Category: Paranormal

Wild Nights With A Lone Wolf by Elisabeth Staab…ARC review

Wild Nights With A Lone Wolf is part of the Seductive Supernaturals Box Set and releases tomorrow! 

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WILD NIGHTS WITH A LONE WOLF by Elisabeth Staab

Synopsis:

A mandatory vacation lands Agent Sherri Walker in bed with a local werewolf. Asher Hughes walked away from his outlaw pack but couldn’t ditch the bad blood. Together they’ll have to pull off one hell of an act to get out of treacherous territory alive.

 

My Review:

Agent Sherri Walker is ready to enjoy her vacation. Relax, unwind, and finally shake off the breakup of her engagement. She was ready to act a little outside of her comfort zone and throw some caution to the wind and live. It was that decision that had her inviting a sexy werewolf back to her room for a hot and sexy night of no strings sex. Imagine her surprise when it ended up being anything but…

I love Elisabeth Staab’s paranormal writing. She has one of my fave vampire series and now gave me one of my fave werewolves. This was a fast paced, sexy, steamy, and action packed read. I loved Sherri and Asher. Sherri is a strong woman and is taking her life back. Calling her shots and owning it like a champ. I was so happy she decided to give into her desire for Ash. Ash is sexy and oh, so male. He is take-charge and bad assed but with a softer side that I loved getting to see. Another aspect I loved was that the wolves were out to the humans. It made the story that much more enjoyable and seeing the weres and humans having to work together to end some human and drug trafficking was awesome.

On top of all the smoking hot scenes, there was pack betrayal, kidnaping, murder, and some serious crime that gave a lot of layers to this novella and I loved every second of it. I’m hoping we get to see more from this pack and these amazing characters!

Thank you, Elisabeth, for another fantastic read!

4LovesRLBFour Loves

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About the boxed set:

Bad boys, tortured alpha heroes, and kick-ass heroines all come together in 12 steamy full-length paranormal romance novels and novellas from NY Times, USA Today, and national bestselling authors! Whether you’re looking for tantalizing dark tales or the humorous side of the supernatural, you’ll get werewolves, vampires, fallen angels, monster hunters, and ghosts—every one of them a hot temptation you won’t be able to resist…

 

Book links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1pmeL9A

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/Xy9hBO

iBooks: http://bit.ly/1p4Q81O

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1uMBeTy

Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/1pmgn30

About the author:

Elisabeth Staab digs coffee, saucy stories, and sexy things that go bump in the night. Once, she ate dinner in a jail and liked it. She lives in the Washington DC area with her incredible family and does her best to juggle life while ignoring the laundry.

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook 

Tempted By Midnight by Lara Adrian…ARC Review

Tempted By Midnight releases October 14, 2014

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Book links:

Amazon  |  Paperback  |  1,001 Dark Nights 

Synopsis:

Once, they lived in secret alongside mankind. Now, emerged from the shadows, the Breed faces enemies on both sides—human and vampire alike. No one knows that better than Lazaro Archer, one of the eldest, most powerful of his kind. His beloved Breedmate and family massacred by a madman twenty years ago, Lazaro refuses to open his heart again.

Sworn to his duty as the leader of the Order’s command center in Italy, the last thing the hardened warrior wants is to be tasked with the rescue and safekeeping of an innocent woman in need of his protection. But when a covert mission takes a deadly wrong turn, Lazaro finds himself in the unlikely role of hero with a familiar, intriguing beauty he should not desire, but cannot resist.

Melena Walsh has never forgotten the dashing Breed male who saved her life as a child. But the chivalrous hero of her past is in hard contrast to the embittered, dangerous man on whom her safety now depends. And with an unwanted—yet undeniable—desire igniting between them, Melena fears that Lazaro’s protection may come at the price of her heart.

 

My review:

Tempted By Midnight is story number 12.5 in Lara Adrian’s Midnight Breed Series as well as novella number 10 in the 1,001 Dark Nights Series. I am always thrilled to read a new story from Lara Adrian and head back into the Breed world and this novella was spectacular. Packed with emotion, heat, and action, I devoured it in one sitting and loved every second.

Leader of the Order’s Italian command center, Lazaro Archer was used to sensing threats and eliminating them. It was his sole focus, especially now that his family had been taken from him in a horrific manner years before. Preparing for an important meeting with political members with the hopes of ending the strife between the Breed, vampires, and humans, he thought he knew all the players intended on coming to the meeting…and then he saw her. The intriguing and beautiful red-head that shouldn’t be here. Melena. But here she was and his reaction, and attraction, to her was almost immediate. He remembered her from almost another lifetime ago, and remembered saving her from an untimely demise when she fell into an icy lake when she was much younger. She was grown now, and with beauty and brains to spare, he shouldn’t wonder why he was attracted to her. But could he really forget all that he had lost in the past? His family? There wasn’t too much time to ponder more on that night because as fate would have it, he would have to rescue her once again before the evening came to an end…

Melena Walsh would never forget Lazaro Archer. He had saved her life and she will be eternally grateful for that. Now she was here with him and wanted nothing more than to thank him for what he had done all those years earlier. She also would love to be able to ease some of the pain she still saw in his eyes. He had been hardened since she last saw him and after losing his family it was no wonder. But the pull she felt when she saw him was much more than wanting to ease his pain…it was a longing for more. Maybe she would have the chance to rescue him this time…from the sadness and pain that lingered.

Before either one of them can contemplate their attraction, they are met with a terrible situation and thrown together, having to rely on each other to stay alive. And with that, their attraction only grows stronger and into something much more meaningful. Could this be fate’s way of giving Lazaro a second chance at love?

