Laura C’s review of Last Man Standing (The Men of Black Ops, Inc., Book 7) by Cindy Gerard
Romantic Suspense published by Pocket 31 Jan 12

This book finally answers the question that has been plaguing the characters through the first six of Gerard’s Black Ops, Inc. (BOI) books: What really happened on the mission on which Bryan Tompkins got killed? Was it just bad intel, or was there something more?

Naturally, the answer is “something more.” There wouldn’t be much of a story otherwise!

The romance between “Mean” Joe Green and Stephanie Tompkins—sister of the late Bryan Tompkins and daughter of Robert and Ann who have become substitute parents to all the BOIs—began several books ago as a secondary plotline. It’s referenced, and we meet Joe, but we never really spend any time with the two of them together until this book. But when this book begins, Joe’s in the process of breaking it off with Stephanie. Not that he wants to, of course, but he feels he has to.

The BOIs were on a mission in Sierra Leone when they were ambushed and Bryan was killed. Joe has a lead on the truth, but he doesn’t want Stephanie—or the rest of the BOIs—involved if things go badly. And they do. Joe ends up in jail in Freetown, while the bad guy has arranged for the rest of the BOIs to be on a blackout mission and, thus, completely out of touch. So Stephanie travels to Sierra Leone to rescue Joe…and finds herself. While there, she realizes that Joe only broke up with her to protect her, but she’s furious just the same. Until she realizes that his opinion of her is partially her own fault.

Joe didn’t think she could take the heat.

And why would he? What had she ever done to make him believe she was strong enough to carry the weight of the issues he dealt with every day of his life.

She walked over to a window, shaking her head at her stupidity. And her cowardice.

You get what you give. You reap what you sow.

Well, all she’d ever given him was silent understanding. She’d never challenged, never bullied or badgered him to open up to her. Sure, she’d asked him to talk to her, but when he didn’t, she’d accepted it. Never pushed. Never pried. Never prodded him to confide in her or to give her credit for being more than a woman who needed a man to take care of her.

She puts Joe on notice that once the bad guys are taken care of, they’re going to have a talk about opening up. And while she breaks her own rules and crosses lines she sets for herself, she always keeps that endgame in mind. She’s an admirable heroine and this is really her story more than Joe’s.

There’s really no question about the romance in this book. He loves her, she loves him, they’re both certain of each other’s love relatively quickly. And although Joe has a lot to deal with if he’s going to truly open up to Steph, we don’t doubt he will. As a result, the story lacks a certain emotional punch for me. And the thriller part, while satisfying, is not terribly exciting. So while I find this miles better than With No Remorse, it doesn’t quite measure up to the earlier books in the series. Still, it is a fun, quick read that I’d recommend over a great deal of what else is out there!

Grade: B

Summary:

Special operative Joe Green has gone vigilante. His mission: avenge his Black Ops, Inc. brother’s death during a bloody ambush years ago in Sierra Leone. He refuses to drag the BOI team or his lover, Stephanie Tompkins, into the hunt for the man responsible, so when he finds himself beaten, starving, and alone after being falsely imprisoned for the murder of a Freetown priest, he knows he’s as good as dead. Joe meant to protect Stephanie when he walked out on their relationship, but he can’t stop her now from executing his escape. Breaking him out of prison is the easy part. After Joe’s explosive theory pans out and his cunning enemy emerges as the front runner for a high-level presidential appointment, he and Stephanie must race to derail the traitor’s conspiracy if they are to save their loved ones, the nation, and each other.

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of A Light at Winter’s End by Julia London
Contemporary Romance published by Pocket 22 Feb 11

Wyatt. My Wyatt. I felt for this man when I read and reviewed A Summer of Two Wishes. I wanted more about him when his life and world crashed at the end of that book, but we got only a smidgen, and I was unhappy about that. Because I’m always so behind on who’s got what book releasing when, I didn’t know Julia London had written Wyatt’s story. So you can imagine my happiness going through the roof when I picked this book up and started reading.

After Wyatt’s meltdown in ASoTW and he walks off into the sunset, so to speak, in this book we find him on a ranch he’d bought to get away from everything and everyone. Wyatt is not a pity man and the looks he got in Cedar Springs weren’t for him, so he left. The ranch needs work, he has the time. His assistant takes care of his land development business, so fence repairing and feeding the cows fill his days. He’s thinking about approaching his neighbors to perhaps buy their property to expand his own. The first time Wyatt visits he meets Holly, and to his amazement he’s attracted to her, despite his vow to stay away from women and the pain that goes with them.

Holly has just had her own meltdown when her sister Hannah out of the blue drops her son Mason off at Holly’s and walks out. Holly is dumbfounded, angry, and terrified. But she has no choice but buck up and take care of her nephew the best she can. Needing more space for both Mason and her songwriting, Holly moves them to the homestead she recently inherited from her mother, and there they both flourish as Holly learns to be a mother. Then Wyatt rides into her life and they begin play dates with Mason and Grace, his daughter. She’s smitten once they make explosive love, he supports her career choice as no one else ever has, and he does little things around the ranch. He’s perfect.

It does my heart good to see Wyatt happy again. And he is happy with Holly. Of course, we know that their little family can’t last, Mason’s mother will come home some day, and when that happens, it’s Holly’s world that falls apart. Only Wyatt can understand what it’s like to have the rug pulled out from under you, but while Holly realizes this, she just can’t let Mason go, and she pushes Wyatt away in the meantime. I wanted to scream when that happens. Wyatt has given his heart once again, and – once again – he’s filled with nothing but pain. He goes back to his life pre-Holly – alone, isolated, devastated.

Holly’s way of dealing with her grief is the exact opposite. She heads to Nashville where a couple of doors have opened for her and her songwriting career gets a huge boost. Of course, I wasn’t too happy with her when she walks away. Dammit. But I know she doesn’t do it light-heartedly. I just want my Wyatt to be happy and she makes him happy. The only way he’ll even think of giving them another chance is if she comes to him herself, not friends and family telling him how Holly feels. When he learns she’s headed to Nashville, his final hope is lost.

I am so glad Ms. London has given Wyatt his story. I had no idea which direction he needed to go, I just wanted him to have his happily ever after, especially after the emotional turmoil he went through in the previous book. I’m very satisfied with what Ms. London has given him and us. She does Wyatt proud and gives him the perfect heroine, someone who brings him back to life and who really needs him in her moment of crisis.

Happiness forever, My Wyatt.

Grade: A

Summary:

Whose baby is he?

Hannah has always done everything right:  getting married, having a baby, caring of her mother in her final days, all the while performing impeccably in a high-level job.  Her sister Holly is the college dropout, the one who works at a coffee shop and wants to be a songwriter.  Then one day perfect Hannah suddenly–without explanation–leaves her baby with Holly and disappears.  What Holly knows about babies is laughable, but she takes little Mason to the empty family homestead, where she meets Wyatt Clark, a close-mouthed, handsome cowboy who is mysteriously good with babies.  And then, just as Holly can no longer imagine her life without either Mason or Wyatt, Hannah returns for her son…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Ash’s review of Defiant by Kris Kennedy
Historical Romance published by Pocket 26 Apr 11

I’ve decided I really need to read more books of this genre. Also, more by Kris Kennedy.

I became a fan of Kris Kennedy as soon as I read the first few sentences of Defiant. How could I not keep reading after this?

At first it appeared they both wanted the same cock. But as Jamie watched, he realized the sender woman wasn’t after the rooster at all. And neither, of course, was he.

Jamie is a brooding alpha male with a secret soft center. I loved him even when I was mad at him. Eva is the perfect partner for him. She is the kind of heroine I wish every historical had. She isn’t hardened by the life she has been living, but she isn’t some sweet and docile thing either. The tension and longing between them is palpable. When they finally stop fighting the inevitable, it ‘s wonderful. Jamie accepts his love for her and he is determined to do what he must to be with her, without any annoying internal struggle.

I really had a hard time seeing how they would overcome some of their obstacles to be together. I was actually a bit dismayed in the end, because I felt everything was wrapped up too neat and tidy, and too quickly. After the journey they went through, I was expecting more. However, that is my only complaint and in the end it’s not a big deal. They get their HEA and that’s what I wanted.

I didn’t want to put Defiant down, and I definitely didn’t want it to end. I love the characters, the setting, the romance, and I ended the book wanting more.

Grade: A

Summary:

A warrior with questionable intentions . . .

Jamie Lost is the king’s most renowned commander, a fearless lieutenant ordered to kidnap an exiled priest before rebel forces close in. The mission is simple—until he meets a mysterious thief who will steal his quarry and then his heart.

A lady of remarkable courage . . .

Beautiful Eva is also seeking Father Peter, but she intends to protect him from a secret that could cost him his life. She senses that she, too, should fear Jamie—not just for his wickedly sharp sword and dangerously muscular body, but for the powerful longing he ignites within her.

A secret that could overthrow the king.

When a band of mercenaries abducts the priest, Jamie and Eva must form a volatile alliance. As civil war unfolds around them, they embark on an epic journey that betrays the truth about their hidden identities, their unexpected loyalties, and the simmering attraction that could seal their fates forever.

Read an excerpt.

Liviania’s review of Tangled Threads (Elemental Assassin, Book 4) by Jennifer Estep
Urban Fantasy published by Pocket 26 Apr 11

I can’t decide if Jennifer Estep is spinning her wheels with Tangled Threads or not.  If it were a standalone novel, I would love it.  As it is, I feel like very few of the series threads were furthered.  The first and second books in the Elemental Assassin series had one-shot villains.  But in Venom, former assassin Gin Blanco took on one of the Big Bad’s main minions.  It seems like a step back for Gin to be focused on a new enemy.

The enemy in this case is LaFleur, an assassin who electrocutes people and kidnaps a young girl in order to convince a bartender to betray the Spider.  In addition to being hired to kill the Spider, Jonah McAllister (the remaining main minion) entices LaFleur to kill Gin.  I enjoyed the humor in Gin secretly evading her on two fronts.  Plus, all of the action scenes are excellent.  It’s a fun cat-and-cat tale.

