Author Archives: karenjvjohnson

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French Quarter

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9627179

French Quarter (Hot in the City #1)

 
My rating : 5 of 5 stars
I was so surprised by this, in a pleasant way. The story moves very quickly, almost to quickly from introduction to action though I am not complaining. I liked that it was moving at break neck speed but still managing to give story with enough tension to keep you engaged. I liked the characters from the beginning was very happy to follow them on their journey of discovery about themselves. The characters each have distinctive personalities that you can relate to either negatively or positively which allows for being pulled into their plight. I love the setting of New Orleans, though I have never been there reading this made me want to visit even more. However, I am sure it is nothing like it was characterized here, as much fun as it would be if it were.

Liz Marsh is a recent transplant to New Orleans, she moved there with her fiancé from Maryland when he was transferred for his job. Liz was always an obedient child who grew into an obedient woman, always doing as she was told. After 6 months Todd, the fiancé starts to stay out late every night and Liz believes he is having an affair and decides to find out for certain what is going on.

Jack Wade is a private eye who works and lives in the French Quarter, he is Cajun and one good-looking man. When Liz walks into his office and asks him to find out what her fiancé is up to he initially turns her down because he no longer takes cases like that. But after a little persuasion and flirtation he takes on the case and finds out what she wants to know very quickly.

For Liz it is a moment of liberation and for Jack the start of something he could never have expected. What started as a job for one and a search for truth of the other turns into a sexual odyssey that neither could have expected when she walked through his door. But when that second door opens you need to make sure that the first one has been closed because otherwise things can go dark when you least expect it.

After reading this I cannot wait to read about the other Marsh sisters. If the decadence and hedonism are even half of what has been seen here, then sign me up for a move to the Big Easy!

 
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Tristan’s Lyceum Wolves

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Tristan's Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans #3)

Tristan’s Lyceum Wolves (Immortals of New Orleans #3)

My rating 5 of 5 stars
Once again a story I could fall into and enjoy without any major distraction other than my own stops to absorb here and there. The characters are as vivid as ever and makes knowing them a pleasant prospect in every book. They have rich and varied lives that could fit in anywhere and with any other people. I can follow and know that where it takes me will always be vastly interesting even with the violence which comes in their world.

Tristan is like any other man wolf or not. He values his freedom and thinks that settling down with one woman will take that from him, he does not give any thought to the fact that a woman might feel the same way. That is what it means to be Alpha, to be adored and obeyed, but not to always look at all sides of things. He and his Beta, Logan, have shared everything for years like their attitudes about finding a mate and on many occasions women.

Tristan wants to find out who fire-bombed his club and is trying to start a territory war. There are a lot of possibilities but he will need to narrow them down and he has only one clue which might help him with that. After getting a new club up and running within a week he hopes that he can now concentrate on that. He is given a lead that does not seem to be going anywhere at first but leads him to more than just the arsonists, but to his true mate as well.

Violence, sex, revenge, abuse, jealousy, betrayal stand right along side loyalty, love, and forgiveness. This is a great installment and I am in love with Tristan and Logan both. If I had to have an Alpha I would take Tristan any day of the week, he is strong and powerful yet tender and sweet. As a second no one can compare to Logan who loves his Alpha and would do anything to protect him. These characters speak to me and make my days a little less dreary when I am immersed in their world.

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Pursued

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Pursued (Brides of the Kindred, #6)

Pursued (Brides of the Kindred #6)

My rating 5 of 5 stars
I love this series and will continue to read it as long as books keep coming out. This entry is no different from the previous ones in that it has multiple stories going on at the same time. The main story of Merrick and Elise, hints of what will happen with Lissa and Saber, and our newest bad guy Draven, not to mention what is happening on the ship. For me each story just gets better and better and the characters I have come to love keep doing the same. The stories are fast paced and keep you wondering so that you can’t help but keep reading. Once I started it was hard for me to put it down because who knew what I might have to wait to find out. The characters are well fleshed out and make you want to know more about them not only their present but their past The themes here might be a little hard for some to take, but they are handles in a way that is both sympathetic and understanding.

