REVIEW: Lover Unbound by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451222350
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 5
Genre: Paranormal Romance
(c) October 2007, Signet Book
J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 5 stars

"One of the best books, if not the best, in the BDB series!"

Vishous, the hard, cold-hearted brother, met his match in Dr. Jane Whitcomb, human surgeon, when he was brought into the hospital for a gunshot wound. His instincts just kept on screaming "mine" whenever he looked at Jane. However, his destiny could not include her, for he was destined to be the Primale of the Chosen, a worthy endeavor that would see him filling the ranks of the Brotherhood for the war against the lessers.

J.R. Ward pens a moving story of love and sacrifice. There isn't much about the lessers here (yay!), but a lot of romance between V and Jane. Though more would be great. :) As in previous books, some of the pages was also devoted to John Matthew's progress (he's got his transition here!) and laying the foundation for the next book, Phury's story in Lover Enshrined.

I have to admit that I didn't feel anything for V in the first three books and I didn't like him much in Lover Revealed. If you feel the same way, give him a chance! Here, we learned so much more about V--his horrendous childhood in his father's war camp, the negligence of his mother, his horrible background and past that shaped him to be the man that he is. And we see his vulnerability and insecurity where Jane was concerned, and that scene where he made her some hot chocolate at her apartment before leaving her ("he didn't know what to say, but he knew what to do") just about made me cry. In V, we saw how a bonded male cared for his female and it would make every female reader yearned. I know I did.

And Jane. Jane is just so precious with the way she accepted V and stood on his side. I like her doctor-take-charge attitude and the fact that she has purpose and ambition and how she was able to find a way to reconcile the two with V's life in the end. I like the matter-of-fact way she accepted V's proclivities (BDSM) and how she matched him in every aspect of his life. I did raise an eyebrow at how fast Jane wholeheartedly accepted BDSM, even though she's never experienced it. Considering also that her sex life consisted of two past lovers who were not satisfactory at all in the bedroom. Or elsewhere.

I'm glad Ms Ward put a closure on the possibilities between Butch and V, otherwise people will just keep on wondering, not to mention Butch and Marissa. Since this is fiction, I like my HEA's neat and tidy. :)

Regarding the ending, I have to admit to feeling a little out-of-sorts, because I thought V wasn't getting the real deal like the other Brothers. But on second thought, it's the best possible ending for V (a vamp who lived long years) and Jane (a human with limited life span), because at least, as my friend said, this way they're together forever. And I think V was okay with it because it meant he would have Jane with him for always, as opposed to not having Jane. And as he said, "it's the new reality" and they're learning to deal with it. It made me think how life doesn't always turn out the way you want it to. Compromises and sacrifices have to be made along the way. What you have to decide though is what are the things that are important to you, that you absolutely cannot live without? Once you have those, the rest are just a bonus. I think V and Jane have learned that.

Like Z and Bella (Lover Awakened), I didn't want to let go of V and Jane when the story ended. I hope (hope hope hope) there would be more stories of V and Jane in the succeeding books. And, as someone once said, when she found herself thinking of the characters long after she has closed the book, she knew it deserved the highest recommendation. I couldn't agree more with this book.

REVIEW: Sex by the Numbers by Marie Donovan

ISBN 9780373794072

Genre: Contemporary Romance

(c) June 2008, Harlequin Blaze

Marie Donovan's website

Rating:  5 stars






Available in Book Depository (print).

"Very romantic and a joy to read!"

I'm currently on a Harlequin Blaze craze, so here's my next one.

Former stripper turned accountant, Keeley Davis was hired to conduct a fraud examination at a friend's company, but in order not to sound the alarm to the culprit, who might know her, she sexed up her image in her position as the personal secretary to Dane Weiss, who was hired for the same purpose. From the start, when Dane first saw her in her frumpy attire, the two had the hots for each other and working closely as they did only made sure they could do nothing but give in to their attraction.

This book is a joy to read, being well-written, and Ms. Donovan's voice is engaging and fun and sexy, with humor appearing in several places in the book. The same can be described for her characters and their attitudes toward sex and life. No sexually repressed/falsely modest heroine here. Hey, it's a Blaze after all, and moreover, Keeley was a former stripper.

Oh, regarding that Blaze comment. It's been my impression that Blaze stories are hot, well, way hotter than a Presents or Superromance, for example. But I guess I've made the mistake of thinking the story's not so much romantic as sexy. Well, this book is both romantic and sexy.

Back to Keeley, she wormed her way into my heart and you can really feel her chemistry with Dane. Their relationship is how I imagined a true love relationship is like--lovers taking joy in each other's presence.

Dane is also one sweet and romantic hero. Many times during the story, I find myself wishing I was in Keeley's shoes! The things he said...wow, guaranteed to make a woman feel cherished and wanted. How could you not love a guy who said something like this to you: "You've haunted my dreams since we met, and I wake up to find reality even better."

I also love her cast of supporting characters, notably Lacey and Dane's mom. Lacey, Keeley's sister, is down-to-earth and sensible. I especially like the scene wherein she talked some sense into Keeley. However, I like Dane's mom even better. Though she only had two lines in the entire story and appeared only toward the ending, I love her warmth and ready acceptance of the girls. Wish I have a mother-in-law like that!

