Tag: Kate SeRine

Guest Review: Ever After by Kate SeRine

Posted September 3, 2014 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Ever After by Kate SeRineReviewer: Tracy
Ever After by Kate SeRine
Series: Transplanted Tales #4
Also in this series: Grimm Consequences
Publisher: eKensington
Publication Date: August 21st 2014
Genres: Fantasy
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

To Catch a Thief. . .

For centuries, Gideon Montrose has served the King of Fairies without question and, often, without mercy. So when the King orders him to apprehend a notorious thief, Gideon obeys. But when he finally gets his hands on the beautiful culprit, Gideon's in for a shock.

Arabella Locksley is none other than the spirited, unpredictable woman he knew back in Make Believe as Robin Hood--the love of his life whose tragic death destroyed his chance at Happily Ever After.

Now, he has an impossible choice. Betray the woman he once loved, or the king he's bound to serve?

 

Tracy’s review of Ever After (Transplanted Tales #4) by Kate SeRine

Gideon has been in love with the same woman for hundreds of years. Unfortunately she died 500 years earlier but he’s never gotten over her. Right after her death he became a slave to the Seelie King and is still working for the man. He has come to think of the King as his family and would protect him and his offspring with his life. When the King asks him to find out who has been stealing his transports of Fairy Dust, Gideon does as he’s asked.

He follows trails and clues and ends up finding the last thing he expected – his lady love, alive and well. Arabella hasn’t necessarily been alive for the past 500 years but when she came back from…wherever she was, she didn’t look Gideon up. Gideon is hurt and confused and he’s not sure what to think. Why had she never contacted him? Did she not love him as he loved her? Arabella admits that she is the one stealing the Fairy Dust, but also reveals that she’s not the only one stealing it. She’s also looking for all of the relics that her father owned – her father being Arthur Pendragon (yes, King Arthur from Camelot) – and supposedly when one person owns all of these relics they will become immortal. Gideon decides to help Arabella in her search for the relics but knows that he can’t keep her crimes from his King for long. As the pair search and fight to get the relics many secrets are uncovered about both Gideon and Arabella. They also find out that the love they once shared had not dimmed at all in the past 500 years. They may not be together for long to enjoy their reunion, however, as there are quite a few people working against them and they may not live through it all.

This is the fourth book in the Transplanted Tales series and it was another wonderful read. I so enjoy the imagination that Ms. SeRine has with her characters. They are in what is called the Here and Now (our time) but they come from the land of Make Believe but cannot get back there. All of the characters come from books or rhymes, etc., and they have all been given very distinct personalities. I love seeing what she comes up with in each book.

This story, I can honestly say, was all about the LOVE. It was the love between Arabella and Gideon that really drove the story but it was also the love between friends and family members that gave that love the support it needed to thrive. At first I thought that Arabella was too kooky or immature for Gideon but I soon realized that it was a façade meant to keep him off track so that he wouldn’t realize her secrets. Neither the façade nor the secrets were enough to keep Gideon away and his steadfast love was the glue that kept them together.

This was a wonderful addition to the series and I was so happy to see Gideon getting his HEA. Since the time he came on page in a previous book I’ve been wanting to read his story. It was worth the wait, let me tell ya. This is a book, and a series, I definitely recommend.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5

The Series (Reading order):
Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover Book Cover

This title is available from Kensington Books. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

four-half-stars

0 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Review: Grimm Consequences by Kate SeRine

Posted April 17, 2014 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Grimm Consequences by Kate SeRineReviewer: Tracy
Grimm Consequences by Kate SeRine
Series: Transplanted Tales #1.5
Also in this series: Ever After
Publisher: eKensington
Publication Date: April 17th 2014
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

You reap what you sow. . .

Saying Nate Grimm has a dark past is an understatement. Fortunately, no one's bothered to look too closely at the Fairytale Management Authority's lead detective and part-time Reaper. And that's the way Nate wants to keep it. For after centuries of torment and loneliness, he's finally found happiness with the hot and hard-charging love of his life, Tess "Red" Little.

