Review and Giveaway: Midnight Revenge

Midnight Revenge (Killer Instincts - Book 7) by Elle Kennedy

Publication Date: 02/02/2016
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Signet Eclipse
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Pages: 384
ISBN-10: 0451474430
ISBN-13: 978-0451474438

(Received for an honest review from Signet Eclipse)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes

Elle Kennedy on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

Killer Instincts

1. Midnight Rescue
2. Midnight Alias
3. Midnight Games
4. Midnight Pursuits
4.5. After Midnight
5. Midnight Action
6. Midnight Captive
7. Midnight Revenge

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from Midnight Revenge, courtesy of the author's website.

Synopsis:

From the USA Today bestselling author of Midnight Captive, the latest Killer Instincts novel is “off-the-charts-hot”* romantic suspense that takes readers into the heart of an enigmatic mercenary...
 
Out of all the stone-cold mercenaries in Jim Morgan's black ops organization, Derek “D” Pratt is the most intimidating. He is tight-lipped and covered in tattoos, and even the other guys on his team are afraid to ask him about his past. D’s been off the grid for years, but after his teammate Sullivan is mistakenly captured in his place, D is forced to come out of hiding and face his demons.
 
When D lands in Mexico, he’s ready to risk everything to save his friend. To complicate matters, Sofia Amaro, a feisty doctor whom D had a one-night stand with months ago, has tracked him down. And in an instant she’s unintentionally caught up in his life-threatening rescue mission.
 
Now D must extract not one but two people from the most violent world he's ever encountered. And one of them is carrying his child...

Thoughts:

Elle Kennedy returns with another book about Jim Morgan's team of mercenaries in the latest book in the Killer Instincts series, Midnight Revenge. Readers have been on the edge of their seats waiting for this one after a cliffhanger of sorts in the last book. Kennedy delivers with a heart pounding book full of action and with just enough romance to balance it all out. A great new book from the romantic suspense genre.

What I liked:

I'll be the first to admit that romantic suspense novels have not always been my cup of tea. I wasn't sure that all that action would work for me in most of the books of the genre I had encountered, but lately this type of story has really grown on me. That is largely due to the talent of some really great authors, including Elle Kennedy. Kennedy strikes such a good balance between the heart stopping action of a suspense novel and heart rending passion of a romance novel. The Killer Instincts series is a good example of well written romantic suspense. And Kennedy's latest book had me on pins and needles in more ways than one.

The end of Midnight Captive was a real cliffhanger for me. Sully is missing. Literally dropped off the face of the earth. Liam is desperate to find him, as well as, the rest of the mercenary team. You would think Sully and Liam would get the romance here, but that's not the case. They are still a great side romance, but "D" steals the show in this one. Sully's kidnapping is all about Derek and his dark past coming back to haunt him. Readers who have followed the series will find this one an eye opening revelation into Derek's character.

Kennedy has given readers a very hard, dangerous man as the lead for this one. Derek is largely considered the coldest and most deadly of the mercenaries and focusing on a different side to him was interesting to say the least. His backstory was dark and it made my heart hurt to see the pain he had been through. Kennedy makes us hurt for this character and sympathise with his pain, but he is still a cold hearted man. I tend to like brooding characters that have a chip on their shoulder and D fits that bill to a tee. I wanted to love his romance. I wanted to see passion and aggression and it was there. It takes a strong woman to deal with him and Sofia was smart and tough but not exactly what I expected.

What I didn't like:

Sofia is a doctor and she manages to fix up some of the mercenaries who were hurt in the latest op. She comes off as confident and sure of herself. But she is attracted to Derek, who doesn't really give off a vibe that says... boyfriend or husband materiel. But she knew that going in to the one night stand between them. But she didn't count on was getting pregnant. At first I thought I was going to be completely invested in her, but she takes an unexpected turn. She goes off in search of D and puts herself and her baby at risk. I realize she needed to tell him. I realize she wanted to help. But common sense is a plus when it comes to dangerous situations and she just didn't have any and that made her seem a little foolish and desperate. Didn't look good on a heroine.

This is a romantic suspense novel that involves a group of mercenaries. These aren't your average boys next door. That being said, there is quite a bit of language in this book. With this type of hard nosed group I don't think the author could have gotten away with it any other way. But if hard language and situations get to you, this ain't your book. There is also the m/m relationship between Sully and Liam to consider if that's not in your comfort zone as well.

