Rebel by Kristina Douglas (The Fallen #4)

Available: March 26, 2013 Amazon/B&N

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Pocket

My Copy: Sent

Reviewer: Nikki

A rebel angel who lives outside the world of the Fallen, Cain makes his own rules. Now he’s returned to make trouble, and he sets his sights on the unreliably psychic Martha. She has no interest in getting romantically involved with Cain, especially when she can tell he has ulterior motives. But when a mysterious figure tries to kill Martha, she and Cain must work together to uncover the villain. The heat between Martha and Cain grows undeniable, even as chaos and disaster threaten the very existence of the Fallen.

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Apparently everyone hates Cain. Which is fine with Cain because he hates everyone anyway. Still looking to settle a score from years ago when the other Fallen watched as the angels gutted his woman. He now is infiltrating them in order to gain their trust and destroy them from the inside out. He was not expecting a mousy  mostly human widow to a Fallen to capture his interest. Known as a lothario, he could have his pick of any woman in the compound. Even the mated ones. Martha, the seer, provides a unique opportunity to Cain. Fill her visions with what he wants her to see so she will lull the Fallen into a sense of security. Then he can spring his trap and finally get retribution for his lost love.

I have not read the prior books in this series. While I hate coming into something in the middle I will say that Douglas does a good job of filling in the gaps about prior books. I wanted to like this one but after thinking on it for about a week I’ve decided that just isn’t the case. I mean it was okay but in the end if all I have to say is “meh” then that can’t be good.

Cain has this set up to be a big, bad alpha type guy. He has this shadowy past and all this rage that has built up inside him just rearing to get out. Yet I never saw him as more then an arrogant prick. Something just didn’t work. There wasn’t enough light to the dark I guess. While there are a few steamy scenes between Martha and Cain they were in her dreams. Cain was giving her the visions. Once they were actually together it just wasn’t as good. The actual sex lacked originality and was boring. He never truly shows his human or emotional side. He never actually gives her any indication that he’s not a giant asshole.  Yet, this being a romance, they end up together.

Add to this that Martha was like a devout saint since her mate died..even though it seems abundantly clear that they were only ever lukewarm in the romance department. At one point, except for the polite sex they had, her memories of him were more fatherly then anything. And it kinda icks me out.

So the fact that I didn’t read the other books didn’t really hinder anything in respect to this book. I just didn’t like the hero and heroine together. Had Cain been more then one dimensional and Martha been more vivid, this might have been savable.

I give Rebel by Kristina Douglas 2.5 stars! 

I Need These Books NOW! Please? #4

Alright everyone…it’s time for another addition of please mr. postman bring me these! There are so many awesome series out right now with more coming by the end of the year. I’ve only scratched the surface with some of these. I want them in my hands! Look at those gorgeous covers! I can’t wait for them….seriously, I’m driving the hubby crazy talking about them. If they could magically show up on my doorstep that would be great…

Available: August 2011

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley

Series: The Elder Races #2

He’s a wyr warrior, a god of storms. She’s the heir to the Dark Fae throne. But desire will bring both to their knees in this all-new Novel of the Elder Races.

During the rule of her murderous Dark Fae uncle, Thistle “Tricks” Periwinkle found sanctuary among the wyr in New York. Her ethereal beauty and sparkling personality won the hearts of the public, but after her uncle’s death, there are those who don’t want to see her ascend to the throne…

Able to wield thunder and lightning, wyr sentinel Tiago Black Eagle has ruled the skies for centuries. His massive build and thunderous power make him one of the wyr’s best weapons. And he’s sent to protect Tricks when she’s almost assassinated in Chicago.

Soon, both Tiago and Tricks will fall prey to the stormy hunger that engulfs them—a passion that will shake the very foundation of all the worlds…

* I won the first book in this series, Dragon Bound: Review HERE*

Available: August 2011

Type: Romantic Suspense/Contemporary

Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperbacks

Series: Cutter Cay #2

SHE’S SWEPT INTO TREACHEROUS WATERS

Princess Bria Visconti demands the return of the money her brother rashly invested in Cutter Salvage. Treasure hunter Nick Cutter is too reckless, too arrogant—and far too handsome—for his own good. But he can’t charm his way out of this one. Bria plans to make Nick pay up even if she has to board his boat, don a wet suit, and dive for the treasure herself…

HE FIGHTS THE RELENTLESS PULL

Nick sees Bria as a beautiful but spoiled princess who’s never done a day’s work in her pampered life. But once they set sail for the dive site, and the legendary fortune in gold the wreck carries, Nick begins to see Bria in a new light. This princess may be out of her depth, but she’s ready to take on the hidden danger and excitement a treasure hunt stirs to the surface. Together they must fight unexpected enemies—and reveal their darkest secrets—before they’re pulled into a rip current of danger.

