Windborn made me keep reading. I wanted to go to bed. I had to know how it ended. I have to be honest and tell you I had a love-hate relationship with this one. The opening read like a casting call for the Sound of Music. Seriously, can one family have that many kids? And how do they keep them all straight? This is one part where less would have been more. Still I liked the world Boyett-Compo built.

The premise is not that simple. One of the many sons of the Aeolian family are missing. Problem is that they think his wife is responsible. Because of a complicated family tie and some pretty hardcore traditions, the brothers and sisters can’t just march in and demand the return of the missing Glade. Interestingly enough one sister seems to be very glad her brother might be in trouble. Seems he killed her husband. This becomes important later in the book.

For me the story should have started when the brothers go to hire the so-called Hell Hag. A great name for a tribe of Amazon like women who are quite bloodthirsty and very carnal. In a modern world they might be mistaken for a CEO. ha! Lauryl Coedil enters the book in the middle of a very aggressive sex scene. She is trying to get what she wants and failing because the man she’s chosen doesn’t do what she wants. I was a bit annoyed with her because if she was truly that “in charge” why didn’t she just reach down and tell the man he wasn’t rating high on her scale?

Then the story starts! Finally! I was amused that she immediately knew where the prince was being held and how she rescued him. In a moment of severe weakness, Prince Glade accepts a gift from Lauryl even though he’s been raised never to do this thing. And once you learn of how he was raised-which read as rather abusive to me but I suppose Boyett-Compo was aiming for Spartanlike strict-you know he had to be nearly out of his mind to do it. Good character growth there.

The two try to get to his brothers but are sidetracked by a hella storm and flooding. Their time spent together is intriguing. I really liked watching them fall for one another. Lauryl is not a girl to blame someone else when she knows she caused the problem. Kudos to Boyett-Compo on that character. And the wooly made me grin. I would have liked to have seen the wooly used more throughout the story but that’s a minor thing.

Boyett-Compo uses a device that I’ve seen before but gives it a paranormal twist. The Prince can’t have Tab A/Slot B sex with anyone but his bonded wife. You remember her-the one that he had to be rescued from? There is still sex in this book and a lot of it. Some of it happens in dream time.

I won’t give away the ending but suffice it to say it rocked. When his mother meets Lauryl’s mother is very well done.

One of my biggest gripes about this book is that it was not very well edited. There were misplaced commas and run-on sentences galore. The biggest issue was the use of wrong words here and there. One instance was where a character is said to “still leaves” when what the author meant was “still lives.” And yes, little things like that really do bother me as a reader. That is something a good editor should have caught.

And the big problem of the story? It did not get resolved. That really annoyed me. I wanted that particular piece to be the big happily ever after but the darn story just stopped. ARGH!

Still I’d read this one again. It is a good story. This is my second Boyett-Compo. As an author I am coming to believe that I can rely on her for hot sex combined with a compelling story set in a well-built world. 3.5 tombstones from this cranky Southern Belle even if I did want to red line a few spots and wanted the ending to be different.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 190 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (May 20, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1463507062
• ISBN-13: 978-1463507060

Buy a print copy of WindBorn from Amazon by clicking here.

 

Frost and Flame is book three of the Eververse series and opens up with the search for Faris who has run away from home and returned to her prince Cassiel’s arms. She has a little surprise for him, she’s carrying his child for the second time. Cassiel is planning on returning to the kingdom and overthrowing her father after being exiled for many years. His sorceress, Astrid and his friends will be at his side to help him. Sallos is sent to search for the princess by her father and suspects where she is, but spends time trying to verify it. He finally speaks to the princess and she succeeds in convincing him in helping her and Cash to overthrow the king.

This book primarily focuses on Cassiel and Faris. It overlaps with parts of book two Silk and Steel and the reader may feel a sense of deja vu as scenes are played out from another angle and continued on from where they were left in the previous book. Snow, Dmitri, Arcady, Astrid and Fallon appear throughout the book, but aren’t as focused on as the were in Sugar and Sin and Silk and Steel. Dmitri gets the love of his life returned to him and we meet Colette. Other characters that are introduced in this story are Fuerty, who is Faris’s father, Sallos, who is the general and Levi, who is Cash’s father and Jolie, Cash’s mother.

