Review: Struck by Amanda Carlson

Struck: Phoebe Meadows

(Phoebe Meadows #1)

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

When Phoebe Meadows gets struck by a strange light in the stockroom of Macy’s, life as she knows it flies out the window. As if being hit by lightning isn’t bad enough, she’s accosted in the subway by a man with a missing hand, arrives home to find a raven on her kitchen counter, and her neighbor, Ingrid, shows up dressed like a gladiator hell-bent on protecting her.

Before Ingrid can shuttle her to safety, Phoebe is kidnapped and tossed into one of the Nine Worlds where she’s quickly forced to come to terms with what she is: A valkyrie. The only problem is, she has no idea what that means.

After a narrow escape, she finds an unlikely ally in Loki’s son, Fenrir. Together the valkyrie and the wolf must battle their way back to New York City and reach the valkyrie stronghold where Ingrid is waiting for her. But with danger and obstacles at every turn, she might not live long enough to learn the full truth about who and what she really is…

Review:

So the first half of the book im not sure I was feeling too much. Lots of action but the dialogue was killing it for me. It was kind of ... cheesy?? Not sure thats even the right word for it. But it didnt feel like a real conversation. Little by little tho I got more into the book and by the end I chugging along. There is some insta-love going on that I dont really buy but I did really like Fen. He is strong, loyal and willing to throw down even if he's battling full gods unlike his demi-god status. I liked the best friend (I can't remember her name) but she was funny and really rolled with whatever was going down. I could easily imagine her as a Valkyrie. I liked her more than the main character and im kind of hoping for a match with Tyr for her. I also liked Tyr, he doesn't talk much but he definitely has a presence as the God of war. There is plenty of action in this book there is always peril around the corner as Phoebe and crew fight to stay alive. We travel between realms popping up all over the place which is pretty fun. There is a lot going on and I think that a lot of people will enjoy this book. I'm somewhat curious to see how this all turns out but all in all its not a very memorable book it doesn't stick out among other UF titles and I'm not sure that I'll even remember to pick up the second title when it comes out. But it was a decent read and if I remember, I would read the next book in the series.

**Review copy was provided for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Early Review: Sweet Ruin by Kresley Cole

Sweet Ruin by Kresley Cole

Rune the Baneblood and Josephine Doe

(Immortals After Dark #16)

Sweet Ruin on Amazon

Summary:

From Goodreads.com

A foundling raised in a world of humans

Growing up, orphaned Josephine didn’t know who or what she was—just that she was “bad,” an outcast with strange powers. Her baby brother Thaddeus was as perfect as she was flawed; protecting him became her entire life. The day he was taken away began Jo’s transition from angry girl…to would-be superhero…to enchanting, ruthless villain.

A lethally sensual enforcer on a mission

A threat to the Møriør has brought archer Rune the Baneblood to the mortal realm to slay the oldest living Valkyrie. Whether by bow or in bed, he never fails to eliminate his target. Yet before he can strike, he encounters a vampiric creature whose beauty conceals a black heart. With one bite, she pierces him with aching pleasure, taking his forbidden blood—and jeopardizing the secrets of his brethren.

A boundless passion that will lead to sweet ruin…

Could this exquisite female be a spy sent by the very Valkyrie he hunts? Rune knows he must not trust Josephine, yet he’s unable to turn her away. Despite his millennia of sexual conquests, he can’t ignore the unfamiliar longing she arouses deep within him. When Jo betrays the identity of the one man she will die to protect, she and Rune become locked in a treacherous battle of wills that pits ultimate loyalty against unbridled lust.

Review:

It is no secret I am a Kresley Cole fan girl, but even a fan girl can admit when an author misses. Thankfully that has not occurred here and I continue in my deep abiding Kresley Cole worship!  We are now 16 books deep into the Immortals After Dark series, based on trends of other series past it should have gotten a bit stale by now, but Cole keeps pumping out hit! If anything the series keeps getting better! She continually surprises us and keeps the series fresh by not taking us where you think she is leading us. You think she is setting you up for one thing and bam, it’s you with something completely different. Like… two completely new characters we have never heard of!  Who does that, who introduces two brand new characters so late in a series when readers already have their favorites and have already been set up for a completely different set of lovers? (Think back to Munro and his gypsy that we were set up for 2 books ago) But here we are, and count on Kresley Cole to make it work.  Now I know I saw some outraged fans, thinking there are so many other characters that deserve to have their happily ever after, but keep your faith fans! Has Kresley Cole ever let you down? I know she hasn’t for me.

So why is this book so great, you ask? Why do these newbies deserve their happily ever after? Well as we all know Cole has been leading us into the Ascension and into possible Apocalypse and the Møriør is leading us there… Or are they?  Rune is a member of the Møriør but he’s not particularly evil. Maybe misunderstood and a total manwhore which after his stint as an actual whore is not all that surprising.  He’s 7000 years old which I think is one of the oldest main characters we have encountered thus far, but like the other immortals he’s kept up with the times.  He’s been dispatched by the Møriør leader to assassinate our beloved Nix and he’s trolling Nola to find her.  

Josephine is a young’n in her early 20’s, but her earliest memory is when she is eight and she doesn’t remember anything before then. She wakes up in the ghetto with her infant brother and knows she is now responsible for him. Jo is incredibly snarky with an ego a mile wide and has an obsession with being a superhero and at the tender age of I think 11 she takes on a local gang only to be shot in the face. She wakes up in the morgue with bullets in her face and her little brother in the care of a librarian. She believes herself a ghost who can incorporate and for the next decade or so has no idea what the heck she is. But she keeps her superhero obsession and is the protector of prostitutes and she ghosts into shells (living bodies) to feel a connection with people. Now she is in Nola and when she meets Rune she meets another freak like herself and she needs to know more. Instinct kicks in and she is compelled to snack on Rune’s tasty blood and he becomes hooked!  He’s a Banesblood and his blood is poison to every being except another Banesblood (Think Natalya Reigns roommate on the island of hell) so when Jo drinks and doesn’t die he knows he’s got to keep her around. From here we go on a rollercoaster ride of action, orgasm denial, a battle of wills, combat situations, lots of nymphs, and chasing down Nix. It’s a fantastic ride to be on! Oh and speaking of Nix, we get to see some of her other awesome powers besides her foresight and man does she kick some ass! Who knew she had it in her. Get ready for one of the best books in the series! Now go forth and pre-order if you are reading this before its out.  

