Look Out For: Violet Midnight by Lynn Rush + Giveaway

Hello again everyone! Today I'm proud to be participating in a release day blitz for VIOLET MIDNIGHT by Lynn Rush, hosted by Bewitching Book Tours. I've read the blurb for this book and I have to say I am most defiantly intrigued! Plus I am a big fan of the cover, loving the violet eyes...wish mine were that colour ;)
So without further ado, let me introduce you to Emma, vampire Hunter extraodinaire...we've even got a hold of an amazing excerpt to tease you all :) Oh, and there is a super awesome GIVEAWAY at the bottom of the post for a KINDLE FIRE!! ENJOY!

Blurb:

Let the Hunt begin….

Blending in with her college co-eds proves difficult for vampire Hunter, Emma Martin, considering the mystical tattoo on her wrist glows whenever Vamps are near. And after three months of silence, the glow is back with a vengeance.

Jake Cunningham witnesses Emma, a violet-eyed beauty, using unimaginable powers to fight off a fanged creature. Finally, after two years of searching, he may have found out what he’s become—a Hunter, like Emma.

Thankful for an ally in the fight against the Vamps, Emma finds hope and comfort in Jake’s arms. As she learns more about her new love’s family and its dark heritage, she may be forced not only to hunt them but to sacrifice her life to save Jake’s soul.

“Rush hooked me from page one! Fast-paced, gripping, this tale of vampire hunters is full of action and suspense. A great read! Buffy had better watch out…Emma Martin is one hunter to watch!” -Cynthia Eden, National Best-selling Author 

WATCH THE BOOK TRAILER HERE! 

Where can I find it?
You can grab your copy of VIOLET MIDNIGHT at the links below! Oh and one more thing, the author has decided to donate a portion of all proceeds goes towards CANCER RESEARCH AND AWARENESS, which I really admire :)

Amazon Paper: http://amzn.to/TICHVl  

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/RzVLHT

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/NrIgHg 

Excerpt:
Emma Martin had never killed a human, at least not intentionally, but her best friend, Ava, might be the first. “No. I told you. I'm not going on a blind date, so drop it already.”
Considering she battled demons on a regular basis, few things in the world scared Emma. But the one thing she feared most was giving her heart away, then losing that person.
Been there, done that. Never again.
“Fine. You’re so stubborn. At least come to the party.” Ava wove her arm through Emma’s and dragged her across the campus, toward their dorm. “Your arms are freezing, Em, why are you wearing a tank top? I know we live in the desert, but we’re up north.”
“It’s not that cold out.” Then again, Emma didn't feel the cold, or heat for that matter, but Ava didn't know that.
No one did.
No one could ever know.
“Whatever,” Ava said. “So, come on, already. I’ve got two hours to beautify you. The football game will be over soon, and I'm in the mood to have some fun.”
“Ava, no. I said no more blind date—” Pulsing pain stabbed Emma’s wrist. She stopped and doubled over, clutching her wrist to her stomach to hide the glowing mark on her skin. Darn Vamp detector hadn't ignited in over three months. What the hell?
“What’s wrong?” Ava grabbed Emma’s shoulder.
She hugged her midsection. Now that the initial surprise had passed, she had to keep the pulsing light hidden from Ava. Otherwise, there’d have to be another mind-wipe.
Wonder if too many mind-wipes can harm a brain?
“Nothing. Just a cramp.” Emma stood straight, scanning the area. She never got cramps, but she had to cover when her wrist morphed into a freaky orange lighthouse beam. “I’ll be fine in a second.”
Everyone thought Emma’s mark was a normal tattoo, but they didn't know how it came to life when the bloodsuckers were near. She slipped her hand over the piercing orange flare, silently chastising herself for not wearing her thick-band watch.
Three months, no Vamps—she’d gotten lazy.
Time to snap into Hunter mode to keep Ava safe. No way was Emma about to lose her best friend to one of those fanged beasts. She’d already lost too much.
Emma scanned the empty courtyard. The dark fence of trees encircling the campus seemed calm. No bobbing red orbs—a tell-tale sign of a hungry Vamp. Until they fixed their sights on dinner, their eyes stayed black as coal.
Ava whipped out her massive, pink leather purse. “Here, I’ve got Advil.”
“Never mind. We’re almost to the room. I’ll grab some there.” Emma straightened and rubbed her wrist while scanning the area. A couple of lights lining the sidewalk to their dorm barely made a dent in the darkening sky.
Movement to her right caught Emma’s attention. Her heart stuttered. Every muscle tensed. She needed to get Ava out of here.
“Let’s go.” Emma latched onto her elbow and hurried her along the sidewalk. Emma caught a flare of orange against the leg of her denim jeans. The Vamps must be closing in.
Bushes to the left, silent academic buildings behind them and the open courtyard to their right. She glanced over her shoulder at the mazes of deserted sidewalks leading to the various campus buildings. Slate-colored clouds rolled in, chasing away the remaining light of the setting sun. That didn’t help, despite her heightened vision.
“What’s the rush? Jeez. I'm not one of your workout buddies, Em.” Ava stumbled. “If I break a heel on these Jimmy Choos, you and I are going to have words.”
“Oh, sorry. I just want to get back to the room and get ready for the party. You said Todd was going to be there, right? I bet you’re anxious to see him again. It’s what, your third date? That’s a record for you.”
“Jerk. But you’re right. I want to look nice for him. And remember, you said I can get you prettied up a little, too.”
“I did not say you could pretty me up.” Thankfully, Ava was easily distracted.
Emma continued to hurry her roomie along. Another flare of orange pulsed. Only a hundred feet to the dorms. One more cluster of bushes to pass.
A fist that could have passed as a sledgehammer slammed into Emma’s face as a gust of wind whipped by her. An explosion of metallic-tasting blood burst into her mouth. Damn Vamps were fast. Emma toppled into Ava. Her friend yelped and tumbled to the ground. Her purse shuffled to the side along with one of her shoes when she made impact.
Emma spun, working to locate the Vamp. Only darkness. Shadows from the cluster of five, three-story dormitories up ahead provided ample amounts of darkness. Not to mention the light flickering out. Or did a rock just hit that light bulb?
Shit.
“What the hell was that?” Ava pushed herself up and reached for her purse.
“Quiet. Stay there. Don’t move.”
Emma’s friend shot her a wide-eyed glare. “What—”
Emma put her hand up, silencing her, and crouched. She held up her free hand, and whispered, “Crossbow.”
In a flash of white light, the steel weapon appeared in her palm. She stroked the smooth, otherworldly, silver metal, confirming the magazine of bolts was secure and ready to fire.
She touched her throbbing cheek. Dumbass was going to pay for that. And more.
“Okay, where are you?”
Drawing in a deep breath, Emma willed her pulse to slow, then stood. The gravel crunched beneath her trainers as she stepped off the sidewalk toward the bushes. Ava sat on the ground watching Emma with wide, disbelieving eyes. Her platinum-blond hair glowed beneath the light of the lamppost beside her, giving her an angelic halo.
This’ll be a big mind-wipe for sure.
The hairs on Emma’s neck prickled. Instinct demanded she duck. Air whooshed above her, a fist narrowly missing her face. She jabbed an elbow into the creature’s soft mid-section.
She lunged forward into a summersault, then turned and crouched.
Click. Click.
Two bolts shot out and sank into the Vamp’s chest.
White, elongated teeth flashed as the wounded creature’s mouth opened. A throaty roar rent the air as he squirmed, writhing in anguish, then vanished in a poof of dust.
As ashes settled over the gravel beside a blooming bush, she spotted another creature slithering toward her best friend. Emma trained her weapon on the beast.
Before she could fire, two gigantic hands squeezed her shoulders and yanked her into the bushes. Her crossbow clattered to the rocky ground. The creature snarled. Foul breath wafting over her triggered her gag reflex.
Lifting her hand in front of her, she said, “Dagger.”
The weapon landed in Emma’s palm. She spun it to aim the blade downward and plunged it into the creature’s thigh. His grip loosened. Emma snapped her head back and cracked the Vamp’s nose, then pivoted out of his grip. Blood gushed from his leg onto the dusty earth, but it wouldn't keep him down for long.
The Vamp quirked his head to the side and drew in a breath. He glanced past Emma but didn't move.
Strange.
He took in another breath. “Can’t smell you. What are you?”
She flipped the knife, blade up. “The last thing you’ll be seeing tonight.”