I give this book 3 tombstones. The story has gotten more enjoyable since the first book. The plot “thickens” so to speak as intrigue begins to occur with Cash’s plotting to take over the throne and keep Faris, his love and the mother of his child, safe from harm. We gain further insight into each of the characters. The steamy scenes are continued throughout this book as well and are well written. I am disappointed that new concepts are introduced, but not always further explained. The authors keep returning their characters into the Afterverse, but the demons are currently living on the Eververse. I would be interested in understanding how these places came to be named as such. But the authors do a good job in continuing the storyline that began in the first book and leave the reader hanging in suspense for yet another book. But things are slowly beginning to come together and intertwine further as the series continues on.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Tease Publishing LLC (April 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1934678589
• ISBN-13: 978-1934678589

To purchase a print copy of Frost and Flame from Amazon by clicking here.

Books in the Eververse series in the order they should be read:
Sugar and Sin
Silk and Steel
Frost and Flame
Masquerade
Leather and Moonshine

Jade Simmons is the owner of a very successful wedding planning agency called Nocturnal Nuptials, where she helps vampires plan their perfect wedding day. Jade has it all; a very successful business that she built and a reputation of being one of the best. There is only one thing missing in Jade’s life, and that is a man. Jade is always the wedding planner and never the bride, until the man of her dreams walks through the door.

Renaldi D’ Aria comes to Nocturnal Nuptials to help his friends plan their wedding, but when he lays his eyes on Jade he wants nothing more than to sweep her off her feet. But Jade is full of self doubts and she feels that she is not good enough for him. Determined to capture her affection, Renaldi tries to make her see just how beautiful she truly is and that he genuinely cares for her. Just when Jade starts to understand how Renaldi feels he gets a phone call from the empress of the Gulf Coast Vampire Court. He must choose a bride from the court by the next full moon or forfeit his place among them forever. Renaldi must choose between the human he loves and the court he has sworn to follow. Will Jade ever be more than just the wedding planner?

I Was A Vampire Wedding Planner by Alecia Monaco is a wonderfully written short story that will leave your heart fluttering. I had a really hard time putting it down. I absolutely fell in love with the characters. They were so intriguing it made the story truly awesome. There was never a dull moment. I give this story, without a doubt, 5 tombstones.

Book Stats:

• File Size: 159 KB
• Print Length: 48 pages
• Publisher: Changeling Press, LLC (February 27, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B004AM5ATU

Buy a Kindle copy of I Was A Vampire Wedding Planner from Amazon by clicking here. This is the entire collection of stories in the series.

Books in the Lone Star Vampire series in the order they should be read:
I Was A Vampire Wedding Planner Crimson Hungers
Black Pearl
Virgin Vampire Vixen

One Vampire Summer is an engaging vampire tale by author Destiny Blaine. It tells a story about a paranormal romance write Carol Langley and her encounter with Tom O’Brien a sexy vamp who is determined to become mortal by becoming life mates with Carol. The book is fairly fast paced and has some very heavy sex scenes. It starts out feeling like a normal storyline, then there is a pretty bizarre twist of events that leaves both Carol, Tom and the rest of the world reeling.

The storyline didn’t have a lot of focus around the vampire aspect of blood drinking or other vampire issues, but focused more on relationships in general, which was actually refreshing. There were a few points surrounding Carol’s mother that were slightly confusing to me. Other than that it was a great little read, and I am looking forward to reading more of Ms. Blaine’s work.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Extasy Books (July 2008)
  
• Book Length: Short Story
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: B003XREZOE

To purchase a copy of One Vampire Summer click here.

A Taste for Control is the third installment in the Kendrian Vampire series by Patrice Michelle. I have to say that this has been my favorite book so far in the series. Book one A Taste for Passion started out a little slowly for me, then things picked up speed and intricacy in book two. Book three really put the series on the map. It details the story of Duncan Mordoor who we saw a little of in A Taste For Revenge. Duncan is a loner by choice, total control freak, an amazing musician (albeit in the closet at how good he is from his family) and of course like all the Kendrian vamps, painfully sexy.

Fate has thrown Rose Sinclair quite a loop when she is kidnapped by a James, a rogue vampire hell bent on possessing her her body, mind and soul. In marches Duncan to save her and attempt to dispose of the crazy vamp, but for some reason he’s drawn to Rose like no other “human woman” before her. Needless to say, James gets away and Duncan gets the girl….kind of. You see, Rose is about as stubborn and controlling as Duncan and works very hard at keeping him from getting into (errr under) her skin.

In a tale that has a very unexpected twist, some mystery, plenty of hot sex, you may just find yourself on the edge of your seat, turning each page, hungry for more just like I was. A Taste for Control has a very different energy and feel from the first two books. While other reviewers have said this could be a stand alone book, I disagree. In order to get a feel for the entire series, I recommend starting with book one and working your way through. You will get the most solid ground for the back story, and more importantly see how not only the characters in this series grow and change, but the Ms. Michelle’s writing style as well. I am looking forward to another installment in this series.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 364 pages
• Publisher: Ellora’s Cave (December 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419953524
• ISBN-13: 978-141995352

To purchase a print copy of A Taste for Control click here.

