Challenge Wrap Up - Erotica Romance Reading Challenge

Hey Everyone! Since we've all(I'm hoping) made it into 2011 unscathed, I figured I'd take this first week to look back on 2010 and prepare for what's next. In 2010 I participated in my first blog reading challenge, Erotic Horizon's Erotica Romance Reading Challenge. There wasn't a particular goal or specific number of books we had to read, but it was a way for women with like minded habits to get together and review/recommend new books to each other.

What I didn't anticipate was just how cool it would be. Erotic Horizon set up a whole additional blog for the challenge where participants could post links to their reviews, authors would stop by and chat, and we could all just revel in the what we loved: erotica romance. I'm not sure if it's really indicative of other challenges, I'll probably have a better idea at the end of this year, but either way it was a great introduction.

I've pasted the list before and sadly enough what I've got to say is that I just don't feel like I read enough new stuff. I maybe picked up a few titles here and there, but mostly I re-read a lot of what I already owned or new titles from authors I already liked. Sigh. I consider this a failing on my part, but also the result of me being really picky about what erotica I enjoy. That sweet spot of sex and love is hard to hit in my opinion, and I'm still searching for other authors who do it well. I think I'll just have to keep looking, keep reading, and be more willing to put my money where my brain is and buy some more ebooks - especially since I now own a nook!

January

Guilty Pleasure by Lora Leigh

Hunting Evander by Kim Knox

Changing Perspective by Marilu Mann

Hot for the Reunion by Ann Jacobs

The Bad Widow by Barbara Elsborg

Her Very Special Robot by Ann Jacobs

Taking Shape by Tielle St. Clare

Nauti Deceptions by Lora Leigh

Feburary

Coming Undone by Lauren Dane

March
Black Jack by Lora Leigh

The Mane Attraction by Shelly Laurenston

April

Torturous Tuesday by Various

May

The Bargain by Julia Templeton

The Captivation by Natasha Rostova

June

Naked by Megan Hart

Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton

Coin Operated by Ginny Glass

The Panther's Lair by Esmerelda Bishop

Consent to the Cowboy by Abby Wood

Coming Undone by Lauren Dane

Better Late Than Never by Savannah Stuart

Marvin and the Three Bears by Tielle St. Clare

July

Her Heart's Divide by Kathleen Dienne

Motor City Fae by Cindy Spencer Pape

September

Healer's Garden by Nina Pierce

October

Coming Clean by Inez Kelley

Second Chances by Lauren Dane

December

Pack Challenge by Shelly Laurenston

Go Fetch by Shelly Laurenston

Here Kitty, Kitty! by Shelly Laurenston

Highland Beast by Regina Carlysle

Love's Choice by M.A. Ellis

Challenge Protocol by Dawn Ryder

Outside Protocol by Dawn Ryder

 

The Debutante's Dilemma by Elyse Mady

One woman in search of passion

Miss Cecilia Hastings has achieved what every young lady hopes for during her first London season...in duplicate! She's caught the eye of not one but two of England's most eligible bachelors. Both Jeremy Battersley, Earl of Henley, and Richard Huxley, Duke of Wexford, are handsome, wealthy and kind, the epitome of proper gentlemen. But Cecilia doesn't want proper, she wants passion. So she issues a challenge to her suitors: a kiss, so that she may choose between them.

Two men in love with the same woman

Friends since childhood, and compatriots on the battlefields of Spain, Jeremy and Richard have found that falling for the same woman has set them at odds and risks destroying their friendship forever. But a surprising invitation to a late-night garden tryst soon sets them on a course that neither of them could have anticipated. And these gentlemen quickly discover that love can take many forms...

~~

**I requested this title for review from NetGalley**

I hate to knock an authors first title but I just didn't care for The Debutante's Dilemma. I liked the sound of it, especially with it's menage implications, but the execution didn't go over so well.  It could have been the page limitations but I never felt very attached to Cecilia as a character. The reader only gets so much from her point of view and it's unfortunate because what's she going through is actually something I'd usually enjoy - 2 men, questions of love and passion - who doesn't want to know more about that? Instead I'm left feeling cold because the more traditional historical format that Mady has chosen leaves me confused about how they're all going to get their HEA.

I did like the way Mady had Cecilia confront her confusion over the two men, and them finally have sex didn't feel awkward or forced, but again afterward I was left feeling 'eh'. Instead of drawing the picture of a 3-some relationship composed in just the right way was to fool prying eyes, we're left with an obvious answer that just gives me more questions. Both of these men are important heirs to estates - if they both love her but only one is allowed to marry her, are they going to let the other estate die? Does that not matter? Society at this point doesn't really allow titles to be left to obvious bastards or godchildren, so what's going to happen? Both of them profess to love Cecilia so is the left over doesn't seem inclined to marry for society's sake. 

So in the end I've gotta give this one a thumbs down because as much as it's not badly written, the plot itself leaves too many holes for my liking and its brevity doesn't do it any favors either.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs down

Series - None

Second Chances by Lauren Dane

Ten years ago, Rori Simon left town shy, unattractive and with zero self-esteem. Now she’s back, older, stronger and finally loving herself -- and it shows. Hot men are soon knocking at her door, including Jude Callahan, the bad boy who starred in her teenage daydreams…and her adult fantasies.

Jude can’t believe the sexy, confident woman before him is actually Rori! She’s gotten under his skin like no other woman has…and brings out secret desires he can’t resist. He wants to dominate Rori with every fiber of his being. Wants to own her and pleasure her. To cherish her as he makes her his.

Rori discovers she likes being controlled. She also knows Jude is not a one-woman man. Everything changes when she meets Zach Helm. Edgy, sensual Zach knows just what she needs, and before long, she’s in love. Jude watches them together and wonders if he’s lost his chance forever…

~~

**I requested this title for review from NetGalley**

For the first 1/2 of this book Dane had me with her. I liked the characters, the storyline, the emotion - the whole thing worked. Rori was real in her sexuality in her personality and the relationships she developed with the people in her hometown didn't feel forced. The problem was that after the first half of the book I got confused and then after the first 3/4 I was irreparably pissed off.

I was confused because for a while there I didn't understand Jude's purpose to the story. His romance with Rori had ended, she was with Zach; what was he doing there? Zach was too nice/perfect (almost too) for Rori to cheat on (not that her doing that would make sense at ALL) and Jude was still slightly in and out as the friend who was learning to change his ways, but I just didn't get it. What was going on here? With a title like Second Chances there was really only way I could see this story going once they introduced the second story - either Zach had to die or he and Rori would have to invite Jude into a 3-some to make everybody happy. Neither seemed to jive all that well with my perception of the author and the character's personalities, so ultimately I ended up feeling on edge for a good part of the book while trying to figure out what was going on.

Dane does pull it out while maintaining the integrity of her storyline but for me I just didn't agree with how it all wrapped up too neatly. It was just too pat and since I had been taken aback by the way it came about (sorry for the vagueness, more explanation in the spoiler laden paragraph below) I couldn't have the same emotion for the story I'd had before.

 ***************SPOILER!!!SPOILER!!!SPOILER!!!*****************

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED - SPOILER ALERT!

What the F*%K Lauren Dane?! I understood that with the title there were a couple ways you could make this work. Still I had figured in on Zach dying during some earlier part in the novel when I didn't know him all that well. Instead I get through 150pgs of a 200pgs book and BAM! Bomb. Dead. The end. NOT COOL. I had felt all safe my nice little 'maybe Jude will find someone else' dream and that was just too much for me. Rori loved Zach soo much and to have only about 50pgs to take her love for him and turn it into a real relationship with Jude didn't jive. I understand that it took placed over almost 2yrs after his death. I'm not saying the time line wasn't realistic, but the way that it translated to the reader (i.e., me) was too fast. 

I'm not going to lie, this killed the book for me. I called my coworker, I called my friend, I pretty much tortured the people around me after Zach died because I just couldn't believe that it happened. I know that I'm ranting and that some people might consider me too harsh in this instance - but I don't think I have to make sense. As a reader and a reviewer I get to rely on my feelings to explain how I connect with a book, and this one knocked my feet out from under me.

*******************SPOILER ENDED*******************

Overall Feeling - Eh. The ending kind of killed this one for me.

Series - None

Other Reviews - Fiction Vixen (less spoiler filled, lol)

Teaser Tuesdays (10/26)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"She made herself stop looking at Jude and imagining riding him like a pony before she embarrassed herself any further. And instead focused on not tripping or generally looking like an idiot as they walked along."

--pg 19, Second Chances by Lauren Dane

Coming Clean by Inez Kelley

Grant and Vivi Michaelson share everything in their marriage: love, commitment—and their wildest sexual desires. But their relationship is tested when Vivi admits she wants a threesome with Grant’s old friend Cade, proposing their annual trip to the lake as the perfect opportunity to fulfill her fantasy.

All three of them are aroused by the idea. Vivi and Cade have long felt a smoldering attraction to each other…and Grant and Cade have hidden an illicit desire for decades. Going through with the ménage will test their boundaries, reveal old secrets…and maybe tear them apart. After all, there might be room for Cade in bed, but is there room for a third in their marriage?

~~

**I requested this title for review from NetGalley**

I've got to say that this is an erotica that definitely lives up to its hype. Over the past few weeks various book bloggers have been reviewing this title and giving it high marks across the board and I just couldn't understand it! I like a good menage erotica as much as the next person, but something about the title description just didn't do it for me. Luckily I decided to take the plunge because damn is this good!

Kelley does the incredibly job of combining erotica and romance very well. The story doesn't sustain itself just on the feelings between Grant and Vivi, the attraction between all of them is very moving and realistic. Because I think that's what can derail a menage the quickest, unrealistic relationship development. Yes it started out as a fantasy, but Vivi and Grant have feelings for Cade and they don't whatever 'benefits' they bring in to interrupt that. So what we get is a very well written evolution of a relationship, where it's not just one woman and two men, but three people together who are physically attracted and emotionally attached to everyone. 

The fact that it's really spicy while still maintaining that terrific emotional connection just puts it over the top in my opinion. I highly recommend it!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up.

Series - None.

September in Review!

This month started off with such a bang! Dragon*Con was amazing and I got to hear some of my favorite authors speak on some of my favorite series. I'm sorry that I suck and am still editing most of the video footage I took there, but you can see at least the intro video here. I was also lucky enough to read some great books along the way, and whether it was new or a reread I appreciated every one.

Especially considering that September also celebrated Banned Books Week. It's important that each of us that cherishes the opportunity to read what we love remember that not everyone has that same chance. The problematic trend to band books deemed 'inappropriate' is growing, and if we want our children and grandchildren to have the same chances that we did to expand our horizons we have to remember to speak up when we seem them being maligned.

Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan

Demon from the Dark by Kresley Cole

Bonds of Justice by Nalini Singh

Midnight Crystal by Jayne Castle

Dark Peril by Christine Feehan

Night Play by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh

Healer's Garden by Nina Pierce

Queen by Sharon Sala

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

Beast Behaving Badly by Shelly Laurenston

Last Dragon Standing by G.A. Aiken

Circle of Magic: Sandry's Book by Tamora Pierce

Renegade by Lora Leigh

Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken (x2)

Master of Dragons by Angela Knight

Burning Up by Nalini Singh, Angela Knight, etc

Heart Journey by Robin Owens

The Search by Nora Roberts

The Grimrose Path by Rob Thurman

Read/Reviewed: 21/8

Teaser Tuesdays (9/28)

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

* Grab your current read
* Open to a random page
* Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
* BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
* Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

"Her ability to harm them without doing much more than think in their direction confused the men, which allowed her to pull on the ropes holding her. She dragged the soldiers over to her in the process and as they got close she stepped on them, enjoying the little squishy sounds they made."


--pg 296, "Chains & Flames" in Dragon Actually by G.A. Aiken

Motor City Fae by Cindy Spencer Pape

Detroit artist Meagan Kelly has had a strong sixth sense all her life, but that doesn't mean the gorgeous stranger's crazy story—that she's a half-elf, half human heiress—is true. But Meagan can't deny the evidence of her own eyes—he's Fae. A tall, blond, handsome, pointy-eared elf—and a man she just can't get enough of.

Ric Thornhill's assignment just got a lot more complicated. The more time he spends with Meagan, the harder it is to see her as a political tool to prevent an all-out war between humans and Fae.

Now Meagan's in a race to master her newly released powers in time to prevent the conflict, convince a jealous Queen not to strip Ric of his powers, and find out if she can build a life that straddles two worlds.

*I requested a copy of this title to review through netGalley*

I enjoyed this ebook quite a bit. The Fae have been a more and more popular a topic for paranormal/fanasy romance lately, but Pape does a good job at having her story stick out of the crowd. It's a familiar plot in good hands I'd say, and the result is a great read.

Meagan is nice and feisty, as all good heroines should be, and Ric has the necessary sex appeal combined with honor that make him a believable hero. The dialogue is on point, and while the bad guys are mostly obviously placed, they also all end up getting the perfect comeuppance for their traitorous actions.

The last thing I'd like to point out for this ebook is that it is an erotica and has some nicely well written love scenes. Whether Meagan is fed up and jumping Ric's bones or he's putting his 'seduce' on, the two of them together are spicy! But spicy with emotion, which is what I crave when reading any kind of erotica/romance/whatever.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up! I was a little worried going into it, but Pape has a fun & sexy romance between Meagan and Ric with just enough Fae intrigue and betrayal to keep me interested.

Series - 1) Motor City Fae

Her Heart's Divide by Kathleen Dienne

Lila was a faithful, loyal wife.

Ryan was her sexy, loving husband.

And so was Jack...?

Jack, however, was her boss, not her husband—why was he claiming her as his own? Lila had been passionately happy with Ryan for more than seven years. Yes, there'd been a moment when she'd first been attracted to Jack, but then she'd met his best friend, Ryan. They'd fallen in love and married. Jack claimed that in his world, their attraction had led to the altar.

And now she was caught between two men—two husbands—in the wildest situation Lila could ever have imagined. But what she wasn't imagining were the two men touching her, pleasing her, caressing her...

*I requested a copy of this title to review through netGalley*

I had a lot of fun reading this short story. It was hard in the beginning, just because I was thrown into the middle of everything, but Dienne quickly works to draw the reader into this triangular relationship. Lila and Ryan are married so when Jack shows up one day saying that he's the one married to Lila, it's confusing to say the least. You don't initially know how, but the Jack we're introduced to do has been plucked from an alternative universe, where everything is the same except that in his world he married Lila.

The best part about this erotica is how real everyone's reactions are. Jack lusts after Lila because to him they're married, but she doesn't want to betray Ryan and so is naturally confused about what's going on. There isn't an immediate 'let's jump into bed - everyone's married so it all works out!' conversation. Instead Ryan's fantasies and Jack's feelings for 'his' Lila come together to create a chance for Lila to live out the forbidden.

Don't you just feel the tension?

The final scenes are sexy and well written and are wonderful examples of how sensual sex can be without gimmicks (if you don't think alternative realities are gimmicks). Lila doesn't magically have a butt plug or desires to have two dicks in one hole - no one suggests any ridiculous positions or anything like that. Instead the three of them come together in a very organic and real way - which is what is missing from a lot of other erotica released today.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. I wish it was longer, as the plot was interesting and I really liked Ryan and Jack, but Dienne does a great job at creating a sexy read in a few amount of pages.

Series - None

Marvin and the Three Bears by Tielle St. Clare

When a novice Fairy Godmother accidentally drops some sexed-up Happily Ever After Fairy Dust on Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Marvin—second-in-command in Fairy Tale Land—jumps in to save the tale.

Taking over for Goldilocks should be simple, right? All he has to do is eat the porridge, sit on the chair and sleep in the bed. And when the Three Bears return home, run screaming from the house.

But the Fairy Dust has changed things…including the Three Bears. They’ve turned human. Baby Bear is no baby. Mama Bear wears black leather and wields a wicked paddle. And Papa Bear? Oh my…he’s going to make sure Marvin pays for the damage he’s done, inch by luscious inch.

Tielle St. Clare is one of my favorite erotica authors because she does a tremendous job at combining really hot sex with enough feeling to keep me involved. I'm a romance girl at heart and without little bits of feelings here or there I'm not as connected to what happens to the characters. I'm always going to want a HEA - I just love having hot sex happen along the way.

This title brings back characters from a previous title (Fairy Dust) and continues an interesting set up: A Fairy Godmother, who was charged with watching over and maintaining the integrity of certain fairy tales, spiced up her magic dust and added a bit of sexual pleasure to some treasured traditional stories. As Assistant Manager, Marvin's charged with trying to clean up the mess when some of that 'special' dust spills into Godilocks and the Three Bears. Well when the dust turns baby bear into a sweetly submissive young hottie, mama bear into a dominating switch, and papa bear into a RED ALERT CHILI man of means, then you know you're in for a good time! It's a rollicking good time for those open to eroticas that feature some partner switching, and both Alex (papa bear) and Marvin are great characters to take the lead in this X-rated rendition of a usually non-romantic fairy tale.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. Very spicy all the way through and there are enough different kinds of sex depicted here to please anyone. And enough romance at the end to wrap it all up with sweet feelings.

Series - 1) Fairy Dust 2) Marvin and the Three Bears

Consent to the Cowboy by Abby Wood (ARC Review)

Surrounded by beer-swilling, skirt-chasing cowboys her whole life, barmaid Daphne Norris has no intention of ever settling for any of the men in her Podunk hometown. So when bronc rider Will Hanson sends shock waves to her core with just one glance from his striking green eyes, no one is more surprised than her.

But Will is no ordinary cowboy, and he can see that Daphne is no ordinary small-town girl. He can sense in Daphne the quiet strength and devotion needed to satisfy a man like him, a man who needs to be on top, in every aspect of his life.

Daphne hasn’t ever succumbed to her submissive desires before, and Will awakens her in ways she never imagined. While she’s not prepared to give him her heart, she agrees to Will’s offer of three days of intense pleasure, and then she’s walking. But Daphne falls hard and fast, and now she has a decision: return to a normal life, or give up everything for Will…

*I requested a copy of this title to review through netGalley*

I think what sticks out about this particular erotica that is a story depicting a lifestyle choice of two people who have been very hurt in the past. Will and Daphne are emotionally scarred characters and within each other they find the pieces they need to be complete. Wood does a very good job at writing a BDSM erotica that while has a lot of explicit, sexy scenes, takes the additional step to illuminate what makes the characters tick. By the end of this ebook I felt I knew why Will functioned and felt best in a dominance/submissive relationship - and the same goes for Daphne. I'll often read a book that depicts the more recreational activities of couples that might experiment in a little spanking, but rarely do I feel like I really get the chance to understand, from each character's point of view, why they like what they like.

The one criticism I have for this particular title is that I feel like Wood reached a bit with some other plot points, I assume to stretch her erotica a little farther with some suspense. There just wasn't enough time and energy spent on Will's father and his efforts to block Will's business deals to make me feel like a needed part of the story. It was just there and gone, and ultimately I think the ebook would have been better without it.

I definitely recommend this to those who like erotica featuring BDSM lifestyles, but prepare yourself for some adventurous sex- there's a particular scene in a club (that includes bringing in some other players) that springs to mind....

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. It's not quite my cup of tea, but it's very well written and the reader gets a great look at the mentality of both Will and Daphne.

Series - None

Coin Operated by Ginny Glass

When Elijah Elliot leaves a cushy job at a prestigious Atlanta advertising firm to strike out on his own, he recruits co-worker Beatrix London as his business partner. She’s smart, capable and, turns out, mouth-wateringly tempting. Now Eli has to keep his hands to himself, despite the very vivid daydreams he has involving his deliciously attentive associate. Daydreams that involve less administrative duties and more “yes, sirs” - less clothing and much more personal “activity reports”.

Bea’s attention to detail has only part to do with her work ethic. From the moment she first laid eyes on Elijah, Bea has had some pretty lathered-up fantasies about her brooding coworker. When a racy new advertising campaign sparks a test of their boundaries, Bea pushes Eli to cross the line he’s drawn between them – the one that keeps him from doing all the hot, sinful things she imagines he’s capable of.

A kiss that could ignite a cubicle’s carpet leaves Bea wanting more than Eli is willing to give. Eli’s reticence isn’t strictly an objection to a little office hanky-panky; his desire for Bea runs to the darker side of vanilla, and the gentleman in him just can’t seem to embrace the inner beast. But during a sexy showdown in a laundry room, everything comes out in the wash-- hot, steamy and coin operated!

*I requested a copy of this title to review through netGalley*

I am a picky erotica reader, especially when it comes to those that could be qualified as quickies (not that long page wise), but Ginny Glass has done a great job with Coin Operated. This story is hot from start to finish, as it begins with Eli's D/s fantasy about Bea and ends with the real thing. Whenever Eli and Bea come together you can just see the sparks, their attraction really palpable and believable, even though as reader you're being introduced to them after they've already been working together for a while.

But what most stands out about this relationship is how real both characters seem. Bea wants Eli but isn't sure about his feelings; Eli wants Bea but after being humiliated in a past relationship where he tried to introduce some D/s, he's understandably hesitant in approaching her. These two care about each other, and their dance to move from business partners to lovers has you rooting for them the entire time. Another plus for this particular erotica is that Glass writes sex scenes that have convincing dialogue, a believable back and forth between Bea and Eli; it's a fantastic combination when the scene itself is so sensual and real . You almost wouldn't believe it after 68 pages but this one definitely has me rethinking my laundry mat!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up! This is a great, fun little erotica that has just the right combination of romance and character development to get me attached to Eli and Bea. Highly recommended!

Series - 1) Coin Operated (Dirty Laundry series through Carina Press)

Bullet by Laurell K Hamilton

The music came back up and the next group of little girls, slightly older, came out. There was a lot of that in the next hour and change. I liked dance, and it was no reflection on the kids, but my will to live began to seep away on about the fifth group of sequined children...

Anita Blake is back in St. Louis and trying to live a normal life-as normal as possible for someone who is a legal vampire executioner and a U. S. Marshal. There are lovers, friends and their children, school programs to attend. In the midst of all the ordinary happiness a vampire from Anita's past reaches out. She was supposed to be dead, killed in an explosion, but the Mother of All Darkness is the first vampire, their dark creator. It's hard to kill a god. This dark goddess has reached out to her here-in St. Louis, home of everyone Anita loves most. The Mother of All Darkness has decided she has to act now or never, to control Anita, and all the vampires in America.

The Mother of All Darkness believes that the triumvirate created by master vampire Jean-Claude with Anita and the werewolf Richard Zeeman has enough power for her to regain a body and to immigrate to the New World. But the body she wants to possess is already taken. Anita is about to learn a whole new meaning to sharing her body, one that has nothing to do with the bedroom. And if the Mother of All Darkness can't succeed in taking over Anita's body for herself, she means to see that no one else has the use of it, ever again. Even Belle Morte, not always a friend to Anita, has sent word: "Run if you can..."

Let me start out by saying that I know the Anita Blake series has become a bone of contention for a lot of readers. It started out with one particular vibe and as Laurell K Hamilton changed as a person and an author, her books changed too. They became less centered on the mystery; instead they were more paranormal and more centered on Anita, her relationships, and the magic that helped bind them all together.

While there might have been specific books in the series I didn't like as much as others, on the whole I didn't have a problem with the tonal shift in the series. It worked for me and since I liked the additional characters any concerns I might have felt ironed themselves out pretty quickly.

There's a LOT of back story to the Anita Blake books but I'm going to try to write this review without it being too confusing. If you have any questions please feel free to leave a comment or send me an email. I'm happy to explain more if it helps!

I feel that this book is one of the best that Hamilton has released for this series in a little while. The book has two main focuses: 1) exploring more Anita's relationship with the men around her and how they relate to her powers 2) setting up a new story arc of Anita/Jean-Claude/Richard's future confrontation with the Mother of All Darkness. What this translates to, for a series filled with characters whose powers depend on a lot of their emotional states, are a frequent number of scenes depicting interpersonal instead of situational conflict. Asher's feelings toward Jean-Claude, Richard's toward himself and Anita and Jean-Claude, Anita with her own unique triad - it's all explored. The violence that erupts, the battles that happen, all take place within that framework. What I like about the book is that I see Anita and the men (and women) around her grow as people; sometimes it's good and sometimes it's bad. Like a lot of urban fantasy series being done right now, it's hard for the hero/heroine to protect those around them if they're not sometimes willing to make the less 'clean' choice.

Here are some general warnings for people who are looking to pick up the book (no spoilers, but you are being warned):

1) There isn't really a murder mystery that Anita works on in this novel
2) However you want to say it, there is another male added to Anita's group. Feel how you feel about it, but it happens
3) There is still a good bit of explicit sex in this book. There's also a lot of vampire politics and 'woo-woo' stuff going on around it, but the sex didn't go anywhere.
4) For people who are somewhat squeamish about same-sex partner relations (hahaha, I'm so PC) there are some scenes in this book that are going to bother you: M/M and F/F pops up a few times

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. I can tell that this is a book focused more on story building, but I think the character development and action scenes are well written enough to excite me about what's coming next anyway.

Series - ...... 16) Blood Noir 17) Skin Trade 18) Flirt 19) Bullet

Naked by Megan Hart (ARC Review)

I didn’t think he wanted me. And I wasn’t about to get involved with him, not after what I’d heard. Alex Kennedy was tall, dark and unbearably hot, but I’ve been burned before. Maybe it was stupid of me to offer but he needed a place to crash and I needed to pay the rent, but now he’s my tenant…with benefits. And now that we’ve crossed that line, I can’t seem to find my way back.

But I can’t give my heart to a man who’s so…unconventional. His last sexual relationship was with a married couple. It’s enough that my ex-fiancé preferred men, I won’t take that chance again no matter how much my body thrives on Alex’s touch. I can’t risk it, but I can’t resist it, either.

Alex can be very convincing when he wants something.

And he wants me.

*I requested a copy of this title to review through netGalley*

I want to be very clear: while this book has explicit sex scenes I think it is almost limiting to the novel to consider it just an erotica title. When I pick up an erotic romance I'm often looking for something simpler, something sexy and fun that will distract me for a little while. That is not what Naked is. Naked is a book about self discovery. About emotional baggage and what we as people do to try to live with or overcome it.

Olivia is a prime example of diversity as an individual- she's a black woman adopted by white parents, whose mother is Jewish and father is Catholic. That didn't matter so much when she was younger, but as she got older she more and more saw herself through other people's eyes, and being faced with that type of confusion/pity is hard on the soul. Combine that with somewhat unhealthy friendship with her former fiance (who turned out to be gay) and you just have this huge ball of hurt that it's hard to figure out what to do with. Alex and Olivia's relationship is more that no strings sex, it turns into an avenue of healing for both of them. But healing is not without its bumps and bruises and the last 50 pages of this book were hard to read because I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop!

What matters is that this is a very well written novel that depicts a heart wrenching look at a women in flux. In life, in love, in knowledge about herself; nothing's set in stone and it's her journey to figure out what she deserves out of life. I highly recommend it, because it's not a typical erotic romance. It stands as a testament to how an author can push the envelope of a genre and define a space for her own kind of story.

Overall Feeling - Thumb up. This book isn't easy, don't confuse it with a throw away erotic romance. These characters are going through a lot, and while the book is enjoyable you're definitely going through the journey with them.

Series - None (book released 8/1/2010). Though there isn't an exact reading order, Hart's website has a suggested order organized by character.

Torturous Tuesday - An unsatisfying addition to my ERR Challenge

Thumbs down: the characters were strange, the 'teachings' that Justice got from her sisters seemed really out of place - free book or not, I didn't even finish this one.





Thumbs down: The fact that as her bodyguard Aiden has to 'obey' Kate and that people think it's weird that he hasn't slept with her (he says that he thought he had 'failed' at his job) just doesn't compute. I finished this short story, which makes it better I guess, but I just don't think I like the author's style all that much.



Thumbs down again: The storyline definitely had potential, but the dialogue felt forced and slightly out of place with the story. I don't know, I just need any sex talk to feel more organic than what was written here (maybe not so corny?).




Eh: This one doesn't get a full thumbs down because Lark is at least smart enough to question the ridiculousness of a dragon who after swooping down to rescue an 'oh so rare' virgin immediately declares her his mate. Oy vay.

“Will you stay? Will you be mine? Willingly?”
“You won’t hurt me?” Lark sat up, facing Rajah, staring him squarely in the eyes. “You swear?”
“On my honor as a warrior of the dragons of Chrystal Isle, I swear to protect you and love you for the rest of your days.”
“Love?” she questioned doubtfully. “Isn’t it sort of fast to declare love?”

--pg 10, Larkspur by Anny Cook

Touch of Seduction by Rhyannon Byrd - ERR Challenge Review

Sold into slavery as a child to a cruel taskmaster, tiger-shifter Aiden Shrader trusts no one. Not even his own kind. Yet as a member of the Watchmen—the organization of shape-shifters who keep watch over the ancient nonhuman races—Aiden is fiercely protective of the helpless. Never more so than when he's asked to guard a little girl with witches' blood— and her beautiful human aunt. A woman who arouses all of Aiden's primal urges. . . urges he must resist.

To small-town schoolteacher Olivia Harcourt, the massive tiger-shifter with the glowing amber eyes is as much a dark mystery as the enemy stalking her. Yet Aiden is her only hope of surviving. Until their intense passion unleashes her own inner tigress with a ferocity that will make the evil Casus rue the day they messed with her family. . . and will take Aiden by seductive surprise.

Good job Rhyannon Byrd! Even if she never reads this, even if people think I'm crazy for congratulating an author that obviously doesn't need my approval to do anything, I'm still going to say good job. This was a fantastic book and lives up to the promise she showed as an eBook author. Before this latest release I liked her print books, they were always pretty good, but with this one I became a lover (hehe) of her print books.

Touch of Seduction has all the emotion and fire that made Byrd's eBooks so incredibly fantastic to read. I've always felt like her stories and the worlds that she created as an eBook author demonstrated her strength as an erotica author to watch, as a person who could write in steaming hot sex scenes and make them applicable and appropriate to the book. It wasn't that one detracted or existed separate from the other - the sex scenes were intrinsic to what made the books so great. Still, somehow, the earlier books in the series just didn't ring as true for me. With this book though she makes up for all of that.

Aiden and Olivia were a wonderful couple to read about. Both were their own issues, both with past experiences that made them wary to trust anyone today, it just all rang very true to me. Aiden actually reminds me quite a bit of Sherrilyn Kenyon's Ash, just with what he went through as a child and the type of transformation he was to go through internally to be able to be with Olivia. Byrd works in all the supporting and main characters from the previous books in this series and really sets up the storyline for big changes in the future. I'm so excited!

Overall Feeling -Thumbs up! So, so good and a great pick me up to for this series.

Series - 1) Edge of Hunger 2) Edge of Danger 3) Edge of Desire 4) Touch of Seduction 5) Touch of Surrender (4/27/10) 6) Touch of Temptation (2010)

Lion's Heat by Lora Leigh - ERR Challenge Review

Bad boy Jonas Wyatt's personal assistant, Rachel, has had a child - an innocent new life that has been put in grave danger because of Jonas's perilous games and calculations and played in the shadow-world in which he lives: the dark and sensual world of the Breeds. Now, Rachel is making only one demand of Jonas: that he finally take responsibility and deliver on the protection that only he can give.

Jonas has known for a long time that it is destiny that Rachel become his mate. He can sense it. He can also sense her reluctance. And for that, he refuses to claim her. He wants her on love alone and not because of the urge of the mating heat. But it is Jonas's destiny to claim her. And he will have his way...


I am so happy to report that this book definitely got me out of my reading rut - Yay! Happy dance! I can't say that I really stopped reading during my rut, but I just wasn't my usual enthusiastic self concerning the books on my shelf or the ones coming out - I seemed to be just 'eh' about the whole thing.

Well, if you've read anything by Lora Leigh before, you know you can't be 'eh' about her books. There's just too much going on that needs your undivided attention!

Still, to get back to the review, I'm happy report that this book was fantastic. Jonas has always been this slightly asshole-y character who you knew was sometimes working for the good of the couple and sometimes working for the good of the Breeds as a whole. For me It was a toss up how you felt about him at any given moment, but I think all of us readers were silently (or not so silently) rooting for him to get his comeuppance and find his own mate. I think Rachel was perfect, because not only was she organized and able to be a support to him on a professional level, she had the backbone to stand up to him even at his worst.

The other thing that made this book a stand out in the whole series is the uniqueness of Rachel and Jonas's bond. I don't want to spoil it, but you can definitely tell that Leigh is moving her storyline forward as the outside influences and the scientific discoveries take new directions.

(I know that's vague, but I don't want to ruin it! Read the book!)

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up! Jonas's story is everything I could have hoped for - definitely don't miss out on your chance to check out this great series!

Series - The books in this series, and the timeline for how they relate to each other, are both on Ms. Leigh's website and best understood there (because even I don't get it all! LOL!).

Megan's Mark by Lora Leigh

Cursed with the extraordinary power to feel other peoples’ emotions, Megan Fields has tucked herself away in a remote corner of New Mexico, working as a small-town sheriff’s deputy. She finds solace in the silence and heat of the desert. But when Breeds begin dying on her watch, Megan realizes that the secrets from her past can’t stay buried forever. Someone is out for blood - her blood.An arrogant Feline Breed, Braden Arness broods with feral intensity. His mission to solve the mysterious murders brings him to Megan, a woman who accosts his senses like no other. Only with him can she let down her guard - and surrender to the insatiable hunger that wracks her body. But as they team up to hunt the elusive killers, Braden and Megan find themselves becoming the prey…

I've already ranted about how annoying it is for authors to continue publishing in a series that started as E-books as if nothing has come before that latest installment - so I won't repeat myself. What I will say is that no matter whether it's print or virtual, Lora Leigh does a damn good job writing paranormal erotica. Not the usual 'shapeshifter' paranormal, this book focuses on characters called Breeds, beings that were designed to be a mixture of animal and human, the perfect soldier. Of course, those kinds of combinations, and the people who are willing to experiment with them, are never very pleasant. After years of incarceration and torture the Breeds are free (mostly) to find their way in the world and the people who will love them.

Just to give people an idea, being Breeds, when men or women meet their mate there is all sorts of hormonal connectivity and lusty-ness that goes on. I know some people hate the idea of that 'destined mate' or the like, but I personally think that Leigh does a wonderful job combining the heat of a hormonally perfect mate and the emotion that's needed to cement a true life bond. If you don't believe me, continue reading on and you'll see instances were one or both parts of the couple try to keep things just physical - it doesn't work out well.

Megan and Braden are unique because as a Lion Breed Braden can feel people's emotions to a certain extent and Megan as someone who is actually empathic can feel them all. So in the midst of all the blood and violence, her skill can be both a help and a hindrance depending on her ability to handle other people's emotions. Still the relationship between the two of them is a scorcher, with plenty of give and take and H.O.T. sex in between. Through in the action and mystery of a dangerous spy and you've got a damn good time!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. A reread that never gets old, it's an almost new beginning to an already fantastic series.

Series - The chronology of these books is long and confusing and split up between 3 publishers. Check out Leigh's explanation on her website, here.

The Mane Attraction by Shelly Laurenston

Weddings have the strangest effect on people. How else to explain the fact that Sissy Mae Smith woke up in Mitch Shaw's bed the morning after her brother Bobby Ray tied the knot? Or that gunmen are trying to kill Mitch, and Sissy Mae now has to escort a bleeding, stubborn, yet still incredibly sexy lion shifter to her Tennessee Pack's turf to keep him safe? It doesn't help that Mitch's appraising gaze makes her feel like the most desirable creature on earth, or that the ultimate stray cat is suddenly acting all kinds of possessive...

Mitch is an undercover cop who's about to testify against some dangerous ex-associates. Even more worrisome, he's harboring hot, X-rated fantasies about the fast-talking little canine-and he has to deal with every male in Sissy Mae's Pack sniffing around her in a way that makes his hackles rise.. Mitch has his pride, and he intends to show Sissy Mae that when a lion sets out to make you his mate, the only thing to do is purr, roll over, and enjoy one hell of a ride...

Just so people are aware - I know I have an almost unnatural love for everything that Shelly Laurenston writes. I go on and on about how her books are so funny, about how the characters are probably some of the realest I've ever read.

Yes. I know I say this a lot.

That's why, though I can still go on and on about how great this book is, how this series is my go to whenever I feel crappy, I won't. I'll leave you to create your opinions about HOW FREAKISHLY WONDERFUL THIS SERIES IS.

So ok then. Go read.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. Mitch is hilarious and together with Sissy Mae Smith they have the best time just f*cking with the people around them. Fantastic.

Series - 1) The Mane Event 2) The Beast in Him 3) The Mane Attraction 4) The Mane Squeeze 5) Beast Behaving Badly (June 2010)

Black Jack by Lora Leigh - ERR Challenge Review

The Secret Service can’t control him. The British government can’t silence him. But renegade agent Travis Caine is one loose cannon you don’t want to mess with, so his commanders cut him a break—and cut him loose. His new HQ is America’s top intelligence force, Elite Ops. His new code name is “Black Jack.” And his new assignment is to die for.

She’s smart, sexy, scintillating—and one of Elite Ops’ savviest agents. Lillian Belle’s code name is “Night Hawk,” and Travis certainly wouldn’t mind flying a few midnight maneuvers with her. But when their mission turns into a red-hot game of danger, deceit, and double-crossed signals, Travis begins to wonder: Can he trust her? Can he resist her?

Let me first start off by saying that this is another example of when a horrible back description happens to a good book. Travis for one isn't a renegade agent - he used to be a part of MI5 in his previous life, but after he 'died' he's begun working for Elite Ops. Lilly is also a part of Elite Ops because of a family betrayal, but during this particular story she has been reintroduced to her remaining family after suffering amnesia after a shot (graze) to the head. Travis is brought into her life to monitor her recovery/memory, watch her family and friends to see who might be funding terrorists, and to maintain his and Lilly's cover for where she's been the last 6 years. With that as the basis this story has all the action and hot sex that Lora Leigh's books are known for. Leigh has always done an incredible job creating sympathetic alpha men and she sustains those high standards here. Travis's and Lilly's relationship is a bit of a rocky adventure with the trust issues stemming from her amnesia and his superior's orders, but the way they end up together is really compelling. Again Leigh has created very real characters and the joy of her bringing back familiar faces and introducing more of the oh-so-cool women of Elite Two make this book one to add to the shelves - BUT, don't forget to read the rest of the series first!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. Scorching interactions between Travis and Lilly keep the story moving, but the background readers learn about Elite Ops and what their teams are like is just as engaging.

Series - 1) Wild Card 2) Maverick 3) Heat Seeker 4) Black Jack