Review - High Speed Hunger by BL Bonita

Title: High Speed Hunger

Author: BL Bonita

Publisher: Noble Romance Publishing

Buy High Speed Hunger here

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed by Val


Blurb:
Drive it like you stole it . . . .

Eileen Lavoie can’t keep her hungry eyes off the new pit crew guy. He’s built like a machine and his Jamaican accent makes her wet with every seductive word. But she’s already dating her team’s number one Sprint car driver. What should she do, stick with her reckless, on-and-off boyfriend, or give in to temptation?

Raised on the track, Tyrone Ellis knows he can make a name for himself if given the chance, and he also wants the boss's daughter in every way a man can have a woman. One night of unforgettable sin sets the wheels in motion, and he sets out to prove he's the next best thing for the team--and the right man for sweet Eileen.

On a track born of high speed and hunger, will Ty win the race and get the girl, or will jealousy and hatred lead to a deadly end?
 
Review:
Vroom Vroom baby! The minute I found out that High Speed Hunger was written in the Nascar vein, I knew I had to grab it fast. Being a huge racing fan, I found myself enthralled with the story line. When it came to technical terms, Ms. Bonita has definitely done her research.

Ms. Bonita has done a fabulous job of providing the perfect ego driven race car driver in Bobby, Eileen's current boyfriend. He was not just a character I loved to hate but he did it in the perfect way. Bobby was your typical grown man with the maturity level of a two year old.

Now Ty on the other hand, whew! Talk about blazing hot in every sense of the word. From the moment Ty's character was introduced, it was evident he was not your typical man. His feelings ran deep and when Ty knew he wanted something, he didn't stop until he achieved his goal. His respect for Eileen and her father gave his character depth and I found myself falling even harder for him.

Enter Eileen, who was a woman who deserved better than Bobby. I could relate to Eileen's character because she was a strong confident woman existing in the male dominated world of Nascar racing. Surrounded my men on a daily basis, she couldn't help but notice Jamaican heartthrob Ty. I can't say how things turn out because the fun is in the finding out. However, I can say that High Speed Hunger was not only a scintillating read but a very addictive one as well. The ending was everything I could have wanted and more.

Ms. Bonita did an exceptional job of providing a solid plot line, realistic characters that lived and breathed for me along with a sizzling heat level that kept me turning the pages as quickly as possible. I highly recommend High Speed Hunger to anyone who needs a short getaway from reality. This book is not to be missed!

Review – Fighting Chance By Viki Lyn

Title: Fighting Chance

Author: Viki Lyn

Publisher: Loose ID

Buy Link: Buy Fighting Chance Here!

Rating: You Need To Read

Reviewed by: Layne

Story Blurb:

Kresnik vampire slayer, Corbin Hamilton, has vowed to avenge his father's death and kill the prince of the Red Serpent clan. Instead, he's stuck with guard duty for vampire Johan Maier who is becoming human, thanks to a new serum. What's worse, the sexual attraction between him and his prisoner is getting harder to ignore.

Johan Maier's chance to regain his humanity is a dream come true. If he only he could get Corbin to trust him, they would have a chance at love. Yet, his vampire powers are getting stronger instead of weaker, his blood markers morphing into something that isn't quite human.

As Corbin hunts the prince, Johan insists on aiding him. He secretly vows to protect Corbin even if it means his death.

Review:

Viki Lyn’s Fighting Chance was an enjoyable read, and I had no problems getting into the story and feeling for the characters.

Corbin’s goal is to kill the person who killed his father, but he’s stuck with Johan and the feelings Johan evoke. While he’s gay, Corbin sees the Vampire Johan as his enemy and hates himself for wanting him. He puts many barriers between them, but Johan isn’t having it.

Johan wants his humanity back, and so he’s agreed to take a serum he thinks will give him that. Corbin as his jailor isn’t half bad even though the Slayer won’t admit to his feelings.

These two men were great to read as Johan pushed and Corbin pulled. Each has his motivation and goals that the reader can understand and root for. The emotion between them was palpable, and the overall plot of Fighting Chance quite engaging.

Review – Stripped Defenseless By Lia Slater

Title: Stripped Defenseless

Author: Lia Slater

Publisher: Amazon

Buy Link: Buy Stripped Defenseless Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewed By : Nerine Dorman

Blurb:

Deception brings them together. Exposure can tear them apart. Taking off her clothes every night for the patrons of Hothouse Gentleman's Club was never part of Ava Lureau's life plan, but the sleazy strip joint was the last place her powerful ex-boyfriend would think to look for her. A life on the run kept Ava safe...but lonely. So when a ruggedly sexy stranger shows up and a lap dance becomes more than another dollar in her G-string, she takes a chance. Kade Gavin's job is simple-capture his target and deliver her to the man who hired him. Nothing but a paycheck matters in Kade's bleak existence...until the enticing stripper with soft curves and a puzzling persona climbs into his bed--and under his skin.

Review:

There's no lack of kink in Fatal Exposure, and Slater uses every opportunity and then some to deliver enough bang for the buck in this tale. Ava's on the run from her abusive ex, Zack, and figures she can hide in plain sight as a stripper in a sleazy strip joint. Kade's been sent by Zack to find Ava, but he doesn't figure falling for sassy target. But saving Ava from a powerful, dangerous man is hardly a cakewalk, as Kade discovers. On the whole, Slater kept me reading but there were moments, especially during the numerous love-making scenes, that I felt that her descriptive terms border on purple. While this did drag me out of the story from time to time, Slater more than makes up for this by keeping the pace of the novel cracking. I would have liked to have seen more development in secondary characters such as Poppy and Jax, who promise an intriguing Bonnie and Clyde-style departure. This is a fast and fun read, which left me fanning myself at times.

Review – The Scarab Prince By Rebecca Goings

Title: The Scarab Prince

Author: Rebecca Goings

Publisher: Carnal Passions

Buy Link: Buy The Scarab Prince Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed By: Janelle

Blurb:

Trianna Pramtash must be punished for her assault on the Viper Prince’s intended bride. Not wishing to do so himself, the Viper gives her to his best friend, the Scarab Prince, to mete out her sentence--the one man who’s held Trianna’s heart since childhood.

Qadir Hadmas is overjoyed Trianna no longer belongs to the Viper. His heart broke years ago when she left Suridesh engaged to his best friend--but she never married Tariq. She belongs to him now, and he’s not about to let her go.

Neither of them is prepared for the sensual delights Trianna’s punishments turn out to be. Their fragile childhood bond turns into a raging inferno--one they cannot deny. But when Trianna is taken from him in a spectacular sandstorm, it is up to the Scarab Prince to claim the woman he has always wanted, and make her his in truth.

Review:

It seems I am still reading this series is reverse order, and I am still loving it. This book brings us a couple who dabble, albeit only very very slightly, in SM.

Trianna is a curious character. It is clear she carries baggage due to her uncle’s mental instability, but not the kind she assumes. Qadir on the other hand is an almost archetypical prince in shining armor, saving her not only from the story’s villain, but from herself as well.

The sex is good, but if you are in it for the SM, you’ll probably be disappointed. For all the talk of punishment, her penalization is far more self inflicted then meted out.

Overall, this series is still wonderful and I still highly recommend it.

Review – Lord Of The Vampires By Gena Showalter

Title: Lord of the Vampires: Royal House Of Shadows, Book 1

Author: Gena Showalter

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Buy Link: Buy Lord of the Vampires Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

Once upon a time…the Blood Sorcerer vanquished the kingdom of Elden.  To save their children, the queen scattered them to safety and the king filled them with a need for vengeance. Only a magical timepiece connects the four royal heirs…and time is running out.

