Me and My Ghoulfriends (Larue Donavan #1)
Tag Archives: romance
Cherry Pop
Cherry Pop (Vampire Cherry 0.5)
by Sotia Lazu
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I read a short story in an anthology which was good enough to make me want to read more about this character because it sounded like it would be fun. Well, it is still basically good but I think I am going to need to read more to see if it gets better. This was an introduction that was a bit slow and did not really give much of a background on any of the characters that were introduced. The language is fine and is descriptive enough to keep your interest for the most part. This is a novella length book but could have contained so much more.
Cherry is found by a woman who brings her to Los Angeles and places her in porn movies under the name Cherry Stem. She has been a bit player in a few movies but has now been offered a starring role and is very excited about her big break. In order to get her face out there she is sent to a party full of up and coming stars where she meets someone she cannot resist. Cherry wakes up the next morning not exactly herself and finds her life completely altered with no way back.
This is a different kind of vampire story with some old and new myth’s about how vampires interact with the human population as well as how they interact with each other. Cherry is a likable character who could be really fun if she is fleshed out more and given more of a personality. This is a nice diversion when you are in between reads.
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Wolf at the Door
Wolf at the Door (Shifter Town Enforcement Book 4)
by Sadie Hart
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I do love a good shifter story! I fell in love with the Shifter Town Enforcement from the first book that introduced them. The characters are always believable and draw you in with their personalities. There is also a nice balance between new and established characters, so that you always have someone that you are getting to know while you learn more about someone you have met before. The plots are always interesting even though you know that there is going to be a love match between two of the characters, usually someone you know from a previous book. The stories do pull you in though and that is the important thing. You cannot help but want to see that things work out for the best because there is likely a killer on the loose and he is not going to be easy to find
Timber Kearney is a wolf shifter who had the bad luck to come to the attention of a man who wanted more than anything to be turned. He takes Timber and for a full year tortures her and forces her her to bear witness as he murders other young she wolves. When she finally escapes all she wants is to help others and forget what was done to her, if only her subconscious would cooperate.
Brandt Lawrence worked on the Wolfman case all those years ago and he was never caught. Brandt knew that they were looking for a human who tried to kill like a wolf but that did not make it any easier. Now the killings have started again, even though he is in a new state, and he is sure it is the same man but he is now a real wolf. This time he has someone who has first hand knowledge and a name of the killer, but can he keep her safe long enough to capture a man/wolf who seems always to be one step ahead of them.
This was a really good entry with a killer who was a worthy adversary for Brandt. I can only hope that we will get more in the future because there are some great twists and turns within each story. They also feature some truly strong women who go through hell but always manage to pull themselves through whatever has been thrown at them. I like these for that in particular, even though they have low spots, the women never really give up. This is a fun series with some seriously hot moments which do not take away from the serious business going on around them. Well worth a try!
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4 stars No Review
Each book has a hot story with great characters who are very human. You have demons, vampires, and just plain people in situations they would not have chosen for themselves in most cases. I really liked each of these and even though I did not recommend them at the time I cannot see why anyone should miss out on them. This is escapism at its hottest with a real story behind it. Enjoy!
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Enraptured
Enraptured (Vampire Awakenings #4)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I am so in love with this series! I love the characters who continue to grow and make me care for them and what is happening in their corner of the world. I was pulled into this story pretty fast and did not want to stop reading until the end because something was always happening to pull me along. Even though they are vampires they are more human than some that they come in contact with. The new characters are always fully fleshed out with a background that makes sense for their interaction with our mains. The language of each character is right for them and does not cause a drag on the overall story. Everything flows very well and the story moves forward at a pace that builds the tension and gives you a chance to follow and figure things out for yourself.
Ian reached maturity 11 months ago and has seen his sexual appetites go off the charts. He only has a few more months until graduation and then he will not see a lot of his college friends again since he has stopped aging, and will have to devise a new way to find women to bring to his bed. While his older sister and brother have found their mates, he does not think he will be doing so for a while and so must simply endure.
Paige has had a hard life after being attacked by a vampire and left for dead. She has aligned herself with the hunters because they have promised to help her track the vampire who scarred her. But as luck would have it she finds him and is not prepared but is lucky enough to be at the bar frequented by Ian who finds her being drained and rescues her, with no sign of her backup.
Paige wakes up and finds herself in a house filled with vampires, whom she believes to be nothing more than monsters. Here is where things get crazy for both as they try to find trust and safety for each other and family.
Another great entry and I am already jonesing for the next one. I want Aiden to hit his maturity next but it can be about one of the new guys we have met or even one of the Stooges (that would be a hoot). I enjoy the fact that the family is always in whatever story is being told because they really are a part of the whole. As usual there was a little hot sex, some great banter, laughs, tears, and heartache. These books take you through the wringer and leave you wanting even more. Highly recommend the series!!
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Blood of Angels
Blood of Angels (Blood Hunters #2)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
While I enjoyed the first book more this one was still enjoyable enough to make me want to continue the series. The characters, some of whom were introduced in the first book, get expanded on so that they take on a new dimension. I was drawn in more quickly this time because I was familiar with who they were and what was going on with the mains. The setting is maybe not exotic but it is very different and makes the players more interesting because of their location. The language works for the vampires and the humans as they banter.
Eighteen months ago István went to the Angel and got on the bad side of its owner Angyalka, who just happens to be a vampire, when he and a group of hunters went there trying to capture Saloman. Not long after this fiasco István was very badly injured in a fight at the hunter library which left him semi paralyzed with little hope. But he and his fellow hunters were saved by Saloman and so began their alliance with the enemy. He has recovered and is now on his feet once again and creating his electronic marvels again.
István returns to the Angel supposedly to research how to store psychic energy. He believes that Angyalka can help him with this even though she is not very old but appears to be very powerful. Angyalka has not forgotten the hunter who humiliated her in front of her patrons and is looking for some payback. What they find is that two people can sometimes come together over their mutual short comings even when they fight it.
I like the idea behind an alliance between vampires and those who have traditionally hunted them. You get to see both sides, those who are for cooperation and those who would like to see a war between them. The two sides are going to be clashing more and more as things progress. This was just a taste of how the sides can get along if they stop seeing each other as so different. The sex is hot but not over the top and appropriate for what is going on. I would recommend.
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Haunted
Haunted (Harrison Investigation, #1) (Harrison Investigation #1)
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I have never read anything by Heather Graham though I had heard a lot of good things. While this book did not Wow me in a big way it did give me something to look forward to because I did enjoy it quite a bit. The writing was straight forward and easily understood. There were no major grammar issues or misuse of words. It was a bit slow to get where it was going but it got there eventually and the journey was nice enough that you can forget that there were patches that made you want to stop. The characters were well imagined because I felt them as real individuals who made me want to know them more, though one or two were a little less vivid they still managed to be interesting. These are modern people who talk like they live in the world of today and act the same.
Matt Stone inherited Melody House on the death of his grandfather and really wishes to keep it in the family and not a part of some historical society. In order to do this he has to open the house to tours in order to pay for the upkeep on such a large estate. His house manager conducts ghosts tours of the manor house even though he does not believe in the supernatural at all. Then a bride runs out of the room she has rented for her honeymoon stark naked and raving about a ghost who was threatening her. Matt has to do something, even though he does not believe in order to convince others that there is no such thing as ghosts.
Darcy Tremayne has worked for Harrison Investigations, a paranormal investigation agency since she graduated from college. Adam Harrison was the father of her best friend from high school and offered to help Darcy any way he could after the death of his son. When Adam is contacted by Matt, the grandson of his old friend to come and prove one way or the other that Melody House is haunted he jumps at the chance. Darcy is sent ahead to assess the situation with her special gifts and runs into opposition even though they were invited. Is there something paranormal happening in the house or is the threat more down to earth?
This has a nice feel of suspense as well as supernatural threat. The mystery of who the entity was haunting the room or if there were more ghosts was definitely good. I did not like Matt to start with because of his hatred of all things supernatural being carried over into how he treated people. There was a romance but it was very dysfunctional at the beginning. Worth reading but do not expect a lot.
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The Scarlet Deep
The Scarlet Deep (Elemental World #3)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have loved these books since I read my first Elemental Mysteries novel. I was pulled into those and when the series ended and started again with the Elemental World I was more than happy to continue following. We have many of the characters from the first series showing up and having an active place in these books, which always makes for a good read since you are able to relate to them as you get to know the new characters, though here most have been seen in prior books. The story which was started in earlier novels continues here and is added on to seamlessly as events continue and those in the past are recounted. The characters continue to evolve and become more than just flat actors on the page.
Patrick Murphy is a man who seems to have everything he could want, he runs the immortal side of Dublin with efficiency and a soft touch, he can have any woman he wants immortal or human, but he has regrets that keep him from fully enjoying his life. Anne O’Dea ran away from a relationship after 30 years because she felt her mate was not to be trusted and she had lost herself in their life together,and was no longer who she had been. With the threat of Elixir becoming more and more real for everyone in Ireland these two have to decide what they want before the choice is taken from them.
Murphy is a scoundrel but a lovable guy that you can’t help but root for as he tries to win back the love of his life. Anne is like most intelligent people, she can see the mistakes others make but not her own. The mystery of who is distributing Elixir is still an important part of the story and it is not neglected for the love story. I totally enjoyed this.
“I HATE you,” she told her sister over the speakerphone in her secure wing of Brigid and Carwyn’s house. “No, you don’t.” “I do.” “What did Murphy do?” “Nothing.” Except kiss me in Galway and remind me that I miss him like a lost limb. Stare at me during the opera as if he’d eat me alive in the most pleasurable way possible. Show off his intellect, which has always been the most attractive thing about him. “Patrick Murphy has been a complete gentleman,” she said. “Unerringly polite and respectful. Painfully welcoming.” Anne heard Mary suck on her cigarette and release a breath. “Hateful man. That would irritate the piss out of me.”
― Elizabeth Hunter, The Scarlet Deep
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Guilty Pleasures
Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter: Guilty Pleasures (Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter Graphic Novels #1-2 issues #1-12)
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I totally enjoyed this graphic novel based on one of my favorite series. The story follows the novel but gives you that visuals that you always had to supply yourself. If you enjoy the Anita Blake series then you will definitely want to give the graphic novels a look. They hit the mark very well on their renditions of the characters. Going to keep reading them as long as they have them.
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Dimitri
Dimitri (Immortals of New Orleans #6)
by Kym Grosso
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
I have loved the Immortals of New Orleans since the first book and things just keep getting better and better. There is a lot more complexity to the relationships of the characters than was first shown and it makes them more interesting as they are revealed. Characters who have not been completely explored still can have an impact on you because they still have enough substance to make you care. The story naturally flows without bogging down at all and keeps you reading well after you should have stopped for the night. The banter between the characters is priceless and always one of the things I enjoy the most.
Dimitri has gone to San Diego, California in order to get away after his trip into hell world with Léopold to save Ava. Since he came out something has been wrong with his wolf and he has not been able to shift. He has gone off alone to try to find out if things can get better or if he may have to step down as Beta. Gillian was lured to San Diego by the area Alpha in order to force a mating on her. She is special and the Alpha wants her gifts for himself whether she is willing or not. Gilly escapes but brings down a pack of trouble on our Beta who cannot handle it at the moment.
There are a lot of things going on in this story, some of them happy, some of them sad, and some just plain wrong. There is always a good deal of heat involved when these supernaturals get together for any amount of time. You must enjoy menage, exhibitionism, and unconventional sex.
“When the music stopped, the curtains to their booth flew open. Jax, the devastatingly handsome Nordic wolf, leered down on the lovers, who smiled up at him in amusement. “I said pretend to be her mate. At any point, did you hear me say, ‘Come up to New York and fuck my sister in public…during one of my company events?’ Did I say that? I really don’t recall saying that.” Jax scrubbed his fingers over his tightly cropped hair. He moved to the balcony, overlooking the patrons who were shuffling into the lobby for the intermission. “Sorry.” Dimitri laughed. He knew that they should have been slightly less conspicuous but the draw of his mate had been too much to resist. “Sorry? Really? That’s all you’ve got?” He turned to Gillian, who scrambled up to her feet, adjusting her dress. “And you? What’s your excuse, little sister? Seriously, every shifter in the room could hear you.” “Um, well, yeah, sorry about that. But technically this is your fault. I mean, what did you expect? You asked Dimitri to come here…to pretend to be my mate.” Gillian reasoned that her comeback sounded solid, inexperienced in dealing with her Alpha brother.”
― Kym Grosso, Dimitri
Bookgirl 