sweet , caring woman who was taught to try and help others when she can, but then she’s incredibly prejudiced against supernaturals, even referring to them as “scum.” So much for that bleeding heart? Luckily, she redeems herself in my eyes through the book. 

I really liked the interactions and repartee of the characters, especially Natasha who seems to say exactly what is on her mind. You’ll like it, too. Simmons nails that friendly banter you have with your best friend and the joking that comes smoothly only after years of friendship. 

The connection of Annette & Natasha to DESIRES UNLEASHED leads us to the introduction of the vampires: Darian & Xavier. Despite Natasha’s discomfort and desire to avoid the supernatural, it turns out she just can’t. After an accident lands her and Annette in the hospital, a visit from Annette’s boss, Xavier, brings Natasha onto his radar, and therefore onto Darian’s. Natasha learns that the medication she has been taking for over 20 years isn’t for migraines as she believed, but rather to suppress dreams. Those dreams lead her to call the police about the murders in the city, and she is connected to Warren Davis. And TAHDAH there are your connections from character to character. 

So now that we have the basic plot and all the characters, what did I think? (You know I’m not giving you more information on the plot: I don’t do the whole spoiler thing! You’re just gonna have to read to find out what happens!) I think this book is a must-read for the paranormal + crime/detective + erotic sex scene loving reader. 

Paranormal: you got vampires, shifters (so far wolves and leopards), and psychics/visionaries (Natasha). 

Crime/detective: there are murders to be solved and the detectives are hunky, intelligent, and NON-CONDESCENDING. Seriously, I hate when someone goes in and the detectives treat them like they’re crazy. I really liked how Warren & Matthew took Natasha seriously from the get-go, without having a long period of time where she HAS to convince them. 

The Sex: What’s great about the sex in this book is that it doesn’t take over the whole novel; instead it works seamlessly into the plot, demonstrating the emotions of the characters, while giving you the reader a little thrilling voyeurism. There is M/M sex, M/F sex, and discussions of future trios (M/F/M). 

I liked the references to pop culture, our history, etc., that are ours but not ours. Al Cantone instead of Al Capone, Dave Lapelle Show instead of the Dave Chapelle Show, Solex watch instead of a Rolex, etc. Often, little twists like that can go awry, but here it made me view this world as …a parallel dimension to ours. It’s our world, but it’s not our world. Really well done. 

Can I be done talking now about this book? Because you see…you’re kinda holding me up for the next one. *winks at you* Come back tomorrow to check out my review of the second book in the KNIGHTS OF THE DARKNESS CHRONICLES, The Guilty Innocent.


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