Posts filed under ‘Paranormal Romance’
Just finished reading…My Dangerous Pleasure by Carolyn Jewel
My Dangerous Pleasure (My Immortal/Witches series, book 4) by Carolyn Jewel
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I love this series, and was so glad that the long wait between books 3 and 4 was finally over. Iskander has been put through the mill in previous books in this series, so I’ve been really looking forward to his getting a shot at a HEA.
First off, let me say that this is the fourth book in the series, and given the complexity of the world and the character relationships, I highly recommend reading them in order. I’m usually a stickler about these things, and the payoff will be worth it in this case, since the larger story arc continues to get more and more interesting as the books progress.
The world of demonkin, witches, and mages waging a power struggle in modern-day San Francisco is dark, sensual, and often violent. Nikodemus, the leader of the kin, is struggling to keep the peace between his kind with their witch allies, and the power-hungry mages.
Paisley, a human woman who owns a bakery and rents a garage apartment from her sexy (and unbeknownst to her) demonkin landlord, Iskander, stumbles into this explosive situation when Kessler, a dark mage awakens an incipient magic in her, and begins to terrorize her.
I really liked Paisley. While she’s often put in terrifying, confusing, and overwhelming situations (at the beginning of the book she is completely unaware of the non-human world) she deals with it in a straightforward, no-nonsense manner. Her naiveté doesn’t result in tstl actions, as often is the case with uninformed heroines.
Iskander is someone who has been through hell, been damaged, especially by his crazy blood-twin, and is often on the edge of losing it, himself. I love how when he’s put in the position of guarding Paisley, she brings out another side of him that we haven’t seen in previous books. He’s not just a bad-ass alpha around her, but also a considerate protector (and, eventually,) lover. Their love scenes are HOT, and I love how Iskander, for all his passion, always tries to make sure that she is ok with his more “demon-like” aspects.
While the story itself took a little bit to really get going, once it did, I love where it went. I found the story behind Kessler’s actions original and absorbing, and it kept me turning pages. I can’t wait for the next book in the series to see where the larger story arc continues to go.
Related posts about the series:
I received this book from the
author, for review purposes.
May 2011 Releases, part 2
I’ve fallen a little behind (what else is new?) but I’m really excited about some of the releases that came out at the end of May, and wanted to share them!
May 17, 2011: Graveminder by Melissa Marr
This is Melissa Marr’s first adult novel, and if it’s half as great as her faerie court series, I’ll be thrilled. The story is about Rebekkah, who returns to Claysville, her hometown, after her grandmother’s death. She comes to realize there is more to Claysville than she thought, and that her grandmother played a key role in keeping the peace between the living and the dead. And, it falls to Bek to uphold the family tradition.
I’m on the library waitlist for the audiobook, and can’t wait to listen to it!
May 18, 2011: America Pacifica by Anna North
I think I’m at the point with YA (which I love) that the first thing I’m looking for in a story is originality. And, when I read the description of America Pacifica, I knew I had to read it.
North America is in a second ice age, and Darcy lives on the island of America Pacifica. It’s a place of haves and have-nots, and is ruled by a mysterious dictator. When Darcy’s mom disappears, she searches for her mom, and finds much more than she bargained for.
May 24, 2011: Rhapsody for Piano and Ghost by ZA Maxfield
ZAM is one of my favorite m/m authors. She always writes with so much heart, creating characters I really care about.
While gifted pianist Fritz is studying at a conservatory and looking for a little peace, he finds himself surrounded by family and friends (possibly including a couple of well-meaning imaginary ones) who complicate his life.
It sounds like this story is told with ZAM’s trademark sense of humor.
May 29, 2011: Between Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton
I’ve recently discovered Marie Sexton’s Coda series, and LOVED every one of them. Her new release is a stand alone, and sounds like it’s as angsty and will pull at my heartstrings as her Coda books.
Bartender Levi is has left behind his Mormon roots behind and encounters Jamie, a loner who is haunted by his past. It’s an opposites attract love story (one of my favorite kinds) and of course the heroes find common ground, healing, and love.
