This Week's New Releases

So is it cooling off where you live? Here, it's actually cool in the mornings, only in the 70's. lol  Still hot during the day but in another month we'll stop having to run the air conditioning, at least at night.

She writes historical romances beautifully. She writes romantic suspense amazingly. With her spin-off from her successful I-Team series, she started her Colorado High Country series. I just finished the first book, Barely Breathing, and can't wait to read Vic and Eric's story!

Slow Burn
Pamela Clare
Contemporary Romance
Colorado High Country series/Book 2

Victoria Woodley is done with men. Fresh off a dating nightmare, she flies from her home in Chicago to Scarlet Springs to take part in her best friend’s wedding. Who picks her up at the airport? Eric Hawke. Of course. She made a fool of herself over him last time she was here. He’s cocky, charming, and sexy as sin. But the fact that she’s attracted to him is all the proof she needs that he’s bad news. She would ignore him if she could. But he’s the best man, and she’s the maid of honor. She can’t just tell him to jump in a lake—especially not when her lips are locked with his.

Eric isn’t looking for a relationship. Between running the firehouse and volunteering for the county’s search and rescue team, he has enough on his plate. He doesn’t need to get tangled up with a woman from the big city, especially one whose idea of roughing it is going without designer coffee. Yet from the moment he looks into Victoria’s big brown eyes, the attraction he feels is too strong to deny. Faster than he can imagine, the spark of desire that has smoldered between them since the first day they met will flare into full-blown passion.

But can Eric convince Victoria to set aside her doubts and trust him with her heart before their time together runs out?

Oh, this sounds chillingly different! Something out of my usual comfort zone. Yes, this will no doubt find it's way to the TBR pile.

The Female of the Species
Mindy McGinnis
Young Adult/Suspense

Alex Craft knows how to kill someone. And she doesn’t feel bad about it. When her older sister, Anna, was murdered three years ago and the killer walked free, Alex uncaged the language she knows best. The language of violence.

While her crime goes unpunished, Alex knows she can’t be trusted among other people, even in her small hometown. She relegates herself to the shadows, a girl who goes unseen in plain sight, unremarkable in the high school hallways.

But Jack Fisher sees her. He’s the guy all other guys want to be: the star athlete gunning for valedictorian with the prom queen on his arm. Guilt over the role he played the night Anna’s body was discovered hasn’t let him forget Alex over the years, and now her green eyes amid a constellation of freckles have his attention. He doesn’t want to only see Alex Craft; he wants to know her.

So does Peekay, the preacher’s kid, a girl whose identity is entangled with her dad’s job, though that does not stop her from knowing the taste of beer or missing the touch of her ex-boyfriend. When Peekay and Alex start working together at the animal shelter, a friendship forms and Alex’s protective nature extends to more than just the dogs and cats they care for.

Circumstances bring Alex, Jack, and Peekay together as their senior year unfolds. While partying one night, Alex’s darker nature breaks out, setting the teens on a collision course that will change their lives forever.

A favorite series, Kate and Curran are also a favorite couple of many a reader. Hard to believe this is the ninth full length book in the series.

Magic Binds
Ilona Andrews
Urban Fantasy
Kate Daniels Series/Book 9

Mercenary Kate Daniels knows all too well that magic in post-Shift Atlanta is a dangerous business. But nothing she’s faced could have prepared her for this…Kate and the former Beast Lord Curran Lennart are finally making their relationship official. But there are some steep obstacles standing in the way of their walk to the altar…

Kate’s father, Roland, has kidnapped the demigod Saiman and is slowly bleeding him dry in his never-ending bid for power. A Witch Oracle has predicted that if Kate marries the man she loves, Atlanta will burn and she will lose him forever. And the only person Kate can ask for help is long dead.

The odds are impossible. The future is grim. But Kate Daniels has never been one to play by the rules…

I have not read anything by this author, but have heard good things about her novels. The blurb intrigues and it's the first book in a new series so I won't be starting behind!

The Queen of Blood
Sarah Beth Durst
Fantasy
The Queens of Renthia Series/Book 1

An idealistic young student and a banished warrior become allies in a battle to save their realm in this first book of a mesmerizing epic fantasy series, filled with political intrigue, violent magic, malevolent spirits, and thrilling adventure.

Everything has a spirit: the willow tree with leaves that kiss the pond, the stream that feeds the river, the wind that exhales fresh snow . . .

