Review: Midnight Kiss (A Collection of Four New Adult Paranormal Romances)

Midnight Kiss (A Collection of Four New Adult Paranormal Romances) 
by Sarra Cannon, Juliana Haygert, Alyssa Rose Ivy, Jennifer Snyder
Publication: October 1st, 2014
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance
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Synopsis: This Halloween, prepare to be haunted by a kiss…

Midnight Kiss is a limited edition collection of four BRAND NEW, NEVER RELEASED novellas, all set in New Orleans on Halloween night.

AFTER MIDNIGHT by Sarra Cannon
From the outside, Becca Goldberg looks like any normal freshman girl at Tulane, but she’s been keeping a terrible secret. She’s really Allison Moore—a young witch from Peachville hiding out from an evil coven of witches known as the Order of Shadows. She thinks she is safe until an unexpected accident occurs. Now, she only has until midnight on Halloween until her identity is discovered.

She must turn to the hottest, most elusive guy on campus for help. Will he help save her? Or will her life come crashing down around her after midnight?

THE MIDNIGHT TEST by Juliana Haygert
Being the weakest witch of her generation, nineteen-year-old Hazel is convinced she’s supposed to live a normal, human life—except for the occasional ghost hunting. When Hazel moves to New Orleans, the most powerful witch coven in the world grants her a chance to join them, but only if she passes a dangerous test on Halloween night. Everything is going fine until mysterious Sean steps in Hazel’s way, putting her entire test at risk.

Will she be able to ace the test and keep them both alive at the same time?

SEDUCTION’S KISS by Alyssa Rose Ivy
Never agree to a road trip to New Orleans with your roommate. At least not when your roommate is dragging you along while she reconnects with an ex boyfriend. Possible consequences of failing to take my advice:

1) Unknowingly going out with a vampire stripper.
2) Getting kidnapped by said vampire’s nest mates.
3) Falling head over heels for your winged hero.

Believe it or not number 3 is the worst one, especially when no one believes you that he exists.

KISS OF AWAKENING by Jennifer Snyder
With one kiss, everything will change…

When a mysterious letter arrives from her estranged mother, twenty-one year old Kenna Blake and her best friend, Bree, make a trip to New Orleans hoping for a little Halloween fun and to get away. The mystifying Crescent City has something else in store for her though.

Cryptic messages, a hot tour guide, and a new sense Kenna can’t seem to explain are just the beginning of this eye opening trip. Will Kenna accept what awakens with in her or will she crumble under its reality?

My Thoughts: Loved this collection paranormal novellas what a great group of authors to put into one book. I loved that each story had the Midnight Cauldron in New Orleans on Halloween incorporated to tie them together. I definitely downloaded the books tied to each story. Each story was uniquely amazing and addicting! I definitely recommend this book as a must read this October to get you in the Halloween mood. 

The story I loved the most was Seductions Kiss by Alyssa Rose Ivy. Ever since I read The Crescent Chronicles I have loved Owen, don't get me wrong Levi is great but I have been hoping for more story on Owen.  I am so glad we get a little piece into his life and I really hope there will be more for Daisy and Owen in the near future. Loved this short story just wish there was more of Owen! 

I also really enjoyed was After Midnight, Allison and John are hard not to love. I was so happy to read the very end definitely making me giddy!! I want to know more about this world and hope there will be more of Allison and John to come!

Now don't get me wrong I have only great things to say about each story even if I picked my favorites. Each story grabbed me in it's own way and I cannot wait to read more by each author!!

Dire (The Dire Wolves Chronicles)

Alyssa Rose Ivy Website

Book Details: Written by Bestselling New Adult and Young Adult author Alyssa Rose Ivy. Publication date September 15th, 2014. Check it out on Goodreads.
Genre: New Adult Paranormal Romance

Synopsis: Gage was the first guy I ever wanted. He was my first crush and my first fantasy, but he wasn't my first in any other way because he never saw me as anything more than a friend— at least not until the night that changed everything.

It was all Gage's fault. He insisted we drive through the storm and take the back roads. By the time the storm hit full force we had no chance. One night of snowbound sex changed our relationship forever. The problem was at the same time I caught another guy’s attention. This other guy happens to be the alpha of a pack of shifter wolves.

My thoughts: What an ending!!! I cannot believe everything that just happened, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! I could not set this book down and finished it in one day!! I was very excited that this story takes place in the same world as The Crescent Chronicle, I cannot wait to see how the books all tie together!! This world of the paranormal society that Alyssa Rose Ivy has created is so unique and one you feel you could jump right into. Again, she does an amazing job creating such addicting characters you can't help but feel connected to them.

