Tag Archives: Paranormal

A book that has elements of fantasy, science fiction and/or horror.

Review: Archangel’s Heart

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Archangel’s HeartArchangel's Heart (Guild Hunter, #9) by Nalini Singh
Series: Guild Hunter #9
Published by Berkley on November 1st 2016
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 384
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“He was hers. She was his. And together, they were something far better than either one of them was alone.”

FINAL DECISION:  Goes deeper into Elena’s background in unexpected ways.  This book is a tightly drawn suspense story, political thriller and a very human story about surviving and rising above the past.  Plus, there is a very settled and sexy couple: Elena and Raphael.

THE STORY: This book continues the focus on guild hunter turned angel Elena and her archangel lover Raphael.  Things have been quiet since the disappearance of Lijuan, the Archangel of China (who also happens to be crazy dangerous).  A year has passed and because no one knows whether she lives or has withdrawn from the world and is sleeping, there is uncertainty.  An ancient order of angels called the Luminata calls the Cadre together to make a determination of what to do with Lijuan’s territory.

Attending the Luminata requires Raphael and Elena to travel near the place of her grandmother’s birth.  There, Raphael and Elena must deal with dangerous archangels, mysterious threats, strange events surrounding the Luminata. Elena also hopes to find out more about her past and that of her family.

OPINION: The Guild Hunter series returns to focus on Elena and Raphael.  I have to admit that I love the Elena and Raphael books most in the series.  This book, thankfully, doesn’t involve problems in the relationship between Elena and Raphael (that remains increasingly strong) but rather Elena’s own history.

This book continues the overarching series story regarding the Cascade, Lijuan and the possible end of the world.  While this book doesn’t have a romance as its organizing feature, it doesn’t need one.  This book delves into the adventure and politics of the Guild Hunter world — but reserves its emotional core for Elena’s discovery of her own family’s past.

There is a dark suspense story involving the Illuminata who are a mysterious addition to the series.  Elena ends up investigating what is going on with this mysterious group and their connection with her own family.  That story keeps the pace of this book quick and the pages turning.

While the suspense story keeps the books hopping, the theme explored in this book is about how the past makes us who we are and how one can overcome the pain of the past to go forward.  Multiple characters in the book have to deal with their past — the question is how will they respond.  This is most present in Aodhan who is recovering himself after years of separating himself from those he loves.  The events in this book challenge his recovery and he must make a choice.  The series has been an increasing interaction between those of Raphael’s world and Elena.  In this book, we see the developing relationship between Elena and Aodhan, which has its own contours.

Singh goes deep into the emotions of her characters and even as the events feel dark and dangerous, her characters possess a lightness and beauty that gives the book heart.  I always love reading Singh’s books because even when things seem bad for her characters, they maintain a likeability and a lightness of spirit that overcomes all the darkness.

The events of this series appear to be approaching a crescendo and this book provides a little breather that allows the exploration of character and relationships.  Elena finds out the truth about her mother’s family which has been shrouded in mystery.  I’m glad I didn’t know where this book was going because I enjoyed the resolution which provided a happy ending in an unexpected arena.

Without giving away the secrets of this book, I can say that this book is about survival and overcoming darkness.  So many characters express this theme and it leaves such a good feeling that I dread that more darkness is on the horizon for these characters.

For fans of the series, this book gives more background on the characters you love and gets everyone in the right place for the next stage in this series.  There are no new romances but much happens in this book that illuminates where the characters are now and where they have come from.

WORTH MENTIONING:  We learn more about Aodhan.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  ARCHANGEL’S HEART is the ninth book in the Guild Hunter series.  This series builds upon each of the prior books in the series and thus should be read in order.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: A Vampire’s Hunger

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: A Vampire’s HungerA Vampire's Hunger (Vampire's Promise, #4) by Carla Susan Smith
Series: Vampire's Promise #4
Published by Lyrical Press on October 25th 2016
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 400
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION:  This is an enjoyable adventure.  There is not much romance development but that doesn’t bother me because there is a lot of plot development in this book.  I hope there is more to come because I have more questions.

