Yule Be Mine Anthology Review

Yule Be Mine Anthology by Lori Foster ~V^^^V

This is a Christmas themed collection of short stories by Lori Foster. Overall I will say that I liked it. Her writing style, flow and descriptions were very good. I was just disappointed by the length of the stories, I would really have loved more. 

He Sees You When You're Sleeping
Booker wants out of his current relationship because he has fallen hard for his neighbor and friend, Frances. This story skipped the relationship building because the couple are already friends. That I think is what stumbled me, I would have liked to witness it first hand. 

White Knight Christmas
Officer Parker Ross hates Christmas, while Lily Donaldson, his neighbor loves it. Among other issues for these two is her hero worship and their age difference. I am not sure what it was about this one but something just didn't work for me. 

Do You Hear What I Hear
Sergeant Osbourne Decker thinks Marci Churchill is a kook, and he wants nothing to do with that since his last relationship. However is ridiculously attracted to her. She also wants Decker, but he fights it hard. Really this had more time to develop but again was lacking something. I am suspecting there is a theme of prickly men that annoy me. 

The Christmas Present 
Levi and Beth had an out of control weekend after Beth discovered that her fiance cheated on her. Since then she has been running from Levi, ashamed of herself. Levi doesn't want it to be over. This story was another hard one to get into. I was uncomfortable with the stalkerish behavior of Levi, the bases were covered with her family present and at some point I got into it. The other thing is I think this goes with a series I haven't read. 
Once again I will say these short stories were well written and have good flow, I just wish they were all longer. Overall a pretty decent holiday read. ~Michelle 

Legally Hot Anthology

Legally Hot Anthology ~V^^^V

Sheila's Passion by Lora Leigh- This has all the trappings of what you expect from Lora Leigh. The first 5 pages are a vividly described intense sexual scene. It ends in some high school type drama and proceeds from there. There were pages where I was on board with the hero and others where I was on board with Sheila but mostly nothing really stuck out as original. I gave it an OK rating but I don't feel more stars are warranted because its much like any other LL you may have already read.

Deadly Dance by Cheyenne McCray- This was a VERY sweet romance. Despite the length it was never rushed and though there were a few time jumps it wasn't disrupting. I liked how the romance progressed smoothing and slowly and the story felt whole. 

Caught by Red Gardnier- I don't know how I feel about this one. I kept reading to see what would happen but really didn't feel rewarded. The whole story is pretty dark and disturbing. Meghan came off as a little clingy and desperate and Cody was the typical "I'm ruining my own life and your for your own good" guy. It got on my nerves. The back story was pretty gruesome but definitely has potential I just feel like, in my opinion, it petered out rather than really exploding. ~Michelle 

Covert Seduction by Callie Croix

COVERT SEDUCTION BY CALLIE CROIX ~V^^^^V

WOW! 

I was provided this book by Carina Press and NetGalley for review. So with that said I can honestly say I really liked this book. The characters had excellent chemistry, the sexy times were outstanding and the overall story was well done. 

Here is the blurb: Navy SEAL Reid Galvin is back from hell and eager to find comfort in Becca Anderson's arms. He knows he hurt her when he cut contact during his deployment, so when his call interrupts her date with another man, he has only himself to blame. But he can't forget what she means to him—or the sexy email she sent him—and he won't miss this chance to claim her as his own.

It's been weeks since Becca heard from the man she thought she was involved with. So when Reid wants to take up where they left off as if nothing happened, she refuses. Then he rescues her from a first date gone very wrong, and she realizes she's not quite ready to let him go.

Reid and Becca have a lot to talk about, but since she's not listening, he's going to have to regain her trust another way—by bringing her most erotic fantasies to life. Making her surrender to pleasure just might be his most important mission.

There are so many parts of this book that I thought were well done, that I can't really pick a favorite. I will tell you that I am going to track down more Callie Croix books for my own personal reading now though. ~Michelle 

Wild About You by Kerrelyn Sparks

Wild About you (Love at Stake #13) by Kerrelyn Sparks ~V^^^^V


I enjoyed this one but there were bits that threw me off from the romance. I was very excited to finally get Howard's story. Before his book I didn't necessarily think of him as sexy but that has changed. Being the "quiet" bear that he is we finally get to see what is going on in Howard's head as well as what lead him to become the man/bear he is. I liked the backstory but was frustrated when we took jaunts off to deal with the past. Elsa was great as well. I loved the instant attraction she had for Howard and the fact that she didn't just jump headlong into it. The flow was excellent, the romance was sweet and the story was very good. So once again I was not disappointed by this series. ~Michelle  

Three ebook Novella Reviews

These stories are all re-releases in ebook. 

