"Lord's Fall" By: Thea Harrison Review

Lord's Fall

By: Thea Harrison

Synopsis from Goodreads

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them… Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom. In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…

My Thoughts
     I almost took a day off of work to read the sequel to Dragos’ and Pia’s love story, following Dragon Bound, but I’m sad to say it would have been a wasted day. Normally Thea’s books take me mere hours to go through as I devour each word. Unfortunately I felt this book was so mired in conflict that the original spark simply diminished.
     First off, I wouldn’t necessarily recommend this book to people who have not read Dragon Bound or any of the others in the Elder Races series. I’ve read all of them and there were still parts where I had to go back to another book to find out exactly what was happening or who so and so was. It wasn’t a huge problem, but it was enough of one to become a bit distracting.
     Lord’s Fall begins as Pia is leaving New York and heading down south to where the Fae have their headquarters. She is going to try to negotiate a peace between the warring cultures. Pia is venturing out on her own, without her mate Dragos, due to the ongoing hostilities and because coincidentally the Sentinel games area also occurring at the same time.
     I’m ashamed to say it, but I almost didn’t finish this book because it was so boring for me. In Dragon Bound, I loved Dragos. He was so naughty, quick witted, and self-assured. Pia was smart and wasn’t about to let anyone boss her. In this title everything seemed to different. Very little of that spark was there since most of the time the couple spent time apart. Much of the novel dealt with internal squabbling between royals of the different species and I frankly lost interest.
     That’s not to say though, when Pia and Dragos finally reunite after what seemed like forever, it wasn’t explosive. I heaved a sigh of relief when they finally were reunited, because hey, that’s what I came to the party for.

As soon as her skin didn’t throb from the heat, she ran forward. She barely felt her feet touch the ground. As she approached him, Dragos shifted into his human form and raced toward her, his bronzed, machete hewn features thrown into dark shadow by the intense glow in his eyes.

When she was still a few yards away, she leaped. He snatched her out of the air and clenched her to him as she wrapped arms and legs around him. He went to his knees, holding her so tightly she couldn’t breathe, and his Power enveloped her. One tremendous hand cupped the back of her head. She closed her eyes and laid her head on his shoulder as he put his face in her neck.

Neither one said anything. Their bruising hold on each other said it all.

     I feel somewhat bad for not enjoying the book as other reviewers have and at times it almost seemed like I wasn’t even reading the same book they had read. I did finish, after several days of faltering through and skimming much of the battling. Thea Harrison is normally a wonderful and dynamic author who is usually an autobuy for me, but for some reason Pia and Dragos’ followup fell flat. If you are a fan of the series I’d suggest reading this one, but otherwise please check out Dragon Bound. It’s sooooo much better!

Book Details

Publisher: Berkley

# of Pages: 281

Date of Publication: November 6, 2012

ISBN: 978-0425251065

"Shadow's Claim" By: Kresley Cole Review

Shadow's Claim

By: Kresley Cole

Synopsis from Goodreads

HE WON’T BE DENIED

Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people—striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore’s most fearsome villains.

SHE’S BOUND TO ANOTHER

Desperate to earn her guardians’ approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she’s lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A BATTLE FOR HER BODY AND SOUL

Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina’s heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium’s worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina’s own desires to a fever pitch. . .