Bottom Line:

I've loved D from the git go with this series. There was something about him that spoke to me. He was closed off, set apart, from the others. He had one heck of a chip on his shoulder and his past had never been discussed much. I was ready for this story. I wanted Derek to get his happy-ever-after. Sofia didn't quite live up to my expectations but the changes in D alone made up for that. The side story with Sully and Liam was once again captivating and readers who have followed the series will be searching out the pages that have these two character in them. All in all... D gets his HEA and Sully gets rescued. Not a bad day at the office for Elle Kennedy.

Midnight Revenge is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

A New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author, Elle Kennedy grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, Ontario, and holds a B.A. in English from York University. From an early age, she knew she wanted to be a writer, and actively began pursuing that dream when she was a teenager.

Elle writes romantic suspense and erotic contemporary romance for various publishers. She loves strong heroines and sexy alpha heroes, and just enough heat and danger to keep things interesting!

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Midnight Revenge by Elle Kennedy.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.

~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, February 29th.

1. What is your opinion of mercenaries in the fictional world and in the real world?

2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: Remind Me

Remind Me (Chasing Fire - Book 1) by Ann Marie Walker and Amy K. Rogers

Publication Date: 04/21/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: InterMix
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
ASIN: B00NPNRAF2

(Received for an honest review from InterMix)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, itunes, Kobo

Ann Marie Walker on the WEB: website, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Amy K. Rogers on the WEB: twitter, facebook, goodreads

Synopsis:

First in a tantalizing new trilogy about reigniting a forbidden desire from long ago…

As heiress to a media empire Alessandra Sinclair was raised to put family obligations first. But everything changes the night her first love walks back into her life and turns her whole world upside down. Haunted by the memories of a secret romance with a boy from the wrong side of the tracks, she can't seem to get Hudson Chase out of her mind. Once again torn between two worlds, Allie must decide how much she’s willing to risk to have the love she’s always longed for.

Ten years is a long time to wait, but billionaire Hudson Chase didn’t become CEO of one of the country’s fastest growing companies by giving up on what he wants. Now that he’s got Allie in his sights again, he’s determined to make her regret breaking his heart. And this time, he’s going to make damn sure he’s not so easy to forget. 

Includes a preview of Release Me book two of the Chasing Fire trilogy.

Thoughts:

Authors Ann Marie Walker and Amy K. Rogers start out of the gate at a gallop with the first book in the Chasing Fire series, Remind Me. This a hot and steamy novel that readers will have a hard time putting down. Young girl meets boy from the wrong side of the tracks. A relationship develops. A misunderstanding happens and ten years pass. A great beginning to the series and some authors to keep your eye on.

What I liked:

I always love a good story about the boy from the wrong side of the tracks that makes good and comes back to flaunt it. Hudson Chase is just such a man. He exudes power and dominance. Walker and Rogers must have been going for a strong male lead, because this guy is a real man's man. He's a bit over confident and yeah he thinks he's hot stuff, but that can sometimes be attractive and it is with this character. Hudson is easily the best part of this book.

Allie was a bit harder for me to connect with. She's wealthy, from a good family, engaged to a French Marquis. I mean that's a little beyond my means of course, so it was harder to find that point of connection and emotional investment with her. She was good for Hudson but she had her issues. She was basically living for everyone else but herself. Her parents, her family, her fiance. With Hudson she is taking that chance to take control of her own life and that could be a very good thing. The author's did a good job with the character but I think there could have been a bit more depth to her.

What I didn't Like:

The chemistry between these two is off the charts. It's not so much romantic though. It's more just straight out lust... lol. Not that that's a bad thing in this case but certain parts of the novel gave me pause. Allie is engaged. Yep, she's basically having an affair with an old flame. She could have told her fiance, called things off, but she didn't and I have often have a real problem with that. It didn't come across too badly, but I still didn't like that aspect of the relationship.

There is a lot of sex scenes in this book. I mean a ton. You guessed it... too many for me. I wanted more story, more connection, more romance. I know the love making aspect of a romance is important. That's why a lot of people read them. But there is such a thing as too much of a good thing and I think that's what happened here. 

Bottom Line:

I had some issues with this one, but it might be right up your "Allie". It certainly has good characters and a good premise. I like the bad boy turns CEO theme. I'm looking forward to reading the other books in this series, to see if they all stack up like this one or sex becomes less important than love at some point. I liked it. I just didn't love it.

