Shannon C.’s review of The Lies of Locke Lamora (Gentlemen Bastards, Book 1) by Scott Lynch
Fantasy fiction released by Spectra 26 Jun 07

I’ve been in a fantasy mood lately, and so have unearthed a few fantasy books from my ginormous TBR to assuage this mood. One of these was Scott Lynch’s debut, The Lies of Locke Lamora. This was a pleasant surprise, and well worth all the hype it generated when it was first published. The book’s charming titular character, the author’s snarky sense of humor, and the dark setting combined into a book I didn’t want to put down.

Locke Lamora is a thief. Not just any thief, but a member (and leader) of the notorious Gentlemen Bastards, thieves who consider it their duty to break the Secret Peace between the crime lords of the city of Camorr and the nobility. We meet Locke as he begins a con of the Don and Dona Salvara, two members of the nobility. But other things are afoot as a man known only as the Grey King attempts to depose the Cappa of Camorr, bringing a reluctant Locke and his equally reluctant friends into his plans, which could have disastrous consequences. We also get interludes describing Locke’s early life and training, which provide tantalizing hints about the fact that there’s obviously more to reveal in Locke’s backstory.

So, as I said, Locke made this book for me. He is definitely a rogue, and despite the fact that I’m not sure I’d want to be alone in a dark alley with him, I adored him. He’s charming, mischievous, and doesn’t spend too much time angsting, and he is saved from becoming a total moral reprobate by the fact that it’s obvious there are things he won’t do and people he won’t screw over. He made being a Gentleman Bastard seem kind of glamorous there for a while, and I was cheering him on .

The other characters are also well-drawn. I particularly liked Locke’s friend Jean, who complements Locke perfectly, and who I can’t help wanting to ship with Locke. (But then, I also kind of ship Sam/Frodo, too, so you might want to take that with a grain of salt.) Besides Jean, the rest of the Gentlemen Bastards are fun, if a bit one-note, with the exception of Father Chains, Locke’s mentor, and Sabetha, the only female member of their gang, who we do not meet in this novel.

The plot is riveting, and the tension ratchets up to a brilliant and satisfying climax. As with all good dark fantasy, not everybody survives, but at least this book actually has a complete ending that ties up most of the loose ends while leaving enough questions to be answered that I want to see where else Mr. Lynch takes the story.

If I have any quibbles, it’s that I would have liked for a bit more from the secondary characters, and I did think Locke and Jean weren’t as proactive as they could have been, but I also think some of that will change as the series progresses.

If you like dark, snarky fantasy, and you don’t mind a bit of a doorstopper, this is certainly a book to try.

Grade: A-

Summary:

“Why, I can smile, and murder whiles I smile,
And cry ‘Content’ to that which grieves my heart,
And wet my cheeks with artificial tears,
And frame my face to all occasions.”
–William Shakespeare, Richard II, iii, ii

The Thorn of Camorr is said to be an unbeatable swordsman, a master thief, a ghost that walks through walls. Half the city believes him to be a legendary champion of the poor. The other half believe him to be a foolish myth. Nobody has it quite right.

Slightly built, unlucky in love, and barely competent with a sword, Locke Lamora is, much to his annoyance, the fabled Thorn. He certainly didn’t invite the rumors that swirl around his exploits, which are actually confidence games of the most intricate sort. And while Locke does indeed steal from the rich (who else, pray tell, would be worth stealing from?), the poor never see a penny of it. All of Locke’s gains are strictly for himself and his tight-knit band of thieves, the Gentlemen Bastards.

Locke and company are con artists in an age where con artistry, as we understand it, is a new and unknown style of crime. The less attention anyone pays to them, the better! But a deadly mystery has begun to haunt the ancient city of Camorr, and a clandestine war is threatening to tear the city’s underworld, the only home the Gentlemen Bastards have ever known, to bloody shreds. Caught up in a murderous game, Locke and his friends will find both their loyalty and their ingenuity tested to the breaking point as they struggle to stay alive…

Download the prologue excerpt and mapshere and read an excerpt of the first chapter here.

Liviania’s review of Never Lie to a Lady (Neville Family Trilogy, Book 1) by Liz Carlyle
Historical romance released by Pocket Star 19 Jun 07

Before reading the Neville Family Trilogy, I had no experience with Liz Carlyle. I recognized the name and knew Sybil was head-over-heels for the latest book, but I didn’t know what to expect. The opening of Never Lie to a Lady disappointed me. Xanthia Neville meets Lord Nash on a terrace and they proceed to snog, an action both of them consider ill-considered and out of character. Xanthia thinks about how she drank a little, but neither of them had the excuse of drunkenness. A bit scared that I’d agreed to review the entire trilogy, Carlyle spent the rest of the book wowing me so much that I can happily ignore the first chapter.

Carlyle makes me believe in Xanthia’s independence. She does not desire marriage because that would mean her property, one-fourth of Neville Shipping, would become her husband’s property. She enjoys trade and would never give up her business for a man. Of course, she doesn’t give up men completely. She lost her virginity long before the story begins with no regrets. She knows the ton would find her lifestyle scandalous, but only worries about it for the sake of her niece, whom she’s chaperoning for the Season. Xanthia’s smart, sensible, and aware of her wants.

Lord Nash is mildly scandalous himself. He’s of mixed blood – part Russian – and made a large portion of his wealth through gambling. His brother, the politician, is the respectable one. He wants to court Xanthia, but she tries to stay away from him until two men from the government ask her to investigate whether he’s a smuggler. This introduces my favorite character, George Kemble.

He’s snarky, insouciant, and almost every line of his dialogue makes me laugh. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but this barb might be it:

Kemble looked at her incredulously. “This afternoon?” he echoed. “But we are talking about the Government here, Miss Neville. There will be forms. Procedures. Perhaps even a committee or two.”

In fact, I quickly looked at the other two books in the trilogy to see if either of them where Kemble’s. Alas not, although he shows up in all of them. Hopefully Carlyle will one day correct this tragic oversight.

In addition the wonderful characters, Carlyle controls the plot. As in most romances with a plot outside of the relationship, most of the action happens during the climax. Unlike those, it isn’t shunted to the side during the bulk of the story. Xanthia remembers that she’s supposed to be spying on Nash, and does so to prove his innocence. She holds meetings with Kemble and his boss to discuss what she’s discovered. It prevents the ending from being an abrupt, “Oh yeah, there was something about smuggling at the beginning.”

I apologize for doubting Carlyle. Never Lie to a Lady is a solid romance and an excellent start to a satisfying trilogy. Now I need to search for more books by her.