My copy...Did a little dance when I received it in the mail

My Thoughts

     I have made no secret that when it comes to paranormal romance, Kresley Cole is a queen. Simply amazing, with slightly crazy and wildly funny characters, sweeping romance, and heartstopping action make her books absolute must reads in my house. In January, when Lothaire came out I actually took a vacation day simply to stay at home and read. It was divine and I didn’t have that pesky problem of having to actually work when I was jonesing for my Kresley fix.
     Shadow’s Claim is the beginning of a new series (The Dacians) but fits somewhat into the Immortals After Dark world that she has created. Trehan, our hero, first shows up in Lothaire as a cousin to the Enemy of Old. He’s mysterious, deadly, and likes to lurk in the shadows. Not the best hero material, but my goodness was I wrong.
     One of the things Cole does best is the layering of her books. I may be saying it wrong, but the events of one book bleed into another. As you read her various titles, you have huge overlaps in time, space, and characters which makes it such a rich series. Huge payoffs for readers and I have to say the same of this book. While I was reading so many of the things from Lothaire were mentioned I just kept going, oh yeah! Yeah, I remember that too! Triple love that soooo much.
    Anyway, back to the book...We’ve met Trehan before but our heroine Bettina was new. Bettina, a half sorceri/half demon child of royalty, is young and poised on the precipice of gaining her power as Queen. However, just shortly before gaining immortality she is attacked and nearly killed by her family’s mortal enemies. In an effort to protect her and ultimately her future kingdom, a fight to the death is arranged for worthy males to help her find her husband.
    Where does our unhappy assassin fit into that dynamic? On a mission to kill a demon who had entered the mysterious land of shadows, Trehan encounters Bettina. As you can imagine, he is shocked when he finds out she is his bride (mate). So what happens when a sheltered princess, who by the way may or may not already be in love with a different demon who is totally unworthy of her, falls for a mysterious assassin vampire who has never loved in his life?? Shadow’s Claim delves into all of that and so much more. 

     As I said before, this title has it all. A handsome and complex hero, a strong heroine coming into her own powers and being, a tumultuous romance, heart stopping action and a completely satisfying ending all come together to create a wonderful start to a new series and add new dimensions to the already diverse IAD universe. All I can say is that I’m already counting down the days until the next release. 

Oh oh oh! On a side note, I forgot to mention for fans...Nix, Lothaire, Morgana, Sabine and all of your other favorites make an appearance. Did you hear Dirty Jobs (Nix's FAVORITE show) was cancelled?? Sad sad day, but as Kresley said, maybe it is the sign of the Accession??

Oh yeah :)

Book Details

Publisher: Pocket Books

# of Pages: 296

Date of Publication: November 27, 2012

ISBN: 978-1451650051

Where can you buy?

Amazon / Barnes & Noble

Interested in Learning More?

Kresley Cole’s Website

Shadow’s Claim Excerpt / Goodreads: Shadow’s Claim

List of Characters from the Immortals After Dark Series

A Fan’s list of characters and why they are important...

More about the Immortals After Dark Series

FAQ’s about the Immortals After Dark books

The Arcane Chronicles (Young Adult)

"Tall, Dark & Heartless" By: R.L. Mathewson Review

"Tall, Dark & Heartless"

By: R.L. Mathewson

Synopsis from Goodreads:

     He should have left her and never looked back.......
     But, that's not how things played out for Caine, a nearly one thousand year old Pyte, who should have known better. Instead of walking away years ago, he stuck around and watched over the only woman he'd ever cared about. When trouble finds her, he knows that he should just cut his losses and walk away, but there was no fighting the hold that woman had on him and now they were both paying the price.
     Danni didn't care that she wasn't technically a Sentinel and was putting her life in danger every time she went out on patrol, because she had a job to do. It was the only thing that mattered to her anymore and she wasn't going to let it go without a fight. Unfortunately for her, she didn't foresee her ex-boyfriend selling her out to a Master, being captured, locked up and stuck in a room with the cranky Pyte that broke her heart years ago and wouldn't stop glaring at her as if their little predicament was all her fault.

