Awakened ★★★

Awakened (House of Night, #8) - P.C. & Kristin Cast ★★★

House of Night is a series about a young girl who is marked to become a vampire. She must move into what is essentially a bording school for future vampires. Over the course of the books Zoey ends up in an epic battle of good verses evil. In this installment, Zoey is exahusted from the fight. She just wants to find stability in her life. Just when she thinks she might get a tiny reprieve, darkness strikes again. She's already lost her best friend in the fight and Stark is weakened from his trip to the Otherworld. Just when she doesn't think she can handle anymore, she'll lose others that are close to her. But Zoey isn't the only one with problems, Stevie Ray is drawn even closer to Rephaim, but she feels like she can't tell anyone about them, especially since Rephaim is still loyal to his father. His loyalty has him torn between protecting Stevie Ray and honoring his father. And of course, Kalona and Neferet are still a threat.

I really loved this series when I first read it, but since then I've read more YA and PNR. It was one of the first paranormal series that I read and I was enthralled. However, the more I read, the weaker these books began to seem. Although, that could also have to do with the fact that they weakened along the way. I was almost ready to give up the series, but this book might have saved it for me. It wasn't as action packed as the previous books, but it was an emotional ride. For those of us that have become attached to the characters and keep reading to see how their lives play out, this is a must read. There's one scene in the story that just has to read. However, unless you're collecting the books or a huge fan, I wouldn't buy it. Somewhere after book three I started checking them out at the library rather than spend money on them. They would be much better if the teenagers didn't speak like idiots. The diologue is what drives me crazy. The stories would be much more read worthy if she wrote them more like her adult books and less like they're full of ditzy idiots. I know that not all of her characters are morons, but their speech patterns tend to make the reader question that.

Pale Demon ★★★★★

Pale Demon (Rachel Morgan/The Hallows, #9) - Kim Harrison ★★★★★

Rachel has to get to California for her meeting with the witches council, but when she gets to the airport she finds herself grounded. The airlines won't let her on a plane. Now her only hope of getting to the west coast in time is via a road trip. Too bad the trip includes Trent. The two of them trapped in a car for a cross-country road trip... sparks will fly. Not only do they have to try and make the trip without killing one another, they have to survive assassination attempts. Someone is out to kill Trent and the council still believes Rachel is better off dead. Her future is on the line and she has to try and keep herself out of the demon realm. All Rachel ever wanted was to be left alone, but it's never going to happen.

Pale Demon was amazing. I loved it. I've always enjoyed Harrison's books, but there's always been something that has kept them from being AMAZING. I loved the third book in the series and it was my favorite, but this one has tied with it. I think that I enjoyed the action more in book three, but this was a book full of shockers. A lot of different elements came together: Rachel finally learns exactly what she is, we learn more about the demon realm, and more about Trent. It was the reveals, mixed with the intense action sequences, and banter between the characters that made the book. If you've read the series and have become attached to the characters then you'll love how they all interact with one another. Everyone is growing and coming into their own, but it has taken a whole lot of drama to get there. All I needed to hear was that Trent and Rachel would be stuck in a car together and I could tell you that Harrison had a hit. Luckily, she didn't disappoint. I look forward to the next installment since the end of the book provides Harrison with a chance to go in many, many different directions.

This book will be released on January 22nd. I recommend this book for purchase.

Shadowfever ★★★★

Shadowfever (Fever, #5) - Karen Marie Moning ★★★★ 594 pages

Book four of the Fever series ends with a huge a cliffhanger. The walls between the Fae and human worlds have come crashing down, Fae are loose in the streets killing humans, her parents were being ransomed and MacKayla has found herself thrust into a realm with little to no hope of escaping. While being rescued something happens that "shattered her world. " Something extreme, seeing the state her world is currently in. Now, in book five, Mac must deal with what she's done. She has to decide to allow herself to be broken, or to get up and fight to right her world in her most epic battle so far. Between prophecies from the past, struggling to find out who or what she is, and struggling with the lose of those she loved most, Mac has to figure out who to trust, or if she can even trust herself.

Okay, so the summary is vague at best. It's that way for a reason. Giving anything away will spoil this book for anyone looking to read it. (Be wary of reading reviews on this one. Part of the fun is that you really have no clue what's going on. Don't let someone spoil it for you.) I will say that you find Moning puts you out of your misery and lets you know who the beast is early on. Mac changes in the beginning of this book. She hardens and FINALLY quits whining. As the story progresses she softens a bit and her personality becomes more balanced.