Books in the Kendrian Vampire series in the order in which they should be read:
A Taste for Passion
A Taste For Revenge
Kendrians: A Taste for Control

Watch out, y’all! Rowena Cherry knows how to write an Alpha male and then bring him to his knees. You will remember that I was not as enamored of her novella Mating Net. One issue I had was that it was too short and there were too many neat wrap ups at the end.

Well Cherry did not let me down this time. Forced Mate is a chess term which chess lover Cherry explains in the book. In fact, I think if I’d had a chess board, then I might have been able to map out the entire plot. Sadly, chess escapes me but this story did not.

Djinni is of royal blood and has been raised to hate and fear two things: sex and Tarrant-Arragon. And guess who shows up on her doorstep to kidnap her? You got it. That sexy Tiger prince himself - only Djinni doesn’t know it’s him, which makes for some very funny moments.

One of my favorite moments is when Djinni reveals that she thinks her “Tigger” (she doesn’t know Tigger and Tarrant are one in the same) is of another race - one known for sexual inadequacies. In an effort to ease her mind about sex (Djinni is full of stories of frogs who choke fish and insects who bite the heads off of their mates), T-A has a codpiece designed to make Djinni think he is “smaller than normal” in a certain area.

This is a very sexy book without being overtly sexual. While I adore erotica, I also appreciate a good story that knows how and when to close the bedroom door. Don’t get me wrong! You get to peek behind that door quite often, but it’s just not the main (pardon me, y’all) thrust of the story.

One of the secondary characters has a name that unfortunately made me giggle EVERY time I read it because it is the name of a character on a silly 60-70’s American TV show. Cherry, a British native, probably had no clue. It’s a minor thing and did not distract me from the fabulous tale she wove.

The sequel to this is Insufficient Mating Material and continues the story of that secondary character (thankfully he’s using a different variant of his name in that one). I can’t wait to read it! If you like books with unusual characters, well-drawn worlds and fun plots, go get a copy! 4 Tombstones for a really well done story!

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 326 pages
• Publisher: Love Spell; Reissue edition (November 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0505526018
• ISBN-13: 978-0505526014

To purchase a print copy of Forced Mate click here.

Books in the Mating Books series in the order in which they should be read:
Forced Mate
Mating Net
Insufficient MatingMaterial
Knight’s Fork

Well darlings, the Djinns have a problem. Seems none of their women do what their supposed to. Princess Martia-Djulia actually bails on her own wedding because of a one night stand she had. Now that one night of fun was part of a complicated assassination attempt in Forced Mate (2004). I recommend you read that one first so you can enjoy this one more.

Cherry’s veddy British sense of humor may lose some but I’m a fan of the BBC so I found her offbeat ways to be charming. And she gives us—gasp—an older woman heroine! Say it isn’t so! Princess Martia-Djulia has a bit of baggage and isn’t afraid to unpack it in front of God and everyone.

And everyone is the erstwhile Commander Jason from Forced Mate. I was delighted to find that he got his own story. He’s been tasked with mating with the princess. This ought to be a no-brainer since he really enjoyed that passionate night.

Of course Cherry isn’t going to make it easy for him, is she? She sets poor Djetth up by making him have to pretend to be someone else. Great gimmick that is so often the other way around where the heroine pretends to be someone else. This time the heroine doesn’t want to have a thing to do with this Djetth because she is mourning the death of the traitor Commander Jason.

Cherry continues her chess theme in this book which I began to enjoy more. It threw me in the novella then caught my attention in the second book Mating Net (which I read out of order—oh the horror!)

So now Djetthro finds himself in the untenable position of “insufficient mating material” which is a chess term for “you can’t really win without a big surprise now baby.” Ok so that’s my interpretation. You might want to check a book on how to play chess to get the real meaning.

Martia-Djulla is no push over and she’s ticked about the arranged marriage. Her brother, Tarrant-Arragon, shoots her down stranding her on a deserted island. In a type of “Lost” she and her companion, the man she can not love Djetth, must survive. And her brother is up to his ears in machinations. This is a futuristic that doesn’t try to make all the aliens nice and kind. These aliens are manipulative and chauvinistic, the nice thing is they do grow and change.