I loved, loved, loved this story. Lara put so much heart into the pages and so much emotion that I was drawn in from the very first page. I loved that Lazaro and Melena had a history and that she understood what he had gone through with the loss of his family. Melena never tried to forget the past, in fact she wanted Lazaro to accept it and move on with his life…a feat he had been unable to do until now. She was exactly what he needed and even though it took a while for him to realize it, she pushed him to realize she was right. He deserved a chance at happiness again and Melena was that chance. It was beautiful to read and I wanted nothing more than for these two to have their happy ending. Of course, my lips are sealed as to if they got it!

Adding another layer to this story was the conflict between the Breed, fellow vampires, and the humans and the trouble all the sides are facing. Also, we got to see a few familiar faces along the way, which was a real treat, and met some new ones that I can’t wait to read more of!

Thank you, Ms. Adrian, for a yet another phenomenal story!

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

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About the author:

LARA ADRIAN is a New York Times and #1 internationally best-selling author with nearly 4 million books in print and digital worldwide and translations licensed to more than 20 countries. Her books have been named among Amazon’s Top Ten Romances of the Year, and have also been nominated by readers multiple times as finalists for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Romance of the Year. Reviewers have called Lara’s books “addictively readable” (Chicago Tribune), “extraordinary” (Fresh Fiction), “strikingly original” (Booklist), and “one of the best vampire series on the market” (Romantic Times).

Writing as TINA ST. JOHN, her historical romances have won numerous awards including the National Readers Choice; Romantic Times Magazine Reviewer’s Choice; Booksellers Best; and many others. She was twice named a Finalist in Romance Writers of America’s RITA Awards, for Best Historical Romance (White Lion’s Lady) and Best Paranormal Romance (Heart of the Hunter). More recently, the German translation of Heart of the Hunter debuted on Der Spiegel bestseller list.

With an ancestry stretching back to the Mayflower and the court of King Henry VIII, the author lives with her husband in New England, where she is working on her next novel. Visit Lara’s website and sign up for new release announcements at http://bit.ly/LaraAdrianNews

 

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Chained by Night by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

Chained by Night releases September 30, 2014

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Synopsis:

THE FUTURE OF HIS TRIBE

Leader of the vampire clan MoonBound, Hunter will do what he must to save his people from extinction—or worse, a torturous eternity as vampire slaves and subjects of human experimentation. To keep his enemies at bay, he has agreed to mate a rival clan leader’s daughter in return for peace between the clans and an ally in the looming war with the humans.

THE LOVER OF HIS SOUL

But survival comes at a price. First, Hunter must break an ancient curse by successfully negotiating three deadly tests. Then he must resist the searing passions of the gorgeous vampire warrior he despises but is bound to mate. Will Hunter stay true to his word? Or will he risk everything for the woman he really loves: the vampire seductress’s identical twin sister?

 

My Review:

Chained by Night is the second book in author Larissa Ione’s MoonBound Clan Vampire Series and being a huge fan, I was beyond excited to read this book. Well, Larissa has done it again. This book was incredible and I was unable to put it down. Hunter has officially been added to my list of vamps I adore…

MoonBound Clan Chief, Hunter, always has his clan’s best interest at heart and will always do what is necessary to make sure they thrive. Even with the war raging on between vampires and humans, he has faith in his people and leads them the best way he knows how. It’s that leadership role that has led him to his upcoming mating with a rival clan’s daughter. It certainly wasn’t an ideal situation but it was the only one that would keep the precarious peace that held between his clan and this particular rival clan. So a chief does what a chief must. Only soon after meeting his future mate, Rasha, he realizes that he isn’t sure he can spend eternity with this vampire. She was a total unkind bitch and wanted to rule in a way he promised himself he never would. Making matters worse was that he had met her identical twin sister. A twin sister who embodied all of the traits he looked for in a mate. She was the complete opposite of her sister in every way, with their shared looks being the only similarity between them. But fate was fickle that way and with no other foreseeable option, Hunter resides to the fact that the wretched witch twin will have be his mate. Only sometimes, fate manages to pull through. Hunter is faced with a few options that may make his situation less bleak. The choices are difficult and many and there are more than a few times he isn’t sure which road he should travel but he has faith that in the end he will be able to have it all. A clan that was safe and happy, a mate that he truly loved, and a chance at peace….the only question is, at what cost will it all come? And how much blood will be shed?

As you already know, I adore Larissa and her writing. She writes the damaged hero like no one else and brings so much emotion to a story that it seeps from the pages into the reader’s heart. And she did it again in this story, but unlike most of her books, the damaged hero wasn’t a hero at all…but instead, a heroine. Aylin. Hunter’s arranged mate, Rasha’s, twin sister. There is a whole lot going on in the background of this story with the war between vampires and humans but this book was mainly centered on Hunter’s journey with these two women and his warring emotions. He has a great responsibility to his clan and mating with Rasha is best for all of them but he just can’t shake the feeling that it’s just not right. After spending only a short amount of time with both women he knows Aylin is the woman for him and the journey he takes to make her his mate was phenomenal. I won’t go into too much detail about the story itself, because there are more than a few things revealed along the way that make a huge difference to the series and I don’t want to ruin it for you, but I will say that Hunter and Aylin now have a place in my heart.

Aylin’s life up until this point has been positively wretched and it broke my heart. But her resolve and spirit through even the worst of times was truly beautiful and admirable beyond measure. She tops my list of favorite heroines. Hunter was just as fantastic. He is a great leader with a remarkable ability to remain true to himself as well as doing what’s best for the clan. It’s what has earned the respect of all of his warriors. Their journey was spectacular and filled with pulse pounding moments and adversity at almost every turn…both physically and emotionally. The challenges they face were freaking intense but also solidified their strength as a couple. Truly incredible to read!

On top of all of that, we meet a new character in this book that I am DYING to see more of. He is a true Larissa character in the sense that he’s supposed to be a bad guy (a REALLY bad guy) but shows bits of a softer side and sense of humor that Larissa writes so well into characters. Seriously, I loved this guy!

