Silver by Rhiannon Held

Silver
by Rhiannon Held

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Dark Fantasy | Mystery

Andrew Dare is a werewolf. He’s the enforcer for the Roanoke pack, and responsible for capturing or killing any Were intruders in Roanoke’s territory. But the lone Were he’s tracking doesn’t smell or act like anyone he’s ever encountered. And when he catches her, it doesn’t get any better. She’s beautiful, she’s crazy, and someone has tortured her by injecting silver into her veins. She says her name is Silver, and that she’s lost her wild self and can’t shift any more.

The packs in North America have a live-and-let-live attitude, and try not to overlap with each other. But Silver represents a terrible threat to every Were on the continent.

Andrew and Silver will join forces to track down this menace while discovering their own power and their passion for each other.

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The Wolf Who Loved Me by Lydia Dare

The Wolf Who Loved Me
by Lydia Dare
Pseudonym for Tammy Falkner and Jodie Pearson

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Historic

Lady Madeline Hayburn Has Money Problems...

Specifically, she has so much of it that she's dogged by fortune hunters, including her bewilderingly attractive, penniless neighbor, with his wild nature and uncouth manners...

Weston Hadley Has An Identity Crisis...

Specifically, he's just turned into a wolf while Madeline was watching. Now it's up to the regal lady to tame the wild beast...if she can...

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Blood Solstice by Samantha Young

Blood Solstice

(The Tale of Lunarmorte, Book #3)

by Samantha Young

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Young-Adult

In the final installment of the Tale of Lunarmorte, Caia is caught between the most powerful beings in her world desperate to use her for their own means. Struggling to find her purpose, Caia's time runs out when tragedy strikes close to home. Now she must decide if she will join the extremists she was trying to destroy... or bring them all down on her own terms...

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River Cast by Samantha Young

River Cast

(The Tale of Lunarmorte, Book #2)

by Samantha Young

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Young-Adult

Swept into the world of the Daylight Coven, Caia is caught between her loyalty to the Daylights and her new insight into the hearts of the Midnights. As more obstacles are thrown in her and Lucien's way, Caia finds herself becoming further adrift from him and Pack Errante. With no one to turn to, Caia has to make the most difficult choice of all...which Coven does she truly belong with?

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Moon Spell by Samantha Young

Moon Spell

(The Tale of Lunarmorte, Book #1)

by Samantha Young

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Young-Adult (16+)

 It’s bad enough feeling different among the human crowd, but feeling different among wolves? No one said returning to her pack would be easy, especially after ten years without them, but seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is unprepared for the realities of the transition. Raised in a world where kids aren’t scared by bedtime tales of the bogeyman but by the real life threat of enemy supernaturals who might come creeping into their community to kill them in their sleep, Caia is used to the darkness; she’s used to the mystery and the intrigue of the ancient underworld war she’s bound to by chance of birth. What she’s having trouble with are pack members treating her with wary suspicion, the Elders tucking secrets behind their backs out of her sight-line, and her young Alpha, Lucien, distracting her, with a dangerous attraction, from her decision to discover the truth.But as the saying goes ‘the truth will out’ and when it does, Caia will only have so long to prepare herself before the war comes pounding on their door threatening to destroy the safe, secret lives of the wolves… and the girl they protect.

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Awake at Dawn by C.C. Hunter

Awake at Dawn
(Shadow Falls series, Book #2)
by C.C. Hunter

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

Kylie Galen thought her life was a mess before she went to Shadow Falls Camp. However, now that she's discovered she's not human, the problems presenting themselves are anything but normal.

She's determined to uncover the answer to her supernatural heritage, but with a ghost insisting someone Kylie loves is about to die, her newly developed sixth sense telling her someone is watching her and a rogue vampire on a murdering rampage, Kylie's quest for answers is on hold. As if her life isn't difficult enough, just when she's about to give her heart to Derek, he starts pulling away. When Lucas comes back, Kylie feels more conflicted than ever. Kylie's weekend with her mom should have been just the break Kylie needs, but it turns out to be her breaking point. Discovering her heritage may not ever matter if she doesn't survive.

