Seduced By Moonlight - Laurell K. Hamilton

Seduced By Moonlight (Merry Gentry #3)
Laurell K. Hamilton
Ballantine Books
Copyright: 2004
978-0345443595

The amazon.com product description:

 I am Meredith Gentry, P.I. and Princess Merry, heir to the throne of Fairie.
Now there are those among me who whisper I am more.
They fear me even as they protect me. And who can blame them?
I’ve awakened the dazzling magic that’s slumbered in them for
thousands of years. But the thing is, I can’t figure out why.

My aunt, the Queen of Air and Darkness, is no longer distracted by her usual sadistic hobbies. Her obsession has turned unwaveringly to me. The mission to get me pregnant and beat my cousin Prince Cel to the crown is taking longer than expected. Even though I spend each night with the Queen’s Ravens, my immortal guards, no child has come of our decadent pleasures. But something else is happening. My magic courses through me uncontrollably. And as I lock my half-mortal body with their full-Sidhe blooded ones, the power surges like never before.

It all began with the chalice. I dreamed of it, and it appeared, cool and hard, beside me when I awoke. My guards know the ancient relic well—its disappearance ages ago stripped them of their vital powers. But it is here with us now. My touch resonates with its force, and they’re consumed with it, their Sidhe essences lit up by it. But even as they cherish me for this unexpected gift, there are those who loathe me for it. Me, a mongrel, only half fey and part mortal. The Unseelie court has suffered for so long, and there are some who would not have it weakened further by an impure queen. My enemies grow in number every day. But they do not know what I am capable of. Nor, for that matter, do I. . . .

In Seduced by Moonlight, Laurell K. Hamilton brings the dark, erotic reign of the immortal fey to a startling new depth. Full of sensuality and the consuming anticipation of latent powers unleashed, this world of gods, shapeshifters, and immortal souls is unveiled in all of its supreme magnificence and its treacherous deceits. 

Remember back when I reviewed A Kiss of Shadows, the first book in this series and I noted the lack of violence compared with the Anita Blake books? Forget I said that. Forget I even thought it. I'm shaking my head at myself on that one after reading Seduced By Moonlight.

At any rate, Seduced By Moonlight, the third book in the Merry Gentry series, following on A Caress of Twilight was another "couldn't put it down" book - up to the point where I was forced to by the need to recharge my Kobo. Then it was right back into the read.

This book has very little to do with the "real" world as it were, being much more focused on the politics of the Seelie and Unseelie courts and also on the interpersonal relationships centering around Merry. And believe me, that is enough to keep the book going and fascinating! However, I'd say this series might not be for everyone. There are quite a few points where it gets pretty graphic - both sexually and in terms of violence. By this point though, that shouldn't be much of a surprise to fans of Laurell K. Hamilton's writing.

As I said, this book is quite focused on the interpersonal relationships and politics of the Faerie courts. On top of that though, there's other things and powers at work. Merry doesn't have a clue what's going on and neither do her guards - or us for that matter. That was one of the aspects of the book that really gripped me on this read through - watching the lot of them coping with the unexpected.

Lots of questions left for the next book too (A Stroke of Midnight). I really want to get into reading that one, but at the same time I'm kind of feeling like I should go back to some of the other books I've got on the go, so no idea of what I'm going to be reading next.

One thing I found really neat at the end of Seduced by Moonlight - this one may just be me and my love of research though - is that Laurell K. Hamilton has included a list of the books she's used in researching the Merry Gentry series. Given that I'm currently hunting (or trying to) down material on British mythological creatures and beings for an idea/project of my own, I'm very happy to see this right now. The next thing on my to-do list is going to be googling the various titles and finding more information on some of those books. Thanks!

Believe it or not, one of my favorite things to see in a novel (esp. historical fiction) is a listing of research sources when appropriate. All too often for me, reading a novel with a basis in fact (or mythology as in this case), I get quite curious about the reality of the situation - such as it is. Seeing what the author has used for source material can be quite intriguing.

A Caress of Twilight - Laurell K. Hamilton

A Caress of Twilight (Merry Gentry #2)
Laurell K. Hamilton
Ballantine Books
Copyright: 2003
978-0345423429

The amazon.com product description:

“I am Princess Meredith, heir to a throne—if I can stay alive long enough to claim it.” After eluding relentless assassination attempts by Prince Cel, her cousin and rival for the Faerie crown, Meredith Gentry, Los Angeles private eye, has a whole new set of problems. To become queen, she must bear a child before Cel can father one of his own. But havoc lies on the horizon: people are dying in mysterious, frightening ways, and suddenly the very existence of the place known as Faerie is at grave risk. So now, while she enjoys the greatest pleasures of her life attempting to conceive a baby with the warriors of her royal guard, she must fend off an ancient evil that could destroy the very fabric of reality. And that’s just her day job. . . .

After finishing my read-through of A Kiss of Shadows the other day, I rolled right into A Caress of Twilight, ending up finishing this one in just over a day as well. Currently I'm well into the third book in the series, Seduced By Moonlight, with books four through seven waiting on my Kobo.

On this one I found myself comparing main characters - mostly Merry Gentry - to the lead characters in some other urban fantasy novels I've been reading lately: the Anita Blake books, Mercy Thompson from Patricia Brigg's books and to some of the female leads I remember from a few different paranormal romance novels. Of course, the one she's the most like is Anita Blake - it makes a lot of sense as both characters are written by the same author. And yet, in some ways the world Merry Gentry lives in feels closer to that of the Mercy Thompson books than the world Anita Blake lives in - probably the wider presence of the Faerie world.

