Daughter of Smoke and Bone Triology by Laini Taylor

Review of Books I & II:

Daughter of Smoke and Bone & 

Days of Blood and Starlight

While reading one of my magazine subscriptions (Inc., Wired, or Fast Co.), and article about ebook longevity suggested "The Daughter of Smoke and Bone" was setting up to be the next Twilight craze.

So, naturally, I bought it just to see. That's the "indie" peaking out, wanting to be ahead of the curve. Ha!

Unfortunately, my local independent bookstore didn't have it and couldn't order it (I don't understand the specifics. Something about being a foreign publishing company.) But I did find it easily enough on Amazon and used the purchase as an excuse to fill up my cart with a few other books I had been eyeballing.

Once I finally got my hands on it, I was pleasantly surprised. 

Though straddling the YA category, this novel is a bit too "erotic" for the preteen set. I offered it to a friend for story time with her 12 year old. She did a pre-read and just wasn't comfortable with the level of heat in the pages, and didn't want to explain feeling "hot and bothered" to her daughter. 

I, on the other hand, always want YA to take that last step into the "act". But this story was full enough with plot and character development that the strain of absent sex didn't chafe as much as usual.

There are many fairytale elements in this story of monsters and angels: blue hair, necklaces full of wishes, high school in Prague. But shadows darken the edges with mysterious and dangerous errands, secrets, and possible death.

Once enamored with the characters, I moved on to the second book "Days of Blood and Starlight" which throws off the sparkle of fairytales and embraces the dark reality of greed, vengeance, and war. 

Friends become enemies and enemies pretend to be friends. I had difficulty in the middle of the book, screaming at the protagonist to see the lies! It wore me down a bit, that she had no clue. But there are plenty other levels of suspense to keep you engaged.

Including waiting for the final book in the trilogy to be released! "The expected pub date is April, 2014." 

I give the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy a thumbs up!

Blood Run Cold

by Aleksandr Voinov and Raev Gray

624 Page PDF, May 2010

Lucian Dalca, an ancient vampire, takes an interest in Frederik Berg, a financial advisor with a shady past. Lucian's son, Emil, joins forces with Frederik's enemies and finds love with both of them. Family tensions come to a head, and soon it becomes clear that not everyone will survive the conflicts. Blood Run Cold is a m/m vampire novel with strong BDSM themes and an m/m/m triad.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
• Reminds me of Bourne Identity or a Gritty James Bond


PARANORMALITY
• Vampire


SEXUALITY
• M/M
• Rough Sex


REVIEW

• The head hopping drove me crazy in the beginning making the characters fill out in a very fuzzy way.

• These men are bad, very bad. I don't think I have come across protagonist quite this bad ever without some sort of redeeming character trait. The darkness is just plain wonderful. An indulgence of our inner predator.

• Didn't manage to hold my attention... I intend to pick it back up, but as of yet I have not finished it.


PERSONAL LURES
• Amara raves about these authors, had to try them.

Escape & Abandoned

Running In Fear Series 1 & 2

by Trinity Blacio

Jaycee Manz has been on the run since her sixteenth birthday. Growing up fast, depending on no one, how is she supposed to handle three men who claim to be her mates? Can she learn to trust them or will she continue to run?

Jaycee Manz has finally found her mates. Among others of her kind, you would think she would be happy. But like everything else, achieving a dream often comes with a price. How can a person feel totally abandoned when surrounded twenty-four hours a day by her mates? Can she trust them not to rip out her heart?

REVIEW

• Feels like an outline with very limited development of events & relationships.

• Intense read - wish it was more in depth, would have really enamored me to the characters.

• As is, Dane's constant quickies drive me crazy.

• The fisting seems so out of place with no build up.

• The caveman attitudes are what ultimately had me setting down this series without moving on to the third book. I just couldn't stand watching Jaycee start to be strong and then turn into a weak wilted turnip once again. And the cavemen never learn.

• Its a good thing the character development wasn't intense or I would have been way more pissed than I was. You can label me "irritated/agitated". I skimmed the last few pages of book 2 to see if the plot developed in a direction I would like to follow. But ultimately I gave up.

Pandora's Box

by Natale Stenzel

All Pandemina Dorothy Avery ever wanted was to be beautifully, blessedly normal, with a stable career and a love life leading to a white picket fence and a happily-ever-after.

That seems impossible now. Penniless and parted from her unfaithful boyfriend, unfairly shunned by her coworkers, not even Mina's recent inheritance can help -- especially not when it amounts to a ten-pound rock box and guardianship of the horny, devious puca she released from inside. His name's Riordan, and he ain't no Harvey.

REVIEW

• Sweet, twisted, paranormal romance that blindsided me at the end.

• The cover has no correlation whatsoever to the story and kept me from reading it for a good couple years, rotting on my TBR pile.

• I'm glad I finally cracked this spine!

Dark Harvest

Vampire Psychologist #3

by Lynda Hilburn

Denver psychologist Kismet Knight counsels vampires. Her life changed forever when she discovered a dark preternatural underworld and became involved with gorgeous, eight-centuries-old Devereux, the powerful leader of a vampire coven.

Still adjusting to her new role as an expert on all things paranormal—as well as her unexpected notoriety and new clientele—she schedules what she believes is simply another radio interview. She couldn’t be more mistaken. Not only does the radio host behave very strangely, but an ominous, on-air call turns Kismet’s world upside-down—again.

Meanwhile, Luna, Devereux’s hostile, femme fatale personal assistant recognizes a perfect opportunity to throw a wrench into her boss’s blossoming relationship with the human psychologist and, to complicate matters further, Kismet’s old boyfriend, self-absorbed psychologist Tom Radcliffe, shows up with his own outlandish request.

