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Wednesday, September 24, 2008:
Many readers out there have already fallen under the seductive charms of the paranormal romance, and here I am, just swimming in the kiddie pool. But I have a feeling things are about to change.... The first time I really ventured out of the historicals or contemporaries was to read Sherrilyn Kenyon. I picked up "Fantasy Lover" and discovered the world of the hot and sexy vampire. I was definitely willing to be pulled to the dark side if this was what was waiting for me. Cold lips and dead hands? Ick. But a hot-blooded Dark Hunter with a raging sex drive? Yes, please. Since then, I've slowly added to my collection, mixing it up a little with some futuristic books, some fantasy and science fiction, adding JD Robb's "In Death" series, Shiloh Walker's Hunters, Angela Knight's vampires, J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood, Anne Bishop's Black Jewels trilogy. I've read Ann Aguirre's "Grimspace" and just got "Wanderlust". I have a couple of Meljean's books though her talent intimidates me. I've dabbled with Nalini Singh's series, and read one of Lara Adrian's books. I've experimented.  And I think I'm ready for more. Okay, okay, maybe my new infatuation with Patricia Briggs has lead me to act a bit impulsively, but I want what everyone else is having. It's time to step up to the buffet and find something new to try. I will always love my historicals, but in order to appreciate them, I need to stop taking them for granted as my fall-back plan and learn to appreciate what's new and exciting out there. Thanx to Shannon, I've picked up this gem by Kim Harrison. She has intrigued me with all her "villain" talk. I've seen Jackie around the 'net, and now might be the time to discover what Hell is all about. I haven't picked this one up yet, but it's on my list of potential tbb books if/when my current list fails to thrill me. A day late and too many dollars short, nevertheless I'm intrigued by all of what's out there. Calling all recs! Tell me what some of your favorite books/series are please. And I would be ever so grateful if you clue me in as to whether there's an HEA, an HFN or a "don't hold your breath". Labels: paranormals
posted by Stacy~ at 9/24/2008 04:47:00 AM
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Wednesday, October 10, 2007:
"Servant: The Awakening" by L L Foster (October 2, 2007)
Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Berkley (October 2, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0425218740
ISBN-13: 978-0425218747 SERVANT. SLAYER. SEDUCER...
- ANGEL OF NO MERCY -
To most people, demons look like regular citizens. But Gabrielle Cody has the ability to see these creatures as they really are -- and the responsibility to destroy them. Here is a special purpose, a divine obligation, and a heavy burden.
Dectective Luther Cross finds himself attracted to Gaby even as he becomes suspicious of her proximity to a murder victim. Despite his mistust, he tries to offer her a tenderness she's never experienced and doesn't dare accept.
For Gaby senses that another malevolent presence is watching her...stalking her. As desperately as she tries, Gaby cannot find the source of this menace. But again and again, she is drawn to an abandoned hospital that is surrounded by an aura of sickness and suffering and something more -- an unimaginable evil...
Contemporary romance author Lori Foster is venturing into the world of the paranormal with this gritty, stark novel of a young woman given the power to find evil, and to destroy it. As L.L. Foster, she tells the story of Gabrielle Cody, a lone but brave soldier in the fight against the evil most people just don't see, but live alongside everyday. With strong guidance from God, Gaby is compelled to search out the violence and destructive forces that threaten to harm and kill those unable to protect themselves; she can't walk away from what is inevitably her destiny, and protects her identity by not getting too close to anyone. Not ever. To do so would only mean weakening her defenses and letting innocent people get hurt. Gaby cannot live with the risk. But someone has taken an interest in the fiercely private and prickly Gaby Cody. Dectective Luther Cross is instantly drawn to the foul-mouthed and aggressive girl who doesn't have a coy bone in her slender body. He's not sure what to make of her and her violent way of communicating, but he senses more to her than antagonism and anger. He sees past her defensiveness to the vulnerable and somewhat naive young woman she is, and can't help but want to protect her from herself, especially when she's so secretive. But she pushes him away at every turn, and he can't help but wonder what exactly she knows about what's going on at the local hospital, and the missing bodies. Is Gaby involved in mystery of their disappearance, or is she really the savior she writes about in her graphic novels? Luther longs to peel away her multiple layers and discover what lies beneath each fascinating level until he reaches the tender heart underneath, if only Gaby will allow him that close...