My Thoughts:
    So first off, a confession. This is the third book in the “Pyte” series but its the first book I read. Its about a given when you start in the middle of the series, you will be a little lost, but luckily I was able to find my way around pretty good. I even thought about stopping and starting with the first book, but ultimately was enjoying it so much I forged ahead!
     Caine is a Pyte, pretty much an equivalent of a vampire. He drinks blood, super strength, stays in during the day...the whole deal. Danni is the daughter of a Sentinel, a group of people whose job it is to keep Pytes in control and ensure they don’t kill humans. Can you see where this is going? Of course, Caine and Danni fall for one another!
     Caine is the ultimate stand-offish/loner. He was close to Danni when she was younger but as soon as she became an adult, he knew he couldn’t be around her. He didn’t want to go all toothy on her if you know what I mean. Yet when Danni is abducted by another vampire, who is there to save her? Caine.
      I loooved Caine, I don’t know any other way to put it. He was so solitary but craved attention and just human contact in general. He wanted what was best for everyone, but didn’t know how to go about doing it. To be honest, I don’t know if Danni was a very good match for him. She was oh so whiny at times and seemed to like making him suffer, which quickly began to irritate me.
     All in all, this book is a great addition to the Pyte series. I’m happy to say since I read this, I have went back and read the other two in the series. They are both pretty great too. Quirky and at times a little cheesy, they never are dull and introduce you to an entirely different and new paranormal world. Huzzah R.L. Mathewson! So glad to have found this new author!

Book Details

Publisher: Self Publication

Date of Publication: April 2012

# of Pages: 957

ISBN: 978-0983212584

Be sure to check out the rest of the series!

1. “Tall, Dark, and Lonely”

2. “Without Regret”

3. “Tall, Dark, and Heartless”

"He Ain't Lion" By: Celia Kyle Review

"He Ain't Lion"

By: Celia Kyle

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Life sucks… And then you get turned into a were-lion…

Curvaceous, blonde bombshell Maya Josephs is looking for a little action to take her mind off of her recent break-up. Crazy were-cats or not, an evening at Genesis is exactly what she needs. And when she meets the hotter than hot, super-sexy owner, Alex O’Connell, the alpha lion shifter is just the man to fit the bill for a one-night stand.

Dumped like a rotting piece of meat by her ex, Maya is on the prowl, fixin' to do whatever it takes to get herself a piece of the gorgeous fur-ball. Besides, what’s the harm in a girl having a little bit of fun?

My Thoughts
     Maya Josephs enters a nightclub for a night looking for a hot guy to take her mind off of her jerk of an ex-boyfriend. Immediately, Alex O’Connell is at her side warning her to stay away from him and the nightclub. She may not like what she finds, but she decides to stay...thinkin’ she’s likin’ Alex a whole bunch!
     “He Ain’t Lion” is a shifter novel featuring paranormal characters or in this character, a were-lion. In Celia Kyle’s universe, humans and the weres live together and know of each other's existence, if they are a bit uncomfortable with one another. Maya, lonely and fairly disappointed with life, is immediately attracted to Alex. Alex is strongly attracted to Maya, so what do you think happens next?
     A quick read with plenty of naughty goodness, “He Ain’t Lion” tells the story of two lonely people coming together and falling in love. Definitely for a fan of the quick down and dirty, Maya and Alex are a match made in heaven in this short easy romance. Perhaps my favorite thing of this short novella? There’s a sequel featuring this couple and...they’re gonna have a baby! 

I received this book from Sizzling PR in exchange for an honest review.

Ridgeville Series

“He Ain’t Lion” (April 2012) 

“You’re Lion” (July 2012)

“Ball of Furry” (August 2012)

Book Details

Publisher: Summerhouse Publishing

# of Pages: 63

Date of Publication: April 29, 2012

ISBN: B007Z4WSOK

"You're Lion" By: Celia Kyle Review

"You're Lion"

By: Celia Kyle

Newly turned lioness Maya Josephs is so not good at being the prima of the Ridgeville pride. She doesn’t give a damn about protocol or hierarchy, and the last thing she wants to do is play nice with the pretentious tigress shifter leader who’s come to pay her respects. Especially since the little bitch seems entirely too grabby with her mate, Alex, for Maya’s taste. 

