Review: Angels' Blood by Nalini Singh

Vampire hunter Elena Deveraux knows she's the best—but she doesn't know if she's good enough for this job. Hired by the dangerously beautiful Archangel Raphael, a being so lethal that no mortal wants his attention, only one thing is clear—failure is not an option...even if the task is impossible. Because this time, it's not a wayward vamp she has to track. It's an archangel gone bad. The job will put Elena in the midst of a killing spree like no other…and pull her to the razor's edge of passion. Even if the hunt doesn't destroy her, succumbing to Raphael's seductive touch just may. For when archangels play, mortals break… Author: Nalini Singh (Website, Blog) Cover Awesomeness: Darren Hopes, George Long, Ron Zinn Publisher: Berkley Imprint: Sensation Genre: Urban Fantasy Romance ISBN: 978-0-425-22692-6

Similar Universes: Meljean Brook’s Guardians series, Faith Hunter’s Rogue Mage series
Nit Pick: A New Yorker calling elevators lifts and flashlights torches.
Favorite Quote (p. 325):

“Mortals . . . they burn so bright, but their light goes out too quickly.”

I’m a fan of Ms. Singh’s Psy-Changeling series of paranormal romances. I find her writing very sensual, evocative and character driven. The idea of a realm of vampires and darker things in her hands instantly appealed to me.

In this world, vampires are created by Archangels, and must pay for their immortality with 100 years of servitude. Because the vamps don't always hold up their end, there is also a division of specially trained warriors who hunt down and return the rogues, called the Guild. Elena is a Guild Hunter – the best. She’s hunter-born, giving her a super-sensory advantage over those who are merely trained: she can scent vampires. Raphael is the Archangel of New York. He rules his subordinates with an iron fist. And everybody is subordinate to Raphael. The Cadre of Ten (Archangels) have divided the globe into territories, and New York is his.

The Archangel of New York, p. 21:

“Then drink.” It was an instruction so absolute, she knew he expected instant
obedience. Something snapped inside her.“Or else?”
The wind stopped. Even
the clouds seemed to freeze.
Death whispered in her ear.

The one (really, the only one) thing I found disappointing in this story was the
lack of explanation how this (assumed to be) near future world is now lorded
over by angels. The author gives us this (p. 83):

For all that angels had been a part of mankind’s history since the earliest cave
paintings, they remained shrouded in mystery . . . Some called them the scions
of the gods, others saw them as simply a more advanced species. Only one
thing was certain – they were the rulers of the world, and they knew it.

I have a hard time believing humans simply bowed down to their superiority without putting up a fight. We just don’t have it in us. And if there was a war, or a magical shift, a plague, or an apocalypse mentioned in this book, I don't recall it. But really, once the story swept me away, I didn't care. Even without detailed orations on a false history, Ms. Singh’s rich descriptions and alluring voice make it extremely easy to suspend disbelief. Not to mention her heart-stealing characters and fast-moving plot.

While there are many interesting elements involving the powers and state of being of the angels, this book isn’t the world-building powerhouse that you’d expect in a typical urban fantasy. But there were still plenty of intriguing surprises and twists that kept things interesting. One of my favorite style elements were the short, sinister interjections from the villains point of view, which lent a sense of urgency. And the romance element carries its weight, and then some. From the very beginning, Raphael and Elena have a very shiversome attraction between them, summed up nicely when asks her if she desires his head vamp, Dmitri (p. 68):

“Hell, no. He’s like double-frosted chocolate mud cake. It looks good. You want
to eat the whole thing, but in reality it’s too sickly sweet.” Dmitri’s sensual
nature was suffocating, heavy, a blanket that repelled even as it attracted.
“If he is cake, what am I?” Cruel, sensual lips against her cheek, her jaw.
“Poison,” she whispered. “Beautiful, seductive poison.”

As Raphael and Elena hunt the rogue Archangel together, the romance continues to simmer, and sometimes sizzle. (I need to get my hands on some Archangel dust. Srsly.) They fly all over the city, visiting gruesome crime scenes, tracking their murderer. And somewhere in the middle of it, Raphael decides Elena belongs to him, while Elena fights her attraction to the dangerous ruler of New York with teeth and claws (and bullets).

One of the things handled most deftly in Angels’ Blood was the theme of immortality vs. humanity. Time and again, the difference between the two of them was demonstrated by Raphael’s actions and thoughts. He was probably one of the most convincing immortals I’ve ever read (and, heh, I’ve read a lot.). And yet, he finds himself drawn to this dispensable mortal, and through his attachment to her (and fear of her death) he begins to think and act more like a mortal.

