{REVIEW} THE DEVIL'S METAL (DEVILS #1) by KARINA HALLE

Series: Devils #1
Publisher: Metal Blonde Books
Publication Date: Sept. 21, 2012
Format: ebook (Kindle)
Pages:
Source: Received from author for review.

It’s the summer of 1974 and 21-year old Dawn Emerson has only three things she wants to do: compete one last time in the Ellensburg Rodeo, win back her ex-boyfriend Ryan, and become the best damn music journalist at Central Washington University. But all her plans are left in the dust when she’s contacted by Creem magazine to go on the road with one of her favorite groups, the up-and-coming metal band, Hybrid.

At first the assignment reads like a dream come true. Not only will Dawn land some much-needed credibility as a female music journalist, but she’ll finally get to experience life from the other side of the stage, and maybe crack the drunken, enigmatic code that is guitarist Sage Knightly. Instead, Dawn finds herself on an aging tour bus filled with ego-maniacs, band politics and a whole lot of sex, drugs and rock n’ roll. When monsters start showing up in dressing rooms and some of Sage’s groupies become increasingly strange and dangerous, Dawn discovers the band is not only going places – they’re going straight to Hell.

And Dawn has a backstage pass.

***

The Devil's Metal is the first book in a two-part New Adult Horror/Paranormal Romance and very (very!) loosely based on the author's exploits as a music journalist. Hell comes in different forms.

 

A Twisted Tale of Sex, Drugs, and Rock and Roll

Aspiring music journalist Dawn Emerson is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity: Tour with her favorite band, Hybrid. Wanting to earn a credible reputation, Dawn strives to get her story, but stay above the scandalous adventures the band has behind the scenes. The lure of drugs and seduction is hard to resist, particularly when it's offered by your idols. Day by day, Dawn becomes closer to the band, and even begins to join them in the fun. But soon enough, the demons come out to play, and people begin to die. Turns out, someone made a dangerous deal to secure Hybrid's place in the music industry, and it's time to pay up.

The best way I can describe The Devil's Metal is... Almost Famous with demons. Sounds incredibly strange, yes? Much like that iconic movie, you have a young protagonist (but in this case, older and female) touring with her favorite band, in an effort to get the "big" story, and make a name for herself as a music journalist. Because I consider Almost Famous one of the best movies ever, and because I'm obsessed with music, this story held automatic appeal for me. If The Devil's Metal had been simply that story, I would have been fine with that.

But, this isn't simply that story. This is also the story of a band that paid a steep price for success. A price that is now being collected. Karina Halle is fantastic at delivering the creepy. I'm a huge fan of all her books, surprising since I don't typically read or watch horror. But I find her style works for me. It's scary enough to give me the heebie-jeebies, but not so much that I'm tempted to sleep with a steak knife under my pillow.

I tend to like my books with a contemporary setting. I usually find myself annoyed by the constant references that are meant to remind me of the specific time in which the story is set. The exception are books set in the 1990s (THE BEST!!) and 1980s. The 1970s are my hard limit. This era is doable; any further back and I'm done. The fact that The Devil's Metal is set in the 1970s means that you  get tragic fashion and decor, but rad music. Due to the very thorough inclusion of the era's lingo, trends, and pop culture, Karina Halle gives the reader an authentic look at at that place in time.And truly, from a rock history stand point, the story is fascinating.

From beginning to end, I found The Devil's Metal to be a very good book. The story had a fairly solid resolution. The Prologue, however, delivered another big dose of WTF, and you better believe that I'll be on board for book two.

The Devil's Metal is another solid, unique story from the very gifted Karina Halle.



Favorite Quotes:

"During that show I forgot all about the talk I had with Robbie earlier, or the unexpected sass I delivered to Sage. I was just a fan, always a fan, a worshipper who talked to God in her head but fell to her knees at church." (eARC, 31%)

  "He patted the top of my head gently with his hand, his expression melancholic. 'Are you here? Right now? There are different ways to run away and I know them all. Whatever you run from will always find you.' " (eARC, 36%)



You can purchase The Devil's Metal at:
Amazon  |  Smashwords 

Giveaway

Karina Halle is offering one lucky winner:

• A print copy of The Devil's Metal
• A Hybrid v-neck shirt

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

Review ~ GIFTED: A DONOVAN CIRCUS NOVEL, by Liz Long

Even in a world of freaks, being a Firestarter is considered a dangerous Gift. Lucy was born with the ability to create and control fire. She longs to leave the human world for one filled with Earthshakers, Transporters, and Chameleons, to name a few. When she rejoins the circus, it’s everything she hoped it could be—new friends, a potential love interest or two, and a place where she can be herself. When troupe members begin turning up dead, however, Lucy is suspected of foul play. She must not only prove her innocence but also realize the full extent of her power. To find the real murderer, she must uncover the truth behind her father’s fiery legacy while figuring out whom to trust within her new circle. Little does she know the history of the Donovan Circus and its enemies might actually destroy the entire gifted world. ~From GoodReads

Before I get into my review of GIFTED, I have to mention the cover. What a gorgeous piece of art. The colors, the representation of fire...it's perfect and absolutely played a hand in my accepting this book for review.

So what did I think about GIFTED? I found it to be a well-written, funny, and tense story with a killer cast of characters. The story begins with Lucy Sullivan rejoining the circus she lived with as a child. Lucy wants to rejoin the Donovan Circus with as little attention as possible, but that's impossible when you're the most highly skilled Firestarter, possibly ever. When circus members begin turning up charbroiled, Lucy becomes the number one suspect. Determined to prove her innocence and find the real killer is Lucy's goal, with the help of the sexy, snarky, and mysterious Gabriel.

 I have to admit, I've never been a fan of circuses. I blame it on my aversion to clowns, beginning when Ronald McDonald scared the beans out of me when I was five. However, Firestarter (the Stephen King novel-turned movie starring Drew Barrymore) was one of my favorite movies as a kid. I seriously watched that movie over and over to hone my pyro technique, to no avail. So despite my non-love for the circus, I had to read this story about a Firestarter, Lucy.

What I learned after reading this book is that author Liz Long has an obvious talent for story-telling. GIFTED was a well-thought out, well-planned story from beginning to end. Long's writing had a nice pace, and she clearly has a fantastic flair for snark and sarcasm.

My favorite aspect of the story was the characters. I liked many, but none compared to Lucy and Gabriel. Lucy was thoughtful, yes, but so much fun. She had an endearing quality that made me want to befriend her, but best of all, she made me laugh. And yes, she is extremely attracted to Gabriel (who I'll discuss, in-depth, next), but Lucy keeps her priorities in check. Find murderer, first; fall in love, second.

Now for Gabriel. Do you all know how much I love Jensen Ackles? 'Cause I do, a lot. So, when Gabriel comes walking into the story with his dark blond hair, blue eyes, sexy smirk, and an attitude that rivals Dean Winchester, I was a goner. Add to that the fact that Gabriel has a really shady past he has worked extremely hard to overcome, and I am crushing hard.

I will say, there were moments I got lost in the action scenes. There were a lot of characters doing a lot of badass fighting. It wasn't enough to really detract from the story too much, but I did have to follow along very carefully to get the full effect.

GIFTED offers a lot to it's readers: a unique premise, engaging characters, fun dialogue, and tons of actions. I truly enjoyed it and am looking forward to more of this world.



Favorite Quote:

" 'Okay, first of all, I don't "lurk". I observe a lot,' he said, his tone finally sounding annoyed. And I don't try to seem intriguing or whatever; I keep to myself.' " -Gabe (ebook, 39%)


" 'It's not like that. It doesn't just happen. You have to grow with it, learn to control it. It takes more than having a gift to be gifted. Otherwise you're just a person who lights shit on fire using jazz hands.'"  -Lucy (ebook, 65%)

Published April 18th 2012

You can purchase GIFTED at:
Amazon for Kindle or Paperback . It will be available via Barnes & Noble and Smashwords by the end of July.

GIFTED will be FREE July 6-8. Be sure and download your copy via Amazon!

You can find Liz Long via:
Twitter  |  GoodReads  |  her blog  |  Amazon  |  Facebook

Trust me, you want to know Liz. She's awesome.


Source: Received from author in exchange for an honest review.