As for the series threads, more information is revealed about the night Gin’s family died and Bria Cooper learns Gin’s secrets.  I am happy that Gin told Bria instead of Bria finding out on accident.  It does come at a good moment, too.  Tangled Threads doesn’t come to a standstill for them to discuss their past and their choices.  (Since one became an assassin and the other a cop, they view the same events fairly differently.)

The other cop in Gin’s life, her former lover, is less present in this novel as Gin continues to get over being left by Donovan Caine.  Owen Grayson, conversely, continues to earn Gin’s trust and love.  At the same time, Owen and Gin together are bland.  He fits her too perfectly.  Gin and Donovan’s relationship couldn’t last, but it had spark.  Owen is moving a little too fast for her since she just got out of a volatile relationship, but that problem is quickly resolved.  (And by his sister, rather than Gin.  Mostly.)  There are some nice domestic scenes involving the ensemble since Tangled Threads takes place during Christmas.

I like Estep’s writing and the world she has created.  I got a thrill from the big, dramatic action scenes of Tangled Threads.  But after the plot movement of Venom, it felt aimless.  Yay, Gin defeated an assassin we’ve never heard of before!  Maybe I’m just eager to see Jonah MacAllister and his boss get theirs.  (After all, if an assassin is going to be your protagonist, the antagonists need to be thoroughly awful.)  I’m definitely picking up Spider’s Revenge come October.  It’s the showdown I’ve been waiting to see.  I’m also excited about Touch of Frost, the first book in her new young adult series, which comes out this August.

Grade: B-

Summary:

I’d rather face a dozen lethal assassins any night than deal with something as tricky, convoluted, and fragile as my feelings.

But here I am. Gin Blanco, the semi-retired assassin known as the Spider. Hovering outside sexy businessman Owen Grayson’s front door like a nervous teenage girl. One thing I like about Owen: he doesn’t shy away from my past—or my present. And right now I have a bull’s-eye on my forehead. Cold-blooded Fire elemental Mab Monroe has hired one of the smartest assassins in the business to trap me.

Elektra LaFleur is skilled and efficient, with deadly electrical elemental magic as potent as my own Ice and Stone powers. Which means there’s a fifty-fifty chance one of us won’t survive this battle. I intend to kill LaFleur—or die trying—because Mab wants the assassin to take out my baby sister, Detective Bria Coolidge, too. The only problem is, Bria has no idea I’m her long-lost sibling . . . or that I’m the murderer she’s been chasing through Ashland for weeks.

And what Bria doesn’t know just might get us both dead. . . .

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Ash’s review of How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf by Molly Harper
Paranormal Romance published by Pocket 22 Feb 11

Molly Harper is a new-to-me author and I took a chance on this story when I was deep in a slump. I like the whole idea of this book, and the writing is easy to get into. Even with its problems, I  decided I’m happy with it in the end.

Mo and Cooper are good together. The part of the book before they get together drags on and on and I thought it was going to be another book tossed aside. Yet one of my problems is that there is this build-up to them being together, and then after they do get involved, it’s just…gone. I want  more. What that more is, though, I’m not sure. I don’t think it’s necessarily the lack of tension that I have an issue with, but it’s something.

The werewolf aspect is nothing new, but I like it a lot. It’s simple, easy to understand, and it just seems natural for them to exist in the world Molly Harper writes. There is that mate thing that so many people dislike (btw, I don’t dislike it, if it’s done right) but it’s not the main plot point. It’s just there and it works. This is the kind of werewolf I love to read about.

The villain is not who I was expecting, and, in fact, I had no clue how it would all turn out. It’s obvious to me that it’s never Cooper, and his belief that it’s him gets annoying fast. His actions make me mad and he turns into the overly brooding hero that I so dislike. At times I wanted him to man up a little bit, but at least Mo stays solid throughout everything.

So, this is my first Molly Harper book, but it won’t be my last. There are some scenes that just stuck with me, and I can’t wait to see what her other books are like. While I am looking forward to The Art of Seducing a Naked Werewolf (btw, the titles could be a little bit shorter), I really hope Cooper’s sister is better as the heroine than she is in How to Flirt with a Naked Werewolf.  She isn’t my favorite character, but I am optimistic.

Grade: B

Summary:

Northern Exposure

Even in Grundy, Alaska, it’s unusual to find a naked guy with a bear trap clamped to his ankle on your porch. But when said guy turns into a wolf, recent southern transplant Mo Wenstein has no difficulty identifying the problem. Her surly neighbor Cooper Graham—who has been openly critical of Mo’s ability to adapt to life in Alaska—has trouble of his own. Werewolf trouble.

For Cooper, an Alpha in self-imposed exile from his dysfunctional pack, it’s love at first sniff when it comes to Mo. But Cooper has an even more pressing concern on his mind. Several people around Grundy have been the victims of wolf attacks, and since Cooper has no memory of what he gets up to while in werewolf form, he’s worried that he might be the violent canine in question.

If a wolf cries wolf, it makes sense to listen, yet Mo is convinced that Cooper is not the culprit. Except if he’s not responsible, then who is? And when a werewolf falls head over haunches in love with you, what are you supposed to do anyway? The rules of dating just got a whole lot more complicated. . . .

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Dreams of a Dark Warrior (Immortals After Dark, Book 11) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal romance published by Pocket 15 Feb 11

Kresley Cole introduced the story of Regin and Aiden at the beginning of her Immortals After Dark series, so I had a number of expectations when I started Dreams of a Dark Warrior. Cole does a good job of meeting those expectations in an unexpected manner by first revealing how little other characters knew about Regin’s ill-fated romance and proceeding from there.

Declan Chase is the hero of the story, not Aidan the Fierce. He’s Aidan’s reincarnation, sure, but he’s also his own person. It took awhile for me to warm up to Declan. He survived his family’s gruesome death by a group of Immortals, which caused him to hate all immortals and work with the Order to capture and study them. Preston Webb, Declan’s boss in the Order, helped to foster that unthinking hatred. Even with believable motivation for his actions, it’s hard to feel sympathetic for a guy who can’t see that torturing a sentient being is wrong. Declan also takes a lot of drugs, since he’s actually a berserker rather than a human. (I didn’t have a problem with the drug use, but I know that sort of thing bothers a lot of people.)

Regin is fun as always. Dreams of a Dark Warrior offers new perspective on how Regin became the person she is, but her character doesn’t make any big changes. She’s a fount of hilarious and deadly bad attitude. She doesn’t lightly forgive Declan’s actions, either. (Luckily, he does not directly torture her as implied in Demon from the Dark. That definitely wouldn’t be forgivable.) For me, Regin carried the romance. She found the things in Declan worth saving. Cole made it work and I’m not surprised that she did.

There are some excellent action scenes in Dreams of a Dark Warrior, mostly involving the immortals’ escape from the Order’s compound. It could seem redundant, since the same events were described in Demon from the Dark, but Cole shifts the focus enough to keep them fresh. She reveals quite a bit more about Lothaire’s motives, and his team-up with the good guys works since he’s still a backstabber and opportunist. He has an interesting chemistry with Regin’s young male cellmate who will hopefully show up again.

The bits that crossover with Pleasure of a Dark Prince are more awkward. Regin, being Lucia’s sister and best friend, is quite eager to help her throughout most of the book. The plot works if you’ve read Lucia’s book. If you haven’t, it is probably awkward to have the heroine be so concerned about a problem that she won’t solve. While Immortals After Dark fans will enjoy Dreams of a Dark Warrior, it’s not as friendly to new readers as most books in the series.

It took me time to warm up to Declan, but I was still satisfied with Regin’s romance. It was slightly disappointing after the high of Demon from the Dark, but Cole has yet to write a truly disappointing book. As is, I’m waiting on tenterhooks to know whose story is coming next. (And will Nïx become an actual goddess?) (Also, will the covers go back to having color? As awesome as the black and white looks, it makes it even harder to differentiate between the books.)

Grade: B

Read more reviews using the Immortals After Dark series tag.

Summary:

HE VOWED HE’D COME FOR HER . . .
Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

SHE AWAITS HIS RETURN . . .

When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world.

TO SATE A DESIRE MORE POWERFUL THAN DEATH . . .

Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

C2’s review of Dreams of a Dark Warrior (Immortals After Dark Series, Book 9) by Kresley Cole|
Paranormal Romance published by Pocket 15 Feb 11

As far as the timeline of Kresley Cole’s Immortals After Dark series goes, her latest release, Dreams of a Dark Warrior (which will from here on be abbreviated), shares some time with her previous book Demon from the Dark. DoaDW starts before and ends after Demon from the Dark, but we get glimpses of the main characters and hints of that plot as things overlap. This is a series that definitely builds on itself, so it should be read in order, says me.

We begin with a curse – Regin the Radiant and Aidan the Fierce were lovers, but fate tore them apart. Aidan is doomed to be reborn, find Regin, fall in love and remember their past together just before he again dies in her arms. Again and again and again.

Regin is a Valkyrie known for her fighting skills and her pranks. She is an immortal daughter of Odin. Aidan was a Berserker – mortal but with special fighting abilities. Just before he died the first time, Aidan vowed to win enough battles in Odin’s name so he would be gifted with immortality so they could be together forever. That didn’t work out so well for him.

When Regin again senses that Aidan may be nearby, she decides to stay away this time – watching him die is too hard and maybe if she stays away, he will get to live a long, happy life. Fate steps in again – this time around Aidan is Declan Chase, a Magister for a group called The Order (and the winner for most creative organizational name goes to….). The Order is dedicated to eliminating all immortals and they aren’t a squeamish bunch, if you know what I mean.

Chase and his henchmen snag Regin after a battle goes wrong and carry her off to a super-secret island where all sorts of immortals are being held. The Order is experimenting on them to find weaknesses and ways to defeat (exterminate) more immortals. Just before the drugs knock her out, Regin realizes that Chase is actually Aidan.

