Review: Dark Kiss of the Reaper by Kristen Painter

Dark Kiss of the Reaper
by Kristen Painter

Genre: Paranormal Romance (Contemporary)
Cost: $3.99 (Kindle)

What I Liked:
Well, I'm a big fan of Kristen Painter's work in general, so I had a leg up already on that one. Not a huge fan of these angel stories, so it took some getting used to. But I'm glad I stuck through it, becuase as always, I adored her hero and thought even the heroine was worth reading (I'm notoriously hard on heroines).

This is not your typical Angel of Death story. In fact, I thought the world-building that Kristen Painter accomplished in this book was unique enough that I would be able to distinguish it from other more commonplace angel stories. I loved the setup and their romantic trajectory. I thought it was well-written and engaging. While it wasn't my favorite book of hers (will anything ever live up to Heart of Fire? ::sigh::), I did thoroughly enjoy it and will read it again.

I will say, if you like angel stories, I think you'll really enjoy this. Kristen Painter has a lyrical voice, she does great world-building, and writes heroes very well. And the story.... it's heartbreaking and beautiful.

Book Blurb:
He'll steal her heart, then take her soul...

The angel of death has a name: Azrael. He also has a purpose, to soothe the souls of the suffering into the peaceful passage of the after life. But in his twilight existence, Azrael has never known peace or pleasure...

Until he meets Sara, the first mortal who can see him in his Reaper form. Charming and spirited despite bearing her own burdens, she intoxicates him with the pleasures of life, even taming his brutal dark side with her fearlessness. But Azrael’s new happiness is short-lived when he realizes Sara’s health is fading. The bright flame of her life is about to be blown out.

And he’s to blame.

~ review by Rebecca Lynn

PRETTY SOULS by Julie Particka

Making It Real

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You know that girl? The one in high school who is drop dead gorgeous and knows it, even if she doesn’t flaunt it too much? She’s the same one that can tell you exactly when a guy becomes interested in her, and she’s not afraid to approach him because she’s not guessing, she knows he’s into her. She’s often a cheerleader, but doesn’t have to be, because even without that popularity-inducing label, she’s awesome.
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Yeah. I so wasn’t that girl. Not many people are.
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Now I know books are supposed to be about fantasy, and I’m okay with adding that girl in sometimes (in her own way, Cass is close…or at least that’s the persona she presents to the world). The thing is I like to read about girls who were more like me too. Not so confident in our appearance or our ability to pick up guys. A little shy about even talking to a boy we like unless we turn on the snark, which is—let me tell you—the best way to get a date. (In case you missed it, that was sarcasm. Never let me be your dating guide. You can thank me for telling you that later.)
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It isn’t that those girls are ignored in fiction, but they’re usually the best friend or the boyfriend’s sister or some other secondary character. I prefer to put them front and center. I’m sure some of you have read Pretty Souls and are sitting back saying, “Now, Julie, Elle’s beautiful. Don’t pretend she isn’t.” To that I say, I’m not. She is beautiful, but she’s overshadowed by the fact that her younger sister is that girl, right down to the cheerleading uniform.
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Elle’s the girl who can pick out every single one of her faults, and she likes to hide everything behind attitude, baggy clothes, and studying. She’s involved in activities at school, but nothing high profile. She runs track instead of playing basketball. She’s in the color guard rather than cheerleading. She’s content to let Cass out-shine her, even though she secretly yearns to be more.
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That’s the kind of girl I was, and the kind most of my friends were. Sure, I had a couple friends who were that girl and a couple who had absolutely no desire to be anything more than their own personal status quo. But most of us? Most of us fell in the in between. So that’s something I try to really infuse my characters with, that feeling of “not quite where I want to be”. Because without it, where’s the room for growth? Where’s the journey? Sure, Elle could fight demons until she’s old and gray, but if she’s still the exact same werewolf who hates her inner beast and thinks she’s the shadow to her sister’s sunlight…what’s the point?
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So I want her to stretch her furry legs and grow and piece by piece reach for the person she’s destined to become rather than staying who she is. I wish the same thing for my own kids.
And I wish it for Cass too, because as most readers have figured out, with her nothing is what it seems, and she’s still got a long way to go. (In case that wasn’t a blatant enough clue, for those who’ve been wondering, book two is hers ;-) )
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Kimber An here.  That title is pure genius.  If you all want to learn more about Julie and her stories, please visit her site Julie Particka

CRUSHED SUGAR, a Prequel Novella by Kimber An, Reviewed by Kimber Jr.

What, another one?! Yeah, there’s another! Actually, technically it’s a prequel, and a novella one at that, so don’t expect anything huge. But it’s a back story, and who doesn’t love those?! Here we go!!

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The story opens with-who else?-Ophelia. She’s with Bianca in a restaurant when she runs into the local I’m-the-Alpha-Male-and-I-Know-It Martin Brynner, whom she’s had a crush on for the past seven years.
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But is Martin really all he seems? On the outside, he’s a cute if embarrassing guy. But the next day, the first day of school…..he changes. All of a sudden, he’s after Ophelia like a dog after a hot dog that’s just rolled off the grill. Sinister? Maybe. But for the moment Ophelia just wants to enjoy having the most popular dude in school for a boyfriend.
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And yet….Ophelia can’t help thinking otherwise when she meets Adrian Grayer, a supposed-gay guy with the griffin as his symbol and very cute blond hair. Then there’s Tristan, a black-haired guy with attitude and a fondness for Star Trek.
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Sound like your average love-triangle-romance? It’s not.
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When Ophelia finds Adrian with a broken hand, she immediately gets her mom to heal him, and then looks him up on her medical files. But according to them, he lives in a place with no house! What’s up with that?
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Of course, this isn’t totally a romance…..it’s also a comedy!! Everybody’s favorite Goth jokesters the Goth Girls are back and having a good laugh at Katelyn’s expense. When technogeek Ophelia rigs Katelyn’s food processor, she immediately wins the respect of the Goth Girls…..with a little hilarity along the way!!
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But then she gets her mind mysteriously wiped of (&F((censored for suspense))*()*** leaving her wide open to the increasingly-sinister advances of the world’s worst jerk boyfriend, Martin.
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And, that’s it! If you want the rest of the answers, you’ll have to actually READ the BOOK!!! See ya later!
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Kimber An here.  Thank you, My Baby Girl!  Momma wuv u so much!  To learn more about CRUSHED SUGAR, pop over to my main site-   About CRUSHED SUGAR
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CRUSHED SUGAR will be released on March 25th from Decadent Publishing.  If you've read SUGAR RUSH, please remember this is a *prequel.*  This means it takes place BEFORE the start of the events in Sugar Rush.  Martin starts the story fully human and has always been nice to Ophelia.  She doesn't know he's the Villain yet.
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Stay tuned for further developments as Release Day approaches!