THE STORY:  Rowen and Gabriel’s story continues. Rowen goes deeper into the vampire world in this book.  At the end of Book 3, Rowen and Gabriel’s friend Aleksei comes to her apartment injured and desperate for blood to save his life.  Rowen violates all the rules when she gives her blood to Aleksei despite being bonded with Gabriel.  Rowen also must deal with impulsive decision to force Gabriel to protect her friend’s baby which might result in the severing of Rowan and Gabriel’s relationship and her own demon who intends to claim her for himself.  This book also focuses on the Original Vampire Ryiel who joins Rowen and Gabriel as old enemies emerge.

OPINION:  I have enjoyed each of these book more than the last.  In this book, the characters continue to develop in their relationships.  As more characters become prominent in the stories, they enrich the book and it overarching storyline.

Gabriel and Rowen have some bumps in this book, but their connection feels more grounded and deep as their disagreements are worked out.  This book manages to resolve most of the lingering challenges to Gabriel and Rowen’s relationship — but there is still much to learn about their friends so I hope there are more books to come.

Rowen still has her impetuous streak, but she is learning some caution and has some calculated chances rather than just jumping in.  This book requires much trust between Gabriel and Rowen and it is nice to see them handle some difficult circumstances.  There are challenges — especially for the possessive Gabriel, but they are working through their problems.

I was most intrigued in this book with the story of Ryiel.  I really want to know his full story even if we have to flash forward in time.

In conclusion, I thought this was a great addition to the series.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book does not resolve all the questions raised.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  A VAMPIRE’S HUNGER is the fourth book in the Vampire’s Promise series.  This series is better when the books are read in order because there are continuing storylines.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Penelope and Prince Charming

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Review: Penelope and Prince CharmingPenelope and Prince Charming: Nvengaria (Historical Paranormal) by Jennifer Ashley
Series: Nvengaria #1
Published by JA / AG Publishing on August 1, 2006
Genres: Historical, Paranormal
Pages: 377
Goodreads
three-half-stars

FINAL DECISION:  A fun mixture of fantasy, fairy tale and historical, this book introduces a new series.  While the insta-love reduces much of the emotional drama, the story was interesting and the characters have a good story to tell.

THE STORY:  Miss Penelope Trask is a double jilt after ending two disastrous engagements.   She has resigned herself to never marrying when Prince Damien of Nvengaria appears informing her that she is the the woman he has come to England to find.  The woman destined to be his bride and help him rule his land.  Penelope knows that something magical is happening (and this book has magic in it) but knows that men have deceived her before.  Damien and Penelope must battle those who are trying to prevent Damien from returning to his country and certainly trying to prevent a marriage between them.

OPINION:  This book was an enjoyable mixture of historical, fairy tale and fantasy.  As the first book in the series, the mixture is not always smooth, but I found the combination both sweet and fun.  (There is also some sexy situations put in the mix to keep the sickly sweet possibilities away).

Damien comes to England to search for his destined bride, immediately falls for Penelope but then has to win her and her family over.  At the same time, the two need to battle the evil Grand Duke who wants to prevent the two from fulfilling the prophesy and returning to Nvengaria as the rulers.  There are assassins and monsters and magic sleeping spells along the way.

The insta-love in this book (consistent with the Cinderella fairy tale this is loosely based on) reduces much of the emotional drama between the characters.  The book also has bit of “marriage of convenience” feel to it as Penelope and Damien seem fated to be together but then have to learn to live with one another.

I loved Penelope in this one.  She is strong and independent and clearly the center of this book.  Nothing works in this book without her.  It is her discovery of her true self that makes this book work.  Like Cinderella, she is hidden in the small town she lives in.  In truth, she is a princess.  Her discovery of her abilities — her true self — makes her relationship with Damien work and also saves their country.

I also was intrigued by the story of the villain, Alexander (whose story is next in the series).  For me, I was more interested in his story than Damien’s (I have a thing for the anti-hero).  I would read the next book in this series simply based on Alexander’s story, but I also was intrigued by the combination of genres.