After having read the other books, most people had a ton of predictions coming into this new one. Some of the questions we had were fairly obvious and easy to answer, but there were several things that I don't think anyone saw coming. As the events play out, predictions change frequently. Every time you think you've figured something out you'll be confronted with a contradictory fact that destroys your hypothesis. While everything in the book unfolds quickly, Moning paces the discoveries so that your questions get answered throughout the course of the book, but she saves the biggest ones for the end: Who killed Alina? Who or what is Mac? Why is she able to feel the book and why is it playing with her? Who set all these events rolling? Where have the Unseelie King and the Seelie Queen been since the Fae have begun to take over the human world? Will Mac pick a man?

This series was a surprise for me. After reading the first book I couldn't understand why everyone was in love with the series. Each book got better. It's not the best written series out there, but there's something about the epic way in which the world is being destroyed and the cliffhangers that keep you reading even when you're not sure if you should. I'm glad I stuck with the stories against my better judgement. The last three books in the series have been fun reads. Plus, male chauvinistic, conceited Barrons and V'laine are worth taking the time to read about. =)

Iron Queen ★★★★

Iron Queen - Julie Kagawa ★★★★ 368 pgs

After being exiled from Faery, Meghan just wants to go home. To bad she and Ash have to many enemies for her to risk drawing them to her family. Now homeless, with the Iron Fey out to get her, she has to stop the false king in order to not only ensure her safety, but that of the Summer and Winter Courts. In order to do so, Meghan must come to terms with who she is and the powers she carries within her. However, having both Iron and Summer powers are making it impossible for her to use glamour without hurting herself. She's not ready, but it doesn't matter. An oracle predicts a future of pain for Meghan and those closest to her. Can she change her path to get the happily ever after she longs for? Or will she and her friends suffer extreme losses?

First, I'd like to say that all the books in this series are beautiful. I love that the team responsible for putting this book, and the previous ones together added a design to give the series some personality. I've always enjoyed this series, but for some reason it took me a few pages before I would get interested in the earlier books. That's not the case here. I was able to pick up the story with Ash and Meghan right away. The fact that they have been exiled from Faery just made me want to know what they were going to do next and what enemies would come after them now that neither of them had the support of the Summer or Winter Courts.

In The Iron King I worried about Ash and Meghan's relationship. There was something artifical and forced about the way they got together. That doesn't hold true with this book. Meghan and Ash are settling into their relationship and their fears and emotions feel much more realistic. Kagawa has tapped into her inner teenager and done an excellent job of weaving rational and irrational issues together to create drama for the characters to either run from, or learn and build a stronger relationship. She definately managed to get me emotionally involved in the story.

Meghan's character has grown so much over the course of the series. She's finally confronting who she is, her strenghts and her weaknesses. Meghan's growth is what made this book special and took this series from a "library" read to something I will actually spend money on in the future. Her and her boys make sacrifices and risk their lives. Their ride is extremely emotional and managed to illicit some tears out of me.

Outside In ★★★★

Outside In - Maria V. Snyder ★★★★ 320 pgs

Snyder has another hit. Trella and the crew have overthrown their oppressors, leaving a power vacuum Inside. The new government isn't working, society is still segregated, and people are starting to give up hope that things will change for the better. Trella, the leader of the rebellion, has stepped back and allowed others to lead. She's still young and unsure of her ability to lead, but when someone starts sabotaging their home, Trella has to find out who it is before everyone is in danger. There is a new peril in every chapter. Someone is out to neutralize the new council's effectiveness and people are getting hurt. There's just one problem... Trella doesn't know who to trust. She can't figure out whether the danger is coming from Outside or Inside.

In Outside In, Snyder has upped her game. There's more drama and danger, making this installment of the series even better than the last. The mix of political, societal, and personal coming of age issues are what makes this a wonderful recommendation for teens, or YA readers. Unlike the weak, fluffy YA books that are flooding the market at the moment, readers of Outside In can take away lessons on human nature. Everyone needs to feel like there's an opportunity for things to get better, or that they're at least apart of something greater than themselves. When that's taken from someone, people can become desperate. While some may wallow in the lose of hope, others stand up and fight. That's what was makes Trella such a wonderful character. She may not want to step up and be a leader, but she's willing to put her life on the line to help those in needs when it counts. The problem is, in this book, Trella and the gang might not make it out alive.

