Gwen’s review of Bound to Shadows (Riley Jensen, Book 8 ) by Keri Arthur
Urban Fantasy released by Dell 27 Oct 09

It’s been a while since I read and reviewed one of the Riley Jensen books.  Have I told you lately how much I love this series?  Well, I love this series.  Of all the Urban Fantasy, first person POV series out there, this is one of the best.  I’m always amazed at how totally immersed into Riley’s  stories I become.  And since Arthur is one of the more prolific writers out there, there’s plenty to jump into.

In this entry to the Riley-verse, our heroine is relishing her role as a Guardian – one of the enforcement types who keep the paranormals from consuming humans and each other.  Until recently in the series, Riley resisted this role.  She’s also firmly in love with Quinn – an ancient vamp who is the love of her life.  She’s also in reluctant lust/hate with her soul-mate, Kye.  As per normal, Riley’s personal life and libido is wild and crazy, and very eventful.  Arthur is in fine form in the sensual scenes with this entry.  If you enjoy Riley’s lovelife, don’t miss this book.

As usual, Riley is also doing a kick-ass job kicking bad guy butts all over Melbourne.  There’s a very good suspense element to this entry that is actually rooted in somewhat normal, human motivations.  Sure some otherworldly (and very creepy) things happen, but Shadows has a very good suspense element.

If you’ve never read a Riley Jensen novel, this might be a passable standalone. You may be at bit at sea with some of the details and history, but if you just roll with the story, you’ll be entertained.  Nevertheless, I highly recommend trying to read as much of the series as possible.

The only reason I’m giving Shadows a B instead of an A is because of the first person POV.  Even though Arthur is one of the absolute best authors out there with this POV, it’s still a pet peeve of mine when a story is told using it.  This POV is too limiting to the story and I’m left guessing too much.  I have a very difficult time giving them A’s unless something about the book just blows my socks off.

I recommend this book to any UF fans and anyone following the Riley Jensen series.  Good storytelling, good romance, good action… good book.

Grade: B+

Read other reviews and information on this series by following its tag here.

Summary:

In the darkness, demons come out to play… and someone must bring their sins to light.

Part vampire, part werewolf, Riley Jenson knows what can happen when vamps don’t play well with others. But she’s never seen anything like this: a series of brutal murders surrounding the latest hot spot for vampire-human hookups—and the victims aren’t just killed, they’re beheaded. Now Riley is launching into action, toying with a seductive—and highly suspicious—club owner, and finding herself in the middle of another mystery: women being killed one by one, without a trace of violence.

For Riley, solving multiple cases—in a world going mad with human and vampire passions—would have been tough enough. Instead she has two jealous lovers on her hands: Kye Murphy, the amber-eyed werewolf who makes Riley’s wolf blood howl—and Quinn, the cool, elegant vamp who has over a thousand years’ experience at fulfilling women’s desires. While she’s busy juggling these two sexy beasts, Riley’s detective work takes a stunningly violent turn. Finding a murderer is now a matter of life and death. Especially since the killer has long since found her…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Reader Blogger Marg, you can find her at Reading Adventures and Historical Tapestry, was nice enough to agree to share with us her adventure at the Australian Romance Readers Convention this past weekend.

If we get lucky we can talk her into sharing some more photos and stories.

Ever since I have been blogging, each year when everyone started talking about going to either RWA or other major romance conferences, I have sat here in my chair in suburban Melbourne, Australia turning various shades of green. Whether people were posting about meeting their favourite authors, or the goodies rooms, or the signings, I read all the posts thinking about how it was all kinds of awesome that they were getting to do such fun things. The thing was, no matter how envious I became, the simple fact was that at this point in my life there is no way that I would be able to go to the US to attend such an event.

So when I just happened to read something about an Australian Romance Readers Convention back in December 2007, I was over the moon! And then when it was announced that it was in Melbourne, I was again really excited. And then, in what seems like no time at all, the inaugural ARRC is over, all the delegates have gone home and I am sure that the organising committee members are all collapsed in a heap in exhaustion.