A reader of this book will have to be open minded because the book combines the fantasy elements of magic and monsters with a some very typical historical elements.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book is a historical paranormal with magic and fantasy elements along with taking place in the regency period.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  PENELOPE AND PRINCE CHARMING is the first book in the Nvengaria series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 3.5 stars.

three-half-stars

Review: Beyond the Highland Mist

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Review: Beyond the Highland MistBeyond the Highland Mist (Highlander, #1) by Karen Marie Moning
Series: Highlander #1
Published by Dell on May 29th 2007
Genres: Historical, Paranormal, Time Travel
Pages: 375
Goodreads
three-half-stars

“This cannot be happening.  This is not possible.  This cannot be happening.  Yet in the forefront of her mind, realist that she was, she understood that the words can’t and impossible had not bearing when the impossible was indeed happening.

Unless she woke up soon from a nightmarish and vivid dream, she was in Scotland, the year 1513, and she was indeed getting married.”

FINAL DECISION:  An enjoyable and interesting mix of genres, I thoroughly enjoyed the story but felt that the mixture was clunky at times.  I was both compelled by the story and also felt that this book needed more in the way of world-building to make this a great book.  I would definitely read more based on the romance alone.

THE STORY:  Adrienne de Simone has been cured of the attraction to handsome men.  After the horrible experience, Adrienne knows that she will never trust a handsome man again.  For this reason, Adrienne is chosen by a vengeful fey to bring her back in time almost 500 years in order to torment the fey’s enemy.

Highlander Sidheach James Lyon Douglas, third earl of Dalkeith, known as The Hawk, has been a womanizer and has become a great lover.  When the queen of the fey praises him too much, the Fae king and fool seek revenge by saddling him with a wife who will never love him and might even be persuaded to betray him.  As a result of their intervention, Adrienne ends up taking the place of the Hawk’s betrothed.  Adrienne and The Hawk begin an contentious relationship.  While the Hawk begins to fall for his wife, Adrienne remains committed to not being foolish again.

The two have to confront Adrienne’s distrust, Hawk’s painful past and lovers, and the enmity of the Fae.

OPINION:  I thought this book was an intriguing mix of genres.  That was one of its great strengths because it felt intriguing and fresh.  It was also its greatest weakness because the mix didn’t always mesh well.  In the years since this book was written, many authors have taken to the mixing of genres and this early innovator suffers a bit in comparison.  That being said, I enjoyed the romance and the interaction between the characters and I am willing to read more of the series to see how Moning developed the mixture of genres in future books.

The interaction between Adrienne and Hawk was a highlight of the book for me.  Hawk was not what I expected in the book.  It was especially nice to see such a strong, sexy, handsome historical character who really just wanted peace and a family.  I liked how Hawk is a little clueless about how to have a relationship with Adrienne and continues to make mistakes that complicate his courtship.  The book contains an interesting twist about his reputation with women that gives him a sympathetic past.  At the same time, his painful past was written in a lighter fashion than I generally prefer.  Despite his history (and that of Adrienne as well) the emphasis in the book is on the present story.  While the characters have a history, it is quickly subsumed in the drama of the present.

Adrienne is a modern woman who is swept into the past.  One of the problems I had with the book was that she didn’t seem to have any trouble with adapting to the past.  There was little time paid to the disorientation that would have to result.  (I thought that the similar A KNIGHT IN SHINING ARMOR by Jude Deveraux did a better job with dealing with that complication).  But this book seems to be more of a paranormal fantasy book in that regard than a true time-travel.

As for the romance, I loved it and really connected with the characters.  If this had been written as a historical or time-travel book, I might have given it a higher rating.  At the same time, the paranormal elements are what make this book unique and memorable.  I just felt that this book reads as a historical/time-travel in which the paranormal elements were not integrated as well.  The Fae seem a bit disjointed from the rest of the book because they remain without a true history or world.  There is some of the feel of Shakespeare’s A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM where the fairies interfere with the mortal world, but the Fae here feel less developed than I need to truly love this book.

While I didn’t love this book, I was intrigued and fascinated by it and the possibilities as the author developed her craft further. This was my first book by Moning, but I definitely will continue reading the series.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book mixes paranormal, historical and time-travel.  It definitely pushes the boundaries of what can be expected in one romance book.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  BEYOND THE HIGHLAND MIST is the first book in the Highlander series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 3.5 stars.

three-half-stars

Review: The Shadows

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Review: The ShadowsThe Shadows (Black Dagger Brotherhood, #13) by J.R. Ward
Series: Black Dagger Brotherhood #13
Published by Signet on March 31st 2015
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 590
Goodreads
four-half-stars

WARNING: Spoilers are contained in this review!