After Regin wakes up in a cell surrounded by other immortal prisoners, she re-thinks her let-Aidan-live-this-time plan. She decides that the best plan of action is for her to make Chase remember their past as quickly as possible, since he always dies right after remembering. So when Chase interrogates her to find out all he can about the Valkyries, she tells him about her life – with him. Even though he doesn’t remember yet, Chase is intrigued and attracted to her. For the first time in his adult life, being physically attracted to a woman doesn’t make him nauseous.

Regin and Chase continue their dance, neither wanting to admit that it is becoming more than a way to get information about an enemy. Chase begins to dream about his previous lives but attributes it to Regin’s storytelling abilities…or maybe an enchantment. He still doesn’t trust her or any immortal. But before he can regain his memory – like within inches of regaining his memory – his boss arrives and has Regin dragged back to her cell.

The plot really starts cranking along at that point – drugs, torture (not for the faint of heart), treachery of all sorts. The arrival of a very powerful immortal brings down the walls of the prison, but a failsafe in the island’s security protocol means the entire island will be destroyed in a few days. Regin and her friends have to ally themselves with some unsavory types to get off the island in time, including Lothaire, the Enemy of Old (a very intriguing character and the bad Immortals Nix equivalent, apparently). Will they escape before the island blows?? You know the drill, faithful reader. Read the book!

This is a very good entry in the IAD series (gruesome torture aside). A bit darker in tone – hello, set in a prison – it expands the IAD world even more. Until now, humans haven’t had much going on in the coming/happening Accession, but The Order is something to be reckoned with and they have connections on the inside of the Lore…that can’t be good. But Dreams of a Dark Warrior is.

Grade: B+

Summary:

HE VOWED HE’D COME FOR HER . . .

Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

SHE AWAITS HIS RETURN . . .

When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world.

TO SATE A DESIRE MORE POWERFUL THAN DEATH . . .

Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in the series:

Sandy M’s review of Earl of Darkness by Alix Rickloff
Historical Paranormal Romance published by Pocket 28 Dec 10

When I first started reading this book, I was quite taken. It starts out different and intriguing. But something happens along the way.

I like the lead characters. Cat is of noble blood but has been outcast, so she’s doing what she has to to survive. Aidan is a nobleman, an earl, and he’s tortured by the loss of his family, especially the death of his father, and he’s determined to find out what actually happened to his sire. To do that he has to have his father’s diary translated. Both he and Cat are Other, a mix of human and Fey. They each have their own powers. Cat’s is the ability to read languages. So when Aidan catches her red-handed stealing said book, he forces her to translate it for him in lieu of sending her off to prison. This concept works for me and I like the first number of chapters that set the stage for it all. After that, things just get too convoluted and a tad too complicated, and I found myself getting easily distracted.

Aidan’s cousin is introduced. There’s a couple of villains, one plain evil and one you feel for on occasion. Bad guys hired by the villains come and go. Eventually a madman and his lady friend are introduced. And, of course, with all of these introductions the plot gets thicker and thicker, we’re introduced to characters who are no longer, and through it all Aidan takes the brunt of the evil needed to combat evil while he’s also fighting Cat and his attraction to her. Cat just wants out initially, but after what she discovers in the diary she later wants to help Aidan, even as she becomes attracted to him too. All of this is in between the new characters that pop up and I just lost interest the more it went on and on. Especially when one character has had the answers all along and we go through a long drawn-out dance with that person before those answers are spit out out of the blue. I feel like I wasted a heck of a lot of time after that revelation.

Another drawback for me are all the incomplete sentences Ms. Rickloff uses in her writing. Sometimes those work and sometimes they don’t. Because there’s so many used in this book, they don’t work most of the time. I found myself having to re-read too paragraphs just to sort those sentences out. I think if they’d been used for one character’s point of view it might have worked better, but it’s throughout the entire book and just gets to be too much. It doesn’t enhance anything when it’s so overused. Other than that, the writing is sufficiently dark to bring out the same in the storyline.

The interaction between Aidan and Cat also suffers from all of these issues. I wanted more time with them together instead of fighting that much evil and each other. There’s plenty of evil, so a little more romance would have balanced it all out. Even when they acknowledge their feelings, they still go at one another and I just got fed up at that point.

With these issues cropping up, I started skimming here and there about three-quarters of the way through. For such a good start to the book, it’s disappointing how it just didn’t keep that consistency to the end.

Grade: C-

Summary:

The magic she tries to hide…

Born a lady, but reduced to surviving in the slums of Dublin, Catriona O’Connell has been hired to steal a mysterious book from Aidan Douglas, Earl of Kilronan. But Cat is secretly Other, an age-old mixture of Fey and human—something Aidan recognizes immediately when he surprises the lovely young burglar in his library, about to steal a magical diary.

…is the magic he desperately wants.

From the moment Aidan sees her, Cat’s spirited beauty enchants him, but her uncanny abilities are what he truly needs, for Cat can understand the mystical language in the diary he inherited from his murdered father. So Aidan makes an offer: translate the book or be thrown in prison as a thief. And as Cat slowly deciphers each page, she and Aidan are drawn together by passion . . .and into the violence of the Other world that is the Kilronan legacy. Can they defeat those who seek the book, or are their lives in even greater danger than their hearts?

Read an excerpt.

Ash’s review of A Brush of Darkness by Allison Pang
Urban Fantasy published by Pocket 25 Jan 11

I think I have been a bit burnt out on urban fantasy lately, and I have a few series that I love so I am always measuring books against those. A Brush of Darkness comes pretty damn close and I think I have found a new author to love.

First off, there will be spoilers here. There is no way for me to avoid it, just so you know.

I really, really like Abby. She is one of the most realistic heroines I have read in a long time. I feel like she could be someone I know. She talks normal, dresses normal, has normal reactions. She doesn’t have any superpowers, she doesn’t know much about the paranormal world she gets involved with, and she’s been adopted by a leg-humping mini unicorn.

Abby is in over her head, but she won’t ever admit it. Right away we are introduced to Brystion, an incubus with his own agenda. I love the banter between them.  Brystion might make her feel like a school girl with a crush, but she stands on her own with him. She admits she wouldn’t mind being naked with him, but that doesn’t mean she’s going to hop into bed. Considering he is an incubus, this book could have easily slid into erotica territory, but Allison Pang does a great job of not using it as an excuse for them to have sex. There is emotion between them that made it more than just physical.

The world Allison Pang has created is rich and yet uncomplicated. The scene of Abby managing the magical marketplace is one of my favorites. Nothing really happens, aside from the appearance of Phineas the unicorn, but it adds something more to the story.  There are fae, daemons, werewolves, pixies, angels, and so many more different types of beings.

I think my favorite so far is Phineas. He is a unicorn, but not the flowers and rainbow kind. His favorite place to sleep is Abby’s underwear drawer, and he has a thing for biting people in the butt. He is not what Abby or I expected. We are learning along with Abby, and I like that. I really can’t wait to see what else we find out about in the next book, and there is so much to choose from.

The mystery is intriguing and it doesn’t take long to figure out some of the pieces, but the end is surprising enough to satisfy. A big thing is revealed and I never saw it coming.

My one problem with the story is how things are left with Abby and Brystion, and this is where the spoiler comes in. Throughout the book they grow to care and even love each other. Yes, there are betrayals and hurt from both sides, but I feel the way they parted is out of character, at least for Brystion. I really thought he would fight to be with Abby, instead of walking away like it’s no big deal. Their relationship is a huge part of the book, and I feel let down. I know  that there is a Book 2 coming, and I am hopeful it’s not really the end for them, but this is not the ending I’m looking for after such a great story.

Grade: B+

Summary:

The man of her dreams might be the cause of her nightmares.Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

No excerpt found.

Ash’s review of Haunted by Your Touch by Jeaniene Frost, Sharie Kohler & Shayla Black
Paranormal Romance published by Pocket 26 Oct 10

I’ve been really looking forward to this anthology. It has two authors I really like, Jeaniene Frost and Shayla Black, and another I have wanted to try.

Night’s Darkest Embrace by Jeaniene Frost

Jeaniene Frost is first up and I was kind of expecting more. I love her Night Huntress series and this just isn’t as good. I think what dragged it down for me is Mara. She seems like a completely different person by the end of the story, personality wise. I think Raphael would have been better with someone else. Aside from that, I love the world and I would love to have more stories set there.

Grade B

Enter the dark realm of Nocturna in Jeaniene Frost’s red hot tale, where blisteringly sexy Raphael dominates the demons of a lawless dimension and tries to help a beautiful young woman avenge her cousin’s disappearance.

Read an excerpt.

Mated by Shayla Black

Next up is Shayla Black’s story, and I must say I;m so disappointed. If I hadn’t already read the first book in her Doomsday Brethren series, I wouldn’t pick any of them up after reading this. I like the first book a lot and I’ve been expecting something better. I couldn’t stand Raiden at all, he continues to hurt Tabitha, and she lets him. She keeps saying she wants to be with him, and he keeps telling her no, to the point of being cruel, but she doesn’t seem to care. He even spends the night before the story starts with another woman, one whose name he can’t remember. Honestly, I want her to leave him. I am still going to read the other books in this series, but now I’m not in any rush to.

Grade D

In the shadowy world of Shayla Black’s Doomsday Brethren, magical warrior Raiden vows to protect his woman and their unborn youngling from evil—and deliver her safely to another man. But once he’s saved her, can he let her go?

Read an excerpt.

Darkest Temptation by Sharie Kohler

Sharie Kohler finishes up the book with a story that looks like it’s set in the same world as her paranormal series. I haven’t read anything by her and I can’t say I am ready to rush out and buy any. This story is just so-so, not very detailed and it seems rushed. Compared to the other two, it’s just plain boring. The hero almost saves it, but he doesb’t quite make it there.

Grade D-

Lycans rule the night in Sharie Kohler’s suspenseful story, as a fiery woman stalks mysterious Luc, the undeniably hypnotic being she believes can save her from turning . . . if she kills him. Danger beckons in these captivating paranormal tales that will tempt readers to the edge and leave them begging for more.

