Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: Blood Rose by Riley Shane


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I always look forward to Riley Shane's new books, but this one in particular captured my interest. I love paranormal romance, particularly when the books have dark characters.

Blood Rose Cover Title: Blood Rose
Series: Realm of Nine, Book 1
Author: Riley Shane
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Loose Id
Release Date: November 29, 2011

Book Description (from Riley Shane's website):

To save his people, a half-mad prince must enlist the aid of a woman who has no reason to help him...and who he has every reason to desire.

At sixteen, Rose Carrison lost both her parents and her freedom. Since her father’s death, Rose has had to pick up the mantle of her family’s legacy and guard an object of incredible power, one the monsters who murdered her parents would kill to get their hands on. After ten years on the run, Rose’s luck finally runs out. A fate worse than death threatens to consume her. Then, out of the darkness, comes the most unlikely of rescuers...

Grayson van Court is a man skating on the edge of damnation. He’s a revenant: a powerful, blood-drinking, returned-from-the-dead, magical creature that no other magical species wants anything to do with. For centuries, Gray has bargained and fought for the revenants’ right to survive, but his efforts are hampered by his sociopathic mother and the madness that permeates his own soul. When Gray rescues Rose from his mother’s machinations, his intention is only to stop the attacks against his people that would surely come if Rose were harmed. But then he sees her, and everything changes. Two people who should never have met soon find themselves fighting side by side for the chance at a love that could prove to be their salvation.

Monday, November 21, 2011

Teaser Tuesday

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

- Grab your current read
- Open to a random page
- Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
- BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
- Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!


Here's my teaser for this week:
"Enjoying the tension that had leapt into the air, Margo let it hum. She sent Michael a quick wink before following Kate." - Finding the Dream by Nora Roberts, page 125

Friday, November 18, 2011

18 & Over Book Blogger Follow



18 & Over Book Blogger Follow is a weekly feature that begins on Fridays and runs through the weekend, hosted by Crystal from Reading Between the Wines and Kelly at Secrets of a Book Lover.

This is a Friday blog hop with the objective to find and visit other book blogs that share the same interest as you, namely books geared towards the 18 & over crowd, and make new friends!

What is one series that has topped your TBR list forever but has never made it off?
Jeaniene Frost's Night Huntress series. I've had Halfway to the Grave since it first came out, but I've never read it O_O

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Waiting on Wednesday: The Duke Is Mine by Eloisa James


Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine which spotlights eagerly anticipated upcoming releases!

I love fairytales and I've been a fan of Eloisa James for years. Put the two together and it's no mystery why I'm waiting on The Duke Is Mine ;)

The Duke Is Mine Cover Title: The Duke Is Mine
Author: Eloisa James
Genre: Historical Romance
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: December 27, 2011
Eloisa James Reading Order can be found here on Wit and Sin.

Book Description (from Eloisa James's website):

Tarquin, the powerful Duke of Sconce, knows perfectly well that the decorous and fashionably slender Georgiana Lytton will make him a proper duchess. So why can’t he stop thinking about her twin sister, the curvy, headstrong, and altogether unconventional Olivia? Not only is Olivia betrothed to another man, but their improper, albeit intoxicating, flirtation makes her unsuitability all the more clear.

Determined to make a perfect match, he methodically cuts Olivia from his thoughts, allowing logic and duty to triumph over passion…Until, in his darkest hour, Tarquin begins to question whether perfection has anything to do with love.

To win Olivia's hand he would have to give up all the beliefs he holds most dear, and surrender heart, body and soul…

Unless it’s already too late.

Thursday, November 10, 2011

Thursday in Review

It’s update time again :)

Below are the newest reviews I’ve written here, on Joyfully Reviewed, and on Romance Junkies. The master list and categorical lists on the right-hand side are updated as well.

Reviews for upcoming releases:
- To Wed a Wild Lord (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Book 4) by Sabrina Jeffries (available 11/22/11)
- Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, Book 2) by Larissa Ione (available 11/22/11)
- Stark Naked by Desiree Holt (available 12/13/11)

All other new reviews:
- Baby It’s Cold Outside (Alaskan Nights, Book 1) by Addison Fox
- Best Man, Worst Man by Stacy Gail
- Taken by Passion (Wonderland, Book 1) by Jaymie Holland
- Wight Mischief by J.L. Merrow