NightDrake by Lara Adrian ~V^^V 
Ooops, I read this one previously in the Mammoth Book of Paranormal Romance. This story takes place after the Earth's shift in 2066 and resulting global changes. Nisha is a transporter, she moves goods around the world and has a reputation for not caring. Her latest transport is Drakor, a dragon shifter. From here she learns that everything isn't as she always thought it was and gives in to her attraction. It was an OK story, far too short, I think the concept could make a good series someday.


Lifestyles of the Rich & Undead bay Katie MacAlister ~V^^V
This extremely short novella really is just a teaser for the "Shades of Gray" story in the Undead in My Bed Anthology. How about that a novella for a novella!??! Anyway nothing really happens other than an introduction to the key players in the Gray story. It was cute but not really worth the $.99 I paid, should have been a freebie. 

Hearts Untamed by Pamela Palmer ~V^^^V
I grabbed this from the library and then found out I already read it in Bitten by Cupid. This is a rerelease in ebook. 

I am a big fan of the Feral Warriors. This story however is about Therians and Ilinas. This is basically an introduction to Ilinas. Zee and Julianne are great together even if they lack communication skills for a good hunk of the story. I love Pamela's erotica so I am going to give this a high rating. ~Michelle 

Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston

The Beast in Him byShelly Laurenston (Pride #2) ~V^^^^V

Another great story. This series seems really hit or miss for me. One book will be fantastic and the next I will have to force myself through. Its very odd. At any rate, this book was a favorite. Jessie Ann and Smitty are fabulous. I love how Jessie treats him leaving fantastic banter. The whole book had me laughing, I think the Wild Dogs are my favorite. The other thing that is nice about this book is the interaction with past and future characters. I rate this book high on the reading recommendations.  ~Michelle 

Belong to the Night Anthology Review

Belong to the Night Anthology ~V^^V

I only read the Cynthia Eden and Shelly Laurenston contributions to this anthology so the review will be only for those novellas. Overall I have to say that I wasn't that impressed with the stories though. 

The Wolf, The Witch, and Her Lack of Clothing by Shelly Laurenston was about Coven Witch Jaime and the wolf Mayor of Smithville, Tully. I can't really put my finger on this one, something just didn't click for me. Jaime was very closed off and Tully was too laid back. They had good chemistry together but the relationship was kind of chopping in the telling. The story itself was quite slow and though the couple do make it to bed it just didn't do much for me. Shelly has many great stories, this is just one that I didn't much care for. 

In the Dark by Cynthia Eden- I am just starting her stuff and can say so far she has a great writing voice. Her stories seem to suck me in immediately and keep me guessing. This story however, I was unable to forgive Liam the way Sadie apparently did. I felt there was never really any explanation or apology and I just had a hard time believing they would just fall into bed again. The case was was well paced and plotted but the romance left me flat. ~Michelle

Vampire Academy Series by Richelle Mead

Not a terribly long series and each book is a fairly quick read.


Vampire Academy ~V^^V
This was a hard one to rate, my feelings for the story are so varying. First it took me quite awhile to get into it. Honestly, a week to read a YA is ridiculous. The book jumped straight into the action, but perhaps that is why I was quickly confused. Anyway the two main characters just didn't really connect for me. It is very obvious that the Rose and Lissa are teenagers, that may be the issue for me. Rose is extremely self centered, very much in love with her own physical shape as well as her opinions. She is actually rather hate-able, in my opinion. I couldn't follow her and Lissa's relationship, at many times I thought it might have been a lesbian relationship but Rose's constant yammering about guys made that unlikely. Lissa on the other hand is a total wet noodle, no spine at all. She allows Rose to manipulate her life and mother her, that power is abused by Rose often. The scenarios were fairly teen as well and again, difficult for me to care about. Gossip and petty jealousy is the main plot of the book. The writing was pretty good though and despite a few typos the story did eventually snag my interest just enough to keep going. The main sticking point for me though is, WHY? Why would Dhampires want to protect Moroi? It seems they get nothing out of the relationship, they got to years of training to essentially become slaves? I also don't really understand why Morio need constant supervision, why do the Strigoi want to kill them anyway? I am reluctant to continue but imagine I will see this series through, there are only 6 books after all.