With new pregnancy hormones making her inner kitty extra bitchy, Maya’s not sure who she’s going to murder first: her gyno for discovering the pregnancy, her guards for following her every move (and annoying the living shit out of her), or the striped beyotch cooing over Alex. Screw it. She'll start with the tigress and work her way around to the other two. 

Lucky for everyone involved, it’s a good thing Alex knows how to tame her inner she-cat…and make her purr.

My Thoughts
A short sequel to “He Ain’t Lion,” “You’re Lion” tells part of the happily ever after in Maya and Alex’s story. Maya is pregnant and not happy about it at all. Beyond gaining weight, Alex is more protective of her than ever and the guards that have been following her are more annoying than helpful.

     Another cute an fastpaced story from Selena Kyle. It was nice seeing Maya and Alex again after the first book and enjoyable to check up on them.

I received this book from Sizzling PR in exchange for an honest review.

Ridgeville Series

“He Ain’t Lion” (April 2012) 

“You’re Lion” (July 2012)

“Ball of Furry” (August 2012)

Book Details

Publisher: Summerhouse Publishing

# of Pages: 32

Date of Publication: July 3, 2012

"The Burning" Blog Tour - Review, Guest Post & Giveaway

"Burning"

By: J.M. Gregoire

Synopsis from Goodreads

Lucas was a typical playboy - lots of alcohol and a different girl every night.  

One woman brought his emotional walls and the beliefs he used to build them crumbling to the ground.  

Now, an unexpected visitor is going to change both their worlds forever. 

My Thoughts
   “Burning” is definitely setting the stage for a new series, giving us just enough to wet our whistles and leave us wanting for more. Filled with witches, vampires, and a demon or two, Gregoire creates a paranormal world that can easily can be turned into a multi-book series and one I am excited to see fleshed fully out.
     At less than 30 pages, you would think there wasn’t a ton of story here but there truly is. Filled with witches, demons and vampires, “Burning” sets the stage for an engaging series to follow. it brings you in and actually surprises you when it ends, which I think is a good benchmark for an engaging novel.
      Lucas and Natalia are in love. Lucas finds something in Natalia he has never seen or found with anyone else. When something happens that brings the two apart (I’m not revealing it, but it was a surprise!), Gregoire gives Lucas a realistic take on things and realistic feelings of revenge and retribution.
     fast paced and suspenseful, Gregoire does a wonderful job of introducing the Demon Legacy series. I enjoyed Burning immensely and can’t recommend it enough to fans of paranormal romances. Looking forward to what comes next!

A Word from Author J.M. Gregoire
     There are two forms of storytelling I have always loved – books and film.  Aside from being a hard core bibliophile, I am also a total movie buff with a serious jones for all things paranormal.  I was never a big one for slasher-horror flicks (i.e. Nightmare on Elm Street or Halloween) but if it involves ghosts, demons, possessions, hauntings or anything of the like, I am so there!

     It all started with The Exorcist.  To this day, this is still one of my favorite films of all time.  The idea of spiritual warfare being real has always scared the pants off of me and for some reason, I love that feeling.  The feeling of being completely creeped out by the unknown.  From the first time I saw The Exorcist, I fell in love with the genre.  I’ve seen some great ones like the Poltergeist series, Stigmata, Thirteen Ghosts, The Ring, Paranormal Activity, Devil and The Rite.  I have also seen some HORRIBLE ones such as the epic failure of Drag Me To Hell. 

     I have tried to find books that give me that same feeling and it just hasn’t happened.  I think the closest I ever came to a book really giving me that creeped out feeling was probably The Omen and even that was a bit of a letdown.  When I started penning the Demon Legacy series, I knew I wanted to write what I love.  I wanted to write urban fantasy but I wanted it to be dark.  I wanted to write about demons.

