Archive for the ‘Paranormal Romance’ Category

THE BITE BEFORE CHRISTMAS
Lynsay Sands and Jeaniene Frost
ISBN: 978006202260 (Mass Market PaperBack;  Avon; October 2012)
ISBN: 9780062014078 (Hardcover; William Morrow; October 2011)
ASIN: B005DIB72E (Kindle)
Paranormal/Romance/Christmas Anthology/Vampires

This collection of two Christmas themed novellas combines the blockbuster talents of Lynsay Sands with a story from her popular Argeneau family with that of Jeaniene Frost who lets us visit with Kat and Bones from her Dark Huntress series over the holidays.. and even holidays don’t go smoothly for these two!

The Gift by Lynsay Sands:

Teddy Brunswick, the beloved police chief of Port Henry, is no stranger to vampires, but all he wants this Christmas is to not feel like a charity case at someone else’s holiday table, so he retreats to a remote cabin, only to be snowed in by a blizzard.  While checking the road to determine his chances of driving out, he meets Katricia who is staying in the cabin next door.  Teddy doesn’t realize Katricia is a vampire or an Argeneau, and his immediate attraction to a beautiful girl half his age is disturbing to him.  Katricia realizes immediately that Teddy is her life mate.  Now how to convince this human that they weren’t meant to be together!   I was so happy to see Teddy get his happily ever after.  The romance develops quickly due to the limitations of the novella format; I think I would have preferred a full length novel for Teddy.  We really don’t get a chance to know Katricia in the depth I would have liked and the story ended too soon for me.  The best of the two novellas in my opinion.

Home For The Holidays by Jeaniene Frost:

I was very excited about this novella because I absolutely LOVE Cat and Bones and their interplay together.  This novella takes place a few weeks after the events in One Grave At A Time.  In the middle of his birthday party, Cat and Bones receive a phone call that Annette, friend and Bones’ former bed mate has been attacked.  Troublemaker Ian is also front and center in this novella, and we also learn more about Bones’ mysterious past.  The story has intensity and Cat and Bones find their love for each other tested.  The story, while very much in keeping with the Dark Huntress world, was a little dark for me; I guess I like my Christmas stories to be a little more upbeat.  That being said, Frost brings all her normal magic to the story, and the information we learn about Bones will carry into  later novels.  I would not recommend this story for readers not familiar with the Dark Huntress world as they would miss a lot of the nuances between characters and events.

If you enjoy a little bit of vampire in your Christmas, this anthology is sure to please.

BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD #5: LOVER UNBOUND
J. R. Ward
Performed by: Jim Frangione
ISBN: 978-1436107617 (Unabridged Audio)
ISBN:  978-0451222350 (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN:  978-0739488973 (Hardcover)
2008 (Audio)
September 2007 (Mass Market Paperback)
Recorded Books / Signet / Signet
Fantasy / Vampires

In Book Five of this phenomenal series, THE BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD, J.R. Ward tells the very emotional tale of Vishous, son of the Bloodletter, a very cunning stone-cold-hearted warrior devoted to killing the Lessers (undead beings who hunt and kill vampires).  Not much can hurt a vampire warrior, but in one instance, Vishous had let down his guard and was shot from behind with a bullet that was pretty darn close to killing him.  As Vishous was out on his own, no one from the brotherhood was nearby and Vishous was brought to a regular hospital where human surgeon, Dr. Jane Whitcomb was instrumental in keeping him alive.  Rather a big mistake, it now meant that the brotherhood had to rescue him before the human world became aware of just what was lying in their hospital.  But before they could effect a rescue, Vishous had unexpectedly fell in love with Jane and Vishous insisted Jane be brought to their stronghold to continue her doctorial ministrations, and discover for herself the feelings she had developed for her uniquely strange patient.

***  First of all I am having a blast reading and listening to this series.  I fell out of sync with the books and had missed this one so I went back to fill it in and oh my, I am so glad I did.   I think that so far, Vishous and Jane’s story is probably one of the most emotional and heart tugging books so far.  First of all with Vishous discovering his long-lost mother; the long held emotional and physical scars of his childhood; and finally an absolutely heart-wrenching finale of maternal sacrifice.