I look forward to the next in this Chess In Space series.  No, that is not the name of the series. I don’t know if it has one. It should. It needs to continue.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 324 pages
• Publisher: Dorchester Publishing Company (January 31, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0505527111
• ISBN-13: 978-0505527110

To purchase a print copy of Insufficient Mating Material click here.

Books in the Mating Books series in the order in which they should be read:
Forced Mate
Mating Net
Insufficient MatingMaterial
Knight’s Fork

Jamie MacGivern is a Highlander. He was hunting with his crossbow when a plane came crashing down in the high brush of the mountain near his home. Knowing it would be difficult for someone to find the wreckage, he trekked for nearly an hour before he reached the scene. When he arrived, he found one survivor. The woman was unconscious and handcuffed to a dead man. He is startled by her beauty and though he believes she is a criminal, he takes her home to tend to her injuries.

Federal Agent Allison Groves awakens to find herself in a cave. She doesn’t remember her name but is being cared for by a man whose face has her mesmerized. He calls her Mairi, and the way he cares for her makes her feel safe and loved. When her memories start to come back, she finds herself facing a tangled past or an even more complex future in a life with a lycan.

Wow! Charlotte Boyett-Compo really knows how to spin a tale that will pull you in. I couldn’t put this one down until I read the very last word and I wanted much, much more. The love scenes are so tastefully done, you can read this one curled in a chair at your favorite coffee shop. I fell in love with Jamie, then I fell in love with Mairi, then I fell in love with love. If you need a love story with suspense and enchantment woven in, Wyndsheer is your book.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 172 pages
• Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (April 27, 2011)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 145645451X
• ISBN-13: 978-1456454517

Buy a print copy of Wyndsheer from Amazon by clicking here.
Buy a Kindle copy of Wyndsheer from Amazon by clicking here.

 

After dreaming of mating with his mate, Ramses travels across the continent to find the one who is destined to carry his child. A werelion and an alpha male of his pride, he never hesitates when it comes to his mate.

Shana thinks that she is going crazy when a great lion in the zoo stares at her intensely, and then at night she awakes to intense and mind-blowing love making. Out of jealousy, another werelioness threatens Ramses and Shana’s love and happiness.

There are moments of magic and action that bring out the spiciness of Beast Magic. I recommend you keep a bucket of ice nearby to cool down the heat. I found the story too short, and it would be wonderful to read as a full length novel. However, I like Ms. Phelan’s descriptive writing and it will surely keep me coming back for more.

Book Stats:

• File Size: 485 KB
• Publisher: Phaze Books (July 1, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003XNTSUE

Buy a Kindle copy of Beast Magic from Amazon by clicking here.

Infected by a vampire virus, Claren Maxwell has the abilities and strength of a vampire with none of their weaknesses. She is able to travel at daylight and live almost as a human except that she needs blood in order to live. When she accidentally kills a friend, she is caught in a world beyond her imagination - one full of greed, power, lust, betrayal and love, where myth and legend comes alive.

Belgretor, an ogre, is sworn to protect Claren from the danger of the world. Saving Claren from dying on the day she was bitten, he is her savior and protector. When he arrives in an alien world, he starts to remember the person he was before, a person of responsibility and power, a Guardian. Together with Claren, they fight for the stability and freedom of both worlds.

Daniel, a vampire, and Jamros, a knight templar, despise each other from the moment they meet. In order to prevent chaos and destruction to both worlds, they must overcome their differences to stand tall with the person they both love.

Stone of Cruento is an enjoyable story of adventure, love, betrayal, faith and belief that kept my full attention from the moment I started reading the first page. Did I mention the love scenes are hot and wild?

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 386 pages
• Publisher: Elloras Cave (January 14, 2013)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1419966626
• ISBN-13: 978-1419966620

Buy a print copy of Stone of Cruento from Amazon by clicking here.
Buy a Kindle copy of Stone of Cruento from Amazon by clicking here.

As a shapeshifter, Frankie Lane must mate and procreate (or at least try to procreate) before she’s thirty. Otherwise, she’s stuck in her animal form - in her case, a cat. Persian to be exact. Problem is, she doesn’t have any prospects of her own and refuses to mate with they guy her parents picked out for her.

After a heated conversation with her parents over the “squicky” Henry Weintraub, Frankie leaves the house to take a walk. After a quick shift to cat form, she’s horrified to discover that she’s stuck and can’t shift back to her human form. Five days later, half starved and still stuck, she finds herself trapped in a dumpster. Swallowing her pride, she meows loud and long enough to be rescued by Glynice Ackerman.

