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Tuesday, May 12, 2009:
Special K: a decadent serving of Kresley & KMM
 A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her...
After enduring years of torture from the vampire Horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one. This Emmaline is a small, ethereal half Valkyrie/half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.
A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy...
Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents--until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae--and their notorious dark desire--ebb as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.
An all consuming desire...
Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be...? So as I mentioned in a recent post, I'm totally into Kresley Cole these days. I just finished this one last week, and already I'm clamoring for more. Yes, I am rather mad at myself for putting this series off for so long. But I keep reminding myself that I probably wouldn't have liked it back then based on my aversion to most of the paranormal stories that were being released in droves. My kind and dear visitor, I tended to be a paranormal snob, and had no clue as to what I was missing. It's been a gradual process, but I think I am finally on my way to appreciating the lure of the paranormal (though probably not this book cover. Is it just me, or does the hero come across as uber creepy?)
So just to give you a little info about the story (for the 2 or 3 people that haven't already read it), Emmaline is the only living female vampire left in existence, as well as being half Valkarie. She's a timid little thing, practically afraid of her own shadow, yet that doesn't stop Lachlain from trying to claim her as his true mate. Being a werewolf, he's most disgusted that she is one of those hated vampires, and has no qualms about letting her know it. Yet he cannot deny that her presence soothes him as much as it inflames him. For her part, Emmaline has no wish to spend time with the bullying, cruel Scot, yet since having been coerced into driving him to his beloved estate, Emma realizes that many of the things she's feared all her life have all occurred while in the presence of Lachlain, yet still she lives. Maybe there's something to this "mate as in not an Australian buddy" business after all....
Because AHLNO was so thoroughly entertaining and addictive, I am dying to get a hold of the next book while at the same time being a little nervous about those dreaded high expectations. Still, I think Ms. Cole has created several interesting characters and plotlines to keep me entertained for hours. Yep, I'm lovin' it...
 An alluring laird... He was known throughout the kingdom as Hawk, legendary predator of the battlefield and the boudoir. No woman could refuse his touch, but no woman ever stirred his heart - until a vengeful fairy tumbled Adrienne de Simone out of modern-day Seattle and into medieval Scotland. Captive in a century not her own, entirely too bold, too outspoken, she was an irresistible challenge to the sixteenth-century rogue. Coerced into a marriage with Hawk, Adrienne vowed to keep him at arm's length - but his sweet seduction played havoc with her resolve. A prisoner in time... She had a perfect "no" on her perfect lips for the notorious laird, but Hawk swore she would whisper his name with desire, begging for the passion he longed to ignite within her. Not even the barriers of time and space would keep him from winning her love. Despite her uncertainty about following the promptings of her own passionate heart, Adrienne's reservations were no match for Hawk's determination to keep her by his side.... This is yet another example of a well-known series I hadn't read, until I picked up book #1 out of my TBR pile this weekend and devoured it. Though not quite as engaging as Kresley's series, I nevertheless had some trouble putting Karen Marie Moning's BTHM aside when I really had things I needed to get done. This book was released in 1999, and it's one I've been hearing about for almost that long. A few years ago, several of the books were on sale for $3.99/each (with the added incentive of Nathan on the cover), so I grabbed up the first 5 releases, but they languished in the pile for quite some time. Don't ask me why, cuz I have no clue. I luv Highlanders (especially if I imagine they all look like Gerard Butler) and the time travel element reminded me a bit of the series about one of my favorite Highlanders, Jamie Fraser, whom I love and adore. Yet still they sat, neglected. But for once I said "enough is enuff" and put aside newer releases for a bit of Scottish charm. Now I'll be honest here, there were parts of this book that irritated the stuffing outta me. I wanted to simultaneously smack Hawk and Adrienne for their bull-headedness, and have them get on with it already! And Adam, well, I understand he gets his own later in the series, but oh, talk about messing with true love. He's got some redeeming to do, me thinks, before I can begin to forgive him. Yet I've heard some good things about this series, and will probably be picking up the next one in the not too distant future. It feels good to finally be making a tiny dent in the old TBR pile. So, do tell: Immortals or Highlanders? And just which Highlander is your favorite? Labels: Karen Marie Moning, Kresley Cole
posted by Stacy~ at 5/12/2009 06:02:00 AM
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009:
And so it begins...Kresley Cole fever
Anthology with Sherrilyn Kenyon and Jaid Black "The Warlord Wants Forever" a short story introducing the series…
Nikolai Wroth, once a ruthless human warlord in the 1700s and now a general in the rebel vampire army, needs to find his Bride, the one woman who can render him truly alive. As a turned human, he doesn’t enjoy a heartbeat or breaths and is consequently weaker than natural born vampires. He wants his Bride for the power she will bring him and can hardly believe it when his heart beats for Myst the Coveted, a mad, fey, mythological creature. Myst is known throughout the world as the most beautiful Valkyrie, part chillingly fierce warrior, part beguiling seductress who can “make you want her even as she’s killing you.” She has devoted her life to protecting an ancient, powerful jewel and to fighting the vampires, and she now sees a way to torment one—for with Wroth’s heartbeat comes consuming sexual desire that can only be slaked by her. She eludes him for five years, but he has finally chased her to ground and stolen the jewel which commands her, giving him absolute power over her. While he possesses it, he can make her do anything, and he plans to in order for her to experience first hand the agonizing, unending lust she’d purposely, boastingly, subjected him to for half a decade. Yet when Wroth realizes he wants more from her and frees her, will she come back to him?