Harlequin category romances had always been a hit or miss with me. Blaze romances are more often than not, misses than hits. So I'm very happy to have discovered three Blaze authors whose romances--the characters, the plot, the sexiness, oh I should say the entire package--resonate with me. You all know about my Sarah Mayberry craze and now there's Marie Donovan. There's also Karen Foley, whose story, Flyboy, I also enjoyed a lot (review coming). I don't have auto-buy authors, but these three certainly made it to my "authors whose backlist I have to glom while waiting for new releases". LOL

Available in Book Depository (print).

REVIEW: Who Will Take This Man? by Jacquie D'Alessandro

ISBN 9780060536701

Series: Prequel to Love and the Single Heiress

Genre: Historical Romance

(c) November 2003, Avon Books, Harper Collins

Jacquie D'Alessandro's website

Rating: 4.0 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"Has everything you look for in a book--romance, tension, suspense"

Philip, Lord Greybourne, came home to England to marry the bride Meredith Chilton-Grizedale, the matchmaker his father hired, has chosen for him. However, he triggered a curse during his travels, as a result of which whoever became his bride was fated to die. Unless he could find the way to uncurse himself.

Meredith has worked too long and hard to allow her reputation as a matchmaker to be ruined just like that, when the match between Lord Greybourne and the daughter of a duke was called off due to the curse. So, she took it upon herself to help Lord Greybourne, never imagining that she herself would fall to his charms and become the object of the curse.

There's no one like Jacquie D'Alessandro in crafting historical romances with a touch of humor and lots and lots of sexual tension. By the time the hero and the heroine got together, I was burning along with them. The tension in this book went a touch too long, but I understood the reason, which to reveal would be a spoiler, me thinks. But seriously, I love her humor.

(I read in her website that she would have her first contemporary single title out  next year, and I'm looking forward to that, but I hope she won't abandon historicals totally.)

Unlike other historical heroines, Meredith truly has a past that has a big possibility of becoming a hindrance to stuffy, er, proper marriages among the ton, their social gap notwithstanding. Despite her upbringing, or maybe because of it, she has a compassion for the unfortunate that is credible. I also like the fact that she is not like other heroines who is determined to "adopt" each and every street child that she comes across, because I find such heroines very unrealistic and because of that, annoying.

Combined with the need to find a way to unlock the curse, there is a suspense factor involved with someone intent on hurting the people that Philip cared about. I have to admit I was gripped with the curiosity to find out who this person was. Although I have my sights set on one person, the author dropped enough clues as to confuse me that I have my doubts several times. Needless to say, I love every moment of it.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Bound By Your Touch by Meredith Duran

ISBN 978-1-4165-9263-1
Genre: Historical Romance
(c) July 2009, Pocket Books, Simon & Schuster
Meredith Duran's website

Rating: 4.5 stars





Buy Link: Book Depository

"Wonderful romance and a great read! Not to be missed!"

I was charmed by Meredith Duran's The Duke of Shadows. It is no wonder then that I come to read Bound By Your Touch with a lot of expectations, the least of which is that I should love this book, too.

Bound By Your Touch started with our heroine, Miss Lydia Boyce, being embarrassed in her presumptions of a gentleman's feelings who, in fact, had developed a tendre for her sister without her knowing about it. The prologue has such promise--a sympathetic heroine whom I can't help but root for, and I also anticipate the comeuppance that is sure to befall her um, "evil" sister. (However, there's no comeuppance, because Lydia is a much better person than I am.)

In the four years hence, Lydia developed a strong sense of self, all of which is tied up in her work for her father. She is clear in her feelings toward her family, in that one doesn't shy away from love when it becomes painful. Hence, it's possible to be hurt by a family member yet still continue to love him/her just the same. She has overcome certain desires (for a husband and family) when she believes she will remain a spinster and it is so wondrous to see all these get revived when she starts to fall for James, who gives her hope.

James, who portrays himself as a wastrel and lives to anger his father, is captivated by Lydia. He couldn't understand Lydia's devotion to and faith in her father, despite there being suspicions of her father being involved in a crime, as his own father had let him down very badly years ago. Yet in her, he finds himself learning about faith, and in her he finds his freedom and what he could be.

We also see a wonderful kind of parallelism between the two characters and their situations: Quiet, retiring Lydia and the effervescent playboy James, Lydia who loved her father and James who hated his, and some other stuff which are discussed in other blogs/review sites. I won't repeat them here, and all I can say is that for all the tender scenes between James and Lydia, this book is worth a read. I especially like the one wherein Lydia was declaring her father's innocence and yet, despite herself, doubt was creeping in. To prove her claim, she has to break a stone figure with a hammer. There was a wordless communication between the two of them--with James knowing somehow what was going on in her head, and Lydia knew this--and with every strike, she finds it harder and harder to hold onto her faith at the same time her physical body was tiring. Until finally, James came behind her and lent her his strength, that they were going to do it "together". It was a powerful scene in terms of the emotions it evoked in me.

Bound By Your Touch has its own appeal over The Duke of Shadows, and in my opinion, BBYT could be better than DoS overall because of the heroine. Then again, I was only charmed in the first half of DoS.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Lover Awakened by J.R. Ward

ISBN 9780451219367

Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) September 2006, Signet Eclipse, Penguin Putnam

J.R. Ward's website

Rating: 5 stars





Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"The best and most romantic BDB book!"

Zsadist was stolen as a baby and became a blood slave for a woman who sexually abused him. He cut himself off from everyone and tolerated only his twin brother, Phury. However, when he met Bella, she got under his skin and when she was taken by the lessers, he couldn't rest until he rescued her or avenged her death.

Zsadist could rival Mary (Lover Eternal) in terms of insecurity. For him though, it was because he'd been abused and he thought of himself as dirty and contaminated and not worthy of a woman such as Bella. He is the most tormented, fucked-up hero that I've ever read thus far and of the three (Wrath, Rhage and Zsadist), I love Zsadist the best. He certainly got under my skin. I think it's the contrast between his being the strong, powerful warrior outwardly and the vulnerable, hurt, abused man that he was on the inside. Yet, his love for Bella made him reach out to her, and it also made him want to be better and worthy of her (according to his concept of "better" and "worthy").

And Bella, I just gotta love her for seeing the man beneath Zsadist's outward appearance, for being steadfast in her wanting of him despite his pushing her away almost every time and simply, for bearing with him, for working with him through all his issues, knowing that the road ahead of them wasn't easy.

There is no doubt this is one of the most romantic stories I've read where the roles are reversed--the hero needing rescue (psychologically, emotionally) and the heroine being his saving grace. I love the epilogue and I'm itching to read the novella of Zsadist, Bella and Nalla in the Inside Guide. I absolutely love the title: Father Mine. There's something so powerful about Zsadist's growth from a sick, tormented man to one who is loved and is capable of loving, not only with the woman who is his mate but also with his child. I guess it's because it's telling us a message of hope, that no matter how low you've fallen, there is always a chance you'll rise up from the ashes.

I just have to mention Phury. His actions left me with nothing to say. I was both astounded and shocked and humbled. Like Zsadist, I feel Phury deserved his own HEA. I can't wait until I get to his book!

And we have more on John Matthew. I love his scenes with Tohr and Wellsie and the way he treasures the family life he's come to have with them. They're moving without being mushy. I also like the way we see how he fares at school and how he relates to his peers. He's the underdog and it's nice to see the brothers standing up for him. However, I would love to see the day when John Matthew stands up for himself.

Oh, and the tragedy in this book. Sad, sad, sad.

Another thing I have to mention is that I love the continuity in this series, that there's an overall story arc at play here. The series is not just a number of books about these warriors finding the love of their loves, but you get the sense that time is really moving onward for the characters. We see this in the little things: Wrath, having ascended as king, is bringing back the old ways, firstly in the celebration of the winter solstice festival. John's change of circumstances, from living in that squalid apartment to living with Tohr and going to school. Even the villains, the power play among them, contributed to this.

Great book. Lots of romantic and emotion-charged moments, and I love them. The series is certainly looking up!

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Lover Eternal by J.R. Ward

ISBN 978-0-451-21804-9

Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 2

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) March 2006, Signet Eclipse, Penguin Group

J.R. Ward's website

 Rating: 4.5 stars





Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"A great improvement over Dark Lover! Lover Eternal makes me a solid fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood!" 

I've said that there was nothing remarkable about Dark Lover, but I sure can't say the same for Lover Eternal. From the moment Rhage met Mary, I was hooked and caught. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. J.R. Ward is truly a remarkable author in the way she was able to get me to be invested in her characters. She is also very good at twisting the characters' emotions (like when Rhage was first rejected by Mary) and making me feel his hurt and her insecurity.

Rhage was so sweet as he tried to court Mary in a way that wouldn't alarm her. I like his persistence in pursuing her, despite her "rejection" (sort of) of him, and I like the way he treated her with care, the way he savored her. There was something very tender and precious about the start of their relationship, like the slow blossoming of flowers, specifically in their first dinner scene and later on, when he went to her house.

And Mary...Mary was so very human--her insecurities, her fears, her panic and her incredulity that a gorgeous guy like Rhage would be interested in her. It is so easy to identify with her and feel with her and for her. Yet, she is also amazingly brave in face of her sickness and in protecting people she cared about. So unselfish. I especially like the way Rhage described her eyes: "Gunmetal gray, surrounded by lashes the color of her hair, they were grave, serious, reminding him of males who fought and survived battle. They were staggeringly beautiful in their strength." Truly, despite Mary's insecurities, she is a warrior and a fitting mate to Rhage.

However, I was frustrated with her insecurities by the last one or two times (it went on way too long at the expense of Rhage's feelings) and she started to be annoying, especially with the way she hurt Rhage with her comments. I would've thrown down the book were I not felt compelled to know how it turned out in the end for them. But the scene after she pushed Rhage away and he came after her at Bella's farm house and she stoically held on to her position and Rhage turned away, ready to leave her....when she ran after him and his arms came slowly around her...sigh. Good sigh.

Rhage did something in the middle of the book that would've broken any woman's heart, especially one who was in love with him. I tried to understand why he did what he did, and the most I could come up with was because he cared too much about Mary to hurt her. Yet, at the same time, he was also in a quandary. Whatever he did or did not do, he would be hurting her. I feel that he needed to go through it to realize he was never going to do it again, that it was unbearable for him, that it also hurt him. He also seemed to accept his feelings for Mary after that, that whatever she hurled at him, he would still continue to love her and stay by her side (instead of leaving the way he did previous times).

And oh, of course, I'm totally curious and eager to know what's gonna happen to John Matthew. (Can't wait for Lover Mine. I love it when I start a series late, so now I have all the next books to look forward to without having to wait!) He should be Darius come back to life, isn't he? But why is "Tehrror" the name that he dreamed of?

