Tag Archives: Amanda Ashley

Stroke of Midnight by Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland

March 25, 2020Book ReviewAmanda Ashley, L.A. Banks, Lori Handeland, Paranormal Romance, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Short Story Collections, Stroke of Midnight, Vampires, Werewolvesskyebjenner

Image result for book cover stroke of midnight

Title: Stroke of Midnight
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland
In: Stroke of Midnight (Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Vampires, Werewolves
Dates read: 12th January – 12th February 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperback
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: The fact that she was warm and welcoming.

In an unseen world that lurks in the sahdows, they roam the night – feral, passioante, and dangerous. And when their world touches ours, a primitive desire takes hold, leaving mere mortals powerless in its wake…

Four of romance’s most intriguing authors have come together to create a mesmerizing anthology – unforgettable tales of vampires, shapeshifters, and werewolves. At the heart of these deeply sensual tales are everyday people facing extraordinary events – men and women thrown together by fate and an irresistible desire. In this world, your eyes can betray you as myth becomes reality, curses are vanquished, and love is the only weapon that can stand in the face of evil. In this world, there is a moment when passion and forbidden desire collide at the… STROKE OF MIDNIGHT

I absolutely adored this sensual, shapeshifting paranormal romance collection. There was just something about it that was completely impossible to put down. That got my heart pumping. That made me want to run to the nearest book shop and buy all the books. And spend days on end just reading. There was just something that made me fall head over heels with this collection.

The stroke of midnight is an eerie point, a tweening time when you’re kind of between times. The four novellas in this collection perfectly reflected that eerie feeling you get when you happen to be conscious at midnight. Not that the things that begin at midnight in this collection are necessarily good… they’re actually kind of concerning and dark. A little worrying. But still… they’re kind of mystical and great.

This entire collection is fantastic. If you like paranormal romance and things that go bump in the night… it’s the collection that you’re going to want to add to your shelves. It’s definitely one that I’m going to want to read again and again.

<- Red Moon Rising

Winter Born ->

Image source: Amazon

Born of the Night by Amanda Ashley

February 28, 2020Book ReviewAmanda Ashley, Paranormal Romance, Stroke of Midnight, Werewolvesskyebjenner

Title: Born of the Night
Author: Amanda Ashley
In: Stroke of Midnight (Sherrilyn Kenyon, Amanda Ashley, L.A. Banks & Lori Handeland)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Werewolves
Dates read: 31st January 2020
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: St. Martin’s Paperback
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: “She is no longer your daughter,” Reyes retorted, wincing as the blade nicked his skin.

When Lady Shanara Montiori is taken hostage, she learns that the rumors about her captor are true. Lord Reyes is afflicted with the dark curse of the werewolf. Still, Shanara can’t fight the attraction they both feel. Will their love break the curse-or feed its powerful hold?

This is a great little standalone novella. It was easy, a great world, but I wasn’t disappointed when I found out that it was a standalone. There was just something easy, happy and pleasant about this being a standalone. There was enough going on that I couldn’t put the story down. But everything was tied up neatly at the conclusion, unlike some of the novellas that really need to be a part of a greater series.

I liked the whole Romeo and Juliet feel to this story. After all, it’s two people from warring factions, thrust together. Alright, Reyes actually kidnaps Shanara and plans to use her as bait for her father… but it’s still got that whole forbidden love feel to it. Especially when they realise that they’re starting to fall for one another, and regret it seriously since they’re you know… enemies.

One of the things I love the most about this novella is that everything comes full circle. Reyes must deal with a curse placed upon his father. And is seeking revenge for his father’s death. Shanara is the child of the man who is responsible for much of this. It’s quite poetic that the woman who originally causes all of the heartache is also the one who provides the happily ever after.

