Hot Spell (Includes: Demon World, #2; Breeds, #6; The Guardians, Prequel) by Emma Holly

Jun 07, 2008 L8blmr rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: PN erotica lovers

Recommended to L8blmr by: Shellie, bless her dear heart!

FINALLY! An anthology full of stories that ROCK! I'll admit - I'm reading through Leigh's "Breed" series (thanks to a friend who loaned them to me) so I started with that one, which didn't disappoint. Then I went back and read Holly's story, and, OH, MY!!! It's almost like a cross between "Passion" and "The Lady's Tutor" but written in Holly's own, unique style. Even with two fans and a room air conditioner running in my room, I still overheated! The PN hero is a different take on "demons" and q...more

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Daisiemae Heck...I wouldn't know what organization was it if hit me upside the head.
I don't go to the Amazon Forum much anymore. I hate the drame there. I will...more
Jun 06, 2008 06:42pm

Laura Tammy--
I was thinking about it last night, and the main reason I have been bored by the Amazon forums in the last two months (besides the drama) is th...more
Jun 07, 2008 04:29am

Feb 13, 2008 Daisiemae rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Colleen

Recommended to Daisiemae by: Amazon

Shelves: erotica, books-to-i-will-never-part-with, werewolf-shapeshifter

This book consists of 4 stories. 3 really good stories and 1 not so good.

The Countess's Pleasure by Emma Holly
First, let me say I am normally not an Emma Holly fan. I have read a few stories by her, and some are better than others..having said that, I really liked this story. Set in victorian times in a place called Bhamjran...Georgiana, a young widow, travels there for adventure. She comes across a show in which a very handsome Yama or Demon is performing. Amazed by him, and his sensual perform...more This book consists of 4 stories. 3 really good stories and 1 not so good.

The Countess's Pleasure by Emma Holly
First, let me say I am normally not an Emma Holly fan. I have read a few stories by her, and some are better than others..having said that, I really liked this story. Set in victorian times in a place called Bhamjran...Georgiana, a young widow, travels there for adventure. She comes across a show in which a very handsome Yama or Demon is performing. Amazed by him, and his sensual performance she gives him an offer he can't refuse.
I only wish the story had been longer. I really liked the hero and heroine together, but even though the story is short, it is well written and very enjoyable.

The Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh
This story is the reason I bought this book. I am a Lora Leigh fan, and she does not dissappoint with this one! I only wish the story was longer. I really enjoy the breed books and anyone who likes this series will really like this story. What sets it aside from the others is the humor. Tarek and Lyra really have a great rapport and find humor in the way they communicate with one another. This story also shows how difficult the breeds may have fitting in the outside world.

The Blood Kiss By Shiloh Walker
This story started off a little slow for me, but quickly picked up the pace and I ended up really liking it also. Roman is king of the werewolves. His brother has been kidnapped by the King of the Vampires. Vampires and Werewolves are sworn enemies. To save his brother, Roman decides to kidnap the Vampire Kings daughter...Julianna. Instead, he ends up befriending her and since she does not approve of her father's behavior, she sets out to help him. Once again, the relationship between Roman and Julianna is very sweet and sensual. This story will not disappoint.

The only story I had problems with was Falling for Anthony by Meljean Brook. It just didn't hold my interest. It needs a larger format than a short story premises.
I hope ya'll give this book a try. Even those who don't like Paranormal books will enjoy this one. It was well worth the read and quite enjoyable-especially for an anthology.

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May 13, 2009 Theresa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, anthology, fantasy-pnr

Truly, this book could be renamed “Deflowering 101” or “OMG, You’re a Virgin!”. I’m not very creative, I know, but I hope you get the idea… all four stories feature virgins. Three of which lose their precious flower (*gag*) in the most unromantic, uncomfortable ways/places I have read about in a long time.

1. "The Countess's Pleasure" by Emma Holly: 5 stars... By far, this story was my favorite entry in this anthology. Emma Holly has an amazing ability to create a well-drawn world and believable...more Truly, this book could be renamed “Deflowering 101” or “OMG, You’re a Virgin!”. I’m not very creative, I know, but I hope you get the idea… all four stories feature virgins. Three of which lose their precious flower (*gag*) in the most unromantic, uncomfortable ways/places I have read about in a long time.

1. "The Countess's Pleasure" by Emma Holly: 5 stars... By far, this story was my favorite entry in this anthology. Emma Holly has an amazing ability to create a well-drawn world and believable characters in only - hmm - 73 pages. I didn't want this story to end - it was that good!

