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Tuesday, October 26, 2010

A Great read by Cynthia Eden


Cynthia Eden delves into the dark realms of the Others, where desires and dangerous games await the unsuspecting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Assistant DA Erin Jerome has a secret. Make that two. One: She's not entirely human-she's Other, desperately trying to keep her supernatural strength under wraps. Two: she's got a killer stalking her-an Other rogue set on gifting her bloody corpses, not to mention nights lying awake in terror. Small wonder she's been having bad luck with men.
But the bounty hunter on her new case isn't worried about any of that. Jude Donovan is a shapeshifter himself, and the new DA's midnight hair and addictive scent tell him all he thinks he needs to know: She's gorgeous, she's definitely not human, and she's bringing out the animal in him in a really good way. He might have to track a psychotic Other stalker through half of Louisiana. But he might also get the chance to watch Erin's wild side come out and play.



  • Paperback: 352 pages
  • Publisher: Brava; Original edition (January 1, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0758234287
  • ISBN-13: 978-0758234285
  • Available at Amazon.com



 My Thoughts...........

I really enjoyed this book. This is the first time read for me of Cynthia Edens books and won't be the last. Like her style of writing. This book was very fast paced that kept you interested. Erin hired a Bounty Hunter Jude who is a notorious bounty hunter who is a shapeshifter who turns into a deadly tiger who is hired to track and killer and who is also stalking Erin. The attraction between Erin and Jude is forming almost from the get go and is very intense.Erin although hesitant tries to fight her attraction from Jude as she is hiding a secret that she does not want uncover.But who can fight the attraction not her.Once Erin's home as invade and she terrorized she flees to Jude arms where the start the quest together to solve this puzzle and crime. A lot of twists and turns and the ending had me guessing but I didn't really have a clue the book after all ended it was a surprise ending which made the book more exciting ! A must read for your To Read Pile...



Lord of The Isles by Debbie Mazzuca

After traveling to Scotland on business, the bed of a highland laird is the last place Ali Graham expected to wake up. But there's no mistaking the irresistibly masculine Scottish Highlander whose chamber she's accidentally infiltrated - or the severe wound he's suffered in battle. As a doctor, Ali knows how to heal his injury, how to nurse his body back to health. What she doesn't know is how to heal his heart...A proud warrior and the leader of a powerful clan, Rory MacLeod is ready to fight to the death to protect his homeland. After all, ever since tragedy robbed him of his wife, he has had nothing to lose. Yet the mysterious woman sent to tend his wounds is beginning to reawaken something inside him - something that he'd rather stay buried. But when true passion is mixed with Scottish magic, even the most fearsome warrior could begin to fall.
 
My Thoughts....
 
This is the first time reading this author and I really loved this book.You could not but love the characters in this book and the slow developing romance between Rory and Ali. This was and adventurous time travel with some twists along the way that I was not expecting which was a real treat. Ali visits  Scotland where she end up at a Bed in Breakfast that was mistaken for the Inn she was booked at. The owner a sweet old man lends a hand to to invite her to stay and get out of the rain and remain there to dry off and get something to eat. He lends her the old Laird 's bedroom to take a nap and ends of in the bed of a hurt and injury laird Rory MacLeod in another time just in time to save his life. Ali learns later on that Rory's friends and family raised the Fairy Flag in hopes of saving him. While Rory is waiting for the Laird to awaken she sets forth to help his people around the castle in need to put to rights his home. The family has to hide the truth of how Ali came to be from the Laird by making up a story of where she came from. Ali abides her time in order to figure a way home . But her knowledge of healing sets tongues talking that she is a witch. Rory comes to her defense and saves her this time  but Rory's intending Betrothal-ed stirs more havoc  in the household of more accusations of being a witch and knows she must find a way home before she is burned at the stake.But while there Ali learns a few surprises about herself  does she carry  fairy blood  that she new she new had ?After all that maybe what she needs to be able to summon the King of the fairies in order to get  herself home or she already home? Look forward to reading other books by Deborah. I book to add to your read pile.....


A Witch In Time (A Bewitching Mystery) by Madelyn Alt


Stony Mill, Indiana's newest witch, Maggie O'Neill, has been attached at the hip to the smoking-hot Marcus Quinn. Things couldn't get any better- until her sister Mel gives birth to not one, but two babies...
Maggie's visiting Mel in the hospital when a whispered conversation in a cafeteria sends chills down her spine. She can't make out what they're saying, but Maggie knows malice when she hears it. The next night, death visits the hospital...twice. Nobody bats an eye, but Maggie knows something sinister is haunting the hospital. Now she'll need help if she's going to tie two murders to one killer.

My Thoughts....
This book is part of  a series the 6th installment.While attending her sister Mel  and the birth of her children  she over hears a conversation of a crime being committed of a member of the Watkins family.So she sets her sites about solving the crime and turning up suspects as she goes along the way side by side with that hunk of a man Marcus. While Maggie thinks she now had the mystery figured out up pop a few new clues to turn her head from her first suspect. Fast pace and easy read had it finished in a couple of hours.Check out the rest of Madelyns witch series that is available at Amazon.com. Discovered Madelyn books while browsing  my local library. Her series and been full of fun and laughs...