And with this book, I'm solidly a fan of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. *grin*

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Threshold by Sara Douglass

ISBN 0-765-34277-4

(c) July 2004, TOR

Sara Douglass's website

Rating: 4.5 stars




Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"Great story with a mix of fantasy, adventure, magic and romance"

Tirzah is a glassmaker, and her special talent is that of caging. She has an affinity with glass that enables her to do fine and detailed work unlike any. Which was why, when she, along with her father, was sold as a slave to pay off their debts, she was shipped to far away Ashdod to do caging work for the pryamid that the mages are building.

The moment she stepped foot inside Threshold (the pyramid), the glass screams at her that something is wrong, though they couldn't tell her the exact nature of the wrongness.

Where she met Boaz, a powerful yet cruel Mage, yet beneath is a sweet and tender man that captivated her. Which is the real Boaz? And what is the mystery and sense of evil that is hanging over Threshold?

I picked up this book due to recommendations from some online bloggers/readers and I wasn't disappointed. Ms. Douglass presented a unique form of magic here, that of the number one. I don't pretend to understand everything that she wrote here on that subject (math is not my strongest point), but it did open my eyes to the wonder of how a mundane concept as "one" could be manipulated and become a magic system all by itself.

Ms. Douglass also did some great foreshadowing in the story. When Tirzah carged the picture of a river with frogs in a piece of inferior glass as part of her test, we could not have known just how important this carving is. But it is very important--to Tirzah, to Boaz, to Threshold. Oh, and frogs also feature a lot here. In a way, they're magic. If I were a writer, I would never have thought to use frogs, because well, because...they're not sexy and not at all magic-inspiring. Yet, in this story, they worked.

Tirzah, as we can guess, possessed magic herself. She's an Elemental, and she can hear the glass and the metals, and later on, manipulate the elements. I love this passage, which she hears often throughout the book, as there's a certain lyrical beauty to it:

Hold me, soothe me, touch me, love me.

Tirzah started off as a timid, ignorant village girl resigned to her fate, and it's a pleasure to see her grow and develop into a smart and strong woman who was desperate enough to risk all to protect and hold her own. Boaz also did a lot of changing, but because this book is written from Tirzah's point of view, we only see his changes, which are more monumental than that of Tirzah, through her eyes. Would have been lovely to know what he was thinking and feeling though.

Unlike in romance novels, Boaz the hero was very cruel to Tirzah in the earlier part of the book, even to the point of doing her harm. But he did show remorse later on and, though I'm not saying that made it okay, there was a reason to his cruelty. Their romance was adequate, but I would've loved to see more romantic moments between them especially toward the second half of the book. But because this is a fantasy novel, I'm happy with what I'm given.

My only complaint is that the defeat of the villain was rather anti-climactic as we don't see the actual fight, because it was between him and Boaz. That said, I recommend this book to all who love a good story with a mix of fantasy, adventure, magic and romance. 

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Darkness Revealed by Alexandra Ivy

ISBN 9781420102963

Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 4

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) March 2009, Zebra Books

Alexandra Ivy's website

Rating: 4.5 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"An irresistible must-read!"

Anna Randal couldn't forget the man--no, vampire--who'd seduced her, then left her, on that unforgettable night so almost two centuries ago. How could she when she found herself possessed of powers that no human should have? He must have given them to her with his bite and so she searched for him and was elated when she found him in Chicago, only to realize he still affected her strongly and she may be getting more than the answers she wished to have.

As for Conde Cezar, he was forced from the bed that long-ago night to slave for the Oracles, the voice of justice in the demon world. But now he was tasked to protect Anna from an evil that sought to kill her, and he would fulfill his duty or die trying.

If you've read my previous reviews of Alexandra Ivy's books (Darkness Unleashed, Beyond the Darkness, Embrace the Darkness), you'd know that I absolutely love her writing. She has a way of pulling you into her world, and Darkness Revealed is no exception. It could be due to the way she employed only the absolute essential descriptions of the characters and the setting. This serves her well especially when her stories are romance interspersed with lots and lots of action. Magic, mayhem and violence galore! Add to that mix a gorgeous, protective hero and a strong, smart heroine and you've got a book that's an irresistible must-read!

There was, however, a slight flaw in this novel. That I could see, anyway. I don't believe for a moment that the villain would've known of Anna and not kill her right away. I mean, the villain struck me as the type to make sure that any threat wouldn't be left alive for even one second, even if the threat hadn't been fully established yet, whereas Anna was left alive for years while the villain tried to ascertain if she was a threat or not. Such dilly-dallying just isn't consistent with the villain's character. That said, this little detail didn't deter my enjoyment of this story. Whenever I see a book with the name Alexandra Ivy on it, I automatically pick it up, knowing I'm in for a good and enjoyable ride.

By the way, I didn't read the books in this series in sequence but that didn't affect my enjoyment at all. The books are standalones and it was fun to revisit old characters before we saw how the right heroine could fell these tall, strong vamps.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: How To Score by Robin Wells

ISBN 978-0-446-61842-7
(c) June 2009, Forever, Grand Central Publishing
Robin Wells' website

Rating: 4.5 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"Laugh-out-loud funny! You definitely want to read this in the privacy of your home for the pleasure of laughing with no holds barred."

Ms. Wells writes stories that are laugh-out-loud funny, definitely books you'd want to read in the privacy of your home for the pleasure of laughing with no holds barred. She opened How To Score with a funny conversation between Chase Jones and Horace, the man he was coaching for his brother, that also serves to acquaint readers with the situation without info dumping.

