{A Kelly Coffee Review} Greenwode by J Tullos Hennig

Title: Greenwode

Autor:J Tullos Hennig

Series: Book One of The Wode

Genre: Historical, High Fantasy, slash

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Synopsis:
The Hooded One. The one to breathe the dark and light and dusk between….

When an old druid foresees this harbinger of chaos, he also sees whom it will claim: young Rob of Loxley. Rob’s mother and father, a yeoman forester and a wisewoman, have raised Rob and his sister, Marion, under a solemn duty: to take their parents’ places in the Old Religion as the manifestations of the Horned Lord and the Lady Huntress.

But when Gamelyn Boundys, son of a powerful nobleman, is injured in the forest, he and Rob begin a friendship that challenges both duty and ideology: Gamelyn is a devout follower of the Catholic Church. Rob understands the divide between peasant and noble all too well. And the old druid has foreseen that Gamelyn is destined to be Rob’s sworn enemy—to fight in a blood sacrifice for the greenwode's Maiden.

In a risky bid for happiness, Rob dares the Horned Lord to reinterpret the ancient rites—to allow Rob to take Gamelyn as a lover instead of a rival. But in the eyes of Gamelyn’s church, lust is a sin—and sodomy is unthinkable.

Disclaimer: This is an adult gay romance novel. That means sex between men. Don't like don't read--though in this case it would be a crying shame to pass the book up.

There is so much good about this book I'm not even sure where to start. First, I'm an old fantasy nerd, and Robin Hood hits it hard. This retelling is fantastic, in both the original meaning of the word and in the awesome meaning of the word.

Let's start with the basics: the language. A minor pet peeve of mine is historical novels where everyone speaks modern English. It just sort of hinders my willing suspension of disbelief. Hennig crafts a world where I can hear the accents in the voices--the variety between the low and high born. There are touches of French, Latin and Gaelic (I think, may be Welsh, I don't remember that it's specifically named), but their use is historically accurate and lends such depth to the world.

The myth maintained: I actually took a class that focused 1/3 of the semester on Robin Hood, so reading this story, seeing where the author has pulled from some of the oldest ballads and woven in all of the key components and characteristics of Robin Hood, yet, making them into a story that I haven't quite read was thrilling. The author did her research and it shows. Both in her weaving of the traditional tale and in her historic details.

The original take: One thing the original myths don't really focus much on is religion. It is present, but not a focus. So, Greenwode has a unique and creative--yet logical--twist on the Robin Hood myth, placing not only the rich against the poor but Christianity against the native pagan religion.

"The old gods aren't dead... we forget that at our peril..."

 --Brother Dolfin

The mysticism and magic of the old religion, and honestly, just the information about and portrayal of the old religion, is completely fascinating. 

And then, we have the characterization. The characters, the heart of the story and my ultimate draw-- They're the icing on the cake for this one. Rob and Marion are spectacular as brother and sister and Rob's developing relationship with the the near monastery-bound Gamelyn is portrayed wonderfully. The two are magnetic. I can't think of a character that isn't well crafted and defined--from Rob, to his parents, Gamelyn's family and the Horned God himself. All I could think at the end was "Wait, that's it?!"

No. Fortunately, it's the first in a duology... the second just doesn't come out until late this month. Where Greenwode explores mostly pre-myth Rob, the sequel promises to give us more of the Robin Hood--or Hode--myth that we know and love. Honestly, I can't wait for it.

This one is a highly recommended read. Just read it. It blew me away.

{Book Review} Stray by Rachel Vincent

Title: Stray
Series: Shifters #1
Author: Rachel Vincent
Publisher: Mira Books
Publishing Date: June 1, 2007

Synopsis:

There are only eight breeding female werecats left . . .
And I'm one of them.

I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays -- werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever -- and whoever -- I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays -- 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .

*This is an Adult Urban Fantasy and contains mild to moderate sexual content and violence.

After many weeks of what my reading friends have now termed "reading ADD," I finally gave in and read a book that my co-blogger has been begging me to read. It's only been on the market for about six years now, and as I am a huge fan of Rachel Vincent's Soul Screamer series, I have no idea why I was so hesitant to pick this up and read it. Heck, I even had it sitting on my shelf beside the rest of my TBR books.

