Phantom Shadows & The Immortal Guardians Series by Dianne Duvall

Book 1- Darkness Dawns

Available: Now: Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Zebra

My Copy: Bought

In this dazzling, sensual novel, Dianne Duvall beckons readers into a world of vampires, immortals, and humans with extraordinary gifts…where passion can last forever, if you’re willing to pay the price…

Once, Sarah Bingham’s biggest challenge was making her students pay attention in class. Now, after rescuing a wounded stranger, she’s landed in the middle of a battle between corrupt vampires and powerful immortals who also need blood to survive. Roland Warbrook is the most compelling man Sarah has ever laid hands on. But his desire for her is mingled with a hunger he can barely control…

In his nine centuries of immortal existence, no woman has tempted Roland as much as Sarah. But asking her to love him is impossible—when it means forfeiting the world she’s always known, and the life he would do anything to protect

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Book 2 – Night Reigns

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Zebra

My Copy: Bought

Ami isn’t much for trusting strangers. She has a hard time trusting anyone. But she’s no coward, and she’s no pushover in the protection department either. So when she comes across a mysterious warrior taking on eight deranged vampires on his own, she doesn’t hesitate to save his bacon. Of course, that was before she realized what one little rescue would get her into . . .

Marcus Grayden has been an immortal protector of humanity for eight hundred years, and at the moment he’s not interested in backup. From the moment Ami arrives in his life, he can’t deny that she’s strong, smart, and extremely skilled at watching his back. But she’s also destroying his protective solitude and stirring desires he can’t bear to awaken. After all, whatever her secrets — how can she defeat death itself?

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Book 3 – Phantom Shadows

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Zebra

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

Dr. Melanie Lipton is no stranger to the supernatural.

She knows immortals better than they know themselves, right down to their stubborn little genes. So although a handsome rogue immortal seems suspicious to her colleagues, Sebastien Newcombe intrigues Melanie. His history is checkered, his scars are impressive, and his ideas are daring. But it’s not his ideas that have Melanie fighting off surges of desire . . . 

Bastien is used to being the bad guy. In fact, he can’t remember the last time he had an ally he could trust. But Melanie is different – and under her calm, professional exterior he senses a passion beyond anything in his centuries of experience. Giving in to temptation is out of the question – he can’t put her in danger. But she isn’t asking him . . .

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Phantom Shadows is Dianne Duvall’s third book in her Immortal Guardian series and those that enjoyed the last two books are sure to feel the same about this one. I had the privilege of going into this one blind. I owned the first two books but because of time restraints I chose to read this one first and see if I could understand it as a stand alone book…which happily I did. Of course knowing the back ground information is always a good idea and I really try not to read out of order but I found I understood this one quite nicely. Maybe because of that I liked Bastian’s character much more because I didn’t get to see him as the mean guy in the previous books. By this point in the continuing story he’s been integrated into the inner fold of characters though many are not happy about that. They are leery of his motives and had he not had the backing of their leader, he may not have had such a passable road to where this book opens.

While I did find this to be a lot like several other series I have been reading, I thought it was still well done. Though it may have a hard time standing on it’s own in such a saturated genre, if you like JR Ward or Gena Showalter you’re sure to enjoy these as well. Duvall writes engaging characters that kept me both amused and interested in their various plights. I found that reading about the secondary characters made me want to go back and read how they got here and why they behaved as they did. I wanted to know more about them. The dynamics of this team and the drastic differences between all the characters really made the book stand out to me. This particular group of characters from human to vampire to alien was what set this apart in my mind from the other like books I had read.

Bastion was an interesting character because no one really knew who he was, except for Melanie who saw parts of him everyone else ignored. She immediately believed in him and that bolstered him to become the true fighter he was meant to be and take his place among the guardians. Melanie herself, though not immortal had the tenacity of a pitbull and a backbone of steel. She never backed down and, as a human, was incredibly brave. Her scientific smarts and Bastians abilities together made them a tough team to take on.

I enjoyed this one immensely and I recommend you give this series a try! Duvall has proven herself worthy to me and I will continue to read this series.

I give Phantom Shadows by Dianne Duvall 3.75 stars! 

