Blood Born (Vampire, #1) by Linda Howard and Linda Winstead Jones

Published April 27th 2010 by Ballantine Books, Mass Market Paperback, 480 pages, ISBN13: 9780345520760

When the human and the vampire worlds collide

Luca Ambrus is a rare breed: He is a vampire from birth, begotten by vampire parents: blood born. He is also an agent of the Council—the centuries-old cabal that governs vampirekind, preserving their secrecy and destroying those who betray them.

When a cryptic summons leads him to the scene of the brutal killing of a powerful Council member, Luca begins the hunt for an assassin among his own people. But instead of a lone killer he discovers a sinister conspiracy of rogue vampires bent on subjugating the mortal world.

All that stands in their way are the conduits, humans able to channel spirit warriors into the physical world to protect mankind. Chloe Fallon is a conduit—and a target of the vampire assassin who’s killing them. When Luca saves her life, an irresistible bond of trust—along with more passionate feelings—is forged between them. As more victims fall, Chloe and Luca have only each other to depend on to save the world from the reign of monsters—and salvage their own future together.

**Review**

**Spoiler Alert!** If you plan on reading the book, do not continue reading this review. … Okay, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Luca Ambrus, a vampire of over two thousand years old, is in Scotland, taking a little time off, so to speak. While he prefers the hussle and bussle of the city, at times, he needs the calming effect that his place in Scotland brings to him. The peace, the quiet. He’s lived a long life, a blood born, the son of vampire parents. Stronger than most vampires alive, he works for the Council, dispatching rogue vampires. Vampires who believe that humans are nothing but sheep, chattel, food, that they’re higher up in the food chain. Luca believes in leaving the world as it is: where humans don’t believe in things that go bump in the night.

But a war is brewing. A Rebellion has formed, and now they’ve found a descendant of the witch that cast a spell a very long time ago. This spell prevents vampires from entering a human’s home without an invitation. And once this spell is broken, the Rebellion will bring war with the humans in full force, showing the humans what they are truly meant to be.

However, the Warriors, spirits that lie in wait for each and every war, are whispering, talking, pleading with their conduits to bring them to their world. Conduits are descendants of the Warriors, and only the conduits can bring them across from their plain of existence.

Chloe Fallon is one such conduit. But she believes she’s slowly going nuts. Dreams, whispers are keeping her awake, for when she sleeps, the dreams and whispers grow stronger.

Luca is called by a longtime friend on the council, Hector. He’s certain that a Rebellion faction is forming, and asks Luca to come immediately. But Hector is murdered before he can arrive, but left enough clues with his powers to plainly show Luca his killer. But Enoch is only a foot-soldier to a higher power, and Luca plans to follow him, to see what Enoch can tell him.

The Rebellion queen, known as Regina to protect her true identity, has coerce Jonas’s help. He’s helped the council before, and she knows he has the power to do what she wants – find the location to all the conduits. If the conduits are killed, the Warriors cannot cross over, thereby ensuring the Rebellion wins the war.

But when Enoch attacks Chloe, and whispers to her, Luca hears it all, and defeats Enoch. But another surprise lies await for Luca – for Chloe can remember him. It is one of Luca’s gifts as a blood born vampire. No one remembers him the moment they turn their back. Only a very strong vampire can. It’s been a lonely life for Luca, but he’s accustomed to it. When Chloe remembers him, it’s a blow; even Glamour doesn’t work on her the way it should. There is something truly different about Chloe. The more time he spends with her, the more time he realizes she’s a conduit. The more information he gathers, the more he’s sure that there’s a Rebellion faction in the works, and the more he’s sure that the Queen, is none other than a member of the Council.

So now Luca’s job is two-fold. Not only does he have to stop the Rebellion to prevent a war, he needs to keep Chloe safe. For more reasons than one… Chloe has gotten under his skin. Even in the face of danger, she holds her head high, no matter how scared she is. She’s lived in danger all her life. A small aneurysm too dangerously close to her heart cannot be operated on, and the threat of it bursting is always there. Chloe is determined to live life to the fullest each day. Luca has never met a human like her before, and she’s gotten even more under his skin… she’s dangerously close to his heart.

**A great story, but could have used more.

I loved Luca in this story. To watch him see the world anew through Chloe’s eyes. Sure, Luca is a very old, very strong, very dangerous vampire, but Chloe is unlike anyone he’s ever met, vampire or human. Realizing what she means to this world, he vows to protect her at all costs.

Now, most who know me know I’m a paranormal nut. Paranormal in any form. There’s a mystery here, and it’s a good one. I sort of had an inkling of who the rebel queen was, but it wasn’t until one last clue is thrown to the reader do you really know who she is before seeing her real name. The mystery part is pretty good. So’s the action, the fighting. But one thing bugged the living daylights out of me.

For a paranormal-romance, I didn’t feel the romance. Luca and Chloe bonding together was an added measure for Chloe to be stronger, to help defend herself, even if only for a few seconds. While I felt a love start to grow, I felt no romance whatsoever.

