Review: Midnight Awakening by Lara Adrian

Midnight Awakening (Midnight Breed #3) by Lara Adrian
Synopsis (Goodreads):

He has resisted temptation for centuries, a stone-cold warrior whose frozen heart refuses to thaw—until her...

With a dagger in her hand and vengeance on her mind, Darkhaven beauty Elise Chase prowls Boston's streets in search of retribution against the Rogue vampires who took from her everything she cherished. Using an extraordinary psychic gift, she tracks her prey, well aware that the power she possesses is destroying her. She must learn to harness this gift, and for that she can turn to only one man—the deadliest of the Breed warriors, Tegan.

No stranger to loss, Tegan knows Elise's pain. He knows fury, but when he slays his enemies it is with ice in his veins. He is perfect in his self-control, until Elise seeks his aid in her personal war. An unholy alliance is forged—a bond that will link them by blood and vow—and plunge them into a tempest of danger, desire, and the darkest passions of the heart.

My Thoughts: It's been a while since I read books 1 & 2 in this series but I had no problem at all sliding back in to this world. The idea behind it is different enough that all these bits and pieces stuck with me. I kinda liked it.

I love love loved Tegan and his dark, dangerous side. The guy's the type of badass that I wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. Naturally, he's brought low by the seemingly fragile and wounded Elise. Just as naturally, she's a lot tougher than everyone gives her credit for. She jumps in with both feet and a titanium knife - or a simple letter opener - whenever she thinks she's needed. Now, that's not to say that she's all hard and well-trained. She's not. But she has heart and she has a whole lot of luck and that has to count for something.

While the series arc was tied up nicely (Goodbye, Crimson factory!) and there was a lot of closure going around, THINGS HAPPENED that leave the team reeling. BAD THINGS, GUYS! BAD THINGS! This doesn't shock me because there's a whole passel of Breed Warriors who still have to find their lady friends. We wouldn't want to keep them hanging, so to speak.

I really enjoyed this installment and am looking forward to the next book. OH, RIO!

Books in this series
1. Kiss of Midnight
2. Kiss of Crimson
3. Midnight Awakening - Paperback | Kindle
4. Midnight Rising
5. Veil of Midnight
6. Ashes of Midnight
7. Shades of Midnight
8. Taken by Midnight
9. Deeper Than Midnight
9.5. A Taste of Midnight
10. Darker After Midnight

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Review: Under the Desert Moon by Emma Meade

Under the Desert Moon by Emma Meade
Synopsis (Goodreads):

17 year old Erin Harris spends her time daydreaming, hoping to escape her small town life in Copperfield, Arizona. When a movie crew arrives unexpectedly to shoot a vampire film over the summer, Erin’s small town world changes forever. Erin is positive she has seen the star, James Linkin before in a thirty year old TV show. He hasn’t aged a day. How is this possible? Erin is determined to find out, but how will James handle the scrutiny of an all too intelligent teenage girl?

My Thoughts: An interesting look at small town life with a dose of paranormal. Erin is ready to leave Copperfield behind her until actor James comes rolling into town to film the next big vampire movie. A little research, some pointed questions and suddenly Erin finds her world expanding more than she ever imagined it would.

I did question how James thought he could hide his resemblance to an actor who'd only been out of the limelight for thirty years but I also can understand that his previous life was stolen from him and he wants a little of that back. He's just... not very stealthy, you know. I mean, the guy feeds practically in public without thought that he could be observed.

I *really* liked the ending. Nice and open ended but with a very hopeful flare. Despite James' somewhat boneheadedness regarding hiding his dark side, I liked this book.

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

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge
Under the Desert Moon was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Touched by Death by Dale Mayer

Touched by Death by Dale Mayer
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Death had touched anthropologist Jade Hansen in Haiti once before, costing her an unborn child and perhaps her very sanity. A year later, determined to face her own issues, she returns to Haiti with a mortuary team to recover the bodies of an American family from a mass grave.

