This Week's New Releases

End of June and the summer is already flying by. This week there are a some familiar authors as well as a couple of new-to-me authors.

If you have any you'd like to add to the list, please leave the info in the comments. :)

Two girls, one who is blind, on a road trip. I'm liking the premise a lot! There will most likely be a boy or two somewhere in the mix. I'm kind of hoping not. I'd like to see the focus on the girls and their bond of best friends.

Run
Kody Keplinger
Young Adult/Contemporary

Bo Dickinson is a girl with a wild reputation, a deadbeat dad, and a mama who's not exactly sober most of the time. Everyone in town knows the Dickinsons are a bad lot, but Bo doesn't care what anyone thinks.

Agnes Atwood has never gone on a date, never even stayed out past ten, and never broken any of her parents' overbearing rules. Rules that are meant to protect their legally blind daughter -- protect her from what, Agnes isn't quite sure.

Despite everything, Bo and Agnes become best friends. And it's the sort of friendship that runs truer and deeper than anything else.

So when Bo shows up in the middle of the night, with police sirens wailing in the distance, desperate to get out of town, Agnes doesn't hesitate to take off with her. But running away and not getting caught will require stealing a car, tracking down Bo's dad, staying ahead of the authorities, and -- worst of all -- confronting some ugly secrets.

A new series from Jill Shalvis! She's been a favorite author of mine for years so it's a happy day whenever she has a book coming out. And this new series has a heroine who is a boat captain and hero who is a hottie. Can't ask for more!



Sweet Little Lies
Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance
Heartbreaker Bay/Book 1

Choose the one guy you can’t have...

As captain of a San Francisco Bay tour boat, Pru can handle rough seas—the hard part is life on dry land. Pru loves her new apartment and her neighbors; problem is, she’s in danger of stumbling into love with Mr. Right for Anybody But Her.

Fall For Him - Hard...

Pub owner Finn O’Riley is six-foot-plus of hard-working hottie who always makes time for his friends. When Pru becomes one of them, she discovers how amazing it feels to be on the receiving end of that deep green gaze. But when a freak accident involving darts (don’t ask) leads to shirtless first aid, things rush way past the friend zone. Fast. 

And then tell him the truth. 

Pru only wants Finn to be happy; it’s what she wishes for at the historic fountain that’s supposed to grant her heart’s desire. But wanting him for herself is a different story—because Pru’s been keeping a secret that could change everything...

It's been a while since I read anything from Christine Feehan. I've read many of her Dark series novels and Ghost Walker series. I enjoyed both series but haven't kept up. This is a new series with elements of magic.

Shadow Rider
Christine Feehan
Paranormal Romance
Shadow/Book 1

Whether it’s fast cars or fast women, Stefano Ferraro gets what he wants. When he’s not fodder for the paparazzi, he commands Ferraro family businesses—both legitimate and illegitimate.

While their criminal activity is simply a rumor yet to be proven, no one knows the real truth. The Ferraros are a family of shadow riders capable of manipulating light and dark, an ability Stefano thought ran in his family alone—until now…

With little left to her name, Francesca Cappello has come to Chicago in hopes of a new life. She wasn’t expecting to attract the attention of a man with primal hunger in his eyes, driven to claim her as his to protect and to please. And if he discovers her secret, it could ruin her...

I like the not-so-sweet princess. I wonder how brutal she will be? And who she will be more loyal to - her brother or her love interest? The author has said the trilogy is loosely based on the story of Vlad the Impaler aka Dracula. The big difference is that Vlad is a girl in this story.

And I Darken
Kiersten White
Young Adult/Paranormal/Historical
The Conquerors Saga/Book 1

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL. 

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

TBR Challenge Review: Winter Kiss

Winter Kiss
Deborah Cooke
Paranormal Romance
Dragonfire/Book 4
Signet/November 3, 2009

*Possible Spoilers for Previous Books*


For millennia, the shape-shifting dragon warriors known as the Pyr have commanded the four elements and guarded the earth’s treasures. But now the final reckoning between the Pyr and the dreaded slayers is about to begin…

The mysterious Dragon’s Blood Elixir gives immortality to Magnus, the Pyr’s greatest enemy, and his minions—so it must be destroyed. Outcast from the Pyr because of his own dangerous impulses, Delaney will do anything to vanquish Magnus—and vows to complete a mission which will either redeem him or end his suffering.

But his plans don’t take into account his sudden firestorm—or the hot-tempered Ginger Sinclair. The firestorm reforms Delaney closer to his old self. And when Ginger learns about Delaney’s scheme, she cannot resist a strong man with a noble agenda.

This month's possible theme was Paranormal Romance or Romantic Suspense.  I decided to attempt to catch up on one of the PNR series I've let fall by the wayside.  The Dragonfire series, as you can guess, is about shapeshifting dragons.  One of the things that I enjoyed about this series is the beautiful descriptions of the men in their dragon forms. 

Delaney has distanced himself from the Pyr because of what he believes is his darkness and his need to destroy the Dragon's Blood Elixir, the cause of his darkness.  So he's gone rogue, set himself apart and decided on a suicide mission against the Pyr's worst enemy.  Then, fate steps in and Delaney's firestorm occurs.  The firestorm is the instinct in the male telling him this is his mate and he needs to get her pregnant - pronto!  Delaney, bless his heart, is more than willing to fulfill his destiny.  

Ginger Sinclair is a chef who is determined to make a go of the family dairy farm.  When she meet Delaney she's attracted to the tall, good looking guy who just happens to be a great dancer.  When the sparks literally fly between these two, Ginger gives in to the attraction, taking Delaney home with her.  Yep, the firestorm is a powerful thing!

If you're not a big fan of the "destined mate" trope, then you're probably going to have a hard time with this romance.   I'm fine with the "one and only mate" romance but I have to believe the hero and heroine belong together with or without the cosmic pull of whatever deity is in control, in this case the Great Wyvern.  With Delaney and Ginger I found it difficult to believe in their deep feelings for each other happening overnight.  Sure, there was plenty of lust but nothing to base a relationship on let alone start a family.  

So while the romance didn't work very well for me, I do like how the dragon mythology is handled along with that male camaraderie that we see so often in these type of books. Get a group of single guys who, one by one, find their true loves while they fight a common enemy.  I also like how the heroes have different viewpoints on being a Pyr.  Some are old school and believe strongly in everything the Great Wyvern tells them.  Others, respect the old ways but feel it's time for a change, moving into the future while respecting the past.  These are not cookie-cutter heroes but instead have their own lives and their own interests apart from being dragons.

The Dragonfire series continues to move along with the Pyr's goal of fighting off the Slayers (evil dragons) while building lives with their found mates.  For the single guys, you know their time will come along with their firestorms.  I'm glad I choose to get back into this series, I'd forgotten what fun it is!

Rating: C

Dragonfire Series ~

Kiss of Fire
Kiss of Fury
Kiss of Fate
Winter Kiss
Harmonia's Kiss (e-novella)
Whisper Kiss
Darkfire Kiss
Flashfire
Ember's Kiss
 

ARC Review: Enslaved

Enslaved
Elisabeth Naughton
Paranormal Romance
Eternal Guardians/Book 5
Sourcebooks/November 6, 2012

*Possible Spoilers for Previous Books*

GRYPHON—Honorable, loyal, dependable…tainted. He was the ultimate warrior before imprisonment in the Underworld changed him in ways he can’t ignore.