  • Hardcover: 304 pages .Also available in paperback and kindle
  • Publisher: Berkley Hardcover; 1 edition (April 6, 2010)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0425232611
  • ISBN-13: 978-0425232613


Other Books Available by Madelyn









Monday, October 25, 2010

And Interesting Read by Olivia Starke

Fiesty and independent Cassie Archer moves into her late grandmother's home after inheriting it along with a beat up old truck, a nearly as old deaf Yorkshire terrier, and two goats. Her mundane life in the little Kansas town is upended when she meets level headed (and incredibly sexy) Sheriff Garrett Daniels. Suddenly the two are dealing with Cassie's estranged ex-con father, a witch's ghost, and a Book of Spells. Is there one last healing spell in the works for Cassie's jaded heart?
Original Language: English
Publisher: Publisher: Cobblestone Press
Country: USA
Publication Date: 2009
ISBN: 978-1-60088-473-3
Page Count: 41
Available through Amazon.com

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Kate Douglas's Thoughts

I dunno if piracy is the culprit or maybe just the poor economy, but I'm hearing from so many people asking me WHY Wolf Tales is ending after twelve novels and nine novellas over the past five years, and I wanted to give my take on it. The long and the short of it is, my publisher wants me to wrap it up. Sales have dropped off and it's time to end it. The question is, why have sales fallen so precipitously that I'm penning the final book in the series?

I've got my own theory, and it's not a pretty picture. I think digital piracy is to blame.

Wanting to write my stories and being able to afford to write them are two different things--and it's my publisher's call as to whether or not the books are selling well enough for them to be profitable. I'm not sure how much of the problem is due to piracy--stolen digital copies of our books--but the problem of pirated copies is rampant, and no one seems to realize that by downloading a free book, which is stealing a book (there IS no other name for it) they're taking the money directly out of the author's pocket. Those stolen copies affect sales and then the publisher can't afford to produce the book, and the series dies. It's a horribly unfortunate fact of life.

What's really awful is that I know there are readers of mine, insisting that the series HAS to keep going, who have never paid for a copy. They steal them. I know this because I see them talking about it on other lists and it infuriates me--especially when they're often the same people who write and complain about the poor quality of their pirated ebook! Other readers of mine are the guilty parties who are uploading my books to pirate sites--they buy their copy and share it with every thief around who wants to download a book. I'm not sure why they think their online generosity is so important that they would risk an author's career to make a few points with online friends, but it happens. A lot.

Is it frustrating? Yes, very, but, we live in an age of entitlement where too many people want something for nothing. Unfortunately, as an author living off her writing income, I can't afford to write a series and give it away, which is what I'm doing when people steal my books.

Kensington Publishing has hired a company to monitor piracy, but it's like playing whack a mole--you stop it at one site and someone else uploads the same file a day later. It makes me very angry and very sad, to think that something I love as much as I love writing Wolf Tales may be ending because too many people are stealing my books, but until people realize that stealing a pirated book is NOT a victimless crime, it's going to continue to be a problem. Trust me, I'm not the only victim here--the readers who want the series to continue are losing out, too. Content is not always free, no matter how much you want it to be. Someone has to create it, someone has to produce it, and that someone has to put food on the table and pay the bills.

Think about that next time you decide to download a free copy of a favorite book, just because it's there.

Okay...rant over. It's just been a very difficult week for me, writing these final scenes, and then when my "Google Alert" message showed up a bit ago, it was filled with sites making my pirated books available to anyone willing to steal a copy. On days like this, I wonder why I even try anymore.

Thursday, March 25, 2010

The Evil in Pemberley House by Win Scott Eckert & Philip Jose Farmer


For over thirty years, readers have marveled at Philip José Farmer's inventive integration of popular fiction and literature's most beloved characters, in a mythical web known as the Wold Newton Family. First described in the fictional biographies Tarzan Alive: The Definitive
Biography of Lord Greystoke and Doc Savage: His Apocalyptic Life, Farmer expanded his Wold Newton mythos in novels such as The Other Log of Phileas Fogg, The Adventure of the Peerless Peer, Time s Last Gift, Hadon of Ancient Opar, Flight to Opar, The Dark Heart of Time: A Tarzan Novel, and Escape from Loki: Doc Savage's First Adventure.
The Evil in Pemberley House, an addition to the Wold Newton cycle, plays with the Gothic horror tradition. Patricia Wildman, the daughter of the world-renowned adventurer and crimefighter of the 1930s and '40s, Dr. James Clarke Doc Wildman, is all alone in the world when she inherits the family estate in Derbyshire, England old, dark, and supposedly haunted.

Review:
Enjoyed this Gothic novel this was a first for me picked it up at the local library on a impulse. Patricia has had a rough time lately after the death of her parents and now her husband. She thinks when a letter comes from England that she is off to a new life and is up for the Challenge where upon she is considering excepting the families estates and the titles that go along with them but from the very beginning of stepping off that plane she is kidnap abused and almost raped by her three captors a cousin she has never met before now abandons her to have a sexual interlude with a barmaid along the way on her drive home and once she gets there to Pemberly she thinks she is finally safe. Well she was wrong there !. Everybody in that house has a reason to want her dead. She has to keep her wits about her just to survive . She is having visits from a ghost who she believes is now having sex with her during the middle of the night. There is only on person on her side and looking out for her. There is quite a lot of secrets that unfold throughout this book. But someone who has left her a stack of books next to her beside to read which she later learns is the history and effects on Pemberly house just that the names are change and she is starting to make sense of things. But i have to say the ending to this mystery was the best surprise ever! Leaving you wondering if there will be a sequel to this book after all.

