Review: Masquerade by Felicity Heaton

Masquerade (Vampires Realm #10) by Felicity Heaton
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ten years have passed since Sophis and Vivek, two vampires of the Venia bloodline, came close to death at the hands of twin hunters Aleksis and Izabella Romanov. The events of that night turned Sophis and Vivek against each other, shattering their close friendship and driving them apart.

Now, on the eve of a centenary Creator Day masquerade and at a time when things between them are dangerously close to separating them forever, they uncover a small army of vampire hunters in Saint Petersburg, led by their nemeses, Aleksis and Izabella.

With the safety of the rulers of the seven pure vampire bloodlines in their hands and their chance for vengeance hanging in the balance, can Sophis and Vivek face their past and overcome their differences? Will they realise their true feelings for each other before it’s too late or will the hunters finally claim their lives as their deadly plot to destroy the bloodlines unfolds?

My Thoughts: One thing I love about this series is the individual books are self contained enough to work as stand alones but, for those of us who have been following the series, you still get to see how many of the characters that you've met previously have fared since their stories were told. This is especially true in this book since the Creator Day masquerade has drawn all the bloodlines together in celebration and brought the vampires out in force.

Sophis and Vivek are smokin' hot together. Whether they're fighting each other, fighting their feelings or just flat out fighting, they have great chemistry and appeal. I love to hate the hunters and the lengths they'll go to to try to wipe out the bloodlines. Izabella and Aleksis in particular were great fun to hate. I do find it interesting that they - the hunters - are willing to become an aspect of the things they hate in order to hunt them down. It's an interesting look at their fanaticism and the creepy zeal they live by.

Dark, sometimes decadent, and nicely naughty, Sophis and Vivek's story ends up pulling them into the thick of things despite the fact that they're not part of the ruling elite. With betrayal and dazzling feats of heroics hitting you left and right, you'll be sucked in and captivated in no time.

Books in this series
(series can be read in any order)
1. Prophecy: Child of Light
2. Prophecy: Caelestis and Aurorea
3. Prophecy: Dark Moon Rising
4. Eternity: The Beginning
5. Spellbound
6. Reunion
7. Seventh Circle
8. Winter's Kiss
9. Hunter's Moon
10. Masquerade - Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge

Masquerade was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Sweet Addiction by Maya Banks

Sweet Addiction (Sweet #6) by Maya Banks
Synopsis (Goodreads):

He awakened a need within her…

Cole is successful beyond his dreams. He can have any woman he wants, but there’s only one he can’t stop thinking about. His childhood sweetheart, Renita. He’s never forgotten his first taste of innocent love and the desire that consumed them—or the pain he brought upon her…

But now she belongs to another…

Her long ago brush with submission awakened a longing in Ren that drove her to walk the darker edge of desire. She’s become a beautiful woman at ease with her sexuality and unapologetic about her need for a dominant man. When Cole finds her again, he’s gutted that she belongs to another. Ren’s current master agrees to give her to Cole for a short time, but then she must return to his keeping. And though Cole agrees to this bargain, he knows he will never be able to let Ren go again…

My Thoughts: Holy Toledo! This book is HAWT with a capital H-A-W-T. I might need a cold shower after this. For serious. For the record, while I have read other books by Maya Banks this is my first foray into this particular series. Coming in at book 6 could have left me wallowing in confusion but I never - not once - was lost with who was who and how they all related to one another.

I know I've said before that I'm not a crier and then I've promptly gone off and read a book that proved me wrong. This book, though, pulled weepy Kelly out of the closet and poked her mercilessly. Ren's confusion and pain are so clear and sharp. Her heartache over the idea that she would have to give up one of the men she loved and trusted was gut wrenching. It made it even harder that both of her men were good men. They truly had only her well-being and comfort in mind. They cherished her and treated her with respect and love. There was never more than a fleeting moment or two where I thought "Ooh. He's not good for her! Step back and let X have her!" and all of those moments were explained satisfactorily by the end.

