Category / Fantasy

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Altered Destiny by Shawna Thomas

Format: E-bookaltereddestiny
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Carina Press
Series: Standalone
Sensuality: 3
Hero: Jaden
Heroine: Selia
Date of Publication: September 19, 2011
Started On: September 16, 2011
Finished On: September 18, 2011

Altered Destiny by Shawna Thomas is a novel that is going to be well received by fans of urban-fantasy romances with a bit of adventure tossed right into the mix. Though fantasy romances aren’t that high on my favorites list in the world of romance, even with the first couple of chapters Shawna Thomas managed to reel me in and hold my attention until it was difficult for me to imagine anything else but the wondrous world which she has spun so well in this novel.

There are the good old-fashioned humans and a race known as the Svistra whose savagery and notorious thirst for blood and pillaging keeps the humans awake at night. 20 year old Selia lives on the Outskirts and is the owner of the tavern that her mother left behind upon her death 5 years back. Though well versed in the art of defending herself, when it comes to love and desire, Selia is an innocent all the way. 

When Selia rescues a man being beaten to death only to find out that he is a Svistra, the uncomplicated life that she has known till then changes completely, plunging her into a world filled with uncertainty, treachery, man’s thirst for vengeance and war and last but not the least the possibility of finding ever lasting love in the last place she expects to find it.

When Jaden’s golden gaze lands on his savior little does he know that the fearless woman who stands before him would come to mean everything to him. Having turned his back on his own race because his ideas didn’t mesh with that of his father who is the leader of the Svistra, Jaden makes his way through the many different terrains that makes up their world until his journey brings him to the Outskirts and Selia with her gentle giant of a companion Oren. 

Never having being one to turn away a man or animal in need, the forced intimacy that caring for an injured brings to light the fact that humans may not have the complete picture when it comes o the Svistra. Jaden proves to be the opposite of what Selia has believed to be of the Svistra until now and when time and time again Jaden proves his loyalty, honesty and integrity in boundless different ways, Selia is no match to her heart’s yearning for a man whose mere presence alone is enough to send her whole world into a tailspin.

Jaden might want to do the honorable thing and stay away when it comes to Selia but his heart’s yearning for a woman who seals her fate unknowingly by joining him in the most scared manner possible is one that refuses to be denied. But Jaden knows that without going back and facing those whom he has left behind and winning over the treacherous ruler who leads the whole Svistra clans towards endless war, there would never be a peaceful future for either the humans or the Svistra.

Opening up a world that has so many intriguing aspects to it that I couldn’t help but want even a crudely drawn map of where everything was situated, Altered Destiny tells the tale of brave men and a woman willing to fight for what they believe in. Jaden’s character is an alluring one, one who made my heart yearn for him and of course love him because he has that inner strength that lets him be true to himself and what he believes in. Jaden’s honesty and integrity is what drew me most towards his character, and the way he is possessive of Selia even when he believes he has nothing of substance to offer her made my heart go pitter patter.

Selia is a wonderful heroine whom I loved from the instance she couldn’t turn her back on a wounded man. Even knowing that caring for a Svistra would end up in herself paying for it in blood doesn’t stop her from doing what’s right. The slow awakening of Selia’s senses when it comes to Jaden is something to be savored. And a heroine who doesn’t believe in being coy and has no qualms about being herself is one that always earns my wholehearted approval. Worthy of a mention is her relationship with Oren, a man gentle as he is huge, a character who will remain with me for a long time even after I am done with the book. His simplistic view on life, right and wrong proved to be quite refreshing in a novel that practically seeps with half truths and the treachery that goes right along with the hunger for ultimate power.

Though there were certain aspects of the novel such as the occasional swear words which just felt out of place with the whole tone set for the rest of the story and the fact that the final showdown between Jaden and his brother never fully materialized in the novel, I still enjoyed this immensely and would definitely recommend this to fans of the genre.

One character from the story that I would love a future book to be based on, if Ms. Thomas ever thinks of writing a sequel is Nathan. If Jaden had not been in the picture, I would have completely given myself over to him. And even with Jaden in the picture, his character nevertheless proved to be a compelling one, which is telling in itself how remarkable a talent Ms. Thomas has when it comes to creating her characters.

by mvbookreviewer

ARC Review: Rush of Pleasure by Rhyannon Byrd

Format: E-bookrushofpleasure
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Primal Instincts, Book 8
Publisher: Harlequin Books
Hero: Noah David Winston
Heroine: Willow Broussard
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: July 26, 2011
Started On: July 27, 2011
Finished On: July 29, 2011

The eighth and final book in the Primal Instincts series was a definite hit with me. Combining the fantastic paranormal world that is so easy to get to know with mind numbing and page scorching passion to light up the entire country for eons to come, Noah and Willow definitely earned their rightful place as one of my favorite couples from the series.