Couple that with the ongoing day to day life of Vishous’s brother warriors and their Shellan’s and you have a complete and awesome family tale.  Yes, a family whose love and devotion to one another is unsurpassed by most others.

What you will not find in LOVER UNBOUND are the many battles with Lessers that I found in the other volumes of this series.  This book spent more time with the warriors focusing on their lives, their training, and for some like John – his coming of age.  Each ‘brother’ warrior is fleshed out enough to give the reader an inkling of what is to come, and for me – I am anxiously awaiting John’s story, along with his friends Qhuinn and Blay.

Bottom Line:  Ms. Wards unique band of brother warriors are fitted out in outrageously fabulous reads!

BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD #4: LOVER REVEALED
J. R. Ward
Performed by: James Frangione
ISBN: 978-0451229687  (Mass Market Paperbook)
ISBN: 978-0451417176 (Hardcover)
ASIN: B002QBNVC0 (Unabridged Audio)
ASIN: B000Q9J0M4 (Kindle)
September 2009 (Mass Market Paperbook)
July 2013 (Hardcover)
September 2009 (Unabridged Audio)
March 2007 (Kindle)
Signet / NAL / Recorded Books / Signet Penguin
Paranormal Fantasy

As like all the Black Dagger Brotherhood books, there exists around the town of Caldwell, NY the secret band of brother vampire warriors who are the defenders of their race in a life and death battle with the Lessors – a group of soulless once human beings that have been turned into pure evil by the most evil of them all – the Omega.  Their goal is to wipe out the vampire race and the Brotherhood which is intent on holding the lessors at bay.  Each of the books so far has highlighted each of the Vampire Warrior brothers. Book 4 – LOVER REVEALED is the story of Butch O’Neal – the human who was befriended and allowed into the inner sanctum of the Brotherhood, loved and trusted and treated almost as if her were born of the vampire strain.  This is Butch’s amazing story and revelations.

***  A fighter by nature, Butch made his living as an ex-homicide cop so he knew how to fight, nothing as compared to the men he now called ‘brothers’ but he could hold his own if the brothers’ were less magical and strong as powers inherent in their bloodlines gave them.  Butch was more or less adopted and became best friends with Vishous who plays an important and vital spot in Butch’s story as does Marissa, a full-blooded aristocratic vampire, who is far beyond Butch’s reach and his love interest.

In LOVER REVEALED, many things come to light which push this story forward and make it one of the more exciting edge-of-the-seat volumes in this series.  In this, our favorite ‘cop’ Butch gets caught by the Lesser’s and not only is he tortured, but something is done to him by the Omega that makes Butch a walking time-bomb – but for which side?  And who ultimately will be able to save him – Vishous or Marissa?

The skill and artistry Ms. Ward has for creating unbelievably tense situations that turn and twist all over the place as she tells the stories of these fabulous vampires is simply awesome!  She continues to dazzle and enthrall me with each layer of loyalty, bravery, and yes, humanity for these amazing warriors have for each other and their kind.   Ward simply covers all the bases, consistently adding in more and more layers of revelations about each of  characters lives and hinting at even more to come.

Bottom line:  In LOVER REVEALED, J.R. Ward delivers in spades another fabulous volume to this a totally captivating series that has me completely entranced!   WOW!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

DARK ONES BOOK 10: A TALE OF TWO VAMPIRES
Katie MacAlister
ISBN: 9780451237736
September 2012
Signet
Paranormal Romance/Vampires/Time Travel
Mass Market paperback

Iolanthe Tennyson is exploring an Austrian “haunted” forest when something unexplainable happens and she finds herself back in the eighteenth century.  Nikola Czerny doesn’t know what to think of the strangely dressed woman he finds though she is frantic to convince him that she is from the future and knows his daughter.  What’s more, she knows how he dies and wants to change history to save him.

Katie MacAlister always delivers sexy, hysterically funny stories, and her Dark Ones series is one of her very best.  After nine previous stories of vampires, it amazes me how she continues to find unique situations in which to place her hero and heroine.  One thing that is very different in this novel (beside the time jumping) is the fact that the Dark Ones have not figured out all about their race as of yet .  Nikola doesn’t know about Beloved’s or what a relationship between a Beloved and a Dark One will mean. This adds a nice new twist to the story.  I also somehow found my heart particularly warmed by the care the characters showed for each other.  It was much more than a passionate love; there was a sweeter nuance to the relationship.