Visiting his brother after the quake, independent contractor Dane Carter puts his life on hold to help the sleepy town of Jacmel rebuild. But he finds it hard to like his brother’s pregnant wife or her family. He wants to go home, until he meets Jade – and realizes what’s missing in his own life.

When the mortuary team begins work, it’s as if malevolence has been released from the earth. Instead of laying her ghosts to rest, Jade finds herself confronting death and terror again. And the man who unexpectedly awakens her heart – is right in the middle of it all.

My Thoughts: Dale Mayer liked to put her poor characters through some pretty tough things. This time around it's post-traumatic stress and a whole lot of dead bodies. I wish I could say that the dead bodies were the hardest thing that Jade ends up facing, but... well, I can't. She's got some baggage. She's forced to work through it and she's ending up stronger because of it but it's a rough road at first.

I liked the dynamic between Dane and Jade. They spark. Sparking is good. Sparking leads to unstoppable conflagrations that can only be tamed by large amounts of time rolling around in bed. Sparks: not such a good thing when you're in a forest, but outstanding when it's between two people.

The mystery itself ended up being a little more complex than I originally thought. There are layers here, guys. Layers! And you have to uncover those layers. It's a process. It's very similar to how Jade and her team uncover the bodies and do their thing. Okay, now, I want to say more but I feel like I'll give something vital away and I really don't want to do that.

Suffice to say, I enjoyed this book. It was just the right amount of gruesome mixed in with a main character who has to find herself again. And there might have been some sweet, sweet lovin' thrown in for good measure. *thumbs up*

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

Reading challenges: Ebook Challenge
Touched by Death was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Review: Invincible by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Invincible (Chronicles of Nick #2) by Sherrilyn Kenyon
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Nick Gautier’s day just keeps getting better and better. Yeah, he survived the zombie attacks, only to wake up and find himself enslaved to a world of shapeshifters and demons out to claim his soul.

His new principal thinks he’s even more of a hoodlum than the last one, his coach is trying to recruit him to things he can’t even mention and the girl he’s not seeing, but is, has secrets that terrify him.

But more than that, he’s being groomed by the darkest of powers and if he doesn’t learn how to raise the dead by the end of the week, he will become one of them...

My Thoughts: I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around how the events in this series are going to affect the overall arc for the Dark-Hunters. I mean, Nick is fiddling with his own past. That can't be good. Right? He's changing things. Big things. How is this going to work out?

I do enjoy seeing the characters from the DH series popping in and out of this one but I almost think it's at the detriment of Nick's story. There was a virtual who's who of shapeshifters introduced to Nick at the Peltier's bar. Some of them were only glimpsed before heading off page. While *I* enjoyed this, I could see how it would be confusing for anyone who hadn't read the DH series first. At the same time, Nick is so tangled up in that world in the DH series that I can understand why Sherrilyn Kenyon is setting the tone for it now.

Honestly, I don't know how I feel about this book. I enjoyed it because it was set in the Dark-Hunters world but parts of the action felt like they were resolved very, very easily. There are only so many times that a previously unknown power of Nick's can put in an appearance before I start giving it the side eye. The motivation of his companions has me scratching my head. Between Caleb and Kody, I don't know which way is up. Demons that can take the form of any other demon further complicate the issue since everyone who pops up could potentially be a bad guy.

Just to be clear, I didn't hate the book in the slightest. I think my issues stem from not quite seeing how this storyline will ultimately fit in with the original Dark-Hunters storyline. I  keep trying to skew my understanding of the events to make sense of it and I just can't yet. Still, I'll stick with the series. Nick is one of those characters that has fascinated me since he was first introduced and the more his life fell apart, the more I was entranced. Seeing him as a kid is fun and I'm in it for the long haul.

Books in this series
1. Infinity
2. Invincible - Hardcover | Paperback | Kindle
3. Infamous
4. Inferno

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Review: Never Love a Highlander by Maya Banks

Never Love a Highlander (McCabe Trilogy #3) by Maya Banks
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Caelen McCabe's young, reckless heart nearly destroyed his clan. Now putting family loyalty above all else, he steps up to marry his older brother's jilted bride and salvage the uneasy alliance between two clans. While beautiful Rionna McDonald is a fit wife for any man, Caelen trusts no woman, especially not this sweet temptress who torments him with white hot longing.