No excerpt available.

Overall, not the best anthology I’ve read. I was expecting more out of it, and I wish I had borrowed it from someone instead of buying it.

Grade: C

C2’s review of The Best of Friends by Susan Mallery
Contemporary romance published by Pocket 28 Sep 10

Remember being young and having a huge crush on an older, completely unattainable guy?  Someone who, if he even acknowledged your existence did it in the most offhand manor imaginable…since you’re practically strangers, really.  Still, you just know he’s the most smartest, most wonderful guy EVER.  Well, what if – years later – you meet that guy again and get a chance to get to know him and maybe even have a fling with him?  OMG!  The Best of Friends takes that premise and runs with it.

Our heroine is Jayne Scott.  Her mother died when she was in high school and Jayne went to live with her best friend Rebecca’s family.  Jayne had a huge crush on Rebecca’s older brother David.  He didn’t live with the family any longer so Jayne only saw David on the occasional visit but that’s all her crush needed to survive.  David only saw her as the quiet friend of his wild-child sister.

Years later, Jayne still lives on the fringes of the Worden family. David is off traveling the world and Rebecca is estranged from the family – though she and Jayne remain in contact – so Jayne helps out if the Wordens need her.  Mrs. Worden is often demanding of Jayne’s time and expects Jayne to drop everything to do whatever task she is assigned, with little or no thanks. While the older Wordens are abroad, Mrs. Worden instructs Jayne to open up the house because David is coming home.  Jayne is glad to help and hopes David might actually see her as a person.  Her hopes for making a good impression on him are doomed, however.  Just as he is walking in the door, she is flailing across the floor of the foyer, trying to hold onto a very heavy vase.  The vase survives the trip intact; Jayne’s wrist does not.  Although not the first impression she wanted to make, Jayne gets a chance to spend some time with David at the hospital and learns he is a genuinely nice guy.

David has come back home to settle down, work more regular hours, start thinking about starting a family.  Since he won’t let his mom help him find a house, Mrs. Worden assigns the task to Jayne.  David is willing to let Jayne accompany him as he checks out houses – on the condition that she not report back to his mom.  As they spend time together and get to know one another, David and Jayne are increasingly tempted to start a relationship – even though they know there is potential for things to go horribly wrong.  Even after they are romantically involved, David and Jayne know they can’t tell his family because they know the reactions would not be good.

My one struggle with the book was the portrayal of the “bad” characters – the people trying to keep Jayne and David apart – I know people are rude and petty and self-centered but sometimes it felt like I that was being hammered home a little too hard.  I mean…yes, I get that Rebecca is self-absorbed and needy;  yes, Mrs. Worden is a cold-blooded bitch only concerned with her social standing…let it go a little?  However, that sort of characterization isn’t uncommon in Ms. Mallery’s books and it doesn’t stop me from enjoying them.

The best part of the book was that Jayne and David are adults – not just by age but by actions.  They are self-aware and able to articulate their feelings.  Even when they are behaving in ways opposite to how they know they should act, they acknowledge their actions.  Jayne and David seem like real people – they think like real people, talk like real people, do things any one of us might do in similar situations.

Even toward the end of the book, when – because of the situations around them – it seems like a relationship between them would be too hard, David and Jayne ring very true.  Sometimes, as much as our romantic hearts don’t want to admit it, true love doesn’t conquer all.  Sometimes life has other things in store for us.  But will love win out for Jayne and David?  Ah, faithful reader, you must find that out for yourself.

Grade: B-

Summary: In high school, studious Jayne Scott and wild child Rebecca Worden became unlikely best friends—a tie that endured even after Rebecca fled her family to live overseas. After Jayne’s mother passed away, she became part unpaid assistant, part surrogate daughter to the wealthy Wordens. But now, ten years later, Rebecca is coming home to L.A. to cause havoc for Elizabeth, the mother who all but rejected her. And Jayne finds herself pulled deeper into the Wordens’ complicated family dynamics—especially when Rebecca’s brother, David, returns as well.David is the man Jayne always wanted and knew she could never have. But when he gravitates toward her in spite of Elizabeth’s protests, her vow to escape the family’s shadow is put to the ultimate test. And as lies are shattered and true feelings exposed, Jayne must decide where loyalty ends, and love begins. . .

Read an excerpt

Liviania’s review of Venom (Elemental Assassin, Book 3) by Jennifer Estep
Urban fantasy released by Pocket 28 Sept 10

Venom is the second book I read recently that I thought was the end of a trilogy instead of just the third in an ongoing series.  It made me sad when I realized the ongoing plot would not be resolved, although Jennifer Estep did bring several threads of the story to a satisfying conclusion.  Of course, it also means I get to enjoy more books with these characters.  I do like Gin Blanco, since she plows through angst quickly.

Gin now knows who killed her parents and needs to face down Ashland’s underworld to avenge them.  First up is Mab’s right-hand giant Elliot Slater, who is pursuing Gin’s mildly friendly acquaintance Roslyn Phillips against her will.  He makes for a truly disgusting and threatening villain, which is good.  (With an assassin for a heroine, the bad guys have to be really bad.)  I wish Gin could go after the head honcho immediately, but I might’ve been more content if I hadn’t thought Venom was the last book of the Elemental Assassin series.

Donovan Caine is officially out of the picture.  Owen Grayson, however, is eager to replace him in Gin’s life.  Heroine Gin may have retired from the assassin business, but pro bono cases just keep cropping up.  As a cop, Donovan couldn’t deal, but Owen knows the criminal side of life.  He owns the kind of weapons that impress Gin.  I like that Gin is willing to move on while she’s still recovering from the break-up.  She’s got a bit of a gooey center, but she is the kind of person who deals brusquely with emotional pain.  Plus, I like how he attracts Gin.  She knows little about him, but she’s kind of interested just because he’s clearly interested.  It’s understandable to want to be around a guy who makes you feel especially desirable.

On the family vengeance front, Bria – Gin’s long lost younger sister – has just transferred to Ashland.  She’s looking for whoever killed her mother and sisters too, but she became a cop.  I liked her level-headedness.  She remains a bit unknown though, since Gin refuses to get close.  I really, really wished Gin would reveal their relationship like Finn (her adopted brother) encouraged.  It’s one of those things that you know is going to bite her in the ass when it finally comes out.

While Bria remains somewhat enigmatic, Venom does reveal more about secondary characters who have been around since Spider’s Bite.  Gin learns more about Sophia and Jo-Jo Deveraux, the dwarf sisters who clean up her messes and heal her wounds respectively.  I liked learning about Sophia, because I think she’s one of Estep’s most creative touches in the series.  Who hasn’t wondered what happens to all those bodies urban fantasy protagonists leave lying around?

Venom might not have been the end, but it looks like there are more interesting things to come.  Gin’s secondary powers are developing now that she’s more comfortable with her magic, and developing a relationship with her sister might be on the horizon.  I hope Gin doesn’t take forever to get her vengeance, but Estep’s series is not spinning its wheels yet.  I’m also excited that Estep has a young adult series coming out in 2011.

Grade: B

Summary:

What kind of assassin works pro bono?

It’s hard to be a badass assassin when a giant is beating the crap out of you. Luckily, I never let pride get in the way of my work. My current mission is personal: annihilate Mab Monroe, the Fire elemental who murdered my family. Which means protecting my identity, even if I have to conceal my powerful Stone and Ice magic when I need it most. To the public, I’m Gin Blanco, owner of Ashland’s best barbecue joint. To my friends, I’m the Spider, retired assassin. I still do favors on the side. Like ridding a vampire friend of her oversized stalker—Mab’s right-hand goon who almost got me dead with his massive fists. At least irresistible Owen Grayson is on my side. The man knows too much about me, but I’ll take my chances. Then there’s Detective Bria Coolidge, one of Ashland’s finest. Until recently, I thought my baby sister was dead. She probably thinks the same about me. Little does she know, I’m a cold-blooded killer . . . who is about to save her life.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Ash’s review of Primal Instincts (Primes Series, Book 10) by Susan Sizemore
Paranormal Romance released by Pocket 31 Aug 10

Primal Instincts is non stop action, and it feels like it all should have happened in more than a few days. Susan Sizemore packs a lot into it, and at the same time I felt like not much happened. This is a series I don’t expect much from, but one I do enjoy. Primal Instincts was better than most of the previous books, but it has it’s share of bad parts to go with the good.

As for the good parts, I loved these two vampires together. Tobias is referred to as  an Uber-prime and I can see why. He believes he should be obeyed at all times, and he usually is. He’s not obnoxious about it, and he doesn’t flaunt his power.  He is real and he doesn’t try to seduce Flare into being with him. He tells it like it is, and I loved his own brand of charm. Flare is his perfect mate, and she didn’t annoy me once. She is smart, and doesn’t have any TSTL moments. It was nice to read a heroine who I didn’t want to smack once, and I could even imagine being friends with her.

The bad parts have much to do with their romance, or lack of. Tobias is the leader of the Dark Angels, a group of soldiers who protect their people. Throughout Primal Instincts there is a battle going on. The bad vamps are trying to take over and Tobias is in charge of making sure that doesn’t happen. What also doesn’t happen are any tender moments between Tobias and Flare. She is swept along for the ride and their love scenes happen rushed between missions or off the page. By the end I was craving something more between them, even a hug or a passionate kiss goodbye. I was left wanting, and I had lost the happy book high. My first thought after finishing it was that if it were a movie, and it had a sequel, it would be one where the couple has broken up and there is a new love interest. Not what you want to think after finishing a romance.

