Review: Donor

Reviewed by Shelly

This was a solid first story in the Dresdan Coven series and I’m a little mad at myself it was in my TBR so long. As a former member of District 5, Elaina’s role as a tracker of the Dresdan led her to Vicq. As a vamp creation of the master vampire Russo, Vicq is not your ordinary Dresdan. He has some special skills that he uses to woo and protect Elaina. After he was exiled from Russo’s coven for his affiliation with Elaina, Vicq has left Elaina alone long enough. He’s finally ready to make her his – permanently. Can this human and vampire find their own HEA? I hope so.

I was completely shocked and impressed that I liked this short story as much as I did. Kirk did a very good job of building the world where these characters live, because it’s certainly not like any I’ve read before. I admit that I love vampire stories and their paranormal world as much as the next person, but it wasn’t the vamps that really got my attention, it was District 5. What are those people doing? I can’t wait to find out what the real story is. Elaina thinks she knows what it is but I’m hoping it’s not as elementary as she seems to think. Kirk, please bring on the tomfoolery and shenanigans because it makes for an interesting read when it’s not the obvious.

Back to Elaina, she’s a very likable character and no whimpering female when it comes to holding her own. This chick can kick a vamp's butt then go out for a meal. How cool is that? I’m hoping there’s going to more about her history once the series continues, because I’m looking for the underlying reason she fell in love with Vicq. Yes, he has the ability to ‘glamour’ – that might be a True Blood term, but I don’t know else to call it –which he did when they initially met, but I’m hoping that’s there’s something more to their love.

Vicq --- oh my my, that’s one hot specimen of vampiliciousness. He’s got a thing for Elaina and nothing will get in his way, not even his creator. And the chemistry between the two was hot and heavy. Like Elaina’s motivation and background, I hope there’s more about him in the future installments.

The other members of Vicq’s newly formed coven are very loyal to their leader and have their own interesting quirks that made for good story telling. Other than the epilogue and a few spelling errors that made me reread a few sentences, this was a good story.

Happy Reading Folks!

Rating: B-

*Book provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Donor

by Ambrielle Kirk

Original Release Date: February 24, 2011

Re-Release Date: April 28, 2013

Review: Haunted Wolves

Reviewed by Jen
 

I do really enjoy Moira Rogers' sexy shifter stories.  But while there were parts of the book I really liked, I had just a few niggles that kept this from being a home run for me.

The past few years of Lorelei's life have been miserable. She has lost her son, nearly lost her sanity, and endured the destruction of her pack. She has barely held it together, but now, she has two new alphas to give her the safety and peace she has been sorely lacking.

Colin is attracted to Lorelei but her abuse at the hands of other wolves has made her firmly off limits. Until she takes the initiative and acts on the sexual tension they've got going on.  They begin a fragile relationship, but there are many unspoken truths between them.  Colin needs the pack every bit as much as Lorelei does.  He's been a lone wolf for too long; had to see too much --kill too many-- as an enforcer.  Both of them feel broken by their pasts.  The difference is, Colin has no idea just how deep Lorelei's pain really runs.

The dynamic between these two is really good (with one exception I will get to in a moment.)  At the beginning, there is a lot of pull as they skirt the sexual tension.  Later, the actual sex is hot.  And they are easy to root for as they try to give one another the things they need. Colin struggles to make Lorelei feel safe and revels in the way she entrusts her body to him.  They are more whole together than apart.

As they try to find their way together, someone or something is targeting the pack.  One member is killed at the hand of magic.  So Lorelei and Colin travel to Memphis to see if the Bad Wolves there have something to do with it.  In doing so, Lorelei is forced to confront more of her past and Colin begins to see there is so much about her he doesn't know.

I had two issues with the book: one in the internal conflict, one in the external.  My problem with the external conflict: I'm still not really sure what happened.  I'm not sure how the Bad Guys were using the magic to attack the pack and I'm not sure why.  Yeah, I know their names and their supernatural type, but the bigger explanation is not there.  I'm sure we'll get into it in future books, but not getting it now feels really anticlimactic.

As for my relationship issue... there comes a point in the book where all of Lorelei's secrets come out.  I was unhappy with Colin's reaction; unhappy that Lorelei is painted in the wrong.  Her kid is dead.  She is a train wreck.  This is not about you, Colin.  (Plus, I have to say I had a little trouble following her explanation of how her son died.)  *spoiler* If he died immediately in the wreck, how did her surviving save him from the "hunt?"  Was the whole thing a ploy to turn her into a wolf? What happened to her attacker? Anyway, it bothered me that her grief became about Colin.

Overall, I did like it. It just wasn't my favorite.  --Now I am looking forward to seeing poor Zach put himself together. I do love a good tortured hero.