2. "The Breed Next Door" by Lora Leigh: 4 stars... enjoyed the story in general, but the "barb" was distracting and to my apparently delicate sensibilities, disturbing and over the "ew" line. Seriously, if a "barb" ever came out of a man's appendage and attempted to breach me, I'd be grabbing a cleaver to kill the thing. Note to self: no Feline Breeds for me!

3. "Falling for Anthony" by Meljean Brook: 4 stars... this was my second read by Ms. Brook. I really liked Emily's character - she's complex, goes after what she wants, and cares deeply for those in her family - such as her brother, Colin, and her nephew, Robert. She was a well-drawn character and her chemistry with Anthony was very nicely done. The reason the story didn't get 5 stars is because the author completely bores me to tears when she goes in to the history of the Guardians/Demons, etc and the world-building. This isn't the normal reaction I have to very detailed world-building - which this is, no question - it is just the way the author goes about explaining it. It bores me to the point where I considered skipping to the next story.

4. "The Blood Kiss" by Shiloh Walker: 1 star... Note to self: I do not like the way this author writes - do not buy any of her books. I don't mind cursing in books (I do read BDB after all), but the language in this short story was unbelievable. Really, cursing for the sake of cursing doesn't make it cool - at least not in my opinion. The "f" word should be its own character! Roman, the hero, was sexy until he went all crazy with the "my woman" (as in, his property) and "f-this, f-that" nonsense. He also refers to taking of the heroine's virginity as f*cking her! What a damn romantic! Oh, and then there is the part where HE BACKHANDS A WOMAN OFF A ROOF! I am not kidding... And then there are definite hints that he is going to torture her to death later!! That is not my definition of a hero. Rape should also be noted as almost being a character in this book. I figure the author used this method as a way to show how barbaric certain vampires are in the story, but my God, enough with the rape! The author does a fade to black between the villain and one of his women - whom while being raped, does enjoy it in a way. OMG! Revolting.(less)

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Mar 04, 2009 Mojca rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthology, series-breeds, lora-leigh, part-of-a-series, paranormal-romance-fantasy, gr-author, gr-friend, shape-shifters, weres, vampires, own

The best part of this four-novella anthology was Lora Leigh's Breed novella. Certainly not one of the best stories in the series, and entirely too short, I barely started enjoying the story when it was already over.

Shiloh Walker's was one of those hidden gems and the first story by the author I've read. I'm sure it won't be the last.
The twist of "combining" two utterly different creatures of the lore was a nice move, yet I felt that sort of conflict could've been explored a little further. Un...more

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Jul 22, 2011 Cecilia Quick rated it 4 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This had 4 short stories.
1. The Countess's Pleasure by Emma Holly.
I've never read her work before, and this could have been crass (wealthy aristocratic widow, goes to a slummy area and pays for sex with a slave) but was actually rather touching and poignant. I'd read more of her work.

2. The Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh.
This is one of my favorite Lora Leigh stories. I find I prefer her short stories to her novels, as the latter are often repetitious and lose the thread of the plot, whereas with...more This had 4 short stories.
1. The Countess's Pleasure by Emma Holly.
I've never read her work before, and this could have been crass (wealthy aristocratic widow, goes to a slummy area and pays for sex with a slave) but was actually rather touching and poignant. I'd read more of her work.

2. The Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh.
This is one of my favorite Lora Leigh stories. I find I prefer her short stories to her novels, as the latter are often repetitious and lose the thread of the plot, whereas with the short stories the plot is as important as the sex. I really like the characters in this one, the heroine is spunky and cute and I love that the hero has never had baked bread or coffee before and looks hangdog when the heroine bakes. I laughed out loud that this stud couldn't figure out how to mow the lawn and hacked up her roses. I know just how the heroine felt about that-anyone who messes with my roses better put up his dukes! and it doesn't hurt that Lora Leigh writes great sex scenes.

3. the Blood Kiss by Shiloh Walker.
This was my first story of hers. I'm not sure I'll read more. Really interesting premise but the heroine was a nitwit and rather stupid, and tried my patience. The most interesting character was a secondary character, the vampire Mikhail. It's a problem when I'm reading to learn more about the ancillary characters than the main ones. I found the story of the Countess who warned the hero about the Blood Prize more interesting than the main story.

4. Falling for Anthomy by Maljean Brook.
I loved this story. I liked it that the heroine acted impetuously and suffered consequences from her actions but learned and grew from her mistakes. I liked that both the hero and heroine were flawed but fundamentally decent, and had a second chance with each other. The premise of the Guardians was intriguing, and I especially found the characters of Hugh and Lilith interesting. I loved that Lilith wasn't quite bad but wasn't quite good, either, and was unrepentent about her trouble making ways. I'd like to read more about those two.(less)

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Feb 02, 2011 Christie rated it 1 of 5 stars

Oh dear. I bought Hot Spell on a whim, intrigued by the promise of ‘paranormal passion’. What I got were four rather tame novellas rife with cliched descriptions of sex with four perfect men.