The other things I kept thinking about as I was reading A Caress of Twilight were about how much the need for secrecy can change the story-plots. In most urban fantasy novels/series the supernatural is either completely secret or sometimes partly known about, but public knowledge is still a newer thing. The Merry Gentry novels are really the first series I've seen where it seems that the supernatural side of the story has been publicly known about from the distant past, and it's interesting how that knowledge changes the whole fabric of the story. Trust/distrust, politics (current and past) along with treaties, again current and past all shape the world the characters move through. However, much of the human politics is at a very very background level. Most of the politicking going on in these books - at least in these first ones - is inter-fey, and the lengths they'll go to can be quite shocking.

I'm also enjoying watching Merry figure things out about herself, her past, those around her and her ever-varying relationships - something I've grown rather used to from Laurell K. Hamilton is the variety of relationships her characters engage in - and what they're willing to do at need. However, I suspect that this aspect of her books is not for everybody.

Definitely though, I recommend reading A Kiss of Shadows before reading A Caress of Twilight or any of the later books in this series - the background knowledge is more or less a requirement.

Any book I've bought more than once has to be at the very least a decent read - and this is my second purchase of A Caress of Twilight. I last read it back when the book first came out. Long enough ago now that the read was almost as though I'd never read it before.

A Kiss of Shadows - Laurell K. Hamilton

Well, the first book read and reviewed in 2018 is not one I would have expected. I'd have thought the first book might have been either David Weber's The Honor of the Queen or the companion book to The Crown.

A Kiss of Shadows
Laurell K. Hamilton
Ballantine Books
Copyright: 2002
978-0345423405

The amazon.com product description:

Meet Merry Gentry, paranormal P.I., and enter a thrilling, sensual world as dangerous as it is beautiful, full of earthly pleasures and dazzling magic, and ruled by the all-consuming passions of immortal beings once worshipped as gods . . . or demons.

Merry Gentry, princess of the high court of Faerie, is posing as a human in Los Angeles, working as a private investigator specializing in supernatural crime. But now the queen’s assassin has been dispatched to fetch her—whether she likes it or not. Suddenly Merry finds herself a pawn in her dreaded aunt’s plans. The job that awaits her: enjoy the constant company of the most beautiful immortal men in the world. The reward: the crown—and the opportunity to continue to live. The penalty for failure: death. 

I know I read this back when it first came out. I can't say if I ever reread it. It's definitely been a while though - there's no review for a previous read here. It's also been long enough that while I remembered the occasional scene from the book, I couldn't remember any of the story beyond the very broadest of strokes. At any rate, I got the itch to reread and bought the first two books in the series (A Kiss of Shadows and A Caress of Twilight) from Kobo a couple of days ago. I started reading yesterday and finished the last twenty pages or so today. In other words, I couldn't put the book down for long at all.

It's not as important with e-books but I remember the original cover, red and black, and I distinctly prefer it to the new cover shown here. It was a cover less likely to raise eyebrows and garner comments from those around I think (part of the reason I've gone e-book for Laurell K. Hamilton's books this time).

On this read I found myself comparing the world that Laurell K. Hamilton has created with the similar(ish) world created for the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs. Very similar, and yet very different. Both start from a similar mythological base but they take the worlds in such different directions. I do think that if you like the one you'll like the other however.

I'm definitely enjoying the window into a world generally viewed as the "bad guys" and "evil" in a lot of other books (Mercedes Lackey's SERRAted Edge series comes to mind). A world where they're not entirely good, but not all evil, just trying to live as anyone else would be.

The one thing about this series (which is also true of the Anita Blake books by the same author) which might not be to everyone's tastes is that the books are very frank about  sex and relationships. Or maybe it's just me that found that a bit shocking the first time I read the series. On the other hand, at least with the first book there weren't quite as many "vivid/gruesome" scenes as I noted in my review of Guilty Pleasures (from the Anita Blake world).

Either way, I really enjoyed the read this time. Honestly, I can't remember the last time I more or less read a book in one day like that. I think it's been a while though, at least based on the last couple of years worth of reviews I've posted here. More often I've been having trouble finishing books - or if I do finish them, it's been after such long breaks that I've forgotten the first half of the story.

Laurell K. Hamilton has created an interesting world to go along with Meredeth Gentry, one where we've only just scraped the surface and there are depths yet to be discovered, both in the characters and the world they inhabit.

Almost immediately on finishing A Kiss of Shadows I've rolled into A Caress of Twilight, and also bought the third book in the series, Seduced by Moonlight. Definitely enjoying the re-reads.

The Snow Queen - Mercedes Lackey

The Snow Queen
Mercedes Lackey
Luna Books
Copyright: 2008
ISBN: 9780373802654

The amazon.com product description:

Aleksia, Queen of the Northern Lights, is mysterious, beautiful and widely known to have a heart of ice. But when she's falsely accused of unleashing evil on nearby villages, she realizes there's an impostor out there far more heartless than she could ever be.

And when a young warrior disappears, Aleksia's powers are needed as never before.

Now, on a journey through a realm of perpetual winter, it will take all her skills, a mother's faith and a little magic to face down an enemy more formidable than any she has ever known…. 

I've read and reviewed The Snow Queen before, but it had been a while. This is one of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series of fantasy romance novels based on fairy tales, often with interesting twists, especially as each story doesn't always follow only one fairy-tale.

Imagine a world where fairy-tales are real, and they don't always have a happy ending. What's more, if your circumstances even vaguely match the setting for one of those tales, your life will be forced into following that tale. That's the world of the Five Hundred Kingdoms. Not even the Godmothers, one of the forces that try to either prevent the Tradition from steering people into those tales, or at least to give them a happy ending, is immune from the force of the Tradition.

Even so, these stories fit the romance mold, which means that the characters are going to have their happy ending. That's a given, right from the start. The story, and the fun of the read are all about how they get there.