Nicolai the Vampire is renowned for his virility, but in a cruel twist of fate “The Dark Seducer” has become a sex slave in the kingdom of Delfina—stripped of his precious timepiece and his memory. All that remains is a primal need for freedom, revenge—and the only woman who can help him.

When the wanton vampire summons Jane Parker, she is helpless to obey.  She's drawn to his dark sexuality and into his magical realm.  But for this human, all is not a fairy tale.  For saving Nicolai could mean losing the only man she's ever craved...

Review:

Nicolai felt only rage, hatred, hunger and pain. For as long as he could remember, he had been held in slavery by the Royal Highnesses Odette and Laila, the witches who had removed his memories when they found him in the sex market. He knew two things, he was a powerful vampire and Jane Parker would come and set him free. Jane had no idea who the gorgeous vampire was who kept visiting her dreams, but when she woke up in his world, she knew she had no option but to end his captivity.

Lord of the Vampires was a superb introduction to Harlequin’s new miniseries. Gena Showalter does not disappoint her legions of fans with her newest endeavor. Nicolai, our hero, starts out our story being held as a sex slave by the ugly witch girls. He is suitably mean and nasty, willing to leave our poor heroine Jane to her own devices once he is freed. Of course, I’m not going to tell you what happens, let me just say that it is a wonderfully action packed, danger fraught journey filled with magical beings in an alternate world with lots of really passionate hot sex to put a nice lovely bow on the story.

Our heroine, Jane is actually a woman who can proudly wear the banner. No whimpering for our Jane, her spine has been coated in steel that was forged in the fires of Hell. She can take it and dish it out with the best this alternate world has to offer. Even though she is in an unknown world and is wildly attracted to Nicolai, does she blindly follow, oh no she does not. She knows her worth and accepts nothing less. Good for her. Ms. Showalter dug deep in her repertoire to find her villains, for this piece, they are especially heinous and depraved, although I did laugh at the Ogre royal court. ( Shreck, they were not) The story and characters are pure Gena, with her trademark grit, snaky humor, and a tremendous love. I look forward to the next chapter in this miniseries and recommend you get on board.

Review – The Unforgiven By Joy Nash

Title: The Unforgiven: The Watchers, Book 1

Author: Joy Nash

Publisher: Dorchester Publishing

Buy link: Buy The Unforgiven Here!

Rating: You Want to Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

The Watchers: They were angels who lived among men millennia ago, fascinated by a fledgling human race. But when they couldn’t resist temptation, their offspring became cursed into a half existence—soulless magical beings who live for pleasure. Now these fallen angels are being hunted by the very same race their fathers once revered.

Cade was ordered to claim her for his clan. She was becoming one of them—a Watcher, soon to reach her full power—and she didn’t even realize it. Yet the moment he saw her, he knew he could never share her. Maddie was his. No matter what demons lurk in her past, no matter how much she tries to deny her body’s burning need for his, he will claim her for himself. And together they will face the battle that is brewing...

Review:

When a group of Angels were sent from the heavens to watch over mankind, they were forbidden to touch the daughters of man. When the rule went unheeded, this unholy union created the Nephalim. The flood was sent to wipe the unholy stench from the Earth, but a few survived. Now living in clans made up of the descendants of the original Fallen, the Nephalim are cursed to despise the other clans. Now a war is brewing and clan Samyaza’s only option is to send newly transformed adept Cade Leucetius to enslave one of clan Azazel’s unaware progeny. Madeline Durant has a death sentence hanging over her head, diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, she knows her time is limited. Cade is about to give her the gift of life, but it comes with a hefty price.

The Unforgiven is an extremely dark book. It is well written with well thought out storylines and characters. The finite lives of the characters in the book, and the grim lives they endure don’t lend itself to a happy, lighthearted read. The Watchers are allotted 120 years with no hope of redemption. At death they go into Oblivion to be forever forgotten. Eeeeeks, depressing. The characters are basically an angel/demon/human DNA cocktail who by definition are on the slightly immoral side of the scale. A dormant can only survive the transformation through sex and this can have unfortunate side effects, both for the dormant and the adept.

There are a lot of sexual manipulations in The Unforgiven that left a slightly bitter taste in my mouth. There are no clear cut good guys in this story, and I really had issues with Maddie. She at first came across as sympathetic, but I forgot about that about halfway through the book. She has some nasty tendencies that I could have done without. I am a fan of dark paranormal literature, but it still needs to have some element of lightness. There was very little lightness in this book. A lot of Maddie’s behavior was excused because of Cade’s original intent. My argument is that intent in no way equals action, and some things are just beyond forgiveness. Cade was put in an untenable situation of someone else’s making, he had no malice towards Maddie at all. Maddie had lots of malice.

As dark as I’ve portrayed The Unforgiven, it is still a romance, so don’t let me scare you off. I am glad I took the time to read it, because I have enjoyed past works from Ms. Nash. The series does have promise if it would just lighten up a tad.

Review – Silent Vows By Catherine Bybee

Title: Silent Vows

Author: Catherine Bybee

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy Link: Buy Silent Vows Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewed by: Gabrielle

Blurb:

Myra, a medieval virgin druidess, flees five hundred years into the future to escape death at the hands of a cursed witch and lands in the arms of a handsome but cynical twenty-first century cop.

Officer Todd Blakely knows Myra is hiding something , but can't resist her innocent charms. Destiny throws them both into a world of intrigue and mysticism. Can Todd be the true white knight she needs? Or will magic and the winds of time tear them apart?

Review:

Myra is a virginal Lady of the castle from the past and Todd is a present day cop. Can Todd help Myra and keep her safe from Grainna and her minions? When love enters the picture Todd must decide what is the most important to him. Will he follow his heart?

I adore Myra she is sweet and strong woman. When Myra goes into the future she holds her own as much as she can and never gives up, even when she is scared she fights as much as she can. The only thing that breaks her is her love for Todd. He is a good man who loves with all his heart but doesn’t know what to do. You can feel the depth of their feelings right from the beginning and watching it grow into something more was a beautiful read.

This is book two in this series and you not only get the romance between Todd and Myra but you get to visit with the MacCoinnich family again as well as meeting Lizzy and Simon. They all are in the fight for their lives against Grainna and her followers. The love and devotion that the family has for each other made for a wonderful read, they not only fight for themselves but for the good of mankind. I truly enjoyed this book and cannot wait to read the next in this series.

Review – Forever Freed By Laura Kaye

Title: Forever Freed

Author: Laura Kaye

Publisher: The Wild Rose Press

Buy link: Buy Forever Freed Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

A heart can break, even one that no longer beats.

I stalk my new neighbors, a single mother and her child, drawn by the irresistible scent of their joy and love. I crave their blood, starved for some healing respite from my ancient grief. Now to lure them into my grasp.

But they surprise me. Little Olivia accepts me without fear or reservation—talking, smiling, offering innocent affection that tugs at my long-lost humanity. Her mother, Samantha, seeks me out when she should stay away, offering sweet friendship, and calling to the forgotten man within me. They lure me instead.

Ah, Dio, Lucien, run and spare them while you can…

Review:

Lucien Demarco was laboring to live each day with guilt, disgust, and a decided lack of enthusiasm for anything that makes life worth living. This would be bad enough for a normal human, but Lucien is a vampire whose maker murdered his family before turning him into the monster he believes himself to be.

