Liviania’s review of Sins of the Soul (Otherkin, Book 2) by Eve Silver
Paranormal romance released by HQN 1 Sept 10

As I said in my review of Sins of the Heart, I began Sins of the Soul as soon as I finished the first novel in the trilogy.  I enjoyed Sins of the Soul as well, but it suffered a little from being the second in the trilogy.  This one is heavier on the romance, however.

Personally, I like plot.  So I was somewhat sad that very little happens in way of finding Lokan’s killer during Sins of the Soul.  Mostly, Alastor Krayl – the middle of the remaining sons of Sutekh – works to gain control over Butcher’s soul.  Butcher was a hitman who witnessed Lokan’s death, but his soul was consecrated to Izanami, a Japanese Underworld goddess that distrusts men.  Thus, Alastor can’t reap his soul without complications.

Alastor was my least favorite of the Krayl brothers.  He’s defined by two characteristics: being British and missing his human family.  As for the British part, he didn’t strike me as overly British.  He uses a few slang terms, but a fondness for suits and English toffees does not a Briton make.  Alastor was raised with his mother, unlike Dagan, and he resented that Sutekh pulled him from a loving family and didn’t allow him to return to the Topworld until they were dead.  His feelings made sense, but I preferred the less angsty Dagan and Mal.

Naphré Kurata, his heroine, was the protégé of Butcher.  She killed him after he took a hit out on her.  She’s also a derelict Daughter of Aset, as she refused part of her duties.  Naphré has a strong moral center, but she acknowledges that in many ways she’s compromised her morals in order to survive.  I found her intriguing, but a bit of a blank slate.  An overweening desire for cleanliness wasn’t enough to separate her from the hordes of paranormal assassin heroines.

I was, however, quite fascinated by Izanami and her Shikome.  Though not often present in Sins of the Soul, the two had a presence.  Izanami, particularly, comes off as dangerous without ever raising her voice or doing anything overtly threatening at all.  I’d have liked to read more about her.

On one hand, Sins of the Soul was a perfectly good paranormal romance.  On the other hand, there wasn’t much that made it stick out from the crowd.  In my opinion, it’s the weakest of the trilogy.  Silver’s writing and plotting was good enough to make me pick up Sins of the Flesh instantly to discover how everything worked out.

Grade: C+

Summary:
Alastor Krayl’s world shattered when he learned that his father was the Underworld god of chaos and evil. All that saved him from self-destruction were his newfound brothers and the bond they shared as soul reapers. So when one of his brothers is murdered, vengeance becomes Alastor’s obsession. And the enigmatic Naphré Kurata, a witness—or is she the killer?—has the answers he seeks.
A reluctant Underworld enforcer, Naphré trusts no one, especially not a seductive soul reaper who makes her burn with lust. Torn between duty and desire, she fights to keep her secrets safe from Alastor, even as she longs to surrender.
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Discord’s Apple by Carrie Vaughn
Fantasy released by Tor 6 July 10

I knew little about the plot of Discord’s Apple before I started; I simply wanted to read it since I like Carrie Vaughn’s Kitty Norville series.  So I was quite pleased to see several elements I like used together: Homer, Virgil, King Arthur, a story within a story, and just a touch of politics.

Evie Walker is a comic book author, using real world events to write about a team of commandos.  Now, with the world on the brink of nuclear war, she can barely tell who is good and bad to write the next chapter.  But she’s distracted from her work by the impending death of her father and her apparent assumption as his duties protecting various objects from myth, legend, and fairytales.

Hera wants the apple which started the Trojan War.  Others, including Alex – a former Greek warrior – want to keep it out of her hands in order to keep the chaos of the apple from disturbing the delicate world situation.  I liked Alex and enjoyed the passages detailing his backstory, but I felt like his relationship with Evie was underdeveloped.  It felt like they had to get together because they were the male and female lead.  His relationship with Apollo was more complex and intriguing because it didn’t fall into a standard relationship pattern.

I also felt like that the passages about Evie’s job pulled me out of the story.  She was supposedly scripting the comic, but the passages she wrote were all verse, nothing like a comic script.  (Also, I kept wondering who her letterer was.  I did assume the artist took care of both pencils and colors.)  Tracker’s story held some interest in itself and told about Evie’s character, but it just didn’t feel necessary.

Now that I’ve said what doesn’t work for me, I must admit I liked Discord’s Apple quite a bit.  Vaughn’s near-apocalyptic world of checkpoints and terrorist attacks felt lived-in by the characters and well-developed.  As someone familiar with the story sources she was drawing on, I felt she did a good job of updating the legends while adhering closely to the original material.  Those who haven’t read the Iliad, Odyssey, or Aeneid, might not get as big of a kick out of it.

(I don’t have a translation recommendation for the Aeneid, but I do recommend Fagles’s translations of Homer.  He’s got a direct style that captures the action well, especially in the Iliad.)

Discord’s Apple was a fun modern fantasy.  Those looking for something heavier on the romance might avoid Discord’s Apple, though there is a small love triangle.  Discord’s Apple is a standalone novel, but if Vaugn wrote more in this universe I would read it.

Grade: B-

Summary:

When Evie Walker goes home to spend time with her dying father, she discovers that his creaky old house in Hope’s Fort, Colorado, is not the only legacy she stands to inherit. Hidden behind the old basement door is a secret and magical storeroom, a place where wondrous treasures from myth and legend are kept safe until they are needed again. The magic of the storeroom prevents access to any who are not intended to use the items. But just because it has never been done does not mean it cannot be done.

And there are certainly those who will give anything to find a way in.

Evie must guard the storeroom against ancient and malicious forces, protecting the past and the future even as the present unravels around them. Old heroes and notorious villains alike will rise to fight on her side or to undermine her most desperate gambits. At stake is the fate of the world, and the prevention of nothing less than the apocalypse. In the same month, along with this all-new hardcover, Tor will publish a new novel in Carrie Vaughn’s popular, New York Times bestselling urban fantasy series featuring werewolf talk radio host, Kitty Norville. Kitty Goes to War will be the eighth book in this successful mass market series.

Read an excerpt here. (Follow site directions.)

Liviania’s review of Kitty Goes to War (Kitty Norville, Book Eight) by Carrie Vaughn
Urban fantasy published by Tor 29 Jun 10

The Kitty Norville series is both consistent and surprising.  Carrie Vaughn does a good job of giving the Kitty series a unique feeling among the sea of urban fantasies available.  For one, the series remains light-hearted despite the high body count.

Vaughn doesn’t handle the body count as well in Kitty Goes to War as she did in Kitty’s House of Horrors.  Instead of characters we’ve learned to love dying, the lives of entirely new characters are at risk.  Vaughn does what she can, but with two plots going on I didn’t learn to love the new guys.  The new guys are a group of soldiers who were discovered to be werewolves after their commanding officer died.  Now, Kitty has been enlisted to help get them under control and useful.

The other plot involves Harold Franklin, the CEO of Speedy Mart – a Walmart where supernatural events tend to happen.  It also involves Cormac, though he’s off screen for too much of the novel.  I’ve been waiting with bated breath to read more about him since he left prison.  Vaughn teases us throughout the novel with the knowledge that he somehow changed in prison, but has to keep Cormac off screen to pull the twist off.  However, it does provide for interesting situations in his future appearances.

Yet Cormac’s appearances do help to confirm that the Ben-Kitty relationship is going well.  There are also some funny bits with Ben and the military, who don’t realize that Ben is a closeted werewolf.  I was, like most, originally surprised that Ben and Kitty got together.  But with each book I like their marriage more.  They’re very stable.  They trust each other and work to protect each other’s backs.

It’s also engaging to watch Kitty assert herself as a leader of the soldiers.  She’s managed to climb to the top of the ladder from the bottom, and now she goes into confrontations with confidence.  Kitty’s emotional arc is one of the greatest strengths of the series.

Kitty Goes to War is an acceptable place to start the series.  Some events in the novel pertain to the series arc, but it stands alone well.  After all, Kitty is introducing the soldiers to normal werewolf life.  It’s rare that eight books in a series is still inviting to new readers.

Grade: B

Summary:
Kitty Norville, Alpha werewolf and host of The Midnight Hour, a radio call-in show, is contacted by a friend at the NIH’s Center for the Study of Paranatural Biology. Three Army soldiers recently returned from the war in Afghanistan are being held at Ft. Carson in Colorado Springs. They’re killer werewolves—and post traumatic stress has left them unable to control their shape-shifting and unable to interact with people. Kitty agrees to see them, hoping to help by bringing them into her pack.

Meanwhile, Kitty gets sued for libel by CEO Harold Franklin after featuring Speedy Mart—his nationwide chain of 24-hour convenience stores with a reputation for attracting supernatural unpleasantness—on her show.

Very bad weather is on the horizon.

Read an excerpt here. (Follow directions of site.)

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Faery Moon (A Tess Noncoiré Adventure, Book 3) by P. R. Frost
Urban fantasy released by DAW 1 Jun 10

I dislike reading series out of order.  I always feel like I’m missing something.  Luckily, I was able to understand the magic system in Faery Moon, the third Tess Noncoiré book, without reading the first two.  Tess is a writer and a warrior who accidentally discovers a power struggle that could undermine the stability of several worlds while on vacation in Las Vegas with her mother.

During the novel, Tess makes several surprising discoveries about herself and her mother.  These scenes had excellent emotional intensity even without the build-up that likely existed in previous novels.  Less satisfying were the revelations about Scrap, the imp bonded to Tess who turns into her Blade.  Perhaps it was because I didn’t like Scrap much.  His sense of humor didn’t send me and his sex scenes were kind of gross.  (I get that imps find different things attractive than humans, but I don’t need that much detail.)

The romance worked fairly well, but it was a standard love triangle.  Tess lusts after Donovan Estevez, her former stepbrother and the foster son of a demon, but doesn’t want to let him in since he won’t tell her about his past.  She’s also getting closer to Guilford Van der Hoyden-Smythe, her friend and mentor.  I found him a little boring, even after learning more about his past, and thought their relationship lacked the passion of Tess and Donovan’s.  (I was surprised to learn so much about everyone’s pasts.  It seems like that would’ve been spread out over several books.  It did make it easier to keep up with things, so I guess I shouldn’t complain.)

The mystery of how a group of fairy dancers was enslaved and how to free them works better than the romance and is well-paced.  Tess steadily figures out more facts until she solves the problem.  She truly comes off as competent while much urban fantasy relies on telling the reader that the protagonist is competent.

Faery Moon was an entertaining read and has the advantage of being different in focus from most urban fantasies.  On the other hand, it didn’t excited me enough that I picked up the first two.  I might read P. R. Frost again, but I don’t have the urge to seek her other novels out.

Grade: C+

Summary:
Tess Noncoiré, successful fantasy writer and Celestial Blade Warrior, has gone to a writers’ conference in Las Vegas, taking along her mother, who is depressed over the death of her demon husband.

Taking in one of Vegas’ Big Acts, Tess is amazed to see winged dancers flying about the stage, seemingly unsupported by any wires. Then she discovers the dancers are actually faeries, held captive in the casino against their will. And if Tess and her sidekick demon Scrap don’t help the faeries return to their own dimension, they-and their realm-will die.
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark, Book 10) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal romance released by Pocket 24 August 10

In a long-running series like Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark, everyone has their favorites.  (Fans of the series – like Lime and me in this instance - will often debate with each other about whose favorites are better.)  Right now, Demon from the Dark is in my top three.  (By the way, my favorites are better so you should take that statement extremely seriously.)

Cole knows how to create a sympathetic alpha hero.  Malkom Slaine is a vemon, possessed of the vicious traits of both vampires and the worst sort of demon.  (I prefer to call them dempires, but Nïx does not appear in this book.)  Oft betrayed, he doesn’t trust easily.  Also, he needed to grow up deadly in order to survive, so he’s become a bit of a beast in order to keep himself safe and to get revenge on those who destroyed his life.  Yet when he meets Carrow Graie and realizes she’s his mate, he resists his instincts and romances her.  This despite language and cultural barriers.  It’s sweet.