Lord’s Fall by Thea Harrison (Elder Races #5)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley

My Copy: NetGalley

Reviewer: Nikki

In the latest Novel of the Elder Races, two mates find themselves on different paths, torn between their duty to the Wyr and the passion that binds them… Before she met Dragos, half-human/half-Wyr Pia Giovanni was alone and on the run. Now she’s mated, pregnant and heading south to repair the Wyrs’ frayed relationship with the Elves. Being separated from Dragos is painful, but for the good of the Wyr demesne they need to figure out how to be partners—in more places than just the bedroom. In New York to preside over the Sentinel Games, Dragos is worried about his mate, but knows that finding two replacement sentinels is essential to show the rest of the Elder Races just how strong and brutal the Wyr demesne can be. But as the Games heat up, Pia’s negotiations with the Elves take a turn for the dangerous, straining her bond with Dragos and threatening everything they hold dear…

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Lord’s Fall is Thea Harrison’s fifth book in her paranormal romance series, The Elder Races. I started reading this series when book one,  Dragon Bound, introduced me to this lush world full of inventive characters and promising story lines to come. Dragos is the “older then dirt” hero who has always been used to people fearing him and just doing like he asks of them…the first time. When he mated with Pia he got more of an equal then he realized. As the series has progressed he has learned how to be more human though his animal side is still extremely prevalent especially when it comes to his mate.

Lord’s Fall finds Pia making a trip deep into Elven territory in hopes of repairing a rift Dragos caused when he broke a long standing treaty with the nation. In an effort to bring the two nations back together she goes, along with an elite group of guards, to speak with the head of the Elves. Of course a third party is also intent on speaking with the head of the Elves but for the intent of starting a war that once started will end in bloodshed from everyone.

Pia’s shifter heritage is kept secret from the masses and that causes her to be an outcast among them. Coupled with her pregnancy and over protective mate she craves friends and social interaction. I felt bad for her but Eva (her new bodyguard) and her sparred well verbally and gave her the outlet she’d been craving. In fact I enjoyed this new team of warriors and hope we see them again in future works. It was a break from the characters I’ve already come to love.

I found Lord’s Fall to be slightly slow and pretty wordy. I wanted to care but sometimes it felt like it was rambling along with no purpose. I only became interested when action would ensue or Dragos and Pia were together. I felt all the constant back story of the Elves was overdone. I found myself skimming those times in search of the good stuff. Harrison took a chance going back to the original main characters this far into the series but overall I thought it was well done in the character growth department.

While past characters, and some promising new ones ( A PEGASUS, HELLO!!) make appearances I was disappointed one of my favorites didn’t. Tiago was only mentioned in passing and that really bummed me out. I loved him in book two and was surprised that he wouldn’t have been present, if only to see the games that would result in his now vacated spot as one of Dragos’ seven warriors. Rune was there and even played a small part in the climactic ending…..so why no Tiago Thea??? WHY?? I’m not bitter.

The Elder Races series will always hold a special place in my heart. Dragos would be alpha to other alphas. He’s in your face, charismatic and just made of alluring awesomeness! No wonder Pia loves him, because part of me does too. I will definitely keep reading this series!

I give Lord’s Fall by Thea Harrison 3.75 stars! 

Tallie’s Hero by Sara Luck

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Historical Romance

Publisher: Pocket 

My Copy: Sent

Review By: Beth M

In a time of prosperity and risk on the open frontier, a daring cattleman takes his chances on expanding westward—and on a genteel lady from another world. Swept up in adventure . . .

With nothing left for him in Texas after his fiancÉe breaks his heart, Jeb Tuhill heads to Wyoming’s Big Horn Mountains to work the huge ranching operation of wealthy English squire Moreton Frewen. In an attempt to lure investors to the beautiful, and oftentimes dangerous, American West, Frewen and Jeb travel to England. The British gentry don’t impress Jeb much, but one spirited lady lassoes his attention with her intellect and charm.

Bound together by passion . . .

Tallie Somerset is a bestselling novelist who is forced into a divorce by the improprieties of her husband, a British lord. Fleeing the scandal, she takes a trip to New York with a friend who later convinces her to travel to Wyoming. Captivated by the big sky of the plains—and the handsome cowboy who calls it home—Tallie might be persuaded to leave England, and its bad memories, behind. But Jeb thinks she is still married, and she is afraid to tell him about the shame of her divorce. Tallie models the hero of her latest novel on Jeb . . . but can she make him her hero for a lifetime?