Remind Me is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 3 out of 5 apple from my book bag!

About the Author:

Ann Marie Walker writes steamy contemporary romance and is co-author of the Chasing Fire series (Remind Me, Release Me, Reclaim Me) from Penguin Books. She and her writing partner Amy K. Rogers met online and instantly bonded over their love of alpha males, lemon drop martinis and British supermodel David Gandy. You can find her on twitter as @AnnMarie_Walker.

Amy K Rogers writes contemporary romance and it the co-author of the Chasing Fire Series (Remind Me, Release Me, Reclaim Me) from Penguin Books. She and her writing partner met online and instantly bonded over their love of alpha males, martinis, and British supermodel David Gandy. You can find her on twitter as @Amy_KRogers.

Review: Nice Girls Don't Ride

Nice Girls Don't Ride by Roni Loren (Novella)

Publication Date: 04/21/2015
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: InterMix
Pages: 98
File Size: 784 KB
ASIN: B00NGZB22G

(Received for an honest review from InterMix)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, itunes, Kobo

Roni Loren on the WEB: website, blog, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Excerpt from Nice Girls Don't Ride, courtesy of the author's website

Synopsis:

In this erotically charged novella by the New York Times bestselling author of Call on Me, Nothing Between Us, and Not Until You two strangers take an asphalt-burning ride into the wildest night of their lives…

Natalie Bourne thinks she has the perfect night planned for her twenty-first birthday. But when her car breaks down and her boyfriend bails on her, she’s left stranded in an auto shop dealing with a way too cocky, way too hot mechanic, who seems to be intent on pushing every button she has.
Monroe Hawkins knows he shouldn’t be messing with a girl from the uppity private college. Especially when he can tell she sees him as the help. But he’s having trouble resisting the redhead with the smart mouth and the killer legs. So when Natalie’s night goes from bad to worse, there’s no way he’s letting her spend her birthday alone. He makes her a deal—he’ll take her home but not until the sun comes up.
Ten hours, one motorcycle, and the city of Austin at their fingertips…things are about to take a major detour. And soon, there may be no U-turn in sight.

Includes a preview of Roni Loren’s Call on Me

Thoughts:

Nice Girls Don't Ride is a novella from erotic romance writer, Roni Loren. It isn't a part of series, and can be read as a quick stand alone that with put a smile on any readers face. Spoiled little rich girl meets a tattooed mechanic. Sounds delicious! Loren puts her smooth flow and lyric style into this one and readers will be sad when the last page is turned. A very good story from one of genre's greats!

What I liked:

Every girl wants to have an adventure on her birthday. But not many are spontaneous enough to take the bull by the horns and let nature dictate the pace. Loren gives readers a heroine in Nice Girls Don't Ride that has probably never done anything out of her comfort zone before. Natalie is your typical prime and proper private school graduate that doesn't seem to know how to let her hair down, but when she meets Monroe, a tattooed mechanic who lives for freedom and adventure, she just can't seem to resist. Loren makes this story come alive with great dialogue and hot and sexy characters. 

10 hours, a sexy mechanic and a motorcycle... oh my! I loved the premise and the idea that you can change the course of your life or relationship in that short span of time. This is the kind of book that makes you want to fall in love at first sight or take that big plunge and do something a little dangerous. Loren did a wonderful job of compressing a lot of action into a short amount of pages. Keep in mind this is probably a little too spicy for young readers and the details are VERY detailed... lol!

What I didn't like:

Don't get me wrong. Novella's are a great way to add a little something extra to a series, or a way to try out a new author. But for me, they are often not quite enough. I wanted more of these characters. More background. More time. More of what happened after that romantic 10 hour span of time. But I'm just greedy when it comes to a good story. And this one is goooood!

Bottom Line:

If you are an erotic romance fan or love this wonderful author, this is great choice. If you want something a little less erotic this one may not be your cup of tea. It's short... too short. I wanted more, but that just tends to whet my appetite for the next great book from author. It's a fast paced, love story that is both sensual and heartwarming. 

Nice Girl's Don't Ride is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Roni wrote her first romance novel at age fifteen when she discovered writing about boys was way easier than actually talking to them. Since then, her flirting skills haven't improved, but she likes to think her storytelling ability has. Though she'll forever be a New Orleans girl at heart, she now lives in Dallas with her husband and son.

