Review: Brave Are The Lonely by Heather Long

BRAVE ARE THE LONELY by Heather Long
FORMAT: PDF
GENRE: Historical Paranormal
LENGTH: 78,299 words
PUBLISHER: Heather Long (March 6,2012)

When the spirit fever struck a town, a village or an outpost, it left few if any survivors. The white man blamed the Indian saying they used their mojo on them. The Indians blamed the white man for angering the spirits. The survivors knew it didn’t matter. The Fevered were forever changed.


When death seemed preferable…
Mourning his mate drove fevered wolf shifter Cody out of Texas, but a brother’s need drags him back from the brink.

…and good deeds never go unpunished…
Gypsy princess Mariska only wants to protect her people and her freedom, but a dangerous choice puts her on a collision course with an angry wolf.

…the best thing that could happen to him…
When Cody touches Mariska, his wolf cannot escape the hunger that fills him. For Mariska, Cody’s touch brings her a pleasure she never imagined, but is it enough to heal his fractured soul?

…was the last thing he expected.
As danger stalks all three of them, they must confront who they are or risk losing Cody forever.

His wolf. His woman. His way.

Find Heather: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook | All Romance
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it

Other Books in Series:

click for excerpt

REVIEW:

Previously... In Marshal of Hel Dorado, the lovely spitfire Scarlett Morning Star fell in love with studly marshal Sam Kane. Cody Morning Star, her brother from another mother fell in love with her. At least his wolf side did. The Wolf wanted to mate with her, make her his. Unfortunately for The Wolf, Sam made an honest woman out of Scarlett. Now, Cody and The Wolf are chasing after Kid (Sam's baby brother) to keep him safe while The Wolf is mourning the loss of not being with Scarlett.

Now... Poor Cody, his wolf can't let go of the fact Scarlett gave herself to another man. Running on all fours until an almost run-in with the bad guys at a saloon/brothel because of Kid's Great Wandering Peen, Cody finally shifts back to his human form. The whole time he was in wolf form, Kid was able to understand his emotions and his thoughts. Cody knows that somehow Kid may be "one of them" with his talent to read and experience people's emotions.

The journey that keeps going... Kid doesn't know where he's going but he's got to get away from his family. Heading west is the only course he's got in mind. Through the plains, up the mountain, across streams...

A Gypsy princess... Mariska is a Traveler. Her father brought the whole clan over from their home country. Only a man who proves his strength and courage will win the heart of the gypsy princess. Only problem: her father wants her to marry the first man who offers for her. Since she wants to go by the tradition of her mother, she will wait until she finds a man worthy.

An attack on the Traveler camp... sets things in motion. Indians attack the Traveler's camp site killing them but Cody and Kid ride in and save the day. I especially like this scene because of Cody's dry sense of humor. Kid asks if they should say some prayers or something after burying the Indians. Cody's response? "A good day to die." *giggle*

A few good men... Mariska's father invites Cody and Kid to partake in a celebration in their honor. They saved the Traveler's and Mariska from either getting killed or forced upon by the Indians. Cody doesn't want to impose but Kid wants to do right by these people.

Lady in red... Mariska's father demanded she wear a red dress in honor of the tale of The Red who went out to save her people from The Big Bad Wolf (Red Riding Hood anyone?) by offering herself as a sacrifice.

Complications... Cody's outright dismissal of Mariska after her father offers her as a gift for saving them makes her a bit pissy. Who the heck was this stranger coming in and saving them but refuses her? Her self worth takes a hit. Retaliation? Drugging their food. Complication? The herbs she put in their food combined with herbs put in Kid's special Sexy Time Pie don't mix well and he could die. Her idiocy cost her to be lashed to her wagon and left for dead by her clan. The other complication: a dark wolf with vengeance and retribution on its mind. Cody and Kid must keep this evil away from Mariska.

Sexytime... In a wagon, on the ground, in a brothel, with lonely housewives, in a cave. I think you get the point. This book is full of The Sexytimes so if you're squeamish or have a limit as to how many times you can stand it, this might not be for you.


FAVORITE QUOTE:

Wool gathering over a man who made it clear he wasn't interested. His too beautiful blue eyes danced with amusement at her fury. He'd denied interest and her pride stung deep under the whip of his dismissal. Mariska never undervalued her own worth, she was a princess, she could ride, she could shoot, she could hunt, mend, cook, drive her own wagon and care for her people. She was a woman of high value and worth, not some chit that he could shake off with just a wave of his hand.

OVERALL: Bromance to the next level. Not really. I liked the relationship between Kid and Cody. A camaraderie of sorts and they definitely were good for each other. Cody kept Kid safe while Kid helped Cody mend his two warring halves (human vs. wolf) with the help of the lovely Mariska. I also like that Mariska stood her ground. She was not going to be submissive unless it was in the arms of Cody during Sexy Time.  It's a pulse pounding, thigh clenching, heartstopping, fire racing through your veins, omg they did what now? kind of read. Fans of historical paranormals, get ready to put Heather Long's Fevered Hearts series on your must read list. Seriously.


***provided by author's PA***

eARC Review: Darkness Bound by Stella Cameron

DARKNESS BOUND by Stella Cameron
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal
LENGTH: 326 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (February 28,2012)

WHEN NIGHT FALLS
After her husband's tragic death, Leigh Kelly arrives on Whidbey Island determined to start over. Yet the tiny town of Chimney Rock is not as peaceful as it seems. Women have been disappearing, and Leigh can't shake the feeling that she's being watched . . . especially at night. Soon, she's experiencing visions she can't explain and fighting her attraction to a handsome stranger who seems to know her most intimate desires.

PASSION TRANSFORMS THEM
As the leader of the Team, a pack of werehounds forced to hide their very existence, former special ops soldier Niles Latimer is desperate to prove a man's heart beats beneath his predator's body. And Leigh-the mysterious beauty possessing powers she doesn't yet understand-may be the one woman who can help him. But Niles isn't the only one who recognizes Leigh's true identity. Something evil is waiting in the woods-and the hunt has begun . . .

Find Stella: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook

Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository

I loved it.

REVIEW:

I don’t know what I was expecting when I started reading Darkness Bound but what I got wasn’t it… in a good way. I’m going to admit that it through me for a loop but it was a loop that I was happy to be in.

