SEDUCE THE DARKNESS by Gena Showalter

SEDUCE THE DARKNESS
by
Gena Showalter

Pocket Star Books
Paranormal Romance
An Alien Huntress Novel
Paperback
July 2009

Future earth is populated by otherworlders and humans. Bride McKells is a vampire (the only one of her kind, as far as she knows) trying to pass for human. All her knowledge of vampires comes from old movies and books, mostly of the Dracula type.

Devyn, King of the Targons, is a warrior working with an organization that tries to keep universal peace. He is a sex addict that wants to have sex with every variety of female life form ever created, (he's a real horn-dog) but does not feel the necessity to repeat with the same women or species.

Bride ran into Devyn in the street. She was gorgeous and he was attracted until he realized she was a vampire. She scented an old friend off of him and began stalking him in order to find her only and best friend.

Devyn has already had two vampire women, so he does not need Bride to fill a hole in his collection. However, she does fill something he is missing.

This is just a brief set up to get you into the story. The book is part of the Alien Huntress series with revolving characters, so if you have read previous books in the series you will recognize them, including Devyn. But each book can stand on its own. Lady Mischief has only read one other book in this series and that would be the book right before this one, the book of Bride's best friend.

SEDUCE THE DARKNESS is high adventure, a wonderful love story, a tale of friendship, and has some pretty hot scenes.

This cost of this book is equivalent to two gallons of milk. You know, sometimes water is actually better for the kids. Leave the milk in the store, buy the book, make yourself a nice hot drink, sit back, read, and enjoy.

This book rates:

Four (4)

Yours forever between the pages of a book,
Lady Mischief

MOON KISSED by Michele Hauf

Moon Kissed
by
Michele Hauf

Silhouette
Nocturne #72
September 2009
Wicked Games

Belladonna Reynolds liked to run after dark, down foreign streets. Until the night she had to out run a mangy group of men she later found out were vampires.

She is "rescued" by Severo, a werewolf in his human form, who takes advantage of the moment to paw her.

She is the target of a jealous vampiress. He is a loner.

The love story is good. The conflict is a bit contrived. The resolution okay.

How can Lady Mischief put this delicately? There is a touch of bestiality in this book. Sure when you read shape shifter books you tend to wonder, and in Season 2 of True Blood Jason Stackhouse wondered about Sam's sex habits when in animal form, but come on. This is a romance. In a well respected line. If you read the guidelines for Women's Erotica you will note it very clearly says NO Bestiality. There really are some things that are better left to the readers' imagination. The matter would have been better handled with a few gentle words, a loving touch.

This book rates:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

The Vampire's Quest by Vivi Anna

THE VAMPIRE'S QUEST

(The Valorian Chronicles)

by
Vivi Anna
Harlequin Nocturne
April 2009

Vampire criminologist Kellen Falcon has left his job and traveled to Europe with the hope of meeting a doctor who can cure the strange disease that is killing him.

Before he can meet with the doctor a bomb blows the doctor to bits.

Sophie St. Clair is a beautiful werewolf working on tracking down evidence of the bomber. Kellen insists on working with her since it is his specialty. Not to mention he is hot for her.

This book is part of an ongoing series. Lady Mischief has not yet read any other books in the series, but this book stood very nicely on its own. Lady Mischief does plan to dig through the piles in the book room and find the other books. Vivi Anna's world is too enticing not to visit again.

This book is the perfect balance between emotions, suspense, and sensuality.

This book rates a solid:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,
Lady Mischief

The Vampire's Bride by Gena Showalter

The Vampire's Bride

by Gena Showalter
Publisher: Harlequin
Release: March 2009
Contemporary Paranormal Romance

Layel, the King of the Vampires, has been a tortured soul with a heavy revenge-on for the Dragons which has lasted for centuries.

Delileh is a feisty Amazon. Unlike her sisters who kidnap men and hold them as sex slaves in order to procreate, Delileh wants True Love.

They are both battling the Dragons when suddenly they are pulled away to another place. Without their friends and without their weapons.

What could have happened?

The Greek Gods, after thousands of years of neglect, have finally remembered the creatures they left on Atlantis. They had had their fun toying with the humans, but now The Gods are bored and each one wants exclusive rights to these new toys. But what God or Goddess will be the lucky one? Who is to decide?

They decide to hold a contest! A way to decide and be amused. What more could a God ask for?

They take two of each creature living on Atlantis (vampire, amazon, dragon, etc.) and place them on an island where they must compete Survivor style. The last creature still living will be the one whose God will win.

Or will they?

There are strong secondary characters and subplots. They are strong, but never overshadow the Hero, Heroine, or the love story.

Uh-huh! I'm not telling. You have to read it to find out. This is a great book to take to the beach or the lake.

Good book. Fun read. Some really deep issues are alluded to that are sure to crop up in future books.

This book rates a solid:

Yours forever between the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief

Fury Calls by Caridad Pineiro

Fury Calls

The Calling
by Caridad Pineiro

Silhouette Nocturne
March 2009
Contemporary Paranormal Romance

Blake Richards led a hard life as a poor Welsh coal miner. Existence as a vampire wasn't much easier and it was a lot lonelier.

Former all American College Girl, Meghan Thomas really hated Blake for what he had done to her. First he turned her on and then he turned her.

Blake couldn't stay away from her. Her warmth drew him. She was the answer to his soul's question and she may not want to admit it, but she needed him as much as he needed her.

These are two of the most likable characters to have appeared in a Nocturne, yet. But, they have to travel through hell before they can even think about sharing time together.

Lady Mischief is going to issue a warning here. I try very hard not to throw any spoilers into my reviews, but sometimes there are things that readers need to be prepared for. If it is something they will not be comfortable with they must be made aware, then they will be able to make an informed decision. They can either skip over the offensive part or just not read the book at all. Otherwise it could cause a perfectly good book to become a wallbanger and an excellent author to be placed on the do-not-read list.

Anyway, that's my rationalization for revealing this "oh, oh". There are a few scenes where Blake is remembering his childhood and how he had to go to the nasty old wealthy man's house and do vile things with him in order to obtain money for food for his family. That is until he was old enough to go down in the mines and do a man's work even though he was still a child. This is horrible, but real. Children have been forced to endure treatment like this throughout the history of the world, and unfortunately they still are. It's not pretty and not what we are use to finding in a romance book, but since Sherrilyn Kenyon tortured the young "Acheron" it is appearing in more books.

The second "oh, oh" is about male-on-male rape. I know this has become a rather popular plot devise used in books such as Angela Knight's "Jane's Warlord". But in "Jane's Warlord" we are told that it happened and we do not have to live through the experience. The way it is used in "Fury Calls" makes it a crucial part of the story, not just added for prurient interest or for shock value, neither is it done to a main character. But it is done and we get to read all about it. More than once.

In a Silhouette book.

I buy all the Nocturnes (all two of them) when they are on my local store shelves every month. I don't bother to see who the author is or what the book is about until I get home. I like Nocturnes and I want to make sure they do not go the way of the Dodo, Silhouette Shadows, or Silhouette Bombshells. I would have bought this book even if I had read the back of it. The story is wonderful and part of a series with continuing characters.

Caridad Pineiro is a delightful writer. She wrote a story with bold material. She pushed the envelope that Harlequin/Silhouette usually doesn't want to soil it's lily white gloves on. She created a book which the reader will not soon forget.

In spite of any potential controversy over the man-on-man action there are two very vulnerable, very likable characters that have a need to either find a way to be together or to vacate one another's life. Permanently.

This is an emotionally appealing story and rates:

Four (4) ice treats,

Yours forever between the covers of a book,

Lady Mischief