This book will be available for purchase on March 1, 2011. It's worth purchasing.

Winner of the Bright Young Things Giveaway!

The winner of the Anna Godberson's Bright Young Things Giveaway was Wildcherry! Congratulations!!!

The Hollow ★★

The Hollow - Jessica Verday ★★ 515 pgs

Abbey's best friend has passed away and she's having problems coping. She wonders around, not really paying attention to things going on around her. She doesn't want to admit that her friend is gone. Then, she meets the mysterious Caspian. He keeps randomly appearing and Abbey is falling for him, but there's something strange about their relationship. Despite that, Abbey is starting to find her place again. She's trying to move forward, but she's also trying to figure out how her friend died. In the town of Sleepy Hollow, anything could have happened.

Apparently this is the first of a trilogy. I'll give book two a try, but if it's not any good, I won't finish the series. At first, I felt like the book was a little like Fallen by Lauren Kate. It was long and drawn out, not much is happening, and you really don't figure anything out until the end. However, the end was horrible. Maybe if I had read the original Legend of Sleepy Hollow book it would make sense, maybe not... All I know is I feel like I've wasted time. The fact that there's a second book means that there might just be time to redeem the series, but I won't go into book two being hopeful.

Some of the events in the story were predictable, but there really wasn't any resolve within book one. The main character just walks away fro the story and fails to deal with anything that has unfolded. I kept hoping it would get better, but it's all rather bland drama. There's an opportunity for a romantic element, but that's left unresolved as well. I'm rather amazed that this book managed to get published. I think it sold copies because it has a decent cover.

Acheron ★★★★★

Acheron (Dark-Hunter, #15) - Sherrilyn Kenyon ★★★★★ 728 pgs

This is the story of Acheron's past and present. Eleven thousand years ago, Acheron is taken from his goddess mother and placed into the womb of a human. He is cursed from birth. The fates have insured that his real family will try and kill him, while a relative has cursed him to be alone and to live a life of pain. Not knowing that he's a god, Acheron lives a terrible life. He's beaten and abused in every way imaginable. Then, even when he gains his powers, he's still subjected to the whim of others. When an artifact from his early days is discovered, he must work hard to find it and keep it hidden. If it got out, Ash's enemies would learn how to destroy him, both mentally and physically.

This is the book that every Dark-Hunter fan waits for. Acheron is a recurring character throughout the series. You slowly learn more and more about him, but this is the book that finally lets you see into his past. Its harsh and gut-wrenching and should make most readers cry. Kenyon has this uncanny ability to mix humor with the most painful scenes in her books. I had a hard time reading about Zarek, but this one made me cry multiple times. I always wondered how she managed to convey abuse and pain so well. At the beginning of this book, the author admits that she was abused as a child. It put everything into perspective. I'm glad she's found an outlet and that she's sharing the pain with others. This book makes me want to be kinder to others. I can't even begin to imagine the trauma that people go through.

As for Ash's present, I liked the girl that Kenyon picked. I think this part of the story was like all of her others. It was Ash's past that really stood out. I could read 1000 more pages on his life and still be content. I can also exactly where others would nit-pick this book, but I'm giving it 5 stars because I felt like I was with the characters and not reading about them, because I cried multiple times, and because I took something away from the story.

Bright Young Things Giveaway

I'll be giving away a copy of Anna Godbersen's Bright Young Things (for U.S. residents only). All you have become a follower of my blog or comment below saying you want a chance to win. I'll randomly pick a winner a on November 14th. Just remember to check back so that I can get the winner's address. Good luck.

Abrams Falls

I went for a hike the other day in the Smokey Mountains. It was approximately five miles both up and down hill over a rather rocky trail. I figured it would motivate me to walk further since there was a set destination and a waterfall at the end of the hike. I was alone, so I kept myself entertained by listening to a book on my iPod. I really enjoyed it, but I hate its location. The entrance is off of the Cades Cove loop so you spend an hour going 5-10 miles an hour just to get to the parking lot for the trail. Then, you spend an hour trying to get out. Plus, travel time just in and out of the mountains. I think I'll pick trails that aren't in major tourist areas from now on. However, since I was hiking alone, I decided the busier the trail, the safer I'd be.

Anyway, I'm really proud of myself. I hiked this trail about a year ago and after we left the falls to walk back uphill again I didn't think I was going to make it. I had to sit down and rest before carrying on. I didn't complain a lot (I kept reminding myself not to), but I didn't exactly move either. This time I took less time at the falls since I didn't want my muscles to get cold. I wanted to sit and read for a while, but I knew it'd hurt more if I relaxed. Getting back up the hill still hurt, but I didn't stop for more than 30 seconds at any given time. I managed to do the hike in 2 hours 10 minutes, cutting 50 minutes off of my previous time. The estimated time is 3-4 hours. I would have liked to have spent more time just looking around, but I learned that every time I took my eyes off my feet I almost sprained an ankle. Luckily, I made it back in one piece. I also learned that I need to purchase boots. Running shoes are really bad on trails.

Today I'm doing much better than I expected. I massaged my legs last night and today I can walk without wanting to cringe in pain. I'm almost wishing it hurt more so I can be sure I worked out, but I'm not stupid enough to be serious about that wish. I just have to remember to get off my butt tomorrow (since I failed today) and move so that I keep building muscle and burning fat.

Changeless ★★★

Changeless (The Parasol Protectorate, #2) - Gail Carriger ★★★ 374 pgs

***Just giving you an idea of the plot will spoil events from Soulless. If you think you might read the series, read book one before reading my review, or anyone else's for that matter.***

Now that Alexia Tarabotti has married, life should settle down. However, she wakes up to find her husband charging off to London because of a crisis and a whole lot of werewolf soldiers camping on her front lawn. She has to show the wolves that she is in charge and find out what her husband is up to.

Something in London is making supernaturals become normal. Vampires lose their fangs, were's can't shift, and ghosts are being exorcised. Whatever it is that's causing normalization is on the move, and it's heading in the same direction as Lord Maccon. Alexia decides that her husband will need help. She sets off on a dirigible to meet him in Scotland so that they can face his past together.

While Soulless, the first book in this series, was September's Book of the Month, it's sequal did not hold to the same standards. I seem to be in the minority with this opinion, but I enjoyed the flirting in Soulless more than I did the banter in Changeless. If I had read these a year apart, like everyone else did, I think I might have enjoyed it more. I just got frustrated with Miss Ivy Hisselpenny, as well as some of the language and the customs. I think that she does a great job with the obsessions for protocol and acting proper at all times, but that doesn't mean I find reading about them entertaining. The frivolity of it all gets on my nerves. Hence, the statement that reading them further apart would make them more interesting. Despite that, the plot was fun and interesting and Carriger left a cliffhanger that would frustrate most fans.

Alpha ★★★★★

Alpha (Shifters, #6) - Rachel Vicent ★★★★★ 472 pgs

In the final installment of the Shifters series, all the political posturing finally comes to a showdown. The prides meet in Montana to vote on who will lead the council. If their side doesn't win, there will be a war. Faythe has the evidence to blame Malone's pride for previous events, but the council may not wait to let her plead her case. If Malone gains control, Jace, Marc and her will be brought to trial for trespassing. Faythe has to work to save her boys and to keep herself from becoming a play toy for any male of Malone's choosing. More importantly, Faythe has to save her pride.

I'd like to summarize the plot a bit more, but I really don't want to risk giving anything away. This was a great end to a really good series. The final book was full of action and it shows how far Faythe has come from the whinny brat she was in the first book. (Although, I understand her reasons for acting that way.) Everything is bigger and more dramatic. It was a rather emotional ride. I cried three times, one of which was in the first few pages. Then, I shook involuntarily for a good 50 pages. My stomach was in knots almost the whole time. I would have to put the book down every 30 minutes and pace and get onto the computer to try and relax from the tension in the book. I've never had a series get under my skin like this one. and I'm sad to see it end.

Shift ★★★★

Shift (Shifters, #5) - Rachel Vincent ★★★★ 441 pgs

Faythe and her pride are preparing for war when new enemies show up on their land. They seek vengeance for the lose of one of their own and say that they have proof that one of the men in Faythe's pride was responsible. They've been framed, but these new enemies have different rules and refuse to back off unless there is absolute proof that they were not responsible. The enemies have Kaci and have given Faythe 48 hours to return with proof that Malone has lied to them. If she doesn't return then Kaci will be killed. Crunched for time, Faythe has to find a way to keep her promise that she'll keep Kaci safe, while trying to get closer to her true enemy than ever before.

