Review: After Dark

Reviewed by Jen
 

This anthology features two novellas: one which was previously published by Gena Showalter as part of her Lords of the Underworld series; the other a prequel to Kait Ballenger's new Execution Underground series.  I'd read the Showalter short before.  If you didn't catch my review on it the first time around:

"The Darkest Angel" - Gena Showalter seamlessly connects the dots between The Darkest Whisper and The Darkest Passion with this super sexy short story.  Our heroine is Bianka, sister to Gwen, and a fellow Harpy.  As our story begins, she is kidnapped by the angel Lysander. It turns out, she is his one true temptation and he thinks to neutralize the threat she poses. Ultimately, they each prove to be more temptation than the other can resist. But can they overcome their huge differences? 
 

The great thing about this short story is that it hyper-focuses on the romance. And by "romance,"  I mean spectacular sexual tension and payoff. --Yeah, you could skip this short story and still understand what is happening in the next book. But honestly, why would you want to? It was a great story. (I'm still fanning myself.) And unlike some of the other short stories set in the LotU world, this one actually features the Lords, albeit in supporting roles. 

Rating: B

"Shadow Hunter" -  This was a story with an interesting premise.  Damon is a vampire hunter, part of an elite fighting team called the Execution Underground.  He is trying to kill Caius, the vampire responsible for the death of his best buddy Mark.  Damon feels responsible for Mark's death and has lost more than his friend. He also lost Tiffany, Mark's sister and the woman he has been exchanging letters with for years. Damon has no idea that Tiffany, too, has been hunting Caius, until the two come face to face on the job.  The spark between them is instant and they explore their relationship as they work together to find justice for Mark.

There were problems for me from the start.  One: Tiffany is 22 years-old, gorgeous, and has never even been kissed. COME ON.  So unnecessary to the story and immediately had my eyes rolling.  Two: the instant overwhelming attraction between Damon and Tiffany (who each had no idea who the other was) was something you would expect, maybe, from shifters. But to go from never been kissed to sex with a stranger in the same night? Again, I say COME ON.  Three: Damon's constant bemoaning about lusting after his friend's baby sister.  And this was all in the first 25%.

But as trying as all that was for me, the absolute worst part of the story is the ending.  The completely NOT HAPPY ENDING.  I have an expectation of a HEA --or at the very least, HFN, in PNR.  But no. The ending is bad.  Unforgivable.  

Rating: D

*ARC provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon 

After Dark

by Gena Showalter & Kait Ballenger

Release Date: June 25, 2013

Publisher: HQN

Review: The Demon's Song

Reviewed by Jen
 

Let me preface this review by saying that I am a fan of Kendra Leigh Castle's Dark Dynasties books, and when I found out she was kicking off a new series, I was very excited to get started.  But when I started reading, I kept finding all these references to prior events.  As a longtime PNR reader, I recognized the signs of a series already in progress and I double and triple checked to see if there were earlier books.  This is, indeed, the first book in the Hearts of the Fallen series.  BUT my instincts were not wrong.  This is a spinoff to her Harlequin Nocturne stories Renegade Angel and "Vivi and the Vampire."  Stories I haven't read; stories where the events and characters are heavily referenced. Be warned.

Our hero, Phenix, is the fallen angel of song.  He and a small band of his brothers spent some time in hell, but now they help guard the supernatural underworld called Terra Noctem and help maintain the balance between good and evil.  He has turned off his emotions; cut himself off from humanity... until he meets Sofia.  The fiery nurse gets a crash course in all things supernatural when she saves her friend from being killed by a vampire.  The rouge vamp could be part of a larger problem threatening the Terra Noctem, which makes it Phenix's problem... and to make a long story short, Sofia becomes bait to draw out the bad guys and Phenix becomes her bodyguard.

The book started out a little slow for me.  Maybe it was because Phenix didn't really light my fire (until later in the story.) Maybe it was all the references to the backstory that kept pulling me out of the book. Either way, it didn't click for me at the beginning, but once things started heating up between Phenix and Sofia, it did take off.

As with all of Castle's books, I really liked the dynamic between the hero and heroine, both emotionally and sexually. The tension is great and payoff is satisfying.  Phenix isn't quite as tortured as most of her heroes, but I did enjoy his journey to regaining his emotions. And I really liked two things about Sophie: 1) She is a grown woman who is comfortable and confident. She isn't an ingenue virgin or a clinging vine.  2) She stands up for herself. She doesn't sublimate her own life for one with Phenix.  Both are a refreshing change of pace from most heroines in the genre.

The arc concerning the external conflict was fairly good, though it took a firm backseat to the romance.   The ending wrapped things up rather quickly, but I was satisfied with how it all played out.

I'm definitely interested in continuing the series.  But I really need to read the the previous stories first. The borderline OCD in me will have it no other way.

Rating: B-

*ARC provided by Entangled

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Demon's Song

by Kendra Leigh Castle

Release Date: April 21, 2013

Publisher: Entangled

 

Review: Rapture

Reviewed by Jen
 

I liked it, but I didn't love it.  It's always a sad day when I say that about a JR Ward book.  I know this lady has the juice to knock my socks off, but this fourth installment in her Fallen Angel series left me feeling lukewarm.  It was even more disappointing on the heels of that big shocker in the last book, but I digress...