In spite of the fact of this being tenth in a series, it could be read as a stand-alone book without a problem.  If you’ve never read a Dark One’s novel, but like the tv shows where the hero and heroine have a great chemistry and funny banter going on, try A Tale of Two Vampires.  I think you’ll like it.

A RAINSHADOW NOVEL: THE LOST NIGHT
Jayne Castle
ISBN: 9780515152845
September 2012
Jove Books
Paranormal Romance/Futuristic
Mass Market paperback

DUST BUNNIES ARE BACK!  Even more importantly, Dust Bunnies RULE!  OK.  Perhaps I’m a little over the top here.  But I am thrilled to see a new entry into Jayne Castle aka Jayne Ann Krentz’s wonderful world of psychic characters, and I wish I had a dust bunny for my very own.  The Lost Night kicks off Castle’s new Rainshadow series.  If you love the Harmony books, you will love the Rainshadow series as well.  Rainshadow is a remote island in the Amber Sea that attracts people who march to a slightly different drummer than those who live in Harmony.

When Rachel Blake’s latest attempt to use her talents in a productive way fall apart, she reluctantly turns to plan B and retreats to the bookstore on Rainshadow Island that was left to her by her great-aunts. Harry Sebastian has returned to the island to help uncover the disturbances in his family owned forest called The Preserve.  Harry knows Rachel holds the key to understanding what has happened; she just can’t remember what happened that night when she was lost in the Preserve; more importantly, how she got out alive.

I loved the lush tropical feel to The Preserve and wish that the scenes and adventures there had lasted longer, but maybe that wish will be granted in the next Rainshadow book which is tentatively scheduled for August, 2013 (Deception Cove).  The book is a great addition to the Arcane/Harmony world, but could easily be enjoyed as a standalone as well, though I triple dog dare you to read one of these books and not want to read the whole series!

BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD BOOK 6: LOVER ENSHRINED
J.R. Ward
Performed by: James Frangione
ISBN:  978-0451222725 (Mass Market Paperback)
ISBN-13: 978-0739496589 (Hardback)
ASIN: B001O15JQE (Unabridged Audio)
ASIN: B000UZNS0Y (Kindle)
June 2008 (Mass Market Paperback)
June 2008 (Hardback)
December 2008 (Unabridged Audio)
June 2008 (Kindle)
Signet / Signet Bookclub Edition / Recorded Books / Signet
Paranormal / Vampire

Phury has been featured in all of the previous books of the Black Dagger Brotherhood – passionate, loyal, yet deeply troubled, who through the previous books one gleans that Phury also has gotten himself hooked a bit with addictions to drugs.  When one of his brothers asks to be relieved of the duty of Primale for the Chosen (A vampire to sire and propagate the vampire race keeping the Brotherhood’s bloodlines alive with the Chosen women) he agreed to sacrifice himself for the duty.   Some 5 months later Phury’s first mate the Chosen woman Cormia was not pleased and in trying to be considerate Phury did not pursue or complete the consummation.    Cormia has since observed and realized that though Phury is definitely kind and she has warmed to him, he is also deeply and emotionally scarred.   As the war between the Lessening Society grows much more grim, Phury must decide between duty and love.

*** While I have been completely enraptured by this series, and have really liked Phury in the previous books, he totally infuriated me in this one.  Needless to say, I wanted to strangle him for at least three-fourths of this book.  And yes, I also got out of sequence with the storyline but will go back and correct the reading order.

However, while Phury and Cormia’s story was the focus of LOVER ENSHRINED, the secondary story lines were so powerful with John and Xhex; Blay and Qhuin; Revenge, Tor, and of course the revelation of the Omega having a son were what kept this from being a very low rated book.   With all these new revelations popping into the scene Ward just keeps the excitement sizzling and the action at an all-time peak with thoughts of a new and more powerful threat to the Brotherhood.

Bottom line:  As much as I wanted to whack Phury throughout the better part of LOVER ENSHRINED, he did redeem himself by the end of the story and LOVER ENSHRINED should not be overlooked for the set-up and preview of the new direction of story lines planned.