But the spirits that reside within this land want to rid it of all humans. One woman stands between these malevolent spirits and the end of humankind: the queen. She alone has the magical power to prevent the spirits from destroying every man, woman, and child. But queens are still just human, and no matter how strong or good, the threat of danger always looms.

With the position so precarious, young women are chosen to train as heirs. Daleina, a seemingly quiet academy student, is under no illusions as to her claim to the throne, but simply wants to right the wrongs that have befallen the land. Ven, a disgraced champion, has spent his exile secretly fighting against the growing number of spirit attacks. Joining forces, these daring partners embark on a treacherous quest to find the source of the spirits’ restlessness—a journey that will test their courage and trust, and force them to stand against both enemies and friends to save their land . . . before it’s bathed in blood.

When I was little, maybe 6 or 7 years old, I was fascinated by the bookmobile. I wanted to be the bookmobile lady when I grew up. To drive around all day, surrounded by books, pure joy! This next release is the adult version of that dream.

The Bookshop on the Corner
Jenny Colgan
Contemporary

Nina Redmond is a literary matchmaker. Pairing a reader with that perfect book is her passion… and also her job. Or at least it was. Until yesterday, she was a librarian in the hectic city. But now the job she loved is no more.

Determined to make a new life for herself, Nina moves to a sleepy village many miles away. There she buys a van and transforms it into a bookmobile—a mobile bookshop that she drives from neighborhood to neighborhood, changing one life after another with the power of storytelling.

From helping her grumpy landlord deliver a lamb, to sharing picnics with a charming train conductor who serenades her with poetry, Nina discovers there’s plenty of adventure, magic, and soul in a place that’s beginning to feel like home… a place where she just might be able to write her own happy ending.

Review: Frost Burned

Frost Burned

Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Mercy Thompson/Book 7
Ace/March 5, 2013

Mercy Thompson’s life has undergone a seismic change. Becoming the mate of Adam Hauptman — the charismatic Alpha of the local werewolf pack — has made her a stepmother to his daughter Jesse, a relationship that brings moments of blissful normalcy to Mercy’s life. But on the edges of humanity, what passes for a minor mishap on an ordinary day can turn into so much more….

 After an accident in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Mercy and Jesse can’t reach Adam—or anyone else in the pack for that matter. They’ve all been abducted.

Through their mating bond, all Mercy knows is that Adam is angry and in pain. With the werewolves fighting a political battle to gain acceptance from the public, Mercy fears Adam’s disappearance may be related — and that he and the pack are in serious danger. Outclassed and on her own, Mercy may be forced to seek assistance from any ally she can get, no matter how unlikely.

I read this shortly after it was released but never got around to reviewing it.  Since the Mercy Thompson series is one of my favorites, it wasn't a hardship to do a quick re-read and then review.

It's one of the most insane days on the planet and Mercy finds herself right in the middle of the insanity.  Black Friday has Mercy and Jessie, Mercy's stepdaughter, fighting the crowds which are  almost as dangerous as fighting supernatural beings.  The plot gives the reader a better look at Mercy and Jessie's relationship, which I really enjoyed.  It's not easy taking on the role of stepmom but Mercy finds the balance between authority figure and friend for the teenage Jessie.

Mercy is out of her comfort zone, having to make critical decisions for the pack.  She is the mate of the pack's Alpha so it's not out of place for her position within the pack had she been a werewolf.  But being a coyote shifter means she has had to and continues to have to prove herself. Of course she does well under pressure and even has a few abilities the werewolves don't have at her disposal.  I liked seeing Mercy out of her element and having to rely on some unusual characters for help.

We didn't learn as much as I'd hoped for after the events of Fair Game (Alpha & Omega, book 3) but Frost Burned still provided some great character development and an interesting, entertaining story.

Rating: A-

Books in this series ~

Moon Called
Blood Bound
Iron Kissed
Bone Crossed
Silver Borne
River Marked
Frost Burned

Review: Fair Game

Fair Game
Patricia Briggs
Urban Fantasy
Alpha & Omega/Book 3
Ace/March 6, 2012

They say opposites attract. And in the case of werewolves Anna Latham and Charles Cornick, they mate. The son-and enforcer-of the leader of the North American werewolves, Charles is a dominant alpha. While Anna, an omega, has the rare ability to calm others of her kind.
 