Another fun, action filled book by Rachel Vincent. Even though the political maneuvering was still a large motivation behind the plot, I didn't feel the need to through my book across the room because I couldn't help Faythe. It was a nice change from the last two books. Although, maybe that means the previous two were better written to push me that far, but I needed the break. Not like Faythe got one... Faythe has to attempt to find proof in order to save both Kaci and her family. If the 48 hours ends without her task being completed, the asault on her home will continue. Plus, things are coming to head with Marc, Jace and her. She needs to deal with the boys, but her life doesn't exactly leave her enough down time to really deal with the issues at hand. Although, she'd probably be just as indecisive seeing how they are both great guys. I'm certain I know who she'll pick, but she really does need to think things through before going one way or the other. Sadly, I doubt she'll get much time for that.

Prey ★★★★

Prey (Shifters, #4) - Rachel Vincent ★★★★ 393 pgs

Faythe's world is spinning out of control. Her family has taken on two new tabbies and a new baby, someone is trying to overthrow her father, and Marc has been banished to Mississippi to live with the strays and she hasn't seen him in two months. When she finally does get to see him, their party is ambushed. Then, Marc goes missing and has left al ot of his own blood behind. Not knowing whether Marc had survived or not, Faythe gets a team together to search for him. To bad the drama doesn't stop there. Manx is up for trial on murder trial, Kaci is making herself sick by refusing to shift, and Malone's "games" are resulting in consequences that could never be forgiven. There definately won't be a happy ending.

Rachel Vincent's Shifter series is fun and action packed. I love the books, but I had to take a break after book 3. Pride managed to evoke so much emotion in me that I was too mad to actually keep reading. The book was great, but I wanted to strangle the bad guy and i hated the arogance of the man. I felt helpless when I couldn't help Faythe. It's great that Vincent was able to evoke enough emotion in me to make me want to throw the book in frustration, but it also made me antsy enough to start reading reviews of Prey to see who was going to appear in the next book. The problem is, someone posted spoilers on their review without warning the reader that they were going to give away a little too much. I went into this book knowing which characters would live and die. Despite knowing what was going to happen, I enjoyed the story. The author still evokes strong emotions from me. It would have been even greater if some mean person hadn't ruined it for me.

Over the course of the series, Faythe is growing up. It's nice to see a character who learns and grows. A lot of times authors forget that people evolve with their experiences. They don't grow quickly, but there are subtle changes. Faythe is willing to fight for what she believes is right. She's willing to stand by those who truely need her help. She's stubborn and fiesty, but she tries to use her brain. Sometimes she jumps before thinking things through, but that's part of what she's attempting to work on. Although, it's almost impossible for her to use logic when it comes to the boys in her life.

Spy Glass ★★★★

Spy Glass (Glass, #3) - Maria V. Snyder ★★★★ 424 pgs

In the final installment of the Glass series, Opal Cowan must find out who she is inside. She's always had the ability to charge glass with magic, but after Opal had to siphon her own magic to win a fight she's lost her abilities. Now, many people are unhappy with her. Her glass messengers had allowed magicians to communicate with one another, but now all communications are coming to a stand still as the remaining glass runs out of magic. Also, Opal has discovered that she's developed an immunity to magic like Valek. She can feel magic, but she can no longer wield it. This will make the magicians who are livid with her even more weary of her. Opal feels lost and doesn't know who she is any longer. After discovering that her kidnappers, from Sea Glass, may have had extra vials of her blood hidden, Opal decides she must attempt to find them in order to regain her powers. And, hopefully to return to feeling normal.

Throughout the book many of my favorite characters return to interact with Opal. She gets spy lessons from Valek, attends her sisters' wedding to Leif, and meets some new people during the course of her search. After the events that led to her loss of magic, Opal has to struggle with who to trust in her life. Devlen is back and it looks like he's on her side, but Opal just can't tell for sure after his actions and because of his addiction to blood magic. To make it harder on her, she still has feelings for him. She has to figure out what to do with him and Kade.

Snyder is one of my favorite authors. I had no idea that this was intended to be the last in the series before reading. The end felt somewhat final so I felt the need to search for answers. Snyder did mention the possibility of another spin-off. This one is a spin-off of her Study series if anyone is curious to read anything by Snyder. Although, the Study series is more of an adult fantasy, while this one is YA. You can start with Storm Glass and you'll get a brief back story, but if you're an adult I would just start with the original series. You'll feel closer to the characters.