All in all, this book had everything I love in a story. Well developed relationships, tons of emotion, action, rich characters, intensity, great world building, and a good amount of heat. I highly recommend Chained by Night and cannot wait for the next installment. Thank you, Larissa, for yet another stellar read!

 

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

Book Links:

 Amazon  |  B&N  |  iBooks  |  Kobo

PREORDER CHAINED BY NIGHT
AND SAVOR YOUR TASTY TREAT ON 9/30!
Book II of The MoonBound Clan Vampires series

 

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“Ione’s second MoonBound Vampires paranormal deftly uses a mixture of complex rivalries, primal violence, and sex to portray a society in which frequent vampire enslavement provokes a civil-rights dispute…Ione’s characters are relatable and sympathetic both because of and despite their id-drenched setting, and Ione’s flavor of vampirism produces a fascinating mixture of authoritarianism, atavism, and compassionate humanity that works on multiple levels.”;
—;Publishers Weekly STARRED REVIEW August 25th

“Ione has created a fascinating vampire world steeped in Native American traditions and lore and developed a path to happiness for Hunter and Aylin that is fraught with potent and poignant internal and external conflicts. The action-packed plot and creative worldbuilding keep us enthralled; the romance and sexual tension keep us emotionally invested.”;
—;Kirkus Reviews August 28th online, Sept. 15th print

“Major talent Ione is back with the second installment in her gritty new MoonBound Clan Vampire series, where vampires live under the threat of enslavement and torture by humans. Ione’s vampire world is made up of sometimes warring clans who fight against each other as well as humans. Uniting the clans may be the vampires’ best hope for survival in the upcoming war with humans. With so much at stake, these excellent character relationships are fraught with intense and conflicting emotions. Hang on tight, as this is one exciting and dangerous world!”;
—Romantic Times ****1/2 HOT

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BOUND TO BE UP ALL NIGHT WITH
THROW BACK THURSDAY’S BOUND BY NIGHT!

Book I of The MoonBound Clan Vampire series


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“Bound by Night was a fantastic start to this very promising new series…;
a very tasty treat from a must be read author. Happy reading everybody…you’re bound to love it.”;
—Night Owl Reviews for Bound by Night

“The exceptionally entertaining Ione kicks off a sexy new vampire series…;
Ione does what she does best: deliver paranormal romance with a sexy and dangerous bite!”;
—RT Book Reviews ****HOT Review for Bound by Night

About the author:

Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

Website  |  Twitter  | Facebook

Shadow Hunter by Kait Ballenger….Tour Stop & Review

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Shadow Hunter (Execution Underground 0.5)
by Kait Ballenger
Release date: August 4, 2014

 

Blurb:

See where it all began in this exciting prequel to The Execution Underground, Kait Ballenger’s sexy paranormal series about the men who hunt evil and the women who love them.

Vampire hunter Damon Brock’s first assignment with the Execution Underground is Rochester, New York. But he isn’t the only hunter in town gunning for vamp blood. Tiffany Solow is ruthless when it comes to slaying the monsters that destroyed her family—and she works solo. But when she meets the mysterious hunter who wants more than just her turf, the line between good and evil blurs as they must decide between their lifelong beliefs…and their newfound desires.

My review:

Shadow Hunter by Kait Ballenger takes us back to the very beginning of
Damon’s story and his role in The Execution Underground. I was dying
to hear more about Damon and learn his backstory. Well, Shadow Hunter
gave all of it and it was amazing. Emotional, tense, tender….just
amazing.

Damon Brock is settled in Rochester, NY, and is ready to get down to
business and go after one of the biggest vampires in the city. Never
in a million years did he expect to run into a rogue vampire hunter
after the same mission he was….and it was a woman. Tiffany Solow.
Women weren’t allowed to be a part of The EU and even if Tiffany was
one hell of a hunter, she was still crossing all sorts of lines she
shouldn’t be crossing.

Now, after getting her out of a sticky situation, and realizing the
vampires they are hunting have a few new traits that are making them
an even bigger force to be reckoned with, he starts to have a nagging
suspicion that he knows Tiffany. He fears the reason he may know her
is because she’s the girl he had been paired with as pen-pals when he
started training with The EU. The problems are numerous if that was
the case. One, because he had fallen in love with that girl through
her letters, and two, because she was the sister of his best friend.
A best friend whose death he was responsible for.

Now, with mounting attractions, big vampire trouble, and trying to
keep and entire city safe, tensions are running high between Damon and
Tiffany. Are they doomed before they even had a start?

Oh man, this was a great story. I was so intrigued by Damon when I
read Immortal Hunter and was dying to know what had happened in his
past to cause him the pain that was lying just under the surface.
Well, we got a lot of answers in Shadow Hunter and it was fantastic.
I’m going to try not to give any spoilers away but I will say that the
connection Tiffany and Damon shared from their letter writing days was
beautiful and really helped fuel their physical attraction when they
come face to face. Tiffany is one hell of a tough cookie and I really
enjoyed her resolve and tenacity. Damon is amazing as well. A
skilled fighter with a heart is a combo that’s hard to beat. And
throw in the whole mystery of what was going on with this new breed of
vampires and this story was non-stop action from the very first
chapter.

This is absolutely a series I will continue to look forward to and
thank you, Kait, for giving us Damon’s start! I loved it!

FOUR LOVES

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22299907-shadow-hunter

Buy Links-

Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K4M3I26?ie=UTF8&tag=httpwwwgoodco-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B00K4M3I26&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/shadow-hunter-kait-ballenger/1119434584?ean=9781459256347

About Kait:

Kait Ballenger is a full-time romance author, wife, a former professional bellydancer, and soon-to-be-professor. She is the multi-published author of the Execution Underground paranormal romance series about an international network of supernatural hunters who fight to protect humanity.