Rating: B-

*ARC provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Haunted Wolves

by Moira Rogers

Release Date: July 9, 2013

Publisher: Samhain

Review: Don't Bite the Bridesmaid

Reviewed by Shelly

Allee’s tale didn’t take any time at all for me to get into. To say that I was surprised when I turned the last page is an understatement. This story just kept getting better and better the more I read. Allee’s take on day walking vampires and their interactions in the everyday  human world is something that I’ve not read before and it was a good thing.

Cute, 20-something Alice Shepard is in desperate need of a date for her sister’s wedding and the weeklong cruise that leads up to it. Her neighbor, Noah Thorpe, agrees to be her plus-one even with Alice’s stipulation of no funny business. Noah is in need of a quick getaway and his next door neighbor offers it just in the nick of time. Are these two really as opposite as they think or will they come together before the council makes a decision to call Noah home?

There are a lot of interesting angles and side roads in this story. As the first in the series, it’s definitely piqued my curiosity and opened a lot of questions - especially around Alice’s ex and Noah’s past. There seems to be more there than meets the eye. So, as I wait for the second one in the series I’ll tell you why I liked this first story so much.

There’s no car chases or good guys or bad guys (but I suspect that Alice’s cheater ex is hiding something.) Instead, it’s a story the ups and downs of family and relationships - Alice and her family, Noah and his family and then Noah and Alice as a couple. I liked Alice quite a lot. She was a little schizo with the yes, no, maybe mindset but I understood that considering the guest list on the wedding cruise. Her relationship with Noah was well written, nice pacing, a little angsty from both of them which was nice to see from a man’s perspective. The sex between them was good and not too soon – what saved it for me was that I considered their relationship outside of the cruise.

This couple had their highs and lows but I was on their side the entire time. The way that Noah treated Alice was refreshing in that he didn’t play the alpha male vampire thing and she wasn’t the simpering heroine who’s just so happy that a vampire has taken notice of her. There’s a whole subplot about Alice’s knowledge of vampires but I’ll leave that to you to read ;-).

In the end, I look forward to more from this writer and this series.

Happy Reading folks!

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by Entangled

Click to purchase: Amazon

Don't Bite the Bridesmaid

by Tiffany Allee

Release Date: May 27, 2013

Publisher: Entangled

Review: MacRieve

Reviewed by Jen
 

I have to admit that I wasn't overcome with excitement with the idea of Ulleam MacRieve as the next IAD hero.  True, the MacRieve Lykae are sexy to be sure, but Ulleam never did much for me --and frankly, I was itching for a Lanthe and Thronos book.  I love this series, though, so I figured any book was going to be a win one way or another --and for the most part, it was.

Basically, it's your standard Immortals After Dark book. The hero has a dark past.  He wants the heroine, but he doesn't WANT to want the heroine.  He is strong; she is vulnerable. Nix is funny...  It's comfortable. Pretty predictable.  But mostly enjoyable.

From the very beginning of the story, we find out the root of MacRieve's suffering. He was sexually abused by a succubus for years as a child.  The culmination of the abuse destroyed his family and warped him sexually.  It's been hundreds of years, but he still hasn't gotten over it.  His torture on the island featured in Carrow & Regin's books only made it worse.  He is ready to just end it all with a one-way trip to the place where immortals go to die.  Until Nix manipulates him into finding his mate.

Chloe grew up believing herself to be a human. She has no idea that her father is the evil man behind those island experiments.  She doesn't even know the Lore exists until she starts to exhibit signs of impending immortality. Her dad tosses her a book on the Lore and disappears, clearing the path for some very unhappy immortals to snatch her away.

Once MacRieve wrests her from the bad guys, their connection is instantaneous. The change in him is immediate and everything is so wonderful, you have no doubt it's all about to go to hell.  And it's obvious how it's going to happen.  In some ways after that, it's a lot like Bowen's story... where the hero's instinct tells him one thing, but his past and his personal damage tells him another.  Frankly, he is pretty mean to poor Chloe.  But unlike Lothaire, I had the chance to know him as a good guy first. I got to see what he went through. So I was able to muster some sympathy for him.  Chloe had a lot to handle in a short time and I thought she handled it extremely well (almost too well.)  When all was said and done, you had to root for them to work it all out.

Overall, I liked it.  There wasn't as much overlap with other characters in the series as usual.  The broad landscape of the world is one of the things I like most about the series, so I missed that. It was pretty much just Ulleam, Munro, and Nix (with a cameo from Malkom.)  It felt like a periphery story, more than one built into the main series arc.  I would have liked to see a surprise or two in there, but I left the book feeling satisfied... in a comfortable and familiar way.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

MacRieve

by Kresley Cole

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Gallery Books

Review: Phantom Wolf

Reviewed by Jen
 

I had some mixed feelings going on as read this book.  I was really drawn into the romance. It was angsty and full of mistrust and old hurts. It was sexy and held my interest from beginning to end. But.  There are some strong racist overtones that disturbed me throughout the story. Don't get me wrong, it's not about the color of anyone's skin, but make-believe species or not, the prejudice was hard to read at times.