REVIEW

• Obtuse heroine (not my favorite kind).

• Extension of first 2 books in series (which I DIDN'T read) & doesn't hold its own. I was lost at times.

• Smexy with a dash of crazy. Fun to read :)

Hajiri's Pet

Midnight Rain #1

by Auburnimp & Michael Barnette

Hajiri is a zonewarrior. A former gunwhore who once sold his body for money, he’s looking for the job that will let him move up in the live and die world of the Shinjuku Containment Area.

A chance meeting outside a popular Shinjuku club leaves Hajiri in the possession of a corporate high roller’s battlepet. A young human/snow leopard cross genetically engineered to be the perfect sexual partner and bodyguard.

The last thing Hajiri needs is a complication in his life. But how can he turn away a person who had been tossed out like so much trash, especially when that man just saved his life?

Hajiri doesn’t want responsibility. What Hajiri gets is a lot more than he bargained for when the young man shows him what it means to be a battlepet’s Master.

REVIEW

• Scifi M/M romance with battlepets and zonewarriors.

• Takes a little bit to get into the world with all the new vocab thrown at you (including shortened versions of words you aren't familiar with yet) but it is worth the small initial struggle.

• Will be a re-read for me and the series is on my radar.

• Thanks to Chris for putting this on my radar eons ago!

Funky Fresh Paranormal Urban Fantasy with a dash of Romance.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.

The Devil's Playground

Morgan Kinsley Book #5

by Jenna Black

Morgan Kingsley, a kick-ass exorcist, can deal with Lugh, the super-sexy demon living inside her, but does he have to moan softly during her intimate moments with her mortal lover? Understandably, Brian is reluctant to share the pleasures of Morgan's flesh with a gorgeous rogue from the Demon Realm.

But personal matters will have to wait when the opportunistic owner of The Seven Deadlies demon club in Philadelphia enlists Morgan's help in heading off a crisis: It seems that demons have started showing up at the hot spot in alarming numbers and in the unwilling bodies of rough trade club-goers. Morgan is sure that Dougal, Lugh's sworn enemy, is behind this, but why? To find out Morgan must summon every ounce of power at her command—or risk becoming just another casualty in an all-out demon war.

REVIEW

• Exorcists & Demons abound!

• Exorcist Morgan Kinsley has been living with a demon inside her for months and now he is putting the moves on both her and her boyfriend.

• Political heat manages the plot but the voyeur triad sexing keeps it steamy.

• The gay supporting characters add that little bit of spice I like. Oh, yeah... and suggestions of BDSM.

• Read Chapter 1

____________________________________________ _ _ _ _ _ _

Speak of the Devil

Morgan Kinsley Book #4

by Jenna Black

For a kick-ass exorcist, it’s all about staying alive . . .

Morgan Kingsley, America’s most successful exorcist, is paying the price for an exorcism gone wrong. The victim’s family is suing the daylights out of her, the Exorcism Board has suspended her, and now she’s living on a diet of ramen noodles and bad coffee. But Morgan has a few good men at her side. One is her current boyfriend, nice-guy legal-eagle Brian, who’s starting to reveal his inner bad boy. The other is Philly cop Adam White, who’s trying to help Morgan find out who sent her a little present—a severed human hand—and why someone seems determined to destroy her.

As her stalker turns more violent, leaving dead bodies in his wake, Morgan turns to the dark side of her life: a group of demons seeped in secrets, sinful eroticism, and otherworldly family feuds, including one sexy beast who shares Morgan’s body—and some X-rated fantasies. Soon Morgan must choose between her friends, her enemies, and her libido: to escape a mad demon determined to destroy her completely.

REVIEW

• I went backwards on this and read The Devil's Playground first. It took a little of the suspense out but there is still a good amount of angst and action.

• The sex scenes are few and far between BUT they are hot! M/M Fantasy action and some heavy D/s.

• Read Chapter 1

The Anita world is changing, for the better or worse?

Hit List

Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Novel 20
by Laurell K. Hamilton

320 Page Hardcover, Published June 2011

A serial killer is hunting the Pacific Northwest, murdering victims in a gruesome and spectacular way. The local police suspect "monsters" are involved, and have called in Anita Blake and Edward, U.S. Marshals who really know their monsters, to catch the killer.

But some monsters are very real. The Harlequin have been the bogeymen of the vampire world for more than a thousand years; they are a secret so dark that even to speak their name can earn you a death sentence. Now they are here in America, hunting weretigers…and human police.

The Harlequin serve the Mother of All Darkness, the first vampire. She was supposed to be dead, but only her body was destroyed. Now she needs a new one, and she’s decided that Anita Blake’s is the body she wants. Edward thinks the serial killings are a trap to lure Anita closer to the most dangerous vampire they’ve ever hunted. The vampires call Edward “Death,” and Anita the “Executioner,” but Mommy Darkest is coming to kill one and possess the other, and she doesn’t care how many others have to die along the way.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
• "Tiger" color scheme, violent movement
• Questionable font usage and hierarchy
• Suggestive model matches current series tone
• Is that Edward or a bad vampire?


PARANORMALITY
• Weretigers
• Werewolves
• Werelions
• Vampires
• Necromancer


SEXUALITY
• M/F, Were/Necoromancer


PERSONAL LURES
• Anita Blake is my drug.


REVIEW

• Once again I can't put it down. Totally want to sneak chapters at work.


• Was there a rush to get this novel out? Because I have caught a few editing mistakes already.
Confused pronouns
Consistency with numbers (3 vs. 4 tigers)
Repetition of introductory facts
Just plain mistakes: "She laid out her clothes in a neat line on the bedspread" and then a few bit of dialogue later "she dumped her clothes in a pile on the bed and began to sort them"


• Anita is still forgetting to eat solid food as a preventative method to raising the beasts inside her.