With a B.A in English from Stetson University (2011), Kait is graduate of Spalding University’s M.F.A in Writing for Children and Young Adults program (2013), where she studied dual-genre in screenwriting.

When Kait’s not preoccupied with paranormal creepy-crawlies, she can be found spending time with her family or with her nose buried in a book. She lives in Florida with her husband, their doggie-daughter Sookie (yes, like the heroine in Charlainne Harris’ books), and two mischievous cats Elliot and Olivia (yes, like the Law and Order characters), near the love and care of her supportive family. Kait believes anything is possible with hard work and dedication. One day, she will be a bestseller and have people name their pets after her characters too.

She is represented by Nicole Resciniti of The Seymour Agency.

Author links:

Website: http://www.kaitballenger.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kaitballengerauthor

Twitter: www.twitter.com/kait_ballenger

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kaitlynschulzromanceauthor

 

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Azagoth by Larissa Ione…ARC Review

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Synopsis:

Even in the fathomless depths of the underworld and the bleak chambers of a damaged heart, the bonds of love can heal…or destroy.

He holds the ability to annihilate souls in the palm of his hand. He commands the respect of the most dangerous of demons and the most powerful of angels. He can seduce and dominate any female he wants with a mere look. But for all Azagoth’s power, he’s bound by shackles of his own making, and only an angel with a secret holds the key to his release.

She’s an angel with the extraordinary ability to travel through time and space. An angel with a tormented past she can’t escape. And when Lilliana is sent to Azagoth’s underworld realm, she finds that her past isn’t all she can’t escape. For the irresistibly sexy fallen angel known as Azagoth is also known as the Grim Reaper, and when he claims a soul, it’s forever…

 

My review:

Azagoth is story number 10.5 in author Larissa Ione’s Demonica series as well as novella number 6 in the 1,001 Dark Nights Series and one of the books I have been dying for this year. As always, Larissa didn’t disappoint. Azagoth was every bit of the tortured, sexy, bad boy I was looking forward to and Lilliana was his perfect match.

Fallen angel Azagoth is notorious for his dark and powerful ways, running the underworld, sorting souls, and being known otherwise as the Grim Reaper. But he wasn’t always this way. He had been an angel before and had once been on the sunny side, so to speak. After all these years in the darkness and with that darkness slowly seeping into his very bones, he yearns for more. But who in their right mind would come down to this dark and desolate realm to date him…the freaking Grim Reaper? No one. Unless he could work some magic and ask for a heavenly favor. They did owe him, after all. Getting someone to take over this realm wasn’t exactly a job angels had been lining up for and now he would use the sacrifice he made to his advantage by asking for a female he could spend eternity with. He wanted more than the “scratch an itch” kind of relationship. Of course he never expected the beautiful and feisty angel they sent him. Lilliana was like no one he had even encountered. She was strong-willed, smart, beautiful and unafraid of him. And he immediately wants her with a passion that defies logic. Could she learn to love a man like him? In a world like this?

Lilliana knew she was in big trouble with the heavens and when she makes a deal that could get her out of that trouble and possibly save her wings and ability to time travel, she figures how bad could it be? All she had to do was go into the underworld, hang out with the Grim Reaper, Azagoth, and last a few weeks. Easy peasy, right? She knows she is strong enough to endure the darkness but as soon as she gets to his realm, she knows she’s in trouble. She may be able to ignore all the creepy crawlies and the darkness down in the underworld but there’s only so long she will be able to ignore the fierce attraction she feels towards Azagoth. Luckily, his reputation for being a surly bad boy precedes him and he doesn’t disappoint, being miserable and demanding at every turn. Unfortunately, Lilliana soon realizes she likes the banter they have and finds herself craving his company more and more. Would she really want to stay here with him forever? Would he want her to if he ever found out the deal she made to save herself?

They say that love will always find a way, but never before has love had such a hard road to travel. Will Lilliana and Azagoth be able to meet love halfway and complete the journey?

When you read as much as I do, there are a few authors that reading their newest work it feels like coming home. Larissa is one of those authors for me and reading Azagoth was like coming home. Her writing style is stellar and she has an amazing talent with the tortured hero making the reader want to hate him but unable to ever do so. Azagoth was one of those heroes. He is dark and brooding but deep down just wants some version of happiness. And my God, I wanted it for him. Lilliana isn’t going to cower to his demands, which is something he is very much unaccustomed to. It pisses him off all while exciting and intriguing him. Lilliana is just as intrigued and excited with Azagoth when she sees how he has lived his life and how deliciously and darkly sexy he is. He was unlike anyone she had ever met and that would prove to be a big check in the “stay in the underworld forever” column.

Lilliana’s gift of time travel is an exceptional gift and gives Azagoth a sense of joy he hasn’t felt in far too long. Seeing the simple joy on his face when they travel to see a landscape he hasn’t seen in hundreds of years gives a gift right back to Lilliana and before they both realize it…they have stumbled into a relationship neither one had ever dreamed of finding. I really can’t think of an adjective to adequately explain just how beautiful Lilliana and Azagoth are together. You’ll just have to take my word on this…and buy this book. You will NOT be disappointed.

Thank you, Larissa, for being you and for writing such remarkable stories.

