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Gwen Sparks #1
Craved
WITCH FOUND DRAINED
Gwen Sparks just wants to live a peaceful life in the supernatural town of Flora, but from the moment she read about the first murdered witch, all hope of peace was abandoned. Possessing the rare ability to read the memories of dead, she volunteers to help catch the culprit behind the string of drained witches. Gwen has to team up with the one man who broke her heart, deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at will, and a fight off the advances of sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins—he wants her heart.
This is a full length novel and contains adult content, not recommended for readers under 18 years old.
Gwen Sparks just wants to live a peaceful life in the supernatural town of Flora, but from the moment she read about the first murdered witch, all hope of peace was abandoned. Possessing the rare ability to read the memories of dead, she volunteers to help catch the culprit behind the string of drained witches. Gwen has to team up with the one man who broke her heart, deal with a ghost who pulls her into the deathly realm at will, and a fight off the advances of sexy but frustrating vampire who not only craves what runs through her veins—he wants her heart.
This is a full length novel and contains adult content, not recommended for readers under 18 years old.
283 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2011
138 people are currently reading
3414 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Nelson
12 books990 followersStephanie Nelson resides in Illinois with her husband and their furry children. She began writing five years ago as a hobby and quickly fell in love with storytelling. She’s been teased about being a vampire due to her night-owl ways. However, she claims to only write about the fanged and not be part of their ranks. When she’s not working on the next Gwen Sparks or Anna Avery adventure, she enjoys: reading, traveling, playing the Wii and spending time with her family. The best part of her job is connecting with her readers.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 199 reviews
February 20, 2016
2.5 This book could have been so much better if the writing was good!
The main characters were idiots! Gwen (the main female one) seemed promising the first 30% of the book. Then something happened: she became an idiot. That's when the bad guy first appeared. He was suppose to be the smartest of them all and well, he was so smart that everyone else actually became idiots.
The male character was suppose to be 600-something years and gah! He was worse than a 14 year old hormonal boy! At one point .
The only character I liked was the bad guy. He took advantage of the fact that all the rest were idiots and managed to do what he planned. Go go bad guy!
What I did like though was the plot. I really liked the idea and the story in general. And vampires who suck witches' powers when they drink their blood?! The story could have had potential! I'm so pissed off that the author didn't pay more attention and make the characters with a brain!
The main characters were idiots! Gwen (the main female one) seemed promising the first 30% of the book. Then something happened: she became an idiot. That's when the bad guy first appeared. He was suppose to be the smartest of them all and well, he was so smart that everyone else actually became idiots.
The male character was suppose to be 600-something years and gah! He was worse than a 14 year old hormonal boy! At one point .
The only character I liked was the bad guy. He took advantage of the fact that all the rest were idiots and managed to do what he planned. Go go bad guy!
What I did like though was the plot. I really liked the idea and the story in general. And vampires who suck witches' powers when they drink their blood?! The story could have had potential! I'm so pissed off that the author didn't pay more attention and make the characters with a brain!
September 19, 2011
Craved was just non stop awesomesauce! I couldn't put it down. Stephanie Nelson created such an amazing world with characters that I love.
We get so many of the paranormals I love in one book, we have witches with amazing powers, a dark sexy vampire and a hot werewolf. There's some steamy romance and awesome sex scenes. The mystery killer is on the loose and no witch is safe.
I just can't describe how much I loved this book. Every page had me intrigued and the story never disappointed. I can not wait to read more. I don't want to give to much of this book away but I think its a must read for anyone who loves paranormal romance!! Trust me you will LOVE it!
We get so many of the paranormals I love in one book, we have witches with amazing powers, a dark sexy vampire and a hot werewolf. There's some steamy romance and awesome sex scenes. The mystery killer is on the loose and no witch is safe.
I just can't describe how much I loved this book. Every page had me intrigued and the story never disappointed. I can not wait to read more. I don't want to give to much of this book away but I think its a must read for anyone who loves paranormal romance!! Trust me you will LOVE it!
November 10, 2011
So I read this on a reccomendation from Awesome Sauce. And I love Awesome Sauce, in the past I’ve gotten some great leads on my trashy/paranormal reads. They’re even nice enough to send me tips via Goodreads.
So I’m loathe to say this next part…
But I must…
‘Cause it happens…
I didn’t like this book! *eek* And yes, I did dislike this book with an exclamation point. I’ll give you that I was harder on this book because I picked it up during a time when I was dying for a can’t-put-it-down type of trashy romance. I needed a bodice ripper at it’s best. Luckily I didn’t put all my bookish dreams into one pot…Ashley over at Into The Hall of Books turned me onto The Night Huntress Series and it was love at first sight! So, while this first attempt [Craved] by Nelson held some potential for future trashy-ness I just couldn’t get past the bad writing.
You see in general I think trashy romances get a bad name. We’re told not to expect much from them…even I call them trashy…which is a slightly dismissive term of a genre that is the number one selling type of book in the Ebook market. Any who, back to my point. Craved wasn’t well written. It had potential. It reminded me of a book that was in it’s rough draft form…it was begging for an editor to comb the pages and help the author massage more depth into the plot, correct some flow issues, and generally edit. The whole thing reminded me of the brain vomit some students attempt to turn in after pulling an all nighter. That spew that ends up on a page after a student has consumed information but either is too scared or too late to fully sort through their info. It’s not that the bones of the story weren’t there…they just weren’t properly finished.