Elena has drawn a line that she will not cross - she won't be anyone's supplicant. She will not worship or be cowed by Raphael, even at the cost of her own life. The strength of her will and her lack of fear at first intrigue the Archangel, and later challenge him in a way he hasn't known before.

Since they are hunting one of his own who has gone mad, Raphael wonders if immortality has tainted him, made him too uncaring, and too inhuman. In this way, Elena saves him. She becomes his check-and-balance. But the author didn't take the easy way out here, as so many do once their tortured immortal has 'met his match'. They both struggle to hold on to who they are while falling in love, and it made for an extremely satisfying (read:angsty) journey on both sides.

The final battle is one that will stay with me for a long time, so I won't spoil it, but I can say the tension and drama ran high throughout this whole book. I devoured it in one sitting. Twice. And I'll read it again. If you like paranormal romance or urban fantasy, I strongly recommend this title, as well as Ms. Singh's Psy-Changeling series.

Final Grade:

New Review Schedule

Since this isn't a revew site, per se, and I could easily spend a great bit of time picking at books from my reading list that hit a nerve, or otherwise leave all nerves undisturbed (equally as bad), I've decided I'm only going to post reviews here of ones I really love. Or really expect to love.

This limits the number, and spreads them out. All my other reviews can be found on Goodreads, though usually in the form of a simple star rating, unless there was something I particularly detested.

So, on the blog, you can look forward to reviews of the following star-studded titles this spring/summer (sidebar forthcoming):

April 15th - Angel's Blood, Nalini Singh
May 5th- Curse the Dawn*, Karen Chance
May 20th - Lover Avenged*, J.R. Ward
May 30th - Dead and Gone*, Charlaine Harris
June 15th - Magic in the Blood*, Devon Monk
June 30th - Magic Strikes*, Ilona Andrews
July 15th - Bone Crossed*, Patricia Briggs
July 30th - City of Souls, Vicki Pettersson
August 15th - Darkness Calls, Marjorie M. Liu
August 30th - Hunting Ground*, Patricia Briggs

Hopefully between now and then I'll get some release dates on some of my other highly-anticipated series, or, if need be, I can fill-in with old favorites. ;-)

*Review will cover series titles up to most current release, unless previously reviewed.

Forward Thinking

I decided, instead of waiting for the sun to show its face, I would do a post on some of the books I'm really looking forward to this spring and summer.

As far as reading goes, this year is gonna rock!

Here's my *squee* TBR line-up:

Angel's Blood (Guild Hunter #1) - Available Now

This one is burning a whole in my backpack as I type this. But, I haven't gotten to it yet. I really enjoyed what I've read of Ms. Singh's Psy-Changeling series, and how could I resist something with angels and vampires?

Lover Avenged (BDB #7) - April 28th

I'm super-excited to learn more about the Sympath sub-culture in J.R. Ward's newest BDB release. Rhev has been begging for his story to be told for a couple of books, now. (Also, I have to wait the least amount of time for this one. I'm little on patience, so that counts for a lot. ;)

Dead and Gone (Sookie #8) - May

Okay, so this has technically been out for a while, but I've been waiting for the paperback, so I'm totally stoked! I started reading the Sooky books when I saw the first ads for True Blood. They've become one of my favorite series, now and I have even resisted spoilers for this one on whether there is any hope for my #1 beau in those books (guess who).

City of Souls (Zodiac Series #4 - Cover not available) - June 30th

I really enjoy this series and have been long-awaiting the next release. I was loaned this by a friend (who had borrowed someone else's) and immediately went out and bought myself a copy. Then went back and bought another to give away. These books are that good. I've posted reviews of the first two in the series, The Scent of Shadows and The Taste of Night, here.

Darkness Calls (Hunter Kiss #2) - July 30th

My review of the first book pretty much says it all. All I can add is, if she was just getting warmed up with the series, I can't wait to see what she has in store for us!

Hunting Ground (Alpha & Omega #2) - August

I'll be reviewing the first book in the series soon, but I can say without a doubt that Ms. Briggs has another winner on her hands. I think I might like this one even better than Mercy . . .

Demon Forged (Guardians #8) - TBA

Meljean is on fire. I don't know why the stupid people at Barnes and Noble keep refusing to stock enough of her books. It infuriates me. But as soon as this one is up on google, you can betcha a$$ I'll be pre-ordering.