He has gone without feeding long enough that he has made himself a danger to the humans he lives among. When he comes across Samantha Sutton, he is overwhelmed by her aura of joy. optimism, and zest for life in general. He determines he must have these feeling for himself in order to break the miasma of gloom he lives with day to day. He can absorb her feelings through her blood, and as much as he loathes the thought of ending such a beautiful life, he is desperate. He begins to track her, shadowing her movements. When he discovers she is the mother a young girl, he remembers his own lost daughter. Samantha and Olivia have the means to give Lucien his soul and his lost humanity, but Lucien isn’t the worst thing lurking in the night, and all his future happiness could be snatched away in the blink of an eye.

I just loved the fact that Forever Freed was told entirely from Lucien’s point of view. It was so unique and refreshing to see everything from beginning to end from the hero’s eyes. As a reader and a woman, I already have a pretty decent handle on how a female thinks and her motivations. I want to know why men do men things, how they interpret situations. I believe Lucien was an atypical man (and no, not just because he was a vampire), he was artistic, sensitive, and romantic to the Nth degree. I think the fact that he was also an empath might have aided him in those areas. I appreciated the fact that though Lucien and Sam fooled around quite a bit, they held off consummating the relationship for months. They let the tension build so when it finally happened it was HOT!! I was surprised that for all Sam’s joy, and general wonderfulness that she wasn’t as accepting as she could have been with Lucien’s differences. Especially after getting to know him as a person for months. On this level, Ollie was much more mature than her mother. She saw the heart of Lucien and knew him for the fine and loving man he was. Forever Freed is an emotionally charged, uplifting story that I recommend highly, and I applaud Laura Kaye for the fine job she did on creating this delightful story.

Review – Where Demons Fear To Tread By Stephanie Chong

Title: Where Demons Fear to Tread

Author: Stephanie Chong

Publisher: Mira Books

Buy link: Buy Where Demons Fear to Tread Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

Fledgling guardian angel and yoga teacher Serena St. Clair dares enter Devil’s Paradise nightclub on a mission – to retrieve the wayward Hollywood “It Boy” she’s assigned to protect.  But she’s ambushed by the club’s owner, Archdemon Julian Ascher.  The most powerful demonic entity in Los Angeles, Julian is handsome as sin, a master of temptation who loves nothing more than corrupting pleasure-seeking humans.  He won’t release the lost soul Serena is supposed to guard.  Unless she accepts his dangerous wager…

After the disastrous way his human life ended, Julian vowed that no woman would get the better of him again.  Yet this sexy-sweet angel, smelling of fresh ocean air and happiness, triggers centuries-old feelings.  Now, their high-stakes game of seduction, where angels fall from grace and where demons fear to tread, will lead them either to an eternity in hell…or a deliciously hot heaven.

Review:

As a nightclub owner Archdemon, Julian Ascher had his pick of souls to corrupt and damn to the fire’s of Hell. His current soul du jour was that of Nick Ramirez, a hot young Hollywood actor who’s star was on the rise. When Nick’s fledgling Guardian, Serena St. Clair, walks into Julian’s club, he sees the perfect opportunity to take down two souls with one seduction.

I just love finding terrific authors that are new to me. It’s just like Christmas, and Stephanie Chong’s Where Demons Fear to Tread was a welcome gift. Everybody knows I’m all about the heroes, and Julian Ascher is a prime example of the breed. Rich, gorgeous, confident, and just as bad and evil as he wants to be, the ULTIMATE bad boy. I mean, come on, he’s an Archdemon. When he sees pure, angelic Serena standing amidst a sea of sinners, he just wants to dirty her up. Yum! Of course as a demon, he’s free to use all kinds of deceit, manipulation and trickery to achieve his goals. This just leads to boatloads of trouble for our super naive angel.

Serena was just all kinds of sweetness, harmony, and other hippie traits. In the beginning it was a little much to take, like downing a mug of honey. She does ease up on the “purify your chakra” mentality and this makes her a much more likable character. It seems Miss Serena is quite the sensualist when she finally let’s go. Which of course all the males in the story sense, thus making them absolutely ravenous to have her. It’s a race to see who wears down her resistance first.

There are some truly nasty and vicious villains in this story. Corbin is second in power only to Satan himself, and is also Julian’s business partner, and Lucianna is an old flame of Julian’s and a rogue demon. Separately these demons make Hannibal Lecter seem like Mary Poppins, but together they are formidable indeed. With such a varied cast of characters, hot demon sex and a vastly entertaining concept and story, the reader has no problems reading this book in one sitting. It is almost impossible to put down because once it gets moving, it moves quickly. Lucky for us, there appears to be more of this wonderful storyline in the future. I personally am really looking forward to it.

Review – The Falcon Prince By Rebecca Goings

Title: The Falcon Prince

Author: Rebecca Goings

Publisher: Carnal Passions

Buy Link: Buy The Falcon Prince Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed By: Janelle

Blurb:

Zara Nedal is blind, yet through her magic, she can make stunning pieces of jewelry. In order to sell them, she must travel to Suridesh, but only a caravan prince can take her. And only one caravan prince will do–the Falcon.

Khalil Dehriq has had his eye on Zara for three cycles. It’s been a long time since he’s taken a lover, but she cannot see the horrible scars that mar his body. Khalil isn’t sure if that’s a blessing–or a curse.

As they ride the dunes, their passion heats the night and ignites their hearts. But the witch called Mother has different plans, and vows to kill Khalil at any cost. The only hope to save his throne is to conceive an heir, and now the Falcon must decide if Zara’s love is enough to heal his tortured soul.

Review:

I came to this story having read, and reviewed, a later instalment of the series. So, the ending was no real surprise. That said, the journey was fun and I truly enjoyed this story.

The characters are great. The fact that one is blind and other terrible scarred, both carrying emotional baggage with these issues, makes them far less superficial then is so often found in romance. This makes for a very fun dynamic between the two, and underscores how well they fit each other.

The sex is interesting, with Zara’s blindness and Khalil’s body horror issues, their intimate moments come across as awkward, just as it should. This makes for far more interesting reading then if they fell down all hot and heavy.

Overall, this series still impresses me and I highly recommend it.

Review – A Werewolf At The Falls By Marisa Chenery

Title: A Werewolf At The Falls

Author: Marisa Chenery

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Buy Link: Buy A Werewolf At The Falls Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewed by: Gabrielle

Blurb:

Book two in the Big City Pack series.

As a cocktail waitress at Fallsview Casino Resort, Jorja has been witness to some brow-raising moments. But she’s never been part of one until a hot-as hell patron in her section pulls her into his lap and kisses her senseless. Talk about a generous tipper. Lady luck has smiled on her indeed.

What was supposed to be a weekend of harmless gambling takes a dramatic turn when Kian’s wolf scents his would-be mate. Consuming her lips as if his life depends on it in the middle of a crowded casino is bad enough—but giving in to his mating urge and claiming her before she knows his true nature is nothing short of a disaster. And when a fellow pack member shows up and lets the wolf out of the bag, Kian is forced to admit not only who and what he is, but what he did. He may need more than luck to pull this one off.

Review:

While out for a weekend of gambling and fun Kian finds the woman of his dreams. Of course being drunk doesn’t help matters in the least. Kian finds himself in a bind once he sobers up. When another pack member shows up and wanting to cause trouble Kian must find a way to get Jorja to not only believe him but to also trust him.

This book is a great quick read. It is not only fast paced but a sweet romance as well. Jorja and Kian make a wonderful couple. The emotions that they feel burn up the pages making for a great read.Kian truly loves Jorja and wants nothing more than to make her happy. I enjoyed seeing these two find their way and cannot wait to see who will find their mate next.

