The Highwayman by Michele Hauf

The Highwayman is in the Silhouette Nocturne line and is the first in the Wicked Games series. The Wicked Games series takes place in the same paranormal world as Hauf's Bewitching the Dark series. I haven't read any of those but have one in my TBR pile and look forward to reading them all.

Max Fitzroy is a French highwayman who is possessed by a demon (actually part of a demon) in 1758. After that he can no longer eat, sleep or have an orgasm. On the other hand, he is immortal and has superhuman strength. He is driven by revenge and goes around the world killing demons and familiars. Familiars are cat shape-shifters who bring demons into this world during a magic sex ritual. Aby is a Familar who has a werewolf protector. Max tracks her down planning to use her to call up the demon whose shadow lives inside him and then kill her.

What I loved about this book was the originality. The Highwayman and his super cool whip are unique and a welcome change from vamps and weres. Although Aby is a shifter, the Familiars are also new and fascinating. I was not too happy with Max having killed so many of them, though. It's a fast paced book with lots of fun action and surprises. Aby was an enchanting heroine, so innocent in many ways in spite of being so sexually experienced. I especially liked the part of the book that took place in Paris. The only complaint I have is that the ending seemed rushed and I would have liked to find out a little more about what happened to them.

I'll rate it 8.0 out of 10 and will look for the next in the series, Moon Kissed, which is the story of Severo, Aby's werewolf friend.

The Darkest Whisper by Gena Showalter

The Darkest Whisper is the fourth in Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series. I reviewed the first three in August 2008 and explained the premise of the series.

I had eagerly awaited the next installment and The Darkest Whisper did not disappoint. Sabin is the keeper of the demon Doubt and he rescues the beautiful Gwen from the Hunters. The Hunters are out to destroy the Lords of the Underworld, thinking them responsible for all the evil in the world, and they are breeding themselves a paranormal army. The Hunters are led by Galen, keeper of the demon Hope, and traitor to the rest of the Lords.

Gwen was a marvelous heroine. It was fun to learn about a new creature (the Harpy) and to watch her grow during the book. She was easy to sympathize with in spite of her powers and when we found out who her father was--wow! What a shock. I really enjoyed her sisters, too, who provided some humor (and muscle.)

Sabin is my least favorite hero so far, which isn't really his fault. He was wonderfully powerful and sexy, but his demon was just not that interesting. I was really touched by the scene where he tells Gwen his weaknesses to gain her trust. We learn a bit more about the other Lords as well, and I can't wait to hear their stories, especially those of Paris (Promiscuity) and Torin (Disease.)

I'll rate it 8.0 out of 10 and look forward to the next book in the series, which I think is Aeron's (Wrath.)

Bad Moon Rising by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Bad Moon Rising is the 17th book in Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series. This book is more of a stand-alone than some because it does explain a good bit of backstory. I think you could enjoy the love story if you haven't read the previous novels even if you were confused about who all the characters are.

I have some mixed feelings about Bad Moon Rising. I have been looking forward to Fang and Aimee's story for a long time. I enjoyed following their perilous path to happiness very much and their relationship is one of my favorites from the past few books. Fang, a wolf shifter, is my favorite kind of hero--tortured beyond belief, honorable, strong. Aimee was also strong, not surprising since she is a bear shifter. It's great to have a heroine who is a good fighter and I also liked her interaction with her large family.

I did have a problem with the timeline of the book. It takes place before or at the same time as recent books and repeats some of the events we already know about (but from a different viewpoint.) There are also the issues that come along with having such a long running series. The cast of characters is huge and hard to keep straight. It is also hard to remember which groups hate each other, which demons are evil and which good, who has what powers, etc.

Kenyon is a master at writing emotional love stories and I have to admit that I cried during a scene near the end. It takes quite a bit of skill to get actual tears from me. I was willing to forgive any faults in the novel since I got such a beautiful ending. Although I enjoyed the usual fast paced action and suspenseful situations in the book, the top reason to read it is the touching relationship between Fang and Aimee.

I'm looking forward to reading Nick's story but the next one to be published features Dev, the brother of Aimee. I am wondering if Savitar will ever get a book of his own because he's really fascinating. I'd also like to learn more about Thorn, who was introduced in this book.