• She always seems to find at least one male that she just has to have, not mentally of course, its all metaphysical.


• I thought that we might not get any sex! Didn't happen 'til midway. Makes me feel like Ms. Hamilton is listening to what her readers are saying. (Though I happen to enjoy all the smexing.)


• Anita is very self-aware (as much as her integral character can be) and realizes she is being prude. She also vocalizes that she missed her men (and I do too).


• Olaf just got even sexier for me when Anita snuggled up to him. I have a weakness for men that make me feel small (at 5' 9" that is a rarity for me) but Olaf... my, oh my. Yeah, I know. Playing with fire and all that. He's a dangerous SOB.

"I ended up pressed to the front of his body with my entire head below his chest, so sort of his upper stomach/chest area.

God, he was big.

I had enough guy friends that I’d automatically put my arm around him for the hug, like body memory.

His much bigger arm was around me, and what was supposed to be a quick, manly, I’m-not-gay hug turned into more.

His arm tightened around me, keeping me against his body.

My right hand was in his, his arm behind my back, my left arm around his surprisingly slender waist."

• Edward is totally morphing, it feels wrong but I am willing to accept it because it is acknowledged.

"Once I’d believed that if he had to he’d kill me—he might miss me, but he’d do it.

Now, I realized maybe he wouldn’t.

Maybe he was finally emotionally attached to me in a very un-Edward-like way."

• RANT:
This book made me feel dirty. It's my own fault I went out and bought the new release hardcover at full price BUT I feel like I am being strung along for my money.

Rationally, it is true. An author wants to make money. But half way through this relatively short novel (300 hardcover pages in large type is NOT that long at all) the story was still being set up. Once again we get lead to the FAST climax (I want more details!) at the end and left without anyone to cuddle with. Take out the backstory (which is ridiculously redundant to a loyal Anita fan) and you're looking at a novella.

It is obvious the series is laid out in stickynotes on the wall, but flesh out these steps into generous rubenesques. Jean-Claude prefers curves and so do I. What happened to Incubus Dreams length stories that left me gasping and shuddering at the end with enough plot to ruminate on until the next release?


• Foreshadowing the series (what I think might happen next):
An evil werelion king for Anita
Hunting with Edward and his "son"
Voluntary Lycanthropy for Edward



WANT MORE?
• Read my Tuesday Teaser partially undressed.
• Read an excerpt from Ms. Hamilton's website.
• I've also reviewed the other 19 books in the series - HERE!

Jaded human unintentionally snags heart of ancient vamp, attention of more.

Eternal Seduction

by Jennifer Turner

215 Page PDF, Published 2008

A Darkness Within Novel After living on the streets of New York City for over a decade, Logan Ellis admits her perceptions might be a little skewed. But twisted or not, there’s a satisfying irony in watching a well dressed vampire stand in the middle of a ghetto alley, windblown trash scraping small circles near his feet. What she finds even more intriguing, is waiting for him to decide whether or not he’s going to kill her.

Kerestyan Nelek hasn’t quite made up his mind. As the Lord of New York, he can’t allow a homeless drug addict, whose memories are packed with knowledge of vampiric existence, to run free in his city. It’s not the first time he’s been in this situation with a human, it’s just the first time in thousands of years he’s come face to face with one who doesn’t seem to care. And that’s what makes the decision so damn difficult.

What horrors would you have to witness before you went numb? How many years would it take for you to feel that way? What would it take to make you care again?

Logan’s answers are simple: the worst humanity has to offer, almost thirty… and something she never expected.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
photo by Anna Davidenko
• Striking photograph but limited suggestion of internal plot


PARANORMALITY
• Vampires
• Werewolves
• Angels
• Immortals
• Magic


SEXUALITY
• M/F
• Bisexuality
• Rough
• Uninvited orgasm
• Orgasm by bite
• Groping


PERSONAL LURES
• Dragons
• NY


REVIEW

• Couldn't put it down, steady plot flow.

• Enjoyed the reversal of roles: jaded human and loving vampire

• A little bit jarring with the vampire mood swings, but they are acknowledged by the protagonist.

• Interesting mix of characters from dragons to giants, and with a variation of personalities too.

• Vampire siblings fight dirty!

• Starts out very dark with an edge of sarcastic humor that threads through the entire story. A very nice contrast to the depths of emotion being plundered.
“Well, if nothing else, at least the gaps between your ribs make for good handholds.” He turned and sauntered through a gate attached to a white picket fence. “Gives a whole new meaning to ‘ribbed for her pleasure’!” pg 93

• K's sentient wolf servant has me totally confused. I thought werewolves and vampires were enemies?

• Not your typical romance as the mushy stuff is very off limits in the detached Logan's mind.

• We get a Cliff Notes version of the history of creation according to vampires and that puts Drake in a very interesting place. I'm curious about him AND he shows up in the next book, Eternal Hearts.... which just happens to be on book blog tour with us today! Jump to the tour post here.


FAVORITE SCENE QUOTE
Logan the street waif has just run across a trio of fighting vampires.

The sound of clicking teeth pulled her attention back to the pissed off puppy and his question.

“Puppet? I’m not exactly sure what that means. I suppose the only frayed strings I dance on are God’s.”

pg. 8

WANT MORE?
Read a Tuesday Teaser - Xlarge

Read an excerpt from the streets, featuring a homeless addict and a horny grandma.

Check out the Eternal Hearts Blog Tour - Visiting SVZ Book Reviews TODAY!