Chase was filling in for his brother Luke as life coach because he was the reason Luke was in the Witness Protection Program, for which he felt guilty about. Just as he was thinking how much more he could endure talking to the losers that his brother has for clients, a woman named Sammi Matthews called, whose voice intrigued him and before he knew it, he was meeting up with her and dating her.

Sammi Matthews needed a life coach to help boost her self-confidence and to teach her how not to injure her future dates. Thus far, she had given one a black eye and cracked another's ribs. She puts the lessons her coach taught her into her dates with Chase, and before she knew it, she was falling for him. Although mishaps did occur when she was with Chase, he didn't seem put off by them...

Though Sammi's self-confidence is low when it comes to men, she is stubborn in her love for art deco architecture and goes all out to preserve it. However, with Chase's help (both as her life coach and as her date), she becomes more confident of herself. She is also a pushover, especially when it comes to her sister Chloe, and she is kind-hearted and really just can't say "no" to a friend who needs help. I expect she's the kind of woman everyone wants to be friends with, but she also needs someone to pick up after her messes. Her antics as her dog bites into Chase's jogging shorts and as she spills hot coffee into his lap are priceless.

Okay, normally, I don't like such type of comedic antics, coz they remind me of The Three Stooges, but I love it in this book because I think they're just right to portray the sort of person Sammi is and the situations she normally finds herself in. Of course, a lot of the troubles are actually caused by the dog, but if she weren't so soft-hearted, she wouldn't have agreed to take on the dog in the first place.

Chase, on the other hand, is also attracted to Sammi and soon, he finds himself in a quandary. Thus far, he has been talking to Sammi as her life coach (whom she thought was Luke) and dating her as himself. As such, he came to know her secrets, even what she felt regarding Chase. Time and again, he wanted to tell her the truth, but something or the other prevented it until he realized just how much Sammi meant to him and he was afraid that the truth might cause him to lose her.

And Horace is such an unbelievable character. Read the book and you'll know just how unbelievable he is. Does such a person really exist in the world? Still, it is his responses to Chase's questions and statements that sometimes has me laughing out loud. It's nice to see him closing the book as well, since it was his conversation with Chase that opened it.

I will be picking up Between The Sheets and see if it will also have me in stitches while I wait for Ms. Wells' next offering.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

REVIEW: Embrace the Darkness by Alexandra Ivy

ISBN 9780821779378
Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 2
(c) April 2008, Zebra Books
Alexandra Ivy's website

Rating: 4.5 stars

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

"A potent combination of danger and passion, friendship and betrayal"

Alexandra Ivy's writing has a way of sucking one in from the first page into the world she created and not letting go until the last page. Gripping with action and magic and interspersed with the sensuality of Viper's and Shay's romance, Embrace the Darkness is a potent combination of danger and passion, friendship and betrayal.

Lady Shay is half human and half Shalott demon, beautiful such that men lusted after her, but being a Shalott, her greater danger is from the vampires, who coveted her blood. In fact, her father was killed by a vampire who craved his blood. Thus, sparks fly and mistrust went deep when Viper, a vampire clan chief, saw her on the slave auction block and bought her.

Viper couldn't forget the beautiful half Shalott who saved his life. Intrigued and haunted by her, he searched for her and when the chance came, bought her to possess her as his own. However, he didn't bargain for the evil presence that sought to kill her or that he would risk his very life to keep her safe.

I love it when those protective male testosterone went into overdrive. Viper is almost as yummy as Jagr (Darkness Unleashed) with his long, silver hair. Especially when his protective instincts for Shay reared up, most especially when he even prepared to die to save her, his one regret being if he died, who will then protect her?  *good shiver*

Back to the physical, somehow, that was the image of Viper that stuck in my head--Slavic features with long, silver hair. Certainly, he may be more beautiful than Jagr, but Jagr struck the heart in a way Viper didn't. Though both have been tortured and Viper was even a slave once, we don't see this manifesting in Viper. It was as though his past had been wiped out, or even if he remembered his past, it was there in a dim corner of his mind, forever locked. Certainly, he conquered them, rising from the bottom of the ladder to the top, where he was no longer in a position to be bullied by anyone. Whereas Jagr showed his vulnerability in his centuries of solitude and when he was caged by the imp.

We also see that there's more to Shay than her blood or physical beauty. Being half human and half demon, she was considered her whole life as a mongrel, fitting into neither world. Strong and a warrior to the core, there's her hunger for female companionship--friends--and her insecurity at being unable to live up to the fierce warrior image of her Shalott ancestors. Yet, when courage was sorely needed, she had it in spades, fighting side by side with Viper. Truly remarkable.

I like that the story is bigger than Shay's and Viper's romance as we deal with vampire politics as well as in the greater demon world, with the werewolf packs struggling to be recognized and seeking to topple the vampires' Anasso (leader) from his thus-far undisputed position as the king of all the demons. I believe it would be better to read the entire Guardians of Eternity series in sequence, however, each book stands alone. I, for one, have no problems reading it out of sequence, as this is my second book after Darkness Unleashed (book 5).

By the way, it is also here that we are also introduced to Levet, the funny gargoyle who provided much needed comic relief! Abby and Dante from the first book also made cameo appearances, making me want to read their story. Certainly, it would be interesting to see how a vampire and a goddess managed to hook up together.