In the first story, 'The Countesses’s Pleasure', the heroine Georgiana DuBarry hooks up with an indentured demon, Sawai. Recently widowed, Georgiana hires Sawai to deflower her, because although she had positive feelings for her husband - theirs was a sexless marriage. Sawai is hot!hot!hot! and brings Georgi...more Oh dear. I bought Hot Spell on a whim, intrigued by the promise of ‘paranormal passion’. What I got were four rather tame novellas rife with cliched descriptions of sex with four perfect men.

In the first story, 'The Countesses’s Pleasure', the heroine Georgiana DuBarry hooks up with an indentured demon, Sawai. Recently widowed, Georgiana hires Sawai to deflower her, because although she had positive feelings for her husband - theirs was a sexless marriage. Sawai is hot!hot!hot! and brings Georgiana to the pleasure of the title many times over…and in less time than it takes for you to say ‘multiple orgasms’, they’ve fallen in love.

In Leigh’s story, 'The Breed Next Door', Tarek Jordan is a member of the Feline Breed on an undercover stakeout. One might think he’s scouting for coffee and fresh-baked bread because he does quite a bit of drooling over the smells coming from his neighbour, Lyra’s, kitchen. There’s a convoluted plot, of course, but it turns out that Lyra is Tarek’s mate. So, there’s sex…and a happy ending.

In 'Falling for Anthony' by Meljean Brook, a young doctor is granted the opportunity to come back from the dead as a Guardian, to help the sister of his childhood friend recover from a vampire’s bite. (And when he does recover, he’s one of those sweet vampire types, apparently.)

And finally, werewolves battle vampires in 'The Blood Kiss' by Shiloh Walker. The prize, Julianna Capriet (um- obvious much? oh why not call her Capulet – she may as well have been, the story is a total rip off of Shakespeare’s play) is the daughter of the Vampire King…but her heart belongs to Roman, the Wolf King. La la la.

Three of the women in these stories are virgins, ripe for the taking. The men are all perfect specimens. There are lots of sighs and moans and breaching of virgin tissue. I might have loved this book 20 years ago- but for my money- fanfiction is a hundred times better.

A good book for the beach- you won’t be heartbroken if you leave it in the sand.

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Sep 13, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: historical-paranormal-romance, erotic-paranormal-romance, fantasy-and-paranormal-romance, 5-star-historical-romance

5 stars for one story, 4 and 3 stars for the other three stories.

This book contains the following four stories.

5 stars for THE COUNTESS'S PLEASURE by Emma Holly.
I loved it. It was different and sensual. The ending was wonderful. There was a surprise in the plot that I did not expect. It was erotic and also a very nice story. Story brief: Georgiana is a widow. She visits a ladies nightclub in Bhamjran where a yama (demon) is enslaved and must perform on stage in the nude.

Sexual language: strong....more

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Oct 06, 2009 Melindeeloo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Even better the second time around
I don't tend to reread books, I have such a backlog of books waiting to be read that I don't normally take the time. This time I was pleased that I did. When I originally purchased this book, I bought because of Emma Holly's demon story, I had read and enjoyed The Demon's Daughter (Berkley Sensation), so it wasn't much of a surprise that the Countess' Pleasure was my favorite story both then and now. It is exceedingly steamy but there is a sweetness in the rom...more Even better the second time around
I don't tend to reread books, I have such a backlog of books waiting to be read that I don't normally take the time. This time I was pleased that I did. When I originally purchased this book, I bought because of Emma Holly's demon story, I had read and enjoyed The Demon's Daughter (Berkley Sensation), so it wasn't much of a surprise that the Countess' Pleasure was my favorite story both then and now. It is exceedingly steamy but there is a sweetness in the romance along with the heat and a vulnerablity in the hero that was unexpected and appealing.

The Blood Kiss was fun too. A take on Romeo and Juliet, only their feuding clans are werewolves and vampires and both Roman Montgomery and Juliana Capriet aren't the silly tragic teens, but are strong, stubborn and intelligent.