Review: Nocturne by Syrie James

Nocturne
by Syrie James

Genre: Paranormal Women's Fiction
Publisher: Vanguard Press
Cost: $12.78
Release Date: January 4, 2011

What I Liked:
Some people might be tempted to categorize this as a romance novel. That, my friends, it is not. It might be a story about a man and a woman falling in love (think Nights in Rodanthe with snow instead of hurricaine and Edward Cullen instead of Richard Gere--or maybe Richard Gere without who sleeps all day and has no tan), but like those fabled books by the one we call The Spork, this is a love story, not a romance novel.

Why the distinction? Well, to tell you that, I have to give away something very important about the novel. So if you are worried about SPOILERS, please stop reading now. I'm going to spoil something very important.

Seriously, stop reading.

Okay, now that we've weeded out all the spoiler-weenies, let's get down to the nitty gritty. The H/H do not end up together in the end. It was the most realistic vampire love story I've ever read, for that reason precisely. Why do I say this?

Because, and I really hate to admit this, but Edward Cullen was right. It's an act of supreme selfishness to turn someone you love into an undead monster. (Never, ever tell anyone that I said anything good about Edward Cullen.) That's not true love. That's obsession, desire, lust: self-centered. When you're truly in love with someone, you want the absolute best for them, even if that means you never get to see them again.

Spoilers aside, it was interesting to read the book just to get to that place. But that alone was good enough that I had to highlight it, because this is how every true vampire romance should end, at least if the characters are really in love with anyone else besides themselves. So, kudos to the author for that. The book is worth checking out just for that alone.

Book Blurb:
When Nicole Whitcomb’s car runs off a Colorado mountain road during a blinding snowstorm, she is saved from death by a handsome, fascinating, and enigmatic stranger.

Snowbound with him for days in his beautiful home high in the Rockies, she finds herself powerfully attracted to him and soon comes to realize that the feeling is mutual. But there are things about him that mystify her, filling her with apprehension—and Nicole can’t shake the feeling that he doesn’t want her there.

Who is Michael Tyler? Why does he live alone in such a secluded spot and guard his private life so carefully? What secret—or secrets—is he hiding?

Nicole has secrets of her own and a past she is running from—but Michael understands her better than anyone she has ever known. Soon, she is falling as deeply in love with him as he is with her.

But as the sexual tension between them builds, the clues mount up. When Nicole learns the terrifying truth—that her host is an ages-old vampire who is torn between his love for her and his desire for her blood—there’s nowhere for her to run but into the blizzard raging outside, and he’s the only one who can save her life.

- Rebecca Lynn

Review: Immortal Champion by Lisa Hendrix

Immortal Champion
by Lisa Hendrix

Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance
Publisher: Berkley
Cost: $7.99
Release: January 4, 2011 (available for preorder)

What I Liked:
Two words. Viking shapeshifter. Um... I promise to finish the review as soon as I stop fanning myself. Still fanning. Oh, and did I mention it's also medieval? AND set in Yorkshire? I am an absolute sucker for books set in the North of England, to begin with. And then add my complete adoration for were books, and my love for Vikings. Lisa Hendrix couldn't possibly have hit it more perfectly if she'd been writing this book specifically for me. It was an absolute masterpiece.

And Gunnar. Oh, my beloved Gunnar. The hero. My hero. The man is an absolute hunk of burning love, from the first line, to the last. He's defintiely going on my short-list of favorite heroes of all time. He has the tortured soul thing, but also the hope thing, and the honor and loyalty. And of course, the mystery. Adore, adore, adore this man. Seriously, Jamie Fraser ain't got nothin' on Gunnar.

And the heroine! I'm actually a bit shocked as I type this. I typically hate heroines, but Eleanor was spunky, and not at all annoying. She was brave and intrepid and exciting. I looked up to her, and best of all, I wanted her to be with Gunnar, desperately. She made the whole chase worth the time reading. What an intriguing woman.

But the best part, by far, was Hendrix's voice. She's got a great flare for the historical paranormal genre. Just enough irreverance to remind us that we're in a magic land, but enough solid historical detail to delight even the most stringent historical fan among us. Fan-frickin-tastic. I'm immediately going to purchase the other books in the Immortal series, and I can only hope that she comes out with even more. This book was far too good to be the last.

Book Blurb:
He faces a future of cold uncertainty, until her warm embrace…

Part of a Viking crew of warriors cursed by an evil sorceress, Gunnar the Red must toil through eternity as half-man, half-beast, living out his days as a great bull, while his nights are spent in human form. And though he keeps mostly to the wilds, his heart yearns for the simple comforts of man—and the chance to redeem a tragic past…

Seeking refuge from a bitter winter in the welcoming hall of Richmond Castle, Gunnar rescues two maidens when a blaze erupts—and his destiny is forever altered. For one of the young women is Lady Eleanor de Neville, who is immediately entranced by her rescuer. Her kiss of gratitude—the brief touch of her lips against his cheek—awakens a longing in her soul. And even when she is betrothed to another, Eleanor never forgets her courageous knight.

When Gunnar rides back into Eleanor’s life, she is consumed by undeniable passion. And though his body surrenders to her every touch, Gunnar’s heart remains imprisoned by the curse—and only the magic of the truest love can save him…

Review: The Keepers by Heather Graham

The Keepers by Heather Graham

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Cost: $3.89 on Kindle!

