Hidden Crimes by Emma Holly

Cats and dogs shouldn't fall in love. Like any wolf, detective Nate Rivera knows this. He can’t help it if the tigress he’s been trading quips with at the supermarket is the most alluring woman he’s ever met—sassy too, which suits him down to his designer boots.

Evina Mohajit is aware their flirtation can’t lead to more. Still, she relishes trading banter with the hot werewolf. This hardworking single mom hasn’t felt so female since her twins’ baby daddy left to start his new family. Plus, as a station chief in Resurrection’s Fire Department, she understands the demands of a dangerous job.

Their will-they-or-won’t-they tango could go on forever if it weren’t for the mortal peril the city’s shifter children fall into. To save them, Nate and Evina must team up, a choice that ignites the sparks smoldering between them . . .

~~

Let me start with a little (invisible to you) happy dance for the return of the Shifters!  I like the Fae in Holly's Hidden series but the earthiness and honesty of shifters keep them at the top of my favorites list; it's not so much their 'mate at first sight' tendencies but the fact that intrigue and deceit doesn't come naturally to them. Erotic romances highlighting those characters usually tend to have less drama and more focus on making the relationship work with what they have at hand. 

The relationship between Nate and Evina, while complicated due to their being different species, is not dramatic. They have physical feelings towards each other (with a little bit of baggage) that turns into something more. The sparks between them are off the charts and as they traverse the intertwined worlds of their careers they stumble onto a big secret. A big secret that unsurprisingly not everyone wants them to look into. As a reader who loved Hidden Talents I liked how Holly brought both Ari and Adam into this story, even if Adam acted like an ass for some of it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys paranormal romance as it has good doses of both action and heartfelt emotion.

Overall Feeling - A+

Series - 1) Hidden Talents 2) Hidden Depths 3) Move Me 4) Hidden Crimes

**Title provided by author for review consideration**

Mini Me: Tangle of Need by Nalini Singh

Adria, wolf changeling and resilient soldier, has made a break with the past--one as unpredictable in love as it was in war. Now comes a new territory, and a devastating new complication: Riaz, a SnowDancer lieutenant already sworn to a desperate woman who belongs to another.

For Riaz, the primal attraction he feels for Adria is a staggering betrayal. For Adria, his dangerous lone-wolf appeal is beyond sexual. It consumes her. It terrifies her. It threatens to undermine everything she has built of her new life. But fighting their wild compulsion toward one another proves a losing battle.

Their coming together is an inferno...and a melding of two wounded souls who promise each other no commitment, no ties, no bonds. Only pleasure. Too late, they realize that they have more to lose than they ever imagined. Drawn into a cataclysmic Psy war that may alter the fate of the world itself, they must make a decision that might just break them both.

~~

I'm not sure about any of you guys but I hate this cover. I think it looks more than a little ridiculous, I guess because it's so old school? Luckily the story itself is a great one so I'm willing to forgive the cover artist for lackluster vision.

I'm keeping it short and sweet because I think Adria and Riaz's relationship speaks for itself. Both of them are overcoming some serious emotional scars to make things work and it's a bumpy ride accordingly. Their HEA doesn't just happen the second their eyes meet; both have to learn to trust and move on, which is never the easiest. The developments of the Psy civil war are still interesting and written incredibly well even when I want to yell at something to make it happen faster. Not really faster in the world of these books but faster I guess in terms of when those books reach me. Selfish I know, but at least I can admit it.

I would not say this book is a stand alone, much too much has happened and this book brings back quite a few characters from previous books, but I consider the whole series is a must read so I don't think it's too unbearable :).

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

Looking Back: May

It was a decent month bookwise, a lot of good releases, a lot of good re-reads; not bad at all. Still, it could have been better on the review front. There just seemed to be a lot of books that I read, and enjoyed, that I didn't feel compelled to write lengthy reviews about.

To try and make up for that, and to help a bit with your reading decisions, I've added in thumbs up, thumbs down to the ones that don't have reviews. Hope you enjoy!

Wild Fire by Christine Feehan
Touch of Surrender by Rhyannon Byrd (Thumbs up - it's a great series)
Code Name: Baby by Christina Skye
bonk by Mary Roach
Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts
What A Dragon Should Know by G.A. Aiken
Love in the time of Dragons by Katie MacAlister
Touched by an Alien by Gini Koch
Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris
Too Wicked to Kiss by Erica Ridley
Stormwalker by Allyson James
Sarah's Child by Linda Howard (eh - old school romance, not bad though)
Gabriel's Angel by Nora Roberts (Thumbs up)
The Gift by Nora Roberts (Thumbs up)
Two of a Kind by Nora Roberts
The Bargain by Julia Templeton (eh - truthfully? I thought it would have more sex)
The Captivation by Natasha Rostova (eh - lots of sex, but the likability of the characters is questionable sometimes)
Tongue in Chic by Christina Dodd
Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews (+ 2)
Beast Behaving Badly by Shelly Laurenston (+ 3)

Reviews/Books Read: 13/25 (counting re-reads)

Beast Behaving Badly by Shelly Laurenston

Ten years after Blayne Thorpe first encountered Bo Novikov, she still can't get the smooth-talking shifter out of her head. Now he's shadowing her in New York-all seven-plus feet of him-determined to protect her from stalkers who want to use her in shifter dogfights. Even if he has to drag her off to an isolated Maine town where the only neighbors are other bears almost as crazy as he is...

Let sleeping dogs lie. Bo knows it's good advice, but he can't leave Blayne be. Blame it on her sweet sexiness -- or his hunch that there's more to this little wolfdog than meets the eye. Blayne has depths he hasn't yet begun to fathom -- much as he'd like to. She may insist Bo's nothing but a pain in her delectable behind, but polar bears have patience in spades. Soon she'll realize how good they can be together. And when she does, animal instinct tells him it'll be worth the wait...

I know that whenever I review a Shelly Laurenston title I tend to wax on (almost poetically) about the greatness of that particular title. I can't help it, it's just that every time I read a new one of her books I'm reminded of how much fun romances can be. Sex with a little bit of mystery and violence works so well when combine with a sense of humor. You can tell from reading the author bio that Laurenston knows how to laugh at herself and combining that with a knowledge of the ridiculous results in an addicting release pretty much every time.

Beast Behaving Badly picks up right after The Mane Squeeze with Blayne and Gwen working hard to be ready for the derby championship. Nothing is going quite according to plan though and Blayne is hurt when she finds out that Gwen is going to remove her from the bout due to concerns that she can't play tough enough against her opponents to win. Along with being hurt, Blayne takes offense to this attitude and uses her natural charm and ability to manipulate to rope Bo Novikov, asshole extraordinaire, to teach her how to win. Bo doesn't have a lot of patience for what appears to be a flighty wolf-dog, but he lets his attraction get the best of him and agrees to help. And from all this chaos ensues, because things are never as simple as they seem on the surface, and many different underground concerns pop up to mess with Bo's schedule (and once you read more about this bear-lion you'll realize what a horribly thing that is). Blayne and Bo are a ton of fun to read about, because both of them have a lot to learn about compromise and what that means when applied to a relationship. Laurenston continues her Pride series with more great dialogue, action, and suspense - with a big dose of sexual tension along the way!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up! This series is a staple on my shelves because Laurenston is one of those rare authors that can always be counted on for a hilarious and spicy read.

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

Magic Bleeds by Ilona Andrews

Atlanta would be a nice place to life, if it weren't for the magic. When the magic is up, rogue mages cast their spells and monsters appear, while guns refuse to fire and cars fail to start. But then technology returns, and the magic recedes as unpredictably as it arose.

Kate Daniels works for the Order of Knights of Merciful Aid, officially, as a liaison with the mercenary guild. Unofficially, she cleans up the paranormal problems no one else wants to handle- especially if they involve Atlanta's shapeshifting community.

When she's called in to investigate a fight at the Steel Horse, a bar on the border between the territories of the shapeshifters and the necromancers, Kate quickly discovers there's a new player in town. One who's been around for thousands of years- and rode to war at the side of Kate's father.

This book was fantastic and more than surpassed my expectations for the latest in this series. The husband and wife team that is Ilona Andrews do an incredible job writing the kind of urban fantasies that pretty much impossible to set down. I know it sound ridiculous, but seriously - the books in these series consistently have every element to make them both irresistible and memorable. First the world that they've created in alternate reality Atlanta is just so rich. The interaction of old and new, of technology and magic, just makes so much sense that it's hard for the reader to not see its authenticity. The rules for each character are well thought out and understandable, the clashes of culture that arise when different groups interact are never random; they all follow a strict code of guidelines, which lends even more credability to the plot.

But of course no series like this could be as incredible if the characters themselves didn't have the same kind of depth and personality to carry off the intricate environment. Kate and Curran are the kind of heroes that readers long for - they are not perfect. They work hard, they try their best, but bad things happen to them and they do bad things to other people. These are not the squeeky clean herose of myth and legend; the world Kate and Curran inhabit has very few easy answers, saving one often comes at the risk of many, and if anything does look easy it probably means that it's hard as hell. Around them are a cast of supporting characters with their own problems and passions, and I think Ilona Andrews has done a wonderful job at balancing the quandry of having enough characters that the two heros are pushed but not writing in so many that the reader gets lost.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up!! So freaking good I can't really contain myself. It's my favorite thing in the world to have a book I've been waiting so long for be this good, which I'm sure sounds like a cliche, but Magic Bleeds is THAT good!

Series - 1) Magic Bites 2) Magic Burns 3) Magic Strikes 4) Magic Bleeds

Dead in the Family by Charlaine Harris

If you think your family relationships are complicated, think again: you haven't seen anything like the ones in Bon Temps, Louisiana.

Sookie Stackhouse is dealing with a whole host of family problems, ranging from her own kin (a non-human fairy and a telepathic second cousin) demanding a place in her life, to her lover Eric's vampire sire, an ancient being who arrives with Eric's 'brother' in tow at a most inopportune moment. And Sookie's tracking down a distant relation of her ailing neighbor (and ex), Vampire Bill Compton.

In addition to the multitude of family issues complicating her life, the werewolf pack of Shreveport has asked Sookie for a special favor,and since Sookie is an obliging young woman, she agrees. But this favor for the wolves has dire results for Sookie, who is still recovering from the trauma of her abduction during the Fairy War.

Charlaine Harris, I must tell you that your books are starting to get to me. 10 books in to your series Sookie is a much more complex character than when she started. She's gone through a lot of life changes, and had to reassess her feelings about the people around her and how she thinks about herself as a person - which is all well and good for the continuation of a series.

But it is not good for my peace of mind as a reader!

Dead in the Family is a very good book. How Sookie tries to cope with her torture and the changes in the world around her are interesting, lifelike, and help push Sookie even more as a human representative in an environment that isn't always so safe for them. It's hard for me to see her go through so much actually, because I feel like I've been reading about her trials forever and I wish that sometimes life wasn't so hard. But Harris doesn't take the easy road, her books are complex with a lot of characters who have their individual motivations for what makes them act the way they do. This isn't a book you can just jump into, the series has too much going on for that, but it's an engaging, realistic look at what can happen to a world that thinks it's 'normal' when there's not a whole lot 'normal' left.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. I still love this series and I recommend them far above the TV series TruBlood, but these pseudo-cliff hangers are killing me! I need a little bit more resolution in my life to allow me to not feel so desperate for the next book.

Series - 1) Dead Until Dark 2) Living Dead in Dallas 3) Club Dead 4) Dead to the World 5) Dead as a Doornail 6) Definitely Dead 7) All Together Dead 8) From Dead to Worse 9) Dead and Gone 10) Dead in the Family

Wild Fire by Christine Feehan

Called on a dangerous assignment, leopard shifter Conner Vega returns to the Panama rainforest of his homeland, looking every bit the civilized male. But as a member of the most lethal of the shifter tribes, he doesn’t have a civilized bone in his body. He carries the scent of a wild animal in its prime, he bears the soul-crushing sins of past kills--and he’s branded by the scars of shame inflicted by the woman he betrayed.

Isabeau Chandler’s a Borneo shifter who’s never forgiven Conner--or forgotten him. The mating urge is still with her, and when she crosses Connor’s path, passions run like wild fire. But as Connor’s mission draws Isabeau closer, another betrayal lies waiting in the shadows--and it’s the most perilous and intimate one of all.

Christine Feehan always knows how to write me a good book. I've always been partial to paranormals, and shapeshifters are probably my favorite when featured in a romance, and Feehan knows how to do them oh so well. Her Leopard series features Alpha men with hearts and women who won't take anybody's sh*t. In this particular book I'd have to say that Feehan definitely ups the violence level, though it is completely appropriate to the storyline. Not only does Connor get a beating on multiple occasions, Isabeau also gets pretty mangled by one of the bad guys. I'd have to say that with time I've seen Feehan's heroes get much more drawn into the line of fire in her books, and I think while it's hard for me to read at the time it's an example of the growth that she shows as an author that her characters are forced to overcome those types of harrowing experiences (Hidden Currents anyone?).

And still Feehan doesn't forget the romance that is for me the reason I pick up her books. Even though Connor and Isabeau get off to a rocky start, their attraction and emotional attachment is palpable from the beginning. Throughout the story they are forced to confront not only bad guys but how they interact with each other. It's a great book and a fantastic series, and while you don't have to read the ones that come before Wild Fire, I feel like your enjoyment would be that much more if you took the time.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. This might start overtaking Feehan's other books as my favorite series, because every installment is always fantastic!

Series - 1) Fantasy (anthology) 2) Wild Rain 3) Fever 4) Burning Wild 5) Wild Fire

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

Born to Be Wild by Christine Warren

Josie Barrett brings out the animal in men. Literally. As the local veterinarian in a town that’s approximately seventy percent Others—mostly shapeshifters—Josie deals with beastly situations all the time. It’s practically part of her job description. But when the werewolves of Stone Creek, Oregon, start turning downright feral, Josie smells a rat—among other, more dangerous critter.

Teaming up with the ferociously sexy Eli Pace, a full-time sheriff and part-time were-lion, Josie tries to contain the shapeshifting problem before it spreads like a virus. But when more shifters get infected—and stuck in their animal forms—the fur really begins to fly. Josie and Eli have to find the cause, fast, before the whole town goes to the dogs. But first, they have to wrestle with a few animal urges of their own.

I'm so glad that Christine Warren came out with a new book that was actually a new book. I did a rant on it before, focusing on ebook authors republishing their old work as if it was new, and Warren's last book really frustrated me. I won't go into the whole thing here, but don't tell me that something's new when it's not! I am not an uninformed consumer ok? I know what's being published, and the fact that no one seems to realize how weird it is to be releasing things out of order, with seemingly no rhyme or reason, drives me slightly batty. But ok - you can go read my rant.

The whole point here is that this is a new book and a good one at that. Warren hasn't done a lot with lions, and she makes a good start with Eli. He's a very sexy alpha male, who recognizes pretty quickly the good thing he has in Josie. I also find it very interesting the way Warren has set up this book, with the two characters having lived in the same town for almost 3 years before bumping into each and feeling that spark of attraction. If I had to list a con for this book it would probably just be that the ending felt a bit rushed for me. Warren does all of this build up in regards to the mysterious white supremacist like organization, but then everything seems to be over in five seconds. Maybe it feels that way because Warren's going to continue with this particular storyline in a future book, but my opinion still stands that the end could have had some more 'kick ass'-ness and I wouldn't have complained.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up! I liked the romance between Josie and Eli quite a bit, plus the extra little hints of danger didn't hurt the heat factor!

Series - 1) Wolf at the Door 2) She's No Faerie Princess 3) The Demon You Know 4) Howl at the Moon 5) Walk on the Wild Side 6) One Bite With a Stranger 7) You're So Vein 8) Big Bad Wolf 9) Born to be Wild

Teaser Tuesdays (2/16)

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!


"Sitting back down, she placed the creamer on the table. "This is your company. See how it's unprotected? All alone in the big bad world. And look, it's saccharine coming to attack." Jess placed several of the blue packets down, aimed toward the creamer. Then she broke the sticks in half and gave them swords. " See? They're armed and dangerous." She placed brow-sugar packets between the creamer and the saccharine. "But look! It's the sugars coming to protect us!" Now, thoroughly enjoying herself, she gave the sugar packets swords too. "Saccharine charges"- she moved the packets forward- "but the sugars battle them back with skill and the darkness within us all. They're not afraid to kill and destroy in the name of justice- and cold, hard cash."

Jess grinned, extremely pleased with her presentation. But when she looked up at Smitty, he sat there with his elbow on the table, his chin resting in the palm of his hand, and he was staring at her.

"What?" she demanded. "That's not clear?"

- pg. 58-59, The Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston

YES I CHEATED! I admit it! I put up more than two sentences! But I love this scene and I declare that I have the options of cheating whenever I want in the name of a funny scene! Viva la RAtChaos!

Flirt by Laurell K Hamilton

When Anita Blake meets with prospective client Tony Bennington, who is desperate to have her reanimate his recently deceased wife, she is full of sympathy for his loss. Anita knows something about love, and she knows everything there is to know about loss. But what she also knows, though Tony Bennington seems unwilling to be convinced, is that the thing she can do as a necromancer isn't the miracle he thinks he needs. The creature that Anita could coerce to step out of the late Mrs. Bennington's grave would not be the lovely Mrs. Bennington. Not really. And not for long.

This book exemplifies why I'm sure there are some bookstore employees that just hate me. I went into B&N yesterday and I made a very nice guy (named Guy I think) work for his paycheck! But it's not my fault that none of the new releases were on the shelves. I just requested books that I knew were in the store - and unfortunately this guy had to suffer for the inadequacies of whoever closed the store last night. Oh well - at least he has the satisfaction of knowing I bought everything he found for me!

To get back to the book, let me just warn you that this is a novella. It's not a full length novel and only about ~160 some pages - but it's a good 160 pages. I've never been that person who cries and laments every time Hamilton releases an Anita Blake book with some sex. Even when the story focused primarily on her interpersonal relationships, I still feel like the series as a whole was going somewhere. But even after saying that, I am happy to report that this book focuses on the other side of Anita's powers, her necromancy. It's another look into what Anita could be, what she chooses not to be, and the type of people who are brought to her attention by the incredible power she wields. There's a lot of violence, blood, and death - which shouldn't be surprising to any readers of the series. Yet at the same time the new characters are fleshed out enough that you don't feel like they're being gipped by the smaller page count.

Aspiring writers and other fans should be enthused about the essay at the end of the book, where Hamilton talks a lot about how she gets her ideas and how she writes. And after that you can get a kick out of the comics done by The Devil's Panties creator, Jennie Breeden.

Overall Feeling - Definitely Thumbs up. A really quick read, the only thing I could have asked for is that it was released in paperback to save my wallet.

Series - I've said this before and I'll say it again. There are just way too many books in the Anita Blake series to list them all, so please check out Laurell K Hamilton's website here.

Kitty's House of Horrors

Talk radio host and werewolf Kitty Norville has agreed to appear on TV's first all-supernatural reality show. She's expecting cheesy competitions and manufactured drama starring shapeshifters, vampires, and psychics. But what begins as a publicity stunt will turn into a fight for her life.

The cast members, including Kitty, arrive at the remote mountain lodge where the show is set. As soon as filming starts, violence erupts and Kitty suspects that the show is a cover for a nefarious plot. Then the cameras stop rolling, cast members start dying, and Kitty realizes she and her monster housemates are ironically the ultimate prize in a very different game. Stranded with no power, no phones, and no way to know who can be trusted, she must find a way to defeat the evil closing in . . . before it kills them all.

Apparently Carrie Vaughn is one of the few authors I'm not stalking because this book came out without me knowing! It was only thanks to the handy B&N new paperback tower that I was able to keep up to date with this series - though I do think I would have stumbled upon it eventually! I've always enjoyed this books, though Vaughn's tendency to have delayed releases is probably what keeps me from being totally obsessed with it. Kitty is a woman who was involuntary turned into a werewolf and, at the beginning of the series, was part of an emotionalyl and physically abusive pack. I'm happy to say that by the time this book rolls around things are a lot happier but it all takes a turn for the worse when she decides to take part in a new 'reality show'. While Kitty goes into it suspicious of the TV executive's motives not even she could have imagined the deadly consequences of bringing together so many different supernaturals. All of Vaughn's books have some element of suspense and mystery, but this novel really reminded me of a horror movie because you never know who's going to die next and no ones safe from the carnage.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. A lot of good people die, but it's an enthralling ride to the finish so I say either start the series to get to this one, or pick up this latest and see what happens to Kitty next!

Series - 1) Kitty and the Midnight Hour 2) Kitty Goes to Washington 3) Kitty Takes a Holiday 4) Kitty and the Silver Bullet 5) Kitty and the Dead Man's Hand 6) Kitty Raises Hell 7) Kitty's House of Horrors

Coming Soon - His Darkest Hunger by Juliana Stone

Hey Guys! Zooming about the internet with the help of some of the book blogs that I stalk I found a contest with a great sounding prize! Juliana Stone's latest book His Darkest Hunger (out March 30, 2010) is being offered up to the masses! With a little front cover blurb by Christine Feehan it sounds like something right up my alley, an opinion as confirmed by the back description:

Jaxon Castille: jaguar shifter, warrior, assassin. He has long hungered for the chance to make his former lover, Libby Jamieson, pay for her deadly betrayal. After three long years he’s finally found her. The hunt is over…

But the Libby that he finds is not what he expected. She has no memory of their tumultuous affair; of her treachery; of anything beyond her own name. A shadowy and deadly clan has marked them both for death, and in an instant the game changes: the hunter has become the hunted.

On the run, with the ghosts of their past between them and a dark, desperate hunger quickly reclaiming their bodies and souls, Libby and Jaxon must discover the truth behind the dark forces working against them. Together, they must grab hold of a destiny that has the power to either heal them or destroy them.

I'm very excited to feature the book here and on my other blog Bittersweet Musings. If you want a chance to win this book I suggest you visit Juliana Stone's blog here for all the contest rules!

Walk on the Wild Side by Christine Warren

Kitty Sugarman is a lot tougher than her name implies. Still, she’s content with how her small- town life keeps her removed from all the changes happening in the world—like the Unveiling of the Others. That is, until a near-tragedy strikes and Kitty discovers she has abilities . . .thanks to a father she never knew was alive. He also happens to be a were-lion and leader of one of the most powerful Prides out West.

WALK ON THE WILD SIDE

When Kitty heads to Vegas to find out more about her father, it’s his sexy, seductive second-in-command or baas of the Pride, Marcus Stewart, who commands her attention. Now that she has tempted Marcus’s hunger for a mate, Kitty finds herself stuck in a vicious struggle for her father’s fortune, while deadly unrest stirs within the pride. Kitty’s rivals won’t rest until she’s gone for good, but Marcus will fight until his last breath to save her…even if it means going against the pride.

I like Christine Warren so I love to give her the benefit of the doubt, but let me tell you - if this book didn't have such a satisfactory ending it might have gotten a thumbs down. I just have an issue when all of sudden characters are 'scolding' the heroine. Yes, I want you to help her grow. Yes, I want you to teach her new things about herself and her future. But DON'T scold her like she's 4 years old and decided to have a tantrum, because even if the heroine tries to shrug it off by saying that she was being a brat, I won't believe you. I've been reading the whole story and do in fact know what's been going on. Ok then, to move on. The reason I do like and would recommend this book is totally for the last 3/4. Warren again pulls out a good shape shifter love story, in a world that has enough similarities to ours to make everything seem plausible and because of that, that much cooler. As a warning to my readers, there is a full on 'shifted into lions and then had sex' scene. It's well written and I feel works with the story. I'm never quite prepared when authors pull this card, but Warren carries it off and doesn't make the scene go so many pages that it would start to feel weird. But you're warned.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. Slightly irksome in the beginning, it pulls it out in the end as a still fun read. Though I do remember now why I don't reread it more often....

Series - 1) Wolf at the Door 2) She's No Faerie Princess 3) The Demon You Know 4) Howl at the Moon 5) Walk on the Wild Side 6) One Bite With a Stranger 7) You're So Vein 8) Big Bad Wolf

Excerpt - Magic Strikes by Ilona Andrews

"I find it horrific."

"Why? I've seen you kill before, Kate. Granted, you do it with considerably more skill."

"I kill because I have to. I kill to protect myself or others. I won't take a life to titillate a crowd. Nor would I torture a man for the pleasure of it."

Saiman shrugged. "You kill to survive and to appease your own misguided conscience. Those in the Pit kill for money and the gratification of knowing they are better than the corpse at their feet. At the core, our motives are always self-serving, Kate. Altruism is a fog created by sly minds seeking to benefit from the energy and skill of others. Nothing more."

"You're like a god from Greek myth, Saiman. You have no empathy. You have no concept of the world beyond your ego. Wanting something gives you an automatic right to obtain it my any means necessary with no regard to the damage it may do. I would be careful if I were you. Friends and objects of deities' desires dropped like flies. In the end the gods always ended up miserable and alone."

Saiman gave me a stunned look and fell silent.

The Mane Squeeze by Shelly Laurenston

Growing up on the tough Philly streets, Gwen O'Neill has learned how to fend for herself. But what is she supposed to do with a nice, suburban Jersey boy in the form of a massive Grizzly shifter? Especially one with a rather unhealthy fetish for honey, moose, and…uh…well, her. Yet despite his menacing ursine growl and four-inch claws, Gwen finds Lachlan "Lock" MacRyrie cute and really sweet. He actually watches out for her, protects her, and unlike the rest of her out-of-control family manages not to morbidly embarrass her. Too bad cats don't believe in forever.

At nearly seven feet tall, Lock is used to people responding to him in two ways: screaming and running away. Gwen-half lioness, half tigress, all kick-ass-does neither. She's sexy beyond belief and smart as hell, but she's a born protector. Watching out for the family and friends closest to her but missing the fact that she's being stalked by a murderous enemy who doesn't like hybrids…and absolutely hates Gwen. Lock probably shouldn't get involved, but he will. Why? Because this is Gwen-and no matter what the hissing, roaring, drape destroying feline says about not being ready to settle down, Lock knows he can't simply walk away. Not when she's come to mean absolutely everything to him.

I love Shelly Laurenston. Is it ok if I say that? Because it's totally true - I LOVE SHELLY LAURENSTON. Her books are this incredible combination of sex, violence, and laughs. How could anyone not love them? I think that even though over my 23 years I've continually said I read too much to pick just one favorite author, Laurenston might actually take that prize. I don't think I have ever been disappointed by one of her books, primarily because her main characters, the women especially, are crazy (probably certifiably so). But it doesn't matter because the shenanigans that all of them manage to get into make the books a sure fire good time - though I really hope they never make these into movies. I'm positive that will kill them. Their main stream audience appeal in my opinion comes from Laurenston's ability to make the lives of these shapeshifters normal. Family drama, embarrassing situations (you want to be there while your mom discusses her post-delivery vagina? I think not!), worries about the future - they're all there and make each man and woman incredibly relatable. Laurenston isn't going anywhere and with her releases getting bigger with every book I can't wait to see what happens in the future.

Overall Feelings - Thumbs Up! So much fun it had me laughing out loud, and it definitely makes you want to find that special bear of your own!

Series - 1) The Mane Event 2) The Beast in Him 3) The Mane Attraction 4) The Mane Squeeze

Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh

Separated from her son and forced to create a neural implant that will mean the effective enslavement of her psychically gifted race, Ashaya Aleine is the perfect Psy--cool, calm, emotionless...at least on the surface. Inside, she's fighting a desperate battle to save her son and escape the vicious cold of the PsyNet. Yet when escape comes, it leads not to safety, but to the lethal danger of a sniper's embrace.

DarkRiver sniper Dorian Christensen lost his sister to a Psy killer. Though he lacks the changeling ability to shift into animal form, his leopard lives within. And that leopard's rage at the brutal loss is a clawing darkness that hungers for vengeance. Falling for a Psy has never been on Dorian's agenda. But charged with protecting Ashaya and her son, he discovers that passion has a way of changing the rules...

Nalini Singh's books are still a lot of fun. Since I just did a review for one of her other books not too long ago I'm not going to go really in depth with this one, but suffice it to say that it doesn't let the series down. Dorian and Ashaya are still two unique characters, even after all the other Changling/Psy pairings we've seen before. At this point in the series I probably feel some of the most enjoyment when more of the Psy plots unfolds - seeing the inner workings of the Council is pretty cool.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. Definitely.

Series - 1) Slave to Sensation 2) Visions of Heat 3) Caressed by Ice 4) Hostage to Pleasure 5) Branded by Fire

Hunting Ground by Patricia Briggs

Mated to werewolf Charles Cornick, the son -and enforcer -of the leader of the North American werewolves, Anna Latham now knows how dangerous being a werewolf is, especially when a werewolf opposes Charles and his father is struck down. Charles's reputation makes him the prime suspect, and the penalty for the crime is execution. Now Anna and Charles must combine their talents to hunt down the real killer -or Charles will take the fall.

One of the best things about this series are the uniqueness of Briggs' characters. Charles might be the quintessential Alpha Male werewolf, but Anna is a much meeker version of the werewolf heroine than is usually depicted. Yet the best thing about Anna is that meekness is only one facet of her personality, and in the defense of Charles or the right, she is just as willing to step and do her part (or more) as anyone else. Also, Anna stands as a great example of overcoming adversity. Her past is filled with emotional and physical abuse and while she has setbacks, she and Charles are also willing do what they must to build a life together. Briggs has again created a sympathetic character that readers are going to be cheering for by the end.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. Briggs has created another fantastic series with main characters that won't be forgotten anytime soon.

Series - Prequel) On the Prowl (Anthology) 1) Cry Wolf 2) Hunting Ground

Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon

A stunning and suspenseful new landscape emerges in the thrilling Dark-Hunter world—a world where nothing will ever be the same again. . .

Fang Kattalakis isn't just a wolf. He is the brother of two of the most powerful members of the Omegrion: the ruling council that enforces the laws of the Were-Hunters. And when war erupts among the lycanthropes, sides must be chosen. Enemies are forced into shaky alliances. And when the woman Fang loves is accused of betraying her people, her only hope is that Fang believes in her. Yet in order to save her, Fang must break the law of his people and the faith of his brothers. That breech could very well spell the end of both their races and change their world forever.

The war is on and time is running out...

I've been waiting so long for Fang's story and I'm a little disappointed to say it wasn't quite what I expected. It wasn't horrible and Fang and Aimee get together in the end, but it was just a feeling throughout the whole book, like it could have been better. Fang and Aimee's story was as a friend put it, 'very Romeo and Juliet' - though you do have the comfort of knowing that the main characters aren't going to die at the end. Maybe I'm feeling a little lost with all the time traveling and story arcs that Kenyon has introduced. She has SO MANY books that are connected to the Dark Hunter Arc and they jump back and forth so much that truthfully I just forget what's going on. I read too much to always know what characters have done what and where in her crazy complicated world I am. Thus, that's my only reader beware - the books are good and addicting, but you can get lost in all the ins and outs of Kenyon's world. Maybe you should make an outline now.....

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. But things might be getting too much for me. Can it be that I might almost be losing interest? Oh God I hope not!

Series - Here's the deal people- she has three separate series in her world (Dark Hunters, Were Hunters, and Dream Hunters) and over 30 books. I've reached my limit, I'm not listing them all. I'm sorry if I've let you down (LOL) but you can check out her website here to take a look for yourself.