5 Sniffs Review: THE MARK OF THE TALA by Jeffe Kennedy

Title: The Mark of Tala

Series: The Twelve Kingdoms #1

Author: Jeffe Kennedy

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance
Publisher: Kensington Books
ASIN: B00GYLVPLW
Release Date: May 27, 2014
Source: NetGalley ☆ Bewitching Book Tours ☆ Tour Schedule
Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon

Queen Of The Unknown

The tales tell of three sisters, daughters of the high king. The eldest, a valiant warrior-woman, heir to the kingdom. The youngest, the sweet beauty with her Prince Charming. No one says much about the middle princess, Andromeda. Andi, the other one.

Andi doesn't mind being invisible. She enjoys the company of her horse more than court, and she has a way of blending into the shadows. Until the day she meets a strange man riding, who keeps company with wolves and ravens, who rules a land of shapeshifters and demons. A country she'd thought was no more than legend--until he claims her as its queen.

In a moment everything changes: Her father, the wise king, becomes a warlord, suspicious and strategic. Whispers call her dead mother a traitor and a witch. Andi doesn't know if her own instincts can be trusted, as visions appear to her and her body begins to rebel.

For Andi, the time to learn her true nature has come. . .

THE GIST: Princess Andromeda feels pretty un-extraordinary compared to her sisters, that is until she meets a strange man during her daily horse ride who claims that she belongs to him and is to be his queen. A deal was made and broken, and he is there to claim what is rightfully his - the daughter of the High King who bares the Mark of Tala - Andromeda. As war breaks out, Andi dreams of the stranger and she slowly begins to change. Can Andi stop the war between the Twelve Kingdoms and the Tala by claiming her rightful place as queen before it's too late?

WHAT I LIKED: One thing I liked what the mystery about who the Tala are and the truth about Andi's mother. There's little known about the Tala in the beginning, but as the story progresses their history is revealed and it's very interesting. And Andi's mother is a completely different mystery altogether. We learn a little about her in this first book, but there is still so much more to learn about her. I also really liked the chemistry between Andi and Rayfe. There is this wild and free element to it that really shows their animal side and that brings scorching passion to their relationship. Andi's journey of finding herself and accepting herself for who she really is was one of my favorite parts.

WHAT I DISLIKED: The only thing I didn't like was how Andi was always putting herself down, at least in the beginning. She feels invisible and inferior to her sisters - one who is the warrior heir to the throne and the other is the beautifully sweet one. But Andi is so much more than she realizes and that is why I loved her journey of self-discovery and acceptance.

Andromeda: Middle daughter of the High King. Feels invisible most of the time, compared to her sisters. Loves the wilderness and animals, especially her horse, Fiona. Bares the Mark of Tala, making her heir to being Queen of the Tala. Rayfe approaches her, saying that she is rightfully his according to the deal made by her father. Has abilities she doesn't understand. She can see vision of the future, and various other abilities. As she continues her journey she comes to learn about herself, her mother, and her people. 

Rayfe: King of the Tala. Meets Andi on the border of the Wild Lands. Claims that she is to be his Queen in accordance with the deal made with her father. Has the ability to shift into a wolf and a large falcon. He seems hard and savage on the outside, but he's actually very loving and caring. He will do whatever necessary to protect his people from the threat of the High King.

Ursula: Eldest daughter of the High King. Heir to the throne. A seasoned and hardened warrior. Leads the High Kings armies into war. Loves her sisters and will do anything to protect them, even from themselves.

Amelia: Youngest daughter of the High King. Beautiful and sweet. Wife to Prince Hugh. Is very close to Andi and loves her dearly. She's distraught with the war going on and the Tala trying to take Andi away.

Hugh: Prince of Avonlidgh. Son of King Erich. Was originally meant to marry Ursula, but he fell in love with Amelia.

In THE MARK OF TALA, I would say the High King Uorsin is the villain. When he learns that Andi met with Rayfe of the Tala, he goes into full combat mode and declares war. He locks Andi up in the castle to keep her from being able to meet or be caught by any of the Tala. He becomes a cruel and evil man, bent of destroying the Tala. He shows clear distaste for Andi, and only wants to use her as a piece on his war board. He is a dangerous adversary, indeed.