Falling for Anthony is the reason I reread this book. I must admit that I didn't enjoy it nearly as well the first time. Meljean Brooks has a very complicated world in her Guardian series and this story doesn't stand apart from the series well. That said, after reading The Guardians: Demon Angel (Book 2) (Berkley Sensation) I foung this story very entertaining. It filled in holes in Demon Angel and made portions of The Guardians: Demon Moon (Book 4) (Berkley Sensation) more poignant. In rereading this story it was enjoyable seeing Hugh, Lilith and Michael now that we know them so well, since understanding their interactions and motivations made this story more interesting. So from my experience the Guardian series should be read in this order: Demon Angel, Falling for Anthony, Paradise in Wild Thing and the Demon Moon.

The fourth story the Breed Next Door, will probably please Lora Leigh fans since she seems to have written quite a few Breed stories, but I didn't care for it either time I read it. It starts out promisingly with the hero unsure of his humanity but longing for it and for love and acceptance, after knowing only brutality. But once he gets together with his "mate" it deteriorates. The language is graphic and repetative, and the love scenes uninspired.

For an anthology 3 out of 4 isn't bad, and if you've been reading the Guardian series you will definately want to read this one.

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Aug 02, 2009 Willow Brook rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: pnr-misc

What I really liked about this book:

Lora Leigh's "The Breed Next Store" -- 4 stars -- Sweet (for Lora Leigh) story of a breed and the mate he discovers living next door to him. You see the softer side of her breeds as Tarek tries to live a "normal" life. He loves doing such mundane tasks as mowing the lawn though he does it poorly. He also enjoys joying verbal sparring with his neighbor Lyra, when he isn't angling for some of her freshly baked bread. Their romance takes off when Tarek comes to...more What I really liked about this book:

Lora Leigh's "The Breed Next Store" -- 4 stars -- Sweet (for Lora Leigh) story of a breed and the mate he discovers living next door to him. You see the softer side of her breeds as Tarek tries to live a "normal" life. He loves doing such mundane tasks as mowing the lawn though he does it poorly. He also enjoys joying verbal sparring with his neighbor Lyra, when he isn't angling for some of her freshly baked bread. Their romance takes off when Tarek comes to Lyra's aid against an evil trainer from when breeds were held in captivity. My only complaint is the story was way too short.

Shiloh Walker's "The Blood Kiss" -- 4 stars -- Just when I had given up on the book, it was a nice surprise and a good way to end. I've never read this author before and am impressed enough to try some of her other books. Nothing earth-shattering here but a fun story of a Werewolf King who kidnaps an evil Vampire's daughter, who just happens to be his mate.

What I didn't like about this book:

Emma Holly's "The Countess's Pleasure" -- 2 stars -- Really just erotica, not that much of a plot and almost all of the plot there was involved sex. Slightly sweet love story and short enough that I was able to finish it without being bored.

What I really didn't like about his book:

Meljean Brook's "Falling for Anthony" -- 1 star -- Complicated (a kinder reviewer used the adjective "ambitious") plot involving Guardians that are somehow different from angels, the rules a Guardian lives under, Nosferatu (evil Vampires), Vampires who are not evil (by this point I was skimming so not sure if they are all ok, or just some of them), demons (who are bad but not as bad as Nosferatu) and humans. I tried gamely to read the story. Then I tried skimming to get to the end but it just wouldn't stop. Way too much going on for a short story. All kinds of world building there just wasn't time for. I finally gave up and moved on to the next story. My biggest complaint is that it took up 40% of the Anthology while Lora Leigh's story was a mere 20%. Make that my bitterest complaint.

Earlier this week, I noticed "The Breed Next Door" by itself is now available for the Kindle. Though I enjoyed Shiloh Walker's entry, I wish this choice had been available when I was making my purchase of the Anthology. (less)

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Apr 05, 2008 Wendy rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book. I have never read anything from any of the authors and thought that this book was a wonderful introduction. I really enjoyed all of the stories. The first three were quite a bit different than your normal paranormal. The fourth 'The Blood Kiss' by Shiloh Walker, was your typical romance/paranormal, but still a good read. I have placed a couple of Meljean Brook's books on my wishlist and look forward to reading more by these authors.

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Aug 25, 2011 Quinn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: library-book, anthology, erotic-romance, paranormal-romance

I really wish authors and publishers would stop sneaking short instalments from established series into anthologies, because suckers like me not only can't skip them, we end up having the read the whole thing - I'm one of those weird readers who can't read a series out of order, or read only one story in an anthology (and I very rarely DNF a story, even in an anthology).

And while occasionally you might find a hidden gem or discover a new author to try, more often than not it's just a waste of yo...more

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May 04, 2010 Starfire rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 6-10, short-stories, supernatural-chick-pr0n, urban-fantasy

A real mixed bag of stories.

