Give me magic, gadgets, monsters, zombies, everything that seems impossible, and throw in some tough chicks with swords. That's the stuff.

Friday, June 6, 2014

Aces Wild Review & GIVEAWAY


Today I have a review of the first in a new, multi-author PNR series set in the supernatural side of Vegas. Each one a standalone novella, the Sin City Collectors kicks off with ACES WILD by Amanda Carlson.

The blurbage: "Nevada Hamilton has learned a few things since becoming a Sin City Collector, and staying away from vampires is one of them. After botching her first Collection, the vamp getting away after causing as much damage as possible, she hasn’t been assigned to another one since.

But when she receives her next playing card, she’s in for a surprise. Not only is a vampire her next target, but they’ve paired her up to make sure she gets the job done right. Refusing a Collection is not an option, but when she discovers who she’s working with, making the mission as difficult as possible for her new partner becomes her top priority…

Being a hellhound isn’t enough to protect Jake Troubadour from Nevada Hamilton, no matter how thick his skin is. Finding out he has to work with the beautiful dhampir, after not seeing her for three years, is a low blow—but Jake is a professional. He takes his Collections as seriously as he does running his bar. He’ll do whatever it takes to get the job done, but after that, he’s out. No more chances for the girl who wrecked his bike and scarred his soul so long ago. But even with his heart dead set against it, this hellhound quickly finds he’s not immune to love after all."

Supernatural bounty hunters, magical con artists, killers, and a shadowy enforcement agency with a Boss you don't cross, this is the world our heroes call home. Nevada had a messed up childhood. Not only is she half-vampire, but her mother is an addict and Neve learned fast that she could only rely on herself. Jake is pretty grounded, except when it comes to Neve...

Yep, sparks fly, banter is high, and there is plenty of steam in this Romance. I did like that when certain evidence came to light, that Neve didn't dig in her heels and refuse to see the truth. She still stands her ground and is fiercely independent, and I'm always a fan of that.

It's a novella, so I'm not going to go into a lot of detail on plot points. We get a quick intro to the supernatural community and a bit of the workings of the Collectors. My one drawback was there isn't a lot of room to get to know many side characters, but they are introduced and I'm sure we'll see some of them again. The main story comes to a conclusion, and I liked where the relationship stands at the end. The last section was really sweet.

Yes, Romance fans, you will like Jake very much.

As always with Amanda's books, I had so much fun reading this story. Kickass action combined with interesting characters, and I liked the mythology of this supernatural Vegas. If I was a supe and needed to blend, Sin City would be a good choice.

We've only scratched the surface of the Collectors. There is a lot to explore in this world. I'll be checking out QUEEN OF HEARTS by Kristen Painter in July.

Buy links for ACES WILD:
US: Kindle | Nook | iTunes | Kobo | Google

Amazon UK
Amazon France

Amanda Carlson:

Sin City Collectors on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sincitycollectors

Now on to the GIVEAWAY. Enter using the Rafflecopter below for a chance at a $100 Amazon gift card (US) and Jessica McClain signed book & swag (INT). Thanks for the giveaway, Amanda!
a Rafflecopter giveaway




[received a review copy]

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