Of course, it’s bittersweet because the reader knows Carrow is going to betray Malkom.  (I don’t think she had to, though I understand her decision.)  She’s been captured by a group of mortals bent on destroying the immortals, as has a young witch named Ruby.  Ruby’s mother died during the capture, meaning that Carrow is her new guardian.  If Carrow doesn’t deliver Malkom, they’ll kill Ruby.  Carrow may party hard, but that’s because the pleasure and happiness incited by revelry increase her powers.  She has a core of responsibility and a desire to be a good parents, as good as her parents weren’t.

Thus, Carrow is the more reticent of the pair.   She has to keep her secrets and thus can’t become too intimate with Malkom, as he can access her memories after biting her. She holds her heart back while Malkom offers his freely.  Cole does a good job of showing how Carrow and Malkom are shaped by their pasts and thus why they choose to behave the way they do.

There’s also plenty of material for fans of the series that doesn’t seem like it would be too confusing to newcomers.  Conrad Wroth’s cameo might cause a bit of confusion, but I like Conrad too much to complain.  Mariketa and Bowen show up often, but it makes sense considering Carrow and Mariketa are close friends.  There’s also tantalizing glimpses of Regin and Aiden.  It definitely challenged expectations I had of their relationship based on information in previous novels.

After the last several installments in the Immortals After Dark followed up on previously introduced couples and storylines, it was refreshing to read about a totally new couple.  While I’m excited about many of the couples we’ve already met, Demon from the Dark pushed the series plot forward.  Unlike most long running series, Cole still feels like she has a finish that she’s pushing towards.

Grade: A

Summary:
A dangerous demon she can’t resist…
Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he’s pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A maddening witch he aches to claim…
Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

Trapped together in a savage prison…
For them to survive, Malkom must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When he becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

Read an excerpt here.

Read more reviews using the Immortals After Dark series tag.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Sins of the Heart (Otherkin, Book 1) by Eve Silver
Paranormal romance released by HQN 1 Aug 10

I began this novel late at night, intending to read a chapter or two before I went to sleep.  Note that I was already half asleep at this point.  Shortly before 200 pages, I managed to put the book down and let my body rest.  The first thing I did in the morning was pick it back up.

Eve Silver is not my new favorite paranormal romance writer.  But her work is fast-paced while managing to remain detailed and wide in scope.  The basic premise of the Otherkin series is this: Lokan Krayl, youngest and very immortal son of Sutekh (Set/Seth, an Egyptian god of the Underworld) has just been murdered.  His three living brothers want revenge.  The Daughters of Aset, aka the Otherkin, are the traditional enemies of the sons of Sutekh.  They want the murderer to remain unknown so that the Krayls don’t start a war in pursuit of revenge.  (Silver does a good job at making both motives seem like worthy goals.)  War is very likely at this point, as most of the deities are about to meet for a peace conference and everything is quite on edge.

For those who aren’t big on world-building, this series might not be your thing.  Silver put a lot of work into developing a world where various gods remain, and it shows.  Sins of the Heart and the other two novels in the trilogy are all heavy on plot.  In fact, since each of them end with the HEA, I was sometimes left bemoaning the fact a plot thread wouldn’t be resolved until the next book.  Sins of the Heart is probably the heaviest on plot, but one of my favorite couples.

Dagan Krayl, the oldest son, met Roxy Tam fifteen years ago.  She’d fallen prey to a man he was about to reap for his debt to Sutekh.  He was attracted to her big mouth and actively helped her out of her situation, instead of just killing the man and leaving.  But Dagan knew an immortal soul reaper does not a good boyfriend make, so he left her alone.  Unfortunately, Roxy bit him.  Their encounter left her immortal and she sought out the Daughters of Aset for help.  Now the two are working on opposite sides of the hunt for Lokan’s murderer despite their mutual attraction.

I liked that neither Dagan nor Roxy protested too much.  Both of them acknowledged their attraction, but both wondered how they could make their separate goals and lifestyles work in a relationship.  While some of the resolution is done through talking, Silver does a good job of making actions speak louder than words.

Plus, the two have wonderful chemistry.  Sins of the Heart is full of excellent banter whenever the hero and heroine come together.  I do like the timeline.  Roxy needed those fifteen years to become a self-confident, powerful woman before she began a relationship with the possessive Dagan.

As for whether Sins of the Heart made me want to read the rest of the series, I began Sins of the Soul the instant I finished the last page.

Grade: B+

Summary:
Half human, half god, Dagan Krayl is the Underworld’s most powerful soul reaper. When one of his brothers is murdered, Dagan must use every ounce of his power to hunt down those responsible for his brutal death. But he must move swiftly—and carefully—if he’s to have any chance of resurrecting his brother.
Yet that resurrection could wreak havoc on the mortal world. As an Otherkin, Roxy Tam has sworn to protect the human race, and it’s her mission to stop Dagan. But when she sees him face-to-face, she realizes that she has seen him once before—a meeting that changed her life forever.

Neither Dagan nor Roxy expect to join forces for the sake of mankind. Or to have their loyalties tested as they struggle against the potent desire that threatens to consume them both….
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Sin’s Daughter (Otherkin, Prequel) by Eve Silver
Paranormal romance novella released by HQN 1 July 10

When I really started paying attention to romance blogs, everybody was going crazy for Driven by Eve Kenin.  I picked it up shortly thereafter and enjoyed it.  Sin’s Daughter was my first experience with the author writing as Eve Silver, though the name change does not affect the quality of the writing.  Sin’s Daughter did make me want a longer story and prep me for Silver’s Otherkin series, as a prequel should.

Fifty years ago, Kai Warin died on Pfieffer Beach, sent there by a note from his girlfriend.  Amber Hale, lured by roses to Coit Tower, met her enemies instead of her lover.  Now Kai is a soul reaper and he’s run into Amber and her pursuers once more, both of them believing they were betrayed by the other.

Since Sin’s Daughter is a novella instead of a novel, there is not much time to waste on the hero and heroine not communicating.  Thus, they fairly quickly realize they were set up, likely by the hunters who want Amber.  With his new powers, Kai is in the perfect position to help Amber realize who she is and why she’s spent her entire life on the run.

Sin’s Daughter is heavy on the action, so the characterization is a little lighter than it could be.  Still, Silver makes a good case for Kai and Amber being a good match. Both of them are cool-headed and people of action.  Towards the end I could see the twist coming, but it worked well.

Though the Otherkin series as a whole can be read without Sin’s Daughter, it’s a good test-drive in Silver’s mythological urban fantasy world.  Reading Sin’s Daughter also fleshes out Sutekh’s (the Underworld god in charge of the soul reapers) motives in the main series when Kai becomes a peripheral character.

Grade: B

Summary:
Cursed with immortality, driven into a nomadic life on the fringes of society to escape those who hunt her, Amber Hale has learned the bitter lesson that she can never grow close to anyone. Never love.

Only once did she break her own rules. And her lover, Kai Warin, paid for her mistake with his life. For decades, she’s been numb with grief. Now, confronted by a soul reaper—an agent of one of the most powerful of the Underworld deities—with Kai’s face, she must acknowledge the likelihood that he betrayed her…to the Lord of Evil himself.

Forced into an uneasy alliance and plagued by the unwanted yearning between them, they must work together to elude the dark forces hunting them both…

Watch for Eve Silver’s hotly anticipated Otherkin trilogy SINS OF THE HEART, SINS OF THE SOUL, and SINS OF THE FLESH, for more tales of forbidden alliances and inescapable desires.
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of House of Stone by Vaughn R. Dermot
Gay urban fantasy released by Samhain 22 Jun 2010

In a time when I seem to be frustrated by blurbs more often than not, since they’re usually confusing or give half the book away, the Samhain blurbs are usually entertaining.  House of Stone caught my attention by being about a Fae noble in charge of a slum.  It sounded fun, playing with the expectations of a novel starring a gay faery.  For the most part, House of Stone lived up to that expectation.

The opening scene made me worry about what I was getting into.  It starts with Richard Fireman, the aforementioned Fae noble, working as a porn star.  The scene wasn’t badly written, which kept me going, but it felt like Vaughn R. Dermot was trying hard to be shocking.   Also, Richard acts like a jerk, which isn’t the best introduction to the character.  That does give him something to overcome.

Dermot does develop an interesting mythology throughout House of Stone.  Richard works as a porn star because the Fae are “living dreams” and survive off of the dreams of mortals.  Therefore, they boost those dreams by being patrons of the various arts.  Since Richard is a viscount of the bad part of town, the booming artistic business is porn.  The Fae also don’t get along with demons, who tend to be hard to kill without a magic sword.  But the only way for Richard to get his sword working again may be to kill the demon who killed his father … who was supposed to already be dead.

In addition to decent world building, there is character development.  Richard is charming, despite his entitlement, and having to get up and work hard at something instead of just coasting along brings out the better parts of his character.  Simaron, his servant, seems like a pushover at first.  But he’s been keeping secrets, and becomes more and more willing to speak his mind as Richard matures.

The plot is fairly labyrinthine, particularly compared to the other Samhain novels I’ve read.  It works though.  Every revelation makes sense, even if some are awfully convenient.  The weakest parts could have been those involving Richard’s new wife, Jen, since most of the twists involving her are the most obvious.  Those parts tend to work since Jen, while not a dynamic character, is a fun one to read about.  She’s smart and loyal, and turns out to be a better match than Richard could’ve hoped for.

House of Stone is silly at times.  But Dermot keeps things light enough to acknowledge that things are silly and should be that way without veering into hipster irony.  It was fun afternoon reading.  House of Stone seems to be the first book in a series, and I look forward to reading Richard’s continuing adventures.

Grade: B

Summary:
Welcome to the City, where gods run nightclubs, goblins hire out as mercs, sorcerers work their
magic, the Fae hold court over every neighborhood…and humanity is blissfully ignorant of it all.
For minor Fae noble Richard Stone, life is going well. He has a decent fiefdom (okay, it’s a slum), a
budding acting career (okay, so it’s porn), and one of only five magical swords in the City. An arranged
marriage is barely a blip on his worry meter—until his family blade loses its magic. The shame of it puts
his noble standing in jeopardy.
To regain his status, Richard needs help. Fortunately, his new bride is a sidhe knight and his servant
Simaron has, er, his back. Together they embark on a quest to find the demon who slew his father,
investigate a conspiracy that goes to the highest echelons of Fae nobility, and discover a secret family
legacy that could ruin his House.
All while keeping up appearances to a society that demands perfection. And they say a noble’s life is
easy…
Warning: This book contains explicit gay sex, not-so-explicit gay sex, explicitly implied gay sex,
routine breaking of the fourth wall, occasional bouts of Pearl Jam fanboy-ism, and plot. Side effects include
confusion and headaches, and are best avoided by reading the pages therein in numerical order.

Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of Greek Tycoon, Wayward Wife by Sabrina Philips
Contemporary romance released by Harlequin Presents 1 June 2010

In my infinite wisdom, I pick Harlequin Presents titles to read almost at random.  But not Greek Tycoon, Wayward Wife.  I chose it because I enjoyed Prince of Montéz, Pregnant Mistress by Sabrina Philips.  Unfortunately, my confidence in Philips was misplaced.  Greek Tycoon, Wayward Wife is the worst sort of Big Misunderstanding novel.

Libby and Orion – Rion – Delikaris have not seen each other in five years despite being married.  She believed he loved work more than her, plus he wouldn’t allow her to find something to occupy herself while he was working.  She felt that he didn’t even enjoy having sex with her, and she was useless and unloved.  Rion worked to become rich and successful because Libby was the daughter of motor tycoon Lord Ashford and he believed she didn’t consider him worthy of her.  In short, they both believed the other to be the worst sort of person.

Greek Tycoon, Wayward Wife begins promisingly. Libby agrees to give Rion two weeks to convince her to stay with him instead of getting a divorce. Libby now works for a company that gives tours all around the world.  She’s got life experience and a fulfilling job and thinks she and Rion can now make the marriage work since they’re adults instead of impulsive, infatuated kids.  Rion never wanted to separate, so he should be amendable to making things work.  I expected that they would talk and spend their two weeks getting to really know each other.