If she's not working on her latest sexy story, you can find her reading, watching reality television, or indulging in her unhealthy addiction to rockstars, er, rock concerts. Yeah, that's it.

She is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Loving on the Edge series and other sexy things.

Review and Giveaway: A Turn for the Bad

A Turn for the Bad (County Cork Mystery - Book 4) by Sheila Connolly

Publication Date: 02/02/2016
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley Prime Crime
Genre: Cozy Mystery
Pages: 304
ISBN-10: 0425273423
ISBN-13: 978-0425273425

(Received for an honest review from Berkley Prime Crime)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes

Sheila Connolly on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

County Cork Mystery

1. Buried In a Bog
2. Scandal in Skibbereen
3. An Early Wake
4. A Turn for the Bad

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from A Turn for the Bad, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

The New York Times bestselling author of An Early Wake returns to Ireland where Sullivan’s Pub owner Maura Donovan gets mixed up with smugglers.

After calling Ireland home for six months, Boston expat Maura Donovan still has a lot to learn about Irish ways—and Sullivan’s Pub is her classroom. Maura didn’t only inherit a business, she inherited a tight-knit community. And when a tragedy strikes, it’s the talk of the pub. A local farmer, out for a stroll on the beach with his young son, has mysteriously disappeared. Did he drown? Kill himself? The child can say only that he saw a boat. 

Everyone from the local gardai to the Coast Guard is scouring the Cork coast, but when a body is finally brought ashore, it’s the wrong man. An accidental drowning or something more sinister? Trusting the words of the boy and listening to the suspicions of her employee Mick that the missing farmer might have run afoul of smugglers, Maura decides to investigate the deserted coves and isolated inlets for herself. But this time she may be getting in over her head...

Thoughts:

Sheila Connolly's latest book in the County Cork Mystery series, A Turn for the Bad is an example of what a good cozy should be. The author chooses Ireland for the setting of this series and readers are not only hot on the  heels of a mystery but also immersed in the culture and history of the country. Connolly proves why she is a New York Times Bestseller with an intriguing look into smuggling and Irish Whiskey. This is a very good addition to this unique cozy mystery series!

What I liked:

Shelia Connolly knows how to set a scene. When she first came out with the County Cork series, I wasn't too sold on the idea until I started reading. Most cozies are generally set in the US but I hope the change of local is something that will become a trend because I think Connolly shows that it can be very interesting for the reader. Ireland is one of those countries that has such a old world feel to it. The pacing of life is different and what matters to these characters might seem uncommon or unusual to us. That gives the series a rare sort of atmosphere that is addictive.

In A Turn for the Bad readers are introduced to the idea of smuggling and how it is being played out on the Irish coast. I thought this was a really unique premise for a cozy and Connolly does a wonderful job with it. Makes me think of pirates and the like... lol! As the clues began to turn up and Maura begins to investigate the reader will become more and more intrigued. I wasn't sure that Maura had a real reason to investigate this one since she didn't know the missing farmer personally. But she started piecing it together a little at a time and just couldn't stop herself. It made for a different kind of cozy that I liked a lot.

Sullivan's Pub might as well be a character unto itself. This is a great gathering place for this tight knit Irish community and liked seeing all of the interactions between the characters in this setting. It's basically the local hang out and it was perfect for lots of jigsawing about what was going on in this mystery. Wish we had a place like this around here. Maura meets several new characters in this book, that I hope will become regulars at the pub. It's always great adding new faces to the guest list.

What I didn't like:

This one has a bit of a slow start. Readers who are looking for that murder right off that bat, will have to wait a bit for the scenarios to play out. I would definitely not say the beginning was boring, it was just slow to heat up. It didn't bother me but it could turn some readers off. When the action does get going, it takes off like wildfire.

Bottom Line:

This is a great series. It's unique. It's different and Connolly goes the extra mile to make it authentic and credible, right down to the whiskey. It started out a little slow but that's not a deal breaker. It certainly made up for it in the end. Maura is a great cozy heroine and I can't wait to see what she gets into next.

A Turn for the Bad is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 4 out of 5 apples from my book bag.