Right away Gage and Mary Anne's relationship takes a steamy, heart pounding turn, leaving you excited for more. After that point though things get pretty scary and stressful for the two lead characters. Looking for help after an accident leads them into the arms of Hunter and his pack and it doesn't seem to get any easier from there, just one problem after the next! With that epic ending the author leaves you marveling what is in store for Mary Anne and Gage the next book, Dusk.

Silver Shadows: A Bloodlines Novel Book 5

Richelle Mead Website

Book Details: Written by Richelle Mead a US Today and NY Times Best Fantasy Author. Publication July 29th, 2014. 380 pages. You can purchase a hard copy or digital copy at Amazon.

Official Synopsis: In The Fiery Heart, Sydney risked everything to follow her gut, walking a dangerous line to keep her feelings hidden from the Alchemists.

Now in the aftermath of an event that ripped their world apart, Sydney and Adrian struggle to pick up the pieces and find their way back to each other. But first, they have to survive. 

For Sydney, trapped and surrounded by adversaries, life becomes a daily struggle to hold on to her identity and the memories of those she loves. Meanwhile, Adrian clings to hope in the face of those who tell him Sydney is a lost cause, but the battle proves daunting as old demons and new temptations begin to seize hold of him. . . .

Their worst fears now a chilling reality, Sydney and Adrian face their darkest hour in this heart-pounding fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling Bloodlines series, where all bets are off.

My Thoughts:  Wow just wow!! What an ending in more ways than one!! I need more, I could not set this book down and finished it in less than two days!! All I can think about is what is going to happen next and now we have to wait until next February (tear) for the next book The Ruby Circle. Richelle Mead did an AMAZING job getting my heart pumping, there was nonstop action with the gang trying to break Sydney out of re-education after suffering in there for months!! Yes months, four to be exact! I was stunned when I finally found out how long she had been missing!!! Poor Sydney, but thankfully our girl is a fighter and stays as strong as possible throughout the ordeal while making a couple friends along the way.

Once the plot got intense it stayed intense until the very last second leaving me reeling in what I just read. I felt like my heart would burst with joy for Sydney and Adrian. I don't want to give too much away, but again, just wow the details of there getaway were so vivid I felt like I was Jill watching the romantic and stressful escapade of Adrian and Sydney. I could not be happier for them but things won't be settling down for them quite yet! I have a good feeling Dimitri and Rose will be making a big appearance in the next book. I cannot wait!!!

The Indigo Spell: A Bloodlines Novel Book 3

Richelle Mead Website

Book Details: Written by Richelle Mead a US Today and NY Times Best Fantasy Author. Publication February 12th, 2013. 401 pages. You can purchase a hard copy or digital copy at Amazon.

Official Synopsis: Sydney Sage is an Alchemist, one of a group of humans who dabble in magic and serve to bridge the worlds of humans and vampires. They protect vampire secrets--and human lives."

In the aftermath of a forbidden moment that rocked Sydney to her core, she finds herself struggling to draw the line between her Alchemist teachings and what her heart is urging her to do. Then she meets alluring, rebellious Marcus Finch--a former Alchemist who escaped against all odds, and is now on the run. Marcus wants to teach Sydney the secrets he claims the Alchemists are hiding from her. But as he pushes her to rebel against the people who raised her, Sydney finds that breaking free is harder than she thought. There is an old and mysterious magic rooted deeply within her. And as she searches for an evil magic user targeting powerful young witches, she realizes that her only hope is to embrace her magical blood--or else she might be next

My Thoughts: I love Sydney and Adrian! This book just flies by, even for the third time. There are vampires and witches and even a cute little dragon shows up. I just love reading about everything Sydney has to overcome in her life, and there is a lot, all while fighting her feelings for Adrian. Adrian continues make passing comments about how amazing she is and how much he loves her. These characters have really grown on me, first with The Vampire Academy series and now with this spin off Bloodlines series. I could read this series over and over and not get board, so much happens throughout this book especially for Adrian and Sydney. Every stolen moment they have when Sydney lets her guard down gets my heart pumping! I just love everything about this book!!

