Showing posts with label Virginia Kantra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Virginia Kantra. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Review: Burning Up with Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra, Meljean Brook

Burning Up is an anthology with Angela Knight, Nalini Singh, Virginia Kantra and Meljean Brook. I've enjoyed books by all four of these writers and looked forward to reading their short stories.

"Whisper of Sin" by Nalini Singh is a short story related to her Psy/Changeling series. This prequel features Ria and Emmet's romance. Ria is attacked in Chinatown where she lives with her family and DarkRiver changelings, including Emmett and Dorian come to the rescue. Upon meeting Ria, Emmett immediately becomes protective and defying her family, he becomes her personal bodyguard. An outside gang is in San Francisco challenging DarkRiver's right to their territory and the changelings are sure Ria and her family will be targeted again.

I enjoyed Ria and Emmet's romance, it was quick and although their attraction was the instant kind, Singh took her time developing their characters and the relationship. Ria's family plays a large part in the story and as secondary characters they give depth to this short tale. Singh features Ria's dual Chinese/American culture in this installment, giving her female protagonist family situations focused on her culture. I loved the way Singh showcased the passion as well as the differences and commonalities between Ria and Emmet. I also enjoyed the glimpse we get as readers into the changeling world before DarkRiver's power was established. This was a lovely romance full of delightful characters. Grade B+

Angela Knight's "Blood and Roses" fits the anthology's title quite well in that it's hot, and more erotic than a straight romance. It's a story about vampires, magic and monsters. The vampire Raniero is a knight and the king's Chief Investigator. He's traveling with his men to Lord Korban's lands to investigate rumors that he is cooperating with the Varil monsters. Waiting to ambush them is the evil Vampire Tannaz, two Varil and Tannaz' Blood Rose daughter Amaris. Blood Roses were created to mate with vampires and to keep them happy enough not challenge their king. Raniero is captured and taken to the castle where he's kept unconscious through a spell. Meanwhile, Lord Korban uses Amaris' three year old sister as hostage and blackmails Amaris into seducing Raniero, hoping he'll send the king a message stating that all is well, buying him time to complete his evil plans with the Varil.

This story was a page turner and the worldbuilding was actually quite detailed. However, the relationship between Raniero and Amaris, although quite erotic, began and was based on sex and it never really moved from there into romance. Everything in the story happened quickly and there didn't seem to be time for any real development. I do enjoy Knight's erotic tales and this story qualifies as one, so I'll say I enjoyed the world, fast pace and the erotic part of this story. Grade C

Virginia Kantra's "Shifting Sea" was a prequel to her Children of the Sea series. This story takes place in Scotland in 1813 as Major Jack Harris, a soldier and survivor of a siege has recently taken over an unexpected inheritance. While out on a horse ride by the sea, he finds sexual solace with a beautiful woman. At first he thinks she's the town whore, but when they meet again his feelings change and soon Jack finds he loves Morwenna, one of the finfolk. This was a well told tale, full of the selkie myth atmosphere that Kantra weaves so well. However although the romance was enjoyable and pleasant, I found it lacking in impact. Grade B-

The novella "Here There Be Monsters" by Meljean Brook serves two purposes, it's the introduction to her new Steampunk series and it's the story of the pirate Eben "Mad" Machen and Ivy Blacksmith. A desperate Ivy needs to escape London and goes to Mad Machen for help. He refuses to take her aboard his pirate ship and when she offers herself as payment and he accepts, Ivy realizes she's over her head. Unexpected help arrives just in time and she flees from both London and Mad Machen. Two years later, we meet Ivy again as the relentless and furious Machen finds her hideout.

This was actually the story I enjoyed the most in this anthology. I love the way Brook takes her time to build the relationship, sexual tension and trust between Eben and Ivy. Theirs is a both a romance and an adventure. This story is not only full of the wonderful mechanical inventions and Victorian details that make Steampunk such a treat to read, but it's also full of action, passion and romance. I thought Brook did a wonderful job of combining all of these elements and introducing the worldbuilding to her new Steampunk series. Of course, all is not explained in this novella, there's still a lot of worldbuilding to do and I expect to see that in her upcoming release The Iron Duke. However, now I'm really excited and can't wait to begin this series. Grade A-

Genre: Paranormal Romance
Series: None - Anthology
Release Date: August 3, 2010 - Kindle Edition
Overall Grade: B

Friday, July 30, 2010

New August 2010 Releases I Can't Wait to Read!

Well, this has been one hot summer, the temperatures have been scorching and the hot new releases just keep coming. In July, I chose six new releases I couldn't wait to read and thankfully most of them were great reads! I did miss highlighting two must reads for me last month, Lady Isabella's Scandalous Marriage by Jennifer Ashley and A Kiss at Midnight by Eloisa James, both historical romances.

In August, there are six new releases I'm looking forward to reading. I've already read and enjoyed one of them, Sureblood by Susan Grant, a sci-fi romance, so that leaves five. Here are the summaries and release dates for all of them:

Sureblood by Susan Grant
Release Date: August 1, 2010

 (Review here)
Five years ago rival space pirate captains Val Blue and Dake Sureblood stole one incredible night together. But their brief, passionate history ended with the assassination of Val's father and the condemnation of Dake's clan. Now Val struggles to prove her mettle—to herself and to the dissenters amid her own people. Every successful raid is a boot heel ground into the burning memory of Dake Sureblood—and their secret son is a constant reminder of their shared past….