She calls to him. Come to me. You can’t resist. But Gryphon will not allow himself to be ruled by the insidious whispers in his head. And there’s only one way to stop them: kill Atalanta, the goddess who enslaved him. But with so much darkness inside, he can’t be sure what’s real anymore. Even the Eternal Guardians, those who protect the human realm from threats of the Underworld, want to exile him. They’re not sure he can be trusted.

Finding Malea is like a miracle. Somehow he doesn’t feel the pull of the dark when she’s near. And he’s determined to keep her as near as possible, whether she wants him close or not. But proximity spurs temptation. A temptation that will test every last bit of control he has left. One that may ultimately have the power to send him back to the Underworld or free him from his chains for good.

If you like tortured heroes, Gryphon is the hero for you!  In Elisabeth Naughton's fifth book in her highly addictive Eternal Guardians series readers find out what has happened to Gryphon, the guardian who became a slave to Atalanta.  Gryphon was rescued but he's still suffering the effects of his enslavement and no one, least of all Gryphon, is sure if he will ever recover.

He escaped the hell he was living in but the torture continues, if only in his head.  It's the voice of Atalanta Gryphon can't get away from that may just drive him insane.  Gryphon is determined to kill Atalanta without putting the other Guardians at risk.  So he's going it alone or so he thought until Malea tags along.  I liked how dark Gryphon was.  He didn't just miraculously turn away from the darkside but kept some of that with him.  Malea brings light into Gryphon's life but he still must fight his way back from the hell that was Atalanta.

Malea is use to being alone and with Hades hunting her down, it's better for everyone if she doesn't get close to anyone.  Malea strikes out on her own but runs into Gryphon and they reluctantly team up together.  There is a definitely pull between them but Malea is afraid of what might happen if Hades' Hellhounds catch up to them.  Malea isn't a kickass heroine but she does try and I have to give her credit for effort.  I also respected her for trying to protect others while so desperately wanting to be part of the group instead of always alone.  She was a good match for Gryphon because she could understand his need to protect those he cared about by trying to keep his distance from them. 

The romance begins on the run with little in the way of actual romance.  Gryphon and Malea are not exactly enemies but they are far from friends.  That develops over their mad dash to freedom.  Even with the attraction they have for each other, it didn't always feel genuine but having more to do with Malea's affect on Gryphon's darkness.  Which made me wonder if their wasn't that connection of light/dark, would anything developed between them?  The romance does take off but from the physical attraction with the respect and friendship coming later.  I much prefer it the other way but this worked out okay in the end.  

The Guardians and their mates are involved in trying to help Gryphon but they also have their concerns as to his ties with Atalanta and how much control she may still have over him.  I really enjoy seeing this group of males and watching them interact.  They're not all close, best friends but they do respect each other and will fight for each other.  The women are not wallflowers who fade off into nothing but continue to make contributions to the fight against Atalanta and her evil horde of daemons.

This is a strong series that continues to deliver action, adventure, romance with kickass heroes and smart heroines. Definitely worth the read!

Rating: A-

Eternal Guardians Series ~

Marked
Entwined
Tempted
Enraptured
Enslaved

Review: Angel of Darkness

Angel of Darkness
Cynthia Eden
Paranormal Romance
The Fallen/Book 1
Brava/November 29, 2011

As an angel of death, Keenan’s job is to collect the souls on his list. He’s carried out his duty for two thousand years and never faltered once. Until he meets Nicole St. James. When the moment of death comes, Keenan hesitates, and instead of taking Nicole, Keenan touches the vampire who’s attacking her.

Cast out of heaven for disobedience, Keenan plummets to earth. Six months later, he finally manages to track Nicole to a bar in Mexico. He’s stunned to discover that the woman he remembers has undergone a dramatic change—she’s become a vampire. And when he realizes that she’s the target of all manner of enemies—other vampires, demons, even shifters—he’ll do whatever it takes to protect her, even if all hell breaks loose…

Fallen Angels - sometimes they work for me, sometimes they don't.  To believe that a being moves from angelic good to total badass overnight is quite a leap of faith.   In the case of Keenan, I got the feeling this was a long time coming.  He's been suppressing his needs by focusing on his duty until one night it all comes to a head.  

Nicole St. James is a devoted teacher, good friend and an upstanding citizen.  Then one night she's attacked and turned into a vampire.  Everything she has worked for is gone and she must go into the darkness to survive.  It turns out our angel Keenan isn't the only one who undergoes a radical transformation.  Nicole learns how to fight and how to take a life.  I liked how we see Nicole come to grips with who and what she's lost to what she must become if she's to live the new world of monsters.  

Keenan has been a death angel for thousands of years.  Work that long at the same job and something has to give.  Keenan really struggled with his decision to save Nicole's life or take it as he was ordered to.  It took him so long I thought she might just die while he continued to ponder what to do!  But once Keenan decides there's no turning back.  He's not a great hero, the secondary male character left a greater impression on me than Keenan did.  But Keenan does have his good points, even if they were few.  

The romance is one of those on-the-run types which only works sometimes.  This time Nicole and Keenan let there libidos take charge a few too many times.  Keenan was more fixated on Nicole because she was the reason, the catalyst, for his downfall.  She thankfully, doesn't trust him right off the bat and really makes him earn that trust.  Still, I wasn't feeling the romance.  

The secondary characters really helped move the story along.  I'm looking forward to the next book about Sammael, "call me Sam".  He has badass down to an art form.  Even with the issues I had with not being all that thrilled with the romance I do like what I'm seeing of the world and the fallen angels.
 
Rating: B-

The Fallen Series ~

Angel of Darkness
Angel Betrayed
Angel in Chains (November 27, 2012)

Review: Deeper than Midnight

Deeper than Midnight
Lara Adrian
Paranormal Romance
Midnight Breeds/Book 9
Dell/June 28, 2011

*Spoilers for Previous Books

From Goodreads ~

At eighteen, Corinne Bishop was a beautiful, spirited young woman living a life of privilege as the adopted daughter of a wealthy family. Her world changed in an instant when she was stolen away and held prisoner by the malevolent vampire Dragos. After many years of captivity and torment, Corinne is rescued by the Order, a cadre of vampire warriors embroiled in a war against Dragos and his followers. Her innocence taken, Corinne has lost a piece of her heart as well--the one thing that gave her hope during her imprisonment, and the only thing that matters to her now that she is free.

Assigned to safeguard Corinne on her trip home is a formidable golden-eyed Breed male called Hunter. Once Dragos's most deadly assassin, Hunter now works for the Order, and he's hell-bent on making Dragos pay for his manifold sins. Bonded to Corinne by their mutual desire, Hunter will have to decide how far he'll go to end Drago's reign of evil--even if carrying out his mission means shattering Corinne's tender heart.

I will say that this series continues to keep me entertained. It's not my favorite PNR series but it is very solid in that I can always find something I like about each book. One thing that Adrain continues to provide is that camaraderie of not only the males but the females as well. Once their story is told, the hero and more importantly the heroine don't exit stage left, never to be heard from again. They become an active part in the fight against the enemy Rogues and Dragos. The males are still very protective but they are smart enough to listen to their intelligent mates.

The romance between Hunter and Corinne starts out awkward. Hunter was raised in Dragos' lab as an assassin. He knows nothing of love, physical or emotional. He is learning to care about others since becoming one of the Order's warriors. He's still unsure of his growing feelings for Corinne but trusts his instincts when it comes to her safety which puts them on the run. I liked how Hunter is portrayed as a protective male who is simply carrying out his orders. Then we see how he starts thinking beyond his orders to what he feels for Corinne. That felt real to me, the change that he goes through as he falls in love with Corinne.