Okay, this is one of my most favorite parts in the whole book, the romance between Andi and Rayfe. They meet on the border of the Wild Lands. Andi's horse, Fiona, throws her off, and Rayfe with his pack of wolfhounds is standing over her. They fight, banter, kiss, and then Andi stabs Rayfe in the shoulder. She escapes, but Rayfe promises that things aren't over between them and she hasn't escapes him. "I am your fate. I have a taste of your blood now. Run now if you're afraid, but I will come after you. I will always find you. You will be mine." And that is basically their first meeting.

When the meeting is discovered by her father, war is declared and she is pretty much made a prisoner in the castle and a pawn to be used against the Tala. But Rayfe never once gives up, even when Andi is taken secretly to Prince Hugh's land for protection.

There is this wildness and even savageness (not in a bad way) to their relationship that hints to the animals within them. Their passion is something off the charts, and as they come to love one another, that love is very strong. They both are willing to sacrifice themselves for the other. They do fight quite a lot too as they get to know one another. And sometimes there's even a few silly moments. All in all, I just really loved these two as a couple. I can't wait to see more of them in the future.

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5 Sniffs Review: WHERE THE CARNIES ARE by Kayla Curry

Title: Where the Carnies Are

Author: Kayla Curry

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance

Publisher: Kayla Curry

ASIN: B00JVWR01K

Release Date: April 22, 2014

Source: Kayla Curry ☆ Booksniffer Review Tours

Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes and Noble ☆ Smashwords

Olive is having a very bad day. She caught her boyfriend cheating on her, she lost her job, and she stumbled into a portal leading to a secret carnival kingdom which she can’t escape. The good news is she meets an eccentric, but stunningly handsome knife thrower. The bad news is she can’t go home for another two months.

The world she lands in is full of sideshow characters, terrifying amusement rides and her biological parents’ past. She was born a carny, but raised as a normal human. Magic lives in her blood, but it hasn’t reached her heart. To find out who she really is, and why carnies are disappearing, Olive must deceive the king with the help of Alex the knife thrower.

Olive and Alex play a dangerous game with their emotions when they decide to have a fling during Olive’s stay. They both lead very different lives and being together would mean one of them giving up the life they've always known.

Tricks and traps are around every corner in this kingdom. Few can be trusted and Olive will need all the help she can get to make it through unscathed.

THE GIST: Olive is having the worst day of her life - her boyfriend cheated on her, she's lost her job, and now her car has broken down on the side of the road. Heading toward the lights of a nearby farmhouse, she stumbled through a gateway into a secret carny kingdom. Trapped for two months until the gate reopens, a knife thrower named Alex takes her in, teaches her about being a carny, helps her learn about who she truly is, and loves her with all his heart. Olive has a destiny prophesied before her birth that could mean the salvation or destruction of the world and people she's come to love.

WHAT I LIKED: Practically everything. I loved how the author was so descriptive about the carny kingdom. I could picture it so clearly in my head that I felt like I was there with them. All of the talents were really interesting and I liked seeing how even the most simple talent could help in a huge way. There were some really sad moments as the war raged that made me want to cry. And there is a surprise twist that I never saw coming toward the end. I was just drawn into the story of WHERE THE CARNIES ARE from the very beginning. I really want to read more about this world and it's people, so I hope that there will be more to come.

WHAT I DISLIKED: The only thing that I disliked a little was how fast Alex and Olive fell in love. BUT it's not without it's complications and dangers, so that made up for the almost insta-love romance.

Olive: Grew up in the outside world, but has very strong carny blood. Olive and her powers were prophesied to save the kingdom from the King, but if used wrong they could also be it's destruction. Falls in love with Alex, but worries that when everything is said and done, they will be torn apart.

Alex: A knife thrower. Felt drawn to Olive when she first came through the gate. He takes her in and helps her discover who she truly is. They fall in love, but his gift for never growing old is an obstacle they need to face in the future.

King Oscar: Was once best friends with Alex, but when he became king they grew apart. Plans to use Olive and her power for his own devices.

Queen Annika: She's more mysterious and dangerous than anyone realizes. 

Madame Sergi: A fortune teller that Olive met in the outside world. She is a huge help in guiding Olive in the right direction she must take.

Lola & Leo: The tattooed lady and the pierced man. Been together for 5 years. They become fast friends with Olive and Alex.

There are so many other amazing characters in WHERE THE CARNIES ARE! 

I can't say too much about King Oscar and his plans, since it would give too much away. But I will say that as a Charmer, he has the power to control carnies to his will. That is very dangerous - if you let the music in and dancer you're in his control, even tapping a finger or toe will do it. He plans to put Olive under his control to fulfill his plan, and that could mean the destruction of not only the carny world but the outside as well.