Nope.  They just spend the time making more and more assumptions, resulting in even more unflattering portraits.  At one point Rion questions what kind of person he must be to be in love with such an awful woman.  I wonder about them too, since they both claim to be in love despite persistently seeing their significant other as scum.  But they do eventually work all their misunderstandings out.  On page 181.  Of 184 pages.

I give their happy cohabitation a week.

And you want to know what makes it even worse?  That job that Libby loved at the beginning of the book?  It turns out she’s been missing something the entire time.  Her life has been a hollow sham without Rion.  Y’know, she could remain happy and fulfilled with the life she built for herself and just think that Rion improves it.  But no.  In retrospect, it was terrible and wretched, because she wasn’t living with a man who has a knack for making her miserable.

Despite Prince of Montéz, Pregnant Mistress, I’m not sure I’m giving Philips another chance. I like her writing, but I loath the Big Misunderstanding plot. Greek Tycoon, Wayward Wife was a steaming pile of terrible.

Grade: F

Summary:
Trembling with trepidation, Libby Delikaris braves the lion’s den to ask her Greek husband for a divorce. But he’s more merciless than Libby remembers and she suddenly finds her plan has crumbled.The infamous Rion Delikaris knew Libby would return before long. He’s been patiently waiting. No longer the boy from the slums, he’s ready to show his wife what she’s been missing!

Rion’s offer: a two-week reconciliation…and he’ll make sure she honors all her wedding vows!
Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of Night Moves by Eden Bradley
Erotic novella released by Spice Briefs 1 May 2010

Eden Bradley manages to keep Night Moves from seeming ludicrous, which is always a risk in erotic shorts.  Kate’s fetish for the movement of trains is convincing and seems sexy rather than silly.  I also bought that she would have sex with Ian when he catches her masturbating.  I even bought into the happy ending.  It was the right edge of sweetness to temper the anonymous (though protected) sex.

What kept me from truly finding Night Moves satisfying is Bradley’s reliance on the word ‘beautiful.’  Including the cover, front matter, and end matter, Night Moves is thirty-seven pages long.  Bradley uses beautiful seventeen times.  After five or so I began to get distracted every time I read the word.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Something about trains had always brought out Kate’s wild side. So far it had been her own dirty little secret—until a sexy stranger catches her sneaking into his compartment looking to indulge her fantasy. But instead of throwing her out, Ian is turned on…and he’s ready to give Kate the ride of her life!
No excerpt found.

Liviania’s review of Sin’s Pride by Mandy M. Roth
Paranormal erotic novella released by Spice Briefs 1 July 2010

Sin’s Pride is short, even by Spice Briefs standard.  I enjoyed the story, but twenty-seven pages felt cinchy.  Annora is secretly in love with her best friend Singh, and he with her.  But he’s a lion shifter set to take over the pride and she’s half-human and can’t change form.  Singh decides if he’s going to be in charge then everyone else can deal with his choice of mate.

Maddy M. Roth does a good job of sketching out her world in a small number of pages.  But we see more of Singh talking to his friend Dex than to Annora.  Their two sex scenes are nicely done, but lacked anything to express that Singh and Annora had been friends a long time, like in-jokes.  The exposition took the place of character interaction.

Grade: C+

Summary:
Annora knows a lot about her best friend, Singh—including the fact that he is a lion shapeshifter and has a notoriously wicked way with women. She secretly longs to experience that passion herself, but doesn’t dare risk their friendship.

Then Sin’s usual flirting becomes way more intimate. Suddenly, neither of them can resist their desire—even though according to pride rules, their union is forbidden….
No summary found.

Liviania’s review of Everything Changes (Tempted, Book 2) by Megan Hart
Erotic novella released by Spice Briefs 1 July 2010

This is my second try at a Megan Hart erotic short and I found this one to be far better.  She creates a number of memorable images, starting with the opening, when Alex opens a gift of women’s Hello Kitty pajama pants.  She’s also got the knack of using physical gestures to express emotions and connections.

Bisexual Alex has long been in love with his straight friend Jamie.  Now Jamie is married and wants Alex to sleep with his wife.  It quickly becomes a relationship between Alex and Anne in addition to being a substitute physical relationship for Alex and Jamie.

Unfortunately, Alex is an asshole (self-professed, too).  I’m tempted to read Tempted, since the novel is in Anne’s point of view.  She knows what she wants, more so that Alex and Jamie. They just foul themselves up and don’t really learn their lesson.  I’m tempted by Naked too, since I would like to see Alex reach a point where he can have a real happy ending.

Grade: B+

Summary:
In Tempted, Anne gave in to her passion for both her husband, James, and his friend, Alex. Now it’s time for Alex’s side of the story…

When Jamie tells Alex he wants him to sleep with his wife, Alex thinks it will only lead to trouble. Sure, Alex thinks Anne is hot and they’ve talked about sharing a woman before, but that was a long time ago. Before Jamie knew what Alex really wanted.

Still, Alex can’t resist the pleasure of being with Anne— and with Jamie….
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Ten Things I Love About You by Julia Quinn
Historical romance released by Avon 25 May 2010

I will freely admit to being partial to Julia Quinn.  The Viscount Who Loved Me was one of my first romances and you don’t forget the books that first brought you to the genre. But I’ll also admit that Julia Quinn isn’t the most consistent author.  I either love one of her books or find it utterly meh.   I loved Ten Things I Love About You.

Ten Things I Love About You showcases Quinn’s talent for comedy.  Despite how disgusting Sebastian’s uncle is, the story remains light-hearted and funny.  Lady Vickers is brilliant.  I had a feeling she might be, regardless of Annabel’s opinion at the beginning, and my instinct proved true.

Sebastian Grey is the heir presumptive to the Earl of Newbury.  He’s a loquacious sort who uses his talent with words to write gothic novels.  Due to his popularity as an author, he has a decent amount of money even if he isn’t ridiculously wealthy.  (He also enjoys trying to figure out whether his friends and family like his novels.  He is wonderfully unsubtle, like a puppy.) Therefore, he doesn’t care much whether he gets the title or not.  Lord Newbury hates Sebastian and is determined to produce a son before he dies.

So, he chooses Annabel, a voluptuous young woman from a fertile family who needs money to pay for her many siblings’ education and dowries.  Annabel isn’t very interested in marrying a dirty old man, but her grandparents (Lord and Lady Vickers) are pushing her into it.  Then, she meets Sebastian and the sparks fly.  Then she figures out who he is.  Then he figures out who she is.  Then everyone in town knows Lord Newbury’s nephew flirted with Lord Newbury’s prospective fiancée.

In many author’s hands, Annabel would be a martyr heroine.  She has the set-up for it.  Yet Annabel really does consider her options, instead of throwing herself on the sword for her family. (And she does this with family pushing her towards the marriage, instead of begging her not to do this for them.)  She clearly stands up for herself against Lord Newbury instead of silently suffering.  At the same time, only her grandparents have a presence in the novel.  I would’ve liked to see more of her siblings, since they are integral to her motives.  (I did love her cousin.)

Ten Things I Love About You managed to take a few twists I wasn’t expecting, mostly due to the characters acting more like reasonable people than the leads in a romantic comedy.  Plus, I adored the ending, which is pure slapstick.  And it wouldn’t be half as funny if the tone didn’t darken a bit first.  Quinn is still one of my favorites, and reading Ten Things I Love About You reminded me that I really do need to finish reading her backlist.

Grade: A

Summary:
Ten Things You Should Know About This Book

1. Sebastian Grey is a devilishly handsome rogue with a secret.

2. Annabel Winslow’s family voted her The Winslow Most Likely to Speak Her Mind and The Winslow Most Likely to Fall Asleep in Church.

3. Sebastian’s uncle is the Earl of Newbury, and if he dies without siring an heir, Sebastian inherits everything.

4. Lord Newbury detests Sebastian and will stop at nothing to prevent this from happening.

5. Lord Newbury has decided that Annabel is the answer to all of his problems.

6. Annabel does not want to marry Lord Newbury, especially when she finds out he once romanced her grandmother.

7 is shocking, 8 is delicious, and 9 is downright wicked, all of which lead the way to

10. Happily. Ever. After.
Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of The Trouble with Heroes edited by Denise Little (no website found)
Fantasy anthology published by DAW 3 Nov 2009

What do heroes do in their downtime? It’s an interesting premise that’s suppose to serve as the basis of the stories in the fantasy anthology The Trouble with Heroes. Unfortunately, most authors barely touch on the premise. Fortunately, most of the stories are still charming and funny. Plus, the anthology was unexpectedly female positive.

Geeks Bearing Gifts by Kristine Grayson

Is Eros a hero? He shows up more than once, so he must be. Still, I don’t think being a god necessarily makes one a hero.

Overall, this story didn’t wow me, but I did like Bethanne, who is above all a businesswoman. She runs Eros.com, a dating service for hetero- and homosexual geeks. Then Cupid-in-disguise walks through the door, looking to use the service. Kristine Grayson created an absorbing voice for Bethanne, which meant I hoped for a happier ending.

Grade: B-

The Horror in the Living Room by Adrian Nikolas Phoenix

Adrian Nikolas Phoenix plays fast and loose with history by turning H.P. Lovecraft into a hero instead of an insane man who couldn’t market his work. The story is told through the point of view of Augusta Howard, his highly capable and cool-headed housekeeper. Phoenix’s descriptions of the things that visit Lovecraft’s home made me laugh, which in turn made me partial to the story.

Grade: B+

Take My Word for It: Bad Idea by Mike Moscoe

Heracles cross-dressing is one of the classic episodes in Greek mythology. It’s almost too funny to be true. Mike Moscoe’s pacifist Queen Omphale is no fool. She knows that Heracles killed the last monarch who made him complete impossible tasks. So while he’s under her control, she’s going to keep him out of the way and out of trouble with women’s work.

Omphale sells this story, because you really can’t be a fool when you’re dealing with the Greek gods. (Plus, Heracles cross-dressing is a classic for a reason.)

Grade: A

Merry Maid by Jean Rabe

The first three stories are comedies, but if “Merry Maid” is a comedy, it’s a black one. Maid Marian followed Robin Hood willingly, but she’s starting to get disillusioned. He keeps most of the money he steals and frankly, he smells. She’s getting tired of it.

Jean Rabe’s take on the Robin Hood legend is original and coherent, if not quite my thing.

Grade: B

The Problem with Dating Shapeshifters by Nina Kiriki Hoffman (no website found)

I’ve read several short stories by Nina Kiriki Hoffman, since she’s a regular in Firebird anthologies. The narrator of “The Problem with Dating Shapeshifters” is unlucky enough to catch Zeus’s eye. Anyone whose read even a little mythology knows how that story goes.

I like Hoffman’s prose, which flows easily. I also loved her interpretation of Hera, as well as the story’s ending.

Grade: A-

Reclaiming His Inner Ape by Terry Hayman

What happened to Sam and Mary’s relationship once she was no longer a damsel-in-distress, captured by King Kong? Terry Hayman’s diction sets the mood well, evoking the feel of the classic movie. I enjoy stories that look in at couples after the happily ever after, and liked where he went with Sam and Mary.

Grade: B+

For a Few Lattes More by Annie Reed (no website found)

Terri, a Starbucks barista, frequently serves a cowboy who lives in a nearby park. This story is one a few that shows heroism in action instead of a hero off-duty. It also drops the character’s epiphany on the reader’s head like an anvil. I’d Annie Reed’s story more if it had any subtlty.

Grade: C

Beloved by David H. Hendrickson

“Beloved” tackles the Bible. David eventually married Saul’s younger daughter, but was first offered the hand of his eldest. This story follows Merab as she tries to help David and Michal get together. David H. Hendrickson’s Merab has a wry humor that livens up the story.

Grade: B+

Inspiration by Phaedra M. Weldon

A jogger is rescued by Oberon, King of the Fairies, which leads to a conversation between two people with very different sensibilities. I would’ve preferred if the story stuck to the conversation instead of involving another attacker, especially because it leads to a very corny speech. Like “For a Few Lattes More,” “Inspiration” lacks subtlty.

Grade: B-

Honey, I’m Home by Pauline J. Alama (no website found)

Penelope is pissed that Odysseus took his sweet time coming home and then slaughtered everybody despite the fact she had everything under control. It’s an interesting take on The Odyssey, but Pauline J. Alama’s prose didn’t really capture me. She attempts the Homeric cadence, but in my opinion the end result leans a little more towards parody than pastiche.

