Dickens Inn, Vol 2: A Far, Far Better Place (Anita Stansfield)

Jackson didn't know how long it was before he finally realized that he was in the hospital, and it was Dr. Callahan on the floor with him, trying to talk some sense into him. Once the realization hit him, he struggled to bring himself back to reality while his breathing and heart rate remained shallow and fast for more minutes than he could. . . He felt more afraid than he'd dared to admit. . .
Their lives have all the ingredients for “happily-ever-after” until a traumatic and life-changing even in Jackson's life plunges his family into chaos and sorrow. His mother's unexpected death hurtles him toward a painful pilgrimage into a past that collides with the anguish of the present and threatens to destroy his family's future.

I am really enjoying this families story, I hope there are more books to follow.

Death's Mistress (Karen Chance)

"Dorina Basarab is dhamphir, half-vampire, half-human, a berserker who polices/executes misbegotten vampires (while she may consider that all of them, it's actually only revenants, vampires who didn't make it through the change correctly). Karen Chance is known for great action scenes. This book has a couple of over-the-top action scenes that, while original and humorous become, frankly, exhausting.
Louis-Cesare, her aristocratic French vampire love interest, returns here accused of murdering the vampire who is holding his former mistress Christine. Also appearing is Radu, Louis-Cesare's maker and Dorina's uncle. Radu is always amusing. Christine is an interesting plot device with a twist. Dorina's sidekick-in-a-bag is an absolute joy...whoever said that tertiary characters couldn't be fun? Louis-Cesare, in my mind, comes across as rather flat in this installment, though he was well-developed in the first book. Dorina, while still fun, is also a bit flat. Perhaps it is the lack of madness that's a problem (or perhaps it's the unexplored explanation for why her fits are gone).
Dorina's father, vampire Senator Mircea, has been given many, many pages in the Cassie Palmer novels, but in Death's Mistress, the passages regarding his attempts to build a better relationship with his daughter are well executed and quite touching.
I was slightly disappointed by this book. Still, it's an entertaining romp, and I look forward to the next one."
(anonymous review from Barnes and Noble site)
I copied this review because I agreed with most of what was said.

Blood Bound (Patricia Briggs)

Mechanic Mercy Thompson has friends in low places-and in dark ones. And now she owes one of them a favor. Since she can shapeshift at will, she agrees to act as some extra muscle when her vampire friend Stefan goes to deliver a message to another of his kind.
But this new vampire is hardly ordinary-and neither is the demon inside of him.
I like this series very much! This is the 2nd in the Mercy Thompson series.
I love the fact that Mercy Thompson is a mechanic, doesn't describe herself as beautiful and takes care of her friends.

Face Out (Rachel Caine)

Without the evil vampire Bishop ruling over the town of Morganville, the resident vampires have made major concessions to the human population. With their newfound freedoms, Claire Danvers and her friends are almost starting to feel comfortable again...

Now Claire can actually concentrate on her studies, and her friend Eve joins the local theatre company. But when one of Eve's castmates goes missing after starting work on a short documentary, Eve suspects the worst. Claire and Eve soon realize that this film project, whose subject is the vampires themselves, is a whole lot bigger-and way more dangerous-than anyone suspected.

This is the 7th book of the Morganville Vampire series. Rachel Caine has done a good job keeping each of these novels interesting and unique.

I was happy to see that, at least in this story, you reap what you sow.

