Review: "Tempting the Enemy" by Dee Tenorio

I recently received an advance reader's copy (ARC) of Dee Tenorio's Deceiving the Protector, Book 2 of Tenorio's Resurrection series. I really enjoyed the series' first book, Tempting the Enemy, so I decided to do a quick re-read before diving into Deceiving the Protector.

Here's the blurb for Tempting the Enemy from the author's website:

Detective Pale Rysen, an Alpha, is determined to secretly rebuild the Wolf packs from the ashes of genocide. When a killer starts picking off young females looking for sanctuary, it's his job to protect them. Forced to work with a hated enemy, he fears his cover will be blown.

Jade-Scarlet's membership in the powerful Order of the Sibile has always been controversial. A half-wolf, Jade's unstable psychic powers are a disappointment to her mercenary handlers. So when the Oracle commands her to work with Pale, Jade must prove herself...even if it means challenging the enigmatic shifter.

Yet Pale triggers more than her curiosity. He sends her into Heat, and the intense sexual attraction could mean losing control of her gifts—something she can't allow. As the number of victims rises, so does the danger. A murderous darkness wants them both dead. But even if they stop the killer, how long can they fight each other?

Tempting the Enemy was just as enjoyable the second go around. It was an interesting world with very likeable characters. I loved how Tenorio wrote Pale; he's a true alpha hero - honorable, possessive, but patient and tender with his potential mate. The heroine isn't a push over either. Jade is a beautiful match for an alpha; she can protect herself but knows when she needs help or should heed advice. I love this scene in which Jade allows Pale to show his possessiveness yet lets him know that its because she allows it.

She was safe. Safe and exactly where she needed to be. That is, until Rysen reached down and swept her up into his hold. Cradled in his arms, she opened her mouth to protest, but the hard command in his eyes kept her silent. Something...Wolf was going on and he needed her not to fight it...If she was right and Rysen was the Alpha of this particular group, undermining his authority would be about as healthy for her as slashing her own wrists.

Besides, his arms around her felt good.

Still. "You know I'm allowing this, right?"

His mild grunt was matched with a slight squeeze around her thighs. "If you say so."

So he knew he was being pandered to. She shrugged and slid her arms around his neck, breathing him in and letting him have his way. She pulled a touch of moonlight, just enough to make her point, and let her palm heat against his neck as they passed the two other men. Not to sizzle, just to tease. She smiled into his shoulder when she felt his breath hitch. She brought her lips to Rysen's ear. "Just so you don't forget."

The whodunit was also a nice backdrop for the growth of Pale and Jade's relationship. Definitely a nice twist. I highly recommend trying out Dee Tenorio's work. Rating: 5/5

Review: Steam & Sorcery by Cindy Spencer Pape

Book 1 of Cindy Spencer Pape's Gaslight Chronicles, "Steam and Sorcery" is a sweet romantic, steampunk read that takes a while to build up steam. (yeah - I went there. I couldn't resist.) I almost gave up on this after the first quarter of the book but forced myself to forge ahead. I think all the background story built up too slowly. Practically the first quarter of the book passed before the hero and heroine even appear together for more than a paragraph. I would have enjoyed this book more if the first half of the book could have been condensed into a few chapters. A few scenes were jarring to me as a historical romance reader even though the author provides an explanation. An example: the heroine, in her role as governess, is invited to dine at a dinner party - hosted by the hero's boss, a duke. The author provides an explanation, but it just didn't seemed historically accurate to the time period steampunk is set in. I understand she's not exactly of the same class as the downstairs servants, but she's not even a distant relationship or presented as such before the invite.

The children/orphans the hero takes in were interesting and definitely stole the show. I'd especially be interested in reading Wink's story. This e-book is available now from Carina Press. Below is the back cover blurb:

Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess.

Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she's ever met—and out of reach for a mere governess.

When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery...

Rating: 2.5/5

ARC courtesy of NetGalley

Review: "Eternal Rider" by Larissa Ione

Book one of Larissa Ione's new Lords of Deliverance series, Eternal Rider is a little slow in places with all the world building and numerous cast of characters. However, when the action starts you can't read fast enough in your need to discover what happens.

From the back cover blurb:

His name is Ares, and the fate of mankind tests on his powerful shoulders. If he falls to the forces of evil, the world falls too. As one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, he is far stronger than any mortal, but even he cannot fight his destiny forever. Not when his own brother plots against him.

Yet there is one last hope. Gifted in a way other humans can't - or won't - understand, Cara Thornhart is the key to both this Horseman's safety and his doom. But involving Cara will prove treacherous, even beyond the maddening, dangerous desire that seizes them the moment they meet. For staving off eternal darkness could have a staggering cost: Cara's life.

This new series stands on it's own from Ione's previous Demonica series, but characters from the Demonica series do make an appearance. Reading the Demonica series may help with understanding the world Eternal Rider is set in and the background of the characters from Demonica that make an appearance. Ione does a good job of introducing new readers to the demon world she has built (as well as reminding those already familiar with Demonica) and what happened previously in the Demonica series that affect this new series and the characters involved. I definitely recommend referencing the provided glossary before starting the book.

The ending was a little anti-climatic for me, but I did like how Ione resolved the issue with Cara and the agimortus, the object/thing/person that would convert Ares into War and trigger the fall of the world if it breaks. I'm looking forward to seeing how the other Horsemen are dealt with - especially Pestilence, who has truly turned evil.

Rating: 4/5

Review: "In the Dark of Dreams" by Marjorie M. Liu

Marjorie M. Liu's latest installment in her Dirk and Steele series is the November 30, 2010 release of In the Dark of Dreams. I haven't had a chance to read all the books in this series, but I greatly enjoyed reading The Fire King, the 9th book in this series.

Review: "Crown of Crystal Flame" by C.L. Wilson

Cover and blurb from the Author's Website:

Journey Back to the Magical World of the Fading Lands.


A Song of Love won her heart.
A Song of Darkness haunted her soul.
A Song in the Dance would seal her fate.


Seers had long foreseen an extraordinary destiny for Ellysetta Baristani. Already she had won the heart of the Fey King - the magnificent Rain, ever her ally, eternally her love. She had saved the offspring of the magical tairen and fought beside her legendary mate against the armies of Eld.


But the most powerful - and dangerous - Verse of her Song had yet to be sung.


As the final battle draws nigh and evil tightens its grip upon her soul - will Ellysetta secure the world for Light or plunge it into Darkness for all eternity? As she and Rain fight for each other, side by side, will they find a way to complete their truemate bond and defeat the evil High Mage of Eld before it's too late, or must they make the ultimate sacrifice to save their world?


My Thoughts:

Crown of Crystal Flame by C.L. Wilson was an awesome wrap-up to the Tairen Soul series. I was a bit hesitant to start this book since the previous book, Queen of Song and Souls (Book 4 of the series), seemed to drag (I actually ended up skimming it). However, this final book was action packed! Danger surrounds Rain and Elly at every turn. I was a third of the way through the book, and I couldn't imagine what else Rain and Elly would have to confront. There were definitely several chapters that ended on cliff hangers - leaving you wondering if they were going to be able to escape the threat facing them and/or their people.

***SPOILER BELOW***

Review: "The Wild Road" by Marjorie M. Liu

After reading Marjorie M. Liu's The Fire King I had to go find her other Dirk & Steele novels. The first bookstore I hit only had The Wild Road, the 8th book in the series (looks like I'll be reading the series backwards). I realized as I started reading it was about a character that had appeared in Liu's contribution to the Dark Dreamers anthology.

The Wild Road was a quick read. It's about Lannes, a gargoyle, whose brother is a member of the detective agency Dirk & Steele. Lannes keeps himself isolated from others after - sure no woman could love one such as he. However, on one of his rare visits to the city to visit an old friend, he stumbles across a woman covered in blood trying to steal his car. She has no memory of who she is and is desperate to get away. Lannes finds himself wanting to help her discover who she is and how she lost her memory. They soon discover that their histories are connected. I didn't feel this story was as cohesive and as emotionally charged as The Fire King, but it was still satisfying. My take: ½

Review: "The Fire King" by Marjorie M. Liu

I believe that The Fire King by Marjorie M. Liu is her first full length novel that I've read (if you don't count her contribution to the Crimson series). I know I've seen her Dirk & Steele books on the shelves at the bookstore before, but I've never actually bought one. However, her 9th Dirk & Steele novel, The Fire King, seemed interesting enough to buy after I read some of the posted excerpts. Liu's Dirk & Steele novels follow various agents of Dirk & Steele, an international detective agency that is (unknown to the general public) composed of psychics, shape-shifters, and legendary creatures.

The Fire King introduces us to Karr, a dangerous desert creature that has been awaken against his will after centuries of sleep. Soria left Dirk & Steele after losing part of her dominant arm and is still attempting to come to grips with the loss of the limb. Soria has the gift of communication - the ability to absorb languages with proximity, and she is brought in to question Karr and determine if he is a danger to the agency and humans. The story of the various groups attempting to get their hands on Karr, and Soria and Karr's attempts to evade capture provide the action to the story. I like how Liu provides the reader Soria's background bit by bit. Both Karr and Soria are alone - Karr because no one has seen one of his kind in thousands of years, and Soria because her friends stopped seeing her after the loss of her arm. It was enjoyable reading about how these two loners find themselves no longer alone. My take:

Review: "Mastered by Love" by Stephanie Laurens

In Stephanie Lauren's final Bastion Club novel, "Daziel" Royce Varlsey, the new Duke of Wolverstone, has returned to his childhood home upon the death of his father to deal with his estate and his future - a life out of the spy business. He discovers Minerva Chesterton, the young girl his parents adopted, is now the chatelaine. (I'll admit it - I had to look up chatelaine to confirm my definition of the word. In this sense, chatelaine means: the mistress of an elegant or fashionable household - not necessarily just a castle, as I had originally thought.)

As the new duke, Royce has to marry soon. He soon discovers that he wants Minerva as his wife, but Minerva doesn't think she can handle having Royce as a husband. The Wolverstone clan is not know for their fidelity. Royce has to draw upon his skills (in and out of bed) to convince Minerva she is the only one he wants - now and forever. My take:

Review: "Spider-Touched" by Jory Strong

Jory Strong's "Spider-Touched" take us back to the post apocalyptic world she created in "Ghostland". In "Spider-Touched", we're introduced to Tir and Arana. Tir has no memory of his past but knows that he absolutely hates humans since they are the ones who have kept him enslaved him via a collar that mutes his powers. Arana, is a human thief who is taken prisoner and has a deadly spider tattoo. The two meet when Arana, upon escaping her prison, frees Tir from his shackles. Their paths converge as Arana seeks revenge for the death of her two friends while Tir seeks the key to removing his collar and gaining his freedom. Characters from "Ghostland" also make an appearance in "Spider-Touched". My take:

Review: "A Duke of Her Own" by Eloisa James

I had not read any of Eloisa James' books prior to reading her newest Duchess book, A Duke of Her Own, this past week. If this book is an indication of James' other books - particularly her Duchess series - then I deserve a kick for not picking up her books before this. In A Duke of Her Own, Leopold Dautry, the Duke of Villiers, needs to marry - and marry nobly. Since his options only include daughters of dukes, he's limited in his choices - Eleanor, the beautiful and intelligent daughter of the Duke of Montague, or Lisette, the beautiful and free spirited daughter of the Duke of Gilner?

From what I gather reading this book and excerpts from previous Duchess books, Villiers is a notorious scoundrel who appears in each of the previous Duchess books. I hope all of the heroes in the other Duchess books are as delicious as Villiers. I can't wait to scoop up the rest of this series. My take:

Review: "Storm of Visions" by Christina Dodd

Storm of Visions is the first in Christina Dodd's new series, "The Chosen Ones". It's a paranormal romantic suspense novel about a group of people with ESP (called the Chosen Ones) who battle a group called The Others (who carry out the work of the devil). This first book introduces us to the psychic of the group, Jacqueline. Jacqueline is (literally) dragged back by her former lover, Caleb (her adoptive mother's bodyguard), to the group of six newly appointed Chosen Ones just before an explosion wipes out all the previous Chosen Ones. This new group has the duty of trying to work together, fight the Others, and figuring out who among them is a traitor.

The first few chapters were a bit confusing until you realize that Jacqueline actually knows the man who shows up in her house. It was also a bit slow going through the first half of the book, but I consider that a given since this is the first book of a new series. The author has a lot of world building to lay down while not giving away too much of future storylines. The next book in this series looks intriguing (it's the story of the mind controller of the group), and I look forward to seeing how this series plays out. My take:

Review: "Storm Cycle" by Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen

I finally find some time to sit down with a book this weekend. I stopped by the bookstore on Saturday to see if some of the books scheduled to be released next week were out early. No luck, but I did pick up Iris Johansen & Roy Johansen's new book Storm Cycle. I think this is the Johansen's second mother-son piece (based on the cover jacket blurb). It was a good read. Lots of action with just a tad bit of romance thrown in. The romance aspect was a bit predictable and not really necessary, but it didn't really get in the way of the story. It's an action book with 2 mysteries. Why is someone trying to kill Rachel, a computer genius who is trying to find a cure for her younger sister's rare illness? And, will Rachel and Tavak, an enigmatic adventurer that Rachel joins forces with, find an ancient collection of tablets that may contain cures for various diseases (including the illness Rachel's sister suffers from) before the men hired by the owner of a pharmaceutical company looking to maintain his bottom line?

I liked learning about the technology they mention in the book. They were nice enough to include an Author's Note at the end regarding more information on the subject. Overall, the book was good. My only regret - I wish I was half as smart as the two main characters. My take: ½

Review: "Burn" by Linda Howard

I picked Linda Howard's new hardback Burn to read this weekend. It's about a lottery winner who is on a charity cruise and is coerced into cooperating with a mysterious (and, of course, gorgeous) man doing surveillance on a man in the stateroom next to her room. I liked the book except for the slow and choppy beginning. It starts out in present time, moves back 7 years to when the main character, Jenner, wins the lottery, and then moves forward to the time leading up to the cruise. Starting the book felt like coming into a movie half-way in. You're sort of lost and trying to figure out if you're even in the right place. Then, the chapters leading up to when Jenner wins the lottery seem sort of extraneous. I think it could all have been explained in a few pages and in a different manner that didn't slow down the pace.

However, once the cruise begins the pace picks up and remains pretty steady through the rest of the book. It was a little bit disconcerting at times to read about what was happening off the ship (I had to re-read character names to realize they were talking about characters on shore), but I guess there's no help for that since it's necessary to let the reader know what was happening with other characters. Overrall, though I enjoyed Howard's new book. It had the some of the same humor she used in To Die For and Mr. Perfect. And of course her heroine isn't anyone's door mat even if she's being held hostage. My take: