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Crossroads in Blood (Partnership in Blood book 5) by Ariel Tachna

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=2324

CrossroadsinBloodBlurb

Part of the First Time For Everything Daily Dose 2011 collection

Facing the Germans outside Amiens, Denis was prepared for the possibility he wouldn’t survive the battle. Shot and left for dead, he didn’t expect to open his eyes to a vampire offering him a chance at a different existence. Now newly turned, the hunger for blood grows insistent, but an instinct Denis doesn’t understand presses him to make the right choice for feeding, not the most expedient one. Which will Noël prove to be: a temporary succor or the companion of a lifetime?

Review

This is a very short – almost prequel – to the series, introducing the concept and characters we will see in other books.

Denis is “killed” in the battle then offered life after death. Since he’s only 19 he takes the offer and Noel must show him the ropes and more?

As always Tachna is a wonderful writer, if the story is a bit too short to really delve into.

(The cover has nothing to do with the story.)

3 of 5 hearts

3

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The Altered by Annabelle Jacobs

TheAltered-f

Twenty years ago the UK’s water supply was contaminated with an experimental pathogen, Lycanaeris, causing widespread panic across the nation. Terrorism was suspected but never proven, and when nothing happened–no epidemic, no unexplained illnesses–the whole episode was written off as an elaborate hoax. But Lycanaeris was selective. Only those of a certain age, and with a specific gene in their DNA were infected. Time would reveal the pathogen’s true nature, when those susceptible grew up Altered.

Daniel is one of thousands forced to hide his altered status by living a quiet life. He’s not like the others, though. Daniel can’t help looking so distinctive or being able to see every altered for what they really are. To those abducting altereds, that skill makes him valuable.

For Jordan, shifting from human to wolf means living under the radar to avoid unwanted attention. Meeting Daniel complicates matters. Daniel’s existence is a threat to Jordan and his friends, but Jordan can’t seem to shake the strange connection between them. When danger threatens, there’s little time for Daniel and Jordan to work out their feelings before lives are at stake.

One minute Daniel was looking at a tall dark-haired, really hot man, and in the blink of an eye he’d changed into a huge black wolf, fangs bared in a snarl—clearer than anything he’d seen before.

Kimi’s Thoughts:

This was a very interesting spin of the shifter mythos. Someone has bio-engineered a pathogen that is dumped into a water supply and no one really knows why but we are given a glimpse that it might be government weapons related or possibly someone else doing illegal bio-warfare research. The mystery festers just beneath the surface of the new societal shift the emergence of shifters and those who can see the shifters’ inner animals thanks to their own variation of the  body alterations caused by the pathogen.

The pressure is on for those who shift and those who can “see” the shifter’s animal counterpart while theya re in human form as someone has begun bringing in  those who can see the shifters and using them to unmask shifters, who have been mysteriously disappearing all over the city. The sexual tension between Daniel and Jordan sizzled as does the animosity of his small “pack” as they fear the risk that Daniel’s existence brings to them. Daniel and Jordan are not ready to give up though, and when someone they care about is taken, the pair take action.

The result is the beginning to an excellent suspense thriller filled with shifters, sexy men and plenty of romance, and gritty writing. I look forward to reading the next of the series.

Buy from Amazon

Rating: 4

kimisig

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Fire and Ice (Carlisle Cops book 2) by Andrew Grey

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6398

FireAndIceBlurb

Carter Schunk is a dedicated police officer with a difficult past and a big heart. When he’s called to a domestic disturbance, he finds a fatally injured woman, and a child, Alex, who is in desperate need of care. Child Services is called, and the last man on earth Carter wants to see walks through the door. Carter had a fling with Donald a year ago and found him as cold as ice since it ended.

Donald (Ice) Ickle has had a hard life he shares with no one, and he’s closed his heart to all. It’s partly to keep himself from getting hurt and partly the way he deals with a job he’s good at, because he does what needs to be done without getting emotionally involved. When he meets Carter again, he maintains his usual distance, but Carter gets under his skin, and against his better judgment, Donald lets Carter guilt him into taking Alex when there isn’t other foster care available. Carter even offers to help care for the boy.

Donald has a past he doesn’t want to discuss with anyone, least of all Carter, who has his own past he’d just as soon keep to himself. But it’s Alex’s secrets that could either pull them together or rip them apart—secrets the boy isn’t able to tell them and yet could be the key to happiness for all of them.

Review

Carter is the police partner of Red who we met in book one, Fire and Water. Donald is a social worker who has hooked up with Carter in the past, but walked away from him before they got started as a couple.

Carter rescues a boy, Alex, from the site of a domestic disturbance only to find out he’s been abused and is now an orphan. Donald is called in to help place him in the system, but both men fall in love with Alex and have a hard time letting him go.