About the author:

Driven to write, Lynn Rush often sees her characters by closing her eyes watching their story unfold in her mind. Lynn Rush is a pen name that is a combination of two sources – Lynn, the first name of her mother-in-law, who passed away and Rush – since the author is a former inline speed skater and mountain biker. All of Rush’s books are dedicated to Lynn, her namesake, and a portion of the proceeds benefits cancer research and awareness.
Rush holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master's degree from the University of Iowa. Originally from Minneapolis, Rush currently enjoys living in the Arizona sunshine by road biking nearly 100 miles per week with her husband of 16 years and jogging with her two loveable Shetland Sheep dogs.

GIVEAWAY TIME!
It all sounds so good right? I'll definitely be checking VIOLET MIDNIGHT out as soon as I have spare time on my hands :) but now Lynn Rush has been very generous in offering the giveaway underneath! For your chance to win a KINDLE FIRE, simply enter using the form underneath. GOOD LUCK!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOT HOSTED BY V'S BOOK LIFE, AND I AM IN NO WAY RESPONSIBLE FOR PRIZES OR CONTACTING THE WINNER. I AM BUT THE MESSENGER ;) 

Review: Touch the Dark by Karen Chance

Hey Guys, hope you're all enjoying the Easter weekend! Another review is heading your way, this is Touch the Dark by Karen Chance, book 1 in the Cassandra Palmer Series.

Title: Touch the Dark
Author: Karen Chance
Publisher: Roc Fantasy
Release Date: 28th June 2007 (UK) | 6th June 2006 (US)
Series: Cassandra Palmer Series, Book 1
Source: My own personal copy

Blurb from Karen Chance's website:
Cassandra Palmer can see the future and communicate with spirits-talents that make her attractive to the dead and the undead. The ghosts of the dead aren't usually dangerous; they just like to talk...a lot.
The undead are another matter.
Like any sensible girl, Cassie tries to avoid vampires. But when the bloodsucking Mafioso she escaped three years ago finds Cassie again with vengeance on his mind, she's forced to turn to the vampire Senate for protection. The undead senators won't help her for nothing, and Cassie finds herself working with one of their most powerful members, a dangerously seductive master vampire-and the price he demands may be more than Cassie is willing to pay... 

Review:

First Line:  'I knew I was in trouble as soon as I saw the obituary.  The fact that it had my name on it was sort of a clue.  What I didn’t know was how they’d found me, and who the guy was with the sense of humor.  Antonio has never been much for comedy.  I’ve never figured out if that has something to do with being dead, or if he’s always been a morose son of a bitch.' 

This first line is pretty awesome, I know finding my own obituary taped to my computer would certainly freak me out. You think this is bad...Cassie can't even begin to comprehend how much her day is going to go down hill from here. Touch the Dark follows the story of Cassie Palmer, a clairvoyant on the run from the vampire who calls himself her master. A man she has caused no end of trouble for – but if he can’t use her gifts...no one can. Antonio wishes her dead, however his master and senate member Lord Mircea has other plans. Mircea is an old vampire. Tall, dark and handsome with eyes of liquid gold, Mircea is the Senate’s chief negotiator...oh and did I mention he’s Dracula’s older brother? Now the all powerful Senate has a favour to ask...vampires have been breaking from their master’s control and the blossoming new power Cassie has may well be the key to preventing all hell breaking loose. The use of these powers may yet save Cassie’s life but will also force her into a role she isn't sure she is ready for... that is if rogue vampires and crazy war-mages don’t kill her first.

Touch the Dark is one of my favourite books, it is also one of the very first adult urban fantasy books I read! I think I first read it when I was about 17 and absolutely loved it. The 3 main characters that feature heavily throughout the entire series are Cassie (obviously), Mircea (thankfully), and unstable but yummy war mage John Pritkin (who is just awesome). After finding the eerie obituary Cassie's life is turned upside down...not only does she find out that her room-mate is a master level vampire but something is changing with her clairvoyance. Before Cassie had only been an observer in her visions...now she is a part of them, something that can have disastrous side effects. Cassie is tough...but there are only so many betrayals one clairvoyant can take.

'I slipped again and fell on my butt, bruising it on something hard.  Some part of my brain that was still coherent recognized the shape of the object, and I snatched my gun from beneath me.  “Don’t come any closer or I’ll kill you.”  I pointed it at Tomas and, despite the fact that it was shaking wildly in my less than steady grip, I could tell he knew I meant it.  His eyes, usually soft and warm and open, were opaque black mirrors now.  I couldn’t see anything past them, and I didn’t want to.  God, I didn’t want to.
“Cassie, you must listen to me.”  I looked into that handsome face, and some part of me detached itself to watch another illusion shatter and die.  I thought I’d finally done something good, that I’d actually helped someone, saved somebody, instead of always watching every damn thing I did end in pain--either mine or someone else’s.  I should have known it was too good to be true, that he was too good.  Way out of your league, Cassie my girl, I thought as my back hit the door.  Maybe you should start smaller, adopt a kitten next time, only I knew there was very little chance that there would be a next time.'

Our heroine has to be one of my all time favourite characters, and not just because this was one of the very first books in the urban fantasy genre I’d ever read. No, Cassie wins this all by herself, she’s smart, funny and knows she’s not invincible despite the vast power she holds and the loyalty she commands. Though Cassie does have a habit of getting into the worst situations imaginable...and usually wearing the most inappropriate clothing too i.e. her ‘happy face’ t-shirt (which is covered in pieces of dead vampire) which is what she wears the first time she meets the senate...not exactly subtle or elegant. Cassie is also one of the luckiest people I know...and not just because she has Lord Mircea's attentions *sigh...*. Cassie tends to scrape through battles by the skin of her teeth she's not a trained fighter and sometimes wants to sit in a corner with her hands over her head repeating 'the big bad vampire isn't there' unfortunately that would probably lead her to getting eaten...so she fights the best she can and our girl isn't afraid to play dirty.

There is a new spin on supernatural politics and heirarchy that I haven't seen before. Plus vampires aren't the only ones who need to feed to sustain their lives...ghosts like Billy (a ghost that is anchored to Cassie's necklace) can feed off Cassie's energy. Cassie is the only one who can see the ghosts...so naturally they want to talk to her, in return they will do whatever Cassie needs...heck they even kill a master vampire for her! There is humour and suspense as well as awesome action scenes...mostly where we get to see the vampires come into their own and Cassie, not to be outdone, tries to control her newfound powers to aid them in the fight. It's gory without much romance, though you can see the beginnings of a relationship...or two. There are sex scenes but not exactly brimming with romance...though they are great to read you learn a lot about Cassie's character from them.

Touch the Dark kept me gripped throughout and I have re-read it several times (as attested by how battered my copy is becoming). Touch the Dark is a promising start and the entire series is one of my all time favourite Urban Fantasies. I can't wait for the newest addition!

My Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Sanctum Angels by Edenmary Black

Edenmary will be giving away a $25 Amazon GC to one randomly drawn commenter during the tour as well as to the host with the most comments on her stop (excluding the author's and the host's). So leave me a comment for your chance to win!

Hi again guys. Today I'm hosting Edenmary Black as part of her tour with Goddess Fish! Sanctum Angels is Book 1 in the Shadow Havens series.

