Wicked Deeds on a Winter’s Night, by Kresley Cole

Format: Paperback, 359 pages

Published: First published October 30, 2007

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Back cover blurb: Her breathless kiss haunts him… Bowen MacRieve of the Lykae clan was nearly destroyed when he lost the one woman meant for him. The ruthless warrior grew even colder, never taking another to his bed — until a smoldering encounter with his enemy, Mariketa the Awaited, reawakens his darkest desires. When sinister forces unite against her, the Highlander finds himself using all his strength and skill to keep her alive.

His slow, hot touch is irresistible…

Temporarily stripped of her powers, Mari is forced to take refuge with her sworn adversary. It’s rumored that no one can tempt Bowen’s hardened heart, but soon passion burns between them. Though a future together is impossible, she fears he has no intention of letting her go.

No deed is too wicked for her seduction…

If they defeat the evil that surrounds them, can Mari deny Bowen when he demands her body and soul — or will she risk everything for her fierce protector?

My review: Oh, Bowen! What a scrumptious beast you are! You may be my new favourite IAD man… it’s a tough choice between you and Bastian. This story had me frustrated and then hot, and frustrated some more, and then surprised – the whole gamut of emotions, which is great in a book. I couldn’t put it down, and that ending was quite a finale. Mariketa was another kickass heroine I loved, and I also enjoyed the introduction of the new demon characters who I see will get their own stories later in the series.

I’ve said before I love the new covers, but here is my only gripe: the dude on this one doesn’t look anything like a Lykae. In fact, the guy on the previous book did, so maybe they got them mixed up and this is meant to be Bastian? He looks more vamp than were to me. Not a big problem, though. This is still a winner.

My rating: 5/5

Eternal Kiss of Darkness, by Jeaniene Frost

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 361 pages

Published: July 27, 2010

Publisher: Avon Books

Back cover blurb:

An immortal war has been brewing in the darkness . . . And now one woman has stumbled into the shadows. Chicago private investigator Kira Graceling should have just kept on walking. But her sense of duty refused to let her ignore the moans of pain coming from inside a warehouse just before dawn. Suddenly she finds herself in a world she’s only imagined in her worst nightmares.

At the center is Mencheres, a breathtaking Master vampire who thought he’d seen it all. Then Kira appears, this fearless, beautiful . . . human who braved death to rescue him. Though he burns for her, keeping Kira in his world means risking her life. Yet sending her away is unthinkable.

But with danger closing in, Mencheres must choose either the woman he craves, or embracing the darkest magic to defeat an enemy bent on his eternal destruction.

My review:

This was sitting by my bed for about a year and I was reluctant to start it for two reasons: I wasn’t sure I was all that interested in Mencheres, and the cover is so awful I felt embarrassed to pick it up. However, I can now admit my doubts were unwarranted. Mencheres is lovely, and once started, I couldn’t put his story down.

Kira was a great heroine – I don’t usually like the heroines in PNRs – and it was fabulous to see how strong she was all the way through, with no contrived angsty subplots. Finding out about Mencheres makes me want to reread Cat and Bones so I can fill in the blanks about him. This also has the bonus of Vlad, and I’ll be moving on to his story soon. I loved it, but I’m still taking a cupcake off for the cringeworthy cover – ugh.

My rating: 4/5

Sylvain Reynard's Gabriel's Inferno Series Purchased by Berkley (Penguin Group)

Reblogged from Bookish Temptations:

• 

Hello peeps...this has been a couple of exciting days for all of us who love my favorite author, Sylvain Reynard.

Yesterday, it was revealed that Gabriel's Inferno was #35 on the NYT e-book/fiction best sellers list. Today brought even more exciting news!

Below you'll find a reprint of the press release from this morning...all I can keep saying over and over is WoW!

Read more… 777 more words

Fantastic news for SR :)

Virgin Daiquiri, by Moira Rogers

Format: ebook, 37 pages

Published: December 12, 2008

Publisher: Changeling Press

Back cover blurb:

Caitlin Carlson, the only non-witch in the powerful Dumitrescu line, needs to lose her virginity, and fast. A family legend about a pure soul with prophetic visions has put her first in line for a good, old-fashioned sacrifice, and visiting Last Call seems like the perfect way to head off her one-way trip to the altar. Buy a drink, go upstairs, have sex. Simple. Virgin Daiquiri: Looking for a first lover. Being a demon isn’t as easy as it used to be, especially with the dwindling number of corruptible souls in the 21st century. Luckily for Leofric, he’s never been particularly concerned with corrupting enough innocents to earn a promotion off of the mortal plane. But when a virgin wanders into Last Call and stirs up competition among the younger demons, Leo finds himself tempted to rethink his stance on mixing a demon’s business with a woman’s pleasure.

 

My review:

Oh, yes! This is why I started reading this series. I may even like this one more than the first book… it’s just perfect. Hawt, tender, sassy and with sufficient backstory that I feel I know these two, even in the short time we’re given with them. Leo might have to join my (rather long) fictional boyfriend list

My rating: 5/5

The Perfect Play, by Jaci Burton

Format: Trade Paperback, 324 pages

Published: February 1, 2011

Publisher: Berkley Heat

Back cover blurb:

Football pro Mick Riley is an all-star, both on the field and in the bedroom. But a sexy, determinedly single mom just might be the one to throw him off his game…For years Mick has been taking full advantage of the life available to a pro athlete: fame, fortune, and a different girl in every city. But when he meets and beds confident, beautiful event planner Tara Lincoln, he wants much more than the typical one-night stand. Too bad Tara’s not interested in getting to know football’s most notorious playboy any better.As the single mother of a teenage son, the last thing Tara needs is the jet-set lifestyle of Mick Riley; even though their steamy and passionate one-night stand was unforgettable. Tara’s life is complicated enough without being thrust into the spotlight as Mick’s latest girl du jour. Tara played the game of love once and lost big, and she doesn’t intend to put herself out there again, especially with a heartbreaker like Mick.

But when Mick sets his mind to win, nothing will stop him. And he has the perfect play in mind.

My review:

The cover is probably the best thing about this book, and I’ve added half a star on for him alone. The story was ordinary, the heroine incredibly annoying, and it really could have done with a better editing job. Several times the same phrase was used in quick succession, and near the end a character changed her name within the space of a page.

It is very hot, though, and the secondary characters were good. But you can’t base a book on smut alone. I doubt I will be reading the rest of this series anytime soon. Maybe one day, when the price comes down (I paid $18 for this and it really wasn’t worth it).

My rating: 3.5/5

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow #14: Cast Your Current Read!

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that runs over the weekend, hosted by Crystal from one of my favourite blog sites, Reading Between the Wines.

Question of the Week:  If your current read was made into a movie who would you cast as the characters?

I’m a bit late with this one, but I’ve just finished reading Irish Captive Moon, by Sandi Layne (review to come), and I had definite pictures in my head as I read of who I would cast.

Set in the eighth century A.D., the story is about Charis, a pale-haired Irish healer with just a touch of magic about her, who is abducted by Vikings who raid her village.

All the way through I pictured Emilia Clarke from Game of Thrones as Charis, only with her very white Targaryan hair, of course. She’s dirty in this picture, which is exactly how I imagined Charis as she is dragged off on the longboat to Norway and then forced to work as a slave.

Agnarr, the Viking who abducts her – and who I know I liked more than I should have – worshipped Thor and had a hammer charm on a rope around his neck, so I immediately saw him as Chris Hemsworth *sigh*

I’ve seen Thor a dozen times and would watch it every day – alternating with The Avengers when it comes out on Blu-ray – if I could. Maybe it was because I pictured him that I liked Agnarr so much

Finally, there’s Cowan, an Irish prince with a knack for languages who is captured but later freed by the Vikings, and becomes Charis’s friend. I know he’s not Irish, but I pictured Alex Skarsgard in this role, only with a beard. He has the height and bearing of a prince, don’t you think?

What are you reading at the moment, and who would you cast? Leave a comment below or link up HERE to follow the meme.

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18 & Over Book Blogger Follow #12

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that runs over the weekend, hosted by Crystal from one of my favourite blog sites, Reading Between the Wines.

Question of the Week:  If you could go anywhere in the world, where would you go for a ‘readcation’?

My first thought was “bed” (lol!), but I guess my ideal holiday reading place would have to be Paris. I already live on an island in the South Pacific, so reading a book on the banks of the Seine sounds perfect, or like the girl in the picture, within sight of the Eiffel Tower. This sounds especially nice at this time of year, as it’s winter here. And I’ve never been to Europe. It’s on my bucket list #oneday

What about you? Tropical island or somewhere cozy? Leave a comment below or link up HERE to follow the meme.

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Cover reveal: Lover At Last by J.R. Ward

Here it is: the cover we have all been waiting for! J.R. Ward revealed Blay and Qhuinn’s book cover and title on her Facebook page today, and I think we can agree it is a winner I particularly like that arm gripping the dagger

There have been a few comments bemoaning the fact the cover doesn’t have two men on it, but Ward has said this:

“I do think it’s going to be important for people to realize the story’s going to be written as it comes (came) to me, and that they’re not getting special treatment either for or against them because of their sexuality- to me, this story has always been about Qhuinn coming around and accepting who he really is and who he really loves- so the title and the cover was always about him in my mind. This is not to dimish Blay or his journey or his role- not at all. And it is not a case of the book focusing solely on Qhuinn and ignoring Blay’s feelings (because he’s going to have some big issues to deal with, too.) I just think Qhuinn’s the one who’s fought against their HEA and is the one who has to travel the most to get there. If that makes any sense?”

Well, in any case, I’m eagerly anticipating the release of this, the 11th book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, in about nine months’ time!

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Sacrificial Magic, by Stacia Kane

Format: Kindle Edition, 370 pages

Published: March 27, 2012

Publisher: Del Rey

Back cover blurb:

When Chess Putnam is ordered by an infamous crime boss—who also happens to be her drug dealer—to use her powers as a witch to solve a grisly murder involving dark magic, she knows she must rise to the challenge. Adding to the intensity: Chess’s boyfriend, Terrible, doesn’t trust her, and Lex, the son of a rival crime lord, is trying to reignite the sparks between him and Chess.Plus there’s the little matter of Chess’s real job as a ghost hunter for the Church of Real Truth, investigating reports of a haunting at a school in the heart of Downside. Someone seems to be taking a crash course in summoning the dead—and if Chess doesn’t watch her back, she may soon be joining their ranks.

As Chess is drawn into a shadowy world of twisted secrets and dark violence, it soon becomes clear that she’s not going to emerge from its depths without making the ultimate sacrifice.

My review:

Another great installment with lots happening, but this time I could easily see whodunit from early on, which was a little disappointing. Still, there were plenty of other twists and lots of creepy ghosts and interesting new characters with ulterior motives.

Chess’s drug problems seemed to be worse, despite her supposedly happy relationship with Terrible, and then the serious heartfail in the middle almost had me not wanting to read on. However, I needed to make sure Terrible was all right so I persisted. He says just the right things sometimes, and the ending was just lovely. It will be interesting to see how the Chess/Terrible/Lex triangle evolves in the next book, given Lex’s new role. Luckily, we don’t have to wait very long for book five, out next month.

My rating: 5/5

The Governess Affair, by Courtney Milan

Format: Kindle Edition

Published: April 22, 2012

Publisher: Courtney Milan

Back cover blurb:

She will not give up…

Three months ago, governess Serena Barton was let go from her position. Unable to find new work, she’s demanding compensation from the man who got her sacked: a petty, selfish, swinish duke. But it’s not the duke she fears. It’s his merciless man of business—the man known as the Wolf of Clermont. The formidable former pugilist has a black reputation for handling all the duke’s dirty business, and when the duke turns her case over to him, she doesn’t stand a chance. But she can’t stop trying—not with her entire future at stake.

He cannot give in…

Hugo Marshall is a man of ruthless ambition—a characteristic that has served him well, elevating the coal miner’s son to the right hand man of a duke. When his employer orders him to get rid of the pestering governess by fair means or foul, it’s just another day at the office. Unfortunately, fair means don’t work on Serena, and as he comes to know her, he discovers that he can’t bear to use foul ones. But everything he has worked for depends upon seeing her gone. He’ll have to choose between the life that he needs, and the woman he is coming to love…

My review:

Courtney Milan is fast becoming a favourite with me. First of all, her covers are gorgeous, but more than that, she can write in such a way to make you fall for even the most vilest of scoundrels.

Hugo Marshall is a coalminer’s son who is the Duke of Claremont’s “fixer” – he makes things go away – but when he is confronted by Serena Barton, a governess who was raped and left pregnant by the duke, he finds she is not so easy to pay off and dismiss.

I loved Serena and her stubborn persistence, and the way in which Hugo eventually gets her to reveal her story to him. She gets under his skin to the point where he cannot just leave her and her child to rot. Oh, the meeting in his office, and the game with the pins… *sigh*… and the letters! Milan really had me with the letters.

I couldn’t put this down, and cursed when I had finished and realised the next book isn’t out yet. The series seems to pick up next with the duke’s (legitimate) son, Robert, but I seriously hope we go back to find out what happens to Serena’s sister, Freddy. If anyone needs to get laid it’s her.

My rating: 5/5