     To me, demons are probably the scariest of the paranormal creatures.  Creatures with no humanity.  Nothing but pure evil driving them.  I also didn’t want to “Twilight” them in my book.  By “Twilighting”, I mean taking these creatures with no redeeming qualities and making them…..well….sparkle.  Demons should be scary.  The moment I started writing my demon character, I knew exactly what I wanted him to be.  Cold, calculated, ruthless and unfeeling.  I didn’t want there to be even a shred of a chance that my readers would develop Stockholm Syndrome and start having warm fuzzies for him.  This guy is bad news and I wanted my audience to really feel that when they read my series.  I want the audience to be afraid for my characters going up against this guy because there’s a very good chance that, in the end, the black hats could win. 

For more information regarding J.M. Gregoire and the Demon Legacy series, go to http://jmgregoirebooks.com

Giveaway

Want to win a copy of Burning to check it out for yourself? We have an e-copy to giveaway in either .mobi, .epub or .pdf formats 

Leave a comment with your e-mail to be entered!

Check out the other stops on the 

Burning Blog Tour

October 2nd

Night Owl Reviews http://www.NightOwlReviews.com

Demon Lovers Books and More http://www.demonloversbooksandmore.com/

Fresh Fantasy Fiction http://freshfantasyfiction.blogspot.com/

October 3rd 

Once Upon a Time http://onceuponatime.jaedia.net/

My Hidden Bookshelf http://myhiddenbookshelf.blogspot.com/ 

October 4th

Promiscuous Diva http://promiscuousdiva.blogspot.com

Bookhi www.bookhi.blogspot.com

October 5th

Andrea’s Amazing Reviews http://andreasamazingreviews.blogspot.com/

Becca Hamilton Books http://www.beccahamiltonbooks.com/ 

October 6th

The Brunnette Librarian http://brunettelibrarian.blogspot.com/

Debra’s Book Cafe http://debrasbookcafe.blogspot.com/

October 7th

Fictional Candy http://www.fictionalcandy.com

Punya Reviews http://punyareviews.blogspot.com/

October 8th

The Secret Sanctuary of Books http://thesecretsanctuarybooks.blogspot.com/

"The Sacrifice" By: Evangeline Anderson Review

"The Sacrifice"

By: Evangeline Anderson

Synopsis from Goodreads

     Emma Krist is a dud a person from a powerful line of witches with no magic of her own. Not only that but she’s full figured instead of thin, like her gorgeous, talented cousins, and has dishwater brown hair and muddy hazel eyes to match. So she figures there’s no way she’ll be chosen as the Bloodlust Sacrifice for the new vampire Sovereign. Not that she would want to be what girl in her right mind would volunteer to be a slave for a year, giving up the rights to her own body and sexuality to a dominating male who likes to bite? Not Emma, that’s for sure.

     So when Aiden James calls her out of the crowd, picking her over every other single female in the supernatural community, Emma doesn’t know what to think. Now she must begin a whole new life of submission to her new master, giving herself body and soul without reservation…or suffer the punishment for her disobedience. 

My Thoughts

      Seeing “The Sacrifice” all over the blogosphere, I knew I had to read it. A full figured witch falling in love with a gorgeous vampire? Being a full figured gal myself and a fan of naughty vampires, I did everything I could to get to this book...and let me tell you, it was worth it!
     Emma is a witch, coming from a long heritage of witches. Her mom, her grandma, her aunts, cousins; you get the point. Placed in a world where the paranormal creatures band together against the humans, vampires are a ruling body. Once a year, the supreme vampire requests a sacrifice as sort of a slave. Someone to feed him, take care of him, etc.
     When the ceremony comes, our average Emma isn’t worried about being picked because of her average nature. She’s short, chunky, nonmagical witch with bad hair; why would a hot vampire king ever want her? Yet, Aiden does. He’s entranced by her and feels her power may be untapped. Aiden ultimately chooses Emma to the astonishment of everyone else.
      One of the reviewers on Goodreads related that she loved Emma’s inner dialogue, and I have to agree. As I was reading, I could see myself as Emma. We are all insecure, unsure of ourselves. And when Emma was chosen by the powerful hot vampire, I cheered inside. Yes, the quiet ones are worth notice. Notice us! It really speaks to Anderson’s writing that she could write a character that a reader could so closely associate with.
      Emma finally comes into her powers with the help of Aiden and ultimately falls in love with him. Short and sweet, we root for Emma from the beginning and love Aiden for seeing what others didn’t. Not for the faint of heart, Emma and Aiden’s story is perfect for fans who like their happily ever after with a little kink.