What I Liked:
Well, I'd been a Heather Graham since I was a kid. But her most recent stuff left me a little cold. In fact, I haven't read a book of hers that I've liked in years. Until now! I don't know if it's the fact that I read books 2 and 3 in the series and already loved them, or if it's just that this was a great book and happened to be part of a great series as well. But this was really a great book.

Book one (Keepers) was a vampire romance, book two (Shifters) a shifter romance, book three (Wolven) a werewolf romance. Book two was my favorite, and this one (book one) was my least favorite. But still, I loved them all! So to be my least favorite in one of my favorite paranormal trilogies in a long time is a very good thing.

The hero in this book, Jagger, is the kind of vampire I like. Stoic, realistic, kinda edgy. Not too broody, not too dark. In other words, not a caraciture. He was real to me, which is unique. But I liked him a lot. And Fiona, the heroine in this book, was my favorite of the three sisters. The scene where her sisters burst in on her after she's just slept with Jagger is priceless. Loved it.

Aaah, Heather Graham, I am back to being a fan. Looking forward to more books like this.

Book Blurb:
At the core of New Orleans lie the otherworldly vampires and shape-shifters that hide in plain sight among mankind. As one of the Keepers, an elite group possessing superior skill and strength, Fiona MacDonald's duty is to maintain peace in a place where one vampire's bite could ignite war. When Detective Jagger DeFarge, a vampire, is called in at the discovery of a body drained of blood, both the detective and Fiona must join uneasy forces.

Jagger will stop at nothing to find the murderer— including working with the sensual and suspicious Fiona. As more die, it becomes clear that this isn't the work of an ordinary vampire. No one is safe. So when the killer's attention turns to Fiona, will Jagger risk destroying his own species to protect the woman he so passionately desires?

The Keepers: Three extraordinary sisters, balancing the duties of their birthrights and the yearnings of their hearts…

~ Rebecca Lynn

Review: The Shifters by Alexandra Sokoloff

The Shifters
by Alexandra Sokoloff

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Cost: $3.89 on Kindle!

What I Liked:
First, I have to say, you can totally tell that Alexandra Sokoloff started off writing scripts. She is a master plotter and has fantastic, poppy dialogue. Fantastic.

Then, I had no idea this was part of a trilogy, except that I'd just read the third book, and recognized the characters! Then, I got way more excited about the book. I'd also never read a true shifter romance before, so this was a new experience for me. But it turned out very well. Loved it.

I know this was Alexandra Sokoloff's first Harlequin Nocturne, but I hope she writes more. It was the best of that trilogy. Fantastic characters, snappy plot, great dialogue, excellent sexual tension and sexiness. The hero was hot, and I didn't want to plant the heroine under a ton of concrete, which is a vast improvement for my reading experience lately.

After The Shifters, I will be looking for many more of Alexandra Sokoloff's books. You have to pick this up now. Really. Especially given that you can get a full-length novel for $4 on your Kindle. This one is worth every penny and then some. Fantastic book. Looking forward to more.

Book Blurb:
Caitlin MacDonald is Keeper of the New Orleans shapeshifters, a race of beings whose power lets them take on the form and voice of anyone they choose. Even their fellow paranormals are distrustful of their abilities, and Caitlin knows better than to take any shifter at face value. Then shapeshifting bounty hunter Ryder Malloy comes to town, claiming to be on the trail of a group of malevolent entities called walk-ins, and suddenly a city already reeling in the wake of a string of serial murders is under siege once again. Caitlin finds herself right in the middle of the danger—but with Ryder fighting by her side, the biggest threat to her wellbeing may be the threat he poses to her heart.

~ Rebecca Lynn

Review: The Wolven by Deborah LeBlanc

The Wolven
by Deborah LeBlanc

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne
Cost: $3.99 for Kindle!

What I Liked:
As an admitted werewolf romance lover, I have to say, my favorite part was the wolven! :-) Okay, after I've settled down enough to talk about the book, I will say that there were some slow parts for me, and I wasn't crazy about the setting of the book. But other than that, I really enjoyed this book. The heroine was interesting, the hero hot, the plot thoroughly engaging.

There is something unparalleled about the way an alpha wolf cares for his pack. And something SO hot about the way he enfolds an outsider heroine into his life. It's just incredible. Every time I read a werewolf romance, I think I'm not going to enjoy this, because I've read it all before. So not true! This one had a unique twist on the dynamic of the pack which I really enjoyed. And seriously, people, this hero. Just mouthwatering.

In short, if you like werewolf romance, you have got to check out this book. It's going to stay on my Kindle for a long time! Please, people, write more books like this.

Book Blurb:
Someone—or something—is systematically murdering the members of Danyon Stone's werewolf pack. As Alpha, he knows that finding and punishing the murderous entity is his responsibility, and he's not about to rest until he sees justice done. But to stop the slayings he has to accept help from the most unlikely source—a wickedly sensual mortal woman.


Mystic-shop owner Shauna MacDonald has a special interest in the recent string of otherworldly deaths. As the Keeper of the werewolves, it's her duty to guard and protect the packs. Working by Danyon's side to stop an unknown killer—and trying to deny the potency of their illicit attraction—poses a threat to her heart unlike any she's ever known, ;and if she becomes the killer's next target, it could be the death of her….

~ Rebecca Lynn

Linda Gerber on YA Contemporaries and Paranormals

I’m pleased for the opportunity to drop into Enduring Romance and talk about writing for a bit. I’m honored to be here, among fellow romantics. Kimber asked if I would discuss what inspired me to make the switch from contemporary YA to paranormal YA, and what I’ve learned along the way.

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The strange truth is that I actually made the switch from fantasy/paranormal to contemporary to get my foot in the publishing door. I know – crazy right? I mean, take a look at any YA section in any bookstore across the country, and you’d think that paranormal would be the golden ticket. But that’s not how it worked for me. I’m a firm believer in being prepared for opportunities in whichever form they take, so although what I gravitated toward was writing paranormal, when I heard about an opportunity to write for Puffin’s Students Across the Seven Seas series, I didn’t think twice about going contemporary for a book or so.