Corinne Bishop has been through hell and survived. Kidnapped nearly 75 years ago and kept as a prisoner by Dragos' for experiments and breeding, she is slowly making her way back to some type of normal life. First, we know Corinne is a strong woman to have survived the horror she went through and not end up insane. But what I never felt I knew was why she fell for Hunter other than him saving her and continuing to keep her safe. If it had been one of the other warriors to take her home and keep her safe, would she have fallen for him? I'm not sure.

As mentioned the story also includes the other warriors and their mates which I really enjoyed. You see how their relationships continue to grow in relation to each other and how Hunter has fit into all of this. I would say the romance and the Order's fight against Dragos are the two main story lines with Sterling Chase and his fall from grace a powerful secondary sub-plot. His book is next, in hardcover no less, so it's not surprising that the setup for his story would have a strong presence.

Deeper than Midnight continues the ongoing series story arc, giving the reader more information about Dragos and a need to find out what will happen to Sterling Chase aka Harvard. I do wish I had felt more belief in how Hunter and Corinne's romance developed. Since I wasn't all that crazy about Corinne, the balance of the romance and the secondary characters worked well for me.

Rating: B+

Books in this series ~

Kiss of Midnight
Kiss of Crimson
Midnight Awakening
Midnight Rising
Veil of Midnight
Ashes of Midnight
Shades of Midnight
Taken by Midnight
Deeper than Midnight
Darker After Midnight (January 24, 2012)

Review: Entwined

Entwined
Elisabeth Naughton
Paranormal Romance
Eternal Guardians/Book 2
Love Spell/July 27, 2010

From the back cover ~

Zander - The most feared of all the Eternal Guardians. It's rumored he can't be killed, and he always fights like he has nothing to lose. But as a descendant of the famed hero Achilles, he's got to have a vulnerability...somewhere.

Forces of daemons are gathering and have broken through the barriers of the Underworld. Now more than ever the Eternal Guardians are needed to protect both their own realm and the human world. Zander can't afford to think about what might have been with the bewitching physician he once regarded as his soul mate. But with eternity stretching out before him, he also can't fathom spending his life without the one woman who makes him feel most alive. Perhaps he's found his weakness, after all...

After reading the first book in the series, Marked, I was curious about the world Naughton has created but I wasn't salivating to read the next book. I figured I'd get to it eventually. Well, almost a year after it's release and I finally did. And after reading Entwined, I can't wait for Tempted, book 3.

There's certainly a medieval feel to the world of the Guardians. The king rules the realm and has decided his daughter should wed one of the Argonauts. No one is happy with this news least of all the Argonauts. As the king's personal healer, Callia works in close proximity to the royal family, such as it is. She prefers to keep her distance from the Argonauts, specifically Zander, due to a painful past association. I liked Callia, she's an intelligent and independent woman in a very male dominant world. She suffered a terrible loss and has submersed herself in her work at the clinic, trying to forget everything she has lost. She had a very 21st century feel to her.

Zander thinks he is immortal and apparently being an ass comes with immortality. He's very alpha, of course, but he's got this attitude of how he was so wronged in the past by Callia that he doesn't even try to see her side. But... he's still got the hots for her. LOL And being a man, doesn't always think with his brain. His stubbornness in doing what he thinks is the right thing went too far. There were moments when I liked him, then he'd go back to being a stubborn asshat and I'd roll my eyes and think Callia could do better.

The secondary character of Isadora, the king's daughter, is turning into a favorite of mine. Her book is next so thankfully I won't have to wait long for it. She's a chameleon, playing at being the meek, shy princess while having a backbone of steel. She's already been through a horrible ordeal and will probably get into even more trouble in her book. Let's hope her hero has enough patience for her.

The plot is thick with tension, drama and action with Zander and Callia in the middle of it. The big bad is really bad and powerful. She's a sick bitch who enjoys torturing and killing and hates the Argonauts. Nothing like a power crazed whackjob and her daemon horde to spoil the mood. While I liked Callia far more than Zander, and the romance was interesting, I found myself wishing for more page time with Isadora rather than the hero and heroine.

Between the angst filled romance, the sub-plot with Isadora, courtly intrigue and the fight against evil, Entwined proved to be a solid addition to the series. And most importantly, it left me wanting more of the world of the Argonauts.

Rating: B

Books in this series ~

Marked
Entwined
Tempted (September 1, 2011)

ARC Review: Dragon Bound

Dragon Bound
Thea Harrison
Paranormal Romance
Elder Races/Book 1
Berkley/May 3, 2011

From Goodreads ~

Half-human and half-wyr, Pia Giovanni spent her life keeping a low profile among the wyrkind and avoiding the continuing conflict between them and their dark Fae enemies. But after being blackmailed into stealing a coin from the hoard of a dragon, Pia finds herself targeted by one of the most powerful - and passionate - of the Elder races.

As the most feared and respected of the Wyrkind, Dragos Cuelebre cannot believe someone had the audacity to steal from him, much less succeed. And when he catches the thief, Dragos spares her life, claiming her as his own to further explore the desire they've ignited in each other.

Pia knows she must repay Dragos for her trespass, but refuses to become his slave - although she cannot deny wanting him, body and soul.

Well, this one has gotten a lot of buzz. It seemed like, for a while at least, everywhere I turned I was hearing about this book. I was lucky enough to win an ARC on Goodreads. I enjoyed getting to know Pia, Dragos and let's not forget the Wyr sentinels who make up Dragos' inner court.

Pia Giovanni is caught between a rock and a very pissed off dragon. She's on the run after stealing one measly little coin. It's not the value of the coin that's got her running but the being she stole it from. She's now being hunted by one of the oldest and most powerful of the Wyr. Pia is smart but she also knows she's in a lot of trouble. She doesn't just run blindly but tries to work out a plan to evade Dragos. Even with her strategy, you just know he's going to get her. Pia can be a smart ass and her sense of humor comes out when she's nervous. It's clear Dragos makes her nervous and they had some of the funniest conversation. Those were some of my favorite parts.

Dragos is certainly a throwback to the days of cavemen, or cave dragons in his case. I didn't care for his over-the-top caveman attitude. It got old, along with him telling Pia to shut up one too many times. Not cool. He does have his moments of showing tenderness towards Pia without being such an ass. I did like his relationships with his sentinels. You see not only Dragos' power but his intelligence and leadership qualities.

Pia and Dragos end up together despite their tumulus beginning. He's intrigued by her and alters his plan of killing her when he decides he's attracted to the unusual thief. I got the instant attraction but going from the physical to the emotional connection was a little harder to get.

The world building is complex with the Elder Races and the Fae dominant in power and the humans sometimes caught in the middle. Harrison does well explaining the various factions and the politics of the Elders and the Fae. It's an interesting world with some noteworthy secondary characters.

So, not so crazy about Dragos but I did like Pia, the world building and am interested to read about some of the secondary characters. I think as far as first books in a series, Dragon Bound set the stage and left me wanting more of this world.

Rating: B/B+

Books in this series ~

Dragon Bound
Storm's Heart (August 2, 2011)
Serpent's Kiss (October 4, 2011)

ARC Review: The Vampire Voss

The Vampire Voss
Colleen Gleason
Paranormal Romance/Historical
London/1808
Harlequin/March 29, 2011

From the author's website ~

Regency London – a dizzying whirl of balls and young ladies pursued by charming men.

