Tag Archives: Paranormal Romance

Cravings by Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
cravings

Title: Cravings
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton, MaryJanice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York
In: Cravings (Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections
Dates read: 15th June – 3rd July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: He leaned his face over my shoulder, and I caught the sweet scent of his skin.

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Synopsis

Longings in the night…

In the heat of the night, anything goes. Boundaries are crossed and secret yearnings take shape. Creatures stalk the shadows, surrendering to their wildest needs – and satisfying hungers that take their victims beyond fear to the dark edge of desire. Succumb to the pleasure as four of your favorite authors present their favorite characters in all-new tales of bloodlust, of the kind of appetites that must be sated again and again, and of the passion that feeds them…

Thoughts

I bought this book a few years ago to read the World of the Lupi novella between it’s pages. And then I put it away because I was still incredibly new to the genre of paranormal romance. Now, a few years later, a lot more involved in the genre and more than a little obsessed, I decided to pick up this collection again. And boy, was I glad that I did.

All four of these stories have a great paranormal spin to them. They’re tales of passion, romance and lust. Stories that involved a lot more of the paranormal than the passionate. But just enough spice that I still found myself wanting a good male companion for the night. As much as I loved the passion and romance, and in many cases, sheer lust, that jumped off the pages of these stories, I mostly enjoyed the paranormal aspect of the stories. From vampires to werewolves and back again, there were supernatural beings coming out of the wood works. With a little bit of humour, a little bit of darkness and a lot of bang.

 <- Burning Moon ReviewBlood Upon My Lips Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Burning Moon by Rebecca York

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
cravings

Title: Burning Moon
Author: Rebecca York
Series: Moon #3.5
In: Cravings (Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Werewolves
Dates read: 3rd July 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: They only confused her more.

Synopsis

All werewolf Grant Marshall wants to do is rip out the throat of the man who killed his wife–then swim out into the Atlantic Ocean and never come back. He tracks his wife’s killer to a small New Jersey seaside town, where he meets Antonia, a blind tarot card reader–the woman with the power to change his fate.

Thoughts

If you look at my bookshelves, and my romance section, you’ll see that I love books with werewolves and shapeshifters. If they happen to be paranormal romances, I tend to eat them up all that much quicker. There is just something that is so sensual and intense about stories with werewolves… I suppose it’s the animalistic and strong sense that these paranormal creatures bring to their stories. Which of course meant that this was going to be the kind of story in my wheelhouse. The fact that it features a quest for revenge and a blind, tarot-card reading woman just made it that much better.

This as mostly a cute and sweet story. Although, there was a little extra darkness and suspense to the tale than a normal paranormal romance. Most of the romances I’ve read lately are incredibly light and easy to read. This still matched that description, but the idea of hunting down a serial killer aided with creating an extra layer of suspense that I completely lapped up.

To add an extra layer of darkness to this storyline, the motives and voice of the murderer is added. Only about halfway through the novella and it certainly made me glad that I was reading this novella during the day. On a bright, sunny day. A man who preys on women he perceives as disabled is wrong on so many levels. And it made me very unhappy and uncomfortable as I realised he was zeroing in on my favourite blind tarot reader…

<- Originally HumanCravings ->

Image source: Amazon

The Countess’s Pleasure by Emma Holly

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Hot Spell

Title: The Countess’s Pleasure
Author: Emma Holly
Series: Tale of the Demon World #2
In: Hot Spell (Lora Leigh, Emma Holly, Shiloh Walker & Meljean Brook)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Demons, Gaslamp, Paranormal romance
Dates read: 3rd July 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Year: 2005
5th sentence, 74th page: Two years had passed since her husband’s death, all the mourning decency required.

Synopsis

Georgiana has never been loved by a man, despite being married to one. Now, she has found a way to learn more about the pleasures of sensuality. But what she gets might be far more than she bargained for, and everything she could ever want.

Thoughts

My first ever Emma Holly story and I am caught. The mixture of the paranormal race and a Victorian England type setting for the storyline was kind of perfect. I also loved the fact that although Georgiana is an independent woman, she is also strong and independent, and more than willing to find herself a new life and love.

There is something a little bit extra fun about a group of people who don’t show emotions. When I first started reading about the Yama, all I could think about was the Psy in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changeling series. And the association was fantastic, since I loved them. And I now love this series. Or at least, I think I will… when I finally get my hands on the first novel…

Whilst this story felt like it was set in Victorian England, it did have a great sense of world building as well. I like that there was a lot of overlap, but also a sense of separation which helped to completely draw me into this story. Honestly, the only problem I actually had with this tale was the fact that I now have to wait at least a month before I can buy and receive some of the books in this series…

<- Hot SpellThe Breed Next Door ->

Image source: Meljean Brook

Dead Girls Don’t Dance by Mary Janice Davidson

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
cravings

Title: Dead Girls Don’t Dance
Author: MaryJanice Davidson
Series: Undead #1.5
In: Cravings (Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 28th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: She coughed out more sand, cursing herself.