Fool Me Twice (Stephanie Black)

When it comes to pleasing her twin sister, Megan O'Connor is an easy touch. She'll do just about anything to gain Kristen's approval, including trading places with her. After all, Kristen's plan promises to get Megan out of a dead-end job and make them both rich. It will be a nice reward for a little genealogical investigation — something that couldn't have happened without the help of Kristen's new LDS acquaintances. And who could blame the twins for using a tiny bit of deceit to manipulate an inheritance out of someone as demanding as their estranged Aunt Evelyn?
All Megan has to do is pretend to be Kristen, move into Evelyn's house, and take care of the wealthy old woman until her failing health kills her. It shouldn't take too long. It shouldn't be too difficult. Megan's the nice one. Except for the lie, the task is a natural fit. Everything would be perfect if she could just ignore the guilt — a feeling that only grows stronger as she spends more time with the new friends Kristen arranged for her.
But soon Megan discovers that there is more to worry about. She's living in a house of illusions where she isn't the only one playing a part. Someone has developed a new plotline that ends with a death scene — and in this version, the victim won't die of natural causes.
Beneath the surface of the sleepy New England town of Britteridge, deceit weaves a deadly web where turnabout is anything but fair play.

I enjoyed this book. It took a few chapters until I could get into it, but after that it was a fun story to follow.

Hunting Ground (Patricia Briggs)

Anna and Charles have just been enlisted to attend a summit to present Bran's controversial proposition: that the wolves should finally reveal themselves to humans. But the most feared Alpha in Europe is dead set against the plan --and it seems like someone else might be, too. When Anna is attacked by vampires using pack magic, the kind of power only werewolves should be able to draw on, Charles and Anna must combine their talents to hunt down whoever is behind it all--or risk losing everything...

Patricia Briggs has brought us another wonderful novel.

Moon Called (Patricia Briggs)

Mercy Thompson's life is not exactly normal. Her next-door neighbor is a werewolf. Her former boss is a gremlin. And she's fixing a VW bus for a vampire. But then, Mercy isn't exactly normal herself.

This was an easy read that I had problems putting down! The main charactors were well developed (love a tough female), plot interesting with a quick pace, and the ending had me reaching for the second book! Love Mercy and all her super natural friends.
This is the first of the Mercy Thompson series.

Blood Magic (Eileen Wilks)

As they plan their wedding, Lily Yu and Rule Turner, a prince of the lupi, are facing a great deal of tension from both their families. Not everyone can accept their mixed marriage: she's Chinese and he's a werewolf. Even Lily's grandmother is acting strangely distant, though Lily and Rule are about to discover that her behavior has nothing to do with their upcoming nuptials.
A powerful, undying nemesis has come to San Diego to exact vengeance on Lily's family - and turn the city into a feeding ground. It's up to Lily and Rule to stop her, in spite of ancient treaties and an inheritance passed down through the blood. Otherwise San Diego could go up in flames, and they won't live to make it to the altar...

Another good story in Eileen Wilks Lupi series. I enjoyed learning more of Grandmother's story.

Cry Wolf (Patricia Briggs)

INTRODUCING THE ALPHA AND OMEGA NOVELS...Anna never knew werewolves existed until the night she survived a violent attack…and became one herself. After three years at the bottom of the pack, she’d learned to keep her head down and never, ever trust dominant males. But Anna is that rarest kind of werewolf: an Omega. And one of the most powerful werewolves in the country will recognize her value as a pack member—and as his mate.

The only downside I can think of for this book was that the author made reference to things that happened in her Mercy Thompson series. It made me feel I was missing something and maybe I should have read that series first.

Like I said, that was the only downside. I enjoyed this story!

Carpe Corpus (Rachel Caine)

In the small college town of Morganville, vampires and humans lived in (relative) peace-until all the rules got rewritten when the evil vampire Bishop arrived, looking for the lost book of vampire secrets. He's kept a death grip on the town ever since. Now an underground resistance is brewing, and in order to contain it, Bishop must go to even greater lengths. He vows to obliterate the town and all its inhabitants-the living and the undead. Claire Danvers and her friends are the only ones who stand in his way. But even if they defeat Bishop, will the vampires ever be content to go back to the old rules, after having such a taste of power?

A good addition to the series.