I received “The Sacrifice” from the author 

in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details

Publisher: Evangeline Anderson

# of Pages: 244

Date of Publication: August 30, 2012

ISBN: B0094J02RE

"Poison Princess" By: Kresley Cole Review

"Poison Princess"

By: Kresley Cole

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Sixteen year old Evangeline “Evie” Greene leads a charmed life, until she begins experiencing horrifying hallucinations. When an apocalyptic event decimates her Louisiana hometown, Evie realizes her hallucinations were actually visions of the future—and they’re still happening. Fighting for her life and desperate for answers, she must turn to her wrong-side-of-the-bayou classmate: Jack Deveaux.

But she can’t do either alone.

With his mile-long rap sheet, wicked grin, and bad attitude, Jack is like no boy Evie has ever known. Even though he once scorned her and everything she represented, he agrees to protect Evie on her quest. She knows she can’t totally depend on Jack. If he ever cast that wicked grin her way, could she possibly resist him?

Who can Evie trust?

As Jack and Evie race to find the source of her visions, they meet others who have gotten the same call. An ancient prophesy is being played out, and Evie is not the only one with special powers. A group of twenty-two teens has been chosen to reenact the ultimate battle between good and evil. But it’s not always clear who is on which side….

My Thoughts
     Kresley Cole can write a book. She can write a damn good book that makes you run to your computer to anxiously await the sequel when you’ve only just put it down in the first place. Poison Princess is a young adult novel and fairly different from what Cole has wrote in the past, but nonetheless a damn good book! A kick-ass heroine, handsome alpha hero, tarot cards, mysterious strangers, high drama and a little romance...what more do you need?
     Evie is pretty much your average high school girl with the same insecurities we all have, with one little catch; she’s having very vivid dreams and hallucinations of fire and death. Instead of her family being understanding or trying to talk to her about her issues, they send her off to a mental ward to be committed and when she returns, they act as if nothing has happened. Beyond having distant parents, at school she is being strangely attracted to a new and of course mysterious boy, Jackson Deveraux.
      So how much do you want to know? Because boy howdy, is there a lot going on in this one. I love the Immortals After Dark series (I’ve reread Lothaire so many times now, I can almost recite the book in my sleep) and when I originally heard that Cole’s new YA book would take place in somewhat the same world, I was wary. How could a YA interpretation ever fit in with my naughty werewolves and smart assed witches? Yet, it works out pretty well with Cole’s signature wit very apparent throughout.
      The characters in Poison Princess represent the Tarot decks of cards. Each character represents a certain card and in turn, will use those powers and characteristics in the apocalypse. An ancient fight of good vs. evil, with teenagers battling it out. Who do you want to win? The answer may seem easy but as with Kresley Cole, her books are so intricate and emotionally draining, you just don’t know. Her so called “bad” characters can turn in an instant to be so gosh darn good that you don’t know what happened (again Lothaire!) and someone who may be perceived as good could be so evil it turns your stomach.
      Evie and Jack are wonderful characters, complex yet simple, strong yet in some ways are just teens with teen problems. I’m not going to go into the plot too much because to tell you the truth, I’m still processing everything that went on. Suffice to say, Cole hasn’t jumped the shark with her new series even though it is aimed towards a younger crowd. That same quick wit is very evident and the foreshadowing for the upcoming series was phenomenal. Different characters with different problems but very much a fun, interesting, and intriguing new series by one of my favorite authors!