Review – No Biting Allowed By Sandra Sookoo

Title: No Biting Allowed

Author: Sandra Sookoo

Publisher: Noble Romance

Buy Link: Buy No Biting Allowed Here!

Rating: You Want To Read

Reviewed By : Gabrielle

Blurb:

She has hope. He has vulnerability. Both need each other, but reality might keep them apart.

Grace spends her evenings alone, reviewing paranormal books on her blog, wondering what it takes to make a hero and if she'll ever find one. She doesn't believe vampires or paranormal beings are real, and, while she hands out harsh reviews because she can't suspend her disbelief, she meets the one man who will go to great lengths to change her mind.

Brody's a vampire. Turned into a monster by a bad transfusion years before, he's afraid of losing his grasp on humanity when the hunt for blood grows strong. Once he selects Grace to relieve his primal appetites, he's brought up short by his attraction. Her very disbelief makes him want to show her not only what he is but why he's worthy of her love. Now, if only a troublesome branch of the government would stop spying long enough for him to actually date her.

Trouble is, after being hurt from a nasty divorce, Grace is leery of giving anyone her trust, let alone her love, again. Die at his hand or live under his control? Only her heart can decide.

Review:

Still hurting from a painful divorce Grace has found herself alone and distrustful. Brody finds her trust issues a challenge and is bound to bring her around to his thinking. While the two try to find a middle ground the government and it’s secret agency have other plans for them. Can the two find a happy ever after or will the government win?

This was a cute and fast paced read. I fell in love with Brody right from the start. He is a man turned against his will and longs to keep any humanity he can. Grace is a hoot. I loved her feisty personality. She may be a larger woman and resigned to the fact that she is not the ideal woman but what she lacks in body confidence she more than makes up for with her spunk and fight. The sparks ignite between the two right from their first meeting. Watching their relationship blossom made for a nice read.

The author does a great job of bringing you into the magical world full of paranormals and keeps you entertained all the way to the end. Not only do we get to enjoy the romance between Grace and Brody but we also get a nice side story of the government agency and Nora. I enjoyed this story and hope to see Nora’s story soon.

Review – Wanted By Elizabeth Raines

Title: Wanted (Wicked Missions 5)

Author: Elizabeth Raines

Publisher: Siren-Bookstrand Publishing

Buy Link: Buy Wanted Here!

Rating: You Want To Read

Reviewed By: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

Children are dying from the plague, and in her attempt to steal antibiotics from a pair of sexy drug smugglers, nurse Callinda Seebré comes face to face with a drug lord who now wants her dead.

To keep her safe, smugglers Hammond Miller and Spencer Prentice kidnap Callie. Once aboard their ship, she becomes a catalyst, stimulating the men to explore not only their attraction to her, but also their attraction to each other.

But Hammond and Spencer aren’t quite what they seem. Determined to bring down the drug lord, they realize that in order to succeed, they must put Callie in danger. Can they risk their hearts and her life in order to catch him?

Review:

Callinda Seebre’ is a nurse working with children in a small village dying from a plague. She risks her life in a desperate attempt to steal a lifesaving antibiotic from two drug smugglers, Hammond Miller and Spencer Prentice. When things go bad, Spencer and Hammond kidnap Callinda in order to save her life. Callinda can’t believe how attracted to her kidnappers she is, she is positively disgusted with herself. Spencer and Hammond are your everyday thugs though, they have a secret that could either save Callinda or cost everyone their lives. 

Wanted is a sexy, fast paced sci-fi quickie that is absolutely worth every second it takes to read. The characters are well developed and the story is an entertaining vehicle for the extremely hot sex that draws our characters together. The relationship between Spencer and Hammond is already set to boil when our heroine, Callinda adds that needed push that sets the situation bubbling over. The emotional bonds being formed between the three lend this a nice romantic feel with a suitably happy conclusion. After all the plot twists and turns that occur in this sizzling story, the reader needs the prize at the end. Like Callinda, you’re not sure who’s on what side, when. The bad guys are hot on her tail through most of the story, so Callinda doesn’t have a lot of free time to learn to trust her rescuers, but the heart wants what the heart wants. This is sure to get the heart pumping, so it is well worth your while to snap it up.

Review – Flesh Eaters By Joe McKinney

Title: Flesh Eaters

Author: Joe McKinney

Publisher: Kensington Books

Buy Link: Buy Flesh Eaters Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewed by: Gabrielle

Blurb:

Battered by three devastating hurricanes in a row, the Texas coast is flattened. But for the people of Houston—and soon all of America—the most terrifying events are just beginning…

They Rise…

Out of the flooded streets of Houston, they emerge from plague-ridden waters. Dead. Rotting. Hungry. And as human survivors scramble to their rooftops for safety, the zombie hordes circle like sharks. The ultimate killing machines.

They Feed…

Houston is quarantined to halt the spread of the zombie plague. Anyone trying to escape is shot on sight—living and dead. Emergency Ops sergeant Eleanor Norton has her work cut out for her. Salvaging boats and gathering explosives, Eleanor and her team struggle to maintain order. But when civilization finally breaks down, the feeding frenzy begins.

They Multiply…

Biting, gnawing, feasting—but always craving more—the flesheaters increase their ranks every hour. With doomsday looming, Eleanor must focus on the people she loves—her husband and daughter—and a band of other survivors adrift in zombie-infested waters. If she can’t bring them into the quarantine zone, they’re all dead meat.

Review:

After many major disasters hit Houston people start becoming different and they begin to crave human flesh. Eleanor and her commander are each fighting to save their families as well as any other survivors that they find. They have lost all help from the government and must rely on themselves. Can they save not only themselves but also their city and maybe even mankind?

Each of the characters has depth and emotions throughout this book. Seeing the bond that Eleanor’s family has was a nice read. They try to help each other no matter what and the love that they share as a family stands out. Her commander Mark is a good man as well. He wants to save his family and cares deeply for them. As we read the book we are taken on a journey between these two family units and feel their pain and fear. Not only do get know these two families there are other secondary characters that make an impression. Seeing the human race as a whole begin to fight together makes for a good read.

Flesh Eaters is an enjoyable read that takes you deep into the minds of each of it’s character. This author does a wonderful job of bringing the reader into this world of mayhem and danger. Joe McKinney has found new fan and I will be sure to look for more books in the future.

Review – Unusual Circumstances By Wendy Stone

Title: Unusual Circumstances

Author: Wendy Stone

Publisher: Eternal Press

Buy link: Buy Unusual Circumstances Here!

Rating: You Could Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

Partners in more than stopping crime…
Brett Hunter had enough of his cousin’s detective agency and went into the police academy. Now he’s been partnered with Sam Taylor, a sexy blonde with cop’s eyes and enough sass to keep the headstrong Hunter in line.
When they butt heads with a serial killer, will Brett be strong enough to keep Sam safe? Will their growing love be enough to see them through the problems of love in the workplace? Will they find the killer and foil his foul schemes?

Review:

Brett Hunter’s dream had always been to be a cop. When he quit his lucrative job managing a branch of his cousin Dillon’s very successful private investigations firm, the family was less than thrilled. With experience under his belt as a PI, he sailed through the academy at the top of his class, and now as a uniformed rookie, Brett’s ready to clean up his city. That is until he runs into a roadblock named Samantha Taylor. Detective Sam Taylor agreed to mentor the probie as a favor to her captain, but that doesn’t mean she’s got to take him seriously. She’s got a killer to catch, and babysitting Brett is not getting it done.

