Tag: Dark Fantasy

Young Pim and the Goblins by Corey Michael Smithson

2940044353053_p0_v1_s260x420Title: Young Pim and The Goblins

Author: Corey Michael Smithson

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Epic Adventure

Length: Super Novel (324pgs)

Publisher: Corey Michael Smithson (2nd March 2013)

Heat Level: Low

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: An unusual and thrilling adventure story, set within a self-contained universe of competing cultures and dangerous magic, “Young Pim and the Goblins” explores the unexpected consequences of freedom, through the eyes of a former slave on the cusp of adulthood. The world of “Young Pim” is balanced between three ancient Great Houses, a semi-industrialized human town, and an underground society of misunderstood creatures. Sold at birth into slavery and raised by sadistic overseers, an adolescent boy named Young Pim narrowly escapes from the horrors of Old Buttertub, a training school for ritual concubines, only to find himself lost in an unfamiliar and menacing landscape. He is captured by the Goblins, an aggregate civilization of monsters and warriors, and he is introduced into their complex social networks. During his time among the various clans and species, he learns to overcome superstition with curiosity, prejudice with love, and fear with valor. But in liberating himself, Pim has inadvertently set into motion a chain of events that will eventually lead to the destruction of the Goblins’ way of life, and the rise of an oppressive human religion. “Young Pim and the Goblins” is aimed at a target audience of curious, imaginative readers who enjoy provocative and challenging fantasy.

Purchase Link: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/291490

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/young-pim-and-the-goblins-corey-michael-smithson/1114796326

UK: http://www.whsmith.co.uk/eProducts/Young-Pim-And-The-Goblins+eBook+KB00106361344

Review: Young Pim was sold into slavery at birth. Since then he has been trained to withstand pain and torture for the future use of his owner. it is a life that all the boys at Buttertub are facing. Young Pim follows a rat one day and finds a secret door to the outside. Fleeing from his future, he finds himself falling into the hands of the Goblins. Living with the Goblins, Young Pim learns the meaning of family, love and glimmering hope. But, his escape has set in motion a turn of events that will change not just the Goblin’s destruction, but also the destruction of the known society of the humans.

This is a dark fantasy that digs deep into how easily societies can rise and fall and how just one or two people can create change that can cause the destruction of a way of life. In this fantasy world there are three Great Houses that control the land, Buttertub, Barnaby and Crugghaberra and each are as cruel as the last. Young Pim escaping has repercussions that are far-reaching. Young Pim’s adventure takes him deep into the bowls of the mountain, seeing incredible creatures, making wonderful friends and facing devastating enemies.

Although this story isn’t a typical M/M there is a childlike innocent love which develops between Young Pim and Young Jym (a broken boy). This story follows Young Pim on his journey. it is a difficult path that he finds himself on with many obstacles and with some joy, danger and loss. There are many wonderful creatures that we come across and a community that pulls together welcoming those that find their haven. But, there are also horrors that we come across, depravity and unnecessary suffering and a talking sorcerer rat. This story isn’t for those that are faint of heart. It is dark, dangerous with many pitfalls. There is little true joy and it doesn’t have a miraculous happy ending.

This is a well written story that pulls you into a fantasy world that will make you cringe in places. the settings that are described come alive in your mind and there are characters that you cheer for and characters that you take joy in their destruction no matter how grisly the demise. Corey Michael Smithson has created a world that brings you the best and worst of civilization and he also brings a world where sometimes there just is no happily ever after.

I have to recommend this to those who love dark fantasy, adventure, cruel characters, wonderful characters and an ending that leaves you wondering what might be next.  

Nathan's Angel by Melissa Bradley

Title: Nathan’s Angel

Author: Melissa Bradley

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Paranormal, Shifter

Length: Novella (101pgs)

Publisher: Amber Quill Press (Amber Allure)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥3 ½Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Sometimes, the laws of Heaven were meant to be broken…

When his soul-mate is stolen from Paradise and reincarnated, Ramiel, angel of death and transformation, defies Celestial Law to find out why. As punishment for his crime, he is banished to Earth in human form without his powers. His only hope lies in recovering the grace he lost in his fall from the Divine Realm.

Nathan, a beta werewolf, knows all too well what it’s like to be vulnerable and at the mercy of unfair people and situations. He is considered weak in the eyes of the alphas of his pack. Ramiel literally falling into his life changes Nathan. Determined to help the sexy angel, he takes charge of the situation, and to his surprise, begins to exhibit some rather alpha behavior.