Anyway, I knew where this book was going to lead from events left unresolved in Sea Glass. However, I didn't know how anything was going to play out. I have given Snyder multiple 5 stars before, but I only gave her 4 stars this time. I felt like events concerning the Cloud Mist Clan and certain family members weren't resolved completely. Some mention of them in the end would have probably pushed me to 4 1/2 or 5 stars. With that one exception, I loved the story. Even though Opal is down and depressed, she's still willing to fight for others and do the right thing. I liked how events played out in the story and how Opal grows throughout. Although, I was shocked with the last few pages. I didn't think Opal would move (?) so quickly. (I can't think of an appropriate word that wouldn't give away the ending. And no, move is not a euphemism for sex. )

Shade ★★★★

Shade (Shade, #1) - Jeri Smith-Ready ★★★★ 309 pgs

Aura has had an amazing day. It's her boyfriend birthday. Logan and his brother just played a wonderful gig and got an offer from a record company. Now, she's going to give him the birthday present he's always wanted; she's going to spend the night with him. There's only one problem - he's partied a little too hard. He leaves her for a few minutes in an attempt to sober himself up. Next thing she knows there's shouting in the hall. She runs out into the hall to find out what's happened, only to see Logan's ghost. She can still hear him and spend time with him, but she has to decide if she can actually have a life with him. Just because he's still around doesn't mean that things are the same. Aura has to learn to move on, while trying to convince him to do the same.

This story was very different than a lot of the YA books that I've been reading. There are similar plot lines, but the world is different. Aura lives in a world that has shifted. Every child born after the shift can see ghosts. Kids scream at things their parents can't see. Aura is slightly different than the rest of the post-shift kids. She was the very first child to be born after the shift. While she doesn't know why this is important, she does know to keep the fact a secret from almost everyone.

The story itself was very emotional. I cried twice. I don't know if it was necessarily because of the writing, or I just fear losing someone I care about. There are multiple storyline's throughout the book, but the most important one to me had to deal with coping with death. How do you move on? Where do you place the blame? Should blame even be placed when a death was accidental? How do you then move on to future relationships?

One of the issues that got to me when reading the story was the reaction of the the other kids. A lot of them were cruel and said stupid things. Gossip is painful and it does nothing to help a situation. I don't understand how we as a society can't put aside differences to support someone when they really need it.

I'm looking forward to figuring out what will happen next. She's set the book up so that people will be interested to continue. Aura has decided that she's going to try and find out what caused the shift. She feels like her mother might have played a roll, or at least understood, in what caused the shift. She also meets Zack, the very last child born before the shift. Once she has finally coped with her emotions, she's hoping that maybe one day she'll find a way to help the ghosts, or those that turn into Shades and fade into the darkness.

To Tame A Highland Warrior ★★★

To Tame A Highland Warrior (Highlander, #2) - Karen Marie Moning ★★★ 366 pgs

Gavrael has been running from his past and fears of his future. He is constantly hunted by a rival clan and must keep himself from those he cares about in order to protect them. However, one day he gets an urgent message saying, "Come for Jilian." He rushes to her only to find out that her father has invited him and two other males to court his daughter.

Julian has scared all of her previous suitors away with tales of becoming a nun, or feigning madness. It's always worked before, but this time her father has picked men that know her family. These men are too smart for her to push them away. She knows who she wants, but he keeps pushing her away. She knows he's interested, but will he fight for her?

The story was fun. Book one was a little better since book two even more predictable than the average romance. I really enjoyed Jilian's character. Gavrael makes the same mistake every romance has - he decides he's going to keep something from the one he loves in order to protect her. It never turns out well, and the mistake gets rather annoying after the hundredth time its been used in a plot, but without someone being stupid there'd be very little drama in the things we read.

Dark Side of the Moon ★★★1/2

Dark Side of the Moon (Dark Hunter, #10) - Sherrilyn Kenyon ★★★1/2

Angry that he'd allowed himself to be caught like this, he manifested a stake in his hand. "You know the legend. Stab them in the heart and they'll die." He handed her the stake.

Susan's eyes held a degree of fear as she wrapped her hand around the stake and offered him a brave smile. "Call me Buffy. I'm even blond, but don't ask me to wear a halter top."