I felt that the romance between Olive and Alex, although a little rushed, was one of the sweetest ones I have ever read. I enjoyed seeing them together so much. One of my favorite moments was when they first went to the Carousel and the horse that chose Alex also chose Olive. You see, once a horse chooses you, no other will. You belong to that horse and that horse to you. So Alex's horse chose Olive too, and when the horses name was revealed, I couldn't help but smile. I'm not going to say what it is, though. The love, trust and devotion these two have with each other is just remarkable. I loved every second of it.

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5 Sniffs Review: CARNAL DESIRE by K.T. Fisher & Ava Manello #Giveaway

Title: Carnal Desire

Series: Severed MC #2

Author: K.T. Fisher, Ava Manello

Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Dark, MC/Biker

Publisher: KBK Publishing

ASIN: B00KMEELLS

Release Date: May 27, 2014

Source: Kinky Book Klub

Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Kobo

Continuing Angel and Eve's story from Severed Angel.

Eve returns home unaware danger is hot on her heels. Will Satan get the revenge he seeks, will Angel save the woman he loves or will Ink get the woman he deserves.

The nail biting conclusion to the story that crosses two continents...

Book Two in a two part story.

*** CONTAINS ADULT THEMES AND MATERIAL - OVER 18's ONLY ***

CARNAL DESIRE continues where Severed Angel left off. Eve is going home to her young daughter, not knowing that Satan is following close behind. Closer than she ever thought possible. Angel is frantic to get to Eve before Satan can hurt her or her daughter and mother. The race to protect Eve ends with her and her daughter moving to Australia to be with Angel and the Severed MC, but Satan isn't going to give up that easily. No one is safe when Satan is roaming around, watching and waiting for his chance to strike.

Oh! My! Goodness! I cannot say enough how much I freaking love this series! CARNAL DESIRE is even more gripping and intense than Severed Angel. I was left holding my breath at times, my heart would race as the final showdown approached, and the love and passion is sizzling.

I really liked that Ink got his own POV in this book and started a relationship with Elle, a woman Eve met on her plane ride back to England. 

There is a rat within the Severed MC, and when his POV comes up, we don't know who it is until toward the end of the book. But let me tell you, it wasn't at all who I thought it would be. I was completely surprised and shocked at who is was revealed to be. The final outcome of this man's choice is really heartbreaking, so make sure you have some Kleenex ready.

A new member to the Severed MC is introduced in CARNAL DESIRE by the name of Justice. Luckily, we get to read his story in the next book, Severed Justice. So looking forward to it!

Eve: Heartbroken at having to leave Angel behind, but needs to be with her daughter. Feels relieves knowing that Satan can't come after her anymore, but when she sees Angel in England telling her that Satan is now free, she's terrified for her daughter and mother. Moves to Australia with her daughter to be with Angel and have the protection of the Severed MC. Her love for Angel grows when she see how he is with her daughter and she knows that she'll not be able to leave him again.

Angel: Terrified that Satan will get to Eve before he can. When he gets to her he insists, more like demands, that she and her daughter come live with him in Australia where he and the Severed MC can protect them. He doesn't plan on letting Eve go again and he absolutely adores her daughter. When all things are finished and they are safe, he plans on buying the three of them a house to live in together. 

Ink: Feels an instant attraction to Eve's friend Elle. They travel for a little while together after Angel takes Eve back to Australia, and they have a good time. But when they both arrive in Australia, things between them get more serious, Ink freaks, and does something stupid.

Elle: Met Eve on their plane ride to England. She's wanted to meet Ink ever since she was shown pictures from Eve's phone. When she finally does meet him, she's smitten. But as her feelings for Ink grow, her past comes back to haunt her. When she catches Ink's betrayal, she's so hurt that she leaves him and the clubhouse.

Satan: He's quite literally going insane.

Once again, Satan shows how truly evil he is in CARNAL DESIRE. But this time around, we see the true depths of his depravity. He is a truly terrifying villain to read. I don't want to go into much about it, but I'll just say that if you thought that he was a sick, twisted freak in Severed Angel, he is way worse in CARNAL DESIRE. Just a word of warning, that when you read his POV you may need to brace yourselves for it.

CARNAL DESIRE shows the solidification of Angel's and Eve's relationship. They are closer than ever in this book, and I absolutely loved seeing how Angel interacted with Eve's daughter. He truly loves that little girl and he plans on making sure that they all stay together as a family once Satan is dealt with. Their relationship is still hot and steamy, but this time there is a sweetness added to it that I couldn't help but love.

