It’s been a while since I reviewed an anthology on the blog. I’d forgotten how labour intensive it can be! This is another one of the book I purchased...moreIt’s been a while since I reviewed an anthology on the blog. I’d forgotten how labour intensive it can be! This is another one of the book I purchased at bookcloseouts.ca‘s amazing sale in July. It’s been on my radar for a while and I was hoping it would show up at the public library since I wasn’t familiar with Erin McCarthy or Linda Winstead Jones’ work but I figured it was worth the $2.49 investment when it popped up on bookcloseout.ca. I should probably add that I was a bit wary of purchasing it because the idea of a magical cat and Christmas didn’t sell me 100%, particularly when combined with the cat on the cover, who looks blissed out on some sort of hallucinogenic.
But enough about that. Without further ado, here are my thoughts on the four stories in The Magical Christmas Cat.
Stroke of Enticement by Nalini Singh
I was looking forward to this story the most since I’m a huge fan of her Psy~Changeling series. (I know, I know, I haven’t written about any of these books on the blog but I will soon. Promise.)
Annie is a teacher at a school that a lot of the DarkRiver changeling children attend. One of these kids, Bryan, hits another changeling kid and his uncle Zach is the one Annie ends up dealing with. Sparks fly, romance ensues, mild bumps along the way since it’s a short story and you can’t have really big bumps due to length constraints.
I really liked both Annie and Zach. They are well fleshed out despite the shorter length of the story and their chemistry jumps off the page. It’s also nice to see some of the characters who were central in other novels appear as secondary characters in Stroke of Enticement. It was also great to get some more insight into Changeling society. I think this is a great entry into the series and I hope to see Annie And Zach pop up again.
Oh, and the magical cat part? That’s Zach himself.
Christmas Bree by Erin McCarthy
Bree, a witch, and Ian, a lawyer, first met a year ago and have been having dirty dreams about each other ever since. They meet again when Ian comes to Bree’s family home carrying an offer to buy her house from a millionaire. This time, the magical cat is Bree’s pet, who’s walking around with mistletoe that was enchanted to stir up lust hanging out of her mouth.
This is the first time I’ve read Erin McCarthy and, I have to say, I wasn’t thrilled with the story. The title was off-putting and the premise of shared dreams propelling their love didn’t really work for me. I thought Bree and her sisters were nice characters but Ian didn’t seem very three dimensional to me. Plus, I feel like the end of the story wrapped up quite quickly and I wasn’t totally satisfied by it.
Christmas Bree‘s written in such a way that it’s obviously meant to set up other stories. I checked the author’s website and it turns out I’m right — this is the first story in Erin McCarthy’s Ohio’s Most Haunted Town series. It continues in An Enchanted Season, which I also got on super sale so we’ll see how it goes.
Sweet Dreams by Linda Winstead Jones
This story was also a big question mark even though I’ve read a couple of Linda Winstead Jones‘ books.
The magical cat in this outing is a small statue that contains a demon bent on collecting nine souls. He has eight already and Ruby is being set up to be his ninth. Her neighbour, Zane Benedict, wants to stop this from happening, but he’s not sure who’s helping the demon.
Ruby and Zane definitely start out on a sour note, mostly because he’s kind of rude to her. That all changes once he learns she’s been chosen and it was fun to watch them come together. I particularly liked the mythology in the story. The flashbacks to the previous victims and the way we learn more about the demon and those who try to stop it are well written and I really enjoyed the whole idea.
Christmas Heat by Lora Leigh
Christmas Heat is set in the Breed world. For those unfamiliar with the series, Breeds are genetically altered with predator DNA. Because of this genetic manipulation, they experience a mating heat when they find their true mate.
In this installment, Haley is a human librarian who happens to witness people working against the Breeds. As a result, they’re trying to kill her while one of the Breed soldiers, Noble, is dead set on protecting her, particularly since she’s his mate, something he’s neglected to mention to her.
Haley and Noble have great chemistry and, as always in Lora Leigh‘s books, the sex is pretty detailed since this one definitely comes with a parental advisory. I really enjoyed the emotional side of their relationship, as well as the way the story fits into the bigger plot lines of the Breed series.
Having followed Keri Arthur’s work for many years, particularly her Riley Jensen series, I was very excited when I heard she was going to be writing R...moreHaving followed Keri Arthur’s work for many years, particularly her Riley Jensen series, I was very excited when I heard she was going to be writing Risa’s story. The Riley Jensen books are fantastic paranormal romance novels with lots of action and great storylines and I was hoping that I’d be able to say the same about the Dark Angels series. Thankfully, I can!
