Location: United States
Member Since:
Sep. 02, 2011
Midalah Ballinger
Biography
Just an aspiring writer at the moment that does some reviews for a blog and keep up my own. Hope to have something done to publish soon.
Where to find Midalah Ballinger online
Smashwords book reviews by Midalah Ballinger
-
The Demon of Annwn
on Sep. 19, 2011
Arianrhod, known as Arian to many, comes from a rich history that extends over two very distinct cultures. Visions of a past life plague her just as she receives devastating news that brings her back to her hometown. Thus begins her journey into a world she knew she would eventually embrace, just never expecting to do so as soon as she has. Overall, I liked this book. The idea of the story is enriched by the amount of history and mythology that was obviously researched to bring it to life. There are times when parts of the story goes into unnecessary details, especially during the first few chapters. This tends to bog the book down at first because a lot of information is being thrown at you; it also seems that a couple chapters seem to jump from one time to another without an easy transition. Also, If you are looking for a book brimming with romance with the paranormal intertwined, this is not the book for you. The book reads more as an ensemble piece rather than a romance. Arian is very much the heroine, but there is never a clear hero. There are three men in Arian's life as the story progresses, eventually going down to two, but it's hard to root for one or the other as her true love or even truly see the connections between them. We get snatches here and there, but no real romance involved. The steamy rating stems from two scenes of graphic sex: one scene between Arian and one of the men and another between two other characters. Right off the bat, I will say this is book one of a series, which is obvious with how abruptly it ends. The story is interesting enough to me that I would like to read the next book to see how it unfolds. There is a lot of promise. If you are looking for a good paranormal story with some romance thrown in, you'll enjoy this book.
-
Bound to the Prince
on Sep. 22, 2011
Elves, trolls & gargoyles- OH MY! Elathan isn't just a sexy Elven prince, he is a SMEXY Elven prince, who also happens to be living in exile. Despite an obvious hatred for humans, he finds himself drawn to Igraine Chandler, a simple Jersey girl who has had her heart broken. Claiming her as his slave, we are led on a journey so sensual and mesmerizing that it will leave you squirming in your seat from the intensity of the love scenes while leaving you yearning to know more about this fantasy world we've been pulled into with Igraine. I have always been fascinated with author's depictions of fantasy worlds of any kind and I was left mesmerized with much of this world that Court has created, even relishing in an unusual approach to a time honored creature. Since I don't want to give it a way, I would just say pick up this book and see for yourself. You won't be disappointed. My only quibbles about the book is more of a personal preference than anything "bad" about it. I felt the prologue was unnecessary. As the reader, I would have preferred to find out what happened in the prologue through Igraine's "eyes" as she learned of Elathan's history and his reason for hating humans. I also would have loved to have read more about the events that lead up to the climax of the book throughout instead of beginning so far in. While it seemed to work despite where it started, it could very well be conceived as feeling rushed to quickly include a larger plot to go with the erotica. I will say that Deborah Court's premier book certainly leaves its mark! "Bound to the Prince" is the first of her planned Elven Warrior Trilogy and if the other stories are as engaging and hot as this one, you better believe I will be gobbling them up!