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Jeb Tuhill is a Texan rancher at heart. He comes from a family of cattle ranchers. He is the big brother, hero of the family. Everyone looks to him for answers. Everyone wants him on his ranch. After losing a woman he thought he was in love with, Jeb get wooed by an Englishman to head his ranch in Wyoming. Without a second thought Jeb packs up to ride with the Englishman to start the biggest ranch in Wyoming.

Tallie Somerset is your typical Englishwoman. She grew up with her aunt and uncle who loved to write. She spent many hours in the library with them. She even married because it was what was expected of her. Tallie becomes a writer herself. Publishing a book under an assumed name, thinking no one would find out who it was that wrote it. Her marriage falls apart in the meantime. Everyone is surprised by her and her husband’s scandal in England. Feeling the asterism from the English society she heads to America with a friend who is to marry English turned American from Wyoming.

Jeb and Tallied met briefly in England through the man that Jeb followed to Wyoming. Despite the brief meeting they felt something ignite between them. She was married, he was burned by a woman he trusted, and they couldn’t see where these flames would lead them. They went their separate ways thinking they would never meet again.

When both of them end up in Wyoming on the same ranch, the fires are quickly burning again. He fights his urges thinking she is still married. Tallie fights to have Jeb notice her, not to ignore the feeling she knows he has buried deep inside. Not only does Tallie fall in love with a cattle rancher, she falls in love with the land and life of a cattle rancher.

Jeb doesn’t see how a polished Englishwoman would want to leave her life behind for a life of a cattle rancher’s wife. Despite Tallie proving to him she can make it on a ranch, he fights his feelings for her. Thinking he isn’t good enough for her. That he cannot give her what she needs.

Scandal, terrain, politics and many other things keep these two lovers apart. Making them fight for what they believe in, what they want in life. Tallie’s Hero is a sweet western romance that makes you want to fight for their love and their beliefs.

I enjoyed this book much better then another one that I read by Sara Luck. I did feel the ending was swift after getting wrapped into the lives of these characters. It’s a light, sweet, romance that will capture your heart.

Beth gives Tallie’s Hero by Sara Luck 3.75 stars!

Under His Skin by Sidney Bristol (So Inked #1)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Contemporary Erotic Romance

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

My Copy: Sent

A woman who doesn’t believe she deserves love…

Toe-curling kisses and enough sex to fill a weekend were all Pandora wanted from a fling with her teenage crush. She’s never forgotten how he played the knight in shining armor to her damsel in distress. She’s ready to say thank you in several naughty ways, so long as she can walk away when it’s over with her heart intact.

A man moving on from tragedy…

Brian has no intention of allowing the feisty tattoo artist to leave him after one taste. He hasn’t had enough of her inked curves. The packaging might have changed, but Pandy is the woman he hasn’t been able to excise from his memory. He’s ready to put together a new life, one that includes her. But he’s not the only one vying for her attention. Someone else wants her, dead or alive.

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The last book I read from Bristol was a novella. In that review I pointed out that I would have liked a bit more suspense in the lead up to the climax of the story. I had also stated that the climax should have been a bit more drawn out. Under His Skin made some steps toward what I was looking for but I still think there could be room for improvement.

Pandora is a physically and emotionally abused woman who has found her calling in being a tattoo artist. Breaking away from her past she has found a home with an all female tattoo shop and the three other women that work there. Even with her large strides toward recovery, she is still understandably skittish around men. When she runs into Brian, a beacon of both hope and incredible despair from her past, Pandora isn’t sure whether to jump into his arms or run away. She comes up with the perfect combination, one night and then move on. She isn’t sure she’s capable of giving him more and doesn’t view herself worthy to try.

Both Pandora and Brain had some serious baggage in this one. Brian is healing from a plane crash that killed his band mates and left him mangled and nearly paralyzed. His recovery has been slow but being with Pandora seems to leave him invigorated and that’s not something that he’s willing to easily give up. There was one thing that left me wondering in his back story. At one point Brian is thinking back about the plane crash and remembers learning that the rest of the band died either on or before the actual crash. The next paragraph down Brian thinks about how the lead singer Ike had talked to him for awhile after the wreck. I was confused. Were they all dead prior to impact or not? Perhaps Bristol meant they THOUGHT they were all dead beforehand…if that’s the case it just wasn’t worded plainly enough.

