JulieYMandKAC

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Primal Temptation is the fourth book in Sydney Somers Pendragon Gargoyles series. This is a solid series with good story telling mixed in with very interesting twists on mythology. It also has a very interesting mix of paranormal creatures – some you don’t tend to see in paranormal romance books.

This installment focuses on Briana and Lucan (Luke). Briana is a cat/gargoyle shifter and Luke is a wraith. Both have been cursed by Rhiannon after Arthur died. Yes, Arthur and the Knights of the round table…that Arthur. Like I said, the twist on mythology in this series is incredible. All the Knights have been cursed because they failed to protect Arthur. Others were also cursed pretty much for the same reason. And some characters who were cursed led some pretty interesting lives ‘before’…such as Merlin and Lancelot! But you don’t know who they were before until all is revealed! So cool! Sydney does a fantastic job with the world in these books.

To break the curse that has been set upon them, Pendragon’s must find their mate. Briana actually found her mate ages ago but didn’t want to share that information with her overly protective brothers (the heroes from the previous books) because of who her mate is. He is not well liked by pretty much everyone in this paranormal community and not because he isn’t a decent guy but because he can’t help the hunter he is cursed to be and he pretty much scared the bejeebus out of everyone. Except for Briana. Even Luke does not know he is her mate, and let me tell you, that scene is good. :)

Briana and Luke have a more complex history than I imagined and the way Sydney wrote their time together and blended it with flashback was great. It really shows you just how long Briana’s journey to ‘happiness’ has been and how right these two are for each other. Of course, Luke has been fighting his attraction to Briana for centuries and sometimes watching him struggle with his feelings was a bit frustrating (meaning you may find yourself yelling : “just take her already!”) but seeing what he is, it is all mostly understandable.

Briana has spunk and I like that and Luke is quite yummy and I like that too. *grin*

There is much more to the story than just Briana and Luke. War is coming and a tradition of sorts before war begins is that there is some version of immortal Games. These are called the Gauntlet. Well, Briana and Luke have been chosen to compete. The Games themselves were very interesting and I enjoyed reading the different tasks the players had to overcome. Sydney’s imagination really works here. The Games were fast paced and really fun to read. You will definitely sit a little bit on the edge of your seat while reading the Game scenes.

There are some side characters that were interesting and who have chemistry that rivaled Briana’s and Lucan’s. Nessa, Mac, Vaughn and Elena are all characters to watch in this book.

Overall, I was very happy with Primal Temptation. It was nice to finally get Briana and Luke’s story as well as catch up with heroes and heroines from the past installments. Sydney had created such an interesting world, it’s difficult not to be in awe as you read these books. I know that the ‘original’ siblings have all found their HEA but I’m hoping that the new and interesting characters will provide enough inspiration for Sydney to continue the series.

Loved loved loved. Review closer to release date. 5plus stars :)

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Dirty Magic is the first book in a shiny new series by Jaye Wells. Prospero’s War follows Kate Prospero, a cop who is also an Adept, a wizard capable of cooking potions. Think of potions as the drugs of the world Jaye created for this series. Kate’s beat at the moment is the area of town known as the Cauldron and this area of town is known for having issues with dirty potions, which are bad.

I enjoyed Kate as a character. She was getting addicted to the power she got from cooking potions so she quit ten years ago and hasn’t touched one since. She won’t even use potions, no matter how ‘good’ some are supposed to be. She is also raising her teenaged brother Danny since her mother died and, as most cops, is trying to make a difference in the city. She is loyal with a strong sense of right.

Volos was a very intriguing character. He plays a pretty significant role in this book and I’m not too sure what to make of him. I’m thinking we will be seeing quite a bit of him in future books and that he will always be a voice from Kate’s past and a thought of her future and a bit of a jerk and a bit of a good guy. See? Intriguing.

Other characters that stood out to me were Danny (I think Jaye did a good job writing this teenager), Mez and Morales (members of Kate’s team) and Pen (Kate’s best friend). I find all of these characters helped build Kate’s character and also helped the story.

As for the story, a new dirty potion has been introduced into the Cauldron. It’s bad. Very bad. It makes people go hairy, howl and eat people. Yeah…bad. Kate joins a team of detectives who are charged with finding out who is cooking it. There are many high octane types of scenes and the mystery of who is responsible for the new potion is told very well. Once you thought you knew who was responsible, Jaye planted doubts in your mind. I find this is a talent authors of good mystery possess and was pleased Jaye was able to pull it off. And once we did find out who was responsible, it didn’t quite click. That’s when the twist came out and that twist is what I am sure will help make the next book, Cursed Moon (out August 12th 2014) even more interesting.

I mentioned Morales. He is one of those characters that is a bit of an arse in the beginning but then you soon see a softer side emerge throughout the story. He is also a bit of a mystery and quite sexy. There is a hint at a ‘perhaps down the road’ romance between him and Kate and I think that would be a good thing. I feel they would suit each other quite well. But there was a little ‘er…what?’ moment for me that I felt was not necessary between the two of them. Up to that moment, there was acknowledgment of mutual attraction and the adoption of a little pet name but that is pretty much it. Then, all of a sudden, Morales offers to “go inside” and Kate contemplates having sex with him to make herself feel better…then nothing. To me, that scene just felt forced. If we just had the light chemistry and interest and that was it in this book, it would have been perfect.

The world Jaye created was really detailed. The first half or so of the book was a little stuffed with world building but then the book really picks up and the pace becomes crazy, in the very best of ways. My brain had a road block though when it came to the world. We are talking potions, made up of good and bad, legal and illegal ingredients and cooked together to make something people drank or injected. You read this and you think ‘drugs’. And that is where my mind went often in this book. Yes, I am aware that that is sort of the point – that this world is a new twist on drugs – but my brain had trouble seeing the ‘new’. When Kate is dealing with the bad dirty potion and talking ingredients and how it is to be mixed, when she is looking at ingredients trying to decipher this from that, I found that all fascinating. Really, the detail in the writing is incredible. But the reason for the new potion is real estate and the dirty potion is a horrible and gruesome drug. So even though it was all written remarkably, in the end my brain saw this as yet another spin on bad drugs in a bad part of town and turf wars causing pointless deaths and people to go insane. A unique twist to this but still a familiar plotline.

As I said though, it was well thought out and well written. The characters were strong and well developed. This was a solid book and a good start to a new series. It has definitely made me curious about book two.

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After the Storm is the eighth book in Maya Banks’ KGI series. This is a series that follows a group of brothers and their teammates as they go about saving the world one mission at a time. Okay, they may not save the world every time but they do take on some pretty dangerous and impressive missions. They are all have military or police backgrounds and take on the jobs that other agencies may not be able to take care of.

This is a romantic suspense series which means that every book focuses on the happily ever after of one specific couple. This time around it’s Donovan’s turn to find his lucky lady.

Donovan is one of the Kelly brothers and someone we meet in the very first book. He is also one of my favorite characters. He is sort of a geek and has a big heart yet he is still total kick ass and super sexy. I love that combo. He is also not afraid to tell people what is in his heart which is a good thing…but this time around??? I’ll touch on that a bit more a little later. I will call that paragraph “So let’s talk about the schmaltz”.

Eve is a brave and strong woman…at first. She is running from her step-father with her two younger siblings. Dad is a creep and the reason they run away is completely valid. I admire her intentions and she seemed quite strong when we first meet her but suddenly, after meeting Donovan, she changes to someone who almost needs carrying. I really felt for her and her siblings; my heart going out to them on many occasions as I was reading. But even though I felt for them and liked Eve, there was something keeping me from completely clicking with her. Maybe I need to see her in a later book, more comfortable and at ease with everything.