Leigh Kelly is moving on after the death of her husband. She quits her job and moves to Chimney Rock, a place that holds special memories for her. She gets a job as the business manger of Gabriel’s bar/restaurant thinking it will be something to get her mind off the past. Niles Latimer, alpha werehound, has other plans for Leigh. He’s determined to have her as a mate and save his pack.

Now, Chimney Rock is a small town that has a lot of secrets and isn’t very safe. Women are disappearing for days then coming back missing their memory. Not to mention a turf war between the werehounds and the werewolves. I have to give Leigh credit because I would be out of there after the second night and all the

strange things that start happening around her. Good thing Niles is around… and his dog Blue (who I love and if you read you’ll know why).

There are a lot of paranormal creatures in Chimney Rock. Not only do you have the werehounds fighting their enemies the werewolves but also there are vampires involved and some Fae who have yet to pick a side. It can get confusing but the way Stella Cameron introduces them makes it’s very easy to keep track of.

FAVORITE QUOTES:

“What would you do if I threw you over my shoulder and carried you off. . . to do all kinds of things to you?”
He settled his hands at her waist, dropped to one knee, and smoothed all the way to her calves. Touching her, even through her clothes, made him tremble. “I am going to do all kinds of things to you,” he said. “Make you scream for me to make you come, again and again. That’ll be before and after I strip you naked— slowly—and lick every inch of you, then suck every inch of you.”

OVERALL:

There is a lot going on so be prepared when you start to read it. And if you do start reading then be prepared to get sucked in to this crazy world. Darkness Bound has a more Urban Fantasy feel then just a normal paranormal romance and I look forward to seeing how this world unravels. Seth, Niles right hand guy, is probably my favorite character and he’s book is next which I’m excited about. Plus I want to see what the deal is with Gabriel. There is something mysterious there.

***review copy from Netgalley***

eARC Review: Ember by Kristen Callihan

EMBER by Kristen Callihan
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Historical
LENGTH: 21,850 words (novella)
PUBLISHER: Forever Yours (February 1,2012)

After a fire consumes the Ellis family fortune, the beautiful and resourceful Miranda finds herself faced with an impossible dilemma: enter a life of petty crime or watch her family succumb to poverty. But once her fiancée learns of her descent into danger--and of the strange, new powers she’s discovered --saving her family may come at the high price of her heart.

When his one chance for redemption is destroyed by corrupt London antiquarian Hector Ellis, Lord Benjamin Archer vows to take what Ellis values most—his daughter Miranda.

Forced to hide his face behind masks, Archer travels the world hoping to escape the curse that plagues him so that he can finally claim his prize.

But once Archer returns home to London, will it be revenge he seeks? Or will the flame-haired beauty ignite new, undeniable desires?

Find Kristen: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook | Kobo | Google

Go and Buy it NOW!

Other Books in Series(click for more):

available now

August 2012

REVIEW:

The beginning sentence pretty much sums up Ember and Firelight:

This is the story of a beast, so great and fearsome that he was reviled by all. And of a merchant's daughter, brave and beautiful, whose love for the beast redeemed his soul.

Doesn't that just send shivers down your spine? A classic Beauty and the Beast story that will have you tearing up and clapping at the end.

Ember is the prequel to Firelight in which Miranda's history is explained as well as Archer's and how he came to be banished from London society.

Miranda's gift of fire is both a blessing and a curse. She accidentally burned down her father's warehouse because of a dare and has been paying for it since. In the form of being a pickpocket and fencing the items to keep her and her father barely afloat.

Archer is trying to find a cure for his curse all the while dreaming a certain fire haired beauty who he is looking forward to claim as his own when he returns to London. She just doesn't know it yet. The deal is between Archer and her father due to her father's crew sinking the ship that contained Archer's friend and cure.

This novella was a peek inside Miranda's world before Archer came along to claim her as part of the bargain. She was practically engaged to her childhood friend Martin and they are about to make is official. Complications arise and one rash act using her deadly power send Martin fleeing.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

He needed a cure. Find the cure and he could claim her. Find the cure and his life could begin. 

OVERALL: Gah! A little more time with Archer and Miranda put a smile on my face. Ms. Callihan definitely has a way of reeling me in and making me stay even though it's only 60 pages long. I wanted more and thought about re-reading Firelight just to get a new perspective as to why things are the way they are. From the hot sands of Egypt to the desert of Central Mexico to the dark alleys of London and bustling New York City, this novella packs a punch with danger, adventure, hallucinations, intrigue, heartbreak and a whole mess of under the table dealings that will change two lives forever. Well done, Ms. Callihan.

***review copy from Netgalley***

ARC Review: King of Darkness by Elisabeth Staab

KING OF DARKNESS by Elisabeth Staab
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Paranormal
LENGTH: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 7, 2012)

ETERNAL COMMITMENT IS NOT ON HER AGENDA...
Scorned by the vampire community for her lack of power, Isabel Anthony lives a carefree existence masquerading as human---although, drifting through the debauched human nightlife, she prefers the patrons' blood to other indulgences. But when she meets the sexy, arrogant king of the vampires, this party-girl's life turns dark and dangerous.

BUT TIME'S RUNNING OUT FOR THE KING OF VAMPIRES...
Dead-set on finding the prophesied mate who will unlock his fiery powers, Thad Morgan must find his queen before their race is destroyed. Their enemies are gaining ground, and Thad needs his powers to unite his subjects. But when his search leads him to the defiant Isabel, he wonders if fate has gotten it seriously wrong...

Where To Find Elisabeth: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it.

REVIEW:

What a wonderful surprise this book was. At first after reading the blurb I thought to myself--sounds interesting but do I want to keep reading? Good thing I did! However, I had to put the book down a few times to get my bearings since there's so much going on. As with any start to a series, especially of the paranormal persuasion, there's a lot of world and mythos building.