Want to read an excerpt of Poison Princess 
before it comes out on October 2nd?

I couldn't believe my good luck, but I found one you can try! 

And of course, Daisy Jane shared my excitement!! 

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

For more information on Kresley Cole and information on her books check out her website and The Arcana Chronicles

Be sure to check out Kresley on Facebook and Goodreads

Shadow’s Claim comes out on November 27, 2012

Who else is excited????

"New Species: Valiant" By: Laurann Dohner Review

"New Species: Valiant"

By: Laurann Dohner

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Tammy has always tried to be prepared for any calamity life might send her way but she never imagined a sexy, lion man-beast in her future. He's huge, got the most exotic, golden cat-eyes she's ever seen, and she's so terrified she's speechless for the first time in her life. He's stalking closer, growling at her, and she's too terrified to even flee.Valiant hates humans. But when he gets a whiff of the adorable human female who has invaded his territory, he starts rethinking. Her fear scents of pure, sweet temptation and the closer he gets, the more appealing she becomes. Once he's got his hands on her, he isn't about to let her go. One thought will change his life. MINE Before Tammy can regain her senses, she's flat on her back in Valiant's bed. Now he just has to use every inch of his big, buff body to convince her that she should stay with him forever.

My Thoughts

     Without a doubt, this is my favorite of the New Species series. Sure it follows the normal formula, but the characters really really work in this one. Valiant hates humans, seriously HATES them. He hates them for his past, the problems of his present, and threats to his future.
    Like many of the other books, Valiant scents Tammy and suddenly knows she is the “one” for him. Sure its hokey, and sure its been done, yet it works for me in this one. Tammy was pretty indepdent and unlike many of the other heroines, she doesn't just acquiese to Valiant. Sure he's scary, sure he's strong, yet Tammy isn't nervous around him.
     I know I'm not describing it the best, but the characters really make this novel. Its almost a cookie cutter of most of the other novels and has strong similarities to the Lora Leigh books, so beware. An excellent addition to the “New Species” series, I strongly recommend this one if you've read the others.

Have you read the New Species series yet? What did you think?

Book Details
Publisher: Ellora's Cave
Date of Publication: September 14, 2011
# of Pages: 241
ISBN: 978-1419936005

"Mate Claimed" By: Jennifer Ashley Review

"Mate Claimed"

By: Jennifer Ashley

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Eric Warden knows that half-Shifter wildcat Iona is passing for human, living without a Collar in the human world. He also knows that if she does not acknowledge her Shifter nature and her mating hunger, it could kill her. Iona finds the mysterious and dangerous Eric, a wildcat and leader of his Shiftertown, haunting her dreams, but she vows never to "come out" and take the Collar, fearing backlash against her mother and sister for hiding the fact that she's Shifter. But Eric is a compelling Shifter male, and Iona's hunger calls to him.

My Thoughts:

     So I’ve been a fan of the Shifter’s series since the very first full length book, "Pride Mates." Something about a half human, half wildcat barely tamed kind of makes me happy. Weird but its such a neat take on a tired theme (Lora Leigh anyone?) that I jumped at the chance to read this one when it appeared on Edelweiss.
     Eric is the head of a shifter town we haven’t been explored very much. “Wild Cat” deals with Eric’s sister, if you were wondering how the books were related. Back to the shifters - Eric stops in at a bar one night and notices this girl. He knows she’s part shifter, but no one else seems to. When he confronts her about it, she’s shocked because no one else had ever suspected besides her mom and her sister.
    In Ashley’s world, all of the Shifters had to take a special collar in order to be tamed. The collar keeps their adrenaline levels down and ensures they don’t hurt one another or in particular, humans. So an uncollared shifter, with no training or family to fall back on, is a pretty big deal and Eric isn’t about to let loose Iona on the world. So he takes it upon himself to help her transition into the Shiftertown culture.
     Eric and Iona are two pretty special characters. This may sound strange, but I loved Eric’s love for his family. Having had a fairly hard life and a wife to die during childbirth, Eric should be pretty hardened individual. But he isn’t. He is open to the future, wanting things to change for the better and fighting off those who would have them go back to the dark days of before. Iona is so free, it would be lovely just to be that open and free with people.
     “Mate Claimed” is a fantastic addition to Ashley’s Shifter Series. Utterly original and really fun, fans of the series will cheer when Eric and Iona finally find what they’ve been missing in one another. Can’t wait until the next title, “Tiger Magic” arrives in 2013!