In spite of the issues I had, I loved the interactions between Flare and Tobias and those two characters saved the book. The other characters helped as well, and I still plan to continue reading this series. I just hope the next has more romance, and less action.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Tobias Strahan leads the elite vampire squad known as the Dark Angels, protecting the city’s paranormal denizens. It’s the perfect job for an Übermacho Prime . . . until clan heiress Flare Reynard stirs an obsession in him that refuses to fade. Flare’s mother—desperate for a grandchild—has made Tobias an intriguing proposition, and it’s soon clear to Tobias that Flare is nothing like the spoiled princess he’d assumed her to be. She’s smart as hell, wickedly funny, and loyal, and Tobias knows deep within that she is his bondmate—the bondmate every Prime searches for. Flare has every intention of providing her clan with children—but on her own terms. That means a donor and a clinic, not a wild tumble with the most potent Prime of them all. Flare knows it’s a mistake to get close to a warrior like Tobias, since their searing connection puts her heart, his loved ones, their entire world at risk. But logic is no match for fierce, instinctive desire. . . .

No excerpt found.

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 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 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.

Ash’s review of Black Magic by Cherry Adair
Paranormal Romance released by Pocket 20 Jul 10

Going into this book, I really wasn’t expecting much. I’ve read a few of Cherry Adair’s previous books and while I enjoyed them, they never really stood out. Thankfully within the first few pages I found out how wrong I was.

Paranormal books featuring witches and wizards are usually hit or miss for me. I don’t want to spend half the time trying to figure out all the rules to the world. Cherry Adair makes it pretty simple, while having a unique background for her magic users.

Right away I loved Jackson, and he is one of the better heroes I have read in a while. I never got annoyed with him, even when he was being a jerk. He felt real to me, and it was refreshing. He wasn’t some out-of-this-world superhero who has to sweep in to save the day. He doesn’t want to help out, he doesn’t want to be around Sara, and he isn’t afraid to be vocal about it.  Sara is a good match for him and a strong character, but it was always about Jackson for me.

Sara is Jackson’s ex-fiance and they have some pretty heavy baggage between them. I loved seeing them bicker back and forth, and Cherry Adair handles the tension and build-up almost perfectly. I did feel like they jumped into bed again rather fast, emotionally. One minute they are still hating each other, and the next they are agreeing to go to bed together. It felt a bit out of character for them, but I was able to overlook it. This is also a couple who broke up over a huge misunderstanding, which is something I typically can’t stand. In their case, they have been manipulated magically, so it worked for me.

Black Magic sucked me in and I had a fun time reading it. It has a great cast and an evil giant snake that is not your typical paranormal romance villain. I definitely plan to go back and give some of Cherry Adair’s other books a shot.

Grade: B

Summary:

SHE HATES USING MAGIC . . .Ever since the death of her parents, Sara Temple has rejected her magical gifts. Then, in a moment of extreme danger, she unknowingly sends out a telepathic cry for help—to the one man she is convinced she never wants to see again.

HE’S A POWERFUL WIZARD . . .

Jackson Slater thought he was done forever with his ex-fiancée, but when he hears her desperate plea, he teleports halfway around the world to aid her in a situation where magic has gone suddenly, brutally wrong.

THEY’VE BEEN CHOSEN TO SAVE THE WORLD . . .

But while Sara and Jack remain convinced they are completely mismatched, the Wizard Council feels otherwise. A dark force is killing some of the world’s most influential wizards, and the ex-lovers have just proved their abilities are mysteriously amplified when they work together. But with the fate of the world at stake, will the violent emotions still simmering between them drive them farther apart . . . or bring them back into each other’s arms?

Read an excerpt.

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.

Ash’s review of by Bitter Night (Horngate Witches, Book 1) by Diana Pharaoh Francis
Urban fantasy published by Juno (Pocket) 27 Oct 09

Urban fantasy seems to be a dime a dozen these days so when I pick up a new to me author I try not to expect much. Thankfully, Bitter Night is pretty awesome. It could probably be considered more fantasy than urban, but that never bothered me. The world is easy to understand and the characters, even the nasty ones, are easy to enjoy. The Shadowblade warriors, the ones who cannot be in the sun, and the Sunspear warriors, the ones who cannot be in the dark, are an interesting addition the the urban fantasy genre.

Max is a Shadowblade Prime, meaning she is in charge of the group of warriors magically bound to protect the witch Giselle. Her only care is to try to rid herself of the witch, or so she thinks. Everything Max fights for is about to be tested. Max is one tough woman, while being horribly wounded, over and over again, she never once backs down.

The action is non stop and the story and it’s characters are unique and refreshing. Max is a character that I was instantly drawn to. She does what she has too, but she does it her way. She can be harsh, bitter, or mean and she doesn’t make apologies for it. She is who she is and I liked her for that. I was rooting for her to save the day, and come out on top. Actually, I loved most of the characters, and there is a nice variety of them without it becoming confusing.

Max seems to pick up new allies every where she goes, and each one adds to the story. One of those allies which is Alexander, whose POV we also get. Alexander was the Shadowblade Prime to another witch, and he becomes involved with Max and her fight. Through him we can see exactly why so many people are willing to die for Max. Transitioning from one character to another is something that Diana Pharaoh Francis does well. They flow seamlessly from one to the other. Seeing through both their eyes makes the story feel fuller and more alive.

The end is really just the beginning, and Max is finally starting to figure out where she is in the grand scheme of things. I see a lot of potential with this series and I’m looking forward to what happens next.

Grade: B+

SOMETIMES YOU CHOOSE YOUR BATTLES. AND SOMETIMES, THEY CHOOSE YOU…

Once, Max dreamed of a career, a home, a loving family. Now all she wants is freedom…and revenge. A witch named Giselle transformed Max into a warrior with extraordinary strength, speed, and endurance. Bound by spellcraft, Max has no choice but to fight as Giselle’s personal magic weapon — a Shadowblade — and she’s lethally good at it. But her skills are about to be put to the test as they never have before….

The ancient Guardians of the earth are preparing to unleash widespread destruction on the mortal world, and they want the witches to help them. If the witches refuse, their covens will be destroyed, including Horngate, the place Max has grudgingly come to think of as home. Max thinks she can find a way to help Horngate stand against the Guardians, but doing so will mean forging dangerous alliances — including one with a rival witch’s Shadowblade, who is as drawn to Max as she is to him — and standing with the witch she despises. Max will have to choose between the old life she still dreams of and the warrior she has become, and take her place on the side of right — if she survives long enough to figure out which side that is….

Read an excerpt.

Liviania’s review of Pleasure of a Dark Prince (Immortals After Dark, Book 8 ) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal romance released by Pocket 16 Feb 10

Kresley Cole earned her place as one of those authors that I buy immediately.  (Well, that I buy the paperback immediately.)  With Pleasure of a Dark Prince, there were some unforeseen complications (also known as blatant lies on the Barnes & Noble site) that led to me telling far too many people I wanted Pleasure of a Dark Prince before I got my hands on the novel. 

Although I forgot the title the first time, prompting the clerk to ask me for a different title.  I came up with Winter’s Wicked Kiss.  Not an actual Cole title.  Given that the next cover is also black and white, it’s going to be even harder to keep the books apart.

While knowing the titles is a daunting task, the Immortals After Dark series has been fairly welcoming to newcomers.  However, Cole is starting to elaborate on couples first mentioned in earlier books.  First, the novella in Deep Kiss of Winter, “Untouchable,” tells about the last Wroth brother and his heroine, Daniela. Now, Pleasure of a Dark Prince explores Lucia and Garreth’s relationship, which was originally mentioned in A Hunger Like No Other.  (Yes, I did have to look that title up.)  I enjoyed seeing Emma and Lachlain’s relationship from the valkyrie point of view – and that a werewolf agreed Emma’s family had a right to interfere.  However, I wonder how a new reader would feel about that subplot, which moves fairly quickly.

Though the books are becoming less welcoming to new readers, the romance is still enjoyable.  I did have more problems with Garreth and Lucia than some of her other couples. Garreth’s determination is attractive, as is his desire to aid Lucia.  But he ignores her ability to take care of herself too often, and he’s dismissive of what she obviously considers an important vow.  On the other hand, Lucia seemed too reluctant to tell him why the vow is important.  Yes, it was a shameful part of her past and might make Garreth angry, but Garreth would understand her vow more if she at least told him, “If we have sex together I’ll be defenseless.”

That doesn’t mean I didn’t love them together.  It was fun to watch Garreth work his way into Lucia’s heart – and to see them figure out how to get off together without penetration.  Also, the opening scene where she keeps shooting him and he keeps flirting?  It’s awesome in a very strange way.

For fans of Regin or Lothaire, they show up a decent amount in Pleasure of a Dark Prince and it looks like they will be in Demon from the Dark, though neither will be the hero or heroine.  (For a few brief, shining moments I thought the next book would be Regin and Aiden’s.  Alas.)  Overall, this isn’t going to replace my favorites in the series.  But Cole definitely left me wanting more of the Immortals After Dark.

Grade: B-

Read more reviews and information by following this series’ tag here.

Summary:

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole enraptures again with this seductive tale of a fierce werewolf prince who will stop at nothing to protect the lovely archer he covets from afar.

A DANGEROUS BEAUTY…

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her — and those she loves.

AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED…

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED….

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia’s greatest weakness — her wanton desire for him.

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series:

Dawna’s review of A Highlander’s Destiny (Daughters of the Glen, Book 5) by Melissa Mayhue
Time Travel Romance published by Pocket 29 Dec 09

There are good things and bad things about reading one of Melissa Mayhue’s stories.  The good part is I am totally enamored with her Daughters of the Glen series.  The bad part: I don’t get anything else done once I pick up one of her books.  I knew A Highlander’s Destiny was going to be a winner the instant I went to three different bookstore locations to hunt it down and they were all sold out.  I wasn’t disappointed once I got my hands on my own copy.

Jesse Coryell is another descendant of the Fae.  He’s a tough guy and takes his work seriously.  Jesse doesn’t believe in fate and when his little niece tells him it’s time to find his destiny, he chalks it up to her wild imagination.  But somehow “destiny” keeps popping up one way or another, and when he sees an email from a potential client whose name just happens to be Destiny, he is drawn to help her.