Friday, March 19, 2010

Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs (Glory St. Claire, Book 5) (Paperback) by Gerry Bartlett

 A customer Review:
For vampire Glory St. Clare weight loss has never been an option, since vampires go through all eternity with the exact same body they had on the day they were changed. Work-out, starve yourself, get a tattoo, a piercing - doesn't matter - one night of healing sleep and you're back to the exact body you started with.

Four hundred years ago, when her on-again/off-again boyfriend Jeremiah (Blade) Campbell III turned her vampire, Glory's voluptuous body was ideal for that time - fast forward to the 21st century and now she's slightly cubby. And that's bad enough when you are running a vintage dress shop in Austin, Texas, but in Hollywood Glory can't help but feel self-conscious of her size twelve body in a size zero world.


Newly turned vampire, rock star Israel Caine (Ray to his friends), was literally dumped on Glory's doorstep and she became his mentor, teaching him how to survive his new `life'. Soon the tabloids link Ray and Glory together and to defuse the gossip they pretend to be engaged. Ray has been nominated for a Grammy award and Glory accompanies him to Hollywood to walk the red carpet at his side. Of course, the tabloids are having a field day making fun of Ray's fat fiancée.


Enjoying the active Hollywood nightlife, Glory learns of a new weight loss drug for vampires. In spite of the astronomical expense, she starts taking the drug. The very first night, Glory wakes before sunset and, if not for the intervention of her body guard, she would have fried in the sun's rays. Unfortunately, there are even more potentially fatal side effects.


Blade insists Glory stop taking the drug because its inventor is a MacDonald and the MacDonalds and Campbells have been feuding for centuries. Blade is certain Glory is being used as a tool in the MacDonald/Campbell feud.


But, the pounds are coming off and the Grammy's are just a few days away...


Will Ray win the Grammy? Will the feud between the Campbells and MacDonalds finally erupt in the war to end all wars? Will Glory live long enough to find out?


If you are new to the REAL VAMPIRE series, witty dialogue, fascinating adventures and a captivating cast of characters are just a few of the reasons all five books are must reads! Each stands alone, but read one and you'll be hooked. 

Review: 
I enjoyed yet another book by Gerry. Her books are great. They are nice easy reading and you can't help but get caught up in Glory's escapades. This time she finds sometime willing to help her lose weight but he happens to be her lovers greatest enemy. She want's more then once to be thin and is doing what ever in her power to do  taking diet supplements and exercising vigorously, drinking blood from a mortal. But she is having side effects from the supplements and crazy dreams that leaves her sleep walking and almost into the sun a few times if not for her body guards. If she keeps this up it just might kill her. But some good side effects have come from this she is awake during the day more and more each day and has seen the sun come up after centuries of going without.As always there are always problems along the way people trying to kill you, your fake lover wanting to be your lover in truth, a jealous Scotsman in your bed and your attraction to you bodyguard Rafe who is a shifter (dog) at the moment but is totally handsome when he is a man. What more could a a vampire ask for lol.


Glory St. Claire: Book 5

Real Vampires Hate Their Thighs

Glory St. Claire: Book 4

Real Vampires Don't Diet

 Glory St. Claire: Book 1

Real Vampires Have Curves

Glory St. Claire: Book 2

Real Vampires Live Large

Glory St. Claire: Book 3

Real Vampires Get Lucky


Thursday, March 18, 2010

The Pirate Bride by Shannon Drake aka Heather Graham

Those who survive the wrath of Red Robert would never guess the pirate's secret—Red Robert is a woman, masquerading as a man. Yet though the swift steel of her sword has spread her reputation to the farthest corners of the map, there is only one treasure she seeks—the blood of her lifelong nemesis…Blair Colm.
Shipwrecked on a desert isle with the handsome Logan Hagarty, she soon rediscovers her femininity in the irresistible captain's arms. But their paradise skies darken with the appearance of their common enemy. Now the two must summon all their strength and cunning to best the evil Colm, and protect the fierce love that has grown between them.

Review:
I enjoyed this story.I loved how a women became a Pirate but disguised as a man and to be a feared pirate known as Red Robert without anyone knowing. She took her tragedy and turned it into a plus and eventually found love. Although she holds revenge in her heart she learns to love and puts and end to a life long hatred to rest by hunting the man who wronged her with her new love Logan.



Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand (Kitty Norville, Book 5) by Carrie Vaughan

A customer review:

#5 Kitty Norville paranormal series. Kitty, a werewolf, and Ben (formerly her lawyer, now her fiance and pack mate) finally get fed up with planning a big traditional wedding and decide to get married in Las Vegas, much to the chagrin of Kitty's mother. They plan on combining business with pleasure by having Kitty do a live version of her radio show, The Midnight Hour, at a theater in Vegas.

However, things start falling apart when Kitty is asked by Rick, Denver's Vampire Master, to carry a message to Vegas' Master, Dom. It gets worse when the happy couple arrive at their hotel only to discover that there is a gun convention taking place at the hotel--and Ben recognizes several Hunters--as in, werewolf and vampire hunters--in the crowd. Then there's magic shows featuring real magic and an animal act featuring several lycanthropes. Kitty begins to wonder if her show will ever get done and begins to wonder at the wisdom of their Vegas wedding plans--which were made to simplify everything--and when Ben is kidnapped hours before the ceremony is to take place, she begins the search for him in a state of near-panic.