Risa Jones was just a kid in the Riley Jensen books but she’s all grown up in this series, running a restaurant with a couple friends and trying to lead a normal life -- at least as normal as a half-werewolf, half-Aedh woman can. (For the uninitiated, the Aedh are winged beings who have varying powers and can take different states (flesh vs. energy).) It’s a change from the Riley books; Riley was a Guardian, tasked with protecting Melbourne from the evil supernaturals, while Risa definitely does not want to be a Guardian, not after seeing the toll it took on Riley. Nonetheless, she has a good grasp of her powers and knows how to defend herself, which comes in handy when her curiosity has her running around town trying to figure out why everyone is suddenly interested in her absentee father.
Risa also has to deal with new developments on the romantic front, in the shape of an Aedh named Lucien. He’s very mysterious and I’m curious to see what his role will be in future novels. In Darkness Unbound, he proves himself to be a capable ally and a sexy, sexy dude, much like Quinn in Full Moon Rising (the first Riley Jensen novel). Risa’s also attracted to one of the reapers, the beings responsible for shepherding souls after people die. This particular reaper, Azriel, is one of the many folks looking for her father and just happens to be quite appealing. This also reminded me of the Riley books since Riley found herself torn between two men for almost the entire series. But this is good news, because Keri Arthur is a genius when it comes to writing love triangles in which you (and the character) have a hard time choosing who’s a better match!Another comparison with the Riley series: lots of steaminess. Keri Arthur doesn’t shy away from the sex and Darkness Unbound is no exception. Her characters have *very* healthy lives, if you know what I mean. ;) But the romantic antics in no way detract from the main plot, which is completely engrossing.
Fans of Keri’s other work won’t be disappointed in any way, and I suspect that this new series will attract even more readers since Darkness Unbound hooks you from the start! Plus there are a lot of familiar faces, like Riley and Rhoan, who were main characters in the Riley books but who take a more secondary role in the Dark Angels series, at least so far. It’s a fun glimpse into what happened to these guys after the series was over, but you don’t have to be familiar with the characters to enjoy them in Darkness Unbound.
Everything about Darkness Unbound made me happy and I can’t wait to see what happens to Risa next, in Darkness Rising, currently in my TBR stack.
P.S. How lush is this cover? I think it’s one of my favourites of the fall. Such dramatic colours and it really incorporates a lot of elements of the story and captures Risa nicely.
I was very excited when Darkness Dawns showed up in my mailbox the other day. I loved the premise of the series before I started reading and so I coul...moreI was very excited when Darkness Dawns showed up in my mailbox the other day. I loved the premise of the series before I started reading and so I couldn’t wait to get into Darkness Dawns.
The basic idea of the world of the Immortal Guardians is pretty straightforward in some ways. There are two main forces in the world: the immortal guardians, like Roland, who try to keep humans safe from vampires. Like vampires, immortals need blood to survive. Unlike vampires, immortals have an incredibly long lifespan while vampires live for maybe a couple centuries on a slow but progressive descent into madness and murder. There’s no such thing as a good vampire in this series, which makes it stand out to my mind. Plus, the origins of the immortals are a little up in the air, which really caught my attention. I’m hoping it gets explored more in the next book.
The main characters in Darkness Dawns are nicely matched. It took me a while to like Sarah, mostly because I found her a little preachy when the subject of eating organic came up, but she’s generally a lovely heroine, especially since the book opens with her saving Roland. She’s strong and smart and kind and adjusts surprisingly well to the whole the-man-I-just-met-isn’t-a-spy-he’s-really-a-blood-drinking-immortal situation. And I love that Dianne didn’t make it a huge issue for their romance. It was just a fact amongst fact about Roland, who’s got a lot going for him. I like that the author gave him a bad history with women because it makes a lot of sense. After all, not everyone is going to react well to being told their partner isn’t what he seems, particularly when it’s something this huge.
There are also some plot threads that are meant to carry into the next book, and perhaps beyond. It’s such a tease, but in a good way, because I really want to know what’s going to happen with these plot points.
All in all, I found this book to be incredibly satisfying. There are some great action sequences and the romance between Sarah and Roland is sweet and sexy all at the same time. I love the world and the characters that Dianne Duvall has created and I can’t wait to start reading Night Reigns.
Reading A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT was bittersweet for me. I really enjoyed the two previous Abby Sinclair novels and so I was eager to see what Allison Pan...moreReading A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT was bittersweet for me. I really enjoyed the two previous Abby Sinclair novels and so I was eager to see what Allison Pang was going to do with/to Abby and her band of friends and lovers. The author has created incredibly real and complex relationships in this trilogy and I've been on the edge of my proverbial seat waiting to find out how Abby would get herself out of the pickle she put herself in at the end of A SLIVER OF SHADOW (that whole Tithe thing in the cover copy) and if she'd settle down with Talivar or Ion. The good news? Most of the big questions are answered. The not-quite-as-good-but-definitely-not-bad news? I wasn't as hooked as I've been in previous instalments.