Destiny Noble wants nothing more than to find her younger sister.  Leah is all she has after being abandoned by everyone she has ever cared about.   The police have declared her sister a runaway, but Destiny doesn’t believe that for an instant.  Her visions have shown her the truth.  They’ve also led her to Coryell Enterprises and the man destined to help her in her quest.

Together, Jesse and Destiny must race against time to save Leah from the Naudians.  Destiny will do anything to get her sister back.  But when her feelings for Jesse come to a head, she has to choose between her love for Jesse or saving her sister.

A Highlander’s Destiny is an absolute must read.  I absolutely fell in love with the characters and found myself cheering them along.  There is so much at stake for these two.  Ms. Mayhue does a superb job of drawing you in and captivating you with this story.  She works true magic with her words.

Grade: A+

Read Sandy M’s review here.

Summary:

JESSE CORYELL is a man adrift in life, searching for his destiny. He doesn’t trust women; too many have chased him for his money and power. He’s tried to lose himself in his work, taking on the worst mankind has to offer, but as a Guardian and Fae descendent, what he really needs is to find his true love. When he sets out to help a mysterious woman find her sister, what he gets is
much more than he bargained for, battling an undeniable attraction to his sexy new client while fighting to save her life and rescue her sister.

DESTINY NOBLE is desperately searching for her missing kid sister. Not even her own attempted abduction will stop her in her quest. Abandoned by everyone she’s ever loved, losing Leah is the last straw. Authorities have declared the girl a runaway, but Destiny knows better. Her dreams have shown her the truth. They’ve also shown her Jesse.

Jesse and Destiny race against time to save an innocent girl from a powerful ancient evil. Will true love be their only weapon or will they each sacrifice their own destiny in the process?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Sandy M’s review of A Highlander’s Homecoming (Daughters of the Glen, Book 6) by Melissa Mayhue
Time Travel Romance published by Pocket 26 Jan 10

Melissa Mayhue’s books are getting better and better, and if you haven’t read her yet, you are missing out on some flat-out great stories. Her Guardian books have been my favorites so far in this series, but AHH has nestled right alongside them in the No. 1 spot. Besides a terrific hero and heroine, it’s the time traveling that made this book so good.

At the end of A Highlander’s Destiny, it’s Robert who has volunteered to escort Leah, the heroine’s sister, who had been so torturously treated by Faeries, back in time so she cannot be located by those evil-doers again. This book picks up immediately with the planning stage for the trek in the works, dire warnings leveled about Fae magic, and the trip has begun. Of course, things go wrong from the beginning. Instead of landing at his home near the time he left ten years before, Robert ends up twenty years down the road, way past the time to follow through with his promise to a friend to take care of the man’s daughter. She’s no longer a young child.

In fact, Isabella is a definitely a grown woman with a mind of her own, living in a small cottage away from the grandfather she’s never gotten along with. She keeps him and everyone else at bay by appearing to be a ratty, dirty mad woman and that works for a while. Until Robert forces his way into her life. Refusing to be part of the clan politics, she returns to her home where she enjoys her solitude and an occasional visit from young Jamie, a child scared in the fire that killed his mother. Now, however, she has a protector, and Robert takes his duty seriously, even if he is a little late in getting started.

These two characters are, of course, the bright spot in the book. They are each opinionated, stubborn, and a lot of fun. Their attraction is palpable from the outset, and it grows steadily, but each tries to deny it for their own reasons. Though Isa wants nothing to do with her family, especially not wanting to inherit the whole kit and caboodle from her grandfather, she’s thrown into the middle of it all anyway, while doing her best to stay out of the enemies’ hands. She soon is grateful for Robert’s presence as well as his brawn.

Amidst all the danger, Robert has to deal with the effects of his time traveling, and Ms. Mayhue does a fantastic job in this respect. I also like the fact we get two separate instances of hurtling through time, one of which is not guaranteed to work at all. The only small disappointment I have is Robert not having the opportunity for goodbye for the second time in his life, which really surprised me because it would have been simple enough to do when all the players are present this time around.

If you love time travel, you should be reading Ms. Mayhue’s books. If you’re into Scottish historicals, you too should be reading this series. Heck, every romance reader should be reading these books just because they’re great stories. You will become a Melissa Mayhue fan in no time at all.

Grade: A+

Summary:

Scotland, Present Day. When Faerie Magic swept Robert MacQuarrie forward in time, modern medicine saved him from a fatal wound. But he also left behind an unfulfilled vow—to protect his friend’s young daughter, Isabella. Haunted by guilt for over a decade, he leaps at the chance to go back and keep that vow. The magic of the Fae works in its own mysterious ways, however.

Scotland, 1292. Isabella MacGahan has reluctantly chosen a lonely existence, scorned for her Faerie blood and uncontrollable power. When she’s caught in a conflict between clans, a pawn in the struggle for power and land, her only option is to trust a handsome stranger. One who swears he was charged with her safety a full twenty years before… although the deluded man seems little older than she is.

No one is safe when Mortal schemes and Faerie magic push Robbie and Isabella to confront their worst fears. Will the magic demand the ultimate price from them both—or will they find their true homecoming in each other’s arms?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Liviania’s review of Tempted All Night by Liz Carlyle
Historical romance released by Pocket 17 Feb 09

Once you’ve read three or more books by the same author, you’ve made some decisions about what that author’s books are like.  Character or plot driven, good or bad at weaving an action plot with the romance, better at beginnings or endings, etc.  After reading Liz Carlyle’s Never trilogy, I’d decided that she wrote frothy, light historicals that were better when focused on the romance.  After reading Tempted All Night, I was stuck thinking, “Damn, Liz.  You sure fooled me.”

I feel in love with this book the moment I finished the prologue.  Lady Phaedra Northampton is alone and dressed as a servant in a bad part of London when scandalous ne’er-do-well Tristan Talbot notices her.  Despite his slight inebriation, he escorts her home, getting her safely out of the dangerous situation she got herself into, and keeping his hands to himself despite his attraction.  He’s honorable and sexy and won my regard quicker than any other romantic hero I can remember.

But you are of course wondering why I was so surprised by Tempted All Night.  Perhaps it’s the fact the heroine is not a virgin.  Perhaps it is the search for a missing mother that is as compelling as the romance.  (And the romance is hot.)  Perhaps it is the S&M brothel.  You heard me right, S&M brothel.  The instant my fellow historical romance loving friend came over, I shoved this book into her hands.  I felt like I’d gotten rid of my shame of romance covers, doing it in front of two guys.  They instantly demanded she read some of it, and she promptly opened the book to an S&M brothel scene, making me wish I had been subtle about handing her the book.  But I digress.

I don’t want to say too much about the plot, as it’s fun to uncover Phaedra’s secrets as you read.  She’s a fabulous heroine.  She’s prim and proper in public, especially compared to her friend Zoë Anderson.  But when society isn’t looking she feels quite free to be improper and get things done.  She’s a good match for Tristan, who has been acting out to spite his father Lord Hauxton, who is in the foreign office.  But now that he’s on his deathbed, Tristan is secretly taking over his job.  They appear to be opposites but act with similar attentions.

I think fans of Carlyle’s other works will love this one.  It has her wit and style, but it’s still surprising.  She’s not treading water but trying something new, and it pays off in spades.  I wouldn’t be at all surprised if Tempted All Night shows up in my Best Books of 2009.  To me, it has a perfect combination of hero, heroine, and plot.  I hope this one wins Carlyle some new fans, since it will also appeal to those who don’t like their historicals frothy.  (As for my friend who borrowed it . . . well, she liked it too.)

Grade: A+

Summary:
Even the most careful lady can be swayed by a scoundrel . . .

Lady Phaedra Northampton is a proper English miss—but burdened by a dark secret. She’s buried her shame in running her wealthy brother, Lord Nash’s, households while hiding behind a sharp wit and dull wardrobe . . . until a reckless village maid’s disappearance pulls her into London’s seedy underworld.

A former mercenary and jaded spy-for-hire, Tristan Talbot, Lord Avoncliffe, now does little, and manages to do it scandalously. Though Tristan’s an out and out rogue, when his dying father begs him to delve into the secrets behind a notorious brothel—a perfect task for his talents!—Tristan can’t refuse. Is the brothel a front for a notorious Russian spy ring? Tristan is on the hunt—until his path collides with the oh-so-tempting Lady Phae.

Soon what should be a simple assignment becomes deliciously complicated . . . when deception and desire lead to an explosive passion—and deadly foes!
Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of A Highlander’s Destiny (Daughters of the Glen, Book 5) by Melissa Mayhue
Paranormal Romance published by Pocket 29 Dec 09

Though Ms. Mayhue’s Guardian books are part of her Daughters of the Glen series, she has spoiled me with her Guardian heroes so that they are now my favorites of all her books. The time travel aspect she normally writes is not included to the same extent as in her previous books, there’s enough magic and mysticism to make up for that.  And, as usual, her hero and heroine have secrets and issues to overcome, but when love strikes, there’s no stopping them, no matter what’s thrown in their way.

Destiny Noble has had visions all her life. They come to her in her dreams, one piece of the puzzle at a time. The latest vision has led her to Coryell Enterprises to ask for help in the search for her sister, Leah, who the police have labeled as a runaway. Refusing to believe that, Destiny follows her vision, knowing that Jesse will be the one to help her in her quest.

Finally home after completing his Guardian training, Jesse Coryell’s young niece tells him to find his destiny, and when he discovers it’s Destiny Noble who has requested help to find her missing sister, something in his Fae blood tells him to follow up with Destiny. What he finds is an independent woman who is very determined to do things her way, who is definitely hiding something from him, and who calls to him on a level no other woman ever has. He tries to deny his attraction to her, she’s a client after all, but fighting it just may not be a choice when it comes to their destiny.

Afraid of what Jesse might think of her when he finds out about her visions, Destiny holds off telling him about herself. But she learns quickly she has to trust the man for him to find her sister. The only little disappointment I have is with Destiny when she doesn’t take that trust very far. She’s constantly getting herself into trouble and never seems to learn from her mistakes when Jesse has to rescue her each time. I know she’s anxious and worried about her sister, will do anything to find her, but a couple of times she’s just downright lucky things turned out as they did when she went too far on her own.

That being said, Destiny is still a very likable character and she complements Jesse quite nicely. Jesse is a modern day Highlander, but he’s just as alpha and sexy as any medieval counterpart. They both have things they need to work out if there’s to be a relationship between them, but that’s when the trust truly does come and they talk things through to insure their future.

The villain, Adira, and her henchmen are always one step ahead of Jesse and Destiny for the most part, but eventually things turn around in their favor. I was definitely glad to see the last of Adira. Talk about a narcissistic maniac. Ms Mayhue writes those villains just as well as she does her heroes and heroines.

I also like the setup we get for the next book in the series, which is Robert’s story and will be out late January. We met him in an earlier book when he traveled through time to present day. He’s now volunteered to return to his era and I think he’s going to have the trip of a lifetime.

And I have to say I really love the covers Pocket’s artists have created thus far for Ms. Mayhue’s books. Each one is distinct and beautifully done, and you can immediately tell they’re part of a series, and, of course, Ms. Mayhue’s fans know at a glance when they see her books on a bookstore shelf.

Grade: A-

Summary:

When the worlds of Mortal and Fae collide, the magic of true love is put to the test.

JESSE CORYELL is a man adrift in life, searching for his destiny. He doesn’t trust women; too many have chased him for his money and power. He’s tried to lose himself in his work, taking on the worst mankind has to offer, but as a Guardian and Fae descendant, what he really needs is to find his true love. When he sets out to help a mysterious woman find her sister, what he gets is much more than he bargained for, battling an undeniable attraction to his sexy new client while fighting to save her life and rescue her sister.

DESTINY NOBLE is desperately searching for her missing kid sister. Not even her own attempted abduction will stop her in her quest. Abandoned by everyone she’s ever loved, losing Leah is the last straw. Authorities have declared the girl a runaway, but Destiny knows better. Her dreams have shown her the truth. They’ve also shown her Jesse.

Jesse and Destiny race against time to save an innocent girl from a powerful ancient evil. Will true love be their only weapon or will they each sacrifice their own destiny in the process?

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

Gwen’s review of Never Romance a Rake (Neville Family Trilogy, Book 3) by Liz Carlyle
Historical romance released by Pocket 22 Jul 08

I enjoy breaking up my urban fantasy and contemporary reading with a nice, refreshing historical.  I tend to the “heavier” historicals and try to avoid “teh funny” as much as possible.  This book delivered on all levels – it cleared my palate mid-pile o’ UF, and is a weighty tale that distracted and entertained me. 

I realize I’m late to this series – the last book was released a year ago last July – but at least I came along for the ride.  I’m glad I read this book before the other two.  Though it would be entertaining to read them all in order, I don’t believe it’s necessary – this book stands alone fine.

The hero is Kieran, Lord Rothewell, and the heroine a young French woman named Camille.  Through some rather tried but true authorial maneuvers, the hero “wins” the heroine in a card game (he cheats, by the way). The two are thrust together mostly by choice and somewhat by circumstance.

Kieran is a rake of the worst sort – dissolute and depressed.  He is convinced that he’s an awful person and punishes himself suitably by totally abusing his body.  Camille has been raised by two of what must be the most selfish people on the planet.  As a result her self-image is not the best.  Nevertheless, Camille is determined to have a child so that she can have someone in her life she can truly love.

What I found surprising about both of these damaged people was how much I liked them.  I’m not a fan of the “oh woe is me” type of character.  You know the kind – Kenyon’s heroes are almost all a bunch of whiney babies.  Camille and Kieran doubt themselves, and Kieran wallows a bit, but neither of them whines.  They eventually talk to each other about what has damaged them and then overcome it together.  They act like, gasp, adults!

There’s a few other things that happen in the book that made me think for a few pages that I was reading a Dynasty script.  Regardless, the book remained entertaining and didn’t fall into the “no way!” realm.  Near as I can gather, this is the only book of the trilogy that doesn’t rely on a political suspense element to carry the story.  It’s all about the couple – another thing I really liked.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a meatier romance that is truly centered on the couple.  If you’re a fan of historicals, you’ll also like it though there’s actually not much about the period in this entry.

Grade: B+

Read more reviews and information by following the series tag here.

Summary:

Baron Rothewell lives a dark, shuttered existence by day, and a life of reckless abandon by night. Scarred by a childhood filled with torment and deprivation, Rothewell cares very little anyone or anything. His life on the edge of ruin suits him—until he meets a man who just might be his nemesis. The Comte de Valigny likes to play deeply and dangerously, but Rothewell’s recklessness is undeterred. Until one night when de Valigny wagers something just a little more valuable than gold.

Mademoiselle Marchand is a desperate woman in a strange land, and her pleading eyes seem to swallow Lord Rothewell body and soul—assuming he still has one. Now the baron must play his hand with the utmost care, for at last something meaningful is at stake…

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series (I adore these covers – such pretty colors):

Gwen’s review of Vampire Sunrise (Delilah Street, Book 3) by Carole Nelson Douglas
Urban fantasy released by Pocket 24 Nov 09

I’m a huge fan of urban fantasy.  I love it when authors cut loose and create a whole new reality that’s only loosely based on the “real” reality.  It’s an opportunity to really explore the “hey, what would  happen in our world if…”.  They’re almost always set in a slightly futuristic world, too — which I find even more fun. 

This series is based on the adventures of our heroine Delilah, who has some unusual abilities that make her valuable in this world’s alternate Las Vegas.  Delilah threatens the existing were and vampire power structures, while at the same time she seems to tantalize them into keeping her around.

Naturally, she has an ex-FBI boyfriend – otherwise, she would have a tough time doing what she does.  Delilah also has one of my favorite heroine accessories – a really big, really loyal dog. Lots happens with and around that dog in this book, so if that’s one of your favorite things too, you’ll like this book.

This is the first book in this series I’ve read.  I found it stood alone fine and there was little I struggled with understanding.  The author does a fine job giving the reader details without info dumping.

Douglas’s writing and storytelling rhythm is quite good in Sunrise. I immediately enjoyed reading the heroine’s thought process and internal dialogue.  The book is told in first person POV, so it’s important to like the pace.

However, there is one element of her writing that almost ruined the book for me – scene transitions.  These segues are very often clumsy, with the characters deciding – out of the blue and apparently with little to no reason – to do something or go somewhere.  The reader is jerked along for a rather bumpy ride with a “whoa – wait, why are we here again?” kind of feeling.  Sometimes very jolting.

I found this a very interesting quandary for a book told in first person POV.  It’s downright difficult to not give the reader the full skinny in this voice – almost impossible, really.  It made me think that perhaps quite a bit of this transition text didn’t make it through one of the edits.  I can’t imagine a writer not writing about why a heroine goes to a place or does an important thing.  It makes the heroine appear a bit aimless and that she’s just dithering along through life.

I also think this author hates commas.  That made some of the sentences difficult to read, but d0-able.

Nevertheless, I was entertained by the book.  I like the heroine and the story enough that I’ll probably read the next in the series.

I gave this book a C+ because it was good, but not so good that I could recommend it without reservations.  If you’re a fan of urban fantasy, books set in a future Vegas, or wry humor, you’ll like it.   But it’s a narrow recommendation.

Grade: C+

Summary:

Werewolf mobsters and vampires run Vegas, but that’s yesterday’s news for Delilah Street, paranormal investigator. What’s truly fearsome is her bloody discovery of an undead evil rooted in ancient Egypt. Now, with her lover Ric fighting for life after a grim battle, the chips are down.

But Delilah is a born winner who has never let a little danger throw off her game, and she’s been learning fast since she came to Sin City. Her affinity for silver is making mirror-walking a real breeze, and being forced to accept the albino rock star sorcerer Snow’s Brimstone Kiss has ramped up her powers to a startling new level. With the help of her trusty uber-wolfhound Quicksilver, not to mention the orange demon parking valet Manny, Delilah is determined to solve even more paranormal secrets, and hopefully save the few innocents left in town. But can Delilah win her high-stakes gamble for life and love against ancient gods and lethal supernatural odds?

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

Gwen’s review of Deep Kiss of Winter by Kresley Cole and Gena Showalter
Paranormal romance duology hardcover released by Pocket 13 Oct 09

Two of my favorite paranormal authors in ONE BOOK?  Dang.  How could I NOT read this?!  This book has one long story set in Cole’s Immortals After Dark world and another set in Showalter’s Alien Huntress world.  A terrific combination and way, way fun to read. 

Untouchable (Immortals After Dark, Book 7) by Kresley Cole (256 pages)

This story/book (long for a story) takes place roughly the same time as several of the other Immortals After Dark entries.  This one tells the story of the “man-whore” brother of the Wroth Brothers – Murdoch – and his downfall to the Queen of the Icere fae, Daniela.

The heroine and her world are so very different from anything I know.  Ice, snow, skin that burns from other’s body heat, etc., that it was difficult for me to relate.  Remember, though, that I moved to central Texas because I hate, abhor, and generally detest cold weather.  She is a good heroine, but I would have liked to see her kick a little more butt (personal preference, not a criticism).

The hero is the rake brother of the Wroth brothers.  Murdoch is used to women falling all over him and to being able to dispose of them like a used tissue.  He doesn’t want to do that with Danii and this completely perplexes him.  His normally smooth moves have all the grace of a pig on roller-skates, so you can imagine how this goes over with Danii.

The romance between these two is intense and believable.  The action is a little less than we’re used to in Cole’s other books, though it’s still fun.  Untouchable introduces a new species into the Lore – the Icere, or the ice fae.  Their world is a little “out there,” but I suppose there’s not a lot in this series that isn’t.

I enjoyed this story, though perhaps not as much as the other IAD entries.  Nevertheless, I highly recommend reading it if you’re following Cole’s saga.  I suppose this story could standalone, but I’m not sure if I’d recommend it.  You’ll get a lot more out of it if you’ve read at least one of the other Wroth brother books.