I'm not a werewolf fan, or really a shifter fan, but Stray caught and held my attention from the first page, literally. I had a stack of books in my lap, flipping from one to the other, perusing the first couple pages of each looking for something to scream READ ME. Stray finally did. 

With any book, I look for layers in my reading. The main storyline revolves around Faythe (don't you just love the spelling) and her reluctance to return home to her Pride. She left five years previously to attend college and was currently working on her graduate work when her father summoned her home via Marc, the insanely hot boy of Faythe's past, and maybe her future. She went home, scraping her claws the whole way. Once she steps inside her childhood house, Faythe begins to understand why her father sent his second in charge to drag her home. Tabbies, female werecats, are going missing. The fact that there are only eight breeding Tabbies is reason for all the Prides to worry.

Faythe initially comes across as a spiteful and rebellious woman, though if I were raised under the laws of the Pride, I probably would be too. Once she finds out her friends are being kidnapped, she quickly becomes a mature and caring person, um - I mean werecat. She's completely kick-ass and has proven to be able to survive on her own, not needing a man to support her. There's a very minor love triangle, and she probably didn't handle things right, but we all make mistakes. I have a feeling destiny would have eventually made her choice for her had she not made her own decision.

Initially, and honestly throughout this book, I did not like Marc. I felt like her tried to take too many privileges with Faythe and played the ex-lover card a little too hard. He didn't earn any points with me until the very, very end of the book and starting into Rogue,which I am currently reading. I'm just not a big fan of the whole "me man, you woman" attitude.

Jace is a hotty, and sensual to boot. I have a feeling he's been pining after Faythe for quite some time. He's her youngest brother's, Ethan's, best friend, and I do love Ethan. He's cute and a little bit of a rebellion, not quite as bad as Faythe, but he definitely doesn't play by all the rules. Out of the brothers, he's definitely my favorite. I haven't really gotten a grasp on Micheal or Owen yet, and Ryan...well...

If you're looking for something not to serious but with a bit of depth to it, I highly suggest Stray. It's fun and action packed, start to finish. I always enjoy a strong lead character, and Faythe rocks.

A Review by Kristin

{A Kelly Coffee Review} Time Untime by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Title: Time Untime
Series: Dark Hunter #17
Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
Genre: Fantasy/Romance
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

Synopsis: The Mayans aren’t the only ones with a 2012 prophecy…

Long before recorded history, there was a Keetoowah warrior so feared that everyone trembled before his wrath. Only a brutal betrayal by the one closest to him could defeat him. But not even death was the end of a man so strong.

The Time Untime approaches…

Kateri Avani has been plagued her entire life with dreams she doesn’t understand. Images of places she’s never been and of a man she’s never seen. Her quest for answers has driven her to Las Vegas where she hopes to finally silence the demons in her mind.

What she never anticipates is coming face to face with the warrior who has haunted her her entire life. One who belongs to a world the scientist in her refuses to believe is real.

Ren Waya came back from the dead to keep the prophecy he began from coming true and ending the world. For thousands of years, he has fought the same evil that once possessed him. But now that evil has found the one person he can’t fight. The one person who, against his will, holds the most sacred part of him.

His heart.

But if he doesn’t kill Kateri, the deadliest of evils will reemerge and destroy everyone else on the planet. It was a sacrifice he made once.

Will he be able to make it again?

Okay, I am an unabashed Sherrilyn Kenyon fan. Her books usually come out and are done within the next day or so with me, so Time Untime left me a little confused. There were things I liked a great deal about it--mostly Ren--but there were things that I liked rather less. I managed to put this book down for a couple weeks and kind of forget about it. Not sure I've ever done that with an SK book before. There is a lot of old, old history in it, and I'm a history buff, so it's cool, but even for me and my love of things old and crazy names, keeping things straight in this book was occasionally a bit of a challenge. I especially got sort of confused when we go from Cherokee history to Mayan and exactly how that all tied together. The other thing this book did that bugged me was it got a little long-winded. Towards the end you have a number of nearly page-long paragraphs which are not only preachy, they're repetitive. At the end of the day, I'm not quite sure the mix of Maya and Cherokee worked for me, and that was disappointing. I mean, the name of the book is Time Untime, but it's mentioned early, then nearly forgotten--so much so that by the time I picked the book up again, I thought the one mention I saw of it was the first time I'd seen it. Maybe it was implied for a good portion of the novel, but not referred to enough. It was sort of "generic apocalypse, must stop the end of the world" feeling than a specific "this is the Time Untime" deal.