I like very strong heroines, family series, and romantic suspense. Sooooo, I should have loved this book. There is a difference in being strong, confident and forceful, and in being just nasty and rude. Maybe my southern roots are showing but, I don’t bite somebody’s head off until they give me a reason, that just show’s a lack of good breeding. I did enjoy the family interactions, but I don’t believe there has ever been a more cursed family than these poor Hunter’s. Every parent, sibling, aunt, uncle and cousin, has either been kidnapped, beaten, raped, murdered, or a combination thereof. I believe a class in birth control and maybe a good shaman might be in order here. I really didn’t have any problems with Brett, he was a good hero, extremely tolerant, and had the patience of Job. Some of the reactions and motivations escaped me in this book.

I don’t want to go into specifics because this is from a continuing series and could possibly be a spoiler. Suffice it to say that very few of the women in this book behaved as I would have anticipated. If you are a follower of this series, then by all means continue to do so. I will give Ms. Stone kudos for writing some really, sexy love scenes. She has a very nice flair for that.

Review – Touched By A Gladiator by Marisa Chenery

Title: Touched By A Gladiator

Author: Marisa Chenery

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Buy Link: Buy Touched By A Gladiator Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewed by: Gabrielle

Blurb:

Petra never expected an antique replica of a gladiator’s rudis would impact her life, but impact it did, deliciously so. The moment she touches the relic a window to the past appears, and what she sees on the other side is shocking, beyond reason…hot. She can see into the world of an ancient Roman gladiator who is sexy as sin, and she soon discovers she’ll do anything for the opportunity to touch him.

Euric doesn’t know what to make of the strange window that appears in his cell, but he knows exactly what he wants to do with the woman on the other side. If only he could get to her. When the two discover they can touch through the portal, their sexual chemistry ignites and all thought as to why they shouldn’t be together disappears.

But when faced with the decision of leaving behind the lives they know, can either of them take that final step through the window, into the life, and arms, of the one they love?

Review:

Working for Mr. Dunn has been a great experience for Petra. Little does she know that Mr. Dunn’s most recent purchase is about to change her life. When Petra touches the rudis a magical window appears and in it she spies a gladiator. It seems the little wooden sword brings Petra face to face with her soul mate. Euric is a gladiator of high standing and fights to keep it that way. The two find a strong connection and wish that they could explore it more. Can a man of the past and a woman of the future find a way to meet in the middle?

This book is a wonderful love story. I was pulled into Petra and Euric’s world right from the start. The sparks ignite from the moment the two make eye contact and become hotter and more intense throughout the book until those sparks become a full fledged fire. I loved Euric and his sense of honor. He is a man who loves with all his heart, once he finds that someone worth giving it to and Petra may be just that woman. The love between the two burns right off of the pages and makes for a beautiful read. I enjoyed watching the relationship build between Petra and Euric. Not only do the main characters make an impression but the secondary characters do as well making the reader feel as if they were visiting old friends.

This book is full of emotions and took me for a wonderful ride. I was stuck to my seat and turning those pages to see what would happen next. Marisa Chenery has once again written an amazing story that captures the reader’s imagination. I loved meeting these new characters and hope to see more of them maybe even having Gerritt and Lia getting a book of their own.

Review – The Third Rose by Jean Hart Stewart

Title: The Third Rose

Author: Jean Hart Stewart

Publisher: Red Rose™ Publishing

Buy Link: Buy The Third Rose Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewed by:  Brynna

Blurb:

Sara accosts Lord Wolverton in his bedroom late at night with the intent to shooting him in the groin so he’d never again rape an innocent girl. Fortunately Wolf overpowers her, since she finds he is not the villain she seeks. They embark together on a hunt to find the real rapist. Then the spy Wolf is also seeking turns his vengeance on Sara. Wolf needs her help to decode a cryptic message about ‘the third rose’ and track down the spy. He fears for her safety and yet knows he needs her help.

The spy hunt turns desperate and Sara and Wolf find themselves hurrying to Brussels to join Wellington and save the General’s life. Matters come to a head at the Battle of Waterloo, with both Sara and Wolf proving their courage and their love.

But will even extraordinary love and courage be enough to save them both?

Review:

Ms. Stewart threw me into the story as heroine Sara-convinced Lord Wolverton raped the vicar's daughter her friend- is lying in wait to kill or at least maim him in a most unpleasant place. She didn't expect him to be innocent of the crime or ready to exact vengeance himself. Together the pair set out to solve the crime. Wolf as his name implies is very magnetic with a dangerous aura that radiates off the page. In turn Sara is a delight. No weak swooning wallflowers here, she is strong, independent and loyal.

The Third Rose has everything you could want in a historical romance, a handsome lord, lovely lady, danger, intrigue and just enough heat to steam up the pages. Definitely one you gotta read.

Review – The Pull By Chelsie Shakespeare

Title : The Pull

Author: Chelsie Shakespeare

Publisher: Noble Young Adult

Buy Link: Buy The Pull Here!

Rating : You Want To Read

Reviewed By : Jodie Pierce

Story Blurb :

Evie Remington had always done what people expected of her. As a result, at twenty-six she finds herself the unhappy owner and manager of a Denver hotel. That is, until deep-rooted memories of a past life and the hidden knowledge of a promise she made in that other lifetime pulls her away from it all. Without knowing where it will lead, Evie sets out on a cross-country journey that will challenge what she believes about life, death, and love.

Review :

The day she turns twenty-six years old is the day Evie Remington’s life changes forever. She starts having realistic dreams about a man named Jude who calls her Bria in the dreams. They are very real and push her to sleep every night craving her nightly “Jude fix”. She decides to give up the hotel her father left her when he died on the spur of the moment to go on a search for Jude. Her staff is shocked when she leaves one day, doesn’t return for a few days and then finally calls and turns it over to her secretary and lifelong family friend.

She just started driving, like on autopilot but it wasn’t until that night’s dreams that revealed she should go to Oregon. Once there she dreamed of the ocean and a rock formation. While driving the next day, she found that rock formation. She crawled out onto it and searched as if she knew what she was looking for. She had an “Aha” moment when she found a heart with the initials JH+BL inside it. Evie found an article written by Dr. Rick Morrison from the University Of Virginia School Of Medicine. He wrote about past lives so she just knew he could help. She flew to Virginia only to find out Dr. Morrison had passed away two weeks ago. She did however meet with his Intern Kyler. He did some research and found out that Bria Lamont and Jude Hartley were born and died on the same day. He stated Jude died at the Hotel Del Coronado in California but there was no record of death or Bria. Evie thanked him for the information and headed to California to the hotel.

Easton Clark had an immaculate home built for him and Bria in North Carolina but first he had to find her this century. He returned to their old haunt the Hotel Del Coronado and each night would sit at the bar all night waiting for her. Though he knew she would look different this time, he knew he’d recognize her soul. Would she return? Why did they both have the same death date?

The author did a great job developing these sets of characters and keeping them straight for the reader. The way it was ended was perfect but you’ll have to read it to find out how it ends. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance/mystery.

Review – Tasting Thanatos By Shona Husk

Title: Tasting Thanatos

Author: Shona Husk

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

Buy Link: Buy Tasting Thanatos Here!

Rating: You Need To Read

Reviewed by: Layne

Story Blurb:

Etienne, sometimes known as Thanatos, wants to feel again. Anything—pain, pleasure, hunger, thirst. He lost all sensation after being tortured during the French Revolution. His quest has led to a love of body piercing and delivers him into the hands of lovely but aloof fellow Vampire Maria.