Title: Sanctum Angels

Author: Edenmary Black

Publisher: eBookIt.com

Release Date: 3rd January 2012

Series: Shadow Havens, Book 1

Source: I received a e-copy of this book as part of the Goddess Fish tour in exchange for an honest review.

Blurb:

Warning: The following work contains descriptive material and scenes of explicit sexual encounters between consenting male and female adults. It is intended for adult readers only. 

When Priana Grey walks into a bank, she isn’t expecting to be taken hostage by a violent thief; nor, is she expecting Detective Joe Cafaris to offer his life for hers. The stepdaughter of fallen angels of the Sanctum, she has concealed her true nature to move among humans for years, but Joe’s courage astounds her. Although she knows that falling in love with a human is a disaster, she just can’t ignore what she feels.

Joe is a tough loner, cool in the most dangerous situations, but he’s not ready for the scorching desire he feels for Priana. He has a million logical reasons to walk away, but his heart wants something else. 

Priana’s stepbrother, Keirc, warns that she’ll find only misery with Joe, yet he guards a perilous secret of his own. His lover, Iridea, is the daughter of Sebastien Galaurus, a ruthless vampire who leads the Demesne, a powerful supernatural haven quite unlike the Sanctum. 

When a stunning crisis forces Priana into the heart of the Demesne, a maelstrom explodes in the shadow of supernatural havens on the brink of war, where fallen angels, vampires, weres and daemons call the shots and humans are viewed as critically frail - a place where men and supernaturals can die.

Review:

First Line: 'Priana Grey’s hands and feet were freezing. Her arms felt like wood and a thin trail of blood was snaking its way down her palm from the fine wire binding her wrists. She wiggled her fingertips but couldn't risk moving more. The man with his fist in her hair would only yank her backward again and the gun at the end of his other hand looked as long as a bowling alley.' 

Sanctum Angels certainly gets off to a fast paced start. We meet Pria when she's been taken hostage by a psychotic bank robber who has a personal grudge against one of the Detectives on the local Police Force. Him taking Pria and 3 others hostage is the way he draws the Detective out into the open with the intent of shooting him. Pria can't let that happen. She can't let harm come to an innocent human so despite her hands being tied with wire and a gun to her head Pria kills the armed robber. How you ask? Well Pria isn't exactly human...she is the daughter of a fallen angel and a pureblood vampire, giving her certain gifts. Gifts she uses to save Detective Joe Cafaris. 

From the moment they lay eyes on each other both Pria and Joe feel an attraction. Heck, Joe even thinks Pria looks pretty in her hospital gown and I'm telling you...you have to work damn hard to make one of those ugly things look good! From there their relationship progresses in a believable manner...they have their hurdles but this couple seem set to overcome anything thrown their way! 

I loved Joe as a character, he's really sweet fumbling his words because he can't quite believe that Pria is talking to him. Joe is one of those steady, reliable guys who is loyal and honest to a fault. A man who also puts his life on the line in Pria's defence. She'd be blind to not notice what's right in front of her. Pria is also a very well written character...at no point did I hate her and I found her independence by living among the humans added to her character. She has the power of life and death in her hands but will only use it when she absolutely has to. Don't get me wrong she can be tough...and you don't want to be in her way if she's angry with you...But I don't think I could ever hate anyone who owns a bakery :)

Pria could easily bet that he’d never known anyone like her and by all the laws of sense, she should run from this, yet she couldn't. She just freaking wouldn’t. It had been years since she’d felt this way about a male, supernatural or not. Still, she needed him to know that she didn't consider relationships lightly. “I’m not casual with men,” she said quietly, hoping he’d get it. “I didn't think you would be,” he said quickly.
“I haven’t been with anyone in a long while, Joe, because sometimes men…look at me and think they see something that’s not there. Or they want to have some kind of relationship without heart and that’s not me.”
“No,” he assured her, seeing that Pria had probably looked like a fantasy to many men. “I don’t find sexual relationships like that easy. “Well, I mean I like sex, but that’s not what I had in mind.”
Fucking idiot…“Well,” Joe said, starting to backpedal. “What I meant to say was that I am not 

looking for a sexually casual relationship with you even though you are one of the 

most beautiful women I’ve ever seen.”

As we journey through the world of Sanctum Angels we also meet a pair of lovers who seem doomed from the very start. Kierc and Iridea are one of the other couples in this novella and their relationship has a very Romeo and Juliet feel to it. Kierc is Pria's stepbrother and son of the founders of Sanctum whereas Iridea is the daughter of the leader of Demesne and his Mate. Sanctum and Demesne are two opposing supernatural havens and it is often referenced as to the undoubtedly negative reactions from their respective parents this relationship would receive...see what I mean? You know how that story ended...well you'll just have to read Sanctum Angels if you want to know more :)

I enjoyed Sanctum Angels from start to finish, Edenmary Black has created a new world full of angels, vampires and daemons that thrilled me from start to finish. Sanctum Angels is crammed full of goodies including a blossoming romance, a political war and naturally a all out battle between the forces of good and evil...all in only 178 pages! I would recommend Sanctum Angels to all lovers of Paranormal Romance who are looking to get stuck into a new authors work!

My Rating 4/5

Excerpt:

Ilea picked up the skirting of her gown and rushed through the richly carpeted halls of the elaborate underground Demesne haven she’d shared with her Mate for centuries. By the time she reached Sebastien’s study, her flaming hair had come undone from its tight chignon and her face had grown hot. Saan was dying and a tiny thought she’d kept buried for the past two nights would find Sebastien’s ear whether he wished to hear or not. Drawing breath, Ilea whipped the black double doors nearly from their hinges to stride to the dark, massive desk in front of her Mate. A small group of the Demesne’s vampire warriors were with him but they stepped swiftly from her path.

“Leave us,” she ordered.

The warriors of the Demesne were unused to taking orders from their leader’s Mate, whom they rarely saw, but left after Sebastien gave them a fast nod. Hearing his Mate’s pounding heart, Sebastien sat quickly, as if the air had been knocked from his lungs. “Has our son passed?” he asked quietly.

“He lives but he may well pass before the morning unless something is done,” Ilea gripped the edge of the desk and leaned over it, into her husband’s perfectly sculpted face.

“Call your brother at the Sanctum and seek his advice,” she commanded. “Ask him to send one of the angelic healers. It is the only thing that can save our son.”

Sebastien had thought this might be requested of him, but he had also expected Saan to recover, having his mother’s daemon blood and his own vampiric blood.

“Andrieu is not my brother. I cannot contact anyone at the Sanctum,” he said.

Ilea pulled her hand back and brought it forward in a mind-numbingly fast arc to connect with Sebastien’s jaw. Her Mate’s head bounced backward against the high back of his carved chair, yet he didn’t lift a hand. “You could not have heard what I asked,” Ilea said. “Call Andrieu and ask…no, Sebastien …beg him to send an angelic healer. Tonight.” Ilea’s eyes were changing to the silver swirls associated with strong emotion among daemons. “Do it,” she hissed.

(From the Prologue) 

About the author:

Edenmary Black has been writing since she could clutch a pencil. She has always been fascinated with the mysteries of the paranormal and loves the question all writers answer when they pen fiction. For her, it's all about that magical, "What if?” When not working her keyboard, she enjoys long walks with her golden retriever, reading and spending time with her family, all of whom are male. She spends far too much on lingerie and is very, very weak for chocolate. Visit her at www.edenmaryblack.com. 

Review: Lover Unleashed by J.R. Ward

Hi Guys, time for another review. This is Lover Unleashed by New York Times Bestselling author J.R. Ward. The Brotherhood are BACK!