The Truth About Vampires

by Theresa Meyers

288 page Mass Market Paperback, Published March 2011

Sons of Midnight, Book 1 All her life Seattle reporter Kristin Reed sought her breakout story. She never thought she'd find it in the crimson lair of a real life creature of the night. Kristin never believed vampires existed—until with dark brooding eyes and a decadent chocolate scent, Dmitri Dionotte called out to her...

Dmitri and his clan's true nature was cloaked in secrecy until a warring vampire order threatened their existence. Kristin was just the woman he needed. She couldn't resist their story...or Dmitri. Her blood pulsed hot and furious when he touched her, and with his kiss, all logic fled. But each night she spent with her vampire lover brought her closer to death and destruction. A death not even an immortal could triumph over.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
• Classic feel for the Harlequin Nocturne line
• Would have liked the man to be a little darker to match the story
• The pose is very accurate, even the passion hazed look on her face
• Good placement of multiple logos without creating a confusing mess


PARANORMALITY
• Vampires


SEXUALITY
• M/F
• Chocolate, sex, cinnamon, and sticky buns all wrapped into one!
• Stroke my fangs, baby!


PERSONAL LURES
• Reporter Protagonist (You know, like Superman)


REVIEW
Vampires used to live unseen among us, now they are being revealed to the world and you really think there isn't going to be pandemonium?! This is intense people. Vampire blood has healing abilities and there is a wicked black market a-brewing. Remind you of True Blood a little? <-- Not a jab, just a common plot thread in this sort of vampire world revelation.

Alpha males abound! This reporter doesn't know when to stop and gets herself in over her head. Classic themes and hardheaded actions/ reactions. Ends with a lot of story left to tell. Obvious opening for the next book in the series but I won't go looking for it.



WANT TO WIN IT?
Join me on the 18+ Blog Hop June 2-5 for your chance to win a signed copy!

Multiple betrayals of unknowing victims.

Double Cross

by Carolyn Crane

326 Page Mass Market Paperback, 2010

Disillusionist Trilogy Book 2
Some secrets come back to haunt.
Others come back to kill.
Serial killers with unheard-of skills are terrorizing the most powerful beings in Midcity. As the body count grows, Justine faces a crisis of conscience…and an impossible choice between two flawed but brilliant men—one on a journey of redemption, the other descending into a pit of moral depravity.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
by Gene Mollica
Same artist and style as the first book in the trilogy.
I enjoy this style but once again missed the knife in the story.


PARANORMALITY
• Highcaps - Mutated mental abilities (See Tuesday Teaser Excerpt)
• Disillusionists - Extreme personalities
• Sleepwalkers


SEXUALITY
• M/F
• Misery loves company


REVIEW
Wow - The title says it all. I am so glad I know this is a trilogy because the story just plain CAN'T end like that! I was pretty sure Ms. Crane was going to silently torture me and Packard until the release of the last book, but the last scene gave me hope that she still has some kindness in her heart. *wink*

Love the use of a simple juvenile clue as a turning point, and am I sensing a deep personal dislike of script typography? As a graphic designer I can relate but not condone the deep emotional response.


PERSONAL LURES
Read the first book, Mind Games, and I am a sucker for series. The world has already been built in my head, might as well explore it further.


WANT MORE?

Read an excerpt from chapter one

I've also reviewed Mind Games!

Disfunctional superheros create a sexy mindworm whispering conspiracy theories and paranoia around every corner.

Mind Games

by Carolyn Crane

371 Page Mass Market Paperback, March 2010

Disillusionist Trilogy: Book 1
Justine Jones is a hopeless hypochondriac whose life is crippled by fear… until one day when a handsome, tortured mastermind named Packard peers into her soul and invites her to join his psychological hit squad.

Justine resists until she gets a taste of the peace Packard can promise. At first, Justine enjoys being part of the thrilling world of neurotic vigilantes who battle Midcity’s paranormal criminals. Things get complicated when she uncovers certain secrets… and falls for one of her most dangerous targets.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
by Gene Mollica
• I love original cover illustrations, good job Ms. Mollica.
• Aura matches perfectly with the content; murky, sexy, waiting.
• Did I miss the knife in the story? I must have missed the knife. *blush of shame*


PARANORMALITY
• Highcaps - DNA mutation creating increase brain function and subsequent powers
• Disillusionists - Extreme manics addicted to zinging


SEXUALITY
• M/F
• F/F & F/F/M & Incest suggestions
• Tauntingly electric hidden kisses
• Sinister Sex *dum dum dummmmmm*


REVIEW
• Totally read this in ONE day. It was rainy, I was sick and this was the perfect complement to my mood. (This is my lame excuse for the brevity of this review. Fast reading = fast reviewing!)

• This book is sexy but sex is not the focus, instead it is integrated throughout the story and actually has a legitimate context!

• DO NOT read this if you are a hypochondriac or prone to worrying. Totally crazy intense detail on life threatening diseases.

• Um, WTF is up with the ants? EW! That is also as damaging to my psyche as the scene from Hannibal where the guy cuts his own face off to feed to his dogs.

• You have a very twisted mind Ms. Crane *See above bullet* but I find myself enjoying the ride.

• Oh, yeah. And there is a MORAL to the story. Wicked, right? I would liken it to old 80s sitcoms/children's shows or Jerry Springer. Somewhere in there.


PERSONAL LURES
• Carolyn Crane's blog is intermittent AND funny. (I'm not kidding, her sense of humor is off the hook!)


WANT MORE?

Read a Tuesday Teaser with a zing.

Read an excerpt from chapter 1 with an old enemy.

Fast, dirty, and twisted: the perfect serving of Dark Urban Fantasy.