But the Woodmore sisters are hunted by a more sinister breed: Lucifer's own.

Voss, also known as Viscount Dewhurst, relishes the sensual pleasures immortality affords. A member the Dracule – a cabal of powerful, secretive noblemen marked with a talisman that reveals their bartered souls – the mercenary Voss has remained carefully neutral ... until Angelica.

Angelica Woodmore possess the Sight, an ability invaluable to both sides of a looming war among the Dracule. Her very scent envelops Voss in a scarlet fog of hunger – for her body and her blood. But he is utterly unprepared for the new desire that overcomes him – to protect her.

Now Voss must battle his very nature to be with Angelica ... but this vampire never backs down from a fight.

When I heard Colleen Gleason had a new series featuring vampires in regency London I was intrigued. These vampires are gentlemen of the ton. Lords living in mansions, attending balls and soirees. Then feeding off the ladies they danced with a few hours ago. Right off, Gleason pulls the reader into the world of the ton as of the vampires are relaxing in their private rooms at White's. They are like any other gentlemen of the ton, gambling and drinking, except their drinks don't always come from a bottle.

Voss, Viscount Dewhurst, seems to relish his vampiric abilities. He enjoys the power he commands but holds himself separate from the other members of the Dracule. I didn't like him at first but I don't think we're necessarily meant to like him. He's very self centered, only wanting to offer assistance when there is a benefit to himself. And yet he fascinated me. I wondered how Gleason would make him into someone worthy of the title of hero. Does he really need to change to be a hero or can he continue to be self-centered but include his heroine in that circle? I was hoping he wouldn't change too much but instead stay true to his nature.

At times Voss came across as an immature frat boy out for a good time and damn the consequences. He enjoys playing games, manipulating people to do as he chooses. You don't get the feeling that he looks too far ahead. Meeting and falling for Angelica doesn't suddenly change him so much as make him more aware of what he has been doing and how he has been living.

Angelica Woodmore isn't a vampire but a lady with the special talent of seeing a person's death. She touches an object belonging to that person and can see their death. Which is pretty creepy since people will approach her at balls and ask her to use her Sight for them. She may be more inclined to believe in the supernatural but the only thing she knows of vampires are the stories her grandmother told her. Angelica, despite her young age of 19, is a fairly responsible woman. She's very aware of her place in society, with her older sister Maia there to remind her. I liked the dynamics of the two sisters. They are less than a year apart with Maia taking charge and acting in place of the parent.

The sisters find themselves under the guardianship of Dimitri, the Earl of Corvindale who is also a vampire. He has an odd working friendship with the Woodmore sisters' brother Chas, who just happens to be a vampire hunter. Dimitri agreed to watch over the sisters if Chas ever needed him to. Of course he didn't expect that to happen. The one thing they all have in common is an enemy. It's that enemy that brings Angelica and Voss together.

Voss and Angelica come from two very different worlds with Voss indulging in the pleasures of the world around him and Angelica trying not to give in to her secret desires. I would have liked more time spent with them. There are a number of secondary characters who get page time, most notably Dimitri, Maia, Chas and Narcise, a female vampire. I liked these characters but they took too much time away from the romance.

The world building is enthralling with the beauty of the London high society mixed with the darkness of the Dracule. Gleason shows the Dracule living with valets, butlers and house servants just like any other member of the ton. They slept a great part of the day and stayed up late into the night but so did their human counterparts. There is a more sinister aspect to the Dracule, they did make a bargain with the devil after all. Some try not to kill their food source while others care little for the welfare of humans, reveling in their superior power.

The Vampire Voss proved to be a satisfying read with secondary characters ready and waiting for their stories to be told. Good thing they don't have long to wait. The second and third books in the series will be released in April and May. I liked Angelica and Voss and I can't wait for Dimitri's book.

Rating: B+

Books in this series ~

The Vampire Voss
The Vampire Dimitri (April 19, 2011)
The Vampire Narcise (May 24, 2011)

Review: Dreamveil

Dreamveil
Lynn Viehl
Paranormal Romance
Kyndred/Book 2
Onyx/June 1, 2010

From the back cover ~

Rowan Dietrich knows how hard lie can be. After running away from her abusive home life, she struggled to survive on the streets. The brutal lessons she learned while there still resonate in her mind and heart. Now she wants to start anew, find a job, and keep her identity as a Kyndred - as well as her ability to "dreamveil" herself into the object of others' desires - secret.

She isn't using her gift when world-class chef Jean-Marc Dansant helps her after a motorcycle spill. He's genuinely attracted to Rowan's own beauty and strength. But just as Rowan begins to find a life for herself, the GenHance corporation pursues her, eager to take her back to where sh ewas created. And a bounty hunter hired by a ruthless millionaire wants Rowan for his own sinister reasons...

In Viehl's second book of her Darkyn spin-off series we are reunited with Rowan Dietrich, who was a secondary character from the first book, Shadowlight. Rowan was a strong character in the first book and she continues with that in Dreamveil. Rowan is making her way to Boston and decides to make a quick stop in New York City but things don't go as planned and Rowan finds herself accepting a job offer from the alluring Jean-Marc Dansant.

The story starts out with Rowan crashing her bike and deciding to stay a while in New York and work for the handsome and mysterious chef Dansant. Rowan knows her way around the kitchen and finds herself in awe of Dansant's mastery of cooking. A man who cooks, and cooks well is a sexy thing indeed. Rowan is attracted to her new boss but she's also curious about the mysterious air that surrounds him. Add to that her grumpy but very fine looking neighbor and she's in for some serious sexual frustration. I liked the love triangle. I don't want to give away any spoilers but it was certainly different!

There is a lot going on in Dreamveil and Viehl does an admiral job working in the background of the Kyndred and GenHance's involvement. I did find myself doing a little back-tracking and slowing my reading down in order to absorb all the details. It's a complex world of genetics and supernatural abilities that Viehl has created. Rowan's ability is particularly intriguing and sad at times.

Rowan and choosing between the two men in her life is not the only drama in the story. There is a mystery girl that hangs around the alley behind the restaurant. Rowan tries to make friends with the girl. She's skittish and doesn't run as long as Rowan keeps her distance. It all comes together in a twist of fate that I thought Viehl choreographed well.

The more I read of this series the more I'm pulled into this world. Granted I'm only two books in so far but I'm liking it. Not as much as Viehl's Darkyn series with the vamps but still, I like the twists of fate and the characters are certainly unique.

Rating: B+

Books in this series ~

Shadowlight
Dreamveil
Frostfire

ARC Review: Night Betrayed

Night Betrayed
Joss Ware
Paranormal Romance/Futuristic/2060
Envy Chronicles/Book 4
Avon/January 25, 2011

From the author's website ~

The Change that devastated the earth didn't destroy Theo Waxnicki. It made him something more than human eternally young, eternally beautiful ... but not immortal.

When he dies on a mission against the Strangers, he is lost to the darkness...until a miracle lady brings him back.

Born during the apocalyptic storms and earthquakes that left the world in ruins, Selena has dedicated her life to easing the pain of others. But Theo is the first in her care to actually survive. Responding to Selena's tender touch, Theo starts to live again, to feel and desire again.

But joined in a world of terrors, the secrets they can never share make them targets. And love could be the ultimate betrayal.