Review: Underworld - Rise of the Lycans

Overall: Not a total waste of $20

Good: The casting. Bill Nighy as always superb, and Michael Sheen holds up well. The girl cast as Sonja also did a great job. Effects, costumes, makeup were well executed.

Okay: The music was ho-hum, and didn't hold any big drama. The acting was mid-range. Mostly, I was disappointed in the scale of the movie. It was supposed to be the beginning of an ancient war, and it really only barely touched on that. The scene in the movie that should have held the most drama (well, 2 of them) fell rather flat.

Not so good: There were no elements added to the story that we didn't already know about. Nothing really revealed, other than the origins of Lucien, which didn't even really make sense. The big war I was holding out for? Never happened.

I think this is the last one of these we'll be seeing, and I'm okay with that. I love the first two enough that I don't want to watch the franchise flounder.

Back Post # 3 - The Iron Hunt Review

From the back cover:

Silver smoke winds around my torso, peeling away from my ribs and back, stealing the dark mist covering my hands and lower extremities…tattoos dissolving into demon flesh, coalescing into small dark bodies. My boys. The only friends I have in this world. Demons.

I am a demon hunter. I am a demon. I am Hunter Kiss.

By day, her tattoos are her armor. By night, they unwind from her body to take on forms of their own. Demons of the flesh, turned into flesh. This is the only family demon hunter Maxine Kiss has ever known. The only way to live—and the very way she’ll die. For one day, her demons will abandon her for her daughter to assure their own survival—leaving Maxine helpless against her enemies

But such is the way of Earth’s last protector—the only one standing between humanity and the demons breaking out from behind the prison veils. It is a life lacking in love, reveling in death, until one moment—and one man—changes everything...

Well, it's been quite some time since I read this one, so bear with me. Initially, the premise put forth in that first little blip was enough to snag me. And then, of course - hello? - cover awesomeness. Tattoos that become demons . . . sweet. Then there was the fact that I read Ms. Liu's novella 'Minotaur in Stone' in the Hotter Than Hell anthology and was severely impressed. And I'm hard to impress. So, on to the Iron Hunt.

Unlike a few other reviewers I've read, I haven't read the Dirk and Steel series, so I didn't really have any expectations other than for the writing to stand out as it did in the anthology. From that aspect, Ms. Liu does not disappoint. What can I say? I'm a sucker for good writing and she is simply masterful with prose in a way that galls me to the bone with envy. I simply get lost in her words, her imaginative metaphors and the way she can evoke images and emotions like she's plucking heart strings if you let her. This was one of those rare books where I did not skip a word - not a single one, because I had never, ever read anything like it. An example of what I'm talking about, from page 70:

The demon tilted his head, just so, and his body twisted, flowing like the skim of a shark through water. He danced when he moved; on the city street, wrapped in shadows: a kiss on the eyes, a devil's ballet, and only his feet moved, only his cloak had arms; and his hair, rising and flowing as though lost in a storm. I heard thunder, and when his toes sliced spirals in the concrete, I listened to the wind bury winter; and when I tasted his grace, his grace had no name; only, night became something else in his presence, as though darkness had a soul, here, swaying to heartbeats roaring.

Add to this hypnotic prose a story rooted in deep ancient myth, with references that - I'll admit - made me feel under-educated, but left me no less captivated, as well as a crew of characters that were refreshingly UNIQUE and I was a gonner for the day and a half it took me to devour it.

As far as the story goes, it followed no conventions, and that in and of itself is what I value. Much of that is due to the characters. Maxine is a reluctant but tough hero, determined to get some happiness of her gritty life, which she already pretty much knows is scrapped. Her journey takes her into the past (literally) and into other dimensions, where she hits rock-bottom (again, literally) and finds out what she's really made of. Her boyfriend Grant is softspoken and gentle, with a fascinating gift, able to charm those unfortunate souls being fed upon by demon parasites and in some cases even rehabilitate them by playing his pipe. And the boys . . . well, let me just say that I wish I had some of my own. Even though they barely spoke, they were ever-present, and well-loved by the time the story was through. Even Maxine's mother and grandmother managed to capture my attention and curiosity, simply through memories. Not to mention a demon with blades for feet, who you're not sure is good or bad, but he makes the hair on your arm stand up either way; and an intriguing, reluctant immortal protector (with a backstory I simply must find out more about) who makes his first appearance by pushing Maxine in front of a bus. (I know - you'll just have read it to get what I'm saying.)

In the end, it was time and money well-spent. I admire Ms. Lui's ability as a writer and storyteller greatly, and I'll definitely be reading this one again, reading the sequel, and checking out her other books. Four bleeding hearts.

Review: The Accidental Vampire, by Lynsay Sands

Lynsay Sands's Argeneau novels are popular among vampire lovers. I felt more than a little cheated. Though, this book was purchased for me, and probably not one I would have picked out for myself. It falls into the 'paranormal-romantic-comedy' slot, and I'm the first one to admit I have a hard time with these.




From the back cover:

Fate gave her fangs . . .

Ever since an accident turned her into a knockout
vamp, Elvi Black's been catching her z's in a coffin, staying out of the sun,
and giving up garlic. She knows there's more to being undead than what she
saw in Dracula, but she can't very well ask her mortal friends about proper
biting etiquette. But when her neighbors placed a personal ad for her in
the local paper, she never imagined she'd meet Victor Argeneau, a vampire who
could have his pick of any woman - dead or alive.

He'll show her how to use them . . .

Rich, powerful, and drop-dead gorgeous, Victor's the perfect man for
a novice neck-biter like Elvi. He's willing to teach her everything he
knows, but he'll have to do it fast. Someone's out to put a stake through
her new vamp life, and only Victor can keep her safe - and satisfied - for all
eternity.

*cough*

Did we miss any cliches there? Nope, I didn't think so. To her credit, Ms. Sands can make even a cliche seem fresh. There were plenty of laugh-out-loud one liners, and the whole premise, though ridiculous, was pulled off in a funny way. Elvi ends up basically hosting a whole group of potentials at her house together, a la The Bachelorette. In fact, I saw many missed opportunities for some ironic situations, but that's okay.

The risk/conflict equates to some anonymous person shooting arrows. And I found the whole idea of how a mate is discovered/known (whether or not you can read their mind) contrived. All of the bachelors put it off until the most convenient moment, which just makes no sense to me. And in the end, the whole thing was just too cutesy for me - up to and including the other members of Elvi's community that decide to turn vamp, and the author wrapping several happy endings into one. Although I was tempted, I didn't quit. The writing was sound enough to hold me, but it wasn't my cup of tea. Two bleeding hearts.

Review: Fallen, by Erin McCarthy

This book marks Ms. McCarthy's second foray into more serious, 'darker' paranormals, on the theme of the seven deadly sins (cool!). I didn't read the first one (lust), titled My Immortal, but this second title (gluttony/addiction) is a stand alone story.

From the back cover:

New Orleans, 1840s. Sent to watch over the decadent city, the angel Gabriel loses himself in the liquid pleasure of absinthe. So when his mistress, Anne, is murdered—and all evidence points to him— a foggy Gabriel cannot be sure he didn't do it. His penance: to be forever denied love. Should he seek pleasure with a woman, she'll know the depths of despair.

New Orleans, today. Hoping to unlock that unsolved mystery, forensic scientist Sara Michaels, Anne's great-great-granddaughter, meets the ageless, tormented Gabriel. To work together would mean suppressing their mutual attraction—he can't allow himself to touch Sara, for her own sake.

And for Sara, already familiar with the dangers of addiction, Gabriel poses the ultimate threat to her self-control. But can the desire burning between them turn into their salvation—or lead them both to destruction?

So - let's see here: We have a fallen angel, recovering addict piano player-slash-painter who hasn't had sex for eighty years. And a self-conscious young heroine fleeing the tragedies of her past while trying to unlock the mystery of a family curse and related murder. And yes, it was just as angsty as it sounds. I loved it.

Favorite quote:

"Eventually, we'll both lose interest."

"Oh, really?" She had to admit, that infuriated her. "You have it all figured out, don't you?"

"Absolutely." He nodded with confidence.

"They why the hell did you kiss me?" She wasn't sure whether she regretted it or not. It had been a fabulous kiss, and she had been curious what it would be like, but on the other hand, now she knew their chemistry was real, yet he was telling her they couldn't do a damn thing about it.

"Because I'm an idiot."

Which was the male answer to everything. They seemed to think if they just admitted their stupidity, somehow it exempted them from responsibility for it.