I received this title from Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Book Details

Publisher: Penguin

Date of Publication: October 2, 2012

# of Pages: 336

ISBN: 978-1101611470

Jennifer Ashley’s Shifter’s Unbound Series

Shifter Made

Pride Mates

Primal Bonds

Bodyguard

Wild Cat

Hard Mated

Mate Claimed

Tiger Magic (Coming in 2013)

"Defying Destiny" By: Olivia Downing Review

"Defying Destiny"

By: Olivia Downing

Synopsis from Goodreads:

     She is a Huntress, the last of a long line of warriors who protect the human world from man-eating immortal Wolves. 

     He is a Wolf Guardian, the only of his shape-shifting kind who can break the 500-year old curse that drives his brethren mad beneath the full moon. 

     Blinded by duty and vengeance, Maralee chases her destiny determined to rid the world of the monsters that massacred her family and continue to haunt her nightmares. 

     Desperate to end the slaughter, Nash is certain he can prevent Maralee from slaying his people by showing her their humanity. He invites the Huntress into his life and falls for her. He hides his Wolf form from her, knowing he is everything she hates.

My Thoughts:
     It’s no secret that I enjoy a good werewolf romance, being such a huge fan of Kresley Cole. When I saw on Goodreads that Olivia Cunning had an alter ego that wrote paranormal romance, I was there! I had loved her rock stars and even have her upcoming books pre-bought on my nook. I’m sad to say though, “Defying Destiny” simply didn’t work for me.
     Maralee is a “huntress,” a killer of werewolves. She comes from an entire family whose sole job was to kill werewolves, so she’s pretty proficient at it and actually hunts out the elusive beast on the full moon. Who do you think is her hero? Yep, you guessed it, Nash, a full blooded werewolf.
     Nash and Maralee initially meet during a full moon as Maralee is hunting Nash’s family. She unknowingly fatally injures his brother. Days later she meets up with Nash and instead of being furious she had killed his brother (granted the brother was a snarling werewolf), he decides to take her in and care for her. Not counting that she had been caring for herself for years and she can kill freakin’ werewolves. Ugh.
     Of course Nash’s entire family and village are furious that one, he didn’t immediately kill Maralee, and two, he insists on keeping her within his house to “protect” her. Not the most sound reasoning, but hey, its a romance. In the middle of all of this, Nash decides that Maralee is the cure for werewolves and tries to figure out how she can save his family from the curse.
      I’m willing to stretch my mind a bit for believability. Vampires, sure...werewolves, oh yeah. But when the characters motivations don’t make sense, it just drives me crazy. There was almost zero chemistry between the characters and we are supposed to believe that they can’t live without one another within a few short days. Nash never worries for his own life or his family’s, even though he is a werewolf and his new found girlfriend kills wolves.
      I’m still a fan of Olivia Cunning, don’t get me wrong. I enjoy her voice, just not the paranormal world she has created. The characters weren’t believable and just for basic safety, I wanted to smack them in their head. “Defying Destiny” was a DNF for me, sadly.

Book Details

Publisher: Createspace 

Date of Publication: September 28, 2o11 

# of Pages: 392

ISBN: 978-1463764531