“Don’t do this to yourself, Trez.  Just…just know that I love you and let me go.”

FINAL DECISION:  This was an incredibly difficult book for me to read.  Many won’t consider it a romance at all because it has a sad ending (spoilers below).  I thought it was incredibly moving and beautiful but I’m glad I knew what happened otherwise I would have been angry.

THE STORY:  Trez has been on the run from his people.  Prophesy declares that Trez must be mated to the princess of his people.  Trez has spent years defiling his own body fighting his fate.  When he falls for the Chosen Selena, he believes himself unworthy of her.  Selena, herself, is fighting a fatal disease and doesn’t know how much times she has left.  When Selena experiences a crisis, Trez and Selena decide to live each day as if they have forever — even if they don’t.  At the same time, Trez’s brother iAm is trying to protect his brother.  Their people, the Shadows, intend to having the Annointed One returned to him.  Time is running out for all of them.

OPINION:  I normally avoid spoilers in writing a review believing that part of the beauty of the story is allowing the information to flow as intended by the author.  I truly couldn’t find a way to write an honest review of this book without disclosing the big spoiler of the book.

DON’T READ ON IF YOU WANT TO AVOID SPOILERS!

I personally don’t think this book can be considered in any way a romance.  It is definitely an incredibly beautiful love story, but, for me, it doesn’t fit into my definition of romance which requires a happy ending.

Selena dies in this one.  The story is piercingly beautiful.  I cried through half of it.  I admit that I knew the ending of this one before I began so I knew that there was no miracle ending coming to Trez and Selena.

I thought the relationship between Trez and Selena was heartrendingly beautiful.  The two truly did seem to experience a whole breadth of a relationship in a short time.  Because of the power and intensity of their relationship, I thought the rest of the book faded in the background a bit.  There was no wasted space and time for these two.  Every moment was vital precisely because I knew that they only had this moment..this one time.  There would never be another date, another kiss, another fight.

All the extraneous things that often are the focus in romance books were less important.  For Trez, even the overhanging threat from his people is less important than he could have ever expected.  The impending loss of Selena so overwhelms his other fears and concerns that he won’t even spare time to think on them.

The interwoven stories work especially well in this book because they provide a breather from the unrelenting intensity of Trez and Selena’s story.  The other stories don’t feel as important (there is also a significant relationship between iAm and the female he finds) but they clear the palate before plunging back into the main story of the book.

I loved everything about this book but the ending.  While the ending works and perhaps is necessary for such an honest book, I couldn’t help wanting a different outcome.  I think that might be its point though.

This book is controversial.  Those coming to these books wanting a HEA might be disappointed and angry.  I’m glad I knew the ending so that I could emotionally prepare myself.  This might be the best written and constructed book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, but this is not a story I’d like to revisit often.  Too real, too sad, too painful.

WORTH MENTIONING:  The secondary stories were the introduction of Paradise (who is the subject of the first book in the Black Dagger Legacy series), Xcor and Layla, Assail’s continued drug trade, and there is a new story starting with Rhage and Mary.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  THE SHADOWS is book 13 in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.  This book is better as part of the series but actually you can get the entire story in this book which is unusual for recent books in this series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: A Vampire’s Honor

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: A Vampire’s HonorA Vampire's Honor (Vampire's Promise, #3) by Carla Susan Smith
Series: Vampire's Promise #3
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation on September 27th 2016
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 250
Goodreads
four-stars

“Mistress of impulsive decisions, questionable behavior, and foolish choices…Yeah, I was all that and more.  Guilty of obeying my heart more than my head.  And this was going to be no exception.”

FINAL DECISION:  This series is improving with every book.  I enjoyed this one because we got to know more about Aleksei (which is deeply woven with Gabriel’s story).  I liked how the various threads of the various storylines weave together.  There are still a lot of questions, and some seriously messed up situations, but I am never bored with the plot of this series.

THE STORY:  Rowan is building a new life with her Vampire lover Gabriel but there is much about the past that she doesn’t know.  In this book, she discovers more about Gabriel’s friend Aleksei.  Aleksei’s past comes to threaten Rowan and Gabriel.  Rowan is also dealing with the after effects of having a portion of her soul stolen by a demon.  Rowan and Gabriel are threatened by all around them in this book.