Blackout

by Rob Thurman

317 page Mass Market Paperback
Released March 2011

A Cal Leandros Novel, Book 6 • Half-human Cal Leandros has always walked a bloody line between keeping his mortal soul free and clear (sort of) and unleashing the horror of his otherworldly heritage. The one thing that’s always saved him is the memory of his brother, Niko, his friends, and those he loves.

Until now.

Cal wakes up on a beach littered with the recently slaughtered remains of a variety of hideous creatures that were obviously looking for trouble. The fact that he was the one doing the slaughtering doesn’t bother him. The fact that he feels like a natural-born killer doesn’t either. What bothers him is that Cal doesn’t remember Cal anymore…

And he’s not sure he cares.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
by Chris McGrath
• Gritty, dark... good imitation of internal content
• The haircut is right on
• Red metallic title is a bit hard to read and blends into the black background
• Obvious original artwork, sweet


PARANORMALITY
• Monsters
• Spiders
• Mummies
• Vampires
• Puck
• And more...


SEXUALITY
• Historic dangerous werewolf sex
• Paranormal titty bar
• Secondary paranormal gay couple, with extensive suggestive phrasing


REVIEW
• I began here, in the midst of the Cal Leandros series, and I don't feel lost. Well, any more lost than you would feel if you woke up with instincts to kill but no memory. I'm very glad I picked up with book. I will most likely be going back for the rest of them, though I'm certain I've reading spoilers in this one. The amnesia is an easy way to introduce me (the new reader) to Cal (the veteran series character).

• Cal's attitude is so nastily snarky I just want to squeeze him and duck the coming punch. Integration of modern slang and youth culture, even into the internal dialogue, brings a smile out in the darkest moments - and that is the essence of Cal.

• References to Peter Pan enthrall me.. pirates, waterfalls & flying children mixed in with monkey faced gigantic spiders.

• The amnesia is very well done, and once the self-discovery is finished - I feel the urge to reread the story to pick up all the hints I missed along the way.

• The gore is extraordinarily disgusting.

The spider flipped onto its back, leaking blood by the gallons and squirting web silk by whatever you used to measure web silk.

Bundles? Haystacks? A whole shitload of it.

If you took every one of Spiderman's wet dreams, added them together, then multiplied them by ten, that was what you'd get.

Not that I wanted anything to do with Spiderman's wet dreams, but for measurement purposes, that was about right.

pg. 177

PERSONAL LURES
• I was astonishingly bookless on my way to the gym (and the only way for me to get through my workout is to tempt the fates of embarrassment and balance by reading a paperback while using the elliptical) and after 10 minutes of debate, this one was in my hand. Certainly a note for blog promotion... for that is how I even knew I might be interested in Rob Thurman's book. (She was pretty damn snarky online and I like that!)


HUNGRY FOR MORE?

Read a Tuesday Teaser with a Fork.

Read an excerpt with Peter Pan and dead spiders.

Magic schools both the mind and the heart.

Nightseer

by Laurell K. Hamilton

304 Page Mass Market Paperback, Initial Publication (HC) 1992

The mark of a demon can open the door to undreamed-of powers and possibilities—or expose a soul to the darkest and most forbidden forces of sorcery. Now Keleios wears the mark—and the time of avenging her mother’s death is at hand.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
• This is one of three covers I have seen, and the one I own. It feels much more current than it actually is and I initially thought it was part of one of her other series (though I wasn't sure which one.)
• Once again the author's name is larger than the title. BUT since I bought this because of the author, it works in this instance for me.


PARANORMALITY
• Witches
• Gods & Goddesses
• Familiars
• Elves
• Demons


SEXUALITY
• Spurred Suitor
• Magically/Sexually Charged temper-tantrum


REVIEW

• Harry Potter-esque, though this may be completely unfair as it was published in 1992 before that particular craziness.

• This was Ms. Hamilton's debut novel. As an Anita Blake junkie, I can see foreshadowing in these characters. Lothor feels like the beginnings of Jean-Claude to me. Keleios despises him and yet over time he grows on her. As a reader we initially see him as evil until bits of his character unfold along with dangerous events.

• Lots of back-story hinted at but never fully explained, at least until needed. A good way to pull you through the narrative, piecing the world together in your head instead of being given all the elements together. This method of discovery learning (when you figure something out for yourself instead of simply being told what is the answer) cements the story in your brain and has you thinking about it after the pages are closed.

• A whirlwind style of storytelling in which you will never quite be able to catch your breath until the end. And then only for a second because you will want to continue on with the saga. Unfortunately, Ms. Hamilton has never written more than this initially, BUT there are first hand rumors on her Facebook that these characters are whispering in her ear again. (LINK)


PERSONAL LURES
• Hamilton is a favorite author of mine.


Read my Tuesday Teaser, when Keleios is manacled with chains to bind her magic.

Did you review this book too?
Comment with your link!

The religion of ghosts and vampires heats the blood and confuses the heart.

Zen and the Art of Vampires

by Katie MacAlister

352 Page Mass Market Paperback

Dark Ones Book 6: White picket fences can be dangerous to vampires. Sometimes a woman’s gotta choose…

Pia Thomason doesn’t have a typical life, but she wants one. The husband, the kids, the house in the suburbs… With her fortieth birthday looming, she decides to do something drastic, and takes off on a singles’ tour through romantic Europe.

But the few guys on the trip leave much to be desired—unlike the two men Pia sees in a small Icelandic town. Handsome, mysterious, and very dangerous… Just the sight of them puts her in a dither. When their paths cross again, Pia knows one thing for certain: Where vampires are concerned, love isn’t the only thing at stake.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART
• Sufficiently light and happy but I'm thinking there should have been some blood somewhere. There are multiple murders and evil plots after all!
• Don't remember her ever wearing the stone as an earring, it is mostly around her wrist.
• Oh, and that blurb–totally misleading.