*Find my review for Undertow (Cutter Cay #1)*

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Available: July 2011

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: HQN

Series: Primal Instinct #8

DANGEROUS PASSION AND PRIMAL INSTINCTS….

With his sinister good looks, Noah Winston is the one man—a human with Casus ties—who Willow Broussard has never been able to resist. Once enemies, then lovers, Noah broke her heart. Yet the powerful witch and paranormal private investigator can’t turn him away when he needs her help in protecting his family, him—and the world—against their enemy…

As Noah and Willow work together, the secrets of their turbulent past are slowly exposed, each startling revelation drawing them closer. But when the enemy finally makes a move, Noah will need more than witchcraft and magic to survive. He’ll need his friends, one hell of a plan…and the undying devotion of a tenacious witch whose love is eternal

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Available: April 2011

Type: Romantic Suspense

Publisher: HQN

Series: Men Who Walk The Edge Of Honor #1

The tougher they are, the harder they fall…

Professional mercenary Dare Macintosh lives by one hard and fast rule: business should never be personal. If a cause appeals to him and the price is right, he’ll take the mission he’s offered. But then the lovely Molly Alexander asks him to help her track down the men who’d had her kidnapped—and for the first time, Dare’s tempted to combine work with pleasure.

Fiercely independent, Molly vows to trust no one until she’s uncovered the truth. Could the enemy be her powerful, estranged father? The ex-fiancé who still holds a grudge? Or the not-so-shy fan of her bestselling novels? As the danger heats up around them, the only anchor Molly has is Dare himself. But what she feels for him just might be the most frightening thing of all…

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Available: Now

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne

Someone—or something—is systematically murdering the members of Danyon Stone’s werewolf pack. As Alpha, he knows that finding and punishing the murderous entity is his responsibility, and he’s not about to rest until he sees justice done. But to stop the slayings he has to accept help from the most unlikely source—a wickedly sensual mortal woman.

Mystic-shop owner Shauna MacDonald has a special interest in the recent string of otherworldly deaths. As the Keeper of the werewolves, it’s her duty to guard and protect the packs. Working by Danyon’s side to stop an unknown killer—and trying to deny the potency of their illicit attraction—poses a threat to her heart unlike any she’s ever known, ;and if she becomes the killer’s next target, it could be the death of her….

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Available: May 2011

Type: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Pocket Books

Series: The Fallen #2

Once the Fallen’s fearless ruler, a grieving Azazel must find the legendary siren meant to take his lost lover’s place . . . and kill her.

He’s a devil of an angel.

Azazel should have extinguished the deadly Lilith when he had the chance. Now, faced with a prophecy that will force him to betray the memory of his one true love and wed the Demon Queen, he cannot end her life until she leads him to Lucifer. Finding the First is the Fallen’s only hope for protecting mankind from Uriel’s destruction, but Azazel knows that ignoring his simmering desire for the Lilith will be almost as impossible.

She’s an angel of a demon.

Rachel Fitzpatrick wonders how Azazel could confuse her with an evil seductress. She’s never even been interested in sex! At least not before she set eyes on her breathtaking captor. And now she can’t think about anything else—besides escape.

Angels and demons don’t mix.

Rachel stirs a carnal need in Azazel that he never thought he’d feel again. Falling for a demon—even if she has no idea she’s the Lilith—means surrendering his very soul. But if he lets her go, he risks abandoning his heart, his dangerous lover, and possibly all of humanity, to Uriel’s deadly wrath.

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You need to be running out and reading the beginning of these series AND you need to be pre-ordering these ones! Don’t miss them. Oh and powers that be? PLEASE deliver to me LOL

Tuesday January 25th releases I MUST HAVE

So while everyone and their mom was counting down the days to Karen Marie Moning Shadowfever release, I am still sitting around in the midst of my countdown. Yeah yeah, I DID buy Shadowfever last Tuesday. NO I didn’t have it downloaded to my Kindle and NO I didn’t get up at 3am when it came through to read it. If you have been a follower for long you know that while I have read the series, I am in no way fanatical about it. They are decent books but they just don’t reach me like scores of my twitter friends. I don’t know why, I just don’t get the hype.

 

Now I am sure there are more books coming out on the 25th that I will end up buying at some point. But there are two that have been on my radar for quite some time. So once again on release day I will trek up to my local Borders and harass the employees to get their new releases out of their stockroom and onto the floor. If (cough cough WHEN) Borders goes bankrupt and closes I will have to drive a bit further to the Barnes and Noble in Akron. Walmart only works with some authors. I have never seen a Cynthia Eden book there and Kristina Douglas is a new to me author so that one would be a gamble.

 

From Amazon:

She wants revenge . . .
Six months after her lover died in an arsonist’s blaze, firefighter Lora Spade calls in the FBI’s elite Serial Services Division to track the elusive killer. When Special Agent Kenton Lake is lured into a violent inferno, Lora pulls him to safety and is stunned – not by the fire, but by her own searing attraction to Kent. For the first time in months, she longs for something other than vengeance.

He wants her . . .
Kenton’s interest in Lora should be purely professional. But one fleeting kiss and he can’t get her out of his mind. Her combination of strength and vulnerability makes him want to protect her, and that means solving this case – and fast. For even the passion igniting between them can’t hide a terrifying truth: Lora is the next target in a murderer’s sadistic, fiery game.

A vicious killer wants only . . .
DEADLY HEAT

 

 

 

From Goodreads:

Kristina Douglas’s sexy new series introduces a realm of fallen angels and ruthless demons, where an eternal rebellion is brewing . . . and one unsuspecting woman can change the fate of the Fallen forever.

She was just an ordinary mortal . . .

“You’re dead” is so not what Allie Watson wants to hear. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like the dark, angelically handsome man who ferried her to this strange, hidden land. The last thing she remembers is stepping off a curb in front of a crosstown bus. Now she’s surrounded by gorgeous fallen angels with an unsettling taste for blood—and they really don’t want her around. Not exactly how she pictured heaven.

. . . until death catapulted her into a seductive world she never imagined.

Raziel is unsure why he rescued Allie from hellfire against Uriel’s orders, but she stirs in him a longing he hasn’t felt in centuries. Now the Fallen are bracing for the divine wrath brought by his disobedience, and they blame Allie for the ferocious Nephilim clawing at the kingdom’s shrouded gates. Facing impossible odds at every turn, the two must work together to survive. Raziel will do anything to defend his spirited lover against the forces of darkness—because Allie may be the Fallen’s only salvation.

 

 

Look at those covers…those yummy yummy covers! I want them in my hands like now. Cynthia Eden never lets me down and I’m anxious to try Kristina Douglas’ writing style. January 25th…COME ON!

I Need These NOW…please?

So I log into Amazon one more time to see if they have shipped my book order I placed 4 days ago, along with some Christmas gifts, which they haven’t, because they like to screw with me apparently. What is the holdup Amazon, seriously, ship my stuff NOW please.

While I wait for those books to get here (some Anya Bast and Shiloh Walker books) I wanted to go over a few more that I must have. I want these to magically show up on my doorstop. I want Amazon to ship them free for the holdup of the books I already ordered. I want my neighbor with the dogs that bark the entire time they are outside to drop these off as a “sorry my dogs annoy you” gesture. I want SANTA to bring them. Why should the kids get all the presents?

 

Jill Myles – The Succubus Diaries

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I want these books like WHOA! I have a serious weak spot for sex demons. The first two books are already out and the third is due out at the end of this month. December 28th I believe. The guy on the second cover reminds me of Dimitri from So You Think You Can Dance and Dancing With The Stars….

Shiloh Walker- Beg Me

Check out my friend Stacey’s review HERE

I am currently waiting for Broken to get here from Amazon which is another of Shiloh’s books. Seriously Amazon it’s the least you could do to throw in a e-book for my trouble…don’t you think?

 

Lords Of Passion Anthology -Virginia Henley, Kate Pearce & Maggie Robinson

Gotta get me some historical steamyness…

From Goodreads:

“Beauty and the Brute” by Virginia Henley

It’s been three years since Lady Sarah Caversham set eyes on arrogant Charles Lennox–the husband her father chose for her to settle a gambling debt. Now Charles has returned, unaware that the innocent ingénue he wed is determined to turn their marriage of convenience into a blissfully passionate affair. . .

“How to Seduce a Wife” by Kate Pearce

Louisa March’s new husband, Nicholas, is a perfect gentleman in bed–much to her disappointment. She longs for the kind of fevered passion found in her beloved romance novels. But when she dares him to seduce her properly, she discovers that Nicholas is more than ready to meet her challenge, over and over again. . .

“Not Quite a Courtesan” by Maggie Robinson

Sensible bluestocking Prudence Thorn has been too busy keeping her cousin Sophy out of trouble to experience any adventures of her own. But when Sophy begs Prudence’s help in saving her marriage, Pru encounters handsome, worldly Darius Shaw. And under Darius’s skilled tutelage, Pru learns just how delightful a little scandal can be. . .

Explosive by Beth Kery – Oh my LAWD this looks HOT

From Beth’s site:

His touch would consume her—if it didn’t kill her first…

Dr. Sophie Gable wasn’t expecting her peaceful getaway to be shattered by the arrival of a half-dazed, dead-sexy guest. Thomas Nicasio has obviously been traumatized, and Sophie thinks she knows by what. There’s something about Thomas’s father that he can’t—or won’t—remember. Something that could get them both killed. Still she can’t resist Thomas’s electrifying seduction—or her instincts to help him…

An ex-Navy explosives specialist, Thomas has never felt this type of volatile need for a woman. Even while he’s grieving the deaths of his brother and nephew, something in Sophie makes Thomas want to overtake her, and each time he does, her willing submission makes him want her all the more. But danger is lurking close by, and if he can’t face the demons of his past, he and Sophie could be the next victims in a pattern of meaningless violence…

 

Raziel By Kristina Douglas

Due out January 25th 2011

From Simon & Schuster:

Kristina Douglas’s sexy new series introduces a realm of fallen angels and ruthless demons, where an eternal rebellion is brewing and one unsuspecting woman can change the fate of the Fallen forever.

She was just an ordinary mortal . . .

“You’re dead” is so not what Allie Watson wants to hear. Unfortunately, it explains a lot. Like the dark, angelically handsome man who ferried her to this strange, hidden land. The last thing she remembers is stepping off a curb in front of a crosstown bus. Now she’s surrounded by gorgeous fallen angels with an unsettling taste for blood—and they really don’t want her around. Not exactly how she pictured heaven. . . .

until death catapulted her into a seductive world she never imagined.

Raziel is unsure why he rescued Allie from hellfire against Uriel’s orders, but she stirs in him a longing he hasn’t felt in centuries. Now the Fallen are bracing for the divine wrath brought by his disobedience, and they blame Allie for the ferocious Nephilim clawing at the kingdom’s shrouded gates. Facing impossible odds at every turn, the two must work together to survive. Raziel will do anything to defend his spirited lover against the forces of darkness—because Allie may be the Fallen’s only salvation.

 

A Brush Of Darkness by Allison Pang

Due Out January 25th 2011

From Simon & Schuster:
The man of her dreams might be the cause of her nightmares. Six months ago, Abby Sinclair was struggling to pick up the pieces of her shattered life. Now, she has an enchanted iPod, a miniature unicorn living in her underwear drawer, and a magical marketplace to manage. But despite her growing knowledge of the OtherWorld, Abby isn’t at all prepared for Brystion, the dark, mysterious, and sexy-as- sin incubus searching for his sister, convinced Abby has the key to the succubus’s whereabouts. Abby has enough problems without having this seductive shape-shifter literally invade her dreams to get information. But when her Faery boss and some of her friends vanish, as well, Abby and Brystion must form an uneasy alliance. As she is sucked deeper and deeper into this perilous world of faeries, angels, and daemons, Abby realizes her life is in as much danger as her heart—and there’s no one she can trust to save her.

 

So, a couple that I know I won’t be getting for a good long while…well end of January at least. But there are some that are out now or will be shortly. If they can just get here magically that would be great. No? Crap, well then if I could just work a few more hours so I can go buy them that would be great as well

Put these on your read list…I think we are going to like them!