I've said it in previous reviews, I love the world Joss Ware has created in her post-apocalyptic series. The romance on the other hand, generally came in second to the world. I was pleasantly surprised this time with both Theo and Selena. Theirs is a romance begun with chance and continued with mutual attraction and respect.

Theo is a wonderful hero who proves computer geeks can be sexy! The fact that he's also buff and has a wicked sense of humor doesn't hurt either. Theo was born before the Change and is nearly eighty years old but looks closer to thirty. You would think this would be an asset but Selena, who is fifty, gets hung up on the fact that she thinks Theo is much younger than her, and he doesn't come right out and correct her. Selena's harping on Theo's age got old after a while. In this dark world, consenting adults should take their pleasure where they can. Theo and Selena's relationship begins with Selena prepared to help Theo pass on to the next life. But he surprises her and survives. While Theo is recovering at Selena's settlement, he finds his curiosity aroused, among other things, as he gets to know Selena. He also finds more information on the Elite and the Cult of Atlantis.

Selena isn't sure why she is able to help the dying cross over to the next life but it's something that she feels compelled to do. But it's not only the humans she needs to help. Helping the creatures that come out at night puts Selena in danger but she takes the risk. She took this risk, knowing that other people counted on her and I have to question why she put it above her family and friends. Selena has a calm about her that I think draws Theo to her. She offers him compassion, warmth and companionship. I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other in this less than romantic setting. Selena spending many of her days with the dying and Theo is busy helping around the settlement and getting some computers working. Even with Theo and Selena being older, they still showed the wonder and awe of falling in love. Of realizing how important this person has become. They had some very hot, very romantic scenes. Which just proves there can be love and romance in a post-apocalyptic world.

The story may be centered around Theo and Selena but we do catch up with characters from previous books. Theo's brother Lou is very much involved in helping set up the computer network. He's brilliant when it comes to computers and being Theo's twin, they share a special bond. Lou is different from Theo in that Lou didn't stop aging the way Theo did. So they may be twins but Lou looks like a grandfather while Theo looks like a man in his prime. That doesn't stop them from acting like brothers.

Ian Marck is also around, stirring up trouble. He is a bounty hunter who had run ins with the Theo and his friends from Envy. I'm still not sure what side Marck is on. His side, I think. He's an intriguing characters and I hope we've not seen the last of him.

In addition to the character growth, the overall series arc continues to progress with some shocking revelations that change perceptions and give the remaining human population something else to fear. The more I read this series, the more I'm in awe of Ware's ability to not only create a fascinating world, but to be true to that worlds' canon. No one is safe. There isn't a magical wand to wave and make everything better.

Night Betrayed left me wanting more. More of the world of Envy. More of the people who are trying to make a life in a hostile world full of danger and the unknown.

Rating: A-

Links to my reviews of 1st three books in the series ~

Beyond the Night
Embrace the Night Eternal
Abandon the Night

Review: Assassin's Honor

Assassin's Honor
Monica Burns
Paranormal Romance
Order of the Sicari/Book 1
Berkley/June 2010

From the back cover ~

A woman with visions of the past. . .

Archeologist Emma Zale sees the past when she touches ancient relics. It’s how she uncovered evidence of an ancient order of assassins—the Sicari. When a sinfully dark stranger shows up on her Chicago doorstep demanding an ancient artifact she doesn’t have, he drags her into a world here telekinesis and empaths are the norm. Now someone wants her dead, and her only hope of survival is an assassin who’s every bit as dangerous to her body as he is to her heart.

Bonded to an honorable assassin. . .

Ares DeLuca comes from an ancient Roman bloodline of telekinetic assassins. A Sicari, he’s honor bound to kill only in the name of justice. But when the woman he loved was murdered, Ares broke the Sicari code and used his sword for revenge. Love cost him dearly once before, and he’s not willing to pay the price again. At least not until hot, sweet, delectable Emma walked into his life. Not only does she hold the key to a valuable Sicari relic, she might just hold the key to his heart.

Their dangerous passion will redeem an assassin's honor. . .

A heroine archeologist - is it just me or does there seem to be a lot of hero and heroine archeologist lately? I guess Indiana Jones never goes out of style. I personally like the Indi style of heroes and heroines. Smart is sexy whether it be the hero or heroine. And when they're smart and out of their element - that can make for some fun reading.

Emma Zale is a brilliant archeologist who finds herself caught in the middle of a murder investigation and then her life is threatened. She doesn't know who she can trust, not even the annoyingly handsome stranger who shows up in her home. Emma is happiest on dig sites, not fighting assassins in her Chicago home. She may be smart but man can she cry! She's being chased by a man with a sword whom she believes is trying to kill her. Ya think? She trips and falls to the ground, in terrible pain. She gets up and continues moving down the street, trying to get away. She looks back and sees him right behind her, she falls to ground and starts crying. What?! Woman, drag your ass into the bushes if you have to. Don't just give up and sit there crying! I liked her but there were times when she really just needed to suck it up.

Ares DeLuca has some wicked powers. He's not only an expert with a sword, he also has telekinetic powers which he likes to show off. Ares comes from a long line of Sicari warriors, part of an intricate secret society who protect the innocent. I liked how detailed Burns wrote the Sicari world. There is a hierarchy, laws and a code of honor they are expected to follow. The laws and punishments seemed barbaric at times. At one point, in front of the council members and warriors, Emma unknowingly interferes, thinking she's helping Ares. She is put on trial and her ignorance of their laws is not considered an acceptable defense. Ares takes her punishment. He must run a gauntlet, made up of warriors, which he might not survive. It was very dramatic but I couldn't help thinking that they are putting one of their best warriors at risk because of a misunderstanding. There are plenty of people trying to kill Ares without adding his own people to the mix.

The other members of Ares team or guild as they are called, are a close family unit. Fighting and sometimes dying alongside each other they have formed that bond of brotherhood. They have that strong connection of growing up in the Order. Even Ares sister Phaedra is a member of the Sicari and of Ares guild. I liked the tight-knit, family feel of the guild. I also liked that it wasn't solely men but had female warriors fighting against the Praetorians, the Sicaris long time enemies. Both groups are after an artifact, the Tyet of Isis, and Emma might just know how to find it.

The romance is definitely there. From the moment Ares is in the same room with Emma, she's aware of his presence. As they are fighting for their lives and searching for the Tyet of Isis they make time to do a full exploration of their more baser needs. Emma drives Ares nuts in bed and it's actually kind of funny. He's Mr. Warrior, always in control then Emma makes him lose it in bed and after, he gets mad at himself for getting involved with her! I love it when the heroine drives the hero bonkers, just wish she hadn't drove me nuts too. Stop crying already!

The mystery surrounding the search for the artifact leads Emma to begin to question the motives of people she trusted. She gets to the point were the only one she can trust is Ares. I did like how the archeological aspects were incorporated into the story. The way Emma is able to "read" artifacts was useful not only in the search but also getting to know Ares. The ending left plenty of room to continue the series with secondary characters.

Despite the fact that the heroine drove me crazy at times, the use of swords over guns had me puzzled, (yes, it does take place in present day) the story did leave me wanting to know more about this world of the Sicari. This is one of those stories where I found the action scenes and secondary characters grabbing my attention more than the hero and heroine. I'm curious about the next book, Assassin's Heart and the hero and heroine, who we meet in Assassin's Honor. I'm hoping they will prove to be a more dynamic pair than I found Emma and Ares to be.