Grade: A-

Summary
The notorious Marquis of Nash is a creature of the night; his wealth and his title provide but a tenuous entrée into polite society. With his Eastern European manners and dark elegance, Nash tempts women even as he tempts the scandalmongers. Rumors abound of the men he has bankrupted and the hearts he has broken. But when Nash leaves his lair for a rare foray into the ton, and enjoys a moment of heated passion with a mysterious lady in the dark, he develops an obsession which will lead him into the hellish world of smugglers, spies, and political intrigue as the Continent edges nearer to war.

Xanthia Neville has arrived in London to expand her family’s most lucrative business holding—Neville Shipping. With her brother Rothewell all too happy to waste his life in debauchery, Xanthia opens up shop in London’s grimy Docklands, and sets about expanding the family fortune, all the while flaunting the ton’s silly strictures about how a lady ought to behave. But London, she soon learns, is not Barbados.

And when the British Government approaches Rothewell to ask the family’s help in exposing a dangerous arms dealer, Xanthia must enter society after all, only to find her loyalties torn. Someone in London is fueling the conflict on the Balkan Peninsula by smuggling illicit weapons into the Aegean—and there is only one likely suspect. The Marquis of Nash has the resources, the contacts and, quite possibly, the deeply divided loyalties. But can Xanthia’s subterfuge prove him a traitor to the Crown before her heart is broken?
Read an excerpt here.

Connie’s review of Innocent As Sin by Elizabeth Lowell
Contemporary romantic suspense hardcover release by William Morrow 19 Jun 07
Massmarket paperback release by Avon 29 Apr 08 (book links to mmppb)

Contemporary romantic suspense often walks a fine line between the various elements that make them up. How to be contemporary without overloading on technical details. How to be romantic without sacrificing the suspense. How to be suspenseful without sacrificing the romance. This book didn’t do such a good balancing job.

All seems to be going well for Kayla Shaw until she barely escapes being kidnapped and accused of money laundering for a wealthy client. After five terrible years, Rand McCree may finally be able to get the man who killed his twin. The man who killed Rand’s brother is an international criminal and Kayla is slated to be his next victim.

Kayla decides to fight back and Rand needs her to get to the hated enemy so they join forces to stop him. Some people are realy evil and need to be stopped before more innocent people are hurt.

After more about gun-running and banking than I ever cared to know, they are trying to stay one step ahead and aren’t sure if they wil stop the evil but are willing to die trying. While they seemed to fall together pretty quickly, they forged a pretty good bond. Unfortunately, it wasn’t all that believable or interesting to me.

I’d recommend this book only to fans of the author (of which there are tons – she’s a good author – better than this book indicates).

Grade C-

Book summary:

One day Kayla Shaw was an underpaid and under-appreciated private banker in Arizona. The next day, someone tried to kidnap her.One day Rand McCree was painting daffodils in the Pacific Northwest rain. The next day, St. Kilda Consulting offered him something he’d wanted for five years: the name of his twin brother’s murderer.

Kayla had nowhere to turn, nowhere to run, no one to believe that she wasn’t a money launderer hiding hundreds of millions of dollars.

She was trapped.

Until Rand McCree appeared, offering safety. For a price.

Kayla didn’t want to trust him, but had no real choice. No police would believe that she had been set up, that she was innocent. And no civilian alone could stand against the international criminal who wanted her dead.

Even her own government was suspect.

Rand trusted Kayla as much as he trusted anybody-not much-but what he really wanted was revenge for his brother’s death. Everything else came last.

Then the man who had killed Rand’s brother sent a killer after Kayla Shaw. The violence of the past exploded into the present, leaving only a future that might be too dangerous to survive….

Read an excerpt (nice long one)

Gwen’s review of Blood Noir (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, Book 16) by Laurell K. Hamilton
Urban fantasy hardcover released by Berkley 27 May 08

I’ve heard people describe this book as “florid” and reviews using phrases like “growing sense of ennui”. I agree and I disagree. Read on to find out where I depart ways with other reviewers and where I think they may have a point… At the end of this post, there’s also a little bonus review of Hamilton’s 5 June 2007 release, Strange Candy – a single author anthology.

I’ve been reading Anita Blake novels for a long while. I wouldn’t say they’re an auto-buy, though I do always end up reading them and normally sooner than later. There’s a lot of things that I find compelling about Hamilton’s AB books – the paranormal elements, the kick-ass heroine who always seems to get more powerful, and interesting plot lines.

There’s a lot I don’t find so compelling about the Blake novels, too. Anita’s emotional dithering is, as always, painful to drag thru even if now she seems more at peace with herself than ever before. And can I say I hate Richard? I have always hated Richard. Sometimes he is sweet, but always he is annoying. I don’t understand Hamilton’s purpose behind leaving the Loser around and I hope she kills him off soon. I just don’t have patience for annoying men, whether in novels or real life.

In my opinion, the start of the last few AB novels have been almost lethargic and Noir is no exception. We spend the first half of the book examining Jason’s familial navel lint. For those of you who are unaware of who Jason is, he’s Jean-Claude’s pomme de sang (blood donor) and one of Anita’s good friends. Jason’s dad is dying and he talks Anita into going home with him to prove to his SOB of a dad that he’s not gay. There’s an awful lot alluded to and left totally unexplained about this part of North Carolina and Jason’s family – one of things that can really bug me about a book. I like nicely tied off loose ends, and, while the ends don’t have to end happy or even neatly, it’s nice to have just some identification of what that point meant or that it might mean something in the future.

After a sleepy first half, the book picks up considerable speed and ends with a full-out bang. I really love it when Anita’s bad side comes out. She’s so much more in control and so much more interesting. We’re still left hovering at the end of the book – not quite knowing what Belle Morte has in mind for our happy troupe, but I don’t imagine that will be left in question in the next book,

I recommend this book to any fan of the Anita Blake novels and to fans of LKH. While it could be read as a standalone, some some small amount of confusion, I don’t think it should. You need some of the background from the earlier novels to understand Marmee Noir and others.

Grade: B-

Summary:

A favor for Jason, vampire hunter Anita Blake’s werewolf lover, puts her in the center of a fullblown scandal that threatens master-vampire Jean- Claude’s reign-and makes her a pawn in an ancient vampire queen’s new rise to power.

Read excerpts here – links at the bottom of the page.

Gwen’s review of Strange Candy by Laurell K. Hamilton
Paranormal anthology released by Berkley 5 Jun 07 (hardcover 5 Oct 06)

This is a single author anthology released last year, containing 14 little tidbits from LKH. Among them are a couple of Anita Blake stories, a cute cupid story, a grimly funny story about a super hero turned villain, various other paranormal oddities, and many others – some short, some not. It’s an interesting little book that is worth picking up from a UBS or used from Amazon.com. I enjoyed it, though was underwhelmed a couple of times.

Overall Grade: C+

Summary:

The #1 New York Times bestselling author’s short story collection-including an all-new Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter story-now in paperback.

From a woman who marries into a family of volatile wizards to a couple fleeing a gang of love-hungry cupids, from a girl who seeks sanctuary in the form of a graceful goose to the disgruntled superhero Captain Housework, readers will revel in the many twists and turns of fortune in these fantastical fairy tales and lush parables. Even hardened vampire hunter and zombie animator Anita Blake gets blindsided by the disturbing motives of her clients in the new “Those Who Seek Forgiveness” and in “The Girl Who Was Infatuated with Death.”

No excerpt available.

Click on the Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series tag or on Laurell K. Hamilton tag to read more about this series or this author.

Liviania‘s review of Unbound (Unbound, Book 1) by Lori Devoti
Paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocture 1 Jun 07

This was my first category, ever. Okay, I cracked a Suspense once but I didn’t make it farther than three pages. Therefore it does not count. This was my first category to finish. I really had a fun time with it. Kara is a young woman searching for her twin sister – even braving the strange bar known as the Guardian’s Keep. Outside she is attacked by a dog, which is in turn attacked by another dog . . . when she wakes up she is in the home of the attractive Risk Leidolf.

Hellhound Risk has been ordered to bring Kara back to his employer Lusse so she can steal Kara’s power. Kara does not know she is a witch, although her sister realized they were. He is reluctant to betray Kara after he captures her because he feels a connection. Risk holds onto his humanity rather than giving into his animalistic side. He desperately tries to find a way to save her and his son Venge, who is also under the control of Lusse. He’s the whole package: brains and brawn. Even Jormun, the exiled Norse god, respects his strategizing.

Did I mention the mythology of the story is based on the Norse tradition? Because it is. And that is sexy.

So is Venge. I wanted his story right after I finished, but alas I still have not bought Wild Hunt. (He’s a redhead. I have a weakness for red hair. He had other endearing qualities, but that gave him a foot in the door. He’s a kicked puppy, who wouldn’t like him?) I did buy Guardian’s Keep, which alas features Kelly. TSTL Kelly. She ignores the garm bartender’s warnings, gets a friend killed, and puts herself and her sister in mortal danger. She also tries to convince Kara not to trust Risk despite the fact he’s obviously twenty times smarter than she is. Kelly dragged a good book down.

Unbound was a good choice for my introduction to categories. It had two solid leads, a fast-paced plot, interesting world-building, and a few cool side characters who let the main characters have center stage. I bought Guardian’s Keep instantly because I enjoyed Unbound so much. Many a single title paranormal romance has satisfied me less. Yes, I could have done without Kelly, but she does not show up until the end. Until that point I breezed through the story. Once she appeared she managed to cause minimal trouble, mainly because Kara possessed common sense.

Grade: B-

Risk Leidolf is a hellhound—a legendary, otherworldly creature who is both man and beast. For centuries, he’s been bound to do the bidding of an immortal witch. But after being ordered to destroy novice witch Kara Shane, the man within him rebels. And the beast within him is held at bay—for now.

Fiercely drawn to each other, Risk and Kara soon form a passionate alliance as they set out to find her missing sister—and the key to his salvation. For the power unleashed by the twin witches could free him from the immortal witch’s bondage. But that freedom comes at a steep price. For the fierce battle will put more than one soul at stake…and two hearts on the line.

Click on the Unbound series tag for more reviews and information.

Limecello’s review of Sun, Sand, Sex by Linda Lael Miller, Jennifer Apodaca, and Shelly Laurenston
Contemporary Romance Anthology released by Brava on 1 Jun 07

I read this anthology a while ago, and when it got dropped in my mail box to review, I was happy to read it again. Brava offers terrific anthologies, and this one definitely is one that should be read.

One Last Weekend by Linda Lael Miller

Not the usual type of romance I go for, One Last Weekend is about Joanne and Teague’s failing marriage of nearly 20 years. The story begins with a wealth of emotion, and the reader sympathizes with both parties. The conflict is handled in a very mature way, with no fingers being pointed, no excessive or unreasonable angst. Of course, there is introspection and dark moments, because after all, a marriage is ending… right?

Joanne and Teague are sent to their cabin on an island at an attempt at reconciliation, and they’re stranded by a storm. Their nineteen-year-old daughter calls, and informs them she’s pregnant- and goes into hysterics because her parents are getting divorced. [Actually they never state her age but I can do the math. Apparently she's a prodigy too because at nineteen, she already has a bachelors and a job.]

Talking to their daughter and calming her down airs a lot of Teague and Joanne’s issues, which lead them to slowly working through issues they hadn’t been talking about. Additionally, proof of how much I didn’t learn in PR – I’m pretty sure a single attorney cannot represent both parties in a divorce proceeding. That really bothered me for a while, but this is a really cute story. This book is actually how I discovered Linda Lael Miller, and this novella remains my favorite work (of the few) that I’ve read. This and the character’s ages were unfortunately rather distracting, but those are my only real complaints.

The story is hot, but with a lot of emotion and depth. I enjoyed getting a different type of romance, where the relationship has to be rebuilt, rather than formed. This is a quick read that is immensely satisfying.

Grade: B+

You Give Love a Good Name by Jennifer Apodaca

Is a terrific read, although it has the potential to just flop, it doesn’t. Lexie Rollins is a wedding planner, because her mother guilted her into the job. Nick Vardolous is the ridiculously sexy brother of the bride. He offers her a one night stand, but she turns him down.

Months later, Nick isn’t leaving the ball in Lexie’s court, he’s chasing her down, but not for any romantic reasons. She missed a court date, and he’s a professional bounty hunter. However, as usual, nothing is as it seems on the surface.

Lexie is the stereotypical victimized unloved overburdened member of the family, but she takes a stand, and is currently working on what she loves – her own novel. She also is a three dimensional character, and fun to read, outside of the victimization. Nick finds himself wondering what forced Lexie to go into hiding, and of course the two fall in love in the meantime. The secondary characters are extremely well written and enjoyable, and the story is believable, and exciting. As for the sexual tension? You could cut it with a knife. Apodaca definitely holds her own in this anthology.

Grade: B+

My Kind of Town by Shelly Laurenston

If you’ve ever read Kresley Cole, the way I’d describe Ms. Laurenston would be that it’s similar to Ms. Cole’s, but a lot more spastic. I wasn’t that impressed with the story itself, but I loved the characters and their personalities. Sibling rivalry, good old fashioned pain-in-the-ass fun, and a modern day story of a hero who kidnaps his heroine.

There’s also the aspect that Kyle Treharne is shifter – he’s a panther, and well, Emma Lucchesi is a witch. Her coven has been drawn to Smithville, North Carolina for a reason.

Ms Laurenston’s blunt and humorous writing style is a great way to end the anthology, and a nice introduction to the world of Smithville, if you haven’t read any of her other books.

Grade: B-

I tend to really like books Brava releases, and especially their anthologies. This book did not disappoint, and I can happily recommend it to any and all readers. (Of course, if you’re completely unfamiliar with Brava, the books do contain a certain level of heat.)