Frostbite ~V^^^V
I am still struggling with understanding WHY Dhampirs protect Moroi. I know it has been explained in both books so far but it really to me reads like a race bread for slavery. Beyond that I can definitely see the Teen appeal. There is a lot of fight the establishment, and adults just don't understand mentality. The Teen angst thing is beyond me at this point in my life. The story itself is decent and the writing is good. I find myself somewhat reluctantly carried through the mystery and action just to see what will will happen. As an adult I am spending a huge chunk of the book alternating between rolling my eyes and wanting to choke the heroine. I will give it a 3 star because its an interesting concept.

Shadow Kiss ~V^^^V
Once again the genre is making me want to pull my hair out. As an adult I want to just choke this idiot child and tell her she doesn't know anything about life. I find it ridiculous that a 17 year old would have more common sense than any of the adults she is surrounded by, I also find it unbelievable that adults would buy into the dame rumors that teens do. 

Anyway beyond that the story itself was fairly interesting, even if it was a bit slow moving. Rose can see ghosts and everyone thinks that she is imagining it. Things continue to grow right under the noses of the Moroi and of course Rose almost the only one to have a differing opinion on how to handle matters. Rose does grow up some in this book and that is a relief. There was a shocking twist of events in the last few chapters that should make the next couple books that much more intriguing.

Blood Promise ~V^^^V
All the ways Rose can anger me in the next book! LOL OK this one was a little better because you feel as though Rose has grown but at a certain point you realize that she really hasn't. The mystery was very quickly solved for me so it was just a matter of Rose getting to the conclusion and fixing it. I liked the introduction of new characters and the change of scenery. However I found it hooky that Rose is forever going into Lissa's head. We get a second point of view with a cheesy writing trick. DISCLAIMER: I prefer third person. Overall this book was much more interesting the previous books because there was a point to Rose's actions.

Spirit Bound ~V^^^V
This book was frustrating because I felt as if Rose regressed. At the start of the book she was using some common sense and showing that she had grown but somewhere in the middle she regressed to a whiny, clingy, crushy girl. It was very sad. I felt some of her same emotions about the Dimitri and Lissa situation, I also felt she crossed the line to just plain sad. The story with the queen was fairly slow moving and frustrating as well. I felt like there was no build up in the relationship between Rose and her father nor was there one between her and Adrian. She was again unable to commit to a relationship and puts another guy through a whole lot of unnecessary bullshit because she is crushing on someone who isn't nice to her. I of course was greatly annoyed by the ending and OVER THE TOP cliffhanger. I will be finishing up this series to see how it ends, thank goodness.


Last Sacrifice ~V^^^^V
I can say that this was my favorite in the series. I think it was because there was a purpose to the book. Some of the books were just plain lacking in a plot. This book however is neither lacking in plot nor lacking in action. Rose has a whole lot of issues to resolve and growing up to due. Being an adult doesn't make you immediately think and act as an adult but you will be treated as such. I wish that I could have gotten more into this series, it was good but not excellent, in my opinion. I will say that it is better than some of the other Teen options out there. ~Michelle 

New Year Review

A Red Hot New Year Anthology  ~V^^^V

First, WOW (nervous laughter) I didn't know this was going to be SO naughty. I just really didn't think, going in that this was one of those Erotic books. I decided to give all of these novellas a chance so I am reviewing ALL of the book. As a whole, I give it a 3 star rating. Now let me break it down. 

New Year's Bites by Cynthia Eden: This is a paranormal erotic story. Anna is attacked and bitten by a werewolf on New Year's Eve. Jon, a man she has recently been working with and fantasizing about helps her overcome her bite and deal with her transformation. This story in my opinion was just kind of blah. 

Night Resolutions by Diana Mercury: I really didn't care for this one. Chantal is invited to a New Year's get away with her boyfriend. The stay at the mansion of his friend's "uncle" turns into an orgy. For me this story was very confusing, the story seemed disjointed and in a lot of ways just plain uncomfortable. The orgy and sex scenes were well described but really it was quite uncomfortable. I really didn't like this story at all.

Snow Blind by Virginia Reede: Story of BFF's, Gerry and "Jules", a New Year's weekend couples getaway goes awry. In no time Gerry and Jules are exploring their relationship in a whole new way. This story was VERY naughty. I saw some of the stuff coming from a mile away but overall this is one of the best in the Anthology. 