As the sacrificial lamb in her father's power game, Rionna will do her duty but protect her heart and her pride from another man's humiliation. Despite everything, the heat in Caelen's touch melts her defenses and she craves the sensual delights of a husband who guards his emotions as fiercely as his clan. But when the ultimate battle for the McCabe legacy is upon them, Rionna's true warrior spirit emerges. She will risk the wrath of her father, the fury of her enemies, and her life to prove to Caelen that his wife's love is too precious to lose.

My Thoughts: I was told at some point or another that I would cry while reading this book. Since I'm clearly not a crier *pointed look at everybody who would say differently for them to keep their stinking mouths shut*, I kinda, sorta put off reading it. I can now say, with confidence, that this book did, indeed, make me cry. MORE THAN ONCE!

Caelen and Rionna's romance was sweet and tense and full of sexy. He views the world through the eyes of a man who was sorely betrayed once before. She's wary of him because his vision of how a wife should act is very different from the reality of Rionna herself. She's learned to protect herself and would fight alongside the men in her clan, he wants a dutiful wife who will acquiesce without a fight. At least, that's what he thinks he wants.

This book concluded the trilogy nicely. We got some smokin' hot lovin' between Rionna and Caelen, the brothers have each found their place and are thriving, and the bad guy gets his just desserts. I must admit that those Highlanders really have their fighting and loving down, don't they? Needless to say, Maya Banks' storytelling abilities continue to leave me breathless. And maybe teary-eyed. Although I'm not admitting to that last part. Huge, happy *thumbs up* to this incredibly satisfactory ending.

Books in this series
1. In Bed With a Highlander
2. Seduction of a Highland Lass
3. Never Love a Highlander - Paperback | Kindle

Author Links
| Website | Twitter | Facebook | Amazon |

Amanda and Kelly Review: The Alien King and I by Lizzie Lynn Lee

The Alien King and I by Lizzie Lynn Lee
Synopsis (Goodreads):

Lindsey is expecting a big surprise for her thirtieth birthday. Something along the lines of a male stripper, courtesy of her best friend. But she didn’t expect her hot stripper fun to include a kidnapping…or the fact that the stripper is an alien intent on stripping them both!

Our Thoughts:
Amanda: I want to talk about the alien king's big cock.

Kelly: We have to lead up to the alien king's big cock. First, we need to talk about other things. Like.... uhh... the lack of tentacles. Or... or... or... fine, let's talk about the alien king's big cock.

Amanda: We could start off by addressing the fact she called him Steve. I found that hilarious for some reason. He rattles off his name, and then she's like, "So I can call you Steve, right?"

Kelly: To be fair, it was a *really* complex name with lots of places tacked on. It did make me laugh, though. Plus, the fact that she kept asking him to dance for her. Ha!

Amanda: Well, hey. When you've been promised a stripper, you expect stripper activities. Like having him rip off his clothes and shake his booty for you.

Kelly: Ha! So true. And nobody expects to open the door to an alien, amirite? A hunky alien who whisks her away to a space ship and makes with the dirty sexin'. Rawr!

Amanda: Well, yes. But she had a total freak out before the dirty sexin' happened. Seriously. She took one long (a sexual emphasis on long here, mind you) look at his very large cock and ran away in fear. Can you imagine if she had a true phobia of large cocks? Wait. Hold on. I have to do a little research here. Hmm. There seems to be phobias of penises in general and of erect penises, but not very large penises. Well, you know what they say, right? Once you go alien, you don't go back. Unless you do. But then you'll regret it.

Kelly:  Ha! I'm dying! I wasn't aware of the "Once you go alien" saying. Clearly I need to get out more and interact with those alien hotties!

Amanda: Technically, once you go alien, they'll also kidnap you and take you to their home world, never to return. In exchange, you get a large cock and some dirty sexin'. I guess it's all about what your priorities are.

Kelly: Well, when you put it that way... WHERE DO I SIGN UP?!?!?

Amanda: You must go to Vegas and hire a stripper. The rest will happen naturally and is between you and the alien king.

Kelly: I think you meant to say: it's between you, the alien king and his giant cock!

Amanda: Oh, you're most definitely right. How could I forget his giant cock?

Kelly: I don't know. Lindsay certainly couldn't. I believe she was pining for him at the end, was she not?

Amanda: She was pining for him and his big cock in a bad way. She really got over her fear quickly. I'm proud of her.

Kelly: *wipes away a little tear* We're all proud of her. Btw, I'm still a little sad that we didn't get any dirty alien tentacle sex. Maybe next time.

The Alien King and I was a free ARE download we picked up on 09/06/12.

Amanda and Kelly Review: Nina Versus the Mummy by Catherine DeVore

Nina Versus the Mummy: An Erotic Adventure by Catherine DeVore

When Nina steals an ancient map that points to the Pharaoh's treasure trove, she expects to steal some gold and make a quick buck. Instead, she finds herself face-to-face with a mummy who plans to extract his revenge by making her his plaything for the night.

Warning: This 3500-word story includes a steamy blowjob, rough sex, and an explicit encounter with an ancient Egyptian pharaoh that you won't soon forget!

Our Thoughts:
Amanda: So when I was promised hot sex with a mummy, my first thought was, "How does one have sex with a mummy?" I mean, a mummy is basically a dead body all wrapped up, so... is that some sort of necrophilia I'm not aware of?

Kelly: You want to know what my first thought was? "Duuuuude... sex with a mummy? BRING IT ON!" I guess technically it would be necrophilia, wouldn't it? Now I feel all dirty for thinking that.

Amanda: Except the first sexual encounter isn't with a mummy. It was with Paul, and his big cock.

Kelly: Yeeeaaaaah. Disappointment #1. The blowjob was only mildly steamy and clearly Paul wasn't a mummy. Does it mean I've read too many dirty books when the sex is described as "rough" and I'm all... "Meh. I've read rougher."?

Amanda: That was a quickie blowjob. And, um... that sex wasn't rough at all. Unless "rough" means "not missionary position." Then I could maybe see calling it rough. Maybe.

Kelly: No. Just no. I can't accept that. Rough sex is not defined as non-missionary. Truth in advertising, people! In fact, I'm rewriting the warning. In my head it now says: a quickie blowjob and some mediocre sex.

Amanda: On the topic of mediocre sex, what was up with the sex with the mummy? It was all, "Spend the night and make love with me." And then one orgasm later and they're parting ways. After thousands of years of no sex, wouldn't you want more than one orgasm? Surely you've built up your royal cum over all that time.

Kelly: Let's backtrack for a second. "Make love to me"? I'm thinking that the mummy has many, many, MANY years of pent up sexual tension. Is "making love" really the correct term? On the plus side, at least this time it was slightly more satisfying. Or at least a little rougher. Wasn't it? You're right, though. I'm not thinking that a single boning would take care of business.

Amanda: No, you're right. It was definitely not making love. It was fucking. And after years of no release, why wouldn't you fuck your partner into oblivion? Nina was ready and willing. Though I'm not going to lie, Nina seems to like teh sex anyway. Once the mummy transformed a bit, she was all, "Bring it on, big boy!" This is probably not the kind of reaction I would have had. But then again, neither am I Nina.

Kelly: It still wasn't as rough as it could have been, either. He could have been ALL up in her business and ... he wasn't. Anywho. Can we talk about this cover for a minute? I choose to believe that the cover artist had just watched a hardcore marathon of Tomb Raider and couldn't get Lara Croft out of their head. Amirite?

Amanda: It does have that Tomb Raider feel. Was that what first attracted you to this book or was it the mummy sex?

Kelly: I... can't lie. It was the possibility of mummy sex. Which turned out to be a big dud! Next time, I'm hoping for some tentacled alien sex! PREPARE YOURSELF!

Nina Versus the Mummy was a free ARE download we picked up on 09/05/12.