I really enjoyed reading about Ink's and Elle's relationship. It's passionate, but also rocky ground for them. Especially when things begin to become serious and their pasts get in the way. It takes a little intervention on Eve's part to get them to try and fix things.

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5 Sniffs Review: ADORNED by Georgeann Swiger #Giveaway

Title: Adorned

Series: Trinity of Souls #1

Author: Georgeann Swiger

Genre: Young Adult, Paranormal, Romance, Fantasy

Publisher: Georgeann Swiger

ASIN: B00JG8QZ1U
Release Date: April 2, 2014
Source: Georgeann Swiger ☆ Booksniffer Review Tours ☆ Tour Schedule
Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon ☆ Barnes and Noble ☆ Kobo

When seventeen-year-old Anya finds out she’s actually an angel being trained to protect humanity, she discovers that becoming an angel has nothing to do with wings and halos. For Anya, becoming an angel has to do with death—her death.

Micah, the angelic soldier ordered to protect her until she transitions from human to angel, promises her death will be a glorious experience as long as she follows his rules. But getting Anya through this life and to the next isn’t as simple as Micah expects. His job becomes even more difficult after he unwittingly performs a miracle that exposes Anya’s hidden angelic light.

With her secret out, Hell’s legions begin targeting her. Unfortunately, Hell’s minions are the least of Micah’s worries. He’s more concerned about the forbidden human emotions he’s developed toward Anya. Even more troubling, is she seems to love him too. And giving in to those feelings, could mean dire consequences for them both.

ADORNED brings us the story of Anya, a girl who is constantly bullied at school, who learns that she's actually an angel living as a human in order to learn more about them, so that she can then be a good guardian. Her guardian in her human life is Micah, a warrior who usually has the job of guarding the border between the Kingdom and Hell. He doesn't understand human emotions, so understanding and protecting Anya is a battle in itself. Not to mention his own confusing developing feelings for her. Things get real for Anya when she is targeted by some of Hell's minions, and even those who are supposed to be protecting her aren't necessarily to be trusted.

I really really loved ADORNED! Things start out pretty normal, but quickly turn complicated with the arrival of Micah. I really liked the contrasting character personalities, and Eli was definitely a fun characters that I hope we get to see more of in future books. There is also so much danger lurking around, and not just from Hell, but the Kingdom as well. I'd say by the end of ADORNED the only person Anya could really trust is Micah. And I'm going to tell you all right now, there was a cliffhanger so huge it made me feel like I was hanging over a pit of snakes (snakes will make sense when you read the book) and the only way to remain alive is to know what happens next in the series. That may seem extreme, but trust me when I say you'll be dying for the next book, Cloven.

Anya: 17 years old. Bullied by Sam Malick at school. Volunteers at the hospital. Has chronic migraines. Learns that she's to be a guardian angel after her becoming, which is one of the lowest ranks of angels. Falls in love with her guardian, Micah, which is forbidden.

Micah: A warrior of the Triad, guards the border between the Kingdom and Hell. Tasked as Anya's new guardian while she's human, and to be with her through her becoming and lead her to her place in the Kingdom. Hates being on Earth and dislikes humans. Has a tumultuous relationship with Simon. Shaken by the developing feelings he has for Anya.

Sam: Has a crush on Anya and basically bullied her to have a reason to be around her. After he was shot he changed for the better. Becomes a really good friend to Anya after a surprise revelation.

Eli: The highest ranking angel out of all them living in Celeste's house. He makes the final decisions. Has an eccentric personality. Loves the singer Prince. Not much is revealed about him.

Aunt Celeste: Anya's guardian before Micah took over. Out of all her children, Anya is the most special one.

Simon: The second highest ranked angel in Celeste's house. Loves cooking. Has a strained relationship with Micah. He can be quite heartless at times, for an angel.

There are actually a number of different villains in ADORNED, some have small roles while others have larger roles, but the one I'm going to say a little about is Mr. Jackson (and possibly in some ways his son Kenny). The Jackson's are Anya and Celeste's neighbors, but Mr. Jackson made a deal with Hell that cost him dearly. All I'm going to say is that there was a hunting scene that I found very disturbing and heartbreaking, and I just felt ripped apart after reading it. I wanted to cry my eyes out, I was just so sad. And then there was the moment when Anya feels so much pain and heartbreak, that she feels a deep hatred for Mr. Jackson and Kenny. She wants revenge. This scene was just written so well, that I felt everything that Anya was feeling.

There really isn't much romance between Micah and Anya until the end of the book, and that scene was so incredibly beautiful. It's probably my favorite scene in the whole book.

There are some moments between Anya and Sam, but their relationship speaks of heartbreak and missed opportunities. I can't say much about it without giving anything away, but if you read the book it'll make more sense.

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5 Sniffs Review: FROSTBITE by Lynn Rush

Title: Frostbite

Series: Touch of Frost #1

Author: Lynn Rush

Genre: New Adult, Paranormal, Fantasy, Romance, Supernatural, Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Suspense

Publisher: Lynn Rush, LLC
ASIN: B00F4K1SJS

Release Date: September 11, 2013
Source: Lynn Rush
Links: Goodreads ☆ Amazon

Amanda gives a whole new meaning to cool...

Amanda Smith is sick of getting chased from town-to-town. So when she lands in tiny Trifle, Arizona, she hopes it's her last move for a long time. Despite hating the smallness of the town, she settles in and finds a best friend, and even a boyfriend. Normality at its finest.

But for a girl who can shoot snow from her hands and lift a two-ton truck over her head like a bag of feathers--normal is not an option.

The scientists who murdered her mother come barreling into Amanda's quiet life. She must decide if she'll run again or stay and fight. The price of either choice might be her life or the lives of those she's come to love...

THE GIST: Amanda Smith and her brother Scott have been on the run since their parents were murdered by Agents of The Center. The Center dabbles in genetic manipulation, and under the guise of allergen testing, used their mother for their experiments. She developed the ability to manipulate ice, and that was passed down to Amanda when she was born. Now The Center wants to study Amanda, so that they can create more like her. Amanda and Scott have settled in Arizona after fleeing Minnesota. They both are finally able to set down roots. Scott has a flourishing smoothie shop and Amanda is soon to graduate high school. She even has a best friend and a guy who's interested in her. But some things are too good to be true and The Center is moving in on Amanda, waiting to make their move.

WHAT I LIKED: FROSTBITE was a really exciting read. There were some totally unexpected twists and turns in the story that made it all the more exciting. I really liked Amanda's relationship with her brother. They are really tight and protective of each other, which is to be expected with the life they've lead, but I just felt that there was something special about their relationship. The mystery behind how their mother got her ice powers, and Amanda after her, was really interesting and I liked how it was revealed gradually.

WHAT I DISLIKED: Oh, boy. I don't really know what I didn't like. Well I definitely didn't like the people of The Center. I didn't like how they thought that they had some kind of ownership of Amanda. I kind of just wanted to punch one of them.

Amanda: "Mandy" to her friends and family. Has a stranger and dangerous power over ice, in all its many forms. Doesn't let herself get close to people, only Scott and her best friend, Georgia. Has feelings for her classmate, Zach.

Scott: Mandy's older brother. Has tried to give her as much of a normal life as he can. He takes care of the Coats Mandy leaves frozen. Owns a smoothie shop in town.

Georgia: Mandy's best friend. Has a connection to Mandy and Scott that goes deeper than any of them realize.

Zach: He has feelings for Mandy and tries to get her to open up and accept him as her boyfriend. He freaks out when he learns the truth about Mandy and pushes her away. When he comes to terms with her abilities, he's loyal and stays by her side through everything.

The Center is a company that works with genetics. Mandy and her mother were products of one of their experiments, disguised as allergen testing. Now they want Mandy, to study and experiment on. They feel that she belongs to them, like property. They are responsible for Mandy's and Scott's parent's deaths. They are relentless and won't stop until they have what they want - Mandy.

When Mandy and Zach first start seeing each other, she fears freezing him to death, so she keeps some distance between them. When she finally lets herself get close to him and knows that she can control her powers, their chemistry is like a slow-burning fire. Even Mandy sometimes wonders if her powers have changed because of the heat she feels when with Zach.

I was really kind of disappointed in Zach when he freaked out after learning the truth about Mandy's powers and pushed her away. She already feels like a freak and like she doesn't belong, so Zach's rejection really hurt her. I can understand to a point, but he didn't even let her explain anything to him. That bothered me.

I did like that once he calmed down and talked to Mandy, that he became even more loyal and devoted to her. He stood by her through attacks by The Center and other life-threatening events. They seem pretty solid by the end of the book, so we'll see how strong their bond really is in the next book, Absolute Zero.

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