Does their wedding ever take place? You'll have to read it to find out! Another good entry in this paranormal series, although this one did seem a little fragmented and scattered compared to previous books, not quite as good. Looking forward to the next one, though!

In Darkness Reborn by Alexis Morgan (Paladins of Darkness, Book 3)


Review of a friend:

Barak q’Young is a warrior for the Others, the people of another dimension and the number one enemy of the Paladin warriors. Barak has a gift and wouldn’t use it to help his people escape their world, so he was banished. The only way to live his life is to escape his world and try it in the human world, where the Paladins warriors are living. He earns the respect of the Paladin leader Devlin, when Barak save the life of his wife Dr. Laurel and is put to work by the Paladins. He is assigned to assist Lacey Sebastian, a young geologist.

Lacey Sebastian is a geologist, working to predict the earthquakes of their world and hopefully knows when a portal between the two worlds opens. The moment she hears about her new assistant Barak, an ex-warrior of the Others, she is a little disgust. But the more she works with him and spends time with him; she discovers he is not much different from the Paladins warriors and her brother. Now she finds herself attracted to her enemy, even if he is a friend to the Paladin leader and his wife, her brother wouldn’t approve it. But then Lacey is kidnapped and her life depend on the love of her lover.

In darkness reborn by Alexis Morgan is the third book in her Paladins of Darkness series and another great one. Just like the previous book I was lured into the book from the very beginning and find it difficult to put the book down.

Barak q’Young is a warrior with a gift. He refuses to use that gift to help his people escape their world and was banished. Now he is living in their enemies’ world, along with some of their warriors. Because he saved the life of Laurel Young, the wife of Paladin leader Devlin he is accepted in this world, but not all Paladins are happy about that.
Lacey Sebastian is a geologist and hopes to find a way to predict earthquakes, so they know when a portal between the two worlds opens, hopefully saving a lot of life of the Paladin warriors. Now she has to work with one of their enemies and isn’t happy about that, but can she ignore the attraction between them.

The sub characters, meaning the Paladin warriors are fabulous. Especially Devlin and Trahern, both tough and strong warriors who found women and love in their strange lives. Laurel Young and Brenna Nichols are the women in the warriors’ lives and try to help Lacey deal with her attraction to Barak.

I only can say that I love this series and cannot wait to read the next book Redeemed in darkness. The story will be about Paladin warrior Cullen and Barak’s sister Lusahn, one of the Others.

 

Dark Warrior Unleashed (The Talions, Book 1) by Alexis Morgan

Ranulf Thorsen is the enforcer of the Kyth people and is living alone for centuries on his mountain. But his isolation is about to change, when the Grand Dame of his people summons him and of course he obeys. The Grand Dame Judith has promised Ranulf his freedom, when this last mission is complete. He has to find the person responsible for the fires in large places and endangering the humans. Investigating the last crime-scene Ranulf soon discovers that the fire starter is not human, but a rogue Kyth and the only way to stop this traitor is trough the Talion laws and that means him.

Kerry Logan is a young woman and a little different than others. She discovers that dancing in big crowds calms her down. During her last night out dancing, she finds herself in a fire. But what Kerry doesn’t know is about the strength and power within her, waiting to come out and now she is using this power to save a lot of people from dying in the fire. She gets help from a gorgeous stranger and together they get everyone out. After her check up with the ambulance workers, Kerry’s eyes meet those of a terrifying man and she knows she just looked into the fire starter’s eyes.

Ranulf felt the huge attraction between him and Kerry, but cannot ignore his duties to his people and Grand Dame Judith. But when the fire starter turns his sights on Kerry, Ranulf has no choice but to protect her. And when Kerry’s true background comes to the service, Ranulf knows he’s found his true mate.

Dark Warrior Unleashed by Alexis Morgan is the first novel in her Talions series and it was a real jewel for me. I’ve read her novels of the The Paladins series and loved those too, so it couldn’t go wrong with this one.

This story is about a gorgeous Viking warrior Ranulf Thorsen, who is the enforcer for the Grand Dame and his people, the Kyth for centuries. But he needs peace in his life and he will be release of his duties after this last mission, a rogue Kyth is setting crowded places on fire and attends to kill humans. That is how Ranulf meets Kerry, a young woman who loves to dance and calms herself down by doing that. Both of them are helping the crowd of the dancing club escape from the fire and from that moment their world turns upside down, especially when the fire starter sets his eyes on Kerry. Ranulf cannot let anything happen to Kerry and takes her back to the Grand Dame’s compound, where she will be safe. But the huge attraction between them makes it difficult for Ranulf to concentrate on his duties.

The Grand Dame Judith is the most powerful of the Kyth and their leader, but she is slowly fading away after the death of her mate. The moment Judith meets Kerry she knows she found the right person to take her place, especially when she discovers the hidden powers within Kerry. Kerry is one of them, a Kyth and has the powers to lead their people.


  • Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
  • Publisher: Pocket Star; 1st Pocket Star Books Paperback. Ed 
  • July 29, 2008)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1416563423
  • ISBN-13: 978-1416563426
  • Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.1 x 1 inches

Night Huntress by Yasmine Galenorn Sisters of the Moon: Book 5

A Customer Review :

Delilah D'Artigo isn't your average girl, she's half-Fae, half-human, Were-tabby, and Were-panther, as well as being one of the Autumn Lord's Death Maiden's. She has enough on her hands with having to be all of these things. Just when she thinks it can't get any worse, her boyfriend Chase mutters another woman's name in his sleep. This throws her for a loop, and she's not sure whether she should be upset because he could be cheating on her, even though she had told him she had slept with Zachary Lyonnesse of the Rainer Were Puma Clan. Life as a Fae isn't about fidelity, as they aren't monogamous, but with her half-human blood she feels the green head of jealousy looming on the horizon. It doesn't make matters any better when the cat in her feels as though someone has just stepped on her turf.

With the appearance of the fourth spirit seal, the D'Artigo girls must get together to collect it before Shadowwings cronies can get their mitts on it. But when Chase gets himself captured by Karvanak, a deadly Raksasa general of Shadowwings army, Delilah has to decide whether Chase's infidelity is even a major problem, now that his life is on the line.


This is the fifth installment to the Sisters of the Moon series. Delilah D'Artigo is honestly my favorite character of all the combining books. She has problems, and she's not afraid to admit it, but she knows when it's time to fight she needs to put them aside and do whats right.


I wanted to like this book more than I did, but I just couldn't. The storyline itself is fabulous, with lots of history and information to make your brain just have a field day. There are plenty of Fae, Demons, and other otherworldy creatures that will be sure to give you your weekly dose of supernatural. The one thing I can't get over is how these girls just collect men like I collect books! I know, I know, that shouldn't be a major problem because it's just a book, but I'm purely monogamous myself, and it's hard for me to get into their many relationships.


All in all, I do recommend this book purely for the story line itself. If you love Fae, Witches, Weres, Dragons and the like, your sure to love this book. I highly recommend you start from the beginning of the series with Witchling, the story of Camille D'Artigo. I can't wait to see what happens next with the sisters in the newly released Demon Mistress. There is also a seventh book on the horizon for 2010, Bone Magic. 

 

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione (The Demonica Series)


 

A Customer's Review :
I experienced every emotion possible while reading Wraith's story. The writing flows beautifully, the plot and sub-plots are thrilling, heartwarming, frightening and suspenseful, and the dialogue is witty as well as brilliant. With each page I turned and read, I was kept on a razor's edge, not knowing how the intricate storyline was going to be resolved, let alone how Wraith and Serena Kelly were going to achieve their HEA.

Passion Unleashed

Wraith has been poisoned and is dying, slowly. Underworld General is literally crumbling and falling apart bit by bit. Staff is deserting the hospital. And, as war between human and demonkind looms, the apocalypse seems a tangible reality.

Eidolon and Shade try to find an antidote for Wraith and discover the only cure is for him to procure a charm from Serena, a beautiful, sweet archaeologist who has a zest for life. I loved this heroine, while she has lead a "charmed life" as it were, and you will understand my meaning if you read the book, she is independent and curious about all things historical. She goes to almost any lengths to recover a relic, almost like a Lara Croft type of character, except Serena is a virgin and must remain so or lose her health.

There is extraordinary irony in the love story between Wraith and Serena because he, as you know if you have read the series thus far, has always done what he wants, uncaring about the consequences of his actions on others. Wraith is a selfish, hedonist demon with a death wish, however I've always liked him. Why? He is funny, cocky, brutally honest (most of the time - lol), he is an amazing warrior and he does have a certain code that he lives by with respect to satisfying his sexual needs. Wraith never has sex with human or vampire women because of a horrific past that is really fleshed out in this story.

So, the irony you see is that the woman who holds the cure for Wraith's affliction is human and a virgin, and he must seduce her to take the charm that will save his life. Their romance is one of the more bittersweet stories I've read and while rest assured they do have their HEA, I wept for them on more than one occasion. As is the way with the seminus demons in Larissa's novels, Wraith falls hard and for the first time in his life he is forced to come to terms with deep feelings for another. The erotic scenes penned between Serena and Wraith are boiling hot, but also tender and sensuous, ladies, get ready!

The backdrop to their love story, as I mentioned above is complex, but the metamorphosis of Wraith's character is deeply embedded into an absolutely riveting story that will leave readers hyperventilating until the closing pages.

If you thought the antagonist of Shade's story was a malevolent scary creature, wait until you read the one written for Wraith's. This creature is an unequivocal hells spawn whose goal is the total destruction of earth. The graphic imagery and prose written surrounding the final battle between the Aegis army and demons took me right into the thick of the fray.

Gem and Kynan's story continues to be a roller coaster ride. Their angst and heartache also brought me to tears. I will say Kynan's future is tied to a prophecy referenced in the "Daemonica" tome that will surprise you.

Reaver's character is also fully developed and he plays an integral part in the plotline and final battle.

Larissa Ione has cleverly introduced a new and very interesting character to the storyline who is given a pivotal role in one of the subplots of Wraith's book. I'm sure this character will be the hero of the fourth Demonica novel, and we will again have the story of another tortured hero to look forward too.

I've given a great deal of thought to this series over the past couple of days. What makes it so special for me? What keeps me engaged? Why am I literally addicted? As with any series there is not a singular reason, but I think it is that the heroes are so tortured that when they find their HEA it is that much more satisfying. Secondly, these characters are so unique and well developed; you cannot help but become invested in them as a reader. Then there is the humor, OMG, the dialogue that comes out of Wraith's mouth especially had me cackling with laughter! And lastly, from my perspective, the Demonica world becomes more amazing with each story and Ms. Ione is expanding it with just the right amount of momentum. The other issue is that these books, at around 400 pages are good hearty reads, which allows for a wonderful in-depth storyline.