Buy Link (paper): Book Depository

GIVEAWAY and REVIEW: Skykeepers by Jessica Andersen

 

ISBN 9780451227706

Series: A Novel of the Final Prophecy, Book 3

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) October 2009, Signet, Penguin Putnam

Jessica Andersen's website

Rating: 5 stars






Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository

"The series gets better and better! Not to be missed!"

With each installment, Jessica Andersen ramps up the action and excitement in a thrilling ride that takes the reader on unexpected turns! In Dawnkeepers, we have--oh horrors!--Rabbit killing the three-question nahwal and the loss of the skyroad and thus, the Nightkeepers' communication with the gods. We see things getting bleaker and bleaker for the Nightkeepers as their powers waned. How then are they going to save the world from the end time? What's in store for them as the days keep counting down to the zero date?

Skykeepers opened with a bang as the Nightkeepers staged a hostage (Sasha Ledbetter) rescue, as she is their only hope of recovering the missing library (knowledge that the Nightkeepers desperately needed) that her father had ostensibly transferred to a safer location. Attraction sizzled between Sasha and Michael Stone, but while Sasha is all too willing to develop the relationship, Michael held himself apart from her, because he feared the thing, the monster he called Other that lives inside him. As much as Sasha's presence gave Michael a measure of peace, she also seemed to incite this Other to greater violence, and he was finding it harder and harder to keep it contained within him, and he feared the havoc it could cause should he let it loose.

Exciting stuff happens! Who is Sasha Ledbetter? Of whose bloodline is she? What is her talent? These questions and more are answered in this book! (Cannot give them away though. Wouldn't want to spoil things for you.)

I like the little touches that Ms. Andersen gave her, like the fact that Sasha loves to cook and that she treats her plants and herbs like her babies. I was totally charmed at the scene when Sasha saw them again after so long.

"Hello, she breathed, knowing she should probably feel like an idiot for talking to her plants, and not giving a crap. "Do you remember me?"

I like that these small things serve to give Sasha character yet at the same time, these very qualities are important to her role as a Nightkeeper. Suffice it to say, I like Sasha better than Alexis (Dawnkeepers) because the former is so refreshingly uncomplicated. Her scenes with Ambrose (both at the temple and later, at Skywatch) were done rather well, in my opinion, bearing a bittersweet, poignant quality and bringing Sasha the needed closure without the scenes being mushy.

And Michael, wooh! He totally owned this book, with his pain and anguish and conflict, in his striving to be a better man. Who couldn't identify with that? Especially toward the end, when he needed to cross the river again. I could feel his ambivalence and his pain. Heart breaking and soul crying out... Should he cross or not? A return to what he was (which he hated) or to reach for his desired future and sacrifice a teammate? In the end, there was no choice, not if he was to be true to what he is at his core. But I suffered with him, cried with him (oops, he didn't cry, but maybe in his heart he did) as he made the irreversible decision.

Jessica Andersen sure knew how to put readers through the emotional wringer. But I love love love Michael Stone, more than Nate and even maybe Strike.

Though the end of the world events still surround and interweave with Sasha's and Michael's romance, they didn't overwhelm. Though we still see Rabbit trying to help, there wasn't anything of Anna's problems with her hubby. As for Lucius, we only see him for a short time at the beginning and toward the end. So, this book is really all about Sasha and Michael, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I'm looking forward to Demonkeeper, because Lucius is one of my favorite characters. I've been waiting for his story since Nightkeepers (book #1)!

There is something though that wasn't answered in the story. Since Sasha is a Nightkeeper (not a spoiler, as it's suspected in book #1 that her father is one), why didn't her winikin have her mark on his forearm? 

When we asked Ms Andersen this question, this is her reply:

Good question!  This is one of those things that is hinted at in the stories, but gets glossed over a little because there's only so much detail I can include before my editor says: "Stop worldbuilding and get to the running, screaming, and sex!' Snicker. 

The books mention that the winikin receive a child's mark (indicating that they have another protectee of their bound bloodline) at the child's birth. This actually happens during a brief ceremony that is performed with umbilical cord blood, during which the child is connected to the community. Sasha did not receive this ceremony. Neither did Patience and Brandt's twins, which is why neither Hannah nor Woody (Patience and Brandt's winikin) have marks representing the boys. 

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository 

Reviews of other books in the series:

Nightkeepers
Dawnkeepers
Quiz on Nightkeepers - How well do you know the book? Test your knowledge!

~ o ~

WE'RE HAVING A GIVEAWAY! Three (3) copies of book #4 Demonkeepers to be won! Everyone on the planet can join, even the penguins in Antarctica, if they can get on the 'Net and write a comment. LOL

How to enter?

Go to Jessica's website and tell us what you like about it. It can be about her books, the extras she has there, or even the design of the website. You can also tell her what you want to see there. Anything. While there, look at the amazing information she has for you. But be warned that the animated intro is a little loud, so if you're at work, hit the volume!

Extra chances to win:
+ 3 if you're an old follower of this blog
+ 2 if you're a new follower of this blog (starting to follow from this post/contest)
+ 2 if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter
+ 2 if you take our poster (located on the right sidebar) about this contest and post it
              on your blog/website with a link back to us
+ 1 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace,
              Twitter, your blog, website or other form of social media. For example, you
              tweeted about this contest twice and also announced it on your Facebook. You 
              also wrote a blog post. That's 4 additional chances! However, for these to 
              qualify, be sure to come back here and post the links. Like, if you tweeted 
              twice, give me both links.

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 9 chances to win (8 chances if you're a new follower)! Remember, the more things you do to help us spread the word about this contest, the better are your chances.

