Review: Broken Blade by J.C. Daniels

Broken Blade: Kit Colbana

(Colbana Files #3)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Kit Colbana: assassin, thief, investigator extraordinaire. Now broken. She always expected her past to catch up with her but never like this. Haunted by nightmares and stripped of her identity, she’s retreated to Wolf Haven, the no-man’s land where she found refuge years before. But while she might want to hide away from the rest of the world, the rest of the world isn’t taking the hint.

Dragged kicking and screaming back into life, Kit is thrust head-first into an investigation surrounding the theft of an ancient relic...one that she wants nothing to do with. Her instincts tell her it’s a bad idea to just leave the relic lying about, but finding it might be just as bad.

Forced to face her nightmares, she uncovers hidden strength and comes face to face with one of the world’s original monsters.

If she survives the job, she won’t be the same...and neither will those closest to her.

Review:

Ok folks, here is another review I’ve been sitting on for quite some time. I really should have reviewed this book like a month ago. Oops, but here is my go at it.

Broken Blade by J.C. Daniels is the third book in the Kit Colbana Files series. It picks up a couple of months after the end of Night Blade, which about broke my heart. Night Blade was a gut wrenching novel that made Broken Blade highly anticipated.I was wondering how J.C. Daniels was going to follow up from the emotional upheaval from its predecessor and I have to say I wasn’t disappointed with this book. The first half of the book had us going through Kit’s recovery from the trauma of her capture. She was barely existing in this life when her friends basically pulled her from her oblivion. She had some serious pain to work through and we took that journey with her, I swear I had tears ready to go for most of the first half of the book. In the beginning she could barely get out of bed but through her friends she started to find her inner strength and survival instincts and more and more the Kit we know and love starts to come back. Her first case back in the swing of things is fairly easy but it brings her back to Damon which is another heartbreak, the guilt he carries and her feelings of betrayal run deep and it is something they have to work through if they are ever going to find their way back. I swear when he says that he will wait for her forever I about choked up all over again. The second half of the book, while not fully healed Kit is definitely back and kicking! She takes a case that she is pretty sure that she should not take, one that brings her face to face with one of the original evils. Kit and her old pal Justin have to work closely together on this one and the young Doyle can’t stay away. He plays an instrumental role in her case and we find out some secrets about his past. This third book in the installment while not as gut-wrenching as the second, is no slouch and I ended up thoroughly enjoying it. I definitely recommend this series to the Urban Fantasy fans out there.

*ARC was provided through Netgalley for an honest review no other compensation was provided.

Early review: The Highlander by Kerrigan Byrne

The Highlander: Liam MacKenzie and Philomena

(Victorian Rebels #3)

Expected publication: August 2nd 2016

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Can the fiercest master of battle conquer a woman’s heart?

They call him the Demon Highlander. The fearsome Lieutenant Colonel Liam MacKenzie is known for his superhuman strength, towering presence, and fiery passion in the heat of battle. As Laird to the MacKenzie clan, the undefeated Marquess has vanquished his foes with all rage and wrath of his barbaric Highland ancestors. But when an English governess arrives to care for his children, the master of war finds himself up against his greatest opponent... in the game of love.

Defying all expectations, Miss Philomena is no plain-faced spinster but a ravishing beauty with voluptuous curves and haughty full lips that rattle the Laird to his core. Unintimidated by her master’s raw masculinity and savage ways, the headstrong lass manages to tame not only his wild children but the beast in his soul. With each passing day, Liam grows fonder of Miss Mena—and more suspicious. What secret is she hiding behind those emerald eyes? What darkness brought her to his keep? And how can he conquer this magnificent woman’s heart... without surrendering his own?