I enjoyed the read this time, as much as I did last time. Especially as it's been long enough now that I felt like I was reading The Snow Queen for the first time again. One thing I noticed on this read was the number of spinning and weaving references. Being into fibre-crafts myself, they almost jumped off the page for me - weaving a cloak at the beginning of the story, one of the background characters doing some tablet-weaving and another spinning with a drop spindle in one of the scenes.

Overall, a fun read.

Fortune's Fool - Mercedes Lackey

Fortune's Fool
Mercedes Lackey
Luna Books
Copyright: 2008
978-0373802739

The amazon.com blurb:

 The seventh daughter of the Sea King, Ekaterina is more than a pampered princess-she's also the family spy. Which makes her the perfect emissary to check out interesting happenings in the neighboring kingdom…and nothing interests her more than Sasha, the seventh son of the king of Belrus. Ekaterina suspects he's far from the fool people think him. But before she can find out what lies beneath his facade, she is kidnapped!

Trapped in a castle at the mercy of a possessive Jinn, Ekaterina knows her chances of being found are slim. Now fortune, a fool and a paper bird are the only things she can count on-along with her own clever mind and intrepid heart.…

It's been a while since I read Fortune's Fool, but I was inspired to do a re-read by the previous book I read, Firebird, also by Mercedes Lackey. The two books have different takes on some of the same themes, namely their treatment of the seventh son and the role of the fool, something I found of interest on this read.

In Firebird, Ilya, the seventh son in question is genuinely despised by his family, while in Fortune's Fool, Sasha and his family are filling roles and working to use the Tradition to their own advantage, so while outwardly his treatment is similar, in private he's genuinely cared for by his family.

Both the similarities and the differences make these two stories intriguing to read back-to-back. They're both based on fairy-tales, though different tales (more or less), and using similar character types, even with the same expectations (the happy ending), and yet they're very different.

Fortune's Fool is part of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series, which is introduced in The Fairy Godmother. However, this is a series where each book also stands alone quite well as the rules of the world are explained again in each book. Not to mention that in each book, there's an entirely new set of main characters, although some of the characters from the earlier books might make a cameo appearance or two.

The basic explanation for the world of the Five Hundred Kingdoms is that it's one where all the fairy-tales are real. Cinderella? It's happened - enough times that it's now a Traditional path for a step-daughter. Rapunzel? Sleeping Beauty? The same is true of those tales too. Thing is, the stories aren't guaranteed a happy ending. In fact, more often than not it seems that the stories will have a bad ending for the participants. That's what the fairy godmothers are there for; to try and re-direct these Traditions to happy endings. But, there are plenty of Kingdoms where there is no Fairy Godmother. In some of those, they've come up with other methods, as in Fortune's Fool.

Mercedes Lackey has been using the Tradition to come up with some very interesting twists to add to some fairly famous fairy-tales in this series. If you're interested in fairy-tale retellings, this is a series I definitely recommend. It's one I turn to when I want a nice, quick, fairly light read.

Unleash The Night - Sherrilyn Kenyon

Unleash the Night
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin's Press
Copyright: 2007
978-0312934330

The amazon.com product description:

It's a predator eat predator world for the Were-Hunters. Danger haunts any given day. There is no one to trust. No one to love. Not if they want to live…

An orphan with no clan that will claim him, Wren Tigarian grew to adulthood under the close scrutiny and mistrust of those around him. A forbidden blend of two animals—snow leopard and white tiger—Wren has never listened to anyone when there was something he wanted. Now he wants Marguerite.
Marguerite D'Aubert Goudeau is the daughter of a prominent U.S. Senator who hates the socialite life she's forced to live. Like her mother before her, she has strong Cajun roots that her father doesn't understand. Still, she has no choice but to try and conform to a world where she feels like an outsider. But the world of rich and powerful humans is never to meet the world of the Were-Hunters who exist side by side with them, unseen, unknown, undetected. To break this law is to call down a wrath of the highest order.
In order to have Marguerite, Wren must fight not just the humans who will never accept his animal nature, but the Were-Hunters who want him dead for endangering their world. It's a race against time and magic without boundary that could cost Marguerite and Wren not just their lives, but their very souls…

My favourite of the Dark Hunter series. This is also one of the "old style" Dark Hunter novels - where the story is a hundred percent focused on the two main characters - no continuing story arc or anything from the previous books or to build on for the next one.

At this point in the series its' still possible to read the books out of order and not miss anything other than the occasional joke. However, that starts to change with the later books in the series.

Unleash the Night is a quick and funny read if you're a fan of paranormal romances. There's myth, were-creatures and fun all around, despite the various character issues (or perhaps because of). I've read the book before and laughed my way through it, and I'm sure I will again in the future.

Lover Reborn - J.R. Ward

Lover Reborn
J.R. Ward
NAL Hardcover
Copyright Date: March 27th, 2012
978-0451235848

The amazon.com product description:

#1 New York Times bestselling author J. R. Ward’s novels of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continue as a vampire warrior crosses the line between life and death…and ventures into an erotic world of dark dreams and darker desires.

Ever since the death of his shellan, Tohrment has been unrecognizable from the vampire leader he once was. Physically emaciated and heartbroken beyond despair, he has been brought back to the Brotherhood by a self-serving fallen angel. Now, fighting once again with ruthless vengeance, he is unprepared to face a new kind of tragedy.

When Tohr begins to see his beloved in his dreams—trapped in a cold, isolated netherworld far from the peace and tranquillity of the Fade—he turns to the angel in hopes of saving the one he has lost. But because Lassiter tells him he must learn to love another to free his former mate, Tohr knows they are all doomed....