*review copy was provided for an honest review, no other compensation was provided 

The Unleashing by Shelly Laurenston

Call of Crows Book 1
 
The Unleashing: Ludvig “Vig” Rundstrom  and Kera Watson
 


 
Goodreads Link
 Amazon Link
 
Summary:
Kera Watson never expected to face death behind a Los Angeles coffee shop. Not after surviving two tours lugging an M16 around the Middle East. If it wasn’t for her hot Viking customer showing up too late to help, nobody would even see her die.
 

In uncountable years of service to the Allfather Odin, Ludvig “Vig” Rundstrom has never seen anyone kick ass with quite as much style as Kera. He knows one way to save her life—but she might not like it. Signing up with the Crows will get Kera a new set of battle buddies: cackling, gossiping, squabbling, party-hearty women. With wings. So not the Marines.
 

But Vig can’t give up on someone as special as Kera. With a storm of oh-crap magic speeding straight for L.A., survival will depend on combining their strengths: Kera’s discipline, Vig’s loyalty… and the Crows’ sheer love of battle. Boy, are they in trouble.
 

Review:
I heart Shelly Laurenston! Everything I have read by her I have enjoyed and this is no exception. With Laurenston you expect somewhat off the wall characters, interesting action filled plotlines and humor. Again, no exception.. Although there are definitely quirky characters there isn’t quite as much humor as there has been in some of her previous books but that didn’t make me like this book any less.
 
This is a brand new series set in a completely different world. There was no cross over from any of her shifter series at least not in this book, so if you are looking for that be prepared that it is not going to happen. This series is all about VIKINGS! Yes that’s right, Vikings! In my lowly opinion there are just not enough Viking books out there so I am ecstatic that one of my favorite authors has started a Viking series! Whoot Whoot
 
Sometimes I feel bad for the first book in a new paranormal series but this is the book that sets up the whole new world. It has to set up the rest of the series and paint a picture and sometimes it can be a bit confusing as the author lays down the tracks. Sometimes the main characters can take a bit of a hit because of this. So an auther really has to start strong and I think Laurenston accomplished that with Kera and Vig. They are both very strong characters in different ways. Kera is our bad a$$ ex-marine that is having a hard time adjusting to her new life as a Crow. Vig is her lifeline in this new world. He is her very deadly but super sweet rock. Vig is kind of the boogey man in the Viking world, he is fierce and ultra deadly. When you want mass destruction you send in Vig and he’s good at it, but he gets a bad rap. He’s actually super sweet and kind of shy. He takes a shining to Kera in her human life and when she is killed he is the one that helps bring her back. When Kera first wakes it’s in the middle of a raid and her new warrior strength kicks in, she vaguely remembers dying and how she was brought back. When she first sees Vig after her waking he’s the one familiar face and she clings to that. Come to find out he is not what she expected at all. These two make a great team, while Vig does take on a bit of a mentor roll it is clear that there is no dividing line between teacher and student this is pure heat and attraction.
 
I adored Vig and wished we had some more face time with him and maybe saw a bit more of that made him so scary but what time we did have with him was well spent. Watching Kera adjust was a fun ride. The other Crows did not know what to make of this newcomer trying to organize them. Didn’t Kera know they did not DO organization? Kera was well on her way to alienating all of the Crows but after a few eye opening experiences and finding her next life calling she started to find her footing. There are a lot of side characters in this book between all of the Crows and Ravens all with strong personalities. Keeping track of them all could be a bit overwhelming but as the series goes on it’ll become easier. I liked every single character and cannot wait to see how they develop. The world/plotline is very interesting and will keep you engaged from beginning to end. It’s a cool twist on the Vikings. I’m looking forward to the next book whenever it may come out.
 
Rating:
 


Review copy was provided for an honest review

ARC Review: Dark Skye by Kresley Cole

Immortals After Dark Series:

Book 14:

Dark Skye: Thronos, Lord of Skye Hall and Lanthe, Queen of Persuasion
 

 
Goodreads
Amazon

Expected publication: August 5th 2014 

Summary:
From Goodreads.com  

Eternal Obsession
As a boy, Thronos, Lord of Skye Hall, loved Lanthe, a mischievous Sorceri girl who made him question everything about his Vrekener clan. But when the two got caught in the middle of their families’ war, tragedy struck, leaving Thronos and Lanthe bitter enemies. Though centuries have passed, nothing can cool his seething need for the beautiful enchantress who scarred his body - and left an even deeper impression on his soul.

Endless Yearning

Lanthe, a once-formidable sorceress struggling to reclaim her gifts, searches for love and acceptance with all the wrong immortal suitors. But she’s never forgotten Thronos, the magnificent silver-eyed boy who protected her until she was ripped from the shelter of his arms. One harrowing night changed everything between them. Now he’s a notorious warlord with a blood vendetta against Lanthe, hunting her relentlessly.

Can the heat of desire burn brighter than vengeance?

With their families locked in conflict and battles raging all around them, will Thronos and Lanthe succumb to the brutal chaos that threatens everything they cherish? Or will the fragile bond they formed so long ago spark a passion strong enough to withstand even the darkest doubts?

Review:

So I’m writing my first review in many a months, so I may be a bit rusty so bear with me. I’m a huge fan of Kresley Cole and that is no secret. The Immortals After Dark series is my all-time favorite series and Dark Skye is although not my favorite book in the series it a great installment. Kresley Cole never fails to impress her characters are rich, full of life and funny. Her world building is some of the best; she creates a rich world called the Lore with all the crazy beings that belong in it. This book is rich in visits from other Lore beings, we get a broader scope of what the Lore is all about. We get visits from some old favorites and glimpses of stories to come. Nix of course plays a part in the books and will definitely drop some stuff on the reader, some things you don’t want to miss. We may or may not find something and her status may be upgraded. You’ll have to read to see.

Dark Skye is a long awaited installment within the IAD series. Fans of the series have been waiting years to get Lanthe and Thronos story; we first met these two in Sabine and Rydstroms story. Once childhood friends, chosen by fate, these two have a dark, blood soaked history. After the deaths of both of their parents Lanthe and Sabine went on the run and Thronos was compelled to hunt Lanthe. Tragedy after tragedy struck and these once best friends were bitter enemies. 500 years later they are both captured and held in a facility with other immortals, when all hell breaks loose Thronos finally has his shot at Lanthe, but fate has its own ideas.

