Gwen’s review of Playing Easy to Get by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Jaid Black, and Kresley Cole
Paranormal romance anthology released by Pocket 7 Feb 06
This is an older (sheesh – 2 years) anthology that I picked up because it had the first Immortals After Dark story in it – Nikolai and Myst. It also has an earlier Sherrilyn Kenyon B.A.D. story and one of those goofy underground viking stories by Jaid Black. Here’s a quick review and a handy dandy little contest at the end…
Turn Up the Heat by Sherrilyn Kenyon
(Contemporary romance)
This is a story about a Mob enforcer from the wrong side of the tracks in a seedy part of Staten Island who wants out of the game. He gets help from a rich, connected childhood friend and ends up, through some interesting happenstance, meeting the love of his life – a wholesome southern girl who looks like a dairy maid. With me so far?
This was an entertaining read. The ending was a bit far-fetched, but any book in Kenyon’s BAD world is a bit that way. Once I let go of my “bullshit detector” and just enjoyed the story, things got a lot better. Pulitzer Prize-winning material it ain’t, but isn’t bird-cage liner either.
Grade: C+
Read an excerpt.
Hunter’s Oath by Jaid Black
(Contemporary/Speculative romance)
Our heroine is a beautiful young woman who lost her parents a few years before and her brother a few days before she’s kidnapped and sold to viking bride merchants. She is then sold to a viking warlord in a weird underground viking society.
I really hate these stories and I don’t know why I keep reading them. They’re a combination of all that is bad about paranormal, erotic romance, and 1980’s style captive bride bodice rippers. Triple blech. The only reason I didn’t give it an F is it’s actually somewhat readable, it’s just dreck by my book. Perhaps there are some fans out there, but I ain’t one of them. Luckily it’s short.
Grade: D
Read an excerpt.
The Warlord Wants Forever by Kresley Cole
(Paranormal romance)
This story is the beginning of the Immortals After Dark series. I know! More IAD goodness! Cole is consistently good in this first story of the series. The Valkyries are a hoot! Nikolai is suitably tortured. The romance is believable (for a Valkyrie and a Vampire, that is). And the story is just way fun.
I loved this story and it alone is worth the price of the book (plus it’s LONG). I love how Cole manages to surprise me with the emotional development of her characters. There’s so much free will going on, that it’s very gratifying when the h/h finally come together. Gosh – I hope that makes sense. Don’t miss this story!
Grade: A
Summary:
Nikolai Wroth, once a ruthless human warlord in the 1700s and now a general in the rebel vampire army, needs to find his Bride, the one woman who can render him truly alive. As a turned human, he doesn’t enjoy a heartbeat or breaths and is consequently weaker than natural born vampires. He wants his Bride for the power she will bring him and can hardly believe it when his heart beats for Myst the Coveted, a mad, fey, mythological creature.
Myst is known throughout the world as the most beautiful Valkyrie, part chillingly fierce warrior, part beguiling seductress who can “make you want her even as she’s killing you.” She has devoted her life to protecting an ancient, powerful jewel and to fighting the vampires, and she now sees a way to torment one-for with Wroth’s heartbeat comes consuming sexual desire that can only be slaked by her.
She eludes him for five years, but he has finally chased her to ground and stolen the jewel which commands her, giving him absolute power over her. While he possesses it, he can make her do anything, and he plans to in order for her to experience first hand the agonizing, unending lust she’d purposely, boastingly, subjected him to for half a decade. Yet when Wroth realizes he wants more from her and frees her, will she come back to him?
Read an excerpt.
This was a fun anthology, even if one of the stories wasn’t my cuppa tea. I highly recommend it to any fans of these three authors. It’s a “can’t miss” book for the Kresley Cole IAD fans, though.
Overall Grade: B
Summary:
New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon and rising stars Jaid Black and Kresley Cole unlock the pleasures and perils of embracing the boldest and most powerful of lovers — 100% alpha males — in three sensually erotic tales. Discover the physical rapture of his muscular arms…. Become a prisoner of passion, swept away by an encounter with his primal side…. And get lost in the all-consuming thrill of white-hot pursuit by a relentless stranger who may be your most dangerous foe, the best lover you’ve ever had — or both.