And just once, I’d like to see the hero and the heroine declare their love for each other before the inevitable “about to lose the love of their life” confession happens. Just once. Anyone know of an author who can indulge me with that one?

Watching Sorin come to the realization that the queen would destroy even him, if he was in her way, was sort of bittersweet. I just wish he’d come to the realization a different way.

What I really liked was the difference in the play of the vampire world that Howard and Jones created. First, the old saying “a vampire cannot entire a home without an invitation” has been around for years/centuries, I liked how they tweeked it a little, but mentioning that it was a spell cast by a very strong witch a very long time ago. I liked that twist.

I liked how the young witch, Nevada, managed to outsmart the queen somewhat.

And I especially liked how Chloe managed to get a couple of good licks at the queen herself before and after receiving a strike from the queen that insured her death. Even while Chloe lay dying, she still managed to get one last “in your face” to the queen (ha! In your face… if you read the book, you’ll catch the unintended pun.)

The ending is a sure set up for book number two, which is what I’d expected. You can’t have a story end completely and expect to write a second book. Kudos to Howard and Jones on a book worth reading.

Rating:

Angels’ Blood (Guild Hunter, #1) by Nalini Singh

Published March 3rd 2009 by Berkley, Mass Market Paperback, 339 pages, ISBN-13: 9780425226926

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she’s the best—but she doesn’t know if she’s good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option…even if the task is impossible.

Because this time, it’s not a wayward vamp she has to track. It’s an archangel gone bad.

The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor’s edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn’t destroy her, succumbing to Raphael’s seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break…

Review: I had a very hard time putting down this book. Singh created an alternate world where vampires mix with humans and it’s just fact. But the twist is one I enjoyed very much. Angels rule over vampires, and archangels rule them all. The Quadre of Ten is made up of ten archangels, posted all over the world, and rule. Archangels are born, not made. Angels are one step up from vampires. Now, vampires aren’t ‘turned’. Humans petition archangels to be ‘Made’. Their lives are scrutinized, background checks, etc… to see if they qualify. If they are, then the process begins. Some make it through the transition, some die. Regardless, those humans who are accepted are made to sign a contract: they owe 100 years to their maker in complete subjugation. Should a vampire feel that they’ve served enough, they leave, effectively going ‘rogue’. And that’s where the Guild Hunters come in.

Hunters are hired by angels to go after the vampires that have taken off before their 100 years of servitude. Hunters find the vampires, bring them back to the angels and receive payment for services rendered.

Elena Deveraux is a hunter, and one of the best. Born ready, she can use their scent to track them down, making her one of the best hunters there are. She can tract wayward vamps anywhere. But being the best has its drawbacks; Archangel Raphael wants and needs the best, and has hired Elena through the Guild.

One of the Quadre of Ten has gone rogue; Uram has succumbed to his bloodlust, and if the world doesn’t want a repeat of the Dark Ages, Uram must be stopped – at all costs. Elena cannot scent archangels, but she can scent Uram – because he has gone rogue, he is emitting an acidic scent. But archangels and angels have an advantage: they have wings and can fly, making them harder to track.

Elena knows that failure is not an option, for failure means certain death. She may be scared to death of Raphael, of all archangels, but she cannot let a killing spree move forward.

But things become complicated, for Raphael finds Elena an enigma, and now he wants her for himself. And the more time they spend together, the harder it is to ignore what’s happening between them.

The author created a fabulous world that comes across completely believable, as if this is the way the world is now. Her writing fluid, you get swept up into the story and find it very hard to put down. The characters seem very real; the banter between Elena and Raphael is something I enjoyed the most in this book. The plot is great, with the subtle twists that get thrown in (like archangels having different powers; some being able to become completely invisible, etc…), watching all the characters interact make for very entertaining and sometimes intense scenes.

I did find a few things that got to be annoying, but it wasn’t overpowering enough to make me stop reading. Elena is a human-born tracker, and because she chose being a hunter as her profession, her father disowned her completely from the family, being told that she would have to crawl and beg to be able to return to the family. Elena refuses to back down or crawl for anyone, and constantly being reminded of it, including when she talks to Raphael about being no one’s toy, it got to be a little obnoxious. And no matter how you put it all together, you get glimpses of something that happened in the past, but not enough to really get the picture, to really understand her past, and it’s one that she refuses to talk about, no matter how many times Raphael asks. Those glimpses, without explanations, was getting rather annoying, and I hope we finally get the entire thing.

And still, even with the annoying parts, watching Elena and Raphael fall in love, the tracking of Uram, their final fight scene, what we believe to be Elena’s death – the book is fantastic! I balled my head off when I believed Elena to be dead.

An excellent first novel to a new series, and I absolutely recommend it.