May 31, 2011: Kiss of Snow (PsyChangeling series, book 10) by Nalini Singh
Hawke’s book!
Need I say more? I do? Oh, ok.
Well, I’ve already read it, and it’s as awesome as all the hype led me to believe.
Read it. You won’t be sorry.
Enough said.
May 31, 2011: Magic Slays (Kate Daniels series, book 5) by Ilona Andrews
I always say this about the Kate Daniels series, but here we are at book 5, and it’s still true: each subsequent book in this series gets better (and I really liked the first book).
I’m really interested to see where the author goes with Magic Slays, especially since we are sort of moved to the post HEA part of the story line with Kate and Curran.
I’m looking forward to see the new life that they will build, what Kate is going to do with her new business, and what will happen with the bigger story arc involving Kate’s background.
May 31, 2011: Just Like Heaven (Smythe-Smith quartet, book 1) by Julia Quinn
The legendary Smythe-Smith family (and their notorious musicales) has always been the comic relief in Julia Quinns more recent books. The poor Smythe-Smith girls are now getting their own stories, and Lady Honoria is the heroine in Just Like Heaven. Another of my favorite romance tropes is the younger sibling/older sibling’s friend pairing, and Marcus (Honoria’s brother’s best friend) starts out keeping an eye on Honoria in her brother’s absence, and finds himself falling in love.
I always enjoy Julia Quinn’s historical romances. They’re light, funny, and romantic. I’m currrently listening to Just Like Heaven (narrated by Roslyn Landor) and so far it’s exactly what I expect.
May 31, 2011: My Dangerous Pleasure (Witches/My series, book 4) by Carolyn Jewel
This is one of my favorite parnormal series. I love the unique world, the strong heroines, and the sexy demons.
My Dangerous Pleasure is Iskander’s story. The author has really put him thru the mill in this series, and I was excited that he finally gets a HEA. And, Paisley is a worthy heroine.
If you haven’t picked this series up yet, I highly recommend that you start with book 1, My Wicked Enemy.
My review for this book will be posted in a couple of days.
That’s a lot of books, isn’t it? Lots of good stuff, here. What’s recently been released that you’ve been looking forward to?
Just finished reading…My Immortal Assassin by Carolyn Jewel
This book was given to me by the author.
This review cross-posted on Goodreads.
My Goodreads rating: 4 of 5 stars
View all my reviews at Goodreads.
My Immortal Assassin
(My series, book 3) by Carolyn Jewel
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I’ve been a big fan of Carolyn Jewel’s books since reading, Scandal (see review), one of my Top 5 historical romances. Since then, her My series has become one of my Top 5 paranormal romances. It’s been a long wait for Durian’s story (the previous My Forbidden Desire was released May 2009), and I was really happy when the author offered to send an early copy of My Immortal Assassin to me.
One of the things I really enjoy about this series is the originality of the world. The demons (known as the kin, among themselves) are engaged in a struggle with the magekind. Dark mages use enslaved demons to provide power and as coerced minions. Witches, too, often get caught in the crossfire, becoming pawns for the dark mages.
Over the course of the previous 2 books of the series, the leader of the kin, Nicodemus, has brokered a tenuous détente between the mages and demon kin (aka fiends). It’s amidst this precarious cease in overt hostilities, that the assassin Durian encounters Gray, a witch whose life was torn apart by a dark mage.
Gray has been indelibly changed, transformed into something “other” as a result of the mage’s failed power grab attempt, and now she is determined to exact revenge upon him. Durian is sworn to uphold the peace agreement, but is drawn to Gray, and promises to help her learn how to control her new powers, if she will bind herself to him.
This is a lot more set up to a book review than I usually do (I usually prefer to use the book description to do it), but the series story arc, and as a result, the book’s plot is a very complex one. There’s a lot of “meat” to the story, and that’s one of the reasons I really love this series. My one regret about My Immortal Assassin is that I didn’t re-read the previous 2 books to refresh my memory of the series details. (Something I like to do with some series.) I’d really recommend reading this series in order, if you haven’t already read the first 2 books.