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One book turned into five contemporary YA novels for Puffin – two S.A.S.S. books, NOW AND ZEN and THE FINNISH LINE, and a mystery series, DEATH BY BIKINI, DEATH BY LATTE and DEATH BY DENIM. I also have a contemporary Middle Grade series in the works, LIGHTS, CAMERA, CASSIDY.

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So, although my current release, TRANCE, takes me back to my love of the paranormal, I’m not sure you could say I’ve made a switch. I’ll still be doing contemporary, but I’m thrilled to be able to play with a little magic along the way.
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One of the things I’ve learned in writing both is that no matter what the genre, the elements of a good romance remain the same. In both, we need strong, appealing characters, and conflict, conflict, conflict.
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In both the paranormal and the “real” world, the heroine’s outlook is shaped by past experiences. She possesses an attitude, skill or expertise that makes her special. Conversely, she usually has a lot to learn about herself.
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I found that the leading men share many similar traits as well. They genuinely care about the heroine, they are strong but vulnerable, and they have personal issues to overcome (which, of course, they will overcome so they can be with the heroine.)
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The joy of contemporary romance is that it’s accessible. It’s grounded in the real world. It could happen to you.
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The fun of paranormal romance is that anything can happen. A whole new set of possibilities and conflicts opens up with the creation of world or mythology.
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In short, I’m thrilled for the chance to dabble in writing paranormal again, but I’m also glad I opened myself up to contemporary, because in it I’ve found another love – and another avenue for romance.
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BIO –
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Linda Gerber recently returned to life in the Midwest after four years in Japan, where she served as the Regional Advisor for the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. She currently lives and writes in Dublin, OH, blissfully ignoring her husband, four kids, and one very naughty puppy.
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Please pop over to Linda Gerber's Website to learn more about her and her wonderful books.  Thank you, Linda!

Guest Author: Walter Greatshell

Greetings to my fellow Enduring Romantics!

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Walter Greatshell here. Since Halloween is fast approaching, our host Kimber An has graciously invited me to share a few thoughts about writing.
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Why me? Well, I am the author of the Xombies series of novels: Xombies: Apocalypse Blues, Xombies: Apocalypticon, and the upcoming third book in the saga, Xombies: Apocalypso. I also have a short story, The Mexican Bus, in the just-released zombie anthology The Living Dead 2, as well as a non-zombie novel due out this December, a sci-fi psychothriller called Mad Skills.
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How do I come up with this stuff? Why do I come up with this stuff? Am I warped, twisted, sick in the head? Sure, but that has nothing to do with it. The fact is, when you spend years working at mind-numbing jobs for low pay, you have to do something to keep yourself sane, whether it’s Sudoku or fantasy football. I chose to create fantasy worlds that I could escape to during those long, uneventful graveyard shifts. Eventually my fantasies took on a life of their own, demanding that I write them down.

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It’s something I’ve done all my life. When I was a little kid, my best friend and I used to reenact all the Godzilla movies we loved and then improvise sequels and spin-offs involving new characters we created. We made monsters out of papier-mâché and wrote up complex stage directions and cast lists. When my friend got a Super-8 camera as a Christmas gift, we started making actual movies, and that was even cooler…but then my friend moved away, taking his camera and projector with him.
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Since I couldn’t afford a camera of my own, I began to write. First short stories, then articles and reviews for the newspaper, and finally books.
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My first novel, Xombies (2004), was a crazy quilt of everything I ever read, from Candide to I Am Legend to True Grit to On the Beach to the Bible and Greek mythology to Native American folklore. That was the whole point—I was deliberately subverting what I felt was a stale genre marketplace. I believed and still believe that pulp fiction is literature, and that authors should experiment, follow their passions, take risks. It’s tough in this hypercommercial environment, but you have to do it. And just as I prefer satiric-minded movie directors like Stanley Kubrick (dead) or the Coen brothers, my literary idols are folks like Mark Twain (dead), Kurt Vonnegut (dead), Ken Kesey (dead), James Dickey (dead), Shirley Jackson (dead), Charles Portis (?), Thomas Berger (?), and even the comic artist Bob Fingerman (very not dead), who has recently started writing novels (Bottomfeeder and Pariah) that are as disturbingly funny as his comics.
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In recent years there’s been a whole new wave of horror maestros like David Wellington (Frostbite), Nate Kenyon (Sparrow Rock), Jonathan Maberry (Patient Zero), Joe Hill (Horns), and Justin Cronin (The Passage), all of whom are doing their part to keep the form interesting. Then there are all the new women superstars like Charlaine Harris, Stephanie Meyer, or Suzanne Collins, whose Hunger Games series is probably the most shocking and subversive YA I’ve read in a long time, God bless her. All these people inspire me…and give me something to aspire to.
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In fact, while I’m waiting for the trick-or-treaters to arrive, I might as well work on my new book. It’s just so hard to concentrate. Those candied apples look so tempting, so red and shiny, but it wouldn’t do to bite one—definitely not. They’re for the children…only for the children.
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Shhh, I can hear them coming now.

Review: Love Bites by Adrienne Barbeau

Love Bites
by Adrienne Barbeau

Genre: Paranormal with Romantic Elements
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Cost: $16.49

What I Liked:
Well, for a vampire novel, I liked that it wasn't anything like Twilight. I'm really bored with angsty vampires and their human lovers.

Given that I haven't read the first book, it was nice that I could pick up this book (2nd in a series) and not feel like I'd missed so much I couldn't read it. On the other hand, I did feel like I'd missed out on the best part of the story.

What I really enjoyed about the book was the heroine's voice. It's told in first person (both from the male and the female perspective), and I found the man's voice to be unrealistic and a little over-beta for me.  But the female's voice was a lot of fun. Very modern and funny. I would have almost preferred the whole thing be from her perspective, but it was interesting to see the story through both characters' eyes. The nice part was that it was always obvious who was talking.

Will I go back and read the first book? Probably not. I liked this book, but there are a lot of other vampire novels out there to be consumed, and I'll probably move on to others. Still, the nice thing about it being a Hollywood Vampyre novel is that it was written by a real Hollywood star, so there's a good chance it's a real as Tinseltown gets.

Book Blurb:
Ovsanna Moore is a gorgeous Hollywood scream queen with a secret no plastic surgeon can rival: she's a 450-year-old vampyre. Yet when Beverly Hills Detective Peter King discovers that Ovsanna's pearly whites are really fangs, instead of grabbing a wooden stake, he asks her out. And a romantic Christmas Eve turns into a holiday of horror.
First the werewolf attack, then the mutliated body at the Sportsmen's Lodge, and finally, Orson Welles and Mary Pickford fighting for their careers in a rat disguise and a Cyndi Lauper costume, respectively... What's the just-getting-to-know-you couple to do?

It doesn' thelp that Ovsanna's personal assistant and sometime lover, Maral, will do anything to get Peter out of Ovsanna's life, including make a trip to the cemetery to consult with Marilyn Monroe.

Peter and Ovsanna have to fight for their lives. (And yes, even a vampyre can be killed--and if you've survived in Tinseltown as long as some of these monsters have, you know how to do it.) Ovsanna enlists her clan, the Vampyres of Hollywood, to help battle a coterie of supernatural beasts straight out of Alien vs. Predator. This is no ratings war, it's a fight to the death. (from the book jacket)

Review: Vampire Vendetta by Alexis Morgan

Vampire Vendetta
by Alexis Morgan

Genre: Paranormal Romance (Vampires)
Publisher: Silhouette Nocturnes (Harlequin)
Cost: $5.25

What I Liked:
Well, it's easy to talk about what I liked in this book, because I liked most of it. In fact, there was little that I didn't like, and what little there was, I don't really feel the need to talk about because it was the typical Harlequin stuff, which I've learned to love all in all. But this was my first real foray into the Sillhouette Nocturne line, and I think I will be staying.

I'm a huge fan of vampire books. As a Buffy and Angel fan, I've been into vampires since before it was all the rage. And I get that feeling from Alexis Morgan as well. I like the way she creates her world, and even more than that, I like that she doesn't make a big show about it. I'm left with a lot of questions about the world when the book is done which is great!! A lot of authors misunderstand that half the interest of world-building is discovering the world. I don't want someone to tell me everything about a world, I want to find it myself. And when the book is over, especially if it's a series, I want to have more questions than answers. This makes me want to come back for more.

I will definitely be going back and reading the first in this vampire series. And I hope she continues to write about vampires and chancellors for a long time, so I can have the benefit of seeing that world through her eyes as a reader. It's quite a lot of fun.

The hero, of course, is almost always my favorite part of a book that I like, and th is book was no exception. I thought that he was a bit one-dimensional at times, but I really loved the fact that he could still surprise me. There were parts of his relationship with his sister that didn't quite compute for me through the entirety of the book, and that relationship felt very under-developed. (I know she's dead, but still... it was his motivation, and it just sort of went away... it was strange.) Still, I was interested in him as a character, and there were some very hot scenes involving fangs that I'll just let you read about yourself.

I appreciated her worldbuilding, and I thought her heroine was interesting. The villain, as was appropriate, was sadistic and horrifying. It really set up the heroine's motivation nicely, and made her needs very present to the story once the villain came on the scene. Overall, I thought this was a good book and it definitely made me want to read more of this author. Thankfully, she has a lot of books out for me to peruse. :-) I will be doing so in short order. 

Book Blurb:
"Hell hath no fury like a passion-hungry vampire bent on justice in Alexis Morgan’s sexy new saga

"As the lone survivor of his vampire clan, Seamus Fitzhugh lives only for revenge. And now that he’s infiltrated the compound of his enemy his chance has come…until he rescues a stunning hybrid from certain death. Megan Perez is a woman on the run from her own demons, and she’s a distraction that could cost them both their lives. But the passion that burns between them is too hot to ignore, and not even the threat of danger can keep them apart.

"Now their fates are intertwined--for better or worse--as they risk everything to experience the ultimate sensual release as evil closes in all around them. Seamus must weigh how far he will go in the pursuit of vengeance…or love." (from the author's website)

Excerpt here.

Kimber An's SUGAR RUSH to be Published by Decadent

Good afternoon, Blog Buds!  I mentioned I'd accepted a contract for SUGAR RUSH.  Well, I've been told it's okay to let you know its with Decadent Publishing.  I had three ePublishers offer, in fact.  Although Decadent is brand new (they debut August 1st), I felt most comfortable working with their editors and their contract.  Not all authors are the same, you know, and I made my choice based on my own unique life and lifestyle.

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http://www.decadentpublishing.com/
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I think the cover art is perfectly beautiful.  Adrian and Ophelia look even better than I imagined and having them both on the cover conveys the Romance element.  The barn owl who keeps watch over Ophelia made it on the cover too, which conveys the Paranormal element.  The cold Alaskan mountains provides you with the feeling of isolation vital to the plot.  I'll post the final cover when I get it.
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No release date yet.  This just happened and I know I still have TONS of work ahead of me.
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A big THANK YOU to all my Blog Buddies, published authors and readers alike, who've advised and encourage me over the past four years.  Also, a big THANK YOU to Decadent for taking a chance on me and bailing me out of Queryland.

THOSE OF MY BLOOD by Jacqueline Lichtenberg

I love ancient history and have always been fascinated by the idea of aliens visiting Earth thousands of years ago and, inadvertantly, kicking off some major mythology in the process.  You know, Stonehenge could be a landing platform or those gigantic rock pictures in South America could be signaling orbital spacecraft.  Maybe the Ancient Egyptians had help designing the Spinx and the Pyramids of Giza, you think?  Myth was how ancient people grappled with understanding the universe around them.  The griffin probably got its start when Ancient Greeks discovered the skeletons of protoceratops near gold deposits.  Take a look at griffin art and skeletal remains and you'll be amazed.
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And so I often have such oddities in my own Earth-based Science Fiction-flavored stories. 
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A couple years back I followed Linnea Sinclair around the blogosphere and discovered Jacqueline Lichtenberg.  She co-wrote STAR TREK LIVES! many moons ago and a bunch of other cool stuff.  I read a couple of her books before, DREAMSPY and HOUSE OF ZEOR.  You can find her books in good libraries and decent-sized used bookstores.  Her backlist is galactic.  She wrote Science Fiction Romance when it wasn't cool and so had to sneak it under radar.  Of course, I would never dream of doing the same thing for the Young Adult crowd!  Oh, no, never, I swear!
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That all brings me to the book, THOSE OF MY BLOOD.  I was in the process of writing a near-future Science Fiction-flavored story for young adults and, as usual, it features some mythological creatures which got their start from aliens.  So, I figured I'd better read Jacqueline's book.