I have to comment that I think reading these stories in order is a must, because the plots do interconnect, each book builds on the previous.

Thankfully Larissa Ione has been contracted to write two more novels but it is going to be another long wait because they are due out in 2010.

The Demonica novels I'm sure will be my favorite series of 2009. 

The Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston (Pride, Book 2)

A Customer Review : 


Jessica Ward has wanted Bobby Ray Smith since they were kids. Then he left town to join the military. Not long after that, Jess left and many years later, is now not only the alpha of her own pack, but the CEO of a company. Jess is no longer the gangly geek girl who hid most of the time in high school. Now the timing is just right to show Bobby Ray that she is all grown up.

Bobby Ray is settling in with the part of the Smith Pack that followed him to Manhattan. He also has his new security business that is growing slowly as the word gets out. On the night he discovers that not only has Jess grown up but she has also become a beautiful woman, it's an eye-opening and lust-inducing event.

That night is the beginning of the unique romance of Bobby Ray and Jessica. Besides the day-to-day worries of their businesses, now they both also have the welfare of their respective packs to worry about and keep safe. Just their luck that when the packs seem to be accepting them, something happens that could not only risk the peace between the packs, but also any chance that Bobby Ray and Jess have to finally mate. Now it is up to Jess, Bobby Ray, and their packs and family to overcome the potential threat.

What is a girl to do when she has decided it's time to be claimed by her mate? In The Beast in Him, and if you are Jess, you arrange to meet up with your long-time mate of choice and proceed to show him how good you could be together. Bobby Ray was not ready to settle down, or so he thought, until he came up against Jessica during a security job. Now there is nothing he won't do to have her as his mate. So why is she giving him so much stress? Once again, I have found that nobody does subtle humor and mean in a loving way like Ms. Laurenston. Jess knows what she wants and how she wants it. Bobby Ray knows what he needs and just can't figure out how to get it. With fun antics, hot nights, a pack of crazy wild dogs, and the semi-insane Smith pack, there is no way to miss...right?

I found myself laughing so many times while following the circle route that Jess and Bobby Ray took into love. When you throw in the zany secondary characters and how they "helped" the situations - I just could not resist laughing, sighing, and yes, even snorting. My only warning is to be careful when drinking while reading. There are more reasons to love The Beast in Him than I could list here, but I will tell you that it is Joyfully Recommended and not to be missed.

 

The Mane Event by Shelly Laurenston


 Customer Review Below :

Mane Event is one of those guilty pleasure kind of books but somehow Shelly Laurenston manages the erotic content while telling two connected stories that are romantic and funny. This is no neat feat considering that the couples spend most of their time getting hot and sweaty and some people may be uncomfortable with the sensuality level and language here. But where a full length novel might have gotten repetitious, these short stories didn't have that problem.

In Christmas Pride - Mace a gorgeous ex-Seal Lion-shifter is back in town and determined to have the one women he's always loved Desiree. Back in high school they were best bud's but now they are all grown up and nothing is going to stand in his way. What I liked about this story is that there was the leftover crushes from when Mace and Dez were kids to build on. Mace has always been in love with this women and never doubts for a minute that she will be his. Dez is a great strong character, and when she ends up in a face off against some nasty shifters, she is tough and smart enough to handle it on her own. No damsel in distress here, definitely a worthy mate for the king of the beasts.

In Shaw's Tail - The way that Lion-shifter Shaw falls so completely for Ronnie Lee a former wild child wolf-shifter, is really appealing. Their courtship is a dance: Shaw stalks and pounces and then retreats so that Ronnie Lee won't feel trapped and flee. Both characters have a great sense of humor, and are playful both in and out of bed. Who says cats and dogs don't mix?

There are also some good supporting characters pulling the strings to get these couples together. I am not familiar with Laurenston's other Pack and Pride stories but it looks like she has a great setup for some follow-on books, starring Dez's former military friends, and the Smith wolf pack (including the sweetly manipulative Sissy Mae and her brother Smitty) who have joined up with Mace to form a security company. And some obnoxious Lionesses that need to meet their mates.

Mane Event was sexy and funny. A great read if you are looking for a light romantic and steamy paranormal read with fur and fangs.


 

The Mane Attraction by Shelly Laurenston


A Customer Review :

With a hefty reward offered for his death, undercover cop and lion shifter Mitch is badly wounded by a would-be assassin's bullet just days before he is to deliver the testimony that will bring down a powerful crime boss -- then he's off to witness protection. In order to keep Mitch safe from others looking to cash in, wolf shifter Sissy Mae Smith bundles up her bleeding buddy and takes Mitch to the one place where she know she can make a stand - the one place Sissy avoids when ever possible - she takes him home to Smith Town. But as Mitch recovers, Sissy Mae and Mitch start seeing each other in a whole different way and soon they are taking their relationship to the next level with lots humor and plenty of heat.

I am really becoming a fan of Laurenston's shifter romances. These are a steamy and fun with all kinds of crazy family relationships, fun little side bits like the `great race' and let them eat pie scenes along with a handful of other subplots to stir into the mix. I loved both Sissy's and Mitch's uber-alpha mamas, the Aunts, and all the dynamics of the large extended southern werewolf family of Smith Town.