Coming on Strong by Denise Rossetti: This one was pretty well written and not too far over the erotic line for me. I just thought is seemed a little choppy and I felt like I kept missing things. I felt awful for Gina, I mean she had no idea what was wrong with her and to be so fearful of anyone finding anything out, she must have really felt alone. Then to have such a hot man interested and feeling there was no future, how tragic. I think this story was easiest to feel, but again a little harder to follow. If that makes any sense. 

I guess I would say again, overall this anthology was OK. ~Michelle

2012 Reading Challenge: Demonica December

Demonica December
(Larissa Ione: Demonica)

We would love to have you join in as there will be discussions and reviews. This is a great way to push your reading totals for the each month as well as the year. If you have already read them go ahead and reread or just feel free to join the discussion found on our FaceBook page. If it is a new series to you it will be all the more fun. Hope you join the fun!

Pleasure Unbound
Desire Unchained
Passion Unleashed
Ecstasy Unveiled
Sin Undone

Demonica -Larissa Ione ~ V^^^^^V
Beneath the streets of New York, there is a whole other world; The world of Demons. Eidolon, is the head Doctor at Underworld General Hospital, which he co-owns with his brothers. Since we are talking demons here, everything isn’t always on the up and up. But really these demons still have a sense of morality. As the series progresses each story is more gripping than the previous. Soon you are in the throws of a page turning frenzy. Make this a priority on your to read list.You'll be glad you did!
5 Titles Total

2012 Reading Challenge: November Night

November Night

(P.C. Cast: House of Night)

We would love to have you join in as there will be discussions and reviews. This is a great way to push your reading totals for the each month as well as the year. If you have already read them go ahead and reread or just feel free to join the discussion found on our FaceBook page. If it is a new series to you it will be all the more fun. Hope you join the fun!

Marked

Betrayed

Chosen

Untamed

Hunted

Tempted

Burned

Yet another series that I have not read yet. This one has been sitting on my TBR shelf for literally over a year. I guess I was just waiting for someone to read along with me.

2012 Reading Challenge: October Ops

October Ops
(Lora Leigh: Elite Ops)

We would love to have you join in as there will be discussions and reviews. This is a great way to push your reading totals for the each month as well as the year. If you have already read them go ahead and reread or just feel free to join the discussion found on our FaceBook page. If it is a new series to you it will be all the more fun. Hope you join the fun!

Wild Card
Maverick
Heat Seeker
Black Jack
Renegade
Live Wire





Elite Ops by Lora Leigh ~V^^^^^V

I don't even know where to begin. This series has not ONLY delicious heros, amazing heriones, and fantastic action it also has intense Lora Leigh classic love scenes. This books are STEAMING hot. If you are familar with Lora Leigh's Breeds, her Nauti boys or her Tempting SEALs then you will love these. Elite Ops is a continuence of her SEALs series, you will recognize some of the characters from previous series and meet some new ones. This is at the VERY top of my favorite books pile. I am definitely reading along with you all one this one. ~Michelle

2012 Reading Challenge: September Stakes

September Stakes

(Kerrelyn Sparks: Love At Stake)

We would love to have you join in as there will be discussions and reviews. This is a great way to push your reading totals for the each month as well as the year. If you have already read them go ahead and reread or just feel free to join the discussion found on our FaceBook page. If it is a new series to you it will be all the more fun. Hope you join the fun!

How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire
Vamps and the City
Be Still My Vampire Heart
The Undead Next Door
All I Want for Christmas Is a Vampire
Secret Life of a Vampire
Forbidden Nights with a Vampire
The Vampire and the Virgin
Eat Prey Love
Vampire Mine
Sexiest Vampire Alive
Wanted: Undead or Alive!

Love at Stake by Kerrelyn Sparks~ V^^^^V
This highly addictive paranormal romance series with a sprinkling of humor is a must read. Kerrelyn Sparks paranormal world parallels our own without notice. The majority of the series revolves around Romatech Industries, run by Roman Draganesti the creator of synthetic blood. The majority of the vampire world is grateful for the simplicity, though the malcontents would prefer that vampires stick to the standard diet of human blood. Needless to say there is conflict, strife and the general distaste for one another's life style. It is not all battles in this series though. There is a lot of humor, very likable characters and beautifully written romances.
13 Titles to Date

2012 Reading Challenge: August Angels

August Angels

(J.R. Ward: Fallen Angels)

We would love to have you join in as there will be discussions and reviews. This is a great way to push your reading totals for the each month as well as the year. If you have already read them go ahead and reread or just feel free to join the discussion found on our FaceBook page. If it is a new series to you it will be all the more fun. Hope you join the fun!