Now that the werewolves have revealed themselves to humans, they can't afford any bad publicity. Infractions that could have been overlooked in the past must now be punished, and the strain of doing his father's dirty work is taking a toll on Charles.
 

Nevertheless, Charles and Anna are sent to Boston, when the FBI requests the pack's help on a local serial killer case. They quickly realize that not only the last two victims were werewolves-all of them were. Someone is targeting their kind. And now Anna and Charles have put themselves right in the killer's sights...

It feels like ages since the last Alpha & Omega book.  Which is close to the truth.  The previous book, Hunting Ground was released in August 2009.  No wonder if feels like ages.  But the wait was worth it!  Ms. Briggs has written a compelling novel with Charles and Anna taking the lead in a intrinsic search for a killer.  Of course we also get another gorgeous cover from the very talented Dan Dos Santos.  Love his work! 

Anna knows Charles can't take much more of his role as the Marrok's assassin, she's losing him and is afraid of what might happen if Charles breaks.  When the FBI requests the packs help, Bran sends Anna and Charles to find the one responsible for killing werewolves.  It's still grisly work but at least Anna and Charles are together which gives Anna the chance to pull Charles back from the edge.

Charles has a reputation as a stone-cold killer.  And he is to a certain degree but there is so much more to this born werewolf.  We get to see the other sides of Charles as Anna brings out not only his deep need to protect but his humorous side, his tender side and his playful side.  He's still very much the alpha wolf, still fighting to maintain control and not go over to the dark side. The more I see of Anna and Charles, the more I like them as both a couple and as individuals.  It's important to note that Briggs shows all aspects of these characters.  She shows not only their strengths and weaknesses as a couple but also as individuals.

The trip to Boston and the subsequent investigation in the murders is revealing in how the werewolves, the Fae and the FBI are entering new territory in working together.  I found all the characters interesting and well developed for secondary characters.   I liked seeing Charles and Anna interact with this variety of mundane and supernatural characters.  If it were up to Charles he would prefer to stay at home with his mate but that's a thing of the past since the wolves revealed themselves to the public.  Now Charles is not only Bran's enforcer, he must also be a bit of a diplomat.  This is just another side of Charles we get to see and Anna is there to help him along.  I find it interesting how Anna, I don't want to say manipulates Charles into doing what she wants, for his benefit.  He knows it but he still goes along with her because he also knows her intent is in his best interest.

The world that Patricia Briggs has created is never stagnant.  She brings out the best and the worst in these characters.  It's an interactive world with all the players contributing to the story.  There are no fillers here, no waste of words.   Fair Game is an exceptional addition the the Alpha and Omega series.  With a powerful ending, I can't wait to see how it all plays out.

Rating:  A

Alpha & Omega Series ~

Alpha & Omega novella in On the Prowl anthology
Cry Wolf
Hunting Ground
Fair Game

Review: Doubletake

We're at it again! Nath from Books, Books and More Books and Hilcia from Impressions of a Reader and I joined forces for a buddy review of Rob Thurman's Doubletake.

Half-human/half-monster Cal Leandros knows that family is a pain. But now that pain belongs to his half-brother, Niko. Niko's shady father is in town, and he needs a big favor. Even worse is the reunion being held by the devious Puck race-including the Leandros' friend, Robin- featuring a lottery that no Puck wants to win. 

As Cal tries to keep both Niko and Robin from paying the ultimate price for their kin, a horrific reminder from Cal's own past arrives to remind him that blood is thicker than water-and that's why it's so much more fun to spill. 

So head on over to Breezing Through to find out what we thought about the latest (mis)adventures of the Leandros brothers!

Thanks again to Nath and Hils for the buddy review!

Review: Blackout

Two of my favorite things ~ Buddy review with Nath and the Cal Leandros series. Today, head on over to Breezing Through and read what Nath and I thought of Blackout, the sixth book in Rob Thurman's amazingly addictive series.

It's one of my favorite Urban Fantasy series, and with today being release day for Doubletake, book seven, now is the perfect time for a recap of Blackout.


I was alone, and I was lost. I didn’t know where I was; I didn’t know who I was. It doesn’t get more lost than that. Knowing what I knew and not knowing anything else at all, why would I want to be in the darkness where monsters hide?

BECAUSE KILLERS HIDE THERE, TOO…

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

Until now.

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

AND HE’S NOT SURE HE CARES.