It is difficult to give just the highlights so that this guest post isn’t as long as the weekend itself, so instead I will try to just give a taste of the flavour of the weekend. The most obvious place to start is with the keynote speakers – those who were invited to travel half way around the world to come to visit their Aussie fans, and I can tell you those fans were very appreciative! Mary Janice Davidson, Susan Grant, Liz Maverick, Sherrilyn Kenyon (with special guest Dianna Love), and not forgetting Stephanie Laurens (who didn’t come half way around the world, but we still appreciate her nonetheless). We laughed until we cried, we were inspired, we were challenged and above all we were entertained!

One of the things that I often say on my own blog is that I don’t read enough Aussie authors, and I have to say that I learnt something that kind of surprised me this weekend! There are a LOT of Aussie authors out there. They write in various different subgenres, from Mills and Boon (Harlequin), to the big NY publishing houses, to e-books and other publishers like Samhain. I have come home determined that I am definitely going to read more Aussies – Keri Arthur, Denise Rossetti and others, I am talking about your books! An Aussie author that I already read is Anna Campbell and it was great to see her latest book, Tempt the Devil, officially launched in Australia by Stephanie Laurens on Saturday afternoon.

At Saturday night’s dinner, I was lucky enough to be sitting with the gorgeous Kat O from Book Thingo, plus her librarian (yes, librarian and borrower attended together – how great is that!) with some other girls, including two Samhain authors and we had an absolutely fantastic time, so much so that I forgot to take pictures of some of the award winners and of the people sitting at the table. Kat, Vassiliki, Jess Dee and Lexxie Couper, thanks ladies. And don’t worry, what happened at dinner and what we talked about at dinner, stays at dinner. Have to say though – those mini cakes were to die for!

One of the things that the conference coincided with was the National Day of Mourning on Sunday for the bushfire victims from the terrible fires that started in early February with such devastating loss of life and property. As I write this on Monday night, we have been reminded that the fire crisis is not over with existing firest still burning and new fires starting on the outskirt of Melbourne this afternoon with more loss of homes. My point in mentioning this is that one of the initiatives of the organisers was a silent auction with the proceeds being donated to the Red Cross Australian Bushfires Appeal. There were many, many generous authors and organisations that donated great items, and there was over $7000 raised through the auction, plus an impeccably observed minute of silence on Sunday morning at 11am.

There’s so much more that I could mention, but I have to save something for my own blog (*grin*), but I haven’t mentioned the panelists, the books, the signings. So much to talk about!

In closing I want to say to the organizers of ARRC – thank you, thank you, thank you.

You did an amazing job. I don’t think that I can pay any higher compliment to you than to say my friends and I started to make plans on Saturday night to attend the next ARRC – whenever it is and wherever it is held – with at least two more of our friends. I know that I overheard other delegates making their own plans too!

Marg

Gwen’s review of Destiny Kills (Myth and Magic, Book 1) by Keri Arthur
Contemporary fantasy romance released by Dell Spectra 28 Oct 08

I’ve wrestled with this review several days now, and I’m no closer to knowing how to approach it.  Sometimes there are books that, no matter how long you think about it, your thoughts are no closer than when you finished reading.  This can happen with good and bad books.  Sometimes you just have to dive in and get the words down on paper and hope it all makes sense to someone.  So here goes… 

Destiny Kills is the start of a new series for Arthur.  So far it’s based on dragon-shifters.  Based on what I read, I presume other mythical figures will make an entrance in later books.  Anyone familiar with Arthur knows she writes the Riley Jenson urban fantasy novels – a series with vampires and shapeshifters that is chockablock with action, romance, sex, and angst, all told from the heroine’s first person perspective.  I love the Jenson novels like a fat kid loves cake (TM Karen Scott).

Destiny Kills is also told from the heroine’s first person POV, and thus begins my bone-picking with this book.  Perhaps my love of the Jenson novels has colored my opinion of this one.  What seems so fresh with Riley’s POV seems stale in Destiny Kills.  I’m familiar with Riley’s world, so the first person POV isn’t horribly limiting.  With this new world, however, I think the heroine’s POV has restricted the view of the world and its inhabitants too much.  I very much wanted to know what was in the hero’s head and know what flying was like for him.  I also very much wanted to get into the villain’s head.  I wanted to know more about the heroine’s parents’ thoughts.  None of this is really possible with the POV and that makes me sad and unable to properly connect with the story.