Maria avoids her kind, and represses the urge to drink the blood of her lovers. The first time she bit, she killed, and she’s terrified of making the same mistake again. Instead she finds satisfaction through piercing. Until Etienne lays down a challenge—make me feel.

He wants her to take him in every way, to mark his soul. And to do that, Maria must embrace every part of her vampire nature.

Review:

Shona Husk pulled me in to this amazing and unique story from the first paragraph with a surprisingly sensual flow. The premise of Tasting Thanatos is as unique as the romance itself between Maria and Etienne.

Both are Vampires, yet Maria keeps to herself, staying away from other Vampires. And blood. Her reasons for both are duly explained and perfectly understandable. She’s scarred and not just physically. Etienne’s arrival into her tattoo shop shakes up her world.

Etienne had been through his share of trials and the result is his loss of all sensation. Everything. He relies on memories. He wants Maria’s touch though he can’t feel it. She craves his bite and longs to bite him, though she’s only done that once with disastrous consequences.

Tasting Thanatos was a smooth, quick read that finished way too soon. Ms. Husk didn’t bother bogging us down with unnecessary details; we’re given all we need to understand these two people and what makes them perfect for each other.

Review – Sweet Surrender By Deanna Lee

Title: Sweet Surrender

Author: Deanna Lee

Publisher: Kensington Books

Buy Link: Buy Sweet Surrender Here!

Rating: You Want to Read

Reviewed by: Gabrielle

Blurb:

She Likes Hard Bodies…

Lauren Evans likes being known for her provocative and erotic artwork. She loves the challenge of capturing the beautiful lines of a naked body in oil and water colors. And occasionally she indulges in a modeling session that gets up close and sexual. But now someone is out to get her and she has only one person to turn to for protection—Connor Grant.

Like She Loves Hard Sex

Connor is in charge of the art museum’s security and now he’s in charge of her. But that’s fine with Lauren. She’s ready to surrender. She can’t wait to strip down, lay back and savor all the sensual delights in his arsenal of carnal pleasure…

Review:

Lauren has always pushed things to the edge with her art. She paints beautiful bodies in oil and watercolors. Yet with all the beauty in her life it seems Lauren has her share of ugliness as well. She is not only having eerie feelings of being watched and bad dreams now it has gotten personal. When her hotel room is ransacked Lauren calls for help and with that help comes Conner. Can Conner and the rest of the team find out who is behind it all before Lauren gets hurt?

This book pulls the reader in right from the start. I loved watching Lauren and Conner’s relationship develop. The sparks ignite right from their first meeting and grow into so much more by the end of the story. Lauren is a strong and independent woman who needs protection and Conner is just the man for the job.  The two make a sweet couple and the love that they begin to have for each other makes for a great read. 

I liked that this story not only had romance but a strong storyline as well. This author does a wonderful job of mixing the action with the romance all the while keeping the reader interested and turning those pages to see just what would happen next.

Review - Seduced By Her Highland Warrior By Michelle Willingham

Title: Seduced By Her Highland Warrior

Author: Michelle Willingham

Publisher: Harlequin Books

Buy link: Buy Seduced By Her Highland Warrior Here!

Rating: You Want To Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

Back in her husband's bed
Alex MacKinloch is chief of his clan and, in these dark times of unrest, he has united his people.
The void between him and his wife is proving a much harder challenge. When Alex discovers Laren has been keeping secrets from him, his thinly veiled frustration can no longer be contained.
The pleasures of the marital bed seem long forgotten to Laren. Yet her warrior husband is looking at her with increasingly hungry eyes… This powerful highlander has seduction on his mind and his wife in his sights!

Review:

Alex and Laren MacKinloch’s marriage had never recovered from the death of their infant son three years ago. Now with the English burning the clan’s keep, there is even more stress piled onto the troubled relationship. As chief of the MacKinloch clan, Alex had many responsibilities and Laren was trying to ease his burdens by not becoming another worry to pile on his shoulders, but it looked to Alex as if Laren was pulling further and further away.

This was not a book I could read in one sitting because it was just so damn sad. Not the heartwarming sad, I’m talking depressing, throw yourself in traffic sad. The death of their son was sad, the burning of the keep was sad, the clan wanting to give up and move was sad, but these were circumstantial. The saddest thing was that Alex and Laren’s marital woes were due to the fact that neither one of them would open their mouth and say what was on their mind. They were so busy trying to mind read the other that they kept drifting further and further apart. It was absolutely maddening. I really can’t identify with this trait because I can guarantee you that if I am thinking or feeling something, you’re going to know it. I sympathized with Alex more in this story, because he was the head of the clan. Laren was very insecure and timid, which just set my teeth on edge. She wasn’t weak and she did have a backbone, but she hid it and tolerated the clan’s poor opinion of her.

The story in general was very good. The writing and setting were spot on. About two-thirds of the way through the book, I unclenched my teeth , and really began to enjoy the book. The battle to keep the clan together and solvent added to the ever present danger from the marauding English and other clans snared my interest. I had to make sure some justice was meted out and that there was some happiness included in this story. Hint, there was. By the end I had a nice happy grin on my face and all was right in the literary world again. I will be watching for the next MacKinloch book and all other works from Michelle Willingham because she produces excellent stories.

Review – Night and Chaos by Naomi Clark

Title: Night and Chaos

Author: Naomi Clark

Publisher: Naomi Clark

Buy Link: Buy Night and Chaos Here!

Rating: You Want to Read

Reviewed By: Janelle

Blurb:

Ryan McCarthy fled Applied Paranormal Theory and Tactics, her father, and her lover six years ago, desperate to build life away from the weird science and supernatural experiments of her childhood. But everything she hoped to escape comes back with a vengeance when she’s kidnapped and tortured by a possessed APTT employee out for revenge on the man responsible for his possession: Ryan’s father. Now, reunited with the lover she abandoned, Ryan is forced back into a world of danger and darkness she no longer understands, pursued by enemies with powers she can’t fathom. But Ryan’s not entirely powerless herself. She’ll have to use every trick she knows – as well as the mystic gift she hates – to stay ahead of those enemies. And that will be easier said than done.

Review:

If this story were an oreo cookie, I’d have only the creamy center. Stuff happens before the story begins that is only alluded to; and the story ends in the middle of the heroine being kidnaped. During this, none of the questions I have are answered about what happened to Ryan and why these experiments were being conducted at all.

This makes this story rather hard to review, because it ends up leaving out motivation for just about every character in the story. It results in a bunch of characters who seem two dimensional: the heroine is whiny and the hero is an ass.

Overall, the story is well written, just...not finished.

Review – Mirror Music by Lily Harlem

Title: Mirror Music

Author: Lily Harlem

Publisher: Ellora's Cave

Buy Link: Buy Mirror Music Here!

Rating:  You Gotta Read

Reviewed by:  Brynna

Blurb: 

As Robbie Harding belts out hit song Jenny to a packed Wembley Stadium, my heart tears, my mind fudges and my insides heat to a lusty, pulsing boiling point.
Why me more than the other 90,000 screaming fans?
Because I’m Jenny—he’s singing about me.
The guy is sex on legs with a voice to match and has starred in all my hot dreams since the day boys became interesting. For three precious years, it was more than hot dreams. Turns out he wants me back in his life and his bed. How can I resist?
So with lots of naked, sweaty and downright dirty time to make up for, I wield my backstage pass, hunt him down and refuse to be starstruck by the boy next door. Seems Robbie agrees, as he insists on tuning in to my needs and rediscovering our rhythm before we even reach a bedroom.