A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT has everything I've come to expect from an Abby Sinclair novel: an unpredictable plot, fantastically fleshed-out characters, magnificent snark, and steamy romance. (In fact, the book opens with some very steamy romance, making the excerpt below NSFW.) The cover copy actually gives away a lot of the plot points, though it doesn't hurt the reading of the story since there's so much going on in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. Thankfully, part of this "so much" is also a satisfying amount of resolution for a couple of the big arcs of the series: will Abby choose Ion or Talivar, and will she ever fully control her abilities as a Dreamer?
To address the first big question: I was thrilled with how Allison Pang dealt with this. I loved the way both Ion and Taliver are portrayed in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT because they both get to shine and you can really understand why Abby has feelings for both guys. I've always been a sucker for Talivar and his tragic story (which we learn more about!!) but Ion makes some incredible gestures in this book and I felt for him in a way that I never had previously. Relationships are such a key feature of this trilogy and the author really knows how to put the reader and the characters through the ringer, not just with Abby and her men but with other folks as well. Melanie and Nobu's relationship exemplifies the word complicated and the Charlie-Robert-Moira-Benjamin situation is enough to break your heart, never mind Abby's unusual relationship with her father (and her father's with the Queen).
For the second question: I also really liked how Abby grows as a Dreamer in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT. She's been a little afraid of her gifts for a while now but she really steps up her game this time around. It's always fun watching a favourite character come into his or her own and I feel like Abby grows immensely in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT.
Despite this, I wasn't as invested this time around. I usually enjoy a well-written finale, which A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT definitely is, but I felt a little disconnected from the story and I'm not sure why. Allison Pang's writing remains outstanding and I truly did enjoy reading this book but it's probably my least favourite of the three Abby novels. At first I thought it might be because this book is darker than the rest and Phin is not his usual snarky self throughout but I generally enjoy dark (urban) fantasy so I don't think that this is the case. I think it might be information overload -- there's a lot of story and a ton of Big Events in A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT!
While I didn't love A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT as much as the two previous Abby novels, this book is still an excellent finale for the trilogy. I may not be shouting at the skies but I really did enjoy reading A TRACE OF MOONLIGHT and fully recommend the series to you. This novel offers closure on many of the main questions in the trilogy and leaves open the possibility of exploring the world further since there's definitely not a nice, neat bow for all of the characters. I follow Allison Pang on her blog and Twitter (some might say "stalk", but I'm sticking with "follow") and it looks like she's open to the idea of coming back to this world and telling another character's story, so I've got my fingers crossed. I believe she mentioned Melanie, who I've always been interested in, so here's hoping that passing comment comes true!
The third book in Susannah Sandlin's Penton Legacy series, OMEGA continues the story of the vampires and humans who try to lead peaceful and cooperati...moreThe third book in Susannah Sandlin's Penton Legacy series, OMEGA continues the story of the vampires and humans who try to lead peaceful and cooperative lives in the face of ever-increasing danger and persecution. I really enjoyed the first two books in the series, especially ABSOLUTION. I also enjoyed OMEGA but it didn't quite meet my expectations, perhaps because they were too high after the previous instalments. Don't get me wrong -- OMEGA is still a great book and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the series as a whole but it didn't thrill me as much as REDEMPTION and ABSOLUTION did.
OMEGA is Will and Randa's story. Their attraction has been on simmer since book one in the can't-stand-each-other-but-are-totally-secretly-into-each-other kind of way. It's a definite trope but one that works well here since Will and Randa are forced to work together on a regular basis and they both have some serious issues to work through. Will has a pile of daddy issues since his father forced him to become a vampire, is trying to destroy Penton, and had bad, bad things done to Will to get him to fall in line before Will defected to Penton. Randa is a reluctant vampire, also turned against her will only a handful of years before. She misses her human life and family and can't stand basics of vampire life, like drinking blood. They're both a mess but also both devoted to the cause, smart, and brave, so they're a well matched pair. They both show a lot of growth over the course of OMEGA and it was fun to get into their heads but their romance didn't resonate for me the way Kris and Aidan or Glory and Mirren's did. I liked both characters individually and think they have some nice chemistry but they didn't win me over in the same way.
I was, however, really thrilled with how Sandlin has structured the overall series arc for Penton and its citizens. There are some exciting developments in the series storyline and I really didn't expect the plan they devised to deal with Matthias and win back the Tribunal's favour. I'm not sure if there are more books planned for this series but they're sure to be interesting if they come to pass thanks to this game-changing ending. It's a great conclusion for the main big questions in the series, though the world is definitely open enough for more thrilling adventures.
If you're looking for some great paranormal romance, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend the Penton Legacy books. They've got a great cast of characters, steamy romance, and fast-paced action, all wrapped up in a really original setting. OMEGA may not be my favourite instalment but it's definitely a well-written story in an interesting world.