Lanthe comes into her own in this book, while she’s always been a bit wild she has always been overshadowed by her powerful sister. Lanthe comes into her own badassness in this book. She is consistently in danger and she and Thronos are thrown into the unknown over and over. She finds her inner sorceress and strength as it turns out she can be a fierce! Thronos is an unexpected surprise! I wasn’t sure what to expect from him but I must say he ends up being one sexy, alpha, virgin male. Kresley Cole writes THE BEST male virgin characters, and I am a SUCKER for them. Thronos is just one more to add to this list. He may be inexperienced but he is creative and man oh man those wings! Just one more thing I am a sucker over. Cole throws these two into obstacle after obstacle but the biggest things these two must overcome are their pasts…

Rating:

*This copy was provided to me by the publisher for an honest review. No other compensation was provided.

Review: Kresley Cole - MacRieve

Immortals After Dark Series:
 
Book 13:
 
MacRieve: Uilleam MacRieve and Chloe Todd
 
 
 
Purchase on Amazon:Kresley Cole - MacRieve (Immortals After Dark)
 
Summary:
From Goodreads.com
 
A Beast In Torment
 
Uilleam MacRieve believed he’d laid to rest the ghosts of his boyhood. But when a brutal torture revives those ancient agonies and destroys his Lykae instinct, the proud Scot craves the oblivion of death. Until he finds her—a young human so full of spirit and courage that she pulls him back from the brink.
 
A Beauty In Chains
 
Seized for the auction block, Chloe Todd is forced to enter a terrifying new world of monsters and lore as a bound slave. When offered up to creatures of the dark, she fears she won’t last the night. Until she’s claimed by him—a tormented immortal with heartbreaking eyes, whose touch sets her blood on fire.
 
A Full Moon On The Rise
 
With enemies circling, MacRieve spirits Chloe away to the isolated Highland keep of his youth. But once he takes her to his bed, his sensual mate becomes something more than human, evoking his savage past and testing his sanity. On the cusp of the full moon, can he conquer his worst nightmare to save Chloe . . . from himself?
 
Review:
Kresley Cole has long since earned her place on my auto-buy list as well as the top spot as my favorite author. Every time I pick up a Kresley Cole book it starts this spiral of need to go back and read the rest of the series all over again. I swear I do a re-read of IAD at least once a year. I know without a doubt that if I pick up a Kresley Cole book it will be a minimum of four stars EVERY time. MacRieve is absolutely no exception to this rule. This was not my favorite book of the series but I’d still say Ms. Cole has a winner on her hands. I DEVOURED it, staying up all night to finish and dragging my ass into work with almost no sleep but not caring. PS. I really wish release day was on a Friday or something so this wouldn’t keep happening to me with my favorite authors. LOL
 
As with Lothaire I gotta say MacRieve was kinda a douche in the middle of the book. He showed promise early on but events triggering childhood trauma and massive guilt changed that fairly quickly. I am glad to say that he did see error of his ways and did endeavor to change his attitude but it was some rough going there for a while. MacRieve totally earned his nickname of “Head Case” and I absolutely LOVED that nickname for him; it was so fitting and cracked me up every time someone used it and they called him it right to his face and he couldn’t even get mad since it was true. Lol Coming into this book, I had no idea just how traumatized MacRieve was, in reality we didn’t know much about the twins other then they are Hot and Hotter or is it Hotter and Hot?? A childhood event when he was nine lasting until it came to a head at thirteen shaped the rest of his life and then when he was picked up by the Order that just made everything worse. His torture was extensive as the pet of Dr. Nixon and then after the escape he barely dodged another bullet which dredged up the childhood memories. I couldn’t help but repeatedly say “pobrecito” (poor guy) throughout a lot of the book. He may have been a douche but it was kind of understandable and I couldn’t hate him for it. He even brought tears to my eyes a few times and I don’t think I have ever cried in a Kresley Cole book, because usually I’m too busy laughing.
 
Even though there were a few tears worry not my friends you’ll still laugh in this book because Chloe is quite the smart ass and I adore smart ass characters. Probably one of the reason I love Kresley Cole so much, most of her characters tend to be on the smart ass side and I can’t get enough of it. Chloe is also a pretty tough chica. In the beginning she is just a human professional woman’s soccer player with dreams of the Olympics but soon she realizes that something is happening to her. When her father disappears after handing her the living book of the Lore it is merely weeks when she is kidnapped to be sold to the highest bidder. It seems her father is enemy numero uno amongst the Lore. It is on the auction block when MacRieve finds her and “rescues” her. It is just when she is starting to buy into MacRieve’s matehood when he does a complete 180 after her transition. Chloe is not one to really put up with much shit so she gives back as much as she gets from MacRieve wanting nothing to do with him, but the nature of the beast rears its ugly head and circumstances what they are they have to stick together. What I really liked about Chloe is that she didn’t really freak out about the Lore and her transition. She had a “rub some dirt” mentality and tried to make the best of the situation. She remained her smart ass self and won everyone over including MacRieve. Although, I do wish that she would have been able to compete in the Olympics, it seems a bit sad that she had to give up that dream, but she took it in stride.
 
This book isn’t as action packed as some of the others as MacRieve is still pretty traumatized from being tortured so I think this was a good move, plus we still had plenty of drama with MacRieve and Chloe in their own personal battle between each other and MacRieves’ past. This is probably the steamiest book of the series, almost from the get go. As with all the other books in this series the side characters cannot be dismissed. I adore every single one of them in particular I loved the orphaned brothers. They cracked me up, especially the younger one. I’m drawing a blank on his name right now. We spend more time with Monroe then we ever have before and I like him, it’s looking like his book may be next in the series. He’s little to serious so I hope his mate drives him nuts! Kresley Cole is setting us up for something BIG so I can’t wait to see where we go in this series!
 
Well Done Kresley Cole, Well Done!

Rating:








This review can also be seen on http://romancenovelreview.wordpress.com/ .

Review: Kresley Cole - Shadow's Claim

Immortals After Dark Series
Book 13:

The Dacians: Realm of Blood and Mist Series:

Book 1:

Shadow's Claim: Prince Trehan Daciano “The Prince of Shadows” and Princess Bettina of the Deathly Ones

Purchase Book on Amazon: Kresley Cole - Shadow's Claim (Immortals After Dark: the Dacians)
Summary:
From Goodreads.com
Shadow's Claim features Prince Trehan, a ruthless master assassin who will do anything to possess Bettina, his beautiful sorceress mate, even compete for her hand in a blood-sport tournament—to the death.