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

Vampire Andrea Mercer is literally dug up by an old crush, Daniel Harris, and during a trip to Minnesota to see the vampire queen, her desire for him reignites.

Thoughts

This was a funny, cute and easy read. It took me a little longer than most novellas because I was also trying to watch a cute little movie at the same time… but in general, this was just a nice little read. I especially liked that although I thought Andrea was going to be a sweet woman. One who meets her significant other and falls a little in love. I was kind of wrong. Although she does fall for Daniel, she’s not really sweet. She’s kind of a powerhouse. And she’s pushy. And she really refuses to take anyone’s crap.

I haven’t read the first book in this series, this is my first ever Mary Janice Davidson story for that matter. So I really didn’t know what to expect at the end of the story when Andrea finally meets the Queen. Within two sentences I fell completely in love with the woman. And, as always, had to fight the urge to go out and buy the books straight away. Actually, I’m still fighting that urge. Queen Betsy is totally different to any image of a vampire queen that I have ever carried in my head before. And I was completely obsessed with it.

For most people there’s always that “what if” person. That person that you constantly wonder what if something different had happened and we’d gone down that track? Daniel is that person for Andrea, and it’s kind of sweet how he manages to completely except all of the horrors in her new life and finds himself in love with her. The fact that he does so with a healthy dose of humour and a bit of stupidity had me smiling throughout, and clutching the book to my chest after I’d turned the final page.

 <- Blood Upon My Lips ReviewOriginally Human Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Novellas and Stories by Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for novellas and stories meljean brook book cover

Title: Novellas and Stories
Author: Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Short story collections, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 25th April – 20th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Anthology
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: The horn rang out again, and the dogs began to fall back.

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

For the first time in print, six wild and steamy tales from three of today’s hottest paranormal and steampunk romance authors.

The Blushing Bounder by Meljean Brook – While the search for a killer puts Constable Newberry’s life in danger, he faces a danger of another kind: to his heart, by the woman forced to marry him. What will it take for this prudish bounder to convince his wife to stay?

Vixen by Jessica Sims – Miko’s denied her were-fox nature for far too long and turned her back on her vixen heritage. But when she meets two very sexy cat-shifters, she has to decide if she truly wants to give up on her frisky side, or embrace it. Because the were-fox in her doesn’t want to choose between both men… it wants them both.

Kitten-Tiger & the Monk by Carolyn Crane – Sophia Sidway, Midcity’s most dangerous memory revisionist, seeks out the mysterious Monk in the wasteland beneath the Tangle turnpike, hoping for redemption… but it turns out that the Monk is not all that pious, and the turnpike is no turnpike at all.

These lovers create their own heat, even when surrounded by ice…

Speed Mating by Jessica Sims – Estrella may be going into heat, but she’s determined to remain in control. Just because she’s ovulating doesn’t mean she has to settle for just any man (or his beast). Her sexy alpha’s determined to find her a tiger to take care of her heat and father her child… but no one seems to look quite as good as the man in charge. Will giving in to her need for her alpha ruin her tenuous relationship with her clan or be a match made in heaven?

Conjuring Max by Carolyn Crane – The witches of the world ridiculed nerdy Veronica for trying to use newfangled computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it’s 1984 now, and she’s perfected her spellcasting computer program. Hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything… or anybody? So when Veronica makes powerful new enemies, she conjures Max, a pitbull of a cop, to deal with the pesky hitmen who keep coming around. But tough-guy Max is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.

Wrecked by Meljean Brook – Elizabeth has spent the past five years running from her father; her father’s huntsman, Caius, has spent the past five years pursuing her. But when he finally catches up to her on an airship flying above Europe’s zombie-infested cities, Elizabeth discovers that Caius isn’t the only danger she has to fear – and now that he’s found her, Caius doesn’t intend to let her go.

Thoughts

This was one of those great collections that had a really wide array of stories under the heading of paranormal romance. From incredibly erotic shapeshifter stories to tales of steampunk piracy across the worlds. Every moment of these six novellas are steamy, warm and full of passion. And of course, a little intrigue to make it impossible to put down.