Grade: C+

Ballad of the Groupie Everlasting by Robert T. Jeschonek

“Ballad of the Groupie Everlasting” is a retelling of The Pied Piper through the point of view of Terpsichore, the muse of music.  (Another story with an odd choice for a hero.)  I found the story underwhelming and thought Robert T. Jeschonek’s choice to use modern diction was a misstep.  It does have a strong ending, however.

Grade: C+

The Quin Quart by Laura Resnick

This is another high concept short.  The Orkney brothers serve as expies of the hosts of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy and take on Queen Guinevere’s image.  I’m a sucker for anything to do with the Matter of Britain.  Oddly, “The Quin Quart” made me sympathize with all of my least favorite characters (like Lancelot) and dislike my favorites (like Gawain, who always gets robbed in modern retellings).  Laura Resnick’s story wasn’t quite my thing, but I enjoyed how she played with her subject matter.

Grade: B

How Jack Got His Self a Wife by John Alvin Pitts

Molly, who just killed a giant and a witch, encounters Jack fighting a bear.  “How Jack got His Self a Wife” is a little odd, but does contain an amusing courtship.  Cute, but mostly forgettable.

Grade: C

If the Shoe Fits by Dayle A. Dermatis

“If the Shoe Fits” is a modern retelling of Cinderella, featuring Ella the business management student who borrows some awesome shoes from her Aunt Sheila.  It lightly skewers a few fairy tale conventions, but the shoe definitely fits for Ella and Prince Rupert.  The ending was easy to see coming, but still funny.

Grade: B+

Big Man’s Little Woman by Dory Crowe

Tiny Acacia and Paul Bunyan grow up together and fall in love, with her serving as the brains of the operation.  Then Lucette comes along.  I find the premise squicky, but the story is fairly inoffensive.

Grade:  C+

Boldly Reimagined by J. Steven York

This was my dad’s favorite in the anthology, and I must admit that it’s a highlight.  Diana Mallock is a staff-writer on a new fantasy drama series loosely based on Jason and the Argonauts.  During concept development, she quickly realizes that the show is going to be sexist and terrible.  It satirizes the industry well, making it perfect for anyone who has watched a terrible adaptation of a beloved work (or just terrible television in general).

Grade: A

Roxane by Peter Orullian

Cyrano de Bergerac romances a prostitute Roxane, and teaches her a lesson about judging appearances.  I’m not big on romances where people are nasty to each other and thus didn’t love this one.  It did get one of my favorite Police songs stuck in my head.  I suppose whether that is a plus or a minus depends on the person.

Grade: C

A Long Night in Jabbok (or, Who, Exactly, Is in Charge Here?) by Janna Silverstein (no website found)

This is another biblical story, focusing on Rachel wrestling a stranger in the night.  Rachel and Yaakov are stumped by the ineffable nature of God, leading to a frustrating conversation.  I liked the exploration of the Bible as an authored text.

Grade: B-

Love in the Time of Car Alarms by Ken Scholes

Superheroes!  Have I mentioned before that I love superheroes?  “Love in the Time of Car Alarms” takes on the classic question of the girl who gets constantly stood up by the hero in his schlub guise.  This story does contain an active act of heroism, but I’ll let it slide.

Grade: B+

The Problem with Metaphors by Steven Mohan, Jr. (no website found)

I wasn’t big on this one.  It was creative, but I’m not sure it succeeds in its experimentation. Nor does the tone fit well with the rest of the anthology.  I will give Steven Mohan, Jr. props for the silly things the computer says when it goes haywire.

Grade: D+

If I Did It by Allan Rousselle

Medea tells her version of the events that led to the death of her children and Jason’s new lover.  Whereas “The Problem with Metaphors” was too ambitious, I think “If I Did It” doesn’t play around enough with the base story.  The writing was competent, but it wasn’t exciting.

Grade: C-

Clay Feet by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Museum employee Harper has an encounter with Mercury, messenger and thief, on the matter of a statue featuring his likeness.  “Clay Feet” served as a good closer – clever dialogue and interesting questions about the intersection of the classical world with the modern.  Of course, Kristine Kathryn Rusch is a highly capable author, so a good story isn’t surprising.

Grade: A-

The Trouble with Heroes was an affable anthology, funny and female-positive.  A few of the stories were misses, but not particularly terrible misses.  The thing that weakens it most was the lack of a standout story.  There were some that I enjoyed quite a bit, but none that make the anthology a must have.

Overall Grade: B-

Summary:
These 22 all-new tales pay tribute to the true heroes-the people who enable and put up with heroes. From what it’s like to be Hercules’ wife (complete with an appearance by Hercules in drag) to the trials of H.P. Lovecraft’s housekeeper, from the perils of being King Kong’s girlfriend to the downside of dating a shapeshifter, this anthology turns heroism on its head, revealing the behind-the-scenes drama, as opposed to glorious rescues. From the Pied Piper’s power trip to David acting like a giant you-know-what after slaying Goliath, these stories show heroes in all their ignominy and shine a light on the unsung faithful standing in their shadows.
No excerpt found.

Liviania’s review of Wicked Becomes You by Meredith Duran
Historical romance released by Pocket 27 April 2010

Meredith Duran’s first novel came out around the time I began seriously following romance blogs.  Since I’ve heard a number of good things about her writing, I was eager to read her latest release Wicked Becomes You.  Alex Ramsey is a second son who went into trade despite his brother’s wishes.  Gwen Maudsley, sister of Alex’s dead best friend, has been left at the altar twice and is ready to ignore society’s wishes

Alex protests less than the usual historical romance rake, which is refreshing.  Oh, he tries to keep Gwen out of too much trouble, but he quickly begins goading her to test the bounds of society.  He’s a cool customer, but it is not because he’s hiding his passions.  He simply expresses himself in a smooth way, relying more on actions than words to reveal his emotions.  He’s long been interested in Gwen, so taking her on an unchaperoned cross-country trip to discover why his brother sold one of the family estates tests his loyalty to her dead brother’s expectations.  While Alex prefers to stay far away from England, he does feel loyalty to his sisters (who are less silly than they first seem) and his brother.

Gwen is a different type of female lead than the usual.  She’s a merchant’s orphaned daughter (rather than some sort of nobility or gentry), worth enough money to get away with almost anything.  Instead, she worked on making herself a perfect member of society in order to fulfill her parent’s dream for her – marriage to a man with a title.  She has her own hobbies, including singing and landscaping.  She’s tired of hiding her hobbies and personality behind an amicable mask.  Of course, she’s been so busy being nice she has no real idea how to be bad.  (Her attempts appealed to the naïve geek in me.)

I liked Gwen and Alex well enough and thought they had decent chemistry.  The plot moves slows down at some points, but allows for a number of humorous situations and a nifty escape scene.  But, I didn’t love Wicked Becomes You.  Duran kept me interested, but didn’t make me passionate about any part of the novel.  Wicked Becomes You was perfectly fun to read, but I doubt that I’ll read it again.

I may try to find Duran’s previous novels from the library. The writing was good enough to convince me to try another and hope I connect to it in the way I didn’t with Wicked Becomes You.  Still, I think it was a good enough story that it probably sparks something in other readers that it didn’t in me.

Grade: B-

Summary:
She’s pretty enough to be popular, and Lord knows she’s rich enough for it. But what society loves best about Gwen Maudsley is how very, very nice she is. So when a cad jilts her at the altar—again—an outraged London bays for blood. Only Gwen has a different plan. If nice no longer works for her, then it’s time to learn to be naughty. Happily, she knows the perfect tutor, Alexander Ramsey, her late brother’s best friend and a notorious rogue.

Unbeknownst to Gwen, Alex’s aloof demeanor veils a very personal interest in her. He has no desire to see her change, nor to tempt himself with her presence when his own secrets make any future between them impossible. But amidst the glittering temptations of Parisian nights, Alex’s past and Gwen’s wildness enter a collision course. As their friendship gives way to something hotter, darker, and altogether more dangerous, Gwen must convince Alex that his wickedest intentions are exactly what she needs…
Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of The Rake of Hollowhurst Castle by Elizabeth Beacon (no author website found)
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 1 Aug 2010

I am fond of character driven novels, especially in historicals.  With many authors, like Caroline Linden, I often feel that the action plot was tacked on and that I would’ve been perfectly happy just reading about the characters.  On that basis, I would think that I’d like The Rake of Hollowhurst Castle, which has nothing to distract from the romance of Roxanne Courland and Sir Charles Afforde.

Turns out The Rake of Hollowhurst Castle could really use an action plot to keep things moving.

Roxanne has been in love with Charles since she first saw him at the age of fourteen.  She believed they would marry, but at seventeen he broke her heart by snubbing her to go off with a married woman.  She was further hurt by reports of his rakehell reputation.  Instead of marrying, she became the chatelaine of Hollowhurst.  But now her older brother has decided to live in America, and thus sold his birthright to Charles.  On her side, there isn’t much suspense.  She’s been in love with the man for ten years.  There’s no real tension as whether she’ll give into his advances.

Charles tries not to love because both his parents and grandparents had terrible relationships.  Combined with his experiences in the war, he didn’t want to hurt the young girl with the ardent eyes.  Now he and Roxanne’s brother David agree that it would be best for Charles to marry Roxanne, so that she has someone to care for her but can remain at Hollowhurst.  However, he’s not willing to love her.

To me, there are two problems with Charles.  One is that he changes his mind quickly, or does him ruminating while the story is in Roxanne’s point of view.  He switches from “I have no real feelings for her” to “yes, I have noticed her for ten years” to “I am in love and have been in love.”  As slowly as The Rake of Hollowhurst Castle moves, it feels like the changes in his feelings should become gradually apparent.  Instead, something happens and the tone of his narration changes.

Second is that I read The Rake of Hollowhurst Castle right after Love in the Afternoon by Lisa Kleypas.  This is not Elizabeth Beacon’s fault at all, but Kleypas’s hero, transformed and haunted by the war, was better done and more compelling.  Due to the juxtaposition, Charles paled in my estimation.

I liked Roxanne and a number of the side characters, including Stella and Lady Samphire, Charles’s relatives who serve as chaperones.  Beacon’s prose flows smoothly and I didn’t have any problems with her writing style.  I just found The Rake of Hollowhurst Castle to be rather dull.

Grade: C-

Summary:
Sir Charles Afforde:

the infamous, devilish rake has purchased Hollowhurst Castle lock, stock and barrel. All that is left to possess is the castle’s determined and beautiful chatelaine.

Roxanne Courland:

her youthful, romantic dreams of Charles shattered long ago, this unconventional country miss would rather stay a spinster than enter a loveless marriage.

Only this rake’s devastatingly sensual onslaught is impossible to resist….
Read an excerpt

Liviania’s review of Necking by Chris Salvatore
Paranormal romance released by Pocket 27 April 2010

Necking starts out promising.  Gia Felice is a human publicist for a variety of supernatural authors.  Due to her line of work, she’s learned how to deal with a variety of species.  Gia knows how to keep herself safe despite her humanity and she knows how to market her clients despite their restrictions.  She’s a competent businesswoman.  And it all goes down the drain so quickly.

Chris Salvatore tries to skip over the build-up.  Necking begins with Gia’s obsession with vampire Johnny becoming dangerous.  Unfortunately, we have to take Gia’s word for why he’s so awesome.  His good qualities include deliberately annoying her and not killing humans regularly.  (This, despite the fact he kills humans quite often during the course of the story.)  Gia also starts quite firmly against being a vampire.  She changes her mind in about five minutes.

Gia becomes an extremely difficult heroine to identify with.  Salvatore acts like Gia made a long struggle about the decision to become a vampire, but in-story it certainly doesn’t feel like it.  Her easy abandonment of her family, combined with her easy forgiveness of Johnny’s murders, show her as lacking empathy.  That makes it hard to empathize with her.  We’re told she’s good at her job, but then we see her mostly behaving stupidly around the vampires.  (Even her best friend, Lola the werewolf, considers her too stupid to live.)

The main non-romantic plot involves Gia tracking down the man who made Bella Nightshade, an author and Johnny’s cousin, into a vampire.  Daniel is a nasty piece of work who likes to kill other supernaturals.  The final confrontation lies somewhere between refreshing and unsatisfying.  It would be fully refreshing if Gia remained a human struggling to navigate the human and supernatural worlds, but always managing to keep herself safe through her cleverness.  Instead, it comes as unsatisfying since there’s no bang to counteract the standard girl-falls-in-love-with-vampire-and-leaves-her-family-and-job-for-him.  (Which in turn, could carry the easily resolved mystery plot if the romance was really hot.  But Johnny struck me as bratty rather than irresistible.)

Necking isn’t terrible.  Salvatore is a competent writer.  Lola and her boyfriend Max manage to be sweet and funny.  But Necking is virtually identical to a large number of paranormal romances.  Its biggest crime is extinguishing the spark that could have made it stand out from the crowd.  (It falls firmly under what my dad refers to as second generation: All the vampires dress like subculture teenagers and listen to NIN.  Salvatore even name drops NIN’s Closer during one of the club scenes.)

Grade: D

Summary:
HE ALWAYS KNEW SHE WAS
EXACTLY HIS TYPE – B POSITIVE

Gia Felice has a Rolodex full of vampires, werewolves, witches, and aliens – not to mention the livestock suppliers, undead-friendly hotels, and sleazy bars that cater to her clients’ more carnal needs. Sometimes being he premier book publicist to the underworld can suck – literally. Especially if you’re human. Especially if you’ve got the hots for impressible Johnny and his sly half smile that shows just a little fang.
Her best friend, Lola, a werewolf, can’t talk any sense into her, and now Gia’s agreed to help Belladonna Nightshade, a New York Times Bestselling vampire author, find the supernatural killing machine who changed Bella centuries ago… if he doesn’t find Gia first. Yesterday, Gia’s biggest problem was how to get an alien with a metal skeleton through airport security. Today she’s got a bloodthirsty boyfriend dying to get into her pants, and an evil, centuries-old vampire on the hunt for her. Who knew publicity was such a deadly business?

Read an alternate scene here.

Liviania’s review of The Smuggler and the Society Bride (Regency Silk and Scandal, Book 3) by Julia Justiss
Historical romance released by Harlequin Historical 1 August 2010

Sometimes, reading historical romances, it seems like getting caught in a compromising position is just how people proposed two hundred years ago in England.  Therefore I found the premise of The Smuggler and the Society Bride intriguing because Lady Honoria Carlow did not marry the man who was caught compromising her.  They weren’t already in love or fell in love after their quick marriage.  They were just two people caught up in someone else’s revenge.  No, she was thoroughly ruined and fled to her aunt’s home in Cornwall.

Lady Honoria Carlow now goes by Marie Foxe.  She is adjusting well to life in Cornwall, though she is a bit put off by the region’s reliance on smuggling.  Yet when she tries to save a man from drowning, she meets the dashing Captain Gabriel Hawksworth.  Gabriel is a military man and a member of the Irish gentry, but he’s captaining a smuggling ship for a set amount of time as a favor to an army buddy.

Julia Justiss creates a wonderful sense of place and society.  Justiss even uses terms whose meanings have changed, like sensibility, correctly.  The history is integrated into the story instead of simply providing a colorful setting.  Sennlack, the Cornish village, is well fleshed out.  The villagers have a variety of motives, personalities, and beliefs.  Honoria feels out of place at first, since she used to be a Diamond of the Ton, but she quickly discovers ways in which she can fit into Cornish life and use her high society connections to help the poor girls of the village make their own money.

Gabriel is willing to think the best of Honoria once he realizes she was involved in a scandal.  In fact, he sets out to clear her name.  Even when he discovers she has a false name, he’s willing to give her a chance.  A hero who doesn’t automatically assume the worst about the heroine is always a plus.  In addition to showing off his loyalty to Honoria, the search for the man who framed her also allows Gabriel to show off his intelligence.

Gabriel and Honoria are both empathetic characters.  Their relationship is sweet and refreshing, though Justiss throws in some darker elements to keep The Smuggler and the Society Bride from becoming too fluffy.  (At the end of the day, The Smuggler and the Society Bride’s biggest problem may be that the hero and heroine are too good.)

I’m definitely going to read some more of Justiss’s books, and I may pick up some of the other novels in the Silk & Scandal miniseries.  As a side note, I know that they have silly costuming, but I really like the photo-with-bright-background cover style that has appeared on many of the recent Harlequin Historicals.  They’re eye-catching and attractive.

Grade: A-

Summary:
Lady Honoria Carlow, leading Diamond of the Ton, is in disgrace. Her spirited nature has led her too far this time and she is, in reputation at least, ruined.Indifferent to polite London society, Captain Gabriel Hawksworth is a gentleman in bandit’s clothing. On the storm-tossed coast of Cornwall, this smuggler is reckless, sexy and sinfully tempting….

Gabriel is luring Honoria right back to what she’s escaping—trouble! Only this time her impropriety won’t be quite so innocent…
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Liviania’s review of Inhuman Resources (OSI, Book 3) by Jes Battis
Urban fantasy released by Ace 25 May 2010

I’ve seen the OSI (Occult Special Investigator) novels on shelves and on blogs, but Inhuman Resources is the first book in the series I’ve actually read.  For people who like CSI and its ilk, Inhuman Resources is a good urban fantasy version of the forensic genre.  And for all the detecting urban fantasy heroines do, it’s fun to read about one who actually is a member of the magical law enforcement.

The main weakness for me is that I never caught on to how the magic worked.  Tess Corday, the protagonist, is half-demon and good with earth.  Her boyfriend, Lucian Agrado, is a necromancer.  Her roommate is also a half-demon and psychic.  Apparently this all works through materia, and different people have different affinities.  But while I assume Jes Battis explained how materia worked in the first book, he doesn’t repeat the explanation here.  At the very least, they seem completely unrelated to Final Fantasy materia, which are the only kind of materia I know anything about.

The second weakness is that Tess and Lucian are in a rough patch in their relationship.  It is very difficult to read about a rough patch and how the characters work through it without knowing about the relationship’s past and what makes it worth holding onto.  I can see why the relationship is having trouble.  Lucian is a secret keeper, used to the necromancers’ love of keeping everything under wraps.  Tess is a secret finder, used to ferreting out what people want hidden.  That comes to a head when a necromancer dies and Tess needs the help of Lucian and his community to solve the murder.

There’s some nifty sociological stuff going on.  Battis’s world is well-planned.  The necromancers, vampires, and so-on-and-so-forth each have different societies that only manage to get along through negotiations (which are currently ongoing).  It doesn’t help that Tess’s foster son, Patrick, has just become a vampiric leader despite his youth and inexperience.

The plot of Inhuman Resources was tight and the action scenes were well-done.  I liked Tess’s dreams about her demonic father and the implications of where the OSI series is going next.  But I do wish Battis had helped new readers out by giving at least a brief explanation of the magic system.  I may pick up the first two in order to find out the answer.

Grade: B-

Summary:
When a powerful necromancer is killed, Occult Special Investigator Tess Corday must handle the heavy politics in the occult community as carefully as she handles the scant evidence. But with her sometime lover Lucian Agrado representing the necromancers in the grisly matter, things are about to get out of control…fast.
No excerpt found.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of SpellCrash (WebMage, Book 5) by Kelly McCullough
Mythology/cyberpunk/fantasy released by Ace 25 May 2010

I somehow managed to not realize there existed a series that crossed mythology with cyberpunk. I managed to do this despite knowing that either my father or I bought or seriously considered buying WebMage, the first book in Kelly McCullough’s WebMage series.  Either way, I was excited to see that two of my favorite genres mated and produced offspring.

McCullough does a good job of summarizing the events of previous books.  While I was still catching up on the world’s rules, I felt like I had a grasp on the pertinent parts of the series arc before the first chapter ended.  The only problem I had starting with the fifth book was the relationships.  SpellCrash didn’t involve the main character, Ravirn, meeting new people.  Therefore, I had to take how he interacted with others at face value.  The relationships felt complex, but I don’t know if there were major changes to someone’s personality.  I did appreciate the variety of relationships.  (Being familiar with Greek mythology, since most of the characters are Greek gods, did help.)

According to Ravirn, his own has taken a turn for the worse since he became a Trickster aspect.  Now he’s obligated to make a smartass remark even when he prefers to shut up.  His ex-girlfriend Cerice has just become a Fury, which puts extra strain on any of their meetings.  (Just imagine, meeting up with your ex, and you have to say every smart thing that comes to your mind and she can’t control her temper. Ravirn is definitely the grandson of the bucolic muse, aka Slapstick.)

I think my favorite aspect of the novel, aside from having a plot that moved quickly, was the relationship between Ravirn and Persephone, described by the former as “courtly love.” In an earlier book, he rescued Persephone from her obligations to Hades.  She’s pretty grateful for that, as well as for the fact that he didn’t ask for a favor in return.  Ravirn just respects Persephone and did it because it was the right thing to do.  It’s interesting to read about an intense relationship between a man and a woman that doesn’t involve sex.

I enjoyed SpellCrash, but I am going to read it again after I read the previous four books.  I thought it was fun, but I did feel like I was taking quite a bit of the novel for granted, including Ravirn’s abilities.  Everything made enough sense that I could easily follow a long, but I still want to see the world-building develop from the beginning.  Even when I enjoy the experience, I’m not one to jump into a series in the middle.

For those wondering if they could read SpellCrash first, I would say yes, even though it’s clearly not my preference. It appears that the first three novels were an arc, and the fourth, MythOS, served as both a breather.  SpellCrash appears to tie up the loose ends. McCullough does a good job of introducing those ends, but I just feel I’m missing the full impact of the story.

Grade: B+

Summary:
Ravirn is the best hacker around. But when the system controlling the multiverse needs a massive reboot, Ravirn must utilize all of his skills as a mage and prevent complete chaos-even if it costs him his life.
Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Unholy Magic (Downside Ghosts, Book 2) by Stacia Kane
Urban Fantasy released by Del Rey 6 July 2010

The second book in a trilogy tends to be the worst, since it is stuck setting up the exciting climax of book three.  Luckily for me, Unholy Magic didn’t feel like it was just marking time.  There were typical second book touches of expanding the setting and furthering an ongoing storyline – in this case, possible corruption in the Church, letting to unsettled ghosts.  At the same time, the one book mysteries about murdered prostitutes and a haunted movie star stand pretty well on their own.

The biggest flaw of the book is the giant coincidence that helps Chess Putnam putt the pieces together and figure out the murderer’s identity.  Truthfully, it’s a series of about three giant coincidences, which makes it all the more convenient and lazy.  Stacia Kane makes up for botching the mystery through the strong atmosphere of the novel, revelations about Chess’s past, and more of Terrible and Lex.  There’s also some needed levity amongst the grit, mostly due to Chess’s smart mouth and the consequences thereof.  But she manages to get herself into some situations that are funny in a tense sort of way.

Terrible and Lex are both bad ideas. They’re mixed up in drugs, they probably kill people, but they’re also charismatic.  It’s easy to see why Chess falls for Terrible and keeps falling into bed with Lex despite the fact that she knows she shouldn’t be involved with either.  Terrible continues to exhibit many sides, as he did in Unholy Ghosts, and Lex gains more texture.

For those bothered by drugs, that aspect does not disappear.  In fact, Chess has been increasing her drug use since she now has access to two dealers.  Once more there are clear negatives to Chess’s use, but nothing life-ruining and while Chess angsts about many things, her inability to stop using isn’t one of them.  Other readers may be bothered by the orgy scene in the middle of the novel.  (Fans of soap operas will adore the movie star storyline.  It’s convoluted and over-the-top and reminds me of the delicious craziness that was Passions.)

It’s a combination of factors that makes me enjoy the Downside Ghosts series so much.  Part of it is the novelty.  While Unholy Ghosts and Unholy Magic fit easily within the boundaries of the urban fantasy genre, they don’t use many of the more popular tropes.  I’m frequently annoyed by love triangles, but Kane keeps me at bay by actually offering up two equally plausible love interests.  I’m also a sucker for stuff that extrapolates what society would be like if just a few things were different, and Kane has that down as well.