Midnight's Daughter (Karen Chance)

Dorina Basarab is a dhampir—half-human, half-vampire. Unlike most dhampirs, though, Dory has managed to maintain her sanity. Now Dory's vampire father has come to her for help— again. Her Uncle Dracula (yes, the Dracula), cruelest among vampires, has escaped his prison. And her father wants Dory to work with gorgeous master vampire Louis-Cesare to put him back there.Although Dory prefers to work alone, Dracula is the only thing that truly scares her—and when she has to face him, she'll take all the help she can get...

I admit that it took me a little bit longer than normal to truely get into this story. This is a spin off from Karen Chance's Cassandra Palmer series. I think I picked this one up too soon after reading Curse The Dawn. It kept making reference to Mircea who is a pivotal character from that book and I wanted to follow his story, not his daughter's.

I did finally get involved and enjoyed the conclusion. I am wondering what is next in the books for Dory.

On The Prowl (story collection)

These all-new paranormal romances from today's hottest authors feature a female werewolf who comes into her own; a Lord who crosses paths with a fiery mage; a mixed-blood Child of the Moon who faces an uncertain future; and a woman whose sixth sense proves to be a dangerous talent.

I like reading story collections. It helps me to discover new authors that I can seek out later if I like their writing style.

The first book is by Patricia Briggs and is the prelude to her Alpha & Omega series. I enjoyed this story enough that I went the next day to get that series.

I usually enjoy Eileen Wilks & Karen Chance but I was a little bored & disappointed with their stories.

Sunny's story was horrible.It was mainly sex with only enough story to tie the romance and sex episodes together. I felt as if I was witnessing a cheap porn movie! I have to say I was very disappointed to have to wade through all of that in an attempt to find a storyline.

Veil Of Midnight, Ashes Of Midnight (Lara Adrian)

Veil Of Midnight

Bound by blood, addicted to danger, they'll enter the darkest—and most erotic—place of all.A warrior trained in bullets and blades, Renata cannot be bested by any man—vampire or mortal. But her most powerful weapon is her extraordinary psychic ability—a gift both rare and deadly. Now a stranger threatens her hard-won independence—a golden-haired vampire who lures her into a realm of darkness…and pleasure beyond imagining.

A combat-loving adrenaline junkie, Nikolai dispenses his own justice to enemies of the Breed—and his latest quarry is a ruthless assassin. One woman stands in his way: the seductive, cool-as-ice bodyguard, Renata.

But Renata’s powers are put to the test when a loved one, a child, is threatened and she’s forced to turn to Niko for help. As the two join forces, as desire fans the flames of a deeper hunger, Renata’s life is under siege by a man who offers the exquisite pleasure of a blood bond—and a passion that could save or doom them both forever.…

Ashes Of Midnight

As night falls, Claire Roth flees, driven from her home by a fiery threat that seems to come from hell itself. Then, from out of the flames and ash, a vampire warrior emerges. He is Andreas Reichen, her onetime lover, now a stranger consumed by vengeance. Caught in the cross fire, Claire cannot escape his savage fury—or the hunger that plunges her into his world of eternal darkness and unending pleasure.

Nothing will stop Andreas from destroying the vampire responsible for slaughtering his Breed brethren . . . even if he must use his former lover as a pawn in his deadly mission. Blood-bonded to his treacherous adversary, Claire can lead Andreas to the enemy he seeks, but it is a journey fraught with danger—and deep, unbidden desires. For Claire is the one woman Andreas should not crave, and the only one he’s ever loved.

A dangerous seduction begins—one that blurs the lines between predator and prey, and stokes the flames of a white-hot passion that may consume all in its path. . . .

I think I'm a glutton for punishment. These stories are not horrible but nor are they great. I am curious as to what happens to "the ancient" they allude to in all the stories. So...I guess I'll keep reading to find out.

Embrace The Night, Curse The Dawn (Karen Chance)

Embrace The Night

Cassie Palmer has finally become Pythia, the supernatural community's all-knowing oracle. She's struggling with her new powers (such as shifting back and forth through time) and is stuck between good and evil factions of the paranormal community. Her main concern, though, is to figure out how to reverse a pesky spell that threatens her independence: the geis, once placed on her for protection, is now trying to bind her to the handsome master vampire, Mircea, with results detrimental to them both. Their only hope is to look through space and time to find the fabled book that has the counterspell in it.
Curse The Dawn
Cassie Palmer may be the world's chief clairvoyant, but that doesn't mean people have stopped trying to kill her. And now, the self-styled god Apollo, the source of Cassie's power, is on the warpath—leaving her no choice but to face down her creator once and for all.

I've really enjoyed all of the Cassie Palmer stories and these are no exception. Lots of action, great characters, funny dialogue, unique fantasy elements, and just a lot of fun. Looking forward to the next one in the series (gonna be a long wait though :( )
There are some steamy scenes.

The Ariana Trilogy (Rachel Ann Nunes)

I am reading the Ariana Trilogy. It is a combination of the 1st 3 books in the Ariana Series. I am posting the 3 books individually below.
Ariana: The Making of a Queen
First novel in the Ariana series
On a rainy Parisian evening, Ariana de Cotte considers her life. It is her wedding night, but Jacques has gone drinking with his friends, and she is left alone with her thoughts and memories . . . memories of a beloved twin brother, lost to her in a terrible accident; of her estranged parents, who had shut her out when Antoine died; of the loneliness and anger that consume her. She is nineteen, and her life seems beyond hope or repair. Thus begins the story of an extraordinary young woman who, as her life spirals downward, struggles to find meaning and hope in the face of unimaginable suffering. Her bitter refusal to listen to the LDS missionaries doesn't help matters as she blames God for her troubles. Until one dark night, when her life hits rock-bottom and the Spirit begins its whisperings to her heart. As you come to know Ariana, you will weep for her tragedy, smile at her small triumphs, rejoice as she embraces the faith that will sustain her, and feel the love of a good man who has the power to change her life forever. Rachel Nunes has created a powerful and moving novel with characters so real that you will let them into your heart and invite them to stay. Having done so, you life will never be the same. You'll find yourself re-living this exceptional story again and again!
This 1st book is mainly just introducing you to the characters and their pasts. A must read to know what is going on it the next books.


Ariana: A Gift Most Precious
Second novel in the Ariana series
Broken promises, broken dreams, broken hearts . . . Ariana Perrault has seen them all in her short lifetime, but now they seem only distant memories. Having climbed the long pathway from sinner to Latter-day Saint, she has felt the arms of a loving Heavenly Father around her, guiding her to a wonderful life with Jean-Marc and their three beautiful children. Her best friend, Paulette, has also repented, embraced the gospel, and started an eternal family of her own. But who could know that one of life's deepest, darkest tragedies is just around the corner? In this powerful sequel to Ariana: The Making of a Queen, these two women and their families come face to face with the life-and-death consequences of past choices. Will their testimonies give them strength enough to withstand the darkest hours of their lives? The answer, born of both adversity and joy, is A Gift Most Precious.
This book was a roller coaster of emotions. Warning you may want your box of tissues.

Ariana: A New Beginning
Third novel in the Ariana series
Life is good for Ariana and Jean-Marc Perrault and their five children. Active in the Church, prosperous in the banking business, and firmly committed to their family, they are happily moving forward with their lives. Then the bottom drops out. How does Ariana cope with imminent financial ruin, the near-fatal injury of one child and the rebellion of another, and a scheming, determined ex-husband who still wants her? Confronted by life's challenges, Ariana discovers that her reliance on the Lord and her love for Jean-Marc and her children can make the dramatic difference between triumph and tragedy. A rare and compelling story about the power of love and the miracle of new beginnings.

I haven't read all of this one yet, but so far it has made me feel for Ariana ... How can one person go through so much and still be strong. I am loving this Series so far. There are 4 more books in this Series: Twice in a Lifetime, Ties that Bind, This Time Forever, A Glimpse of Eternity.