The Emma Holly one surprised me - I've read one of her novels (Courting Midnight?) and really didn't find her writing worked for me. However,
I enjoyed the premise and the writing in her short story here, and found a couple of scenes in there scorchingly hot. 7/10

The Lora Leigh one not so much, but then none of her Breed books have ever really clicked for me - I like the concepts, but the execution (and the crazy possessiveness of the male leads, and the repeated stal...more

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Jan 27, 2012 Anna rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, demons, angels, fantasy-paranormal, series

* Read only "The Guardians" prequel, "Falling for Anthony" by Meljean Brook *

I began reading this, without really being aware of the plot, nor Goodreads ratings, it was just there and i thought why the hell not? Can't say i'm thrilled about it, it gripped me in the beginning 'cause i was under the impression that i would be reading something different from what i'm used to, but as it progressed, it was just another paranormal romance. It wasn't bad, but it just didn't do it for me.

Emily's chara...more

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Jan 21, 2012 Sophie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal, raunchy-erotic, romance, series, novellas

"The Countess's Pleasure" by Emma Holly. Give it 3 stars..
Not a bad read, quite easy to get into. Was bit different with the whole demon and human coexisting outlook...

""The Breed Next Door" by Lora Leigh. Probably give it 4 stars...
I really enjoyed this quick novella for the Breed series. Was short and sweet but it still included the best parts of what Leigh brings to the Breed series. Recommend giving it a go if you are following the Breed series.

"The Blood Kiss" by Shiloh Walker. Prob 3.5 sta...more

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Apr 05, 2011 Cody Young rated it 2 of 5 stars

I read this for the Lora Leigh story - 'The Breed Next Door' which was recommended to me by a friend. Lora Leigh's trademark is the hot steamy sex scene and certainly there are plenty of them here (in a relatively short story, too). The characterization was a little unconvincing. The heroine, Lyra, lives alone and rushes out to ask her (hot, sexy) neighbor not to attack her rose bushes with a weed-eater. So far so good, but that makes her sound like a childless divorcee or a widow or something....more

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Jan 18, 2009 Heather Watkins rated it 4 of 5 stars

I too bought this anthology for the continuation of the Breeds.

The Breed Next Door: Tarek was a breed. Lyra was his neighbor. At first he did things in his yard that just got on Lyra's nerves. But he could not stay away from the fresh smell of coffee and baked goods. He didn't eat fresh things like that but loved them. The council were always looking for breeds. Lyra was just one unlucky neighbor who got involved with one.

After an attack, a break-in on her home and many more things, Tarek took...more

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Apr 11, 2012 Marsha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: erotica, fantasy, science-fiction-speculative-fiction, romance, literature-fiction, anthology-short-stories, series-entry

There are four tales of erotica in this book so the choices are a little more limited than in a lot of other erotic anthologies. While I would have preferred more choices in the stories, I must judge this books on its own merits and not on that of other anthologies. I liked two out of the four because the men in them weren't so domineering; in fact, one man was being paid for his services! It's not quite what you're thinking but it definitely was a twist on the usual story of male subjugation of...more

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Dec 31, 2010 Telma rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: paranormal-romance

Resumo: 1811, Inglaterra. Anthony é um médico e amigo de infância de Emily e Colin. Apesar da atracção que sente por Emily, por serem de classes sociais diferentes, nunca se atreveu a declarar-lhe o que sente. É por isso um dia surpreendido por Emily e este promete-lhe que regressará um dia. Anthony parte como médico de campanha para a guerra a decorrer em Espanha e aí tem um encontro fatal com uma criatura sobrenatural. Mas, por ter salvo no último minuto o seu colega, Michael decide transforma...more Resumo: 1811, Inglaterra. Anthony é um médico e amigo de infância de Emily e Colin. Apesar da atracção que sente por Emily, por serem de classes sociais diferentes, nunca se atreveu a declarar-lhe o que sente. É por isso um dia surpreendido por Emily e este promete-lhe que regressará um dia. Anthony parte como médico de campanha para a guerra a decorrer em Espanha e aí tem um encontro fatal com uma criatura sobrenatural. Mas, por ter salvo no último minuto o seu colega, Michael decide transformar Anthony num guardião. Contra as regras, Michael decide enviar Anthony de regresso à Terra apenas 10 meses a sua transformação, para proteger Emily e Colin de um Nosferatu. E é durante esse período que Emily e Anthony assumem a atracção que sentem um pelo outro, mesmo sem a esperança de ficarem juntos. Mas talvez as regras tenham cláusulas que permitam excepções.
Crítica: Depois de ter lido o fantástico The Iron Duke da mesma escritora, procurei que mais tinha escrito. Este conto, Falling for Anthony, é a sua primeira publicação e introduz a saga dos The Guardians. Muito diferente, e muito distante da qualidade do The Iron Duke. Não achei que fosse mau, porque a criação do universo assim como todo o contexto onde se desenrola a acção, é muito bom. No entanto, a acção e o romance foram em muitos aspectos fracos. Fiquei um pouco com a impressão que a escritora se sentiu pressionada quanto ao tamanho do conto e então tentou condensar o máximo de acção, sexo e romance possíveis, fora introduzir uma mitologia. Por isso os personagens resultam um bocadinho como folha de papel, sem uma verdadeira profundidade. Acredito que estes aspectos irão melhorar ao longo da saga.
Expectativa e estado de espírito: Esperava uma história bem escrita e boa para adormecer. Li em pouco tempo porque estou de férias.
Pontos positivos: O universo criado, muito interessante.
Pontos negativos: A pressa com que as coisas acontecem com os personagens.
Fez-me reflectir sobre: Nada. (less)

