Wild and Free by Kristen Ashley (The Three Series #3)

4 Stars

I was really looking forward to reading this book.  I not only wanted to know what was next in this fight amongst the supernaturals, but I wanted to meet this third couple.  I wanted to meet the vampire/werewolf hybrid and his lady.  The previous books were so amazing maybe my expectations were too high?  It was a disappointment, but it was long and at the end I didn’t feel like a lot happened.  This author started writing with the Rock Chick Series which is very action packed.  It is one thing after the next.  This felt like a lot of waiting.

Lilah is a biker chick and she is one a trip to a biker haven.  She immediately gets into some pretty deep trouble.  This is where she meets Abel.  He is our vampire/werewolf hybrid.  They are immediately drawn to one another in a very deep way.  Lilah is thrown into the supernatural world in a way that she can’t deny that it exists.  The larger fight between the good and bad supernaturals is soon brought to their doorstep and they must decide to stay and fight or to run.  After this they spend much of their time on a compound that is safe from the bad guys.  The ultimate showdown involves all the couples, but centers around Lilah. 

Besides wanting more action, I didn’t like the chemistry between Lilah and Abel as much as the other two couples in the series.  I can’t even describe why, I just didn’t feel as strong of a connection. 

Silk is for Seduction by Loretta Chase

4 Stars

This is the first book in a series that follows three sisters.  This book is about the oldest daughter: Marcelline Noirot.  She and her sisters run a dress shop in London.  They are trying to out do their competition.  It becomes clear early on that Marcelline is very talented with both designing dresses but also knowing what shapes and colors would be best for her customers.  They need one big client to help move the elite shoppers in her direction and they have finally found her.  The problem is they have to attract this woman first. 

The sisters have set their eyes upon the soon to be Duchess of Clevedon.  To get to the duchess-to-be the sisters have decided to attract the attention of the Duke of Clevedon first.  This seems a bit backward to me, but Marcelline is very upfront with the Duke so there isn’t a lot of annoying misunderstanding the whole time.  Obviously you can see where the trouble lies.  You know that the Duke and Marcelline will fall for each other, but the enjoyable part is the journey these two take to get to each other.  You also genuinely like the duchess-to-be, but the author handles that very well. 

The next book is obviously going to be about the next sister, Sophie and the Duke’s friend, Longmore (also the Duchess-to-be’s brother!).  One problem I often have with a series is they make the first hero so wonderful and everything you want to see in your book-men that when the series moves on to another man he seems like less of a catch.  I am actually genuinely excited to get to know Longmore better. 

Into the Darkness (Darkness #1) by K.F. Breene

3 Stars

I really liked the premise of this book.  Sasha has kept her secrets her whole life.  She found out very young that if she told others that she saw people no one else saw that she would be returned to the foster system and even sent to counseling.  The night her whole family died is the first night she saw them and she has continued to see these “shadow people” ever since.

Things start to get weird for her and her boyfriend one night when she actually starts interacting with them.  Where the story got off track for me is the complete and utter obsession with sex that the rest of the book takes on.  It doesn’t appear to serve any purpose in the storyline except to allow sex to be written about extensively.  The main character has a boyfriend that she is very attached to.  She is willing to go into deadly situations to save him and yet she is thinking about sex constantly with “The Boss” who seems to have very little respect for her. 

“The Boss” and all these shadow creatures are invading Sasha’s world.  Some appear to be good (or at least not trying to kill her) and some are definitely bad.  She makes a lot of stupid decisions.  The book is very short and seems more like an intro into this new world rather than a complete storyline.  I would have liked less obsession with sex and more fleshing out of the characters.  I am still debating whether I want to give the second book a chance.  I think there could be a great series hidden behind all the mindless alien obsessed sex. 

Bound by Flames: A Night Prince Novel by Jeaniene Frost

 

4 Stars

This is the third book in this series.  I can’t quite remember.  The previous book was so long ago that I actually had a hard time remembering all the components of the storyline and who everyone is.

This book starts off with a dinner party at Vlad’s castle.  They are looking for connections to the bad guy whose last name I can’t remember how to spell…Szilyagi or something like that (just pretend that I spelled it right).  The bad guy is still out there and gunning for Vlad.  He used Leila once to get to Vlad, which worked so Vlad is extra protective now that Leila is his wife and he has been forced to admit that he cares.  This however does not prevent Szilyagi’s treachery from reaching Leila.  She is a magnet for trouble.  This doesn’t feel like she is stupid or helpful and always needs rescuing like in some books.  She ends up in trouble because there is a lot of trouble out there.  There was a point in the book where Vlad wanted her to stay in one place and she refused and went to help others.  If she had stayed there it would have meant her death.  It was refreshing that Leila was strong and could take care of herself.  She didn’t always make the same decision I would have, but I could usually understand where she was coming from. 

There is some resolution, but more problems come around by the end of the book.  Problems I did not see coming! 

 

Seducing Destiny (The Fae Chronicles Book $) by Amelia Hutchins

4 Stars

This book picks up right where the third book left us.  The mages are still trying to destroy Faery and bring down all the fae.  Synthia is very pregnant with twins.  Ryder is very protective of her.  Ristan is still going between Faery and the Guild to try to help Alden.    There is a lot of action that happens.  There is treachery afoot and it is coming from within.  I was able to guess who the culprit was but that wasn’t too difficult.  I was happy to see that situation resolved.  Synthia ends up in the hands of the mages and her brother Faolan while sheis still pregnant.  He is even more unstable that we previously believed.  For Synthia and Ryder’s babies to live they have get Faery to accept them and Danu to bless them.  Obviously Danu will bless them as she is Synthia’s mother. 

I thoroughly enjoyed meeting the lesser fae and all the high drama and action that happens in this book.  What has grown tiresome is the sex, sex, sex between Ryder and Synthia.  I actually find myself paging forward in my kindle until it is over! Outrageous I know. 

There is not much I can say about the storyline because so much happens that most of it would contain spoilers.  I will say in the end we are still fighting the mages, but perhaps more of the Guild is aware of their infiltration than before.  There is action with Synthia and the mages/Faolan, there is action with Synthia and Danu, there is action with Synthia and the Guild, and there is action with the Light Fae. 

Burned: Fever Series Book 7 by Karen Marie Moning

4.5 Stars

This book was so much more than I expected, but at the same time it left me desperately wanting.  I read the sixth book in the series where Dani was the protagonist, but I did not enjoy it as much as the rest of the series.  For one, it was written from the voice of a fourteen year old.  Obviously Dani was fourteen and therefore it should sound like that, however, that does not mean I want to read a book in her head.  I did not enjoy Ryodan and overall number 6 was a letdown.  I had originally heard that book seven was going to be Dani’s book as well.  Someone evil told me Dani doesn’t age in the silvers or something crazy and ends up with Dancer.  I did not want to read that!

Book seven is mostly from Mac’s point of view (which I love), but it also had snippets from Barrons, Lor, Dani, Jada, and the sidhe-seer who is running the Abbey now (I can’t remember her name).  Often times this can be annoying as the reader will often not be an interested in what these secondary characters are experiencing.   I actually really liked most (read: “most”) of these side characters narration times and the ones I didn’t care as much for where blessedly brief and therefore enjoyable for the snippet of insight it delivers. 

There is so much that happens in this book that can’t even be discussed because it would be beyond spoilers.  This is book seven and we are just now learning a LOT of new information.  I can’t even tell you the sneaky way we get this information because that would be spoiling as well.  I can say: 1.) I didn’t find Dani as annoying as I usually do, 2.) I have a new found respect for Ryodan and 3.) the beginning is going to rock your socks off! 

My main problem and why I say, "it left me desperately wanting," is that it didn't feel like a complete book.  Usually in this series, the author delivers and then some on the storyline.  I can't say that a tremendous about of information wasn't provided and I loved every second of it, but when I read the last page it didn't feel like the last page.  I checked a couple times so I am pretty sure it was.  I also despise cliffhangers so that is part of the problem.  

That is all I can say…