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

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Buy links:

Kindle
Amazon paperback

About the author:
Air Force veteran Larissa Ione traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion of writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of Champagne chilling in the fridge…just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her U.S. Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

Website  ~  Twitter  ~  Facebook  ~  Goodreads

 

Hunter by Night by Elisabeth Staab… Review & A visit from Lee

 

Hunter by Night releases June 3 

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Synopsis:

She wants out

Party girl Alexia Blackburn is only hanging around the vampire compound until her best friend—the queen—has her baby. After that, nothing is going to stop Alexia from getting back to daylight, safety, and feeling like a normal human being. But leaving the vampire world has one big catch…

 

He needs her to stay

Head of vampire security Lee Goram has hated and distrusted humans for centuries. Feeding on vampire blood has kept him strong…but now it’s killing him—and he’s horrified to discover that Alexia may hold the key to his cure. He’d rather die defending his king than admit his weakness, but time is running out for the great vampire warrior…

 

My review:

Hunter by Night is the third book in author Elisabeth Staab’s Chronicles of Yavn Series and the book I have been most looking forward to in the series after falling in love with Lee form the very first book. Well, I was not disappointed. This book was everything I had hoped for and more.

Alexia Blackburn is slowly losing her mind. Being the only human stuck in a house full of vampires with the constant threat of war from their enemies, the wizards, is just a tad bit taxing. Especially to someone like Alexia. Someone who has been on her own for as long as she can remember. Her childhood kind of sucked and the minute she got free she had been in charge of herself. So to be stuck here was driving her crazy. If it weren’t for her best friend’s pregnancy and impending delivery, she’d so be outta here. But she would stay, for her best friend. She’d be lying to herself if she said she wasn’t also staying for a certain royal guard vampire named Lee. Sure, he’s made it clear that he could never be with a human, but she knows there’s some sort of connection there. And if she was wrong? Fine. She’d be gone before she could let his rejections sting any more than they already have.

As head of security for the king and their community, vampire Lee Goram had a lot on his plate. Every day there were new threats emerging and with the uncertainty with the wizards, you could say his plate runneth over. Making matters worse was that the queen was due to give birth any week. Talk about a security nightmare. So he’s been blaming his chest pains on all of that stress. Certainly vampires didn’t get sick and die from something like that so he’d put it on the back burner until all of this wizard nonsense went away. Also adding to his stress was Alexia. That human was always trying to plead her case as to why she should be allowed to go out into the day, without any protection. Didn’t she know as the queen’s best friend she had a huge target on her back? But he knew she didn’t care. She had a stubborn streak a mile wide and was beyond independent. She wasn’t going to listen to him. Of course, his annoyance with her isn’t helping squash his underlying attraction to her. But he just kept coming back to that fact that she was a human. Surely he could never be with a human. But Lee has been known to be wrong a time or two and this may just be one of those times….

Tensions are higher than high within the mansion and the sexual tension between Lee and Alexia is adding a deliciously tense layer to the situation. Will they ever put all their differences aside and take a chance on the pull they feel between themselves?

Oh man how I loved this book. Lee is the quintessential stubborn alpha vampire with a deep-rooted disgust for human/vampire relationships. Alexia is just as stubborn and is also stronger than anyone could guess. She’s got a sharp tongue and a beautifully smart assed wit that I adored about her. She wasn’t going to let Lee push her around.   She wasn’t going to let anyone push her around. The push and pull between them had started in the first book and reached a fevered pitch in the second book and left me dying for the ending to their story. Elisabeth gave them an ending they both needed and truly deserved. They pissed each other off at every turn, bantered constantly but the underlying level of care and concern for one another was so touching. Even if they didn’t want to admit what had developed between them as going from annoyance to one of love, I knew eventually they would. If for no other reason than even though they may be stubborn characters, they are also honest, and when the walls of defense crumble between them their honesty is amazing. Heartfelt and touching. I went from being pissed off to crying and then laughing with happy tears being shed. I love all the feels!

Also, there was a bit of closure for Siddoh and a few of the other members of the vampire clan we’ve met along the way. That was another gift to read.

Thank you, Elisabeth, for giving Lee and Alexia their happy ending. I loved every minute of it!

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Four-and-a-Half Loves

 

And, as a special treat,  I was so lucky to have Lee stop by with his take on loving a human…. (oh, how I freaking LOVE Lee!) 

Okay, listen up…. people: I may not be old by the standards of my kind, but seven hundred years sure ain’t child’s play. I’ve trudged through a whole hell of a lot of history, fuck you very much. I’ve kicked my way through plagues, wars, and what have you, and I’ve seen the best and worst of humanity can do to itself. What it can do to my kind. So I hope you’ll understand if I don’t jump on the warm and fuzzy bandwagon about getting up close and personal with you folks. I drink the blood of vampires, I live among vampires, and if I have to brush up against the occasional person at the gas station once in awhile, I try not to get any of ‘em on me.

You know what I mean.

Shoulda known one day the gods or karma or whatthefuckever would nail me right between the eyes with that shit. No humans? How about living with one right down the hall. One small, stubborn, intensely aggravating and completely feminine human, who sways her hips when she’s stomping away from you. Yeah. Perfect. Damn me straight to hell.

Shoulda known, right? For all my love and loyalty to my kind, I mated first with a succubus hybrid, so that was my own damn fault. See, that one didn’t work out though, and I told myself I’d never get attached again. Not to someone of impure blood, maybe never to anyone.

Never say never.

Still, Alexia, she’s something. And being with a human, it’s forced me to learn some things I never expected I’d have to learn. Never wanted to. Never wanted to learn to use a blender, either, but I guess you roll with the times—and those protein shakes come in handy.

So today—because Jillian here is such a sweet gal, I’m sharing what I, Lee Goram, learned about loving a human. Buckle up, assholes.

