(All the Kings Men #1)

Author:  Donya Lynne

Publisher: Phoenix Press

Release Date: 3/23/12 

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance

Source: Provided by author

Buy: Amazon and Barnes&Noble

Description

Vampire Micah Black is on a downward spiral and he’s slowly losing his mind. Having lost not one but two mates in his long lifetime, he doesn’t want to live anymore and his incredible craving for pain has become so unbearable that he seeks out one of his clans biggest enemies, dreck named Apostle and almost causes their long time peace to end. He wants Apostle to kill him in a most painful way and Apostle is eager to help him with that.

Samantha Garrett has been hiding for a while now from her crazy abusive husband and has been stripping in a seedy bar to pay the bills and stay under his radar. When she stumbles upon a man being beaten to death she goes against her better judgment and saves him from the gang of really strange looking blue haired men.  In doing so she may have changed Micah’s fate, forever because she is now on her way to becoming his third and most cherished mate. If they can overcome Micah’s past issues and take care of the little problem of the drecks trying to sabotage them…oh and that pesky crazy husband issue…maybe they can finally find the happiness they both desperately want.

Review

This book really took me by surprise! I wasn’t expecting to love it this much but I did and I’m so glad I’ve found this author! It’s so refreshing to find a Vampire story that isn’t so much like all of the others out there but Donya Lynne has succeeded in making this book original and quite entertaining!

Micah actually had some major inner issues to deal with, it was kind of nice to see such a big tough guy like him not feel as confident as a vampire usually is and seeing him open up and fall in love was a beautiful thing. But I must add that once he got back on his feet, he was one kick ass bad boy. It was SO funny when he interacted with the other guys one the team. Talk about a bad attitude. LOL I’m really going to miss the angry Micah in future books.

Sam is a very in your face, ass kicking character too so it was only natural that she end up with an alpha male like Micah and I loved that he was such a hard ass with the guys but when it came to her he would get all sweet and mushy. She so deserved someone as sweet and doting as Micah is towards her, especially after her horrible relationship with her crazy husband and I really loved how that relationship ends. If you ask me, he should have gotten much worse.

I loved all of the different guys on the AKM team, there are so many different personalities and that makes for some interesting character interaction, that’s for sure. I’m looking forward to the next book, Heart of the Warrior, which will be Severin and Arion’s story but the one I really want to read is Trace’s story. I can’t wait to find out what’s up with him and how the whole thing with Micah plays out.

I give this book 4.5 Moons and recommend it to all PNR and Vampire lovers! It’s something new and different and it’s worth the time to read it!

Midnight Rescue

(Killer Instincts #1)

Author:  Elle Kennedy

Publisher:  Penguin

Release Date: 5/1/12

Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Source:  Amazon (Bought)

Buy: Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Author's Website: http://ellekennedy.com/

Description

Abby Sinclair had a pretty rough childhood and  very unconventional teen years. Rescued and adopted by an Army Ranger, Abby learned to be an assassin and she’s now one of the deadliest women alive. On mission in Columbia, Abby makes a last ditch effort to free some helpless victims and blows her own  cover. Being their prisoner and surviving their torture is worth it to save the innocent.

Kane know going in that Abby Sinclair is bad news but he’s unable to control his attraction to her. After getting her out of that hell hole where they beat and tortured her, he doesn’t want her going back but she’s talked him and his team into going back for another rescue mission. Now they need to put that attraction aside and focus on the mission because it may very well get them both killed along with Kane’s team members too.

Jaime's new book will be in stores tomorrow, May 29, so check it out and get your copy! It's sure to be a fantastic addition to a wonderful series!!!

Darkness Becomes Her

Offspring #6

Description

They live ordinary lives, but they are extraordinary.
They are the Offspring, children of a mysterious experiment gone awry—and they are in terrible danger.

Power Junkie: Lachlan McLeod spent wild years astrally projecting himself into other times and places. But he doesn't get out much anymore—not after the fatal mistake that cost him a precious loved one.