Contest ends on April 1 (Thursday), 1159pm EST.

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced within the week. Instructions will be given then on how to claim your prize. Be sure to come back and check because we won't hunt you down. If prizes are unclaimed after 1 week, new winners will be chosen.

Good luck!

GIVEAWAY & REVIEW: Beyond the Darkness by Alexandra Ivy

ISBN 9781420102987

Series: Guardians of Eternity, Book 6

Genre: Paranormal Romance

(c) April 2010, Zebra Books, Kensington

Alexandra Ivy's website 

Rating 4.5 stars






Buy Links (paper): Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 

"Another exciting book in the series! Not to be missed!"

I really love Alexandra Ivy's writing! Her prose flows like smooth, warm honey, the kind you'll never get enough of. I know I've said something to that effect before, but I witnessed it again in this story and in Embrace the Darkness, which I've read but haven't yet written the review.

I have to admit that when I was reading Darkness Unleashed (Jagr's story), I hadn't liked Salvatore Giuliani, King of the Weres, that much. I thought he was too smooth, too slick and let's face it, I hate any man who has a better grasp of fashion than I. In this story, Salvatore is still the same fastidious Were, but his head is by no means only wrapped up in his appearance. There's another side to him--the king who takes his responsiblity and duty to his people seriously, maybe at cost to his own life. The man who would do anything to protect his mate and keep her safe. When Harley itches at his protectiveness, he told her, "There will never be a moment when I won't need to protect you." Happy sigh, and in serious danger of melting! What I like best was his snappy, witty banter with the heroine. I could read on and on. Totally refreshing and never failed to bring a smile to my face.

Harley is a likeable heroine, strong, spunky, smart, an equal partner for Salvatore. I like that when she did finally meet her sister in person, she was wary and that they didn't immediately fall crying into each other's arms. Affection does take time to grow. Though she seemed to resist making any commitment to Salvatore, her reaction when she discovered he might be in danger is a dead giveaway to the people around her. But when she finally accepted her place as Salvatore's mate and queen, she stepped right up to her responsiblities.

In this book, we finally discovered who engineered the kidnapping of Harley and her sisters and the reasons behind! However, the story doesn't stop here. Ms Ivy cleverly dangles another thread before us, one that might have cataclysmic repercussions, and I hope we see this in the next book, which is still a long time coming--December 2010!

Sadly, there's not much about Levet here, except for the first few chapters. But there's a fascinating new character--Harley and Darcy and Regan's sister. There are intriguing bits about her, who is very mysterious and seems to be the catalyst to some world event. And then there's Caine, evil cur turned good guy? I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him. The next book should be plenty exciting!

Buy Links (paper): Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 

~ o ~

We have TWO GIVEAWAYS--any book from the author's backlist, which includes the one to be released in April (Beyond the Darkness)! One international and one US residents only. In fairness to everyone, this means there'll be two pools of entrants--one US resident pool and the other non-US resident. Please indicate your country of residence when you comment.

We'll also have Alexandra Ivy popping in and out of the blog, so if you've any questions, feel free to ask! She'll be around to answer and comment.

How to enter the contest?

Answer this question: Go to Alexandra's website and tell us which of her Guardians of Eternity books you'd like to read the most and why.

Extra chances to win:

+ 3 if you're an old follower of this blog
+ 2 if you're a new follower of this blog (start following from this contest/post)
+ 2 if you follow us on Facebook or Twitter
+ 2 if you take our poster (located on the right sidebar) about this contest and post it
              on your blog/website with a link back to us
+ 1 for every time you spread the word about this contest via Facebook, MySpace, Twitter,
              your blog, website or other form of social media. For example, you tweeted about
              this contest twice and also announced it on your Facebook. You also wrote a blog
              post. That's 4 additional chances! However, for these to qualify, be sure to come
              back here and post the links. Like, if you tweeted twice, give me both links.

If you do all of the above, at a minimum, that's 9 chances to win (8 if you're a new follower)! Remember, the more things you do to help us spread the word, the better your chances.

Contest ends on March 24 (Wednesday), 1159pm EST.

Winner will be picked via Randomizer.org and announced on March 25 (Thursday). Instructions will be given then on how to claim your prize. Be sure to come back and check because we won't hunt you down. If prizes are unclaimed after 1 week, new winners will be chosen.

Good luck!

REVIEW: Breaking Free by Cherise Sinclair

ISBN 978-1-59632-965-2

Series: Masters of the Shadowlands, Book 3

Genre: Erotic Romance, BDSM

(c) June 2009, Loose Id

Cherise Sinclair's website 

Rating: 4.5 stars







Buy Links (ebook): Loose Id, Fictionwise

"Great characters, wonderful story. Whether you're into BDSM or not, this is the book to read! Hard to put down!"

Cherise Sinclair knew how to twist your emotions into a giant, tangled knot where you hurt along with the heroine (and root for her all the way) or melt at the gentleness and understanding exhibited by the big and strong hero who knew what she needed.

Nolan King is an irresistible hero, especially when seen through the heroine's eyes. Irresistible not because of his looks or gorgeous figure, but for his qualities--the care he took for his subs, his patience and his genuine desire to give them what they need. He exudes power and authority, and more importantly, competence. I'm not into BDSM and I don't know squat about it, but if all the Doms were like Nolan, I wouldn't mind trying it out.