I loved every page of this book. It goes something like this:

Thad: Dude, I'm here at this crazy ass night club trying to find my queen so I can gain my powers to rule over the vampire world.
Lee: Uh, sure but you've got to be careful. Are you sure she's here? This doesn't seem like the place for your future queen to hang out. Look at all this let's-do-The-Sexy-in-front-of-everyone-at-a-nightclub thing. This doesn't seem like her scene.
Thad: Naw dude, I can feel it in my veins. My future queen is here. We have to find her. Damn my old man for dying 100 years too early. Now I'm left to rule the vampire world but I have to have powers to do so.
Lee: Whoa! Check out that chick necking with that other chick. I think I just got a hard on. Ohhhh... that's your queen. Look at that tramp stamp of a tattoo that indicates she's your mate. Haha. Your woman likes chicks.
Thad: *silently brooding* Whatever. I'll just tell her that she's got the fate of the whole vampire race resting on her shoulders. She's my destiny.
Isabel: Hello tall, dark and brooding!
Thad: Hi. Uh... you're my future queen and you have with come with me. We will rule the vampire race.
Isabel: Tall, dark and brooding vampire dude who just told me that I'm his future queen say what now? I'm not queen material much less vampire-y. I'm only a halves-y.
Thad: You heard correctly. You are my queen. That tattoo on your lower back says so.

There's quite a bit of this going back and forth as to how Isabel is Thad's queen and she must accept him. An instant attraction develops between them which explodes into doing The Sexy the night that they meet. Bow chica wow wow. Then there's the complication of Isabel's human friend Alexia who is attacked by a crazy wizard. This in turn makes Thad take Isabel and Lexi back to his home to keep them safe from the next wave of evil wizards.

Thad: So have you thought more about being my queen?
Isabel: Yup and the answer is I don't think so. I'm not queen material. How many freaking times do I have to tell you this. I'll do whatever it is that needs to be done... some mating ritual or whatever and bam! you'll have your powers. Easy peasy.
Thad: Easy peasy? I'm falling for you but I can't say it out loud because I'll look like a total pansy.
Isabel: Oh jeez. I like you too but I can't let you know this because you deserve someone better. Someone who knows how to be a queen.


And it goes back and forth like that. But there's bigger games afoot. The wizards are closing in. They want Thad's half sister for their side so they send one of their own to kidnap her. He fails and is beaten within an inch of his life, wakes up with no memory but feels something for Thad's sister. Then Isabel runs away, okay, she goes out for a walk and is kidnapped by super evil wizards. Thad and the gang have to go rescue her. This of course makes Thad and Isabel realize that they're important to each other. Uh, DUH! Almost losing someone does make you re-evaluate your feelings.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

Somehow she had gone from just another night at the club to hearing that she was the king's destined mate and being invited to move in with him, and then to being attacked in her apartment by something she had heard only in childhood stories. All of that before teleporting to some big ass mansion she didn't even know the location of with her sister-in-law. No, no. Thad's sister.

***quote subject to change in finished copy***


OVERALL: A wonderful debut from Ms. Elisabeth Staab. Vampires versus wizards. My first book of its kind. Where are the shifters? LOL. The characters were memorable. Especially that human hating vampire Lee. I had to laugh when he was attracted to Isabel's human bff. I love the smaller stories being built up around Thad and Isabel. The wizard who is sent to kidnap Tyra because she has an amazing power that could benefit their cause falls for her. Lee and Lexi have something going on. Sparks are flying that's for sure. I can't wait for the next book in this series!

***review copy sent by Kim at SOS Aloha***

Review: Midnight Reckoning by Kendra Leigh Castle

MIDNIGHT RECKONING by Kendra Leigh Castle
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Paranormal
LENGTH: 384 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever (January 1, 2012)
Two separate worlds ... One passion that binds them

Wild and passionate by nature, Lyra Black is not just any werewolf. She's the future leader of the powerful pack of the Thorn - if she can stay alive long enough to inherit the title.

One of the Cait Sith bloodline of vampire cat-shifters, Jaden Harrison has no interest in the wars plaguing the world of night. But when he rescues Lyra from a violent attack, they're both captured by an insatiable desire that threatens to overwhelm them and bind them together for eternity... just as ancient enemies prepare to strike. And when they do, the Thorn and the Cait Sith - and Lyra and Jaden's love - may never recover from the deadly blow...

Where To Find Kendra: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook

Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Powell's

Book Extras: A Guide to the Dynasties

Go and Buy it NOW!

Other Books in Series:

available now

REVIEW:

Confession: I did not finish the first book in this series but holy heck! Jaden's book caught me off guard. Ah, forbidden love. A tale as old as time...

Jaden Harrison saves Lyra Black from the advances of an unwanted suitor. Instead of Lyra falling at his feet thanking him, she runs away into the night leaving behind a talisman. Jaden picks it up and gets slightly obsessive about it. With the encouragement of his friend Ty, just to get the woman out of his system and get her necklace back to her, he sets off into the heart of werewolf country. Oh, did I mention that Jaden is a Caith Sith aka vampire cat-shifter. As well you can imagine cats and dogs don't really get along that well. It's in their nature to hate each other.

Lyra is being pressured by her father to find a mate so her mate can become Alpha. She's not having any of this. She knows that she can best any of the males during the Proving (an all out free-for-all to see who gets to be Alpha) but her father is stuck in the past where females were subservient and only meant for breeding. Blah blah blah. As her father is begging her childhood friend to marrying her, in come the tall,dark Jaden with her lost talisman in tow.

After Simon (childhood friend) gets almost ripped to shreds by Jaden, her father strikes a deal with him. Jaden teaches Lyra fighting skills and he would grant Jaden a boon to be paid in full later. At first Lyra doesn't like this idea. What the heck is this vampire going to teach her? They're from different species and she wouldn't have the same powers that he had. Jaden and Lyra come to some sort of truce. He would teach her. That was all. Puh-lease. Being near each other ignites a longing and need that each can't understand. Why is a werewolf attracted to a vampire and vice-versa?

Jaden stays at Lyra's and the town is told that he is a "vampire ambassador". Lies! But hey, whatever it takes to get the townies to keep their paws off the cat. As Lyra and Jaden spend more time together, the simmering passion gets to a boiling point and with it come danger. They're caught off guard by some evil vampires from a different dynasty trying to kill Jaden. Lyra saves his life and they almost get down the The Sexy only to be interrupted by a concerned Simon. The Sexy will have to wait.

Lyra's cousin is in the running for Alpha and he'll play dirty during the Proving to do so. It's been said that Eric wants to keep the pack stuck in the past while Lyra want to take them into the present. With the help of Jaden, she would be ready. Danger is closing in. Something's not right. Someone has made a deal with the Ptolemy dynasty to hand over Jaden in exchange for the title of Alpha. After a second vampire attack and Jaden defending Lyra, the pack accept him. They thought he'd run away and leave her to her death.