I'm honestly in awe of the amount of emotion Maya Banks can pack into her books. Her characters shine, she writes sex scenes that sizzle, and just when you think nothing is going to turn out right, things begin to come together. Beautiful.

Books in this series
1. Sweet Surrender
2. Sweet Persuasion
3. Sweet Seduction
4. Sweet Temptation
5. Sweet Possession
6. Sweet Addiction - Paperback | Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge

Review: The Darkest Lie by Gena Showalter

The Darkest Lie (Lords of the Underworld #6) by Gena Showalter
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Forced to his knees in agony whenever he speaks the truth, Gideon can recognize any lie—until he captures Scarlet, a demon-possessed immortal who claims to be his long-lost wife. He doesn’t remember the beautiful female, much less wedding — or bedding — her. But he wants to . . . almost as much as he wants her.

But Scarlet is keeper of Nightmares, too dangerous to roam free, and a future with her could mean ultimate ruin. Especially as Gideon’s enemies draw closer . . . and the truth threatens to destroy all he’s come to love . . .

My Thoughts: I'm not quite sure which of the Lords is my favorite, but I'm always had a soft spot for Gideon. It's probably the blue hair, tats and piercings. I'm a sucker for those things. Every time. Not to mention that he's handicapped by his inability to speak the truth without suffering blinding pain. I mean, that has to suck. On so many levels. I can see how that could stop a relationship cold before it even starts. He wants to tell them they're beautiful and has to say they're ugly. Hello! Mood killer on aisle 3!

So, I'm already a little mushy around Gid. That's a given. Then he gets this whole thing thrown at him about a wife he didn't know he had and he's confused and he's having a hard time expressing himself, what with the lying and all, and I just... melted. Heck, I liked Scarlet. She has more baggage than a celebutante on vacation. I'm not talking about little, piddly stuff either. She has the big guns trained on her. She's angry at Gideon for what she perceives as his abandonment and she the hits just keep on coming. I really can't say more without being all spoiler-ish, so I'll just say that she really got the short end of the stick with what her mother put her through and leave it at that.

Of course, one of the strengths of this series is the side stories with the other Lords. Strider's path looks like it could lead him into hot water. Amun is just a huge freaking mess. Some of William's secrets are finally coming to light. It's big stuff, guys. Big stuff that I can only hope continues in the next books. (and I'm sure it will)

This book progressed the overall arc nicely while giving us the romance we've come to expect from Gena Showalter. Amun's story is up next and it looks like it's going to be a brutal one.

Books in this series
.5. The Darkest Fire
1. The Darkest Night
2. The Darkest Kiss
3. The Darkest Pleasure
4. The Darkest Whisper
4.5. The Darkest Angel
5. The Darkest Passion
6. The Darkest Lie - Paperback | Kindle
7. The Darkest Secret
8. The Darkest Surrender
9. The Darkest Seduction 

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Review: Gateway to Heaven by Beth Kery

Gateway to Heaven by Beth Kery
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Life is rough when you-re gorgeous, rich, talented and so sexy the media won-t leave you alone.

It was certainly the truth in Christian Lasher's case. He returns to the neighborhood of his childhood to escape the spotlight, hungering for a change in his creative endeavors. In the midst of his soul searching he meets Megan and is captured by the tantalizing hint of her hidden fires. Megan knows nothing about his wild, rebellious youth or his career as a rock star-and Christian would prefer to keep it that way.

There was much, much more to her than the role of a fragile victim.

Megan Shreve is a sculptor with creative depths and passions that tragedy had forced into the shadows. When she looks into Christian's eyes she sees herself for the first time as an exciting, sexy woman. She longs to discover more of herself in Christian's arms and in his bed.

Two passionate souls destined for one another-unless the stifling roles imposed by tragedy and fame rip them apart.

My Thoughts: I've read several of Beth Kery's books in the past and I really enjoyed both her writing style and her characters (RAWR! to sexy alpha males!) BUT I'm not a big fan of non-paranormal contemporary storylines. So, I went into this one with one eye on the door in case I needed to make a quick escape. Oh, guys. OH, GUYS! This book was outstanding. Christian and Megan's story was lovely and sweet and sad and I'm so, so glad I decided to step outside my werewolf-infested comfort zone and give them a try.

Megan has been shaped by a horrible tragedy that she really doesn't remember. It's defined her and made everyone treat her with kid gloves. Christian, on the other hand, doesn't know about her past. He simply sees someone he desires. To the chagrin of everyone around Megan, he goes after her and for the first time Megan sees that she doesn't have to be chained down by something that happened years and years ago. Of course, things don't go entirely smoothly for the two of them. When Megan finds out that Christian is a rock superstar, she has to deal with her insecurities and the way the media paints him.

A wonderfully written story, Beth Kery has given us characters with depth and heart. I can't tell you how excited I am to play in her world.

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon | Kindle |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge, Why Buy the Cow? Challenge
Gateway to Heaven was a free Kindle download I picked up on 04/10/12.

Review: Alien Mate by Eve Langlais

Alien Mate (Alien Mate #1) by Eve Langlais
Synopsis (Goodreads):

What would you do if an alien materialized in your living room and told you he was your leader?

Plump Diana is ironing her underwear when the hottest blue babe in all of the galaxy appears in her living room. Did she forget to mention he was naked? Abducted, decontaminated, and dressed like a harem girl, she’s been chosen to become his mate.

Kor asked his ancestors to find him a biddable, docile mate. Instead they found him Diana--a curvy, argumentative earthling who sets his pulse pounding and his loins on fire. He might be an alien who doesn't understand the meaning of love, but he sure knows what he feels is more than lust.

My Thoughts: I think this is the 3rd Eve Langlais book I've read. Maybe it's the 4th. I'm not sure and that's not really the point. What I'm getting at is that everything I've read by her, whether it's a shifter book or sexy sci-fi, has been awesome. This lady has sassy heroines that make me giggle. She has big blue (and purple!) aliens that make me sit up and smile. She has snark and sexy times galore!

I read a book not too long ago with a similar basic premise (Earth girl gets whisked away to another planet to be the mate of an Alpha alien dude) and I'm amused that I had such different reactions to the way this idea was handled. I loved Alien Mate. I thought it was cute and sexy and I would DEFINITELY read more in this series. The other book? Ehhh... Let's just say that I had more than one issue with the way the heroine was treated and leave it at that. The humor that Eve Langlais writes into what could be a creeptastic situation kept this book light and fun. Oh, and the inherent horniness of her female characters, which I think is AWESOME! Horny girls, FTW!

Kor and Diana are a hoot and a half and although their book is fairly short in length it doesn't skimp on either the sexy times or the emotional side of their relationship. Fun with a side of big, blue alien. What's not to like?

Books in this series
1. Alien Mate - Paperback | Kindle
2. Alien Mate 2
3. Alien Mate 3

Author Links
| Website | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge, Why Buy the Cow? Challenge
Alien Mate was a free download I picked up from ARE on 04/05/12.

Review: On Demon Wings by Karina Halle

On Demon Wings (Experiment in Terror #5) by Karina Halle
Synopsis (Goodreads):

When the life you wanted has crumbled beneath your fingers, there’s nothing left to do but pick up the pieces and soldier on. You’ve done this before.

But what happens when you no longer feel like yourself anymore? When fires spontaneously start-up around you, when you hear growling coming from underneath your bed, and you no longer recognize your face in the mirror. What happens then?

Ghost-hunter Perry Palomino doesn’t have much time to find out. Now, the evil she used to hunt is a lot closer to home. It’s inside of her, taking over her life bit-by-terrifying bit, and there’s only one person who can help her.

If part of her doesn’t kill him first.

My Thoughts: I don't think it's a secret that I am crazy in love with this series. I was hooked from book 1 and I was DYING at the end of Lying Season. Absolutely dying. There might have been actual tears. Possibly some dramatic flailing. I *want* Perry and Dex together so badly I can almost taste it. So when this book opened and Perry was dealing with the fallout of what happened with Dex, I was all twisted up in knots. I don't want things to be easy for these two because so much of their charm is the way they're always pushing and pulling at one another but it was still hard to see Perry so ground down by the circumstances that had brought her to that point.

That said, this book was a whirlwind ride of ups and downs. Perry's dealing with her heartache as best she can but it's taking a physical toll on her. Ada comes through as a staunch ally and is there for Perry when the chips are down. We're finally starting to get answers to some of the questions that have been popping up and those answers are doozies!

I loved this book and at the same time it was hard to read. Karina Halle does a wonderful job of pulling us into Perry's pain. It's not pretty and it's not easy. Her life feels like it's spinning out of control and it's chaotic and confusing. Perry's issues with the supernatural aren't doing her any favors in this case and the experiences she's having just continue to push her closer to the edge. The secrets that come bubbling out of all this are a teeny, tiny bit terrifying. The idea of telling the complete truth and having the people you trust put the proverbial smackdown on you is absolutely chilling. It's one of those things that I find utterly frightening.

For anyone who likes convoluted love stories, creepy ghosts and an intricately plotted storyline, this book... no, this entire series is for you. Perry and Dex are two of my all-time favorite characters because they feel so damn real. Also, Karina Halle gets a gold star for multiple uses of the word "douchecanoe".

Books in this series
1. Darkhouse
2. Red Fox
2.5. The Benson
3. Dead Sky Morning
4. Lying Season
5. On Demon Wings - Paperback | Kindle
5.5. Old Blood
6. Into the Hollow

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge

On Demon Wings was provided by the blog tour in exchange for an honest review.

And now for some giveaways...
Giveaway #1:
An On Demon Wings Kindle Cover

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Giveaway #2:
An ebook copy of On Demon Wings

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Good luck and happy reading!

Spotlight on... How much is too much?

How much is too much when it comes to posts?

I can't even tell you how hard it is to start this post without cracking a size joke. I'm holding on by a thread here, people. A THREAD!

*ahem*

This is a topic I'm genuinely curious about and it's something that Amanda and I were discussing via email the other day. As a reader, what is the optimal length for posts and/or reviews that you're comfortable with? At what point do you give up and resort to skimming? Do you end up skipping the longer posts all together?

For me, I follow all my bloggy peeps in Google Reader. It's convenient, it keeps track of new posts for me and it keeps me in the loop. The downside is that the longer posts - and I'm talking about posts that include full chapter excerpts and give me a raging case of carpal tunnel to scroll through - have a tendency to get skipped over when I have 200+ new posts and a limited amount of time.


What about reviews?

As a blogger, I try to keep my reviews short and sweet. Generally speaking they're 3 to 4 paragraphs, although there are times when that guideline gets thrown completely out the window. What? Sometimes I ramble. It happens. Right. Anything less than 3 paragraphs and I feel like I'm shorting both the book and the author. Anything substantially over and I start wondering if I'm making the slightest amount of sense*.
*for the record, I'm probably not.

I know that when I'm reading reviews, I go a little blurry when they start to get overly long. This goes back to that pesky time issue. While I can appreciate the time someone takes to write an incredibly detailed review, I tend to skim them because I have 2 dogs, a loud (occasionally obnoxious) kid, a nieceling who doesn't stop talking and a TBR pile that has officially intimidated me with its fierce scowl.

But that's just me.

I want to know how all you feel about this. Do you skim? Do you love chapter excerpts? Do you read everything regardless of length?

Inquiring minds (which mostly means ME) want to know!