THOSE OF MY BLOOD explains to us all that vampires got their start as aliens too.  See, they crash-landed here eons ago and had to make do because they couldn't contact their homeworld.  Over the centuries they seperated into two groups, the Residents who feel they belong here now and view humans as sentient beings worthy of respect, though a little dimwitted.  They developed alternative means of feeding which don't involve chomping on their buddies. 
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To the Tourists, we're nothing but a bunch of lollypops.
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The Residents think this is very bad.
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The Tourists think the Residents are misguided fools and they'll get over it once the other Lurens (that's their alien name) find them.
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The story starts with Titus the Hero getting ready for a trip to the Moon.  Seems a way has been found to contact the Luren homeworld and the unsuspecting humans have no idea the Tourists have plans.  Titus is a Resident.  He kicked the bucket in a carwreck some time before and was turned into a 'vampire' by Abbot who is now kind of a father to him.  Trouble is, Abbot is a Tourist.  Titus had a wife, Inea, when he was alive, but he heartbreakingly had to leave his life with her behind because, after all, he's dead, as far as she knows.  He meets Mirelle on the spaceship trip and thinks she's probably just yummy.  So does Dear Old Dad and he has no reservations about a little nibble. 
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To tell you the truth, I didn't find the individual characters that interesting.  It's a 'cup of tea' thing.  However, I was captured by their interaction.  It's all very primal.  The Hero must deal with his Bad Dad.  The Hero misses his wife, but must move on, likes the girl but doesn't want to hurt her because she's human and he's a Blood-Sucking Dead Guy.  (Twi-(cough)light(cough)about a(cough) decade or so early))  But, don't get excited, Mirelle's no Bella and this is regular grown-up stuff.
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Titus thinks he can handle the mission.  Go to the Moon, stop the bad guys (unfortunately his own kind) from contacting the homeworld, because all his nasty cousins would come and throw humanity on the ol' barbecue.  Once they're underway, however, he discovers his supply of cloned and powdered blood is gone.  And he's getting hungry.  Then, dear ol' dad, you know, Abbott, uses his telepathic powers to mark and control Mirelle as his food source.  Seems Abbott wants to teach his boy a lesson or two on how to be a good little vampire.
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Then, Titus' wife shows up.
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Protecting a girl whom you're kinda interested in is one thing.  Guarding your mate is another thing altogether.  It's primal.  But, how does he fight his 'father' whom he's supposed to have some kind of loyalty to and whose a lot better at the vampire thing than him?  He could use his own telepathic powers and such to mark Inea and make her understand and believe and all that, but that would go against his Resident ethics.
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So, onto the Moon they go, grappling for the right parts, finding a supposedly dead Luren, and fighting over whether humans are partners or just a major food group.
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Check out THOSE OF MY BLOOD.  Definitely not your standard issue Blood-Sucking Dead Guys.
http://www.jacquelinelichtenberg.com/
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P.S. The cover art for my copy of this book has a girl with long hair.  I like it better, but I like long hair.

FOR THE EARL'S PLEASURE by Anne Mallory

Note: Spoiler alert!
This review will talk about a major plot point occurring in Chapter 3. I don't consider it a spoiler (as it occurs early on and is central to the book's plot) but for some reason, the publisher and author have kept it a 'secret.' As I think this secret is more frustrating than enticing, I won't be keeping it so if you'd rather not know the genre of this book, please don't read this review.

I picked up For The Earl's Pleasure in Walmart, read the first chapter, read the last chapter, read historical romance on the spine, and thought to myself 'What a wonderfully written Regency romance.' I bought it, read it, and loved it. The thing is… it is not a wonderfully written Regency romance. It is a wonderfully written Regency/paranormal romance and if readers don't like paranormal romances, they aren't going to like For The Earl's Pleasure. If readers love The Ghost Whisperer (as I do), they are going to LOVE For The Earl's Pleasure.

But the publisher and the author (but mainly, I suspect, the publisher) have decided to surprise readers with one genre when they spent their hard earned money for another. I don't know why they think we'd like that surprise. I love both genres but I buy them while in completely different moods. Sort of like licorice and chocolate. I love both but when I bite into a chocolate, I expect it to taste like chocolate, not licorice. Anything different and I get grumpy.

It is hard to be grumpy with For The Earl's Pleasure though because it is such an entertaining and well written romance. Abigail Smart is the Regency equivalent of The Ghost Whisperer. She sees dead people. All the time. This freaks out those not-as-tolerant Regency folks and she is in constant fear of being sent back to the loony bin. She's been there before and that's left deep scars on her personality (I can only imagine – shivers).

Valerian Rainewood is her nemesis, I mean, love interest. He doesn't believe her. They have that love/hate relationship that so often happens between two alphas (being an alpha married to an alpha, I can vouch for this being real – alphas love nothing better than solid push back). Then after an attack, he can not be seen by anyone else in society other than Abigail. Abigail knows what that means… he's dead, right? But she has trouble accepting that the secret love and not-so-secret torment of her life is gone forever.

If you love The Ghost Whisperer (as I do), you'll love For The Earl's Pleasure. Rainewood, at first, doesn't accept that he is in a ghost-like state. He thinks he's dreaming. And because he thinks he's dreaming, he does and says whatever he wants. This reveals his true feelings, feelings that he normally guards under layers of grumpiness and biting wit. He is not a nicey-nice hero. He says some terrible things. What he says isn't that important. It is what he does, again and again, often secretly, that shows who Rainewood really is.

Abigail is a smart, strong heroine. She is severely broken. Very few people believe her and the few that do wish to fix her. The cures have changed her, making her a bit paranoid and protective. Only when Rainewood is completely at her mercy and unable to harm her (not that he ever would physically), is she able to open up to him. This is a story where the paranormal element isn't added simply for shock value. It is there because these two people can't love without it.