Just a quick note about Rusty and Sean. Rusty and Sean are two other characters we meet in the first book. Sean is the town Sherriff and Rusty is a runaway teenager the Kelly parents take under their wing. I always found it odd that Rusty was coddled the way she was but I know it’s because it is meant to show us how big of a heart Mrs Kelly has making us all understand how her children are just the most amazing human beings ever. In this book, Rusty is a college student and Sean is still Sherriff. These two have sort of been groomed to become each other’s HEA but with Rusty being a teenager earlier on in the series, that was a bit too ew-worthy. But now that she’s an adult… There was a ‘moment’ between the two of them that really surprised me but it also made me hope that the hints are true and that, in fact, down the road, these two end up together. I think watching them come into full realization of their feelings for each other would be great to watch. But will I read it???

So let’s talk about the schmaltz. These books are full of it. There was quite a bit in the first few books and they are getting worst and worst. What I mean by ‘schmaltz’ is the ‘OMG I love you so much, I don’t know how I survived without you and I’m saying all this even though I’m a super strong man who has never been able to speak of his emotions before as I am a very very broken person…’ I love a tortured hero but there has to be more to him than his ‘torture’ and his words need to match this characters. Donovan is a naturally emotional person so I figured the schmaltz would not bother me too much in his book as it’s more character appropriate than it has been in the last few books but somehow it was almost worst this time around. *slight spoilers ahead* The moment Donovan meets Eve, he is hooked. She’s in trouble, that much is obvious, and he has a weakness for children and women in trouble (something that is mentioned WAY too many times in this book to be normal). So he wants to help and yet there is a part of him that already thinks of her and her siblings (15 years old and 4 years old) as his. HIS! After…minutes of meeting them! Then days later, yup, days and not weeks or months, he tells the kids that he loves them and wants them to stay with him forever. Um…the little girl is 4! Don’t you think this is something that should not be bomb-dropped to the girl in front of Eve but rather to Eve alone and in private somewhere. At this point, Donovan still has no clue how Eve feels! He’s talking about all of this like it’s a done deal! Soon enough, of course, Eve realizes she feels the same way but whoa… She is stressed and running for her life only to meet a man who claims to want her for ever NOW. I totally get love at first sight – that’s what happened to me and Jason, we met and married in less than a year – but c’mon! Donovan is a very smart man and he should not have handled things with the kids that way and he should have handled things with Eve differently too. A friend of mine who also read the book said it was almost creepy how it all went down and I tend to agree with her.

These books before were almost movie-like in their plots and their romance in the earlier installments which made them not realistic but very entertaining. And even though I found myself reading this book very quickly as to find out what was to happen by the end, it felt so far from real, it lost me. I am really wondering whether or not I will be continuing with this series after this installment.

These books and their missions usually take place in faraway places but this time around we stick to the US, close to the Kelly’s compound/home. It was actually a nice little break and we really had a good chance to catch up on everyone from the previous books. We also got to see a bit of the new characters that were introduced in the last book. This was good because if this series continues I’m sure that means that they will each have their own books someday too.

Overall, this book was entertaining but I rolled my eyes a whole lot, wanted to shake one of my favorite characters from the series more often than I should have wanted to and didn’t’ completely click with the heroine. Definitely not my favorite installment to date but I am happy Donovan found his HEA.

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The Grendel Affair is the first book in Lisa Shearin’s SPI Files series. Lisa is also the author of the Raine Benares series. I have had the first three books of that series sitting in my book closet for years! I just can’t seem to get around to reading them even though they look really interesting. So when I saw that Lisa was starting a new series, I read the blurb and added it to my list because it too looked good.

And good it was.

In The Grendel Affair, we follow Mac as she does her very best at her job as a SPI agent. She is a seer – a human with the ability to see paranormal creatures. She is relatively new to the SPI. Her original plan was to not do what all of the seers in her family have done and that is work in some way with organizations that handle big paranormal baddies. So she became a journalist. But apparently, you can’t outrun fate and here she is, with the SPI, helping humans battle supernatural bad guys that only she can truly see.

I know what you are thinking. You are thinking “but Julie, this does not sound like a completely new premise for a book series.” Well, you are right…and not. No, a police force that is only made to fight things that go bump in the night is not new. But the idea that they have a seer to help them along is and I liked that aspect. How Mac has to show them what they are dealing with is quite neat. The other thing that I really enjoyed in this book was Mac herself.

This story is told from her point of view. She has a quick wit and snarky humor but she is also a little lost and feeling a little overwhelmed by her new job and the direction her life has taken. I love how she is not afraid of admitting she is worried or nervous. I found that all made her very real even though she is surrounded by a bunch of the totally unreal. Like a dragon lady for a boss. Literally.

The supporting characters in The Grendel Affair were well done. I felt a bond to most of them. I especially liked her partner Ian. At first you feel as she does and that is that he is not her biggest fan. But then moments pass between them here and there and you start to wonder if you are seeing things that might prove that there is more than just dislike or even friendship there. He is your typical tough and gruff cop and he is really cool. Seeing his tender side here and there was a nice touch.

The story is suspenseful and full of action. There are people and creatures dying by losing an arm and their head, Mac seems to be in two places at once (or is she just going crazy???) and there is a threat to all of the supernatural population of being exposed to humanity on New Year’s Eve. Again, it does not sound all that new but it is. The creatures doing the killing are not like you see often and the story is told at such a great pace you can’t help but get sucked in. It is a ride from start to finish and one that will make you anxious for The Dragon Conspiracy, the next book in the series, expected out later in 2014.

I really was impressed with how Lisa told this story and how she wrote Mac. The Grendel Affair is a great read and one I would definitely recommend to fans of urban fantasy.

4.5 stars

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Julie: Once in a Lifetime is the ninth book in Jill Shalvis’ hugely popular Lucky Harbor contemporary romance series. The series is pretty much divided into three sets of three. This latest trio focuses on three “best” girlfriends and how they each fall in love with one of three guy best friends. I place the word best in ” ” for the girls because the gals in this trio didn’t really start being close until later in the seventh book, if that.

This latest book is about Aubrey and Ben. Ben is a mysterious character that comes back to town in the last book and Aubrey…well, she’s the bitch. When you meet her in It Had to be You, she is cranky and has an overall bad attitude but you could tell, there was something about her attitude that didn’t quite click. It’s almost like when someone’s smile doesn’t quite reach their eyes. Aubrey is being bitchy but is that really who she is or is it just a façade that she has built up over the years?…

I can’t say I was a fan of Aubrey after reading books seven and eight but I knew that if someone could make me like a rather unlikable character, it was Jill Shalvis. And I was right. Aubrey ended up being endearing and awkward and completely charming. And by the end of Once in a Lifetime, I actually considered her one of my favorite heroines in this series to date.

Anne: I always felt Aubrey was hiding. And with everything life threw at her, she just sucked it up and did the best she could. That’s why she’s my hero. She isn’t any better or worse than anyone else. She’s made mistakes like everyone does. Her mistakes have just been highlighted, all the time, in the worst possible ways. She doesn’t just curl up and die; she works to find ways to make things better. I can totally relate to her, especially on the holding in true feelings. She is also much harder on herself than she is on others.

Julie: She totally is. She has trouble understanding why people enjoy her company. She really is stronger than she gives herself credit for. And Ben was such a good match for Aubrey because he could see through her bullsh*t. He was also very good at helping her see she is not really the horrible person she thinks she is.

Ben has a sad story but not as much of a sob story as I was expecting – which was good. I find too many heroes now a days have a story that is almost over the top. Jill does a great job with her heroes. They have just enough baggage to give them room to grow or mature. Ben’s back in Lucky Harbor to face his past and to start a future. He is honestly curious about Aubrey and you can tell immediately that he cares for her even though she’s not the easiest person to like. And day-um is he sexy! He’s sexy in that understated strong and smouldery way.