Upcoming PNR/UF Releases...

While I might lament about all the wonderful UF & PNR series I have yet to start, there are still a heck of a lot that I have started and try to keep up with. I may be a few books behind on some series but that doesn't stop me from looking forward to the newest releases. And of course there are all the new series that I can't stop myself from coveting, TBR pile be damned!


Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help...

It's Patty Briggs & Mercy - hands down one of my favorite UF series. If you are one of the few not reading this series, what are you waiting for? Go forth and read. If you are reading this series and want to get a head start on River Marked, you can read the first chapter here.

River Marked ~ Patricia Briggs
Release Date ~ March 1


Some things are better forgotten.

I was alone, and I was lost. I didn’t know where I was; I didn’t know who I was. It doesn’t get more lost than that. Knowing what I knew and not knowing anything else at all, why would I want to be in the darkness where monsters hide?
Because killers hide there, too…

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

Until now.

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

And he’s not sure he cares.

Love, love, love this series! Cal & Niko - my two favorite brothers are back in book 6 of this amazing series. If you want a gritty, fast-paced, urban fantasy that can have you laughing one minute and on the edge of your seat the next, this is the series for you.

Blackout ~ Rob Thurman
Release Date ~ March 1



They are here. They ride. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind rests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't-or won't-understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

A new series from Larissa Ione is something to get excited about! Ione writes sexy heroes and kick-ass heroines. No doubt she will once again deliver smoking hot stories that will leave readers asking for more.

Eternal Rider ~ Larissa Ione
Release Date ~ March 29



A Fiery Temper is Not Easily Extinguished

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 one another.

A new series that has already gotten a lot of buzz and it's not out for another 3 months! Dragons and Fae could prove to be a wonderful combination of awesomeness.

Dragon Bound ~ Thea Harrison
Release Date ~ May 3


Plagued by a war between magic and technology, Atlanta has never been so deadly. Good thing Kate Daniels is on the job.

Kate Daniels may have quit the Order of Merciful Aid, but she’s still knee-deep in paranormal problems. Or she would be if she could get someone to hire her. Starting her own business has been more challenging than she thought it would be—now that the Order is disparaging her good name, and many potential clients are afraid of getting on the bad side of the Beast Lord, who just happens to be Kate’s mate.

So when Atlanta’s premier Master of the Dead calls to ask for help with a vampire on the loose, Kate leaps at the chance of some paying work. Turns out this is not an isolated incident, and Kate needs to get to the bottom of it—fast, or the city and everyone dear to her might pay the ultimate price . . .

So much goodness coming out this spring. Kate Daniels series is a must for any UF fan. It has a sword wielding heroine, a sometimes furry alpha male, magic, shapeshifters and ultra creepy vampires. And pie. ;)

Magic Slays ~ Ilona Andrews
Release Date ~ May 31



Since the moment of her defection from the PsyNet and into the SnowDancer wolf pack, Sienna Lauren has had one weakness. Hawke. Alpha and dangerous, he compels her to madness.

Hawke is used to walking alone, having lost the woman who would’ve been his mate long ago. But Sienna fascinates the primal heart of him, even as he tells himself she is far too young to handle the wild fury of the wolf.

Then Sienna changes the rules and suddenly, there is no more distance, only the most intimate of battles between two people who were never meant to meet. Yet as they strip away each other’s secrets in a storm of raw emotion, they must also ready themselves for a far more vicious fight…

A deadly enemy is out to destroy SnowDancer, striking at everything they hold dear, but it is Sienna’s darkest secret that may yet savage the pack that is her home…and the alpha who is its heartbeat…

It's almost here,the book every fan has been waiting for. Hawk and Sienna! It's been a long wait but it looks like Sienna has grown up and is ready to take on the alpha of the SnowDancer pack. This will also be Singh's first hardcover which is a huge step in her career.

Kiss of Snow ~ Nalini Singh
Release Date ~ May 31



Growing up with an unstable, often absent father who preached about the end of the world, Jenna
never thought in her wildest nightmares that his predictions would come true. Or that he would have a plan in place to save her—one that includes the strong, stoic man who kidnaps and takes her to a remote cabin in the Pacific Northwest.

The mysterious ex-Marine named Mason owes a life-debt to Jenna’s father. Skilled and steadfast, he’s ready for the prophesied Change, but Jenna proves tough to convince. Until the power grid collapses and mutant dogs attack—vicious things that reek of nature gone wrong.