The pacing is good. When I was reading, I was in it, but Time Untime never had me so wrapped up that I could not walk away. Neither did it give me that keyed up feeling that a really good suspense or action scene will. It was a good read, but not the level I'm used to. I'm ready to get back to the Greeks and Atlanteans.

{Interview} Natalie Hancock Author of Eternal Darkness

Kristin:  Tell us a little bit about yourself and where you live?

I’m Natalie Hancock, I was born in Plymouth Devon and moved to Lincoln at a young age. I have been to University of Lincoln, Riseholme College, studying a course on Animal Care, which I did for two years. During that time, I never even thought about getting my work published, just looking after animals. When I left the ideas for the books came more frequently and I wrote my first 150k+ book soon after. I had to split it into three before I could get it published.

 I now live in the middle of nowhere with my boyfriend, Reece, and our little zoo, which includes my hamster named Crunch, a chinchilla called Hektor and three guinea pigs, Fluff, Smudge and Squig.

We both love animals and hope to have an army of guinea pigs, hamsters and chinchilla’s. Along with a goat.

Kristin:  What is the name of the book you are currently promoting and would you like to tell us a little about it?

Eternal Darkness is the book I’m currently promoting. It is the first in the series, Cursed in Darkness. It is about the life of Layla, a half vampire, half human who is sent to live in the hundred acres of land full of vampires for her own safety. The only problem is she hungers for the vampires blood, so when she has lessons with them, not only does she struggle with the hunger raging inside of her, but she has to learn to trust those around her, something she can’t do because she has a dark past, and because of it, she has trouble trusting anyone.

She knows she’s in as much danger inside the land as she was when she was outside the land, and she can’t shake off the feeling that something, or someone is watching her, waiting to attack her, despite the guards watching her every move.

When she meets one of the tutors, she feels things towards him and wants both his blood and his body, but it’s forbidden to feel the way they do and Layla must fight her feelings otherwise the secrets she desperately wants to remain a secret will get out, and put her in more danger than she already is.

Kristin:  Where did you come up for the idea for your book?

I didn’t exactly come up with the ideas for Eternal Darkness. Not exactly anyway, I dreamt it. At first, they were just dreams, but then I noticed a pattern in what I was dreaming, for instance, there would be the same people in my dreams and the same setting. I decided to write my dreams down, and once I started writing, I just didn’t stop. And ta da! Eternal Darkness was made. 

Kristin:  Tell us a little about your main character(s).

Layla and Shade are my main characters.

The story is based entirely around Layla. She’s a beautiful, fearless and deadly dhampir living in a world full of vampires. She has a past that haunts her, and secrets just waiting to be exposed. Though out the stories you learn more about Layla and everything she doesn’t want anyone to know.

Shade is an impossibly handsome vampire that can make Layla shiver with pleasure with just a look. Layla is the fearless and deadly dhampir, and the fact that he can make her feel things she never knew she desired, I thought this would make an interesting relationship because he’s a vampire, and she can drain him dry without a second thought.

Kristin:  Who is your favorite character from your book and why?

My favourite character I’ve created would obviously be Layla, because she is my main character. She’s my favourite because she's strong, incredibly fast, beautiful and deadly. But she isn’t perfect. She’s far from it actually and she knows it. She doesn’t make out she is either. She’s just herself and would rather take a bullet to save those around her than let someone take the shot for her.

Kristin:  Do you feel like you put parts of yourself in your characters?

I’d like to think that it hasn’t, but deep down I think it has. I had a hard life and I always struggled to fit in as I grew up. I had secrets, horrible ones, and I guess that's what my book is about. Layla is a dhampir—half-vampire, half-human—who drinks vampire blood. She also has a deep dark secret that she can’t and won’t tell anyone, no matter how much she trusts them. So she struggles to ‘fit in’ when she is taken to the academy full of vampires. When they find out what she is, they don’t accept her instantly. Only one person does, someone who knew all along what she was, and didn’t care—Shade.

Shade is my Reece I guess, and Reece accepted me for me, he didn’t care about my past. He didn’t care that I had secrets. He loves me the way I am, and he’s helped me through a lot.