Upcoming reviews:
- Hitched (Faerily Imperfect, Book 5) by Mia Watts and Katie Blu
- Kissing Sherlock Holmes by T.D. McKinney and Terry Wylis
- Through Traitor’s Gate by Melinda Barron
- A Novel Seduction by Gwyn Cready
- Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos
- A Beginner’s Guide to Rakes by Suzanne Enoch
- Prior Sins by DJ Gross
- Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
- Bachelor Number Four by Megan Hart
- Vengeance Paid With Blood (Drone Vampire Chronicles, Book 13) by Stephani Hecht
- The Duke is Mine (Happily Ever Afters, Book 3) by Eloisa James
- An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson
- Princess Charming by Nicole Jordan
- Take Me Home Tonight (Welcome to Paradise, Book 2) by Elle Kennedy
- If You Give a Girl a Viscount (Impossible Bachelors, Book 4) by Kieran Kramer
- Because of You by Cathy Maxwell
- Slow Ride (Fast Track, Book 5) by Erin McCarthy
- Blue Moon by Mackenzie McKade
- Far Too Human by Anitra Lynn McLeod
- Bad Boyfriend (Bad in Baltimore, Book 2) by K.A. Mitchell
- Blood Persuasion (Immortal Jane Austen, Book 2) by Janet Mullany
- Mark of the Rose (Tudor Vampire Chronicles, Book 3) by Kate Pearce
- Raw Desire by Kate Pearce
- No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells (Mystic Café Series, Book 1) by Rose Pressey
- Hot as Hades by Alisha Rai
- Celebrity in Death (In Death, Book 34) by J.D. Robb
- Christmas in Lucky Harbor by Jill Shalvis
- A Little Wild by Kate St. James
- Primal Law (Alpha Pack, Book 1) by J.D. Tyler
- Scrumptious by Amanda Usen
- The Closer You Get by L.A. Witt

Monday, October 31, 2011

Review: Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione

Immortal Rider by Larissa Ione
Series: Lords of Deliverance, Book 2
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Genre: Paranormal Romance Immortal Rider Cover
Release Date: November 22, 2011
ISBN: 9780446574471
Buy it here: Amazon | B&N
Larissa Ione reading order: here

Born to a succubus mother and an angel father, Limos was raised among her mother’s kind and trained to be the ultimate traitor. But after living in the human realm for thousands of years, Limos is a different kind of person than she was in the demon realm. Now, as the third Horseman of the Apocalypse – the one who will become Famine should her Seal break – Limos fights her destiny. Yet there’s one thing Limos can’t seem to outrun: her past. It’s back to haunt her with a vengeance and it’ll destroy anyone that will try to keep her from harm.

Human warrior Arik Wagner has had plenty of dealings with the paranormal. But nothing could prepare him for Limos. The beautiful immortal tempts Arik like no other woman has and at a party he gives into his desire for her and steals a kiss. Little does he know that Limos has a secret that will damn Arik to the tortures of Hell. It seems that Limos has a fiancé – Satan himself. And the devil doesn’t like anyone touching his bride.

Limos will risk anything to rescue Arik, but with Satan’s minions and her eldest brother working against her, the cost of saving Arik may be higher than she could ever pay. And once Arik finds his way back to the human realm, both he and Limos find that the hellish torture he went through was only the beginning of their problems. The Apocalypse is nigh and Arik’s quest to free Limos of her hellish fiancé could be the very thing that tips the scales in favor of evil.

I didn’t think I could love the Lords of Deliverance series more, but Larissa Ione has proved me wrong! Immortal Rider is even better than its stellar predecessor, Eternal Rider. Who can resist rip-roaring action, forbidden passion, and an imaginative storyline? Not me, that’s for sure.

Arik is a human warrior working for the Aegis, an organization that protects the world from evil. One of Arik’s most attractive qualities is his personal code of honor, which goes all the way down to his core. There is nothing he won’t sacrifice to save others and Ms. Ione manages to make this compelling trait sing rather than be dragged down into the realm of martyrdom. As for Limos…man, do I have a new favorite heroine! I love, love, love the mix of strength and vulnerability in her; the natural blend of hardened, ruthless warrior and romantic girly girl. For all that she’s attracted to lies and deception, Limos is one of the most refreshingly “real” heroines I’ve read in a long time. She’s everything I love in a paranormal romance heroine and I applaud Ms. Ione for making the many different aspects of her character come together flawlessly.

As a couple, Arik and Limos work together. Really work. The sexual tension in Immortal Rider is insanely hot, but it’s the emotional heart of this pair that resonates with me. I hated it every time I had to put Immortal Rider down because I wanted to see Limos and Arik get the happily ever after they so richly deserved.