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

BLACK DAGGER BROTHERHOOD BOOK 3:  LOVER AWAKENED
J.R. Ward
Performed by: James Frangione
ISBN: 978-0451219367 (Mass Market Paperback)
ASIN: B002IN7PPK (Unabridged Audio)
ASIN: B000PC0S1Y (Kindle)
September 2006 (Mass Market Paperback)
July 2009 (Unabridged Audio)
September 2006 (Kindle)
NAL / Signet-Penguin / Signet / Recorded Books
Paranormal / Vampire

Zsadist, a former blood slave, bears scars from a past filled with the ultimate of humiliation and suffering. As a brother of the Brotherhood, he is renowned for his unquenchable fury.  His savagery is feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger and shame for the way he’d lived for so many years was his companion and terror his only passion — until he rescues a beautiful female from the evil Lessening Society.    Bella, a vampire of the glymyra (aristocratic) is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for each other begins to overtake them, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness.   Additionally he thought that he could never be the man she deserved, for how could Zsadist subject her to the filth he had lived in for so many years, filth he thought he was.   Not only did Bella have to recover from six weeks of terror with the Lessors, her biggest job would be to help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past to find a future with her.

***  LOVER AWAKENED is the third book in Ward’s Black Dagger Brotherhood series which I have finally gotten around to reading/listening to.  So far I have been impressed with the writing and the fine performance by James Frangione.  Not for the faint of heart, there are portions of Zsadist’s years of slavery that one may find uncomfortable but in the true genius of Ms. Ward they only amplify the superb storyline motive which confirms Zsadist as the truly tortured and terrorized vampire he was crafted to be.  Kudo’s must be given to an author who sees what is needed to make such a powerfully believable hero.

As expected, Ms. Ward writes powerfully and emotionally totally fleshing out the major people of the story, i.e. Bella and Zsadist.  Along with the leads of LOVER AWAKENED, Ward also gives more background to the primary villain in this story, Mr. O and the ultra evil of the series, the Omega.  Additionally, we get more insight into Zsadist’s brother Phury with glimmers background of his imposed celibacy.   However, the best is that we discover how others are faring such as Wrath and Beth from DARK LOVER; Rhage and Mary from LOVER ETERNAL; Thor and Wellsie and more insight to John Matthew’s background (can’t wait to discover more of John!).

Bottom line:   Ward wove this story with intense thrills, action, sensualness, and a very big emotional twist balanced with Zsadist’s brutal background.  I loved it all, but be warned, you may need a tissue or two in some of the very deep emotional scenes that will touch your heart.   LOVER AWAKENED and this series J. R. Ward has gifted her fans with is simply the very best!

Marilyn Rondeau

ANGELS BOOK 2: ANGEL IN MY HEART, DEVIL IN MY SOUL
Linda Hays-Gibbs
ISBN:  978-1615728015 (Paperback)
ASIN: B00A592P5E (Kindle)
November 2012 ( Paperback)
November 2012 (Kindle)
Eternal Press / Eternal Press (a division of Damnation Books LLC)
Paranormal Regency

John Monroe had been tortured and brought up without love, or affection, by the Devil himself after he was kidnapped as a child.  He had been stripped of his humanity and taught evil as a way of life to  obey orders from the Devil and to execute thoughtless and unspeakable acts of assassination all his miserable life.  John was sent on another mission with no thoughts other than to kill his next victim.  But then John saw Rachael and was completely infatuated with her beauty.  He was stunned and overcome by his reaction to her. Should he kill her as instructed… but why was he hesitating?

*** Rachael has a golden soul, half human, half angel who has been sheltered her entire life.  When her at last her dear grandmother died and her uncle (she sensed was evil) would have been her guardian she set out on her own.  However, a bad fall and bump on her head caused amnesiac symptoms so that when John caught up with her, she couldn’t sense his evil, but only knew that with him she felt safe (sometimes).  In using this scenario, it gave Ms. Gibbs the opportunity to allow feelings to develop between Rachael and John based on trust and need.

In ANGEL IN MY HEART, DEVIL IN MY SOUL author Linda Hays-Gibbs brings the reader another exquisite fantasy and inspirational tale of Good vs. Evil.  The reader will experience all the emotions of a sensual tale with the awakening of true love for a man who had lost his soul and learned that by the grace of God, he could be saved.