As Kylie learns more about herself, the mystery of who/what she is becomes darker. Not only is she sharing characteristics with the camp vampires (i.e. desires for blood, exceptional hearing, etc.), but now she is displaying werewolf traits (i.e. super strength, body changes due to the moon cycle, etc.) as well. Yet, being unique has its mischievous perks since Kylie seems to always find herself within the camp's drama/secrets. But the unfortunate downfall of her solitary status destine her to perpetually be considered an outsider/alone. Kylie's adjustment to her original ghost-seeing abilities becomes more advanced within this story while her romance triangle becomes more complicated. Expect lots of favorite supernatural side characters to return as well as the series suspense and teen angst heats up. Yummy Read!!!

Book # 3 ( Taken At Dusk ) out soon- April 10th.

Book #1 ( Born At Midnight ) Review

Likes: The theme concept of "self-discovery" really keeps this series alive and entertaining for me, can't wait for it to continue.

Dislikes: The friendship interactions in this tale comes off as a little too juvenile for my readying taste, but I guess that is to be expected from a YA book. It's just rather annoying at times, esp. with Miranda & Della going at it every other page.

Rating:

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Born at Midnight by C.C. Hunter

Born at Midnight
(Shadow Falls series, Book #1)
by C.C. Hunter

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

Kylie Galen has had a lot of crap tossed in her lap lately. Her parents are getting a divorce for who the heck knows why. Her boyfriend broke up with her because she wouldn't put out. And her grandmother died because . . . well, older people do that. But now, Kylie's acquired a stalker and she hasn't a clue what he wants or how to get rid of him . . . and she really wants to get rid of him because apparently she's the only one who sees him. Thinking she may be losing it, her parents send her off to see a psychologist who gets Kylie sent to Shadow Falls Camp. Kylie and her parents think it's a camp for troubled teens.

They thought wrong.

Kylie's surrounded by vampires, werewolves, fairies, witches and shape-shifters. And if she believes what they tell her, she's one of them. They're just not sure exactly how she fits in. As Kylie struggles to cope with the realization that these creatures even exist, and the fact that she might not be human, she's got two hot guys, a werewolf and a half-fairy vying for her attention. And they can just keep vying. Kylie's determined that before she lets her heart loose on love, she needs to unearth the truth. What does the ghost want? Who can and can't she trust? And most of all . . . What is she?

Kylie gets innocently caught up in some questionable situations upon her parents sudden divorce and gets sent away to a delinquents (aka "freak") camp for the summer . . . or so she thinks. Yet, when fellow campers begin asking "What she is?" instead of "Who?" and magic/blood become something she shockingly learns to deal with on a daily basis--Kylie beings to examine her meaning behind the word "freak" and becomes worried she may just be one herself. Throughout the challenge of discovering her past in hopes of identifying just what her supernatural status is, Kylie becomes awakened by her new hidden talents (i.e. sensing/seeing ghosts, etc.) and easily gets infatuated with two extremely different guys: 1. Derek, a sweet-tempted half-fairy who was one of her first friends at camp and 2. Lucas, a darker older werewolf who Kylie actually has a history with. Thus, with so many things in Kylie's life crumbling, can Shadow Falls Camp actually become a bitter-sweet surprise?

At first, this story came off as a bit too juvenile for my taste, but as the plot progressed and Kylie's adventures in camp became more complex -- I found myself becoming more and more intrigued. The whole story timeline accelerates quickly, happening within the span of only a few weeks, thus it becomes easy to get caught up in the overall tale. Kylie has a lot of troubles becasue of friends back home, friends in camp, family, etc. that the story never goes dull, but it can become a bit too much at times. The romance in the book is all over with many of the side-characters (young and old) heating up the pages while Kylie herself gets captivated by two guys -- so yummy relationships throughout. All in all, this was a surprising read that I found myself jumping right into Book #2 as soon as I finished Book #1 -- plus Book #3 comes out this April, yayy.

Likes: If you're a fan of paranormal/supernatural characters--this is a fun read that pretty much covers them all!