I'll rate this book 8.0 out of 10.

Demon Mistress by Yasmine Galenorn

Demon Mistress is the sixth book in the Otherworld series and continues the story from Menolly's perspective. I've previously reviewed Dragon Wytch (Aug. 2008) and Night Huntress (March 2009) so I won't go into the premise of the series again. You need to read the books in order to fully understand everything that is going on.

Although these books are marketed as paranormal romance, I think they fit better in the fantasy genre. There was not much romance in this book, although I was happy to see Menolly did find a couple of partners to help fight her loneliness. She can be a difficult character to like, because what she has been through and what she has become makes her stand apart from the others.

Besides the ongoing Otherworld politics and the search for the spirit seals, the sisters face two potential disasters. One is a monster unlike one they've ever seen before that seems to suck the souls of Fae and it gets its hooks into Delilah. The other is a secret society that has been raising ghouls, among other things that could cause a great deal of trouble. The book is full of action and interesting paranormal elements but I think the strongest element in the book is the relationship between the three sisters.

I look forward to reading the next book in the series, Bone Magic, which will be out in January. I'll rate this book 8.0 out of 10.

Ravenous by Sharon Ashwood

Ravenous is the first Sharon Ashwood book I've read. It's the first volume in the Dark Forgotten series. I was happy to discover a new author who writes great urban fantasy in the same style as Keri Arthur and Kelley Armstrong.

The heroine is Holly Carver, a witch who specializes in the removal of ghosts, poltergeists and imps to raise tuition money. The book opens with Holly being hired to "de-spook" a house, a job that turns out to be much more complicated than it appears at first. She is helped by Alessandro Caravelli, a sexy vampire, and later gets assistance from a werewolf named Perry Baker.

One thing I liked about the book was that it was not immediately clear who the hero was. The characters were mostly complex, not stereotypical at all and I enjoyed them, especially Omara, the vampire queen, and Holly's grandmother. There is a lot of action, including a big battle scene at the end of the book, and a fast pace. The romance takes a back seat to the fight against evil, but it's very intense and ultimately very satisfying.

I'll rate it 8.5 out of 10 and look forward to reading the next book in the series, Scorched, which will be out in December.

Stolen by Kelley Armstrong

Stolen is the second in Armstrong's Women of the Otherworld series. Bitten was the first, and it introduced us to Elena Michaels, the only female werewolf. Bitten was about Elena's adjustment (and resentment) after she is bitten by her lover and was full of angst. Happily, by the time Stolen takes place she is comfortable in her skin(s.)

Elena comes into her own in this book and is a strong kick-ass heroine up there with the best of them. She reminds me a bit of Riley Jenson from Keri Arthur's series. Both series are written in first person and both have strong women with an attitude. But Riley works for law enforcement, while Elena answers only to her pack leader. Also, Arthur's series takes place in Australia and Armstrong's is set in North America.

In Stolen, we meet some other members of the supernatural, such as witches, demons and sorcerers. Someone has been kidnapping these paranormals, but before the Pack and their allies can do much investigating, Elena is taken. She is imprisioned and treated as a lab animal for much of this book. It was very suspenseful and full of action, with twists I never saw coming. It was intense and even scary in parts. By the end you are not sorry at all about what happens to the people who captured her.

I did miss seeing more of Jeremy and Clay, her pack leader and her lover, since they are two great characters. I enjoyed meeting the fire demon Adam and Xavier, a demon who can transport, which is a very handy skill. I'm hoping we'll see more of them in the future.

I'd rate this 8.5 out of 10 and look forward to reading the next in the series.

Passion Unleashed by Larissa Ione

Passion Unleashed is the third book in the Demonica series. I've reviewed the first two books, Pleasure Unbound and Desire Unchained. Although I enjoyed both very much, I was especially looking forward to this one because it features Wraith, my favorite of the Seminus Demon brothers. You could read the books in any order, but the first book does give a lot of info about the demon world that helps in understanding the setting.

Wraith is half vampire, and was terribly abused by his mother and other vampires which has given him an understandable vendetta against the race. He's just been poisoned and of course there is no antidote (that would be too easy.) The only way to save his life is for him to get a charm from Serena Kelley. The charm gives her protection and immortality (saving her from the fatal disease she has) as long as she remains a virgin.