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May 26, 2009 Jean rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-romance-erotica, would-read-again

1 - The Countess's Pleasure, by Emma Holly
Not the best ever by Emma Holly, but still very enjoyable and very sexy!

2 - The Breed Next Door, by Lora Leigh
I enjoyed this one a lot. Short, sweet and sexy. I think this series works better as short stories instead of full novels.

3 - Falling for Anthony, by Meljean Brook
This one was my least favorite in the book. It was a little complicated for such a short story. Still a decent read, though.

4 - The Blood Kiss, by Shiloh Walker
I enjoyed this one a lot....more

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Apr 05, 2011 Jennifer rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: angels-and-demons, paranormal-romance, anthology, breeds

I am giving up, I am just not going to finish this... the 3 stars are completely, entirely for the Meljean Brook novella in here, which is a prequel to Demon Angel, and was the reason I picked this up at all. I did read the first 2 stories in the book, but I was not left with a meaningful impression of them, other than just general raunchiness for the sake of raunchiness. I really did enjoy the Brook novella though! Actually it alone may have been worth more than 3 stars for me but the others ar...more

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Apr 09, 2011 ♥ Sarah ♥ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: anthologies, demons, erotica, sci-fi, angels, vampires, weres-shifters, historical-romance, paranormal-romance

The Countess's Pleasure by Emma Holly: (4.5 stars)
(Tale of the Demon World, #2)
This was my first Emma Holly story, and I have to say I enjoyed it immensely. I would probably classify it as erotic-romance because it has lots of yummy-delicious demon sex going on. But, there's also romance too.

Georgiana is a widowed Countess who has never known the pleasure of making love. Her late husband was unable to fulfill this and so she's still starving for this kind of touch. When she arrives in Bhamjran,...more

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Mar 28, 2011 Ariel rated it 3 of 5 stars

i read this one directly after the breeds #5, meaning i was recovering from wisdom teeth surgery. i read the last anthology and the breeds #6. i will review the breeds #6 first and then the last anthology in the book (the name slips my mind)--the other ones did not interest me.

breeds #6:

alright, i really did not care for this one that much at all. since it was anthology length (BIG mistake). this was a mistake because her writing style involves a lot of character and plot development before the...more i read this one directly after the breeds #5, meaning i was recovering from wisdom teeth surgery. i read the last anthology and the breeds #6. i will review the breeds #6 first and then the last anthology in the book (the name slips my mind)--the other ones did not interest me.

breeds #6:

alright, i really did not care for this one that much at all. since it was anthology length (BIG mistake). this was a mistake because her writing style involves a lot of character and plot development before the two actual main characters develop together. normally i wouldn't mind that (as i haven't in her other breeds books), but this book was insanely short (anthology length)--and that is just not good enough in this case. the whole story was revolving around the girl's POV, which distinctly bothered me because she usually writes in the breed's POV, so i didn't know as much as i wanted to. i did find this a great change of pace though, i will give lora that. they were neighbors and had a "normal" life together, which was a fresh take on her usual flow of breed books. he was controlling, but it seemed to be his personality, not because he was a breed. he hid himself very well and the couple wasn't as irritating as the others. they seemed to get along well enough. the only thing i did not like about HIM was that he knew everything about the breeds and continued to persue their relationship without telling her. the only thing i didn't like about HER was that she called on her brothers/dad too much. are you a teenager? overall, the main problem was the length. otherwise, well-written.

anthology in the back of the book:
this story just caught my eye because i was waiting for my friend to pick me up. i skimmed the story and found it interesting enough, but when i started to read it, i found it strangely like an adult version of "twilight." i actually was very much so hooked into it when i was reading it and i made the connection later, but the writing style was completely flawless. i would give this one a 4 out of 5. it WAS a typically love story, but i can't explain how much i loved reading it.(less)

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Jul 26, 2010 Emily rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed-books

I've used my box of chocolates metaphor for anthologies before- that sometimes you get peanut butter covered in dark chocolate, and sometimes you get icky apricot. Hot Spell doesn't distinctly fall into one camp or another; instead, each story is, for better or worse, incredibly unique, and they need to be considered individually.