Dislikes: Kylie can have only so much drama on her plate at one time before she gets spread pretty thin and then, due to becoming overwhelmed, avoids or cuts short different parts of the story that the reader would wish to have extended. Frustrating!!

Rating:

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The Mating by Nicky Charles

The Mating
(The Mating Series, Book #1)
by Nicky Charles

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Elise had no idea when she came home that day that she'd end up mated to a complete stranger. A new Alpha and the need for an alliance between packs have made her a pawn.

Elise has grown up in the lap of luxury being the Alpha's daughter and even though her pack is very traditional than most, she's content to one day marry her long-time friend, Bryan, and settle down. Yet, things unexpectedly change when Kane, an Alpha from a local pack, shows up and Elise finds herself mated to him within a few hours. Life quickly changes as Elise has to leave the only home she's ever know to live with a practical stranger and be the new alpha female of a different pack. Somewhat pleased that her new pack members are more "modern" than her previous one and while settling herself into her new role, Elise suddenly finds herself involved in a deadly plot that begins to drag her down a dangerous road. Can she put her trust in Kane and stand up for herself as the new alpha female or will the darkness drag her under?

I quickly became absorbed in this story! It was written in such a way that it was a joy to read and hard to put down. Elise was very straightforward and easy like as a character because she displayed a nice balance between naivety and curiosity. Kane was also very likeable since he came off as macho but in a good (I'm charming and considerate) way that is just so yummy in male leads. Their budding relationship was very prominent in the story and not overshadowed by the overall mystery of the tale, which can sometimes happen in a whodunit type of novel. Overall, great read that has me itching to check out the next books in the series. Also FREE nook eBooks on: Book #2 & Book #3.

Likes: Elise was very open minded about life and I think that made her more enjoyable throughout the story. Plus, the book had a lot of plot twists which were nice to unravel in the end.

Dislikes: As in any other shape-shifter society stories, there are always those "set" roles when it comes to pack members: the women are in the kitchen, the men out hunting, etc. -- all very evident in this tale but not overwhelmingly irritating.

Rating:

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Heartless by Gail Carriger

Heartless
(Parasol Protectorate Book #4)
by Gail Carriger

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Fantasy | Historic

Lady Alexia Maccon, soulless, is at it again, only this time the trouble is not her fault. When a mad ghost threatens the queen, Alexia is on the case, following a trail that leads her deep into her husband's past. Top that off with a sister who has joined the suffragette movement (shocking!), Madame Lefoux's latest mechanical invention, and a plague of zombie porcupines and Alexia barely has time to remember she happens to be eight months pregnant.

Will Alexia manage to determine who is trying to kill Queen Victoria before it is too late? Is it the vampires again or is there a traitor lurking about in wolf's clothing? And what, exactly, has taken up residence in Lord Akeldama's second best closet?

Through all of Lord Maccon's brooding manner, Professor Lyall's shocking revelations, Lord Akeldama's sweet talk, Felicity Loontwill's sisterly nagging, Madame Lefoux's odd experiments, and Mr. Rabiffano's (aka "Biffy") unsettling transformations, Alexia is about to pop due to the 'infant-inconvenience'. Plus, if she's is not using her "condition" to her advantage among her's husband's pack or having tea & sweets with her friend, Mrs. Ivy Tunstell, Alexia is out collecting spectral samples, investigating Kingair assassination attempts, and jaunting about on BUR business with her trusty "harmonic auditor resonance disruptor" (pg. 74) Yet, can this 'Alpha Female' handle a supernatural death treat thrown into the mix with all the daily chaos already going on in her life full of Westminster Hive and Woolsey Pack troubles?

Lady Alexia Maccon is at it again. . . being her usual nutty, obsessive, and constantly-on-the-go self but now eight months pregnant. She's back in London and spending lots of time with her yummy Alpha husband, something I sorely missed in the last couple of books. Expect lots of silly scientific references and proper Victorian-era mannerisms that really spice up Carriger's Protectorate's world as well as getting a glimpse of the newest member to the Woosley pack near the end of the book. Plus, many past characters make appearances throughout the tale and many past stories are revealed from more than one pivotal figure. Overall, good fun!