Glynice decides to clean up Frankie, now dubbed Wiggles, and presents her to her boss for a Christmas present. Much to Frankie’s disgust, this is done with a cage and a big red bow around her neck. Glynice’s boss, Samuel Carster is a lawyer and a workaholic, and doesn’t want anything to do with a pet. They take too much time and he’s always at work.

Everything changes, though, when Frankie/Wiggles discovers the door to her cage open and goes exploring in Sam’s house. Wandering into Sam’s bedroom, she can’t help but stare at his deliciously hot naked body, which, in turn, gets her hormones going and shifts her back into human form. Still basically asleep, Sam pulls her down on the bed and proceeds to torment her hormones even further.

The next morning, Frankie has some major explaining to do and does it the only way she knows how. She shifts into cat form and back again and then explains the whole sordid tale to Sam. Once explanations are had, Sam and Frankie have things to figure out. How will they dissuade Henry Weintraub? What will Frankie do to hold her human form? And most important of all, how long will they fight their feelings for each other.

This was a quick romp of comedy and hot romance. Ms. Cassidy has a way with inventive dialog that always leaves you laughing and sometimes teaches you a new word or two. The characters were easy to get to know and like, and I really enjoyed reading about them.
Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Changeling Press
  
• Book Length: Novella
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-1-59596-935-4

This book is currently not for sale.

Silk and Steel, book two of the Eververse series, opens up in Russia with Dmitri and Snow. Snow is Dmitri’s enforcer and enjoys every moment of her job, though things tend to get messy when she’s around. Arcady Morrison, who is an incubus, comes to collect Snow and bring her home to Cash who has need of her. Arcady and Snow hit it off and most of this book focus around them and their relationship.

Fallon, Feyd, Ashlyn and Astrid, who were all introduced in the first book, do make a return appearance, and some of the plot lines in book one are picked up and continued throughout this book. The item that Fallon and Feyd are searching for in regards to Ashlyn does make a brief appearance in this book as a reminder to the reader that the storyline is still out there to be continued. But the primary focus of this book is Snow.

I am giving this book 3 tombstones because the authors are continuing the storyline throughout their series, but there were times I found myself confused with the plot line, since parts of it refer back to the first book. There were several new characters who were introduced that had no background, but appear important to the story. I do think that the descriptions in the book are well written and it is easy to imagine the events going on during the scenes that are played out. The characters appear likable enough and have personality. Snow has a puppy and shows affection to the puppy, showing a side of her tough demeanor that the reader wouldn’t necessarily expect from her. There were less sex scenes in this story, but some “swinging” is found in this book as well. I do look forward to book three, Frost and Flame, if only to find out if the story started in the first book is completed and where the authors take the story from there.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 264 pages
• Publisher: Tease Publishing LLC (February 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1607671816
• ISBN-13: 978-1607671817

Buy a print copy of Silk and Steel from Amazon by clicking here.
Buy a Kindle copy of Silk and Steel from Amazon by clicking here.

Books in the Eververse series in the order they should be read:
Sugar and Sin
Silk and Steel
Frost and Flame
Masquerade
Leather and Moonshine

 

Kaitlin Doyle is a romance novel junkie. While reading the novel Her Dark Knights, she finds herself captivated by the two men in the book, swept away by the story of the heroine’s submission to these two powerful masters, literally. The two heroes from her favorite romance novel drag her into their world, and she is introduced to the passion that had been on the pages of Her Dark Knights… only now she’s the heroine, and this fantasy has just taken a turn into reality.

Cayne and Ronan are Nephilim, fallen angels who now reside in Alyria, a world that boasts of immortal beings. They bring their Bride home and relish the fact that she’s innocent and submissive in nature. After a short time in their world she accepts their traditions. They delight in teaching her about their culture, and she responds well. But after years of running from her sexuality, can she indeed own it? Is there a way she can allow Cayne and Ronan to possess her at the same time and keep a sense of herself?

There were a few subplots that started off with a bang, though they quietly petered away. The sex in this novella is hot, and sprinkled expertly throughout the pages. Erotic readers will enjoy the sensual appeal of the men, and the marked innocence of the heroine. Throw in a surprisingly sweet male/male sex scene, engaging innocence on a bondage table, and two deliciously hard bodies and you have one excellent erotic read. I’m giving Wanton Nights 4 tombstones. Tawny Taylor weaves a lot of sexual tension in a quick, enjoyable read.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Changeling Press
  
• Book Length: Novella
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-1-59596-988-0

This book is currently not for sale.