Ambushed and captured before he can clear his name, Dake Sureblood returns from a hell like no other to expose the true killer of Val's father. But as the identity of their enemy becomes chillingly clear, the former lovers must put aside their mistrust and join forces to protect their clans and their precious son.
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Burning Up Anthology
Release Date: August 3, 2010

Bring these four authors together and it's sure to ignite a spark...

Angela Knight pairs a vampire warrior and his seductive captor in a battle against demonic predators.

Nalini Singh returns to the world of her Psy-Changeling series as a woman in lethal danger finds an unlikely protector-and lover.

Virginia Kantra continues the haunting tales of the Children of the Sea in her story of a wounded soldier rescued by an enigmatic young woman.

Meljean Brook launches a bold new steampunk series about a woman who strikes a provocative-and terrifying-bargain for freedom.
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Lord of the White Hell by Ginn Hale
Release Date: August 15, 2010

Kiram Kir-Zaki may be considered a mechanist prodigy among his own people, but when he becomes the first Haldiim ever admitted to the prestigious Sagrada Academy, he is thrown into a world where power, superstition and swordplay outweigh even the most scholarly of achievements.

But when the intimidation from his Cadeleonian classmates turns bloody, Kiram unexpectedly finds himself befriended by Javier Tornesal, the leader of a group of cardsharps, duelists and lotharios who call themselves Hellions.

However Javier is a dangerous friend to have. Wielder of the White Hell and sole heir of a Dukedom, he is surrounded by rumors of forbidden seductions, murder and damnation. His enemies are many and any one of his secrets could not only end his life but Kiram's as well.
**********

Demon from the Dark (Immortals After Dark Series,#8)by Kresley Cole
Release Date: August 24, 2010

A DANGEROUS DEMON SHE CAN’T RESIST . . .
Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he’s pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A MADDENING WITCH HE ACHES TO CLAIM . . .
Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

TRAPPED TOGETHER IN A SAVAGE PRISON . . .
In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?
**********

Sin Undone (Demonica Series, #5) by Larissa Ione
Release Date: August 24, 2010

HER TOUCH IS DEADLY
As the only female Seminus demon ever born, master assassin Sinead Donnelly is used to being treated like an outcast. She spent decades enslaved, and now vows she'll die before she'll relinquish her freedom again. Then Sin's innate ability to kill her enemies goes awry: She creates a lethal new werewolf virus that sparks a firestorm of panic and violence.

HIS HUNGER CAN'T BE DENIED
Half-werewolf, half-vampire Conall Dearghul is charged with bringing in Sin to face punishment for the plague. And she's no stranger: He's bound to her by blood, and the one sexual encounter they shared has left him hungering for her raw sensuality. Worse, Sin is the underworld's most wanted and Con soon learns he's the only one who can help her . . . and that saving her life might mean sacrificing his own.
**********

Burning Up by Susan Andersen
Release Date: August 31, 2010

Though it's been years since the infamous Macy O'James stepped foot in Sugarville, Washington, everyone remembers what she supposedly did. The tiny town is still buzzing about her crime and lack of punishment.

Now back to lend her family a hand, Macy vows to hold her head high—especially at her high school reunion. But forget about the hottest man in Sugarville escorting her. Though she and fire chief Gabriel Donovan generate enough sparks to burn down the town, he's a law-abiding, line-toeing straight arrow. So not her type.

But maybe—just maybe—he can change her mind about that.

Thursday, May 14, 2009

On this week's Reads


I've been skipping around genres lately, it's my belief that it's good for the soul and my personal mental health. So far, this week, I've been lucky, I've read one paranormal / erotica / sci-fi romance, one paranormal romance and a contemporary romance and I've enjoyed them all.

I started the week by reading Guardian: Time Hunters by Angela Knight. This is the second book in the Time Hunter series and I would say better than the first installment. Warlords and Warfems stories that come from the future and can time travel to our present, or to the past. Time Enforcers fighting a secret war against their enemy, the Xerans. 

In the process, while traveling through time, couples meet and fall in lust and in love. In this installment, our hero and heroine are Rianne Arvid and Nick Wyatt. The danger and adventure are suspenseful, the fight scenes are wonderful and so is a mystery that must be solved in the future. But, this is also an erotic book and there are more than a few steamy sex scenes, Angela Knight style. A good time was had by all!

Virginia Kantra's, Sea Witch was a wonderful surprise. I liked the way she used selkies as part of her paranormal world instead of vampires or werewolves, it made for a refreshing change. Caleb, a human, came off as a real hero on this one, and that was also refreshing. It's usually the one with the power that saves the day, and although Maggie, the heroine and a selkie, does use her powers, it's Caleb's courage that won me over. 

But the paranormal aspect of this book, although very interesting and well done, was not my favorite part of this book. No, it was definitely the romance. My impressions of this one? Well done paranormal with the main focus staying on the Romance and the central characters.

Next on my list, I decided to change gears and finally read For the Love of Pete by Julia Harper. Now, this book is supposed to be a Contemporary Romance, but I'm re-categorizing it to: Contemporary Romance Comedy of Errors. I don't remember the last time I laughed so hard, while reading a romance book. I loved the interaction between Dante and Zoey and the tension between them was also wonderful. 

But, the secondary characters in this book deserve a special mention, Pratima Gupta and Savita-di Gupta, a couple of older ladies from India wreak havoc throughout the book -- of course, they don't mean to -- and some of their scenes are unforgettable. Even some of the inept villains in this book, with their clumsy attempts and their skewed points of view are funny in a dark sort of way. A great light read that made the work week a great deal lighter.