Likes: Alexia has really grown into her role as 'Alpha Female' in commanding the pack as well as being a loving wife to Connall, something that's sweet to see since witnessing her less-than-confident spinster self from Book #1

Dislikes: Ugh....Lord Akeldama PLEASE lay off some of those nick-name endearments, it's almost too sickeningly sweet!

Rating:

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Alison's Wonderland by Alison Tyler

Alison's Wonderland
(Anthology)
by Alison Tyler

Warning: NOT exactly YA appropriate

Genre: Erotica | Fantasy | Fairy Tale

Over the past fifteen years, Alison Tyler has curated some of the genre's most sizzling collections of erotic fiction, proving herself to be the ultimate naughty librarian. With Alison's Wonderland, she has compiled a treasury of naughty tales based on fable and fairy tale, myth and legend: some ubiquitous, some obscure—all of them delightfully dirty.

From a perverse prince to a vampire-esque Sleeping Beauty, the stars of these reimagined tales are—like the original protagonists—chafing at desire unfulfilled. From Cinderella to Sisyphus, mermaids to werewolves, this realm of fantasy is limitless and so very satisfying.

Happily-ever-after never seemed so HOT. With over twenty short reads that add some spicy details to well known fairy tales, Alison's Wonderland, is a real treat. It's defiantly a juicy read where the characters hold nothing back and the passion is off the charts, so curl up with some steamy fables & enjoy!

I love fairy tales - give me! give me! - and this was truly a fun book that had me reading all Sunday afternoon. I'm not usually a fan of anthologies since I crave depth and character growth in a story, but these succulent tales had just the right about of heat that it was easy to overlook everything else. The numerous stories were quite easy to read, we're talking less than five-minutes to finish some, but others were a little longer and more involved. My favorites were Wolff's Tavern and Rings on my Fingers, but overall, be prepared for some dirty whispers & naughty acts.

Likes: I happily couldn't put the book down for a few hours after starting and finished later that day!

Dislikes: Some tales were better than others and those "other" tales were far & few between.

Rating:

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It Happend One Bite by Lydia Dare

It Happened One Bite
by Lydia Dare

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Historic

He's lost, trapped, doomed for all eternity...

Rich, titled, and undead, gentleman vampyre James Maitland, Lord Kettering, fears himself doomed to a cold and lonely existence-trapped for decades in an abandoned castle. Then, beautiful Scottish witch Blaire Lindsay arrives, and things begin to heat up considerably...

Unless he can persuade her to set him free...

Feisty Blaire Lindsay laughs off the local gossip surrounding her mother's ancestral home-stories of haunting cannot scare off this battle-born witch. But when she discovers the handsome prisoner in the bowels of the castle, Blaire has no idea that she has unleashed anything more than a man who sets her heart on fire...

With a mouth like a sailor and a stubborn personality as well, Blaire's brother Aiden doesn't think she'll be able to grab a husband unless she becomes more of a 'lady'. Upon accompanying her brothers to a newly inherited Scotland castle and temporarily leaving her witch coven behind, Blaire discovers some hidden secrets that changes her perceptive on her Mother's past and love. Spooky castles, dark vampires, and historical flashbacks makes Dare's new book a real treat.

It Happened One Bite was a refreshing read since Dare's characters are oddly realistic and yet charmingly headstrong. Since her characters are easy to like, the reader can quickly become absorbed in the mystery, adventure, and romance going on between Blaire and James. Lots of enjoyable side characters enhance the stories depth and the love scenes are just the right amount of steam/heat without overdoing it. For me, James may not be the most dashing male lead out of Dare's supernatural series, but he does have his charms and is very jovial. Blaire begins the story with a bang since she's very out-going and isn't afraid to speak her mind. No matter how much her brother's reprimand her for her daring behavior, it's very apparent they depend on her a lot; but near the end of the book, Blaire's fire-cracker personality fizzles down somewhat, which was nice since she can come off as a little too-much at times. All in all, this was a fun read and I cannot wait to check out In the Heat of the Bite next, followed by Never Been Bit in September.