First up is The Countess's Pleasure by Emma Holly. I haven't read anything by this author before and I'm not sure if this offering was enough to make me want to pick up...more I've used my box of chocolates metaphor for anthologies before- that sometimes you get peanut butter covered in dark chocolate, and sometimes you get icky apricot. Hot Spell doesn't distinctly fall into one camp or another; instead, each story is, for better or worse, incredibly unique, and they need to be considered individually.

First up is The Countess's Pleasure by Emma Holly. I haven't read anything by this author before and I'm not sure if this offering was enough to make me want to pick up more. The setting is interesting enough; a fictional desert land called Bhamjran, where a demon race interacts with humans in a carefully segregated society. Georgianna is a recently widowed, sexually denied young woman who happens upon a bordello where an exceptionally handsome demon is working off a life debt. She makes him an offer he can't refuse and their relationship takes off from there. I found the setting and rules of this world to be the best part of this story; beyond that, the relationship felt very stiff and the scenes where the characters interact were very clinical, which sucked all of the atmosphere right out of the room. Definitely not the best short story I've ever read.
Overall Grade: C-

The second offering is The Breed Next Door by Lora Leigh, which is Tarek and Lyra's story. You'd think I'd be all over this story since I really enjoy the Breeds series, but there wasn't anything in this story that really contributed to the series overall. It's a good litmus test to see if you like the author's writing style, and the couple work well enough together, but there are definitely other installments of the series that I like a lot more and that were a lot more in depth and well done.
Overall Grade: C

The third story is The Blood Kiss by Shiloh Walker and was my first foray into this author's work. It definitely won't be my last, as this was by far my favorite story in this anthology. I love the element of opposites attract in a romance, and the romance between Roman, king of the werewolves, and Julianna, the vampire king's daughter, definitely fits the bill. Roman falls hard and fast for Julianna, even though she's part of a revenge plot to save his brother, and there's action and adventure around every turn. I'm definitely reading more by this author as my whistle is now most assuredly whetted.
Overall Grade: A

The finally story is Falling For Anthony by Meljean Brook, who was also a new author for me. I enjoyed this story, which is early on in her Guardian series, and details how the Guardians are created and how the world of the Guardians works. I'm definitely intrigued and will be reading more in this series, as it seems like there's a lot to absorb. I know this isn't the first story in this series, which may have explained a little of my confusion as I read, but the writing was good, the world vivid and unique, and the characters were interesting.
Overall Grade: B

This anthology is definitely a mixed bag, with some of the stories being much more enjoyable than others. Fans of paranormal romance will undoubtedly find good stuff here, and although the book as a whole gets a Scandalous Books designation, each story has a different level of spice and if one doesn't appeal to you, others might. I recommend this anthology, but it might be a good choice for a library book.

Overall Grade for the Book: B

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Jan 17, 2011 Colleen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthology

I finally decided to finish up this book of 4 novellas in order to clean up my "currently reading" shelves, where I was storing some books that I've read, but haven't reviewed; several self help books that require some online work to complete; a couple of books that I haven't finished because they're not very engaging, and two anthologies that I have on hand to fill in the gap between novels. Plus, one of my hopes for 2011 is to finish all the books that have been sitting on that shelf for month...more I finally decided to finish up this book of 4 novellas in order to clean up my "currently reading" shelves, where I was storing some books that I've read, but haven't reviewed; several self help books that require some online work to complete; a couple of books that I haven't finished because they're not very engaging, and two anthologies that I have on hand to fill in the gap between novels. Plus, one of my hopes for 2011 is to finish all the books that have been sitting on that shelf for months!

What the heck was I waiting for?! When they say "Hot", they mean it! OMG Emma Holly's "The Countess's Pleasure" and Lora Leigh's "The Breed Next Door" were scorchers and not for the faint of heart! Less romantic than full-throttle erotic, but both novellas have good solid stories that most romance readers will enjoy. Those who prefer less graphic description and more romance will likely want to skip purchasing this anthology.