I think Bristol made strides with this one regarding suspense but I think there could have been more lead up. A lot of time is spent talking the villain (Pandora’s ex) up but we don’t really see a lot of him. Then BAM he’s there and there is some action. Then nothing again for awhile. Then the climactic ending. I wish we could have gotten a bit more insight from him. Or more from his point of view. I wanted more smaller things to happen before he came out balls to the wall. The last few chapters are action packed though and I enjoyed those but I felt it came a bit out of nowhere with the small lead up.

I really liked the almost dark feel to this one. With so much emotional turmoil it’s bound to get a bit dark. Pandora’s flashbacks and Brian’s pain leap from the pages making this one I couldn’t put down! I enjoyed Brian trying to convince Pandora is of worthiness of being happy. Their conversation did get a bit repetitive and simplistic at times but when they were together I just didn’t care. I enjoyed them, I enjoyed the plot…I enjoyed the book. I look forward to the continuation of this story line with the rest of the women from the shop! Bristol improves with every book I pick up! Under His Skin is a darkly sensual novel that should sit well with romance lovers and tattoo enthusiasts alike!

I give Under His Skin by Sidney Bristol 3.75 stars! 

Demon Retribution by Kiersten Fay (Shadow Quest #3)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal/Sci Fi Romance

Publisher: Self Pub

My Copy: Sent

Whisked away from her home planet after a mysterious invasion, Kyra has concealed herself on Earth for the last four centuries with no hope of returning home. That is until the appearance of a mysterious and sexy demon, claiming to have been sent by her family. With danger drawing near, Kyra must set aside years of mistrust and put her life in Cale’s hands.

Sent ahead of his ship, Marada, Cale must locate and protect the third Faieara Princess from those who seek her capture. He expects the retrieval to be effortless and Kyra to be a timid reflection of her sister, Anya. What he discovers instead is a strong, beguiling female who forces him to question everything he has ever known.

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Overall I enjoyed this one! Demon Retribution is book three in Fay’s self pubbed Shadow Quest series. I have not read any of the books prior to this one and so I went into it hoping that I would be able to grasp the world building without the knowledge of the prior books. I think, had I read the first two I would have gotten the concept much easier, but as it was I think I did okay. I really didn’t have any burning questions with the world the book is built upon and really didn’t have any issues until the second half the book.

Kyra has been living on earth for 400 yrs after being sent away from her planet by her desperate father who was on the brink of a invasion. She’s lived on her own and never allowed anyone close since then until she met Zooey in the last few yrs. They became close friends and Kyra her fierce protector, though her friend is clueless as to her interstellar heritage. Kyra knows it’s time for her to move on but with her friend so dependent on her for emotional support, the time doesn’t seem right.

When she is attacked by aliens in the alley behind the coffee shop she works at and then rescued by a man claiming to have been sent by her father, Kyra’s long lost hope flares to life. Cale has been sent to find her and bring her home but he isn’t sure he can tell her what he truly is, a demon. Kyra has no knowledge of demons and so is justifiably confused and worried about trusting someone who seems intent of getting her back to his ship one way or another.

I loved the first half of the book. It’s full of action and smexy goodness and was well wrote. I wasn’t sure why Cale kept wanting to have sex though because Fay makes it clear that because demons only mate bond once (and he has but she died) that when they try again fire fills their veins and it’s extremely painful. Now I don’t know about you, but even if David Backham walked up to me naked and begged me to do him, I’m not sure I could if the result was agony ripping through my veins because he wasn’t my mate. I love sex as much as the next person…but even a sadist might take issue with that. So anyway, other then that I loved the first half of the book.

The second half is where it gets hairy for me and it might be because I didn’t read the first two books. All these other characters and their side stories show up on the spaceship and I wasn’t invested in them at all. Because of that I thought the second half was bloated in word count and at times slipped into lulls and got quite boring.  Cale’s sister has what could easily have been her own novella in the second half and it was to much. I wanted Cale and Kyra and not all their friends too. I did like her being reunited with her sisters and thought it was a great idea having their powers combine in the final fight of the book. I enjoyed Kyra learning the parameters of her powers throughout the book and thought it helped her character grow.

I would recommend that readers start this series at the beginning and perhaps you won’t feel as I did. Fay has strong writing and good story lines that I think paranormal/sci fi romance readers will enjoy!

I give Demon Retribution by Kiersten Fay 3.75 stars! 