  • They’re stronger than they look. With all of her five-foot-nothing and her barely a hundred pounds, I swear I could break Alexia if I so much as bump into her. Still, she’s more passionate than any female I’ve known, and get your mind out of the gutter, people. She holds her own, ‘s all I’m saying.
  • They’re not like vampires. All right. Don’t give me the “no shit,” and the eye rolling. Some things you take for granted after centuries of knowing it, okay? Their fertility cycles don’t run with the moon, so you can’t bank on that shit. And that “birth control” stuff? I’m not convinced that’s all it’s cracked up to be. Don’t even get me started on condoms. I don’t wanna put my dick in some kind of weird-assed rubber wrapper.
  • What is up with their undergarments? I’ll cop to it, I haven’t got this one figured. All I know is Alexia’s underwear barely passes as an eye patch and her brassieres could double as body armor. God help the man who rips it in half, is all I know. Been there, done that, got the lecture.
  • Sometimes they just don’t stay where you put ‘em. I mean, vampire females? I guess it’s not hard and fast, but centuries of tradition says you defer to your mate and your elders. Alexia, she doesn’t defer to anybody. I don’t know if that’s all human females, or only her, but it’s damned aggravating. She has a mind of her own, and she decides she’s gonna do what she’s gonna do, fuck what I say. Nobody has the brass ones not to heed my command. Most of the time, even our king listens to me. Still, it’s a sexy mind, full of wicked thoughts and sharp-tongued jabs, that hurt in an oddly pleasant way when they land. I can’t help it… I love them. Her. Maybe tradition’s not all it’s cracked-up to be.
  • That fucking sunlight thing. No getting around that problem. Not much of one, anyway. I found out there’s a thing you can do, but it ain’t worth doing unless you’re sure your woman is worth the pain. Alexia’s worth the pain. Alexia is worth everything. She loves the night, too, which kind of cuts both ways. Goes back to the problem of staying where I tell her to.
  • Fuck biology, after all. See, I got all up in my head about her humanity. Wanting to sleep with the woman was one thing. Living a life together, that’s an animal I didn’t have the magic powers to take down bare-handed. Why try to wrestle with the idea that I’ll only have to say goodbye again in a handful of years? Well, screw that selfish nonsense. For starters, anything worth having is worth having for any time at all. A lot, a little, whatever you can damn well get. And for finishers, it turns out if we look back at my first point, humans aren’t so wimpy as I thought. There’s a way around this biology BS after all. We’re gonna make it work. That human, she’s mine. Besides…
  • In the end, you love who you love. So fuck off, all of you.

(….I mean, really, how freaking great is he?!) Thanks, Lee, for stopping by!  XO

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Buy links:

Amazon   |  Barnes & Noble

 

About the author:

Elisabeth StaabElisabeth Staab digs coffee, saucy stories, and sexy things that go bump in the night. Once, she ate dinner in a jail and liked it. She lives in the Washington DC area with her incredible family and does her best to juggle life while ignoring the laundry.

 

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East of Ecstasy by Laura Kaye…Blog Tour Stop & Review

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Synopsis:

Annalise Fallston made peace with postponing her big-city dreams to care for her ill father, but lately she’s been filled with a restlessness not even her beloved painting dispels. Worse, the colors don’t speak to her as they always have, and all her efforts produce dark, foreboding images of a dangerous man and a terrifying future.

Devlin Eston, black-souled son of the evil Anemoi Eurus, is the only one who can thwart his father’s plan to overthrow the Supreme God of Wind and Storms. But first, Dev must master the unstable powers he’s been given. Distrusted and shunned by his own divine family, he never expected to find kindness and passion in the arms of a mortal.

But Devlin’s love puts Annalise in the path of a catastrophic storm, and in the final Armageddon showdown between the Anemoi and Eurus, sacrifices will be made, hearts broken, and lives changed forever…or lost.

 

My review:

East of Ecstasy is the fourth and final installment in author Laura Kaye’s Hearts of the Anemoi Series, which is one of my favorite paranormal series to date. I am terribly sad to see the end of this series but the happiness I feel with the way the series ended far outweighs the sadness. This book was incredible.

Before I begin my sure-to-be-long-winded review, I will say that if you haven’t read the entire series, I don’t think you should jump right into East of Ecstasy…if for no other reason than the relationships that have been built throughout the series really shine in this book and I would hate for anyone to miss out on truly feeling the emotions associated with having gone on the journey with these characters since the first book, North of Need.

Ok, here goes….

Artist and painter Annalise (Anna) Fallston was used to seeing the beauty in things. Even in the most bleak of circumstances, she could usually find something of beauty to carry her through. She had lost her mother and brother years ago and had been the sole caregiver to her ailing father for a few years now but even in all of that, she could find beauty in her memories of when her father was whole and healthy and when her family was all still alive. She could even find a bright spot in being colorblind…because when she painted, she could somehow see the colors. But finding the good was really getting tough to do lately. She was getting more and more tired and had been having these unexplained urges to paint certain scenes. Dark scenes. And when the man from those dark scenes shows up in her studio one night, she truly believes she’s finally lost her grip on reality and the stress has taken over. He’s real though, and after he informs her he isn’t going anywhere because he needs her help and after she panics a bit, she decides that maybe there really is a reason behind the frantic urges to paint the scenes. Maybe there’s more to her ability to see colors when she paints, but not any other time. Maybe she’s meant to help this darkly handsome stranger. Time to do what Anna does best ….jump in with both feet and look for the positive in this strange situation.

Devin Eston isn’t exactly in good standing with the rest of the Anemoi and he didn’t blame them. Not when his insane and manically power hungry father had done his best to make Devlin look like he was responsible for so much death and destruction. Growing up knowing only pain and torture, Devin could say he was used to the feelings of hatred and anger. Those were the only things he’d ever known. But now, with the storm raging between his evil father and the Anemoi he realizes he’s had enough. He can’t let more death and destruction happen. No more blood on his hands and no more sins to atone for. He would help destroy his father once and for all. Trouble was, it was a whole lot easier said than done. Deviln still hadn’t figured out how to leash and wield the tremendous amount of power within him and he had no one who would believe he wanted to end his father. Until he meets Anna. He had no idea that sneaking into an old barn for shelter would lead him to the one person he may be able to count on and who may be able to help him and the Anemoi. Now, if Devlin could only believe he was worthy of that help.