Overall Grade: B+

Summary:

What’s better than a long, lazy day at the shore? Think beach-blanket bingo with a sizzling hottie (or three). So sit back, relax, and don’t worry about tan lines, because in this scorching collection, swimsuits are definitely optional…

Linda Lael Miller One Last Weekend
College sweethearts Teague and Joanna Darby, once passionately in love, are on the brink of divorce. When a ferry strike leaves them stranded together at their beloved beach cottage, it could be the most awkward weekend ever. Or the perfect chance to fall for each other all over again–one steamy encounter at a time…

Jennifer Apodaca You Give Love a Good Name
Lexie Rollins is a wedding planner on the lam. All she did was defend herself (with a staple gun) against a sleazy groom–who knew the Assault and Battery charges would stick? Now Lexie’s “vacation” at an exclusive resort has put her at the top of gorgeous bounty hunter Nick Vardolous’s list. And Nick always gets his woman–every which way imaginable… Read an excerpt here.

Shelly Laurenston My Kind of Town
Deputy Kyle Treharne of seaside Smithville, North Carolina, hates Yankees–even exotically beautiful ones like Emma Lucchesi. The sexy New Yorker’s got trouble written all over her, and she knows more than she’s telling about the increasingly strange goings-on in his town. But if the lady’s got a few tricks up her sleeve, so does the lawman. And it’s high time for every wicked thing to be deliciously revealed… Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of Into the Darkness (Dark Realm, Book 1) by Delilah Devlin
Contemporary Paranormal Romance published 26 Jun 07 by Avon Red

I love my vampires, and this new series by Delilah Devlin has some of the sexiest and lustiest vampires around. I liked the different take on the age-old vampire legends in this series. There are The Born, those born as vampires, and then there are those who are turned just like we’ve always read about before. These turned vamps are chosen by The Born when there is a need for more of their kind and those chosen are willing participants. None of that willy-nilly turning against someone’s will just for the blood and gore of it. And the virgin vampire part of the story is different also.

Natalie doesn’t know she’s a vampire, and then when she accepts what she is, she has to learn to be a vampire, how to control her feeding and her sexual urges while still deal with her human emotions and vulnerabilities. The hero, Rene, is not a vampire and has no desire whatsoever on God’s green earth to become one. No how, no way. I loved his attitude! He tries so hard not to want Natalie. He knows if he keeps going back to her she will eventually bleed him dry and he doesn’t want to die, especially in that manner. That virgin bond is something else.

What I liked just as much as the main story is the story of Nicolas and Chessa, both vampires, but Chessa refuses to be pulled back into the vampire world she’s fought so hard to stay away from, while Nic is immersed in that world doing his duty to protect other vampires from those who have gone rogue and are on a killing spree. Nic is my favorite part of the book. There’s just something about him. His mysteriousness, his sarcasm, his sexiness, his pursuit of Chessa, which turns to hurt and betrayal, even though Chessa herself wants him and she won’t admit it. I’m glad to see this couple is being featured in the next book of the series, Seduced by Darkness, to be released next month. I just want more of Nic. He’s the type of vampire I long to read about.

Then, of course, there’s the vampire sex. I’ll flat out tell ya, it’s hot in this book and there’s a hell of a lot of it. When the sex scenes are written like these, they’re a pleasure to read. They’re consistent with the characters. Natalie is new at being a vampire and new at sex, so things don’t always go well for her. Nic and Chessa are old hands at the vampire thing and having Chessa deny any feeling toward Nic makes their scenes all the more dynamic. Everything flowed naturally throughout the book and I never felt the sex overshadowed or drowned out any of the story or any of the characters.

Grade: A-

From the back cover:

Natalie Lambert’s life has changed in the space of weeks–and she has no idea why. Her parents were murdered, she has her first taste of sexual desire–and she feels out of control, afraid, desperate to understand her changing world. She flees to New Orleans, hoping to lure the murderer out of the dark and bring to an end the trail of dead loved ones. Instead, she’s attacked by crazed birds, swarmed by locusts, and saved by a Cajun cop who awakens all her latent desires.

When Rene Broussard rescues a virgin vampire, he ends up in her bed and becomes hers for life in one lusty bite. Rene awakens the vampire within Natalie, and she awakes the passion within him. Together, they fight the evil threatening to destroy The Born vampires amidst the horror of Hurricane Katrina while they discover a treasure of love they can share for all eternity.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Seduced by Darkness (Dark Realm, Book 2), coming from Avon, 26 Feb 08

Sandy M’s review of Unbound (Unbound series, Book 1) by Lori Devoti
Paranormal romance published 1 Jun 2007 by Nocturne (Harlequin)

For some reason he just couldn’t turn Kara over to the witch and that wasn’t like him. When Risk finds out Kara is a twin, he begins to plan his escape from Lusse, his captor. Twin witches are rare and very powerful, a power that he can use. For so long he hasn’t cared about anything or anyone, so what’s the destruction of a couple of witches to him? But when he discovers how innocent and unaware Kara really is about her power, when he discovers he can’t get enough of her, his plans change to saving Kara and Kelly instead, even if it means his death. He doubts Kara would still want him anyway when she learns what he is.

Kara is grateful Risk offers to help her search for Kelly. She’s run into so many dead ends that she’s totally frustrated and doesn’t know where to turn next. She’s always been the more timid sister, letting Kelly take care of her in urgent situations, but once Kara finds the lead she’s been looking for and survives unbelievable events to finally get to Kelly, she’s not the same person any longer. But the final straw is when it looks like Risk was never on her side at all. Will he betray her even after all they’ve shared?

These Nocturne books are good! I’ve only read a couple of others and thoroughly enjoyed them, and this book has made me a total convert.

Unbound is full of mystery and suspense, love and deception, adventure, and it has a great villain in Lusse, the immortal witch who has owned Risk for 500 years. I hated her, but, boy, she’s fun to read. And Risk is a very tortured hero, one you feel for immediately, one your heart breaks for when Lusse uses her ultimate weapon against him, something he had no knowledge of and now has to protect from her evilness just get to him. It’s also great to watch Kara grow into a confident and proud woman, ready to take on the fights she always avoided before.

A very satisfying read with a great plot and wonderful characters. What more can you ask for?

Grade: A

Blurb:

Risk Leidolf is a hellhound – a legendary, otherworldly creature who is both man and beast. For centuries, he’s been bound to do the bidding of an immortal witch. But after being ordered to destroy novice witch Kara Shane, the man within him rebels. And the beast within him is held at bay – for now.

Fiercely drawn to each other, Risk and Kara soon form a passionate alliance as they set out to find her missing sister – and the key to his salvation. For the power unleashed by the twin witches could free him from the immortal witch’s bondage. But that freedom comes at a steep price. For the fierce battle will put more than one soul at stake – and two hearts on the line.