Grade: A-

Summary:

ENEMIES DON’T NEED TO BE ALIVE TO BE DEADLY.

For Chess Putnam, finding herself near-fatally poisoned by a con psychic and then stopping a murderous ghost is just another day on the job. As an agent of the Church of Real Truth, Chess must expose those looking to profit from the world’s unpleasant little poltergeist problem—humans filing false claims of hauntings—all while staving off any undead who really are looking for a kill. But Chess has been extra busy these days, coping with a new “celebrity” assignment while trying on her own time to help some desperate prostitutes.

Someone’s taking out the hookers of Downside in the most gruesome way, and Chess is sure the rumors that it’s the work of a ghost are way off base. But proving herself right means walking in the path of a maniac, not to mention standing between the two men in her life just as they—along with their ruthless employers—are moving closer to a catastrophic showdown. Someone is dealing in murder, sex, and the supernatural, and once again Chess finds herself right in the crossfire.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Unholy Ghosts (Downside Ghosts, Book 1) by Stacia Kane
Urban fantasy released by Del Rey 25 May 2010

Sybil was offering me a variety of books to review and quickly realizing I’ll say yes to almost anything.  The hook for Unholy Ghosts was the controversy over the main character’s drug use.  There’s nothing I love more than being able to take a specific side in an argument.

I can see why the people who don’t like drug use are disturbed by the depiction in Unholy Ghosts.  Chess Putnam credits the drugs for helping her cope and shows no desire to stop.  There’s no angst about her drug use ruining her life.  Despite that, I wouldn’t call it a positive portrayal.  Chess acknowledges that the drugs dull her senses and that keeping her use a secret is a hassle, especially when her dealer is blackmailing her.  All in all, it felt more realistic than a gimmick, so I felt the inclusion of drugs made sense within the story.

The blackmail?  Ghosts have started showing up at the airfield dealer Bump wants to use to move product.  He enlists Chess, a Debunker for the Church of Real Truth, to exorcise the ghosts.  The world of Unholy Ghosts diverged from ours when homicidal ghosts showed up.  The Church of Real Truth replaced other religions when they figured out how to get rid of ghosts.  Many people fake haunting, causing a need for Debunkers, who rarely have to deal with actual ghosts. Stacia Kane does a good job of working out the logistics of her world, which includes gangs who refuse to obey the Church due to Confucian ideals.  It’s much more exciting than reading a standard vampire mythology again.

One of the things I love about the Downside Ghosts series is the fact that Chess is just another Debunker.  She’s competent, and a decent detective, but she doesn’t have super special awesome powers.  She just gets involved with nasty cases due to her underworld connections.  She can be hard to sympathize with sometimes, since her issues tend to rule her life, but her voice is absorbing.  While she tries to be hard, her narration reveals how fragile she is.

I also enjoyed both of her love interests.  Terrible starts out as a thoroughly unlikeable thug working as Bump’s enforcer.  But as Chess gets to know him, she starts to appreciate his better qualities and finds him more attractive.  At the same time Stacia Kane reveals Terrible’s ability to be nice, she maintains his characterization as a guy who beats up others for a dealer.  He’s a complex character, which I love.  Lex, conversely, remains a cipher during Unholy Ghosts.  He’s a hot cipher though, and Terrible’s busy being complex, so it works.

After I finished Unholy Ghosts, I immediately passed it on to my dad and picked up Unholy Magic to read myself.  (After finishing that, I begged Sybil for City of Ghosts.)  I like the Downside Ghosts because it has a different feel to it.  The mystery, world-building, and romance elements are well-balanced.  As noted, Chess isn’t super special awesome.  Plus, I’m intrigued by both love interests instead of instantly pulling for one and being bored during the other’s scenes.

Grade: A

Summary:

THE AFTERLIFE IS ONLY THE BEGINNING.

The world is not the way it was. The dead have risen and constantly attack the living. The powerful Church of Real Truth, in charge since the government fell, has sworn to reimburse citizens being harassed by the deceased. Consequently, there are many false claims of hauntings from those hoping to profit. Enter Chess Putnam, a fully-tattooed witch and freewheeling Debunker and ghost hunter. She’s got a real talent for nailing the human liars or banishing the wicked dead. But she’s keeping a dark secret from the Church: a little drug problem that’s landed her in hot and dangerous water.

Chess owes a murderous drug lord named Bump a lot of money. And Bump wants immediate payback. All Chess has to do is dispatch a very nasty species of undead from an old airport. But the job involves black magic, human sacrifice, a nefarious demonic creature, and crossing swords with enough wicked energy to wipe out a city of souls. Toss in lust with a rival gang leader and a dangerous attraction to Bump’s ruthless enforcer, and Chess begins to wonder if the rush is really worth it. Hell, yeah.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Web of Lies (Elemental Assassin, Book 2) by Jennifer Estep
Urban Fantasy released by Pocket 25 May 2010

Gin Blanco, assassin and restaurateur, returns in the second Elemental Assassin novel.  Based on the end of Spider’s Bite, I expected most of the book to focus on the series arc.  Instead, Web of Lies is a standalone adventure that introduces another love interest for Gin.  We do learn a little bit about Gin’s past as she helps a girl and her grandfather keep their family store from a man willing to murder them for their land.  (Jennifer Estep appears to have adapted a Western plot for an urban fantasy.  In my mind, it works.)

We don’t see much of her new love interest, Owen Grayson.  But what we do see intrigues me.  Like Gin, he also lives on the wrong side of the law.  This is a good thing since Donovan Caine and Gin’s relationship is stalled due to the fact he believes strongly in the law and Gin believes strongly in killing people.  Retirement has not softened Gin’s edges, to Donovan’s dismay.  In fact, she’s ready and willing to help Violet out after someone tries to assassinate her when she tries to hire the Tin Man.  (The Tin Man was Fletcher Lane, Gin’s deceased mentor/father figure.)

The mystery in Web of Lies is just as fun as the one in Spider’s Bite. Estep uses Mab Monroe, who probably killed Gin’s family, to good effect.  Mab is pretty cold-hearted for a fire elemental.  The coal mining tycoon threatening Violet is more of your standard mustache-twirling villain.  While Gin is a trained assassin and has access to two kinds of magic (stone and ice), she’s pretty well-matched to her villains.  She doesn’t come out of all fights unharmed, which I like.  (For one thing, it gives the healer dwarf Jo-Jo Deveraux a chance to show up.)

My favorite aspect of Gin’s character may be her cooking abilities.  She gets even more opportunity to show them off, now that she owns the Pork Pit.  It’s a practical hobby and it’s nice to see an urban fantasy character show a steady interest in something other than fighting, relationships, and revenge.  The descriptions of the Pork Pit’s barbeque also give a nice flavor to the Southern setting.

I am looking forward to Venom.  While I was fine that Web of Lies didn’t follow up on the revelation at the end of Spider’s Bite (that one of Gin’s sisters is still alive), I am eager to see how Bria turned out and what she thinks of Gin.  I’m also glad that there are going to be five books in this series instead of just three, since I like Gin’s unapologetic attitude and her core supporting cast.

Grade: B+

Summary:
Curiosity is definitely going to get me dead one of these days. Probably real soon.

I’m Gin Blanco.

You might know me as the Spider, the most feared assassin in the South. I’m retired now, but trouble still has a way of finding me. Like the other day when two punks tried to rob my popular barbecue joint, the Pork Pit. Then there was the barrage of gunfire on the restaurant. Only, for once, those kill shots weren’t aimed at me. They were meant for Violet Fox. Ever since I agreed to help Violet and her grandfather protect their property from an evil coalmining tycoon, I’m beginning to wonder if I’m really retired. So is Detective Donovan Caine. The only honest cop in Ashland is having a real hard time reconciling his attraction to me with his Boy Scout mentality. And I can barely keep my hands off his sexy body. What can I say? I’m a Stone elemental with a little Ice magic thrown in, but my heart isn’t made of solid rock. Luckily, Gin Blanco always gets her man … dead or alive.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Spider’s Bite (Elemental Assassin, Book 1) by Jennifer Estep
Urban fantasy released by Pocket 26 Jan 2010

I love Jennifer Estep’s Bigtime series.  They’re funny and sweet romances.  Then she went and wrote a more traditional urban fantasy series, starring an assassin – one of my favorite character types.  I couldn’t resist buying Spider’s Bite.  I’m glad I didn’t, because Estep maintained her charm while writing something completely different.

Gin Blanco is just about ready to retire.  She’s young, but being an assassin pays well.  Unfortunately, her most recent client double-crosses her and kills her mentor/foster father Fletcher.  He was also the middleman, and Gin doesn’t know exactly who hired her.  But she’s going to find out, and then she’s going to kill him or her.  It’s an action-packed opening and the rest of Spider’s Bite lives up to that promise.

I liked that Estep doesn’t try to soften Gin.  She isn’t angsty or torn about her job.  She kills people, she’s good at it, end of story.  In fact, she’ll do it pro bono sometimes.  Gin doesn’t like child rapists, and I assume most readers don’t either.  Gin is more worried about her magic powers.  She doesn’t like using them much, since doing so could attract the city’s movers and shakers, which is what got the rest of her family killed (probably).

Estep also surrounds Gin with interesting characters.  There are the dwarf sisters who help her  with crime scene clean up and healing.  There’s the vampiric club owner, willing to help Gin out since she took care of a problem for her.  There’s her foster brother Finn, the son of an assassin and brother to an assassin who logically became a banker.  While he’s a white collar criminal, he’s still good as back-up.  There’s also Donovan Caine, the straightest cop in the city, who is exactly the cop Gin needs to solve Fletcher’s murder.  The Dating Catwoman scenario always gets me.

If you’re a fan of the Bigtime series, you might not like the Elemental Assassin series.  It’s much darker and less romantic.  Conversely, it’s just as well-written and stands out from the urban fantasy crowd.  I finished Spider’s Bite quickly and moved immediately to Web of Lies.  The overarching plot, the search for the killer of Gin’s family, is just as compelling as the self-contained plots within the novels.

Grade: B+

Summary:
My name is Gin, and I kill people.

They call me the Spi­der. I’m the most feared assas­sin in the South—when I’m not busy at the Pork Pit cook­ing up the best bar­be­cue in Ash­land. As a Stone ele­men­tal, I can hear every­thing from the whis­pers of the gravel beneath my feet to the vibra­tions of the soar­ing Appalachian Moun­tains above me. My Ice magic also comes in handy for mak­ing the occa­sional knife. But I don’t use my pow­ers on the job unless I absolutely have to. Call it pro­fes­sional pride.

Now that a ruth­less Air ele­men­tal has double-crossed me and killed my han­dler, I’m out for revenge. And I’ll exter­mi­nate any­one who gets in my way—good or bad. I may look hot, but I’m still one of the bad guys. Which is why I’m in trou­ble, since irre­sistibly rugged Detec­tive Dono­van Caine has agreed to help me. The last thing this cold­hearted killer needs when I’m bat­tling a magic more pow­er­ful than my own is a sexy dis­trac­tion … espe­cially when Dono­van wants me dead just as much as the enemy.

Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of Red Wolf (Wolf Moons, Book 3) by Linda Thomas-Sundstrom
Paranormal Romance published Silhouette Nocturne 01 Feb 10

When I read Moon Marked, Linda Thomas-Sundstrom confused me and created a world in which I wanted to spend more time.  Fortunately, Red Wolf was far less confusing.  Thomas-Sundstrom had much more space to explore the different factions of her world, although there may be less world-building in the novel than the novella.

Adam Scott is a policeman who accidentally stumbles upon the activities of crime lord Chavez.  Tory McKidd is the sister of one of his victims, as well as a genetic werewolf.  She’s out for revenge and doesn’t have time to protect a human caught up in the world of monsters.  She doesn’t have much choice when she imprints on him.  I don’t really mind the destined mate plot, but Thomas-Sundstrom fails to provide much chemistry aside from the imprinting.

There’s also a flaw in how the series is structured.  Chavez is the big bad to all the heroes and heroines, with no minor bosses for distraction.  So the book ends with the hero and heroine going against Chavez and losing.  (They do win in the sense that neither of them dies.)  The climatic battle goes by quickly, perhaps to distract from the fact it’s a disappointing ending.