Title: Lover Unleashed
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Piatkus (UK) | Signet Eclipse (US)
Release Date: March 29th 2011
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book 9
Source: My personal copy

From J.R. Ward's website:
Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, warrior cloth as her brother: A fighter by nature, and a maverick when it comes to the traditional role of Chosen females, there is no place for her on the Far Side… and no role for her on the front lines of the war, either.
When she suffers a paralyzing injury, human surgeon Dr. Manuel Manello is called in to treat her as only he can- and he soon gets sucked into her dangerous, secret world. Although he never before believed in things that go bump in the night- like vampires- he finds himself more than willing to be seduced by the powerful female who marks both his body and his soul.
As the two find so much more than an erotic connection, the human and vampire worlds collide … just as a centuries old score catches up with Payne and puts both her love and her life in deadly jeopardy.

Review:

As you all know I am a HUGE fan of J.R. Ward, her Black Dagger Brotherhood series is one of my all time favourites. Despite this, I was hesitant about starting this Lover Unleashed, Payne was not a character that had interested me. Manny however, I was curious about. BUT, this is not Manny and Payne's book...oh no...this is Vishous and Jane part 2. In theory Lover Unleashed is Payne and Manny's story of true love with Vishous and Jane's relationship blues as a side story. It doesn't come across like that though, Vishous' story has such passion that it completely overshadows Payne's storyline. Don't get me wrong, this book is still pretty good, and to be honest I was more interested in reading about Jane and Vishous/ Blay and Qhuinn (yes, they're in here too!) anyway. 

Manny and Payne's story probably only amounts to about 1/2 of the book, and begins where Lover Mine left off. Payne is in a hospital bed in the Brotherhood's compound where she has remained since her sparring accident with Wrath which paralysed her from the waist down. Dr. Manuel 'Manny' Manello (who some may remember from Lover Unbound) is chief of surgery and the only who has any chance of reversing Payne's paralysis. One problem...he's human...she's not. Payne is the Scribe Virgin's daughter and Vishous' twin sister, making her extremely off limits to Manny, however when this unlikely pair first meet they forge an unbreakable bond. They struggle through Payne's recovery together and have a few blips in their relationship (mainly when Vishous wipes Manny's memories in an attempt to protect his twin) but you can feel Manny's passion for this delicate woman.

The pair discover truths about themselves as the relationship progresses, Payne begins to heal despite all the odds and Manny uncovers a secret from his past that ties him to the Brotherhood forever. I liked Manny as a character, he's strong willed and quick witted, plus is able to stand up to Vishous - no mean feat, he scares me too! Payne however is another matter, up until now she's been this kick-ass warrior who bows to no-one. And yet in this book, she seems to have lost most of her fight, her spirit...plus I find it hard to get my head around the way she speaks. As a couple they don't seem to fit together as well as some of the others do, and their story didn't move me as much as say...Rhage and Mary's. It's not awful, but definitely not my favourite.

Now for the part of the book I loved. There are cracks forming in Vishous and Jane's relationship, most of it due to Vishous still not believing himself to be worthy of his female, and he's still tormented by his horrific past. Their relationship fractures over Payne's treatment and I thought it was irrecoverably broken. I couldn't see a way for Vishous to work through his issues, after all they're so ingrained into his being that I don't think he even knew how badly damaged he was. Then I remembered...THIS IS J.R. WARD, if anyone could help Vishous then she could! And oh my God! There is a scene (well several if I'm truly honest) that brought tears to my eyes. For the first time, Vishous, the fierce hard hearted warrior that he is...was laid bare. It's a treat for fans of the BDB because it also adds yet another level to the relationship between V and Butch (as if it wasn't complicated already). 

'Vishous screamed around the ball gag...and kept at it. He screamed for all he had lost...screamed for the half male he was...screamed for Jane...screamed for who his parents were and what he wished for his sister...screamed for what he had forced his best friend to do.... He screamed and screamed until there was no breath, no consciousness, no nothing. No past or present. Not even himself anymore. And in the midst of chaos, in the strangest way, he became free.'

His path certainly isn't an easy one,  Vishous becomes increasingly self destructive throughout, and it takes an unbreakable friendship between him and Butch (which by God is put through the wringer) to bring stability back to Vishous' life. It's a heart-warming story of true love - not just the love between Vishous and his shellan, but the love between two best friends who would die for each other. In one word, beautiful.

For hardcore BDB fans (like myself) you will be pleased to know that there is some more Blay/ Qhuinn action, though their story still isn't progressing the way I want it to. Also there appears to be trouble heading the Brotherhoods way in the form of the Bloodletter's old crew. Xcor has his sights set on Wrath and the throne. The Blind King seems to have a war coming his way. Is it one he can win? I don't know...

Though I've picked at Payne and Manny a bit I still thoroughly enjoyed Lover Unleashed. I cannot get enough of J.R. Ward's writing. Her characters are full of vitality, they practically jump off the page and pull you into their world whether you like it or not. I cannot wait for Lover Reborn in March and anyone who has even a slightest interest in paranormal romance must checkout the Black Dagger Brotherhood - starting with book 1, Dark Lover!

My Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost

Hello everyone, I've finally finished Halfway to the Grave by Jeaniene Frost. It's book 1 in the Night Huntress series and defiantly for you if 240 year old British Vampires are your cup of tea....I know they're mine.

Title: Halfway to the Grave

Author: Jeaniene Frost

Publisher: Gollancz (UK) | Avon (US)

Release Date: 8th April 2010 (UK) | 30th October 2007 (US)

Series: Night Hutress, Book 1

Source: My own personal copy

From Jeaniene Frost's website:
Flirting With The Grave…
Half-vampire Catherine Crawfield is going after the undead with a vengeance, hoping that one of these deadbeats is her father – the one responsible for ruining her mother’s life. Then she’s captured by Bones, a vampire bounty hunter, and is forced into an unlikely partnership.

In exchange for help finding her father, Cat agrees to train with the sexy night stalker until her battle reflexes are as sharp as his fangs. She’s amazed she doesn’t end up as his dinner – are there actually good vampires? Pretty soon Bones will have her convinced that being half-dead doesn't have to be all bad. But before she can enjoy her status as kick-ass demon hunter, Cat and Bones are pursued by a group of killers. Now Cat will have to choose a side … and Bones is turning out to be as tempting as any man with a heartbeat.

Review

We are thrown into this series following Catherine 'Cat' who is half vampire, half human (though she's not known as a Dhampire...something I've not seen before). Cat is the product of rape...her newly turned vampire father brutally assaulted her mother and Cat is conceived. Unsurprisingly Cat's mother hates all vampires, and actively encourages her 22 year old daughter to hunt these 'dangerous monsters'. We follow Cat as she evolves from an amateur vampire hunter, to one of the best. Despite Cat's utter hatred of all things vampire she teams up with 240 year old master vampire Bones. It's his training, which is certainly a new style since most training doesn't include how not to blush at 'nasty talk', that takes the skills she was born with and brings them to the front. The exchanges between Bones and Cat are hilarious, Bones and Cat could not be more opposite. Cat is really quite prudish and Bones is extremely ...erm...open to say the least. But it is brilliantly written and totally believable. Anyway, as the training progresses and this unlikely couple start to notice the spark between them...but Cat's prejudice is still strong, will she ever be able to see past it and see Bones for who he is inside, not just his vampiric exterior?

'My body was still curled around his, taunting him. This was so unlike me, but something felt as though it had taken over. My earlier concerns were a faint memory not even worth dwelling on. The lights caused deep hollows to form  under his cheekbones, making them look even more pronounced. The heat in his eyes should have made me break free and run, but all it did was entice me.'

I will admit that at first I was a little unsure whether this could actually work, a vampire hating woman partnering with a 240 year old master vampire, and to be honest I don't think I could have handled the relationship when it blossoms if it had happened out of the blue. However, the way Jeaniene Frost has written it means you can see Cat slowly begin to fall for the enigmatic Bones. Though how could you not. I love him! He's British and handsome and extremely loyal...sigh...but Cat would kick my ass so I can't have him unfortunately.