Even if you took out the romance aspects of the story, Immortal Rider would shine. Ms. Ione has placed her characters in a no-holds-barred fight against evil. And evil isn’t just some guy in a black hat. No, Ms. Ione is definitely not afraid to go dark and twisted and I absolutely love that. Ms. Ione gives the Lords of the Deliverance series such depth with the way she writes good, evil, and everything in between. I could wax poetic about the many shades of gray in her characters, but that would ruin the joy of discovery for readers.

Immortal Rider is the second book in the Lords of Deliverance series and though Ms. Ione provides enough information for readers new to the series to follow along, the book probably loses a touch of its impact if read as a standalone. Readers who have read Eternal Rider already will find their reading of Immortal Rider enriched, but be warned: once you finish Immortal Rider you will probably be dying to read book three, Lethal Rider. Indeed, the only bad part of my Immortal Rider reading experience was when I realized that I now have to wait for Thanatos’s book to be released. Given what happens in Immortal Rider, the wait for Lethal Rider is going to be painfully long for this particular overeager reader.

Immortal Rider is an incredible, engaging book that takes readers on a journey like no other. Fans of paranormal romance should not miss out on reading the Lords of Deliverance series! With her gift for creating captivating characters, developing unique worlds, and bringing the nuances of good and evil to life, Larissa Ione is an author whose work I will be reading and re-reading for years to come.

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Thursday in Review

It’s update time again :)

Below are the newest reviews I’ve written here, on Joyfully Reviewed, and on Romance Junkies. The master list and categorical lists on the right-hand side are updated as well.

Reviews for upcoming releases:
- What the Mistress Did by Anya Delvay (available 10/25/11)
- Claimed by Pleasure (Wonderland, Book 2) by Jaymie Holland (available 10/25/11)
- Lord of the Abyss (Royal House of Shadows, Book 4) by Nalini Singh (available 11/15/11)
- Spells & Stitches (Sugar Maple, Book 4) by Barbara Bretton (available 12/6/11)


All other new reviews:
- Eternal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, Book 1) by Larissa Ione
- His Wicked Revenge by Vanessa Kelly
- Retribution (Dark-Hunters, Book 30) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
- Rock ‘N’ Roll is Undead (Veronica Mason, Book 1) by Rose Pressey
- Destined Mate by Katie Reus
- Nuriel’s Cougar (Queens of Merab 2, Book 2) by Violet Summers


Upcoming reviews:
- Hitched (Faerily Imperfect, Book 5) by Mia Watts and Katie Blu
- Kissing Sherlock Holmes by T.D. McKinney and Terry Wylis
- A Novel Seduction by Gwyn Cready
- Definitely Not Mr. Darcy by Karen Doornebos
- Baby It’s Cold Outside (Alaskan Nights, Book 1) by Addison Fox (Coming November 1st)
- Best Man, Worst Man by Stacy Gail
- Prior Sins by DJ Gross
- Dearly, Departed by Lia Habel
- Bachelor Number Four by Megan Hart
- Vengeance Paid With Blood (Drone Vampire Chronicles, Book 13) by Stephani Hecht
- Taken by Passion (Wonderland, Book 1) by Jaymie Holland (Coming November 1st)
- Stark Naked by Desiree Holt
- Immortal Rider (Lords of Deliverance, Book 2) by Larissa Ione
- To Wed a Wild Lord (Hellions of Halstead Hall, Book 4) by Sabrina Jeffries (Coming November 1st)
- An Unexpected Gentleman by Alissa Johnson
- Slow Ride (Fast Track, Book 5) by Erin McCarthy
- Blue Moon by Mackenzie McKade
- Far Too Human by Anitra Lynn McLeod
- Wight Mischief by J.L. Merrow
- Bad Boyfriend (Bad in Baltimore, Book 2) by K.A. Mitchell
- Mark of the Rose (Tudor Vampire Chronicles, Book 3) by Kate Pearce
- Raw Desire by Kate Pearce
- No Shoes, No Shirt, No Spells (Mystic Café Series, Book 1) by Rose Pressey
- Hot as Hades by Alisha Rai
- Celebrity in Death (In Death, Book 34) by J.D. Robb
- A Little Wild by Kate St. James
- Primal Law (Alpha Pack, Book 1) by J.D. Tyler
- Scrumptious by Amanda Usen
- The Closer You Get by L.A. Witt