Except then a female with a shadowed history begins to get through to him. Against the backdrop of the raging war with the lessers, and with a new clan of vampires vying for the Blind King’s throne, Tohr struggles between the buried past and a very hot, passion-filled future…but can his heart let go and set all of them free?

Lover Reborn is the tenth book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which starts with the novel Dark Lover. To be honest, although I've been waiting for Tohr's story, this wasn't my favourite of the books to date. I just didn't feel that the focus was there on his story as much. There were just too many other things going on at the same time, and new characters being introdued: Issues between John and Xhex, Layla, Quhinn, Saxton and Blay. Not to mention the main event storyline, a new contender in the realms of "bad guy".

J.R. Ward is heading more in the direction of urban fantasy rather than paranormal romance with this series, I think, coming up with storylines that span several books at a time. Not that that's a bad thing, it just seems to be pushing the "happily ever after" that a romance novel requires slightly out of the center focus. Of course, there hasn't been any real firm boundaries between the two genres at all.

I did like Lover Reborn, despite my grumbling, it's just that it took just over half of the book for the story to really take off. But, once it did, I couldn't put it down - as per normal for the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

The whole series has reached a point in the last few books where it's no longer possible to really read the individual novels out of order, which I think you could do fairly easily with the earlier books. Too much of the story now revolves around the events from the previous books.

Which might be where my frustration with this book came from - I don't want to give any spoilers of any sorts, but I didn't feel as though much of the story was resolved - aside from the requisite happy ending for the two main characters.

Still, as I said, I did enjoy this instalment of the Black Dagger Brotherhood, and I'm looking forward to the next.

The Rowan - Anne McCaffrey

The Rowan
Anne McCaffrey
Ace Publishing
Copyright: 1991
978-0441735761

The amazon.com product description:

The Rowan was destined to become the greatest Prime Talent in human history, facing a lonely existence of servitude. Until she receives a telepathic plea from across the stars from a Prime named Jeff Raven-and falls in love with him. 

Although The Rowan came out in 1991, the kernel for this story was written much earlier, in 1959, that being the story Lady In The Tower, which can be found in the collection, Get Off The Unicorn. That story appears about midway through the book, and is the first meeting between The Rowan and Jeff.

I've been thinking about this novel for a little while now, since I finished reading it, and the best way I can think of to categorize The Rowan is that it's a combination of science fiction and romance novel, as it's setting is science fiction, but the focus is really that of the eventual relationship between the two characters. And yet, that doesn't quite cover it either, as the first half of the book covers The Rowan's childhood and coming of age.

One really neat little thing I noticed this time around (it wouldn't have been possible to notice more than a couple of years ago) was the presence of the barquecats in this story. What's so neat about it is that it's something of a connection for two of Anne McCaffrey's more recent novels: Catalyst and Catacombs, which are all about the barquecats.

Beyond that, the book The Rowan is really a central point for several other books. It starts the sequence for the Tower and the Hive series, but it's also the same world that To Ride Pegasus and Pegasus In Flight are set in - the early days and the discovery of Talent.

I do have to say that I really love the new cover art for The Rowan, and also for Damia. I haven't seen it for any of the other books in the series, but I hope they re-issue them with similar artwork.

Beauty and the Werewolf - Mercedes Lackey

Beauty And The Werewolf
Mercedes Lackey
Luna Books
Copyright: October 2011
978-0373803286

The amazon.com product description:

The eldest daughter is often doomed in fairy tales. But Bella— Isabella Beauchamps, daughter of a wealthy merchant—vows to escape the usual pitfalls.
Anxious to avoid the Traditional path, Bella dons a red cloak and ventures into the forbidden forest to consult with "Granny," the local wisewoman.
But on the way home she's attacked by a wolf—who turns out to be a cursed nobleman! Secluded in his castle, Bella is torn between her family and this strange man who creates marvelous inventions and makes her laugh—when he isn't howling at the moon.
Breaking spells is never easy. But a determined beauty, a wizard (after all, he's only an occasional werewolf) and a little godmotherly interference might just be able to bring about a happy ending.…

Beauty and the Werewolf is an intriguing addition to Mercedes Lackey's collection of titles. First of all, it's the latest book in the Five Hundred Kingdoms series, meaning that it's a re-telling and modification of a traditional fairy-tale. This time, as I'm sure the title makes clear, it's a reworking of the tale of Beauty and the Beast. However, Mercedes Lackey has also mixed in a goodly portion of Little Red Riding Hood too.

This isn't the first time she's written a story around the theme of Beauty and the Beast - there's the novel The Fire Rose, which starts off the Elemental Masters series, also a series that's tied into fairy-tale themes, if not usually so directly.

As with most modern interpretations of fairy-tales and the rest of the Five Hundred Kingdoms series, there's a happy ending - although I'm wondering this time if it's going to be as happy as it seems.

I liked the way that Elena from The Fairy Godmother reappeared in this book, tying it further into the series.

Beauty and the Werewolf was a shorter read though, only taking me a day or so to get through - however, for that time, I couldn't put the book down, I had to know what happened next.

Recommended for fans of Mercedes Lackey.

Lover Unleashed - J.R. Ward

Lover Unleashed
J.R. Ward
NAL  Hardcover
Copyright Date: March 29, 2011
978-0451233165

The amazon.com product description:

#1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward's thrilling new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them? 

Well, after more than a month on my "Want to read list" I finally got around to reading Lover Unleashed, the latest book in J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series. The previous book in the series was Lover Mine, which I read and reviewed last April.

The reviews I was seeing were saying that this book is Manny's story, which it is, as well as being Payne's story. The only problem I had with that, was that for the first part of the book, I couldn't remember who Manny was. After that though, the whole book was smooth sailing, and when I had to put it down, I couldn't wait to get back to the book.

It's hard to review Lover Unleashed without getting into the whole Black Dagger Brotherhood series, which at this point is now made up of nine books. However, the place to start in this incredible series of paranormal romances is Dark Lover. Without that, the whole world that J.R. Ward has created probably won't make as much sense - especially as the world and the storylines are getting more complicated as the books go on. Now there's several storylines in each book, with more and more different characters. The books all seem to set up the next book in the series.

One of the things I love about this series of books is that there's plenty of time with all of the characters from the previous books. Yes they got their happy endings - these are romance novels, after all, but their stories aren't over. Which means we get more time with the characters we got to know in the earlier books. Lover Unleashed gives us plenty of time with Vishous and Jane, and Butch, as well as Payne and Manny. Not to mention a few surprises.

I've said it in other reviews, but this series does deserve to come with a few warnings. Namely language, and some illegal activities, though they're not as noticeable in this book. But, the characters don't hesitate to use foul language at all.

Regardless, the whole series is one of my favourites, and I'm already looking forward to the next book, as well as starting to re-read some of the earlier books. If you like paranormal romances, you should give J.R. Ward a try.

Upcoming Books I Can't Wait To Read

Or at least most of these are. A lot of my favourite authors have books coming out that I can't wait to read. Thankfully, at least some of them are coming soon.

River Marked
Patricia Briggs
Release Date: March 1, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Car mechanic Mercy Thompson has always known there was something different about her, and not just the way she can make a VW engine sit up and beg. Mercy is a shapeshifter, a talent she inherited from her long-gone father. She's never known any others of her kind. Until now.

An evil is stirring in the depths of the Columbia River-one that her father's people may know something about. And to have any hope of surviving, Mercy and her mate, the Alpha werewolf Adam, will need their help... 

I'm honestly a bit confused by this one. Amazon.com is saying March, but the Chapters/Indigo site says that River Marked will be out on January 25. Either way, I can't wait to read it. The Mercy Thompson books are some of my favourite urban fantasy novels.

Kings of the North
Elizabeth Moon
Release Date: March 22, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Elizabeth Moon returns to the fantasy world of the paladin Paksenarrion Dorthansdotter—Paks for short—in this second volume of a new series filled with all the bold imaginative flights, meticulous world-building, realistic military action, and deft characterization that readers have come to expect from this award-winning author. In Kings of the North, Moon is working at the very height of her storytelling powers.

Peace and order have been restored to the kingdoms of Tsaia and Lyonya, thanks to the crowning of two kings: Mikeli of Tsaia and, in Lyonya, Kieri Phelan, a mercenary captain whose royal blood and half-elven heritage are resented by elves and humans alike.

On the surface, all is hope and promise. But underneath, trouble is brewing. Mikeli cannot sit safely on his throne as long as remnants of the evil Verrakaien magelords are at large. Kieri is being hounded to marry and provide the kingdom with an heir—but that is the least of his concerns. A strange rift has developed between him and his grandmother and co-ruler, the immortal elven queen known as the Lady. More problematic is the ex-pirate Alured, who schemes to seize Kieri’s throne for himself—and Mikeli’s, too, while he’s at it. Meanwhile, to the north, the aggressive kingdom of Pargun seems poised to invade. 

Now, as war threatens to erupt from without and within, the two kings are dangerously divided. Old alliances and the bonds of friendship are about to be tested as never before. And a shocking discovery will change everything. 

Kings of the North is a book I've been looking forward to since the day the last book, Oath of Fealty came out last March.

Tortall and Other Lands: A Collection of Tales
Tamora Pierce
Release Date: February 22, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Collected here for the first time are all of the tales from the land of Tortall, featuring both previously unknown characters as well as old friends. Filling some gaps of time and interest, these stories, some of which have been published before, will lead Tammy's fans, and new readers into one of the most intricately constructed worlds of modern fantasy. 

Interestingly, on this book I think Amazon.com made a bit of a mistake. Their title notes Tortall and Other Lands to be a Beka Cooper book, but the product description doesn't suggest that at all. Besides, I think the next book in that series is to be Mastiff.

Twilight's Dawn: A Black Jewels Book
Anne Bishop
Release Date: March 1, 2011

The amazon.com product description:

Return to the world of the Black Jewels with New York Times bestselling author Anne Bishop.

Anne Bishop's "darkly fascinating"* (SF Site) Black Jewel novels have enthralled readers and critics alike with their mixture of fantasy, intrigue, and romance. Now in Twilight's Dawn, Bishop returns to the Blood realm with four all-new captivating novellas. 

 Anne Bishop's books are a bit of a guilty secret for me. I enjoy them, and yet there are times (many of them) where the books make me cringe a bit. And yet, I'm looking forward to the release of this one - and I'll probably end up buying it in hardcover. Besides, the cover art is absolutely gorgeous, and has been on all of the other books in this world too.

Lover Unleashed
J.R. Ward
Release Date: March 29 2011

The amazon.com product description:

#1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward's thrilling new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series.

Payne, twin sister of Vishous, is cut from the same dark, seductive cloth as her brother. Imprisoned for eons by their mother, the Scribe Virgin, she finally frees herself-only to face a devastating injury. Manuel Manello, M.D., is drafted by the Brotherhood to save her as only he can-but when the human surgeon and the vampire warrior meet, their two worlds collide in the face of their undeniable passion. With so much working against them, can love prove stronger than the birthright and the biology that separates them? 

Another great series, but I'm feeling like I have some re-reading to do before I read Lover Unleashed.

Lover Mine - J.R. Ward

Lover Mine
J.R. Ward

New American Library
Copyright: April 27, 2010
978-0451229854

The amazon.com description:

The hot new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by the #1 New York Times bestselling author

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown. Taken in by The Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was-or his true identity.

Xhex has long steeled herself against the attraction to John Matthew. Until fate intervenes and she discovers that love, like destiny, is inevitable.

Lover Mine is a book with at least four, perhaps five different storylines going on, some of which don't seem to have any connection to the story until the very end. Frankly, I found myself skipping one of them to get back to the characters I knew and loved from the previous books. This is also a book which benefits from a re-read of Lover Avenged, the previous book, before you start. I didn't, and I found myself rather lost in places. For example, Payne, and Xhex's capture at the start of the new novel.

Definitely a book worth the wait. And, I wasn't the only person waiting. There were two people waiting at the doors of the bookstore on Tuesday morning so they could get it right away. This is a story that's been building for several books now, but it doesn't seem to finish off the series. At least, I hope not, although I can't guess who the next book is going to be about, unlike some of the last books.

Although Lover Mine is a romance and therefore is guaranteed to have a happy ending for the main characters, this particular book is one where I was wondering if that happy ending was going to happen or not all the way to the last pages of the story. Which just added to the tension. So much has happened to the main characters of this story that you just had to wonder.

But the story of John and Xhex wasn't the only one being told here. There was also an interesting storyline from the past concerning Torhment and Darius, which was a neat read too. Especially when it came to it's end.

There were a couple of things that could have used some explanations, or else I've just forgotten them from previous books, such as what the heck Shadows are (Trez and iAm), but that's a pretty minor gripe.

If you're looking for a book that'll keep you up late, Lover Mine is definitely the one. Yet another five star read from J.R. Ward.

Waiting On Wednesday - Lover Mine

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event hosted at Breaking The Spine which allows us to spotlight the books we're waiting eagerly to read. I'll admit that I'm not the most regular poster to this event, but I'm back this week.

My pick for this week is the upcoming book by J.R. Ward:

Lover Mine
J.R. Ward

Due out: April 27.
978-0451229854

The amazon.com description isn't much unfortunately. Still, it's tantalizing:

The hot new novel in the Black Dagger Brotherhood by the #1 New York Times bestselling author

John Matthew has come a long way since he was found living among humans, his vampire nature unknown. Taken in by The Brotherhood, no one could guess what his true history was-or his true identity.

Xhex has long steeled herself against the attraction to John Matthew. Until fate intervenes and she discovers that love, like destiny, is inevitable.

 This is the one we've been waiting for for a while. John's story. Personally, I can't wait to see how it's going to turn out, although, given that this is a romance novel, I already know that somehow there's going to be a happy ending.

Night Pleasures - Sherrilyn Kenyon

Night Pleasures
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St. Martin's Press
Copyright: 2002
978-0312593551

The Amazon.com product description:

The Dark-Hunters are ancient warriors who have sworn to protect mankind and the fate of the world is in their hands. . .
 He is solitude. He is darkness. He is the ruler of the night. Yet Kyrian of Thrace has just woken up handcuffed to his worst nightmare: An accountant. Worse, she's being hunted by one of the most lethal vampires out there. And if Amanda Devereaux goes down, then he does too. But it's not just their lives that are hanging in the balance.  Kyrian and Amanda are all that stands between humanity and oblivion. Let's hope they win.

Night Pleasures, the second book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's world of the Dark Hunters is the story of Amanda and Kyrian of Thrace. I have to say it's not the best introduction (at least for Amanda), but it certainly is amusing: she wakes up to find herself handcuffed to this handsome stranger in an unfamiliar room. For Amanda, who just wants an ordinary life, this is the start of her introduction to the hidden world all around. The world her sisters believe in. It's a world populated by ancient Greek gods, shape-shifters (the Were-Hunters), Dream-Hunters, Dark-Hunters, Daimons and so much more). This is also a dangerous world.

Although Night Pleasures is the second book set in this world, it really does feel like the first. Fantasy Lover, although a good read, doesn't have the Daimons, Dark-Hunters or any of the other mainstays of the series in it. This is the book that introduces so many of the characters from future books to us: Tabitha, Talon, Sunshine, Nick, Acheron and others.

There's non-stop excitement in this book, as well as many amusing moments. One of my favorites is when one of the other characters phones Amanda and asks her to check on her dog, saying that all she's doing is reading the latest Kinley MacGregor (Taming The Highlander). Why it's so amusing to me is because Kinley MagGregor is the other name that Sherrilyn Kenyon writes under.

Night Pleasures is a romance novel, so the general plot is fairly predictable. You know right from the start that Amanda and Kyrian are going to get together by the end of the story, it's just a question of how. And, the odds do seem to be stacked against them.

This isn't my favorite book in the series, but it's a good one nonetheless, and one that I've read several times. I do recommend Night Pleasures along with the rest of the Dark-Hunter world to any fan of paranormal romance novels.

Lover Revealed - J.R. Ward

Lover Revealed
J.R. Ward
Signet Eclipse
Copyright: 2007
9780451412355

From the cover of the book:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there's a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Now, an ally of the Black Dagger Brotherhood will face the challenge of his life and the evil of the ages.

Butch O'Neal is a fighter by nature. A hard living, ex-homicide cop, he's the only human ever to be allowed in the inner circle of the Black Dagger Brotherhood. And he wants to go even deeper into the vampire world- to engage in the turf war with the lessers. He's got nothing to lose. His heart belongs to a female vampire, an aristocratic beauty who's way out of his league. If he can't have her, then at least he can fight side by side with the Brothers...

Fate curses him with the very thing he wants. When Butch sacrifices himself to save a civilian vampire from the slayers, he falls prey to the darkest force in the war. Left for dead, found by a miracle, the Brotherhood calls on Marissa to bring him back, though even her love may not be enough to save him...