PARANORMALITY
• Vampires
• Ghosts
• Zoryas


SEXUALITY
• M/F
• Bed hopping
• Penetration-free sex
• Tumbles in the hay
• Insidious hickeys


REVIEW

• A fun way to travel, though I'm not sure I would ever go on a singles tour!

• I was constantly guess, trying to figure out the mystery.

• Amazing how Pia takes everything in stride, except for occasional bouts of self-pity.

• Unfortunately, I keep getting the Dark Ones confused with the Argeneaus.

• I totally did not miss the HEA. (Though it was nice to have a snippet from the next book as a teaser at the end of the paper back. For a moment I though for sure the happy ending was just waiting at the beginning of the second book. "I thought" being the key words.)

• The end is a refreshing stopping point leading directly into the next book. Making this less an individual book about a couple's love story and more about an event. I assume the next book with be the love story.


Read a Tuesday Teaser with creative curses.

This review will be slightly spoiler-ish in the revelation of paranormal elements.

His Hearth
Warder Series, Book 1
by Mary Calmes
140 page ebook PDF

Julian Nash should be excited: he’s just earned a huge promotion at work and is going out to celebrate. But his happiness fades when he discovers his date cheating on him an hour before.

Suddenly alone when everyone knows he’s supposed to have a plus one, Julian is set for a long night until longtime acquaintance Ryan Dean bails him out of the embarrassing situation. During dinner, they discover they have more than just friendship between them: there is mutual admiration and heated attraction.

But getting to know Ryan better—and finding a place in his life—will bring Julian frightening surprises and paranormal danger he never expected or dreamed existed.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART

• I didn't even realize that was a Katana on the cover until I looked really hard.
• Nice cityscape with generic men to suggest a vague setting.


PARANORMALITY

• Sentinals
• Warders
• Demons
• Marketing Professionals (Hey, I'm one!)


SEXUALITY

• M/M
• Playful D/s
• Intense Kissing (AKA Cocktease)


REVIEW

• Due to the nature of this plot, this review will be slightly spoiler-ish.

• The story begins as a love story. Cute with predictable twists and turns and only the tiniest hint of suggestion at the paranormal. Tiny! But midway it all flips. Ms. Calmes did a wonderful job telling us the story of the heart before the otherworldly stuff hits the fan. You are already devoted to the characters when the world tilts on its axis for Jules.

• At times I found myself getting confused by all the characters (especially at dinner), also sometimes I lost track of who was talking to who. Minor editing and flow details.

• A creative partnership that has nothing to do with sex and everything to do with marketing and advertising reeled me in. I love reading about the world I work in! Makes the story that much closer to my heart. The way Cash and Jules finish each other's sentences while pitching an idea... well, that is almost as exciting to read about as sex for me. The ultimate creative partnership!

• And as for the sex, well the foreplay is out of this world. Each little action and reaction spelled out so you can create the scenario in your mind and feel the breathlessness for yourself. Ms. Calmes does a suburb job of edging you. *wicked smile*

• The relationship moves at lighting speed but that is integral to the story line. I would have gotten sick of Ry's neediness REAL fast, but Jules is a much better man than I.

• Put Japanese swords in a storyline and I gobble it up. Yum.

• I was totally not expecting Ry to be the submissive one. He feels slightly bi-polar, his fighting self vs. his loving self.

• Jules, on the other hand, fits the role of large silent Dom perfectly. He's not too pushy but knows what he wants and he is so not arrogant.

• I kinda want to know more about the demons. I mean, they are ugly and apparently aggressive to warders, but what the heck is the threat? Guess I better read on in the series to figure that out.

• I totally want to know more about Miles. (In a convoluted way, that is why I am reading this book. I won Tooth & Nail, which is Malic's story. But it was recommended to me that I read this book first to get my head into the world. Thanks Chris!)


FAVORITE SCENE QUOTE
First and second kisses.

He was messing with me, I thought, a second before he stepped forward and wedged his thigh against my groin. Hand on the back of my neck, he pulled me close.

I slowly parted my lips, and Ryan’s mouth was on mine, his tongue darting inside, the kiss hard and urgent. His hands were on my face, making sure I didn’t move.

He had no idea about what kissing could be, how hot and consuming. I changed my stance, straightened, and decided to show him what he was missing.

I tipped his head back, stilling him completely under my hands before I exhaled. He shivered just once before I sealed my lips down over his...

The second kiss was even better than the first. His lips parted instantly as he submitted to me. I put my hands on his face, my mouth slanting over his, kissing him thoroughly, deeply, making sure I didn’t miss anything...

I kissed him until I heard the sweet whimper I was after, the telltale sound of surrender.

pg. 36 and 37

Read a sentence from page 56 with uncomfortable furniture.

Read a hormonal excerpt HERE.

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The culmination of light and dark; both in a post-apocalyptic world and in your heart.

Shadowfever
The fifth and final book in the Fever Series
by Karen Marie Moning
19 hours and 57 minutes Audiobook

"Evil is a completely different creature, Mac.
Evil is bad that believes it's good."

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister's murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals that have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief, while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh--a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King that contains the power to create and destroy worlds.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART

• Rich and multi-tiered (hardcover sleeve comes off to reveal bare back underneath).
• Psst... once you are in the middle of the story, the cover feels like a spoiler.
• Not in keeping with the rest of the series covers but a very purposeful design.