Grade: B

Summary:

KRESLEY COLE delivers a breathtaking tale of a brutal vampire soldier about to know love for the first time…and a Valkyrie aching to be touched.

Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela the Ice Maiden — the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can’t be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. Soon desperate for closeness, in an agony of frustration, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. Together, can they find the key that will finally allow them to slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?

Read an excerpt here.

Tempt Me Eternally (Alien Huntress Series) by Gena Showalter (169 pages)

I have got to read more of this series.  This is the second book I’ve read so far and I really like this world.  From what I can gather, the first one I read, Seduce the Darkness, takes place just after this story.

The hero, Breean, is a Rakan – a gorgeous male who smells like honey and cinnamon when aroused.  His blood is golden and tastes like sugar.  He’s also practically unkillable because of special abilities.  He’s puzzled by the heroine because he feels that he wants her and no other – apparently something unusual for his kind.

The heroine, Aleaha, is of unknown extraction and is a shapeshifter.  Out of desperation, she’s impersonating a member of AIR (Alien Investigation and Removal) named Macy, and is hiding from unknown bad guys her mother warned her about but didn’t specify.

The romance evolves well, but feels a bit convenient.  I enjoyed the story but felt like very little outside of the plot moves forward.  This may be because I haven’t yet read the other books in the series – contrary to my vow in my review of StD and for which I feel eternally remorseful.  I think I’d get a lot more out of the story if I did.

I recommend this story if you’re following the Alien Huntress series.  It stands alone, but I think a reader will get more out of it if they’re reading the series.

Grade: B

Summary:

GENA SHOWALTER puts a daring spin on a tale of huntress and hunted…and concocts a sensual chemistry that is positively explosive.

Aleaha Love can be anyone — literally. With only skin-to-skin contact, she can change her appearance, assume any identity. Her newest identity switch has made her an AIR (alien investigation and removal) agent and sends her on a mission to capture a group of otherworldly warriors. Only she becomes the captured. Breean, a golden-skinned commander known for his iron will who is at once dangerous and soul-shatteringly seductive, threatens her new life. Because for the first time, Aleaha only wants to be herself….

Read an excerpt here.

I enjoyed this duology quite a bit.  I like reading anthologies and the stories in this one are particularly nice because of their length.  If you’re following these series, you do not want to miss it, though you may want to wait for it to come out in paperback.

Overall Grade: B

Connect to more reviews and information for these series by clicking on the tags below.

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Immortals After Dark Series:

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Related YA books in the “Teen Alien Huntress” series:

Lawson’s review of Bound by Your Touch by Meredith Duran
Historical romance released by Pocket 30 Jun 09

Duran’s first book, Duke of Shadows, was a great debut and a powerful story. If you haven’t read it, you should, though it is a stand alone book and has no relation to this story. After reading this one, it’s clear that Duran puts a lot of research into her books and tries as hard as possible to get details that help make the story. While I didn’t know the exact year, there were enough details to help give a general time frame in the 1880s.

Lydia Boyce is the oldest of three sisters and hoping to get her youngest sister Antonia married this season so that she can go join her father on his digs in Egypt. Her middle sister, Sophie, is already married and helping give Antonia a season with her husband’s money. While trying to raise funds for her father by giving a lecture at the Archeological society, Lydia is rudely interrupted by James Durham, Viscount Sanburne. Lydia gives James a scathing setdown and embarrasses him publicly (and in front of his father) and disparages of ever getting funding to help her father’s digs.

James has a conspiracy theory on his mind after the incident at the Archeological Society and sets out to prove that Lydia, her father and possibly his own father set him up to be a laughingstock in the academic world, since he’s far too popular to be shunned by society. Instead he and Lydia find someone passing off fake artifacts in London and are forced to work together because someone has done worse things than sending forgeries from Egypt.

In all of this James begins to see the shy, vulnerable woman behind Lydia’s bookish exterior and Lydia sees a hurt, troubled man beneath James’ devil-may-care antics. Their search for the truth encompasses some foreign intrigue, foreign policy and the discovery about their own family’s actions and how that has shaped their own lives. Both James and Lydia are forced to accept their family situations and perhaps the fact that being themselves is the best freedom of all.

There’s a lot of heavy emotional baggage that both James and Lydia have to deal with. Lydia had been serious about a man who ended up marrying her sister. She’s felt betrayed for many years by her sister’s actions and when the truth comes out it’s refreshing to see both characters had their own motivations, though Sophie comes out as the more selfish one. The other thing is the abandonment the sisters feel due to the fact that their father is always in Egypt instead of London. Lydia feels it most of all because she has molded her life to fit her father’s antiquities trade and her studies to one day join him on a dig.

James has a horrible relationship with his father, always trying to get attention away from his father and punish his father for a past mistake that happened to his sister. He’s seen as mad and his sister has been put in the country for a horrific act of hers that James blames himself for. He thinks his father is keeping her locked away and this drives a wedge in the father-son relationship. James also feels as though he’s a prisoner of society since he’s always being watched and is expected to behave a certain way at all times.

The roles in society and how James and Lydia deal with them in their own way is rather interesting. Lydia is almost the stereotypical spinster in the fact that she’s always done things propriety dictates and is rather prudish about behavior and thinks this is what will get her younger sister to marry. James hates that because he has a title and wealth he has duties and chafes under the social strictures that ostracized his sister. While it seemed okay, when Lydia is able to let herself go, it sadly shows that she’s been pretending to be someone else for most of the book and hasn’t ever really been true to herself.

The other thing that was a bit off, is the fact that both fathers end up the opposite of how they started off as. To give details would spoil the story, but what Lydia and James believe about their respective fathers gets so turned around it doesn’t ring true for the rest of the characterization of James, Lydia or their families. It comes across as trying to give the hero and heroine too much to overcome to get to the happy ending at the end.

The historical feel of the book was excellent though. There were plenty of descriptions of events not only in London but around the world to give a Victorian feeling to the story. What I enjoyed most was the idea that being a bookish sort, Lydia would be the type to expound upon her own opinions about Home Rule (that would be Ireland), the poor, the Egypt situation and others if she happened to find herself at the same dinner party as Gladstone.

I’m interested to see where the story continues going as the next book, out in July, follows Phin Granville who has a part in this story and is a school friend of James’. Phin works in a secretive fashion for the government and his motivations for being who he is do seem rather interesting. Be sure to be on the lookout at the end of the month for Phin’s story.

Grade: C+

Summary:
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Silver-tongued Viscount Sanburne is London’s favorite scapegrace. Alas, Lydia Boyce has no interest in being charmed. When his latest escapade exposes a plot to ruin her family, she vows to handle it herself. Certainly she requires no help from a too-handsome dilettante whose main achievement is being scandalous.
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But Sanburne’s golden charisma masks a sharper mind and darker history than she realizes. He shocks Lydia by breaking past her prim facade to the woman beneath . . . and the hidden fire no man has ever recognized. But as she follows him into a world of intrigue, she will learn that the greatest danger lies within—in the shadowy, secret motives of his heart.
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Read an excerpt

Sandy M’s review of Dark Needs at Night’s Edge (Immortals After Dark, Book 4) by Kresley Cole
Paranormal Romance released by Pocket 1 Apr 08

This is another series that I’m behind on reading, and I hate being behind on this one because I have loved every single word of it so far. Ms. Cole has a knack for writing the type of heroes that I adore. Alpha. To the core. But with enough sensitivity to savor love when it comes their way. If I had nothing but Kresley Cole books to read, I’d be pretty damn happy all the time.

The only thing I’m unhappy about is I read the first three books so long ago, I don’t remember things as clearly as I’d like when I came across them in this book. But that doesn’t take away much from a book when the writing is this good. It goes without saying that I absolutely loved Conrad. Talk about a tortured hero. His childhood is terrible, at the brink of death turned into a vampire by his oldest brother, he is now the very creature that he’d learned to hate and hunt. Centuries later he’s nearly insane, memories from those he’s killed by drinking from their veins dogging his every waking moment.

His brothers have been searching for him for hundreds of years, wanting nothing more than to help him regain his life and his sanity. Capturing him at last they have him holed up in the abandoned home of a twentieth century Hollywood legend who died there. And now she haunts the place, has for the last eighty years. Eventually Néomi runs off any who live in her home. However, she’s now been alone for quite a while so she is ecstatic when Conrad and his brothers take up residence. She’s also stunned when she realizes Conrad is able to see and hear her.

Of course, Conrad believes his insanity is only getting worse when he sees the lovely apparition while he waits for his mind and body to calm and return to as normal as possible.  His brothers have assured him he can live without the need to kill when he feeds. The more he interacts with his beautiful ghost, he hopes that is true. But he has other troubles in the guise of a couple of demons who would do him harm, so he must take care of them before moving on with his life. It seems Néomi is not his bride, though he wants nothing more than to be with her. He will do what it takes to keep her safe and just maybe she’ll want him to stay.

These two enjoy a fun and loving relationship even before Néomi gets her second chance at life. Once that happens things change, of course; Conrad is blooded, their relationship goes to the next level, and the action takes off.  Not all turns out the way either Conrad or Néomi hope for, but what a great reason to bring in characters we know and love from the previous books. Ms. Cole kept me enthralled for all 384 pages of this book, never letting up once.

No wonder I keep going back for more.

Grade: A+

Read more info and reviews for this series by following its tag.

Summary:
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A vampire warrior consumed by madness, trapped in the lair of an otherworldly temptress only he can see. The beauty wants him gone–the warrior can’t leave. Let the games begin…
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Néomi Laress, a famous ballerina in the early 1900s, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with powers, but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away any trespassers–until she encounters a ruthless immortal even more terrifying than Néomi herself.
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To prevent him from harming others, Conrad Wroth’s brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. There only Conrad can see the dancer with wild raven hair–who seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature inflames him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own.
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Yet even if Conrad can win Néomi and claim her completely, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him?
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Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series:

		Not That Innocent,anthology with Cole,Kenyon, Showalter,and Kohler, coming31 Jul 09