Red Wolf also contains Blackout, Thomas-Sundstrom’s first Wolf Moons Nocturne Bite.  The heroine is Dana Delmonico, Adam’s surprisingly competent rookie partner.  I think I would like Blackout better if I had read it before Red Wolf.  Instead, I’m confused by how it relates to the main story line.  Dana is apparently infected awhile before the full moon.  Does she no longer have any contact with Adam?  It seems like he would notice and help her.

The hero, Dylan Landau, is a genetic werewolf like Tory.  His approach to the change does not match hers.  He considers himself and monster and avoids the moonlight.  How does his family remain separate from the other werewolves in Miami?  It seems like two groups with opposite ideology would clash.  Miami may be a big city, but two good wolf packs and one bad one seems unsustainable.

I’m not sure if I’ll read the next Wolf Moons novel.  The series has potential, but there’s something lacking in the execution.  Red Wolf was fun to read, but its flaws are distracting.

Grade: C-

See Sandy M’s review here.

Summary:

Tory McKidd understands exactly what kind of monster is stalking the moonlit streets. She, too, is a werewolf and is ready to bring the rogue shifter to justice. What she isn’t prepared for is Adam Scott, the sexy detective whose investigation crosses paths with her own—a human who inexplicably stirs her senses.

Adam Scott is searching for a killer, not a lover, but with one look at the flame-haired beauty, he is ensnared. When one steamy night ignites their animal passion, there is no denying their fate. But when werewolf meets human, danger lurks—and the one they hunt may be the one hunting them….

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s retro review of Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase
Historical romance released by Avon 1 Jan 1995, reprinted Dec 2007

While I’ve now been reading romances steadily for two years, I’m still new to the genre and catching up on the classics.  I read and enjoyed Loretta Chase’s Your Scandalous Ways, and I’ve seen countless recommendations for Lord of Scoundrels and Mr. Impossible and I recently picked up both for cheap.  Due to the “Beauty and the Beast” theme (I love fairytales), I started with Lord of Scoundrels.

Chase, smartly, begins by recounting the Marquess of Dain’s past.  Too often authors draw out revealing the trauma that turned the hero into a jerkass.  This mainly leads to the reason seeming smaller than it actually is and thus extra frustration with the hero’s behavior.  The opening contextualized Dain’s protracted childhood.  He can still be frustrating, but his character remains coherent and makes sense.

Luckily he runs into Jessica Trent, an aging beauty who won’t put up with his nonsense.  Her brother Bertie Trent is pretty close to being the dullest tool in the shed.  His idolization of Dain is leading him toward the poorhouse, and Jessica prefers to live comfortably on her fortune (earned in trade) rather than using it to continually pay his debts.  Thus, she goes after Dain.

I enjoyed their verbal battles.  I also enjoyed Jessica pushing Dain towards adulthood and responsibility.  I was, however, puzzled by a couple of dropped plot points.  At the beginning Jessica talks of setting up her own store, but after the opening her skill at finding antiques remains mostly forgotten.  Likewise,  Dain’s friends Beaumont and Vawtry remain important to the plot until the end, but Esmond disappears without a trace.  (Does the Beaumont, Esmond, Beaumont’s wife triangle reappear in another of Chase’s books?)

I can see why Lord of Scoundrels continually tops favorites lists: Jessica.  She’s intelligent and feisty.  Between this and His at Night by Sherry Thomas, I am going to demand that all historical heroines beat a man half to death during the course of the novel.  It’s clearly a good sign.  Many romances survive on the hero’s appeal, but Lord of Scoundrels stands out by relying on the heroine’s strength.  (I like Dain, as some appear not to, but he’s clearly playing second fiddle to Jess.)

Now I’m happily moving on to Mr. Impossible, hoping that it’s as good as Your Scandalous Ways and Lord of Scoundrels.  I do wonder: what are the other must reads in Chase’s backlist?  Also, what classic romances should I read next?

Grade: B

Summary:
They call him many names but Angelic isn’t one of them…
Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain, is big, bad, and dangerous to know. No respectable woman would have anything to do with the “Bane and Blight of the Ballisters”—and he wants nothing to do with respectable women. He’s determined to continue doing what he does best—sin and sin again—and all that’s going swimmingly, thank you…until the day a shop door opens and she walks in.

She’s too intelligent to fall for the worst man in the world…
Jessica Trent is a determined young woman, and she’s going to drag her imbecile brother off the road to ruin, no matter what it takes. If saving him—and with him, her family and future—means taking on the devil himself, she won’t back down. The trouble is, the devil in question is so shockingly irresistible, and the person who needs the most saving is—herself!
Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of Hero at Large by Janet Evanovich
Contemporary romance released by Harper 30 Mar 2010

I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series.  Her other books have been more hit and miss for me, especially HarperCollins’s reprints of her old categories.  For the most part, Hero at Large is funny and entertaining.  In my opinion, it goes a bit off the rails at the end.

Ice-skating coach and single mom Chris Nelson is a little strapped for cash.  It’s pretty unsurprising that her beater breaks down by the side of the road.  Ken Callahan stops to help and ends up with a broken arm for his trouble, when Chris accidentally drops the hood on him.  Through a series of events that would only occur in a screwball comedy, Ken ends up boarding at Chris’s house until his arm heals and he can return to work.

The two have an instant physical attraction, but the sparks really fly while they get to know each other.  Chris teaches Ken about competitive ice-skating.  Ken tries to cook edible food and bonds with Chris’s daughter Lucy.  They joke around with each other.  I love the scene where Ken reads one of Chris’s romances.

“That’s some book.  I always thought romances were for delicate, frail lady types.  Do you know there are pages and pages of sex in that book?”

. . .

“You read the whole book.”

. . .

“Well, hell,” he grinned good-naturedly, “the truth is … I enjoyed it.”  His eyes raked across her nightshirt.  They crinkled into laugh lines and his teeth flashed white in a dazzling smile of laughter turned inward.  “You can’t imagine how frustrating it was.”

Then Chris figures out what the reader figured out far earlier: Ken isn’t a freelance carpenter.  He’s rich and successful.  This drives Chris away since he isn’t the man she got to know.  I could understand a little bit of anger, but it felt like too much too me.  Perhaps I’m projecting, but I’d be happy to learn that the man I loved was insanely rich rather than struggling for employment.

While the heroine frustrated me some, I still laughed quite a bit while reading Hero at Large.  Ken and Chris are both amiable, likable characters.  Chris’s pushy Aunt Edna is a clear (and more clear-headed) predecessor of Stephanie Plum’s grandma Mazur.  I’m not sure whether I’ll read Hero at Large again, but it did serve its purpose as light entertainment.

Grade: B-

Summary:
He cooks a pot holder in the spaghetti sauce and needs lessons on making Jell-O. Still, single mom and ice skating coach Chris Nelson is committed to keeping her sexy, scruffy, new “house husband” around. After all, she did break his arm…and his toe…and she can’t just turn him out into the cold…

It seemed like luck when this gorgeous stranger first stopped to help Chris with her car, but suddenly her peaceful life turns topsy-turvy as tender, long-suffering Ken Callahan enlists the sympathies of her 7-year-old daughter and her meddlesome Aunt Edna. And even Chris can’t deny the excitement his magnetic blue-black eyes spark deep within her…But who is he?
Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of The Darkest Passion (Lords of the Underworld, Book 5) by Gena Showalter
Paranormal romance released by HQN 25 May 2010

Gena Showalter’s Lords of the Underworld series, I’ve decided, are the literary equivalent of a summer blockbuster.  They contain exotic locales, gorgeous people, hunts for MacGuffins, and plenty of action.  They may not be as intelligent or as artistic as other things you’re currently reading, but you enjoy yourself too much to care.  Showalter is out to entertain.

Aeron contains the demon of Wrath, which causes him to strike out at wrongdoers.  When he denies his demon for too long, he becomes bloodthirsty and can’t differentiate between someone lying to their mother and someone killing their mother.  He’s tattooed himself with images of the people he’s wrongly killed in order to remind himself of his own guilt.  He’s never been my favorite of the Lords, but I have been fond of his demon companion Legion.

In The Darkest Passion, their relationship becomes a major problem.  Legion’s in love with Aeron, but he loves her like a daughter.  When Olivia, an angel, decides to fall (literally and figuratively) for Aeron, Legion gets pissed.  Caught by her own passions, she makes some foolish decisions.

Guilty Aeron doesn’t feel like he deserves Olivia’s sacrifice.  She has a short amount of time to return to heaven and he’s determined to drive her away.  I felt that Olivia adjusted to being a human rather quickly, but I admired her determination and how she found ways to be an asset despite her lack of powers.  Aeron didn’t really win me over, but I like that he let himself be caught in spite of himself.  Olivia might’ve done most of the pursuing, but he didn’t run so hard that I felt the relationship was doomed to be forever lopsided.

As usual, Showalter wove storylines about the other Lords in between scenes with Aeron and Olivia.  There a few further developments in Paris’s (Lust’s) storyline, which has been part of the series from the first book.  Showalter sets up the The Darkest Lie by introducing Gideon (Lies) to his heroine.  I am excited about that one, considering Gideon has been one of my favorite Lords.  She sets up a romance for Legion that I did not expect at all and I am very curious to see how that will turn out.  (I am happy that Legion doesn’t get completely shafted.)  (This will be a massive series if all the Lords get their own book.)

In addition, the Lords interact with the Hunters more than usual.  The way the storyline ends, it seems like there won’t be long term consequences.  There are also some new TPTB getting in on the conflict between the Titans, Greek gods, Lords, and Hunters.  It looks like Cronus just might be offed sooner rather than later.  I can’t speak about the ending without spoiling anything, but it carries interesting implications for the rest of the series.

Before reading The Darkest Passion, one might want to read The Darkest Angel, available for free on Showalter’s site or in the anthology Heart of Darkness.  Showalter’s other novellas have been side stories, but The Darkest Angel’s couple plays a part in The Darkest Passion.  Aeron and Olivia didn’t knock my favorite couple from the series off their pedestal, but still made for a fun book.  I will admit that I do have higher expectations for The Darkest Lie than I did for The Darkest Passion.

Grade: B

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

Summary:
New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with another sizzling installment of the Lords of the Underworld series, as Aeron, keeper of the Demon of Wrath, dares to taste the forbidden . . .

For weeks, the immortal warrior Aeron has sensed an invisible female presence. An angel—a demon-assassin—has been sent to kill him. Or has she? Olivia claims she fell from the heavens, giving up immortality because she couldn’t bear to harm him. But trusting - and falling for - Olivia will endanger them all. So how has this ‘mortal’ with the huge blue eyes already unleashed Aeron’s darkest passion?

Now, with an enemy hot on his trail and his faithful demon companion determined to remove Olivia from his life, Aeron is trapped between duty and consuming desire. Worse still, a new executioner has been sent to do the job Olivia wouldn’t…
Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of His at Night by Sherry Thomas
Historical romance released by Bantam 25 May 2010

When reviewing Sherry Thomas, some things go without saying.  Her prose is lovely.  I’m sure even those who don’t normally pay attention to prose notice the artistry of her words.  The historical setting is absorbing and well-researched.  Thomas has a distinctive style and while her fourth release does not deviate from that style, she does show growth as a writer.  That extra layer of polish may make His at Night my favorite of her releases.  (I need to reread the previous three to compare.  Not an onerous task at all.)

Lord Vere is an idiot.  Elissande Edgerton is a conniving young woman bent on snaring a rich, powerful husband.  Lord Vere is one of the Crown’s best secret agents.  Elissande is a scared young woman, a prisoner of her uncle who must rescue both herself and her infirm aunt.  The two fall in love at first sight, but then repel each other with the masks they use to conduct their lives.  It’s only after marriage that they begin to know each other truly.

I freely admit to hating plots full of endless misunderstandings between the hero and heroine.  Thomas, however, makes it work.  She accomplishes this amazing feat by having Vere and Elissande act like reasonable human beings.  They’re both damaged but strong-willed.  Neither trusts easily nor has a reason to reveal their true self.  But at the same time, they can’t resist their attraction whenever they glimpse beneath the other’s persona.