I purchased this book specifically to read Meljean Brook's novella "Falling For Anthony," and it's probably the least graphic romance story of the bunch. Being that it is the prequel to The Guardians series, I definitely wanted to read it before continuing on with the other novels in that series.

As for the fourth and final novella Shiloh Walker's "The Blood Kiss" ... in a word: irritating. Make that two words: highly irritating! There is nothing wrong with the story or the character's per se. In fact, had she gone out of her way NOT to copy Romeo and Juliet to the point of having a balcony scene and similar descriptions of recognizable scenes/characters--but kept to the spirit of plot--I would not have been so irritated. The first few pages almost read as if she just changed the names and wrote the play word for word, but in modern vernacular. It was highly distracting having the main characters and their families be so identical to the originals: Roman and Julianna, Wolfclan Montgomery and The House of Capiet. Actually, the latter is what completely stopped me in my tracks, made me reread the preceding paragraphs from the beginning again, and from then on I noticed how everything became a cheap Shakespeare imitation. Perhaps if she called it as Clan/Coven Capiet or even Capiet House it would have been less jarring. It is really a shame because once the action started and she let it become just a weres versus vampires paranormal action-romance, my irritation all but slipped away, and I enjoyed the story.

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Jul 15, 2010 Anja rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5 stars overall.

“The Countess’s Pleasure” by Emma Holly
3 stars.
This was my first time reading Emma Holly’s work and I really enjoyed her writing. The story was hot and passionate but too short.

“The Breed Next Door” by Lora Leigh
2.5 stars.
This was also my first time reading anything by Lora Leigh. I didn’t care for the Breeds storyline and the writing was just okay.

“Falling for Anthony” by Meljean Brook
3 stars.
I shall call her Mel;jean because she likes semi-colons; they litter her prose; a dri...more

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Oct 11, 2009 Wendy (V-Lishous) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthology, erotica-romance, paranormal-scifi-romance, pub-2006, i-own, 2009-reads, cover-hottie

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The Countess's Pleasure - By Emma Holly
At first I had a little difficulty getting into this story. But once I did I found it very good. It's more of a UF with a demon thrown into the works. You'll have to read it to know what I'm talking about. Let em say the Yama is hot, and the connection between him and Georgiana is believable.

The Breed Next Door - by Lora Leigh
This is the reason I wanted to read this book. I'd read her other breed books and loved them. This is about Tarek Jordan and Lyra Mas...more

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Jan 03, 2009 Anita rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotica, paranormal-romance, anthologies

This is paranormal romance/erotica in a collection of 4 (very good) short stories. I definately recommend this book if you like steamy paranormal romance. All the sex is completely vanilla, but it is well written and passionate. The stories seem to be part of other paranormal series, though I was only familiar with two of them before reading this book.

Emma Holly story - Human widow falls for demon stripper in Bhamjran (matriarchal arabian-style society.)

Lora Leigh - Feline breed (genetically enh...more

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Jul 24, 2009 Kaleigha rated it 3 of 5 stars

I have only read The Breed Next Door in this one, as yet.

A very nice little story, introducing Tarek and Lyra. Lyra I didn't get much of a feel for (since the story was so short), but Tarek was a sweetheart. Seeing his attempts to live a "normal" life are both quite heartbreaking, and at times funny. He was a great character, considering the few number of pages to develop him. Tarek and Lyra had a nice, sweet (if that word can be used for a Lora Leigh couple)romance, and they made a very good ad...more

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May 04, 2009 Britta rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, fantasy, fiction, romance, romance-paranormal, were-creature

Tarek wants Lyra. He doesn't know why. He doesn't really care. But can this human, petite and so ... normal, have feelings for an abomination?

She works as an accountant. She makes coffee. And she bakes bread when she's stressed. How could a nobody virgin like Lyra have anything to offer the gorgeous Tarek Jordan who moved in next door six months ago?

When Lyra is attacked all hell breaks loose and we will see how far a little Mating Heat can take these two.

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May 20, 2011 ms bookjunkie rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: anthology-or-part-of, paranormal, romance

Liked it, a nice well-rounded anthology. Got to read my second Emma Holly story (definitely need to get me some more of that), had my first introduction to Lora Leigh's Breeds (while I enjoyed the story, there are a number of reasons that I'm not going to pursue the series), read the first of Meljean Brook's Guardians series (I'm gonna have to reread these in order some day) and got a glimpse of Shiloh Walker (I liked her paranormal, I've only read some contemporary by her so far).

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Hot Spell (The Guardians #0.5)

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