Merrick and Elise have formed a bad soul bond and must have it dissolved or they both will die. In order to do that they must go to Rageron, the Beast Kindred home-world and into the Deep Blue for a plant that will aid them. These are two wounded people who have found each other but cannot accept what has been given to them without fighting it tooth and nail, even while wanting nothing more than to submit. They leave the safety of the mothership not knowing that out in the black someone is looking for them, and his intentions are less than honorable.

This was one where I cried or at least misted up a great deal. Elise brought out a lot emotion because she was a strong woman, a survivor who knew she was not living a full life but was willing to give it up in order to remain sane. Merrick was also a survivor who had always felt like an outsider but found someone who he was willing to die for and it made him more noble. All that said, this was a little less hot than previous entries but still brought the heat. This was a fun, sad, heroic, disturbing bit of a read. I enjoyed every minute of it and will be moving on because this story and others are not over yet.

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Revealed

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Revealed (Brides of the Kindred, #5)

Revealed (Brides of the Kindred #5)

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a nice entry because Nadiah is the first alien that we see get bonded.
I am so drawn to these books because of the great sex scenes but also because I like the characters and would want to be friends with them all.

Another great entry in the Brides of the Kindred series. As usual we start from a point not to far removed from the end of the previous book. We have multiple POV and multiple stories going on which are directly related to what is happening. The stories have a natural progression and always seem to bring just a little bit of something new each time. While we get to know new characters, we still have the pleasure of keeping up with those we have come to like from previous books. Each time you visit a new world you can see the differences that have been woven through it but also the similarities to our own. Things are starting to become even darker than they have before and that can bring a whole new element to the story.

Nadiah is from Tranq Prime, home world of the Blood Kindred, she came to the Mothership to attend the bonding ceremony of her cousin Sylvan and Sophie. But she came for more than that, she was also running from a bonding which her parents had arranged when she was only six years old. While on the ship she met a human male named Adam Rast and felt drawn to him thinking he was Kindred. Nadiah is being pulled back to Tranq Prime by her blood bond to Y’dex a cruel and abusive male who wants nothing more than to dominate and humiliate those around him. If she can find a champion to challenge the bond, then she can be free, otherwise she is doomed to a life of misery. And it seems that she has as Adam Rast steps up to do just that though he has no real chance of winning being human.

While we have met the usual types of Kindred- beast, blood, and twin there are more out there and we get to find out about some of the more exotic varieties. There is a hybrid by the name of Merrick who is part beast kindred and blood kindred and also a friend of Sylvan. Here is a bit of his story and what we can look forward to in the next installment.

These books are an interesting mix of science fiction, romance, erotica, mystery, and battles. I think everyone should give them a read. I have laughed, cried, hated, loved, and lusted through every book. There is nothing better than a hot man in a spaceship!

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The Trials

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The Trials

The Trials (The Elite #2)

I have fallen in love with this series and this is only the second book! From the start I was ready to follow this story anywhere it wanted to take me, it had me at the first sentence. The characters are so well defined they seem like friends who decided to drop by and relate a new adventure. The language is straight forward and appropriate for the place and type of people they are. There is nothing slow about anything which happens, we keep moving from action to action with time for reflection that does not even slow down the pace. This was a perfect blend of action and introspection that allowed you to know the character and get behind or against them through their thoughts and deeds.

Connor Moore has been changed forever, he now officially belongs within the world of the Elites, but must still prove himself to be the Judge of the prophesy who will save his race and humankind from a darkness coming to claim them. To do this he must endure The Trials, which have not been used in over a thousand years but is the only way to garner support for a half-blood. When he accepts to undertake them he finds that he is told that he must pass the three trials which will test him mind, body, and spirit. Being eighteen is hard enough but to take on the role of savior is more than any teenager should have to do. The question is if he can do it before the darkness overtakes them. And to add to his burden he has not one but two girls who want to know where they stand in his life. That may have to wait until they see if they survive.