That being said I did enjoy the concept. A very powerful Witch solves a crime and falls in love with a Vampire. The sex scenes bordered on erotic and while they were satisfying *pun intended, lol* a little more heart from the characters would have driven home their point *pun not intended, if you see the pun that is…* I think a good sex scene needs not just physical tension but emotional tension as well. Nelson’s characters were a little rough to fulfill the latter element.
This book seems to be the start of a series. I don’t know that I’ll tune in for the next installment without better reviews across the board.
http://thelibrarianreads.wordpress.com
So I’m loathe to say this next part…
But I must…
‘Cause it happens…
I didn’t like this book! *eek* And yes, I did dislike this book with an exclamation point. I’ll give you that I was harder on this book because I picked it up during a time when I was dying for a can’t-put-it-down type of trashy romance. I needed a bodice ripper at it’s best. Luckily I didn’t put all my bookish dreams into one pot…Ashley over at Into The Hall of Books turned me onto The Night Huntress Series and it was love at first sight! So, while this first attempt [Craved] by Nelson held some potential for future trashy-ness I just couldn’t get past the bad writing.
You see in general I think trashy romances get a bad name. We’re told not to expect much from them…even I call them trashy…which is a slightly dismissive term of a genre that is the number one selling type of book in the Ebook market. Any who, back to my point. Craved wasn’t well written. It had potential. It reminded me of a book that was in it’s rough draft form…it was begging for an editor to comb the pages and help the author massage more depth into the plot, correct some flow issues, and generally edit. The whole thing reminded me of the brain vomit some students attempt to turn in after pulling an all nighter. That spew that ends up on a page after a student has consumed information but either is too scared or too late to fully sort through their info. It’s not that the bones of the story weren’t there…they just weren’t properly finished.
That being said I did enjoy the concept. A very powerful Witch solves a crime and falls in love with a Vampire. The sex scenes bordered on erotic and while they were satisfying *pun intended, lol* a little more heart from the characters would have driven home their point *pun not intended, if you see the pun that is…* I think a good sex scene needs not just physical tension but emotional tension as well. Nelson’s characters were a little rough to fulfill the latter element.
This book seems to be the start of a series. I don’t know that I’ll tune in for the next installment without better reviews across the board.
http://thelibrarianreads.wordpress.com
August 16, 2011
I CRAVE more! Gwen Sparks is a strong character with real flaws and serious witchy talent. Stephanie Nelson is a first time author with the chops to compete with the bigwigs for sure! Stephanie immerses you in a world you accept and find intriguing from page one on. The romance is stellar. The men: Micah, Aiden and Ian are fabulously drool worthy. I don't smoke, but if I did the sex scenes between Gwen and (not gonna fill in the blank here) were enough to have me craving a cig afterwards. The prose is fresh, confident and sexy. This book is on my kindle, but it's good enough that I'll be buying a paperback for my KEEPER shelf. Trust me folks, this author is going places, and I am definitely along for the ride.
January 8, 2016
HOLY SHIT!!!!
All I have to say is if you haven`t read this yet , drop whatever it is you`re reading and read it NOW... Seriously , Drop it and read it NOW....
This was such an amazing book.... And took me just under 4 hours to read through... The world Stephanie has created is amazing. I loved the characters and the relationship between Aiden and Gwen... I can honestly say this is one book where I couldn't really predict what was going to happen which is SO refreshing in a book. I have to say this series is definitely right up there with Jeaniene Frost's Cat and Bones novels... LOVE IT!!! Definitely reading the next and looking forward to seeing what happens with the rest of them...
All I have to say is if you haven`t read this yet , drop whatever it is you`re reading and read it NOW... Seriously , Drop it and read it NOW....
This was such an amazing book.... And took me just under 4 hours to read through... The world Stephanie has created is amazing. I loved the characters and the relationship between Aiden and Gwen... I can honestly say this is one book where I couldn't really predict what was going to happen which is SO refreshing in a book. I have to say this series is definitely right up there with Jeaniene Frost's Cat and Bones novels... LOVE IT!!! Definitely reading the next and looking forward to seeing what happens with the rest of them...
November 10, 2011
Review: ** 2 Stars
Gwen Sparks is a witch living in the otherworldly town of Flora, an enclave of witches, vampires, faeries, and werewolves where no humans are allowed to visit except on one weekend a year. She reads in the paper that a witch was found dead in a ditch, drained of blood, but the local police are encouraging people not to assume that it’s a serial killer. Gwen, unable to stand by while witches die, decides to offer her unique ability to learn the last thoughts of the dead to aid in the investigation, thrusting herself into a dangerous police case where she must work with her ex-boyfriend (a werewolf), appease her new boyfriend (a vampire), and avoid being next on the killer’s hitlist.
Reading the description, I had high hopes for this book and this author. Unfortunately, the reality did not meet up with my expectations.
The premise of the story was unbelievable. Gwen is an untrained civilian with no offensive magical capabilities. Yes, she’s helped the police in the past using her abilities, but I have to assume it was at their request and on a limited basis. It is completely unreasonable to expect cops to welcome a civilian as a full partner in an investigation, yet on this case Gwen manages to insert herself into the center of the action, not only reading the victim’s last thoughts, but going out with the cops to interview suspects and research leads. Beyond the initial setup, the story also suffered from bad formatting, stiff and immature dialogue, repetitive and unnecessary descriptions of character motives or behaviors, and a lack of a magical system that leads me to believe this was a first effort by an otherwise unpublished author. I would certainly encourage Ms. Nelson to keep trying, but unfortunately, CRAVED could have used more work before hitting the virtual shelves.
Characters: ** 2 Stars
Gwen is naive and somehow uneducated in her magic, despite living in a community surrounded by other witches. I’ll grant that she’s young at twenty-six, but I would have thought that she would have been better trained at the school she apparently attended at the age of sixteen. In the beginning, she is consumed by bitterness and grief over the breakup with her ex, avoiding the vampire that has essentially stalked her for two years, Aiden. Then without warning, she suddenly falls head over heels in love and can’t stop drooling over him. Meanwhile, Aiden does very little to deserve her sudden change of heart. He’s nice enough, but mostly serves as a pretty face and generic alpha male. The secondary characters are equally terrible. Fiona is a selfish, spoiled brat that acts like a teenager even though she’s supposed to be Gwen’s best friend. Micah is Gwen’s ex, but with the exception of the obvious tension in their relationship, I never got a good feel for him. And the villain might have been crafty, but Gwen suspected him immediately, so there was little suspense to the story.
Plot: *** 3 Stars
The plot had promise, but it was overwhelmed by poor execution. The first several chapters could have been condensed to provide a more concise introduction to the instigating event. The magic system also needed to be further developed: there were no rules as to what could or could not be done. In some cases the witches would use magic to change clothes or put makeup on their face, all with just a thought, and then they had to order a dress from the local tailor. Finally, the ending was both predictable and far too open-ended for my taste, leaving me wanting (but not in a good way).
Setting: ** 2 Stars
I never got a good feel for the setting throughout the book. For one thing, the town being segregated from humans threw me for a loop. Supposedly it’s the humans that want separation, but then only a select few, chosen by the town, are able to visit during an annual festival, while the otherworldly residents can apparently come and go as they please. I was also never clear on the boundaries of the investigation. How does the Flora police department have rights to go into other towns to do its investigation? Were the other towns also otherworld towns? It was confusing to say the least.
Romance: * 1 Star
Gwen and Aiden were completely unbelievable together. First, Gwen wants nothing to do with Aiden. He’s an annoyance. Then with a flip of a switch, she adores him. They have sex at the most inappropriate times, like when they’re supposed to be on a stakeout and Gwen’s ex (a werewolf with supernatural hearing) is nearby. The romance was forced and almost entirely about the sex rather than their relationship.
Genre - Urban Fantasy: ** 2 Stars
The author hits on a few of the urban fantasy tropes, but none are particularly well executed. There are a couple of deaths and some action, but the horror and gore isn’t well described. Gwen is on an investigation, but most of the facts just fall into her lap, or are dropped there by ghosts. It’s sort of in an urban setting, but I couldn’t tell if Flora was really a city or just a large town. Overall, I was underwhelmed.
Gwen Sparks is a witch living in the otherworldly town of Flora, an enclave of witches, vampires, faeries, and werewolves where no humans are allowed to visit except on one weekend a year. She reads in the paper that a witch was found dead in a ditch, drained of blood, but the local police are encouraging people not to assume that it’s a serial killer. Gwen, unable to stand by while witches die, decides to offer her unique ability to learn the last thoughts of the dead to aid in the investigation, thrusting herself into a dangerous police case where she must work with her ex-boyfriend (a werewolf), appease her new boyfriend (a vampire), and avoid being next on the killer’s hitlist.
Reading the description, I had high hopes for this book and this author. Unfortunately, the reality did not meet up with my expectations.
The premise of the story was unbelievable. Gwen is an untrained civilian with no offensive magical capabilities. Yes, she’s helped the police in the past using her abilities, but I have to assume it was at their request and on a limited basis. It is completely unreasonable to expect cops to welcome a civilian as a full partner in an investigation, yet on this case Gwen manages to insert herself into the center of the action, not only reading the victim’s last thoughts, but going out with the cops to interview suspects and research leads. Beyond the initial setup, the story also suffered from bad formatting, stiff and immature dialogue, repetitive and unnecessary descriptions of character motives or behaviors, and a lack of a magical system that leads me to believe this was a first effort by an otherwise unpublished author. I would certainly encourage Ms. Nelson to keep trying, but unfortunately, CRAVED could have used more work before hitting the virtual shelves.
Characters: ** 2 Stars
Gwen is naive and somehow uneducated in her magic, despite living in a community surrounded by other witches. I’ll grant that she’s young at twenty-six, but I would have thought that she would have been better trained at the school she apparently attended at the age of sixteen. In the beginning, she is consumed by bitterness and grief over the breakup with her ex, avoiding the vampire that has essentially stalked her for two years, Aiden. Then without warning, she suddenly falls head over heels in love and can’t stop drooling over him. Meanwhile, Aiden does very little to deserve her sudden change of heart. He’s nice enough, but mostly serves as a pretty face and generic alpha male. The secondary characters are equally terrible. Fiona is a selfish, spoiled brat that acts like a teenager even though she’s supposed to be Gwen’s best friend. Micah is Gwen’s ex, but with the exception of the obvious tension in their relationship, I never got a good feel for him. And the villain might have been crafty, but Gwen suspected him immediately, so there was little suspense to the story.
Plot: *** 3 Stars
The plot had promise, but it was overwhelmed by poor execution. The first several chapters could have been condensed to provide a more concise introduction to the instigating event. The magic system also needed to be further developed: there were no rules as to what could or could not be done. In some cases the witches would use magic to change clothes or put makeup on their face, all with just a thought, and then they had to order a dress from the local tailor. Finally, the ending was both predictable and far too open-ended for my taste, leaving me wanting (but not in a good way).
Setting: ** 2 Stars
I never got a good feel for the setting throughout the book. For one thing, the town being segregated from humans threw me for a loop. Supposedly it’s the humans that want separation, but then only a select few, chosen by the town, are able to visit during an annual festival, while the otherworldly residents can apparently come and go as they please. I was also never clear on the boundaries of the investigation. How does the Flora police department have rights to go into other towns to do its investigation? Were the other towns also otherworld towns? It was confusing to say the least.
Romance: * 1 Star
Gwen and Aiden were completely unbelievable together. First, Gwen wants nothing to do with Aiden. He’s an annoyance. Then with a flip of a switch, she adores him. They have sex at the most inappropriate times, like when they’re supposed to be on a stakeout and Gwen’s ex (a werewolf with supernatural hearing) is nearby. The romance was forced and almost entirely about the sex rather than their relationship.
Genre - Urban Fantasy: ** 2 Stars
The author hits on a few of the urban fantasy tropes, but none are particularly well executed. There are a couple of deaths and some action, but the horror and gore isn’t well described. Gwen is on an investigation, but most of the facts just fall into her lap, or are dropped there by ghosts. It’s sort of in an urban setting, but I couldn’t tell if Flora was really a city or just a large town. Overall, I was underwhelmed.
September 18, 2011
Today's review is on Craved by Stephanie Nelson
Craved is the first installment in Nelson's Gwen Sparks series and has promise to be a great success. Nicely written and well edited, Craved is one of those books that you just can't put down.
Gwen Sparks is a witch, and not just any witch. Gwen can read the dead with the help of her cat who is her link to the spirit world. When Gwen reads about the recent murder of a witch, she is compelled to help the local PD find the person responsible, but that would mean working closely with Micah the Were that broke her heart. Then there's Aiden, the vampire who has been in love with her since the day they met in a cafe. She is undeniably attracted to him, and that attraction is finally set free as they become involved.
The three of them find out that witches are being killed for their magical blood that gives new vampires a high and those older the ability to perform magic themselves.
Craved has just enough mystery, just enough adventure and suspense, and just enough sex to keep you up through the night hoping that your vampire lover will come for you next.
5 of 5 stars
Craved is the first installment in Nelson's Gwen Sparks series and has promise to be a great success. Nicely written and well edited, Craved is one of those books that you just can't put down.
Gwen Sparks is a witch, and not just any witch. Gwen can read the dead with the help of her cat who is her link to the spirit world. When Gwen reads about the recent murder of a witch, she is compelled to help the local PD find the person responsible, but that would mean working closely with Micah the Were that broke her heart. Then there's Aiden, the vampire who has been in love with her since the day they met in a cafe. She is undeniably attracted to him, and that attraction is finally set free as they become involved.
The three of them find out that witches are being killed for their magical blood that gives new vampires a high and those older the ability to perform magic themselves.
Craved has just enough mystery, just enough adventure and suspense, and just enough sex to keep you up through the night hoping that your vampire lover will come for you next.
5 of 5 stars
February 9, 2012
I know I'm alone in this, but I really didn't care for this book. The writing seemed jumbled at times. Things were just worded oddly. A good editor would probably have caught most of it and helped tighten the story. However, there were so many issues, a good editor might also suggest scrapping it and starting again. For one thing, Aiden's addiction was too short and taken care of too easily. That could have led to an interesting story line, but it didn't. I'm not going to list everything I scratched my head at, so I'll just say this is one I would not recommend. At least it was only 1.99. Wait, I paid 1.99!
August 1, 2011
Craved by Stephanie Nelson is a captivating read that kept me turning the pages and wanting more. I enjoyed the chemistry between Gwen, the witchy protagonist and Aiden, the sexy vampire pursuing her. Add in a murder mystery, some laugh out loud humor, a wolfy ex and magic galore and you have Craved. I am very much looking forward to the next installment of this new series.
October 21, 2011
I received this book as part of a book tour. This does not change my review.
Craved by Stephanie Nelson was a wonderfully enjoyable read. Gwen Sparks is a witch with an affinity for seeing the memories of recently deceased people, and she’s hoping her talent will help the police discover who is killing witches in the supernatural town of Flora. In this series supernaturals live in separate, hidden towns away from “normal” humans. Once a year, certain humans are invited to visit Flora for a weekend, and it is around this time that witches are turning up dead and drained of blood.
I was sucked in to the story from the very beginning and I loved Gwen and Aiden together. Aiden, a vampire, grows on the reader much like he eventually grows on Gwen. It was so much fun reading about his antics and ploys to try to get Gwen to date him and get over her ex Micah, who broke up with her because he needed someone with whom he could produce pure blooded were-wolf children. Throw Gwen’s roommate Fiona, a fellow witch, into the mix, and you’ve got a group of characters sure to keep you laughing.
Not all is fun and games in the story though, and by the end of the novel the reader will be left wondering how Gwen is going to cope with a situation that occurs to her. The next book in the series should see Gwen growing as a character and as a witch. I’m excited to see how Gwen and Aiden will grow in their relationship as well; by the end of the novel it’s obvious how much Aiden loves Gwen and wants to make her happy.
Final thoughts: Craved was a good start to a new series, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next for Gwen, Aiden, Micah and Fiona. The story was humorous and at times suspenseful, and the characters are easily liked. Book two will definitely be added to my reading list!
Craved by Stephanie Nelson was a wonderfully enjoyable read. Gwen Sparks is a witch with an affinity for seeing the memories of recently deceased people, and she’s hoping her talent will help the police discover who is killing witches in the supernatural town of Flora. In this series supernaturals live in separate, hidden towns away from “normal” humans. Once a year, certain humans are invited to visit Flora for a weekend, and it is around this time that witches are turning up dead and drained of blood.
I was sucked in to the story from the very beginning and I loved Gwen and Aiden together. Aiden, a vampire, grows on the reader much like he eventually grows on Gwen. It was so much fun reading about his antics and ploys to try to get Gwen to date him and get over her ex Micah, who broke up with her because he needed someone with whom he could produce pure blooded were-wolf children. Throw Gwen’s roommate Fiona, a fellow witch, into the mix, and you’ve got a group of characters sure to keep you laughing.
Not all is fun and games in the story though, and by the end of the novel the reader will be left wondering how Gwen is going to cope with a situation that occurs to her. The next book in the series should see Gwen growing as a character and as a witch. I’m excited to see how Gwen and Aiden will grow in their relationship as well; by the end of the novel it’s obvious how much Aiden loves Gwen and wants to make her happy.
Final thoughts: Craved was a good start to a new series, and I can’t wait to find out what happens next for Gwen, Aiden, Micah and Fiona. The story was humorous and at times suspenseful, and the characters are easily liked. Book two will definitely be added to my reading list!
October 28, 2011
I love Craved by up and coming author Stephanie Nelson! I enjoyed the thoughtfully written characters and story. Gwen Sparks is a witch who can see the memories of the recently deceased. She has great chemistry with vampire Aidan. This is a great blend of paranormal, mystery, and romance/sex. This is a story for adults, the sex is well written and goes with the story. The story is alot of fun and has some great twists. If you enjoy paramormal romance or urban fantasy you must read this book! Great work Stephanie! Can't wait for the next book, I am craving more Gwen, Aidan, and company!
December 21, 2011
Well, if you want a romance with the requisite 'nether regions heating up' sort of language, this book is for you. It's a pretty immature read as romance goes, with the leading lady always crying and needing a rescue in between not figuring out what's right in front of her and rushing headlong into a bad situation with nary a thought in her pretty little head.
The supernatural part was so-so; most of it was just a regurgitation of regular myths with a couple of 'vampires have a reflection' thrown in as differences.
Cannot recommend this series to anyone who likes kick-ass heroines and supernatural action. Bought for $1.99 and feel it's overpriced.
The supernatural part was so-so; most of it was just a regurgitation of regular myths with a couple of 'vampires have a reflection' thrown in as differences.
Cannot recommend this series to anyone who likes kick-ass heroines and supernatural action. Bought for $1.99 and feel it's overpriced.
September 18, 2011
Awesome Paranormal story!
I loved Gwen. She felt real and her decisions felt real. It took me a chapter or so to really dig into the book, but it sure does pick up after that! The different types of paranormal beings were well thought out, their powers made sense, and their interactions weren't the stereotypical aspects we've come to expect in paranormal books.
Ms. Nelson has a talent for developing characters that will keep you coming back for more. Craved is a definite must-read. I'm really looking forward to the next Gwen Sparks novel. (And looking forward to more Aiden. Yum!)
I loved Gwen. She felt real and her decisions felt real. It took me a chapter or so to really dig into the book, but it sure does pick up after that! The different types of paranormal beings were well thought out, their powers made sense, and their interactions weren't the stereotypical aspects we've come to expect in paranormal books.
Ms. Nelson has a talent for developing characters that will keep you coming back for more. Craved is a definite must-read. I'm really looking forward to the next Gwen Sparks novel. (And looking forward to more Aiden. Yum!)
November 4, 2011
Loved the world-building here. Really fascinating world that Nelson creates and one I definitely want to come back to! Bring on Book Two!
January 12, 2017
Deducting a star for the incorrect accent/dialogue used. Bedford is near London but we don't have a London accent thank you very much.
Its a decent read, I don't like Aiden that much or even at all, he isn't my cup of tea.
I like Gwen, shes kick ass and doesn't take crap. That is it really. Maybe I'll read the next book maybe I won't
Its a decent read, I don't like Aiden that much or even at all, he isn't my cup of tea.
I like Gwen, shes kick ass and doesn't take crap. That is it really. Maybe I'll read the next book maybe I won't
July 31, 2018
I think the most I can say for this one is 'Meh.' I didn't hate it, but I wasn't really all that impressed either. I was expecting to like it too, since it has so many great reviews. But I found myself irritated and confused more often than not.
To begin with, Gwen got on my nerves from the very first page. Her whole 'he broke my heart' spiel was like a broken record. Then when it came out that this relationship that ended, broke her heart and left her so bereft she was unable/unwilling to open herself and love again had only lasted 8 months, I just pretty much said a mental 'pishaw.' Overreaction anyone?
Then there was the fact that Nelson set up magical rules, but didn't seem to follow them. Why don't Gwen and Aiden have a blood bond if Gwen's same interactions with Ian resulted in one? How did removing Gwen's magic from Aiden break his addiction if he was addicted before he encountered her magic to begin with? If Gwen had certain magical abilities, how come she occasionally managed to do things she shouldn't have been able to do? I realise some of this was the development of a new talent, but why was it suddenly popping up?
Then there was the whole premise of witches' blood being addictive. I have a really, really hard time figuring out how this small fact has remained unknown for all eternity. Seems to me that at some point some vampire would have gotten his/her hand on a witch and gone 'oh yeah, that's some good stuff right there.' So the whole plot of this 'new drug' seemed implausible at best.
Then there were the pitiful sex scenes. They were all really, really rushed--some no more than two or three paragraphs and there was very little detail...or for-play. Which was apparently OK because Gwen can, enviably, orgasm at the drop of a hat. (Not to mention the characters odd tendency to hop to it while in otherwise dangerous situations.)
I noticed a quite few editorial and consistency errors and the book was in first person, which I generally dislike. But I admit that the writing was pretty good. And though Aiden often appeared weak, I did really like how much he loved Gwen. Many of the issues I've highlighted as annoyances for me might not irk other readers. So, this might just be a case of the right reader for the book.
Edit 08/31/2018: I think the fact that I just read 80% of this book and didn't realize (until I came here to GR to post an update) that I'd already read it tells you exactly how memorable this book is. I have no memory of reading it before, but I'm sure glad for the excuse not to finish it this time around.
To begin with, Gwen got on my nerves from the very first page. Her whole 'he broke my heart' spiel was like a broken record. Then when it came out that this relationship that ended, broke her heart and left her so bereft she was unable/unwilling to open herself and love again had only lasted 8 months, I just pretty much said a mental 'pishaw.' Overreaction anyone?
Then there was the fact that Nelson set up magical rules, but didn't seem to follow them. Why don't Gwen and Aiden have a blood bond if Gwen's same interactions with Ian resulted in one? How did removing Gwen's magic from Aiden break his addiction if he was addicted before he encountered her magic to begin with? If Gwen had certain magical abilities, how come she occasionally managed to do things she shouldn't have been able to do? I realise some of this was the development of a new talent, but why was it suddenly popping up?
Then there was the whole premise of witches' blood being addictive. I have a really, really hard time figuring out how this small fact has remained unknown for all eternity. Seems to me that at some point some vampire would have gotten his/her hand on a witch and gone 'oh yeah, that's some good stuff right there.' So the whole plot of this 'new drug' seemed implausible at best.
Then there were the pitiful sex scenes. They were all really, really rushed--some no more than two or three paragraphs and there was very little detail...or for-play. Which was apparently OK because Gwen can, enviably, orgasm at the drop of a hat. (Not to mention the characters odd tendency to hop to it while in otherwise dangerous situations.)
I noticed a quite few editorial and consistency errors and the book was in first person, which I generally dislike. But I admit that the writing was pretty good. And though Aiden often appeared weak, I did really like how much he loved Gwen. Many of the issues I've highlighted as annoyances for me might not irk other readers. So, this might just be a case of the right reader for the book.
Edit 08/31/2018: I think the fact that I just read 80% of this book and didn't realize (until I came here to GR to post an update) that I'd already read it tells you exactly how memorable this book is. I have no memory of reading it before, but I'm sure glad for the excuse not to finish it this time around.
March 22, 2012
This book was absolutely amazing! To be honest, I haven’t heard or read any reviews about this book, but I’m so glad I decided to read it! “Craved” by Stephanie Nelson is the first book in the Gwen Sparks series and it was a great read!
Witches, vampires and werewolves are the main characters in this urban fantasy series and all of them are having big problems in this story! Gwen is a witch and she lives in a small city in which all kind of supernatural lives in, with her roommate, another witch, Fiona. She lives a simple life with normal problems such as her pain over her ex-boyfriend, Micah, who left her because they were from different species and the persistent flirt by a very sexy vampire, Aiden. But now, things are getting weird. Vampire are murdering witches for blood and Gwen has to work with Micah to solve the case while she’s trying to start a relationship with Aiden. And then, everything goes wrong!
I loved this story and the characters! Gwen is a typical young woman who has boyfriend problems and a very good friend as a roommate. At the beginning of the story we learn about her relationship with Micah and why it comes to an end. I felt sorry for her, but I was glad to see that she realized she wanted Aiden, because although I believe that Micah cares about her, I don’t think that he loves her enough. She’s also a great friend because we can see that she truly would do anything to save her friend.
Aiden is a sexy vampire and sometimes too good to be true! He’s flirting with Gwen since he met her, two years ago, and he does it really good! He is very protective, brave and romantic. It’s nice to see that he’s a little insecure because he seems more human. I love him!
Micah is Gwen’s ex-boyfriend. He’s not a bad guy but he did some really dumb things! He left Gwen because his father told him and now that they work together he thinks that it’s appropriate to tell her that he wants her. The best part? He has a relationship already!
Fiona is Gwen’s friend and roommate. She comes from a rich family and she doesn’t have the best relationship with her parents. She is a big part of the story but I can’t say anything else because it would be a spoiler!
The plot was amazing! It combines suspense, adventure and romance and the result is very good! I recommend this book to all the fans of urban fantasy!
Witches, vampires and werewolves are the main characters in this urban fantasy series and all of them are having big problems in this story! Gwen is a witch and she lives in a small city in which all kind of supernatural lives in, with her roommate, another witch, Fiona. She lives a simple life with normal problems such as her pain over her ex-boyfriend, Micah, who left her because they were from different species and the persistent flirt by a very sexy vampire, Aiden. But now, things are getting weird. Vampire are murdering witches for blood and Gwen has to work with Micah to solve the case while she’s trying to start a relationship with Aiden. And then, everything goes wrong!