Likes: The younger brother Brannock wasn't really needed to complete the tale, but his personality added some comical entertainment.

Dislikes: The big bad villains in the story were kind of wimps overall.

Rating:

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Tall, Dark and Wolfish by Lydia Dare

Tall, Dark and Wolfish
(The Westfield Wolves Book #2)
by Lydia Dare

Genre: Historic | Paranormal Romance

He's lost the most important part of himself...

Lord Benjamin Westfield is a powerful werewolf-until one full moon when he doesn't change. His life now shattered, he rushes off to Scotland in search of the healer who can restore his inner beast, only to find she's not at all what he expected...

She would make him whole, if she could...

Young, beautiful witch Elspeth Campbell will do anything to help anyone who calls upon her healing arts. Then Lord Benjamin shows up, and she suddenly discovers she may need him even more than he needs her...

Ben has lost his wolf, literally . . . he cannot change when the moon is full anymore and he seeks out the only help he can find - a Scotland healer (aka witch). Elspeth's coven is having visions of her being hurt and torn away from Edinburgh by a wolf and on that very night meets a British Lord (aka werewolf). Instant chemistry between the two sparks a sweet love story that reveals discoveries for Ben's future (how to change back into a wolf before the next full moon) and hidden secrets from Elspeth's past (who exactly her Father was/is).

Elspeth was very enjoyable. She's emotionally strong, stubbornly loyal, confident in her powers, and adorably loves Ben. Her friends want to protect her at all costs and her town deeply depends on her healing powers, thus when she falls for the outsider - things begin to drastically change. She keeps a smart head on her shoulder throughout the story and doesn't let Ben boss her around. Oddly enough - Elspeth's coven detests Ben, even to the point of using their [witch] powers to distract him from her charms. Overall, the witches add much needed drama and humor to the tale, plus they open up the possibilities of future couples/matches for later in the series.

Ben was very demanding, but quite cute. He is desperate to change back into his old self - werewolf self that is. He panics when the moon no longer affects him as it did and seeks advice as to what to do; which leads him to Scotland. Expecting to find an old healer, Ben instead locates Elspeth, a much younger and attractive witch who claims to know of his kind - including being half werewolf herself. Being instantly smitten, Ben quickly warms to the idea of marriage between the two and soon finds himself living in her cottage eating blueberries in everything (since they're "ruled by the moon") and taking soaked baths in Magnolia flowers (since they're also "ruled by the moon") but happily enjoying their shared nights together while avoiding fireballs and rouge vines caused by her coven.

Sadly, this book didn't have as much intrigue (for me!) as the last books I read in the series did, but these characters definitely were the kinkiest by far. I enjoyed how confident the two were in their love for each other, but there was something else missing for me that I couldn't quite put my finger on. All in all, another great read that makes me want to re-read Book #3 to catch up with Ben and Elspeth again. I'll be taking a break from this series for a bit before reading Book #4 - The Taming of the Wolf

Likes: Yummy bedroom scenes that even had me blushing! Plus, the matching half-moon marks was really hot!

Dislikes: I think I was expecting a little bit more from the story coming off of Book #1 and felt the story could have had a little bit more plot intrigue since they both knew about each others secrets (ie. werewolf/witch) from the beginning and the discovery of the father at the end was almost too easy with really not much more conflict in between.

Rating:

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A Certain Wolfish Charm by Lydia Dare

A Certain Wolfish Charm

(The Westfield Wolves Book #1)

By Lydia Dare

Genre: Paranormal Romance | Historic

He gets crankier and crankier as the moon gets full . . . The rules of society can be beastly -- especially when you're a werewolf and it's that irritating time of the month. Simon Westfield, the Duke of Blackmoore, is rich, powerful, and sinfully handsome, and has spent his entire life creating scandal and mayhem. It doesn't help his wolfish temper at all that Miss Lily Rutledge seems not the least bit afraid of him, and in fact, may be as untameable as he is . . .