Books in the Passion Unbound series in the order they should be read:
Wild Nights
Wicked Nights
Wanton Nights

Vampire Leah Adams is about ready to decimate her bathroom scales. Yes, she lurvs her fried food, fast food, sweet food….ok, so most food. But the readout on the scale can NOT be right! In desperation, she calls in a personal trainer. She’s a little embarrassed at the thought of exercising in front of a man, but all male personal trainers are gay, right?

Tall, dark, HAWT, and definitely NOT gay, Erik Hanson is the trainer that Leah calls. When he shows up for his appointment at Leah’s apartment, he’s blown away. Leah is dressed in sweats, with no make-up and her hair in a pony tail, but to Erik she looks like the last cupcake in a carb addict’s pantry. As long as they are a healthy weight, Erik prefers his women to have curves, and from what he can see, Leah’s curves are perfect.

With both of them slyly ogling each other and mentally drooling, they manage to keep their hands off of each other. Until, that is, Leah pulls a muscle in her gluteus maximus and Erik kindly (snicker) offers to massage it for her. After that (and after clearing up the little matter of Erik’s sexual preference) they are off and running, so to speak. As they see more of each other over time, Leah is delighted to find that hot sex with a human is the ultimate weight loss technique and she also seems to be falling for him. Not wanting to give him up, she has to figure out a way to tell him that she’s a vampire AND deal with her father, who just happens to hate humans. Shouldn’t be all that hard.

At only forty-three pages this was a quick but very enjoyable read. I really liked the characters, and the dialog had me laughing all the way through. Also, as someone who’s not exactly an Olsen twin herself, it was a nice change of pace to have a female lead who isn’t bordering on anorexic. I would advise, though, not to eat or drink while reading Blood Lite. This is yet another of Ms. Cassidy’s work that will have your snorting your corn chips out through your nose.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
  
• Book Length: Quickie
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1-84360-980-0

This book is not currently for sale.

Insurrection is book two of the Scions Trilogy, but you can enjoy it without having read book one, Resurrection. Landon Rourke is a PI werewolf exiled from his pack for fighting with his pack leader during a vampire-werewolf battle that took place in Resurrection. Kaitlyn McKinney is a newly promoted police detective, following in her father’s footsteps. Their paths cross when they meet in a park over the remains of a burned body. Kaitlyn remembers Landon from a few years ago when he worked on police cases and she was an intern, but Landon knows Kaitlyn well. He is tormented by a secret that has made him watch over her since she was a child, while also driving him away since she has become a woman. After Kaitlyn coerces him to help solve her first case, it is a fast-paced, action-packed ride on the way to discovering what is behind missing werewolves turning up dead and who is hijacking government pulsar guns and using them to kill vampires. All roads lead to a surprising, but satisfying, conclusion.

This is a fast, easy read that I liked better than Resurrection. I cannot help making comparisons. The characters are even more likable, as they struggle with personal problems while working for the greater good. The action is more suspenseful. Each scene adds substance to the story and is driving towards the final resolution. The romance is sweeter; the sex, hotter. Ms. Michelle is still heavy-handed with wordy descriptions and overused words but there are fewer here. This makes it easier to stay focused on the story, which is full of creative details Ms. Michelle skillfully fits together. I am eager to see how the trilogy ends in Revelation, due out in December 2008.

Book Stats:

• Mass Market Paperback: 288 pages
• Publisher: Silhouette (May 1, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0373617879
• ISBN-13: 978-0373617876

To purchase a print copy of Scions: Insurrection click here.
To purchase a Kindle copy of Scions: Insurrection click here.

Books in the Scions series in the order they should be read:
Resurrection
Insurrection
Revelation

Part One:
Looking for a companion to share the nights of her endless existence, Lily Fontaine is captivated when she sees the musician and singer Vallon Paige for the first time. He reminds her of her lost love Vincent de Leone in an uncanny way and is unique in his own right to boot. Quickly infatuated with each other, their romance is put on hold be the reappearance of Lily’s maker, the vampire Angelo Milonne. Though she had thought he had abandoned her the night he made her vampire, Lily soon learns that Angelo has been following her for many years and suspects he had something to do with Vincent’s disappearance in 1912. With threats from Angelo, new vampires thrown into the mix, and history to resolve, Lily will have a chance to rediscover lost love and maybe lose it again.

Part Two:
Having sworn off men after giving birth to her son Skye at fifteen, Jaidyn Pierce is finally starting to regret that course of action when her son (now nine) heads to Orlando on summer break with his best friend and she is left alone with only her aunt and a mysterious dream lover for company. When her aunt and son (out of the mouths of babes and all that) encourage her to make some friends, well her son said that, her aunt told her to get laid, Jaid sets out to the bar where she works nights as a bartender. There she meets Luca (vampire met in part one) who bears a striking resemblance to her dream lover. When Luca informs her that he is a vampire and his been following her to protect her from Angelo (also from part one), she is more than a bit shocked. Add in a unknown ancestor who has been keeping tabs on them for years, demons intent on killing them, Guardians intent on killing the demons, and the possibility of a long-term relationship with Luca and Jaid is well on her way to becoming immersed in the supernatural world.