One of the things that made My Immortal Assassin a stand out in the series for me is the relationship between Gray and Durian. More than any other book in the series, there is a give and take to their relationship that is really refreshing. While Grey has “submitted” (not in a D/s way, but in a magical way) by binding herself to him, rather than being subservient to him, she is pledged to protect him, and becomes his bodyguard. As Gray increasingly comes into her power, she assumes a more protective role toward Durian that male heroes more typically take on. I really liked this shift in traditional power dynamics.
And, despite this reversal, Durian is as bad-ass as ever, struggling with his increasingly protective feeling towards Gray, while relishing her growing abilities and her desire to protect him. He sees her protection of him and it affects him in a way that it new to the usually cold and detached assassin. Gray’s and Durian’s chemistry is great, and they both feed so much from this dynamic.
I really enjoyed the direction the larger story arc took as well, and where the series will go in the next book, My Dangerous Pleasure (to be released June 2011). The introduction of the mage Leonidas is showing a more complex image of the mages, and should complicate the storyline nicely.
Also, I’m chomping at the bit for Kynan’s story and Iskander’s story, as well as hoping for more about Gray’s sister, Emily.
My Immortal Assassin will be released January 3, 2011.
View all my reviews at Goodreads >>
Just finished reading . . . Bayou Moon
Bayou Moon (The Edge series, book 2) by Ilona Andrews
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When I realized that William, who appeared in book 1, On the Edge, would be Bayou Moon’s hero, I was a little concerned. In OtE, he came across as a bit smarmy, trying a little too hard to deliver the cheesy pick up lines to the heroine, Rose. Of course, he lost out to Declan for Rose’s affections, and we find him opening Bayou Moon sitting in his trailer playing with action figures. Huh?
Yeah.
And, in the end, I enjoyed Bayou Moon a lot. Cerise was an awesome heroine. She was strong, but relateable. And, in the trademark Ilona Andrews’ style, the secondary characters were quirky and entertaining. The story line and events were about the darkest I’ve read by IA, in either of her series. Yet, the sometimes gruesome events fit the fantastical world of the Edge. So, in a nutshell the book mostly rocked.
Though, I did have one quibble. Toward the end of the book, there were some lack of communication issues between Cerise and William that made me a little frustrated. It felt a little artificial, injecting an unnecessary conflict that didn’t feel consistent with their characters, or their relationship.
Now that I’ve got all that out of the way, let me get back to William, because I think that he is now my favorite hero of 2010.
Really, he is one of those heroes I kept thinking about both when I had to put the book down for pesky real life stuff like work and chores, and after I finished the book. He just stuck with me.
I think what really got to me was how he had all the elements that make a great hero.
Alpha shifter who can kick ass and take names? Check.
Tragic past that he’s dealing with? Check.
An admiration for strong heroines who can kick ass and take names? Check.
And, the clincher that really got me was his vulnerability. William had this need in him (but, not a needy need, if you know what I mean) to belong. To belong to Cerise, and for her to belong to him. To belong to a pack, which Cerise’s family, in all their dysfunction, filled the bill perfectly. To claim and be claimed. It was so true to who he was, where he came from, and his past experiences. And, (miracle of miracles for alpha heroes) he was self-aware enough to realize this and accept it about himself.
I found myself wanting these things for him so much, and that is why he resonnated with me so strongly. And, even in his vulnerability, there was a strength. The strength of a survivor. He endured so much, and yet still was able to open himself to Cerise.
Awesome quote:
“What if I run?”
He leaned forward. “That would be a mistake, because I would chase you.”
Oh dear Gods.
His voice was wistful & tinted with an odd longing, as if he were already running through the dark woods in his mind. The tiny hairs on the back of Cerise’s neck rose. Whatever she did, she couldn’t run, because he would love to chase her & she wasn’t quite sure what would happen at the end of that chase. By the way he looked, he wasn’t quite sure either, but he was pretty sure he would enjoy it.
Great stuff.
