Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Lisa Renee Jones - The Legend of Michael (Zodius Series)




HE IS A LETHAL WEAPON...
One of an army of human soldiers injected with alien DNA, Michael is a legend within this new race, split between good and evil. Untamable, he has walked on the dark side and returned to the light. Feared and misunderstood, he leaves everything behind, including the one woman destined to be his mate.


HE IS HER ENEMY...AND HER DESTINY...
Cassandra holds the key to Michael's power, and his pain. With loyalties divided and against insurmountable odds, Cassandra's heart propels her to Michael's side-but can her love do anything but destroy him...

No ordinary woman can control a creature such as Michael, and only one thing is clear-the world will never be the same...


I was given this title by a fellow member of one of the many yahoo reader’s groups that I belong to. As soon as she mentioned soldiers, alien DNA and mate I knew that I would enjoy this book. I love the super soldier idea coupled with mate bonding as a by-product. In my opinion the best part of this book is the deeply embedded tension between Michael and Cassandra. If nothing else happened in the book the fact that Cassandra’s father, General Powell, created the immunization that altered Michael’s DNA is enough. I was unsure how the soldiers would treat Cassandra because of the fact that her father made them the way they are.
I enjoyed the pace of this book. Things moved pretty quickly before slowing down to the ‘meat and potatoes’ of the book. From their initial meeting, to their dating, and finally to their separation I wasn’t sure where the story was headed. I knew there was going to be a revolution from the military men altered with the alien DNA, but I had no idea Lisa Renee Jones would twist the revolution to split the men in two – Renegades vs Zodius.
I think starting this Zodius series with Michael’s story was a great choice. Michael, the Dark One, is supposed to be the boogeyman of the super soldiers. It impressed me how deep-seeded General Powell’s dislike for Michael goes, but what is even more amazing is the deeper you get into the book the more you see why he despises Michael. It’s not just because Michael is pursuing a relationship with Cassandra, but there is a full laundry list of reasons. I also like the fact that there is more than just one villain. There’s the obvious, General Powell, with his ‘save the U.S. agenda by any means necessary’ and coming out of nowhere is a super soldiers named Adam who has developed the ability to communicate with wolves. The fact that their enhanced abilities originated from an alien sample stored at Area 51 is the perfect basis for this series. Using Area 51 means Lisa Renee Jones didn’t have to create any involved alien back story she just used a pre-existing government cover up to explain the idea of super soldiers.
If you love sexy soldiers, smart women (no damsels in distress NEED NOT APPLY), and struggles for power in present day United States – you’ll love this book. Although, technically I didn’t pick up on any evidence that this was present day events. In other words, this could be happening in the future for all the reader knows.






Thursday, November 17, 2011

Wrangled and Tangled: A Blacktop Cowboy Novel by Lorelei James



Blurb courtesy of Amazon.com :
Janie Fitzhugh and Abe Lawson have long been divorced and living apart. Now she's back in town, a changed woman-making cattleman Abe want to wrangle an invitation to her bed...
To get his dream ranch, Renner Jackson has partnered with spoiled daddy's girl Tierney Pratt. She thinks she can handle this cowboy, but Renner won't make it easy. Little do they know they will be entangled in ways neither dreamed possible?


If you can’t say anything about Lorelei James (LJ) you have to say that she can sure write hot love scenes. I am a regular reader of LJ and I know that I need to make sure that my fan is in working order and my icebox is full. Her love scenes are NUCLEAR blow your ears off hot. I have no idea how to describe her love scenes; sometimes they’re hard core f*$&ing and sometimes they’re hot sex, but regardless they’re hot as Hell.
The best thing about this book, in my opinion, is the fact that its two couple’s (Janie/Abe & Renner/Tierney) story and not just one. Janie and Abe is a previously married couple and their story is about the two trying to find their way back to each other. Tierney is a financial advisor whose father is backing Renner’s cowboy resort and the two are like oil and vinegar. They rub each other raw just by being in the same room together.  Out of the two I was more interested in Tierney and Renner. The minute it was mentioned Tierney tossed a drink in Renner’s face I knew I loved Tierney. She was a shy spitfire. She didn’t take any of Renner’s crap and stuck to her guns. I think Tierney was my favorite character of them all because of her personality. She threw herself into everything wholeheartedly. If she believed in something, relationship or work, she gave it her all. She didn’t let her inexperience hold her back.
As for Abe and Janie, I wasn’t 100% on their team. At first, I wasn’t totally on board with Abe’s about face in the sex department. But the more I read the more I agreed with his metamorphosis. He and Janie were young when they married and hadn’t explored, nor developed, their sexual desires completely so if you think about it that way then Abe’s preferences are believable. I wasn’t a fan of Janie because of self-centered she was. It seemed as if everything should revolve around her. She didn’t know what was going on with Abe because she was too self-absorbed to see it. She didn’t seem to take any accountability for the breakup of her and Abe’s marriage.  Even though she was young when it happened she was still walking around with the frame of mind that none of it was her fault. I give LJ kudos for creating such a realistic, life-like character because we all know someone as one-track minded as her.
The pace of the book goes pretty fast, but not so fast that you can’t keep up. LJ does an excellent job of separating each couple’s story. I was never confused when reading. As far as the two couples interacting with each other, they do a time or two, but for the most part their stories and struggles are separate entities.
I give this my high rating for the sexy cowboys, never say day female characters and hot love scenes.


Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Found by Evangeline Anderson (Book 4 in the Brides of the Kindred series)



Official Book Summary:
A warrior with a scarred heart who doesn’t know how to love. And the woman who must teach him how before it’s too late…

The son of the evil AllFather, Xairn is filled with conflicting emotions. On one hand, he has finally gained his freedom and cut the ties that bound him to his race and the sadistic male who is his father. But doing so has unleashed feelings in him Xairn would rather keep buried. Desires that he prayed would never manifest now rage through him and they are centered on one woman alone…

Lauren Jakes is the long lost cousin Liv and Sophie never knew they had. Abducted by the Scourge, she formed a connection with Xairn more meaningful than any other in his life. But though Lauren thinks she knows him, there is more to the huge Scourge warrior than she comprehends. A nightmare childhood and a cruel father have scarred Xairn’s heart almost past the point of healing. But that is nothing to the secret inside him—the forbidden desires coded into his very DNA itself, which urge him to commit unspeakable acts in order to sate his newly awakened hunger.

Now a conflict is brewing—both in Xairn’s soul, and aboard the Fathership where the twisted AllFather has hatched a new, malicious plot to bring his estranged son home. Can Xairn resist the brutal lust growing within him? Can he fight against his very nature which urges him to dominate and control any female he mates? Can Lauren heal his heart before the AllFather’s trap closes on both of them?
And can she teach him how to love before it’s too late?

I have been anticipating this story from the moment Lauren was introduced into this series. I can admit I was super excited mainly because Lauren is half African-American. I was able to identify more with her. I will start this review by saying if you are unfamiliar with the Brides of the Kindred series go back to the beginning and start with Claimed. You, speaking to the interested readers, will be lost if you have not read at least the first or second book in this series. Some books can be read as stand-alones, but this is not one of them. For maximum appreciation of the characters, their struggles and the climax of this book it’d be best to have some familiarity with the characters.
The best thing about this book is the price. With the increase in e-book piracy Evangeline Anderson has tried her best to make it unnecessary for people to pirate her material. You can’t beat $2.99. And with that being said on with the review.
The length of this book is a hard core fan’s wet dream. Long, strong and full of the delicious bits that categorize a book as re-readable. What are the juicy bits? SEX. ACTION. MURDER. CONFLICT.FRICTION.PRESSURE.DREAD. It’s all in here. One thing that Evangeline Anderson is good at is breaking up predictability. After reading the book summary, some may be under the impression that the book is about Xairn and Lauren exclusively. It’s not just about Lauren and Xairn finding a way for her to get home to Earth and for them to be together. It’s so much more than that. Yes, the end game is for Lauren to be reunited with her family on Earth and for Xairn to be free of his enemy of the galaxy evil father, but there is so much that happens in between. If you are familiar with this series then you will appreciate the reappearance of characters from the previous books in the series. If you wanted updates on the lives of these characters, as I sure did, they have their moments.
Out of all of the books in the series, this one and Claimed are a tie for my favorites. I went into reading this book with the idea that this was a hopeless love affair. Xairn’s father, the Scourge AllFather, was pure evil and he had deep-seated issues thinking that he was hard-wired the same way. Xairn was my favorite character in the entire series. The struggle outside of him had nothing on the struggle going on inside of him. There was such pressure and fear that he would turn out to be like his father that it made him such a perfect mate for Lauren.
As far as Xairn being Scourge (a despised and reviled race), I give Evangeline Anderson major kudos for incorporating BDSM into the Scourge culture. I thought how the Scourge distorted the idea of Alpha males and dominate personalities into this cruel, misshapen society was a great angle to work. And because Xairn had never acted on his the BDSM lifestyle that is so much a part of his race I could not wait to see how he’d unleash it on Lauren.
The one thing I do have to mention is that the number of “complete” sexual encounters between Xairn and Lauren is not plentiful. There’s a lot of sexual suffering and abstinence going on between the two before they finally get down to the get down. In my opinion this was not a bad thing, but it was more than a little frustrating. I do understand the why of it, but that didn’t make it any easier to deal with. When they finally do handle it let me tell you sparks are flying off the page. Those two are hot as Hell. Xairn is Alpha to the T and Lauren is submissive enough to make things interesting.
I for one enjoyed this book and after contacting her via email I’ve discovered the series will continue. So I will stick around for the next in the series.
Available for purchase at All Romance Ebooks