From the Shadows was all stops and starts for me, I would really get into it for a bit and then it would crawl along at some points. I’m usually all for longer stories, but I have to say in this case I would have liked it to have been shorter and faster paced. I liked some of the vampire’s back stories, Aurelia’s was interesting and in her case I would have liked it to have been less condensed and Luca’s was well told, I also loved the bit at the end with Angelo and hope to see a sequel featuring him. Jae Knight has some interesting ideas (her taste in fashion and motorcycles rocks!) and though these stories were not well plotted or told, I could definitely see her producing some very interesting tales as she grows as a writer.

Book Stats:

• File Size: 420 KB
• Print Length: 265 pages
• Publisher: Phaze Books (July 1, 2010)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B003XNTUOS

Buy a Kindle copy of From the Shadows from Amazon by clicking here.

Tiger’s Eye, the second book in the Bride’s Inn series, is a fast, fun, steamy read. Miranda Hollander is at Bride’s Inn for an extended stay to recover from a personal tragedy. Jake Hunter arrives in the middle of the night during a snowstorm and is mistaken for the Inn’s new handyman. The night of his arrival they accidentally end up sharing the same bed, which begins their tale of love, argument, working through past losses and, most importantly, classic animal attraction.

Last week I reviewed the first book in this series, Lady in White, and rated it quite low. This story has many things in common with that book, so it surprised me that I had such a positive reaction to it. Tiger’s Eye is about 40 pages longer than Lady in White and I think that this gave Catherine Chernow extra time for character development, a chance to plant clues early on for later danger, and allowed her to make better use of the Inn’s resident ghost. Whatever the reason, I feel that Tiger’s Eye is a much better book.

Chernow still relies too heavily on romance genre clichés and may have a few other areas for improvement, but for the most part I was too caught up in the story to zero in on its problems. That’s how it should be. The sex scenes are hot –including spanking done right – and the story has a satisfying ending. I’m looking forward to reading the next two books in the series.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Resplendence Publishing
  
• Book Length: Short Story
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: N/A
  

This book is not currently for sale.

Books in the Bride’s Inn series in the order they should be read:
Lady In White
Tiger’s Eye
Magic Man
Ghost Seeker

Almost a year ago, Joanne Stuart’s best friend Christian Clarke disappeared from the very forest that Joanne is in now. It took her this long to bring herself to come here after Christian went missing. She finds Christian’s compass, one that she gave him, in the woods. Opening it and seeing a picture of the two of them taped to the inside, Joanne realizes that Christian had feelings for her but never told her. It took till he went missing for Joanne to realize that she loved him too, but now it’s too late. Or is it? Something is following her through the woods and when she spots Christian, she faints.

The previous year, Christian had been bitten and turned by the werewolf Cain. He staged his disappearance and lived in his isolated cabin in the woods because he didn’t feel like he had control over his blood lust and didn’t want to risk harming Joanne. Cain is angered that Christian refuses to join his pack and is always hunting him. With Joanne in the forest, however, Christian must confront the pack to save her from Cain. Not only does he have to fight for their lives, but he will have to risk rejection when he tells her the truth about what he is.

While the basis of Bare Bones was good, it just didn’t ring true to me. Even though some of the pack members that he fought had been turned after him making them weaker, the fights seemed to come too easy for him. The two main characters interacted well but it all came together a little too neatly for my taste. I’ve read other things by Aline de Chevigny and enjoyed them and will continue to read her writing, but this one just wasn’t for me.

Book Stats:

• Paperback: 80 pages
• Publisher: Red Rose Publishing (December 18, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1604359110
• ISBN-13: 978-1604359114

Buy a print copy of Bare Bones from Amazon by clicking here.
Buy a Kindle copy of Bare Bones from Amazon by clicking here.

Undertow is J.M. Snyder’s contribution to the Del Fantasma Series. The Del Fantasma is a bar where all manner of paranormal happenings seem to occur and the Undertow is a drink they serve there. In Undertow we are introduced to Derek and Kellen a pair of merrows raised in a pod off the point of Loma Vista. A merrow being more human and less mermaid are able to live in the cresting waves of the ocean as well as take to land. In human form they shed their scales, gills and fins with the assistance of a talisman that they wear.