Sam and Kelly are two different classes of mage.  He is Elemental. She is Arcane.  In their world, his class rules, while hers is maligned and treated as servants.  But 12 years ago, they were young and in love and committed to making things work between them. Until it appeared her father killed his family. He left her that day and they have been apart ever since.

Now Kelly works to rescue kidnapped Elemental children.  The Arcanes who are fed up with oppression are taking the kids to drain them of magic, in the hopes to conquer the Elementals who have mistreated them so long.  Kelly is willing to risk everything to stop her misguided people. It's as she is trying to rescue one of the kids that she is reunited with Sam.  He is now a Navy SEAL and his team mistakes her for one of the kidnappers.  She must make him believe the truth and convince him to help her in her mission before it's too late.

Kelly and Sam are clearly two people who have never gotten over each other. But they are both so damaged by their past.  I think the author tried to make Sam more sympathetic by showing us how torn up he was over his family's deaths. Unfortunately, it was hard to look past how he and everyone else treated Kelly.  Society sees her as less than nothing. The mages of Sam's class can basically do anything to her. The way people speak to her is appalling.  And while Sam isn't like that all the time, there are parts of the book he clearly judges her... not just for her father's actions, but for her race. Neither is fair. He LEFT her alone all those years ago. She lost just as much as he did that day.  Now he still acts like she was someone who did him wrong.  It's just not fair.  She is truly a good person and she gets shit on over and over again.  Mostly by other people, but by Sam too. It's hard to get over.

That aside, there is good sexual tension there --and real emotion as well.  Kelly is an extremely sympathetic character.  I really wanted to see her happy ending.  The thing is... when she finally gets it... it's wrapped up in a bow that is just a little too shiny. The end is just a little too easy.  Especially in the bigger picture.

Like I said, mixed feelings.  I didn't want to put it down, because it held my interest... but the treatment of the heroine was hard to take.

Rating: B-

*ARC Provided by Harlequin via NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Phantom Wolf

by Bonnie Vanak

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Harlequin

Review: The Wicked

Reviewed by Jen
 

Sometimes I think I am too hard on novellas. I complain because there isn't enough substance; that I don't connect to the characters; or I don't believe in the love story.  Sometimes I ask myself, Is it fair to expect an entire story in half the word count of a full length book?  Then --every blue moon-- I come across a novella like this one -- one that delivers-- and I'm glad my standards exist, because it proves size isn't everything

It doesn't hurt that story begins with a tie in to my favorite couple in the series: Grace and Khalil.  Our heroine, Olivia, is a great friend of Grace's who has been tapped to go on mission for the vampire Carling.  She is a human witch and a symbologist who is working with a team to move Carling's ancient library out of her island home.  There are seven people in the group, including Khalil's dysfunctional daughter Phaedra, and members of a security team lead by a Wyr named Sebastian.

Sparks fly between Olivia and Sebastian right away.  I liked our hero immediately. He's not seven feet tall or as old as time.  He is actually kind of short for a man --and about 200 years into his 250 year lifespan.  And if that doesn't humanize him enough, he is also fighting a curse that's turning him blind --and fighting the ennui of a life without love.  He is vulnerable, yet still powerful.  He's fast and strong, feared and filthy rich.  Plus, he sees the value in Olivia.. despite the fact that she isn't a 20 year-old virgin or a raving beauty.

There is a tangible sexual tension between them, but their path to happily every after looks wide open.  I really enjoyed watching them fall for one another and the love scenes were great too. There's a bit of drama in an external conflict I won't spoil, but the love story is really the heart of the book.  Very satisfying --and reminded me why I love the Elder Races series so much. Now I am more jazzed than ever for Kinked!  (Is it November yet?)

Rating: B+

*ARC Provided by Samhain

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Wicked

by Thea Harrison

Release Date: July 2, 2013

Publisher: Samhain

Review: Deja VooDoo

Reviewed by Carrie

This is the third book in Elle James’ Cajun Magic series but the first one for me. I didn’t have any trouble hopping in and understanding the world. The book is set in the atmospheric swamps of Louisiana’s Cajun country in the small town of Bayou Miste where alligators are kept as pets and the local Voodoo Queen is revered. Alexandra (Alex) Boyette is trying to keep her head above water while running her gym and helping her mom care for Alex’s 19 siblings. Ed Marceaux is an undercover Baton Rouge cop in town to protect a high profile witness. When Alex’s scheming Mama pairs them up at a family dinner, an instant connection is made.