That’s exactly how Shade feels for Layla. Though their relation goes FAR deeper than a normal one, but you’ll have to read the books to understand what I’m talking about.

The story, as a whole, is basically Layla learning to trust those around her enough to let her secrets out, and heal the hole in her heart, because she isn’t free from them and struggles with them through-out the series.

Kristin:  Will there be a sequel or do you have another project in the works?

There is going to be seven in the series. Already, I have the second and third cover and release date. The others will be release later on.

I do have another book I am writing, called Untouched. It is another vampire paranormal romance book on its own. I will release information on that once I get the go ahead.

Kristin:  How long did the entire process from writing your current work to getting it published take?

Well… I wrote Eternal Darkness within a few months and when I contacted a publisher to get it published, I had to split it into three, as it would be released as an e-book, and no one likes to read a 150k+ e-book.

I spent a week splitting Eternal Darkness into, Eternal Darkness, Dark Shadows and Dark Awakening.

When I contacted the publisher again, and she told me to send her my work (all three) within two hours of doing so, I had a contracted signed.
I was shocked at how fast the entire thing went.

Kristin:  Where do you draw your inspiration from?

I read a lot, so I get my inspiration from there mostly, though I dream ideas for all of my books. Also, my partner, Reece has one hell of an imagination and he could be telling me something, and I would think of something to go in my book, but it’s completely irrelevant to what he was saying. It’s weird, but I do it a lot.

Kristin:  Do you have any “rituals” when you write?

Stick on some loud rock/hardcore music until I can’t hear myself sing. I will usually put on You Me at Six because they are currently my favourite band to listen to, and then I just write. I usually can’t think if I don’t have music on, because I’m easily distracted and usually find myself staring out of the window at nothing in particular.

Kristin:  If you couldn’t be an author, but anything else…what would you be?

A zoo keeper. I love animals, and studied them too. Since I was five I wanted to work with wild animals but always got travel sickness whenever I was away from home, even when I was at school. So all I can do is look after my own little zoo.

Kristin:  Do you have any words of wisdom for aspiring writers?

If you believe your work is good enough, and have worked your butt off writing it, keep searching for the right publisher to publish your work or try your hardest to get your work out there.

To anyone who wants to be published with a publisher, if they ask you to make changes, most definitely accept them because most of the time when publishers ask you to make changes, they see potential in your work.

To anyone who wants to be self published, don’t give up. There is no feeling like knowing that someone is out there reading your work.

Kristin:  When did reading and writing become important you?

I’ve been reading for years, and it’s one of my favourite hobbies. I don’t know what I would be doing if I had never started reading. Certainly not an author, that’s for sure.
My writing has  always been important to me because it’s something that I’m good at, and it’s unique. I don’t write like others, and others don’t write like me. It’s my own thing and I get to share that with everyone.

Fun Stuff

Kristin:  The apocalypse is coming…what do you do?

Scream? Cry?
I probably wouldn’t actually, I would just brush it off and sigh before I say, “Again? The world is always ending. What’s new?”

Kristin:  If you were stranded on an island, name the 5 things you could not live without?

My Partner, Reece
My laptop with an infinite battery
Paper and pen (with ink that lasts forever)
My zoo
And unlimited food for all of us.

Kristin:  What 5 things are within your reach right now? No cheating?

Reece
Chocolate
Bed

*wiggles eyebrows*

Laptop
Remote

Kristin:  Favorite Food?

Chocolate. Most definitely chocolate

Kristin: Favorite Movie?

Harry Potter. All of them. I’m a massive fan.

Kristin:  Favorite TV show?

The Vampire Diaries

Kristin: Favorite Song?

Crash—You Me at Six

Kristin:  Favorite singer or band?

You Me at Six

Kristin:  One food you would never try?

Snails! Bleh! Just the thought makes me shiver.

Kristin: Health nut or junk food junkie?

Both? I like to be healthy but can never resist the temptations of chocolate.

Kristin: The most exotic food you have ever eaten?

I honestly have no idea.

Kristin:  Day on the beach or snow skiing down a mountain?

Day on the beach. I can lake my laptop and partner. Besides, I hate snow.

Kristin:  If you could move anywhere on this Earth, where would it be?

Egypt. I’ve always wanted to go there. I love the entire history and myths and everything of Egypt.