When five strangers appear, desperate to escape the bloodthirsty packs, Jenna defies her protector and rescues them. As technology fails and the old world falls away, Jenna changes too, forever altered by supernatural forces. To fight for their future, she and Mason must learn to trust their instinctive passion—a flame that will see them through the bitter winter, the endless nights, and the violence of a new Dark Age.

I love the sounds of this trilogy! I've been slowly getting into the post-apocalyptic phenom and this fits right in. And with two talented authors behind the words, it's hard to go wrong.

Ellen Connor is a pseudonym for the writing duo of Ann Aguirre & Carrie Lofty.

Nightfall ~ Ellen Connor
Release date ~ June 7



So what new PNR/UF releases are you looking forward to in the coming months? Any that are not to be missed? Do tell!

Re-Read Challenge Review: Half way to the Grave

Halfway to the Grave
Jeaniene Frost
Urban Fantasy
Nighthuntress/Book 1
Avon/October 2007
Purchased

From the author's website ~

Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father—the one responsible for ruining her mother's life. Then she's captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unholy partnership.

In exchange for finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She's amazed she doesn't end up as his dinner—are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her newfound status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers.

Now Cat will have to choose a side . . . and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

This re-read is due to the fact that I liked this book the first time so why didn't I continue reading the series? I've got the next two books in the the tbr pile, so I don't have a clue as to why I didn't read them. Time is the most likely culprit. Anyway, I decided this would be one series I would finish reading this year - so the re-read is to refresh my memory.

The story starts with Cat and her night job - hunting and killing vampires. Cat is determined to avenge her mother who was raped by a vampire which resulted in Cat's birth. Cat has a dry sense of humor to help cope with her bizarre life. She's looked down on by her mother because of Cat's father and Cat being a half-blood. Cat is driven by guilt and revenge and seduces her vampire victims into thinking they'll get lucky with her then she goes for the kill. She spends her nights trolling the bars, looking for vampires to kill. And her mom knows about it! Yep, good old mom even encourages Cat to kill vamps. I really didn't like her mom. Big, guilty-tripping weight around Cat's neck. And Cat's killing adventures lead her to Bones.

Bones - the only way I could think of him is as a wealthier version of Spike (as in Buffy's Spike). Bones so reminded me of Spike I secretly wondered if Spike's crazy-ass vamp girlfriend Drusilla would show up. I do remember the first read thinking that Bones reminded me of Spike but I don't remember it being so strong. Bones is a very old, very powerful vampire. He takes a liking to Cat, after she tries to kill him. Bones recruits Cat to help him catch his next target. I liked Bones this time through but now I'm wondering if I liked him for him or because he reminded me of Spike.

Cat and Bones begin training and they begin feeling the pull of physical attraction. Cat doesn't want to be attracted to a vampire. That's like the worst thing that could happen to her. Bones, on the other hand, knows what he wants and he can be very underhanded in getting it. I had a few qualms about their relationship. Cat is a virgin but still knows how to play at seductress. It came off as very odd - like she couldn't make up her mind what she wanted to be. Here she'd been killing vampires since she was 16, she's 22 now, and now she's attracted to a vampire. It seemed like Bones is the only one who cared about Cat - but he's an "evil" vampire. Or that's what Cat believed, that all vampires are evil. So Bones throws her a curve when he shows he cares but it could only be that he needs her to get to his target.

Bones training sessions with Cat are meant to be sexy but I found them less than. I don't remember the sexual tension and sex scenes from the first time but this time I was pretty meh about them. I do like the dialogue between Cat and Bones. Usually funny and quick witted with Bones having some great lines. There were times when Cat really showed her youth and her street smarts seemed less than what you would expect. Which was strange when you consider she's been hunting vampires, alone, since she was sixteen. Sometimes her naivety was hard to believe.

The ending is a cliff-hanger which is not doubt one of the reasons why I picked up the second book. This time through I'm not as enthralled as I remember being the first time. It could be that at the time, there was a lot of buzz about the book and I got caught up in it. That's always a possibility. Whatever it was, I do plan to continue with book 2 since I already have it. I hope the character of Cat matures in the next book and Bones becomes less of a Spike reminder and more his own distinct character. I'm curious to see if both Cat and Bones will change and become more solid characters in the next installment.

Rating: B