Had the plot stuck to this storyline, I feel like the book could have succeeded. At the beginning of the book, the Voodoo Queen gives Alex a gris gris bag that turns Alex’s dog, Sport, into man to supposedly help cure her loneliness. This was supposed to be the charming and quirky part of the book but, unfortunately, it just seemed out of place and kept me from enjoying the main story.

Ed was a good fish-out-of-water character being the city cop trying to pretend he’s a backwoods fisherman. The author doesn’t get too heavy handed with his troubled childhood backstory and instead focuses on how good a family man he could be and I appreciated that.

Alex, on the other hand, was tiresome. She complained that she was lonely, but adamantly refused to entertain any idea of a relationship. This fact was reiterated every other chapter. Oh, but then she runs into handsome Ed in town, has sex with him about two seconds later and promptly runs away from him because she can’t possibly have a relationship and maintain a business. I will say the sex scenes have good tension and have the right amount of heat.

The main suspense story was ok, if completely predictable. The cops are hiding the witness. The bad guys start attacking Alex and Ed rushes to protect her and insta-love happens. Never mind that they have only had one conversation out of bed. Perhaps Alex & Ed had conversations in the previous books that would’ve made their relationship make more sense.

I was really looking forward to reading this book, because I love the unique culture of the Cajuns and the swamps really are a little bit magical. However, the voodoo in the book was just downright corny and not needed. I had a hard time with the writing in general and kept putting the book down and forcing myself to pick it back up. If you’ve read the previous two books, then you probably know what you are getting in to, but for me, this one didn’t work and doesn’t inspire me to pick up the others.

Rating: C-

*ARC Provided by Entangled

Click to purchase: Amazon

Deja VooDoo

by Elle James

Release Date: June 24, 2013

Publisher: Entangled

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 Awakening: Aidan

Reviewed by Shelly

I started this one completely based on a recommendation. I’m happy to say that I’m going to be taking those recommendations from now on because this is a really good story, so much so that I’m hoping there’s a series coming because the premise is a good one (shameless plea #1).

Niles has built an entire world around shifters and their mates that resembles nothing (in a good way) that I’ve read in the past. This is story of meeting the one that’s your eternal love, not just in this life, but in the afterlife too.

Aidan is in a pickle because his fellow shifter and friend, Liam, is in serious trouble and the only one who can help is Jaylin Avgar. Half shifter Jaylin is one of the few psychiatrists who not only knows what ails Liam, she also knows what needs to be done - this calls for a house call. Once she arrives at the cabin to see about Liam she meets Aidan O’Connell and the sparks fly. Oh boy, do they ever! Aidan knows of the stories that tell what will happen once he meets his mate, but he’s not prepared for the roadblocks that Jaylin puts up about why she doesn’t want him. The fun’s about to start, so buckle up.

Aidan is the shiznit – plain and simple. He was cool, calm and collected and let me put this out there – he played nice with the imaginary retinas, which is all good. His likability was high considering he’s a guy with a not so great past, but he’s worked hard to make a change, and I appreciated him that much more for it. The relationships that he had with his fellow shifters spoke highly of the person that he is but it was the relationship that he wanted to have with Jaylin that made me just heads over heels for him. Aidan knew what he wanted and his willingness to go the extra mile to make her want the same thing was admirable, because there were a couple times when smacking Jaylin on the back of the head seemed appropriate.

Jaylin’s character was well written; she had a complexity and vulnerability that I could empathize with… up to a point. She’s stubborn as heck and is convinced that she knows what’s best, and although that’s admirable (kinda sorta) her unwillingness to allow Aidan to make his own choices got to me a little bit. Thank goodness that Aidan had the patience of Job to try and try and try some more with her.

Once this story takes off, it doesn’t take long before I realize that is not about this short life that we live but about whom you’re going to spend your eternity with. Because the world that Niles builds is focused more on the eternity that a bonded couple will share and the negative effects that can occur if the human female chooses not to bond. I’m completely fascinated to find out what happens to Liam – that’s a shameless plea (#2) for a sequel.

If you enjoy a different way of looking at forever love and wouldn’t mind a little smut with the tale – then I’d recommend that you pick up Aidan’s story.

Happy reading folks!

Rating: B+

Click to purchase: Amazon

The Awakened: Aidan

by Abby Niles

Release Date: April 21, 2013 

Publisher: Entangled

Review: Twisted

Reviewed by Jen
 

Rebecca Zanetti definitely knows a thing about creating anticipation! I have been excited for Maggie and Terrent's story since I first saw them face off in Consumed.  I love that Maggie is this klutzy, amnesiac wolf who still manages to get the upper hand over a big bad enforcer like Terrent. I just can't believe he has waited so long the pick things back up.

