Enthralled by Lora Leigh, Alyssa Day, Meljean Brook, & Lucy Monroe

They have the power to hold you spellbound, to captivate your senses, and to keep you forever in their control. Forever enthralled…

#1 New York Times bestselling author Lora Leigh returns to her sensual world of the Breeds…as one stubborn Breed meets her match, and can no longer deny her mate—or the fierce desires of her own heart.

New York Times bestselling author Alyssa Day introduces the League of the Black Swan…and the dangerous game one woman plays when her family’s curse dooms her to kill the man she loves.

New York Times bestselling author Meljean Brook delivers a new story in her steampunk world of the Iron Seas…as a man who’s lost everything returns home to find that not only is his marriage in jeopardy, but he must now fight air pirates who intend to steal his one remaining treasure—his wife.

And Lucy Monroe, national bestselling author of the Children of the Moon novels…unleashes the feral passions of a werewolf on the body, mind, and soul of his prey, his lover, his lifemate.
~~

I kind of remember when this anthology was released, I think it was on my Google calender, but it was thanks to the efforts of the good ol' DC Public Library that I brought it home. Enthralled is an anthology of 4 stories, all with authors I know but none of which I currently read regularly. The Breed series by Lora Leigh was the big draw, her books have been autobuys for me up until the last couple of years, and while "Devil's Due" was good it wasn't great and the lack of real conflict just made it ok as a read.

The real winners here were "Ecstasy Under the Moon" by Lucy Monroe and "Curse of the Black Swan" by Alyssa Day. Both are interesting introductions to the authors' individuals worlds (and characters) and even as short stories had very satisfying endings.

All in all the anthology isn't bad and for people who need a little help deciding what to read next there are a variety of genres on display to choose from.

Overall Feeling -B/B+

Series - Various

Wicked as They Come by Delilah Dawson

When Tish Everett forces open the ruby locket she finds at an estate sale, she has no idea that a deliciously rakish Bludman has cast a spell just for her. She wakes up in a surreal world, where Criminy Stain, the dashing proprietor of a magical traveling circus, curiously awaits. At Criminy’s electric touch, Tish glimpses a tantalizing future, but she also foresees her ultimate doom. Before she can decide whether to risk her fate with the charming daredevil, the locket disappears, and with it, her only chance to return home. Tish and Criminy battle roaring sea monsters and thundering bludmares, vengeful ghosts and crooked Coppers in a treacherous race to recover the necklace from the evil Blud-hating Magistrate. But if they succeed, will Tish forsake her fanged suitor and return to her normal life, or will she take a chance on an unpredictable but dangerous destiny with the Bludman she’s coming to love?

~~

Eh, I expected to like this more. The reviews were good, the premise was interesting, but all in all I think I'd have to say it moved a bit slow for me. Maybe as much as I love the fashion I'm not much of a Steampunk girl after all?

What I did like about this book was the slow(er) progression of the relationship between Tish and Criminy. It would have been a bit weird to me if they'd immediately fallen into their HEA because she hadn't been totally unhappy with the world she left behind. She'd gotten out of her abusive relationship and was rebuilding her connection to herself and her grandmother - maybe not ideal, but things could have been worse. Criminy might have known that he and Tish were meant to be together because she found his necklace, but Tish had to have the time to allow her feelings to blossom. Corny sure, but needed as she was also expected to get used to a completely different world at the same time.

I may give the next book a go, we'll see. It might be a library (if possible) read for me.

Overall Feeling - B

Series - 1) Wicked as They Come

Beauty in the Beast by Christine Danse

Journeying by steam-powered sled to London's Frost Fair to perform, Tara and three friends are trapped in a blizzard in the woods. A gruff, handsome stranger offers them shelter-and wants one thing in return. Stories.

The travellers are glad to oblige. Their host, Rolph, is especially captivated by Tara's story of an orphaned girl raised by the Fae in the world of the spirits. Equally intrigued by Rolph, and aware of an electric pull between them, Tara encourages him to share a story of his own. When Rolph weaves a tale of a man who is doomed by his own folly to turn into a wolf at the full moon, Tara suspects there is more than a grain of truth in his words.

When the veil between the mortal and spiritual worlds is parted, and danger threatens, will Tara make the ultimate sacrifice to save Rolph?

~~

I'm usually a little leery of fairytale re-tellings but this Steampunk laden tale by Christine Danse is an entertaining one. The story and romance is soft and subtle, with Rolph and Tara both having to overcome personal demons in order to trust their feelings. I liked the fact that it wasn't a jump into bed kind of thing, because while I certainly feel there's a time and place for that (I even like it in other stories), I don't think it would have been as authentic to the characters' personalities. 

I didn't think the stories told by firelight was too cliche, though it was clear from the start who was telling personal tales and who was doing it for the sake of entertainment. It just added another layer to everything else, and the spurt of action at the end with the suggestion of a HEA was nice for someone like me who often reads romances where everything is laid out step-by-step for the reader. 

Overall Feeling - B-

Series - None

**Title requested from NetGalley for review***

Burning Up by Nalini Singh, Angela Knight, Virginia Kantra, & Meljean Brook

Bring these four authors together and it's sure to ignite a spark...

Angela Knight pairs a vampire warrior and his seductive captor in a battle against demonic predators.

Nalini Singh returns to the world of her Psy-Changeling series as a woman in lethal danger finds an unlikely protector-and lover.

Virginia Kantra continues the haunting tales of the Children of the Sea in her story of a wounded soldier rescued by an enigmatic young woman.

Meljean Brook launches a bold new steampunk series about a woman who strikes a provocative-and terrifying-bargain for freedom.

~~

This book is a prime example of why I rarely like anthologies. Somehow it always turns out that they're not really worth my money. Now don't get me wrong, I loved Nalini Singh's story. It had all the fun heat and emotion that her Changeling relationships have. 

I unfortunately can't say the same for the rest of the stories.

Knight's story gave off this awkward forced-seduction-kinda-rape-but-I-love-you vibe, and that didn't turn out well in my opinion. Maybe if there had been a bit more of the story, more time for the characters to go from sex to love it would have been a bit believable. Instead it all seemed to rapid fire and I never quite got over how the two first come together. Kantra's addition still suffered from too few pages, with her characters coming off a little flat, though I liked more the more rarely seen relationship between a selkie-like shapechanger and a human male. 

Meljean Brook had the second best story in the anthology. I thought the background of the two characters was more thorough and the emotions more real. My problems were more with the execution of the story and a feeling of indignation on behalf of the heroine when she's stuck in situations due to other people's manipulation and reluctance to give her the whole story - but that would bug me no matter the author. At least from this story I was able to figure out that probably no matter the author I'm not going to be a big steampunk fan (except when it comes to the fashion of course).

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up for Singh, thumbs down for the rest.

Series - Singh's is part of her Psy-Changeling books (a prequel) but the others I don't know well enough to say