Kristin: Two books you think everyone should read. (Yes, you can and should include yours.)

Well, if I should include mine, then I will.
Eternal Darkness.
And a most definite must read would be Vampire Vengeance, by Storm Savage. Her Night Angel trilogy is the best series I’ve read, ever.

Kristin:  Places my readers can stalk you?

Website: http://www.cursedindarkness.com

Twitter: @Author_Natalie

Facebook: http://facebook.com/Author.Natalie.Hancock

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6892420-natalie-hancock

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0076U1UT2

http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0076U1UT2

*Just wanted to mention that I've had the privilege of seeing the cover for book 2 and you will not be disappointed! Wowza!!!


Thank you so much for taking this time to let us get to know you. We have enjoyed having you today. I hope you have enjoyed yourself and will stop by to see us again soon.

Thank you for taking the time to interview me. I really appreciate it. I’ve really enjoyed myself and some of the questions were a giggle to answer.
*hugs*

Sincerely,

Kristin @ Better Read Than Dead

This Same Earth by Elizabeth Hunter

Title: This Same Earth
Series: Elemental Mysteries #2
Author: Elizabeth Hunter
Independently Published
December 7, 2011
 

Website ǀ Facebook ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads ǀ Amazon ǀ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

Beatrice De Novo thought she had left the supernatural world behind…for the most part. But when the past becomes the present, will she leave her quiet life in Los Angeles to follow a mystery she thought had abandoned her? Where has Giovanni Vecchio been, and why has he returned? Giovanni has his own questions, and he’s looking to her for answers.

The sequel to A Hidden Fire will reunite Beatrice and Giovanni to continue their search through the past while both wrestle with the future. When the world as you knew it has changed forever, is there any way you can turn back?

This Same Earth is the second book in the Elemental Mysteries series. It is a paranormal romance/mystery for adult readers.

This Same Earth is exactly what I have come to expect from the brilliant Elizabeth Hunter - fierce, sexy, and mysterious. This is the second book in the Elemental Mysteries Series, a series delving into a complete new world of vampires. The mystical creatures are able to call on one of the elements: earth, air, water, or fire to aid with anything from lighting a fire to battling their enemies. Their abilities coincide with their element, obviously. The lovely Beatrice stumbled into this world in A Hidden Fire, only to find herself deserted by the one she loved. In this installment, she will be forced to face her past and make decisions that will change her life forever.

Beatrice has grown into a beautiful young woman and has attempted to put the past behind her. She has a great job, owns a quaint little home, and has normal friends - including a boyfriend she loves. Gio disappeared from her life the day she moved to California and she despises him because of it. She suspects he has had a behind-the-scenes role in her life over the years; what she doesn't know is how great that role has been. She has no idea the extents he has taken to assure that she is safe. The people Beatrice has surrounded herself with all these years may not be what they seem.

When the past waltzes back into her life as nothing has changed, Bea finds herself buried in turmoil over her feelings for Gio. She is determined that he will earn her trust again, that he will not just up and disappear again, leaving her broken once again. The romantic tension between these two lurches up a few notches as Bea is determined to remain friends and avoid all romantic feelings for the fire vampire while Gio is determined to have Beatrice back in his life as much more than friends. Who will win, I wonder?

Just as the two are making their way to becoming friends, Lorenzo strikes again...killing someone dear to Gio. Beatrice is determined to be a part of this journey in every way. We tag along with Gio and Bea as they tromp through Europe, seeking justice and freedom, meeting an eclectic group of characters who provide both stability and chaos throughout the adventure. Some you will love and others you will hate. And have no fear...many of the old characters make appearances as time moves forward.

Ms. Hunter's phenomenal world building skills drop you deep into a world fraught with fantastical creatures, frightening circumstances, and unyielding love. This is an unique and addicting series.

The Force of Wind makes it's debut in March of 2012. I am not sure I can wait that long.

Check out my review of the first book, A Hidden Fire.

Shadowfever by Karen Marie Moning

Title: Shadowfever
Series: Fever #5
Author: Karen Marie Moning
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: January 2011
 

Website ǀ Twitter ǀ Goodreads ǀ Amazon ǀ Barnes & Noble

Synopsis:

“Evil is a completely different creature, Mac. Evil is bad that believes it’s good.”