OPINION: I enjoyed this book best of the three I have read so far.  The action and plot in this series is really ramping up.  There is not a tremendous amount of progress in Rowan and Gabriel’s relationship, but this book seems like the beginning of the long time test of their relationship.

The relationship between Rowan and Gabriel seems to be normalizing.  The two are living together and Rowan has truly given up her normal life.  Clearly Rowan has sacrificed almost everything to be with Gabriel.  But the two haven’t been able to get to a stable compromise.

The two must learn to navigate a relationship and truthfully neither has done that before.  Both continue to act more like individuals than a couple.  They make independent decisions that have bad consequences.  I like that their relationship is challenged in this manner.

I also appreciated that Rowan is beginning to recognize the possible folly of her actions and yet she allows her heart to guide her.  The question is whether or not those actions will ultimately be right or wrong.

This book has a lot of background about the couple’s friend Aleksei.  His story is told and is not over by the time this book ends.  We are also introduced to a couple of new enemies who threaten the happiness of Rowan and Gabriel and their friends.

The serial format of these books means that there are more and more problems which arise in each book.  That doesn’t bother me, but I know that some readers are driven crazy by the lack of resolution.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book is part of a serial involving the same couple.  This book ends on a cliffhanger for those who might not like those types of books.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  A VAMPIRE’S HONOR is the third book in the Vampire’s Promise series.  This is a serial that follows one couple. Each book is connected to the others and the books have cliffhangers and unresolved issues.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: A Vampire’s Soul

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Review: A Vampire’s SoulA Vampire's Soul (Vampire's Promise, #2) by Carla Susan Smith
Series: Vampire's Promise #2
Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation on July 1st 2014
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 256
Goodreads
three-half-stars

“Are you so sure this you love feel for the vampire can endure? That it will withstand temptation, greed, and lust, and all the other petty vices your kind are so easily swayed by?”

FINAL DECISION:  Much better than the first book in the series, the story picks up now that Rowan has discovered Gabriel is a vampire.  This book sets the stage for the drama of the series as Rowan is in danger.  I enjoyed the action and drama in this book.

THE STORY:  Rowan has discovered that her sexy boyfriend is actually a vampire.  Now that the truth is revealed, Rowan begins to learn the truth about her connection with Gabriel.  The two also struggle against enemies both old and new.  As Rowan discovers a world that she didn’t know existed, she has to make a choice whether or not to accept Gabriel as who is actually is.

OPINION:  I enjoyed this book as an adventurous paranormal romp.  After the slow first installment in the series, this one really picks up the pace.  Now that Rowan knows that Gabriel is a vampire, her life is going to change. The knowledge begins the process of Rowan having to confront the past, along with its enemies and friends.

As Rowan doesn’t fully remember the past, there are a lot of ambiguous figures who begin to appear in her life.  She struggles with trying to determine friend and foe.  Also, she begins to realize that she must choose between her life as she knows it and Gabriel.  The events in this book demonstrate that she will be forced to choose between them.

We do discover more about Gabriel’s past and how Rowan is connected to Gabriel.  There was a lot of action in this book.  I wish there was more romance and connection between Rowan and Gabriel, but this book is more about the external conflicts and Rowan’s own acceptance of Gabriel’s vampirism than it is about their relationship.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This series is a serial meaning that the story of this couple is not resolved here but continues in subsequent books.  If books ending on cliffhangers or with unresolved issues bother you, I suggest you pass on this series.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  A VAMPIRE’S SOUL is the second book in the Vampire’s Promise series.  It is a serial and continues the story of Gabriel and Rowan.  I don’t think it’s necessary to read the first book because this one gives all the information you need.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3.5 stars.

three-half-stars

Review: A Vampire’s Promise

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Review: A Vampire’s PromiseA Vampire's Promise (Vampire's Promise, #1) by Carla Susan Smith
Series: Vampire's Promise #1
Published by Ekensington Originals on January 1st 2014
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 272
Goodreads

“The world as I knew it came to a screeching halt and tumbled off its axis.  And I knew, no matter whatever else happened to me in the rest of my life, something had just changed.  It was one of those pivotal moments that happen once in a lifetime.  One that said nothing was ever going to be the same.”