He won't be denied...
Trehan Daciano, known as the Prince of Shadows, has spent his life serving his people, striking in the night, quietly executing any threat to their realm. The coldly disciplined swordsman has never desired anything for himself—until he beholds Bettina, the sheltered ward of two of the Lore's most fearsome villains.

She's bound to another...
Desperate to earn her guardians' approval after a life-shattering mistake, young Bettina has no choice but to marry whichever suitor prevails—even though she's lost her heart to another. Yet one lethal competitor, a mysterious cloaked swordsman, invades her dreams, tempting her with forbidden pleasure.

A battle for her body and soul...
Even if Trehan can survive the punishing contests to claim her as his wife, the true battle for Bettina's heart is yet to come. And unleashing a millennium's worth of savage need will either frighten his Bride away—or stoke Bettina's own desires to a fever-pitch...

Review:
For some reason I having a hard time writing this review, my thoughts are scattered and I can’t seem to start in the right spot. Erg! Do I have reviewers block? Does that even exist? LOL

Well anyway, I loved this book. From beginning to end it was passionate, fun, funny, action packed and the characters lovable. Trehan was a sexier, more lovable version of Sebastian Wroth. Both are scholarly, warriors, but for me, Trehan does it better, sexier, more brooding, a master assassin for the land of Blood and Mist. Yummy! I’ll take a Trehan any day! He’s an undercover alpha male he’s so calm and collected, that he can deceive you, then all of the sudden….he’s NOT! And then all hell breaks loose and you have an explosive alpha male on your hands. Oooweee! But our Master Assassin also has a soft side; he is so supportive of Bettina when she is struggling with her fears. He just looks at her and puts his faith in her that she could beat that deep seeded fear and his unwavering faith in her gets her past a huge block. He meets Bettina when he is drawn to her window by some inexplicable force. He is supposed to be hunting a demon Caspion for breaking his lands laws. When he enters Bettina’s room he finds his Bride in a beautiful maiden and she is responding to his touch! But she soon realizes that the person touching her is not who she thought it was and Trehan realizes his Bride doesn’t want him. He decides then and there that he does not want a Bride that does not want him, or does he?

Bettina is so damn cute, if I could have folded her up and put her in my pocket to take with me, I would have! She does an incredible amount of growing throughout this book. She goes from scared and a push over to a sorceress that other sorceri should fear someone ready to rule the deathly ones! She is half demoness and half sorceress. She grew up in her homeland where her demon father was king up until his death shortly following her mother’s death. She always felt out of place, taking on most of her mother sorceress qualities. She had no friends until Caspion a foundling orphan link up and suddenly she has a best friend who she secretly loved for most of her young life. When she is away from her realm in the human world she is viciously attacked by Vrekeners, not fully into her immortality it takes her 2 months to recover. Three months later her guardians decree that there will be a open tournament for her hand in marriage and to be king of her kingdom, which brings out all sorts of Loreans and a lot of them are not any creature you would want to be married to, ever! For years she has fancied herself in love with Caspion, he has been her childhood hero! She begs him to enter the tournament and finally he agrees if for no other reason than to avoid Trehans blade coming at his head for breaking Dacians laws. Bettina never expects to see Trehan again after that first night when he declares her his Bride and then takes off. But then he shows up for the tournament to win her hand and then all of the sudden she is having all these confusing feeling towards this stoic ancient vampire but she loves Caspion, doesn’t she??

As with the majority of Kresley Cole’s books you are taken on a merry go round of emotion and action. With the tourney to win the fair Bettina’s hand you are guaranteed to get plenty of fighting, because the Lore is nothing if not violent. Lol The sparks between Bettina and Trehan are enough to make you fan yourself off. They certainly have the sexual chemistry going on from the beginning. He leaves her panting and wanting more, even as he is confusing the hell out of her. Caspion added a fun love triangle-ish element to this story. The interactions between Bettina, Trehan and Caspion are sure to keep you entertained! We also have Bettina’s guardians, her demon godfather and her powerful sorceress godmother. The dynamic between these two make me think that there may be a future story brewing there. There are too many sparks flying there. Also, her evil-ish godmother is quite funny, she kind of reminds me a bit of Reign the Radiant who makes demons eat carburetors for fun. Add in a perverted former phantom and current phanTom as Bettina’s bodyguard and you have the makings of some good times and laughs. We get cameos from Munro, Nix, and Sabine and Lothaire who is at full crazy from previous IAD books.

This is a must read! Days later I still find myself smiling from this book. I think I’d have to say I enjoyed it even more than Lothaire, which was fantastic in its own right.

Sorry, for the disjointed review lol. I’ve been trying to write it for two days. LOL!! Damn reviewers block!

Rating:

Kresley Cole News – The Next IAD book

So I got the following info from Kresley Cole's FB page. Click here to "Like" Kresley Cole

She announced who will have the next IAD book. Sorry Lanthe fans, it wont be her, but fans of the Lykae will be happy!

“S&S website, my nemesis, you’ve scooped me again! :) Yes, my next IAD hardcover is titled MACRIEVE and yes, it’s coming out May 14th.

Don’t worry—Nix, Lanthe, and Furie will all get books! But Uilleam’s story fits better into the overall Accession timeline (plus my editor is jonesing for poor Uilleam, who we last saw escaping from the facility.) More news soon!”
 

Review: Tamera Hogan – Chase Me

Underbelly Chronicles Series:
Book 2:
 
Chase Me: Gabe Lupinsky and Lorin Schlessinger
 

 
Summary:
From goodreads.com
Centuries ago, when their ship crashed to Earth, paranormals of all types settled secretly into our world, quietly going about their business with humans none the wiser. Self-ruling and careful to stay below humanity’s radar, all is threatened when Valkyrie archaeologist Lorin Schlessinger and her werewolf geologist partner Gabe Lupinsky in advertently draw evil attention to Earth and its treasured natural resources.
 
As the threat intensifies, Lorin and Gabe struggle to contain the chaos they’ve unleashed, and to resist their explosive mutual attraction…
 
Review:
So I read the first book in this series to know and understand what would be going on in the second book, I usually hate picking a book up in the middle of the series and not knowing what is going on. That being said, even having read the first book the details provided in that book on their beginnings are very vague and do not prepare you very well for this book, you are just kind of thrown into the whole alien space concept like you are expected to know more then you actually do. I have to say, I wasn’t a huge fan of the whole space, bad guys plot, it felt a bit forced and not a natural flow or fit.
 