About the Author:

Sheila Connolly is the New York Times bestselling author and Agatha Award-nominated writer of the Museum Mysteries, the Orchard Mysteries, and the County Cork Mysteries. She has taught art history, structured and marketed municipal bonds for major cities, worked as a staff member on two statewide political campaigns, and served as a fundraiser for several nonprofit organizations. She also managed her own consulting company, providing genealogical research services. In addition to genealogy, Sheila loves restoring old houses, visiting cemeteries, and traveling. Now a full-time writer, she thinks writing mysteries is a lot more fun than any of her previous occupations. She is married and has one daughter and three cats.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of A Turn for the Bad by Sheila Connolly.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US Addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, February 25th.

1. Read any good books about smuggling? If so tell us about them. If not what do you think of smuggling as a mystery theme?

2. Please fill out the FORM.

Review: SEAL Wolf in Too Deep

SEAL Wolf in Too Deep (Heart of the Wolf - Book 18) by Terry Spear

Publication Date: 02/02/2016
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Pages: 352
ISBN-10: 1492621838
ISBN-13: 978-1492621836

(Received for an honest review from Sourcebooks Casablanca)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes

Terry Spear on the WEB: Website, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

Heart of the Wolf

1. Heart of the Wolf
2. Destiny of the Wolf
3. To Tempt the Wolf
4. Legend of the White Wolf
5. Seduced by the Wolf
6. Wolf Fever
7. Heart of the Highland Wolf
8. Dreaming of the Wolf
9. A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing
10. A Howl for a Highlander
11. A Highland Werewolf Wedding
12. A SEAL Wolf Christmas
13. Silence of the Wolf
14. Hero of a Highland Wolf
15. A Highland Wolf Christmas
16. SEAL Wolf Hunting
17. A Silver Wolf Christmas
18. SEAL Wolf In Too Deep

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from SEAL Wolf in Too Deep, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature

Synopsis:

Love spells danger for an alpha SEAL wolf and the woman who steals his heart in this steamy shifter romance from USA Today bestselling author Terry Spear

His love is dangerous
As a Navy SEAL and police diver, alpha wolf shifter Allan Rappaport knows how to handle tough situations, but the arrival of a human diving partner-especially one as attractive as Debbie Renaud-is a whole new challenge. Getting involved is dangerous, but Debbie's offers are hard to resist. As the heat between them rises and a murder plot thickens, Allan is on the brink of exposing his biggest secret.

But she's diving in headfirst
For Debbie, working with another top-notch diver like Allan is too good to be true, and their mutual attraction is hotter than she could have dreamed. Debbie suspects he's hiding something, though, and she's set on figuring it out-one off-duty rendezvous at a time. But when Debbie gets between a werewolf hunter and his intended victim, suddenly she is plunged straight into the heart of Allan's world-a world she never knew existed.

Thoughts:

Terry Spear continues her highly successful Heart of the Wolf series with the eighteenth book, SEAL Wolf in too deep. Readers who have followed this ever-evolving series will find this book refreshing. It is a new beginning for a pack that has been practically decimated in the past. Family and pack mean everything and finding an outsider and human for a mate isn't in the plans. Spear brings readers a tale about love and duty and following your heart even when everyone else thinks you are not doing the right thing. A great new book from a trusted author!

What I liked:

Terry Spear is an author that I connected with early on my adventure with this blog. Some of her books were among the very first books I reviewed and also some of the first paranormal romance books I had ever read. To say I fell in love with this series and Terry's writing is probably an understatement. Not to sound too trite, but reading the Heart of the Wolf series changed my perspective on what I enjoyed reading in a profound way. I love romance and I love mysteries and Spear's books always have that in spades. Her attention to detail in both human and wolf behavior sets her writing apart from the 'pack'. I cannot recommend this author and series enough. 

SEAL Wolf in Too Deep was a book I was really looking forward to for a lot of reasons. I wanted to see Paul and Lori's pack start to grow again and build on the relationships that Spear started out with all the way back in book 9. The interesting part about this particular pack is that their population is made up of a whole lot of females, which is rare, and that essentially sets up the book. Allan is a single male wolf shifter and the pack needs him. It is expected that he will mate with one of the females and continue the line of the pack. But as they say, the heart wants what the heart wants. When he falls for his human partner, the sparks fly in more ways than one. 

Spear is so great at describing pack dynamics and making her wolf shifters adhere to how a real wolf pack might structure themselves and how they might deal with adversity. Allan wants to do the right thing by the pack but he also can't fight his attraction to Debbie, his human female dive partner. She knows there is something special about him but she doesn't know what. But she likes it. Spear does such a great job of showing the conflict between what Allan's mind wants to do and what his heart wants to do. A lot of great romantic angst. 