It's been five years since these two have seen each other. And we find out right away, there is more to their attraction than we ever realized.  Terrence KNEW Maggie before she lost her memory.  Even better (or worse, depending on how you look at it) --they were in love.  Now, he is ready to put their relationship back on the front burner.  This, as she tries to infiltrate his pack, to sniff out who is behind some inoculations that were tampered with.

I thought it was cool that there was more depth to their connection, but I had some trouble with the idea of Terrent staying away from his great love for 10 years.  Yeah, his job is important and all, but that bothered me.  Setting that aside, I did enjoy the sexual tension and the hot sex between these two. I could do without the spanking/ dominating scene, but the other encounters were great.  There is also some pretty good banter.  Maggie is sassy and smart.  I like that she gives as good as she gets with Terrent. I also like that she isn't powerless in their relationship, even though Terrent is so strong and alpha.

Over the course of the story, we learn about Maggie's history --and Terrent's too-- which is kind of interesting. (I wonder if that is going to be incorporated more into the series.)  And we get a few Jase and Dage cameos, which I was happy about.  The ending takes a bit of an obvious route, but in the end, I was pretty satisfied with how it all turned out.    At first, I was disappointed this love story would not have a full length book, but I think it was served well as a novella.

Rating: B

*ARC Provided by Kensington via NetGalley

Click to purchase: Amazon

Twisted

by Rebecca Zanetti

Release Date: June 20, 2013

Publisher: Kensington

Review: Hunted

Reviewed by Jen
 

It's not easy being mated to one of the Kayrs brothers.  Sure, they love you to the moon and back, but they aren't afraid to bully or muscle their way into winning an argument. Admittedly, none has been worse than Talen, the hero of the first book. But we see hints of the alpha-hole in them all.

I had hoped Conn would be better.  After all, when he accidentally mated Moira a century ago, he actually acquiesced to her request for time apart so she could train as a witch.  He let her do what she needed as a witch with a powerful potential in her line.  Which made it all the more disappointing when he started pulling the caveman routine here.  He isn't nearly as bad as Talen, thank goodness, but I had hoped he would give his mate a bit more credit. She is a lethal enforcer for her coven --a trained killer-- but he still tries to put her in a bubble to "protect" her. It annoyed me.

I still enjoyed the book, despite my annoyance with Conn.  That's thanks to the great world-building and the fascinating series storyline. There is a lot happening in this installment. The primary plot involves the witches. Someone is using magic to take out members of the ruling council. Moira is on the hit list --and she wants to figure out who is targeting them --and why. This, as the witches consider aligning with the demons against the vampires. That puts Moira in the terrible position of potentially having to choose between her family and her mate.

Meanwhile, we're seeing the set-up for Katie and Jordan's book.  Katie still can't shift, prompting her to take desperate measures. --And we're seeing more of the Kalin-Zane-Janie interaction.  It's amazing how their scenes always manage to steal every book for me! I know Kalin is bad, bad, bad, but there is just something about him that makes me want to see his redemption.  (Maybe I need my head examined.)

The sex is hot and the characters are well defined.  Conn does make some progress before the story is over, but he doesn't quite hit the mark for me.  I struggle with imbalance of power in the relationships in these books.  Even with Moira being the most kick-ass of witches, Conn still has to win.  At least she gets a couple of small victories.  I guess that's progress.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

Hunted

by Rebecca Zanetti

Release Date: April 24, 2012

Publisher: Kensington

Review: Tempted

Reviewed by Jen
 

This novella is a nice little side romance that takes place between the events of Claimed and Hunted. It doesn't really advance the overall arc of the series, but it features several characters from the full length books. It also dips into the established worldbuilding and the romance provides some great sexual tension and some satisfying bedroom action.

The hero of the story is Max. He's one of the vampires who helped take care of Janie in the earlier books. He is tough as nails and built like a brickhouse.  The Kayrs brothers sort of adopted him after he left behind an abusive father in Russia, but he never really considered himself part of the family. He never really let himself feel, until Janie helped open his heart.

Now he has a new mission: find and protect a special, enhanced woman who is in danger from the Kurjans.  Sarah was almost killed by them, but when she went to the police, it earned her a one-way ticket to an insane asylum.  Max must convince her to trust him, while teaching her all about the supernatural world she has stumbled into. It won't be easy; her own brother is working with the enemy to take her down. But with Jase and Conn around to help, the good guys are armed for the fight.

I liked the romance here, because even though Max is tough and powerful, he doesn't feel the need to utterly dominate Sarah.  Even though he knows she is his mate, he gives her choices. He treats her with respect and doesn't threaten her dignity. My favorite line of the book:

He had no intention of being a bossy asshole with her.