Let your fantasies run wild with these unforgettable novellas where bigger is most definitely better — and playing easy-to-get is the only way to go!
CONTEST! Comment here by midnight Wednesday according to the blog timestamp (12:00am US Central, Thursday, technically) with what you love about the Immortals After Dark series or Kresley Cole’s books in general and you could win one of four copies of this book, all SIGNED by Kresley Cole!
What I love about the IAD series is hard to say, because I haven’t gotten to read any of them yet. But I have a copy of Dark Needs at Night’s Edge waiting on my bed at home and cannot wait to read it because I’ve heard such good things about Cole.
OH OH OH I want to read about Nikolai and Myst’s story!!! Am I precluded? *cries*
I juuuuuuuuuust started Kresley Cole’s books – have read the first two, about to get the third, and will soon have the fourth. Loved them! I love how – as she wrote in a blog post- that she “switches it up” – the women have the safety net, but the men are the “down trodden” – also, well, I can’t imagine what’s not to like about them.
They’re frank, irreverent, throw in crazy pop culture references, but about crazy powerful old school beings!
The heroes. They aren’t macho assholes…they’re uncertain. 🙂 Plus I love the Valkyries. Always brightens up my day.
So if I have yet to succumb to the love of Ms Cole’s characters, I’m ineligible? *pout*
that I picked up because it had the first Immortals After Dark story in it
lies all lies
she picked it up cuz she didn’t remember the box was a PRIZE box…
no lime you can’t play, azteclady… uh dunno talk to gwen on that one.
… dammit.
remind me why I jumped into the pond again? 😛
The series is not comparable to any other. It’s absolutely unique. I guess that’s why so addictive
I haven’t read Kresley Cole of the Immortals After Dark series, but I would love to.
I’ve heard a lot of good things about the Immortals series. I’d love to try it. 😉
I’ve particularly enjoyed Ms. Cole’s historicals as they’re very sexy and romantic reads. Should try more of her paranormals! And I always am happy to check out anthologies.
I don’t remember much about the other two stories, but Kresley’s makes it worth getting – must read this one if you are a fan of IAD.
I really love how she changes up each hero, heroine, and story line in the IAD and historical books. There is a story for everyone and a lot of kick-butt women, which is always fun to read about!
I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the series yet but do have it on my list of series to start. I’ve heard wonderful things about the series.
Hey Gwen! Nice contest!
I love the diversity of Cole’s characters in the IAD series. And I don’t just mean the diversity in their creature features so to speak, but in their personalities, too. They’re all soooo different from one another. I also love the dialogue. Its so fresh, witty and realistic to me. She’s also one of those authors who can really invoke a whole wide range of emotions in me all in one novel. I’ve truly laughed out loud reading her books… and I’ve cried too. And her heroines are amazing. Umm.. can you tell Cole’s one of my favorite authors? 😉
I thought I didn’t read any authors, but when I saw the cover and title of “Playing Hard to Get”, I did read this. But I don’t remember what it was about since I read it so long ago. I do love to have a chance to try out some other books by Kresley Cole.
I’m so forgetful. 🙁
Actually, I am new to Kresley Cole’s books and am just beginning to read one. However, the excerpts that I have come across and read indicate a wonderful stories with fascinating characters and some spice, too. How can I not love that?
I love the adorable craziness of the majority of the female characters – particularly the Valkyrie, the Hie (Amazing Race for the Lore) and Lachlan McRieve… Not only is he royalty but he amputates his own leg to get to his mate!
(Ok, that last bit sounded kinda gross – but trust me and just read the books!)
Sybil sez
azteclady makes big puppy eyes to Gwen.
Pretty please?
Despite rumors to the contrary, I
cancan’t be bought.Damn fingers! 😉
Contest is closed folks! Congratulations to the winners and to those of you who tried, keep trying! You know we have lots to give away!