Covet 

Crave

Envy 
Rapture (9/25/12)

Fallen Angels by J.R. Ward ~ V^^^^V

Jim Heron has just found his mission in life or is it the afterlife? The fate of the world rests on his shoulders as he engages in battle, with a demon, for the souls of seven people against the seven deadly sins. Winner takes all. Is he up to the task? Contemporary Urban Fantasy with major plot twists and memorable characters.
4th book scheduled to be released September 25, 2012.

Cassandra Palmer Series by Karen Chance

Cassandra Palmer Series by Karen Chance ~V^^^V




Touch the Dark ~V^^V
I can't say I loved it. The whole time I was thinking, is this another Anita Blake? Honestly I can see where it had similarities, yet I know its a different story. I am still trying to sort out all that occurred so I can safely say I am still a little lost. Cassandra seems like an interesting enough character I think I was put off by the info dumps and the analogies, there were a LOT of them. I am going to stick with it as plenty of series hit their rhythm after a book or two. Overall it was an OK book.




Claimed by Shadow ~V^^V
I will admit this was a little more interesting than the first. However it again seemed to center around Cass's sex life. There was far too much fixating on that. Other than the sex life, I can tell you that I found this to bad as gory as any early Anita Blake. I think I gagged a handful of times. Beyond that I can't tell if Cassandra is embracing her power or still trying to hide from it. I can't tell which guys are bad or good and the time jumping is leaving me all kinds of screwed up. I am grateful for less info drops in this book. I am going to keep going with this series and see if I can sort it all out.

Day of the Dead ~V^^^V

An interesting side story about Thomas going after her former master. A free read on Karen Chances website, it is only about 25 pages, check it out. 

Embrace the Night ~V^^^V

I was really hoping that we could get off the will they or won't they and with whom train on this book. Sadly that was not the case. While Cassandra did try to put an end to the spell that was placed on her at 12 she still let people (creatures, whatever) push her around too much. I was also upset that there still tends to be so much side story. Cassie will get distracted often and we get endless info dumps before she gets back to her conversation or whatever she was doing. I have to say that is getting on my nerves. I am going to read all the novellas before I read Hunt the Moon. Hopefully those will be a little faster paced.

Curse the Dawn ~V^^^V

Is this Anita Blake's second life? GAH! OK here is the thing. I am a fan of romance, therefore I am not a fan of love triangles and women loving men whole treat them like shit most of the time. Also although I am a fan of Erotica I am NOT a fan of gratuitous sex. There needs to be a point, damn it. OK, now that I have that off my chest I can tell you that so far this series is just not endearing itself in my heart. Cassandra has so much potentional but she seems to have some major issues. Its not just the men in her life trying to "take" care of her its her need to have others take care of her. Assert yourself Cassie so I can have something to look forward too. If this was another vampires ruling the world story it shouldn't have been named the "Cassandra Palmer" series.

A Family Affair ~V^^^V

A short story that should only be read in order and with some experience from the series already. There are quite a few spoilers. That said it is an excellent look into Pritkin's head.  This is available free on Karen's website or from smashwords.

Hunt the Moon ~V^^^^V

I have to say this was my favorite thus far in the series. For once I didn't really feel like the Cassie was going to far into her head all the time and forgetting to respond to people around her. I liked the developments with her parents and Pritkin. I was of course very bothered by her relationship with Mircea and still can't seem to understand why she just excepts the was he is. I am hoping the Cass with assert herself more in the future and quit allowing others to brush her aside "for her own good". Barf! Man up Cassandra and kick some ass.

The House at Cobb End ~V^^V

This novella was really just an answer to a fan question. I really didn't feel it had any baring on the story as a whole. It was OK. ~Michelle 

Pure Healing by Aja James

Pure Ones Book One Pure Healing by Aja James ~V^^^^V 

Excellent. I am actually thinking this is a 4.5 star read. I was hooked almost immediately, the writing was magic. For a fairly new author I think she has a great career ahead of her. Aja weaves a tale with excellent descriptions that paint a vivid picture in your mind. The action is intense and not limited to only alpha males. The gender roles are almost reversed in this erotic romance story, which was a welcome change. I was able to note a few parallels to other novels I have read, which isn't hard to do, I have read a LOT of romance. Therefore I was able to see where her inspirations and influences came from and have to say I wholeheartedly agree. The only reason I held back from a 5 star was because I stumbled on a couple typos or editing errors, they were few and far between. With a little editing I think this book could easily become a top for me. I am anxious to see where this series goes. I truly hope it will be a series, I have so many unanswered questions.   ~Michelle 

After reading Pure Healing I was inspired to see take a peek into the mind of this new up and coming writer. Aja James was kind enough to humor me; a huge thanks to her for her time and honesty.