Review:  

Childhood sweethearts Jenny Calahan and Robbie Harding were once as close as two people in love can be, but misconceptions and jealously tore them apart. Now that Robbie has reached rock star status as the lead singer of Manic Machines, he's discovered what's really important in his life. He wants his Jenny back.

After years of avoiding Robbie and her broken heart, Jenny has reached her own goals. Night after night tickets and backstage passes appear along with a request from Robbie to attend his concert.  She finally attends the concert and the two reminiscence  and rekindle their relationship.  Mirror Music is the second book in this series. Although the book length and story time-frame is short, Ms. Harlem keeps the scenario believable with vivid compelling characters. From the beginning you hope they get back together. There is plenty of heat (true to this author's style) but with an underlying sweetness that's often missing from erotic romance.  Mirror Music is a lovely reunion of hearts and a story you've gotta read.

Review – Kiss Of Snow By Nalini Singh

Title: Kiss of Snow

Author: Nalini Singh

Publisher: Berkley Books

Buy Link: Buy Kiss Of Snow Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

Review:

Hawke, alpha of the SnowDancer changeling pack, lost his mate as a child. Even knowing that he could never have another to form a mate bond with, he still had a fierce attraction for the young Psy, Sienna Lauren. Brought into the pack after her family defected from the Psy-Net, Hawke has watched her grow into a confident but headstrong young SnowDancer soldier, but still years too young for any type of romantic relationship with him. All he could offer would be the most superficial of relationships and she deserves so much more. Sienna has feelings for Hawke as well, and as a fabled Cardinal X Psy, she is much older than her 19 years. She is the only one of her kind and there is no protocol for handling her deadly powers. Just remaining alive could put her whole pack in jeopardy.

I have followed the Psy/Changeling series from the very beginning with Slave to Sensation. I fell in love with it then, and love it more now. From that first encounter with Hawke, I have been anticipating his book because he is such a strong but tragic hero. It was most definitely worth the looooong wait. So many questions surrounded Hawke and Sienna. Could the age thing be overcome? What exactly was Sienna’s Psy designation and what did it mean? And if those weren’t enough, Walker’s story (Sienna’s uncle) gets thrown into the mix. It was like Christmas and my birthday all rolled into four hundred and fifteen pages. This is a book that you need to set aside a block of time for, because you will not be able to put it down. It is like this book literally shoots a tractor beam into your mind and pulls you in until the very last word on the very last page. Kiss of Snow continues the battle of Psy treachery and their pursuit of perfect Silence. The attacks are stepped up and turn even more deadly in this book, creating even more questions. The Dark River pack is of course well represented and Sasha has her baby. Not telling what it is though, but Lucas is thrilled. There were some very tense passages and I was on pins and needles with the new developments. I still am not sure how this all turns out. I am already panting for the next book. If you are not familiar with this series DO NOT WAIT! This is, without a doubt, one of the premier paranormal series on the shelves today. It is a must read.

Review - Infinity: The Chronicles of Nick By Sherrilyn Kenyon

Title: Infinity: The Chronicles of Nick

Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon

Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffon

Buy Link: Buy Infinity Here!

Rating: You Want to Read

Reviewed By: Janelle

Blurb:

At fourteen, Nick Gautier thinks he knows everything about the world around him. Streetwise, tough and savvy, his quick sarcasm is the stuff of legends. . .until the night when his best friends try to kill him. Saved by a mysterious warrior who has more fighting skills than Chuck Norris, Nick is sucked into the realm of the Dark-Hunters: immortal vampire slayers who risk everything to save humanity.

Nick quickly learns that the human world is only a veil for a much larger and more dangerous one: a world where the captain of the football team is a werewolf and the girl he has a crush on goes out at night to stake the undead.

But before he can even learn the rules of this new world, his fellow students are turning into flesh eating zombies. And he’s next on the menu.

As if starting high school isn't hard enough. . .now Nick has to hide his new friends from his mom, his chainsaw from the principal, and keep the zombies and the demon Simi from eating his brains, all without getting grounded or suspended. How in the world is he supposed to do that?

Review:

I am a long time fan of Mrs. Kenyon’s Dark-Hunter series, so when I heard my favorite character was getting his own spin-off series, I was notably excited. It took me a while, but this book finally made it to the top of the teetering stack of books on my night stand. And honestly, it left me kind of cold.

Sherrilyn is undoubtedly a good writer, the world is vivid and the characters complex. Sadly, the plot is all over the place. In taking a romance series with a rich base of mythology and paranormal and trying to filter it through the lens of young adult fiction, something got lost. Characters that I have known and loved for years, that took many books to even begin to understand, are stripped bare of their closely guarded secrets in the opening of this series. Already the mystery is erased, especially around characters as utterly complex as Acheron.

I truly believe that romance is Mrs. Kenyon’s calling in the literary world. Her young adult writing, however, still needs polish. It simply felt as if she were trying to fill in the lack of romantic side plot, with a dozen unfocused subplots.

Review – Hidden Talents By Emma Holly

Title: Hidden Talents

Author: Emma Holly

Publisher: Smashwords

Buy link: Buy Hidden Talents Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

Resurrection, NY is America’s only supernatural friendly town, built on an outfolded pocket of Faerie. Werewolf cop Adam Santini is sworn to protect and serve all of Resurrection’s races - including unsuspecting human Talents who wander in from Outside.
Ari stumbles into Adam’s town from the Big Apple. She’s hot on the trail of a mysterious crime boss who wants to exploit her telekinesis for his own evil ends. If she can’t get Henry Blackwater off her back, she and her two most trusted friends in the world had better kiss the decent life they’ve built for themselves goodbye.
Ari’s mission puts her on a collision course with the hottest cop in the RPD. Adam wants Blackwater too, but mostly he wants Ari. She seems to be the mate he’s been yearning for all his life, though getting a former street kid into bed with the Law could be his toughest case to date.
When biology knocks boots with justice, more than bad guys go up flames.

Review:

Ari had come to Resurrection, N.Y. looking for the man who had threatened the only things she held dear in this world, her friends Sarah and Max. Thrown out of her home by her fanatically religious parents because of her devil powers, the three teenagers had supported each other through the perils of life on the streets. Now Henry Blackwater, aka the Eunuch, was threatening their circle of stability. Adam is a police officer in Resurrection, a hidden enclave of paranormal beings in New York state. Adam, as are many of Resurrection’s police, is a werewolf. Henry Blackwater has been on his radar for quite awhile, so when he comes across Ari torturing one of the Eunuch’s known associate’s he knows he has to stick close. It’s how close he’s not sure about.

I know whenever I pick up one of Emma Holly’s books, I am in for an erotic treat. There are few who can compete with Ms. Holly when it comes to telling such a smoking hot story with such flair and originality. Her hero for Hidden Talents, Adam Santini, is a perfect combination of alpha wolf and civilized man. Dominant but compassionate, he is the perfect foil for the untrusting Ari. Taught by experience to be leery of helping hands, Ari takes awhile to trust her feelings for Adam. It doesn’t take her quite that long to want to jump his bones, and werewolves are all about bones (hee-hee). Besides being a scorching romance, Emma’s stories always have a message of tolerance and accepting of uniqueness, a message that is always welcome in today’s turbulent world.

Even if Hidden Talents didn’t contain the abundance of sexual tension, it would still be a book of note. The plot and characters are both entertaining and compelling. Each new character encountered had its own distinct personality and added a new dimension to the story. There is always plenty of humor in Emma Holly’s books as well as some incredibly poignant moments. The author leaves no stone unturned in creating an enjoyable experience for the reader. If you’ve never had the pleasure of reading one of Ms. Holly’s books, this would be a great starting place, and if you’re already a fan, well then the streak continues.