Although I already knew Meljean Brook’s works, I loved being introduced to her new (to me) Iron Seas series. Which has kind of given me a new obsession – steampunk romance. But, there is another three new series that are featured in these novellas, which have now all been happily added to my wishlist in the hopes for a future time when I have some more cash.

This was one of those fun and easy reads which I will be picking up again and again. The stories are just fun and easy. Kind of cute. And a pleasure to read.

 <- Wrecked ReviewThe Blushing Bounder Review ->
Image source: Fantastic Fiction

The Murder King’s Woman by Jamie Leigh Hansen

Book Review, , ,
Overview
Image result for the mammoth book of vampire romance 2 book cover

Title: The Murder King’s Woman
Author: Jamie Leigh Hansen
In: The Mammoth Book of Vampire Romance 2 (Trisha Telep)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 27th June 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Short story
Publisher: Robinson
Year: 2009
5th sentence, 74th page: She also needed to age.

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

Sasha is at the Halloween Party of the vampires. But she isn’t just a pretty face. And tonight’s activities are going to take all of her talents and patience.

Thoughts

The whole time I was reading this I had ninety-nine bottles of beer stuck in my head. Ringing again and again. It was kind of annoying and distracting. But also incredibly fun. And it helped to mimic the fun and engaging story that followed. It did make it a little hard to read anything else when I turned the last page though.

Most of the vampire romances that I’ve been reading involve a male vampire rescuing the sweet female human. I loved that it was the total opposite. The vampire was completely prone and at a disadvantage, and the woman, although entirely human, was also competent, strong and independent. I also loved the fact that although Mary (or Sasha as we first meet her) knows that she loves the man, she still wants to find herself. This independence and need to prove herself in the world was completely admirable. And even when she finally gets everything that she wants, she still plans on spending the next five years on her own, growing into the woman that she can become.

 <- Flotsam ReviewButterfly Kiss Review ->
Image source: Bookdepository

Wrecked by Meljean Brook

Book Review, , , , ,
Overview
Image result for novellas and stories meljean brook book cover

Title: Wrecked
Author: Meljean Brook
Series: The Iron Seas #3.4
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 5 (I will read this again and again and again)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Pirates, Steampunk romance
Dates read: 20th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: “Of course,” she said, as if she would have made exactly the same decision.

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

Elizabeth has spent the past five years running from her father; her father’s huntsman, Caius, has spent the past five years pursuing her. But when he finally catches up to her on an airship flying above Europe’s zombie-infested cities, Elizabeth discovers that Caius isn’t the only danger she has to fear – and now that he’s found her, Caius doesn’t intend to let her go.

Thoughts

I really loved the moral questions that this novella posed. What do you do when you have the power of cloning? And, to begin with that question is just asked in a purely conservational role. And then it takes a darker, twistier turn that was distinctly uncomfortable. But it also worked into a really sweet romance (in the end, when all the twisty bits were sorted).

Wrecked bought an entirely different part of the Iron Seas world to life for me. I loved the mentions of Australia, the whirlwind flight across the skies and the discussion about just how important it was to conserve the remaining animals. Actually, it highlighted a end-of-the-world scenario that I really hadn’t imagined before. What happens to all of the animals when a plague of zombies is unleashed on the world?

My biggest complaint about this novella is that although they ride off into the sunset together, I want to know more about the happy little family that they create. Or at least the one that I’m imagining and picturing in my mind’s eye as I turn the final page.

 <- Conjuring Max ReviewNovellas and Stories Review ->
Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Blood Upon My Lips by Laurell K. Hamilton

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
cravings

Title: Blood Upon My Lips
Author: Laurell K. Hamilton
Series: Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter #12.5
In: Cravings (Laurell K. Hamilton, Mary Janice Davidson, Eileen Wilks & Rebecca York)
Rating Out of 5: 4 (Really good read!)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Vampires
Dates read: 15th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: Jove
Year: 2004
5th sentence, 74th page: He leaned his face over my shoulder, and I caught the sweet scent of his skin.

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

Anita is attending a friend’s wedding when Nathaniel, her pomme de sang, makes known in no uncertain terms that he wants to take the relationship to the next level. Anita’s subsequent actions take her to a place she has hitherto carefully avoided.

Thoughts

This was kind of a confusing novella. Which, considering I found out after I read it that it’s the condensed version of a novel… kind of completely makes sense. And, even though it wasn’t completely sensical, it was a fun, smutty kind of journey. And one that I would like to discover more about. There was just enough information to enthral me, but not enough to make me feel like I really knew what was going. Which, for a curious girlchild like myself, was the perfect little teaser.