Because of the lack of connection, I didn’t identify or sympathize with anyone or with the predicament.  I can’t really tell you why that was, except I didn’t – it all seemed so impassionate.  I didn’t care that the hero and heroine finally had sex (although their first time WAS OFF THE PAPER and not described – irritated me).  I didn’t care that they had been held hostage for 10-years and experimented on.  I think it was the first person POV, but it may also be because this story just didn’t draw me in.

I can recommend this book to fans of the author or if you’re a dyed in the wool dragon-shifter reader.  I don’t recommend it to anyone trying to get a feel for Arthur’s writing for the first time – you definitely need to read the Riley Jenson novels for that.  This was a readable, but average story with some slightly irritating elements.

Grade: C

Summary:

DESIRE CALLS. DANGER LURKS.

BUT…

DESTINY KILLS

When Destiny McCree wakes up beside a dead man on an Oregon beach, she knows only this: she has to keep moving, keep searching, and keep one step ahead of the forces that have been pursuing her from the heart of Scotland to this isolated spot. Why? The death of her lover has left her alone, with little memory of her past. A glimmering serpent-shaped ring is the one clue she has-and a bargaining chip in a most dangerous game…

Enter Trae Wilson, a master thief with a sexy, knowing grin and a secret agenda of his own. Destiny and Trae both have powers far beyond the human-and both are running for their lives. Together they’re riding a tide of danger, magic and lust…but with killers stalking their every move, they must use any means necessary, even each other, to survive-until the shocking secret of one woman’s destiny finally unravels…

Read an excerpt. (The excerpt was not posted as of the review date, but should be live at this site by release date.)  It’s live.

Liviania’s review of Hotter Than Hell by Tanya Huff, Marjorie M. Liu, Cheyenne McCray, L.A. Banks, Susan Krinard, Keri Arthur, Heidi Betts, Lilith Saintcrow, Susan Sizemore, Denise Little, Carrie Vaughn, Linda Winstead Jones, and Kim Harrison
Urban fantasy/paranormal romance anthology released by Harper 24 June 08

With Hotter than Hell, HarperCollins goes in a somewhat different direction from their previous Hell anthologies. These are erotic short stories rather than novellas. It’s worth picking up if you’re very fond of one of the authors or wish to experience several of the authors’ work before buying their series. While all of the stories are well-written and none are truly awful, many of the stories are forgettable or unsatisfying.

Music Hath Charms by Tanya Huff

Bedford Entertainment music executive Ali wants to sign the band NoMan before her longtime, more corporate rivals from Vital Records. But there’s more at stake than money, because NoMan’s frontmen possess a power that manifests in their music. This urban fantasy story is one of the best in the anthology, but some readers may be uncomfortable with the content. There are orgies, menage, and gay and bisexual characters.

Grade: B+

Minotaur in Stone by Marjorie M. Liu

Liu is an author that constantly almost wows me. She explores various intriguing themes in Minotaur in Stone and describes everything with beautiful imagery. However, the tantalizing short story is hampered by a sketchy heroine. Too little is known about her to really fall into her mind – her past is hinted at but never partially explained (which could explain, in turn, some of the story elements) and the description of her is so thin she doesn’t even have a name. It’s a sharp contrast to the detail given to the Minotaur’s story, especially given that this is her story.

Grade: C+

Demon Lover by Cheyenne McCray

Aedan the incubus comes to women at night, leaving them unsatisfied until they offer their souls to him. Now he has fallen in love with his latest victim Ericka. McCray is competent, but the story lacks originality.

Grade: C

Equinox by L. A. Banks

I’ve tried many times to enjoy Banks’ Vampire Hunter series, but never could. I didn’t expect to like this story, especially because it uses one of my least favorite set-ups. (Woman remains virgin for a long time and decides to give it up almost instantly upon meeting the right man.) Therefore I was very surprised to discover that this is my favorite story of the anthology. Greek goddess Artemis returns to present-day Earth, horrified by what humans are doing to the environment. As she and her nymphs teach various CEOs a lesson, the government dispatches a group of soldiers to stop the ecoterrorists. But Vincent and his men are about to discover something very strange. It’s slightly trippy but oh-so-good.

Grade: A-

Ride A Dark Horse by Susan Krinard

While recovering from her divorce on a ranch, Catalina literally meets the man from her dreams. But why is Andrés so interested? Ride A Dark Horse has a good atmosphere, slightly spooky and very Western. The heroine is a bit too willing to wander about unfamiliar woods at night, but it’s a decent story.