This is a smart, witty, action packed series that has eye candy throughout (great imagination from great descriptions) that anyone would enjoy. I have found characters that I can relate to and cry for or laugh about or hate and that is what good writing does, it draws you in and makes you care one way or the other. That is what I have here. It may not be for everyone but I would think if given a try it would do the same for anyone. And I for one cannot wait for the next installment, cliff hangers always make me anxious and I want to know what happens!

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Magic Possessed

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Magic Possessed (The Hidden, #2)

Magic Possessed (The Hidden #2)

I received this book from Goodreads First Reads for free.

I totally loved this book and would give it 4.5 stars because it grabbed me and kept me engrossed until the end. I will definitely be reading the first book in the series and following up with the rest. The characters are so well written that I came to really care about them and what they were going through. Of course some were filled out better than others but the main ones and most of the side characters made this worth while. The world they inhabit is like ours but just different enough to make it interesting.

With a number of mythical characters, chief among them dragons, sorcerers, and caidos (descendants of fallen angels). These people came from a place called Luciferia, a place that no longer exists except as the Bermuda Triangle we know today. When their home is destroyed they head to Florida and make a home for themselves there among the back roads and small communities. While they do not always get along they have managed to create a place they can live and thrive until someone decides that things are going to well and starts to shake the hornet’s nest.

Violet Castanega and her family are Dragon shifters and a bit of a rowdy bunch, along with most of her neighbors. She was a brawler when she was younger but has grown into a responsible woman and then the murders start. I liked Violet because she was a strong woman who was not afraid to do whatever was needed to protect her family and those around her. She was also able to trust when she had no reason to.

Kade Kavanaugh is a Deuce (sorcerer) and he works for the Guard, they are a police force for the supernatural folks in the area. They do not have any love for the dragons who they see as completely uncivilized and therefore are unconcerned when dragon bodies start dropping. That is until Violet shows up and he is ordered to assassinate her with no explanation or proof of wrong doing. Kade is an honorable guy who would never do anything he felt was wrong, and you have to love him for it.

This was a fun and emotional ride with mystery, hot sex, conspiracies, murder, revenge, and above all Love. I laughed, cried, yelled, and thoroughly enjoyed myself! If you want something that will take you away and entertain you, then you have got to read this. You will be missing out if you don’t give it a look.

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The Beast Within

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The Beast Within

The Beast Within (The Elite #1)

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a great and exciting book! I was pulled into the story immediately and could not put it down. You may go in thinking you are about to read another vampire/werewolf story but you get so much more than that. The characters are well-defined and real, they have personalities which will make you run the gambit of emotions when you read about them. The plot starts with a kick and makes you want to keep going from chapter to chapter in order to see what will happen next.

Connor Moore is your average eighteen year old, he’s graduated from high school and lost his girlfriend of the last two years when she breaks up with him. His world is one of working for his mother, working out, and trying to figure out how to tell her he is not going away to college but staying close by, just your normal everyday things. But when he meets Laren Abelardus in the woods one day after a run things start to change for him, both for the better and the worse. Connor is drawn into a world that has been hidden but living alongside humans for generations, a world of human like creatures who live among us but do not interact with humanity on a daily basis.

Connor finds that what he always thought to be true about the world and himself is a far cry from where the truth lies. People he has known for years are not who they appear to be. He is not who he thought he was and things he has always held to be true are not.

If I say anything more I will likely give away to much and I wouldn’t want to do that. There is action packed moments, villains, heroes, sorcery, shifters, and betrayal. There is not a lot of teen angst, which I am happy for. If you like YA or even if you only read it on occasion you should give this a try. It is well worth the time.

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Untamed Magick

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Untamed Magick (Pentacles of Magick, #1)

Untamed Magick (Pentacles of Magick #1)

For me this was 4.5 stars because while it was very good, it did not reach that higher limit, though not by much. Having never read this author before I was pleasantly surprised that it was as good as I had hoped. This was a very quick and enjoyable read that caught my attention from the first page. I found the characters to be interesting and able to elicit emotion for their plight even while making this very hot. The way they interacted with each other was perfect for what was going on in their world, though there should have been more conflict. Once I started, I could not put it down and read it right through the night.

Anger,greed, and lust, all luring them to the evil potential of their magick.

The Scott family has lived under a curse/prophesy for centuries which tells of the destruction of the entire family. Two sets of twins each holding a magick which could corrupt and kill them all, they can never stay together for any extended period of time. It is said that a woman will be their eventual downfall and every man is wary any new woman coming into their lives.

Graelen Scott is rich, handsome, and a witch, he hides in his house wondering if he will ever be able to save himself and his brothers from the prophesy. Every day he fights the pull of the dark magick within him and he can feel himself weakening. Rena Gallagher is a researcher and historian at the Museum of Art History in San Diego, she also happens to be an empath. Rena has come into possession of Tarot cards which have been in the Scott family for generations and has come to Graelen to get answers she cannot find on her own, what she does not know is that they were stolen. Though she may hold his destruction Graelen is instantly drawn to Rena and she to him, and maybe the prophesy was wrong and she can be his salvation.

This book contains untamed desire, untamed rage, and of course untamed magick. Loved it and will be going on in this series.

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How To Break A Cowboy

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How To Break A Cowboy (Savage Tales, #1)

How To Break A Cowboy (Savage Tales #1)

My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars
I liked this and at the same time I did not like it . Confusing I know but there were just things that bugged me about how it was laid out. I liked the concept of the cowboys, particularly since we got to come out of Texas for them, but I would still have liked more about my surroundings. It moved along fairly well and the scenes between the characters were nicely done but the story was lacking. More to the point there was no complete story to enjoy.

Tessa Savage has a job which takes her all over the world, she enjoys her job and the fringe benefits of not being tied to one location. When she has a free weekend she decides to go visit her two favorite cowboys at the Lazy L Guest Ranch. Wade Messing and Connor O’Reilly have been together for six years and have a very fulfilling relationship with Tessa. When she arrives she knows that something is not right but since Wade says things are fine, she goes along.

Wade and Connor have added another hand to the ranch, one who makes Wade, a control freak lose control when he is around. Dallas is young and good-looking and Wade is pushing Connor into his arms because he cannot handle the feelings he has. When Tessa realizes what is happening she decides that they have to remedy the situation and decide that if you can break a horse how hard can it be to break a cowboy.

I liked the guys immediately, except maybe for Dallas, it took a while to warm up to him. They all sounded yummy and just what you would visualize a cowboy being. I never really warmed up to Tessa, she seemed a bit self-absorbed, even if she was willing to help, it was still about her pleasure in the end.

Like I have said I was a bit ambivalent about this but may give another one a try at a later date. This contains MM, a three-way, and a foursome, so be warned.

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Bump In The Night

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Bump in the Night

Bump in the Night

My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a quick and fun read with a good mystery to solve. Nothing is better than a locked door mystery with multiple suspects all with good motives. The fact that so much information was able to be packed into such a short story is amazing. From the start I was pulled in and ready to try to solve the mystery before it got to the end. The number of characters is not large but definitely enough to make it more difficult.

Renni is a lawyer who made the mistake of sleeping with a co-worker and partner at her law firm. When Daniel shows up at 2am pounding on her door she lets him in to keep the peace with her neighbors. Though he is her ex she has a quickie and leaves him asleep on her couch, the next morning he’s dead and she has a problem. Who could have killed him? See if you can figure it out.

I have a total love of good locked door mysteries, well not just locked door. If you have a little time or are sitting and waiting somewhere this can be a great way to spend the time.