This post feels well timed since I just dared you all to read Slave to Sensation a couple weeks ago. Judging by the comments, a lot of you have alread...moreThis post feels well timed since I just dared you all to read Slave to Sensation a couple weeks ago. Judging by the comments, a lot of you have already tried out the Nalini Singh’s Psy/Changeling series. And if you love it as much as I do, this is the book you’ve been waiting for. Hawke and Sienna’s relationship has been on the slow boil since the characters met and it’s been a lot of fun watching the tension between them build. Fans have been clamouring for their story and, thankfully, Nalini has finally put Hawke and Sienna centre stage, and Kiss of Snow is absolutely thrilling.
Hawke has been one of my favourite characters in the Psy-Changeling world for quite some time. He’s got all of the usual alpha male characteristics, plus a sad history in the shape of a mate who died before they could bond. Like Lucas, he’s been in change of his pack for quite some time and he wears the mantle of authority well. Except with Sienna. Now eighteen and a soldier for the SnowDancer pack, Sienna is testing Hawke’s restraint and the limits of both of their control, sometimes on purpose, sometimes not. And for Sienna, control is important since she has an extremely dangerous talent. Her talent’s been teased a lot in previous books as being particularly lethal but now we finally get to see just how immense and powerful she is. I was surprised to find out what her X designation meant and how her power manifests. After so many books, I was worried it would be anticlimactic but Nalini Singh didn’t disappoint. In fact, this book exceeded my expectations in every way. The romantic storyline is passionate, layered, and fraught with tension. Despite the age difference between Hawke and Sienna and their differences in experience, they’re a strong match and it shows in their every interaction.
There’s also a nice secondary love story with Walker and Lara, another relationship established in previous novels. There may not have been as much fan fervour about this one but it’s a story I was quite excited to read. They’re both quiet characters compared to some of the folks who have been featured in other Psy/Changeling novels but I’ve always enjoyed them.
As if that wasn’t enough, there’s another payoff for long-time readers, as the war between the Psy and the Changelings escalates. An ongoing event in the series, Kiss of Snow features the biggest confrontation yet and it’s quite exciting. Not all authors are capable of captivating readers the way Nalini Singh has with these books and I can’t wait to see what happens next, in Tangle of Need. Unfortunately, I’ll have to wait a while since the hardcover isn’t due out May 2012 and I’m a paperback girl for this series. Sad panda face. But at least it gives me something to look forward to, and I’m sure it’ll be worth the wait!
Susannah Sandlin is a pen name for Suzanne Johnson, which had me all kinds of excited because I loved her urban fantasy debut, ROYAL STREET. In REDEMP...moreSusannah Sandlin is a pen name for Suzanne Johnson, which had me all kinds of excited because I loved her urban fantasy debut, ROYAL STREET. In REDEMPTION, she offers readers something a little different, as she shifts gears to paranormal romance with a focus on vampires, which keeps all of the positives of her other writing while upping the sexy.
First and foremost, I love the setting of REDEMPTION. Vampires are still underground and their very existence is threatened by a vaccination that caused minute changes in people who received it, making their blood poisonous to vampires. Aidan Murphy has started a small colony in Penton, Alabama, where vampires and unvaccinated humans live in harmony, a completely new idea in this world. The humans are all bonded to vampires, who are all bonded to Aidan, and everyone is carefully screened, creating a very Eden-like atmosphere, except for the dangers from the outside. This sort of post-apocalyptic setting (even though it's not an apocalypse for the human population) reminds me a lot of the town in I Am Legend (the movie) or the Epitaph episodes of Dollhouse (or any number of doomed-society-looking-for-a-haven movies/shows/ books), which I always enjoy. Of course, not everyone supports this endeavour, and some fear Aidan because of his revolutionary ideas and the number of vampires in his scathe, which is what brings Aidan's brother Owen into the picture, as he menaces residents trying to undo Aidan's work. As part of his attack, he's killed the town's doctor, which is why Krystal Harris enters the picture.
Of the two main characters, Krys is definitely my favourite. She's got such a dynamic personality! She comes from an abusive family but that wasn't the main focus of her character, which was refreshing. Instead, she finds humour where others might not, is excellent at her job, and actually considers the idea of Stockholm Syndrome when she starts falling for Aidan, which was great because it's something I wonder about -- after all, how many heroines start falling for their captors without questioning it? In contrast, I wasn't all that into Aidan, though he did grow on me over the course of the novel as we learned more about his motivations and back story. Despite being quite old, he's still rather human. He fidgets, he's fallible, and he broods. In fact, the same can be said for a lot of the vampires in this book -- many of them retain a lot of human characteristics and aren't the sort of super still, inhuman vampires you see in other stories. (There are a couple like that but all of the main folks are much more relatable.) My favourite characters in the novel are probably Hannah, one of the members of Aidan's scathe, and Melissa, Aidan's human familiar.