I received this book from the
publisher for review purposes.
Wheee!
It’s been a whirlwind of a week, and things look like they won’t slow down until the kid is back in school.
Things are in a state of flux, here at the homestead, but in a good way. After 4 months of phone calls, cleaning marathons, prospective renter walk thrus, and close calls, we’ve finally rented our house. Now for the hard part. 
We’re taking over my guy’s childhood home, 10 minutes from where we currently live. It’s larger, has a pool, and is in our son’s school district. Packing has already begun, and this week we did a walk thru of our in-laws place, deciding which pieces of furniture we’ll keep. (They’ve already moved to a smaller home in their “active seniors” community, and have left behind some of their furniture.)
Of course, at the same time we’re moving, we need to get our townhouse ready for the renters to move in to. All those little repairs that were easy to ignore, now must be fixed, carpets need to be shampooed, and walls need to be painted. Yee hah!
Even though I get exhausted just thinking about all of this, I’m also pretty excited. I’ve been drawing out possible floor plans for the new place, trying to think of creative ways to merge our furniture with some of my in-laws more, ahem, dated pieces. I’m planning a reading nook, with a love seat and ottoman in our much roomier office. And, I’m trying to make peace with the fact that we probably won’t have time before moving in to get rid of the silver foil wall paper in the living room. Next year. Really.
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The kid, doing his best imitation of a crab. |
In the mean time, summer’s been rolling along. A couple of weeks ago we went to Redondo Beach pier and bought live crabs, that the market then steamed for us. We ate them on newspaper covered tables while strolling mariachis played for tips.
One of the totally cool things about Redondo is the arcade, where I played much skee ball and Sea Wolf as a kid. I didn’t see Sea Wolf this time, but we did play skee ball and air hockey. And, we also saw these “antiques”.
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If you played any of these when they were new,
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This weekend, more beach time. My guy is helping throw a beach party for one of the student programs at his university. We are in charge of the fire ring. That’s sort of a bad news/good news thing for me. Bad news: heading out there early to baby sit —I mean reserve the damned fire ring. Good news: SMORES! We shall see if smore consumption is adequate consolation.
I will be taking Blaze of Memory with me. Some PsyChangeling action seems like perfect beach reading. I’m tempted to take Long Hard Ride, since that also seems like a great beach read, but I don’t think I can sit next to my guy’s co-workers and students while reading a cowboy ménage. (Where is Miss Doreen when you need her?)
Last week, I was so excited to see Lori’s post with the cover to Suzanne Brockmann’s next Troubleshooters book, Breaking the Rules. This is Izzy’s book, and I am SO looking forward to it. I might be in the minority, but I like Eden. OK, well, I guess I wouldn’t go so far as to say like. How about, I see so much great potential for her growth as a character. One of my favorite things about this series is how SB gives her characters time over many books to fuck up, grow, change, and become heroes/heroines. Robin, Sam, Ken, and, of course, Izzy are all great examples of the Suze Brockmann school for heroes. I’m really looking forward to seeing what will happen with Izzy. And Eden. Or, maybe not Eden?
I’m also currently reading Shades of Gray by Brooke McKinley. I’ve been seeing this book around for a while, and finally got to it! So far, it’s really good. M/M romantic suspense. FBI agent is protecting a drug runner who is going to give evidence against his drug lord boss. Great tension and chemistry between the heroes, so far.
Last week, I went on a mini Lauren Dane binge. It all started with Revelation, book 2 in the de La Vega Cats series. I enjoyed it so much that I decided I needed to finish the Cascadia Wolves series. I blew thru TriMates and Wolf Unbound. I really like the shifter world in this series. The men are very alpha (of course), but the women too, be they witch, shifter, or human, are also very strong. And, their alpha men respect them and love them, not despite their strength, but because of it. Good stuff! I’m hoping I’ll get to the last 2 in the series in the next week or so. I’m really looking forward to Cade’s story! Then, on to the Chase Brothers.
Phew! So that’s what’s been going on with me. How about you? Read any good books lately?
People are going to talk…