Jaden knows Lyra has gotten under his skin and he wants her. Badly. She feels the same and one night together will change their lives forever. Vampires and werewolves can't bond. Right?

FAVORITE QUOTE:

The unfamiliar voice sliced through the air, freezing the two of them in place. For a moment, neither of them moved, waiting to see if the disembodied voice was real or simply some kind of warning from whatever powers lurked behind the immortal veil, informing the two of them that various vampire and werewolf deities did not find their performance amusing.

OVERALL: Um, I couldn't put this down. Seriously. Throw an independent she-wolf with a goal to become Alpha and take her pack out of the dark ages and a brooding vampire cat-shifter with wanderlust, add in a dangerous blood thirsty dynasty, sizzling chemistry, a twist in the tale that will blindside the heck out of you and you've got Midnight Reckoning. Ms. Castle, I apologize for not finishing the first book in your series but this book has definitely sealed the deal for me to go back and fully read it. Dangerously sexy, slightly provocative, adrenaline spiking action, laugh out loud moments. Yup, a winner and must read in my book. 

***review copy provided by the publisher***

ARC Review: Kiss of the Vampire by Cynthia Garner

KISS OF THE VAMPIRE by Cynthia Garner
FORMAT: ARC
GENRE: Paranormal
LENGTH: 352 pages
PUBLISHER: Forever Romance (February 1, 2012)

Once a generation, the rift between the paranormal world and the human world opens, allowing supernatural entities to cross. Vampire, demon, or shapeshifter, they can save the world---or send it spiraling into chaos.
Half-demon, half-homan, Nix de la Fuente is accepted by neither and mistrusted by both. Determined to prove she's more human than not, she devotes herself to solving crimes between the world's mortals and its most unsavory undead. But her latest case brings her face to face with the one vampire she could never resist...
Called to investigate a string of violent murders, special agent Tobias Caine isn't interested in rekindling his relationship with Nix. Yet one look and the vampire knows his need for her is as strong as ever. Once, their all-consuming passion nearly cost Nix her fragile hold on her humanity. Now, as their hunger for one another intensifies, exposing them to an unimaginable danger, it could cost them both their lives.

Where To Find Cynthia: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon(pb) | Kindle | B&N(pb) | Nook | Powell's
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it!

REVIEW:
Vampires, shifters and demons. Oh my! A fantastic start to a new paranormal series.

If Law & Order ever did an episode featuring creatures that go bump in the night, this book should be the basis of it. It starts off with a gruesome murder. Like white sheet over the disemboweled body so onlookers don't throw up kind of gruesome. (Do you hear the strains of the opening theme? Yeah, you're welcome.)

Nix de la Fuente serves as an investigative liaison between the preternatural Council and humans. This new death has become personal. Her ex-friend Amarinda was found gutted but no one knows who committed the crime. At the scene, Nix smells a trace of demon, lying under all the other scents. Oh, did I mention she's half demon so she's sort of living in limbo between the two worlds? Yeah, her childhood was rough. Succubi mother killed human father in throws of passion, succubi mother leaves since she's got a different kind of nurturing bone in her body, human grandmother reluctantly takes her in but can't see past the demon side of her, proves her grandmother right about her demon nature and rebels, grandmother dies and foster system didn't work out too well. Apparently love was not her thing so she decided to learn some street smarts.

Anywho, up walks tall, dark and handsome who she smells before she sees. Tobias Caine is throwing off some major pheromone mojo that brings back memories of love, comfort and quite a bit of The Sexy Times. He's replaced the quadrant vampire liaison to investigate the murders. He's also on a manhunt er, vampire hunt? for a vampire that killed the leader of his planet. Somehow the killer found his way through the rift.  After seeing Amarinda's body, Tobias is pissed. She had called him while he was in Alaska, telling him she needed to talk and now she's dead.

Nix and Tobias must work together, along with human Detective Dante MacMillan to solve the case of The Great Vampire Killing Spree. With pressure from the Council to figure out who has it out for the vampires (be they human, vampire, demon or were) before the Killing Spree continues. Nix and Tobias' sexual tension is strong. His presence brings out the inner demon in her and the only way to push that demon back is a session of tai chi. After five years, the feelings are still there but neither wants to act on it because of the consequences for Nix. There's a lot of will they/won't they, oh my god they did!, whoa totally didn't see that one coming and where can I get one of my very own?

Sidenote: Travel through the rift places the preternatural being into some random human's body. Yes, it's a case of body snatching or maybe like that show Tracker with Adrian Paul where he takes the form of an underwear model. Interesting enough, the rift opens up only every hundred years or so but someone has found a way to open a mini rift.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

Some people used meth. Others drank themselves into a stupor. He drug of choice was Tobias Caine. And it seemed that even after five years of sobriety, she was still as addicted as ever.

***quote subject to change in finished copy***

OVERALL: The action in this book is like the frickin energizer bunny. It hits the ground running and continues until the very end. A colorful cast of characters are introduced so well that you want to know more about them. Out of all the characters, Detective Dante MacMillan, a secondary character who will get his own book next, totally stole the show for me. He was funny, caring and was quite smooth with the ladies. Tobias did surprise me. Nix made him out to be some sort of jerk who just up and left her when her demon got totally out of control. But there was a purpose to his leaving and that he actually cared. He could have at least been less callous about the way he just broke their relationship off. As for the Council, there's something shifty going on and I intend to find out when the next book in this series comes along. It's like Law & Order opening sequence meets Torchwood rift activity meets a case of the body snatchers meets a touch of 'I wish I knew how to quit you' (but involving a vampire and demon instead of two cowboys).

***review copy from Netgalley***

eARC Review: Lord of the Abyss by Nalini Singh

LORD OF THE ABYSS by Nalini Singh
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 288 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin Nocturne (November 15, 2011)
ISBN: 9780373618729

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

As the dark Lord who condemns souls to damnation in the Abyss, Micah is nothing but a feared monster wrapped in impenetrable black armor. He has no idea he is the last heir of Elden, its last hope. Only one woman knows—the daughter of his enemy.