Rating:

The Demon in Me (Living in Eden, #1) by Michelle Rowen

Published May 4th 2010 by Berkley, Paperback, 336 pages, ISBN-13: 9780425234686

Hell hath no fury…

Fate has led Eden Riley to become a “psychic consultant” to the police, even though her abilities are unreliable at best. Those paranormal powers are about to get her into a jam she couldn’t have predicted: After her hunky police detective partner guns down a serial killer in front of her, Eden realizes that she’s quite literally no longer alone. A voice in her head introduces himself as Darrak. He’s a demon. But not in a bad way!

…Like a woman possessed.

Darrak lost his original body three hundred years ago, thanks to a witch’s curse. This is the first time he’s been able to speak directly to a host, plus there’s a bonus: Eden’s psychic energy helps him to take form during daylight hours. He wants to use this chance to find a way to break his curse – finally. Otherwise, Eden’s going to have to learn to live with this sexy demon … like it or not.

But she thinks she might like it.

Review: Eden Riley has psychic abilities. Sometimes, she just knows things. Let me repeat that. Sometimes she knows things. Images or thoughts just come to her. And it was during one of these sometimes episodes where she caught the attention of Toronto’s chief of police. His wife’s dog had gone missing, and after calling her faithful psychic, Eden, the dog was found. And now the chief of police wants her help in finding a serial killer.

Going to the house of the last murder, along with the lead detective, Ben Hanson, she has this sudden weird vibe, a pull towards a coat closet. Sure enough, the killer had returned to the scene of the crime. When her life is threatened, Ben shoots the killer dead, and Eden watches as this black smoke rises from the corpse, hesitates, and makes a bee-line directly at her. No one else sees this black smoke.

Then she hears a voice; a male’s voice. At first, she believes there’s someone nearby. Then she realizes … the voice is coming from inside herself. Terrific – she’s been possessed – by a demon, no less.

Over three hundred years ago, Darrak’s body was destroyed, his spirit cursed, and has been living in humans bodies ever since. This is the first time one of his hosts can actually hear him and communicate with him. Not only that, but her psychic ability manages to help him take form during the daylight hours.

Now that he has a host who can not only hear him but can communicate with him, he asks for her help in finding the witch that cursed him. Once she desolves the curse, Darrak will be free, and will be able to leave Eden alone.

And now Eden is learning that the “bump in the night” beings are actually real. She pays for an exorcism that she doesn’t go through with, and now the Malleus, a group of people hell-bent (pardon the expression) on eradicating evil, won’t leave her alone. Finding the witch is beginning to look impossible, and she learns that if Darrak isn’t set free within a year, he will drain her energy dry, resulting in killing her. Oh, and as any demon, while he didn’t totally lie to her, he didn’t tell her the whole truth, either. He’s not just any demon, but an archdemon, and one of the worst kind.

What ever happened to her boring and monotonous life?

** A cute story, but not quite a paranormal romance.

Personally, I think this one should have just been put in the paranormal genre. While I saw the possibilities between Eden and Ben, the hot detective, I didn’t feel a spark between them. However, with Darrak, I could feel the pull, the attraction between them. And yet, it’s forbidden, for he can completely drain her energy if he’s not careful. And she can do worse without meaning to.

I found Eden to have a level head, even though she’s a “sometimes” psychic who completely doubts her own abilities. Can’t blame the girl – her abilities never worked when she wanted them to – they worked eradically at best. Even with all the paranormal information thrown at her, she kept her head, pushing aside her panic in order to deal with the problem at hand.

Darrak, although an archdemon, spent so many centuries possessing humans that humanity seems to have burned itself in him. He’s no longer the cruel, heartless, evil demon that he was. And he’s fallen in love with Eden. Now, more than ever, it’s important that they find someone to dissolve the curse.

At first, I found the story to be on the corny-cutesy side. Seemed it was a plot I’ve read before. But about halfway through the book, there’s a twist that takes the story in a new direction, and it improved from there. The characters are colorful, action scenes well played out, and the romance has just enough ‘zing’ to it that the reader can feel it. I may have rated it 3 stars (Goodreads does not have a half-star system), but it’s a 3.5′er for me.

Rating: .5

Street Game (GhostWalkers, #8) by Christine Feehan

Mass Market Paperback - 450 Pages - Published December 29th 2009 by Jove - ISBN-13: 9780515147605

Street Game

(GhostWalkers, #8)

by Christine Feehan

For Mack McKinley and his team of GhostWalker killing machines, urban warfare is an art. But despite a hard-won knowledge of the San Francisco streets, Mack knows from experience that too many things can still go wrong. Danger was just another part of the game—and now he’s come face-to-face with a woman who can play just as tough.

She’s Jaimie, a woman with a sapphire stare so potent it can destroy a man. Years ago she and Mack had a history—volatile, erotic, and electric. Then she vanished. Now she’s walked back into Mack’s life, as a spy with more secrets than are good for her. Against all odds, she’s hooking up with Mack one more time to take on an enemy that could destroy them both, or bring them back together in one hot, no-holds-barred adrenaline rush.