The writing in REDEMPTION is also top-notch. The action is well choreographed and each of the main characters has a very clear voice when the story's being told from their point of view. There's also some nice humour in the story, like the quotation below, which really made me chuckle. I love a bit of dry wit. =)
He [Aidan] took a quick shower and dressed in a pair of black wool pants and a pale blue cashmere sweater he’d never have picked for himself―he didn’t much care what he wore, so he let Melissa shop for him. He wasn’t sure exactly what she meant by calling him a “vampire Ken doll,” but it had to be bad because it amused her so much.
REDEMPTION is the first book in the Penton Legacy series and I'm excited to see what happens for the other characters in this world. The author has done a marvellous job of setting up the series arc and creating characters you'll root for and I can't wait to see what will happen next to/for Penton's residents. REDEMPTION is a wonderful paranormal romance that is sure to delight fans of the genre.
As you may remember from my post last month, I really enjoyed REDEMPTION, the first book in the Penton Legacy series. ABSOLUTION, the second book, may...moreAs you may remember from my post last month, I really enjoyed REDEMPTION, the first book in the Penton Legacy series. ABSOLUTION, the second book, may just be better!
A quick reminder about the basic concept of the series: Vampires exist but most of the world doesn't know about them. They're in crisis because there was a vaccine that went out all over the world and one of its side-effects is that it keeps vampires from feeding on humans because they taste like ick. Penton is a small community founded by Aidan Murphy in which vampires and humans are aware of each other and live peacefully and rather symbiotically. It's a really interesting setting: the vampires are living in this sort of post-apocalyptic world but everything's business as usual for most of the planet.
In ABSOLUTION, Susannah Sandlin (a.k.a. Suzanne Johnson) puts one of Aidan's lieutenants in the romantic hot seat: Mirren, formerly the Slayer for the Vampire Tribunal, who faked his own death to try to find a new life in Penton. Needless to say, he's a complicated guy and it was a real treat getting to know him better. I really liked Mirren in his supporting role in REDEMPTION and he's even more enjoyable as the main focus!
The leading lady of the story is also a delight. I adored Glory. She and Mirren meet under terrible circumstances but she's not afraid of him, even knowing he's a vampire and knowing just how terrible vampires can be. In fact, she forces Mirren to lower his shields and accept him in her life when she's forced to stay in Penton for her own safety. Her interactions with Merrick, particularly those that take place shortly after she arrives in Penton, are delightful and I just couldn't put the book down. We learn so much about the inner workings on Mirren's mind! In fact, I was so hooked on their budding and sexy romance that I stayed up super late getting it finished because I needed to know just how they were going to get their Happily Ever After.
There are also some major developments in terms of the series story arc, with Penton's battle with Matthias and some parts of the Vampire Tribunal being brought to the fore. Susannah Sandlin's not messing around, folks, with the action or the steamy romance! The pace is quick and there are some amazing and unexpected scenes in ABSOLUTION. And the book ends in a way that has me dying to see what's going to happen next so I'm going to be on pins and needles until OMEGA, the third book in the Penton Legacy series, comes out! If you haven't given this series a try, I strongly urge you to head to the bookstore or jump online and order it because you definitely won't be sorry!
I love a good Regency romance every once in a while and so I couldn't wait to give Alexa Egan's series a try. On the whole, I enjoyed it, though it di...moreI love a good Regency romance every once in a while and so I couldn't wait to give Alexa Egan's series a try. On the whole, I enjoyed it, though it did have some flaws.
To start with the good stuff, though, I have to say how much I loved the setting and world building. Alexa Egan has created a very cool world and the mythology is nicely explored without overloading the reader. In this world, there are the Imnada, a race of shapechangers decended from aliens, and there are the Others, who are fey (at least as far as I can tell). The Imnada and Others are engaged in an ancient blood feud which have forced the Imnada to live in secret. Mac Flannery and three fellow Imnada and soldiers in the British military are cursed by a dying Other, and are forced to shift every evening, as soon as night falls. As a result, they've been exiled from their people because they're considered tainted. It's a pretty crappy lifestyle and they've all dealt with it in the own ways. They come back together after one of their number, Adam, is murdered, and learn that Adam has found a cure for the curse. Mystery, danger, and romance ensue, in ways that really kept me interested.
There's also a really interesting subplot that revolves around the politics between the Imnada and Others. The Imnada have been in hiding for generations but there are some Imnada who want to reveal themselves and make a truce with the Others. It's a divisive topic and I really got into this plot line. I hope there's more of it in future novels in the series.