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Finding the Lost by Shannon K. Butcher




After another search through my TBR list I found Finding the Lost Book 2 in the Sentinel Series by Shannon K. Butcher (SB). This is my first time reading this author and I can't say that I wasn't impressed.SB created such a fantastic world that I could feel every bit of tension, action and pain involved. I give her a ten just for injecting the correct amount of angst and unrequited love between the characters.
Andra is not your quintessential paranormal romance heroine, small and in dire need of protection. Her character does in fact need protection, but Andra is capable on her own. She's tall, buff, independent and possesses a drive to destroy all monsters like the ones that destroyed her family. The monsters responsible, the Synestryn, attacked her younger sister as well as murdering her mother and baby sister. Because of this Andra has dedicated her adult life to searching out and rescuing missing children.
The book begins with Andra in the process of rescuing a missing 6 year old boy. Little does she know that Paul, a Theronai warrior (a.k.a a Sentinel) charged with protecting humans, has been searching for her. He is searching for her because she belongs to a bloodline of women that have the ability to absorb the power stored inside of Theronai warriors. This is a fatal illness for the Theronai because if they do not find their chosen mate the power inside them which makes them so powerful will inadvertently kill them if it doesn't find an outlet. Paul’s character is first introduced in an extreme amount of never-ending agony and only Andra can relieve it.
Talk about down to the wire. Will Andra accept him in time to save his life? If she's a potential mate does that mean Nika is? The more I read the more questions I had and the more helpless I felt for the Theronai. All of these warriors are fighting for the good of humanity and they are each on the brink of death unless they find their mates. Andra’s little sister Nika, the one attacked by the Synestryn, was psychically injured by this attack and Andra hopes by absorbing Paul's power she will be able to save Nika. And as such I wasn't surprised when she so readily accepted Paul's power. She hopes that by absorbing enough of his power she’ll be able to heal her sister.
If you're looking for something that is non-stop in your face-doesn't-give-you-a-moment-to-calm-down-action then look no further. There's major tension and suspense between Paul and Andra, there's suspense with the Nika issue, there's suspense within the Sentinels and the issue of limited mates...there’s a veritable smorgasbord of tension. I feel the best plot devices this series possesses are the Sentinel tattoos and how quickly the Sentinels can feel relief when they meet their mates. Each Sentinel has a tattoo of a tree complete with leaves and the closer they approach a fatal build up power the more leaves fall from their tree. In essence the warriors with the least amount of leaves are the warriors whom are at Death's door. Once a Sentinel finds his mate and they touch, the pain created by the power build up dissipates in preparation for the transference of this power.
There is so much to love and appreciate in this series. Though, I started with book two I do plan to go back and read book one. So before anyone asks I wasn’t lost by jumping in the pool at two. There was enough exposition so that I was able to catch on quickly. There was also enough character development that the reader will be ensnared enough to want to read the rest of the series.


Friday, September 30, 2011

In Bed with a Highlander by Maya Banks



To be completely honest I have read Maya Banks before, but was never really impressed. I definitely changed my opinion after reading In Bed with a Highlander.
IBwaH is the story of Mairin Stuart and Ewan McCabe. Mairin is the niece of the King of Scotland and has been living her life in hiding. This all comes to an end when she is stolen from the convent she lived in and held hostage for her dowry and holdings. She escapes with a help of a young boy Crispen, only to be rescued by the clan McCabe.
The first thing I noticed was the similarities between this book and Julie Garwood’s “Ransom.” I can’t go into too many details without posting a spoiler, but suffice to say I thought the two were very similar. Not carbon copies, but pretty similar.
I loved Mairin’s sassiness and her determination to not back down. She was brave without being foolhardy. I fell in love with her character as soon as she put herself between harm’s way and Crispen. When she was introduced to the clan I appreciated how fast the clan did NOT warm up to her. In many stories the heroine is introduced to her new or future family and is opened with loving arms regardless of her connection to the villain of the story. For this book, that was not the case and I appreciated that realism. A group of people struggling to survive shouldn’t be so accepting of someone they do not know. Another piece of realism I appreciated and applauded was how fast Laird McCabe presented himself as a suitor for Mairin. Once it became known who she was and her importance, Laird McCabe became as ruthless and as opportunistic as expected. I didn’t want his character to beat around the bush and act as if he didn’t really need Mairin and the resources she provided when he actually did. The best thing about Ewan’s character was his honesty. He was always truthful even when it could better aid his cause. The villain was everything you expect him to be. Sneaky, conniving, dishonest and cowardly. The best thing about this book is that every problem did not have an easy solution.  The discord between McCabe and the villain Laird Cameron and Mairin’s part in it all was not easily solved by the King of Scotland. In fact, the “King’s” involvement only adds to the struggle between these three.
I enjoyed this book and plan to continue the series to see how Ewan’s brothers end up.
















