Book Review: Demon Inside by Stacia Kane

Demon Inside is the second novel in the Personal Demons series by Stacia Kane. I've ventured further into this series, mostly because I've been curious about how the characters would develop as we dive within the ever thickening plot.
Megan Chase, a psychologist, psychic and now demonic ruler of a small cluster of emotional draining demons, still rules supreme as the leading character in this novel. She remains somewhat feeble in her role as protagonist, relying heavily on the skills of those around her and constantly challenged by her human conscience. 
In this novel Megan finds herself torn between the choices of her human life - being a psychologist and helping those in need, and surrendering to her second heart - the demon within and embracing everything being their leader entails. To top off this life changing decision, Megan is faced with the sporadic murders of demons in her coup, her father's death and once again forced to face her past and the choices she was robbed of as a child. Supported by her lover Greyson Dante, now the head of his very own demonic household, she finds herself in good hands, the fire between them burning as brightly as ever.
What I liked about this novel was that Megan finally began to embrace the inevitable - her transition into the darker side of her being. What I didn't like was her weak will and almost needy desperation when faced with adverse situations. I wanted to see decisive decision making and acceptance of circumstance. What I saw was a whole lot of whining.
Thankfully the ever mysterious Greyson carried the story forward in the supporting role. Sexy, intimidating and decidedly powerful, it was easy to see him take control of all situations, it was even no surprise that his character dominated, steeling the limelight easily from Megan Chase.
With that being said, the characters were consistent when compared to the first novel and the writing was descriptive and well structured as always with Stacia Kane - an extremely talented author. Once again this novel will rate three out of five fangs but I hold out high hopes for this series getting better as I suspect it will.

Synopsis:

Hanging out with demons can be hell....
It's been three months since psychologist Megan Chase made the stunning discovery that the world is filled with demons, and once more the situation is too hot to handle. Ironically, Megan -- the only person in the world without a little personal demon sitting on her shoulder -- has become the leader of a demon "family," but now some unknown arcane power is offing her demons in a particularly unpleasant fashion. And while her demon lover Greyson Dante is still driving her wild with desire, he's also acting strangely evasive. 
Then there's the truth about Megan's past -- the truth she's never known. Caught between personal problems and personal demons, Megan is having one hell of a hard time. Will the help of her Cockney guard demons and her witch friend Tera be enough so that Megan can finally resolve the past, survive the present, and face the future?

Book Review: Fifty Shades of Grey by EL James

Where do I even start? Fifty Shades of Grey is like nothing I have ever read before. Yes, I have heard that this is Twilight fan fiction (though I don't know how anyone can really draw parallels between the two), and that it's soft-core porn and in some instances, vulgar and badly written. The only thing I can respond to those statements with is that you didn't read the same book that I did.

Yes, I cannot deny that Fifty Shades of Grey is littered with sexual content. No, I will not deny that some of the acts performed are seriously confronting and outside most comfort zones. But what I will say, is that the writing is the all important vehicle for a platform of choices between a somewhat damaged man and a seemingly innocent woman.

Confused? Let me start at the beginning.

Fifty Shades of Grey is a very cleverly written book focusing solely on the power play between Christian Grey,a self-made multi millionaire with a troubled past, and Anastasia Steele, a doe-eyed college graduate with aspirations in the publishing industry.

As directly scribed by EL James herself, Mr Grey if fifty shades of fucked up. He is possessive, emotionally withdrawn and used to getting exactly what he wants, and what he wants in this instance, is the virginal Anastasia - a conquest not quite ready to submit to the whims of his extensive dark side and the punishment that lack of submission rallies.

At first I hated the character of Christian Grey. I believed him to be depraved and overwhelmingly suffocating. I even abhorred Anastasia's lack of strength in her own resolve, flawed that a pretty face had weakened her own moral code and persuaded her to be treated in such a manner. But then something happened as I continued to read. It occurred to me that the real story was not the need for sexual dominance or submissive behaviour as long drawn out chapters of hasty and often overwhelming confronting acts would have you believe. It wasn't even about winning small victories in word play and contractural arrangements. This book was about two people drawn together by an all consuming passion and a mutual loneliness destined to self-destruct when the wanting of something they so desperately sought in the other, remained unattainable via their own admission of unrealistic expectations.

Yes, I saw something in each of these characters I had not expected the writer to show me - strength in Anastasia and a blossoming of self-awareness that may ultimately make her even more dangerous than Christian Grey. In the dominant, Christian Grey - ultimate submission, that aching desperation for acceptance to be consumed entirely by the love of someone without an agenda.

Fifty Shades of Grey is a novel about self-worth and self-awareness. I found myself opening to it like a flower, drinking in the fifty shades of its undertones and somehow floored by the level of enjoyment I received. I will be picking up the next two novels in this series, though diabolically different from my typical read, I feel I must know how this story ends, and I must understand why I could not book the book down.

I rate this story five fangs purely based on the shock factor, constant revelations, and the surprising undertone of such simple, yet surprisingly complex characters. I was intrigued, appalled and yet ...

Let me know what you think.

Synopsis:

When literature student Anastasia Steele is drafted to interview the successful young entrepreneur Christian Grey for her campus magazine,she finds him attractive, enigmatic and intimidating. Convinced their meeting went badly, she tries to put Grey out of her mind - until he happens to turn up at the out-of-town hardware store where she works part-time.

The unworldly, innocent Ana is shocked to realise she wants this man, and when he warns her to keep her distance, it only makes her more desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana's quiet beauty, wit , and independent spirit, Grey admits that he wants her - but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey's singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success - his multinational business, his vast wealth, his loving adopted family - Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embark on a passionate, physical and daring affair, Ana learns more about her own dark desires, as well as the Christian Grey hidden away from public scrutiny.

Can their relationship transcend physical passion? Will Ana find it in herself to submit to the self-indulgent master? And if she does, will she love what she finds?

Kristy :)

Book Review: Ember by Madison Daniel

The burning angst of teenage love, the insurmountable feelings of betrayal, and the tangled web of jealousy and its spread of power. A love triangle forged by searing heat, an unbridled passion quelled by insecurity, and the misguided ventures of youth.
This is 'Ember' ...
Author Madison Daniel takes us on a journey with 'Ember', a novel walking the fine line between romantic intent, just hint of mystery, and of course, a thickening plot encompassing supernatural elements and believable action sequences.
Max Valentine is the focus of this story, a seemingly confident protagonist with a seriously troubled past. Tragedy now defines him, burns within, but sends him packing to the Hawaiian Islands and into the comfort of his favourite uncle's welcoming home as refuge.
A secret long understood by the family is what consumes Max's soul. Driven by the past, Max is determined to start fresh, begin at a new school, and make new friends in the hopes they don't turn from him in fear of his special ... gifts.
A chance encounter with the mysterious Asia, a dark haired beauty with a secret of her own turns Max's newly established world upside down. Fire and water collide, a seemingly clear case of opposites attract, but is Asia's beauty and her enigmatic presence enough to heal the hurt in Max's soul or will the beautiful and sweet-natured Samantha, the girl next door and newest acquaintance in the school yard, be the one to fill the hole in Max's heart?
I know which team I'm backing, who will you choose?
As the tangled web of deceit and the natural eruption of overly intense emotions unfold, love, lust, and friendship lines become blurred. Jealousy rears its ugly head and a progression towards violence coupled with the hot heads of youth explode in a fireball of intense heat. The violence is ugly and real, and fought on the grounds of nothing less than the proclamation of intent. In the end will Max choose the cooling waters of Asia or the comfort of familiarity in Samantha? Or will he stoke the burning embers within and unleash his darkest nature to pursue the passing satisfaction of revenge?
Ember is a clearly written novel with consistent characterisation. The dialogue is concise and not over done - in keeping with the often intense and overly inflated emotions of teenagers. And with this, Madison Daniel opens a window into the male psyche, exploring the deeper feelings of the male point of view which more often than not remain a mystery to the female counter part. In this novel I could feel the character's angst, though I found myself cringing on more than one occasion, wondering when the hell Max Valentine was going to get slapped upside the head from one of his female pursuits.
Putting the love triangle to the side, I loved the injection of music into the writing. Every chapter had a certain feel to it, reflected in the song that defined it and also by each character's actions or emotions. In some instances if I didn't know the song, I would look it up and get the vibe for the chapter and the author's intent.
Overall I enjoyed the book, though essentially 'Ember' is an emotionally charged and confusing addiction to salvaging a damaged heart. The plot is peppered with the expected school parties, bullies and ensuing fights. But the supernatural element takes the story up a notch and adds an element not based on popularity contests, the quest for power, or the often over-inflated use of abilities to impress readers. The sedate touch of power had meaning in its ties to Max's past and the final few chapters explored this cleverly, leaving you wanting answers and just a little bit more. I rate this book three out of five stars, knowing that my score will probably increase as the series continues and hopefully quenches my thirst for more answers than questions.

Synopsis: A touch of fire. A lost soul to darkness. A longing to change the past. Max Valentine is 18, alone and has the power of a thousands suns at his fingertips. The crush of love will haunt him. The promise of normalcy will elude him. With a song in his heart and a guitar in his hand, he will discover the painful truth ... love never dies but it can kill.