Archive for the ‘Fantasy’ Category

DRAGON SERIES BOOOK 1: DAY OF THE DRAGON
Rebecca York
ISBN: 978-0425-238189 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B004H9AT2  (Kindle)
December 2010 (Mass Market Paperback)
December 2010 (Kindle)
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Sensation
Paranormal/Shape Shifter
Paranormal/Fantasy

According to field experts Dr. Madison Dartmoor, a beautiful archaeologist has unearthed an astonishing find – one that could change man’s understanding of  his origins.  It may be a breakthrough for humanity in general, but for one man, who appears, but is not human, it could be the information he needs to unlock his dark and dangerous secret.  Shapeshifter Ramsey Gallagher defeated his brother, a psychopathic enemy Vandar, half-dragon and half-vampire,  in a horrendous battle which cost Ramsey dearly.  The worst thing lost was Ramsey’s skill to shift into dragon form as well as many other of his inherent mental abilities.  If what Madison has discovered is true, then she may hold the answers he’s been looking for since he was a lost child.

*** Ramsey Gallagher was first introduced in Ms. York’s Moon series in DRAGON MOON, and now his story picks up after he flew home to heal his body after almost being killed in the horrendous battle where he defeated his evil twin Vandar.  In DRAGON MOON, Vandar reigned terror in an alternate universe and was plotting to invade earth and annihilate the human race.  Ramsey’s interest in Madison’s discovery was high expectations to finding clues to his own existence as Madison’s discovery just happened to be near the location where he had been found wandering alone as a child.

Even though Ramsey was introduced in DRAGON MOON and his character was an essential element plot device for that story, it in no way impacts the plot line of this story other than the loss of powers Ramsey once had.  Accordingly, DAY OF THE DRAGON stands completely alone.

Ramsey is a divine lead and the sensual romance between he and Madison was extremely well done along with the fast-paced action adventure of trying to be one step ahead of the zealot villains who did not want Madison’s discovery to be further investigated.  York did an awesome job of research with believable elements described in the locations of the caves and conditions which made the reader feel like they were in the midst of the struggle.  The tension and attraction between our lead couple was both intelligent and sensual as Madison’s initial distrust of Ramsey and his motives lessened to a degree that allowed a soul connection of sensual intimacy.

Bottom line:  Another awesome tale from one of the finest paranormal authors to add to your auto-buy list.  Don’t miss it!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

POSSESS ME
R.G. Alexander
ISBN: 978-0425235287 (Trade Paperback)
ASIN: B003QMLBSY (Kindle eBook)
August  2010
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Heat
Erotica/Anthology
Erotica/Fantasy
Erotica/Menage
Erotica/Reincarnation
Trade Paperback and eBook

What happens when a voodoo spirit, a Loa, helps fulfill sexual fantasies? R.G. Alexander tackles that question in three sultry hot stories….

In Release Me, Allegra Jarrod is fascinated by Celestin Dias Rousseau, even as her best friend, Michelle, warns her to avoid him. Rousseau has a dark reputation for fulfilling a woman’s deepest fantasies and desires after sexually satisfying a woman. Called Bone Daddy for the Loa residing in him, Rousseau harbors a lonely secret… will Allegra help release him?

Release Me is a fascinating introduction to the world of the Loa. It was nice to see an erotica tale that involved something slightly different than the usual fare of vampires and werewolves. The attraction between Allegra and Rousseau steams up the pages and one can’t help but cheer for them while wondering what will become of Bone Daddy. Luckily, the intertwined tales answer that question quickly!

Reclaim Me focuses on Michelle Touissaint and her secret fantasy for Ben Adair. Michelle is determined to avoid her attraction to Ben and her sense of the spiritual world. Bone Daddy has other plans for them both, however….

All three stories are sizzling hot but Michelle and Ben have one scene in Reclaim Me that is beyond scorching hot- it’s an inferno! I have to admit that it seems a bit awkward with Michelle and Ben initially after the ménage scene in Release Me, but R.G. Alexander uses Michelle’s voyeurism to make it work.

POSSESS ME concludes with Redeem Me. Bone Daddy is almost out of time. All Saint’s Day is his last chance to enjoy the pleasures of New Orleans. Bethany Sorelle has left the comfortable confines of her home in New York to help Michelle solve a historical mystery. Instead, Bethany finds Bone Daddy. What is behind the instantaneous bond between them?

Redeem Me gives readers the necessary happily-ever for Bone Daddy. R.G. Alexander does a marvelous job at making the Loa seem human and so it’s with little surprise that we see he, too, has a story. Bethany’s transformation from a timid woman to a woman full of self-confidence is beautiful to behold. Redeem Me is the perfect conclusion to POSSESS ME.

POSSESS ME is one hot, steamy anthology! R.G. Alexander takes readers into the darkest secret fantasies- from ménages to voyeurism- and shows love blossoming. Intriguing.

Buy it from Red Sage:

CRYSTAL GENIE
Opal Carew
ISBN:  978-1-60310-479-1
Red Sage Publishing
June 2010
Erotic Romance/Paranormal Romance/Fantasy
eBook

Celeste’s world is turned upside down when she buys an exquisite quartz crystal at a local shop. When she tries to clean it, to her shock a genie appears . . . a genie who tells her that she has three days to make three wishes. Zurvan, the genie of the crystal has been trapped inside for centuries at the whim of a woman, a more powerful genie whose advances he refused. The last thing Zurvan wants is to be under the command of another woman, but Zurvan gets the shock of his life when he realizes Celeste is the reincarnation of the woman he once loved who was ripped away from him. Now instead of being angry that he’s under Celeste’s thumb for three days, he’s wondering how he’ll be able to spend the rest of his existence without her.