**Review: The past can haunt you.

A GhostWalker team, headed by Mack McKinley, heads to San Francisco after receiving a tip that an arms dealer has a cache hidden and waiting to be shipped. But the address can’t be right: only one loan occupant on the top floor of a three-story warehouse in the building? Tight security, but bypassable. Something’s not right. There’s nothing on the first floor, the second is high-tech, state of the art computers. But, discovering Jaimie, the woman he once had and lost, on the top floor, couldn’t be a coincidence… Could it?

Together since they were kids, the team is happy to see Jaimie again. She left a few years before, when Mack broke her heart. She’s determined to make it on her own. Creating her own software company, she on contract with the government creating high-tech software. But she has her own agenda: she’s hunting Whitney down. She wants to expose him, and those in the government who are backing him, to expose what he’s done, especially the experiments on children. She’s getting close, and they want her eliminated. However, they’ll only accomplish that over Mack’s dead body.

Mack’s ego and pride are what stopped him from going after Jaimie when she left. This time, he has no intention of letting her go. But can he convince Jaimie that he is what she wants him to be? A man who loves her?

**Another incredible book in the series! Strategy and adrenaline-packed action, it’s awesome to watch the play-by-play with all the characters. To see the comradeship between players who‘ve known each other since they were kids.

Mack, the strong, silent type, is a very intense man who will stop at nothing to keep Jaimie safe, and to bring her back with him. He refuses to lose her again.

Jaimie is determined to stop Whitney, to keep her team, especially Mack, safe. No matter how hard she guards her heart, she still loves him, even when he infuriates her.

The mystery continues, and you know the next book will receive top marks, just like this one. Action-packed, strategy-filled, with plenty of psychic energy between them all, you can’t help but love all the characters, and you can’t wait for their own stories. Two thumbs up, Ms. Feehan!!!

Rating:

Everlasting Kiss (Everlasting, #1) by Amanda Ashley

Mass Market Paperback - 384 Pages - Publisher: Zebra; 1 edition (February 1, 2010) - ISBN-13: 978-1420104431

Everlasting Kiss

(Everlasting, Book #1)

by Amanda Ashley

Desire Never Dies

Daisy O’Donnell doesn’t get the attraction some women feel for vampires. She likes her men with a heartbeat. And she’s just met one who’s full of life: Erik Delacourt, the unreasonably sexy man she keeps meeting at a popular L.A. nightclub called the Crypt. She barely knows him, but there’s no resisting the connection she feels. . .

There’s one important detail Erik hasn’t gotten around to telling her yet. He’s a powerful vampire out to hunt the Blood Thief who is draining young vampires all over the city–and who has just raised the stakes by destroying one of Erik’s friends. To Erik, Daisy is a bright spot of innocence in a world of darkness and menace. He’ll do anything–even lie to her–to keep her safe and pure.

If only he knew that Daisy has something of her own to hide. . .

**Review: With just a touch of magic!

Daisy is a Blood Thief. Using a charmed compass made especially for her by her grandmother, she can find vampire lairs, break in, and drain some of their blood while they’re sleeping, and sell vials over the internet. To her, this is a normal way of life, coming from a family of vampire hunters. Besides, vampires are moralless, soulless creatures who hunt and kill humans. Turnabout is fair play. But she can’t kill them – to her, vampires were once human beings, and she can’t stomach the idea of staking them.

She meets Erik Delacourt at a club and is instantly attracted to him. She doesn’t know what it is about him, but she can’t forget him. They meet each other a few times, even go out on a date. Nothing shocks her more when she goes out hunting for another vampire to fill in some of her online orders when she happens upon Erik’s lair. Not only is he a vampire, but a warlock. Now she’s in over her head.

Erik to Daisy immediately. There’s just something about her that’s refreshing to him. He’s falling for her, and doesn’t know what to do about that. And now that Rhys, the Master of the West Coast, wants the Blood Thief found and dispatched, what is Erik going to do? Hand over the one woman in centuries who has gotten under his skin, or hand her over, as vampire law and the threat of treachery demand him?

But as luck would have it, her oldest brother, Alex, comes to town. A price of $200,000 for Rhys’s head is too much to resist. Hunting him down, Alex is attacked, and Daisy takes Alex to the only person who can help him – Erik. Now Rhys wants them both, Alex and Daisy, dead. What is Erik to do? Should he help hide Alex and Daisy and face Rhys’s wrath, or should he hand over the woman he’s fallen in love with, and the person who means very much to her?

**Great read! Although I found the story slow at the beginning, I thought it was only going to be the usual romance. However, a twist in the story brings up the heartbeat while you’re rooting for Erik and Daisy. And just when you think the story’s over, another twist and you’re itching to turn the page to find out if it ends well. LOL, the only thing bugging me right now is I’ll have to wait until October 2010 for Rhys’s story! Oh, Ms. Ashley, can’t you make it sooner? LOL!

Rating:

Sizzle and Burn by Jayne Ann Krentz “Arcane Society” Book #3

Paperback: 480 pages - Publisher: Jove; Reprint edition (January 27, 2009) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 0515145815 - ISBN-13: 978-0515145816

 

Sizzle and Burn

by Jayne Ann Krentz

“Arcane Society” Book #3

A woman who hears voices.

A man who sees visions.

A killer who may elude them both…

Raine Tallentyre always tried to heed her late aunt Vella’s advice – and keep her paranormal abilities a secret. But when she journeys to Shelbyville, Washington, to clear out her aunt’s house, Raine’s highly developed sensitivity leads her to a horrifying discovery: a young woman held captive in the basement storage locker. And the kidnapper is on the loose.

Without warning, a new man enters Raine’s life – investigator Zack Jones. While Raine hears voices, Zack sees visions, and suddenly Raine experiences an intense, thrilling intimacy with him that she never dared to expect. There’s one complication, however: Zack is working for the secret Arcane Society. The organization – dedicated to the study of paranormal phenomenon – lost Raine’s trust long ago, when it shattered her family with an act of betrayal. Now, as a killer makes her his new target, and a cabal of psychic criminals known as Nightshade operates in the shadow surrounding them, Raine and Zack must rely not just on their powerful abilities but on each other as well.

Review: Excellent addition to the series!

When Raine went to her aunt’s house to begin clearing it out and putting it up on the market, she never expected to find a kidnap victim in the basement. The last thing she wanted was to have an agent on her doorstep – an agent from the one organization she never wanted to hear from again. Nor did she expect the sudden and intense desire to get him naked…

Zach Jones needs Raine’s cooperation and help. Nightshade needs to be shut down, and he believes that Raine’s past is connected. And now Raine had become the focus of a serial killer, while Nightshade is trying to eliminate Zack.

And just to complicate matters, Zach is experiencing the same sudden and intense desire to get her naked…

But is history about to repeat itself? Who’s after Raine? And who’s connected to Nightshade? And now that she’s fallen in love with Zach, it only seems to get more complicated…

**An excellent addition to the series!

I loved Raine’s attitude. She’s taken her aunt’s warning to heart; she may hear voices, but admitting it to anyone would make her look crazy. Bradley Mitchell, a detective with whom she’s worked several cold cases with, writes it off as instinct and intuition. And when she thought they could be something more, Mitchell shuts her down. She’s decided not to get close to anyone ever again. Seriously – who would want to be with a woman who believes she can hear voices in her head? I felt bad for her at first, but understood why. But when Zack enters her life, it’s now a possibility that she can be with someone who wouldn’t write her off as crazy. But he’s a Jones, soon to be named the head of the Arcane Society, a society she wants no part of after the death of her father and the betrayal towards her aunt.

Zach enjoys being an investigator and has no intension of being named the head of the Arcane Society, even though he’s the perfect fit. And after being betrayed and burned in the past, is vary wary of his feelings for Raine. But he needs Raine’s help, for Nightshade is growing, and he’s sure that Raine’s past is connected somehow.

I loved watching them come together; their hesitancy and wariness of each other only made things sweeter. And while both cases are connected, watching it unfold was terrific. Great action scenes, smooth love scenes, and terrific characters make up a great novel. A high recommendation for this series!

Rating:

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione – “Demonica” series Book #1

Mass Market Paperback: 416 pages - Publisher: Forever (June 20, 2008 ) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 044640103X - ISBN-13: 978-0446401036

 

Surrender to the ultimate temptation…

Pleasure Unbound

by Larissa Ione

“Demonica” series Book #1

In a place where ecstasy can cost you your life…

Tayla Mancuso is a demon-slayer who hungers for sensual pleasure – but fears it will always be denied her. Until she lands in a hospital run by demons in disguise, and the head doctor, Eidolon, makes her body burn with unslakable desire. But to prove her ultimate loyalty to her peers, she must betray the surgeon who saved her life.

Two lovers will dare to risk all.

Eidolon cannot resist this fiery, dangerous woman who fills him with both rage and passion. Not only is she his avowed enemy, but she could very well be the hunter who has been preying upon his people. Torn between his need for the truth and his quest to find his perfect mate before a horrific transformation claims him forever, Eidolon will dare the unthinkable – and let Tayla possess him, body and soul…

Review: Pleasure abound!

Tayla Mancuso is an Aegi Guardian; in other words, a demon slayer. She believes all demons are bad, especially after witnessing her mother’s murder by a demon.

While in the midst of slaying demons, her partner is killed and she’s hurt. She’s brought into the ER of Underworld General, where Doctor Eidolon patches her up. But as he’s repairing the damage, he notices something else… Tayla isn’t completely human.

They are unbelievably attracted to each other; the sparks hard to miss. Knowing she would have to betray him hurts like crazy – for demons are abominations to be killed. But at the last few second, complete catastrophy is averted when Tayla throws her exploding cell phone out into the parking lot. While two demons are killed and a few more injured, it could have been worse. And now Eidolon isn’t sure what to do with her, for obviously the second time she arrived at the hospital, it had been with ulterior motives. Even though she should be questioned thoroughly and disposed of, he can’t make himself or allow anyone else to do that to Tayla. For he’s sure Tayla is his mate. But first, he must explain to her why she’s been having weird symptoms, what’s been happening to her body, and that he can heal her just as much as she can help him divert turning into a monster.