Aja is part of large new trend in authors. She is self-published. A great majority of writers can’t seem to break into the exclusive club with a major publisher. Rather than give in to story change demands, Aja has chosen to just get her story out there. She aspires, as any other author, to one day be a full time best selling author, but really the love of story telling is all that matters. She just really wants people to read her story and love it.

Aja James is an Asian American with a B.A. in Comparative Literature and Economics, a Masters in East Asian Studies and an MBA (Masters of Business Administration). Growing up with American-Italian, African American, Latin, Asian and American-Swedish families and doing a lot of international travel has all influenced her writing. In her free time she is an avid romance reader; her current favorite is Regency though she has read a broad spectrum of genres. Her love of ancient history and fascination with reincarnation and spiritual balance inspired her to want to create a world where the past co-existed with the present.

Pure Healing is not her first novel. Apparently a love of writing presented itself at a young age that lead to writing six novels before graduating. Two of which; Viking's Princess and Bittersweet Revenge, she also published. I am only familiar with Pure Healing so we will cover that one.

Pure Healing came to Aja as any other story presents itself, as a waking dream in a way. Her mind kept telling her this story and would not let it go. Finally in order to purge it, she put pen to paper. She tells me that the story is not over and though she doesn’t a have a set series length there will be more to come. Aja knows that she would like to eventually tell Sophia’s story, for which I am most interested. At this point she is working on the second book, which will be from the Vampire side of the story. As of today however there is not a set release date for that book but she is hoping by the end of this year. For now there is a preview from book two at the end of Pure Healing.

Please check out this book. I really enjoyed it. I think the story is quite well written and satisfying. I hope you will too. ~Michelle 

A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison

The Hollows Book 10 A Perfect Blood by Kim Harrison ~V^^V 


Sorry everyone but I have to give it two stars. I struggled through this book. It took me 2 weeks and I had to force myself to reopen it. I am not even sure what it was that I didn't like. Jenks was there, his usual hilarious self. Ivy was there, her usual brooding self. I liked a lot of the side character updates but the Rachel herself was a disappointment. I was really thinking she would embrace her Demon life and go for it. Rather she spent the whole book hiding and whining. The whole situation with the tattoo was a prime example. Honestly the first half of the book was very slow and by the time it started moving at a good pace I was not interested anymore. I really could care less about the Trent issue as well. I feel like it would be very upsetting to me if he abandoned Ceri and his child to be with Rachel. And really I am just over the will they or won't they. Is he bad or Good, b.s. The thing that I really am looking forward to is Al's plans with Trent's daughter. *insert evil laughter here* That said of course I will finish out this series, I just hope it will be worth it.  ~Michelle 

Pale Demon by Kim Harrison

The Hollows Book 9 Pale Demon by Kim Harrison ~V^^^V

ROAD TRIP! 

Well road trip part 2. This time around Rachel and Jenks are takign Trent along. Rachel needs to clear her name with the witches. Living under a sanction sucks. Trent has plans of his own and is just looking for a driver. Jenks adds the necessary lightness to the story and keeps things fun for me. Ivy and Pierce make an appearance later on as does my favorite, Al. This story was fun, another chance for Rachel to fumble through and somehow come ahead. I never said without any new demon marks mind you. I would say I liked this one about as much as the other Hallows books. I will continue to read this series but I don't rush out for the new releases. ~Michelle 

Sweet Series by Maya Banks

Sweet Series by Maya Banks ~V^^^^^V


With the huge popularity of Fifty Shades and the at least partial main streaming of BDSM, I thought I would recommend an old favorite of mine. This series has plenty of "kinky f*ckery", with romance, couples you come to care about, an established author and *gasp* editing. Not to hate on Fifty but I think the world should know that there are much better options out there. Not everyone is a borderline abusive, controlling headcase. Another big plus for this series is the actual use of BDSM, not just talk. Check it out. ;-)


Sweet Surrender ~V^^^^V
Wow! This was quite the introduction to not only the series but to BDSM erotic romance. Faith is a good girl who wants to be bad. She has decided to take matters into her own hands and check out a club that caters to different tastes. Gray is a Dallas cop, looking for the killer of his former partner. His search leads him to Faith. She is everything that he wants but in order to have her he must also keep her safe. This book wove a fantastic tale of love, sex, action and kink. I really enjoyed it and hope that you will too. 