Anne: I fell in love with Ben in the last book because he was so funny. I adore funny. Oddly, it took longer for me to warm up to him in this book. I mean, really, I don’t want a relationship. I don’t really want you unless someone else does or someone hurts you. *Eyeroll* I came around as he did. He got me with his interest and support for Aubrey, also his stepping up in the community plus his heart-melting way with Pink and Kendra. He went out of his way to help them. I enjoy the well rounded parts of the story, where there is more than just a romance here.

Julie: Ben’s scenes with Pink and Kendra were so sweet! I love how Jill writes. Like you say, it’s a whole story and not just a romance.

As for Ben, you make a good point. I guess I knew he’d come around so I was not as bothered by his reluctance. But his being more cautious did suit his character. It showed his loss affected him deeply and if it hadn’t, then he’d be an asshat in my book and I would not be drooling over him as I am now. *wipes drool* But if he’d been in denial longer than he was, I would have not enjoyed the book as much.

However you feel about Ben, you can’t deny he is sexy and that his chemistry with Aubrey is really well written. The two of them just being in the same room together, doing nothing but talking, smolders up the pages!

Anne: oh yes, Ben may not want a relationship but he certainly wants Aubrey. And more than that, he treats her better than many relationships would, spending his time with her, supporting and encouraging her, as well as making her feel beautiful. That’s sexy! His messy hair may be having an effect on me as well.

Julie: Oh that messy hair… Speaking of messy hair, let’s chat about the animals in this series. Jill often chooses to add dogs to her stories – I’m not even a dog person but I love how she writes them into her stories – but this time around, we have a cat. A cranky cat that has sort of adopted Aubrey and the bookstore she is fixing up as his home. This cat had such a personality! All of the animals have great personalities in this series. They manage to really add to the story without overwhelming it.

Anne: Well, I’m more a dog person, since I’m deathly allergic to cats. It is funny how the cat chooses Ben over Aubrey, but as in everything, Aubrey keeps trying. But my favorite is still Kevin! – as long as he lives with Jack. My favorite giggle worthy quote includes him. Something about this quote just cracks me up every time.

Jack rose and snapped his fingers at Kevin.

Kevin squeezed his eyes tight and pretended to be asleep.

Ben found a laugh after all. “Leave him.”

“He ate chili at the firehouse tonight.”

“Take him.” Ben said.

I have to mention Aubrey working so hard in an “My Name is Earl” way to try to improve her karma. It’s not easy to say you made mistakes and try to improve things with people who mostly don’t like you. It’s even harder when it is someone you like, who HAS been good to you.

Julie: Just another reason why I loved Aubrey so much in this book!

Let’s talk a bit about Lucille. She has been in each and every book in this series. She is the ‘nose in everybody’s business little old lady’ of Lucky Harbor. I liked her a lot in the first books but then I found she was becoming a bit too much of a ‘nosy-betty’. In this book, I liked her role. She went back to being the hilarious old lady with tons of very insightful things to say.

Anne: Lucille was wonderful in this book. She really made a difference in putting things right. I also loved the support Ali and Leah gave to Aubrey, as well as the support for Ben from Jack and Luke. That is one of the best things about stories set in small towns. One gets to know the people and their friends. The “town” continues to play a role in every story.

Julie: You are right about the support. Aubrey had not always been the friendliest to Ali and Leah but to see them understand and want to help Aubrey in making things right was very nice.

And the town of Lucky Harbor really does play a role in these books. It’s a place I would definitely want to visit.

All in all, I really liked Once in a Lifetime. Aubrey blew me away, Ben was yummy and there were plenty of scenes that either warmed the heart or made you giggle out loud. I am thinking especially the scenes with Ben and the kids at the center and Aubrey with, well, herself. Jill always does a wonderful job bringing her characters to life and making them feel as though they could be your next door neighbor. I was really pleased with this latest installment.

Anne: I more than really liked this book; I loved it! It is one of my favorites in the series. Are we going to agree on the rating?

5 stars for me!

Julie: Absolutely! 5 stars for me too :)

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Up From the Grave is the seventh and *gulp* final book in Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series, also sometimes referred to as the Cat and Bones series. As much as I am sad that this is the final book, I am glad to see that Jeaniene decided to end the series now. She has said that continuing the series would be dragging it out and I would have to agree with her. I mean really…what else could Cat and Bones have to face that they have not faced before?

In this installment, Cat and Bones are looking into the disappearance of Tate, Juan and Cat’s other friends who still work where she once worked. Her uncle Don won’t tell her anything other than that it’s probably too late for them and to just not bother looking into it. Well, of course Cat isn’t listening. First of all, she does not turn her back on her friends and second, she isn’t known for listening to reason – something that has actually served her well in the past.

I can’t say that there are many questions left unanswered in this series before this book but there are a few things that could be clarified. In Up from the Grave, Jeaniene does just that. Don, the new crazy maniacal guy that took over when Don passed and all other queries scratching at your brain are explained and what he learn…whoa! I don’t think I’m on the ‘Don is awesome’ bandwagon after this one even though I get parts of what went down years ago, back when the series was still new and we had just met him. As usual, Jeaniene does a great job getting inside Cat’s head and showing us just how angry or passionate or worried she is. It is done so we the reader also feel that way. So when little details came to light, I was just as pissered as Cat. But not quite as pissered as Bones. I had actually forgotten how menacing he can be when he feels like he or one of his has been crossed. I always focus on ‘sexy Bones’ that I forget that chilling Bones’ exists in there somewhere.

Cat and Bones’ relationship is still going strong. I was very pleased to see that Jeaniene didn’t add any unnecessary bickering or fighting just to add drama to this last installment. They are in love and you feel they will be so for the rest of their eternities. That does not mean they come out of this book unscathed. There is one scene in particular that is quite heart wrenching. I was happy it wasn’t dragged out for too long (good job with that too, Jeaniene) but even for that short while, my heart broke.

There were tons of little twists and turns that helped make this book a very exciting read. There were no dull moments, that’s for sure. There was one twist in particular that I never would have guessed at, but once it started playing itself out in the story it really fit. This twist involves a new character, one who is quite interesting to read.

Speaking of characters, we saw all of the characters fans of the series would hope to see. We get a huge surprise from one of them and we get tons of snark from Ian. You know what, I never fully understood his appeal but after reading this book, I finally see it. He is a bit of everything and I really hope that one day he meets his HEA and gives Jeaniene the opportunity to write his story. I liked how Jeaniene added the much loved characters to this book – it didn’t feel forced in a ‘well, this is the last book so I have to cram so and so and so into this story someway and anyway possible so let me put him running into Cat and Bones at the grocery store in the cereal aisle’ sort of thing. It was all done smoothly and with purpose.

I will say that as I was reading the last scene of the book I started tearing up and when I reached the end and closed the book, I cried. Silly, I know, but I did. I mean, it’s not like I can’t pick up a Cat and Bones book at any time and go back into their world. But knowing that no new full books about one of my favorite literary couples would be released again made me blue. I do feel / hope that we will see novellas and short stories though and that would be wonderful by me.

Overall, Up from the Grave is a crazy ride filled with strong emotional scenes and twists that will keep you reading until way past your bedtime. Cat and Bones are two of paranormal romance’s most beloved characters and they will be missed. Jeaniene did a fantastic job giving them the happily ever after they truly deserve.

Thank you Jeaniene for introducing us to them. They will not be forgotten.

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OMG I am LOVING this series!!!

Iron Night by ML Brennan is the second installment in my newest favorite series. Generation V was released last year and it quickly became one of my favorite reads of the year. Fort and Suzume are such well crafted characters and the world the author produced is absolutely unique. It’s a book that stayed with me long after I was finished reading it and I was very anxious for the second book to release. You could say I had very high hopes for book two and I am happy to say that the book met each and every one of my expectations.

And then some.

Fort is a vampire but he has not finished transitioning into a full vampire yet. That means he’s a little bit vampire and a little bit human. When we meet him in book one he is fighting what he is becoming, vulnerable and scared. When we see him in this second book, he is a bit more comfortable with his role in his family and his ‘race’, but he’s still learning. In fact, his brother is showing him the ropes. That opening scene is SO FUNNY! Lines such as “This is why we don’t name or pet the goats.” made me laugh so hard. I love the humor in these books. It’s smart and witty humor – my favorite kind.

But back to Fort.

He is more confident but he still has that awkwardness and vulnerability that makes him so likable and so endearing. But I loved his growth and I love his moral making. He’s not cold like a vampire usually should be – he truly cares about the wellbeing of others, friends and strangers alike, and that is yet another thing I love about him.

Can you tell that I absolutely adore this character? He is definitely going on my favorite character list.

Another character that I absolutely love is Suzume. She is a kitsune, a fox shifter. She is unapologetic and sassy and suits Fort to a tee. The thing is they don’t seem to know this yet. But their chemistry is amazing, their dialogue is awesome and their scenes together are some of my favorite. She was sent to guard Fort in the first book and this time around she becomes his partner when they are trying to solve a mystery that Fort thinks he’s inadvertently involved in.

Which brings us to the story in this book.

Fort’s roommate, the first good one he’s had in ages, turns up murdered and Fort is wondering if it has anything to do with him and what he was responsible for in the first book. Turns out, the fae are involved and what is going on is EXTRA messed up! Amazing that ML’s imagination could even go there! The mystery part of the story really kept me on my toes. Let’s be honest though, there is no way anyone could figure out what was going on or who the ultimate bad guy was in this before you actually read it and your jaw hits the floor. And you wrinkle your nose. Because really…ew.

We meet a new character in this book that I really took to. Her name is Lilah and she hurt my head. What I mean by that is she is just a perfect match for Fort! I know I said that Suzume was, and I still think she is good for him, but Lilah really is just like him except she’s fae and he’s vampire. I wanted to only feel Suzume was compatible but here Lilah is, all sweet and cute and perfect and strong… I wanted to dislike her because she is ruining my perfect romantic image in my head for this series and yet I also found myself sort of rooting for her to hook up with Fort. How messed up is that?! ML did a fantastic job writing Lilah and, even though I want Suzume and Fort to wake up and hook up someday, I would still like to see Lilah in future books. She really was a sweet character.

I love where the book left off and where it is leading the series. Love the direction it seems to be going in. Of course, this means I can’t wait for the next book, Tainted Blood, which will be released later in 2014.

There are many fantastic scenes in this book but the one I keep going back to is the very last one. In that scene, our little Fort grows balls! And I loved it. I must have re-read that scene alone at least a dozen times. So awesome.

Generation V introduced us to a family of vampires unlike any you’ve ever met and introduced us to its youngest member. It also warmed your heart while keeping you on the edge of your seat. Iron Night expands on the characters in the series and the chemistry between them. It also expands on the world ML has created, showing us even more creatures that lurk within it. Iron Night did a wonderful job continuing Fort’s tale.

If you are looking for an exceptional urban fantasy read, you must check out Generation V and Iron Night. These are some of the best urban fantasy books I’ve read…ever. The style, the pace, the voice, the characters, the world, the story…all outstanding. A MUST for your bookshelves.

5plus stars

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I want to write this without any spoilers. From this book, that will be no problem. From the last books, I’m not sure I can. In fact, I can’t. Otherwise this review would be so vague it would make no sense whatsoever. I’ll keep it under control though but just be warned. If you have not read the previous book, you will learn little things in this review. Also if you have not read the last books, what are you waiting for? This is a fantastic and exciting series!

Cursed by Destiny is the third book in Cecy Robson’s Weird Girls series. So far, I have been very impressed with this series and after finishing this book, I am still very impressed. The characters are so charismatic you can’t help but want to follow them, the pace is relentless in the very best of ways and the story makes your eyes bug out of your head while you scratch your head wondering in equal parts how Cecy ever came up with such a thing and ‘ZOMG is this really happening?’

The series is told from Celia’s point of view. She is a shifter (tigress) and also has some other powers that are way cool. In the last book, Celia suffered devastating heart break. Can you ever feel her pain and torment in this book! It is really written well. And sometimes it seems like it’s a lot but we have to remember that Celia’s mate is lost so her heart is more than just broken. All of this heartache and all of the scenes where you want her to get over it are important to her growth. She needs to know that yes, she needs him but she is also strong and awesome in her own right. She is also really growing as a warrior in this book and that was a real treat to see.

Aric, a werewolf, is also going through some serious heartache but you can’t feel as badly for him as you do Celia. That’s just because he’s a dude, I’m convinced of this lol. So yes, there are scenes where I want to smack him but I completely understand his dilemma. Don’t mean I like it, but I understand it and I accept it. Mostly.

Celia’s sisters, as always, were done justice by Cecy. I especially liked Emme in this book. She is growing out of her quiet self and becoming a stronger character and I really like that. She also has some pretty emotional scenes yet she picks herself up and is able to move on well-ish while showing everyone she is in control of her destiny. As I said, I really liked her in this book.

Micha, a vampire, felt more natural this time around. He’s always been interesting but I am starting to see how he may actually have genuine feelings for Celia. I like how he is trying to have Celia develop and discover her powers…even if that is not quite her idea of a good time. And Tye…interesting that one. I want to know more. Chang and Ying-Ying were also interesting and fun characters and I hope we see more of them in future installments.

One more little group of characters I want to mention…the catholic school girl vampires. They were amazing in this book! So funny!

The story is…fast and furious. Many death attempts occur and explosions and demon beings trying to destroy the world and… You know, the usual for a Weird Girls book. You will never be bored reading one of these, that is for sure!

The ending. Oh the ending. We who read this series are used to Cecy sharing some pretty significant information with her readers in the very last sentences of her books and leaving us thinking “What?! The book ends here?! But I want to know!” Well…that ain’t nothing like the bomb she drops at the end of this book. And it comes out of nowhere…and just leaves you there! When you read it you are thinking “What the hell?! She can’t DARE leave us like this?! I NEED to know what happens next!!!” Unfortunately, we don’t know when we’ll learn what happens next as there is no release date yet for the next book. So we’ll just have to wait here. Patiently. Yeah…I don’t do patient well…

Cecy released a novella titled A Cursed Moon last month. I don’t think it’s necessary to read it before cracking this latest installment open but I would strongly recommend it. There are some happenings that occur in that booklet that you witness the results of in this book and if you, like me, read the book before the novella, you will read something…then feel you have to read it again because you obviously missed something. Things are sort of explained quickly but you still feel as though you missed some major happenings.

All in all, Cursed by Destiny was a wonderful continuation to the series and just an all around exciting and entertaining read.

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Bitter Spirits is the first book in Jenn Bennett’s new Roaring Twenties paranormal romance series. As the name suggests, this series is set in the 1920’s. Now most of you know by now that I don’t read many historical romance books as I have trouble clicking with them. Makes no sense but there it is. But apparently I have no trouble clicking with the 20’s because holy cow, this book was awesome.

Bitter Spirits tells the tale of Aida, a spirit medium and Winter, the perfect sort of alpha hero.

Let’s start with Aida.

I really found her character to be endearing. She is strong, smart and sassy and won’t take lip from anyone. I loved her spunk. I thought it was fun that she is described as full of freckles. You don’t see that often in romance books, but this little detail made Aida even more accessible to me. She’s just awesome.

Now let’s talk about Winter. OMG did I ever love him! He is alpha to the bone but he is my new favorite sort of macho man. He is bossy but not an absolute arse. I love how he is around Aida. And I love how lost he gets when he realizes it’s love. There is just something about an alpha man in love – it’s just too cute and ‘awww’ worthy. I love how he woos Aida. I love how he treats his sister and his employees. I love everything about him and think he is one of the yummiest men I have ever read.

I love how Jenn wrote their romance. Its progression is so natural. These are two people who are incredibly attracted to each other but are trying to fight it. Okay, scratch that. Winter is not trying to fight it but he is not thinking love and commitment either. Aida just wants to be left alone…or does she??? And let’s talk about the sexy times. I read erotica – not often, but I do – and I found the lovin’ in this book to be even hotter than some of what I’ve read from that genre. Oh my goodness, they are so hot! I am not saying that Jenn wrote super x-rated porn-worthy scenes. The truth is, when you look at those scenes at face value, they don’t seem all that steamy but there is something about the way they are written. The chemistry between the characters. And also the time period adds to it. It’s the 1920′s so flings aren’t considered proper. So add in a bit of that ‘naughtiness’ to Aida and Winter’s love scenes and you have fireworks!

The world Jenn writes is fantastic. Then again, it’s not a real surprise since Jenn’s world in her Arcadia Bell series is one of the most unique and interesting out there. Jenn brought prohibition into her story and it really adds an extra level of excitement. It also help completely submerge you into the era she has written in. This is a paranormal romance but not in your usual ‘vampire and weres’ sense. It focuses on the supernatural and magic. Totally cool. I liked witnessing Aida calling on spirits. It never felt hokey or silly.

The story is great fun. Winter hires Aida to rid a ghost who is following him. The kicker being he shouldn’t be able to see ghosts to begin with! And the ghosts that follow him are mean and unlike ghosts Aida usually sees. So it all becomes a mystery. And quite suspenseful. Why are the ghosts the way they are? Why can Winter spot them? What do they want with him? And I did not see who the ultimate bad guy was until it was revealed. Great story, great mystery, great adventure.

There are plenty of secondary characters in this book and they are all well done. To note would be Winter’s sister, Astrid. She is just a teenager but I like her already. We also meet and see quite a bit of Bo, Winter’s assistant. He is awesome and I am liking the idea of him having his own book someday. But next up in the series is Lowe, Winter’s brother. He is only mentioned in the book. What do we know? HE’s an archeologist. That’s pretty much it. So I can’t wait to meet him and whoever his lady ends up being. His book is called Grim Shadows and it’s due to release June 3rd 2014.

Overall, I really really enjoyed Bitter Spirits. It’s a new and fresh spin on paranormal romance, filled with wonderful characters and an exciting story. Jenn proves once again that her writing talent knows no bounds. This is definitely a book worth checking out.

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Rising Darkness is the first book in a new series by Thea Harrison. Thea’s Elder Races series is inventive, sexy and interesting. I picked up Rising Darkness because I really enjoy Thea’s other books and hoped I would enjoy this series too. I knew going into this book that is was very different from anything Thea has written before. I did not go into it expecting Elder Races version 2.0 and I think that’s important to say. But even knowing that it would be very different, for me Rising Darkness turned out to be an example of ‘just because you love one set of stories from an author doesn’t mean you will enjoy them all’.

What I enjoyed about the book:

Rising Darkness starts with seven people basically about to commit suicide in order to be reborn in a human body at a different time. They are chasing an ultimate evil. And that ultimate evil is one sociopathic crazy arsed villain. Thea wrote The Deceiver very well. I believe nightmares will ensue thanks to him.

The concept was interesting. I have never read anything like it. You can tell that Thea put a lot of thought into the details while building this world and this story.

There are some really sweet moments in this book. Michael is falling in love for the first time in his current incarnation and it’s done well. This is not your typical romance book. It is dark and serious. But the tender words add a bit of beauty to an otherwise gloomy world.

What I enjoyed and didn’t enjoy at the same time:

Mary is the main heroine of the series. She is feeling lost and confused lately. She’s been having dreams/nightmares since she was a child but they are getting more and more frequent and severe in nature. She is hearing voices and thinks she is going mad. When the soul is reborn it takes a while for previous memories to come back and unless someone is there who understands and who can guide you, it can make you go crazy. I found Thea wrote Mary with her struggles and fears quite well. This is the first time her soul has been reborn in 900 years and she’s been born and reborn and fighting for 6,000 years! But even though I found her well done, I wasn’t able to connect with her as I would have liked to.

Same goes for Michael. I found his well written yet I didn’t click fully with him either.

The romance in Rising Darkness is slow. Really slow. In fact, the hero and heroine don’t even meet until past page 100. In a way, since this is the first book in a two part story, the hero and heroine’s romance shouldn’t be hot and heavy from page one but it was still a bit too long to wait for them to meet for my taste. But when the romance is introduced (as I mentioned above) there are some really tender moments.

The detail in the book was amazing. Thea’s world and setting is incredibly documented. Thea’s voice is beautiful and her writing is very visual. But I found myself confused more than once, lost in the sheer amount of detail. It is expected to have lots of detail and description in a first book of a new series – it’s necessary to build the world and the setting for the reader – but in this book it also caused the story to drag.

What didn’t work for me:

Really, it all comes down to the pacing of the book and my ability to connect with it. Some books suck you in right away while others don’t. This one didn’t do it for me. It was just too slow.

Overall, Rising Darkness was an interesting book that I just didn’t click with. What I would suggest to you, if you are a fan of Thea’s Elder Races books and are wondering if this new series is for you, is to get online and read reviews written by reviewers you trust. See what they liked and didn’t like about the book and go from there. Because you might like a book that is slow building and full of detail and description where it’s not everyone’s thing and I wouldn’t want you to miss out on a book just because some are saying it wasn’t their favorite.

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Generation V is the first book in ML Brennan’s American Vampire series and it’s a book that any and all urban fantasy fans have to read. It is stellar.

I know you are seeing the word ‘vampire’ in the title of the series and are probably rolling your eyes a bit. Afterall, hasn’t everything vampire related been done before? Let me tell you that I have never read any vampires like the ones in this book before. And where vampire babies come from? Think about the oddest thing imaginable and you’d still be wrong. ML’s imagination is amazing and how she is able to translate it onto the page is brilliant.

The American Vampire series follows Fort (short of Fortitude) who is a vampire in waiting. In ML’s world, humans born to vampires transition when they are adults. Fort is completely happy being human and has no interest in becoming a full vampire. Looking at his family, vampires are unfeeling and mean and Fort does not want to become like them. There is also a whole story behind why he doesn’t want to become a vampire but I won’t get into it here. I will leave it for when you read this book – and you will read it.

I adored Fort. Absolutely adored him. He is awkward and insecure and totally lovable. I am actually very curious to see how he becomes once he fully transitions because something tells me he’s not going to become like his mother Madeleine or like his siblings Prudence or Chivalry. That’s what he fears. Vampires in this book aren’t immortal but they are long living. They are stronger and faster than humans and their empathy towards humans is pretty much non-existent. He is attempting to slow down his transition for as long as possible and how he tries is kind of cute. He is totally a hero you want to root for. And you also want to hug him and tell him everything is going to be okay.

Madeleine is mostly creepy, for a mom. She is heartless yet not. You want to hate her but can’t. She is wonderfully written. And Prudence… *shudder* She is either a huge mystery or really that cold. I guess we’ll find out in future books. Chivalry I really liked. You think he’s going to be cold like his mother and sister but there is so much more to him than initially meets the eye. And his wife Bhumika seems weak on the surface but she is one of the strongest characters in this book. Such a sad and well told story there. Each and every character in this book has such a rich story. Each and every character is remarkable but there are two that are just a bit more so and that’s Fort and Suzume.

Suzume is freaking brilliant. She’s a kitsune so she shifts into a fox. She is smart and a bit selfish and clever and hilarious. And being a kitsune, she is essentially a trickster. Her and Fort’s dynamic is amazing. I can’t call it sexual chemistry as there is no full on romance in this book but their time together on the page is incredible. Their scenes are some of the most memorable of the book. I can’t wait for you guys to meet her.

The main bad guy in Generation V is Luca. Luca is a vampire trying to father vampire babies and he is one sick f*ck. I’m sorry, but there really is no other way of wording it. He is just sick and you hate him pretty much immediately. Then you loath him. Then you wish he was dead. Finally you think if he were dead that you would want him to come back to life just so you can kill him again. And you feel all of this yet he’s not even in the book much. It’s what he’s doing and how careless he is over the consequences that makes him such a formidable villain. Then there is Phillip. You think you’ve read disgusting characters before? This guy is just gross. He is Luca’s child so I suppose it’s not surprising that he’s just to nasty but really, ew.

Generation V is about Fort and his life but it’s also about young girls going missing and Fort trying to save them…with very little odds of success. The story is gruesome and it really isn’t pretty, so don’t expect fluff. It is true urban fantasy at its finest.

The book ends on a slight cliffhanger. Fort’s father was a cop and Matt was his partner. Matt is involved in the “oh, what will happen next?” that occurs near the very end of the book. The very end of the book is perfect. I re-read it three times. And just thinking about it as I write this, I want to go and read it again. ML ended the book just as it should end. No other way would have worked better.

As you can tell, I adored Generation V. The story is amazing, the pacing is perfect and the characters are superb. I picked this book up on a whim and boy am I glad I did. It is easily one of my favorite reads of the year and will definitely be making my Favorite Reads of 2013 list. If you enjoy urban fantasy, I urge you to read this book. You will not regret it.

5plus stars

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Once in a while, I pick up a first book in a new series and, once finished, want to run around the streets of my town and shout “This book was just awesome! Everybody should read this!!” This happens to me once, maybe twice a year. Well guess what? It happened after I finished Dweller on the Threshold by Rinda Elliott. And not only did I want to run through my town telling everyone about it, I wanted to run down the highway and go to the nearest city! This is an excellent urban fantasy debut and I am very excited to tell you guys all about it.

Dweller on the Threshold introduces us to Beri, a…well it’s sort of complicated what she is. She can see spirits and ghosts and can astro project, her spirit leaving her body. Also she is also stronger than most human men. She has never met anyone like herself before and she has no idea why she is the way she is. Most of her life, she has been trying to get answers but has yet to find any. Because of her circumstances Beri has not had the easiest life, having been cast out of many foster homes after having been found wandering the swamp when she was just a toddler. Her past and her abilities scare most people, and who can blame them?

She is such a layered character and she contains all of the qualities I adore in an urban fantasy protagonist. She is flawed and vulnerable, snarky and intelligent. She wants to find her place in the world and understand her role in it. I really really liked Beri. A lot. I can’t wait for you all to meet her.

In Rinda’s world, every person has one spirit guide. Except for Beri. She has two. One is her official spirit guide and one is a spirit who is mostly just tagging along. Phro took some getting used to but she does have some good lines and you can tell that she really does have Beri’s best interest at heart. Frank is like a father figure for Beri. Beri has the advantage of actually seeing her guides (not a normal talent) so she can interact with them.

The story itself, lots goes on. People are having their souls stolen, including Beri’s foster sister, and she has taken it upon herself t figure out what is going on. She battles some pretty spooky sh*t while trying to save the world. No way is Beri a superhero – she is just a girl who wants to help her sister who is her only family. I have never read a villain like the one in this book. I am just glad that the demons in this book don’t exist in real life. *shudder*

The story really took off for me when Beri meets Nicolos. It’s not that adding Nicolos into the mix made the story more exciting but it does add a nice element to it. Why? Because Nicolos is Yum-my! Ladies, prepare to swoon! He is a very tortured soul with a big heart and gentle soul, even though he can totally kick demon ass. His story will bring tears to your eyes. Okay, maybe not, but it is a very tragic and touching story and it definitely makes you feel strongly for this man. You want him to be happy. You feel as though he deserves to be happy. And what he does in the end, what he does to protect and save Beri…whoa. His and Beri’s chemistry is incredible. The tension between these two is also amazing. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Nicolos and I can’t wait to read more of him in the next book.

There are quite a few comical scenes in this book and pretty much all of the funny scenes come courtesy of Blythe and/or Dooby and people’s reactions to them. I smiled and giggled. Which was wonderful since the story itself is on the heavy side. Rinda mixed in just enough light to keep it from getting too dark. Blythe is a witch who has powers that go a little wonky now and then. And the way she is described, the big round eyes and lost puppy dog look that make you want to give into anything she wants, had me thinking of Puss in Boots in the Shrek movies. To me, that persona fit Blythe as she appears to be weak and confused but she packs quite the fire (pun intended). She is spunky and a solid addition to the series as is Dooby. We meet him near the end of the book and I’m curious to see how much of a role he will play in future installments. (And yes, I snorted a bit at the name Dooby. Rinda was very smart in picking that name for him. Dooby is a character that takes himself very seriously and it’s hard for the reader to take him super seriously with a name like that. It really works in this story. Well done with that one Rinda.)

I’m just going to throw in a quite word about one more character. Castor. He is introduced near the end of the book (even later than Dooby) and I for one cannot wait to read more about him. What a twist he throws into the story!

There are so many revelations and unanswered questions in this book. Things pop up here and there and you want to know what it means, what it all leads to. And in the end, we find out just enough to feel okay about it but there is still much to learn. The way the book ends makes you want the next book, Blood of an Ancient, now instead of having to wait until October 2013. No, the ending does not make you want to track down the author and rob her of her manuscript, but it does make you itch for the book.

I will tell you one thing: if you read the first bit of the book and find yourself a little confused, you won’t be alone. I felt that way too. I wasn’t lost, just confused. There are a lot of hints in the first few pages about what Beri is, who her companions are, how the prologue comes into play and what is actually going on and it’s all sort of thrown at you. It is not an info dump, it is an ‘hmm I wonder what is going on here?’ dump. It does create a feeling of ‘Oh, I must keep reading to find out what is going on here’ and everything that comes up as a question in those early pages does come to light by the end of the book though. Just keep at it (it really isn’t that long until things get really exciting). At first, to be honest with you all, I was thinking of rating this book 4.5 stars because of that confusion but the story is so strong and the characters are so amazing, I just couldn’t give it less than 5 stars.

While reading Dweller on the Threshold, I often thought “what an interesting book!” The world, the characters and the idea all very fascinating. And quite different too. Rinda’s writing is so visual, it paints beautiful pictures. It is very easy to envision exactly what is going on and it really helps bring the story to life. Rinda’s voice is lovely.

Dweller on the Threshold is an urban fantasy book you can’t miss. I cannot wait for you guys to read it.

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Maya Banks’ Sweet series was the first erotic series that I ever read. I have re-read the first three books in that series a few times – especially the second book. So when I heard that Maya was working on a shiny new erotic contemporary romance series I was very excited. No one can beat her alpha men. But unfortunately, I found Gabe to be a little too…alpha.

Rush is the first book in her new series. The Breathless series follows three friends who own a multi-million-bazillion dollar company. And of course these three guys are also full of kinks in the bedroom. And sometimes out of the bedroom. *wink* Rush follows Gabe, an absolute Dom. By absolute, I mean he is completely responsible for the woman he is with. He suggests what she wears, where they eat, when she can do pretty much everything and of course, when and where they have sex. She is to be open to sex and available whenever the urge strikes. And for Gabe, that is often. *wink wink*

Gabe was burned in the past. His ex-wife really did a number on him and as a result he now asks any woman who is thinking of getting involved with him and his ‘lifestyle’ to sign a very detailed contract letting them know exactly what they are getting into. I can’t say I know what I would do if faced with a contract like Gabe’s. It is very detailed and very intimidating. But it protects Gabe and the woman who decides to play with him for the next little while. In this case, it protects Mia. Mia is not only the woman Gabe has fantasized about for quite a while, she is also the much younger sister of Jace, one of Gabe’s best friends/partner.

Mia has had a crush on Gabe for years – he was her teenage crush – but never thought she would be able to live out her fantasies. Yes she was a little shocked when she found out what Gabe was into but not surprised enough to turn away. I liked Mia as a sub,mostly. She wasn’t a total pushover yet she didn’t fight Gabe all the time just to ‘receive punishment’. That drives me bonkers in an erotic BDSM book – when the heroine is purposely bad so she can get her spanking. I think it spoils it. There were times when I thought Mia was a bit too naïve for Gabe and that she was not questioning things enough but overall, I found her okay. Not my favorite heroine ever written by this author but okay.

Gabe. Oh Gabe. There was just something about him that didn’t fully click with me. I usually enjoy an extra-alpha man – in books anyway – but I need to feel like the Dom truly feels for him Sub. I need to completely understand that there is an emotional connection there or else it’s just sex with an aggressive twist. And in that case, it feels more like the man taking from the woman without fully thinking about her needs. Yes, Subs get a certain amount of satisfaction knowing that their Dom is happy and satisfied but a good Dom will not let their Sub go without making sure she is really enjoying things. He learns his Sub inside and out. I did not get that from Gabe. There was lots of internal dialogue on his part telling himself that he is a selfish person and all of that was only because he was afraid to admit that he was actually falling in love with Mia but that doesn’t excuse his behavior. You don’t treat another person the way Gabe sometimes treated Mia just to prove a point to yourself. I would have thought Gabe – a successful mature man – would know better than that.

Speaking of proving points to himself, there was one scene in particular that really rubbed me the wrong way in Rush. I am sure that you have heard about this scene by now and yes, it is as uncomfortable as people say it is. I understand the why behind the scene – Gabe needed to know that he was in fact falling for Mia, no doubts in his mind, but really?! When you are a Dom and you see that kind of fear and uneasiness on your Sub’s face, you don’t go through with your selfish little plan! You don’t suddenly treat the other person like an object. So where I understood the point of the scene and I understood why the scene had to be as unnerving as it was, I didn’t like it. At all. Having Mia kiss someone else would have done the same thing and would have not made Gabe to be a huge jerk. I also didn’t like how Mia reacted after everything happened. I would have hit Gabe with the giant vase in the corner of the room and told him in some very colorful language that would have made my mother blush exactly where he could go. But I will give it to Mia that when some fallout came about from this scene (fallout I found unnecessary to the story) at least she didn’t freak too much and went for help. That impressed me so she got a few points for that from me.

The main story was about Gabe and Mia. There were a few things going on here and there but really, the story was the couple and their ‘coming together’. We did meet Jace and Ash though and they are the reason I am actually considering continuing with the series. Jace’s book is next and I am curious to see how his story plays out. He’s the older brother who took care of the little sister after their parents passed away. (Can we say “awww”?) He has a big heart and isn’t as boorish as Gabe so his story will most likely be more enjoyable. But I’m not sure if I will read Fever right away or wait to read a few reviews before deciding to read it for sure. I’ll think on it I suppose.

Overall, I didn’t love this book. The characters just didn’t click with me. I needed to feel that Gabe honestly cared for Mia (even if it wasn’t love right away, I needed to feel that he at least gave a damn about her) but I didn’t feel that. In my opinion, if you are looking for a story with a strong Dom and a charming heroine/sub, read Maya’s Sweet books. The first two are excellent D/s stories. And I’ll keep you posted on whether or not I’ll be reading Jace’s book which releases April 2nd 2013.

2.5 stars

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What came to mind when I reached the very last page of Magic for a Price, the ninth and final installment in Devon Monk’s Allie Beckstrom series? “Now THIS is how you write a final book in a series!” I loved this book. From the moment I started reading it to the very last word, it was brilliant. The pace was perfect, the character development was perfect, the story was perfect, and the ending was perfect. Yes people, it was that good.

Now let me expand a little bit for you guys…

The pace. Seeing that this is the last book in the series, I sort of expected it to be a bit rushed. You know, because all of the questions that have come up over the last eight books need to be answered and all. But of course it wasn’t rushed because Devon is better than that. Instead it was a rush! The book starts off strong, and from pretty much exactly where the last book left off, and zooms you to the end.

The character development. Yes, in a ‘book nine’, it IS possible to continue developing your characters. Allie has grown consistently in each book of the series and she grew even more as a character, as a person in this last book. I really felt like she found herself and found peace, for lack of a better word. And she’s not the only character who grew in this book; pretty much everyone did. Especially Shane, which makes sense since he and Terric will be the focus of Devon’s new series, coming…eventually but not soon enough to bookstores near you. *grin* In fact, Devon did such a great job with Shane that even though I have loved him since the first time I met him on the page, I absolutely can’t wait to see what his books hold. There is just so much to his character already and yet, I know there is much left for us to discover. I am looking forward to seeing him reach the same harmony that Allie attains at the end of her series. Because goodness knows he deserves it.

The story. Oh my goodness the story. Allie and friends have to figure out a way to clean the magic that has been poisoned, saving Portland, her friends and the world. No biggie, right? *snort* The twists, the turns…oh my goodness the twists and the turns! All amazing. And really, there is barely a quiet moment in the book. The story was amazing with everything I was hoping would happen did and everything I didn’t know I wanted to happen did.

The ending. I literally hugged the book to my chest and sighed when I reached the end. I know I’m using the word ‘perfect’ a lot in this review but really, it’s the best word for many aspects of this book. But for you, so you won’t find me redundant, I shall open up my thesaurus and see what it says to use instead of that word. *opens thesaurus* Flawless! Yes! Great word! The ending was flawless. With this ending, Devon not only managed to take care of Allie and her story line in a very thorough way but she also managed to leave you wanting to send her tweets and possibly emails about Shame and Terric’s books, turning you into a borderline stalker, because now there are questions about them. Really, it’s just perfect for a last book in a series. Not perfect, sorry. Not that word again… Nope, I’m going back to perfect. It’s the perfect ending.

I want to chat quickly about the series as a whole. I really liked how Devon wrote this series. It was not one looooong nine book story arc. She changed it up every few books. She kept it fresh. But some of the little pieces that were left behind when she took the series on a new direction came back in the last book to tie everything up just right. This is a wonderful urban fantasy series. The way Devon describes magic and how it’s used in her books is just phenomenal. I have not read magic used like that anywhere else. How it uses you while you use it, how there is a price to pay when you use it…it’s so cool! And even though there were some stronger books than others in this series, not once did I finish a book and think I had just wasted my time or think that Devon dropped the ball on that one. Every book advanced the story and set things up for this awesome finale.

In case you didn’t catch it, I loved this book. I really hope Urban Fantasy fans give this series a try. Devon Monk has a wonderful writing voice, her imagination so rich and unique and her characters are fantastic. And there is just enough humor to keep things fresh. Overall, Magic for a Price reminds us how talented Devon is and how lucky we are to have read such an entertaining series.

Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks

Yes, this review is very long. LOL

(A quick note before I begin my review. I feel I should explain how I rate the books in this series. This series belongs on my keeper shelf. Even the books I didn’t quite love and give 3 stars too belong on my keeper shelf. They are guaranteed re-reads. I find it difficult to use my ‘usual’ rating scale when it comes to these books so I rate them by comparing them to one another. Meaning, I stand the installment that I am rating up against my absolute favorites in the series and go from there. If I loved it just the same or more I rate it the same way. If I liked it less, I think about how much less and go from there. Also, this review is spoiler-free but it will spoil some things for those of you who are not completely caught up on the series. Just thought I should let you know about those two things before I begin.)