There is just something about this novella that is sweet, easy and a nice way to end a long day. It’s hard to pinpoint exactly what it was about the story that made me so happy, but I look forward to reading it again in the future to figure out just what it was that I loved so much…

<- Winter Born Review

Make It Last Forever Review ->

Image source: Amazon

The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance edited by Trisha Telep

March 4, 2019Book ReviewAlexis Morgan, Amanda Ashley, Barbara Emrys, C.T. Adams, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Cathy Clamp, Colleen Gleason, Delilah Devlin, Dina James, Jenna Black, Jenna Maclaine, Karen Chance, Keri Arthur, Kimberly Raye, Lilith Saintcrow, Mammoth Books, Nancy Holder, Paranormal Romance, Rachel Vincent, Raven Hart, Rebecca York, Savannah Russe, Sherri Erwin, Shiloh Walker, Short Story Collections, Susan Sizemore, The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, Trisha Telep, Vampires, Vicki Petterssonskyebjenner

Title: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance
Author: Trisha Telep, Sherri Erwin, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Jenna Black, Jenna Maclaine, Raven Hart, Delilah Devlin, Keri Arthur, Kimberly Raye, Alexis Morgan, Lilith Saintcrow, C.T. Adams, Cathy Clamp, Susan Sizemore, Dina James, Colleen Gleason, Barbara Emrys, Savannah Russe, Shiloh Walker, Vicki Pettersson, Rebecca York, Rachel Vincent, Amanda Ashley, Karen Chance & Nancy Holder
Series: Mammoth Books
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Vampires
Pace: Fast
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: I have travelled the world in search of knowledge, studied with every important intellectual from da Vinci to Hawking.

Love is a weapon in the face of evil.

From the biggest names in paranormal romance, here are over 25 tales of a hunger like no other…

Let Karen Chance, Keri Arthur, Lilith Saintcrow, C.T. Adams and Cathy Clamp, Amanda Ashley, Vicki Pettersson and Susan Sizemore and others take you hot-blooded on the trail of the sexiest creatures of the night.

In the world of the Undead there are strange codes of conduct, dark rituals and dating games, as they seduce the locals and engage in the most sensual encounters you’ll sink your teeth into this side of the grave.

These ain’t your mother’s vampires!

I kind of loved this collection. It definitely isn’t one that you can read cover to cover in one sitting – there’s only so many vampire romances that I can happily read before they start to blend into one. But as a slow read that I just picked up every now and again… it was really, really good.

The short stories in this collection ranged from the classical and predictable vampire stories to ones that took a whole new spin on the ideal. Some were just sweet and some just downright disturbing. And although they all follow a similar theme, not one is the same. I now have a very long list of new authors and series that I want to sink my teeth into…

<- Red Letter Day

Fade to Black ->

Image source: Goodreads

The Music of the Night by Amanda Ashley

January 28, 2019Book ReviewAmanda Ashley, Paranormal Romance, The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance, Vampiresskyebjenner

Title: The Music of the Night
Author: Amanda Ashley
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Pace: Slow, Medium, Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2008
5th sentence, 74th page: She ran her hands over his broad shoulders, his chest, his belly, loving the way he quievered at her touch.

Buy The Book Now at The Book Depository, Free Delivery World Wide

What is the Phantom of the Opera was really a vampire? What if you were his Christine? Paris, operas and a romance in the depths of the house… this story has it all.

I haven’t yet read The Phantom of the Opera… although it is due to arrive on my doorstep at any time. Yet, the very idea of it seems to pervade all sense of modern culture. I may have never read it, seen it or had the story line told to me… Yet, I still vaguely know what it’s about and feel the romanticism of the idea. So, the fact that there is a vampire romance based on this concept was incredibly fun.

I loved all of the parallels that were clearly drawn between this short story and the original tale. Yet, there was a great sense of modernity and joy throughout the story. I also love that although the phantom didn’t originally gain his own true love… in this chance at a new beginning, he finally gets his happily ever after. And who doesn’t love a happy ending?

<- The Midday Mangler Meets his Match Review

The Day of the Dead Review ->

Earth and Skye

The ramblings of a bibliophile.