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.

Grimspace by Ann Aguirre

Grimspace is not classified as a romance, it's science fiction. But it does have a wonderful love story in it, so I'm going to include it on here. It reminds me of Linnea Sinclair's books, always a plus in my mind. In fact there is a quote from Linnea Sinclair on the cover.

This is an excellent book whether you are looking for romance, science fiction or a thriller. It is very fast moving, with a lot of action that includes twists and turns that amazed me. I've seldom read a book that had a less predictable plot. The ending was so emotional it brought me to tears.

I loved the heroine, Sirantha Jax, and the hero, March. Both of them are fascinating, flawed characters who seemed real. The secondary characters are wonderful, too, with not a stereotype in the bunch. Wait until you see what she does with the bounty hunter sent to capture Jax.

It's really hard to believe this is the author's first book, but apparently it is. I was thrilled to find out that Grimspace is the first in a series. The second, Wanderlust, has been published and there are two more to come.

I'd rate this book 8.5 out of 10.

Dead After Dark (Anthology)

Dead After Dark includes paranormal stories by Sherrilyn Kenyon, J.R. Ward, Susan Squires and Dianna Love. They offer a good introduction to each author's style, and to different types of paranormal creatures.

My favorite story was The Story of Son by J.R. Ward. It was a very emotional book, with a strong and brave heroine and a vampire hero who has been chained up and locked away since he was a boy. He is quite a change from the usual strong heroes we see and watching him discover hope and love is deeply affecting. Although this story could fit into her Black Dagger Brotherhood world, it is without the wisecracking usual in those books and is simpler, fitting the story length. I think it showcases what Ward does best--get into the head of her characters and let us feel what they feel. I'd rate it 8.5 out of 10.

Sherrilyn Kenyon's story, Shadow of the Moon, was also very good. It is Fury's story and I was glad to see him get his happy ending after such a difficult life. It's a fast-paced story full of action and a lot of the characters we've grown to love, but I wonder if readers who were not familiar with Kenyon's series would be lost. I also did not like the heroine very much, although she did redeem herself in the end. I'd rate it 7.5 out of 10.

The Susan Squires story, Beyond the Night, is a historical paranormal so had quite a different feel to it. The author developed a nicely eerie atmosphere and the main characters were intriguing because they both had so much baggage. It was nice to see the heroine as the vampire, since it is usually the other way around, and it was gratifying to see both characters grow during the story and work out their issues. I'd rate it 7.5 out of 10.

The weakest story in the book is Midnight Kiss Goodbye by Dianna Love. It has a hero and heroine who both have supernatural powers they've been hiding from each other. Once they find out about each other's abilities, it seemed like the story petered out. I found myself more interested in a couple of the secondary characters than in the main characters. I'd rate this story 6.0 out of 10.

Happy Holidays!

Happy holidays to all, whatever you celebrate! I hope you all have lots of books in your stocking and under your tree.

I haven't been doing many romance reviews because I've been reading a couple of fantasy series. It's surprising how close the line is between fantasy and paranormal with some books. I will get back to the romances soon.

I'm debating whether to include ebook reviews on here. I have to think about that.

Enjoy and stay safe!

Hunting the Hunter by Shiloh Walker

This is a very interesting vampire book which is part of a series. I didn't realize that until I had finished it and looked the author up on Amazon to see what else she had written, so obviously you don't have to read them in order. It is in a similar vein to the J.R. Ward books and the Keri Arthur books, but with some differences. There's more of an emphasis on the relationship between the hero and heroine in this story, and less on secondary characters and worldbuilding.

I've been trying to figure out why I liked this book so much and all I can come up with is the author's voice and her style of writing is masterful. Although the plot is not very original (hunting down a rogue vampire,) it's done with more depth and more insights into the villian than is usual. The characters are not particularly original either (the vampire Hunter who protects the world and the human who loves her) but I came to know them and empathize with them. There is a lot of action and the book moves quickly, but it is the writing that makes this book stand out.

I'll rate this book a 7.5 out of 10 and am looking forward to reading more books by Shiloh Walker.

Possessed by the Highlander by Terri Brisbin

If you're in the mood for a Scottish historical, Possessed by the Highlander is an excellent choice. The story is a variation of the forced marriage plot, but it is much more than that implies.

The strength of this book is in the characters and their growth. The plot is minimal, with little action other than in the beginning and end of the book, but it kept me mesmerized. The hero and heroine felt very real and I was really rooting for them. I liked that the hero was known as the Peacemaker and was not the usual warrior Highlander. I really liked the ending which I felt was quite unusual and very satisfying. The story made me tear up three or four times, which is an indication of how good the writing is.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for an insightful Scottish medieval romance, and I'll rate it 7.5 out of 10.

Moving Target by Cheyenne McCray

I'm a fan of McCray's paranormal Magic series, but this is the first of her romantic suspense books that I've read. It is a straight romantic suspense, no paranormal elements, but if you're in the mood for a fast paced book with a lot of action and steamy sex, this fits the bill.

The suspense never let up and there was a nicely done sense of imminent danger throughout the book. This is the book's strongest point. The characters were interesting, but I had trouble empathizing with them. This is surprising, since the characters in the Magic series are so well done. I also wondered why the author let the cat out of the bag about the heroine's sister being alive at the beginning of the book, but maybe it was to keep us wondering when Ani would find out. I also was disappointed that Ani's sister, Jennifer, did not exactly have a happy ending.

I will look for McCray's other romantic suspense books, but my favorites are her paranormals. I'll rate Moving Target a 7.0 out of 10.

Guarded Heart by Jennifer Blake

Guarded Heart is part of Blake's Masters at Arms series. This book was a bit different than most of the books I read. It had a slower pace, entirely in keeping with the 1844 New Orleans setting, and had a very strong sense of atmosphere. This author obviously knows her history and her area, not surprising since she is a 7th generation Louisianian.

I very much enjoyed travelling back in time with Jennifer Blake and I thought the plot was interesting and original. It's not often that we see a heroine with the determination that Ariadne has. Gavin, the sword master, is just what you'd want in a hero and he seems very human, not too perfect like some. The action scene at the end of the book did strain credulity but kept me turning the pages as fast as I could to see what would happen.

This was quite a change from the fast paced, sometimes verging on frenetic, dark paranormals I read, or the light and witty English historicals. It gave me time to savor the small details and enjoy learning all the secrets of this well-matched couple. I'll rate it a 7.5 out of 10 and I'll be looking for more of her books set in New Orleans.

All I Want For Christmas is a Vampire by Kerrelyn Sparks

All I Want For Christmas is a Vampire is a fun read. It is "Vampires Lite," in the same vein (LOL) as the Lynsay Sands vampire books. This is the 5th in the series but you could probably catch on without a problem if you haven't read the previous books. It was nice to see some of the characters from other books, though, especially the intriguing half-vampire toddler Constantine.

I liked the hero, Ian MacPhie, very much. Of course what's not to like about a gorgeous Scottish vampire looking for his soul mate? He thinks she will be a vampire--ha. Toni, the heroine, is great but I do wish she had gotten to kick ass more. She is hired as a guard and is supposedly a very good fighter but we don't get to see that. I did like how brave she was, how loyal she was and how she seemed real.

There is just enough angst and action in the book to keep things interesting, but the emphasis is definitely on the romance and the humor. I'd rate this book 7.5 out of 10.

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.