Meanwhile, Carter knows Donald is more than his icy façade and wants to break through to the real man he’s had glimpses of before.

Donald is guarding his heart and his secrets but can’t help but be enthralled by both Alex and Carter.

In the end – when an amazingly convenient solution presents itself – we see the formation of a new family and a very HEA.

**
I thought this was better than the first book (and I liked the first book) and I really liked Carter and Alex and the story they shared. I thought Donald was a little harder to like and found his reluctance to share frustrating.

Overall it was a good book and I recommend it to fans of Andrew Grey and fans of men with kids stories.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Ma Ma Loa (Vampire in Waikiki Book 3) by AJ Llewellyn

Amber Quill Presents
http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1898-Ma-Ma-Loa.aspx

MaMaLoaBlurb

(Book 3 of the A Vampire In Waikiki series)
Waikiki vampire Jimmy Thunder is excited to finally have his cherished mate Tem all to himself. With their family members gone, and this being Valentine’s Day, he has one thing on his mind—some hot undead, man-on-man action. Except Jimmy’s life is never that simple.
Tem is troubled by bad dreams of the life he left behind. And Jimmy, the go-to guy for Waikiki’s undead denizens, is required to come up with a new Ma Ma Loa. But who, or what, is a Ma Ma Loa? Can’t a guy be left in piece to enjoy love’s most famous day?
NOTE: This book was previously published (with no assigned ISBN). This reissued version of the book has been reedited.

Review

This short story starts with Tem remembering his sordid past and feeling depressed because his brother moved away. But now it’s Valentine’s day and Jimmy has something exciting to give him.

There is lots – lots and lots – of sex. A fair amount of whining. Some really interesting folklore. And another happy ending for our pair of unique Hawaiian Vampires.

I didn’t love this book simply because Tem was really annoying for most of the book. I did enjoy the folklore and I still love Jimmy.

2.5 of 5 hearts

2.5

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Reparation in Blood (Partnership in Blood Book 4) by Ariel Tachna

Dreamspinner Presents: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5562

reaparationBlurb

Partnership in Blood Volume 4

The war is at a fever pitch with both sides stretched to the limit, when the dark wizards score a shocking victory and capture Orlando St. Clair. Haggard with worry and grief at the separation from his lover, Alain fears that even if they find Orlando, the vampire’s heart and mind may be far too broken to save.

Knowing the Alliance teeters on the brink, Christophe Lombard, the oldest, most powerful vampire in Paris leaves his self-imposed seclusion to join the fight. Alain’s lost friend Eric Simonet, who betrayed him to join the dark wizards, is faced with a choice between revenge and redemption. And Jean, enraged by Orlando’s capture, faces the most agonizing decision in his unlife as the final battle looms: Will their actions lead to the shattering of the Alliance or the salvation of the world?

Review

This is the finale (sort of) to the Partnership in Blood series. Really, it’s the end of the war, there is still some relationship stuff to be dealt with in 3 more books that follow.
Essentially, we see the various couples moving through their relationships some more. Some more sex. Some more angst. Some more drama.

Orlando goes missing. This is a huge hurdle in this book. It takes a lot of cooperation to get him back.

After the war dies down, the focus is on the couples and what will happen next.

If I could I would tell you to NOT READ THE EPILOGUE. Personally, it really didn’t need to be there and just made me cry and cry. I got kinda mad in fact… I can’t understand why it was necessary, unless it was just one more bit of proof of the devotion between these two characters…

Anyhow, I was glad to see the war finally end and know that in the upcoming books we get to see more of these wonderful characters that Ariel Tachna has done such an amazing job of creating.

If I had to give an overall summary for the series it would be this: If you enjoy very detailed stories, with an abundance of central characters, if you don’t mind f/f and m/f storylines and you don’t mind a good cry, you’ll find this series highly satisfying.

I had to round this book down to 3.5 of 5 hearts for the Epilogue alone. Personal preference. I guess I just enjoy living in ignorance sometimes…

3.5

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The Happily Ever After Mating Agency: The Dragon Prince by Jane Wallace-Knight

Siren-Bookstrand Presents http://www.bookstrand.com/the-happily-ever-after-mating-agency-presents-the-dragon-prince

jwk-happilyeverafterdragonprince3150326_0336Blurb

Kai Hayashi, heir to the earth dragon clan, already lost his mother to the rebels threatening to overthrow the council. When his grandfather suggests an arranged mating with not one, but two men, each with certain skills to help protect Kai, the young dragon prince doesn’t exactly need persuading.
Retrieval expert and leopard shifter Jace Dashwood has worked for the Hayashi family for a year now, helplessly in love with his employer’s grandson. Kai is all the things that Jace could never be, innocent and gentle. He had thought to keep his feelings to himself until the dragon king made him an offer too good to be true.
Having worked as a mercenary for too long, bear shifter Ted Graves finally decided to put down roots. He thought that joining a mating agency meant he was going to get the normal life he thought he had been craving but instead he got an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Review

The Happily Ever After Mating agency is designed for shifters who haven’t found their mates and want to settle down. In this case Kai’s uncle uses it to help find Kai the right mate to protect Kai as well as mate him.