Other reviews for this story have consistently had two issues. First, they think it's slow and don't like the internal angsty monologues and expositions. Secondly, they find the ultimate conflict and resolution (i.e. antagonist) too wimpy. I strongly disagree with the first, and only sort of agree with the second. If you try to read this book as an urban fantasy, or anything other than a romance, it won't work. To me, the main antagonist in the story was Gabriel's all-consuming guilt. There is enough of a story and mystery surrounding the death of Sara's ancestor to keep the plot moving along, but this one is truly a character journey. Each of them are hunting for the truth, wanting each other, but unwilling to 'take the plunge'. I enjoyed the depth of both characters, and Ms. McCarthy did a successful job of interchanging viewpoints without confusing or annoying me - a real feat.

Stylistically, I enjoyed the interspersed newspaper clippings and court reportings, which added depth to the story. The tension was great, the angst better. If the climax was anti-climactic, I didn't notice. The ending was supremely satisfying (since the author held over the *actual* love scene until the second to last chapter!). If you want an emotionally engrossing angst-filled romance, this one's for you. Four bleeding hearts.

PS: Extra points for cover awesomeness.

Review: Dime Store & Industrial Magic - Kelley Armstrong

These two books were loaned to me and recommended by a friend. I hadn't heard of of Kelly Armstrong, which surprised me, because once I looked her up, I saw she was right up my alley. Like authors such as Kim Harrison and CE Murphy, you find her titles in the SciFi/Fantasy section of the bookstore. These two are a pair of titles about witch Paige Winterbourne and her newly-acquired teenage fosterling, Savannah.

Dime Store Magic
Paige is the daughter of the former leader of the American Coven of Witches, but she's a modern, forward-thinking type who apparently has a knack for bucking authority. (I think this may have been established in previous titles in the series.) The Elders of her Coven don't want her around, and it is without their help that Paige must face Savannah's father, Kristoff Nast, a powerful and evil sorcerer (Sorcerers are the enemies of the witches in this series) who wants his daughter for his own purposes. In fact, the only one who is on Paige's side is a pro-bono lawyer willing to go up against the Nast Cabal, Lucas Cortez. Who is . . . also a sorcerer, though one who shirks his own heritage. Since she's got nobody else, Paige reluctantly accepts Lucas' help. A legal battle, romance, a kidnapping, and some seriously freaky magical stuff ensue.

I like the world these books are set in. I received another title, Bitten, from another friend, and have it in my TBR pile. The universe is well developed and Ms. Armstrong does a great job of overlapping her world with the one we live in. I actually appreciate these types of AUs more fully, because as writer I know it is more difficult. It's much easier to write urban fantasy in a world where everyone knows about and accepts the existence of preternatural beings. It cuts out a whole host of explanation.

I thought the characters were engaging too. Paige is strong and witty, and generally handles each new catastrophe with grace, and if not grace, at least an understandable and believable amount of floundering. The exchanges between her and Savannah were very true to form and usually comical. The romance was a very light subtheme here, taking a backseat to the politcal and social, and magical issues. And there were lots of them. From a funeral home of raised zombies (ew!) to a full on poltergeist-type moment at the end. And all of that was uber-cool.

The only problem I had was with the pacing. The book seemed to really drag in some places and be filled with a lot of details that just didn't seem important, other than to serve the author's purpose of showing characters interacting or dropping a few choice details that tied in later. The writing was the type that seemed to feel the need to fill in every minute, listing off the mudanities of life like laundry lists and what to make for dinner, rather than jumping right to the action.

As it was, I thought it was an entertaining, if sometimes slow read. Two Bleeding Hearts.

Industrial Magic
This book follows directly after Dime Store Magic and continues the story of Paige, Savannah, and Lucas. Paige has broken from the American Coven of Witches and the book starts out with her canvassing, pretty much door to door, to get Witches on board with her plan for a new organization. But a series of abductions of teenagers, namely those tied to Cabals, calls Paige away from her mission. She agrees to help Lucas' father, the head of the Cortez Cabal, in the search for the missing kids, and the people responsible.

I didn't have as many issues with this book. The beginning was slow, but once I got into it, I did not put it down. There was a nice mixture of mystery and drama, and more of a bird's eye view into the world. The ending was also a surprise, and the tension held through the end. I'm re-invested in the characters and will be reading at least one more title from this series. I can't strongly recommend it, but the story depth did keep me hooked. Three and a half bleeding hearts for this one.

Dream Chaser by Sherilyn Kenyon

From the Back Cover:
Hades doesn’t often give second chances…Xypher has one month on Earth to redeem himself through one good deed or be condemned to eternal torture in Tarturus. But redemption means little to a demigod who only wants vengeance on the one who caused his downfall.Until one day in a cemetery…Simone Dubois is a medical examiner with a real knack for the job. Those who are wrongfully killed appear to her and help her find the evidence the police need to convict their killers. But when a man appears and tells her that she’s more than just a psychic, she’s convinced he’s insane.Now the fate of the world hangs in her hands…It was bad enough when just the dead relied on her. Now’s there’s the seductive Dream-Hunter Xypher who needs Simone’s help in opening a portal to the Atlantean hell realm to fight insatiable demons. The future of mankind is at stake-and so is her life. The only question now is: Who is the bigger threat: the demons out to kill her, or the man who has left her forever changed?


I can sum my feelings about this book up in one word: Blah. Maybe my view is skewed since I wasn't inducted into the Dream Hunter world at it's inception, and everything since has been done again and again and again. Or maybe it's something specific about Ms. Kenyon's writing. I can't be sure until I read something else from the series. Which, I will. Obviously, she's doing something right. But on this one . . . blah. I didn't hate it. I didn't love it. A year from now I won't remember it.

First off - it was sparse. I read it in two hours. Usually, that means one of two things - it's either very short for a novel (which it was) or I didn't have to think very hard (which I didn't). In fact, I would venture to say that Ms. Kenyon didn't have to think very hard while writing it either. The vocabulary was exceedingly simple, the themes repeated into monotony, and the characters (yes, all the characters) felt like stock to me. The plot and all the mechanisms used were entirely predictable.

I'll give this series another shot, but with reservations already firmly planted. If you have a recommendation for which book might change my mind, please let me know. 1 Bleeding Heart, because I did finish it.

Review of The Darkest Night by Gena Showalter

I was super excited about picking these books up. I read the prequel novella as soon as it became available on eHarlequin, and posted a review. I could tell Ms. Showalter had a plan, though it was fuzzy through the novella, but I felt confident she'd do it more justice in a full length novel. Part of what got me so juiced, I have to admit, was the covers. They are the pinnacle of beauty when it comes to any book cover I've seen lately. HQN hit the jackpot there. And as we all know, covers go a long way.

Right off the top, I can say that I love the premise. Ms. Showalter says she didn't like the idea of a woman being blamed for all the evil in the world, so she tweaked the old myth and placed the blame for the opening of Pandora's Box on a band of immortal warriors. (Love it!) As a result, each of these warriors was punished by the gods to carry one of the demons from the box around inside of him. Love that too.

I even love Ms. Showalters writing. She clearly has talent, and oodles of creative energy that justify my envy of her blaze to stardom in the ranks of paranormal romance.

Sadly, though, this book just didn't do it for me. Maddox is the keeper of Violence. He was actually the one who killed Pandora, so as an extra punishment, he must die every night, with the assistance of two fellow 'Lords' - those who carry Pain and Death.

Ashlyn Darrow has the gift of clairaudience. She can hear conversations that have taken place at any given time in the place she is. It's overwhelming and has caused her intense suffering her whole life, though she works in a sort of psychic investigative agency and puts her gift to use.

Like I said, I love the ideas. And I can't pinpoint what it is that doesn't quite punch through to me. But I think I can sum it up by saying, the really poignant ideas felt under-done. I hate to use the word 'shallow' because of the negative connotation, but in this case, it really fits.

The story felt more like a caricature of what it could have been. Maddox is the typical brusque, tortured hero who finds his heart softening for the lovely woman clinging to him. Ashlyn finds that only Maddox's presence can give her peace from the voices in her head. And this contrived attraction is stretched out with overwroght tension through most of the book.

Later, we're introduced to more characters and learn more of the backstory and dive into some more world-building.

It could be that I've reached a saturation point from all my reading in the genre, but this book just felt like more of the same, up to and including the hints that each member of the 'brotherhood' of lords will get his happy ending in the coming books. It just didn't ring my bell. I never felt truly connected to the characters, surprised by anything, or deeply moved.

It was entertaining, well-written, and as I've said several times, the series has tremendous potential. I have the next two books at home, and I will be reading them - hoping to see Ms. Showalter find a groove and really knock my socks off.

Two and a half Bleeding Hearts.

Review: Dark of the Moon

My hubby picked this title up at the grocery store for me, as he is want to do when he sees anything that has vampires on the cover or implies it in the title. I had never heard of Susan Krinard, but a google search revealed that she's been very prolific and successful, AND since hubby knew I was scoping Nocturne Bites, he takes credit for this book being from Harlequin, even if he didn't know it at the time.

The premise of this book immediately caught my interest - 1920s reporter in New York investigates murders at the pier and gets sucked into a hidden world she didn't know existed.

The back cover reads:
During the heyday of the Clan, New York’s vampire organization of gangsters and bootleggers, Dorian Black was an enforcer for the notorious boss Raoul Boucher. But when the Clan is shattered by violence and betrayal, Dorian abandons his old ways and is prepared to die for his sins … until he saves the life of a brave and determined woman reporter, Gwen Murphy.

Gwen realizes at once that there is something very unusual about Dorian Black. She’s drawn to the haunted suffering in his eyes as well as to his strength and sexual allure. But he hides secrets that lie dangerously close to the ones she is pursuing for the New York Sentinel. Soon human and vampire must join forces and come to terms with their growing attraction as they battle warring vampire factions and a fanatical cult bent on changing their world forever…

Read an excerpt.

It says "I'm dark, I'm angsty, and Gwen will love me." It really does. And overall, I did. After all - Gwen Murphy - Gwen Mitchell - c'mon - she's got good taste in names! It wasn't what I expected - which, I suppose, is a good thing. If it turned out exactly as I'd expected, I'd probably call it predictable.

Loved the characters. Gwen was the strong, determined career woman, way ahead of her time - someone I could really get behind, with admirable qualities, like her brains and her loyalty to her friends. Dorian was the ultimate tortured hero. And I'd like to emphasize this point. One of the things I appreciated the most about the story was how true Dorian's character rang for me. His progress was slow. Painfully slow. And instead of the typical 'oh, well she loves me and I get sex on a regular basis so I'm fine now' solution to the tortured hero, Ms. Krinard kept it real. Thank you!! His feelings for Gwen are unwanted at first, and even when he realizes that he's in too deep, they complicate things, and in some ways make them worse, not better. It made for great angsty conflict that kept me turning the pages.

I also loved that the story kept me guessing. There were so many 'who done it?' moments where I just wasn't sure who the bad guys were, or what they really wanted. Conflicts abounded - both internal and external. Lots of double-triple-crossing, and each time I thought I had nailed it, she proved me wrong. I pride myself on my ability to guess what's going to happen - so Ms. Krinard gets extra credit for that.

Normally, I'm not in the 'if it doesn't have an HEA, it's not romance' club, but I have to say, I feared for these beloved characters. It started to look very dire indeed and I was worried. Glad to say everything worked out in the end. I enjoyed the writing, and the story was well-paced and entertaining. But I give this one a higher rating, simply because I haven't cared that deeply about characters in a long time. Four Bleeding Hearts.

The Darkest Fire Review

As a prequel to her new Lords of the Underworld series, which is completely rolling now (though I've only read the novella and the first book so far), Gena Showalter released this short novella about how the demon lords were trapped in Pandora's box, but the mention of said box and said demon lords is really minor. This is a stand-alone story about the goddess of oppression - Kadence, the gate-keeper of hell - Geryon, and their unlikely romance.

I've read some other reviews of this story, and while I can agree with some of the points made, as a writer who has done both novel-length and novella-length pieces, I have to comment in Ms. Showalter's defense - novellas are hard. Especially if you're a novelist. I think the other readers must have been expecting a novel's worth of story. I found the pacing and the plot to move along as a novella should. It kept me engaged all the way through and was a quick read. The characterizations were good and the setting was painted vividly for me.

The love story developed between the two characters was sweet and endearing, and their coupling, though brief, was very steamy. I did think the ending was a bit anti-climactic, but I took this story as a 'taste' of a new world, so it didn't bother me much. It's the first of Ms. Showalter's work I've read, and I have since read the first book and purchased the others. That said, this one didn't spike my 'wow' meter in any particular way. I give it a solid 3 Bleeding Hearts.

Shifter Anthology Review

I try to vary my genre reading, picking up as many different authors from as many different publishers as I can. Anthologies are a great, inexpensive way to get a good sampling of the writing that helps me decide if I want to read more of a particular author's work. And the stories in them are usually just the right length for a bus ride or a lunch break.

I recently finished the anthology from Berkley Sensation - Shifter. These were all new authors and I'll review and rate each story in it.

Mad Dog Love, by Angela Knight

Princess Zerifa Lorezo has escaped a plotting chancelor, hi-jacked a private security system, bought herself a ship and taken off to meet up with her brother and his rebel alliance in secret. Along the way, she purchases werewolf Rance (Mad Dog) Conlan as an extra security measure. But the Mad Dog has his own designs, both for himself, and for Zerifa.

This story was not at all what I expected. It takes place in a futuristic/space environment where the Werewolf, Mad Dog is a member of an alien race. It's not my usual thing, but the way Ms. Knight set it up had me entranced. Her world building blew my mind. It was seamless and totally engrossing. The characters, as well, were refreshingly new and I loved the back-story that she tied in for them. The romance development and the sexual tension did feel a little under-done, more like they were a given, and didn't need to be developed. And the final climax/battle was a tad cliché. Still, the unique world that had been created held things together for me, and I breezed through it. I give it three and a half bleeding hearts.

A Jaguar's Kiss, by Lora Leigh

Natalie Richie is a normal human woman, just wrapping up a divorce and moving to teach Breed children in a high-security environment. Saban Broussard has been assigned to retrieve and protect her. But the first time he sees Natalie, he knows that she is his mate, and with his pheromone-spiked kiss, he sparks a mutual desire between them that doesn't care about their own will.

I was excited to read something by Lora Leigh. Her books have been on my radar for some time, but I've never had the time to start the Breed series. I found that her writing is very good, and her build up of sexual tension, and execution of it are highly skilled. I wasn't too fond of the mechanisms she uses to accomplish this - a kiss that sets off a chemical reaction that can't be denied, an instinct that tells the male he's found his mate. They seem like a shortcut to me, like you don't have to do any work in validating feelings. To make up for this, Ms. Leigh includes the heroine's struggle to come to terms - mostly with the loss of her independence. Still, the main antagonist was the heroine's jealous/crazy ex-husband and her own reservations. And Saban, to me, was your canned tall-dark-handsome-protector hero. The writing was good, but the story came in at a solid three bleeding hearts.

Shifter's Lady, by Allysa Day

Marie is a temple priestess in Atlanta, visiting her brother and his chosen lover on land, in Florida. Ethan is the leader of the local pride of Florida Panthers (Cougars/Pumas). But when an emergency pulls her brother away, and then blocks her portal, Marie is stuck with Ethan as he faces off with an invading pride.

Again, this story takes place in a universe that is already encompassed by several novels. It did stand alone, but I felt at times that certain things were assumed to be known that weren't. I have to say, this was the weakest story in this anthology. I'm sorry, but there has to be one, and this one was it for me. The characters seemed very two dimensional, and the tension between them was well . . . non-existent. Ethan showed promise early on, being one of those charmingly obnoxious and full of himself alpha-males, but he later shifts to the stoic leader and it just didn't work for me. Marie is supposedly a many-centuries old Atlantean, and yet she seemed like a neophite at every turn, even when using her own convenient magical abilities. The main antagonist was a pissed off leader of an invading pride, and the final battle was really just a brawl surrounded by onlookers. This story rated two bleeding hearts, simply for inventiveness, clean writing, and because I enjoyed the shifter element and how it was used.

Sea Crossing, by Virginia Kantra

Emma March has been ruined by the master of the school she used to teach in. It has left her heart-broken and penniless, so she sells herself into indenture to earn passage to America. On the way, her ship sinks. Her life is saved by a seal, and she wakes to find herself on a strange island. Griffin is an ancient being, charged by his king to retrieve a teacher for the pups(children) of his Selkie island home, but he didn't expect to fall in love with her.

My summary does not do this story justice. After the steady degrading of the ones before it, I was pleasantly surprised to find the pearl of this anthology at the end. Ms. Kantra is a beautiful, vivid writer, with a commanding voice. Her characters were richly painted and sympathetic, and their struggles were well-executed and believable. Out of the four stories, this one was the only one to truly jerk on my heartstrings. Also, I found the addition of a Selkie story to take this anthology out of the 'usual' and straight into the interesting. It definitely left me wanting more, and I will be checking out Ms. Kantra's other works. A solid four bleeding hearts.

Seduced by Darkness Review

I've posted a review for Seduced by Darkness by Delilah Devlin over on the WR Blog.

I gave it two and a half bleeding hearts out of five. Read the review to find out why.