Liliana is nothing like her father, the Blood Sorcerer who’d cursed Micah. She sees past Micah’s armor to the prince inside. A prince whose sinful touch she craves. But first she has to brave his dark, dangerous lair and help him remember. Because they only have till midnight to save Elden.

Where To Find Nalini: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I really liked it

Other Books in Series(click on covers for more):

available now

available now

available now

REVIEW & Book Trailer:

Gah! I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's a little bit of The Ugly Duckling meets Romeo and Juliet meets 1001 Arabian Nights. 


It goes something like this:

• Girl is the guide for boy who is the Guardian of the Abyss
• Boy is angry with girl
• Girl becomes cook and prisoner at boys castle after bribing him to tell him stories
• Boy is slightly attracted to girl and is confused by feelings for girl
• Girl is slightly attracted to boy even though he wears a black suit of impenetrable armor and is quite testy
• Boy is a prince of a kingdom taken over by evil sorcerer
• Girl is the daughter of said evil sorcerer
• Girl must get boy back to kingdom to fight evil sorcerer with the help of his siblings
• Boy and girl make The Sexy and everything changes
• Girl tells boy stories of his kingdom but boy doesn't know it's his kingdom
• Boy gets flashes of his past and soon begins to remember
• Girl knows she must sacrifice her life so boy can defeat her father
• Boy finds out girl has been lying to him and gets angry
• Boy and girl must travel to his kingdom to defeat evil sorcerer once and for all
• Boy and girl face dangerous obstacles along the way
• Boy and girl must decide whether their giant misunderstanding is worth putting aside and living Happily Ever After

The End.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

A prince, regardless of his position in line for the throne, was expected to marry a certain kind of woman, a woman with an unsullied past, one who could carry the crown of princess with elegance and beauty.
Everything Liliana was not.
You could be his mistress.The sly suggestion came from the part of her that had no honor where Micah was concerned. She was sure she would do any terrible thing to be with him---but she didn't think she could stand to share him, to know that another woman had the right the bear his name and is children, to love him and hold him. It would break her.

OVERALL: I loved the fact that this was a fast paced read. Danger, betrayal, secrets, adventure, love, laughter and a dangerously sexy man. *sigh* Everything I look for in a great story. The ending wasn't was epic as I thought it would be but it still brought a tear to my eye and a smile to my face. I will be reading more books from Nalini Singh. Well, after I get this monster of a TBR pile down.

***review copy from Netgalley***

eARC Review: Her Dark Knight by Sharon Cullen

HER DARK KNIGHT by Sharon Cullen
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal Romance (Time Travel)
FILE SIZE: 635KB (84,000 words)
PUBLISHER: Carina Press (November 28, 2011)
ISBN: 9781426892714

Madelaine Alexander is on a mission. When her boss sends her to the hottest nightclub in town to meet with the owner, she won't be deterred, even if that means standing in line for fifty-eight minutes in torturous heels while she'd rather be home in her pj's with a bowl of popcorn.

A Knight of the Templar, Christien Chevalier was given immortality along with the responsibility of protecting the treasure of the Templars. He's been unwavering in his task for centuries until his one true love—who died seven hundred years ago—shows up in his club, demanding his attention.

Christien couldn't protect Madelaine when they first fell in love. She was married to a lord and he was simply a knight. Now, through some unknown miracle, she stands before him again and they have a second chance. But Christien fears that Madelaine is being used as a pawn in a dangerous game, a game of good versus evil that could affect all of mankind...

Where To Find Sharon: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Where To Buy: Kindle | Nook | Carina Press
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

Go and Buy it NOW!

REVIEW:

A woman walks into a bar... Yeah, that would make a great joke but it's not what this book is about. Yes, a woman does walk into bar but she ends up having the shock of her life as well as meeting the one man she is destined to be with.

Christien Chevalier has lived for seven centuries and is tasked to guard the Templar treasure from getting into the wrong hands and bringing on the end of the world. In the fourteenth century, he was Templar Knight. He fell in love with the lady of the manor, Madelaine, Countess of Flandres. Alas, he was too noble to make a move and lost her at the hands of the overreaching, jealous castle whore.

Seven centuries later, Lainie Alexander walks into his nightclub and he thinks he's seeing things. What terrible, horrible, no good being would reincarnate her to taunt him? After all these long years of almost becoming at one with his sad,lonely, empty heart, Madelaine or someone that looks exactly like her is here.

Madelaine or rather, Lainie Alexander is sent to the nightclub by her mean girl boss Giselle to get papers signed. What the french toast? Really? Couldn't Giselle send her at a more reasonable time? Good grief! The bouncer tells Lainie that he knows nothing about an appointment and she has to go to the end of the line. Fifty-eight minutes later and twenty dollars poorer, Lainie finally gets into the club. As she's trying to find Chevalier or anyone who knows where he might be, she gets grabbed by some drunk guy. *insert clopping of horse hooves and some trumpeting* Enter the dark knight. I mean, a knight in an exquisitely cut suit.

Christien is momentarily shaken after seeing Lainie, rescuing her and flipping through the papers that he's supposed to sign. At first, he wonders if Lainie is working for Etienne Lucheux, his archenemy. A distraction of sorts. Or perhaps to get to the treasure.

After meeting Christien, Lainie begins to have very vivid dreams of a woman who shared her name. Fourteenth century Madelaine was married to a vile count who only married her for her family connections (how typical) and enjoys punishing her for any sin she has committed. Even going as far as making up things. His punishments not only include verbal abuse but physical abuse as well and god help her, Madelaine endures each and every one. The only light in her life is Christien. She is drawn to him from the moment their eyes meet and he to her. Madelaine's husband's right hand man has a thing for her and he's lude, crude and sweet jaysus, I wanted to call him out. So gross. Can I say that he's villainously vile?

Christien wants to protect Lainie, even going as far as having her move in with him after she gets pushed in front of a car. Lainie is only working for Lucheaux because of the pay. Her father is in an expensive nursing home after losing it when the government took their farm away and she also has student loans to pay. The lure of the paycheck is too great.

Christien must find a way to convince Lainie that she is his Madeleine, reincarnated. He must also find a way to keep her and the Templar treasure safe. Should all seven seals break, hell would break loose (literally). With danger at every turn (whether it's in the fourteenth century or the twenty first) Madeleine and Christien are destined to be together. She is his destruction and salvation. She holds the key.