I've had this book awhile, since it came out in 2006, and though I started Kresley's story back then, it wasn't all that erotic to me, which is what I was looking for at the time, so I put it aside, never having touched it again until this past weekend, when I finally decided to see what all the fuss was about. Though this story is a novella, only about 152 pages, I felt it told a complete story, since the book is bigger size, and after having read it, it was definitely my favorite of the three, by a long shot.
Do you ever have those moments when you enjoy being proven wrong? Nah, me either. But in this case, I'll make an exception. It's not that I didn't think Kresley Cole was a talented writer; I'd read her Highlander series and loved it, but I'm not the biggest fan of paranormal, so it takes a lot to convince me to pick one up. Myst was a unique, unrepentant, spoiled and oft-times unlikable heroine, yet I adored the heck out of her. As an incredibly beautiful creature, men desire her above all else, and she uses that power against them. She believes Wroth is no different, and when an opportunity presents itself to flee, she takes it, aware of the suffering he will endure, feeling even slightly guilty about it, but she leaves him anyway. It took Wroth five, long, agonizing years to find his Bride, but when he does, he's determined to not suffer a moment longer. When he discovers a way to have complete control of her, he uses it to his advantage, bringing them both incredible pleasure. Yet over time, as his feelings deepen for Myst, he decides that he would rather have her of her own free will than by force of any kind. Yet can he ever trust this woman who made him suffer for years, or will he give into his doubts and jealousy and drive her away for good? What a fun, fascinating story. I'm not going to go on and on because I know lots of readers have already discovered the magic of Kresley Cole, but I will say I was intrigued by the combination of the rich vampire and Valkyrie history set in a thoroughly modern world. I love world-building that is based on ancient legends, and setting it during current times brings a unique, fun flavor to the storytelling. I am so glad I already have the first full-length book in my possession.
Rating: ***** out of *****
And look at what's coming out in November.....
A brutal vampire soldier about to know love for the first time...
Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela the Ice Maiden--the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can't be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. A Valkyrie aching to be touched... Soon desperate for closeness, in an agony of frustration, Murdoch and Danii will do anything to have each other. Together can they find the key that will finally allow them to slake the overwhelming desire burning between them? Labels: Kresley Cole, reviews
posted by Stacy~ at 4/14/2009 06:43:00 AM
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Monday, May 07, 2007:
"If You Dare" Kresley Cole
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Pocket (March 27, 2007)
ISBN-10: 1416540946
ISBN-13: 978-1416540946 Book One Can he exact revenge? High in the Pyrenees, a band of mercenaries led by Courtland MacCarrick wages war for General Reynaldo Pascal. When Court turns on the general, Pascal orders him killed. Court narrowly escapes and exacts revenge by kidnapping Pascal’s exquisite Castilian fiancée.
Can she deny her passions? Noble heiress Annalía Tristán Llorente despises her towering, barbaric captor almost as much as she does Pascal. Her inexplicable attraction to the Highlander only fuels her fury. Yet nothing will stop her from returning to Pascal—for if she doesn’t wed him, she signs her brother’s death warrant, as well as her own.
Can there be love between them? From the moment Court discovers that Anna’s prim façade masks a fiery, brave lass, his heart’s ensnared and he dares to defy the curse that has shadowed his life—to walk with death or walk alone. But Pascal vows that he’ll hunt the two, never stopping until he’s destroyed them both. If they survive, can there be love between a defiant beauty and a ruthless Highland mercenary?