Aside from the main romance, Thomas creates both a compelling plot and a satisfying secondary romance.  Vere first encounters Elissande because he’s investigating her tyrannical uncle.  Her uncle’s possible misdeeds are never forgotten, shoved to the background until the climax.  The investigation is woven throughout, the various revelations about the uncle also revealing secrets of Vere and Elissande’s behavior.  The secondary romance features Freddie, Vere’s younger brother, the good natured painter who lost out to the hero in Private Arrangements.  It’s rewarding to see the losing side of a triangle get his own romance instead of being hastily paired off to a random character at the end of the book.

Those who don’t like flashbacks will be pleased to note that His at Night does not employ them to the same extent as Private Arrangements, Delicious, or Not Quite a Husband.  There are integrated flashbacks to important parts of Vere and Elissande’s pasts, but they don’t occur every other chapter.  (Nor do they ever last an entire chapter.)  But like the spy plot, the flashbacks deepen the characterization.

I think Vere and Elissande are more likeable than some of Thomas’s past heroes and heroines.  They complement each other wonderfully.  Elissande needed Vere to help her out of the prison created by her uncle; Vere needed Elissande to help him out of the prison of his own making.  They help each other grow as people and find happiness.  They’re sad, sweet, frustrating, silly, and utterly absorbing.  My only complaint is that the first two sex scenes start a little rape-y.  (Interestingly, the first time Elissande is the instigator.)

Grade: A-

Summary:
Elissande Edgerton is a desperate woman, a virtual prisoner in the home of her tyrannical uncle. Only through marriage can she claim the freedom she craves. But how to catch the perfect man?

Lord Vere is used to baiting irresistible traps. As a secret agent for the government, he’s tracked down some of the most devious criminals in London, all the while maintaining his cover as one of Society’s most harmless—and idiotic—bachelors. But nothing can prepare him for the scandal of being ensnared by Elissande.

Forced into a marriage of convenience, Elissande and Vere are each about to discover they’re not the only one with a hidden agenda. With seduction their only weapon against each other—and a dark secret from the past endangering both their lives—can they learn to trust each other even as they surrender to a passion that won’t be denied?
Read an excerpt here.

Liviania’s review of On the Edge (The Edge, Book 1) by Ilona Andrews
Urban fantasy released by Ace 29 Sept 2009

You can barely take two steps in the urban fantasy pond before hearing a recommendation for Ilona Andrews (the penname of the eponymous Andrews and her husband Gordon). I recently managed to pick up the first two books in each of her series, Kate Daniels and the Edge, for cheap. (UBS are gold for trying out an author. Of course, once you get the cheap hit you’re stuck buying full price as soon as the next one comes out because you’ve been salivating for it.) I don’t think I’ll review Magic Bites since it’s been around for awhile, but here are my thoughts on On the Edge.

Andrews’s website states that people had trouble classifying On the Edge. I think this is because the general term for fantasy in a modern setting is “urban fantasy.” But the Edgers are not urban people. They live on the fringes of two civilizations, lawless, surviving through sheer grit. This is rural fantasy.

The Edge lies between the Broken (the fictional version of our world) and the Weird (typical fantasyland). Most people in the Broken and the Weird don’t know it exists. The Edgers have minor magic and can travel into either. Rose Drayton lives in the Edge but works as a cleaner in the Broken, the only job she can get as an illegal. But she needs to work, because she has two young brothers at home.

Rose is a fabulous heroine. Andrews could’ve easily turned her into the family martyr, but she isn’t. She thinks she’s given up her dreams to care for Georgie and Jack, but she’s really just put them on hold. (And she’s not doing it for no reason. She’s working hard to give Georgie and Jack the life their parents failed to give her.) Declan brings those hopes to the fore when he shows up determined to marry her. He’s a blueblood from the Weird and exactly what she’s been trying to escape. But she can’t help enjoying his company as they fight a threat to the Edge together. (Mostly, the threat serves to bring the characters together, which is perfectly fine. But the villain is a bit of a boring, doing it for the evil, insane sort of villain.)

Declan can be pompous, but he adjusts fairly well to the social rules of the Edge. The development of the Edge is where Andrews really shines. Andrews did well in creating a poor community where everyone survives by limiting retaliation (considering many Edgers have short tempers) and being willing to work as allies, despite past animosities, when the situation calls from it. There’s quite a bit of worldbuilding in addition to the plot and romance.

As more and more first books of a series end with sequel bait, I like that On the Edge is a self-contained adventure. I thought it was a standalone until I looked it up online, to be honest. I did hope it wasn’t, because William still needs a happy ending. (He has a tragic backstory. Total woobie. I can never resist a woobie.) On the Edge (and Magic Bites) definitely showed me why Andrews’s star is on the rise.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The Broken is a place where people shop at Wal-Mart and magic is nothing more than a fairy tale.

The Weird is a realm where blueblood aristocrats rule and the strength of your magic can change your destiny.

Rose Drayton lives on the Edge, the place between both worlds. A perilous existence indeed, made even more so by a flood of magic-hungry creatures bent on absolute destruction.

Read excerpts here.

Liviania’s reviews of Books 4 (Dark Crusade) and 5 (The Hellhound King) of the Unbound Series by Lori Devoti
Paranormal romance released by Silhouette Nocturne

I first learned about Lori Devoti through a contest right here on TGTBTU, before I was a duckie.  When I saw there was a new book in her Unbound series, I quickly snatched it up.  Just as quickly I realized that I hadn’t read the book before it, so I snatched that one up too.  Reading the books together worked well, since the character Marina plays a big part in both.

Dark Crusade (Book 4)
Released 1 Apr 09

Dark Crusade follows immediately after the events of the second Unbound novel, Guardian’s Keep, and tells the story of Kerr, the leader of the exiled garm.  (The third book, Wild Hunt, continued the hellhound storyline and left the fate of the garm-in-exile unknown.)  Unfortunately, I read Guardian’s Keep in June 2008 and couldn’t remember a thing about the book.  (My mind, she ain’t what she used to be.)

This one didn’t work as well for me as The Hellhound King.  Kerr, the hero, is a good enough guy.  He’s loyal to his men, who have been imprisoned by the elves.  He’s also loyal to Heather, once he falls for her.  But Heather is a witch, and the elves kill witches, and Kerr is pretending to be loyal to the elves so that he can find his men and get them out of prison.  While Kerr may be the leader, his plans never work. It’s surprising that people continue to let him be in charge.

Heather lacked Kerr’s affability, to me.  I understand that she’s worried about dying and would like to get out of the dimension where a lot of people want to kill her.  Who wouldn’t?  At the same time, she never seems to get why Kerr is torn between helping his men and helping her.  Apparently compassion and loyalty are difficult concepts instead of things you should look for in a man.

Overall, both the plot and romance take awhile to move.  Heather is clearly special, but Devoti waits until the book is almost over to reveal why.  Dark Crusade isn’t bad, but it is average.  I like Devoti, but she has trouble with consistency.

Grade: C-

Summary:
Exiled rogue shapeshifter Kerr Vik once saw being transported to Gunngar as a fresh start. Until the one person he most regretted leaving behindcaptivating witch Heather Moorestumbles through the portal…and finds herself right in the middle of a witch hunt. Heather has courageously come to Gunngar to redeem herself. But Kerr knows that if she braves it alone…she will die. He must somehow send her back through the portal. And it’s not long before a collision of truth, love and duty complicates Kerr’s mission by forcing him to choose sides: should he save this forbidden love or protect his honor?
Read an excerpt here.

The Hellhound King (Book 4)
Released 1 Feb 10

In Dark Crusade, Marina was the leader of the elves who go around killing witches.  In The Hellhound King, she’s the heroine.  I don’t want to give anything away, but Devoti does an excellent job of redeeming Marina and turning a crazy villain into a compelling heroine.

When Marina goes home to the unexiled elves, she is followed by Raf, a garm.  She also discovers that the political situation in Alfheim is unstable, to say the least, and she’s the heir to the throne.  An heir who must factions would prefer to keep as a puppet.  Marina has to keep herself alive and protect her little sister.

I liked the balance Devoti played with in Raf and Marina’s relationship.  Both of them are competent and strong and both of them quickly learn to trust each other, but only in the most simple ways.  In practice, they don’t respect each other’s ability to handle difficult situations.  They have to learn to deepen their trust, or the relationship won’t survive.

I love reading about political maneuvering, and The Hellhound King has just enough to be interesting without taking away from the hero and heroine. There are also a few subplots that I hope will return in future Unbound novels – namely, the bounty hunter and Amma the super-witch.  The Hellhound King is Devoti working on all cylinders.

Grade: B+

Summary:
All Raf Dolg wanted was revenge. Marina Adal—part witch, part elf princess—had betrayed him once, condemning the handsome hellhound to an elfin dungeon. But once the lithe and seductive Marina is in his hands, Raf realizes that the long-haired beauty is also a victim of betrayal—a pawn in the plans of a cruel elf lord and of the destiny tying her to the throne of Alfheim. Together they face the treachery that nearly tore them apart as well as their own divided souls. Bound by their love, the two outcasts must band together if their passion is to stand a chance….
No excerpt found.

I think this series still has legs.  My opinions of the individual books may be varied, but overall I like the world and the Norse-based mythology.  I look forward to seeing what Devoti will do next with the Unbound cast.

Liviania’s review of Unbound (Unbound, Book 1)

Liviania’s review of Guardian’s Keep (Unbound, Book 2)

Liviania’s review of The Executive’s Pregnancy Ultimatum by Emilie Rose
Contemporary romance released by Silhouette Desire 1 Feb 10

After limecello got onto me for reading specific titles she recommends by the author she likes instead of picking any book by the author, I pretty much chose to read The Executive’s Pregnancy Ultimatum by Emilie Rose because I know limecello likes Emilie Rose.  But hey, living dangerously paid off.

Renee Maddox just discovered her divorce papers were never filed.  She also wants a baby – the same baby she always wanted, from her husband Flynn.  He agrees to giving her his sperm, but only in a direct manner and only if she tries to live with him, with the baby, for a year.  Rose doesn’t make the mistake of dragging out the secret to the couple’s split up to where the reveal seems silly.  It’s explained within the first several chapters that Renee and Flynn agreed they wanted three or four children before they married, but Flynn’s new job after his father’s death kept him away from home.  He gave Renee neither attention nor a baby.  She communicated that she really wanted a child and split when he refused.  Renee had another complication: she began drinking heavily, like her alcoholic mother. She managed to stop after leaving the stressful situation.

I loved Renee.  She’s a successful business woman who doesn’t give up her job for her man.  She’s unafraid to be a single mother and has the courage to stand up to her hideous mother-in-law.  Then the Renee I fell in love with disappeared toward the end.  Suddenly, she isn’t communicating with Flynn.  She’s running from telling him that she isn’t really an alcoholic but has the potential to be … as he knew since her mother was an alcoholic and Renee chooses to avoid alcohol now in order to avoid temptation.  She also brings it up as a risk to their children, despite the fact she’s been planning to have children since before the book began and it isn’t an issue until the end.  It’s odd.

Luckily, Flynn’s characterization stays steady.  He messed up by taking Renee for granted, but now has his personal and professional life in balance.  He’s caring and thoughtful.  He stands up for Renee and respects her dedication to her business.  It’s no wonder that Renee falls quickly back in love with her husband.  It is a wonder that she thinks he’d hate her because she isn’t actually an alcoholic but showed the potential during their impending divorce.

I enjoyed Emilie Rose’s writing.  I liked the hero and the heroine.  I just wish there wasn’t a manufactured conflict, because the story would’ve worked much better without it.  It undermined a lot of what Rose was doing so well.  I am still likely to pick up one of her novels in the future.

Grade: B-

Summary:
Flynn Maddox, the driven vice president of Maddox Communications, thought he was over his ex-wife, Renee. But when he learned that they were still married—and that she was trying to have his baby—he realized he had never stopped wanting her. It was time to put his fierce negotiating skills to good use. He would give her the baby she so desperately wanted…but not without getting her to sign off on some terms of his own.
No excerpt found.