Review:

Rating 3.5

I have mixed feelings about this book, on one hand I loved the writing: it was beautiful, descriptive and everything I would expect from a Kerrigan Byrne novel. Hell the prologue itself gave me some serious chills. The characters were engaging and flawed. I liked all of them. Mena really came into her own throughout the book. She found her backbone that had all but been beaten out of her by her husband. She survived and started thriving. Liam has his own internal struggles, a quick temper and a tendency towards violence but underneath it all he is a protector. He struggles with controlling his anger and his violence but he would never do what his father did to him. I liked Mena's relationship with Liam's kids, they had some good interactions. There were also some really great quotes that really resonated. K. Byrnes quality of writing is never in question.

My problem with this book was the pacing. Until about 15 or 20% of the book we were chugging along quite merrily and then we kind of seemed to hit a lag from then until about 65% or so. It's not that nothing happened but it didn't seem to move the plot along to anywhere and I wasn't feeling the "romance" between Liam and Mena. She was mostly just afraid of him or he was yelling at her and there wasn't enough sexual tension to really overcome that. and then all of the sudden in the last 30% or so of the book everything started happening. The were a couple of sub plotlines that were a bit anti-climatic but the romance picked up. Im still not sure by the end of the book I truly bought into it but we were in a better place than I thought we would be. Maybe it's Byrnes experience at writing novellas that she was able to pull off so much in the last part of the book, but I just wished it had been spaced out better.

*ARC was provided through NetGalley for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Review: The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne

The Highwayman: Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More and Farah Leigh Mackenzie

(Victorian Rebels #1)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

They’re rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the women who love them, a hint of danger only makes the heart beat faster…

STEALING BEAUTY

Dorian Blackwell, the Blackheart of Ben More, is a ruthless villain. Scarred and hard-hearted, Dorian is one of London’s wealthiest, most influential men who will stop at nothing to wreak vengeance on those who’ve wronged him…and will fight to the death to seize what he wants. The lovely, still innocent widow Farah Leigh Mackenzie is no exception—and soon Dorian whisks the beautiful lass away to his sanctuary in the wild Highlands…

COURTING DESIRE

But Farah is no one’s puppet. She possesses a powerful secret—one that threatens her very life. When being held captive by Dorian proves to be the only way to keep Farah safe from those who would see her dead, Dorian makes Farah a scandalous proposition: marry him for protection in exchange for using her secret to help him exact revenge on his enemies. But what the Blackheart of Ben More never could have imagined is that Farah has terms of her own, igniting a tempestuous desire that consumes them both. Could it be that the woman he captured is the only one who can touch the black heart he’d long thought dead?

Review:

The Highwayman by Kerrigan Byrne is at turns, sweet, cute and heartbreaking. You run the full gamut of emotions in this book and it was fantastically done.  I’ve been a fan of Kerrigan Byrne for a number of years, it all started with her historical paranormal novellas that I stumbled upon and I’ve been snapping up anything she’s had to write ever since.  So needless to say I was pretty excited to read this book. As with all of her other writing she creates a world and characters so clear you would think you were right there with them.  This particular book starts when Farah is a small child and she pledges herself to her best friend and protector. Almost right after their “handfasting” they are attacked by a priest where they are living as orphans and her best friend is arrested for killing the priest. He later dies in prison but she never forgot her “husband”.

It is years later and Dorian enters her life. He kidnaps her and convinces her to marry him as a part of a convoluted plan.  Turns out, Dorian knew and was friends with her husband in prison which forges a bond of sorts between them. Dorian is super damaged, I’d say one of the more damaged characters I have read to date. He can’t stand to be touched after everything has been done to him, which makes for an awkward arrangement with Farah.  But over some time, he begins to let her in more and more and a trust builds. I think Dorian as a character will break your heart a little bit. Farah as a character may help to restore some of your faith in humanity because she is loyal to the core and has a backbone of steel. She does not take shit from Dorian or anyone else and has a way of shutting people up with just a look. These two shouldn't work, but for some reason they do and they’ll worm their way into your heart.

Review: The Hunter by Kerrigan Byrne

The Hunter: Christopher Argent and Millie LeCour

(Victorian Rebels #2)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

They're rebels, scoundrels, and blackguards—dark, dashing men on the wrong side of the law. But for the proper Victorian-era ladies who love them, a hint of danger only makes their hearts beat faster...

A scandalous proposal.

As one of London't most elite hunters, Christopher Argent never misses his mark and always gets his man. But when his latest target turns out to be a woman—the popular, and stunningly beautiful, actress Millie LeCour—it turns his whole world upside-down. Overwhelmed by the heat that simmers between them, Christopher can't complete his mission. On the contrary, he'll do anything to save Millie's life—even if it means risking his own...

A dangerous passion...

When she learns what Christopher was hired to do, Millie is torn between the fear in her heart and the fire in her soul. Putting herself in this dangerous man's arms may be her only path to safety—but giving in to her desire may be the deadliest mistake she's ever made. With both of their lives in jeopardy, Millie and Christopher must learn to trust the real feelings they're hiding—to find the true love they're looking for…

Review:

So I am not a huge historical fan but when I saw Kerrigan Byrne had some full length novels out I had to give them a whirl and I am so glad I did. I've read most of K Byrnes historical paranormal novellas and enjoyed them all and while I miss the paranormal aspect (because she does it so well) in these books I still really enjoyed them. I actually finished this a few days ago, it was good. I liked the 1st book a bit better but i did still really enjoy this installment. I found both characters quite enjoyable and even liked that their 1st time together was not instant explosions and multiple orgasms. I like that K. Byrne writes flawed characters, they make mistakes they aren't always good people and in this series, some are straight up criminals. But criminals with hearts of gold, mostly. The plot is always engaging and exciting and moves along at a quick pace. I have been a fan of K. Byrnes work for many years and she is an excellent writer and story-teller. I am excited to see how this series develops.

**Review copy was provided through NetGalley for an honest review, no other compensation was provided.

Early Review: Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh

Allegiance of Honor by Nalini Singh

(Psy-Changeling #15)

Release Date: June 14th 2016 

Summary:

Goodreads.com

The Psy-Changeling world has undergone a staggering transformation and now stands at a crossroads. The Trinity Accord promises a new era of cooperation between disparate races and groups. It is a beacon of hope held together by many hands: Old enemies. New allies. Wary loners.

But a century of distrust and suspicion can’t be so easily forgotten and threatens to shatter Trinity from within at any moment. As rival members vie for dominance, chaos and evil gather in the shadows and a kidnapped woman’s cry for help washes up in San Francisco, while the Consortium turns its murderous gaze toward a child who is the embodiment of change, of love, of piercing hope: A child who is both Psy…and changeling.

To find the lost, protect the vulnerable—and save Trinity—no one can stand alone. This is a time of loyalty across divisions, of bonds woven into the heart and the soul, of heroes known and unknown standing back to back and holding the line. But is an allegiance of honor even possible with traitors lurking in their midst?

Review:

Absolutely LOVED this book!  This book isn’t about one particular couple but basically a recap of all of the previous couples as we end this Arc and move into a new one. And we get at least a brief glimpse of all of them. I’d say the most predominate couple in the book that we revisit would be Lucas and Sasha, mainly because of Naya and it’s great to see them again. Naya is too cute for words! She’s the first Psy-Changling born since Silence and as such she is a symbol of a new world so there is a lot of interest in her and some of it is not good as we learn in this book.  Overall, this book just leaves us in a mostly happy place as we revisit the characters and see that they are doing well and bonds are being built across all three races.  And the PubCups! They arrive in this book! YAY!! Im not telling how many, if they are wolf or leopard or their sexes. You'll just have to read to find out. 

Over the last 14 books I don’t think I really realized how much plotting she had to have done and how far she had to have seen into the future of this series. After I read this book I had to go back and re-read most of the series and the little bits and pieces came together, tiny things that pop back up into this book and along the whole series. I was super impressed with how it all came together.

Singh has said that this Arc is closing and a new one is starting, like a new chapter in the same book. I am interested to see where we are going with this but to be honest it doesn’t seem to be all the different from the previous arc. The psy-net is still in trouble and we have the Consortium now instead of the Council, but whatev’s even if it was the exact same theme with new couples I’m pretty sure I’d still love it. I know whatever Singh throws our way it’ll be good.  All in all, again.. LOVED it and can’t wait for the next book in the series! 

Early Review: Blood Lust by Alexandra Ivy

Blood Lust - Bas and Myst

(The Sentinels #3)

Expected publication: May 31st 2016 

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

Blessed and cursed by their hidden abilities, the Sentinels have no choice but to live, and love, on the edge of humanity…

The Sentinel assassin, Bas, is facing the greatest challenge of his outcast existence. His young daughter, Molly, has been kidnapped. But her disappearance has brought the return of her mother, Myst, whom Bas has never forgotten--or forgiven.

Haunted by a vision that she's destined to create a weapon that will destroy thousands, Myst was never impulsive--until she met the irresistibly handsome Bas. But with the Brotherhood, the enemy of the high-bloods hunting for her, Myst had to stay on the run, to keep her child, and the world, safe. Now, with the most important thing in both their lives at stake, she and Bas must embark on a treacherous journey to save Molly, to confront the truth of Myst's fate--and to face their fierce desire for one another.

Review:

I got to say I wasn’t all that excited about this book, Bas wasn’t all that easy to really like in the last book. One thing I could say was that he is a fantastic father; he truly loves his little girl. She’s his whole world.  When her mother saunters back into the picture he’s not thrilled; he doesn’t want anything else that could potentially harm his little girl. Myst hasn’t physically been with her little girl since she dropped her off with Bas, but she has always “talked” to her through a telepathic link. Being away from Molly has been the hardest thing she’s had to do but fate has other plans.  Myst needs to stop a vision from coming to pass, a vision that could kill everyone in Valhalla.

We are taking on a whirlwind trip across countries racing against time and whomever wants to get their hands on Myst. Bas really redeems himself to me in this book, he ends up being compassionate well as compassionate as a man of his nature could be. He also puts his heart back on the line where Myst is concerned. Myst wasn’t counting on Bas and her feelings for him. She ran from im years ago but he was never far from her heart and now he wants a real chance, but she has fate hanging over her head.

I really ended up enjoying this book, much more than I thought I would. It was action packed and emotionally charged.  I can’t say that I’ve ever disliked an A. Ivy novel and I’m quite glad this was no exception.  Fans of A Ivy and paranormal in general I think will really enjoy this series. 

**Arc copy provided through NetGalley for an honest review, no other compensation was provided. 

Review: Last Kiss Goodnight by Gena Showalter (Re-Post)

Last Kiss Goodnight: Solomon Judah and Vika Lukas

Otherworld Assassin Series Book 1:

 
 
 
Purchase on Amazon: Gena Showalter - Last Kiss Goodnight (Otherworld Assassin)
 
Summary:
From Goodreads.com
THE SWEETEST TEMPTATION…
 
Black ops agent Solomon Judah awakens caged and bound in a twisted zoo where otherworlders are the main attraction. Vika Lukas, the owner’s daughter, is tasked with Solo’s care and feeding. The monster inside him yearns to kill her on sight, even though she holds the key to his escape. But the human side of him realizes the beautiful deaf girl is more than she seems—she’s his.
 
THE ULTIMATE PRICE…
 
Vika endures the captives’ taunts and loathing, hoping to keep them alive even if she can’t free them. Only, Solo is different—he protects her. But as hostility turns to forbidden romance, his feelings for her will be used against him…and he’ll be put to a killer test.

 
Review:
First of all I would like to address the cover of this book, which is gorgeous! I love the bright red dress and everything else in black and white. I’d have to say one of my favorite Gena Showalter covers and she does not slack in the cover department.
 
I love Gena Showalter I really do! Her books tend to be smart, funny and action packed. This book is a spinoff of her Alien Huntress series, which is among my favorite series. This book however left me a bit disappointed.
 
Don’t get me wrong, I loved both Vika and Solo. They were great characters and ease to enjoy. Vika is such a sweetheart, she cares for others more than she cares for herself. She is selfless even if none of her “charges” realize it. She has a kind heart and soul. Her life has been anything but good. Her father is extremely abusive to the point that she was beaten so badly, she can no longer hear. Despite her rough life she still looks for the good in life and in people. She has a goal, she will find the key to the OtherWorlders “chains” so she can free them and she will also disappear so that her father can never find her. Her goal is shot to hell when Solo is brought in. She has always tried to maintain a distance from the capatives but with Solo she cannot do so. She is drawn to him like a moth to a flame. He protected Vika like no other person has ever done before which called to her lonely abused heart. She also found that she is more attracted to Solo than she has ever been attracted to any other living being. His raw masculinity and strength called to her. Even in his beast state he did not frighten her, he was always protective and tender with her which was more than she ever expected from a man let alone a captive. By all rights he should have hated her, but instead treated her like a he cherished her.
 
By all rights Solo should hate Vika for putting him through this humiliation. Solo is not a man that is used to being able to be caged. His beast form pretty much guarantees that he can get out of pretty much any situation most unscathed. But somehow this cage holds him and his beast inside. This is the first time he is relaying on anyone to help him get out of any situation. Despite his situation he recognizes Vika as “His”, never before has he felt such an intense feeling for someone. It drives him mad that he can’t protect her like his instincts are demanding of him. All his life he has been treated as a freak show, but Vika never looks at him like that. Her kindness and tenderness gets to him like nothing else has ever been able to. He has been alone most of his life and now suddenly he has hope for a better future but he can’t get himself or his woman out of this damn situation. Solo is a fierce warrior but also a kind soul, but don’t tell anyone that, it could ruin his hard earned reputation! He is incredibly loyal to those he cares about and that list is incredibly short, but Vika has made her way to that list.
 
Although I LOVED the characters, there were a few things holding me back from loving this book. The first being the majority of the book, I think it was something like 80% of the book Solo is stuck in that damn cage. This really slowed the book down at some points it was made the book drag. Solo’s being in a cage limited the action of the book, he’s a fierce warrior forced into inaction for pretty much the entire book. The few times he was out, he was basically beat to ish. This also means pretty much everything happens in the last 20 or so percent of the book. Solo being in a cage also limits interaction between Solo and Vika. The interaction they did have was meaningful but when your male lead is confined and your heroine has to sneak around to see him interaction becomes limited and when there is extended together time a chunk of that time Vika is unconscious and there is again limited interaction.
 
The good and bad “Helpers” of Solo’s were kind of weird and a bit distracting. So they were like Solo’s version of the Good and Bad Angels that sit on someone shoulder; one whispering to do good, the other to do bad, corrupting. No one other than Solo can see his helpers so when he is talking to them he’s basically talking to himself. They were there to I guess enhance the story line but for me I found them an annoyance and hindered the story line. I found the Good Helper to be a bit preachy and the constant changing of the Helpers looks based on Solo decisions to not be a value add but a distraction.
 
Then there was the switching of the senses which I also found random and odd. I didn’t really see the point of it. I wanted a different outcome for this. I can’t really say more on this topic because it’s a spoiler but I really want to. =)
 
This book had plenty of potential to go so many cool places so I was a bit disappointed that it didn’t really go there. It was also missing Gena Showalters trademark humor. I want to laugh, but I didn’t find myself chuckling all that much. The characters were this books saving grace and I do encourage you to read this book one because Vika and Solo are such great characters and two because it sets up the rest of this spin off series and we do get visits from a few of the Alien Huntress characters. I know I will be looking to the next book in this series.