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s review of Gideon (The Nightwalkers, Book 2) by Jacquelyn Frank
Paranormal romance published 1 Jun 2007 by Zebra

This is the second book in Frank’s Nightwalkers series. The first was Jacob, and the third will be Elijah, which is coming from Zebra either 27 Nov 07 (according to the Zebra website), Dec 2007 (according to the author’s website), or 2 Jan 08 (according to Amazon.com). The series is centered around hidden groups of beings, the Nightwalkers, which include Demons, Vampires, and Lycanthropes, and their conflict with Necromancers, Hunters, and each other.

This series has an interesting, if well-trodden, premise: hidden paranormal races, hidden conflict with humans, etc. This author manages to weave an interesting element with the Demon race – a race whose existence and abilities centers around the elements: air, fire, earth, etc. There are Demons who have mastery over one or the other of them, and some who are “Mind Demons” and “Body Demons” who have mastery over, you got it, the mind or body.

This book is centered around Magdalegna and Gideon’s story. Both powerful Demons and both unwittingly imprinted on each other during a Samhain celebration encounter – destining them to be each other’s mates. If they don’t join as mates, they’ll waste away and eventually die for starvation of each other’s life force. This wasting is at the crux of the “enemy conflict” in this book; in Book 1, another female Demon has unknowingly imprinted on another half-Druid male who dies for lack of her. This other female Demon’s family becomes something of a problem in Book 2 as a result of losing this imprinted mate.

Here in Book 2, we learn more about what has gone on between Demons and Vampires, and Demons and Lycanthropes (wars only recently ended). Plus we actually get to meet some of them. Frank plans books to explore these other races, including the next in the series, Elijah – centered around Elijah’s relationship with the Queen of the Lycanthropes, Siena. Hopefully, these should be more interesting, because, to be honest, I’m a bit sick of the world-building and pray that Frank spends more time on action and dialogue in the next book.

The heroine in this book, Magdalegna, or Legna to her friends, is a lovely person inside and out, and is a relatively young Demon (250 yrs). Not sure if her name is prounced “Leg-na” or “Lay-na” and we’re never told. The hero, Gideon, is a lovely person inside and out, though he’s shut down parts of his psyche because of his age – he’s ancient (1,000+ years). They complement each other and complete each other, and, somehow in a very confusing scene she helps him overcome his reticence. Their love story is nicely satisfying, when I could actually wade thru the prose to read it.

This takes me to my complaint about this and the first book – Ms Frank really must restrain the desire to insert completely unnecessary words and verbiage, or she needs to fire her editor. (for those of you thinking “pot, meet kettle” just hush up and roll with me here) I detest inelegant prose. Abhor it and generally will quit reading a book that becomes tiresome because of it. I almost stopped reading this book several times and only finished it because I refused to allow it waste the time invested in it to date.

Here’s what happened: in the middle of this book, Ms Frank gives in to the tendency to run on and on about inanities. Moreover, she overuses useless, stupidly hyperbolic words (“outrageous” “incredible” etc.) to describe what we are already acquainted with (the heroine’s beauty, her/his hair, the feelings they generate in each other, etc.). So much so that I just skipped many paragraphs, skimming thru several pages of prattle. GAH! I don’t need the author to CONSTANTLY tell me the heroine’s body is incredible or their feelings outrageous or blah blah blah blah BLAH! Just pisses me the hell off after a while – it’s repetitive and dull dull DULL. (i know – the kettle is now fighting with the pot – hush)

The last few chapters were quite good and almost made up for the previous shortcomings, but they still left a bad taste in my mouth. So much so that I’ll eventually read her subsequent books, but I won’t be searching them out as soon as they release. If you’re a paranormal fan, I think you’ll like this book, though I’d be surprised if you love it. If you’re not a fan, I wouldn’t bother. It will bore you.

Grade: C

Read more about this series by following its tag.

     Summary:
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They’re called the Nightwalkers – proud, ancient beings who live in the shadows, existing just beyond the human world. But there are also dangerous humans who hunt them – necromancers who use the blackest magic to manipulate them. And for a Demon named Gideon, the battle against these evil forces will soon be all too personal…
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As A Healer, He Knows Her Body. But It’s Her Heart He Wants.
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For a thousand years, Gideon has healed his people. And as the oldest surviving male of his race, his wisdom has always been respected without question. But Gideon knows that even he is vulnerable to the powerful, primitive desires that befall his kind during Hallowed moons – and nine years ago that truth was hammered home when he found himself claiming Magdalegna, the Demon King’s sister, in a wild embrace. Horrified by his lack of control, he left her wanting and furious – and then exiled himself for the better part of a decade. Now, with necromancers threatening his people – and Magdalegna nearly their victim – Gideon must face another truth. He and the beautiful, stubborn Magdalegna are destined to be together, to share a love as deep and old as time itself. But first he needs to regain her trust. Then he’ll have to save her life…
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Every night holds secrets.
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

and Damien, details coming soon

Demon Moon (The Guardians, Book 4) by Meljean Brook
Paranormal romance released Berkley Sensation 5 Jun 07

Demon Moon is a new novel in Brook’s Guardian series. Colin Ames-Beaumont, a secondary character from Demon Angel and the story in the anthology Hot Spell gets his own story.

Colin is a vampire who is isolated from the rest of the vampire community due to a taint in his blood, but he does what he can to function in the real world that is in general blissfully aware vampires and otherworld creatures don’t exist. One rather dull night Colin recieves an email from Savitri Murry enroute from London to New York.

What transpires after the email, and some cute instant messaging, drags both Savi and Colin into a plot by a displaced demon, some angry vampires and evil nosferatu. Along the way Savi is changed from being human to something slightly more and she has to overcome some personal demons as well as defeat the one currently threatening her life.

I really don’t want to give too much away, so the summary is rather short on this one, but it’s a wonderful book. Savi is a mass of contradictions. She’s forgiving, abhors violence and is very loyal, but she created a card and video game based on the world of vampires, demons and Guardians. She’s got a photographic memory but didn’t finish college (she got a bachelors but that wasn’t enough for her Indian grandmother). She lives on her own and is independent, but she’s emotionally immature. She’s overly curious and due to that gets into lots of trouble.

That is until Colin. She slowly learns too many of the hard things about life from Colin and becomes mature and wonderful over the course of the story. Colin, of course, is wonderful from start to finish and he would be the first one to tell you that. But in spite of his overwhelming vanity and self-worth, he’s someone I want on my side in a battle and in my bed after the battle is done. Is that so wrong?

I grew up reading a lot of fantasy and sci-fi (The Wheel of Time ranks way up there) and this was right up my alley in that department. The world Brook creates is so rich and layered, the reader gets sucked in and can’t breathe until the last page is turned. The best parts are the ties between popular culture of the here and now in the story and the ties to the past though the evolution of Colin and how he realized his blood is tainted.