Mercenary Courtland MacCarrick has turned on General Pascal and because of it, is nearly killed by the deadliest of assassins, the Rechazados, yet manages to escape by throwing himself into the raging river below. He's soon rescued by the proud and very ladylike Annalia Llorente, who despises the unconscious Scot on sight but nevertheless nurses him back to health with the desperate hope he'll soon leave Andorra and not bring any trouble to her people. Before too long, Court is awake and restless, anxious to find his men and get back to the tasks of being the mercenary he is and away from the haughty woman who makes his blood boil.
Despite their mutual dislike, Annalia and MacCarrick are reluctantly drawn to each other. Anna cannot help herself; the insufferable Scot is not without intelligence and a bit o' Scottish charm, and is considerably more perceptive than she's comfortable with. He sees her in ways she doesn't want anyone to know, yet both his knowledge of her and his formidable strength over her infuriates her to no end. And Court despises that this hot-blooded beauty would try to use him for her own purpose when he wants her so badly, not realizing the danger he has put her in by not leaving her home.
Their battle of wills comes to a brief halt when Court's men finally arrive, and Anna has no choice but to stand back and watch as Court and his crew take over her home as if it is their right, eating her food, drinking her wine. Angered, she says nothing as she is desperate and realizes she may need their help; she has been summoned by General Pascal to be his bride and to refuse would mean a violent death to her beloved brother Aleix. As much as she absolutely hates the idea of being in MacCarrick's debt, she swallows her pride to ask for his help in saving what's left of her family. Court readily agrees, for a price. However that price is one Anna is unwilling to pay. Knowing she has run out of choices, she goes to meet the General without Court's knowledge, and is escorted by the Rechazados, who take her to his fortress where she is to stay until they are wed.
Too late, Court discovers that Anna's plea for help is genuine, and realizes the danger he's put her in because of his foolish pride. Realizing she has escaped from right under his nose, he sets out to rescue her, and along with his crew, does so successfully, believing that Annalia's brother is already dead. However Anna is not convinced at all, and tries to get away at every opportunity, nearly dying in the process. But because of her rescue, marriage to Pascal will no longer save her brother; Pascal demands satisfaction and has now marked her for death.
It's up to MacCarrick to keep her safe, both from Pascal's men, and from himself and a deadly family curse. Wanting her more than he ever remembers wanting anything, seeing the brave, strong, fiery lass as she truly is, Court knows he is just as dangerous to her and fights to keep his distance.
Annalia is a passionate woman, and after coming to terms with her rescuer and seeing what a noble man he truly is, she wants him just as much. At first confused by her feelings, their time alone together forces her to really see her Scottish mercenary and what has driven him to the life he's chosen. Proud, rough, caring, MacCarrick is the man she longs to be with. Yet Court knows he must stay away from his Anna or risk having her death on his hands, an act he knows deep in his soul he could never live with....
Och, I almost hated Court MacCarrick in the beginning, with his "might makes right" speeches and bullying tactics towards Anna. He taunts her, says the cruelest things to her, takes over her home and refuses to feel guilty about it. But then he has never met a woman like Annalia, doen't know how to respond to her, but feels that pushing her away was the safest thing, at first for his pride, then for his heart. She was as strong and formidable as any enemy, resilient enough to handle his rough, Scottish ways, yet loving, and as loyal as any of his trusted men. Court knows that being with her is wrong, as he is not meant to know love, but love is exactly what he feels for her. He has no choice but to walk away.
I loved Anna and her fearlessness. As much as she's been sheltered her whole life, once Court refused to help her without being "compensated" in return, she wasn't going to sit back and meekly let him control her as he saw fit. At first she fought against him, using her own brand of fighting tactics, then she fought for him, with her body and soon, her heart. Her temper and impulsiveness might come across as a bit spoiled, but I liked it about her because she wasn't acting that way solely for her own pleasure; she's trying to save her brother. She was beautiful but didn't flaunt it; she was rich but didn't make vulgar displays of it. She was a private person, which I can totally relate to, and her unintentional humor amuses Court, which I found to be very sweet. When Court eventually leaves her (with the thought of protecting her), she makes a conscious decision to go on living, to not wallow with her broken heart. But this is a romance, and the top priority of a romance is the HEA, so Court finds it in himself a way to make it right so he can be with the woman he loves. Gotta love that. I already have the next book in the series (thanx to my pal MaryKate's rec) and am looking forward to another visit with those Highlanders. (Oh, and I don't know about you, but "listening" to Court with his "fascinatin' " Scottish accent easily brings Gerard Butler to mind.....) Labels: Highlanders, Kresley Cole, trilogy
posted by Stacy~ at 5/07/2007 05:59:00 AM
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