Demon From The Dark by Kresley Cole  Paperback: 448 pages Publisher: Pocket Available: August 24, 2010 Genre: Paranormal Romance

A DANGEROUS DEMON SHE CAN’T RESIST . . .

Malkom Slaine: tormented by his sordid past and racked by vampiric hungers, he’s pushed to the brink by the green-eyed beauty under his guard.

A MADDENING WITCH HE ACHES TO CLAIM . . .

Carrow Graie: hiding her own sorrows, she lives only for the next party or prank. Until she meets a tortured warrior worth saving.

TRAPPED TOGETHER IN A SAVAGE PRISON . . .

In order for Malkom and Carrow to survive, he must unleash both the demon and vampire inside him. When Malkom becomes the nightmare his own people feared, will he lose the woman he craves body and soul?

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV)

Quick Rundown: Immortals are being kidnapped and held in prison by mortals who seek to destroy them all.  Carrow must hunt down and bring back the powerful vemon Malkom Slain to save her adopted daughter’s life.  Only things get complicated when Malkom recognizes Carrow as his fated mate.  Carrow must betray the vemon to save her daughter even though she may have fallen in love with him.

Impressions after the first chapter:  I’m confused, emailing friends trying to figure out who, what, where and why.  Off to a bit of a confusing and slow start but sticking with it because darn it, it’s IAD.

The Hero:  Malkom was a demon who was turned by a vampire making him a vemon and a very tortured hero with betrayal issues.  He’s also a virgin *swoon*  He lives alone in another plane surviving on animal blood until the lovely witch Carrow blows into his life.  

The Heroine: Carrow is a witch who must hunt down and bring the vemon back to the evil mortals that are holding her adopted daughter Ruby hostage.  I love Kresley Cole’s heroines and Carrow is right up there as one of my favorites.  I loved that she didn’t deny her feelings for Malkom.  Who could though?  He’s a hot sexy virgin vemon for goodness sake.

What worked: The action, the suspense, the magic, the hero, the heroine and the sexy times.  It was all awesome!  The bath scene was one of the hottest, sexiest scenes I’ve read and the beach scene was drenched with emotional intensity.  This was one of my favorite IAD books.  I really couldn’t love Carrow and Malkom more.  Once I got rolling I ate this book up.  Devoured it!

What didn’t work: The confusing beginning. I did read the previous book and apparently the kidnapping etc. started there but that was months ago and I don’t want to  have to go back and re-read in order to pick up on the next book in the series.  A little more clarification on the prison and why the immortals were being held there and by whom would have been helpful.

Final conclusion: The IAD series is one of my all time favorite paranormal series and I think Kresley Cole just keeps getting better and better.  I love how she can make a brutish, horrible head severing hero become vulnerable and completely loveable.  Somehow she makes the horrific act of severing a head and tossing it into a crowd romantic. 

 

Favorite Quotes:

Malkom:

“I am defeated, female.” Naked, he dropped to his knees beside her. “Tonight I must have you, else die from the wanting.”

Carrow:

“Look, it’s not you. It’s me, and my inability to dig dirty dudes.”

 

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A Kiss Before Dying  by J.A. Saare  eBook – Short Story Publisher: Amira Press Available: 2009 Genre: Paranormal Romance Book received from: Author

Katja Morgan has committed the ultimate taboo in the life of a blood slave; she has fallen in love with her master. Vampire Lord Sebastian Arsov is everything she has ever wanted – gorgeous, sexy, intelligent, kind. As their time together nears an end, she carefully constructs the ruse that will allow her to belong to her shellar in both body and soul.

But sharing an evening with her beloved comes at a high price – the cost of her life.

Disguised as a bed slave, Katja enters Sebastian’s chambers to experience the pleasures she’s been long denied. Including the bite that will ultimately kill her – what slaves refer to as a kiss before dying. As the night fades into the day, will Sebastian discover Katja’s true identity before it’s too late? Or will he lose the slave he’s come to love above all others?

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV)

Quick Rundown: Katja is a blood slave who has fallen hopelessly in love with her vampire lord.  She believes this love is worth dying for so she devises a plan that will allow her to finally become his lover if only once.   

Impressions after the first chapter:  Beautifully written, flows nicely, a style I’ve come to expect from J.A. Saare.

The Hero: Sexy vampire lord with a heart who has a secret. 

The Heroine: Blood slave who has done what is forbidden to her; she has fallen in love with the vampire she serves.

What worked: As always it’s the writing that impresses me when reading J.A. Saare’s work.  Even in this very short story, she manages to create very sexy, romantic ambiance.  J.A. Saare does a good job creating characters to cheer for even within the constraints of a short story. 

What didn’t work: Nothing really.  I really enjoyed this short story and the one niggly thing that ruffled me a bit was explained in the end.  Still not a fan of this certain scenario, but it worked in this story.  I really can’t go into detail without spoiling, sorry. 