Review – Falling Hard By J.K. Coi

Title: Falling Hard

Author: J.K. Coi

Publisher: Carina Press

Buy Link: Buy Falling Hard Here!

Rating: You Gotta Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

After a life filled with tragedy, rocker Gabriel Gunn thinks he's finally getting the better of his personal demons. Then he's attacked after a concert—and rescued by a warrior goddess brandishing a sword and white wings. As hard as it is to believe in an angelic bodyguard, Gabriel must face an even more impossible truth: he carries the devil's soul within him.

Amelia has been watching over Gabriel for years, using her angelic powers to prevent Lucifer's return. Now she must also protect him from warring angel factions with their own agendas. Amelia would do anything to avert another angelic war, even sacrifice her own emotions to avoid temptation. Yet with Gabriel she feels things she no longer wants to deny, and pleasure she never imagined.

But the closer Gabriel and Amelia get, the stronger Lucifer becomes. Will Amelia be forced to kill the man she's come to love to stop the war she's always feared?

Review:

Gabriel Gunn had a mesmerizing voice that had lead him to exulted rock star status, but he took his lumps along the way. With a tragic childhood and a battle with the pitfalls that come with fame, the last thing Gabriel could handle was a brutal assault that left him hospitalized and his best friend dead. It was Amelia White’s sworn duty to protect Gabriel and the sleeping evil that was hidden inside him. She had watched Gabriel from birth and was determined to uphold her promise to the archangel, Michael. Gabriel Gunn is the vessel for the Fallen, Lucifer’s soul, and if it is awakened it will be Amelia’s job to insure Gabriel isn’t alive to release his evil on mankind.

This was an absolutely fantastic read. From the first page, I was hooked and thrown in the boat. J.K. Coi was a new author to me, and I can’t for the life of me figure out why. The writing in Falling Hard is simply brilliant. I was actually caught off guard a couple of times. When I talk to the characters in a book to tell them what’s coming or to watch out, it’s a very good book. It has all the elements that make a story great, humor, intelligent plot, Kick-Ass heroine ( number one requirement), sexual tension, a good alpha hero, and emotional range. Yes, I cried at one point, laughed at another, cussed and threw things. I can tell I’m really into a book when all my animals run and hide because I get loud, and by the end of Falling Hard, there wasn’t a furball in sight. A lot of the book is told from Gabriel’s point of view, which I loved. He is dealing with a tremendous amount of emotional baggage which Amelia, as an angel who has no emotions at all, has a difficult time relating to. What I really loved though, was that Amelia was the warrior. She was such an awesome heroine. The evolution of the two main characters, and watching them realize that they are both laboring under the same misconceptions is an epic journey. I very highly recommend this book. It will take you places only the very lucky get to see.

Review – Blazed by Amber Kallyn

Title: Dragos 3: Blazed

Author: Amber Kallyn

Publisher: Changeling Press

Buy Link: Buy Blazed Here!

Rating: You Want to Read

Reviewed By: Janelle

Blurb:

When someone comes after the rock band Brianna Jones works with, she must not only embrace the fire nymph within herself, but also the growing desire she feels for bounty hunter and dragon shifter Tyler Dragos. Together, they will try keeping not only the band members, but Bree safe from the dark mage hounding the Dragos Clan.

Review:

Though done fairly well, this story is still romance by numbers. Nothing in it is particularly surprising or suspenseful, and it panders a great deal of false drama.

Bree is supposed to be this strong independent female so common in romance these days. She also stumbles into the pitfalls; being so independent she comes off as reckless and unconcerned for the safety of those around her. Ty is a typical alpha male, and does not stretch the stereotype in any way.

The sex is good, if a bit too frequent. I find such things lose their impact when they make up half the story.

Overall, this one is on the good side of average.

Review – Dragon’s Lair By Delilah Hunt

Title: Dragon’s Lair

Author: Delilah Hunt

Publisher: Changeling Press

Buy Link: Buy Dragon’s Lair Here!

Rating: You Could Read

Reviewed By: Janelle

Blurb:

Taryn, a skilled warrior, knows she is indebted to the scarred dragon responsible for saving her village.

Darius is an outcast, a lone dragon without a clan and on the edge of self-destruction. Stalking and protecting Taryn is the only pleasure he knows. After the exotic female entices her way into his lair, only the gods can predict the outcome of their sensuous union.

Review:

This story has a terrible case of word confusion. As an example, “Flailing” wings are not conducive to flight. This problem makes most of the story very confusing as I spent far too much time trying to understand what the author meant rather than what was written. Adding to this is an incredible lack of description – how big and what color is the dragon – and odd choices of what setting is provided – the dragon lives in a cave, in a mountain, next to a beach and a forest...really? – the story is just a mess.

The sex is boring. The characters seem far more concerned with talking about their pasts then the paying attention to the carnal pleasures. If they can’t be bothered to enjoy themselves, why should I?

Overall, I’d be seriously hesitate to recommend this story.

Review – Daring by Dee Davis

Title: Daring

Author: Dee Davis

Publisher: Hatchette Book Group

Buy link: Buy Daring Here!

Rating: You Need to Read

Reviewer: Wendy Mitchell

Blurb:

As the former medical officer for A-Tac, an elite CIA unit masquerading as faculty at an Ivy League college, Lara Prescott saved many lives. But the memory of the one person she couldn’t save has brought her back into harm’s way—and into the sights of a formidable adversary . . .

NOWHERE IS SAFE

Lara thought working a world away would heal her. Yet volunteering to treat the sick and injured in revolution-torn central Africa can’t stop the shattering memories of losing the man she loved. A night with sexy security officer Rafe Winters seems the perfect temporary escape—until insurgents attack her clinic and Rafe becomes her only way to survive . . .
Rafe knows all too well that this beautiful young doctor is the insurgents’ real target: her knowledge of America’s espionage system makes her a valuable prize. Helping her flee jeopardizes his hidden agenda—but her unexpected trust in him sparks a desire to protect that he can’t ignore. Now as their merciless pursuers close in, Rafe and Lara’s only chance for escape will put everything they’ve sworn to protect—and their newfound love—on the line . . .

Review:

Lara Prescott, former medical officer for A-Tac, an elite CIA unit posing as faculty at Ivy League school, is recovering from the death of her husband while donating her medical expertise to a small clinic in a war torn village in Africa. Rafe Winters, an Aussie mercenary, is also attached to the clinic and has made no secret of the fact that he would love to get Lara between the sheets. When the clinic comes under attack, Lara is captured by the insurgents, then seemingly rescued by Rafe. Maybe Rafe’s miraculous appearance is just too good to be true.

I have been a big fan of Dee Davis’s A-TAC series since it’s inception, so I was especially tickled to be able to snatch up this wonderful short story. Daring is right on track with Dee’s signature plot twists that take the reader on a rollercoaster of possible outcomes. These books are so much fun to read because they are not the least bit predictable. The A-Tac series are among the few books that I have to really fight myself over to keep from reading the last chapter to see what happens. Lara is a great heroine. She is a former agent and takes a lot of initiative in saving her own skin and the skin of those around her. I always appreciate strong women characters. Rafe is a dashing hero, who has some surprising secrets he’s been keeping mum about, and though he is protective, he’s not smothering or restrictive…hooray! I love a man who respects a woman’s abilities. The action is non-stop and makes for an enjoyable hour or two. As an added bonus, there’s an excerpt from the upcoming full length A-Tac novel, Deep Disclosure. Can’t wait!