Cat and Bones make quite a impression on the vampires they meet. Cat's unusual genetics mean that she has some of the characteristics of a vampire but she also has a heartbeat. Funnily enough, this shocks most people. And Bones...well Bones just threatens people really well, and has the reputation to back him up. Together they investigate a vampire gang running what is basically a take out service i.e. capturing young women and brining them for others to feed on...as well as other things. They question parts of the gang but Cat has a nasty habit of killing them before they get enough information from the vampire...a constant frustration to Bones.

"Lucifers bouncing balls, Kitten, not again!" Uh-oh. I squirmed, instinctively also trying to block Tony's body from view. As if that made him any less dead. "She was going to stab you," I said in my defence. "Look in her hand!" He was looking at the ground near my feet instead. "Him too?" I nodded, sheepish. "He jumped me." Bones just stared. "You're not a woman," he said finally. "You're the Grim Reaper with red hair!"

I love the dynamic between Bones and Cat. They both have the same 'job' but do it for different reasons, and both have their own scarred pasts. The relationship between Cat and Bones is rocky and has all the pitfalls of a normal relationship. Heck, Cat won't even introduce Bones to her mother...can't imagine why. Cat has a habit of running away when things get too complicated between them and often can't handle the honesty and the truths Bones tells. I think their relationship is extremely well written and kept me guessing the entire time. And the end!! Oh Lord my heart broke...though since there are other books, I'm assuming this will be resolved...please God let it be resolved! I love Bones and Cat too much for it not to have a happy ending. 

The humour in this definitely appeals to me because it is subtle and more in the way that Cat and Bones play off each other. The romance is also well worked in and does not detract from the stroyline at all. 

I will definitely be putting this in my Favourites pile, I know I will be re-reading this many times! I cannot wait to get my hands on book 2.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Archangel's Blade by Nalini Singh

It's sexy vampire Dmitri's turn today. This is the 4th instalment from Nalini Singh's epic Guild Hunter Series!


Title: Archangel's Blade
Author: Nalini Singh
Publisher: Gollancz (UK) | Berkley (US)
Release Date: 8th September 2011 (UK) | 6th September 2011 (US)
Series: Guild Hunter, Book 4
Source: My personal copy


Synopsis from the back of the book:
The severed head marked by a distinctive tattoo on its cheek should have been a Guild case, but dark instincts honed over hundreds of years of life compel the vampire Dmitri to take control. There is something twisted about this death, something that whispers of centuries long past…but Dmitri’s need to discover the truth is nothing to the vicious strength of his response to the hunter assigned to decipher the tattoo.
Savaged in a brutal attack that almost killed her, Honor is nowhere near ready to come face to face with the seductive vampire who is an archangel’s right hand, and who wears his cruelty as boldly as his lethal sensuality…the same vampire who has been her secret obsession since the day she was old enough to understand the inexplicable, violent emotions he aroused in her.
As desire turns into a dangerous compulsion that might destroy them both, it becomes clear the past will not stay buried. Something is hunting…and it will not stop until it brings a blood-soaked nightmare to life once more…

Review:

I'm a big fan of Nalini Singh, both her Guild Hunter and Psy/Changeling series' are amazing. Though at the moment I can't get enough of the Guild Hunter books. I was blown away buy Angels' blood and the world she has created, filled with Angels, Vampires and the Guild. The previous 3 books have been centred around the Archangel of New York Raphael and his consort, the Guild Hunter and newly made Angel, Elena. Archangel's Blade, however, is focused on one of my favourite characters of the series, the immortal Dmitri, as well as the haunted and scarred Guild Hunter Honor.

Dmitri is a 1000 year old vampire and Raphael's second.  The vampire that everyone fears and whose past is surrounded by shadows. The previous books portray Dmitri as a cold, callous vampire with very little humanity left. Someone who enjoys his job as executioner and wields his sensuality like a weapon, luring his prey. Dmitri is only loyal to Raphael, a loyalty we discover, extends back to a trauma in the young Dmitri's life. From there he became Raphael's Blade. A deadly weapon loyal only to Raphael and he will be wielded by no other.

Our heroine in Archangel's Blade is the Guild Hunter Honor. We find Honor struggling to come to terms with her abduction and rape at the hands of a group of vampires 10 months earlier. So naturally she's terrified when Guild director Sara says she'll be meeting with Dmitri to help solve the riddle of the tattoo on a severed head...interesting job these Guild Hunters have. Unbeknownst to Sara and Dmitri is that before her abduction, Honor had been strangely drawn to sexy Dmitri. However this is not enough to prevent Dmitri from terrifying her when they meet. Dmitri's callous behaviour does bring Honor out or her shell, even if it is only to throw knives and insults at him. Dmitri pushes her boundaries, making the timid Honor stronger, and helping her to heal. Something she would have never done on her own hidden in the Guild's library.

Archangel's Blade has a few story-lines that interlink. Dmitri and Honor hunt down the vampires responsible for Honor's abduction and, using threats and torture in equal amounts, the pair attempt to uncover the mastermind behind the abduction...before they strike again. Alongside this the pair solve the riddle of the tattoo, and find a link back to Dmitri's well hidden past. It is there we find the key to Dmitri's heart, a heart that last beat for only one woman, nearly 1000 years ago. Can Dmitri face his haunted past in order to save his future? 

We also find out more about Holly (from Angel's Blood) and how she's coping with her ordeal at the hands of bloodborn Archangel Uram. Needless to say she's not coping too well. When Dmitri introduces Holly (now called Sorrow) to Honor the two become friends and start sharing stories about their traumatic pasts, another step in the right direction for them both. The fact that Dmitri can see that these two can help each other proves that he has not lost all his humanity like he believes. Honor sees the man behind the armour and is determined to pull him to the surface. But Dmitri is more scarred than she realised, can this unlikely couple overcome their pasts and allow themselves to embrace the love they share? Or will the past swallow them whole?

I must say that this possibly the best in the series so far. Dmitri is such a complex character and his past...oh my heart broke for this strong warrior who has lost so much, I can't think about it for too long otherwise I'll cry. It's a testament to the calibre of writing that Nalini Singh produces that you can get so absorbed in the characters that you hurt when they hurt. I think the flashbacks to Dmitri's past were cleverly done, slowly revealing layer after layer of the man inside. I'm glad we got to see where Raphael and Dmitri forged their bond of loyalty. I had wondered what it had taken for Raphael to earn the unwavering loyalty of this independent and strong warrior, I won't spoil it...but I cried. I also thought she handled the delicate subject of Honor's recovery from her rape well. Honor stumbles through the relationship with Dmitri often taking a step back in her recovery if she is pushed too far. But Dmitri is always there for her to fall back on. The way Dmitri is written allows him to push her to her limits to make her stronger without seeming cruel, which only a few people could have done. I just love both these characters.

I love that we still see some familiar faces... Illium *sigh*... and of course Raphael and Elena. I can't wait to see what comes next! It is all in all an amazing read and a fabulous addition to the Guild Hunter series.

My Rating: 4.5/5

Review: Deeper than Midnight by Lara Adrian

Time for the turn of one of my newest interests in the Paranormal Romance world. This is Deeper than Midnight from Lara Adrian's Midnight Breed Series. Enjoy.


Title: Deeper than Midnight
Author: Lara Adrian
Publisher: Robinson (UK Edition)
Release Date: August 2011
Series: Midnight Breed Series, Book 9
Source: My own personal copy


From Lara Adrian's website:

Delivered from the darkness, a woman finds herself plunged into a passion that is DEEPER THAN MIDNIGHT . . .