A women whose charms are stronger than the moon . . . When Lily Rutledge's beloved nephew's behavior becomes inexplicably wild, she turns to Simon, the boy's cousin and guardian, for help. But Simon's idea of assistance is far different from hers, and Lily finds herself ensconced in his house and engaged to the rouge. They both may have bitten off more than they can chew which each begins to discover the other's darkest secret . . .

Lily doesn't know where to turn when her nephew, 12-year old Oliver, becomes a different boy in just over one month. His growth is startlingly, his manners are astoundingly rude, and he is no longer the young sweet boy she raised after his parents passing at the age of 5; thus, she seeks aid from Simon - Oliver's legal guardian. Simon, on the other hand, doesn't have a care in the world; he's a notorious rake whose sexy scandals are in the weekly gossip rages and because of that, Lily is able to track him down and force his hand in assisting with Oliver.

Life for Lily becomes a bit mingled quite quickly though when her reputation becomes ruined by staying alone in the Westfield home without a chaperon and any available men begin to greedily seek out her hand solely for her false dowry. Surprisingly enough, a marriage proposal is placed before her by none other than the Duke himself and there quick marriage causes even more of an uproar for the ton. Yet, Lily knows not all is as it seems within her marriage and some dark family secrets are being kept from her. She desperately wants to discover once and for all the truth behind Simon's (and she even suspects Oliver's) wild mannerisms during the full moon and their shared family birthmark.

I've been on a historic reading fix lately, but YUM, I forgot how much I enjoyed Book # 3 by Ms. Dare; so I'm happy I got back into the series with Book # 1. I'm notorious for reading series all out of order! Lily was a great female character lead and I liked her immensely. Simon grew on me throughout the book, but I felt he became unrealistically enamored with Lily too early on which did keep the story flowing well throughout. The overall "secret wolf" plot was intriguing and kept me turning the pages late into the night and the romance between the two was just right (steamy, but not over the top!). I cannot wait to start Book # 2 soon and even more excited that this series seems to keep growing and growing. More books to come out soon . . . yayy!

Likes: Lily was very down to earth and realistic in her actions, which made it easy to become absorbed in her dealings with the Westfield family and young Oliver.

Dislikes: Oliver's instant infatuation with Lily was hard to fully accept at times, but he was a very dotting and loving husband.

Rating:

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Raised by Wolves by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Raised by Wolves
(Raised by Wolves Book #1)
by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Genre: Young Adult | Paranormal Romance

Adopted by the Alpha of a werewolf pack after a rogue wolf brutally killed her parents right before her eyes, fifteen-year-old Bryn knows only pack life, and the rigid social hierarchy that controls it. That doesn't mean that she's averse to breaking a rule or two.

But when her curiosity gets the better of her and she discovers Chase, a new teen locked in a cage in her guardian's basement, and witnesses him turn into a wolf before her eyes, the horrific memories of her parents' murders return. Bryn becomes obsessed with getting her questions answered, and Chase is the only one who can provide the information she needs.

But in her drive to find the truth, will Bryn push too far beyond the constraints of the pack, forcing her to leave behind her friends, her family, and the identity that she's shaped?

Bryn doesn't exactly feel like she fits in at school as well as at home. She's part of the wolf pack, but many members won't even willingly accept her if not for the Alpha's protection. She's an orphan with a dark past and knows something is up since new laws have been put into place for her to get home at dusk and many more rules shes unwilling to follow. When a new discovery of pack secrets is revealed, Bryn must go against her "human" instincts and fully accept the pack lifestyle, accepting the good with the bad. Yet, can Bryn willingly change for the better when even more secrets from the past become known?

I thoroughly enjoyed the beginning of this tale, but the end kind of fizzled out for me. It was fresh, very intriguing, and written in a manner that was quite easy to follow, but the plot turns at the end had me wishing for something different. It's not that it wasn't a nice ending, just not as satisfying as I would have personally liked and it was a little sad. Bryn's relationship with the different characters was what interested me the most. She acted differently with everyone and that kept the story spicy and from becoming too slow to enjoy.