But not everything is as cut and dried as Tayla believes. And now that the Guardian cell in New York is trying to kill her as well, someone out there is trapping demons and harvesting organs to sell on the magic black market. But she’s sure the head of the cell doesn’t know what’s going on. The question is, who is? And under what authority?

**Oh, did I enjoy this book, I could count the ways. Tayla is stronger than she appears, even after the rough childhood she lived. After witnessing the murder of her mother, she’s determined to take out as many demons as possible before she dies.

Eidolon is attracted to Tayla immediately, even when she’s hurt bad the first time he meets her. Once she’s no longer out of it, the sparks fly and you’re feeling the static even as you’re reading it!

What I liked was her inner battles. While she enjoys sex, she refuses to let go. She witnessed her mother’s rape and murder – so while she can find release when she’s ‘self-servicing’, she can’t with a man. But I loved watching Eidolon bring her past that hang-up, and it was beautiful! The sex between the two is just as hot as the sparks between them when they’re not having sex, and it made this reader wish her husband wasn’t working nights, LOL! Whew!

There’s lots of action, a mystery, twists that have you wondering. And even though you get some of the answers, you don’t get them all, but the way it’s written, you’re not left feeling frustrated. In fact, you’re left feeling excited and anticipating the next novel in the series. My only mistake: not having Desire Unchained on-hand to read next, LOL! I liked the descriptions of the different demon races, from those that love to kill to those that wouldn’t harm a fly. Definitely a novel, a series, worth reading!

Rating:

Hope’s Folly by Linnea Sinclair – “Gabriel’s Ghost” series Book #3

Mass Market Paperback: 448 pages - Publisher: Bantam (February 24, 2009) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 0553592181 - ISBN-13: 978-0553592184

 

Hope’s Folly

by Linnea Sinclair

“Gabriel’s Ghost” series Book #3

Admiral Philip Guthrie is in an unprecedented position: on the wrong end of the law, leading a ragtag band of rebels against the oppressive Imperial forces. Or would be if he could get his command ship – the derelict cruiser called Hope’s Folly – functioning. Not much can rattle Philip’s legendary cool – but the woman who helps him foil an assassination attempt on Kirro Station will. She’s the daughter of his best friend and first commander – a man who died while under Philip’s command and whose death is on Philip’s conscience.

Rya Bennton has been in love with Philip Guthrie since she was a girl. But can her childhood fantasies survive an encounter with the hardened man, and newly minted rebel leader, once she learns the truth about her father’s death? Or will her pasion for revenge put not only their hearts but their lives at risk? It’s an impossible mission: A man who feels he can’t love. A woman who believes she’s unlovable. And an enemy who will stop at nothing to crush them both.

Review: A great read, even if a little predictable.

(Bookaholic’s Review Note: Make sure to read Gabriel’s Ghost and Shades of Dark before reading this one. That’s a must!)

Admiral Philip Guthrie finds himself now aboard Hope’s Folly, what was once part of the Imperial fleet. Converted to a fruit carrier, the ship was sold to the Alliance under a few conditions: that the ship retain its name, and the cat, Captain Folly, is to remain onboard.  Now Philip is in command of the ship, and they are trying desperately to get it in working order to fight against the Imperial fleet. Philip, still recuperating from a shattered hip and leg (Shades of Dark), was attacked before getting onboard. It seems the ‘law’ wants him alive. Philip can well imagine why, but he’ll do whatever it takes not to end up in the enemies’ hands.

Rya Bennton had been an Imperial Assassin before her father had been killed. Seeing what is happening to the Empire, she is now on the other side of the law, wanting revenge. Now aboard the Folly, she wants in on the action to bring the Empire down. Philip asks her, if she was ever in the same room with the man who took her father’s life and handed a gun, would she kill him? She answers she would, without a doubt or hesitation. But when Philip hands her his gun, Rya the Rebel is confused. While Philip didn’t actually kill her father, he puts the responsibility on his own shoulders, and Rya won’t shoot him, for she’s been in love with the man since she was a kid, when her father brought Philip home to meet the family.

After the attack on Kirro Station, Rya has put herself in the position of guarding Admiral Guthrie against any more attacks. It seems that, at every turn, their efforts to get the Folly functioning, something happens to set them back. The more Rya looks into it, the more she’s convinced their have a saboteur on their ship. And now she’s determined, not only to keep the man she loves alive, but to find the person who doesn’t want the ship to fly.

**While I liked the book, I sort of found it predictable. Philip believes himself a man who can’t love, and yet, even though he refuses to, his feelings for Rya grow. A strong man, he’s determined to thwart the enemy. It’s his knowledge and determination, his personality and inner struggles that readers will love.