It was apparent from early on that Kellen loved Derek deeply. Derek loved humans and thought of nothing other then joining the human world permanently. When he saw Tad sitting on the beach he fell in love and that desire became a reality.

Undertow is a fantastical story ripe with passion and jealousy. It intertwines within its pages the feelings some of us have that how we are born is not who we truly are. I found myself delighted with the unique characters and surroundings. If you would like to try an Undertow the recipe can be found at the end of the book.

Book Stats:

• e-book, digital format
• Publisher: Aspen Mountain Press
  
• Language: English
• ISBN: 978-1-60168-073-0

This review is of the first version of this story which is no longer for sale. The book has been released as Undertow and you can purchase a copy of it by clicking here.

When Queen Lillian of Ceomhar is kidnapped by the ruthless General Meilich Caisil-Chro, a Dealachan, her king and husband King Grayham hires the Cuideag warlord Duke Saxxon Kell to get her back. While Lillian and Grayham are human, the Dealachans and Cuideags are both types of vampires. The Cuideags, while still fierce warriors, are a relatively gentle race in comparison to the Dealachans. Both take Sustanence in the form of blood but the Dealachans are known to consume their victim’s flesh as well as their blood.

Caisil-Chro is rumored to be particularly cold blooded and has been known to take any woman who catches his eye and keep them alive only till he is taken what he wants. While the king treats Kell with barely concealed contempt, his lord high chancellor Lord Keithton treats him with a measure of respect. In addition to being the king’s right hand man, Keithton is also Lillian’s father. He wants her back safely no matter what but the kind is obviously put off by the fact that when returned, Lillian will probably have been molested by Caisil-Chro. After Lord Keithton shows Kell Lillian’s portrait, he is drawn to her and decides to keep her for his own wife once he rescues her. Given a magical medallion that belongs to her, Kell will be able to use it to track her.

After an initial stay in a freezing room, Lillian is greatly surprised to discover that Caisil-Chro isn’t quite the monster that she was told. Yes, he’s forceful and determined to get what he wants, but he also ensures her comfort and provides her with food and warmth. He is even concerned that her food is cooked properly as he doesn’t usually eat cooked food. When he turns his physical attentions to her, Lillian is mortified but also amazed. Her marriage to Grayham was not one of love and respect and she didn’t know that sex could be good. She was used to it being something to endure. Caisil-Chro is also surprised to realize that he has feelings for Lillian that he’s never had before. He wants to protect her and make her come to him willingly. He is already married though, coincidently to Kell’s former wife, Daniva. Addicted to Opium and out of her mind with anger and bitterness towards both Kell and Caisil-Chro, she makes threats of her own to Lillian.

Kell and his men reach Caisil-Chro’s castle and take Queen Lillian back although Caisil-Chro escapes before Kell can kill him. Having dreamed of him before the rescue, Lillian is not frightened of him and is quite accepting especially after seeing that Kell has her medallion that her father gave him. They begin their travels back to Kell’s fortress in the desert and drop Daniva at a sanitarium along the way. Once at Kell’s home, preparations are made for Kell’s marriage to Lillian after her current one is set aside. They also ready themselves for the attack from Caisil-Chro and his men. Before the attack can happen though, Daniva’s mother Lady Kurst attempts to kill Lillian with a poison that renders her paralyzed. Kell is stunned to discover that to get the only antidote, he and Caisil-Chro must travel together across the desert to the home of a witch. Only the two of them combined can make the trip and administer the antidote. As sworn enemies, Kell and Caisil-Chro are doubtful but they both care for Lillian and swear to do what it takes to save her. The trip is a surprise to both as they discover more about each other than they previously knew and develop a bond. There are dangers along the way though, and it’s a fight for them both to make it back alive.

WyndRaider takes place in a very descriptive and rich world created by Ms. Boyett-Compo. I usually don’t read books like this because I have trouble keeping everything straight, but this one I loved. The characters were very detailed as was the world in which they live. After Kell and Caisil-Chro started their trip together, you could somewhat see what might happen between them but you were not entirely sure. I really liked how that part turned out and it also makes me wonder if there will be another book with these characters. I certainly hope so because now that I know them better, I would love to read more about them. Definitely get WyndRaider. There’s so much that happens in it, it’s hard to really condense it in a review.

Book Stats:

• File Size: 451 KB
• Print Length: 250 pages
• Publisher: Ellora’s Cave (November 1, 2009)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0033Y94HU

Buy a Kindle copy of WyndRaider from Amazon by clicking here.