Sweet Persuasion ~V^^^^^V
For years Serena has been helping people fulfill their fantasies. She is ready to fulfill her own. With the help of her friend Faith she is introduced to Damon Roche, an exclusive club owner. He has agreed to help her find the man she needs to fulfill her desires. Soon however he finds that he can be the one to take her on but can they both except it? This book was down right dirty and a whole lot of fun. Though I will admit some situations were hard for me to relate to, I can say that I enjoyed the story nonetheless. There is a whole world of people out there with varying tastes, my eyes are open now. 


Sweet Seduction ~V^^^^^V
Julie Stanford has wanted Nathan Tucker ever since she gave him his first massage. Sadly he seems oblivious to her advances and with time she decides to move on. Time to find a man who will return her affections. Of course as always seems the way with men, now that she is not hitting on him Nathan decides he is interested. I enjoyed the hunting and taming of this naughty lady. This book was another excellent BDSM jaunt, with plenty of romance to keep you swooning.


Sweet Temptation ~V^^^^V
Micah Hudson ran from his past. No one in his current life knows just what happened and he likes to keep it that way. Unfortunately his past comes looking for him. Angelina lost her only family and the love of her life, Micah. She knows what he really likes and can't wait to show him that she can be all that he needs. I was very excited to read Micah's story but I ended up feeling like this book was too long. In many ways I felt Micah was just running for the sake of running. In the end I felt like the story could have been resolved much faster than it had. However this book delve a little deeper into the darker fantasies of BDSM fans and that was an interesting insight. 


Sweet Possession ~V^^^V

Connor is on bodyguard duty. He has been assigned spoiled pop star, Lyric. With her he has his hands full as she has a tenancy to bring far too many people into her bed and to close to her person. Lyric drives Connor's controlling needs to the edge, so much so he feels the need to assert his dominance over her. Soon they find that they may just be what the other needs but can they admit it to themselves and then each other?


I didn't like this one quite as much as some of the others. While it was a good story and plenty of naughty for me to squirm over, I just didn't get that into it. Don't get me wrong it was an excellent story I just think perhaps the female lead didn't quite work for me. Maybe our personalities clashed. =)



Sweet Addiction ~V^^^^^V

I have seen quite a few reviews stating that they were disappointed in this book. I have to say I was very surprised. I couldn't put it down and devoured it within a few hours. It kept me guessing the entire time. Honestly I found this to be an acceptable HEA. When the book started I thought for sure it would be another, guy sees girl he loved and lost, guy woos girl from the man she is with, and Happily ever after. NOPE. This was nothing ordinary and I liked it. At the start of the book I was definitely rooting for Cole but it didn't take long for me to change my view and become as conflicted as Renita. I am happy with this book and am recommended to everyone who likes a little kink with their romance. ~Michelle 

Myth and Magic by Keri Arthur

 Myth and Magic Series by Keri Arthur ~V^^^^V



Destiny Kills ~V^^^^V
I really enjoyed this book. It was my first look at dragons as shifters and I have to say I liked it. The mythology of the Loch Ness Monster really helped put it over for me. I love all things unexplained, so it was fantastic. The action and romance/steam were excellent as well. Though I was a little lost in the beginning my like Destiny herself, I soon found myself immersed. I can't wait for the second book.



Mercy Burns ~V^^^V
I didn't like this one nearly as much as the first. I think the first one intrigued me with the Nessie story, where this one had none of that. Mercy tended toward a personality that got on my nerves. She was obviously upset over the death of her friend and the prejudice against half dragons, so I will allow some character flaws due to stress. What I didn't care for was her utter instance to not hurt or kill those who were intending to do the same to her. Damon tended to not be as kind as I would have liked either. I know he was an assassin and that would be his personality but I wished he pulled some kindness toward Mercy out sooner then he did. The most enjoyable part of the book for me was the last chapter, with an appearance of characters from the previous book, albeit too short. ~Michelle