A Gaggle of Book Reviews

When you’ve been reading romantic paranormal novels for a while, there’s a point where you think you’ve seen every storyline. Prepare yourself for something new this time, a concept I haven’t seen in print in about 15 years, and an execution that is engaging, endearing, and unique. Bound To Love Her is a novel in which the worlds of the elves and the humans collide by new author Esri Rose. If you aren’t accustomed to paranormals, you’ll want to give this a try, as it doesn’t require as much of a suspension of disbelief as many other novels in this genre.

In Bound To Love Her, the elf and human worlds collide when Erin is walking her neighbor’s dog and happens upon a handsome injured man in the park. She helps him up off the ground, and ends up bringing him to her house before bringing him to the hospital with her housemate. While Erin’s housemate Jed is collecting his things, Erin brushes Galen’s hair off his face and uncovers his pointed ear, and Erin learning that elves are among us.

Galen had been injured by a poaching elf, Fellseth, when he broke Galen’s bond with his land (the public park), and took it for himself. When Erin happened upon him, Galen ended up bound to her energy rather than energy from the land, thereby saving his life. Once they are bonded, Galen can’t find a way to un-bind them, so he needs to stay very close to Erin, or else he becomes quite ill. As they spend more and more time together, Erin and Galen find that they are attracted to eachother, and their relationship becomes more complicated. Do they really want the bond to be broken?

Bound To Love Her is not just a romance, though, the underlying storyline has intrigue and suspense that keep you turning the pages. The elves need to find out why Fallseth stole Galen’s land, stop him from stealing land from other elves, and uncover mysteries that lie in the elf world and the human world. Elves are not used to working with humans, so Erin needs to fight long-standing prejudices as she tries to help Galen and his people.

Esri Rose has created a world of elves that feels incredibly realistic in Bound To Love Her. The next time I’m in a state park I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for a glimpse of an elf! The characters are also very realistic; Erin’s thoughts about Galen could be coming from any woman with an incredibly gorgeous elf sitting nearby. When Galen’s elven world and Erin’s human world mix, the elven powers over humans are fascinating, and the personalities of all the characters jump off the page.

In addition to having a storyline that will keep you hooked, Bound To Love Her is currently available as a special value for $3.99, which makes it an easy choice for adding to your Amazon shopping cart!

I’ve written several times about the fabulous books by Katie MacAlister. If you’ve been waiting for something great to read, don’t wait any longer – Katie has a started a new series! If you liked the Aisling Grey Guardian Series, starting with You Slay Me, the Silver Dragon series will pull you in quickly, as it is a spin-off of that. We’ve seen Gabriel, the leader (wyvern) Silver Dragons before, and we see him in new lights and shadows in Playing with Fire (Silver Dragons, Book 1).

Playing with Fire continues the story lines begun in the Aisling Grey Guardian Series, but uses a new couple to carry plot, though the earlier characters pop up frequently. If you haven’t read the Aisling Grey Guardian Series, you’ll have a bit of catching up to do and learning by context, but the storyline is strong enough to carry along new readers as Katie sprinkles the book with background information, expertly walking the fine line between giving new readers information and over-explaining to long-time readers.

Our protagonist, May, is a doppelganger – a twin created from a naiad (Cyrene), by way of a demon lord. The doppelganger is bound to the demon lord, but is also part of the shadows, and can disappear into any shadows. Mayling (Cyrene’s pet name for her) is used by the demon lord as a thief, and she meets Gabriel when she tries to return an item she accidentally stole while on another job. After meeting Gabriel, May is pulled into the world of the dragons – a world of fire, intrigue, mates, immortality, and uneasy alliances.

Playing with Fire’s story of May and Gabriel is unlike most of the relationships in Katie MacAlister’s novels. Our hero and heroine accept their attraction for each other, and enjoy every moment they have together. While I love all of the couples in Katie’s books, finding a couple that doesn’t fight their attraction for each other is a welcome change. Oter aspects of the book are in line with Katie’s other books, and readers will feel comfortable with the Otherworld that has been the backdrop for all of her novels.

I realy enjoyed Playing with Fire, and found it impossible to put down, kicking myself repeatedly for not having picked it up earlier. If you are one of Katie’s fans, you won’t be disappointed. If you’ve been looking for a new paranormal author, look no further – Katie MacAlister and Playing with Fire will keep you in their grasp until the last page. My only complaint is that I’ll need to wait a while before the second novel in the Silver Dragons series!