Rating: B-

Review: Dark Peril

Dark Peril
Christine Feehan
Paranormal Romance
Carpathians/Book 21
Berkley/September 2010

*Possible Spoilers for previous books*

From the inside cover ~

Dominic, of the Dragonseeker lineage—one of the most powerful of the Carpathian lines—is desperate to go to the very heart of the enemy camp and learn their plans. There’s only one way to do so: ingest the parasitic blood of a vampire. He knows that it is a mission from which there is no return. With little time before the blood takes effect, he’ll get the information he needs, relay it to the leader of the Carpathians, and go out fighting. There is no more honorable way to end his life.

Solange Sangria is one of the last of the jaguar people, a royal pureblood, a dying species that cannot recover from bad decisions made over hundreds of years. She has long been alone, fighting to save the remaining shapeshifters from the hands of Brodrick the Terrible: her own father, who slaughtered her family and everyone she loved. Wounded and weary, she plans one last battle, hoping to stop the man who has made an alliance with the vampires, accepting that she will not come out alive.

They are two warriors who have lived their lives alone. Now, at the end of their time, they find each other—an obstacle neither can hope to ignore.

Another entry into the Carpanthian saga. This time the pairing of Dominic and Solange may have come as a surprise to some since there had been speculation that Solange would be paired with Zacarias De La Cruz. It did make sense since they are both in South America and Solange has ties to the De La Cruz family through her cousins. But, Dominic is on a mission that brings him to Zacarias' territory and to Solange.

Solange Sagria has been a warrior for most of her life. She's a shapeshifter who is of the royal jaguar line, the last of the line. Her father is a crazy bastard who has joined with the humans and the vampires in attempts to keep the female jaguars from leave and mating with human men. They leave because they are horribly mistreated and viewed as nothing more than objects to reproduce the race. Solange fights to free the women who have been imprisoned by her father and his men. She is fearless, brave and smart. I liked her a lot, until she meets Dominic face-to-face, then she becomes this insecure, timid creature that I didn't recognize.

Dominic Dragonseeker is a very ancient Carpathian. He has given up finding his life mate and instead has undertaken a mission that he is certain will end in his death. And he's okay with that until he literally meets the woman of his dreams. He has been dreaming about Solange for some time now. When he finds out she's real he is in shock. She is his life mate but his life is about to be over. He's screwed. Dominic tries to make the best of a very bad situation and tells Solange about his mission and that it wouldn't be right to bond with her. Plus, no sex since he can't chance passing the parasites on to her. Damn - he really screwed up!

Solange and Dominic together are not my favorite couple of the series. They did way too much thinking of how wonderful, beautiful, honorable etc the other is. Lots of narration in this one. Maybe the series has always been like that and I've just forgotten. I was seriously getting tired of all the descriptions of the landscape, the animals, the people, the colors. . . it seems to go on forever. The chemistry between Solange and Dominic didn't do much for me either. Dominic is a typical Feehan hero with his attitude of "I know what's best for you". Then he would tell her how she was smart, brave etc and could make her own decisions, as long as they agree that he knows what's best for her. HA! And Solange with her warrior woman/mousy girl twist drove me nuts! I get that she's seriously uncomfortable around men because of her past but she knew Dominic wouldn't hurt her, she's familiar with Carpathian men because she's been around the De La Cruz brothers. Her change in attitude was hard to buy into. Thinking back to the heroines that I've liked in this series - they're the ones that stood up to their life mates. I can handle the extreme alphas as long as the female isn't a pushover.

The plot and overall story arc did move along at a decent pace when the h/h weren't thinking about how wonderful their life mate was. *rolls eyes* I did like the finding out more about the jaguar culture, the vampires that are working together to defeat the Carpathians and the fight scenes. There is an interesting twist at the end that I didn't see coming. That could make future stories very interesting, depending on the direction Feehan takes it. And Zacarias does get some page time - he's my favorite and the one I'm holding out for. The next book is called Dark Predator, set for release sometime next year. I hope it's Zacarias' book. If it is then I might be finished with this series after his book, maybe.

So the verdict - Dark Peril, not a favorite, could have been shorter with less narration and a heroine who stays true to her character.

Rating: C+

Review: Cold Sight

Cold Sight
Leslie Parrish
Paranormal Romance/Suspense
Signet Eclipse/July 2010
Extrasensory Agents/Book 1
Purchased

From the back cover ~

After being made a scapegoat in a botched investigation that led to a child's death, Aidan McConnell becomes a recluse. Still, as a favor to an old friend, Aidan will help on the occasional case. But under his handsome, rugged facade, he keeps his emotions in check for fear of being burned again.

Reporter Lexie Nolan has a nose for news - and she believes a serial killer has been targeting teen girls around Savannah, Georgia. But no one believes her. So she turns to the new paranormal detective agency and the sexy, mysterious Aidan for help. But just as the two begin forging a relationship, the case turns eerily personal for Lexie - and Aidan discovers that maybe he hasn't lost the ability to feel after all.

I've been getting more into Romantic Suspense and the addition of the paranormal element interested me. It's not vamps or weres but the psychic type of paranormal that is contained in Cold Sight. The idea of the reclusive hero appeals to me. It has a little of that Beauty and the Beast feel to it.

The story begins in a dark place with the killer and his latest victim. That's what wakes Aidan McConnell from his restless slumber. The smell of gingerbread, the sound of a woman's scream. Aidan connecting to the victim, a connections he doesn't want. Aidan has this ability to connect to the thought of people that he has come into contact with. This can be frustrating because he doesn't know who they are. Only that he's had some contact with them. Then there's the fact that Aidan doesn't want this responsibility anymore. He doesn't want to feel the fear of someone who's reaching out for help. He's become a recluse for a reason and has no desire to go back out in the world.

Ah, Lexie Nolan - the news report that doesn't take no for an answer. She is tenacious, courageous and funny at times. She has that self deprecating humor that lets you know she doesn't take herself too seriously, only her job. That she takes very seriously. After her recent humiliation, Lexie knows what it's like when people talk about you behind your back and treat you like an outcast. Aidan and Lexie have that in common. It's Lexie who, through shear stubbornness, gets Aidan to help her find out what's happened to the the missing girls.

Aidan and Lexie make a good team. They're both smart and determined to get to the bottom of the mystery of the missing teenagers. They continue to uncover secrets that finally lead them to the killer. I can't say I was completely surprised by the final reveal - all the clues were there. I did like how Parrish developed the relationship between Lexie and Aidan. It was based on mutual trust and genuine liking for each other, not just physical attraction. There is romance but there is also the teamwork, not only between Aidan and Lexie but also with the other members of the team of Extrasensory agents. Yes, there's some sequel bait, but it's wasn't annoying just the opposite. I found myself interested the the other agents and their abilities.

This first book in the Extrasensory Agents series proved to be a solid read. A little too predictable at times, I felt the mystery was the weakest point in the story. Too much of that feeling that I've read this before. But I liked the characters and the touch of paranormal elements so I'll be reading the next book, Cold Touch, due out April 2011.

Rating: B

Review: Abandon the Night

Abandon the Night
Joss Ware
Paranormal Romance
Envy Chronicles/Book 3
Avon Books/March 2010
Library Book

*Spoilers for Previous Books*

From the back cover ~

Quentin Fielding had everything. Money. Power. Women. But now that civilization is all but annihilated, Quent only wants one thing: revenge. Harnessing a strange new "gift," he embarks on a deadly mission to find the the man responsible for the chaos and destruction, the man he should have killed years ago: his father. Only one thing stands in his way – a mysterious, arrow-wielding beauty...