Noah David Winston is part Casus, thanks to his mother’s line of family. Noah remains vulnerable to the fact that a stray Casus shade who has made its way into this world can make use of his body to roam the Earth. With the added threat of the Casus leader actively seeking Noah as the most probable candidate for his inhabitation and because Noah had nearly managed to kill off Anthony Calder during the last bloody battle that was waged between the Watchmen and the Casus, Noah knows that the fate of all species of the world rests in the decoding the spell that is bound to kill anything with pure unadulterated evil lurking within its very soul.

Decoding the spell means revisiting his hometown Sacred in Louisiana, where he hasn’t set foot since that fateful night twelve years back. His desire for Willow Broussard even at the tender age of nineteen had surpassed anything Noah has ever felt since then. When Noah seeks out Jessie, Willow’s aunt whose powerful spells is the stuff legends are made of, Noah doesn’t expect a run in with the woman who makes all his senses go on red alert just with her mere presence.

Willow would rather gnaw off her arm than admit that seeing the gorgeous Noah Winston in her own backyard once again sets all her senses afire with the need to possess and be possessed by the man who haunts her dreams even twelve years on. Now a private investigator for the ancient clans who still walk the Earth, Willow is strong, sexy and capable in her own right, a fact that drives Noah completely out of his mind when the desire he feels for Willow threatens to obliterate the very seriousness of the mission he has embarked upon.

Forced to work together by circumstance, the barriers that each had built in the other’s absence starts to crumble with each searing glance and mind numbing kiss exchanged. As the truth about what is actually required to perform the spell comes to light, Noah knows that he is about to embark upon a battle that could mean the end of life as he knows it, a life he would gladly give up if it means keeping Willow safe. As the dead body count continues to grow, Willow joins hands with the man to whom her heart will belong to now and forever, to fight the battle that might cost her the love of her life even before she can confess the little fact to him.

Rush of Pleasure is a fitting end to a series that has saw me through highly enjoyable paranormal reads with the tinge of red hot passion to make things that much more interesting. Noah Weston is a dangerous man to let into your heart because he demands no less than complete and utter surrender of every emotion that you’ve got to give. His strength and vulnerability coupled with his blatant need for the woman he loves is a lethal combination that had me hyperventilating one minute and swooning into a puddle of goo the next.

Willow is the perfect heroine for Noah with her strong persona that makes her the ultimate candidate to love and cherish Noah and even stand firm in what she believes in when its for the good of their relationship. Noah might not overly much like the fact that his Willow is kick-ass heroine material that puts her on the path of danger every now and then, but that’s what at the end of the day makes these two such a well matched couple in bed and out of it.

The scenes of combustive passion definitely delivered on the sexual tension that practically leaps out of the pages and I loved every single second of it! Explosive in all the ways that counts, Rush of Pleasure is a novel not to be missed for fans of the series as well as fans of paranormal romances.

The one thing that I can say is, you don’t need to have read the previous books to enjoy this one as Rhyannon makes it so darn easy for you to find your rhythm in her world of ancient clans. But, I would still urge you to read the other books; just to enjoy the wild and wicked ride that only Rhyannon can take you on in her Primal Instinct series.

I feet a bit sad knowing that this is the end of a series that I have enjoyed immensely throughout the last 2 years or so. But knowing that the sexy and deadly Ashe Granger from the series gets his story in a standalone novel this coming April has got me pacified somewhat, and I await eagerly for its release. And I would so love to read Damon MacCaven the demon’s story! Just saying.

Favorite Quotes

She didn’t fight him, but her mouth had been shocked into stillness beneath his—passive, simply taking, accepting—and he wanted her hunger. Wanted the bite of her nails and her mind-blowing passion.
He wanted her wild for him.
“Goddamn it, kiss me back,” he snarled, holding the side of her face in his hand. She moaned, tilting her head, fitting her mouth more closely to his. “Please,” he gasped against her silky lips, his voice cracking as he begged her…pleading.
“Kiss me back, Will.”
And then he felt the soft, sweet stroke of her tongue, and his body shuddered violently in response to that delicate, seeking touch. Within seconds, the kiss became something explicitly carnal, devastating in its power.