Pixie Fugitive: Jessie isn't having a bad day. She's having a bad lifetime. After the terrifying act of supernatural violence that destroyed her family, she's been on the run for years. But now her ruthless enemy is drawing closer . . . and her own powers have finally awakened.

They're two people who don't play well with others. But they're going to have to learn to, and quickly. Because they're the only two people in the world who can save each other — and their passion is the only thing that can save the world

Q&A

1. What inspired you to become a writer and did you always know you would write?

I've been writing since I can remember, or at least making up stories. I see the stories like a movie in my head. I love getting snippets that way, like a scene that plays out, usually either a sexy scene or a conflict scene. I knew I would be a writer, but it wasn't until I was in my twenties that romantic suspense picked me. Until then I wrote all kinds of short stories. Paranormal elements have usually played into my stories as well. My first published book (now e-pubbed as Until I Die Again) had a heroine was killed in the first scene and gets a second chance … in another woman's body! I love twisting the paranormal my way.

2. Who were your favorite authors growing up and who are your favorites now? Do you have a favorite book?

I devoured collections of Alfred Hitchcock short stories as a kid. I loved the original two V.C. Andrews series, too. I don't think there was a book that inspired me to write, per se. But I loved the idea of going into my imagination as I read, and that's what I love about writing, too. I read Ilona Andrews' series and Patricia Briggs' Mercy Thompson series. I wish I had more time to read! My favorite book would probably be Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. That book moved me, sucked me in and wrung me dry.

3. When you’re not writing, what are your hobbies/interests?

Hm, when am I not writing? I do love to go out on our boat with friends and/or family.

4. What does a typical writing day look like for you?

I try to start out with a little meditation to ground myself in the day, and then I tackle email and a bit of social networking. Then I work on whatever it is I'm doing at the moment. Usually it's editing.

5. Fun Question: If you could to any place, where would you go and why?

I've always wanted to go to Greece. When I was a teenager, I saw this movie called "Summer Lovers". It was set in Greece and ever since, I have this romantic ideal of what it's like there. And I love Greek food!

6. Do you listen to music when writing? If so who do you listen to?

I listen to the Offspring! Seriously! They're an offbeat group, sort of punkish rock.

It depends on my mood. Like right now, I have no music on and the sliding door is open, so all I hear is the wind rushing through the palms and trees and the occasional bird. I love nature. I make sound tracks for my characters in iTunes, one for, say, the heroine's character, when she's in a poignant or emotional place, for sexy scenes and suspense. So when I'm writing a scene like that, I'll play his or her music. In general, I'll have Sirius's Alt-Nation channel on.

7. What inspired you to write the Offspring series?

I loved the X-Files and Roswell, and when they went off the air, I really missed the paranormal abilities, the sense of people being hunted down, and finding the truth. So I made up my own series with those qualities. I also loved LOST, where you have a few people all thrown together in a tense situation, so I used that aspect as well.

8. Do you have a favorite character or book from the series?

I love the first one, A PERFECT DARKNESS. I also really liked Eric from BURNING DARKNESS because he surprised me. I never intended for him to be anything but an obnoxious foil and he took on a life of his own. I also loved BEYOND THE DARKNESS because I wanted to know why Cheveyo couldn't be with Petra, too. And I like DARKNESS BECOMES HER because it brings in some new aspects to the series. Lachlan is a perfectly tortured kind of guy, so of course I had to torture him more (heh heh).

9. With the new book coming out is makes me realize how few characters are left. I’m assuming the Lachlan’s brother, Magnus, will get his own book but what about Pope? Will he get his own story?

The future of a series often depends on the publisher, so for the moment, I don't have definite plans for Pope and Magnus's stories. However, I promise my readers they will get their stories one way or another. I created a spin-off group with my novellas (THE DARKNESS WITHIN, March 2012). But yes, there's a limit as to how many people are in the world. I left loopholes to bring in others but no one new has stepped up in my creative mind as a character. Pope was another surprise, I have to say. I had no idea who he was in the whole scheme of things when he popped into the first book. I love how he fit into the storyline and who he became, so I'm looking forward to seeing him get his happy ending.