At eighteen, Corinne Bishop was a beautiful, spirited young woman living a life of privilege as the adopted daughter of a wealthy family. Her world was changed in an instant when she was stolen away and held prisoner by the malevolent vampire Dragos. After many years of captivity and torment, Corinne is rescued by the Order, a cadre of vampire warriors embroiled in a war against Dragos and his followers. Her innocence taken, Corinne has lost a piece of her heart as well--the one thing that gave her hope during her imprisonment, and the only thing that matters to her now that she is free.

Assigned to safeguard Corinne on her trip home is a formidable golden-eyed Breed male called Hunter. Once Dragos's most deadly assassin, Hunter now works for the Order, and he's hell-bent on making Dragos pay for his manifold sins. Bonded to Corinne by their mutual desire, Hunter will have to decide how far he'll go to end Dragos's reign of evil--even if carrying out his mission means shattering Corinne's tender heart.

Review:

Ok, well first off, you could try to read this as a stand alone story, however I wouldn't recommend it. I've read a couple of the previous Midnight Breed books but was still a little confused to start with as I had not read the one before this..or the one before that for that matter. But I did manage to get my bearings about a quarter of the way through. Lara Adrian does, in a round about way, do a bit of a recap for those of us who haven't read the previous books...which I think is great. The series contains great things - Vampire Warriors (the Order), who have an inasne arch-enemy vampire who is tampering with genetics and killing off people in his own race (aka. Dragos), as well as a healthy dose of romance.

Anyway from what I gathered, Corinne (female lead) had been rescued by the Order in a raid on one of Dragos' lairs. She'd been held captive along with many other women for 75 years for being what the vampire society (Breed) value most. A Breedmate - a human born woman who can become the blood-bound mate of one of the Breed. Each Breedmate possesses a unique ability which is passed down to her children. Corinne's skill is sonokinesis- basically the ability to blast people with sound waves, a sonic boom type thing..which I must say is pretty cool. Anyway, getting sidetracked, she's placed under Hunter's protection (people who've read from book 3 onwards will have heard of Hunter) as he escorts her back home. And lets just say Corinne's welcome home wasn't what she expected and included nearly getting shot, discovering her beloved brother's death and finding out that someone close betrayed her to the man who had held her captive for 75 years.

When Corinne decides to leave her home she accompanies Hunter on his mission for the order - only she has a secret and ulterior motive to following him...one that she can't trust the stone cold assassin with.

Hunter is the stone-cold assassin who was born in one of Dragos' labs and raised to kill without empathy. The assassin now works for the order through a stroke of fate and is one of their most level-headed warriors.However when he meets damaged Corinne and recognises her from a vision he saw in a child seers eyes, he finds himself intrigued. And for a man who has never known affection, let alone love, Hunter finds himself compromising the principles he has always lived his life by and following his heart instead of his head. This leads to an intense but complicated relationship with Corinne and like her he carries a secret. But will the couple ever trust enough to share their burdens and will their relationship survive what they reveal?

I enjoyed the story, however I did feel the relationship between Corinne and Hunter progressed quickly considering their pasts. I mean Corinne was raped and tortured by madmen for 75 years, and Hunter doesn't even understand the concept of intimacy, let alone love. And yet, their relationship very quickly moves through all the stages and suddenly they're declaring their love for each other. I understand that being mates probably quickens the pace but still I just found it unbelievably quick and that they didn't really have to come up against any barrier more than once. Don't get me wrong I still enjoyed their story but it was a tad unbelievable.

However I was fascinated by the other warriors continuances slotted in between the main plot-line. Tess had her baby :) and Lucan has several decisions to make as leader concerning the future of the order and Chase's involvement in it in particular since he seems to be going off the deep end (Chase that is.. not Lucan). Also the glimpses into Dragos' mind always had me holding my breath because I knew something bad was just around the corner for the Order. 

All in all an enjoyable book, and a pretty good addition to the Midnight Breed series.

My Rating 3.5/5

Review: A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

Hello again. This time it's the turn of Kresley Cole's fantastic Immortals After Dark Series. Technically A Hunger Like No Other is book 2 of this series, however since I haven't read the anthology that contains book 1 I'll have to start with book 2.

Title: A Hunger Like No Other
Author: Kresley Cole
Publisher: Pocket Star Books
Release Date: September 2007
Series: Immortals After Dark Series, Book #2
Source: My personal copy

From Kresley Cole's website:
After enduring years of torture from the vampire Horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.
Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents--until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae--and their notorious dark desire--ebb as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.
Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be...?

Review:
Ok, first off despite this technically being book 2 in the series you really can't tell. It can be read as a stand alone book like I did and it won't make any difference. In fact I had no idea there even was a book before this one until I looked it up. This is something I quite liked about this, and it seems that the entire series is a bit like that, subtle interlinking of characters and plots in the different books but not enough to effect the story as a whole if you don't know the previous books.

The storyline for A Hunger Like No Other in short is that Lachlain (aka leader of the lykae/werewolves) has been captured by the Horde (Vampire clan) and chained beneath the streets of Paris, doomed to be burnt alive every minute of every day. His immortality makes this an eternal torment as despite his massive strength, the pain of the fire weakens him to the point he cannot escape but not so much that it kills him. Lachlain's torment seems ensured to last forever....that is until he catches the scent of his one true mate on the surface. The woman meant for him and him alone. Having waited over 1000 years for his mate Lachlain is not going to let her escape now. As her scent fades Lachlain, in desperation, pulls himself free of his chains, but before he gets his strength back to follow her, she's vanished. But Lachlain will not rest until he finds his woman...

Emmaline Troy is a half Vampire half Valkyrie searching Paris for information about the lives of her parents when she's confronted by a man who claims that she's his mate. The tall, muscular and ridiculously gorgeous stranger then insists she come with him to Scotland where they will live with his clan. The stranger introduces himself as Lachlain, king of the Lykae. However when Lachlain learns of Emma's vampire heritage he goes mad and attacks her, blaming her and her kind for the century and a half of torture he'd just escaped from. Dismissing her as not his real mate Lachlain is determined to drag her to Scotland and sort this all out. Timid little Emma is terrified of this man who attacks and brutally handles her. But despite all this Emma can't help but be attracted to him, nor him to her. Lachlain refuses to believe a Vampire is his mate and does not treat Emma gently, denying that she is the one for him, yet he is still drawn to her, all the time questioning whether fate could really have given him Emma as a mate....

The first part of the book is basically the journey to Scotland, where Lachlain is still denying Emma, and he attacks her several times, something I did not like about this book. Although the journey to Scotland is important to the development and the readers understanding of both Lachlain and Emma, I personally feel it dragged a bit. However after Emma is attacked by Vampires and the couple reach Scotland, the book vastly improved. Emma gets to prove she's not some meek woman when she's challenged by another lykae and Lachlain works on his temper and relationship with Emma and as a relationship blossoms I started to love the couple for all their faults. And the interaction between Lachlain and Emma's Valkyrie aunt's is just hilarious, especially Nix who is just awesome.

By the end of the book I was completely sold on the series, and went and bought the next one. So despite the problems I had with the beginning of the book I would still recommend it to anyone. Overall it's a pretty good read, you just have to persevere through the beginning, but the end is definitely worth it.

Rating: 4/5

Review: Full Moon Rising by Keri Arthur

Alrighty, time for another review. Here is the first book in the Riley Jenson Guardian Series by Keri Arthur. Here's Full Moon Rising...


Title: Full Moon Rising
Author: Keri Arthur
Publisher: Penguin Group
Released: December 26th 2006
Series: Riley Jenson Guardian Series, Book #1
Source: My personal copy

From Keri Arthur's website:

A rare hybrid of vampire and werewolf, Riley Jenson and her twin brother, Rhoan, work for Melbourne’s Directorate of Other Races, an organization created to police the supernatural races–and protect humans from their depredations. While Rhoan is an exalted guardian, a.k.a. assassin, Riley is merely an office worker–until her brother goes missing on one of his missions. The timing couldn’t be worse. More werewolf than vampire, Riley is vulnerable to the moon heat, the weeklong period before the full moon, when her need to mate becomes all-consuming.