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Caressed By Ice by Nalini Singh

Format: E-bookcaressedbyice
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 3
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Hero: Judd Lauren
Heroine: Brenna Shane Kincaid
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: September 4, 2007
Started On: June 30, 2011
Finished On: July 1, 2011

The 3rd book in the Psy/Changeling series seems to be a favorite amongst its fans and I too have succumbed and joined the legion of fans who loved the story of the very lethal Psy Judd Lauren and the strong Brenna Kincaid whose dark past would have completely broken down a lesser woman.

Judd is a fascinating Psy not only because this is the first time that a male Psy is in the position of a hero but because Judd is a defector from the Psy world where he was trained to be a lethal killing machine, a member of the elite team of soldiers known as the Arrow Squad. Highly skilled in the art of mental martial combat, Judd is a Psy who is more in control of his emotions than most Psy, someone who has been conditioned from the tender age of ten to never ever give in to any sort of emotion which would make him and the others around him vulnerable to his abilities.

Brenna Kincaid is the wolf from the SnowDancer pack who manages to escape the brutal kidmapping and invasive rape of her mind by the psychotic Santano Enrique in the first book of the series. Since then, Brenna struggles every day to fight her fears and come out a winner although it feels like an uphill climb every single moment that terror paralyzes her. Surprisingly, it is towards Judd that she turns to knowing that he would give her exactly what she wants and needs instead of the constant pity and understanding to which she is subjected to by her own kind.

It is the vicious murder of a male wolf in the pack that bears eerie similarity to how Enrique used to cut up his victims that kick-starts a series of events that propels the growth of the relationship between Judd and Brenna. Judd who resists the feelings and emotions that are as foreign to him as the lack of any sort of emotion or touch is foreign to Brenna, whose changeling nature needs and craves emotional and physical contact to survive.

Though Judd faces animosity from Brenna’s brothers who go beyond the bounds of normal protectiveness given Brenna’s close encounter with death at the hands of a Psy, Brenna is a wolf who knows what she wants and is prepared to go through any lengths to make a union between her and Judd possible by any means.

Judd is certainly a dreamy hero; ruthless, dangerous and a hot inferno of feelings waiting to burst forth when it comes to Brenna. His mate for life though mating is a foreign concept to Psy is strong enough to take him as he is and wouldn’t have it any other way. There is no way on Earth you can read Judd and Brenna’s book and not crave some of that icy-hot passion for yourself that Judd is certainly more than capable of giving.

Together with their romance continues the story of the play for dominance by the Psy race who think themselves to be superior than any other beings to inhabit the Earth. As they move onto the next phase of Silence, a plan so nefarious that within the Psy population itself starts a movement of rebellion helped along by their allies on the outside that makes for a great continuing story.

Recommended for fans of the series.

P.S. I am having such a hard time sticking with reading the series in order. Hawke is tempting me to jump into his book which is the 10th book in the series and the temptation certainly seems to be doing its number on me. Sigh!!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Visions of Heat by Nalini Singh

Format: E-bookvisionsofheat
Read with: iBooks for iPad
Length: Novel
Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance
Series: Psy-Changeling, Book 2
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Hero: Vaughn D’Angelo
Heroine: Faith NightStar
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: March 6, 2007
Started On: June 25, 2011
Finished On: June 26, 2011

Now that I have started on my mission to get that much closer to reading Kiss of Snow, the story of the delectable alpha of the SnowDancer’s pack, I am slowly making my way towards reaching my ultimate goal which hopefully I should by sometime next month. The second book in the Psy-Changeling series tells the story of Vaughn D’Angelo, jaguar shifter and sentinel of the DarkRiver pack, a changeling whose animal lurks closer to the surface than most because of what he had to endure at a young age.

Vaughn is a changeling whose far the happier with his single and alone status. For someone who cannot understand the whole lure of the mate for life concept and especially one with a Psy who are famous for their lack of emotions, Vaughn is the one who is most surprised when his jaguar takes an exception towards the sleek and beautiful red-haired Psy that breaks out of her own compound to seek out Sascha, his alpha’s mate.

24 year old Faith NightStar of the PsyClan NightStar is considered the most powerful F-Psy of her generation. F-Psy have the ability to foresee the future and thus this makes Faith who always makes accurate predictions invaluable in the field of commerce for which F-Psy are used for. The one thing that F-Psy are also famous for is their vulnerability to death by clinical insanity which is something Faith has been conditioned to fear all throughout her life.