CRYSTAL GENIE is every woman’s fantasy come to like. CRYSTAL GENIE is like winning the lottery and the hottest guy on the planet all on the same day. I loved the writing and the premise and if I may be frank the sex scenes were hot. However, I missed an emotional connection between Celeste and Zurvan that went beyond the awesome sex. I was also disappointed with CRYSTAL GENIE’s climax. Without giving anything away, I was expecting something more complex with a harder resolution where Celeste and Zurvan had to fight more. Other than that, I loved CRYSTAL GENIE and I would defiantly buy another book by this author.

Buy it at All Romance eBooks:

YOU BURN ME: A TALE OF THE EVERVERSE
Stella and Audra Price
ISBN: TeasePrice04
May 2010
Tease Publishing
Erotica/Fantasy
eBook

Xxieda Rolla has faithfully served her goddess, The Morrigan, and remained a virgin for all of her twenty-six years. Recent dreams have led her to believe that it is about time for that to change as The Morrigan has found the perfect man for her. But is Dante Barratt going to be the man of her dreams or will he break her heart completely?

Dante previously appeared in SUGAR AND SIN but it is not necessary to have read that tale to enjoy YOU BURN ME. In fact, while YOU BURN ME is a part of the Eververse world, it stands on its own quite well. Some of the characters from the Eververse do make appearances but the central focus is on the relationship of Xxieda and Dante.

YOU BURN ME is somewhat of a departure from the other tales in the Eververse world as Xxieda is a virgin and remains one for quite awhile. Don’t misunderstand this, however, as YOU BURN ME is a book of passion, both in and out of the bedroom. Dante’s temper is befitting a fire demon and things between Xxieda and Dante are quite rocky at times. Stella and Audra Price do a magnificent job at showing each character’s struggle to overcome their misgivings about the commitment. The scene with Xxieda’s family is especially important as it provides a perspective on how relationships differ in the Eververse when goddesses and other entities are involved.

YOU BURN ME is another sizzling hot read from the very talented duo of Stella and Audra Price. I like that they were willing to do something a little different with this tale and as usual, they have produced a story that is top-notch. If you haven’t read Stella and Audra Price, YOU BURN ME is an excellent way to get a taste of the Eververse. Superb!

DANE: THE LORDS OF SATYR
Elizabeth Amber
ISBN: 978-0758241283 (Trade Paperback)
B003KN3JEI (Kindle eBook)
May 2010
Kensington Aphrodisia
Erotica/Fantasy
Erotica/Historical
Trade Paperback and eBook

Evangeline “Eva” Delacorte has a secret, one she has kept hidden from the other ElseWorld beings while aiding them in her role as a marital broker. None of them suspect that she is the only femaly satyr alive. Dane Satyr now threatens that safety as he wants to hire her services even as he finds himself attracted to her. However, Dane has secrets of his own as his personality is fractured and his alternate personalities may be the only key to finding his missing brother.

Wow! Elizabeth Amber has outdone herself with the latest book featuring The Lords of Satyr! DANE is not only one sexy, hot read, it also features a fabulous mystery. In fact, DANE is my favorite book to date in this series.

Dane’s fractured personality is at the heart of the story, and Elizabeth Amber does a marvelous job at capturing how a mind can fragment into various personalities in order to cope with trauma. She treats the subject with great sensitivity, giving a voice to those considered mentally ill. Through Dane, we see the struggles and the fears but we also see the inner strength as he deals with the emerging personalities.

The mystery in DANE is grounded in the mythology of the world created by Elizabeth Amber. The myths and legends of ElseWorld only get more intriguing with each installment as we see both the dreams and the depravities that the clash of worlds induces. And whew, what more can be said about the sex scenes between two satyrs other than they are steamy hot and full of passion! DANE is nothing short of outstanding!

GHOSTLAND WORLD BOOK 2: SPIDER-TOUCHED
Jory Strong
978-0-425-22793-0
August 2009
Penguin Putnam/Berkley Sensation
Urban Fantasy
Erotica/Fantasy
Erotica/BDSM
Trade Paperback

Araña’s nightmare has come true… and she now finds herself trapped in the post-apocalyptic version of Oakland. The world has changed since The Last War as supernatural beings have emerged from hiding and the Church has taken a strong stance against them. Araña knows all too well the damage the Church can wreak for she bears its brand. She’s not the only one suffering, however, as Tir is held captive by the humans with no memories of his past. Tir hates humans for what they have done to him and yet Araña touches his soul. Can Tir be freed and still love Araña or will he seek revenge on the race that enslaved him?

Jory Strong crafts an interesting albeit very bleak world with SPIDER-TOUCHED. I actually preferred the first book, GHOSTLAND, as the world seemed a bit more daring and unique. SPIDER-TOUCHED may be a bit confusing to readers unfamiliar with GHOSTLAND as the characters and plotline intersect without a lot of back story for new readers.

Araña is an interesting character, full of compassion despite the hardships she has faced in her own life. She softens Tir’s hardened heart, making him likable even in the midst of his anger. Araña and Tir’s romance is quite steamy as the attraction between them ignites instantly. However, I couldn’t help but wish I could read Rebekka’s story instead as the side story involving her and Levi was far more intriguing. Regardless, I will be curious to see what direction Jory Strong takes next in this dark world.