That being said, I did enjoy the romance! Gabe and Lorin have a great sexual tension going on at the beginning of the book, and their attraction turns explosive. Who knew a science geek could turn out to be so sexy, Lorin sure didn’t, Gabe sure blindsided her and he’s the one who is half blind! Gabe has this whole she’s above me mental thing going on that puts up fences, and Lorin has this whole commitment issue thing going on that keeps him at an arm’s length emotionally, but they can’t fight the physical. T. Hogan, sure knows how to steam up the pages with her characters there is a great build up and then an explosion for the main event! LOL But, she doesn’t forget the love story, she still builds a lasting connection between our hero and heroine, despite themselves and their issues. Lorin and Gabe find themselves closer than they ever thought they would be. It was suppose to be just sex, two adults scratching an itch, but before they knew it, those pesky emotions got involved ruining a perfectly good booty call and they both find themselves in unfamiliar territory. I enjoyed watching these two try to find their footing and often losing it, it was quite entertaining. I found myself wanting to skip over the spacey parts and getting back to Gabe and Lorin!
 
I do enjoy the world these books are set in, I like the side characters and would like to see many of their stories told. I am not ready to give up on this series although, I’m afraid that the space story is going to continue into the next book at the least. T. Hogan writes a great character and I enjoyed the first books story, but then rock stars are always more interesting then crazy space people looking for a box. So we will see what the next book holds in store for us. Overall it was a decent book, I didn’t hate it, the characters made up for any story issues I may have had.


*This review copy was provided to me through Netgalley for an honest review no other compensation was provided.


Rating:

Review: Tamera Hogan – Taste Me

Underbelly Chronicles Series:
Book 1:
 
Taste Me: Lukas Sebastiani and Scarlett Fontaine



 
Summary:
From goodreads.com
He Wants Her So Badly He Can Taste It...
 
Ever since their tempestuous fling years ago, incubus Lukas Sebastiani has known that siren Scarlett Fontaine was meant to be his. But when you’re a sex demon with an insatiable desire, relationships are way more than complicated…
 
Her Siren Songs Bring Men to Their Knees...
 
Rock star Scarlett Fontaine desperately needs a break after a grueling tour. But with murder and mayhem surrounding her band, and the one man she never thought to see again put to the task of protecting her, life is going to be anything but peaceful...
 
Every encounter between them creates more turmoil—and heat—until Scarlett pushes Lukas to the boiling point, and unleashes forces that go way beyond anything she can hope to control.
 
Review:
This is a first in a new series that features all sorts of underworld creatures: Valkrie, Siren, Incubus, Were’s, vampires, etc… This book centers around Scarlett a siren and the lead singer in Scarlett’s Web’s a chart topping band and Lukas a incubus who is her exact opposite a security expert who specializes in controlling every situation. Years ago these two came together in one night of passion which was Scarlett’s, first time, but Lukas’s need for control tore them apart before they could ever really start. Now years later Scarlett is back from tour, exhausted and tired of fighting her feelings for Lukas. She is ready to confront him head on when several attacks take place and it appears she may be an intended target. Fearing for Scarlett’s life Lukas takes on her security and becomes her body guard 24/7, which puts him in contact with her body 24/7.
 
Lukas and Scarlett are in turns amusing and frustrating, as soon as you want to smack them for being so stupid and want to yell come on just get on with it already they take a step forward in the right direction and your cheering them on, then something happens and there is a step back and you want to smack Lukas for being so bull headed, it would be annoying but it’s too damn entertaining instead. I quite enjoyed the back and forth, it was a good amount of sexual tension without drawing it out too long. I’ve always been a fan of the rekindling of a flame, I think it’s always fun when two people come back to each other after years, the tension is always so much more intense and this one is no exception. With Lukas being an incubus, you know the sexual chemistry is going to be off the chain, but what you don’t expect is that his gift has a bit of a twist which can have a bit of a darker side…
 
It’s this darker side that leads to his involvement in the attacks, someone is attacking family members of high ranking members of the council. Lukas and literally taste the attacker, it leaves an residue on his tongue. This aspect of the book leaves a bit of intrigue to the plot line, it’s not a “who done it” because you know the entire time, but more of a what’s he going to do next? And damn that dude is cray cray, I found it an interesting addition to the plot and quite enjoyed the intrigue. Overall, I really enjoyed this strange quirky new world and all the new characters in it. I am excited to see what happens next with the Underbelly Chronicles. It was a fun new refreshing read and I rarely turn down a rock star book especially if it has some paranormal in it, best of both worlds!
 
Rating:

Review: Kresley Cole - Lothaire

Immortals after Dark Series:

Book 12:

Lothaire: Lothaire Daciano Enemy of Old and Elizabeth Peirce 

Summary: 

Lothaire is the oldest and most feared vampire of the Lore he is on the brink of total madness from harvested memories.  Even with madness pressing in on his mind he is still one of the most brilliant strategists alive, his mind processes everything steps ahead of his enemy predicting the outcome.  Only Nix the Ever Knowing can match him move for move. For thousands of years Lothaire has only had loyalty to his “Endgame”, every action, every deed, has been with the Endgame in mind. He has collected thousands of blood oaths from the who’s who of the Lore; hording these debts until he has reached his Endgame. Before all Lothaire had to worry about was his Endgame, he never had to consider anyone else in his plans; until 6 years ago.

Up until 6 years ago Ellie’s life was good, she had her whole future ahead of her. She was accepted into college, the first of her family and she had the unconditional love of her family. Then when she was on campus her body got possessed by Saroya the Soul Reaper the former Goddess of Divine Death and the protectress of vampires. Since Ellie’s possession she has blanked out many times waking in the carnage of dead bodies and blood everywhere. After a year of mass killings Ellie has realized that the only way to get this madness to stop is to kill herself therefore stopping Saroya’s murderous rampage. Just as she is going to pull the trigger in front the police who came to arrest her some strange creature arrives out of nowhere keeping her from killing herself and therefore sending her to prison and death row. 

Five years Ellie has been counting down until her death, 5 years of prison, 5 years of knowing her expiration date, 5 years to hate the man that stopped her from killing herself and sending her to prison. Now she is 30 seconds from relief, from death when again Lothaire has foiled her plans. Capturing her and taking her to New York, she just can’t understand why he just won’t let her die. Lothaire is convinced that Saroya is his bride, and he needs to keep Elizabeth alive until he can extinguish her soul so Saroya can take over her body.  Only with Saroya, can his Endgame be achieved. Ellie refuses to give in to Saroya, she has a plan and all of it revolves around Lothaire, and getting him to want her more than Saroya, which means seduction… 

Review:

The Immortals After Dark series remains my favorite paranormal series, it remains one of the most consistent series. Kresley Cole weaves fantastic tales of violence and romance. This book is no exception.