MacKayla Lane was just a child when she and her sister, Alina, were given up for adoption and banished from Ireland forever.

Twenty years later, Alina is dead and Mac has returned to the country that expelled them to hunt her sister’s murderer. But after discovering that she descends from a bloodline both gifted and cursed, Mac is plunged into a secret history: an ancient conflict between humans and immortals who have lived concealed among us for thousands of years.

What follows is a shocking chain of events with devastating consequences, and now Mac struggles to cope with grief while continuing her mission to acquire and control the Sinsar Dubh—a book of dark, forbidden magic scribed by the mythical Unseelie King, containing the power to create and destroy worlds.

In an epic battle between humans and Fae, the hunter becomes the hunted when the Sinsar Dubh turns on Mac and begins mowing a deadly path through those she loves.
Who can she turn to? Who can she trust? Who is the woman haunting her dreams? More important, who is Mac herself and what is the destiny she glimpses in the black and crimson designs of an ancient tarot card?

From the luxury of the Lord Master’s penthouse to the sordid depths of an Unseelie nightclub, from the erotic bed of her lover to the terrifying bed of the Unseelie King, Mac’s journey will force her to face the truth of her exile, and to make a choice that will either save the world . . . or destroy it.

Yep, you counted correctly...5 moon-women. Never in my lifetime have I read a series that left me so completely and utterly satisfied at its ending. Shadowfever is filled with death, loss, darkness, grief, and ultimately, the light that Ms. Moning has promised from the beginning. All the right questions were answered, my fears relieved, and my hopes sated, leaving only positive energy surrounding The MacKayla Lane Novels. My favorite part..."The End..." turn page "...for now." Hmmm...what could that possibly mean?

We find Miss Lane grieving over the death of Jericho Barrons. He died by her hand, causing her to devolve into a grief-stricken frame-of-mind. At this point she only wants to finish what she started and she will do it in any manner necessary, even if it means seducing the Lord Master, or Darroc as she now refers to him. This is the ultimate betrayal to those closest to her. I give her credit though, Mac set her mind to take control of the Sinsar Dubh and she doesn't back down. Too many peopl died at it's hands and Mac is taking over.

The Fever Series is filled with deception and betrayal, making you question every motive of every person surrounding Mac. Shadowfever will leave you screaming "WTF" and "OMG" with every turn of the page. Very few of these creatures are what you have been led to believe. Those closest to Mac will surprise you the most. The world of Dublin has become a terrifying place, filled with unseelie fae and the humans are just going to have to make the best of it, because there is no going back.

The secrets, oh the secrets, of Dublin have left my mind reeling with amazement. So many secrets guarded so closely, right under Mac's nose the entire time. The secrets about Barrons are probably the most notable. I want to tell you all of them...all of the secrets, every last one of them, but like Mac, you must find them out on your own. If you haven't read this series or have been teetering on the edge, wondering if you want to read them, you do. Trust me...you really do.

Okay, because I can't tell you any secrets or give you a great storyline, I am going to give you a few of my favorite quotes...

Jericho Barrons is dead.
He lies on his stomach, motionless. He hasn't moved or breathed in the small eternity that I've been screaming. I can't sense him in his skin. On all other occasions, I've been able to feel him in my vicinity; electric, larger than life, vastness crammed into a tiny container. Genie in a bottle. That's Barrons: deadly power, stopper corking it. Barely. ... The million-dollar question: What are you, Barrons? - Page 7

Suddenly it shot up on all fours, head down. Bone crunched and cracked, settling into a new shape. Shoulders formed - strong, smooth, bunched with muscle. Hands braced wide. One leg stretched back, then bent as it tensed in a low lunge. ... A naked man crouched in the moonlight. - Page 172

He winked. "I'd planned to, anyway."
"Oooh! Then why did you--"
"Pretty girl and all. Asking. Gotta love that. Stuff of heroes. Don't get that role often." - Page 637

...She'd been taken.
He'd loved her for all time.
Before she was made.
After he'd believed she was gone.
Sunshine to his ice. Frost to her fever.
I wished them forever.
You, too, beautiful girl.
The Unseelie King was gone. - Page 653

If you have read this series...who is your favorite character?

Be sure to check out my reviews of the entire Fever Series.