This book was received without cost for review purposes

Lynsay Sands is a vampire novel/paranormal romance staple. If you haven’t already read about the Argeneau family in her first six novels, you should go do so now. Each of Lynsay Sands’ novels centers around a member of the Argeneau family, and the romance and romantic problems between the Argeneau family member and his or her “lifemate”, the one person in the world who they have been fated to meet; the one person who they cannot “read”, or mentally control.

I’ve found that reading the novels in chronological order rather than published order works well – A Quick Bite first, Love Bites second, Single White Vampire third, Tall, Dark & Hungry fourth, A Bite to Remember fifth, and then Bite Me If You Can sixth.

While all of the Argeneau books are romances, each of Lynsay Sands’ novels takes the characters on a different path from the others. Yes, the couples meet at the beginning and are together at the end, but it’s what happens along the way that makes these books stand out. Sands has a flair for characters and a wonderful ability to keep a plot alive through several books. There are hints in earlier novels about romances or issues in later books, a skill that isn’t frequently used in this genre.

Her first 6 novels had some connections (you saw the family evolve as they each found their lifemate), the newest three books have a tight connection. Marguerite, the matriarch, has decided to be a PI, and goes off to Europe with a real PI to help an immortal find out the identity of his mother.

In The Accidental Vampire, there was an ad posted for a vampire in a Toronto paper, so Victor (one of the “enforcers” from the Council who makes sure immortals follow the rules) arrives in a small town to learn more about the situation. Elvi doesn’t know how she became a vampire, and lives according to the rules of Dracula, not knowing there are others out there. Victor has been strict and rigid about rules for eons, but meeting a woman he can’t read starts to change and soften him. Elvi’s impulsive nature combined with Victor’s rule-following makes for some fun along the way! Victor is worried how Lucian, the Council’s leader, will react to his rule-bending after discovering his lifemate, but thankfully when they meet Lucian he has softened too after finding Leigh in Bite Me If You Can. He and the others in the Argeneau clan are more worried about finding Marguerite in Europe than the idea that a small town knows all about vampires.

The Argeneau clan has become more worried about Marguerite, so they send cousin Thomas to England to start searching for her in Vampires Are Forever. Thomas’s cousin Bastien has paired him up with a top vice-president, Inez, so that he will have an easier time navigating London and the rest of the UK. What Bastien doesn’t mention is that Inez knows nothing about the fact that she is working for immortals (aka vampires). As the story develops, she becomes frightened, but once she learns that they are vampires due to nano technology rather than the walking dead, she calms down. As with the other women in the Argeneau series, Inez doesn’t follow Thomas’s lead, she works in tandem with him, blending their skills. We also learn more about Thomas, who has been seen as something of a slacker in earlier books. Discovering his hidden talents is part of the fun of Vampires Are Forever!

Matriarch of the Argeneau clan, Marguerite has worked to find lifemates for her family, and at least 8 couples are together thanks to her. In Vampire, Interrupted, it’s Marguerite’s turn. Marguerite and her colleague Tiny are helping the 500 year old Christian find his mother. His father, Julius, is accompanying him, and will only say that there were threats from his mother’s family. As Marguerite tries to follow leads, there are unexpected curve-balls everywhere. What secrets have been hidden for 500 years? After a horrible marriage that lasted 700 years, will Marguerite take the risk of loving Julius, a man who appears to be her lifemate?

If you love paranormals or love romances, or both, it’s in your best interests to read Lynsay Sands’ novels, and be sure to check out the 3 newest books! I just re-read all nine, and I continue to love Lynsay’s way with words.

Have you ever read any books in the Urban Fantasy genre? Some mystery fans may be leery of reading paranormals or vampire books. However, there are some very intense mysteries published that are also paranormal/urban fantasy/vampire books as well. A Rush of Wings, by Adrian Phoenix is one of those hybrids, containing an intensely suspenseful mystery, vampires, as well as a touch of romance.

Unlike many urban fantasy novels, in A Rush of Wings, the world at large is not knowledgeable about vampires and other paranormal beings. With this one difference, the storyline’s very realistic feel becomes even more intense. FBI agent Heather Wallace is tracking the Cross Country Killer (CCK) when she arrives in New Orleans to see if a recent murder fits the CCK profile. Heather’s investigation brings her to the club next to where the body was dumped, Club Hell, owned by a mysterious young man named Dante. The elusive Dante is a member of the band Inferno, but doesn’t grant interviews or photographs, and mysteriously appears to have no last name, birth date, or social security number; the only links to his past are the 60 foster homes he lived in before reaching maturity. At first, Dante’s friends block Heather from meeting him, but soon she is conversing with the Cajun sweet-talker.