PARANORMALITY

• Fae
• Sidhe-Seers
• Druids
• Hunters


SEXUALITY

• M/F
• Fleeting thoughts of M/M & F/F
• Voyeurism through memories
• Angry kissing
• Intense and all consuming lust, both restrained and unfettered


AUDIO REVIEW

• Two voices means conversations go very smoothly.
• At times I can't tell if Mac is speaking out loud or in her head.
• Mac's contemplative spans (where she goes over all that things that just happened, or what might happen) tend to grate on my nerves but I have a feeling if I was reading them and not listening, they wouldn't be half as irritating.


REVIEW

• Due to the nature of this series, my review is going to have to be vague. I don't want to give away any spoilers and this is the culminating book in the series, therefore, a spoiler by just existing.

• Mac is transformed and whenever she has these bursts of character I get invigorated with her - but have also learned not to trust her.

• The Dani Daily is a nice tool used to update on the status AWF (After the Walls Fell) change the format a bit.

• All is revealed in this book and they are world exploding revelations. Each time you think things can't twist any more, they go again! The whole time I am guessing and theorizing and think I have it, only to have Mac do one of her sit down and think sessions and say everything I was thinking (which means we are both wrong!)

• The grief at the beginning of this book is astounding. The pattern of thought and pain rips through you until you find your throat tightening with sympathy sobs.

• Whoa-Is-Me is still a background theme song for Mac, fading quite a bit... she is flying by the seat of her pants as always.

• Wicked twists that your brain struggles to keep up with, like Mac struggled with her brain to see V'lane's full fae form.

• The King is AWESOME!!!!! I can't say anymore, but hot damn. That was one wicked ride.

• Oh, and the sex is super hot too. Just sayin' don't read (or listen to) this around your parents.

• As the final book in the series, there are a lot of loose ends! But I kinda like how the world goes on and today's major catastrophe is resolved... thought I would really like to know more about Christian. BUT call me totally disgusted and disgruntled at the last scene. Too disgustingly cozy. *sigh* I sound like Barrons.


FAVORITE SCENE QUOTE
The Unseele King's Hunter, K'Vruck, talking to Mac.

I stared down the leathery wing of my Hunter at the one that was flying tandem with us.

K’Vruck.

"Nightwindflyhighfreeeeeee."

...What was K’Vruck doing here...?
Its thought had been less words and more an observation of the moment.

Was K’Vruck … happy?

It turned its head sideways and gave me a toothy, leathery-lipped grin.
The tips of its wings worried my Hunter’s span, making it rear in alarm.

Read a Tuesday Teaser in strong arms HERE.

Read an excerpt of the two Seele courts standing toe to toe, ready to war, HERE.

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These paranormal bad boys and girls like it hot & handcuffed!

Eternal Flame
by Cynthia Eden
323 Page, Trade Paperback

No one that deadly should look that good. Hybrid demon Zane Wynter specializes in tracking the most lethal criminals, whether human or Other. But Jana Carter is nothing like his previous targets. She’s an Ignitor, able to conjure and control fire. She’s also sexy beyond belief—and used to playing dirty…

Jana knows she’s being set up. She even knows who’s responsible: Project Perseus, a secretive group that plans to rid the world of paranormals by any means necessary. From Louisiana’s sultry swamps to its desolate cemeteries, Jana and Zane must race to destroy the mastermind behind Perseus before their world goes up in flames—and with it, a desire that burns too hot to resist…

My review guidelines can be found HERE.


COVER ART

• Makes me think YA - SO NOT!

• Not too overwhelming
• Like the small blurb in top left hand corner
• Tribal frame around title helps it stand out nicely
• Color choice is perfect since fire is a main theme


PARANORMALITY

• Demons
• Ignitors
• Shifters
• Witches


SEXUALITY

• M/F
• Hot and Wild
• Sweet and Hot
• Lots of cliche fire references


REVIEW

• Hit list, hit lists everywhere!

• Death to the freaks! Wait, we all are twisted in some way... Death to us all!

• Bring on the blackness. I wanna see that demon go crazy.

• It's not that easy to kill the bad guy. It's NEVER that easy to kill the bad guy.

• She embraces her inner evil, awesome character twist. I get sick of the goodie two shoes all the time.

• Can't wait for her to embrace HIS inner evil. Whoot! Hot times are a comin'!

• A few twist and turns in this flaming hot book. Every sex scene I kept waiting for them to actually go up in flames!


FAVORITE SCENE QUOTE
Includes a mild spoiler.

"I don't believe I much like Special Agent Thomas," Harold said, and Antonio glanced at him just in time to see the chief of police drop the glamour from his eyes.

Demon black eyes stared back at him. Antonio had always carried his suspicions about the chief, but...

"We're not all fucking monsters. The special agent and those dicks at the FBI with their extermination list—they need to realize that."

pg. 138

Read a sentence from page 56 in the midst of taking turns sharing secrets.

Read a hot excerpt with and angel in the fire HERE.



I received this SIGNED book during the Wicked Highlander Release Contest. Thanks again, Donna!


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Darkly Erotic Post-Apocalyptic Trip.

Dreamfever
Fever Book 4
by Karen Marie Moning

He has stolen her past, but MacKayla will never allow her sister's murderer to take her future. Yet even the uniquely gifted sidhe-seer is no match for the Lord Master, who has unleashed an insatiable sexual craving that consumes Mac's every thought-and thrusts her into the seductive realm of two very dangerous men, both of whom she desires but dares not trust.

As the enigmatic Jericho Barrons and the sensual Fae prince V'lane vie for her body and soul, as she rallies the sidhe-seers to fight an impossible battle, and the power of the Dark Book weaves its annihilating path through the city, Mac's greatest enemy delivers a final challenge...