Trading in their mortality, Lucien (Madelaine's husband's right hand man) and Giselle (the overreaching, jealous castle whore) want to be come one of the horsemen of the apocalypse. Lucien, to this day is still attracted to Madeleine (in the form of Lainie) and Giselle is still as jealous as ever.

As the danger closes in, Christien must protect Madeleine at any cost even if it means re-living seven centuries twice and convince her that they are destined to be together. Lainie must come to grips that she is indeed the Madeleine she keeps dreaming about. The dreams are vivid, in freaking techinicolor and surround sound. Christien has her convinced when he tells her things from her dreams that she hasn't told him. When all is revealed, Christien and Madeleine may have to sacrifice their love. Again.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

"I am but a man who has lived long and seen much. I've known joy and despair, love and heartache, peace and war. I've been to hell and back and lived to tell about it. I can't promise that when I look at your I don't see her. I can promise that if you allow me I will protect you with all the resources at hand. I will cherish you, respect you and honor you."

OVERALL: OMG! What a well written, heart breaking read that beautifully blends the past and the present into a giant rollercoaster of emotion that had me sobbing like I'd just lost my nearest and dearest. I was stunned. Utterly floored. Holy carp! Ah-mazing. I can tell you that I will be reading more Sharon Cullen.

***review copy from Netgalley***

eARC Review: Dreaming of the Wolf by Terry Spear

DREAMING OF THE WOLF by Terry Spear
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 384 pages
PUBLISHER: Sourcebooks Casablanca (December 1, 2011)
ISBN: 9781402245558

A FIERCE HUNTER...

Alicia Greiston is a no-nonsense bounty hunter determined to bring a ring of mobsters to justice. Her dogged pursuit of the crime family has forced her to avoid relationships— any man would only become a target for retribution. Luckily, Jake Silver is more than a man, and his instincts are telling him to stop at nothing to protect her.

AN ANIMAL PASSION...

However, the mob isn't entirely human either, and soon Alicia must flee for her life. When Alicia and Jake's passion begins to spill over into their dreams, Jake learns he will have to do more than defend her— he'll have to show his mate the way of the wolf.

Where To Find Terry: Author Site | Twitter | Facebook | Blog
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N | Nook | Book Depository

I loved it.

Other Books in Series:





REVIEW:

Excuse me while I try to stop ogling the book covers above long enough to write a review... Okay, done.

Reasons to read this book: a hunky overprotective werewolf, a sassy kickass bounty hunter heroine, a Mob boss hellbent on making said heroine his own, a murdered mother's secret, generic Mafia type henchmen who can't get anything right, super sexy dream mating, close knit wolf pack, naked sexing in the woods, an unexpected turn of events (get it? cause wolves can turn humans? *insert "ohhhh,I understand" here). Need I say more? Do I hear you salivating at the thought of reading this book?

Alicia Greiston is a small time bounty hunter bringing in women when they miss their court date (some sort of sexual harassment prevention measure thing since the women might accuse a man bounty hunter of sexual harassment). At least until her mother gets murdered and she's given the opportunity to hunt bigger game like the mob boss and his henchmen who killed her mother. She's been trailing them for a while and ends up in an Italian restaurant waiting it out.

Enter the super serious hunk of a man, Jake Silver. Jake is dropping off some photos at a local gallery and notices Alicia. He follows her into the restaurant sensing danger and trying to deflect the unwanted advances of the waitstaff. She fascinates him. What in the world is this woman doing trying to take down these Soprano-like men?

Jake saves Alicia after she is threatened by one of the men. He talks her into going to dinner with him and she agrees. After all, this guy did just save her life and there's an attraction there. Jake finishes up his business at the gallery and Alicia goes to place flowers on the trail where her mother was killed. While doing so, the henchmen find her, try to shoot at her and bam! a wolf comes out of the woods looking pissed.

After spending some sexy time in the woods and in a hotel room together, Jake can't stop thinking about this woman. He's never felt that way before and he can't because she is human. He won't turn her just so he can spend the rest of his life with her. Alicia can't believe that sexy time can be sweet and satisfying. Her first two husbands (yup, two!) were in the 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' category.

Receiving a note saying that Jake will get hurt, Alicia packs her things and heads out of town. Anywhere to keep Jake safe. And thus begins the trek across Colorado dodging bullets, an angry mob boss's henchmen trailing behind, getting bitten by a wolf and turned, trying to cope with the fact she might be a werewolf, dream mating with Jake and trying to figure out why her mother got killed. Wow! That's a lot for a person to take on but Alicia does her best, never cowering.

Jake can't believe Alicia just up and left without so much as a note. He tries to find her but must go back to the pack. He becomes broody and moody and very confused when he begins dream mating with Alicia. Only wolves can dream mate and last he knew, Alicia was not a wolf. He's determined to find her and to help her in case she's been turned.

Jake and Alicia must come to terms with the fact she has been turned and try to find the man who killed her mother. And fight that growing attraction between them, strengthened by the fact she has been turned. Jake can finally be with her. Alicia is at first surprised to find out that Jake can shift into a wolf but as she falls more in love with him, she accepts who he is and who she has come to be.

FAVORITE QUOTE: 

"Only in this case, she wouldn't turn into a penniless scullery maid who vied to go to the ball and meet the prince before midnight. Instead, she'd go back to being a bounty hunter who was bound to get her prince killed just by knowing him. That thought continued to nag at her as tried to think of a way out of this. But she didn't want out Damn it. She wanted him."

OVERALL: Why the heck have I missed all the other books in this series since reading Heart of the Wolf? This is a wonderful read that stays true to the nature of wolves and full of laugh out loud moments, danger, discovery, love, acceptance and explosive physical attraction. Jake and Alicia's chemistry sizzled, popped and holy carp! from the first time they met until their happily ever after. A definite must read!

***review copy from Netgalley***

Review: Hunter of Shadows by Nancy Gideon

HUNTER OF SHADOWS by Nancy Gideon
FORMAT: Paperback
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 416 pages
PUBLISHER: Pocket Star (November 29, 2011)
ISBN: 9781439199507

The secrets he knows about her could get him killed.
Transferring to the New Orleans Police Department, Detective Silas MacCreedy has a hidden agenda: to secure his clan's place on again in the Shifter hierarchy. What he didn't count on was stumbling upon a sexy assassin who could shred his best intentions and lead him into a dangerous dance that threatens to engage his heart.