FINAL DECISION:  A first book that takes too long to get to the big reveal — that unfortunately is not a secret because of the title of the book — but has promise for the series.  I want to know what is happening now that Gabriel’s secret has been revealed to Rowan.

THE STORY:  Rowan Harper is a spunky woman who works in a bookstore, reads romances and has never been able to get her sex life right.  One night at a bar, she meets a sexy, mysterious man.  Gabriel is amazing in every way, but there is so much she doesn’t know about him.  What Rowan does know is that she feels like she has met Gabriel before even though that is impossible.  He seems to know so much about her while she can’t find out anything about him.

OPINION:  I picked up this book because I got the third book from Netgalley in order to provide a review.  Once I saw that this book was merely a series, but truthfully a serial, I knew I needed to start at the beginning.

This book begins with a introduction of Rowan who doesn’t seem to have a lot of strong connections in her life. Her mother abandoned her; her father is dead; the only friend we meet in involved with another man; she has been unsuccessful in her sex life.  When she meets Gabriel in a bar, she is wary because she seems too handsome, too sexy and doesn’t seem the type of man who would be interested in her.

Rowan seems so normal and plain that it was difficult for me to get attached to her in this book.  Clearly there are secrets that we haven’t learned, but I needed to feel more connection with Rowan earlier.

Gabriel is sexy and mysterious and oh, he’s a vampire.  That would be a spoiler, but the “secret” is too obvious because of the title of the book.

What I really liked in this book is the Gothic and strange feel.  Rowan is stumbling through revelations.  I liked that there are a lot of secrets in this book that will be developed in the series.

The biggest weakness of this book is that too much is kept back here and that made the book a bit slow at times.  As a reader, I knew almost immediately that Gabriel was a vampire and I got tired of waiting for Rowan to find out. Despite the title, this book is almost a pure contemporary until the end when Rowan discovers Gabriel’s secret.

I do think the setup for the rest of the series has promise and hopefully as we delve into the vampire world the action will increase.

WORTH MENTIONING:  This book begins a series that follows the same characters.  The story is not completed in this one book.  Reader beware.

CONNECTED BOOKS: A VAMPIRE’S PROMISE is the first book in the Vampire’s Promise series.

STAR RATING:  I give this book just a smidgen under three stars — but lets round up to 3.

Review: Guardian’s Mate

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Review: Guardian’s MateGuardian's Mate (Shifters Unbound, #9) by Jennifer Ashley
Series: Shifters Unbound #9
Published by Berkley on September 6th 2016
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 320
Goodreads
four-stars

“Rae looked across the tossing water at Zander Moncrieff and couldn’t decide whether she should jump overboard of leap onto his boat and smack him.”

FINAL DECISION:  Lovely story with lots of action and characters I liked and cared about.  My only negative was that the emotional connection between these characters happened so fast and only the circumstances of the plot kept them apart.

THE STORY:  Wolf shifter Rae Lyall is the chosen Guardian (the shifter who can send shifters to “heaven” at their death).  Her choosing by the Goddess causes unrest because a female has never been chosen from that position.  Now subject to suspicion and derision, Rae’s father sends her to polar bear shifter and healer Zander Moncrieff for protection and training.  Zander is Goddess touched himself and understands the challenges of the “gift”.

There is a reluctant attraction between the two but the threats that surround them keep Rae and Zander focused on working together while falling for one another.

OPINION:  I’m a big fan of Ashley’s shifter series. The series has a lot to say about issues of the day in an entertaining fashion.  I also enjoy how the Shifters have managed to retain their own traditions and identity despite the onerous restrictions placed upon them by humans.

In this book, Zander is a free spirit.  Seen as “crazy” by many, Zander suffers with his gift of healing.  Not only does he suffer by healing, he also knows that he cannot help everyone.  By making himself inaccessible, he limits the demands on his gift. Despite his behavior, Zander cares tremendously about others.

Rae is an orphan wolf shifter adopted by felines.  She loves her family but still feels the loneliness of being different.  Her choosing as Guardian further separates her from others.  She is strong and mouthy and just amazing although she is young and is still developing herself.