Those who love the sexy and earthy romances Lori Foster excels at writing will discover a totally different type of world in the first book of her "Servant" series, one that is dark and grim and even a bit gruesome, but no less compelling because of it. Fans will easily identify the honesty in her characters, the "what you see is what you get" quality that is a trademark of the kinds of people she writes about. Gaby is a no fuss, no muss type of heroine, one who gets by on the simplest of necessities, and doesn't whine about forgoing manicures or monthly hair appointments, and certainly doesn't care about the latest in fashion accessories. I loved her grittiness, her strong sense of duty, and her curiosity when it comes to her awareness of Luther and his appeal as a man. In some ways, the twenty-one year old is extremely young and innocent, while in other ways she's as ancient as the Earth. One can almost feel the weight of the world she carries on her thin shoulders.
Meeting Luther may seem like a complication that Gaby can't afford to have, but the older, more experienced cop might just be the anwer to Gaby's unspoken prayers. Unafraid of her abrasive personality, unimpressed with her evasionary tactics, Luther nevertheless wants to get closer to her and explore the feelings she invokes in him: those of protectiveness, of sexual attraction, of grudging admiration. Being somewhat of a traditional man, he wants to protect and pamper her, but just how do you do that with a woman who is armed to the teeth and has no problem knocking him off his feet - figuratively, or literally?
I devoured this book in a matter of a few hours, and am beyond excited that Lori has branched out in her writing to explore the world of urban fantasy. Fans of her work will be able to identify Lori's style, but also be drawn in by this addition to a different genre from what they are used to. And like most fans, I cannot wait to get my hands on the next installment. So if you've never read Urban Fantasy but have been curious about it, I think this is the perfect place to start. Or if you're a fan of Lori's traditional contemporary romances, you might want to give this book a try. I think Gaby and Luther will make it worth your while ;)
Labels: L L Foster, paranormals
posted by Stacy~ at 10/10/2007 05:15:00 AM
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Wednesday, September 05, 2007:
"Fairyville" by Emma Holly (2007) review
Paperback: 320 pages
Publisher: Berkley Trade (September 4, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0425217051
ISBN-13: 978-0425217054 Fairville, Arizona, located just north of Sedona, is no ordinary town. There's an energy here most people can't explain -- and playful desires that beg to be fulfilled. Wish you were here...in bed. That's the wish that plagues Zoe Clare, a medium who has no trouble communicating with the dead - or with real, live fairies, for that matter! The problem is, she can't seem to get her feelings across to her landlord-slash-manager, the mysterious Magnus Monroe. He's Fairyville's most eligible - and sexiest - bachelor, and Zoe's tired of watching him celebrate each full moon with just about every woman in town but her. In a place like Fairyville, his erotic antics are almost par for the course, but Zoe suspects the reason for them runs deeper. Even when Magnus gets her hotter than the desert sun, he holds back from the ultimate intimacy. As a result, the return of Zoe's high school flame leaves her more than a little vulnerable to her old boyfriend's charms. How Alex broke her heart is a scandal no one in Fairyville has forgotten. But even if Zoe isn't ready to forget, she's ready to forgive. The rules they're about to break will bring out the jealousy in Magnus - and the astounding truth. Like I mentioned recently in another review of Emma Holly's work, this is an author that is either hit or miss with me. This time, I have to admit, is a definite hit. It's scorching hot, sexy, and whimsical. All the elements came together in a story that totally worked for me and the dirty girl side who loves it when an author isn't shy about revealing some of the deepest, most forbidden fantasies and puts them on paper. I would first like to mention that despite my expectations after reading "All U Can Eat", Holly's last book, the characters are not as dark and tortured. Both Zoe and Magnus are rather sweet, happy, caring and passionate souls, very likable characters. I was a bit surprised by that, truly expecting them to be hiding horribly tragic pasts or ugly secrets, but instead their natural makeup compells them to be care-free, full of life, and open to possibility. I had great affection for these characters. Zoe Clare, despite her calling and understanding of life on a different plain, is unexpectedly unawakened, though by no means a virgin. She's hopelessly fallen for her boss, Magnus Monroe, a beyond gorgeous