Lothaire is one of the most violent of the Lore, which is saying a lot when you consider the Lore which is violent by nature.  When you add in his madness, his single minded focus and his propensity for strategy this makes him one the most feared of the Lore as well. We have been getting glimpses of Lothaire in previous books but we never had a clear picture of Lothaire, we knew he was feared, collected debits like it was his job and had no issues switching loyalties at a “whim” and he was verging on total madness quite like Conrad. What we saw in this book was that Lothaire is a lot more complex than we ever knew or guessed. The brief glimpse into his history is eye opening to say the least. Now we know what has been fueling him for thousands of years. We see a vulnerability that I never would have guessed from this vampire that always seemed so cold and ruthless and evil. We see just how far gone mentally he really is. Of course Lothaire is still Lothaire so we see plenty of his arrogance, his single minded determination and a ruthlessness that surpasses most Lorean creatures where only the strong and ruthless survive for long. As one of the oldest of the Lore he has obtained more knowledge then most which he uses to his advantage as often as he can, no one can call Lothaire stupid that is for sure. In books past Lothaire has never really been a character that really interested me all that much, but by the end of this book, I definitely had a whole lot more respect for Lothaire and how brilliant he really is.  Despite how smart he is certainly still had his douche moments pulling typically male mistakes. Wow, he really did not know how to deal with women especially a woman like Ellie.

Ellie, is one of my favorite females of this series, in the book she calls herself the “Sucker punch you never see coming”.  I’d have to say that is a fair assessment she is underestimated at every turn by everyone. You never see her coming and never expect what she is going to do. At 24 years old she is smarter than most, she is able to even out think Lothaire and keep him guessing and on his toes wondering what she’ll do next. Many hear her hillbilly accent and write her off, little do they know that there is a brain behind that accent, one that is extremely cunning. Almost 25% of her life was spent in jail counting down until her death sentence by lethal injection. All she wanted was to LIVE and be happy, but because that *itch decided to take up in her body she’ll be dead by 25. She is stubborn, feisty with a backbone made of steel; she makes the most of her situation and tries to find happiness where ever she can. Knowing her life has a short expiration date makes her appreciate life and happiness more than most and she is determined to bring that to Lothaire. She knows the key to living longer is with Lothaire, she knows she needs to make him care for her more than the heifer that is squatting in her body. She also knows one of the quickest ways to get to Lothaire is through his lust for her and she uses that to her full advantage. Smart girl, she is nothing if not resourceful. She wins people over where ever she goes, now she just has to win over the most important one, the one that is the key to everything.

One of the things that makes a Kresley Cole novel among my favorites are our reoccurring characters. In particular Nix, she is the most powerful soothsayer in the Lore, as old as Lothaire if not more so. Nix is probably the one character we have seen in every book so far, she is integral to the Lore making moves even Lothaire can’t conceive of. In this book we see Nix more downtrodden then we ever have before and it about broke my heart I hated seeing Nix like that. There is this scene with Lothaire, you’ll know it when you get there, it will probably be one of the more memorable of this series. Over the millennia Lothaire and Nix have been friends as well as advisories and you see more into that in this book, I would have liked to have seen more of this history, but that’s just my curiosity. (Maybe a Lothaire/Nix through the ages novella or companion guide Ms. Cole?) Thad is back in this book, Lothaire’s only friend lol. He is a 17 year old vampire/phantom that was on the Order Island along with Lothaire, Reign, DC and others in the previous book. He is our southern gentleman that refuses to give up on Lothaire and he can charm just about anyone, you can’t help but like him. The other character we see a lot of in this book is Hag, you may remember her from Sabine’s book. After her release from Omort she fell into service with Lothaire. We don’t know much about this Fey but we do know she is powerful and is completely loyal to Lothaire’s Endgame.

  

Overall, this is a strong installment of the IAD series. I highly enjoyed this book, it kept me up way past my bed time so I was yawning at my desk at work the next day. Then each break and lunch my Kindle was out and my nose was deep in the story. It’s not my favorite of this series but it’s in the top five. It was missing some of the humor I have come to expect from Kresley Cole, it still had humor I did find myself laughing but I guess I’ve gotten greedy and I expected more. Also, the plot line with Saroya, didn’t really fully fleshed out, it was almost like it was an afterthought, a way to throw Lothaire and Ellie together. It was kind of anti-climatic; it was like build up and build up only to fizzle out and there were unanswered questions with this plot line.  I was expecting more of a fight with Saroya and especially with La Dorada, but really there wasn’t much of one. However, the interaction between Ellie and Lothaire was explosive in its own right these two match each other in wits and battle each other constantly so the sparks really fly. When they aren’t arguing they are making up which leads to some pretty steamy “parking”. There is plenty of action to keep you entertained and there is a lot going on at any given time, which is not surprising given Lothaire’s Endgame and all of his enemies. But the core of the book remains about Lothaire and Ellie and their battle of wills and love.

Rating:

Info: Kresley Cole - Lothaire

Kresley Cole - Lothaire Cover

I am getting super excited for the next installment of the Immortals After Dark series! It is my all time favorite series. I have been impatiently waiting for Lothaire to come out and we are getting closer to the release date! So here is a mini teaser I grabbed from kresleycole.com

Release date January 10, 2012

WATCH THE TEASER TRAILER!

LIKE  KRESLEY COLE ON FACEBOOK, CLICK ON THE MEMBERS’ONLY TAB AND  ENJOY!

Kresley Cole on FB Click Here

Format: Hardcover  Excerpt coming soon!

#1 New York Times bestselling author Kresley Cole continues her electrifying Immortals After Dark series with this thrilling tale, revealing secrets of the Lore, fierce realm of the immortals. . . .

ALL FEAR THE ENEMY OF OLD

Driven by his insatiable need for revenge, Lothaire, the Lore’s most ruthless vampire, plots to seize the Horde’s crown. But bloodlust and torture have left him on the brink of madness—until he finds Elizabeth Peirce, the key to his victory. He captures the unique young mortal, intending to offer up her very soul in exchange for power, yet Elizabeth soothes his tormented mind and awakens within him emotions Lothaire believed he could no longer experience.

A DEADLY FORCE DWELLS WITHIN HER

Growing up in desperate poverty, Ellie Peirce yearned for a better life, never imagining she’d be convicted of murder—or that an evil immortal would abduct her from death row. But Lothaire is no savior, as he himself plans to sacrifice Ellie in one month’s time. And yet the vampire seems to ache for her touch, showering her with wealth and sexual pleasure. In a bid to save her soul, Ellie surrenders her body to the wicked vampire, while vowing to protect her heart.

CENTURIES OF COLD INDIFFERENCE SHATTERED

Elizabeth tempts Lothaire beyond reason, as only his fated mate could. As the month draws to a close, he must choose between a millennia-old blood vendetta and his irresistible prisoner. Will Lothaire succumb to the miseries of his past . . . or risk everything for a future with her?

Kresley Cole - Dreams of a Dark Warrior

Immortals after Dark Series:

Book 11:

Dreams of a Dark Warrior: Declan Chase a.k.a. Aidan the Fierce and Regin the Radiant

Summary:

Declan watched his entire family massacred by immortals and then was taken captive to have his flesh dined upon and his blood consumed.  Declan hates immortals with a fierce loathing and has manifested itself into an obsession.  He has made it his life’s work to exterminate all immortals.  When the “Order” (a mortal organization that captures, experiments on and kills immortals) rescues Declan he immediately joins the group and for the next 20 years is merciless in his destruction of immortals... until... Regin has always been the fun loving prankster of the Valkyrie, as well as one of the most feared immortals of the Lore.  At the young age of 12 Regin meets Aiden the Fierce when she needs help finding her half sister Lucia whom she fears is in mortal danger. Aiden is the fiercest Berserker in the history of the Berserkers, Aiden recognizes the proud young Regin as “his” from the moment they met. Knowing her tender years he tells Regin that he will wait until she is grown before claiming her as his, which is the wrong thing to say to Regin. Regin is not about to belong to anyone so she leaves Aiden to set out on her own. Years later Regin is about to go through her change into immortality and seeks out Aiden, as he said she would do to help her through some of the “side effects” of the change. When Aiden is killed in Regins arms by a Vampire he vows that he will find a way to return to her; and he does 4 other times throughout history as reincarnations of himself. However, he is cursed each time “Aiden” remembers his former self his is violently killed with Regin as witness within hours.  Declan is a reincarnation of Aiden the Fierce and has no idea of his former self.

Declan/Aiden:

As a kid Declan always knew there was something different about himself. It was like he had a beast within himself trying to get out and nothing seemed to ease the restlessness. He turned to drugs at a young age in attempt to curb the feelings with not much success.  Even his attempts with woman made him feel sick and empty. When he returns home, he finds his entire family dead and himself taken captive. Declan soon realizes that his family were the lucky ones, for days the immortals peeled flesh from his torso and arms eating his skin and drinking his blood, he begged to die, death would have been preferable to the torture he endured.  Immediately following his rescue Declan cleans up and joins the “Order”.  When he captures Regin the Radiant it should have been just another routine capture but his entire being recognizes her as.. what???  While Regin is in captivity over and over he found himself watching her with confusion, recognition and desire, and then she tells him that he is her dead lover reincarnated. If he was to believe that it would rock his entire belief system to the core there is no way he could be one of them, as a Berserker. Yet, it would explain so much....

Regin:

Over and over Aiden has been returned to her only to die within hours of remembering everything about his past lives. For 1000 years Regin has remained faithful to her proud Berserker, only to lose him all too soon. As soon as Regin sees Declan she recognizes him as her Aiden reincarnated but what she can’t believe is how he turned out. None of the past Aiden’s have been able to inflict her with pain, yet this A-Hole has tortured her! Regin’s heart aches for her man but soon realizes that he must die if she is going to get herself and her friends out of this facility alive. Now all she has to do is seduce him and get him to remember. But in seducing him she finds herself seduced, can she bring an end to this proud warrior to save herself, to save her friends....

Review:

As usual Kresley Cole DELIVERS! This book is fantastic! I could not put it down, I was sitting there at work trying to work and read at the same time (let me tell you it didnt go so well) and I wished I could tell my customers to leave me alone so I could read. LOL! Since that didn’t go so well I was up until 4 am finishing the book.  Declan and Regin are portrayed to perfection. I found myself tearing up in places, which is an ultimate compliment to an author. You really feel for Regin and Declan and root for them, hoping they can bridge the whole Aiden torturing Regin “misunderstanding”.  You will see another side to Regin, you see a vulnerable side to her that you have not seen in any of the other books leading up to this one. (Regin has been a regular in previous books in this series.) She has always been so confident and dare I say obnoxious but in a fun, reminds you of your favorite younger sister sort of way. Declan is heartbreaking, the way he hides his internal and external scars, never even allowing himself a friend in his stark existence.


Lothaire Enemy of Old plays a fairly large role in this novel, which is going to set up the next book which K. Cole has already announced will be her next novel. Many new Lore beings are introduced in this book as new alliances are made in the confines of their cells. Also, as with previous novels this one is part of a series but if you haven’t read any of the previous books that is ok, you could pick this one up without having previously read any of the rest of the series. It can stand on its own, but I would suggest at least reading the book prior to this one Demon from the Dark, it will fill in a few gaps here and there. Kresley Cole just gets better and better with each book she puts out. I for one cannot wait until the next one.

Rating:

5 moons out of 5

Kresley Cole - Deep Kiss of Winter

Immortals After Dark:


Book 8:

Deep Kiss of Winter: Murdoch Wroth and Daniela the Ice Maiden

Murdoch Wroth as a human was a playboy warrior who never met a woman he couldn’t seduce now a forbearer vampire, he has no desire for women until he meets the untouchable Daniela. Daniela is a Valkyrie who is part Ice Fey, her skin untouchable - except by someone of the Ice Fey.  Murdoch saves Daniela’s life and in return she bloods him for the first time in 300 years.  Scared of Murdoch’s playboy past and the assassins out to kill her, Daniela swears Murdoch to secrecy.  Daniela has been hunted for 2000 years by the King of the Ice Fey because he knows Daniela is the rightful heir to the throne and should be there rather than him. When Murdoch and Daniela meet she is running from the assassins that have found her once again, she needs to get out of town fast and Murdoch has just the spot!