I would have liked a better conclusion (maybe even an epilogue?) to this story and perhaps I'm unaware of a series that will soon follow, but I felt many of the side characters had their tale unjustly cut short and I would have enjoyed to learn more about them and where they were headed. Oh, just found out : TRIAL BY FIRE (the Raised By Wolves sequel) okay, that makes my reading taste much happier to know there is more coming overall.

Likes: I enjoyed the concept behind the story and am excited to read more into that world in Book #2.

Dislikes: I want to know more about Bryn and her ability, much was left out and I know there is more of the story to come soon, but what was lacking had me scratching my head in confusion.

Rating:

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Dreams of a Dark Warrior by Kresley Cole

Dreams of a Dark Warrior
(Immortals After Dark #11)
by Kresley Cole

Genre : Paranormal Romance Dark Fantasy

He vowed he'd come for her - Murdered before he could wed Regin the Radiant, warlord Aidan the Fierce seeks his beloved through eternity, reborn again and again into new identities, yet with no memory of his past lives—only an endless yearning.

She awaits his return - When Regin encounters Declan Chase, a brutal Celtic soldier, she recognizes her proud warlord reincarnated. But Declan takes her captive, intending retribution against all immortals, unaware that he belongs to their world.

To sate a desire more powerful than death - Yet every reincarnation comes with a price, for Aidan is doomed to die when he remembers his past. To save herself from Declan's torments, will Regin rekindle memories of the passion they once shared—even if it means once again losing the only man she could ever love?

Regan is known to have a drug-like kiss and a reincarnated Berserker that becomes reawakened to their history together upon her affections. Now, that another 500 years has passed, the war between the immortals is heating up and many of the Lore are ending up prisoners within a facility for research. Soon Regan finds herself there under the study of Declan, the Magistrate, who also happens to be her long-ago mate. Since their latest relationship together is in the beginning stages, Declan knows nothing special about Regan except that she arouses passionate thoughts within him that weren't there before. Yet, after numerous brutal and torturous sessions together, can love actually bloom within two enemies?

Ugh, I am so ready for this "research facility" arc to be over. I'm not a fan! I didn't enjoy the last book in the series (sadly!) and I found this one wasn't that great either. I fear we have one more to go before something new comes along as well, boo! Regardless, I keep holding out for 'better' b/c I'm a lover of past books and characters and keep wishing we'll get a glimpse of them somewhere within the story, but overall . . . not liking the constant action packed feel to the plot, its difficult for me to get into any of the relationships, and its a struggle to even enjoy the male leads.

I find the books I really favor best within the IAD series focuses solely on the pair within the story, since they themselves must complete some journey TOGETHER, they ALONE must fight against the enemy/something broken within themselves, and just the two of them makes up a majority of the tale. Interestingly enough, KC has changed her writing style by mixing these newest couples into massive group settings. No longer does the reader get to enjoy the relationship growth between our two leading protagonists like before, but now there are many many others offering silly feedback in regards to the growing lust/love of the couple. . . that it bothers me. I want the focus to switch back to the reason I buy the book (Paranormal Romance between a COUPLE, not group) and not try to expand the Lore world too quickly by adding immense crowds and intense action power. Boring!

Also, I'm one of those women that does not enjoy a man in a uniform. Thus, I don't "get" Duncan's heavy military attire with combat boots and his desire for weaponry . . . nothing there excites me. And I need some true redemption within my stories to give off a feeling of completion and Duncan didn't get far enough for my taste, therefore I couldn't find myself liking him as a character. Honestly, I wanted the original Berserker to come back in full force, but sadly that wasn't the case. I feel Regan deserved better! Plus, there was so much going on within the story that by the time the relationship between the two heated up near the end, I was so over the book that I just wanted to skip it. There was no fun romantic build up for me and Dreams of a Dark Warrior came off a lacking when I finished. I totally rolled me eyes at the Epilogue!

All in all, I find I'm extra hard on this book because I love the IAD series and I truly expected a lot from the story. Yes, I may have some favorite Lore stories that other readers don't favor as much and I understand some readers highly enjoy these 'research facility' books as being some of the best within the series, nonetheless, I'm so ready for something NEW to spice up this series for me again . . . otherwise I might get burned too many times and just turn away.

Likes: I did enjoy the flashbacks to the other Berserker's reincarnated selves, maybe since they WEREN'T Duncan.

Dislikes: Way too action packed for my taste and I'm almost dreading the Lore Accession from coming since it'll be mostly full on 'battle mode' then on out.

Rating:

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Red Riding Hood by Blakley-Cartwright/Johnson

Red Riding Hood
by Blakley-Cartwright/Johnson

Genre: Young Adult Paranormal Romance Mystery Historic

The blacksmith would marry her.
The woodcutter would run away with her.
The werewolf would turn her into one of its own.

Valerie's sister was beautiful, kind, and sweet. Now she is dead. Henry, the handsome son of the blacksmith, tried to console Valerie, but her heart beats fast for another: the outcast woodcutter, Peter, who offers Valerie's another life far from home. After her sister's violent death, Valerie's world begins to spiral out of control. For generations, the Wolf has been kept at bay with a monthly sacrifice. But now no one is safe. When an expert Wolf hunter arrives, the villagers learn that the creature lives among them -- it could be anyone in town. It soon becomes clear that Valerie is the only one who can hear the voice of the creature. The Wolf says she must surrender herself before the blood moon wanes . . . or everyone she loves will die.

The body of a young girl is discovered in a field of wheat. Her flesh mutilated by telltale claw marks. The Wolf has broken the peace. When Valerie learns that her sister has been killed by the legendary creature, she finds herself at the center of a dark mystery, one that has plagued her village for generations. It is revealed that the werewolf lives among them, and everyone in the village immediately becomes a suspect. Could her secret love Peter be behind the attacks on her town? Is it her betrothed, Henry? Or someone even closer to her? As the men in the village hunt for the beast, Valerie turns to her grandmother for help. She gives Valerie a handmade red riding cloak, and guides her through the web of lies and deception that has held her town together for so long. Will Valerie discover the werewolf's identity before the town is ripped apart?

Valerie wants more than her small village can give her. She wants to see the world, experience more in life, and make her own decisions. Yet, no-one escapes her cursed village and since before she can remember, the villagers offer monthly sacrifices to the wolf that stalks the wood at night. [ "Walking past the sacrificial altar today, Valerie hadn't even noticed the pile of bones left over from the previous night's offering. Like all the other children in the village, she'd seen it once a month all her life and stopped thinking about what it meant." pg. 19 ] Yet, upon her sisters brutal murder, Valerie can no longer pretend life is bearable and a new evil (even darker than the wolf) descends upon her home. Dealing with her grief-stricken Mother, alcoholic Father, heroic Fiancee, childhood Crush can all be trying at times, but now being accused of as a Witch for communicating with the killer Wolf; Valerie must face this darkness head-on and choose where exactly her future leads.

I'm a sucker for fairy tales, thus on my first 2011 visit to Borders to use my Christmas gift card (yayy!), I picked up Red Riding Hood. I've seen the trailor for the movie coming out in March(which looks so-so), but wanted to get an early fix on this Gothic re-telling. It's a great mystery since it keeps you guessing (and re-guessing!) throughout the whole story. Her relationship with Peter can be almost sickeningly sweet at times and you feel bad for Henry's constant rejection, but I think I enjoyed his character development the most. Its heart wrenching to see Valerie's grief over losing her beloved sister Lucie and to bear witness to her dark inner feelings/thoughts toward her parents, friends, etc. can border on awkwardly personal at times. Yet, Valerie came off as being a very grounded girl dealing with extraordinary (and sometimes quite gruesome!) things. The ending of the tale is a bit abrupt, not something I like since it does leave everything on a cliff-hanger in which you have to go HERE for the final chapter. :) So, I'm still waiting to see what happens myself . . .

Likes: The historical village background and the traditions of all the people that live there fascinated me!

Dislikes: I wish the story would have gone a little deeper into Valerie & Peter's background as children so it would be easier to see her obsession with him now.

Rating:

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