Heather quickly comes to the conclusion that Dante isn’t the CCK, but why are the most recent murders focused on his club, and why is the FBI trying to pull her away from New Orleans when that’s where she’s finding clues? Dante’s looks and personality pull people to him, his attachment to his friends and his compassion are just as close to the surface as his universal sex appeal. As A Rush of Wings continues we meet fallen angels, more of the Nightkind (aka vampires, who do not need to kill to feed, but can kill during feeding), and learn more about Dante and his headaches caused by his missing memories of the past. There are so many layers to each person, Heather is much more than an agent, Dante is much more than a vampire, and each layer is uncovered as the book takes flight.

While we are pulled into the lives of Heather and Dante, we also meet a mix of police officers, FBI agents, killers, and Nightkind. Adrian Phoenix has done a wonderful job with the characters. A Rush of Wings has a large cast, but it isn’t unwieldy, and the author’s talent for creating fleshed out characters makes it easier for the reader to remember everyone. There are also sub-plots mixed in with the murder mystery, everything is intertwined, and the suspense builds as we learn a tidbit here and a tidbit there.

At the beginning of A Rush of Wings, I was a little confused, as Adrian Phoenix drops us right into the lives of Heather and Dante, without much of an introduction to their worlds. However, I quickly started to piece things together, and I was learning about the characters, their worlds, and the mystery of the killings all at once. Many authors have used New Orleans as a setting for their vampire novels, so it has a familiar feel, but with a unique twist; the Cajun French interspersed with the English reinforces that connection. This is a book that keeps you anxious to turn the next page, and even when you know who the killer is, you are so fascinated learn why that you can’t put it down until the last words are read. Add in the growing relationship between Dante and Heather, and you really want to see what’s on the next page! A Rush of Wings is a book that is both plot and character driven, and with great characters and an incredibly intense plot, it’s a compelling read that deserves more attention!

If you enjoy murder mysteries, suspense, urban fantasy, and/or great vampire novels, you’ll really enjoy A Rush of Wings. Urban fantasy is rarely stocked on your library shelves, though, so if you want to try before you buy, you can read chapter one at the author’s website. Get ready to be carried away by the story, it will take you on quite an intense ride. After you’ve let A Rush of Wings fly you to another world, you’ll be eagerly anticipating the January ‘09 sequel, In the Blood!

This book was received from the publisher for review

Some authors use the same main character for all the books in a series. Other authors use one book’s minor character as the next book’s main character. It’s rare, though, to find a series where the first two books focus on the same character, yet the third book makes main characters out of people who were on the sidelines. Michelle Rowen manages that feat in her newly released book in the Immortality Bites series, Lady & the Vamp, which follows her hits Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous.

Rowen’s vampires are brooding, romantic kind who do not need to kill to feed, and most of them live off donated blood, without much need for biting. Their feeding style makes these handsome vampires all the more appealing, especially as we start to enter tick season (ticks, the repulsive blood suckers). In Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous, Rowen’s novels focused on new vampire Sarah Dearly, who was torn romantically between former vampire hunter turned vamp Michael Quinn and the mysterious 600+ year old vampire Thierry. When that situation was resolved in the end of Fanged & Fabulous, I wondered what would happen in the series – books that follow happy endings are often dull or create unnecessary strife between the couple for plot development. How many times do we really need to see the same two characters breaking up and getting back together? Now that Quinn is out of that romantic triangle, he is open pickings for being a main character, and for a woman who is ok with dating vampires who carry excess baggage.

In Lady & the Vamp, readers who are not already familiar with the emotionally tormented Quinn are brought up to date efficiently. Rowen fills them in on his history being raised as a vampire hunter, and now a new, reluctant vampire, as well as his relationship availability status. Quinn takes the “reluctant vamp” label to new levels – he’s out of town, so he doesn’t know where the closest vampire bar is located. Since he’s never bitten anyone and wants to keep it that way, he starts to become the first vampire anorexic I’ve ever seen! Fans will also remember Janie Parker as the bodyguard/assassin from Fanged & Fabulous, and the woman who grew up with a crush on Quinn. Rowen switches perspectives between Janie and Quinn, so we are quickly up-to-date on their lives without fans feeling overwhelmed by too many details.

When Janie and Quinn are brought together in Lady & the Vamp, they both search for a mysterious hidden object called the “Eye”, though for different purposes. Legend says that the Eye can be used once every thousand years to fulfill a wish, but there are mysteries in how to find it and how to properly use it. Quinn is wish for return to humanity, desperate to stop being a vampire. Janie, however, is tracking the Eye as a job for her boss, who requires contracts be signed in blood. Real blood, with very few out-clauses. As they search for the Eye, the stories of other characters from the Immortality Bites series are brought up to date, and we meet new characters and new life-and-death challenges. Quinn and Janie are vibrant characters who could’ve easily stolen the spotlight in the earlier books, so it isn’t hard for the reader to quickly become enamored of them, and eager to know what happens next. Even during suspenseful, mysterious segments of the book, Rowen’s humor shines through and some of the tension is eased.

If you loved Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous, you will not be disappointed with Lady & the Vamp. Rowen has a great touch with her characters, both the major and minor characters are well-developed, with plenty of personality and quirks. Additionally, the storyline has plenty of twists and turns that squiggle into an unexpected direction. While we know in advance about the romantic ending, the how, why, and when is a surprise, as is uncovering the other relationships along the way. Lady & the Vamp far exceeded my expectations, and I had a very hard time putting it down in order to make dinner!

You’ll definitely want to pick up Lady & the Vamp, it’s a great read for “spring” that is masquerading as winter, and also for the beach when the snow melts! If you like romance, chick lit, paranormals, or a bit of suspense, you should definitely give the Immortality Bites series by Michelle Rowen a try! Grab the great vampire novels Bitten & Smitten and Fanged & Fabulous in addition to the new Lady & the Vamp!

Where the Heart Leads: From the Casebook of Barnaby Adair is the newest historical mystery/romance from bestselling author Stephanie Laurens. If you love a good Regency romance, you’ll adore this novel. If you have never read a romance, but like a good historical fiction novel, or a good historical mystery, you will be surprised by how much you like this book.

I was raised by English majors. I don’t think I met anyone who read romances until I was in my mid-thirties. My family talked about reading “popcorn books”, (aka books that aren’t classified as literary fiction), but they were talking about anything on the bestseller list, people read popular mysteries, or occasionally sci fi/fantasy, but not romances. When I started reading chick lit, and then paranormals, I thought there was a big difference between those and romances. There really isn’t much of a difference at all, and I’m annoyed with myself for dismissing an entire branch of fiction because of this attitude! The storyline, character development, and rich background research in Where the Heart Leads leads to an enchanting story, one that is of higher quality than a lot of “quality” literature.

Where the Heart Leads follows the life of Barnaby Adair, the third son of an earl, through his fourth mystery in Lonndon during the 1830s. Adair works in conjunction with a policeman at Scotland Yard named Stokes. (If you’re up on your good mysteries, think Lord Peter and Parker about 90 years earlier.) Penelope is the sister of a Viscount, and has used her place in society to help others, specifically by running the Foundling House, which helps teaches orphans from the East End skills to help them gain legal employment when they are older. Recently, however, 4 boys have disappeared after the death of their guardian, and before someone from the Foundling House could arrive to pick them up. Penelope is worried about the 4 boys, and convinces Adair to help her find the boys and protect the next East End boys who become orphaned from the same fate.

Laurens writes with such detail that we can almost smell the world of the ton and the opposing world of the East End. The clothes and foods are likewise beautifully detailed, and combined with the depth of character truly pulls you into the story so you can’t put down Where the Heart Leads. Barnaby Adair is a confirmed bachelor – no wife would be happy with him performing his investigations assisting Stokes and the police. Penelope is likewise determined not to marry, as she is insistent that her duty is to the children of the Foundling House, and no husband would agree with her level of involvement there. The two are drawn together in the investigation, and in Penelope’s search for a passionate affair without any strings attached. As they investigate, Scotland Yard officer Stokes and popular milliner Griselda, who grew up in the East End. The two couples work together and with both the local “rozzers” (police) and the East Enders to locate the boys, make them safe, and thwart a burglary scheme.

If you’ve never tried a Regency romance, you will be swept away by Where the Heart Leads! If you are already a romance lover, don’t wait to pick this up, you’ll love it! If you’re a mystery lover, you’ll really enjoy the class struggles and the unique methods of investigation in the 1830s. Stephanie Laurens has created fabulous characters and a world that is lively and fun. I’m looking forward to checking out her other novels, too.