man who has incredibly vigorous appetites, yet only succumbs to them during the full moon, but sadly, never with Zoe. After one particular wild night in which Zoe inevitably hears about from a friend, her frustration gets the better of her and she can't control her attraction to Magnus any longer, and for a moment, she believes that Magnus feels the same way, but then he rejects her advances, pleading for her friendship instead. Feeling unwanted, mortified, she nevertheless agrees, because Zoe didn't have it in her to hate him, even if what he does with other women breaks her heart in two. Magnus hates what he's doing to Zoe, but being what he is, he has no choice. She is the one woman he could love forever, but Magnus has a secret, one he can't reveal to anyone for fear of being discovered. See, Magnus is not human, and his mother is a very powerful being in his world. She wants him back at her side, but Magnus has no desire to rule with her, instead preferring the unpredictable human world he's existed in for the last two years, and being near the one person who is most dear to him. If his mother ever knew about her, she'd hurt Zoe, and Magnus can't risk that every happening, so he keeps his secret to himself, having to love her from a distance, but content as long as he can be with her in some small way.
Feeling alone, Zoe is in a vulnerable place, and because she has no idea about Magnus' secret, even though she resides in Fairyville where stuff like this happens quite often, she easily succumbs to the seductive charms of her old high school boyfriend Alex, in town with his sexy partner to solve a case that could only take place in Fairyville. Alex has changed a bit since she'd seen him last, but one thing that hasn't changed is their attraction for each other - it's as hot and rampant as ever! Will hooking up with Alex break her heart, or will it bring to her the love she's always wanted? Okay, I'm not going to lie; this book is definitely my definition of a guilty pleasure. Emma Holly can make even this traditional romantic find nothing wrong with multiple partners or any of those other shocking and raunchy things that might make me disgusted or not put up with from any other author. But going in, I knew that I wasn't going to get a monogamous love story with only the hero and heroine, so I can handle the truth. This story is just as deliciously wicked as "All U Can Eat", but with a lighter tone and a paranormal kick that I thoroughly enjoyed. One of the more endearing elements of the story is that Zoe has her own following of tiny fairies the size of a penny, and they are colorful little sprites of opinion and sass, and I adored their brave little hearts. Samuel and Florabel are too precious. They stole their way into my heart, just like Zoe's kitten, Corky, did. Lots to get hooked on in this book. And....okay I admit it, I eagerly looked forward to each hot, dirty and wicked sex scene because EH has a way of making them exciting and sexual and sizzling to the nth degree, no matter who is in them. I know that's not everyone's cup of tea, so be warned before picking this one up that there are scenes involving m/m and m/f/m action. But it totally works for me within the parameters of the story, so if you dig melt-your-Victoria's-Secrets type stories with a bit of a paranormal kick, I think you'll go for this one in a big way. Originally I wasn't going to get the book because I am starting to lose my taste for most paranormals (JR Ward and Singh's Psy/Changeling series excluded), having felt a little overwhelmed at how many there are out there, but with the promise of fairies and some naughty sex, how could I resist? Well, you already know I didn't ;) If I have any issue with the book, I wish that the love story between Zoe and Magnus would have been developed more fully and we got to see them falling in love instead of just being told they are. A lot of the time is spent with them apart, and while Zoe realizes she loves Magnus above all others, it didn't ring entirely true when I didn't really see or feel the connection. Still, I think Holly tells more open-minded romances, and that means a broader definition of what love means to different couples and exactly how it's expressed. Free your mind, and the rest will follow, I guess. Anyway, it won't stop me from re-reading the book. Looking forward to it actually. Labels: Emma Holly, HOT, paranormals
posted by Stacy~ at 9/05/2007 05:39:00 AM
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Monday, September 03, 2007:
"Slave to Sensation" by Nalini Singh
Paperback: 345 pages
Publisher: Berkley (September 5, 2006)
ISBN-10: 0425212866
ISBN-13: 978-0425212868 Dive into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind—and none of the heart…
In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of “rehabilitation”— the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was….
Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a Changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy co-existence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several Changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion—and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities—or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation…
I am rather quite late to the Psy-Changeling party, but better late than never, as the saying goes. I started this and immediately was drawn into the fascinating world Nalini had created, so much so that I was even dreaming about it that very first night. That being said, it did take me a week to read the book, as I tried to pay attention to the complex Psy world, and the more unpredictable changeling world. It is the year 2079, and Silence - the act of conditioning the Psy population to feel no emotion whatsoever - is considered a huge success to their race. They live for success, every decision based on creating the most effective and healthy and lucrative existence possible. Family is only the means by which to continue on the line. Loyalty belongs to the Council, who controls all, and sees all in the mind net that sustains their race.
Psy and the the changelings live separately, but continue to do business together, albeit warily. It is during such a business transaction that Psy Sascha Duncan meets Lucas Hunter, a DarkRiver leopard, and is immediately drawn to the magnetic man, despite her fear of feeling anything at all. But Sascha has a job to do, and that's what she is going to do, despite the disturbing distraction Lucas happens to be. See, Sascha knows she is a flawed Psy, that it is only a matter of time before she is found out by the Council. Her own mother is a powerful member and wouldn't hesitate to get rid of any weakness. Sascha fears rehabilitation worse than death, and will fight to remain intact as long as she possibly can.
Meanwhile, Lucas is puzzled by his awareness of the beautiful Psy. How can he - part man, part leopard - be fascinated by a woman who feels nothing, when to him, touch and Pack mean everything? Yet he can't deny that he is drawn to her, and the more he gets to know her, the more he sees that she is unlike any Psy he's ever known. But like Sascha, Lucas also has a job to do: avenge the death of a pack member who was brutally murdered by an unstable member of the Psy race. Lucas believes that by sticking close to Sascha, he will learn secrets of their closely guarded world, and catch the scent of a killer. He owes his pack that much, and cannot rest until vengeance is theirs.
As I mentioned, I was immediately pulled into this world, though I admit the whole idea of "conditioning" to feel no emotion felt...icky...to me, like some bizarre brain-washing experiment. But the more I read, the more I wanted to know about everything. Sascha may have been good at acting cold and emotionless, but it's pretty obvious that she has feelings, and she's afraid of what that means. Lucas is like a heady balm to her soul, but she fears the connection they have with each other. I liked how brave she was, even though she was terrified, and I admired how she faced up to her fear and was more than willing to do the right thing, even if it meant sacrificing her own happiness.
And Lucas was a hero to die for. He was strong, wild, undeniably alpha, loyal to his Pack and those he loved. Once he recognized Sascha as his mate, there was no one and nothing that would keep him from her; she was his, just as he was hers. His scars were many, deep, but he carried them with honor, and vowed to protect those he called his own. I loved how he teased Sascha, how she wasn't afraid of him, how he delighted in her responses to him. Changelings are a sensual race, and that in itself made it easy to connect with him and with the various members of his pack - they loved to touch with affection, to play, to tussle. Sascha was a bit flustered by this, but soon came to crave the simple touches of friendship the pack shared with each other. I will say that I really liked all of the affectionate touching between Sascha and Lucas that took the place of what could have turned into an on-going sex marathon; it made their connection so much stronger, much more intimate, and when they finally do make love, it's much sexier and made more sense to their story.
So yes, I loved this book (yeah, yeah, yeah MK, LOL) and I already have #2 and #3 (yes!) waiting to be read. I commend Nalini Singh for creating such an engaging premise and for her fascinating, ever-changing worlds where much can happen - you just never know what that might be. I like that though the year is 2079, it's not so different from today's world. There are so many directions this series can go, and I look forward to reading every single one of them. So if you love paranormals and haven't read this series yet, buy the book! Labels: Nalini Singh, paranormals, reviews
posted by Stacy~ at 9/03/2007 06:29:00 AM
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