I just adored Wraith--not only is he a sexy tortured hero, but he's half vampire and a demon to boot. I wanted so much to see him find happiness and peace at last after the horrors he'd been through. I liked Serena, too, and thought she was a fitting mate for Wraith. We get to see more of Gem and Kynan, also, which is a plus.

Much of the book is set in Egypt and on a train, which keeps the book original and quite different than the first two. There's a lot of action and a fast pace, climaxing in a big battle and very satisfying ending. The emphasis is definitely on Wraith and Serena, though, and their seemingly doomed relationship.

I loved this book, but if I had to pick my favorite of the three, I don't think I could. They are all excellent and all different. I can't wait to read the next in the series, which will be story of newly found brother Lore. I'll rate Passion Unleashed 9.0 out of 10.

Succubus Blues by Richelle Mead

This is the first book I've read by Richelle Mead and I can't wait to read more. Like Larissa Ione's Demonica series, Mead's Succubus series focuses on the darker side of the paranormal.

Georgina Kincaid is a succubus who hates her job. It also has the unfortunate side effect of preventing her from having sex with any man she really likes because she'll suck the life from him quite literally. So if you're expecting a book with "succubus" in the title to have lots of steamy bedroom scenes, you'll be disappointed.

Georgina has a group of very entertaining friends, including vampires, an imp, an angel and humans. I hope we get to see more of them in later books, because each one was interesting and unusual. The characters are probably the strongest part of the book, although the plot and the worldbuilding are excellent as well.

There were a lot of surprises in the story, including the identity of the person who had been attacking the local demons. I didn't know who was going to end up being her love interest until the very end. I thought their relationship was handled very well although I'm not sure how or if they will live happily ever after--guess I have to read the next book!

I'll rate Succubus Blues 9 out of 10 and will be reading Succubus on Top, the second book in the series, as soon as possible. The third book, Succubus Dreams, and fourth book, Succubus Heat, are also available now.

Red Fire by Deidre Knight

Red Fire is the first in the Gods of Midnight series. A group of warriors from Sparta, led by King Leonidas, are made into immortal protectors of humanity by the god Ares. The premise of the novel reminded me of Gena Showalter's Lords of the Underworld series and of course the "immortal band of warriors battling evil" concept is common, and happens to be one of my favorites.

I love the concept, but the book fell short for me in execution. I had a hard time trying to figure out why. The book is well written, the pace is good with lots of action, the characters are interesting, the setting of Savannah is well done--what's not to like? I finally decided it was because I couldn't feel the emotions of the main characters.

Ajax Petrakos is the hero and he is suitably brave, strong and devoted to his predestined soul mate. But the author didn't make me care about him. The same is true of Shay Angel, his love. The story of her finding out her abilities to see and fight demons should have been fascinating, but I just didn't connect with her. This may well be my fault, not the author's. If you like paranormals with the immortal warriors theme, you may enjoy this book very much. I'm going to have to give it a 6.0 out of 10, though.

Desire Unchained by Larissa Ione

You know how sometimes an author has a great start to a series but then it peters out, like she used up all her best ideas on the first book? Well, that sure didn't happen with Desire Unchained, the second book in the Demonica series by Larissa Ione. Desire Unchained is at least as good as Pleasure Unbound (which you will remember blew me away) and perhaps better.

This book tells the story of Shade, the demon brother who is a paramedic at Underworld General, and Runa, a newly created werewolf. There are a couple of things that prevent an easy happily-ever-after. For one thing, Runa hates Shade and wants to kill him because she blames him for her tranformation. For another, Shade is the victim of a curse that will kill him if he ever falls in love. Quite a lot to overcome!

I loved that the book opened with the two of them imprisioned in a dungeon. There was no beating around the bush, the author jumps right into the action and the story moves swiftly from one fascinating dilemma to the next. The tension built to a fantastic ending that left me completely satisfied.

The secondary characters continue to play an important part in the book, and there's not a boring one in the lot. I'd recommend reading these books in order so you can follow all the storylines easily. It's not that the book is terribly complicated, but there is a lot going on and a lot of different people/creatures to keep track of.