Jace has already been working with Kai’s family and his uncle identifies Jace as a mate/protector right away.

Ted is tired of being footloose so he signs up to the mating agency and is pleased to hear from Kai’s family. He’s a bit surprised to find out it’s to be a three way mating and that his alternate duty will be protection but after meeting both men he’s very willing to continue with the plan.

Jace and Kai have been mutually crushing on one another for the last year, but not acting on it. When their third joins them they all acknowledge a mutual attraction that sets them on fire.

In addition to the immediate bonding that takes place, there is danger. Someone wants to take Kai out of the picture and replace him as the future dragon king. There is also the pesky little thing about Kai maybe being more than “just” a dragon shifter…

**
This is one of those surprise reads that you stumble upon every now and then. (I have to admit a weakness for cheesy shifter romances – the ones where the plot is thin but the sex is hot and the storyline light and usually full of fun. Nothing too angsty and nothing too stressful.) I thought this was one of those, but it is surprisingly more. There is a rich story line and compelling drama but also some real emotion and depth to the love story as well.

I thought the ménage was very believable and though I could feel bad for Ted at first- he seems odd man out to the couple of Jace and Kai – it was quickly made clear that he was integral and equal and definitely well loved.

I really enjoyed this and the others in this series and highly recommend them!

5 of 5 hearts

5

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Day and Knight-Dirk Greyson

Dreamspinner Press

BLURB: As former NSA, Dayton (Day) Ingram has national security chops and now works as a technical analyst for Scorpion. He longs for fieldwork, and scuttling an attack gives him his chance. He’s smart, multilingual, and a technological wizard. But his opportunity comes with a hitch—a partner, Knighton (Knight), who is a real mystery. Despite countless hours of research, Day can find nothing on the agent, including his first name! 

Former Marine Knight crawled into a bottle after losing his family. After drying out, he’s offered one last chance: along with Day, stop a terrorist threat from the Yucatan. To get there without drawing suspicion, Day and Knight board a gay cruise, where the deeply closeted Day and equally closeted Knight must pose as a couple. Tensions run high as Knight communicates very little and Day bristles at Knight’s heavy-handed need for control. 

But after drinking too much, Day and Knight wake up in bed. Together. As they near their destination, they must learn to trust and rely on each other to infiltrate the terrorist camp and neutralize the plot aimed at the US’s technological infrastructure, if they hope to have a life after the mission. One that might include each other.

  
REVIEW: I went into this book expecting to love it. Reading the blurb, I was really excited to get started on it.  This is why I was so heartbroken at being disappointed by it. The actual writing wasn’t bad at all, the editing was fantastic. It was the technical aspect and tone of the book in certain parts that I just didn’t ‘gel’ with. The first think that I found odd was the story’s et up. You ah e s guy who’s under attack by these thugs. Day moves in to help the poor fellow out but reaches into his pocket for his phone to dial 911 only to realize it’s dead. Okay, now here is where it gets a bit odd. He’s standing there contemplating the why and how that is. In the meantime, what’s going on with the thugs attacking the kid? Did they stop what they were doing while he was pondering his phone’s battery life? i found that very odd and it threw the rest of the story off for me. Then there’s the technical aspect. Costa Maya, Quintana Roo, was made to sound like it was this isolated or remote area when that is not the case. Curious at to where it is, I ended up Googling the region and was surprised when I found a small, but touristy region. So in looking at this, I asked myself if it was the type of place where the locals or any government entity would not notice a building or base, if you will, set up and run by a group of individuals not native to the area, and no one is going to question it?  That, more than anything, confused me. Also, I felt that their characters were a bit cold; I couldn’t  seem to connect with any of them.  Like I’ve stated earlier, the writing itself wasn’t bad, it was just the poor research and lack of character depth that did the book in for me. 
RATING: ❤️❤️❤️

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A Vampire Christmas (Vampire in Waikiki book 2) by AJ Llewellyn

Amberquill presents http://www.amberquill.com/store/p/1823-A-Vampire-Christmas.aspx

vamp christmasBlurb

Waikiki vampires Tem and Jimmy Thunder are happily undead and married, about to celebrate Christmas when their cat Moontime brings an unusual treasure to the door…a baby in a box. But this is no cute, cuddly kid. It’s a demon baby with red eyes and razor sharp teeth. Jimmy, hopelessly besotted with his hot and sexy husband, sees his new life of man-on-man fun being wrecked by this snarling, spitting, forked-tongued little incubus that has apparently won Tem’s heart.

With half of Waikiki’s wacky residents coming to Christmas dinner, what’s a devoted husband to do? Jimmy calls in all kinds of favors to figure out the identity of the kid, how he got to them, and how to ensure this will be a merry—not marred—Vampire Christmas.

Review

This is the short, funny, kinda bizarre and very steamy next installment in the Vampire in Waikiki series.

Tem finds a cursed baby and wants to keep it and name it George… ok not George but Beezlebub. Div is worried about raising a baby and losing some of Tem’s attention. But it becomes clear that the baby needs their help so they enlist the help of some more of their strange acquaintances and… hilarity ensues.

Interspersed with the hilarity is all the way-hot-vampire-porn-star-sex and it’s both sweet and raucous.

If you enjoyed book one in the series you will want to keep going. This is better (in my opinion) than book one as it seems to have found more focus and since the characters are already developed we get to simply enjoy them.

3.5 of 5 hearts

3.5

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Cookies for Courting by Amber Kell

Dreamspinner Presents http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6299

CookiesForCourtingBlurb

After his sister’s death, businessman Marshall Hunter gains custody of his niece. Unused to children, Marshall struggles to connect with her. In an effort to make her more comfortable in her new home, he hires professional muralist Pace Barlow to personalize her room.

Pace is intrigued by his tiny client, and even more interested in her handsome uncle, but Pace isn’t certain he’s ready for the commitment of an instant family.

When Marshall decides to move for the sake of his niece, will he be able to keep his relationship with his young artist, or will he have to give up love to become a good father for a lonely little girl?

The love baked into an old-fashioned recipe might bring the two men together, but some things take more than magical cookies to fix.

Review

This is another installment from the magical cook book that helps people in need. In this case Marshall is a lonely, suddenly single father who needs someone in his life and help with his niece whom he is now guardian to.

Pace is the carefree artist he meets to help paint her room but finds he’s ridiculously attracted to.

Together they rapidly move through “getting to know you” to hitting the sheets to moving in together. It’s a short story and we have to just accept that between the magic in the cookies and suspending our disbelief, these men can find a deep and abiding love in a very short time.

Their chemistry is excellent and the story is short and sweet.

Overall I thought it was a nice, “light” story and if you don’t take it too seriously, a lot of fun.

4 of 5 hearts

4

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Cronin’s Key 2 by NR Walker

Release Day Review!

NR Walker Presents : http://www.amazon.com/Cronins-Key-II-N-R-Walker-ebook/dp/B00XMCQS6S/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1432011492&sr=8-2&keywords=cronin%27s+key

cronin's key 2Blurb

History isn’t always what it seems.

With the battle of Egypt behind them, Alec and Cronin are enjoying the thrill of new love. Though fate doesn’t wait long before throwing them back into the world of weird.
They know Alec’s blood is special, though its true purpose still eludes them. And given Alec’s inability to be changed into a vampire, Cronin is free to drink from him at will. But the ramifications of drinking such powerful blood starts a ripple effect.
With the help of Jorge, a disturbing vampire-child with the gift of foresight, Alec and Cronin face a new kind of war. This time their investigations lead them to the borders of China and Mongolia—but it’s not what lies in the pits beneath that worries Alec.
It’s the creator behind it all.
In the underground depths of China, amidst a war with the Terracotta Army, they will find out just what the Key is, and what Alec means to the vampire world.

Review

Wow – oh wow! Alec is back and he and Cronin are so – so – so hot together!

Alec and Cronin face Genghis Kahn and the Terracotta Army as well as some others… to be named later… for the answers they need to save the world as well as to save Alec’s eternity.

Something strange is going on in Alec’s physiology that makes him and Cronin insatiable for each other. They can’t bear to be separated for even a moment. They need one another desperately and succumbing to their need has an unpredictable and sometimes terrifying result.

They must answer riddles and dig deep to find the truth that will set them free, but once they do – WOW – is it ever an amazing ride.

I really, really, really loved this sequel to Cronin’s Key. It was very satisfying and action packed as well as amazingly touching and sweet.

There was a lot of hot smexy times, though many were only hinted at. What I really loved was the desperate need and devotion the two shared. It was very passionate and all consuming and really drove you to keep turning the page to seek the solution along beside Alec, Cronin and the team they assembled.

I loved the new powers we see in the other vampires as well as the crazy interesting Jorge and all he has to “show” Alec about his future.

This was a terrific sequel and in my opinion an even better book than the first. I highly recommend it and the series … well and the author!

5 of 5 hearts

PS When oh when do we get these and other NR Walker books on audio? Soon isn’t soon enough!

5

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