If only more alpha heroes felt that way! As for Sarah, she is ok.  I didn't have strong feelings for her one way or another, except that I was happy that she accepted Max without the requisite drama of the other heroines, and gave him some happiness.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

Tempted

by Rebecca Zanetti

Release Date: March 27, 2012

Publisher: Kensington

Review: Heart of Obsidian

Reviewed by Jen
 

Move over Kiss of Snow.  As much as I loved that book, Heart of Obsidian is even better.  Easily and completely my new favorite in the Psy-Changeling series. I'm going to try very hard not to spoil the story beyond a basic set-up, but I am going to mention the hero and heroine by name, so beware.

Kaleb Krychek has been this powerful enigma ever since the series began. He is cold and calculating.  But there is a fire under that ice that is positively molten.  He has led a life shaped by cruelty at the hands of his mentor.  He was brutalized. He never knew love or loyalty, until he met Sahara Kyriakus.  As children, they became the best of friends. She was his one solace... until she was ripped away.  He has spent the past seven years searching for her.  And now that he has her back, he will never let her go again.

There is so much passion and emotion in this book.  Kaleb's devotion to Sahara is so complete, so unbreakable, it's breathtaking.  He is willing to do anything --give anything-- be anything-- for this fragile, abused woman.  He would burn the world for her, and, frankly, he has the power to do it.  His memories of her have shaped his entire life.

Meanwhile, she has no memory of him at all. Years of torture have robbed her of so much, yet she knows him on a visceral level. She trusts him; she is drawn to him.  And as she heals, she begins to remember him in bits and pieces.

I love these two as individuals, but they are exponentially more amazing as a couple.  What they bring out in each other is the very best part of the book.  Their love is unconditional.  They do not try to change each other.  They simply are better people because of each other.  Kaleb is no saint; he never has been. But Sahara doesn't expect him to be. She SEES him and loves him anyway... no --not in spite of who he is, but BECAUSE of it.  He was forged in fire and it was what made him the man who owns her heart.  It's her unflinching love of his true self that has changed his life; it is the delicate string that makes him a man instead of a monster. 

I could gush forever on the dynamic of the relationship... on how amazingly Nalini Singh crafted this bleak, unbending man who holds on to his humanity with the ray of hope created by one woman's regard.  I could warn you to arm yourself with a fan to cool off from the OHMYGODHOT sex.  But I would be remiss if I didn't also at least mention two other major points. One: We finally learn the identity of the Ghost and it's revealed in fabulous fashion.  And two: the ending is huge.  It will change the course of the series.  It speaks to just how epic the romance is, however, that when the story is done, that's really all you'll be thinking about.

I would not change a thing about this book.  It was phenomenal. Go buy it right now.

Rating: A+

*ARC Provided by Berkley

Click to purchase:Amazon

Heart of Obsidian

by Nalini Singh

Release Date: June 4, 2013

Publisher: Berkley

Review: Scarlet

Reviewed by Shelly
 

A short but sweet read that's just the beginning of the Alpha Marked series as the Sisters Wickham find their mates. Of the triplets, this is story of Scarlet and her Alpha mates. To the minute on her thirtieth birthday Scarlet gets an invitation to the yearly Gathering where it's expected that she'll meet her two mates.

This is a delightful and fun introduction to the series. There was enough humor, tension, passion and alphaness to get and keep my attention. Scarlet is a bit of a troubled soul in that she’s convinced that having two alpha mates is not going to be the best choice for her considering alphas are so, well… alpha. The Ruling Alpha pair Keller and Madden bonded (not mated) when they were much younger and know that they must share a mate and have spent their lives preparing for this; they know each other well enough to know how to share and share properly. I was content with the way the bonding was explained and even more impressed with the way that they took care of Scarlet. And the bonus for me was that they were not overbearing with the – me Tarzan, you Jane.

Last thing before I finish, even after meeting her mates there was still some hesitation and tension between the three to keep me interested. There are few things that turn me off as fast as when the heroine just gives up all of herself immediately after meeting her hero – thanks for not letting that happen Kyle. Nice!

I’m totally looking forward to the next book in the series.

Happy Reading folks!

Rating: B

*ARC provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Scarlet

by Celia Kyle

Release Date: April 3, 2013

Publisher: Summerhouse Publishing

Review: Claimed

Reviewed by Jen
 

This is a definite improvement for me over Fated... and picks up right where that one left off. It even overlaps a tiny bit. The story begins as Emma is separated from her sister Cara at the Kurjan (evil vampire) facility and transported to the evil king that wants to be her mate.  But before she can make there, she is rescued by the good vampire king, Dage, mid-flight.

Emma knows she is destined to be with Dage. She has dreamed of him for the past 15 years.  Part of her already loves him.  He, meanwhile, has dreamed of her for centuries.  Her face has haunted his dreams. And now that they are finally together in the flesh, it is intoxicating.  The thing is, Emma knows more than she is letting on.  Thanks to her powerful psychic abilities, she knows her death is coming and she wants to shield Dage from the pain that will follow. She figures, if she fights the mating, she can prevent him from loving her enough to be destroyed by her death.  Of course, that's ridiculous because he already loves her.

Meanwhile, the plague engineered by the Kurjans is hitting closer to home. Cara is infected and so are Katie and Maggie.  Dage and his brothers now have more reason than ever to find a cure. How fortunate that Emma is a brilliant scientist!  She and Dage's brainiac brother Kane work together to crack the virus. This, as Dage and his people teeter on the brink of a supernatural war.  It's a tough time to be king.

As with all the books in this series, I really like the world building. And the layers grow from book to book.  Could this be read as a standalone? Yes. I read books 4 and 5 that way, but obviously that motivated me to check out the backlist and learn more about the characters and their history.  The series as it stands (from book 1 to 5) has progressed over the course of 15 years or so, so there is a lot of ground to cover.  Rebecca Zanetti lays it all out simply, and while it's a little complicated, it's not convoluted; you won't get lost.

What's so much better here than in book one is the relationship.  Yes, there are still times the hero is overbearing, possessive, and bossy. But he tries not to be. He sees the value in giving Emma choices (most of the time) and does not try to cut her off at the knees at every pass.  Meanwhile, Emma's got a little more hutzpah than her sister did. She is tougher and is more powerful.  --There were moments that gave me pause. Like using sex as "punishment" and making her beg to show her who has control.  Both are turnoffs for me. But it's such a vast improvement from the Talen/ Cara dynamic, I know we are going in the right direction.

I love the underlying Janie story... and the two young men visiting her dreams. I can't wait to read that book one day.  In the meantime, though, I will occupy myself with Conn and Moira's story.  I can't wait to see their reunion.

Rating: B

Click to purchase: Amazon

Claimed

by Rebecca Zanetti

Release Date: October 25, 2011

Publisher: Brava

Review: Araya's Addiction

Reviewed by Shelly
 

If you like your demon cocky and a little bit bad, then Kean is who you want. Araya’s mother has finally done what Araya has been dreading all her life – she’s taken an Incubus as a prisoner for the insatiable lust that he presents to Sempires. Although Kean is only part Incubus, he’s a got enough of the demon gene in him that he makes it hard for a girl to resist him.

Kean screwed the pooch when he met Talith, Araya’s mother, in a local nightclub. After waking naked and locked in a cell, he discovers that Talith’s motives for taking him as a prisoner are for the love of her daughter. Yes, it’s a little manipulative but they’re demons and demons only fear what’s bigger and badder than them and Kean definitely isn’t that. So he’s stuck until he can do what’s required of him and then he can leave and go on his merry way. That is, until he meets Araya and gets to know her in the short time that he’s allotted.

Araya is really a gentle soul who doesn’t want what Kean is offering. Kean is not such a gentle soul who’s only in it for himself, but we soon come to find another side of him that’s really quite charming and even likable. Once these two get together and the sexing commences, and it does get hot!

In her debut novella, Dex does a credible job of making this story interesting. I’m totally looking forward to more from this author.

Happy Reading folks!

Rating: B

*ARC provided by publisher for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Araya's Addiction

by Jocelyn Dex

Release Date: January 11, 2013

Publisher: Ellora's Cave

Review: Valkyrie Slumbering

Reviewed by Shelly
 

My first VanHorn, but not my last and while it’s a novella it definitely drew me in. Kyra’s on a revenge quest. Her father’s been murdered and the need for justice is high with her. Along the countryside she meets Grim who has some (if not many) secrets and skill (both on the off the battlefield) and is on his own personal quest.

This story took about a chapter for me to get in to, but once I was in – I was on board for the adventure. I must give one single warning before going on. This is meant as the beginning of a series, and judging by this installment,they’re going to connect and more enjoyable if read in sequence. This one ended in a cliff hanger so it’s no stand-alone and I would definitely recommend sequential reading.

Kyra is a tough one – she has her feminine traits but she can kick some butt when she needs to. I liked her quite a bit but if I had my druthers I want to see more dialogue between these two. There are a lot of inner thoughts which is usually so one-sided, it’s from Kyra’s point of view. I can’t wait to read more about Grim. He’s the strong, unselfish and kinda chivalrous, in an ole school Viking way.

Best part and what I really liked about this story is the world building that VanHorn has started. The scenery and correlation to myth is vivid – really pretty awesome stuff and fun. So for that alone I can’t wait for the second story in the series. For such a short story, there are a few sexy times and while they were good (don’t judge) I think I would have liked to see this couple show some restraint. But hey – when in Viking land you gotta live everyday like it’s your last!

Happy Reading Folks!

Rating: B-

*Book provided by author for review

Click to purchase: Amazon

Valkyrie Slumbering

by L Vanhorn

Release Date: March 2, 2013

Publisher: Inferno Publishing

Series Reading Order: Dark Protectors

This is the reading order for the Dark Protectors series by Rebecca Zanetti:

• Fated
• Claimed
• *Tempted 
• Hunted
• Consumed
• Provoked
• *Twisted
• Shadowed (October 2013)

*Denotes short story/ novella

Review: Fated

Reviewed by Jen
 

Ever since I read Rebecca Zanetti's Consumed (the fourth book in this series) more than a year ago, I've been dying to pick up the backlist.  The world-building was so great in that book (and then in book 5, Provoked) that I really wanted to see where it all began before continuing with the series.  I waited, though, because I thought $12 was a bit too pricey to pay for a two year-old ebook.  Thankfully, a sale, coupled with a Kobo coupon, put this in a more reasonable price range --and I finally got to reading.

I'm glad I didn't pay full price.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that I finally got the chance to learn more about the history of the series.  This book lays all the foundation for what lies ahead. Unfortunately, I had issues with the romance that kept me from enjoying this installment as much as I have the others I've read in the series.

Cara is a scientist and single mother with a special psychic ability.  As the story begins, she and her daughter Janie are kidnapped by a sexy vampire named Talen.  It seems the bad vampires, the Kurjans, are aware of Cara's gifts and they want to kidnap her and her child to force them into mating with their warriors.  Instead, she is forced to mate with Talen to ensure their safety.  --It's not rape or anything. Cara and Talen are physically attracted, but things have to progress much further and faster than she wants.

In short order, Cara goes from knowing nothing about the supernatural world to learning all about the vamps, shifters, and their age old wars. And we, too, learn it all along with her.  We find out what the Kurjans are plotting and see their plan as it all begins to unfold --and meet some of the fantastic characters that will feature heavily in future books.  All good stuff. Lots of action, hot sex too.

But I had a serious problem with the balance of power between Cara and Talen --or the lack thereof. There is a certain expectation of "alpha" in most paranormal romance, but in the successful ones (for me) the heroine manages to find her own power in the relationships.  Yes, it's usually more subtle than the hero's power, but they each have a chance to win some of the battles. Here, Cara never gets to win.  It's all Talen's way and he never gives an inch.  I appreciate that he loves her and she holds his heart or whatever, but he controls everything, including, at times, her body and her will.  He orders her around. He "punishes" her.  I'm just not down with that dynamic.  It's also got some of the more eye-rolling PNR tropes, like the heroine having an orgasm on demand --and sex so good she blacks out.

I'm glad I didn't read this book first because I likely would not have continued with the series.  But I know I liked the later installments, so I will keep reading. I know they get better.

Rating: C-

Click to purchase: Amazon

Fated

by Rebecca Zanetti

Release Date: March 1, 2011

Publisher: Brava

Series Reading Order: Breeds

The reading order for the Breeds series by Lora Leigh is kind of hard to pin down. Leigh provides a reading order list, which I will give your here. But keep in mind, these books were initially distributed my multiple publishers and were only later incorporated into one big series.  For example, the "Wolf Breeds" and the "Feline Breeds" were done separately and later merged together under Ellora's Cave. When Berkley picked them up, they became just "Breeds."  The original order for the Wolf shifter books was different than they are now listed as part of the overall series.  As a result of the merger, there are some timeline disparities.  I'll try to share the original order as well as the overall order and you can decide what works best for you as a reader.

• *Creation (Breeds 0.5)
• Tempting the Beast (Breeds #1) (Feline #1)
• The Man Within (Breeds #2) (Feline #2)
• Elizabeth's Wolf (Breeds #3) (Wolf #4)
• Kiss of Heat (Breeds #4) (Feline #3)
• Soul Deep (Breeds #5) (Feline #4)
• *The Breed Next Door (Breeds #6)
• Megan's Mark (Breeds #7)
• Harmony's Way  (Breeds #8)
• Tanner's Scheme (Breeds #9)
• *Wolf's Hope (Breeds #10) (Wolf #1)
• Jacob's Faith (Breeds #11) (Wolf #2)
• Aiden's Charity (Breeds #12) (Wolf #3)
• *In a Wolf's Embrace (Breeds #13)
• Dawn's Awakening (Breeds #14)
• A Jaguar's Kiss (Breeds #15)
• Mercury's War (Breeds #16)
• *Christmas Heat (Breeds #17)
• Coyote's Mate (Breeds #18)
• Bengal's Heart (Breeds #19)
• *A Christmas Kiss (Breeds #20)
• Lion's Heat (Breeds #21)
• Styx's Storm (Breeds #22)
• *Primal Kiss (Breeds #23)
• Navaro's Promise (Breeds #24)
• *An Inconvenient Mate (Breeds #25)
• Lawe's Justice (Breeds #26)
• Stygian's Honor (Breeds #27)

*Denotes short story/ novella