Final conclusion: A Kiss Before Dying is a very romantic, and sexy story.  Although because of the story’s length there was not time to fully develop the characters, they are still likeable and interesting.  If you have not read J.A. Saare, this story is a good way to sample her style and get a good idea of what you can expect from her in other works.  I enjoyed this very sensual love story and would have loved for it to have been longer.  (That’s always my complaint for short stories and novellas I like.) 

Favorite Quote: “One day in our future, I’m going to go by the gentlemanly adage,” he told me a hoarse voice, “ladies first.”

 

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Wasteland: The Whore by Lilli Feisty  eBook: Novella Publisher: Samhain Available: May 11, 2010 Genre: Fantasy, Erotic Romance Source: Purchased by reviewer

Her quest for freedom plunges her into dangerous waters…of desire.

Wasteland, Book 3

Bryn is a “Rose”, but her life is no garden. A stolen child, prostitution is the only life she’s ever known—except on the nights she sneaks out in stolen men’s clothing to explore the city. A tiny taste of freedom that makes her long for a life outside sexual servitude, at the mercy of any man who can pay.

Xander remembers no other home except his pirate ship, smuggling weapons or anything else for a fee. He’s been happy with his life and his lover, Hawke…until he rescues who he thinks is a young man from robbers.

Figuring she can blend in with the crew, Bryn jumps at the chance to escape the Brothel. Then she discovers Xander and Hawke have a taste for pretty boys—and that she has a taste for them. In their arms, she embraces their incredible gift: control of her own sexuality.

Though women are considered bad luck at sea, Xander isn’t of a mind to give her up. Yet the time is drawing near when the ship must return to Wasteland to resupply. And what awaits them there is a danger that could tear them apart.

Reviewed by: Sophia (FV)

Quick Rundown: Wasteland is set in a futuristic, post apocalyptic world where Bryn, a Rose, should consider herself fortunate to have have food, shelter and protection.  Although prostitution is all she has ever known she longs to be in control of her life as well as her sexuality.  When she is rescued by two pirates and given the chance at a different and unknown future she takes it.  In her adventures she discovers a chance to make her dreams of self empowerment come true and then some. 

Impressions after the first chapter:  Yo, Toto, we’re not in Kansas anymore.  This is completely different from anything I’ve read from Lilli Feisty.  I’ve actually only read her contemporary erotic romances so this is an interesting change.

The Hero: There are two heroes in The Whore.  Xander, a dirty sexy pirate with a soft side who is actually a good guy.  His lover Hawke, was not particularly interesting to me.  I didn’t necessarily dislike him, but he was not a stand out character for me.  Xander was the pirate for me.

The Heroine: Bryn, appears to be a victim of her life’s circumstances forced to work as a whore in a brothel.  She is brave, spirited, yet reserved and longs for independence and self empowerment.  The courage that it took for her to leave the brothel where she is used, but protected, in search of a different life was admirable, especially since she was facing the unknown.

What worked: The post apocalyptic world in which the story is based is a dark, dangerous place in which women are mostly powerless. Lilli Feisty did a wonderful job giving the reader a good clear feel for the despair and inner turmoil of the heroine and the overall feel of the dangerous world this novella is based in. 

What didn’t work:  Although the sex scenes are very steamy, consisting of m/m, m/f/m and voyeurism, I never fully bought into the idea that Bryn immersed herself into a fulfilling sexual relationship with Xander and Hawke so quickly.  Granted this is a novella, and I often find that relationships are rushed probably due to limited word count, but Bryn was rescued, and on the ship only a very short amount of time before she was engaged in a threesome with Xander and Hawke.  After living a life of sexual servitude, I would have thought she’d need a little more time before entering into an intimate relationship since that was the way of life she was trying to leave behind. 

Final conclusion: This type of sci-fi erotic fantasy is not my usual choice of genre, however I very much enjoyed this quick read.  I think overall it was a nicely rounded story, laced with a bit sexy pirate romance, and a heroine that I came to like very much.  What I love about Lilli Feisty’s writing is her attention to character development in her heroines. I always come away from reading her stories feeling like I know her heroines well. Although I didn’t understand Bryn’s need to enter into a sexual relationship with Xander and Hawke so quickly, I still feel like I got to know her and like her very much. I enjoyed this erotic sci-fi fantasy, however I think I prefer Ms. Feisty’s erotic contemporaries.  Still, it was fun to try something different than what I’m used to from a favorite author. 

Favorite Quote:

“If you didn’t just save my sister…I’d throttle you.” 

Bryn managed a smile.  “But I did.  So you can’t.”

 

Purchase Link:

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Other books in the series:

Wasteland: The Wanderer book 1 by Crystal Jordan

Wasteland: The Breeder book 2 by Eden Bradley

Wasteland: The Priestess book 4 by R.G. Alexander

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