There is also a killer on the loose. And this one is after werewolves. The mystery aspect of the story provided something else for the reader to focus on as well. This book is about romance, but it's also has some great action filled moments that are sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats. Allan and Debbie are both cops that specialize in diving. Allan of course, has a Navy SEAL background. This isn't a police procedural but that part of the book was very interesting and added a lot to the overall story.

One of my favorite series is the way Spear is able to take books about SEAL's, books about Highlanders and books about the original Silver pack and make them all coexist with each other so well. She can shift back and forth between the packs, write books that have crossover characters and write a ton of them and each on seems new and different, yet interconnected with all the others. That's a lot of versatility in one author.

What I didn't like:

Being the 18th book in the series, some readers might be waning on the popularity of the series. Not me! But there are those out there that may think Spear couldn't possibly be giving us something new with this book, but they'd be wrong. There just wasn't anything I didn't like about this one!

Bottom Line:

This is a great book and it's part of a phenomenal paranormal romance series. If you haven't taken that leap and tried something out of your comfort zone yet, I encourage you to read this series. Each book can be read as a stand alone including SEAL Wolf in Too Deep. Spear has a knack for writing detailed stories that get the reader in the heart. Good stuff!

SEAL Wolf in Too Deep is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

USA TODAY bestselling, and award-winning author and creator of award-winning teddy bears who have found homes all over the world including Australia, Switzerland, China, and Russia, and a retired officer of the US Army Reserves, I love to plant trees and flowers and if I could, I'd turn all the deserts green. Time travels are my favorite read, although I love to read most anything, and the Bourne series, Romancing the Stone, Sixth Sense, Legend, The Princess Bride, Stardust, Inkheart, LOTR, and tons of other movies are my favorites.

I love to research, to make urban fantasy worlds real, to bring a little of the paranormal into our world. Even in "Winning the Highlander's Heart" the heroine feels she is cursed and she has second sight. But I try to do it in a way that feels real, and not fantasized. :) Currently, I'm working on book 2 of the new jaguar shifter series, but still am working on wolf book number 12 and 13! So more hunky wolves to come! A SEAL in Wolf's Clothing has just released.

Review: Blood in Her Veins

Blood in Her Veins (A Jane Yellowrock Book) by Faith Hunter

Publication Date: 02/02/2016
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Roc
Genre: Urban Fantasy
Pages: 560
ISBN-10: 0451475755
ISBN-13: 978-0451475756

(Received for an honest review from Roc)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, IndieBound, itunes

Faith Hunter on the WEB: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads

Books in the series:

Jane Yellowrock

1. Signatures of the Dead (in Strange Brew)
1. Skinwalker
2. Blood Cross
3. Mercy Blade
3.5. Cat Tales
4. Raven Cursed
4.5. Have Stakes Will Travel
5. Death's Rival
6. Blood Trade
7. Black Arts
7.5. Off the Grid (aka Black Water)
8. Broken Soul
9. Dark Heir
10. Shadow Rites
Easy Pickings
Jane Yellowrock World Companion
Blood In Her Veins

Coverart: Click the image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

Excerpt from Blood in Her Veins, courtesy of Amazon's Look Inside feature.

Synopsis:

New York Times bestselling author Faith Hunter presents a comprehensive collection of stories starring everyone’s favorite “smart, sexy, and ruthless”* shapeshifting skinwalker...
 
In this must-have collection of stories, experience nineteen thrilling adventures from the world of vampire-hunter Jane Yellowrock, including many fan favorites and two all-new novellas. Read about the first time Jane put the pedal to the metal in “The Early Years,” and the last thing a werewolf will ever see as Jane delivers justice in “Beneath a Bloody Moon.” Get a searing look into the pasts of some of the series’ best-loved characters: Beast in “WeSa and the Lumber King,” Rick LaFleur in “Cat Tats,” and Molly Everhart Trueblood in “Haints.” 
 
In the brand-new “Cat Fight,” the witches and vampires of Bayou, Oiseau, are at war over a magical talisman—and Jane must figure out how to keep the mysterious artifact out of the covetous hands of the Master of New Orleans. And in the never-before-published “Bound No More,” Jane welcomes a visit from Molly and her daughter, Angie, who is about to prove she’s the most powerful witch in Everhart history....
 