In terms of characters, things are less well done. I thought Bianca was an excellent heroine. She's smart, a bit battered by life but still plucky. I instantly empathized with her and really enjoyed how her story was revealed. I also liked Mac, though not as much as Bianca. He's a damaged guy with a ton of baggage, mostly having to do with being exiled. He deals with some of his problems over the course of the novel but some of this resolution felt a bit forced to me. Some of the supporting characters were also quite memorable but others were a bit murky. For example, I had some difficulty separating Mac fellow exiles from one another for a large part of the novel because they felt underdeveloped, though this was generally resolved towards the end as they accrued more page time. There are also some reveals about certain characters (who shall remain unnamed to avoid spoilers) that were big surprises, which I usually love. Except in this case, I felt like I'd missed out on a really good chunk of story, to the point where I started wondering if there was another novel before this one involving these characters. I also found the main baddy to be a bit flat. We're told her motivation, we're shown her bad deeds, but I didn't find her to be a compelling foe.
Despite my issues with some of the characters, I did enjoy DEMON'S CURSE and plan to try AWAKEN THE CURSE, an e-prequel that's available now. If you're looking for a Regency romance with a brave heroine and an interesting supernatural landscape, you should keep DEMON'S CURSE in mind.
I got an e-reader for Christmas (not sure if I mentioned this or not) and I’m traveling now, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take the e-r...moreI got an e-reader for Christmas (not sure if I mentioned this or not) and I’m traveling now, so it seemed like the perfect opportunity to take the e-reader for a test drive. The first book I read on it was Angels’ Blood, the first book in a new series by Nalini Singh. (I really enjoy her Psy/Changeling series, though I’ve yet to write about them on this site.) I had hesitated to pick this series up because I’m trying to borrow more from the library but, in the end, I couldn’t resist, especially after reading Sara and Deacon’s story in Must Love Hellhounds (which I wrote about here).
Angels’ Blood takes place a few years after Angels’ Judgment (Sara and Deacon’s novella) but reading one before the other doesn’t really impact the effect of either story. Angels’ Blood is Elena’s story. Elena is a guild hunter, trained to track down vampires who have gone rogue, fleeing their masters’ service. (In this case, their masters are angels. Angels are known to the general population, as are vampires, and this makes for some fun world-building.) In this novel, she’s hired by the Archangel Raphael to track down a very special being – another archangel who’s become an Angel of Blood, basically an angel with vampiric tendencies and a whackload of power.
It was a nice story, one I read quickly and enjoyed. Elena and Raphael are good lead characters and the supporting cast is also quite interesting. Tracking down the rogue archangel Uram makes for a good mystery plot, and the relationship between Elena and Raphael is fun to watch.
I’ve downloaded the next book in the series (Archangel’s Kiss) and also the first novella written in this world (Angels’ Pawn) and I look forward to reading more about Elena and her friends.
I’ve been reading a lot about Thea Harrison on the blogosphere lately and reviews have been nearly uniformly full of praise. My local public library d...moreI’ve been reading a lot about Thea Harrison on the blogosphere lately and reviews have been nearly uniformly full of praise. My local public library didn’t have a copy but I managed to snag borrow a copy while I was at my parents’ place for the holidays. All I have to say now is: I can’t believe it took me this long!
When I first picked up Dragon Bound, I was worried that the book would remind me too much of Deborah Cooke’s Dragonfire series, which is all about dragons, also known as the Pyr. I enjoy that series so comparison wouldn’t have been a bad thing but they certainly would have been distracting. Thankfully, Thea Harrison has created a world that feels fresh and layered and filled with characters I can’t get enough of!
In the world of the Elder Races, there are all sorts of preternatural beings: goblins, the fae, witches, and the Wyr, who are shapeshifters. Dragos is one of the oldest and most powerful Wyr in the world and he rules over one of seven demesnes, based out of New York. Pia, in contrast, is a 25-year-old half-breed who can’t access many of her Wyr gifts. Despite the difference in age and ability, Pia is Dragos’ equal, standing up to him and speaking her mind in ways no one else has dared. And with her looks and ramblings and mysterious background, Dragos finds himself intrigued in a way he hasn’t been in eons. Plus the chemistry between them pretty much set the book on fire. Pia and Dragos have an electric connection and it makes all of their scenes together sexy and smart and so much fun to read.
Of all the characters in Dragon Bound, Pia is definitely my favourite. She is awesomely quippy, resourceful, and lonely, a combination that makes her a compelling heroine and an intriguing counterpart for Dragos. The back and forth between Pia and Dragos -- and Pia and pretty much every other character -- is fantastic and I had to stop from laughing out loud a couple times since I was on the subway and everyone looks at you funny when you do that in public. I also found myself more and more charmed by Dragos as he puzzled his way through her feelings for Pia.