Galactic Inferno by Mel Teshco (Alien Hunger #2)

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance 

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

My Copy: Sent

Ally Grayson believes she’s the last person on Earth after aliens arrived, bringing with them a deadly virus that wiped out mankind.

Somehow surviving the annihilation, she hides in a Sydney house with her dog. She knows she has to leave before the “eyes in the sky” detect her and have her captured, but she never expects an alien to save her and Bonnie from the jaws of a ravenous, feral dog. Never expects to be drawn to Renate, the alien male who seems more human than any man she’s ever known.

She fights an attraction she can’t win, and soon enough she’s in his arms, under his hard, amazing body. Except their unearthly desire might not be enough to keep them together when Renate’s alien comrades close in.

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Galactic Inferno is, simply put, a great solid read! I enjoyed every second of this guilty pleasure of mine! I think I am going through a alien phase and this book, combined with my insatiable sexy phase (like THAT will ever end), had it all. Renate is our alien and he is dead set on finding a human woman to mate with. After a mysterious disease decimated the females of his race, his kind set forth on a journey to find others to mate with so they wouldn’t die out completely. When they find earth they unwittingly set the same virus loose that ends up killing off the majority of humans and only leaving a few women alive.

Ally has been alone since the disease overtook the only family she had. Along with her dog Bonnie she sets out to simply survive without getting captured. When she is cornered by a pack of vicious dogs she is saved by the most unlikely of allies…the aliens she has been stealthily avoiding. Ally is immediately surprised by this particular aliens attractiveness and her bodys reaction to his presence. She’s also surprised to learn that though the disease claimed most humans, some women have survived. When told of the aliens plans to repopulate using the human woman she of course balks at the idea.

Over the course of a night Renate becomes aware of his protectiveness and unwillingness to share Ally as commanded by his race to help them repopulate. While I felt the emotional connection was incredibly fast (seriously overnight) for some reason it just didn’t bother me as much as I think it should. I mean in all reality if a alien decimated my race and then claimed to need to mate with me I’d prob run for my life. I don’t care how smoking hot he is or how big his peen is or the amazing things he could do with it…I’D RUN. But in a book..oh in a book I’d climb that ET like a jungle gym and bounce around on him like a trampoline. Ally WANTS to not like him. She even tries, though it seems half-heartedly but in the end his willingness to protect her and not share her with 3 other smoking aliens wins her over.

I really enjoyed Ally’s faithfulness to her dog Bonnie too…it really stood out (among all the sexy alien love scenes). I understood her need to keep the last thing she had of her own near her and since Bonnie was her only friend for so long, I understood her compulsion to go back to find her when they had to leave unexpectedly. The love of an animal is like no other. They will protect without question, love endlessly and are always in a good mood. Since Ally had the dog prior to the disease her devotion to her was that much stronger.

The world building could use a bit more oomph but perhaps had I read the first book, Galactic Burn, I may have felt differently. I wasn’t all that impressed with the queen, a human woman, and her 3 alien kings in this one so I prob won’t go back and read the first. I felt they were completely manipulative towards Ally and Renate and they put them in a position to fail from the start. I just didn’t like them at all. Testing someone while they are under the influence of hallucinogens  is wrong…even to test Ally’s faithfulness to Renate.

Galactic Inferno is a smoking hot read that satisfied my alien craving and left me wanting more more more! I will gladly pick up the next in this series because I want to know more of this world Tescho is forming. I want to see more of the planet these beings come from and hopefully more information on the mysterious disease and it’s origins. Oh…and of course more alien sexy goodness!

I give Galactic Inferno 3.75 by Mel Tescho 3.75 stars! 

Consumed by Rebecca Zanetti ( Dark Protectors #4 )

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Kensington – ebook only

My Copy: Sent

Sometimes You Mate For Life

Katie Smith is the best of her class, part of an elite hunting force trained to eliminate werewolves from the hills of Western Virginia. She’s good at it because she has the kind of focus and drive that won’t back down no matter how steep the odds. Call it southern sass. Whatever it is, there’s no denying her willingness to risk everything for the only man she’s ever cared about–a man on the verge of losing his very humanity. . .

Sometimes You Mate To Stay Alive

For the past ten years Jordan Pride has dedicated his life to protecting his people from a deadly shifter virus. But in a rare moment of distraction, Jordan’s guard drops just long enough for his fate to take an irreversible twist. Unless the woman he loves surrenders everything to him, again and again, under a full moon rising. . .

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Welcome back to the exciting world that Rebecca Zanetti weaves for her readers! Always action packed and filled with alpha males that make a woman pant with need. Consumed has been a book that has been a long time coming in this series. It features Katie, an infected shifter who can no longer shift and Jordan her childhood savior turned love interest. These two have been dancing around each other for years, never able to fully connect but each wanting to.

Since finding her as a cub Jordan has felt a pull to Katie he can’t understand. As she grew into a woman he became acutely aware that they were meant to be together but his fierce determination to keep her safe over ruled his desires to have her as a mate. Now that he has been infected by the Kurjan disease that is slowly turning him into a werewolf he feels any relationship they may have had is doomed.

While both Katie and Jordan feel the connection they share only Katie is willing to initiate it. I wanted Jordan to be more forward with her then he apparently wanted to be. With only Katie going after him it felt a bit one sided, at least in the beginning of the book. Since this has been a slow burning romance from the beginning of the series, and since so much time has passed between books (10 yrs from book 3 to 4) I think I wanted something a bit more explosive that what was written. It felt a bit anti-climactic. Had Zanetti not set them up so high in the previous books I think I would have felt this was fine…but that bar….it was oh so high.

I did enjoy the addition of Katie’s two friends, Baye and Lance and what they brought to the story. I have always enjoyed the pack camaraderie and the feeling each member shares with each other. It’s like a family unit without actually being related. In fact that whats I enjoy most about the vampires too. Even though most of the vampires in this series are actually brothers, in other books that may not be the case.  I also loved the emotions involved with Katie rediscovering her lioness. It felt powerful and I rejoiced with her in her discovery. I also liked how her feelings for Jordan were integral in her finding the power within herself again. That the power to shift was in her mating to the one man she had always needed and turned to.  It felt like a circle finally completing a full rotation. And in the end she was left staring at the one man she had started staring at in the beginning. Her own salvation was within Jordan. I just wished I had gotten the same feelings from Jordan.

The passage of time, while justifiable to the story line, can make things a bit hard to follow. The little girl Janie (the key to the end of the war) is becoming a woman and with that knowledge comes a terrible price she’s not sure she is willing to pay. Her innocence has been replaced with a resolution that no matter what the future holds, her place is secure. She, along with one dark and one light warrior, will bring an end to the war. How and at what cost can’t be foreseen. I am hoping against hope that when Janie finally gets her book that I don’t feel like I did about Katie and Jordan. It’s going to be a lot to live up to. Kalin (the Kurjan warrior) is so evil and yet there is still this spark of humanity that seems to emerge when Janie is near. Though Kalin tells himself he is doing it for her role in the coming ending of the war, I have to wonder if he truly cares for her in some way. Maybe even a way he can’t fully understand. Zane seems the likely hero as he has protected Janie from Kalin in her dreams for so long though he is reluctant to come forth in her waking life. I am so looking forward to when they meet in real life…it will be epic.

Things have changed everywhere since book 3, the world is different, the Kurjans are stronger and the end is nearing. The characters from past books all make appearances and the foreshadowing for future books is enough to drawl the reader back.  While I wasn’t completely on board with Katie and Jordan’s relationship the book is a definite read for the incredible world building alone! Zanetti can weave a world and entice readers like no other! Lovers of the Dark Protector series will undoubtedly share my opinion

This book is only available (at least for now) in ebook. Which seems weird that a publishing house would do that in the middle of the series. The first 3 full books are available in both ebook and print. There is one novella that is ebook as well. I’m not sure what further books in the series will be available in yet.

I give Consumed by Rebecca Zanetti 3.75 stars! 

Flirting With Rescue by Sidney Bristol

Available: Now Amazon/B&N

Type: Erotic Novella

Publisher: Ellora’s Cave

My Copy: Sent

Sparks—and clothes—fly when hot veterinarian Cody-Lynn Parker shows up at Scott Carillo’s animal shelter. Scott’s had a bad run with women, but he can’t keep his hands off Cody’s luscious curves.

Cody’s trying to be professional, but she can barely concentrate on work thanks to her craving for the tall, dark and sexy Cuban. She kisses caution goodbye and Scott hello when his shirt comes off.

Between naked star-gazing and naughty massages, their steamy fling turns into an affair of the heart. But when thieves target Cody, she finds herself flirting with danger, and Scott wants to rescue her whether she thinks she needs it or not.

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Animal rescuer, Cody, doesn’t really have time for anything other than her job, which is fine because she loves what she does. Her job is her life. She doesn’t expect the local animal shelter to not only house some horses she needs to pick up, but on very hot Latin man named Scott.

Emotions run hot while Scott tries to convince Cody that taking a chance on herself for once. Scott knows that he wants more from this elusive woman and when a threat makes itself clear to her Scott realizes just how much she has come to mean to him.

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My very first read by Sidney Bristol went extremely well! I enjoyed Flirting With Rescue and thought it was over much to fast. This could easily (well maybe not easily for the author) be expanded into something longer. Animal rescuer Cody is immediately attracted to the hunky Latino that runs the local animal shelter,  Scott. And can you blame her? A yummy Latino man? Uh where can I sign up?

The relationship between Cody and Scott heats up fast….as in, within hours. Normally this would bug me but as a novella I’m okay with less relationship buildup because of the length. Bristol does a good job at making you feel like you get the full reading experience. A bit of intrigue, a good story line and a whole lot of sexiness.

The only thing that didn’t sit right with me was the threat to Cody. It’s very low key and I thought that could have been played up a bit more. A dark windowed car sitting beside her ranch just didn’t give me enough of a jolt, esp since it was easily seen through to the horse owners that wanted their property back.

Sidney Bristol is an excellent author that I believe shows potential for longer books. I can’t wait to pick up her newest, Personal Adventures!

I give Flirting With Rescue by Sidney Bristol 3.75 stars! 

Alexander Outland: Space Pirate by G.J. Koch

Available: Now Amazon/B&N
Type: Sci Fi
Publisher: Night Shade
My Copy: Sent

Captain Alexander Outland of the Sixty-Nine (short for Space Vessel 3369, of course) is the best pilot in the galaxy. He’s also a pirate, a smuggler, and loved and loathed by women in umpteen solar systems. His crew of strays and misfits includes an engineer of dubious sanity, a deposed planetary governor, an annoyingly unflappable Sexbot copilot, and a slinky weapons chief who stubbornly refuses to give the captain a tumble.

Outland just wants to make a decent living skirting the law, but when an invisible space armada starts cutting into his business, he soon finds himself in hot water with the military, the mob, mad bombers, and an extended family of would-be conquerors. And that’s not counting an occasionally telepathic spy . . . .

Like any sensible scoundrel, he hates heroics. They’re risky and they don’t pay well. But to keep his ship and crew in one piece, and make time with a certain hard-to-get weapons chief, he might just have to make an exception–and save the galaxy in spite of himself!

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The very first in a new sci fi series by GJ Koch is a knock down, action packed romp through space that will have your heart pounding and your libido stuttering just a bit!

Meet Alexander Outland, a space pirate, and his rag tag group of employees that include a super smart techie, a humanoid robot, a sex kitten and a old man. Alex is a space pirate that has a heart of gold even though you would never get him to admit to it. He likes to think of himself as a ladies man instead. He seems to be able to get in pretty much every womans pants..and he has. Slinkie is the exception to his rule. He wants her, he tries to get her constantly, and yet she resists. She’d rather lob snarky retorts to his advances then pursue anything with the quirky captain. She is a virtual mystery to him.

Alexander Outland is a quirky fun scifi that doesn’t have one dull moment. I’m not joking its literally one thing after another while they try to figure out who is behind the attacks against the crew and the planet they land on. No one is who they seem and everyone has secrets to hide . There is constant conversations in this one so be prepared for the one liners, the snark and the jibber jabber. No one can sit still and be quiet for even a minute. It’s hilarious. It’s fun. It can be overwhelming trying to keep up with a story line that never stops. You may want to take notes or if you have the paperback version, invest in post it notes to mark revelations clearly so you can go back and refresh yourself.

Now I know G.J. has tried to distance herself from her Gini Koch name but honestly…if you’ve read Gini’s stuff there is virtually no way you can mistake G.J’s writing from Gini’s . It’s just got the same feel. The biggest difference I saw is the lack of bountiful sex going on. Don’t worry, its so filled with story that you won’t miss the sex…much. The story is so complex and you will be constantly guessing where the book is going. Slinkie and Alexander work well together as a couple once they get past all the continuous innuendo and playful games.  The family feel with the rest of the crew can clearly be felt. These people are not co workers….but family. They care about each other and that includes the humanoid/computer that a very lonely crew member manages to build for himself.

Sci fi genre lovers should enjoy this one and crossover Gini Koch lovers should like this too. Its a solidly good book with amazing potential for future storylines!

On a side note….is anyone else amused by the position of Slinkie and Alexander (aka Nap) on the front cover? I snickered…repeatedly.

I give Alexander Outland: Space Pirate by G.J. Koch 3.75 stars! 

Shades Of Desire by Virna DePaul (Shades #1)

Available: May 22, 2012 Amazon/B&N

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Harlequin

My Copy: Netgalley

WHAT SHE CAN’T SEE COULD KILL HER. Natalie Jones is the lucky survivor of an elusive killer who preys on young women and then disappears from view. And since her harrowing ordeal, the once gutsy photojournalist has remained isolated in her home, paralyzed by fear and her failing vision. Special Agent Liam “Mac” McKenzie has scars of his own. But despite his efforts to ignore the attraction that simmers between him and Natalie, he needs her help to catch a predator. Soon, they will forge a tentative alliance-charged with desire. Through a soft-focus lens, Natalie dares to envision a future with Mac beyond the investigation…never guessing that the clues hidden within her photographs are drawing them into an explosive confrontation with a madman.

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Newly blind as a result of a degenerative eye disease Natalie is trying to cope on her own…poorly. Not willing to let others help her because she constantly strives to prove her self worth. After a brutal attack that leaves her fearful of the outside world she reluctantly turns to the detective in charge to keep her safe, Mac.

Detective in charge, Mac, knows that if he does anything in this life, it will be keeping this woman safe. Unraveling the mystery behind the case will bring them closer, but it may also be what ultimately drives them apart.

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Shades of Desire is Virna Depaul’s newest book and if you’ve read her Chosen series this will be a step away from that. Shades of Desire is a contemporary romantic suspense heavy on the cop factor. I have not read the Choosen series so while I do have that on my “potential reading” plate, it wasn’t something that I focused on while reading this one.

Natalie is our heroine and she is in complete denial. Her hereditary vision disease has been steadily getting worse and to a famous photographer, it seems like a death sentence. She keeps people at a distance because everyone important to her always leaves, including a fiance that simply couldn’t deal with her impending blindness. Even those friends that have proven themselves trustworthy aren’t given her trust. An attack in her own home leaves her feeling especially vulnerable but her stubborn pride won’t allow her to ask for the help she so desperately needs. Driven by proving she can do everything she could before her blindness. I felt her frustration in her now limited life and could completely understand her wanting to separate herself from the rest of the world. Especially after her attack I totally got her slight agoraphobic behavior though she seemed to get over it quickly when she HAD to go somewhere and that made it a bit unbelievable to me. I mean either she’s a agoraphobic or she isn’t. I really don’t see that as a gray area disease. I did enjoy her character though and thought that even if she was a bit hasty, her desire to achieve was admirable. I thought her past and her upbringing added to the depth of her character nicely. Having an abusive mother that lashed out because of her own eye disease and ultimately landed her in a psych ward made Natalie’s sometimes erratic behavior more believable.

Mac is the detective that has pieced together a murder that has led right to Natalie’s door. Leader of an elite task force, he is like a dog with a bone when it comes to police work. His marriage recently ended because of his job and he has been living single happily. Nothing to tie him down. The surge of emotion he feels upon seeing Natalie the first time is intense and earth shattering. It doesn’t take him long to realize that he feels something for the enigmatic woman despite her constant death-defying antics to preserve her pride. I liked Mac even if at times I wanted to bop him upside his thick skull. He could be incredibly dense and really cruel when he wanted to be. I know guys just don’t understand female emotions but there were a few times I thought…seriously?

I enjoyed the villain plot and thought it was decent though it dragged a bit. I really didn’t care about the inner workings. I wanted a plot sure but I didn’t really care about every little detail that made the villain crazy. I could have done with a bit less on that end. Give me a psycho killer and I’m pretty much good to go. The lead up to the climax ending was peppered with just enough action to keep me reading. I felt this was paced quite well and I wasn’t left feeling like I needed more action.

I think readers that enjoy a cop immersed romantic suspense will really like Shades of Desire! It combines the cop feel with a heat level that readers should be able to get behind. I will continue with this series and look forward to the next one.

I give Shades of Desire by Virna DePaul 3.75 stars!