From the Big Easy to the bad bayou, from the open road to a vampire’s lair—with Jane Yellowrock, it’s always a given: have stakes, will travel.

Thoughts:

Faith Hunter returns to the world of Jane Yellowrock in this collection of nineteen stories that will leave readers wanting to re-read the entire series. Jane Yellowrock is fantastic Urban Fantasy heroine and readers who are looking for a good introduction to the genre will love this series. This new book has only two new stories about Jane but the other seventeen will take the reader back in time and introduce them to parts of Jane they may not have seen before. A must read for fans of the Jane Yellowrock series!

What I liked:

There are so many things I could talk about here. The Jane Yellowrock series is one my favorite Urban Fantasy reads ever. Jane is a skinwalker. If you know anything about Native American folklore you have heard of skinwalkers before. Basically, Jane is a shape-shifter and she can communicate with her other form, which she has named, Beast. Did I mention that Jane is a vampire-hunter? There is that.This series has interactions with many different paranormal characters from witches to vampires, skinwalkers to werewolves. You get a little bit of everything here and it is soooo worth the read.

Blood In Her Veins is not a book I would recommend reading as a stand alone unless you have read all the other books in this series. These nineteen stories happen all throughout the series and I feel like the reader would miss so much if they haven't read the surrounding stories. There are two new stories as well that will broaden the readers idea of Jane and her world. I liked having all of the shorter novellas in one place and in order. That made it easy for me as a big fan of the series to keep everything in perspective.

I liked the fact that Hunter gives us stories not only from Jane's point of view but from those of her friends as well. I love Molly and Angie and I'll have admit to having a love/hate relationship with Rick. I didn't like him to start with but he grew on me. Bruiser is pretty awesome and loved reading more about him as well.

What I didn't like:

This one is close to 600 pages. If you are not into chunky books this one might not be for you. It's a bit lengthy but if you are a fan of the series you will fall right back into the addiction that is Jane when you start reading it and the time and pages will fly. Over too soon in my opinion.

Bottom Line:

If you haven't read this series, you really have to give it a try. Hunter's writing is fantastic and you won't regret the read. This collection of stories from Jane's world was a big hit for me, but it might leave you scratching your head if you aren't caught up on the series. I loved it!

Blood in Her Veins is available NOW from your favorite bookseller.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag.

About the Author:

Faith Hunter, urban fantasy writer, was born in Louisiana and raised all over the south. Hunter fell in love with reading in fifth grade, and best loved SciFi, fantasy, and gothic mystery. She decided to become a writer in high school, when a teacher told her she had talent. Now, she writes full-time (about 60 hours a week) tries to keep house, and is a workaholic with a passion for travel, jewelry making, white-water kayaking, and writing. She and her husband love to RV, traveling with their dogs to whitewater rivers all over the Southeast. 

The dark urban fantasy Skinwalker series, featuring Jane Yellowrock, is a New York Times bestselling series with multiple books and compilations. Jane Yellowrock is a Cherokee skinwalker who tracks, hunts, and kills rogue-vampires for a living -- that is, until she takes a gig working for Leo Pellissier, the Master of the City of New Orleans. The series is set in an alternate reality, modern-day world, one inhabited by humans, vamps, and other things that go bump in the night.

Her Rogue Mage novels, a dark, urban fantasy series, feature Thorn St. Croix, a stone mage in a post-apocalyptic, alternate reality, urban fantasy world. These novels are the basis for the Rogue Mage World Book and Role Playing Game, which contains lots of fiction for the readers!

The upcoming Soulwood series features Nell Nicholson Ingram, and is a spinoff from the Skinwalker series. Nell is an escapee from a cult, a solitary woman with magic of her own. In book one, Blood of The Earth, she is hired to help PsyLED (a division of Homeland Security) find a missing child.

Under her pen name Gwen Hunter, she writes action adventure, mysteries, and thrillers. 

As Faith and Gwen, she has more than 33 books in print in 29 countries. 

Along with other published writers, Faith participates in an online writing community geared to helping fantasy writers with tips and publishing advice called www.MagicalWords.net 

Join the fans at the official Faith Hunter Facebook fan page now located at 
https://www.facebook.com/official.faith.hunter or follow her on Twitter @HunterFaith 
For more, including a list of her books, freebies, & upcoming events see www.FaithHunter.net and www.GwenHunter.com.