Dragos surrounds himself with some very powerful and intriguing friends, who are the subjects of future novels. (Woo!) In fact, my favourites, Tricks, Dragos’ P.R. faerie, who befriends Pia, and Rune, Dragos’ right hand man, are the focus of the second and third books in the series, respectively. In fact, all of the characters in the book were well written, even if they only appeared for a few scenes, like Stanford, who I found absolutely adorable.
Dragon Bound is one of the best paranormal romance novels I’ve read recently and I can’t wait to see what else Thea Harrison has in store for us. I hope my local library gets Storm’s Heart, the next book, soon. These characters and this world are just too good!
Gini Koch is one of those authors I've been meaning to try for a while. And after her delightful visit as part of Paranormal April Fools', I thought i...moreGini Koch is one of those authors I've been meaning to try for a while. And after her delightful visit as part of Paranormal April Fools', I thought it was high time I got started on her Alien series. I have to admit, part of the reason I put this book off was that the title alternately made me think of the show Touched by an Angel and alien probing, which isn't the nicest combination. But I'm very glad I put that aside because TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN was a lot of fun.
The book is told from the point of view of Kitty, a regular human who finds herself in the midst of an alien showdown. She’s a complete fish out of water in the face of all of these aliens with powers and I really liked how she had to rely on her smarts to get through TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN without dying. (I don't think this is a spoiler since there are four more books after this one.) She definitely proves herself time and again in the novel, so there’s no doubt in my mind, or the minds of the other characters, that Kitty can handle the world that she’s now a part of. Her outsider perspective makes her a key player and shows that you don’t need to have superpowers to save the world.
What is this world, you might be wondering. The basic premise is that there are two groups of aliens on Earth: the Alpha Centaurians, who are the smokin’ hot Armani-clad good guys and who protect the planet from the other super-beings, who are parasitic and turn unsuspecting humans into hosts. There’s something of a Men In Black vibe but Gini Koch keeps it fresh with fun dialogue and good characters. Kitty gets involved with the Alpha Centaurians after she instinctively kills one of the bad guys and so we get to learn about this hidden battle along with her. I really enjoy stories with this sort of trope because it means the information comes in digestible chunks and Gini Koch has done a wonderful job of feeding her readers information without overloading them.
And then there’s Jeff Martini, the “handsome hunk” from the blurb. He’s Alpha Centaurii and he and Kitty have an instant connection. There’s a lot of tension and banter and it’s a nice story line but I was much more interested in how Kitty was going to deal with her new situation, and less invested in the romance. This isn’t to say that it was a bad plot point or poorly written – I just wanted more of the (non-sexy) action! All of the fight scenes, particularly the big battle at the end, were well choreographed and packed with action and twists and turns and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride.
I enjoyed TOUCHED BY AN ALIEN so much that I just went and downloaded the rest of the series. (I’m doing these ones as e-books.) Believe me, once you get a taste of Kitty and Jeff’s world, you’re going to want more!
Pack and Coven is a sweet paranormal romance with a bit of a (non-sexy) thrill. I liked (but didn't love) both of the lead characters: Harry is an ado...morePack and Coven is a sweet paranormal romance with a bit of a (non-sexy) thrill. I liked (but didn't love) both of the lead characters: Harry is an adorable loner and June is a rather prim witch who's been in love with Harry for quite some time, even though he only knows her as Sadie, the sweet older woman who owns the local tearoom. She's forced to reveal her true self and the fact that she's a witch when the female Alpha of the local werewolf pack, Bianca, tries to force Henry into becoming her new male Alpha. Henry has absolutely no interest in participating in the pack, let alone becoming one of its leaders, but he can't escape thanks to a lockdown. June and Henry are thrown together as she tries to help him avoid Bianca and some werewolves from his old pack, who have come down to try to claim the position Bianca wants to give to Henry.
There's some great world building in Pack and Coven. The differences between werewolves and witches are quite interesting and I really liked that witches knew about werewolves but not vice versa. Jody Wallace did a great job of putting her own spin on existing supernaturals. In fact, I think the world is my favourite part of the novel.
That being said, I wasn't hooked by Henry and June's story. I enjoyed reading it but I wasn't desperate to find out how it would end. Pack and Coven is a solid paranormal romance but it's not on my must-read list.
I’m not really sure what to say about this one. I’m not often ambivalent about books but this time I was. HER DARK KNIGHT is a perfectly serviceable n...moreI’m not really sure what to say about this one. I’m not often ambivalent about books but this time I was. HER DARK KNIGHT is a perfectly serviceable novel but there was nothing about it at really dazzled me or turned me off. The characters are okay, the villains are okay, the plot is okay, and the writing is okay. I just wasn’t particularly engaged by any of it, which makes it difficult to write a post about it.