Lover Revealed is my favorite of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series. With Butch, there's more to the story than just the happy ending required by a romance novel. He's the only human to have ever been allowed so deeply into the world of the vampires, much less the world of the Brotherhood. Living with them, living off their money, but not able to do anything much in return, something has to change. And it does.

In many ways, the storyline for Lover Revealed was being set up as far back as the first book in the series, Dark Lover. There's been hints and plot points dropped into the previous books, especially in Lover Awakened, all of which come to a head in this fourth book.

J.R. Ward's Black Dagger Brotherhood series is rather a cross between the urban fantasy genre and paranormal romances: each book focuses on an individual character and ends with their happy ending - all classic of the romances I've read, but at the same time, there's constantly something being set up for the next books in the series, which is a lot more like the fantasy series such as the Mercy Thompson series by Patricia Briggs.

She's also created one of the most original worlds I've seen - with some of the most different heroes. Are they heroes? Heroes are 'supposed' to be characters you can look up to. These guys get up to some rather dubious activities to say the least. Drug use and dealing is pretty much constant as is drinking and even the use of prostitutes. The language the characters use is also very rough (and flecked with several four letter words not used in polite company).

Even so, I really like these books, and I'm enjoying them just as much on re-reading as I did the first time around.

Lover Awakened - J.R. Ward

Lover Awakened
J.R. Ward
Signet Eclipse
Copyright: 2006
0451219368

From the cover of the book:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Of these, Zsadist is the most terrifying member of the Black Dagger Brotherhood.

A former blood slave, the vampire Zsadist still bears the scars from a past filled with suffering and humiliation. Renowned for his unquenchable fury and sinister deeds, he is a savage feared by humans and vampires alike. Anger is his only companion, and terror is his only passion—until he rescues a beautiful aristocrat from the evil Lessening Society.

Bella is instantly entranced by the seething power Zsadist possesses. But even as their desire for one another begins to overtake them both, Zsadist’s thirst for vengeance against Bella’s tormentors drives him to the brink of madness. Now, Bella must help her lover overcome the wounds of his tortured past, and find a future with her…

Lover Awakened, the third book of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series has all of the key aspects that make the Black Dagger Brotherhood books so good in my mind: the loyalty between the warriors, the love story between the two heroes, while setting up the characters for the next book, Lover Revealed, and a very exciting storyline.

I've read the book before, last year and loved it then, and the same thing was true this time. I ended up staying up far too late yet again by reading my way through this series. As soon as I finish one book, I immediately pick up the next, no matter how late it is (typically around 12:30-1:00 AM). My original review of Lover Awakened is here.

The lessers just get creepier as this series goes on. Mostly, that seems to be by becoming more human (and therefore, showing some disturbing behaviors). Mr. O is the creepiest so far, in what he does. It's not the torture we see in the earlier books.

The heroes of these books are definitely not the wonderful role-models of the other romances I've read. These are characters who would be (if generally known about) on the wrong side of the law: heavy drinkers, drug users, drug sellers and more. And yet, they're the heroes and the villains are worse.

That's all part of what makes the Black Dagger Brotherhood books unique in my experience. The characters. Well, that and the way J.R. Ward has made the vampires of her books so different. They really do have a parallel society, and one where if all the humans vanished from the face of the earth, they'd still be able to survive and probably thrive.

I class this entire series as five star reads, even on re-reads.

Lover Eternal - J.R. Ward

Lover Eternal
J.R. Ward
Signet Eclipse
Copyright: 2006
0451218043

From the cover of the book:

In the shadows of the night in Caldwell, New York, there’s a deadly war raging between vampires and their slayers. And there exists a secret band of brothers like no other - six vampire warriors, defenders of their race. Possessed by a deadly beast, Rhage is the most dangerous of the Black Dagger Brotherhood...

Within the brotherhood, Rhage is the vampire with the strongest appetites. He’s the best fighter, the quickest to act on his impulses, and the most voracious lover—for inside him burns a ferocious curse cast by the Scribe Virgin. Possessed by this dark side, Rhage fears the times when his inner dragon is unleashed, making him a danger to everyone around him.

Mary Luce, a survivor of many hardships, is unwittingly thrown into the vampire world and reliant on Rhage’s protection. With a life-threatening curse of her own, Mary is not looking for love. Her faith in miracles was lost years ago. But when Rhage’s intense animal attraction turns into something more emotional, he knows that he must make Mary his alone. And while their enemies close in, Mary fights desperately to gain life eternal with the one she loves…

Lover Eternal is the sequel to J.R. Ward's first book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series, Dark Lover. I've read the series before and my original review of Lover Eternal is here. I have to say though, the books are just as good this time around as they were on my original reading.

Lover Eternal is the story of Rhage, but it also sets up the story for Zsadist and Bella in the next book, Lover Awakened. One of the things that makes this series so good in my opinion is the character interactions. Well, that and the overarching story arc that spans the whole series. The books are romances, where each of the Brothers gets his happy ending, but at the same time, there's more going on.

At this point in the series, it's quite clear that none of the Brothers are exactly what you'd call role models. The books are rife with drinking and drug use, not to mention prostitution and other less than savory activities. That's something different from the usual 'hero' in my limited experience with romances. It's just one of the things that makes the Black Dagger Brotherhood series original.

I think I've said this before, but this whole series is one that I end up racing through, leaving me with a backlog of books to review. At the moment, I'm reading book five, but this is the review of book two. Only a couple more months until Lover Mine, the newest book and the story of John is due out at the end of April. I can't wait.