When dark dreams and visions continue to haunt her and those culminate in the murder of her sister Marine, Faith knows its time to seek out answers for all the questions that seems to plague her of late. Knowing that none of her own kind would be forthcoming with the answers that she requires, Faith seeks the one Psy she knows wont have anything to gain or lose by telling her the truth.

When she encounters the beautiful and lethal looking Vaughn, Faith never factored into the circumstances that Vaughn would be able to reach out to her on a level that is deemed impossible on any Psy. Though Faith has a hard time accepting the sensory overload that even Vaughn’s subtle touches seem to invoke, she can’t help but want more of the same though Faith is torn between the two worlds that beckon her from both ends.

Vaughn knows that he is a goner when he realizes that he is mated for life with someone who can choose to walk away from him, and that breaks his jaguar apart unlike anything else. When Faith finally makes her decision to leave the Psy world behind, it brings the ferocious jaguar to his knees, whose need for sensory stimuli from his mate has him all tied up in knots.

Once again Nalini Singh delivers on all accounts with the second installment in the series and though neither Vaughn nor Faith appealed to me on the same level as Lucas and Sascha did, nevertheless their journey towards happily ever after proved to be an engrossing read. As the stories continue to unfold, I am sure so will the atrocities the Psy Council members are involved in would come forth until the whole Psy world will unravel within itself to bring about a much needed revolution to its race.

Loved the glimpses of Sascha and Luke in this one as well together with Hawke’s minor entry into the story which didn’t go unnoticed. I am pretty excited to read the next installment in the series, this time around featuring a male Psy and a female wolf. Can’t wait to see how things will turn around with the role reversal in play.

Recommended for fans of Nalini Singh and fans of the Psy-Changeling series.

Favorite Quotes

His hair was a thick amber-gold, long enough to brush his shoulders, and his eyes … they were an odd almost-gold, the eyes of a cat made human. There was nothing soft about him, nothing tame. Yet she, a woman who’d never before understood the concept, found him beautiful. It was an inexplicable reaction, one her brain couldn’t accept, going as it did against every rule of Silence.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Book Depository

greatread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Requested Review: Lost Wages of Sin by Rosalie Stanton

Format: E-booklostwagesofsin
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Sinners and Saints, Book 1
Publisher: Liquid Silver Books
Hero: Dante
Heroine: Avaritia
Sensuality: 3.5
Date of Publication: April 11, 2011
Started On: April 25, 2011
Finished On: April 26, 2011

Lost Wages of Sin is book 1 in an exciting new series entitled Sinners and Saints that hit the stores this April. Rosalie Stanton is an author who knows exactly what she wants to convey to her readers and does it with style, humor and red hot passion that leaves the reader wanting more of where her stories come from. Having loved two contemporary romances by the author before, I knew that Rosalie Stanton wouldn’t disappoint me even if this is the very first paranormal/fantasy romance by hers that I have tried out.

Lost Wages of Sin is centered around Avaritia (Ava) who signifies “greed” in the seven Sins that Lucifer himself controls in order to tempt mankind into succumbing to the throes of Hell fire. Six thousand years old, Ava herself has never succumbed to what she is, though she has remained a faithful servant of Lucifer until she meets an angel who turns her life upside down and makes her yearn for something that has always been out of reach until now.

Before Ava knows it, she has been betrayed in the worst way possible and is on the run for her life from everything that is familiar and she holds dear. When she encounters Dante, sin incarnate and her friend for the past seven hundred years, Ava knows that she is not strong enough to say no to the heated looks that Dante keeps sending her way, making her want to give all of herself to a vampire who signifies everything that a woman ought to need in this life.

Dante who has been in love with Ava ever since she stumbled across him in his hour of need knows that he is willing to take whatever it is that Ava would give to him. When an unexpected kiss between the two opens up the flood gates of desire that both Ava and Dante have been keeping in check for centuries, Dante knows that there would be no turning back, not for him anyway. With a unique take on Christianity that lends the story an extra interesting facet, Lost Wages of Sin is a book not to be missed for fans of fantasy/paranormal romances.

What grabbed me most about this novel is of course Dante whose utter devotion and love for Ava shines through each and every single one of his actions. Though when compared to Ava in strength and physical abilities Dante falls short, nevertheless he never hesitates to put himself on the line for the love of his life and each and every single time he confesses his love for Ava to hear nothing of that nature in return just made me bleed for him a little. Let me not forget the banter between Dante and Ava that serves to be as much of a turn on as the actual scenes of intense hotness that Rosalie has down to a pat, the scene in the alley being my favorite!