If you like paranormals, or have never tried one but think you might want to, this series has the highest recommendation I can give.

I'll rate this book a 9.0 out of 10.

Pleasure Unbound by Larissa Ione

I was just a few pages into this book when I got excited about discovering a great new author. I wish she had a huge backlist I could read, but at least I have the first three Demonica books to enjoy. I'm sure Larissa Ione is going to be one of my top new finds for 2009 and I hope she's writing fast because I'm really looking forward to her next book. She does have several books out under the name Sydney Croft which I plan on buying.

Pleasure Unbound has a great premise. The series has been described as "ER with demons" but although the hospital founded by the three brothers is an important part of the books, the focus is on the brothers and their mates. Eidolon, Shade and Wraith are brothers with the same father but different mothers, which means they each have different abilities. They are all of the Incubus species, so you know you're going to be in for plenty of passion.

Pleasure Unbound tells the story of Eidolon and his mate Tayla who is more than she appears at first. She is a demon-slayer who watched a demon murder her mother so as you can imagine she is less than thrilled to end up in Underworld General Hospital after she is injured. The book is more than just a story of two lovers discovering each other, though. It is also the story of how Eidolon and Tayla both learn about themselves and change.

Ione's world-building is excellent. She has created a completely believeable world existing parallel to our own populated with a large variety of fascinating demons and other beings such as fallen angels and vampires. I loved learning about all the different creatures and seeing them acting realistically rather than what you sometimes see in paranormals where all non-humans are misunderstood philanthropists.

The plot moves quickly, with plenty of surprises. There is a whole host of interesting secondary characters. There's humor, suspense, damn good writing---really there's nothing I can find fault with. I highly recommend this book and this author to anyone who enjoys paranormals.

The fourth book in the series is due out in February 2010. Stay tuned for reviews of books #2 and 3.

I'll give Pleasure Unbound 9.0 out of 10.0.

Night Huntress by Yasmine Galenorn

Night Huntress is the 5th in the Otherworld series. The series features the three D'Artigo sisters, who are half-Fae and half-human, and each of them has different abilities. I've enjoyed all the books so far and am looking forward to the next in the series, Demon Mistress, which comes out in June.

In this book the focus is on Delilah, the sister who shapeshifts into a housecat and into a panther. She's my favorite, perhaps because she seems the most vulnerable. I have to admit I don't think much of her human boyfriend Chase, though, and I would have let the demons eat him.

This book never slowed down, it went from action scene to action scene. It was exhausting just reading it, but in a fun way. I couldn't wait to see what trouble Delilah would land in next. I enjoyed catching up with her sisters Menolly and Camille as well as the many interesting secondary characters. Smoky, the dragon shapeshifter, is a favorite, as is Maggie the baby gargoyle. I know some have criticized the series because they say Galenorn has thrown in everything but the (paranormal) kitchen sink, but I think that makes the books more fun. You never know what will pop up next!

I'll rate this exciting read 8.0 out of 10 and recommend you start with the first in the series, Witchling.

Dream Warrior by Sherrilyn Kenyon

I am a big fan of Sherrilyn Kenyon and have read all of her DarkHunter (and connected) books except for The Dark-Hunter Companion. I enjoy her work, but I'm not blind to her faults. Her DarkHunter series is getting very long and the cast of characters is overwhelming. I had a hard time keeping track of all the different demons, gods, Dream-Hunters, Dark-Hunters, etc. and I've read all the books. I don't see how someone who just picked Dream Warrior up (perhaps because of the great cover) could make sense of it.

Inside the bigger story of the fight between these supernatural beings is a romance. Cratus, known now as Jericho, has been tortured by Zeus for centuries because he refused to kill a baby. That baby is Delphine, a Dream-Hunter, who goes to Jericho 6,000 years later to beg for his help in saving the gods who are being defeated by the evil Noir and Azura.

Jericho is one of Kenyon's tortured heroes, a type she does well. Unfortunately she has done so many of them now that they are starting to blend together. Delphine is fine as a heroine, especially when she is both standing up to and standing up for Jericho, but she isn't one of the most memorable women Kenyon has written. The love story is enjoyable, though, and I found the ending very satisfying.