There are some tough moments in For The Earl's Pleasure. The treatments for mentally ill females in Regency days weren't kind. Not at all. There is also one near sexual attack scene and the baddies get quite violent in the end.

I loved For The Earl's Pleasure once I adjusted to what the story really was… a fascinating and deep Regency/paranormal romance.


You can read more about For The Earl's Pleasure and other novels by Anne Mallory at http://www.annemallory.com/

THE BRIDE FINDER by Susan Carroll

The St. Leger men are cursed. Part of this curse says when it was time to mate, they will know it and they'll only have one shot at pairing up with their destined loves. If they blow that chance, they're out of luck. For all eternity.

Yeah, I know. No big pressure there!

To help them with this crucial task, they employ the Bride Finder, a man (or at least, it has always been a man) with a talent for finding the perfect mate for St. Leger men. Usually the two of them work as a tag team to sweet talk the bride into marrying into the crazy, I mean, cursed family.

Usually. Anatole St. Leger, the head of the family, believing himself unlovable, sends the Bride Finder out solo. He isn't good looking. He doesn't have a sparkling personality. He also isn't fussy about what the woman looks like as long as she's hardy (i.e. built in generous proportions – as he's a large, rough guy) and doesn't have red hair (as he foresees his doom being at the hand of a red haired woman).

The bride the Bride Finder returns with has… you guessed it, red hair and is a dainty little thing. She also believes that her groom-to-be is a dashingly, romantic poet-type figure.

So Anatole is torn. He recognizes immediately that she is his destined mate but he is also aware that she will be his downfall.

The Bride Finder, published a decade ago, is one of the early paranormals. The characters are rich and wonderful and oh-so-tortured. The story is Beauty and the Beast (my favorite storyline) with a twist. It also has one of my favorite lines. “The thrilling consciousness of having tamed something wild and dark to one’s side…” There's a reason it sits on my keeper shelf and has been re-read for years.

As far as I know, Susan Carroll doesn't have a website which is both quaint and irritating. There are at least two other books in the series (Midnight Bride and The Night Drifter). I haven't read them because these deal with the children of Anatole and Madeline and I'm not a big fan of reading about my fave characters getting older (or dying as the only way, Anatole's son can become head of the family is for his dad to die).

TENNYSON by Lesley M. M. Blue

This is a cheater review because I'm going to post the summary from Booklist and just tell you how I liked it.

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From BooklistThe year is 1932. Eleven-year-old Tennyson Fontaine and her younger sister, Hattie, have grown up running wild, but that ends when their mother leaves without warning. While their father searches for her, the siblings stay at the Fontaines’ crumbling ancestral home, Aigredoux, once a wealthy Louisiana plantation. There, Aunt Hattie and Uncle Twigs live in the shadow of the past, holding tight to false hopes of restoring the family fortune. The precocious and sensitive Tennyson begins dreaming of her Civil War ancestors and is swept into their dark history of greed, betrayal, and pride. She begins writing down this history and publishing it in her mother’s favorite literary magazine, but this plan to connect with her missing parent has unexpected consequences. The Fontaine history is complex, evoking horror and sympathy; by contrast, a subplot involving Tennyson’s haughty New York editor feels jarringly cartoonish. Still, many readers will respond to this novel’s Southern gothic sensibility, especially Blume’s beautiful, poetic writing about how the past resonates through the generations. Grades 4-6. --Krista Hutley

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Kimber An here. I agree that the subplot with the New York editor was jarring. The author just didn't have the voice for it. However, everything else about this novel was absolutely wonderful! Tennyson is an unusually precocious but thoroughly believable 11 year old girl and the way she deals with the dreams and navigates her creepy relatives is hypnotic. Although this is what I'd call Middle Grade Paranormal Historical, I think anyone would enjoy it. I certainly did. In fact, I'm finding the best new fiction in Middle Grade right now, which is wonderful but a little frustrating because I scour the shelves for YA Science Fiction and most often turn up empty.

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If this sounds interesting, you might also like THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ISLAND by Allegra Goodman. http://youngadultsciencefiction.blogspot.com/2009/03/other-side-of-island-by-allegra-goodman.html

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Learn more about the author and her books here- http://www.lesleymmblume.com/

SECRET WISHES by Catherine Stang

First off, ignore the Christmas-themed cover. Secret Wishes is set around Christmas but I wouldn’t consider it a Christmas romance. There’s no decorating of trees or anything like that. This is a good ol’ Regency, a good ol’ PARANORMAL Regency.

I know, I know… I’m not usually a paranormal lover (though I did gobble up J.K. Coi’s latest installment of her Immortal Series, Dark Immortal – what a tear jerker!). I’m squeamish about blood and scary supernatural beings.

Although Secret Wishes has ghosts, it has no blood or gore and the ghosts are more charming than frightening. The heroine Emma is haunted by a former Rake (former because he’s dead, not that he’s given up being a Rake). The dead Rake, having made a dreadful mess of his own life, decides to help Emma pursue her true love. She is head over heels in love with Ross Stanton, Earl Of Brynmor, the only other person she knows who can also see ghosts. Yes, they are perfect for each other!

Ross, however, doesn’t see that. He came back from the war wounded not only physically but psychologically, and refuses to have anything to do with Emma. He has troubles of his own, being haunted by a squabbling brother/sister duo.

Give Emma a real live squabbling brother, add one money hungry suitor, and you have a wonderful Regency read with a few twists. Ross is deliciously broken. Emma is healing yet strong (and stubborn as an ox but she’d have to be to deal with Ross). Our dear dead Rake proves that dying doesn’t make you more savvy about life. Secret Wishes is a fun, fresh read from beginning to end.

Note: Secret Wishes does contain different types of romantic relationships (as secondary storylines) but then with ghosts in the story, you know this is not a traditional Regency.

To read more about Secret Wishes and Catherine Stang’s other novels, please visit http://www.catherinestang.com/

IMMORTAL WARRIOR by Lisa Hendrix

IMMORTAL WARRIOR starts with the Viking raids on Britain; fierce warriors who were sent by their chieftain, Hakon Irontoe, to gain treasure. But they ran afoul of the treasure’s protector- the witch Cwen, who conjured warriors and sent her son to lead them. He died in the fighting.