Of course, his love for Tess is the reason there's a posse of Reaper judges after him, led by a sadistic bastard acquainted with Nate from once upon a time. Now, Tess will pay the price for Nate's transgressions unless Nate severs his ties to the transplanted Tales--and Tess--forever. His enemy has the advantage in speed, malice and brutality. But the Reapers have underestimated the depth of Nate's love and devotion. And the fury of his wrath. . .

Nate doesn’t exactly like to follow the rules that are laid down to him as a Reaper – especially the one that tells him to take Tess Little’s soul. He gives her a reprieve instead and saves her life. He watches over her, falls in love with her, and eventually he becomes her lover. . Nate, however, hasn’t exactly been completely upfront about who he is and his past. Unfortunately that is catching up with him. Right when he’s about to spill the beans about everything his past comes rushing up and he has to try and save Tess from death and then find out if she loves him enough to keep him around now that she knows what he really is.

I really like the Transplanted Tale series. I have to admit that I started at book 2 so never actually read Tess and Nate’s story – now that I’ve read this one I’m kind of glad. It’s given me insight into both Tess and Nate and I’m more anxious to read Red.

I really liked Tess and Nate in the 2 novels I’ve read in this series so it was great to get a little bit more insight into their relationship. I have to say that Nate is one hot, sexy man. He’s even sexier because he loves Tess so much and that just flips my switch. What he would do for her to save her life is amazing and I definitely wanted their relationship to come out on top. Red/Tess is a pretty kickass heroine and I thought she was the perfect match for Nate. Together they make an amazing team.

This was a great novella and a wonderful addition to series. If you’re a fan of the series you won’t want to miss this one. Oh and we also get an excerpt from the next novel, Ever After, that has Gideon in it – yay! Love Gideon. 🙂

Rating: 4 out of 5

Kate SeRine

four-stars

0 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

What I Read Last Week

Posted April 15, 2014 by Tracy in Features | 0 Comments

Hello folks!

How the heck are ya?

I’m doing well. It’s Holy Week and since I work at a church that means that I’m working my tail off to get everything done in time. Because of that I’m going to be VERY brief in my post today and basically tell you what I read and their ratings. 

The Devil’s Triangle (re-read) by Toni De Palma.   I started off the week with a re-read. This is a YA book that I read for The Book Binge a year or so ago, I think, and it was just as good the second time around.  The story is about The story is about a guy who dies and is sent back to earth to help a girl named Grace. He’s given a month but he’s not sure what he’s supposed to do about Grace because he’s given no information. The story has heaven, the devil, his minions and romance all wrapped in one story.  Really good.  You can read my original review here on Book Binge. 4.5 out of 5

The Devil’s Temptation by Toni De Palma. This story is a continuation of the previous book.  We have Grace and Cooper (who is now alive and well) about 8 months after the last book ended.  This one didn’t work for me as well as it had the devil working against the couple (again) and they weren’t really coing out on top.  You can read my full review here on Book Binge. 3.5 out of 5 

Always on My Mind by Bella Andre was Lori’s story.  She’s disillusioned after a break up and is wondering why she dances in the first place.  She drives randomly and ends up taking a job as a ranch hand (with no experience). The guy does everything in his power to get her to leave but she’s stubborn.  Of course they fall in love but the getting there was oh, so good. 🙂  You can read my review here. 4 out of 5

The Affair by Lily Maxton is about a widow who is finally out of mourning and is feeling a bit free only her parents treat her like she’s a walking scandal.  She meets a bookstore owner and they have an affair but he doesn’t believe that he’s good enough for her.  The story was pretty darned good and I enjoyed it.  3.75 out of 5 (read for Book Binge)

The Eternal Highlander by Hannah Howell & Lynsay Sands.  Cathal McNachton and Connal MacAdie are highlanders but also vampires.  Cathal decides that they need to seek human brides so that they can try to dilute the vamp blood.  Not everyone is thrilled with this idea – especially the pureblood vamps.  The stories are Cathal’s and how he meets his bride and how Connall meets his. Both stories were good and I really enjoyed them.  4 out of 5

Grimm Consequences by Kate SeRine is a novella in the Transplanted Tales series.  The story takes place early in Nate and Red’s relationship and has to do with Nate staying with Red.  It was a good one.  You can read my review here. 4 out of 5