I'll rate this a 7.0 out of 10, and if I wasn't hooked on this series I might rate it a little lower. If you haven't read any of Kenyon's work, don't start with this one. Start with Fantasy Lover or Night Pleasures and you, too, can become hooked.

Kiss of a Demon King by Kresley Cole

Kresley Cole does it again. If I counted correctly, this is the 7th in her Immortals After Dark series and once more she hits a home run. She is the master (mistress?) of keeping a series fresh. Each book is quite different and each one has everything you could ask for in a paranormal romance.

Kiss of a Demon King features Rydstrom, the Demon King, who has played a small role in previous books. The heroine is Sabine, the Sorceress of Illusions, who is working for the evil Omort. Sabine imprisions Rydstrom and the story begins. As soon as I got over the confusion I felt because this book takes place at the same time as the previous book, I enjoyed it very much. The hero and heroine were complex and fascinating, not your typical romance types but all the more interesting because of their differences.

If you liked Cole's previous books, you will not be disappointed in this one. If you haven't read her before, what are you waiting for? I'd rate this book an 8.0 out of 10.

Immortals: The Crossing by Joy Nash

Immortals: The Crossing is the sixth book in the Immortals series. This series is unusual because the books are written by three different authors. Joy Nash's previous book in the series was Immortals: The Awakening. Although I think you should read the books in order for maximum pleasure (and who doesn't want maximum pleasure?) I think it matters less for this book than others.

We first met the hero of this book, Manannan mac Lir (known as Mac), in Immortals: The Awakening but he has changed a lot since that book. I thought the author did a good job of explaining how and why he changed and she made me sympathize with him. I didn't sympathize quite as much with the heroine, Artemis Black. Maybe it's because I'm not a mother. She did some really bad things, all justified because she was trying to save her son's life. I thought Mac deserved someone better.

I did enjoy the story itself. Much of it takes place in Hell, which is certainly unusual, and it was very interesting, with elements of humor and suspense. Once they get to Hell, the pace is swift and the threads all come together at the end in a most satisfying and emotional way.

I'll rate this book 7.5 out of 10 and look forward to reading more by Joy Nash.

One Silent Night by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Even a bad book by Sherrilyn Kenyon is better than many authors' best books. And One Silent Night is by no means a bad book. But it is not her best. I say that having read every one of her books (except for The Dark-Hunter Companion), including the anthology stories.

This is an interesting book, though I think you might be totally lost if you haven't read her previous books. Even for a big fan like me, it was hard to keep track of the different kinds of demons and other creatures. It had a fairly simple plot and moved quickly. It was nice to see some of the other characters we've come to love play a role in this story, particularly Nick who has an important part. I'm assuming his story will (finally) be coming soon.

The main character (I hesitate to say hero) of the book is Stryker, who we've seen before as the big bad guy. Although he does become more sympathetic in this book, and we learn the reasons he is like he is, it's still not enough for me to forgive him for all that he's done. I don't actually think he deserved a happy ending, although the heroine, Zephyra, did. I liked Zephyra because she was such a kick-ass bitch, I just wish she'd killed Stryker like she wanted to and lived happily ever after with someone else.

I'd rate this book a 6.5 out of 10, but don't let that deter you from reading other Sherrilyn Kenyon books because at her best she is fantastic.

Immortals: The Redeeming by Jennifer Ashley

This is the 5th in the Immortals series. One of the unusual things about the series is that 3 different writers are working on it. Jennifer Ashley wrote the 1st, 4th and 5th. The next book, Immortals: the Crossing, is by Joy Nash and is out on September 30. I didn't notice a big difference between the authors, they all did a good job. It's important to read the books in order or you'll miss a lot.

Immortals: The Redeeming was a little bit disappointing. It's not that the book was bad, it wasn't. I think it's that I was expecting something different. Redeeming's hero is Tain, who was tortured for 700 years, and I thought it would be more about his recovery and his love story with the half-demon Samantha. While that was included, it seemed secondary to the mystery of who was killing the demons in town and the power struggles among one demon clan. There were some good secondary characters, especially Logan the werewolf (I wonder if he'll get his own book) and Merrick the demon. There was a lot of action and the story moved at a good pace, but I think it could have packed more of an emotional wallop.

I'd rate it a 7.0 out of 10.