But the ones he doesn't know...
Monica Fraser knows just how to make a man beg--for his life. But she has no clue how to fight her attraction to the fiercely intense detective who seems determined to get in her way, both professionally and intimately.

...could kill them both.
When emotional attachments to the past and an unexpected glimpse of a different future have her questioning her deadly purpose, Nica must discover the truth about her secret abilities in order to free herself from the forces that control her. But that freedom comes with a price--trusting those she's been ordered to eliminate. (source:back cover)

Where To Find Nancy:Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Where to Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N/Nook | Book Depository
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it.

OTHER BOOKS IN SERIES (click on covers for excerpts)


REVIEW:

Hello! What a heart pounding read. This was my first Nancy Gideon book and I got plopped into the thick of things. First off, the heroine in this book has no qualms about having sex or lusting after the hero even though she's only known him for a short time. She's very comfortable with her sexuality and I find that refreshing.

Silas MacCreedy is all sorts of yummy. He's been transferred to the New Orleans PD and on the hunt for something that could restore his family from lowly nothings to honored members of their clan. If everything goes according to plan, he won't have to stay too long in New Orleans.

Dun dun dunnn. Monica (Nica) Fraser puts a giant kink and a bit of kinkiness into his plan. She's been hired by an unknown person to kill someone, tie up loose ends so to speak. She's ready to get in, do her thing and leave, no one the wiser. Well, acting the helpless woman by luring four unsavory characters who attacked a friend of hers, she goes about her business eliminating them until Silas happens upon the alley. He tries to do his whole hero business but soon realizes that this woman is a badass and can take care of herself.

There's more to Nica than meets Silas's eyes. She's keeping a secret that he will do anything to uncover starting with keeping an eye on her. Silas develops an uneasy and suspicious alliance with Max Savoie (Bound by Moonlight) in order to get closer to the person he needs to kidnap to restore his family name. He has a hidden agenda and as he gets to know Nica more, he begins to question whether he's willing to hurt her to fulfill his mission or if he will throw it all away just for the love of this extraordinary woman.

Nica must figure out if she is willing to betray not only Silas but all the other people she's come to know and have treated her kindly just to gain her freedom. She must use all her mental strength to keep the demanding blood thirsty voice from trying to control her and make her succeed in killing the person she was meant to kill. Time is running out and Silas must find a way to keep this unknown being from taking over Nica's mind in order to save her and those around them.

FAVORITE QUOTE: 

"Her handsome protector had just become a major inconvenience."

OVERALL: There's quite a few stories woven in this book and at times I became a little confused (it may have been due to the fact that there were screaming children on the plane while I was reading) but the story flowed well. Nancy Gideon has a way to making the reader want more, need more and when you think you know what's happening, TWIST! From their first meeting until the end of the book, Silas and Nica scorched the pages with their sexual chemistry, induced laughter during their witty and sharp banter and made me sigh during their tender moments. The magic of NOLA shines through the sizzling and sultry kisses, the danger, the intrigue and mystery of the city. I'll be putting the rest of the Moonlight series on The List.


***review copy provided by J.Gruenspecht at Pocket Books***

ARC Review: Marshal of Hel Dorado by Heather Long

MARSHAL OF HEL DORADO by Heather Long
FORMAT: PDF
GENRE: Historical
PAPERBACK: 328 pages
PUBLISHER: Heather Long (November 8,2011)
ISBN: 9781452441726

In the shadows of the old west, the untamed land live bands of outlaws and outsiders. In a time when fevers could fell whole towns, these few survivors are marked. Marked…and forever changed.

Sam Kane is the oldest brother, the steadfast son and the confidant marshal. He’s never met a problem to hot to handle until a gang behind a string of robberies across the territory set their sights on his town. Now with the bank’s gold inexplicably missing from a locked safe, the town hunting the elusive thieves and a passionate redhead with a fiery secret in his jail, Sam has his hands full.

Scarlett Morning Star lived in seclusion in the mountains of West Texas most of her life. She longs for adventure, but with seven very protective older brothers, adventure is hard to come by. When she tags along uninvited on their latest escapade, she is left behind during a bank robbery and finds herself in the custody of the very sexy town marshal.

The town wants to lynch her, the Marshal wants answers and her brothers want her back, can Scarlett keep it together or will her explosive secret burn them all?

Her life. His badge. Their fight.

Where To Find Heather: Author Site | Facebook | Twitter | Blog
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | Nook | All Romance
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

Go and Buy it NOW!

REVIEW:

What do you get when you put the X-Men and Captain Tightpants together? Scarlett Morning Star and Marshal Sam Kane, the hero and heroine of Marshal of Hel Dorado. Seriously, this book surprised the heck out of me. I read it on the first leg of my flight back to San Diego. I even tuned out all the screaming children because I wanted to finish this book before touching down in Vegas. That's how awesomely awesome it was.

Scarlett Morning Star wanted an adventure. She was tired of just sitting up high on the mountain while her brothers got to sow their wild oats all over Texas. Well, she got her adventure. Marshal Sam Kane finds Scarlett in the bank and swears there were others with her. Without the others to arrest, he takes Scarlett in their place. And boy howdy! he's in the for the ride of his life.

Sam puts Scarlett in the jail cell but due to angry townspeople, he takes her to his family's ranch to wait on the judge. The town wants to string her up but Sam wants to give her a fair trial. On the way to his family's ranch, the attraction to this redheaded spitfire gets his pants in a very uncomfortably tight bunch.

With Sam's father and brother Micah taking up her cause and believing her a victim of the robberies rather than an accomplice, Sam's hide is chafed. How the heck did this slip of a woman get his family on her side from the moment she climbs off his horse?

Scarlett knows her brothers will come for her. With seven brothers who all have tempers and special abilities, she knows they'll either burn the town down searching for her or hurt the Kanes who have been nothing but kind with the exception of suspicious Sam. When Sam's youngest brother Kid tells her he will take her to her brothers, she agrees. No need for bloodshed.

But Sam isn't done with her. This minx of a woman has gotten under his skin. Since finding out her ability to shoot fire through her fingertips, he's intrigued and is accepting of the fact she is able to. As Sam puts two and two together regarding the string of bank robberies and her brother's abilities, he can let Scarlett hang for what her brothers did. All she wanted was an adventure and she got a whole lot more.