I loved this story and the characters! Gwen is a typical young woman who has boyfriend problems and a very good friend as a roommate. At the beginning of the story we learn about her relationship with Micah and why it comes to an end. I felt sorry for her, but I was glad to see that she realized she wanted Aiden, because although I believe that Micah cares about her, I don’t think that he loves her enough. She’s also a great friend because we can see that she truly would do anything to save her friend.
Aiden is a sexy vampire and sometimes too good to be true! He’s flirting with Gwen since he met her, two years ago, and he does it really good! He is very protective, brave and romantic. It’s nice to see that he’s a little insecure because he seems more human. I love him!
Micah is Gwen’s ex-boyfriend. He’s not a bad guy but he did some really dumb things! He left Gwen because his father told him and now that they work together he thinks that it’s appropriate to tell her that he wants her. The best part? He has a relationship already!
Fiona is Gwen’s friend and roommate. She comes from a rich family and she doesn’t have the best relationship with her parents. She is a big part of the story but I can’t say anything else because it would be a spoiler!
The plot was amazing! It combines suspense, adventure and romance and the result is very good! I recommend this book to all the fans of urban fantasy!
October 15, 2011
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Craved was kindly provided to me for an upcoming blog tour through
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Craved is the first book in the Gwen Sparks series by Stephanie Nelson.
Gwen Sparks is a powerful witch with the ability to see into the memories of the newly deceased with the help of her cat and familiar, Aura. She runs her magical store and lives with her best friend, Fiona in Flora, Missouri a small town which houses supernatural beings and where magic restricts anyone human from entering.
Gwen had her heart-broken by her ex because she wasn’t the same species and has avoided the sexy, flirty, infuriating vampire Aiden who has been smitten and pursuing her since he first laid eyes on her, but she cant ignore his advances for long especially since she will soon be needing his help.
When Gwen learns that young vampires are murdering witches for their blood and selling it as a drug known as brew, she accepts an offer to assist the Flora Police Department where she’ll team up with her ex-boyfriend, detective Micah Reynolds to catch the murderer. Not only does she have to deal with working with Micah but one of the murder victims is utilizing her new found ‘rare’ ability of spirit walking and pulling her into the realm of death.
There were a number of twists and turns in Craved, I enjoyed the investigation process and the dramas which surrounded Gwen – the villain has left me intrigued and I am curious to see what he has planned for Gwen in the sequel.
I was completely engrossed in each of the main characters and had a pretty good glimpse of some of the secondary characters, the romance was perfect for me and although there was a ‘slight’ love triangle, I am glad Ms Nelson didn’t make it too complex.
I really enjoyed Craved, the world-building and the enjoyable plot flowed quickly and smoothly and held my interest. I liked Ms Nelson’s writing style and her vivid imagination, the paranormal beings all worked well together and I am curious to see where she takes the brewing feud in the next installment.
Craved was kindly provided to me for an upcoming blog tour through
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Craved is the first book in the Gwen Sparks series by Stephanie Nelson.
Gwen Sparks is a powerful witch with the ability to see into the memories of the newly deceased with the help of her cat and familiar, Aura. She runs her magical store and lives with her best friend, Fiona in Flora, Missouri a small town which houses supernatural beings and where magic restricts anyone human from entering.
Gwen had her heart-broken by her ex because she wasn’t the same species and has avoided the sexy, flirty, infuriating vampire Aiden who has been smitten and pursuing her since he first laid eyes on her, but she cant ignore his advances for long especially since she will soon be needing his help.
When Gwen learns that young vampires are murdering witches for their blood and selling it as a drug known as brew, she accepts an offer to assist the Flora Police Department where she’ll team up with her ex-boyfriend, detective Micah Reynolds to catch the murderer. Not only does she have to deal with working with Micah but one of the murder victims is utilizing her new found ‘rare’ ability of spirit walking and pulling her into the realm of death.
There were a number of twists and turns in Craved, I enjoyed the investigation process and the dramas which surrounded Gwen – the villain has left me intrigued and I am curious to see what he has planned for Gwen in the sequel.
I was completely engrossed in each of the main characters and had a pretty good glimpse of some of the secondary characters, the romance was perfect for me and although there was a ‘slight’ love triangle, I am glad Ms Nelson didn’t make it too complex.
I really enjoyed Craved, the world-building and the enjoyable plot flowed quickly and smoothly and held my interest. I liked Ms Nelson’s writing style and her vivid imagination, the paranormal beings all worked well together and I am curious to see where she takes the brewing feud in the next installment.
September 27, 2011
I absolutely adored this book. I felt like Veruca Salt from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory when I found out that there wasn't another Gwen Sparks book out yet. I want it and I want it now.
I love that Stephanie gives us this totally amazing, strong character that you're able to relate too. I mean besides the fact that she's got these amazing witch powers. Gwen is awesome, smart, business savvy, talented, and a smart ass. She doesn't let anyone boss her around or lead her on. She doesn't jump from a guy who broke her heart to the sexy vampire who has been after her for two years just because he's sexy as all sexy. I love Gwen, I wish I was Gwen. I might need to get a life. Or Stephanie just gave us that amazing of a story.
You get a great feeling for all of the people surrounding Gwen. Stephanie has a great way of making all of these characters seem like people who are alive. I love the relationship between Fiona and Gwen. Fiona is her room mate and b.f.f. They have a great relationship. I love Aiden (the sexy vamp), Aiden is amazing. I need an Aiden. Aiden is now on my list of Hottie McHottie's that I'm in love with.