   • Book 1: Darkfever
   • Book 2: Bloodfever
   • Book 3: Faefever
   • Book 4: Dreamfever
   • Book 5: Shadowfever

Night Walker by Lisa Kessler

Title: Night Walker
Series: The Night Series #1
Author: Lisa Kessler
Copyright 2011 by Lisa Kessler
Entangled Publishing
Lisa Kessler's Website
Lisa's Facebook
Lisa's Twitter
Night Walker Goodreads
Night Walker Amazon
Night Walker Barnes and Noble

Synopsis:

He gave up his soul for a second chance to love her...

Two and a half centuries ago, Calisto Terana lost everything when a zealous priest murdered the woman he loved. Now, desperate for another chance to love her, he wants redemption for the mistake that cost her life.

She's haunted by dreams of her own death...

After catching her fiance with another woman, Kate Bradley returns to San Diego to clear her head. The last thing she needs is romance, but after meeting Calisto she's drawn to him in ways she doesn't understand.

They've waited in the shadows for centuries...

Calisto has no doubt Kate is the reincarnation of his lost love, but the Fraternidad Del Fuego Santo has a new watcher with dark ambitions of his own. As old enemies reemerge and a new threat arises, the betrayal that enslaved Calisto to the night might destroy the only woman he's ever loved again.

I don't remember where I first saw this book, but it is definitely one of those OMG-the-cover-is-amazing-I-need-to-read-this-right-now books. I am completely ecstatic that I did. Calisto left me dreaming sweet dreams all night long and Kate was an amazing protagonist. She was a little bit broken, but not so much that she was afraid to love again.

• Kate Bradley is the leading lady in Night Walker. She walked in on her professor fiance kissing a grad student. Ugh! Then he wanted to talk about it...what more is there to say? I was proud of Kate because she left him and didn't give him a chance to play the "it won't happen again" line. She is beautiful and a talented piano player. However, she knows her limitations and realizes she will never be great. She is happy teaching choir in a middle school.
• Tom is the cheating no-good-for-anything fiance.
• Edie, one of Kate's best friends, still lives in San Diego and attempts to help her move on with her life. She is supportive of Kate's decisions and proves to be an invaluable part of Kate's life.
• Lori, the third part of this trio of friends, she is a tad bit overprotective and mildly judgmental which annoys Kate.
• Calisto Terana is a philanthropist with secrets, very old secrets. He has been cursed to only walk during the night. After centuries he has finally found the reincarnated soul of his true love, Tala. Now that he has found her, he intends on making her his again...this time forever. Tall, dark, and handsome with an accent. I'm already on board.
• Bettina, or Betty, is the Director of Foundation Arts...Calisto's foundation. She has her sights set on Calisto and is not fond of Kate.

The story begins right as Kate is leaving Tom and goes back to San Diego to take care of her parents' estate. She had put this task off for too long and with the recent break-up, she needs some space. I was immediately drawn into the story, but became completely enraptured with Calipso as soon as he and Kate met. The book flips back and forth between the present and the past. Sometimes this method can cause the flow of the book to go awry; however,  I did not feel any of this confusion with Night Walker. Lisa does an amazing job crafting Calisto's world. The conflict between religion and true love is always something to ponder. I love internal battles because I believe we all engage in them more that we will ever realize. I also love a book that make you go...hmmm?


Lisa tells Calisto's and Kate's story using third person omniscient. The story shifts between Kate's and Calisto's points of view, pulling you into each of their experiences. Calisto's strong emotions for Kate brought me to tears on more than one occasion. Night Walker contained the perfect balance of romance and action and fantasy.


I think one of my favorite things about this book was the level of maturity of the characters. I read a lot of YA and while I deeply enjoy a good love triangle, I also love to divulge in the confidence of adult romance. Even though Kate had been hurt, she didn't really question her feelings for Calisto...she just went with it. Don't get me wrong...this wouldn't have been such a captivating novel if there was an absence of complications. Wow...the complications in this romance were near debilitating, but our two lovers fought until the very end.


Okay, so I could go on and on and on, but I will stop there. This book is amazing and I cannot wait for the next installment of the Night Series.


Favorite Quotes:

• He watched her mouth, waiting to hear her voice again. He ached to touch her. It was the sweetest torture he'd ever known to see her alive once more, and not be able to hold her in his arms, to kiss her soft lips. Fire licked at his heart, awakening passion he had long ago forgotten.