As one reviewer has already pointed out, its hard to identify who the bad guys are, and I found myself just as fascinated with Lucifer’s character as I was with Dante’s towards the end. The hardest part is going to be waiting for each of the books in this series to come out, and maybe finally, reach a happily ever after for Lucifer himself? Well, a gal can always hope!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Liquid Silver

greatread

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Before the Storm by Marian Perera

Format: E-bookbeforethestorm
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Plus Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Eden Trilogy, Book 1
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Lord Robert Demeresna
Heroine: Alexis Khayne
Sensuality: 2.9
Date of Publication: April 6, 2010
Started On: December 6, 2010
Finished On: December 8, 2010

I have never been one to indulge much in the world of fantasy romances, though I know that the world of romances and the happily-ever-after it offers is nothing much more than a fantasy in itself. However, I am talking about an altogether a much different kind of fantasy in this instance, stories where authors spin elaborate and fantastic worlds of their own making, within which mythical creatures of all types reside in, and the sky is literally the limit in what can take place in such a world. Though many read and rave about books such as the Lord of the Rings series or the Harry Potter, I have never had the urge to go buy myself a copy and indulge. And when Ms. Marian Perera approached me and asked whether I would review her book entitled Before the Storm, needless to say, I was a bit apprehensive at first, not knowing what I was going to find once I entered into the realms of the fantastic world that she has created in this trilogy.

The heroine, Alexis Khayne is someone who is treated practically as dirt by her master Stephen Garnath, the ruler of the indestructible coronet city of  Radiath, a man who is hellbent on acquiring power by any means possible. Alexis is known as the Black Mare, mare the term being used for whores, and Alexis is the tool used by Stephen to make use of and allow his friends and foes to make use of whenever he pleases. Alexis has learnt long back to hide what she feels behind a calm facade of nothingness beyond which lives a soul yearning to be free of the shackles with which she has been bound to Stephen since she had agreed to be his paramour. A woman with nothing left to lose, the ability to even bear a child taken away from her, Alexis’s salvation comes in the form of the Bloody Baron, Lord Robert Demeresna.

The baron of Dawnever Robert is the fair and just ruler of his people of the Dawnever Province which lies on the land’s edge. It was said that Robert’s fields were filled with scarecrows made from crucified men and that he had once impaled an opponent, driving an iron spike through the man’s pelvis which had in turn earned him the name Bloody Baron, a name which Robert uses to his advantage. Robert knows of and is wary of the war that he knows is definitely coming his way, in Stephen’s plans to conquer the Dragan cities and become the ruler revered and feared alike by everyone. To this end, Stephen employs a man named Ohallox, an Iternan magician who uses his abilities to help Stephen along in his nefarious mission.

When Stephen presents Alexis to Robert, both Alexis and Robert are equally surprised, apprehensive and wary of the gesture. Never having been presented to a man before in such a way, Alexis is at first scared out of her wits to be presented to someone known as the Bloody Baron to take her away and do with her as however he pleases. Robert and his trusted companion Mayerd, another Iternan sorcerer who had lost all his abilities, thanks to the heartbreaking betrayal he had suffered at his wife’s hands, make short work of allaying their suspicions regarding Robert’s unexpected gift for the time being as they both know that somewhere along the way Alexis would be used to gain the upper hand in a war that was fast approaching.

The last thing Alexis expects is to be left alone with no advances forthcoming of any nature from Robert. Accompanying him and his soldiers in the lengthy journey from Radiath to his home, Alexis plots and plans her escape which becomes thwarted at the last minute. And it is during the days that follow that Alexis learns of Robert’s true nature, and for the first time in her life, Alexis yearns more than anything to be possessed by a man, a man who shows not the slightest interest in her. However, desire and yearning takes a backstage when Stephen strikes like a viper, using the most unlikely of weapons, nearly destroying Robert and his allies with his vicious attack.

The battle that is waged is a fierce one, with Robert’s army sadly outnumbered by Stephen’s greater and much powerful armed forces. However, the one thing that Robert has on his side is the use of weapons from the Quorum, the mighty high lords who use religion as their tool (as most religious scholars do in the real world), their steam bellowing weapons and explosives making the story come alive in a whole different way.

And in the midst of all this, unwanted though at first, an attraction blooms which later grows into something much more as magic, ingenious weaponry, treachery and good old heroism comes into play to win a war against all odds.

Likes:

  1. Though it was at first hard to get a grasp on what was happening and who was who, as soon as I knew what was happening I loved the fantastic world that was created in this novel. Ms. Perera might just have turned me into a fan of fantasy romances with this one and I do thank her for the opportunity to read a fantastic novel which otherwise I may never have tried out. The descriptions of the world they inhabit are done so well that at times I felt as if I were watching a fabulous movie starring an ethereal world that at times I couldn’t for the world of me pull my eyes away from the screen. Kudos to Ms. Perera for a job well done. I am just amazed to say the least of the ingenuity of a mind capable of creating a world such as this one.
  2. Robert. Mind you, he is the 1st beta hero that I have loved. His possessiveness when it comes to Alexis comes to light in subtlety which made it much more sexier in fact! And it was refreshing to read about a hero who is not afraid to admit that he does not have a vast amount of experience when it comes to wooing and satisfying women in bed. So with the tables turned, with Alexis being the experienced one makes for a good change from the norm.
  3. Alexis Khayne. From her unusual name to her strong nature which refuses to break even under the most extenuating circumstances, Alexis is an admirable heroine if there ever was one. She doesn’t spend time on the what-ifs of life, but rather accepts what she is dished out, and love when it does come calling, Alexis doesn’t spend time contemplating on hows and whys, but rather accepts it even though Robert at first apologizes for the fact that he can’t help himself in wanting her. Beautiful, capable, strong and with a mind of her own, Alexis is a heroine I loved right from the very beginning.

Dislikes:

For me, this story was a bit lacking in the romance department. Not that I want explicit sexual content in every other page of the story, but the one thing that makes any sort of romance an excellent one is the sense of awareness and the sexual attraction that simmers, flows and ebbs between the two characters as the story unfolds. Just a tad more in the romance department, and this would have been a 5 star read.

Recommended for: Fans of fantasy romances. The setting here is fantastic, the characters multifaceted and the adventure non-stop!

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo | Samhain

greatread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Marked by Moonlight by Sharie Kohler

Format: E-bookmarkedbymoonlight
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: The Moon Chasers, Book 1
Publisher: Pocket
Hero: Gideon March
Heroine: Claire Elizabeth Morgan
Sensuality: 4
Date of Publication: December 26, 2007
Started On: October 17, 2010
Finished On: October 17, 2010

When I finished Worth Any Price by Lisa Kleypas, I started out by choosing A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole from my humongous to-be-read pile. Even way before I started on the book I was thinking that I had previously read the book, mistakenly mixing up this title with the one I had chosen to read.

Marked by Moonlight by Sharie Kohler was a book I stumbled across during the time when I first discovered the exciting world of e-books. Back then I used to read about one book per day, maybe even more than that and tended to forget the book soon afterwards though some stories linger in my mind as worthy of a revisit sometime later. Not being much of a fan of paranormal romance, even then I remember that I had immensely connected with this story. When I realized that A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole wasn’t exactly what I had been looking for, I quickly posted what I remembered from the book on a couple of forums to find out whether anyone else remembered reading a book such as the one whose synopsis I vaguely recalled. I hit jackpot this morning when one of the readers of a forum remembered this book and I quickly loaded the book onto my Kindle and never looked back for the past couple of hours.

Marked by Moonlight is the first book in The Moon Chasers series by the author, the 3rd book of which is currently in my TBR pile. This book is the story of lycan hunter Gideon March who joins NODEAL, National Organization for Defense Against Evolving and Ancient Lycanthropes whose code was to destroy them at any cost. Gideon had been only 16 years old he had witnessed the brutal slaying of his father at his beloved mother’s hands who had been bitten by a lycan. She  had nearly destroyed Gideon and his younger sister Kit until they had been saved right in the nick of time by now Gideon’s boss and mentor and board director of the Houston Area division of NODEAL Cooper McPherson. Gideon had made it his life to seek out and destroy as many lycans as possible, the streak of vengeance burning deep within him refusing to die out anytime soon – that is until Gideon comes across prim and timid as they come schoolteacher Claire Elizabeth Morgan who literally turns his life upside down in more ways than one.

Growing up with a brute of a father who had controlled both Claire and her sweet mother with the threat of retribution by his fists hanging over their heads, it is no wonder that Claire carried the aftereffects of being submissive to ward off the violence in her life when she had been growing up. Now 31 years old, Claire is a high school teacher who has a soft spot for troubled kids, always going that extra mile to help them make a better future for themselves.

It is when Lenny Alvarez who has been under Claire’s special guidance throughout the year when she had finally broken through the layer of deep resentment that surrounded troubled kids such as him, goes AWOL that Claire dares to venture into Lenny’s neighborhood to ensure that Lenny would show up for his SAT’s on Monday. Claire doesn’t know what hits her when she follows Lenny into a dark alley and ends up being knocked down by a huge dog (which is what Claire wants to believe at first) and bitten in the process.

When she finds her savior Gideon March who is sexy as sin in her bedroom claiming that she had been bitten by a lycan and would herself go into a feeding frenzy the next full moon, Claire refuses to believe what she considers is a mad man’s mantra though Claire finds herself unbelievably drawn to the delicious temptation that Gideon’s body invites.

Gideon doesn’t know why he doesn’t pull the trigger and finish what was inevitable in coming, but somehow Claire with her new found confidence and feisty nature seems to answer a need deep within himself that he is unable to ignore. But helping someone who wants to keep her head buried in the sand proves to be a test on the reserves of patience that Gideon has in store. For the first time since Gideon started hunting Lycans, he goes against every code that has been ingrained into him and even lies to Cooper to buy himself time in order to find the alpha of the pack that had turned Claire and kill him/her before Claire has fed in order to revert the cycle.

When Claire finally does acknowledge the changes that are taking place in her body, precious time has passed and though she refuses to give up hope time seems to be a commodity that seems to be running out on them as Claire and Gideon battle the fierce attraction that blazes out of control between them which refuses to be denied as they go on the hunt. Help comes from unexpected sources and before the end is through, Claire would have to battle with the warring nature deep inside of her to come out victorious in the end.

I basically loved everything about this novel from its pretty cover to its great characters which made this a pretty great read, more so the second time round. I loved Gideon who basically oozed sex appeal at every turn and made my toes curl with his protective streak when it comes to Claire. I also loved Claire, the way she transforms from a mousy nobody into a sexy siren overnight, the lycan bite of course lending her the courage she needed in spades to embrace the person she really is. Loved the story that unfolded though some reviewers scoff at the idea of being able to reverse the effect of a Lycan bite and turn back into a human. I say its Ms. Kohler’s world of werewolves and shifters and she can do anything she damn well pleases with her other worldly creatures.

Recommended for those who love a romance with a sexy as sin hero who literally singes your eyebrows off with his smoldering sensuality and a plucky heroine who completes Mr. Sexy in every way.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | BooksOnBoard | Kobo

outstandingread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Crazed Hearts by Shiloh Walker

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Series: Grimm’s Circle, Book 3
Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Hero: Thomas Renfield
Heroine: Aileas Corbett
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication:  July 13, 2010
Started On: July 13, 2010
Finished On: July 13, 2010

This is the first book that I tried out from the Grimm’s Circle series and at the beginning I was a bit confused as to what or who Ren really was. Then I decided to do some digging and went poking around Shiloh’s website to find blurbs on the two previous books published in the series; Candy Houses and No Prince Charming.  Once I had gone ahead and done that I had the basic idea of what these stories were really about and from then onwards I sank into the world of Ren and let him take me away on his journey towards true love.

Grimms are special kinds of guardian angels placed by God to protect mortals and kick the asses of  demons and the likes of them. Ren is a Grimm and an empath as well; someone who could sense and feel emotions of beings that surround him. Ren has resigned himself to living a lonely life with the animals that surround his home as his only friends at times. But all of this changes in a heartbeat when he encounters the woman who drives right into the heart of his woods.

Aileas is a woman on the run, not knowing exactly what she is running from. Its just the growing feeling of trepidation that she has had ever since her brother died and that dreaded book which has been giving her nightmares fell into her hands. The book which she feels as if it were talking to her, driving her onto do things that she really does not want to do. And to top that off, Aileas feels that someone or something was hunting her down and the feeling that they were closing in on her had propelled her to run for her life.

As soon as Ren lays his eyes on Aileas, the smoldering heat that flashes between the two is hard to ignore. And Ren identifies that the demons who are relentlessly on her pursuit wouldn’t give her or the book up easily and the one thing that his heart urges him to do is to protect the woman who stands in front of him, looking so lost but determined to flee whatever that was after her even though she couldn’t believe herself at times.

With classic Shiloh Walker style, Ren and Aileas wove their magic on me and made me fall a little bit in love with Ren by the time I was through.

Recommended for those who love a good paranormal/fantasy romance with a dose of sensuality with a bit of kick-ass action now and then.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble | Kobo | Samhain

favorableread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Hold by Zannie Adams

Format: E-book
Read with: Amazon Kindle
Length: Novel
Genre: Futuristic Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Ellora’s Cave
Sensuality: 3.5
Hero: Cain
Heroine:  Riana
Date of Publication:  November 2, 2007
Started On: January 18, 2010
Finished On: January 18, 2010

I usually don’t read romance of the futuristic genre or those of the fantasy genre. However this read was quite okay considering the fact I rarely foray into reading such genres.

The time period in which this story takes place is unknown. However it is a time in which all inhabited planets are ruled by a group called the Coalition, which I took to mean that maybe a group representing all planets had got together to maintain law and order amongst the galaxies.

The Hold is a prison that is maintained by this Coalition. Although the sentences passed out by the said Coalition is swift, it is hardly fair or rather harsh life imprisonment sentences are passed out, even to those who are undeserving of such a sentence at a time where capital punishment is forbidden. The Hold lies on a planet that is not habitable by humans and thus this prison is built deep within the poisonous waters of the seas that cover the planet Genus 6. Inside the Hold it is each prisoner for him or herself. Rather than cells that hold prisoners, all of them are clumped together in one area and the guards that overlook the prisoners never interfere with what goes on inside the holding mega cell.

Riana, an archaeologist who works at a university on Earth, commits unknowingly the crime of digging in the wrong place at the wrong time. She is sentenced to life imprisonment at the Hold, and it is the advice of one of the guards there that she scout out the strongest man at the prison and seek protection with him from the rest by giving herself unto him.

It is during Riana’s introductory ‘tour’ of the Hold that she sees Cain, a prisoner who keeps to himself and is the only one who has a cell in the mega cell that holds all the prisoners. Cain rescues Riana just in time from the other lecherous prisoners and in due turn, Riana gives herself completely to this fierce and rather intimidating prisoner who slowly manages to get into Riana’s heart.

Although I do not agree with all the concepts outlined in this novel, I can relate to giving yourself up if your survival depended on it. Like all novels written by Zannie Adams, this too is a well written novel, easy to read with a high dose of sensuality to it.

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes&Noble

goodread

 

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Remembrance by Jude Deveraux

Format: Paperbackremembrance
Read With: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Atria Books
Series: Standalone
Hero: Tavey/Talis/Tariz
Heroine: Catherine/Callie/Hayden Lane
Date of Publication: October 1, 1997
Started On: October 7, 2009
Finished On: October 10, 2009

I am not much of a fan of Jude Deveraux, but the novels that I have attempted to read of hers has been interesting. A Knight in Shining Armour is one of my all time favorite romances. Apart from that I attempted to read one novel of hers, the title of which I have forgotten, which didn’t end pretty well. Remembrance is one story that I have always wanted to read, ever since my sis discussed with me about this novel, which she remembered to be a wonderful romance, which is saying a lot since she doesn’t read romance novels that much. And after reading this book, I have got to say that this book is a pretty wonderful read.

The story picks up with Hayden Lane, who is an author about to reach her forties, unmarried, who writes romance books. Remembrance starts off in first person and most of the story is narrated in second person although it does end again in first person. Hayden Lane, starts to visualize a character (Jamie), for a book of hers, which makes her lose interest in the real world, and inevitably makes her fiance’ walk out on her. Hayden, for the life of her, can’t even feel a twinge of disappointment because he left, but rather this gives her all the time in the world to absorb Jamie into her mind and soul. After her editor starts worrying about her, Hayden finally realizes that she is in deep trouble when she refuses to share what she has written about Jamie with her publisher, starts on her quest to find out what is wrong with her. Endless therapy sessions later, (which points out she wants to sleep with her father!), the self humorous dialog is quite funny and made me laugh out loud several times, Hayden visits a psychic, who points out that Hayden is so unsatisfied with this life because she has loved so deeply in her past lives, and that a curse prevents her from finding that special someone in this life.

Hayden, being someone who can’t just sit by until two lifetimes pass by for her to find her true love again, takes matters into her own hands, and gets hypnotized which starts off the story of a love that is so deep and intense that I felt like crying at times. Hayden time travels all the way to when her life began in the Edwardian times, where Callie and Tallis, born at the same hour, are two halves of one soul, that is quite beautifully described by the author.

All in all, at the end, it is a happy ending for Hayden when she meets Tariz at the end of the story. I was enraptured by the story of Tallis and Callie, as I am sure rest of the readers of this book were. This might end up as one of the books that I re-read time & time again, because Callie and Tallis’s story is one that you can read more than once and still fall in love with over & over again!

Purchase Links: Amazon

outstandingread