Zoe Kapoor is on her own quest for vengeance, searching for the monstrous fiends who murdered her family. Soon she and Quent join together, journeying through the ruins of the world they once knew as a desperate desire builds between them. Drawing closer to an enemy they never imagined, Zoe and Quent must abandon all fear, abandon all regret, abandon the night ...

I'm still reading this series. And once again, it's the world that I find fascinating with the romance coming in a distant second. Or maybe that's third? LOL I had high hopes for the hero and heroine of this one. I really liked what I had already read of the heroine, Zoe, and while I still liked her, the romance between her and Quinn didn't hold my attention the way I had hoped it would.

Abandon takes place a week or so after the end of Embrace the Night Eternal (book 2). This time it's Quinn who's in some serious trouble when he realizes his father is one of the leaders of the Cult of Atlantis and that they are the cause of the destruction and disasters that happened 50 years ago. He's determined to find his father and kill him. Okay, but Quinn not exactly Rambo or even MacGyver. Before the Change, aka destruction of the Earth as we know it, Quinn was a rich man who liked the finer things in life. He did do some volunteer work in third world countries but for the most part he's used to a life of privilege and luxury. He teams up with Zoe who is accustomed to living off the land and taking care of herself.

I liked Zoe when she first saved Quinn's neck in Beyond the Night (book 1). She was the mysterious archer who saved Quinn and then took off. She's an excellent shot with her bow & arrows and experienced in hunting gangas - the zombie like monsters that come out at night, tearing apart any humans they find. Zoe is a definitely loner, living alone with only her wolf for company. And while she may be a loner she isn't adverse to spending some time between the sheets with Quinn. Zoe tends to pull a fuck-and-run when it comes to her encounters with Quinn. This is something that Quinn isn't used to and doesn't like one damn bit. He's used to women falling all over him, not sneaking away after he's fallen asleep.

I liked some of the secondary characters and want to know more about them. Ian Marck for instance. He's a bounty hunter that works for the Strangers, and like his father no one likes or trusts him. But there's more to him that just a bounty hunter. I wouldn't be surprised if he got his own book and a heroine to go with it. And there are a couple of possible heroines for him.

The next book, Night Betrayed (January 2011) is Theo's book. Theo is one of the survivors of the Change. He's interesting and I'm curious to see who his heroine is. So, I'll probably read that one too. It's weird since I haven't really been wowed by the romances but I'm still interested in the world to even consider reading the next book. And I've still got some hope for a few of the secondary characters. Who knows, maybe Theo's romance will hold my interest more than the post-apocalyptic setting.

Rating: C+

TBR Challenge Review: Shadowlight

Shadowlight
Lynn Viehl
Paranormal Romance
Kyndred/Book 1
Onyx/October 2009
Purchased

From the back cover ~

With just one touch, Jessa Bellamy can see anyone's darkest secrets, thanks to whoever tampered with her genes. What she doesn't know is that a biotech company called GenHance has discovered her talent and intends to kill her and harvest her priceless DNA.Gaven Matthias is forced to abduct Jessa himself so he can protect her, but Jessa has a hard time believing the one man whose secrets she can-t read. As a monstrous assassin closes in and forces them to run, Jessa will have to find another way to discover if Matthias is her greatest ally-or her deadliest enemy.

This month I picked a book that I bought when it first came out last fall. It hasn't been on the pile for that long but it's one that I wanted to get to soon since the second book just came out. I enjoyed Viehl's Darkyn vampire series so I was intrigued by her spin-off series about human's with special powers. This month's suggested challenge theme was "unusual professions or not your usual setting". I think this could fit that. The hero's profession is not something he could put on a resumé - I'd say it falls in the unusual category. :)

The story has a few flashbacks, which I'm not a fan of, but they do add to the plot and explain character motivation. I didn't find it too distracting, so I was okay with them. Little bits and pieces are unveiled to the reader as the story progresses. Sometimes this worked but sometimes it left me wishing I had some confirmation on what I thought was going on.

Jessa Bellamy runs a company specializing in background checks. She has a unique ability she utilizes in her work. It's that ability that GenHance wants and will do anything to get. Jessa finds herself running from an enemy, saved by a man who wants her to trust him. She only knows what he tells her but her instincts are telling her to trust him. Jessa is smart and a survivor. I liked how she didn't hide in the corner but used her brain, trying to outwit Matthias. She's thrown into stressful situations, her life in danger but she didn't completely panic, although she had her moments but she's allowed. She didn't resort to tears but used logic and reason when dealing with Matthias.

Gaven Matthias is hard man to describe. He's not a typical 21st century alpha hero. He doesn't play games but is very serious. Sometimes I wasn't sure if he knew how to be playful. English is not his native language so it was fun to see him try to understand the some of the slang that came his way. He's a very focused man - focused on his mission even when Jessa proves to be a distraction. He wasn't an easy man to know. He doesn't open to Jessa easily, telling her very little about himself.

The romance between Jessa and Matthias was just okay. I never felt I completely connected with either one of them. I liked certain things about each of them but it was from a distance for the most part. I do wish their backgrounds had been revealed sooner and that Jessa and Matthias could have moved on from there. I found I liked the internal dialogue of the villain and the action scenes more than the romance.

An added bonus is the appearance of my favorite couple from Viehl's Darkyn series - Lucan and Samantha. They show up to extradite a convict and start investigation the horrible murders because of the brutality and the possibility that the murderer might be Darkyn.

So, while I wasn't blown away, Shadowlight proved to be a decent start to the series. The second book, Dreamveil, is about the secondary character Rowan. She's intriguing - I'm not sure what to make of her so I'll be reading her book to find out more. Curious to see her story unfold.

Rating: B

Review: Embrace the Night Eternal

Embrace the Night Eternal
Joss Ware
Futuristic Paranormal Romance
Envy Chronicles/Book 2
Avon/February 2010
Library book

*Some Spoilers for Book 1*

From the author's website ~

From the raging fires, five men emerge with extraordinary new powers. They must learn how to survive this dark, ravaged world ... but they cannot do it alone.

Simon Japp will never forget his violent past. But when civilization is all but destroyed, he sees his chance for redemption. Blessed with a strange "gift," he's determined to help the resistance against the Strangers, the mysterious force that stalks them at every turn. He can't afford to get distracted, even by the stunning, soft-spoken woman fighting by his side...

Sage Corrigan has learned to be careful where she places her trust. But she sees something good in Simon, even if he can't see it in himself. Posing as lovers to infiltrate a group key to their fight, they find that their staged affection soon develops into a desire that will leave them fighting for their lives in the night eternal...

Book two picks up where Beyond the Night (book 1) left off. The settlement of Envy (New Vegas or NV) is where Simon Japp and his four companions have taken up residency. The five men were kept in some type of stasis or coma in the caves of Sedona for the past 50 years. During that time things have changed dramatically and the world they knew is gone. Now the men are helping the residents fight the Strangers who are trying to enslave the remaining humans.

Simon Japp is a hero with a dark past. He's trying to get away from that past of lawlessness and start fresh. The chance to redeem himself happens when he meets up with a group of people that are trying to form a rebellion against the Strangers. Simon is willing to use his special ability to help with setting up a computer network and searching for Remington Truth, the man who might have the answers about what happened 50 years ago. Simon also finds himself attracted to Sage Corrigan, computer wiz and resident of Envy. Sage works with Theo and Lou Waxnicki, twin brothers who were alive when the Change happened. They're computer geniuses and are working on setting up a new Internet for this new world.