Brook also uses language and style not unlike those in a fantasy novel. Everything builds throughout the story and there’s little redundancy or distracting overbuilding of the setting. Descrpitions are realistic, moving and not off putting. Characters are three-dimensional, believable and there are no eye-rolling actions. Though long (it’s 470 pages) the time spent reading goes by with such pleasure, you don’t realize you’ve spent as long as you have getting into the meat of the tale.

From a history standpoint, Demon Angel packed more of a punch for me, but emotionally this one was better. And Colin is one of the best heroes that I’ve read in a long time. The cultures and ideas spread subtly also give this story, and perhaps the series, an edge over some other paranormals out there.

I highly reccommend this one for a read, and if you haven’t already, read Demon Angel, you’ll thank all the ducks later.

Grade: A

Lawson’s review of Sleepless at Midnight by Jacquie D’Alessandro
Historical Romance released by Avon 26 Jun 07

What qualities do you look for in the Perfect Man? Would you mix and match features and personality traits from the men you know or would he be an ideal? The Ladies Literary Society of London decide to create the Perfect Man after reading their first book together, Frankenstein by the scandalous Mary Shelley.

The Society is lead by Sarah Moorehouse, a physician’s daughter who is thought of as plain and she’s used to it. She’s been degraded by her mother all her life for not living up to the beauty standard her sister was born with, but she’s witty, intelligent and very caring to those less fortunate than herself.

Sarah is at a house party thrown by Matthew Devenport, Marquess Langston with her fellow society members where they have their first discussion of the first book they read. Sarah hatches the idea, like in Frankenstein, to create a man, though without the science. The ladies list characteristics they want in a man and decide to make a life-sized doll with articles of clothing pilfered from the male guests at the house party.

Matthew is an honorable enough guy, if on a wild goose chase. His father made him promise a year ago, on his deathbed no less, to get married and dig up the estate to find a bucket of money buried that can save the failing estate. He wants to marry an heiress, but he’s captivated by Sarah and can’t explain why.

Sarah is assigned to get a shirt from the host, which gives her an excuse to snoop about since she thinks he’s hiding something. She saw him coming in from the gardens at night with a shovel, and when a man turns up murdered a couple of days later she’s naturally suspicious. While Sarah is “borrowing” his shirt, she witnesses him in the bath and is caught. Misunderstandings and falling in love ensues.

Most of the plotting in the first half of the book is rather cliched. There’s suspicions, seeing someone for more than their outward appearance, shared moments of similar grief for past events, and some starting of a romantic triangle that could be a problem for the hero. Sarah is very insecure about her looks, she thinks men are nincompoops because they pass her over, but she doesn’t do much with what she has to attract attention anyway because her mother has always told her she’s not a beauty.

When all the secrets are revealed and Sarah and Matthew begin working together things end up working out in the end. Which is, of course, another cliche. The romance was sweet enough, the characters had some character, but I felt like the plot and characters were following a mold more than having something different and refreshing about them.

Read this one if you’re looking for illusions to classic literature and a sweet, if generic, love story.

Grade: C

The ladies in London are abuzz over Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, especially Miss Sarah Moorehouse. Her imagination is fired up, so when she spies Matthew Devenport, Marquess Langston, mysteriously sneaking home in the wee hours clutching a shovel, she simply must investigate. Impelled by curiosity, the adventurous lass steals into his bedchamber—only to be caught red-handed by the impossibly handsome and totally naked nobleman.

The Marquess Langston has more important things to worry about than a group of literature-loving ladies. But Matthew’s grand plan to rescue the family from ruin could be lost when he discovers Sarah hiding behind his bedroom curtain. What is this meddlesome woman up to? And why are his desires inflamed by a chit who is too inquisitive for her own good? Well, two can play at this game . . . and when Matthew captures the beguiling Sarah in all her naked glory, the night of mischief has only just begun.

Hidden Agendas (Tempting SEALs, Book 4) by Lora Leigh
Erotic action romance published 26 June 2007 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks

This is the fourth entry in Leigh’s Tempting SEALs series. Book 1 is in the anthology, Honk If You Love Real Men (I hate that title), Book 2 is Dangerous Games, Book 3 is in the anthology, Real Men Do It Better (just mildly dislike that title). And, good googily moogily, I ADORE this cover (despite the inaccurate dog-tags) and I think it’s way cool that the woman is leading that big hunka man by those tags. This book is the story of Kell and Emily. They’ve known each other for years and years, loved each other for almost that long. They have never acted on that love, though, nor have they “hooked up.” This is the story of their explosive hook-up. And have I mentioned how much I love the cover?

Lora Leigh is one of my favorite erotic romance writers. Her books are always interesting, the characters fully developed, and the plots compelling. Oh and the sex is HAWT – HAWTY HAWT HAWT! Steamily erotic scenes are the norm in her books. I have a few problems with the Men of August series, but I generally like what she does. This book was no exception. I generally liked it.

The story was interesting, if not terribly compelling. Its saving grace were the characters – they were likeable and I really cared what happened to them. I liked Emily’s driven nature and I sooooo want Kell to show up on my doorstep one day – sooner rather than later, please.

I was thunderstruck by the betrayal at the end and I cried during the Nathan scene (you’ll see what I mean when you read it), so the emotional development is excellent throughout the book. However, I do hope Leigh’s next SEAL book has more of what Dangerous Games had – a little more edge. I got a confused about Judas and Mr. White – were they two different people? the same person? That remains unclear for a large portion of the book. Regardless, those were minor flaws in an otherwise fun summer read. Oh, and I LOVE the cover

Grade: B-
Here’s the book blurb:

SAVING LIVES IS HIS MISSION.
Tough-as-nails Navy SEAL Kell Kreiger is the best there is at searching, rescuing, and taking no prisoners yet even the rush of ever-more dangerous missions isn’t enough to satisfy him. Haunted by a tortured past, Kell seeks distraction in a secret world of dark intimacies. But when Emily Stanton, the one ray of light in Kel’s shadowy existence, is pursued by a ruthless drug lord, the rules of the game suddenly change—and Kell will have to go deeper undercover than he ever imagined…

SAVING HER IS HIS PASSION.
Emily has loved Kell ever since her father, a prominent politician, rescued him from a brutal life on the streets. They were kids then, too young to act on what was growing between them but now that Emily is ready, the handsome, headstrong SEAL has decided he’s no good for her. Ever since he rescued her from Diego Fuentes’ compound, Kell’s only duty has been to keep Emily safe. But Fuentes isn’t finished with Emily or Kell. And to protect Emily, Kell has no choice but to lay himself body, soul, and secrets bare and fight against evil with all his heart.

Read an excerpt.

**Lora Leigh will be on blog later in the month and I have a signed ARC of Hidden Agendas to give away. To enter post in this thread and tell us your favorite Lora Leigh book. Winner will be randomly picked from the comments posted by Saturday May 9 @ midnight** Winner Announced

Sybil’s review of The Preacher’s Daughter by Cheryl St. John
Historical Romance published by Harlequin Historical 01 June 07

The first time I read this book I enjoyed it but thought the hero read as almost unreal. The second time I read it, was after rereading The Doctor’s Wife, where we are first introduced to the hero as a 17 year old and see more of what should have been his childhood. When I closed the book the second time, I still wanted at least 5 more pages, but thought Ben couldn’t have been more real.

Lorabeth Holdridge is the preacher’s daughter. Reverend Holdridge is very strict and very disapproving of the world. He keeps a firm hold on his children, making sure they lead a life of prayer, chores and reflection. The home is very cold and the children one by one seek escape as soon as possible. Only Lorabeth and Simon are left and have a strong bond with each other. Lorabeth made a promise to her dying mother to not settle for less than her dreams. While waiting for Simon to be old enough to leave she has prayed for a husband, a chance to experience life and finally feels she has a plan that could work and that the timing is right.

After assuring her father she will continue to run his home and do his chores, he gives his blessing for her to live with The Chaney’s. They are the family she has been living with during the week helping Ellie Chaney with her home and her children. Ellie is soon to give birth to another child and Lorabeth is look at as more of a friend and a gift than ‘help’. The Chaney family with Ellie and her husband Caleb, their four children and Ellie’s two brothers Flynn and Ben that Caleb adopted when they were younger show Lorabeth a whole new meaning to the word family.

Benjamin Chaney is now the town vet and finds comfort in his sisters happiness and finds hope in her children. His life is his work and his sisters family. He still hasn’t been able to forgive himself for not being able to protect his sister when he was eight or for what he did to protect of when he was 17. Needless to say, dear Ben is a touch confused and when Lorabeth enters their lives full-time he doesn’t know what to make of her.

So much about Lorabeth mirrors the awe and fascination Ellie, Ben and Flynn had when they joined the Chaney household. But Lorabeth has a father who cared for her, feed her, clothed her and put a roof over her head. Ben doesn’t know what to make of her or how to stay away from her. And once his sister gets involved in seeing Lorabeth get out and become more social Ben appoints himself her protector. She is so innocent and good, as well as so eager for life he is scared for her. Ben doesn’t want Lorabeth hurt or taken advantage of, only problem he sees is who is going to protect her from him.

Or at least he sees that as a problem, Lorabeth is more worried about catching his eye, his interest and his heart. I didn’t think the two characters would work as well as they did because their were both so innocent, neglected and damaged. And I question how they kept going off together for long periods of time alone but I don’t know if a man exist a woman could he safer with than Ben. What works is Lorabeth is so optimistic and has such a faith in Ben, life, God and even though I think she would have every right to hate the man, she truly loved her father if didn’t understand him. And with Lorabeth’s help as well as another family that comes along, Ben grows to see himself for the man he is not the man he fears he could be.

I still wanted more a few more pages. Oh lets be honest, I wanted another chapter. My heart broke for this characters more times than I can count. The Preacher’s Daughter can stand alone and honestly read back to back with The Doctor’s Wife…well they aren’t easy reads. But it is an honest journey with amazing characters, who you can’t help but want to live happily ever after.

Grade: A-

An untouched woman…

Lorabeth Holdridge longed for life and experience! Cloistered by her strict father, her world was confined to chores and prayer. Her chance of escape came when she took a job as housekeeper to a boisterous family. Lorabeth reveled in her newfound freedom. And when Benjamin Chaney visited, she felt the stirrings of her first crush.

A hard-bitten man…

Jaded and cynical, Ben found it hard to trust, though Lorabeth’s sweetness soothed his battered soul and taught him joy. But he would have to face the demons of his past to find a glorious future in Lorabeth’s arms!

Gwen’s review of Your Mouth Drives Me Crazy by HelenKay Dimon
Romantic suspense novel published 26 June 2007 by Brava (Kensington)

This is a contemporary romantic suspense set in Kauai, Hawaii. The hero, Kane, is the police chief and the heroine, Annie, is a photographer on a mission of revenge. Annie washes on shore, nude, practically at Kane’s front door. The suspense surrounds why she shows up there and why he’s around to find her. The book’s title is clever – the heroine is a smartmouth par excellence and then of course the obvious sexual innuendo.

I almost didn’t want to read this book. I’m not “crazy” about titles that are this long and that are so, well, odd. Boy am I glad I didn’t listen to myself this time. This book was a BLAST to read. I guffawed or laughed loudly several times, and had some tears, too.

Here are a couple of exchanges that amused me. This first is between Annie and the hero’s best friend, Josh, while they stand on the porch, watching Kane wade into a fracas on his front lawn:

“We’re not actually going to stand up here and miss the action, are we?” she asked her bodyguard.
“You know, Annie. I’m starting to like you.”
“I grow on people.”
Josh cracked a smile. “A little like mold
“Only without the helpful medicinal qualities.”

And this one, while it sounds a little misogynistic, is actually very appropriate for the point in the story. Annie and Kane are getting to know each other better and she’s wondering if she’s hooked up with the wrong guy:

“I got a question for you, island boy.” Annie clutched her journal to her chest.
“Hit me.”
“Does anyone on this island like you?”
That one was easy. “Not as far as I can tell.”
“Maybe I need to find another island tour guide.”
“You act as if anyone else would be able to stand you.”

This book was a breath of very fun, fresh air. It’s been a while since I read a romance that didn’t seem to be trying too hard to be funny or clever. This was just a very fun, clever story with a couple of twists, some suspense, a couple of good villains, and enough sexual chemistry and steam to keep the pages flipping. What was different, though, was the characters don’t immediately get into each other’s pants – well, not that way, at least. Their passion is given time to build and you want it as much they do by the time they satisfy it.

The suspense elements are very believable and it is interesting how they resolve. I cheered at the end for the scene where it all comes together. The build-up to that point is very charged. Other things I like about this novel is the plot is tightly woven. The characterizations are believable and remain true throughout the story – no cop-outs and uncharacteristic reactions. The story arcs are all very satisfying and culminate in a nice HEA.

And damn if I haven’t always fantasized about living on Kauai myself! HelenKay hit all my hot buttons and left me with a smile on my face. This was a very good read. If you’re a fan of snappy dialog and wonderful settings, this is the book for you.

Grade: A

Here’s the book blurb:

NEVER LET ME GO

Annie Parks came to Hawaii to gather information and settle a score, not spend time handcuffed to a sexy stranger’s bed. Okay, so this particular stranger saved her from drowning after she was pitched overboard by some goons. And he’s about six feet of hard, Hawaiian muscle and gorgeous cool that’s making forgotten parts of her say, “A-lo-ha!” She needs to stay focused, but a side dish of Kane Travers is awfully tempting.

Kauai Police Chief Kane Travers is not a vacation kind of guy. So it figures that when Internal Affairs suspended him, he’d end up rescuing a sarcastic, dishonest, extremely hot redhead who is clearly hiding something. Amnesia? Yeah, right. Kane’s got half a mind to give Miss Whoever She Is something she’ll never forget. His cop senses tell him that the lady’s in deep and needs his protection. But how can he get her to tell him anything when all he wants is to take her home and do everything?

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s Review of Hands On by Amie Stuart
Erotic romance novel released 1 Jun 07 by Aphrodisia

This novel consists of three interlocking stories about three BFF’s – Lexi, Lanie, and Carlotta. All three women have blue collar jobs (construction foreman, mechanic, and electrician, respectively) and adventurous private lives. This is a book about these friend’s femininity, their men, and personal discovery. Oh, with some very hot sex thrown in for spice. In my opinion, the cover alone is worth the purchase of this book - that is a very sexy, beautifully shot photo and a work of art on its own.

This book starts with the “mildest” of the three stories: Lexi’s, or Alex to her workers. She has been lusting after a drywall supervisor on the job, Wade. She and Wade manage to hook up, of course, after some amusing scenes including a lap dance in an upscale strip club. I’m not sure if this is a “love match” for these two, but it’s definitely a lust match. It’s a fun cute story.

The second story is a little edgier: Lanie’s, or Mel to her mechanics. Lanie owns her own auto repair garage and manages to hook up with her brother’s friend, Jeff, after a painfully amusing scene at her parents’ backyard picnic, which is a welcome home dinner for her youngest brother, Jackie, recently released from the pen. This story explores a complicated family dynamic – very Catholic family, prolific siblings (12 g’children among three brothers), and two outcasts – Lanie and Jackie. Lanie’s ostracism is self-imposed – she’s in her 30′s, owns her own successful business, not married and has no kids, and is bisexual (unbeknownst to her family) – everything her family seems to not value. Jackie’s ostracism was state-imposed – he spent 10 years in prison for robbery or burglary (not sure which). Lanie ends up helping Jackie reconnect with life, and hooking up with Jeff and she has a ball doing it, all while freeing herself from her family’s expectations.

The third story is the edgiest of all: Carlotta’s. Carlotta is also mildly bisexual, but not so much she makes it a lifestyle choice. She hooks up with a man she originally describes as the “Geek Meister” – but she soon discovers that, in her words, still waters run deep. This story becomes a rather painful tale of self-discovery and catharsis. Carlotta discovers she’s a “submissive” at heart but also that she is terrified of letting go of control of the smallest elements in her life. In fact, her need to control is more a stranglehold than a gentle grip. The conflict this creates when she discovers her submissive self makes for a very good story. I would have liked it to be about 20 more pages, but that’s a sign of a good book, in my opinion. This was the story I thought I might end in a love match.

I was impressed with this book. I didn’t skim paragraphs or skip pages, and I read it all in one sitting. It was engrossing, fun, and very sexy. I found Carlotta’s story the most compelling because it seemed the most genuine. I enjoy books where a character is forced on a journey of self-discovery, kicking and screaming. I enjoy that because, if we’re smart, it’s often the way life is - forcing us to confront issues, instead of hiding from them.

I highly recommend adding this to your poolside reading pile this summer.

Grade: B+

Here’s the book blurb:

Monday through Friday they’re known as Alex, Mel and Carl. But come Friday night Lexi, Lanie and Carlotta trade their blue collar personas in for high heels, martinis and men. They’re smart, sexy and successful, and they’re taking HANDS ON to a whole new level.

Lexi Kimball has the unenviable position of Safety Supervisor on a construction crew. The one person everyone loves to hate, she’s caught between bringing a job in on time and getting it done without any accidents. Not an easy task in the best of circumstances, but throw in a sexy foreman with an adventurous streak and a construction site plagued with problems and you’ve got a recipe for trouble.

Melanie Daniels comes from a long line of mechanics and has no illusions about working in a man’s world. To the men who work under her at Chick’s Garage, an auto shop that caters exclusively to women, she’s Mel. On the weekends she’s Lanie, a bisexual completely comfortable in her own skin…until she finds herself challenged by her brother’s best friend.

Carlotta Quintanilla isn’t your average blonde. The sexy Nicaraguan can wire anything, anytime, anywhere better than any man, and she looks hot in a tool belt. When it comes to men, not only does she know how to play the game, she wrote the rules. She meets her match in a quiet computer geek who has a thing or two to teach her about control.

Read an excerpt.

Gwen’s review of Witch Fire (Elemental Witches, Book 1) by Anya Bast
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Berkley Sensation 5 Jun 07

Witch Fire is the first of a new series by Anya about witches, warlocks, demons, and presumably other things that go bump in the night.  Oh, and romance, of course.  This outing is set in present day Minneapolis, Chicago, and New York.  The main characters are an air witch, Mira Hoskins, and a fire witch, Jack McAllister.  There’s a large cast of secondary characters – Anya is setting us up for more books in this series and for lots of conflict that will be juicy to resolve.

The “long lost orphan who doesn’t know her own powers” chestnut notwithstanding, this was a very fun book.  Anya has created a very credible alternate reality.  The witches are powerful and fallible (always an interesting combination); the premise and details are unique, the story pacing and arcs are satisfying; and the erotic scenes are hot but don’t overwhelm the romance or the story.  All in all, a class A effort (and I’m pretty picky).

I really liked Jack and Mira by the end of the book and wanted more.  I love a good series – gives me a chance to get to know a world and its characters.

I recommend that my fellow paranormal romance fans buy this when it comes out next week.  Here’s hoping it’s the start of something wonderful.

Grade: B+ (it was too short)

Summary:
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Mira Hoskins doesn’t know she’s a natural born witch who possesses the rare–and powerful–element of air. She also never expected to find herself tied to a mahogany bed frame, captive to a man who aches to fulfill her every desire and let loose the magick that dwells inside her.
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Heat emanates from elemental fire witch Jack McAllister. The Coven, a governing authority of witches, has sent him to protect Mira from a band of warlocks who drain witches of power and life. Long ago, he saw Mira’s parents murdered by this same dark magick. He’d like to quell his guilt and offer her everything she deserves. But she’s the long-lost cousin of his boss–making seduction off-limits.
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With Jack’s strong guidance, Mira is luring forth her inner magick. But his sense of duty is quickly swelling into insatiable hunger. They warned him about the natural attraction between air and fire. Now he risks being consumed by the woman he shouldn’t want–but can’t stay away from.
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Read an excerpt.