It's an invitation Mac cannot refuse, one that sends her racing home to Georgia, where an even darker threat awaits. With her parents missing and the lives of her loved ones under siege, Mac is about to come face-to-face with a soul-shattering truth-about herself, and about the world she thought she knew.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.

COVER ART

• Wicked depiction of the opening scene
• Pet Peev: Author's name is bigger than the title


PARANORMALITY

• Fae, Unseelie & Seelie
• Sidhe-seers (She Seers)


SEXUALITY

• M/F, rough and endless


AUDIOREVIEW

• New orators in this audio book. In stead of one woman, there is a woman and a man. Over the past three audio books I had gotten used to the sounds of the various character's voices and it took a while to get sucked back into the story. The man's voice is especially jarring.


REVIEW

• Secrets, secrets everywhere. Who to trust? Do you dare?

• Mirror, Mirror on the wall. Who's the baddest of them all?

• Mac wanted to be self-reliant. She is much closer now. And much different. She calls herself black Mac. Before this she was pink Mac. She's growing up.

• Finally I am starting to see some smarts in her head. Not as much as I would like, but she's thinking things through a bit more.

• Mac is gaining new powers and more control over her old ones. Go Mac!

• But as V'lane said, this is just the beginning of what we will become.
"I wonder what else you can do now. What a creature you are becoming." pg. 22

• V'lane calls Mac princess at one point after revealing a new talent. Perhaps a bit of foreshadowing there?

• V'lane and Barrons are still high points of lust for Mac. And yes, with good reason. And they seem to fight over her too. An interesting revelation of passions.

• Where's V'lane? Mac seriously didn't think before she acted that last time she called him. Duh and Ouch!

• Another cliffhanger ending that will cause you to speculate until your brain turns to mush BUT Ms. Moning comes in at the end the an author's note to dampen the pain and give you that sliver of hope. How much longer do I have to wait for the last book, Shadowfever? January 18th. A late Christmas present perhaps...

Read a sentence from page 56 and a brick wall, HERE.

Read an excerpt of salvation from the enemies' beds HERE.

Read a deleted scene of obsession HERE.

Series Order
Darkfever • SVZ Mini Review
Bloodfever • SVZ Review
Faefever • SVZ Review
Dreamfever • SVZ Review
Shadowfever • Released January 18th, 2011

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Dark Urban Fantasy lust triangle of epic proportions.

Faefever
Fever Book 3
by Karen Marie Moning
"He calls me his Queen of the Night. I'd die for him. I'd kill for him, too."

When MacKayla Lane receives a torn page from her dead sister's journal, she is stunned by Alina's desperate words. And now MacKayla knows that her sister's killer is close. But evil is closer. And suddenly the sidhe-seer is on the hunt: For answers. For revenge. And for an ancient book of dark magic so evil, it corrupts anyone who touches it.

Mac's quest for the Sinsar Dubh (See Sha Do) takes her into the mean, shape-shifting streets of Dublin, with a suspicious cop on her tail. Forced into a dangerous triangle of alliance with V'lane, an insatiable Fae prince of lethally erotic tastes, and Jericho Barrons, a man of primal desires and untold secrets, Mac is soon locked in a battle for her body, mind, and soul.

As All Hallows Eve approaches and the city descends into chaos, as a shocking truth about the Dark Book is uncovered, not even Mac can prevent a deadly race of immortals from shattering the walls between worlds with devastating consequences.

My review guidelines can be found HERE.

COVER ART

• Strong Series design
• Colors are not classically ominous, but do the job.


PARANORMALITY

• Fae, Unseelie & Seelie
• Sidhe-seers (She Seers)


SEXUALITY

• M/F
• Lots of sexual tension mixed with dislike
• Orgy, dub-con


REVIEW

• Nice synopsis of strategic events in the beginning. Gets the curiosity up. Also does a nice job of reviewing past events (for new comers and those of us with sieves for brains) with out sounding like a broken record to those of us who are reading the series straight through.

• Dangerous sexy men everywhere, and I love it! V'laine and Barrons

• Mac's tendency to hearken back to her days of innocence is getting whiny.

• Great suspense, you're suspicious of everyone. I keep wanting Mac to confide in Barrons, but she has good reason not to. But it seems he even draws me to him!

• Everyone wants to know about Mac's sex life... who is she sleeping with? Barrons, V'laine, Christian...

• The most powerful (2) could simply force her to do their bidding, but for some reason her free will is a very important element of their manipulation.

• Most hilarious part (this isn't really a comedy) is the Mac Halo. I could so see myself doing that! Mac is always finding ways to make herself smile in the midst of all the heavy stuff going on in her life. She wears rainbows. Barrons wears black.

• Treading water in the middle, waiting for Halloween to come. Why such inaction?

• Barrons is villainous and cold as ice one minute and then you see him thinking, or he does something thoughtful for Mac. The wishy-washy actions make it hard to determine just what his title is. Is he a Fae? Seer? Other?

• The voice lessons are wicked. And bring Barrons into Mac's life on a regular schedule. I'm kinda baffled when he is away for long periods of time.

• Mac keeps saying she wants to be able to take care of herself and not have to rely on Barrons or V'laine. She finally gets her chance.

• The Curtain falls on darkness, but a spotlight of hope is given by the author note at the end of the audiobook.

Come back on Monday for my review of Dreamfever!

Read a Tuesday Teaser with Birthday Cake HERE.

Read an summarizing excerpt HERE including an introduction to the gutter.

Series Order
Darkfever • SVZ Mini Review
Bloodfever • SVZ Review
Faefever • SVZ Review
Dreamfever • SVZ Review
Shadowfever • Released January 18th, 2011

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