The Book of Life (All Souls Trilogy #3)

Deborah Harkness Website

Book Details: Written by New York Times Best Seller Deborah Harkness. Published July 15th, 2014. 576 Pages. You can purchase a hard copy or digital copy at Amazon

Official Synopsis: After traveling through time in Shadow of Night, the second book in Deborah Harkness’s enchanting series, historian and witch Diana Bishop and vampire scientist Matthew Clairmont return to the present to face new crises and old enemies. At Matthew’s ancestral home at Sept-Tours, they reunite with the cast of characters from A Discovery of Witches—with one significant exception. But the real threat to their future has yet to be revealed, and when it is, the search for Ashmole 782 and its missing pages takes on even more urgency. 

In the trilogy’s final volume, Harkness deepens her themes of power and passion, family and caring, past deeds and their present consequences. In ancestral homes and university laboratories, using ancient knowledge and modern science, from the hills of the Auvergne to the palaces of Venice and beyond, the couple at last learn what the witches discovered so many centuries ago.

My Thoughts: A magnificent ending to a phenomenal series! In the finale to The All Souls Trilogy Diana and Mathew have traveled back home from 1590 to discover things are not how they left them.  With a death and birth of family loved ones Diana has a hard time accepting what has happened since they've been gone. Diana and Mathew come back changed for the better with Diana finally in control of her powers. With so much still to uncover before the little ones are born the whole family comes together; vampire, witches and daemons, to help find the book of life and its missing pages.

I just absolutely loved this book and thought that Deborah Harkness did an amazing job tying everything up. I was also very excited to see a couple characters from 1590, who Mathew and Diana had to leave behind, show back up to help finish the story off. I definitely could not put this book down and felt like I was apart of the story the whole time I was reading. I was very surprised and excited to see that the author also left the series open for more to come!! I cannot wait to see if she does anything more with the series!! I just cannot express how much I love everything about these books and the world Deborah Harkness has created. I would recommend this whole series to anyone who enjoys a great story!

Shadow of Night (All Souls Trilogy # 2)

Deborah Harkness Website

Book Details: Written by New York Times Best Seller Deborah Harkness. Published July 10th, 2012. 584 Pages. You can purchase a hard copy or digital copy at Amazon.

Official Synopsis: A Discovery of Witches introduced Diana Bishop, Oxford scholar and reluctant witch, and the handsome geneticist and vampire Matthew Clairmont; together they found themselves at the center of a supernatural battle over an enchanted manuscript known as Ashmole 782. Drawn to one another despite longstanding taboos, and in pursuit of Diana’s spellbound powers, the two embark upon a time-walking journey.

Book Two of the All Souls Trilogy plunges Diana and Matthew into  Elizabethan London, a world of spies and subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew’s old friends, the mysterious School of Night.  The mission is to locate a witch to tutor  Diana and to find traces of Ashmole 782, but as the net of Matthew’s past tightens around them they embark on a very different journey, one that takes them into heart of the 1,500 year old vampire’s shadowed history and secrets. For Matthew Clairmont, time travel is no simple matter; nor is Diana’s search for the key to understanding her legacy.

Shadow of Night brings us a rich and splendid tapestry of alchemy, magic, and history, taking us through the loop of time to deliver a deepening love story, a tale of blood, passion, and the knotted strands of the past.

My Thoughts: Again simply amazing, even though there is nothing simple about this book. The world the Deborah Harkness has created is a masterpiece of detailed information and history. I could not put this book down and I didn't want to. One of my very favorite series!! I just want more and I am counting down the days until The Book of Life is released next week!! There are so many amazing pieces to this puzzle I couldn't believe how much I had forgotten since I last read this book. So much happens it's impossible to write a synopsis that would do this book justice, so for this review I used the official one. Vampires, witches and daemons all working together and against each other all at once. Both Diana and Mathew get a reunion with family long gone but never forgotten, heartbreaking and heartwarming simultaneously. I just wish I could think of more to say the would accurately portray the genius of this story and all it's parts. Love! Love! Love!!!

A Discovery of Witches (All Souls Trilogy #1)

Deborah Harkness Website

Book Details: Written by New York Times Best Seller Deborah Harkness. Published February 8th, 2011. 579 Pages. You can purchase a hard copy or digital copy at Amazon

Synopsis of A Discovery of Withes:  Diana Bishop, our leading lady in The All Souls Trilogy, hails from a long line of powerful Bishop witches. While studying in the Bodleian Library for an upcoming lecture she comes across an enchanted manuscript, Ashmole 782. After a life worth of denying her witchey descent and anything paranormal the last thing she expected was it to come looking for her.  Diana has caught the attention of the magical community; witches, vampires and daemons, and there is no going back. That's when she meets the mysterious and brilliant vampire, Matthew De Clermont; changing her life forever. 