As they search for Ramiel’s grace, a white-hot, forbidden fire ignites between them, an inferno that sets them ablaze, fusing them body and mind. A passion that makes them question everything they’ve ever known. But if they find Ramiel’s grace, will they have the strength to let each other go?

Purchase Link: http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/NathansAngel.html

Review: Ramiel was caught consorting with a Fallen One and now he is being banished to Earth as punishment.  Nathan is on his way home when fire-ball crashes down to earth.  he is shocked when he finds a naked man (a very sexy, hot naked man) where the fire ball crashed.

This is a very good story-line and plot and is very well written. Nathan is shocked by his reaction to Ramiel and also can’t understand why he keeps getting aggressive since he met Ramiel. Ramiel needs help finding his Grace and to find the re-incarnation of Xerxes.  He needs to find out who violated Council Law by re-incarnating Xerxes. Ramiel has an instant attraction to Nathan and as they look for his Grace they explore the attraction.

I loved how these two characters reacted to one another and I thought Nathan’s reaction to a discovery was realistic and that the way Ramiel explained his own reaction and his own discovery about how he felt was brilliant. Both these men’s emotions were described wonderfully and the sex between them is incredible.

Now I already know what you’re thinking… ‘If it’s so good, then why the 3 ½ Heart rating?’… Because I had no choice, there really was no way around it. I was thinking about a 4 or even a 4 ½ depending on the ending but I got to the end and I nearly screamed in frustration, there was no closure at the end for their actions, I mean they made a big deal about what happened and how they would be punished and I went to the next page getting all excited thinking there was going to be a big explosive ending and it went… splat, nothing, nada, zip, zilch… it just finished.  I thought it can’t end this way… I must have a faulty file… there must be a chapter missing… but I checked, so because I felt that the ending let the rest of the book down I had to give it a 3 ½.

Now even though I was disappointed by the ending this is still a really good read which I think many will enjoy.  and you never know there may be a sequel just around the corner, (I hope so that would be a brilliant book.) So I still recommend this to those who love Shifters, Angels, a bit of danger, hot sex and a good story-line.

 

 

 

The House of Driscoll by A. J. Llewellyn and D. J. Manley

Note:  A digital copy of this book was provided for review by the publisher.

Title: The House of Driscoll

Series:  Premier Book 01

Author: A.J. Llewellyn & D.J. Manly

Genre: Dark Fantasy, Vampire

Length: Novel (189pgs)

Publisher: Amber Quill Press

Heat Level: Explicit

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥4Hearts

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: In the midst of the turbulent French Revolution, Max Driscoll turned his stable-hand Galien into a vampire mate to save him from the guillotine. Max later came to regret that rash act, however, when he realized Galien was not a good man, nor the right man for him. Since then, no matter how many miles, how many centuries Max puts between them, he just can’t shake the rogue vampire.

Lured from his French castle to New York City to “clean up” Galien’s series of abductions and murders in the city’s gay district, Max is forced into a long-awaited confrontation, and vows to eliminate his nemesis permanently. What he doesn’t know, however, is that it’s not Galien who’s on the killing spree, but a young man Galien turned. Now, Blue is a sweet, sensitive, beautiful, tragic vampire…and a homicidal maniac.

Can Max tame Blue enough to make him his partner in the afterlife and a worthy member of the vampire community in the House of Driscoll?

Review: Okay, my lovelies, this is a definite pleaser in the making. Max is a bit of an urmm, err, well; let’s just say he couldn’t keep it in his pants if they were glued to him.  He doesn’t believe in love and he can be quite callous to those who want him. Galien is in love with Max and has been for centuries and is a little obsessed… okay he is totally whacked out about Max and does some pretty horrific things to get his attention. Blue is a victim of Galien and is completely messed up in the head because of him; he’s done things he can’t remember and has Galien’s memories of Max (poor sod).

A great storyline and plot.  I love how the story unfolds giving us bits and pieces and teasing us with the relationship between Max and Blue (it’s a will they – won’t they? teaser), which had me pulling my hair in frustration as every time they got close something or someone interfered. We get a decent background on the MCs as it flicks to 1793 to the time of Galien and Max’s affair and the present day.  The storyline has twists that I didn’t expect and I have to say that I didn’t hate Galien like I expected to.   I actually felt sorry for him. I thought Max was an ermm, err, b****** but for some bizarre reason still liked him, too.  I think that Blue was the definite star of the show and I think that he will have Max by the short and curlies soon.

I will recommend this to everyone and wonder why you haven’t already got it, but really I know that this will appeal to those who love… hot men, hot sex, paranormal, vampires, twists, complex relationships and men who can be complete heartless b******s.