The hero in this story is a familiar face.  Matthias was the soul Team Angel lost to the bad guys in Crave.  They're getting a second chance to guide him on the righteous path, however, as the Almighty is punishing Devina for breaking the rules of the Game.  If none of this makes any sense to you, that means you are a new reader and this book is not for you.  Go back to the beginning and start with Covet or much of ongoing plot will be lost on you.

Anyway, as Matthias is returned to earth, he has the good fortune of stumbling in front of a car driven by newspaper reporter Mels Carmichael.  The accident gives him amnesia and draws Mels into his life.  At first, he turns to her to help him figure out who he is, but then he quickly falls for her.  As his memories trickle back, he is horrified by what he once was, and he must work along with Jim and Adrian to skirt both assassins and the demons who want to have him back in hell.

The book felt overly long, but love happens way too fast. Two days, I think.  Both Mels and Matthias want each other from the get-go, but unfortunately his suicide attempt with an IED has left him impotent, forcing an unsatisfying sexual relationship.  (By unsatisfying, I mean, for me.)

Also unsatisfying: no progression on the Eddie storyline.  I really hoped Ward would fix this, but it's barely addressed outside of Adrian's angst.  Jim continues to obsess over Sissy to epic levels, yet makes a huge out-of-character move with Davina which left me scratching my head.

I dunno. It wasn't bad, but it was tepid.  And starting to feel formulaic.  And at the end, I wanted to smack Jim in the face with a dead fish.

Rating: B-

 Click to purchase: Amazon 

Rapture

by JR Ward

Release Date: September 25, 2012

Publisher: NAL

Review: Beauty Awakened

Reviewed by Jen
 

This book was almost great.  It pains me to say that, because the parts of it that were good were very, very good.  But the two issues I had with it really took away from my overall enjoyment.

This second installment in Gena Showalter's Angels of the Dark series features Koldo, and though I wasn't that excited to learn he was getting his own book, he ended up a really good tortured hero.  He was raised by a mother who hated him and cut off his wings. Then he was abandoned to be tortured and kept by his evil father, until he was eventually freed to fight on the side of the angels.  He has never known love or tender emotions from anyone.  But that changes when Nicola enters his life.

Nicola and her twin sister were both born with heart problems and both face an uncertain future.  But when Koldo comes across them in the course of another mission, he can't ignore how he is drawn to Nicola. He makes it his task to free her from the demons who foster her illness and to teach her how to fight their influence.  And in the process, they fall in love.

I think what I liked best about the story is how effortless the romance is between Nicola and Koldo.  I can see how and why they fall for each other. There is no great misunderstanding or hurtful mistake one has to forgive the other for.  Koldo just wants to be loved and Nicola is the balm to his tattered soul.  It hit my romance happy buttons all over.

Unfortunately, the book failed big time in the sexual arena. Usually Showalter's books really deliver with the sexy times. Here, I reread their first sexual encounter three times and I'm still not sure what the hell happened.  It was that vague.  Then, when they finally do seal the deal (a measly one time) again, the language is vague and totally unsatisfying.

"Nicola," he said, and finally --finally-- claimed her...
Hesitantly, he leaned down and kissed her again.  Softly, gently.  It didn't take long to renew their passions, and then, oh, then, they wed in body, as well.  She yielded to him without reservation, accepting him, burning for him, loving him, enfolding him in her arms, crying his name, begging him for more, nipping at his lips.

They wed in body?? Who is this author and what has she done with Gena Showalter's sex scenes?  This was a total missed opportunity, since Koldo is a sexy virgin hero who is just exploring his sexuality for the first time.

My second big issue?  It's a little too... religious isn't the right word.  But it felt dangerously close to having a "message."  The angels have been a part of the Lords of the Underworld series for some time now, but not until this book did it have more of a traditional ring for me.  Essentially in the sense that it is faith in the Most High that can make or break you in this book.   It felt like PNR with a little bit of an inspirational bent.

The romance was really good though, as was the construction of the characters.  I felt like I knew them and I was 100% invested in them. So much so, I might have given it an A, had it not been for the disappointing sex and the feeling that I was supposed to find God when it was all said and done.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by Harlequin

Click to purchase: Amazon

Beauty Awakened

by Gena Showalter

Release Date: February 26, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin

Review: Savage Angel

Reviewed by Jen
 

Sara's life and family heritage have always been about protecting others. It's part of her lineage as a Nephalim and as the soon-to-be-head of her family's security firm.  A new job is turning out to be more than she bargained for, however.  The client is the father of a one-night-stand she has never been able to get over. And to make matters worse, her former lover is back to complicate things even further.

Gideon has just returned from a gut-wrenching tour in Afghanistan.  While he escaped physically intact, he is nursing some serious emotional wounds.  He is not prepared to come face-to-face with Sara again.  When he does, he handles it... badly.  He uses cruelty and anything else he can think of to push her away, until suddenly, he changes his mind and lets her back in.  Gideon and Sara end up working together to protect his father and to solve the mystery of who is targeting him.  This, as they resume the fiery relationship they started years ago.

For me, this second installment in the Earth Angels series is much better than the first.  And in case you were wondering, the two books are total stand-alones and you don't need to read one to pick up the other.  But even with the vast improvement, there were still some major problems here.  The big one is in the development of the relationship.  Gideon's change of heart, going from a total bastard to wanting Sara back, was so abrupt it gave me whiplash.  (Plus, it baffled me that any self-respecting woman could forgive his asshattery so easily.)  Then, they are in love after four days together, two or three of which Sara was unconscious.  Um, no.  Also, the villain was painfully obvious. So much so, I was sure he would be a red herring. But no.  It was him.

Like I said, though, this one was an improvement. There is more character development here. I felt like I knew Sara and Gideon on a basic level and understood most of their motivations.  We had a little time for sexual tension to grow, so the bedroom action was more satisfying.

But, overall, I'm thinking this series isn't for me.

Rating: C

*ARC Provided by Carina Press via NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Savage Angel

by Stacy Gail

Release Date: February 4, 2013

Publisher: Carina Press

Review: Nobody's Angel

Reviewed by Jen
 

I wanted to like this story, and I thought the beginning showed potential.  But this book didn't hold me.  In fact, I had to struggle to make it to the end.

It all starts when Kendall watches a co-worker attack another woman then kill himself.  He has a strange white glaze over his eyes... and the event thrusts her into the world of spirits and the supernatural.  A sexy EMT and a mysterious, masked guardian angel enter her life --and she begins to understand the things she is seeing.  Through her investigations, Kendall uncovers the truth about what is eventually revealed to be a string of murder-suicides.  And she falls for the sexy Nephalim who spends the entire book trying to save her life.

Sounds pretty good... but it wasn't.  That's because the romance failed.  I don't know if the guardian angel identity reveal was supposed to be a surprise. I'm hoping it wasn't because it was painfully obvious from the beginning. Then, the way the "love story" progressed was at lightning speed.  It's total insta-love with some shallow hero-angst thrown in.  I felt nothing for either character and I surely didn't believe in any feelings between them.  The sex was over the top, and unexciting since we had virtually no chance for any sexual tension to build.

As for the action/ mystery part of the storyline... it was meh.  Not terrible, but again, I just couldn't make myself care.

This wasn't good for me. Maybe if it were a full length book and we had more elapsed time and character development, it might have been better.

Rating: D+

*ARC Provided by Carina Press via NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Nobody's Angel

by Stacy Gail

Release Date: January 21, 2013

Publisher: Carina Press

Review: King of the Damned

Reviewed by Jen
 

The more I read from Juliana Stone, the more I enjoy her books.  This story centers around the fallen angel Azaiel and a witch named Rowan.

We've met Azaiel before.  He's part of the League of Guardians, a supernatural consortium that tries to keep the balance between good and evil.  But before that, he was an angel who betrayed his kind for the affections of a beautiful woman who eventually betrayed him --then was held captive for countless years in hell. Now, he's on a mission for his brother --the leader of the League-- who wants him to investigate the death of an old witch, Rowan's grandmother.

Rowan has spent the past six years of her life away from her hometown of Salem, trying to hide herself from a demon who has marked her as part of a family curse.  But when her grandmother calls, she returns home, only to find the old woman has died.  The demon has marked her whole coven in an effort to find her and now she realizes that it's time to take a stand and end the curse, once and for all.

Azaiel was at her grandmother's home when Rowan learned what happened to the old woman and she recognizes the power in him. So when he offers to help with her cause, she accepts.  Azaiel knows the demon who is after her is very powerful, so he calls the League for reinforcement --and Nico and Priest show up to lend aid.  From there, the story follows Rowan and the three men from the League as they work to reunite her coven and vanquish the demon.

The action was really good and the storyline was easy to follow. Even though this is the second book in the League of Guardians (which was a spinoff of the Jaguar books,) I think this would still work as a standalone.  The wordbuilding is solid and the pacing is good.  The real draw, though, is the romance.

Azaiel doesn't believe he can ever trust a woman again after what happened in his past. He is attracted to Rowan but doesn't want to act on it.  The more time he spends with her, the more she wears down his resolve.  She is a woman who is not afraid to go after what she wants.  And it's hard not to want Azaiel. It really takes a long time for these two to really act on their feelings, but the sexual tension between them is very hot. It's cool to see the woman be the aggressor here and I was very pleased with the payoff.

Azaiel makes a great reformed hero.  I like watching his struggle and his demons from the past.  Rowan is pretty bad ass too. She's a very tough and take no prisoners kind of chick. There's a great wealth of secondary characters too... I definitely want to know more about Priest and there seems to be a side romance brewing for Nico (maybe we'll see it from his perspective in another book?) I've got my fingers crossed.  --All this and a very satisfying ending.

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by Avon

Click to purchase: Amazon

King of the Damned

by Juliana Stone

Release Date: November 27, 2012

Publisher: Avon

Review: Rogue Rider

Reviewed by Jen
 

Before I started this book, I had some serious concerns about how I was ever going to be able to get behind Reseph as a hero.  After all, we just spent the last three books with him as a really, really evil villain.  He raped. He killed. He tortured. He has questionable interactions with his mother.  This guy was as horrible as they come. Granted, he wasn't really himself. He was taken over by the evil Pestilence. But frankly, he wasn't great hero material before he turned evil. He was a flighty man-whore.  Somehow, though, Larissa Ione managed to do something incredible with this character. After everything, she has made him likable.

As the book begins, Reseph has been cast back into the human world with no memory of who he is.  Reaver has bottled up Pestilence deep inside him and freed him from hell.  He lands, naked, in a snowy Colorado town, where Jillian finds him unconscious.  Fearing for his life, she gets him back to her cabin and nurses him back to health.

From the moment he regains consciousness, Reseph starts flirting.  As sexy and gorgeous as he is, though, part of what really gets to her is the vulnerability underneath.  Jillian knows better than anyone what it means to be vulnerable. She is still getting over a terrible attack from a demon that nearly killed her and she has plenty of fear inside of her.  Of course, she has no reason to believe Reseph is anything other than human, but she is just as worried about the pain that a regular man could inflict on her battered heart.  So as much as she grows to want him --and as much as he wants her-- both are afraid to let real feelings begin to grow.  Jillian, because she is afraid of abandonment and heartbreak; Reseph, because he fears what he'll uncover about himself if he ever gets his memory back.

Most of the first half of the book sets the foundation for the romance, but in the second half, the pace picks up in a big way.  There is a lot Reseph must face from his actions as Pestilence. The other Horsemen feature prominently, as do Reaver and Harvester.  And lest you think there is no danger, the demons of Sheol are after Reseph --as are the Aegis.  There's action. There's bloodshed. There is sex.  --Goodness-- I haven't talked about the sex!!  It is so, so hot. Ione is incredibly creative with her love scenes.  You could practically feel the heat in the air.

As always with these books, the world-building is fantastic. The continuity is outstanding. And the b-plot is strong. I am positively counting the minutes until I can get my hands on Reaver's book.  The mystery of his past is already starting to unfold!!!

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Rogue Rider

by Larissa Ione

Release Date: November 20, 2012

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Review: The Demoness of Waking Dreams

Reviewed by Jen
 

In the history of books, there have been worse endings than this one, I'm sure.  But I can't think of one off the top of my head.  I know it's bad form to start a review by talking about the ending, but it must be said. This is a romance novel. It's supposed to have a happy ending. I'm even good with a happy-for-now ending. Be warned, this has neither.

Still with me?  Let's talk about the rest.

The female lead in this book was actually one of the villains in Where Demons Fear to Tread. She was also a very fascinating character in that story, so I was kind of excited to see how she would be redeemed.  Luciana is no wilting flower. She has endured a horrible existence, but she is willing to do whatever is necessary to take care of herself.  And she doesn't waste any time worrying about the morality of her choices.

Brendan has only been an angel for about 10 years. Before that, he was a Detroit cop who was killed on the job.  He is steeped in power and knows how to get things done. That is why the Angel Council chose him to capture Luciana and get custody of the poison she made that can kill angels and demons alike.

Brendan tracks her down in Venice and from the very beginning, the two are drawn to each other. For a long time, they try to fight it, focusing on the fact that they are enemies. But once Luciana begins to use her abilities to walk in his dreams and tries to use seduction as a weapon, it's only a matter of time before they begin falling for each other.

I liked Luciana. She has an edge that you rarely see in a PNR heroine.  I like that she is unapologetic and doesn't hem and haw over what needs to be done.  I liked that Brendan isn't 100% goody-two-shoes either. There are shades of gray in both characters. There's solid sexual tension and the conflict felt genuine. (However, I thought when Brendan gave in to his attraction to Luciana, it seemed a bit sudden.)

The demon Corbin is back and he is as evil as ever. And there's even a character with questionable morals on team-angel.  I like the nuances you see on both sides of angel-demon war.

But.  I found the pacing a little uneven. It had some slow pockets for me in the first half.  And I hated the end.  Even though there were parts of the book that were really engaging, I just can't get over a romance without an HEA.

*ARC Provided by Mira via NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Demoness of Waking Dreams

by Stephanie Chong

Release Date: August 28, 2012

Publisher: Mira

Review: Immortal Surrender

Reviewed by Jen
 

Overall, I really enjoyed this book.  It's the second in Claire Ashgrove's Curse of the Templars series.  And one of the things that I like best about these books is that each one features a tortured hero with a heroine who can save his soul.

In this case, our hero is Farran. Like Merrick before him, he doesn't want a seraph. He thinks he is too far gone. He wants one of his brothers to receive the gift. Beyond that, though, he is still nursing a 900 year-old heartbreak brought on by a treacherous and unfaithful wife.

Noelle is an unlikely choice for a seraph. She doesn't even believe in God, which makes the whole immortal Templar thing sound all the more insane to her.  She does, however, trust in science. She dates and authenticates ancient relics for a living.  She doesn't have much of a life beyond her work. Apparently, Noelle is plain and flat chested and no man has ever really been interested in her.

Once the angel Gabriel does his thing and orchestrates a meeting between Farran and Noelle, he realizes immediately that she is his fated match. He decides he must speak his oath to bind with her, in order to honor his duty, but he will never allow anything real to grow between them.  He essentially kidnaps her, drags her back to the Temple and spends the rest of the book trying to force her to speak the oath back to him while he fights he growing feelings for her.

I like the world-building and the story is rich with great secondary characters. It gives the entire book such a great canvas.  I enjoyed the tender moments between Farran and Noelle, but he also frustrated me at times with his thoughtless comments designed to put emotional distance between them.  He wasn't a bad guy, but he was thick-headed. And 900 years is a long time to hold a grudge against women.  As for Noelle, it kind of stretches credulity to think that any functional 29 year-old woman can be that innocent in 2012.  Beyond that, I liked her well enough. She has a sharp mind and demands the kind of proof that most rational people would need.  I just hated to see her feelings hurt so often.

When the walls finally start to come down between these two, the heat factor was fantastic.  The love scenes were great and there was a fair amount of action worked in --as well as enough intrigue to keep me guessing.  --Not everything is tied up neatly. There are definitely loose ends that will branch over to the next book. But the ending gives good closure on the relationship, so it's by no means a cliffhanger.

I liked it. And I'll read the next one when it comes out.  I'm hoping for Sophie's story... with Tane perhaps? Or maybe Declan?  I'm looking forward to it.

Rating: B



*ARC provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Immortal Surrender

by Claire Ashgrove

Release Date: September 25, 2012

Publisher: Tor

Review: Archangel's Storm

Reviewed by Jen
 

Poor Jason.  The mysterious spymaster for the Archangel Raphael is a man who carries a terrible past.  In a fit of madness, his father killed his mother, then killed himself and left young Jason to clean up the mess left behind.  If the heartbreak and gore weren't bad enough, the immature angel was alone on a secluded island and it would be decades before his wings were strong enough to fly him away. Those events and the ensuing years of isolation made him into the hardened shell of a man that he is today.

The story begins with the murder of Eris, the imprisoned consort of the Archangel Neha.  To keep her grief from spiraling out of control onto an unsuspecting population, Raphael sends Jason to find the killer so that Neha can get justice.  The only way she will let him into her territory, though, is if he agrees to a blood bond with her niece, Mahiya.

The princess is, and always has been, nothing more than a pawn to her aunt. She is the living proof of Eris' infidelity with Neha's sister.  Mahiya has led a lonely life, marked by Neha's resentment and anger.  All she wants is a way out of her hostile environment and she hopes that Jason's presence will help her find a way to do that.

A relationship between Jason and Mahiya is very slow to develop.  This is only exacerbated by the POV jumps to Dmitri and Honor. I'm glad things are going so well for them, but it frustrated me every time we were pulled out of Jason's story for a random chapter about them.

I kept waiting for Nalini Singh to give me the kind of emotional pull I've felt in her other books, but I have to admit, I was disappointed. Jason seemed like the ideal candidate to be a tortured hero, but he is so closed off.  I thought, in time, the floodgates would open, but they didn't.  Mahiya acts like she could love enough for the both of them, but it made the romance lacking.  It saddened me that she didn't think she deserved more.

That's not to say there weren't good things in the book.  When Singh finally gave us the full flashback on Jason's worst moment, I cried.  Not only that, but the murder mystery was interesting as it unfolded and the series story arc continued to build.  I just wanted more from the central romance. I wanted Jason's frozen heart to fill to bursting the way Dmitri's did.   I wanted... more.

Rating: B-

*ARC Provided by Berkley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Archangel's Storm

by Nalini Singh

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Publisher: Berkley

Review: Soul Weaver

Reviewed by Jen
 

The premise of this book intrigued me.  Our hero is a fallen angel who now harvests the souls of the wicked. Nathaniel is constantly exposed to the very worst of humanity.  It was only by chance that he happened upon the car accident destined to take Chloe's life.  Even then, he had no inclination to interfere... until he saw the beauty of her soul as it tried to leave her body.  A soul so bright should have been bound for heaven, but she had no ties of love to help her pass over. Unable to simply let her spirit fade to nothing, Nathaniel cuts out a piece of his own soul and ties it to hers, tethering her spirit to her body.

It's months before he sees her again. Unfortunately, his soul has darkened hers and now she is on his list of the damned.  He can't let her suffer for his mistake, though.  So he thinks to enter her life as a human, long enough to help her make connections to the people around her. That way, when she does have to die, her spirit can finally go where it deserves. The problem is that Chloe is agoraphobic and that keeps her cut off from other people.  

When they come face to face, their soul connection kicks in right away.  And the story follows their journey to love, while the clock ticks down to Chloe's inevitable death.  There is much more to it: complications and secondary characters with supporting storylines. But the love story is the heart of the book.  It's also where I was sadly underwhelmed.

Agoraphobia is a real mental illness and the concept of a main character with this problem is different. But it's not exciting. It's not sexy.  Chloe came across as weak to me as I got to know her character. She needs her hand held constantly and she is utterly naive about the outside world.  That makes it even more awkward when her relationship with Nathaniel advances at the speed of light.  She loses her virginity to a guy she's known barely more than a week and the I Love You's are right around the corner.  There wasn't even much sexual tension to speak of... just an acknowledgement of an attraction and her ever-present anxiety.  The relationship fell flat, both in the sexual and the emotional realms.

Like I said, I liked the concept.  And I thought the resolution was cool.  But it wasn't enough to make this one a good read for me. If you want to give Hailey Edwards a try, I definitely recommend A Hint of Frost over this one.

Rating: C-

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Soul Weaver

by Hailey Edwards

Release Date: August 7, 2012

Publisher: Forever (GCP)

Review: Thirteen

Reviewed by Jen
 

I've been a fan of the Otherworld series ever since I picked up Bitten and fell in love with the hot, complicated and largely dysfunctional romance between Clay Danvers and Elena Michaels.  Over the years, I have liked some stories more than others. Some had better narrators, others had a stronger story arc, and yet others appealed more to the romance lover in me.  But these last two Otherworld books took the series to an entirely different level.  Thirteen was everything I wanted... everything I needed... for a fitting farewell to these characters I have come to care so much about.

I will do my very best to keep from spoiling you on the particulars.  In broad strokes, I can tell you that the story picks up where Spell Bound left off.  It follows Savannah on her journey to recover her powers and stop the faction of supernaturals trying to out themselves to the human world. This, of course, as she tries to finally snag the man she has loved all her life.

But while Savannah is the anchor of the story, this book belongs in part to everyone we have come to know in the Otherworld universe. We spend time with Elena, Paige, Eve, Hope, Jaime, Cassandra and the men who love them.  We get bits and pieces in their POVs --enough for me to remember who I love and why.  We see how far everyone has come, the evolution of their lives, but all folded seamlessly into the framework of this current crisis.

And it is a crisis.  The action is almost non-stop. The danger is very real.  In fact, there is one heart stopping moment, where I felt like Kelley Armstrong stabbed me in the heart with a rusty butterknife. It was that wrenching.  It's also a testament to how deeply connected I feel to these characters and their lives.

Armstrong weaves together so many threads from so many of her previous books. We see (or at least hear about) all the major players that have shaped the series.  Some, I never thought we would ever see. Some I thought we had seen the last of.  They're all connected by our core cast of characters either by blood, by friendship or by feud.  It's brilliant.

I wouldn't change a thing.  Well, that's not entirely true. I would have liked to see a page or two of payoff on the relationship we have waited on between Savannah and Adam.  I didn't need (or even want) the romance to take over the story, but I felt robbed with a love scene that fades to black.  Armstrong has given us good love scenes in the past, but here, for whatever reason, she opts not to.

When all is said and done, our characters lives are still a work in progress.  But we have enough closure that I was very satisfied. And a little sad. I will miss this series... but at least it went out with a bang instead of a whimper.

Rating: A-

*ARC Provided by Dutton

Click to purchase: Amazon

Thirteen

by Kelley Armstrong

Release Date: July 24, 2012

Publisher: Dutton

Review: A Hunger So Wild

Reviewed by Jen
 

For about five seconds, I considered reading this book without reading A Touch of Crimson.  I'm so glad I didn't. While I probably would have eventually figured out what was going on, I can't imagine that I would have found it nearly as good if I were not so familiar with the world-building or invested in the characters.  So before I get too far into this, let me recommend that if you haven't read the first book in this series, you should do so before you start this one.

This is Elijah's story.  He is the reluctant Alpha of the lycans who recently rose up from the indentured servitude of the warrior angels. His life has been turned on its ear by the rebellion. Hunting vampires for the Seraphim has been all he has ever known. Now the vampires are coming to him, asking for an alliance. It's an offer too good to refuse with the lycans' limited resources and the angels breathing down their backs.

The vampires' ambassador is Vashti, the beautiful sexy vamp he wanted so much when he saw her in the last book.  Of course, it's not so simple as to just getting her into bed.  She is the vampire who killed his friend Micah.  His sense of honor demands justice as does Micah's mate, but the alliance is more important than revenge. He must put aside his anger and grief to work with Vashti long enough to figure out what is causing the illness sweeping through vampire minions. Then he plans to kill her.

Vashti is no fan of the lycans. After all, they brutally killed her mate decades ago. But even her hatred can't dull the fiery passion she feels for Elijah.  A passion they have for one another, despite everything else.

It was hard for me relate to these two wanting to screw each other's brains out when they wished each other dead.  Thankfully, they start to like each other quickly and that is not an issue for very long.  There are other issues that take its place, though, mostly on Vashti's end.  She doesn't want to want Elijah and she certainly doesn't want to have feelings for him. Her reasons why become clearer the more we read, but I never really did warm up to her.  She's too reluctant of a love interest and she is a very hard woman.

Elijah, on the other hand, is a great hero.  He is alpha and strong without ever being power-hungry or a jerk. He is thoughtful and patient. He knows what he wants and he will settle for nothing less, both in his pack and in his relationship with Vashti.

There's a lot going on here beyond the relationship. We learn more about the vamp-sickness and the master-plan against the angels and the vampires.  We get more from Adrian and Lindsay --and even follow up on the two novellas.  There is good mix of action and "the bigger picture" which kept me on the edge of my seat. And the sex is really hot, even if the very first love scene was somewhat disturbing.

The ending made it clear what would happen between our hero and heroine, but so much is still left undone.  I am beside myself that I must wait until next year to get the answers to all my questions, but that just shows how much I have become invested in this world.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Hunger So Wild

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Signet

Review: A Caress of Wings

Reviewed by Jen
 

For a species of beings that aren't supposed to have any feelings, those angels sure are having a hard time turning their backs on love.

Set to coincide with the events of A Hunger So Wild, this novella centers on the Seraph Siobhán. As the science-minded angel works with her team to clear out a vamp nest, she discovers Trevor, a human who has been their prisoner for the past year.  He's been used for blood, sex, and sport and is now only a shadow of his former self. In Siobhán, he sees a savior and she can't turn away from the chance to help him become whole again.

In touching Trevor, Siobhán lives through his experiences and it changes her.  She was already evolving into emotions but he puts that into overdrive.  They connect, but Siobhán feels it's better for him --and for her-- to wipe his memory of his time in captivity so he can go back to a normal life. The question is, can either of them really do that?

I liked the story. I'm always a sucker for a tortured hero and Trevor looks at Siobhán like she hung the moon.  There is not much in the way of on-page sex, but there are sexy times that are pretty good. (I would have liked to read the scene where Siobhán loses her virginity though.) I thought Trevor's emotional fragility and fixation on Siobhán was done well. I was surprised by how well he was doing at the end.  I would have liked to see some cracks there, but it didn't ruin the story for me.

It ends on a bit of a cliffhanger. I just hope it's addressed in the next book.

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Caress of Wings

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: June 5, 2012

Publisher: Signet

Review: A Dark Kiss of Rapture

Reviewed by Jen
 

This is a great little prequel to Sylvia Day's Renegade Angel series. I actually read this one after A Touch of Crimson and was able to enjoy it quite a bit.

Our hero is Raze, one of the vampires/ Fallen Angels.  As part of their leader's inner circle, it is his job to police the minions created by his people. Often, when one of the Fallen tries to turn a human, he meets less than ideal results.  Raze must make sure the minions aren't doing too much damage to humanity or acting in a way that will expose their existence.

As the story begins, someone has left a dead body on Raze's doorstep, which sets him on a mission to find the minion responsible.  His hunt takes him to Chicago where he meets Kim, a gorgeous human who approaches him for a one-night stand.  It's what they think they both want... what they both need.  But they end up with a deeper connection that neither has ever felt before.

I liked it.  It was obvious in A Touch of Crimson that the Fallen Angels were not cookie-cutter villains. And here, we see them even more in their element. They are flawed, but they are not all evil.  They want love and happiness and normalcy.  Raze has never had that and I like watching him get his first taste of that with Kim.  (The sex is pretty hot too.)

The story is short and the ending is only a HFN, but I'm okay with that. In fact, I'm really glad Day didn't rush them into I Love You's.

Worth reading for fans of the series or anyone who wants to see if these books might be a good fit. You can't beat the price! It's free on Amazon and at Barnes & Noble.

Dark Kiss of Rapture

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: October 6, 2011

Review: A Touch of Crimson

Reviewed by Jen
 

I've read mixed reviews on this book, so I was a little hesitant to give it a try, but I am glad I did.  The more I read of this story, the more I enjoyed it.

Adrian is the leader of the angelic soldiers who oversee the vampires on earth.  These vampires were once angels themselves, but they broke the rules that prevented them from mating with mortals. Adrian and his fellow Seraphim were dispatched to punish them... divest them of their wings... the very act, turning them into vamps.

Long ago, Adrian fell in love with Shadoe, daughter to the ruler of the vampires.  But she was partly mortal and when she was nearly killed, her father tried turning her into one of his kind.  Adrian killed her before she could turn, trying to save her from turning into a monster.  As a result, her soul was reborn into another mortal and has continued to do so over and over through the centuries.

Lindsay is Shadoe's newest incarnation.  She has no history of her past lives, but when she runs into Adrian in an airport, she is drawn to him in a way she can't ignore.  He recognizes her for who she is and is thrilled with the opportunity to win her love all over again.  He is shocked when he learns that she has special abilities... ones that allow her to sense inhumanity and amazing physical skills to help her fight. This is important, since she has been killing vamps and demons for years... and hunting the vampires who killed her mother.

The story was ok at the beginning. It took me a while to warm up to it as we set everything up, but it picked up speed along the way. The sexual tension was really good and I loved it when Adrian talked dirty.  The heat between these two was off the charts and their previous connection helped me deal with the fast feelings.  There are some interesting supporting characters, like Elijah, who is fantastic.  And I really was impressed to see many shades of gray between the good guys and the bad guys.  The further I got into the story, the less clear it was who held the high ground, giving the book an added layer of complexity. And there were some poignant moments of longing and loss for many of our characters as well.

I did have some issues.  Like why didn't Adrian fall when he started sleeping with Shadoe? This is a big one.  Maybe it's because she is not 100% human, but that is quite a loophole and it's a significant question that is never answered.   I also struggle with why Adrian fell in love with Shadoe to begin with. She certainly seems like no prize.  And the ending seemed kind of easy after what seemed like insurmountable odds.

However, the groundwork is all in place for the story to continue.  In fact, there are many threads left open, practically begging me to pick up the next story.  Who was pulling the strings in the angel/ vampire war? What will happen with the Lycans? Who is the traitor among the Seraphim?   Why was Lindsay's mother killed and by whom?  Will Elijah be as hot in the sack as I think he will?

I can't wait to find out.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

A Touch of Crimson

by Sylvia Day

Release Date: October 4, 2011

Publisher: Signet

Review: Fire Kissed

Reviewed by Jen
 

10 years ago, Kaye barely survived a wraith attack.  She was only 15, not yet in control of her power to wield fire.  She had just broken off an arranged marriage to an ancient powerful mage lord, but what choice did she have once she discovered a nearly dead angel, chained in the basement?  She wanted to save that beautiful being.  She couldn't, but he knew her intentions and called his brethren to save her in her moment of need.

Now Kaye uses her fire to make a living, selling glimpses of the future in her flames.  But everything changes when she is approached by an angel named Bastion.  He wants her to help the angelic order infiltrate the Mage Council to find out how they're aligned with the soul-sucking wraiths.  And he offers to pay her handsomely for the job.  The money is a good incentive, but even more, Kaye sees a chance to rebuild her own house in the mage world and perhaps even get revenge on Ferro, her betrothed from all those years ago.

I was very intrigued by the world building here. It's dark and very cool.  The mages and angels are enemies but the line between good and evil isn't as obvious as you would think.  There is a fantastic cast of supporting characters, which serve to enrich the story.  The writing is good and the plot pulled me in from the very beginning.  Even though this story is set within the Shadow series, it's the first of the Shadow Kissed spinoff books, and it's very accessible to new readers.

But. I also had some problems.  First of all, the development of the relationship between Bastion and Kaye was erratic. It went from an unspoken attraction, to *BAM* sex, and then *BAM* love. It was jerky and abrupt. And when the love was declared, I felt like I had whiplash.  Too fast and too unexpected.  Problem number two: Kaye's actions in the second half of the book.  I don't want to spoil too much, but she essentially sacrifices her relationship for the greater good.  The wrongs she commits against Bastion are egregious. Yet, they are glossed over more than I would have liked. Frankly, I hated her actions on principle, but if they were going to happen, I feel like it should have been laid out in all its sordid glory instead of mentioned after the fact.  Then, there should have been more repercussions.

Other than those issues, I did like it. The very best things going for it are the world building and character development. I felt completely submersed in the world of the Order and the Mages. And I felt like Kaye, Bastion and even Ferro were fleshed out with motivations that made sense, even if I didn't always like how it all played out.

Rating: B-


*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Fire Kissed

by Erin Kellison

Release Date: July 3, 2012

Publisher: Zebra

Review: Angel Betrayed

Reviewed by Jen
 

Growing up under the watchful eye of a punishment angel, Saline has been using her succubus gifts against the wicked since she was a teenager.  But her latest mark is someone more powerful than she has ever encountered. Sammael is a fallen angel, capable of killing with just one touch.  He sees through the wiles that usually work on other men --and quickly she realizes he could be the way to get her out from under Rogziel's thumb.

Thanks to her succubus gifts, a physical relationship develops right away for Saline and Sam.  That quickly evolves into a partnership as Saline agrees to help Sam track down his brother Azrael in exchange for his help in gaining her freedom.  But even as they work together and share passion, trust is slow to come. And though they start out using each other for their own ends, it becomes something much more between them.

One of the things I liked best about this book was that this was no instant-love story.  The feelings between Sam and Saline develop slowly over time.  Sammael is this hardened, deadly weapon.  Anyone who has ever truly known him has feared him, but not Saline.  It's just this pure passion... and hope that he can help her gain her freedom.  He could kill her with barely a thought, but even when he figures out he is her target, he doesn't.  He remains guarded, but at the same time recognizes something between them that he doesn't want to let go.  He's growly and bad-ass and I really enjoyed him.

Saline has grown up surrounded by lies and violence, but she still knows right from wrong.  She does a good job balancing her morality with her need to survive.  I thought she was likeable and did the best she could with the hand she was dealt.

The sex is really hot in this story, as you'd probably expect with a succubus heroine. There's also a lot of action and an interesting plot --with a cool twist at the end.  This is the second book in The Fallen series. The main characters from book one do make an appearance, but I think it was easy to jump in as a new a reader.  The world here is rich with secondary characters, primed and ready for their own stories.  That includes Tomas, a fallen guardian angel in love with his charge... as well as Sam's brother Azrael, who did some bad things in book one, but has turned himself around.

I liked it. And I'll pick up book three when it comes out.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Angel Betrayed

by Cynthia Eden

Release Date: June 26, 2012

Publisher: Brava

Review: Wicked Nights

Reviewed by Jen
 

I have no doubt that Lords of the Underworld fans are going to love this one.  It's got all the things that make a great Gena Showalter book: hot sexual tension, humor, great world-building, a strong heroine, and an alpha hero undone by his first feelings of love.  --Oh, and did I mention the hero is a virgin?  Mmm.

We first met Zacharel in The Darkest Secret, an angel sent to deal with Amun when he came back from Hell, dripping with demons.  He's gorgeous and powerful, but seemingly void of emotions.  The only person he has ever cared about was his twin brother, Hadreniel. The brother who begged for death after being tortured by demons.  The brother he killed to end his suffering.

Zacharel's lack of feelings and general disinterest in humanity have him in trouble with his Deity. Too many times, Zacharel has considered a human to be collateral damage in his fight against demons.  As punishment, he must lead a band of problematic angels on the cusp of losing their wings.  He is responsible for their actions and together, they will either all be redeemed or they will all fall.

A demon killing mission leads Zacharel to the institute for the criminally insane where Annabelle is being held. She was accused of killing her parents years ago. But it was really a demon attack --and she has been plagued by monsters ever since.  No one else can see or hear them, though, and that only makes her look crazier.

When Zacharel and Annabelle meet, he is instantly drawn to her. She is a fascinating contradiction. Strong yet vulnerable. Naive and jaded.  In many ways, her spirit reminds him of the brother he lost so long ago. He ends up rescuing her from captivity and decides to help her figure out why she is a demon target and, later, to track down the monster that ruined her life.

There were so many things I liked about this book.  I loved watching Zacharel's transformation.  The way he discovers emotion and desire.  I liked that it wasn't an easy path and that he makes mistakes.  I loved, loved, loved the secondary characters in his band of angel warriors.  Koldo's story is next, but I already have a favorite and I will be waiting with baited breath for Xerxes' book.

The events of Amun's book and The Darkest Seduction are referenced here and we do get appearances from a handful of the Lords and their mates. That was great for me, but I'm not sure how it would play for a new reader.

The sex is hot, but I felt like we had to wait a long time for it.  I think I would have liked a little more payoff on Zacharel losing his virginity.  My only other complaint was that I figured out the villain reveal very, very early on in the story. Maybe I've read too many Showalter books because I saw it coming a mile away.  But I liked how it all worked out in the end. It was very sexy and satisfying. Definitely worth reading!

Rating: B+

*ARC provided by Little Bird Publicity

Click to purchase: Amazon

Wicked Nights

by Gena Showalter

Release Date: June 26, 2012

Publisher: HQN Books