The Brunette Librarian: IAD Reading Challenge

Showing posts with label IAD Reading Challenge. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

"Dreams of a Dark Warrior" By: Kresley Cole Review

"Dreams of a Dark Warrior"

By: Kresley Cole

Synopsis from Amazon:

HE VOWED HE'D COME FOR HER . . .

Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives.

SHE AWAITS HIS RETURN . . .

When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals—unaware that he belongs to their world.

TO SATE A DESIRE MORE POWERFUL THAN DEATH . . .

Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan’s torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

My Thoughts:

“Dreams of a Dark Warrior” is the 9^th book in the Immortals After Dark series by Kresley Cole. An amazing series that I think any fan of romance should immediately run out and pick up, but that’s just my opinion. Insert huge happy face here!

“Dreams of a Dark Warrior” featured Regin the Radiant, a glowing Valkyrie, featured since the beginning of the series. I had been a bit hesitant to read this chapter in the IAD series because I hadn’t been a huge fan of Regin. She always seemed to boisterous, loud, and abrasive. However, when she had her own book and you see her in her own world, all of that begins to change.

Over 1000 years ago, Regin descended from her Godlike home of Valhalla to be greeted by Aiden the Fierce, a Viking warrior. They fell in love and yet, as Aiden died he was cursed to reincarnate and return to REgin, only to perish once again. Regin goes through this process three different times and the final reincarnation is Declan Chase, a man bent on destroying any immortal or magical creature in existence. Upon first glance, Regin knows Declan is a reincarnation of Aidan, but Declan refuses it to be true.

Regin is a wonderful heroine; strong, fiercely loyal and true to her nature. But let’s talk about Declan, whew! An amazing hero, he is emotionally troubled, doesn’t understand his feelings, does some pretty terrible things yet…you as the reader are rooting for him the entire way. Sure he wants to destroy Regin and her family, but that soon falls to the wayside as the book progresses. Of course there is a happy ending but the two go through one heck of a journey to get there.

Regin and Declan are two romantic characters who go through war, famine, and destruction and come out on the other end stronger for it. The characters are witty and strong while the plot moves along at a fast pace. My only complaint is at 500+ pages in paperback, it can be a little awkward to hold. If you haven’t read this romance, run don’t walk and find it at a bookstore, your library, or even your friend’s house. You won’t regret it!

Book Details

Publisher: Pocket Books

Date of Publication: February 15, 2011

# of Pages: 528

Friday, January 13, 2012

"Lothaire" By: Kresley Cole Review

"Lothaire"

By: Kresley Cole

Synopsis from Amazon:

Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness— until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER
Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED
Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

My Thoughts:

Wow! I have a confession to make, I am such a fan of this series and have been waiting for this book since Regin's story came out in early 2010. So excited in fact, I actually took a vacation day from work to read it! I enjoyed it and the vacation day was not wasted in the least!

The Immortals After Dark series, in my opinion, has been leading up to this book and this moment. Lothaire, the Enemy of Old, is a fearsome vampire and a fierce warrior. In the rest of the series, snippets occur that make what happen in this book possible. To people who have read the rest of the series, it is incredibly pleasing to see the endgame finally play out. For those who haven't read the others, it would be impossibly confusing but I can't imagine anyone reading this book and not liking it.

Lothaire has finally found his bride, the vampire equivalent of a mate. He believes his bride to be an evil sorceress (Soraya) that is currently inhabiting the body of a mortal female from Virginia, named Elizabeth. Yet, and I'm not ruining it, Soraya is not his true bride...Elizabeth is! Both Lothaire and Elizabeth, despite being completely different, are both strong willed, independent, and very intelligent. I loved seeing them interact with one another and how they reacted in different situations.

I think the best thing about the Immortals After Dark series is the utter improbability of the world being completely believable. She writes the characters realistically and you feel as if you know them. You know their motivations, their reasoning, and their feelings...they feel like friends and family when you are done.

"Lothaire" is a wonderfully enchanting paranormal romance I would recommend to anyone. Excellent, fast moving plot, engaging characters and a witty dialogue unlike any other. A vacation day well used :)

Book Details

Publisher: Gallery Books

Date of Publication: January 10, 2012

# of Pages: 506

ISBN: 978-1439136829

Thursday, January 12, 2012

"Warlord Wants Forever" By: Kresley Cole Review

"The Warlord Wants Forever"

By: Kresley Cole

Summary from Kresley Cole.com:

Nikolai Wroth, a ruthless vampire general, will stop at nothing to find his Bride, the one woman who can “blood” him, making his heart beat and filling him with strength. Coldly interested only in the power his Bride will bring, he can hardly believe when Myst the Coveted awakens him body—and soul.

Famed throughout the world as the most beautiful Valkyrie, Myst has devoted her life to protecting a magical jewel and to fighting the vampires. Wroth provides her with the perfect opportunity to torment her sworn enemy—for with his new heartbeat comes a consuming sexual desire that can only be slaked by her. Denying him, she flees, struggling to forget his searing, possessive kiss.

She eludes him for five years, but he has finally chased her to ground and stolen her enchanted jewel, giving him absolute power over her. Now that she’s his for the taking, he intends to make her experience first-hand the agonizing, unending lust she subjected him to for half a decade. Yet when Nikolai realizes he wants far more than vengeance from Myst and frees her, will she come back to him?

My Thoughts:
In preparation for "Lothaire," I re-read "The Warlord Wants Forever" by Kresley Cole. This title is the beginning of the Immortals After Dark series and is best charactorized as a novella at approximately 192 pages at length. A wonderful introduction to the world of vampires, valkyries, and witches, "The Warlord Wants Forever" is also a pretty wonderful romance.

Nikolai is a vampire who has never taken blood from a living person. Turned into a vampire on a battlefield, Nikolai is part of a new order of vampires intent on taking over control. As they are taking over a castle held by one of the most evil vampires around, Nikolai encounters Myst, a valkyrie. Of course, he doesn't know who or what she is, making her the victor in their warfare.

Even though it is the beginning of the Immortals After Dark series and a novella, the story is surprisingly thorough in character development, plot, and leaves you excited to read the rest of the series. While an abundance of characters are introduced, it isn't overwhelming and the bulk of the story deals with our hero and heroine.

Like any Kresley Cole book, the plot is fast moving, the characters witty, and the dialogue snappy. She uses modern phrasing and culture in an almost ancient world that works seamlessly. A great romance and a wonderful start to one of the best series out there, I would highly recommend "The Warlord Wants Forever."

Book Details

Publisher: Pocket Books

Date of Publication: February 7, 2006

# of Pages: 192