The interaction between Rae and Zander is funny and spicy and sometimes adorable.  The two banter and argue and have some hot scenes together.  They both have a core of not belonging that unites them.  Their gifts have separated them from others and this allows for true understanding between them.

The book is a roller coaster with lots of action with different storylines merging and weaving together in sometimes unexpected ways.  The resolution of the plot is surprising and yet completely in line with the story.  I loved how things came together.  Appearances by characters both new and old (Tiger!) never lets the reader forget that there is a larger world and story that these characters are a part of.

I love learning about new types of shifters and I look forward to their stories being told as well.

WORTH MENTIONING:  For readers of the series there are some reveals as to what the Fae are up to (with apparently some human allies).

CONNECTED BOOKS: GUARDIAN’S MATE is the ninth book in the Shifters Unbound series.  This book can be read as a standalone although there may be some learning curve as to the shifter world that this book resides in.

STAR RATING:  I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Wild Embrace

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Review: Wild EmbraceWild Embrace (Psy-Changeling, #15.5) by Nalini Singh
Series: , , ,
Published by Berkley on August 23rd 2016
Genres: Paranormal
Pages: 400
Goodreads
four-half-stars

WILD EMBRACE consists of four novellas in the Psy-Changling series.  They vary in length and complexity and while none reach the quality of the awesome novels in the series, these novellas are a great introduction to the series or a wonderful chance for fans to revel in some secondary characters.  The events take place at various times in the Psy-Changling universe (although there is no reason to worry about the order unless you are hyper concerned about spoilers).

One of my favorite parts of reading a Nalini Singh series is that every portion, every moment, every characters feels exceedingly alive.  Singh proves it by regularly giving readers the additional content (much free to newsletter subscribers) that tells the stories of minor characters, gentle moments and funny slices of life.

In the novella ECHO OF SILENCE (which takes place after book 2 VISIONS OF HEAT), readers finally get the story of Stephen Berg, a Tk Psy and Tazia Nerif, the human woman with whom he falls in love.  Readers of the series might recall that subsequent to the events in this book, Stephen has been known to give romantic advice to Arrows.  This story takes place just as Silence is beginning to be challenged.  The romance is incredibly sweet and painful as the two are in danger if it is known that Stephen breaks Silence but he cannot love unless he does.  I thought this story was the best of the four (I love those Tks) as the story was complex and multilayered.

The short novella DORIAN (which takes place over a period of time ending after book 5 HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE) consists of vignettes in the life of Dorian.  Dorian is a leopard changeling who was latent and could not shift into his leopard form.  The vignettes start when Dorian is a child and take place at various times in Dorian’s life.  The final vignette happens after his mate is able to help him to successfully shift.  (We finally get to see other characters reactions to Dorian’s shift.  This novella adds some additional and welcome scenes to HOSTAGE TO PLEASURE.

In the novella PARTNERS IN PERSUASION (which takes place after book 11 TANGLE OF NEED), we get an unexpected pairing of a dominate female leopard changeling and a submissive male wolf changeling.  Felix is at his heart a gardener (aka the horticultural expert of the Snow Dancers) who has been hurt by his attraction to a dominate woman before.   Despite this, Felix is really, really attracted to Desiree.  I loved Felix who might be a submissive but is certainly no pushover and definitely proves that submissives can be dangerous when those they care about are threatened.  The careful navigation of Felix and Desiree’s relationship mirrors those which arose in DECLARATION OF COURTSHIP (which had a dominate male and submissive female changeling). Questions of consent and trust are artfully navigated here without the hero being a wimp.

The final novella, FLIRTATION OF FATE is the sometimes heartbreaking second chance at love story between Garnet (aka Jem) and Kenji, both Snow Dancer lieutenants.  The two grew up together and it seemed like they were fated to be together until Kenji broke Garnet’s heart on her twenty-first birthday by standing her up.  In the years since, the two have ignored one another and engaged in a combative flirtation.  The big question throughout this novella is why did Kenji break Garnet’s heart when he clearly loves her so much?  I had figured out the reason before the reveal but I loved how these two were unable to let one another go despite their best attempts.  I hope that we hear more about these two in the future because I would like to see that they have been able to work through their challenges. FLIRTATION OF FATE takes place at the end of HEART OF OBSIDIAN (book 12).

Overall Rating for book 4.5 stars.

 

four-half-stars