Rya – I loved her. She’s just as strong and determined as Philip. I liked her ‘action first, think later’ attitude, and how she’ll do whatever is necessary.

What bugged me a little was how predictable the romance part of the story was. Woman is in love with the man – man falls in love with the woman – believes it’s his responsability to protect her and is determined to put her out of harms way. Once, just once, I’d love to read the romance part of any book where the male keeps the female with him, no matter what. For once, I want the man to hold her there without the female having to fight to stay there. Just once, I want the male’s chauvinistic pride and arrogant attitude to either take a backseat or not appear at all in a love story. Will I ever get my wish? *eyeroll* I’ll let you know if and when it happens. But then again, I guess most lead male characters have to have a little alpha male attitude. *shrug*

However, besides my romance rant, I loved the action and mystery in the story. The author writes it all so well that it’s as if you’re aboard the ship, watching it all unfold in front of you. Her descriptions put you in the thick of it. I loved the characters’ inner battles. I loved the tension you feel between characters, primary and secondary. Way to go, Ms. Sinclair! Can’t wait for the next installment in the Gabriel’s Ghost universe.

Rating:

Warlord by Angela Knight contains “Jane’s Warlord,” “Warfem,” “The Warlord and the Fem,” and “Baby, You’ve Changed”

Paperback: 410 pages - Publisher: Berkley Trade (September 4, 2007) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 0425217841 - ISBN-13: 978-0425217849

 

Warlord

by Angela Knight

contains “Jane’s Warlord,” “Warfem,” “The Warlord and the Fem,” and “Baby, You’ve Changed”

Together for the first time – the acclaimed novel and novella that turned Knight into “a rising star in the paranormal pantheon” (Midwest Book Review) – plus two never-before-published stories set in an erotically charged workd that “will set your blood on fire and have you begging for mre…” (In The Library Reviews)

In Jane’s Warlord reporter Jane Colby has made a startling discovery about a recent murder. The killer has struck before – hundreds of years in the past. Now’s he’s jumped through time to find his next victim … Jane. Her only hope lies with Baran Arvid – a genetically engineered warrior from hundreds of years in the future sent to capture the predatory time traveler – even if it means using jane as bait. But can they survive the galaxies that come between them – and a madman bent on destroying them?

In Warfem a strange destiny has reunited the seductive Warfem Alina and Baird, the sexually dynamic Warlord who shared his lover’s young fantasies twenty years ago. But in this time apart, a dangerous new spark has been ignited between them. One that has held Alina captive in another’s plot of death and betrayal…

Review: Erotically charged, action, mystery, suspense, together with paranormal sci-fi elements – Knight is one heck of an author!

Jane’s Warlord

As the newspaper reporter at a crime scene, Jane Colby can only imagine how horrible the crime scene must be if the lead detective comes out and “tosses his cookies”. Upon arriving home, she faces a rather large man and what looks like a rather large wolf who broke into her home. But Baran and his partner, Freika, convince her that their there to save her, to protect her, from the murderer. Traveled back in time, Baran and his partner sent to stop the murderer and he needs Jane. Only, Jane isn’t meek. Strong, self-reliant, with a past that haunts her, she wants to fight and to use herself as bait, regardless of her fear. But not only does she accept that he’s from three hundred years into the future, she’s afraid she’s losing her heart to him, and worried about how much she’ll have changed once he goes back, for she’s losing her heart to him..

**Incredible as only Angela Knight can make it. With believable details, you really like Baran and Freika right from the start. What I liked was how Jane stood up to him even knowing that he could overpower her. I loved their banter, especially with Freika. Action was great, love scenes superb that make you squirm in your seat. Excellent plot well carried out. A truly fine story.

Warfem

Warfem Alina is carrying a file for the one she serves. She is to deliver the file, on the promise that her mistress, Rajin, would finally release her from duty and give her back her son. Baird is investigating a case of treason, afraid that his ex-lover, the woman he loved, is knee-deep in it. And while he doesn’t want to believe it, extenuating circumstances forced her to do as her mistress bid. But no more. Alina is tired of the threat Rajin holds over her son and will do whatever is necessary to get her son out of harms way. What Baird doesn’t know is that, even after twenty years, Alina still loves him, had been forced to leave him. Question is, will he understand and believe when the truth stands in front of him in the form of a ten-year-old boy?

**I liked this one. The action was great, the plot well done, even if it was small. I think Ms. Knight could have actually made this one into a novel instead of a novella, adding more to the story. I think my fave part is of the boy taking down the one person who could destroy them all. Perfect ending!

The Warlord and the Fem

Apparently, these last two first appeared on a yahoo group and added them to the book. Truthfully, I think they could have stayed out of the book. I won’t go really into deal, cause there isn’t much to begin with. Baird, a Warlord (not to be confused with Baird from Warfem – this Baird is a different character,) fights to become part of a mercenary group because of Kyna. Kyna is a Warfem, and Baird wasn’t her as his mate. But Kyna refuses, for she remembers spying on an “episode” with her sister and her Warlord, and it freaked her out. She swore to herself she would never be with a Warlord, would never play the submissive to their dominant ways in the bedroom. But Baird is determined. What I liked was that he did his damndest to “court” her, playing chess, talking, taking walks, all in the name of having her as his mate. I think, though, that Kyna could have fought him a little harder in the last scene, and while their lovemaking was great, it was short of spectacular. Could have been better – the whole story could have been.