Beth comes across as wild and feral and fragile, all due to a deep-seated fear (with good cause), and I was happy to see her bloom under Nolan's care. Her past and her vulnerability really tug at my heart. No woman should suffer so, yet we know there are not a few women who were in such abusive situations. Cherise Sinclair captured Beth's emotional conflict and journey perfectly, and in the end, Beth discovers that the human spirit is more resilient than she thinks.

As a person who isn't in the Lifestyle, I'm glad I read this book because I believe I have gained an understanding about BDSM that I hadn't before. I have read a few stories dealing in BDSM before this, but for beginning readers on this topic, I would have to recommend this book as it gives one a rudimentary (and I hope, correct) knowledge about the subject matter without being heavy-handed about it. I do know that I'm going to read books 1 and 2 of this series as well.

I just have a slight problem with how the villain was made a non-threat, due to the hero's deliberate intent. Then again, possibly the author was showing us another side to Nolan--how he must have faced similar situations in his stint as a CIA and had thus acquired a certain ruthlessness that made him able to do what must, in his book, be done.

That said, I enjoyed the story and in fact, I have books 1 and 2 in my laptop and I'm looking forward to reading them while I wait for book 4, Lean on Me, Cullen's story (coming March 30).

Buy Links (ebook): Loose Id, Fictionwise

REVIEW: Love, Unexpectedly by Susan Fox

ISBN 978-0-7582-3826-9

Series: Wild Ride to Love series, Book 2

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance
(c) April 2010, Kensington Brava
Susan Fox's website 

Rating: 4.5 stars




Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 
Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook 

"Wonderful characterization, magnificent story. A great read!"

Susan Fox did it again! In Love, Unexpectedly, she takes us on an exhilarating ride on the train of love. Her compelling love stories will tug at your heartstrings and make you root for an HEA for the characters. In case nobody knows, Susan Fox is also Susan Lyons, who wrote Sex Drive, book 1 of this series.

Kat Fallon is the second child in the family, insecure and overshadowed by her brainy sister. To find a niche for herself, she became Ms. Sociability, cultivating lots of friendships, only to find out later on that her friendships were all shallow and she never let anyone gets too close to her. In her relationships with men, she ran at the first sight of trouble, not staying long enough to work things out with the guy. The longest relationship she has is her friendship with Nav Bharani, her neighbor, and consequently, she treasured their friendship very much and wouldn't do anything to jeopardize it.

Nav, on the other hand, had slowly been falling in love with Kat over the two-year period of their friendship, yet each time he mentioned them dating, Kat brushed him off. When Kat asked him to stand in as her boyfriend at her sister's wedding, Nav was hit by an idea so crazy that if he could pull it off, he just might get his heart's desire.

Ms. Fox excels in characterization and character development. As I read, I could see that Kat is so different from Theresa (the heroine in Sex Drive), and I like how we learn to know about Kat at the same time that she discovers things about herself and her family. Kat and her sisters are close as siblings could be, with the usual squabbles, and it was fun to see this family dynamic in their interactions and even better to see them move past their misconceptions about each other and develop a more mature relationship.

(It reminds me of me and my own siblings, and coincidentally [perhaps not?] the middle sibling is also Mr. Sociability, the one with the most number of friends among the three of us.)

As for Nav, I love the hope that burns bright in his heart and the persistence with which he pursued Kat, never giving up despite the numerous brush-offs she'd given him. I like that in a man, one who knows what he wants and goes after it, but of course, he shouldn't bulldoze her into accepting him. Which Nav doesn't. He just opens her eyes and mind to possibilities and waits for her to come to her own conclusions. Sexy traits in a man, and even sexier is his confidence, especially when there was no encouragement or whatever from Kat. Nav, end of Chapter 1: 

"Token good guy? Screw that.
He was going to be the sexy guy on the train." 

Their encounters as Nav flowed from one alter-ego to the other are exciting and stimulating. Nav is certainly unpredictable and one never knows what one would get when with him. I'm sure that was now Kat came to see him--exciting, stimulating yet safe. I don't believe for one moment that Kat failed to remember that he was Nav, in whatever guise he put on. And we can see this in the way she sometimes lapsed into thinking of him as Nav and the desperate way she convinced herself that he was Pritam or Dhiraj. I think she recognized subconsciously that he was giving her a reason to indulge in their attraction and she seized upon it, because she wanted it as well.

The set up disturbed me a bit, because Kat comes across as someone who wants to have her cake and eat it and not have to own up to the responsiblity. A bit cowardly and not as likeable as Theresa (Sex Drive).

However, I like the way we get to see what happens after the end of events in Sex Drive and how Kat's family interacted with Nav. Love, Unexpectedly is a great read in itself and as part of the series. I anxiously await the third in the series, flaky sister Jenna's story. I know I've labeled her as flaky, and may I say I "borrowed" the term from the books, but we all know that things aren't always what they seem. Plus, as I've said, Susan Fox aka Susan Lyons, is great at character development and characterization. Thus, it would be interesting to see Jenna as seen from Jenna's eyes.

As with Sex Drive, this book is written in alternate points of view per chapter, with Nav in third person POV and Kat in first person POV. Like I said, it didn't bother me, however, I find myself being more interested to read Nav's chapters than Kat. What can I say? I'm a girl. Of course, I'm more fascinated by the sexy hunk.

Buy Links (paper): Amazon, Book Depository, Barnes and Noble 

Buy Link (ebook): Barnes and Noble Ebook

*Note: The review copy was provided by the author.