You all should read this. You're going to have an amazing time if you do. You are all going to turn into Veruca Salt clones like I did.
I love that Stephanie gives us this totally amazing, strong character that you're able to relate too. I mean besides the fact that she's got these amazing witch powers. Gwen is awesome, smart, business savvy, talented, and a smart ass. She doesn't let anyone boss her around or lead her on. She doesn't jump from a guy who broke her heart to the sexy vampire who has been after her for two years just because he's sexy as all sexy. I love Gwen, I wish I was Gwen. I might need to get a life. Or Stephanie just gave us that amazing of a story.
You get a great feeling for all of the people surrounding Gwen. Stephanie has a great way of making all of these characters seem like people who are alive. I love the relationship between Fiona and Gwen. Fiona is her room mate and b.f.f. They have a great relationship. I love Aiden (the sexy vamp), Aiden is amazing. I need an Aiden. Aiden is now on my list of Hottie McHottie's that I'm in love with.
You all should read this. You're going to have an amazing time if you do. You are all going to turn into Veruca Salt clones like I did.
September 15, 2011
This was pretty good, and I couldn't really put it down. Interesting world, where humans and the paranormals co-exist but the paranormals live in their own towns and only let Humans in once a year. I thought that might play more into the story but it really didn't. Our main character is Gwen Sparks and she's a witch, she was like-able enough and the sexual tension and the love triangle was written fairly well.
But once I sat down to write out this review, I realized what this book was, a vanilla version of the Anita Blake books. Were ex-boyfriends and Vampire boyfriends; Vampires that want to collect the witch because she's special, absorbing powers ect.
I thought it was original when I was reading it but now I'm thinking not so much. BUT hopefully this whole paranormal war supposedly happening in the next book will be more interesting.
Overall I still like the book and will most likely pick up the next one too.
But once I sat down to write out this review, I realized what this book was, a vanilla version of the Anita Blake books. Were ex-boyfriends and Vampire boyfriends; Vampires that want to collect the witch because she's special, absorbing powers ect.
I thought it was original when I was reading it but now I'm thinking not so much. BUT hopefully this whole paranormal war supposedly happening in the next book will be more interesting.
Overall I still like the book and will most likely pick up the next one too.
November 23, 2013
This is primarily a Witch and Vampire story, with the odd Werewolf as well.
Witches are being murdered for their blood, and hello who drinks blood?
Gwen Sparks, our h is a spirit walker and witch with a nice little magical shop, Aiden our H is the vamp who has wanted her for 2 yrs following her breakup with the local Sheriff, Micah, a werewolf.
The Witches Blood is called Brew, and Gwen is assisting Micah in trying to find out who is murdering the witches.
On the surface this seems like a perfectly simple little story, even maybe a standalone. However, it does turn nasty & a long plot is put in place which looks like leading to a war between the Vamps and the Witches.
I'm not a great fan of witch stories, but I'll probably read the next one in the series just to find out what happens.
Witches are being murdered for their blood, and hello who drinks blood?
Gwen Sparks, our h is a spirit walker and witch with a nice little magical shop, Aiden our H is the vamp who has wanted her for 2 yrs following her breakup with the local Sheriff, Micah, a werewolf.
The Witches Blood is called Brew, and Gwen is assisting Micah in trying to find out who is murdering the witches.
On the surface this seems like a perfectly simple little story, even maybe a standalone. However, it does turn nasty & a long plot is put in place which looks like leading to a war between the Vamps and the Witches.
I'm not a great fan of witch stories, but I'll probably read the next one in the series just to find out what happens.
September 9, 2011
as far as books go this is one of the best book i have read in a long time . it takes a bit for a book to keep my attion and this book kept my attion all the way till the end leaving me wanting more . if ur a fan of twilight u will deff... love this book . the love the tention the crime and eevn the sex in the book keeps you wondering whats going to happen next .
September 14, 2012
I liked the magic. I'm not one for murder mysteries really and that was my bad for not reading the back of the book better. But for those who like that Stephanie did a great job writing this book! She had some neat twists in this story, and some really creepy bad guys.
For 18+ year old and does contain lengthy sex scenes that I had to skip.
For 18+ year old and does contain lengthy sex scenes that I had to skip.
November 2, 2011
Well I couldn't put the book down. Wow!! I'm speechless. Hope another one is soon to follow. Very fluid writing and creative to say the least. Wasn't anything I didn't like about the story. The romance was fantastic. Definitely not a book for younger than 18.....maybe older! :)
December 22, 2011
I wrestled with giving this book two stars or four stars.
Four stars because:
Really interesting world, cool characters, down-to-earth voice.
Two stars:
The story didn't bring anything new to the urban fantas world. I like new stuff.
So I'm settling on three stars.
Four stars because:
Really interesting world, cool characters, down-to-earth voice.
Two stars:
The story didn't bring anything new to the urban fantas world. I like new stuff.
So I'm settling on three stars.
August 9, 2016
Some women have all the luck. 3 hot supernatural men completely in love with her. Most of us would just settle for 1. I think Gwen was just being greedy. Some of the story was really good and some was blah.
April 23, 2012
Rather good beginning of paranormal series with steamy romance, decent plot and likeable protagonists.
kindle-i-own-to-read
October 11, 2012Amazon Freebie 10/10/2012
December 1, 2014
DNF at 45%
November 4, 2011
Loved Aiden. I really enjoyed this book! Cannot wait for the sequel, Hunted.
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