Grade: C

To Die For by Keri Arthur

Grace Rioli and Ethan Garrison, a wolf shifter and a werewolf, are dispatched to a small town to solve the murder of a couple of adolescent boys. It’s a good mystery until the author suddenly points out a flaw in the logic used to reach the solution at the end. It weakens the story and might not have if considered earlier by the characters.

Grade: B-

Curse of the Dragon’s Tears by Heidi Betts

Laura Tomescu dreams of the man her grandmother cursed. Now she has gone to Dougal McKay’s castle to free him. The story draws some of its inspiration from the Beauty and the Beast tale. Another enjoyable but largely forgettable entry.

Grade: C-

Brother’s Keeper by Lilith Saintcrow

Selene receives a call from Danny, her brother, that sends her running to his side only to find him murdered. Saintcrow quickly develops interesting characters and background, but then she drops the ball. There’s no resolution to the romance or to the mystery. Brother’s Keeper reads like the first chapters of a novel, not like a short story. Where’s the rest?

Grade: C-

(Like A) Virgin of the Spring by Susan Sizemore and Denise Little

Time travel, psychics, and the Matter of Britain all in one short story. Psychic Ginger’s team got lost in the past, but Bern’s team has come to the rescue. (Like A) Virgin of the Spring starts slow, but has some neat ideas and it’s fun to play spot-the-Arthurian-reference. Might not be for those who don’t have at least a cursory knowledge of the Matter of Britain.

Grade: C

Life is the Teacher by Carrie Vaughn

This story is the only one I completely forgot. The second time I read it I had to get several pages in before I remembered anything about it. Emma is a new vampire adjusting to her way of life as she encounters old boyfriend Chris. Vaughn’s writing is fine but the story is too slight, even for a short. I’m already forgetting Emma and her world again.

Grade: C-

Dirty Magic by Kim Harrison

I love Kim Harrison’s novels, but her novellas and short stories are far weaker. Dirty Magic follows Mia, a banshee (similar to a psychic vampire in the story), as she visits old lover Tom and seeks energy for her daughter. The ending has a nice twist that makes me like the story, but it could fit much better tonally.

Grade: B-

Overall grade: C

The Summary:

Beyond the boundaries of the everyday is an unseen realm where anything you imagine is possible. Your demon lover is waiting for you in the shadows, ready to fulfill your secret wishes and most dangerous fantasies. Here passion has a face and form both titillating and terrifying—and love has teeth and claws. Get ready to give in to your craving for something exquisitely dark . . . and different.

Hotter Than Hell gathers together a baker’s dozen of today’s boldest and best authors of supernatural fiction and paranormal romance in a breathtaking anthology that blends black magic with red-hot desire. From the tantalizing tale of a conflicted psychic vampire driven by a powerful, savage love to the strange saga of a Greek warrior woman battling to save the world, these are stories outside the limits, as hypnotic as the full moon . . . and hotter than the sun.

This just in…

Sylvia Day has a lot going on, so listen up! You have to pay attention or you just might miss something important…

If you’re going be in San Francisco at RWA’s annual conference, you can pick up a copy of Eve of Darkness, the first book in Sylvia’s Marked series – nine months before it hits the shelves!

Sylvia will also attend the Literacy Signing at the conference on Wednesday, July 30, 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the San Francisco Marriott Hotel. Be sure stop by to say hello and pick up one of her books. Or two.

All About Romance’s Favorite Books for Favorite Authors is still going strong and Sylvia’s books are currently in the running. Other authors such as J.R. Ward, Kathryn Caskie, Keri Arthur, Rachel Gibson and others are also competing. Check everything out and place your ballot here. Hurry, though, the contest is only open through July 6.

Sylvia will also be at Lora Leigh’s 2008 Reader Appreciation Weekend September 19 – 21 at the Pullman Plaza Hotel in Huntington, West Virginia.

A new series with a new pseudonym is also on the horizon for Sylvia. Her Sapphire series is being written under her new pen of Livia Dare. The first book, Sapphire’s Worth, will be released in June 2009 with two more following in June 2010 and June 2011, respectively. The first book was written in 2004 and sold to Kensington Zebra in 2006. “It’s been a long time coming, so I’m excited and hope that those of you who have been waiting for this book since it was first posted on my site find it to be worth the wait!” Sylva said.