With things between Devlin, Eurus and the Anemoi coming to this final conflict, where lives will be lost, bonds will be forged and family will be strengthened, Devlin will finally have a chance to prove he isn’t anything like his father….and he will need Anna every step of the way.

If you follow me on twitter, you may have caught the convo I had with Laura Kaye after finishing this book. If you didn’t I will recap it simply by saying that I was an emotional wreck while reading this story….of course I loved every minute.

I have loved this series since Owen’s book and cried my ever-loving eyes out on a flight home last year reading South of Surrender. I was dying to get to this book. Well, I’m actually at a loss for how to describe how much I loved Devlin’s story. Devlin has been painted as one of the bad guys since the beginning and I pretty much hated him…until we got a teeny peek at some goodness within him in the last book. And that did it. I wanted to believe he could be saved and that he wasn’t Team Evil after all. Devlin is broken and hurt and had been tortured and abused all at the hands of his father. He was forced to live a life he wanted no part of and had major trust issues because of it. He didn’t believe himself worthy of any kindness and when he shied away from Anna in the beginning, I cried. He was the battered puppy that had grown into a fearful but powerful animal. He carried so much guilt over his father’s actions and it broke my heart. He so needed someone like Anna. She is strong and giving and willing to help Devlin get over his personal demons. She is a brilliant match for him and they make a beautifully balanced couple. There were more than a few moments shared between them that were beautiful and touching and it was a gift to read.

Beyond their growing relationship there is the fight with Eurus that has risen to a fevered pitch. Of course, that means we got to see the entire cast: Owen, Megan, Zeph, Ella, Chrys, Laney…and a few more that I can’t mention because I don’t want to ruin anything for you. The situations are intense and highly emotional but it’s one of the things I admire most about Laura’s writing. She has that gift to make the reader feel everything. Case in point: me sobbing uncontrollably during a scene with Owen and Megan. That scene is the most touching scene I have ever read….in any book….ever. And it will stay with me for years to come. (of course, I’m crying while typing just thinking of it!)

If you take one thing away from this admittedly long-winded review I hope it’s how much I loved this entire series. I recommend this for any romance fans, paranormal or otherwise. Thank you, Laura, for the Hearts of the Anemoi. You will continue to be one of my go-to authors and I can’t wait to see what you’ve got in store for us next. Oh, and Team Boreas!

 

Buy at Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

Catch up on the whole series with the Hearts of the Anemoi box set featuring the first three books: North of Need, West of Want, South of Surrender!

Amazon | B&N | Kobo | iTunes

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Giveaways:

There are TWO fabulous giveaways happening with this tour!  

~ The first is a set of four signed books (each book in the Heart of Anemoi Series) and swag in a basket. (enter in the rafflecopter)

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~ The second is for a tote bag and swag, open to international, and based on blog comments – Please comment on this blog post to enter to win and have  include your email addresses to enter. 

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About Laura Kaye:

Laura Kaye croppedLaura is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over a dozen books in contemporary and paranormal romance. Growing up, Laura’s large extended family believed in the supernatural, and family lore involving angels, ghosts, and evil-eye curses cemented in Laura a life-long fascination with storytelling and all things paranormal. She lives in Maryland with her husband, two daughters, and cute-but-bad dog, and appreciates her view of the Chesapeake Bay every day.

 

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Marked by Hades by Reese Monroe…Blog Tour Stop & Review

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Welcome to my stop on the Marked by Hades Blog Tour!

Thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy my review.

 

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Marked By Hades

Reese Monroe

 

One choice away from eternity…

 

Synopsis:

For 911 years, Gatekeeper companion Justin Bradford has denied the possibility of being mated to only one woman. He enjoys them all too much to settle down. So when he feels his mate’s Ahavah mark surface, his first instinct is to ignore it. But when he sees the leather-clad beauty in need of his help that’s easier said than done…

Yvonne wakes up naked on a cold park bench in a small town with no memory of who—or what—she is. All she knows is the gentle man who woke her was turned to dust when she touched him. And now the strange mark that appeared on her shoulder throbs in the presence of the raven-haired man now offering to help her…

As Justin and Yvonne navigate the mystery of her past, their bond grows, but the secrets they discover and the sacrifices that must be made could be enough to rip them apart for eternity.

 

My Review:

 

Marked by Hades is the second book in author Reese Monroe’s Bound by Hades Series and offered up an enticing and interesting look at the paranormal world. It was an enjoyable read from start to finish and although I didn’t read the first in the series, I wasn’t lost at any point.

Yvonne hasn’t a clue about anything other than her name…and that she just turned the Good Samaritan offering to help her into a pile of dust. Clearly something is really different about her. If she could just remember something about her past. Now she’s on a mission to find out not just who, but what she is. Yvonne has no idea that her quest will take her on a path into a world she never knew existed with gods and demons…and with fated mates. She knew when she met Justin that she couldn’t explain, or ignore, the urge to be near him but she never imagined what he would come to mean to her or the fight she had ahead of her.

Gatekeeper companion Justin had sworn off the whole fated mate idea years ago. He didn’t want the insanely intense feelings and needs that came along with a mate and that bond. Too bad the powers that be have the ultimate say and he soon finds out what it’s like. But when he finds out the his mate may not be playing for Team Good he questions the whole idea even further. Could he possibly be mated to someone belonging to the group he’s been fighting against for the last 900 years? Could fate be that cruel?

The journey Justin and Yvonne embark on is one that will change them both…forever.