•  Calisto was lost. Lost in her arms, in her kiss, lost completely in loving her. The rapid pounding of her heartbeat and the feel of her body pressed tightly to his brought his hunger to life. But it wasn't a hunger for blood.

Retribution by Sherrilyn Kenyon

• Title: Retribution
• Author: Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Copyright 2011 by Sherrilyn Kenyon
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• Sherrilyn Kenyon's Website

Synopsis:

A hired gunslinger, William Jessup Brady lived his life with one foot in the grave. He believed that every life had a price. Until the day when he finally found a reason to live. In one single act of brutal betrayal, he lost everything, including his life. Brought back by a Greek goddess to be one of her Dark-Hunters, he gave his immortal soul for vengeance and swore he’d spend eternity protecting the humans he’d once considered prey.

Orphaned as a toddler, Abigail Yager was taken in by a family of vampires and raised on one belief- Dark-Hunters are the evil who prey on both their people and mankind, and they must all be destroyed. While protecting her adoptive race, she has spent her life eliminating the Dark-Hunters and training for the day when she meets the man who killed her family: Jess Brady.

A gun in the hand is worth two in the holster...

Jess has been charged with finding and terminating the creature who’s assassinating Dark-Hunters. The last thing he expects to find is a human face behind the killings, but when that face bears a striking resemblance to the one who murdered him centuries ago, he knows something evil is going on. He also knows he’s not the one who killed her parents. But Abigail refuses to believe the truth and is determined to see him dead once and for all.

Brought together by an angry god and chased by ancient enemies out to kill them both, they must find a way to overcome their mutual hatred or watch as one of the darkest of powers rises and kills both the races they’ve sworn to protect.

I had never read any of the Dark-Hunter Novels until I won Retribution in a contest. Now I am completely hooked. This book is a dynamic mixture of mythology and seduction. Ms. Kenyon's narration is strong and brings you into her fascinating world. And her characters...wow!

• Jess "Sundown" Brady - fierce, funny, dangerous, and sexy. He is like my ultimate Bad Boy crush right now. Not only is he a kick-ass Dark-Hunter but he has a devotion to Abigail that is heated and steadfast. He would literally die for her.
• Abigail Yager - is on a hunt for her arch nemesis, the man who killed her parents. And this man would be the infamous "Sundown" Brady. When she finds him, the only thing she plans on doing is killing him; if only it were that simple.
• Choo Co La Tah - while being the Guardian of the North, he will guide Jess and Abigail on their journey to saving the world...hopefully.
• Ren Waya - is the best friend of Choo Co La Tah and has a tormented past. He is snarky and moody and sometimes, just plain mean. But I loved him.
• Sasha - is the last remaining Were-Hunter, that we know of. His powers of sniffing out the truth prove to be a great asset to Jess and Abigail in their time of need. Plus he is funnier that crap.
• Coyote - is the Guardian of the East and now since the balance has been thrown off, he will release terrors on the world of horrific proportions. He may finally have Ren right where he wants him.
• Talon - a Dark-Hunter who has powers to manipulate the weather.
• Andy - is Jess's high maintenance Squire.  An invaluable resource to any Dark Hunter.

Abigail has always wanted revenge on the man who killed her parents and now she has the power. As she sets out on a path of destruction, she sets things in motion that can't be undone. As she plows her way toward Jess Brady, she kills any Dark-Hunter that she can find. However, when she kills someone that holds extreme power over the safety of the world, her life becomes forfeit. Oddly enough, it will be the man she seeks Retribution from that sets her free.

The romance between Jess and Abigail is endearing, hot and believable. I've always wanted a man like Jess. He manages to protect Abigail and let her have her freedom at the same time, even though it goes against his ingrained chivalry.  


Not only do I adore Ms. Kenyon's mythology but I love everything and all things philosophical. She peppers her story with quotes from Nietzsche and Plato. That being said, here are two of my favorite scenes -

He enjoyed watching her love him, watch the light in her eyes that touched a part of him he liked to pretend didn't exist. It made him remember long forgotten things that he'd buried deep inside..

"Are you out of your effing mind? Hello? where have you been for the last two days? I want whatever screwed-up glasses you're looking through. 'Cause from where I've bben standing, we've been getting our asses seriously kicked around the block. Up a few stairs and down again." - Sasha