Cwen’s fury and grief led her to curse the Norse warriors, turning them into shadow beasts. Half man, half animal, each taking the form of his fylgja, or spirit companion whose image he wore on a chain, they were also made immortal so their torment could last forever.

Centuries later, Ivar Graycloak, now known as Ivo de Vassy, has the favor of William Rufus, son of William the Conqueror. He has won many battles for William despite spending his days in the form of an eagle. Ivar has been lonely, and he’s growing tired of his nomadic existence. He longs for a hall of his own- good friends and a good woman in front of his own fire. He gets his wish when William grants him an estate, complete with a wife.

Ivar has two friends from the Viking days; Brand, their leader, who spends his days as a bear, and Ari, who spends nights as a raven. They think Ivar’s crazy- his secret will surely be discovered and it will end badly. But Ivar longs for the warmth of companionship and a home, and is willing to take it for as long as it lasts.

The estate is given with a command to marry the granddaughter of its’ former owner, one Lady Alaida. She isn’t thrilled at being given to some usurper, and plans to take her saved coin and run for a nunnery and pay for sanctuary. Her grandfather has been imprisoned, and she has been besieged by suitors hoping to gain the estate and her. She just wants to work to see her grandfather freed and reinstated as the Lord of Alnwick.

Ari finds her as she runs, convincing her that Ivar is a good man and will be a good lord and husband. She returns to wed Ivar for the sake of her people. She still wants a bit of her own back, though. She shows up to the wedding in the habit of a nun. Rather than show anger at her cheek, he laughs. He likes her spirit.

The wedding night is more than she expected. Ivar is considerate and passionate, treating her gently but seeing to it that she enjoys herself. Ivar has been kind, humorous, and protective of her and the estate. She starts to see all sorts of possibilities for her new life until she wakes the next morning to find her husband gone.

As he is gone every morning, riding out with Brand, never returning until after sundown. Ari becomes her friend and companion during the day, but what she really wants is to spend daylight hours with Ivar. He won’t confide in her his reasons for going out, which infuriates Alaida.

He also hasn’t touched her again. Ari is also a seer, and has had a horrible vision of Alaida screaming over an empty cradle, through the eyes of one who has just flown out the window. Now afraid that a child of his would also have his curse, Ivar has to content himself with talking alone. Alaida knows he has affection for her, and the wedding night proved he has passion, so what is wrong with the man she’s growing to love?

One time proves to be the charm, however, as Alaida learns that she is pregnant.

If you’re like me, you thought of a great old movie, Ladyhawke. The similarity ends with the animal by night, human by day, though. Ivar and Alaida really get to know each other, and you can see their love grow- even though Alaida has to deal with mounting frustration at her husband’s daytime disappearances. Ivar is just adorable, pining for his wife and demanding to know how to care for the baby, including changing nappies. He’s afraid he’ll have to take the babe and leave if it turns into a eagle, so he must know everything about his child’s care.

Lisa Hendrix has written a wonderful fantasy, the kind you want to dig into, not skim. Her characters have believable motives and reactions, and the relationships are as satisfying as the magical setting. The heat level, what there is of it, is highly sensual. It made sense, though. That one night has to start them on the road, so to speak, and provide a lot of impetus for Alaida’s willingness to put up with Ivar’s eccentricities. It’s as much about their emotions as their bodies, and I appreciated it. Thanks, Lisa!

Sunday's Oldies but Goodies...

Good morning!

This Sunday's Oldie but Goodie is...

First Released August 1994

I remember the first time I read this story. I was getting over bronchitis, and I had missed a whole lot of work because of how sick I had gotten. I found this book quite by accident at the bookstore a month or so before and hadn't had the chance to read it yet. So while I was propped up on my couch drinking hot lemon tea and inhaling cough drops like they were going out of style, I sat back and started reading. I don't remember moving until I finished the book some hours later. My tea was cold, my back hurt from sitting in one position for so long, and my throat hurt from not having any cough drops.

So what did I do? I dragged my rear up, got a fresh, hot mug of tea, chewed a cough drop, and sat back down to read it again.

That's how much I love this story.

Julia Edwards is a divorced mother of one, who's daughter has just finished her first year of college and is taking a tour of Europe with her best friend and her parents. Julia is feeling understandably alone right now, and the corporate takeover of her company doesn't help one little bit.

When she meets Val, Julia thinks she has totally lost it. You see, Val begins speaking to her from her television set. Val is actually Valentina Manchester, movie starlet extraordinaire who's life was tragically cut short 30 years ago in a car crash. Val has been sent back to help someone in need, and that someone happens to be Julia Edwards. Val sees in Julia someone who desperately needs a makeover and a man, and not necessarily in that order. Julia, however, couldn't disagree more, and has no intentions of trusting a man ever again.

That all changes when she meets Steve McMillan. of course, she can't just meet a random nice guy. That would be too easy. Steve happens to be the representative from Amalgamated, the company that just bought out Coolback, the place she has worked since just after her daughter was born. No, Steve is the enemy, and she can't consort with the enemy. Right?

Steve can sense Julia's instant dislike of him the moment they meet, and while he is used to that attitude when he walks into a new company, for some reason this time it really bothers him. No one had ever really challenged him like Julia does, forcing him to see the human side to a corporate takeover and not just the numbers.

As Steve and Julia get to know each other, they both begin to understand that the other may be just what they were looking for in their lives. An invitation to Julia to tour France with Steve to see his vineyard is the answer to her prayers. Unfortunately, Val has her own agenda once she discovers the happier Julia gets the more Val starts to age. And Val just can't have that.

I've tried to put my finger on exactly what it is about this story I like so much. I don't think it is any one thing, though. The writing is very descriptive without banging the story over your head like a baseball bat. The author's character development works well, and the overall story just catches my imagination without even trying. The heat level is sensual, but by the time Steve and Julia get together, they have definitely gotten to know each other and it definitely fits the story line.

I could not locate an official website for this wonderful author, but I did locate a complete booklist for the author on the web here.

Happy Reading!