Master of Desire - Kinley MacGregor

Master of Desire
Kinley MacGregor
Avon Books
Copyright: 2001
978-0061087134

The Amazon.com product description:

A Dream of Desire Awakened
Beautiful Lady Emily dreams of the rapture of love and the joys of marriage. The youngest daughter of an English lord at war, she is shaken by the arrival of a mysterious stranger to her father's castle. Could this breathtaking man be Emily's yearned-for lover? Indeed, Draven de Montague, Earl of Ravenswood, has come for Emily...but romance has nothing to do with it.In the Tender Embrace of an Enemy

Draven would never have entered the home of his most hated adversary had not the King himself ordered him to take in his foe's daughter for a year to forge bonds of peace between their two feuding houses. Worse still, here is a lass whose exquisite loveliness could tempt Draven to betray his sworn vow never to let anther close to his heart. Emily knows the searing heat of her passion could burn down the defenses of this proud warrior. But will the surrender of the sweet nectar of his lips and his bold, sensuous caress ignite a blaze so hot it consumes them both?

I've read Master Of Desire before, at least once (the review is up here to prove it), but I enjoyed it this time as much as last time. The plot-line seems to be fairly typical for a romance novel (at least based on the few I've read) but enjoyable nonetheless.

Knowing this book comes from the Romance section of the shelf, means that it's guaranteed to have a happy ending somehow. The question is how they're going to get to that happily-ever-after. Master of Desire is a fun romp that then ends in marriage, with the two enemy families united. But, in saying that, I'm not giving anything away. This is a romance after all, that's what's supposed to happen.

This was the first romance novel and the first Kinley MacGregor that I read, but it's been a great stepping stone into her other books. Master Of Desire is set in the same world as the Brotherhood of the Sword novels (Born In Sin, Claiming the Highlander, Taming the Highlander, etc), which are set in the time of the Crusades.

I definitely need to get a new copy of this book eventually. My copy is a library discard best described as "needing an elastic band". Which state it was in when I got it. I believe that says something about the popularity of Kinley MacGregor's novels.

Recommended for fans of Sherrilyn Kenyon (Kinley MacGregor's real name), and fans of romances set in Scotland. Just generally recommended for anyone looking for a light-hearted happy ending of a quick read.

Night Play - Sherrilyn Kenyon

Night Play
Sherrilyn Kenyon
St Martin's Paperbacks
Copyright: 2004
978-0312992422

The back jacket blurb:

Bride McTierney has had it with men. They're cheap, self-centered, and never love her for who she is. But though she prides herself on being independent, deep down she still yearns for a knight in shining armor.

She just never expected her knight in shining armor to have a shiny coat of fur...

Deadly and tortured, Vane Kattalakis isn't what he seems. Most women lament that their boyfriends are dogs. In Bride's case, hers is a wolf. A Were-Hunter wolf. Wanted dead by his enemies, Vane isn't looking for a mate. But the Fates have marked Bride as his. Now he has three weeks to either convince Bride that the supernatural is real or he will spend the rest of his life neutered--something no self-respecting wolf can accept...

But how does a wolf convince a human to trust him with her life when his enemies are out to end his? In the world of the Were-Hunters, it really is dog-eat-dog. And only one alpha male can win.

 Night Play, the sixth book in Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark Hunter series is perhaps my favorite of the series. It's actually a toss-up between this one and Unleash The Night. I think it's also one of the first books in the series that I read. I do know that I've re-read it several times (and I'm surprised to find that it's not already reviewed here).

Kenyon has a very different take on the world of werewolves (or other were-creatures) and vampires, including a coherent back-story for their creation. There's werewolves, were-bears, and many others as well. Each of them has two branches that are fated to always be at war.

What I really like about this book is the characters. Bride feels 'real'. She's not perfect, has her flaws and doubts, yet she still gets her happy ending. Vane as well. Along the way they've left me laughing so many times. Just wait until you get to the 'boyfriend meets the family' scenes and you'll see what I mean.

Night Play is, I've found a book that can be read many times with just as much enjoyment as the first time. Yes the books are light entertainment, but they're done in such a way that they don't seem overly formulaic.

I consider this to be a five-star book, and if you like paranormal romance, give it a try.

Newly Released Books

I discovered the other day that the mass market edition of Lover Avenged, the most recent book in the Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward is now out. Apparently it's been out for a couple of weeks now, at least in the United States. In Canada, the book was just released on the first of December, so that's why I only just noticed it.

I know I've been waiting for the paperback to come out before I bought it, and I'd bet a few others have been too. My review of the hardcover is here.

Also, I've seen rumors that the next book is going to be called Lover Mine.

That's not the only book I've been waiting for either that I've seen. I just saw Divine Misdemeanors by Laurell K. Hamilton at Indigo today as well. That's the next book in the Merry Gentry series. I'm a bit surprised by that as I didn't think it was supposed to be on the shelves until the eighth - next Tuesday. Either way, given that I loved Swallowing Darkness, I'm going to be reading this one soon.

The next Anita Blake novel will be coming out in February apparently, at least that's what Amazon is saying.

I've also been able to get my hands on the latest anthology of Valdemar stories: Changing The World, edited by Mercedes Lackey. There are some incredible stories there - my review should be up in a few days, as I finished reading it this morning.

I want to write about specific stories though, and I don't have the book handy now, otherwise, I'd have the review up tonight. I can say that a number of the writers have brought back characters they wrote about in previous anthologies such as Crossroads. Mercedes Lackey's story in here is really good too.

There's a new Avalon novel by Diana L. Paxon out too. She's definitely taken over the series from Marion Zimmer Bradley. I think, going by the title, Sword of Avalon, that this story has a connection to Excalibur. Thing is, I haven't read any of the books since Ancestors of Avalon came out, so I'm rather lost as to what's going on in the world now.