*Sorry for the short review, but life currently has its claws in me.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Valiant by Laurann Dohner


I cannot gush and praise this book enough. I started it last night and didn’t stop until I finished, which wasn’t until after midnight. Many already know I am a huge fan of Laurann Dohner and this new book in the New Species series is only fueling my addiction. I was so glad it was two hundred plus pages.
This is the story of Valiant a New Species member who takes more after his animal DNA, physically and personably. Valiant has a reputation as the most dangerous and most feared New Species. Tammy works for a catering service and was given bad directions and ends up in Valiant’s territory.
I feel like a broken record, but I’ll say it until it no longer applies. LD knows how to keep you invested in a book. Halfway through the book I noticed my back was hurting and I realized I had been hunched over my laptop for almost two hours. It was that good. When Valiant’s character was introduced in a previous book I wasn’t sure if I’d be interested in reading his story because his animal side was so much more prevalent than Fury’s or Slade’s, but I am glad I took the chance. I knew from previous experience to expect murder, sex, treachery and romance. I wasn’t disappointed. I was also happy to see cameos of previous characters. I also knew to expect at least two run-ins with the human terrorist organizations that are against the existence of the New Species.
I loved how intense LD made Valiant. He was uber protective, uber possessive, uber sexual. He was just uber in all ways. Be still my heart. If you want an Alpha, Valiant is that and more.  I knew that New Species were an intense breed, but Valiant brought new meaning to that term. He felt everything so much more intensely than the average man so when he finally fell for Tammy he fell completely. LD has a reputation for writing nail biters and this release didn’t deviate from the norm. The love scenes were explosive and enough to make anyone blush. These two had such intense passion and chemistry that it literally jumped off of the page. And just when you think the two are going to get a HEA something else happens and they’re back in the fray.
Definitely a must read.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Supernatural Anthology by Jacquelyn Frank, G.A. Aiken, Larissa Ione, Alexandra Ivy



I’m not familiar with Larissa Ione as an author, but after reading Vampire Fight Club I love her. This whole world of vampire fight clubs with different creatures is awesome. I already love shifter books and for her to create a shifter fight club I was all in. I wasn’t too fond of the Nate character from the start, but I understood and sympathized with his plight. Alive so long that the desire for revenge had faded into dust. I was rooting for Lena from the get go. She was a good balance of honest feistiness to Nate’s icy emptiness. She came from a caring background minus the amount of violence that was natural to Nate’s world. I was definitely on board for the destruction of the villain, Fade, whom was responsible for Nate and Lena’s predicaments.  This story was nonstop action and heat. The fact that Lena was on borrowed time was very sad, but I knew that she would find some way to survive at the end of the book. I loved the fact that when the plot had been sorted out there were still enough sideline plot devices to push the story along for a couple of pages.
Note: Don’t need to have read the Demonica series to be able to follow along.
Once again I am not familiar with the writing of Alexandra Ivy (AI), but I know for a fact some of her books are in my TBR pile. The first thing I noticed was that the vampire clan chief of Great Britain put me in mind of Victor from the Underworld movie series whom was also a clan chief of vampires. Though, the names are the only similarities. The main male character Uriel has a definite backbone and isn’t what I would call a ‘yes man.’ He questions things, requests information and doesn’t just follow orders. I love bread crumbs of information and the teasing tidbit behind Uriel’s reluctance to rescue Laylah’s mother Kata had me chomping at the bit. AI drew me in with a small morsel and I was hooked. His history with the Jinn fired up enough curiosity inside of me that I wanted to finish this story. Curiosity quickly morphed into obsession when the triangle between Kata, her evil twin Marika and Uriel unfolded. I was a little dissatisfied with how quickly Uriel and Kata gave in to their mutual attraction. I understand that the timeline in a novella is shorter so they had to move quickly, but it was still a little fast and in your face. Though, I did enjoy it. I was glad there was a HEA for Kata based on her soul being tied to her evil twin. I’m very tempted to read the rest of the series.
I have read some of the Nightwalker series books and because of this I was comfortable following the story of Kane and his mate.  In my honest opinion I feel that it’s necessary to have some previous exposure to the Nightwalker books. Though, you can read this story and be able to follow along I would strongly suggest having a familiarity with the Nightwalker series. Even though Kane is over five decades old I still had a hard time seeing him as an adult. There was particular stress put on the fact that in his culture he was considered an adolescent until his next birthday so in my mind I continually saw a teenager. However, that picture quickly morphed into something else once he and his mate Corinne get hot and heavy. Due to the length of this story I appreciate that there wasn’t too much of an involved plot. It was strictly surrounding Kane and Corinne. There weren’t any outside villains nor were there any heinous plots against them.  It wasn’t my favorite in the anthology, but it is still worth reading.
I am intimately acquainted with Shelly Laurenston as an author. (I faithfully stalk her Pride and Pack series books) I have enjoyed her G.A.Aiken books and this one was no different. If you’re familiar with her Dragon series then the characters in this novella will ring familiar, but if not you’ll still enjoy the story. Ghleanna is the captain of the guard charged with protecting Bram who is a court negotiator. His job is to set up a peace treaty between the Desert Dragons and his Queen. I loved the spin on the traditional heroine and hero i.e. the woman Ghleanna is the hero. I enjoyed how unpredictable this story was. It wasn’t solely about Bram chasing Ghleanna. Yes, there were limited love scenes, but the story is strong enough that it didn’t matter.


Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Storm's Heart by Thea Harrison



Storm’s Heart is the story of Niniane (Tricks) and Tiago (Dr. Death). Tiago is a member of the King of Wyr’s security team and is a powerful ancient in his own right. Niniane aka Tricks is the former head of PR for the King of Wyr whom also happens to be the sole heir to the Dark Fae kingdom. Niniane has been in hiding ever since she was 18 when her family was assassinated. After the death of the former King of the Dark Fae, Niniane must return to claim the throne as the rightful heir. Tiago travels with her as protection and along the way their attraction builds until the only thing that will satisfy it – is a mating.
My most favorite thing about this book is the humor and the WTF situations the characters found themselves in. Case in point, the newsfeed of Niniane kicking the crap out of her family as they attacked her. This may not sound funny, but the way the author set it up the result was ultimate comedy. The second best thing in this book is Niniane herself. Her character is so likeable and so easy to identify with. There were so many times in the book where I would think to myself I couldn’t handle this and I would just run away. Niniane had the same thoughts. It made her so much more believable and realistic. Piggybacking off the first in the series I knew to be prepared for some brutal, straightforward honesty. So far that is a consistent character trait with these ancient Wyr men. They are honest to the point of cruelty, but also no nonsense and men of action. Tiago follows closely behind his Wyr king in these characteristics.
One piece of information I think it’s important to understand is that when thinking of the Wyr you need to recognize that they are all ancient beings and are not subservient to Dragos. My interpretation is that Dragos is just the most organized and the most willing to lead.
I knew from Niniane’s introduction in the first book of the series that when she did decide to claim her birthright there would be a great deal of espionage and court backstabbing involved. I felt for Niniane not knowing who she could and couldn’t trust, but I was glad to see that she had a discerning eye for possible enemies. The fact that the only people she could trust were the Wyr, but she couldn’t rely on them to help her was so frustrating. The politics is easy to understand, every race minds their own business, but I still felt bad for Niniane’s situation. So when Tiago made himself her chief of security I did a fist pump in satisfaction. Once the characters were in place I couldn’t wait until the sexual sparks flew. And did they fly? I loved how Tiago cut right through Niniane’s manipulative sexpot persona. Once they pledged themselves to each other they were like the dynamic duo. He watched her back while she cut through all the bureaucratic bullsh*t, but at the same time he was able to lend his experience at spotting dishonesty and recognizing deceptive people.
As much as I enjoyed the entire book the end was the ultimate for me. The reader is already rooting for Tiago/Niniane and when they overcome it all, but not without casualties L , you can’t help but take a much needed breath. Can’t wait to read the next one.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Fury by Laurann Dohner




There is something that needs to be addressed before the review. This series is similar to a present series by another famous author. If I didn’t address this issue then I’d be showing my bias. Yes, there are similarities (the fact that their DNA is spliced with animals and a few other things), but overall both series stand alone. 

One thing that is a constant with Laurann Dohner (LD) is her ability to immerse and pull you into the story in the first chapter. I was so horrified and so disgusted by how the New Species were being treated that I was automatically a fan and rooting for their freedom. I knew she could write action, build suspense, and was an expert (wd?) with love scenes, but after reading this new book my level of appreciation for her has skyrocketed.

This book is full of tension, sexual and plot wise. Neither Fury nor Ellie bother to hide the attraction they have for each other. It’s a build up to see who will give in first and what will push them both over the edge. The outer tension is the world’s reaction to the creation and existence of this New Species group. Naturally, there are the pro-New Species and there are the factions that are pro-Human.   

Besides the constant back-stabbing and murder plots, it was fascinating to see how the New Species were learning to exist outside of the labs. For example, the women were learning how to do everyday tasks as simple as vacuuming and using a microwave. It’s amazing how much we take for granted the doing of simple tasks. I was also interested in the steps New Species was taking to establish their own sovereignty. What I always enjoy about LD’s writing is that she keeps me on my toes. At the point where I get complacent and feel like I relax into the story she throws in a scene or conversation that literally makes you sit up and go WTF. Case in point, the part of the book where pro-Human fanatics broke into the New Species compound and were headed straight for the women’s dormitory. I actually sat up in my seat and reread the scene twice to make sure I got every dangerous description and detail.

As per usual, Laurann Dohner inserts characters that will have their own stories in the series. I honestly couldn’t find one whose story I was not interested in. I am extremely interested in reading the stories of the smaller female New Species. I did notice that the DNA the New Species were mixed with didn’t seem to be that important. It was mentioned that Fury was mixed with canine, but that is as far as it went. There wasn’t too much exposition into the DNA mixing. Maybe more will be explained in a later book.  

The antagonists in this book aren’t relegated to one person, but a group of people. There are adversary’s coming at the New Species colony from within as well as from the outside world, which opens up the book to the realm of espionage. And because there are so many positions inside the colony i.e. doctors, security, PR, etc. it’s difficult to pinpoint who the ‘bad guy’ is. An excellent plot device. I know I’ll love this series as much as I do the others.


Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Kendra Leigh Castle "Dark Awakening"



Dark Awakening is the story of Tynan MacGillivray and Lily Quinn. Tynan is a hunter for the Ptolemy clan in search of a seer that will help them solve murders that are happening inside of their clan.
Going into this book I had preconceived notions that Tynan would be this powerful shifter whom was greatly respected by his clan. Not. This is the first thing I enjoyed about this book. The author instantly snatches you out of normalcy. She introduces you to a male character that is not the biggest and baddest around. I am not saying Tynan isn’t tough and a force to be reckoned with, because he is, but most readers are used to the main male character being someone of importance within the core group. In this case Tynan is the lowest of the low, in Ptolemy clan pecking order that is. This, in itself, was enough to put me on Tynan’s side.
[Lily Quinn starts off as a regular human that may be of importance to the Ptolemy Queen who sends Tynan to find and return with her.]
The book begins with a definition of the different clans and bloodlines. After seeing this I was a bit apprehensive that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with the clans without having to flip back and forth. After the fact I can say I only had to flip to the front twice. To further support this idea of clans Kendra Leigh Castle (KLC) inserted the concept of sigils. These were tattoos that each clan member that identified which bloodline they belonged to.  In the case of Tynan he possessed one that marked him as a low caste and intertwined with this one was the Ptolemy symbol, which identified him as a servant of that clan. It was very reminiscent of Blade, but instead of only familiars wearing them everyone had one.
I enjoyed the character make up of Lily as well as Tynan. There were aspects of Tynan that were hard to stomach, but further supported how loyal his character was. i.e. his blind devotion to Queen Arinsoe. I loved Lily because she wasn’t content to be led around by Tynan and blindly accept his assistance. She wanted to know where she was going, why she was in danger, etc. It took over two pages for Tynan to talk her into accepting his help. To me her reactions and responses were extremely realistic. I found myself thinking that is exactly what I’d say.
In my opinion, the most important plot device the author employed was the use of boogeyman characters we are already familiar with i.e., Dracula, Nero, and Lilith. She stayed true to their reputations except for Lilith. (Going any further would require me to put up a Spoiler alert).
Although, it’s going to sound cliché my favorite part of the book was the end. Things fell into place exactly as I hoped. Throughout all of the running and trying to discover the truth of Lily’s background, KLC found time to insert supporting characters that I hope will have their own stories. The last thing I will mention is the subject of the love scenes. There aren’t a lot of love scenes, but at the point in your reading when you notice there hasn’t been one it happens. I give this a high rating just for the world KLC created.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Cynthia Eden "Never Cry Wolf"




Never Cry Wolf is the story of Lucas Simone and Sarah King. Lucas is the Alpha of the Los Angeles wolf pack and Sarah is in desperate need of his protection.

I give this book my highest of high ratings. Not because the love scenes were hot – THEY WERE NUCLEAR. Not because Lucas was the ultimate Alpha bad ass whom did not GAF. And not because Sarah held her own with this legend of wolf shifters. But because CE stuffed, Thanksgiving turkey stuffed, this book with sexy shifters and non-stop action with enough tension to send you into instant cardiac arrest. I loved the fact that espionage was her main plot devices. If you like spy movies and dream of Ethan Hunt you’ll love this book. (I’ll leave it at that so I don’t have to splash Spoiler Alert across this review)
Cynthia Eden did an excellent job with her character development, especially with Lucas. The book starts off with Lucas being a badass, but I personally wanted to know what happened to him to make him this ultimate BA and she gave it to me. If you like having a back story on your main characters – it’s there. I enjoyed the fact that Cynthia Eden wasn’t afraid to pump her characters full of flaws. It was great that there wasn’t the obligatory one main character is perfect while the other isn’t.  In my opinion, it helped me “root for” and support Sarah and Lucas better knowing that they weren’t “fine upstanding citizens.” This is real life and in this reality Sarah was a serial liar and Lucas had no problem with offing someone when there was a need.  The character development is so good that even when secondary and other background characters are introduced I wanted to veer off topic and delve into their stories as well. Way to go building the need to continue reading this series.
Dimension and a road that splits many ways. I say this because there is more than one villain and the driving force behind each is not the same. They are not all out for the same thing. Revenge. Power. Domination. All of these are a part of each villain’s end game, but their motivations are different.  Yes they all want power, but some desire revenge and some just want to show how strong they are.  All of these different motivations make for a multi-dimensional “villain.” It drives the anticipation and tension sky high because you have no clue in which direction each villain is going to go.
One thing that I wish had been changed, even though I know why she did it, was the fact that Lucas’s pack wasn’t larger. I was expecting this semi-large pack led by the ultimate BA, but that was not the case. Maybe it was my own preconceived notion that a shifter’s strength is in how large his pack is. Maybe it’s more along the lines of how strong your pack is and not the size of it.  Revelation. Light bulb. J




Sunday, July 3, 2011

Lori Foster "Savor the Danger"





Lori Foster’s Savor the Danger is the story of Trace’s sister Alani Rivers, introduced in When You Dare, and Jackson Savor. Jackson is a new addition to Trace and Dare’s security team.

I was already invested in the Alani character because I was introduced to her in the first book of this series. If you remember, from my review on When You Dare, Alani was rescued along with Dare’s now-wife Molly. So off the bat the reader knows that any man trying to get close to Alani has not only Alani, but Trace and Dare to contend with.

I’m going to name a few of the things I didn’t like, which aren’t that many, and end with the things that I did. DISCLAIMER : These are my opinions and observations based on a single reading of this book. Eventually, I will go back and reread it so it’s possible my ‘dislikes’ can be understood with ANOTHER read. In my opinion Jackson was kind of a p____ hungry jerk. Yes, he’s yummy and dominant and oh so kick ass, BUT I didn’t like the part of his personality where when Alani tried to get close he turned into a sexual jerk. Case in point, Alani was trying to get to know him and he distracted her with a ‘do you swallow’ kind of question. WTF. That scene bothered the crap out of me. The second thing I was a little on the fence about was Jackson’s about face in regards to pursuing a relationship with Alani. One moment he didn’t want to talk about feelings and the next he was all for pursuing something lasting with her.

I did, however, enjoy the interactions between Jackson, Trace and Dare. They were so much alike it was hard to guess how each would respond to the other’s comments and actions. I also liked how protective Trace and Dare were of Alani. The plotline, I’m glad to say, had nothing to do with Alani’s previous kidnapping. Yes, her abduction shaped her and made her more hesitant about everyday things we take for granted, but the fact that she had family to help her overcome was an important aspect of this book. It would’ve been too obvious if her story centered on her kidnapping and I’m glad the author took a different path. Something other than the obvious most often than not makes for a more interesting story. I appreciated and enjoyed the way each character’s pasts made them much more dynamic characters. I don’t think it was a coincidence that Alani ended up with a man so much like her two older brothers. And of course who doesn’t enjoy the introduction of new characters that will most likely have stories of their own. I cannot wait for the story of Arizona and Spence to be told. Lori Foster definitely has mastered the art of whetting the reader’s appetite for more. When her new characters stepped into the scene I was already imagining how explosive and sensual their story was going to be.

Honestly, I didn’t read Trace of Fever, but from the two books I have read in this series her next releases will no doubt be just as good. 

 Feel free to check out the other books in this series.


When You Dare

 

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Dragon Bound by Thea Harrison




Dragon Bound is the story of Dragos Cuelebre and Pia Giovanni. This story is set in a world where Elves, Wyrs (shifters), Faeries, etc are actual beings and functioning members of society. Dragos is the leader, King, of the Wyr and Pia is a half-breed Wyr who was blackmailed into stealing from Dragos. As soon as she completes the theft she goes on the run because stealing from Dragos is tantamount to a death sentence.


WHERE HAS THEA HARRISON BEEN ALL OF MY LIFE? I am absolutely in love with and am prepared to be her beta reader for the next book in this Elder Races series. From the first page down to the last page I was pulled snatched in. Pia is a feisty, strong female character. Even when she feels the situation is hopeless she pushes forward and doesn’t give in. I was instantly intrigued when it was mentioned that Pia was constantly cloaking herself and grew up never telling people whom and what she really was. One of the best plot devices of this book is the idea that your true name holds Power and if someone were to find out your true name then you were theirs to control. In the past, when I’ve read books with this particular design I’ve always enjoyed it. And the same holds true for this book. It’s anything but dull to see how [and if] the characters can manage to keep their true name a secret.

From the get go I was routing for both main characters. Even though Pia stole from Dragos and Dragos was a foul-tempered and jaded tyrant I was on both of their sides. I have to admit I was chomping at the bit to know what sort of Wyr Pia was mixed with. It had to be either something so horrible or so fantastic that she couldn’t share it with just anyone. Such delicious suspense. And you, the reader, finally discovers what she is its like a light bulb clicks on. 

Pia’s sass and Dragos' asshole nature complement each other perfectly. Such a sweet and sour tangy relationship. Although, there were a couple of times where Dragos’ comments literally made my jaw drop. I could not believe some of the things that came out of his mouth and the people who received these words, but the author definitely made it work. And only because of the personality and background Thea Harrison built into Dragos.

This new world Thea Harrison created is one I wouldn’t mind visiting for a couple more books, say a series of 5+ books. And of course there were introductions to possible participants in the next books in the series. I hope they all get their own book. :wink wink:














MINI SPOILER : And what’s an awesome story without adding in a little bit of ‘oopsie I’m preggers’ into it. I loved that the author added this in. It punted the rating from my medium all the way up to high.

Thursday, June 2, 2011

His Purrfect Mate by Laurann Dohner




His Purrfect Mate is the story of Anton and Shannon. This book is the second in the Mating Heat series and is centered around Shannon, a ¼ feline ¾ human mix, whom was abducted by members of Anton’s pack just because she was a feline shifter. Anton, a wolf shifter, feels obligated to protect her until he deals with the offenders, but this abduction happens in the middle of mating week.
If you haven’t read Mate Set its okay, HPM does not piggyback off of it. There’s a mention of those characters, but not having any familiarity with them will not upset your understanding of this book. 

I was torn between liking Shannon and not liking her because of how afraid she seemed to always be. When I found myself getting impatient with Shannon’s “unreasonable” fear I had to remind myself that she was raised by a human mother with old stories her father used to tell her about the savageness of wolf shifters. The story behind her character was original in that she hadn’t lived her entire life feeling different with unique abilities that she couldn’t explain. She knew exactly who her parents were and why she was the way she was.

The tension between Anton and Shannon, based on their different species, brings new meaning to the phrase fighting like cats and dogs. There was such disdain and genuine hatred between feline shifters and wolf shifters. There was an actual trespass and die rule.

I loved the chemistry between Anton and Shannon. Even their being enemies did not stop their budding attraction. It puts you in mind of Romeo and Juliet, but without the suicide. At the point where they acknowledge their feelings for each other I am instantly dying to know how they can overcome the hate their species has for each other. Throw in the fact that Shannon’s shifter pride doesn’t even know she exists and you have a recipe for disaster. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again Laurann Dohner is an awesome author. She does action, romance and humor so well. Another reason I love her writing so much is she is constantly creating and developing. The vocabulary and turn of a phrase that the characters use is completely fresh. For example, when the shifters are in their human form they call it ‘in skin.’ In all the shifter books I've read, quite a few, I've never heard this phrase.


 My favorite part of this book, besides the steamy love scenes, was the fact that Anton took the time out to explain and express his feelings. Shannon didn’t have to pry it out of him. He was ready to share himself without any prompting from her.

It’s always a possibility, even with a favorite author, that they could write something you won’t enjoy, but at this point I have yet to reach that point with Laurann Dohner.


Sunday, May 29, 2011

The Covenant by Evangeline Anderson



SPOILER ALERT

The Covenant is about a female Paranormal Enforcer by the name of Kaitlyn whom is charged with taking a 300 year old vampire, Sumner Holden, into custody. The book starts off with Kaitlyn watching a recording of Sumner killing an innocent civilian. We quickly discover that Sumner has been trying to get a meeting with Kaitlyn for weeks and this is the only way that vampire Sumner can figure to get her attention.

What I first noticed about this book is that it is in the first person. Kaitlyn's point of view to be exact. I am not a fan of the first person narrative, but I still continued to read this book. Almost immediately I was hooked and extremely interested in why Sumner went to the extreme to get Kaitlyn's attention. What did he need from her? Was he really a evil vampire or just misunderstood? The more I read the book the more I realized it was not going to be one of my favorites. 


The first thing I didn't like about the book, besides first person, was how I felt teased with the sexual tension and situations. In my opinion, there's a fine line between sexual tension and being teased. I felt like I was being teased within an inch of my life. If a woman could get blue balls, I got them. I found myself, in my head of course, telling Kaitlyn to "make up your goddamn mind if you wanna sex him or not." Maybe I'm sexed crazed, maybe I wanted them to jump into bed prematurely, WHATEVER - I just know that is how I felt. By the time they finally did the do I could've closed the book (hit the red X) and would've been satisfied. But I pushed on.

The second thing I wasn't too fond of was the fact that the reader never knows what is driving the demon cloud to only pursue female Wiccans. Sumner explains how his wife, before he was turned, was 'gifted' and that is why the demon went after her, but I was still in the dark about why it hated women so much. The third and last thing I didn't like was how indecisive and torn Kaitlyn was about telling Sumner she loved him. I understand that telling him, or should I say admitting it to herself, too early would have cancelled out the meaning behind the book's title, but hell by the time I was at the end I was ready for this woman to just wake up and smell the vampire love.

I give this book my base rating because though I didn't like it - I didn't HATE it.