This book was received from the publisher for review

As much as I dislike the cold of winter, I am very happy that so many great paranormal authors had new releases in late-December and January – a great way to encourage folks to spend book store gift certificates quickly! The plus side to winter is that you can curl up under the covers with a book and pretend you’re hibernating. So go find a blanket and ignore the world while you read Any Way You Want It and Sucker Bet!

I have loved escaping to the worlds created by both of these authors. I am focusing on the new releases, but I highly recommend you check out the other books by Erin McCarthy and Kathy Love – they are all fun, engaging novels that will help you forget your problems (or pain) for a little while. Winter is a wonderful time to escape into a romance (especially great vampire romances!) enjoying the heat from the book! Sucker Bet and Any Way You Want It have been connected by a New Orleans group named The Impalers – what a great name for a vampire band!

Any Way You Want It is the newest novel by Kathy Love. Kathy has written two wonderful series, but this is an unrelated new book (and maybe a new series?) about a recently jilted woman from Washington DC and a lampir from New Orleans. Maggie works researching and authenticating pieces of classical music, and has pushed fun aside after her recent breakup. Her friends bring her to New Orleans, where an old composition fosters a link between her and Ren, a singer in a Bourbon St. band called The Impalers. Ren had been a court musician and composer in the 1700s, and now he’s a lampir – a vampire who feeds off energy rather than blood. He has been cursed by his mother, and exists in a world of singing cover songs and having one-night stands, afraid of love.

Kathy switches perspective frequently between Maggie and Ren, which fleshes out both characters, and leaves us with a little smile that we know more than they do. While we know that this novel is a romance, Kathy seems to take her cue from the characters, and lets them move slowly in the beginning. As they alternate between pushing away and pulling towards each other, you learn what is in their hearts and heads, and can feel the build up of emotions.

One of the things I liked best about her Young Brothers series was how truly unique each character was – no stereotype vampires, and the secondary characters aren’t cardboard cutouts, either. The characters in Any Way You Want It continue in that vein, and right now I could easily imagine walking into a club on Bourbon Street and watching The Impalers play, complete with Ren singing the wrong line because Maggie distracted him. Maggie and Ren develop as interesting people, and the unexpected similarities in their lives draws them together.

Kathy’s abilities to write steamy love scenes are very impressive – these words will absolutely keep you warm this winter! However, these are more than just sex, there’s the sensual and truly romantic involved, too. Kathy has also done a beautiful job of writing how sensual and loving little gestures can be, and explores how you can make someone feel safe after they’ve been hurt. I hadn’t read anything previously about the lampir, so I hope she will write further novels exploring them. I also want to learn more about the rest of the band…

Sucker Bet, by Erin McCarthy is the newest release in her Vegas Vampires series. Glenna is the sister of the Vampire Nation’s president, and ex-wife to the Vice President. She has appeared as a secondary character in the earlier novels, and I came into the story thinking of her as a gentle, protected woman who at the same time seemed older than the other vampires. This mix of naïvité and maturity fascinated me, and I’m so glad to see her as the heroine of her own novel.

Gwenna is trying to learn more about the people on a Vampire Slayers email list, and as a result ends up at a crime scene where police detective Nick is working. They both feel a connection, but deaths and exes keep them apart at first. As their lives move closer and closer to each other, Erin gives us glimpses into both of their heads, smoothly switching perspectives. Nick’s personality pops from the page, and his first impressions of Gwenna are very funny. In fact, I am happy to pick up one of Erin’s books, because I know that in addition to the romance there will be plenty of laughs!

The other characters from the Vegas Vampires series are also involved in the storyline, and well-written supportive characters helps the novel keep you engrossed. The Impalers that also appear in Any Way You Want It show up for a few concerts, and through a friend of Gwenna’s we meet the bassist, Dave. Gwenna’s mix of boldness and shyness make for a really interesting combination when she gets drunk at an Impalers concert with her sister-in-law and a friend – especially since she’s supposed to be gathering information for an investigation with Nick!

Erin McCarthy brings us through a developing romance, a jealous ex-husband, a murder investigation, and the world of vampires, and does it with fabulous characters who catch your interest from the beginning. This book kept me up well past my bedtime – I couldn’t put it down! While I think that the Sucker Bet is a great read on its own, it will be an even better if you read the first three books of the Vegas Vampires series.

If you like romances or vampires, or if you just want a few hours to escape the mundane world into a fun read with great characters, go pick up Sucker Bet and Any Way You Want It. Grab a fleece blanket and a cozy spot and enjoy the winter the right way – inside with books! You should also visit The Impalers‘ website, and read the free serial about lead guitarist Drake!