Baby, You’ve Changed

Did not like – not one bit. There was nothing to it. Warfem Tamir and her ship, the Xe’vit, fight and lose the battle to Captain Gage Deauxville and his ship, the Intrepid. But he’s not after her ship – he’s after her. Years ago, as teens, Tamir had humiliated him, for humans aren’t strong enough to play the dominant, as Warfems need. But now Gage isn’t just merely human anymore, but a vampire, strong enough if not stronger, than Tamir. He intends to take his revenge on her in the way of how Warlord do. What I didn’t like was how. Until she submitted to him, what he was going to do was rape, and that left a sour taste in my mouth. Yes, I know that some have that fantasy, of being taken against their will. This was so not for me. Period. ‘Nough said.

Overall, I really liked the book and recommend it to any sci-fi, paranormal fan.

Rating:

Murder Game by Christine Feehan (‘GhostWalkers’ series Book #7)

Paperback: 464 pages - Publisher: Jove (December 30, 2008 ) - Language: English - ISBN-10: 0515145807 - ISBN-13: 978-0515145809

 

Murder Game

by Christine Feehan

‘GhostWalkers’ series Book #7

Return to the world of the GhostWalkers with ‘the queen of paranormal romance” (USA Today) as she raises the stakes in the ultimate game of love and death…

Games should be fun, but for two expert teams across the country, they’re murder – because the winning team is the one that gets the most kills. The participants in this violet challenge are rumored to be GhostWalkers. And Kadan Montague isn’t happy about it.

Kadan is a GhostWalker and he’s determined to clear the GhostWalker name of the rumors. To do it, he’s going to need the help of psychic Tansy Meadows. But as soon as he sees her, he knows his mission will be more complicated than he imagined – and the “murder game” may not be all what it seems.

Review: Who do you think wins this game?

Murders are happening along the coasts, and Kadan has been ordered to find out who, why, and stop them. He’s also ordered to keep it under wraps – no one on his team is allowed to know what’s going on. For the murders are suspicious – whoever is doing it, is getting in and out in a flash, no witnesses, no evidence, nothing. They’re being made to look like it’s the GhostWalkers. Someone high up has always wanted them gone. Now they’re being threatened  – a force wants them wiped out, and Kadan refuses to go down without a fight.

There’s only one person he can ask for help, and he needs to find her quick. One of many of Lily’s “sisters”, Tansy is one of enhanced girls. As a child, she’d helped the police and the FBI catch murderers with her enhanced gifts. There’s only one draw-back – the voices of the victims, of the murderers, stay in her head. Whitney had taken away her defenses and she can’t block them. After the last episode, she’d spent a long time in a hospital until she believed her mental stability would allow her to function.

Now, up in the Sierras, she’s working her freelance job, getting pictures for National Geographic. And that’s where Kadan finds her. But when he sees her, his body reacts, instantly. He knows that the enhancing Whitney did included being paired with Tansy, but what he feels is deeper; quickly, to him, Tansy is home. She sees a side of him that not even his closest friends, the other GhostWalkers, have seen.

Together, in their struggle, they track down the murderers and who is running the game. Only, he’s a ‘hunter’, and a ‘dreamwalker’, exactly like Tansy. Stopping him just got a lot more complicated.

And I so loved this book! I don’t think there is one GhostWalker novel that’s left me disappointed. I waited long enough for Kadan’s story. Kadan, who always seemed so cold, distant, ice in his veins.

I can tell you, he met his match with Tansy. She’s a strong woman, determined, like a bulldog who won’t let go once she sinks her teeth into something, no matter the cost to her. Unless it’s sex, she’s not pushover. She stands up to Kadan, like he’s never seen anyone do, and he loves her all the more for it.

I think, though, that I’d like to see the next woman be able to stand up a little stronger, to be able to push back when it comes to the sex. They constantly melt and agree to anything – I’d like to see the tables turned, and for at least one of the woman to be able to resist it.

What I really liked, the best parts, where when I busted a gut laughing at something the characters did or said. Kadan, the man with ice in his veins, was being teased, and I laughed my a** off. When that recording started playing in the car, I burst out laughing even as Tansy did. Listening to the banter between the men… all the while they’re taking out the bad guys, which is supposed to be serious, and the banter between them had me laughing so hard, I had tears! That, IMO, was THE best parts of the book.

Perfect story, plot, characters, ending… the action was superb, the sex scenes tender as much as they are intense,the twists… OMG, the twists! You find out who’s involved in what and it’s actually a shock!

Excellent! And I can’t wait for the next!

Rating: