Firelight - Kristen Callihan

Title: Firelight
Author: Kristen Callihan
Pages: 372
Genre: Historical Fiction|Paranormal Romance
Publication Date: 1/31/2012 (eARC provided by NetGalley/Grand Central Publishing)
Rating: ****

London, 1881
Once the flames are ignited . . .
Miranda Ellis is a woman tormented. Plagued since birth by a strange and powerful gift, she has spent her entire life struggling to control her exceptional abilities. Yet one innocent but irreversible mistake has left her family's fortune decimated and forced her to wed London's most nefarious nobleman.

They will burn for eternity . . .
Lord Benjamin Archer is no ordinary man. Doomed to hide his disfigured face behind masks, Archer knows it's selfish to take Miranda as his bride. Yet he can't help being drawn to the flame-haired beauty whose touch sparks a passion he hasn't felt in a lifetime. When Archer is accused of a series of gruesome murders, he gives in to the beastly nature he has fought so hard to hide from the world. But the curse that haunts him cannot be denied. Now, to save his soul, Miranda will enter a world of dark magic and darker intrigue. For only she can see the man hiding behind the mask.

A masked man and a woman with a fiery secret equals mystery, lies, smoky-steamy tension, and an exciting romantic adventure in Firelight.

I must confess that I had a lot of trouble putting this one down. It pulled me in and kept me hooked until the last words. Miranda was a strong, snarky heroine who had no trouble defending herself. Meanwhile, Archer is a mysterious, brooding man behind a mask. Put these two together and it makes for one steamy romance!

There were a couple of predictable things, but I enjoyed this and was hooked nonetheless. I felt that these two had a great chemistry and I liked watching their relationship develop and grow into love. It was a thrilling adventure unlocking their secrets and finding out what Archer really hid behind his mask. The whole time I am wondering, what on earth is going on with this dude?! Tell me NOW! And did I mention, this character is definitely sexy! You can tell what he feels for Miranda is genuine and their relationship didn't feel forced.

One complaint is that I wish we could have seen more of Miranda's fire powers. I thought it was a great aspect and was only a bit disappointed in the lack of its use. Most of focus was found in their relationship (which I knew was coming since it is a romance) and revealing Archer's secret (which I also knew was to be expected). Still, I couldn't put it down except by force.

In the end, it was exciting, fun, gritty, and darkly sexy! I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good, steamy paranormal romance.

Note: I would suggest this for those 18+ for the more steamy scenes

Sunday Recap - 2/19

Read this week:

Reviews:

Two Way Street
Clockwork Angel
Born Wicked

Currently Reading:

Born Wicked - Jessica Spotswood

Title: Born Wicked
Author: Jessica Spotswood
Pages: 326
Genre: Young Adult|Paranormal|Historical
Publication Date: 2/7/2012
Rating: *****

"Blessed with a gift..."cursed" with a secret."
Everybody knows Cate Cahill and her sisters are eccentric. Too pretty, too reclusive, and far too educated for their own good. But the truth is even worse: they're witches. And if their secret is discovered by the priests of the Brotherhood, it would mean an asylum, a prison ship - or an early grave. Before her mother died, Cate promised to protect her sisters. But with only six months left to choose between marriage and the Sisterhood, she might not be able to keep her word . . . especially after she finds her mother's diary, uncovering a secret that could spell her family's destruction. Desperate to find alternatives to their fate, Cate starts scouring banned books and questioning rebellious new friends, all while juggling tea parties, shocking marriage proposals, and a forbidden romance with the completely unsuitable Finn Belastra. If what her mother wrote is true, the Cahill girls aren't safe. Not from the Brotherhood, the Sisterhood - not even from each other.

I would like just a moment to totally gush over the cover of this book! It is so gorgeous!

Having just finished Born Wicked, I'm not sure how I will make it until I find out what happens in the next books! This was written wonderfully, being set in the late 20th century in an alternate New England. It has the historical aspect, witches, forbidden love, secrets, mystery, danger, excitement!

Cate Cahill and her sisters, Maura and Tess, are witches -- a dangerous secret that must be kept, otherwise could result in being sent to a prison or asylum by the Brotherhood. After their mothers' death, Cate is left responsible for her younger sisters and it is up to her to care for them and to keep what they are a secret. Things really begin to unfold when Cate learns of a prophecy, one that will change their lives forever. With Cate's seventeenth birthday quickly approaching, meaning she will have to announce an engagement for marriage or an oath to the sisterhood, she is running out of time to put together the pieces of the puzzle.

Most of this one was exciting and I loved unlocking the secrets of the Cahill sisters and their little town. Some of it was a tad slow, but it didn't discourage me from reading on. The Brotherhood gave me the creeps a little, their rules and governing gave it almost a *slight* dystopian feel, though this is not a dystopian novel. While their is the wonderful forbidden love, it is not the center point of the story. I think it focused more on Cate and her sisters than it did with her relationships with Finn and her childhood friend, Paul (not that I would have minded a little more Finn!). I do, however, wish there was just a little more magic and witchery, though I can understand since the point was that it was supposed to a closely kept secret.

I feel that Cate was a great character. Some might view her as hard or harsh, but given the position she was put in to, I felt that she was strong and brave. In the end, no matter what her decisions were or what choices she was having to make, she did everything with her sisters in mind. Protecting them is what mattered the most to her and to me that makes her incredibly selfless. Whether she was dealing with the fiery Maura or sweet Tess, she did what she did to keep them safe.

Finn. Wow! I have been developing some major fictional crushes as of late! So let's go right on ahead and add Finn Belastra to that list.

And for your viewing pleasure, here is the book trailer:

Follow Friday (12)

BeefcakeandBabes Asks:I like unique names for characters and am looking forward to coming up with some when I start writing. What’s the most unique character name you’ve come across?

I really liked the name Aoife from The Iron Thorn and another was Anais, who was the older sister of Virginia in The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.



Friday Features: Beefacke and Babes & Le' Grande Codex

To add your link to the list, go to Parajunkee's site here.

Clockwork Angel - Cassandra Clare

Title: Clockwork Angel
Author: Cassandra Clare
Pages: 476
Genre: Young Adult|Steampunk|Urban Fantasy
Publication Date:
Rating: ****

Magic is dangerous--but love is more dangerous still.

When sixteen-year-old Tessa Gray crosses the ocean to find her brother, her destination is England, the time is the reign of Queen Victoria, and something terrifying is waiting for her in London's Downworld, where vampires, warlocks and other supernatural folk stalk the gaslit streets. Only the Shadowhunters, warriors dedicated to ridding the world of demons, keep order amidst the chaos.

Kidnapped by the mysterious Dark Sisters, members of a secret organization called The Pandemonium Club, Tessa soon learns that she herself is a Downworlder with a rare ability: the power to transform, at will, into another person. What's more, the Magister, the shadowy figure who runs the Club, will stop at nothing to claim Tessa's power for his own.

Friendless and hunted, Tessa takes refuge with the Shadowhunters of the London Institute, who swear to find her brother if she will use her power to help them. She soon finds herself fascinated by--and torn between--two best friends: James, whose fragile beauty hides a deadly secret, and blue-eyed Will, whose caustic wit and volatile moods keep everyone in his life at arm's length...everyone, that is, but Tessa. As their search draws them deep into the heart of an arcane plot that threatens to destroy the Shadowhunters, Tessa realizes that she may need to choose between saving her brother and helping her new friends save the world...and that love may be the most dangerous magic of all.

I have to say that I enjoyed this one more than City of Bones and it was a lot easier for me to get in to. However, after gaining a little more knowledge of what exactly is going on, I do want to go back and try to read The Mortal Instruments again.

This was a slowly progressing read to me, until the last 100-150 pages, where it did finally pick up. I did really enjoy reading about the world Ms. Clare created, but I felt like it could have been a little more fast paced. It would pick up a bit, then slow down, then pick up, etc. I still enjoyed it, however.

There were dark bits and humorous bits. There were secrets to reveal and mysteries to unravel. I know there were things I didn't see coming and it was exciting at those times. I was disappointed in the lack of romance. There is a little, but not like I had hoped for. I liked the steampunk and historical aspects and the paranormal parts that were intertwined were good as well. Really the only complaint I have is the slow pace of the story/plot.

Would I recommend this? Sure. It's a great story if you don't mind the slowness of it. I feel like it had good, strong characters, although I know some readers have compared them to the characters from The Mortal Instruments, which I haven't really read, but if you have that's a possibility.

There is a huge cliffhanger ending, just so you can be prepared, and I already want to get the next book, Clockwork Prince, to find out what is going to happen! I am hoping that now that a lot of the details and explanations of things are kind of out of the way the next book will be a little faster paced. I truly am excited to see what is going to happen next (and to read more about Will, who is one of my new story crushes *girly squee!*).