After leaving the Marshal behind, Scarlett can't seem to forget about him. Returning to the mountain only makes her sad and her family begins to notice. Her father, Quanto realizes that his little girl has grown up and may need to come down from the mountain to find her happiness.

Sam and Scarlett must come to terms with their feelings for one another while fighting bad guys, returning the gold her brothers stole, finding something to ground her powers and making their families accept their attraction for each other.

FAVORITE QUOTE:

"His heart seized in his chest, his first thought was to rescue her from the flaming water. His second, even more startling, was to wonder how she created such a feat.
The man who walked through walls.
The gold stolen from a sealed vault.
The wolf in town.
Her fever, the rage of this struck, so swift. Her skin had literally burned his fingertips. Rolling his thumb over the fading blister on his right forefinger, Sam found himself at a complete loss." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

OVERALL: If you love westerns AND the supernatural, you'll want to pick up this book. Take one sexy Marshal who I have dubbed Captain Tightpants 2.0, a fiery redhead who can conjure flames and shoot them out of her fingertips, 7 brothers with supernatural abilities including walking through walls and shifting into a wolf, a Professor X-like father who dream walks and a shootout reminiscent of old westerns and you've got a formula for a must read series. You'll laugh out loud, sigh, squee, ponder, shout obscenities (in a good way) and want to scream at Scarlett and Sam: "do it already!" As with any first book in a series, Heather Long has introduced memorable characters that I want to know more about and did a fantastic job in building a world where the every day and the things that go bump in the night collide. I look forward to learning more about the brothers and finding out the women who will tame them. Well done Ms. Long, well done.


***review copy provided by Brandy W***

eARC Review: Lord of the Wolfyn by Jessica Andersen

LORD OF THE WOLFYN by Jessica Andersen
FORMAT: eBook via Netgalley
GENRE: Paranormal
MASS MARKET PAPERBACK: 288 pages
PUBLISHER: Harlequin (October 18,2011)
ISBN: 9780373618700

Practical cop Reda Weston didn't understand how reading a sexy version of “Little Red Riding Hood” catapulted her into another realm—face-to-fang with the legendary wolf-creature who seduced women. A wolf who transformed into a dark, virile man . . .

Dayn cursed the Sorcerer that damned him to a lonely fate. As a beast, he mated with women to gain the strength he needed to rescue his royal palace. But as a man, he craved Reda’s touch. With little time left, Dayn had to either embrace his wolf to safe his kingdom…or fight to save his woman. (source)

Where To Find Jessica: Author Site | Facebook | Goodreads
Where To Buy: Amazon | Kindle | B&N/Nook | Book Depository | Harlequin
Book Extras: Read an Excerpt

I loved it!

Other Books in Series (click on covers to learn more/read an excerpt):

available now

available now

coming 11/22/11

REVIEW:

Well, what a ride. A magical realm with a prince that looks like the woodsman from Red Riding Hood, shapeshifting wolfyn who enthrall and use women for their own pleasure, some sort of magical roofie, a cop who froze when her partner needed her the most and another realm that must be saved from an evil sorcerer before it's too late. Four days to get back to Castle Island, which sounds like it either belongs in a Super Mario game or a horror flick, once a guide is provided. Some vortex hopping, a little bow chicka wow wow along the trail. Hey! I don't remember that part in Red Riding Hood. Okay, so it's not the Disneyfied version you remember as a child. 

Once upon a time... in a realm far, far away lived three brothers and a sister with their King father and Queen mother. They were a happy little group. One day, an evil sorcerer decides that it was time to take over the kingdom at the cost of death and destruction. The King and the Queen scatter their children off to different worlds to one day finally get the call to take back the kingdom from the evil sorcerer. Legend has it, once a guide is provided for them, the siblings only have four days to get back to their kingdom. 

Prince Dayn has spend twenty years in the realm of the wolfyn, spending once a year with a lady wolfyn to satiate his needs as well as hers. It's a mutual arrangement and she is one of two of his only allies in that world. He is a blood drinker a.k.a. vampire but he keeps it hidden from the wolfyn by using Jedi-like mind tricks.

Reda Weston is a former cop, freezing when her partner needed her the most. She is in search of a book that her mother gave her as a child. When she finally finds it in a little shop, she realizes it's not another copy of the book her mother gave her but the book, complete with her name inscripted. Opening it up, she flashes back to her childhood and as she stares at the picture of the woodsman, something shifts and she wakes up in a field.

Dayn is at first wondering what this human is doing not only to his self control but what in the world she's doing appearing in the realm through a vortex. She couldn't possibly be his guide! Reda recognizes Dayn as the exact replica of the woodsman in her book and thinks she's having a dream. Sorry Reda, no dream, all man. A very hot man.

She is immediately attracted to him and he to her, at least physically. It could be the magical roofies. When the wolfyn find out that Dayn isn't one of them but a vampire, they start to close in. With the help of the woman he's been spending once a year with satiating his needs and hers, Reda and Dayn get away. As the path gets more dangerous, the touches get sexier and hotter, and their time together gets shorter as they near the vortex portal, Reda and Dayn must figure out how they really feel about each other and if they are willing to sacrifice anything to remain together.

FAVORITE QUOTE: "She traced the raised lettering. Rutakoppchen. A version of Red Riding Hood with the wolf as both sinner and seducer, the woodsman as the hero who saves the girl and takes her away from her old life to a new, better one." (***quote subject to change in finished copy***)

OVERALL: This story surprised me, in a very good way. From the first page until the last, it enthralled me like the wolfyn found within the pages of this story. The world that Jessica Andersen has created with three of her fellow authors is amazing! Dayn and Reda's journey towards the arch that will take them back to their respective worlds is cinematic worthy: the scary woods, the open fields, wide angle shots of the lake and castle as Dayn approaches it, the shifting of the wolfyn into human form and back and the fighting that breaks out. A note for readers: I suggest you read the books in order. I tore into this book like a pack of rabid wolves but was left wanting in the end. I felt like I might have missed something from the previous books but don't know what. I've got Lord of the Abyss from Netgalley loaded on the Kindle and am ready to make that final journey towards an EPIC conclusion.

***requested off Netgalley***