All I Want by Lynsay Sands. The story is about a girl, Prudence, and she’s out to save her family.  All her mother wants for Christmas is for her father to stop gambling and drinking before he puts them in the poor house and debtors prison.  Prudence sets out to keep him away from the club he gambles at and ends up falling for the owner of the club.  Prudence was a bit of a crazy woman and ends up doing some pretty stupid things but it was a cute story nonetheless.  3.5 out of 5

Prisoner 374215 by Angel Martinez.  This is a free story that was written for the m/m Goodreads group and is all based on a picture. Prisoner 374215 is constantly tortured and treated horribly in prison. He’s a shell of what he used to be.  He does have one guard that he’s not afraid of and eventually he learns more about him.  I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this short story but it was really good and I’m so glad I read it. 4 out of 5

Island Peril by Jill Sorenson is a novella in the Aftershock series.  The story has Ella and Paul on the run from drug runners when they were just out for a day of exploration in the Channel Islands.  Another good one from Sorenson!  I’ll post my review soon. 3.75 out of 5

The Duke’s Shotgun Wedding by Stacy Reid.  An unexpected pleasure. This had a girl holding a duke at gunpoint insisting that he allow her to marry her brother who supposedly seduced her.  He refuses as the brother’s already married now but he marries her and tension and pleasure commence.  Though I wanted to slap both main characters at some point in the story I really liked it. lol  4 out of 5 (read for Book Binge)

All Roar and No Bite by Celia Kyle is the second book in the Grayslake series.  Lauren is trying to help her best friend who is married to the mayor but he’s an abusive asshole.  She meets Van who is a werebear but also a sheriff.  He wants her but she’s not sure she’s ok with the whole bear shifter thing as it freaks her out.  I liked both Van and Lauren in this book.  I was so happy that we finally got a heroine who wasn’t all gung ho to jump in bed after she found out the man she lusted after was a shapeshifter!  It’s about time! lol  It all worked out and it was a fun getting there. 🙂 3.5 out of 5



My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Betting the Rainbow by Jodi Thomas
Can’t Stop Believing by Jodi Thomas
Between the Devil and Ian Eversea by Julie Anne Long
Stranded with a Hero by Karen Erickson, Coleen Kwan, Cindi Madsen and Roxanne Snopek

Happy Reading!

0 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

What I Read Last Week

Posted August 19, 2013 by Tracy in Features | 6 Comments

Hello!

Well this should have been a “normal” week for me (whatever that means) what with school starting, etc. but it was far from that as it turned out. My youngest was to start school on Wednesday and of course she’s the one that wants to go to school. Unfortunately she woke up on Wednesday with a high fever. Needless to say she was very upset. She still had her fever on Thursday but it was up and down. On Thursday when I got home from work she was just waking from a nap and she felt like the rays of a thousand suns had been beating down on her. After trying to cool her with cold compresses (which didn’t work) I took her to the urgent care and lo and behold she has strep. She’s been on antibiotics since Thursday night and was feeling better almost as soon as the next morning. Today ended up being her first day of school and she looked adorable, of course. (I had to catch her off guard while she was getting out of the car as she didn’t want her picture taken.)

My oldest started school on Thursday and she wanted nothing to do with pictures. I guess when you’re in 10th grade you’re just too cool for first day pictures. (Why do they take selfies all the time and post them on instagram and facebook but when Mom wants to take a picture of them they cringe?  These and other questions.

) I’ll sneak one soon when she’s least expecting it. lol So far she likes her classes and teachers – well, except for Modern Civ which she says is the most boring class in the universe. I told her to give it time it may get better. I never did for me when I was in school but it could happen. 🙂

I finally went to the Ortho about my shoulder. He said I had no rotator cuff tear or issue and no biceps tear – which is awesome. He said the reason that the physical therapy didn’t work was because they were treating me for the wrong thing. Wonderful…not. He said it was a highly inflamed frozen shoulder with some bursitis thrown in for good measure. He gave me a cortisone shot (in more places than the FP guy did) and told me what exercises to do to “unfreeze” myself. We’ll see how it goes.

To say my reading suffered is putting it mildly. I managed to read even less than last week and I didn’t think that was possible. lol

I started off the week with Along Came A Spider by Kate SeRine. this is book 3 in the Transplanted Tales series and it was a good one. The story was about Trish Muffett who gets attacked and is saved by Nicky Blue – the man she’s been in love with for 100 years (literally). Nicky and Trish end up looking for Vlad Dracula together and trying to bring down the bad guys. I really like the world that SeRine has built here and am looking forward to reading more. You can read my full review here. 3.75 out of 5

Next up was Highland Vow by Hannah Howell. This was the story of a girl who had been in love with a man for years and was determined to have him for life but he thinks himself in love with someone else. It was a good story but I think I still need to punch the hero a bit. lol You can read my review here. 3 out of 5

A Simple Twist of Fate by HelenKay Dimon was last for the week. This was Beck Hanover’s book and he falls for Sophie Clarke who is their cleaning lady. Sophie isn’t actually there for cleaning though, she’s there to try and find some jewelry that was taken from her aunt when she was conned by Beck’s father. There’s obviously angst but it all ended well. A good story but slow in some places. 3.5 out of 5 (read for Book Binge)

 

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week:
Heart of Obsidian by Nalini Singh
Guardian Demon by Meljean Brook
Smokin’ Hot Firemen: Erotic Romance Stories for Women edited by Delilah Devlin 

Happy Reading!

6 Comments

Tagged: , , , , , ,

Review: Along Came A Spider by Kate SeRine

Posted August 15, 2013 by Tracy in Reviews | 2 Comments

When Trish Muffet is attacked at a grisly crime scene, the last person she expects to come to her rescue is Nicky “Little Boy” Blue. But since walking away from everything two years before, Nicky’s been doling out vigilante justice as “The Spider,” taking on the vicious predators of the night in hopes it’ll lead him to his ultimate target – Vlad Dracula. And he needs Trish’s help.

Although Nicky’s renegade style goes against everything Trish stands for, she’ll do what she must to bring Dracula down. With danger stalking her, Trish knows the only person she can count on is the one man who has the power to leave her breathless. There’s no way she’s letting this spider frighten her away… 

Trish Muffet works for the FMA – the Fairytale Management Authority – and is just leaving a crime scene when she’s attacked by vampires. She kind of gets her butt kicked but is saved from certain death by Nicky Blue. He is masked but something he says tips her off that it’s him. He ends up asking for her help to locate Dracula. He’s been acting as the vigilante called “The Spider” for a while on his own but now he seeks out Trish’s help trying to find Dracula – the man who killed his wife, Juliet (yes, Capulet). Trish agrees and while they’re on the case the connection that they felt upon meeting (over 100 years before) just gets stronger.

Trish has been in love with Nicky since she met him. She has a gift for seeing into people’s souls and when she looked into his she saw all of the love he was capable of giving. Nicky, it’s insinuated, fell in love with Trish at that moment as well and has lived his life thinking about her. Unfortunately there are forces out to separate the two but Trish isn’t letting Nicky go this time.

I have to say that there was a lot going on in this book but it didn’t feel overwhelming. Dracula was up to a lot of mischief with different people and a group called The Agency (kind of Men in Black types) was giving the FMA and all of the Tales grief. Add on top of that the relationship between Nicky and Trish and you’ve got a three layer cake. Lol 

I liked the relationship between Nicky and Trish for the most part. They started sleeping together pretty quickly but they’d known each other for many years. I thought Nicky was very sweet to Trish and loved seeing his softer side. There wasn’t a whole of romance per say but the relationship was built in nicely with the other parts of the story and it all seemed to fit with the characters personalities. 

I think the whole idea of fairytale characters, nursery rhyme characters and characters from literature all coming over from Make Believe into our world (which they call the Here and Now) is just a fun idea. The misconceptions of the characters based on their “tales” that were written are amusing to uncover and I think that SeRine does a nice job of it. I look forward to reading more in this series.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Kate SeRine

2 Comments

Tagged: , , , ,