It is amazing how we crack addicts fans of the Black Dagger Brotherhood are when it comes to new books in this series. The year long wait between books seems endless. We talk about the next book as soon as we close the current one, before it is even confirmed who will be the hero and heroine. We speculate and hypothesize all year long about what might happen in the next book. We obsess over it. Yes, I said it: we obsess over it. Any little tidbit that JR Ward shares with us, we dissect and read over and over again to see if she stuffed some hidden message or meaning into it. Yes, we are a strange brew. Then, when finally the newest book arrives in our hands, we completely lose track of reality and let the book suck us in. We go into ‘reading hibernation’. Even if we are not enjoying the book and we wonder what the f Ward was thinking when she did this and this and this, we still can’t put the book down for longer than we need to pee. We barely even eat – we just can’t be bothered. Then we reach the end, cry a bit, giggle a bit, *swoon* a bit and bitch a bit then we start the whole process over again. Yes indeed, we BDB addicts are a strange breed.

Before beginning Lover Reborn, the tenth installment in JR Ward’s insanely popular series – the one that introduced me and got me hooked on Paranormal Romance in fact – I think I harbored the same apprehensions as pretty much everybody else. This book is Tohrment’s book. Let’s remember that Tohr was happily mated in the beginning of this series and in one of the most heart and gut wrenching scenes in the entire series, lost his mate Wellsie to the enemy back in book three. He cried, John cried, I cried. Let’s also remember that these guys should only get one mate in their lifetime. So when JR announced that Tohr would not only be the hero of this latest book but that he would also find a new HEA, well holy hell on a jumpstick there is no way this could go well. Ward just can’t replace Wellsie. Ever. She was full of fire and life and it was impossible not to love her. And to think that she was going to be replaced! No way. No f*cking way. Am I close here? Is this what you are thinking too? Well, have no fear because JR Ward did an amazing job with Lover Reborn. Not once do you feel as though Wellsie is being replaced – that is not what this book is about. It is about moving on after the air has been removed from your lungs. It is a book about finding strength and courage and new balance in your life. It is a book about friendship. It is a book about hope and about living.

Tohr…man oh man. Not only was I going into this book thinking they were going to try to ‘replace’ Wellsie but I also went into this book expecting a huge pitty party from this Tohr. I kept waiting for Tohr’s “My life is so empty. Whoa is me. I miss her so much. Wha wha wha” to get on my nerves but it never did. Curious that, because there are quite a bit of scenes involving Tohr and his mourning Wellsie, but all of his ‘miserable scenes’ are done in the right context so it never felt like a pitty party for me. My heart went out to him and I really enjoyed his transformation in this book. I can’t wait to see him fully back to himself in the next book.

No’One is amazing! Going into this book (yes, as you can see, I was anticipating not enjoying this book too much lol) I was thinking “Payne was from the ‘other side’ and she was all demure and stuff and now we have No’One, another lady from the ‘other side’ and she’s going to be all ‘Verily’ and demure and stuff and poo boring.” Yeah…not. I really should have just gone into this book knowing that JR would not mess this up, because No’One is just wonderful . Not once does she try to take over Wellsie’s place. She honors her memory and completely understands that a part of Tohr’s heart will always belong with her. I especially enjoyed her scenes with her daughter, Xhex. Watching their relationship blossom put a smile on my face. And no her and Tohr’s relationship isn’t a lightning bolt ‘how did I ever not see you right in front of me’ kind of thing. Lover Reborn is divided into four parts: Spring, Summer, Autunm and Winter. It takes a full year for Tohr to be at a ‘good’ place and it takes that long for No’One to come into her own too. So no ‘wham-bam-thank you man’ for this couple. And the seasons and their cycle is very symbolic too.

Now if you are as obsessed with juicy tidbits and rumors about what will happen in next BDB books, you know that JR said that in Lover Reborn, John and Xhex would ‘not be okay’ in this book. Well, did she ever call it. I really like this little trend, if you will, of seeing how main characters from past installments are turning out. Yes, we will always hear their names and know that they are still alive, but we don’t often see them for chapters at a time. JR seems to be including a new couple in each book lately and I am happy she is. We’ve seen Wrath and Beth pop back and in the last book we saw Jane and V. This time we see quite a bit of John and Xhex and what they go through will mostly likely not surprise you and shock you all at once. I know it did me. And their scenes were where most of the ‘heat’ came from in this book.

We also see quite a bit of the other Brothers this time around. Not as much as John and Xhex, but they are all mentioned and I think all the men at least have one or two lines! I know I missed that in the last book so I was happy to see that this time around.

Assail is a new character that we meet in Lover Reborn. He is a vampire and an aristocrat. I honestly can’t say I fully understand his purpose in this world – whether he will ultimately be a good guy or a bad guy – but he’s not terrible. I just found that, as Xcor was in the last book, he was just put there and left for us to wonder what his point is. He gives off the same vibe as Rehvenge did when we first met him and I’m assuming we’ll find out more about Assail in the next book.

Speaking of Xcor, I really don’t like that guy. His character isn’t terrible as such, there is a lot to him and we’ve only just beginning to see his many layers, but I am really not liking where his character is fitting into this series. To me, it’s almost like he feels like the forced villain. Am I glad that the lesser have taken a bit of a back seat in the past couple of books? Absolutely. It was time to come up with something a little bit new on the bad-guy side of things. But Xcor and his plans…meh. They tick me off more than anything. And who is he to go in and say all those mean things about our BDB boys? No, I didn’t like where his scenes went and I’m not 100% sure I like where his ideas are headed.

Layla. Yes, I am going to give her her own little paragraph because if Lover Reborn is any indication, her book (or at least her as a main secondary plot in a book) is coming soon. She is actually part of a little cliffhanger in this one. We get a glimpse as to who her HEA may be and it surprised me, believe it or not. I thought “yes!” then I thought “no!” “boo!” then “Grrr…” too. I’m anxious to see what you guys think of who JR is setting up as her guy. I think many will agree with my “boo!” reaction.

Lassiter is in this book a lot. I am, now give me a second to hide behind my chair before continuing on, not a huge Lassiter fan. Actually, he sort of bugs me. Um, quite a bit actually. But in this book he is amazing! He’s toned down and actually seems to give a sh*t about someone other than himself. He’s warm and kind and really, he impressed me.

If you cry easily when you read then you are screwed my friend. I don’t cry easily. In fact, it takes quite a bit for me to cry. But man oh man the last 70 pages had me balling my eyes out. I’m not talking little girly tears: I’m talking big snotty unattractive, have to put the book down so I can compose myself for a minute, tears. These are just beautiful scenes and they really capture the journey that Tohr has undertaken since losing his Wellsie.

Speaking of the last bit of the book, I think this would be a good time to chat about Qhuay. Now, I’m sure you are all aware but I will spell it out anyways: Quay is Qhuinn and Blay. These are the two guys that everyone wants to see get together. JR has stated that yes, they will indeed to each other’s HEA and man has she been teasing us about it since she announced it. No, I will not tell you whether or not they have fun-naked time in this book nor will I tell you if they are even talking. But what I will tell you is that the very last scene of this book, right before the epilogue, amazing. It made me *woot* and I am not even a Qhuay fanatic like many of you are.

All in all I was very impressed with Lover Reborn. JR Ward reminds us why these books are so addictive and why we drool, anticipate, break out in sweats and stalk her site while waiting for a next installment. She handled Tohr beautifully and No’One really is a superb match for him. I know some of you will disagree (because to each their own) but I don’t think that number will be as large as we all originally feared. You can rest at ease: Tohr get’s the perfect happy ending he thoroughly deserves.

4.5 stars