Back in March I vowed to back up my Indie brethren come hell or high water. So far, GREAT SUCCESS!

While I have read a few questionable novels from some hardworking Indies such as myself, I have greatly enjoyed the majority!

For my two-month update I thought I’d share some of my trials and tribulations, as well as, promote a few authors in the process.

Here is my list of Read Indies for 2012, so far:

(In order they were read)

#1 Pennence by Clare Ashton ~ 4 Stars

** spoiler alert ** Strong four stars. Quite an enjoyable read. Unexpected twists kept me interested for the majority.

I found it hard to follow the first few chapters but once I found the narrators “voice” I was on a roll. The dialogue and sentence structure were well thought out and executed. The lead character, Lucy, is chock full of relate-able quirks and paranoia. Following a traumatic experience, Lucy, begins to neglect her home and herself. Something most folks can relate to.

I was a bit disappointed there was no finality when it came to Jake, Lucy’s ghostly partner. It seemed to me he simply stopped popping up in the cottage until his spirit was mentioned toward the end. Not detrimental to the plot, only my opinion. I was looking forward to further spectral interaction.

The relationship that developed between Lucy and her new neighbor, Karen, was endearing. In fact, the romantic interlude between the two was much better written than that of your typical “romance” novel. I didn’t even skip over the steamy scene, like I typically do. Although, I did blush a bit.

Don’t mistake this for a “romance” novel by any means. The relationships Lucy juggles are only a side note to the suspense and danger that follows her.

That being said, the end was as it should be. And I was left as I should have been, satisfied and wanting more.

Job well done, Claire!

#2 Displaced by Elle Lapraim ~ 4 Stars

Completely different! I forgot how much I love short stories until Displaced. A solid four stars, four and a half really but that’s not an option.

Loved the plot line. I actually fell into the “bleeding heart” side. I felt for the “dome” and wished it was left as is. But, alas, that is the tale here I assume.

Leave beauty to be what it is, if it kills you then at least you didn’t die in vain. Mess with it, feel it’s wrath.

(Sorry for the “quotes” I was trying not to hide because of spoilers. )

#3 A Demon Love Story Part One: The Obsession by Allison B. Levine ~ 3 Stars

If I could give a 3.5 star rating I would. Don’t take this 3 star rating as a “bad” thing. As an author I know how horrible it can feel to get a 3 star review. I wanted to start this with the disclaimer that I rarely hand out 5 or even 4 stars.

That being said, here are some things I liked about A Demon Love Story.

The plot idea was new and exciting. A nice spin on an old classic. I refuse to leave spoilers so you’ll have to read it yourself to find out. There were many twists and turns in the story which I loved. Written in first person POV, the main character, Alex, was as confident and brazen as they come. And by the middle of the book she was as ruthless as they come. The cast of characters added to her rage and lust in just the right ways.

Some stuff I wasn’t overly satisfied with.

The book is really long. Honestly, Ms. Levine could have split this book in half, added some much needed detail, and had two full length novels, both making a profit. (This is purely my opinion of course. The author is the only one who truly knows where this story is headed.)

I don’t really like romance. A Demon Love Story wasn’t FULL of it, but had more than I prefer. The love interest never peaked my interest as I thought his infatuation for Alex was a bit unbelievable. Again, no spoilers here, read the book and make your own conclusion.

A bit more detail was needed I think. I would have like to known more in certain areas. Two books with more detail may have landed Demon Love Story a 4 star rating from me.

In the end, A Demon Love Story is a lustful, revenge filled, ruthless tale of a girl, a boy, and a thirst for blood. I liked it, you should too.

#4 Black Oil Red Blood by Diane Castle

Very interesting! Fast paced, fact-filled, and edge of your seat action.

Only downside, DO NOT attempt reading before bed, or while not fully awake. This bad boy needs your full attention.

Love the redheaded spitfire, Chloe. Her adorable hetero(or not so hetero)-life mate, Miles. And the chivalrous, Detective Nash. The combination of interesting characters, legal-eagle plot line, and downright out of nowhere twists, kept me enthralled.

Took a few chapters to get me hooked, but once I was in I couldn’t put it down.

A razor sharp, eye-opening read from Diane Castle. Kudos!

#5 Nightmare at Emerald High by Joana James

Currently Reading. So far, interesting. Very YA, not really my style. But, nicely written and interesting. Review forthcoming.

Up Next:

Of Good and Evil by Gerald Griffin

HotBlood by Juliann Whicker

Next update will be July. More books, more authors, more reviews!

Indies Unite! Want to take part in the Indie Quest? Check out my pledge here.