Now there’s a lot that happens in this story that I don’t really want to touch on because it may be considered spoileryish, and you know I don’t do spoilers! So here goes…. I really enjoyed the fresh take on the paranormal world author Monroe has given us. I felt terrible for Yvonne from the very beginning. She had nothing, knew no one and knew her touch was dangerous. But she was determined, and I admired that about her. Justin was an enjoyable character and I loved that his mating took him by surprise considering he was more than happy in his bachelor like state. But what I liked the most was the author’s take on good vs. evil. The soldiers, if you will, that “The Great One” has created to keep Lucifer’s demons out of the human world and their tight knit bonds were fantastic. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept this story engaging and interesting throughout.

Plus, getting to see the well thought out foreshadowing of what may be to come in the next installment was pretty awesome!

All in all, paranormal fans will enjoy the world and characters Reese has created and I will be looking forward to book three in the series!

 

4LovesRLBFour Loves

 

Goodreads  |  Amazon  |   Entangled

 

Entangled Embrace:

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/EmbraceImprint

Twitter: @EPEmbrace Steals and Deals

 

Author Bio: Originally from Minnesota, Reese Monroe currently enjoys living in the sunny Arizona desert with her husband of seventeen years and her loveable Shetland Sheep dog, Maddux. Monroe holds a degree in psychology from Southwest Minnesota State University and a master’s degree from the University of Iowa. When she’s not busy writing her next trilogy, she can be found pounding the pavement, training to run her first marathon.

Reese Monroe is a contributing blogger at the widely popular siteNew Adult Alley and has been part of the New Adult revolution for years having penned over thirty novels in the exciting new category.

Connect with Reese onTwitter, throughFacebook or herwebsite. Reese also writes as Lynn Rush and you can find her alter egohere.

 

Website  |  Blog  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Goodreads

 

 

Giveaway:

Marked by Fate prize pack including: a Marked By Fate necklace, $10 Starbucks gift card and a $10 iTunes gift card (if the winner is intl a $25 Amazon gift card will be substituted for the prize pack)

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

 

 

 

Immortal Hunter by Kait Ballenger…Blog Tour Stop, Review & Giveaway

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Synopsis:

Hunters of the supernatural, the Execution Underground are an elite group tasked with protecting humanity…but at what price?

As an exorcist, David Aronowitz grew up the target of demonic assassins. Now he’s a member of the Execution Underground and hellspawn everywhere fear his name. But when a demon slips into the seductive body of the only woman he’s ever loved, David must confront the heartbreak of their past to save her.

The piece of her heart Allsún O’Hare gave to David so long ago left her trapped between two worlds: the Fae and the human. And when David comes to her rescue, fate reunites her with her greatest temptation—and her biggest mistake.  Now, as they’re swept together into a wicked game with the demon who controls her, David must decide if saving Allsún’s life is worth sacrificing his own—and the future of humanity itself

 

My review:

Immortal Hunter is the second book in author Kait Ballenger’s Execution Underground Series and admittedly the first book I have read. First let me say that I wasn’t lost at all while reading even though I hadn’t read the first book.  Second I have to say….I loved this book and will be reading all of the installments from here on out!

Exorcist and Execution Underground member David Aronowitz is used to seeing some pretty gruesome things.  In his line of work he’s come across some of the most heinous demons imaginable and all sorts of things that go bump in the night.  But the particular demon he just killed has him scared the most he’s ever been.  Not because the demon was particularly terrifying but because the demon told David something that left his blood running cold….that other demons knew about Allsún and that she was the last fae in this world.  She was valuable and vulnerable to the demon world and had remained hidden until now.  Allsún, the love of David’s life.  Once his fiancé, he would still do anything to protect her and right now she was in dire need of that. Right now she was in a hospital bed recovering from the last time he couldn’t protect her and there’s no way he’d let that happen again.

Suddenly awakened out of a drug induced coma and being pulled by an indescribable force, Allsún O’Hare knew something bad was happening in the demon world.  She didn’t know what or where, exactly, just that she had to follow this feeling to where it led her and fight whatever evil lay ahead.  She never expected to see David at the house her feelings led her to.  It shouldn’t surprise her, really.  He was an exorcist after all.  But the horror that she encounters at the scene was truly a shock.  This wasn’t like anything either of them had seen before and instantly they both know things are bad.

With Allsún in danger and David on the hunt for the most diabolical demon he’s ever encountered, they will be forced to work together to end this reign of terror.  Of course spending time together after years of being apart is bound to bring up all of the feelings they once shared.  Feelings that never truly went away.

Oh man, I loved this book! I think one of the things I loved most about this book, and the series, is that it takes a different approach.  Yes, it’s paranormal and deals with demons and the underworld, but the rituals and weapons they use are different than others I have read.  There is a lot of Judaism in the methods David uses to exorcise and I found that really refreshing.  One of the other things I loved about this book was the love story between David and Allsún really took a front row seat instead of being on the back burner.  I really enjoyed that.  The have a whole lot to work through and I wouldn’t have been happy if their issues were resolved in a chapter or two.  Luckily, Kait gave us plenty to read and time to understand the feelings fro both David and Allsún’s POVs.  It made the connection to the characters so much stronger, which for the ending of this book was imperative.  I was a nervous wreck for the last few chapters because I was so worried for David, Allsún and the whole Execution Underground crew! They have one hell of a fight on their hands (no pun intended) and I had no idea what the outcome was going to be.  I loved that feeling!

I also loved getting a peek into Damon’s very guarded emotions in the end and I am really hoping we get to see his story soon! I can imagine it’s going to be gut wrenching.

Thank you, Kait, for your take on good vs. evil and for giving me a series to look forward to reading more from!

5LovesRLBFive Loves

 

Book links:

Giveaway:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

About the author:

Kait Ballenger is a full-time paranormal romance author, wife, professional bellydancer, and graduate student. She lives in Central Florida with her husband, their doggie-daughter Sookie (like Charlainne Harris’ character), and two kittens, Elliot and Olivia (like the SVU characters). Kait believes anything is possible, and one day, she hopes people name their pets after her characters, too.

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