A relationship is nothing Murdoch has any experience with; he was always free with his loving and he is not having an easy time of it. You almost feel for Murdoch as he tries to figure out how to handle all of this relationship stuff... Almost but not completely!  Not being able to touch Daniela is killing him, you can only do so much creative problem solving before he starts to feel defeated, like they’ll never find away to touch for real.

Daniela is a Valkyrie Ice Fey, she has not been really touched in 2000 years since her mother the Queen of the Ice Fey was murdered by the current King.  Any physical contact by someone outside her Ice Fey race will result in terrible pain and the one thing that Daniela truly craves like nothing else is to be touched. It’s almost heart breaking, we take for granted being touched by those we love and for Daniela not able to touch or be touched, reminds you of the little pleasures in life we overlook. This novella also fills in a lot of the gaps from Conrad and Nikolai’s novels giving more insight to the of passionate lives of the legendary Worth brothers.

Rating:
5 moons out of 5

Kresley Cole - Dark Desires after Dusk

Immortals After Dark:


Book 6:

Dark Desires after Dusk - Cade Woede the Kingmaker and Holly Ashwin

Cade has spent his entire 1000 years waiting for his mate and cannot believe his luck when his fated one is a human! Humans are the one faction forbidden to demons because they are just so breakable.  Holly has spent her entire life as a human and a self proclaimed math geek. Left on the doorstep of her adopted parents house she has never suspected that she could be anything but human but when she is abducted by these strange beings with horns she begins to suspect that there is more out there then humans. When Cades human is abducted he is shocked to find out that she is the “Vessel” and half Valkyrie and now his utmost priority is to get her to safety seeing as how every fraction of the Lore is now hunting her! Every 500 years a woman of the Lore is the Vessel and the first born child of her will be a warrior either of pure good or pure evil depending on the father of the child.  So the Lore factions that are considered good cannot let evil get a hold of the Vessel and the evil want her to make a child of pure evil!

Cade is thrilled and yet dismayed that his fated mate Holly is actually half Valkyrie so now he can have her but fate has other plans.  Cade must retrieve the Vessel and hand her over to Groot the Metallurgist a creature of true evil to right a wrong that Cade has been paying for his entire life; the mistake that cost his brother his crown to their kingdom. Cade will do anything to right that wrong even if it means giving up his mate. Cades frustration is so palpable you can almost feel his frustration as he is put in a catch 22 of mythical proportions!. How can he give up and betray the one women given to him to protect yet how can he betray his brother yet again, it is made clear that this is the last chance to win back the crown of the Rage Demons. As Holly and Cade race around the country on their mission Cades emotions become more and more turmoil and his only option is to betray someone -- But the question he cannot seem to answer is who?

Holly is less than thrilled to find out that she is half valkyrie she will do anything to reverse this transformation that is occurring to her including race around the country with this obnoxious demon who keeps pushing her buttons. She is getting stronger and stronger, she no longer needs her glasses and everything in her orderly life is in an uproar.  Everything that Holly has been avoiding her entire life is being thrust onto her and she doesn’t quite know how to cope except hold onto the only thing that is stable in her life at the moment, Cade. Everyone is trying to kill her and she doesn’t want to be the Vessel or be part of this strange new world called the Lore. It is fun to watch Holly try to adapt to everything new and be thrust into the new life. Everything is new to her, you see her get drunk for the first time and you can’t help but remember the first time you yourself got drunk.  Anything sexual is new to her having avoided it for so long, even her computer had blocks to make sure she wouldn’t run across anything sexual! But worry no, Holly is defiantly full passion and that passion is directed at Cade on more than one occasion.

This is a book of passion, new experiences and betrayal! The characters are put in an impossible situation and you hope that it works out for the two of them.  Will Cade turn her over to save his brothers crown or will he save her and let his brother lose his only chance at his crown?  You are kept in suspense of the final decision; have fun reading this new exciting tale in the Immortals after Dark series! 

Rating:
5 moons out of 5

Kresley Cole - No Rest for the Wicked

Immortals After Dark:


Book 3:
No Rest for the Wicked: Sebastian Wroth and Kaderin the Cold Hearted

Sebastian is an unwilling Vampire ready to end his existence; Kaderin is a Valkyrie willing to make that happen.  Sebastian is a warrior scholar turned Vampire by his brother against his will over 300 years ago and has been in seclusion ever since then. Kaderin is over 2000 years old and has been killing vampires her entire existence, called the Cold Hearted after she was “blessed” with no feelings for over 1000 years since a vampire killed her two sisters in battle. She has two reasons for living: the first to kill vampires and the second to compete in the Talisman's Hie which is an immortal competition every 250 years in which she has been the victor for the last 5 competitions.  Kaderin is sent to kill a rumored vampire.  When she gets there she finds herself attracted to someone for the first time in over 1000 years which means she is feeling again, in her confusion and Sebastian’s hot embrace she forgets she is supposed to be killing him not kissing him! Sebastian’s first site of Kaderin makes him believe that maybe there is something to live for after all.

Sebastian as a character is endearing! In his mortal life he was a warrior with the mind and heart of a scholar and as an immortal vampire all he has is his books to get him through each day until Kaderin barges into his life looking to kill him. He is willing to let her until he suddenly feels his heart beat for the first time in over 300 years. Now more than anything he wants to make Kaderin his! You really feel for his plight to win Kaderin. He is reentering the world after 300 years and has no idea that they should be mortal enemies.  He is just the right amount of sensitive scholar and warrior and his awkwardness really makes you open your heart to his character. 

Kaderin is one of the most feared warriors in the Lore, she is an assassin who knows how to do her job and do it well.  Blessed with no emotion at all for the last 1000 years she is confused why this one vampire can make her feel again... I think I would have liked the feeling of feeling again to be explored a little deeper. I would have liked to know more about how she felt about feeling again rather than just knowing the emotion that she was feeling.  As a feared Valkyrie assassin I totally buy it, she goes through the Hie contests with an iron will and a single minded determination to win, for if she wins it changes EVERYTHING! I really feel for her with the loss of her sisters this you can tell hurt her deeply and anybody who has lost someone will relate.

This book is action packed as it takes you through the different contests of the Hie which are no normal contests but deadly contests that the immortals are encourages to do anything within their powers to win so as you can imagine there is a lot of dirty fighting among competitors!  Sebastian is determined to help Kaderin win the Hie and she is just as determined that he not which makes for some interesting interaction between characters.  There are great fights between these two as things heat up.

Rating:
4 moons out of 5