10. Your new novella, The Darkness Within, was a fantastic addition to the Offspring series. I know I’ve asked you before but I want to ask again for our readers too. Will we get to see more of those characters in their own future stories?

Definitely. And thanks! Shea and Greer will be featured in a second novella that I'm hoping will come out in the next few months. Cody hasn't popped in to announce his story yet. Obviously I left room for him, though. I really enjoy writing the novellas.

11. I saw you mention in a chat a while back that you have a new series in the works. Can you tell us anything about that? Will it also be PNR?

 With The Hidden, I'm really jumping into PNR. Dragons, Angels, Magick, it's all in there. (okay, no vampires, LOL). I didn't want to have an overwhelming number of characters/creatures, nor did I want to explore existing mythologies that are already being used. So I decided to create my own and keep it somewhat simple. Of course, as it grows, more aspects pop up. Here's a blurb:

Miami. A melting pot of cultures: American, Cuban, Haitian … Dragons, Angels, and sorcerers. Magick hides behind the glitter and sunshine, where humans imbued with the essence of deities keep the balance between angry and forgotten gods, demons, and those of their kind who cannot fight the seductive lure of their magick.

I'm am so frickin' excited about this series and world! I have had so much fun creating the history and mythology, the creatures and abilities, oh, and sexy Dragon shifters, mysterious angels, and Deuces, who are sorcerers. I like that they're human, but they have this magick essence that rules their lives. And I'm thrilled that Grand Central Publishing will be bringing it out next year. The first book in the trilogy debuts in April, with another in August and the third in December. Plus I've already written two novellas as a tasty appetizer. I wrote them first, and they really opened up the world for me. Something would develop, and I'd have to copy and paste it into my world notes! I spent as much time doing that as I did writing, I think.

(Just Because #3)

Author:  Mari Carr

Publisher:  Samhain Publishing

Release Date: 5/29/12

Genre:  Erotica m/m

Source: ARC Provided by Author

Buy: Amazon, Barnes&Noble and Samhain

Author’s Website

Description

When Rodney is shot trying to save his friend, he ends up taking an extended medical leave from his job as a city police officer and stays on a ranch where he met Jacob. He’s unsure if he’ll be able to work again and that has had him feeling sorry for himself.

Jacob has been there for Rodney as his friend because that’s what Rodney needed him to be, but he’s been secretly in love with Rodney since they met months ago.

Now that Rodney has gotten a clean bill of health and an Okay to go back to work, he’s conflicted because of his feeling for Jacob. Time is up now so it’s time for Rodney to stop ignoring his feelings and for Jacob to stop hiding his.

Review

I’ve read this series as they've each been released so I was really excited to see Rodney and Jacob get their own story.  I’ve read a lot of erotica, it’s probably my favorite genre to read, and I’ve read plenty of m/f/m with m/m in it but never just m/m. I’m happy to say I was pleasantly surprised! This was a very heart-warming  story about two men who belonged together and I found myself enjoying it like any other book I’ve read.

Jacob and Rodney were a great match with Rodney being the more serious tough guy and Jacob being the fun, happy go lucky guy. They complemented each other very well and it was so great to finally see them give in to the attraction.

This was a pretty short read but if you’ve read the previous two books then you know that the build-up came in the last book so it worked for them to just jump right into it. If you haven’t read the other books then what are you waiting for? Go, buy, read and fall in love just like I did.

I should also add that it was SO great to get an update on Caleb and Jessie! Very exciting!!! Their's was my favorite of the three books! *Sigh*

I give this book 4 Moons and I recommend it to most erotica readers. It’s not for everyone as it is m/m only but please don’t let that scare you away. It really is a fantastic read and in my opinion a great sexy summer night read!