Susan Michaels was once a big shot reporter in D.C. until a big story she released backfired on her. She lost almost everything in the fallout. Now she's working for a crazy newspaper that has articles titled like "Boy Eaten By Killer Moths." She thinks they're loony, but she needs a job. Her boss assigns her to look into a blog about a catman, but before she can look into it she gets a frantic call from her only remaining friends telling her they've uncovered something huge. After meeting her friends at the animal shelter, she's told that someone high up they police chain is pulling strings and making missing persons cases disappear. To keep up with pretenses, when she leaves the shelter she takes a cat with her.

When Susan gets home the cat has disappeared and there's a man passed out on her floor. If that isn't enough, the cops show up at her door and bust in for no reason. Next thing she knows, she's been accused of murder and finds herself in a world she never knew existed. She decides she's going to stay close to her catman since it appears that he's bulletproof. Too bad she's allergic to cats.

This was another fun story by Kenyon. This time there's a new twist. It's not just Stryker and his crew out to get the dark-hunters. They've teamed up with humans. The story itself is not as cutesy or pain filled as a lot of the other books. Both Susan and Ravyn have a traumatic past, but it's not written as forcefully as some of the other ones. Although, I'm somewhat traumatized by the end of the story. Events happened that I never expected. This is all leading up to something big and can't wait to find out what that is.

Unleash the Night ★★★1/2

Unleash the Night (Dark Hunter, #9) - Sherrilyn Kenyon ★★★1/2

Maggie is the daughter of a senator, but she's never really fit in to the upper class echelon. She goes to Sanctuary in memory of her missing friend, Nick. It was his favorite place to hang out. She recognizes Wren from the stories she's been told and she can tell that he's watching her. He's quite and different, but she knows he has a good heart.

Wren Tigarian has no clan. He's a "freak" - a mix of snow leopard and white tiger. Even his own mother wanted him dead. He tries to hid himself, to keep people at a distance so that he can protect himself, but when Marguerite D'Aubert Goudeau walks into Sanctuary he's drawn to her. He tries to keep his distance, but he can't. He has an overwhelming urge to protect Maggie, but he'll have to confront his own screwed up past in order to do so.

I thought the story was cute. I liked Wren and Maggie together. My only issue was that Wren went from monosyllabic Neanderthal to speaking to others fairly quickly. Looking back on the story, I understand that he had to progress as he did to move the story along, but when I was in the story it felt a little too fast to be believable. Although, we're talking about magical creatures here so maybe I shouldn't expect believable. =)

I liked the time travel aspect of the story and the events that transpired from then until the end of the story. There were a few surprises that I hadn't expected. Although, it was weird to have a story that didn't involve Acheron. Also, Nicholette shocked me with her actions in this book. It should be interesting to find out what happens next.

Eat, Prey Love ★★★1/2

Eat, Prey, Love (Love at Stake, #9) - Kerrelyn Sparks ★★★1/2 373 pgs

Caitlyn Whelan has just returned to the US after being fired from her job in the state department. She's come to Romatech after receiving an invitation from her long lost sister, Shanna. At Romatech she discovers that the world as she knows it isn't the same. The paranormal really does exist. After signing on at Romatech, Carlos Panterra is charged with training her to defend herself, but the training isn't going well. First off, she's not a fighter. Secondly, when she manages to finally hit her target all men cringe - she hits below the belt. And most importantly, the sexual tension between the two are volatile. Caitlyn taunts and teases, driving Carlos absolutely insane. But he can't have her... he has to travel to Thailand to find more of his kind. Carlos needs a mate. His species is becoming extinct. He needs a mate to not only help his species revive itself, but to help him raise 5 orphaned shifters that he has taken under his paws. He has to get Caitlyn out of his head. Too bad she won't let him...

I love Kerrelyn Sparks. There's obviously a cheesy aspect to these books, but they're funny and entertaining. I love all of the characters. Sparks has a man for everyone's fantasy: Scottish, French, Italian, South American... They're all sexy. Carlos, with his alpha male attitude doesn't disappoint. I read PNR for the flirting between the characters. I love the development of a relationship. Caitlyn just throws the taunts and teases at Carlos and it's makes for a fun read.

On the romance aspect of the story, Sparks did an amazing job. When it came to the action... She had a good build up and there was a lot of potential, but the final battle scene ended rather quickly. I'm sure that we'll learn more in the next book, but I docked the book half a star because I felt like she could have added a bit more action. Slacking on the action is a common issue with romance writers. Sometimes Sparks does a great job, but other times things fizzle a page or two too early. I still recommend the series to anyone who wants to laugh and fall in love with sexy vampires and shifters from all over the world.