Luckily Riley has two willing partners to satisfy her every need. But she will have to control her urges if she’s going to find her brother….Easier said than done as the city pulses with frenzied desire, and Riley is confronted with a very powerful–and delectably naked–vamp who raises her temperature like never before...


Review:
Well Full Moon Rising certainly gets off to an interesting start. Riley Jenson is heading home when she notices that the night is quiet...too quiet. Then she scents blood on the wind. Though not a Guardian (an enforcer of sorts) for the Directorate but an office worker, she decides to check it out. She finds a massacre and two vampires lying in wait, a messy fight ensues where Riley (not being a trained fighter) uses the only weapon made of wood she has to hand to stake the attackers....her high heels. Luckily she comes out on top, not too surprising when we learn she is a rare mix of vampire and werewolf aka. a dhampire, one who has the extraordinary strength of the two races behind her. 
When Riley thinks her night can't get any stranger she arrives back at her apartment to find an ancient, powerful and deliciously naked vampire on her doorstep. Having no idea who he is, and finding the vampire to be little help in that department, Riley assumes that the vampire (later discovered to be called Quinn) is trying to find her flatmate and twin brother Rhoan. Unfortunately Rhoan is missing having not reported back from one of his missions as a Guardian for the Directorate of Other Races. Riley's investigation leads her to be drawn deeper in to the heart of the Directorate as well as causing her to spend an awful lot of time with hansom Quinn. The investigation leads to a cloning laboratory and risks Riley's life multiple times as she battles to rescue her brother, and it starts to look like the perpetrator might be someone Riley knows. And before the investigation closes she is betrayed by one she holds close....


Well, this is certainly a new take on werewolves for me. Riley and other werewolves are driven by what's known as the moon-heat (the week before the full moon) to mate. Basically in that week she has lots and lots of sex, fortunately for Riley she has two partners, Talon and Misha, who are always around to help her through the heat. Vulnerable because without sex Riley will go mad with blood lust she takes 'relief' where she can, and this time Quinn (the naked vampire) is more than willing help her out as well. Naturally there are a few steamy scenes in this book but nothing too graphic. There is detailed exploration of the wolf clubs where werewolves go to 'dance' and humans are not allowed in case one of the wolves injures them in the process of 'dancing' due to the superior strength of the werewolf population.
The book is set in Melbourne, Australia where supernatural creatures live in the open and are policed by the Directorate of other races. It's well written and the characters are well defined, even Riley and Rhoan's lovers (of which there are many). I'm glad that Rhoan was written as a gay character and throughout the series you get to see how his relationships with both Davern and Liander change. Honestly I think Rhoan's love life and personal relationships are more interesting than Riley's, though Riley does have a strange and sometimes volatile relationship with Quinn as he does not like to share, where as it is Riley's nature to 'dance' with many wolves during the moon heat....something Quinn does not understand. By the end of the book you realise just how strong a woman Riley really is, she is tried and tested in every way and still comes out sane at the other side....just.


I do really enjoy this book, and have found it to be one of the best of the series, but if you enjoy paranormal romances where by the end the two main characters can't live without each other then this probably isn't for you. Having said that it is still a good read and I would recommend it to fans of the genre.


My Rating: 4/5

Review: Dark Lover by J.R. Ward

Hey all, time for another review and today's pick is Dark Lover by #1 New York Times best selling author... J.R. Ward! This is the first book in her phenomenal Black Dagger Brotherhood series. 


Title: Dark Lover
Author: J.R. Ward
Publisher: Signet Eclipse
Released: September 2005
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood, Book #1
Source: My personal copy


From J.R. Ward's website:
In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly turf war going on between vampires and their slayers. There also exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Among them, none relishes killing their enemies more than Wrath, the leader of the Black Dagger Brotherhood...

The only purebred vampire left on the planet, Wrath has a score to settle with the slayers who murdered his parents centuries ago. But when one of his most trusted fighters is killed- orphaning a half-breed daughter unaware of her heritage or her fate - Wrath must usher the beautiful female into the world of the undead…


Review:
Wrath is the last purebred left in the vampire race, but due to a birth defect he has extremely poor sight. Wrath is also their King if he chooses to be. Too bad he really doesn't want to be King and that if you call him 'my Lord' he's likely to snarl at you or put you into a coma. Be careful not to become his enemy because if you are....he will hunt you down and tear you apart with help from the Black Dagger Brotherhood he leads. There maybe only be 6 of the Brothers left but that's more than enough to put a world of hurt on the Lessening Society (enemies of the vampire race). The Black Dagger Brotherhood is the elite group of warriors whose calling it is to exterminate the those humans who have sold their souls to the Omega (aka Lessers), who are killing off civilian vampires one by one. Lessers have the distict smell of baby powder surrounding them as well as hair and skin that turns white the older they get. All 6 brothers love what they do and are the ultimate alpha males of their world. The BDB is made up of; their leader Wrath, second in command Tohrment (Tohr), model gorgeous Rhage (aka Hollywood), tech-savvy, precognitive Vishous, and finally twins Phury and Zsadist. 

At the beginning of Dark Lover the brotherhood has 7 members but Darius is killed in an explosion, leaving his half human, half vampire daughter, Beth, unaware of her heritage or her fate. As a last favour to his fallen brother, Wrath decides he will help Beth through the transition from her half human state to becoming a full blooded vampire (something that occurs around age 25). Wrath becomes unexpectedly attracted to stunning Beth and his world is shaken up by her... he rejects his lust and attraction, fighting his feelings believing he is the last thing she needs...Beth, in turn, is frightened by this leather clad, muscled warrior who appears in her life telling her wild stories of vampires and her fathers involvement with them. However her attraction to Wrath is strong and soon they find themselves unable to live without each other...but the Blind King has enemies. Soon the Lessening Society is hunting them down, and the question becomes can they keep each other safe or will the Lessening society claim the lives of the Royal couple?

Wow, Wow, Wow.....Seriously..just Wow. I mean I'd read other people's reviews and knew it was going to be good, but I was still amazed at just how good Dark Lover was. This book has everything I could have ever asked for. Amazing characters, good plot and a genius author who pulls it all together with such brilliant writing that you can see what Wrath and Beth see, feel what they feel. I know I became so connected to these characters that I found myself willing them on.. hoping they'd see what's right in front of them, how good and perfect they are for each other . I must admit, I often found myself yelling at Wrath that he's an idiot for whatever he did to Beth this time to screw up their relationship! I could quite happily stay in the world J.R Ward has created for hours on end...in fact I did...I read Dark Lover all in one sitting, completely forgot all about work and anything else I'd meant to do that day. It all became unimportant compared to my longing to know how Dark Lover turned out for Beth and Wrath. It was a decision I never regretted. Even the other characters who weren't the focus were complexly described so we could have an insight into them as well. Got to say I love Zsadist, can imagine his story's going to be brilliant. I've always had a bit of a soft spot for those strong characters with tortured pasts. The scar on his face, soulless black eyes plus the warnings the other BDB members give about him really intrigue me...there's going to be a deep story behind it all, something that will be equally as amazing, if not better, if J.R. Ward keeps this calibre of writing throughout the series.

The two things I've heard people don't like about Dark Lover are the language and the sex scenes. Ok well, the 'bad' language comes with the territory of these Brothers being the type of 'look at me the wrong way and I'll break you in two' men that they are so I have no problem with it. And the sex scenes were not so often as they detract from the book, just enough so that they add another dimension to Wrath and Beth's relationship, they're not too long and drawn out either, so again, this is not something I had a problem with.

LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT! Definitely one of the best books I own. If you love paranormal romance you have to read this!


My Rating: 5/5  

Review: Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris

For my 3rd review I've selected the 1st book in the Southern Vampires series by Charlaine Harris (aka The the series of books True Blood is based on).

Title: Dead Until Dark
Author: Charlaine Harris
Publisher: Ace Books
Release Date: May 2001
Series: Southern Vampires Series, Book #1
Source: My personal copy

This book was bought for me by a good friend, Thank you!

Synopsis from the back of the book:
Sookie Stackhouse is a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. She's quiet, keeps to herself, and doesn't get out much. Not because she's not pretty. She is. It's just that, well, Sookie has this sort of 'disability'. She can read minds. And that doesn't make her too dateable. And then along comes Bill: he's tall, dark and handsome - and Sookie can't 'hear' a word he's thinking. He's exactly the type of guy she's been waiting for all her life.
But Bill has a disability of his own: he's a vampire. Worse than that, he hangs with a seriously creepy crowd, with a reputation for trouble - the murderous kind.
And when one of Sookie's colleagues is killed, she begins to fear she'll be next...

Review:
Dead Until Dark is the first book in the Southern Vampire series and what a start it is as well. Since the vampires came out of the coffin 4 years before, Sookie Stackhouse, a waitress at Merlotte's Bar and Grill, has been anxiously waiting for her first vampire customer. So when one walks into the bar and sits in her section she couldn't be happier. The only problem is that he seems to have no interest in Sookie, that is, until she saves his life. The vampire introduces himself as Bill Compton (I had to laugh with Sookie because Bill is just not a name I would associate with dark and handsome vampires). Sookie finds Bill fascinating, not because he's a vampire but because she can't 'hear' him. You see, Sookie is telepathic (although most of the locals just think she's crazy). And she can 'hear' peoples thoughts, or at the very least get images or feelings from the person. But not Bill. Bill in turn is fascinated by Sookie as she isn't susceptible to Glamour (something vampires use to wipe the memories or control the actions of humans).

The storyline involves the murders of 2 girls Sookie knows (an old classmate and a fellow waitress at Merlotte's). The police believe Sookie's brother Jason could be the killer. In an attempt to prove Jason's innocence Sookie begins to look into the murders herself using her ability. With Bill's help she gains entrance to a vampire club both women had visited, catching the eye of Eric Northman (a 1000 year old Viking who is the most powerful vampire in the area) in the process. Something that she will come to regret later on.
The killer is targeting women who associate with vampires and because of Sookie's association with Vampire Bill she becomes the next target. When someone dear to Sookie is the next victim her whole world falls apart.

Overall this is a pretty interesting read. It's a pretty light hearted take on the world of vampires rather than being the dark and sinister world you would usually expect of a vampire novel, though there are parts that stray into that area. Needless to say Sookie is not your average lead character either, despite being 'just a waitress' she manages to attract all sorts of trouble supernatural and human alike. She also hold the affections of Bill and Sam Merlotte (her boss) as well as the interest of Eric (though for him it seems to be purely business). Also the vampire politics involved were new to me and held my attention as it was different to anything else I'd ever come across, it'll be interesting to see how that works in more depth in books to come. Vampires are not the only supernatural creature involved.....someone is keeping secrets about who they truly are and looking at the rest of the books in this series..vampires were only the beginning.

The only problem I had with this is that the ending was a disappointing conclusion to the serial killer aspect, with Sookie more accidentally discovering the perpetrator rather that finding clues in order to figure it out. Plus whenever Sookie is injured it's just a case of 'here, have some vampire blood' and then everything's back to normal which seemed a bit pointless to me.
Despite this I would recommend this book to fans of the Vampire genre.

My Rating: 3.5/5

Review: Dark Prince by Christine Feehan

Ok guys this is my 1st ever review, so I picked the series that got me interested in the Paranormal Romance genre in the first place.

Title: Dark Prince
Author: Christine Feehan
Publisher: Dorchester Publishing/Love Spell
Released: July 1999
Series: Dark Series, Book #1

Source: My personal copy

From Christine Feehan's website:
A telepathic hunter of serial killers, Raven Whitney helps catch some of the most depraved criminals. But her work keeps her from getting close to others, and has drained her body and spirit. In need of rest and rejuvenation, she embarks on a vacation far from home.
Mikhail Dubrinksy is the Prince of the Carpathians, the powerful leader of a wise and secret ancient race that thrives in the night. Engulfed by despair, fearful of never finding the mate who can save him from the encroaching darkness, his soul cries out in loneliness. Until the day a beautiful voice full of light and love responds, softly soothing his pain and yearning.
From the moment they meet, Raven and Mikhail are helpless to resist the desire that sparks between them. But just as fate unexpectedly brings these life mates together, malevolent forces threaten to destroy them and their fragile love. Yet even if they survive, how can these two lovers – Carpathian and human – build a future together? And how can Mikhail bring Raven into his dark world without extinguishing her beautiful goodness and light?

Background:
First I'll give those of you who are not familiar with this series some background to the Carpathian people. Carpathians are a race of beings as old as time itself, their homeland is the area of the Carpathian mountains. They have an endless lifespan, but don't get me wrong they can be killed, it just takes an awful lot to do it. They do not take nourishment from food, rather they live on blood. THEY ARE NOT VAMPIRES, though male Carpathians can 'turn', basically they kill while feeding and become soulless, evil shadows of the proud warriors they once were. Carpathians also have immense power, control the elements, compulsion, memory wiping, shape-shifting the list goes on.
Their race is dying out, each Carpathian has a lifemate who completes the other half of their soul. Without a lifemate, male Carpathians are far more likely to turn the older they get. Lifemates are rare and especially in the last 1000 years or so the number of lifemates being found has dropped dramatically, and only a handful of infants make it past their first year, all of them male. Not good.

Review:
Ok background over, hopefully that was helpful. I absolutely love this series and who better to start it off with than the leader of the Carpathian people aka. Mikhail Dubrinsky. Mikhail is 1000 years old (give or take a couple of decades) he has gorgeous long black hair and his body is in fine form for someone his age. But the pressures of being leader of a dying race are starting to overcome him and he doubts his his people will survive much longer. He has given up all hope of finding the other half of his soul when he stumbles across Raven (or rather she stumbles across him). Raven is an American human, who also happens to be telepathic. She's staying in the Carpathian region after using her power to hunt down some of the more depraved serial killers in America. One night Raven feels Mikhail's despair (even though he is miles away) and reaches out with her telepathy to comfort him. Her life will never be the same as Mikhail discovers she is his lifemate and intends to make her fall in love with him. He basically follows her trying to keep her safe, which, because of who Raven is, is not the simplest of tasks and she is not the kind of woman who lets someone walk all over her, even if he is a handsome Prince.

This is a very good start to the series and you learn all you need to about the Carpathian lifestyle within the first few chapters so it's easy to follow. We also get introduced to some interesting characters including Mikhails fearsome bodyguard and best friend Gregori Daratrazanoff, he basically is so powerful that other Carpathians avoid him and Vampires do not want him hunting them, it's not a fight they will win. Anyway back to Mikhail, he's quite dominating at first, wanting to control Raven's actions and change her nature in a misguided attempt to keep her safe. Raven is not someone who does something just because Mikhail tells her to though and she ends up in trouble a few times, attacks from both vampire and humans alike does not a calm Mikhail make. Despite these troubles love blossoms between these two and there are several beautiful scenes between them (though some become quite erm... descriptive shall we say).

Overall a pretty good book, one I re-read often because it's a story of the kind of love every girl dreams of, and in the end, Mikhail is the perfect match for Raven. If you love paranormal romance, this is one to look out for.

My rating: 4/5