Bottom line:   ANGEL IN MY HEART, DEVIL IN MY SOUL gives a very powerful message without being preachy and it combined a beautiful story that was emotionally felt, making this a highly recommended read!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

CIRCLE OF 7 BOOK 1: KNIGHT AWAKENED
Coreene Callahan
ISBN:  978-1612183039 (Paperback)
ASIN: B007FU89CY (Kindle)
ISBN: 978-1455885909 (Unabridged Audio)
December  2012 (Paperback)
December 2012 (Kindle)
December 2012 (Unabridged Audio)
Montlake Romance / Montlake Romance / Brilliance Audio
Paranormal Romance

In Medieval times a vicious warlord Vladimir Barbu wrests control of Transylvania. However in spite of his triumph his claim to the throne is not secure.  The high priestess needed to crown him has disappeared without a trace. Not to be thwarted he has sent out his best assassin trackers to find and bring her to him – dead or alive.  For one of those assassins, Xavian Ramir, killing is the only life he has known. Kidnapped from his family as a child he was tortured and trained to become an elite killing machine.  However, he longs for something more and vows for a better life. The bounty on the high priestess’ head will set him up for that better life – only when he sees her his conscience stirs to life and he knows he could never deliver this beautiful spirited woman to his brutal overlord.

Afina Lazar never wanted the role of high priestess, but witnessing the brutal murders of her mother and sister leave her no choice. Afina runs now with the only things she values – the magical amulet entrusted to her care, and the love child of her sister, she now claims as her own.

***  After reading FURY OF SEDUCTION by this author, I was wholly intrigued and smitten with the crisp clean writing and exciting stories Ms. Callahan had written.  Therefore I was more than ready to pick up the first book KNIGHT AWAKENED of her new series to see if the other series by her was just a fluke or this author had that something special which sets her apart.  Believe me, Ms. Callahan has that something special and it is reflected in her writing that can captivate the reader right from the start.

Right off the bat I was intrigued by Xavian – a long awaited heir to an aristocratic family snatched from the loving bosom of said family, then beaten, tortured, and brainwashed to drive any type of compassion out of him so that he could become the elite assassin the monstrous Barbu demanded of him.  However, the lead that steals the show is definitely Afina. Smart and courageous in her own right,  after a bit of intimacy with Xavian, her real skills were unleashed with a touch of magic and she became an amazing heroine, when near Xavian.  The author showed how that together they could feed off of one anothers energy helping to both increase and heal one anther.  This was an aspect that I thought really made the novel soar.

Speaking of soaring, Callahan also inserts a trio of incredible dragon’s; some other magnificent male assassins, and truly evil villains, which as a whole make for a truly action packed and exciting hard-to-put-down tome!

Bottom Line:  Callahan’s KNIGHT AWAKENED is the first book in a new series that will make this author soar right up with the biggest names in the paranormal/ fantasy genre!

Marilyn Rondeau, for www.ck2skwipsandkritiques.com

DRAGON DIARIES BOOK 1: FLYING BLIND
Deborah Cooke
ISBN: 978-0-451-23388-2
Kindle ASIN: B004LRPDKU
June 2011
NAL Trade
Young Adult
Paranormal Romance/Light Fantasy
Trade Paperback and eBook

Zöe Sorensson is desperate to take her place as the dragon’s (called Pyr) Wyvern. Each generation has only one Wyvern and she is granted special abilities that aid the Pyr in their existence. This year she’s finally beginning to see an inkling of her powers and so she is sent to the Pyr’s version of boot camp. However, something is seriously awry and Zöe will have to fully realize her powers if she and the rest of the young Pyr are to survive.

FLYING BLIND is the first in a young adult series featuring the younger generation from Deborah Cooke’s adult books. It is not necessary to read the adult books to understand or follow the storyline of FLYING BLIND.

Zöe is immature but it is her “friends” who are even more difficult to like. Yes, all of the problems and behaviors are explained as the story unveils but it didn’t leave me feeling overly appreciative of their personalities. I think the boot camp went on a bit too long, giving us too much petty arguing and bullying to truly develop a liking for the majority of the characters. Perhaps the second book in the series will redeem some of these characters a bit more.

I really like the world building of FLYING BLIND. Hopefully, future books will give us more insight into the Pyr world without making the characters fight and argue quite so much.