Sage Corrigan came to Envy from the settlement of Falling Creek. What we find out about Falling Creek isn't good. It's basically a polygamist settlement with men having multiple wives and the main focus for women is procreation. It really gave me an icky feeling when Sage tells of her numerous siblings and the plans that the council elders had very Sage before she got out. Sage is now twenty-eight and has established herself in Envy, developing strong friendships with Jade (heroine of book 1) Theo and Lou. Sage was certainly likable and definitely a survivor.

The search for Remington Truth sends Simon and Sage to Falling Creek. There they learn more about each other while Simon's trying to curb his growing attraction to Sage. I did like the developing relationship between these two I just wish Simon had stopped with his "I'm not good enough for you" mantra. He really needed to just get past his, well past, and realize that the times have changed and this is his chance to make a profound change in his life. Sage was intrigued by her attraction to Simon but also torn because there was someone else that she knew had strong feelings for her.

Once again I found myself fascinated by the post-apocalyptic world Ware has created. It's weird reading about a place I've been to many times (Vegas), and having it described in such different terms. No bright lights or the sound of slot machines filling the air. Instead there is a community of people who live, work and relax all within the secured city of Envy. Most of them live in what's left of the hotel, New York, New York and they all work together to keep the city running with everyone helping out in whatever capacity they can. I liked reading about the workings and politics of the city. How things have evolved from the disasters of 50 years ago when people were in shock and just trying to survive to having working, self-sustaining communities.

I did like book 2 a bit more than the first book. With both, my interest was still more focused on the world and the rebellion than the romance. There are still a number of characters I want to read about, one is a bad guy who is possibility reformed but then maybe not. I don't know but after reading Embrace the Night Eternal I know I'll be reading his book, if he gets one. So, still interested in this series but I don't think the romance is the strongest part of the book. It's more the world building and the cast of characters that I enjoy reading about.

Rating: B

Beyond the Night (book 1)

Review: Beyond the Night

Beyond the Night
Joss Ware
Futuristic Paranormal Romance
Envy Chronicles/Book 1
Avon/January 2010
Library e-book

From the author's website ~

A man with no future...

When Dr. Elliott Drake wakes from a mysterious fifty-year sleep, the world as he knew it is gone. Cities are now desolate, and civilization is controlled by deadly immortals. Stranger still is Elliott's extraordinary new "gift" – he has the power to heal, but it comes with fatal consequences.

A woman with a past...

Jade barely escaped the immortals and is now hell-bent on revenge. She trusts no one... until Elliott. His piercing gaze and tempting touch shatter her defenses, but the handsome doctor seems to have dangerous secrets of his own. Is it safe to trust him with her heart? If they are to survive in this dark new world, Jade and Elliott must work together to fight the forces that takes them beyond danger.

Beyond desire. Beyond the night.

A new post-apocalyptic series by Joss Ware aka Colleen Gleason grabbed my interest when Kristie reviewed the three current releases (Books 1 & 2, Book 3). I loved the premise of these present day guys going into a cave in Sedona, Arizona no less (my neck of the woods) and waking up to find the world is vastly changed and fifty years have past. It made me think of the Planet of the Apes movie. (One of dh's favorites). The first one where Charlton Heston is an astronaut and crashes on what he thinks is this strange planet where apes rule. Only in Joss Ware's world it's the Strangers and their crazy humanoid, zombie like creatures, gangas, who terrorize the few humans that are struggling to survive.

Dr. Elliott Drake isn't in Kansas any more. Actually he's from Chicago but he's so far from the ER where he practiced medicine that it's crazy. He still treats the injured but now it's more on-the-go treatments with just the very basic supplies. It's only been six months since he and his friends woke up and the reality of the world he is now in is still sinking in. There's that little ray of hope that somehow, somewhere, the world isn't as totally fucked up as it is in Elliott's little slice of hell. I use the f-word because there was what at first seemed to be a lot of it. Elliott lets it fly quite frequently and I thought it was overused but then I got to thinking that the world he's now in is really fucked up and why shouldn't he use that word?

The story starts off with characters in peril. Right away the reader is thrown into this foreign yet familiar world. Some teens are about to walk into serious trouble and need their asses saved. Good thing the hero and heroine are there to save them. I loved that the women of this world are just as badass as the men. It makes sense that the women, at least some of them, have learned to take care of themselves to the extent that they can kick some major ass. Due to the decimation of the world population one of the more common views on women is that their main purpose should be to repopulate the world. Of course not everyone is fanatical about this but it does make sense. The world needs more people if they are to have any chance of not being killed off or enslaved by the Strangers and their gangas.

I want to mention the gangas. They are some nasty ass bastards that just gave me the creeps. And they say the same thing over and over as the drag/lurch towards their prey. They're slow and not very smart and only come out at night. So with a half-way decent weapon, you can kill them. The problem comes when there are a bunch of them and they basically overwhelm their prey and then tear and claw it apart. Very nasty with a high creep factor. Don't go out at night or the gangas will literally eat you alive!

The "town" of Envy is one of the larger settlements and that's where Jade lives. She and the other townsfolk... hehe, never thought I'd get to use that word in a PNR. For some reason I just love that word. So, the townsfolk have created this fortified oasis out in the middle of nowhere because basically everything is out in the middle of nowhere in this new world. Elliott and his friends go with Jade to Envy and here's where they, and us, get to find out more of what really happened 50 years ago. I liked the way it all came together with the supernatural aspects of the story along with the mythology thrown in. Everyone has their theories of what really happened to cause all the natural and possibly not so natural disasters.

The romance between Elliott and Jade didn't exactly draw me in. I was more interested in the survival/fighting for our lives/when is the real bad guy going to show up plot of the story. I did like both Elliott and Jade and they definitely had some sparks going but I found myself just as curious about some of the secondary characters and the obvious sequel bait. Some of the romance was a bit over the top with the likes of "Oh no, I'm going to die and I never got the chance to tell her/him that I love her/him" scenes. But I did think they made a good couple. Jade is emotionally and physically scared and Elliott is a healer. Jade grew up in this bizarre world and Elliott needs help understand how it all works.

That's not to say I didn't have a few other problems with this book. One thing that got on my nerves real quick was the mentioning of the 50 years that had pasted for the men. It was usually mentioned in regards to sex. Like they haven't had sex in 50 years which really wasn't true since they were in some sort of deep freeze so it's not like the possibility to have sex was there. But Elliott thinks about this a lot, mentions it often enough that I was just like, alright Elliott, we get it. You're really horny because you haven't gotten laid in 50 years. Now go after Jade already!

Speaking of Jade... if Jade thinks she might have a bounty hunter on her trail why would she be singing and putting herself out in the public like that? There are so few people and settlements left that you would think news of a good singer would travel fast. It seems like she would have tried to keep a lower profile than singing in a bar. That bugged me.

One other thing. Note to hero and heroine: Having sex in a room that has the smell of "blood and death lingering," because of the dead woman in the bathroom is not sexy. Please don't.

But even after those problems I was still completely caught up in this new world that Ware has created. The characters are well developed with enough other characters crying out for their stories to be told. There are a bunch of secondary characters that I want need to read their stories. A bunch. I can see this series continuing for some time. So far there are three books in print with a fourth due out next January. I know, unless the series takes a serious dive, I will continue to read the Envy Chronicles.

Rating: B