I liked the idea of a man given immortality to guard a sacred treasure. Christien Chevalier is your typical weary do-gooder, shocked back into really living by the appearance of Madelaine, who looks exactly like his forbidden love from when he was mortal. It’s a trope I enjoy on romance novels and Sharon Cullen has nice execution but there was nothing overwhelmingly original about it. The characters are nicely developed and I enjoyed watching the past be revealed as Christien and Madelaine’s relationship develops but I wasn’t overly invested in their Happily Ever After.
Probably my favorite part of the story is the last few chapters. Of course, I can’t exactly tell you why because that’s a one-way ticket to spoiling the novel but I will say that I was most engaged at the end of HER DARK KNIGHT. If the entire book had that much intensity, I would have been a very happy camper.
Overall, I’d say HER DARK KNIGHT is a nice romance novel with some nice ties to history and religion. If you’re a fan of this type of novel, you might enjoy HER DARK KNIGHT but I can’t recommend it to just anyone. That being said, I would definitely give this author another try! But I’d probably get it from the library first.
GRAVE INTENTIONS is a the beginnings of a paranormal romance series featuring grim reapers. It's a cute book with likeable characters. There's absolut...moreGRAVE INTENTIONS is a the beginnings of a paranormal romance series featuring grim reapers. It's a cute book with likeable characters. There's absolutely nothing wrong with it but it didn't work its way onto my love list because it's a fairly standard paranormal romance.
In Lori Sjoberg's world, dead folks become reapers when they have a debt to repay. David has been reaping since the Korean War and he's lost most of the joy in his life, going through life fairly mechanically. He chafes at the rules he has to live by but dutifully does his job, reaping souls and overseeing a small group of reapers. Sarah is his next door neighbour, a scientist with an unpleasant work situation thanks to a harassing boss. They meet cute and begin a sweet romance that faces one main obstacle: David's "career".
I thought the two main characters were decent leads. They were very pleasant and compatible. I didn't feel serious sparks between them but I think that was because they were both very vanilla. David's very gentlemanly and honorable, Sarah is very smart and sweet, and they work well together but their romance didn't leap off the page for me. It didn't seem incredibly passionate or moving. And that is something of a problem for me in a paranormal romance. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't put off by it and I did like the book but I just didn't have any strong feelings about it at the end. And I really want to feel something at the end of a story because it means I've been engaged by the characters, setting, and/or plot.
For me, GRAVE INTENTIONS is a definite library book. I don't think I'll read it again. My recommendation would be to check out the excerpt below and see if GRAVE INTENTIONS is a book for you. It's a light and conventional paranormal romance that has all of the usual components and is a good choice if you're looking for something light and fluffy to while away some time.
Don't let the cover fool you: THE CAT'S MEOW isn't nearly as silly as you might expect based on the cover art. I think the book got something of a raw...moreDon't let the cover fool you: THE CAT'S MEOW isn't nearly as silly as you might expect based on the cover art. I think the book got something of a raw deal with this cover (no offense to the designer) since it doesn't really capture the full spirit of the novel and might have people discounting it. I know I was expecting something really fluffy and smexy when I first saw it and I was on the fence but I decided to request a review copy when I was won over by reading an excerpt.
Don't get me wrong. There are definitely some sexy moments between Libby and Kale but there's a great mystery at the heart of THE CAT'S MEOW: Libby and Kale are investigating a slew of mutilated cats, which eventually puts them on the trail of some serious dark magic. Libby's used to investigating on her own as her coven's Enchantress so she's a little put out and confused by Kale's presence. Kale is a new warlock in her coven, which puts her back up because (a) Libby has a grudge against warlocks and (b) she knows he's keeping secrets from her. Watching her overcome her prejudices and some justified anger made THE CAT'S MEOW a fun, engaging read.
To be honest, though, there are some predictable elements in the story, especially if you tend to read a lot of romance, paranormal or otherwise. I was able to guess what Kale's secret was, for example, but the predictability didn't detract overmuch from my enjoyment of THE CAT'S MEOW since I was still charmed by Libby and Kale's blossoming relationship, and by Libby herself. And a lot of the book's elements are less obvious, so there were still moments that came as a surprise, particularly as the plot builds to the book's climax. There are some really cool moments in the last third of the book and I was flying through the pages to discover what was really going on with all the dark magic around Charleston.
Plus, I can get past some predictability as long as the characters keep me hooked, and that was the case in THE CAT'S MEOW. I really enjoyed watching Libby and Kale fall for each other, and I really enjoyed Libby as a character on her own, right from the start. It took me a little bit longer to warm up to Kale, partially because he's named after a vegetable and partially because of the walls he's got up to maintain his mystery.
On the whole, despite some obvious plot points, I enjoyed reading THE CAT'S MEOW and look forward to seeing what comes next for Libby, since this is the first book in a series. I'll definitely keep my eyes peeled at the library when the next book comes out. I may not need THE CAT'S MEOW on my shelf but I'd definitely enjoy revisiting this world and these characters down the road.
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