Although this story really pulled me in and made me kind of fascinated, it was a little bit smutty for my preferences. I’m really not into reading about characters with multiple partners, and found that some of the moments when talking about her relationships (yes, as in plural) a bit uncomfortable. The redeeming factor with that though was the fact that Anita, the lead, also felt incredibly uncomfortable with the situation she seemed to have found herself in. Which made me interested enough to add Guilty Pleasures to my wishlist.

 <- Cravings ReviewDead Girls Don’t Dance Review ->
Image source: Amazon

Conjuring Max by Carolyn Crane

Book Review, , , , , ,
Overview
Image result for novellas and stories meljean brook book cover

Title: Conjuring Max
Author: Carolyn Crane
Series: Code of Shadows #0.5
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Magic, Paranormal romance, Technology, Urban fantasy
Dates read: 9th – 10th June 2019
Pace: Medium
Format: Novella
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: “It’s okay, Veronica -“

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

The witches of the world ridiculed nerdy Veronica for trying to use newfangled computers to enhance old world spellcasting. Well, it’s 1984 now, and she’s perfected her spellcasting computer program. Hey, who needs friends when you can conjure virtually anything… or anybody? So when Veronica makes powerful new enemies, she conjures Max, a pitbull of a cop, to deal with the pesky hitmen who keep coming around. But tough-guy Max is in no mood to play lapdog to a gorgeous witch.

Thoughts

I really liked the technopagan spin to this storyline. Over the years I’ve read a lot of spins on witchwork and magic. But surprisingly none that use computers as the linchpin of the magic. Especially not coding which can bring the dead back to life…and I ate it all up. Which means that I have to exercise self-control (yet again) to not buy the following novels.

Veronica is a nerdy, pushy, secluded woman. She’s also a geek. Which of course meant that I immediately loved her. Although I did find some of her onion-like, tough layers a little tedious. After all, love is something that I believe in full heartedly, and she took a fair amount of time to actually succumb to the passion that was so obviously there. It’s a trope that I always find kind of frustrating when I’m reading a romance – the inability to see what is so obviously there! Although, I suppose it is also the reason that I like to keep reading these stories, even when I can roughly guess at the ending.

The romantic suspense throughout this novella might be fun, but what I kind of loved most was the creation of the dragon-dog that ate the enemies and decided to hang around. It kind of made me think of my adorable, kind of useless dog. Alright, he might not be a dragon-dog who is going to eat my enemies. But the companionship and loyalty that he shows throughout made me smile. And think of a happily-ever-after couple riding off into the sunset with their weirdly unique pet.

 <- Speed Mating ReviewWrecked Review ->
Image source: Fantastic Fiction

Speed Mating by Jessica Sims

Book Review, , , ,
Overview
Image result for novellas and stories meljean brook book cover

Title: Speed Mating
Author: Jessica Sims
Series: Midnight Liasons #2.3
In: Novellas and Stories (Meljean Brook, Carolyn Crane & Jessica Sims)
Rating Out of 5: 4.5 (Amazing, but not quite perfect)
My Bookshelves: Paranormal romance, Shapeshifters
Dates read: 1st June 2019
Pace: Fast
Format: Novella
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Year: 2013
5th sentence, 74th page: “Or horrified,” Estrella said quietly, sipping her own iced coffee.

Synopsis

Estrella may be going into heat, but she’s determined to remain in control. Just because she’s ovulating doesn’t mean she has to settle for just any man (or his beast). Her sexy alpha’s determined to find her a tiger to take care of her heat and father her child… but no one seems to look quite as good as the man in charge. Will giving in to her need for her alpha ruin her tenuous relationship with her clan or be a match made in heaven?

Thoughts

I was a bit thrown by the first novella I’ve read in this series. But, after reading Speed Mating, I’ve decided that this is going to be a fun, sexual and slightly cute series to sink my teeth into. Actually, it was kind of funny in moments. Especially through the use of a speed dating event in which it is so obvious who the main couple is going to be. But a little fun in the construction of their relationship.

I haven’t read a shapeshifter romance for a little while. I just seem to have moved onto other stories and tropes. But, reading this story about dating services and wanting children, and a liger shapeshifter (which is an awesome first for me) made me itch to pick up one of the many shapeshifter paranormal romances on my shelves… there is just something so much more animalistic and intriguing about these stories. Something more primal than many other romances. Which you kind of need every now and again.

The smut level of this story was quite intense, but not overdone like in Vixen. For me, it was just the right level of happy, fun smutty storyline to get my pulse racing. But not enough that I would feel completely uncomfortable reading this in public.

 <- Out with a FangSingle Wolf Female ->

Image source: Fantastic Fiction