The more time Diana and Mathew spend together the harder they fight against their true feelings for each other. Mathew becomes very protective of Diana and realizes the growing trouble brewing in Oxford and takes her away to his family home in France. Diana is unaware of The Congregation, devised of three vampires, three witches and three daemons, who rule over all creatures. One of the main rules is that species are not to mix with each other and that includes Mathew and Diana's growing relationship.  Once Diana discovers these rules her feelings for Mathew are too far past the point of turning back. Now under the protection of the De Clermont family Diana has to win the approval of Mathew's mother Ysabeau, who is not very happy about their forbidden relationship and the trouble it is sure to cause the family. 

Diana is taken from the safety of the De Clermonts by a witch of The Congregation and tortured in order to reveal the secrets of her power. While she is being tortured the ghosts of her mother and father appear to talk her through the pain and help her remember a story from her childhood. After Mathew realizes he cannot protect her from her own people they leave for her aunt's, Sara and Emily, house in Madison, New York. There they work on harnessing all of Diana's powers and controlling them. A discovery is made involving Diana's blood that could change the world of creatures forever.  Diana and Mathew travel back to Mathew's past after another attack on their lives. Hoping it will give them the time they need to find Ashmole 782 and a witch who can help Diana with her magic.

My Thoughts: I am just in awe of the history and detailed information that's just pours from Deborah Harkness. This book is beyond amazing and has me just as captivated the second time around. I could not set it down for a second, any extra moment I had I spent reading more. The connection between Diana and Matthew is electric, they are my most favorite fictional couple out of any book I have read. It is so easy to visualize everything that is happening and where thanks to the authors attention to detail. The relationships between all the characters are so lively it feels like you are there with them watching it all happen. I just absolutely love this series so far and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys a great story!!

Seeress (A Runes Novel 3)

Ednah Walters Website

Book Details: Written by YA Paranormal and Fantasy author Ednah Walters. Published April 28th, 2014. 296 Pages. You can purchase a hard copy or digital copy at Barnes & Noble /Smashwords /Amazon

Synopsis of Seeress: Raine is your typical teenage girl surrounded by Valkyries, individuals who take souls to Valhalla to train, and immortals. Raine is also a Seeress destined to predict the beginning of the end of the world war against the giants. At the end of Immortals we discover that Eirik is the grandson of Odin and is sent Asgard for safety, Cora was being impersonated by the evil Meliina and can see spirits and Raine is an all powerful Seeress working on honing her skills. 

Raine begins to have visions when she touches anything with a magical element involved, such as an old necklace or ring. At first she cannot control what she sees and everything is blurry, but she knows she is seeing the deaths of other seers and from what Torin can find out she can see them as they are happening. Torin has a hard time watching Raine when she receives her visions because he cannot help her while they are happening and he can see that they are affecting her emotionally.  These vision not only show that some unknown person, who looks very similar to Torin, is hurting other seers but that he is also looking for Raine. With the help of her friends she begins to have more control over her new powers.

With the news of someone coming for Raine, Torin and his friends begin to put up protective runes all around town while also spreading the word that someone is coming after other seers. While all this is happening Raine's mother is in Asgard requesting to be reinstated as a Valkyrie and Raine's father is slowly dying and hanging in by a thread. With everything happening in Raine's life she still tries to have a few normal moments here and there with picnics in the park, a double date with Cora and Echo and prom. A new group of witches move to their small town of Kayville, adding to the already crazy group of paranormals living there. Thankfully some of the witches help Raine clear up her visions while other witches end up implanting fake visions to try and confuse her. Eirik shows up at the end with a surprise twist in events leaving everyone wondering what is going on with him. Torin is reunited with a few distant relations and battle of powers at the end leaving trees uprooted has you wondering what will happen next.

My Thoughts: Continues to be a very addicting series!! All the characters are amazing and have developed such great relationships with each other, you never would have guessed that from the first book Runes. The story really develops in this book with the surprising discovery of who is after Raine and killing other seers. It also dives into Torin's family history which I always love since he is almost a thousand years old. More of my favorite side story from Grimnirs with Cora and Echo. Raine and Torin are super cute and obviously completely in love with each other even if they are a little obnoxious when they are fighting. The norns continue to be a pain in the butt for the group always trying to push their own agenda on Raine. 

I continue to love this series and the novellas, I have a very hard time putting these books down. The ending was great leaving you wanting more but not leaving you hanging, I have a hard time when something major happens and you have to wait a year to find out.  I cannot wait to see what Ednah has in store for us next in the Runes series.