Friday, February 25, 2011

Falke's Peak by Anna Leigh Keaton and Madison Layle (Carina Press, 2010)

4 1/2 Stars! This book had it all! Adventure, hot guys, and seriously erotic scenes! Very hot, very yummy, indeed! To top it off, this story took place in the wilderness, my absolute favorite place to be. I listened to this in audio, and found the narrator to be really good as well. It appears that this will be a series, which will thrill me to no end.  Especially since there are more people to the Falke family that need their hea.  Off to go snap some snow shoes on and see if I can't find my own adventure;)

Copied Blurb:

She couldn't believe her eyes.
Stressed out ad-exec Dakota wandered into Catamount Outfitters in search of a guide for a wilderness excursion. She didn't expect to be greeted by not one but five of the most ruggedly delicious-looking men she'd ever seen... not to mention a live cougar guarding the shop!
The Falke brothers have more than just good looks in their genes.
Eldest brother Axel agreed to guide Dakota on her mountain trek. In cougar form, Axel's twin, Gunnar, was there as a protection from predators - but he had his eye on the sexy client instead.
Into the wild....
While the rule with clients was "paws-off", both Axel and Gunnar couldn't resist Dakota's seductive Native American beauty and determination. As cold days led to hot nights in the cabin, Axel and Gunnar wondered if they'd finally found a woman strong enough to tame them....

My Rating: 4.5


Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd
Narrator: Gina Cedarwood

Monday, February 21, 2011

Destined for an Early Grave by Jeaniene Frost (Blackstone Audio, 2010)

5 Stars! Books just don't get much better than this.  One of my favorite series ever! Looking forward to the next adventure with Bones and Cat!


Copied Blurb:
Since half-vampire Cat Crawfield and her undead lover Bones met six years ago, they’ve fought against the rogue undead, battled a vengeful Master vampire, and pledged their devotion with a blood bond. Now it’s time for a vacation. But their hopes for a perfect Paris holiday are dashed when Cat awakes one night in terror. She’s having visions of a vampire named Gregor, who’s more powerful than Bones and has ties to her past that even Cat herself didn’t know about.
Gregor believes Cat is his and won’t stop until he has her. As the battle begins between the vamp who haunts her nightmares and the one who holds her heart, only Cat can break Gregor’s hold over her. She’ll need all the power she can summon in order to bring down the baddest bloodsucker she’s ever faced … even if getting that power will result in an early grave.

My Rating: 5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Blackstone Audio
Narrator: Tavia Gilbert (She does a fantastic job, as usual)

Sunday, February 20, 2011

The Reluctant Surrender by Penny Jordan (Harlequin Presents, 2011)

3.5 Stars! This was a typical Harlequin Presents. Alpha H, and a somewhat timid h. It was just what I was in the mood for. This one was the first part in a two part series. Giselle's Choice being the next one.

Copied Blurb:

Saul Parenti always demands the best. That's why he's hired Giselle Freeman to work for him. Nicknamed the Ice Queen, Giselle has a frosty demeanor and a cool beauty. Yet it's obvious to Saul that beneath the Arctic facade lies fiery passion!

Ever since the traumas of her early childhood, Giselle has built walls of steel around her heart. Now she's working with the only man who can challenge those defenses. Their sexual attraction is at boiling point. The only possible outcome—an all-consuming, earth-shattering, life-changing surrender!

My Rating: 3.5

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Taken by Lilith Saintcrow (Harlequin Nocturne, 2011)

4.5 Stars! A thoroughly enjoyable read! This is my first Lilith Saintcrow book, and I will definitely be looking into her back-list.  As I was reading this book, I had many ideas of what I was going to say, but failed to take notes.  Anyways, it was quite an engaging story and I hope Saintcrow visits this world again!

Copied Blurb:

Sophie never believed she was special. Avoiding a violent ex she can't remember the last time she truly felt safe. Then vampires murder her best friend and Sophie is kidnapped by a dangerously sexy shape-shifter. Zach insists that Sophie is a Shaman—someone with a rare gift for taming his savage side—and he needs her to help him save his pack. Now with a malevolent enemy closing in Sophie and Zach must risk everything on a bond that may be their only salvation….

My Rating: 4.5

Angel Thief by Jenny Schwartz (Carina Press, 2010)

4 Stars! Jenny Schwartz delivers an inventive take on the genie in a bottle, with a very angelic twist! I was pleasantly surprised with how many twists and turns there were while still being a novella.  Getting into the story took a few chapters, but once I did I was certainly addicted Angel Thief!

Sara is an angel searching for a cure for a sick little boy. The said cure is apparently hiding in drug lord’s collection of books. Filip is a djinni ordered to protect the library. When Sara runs into Filip, sparks fly, yet Filip is still duty-bound to bring her to his master. Then his master’s daughter is kidnapped, and another wish is used. Will they be able to save the daughter as well as find a cure for the little boy? And where could the attraction between a djinni and an angel go?

Quickly paced, high tension, and unexpected turns all make this novella one heck of a ride! Now I need to go back and read the first novella in the series, The Price of Freedom, to see what happens to another djinni, yay!

Copied Blurb:
She's breaking the rules. Again.
An archivist in the heavenly library, Sara must follow protocol when it comes to curating the knowledge of the universe. But "liberating" an ancient text from the collection of a human-an Australian drug lord-could save a boy's life. Sara has no way of knowing that one of the man's other treasures is a sexy-as-sin djinni, bound by a wish to guard the estate.
 
He's only following orders.
Filip is compelled to turn over intruders, even celestial ones, to his master. When he catches Sara in the library, he isn't above indulging in some sensual kisses with her, or using her to trick the mobster into wasting a wish. It's what he must do to preserve his facade of freedom and protect his heart.
But the kidnapping of the drug lord's daughter forces Sara and Filip to work together-bringing out the hero that lurks within the soul of the djinni, and the passion within the angel.

My Rating: 4

Monday, February 14, 2011

My Soul to Keep by Rachel Vincent (Harlequin TEEN, 2010)

5 Stars!  Love, love, love this series! Rachel Vincent has been very creative in keeping this series going. I really felt sorry for Kaylee throughout this book. Everything seemed to go wrong around her, and she couldn't seem to stop it.  Very highly recommended!

Copied Blurb:
Kaylee has one addiction: her very hot, very popular boyfriend, Nash. A banshee like Kaylee, Nash understands her like no one else. Nothing can come between them.
Until something does.
Demon breath. No, not the toothpaste-challenged kind. The Netherworld kind. The kind that really can kill you. Somehow the super-addictive substance has made its way to the human world. But how? Kaylee and Nash have to cut off the source and protect their friends—one of whom is already hooked.
And so is someone else....

My Rating: 5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd
Narrator: Amanda Ronconi (She takes a little time getting used to, but really does a fabulous job!)

Monday, February 7, 2011

Dex's Claim (Harlequin Spice Briefs 2011)

4 Stars! I loved this very erotic paranormal novella! The title says it all:D I would recommend reading Sin's Pride first, only because they take place in the same world.  However, it totally stands alone as well.

Copied Blurb:

Dex Zoller has wanted lioness Jenni Ulman for years, especially when she teases him with her irresistible body. Yet she's the daughter of one of the pride's ruling elders and he's a nobody. Dex thinks he isn't good enough to take her as his mate.
But Dex doesn't realize that Jenni's body selected him as her mate long ago. His touch made her thrill with passion and need. Being at his mercy is her dream—one that becomes reality once Dex can no longer resist the urge to claim her...

My Rating: 4

Shadow's Caress by Patti O'Shea (Harlequin Nocturne Bite, 2011)

4 Stars! A curious tale of vampire hunting gone awry...in a most interesting way.  Funny in the beginning, suspenseful and fast paced towards the end. 

Copied Blurb:

Former vampire hunter Cass Lanier didn't think vampires could become ghosts...until the shade of Malachi James comes to her, arousing her with his erotic touch. Malachi was the last vampire she killed—an act she always regretted. Now Cass is his only hope of being brought back to life.
Then Cass discovers Malachi isn't the only one following her. Other hunters have learned she can resurrect the vampires she put to death, and they want to kill her first. Will Cass survive long enough to save Malachi and finally experience her phantom lover's caresses as pleasures of the flesh?

My Rating: 4

Aftertime by Sophie Littlefield (Luna Books, 2011)

4 1/2 Stars!! Aftertime is an engrossing and gritty romp through a tainted post-apocalyptic land. I bit my nails, I slammed down caffeine, all in the name of reading just one more chapter.  Aftertime is at times gross and at times lovely.  Engaging and exciting, oh, yeah!

Cass is a woman searching desperately for her young daughter across a dangerous land full of Beaters, zombie-like creatures.  She has woken up, far away from her last memory, missing a few weeks of her life. Her body is scarred, her flesh torn, yet healing.  She meets a man dubbed Smoke who agrees to help her.  Cass has a history that has taught her to trust no one, often not even herself.  Yet, she needs to trust him just a little, as he may just be the one who can help her get to her daughter.

My only complaint for Aftertime is that there are several situations I would have liked to know more about.  When Cass and Smoke encountered different groups of people, the reader just starts to see what the group has been doing, or what they are about to do, and then Cass and Smoke move on.  I really wanted more detail! That said, I do so hope Ms. Littlefield will write more about this land, even if the main characters are different.

A good, scary, well plotted story!  I highly recommend!!

Copied Blurb:

The World's Gone.
Worse, so is her daughter.
Awakening in a bleak landscape as scarred as her body, Cass Dollar vaguely recalls surviving something terrible. Wearing unfamiliar clothes and having no idea how many days—or weeks—have passed, she slowly realizes the horrifying truth: Ruthie has vanished.
And with her, nearly all of civilization. Where once-lush hills carried cars and commerce, the roads today see only cannibalistic Beaters—people turned hungry for human flesh by a government experiment gone wrong.
In a broken, barren California, Cass will undergo a harrowing quest to get her Ruthie back. Few people trust an outsider, let alone a woman who became a zombie and somehow turned back, but she finds help from an enigmatic outlaw, Smoke. Smoke is her savior, and her safety. For the Beaters are out there. And the humans grip at survival with their trigger fingers. Especially when they learn that she and Ruthie have become the most feared, and desired, of weapons in a brave new world....

My Rating: 4.5

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Silver Bound by Ella Drake (Carina Press, 2010 Audio version)

4 1/2 Stars!  Ella Drake is one of my new fav authors.  Her world building is amazing, her character sketches intriguing, and her storytelling is flawless! This is the second book I have read by this author...and I feel lucky to have discovered her!

Silver tipping is one of the main problems the H and h have to overcome throughout the book.  It is a procedure that puts the female into sexual slavery and wipes her of all her memories. I found it a sad and horrific process. It certainly kept this reader glued to the story, hoping all along they would be able to find a solution.

Definitely recommend Silver Bound by Ella Drake who truly has quite the knack for world building!


Copied Blurb:
Sheriff Guy Trident doesn't have much to do with off-worlders; he has his hands full keeping his own planet safe. But he'll do anything, go anywhere to save Jewel Quinn. She broke his heart years ago when she left to marry a Terraloft aristocrat. Now she's run away from her husband, only to fall into the clutches of slavers.
Posing as a wealthy playboy, Guy arrives at Zuthuru Station to learn he's too late: Jewel's memories have been erased. She's been tipped in silver, a process that leaves nothing behind except her body, sexually bound to pleasuring her master. Unwilling to give up hope, Guy buys her.
Jewel fights to reclaim herself, recalling a different connection to the handsome sheriff, remembering the frightened eyes of a young boy and the events that made her run. Together she and Guy search for her cure, plan her son's rescue from her ruthless ex, and test if they have any kind of future...before the past catches up to them.

My Rating: 4.5

Additional Audio Notes:
Publisher: Harlequin Enterprises, Ltd
Narrator: Janet Metzger