There was so much that was fun and funny. Like the wild dog shifters at the wedding playing tug-o-war and doing the pogo, and Mitch's whole 'I am a pampered puddy cat, feed me now' lion attitude. The humor, the banter, and the playfulness between Mitch and insane alpha Sissy Mae also serve to build the sexual tension between the pair since Laurenston holds off on the consummation until well into the book. Along with the tension building, Laurenston continues to do a great job of managing the steamy stuff - giving us a couple of healthy doses of spicy loves scenes and then just giving us sensual snippets to keep things hot while avoiding being repetitious.

After meeting bad-girl alpha Sissy in previous books, I wasn't so sure that I would be interested in seeing her as a leading lady -- she was truly evil to Jess. But I really did end up enjoying both Sissy and her story. Even though Sissy is still very alpha here, we see a surprising amount of vulnerability in her as she finally finds in Mitch the shifter who can match her appetites and challenge her `boundaries'. Can't wait for the next one.

For fans of the series, there are decent cameo appearances by past leading ladies Dez, Jess and Ronnie. Which means that this book will be more fun for you if you've read the previous two in the series.

Laurenston's Pride
The Mane Event (Pride, Book 1)
The Beast in Him (Pride, Book 2)


 

Crux: Southern Arcana, Book 1 (Kindle Edition) by Moira Rogers

 

4 stars

To find her destiny, she must trust him with her life-and her heart.
Southern Arcana, Book 1
Jackson Holt makes a decent living as a private investigator in New Orleans, home of one of the largest underground supernatural populations in the United States. He and his partners have never met a case they couldn'nt crack-until a local bar owner asks him to do a little digging on her newest hire.
New Orleans is the fourth destination in as many months for Mackenzie Brooks, a woman on the run from a deranged stalker. After all, any man who shows up on her doorstep claiming to be her destined lover has more than a few screws loose. But crazy doesn-t explain why he always finds her no matter how far she runs.
When her well-meaning boss puts a PI on her case, Mackenzie comes face to face with the incredible truth: magic is real, and whatever spell has kept her hidden and separate from the paranormal world is rapidly deteriorating.
With time running out, she has no choice but to trust Jackson as he struggles to uncover the truth of her past-and her destiny.
Warning: This book contains devious schemes, epic battles, forbidden love between a shapeshifter and a spellcaster, nosy secondary characters, furniture-endangering sex and a woman fighting to choose her own destiny.

A Customer Review :
I'll say right up front that I am a fan of the writing team of Moira Rogers and so I'm not at all surprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I first discovered Moira Rogers from the free reads offered on the Moira Rogers website. My favorite is Honor Bound, check it out. I also loved the Red Rock Pass series so I fully expected to like Crux and I was not disappointed.

Mackenzie Brooks has arrived in New Orleans where she has landed a job in bar. For the first time in a long time she feels like she fits in and really likes her boss and the bar regulars. However she is on the run and can't afford to settle down here. She is being hunted down by a crazy stalker who speaks of destiny and babies and she is terrified.

Mackenzie's boss is a shifter and senses that Mackenzie may be one as well. She also suspects that Mackenzie is in some kind of trouble so she asks her private investigator friend, Jackson Holt to do a little checking and see what her deal is.

Jackson discovers Mackenzie is on the run but what she's running from is far more dangerous than your average everyday stalker. He discovers that she is unaware that she is a rare cougar shifter and the people hunting her down have plans for her that could put everyone in danger.

Mackenzie and Jackson are a compliment to each other. Although Mackenzie is afraid and on the run she is a strong female lead who makes solid decisions. No sitting around and waiting for a knight in shining armor for her. Jackson is a southern gentleman, and while his focus is on protecting Mackenzie, he never crosses over into overprotective jerk mode. He is sexy, thoughtful, can cook, and best of all, southern. Yum! Their romantic relationship develops at nice pace and the chemistry between the two is hot! The interesting thing about this couple is Mackenzie is a cougar shifter which makes her physically strong. Although Jackson is a part of this paranormal world in that he's a caster--skilled in magic--he is human and breakable. Mackenzie definitely has the upper hand physically.

The secondary characters do their part in supporting this story as well. There is Nick the bar owner who is the daughter of the Alpha Wolf. She has a crush on Derek, who is considered a "second class citizen" because he wasn't born a wolf, he was changed. Although they didn't get a lot of play in Crux, their chemistry came through nicely and the authors have set a nice foundation for their developing relationship.

Although there is plenty of relationship development, Crux has a good dose of action as well. Just when when I thought I knew how it would all end, there was an unexpected twist and the story took on a second burst of momentum paving the way for a very nice ending.

I think fans of Paranormal Romance as well as Urban Fantasy will enjoy Crux. The authors have blended the two genres perfectly combining good strong world building, interesting supernatural characters with romance and sexy scenes that will make your blood run hot. I eagerly anticipate Crossroads, the next installment in the Southern Arcana series. 


First Drop of Crimson by Jeaniene Frost

 




The second book in the Night Huntress world will be in July 27, 2010 per Jeaniene's website and the book is titled Eternal Kiss of Darkness.  Mencheres, Bones' grandsire's book... here is a blurp for her website..
An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness…and now one woman has stumbled into the shadows.
Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking.  But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn.  Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.
At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master Vampire who thought he’d seen it all.  Then Kira appears—this fearless, beautiful…human who braved death to rescue him.  Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life, yet sending her away is unthinkable.
But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose between the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

At Graves End by Jeaniene Frost

 


Book 3 in the series is At Grave's End. 
Some things won't stay buried . . . at grave's end It should be the best time of half-vampire Cat Craw field's life. With her undead lover Bones at her side, she's successfully protected mortals from the rogue undead. But though Cat's worn disguise after disguise to keep her true identity a secret from the brazen bloodsuckers, her cover's finally been blown, placing her in terrible danger. As if that wasn't enough, a woman from Bone's past is determined to bury him once and for all. Caught in the cross hairs of a vengeful vamp, yet determined to help Bones stop a lethal magic from being unleashed, Cat's about to learn the true meaning of bad blood. And the tricks she's learned as a special agent won't help her. She will need to fully embrace her vampire instincts in order to save herself—and Bones—from a fate worse than the grave.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Mesmerized by Candace Camp ( A Magical Romance)

 

5 Stars *****

At a seance Stephen St. Leger tries to prove that it is a fake by capturing a woman he thinks is part of the act, but instead he catches Olivia Moreland, an investigator of Psychic Phenomena. All her life Olivia had been fascinated with the idea that people can communicate with spirits, but had never run into a "psychic" who proved to be the real thing. Her grandmother, one of the first to be called a 'mad Moreland', had the 'second sight' and claimed Olivia did too. Stephen's frustration lies in the fact that his mother is being duped by a medium, Madame Valenskaya. His brother had died the previous year and in order to ease her grief she turned to Madame Valenskaya, a woman who manipulates Lady St. Leger's feelings to extort money from her, pretending she can communicate with the Lady's dead son. Stephen wants to tell his mother that the woman is just making a fool out of her, but he knows it is going to take more to convince her of that so he hires Olivia to help him show his mother that the medium is a fraud. Olivia is determined to keep their relationship strictly on a business level, but will she be able to ignore the attraction she feels for Stephen? After arriving at Blackhope Hall, Olivia starts to have dreams about a woman who lived long ago. Did this woman really exist or is she just a figment of Olivia's imagination? Olivia soon finds out Stephen has dreams about a knight who loved the woman Olivia has been dreaming about. Are these dreams real or are they just another trick of Madame Valenskaya? As darkness and evil loom around Stephen and Olivia, they find themselves falling in love, but will that love be powerful enough to save them?

I found Olivia to be a very believable and like able heroine. She wasn't an impossibly beautiful woman, her looks bordered on plain and ordinary, but in the eyes of the hero she was beautiful. She was witty and open-minded, loving her family despite the things that other people in society found odd. It was nice to read about a heroine who had a loving and unique family; they only helped add to the story, they never took away from it. She was very confident in her abilities, but in the ways of being a woman, she wasn't sure how to act. I found this very endearing and relatable. Stephen wasn't your typical hero; he wasn't a womanizing, lustful creature. He was compassionate and truly cared about what the heroine thought and felt. His love and loyalty to his mother was touching, even though he didn't believe the medium was the real thing, he let his mother keep her around. He was never cruel to any of the main characters, which I found to be a refreshing change from the norm in historical romances.

Even though there are a lot of romance novels out there, many don't contain true romance, but this novel was an exception. The moments between the hero and heroine were breathtakingly romantic, not simply an exchange of passionate kisses and bold caresses. The reader can feel the deep connection and love between these two characters. Instead of spending all their time kissing, they actually talked to one another, building a foundation for a deep and strong love. I enjoy reading about characters who converse in a story, it helps draw in more emotion from the reader and makes their confession of love more plausible. I'm not usually one for a mystery in a romance novel, but I felt Camp did a great job weaving it into this story. The mystery never overpowered the novel, it simply complemented the romance between Stephen and Olivia. I was pleased with the novel as a whole and I can find no real faults with it. The storyline was fresh and original as were the characters, the secondary characters never overpowered the storyline, and all the events in the novel fit together perfectly.
  • This is a rare and out of print book a very Magical Romance !
This book is now available for SALE @

Tempt Me With Kisses (the Maiden and Her Knight Series, Book 2) by Margaret Moore

     


    Lord Carodoc of Llanstephan Fawr does not have to look at the near empty hayloft to know his estate is in trouble and wonders when King Richard will take the castle from him for failure to pay taxes, a deed he has not done in months. Though he would prefer to flee from his responsibilities, Carodoc vows to remain and do everything he can to turn the property solvent until His Highness takes it away.
    na MacDougal, daughter of a Scottish wool merchant who died two months ago, arrives with a proposition. She will pay off the royal arrears if Carodoc marries her. She says she wants a titled husband with no previous children and he needs her dowry. Reluctantly, Carodoc agrees, but seals the deal with a passionate kiss. As they fall in love both shares in common feelings of inadequacy and they feel undeserving of one other.
    The historical romantic story line of TEMPT ME WITH KISSES is more of a character study than the usual action-packed tale. The readers observe first hand the doubts of the lead protagonists as they struggle to make their relationship succeed even as Carodoc and Fiona are weighed down by personal baggage that threatens to destroy their marriage. Fans who relish an insightful look at the primary couple will enjoy Margaret Moore's marvelous romantic narrative, but readers who need plenty of action should look elsewhere.
    • This is a great historical romance love the book and love Margaret Moore she writes great medieval romances.Enjoyable 4 star ***** read ...
    This book  is available for SALE @