Now for the contests! Sylvia has two current contests running at her website. In her Christmas in July contest you can win a “Fairies On The Moon” figurine. Taken from Nene Thomas’ immensely popular fantasy art print , “Star Gazer”, this is a wonderful ornament to decorate and accentuate any home area. Plus, the winner will receive two Marked series coffee mugs.

In her Sizzling Summer Reading contest, one winner will receive copies of Sylvia’s Pleasures of the Night, Heat of the Night, and Alluring Tales I: Awaken the Fantasy.

Also included in this great prize package is a book cover, playing cards, and a Marked series coffee mug.

Go here to enter both contests! Now, aren’tcha glad you stuck around?!?

Consider yourself flashed.

Gwen’s review of The Darkest Kiss (Riley Jensen, Book 6) by Keri Arthur
Urban fantasy released by Dell 29 Apr 08

I’m a Riley Jensen fan from “way back” – well, as far back as 2006, I suppose. I’m easy when it comes to urban fantasy, though. I’ll read just about anything, as long as the characters are interesting, and I don’t even need a happily ever after. This is why I’m a huge Lilith Saintcrow fan – LOVE me some Dante Valentine. I enjoyed the hell out of Kiss, too, and am seriously glad there’s a Riley Jenson Book 7 on the horizon.

Plus, Keri Arthur must be one of the hardest working authors in the universe. The woman writes like a fiend and still manages to travel all the way to this side of the equator to attend book conventions, etc.

In this Riley Jenson entry, our intrepid heroine is doing a variety of things:

1. Growing up.
2. Becoming accustomed, and even liking, her Guardian role.
3. Learning to live without Quinn and Kellen.
4. Did I mention growing up?
5. Getting good at kicking ass.

All of these changes bode well for the story. The angst comes from Riley dealing with life as an adult – not ping-ponging around like a pinball between her various love interests. The tension in the story comes from dealing with two different bad guys in related but separate cases.

I also really dug what Arthur does with Riley’s love life. I feel like Riley finally “gets it,” as does her love interest. An HEA actually seems within her grasp by the end of Kiss. Well, a Riley-version of HEA, at least. There isn’t the gratuitous boinking with every available penis on every available surface in Kiss – I missed that, but I also really liked that Riley and an old flame finally seem to be making something work. It shows some maturity and that maybe, finally, she will manage to find her mate.

To those of you new to the series, Riley’s universe is an alternate reality where humans and non-humans live side by side, aware of each other. Kiss is set, as all her other books are, in Melbourne, Australia. There’s surprisingly little Australian slang – the author makes efforts to “Americanize” her books for our market, apparently – and it’s fun to me to read a book centered in such a far away place that is still recognizable. This world is populated with all sorts of paranormal beings.

Riley is a dhampire – half werewolf, half vampire – so her ability to kick butt is well up there with the best of them. Riley is a member of the non-human law enforcement arm called the Guardians. If you haven’t read the other books in the series, she was brought reluctantly into the role and much ink is wasted spent on this bit of angst early in the series. Riley finds her Guardian stride in this book and her growth is gratifying to see.

In a nice note of reality, Riley regularly gets her ass handed to her by more powerful bad guys, and this book is no exception. While there is little of the intrigue and uber-baddie plotting in Kiss that we see in the other entries, she’s still fighting some seriously powerful beings. Though, thankfully, Kiss‘s bad guys are just bad guys – no evil genius behind them. Actually a refreshing change and simpler to follow.

This is another excellent entry into the Riley Jensen universe. If you’re a Keri Arthur fan, you’ll love this book. If you’re an urban fantasy fan, I highly recommend this series. Some of the entries are better than others and The Darkest Kiss is one of the best. I’ve followed this series from the beginning, so it’s difficult for me to say if it reads well as a standalone – I don’t think it would, but don’t let that turn you away from an engrossing series.

Grade: A-

     Summary:

     Danger turns her on. Desire turns her dangerous…

     Riley Jenson hunts evildoers-and does it with a style all her own. With vamp blood coursing her through her veins, and a werewolf’s uncanny instinct for danger, Riley wears snakeskin stilettos and pure, in-your-face attitude when she plunges into her latest case: hunting down a killer whose victims are high-society strumpets-and the rich and powerful men they’ve dated.

     But for Riley, the case takes a chilling turn when a second killer starts trailing mutilated bodies of his own: a crazed young vamp choosing victims from a past marked by tragedy. Riley knows she’s got the skill and cunning to catch two serial killers at once…until one of them strikes inside her own tight-knit clan-and a sexy beast of a vampire reenters her life to aid in the hunt. His name is Quinn. He’s lived forever, shed blood, and shared pleasure…and he’s the only man over whom Riley has absolutely no control….

     Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series (I can’t believe I haven’t reviewed any of them for TGTBTU):

Gwen’s review of Embraced By Darkness (Riley Jensen, Guardian, Book 5) by Keri Arthur
Urban Fantasy released by Dell 31 Jul 07

This series is difficult to pigeon-hole.  It’s fantasy, paranormal, futuristic, suspense, mystery, and romance all rolled in one.  The heroine is Riley Jensen – a werewolf/vampire half-breed.  The heroes are as numerous as the situations she finds herself in, but this book’s hero is Kellen, another werewolf and, she thinks, the love of her life.  Riley and her twin brother, Rhoan, fight the baddies, try to have normal personal lives, and deal with pack politics all in one.  Riley is a vulnerable, kick-ass heroine and I like her honest approach to life. 

I found this series shortly after the first book came out last December.  I proceeded to wait for each release with barely contained excitement. And, because of the back-to-back release dates, I was able to satisfy my jones quickly – no suspension of self-gratification for me.  BONUS!

Riley is a heroine I can identify with.  She wrestles with normal (though perhaps not the “getting fuzzy” part, but I’m not speaking for Sybil    ) – juggling personal life, work, life-goals, etc. She’s a funny, honest character whose approach to life is scarily “normal” for all the abnormal stuff she deals with.

A big complication in Riley’s life is she is evolving into something ”more” due to exposure to a drug (unbeknownst to her, in book 1).  As a guardian, she’s forced to kill bad guys and in this book, to her personal horror, she begins to kill more easily. All of this makes her relationship with Kellen – an alpha werewolf - difficult.  He wants/needs to protect her and, because of her job, she keeps getting her ass kicked and not letting him help.  She doesn’t even call him on a couple of occasions. (Personally, I think she is suppressing her her real self to have this relationship with Kellen – she’d end up being really unhappy in the long run.)

Ms Arthur’s storytelling is getting better and better with each book.  As with the other books, Embraced has suspense, interesting concepts, terrific main and secondary characters, well developed story arcs, and the world-building is highly entertaining. In addition, Ms Arthur is one of the very few authors who can write from first person and I don’t hate it.

I think this series is worth the time and emotional investment to read.  Be aware, however, that there be a lot of boinking goin’ on in several of the books.  Riley has lots of different partners but it’s appropriate to the story, rather than squick-worthy.  However, in this book Riley tries too hard to get what she’s always imagined she wanted - soulmate to another wolf, white picket fence, kids running around, etc.  As a result, she suppresses her natural wolf-tendencies to have sex with men she’s attracted to, and she’s faithful to Kellen (at least in body, if not mind).  Not that this book isn’t still steamy and oh-so-hot – it just didn’t have the ultra-steaminess of the other entries in the series.

This is a great summer read.  Be forewarned it doesn’t have the typical HEA ending.  But I can’t wait to find out what happens to Riley in the next entry; which according to Keri’s blog, will be called The Darkest Kiss and QUINN COMES BACK in it! Not sure about the release date, but it looks like it will be next year.

Grade: B

Read more reviews by following the series’ tag.

Summary:

Now a full-fledged guardian–or supercop–Riley Jenson is riding high…until her family comes calling. When her pack’s alpha demands that she solve the mystery of a vanished girl, Riley can feel a trap closing in around her. Soon she is caught between a lover who demands that she give up her work, a serial killer who knows no boundaries, and a club where humans and supernaturals mix–at their own peril. Thrust into a realm of seduction and violence unlike any she could have imaged, Riley has to battle to save everything she holds dear. But the ultimate hunt has only just begun…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series: