Dark Storm by Christine Feehan

Awakening after all this time in a world of absolute darkness and oppressive heat, Dax wonders in how many ways the world above must have changed. But it is how he has changed that fills him with dread and loathing. Buried alive for hundreds of years in a volcano in South America, Dax fears that he has become the full-fledged abomination that every Carpathian male fears, a victim of the insidious evil that has crept relentlessly into his mind and body over the centuries.

But there are some things that never change.

His name is Mitro, the vampire Dax had hunted all these long centuries. Once at the side of the prince of the Carpathian people he is the epitome of everything malevolent, and perpetrator of one of the most shocking killing sprees known to man -- and beast. Even his friends and family weren't safe from Mitro's bloodlust. Neither was Mitro's lifemate, Arabejila, an extraordinary woman with extraordinary gifts.

But now that Dax has re-emerged, so too has Mitro. The ultimate battle between good and evil has been re-engaged. Between Dax and Mitro, a violent game has begun -- one that has marked Riley Parker, the last descendent of Arabejila, as the reward.
~~

Christine Feehan totally had me for the first 50% off this book. Nice set up, interesting characters, an enjoyable reintroduction of people from previous books - all good. I can't even say that Dax annoyed me! Especially in comparison to Dark Predator he was almost a modern alpha hero! Seemingly willing to listen to Riley's opinions, respect her abilities, etc. I'm telling you, it made me think we were getting back on track with this whole series. But then it happened.

Then we hit the sex organ flower. 

Where is Feehan's editor? Why does anyone let her keep writing these rituals?! I just can't you guys, I can't read about this pseudo-sex act licking of the flower parts while the hero and heroine say stupid poetry to each other. Maybe Feehan didn't know exactly where she wanted to go next in regards to the Carpathians problems with reproduction but this was not a good direction in my opinion. Sigh. 

After that low point the book was ok, lots of Mary Sue-ing on the part of Riley but nothing too annoying though I would say the final battle with Mitro was underwhelming. Ultimately I'm glad I got this from the library and before I start committing my money to new books in the future I'll have to read some reviews - possibly a lot of reviews.

Overall Feeling - C-

Series - ....21) Dark Peril 22) Dark Predator 23) Dark Storm

Mini Me: The Bite Before Christmas by Heidi Betts

In Heidi Betts’s collection of holiday novellas, vampires turn to Angelina Bertolli—vampire matchmaker extraordinaire—to help them find that special someone to curl up with under the mistletoe…

“All I Vant For Christmas”
Connor loves trimming the Christmas tree, baking gingerbread cookies, and hanging the mistletoe. But his vampire siblings won’t help. His friend Angelina sends party planner Jillian to the rescue. But when Jillian, who’s mortal, discovers she’s decking the halls for a family of vampires, will she run—or will Connor have a beautiful woman to share the holidays with?

“A Vampire in Her Stocking”
When Vivian learns that her secret crush Nick is terminally ill, she’s heartbroken. Confiding in Angelina, Vivian refuses to turn Nick into a vampire. Deciding to play Santa, Angelina changes Nick and leaves him wrapped in a red bow on Vivian’s doorstep…

“It’s A Wonderful Bite”
Although Angelina is happy with her boyfriend Sergio, she’s ready for a commitment. After drinking eggnog and watching It’s a Wonderful Life on Christmas Eve, Angelina falls into a dream where she is mortal and Sergio isn’t interested in her. Talk about the nightmare before Christmas! But Santa must have checked his list twice because this Christmas Angelina’s wishes are coming true…
~~

I picked this up for free on my Nook and I have to say I'm really glad I didn't put any money down on this because it's only getting an 'eh' rating for me. None of the stories were horrible but they weren't great either, each suffering (I think) from lack of pages. The stories just went by too quickly so not only did I feel like sometimes relationships and HEA's were too fast (ala "All I Vant for Christmas") some of them just seemed completely implausible ("A Vampire in Her Stocking").

I recognize that this is a Christmas anthology and it's suppose to be filled with glitter and gumdrops, but this is just not my favorite. I could be out of the loop due to lack of world familiarity, as I don't know if Betts has a whole series featuring this background or characters, but this wasn't the best holiday anthology I've ever read. I'd say check it out from the library.

Hunt the Moon by Karen Chance

Cassandra Palmer recently defeated a god, which you'd think would buy a girl a little time off. But it doesn't work that way when your new job description is Pythia — the world's chief clairvoyant. Cassie is busier than ever, trying to learn about her power, preparing for her upcoming coronation, and figuring out her relationship with the enigmatic sexy master vampire, Mircea.

But someone doesn't want Cassie to become Pythia, and is willing to go to any lengths to make sure the coronation ceremony never happens—including attacking her mother before Cassie is even born.

~~

First let me get my happy dancing out of the way because this book was so good! It's been a while since Curse the Dawn came out and rereading that and getting through Hunt the Moon just reminded me why I like Karen Chance so much. Her books are a lot of fun and I think a wonderful example of the paranormal romance genre.

Everyone, Cassie, Mircea, and Pritkin, are still wrapped up in the politics of establishing the Pythia outside of Apollo's influence and where Cassie is going to fit in relation to the Senate (sorry book references that only sort of make sense to those who haven't read these). It's not going to be easy because Cassie, as a strong kick-ass character, is not going to be just a figure head. She'll either do it and succeed or mess up on her own merits or not do it all - no puppet Pythia-ing here. Combining that with Cassie's determination to 'date' Mircea and keep things platonic with Pritkin in the midst of all this, and it's a complicated novel that you've got here.

I love Chance for the strength of her characters and the intricacies of the world she's built. I know she's only 5 books in but I feel like she's really taking the time to create a series that makes sense and doesn't just have bad guys and other randomness thrown in to extend it. I'm not sure who I'm voting for relationship wise, she's definitely got me on the fence. Being deliberately vague, what I liked and was rooting for in the beginning isn't quite how things might end up, and so for a lot of this book I found myself cringing at what was happening while being completely unable to look away. Highly recommended :)

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up.

Series - 1) Touch the Dark 2) Claimed by Shadow 3) Embrace the Night 4) Curse the Dawn 5) Hunt the Moon

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

Condemned to death for black magic and shunned, Rachel Morgan has three days to somehow get to the annual witches convention in San Francisco and clear her name. If she fails, the only way she can escape death is to live in the demonic ever after . . . for ever after.

Banned from the flight lists, Rachel teams up with elven tycoon Trent Kalamack, headed for the West Coast for his own mysterious business. But Rachel isn’t the only passanger along for the ride. Can a witch, an elf, a living vampire, and a pixy in one car survive for over 2,300 miles? And that’s not counting the assassin on their tail.

A fearsome demon walks the sunlight, freed after centuries of torment to slay the innocent and devour souls. But his ultimate prey is Rachel Morgan. While the powerful witch with nerves of steel will do whatever it takes to stay alive, even embracing her own demonic nature may not be enough to save her.

~~

First, for anyone who's wondering, I do not consider Pale Demon a stand alone. At all. There has been way too much back story and too much emotional baggage in this series for the new reader to pick up Pale Demon and appreciate it fully. The part of the story that we're shown in this one novel isn't bad, definitely not, but it's very complicated. There's a lot of back and forth and assumed knowledge that for a newbie I think would really distract from truly enjoying what was being portrayed on the page.

Essentially what we see in this book is a road trip. A long, dangerous, HUGE CONSEQUENCES having, road trip. With all the familial bonds and bad food that those words bring to mind, lol. Rachel is desperately trying to clear her name and to get to the West Coast on time is sucked into Trent's world again - this time though because he's on some mystical 'elf quest'. The whole crew goes with and we get a sh*t ton of action along the way. That's almost what I noticed the most. That the action made things seem to be going so fast but at the same time so slow.

It's like the action can be so enthralling in times I almost forget that people are saying and doing very important things while it's going on. Does that make sense? Either way it's breakneck pace and when I reached the 'conclusion' it kind of felt like I'd hit a brick wall. Which resulted in this ugly scene:

"What do you mean it's done? I want to know what happens next! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME!?" (there was a temptation to throw my book at the wall but really - I just couldn't do it)

It's not a cliffhanger in the traditional sense (*cough* Jim Butcher *cough*) but a feeling of WOW. Harrison has a lot of material to play with in the next book and I can't wait to see where she goes!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up.

Series - ...6) The Outlaw Demon Wails 7) White Witch, Black Curse 8) Black Magic Sanction 9) Pale Demon

Hungry for You by Lynsay Sands

This vampire has been alone for far too long . . .

As one of the most ancient in the Argeneau clan, Cale Valens has given up on finding a life mate. His friends and family, however, have not. In fact, they believe they've finally found his perfect match. Getting them together, however, requires one little white lie . . .

Alexandra Willan is in a panic. Her restaurant is due to open in two weeks, but her chef just walked out. Then a highly recommended replacement arrives, an impossibly handsome culinary genius who sends electric tingles racing through her body . . .

Except he can't cook. In fact, Cale hasn't eaten real food in two thousand years. Yet he's determined to prove to Alex his prowess in the kitchen . . . and elsewhere. Because never has he hungered so for any mortal woman. And not just for a taste of her, but for the whole delicious feast! 

~~

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

This book definitely had some ups and downs for me. I'm not ashamed to say that I usually really like the 'fated to be' and 'from the moment I saw you I knew' romances. When done right they're usually a great mix of romance and heat, which is just how I like my books. The problem with this one is that while the relationship itself I liked because of the Alex and Cale, the supporting characters really irked me. 

The little turn of having Cale work in Alex's restaurant worked. There was just enough subterfuge to get him in, but quickly enough things were turned around so that Cale was doing what he was actually good at and Alex was doing what she loved. Plus their relationship evolved I think somewhat realistically with Alex being stand off-ish due to her own past and concerns about getting involved with an 'employee'.

If I really had to put my finger on it it wasn't until the last few chapters that I felt things got wonky. I didn't like the fact that Alex got pinned down in an 'I'm a vampire and you have to listen to what I have to say' situation (not with Cale though - with someone else). How about you let her freak out as is her right and Cale has to come after her and do some of the work too? Those endings are infinitely more satisfying to me and I feel more true to way two people work out bumps in the relationship road. Also, the fact that Alex had to make a decision before leaving this familial home (again not Cale's) or she would leave with all memories of Cale AND her sisters wiped and she would in fact never see them again also irked. There was just irked feelings all around when it came to the ending.

Thinking back on it now, this book would appeal to someone who's involved with this series and the characters, but for me there isn't enough to entice me to read another. Which is a shame because I liked the romance itself but having any more of this 'decide now or be effectively banished' would probably drive me crazy. Alex and Cale are strong characters, neither of them willing to take a lot of crap (he's over 2,000 years old for f*ck's sake), and don't need busy bodies forcefully changing their actions. I wish I could just tell Sands to leave them alone and let them fight it out for themselves - I'm sure things would work out!

Overall Feeling - Eh.

Series - ...13) Bitten by Cupid 14) Born to Bite 15) Hungry for You

Eternal Hunger by Laura Wright

FEAR IS IN THE BLOOD

Alexander Roman wants nothing to do with the controlling rulers of his vampire breed or the family he escaped from a hundred years ago. But as a new threat to the pureblood vampires emerges, Alexander's ties to the past are forced upon him again, and without warning, he finds himself - disoriented, terrified, and near death - at the door of a stranger.

TRUST IS A RISK

Dr. Sarah Donohue is dedicated to removing the traumatic memories of her patients - like those of the stranger at her front door. But what he tells her of his past is too astonishing to be anything more than the delusion of a madman. Yet she has seen his flesh scarred by the sun and witnessed his inhuman strength. And never more has she felt so connected to a man, by both fear and seductive excitement.

~~

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

I feel like this is somewhat of a mediocre addition to an already overflowing genre. Vampire paranormal romance is still hot and new ones are being published all the time. Unfortunately not all of them are quite up to snuff and I think this series definitely needs some work. 

First of all let me say that yes Sarah Donohue does find Alexander on her front stoop, but it's not quite like the cover implies- she doesn't immediately jump into trying to help him get past some traumatic memories. He's fully (ish) in control of who and what he is; he's just more than a little confused over why it's all going down about 100 years too early. There's some back and forth between them, threats of future forced changes for his brothers by the semi-evil 'Powers that Be' and what generally turns out to be a not so bad plot. 

The problem is that this is a plot I've seen before. A lot. There's nothing really new or unique about this book. Wright's characters are fine but not amazing, and at the moment I feel like there's so much set up in anticipation of the next book that I don't even have to read it to know what's going to happen. I'm not saying that Eternal Hunger is bad - it's not. I thought Sarah and Alex coming together had nice tension and while you knew how things were going to end, it's a romance after all, their relationship was convincing. I don't have a problem with him not realizing that she's his destined mate until the end (I guess I've read about too many other bone-headed males) and the brothers were fun characters to start getting to know. But if I were seriously committed to getting my money's worth I'd probably keep it moving and check this one out from the library.

Overall Feeling - Eh. It wasn't bad but it wasn't great either.

Series - 1) Eternal Hunger 2) Eternal Kiss (April 2011)

Dark Melody by Christine Feehan

Lead guitarist of the Dark Troubadours, Dayan was renowned for his mesmerizing performances. His melodies stilled crowds, beckoned, seduced, tempted. And always, he called to her. His lover. His lifemate. He called to her to complete him. To give him the emotions that had faded from his existence, leaving him an empty shell of growing darkness. Save me. Come to me.

Corinne Wentworth stood at the vortex of a gathering storm. Pursued by the same fanatics who'd murdered her husband, she was risking her life by keeping more than one secret. Fragile, delicate, vulnerable, she had an indomitable faith that made her fiery surrender to Dayan all the more powerful. This was the one woman whose loss would destroy him, even as her love promised to heal his soul.

Dark Melody is one of my favorites in Feehan's Dark Series because of the uniqueness of her heroine and the way she conveys the emotions that Corrinne and Dayan experience coming together. It's #12 in the series (a series that's at 20 and counting) so it shouldn't surprise anyone if I say that there was a time when I was a little worried about where Feehan was going with this series (it was getting a little formulaic). Don't get me wrong, I love the 'brooding man looking for his light' plotline as much as the next paranormal junkie, but I was feeling like if I'd read one book I might as well have read them all.

Luckily that wasn't the case!

Feehan got her second wind and while still publishing books at the same fast pace, I felt like the characters were more unique and memorable as individuals - which is fantastic! I love how she comes back around to men we've already met while at the same time introducing us to women who are good for them. She rarely missteps when combining 'destined soul mate' with 'woman who has her own opinions and isn't going to let bygones be bygones'.

Definitely start from the beginning with these books, you're going to be confused as HELL if you don't, but go pick up this series! Paranormal romance wouldn't be the powerhouse it is today without Christine Feehan.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up! I love this series, and while it's had some ups and downs in terms of originality, this is where it starts picking up again and it makes you cheer once more for the Carpathians!

Series - .....15) Dark Secret 16) Dark Demon 17) Dark Celebration 18) Dark Possession 19) Dark Curse 20) Dark Slayer

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

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

YES!

Pleasure of a Dark Prince by Kresley Cole

A DANGEROUS BEAUTY...

Lucia the Huntress: as mysterious as she is exquisite, she harbors secrets that threaten to destroy her -- and those she loves.

AN UNCONTROLLABLE NEED...

Garreth MacRieve, Prince of the Lykae: the brutal Highland warrior who burns to finally claim this maddeningly sensual creature as his own.

THAT LEAD TO A PLEASURE SO WICKED....

From the shadows, Garreth has long watched over Lucia. Now, the only way to keep the proud huntress safe from harm is to convince her to accept him as her guardian. To do this, Garreth will ruthlessly exploit Lucia's greatest weakness -- her wanton desire for him.

I think I'd really forgotten how much I like Kresley Cole. Her characters are always inventive (Nucking Futs Nix anyone?) and the relationships are always hot and fast paced. What particularly struck me in this book was the time jumps. Especially in the first few chapters of the book, readers are treated to story lines that go in and out of other books in Cole's series. I'm 90% positive that if I hadn't already read them I would have been very confused because as much as this book is a stand alone, it's dependent on the build-up done in previous books. Still that threading through with the other books gives the reader an unusual chance to know what's going on in the background of other romances - I might have loved Emma and Lachlain's story, but only now did I really get to see what her family was going through while it happened.

But ok - to get back to Lucia and Garreth - this was a great book. The story was funny, the way the two interacted was a hoot, and the supporting characters were unique, while doing a good job of helping the story along. Combine all that with random texts from Regin? Hilarious!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up! I loved having a longer book to read, one with enough romance, sex, and action to keep me entertained the entire way through!

Series - 1) Playing Easy to Get 2) A Hunger Like No Other 3) No Rest for the Wicked 4) Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night 5) Dark Deeds at Night's Edge 6) Kiss of a Demon King 7) Deep Kiss of Winter 8) Pleasure of a Dark Prince 9) Demon From the Dark (August 31, 2010)

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.

Dorina Basarab Series by Karen Chance

I picked up this series again when Chance released her newest addition to it, Death's Mistress. Truthfully I had to reread the first one just because I couldn't remember what happened! I hate when my reading list overwhelms my brain to the point I can't recall where something left off. Unfortunately it happens more often than I'd like, because when it takes months or years for a sequel to come out, and I read hundreds of books in the meantime, it's just bound to happen. But - it also helped me remember how cool Chance's covers are! What do you guys think?

Either way, what matters is this series takes place in the same world as Chance's Cassie Palmer books - thus you know there's going to be a lot of fast paced action and cool magic. The series stars Dorina Basarab, the daughter of Mircea and a peasant Romanian (a human peasant). Dhampir's are few and far between in Chance's world, not only because vampires hate them for their ability to kill scores of them, but also because their existence seems to cause black-out rages that result in lots of damage to their enemies, but at the same time causes lots of damage to themselves. The first book focuses on Dorina efforts to help the Vampire Senate capture/destroy (depends who you ask) Dracula, Mircea's brother- who's escaped from his magical prison. Along the way her efforts are split between trying to figure out what happened to her roommate Claire and trying to not kill her father-appointed vampire helper, Louis-Cesare. Yes, the first book is as cool as that explanation sounds.

The second book had even more action, since the whole story focuses on a whole slew of people searching for one Fey relic- a relic that is rumored to bring invincibility to the wearer. Unsurprisingly, you've got Feys, Vampires, Sorcerers (everyone really) trying to get their hands on it, and none of them are too squeamish to kill someone standing in their way. Add in Vampire Senate seat competitions and disgraced Fey big-wigs trying to kill their way to throne, and you've got a rollicking good time. Plus, this book does a great job of drawing back in the romance element that I loved in the Cassie Palmer series.

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. The books might not come out as quickly as I would like, but when they do they're great! (Wow, I kind of felt like Tony the Tiger there)

Series - 1) Midnight's Daughter 2) Death's Mistress

Angel at Noon Excerpt

Time for a quick peek at Emma Holly's future releases! Based on her Midnight trilogy, Angel at Noon will focus on the vampire Christian Durand and human Grace Michaels. I definitely wouldn't recommend reading this without going through the others first, just because there is quite a bit of character/story building done in the first few books. Check out the excerpt here, and to open the Pdf use the password 'Durand' (case sensitive). Hope you enjoy!

The Vampires in My Life

I hate to have to admit inspiration from an E! countdown, but the other day I saw them do 'Top 10 Vampires We Love' and I just couldn't take it. Some of their picks I agreed with but because they were only focusing on TV/Movie vampires I feel like they left out a lot. And, since I'm a girl (duh!) and my vampires don't have to appeal to anyone other than me, I've decided to do a list with just male vampires. Different ages and genres, along with a wide range of different methods of distribution to the public, but here is a list of the Top Vampires in My Life, along with a couple runners up that I thought were definitely worth mentioning.

11. Simon, The Silver Kiss - People love to talk about Twilight as the epitome of teen vampire romance and angst, but I think that's mainly because they haven't read about Zoe and Simon in The Silver Kiss. I think there is no truer expression of love then in this book, where in spite of her desire to be changed, Simon sticks to his guns and his understanding of what being a vampire actually means and refuses to make Zoe a vampire. Instead, in one of the most poignant goodbyes ever, he sits with her to see his last sunrise.

10. James, Secret Vampire - James and Poppy are a good example of when, if the heroine is DYING, I can see making a teenager a vampire. Plus the whole series features younger heroes and heroines so it's not too much of a surprise that this storyline makes an appearance.

9. Louie, Interview With the Vampire - Louie was probably my first 'grown up' vampire - who wowed me with the tall, dark, and handsome bit. With his crazy eyes (contacts were never so attractive) and Brad Pitt's lips who couldn't love Louie?!?! Plus he was so kick ass and tormented in a non-whimpy way.

8. Wrath, Dark Lover - In Ward's first book on her Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Wrath makes his appearance as the ruler and savior of his species. Definitely one of the best examples of a H-O-T alpha male, it is his complete devotion to Beth and the reality that his life is only complete with her in it that makes him so easy love and totally irresistible.

7. Eric, Sookie Stackhouse Series - Eric squeeks by on my list and not Bill because I think Eric is just a lot more real. He's always been up front with Sookie about how he feels and reading (I don't watch the show!) through the transformation where physical attraction leads into real feelings is so engaging, it's just one more place for Charlaine Harris shines in this series.

6. Constantine, Sunshine - Constantine is probably the most unusual hero to place on this list just because McKinley doesn't write the stereotypical vampire figure. All of the vampires in this book are hugely 'other' and their existence is very antithetical to the existence of humans. Sunshine and Constantine banding together and their attraction is not typically romantic. It just is, as something that can't be changed by any outside forces. That connection and the unique world and storyline of the novel is what places him so high on my list.

5. Jean-Claude, Anita Blake Series - No vampire list could really be complete without Jean-Claude. The very essence of temptation and sin from Laurell K. Hamilton's Anita Blake books, he's just incredible. Alive for centuries you always get the feeling that he's done just about anything and could teach you things you've never even dreamed of - all without breaking a sweat. How is that not sexy?!?!


4. (x2) Spike and Angel, Buffy the Vampire Slayer - Number 4/3 had to be a tie because even after all these years I still cannot choose between Angel and Spike. When I was younger, and the TV series was younger, Angel of course was the winner, with all his brooding sexiness. But as seasons went by and Spike went from just a cute bad guy to a soul toting hero in his own right my feelings changed. I could have sworn that after he attacked Buffy that there was no way he was worming his way back into my affection but he just loved her so much. Even when he knows that she doesn't love him. And at the end when sacrifices himself for her and for the world it just sealed his place on this list. So yeah - I couldn't decide between the two, so Angel and Spike make it high up on this list.


2. Rhage, Lover Eternal - Rhage makes it higher on my list I think because it was even more touching to read about his falling in love with Mary who had cancer and enough emotional issues to fill an issue. And of course, he had his addiction to sex caused by a curse he couldn't seem to get a handle of. Plus the story itself was so atypical with Mary doing a very good case of emotional emptiness due to her diagnosis and in Rhage being a very atypical hero when he goes to have sex with another woman in the middle of the book - after he's identified Mary as his true love. Nothing is easy in this book and these two people, brought together after so much hardship, make a story that I will read over and over again.

1. Thierry, Soulmate - Thierry wins because he loves Hannah so much that he commits himself to their love even knowing that he will be forced to watch her die over and over again. As an old soul Hannah is reborn, but instead of halting her destiny, instead of forcing her into one body forever, he devotes himself to her, to their eternity together. But it's going to be hard. To be with her and watch her grow old and eventually die - and then wait. Wait for her to be reborn and for him to find her again, all knowing that the cycle is going to repeat itself. AHH! SO ROMANTIC! I know I'm a fool but this just gets to me!


Honorable Mentions
1. Mikhail, Christine Feehan's Dark Series - I love Mikhail but to be fair to the category he's not a vampire, he's a Carpathian so he get's an honorable mention.
2. Ash, Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunters Series - Same thing with Ash, he's not a vampire and actually only really drinks Artemis's blood, but he's so cool that he also gets a shout out.

Laurell K Hamilton at Dragon*Con 2008

Since I'm working on what my next book review is going to be, I thought I'd take a time out and do a quick little post on Laurell K Hamilton and Dragon*Con. I love LKH - quite a bit in fact - but I have one major issue: her inability to be consistent with Dragon*Con attendances drives me crazy! My BFF and I waited years to go to Dragon*Con for the first time solely because we weren't gonna go if she wasn't there - and she kept not being there. AUGH!

Luckily, I can say that in 2008 LKH went and so we proceeded to stalk her around that entire Convention. HOURS of waiting in line hoping to be in the first or second row so that we could really hear and see the person who wrote so many of the books we loved. I'm even happier to say that she was totally worth that time and that Ms. Hamilton is very funny and engaging in person. If you get the chance to go listen to her speak definitely take it! It's like watching one of your favorite heroines step out of the book and come to life in the very best way.

Both of these clips are from Dragon*Con's 'She Did What?!' Panel:
"Sex in science fiction. Is it necessary? Does too much of it cross the line from sf/fantasy into...other things?" - Dragon*Con 2008 Pocket Program

Hope you enjoy!

Dark Slayer by Christine Feehan

Ivory-a rare Carpathian female-has been protected by her brothers for most of her life. But once she frees the mage Razvan from his prison cave, they must flee together, enemies of Carpathian hunters as well as vampires. Ivory senses that Razvan is more than he appears to be, and she vows to go against the entire Carpathian race to help him, risking both their lives in order to save their love.

I don't think I can say enough good things about Christine Feehan. She started out with this great plot and wonderful story line - but I'm not going to lie. After about the 8th book or so, you kind of got the feeling that the series wasn't going anywhere original anymore. But with these last few books she has proven to me that it was no fluke, her rise to prominence, but a clear example of an author with vision. Ivory and Razvan are very moving characters, but with unbelievable stories. They've both endured incredible hardship and yet still manage to find the courage to be with each other. I know that sounds really corny, but this series is really developing an interesting (and new) plot line, with the latest characters being ones readers can really root for.

Overall Feeling - Big thumbs up, a great addition to a (well deserved) highly regarded series.

Series - 1) Dark Prince.........18 additional books later...... 20) Dark Slayer

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.

Belong to the Night by Shelly Laurenston, Cynthia Eden, and Sherrill Quinn

The Wolf, The Witch, and Her Lack of Wardrobe" by Shelly Laurenston:

Jamie Meacham has enough trouble controlling her supernatural abilities. There's no time for lust, or for Tully Smith, even with his smoldering amber eyes. But Tully's grappling with his own animal instincts as a powerful shifter-wolf, trying to protect all his territory-including a certain sassy witch-from vicious rivals.

"In the Dark" by Cynthia Eden:

FBI agent and leopard shifter Sadie James' undead ex, Liam, still arouses her deepest desires, distracting her from tracking the brutal rogue shifter who is terrorizing Miami. By teaming up with Liam, Sadie has a better chance of solving the case, but as passion consumes them, she stands to lose more than just her heart.

"City of the Dead" by Sherrill Quinn:

Dori Falcon is a witch with a plan: get to New Orleans, locate her missing brother, and recover the Eye of Bastet, a mysterious and powerful amulet. Her plan never included falling for sexy Cajun copy Jake Boudreau; but without his help, she may never find the demon who has her brother, and the key to her family's survival.

If you've read any of my other reviews you won't be surprised to know that I bought this anthology solely for the Shelly Laurenston story. She's probably my #1 favorite for funny, kick-ass erotic or romance. I mean, how can you not appreciate a woman who uses a phrase like 'molesting' someone's insides? That is as cool as all get out and you know it. The other two stories weren't bad either, but I would have preferred that the whole book was devoted to Laurenston - though I did feel like I was missing some back story just because of some of the couples that already existed in her story felt familiar. Sorry for the short review, but I'm already on to the next novel and I'm too distracted to say more about this one!

Overall Feeling - Thumbs up. A fun read, with the characteristic violence and humor that make a Laurenston story great.

Series - None (I think....)