Review Night Falls on the Wicked by Sharie Kohler

Title: Night Falls on the Wicked (Moon Chasers #5)

Author: Sharie Kohler

Source: Publisher Request

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Format: Mass Market Paperback, 384 pgs

Release Date: August 30, 2011



Sharie Kohler returns to the shadowy world of the Moon Chasers, where a seductive witch stalked by demons finds protection in the arms of a lycan on a mission of blood vengeance. . .



Darby lives her life below the radar, moving from town to town in the coldest climates, eluding the demons that hunt her—and never allowing herself to get close to anyone. Now, in frigid isolation, Darby waits tables in a small town and tries to forget who she is—what she is—and the danger forever nipping at her heels. Until a new danger finds her—a lycan pack whose distant howls have the locals on edge. But the call of the lycans has also drawn a handsome, menacing stranger. . . .



For years, Niklas has searched for the bloodthirsty pack that murdered his mother and infected him. Darby is overwhelmed by his raw appeal and dangerous strength. Niklas senses her need and vulnerability . . . and together they give in to the hungry attraction blazing between them—but desire this fierce brings dangers of its own. When Darby is targeted by the lycans, the stakes are higher than ever—and Niklas is not about to lose another woman he loves to their evil bloodlust.



Rating - Sexual - My Review:



This fifth book in Kohler's Moon Chasers series is filled with lycans (aka werewolves), white witches, demon witches and demons along with a very reluctant romance.



Much like in Lori Handeland's NightCreatures series, these werewolves aren't hot and sexy alpha males who just happen to turn furry a couple nights each month. They are nasty killing machines who can't help changing during the nights around and including the full moon and eating people ... and {grin} not in a good way.



Darby and Niklas both have secrets and personal demons they hide from the world. They end up in the same little town in a very cold Canada for very different reasons. Darby is there to hide from demons and Niklas is there hunting the murdering pack he's been after for ten years.



They are so very alike even though it takes some time for them to realize it. They team up to try to save a little girl from a fate worse than death while trying to keep their hands off each other.



The chemistry between Darby and Niklas sizzles and the sex is hot when they finally give into each other.



Haven't read the rest of the series yet? No problem, Kohler has done a great job in making this a stand alone book.This was a very quick read, I read it in a few hours in the middle of the night since I couldn't put it down.



Paranormal romance and werewolf genre fans should enjoy this story.

August Reviews Wrap Up

I've never done a monthly wrap up post before, but August was a crazy month for me in the book blogging world. 

I had more reviews due than I ever have in my 1.5 years blogging. I have 15 reviews posted so far, and two more still to go up in the next few days. 17 books in one month! 

I definitely took on too much this month, and I'm looking forward to much more relaxed fall review schedule.

(pic from The Graphics Fairy)

So, in case you missed any of these reviews, here are the links:

"The Landlord's Black-Eyed Daughter" by Mary Ellen Dennis

"Sylvester" by Georgette Heyer

"The Greatest Love on Earth" by Mary Ellen Dennis

"To Die For" by Sandra Byrd

"The Quiet Gentleman" by Georgette Heyer

"Ransome's Heart" by Kaye Dacus

"Lady of the Storm" by Kathryne Kennedy

"The Colonel's Lady" by Laura Frantz

"More Than Words" Volume 7 (anthology)

"Becoming Marie Antoinette" by Juliet Grey

"The Twelfth Enchantment" by David Liss

"Aphrodite the Diva" Goddess Girls #6 by Joan Holub and Suzanne Williams

"Confessions of an Improper Bride" by Jennifer Haymore

"The Near Witch" by Victoria Schwab

"To Win Her Heart" by Karen Witemeyer

Have a great September, everyone!

"The Landlord's Black-Eyed Daughter" Review

"The Landlord's Black-Eyed Daughter"

by Mary Ellen Dennis



Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Release Date: Aug 1, 2011 

Source: ARC sent by publisher




My Rating: 3 out of 5 stars



Summary from goodreads.com:  

A fast-paced and
passionate retelling of the story of two timeless lovers who would die
for each other. If only they didn't have to. This gorgeous romance by
author Mary Ellen Dennis gives the poem a whole new depth and a happy
ending.

"Take one highly successful Gothic romance writer who just
happens to be an innkeeper's daughter; add one disillusioned,
devil-may-care highwayman who robs only the rich on principle; set them
down in the turbulent, hypocritical times of late 18th-century England;
season with a dash of humor, a splash of the paranormal, and a dollop of
danger; and let the adventures begin... A fast pace, fluid writing, and
an exceptionally well-crafted plot..." -Library Journal

My Review:



I was so anxious to read this book because it is based on Alfred Noyes' poem, "The Highwayman." The title is a direct reference to the poem, and drew me in immediately. It is, however, very loosely based on the poem. In a way, I understand, because it's difficult to turn a short poem into a 400 page book, but I guess a piece of me was still disappointed.



I enjoyed this book far more than the last book I read by the author- "The Greatest Love on Earth." Dennis has greatly improved her writing in the ten year span between writing the books. I do still feel that she excels at writing the other parts of the story besides the actual romance though.



My favorite part of the book was the dark, foreboding Gothic setting. It seems like every scene takes place on a dark, menacing night.



I felt like Rand was an old fashioned male chauvinist much of the time. When he stole Elizabeth's money and then 'repaid' her in stolen jewels that she wouldn't be able to sell because, well, they're stolen, I did not think he was someone I would fall in love with. I also took offense that whenever Elizabeth would ask 'when' he would do something, he would respond with 'in my own time.' This is so reminiscent of the old style of historical romance when emotionally controlling men were seen as desirable, so it wasn't really my cup of tea.





Main Characters: 3/5

Supporting Characters: 3/5

Setting: 4/5

Romance: 2/5

Uniqueness: 4/5

Cover: 4/5

Writing: 3/5





Bottom Line: The story is intriguing, with a nice Gothic setting, but the romance is too old fashioned for me.

Review SURRENDER by Jean Brashear

Title: Surrender
Author: Jean Brashear
Source: Requested review
Genre: Paranormal romance

T

Newly-minted Santa Fe police detective Justine “Jace” Carroll finds herself enmeshed in what began as a simple death of a drifter that takes labyrinthine twists, drawing her deeper into a world of shifting realities. At the center of the tangled knot is the mesmerizing and mysterious Dante Sabanne, a sexy, powerful, wealthy recluse whose involvement with ancient poisons, mystical lore, exotic sexual practices and unusual weaponry makes him by turns a crucial expert witness, a devastating lover…and possibly the man behind a cult whose profane rituals have turned from depraved to deadly. 

The Jace who thought she knew exactly who she was and what she wanted becomes both pawn and queen in a battle between the dark and the light. As she seeks to fulfill her duty to protect the innocent, an ancient amulet with healing powers is the battleground on which she and others may die if she makes the wrong choice between the evidence before her eyes and the yearnings of a heart she is no longer sure she can trust. 

A scorching tale of suspense, passion and magic—never before published—from USAToday bestselling author Jean Brashear 

“Jean Brashear has that ‘it’ factor. She is an incredibly talented writer who can hit every note with enough clarity to bring the reader tears, laughter or just, ‘Oh, my, this is an amazing story.’” ~New York Times Bestselling author Stella Cameron 

“Sizzles with sensuality and suspense from beginning to end!” ~New York Times Bestselling author Sharon Sala 

“Jean Brashear writes with warmth and emotional truth. The depth of her understanding of human nature marks her as a writer to watch.” ~New York Times Bestselling author Debbie Macomber

This is a great romantic suspense with emphasis on the romance. Dante Sabanne is a complicated mystery that is tied a little to closely to Justine "Jace" Carroll's first big case for her liking. When Jace is given the run of her first case involving a homeless man it seems simple enough that this death is non-suspicious; to everyone except for Jace that is. To her something doesn't feel right about that. When a second victim shows up dead under similar circumstances she knows she is on to something. After a little digging and some odd blood work results, it looks like Dante Sabanne, the well known expert on poisons and toxins, is her next stop to solving the case. But Jace isn't prepared for how deep she will have to go into Dante's dark world to find her answers. 
From the first time they meet they are drawn to each other, but Jace is overwhelmed by Dante and his seductiveness. She doesn't understand why she feels pulled toward him by such an unimaginable force and when they touch she is shaken up beyond words. For someone like Jace, that learned not to trust or rely on anyone from a young age, this a big problem. It is nearly impossible for her to grasp onto or accept why it feels so natural and compelling to surrender herself completely to Dante without knowing him. Dante, on the other hand, completely understands and embraces it. The problem for Dante is whether he can get Jace to accept her part in his world in time to save it and those relying on him. If not she could become a bigger problem. 
This story has so many twist and turns that I found myself wanting to read ahead just to know who I could trust. The sexy mysterious Dante is by far the story stealer, but will he be the man to break down Jace's walls? To show her it's okay to trust? Or is he using their sexual attraction for his own personal motives, against Jace? As soon as I felt I knew which way the story was going everything suddenly changed and once again I had more question that I couldn't read fast enough to find out the answers to. 
Wow! Jean Brashear knows how to write suspense and my, my, does she know how to create sexual tension that is off the charts! The scene in the nightclub? Well let's just say you'll have to read it to enjoy it!! I'll say no more about that! 
I definitely recommend Surrender for anyone that likes a suspenseful romance with a suspenseful story-line intertwined. I can't wait to read what's next from this author.

Reviewers wanted!

I have had so many great responses today that I will be closing this for now.


Thanks everyone!


I am looking for reviewers that can read mainly paranormal romance and erotic paranormal romance. We do get a few other sub-genres in, but not a whole lot. We don’t review YA, teen, F/F or UF. This is an adult romance blog and I like to stick to that category.

Please, don’t contact me unless your serious about doing this. I have had several want to do it and take a book and never heard from them again. That’s not fair to me, I have to answer to the author or publisher. Most people thinks this is just something fun but it’s not it’s work and authors are counting on us to be honest and on time, as I am as the blog owner. I need people who wants to do this all the time and be serious about it.

I do have to limit this to Us and Canada residents only, reason I can't afford to mail books international.

So, if you think you want to do this please email me and I will send the rules and some questions and we can go from there.

Thanks Laurie

Waiting on Wednesday (83)

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine, and it is a way to show off the books you can't wait to be released!!



This week I chose:



"Home for the Holidays" (The Mother-Daughter Book Club #5)

by Heather Vogel Frederick

Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing

Release Date: Oct 4, 2011

The following description is from goodreads.com:



This Christmas
season, join the girls of the mother-daughter book club for a variety of
holiday-themed adventures! But unfortunately, nothing goes quite as
planned for any of the girls. On a Christmas cruise with their families,
Megan and Becca fight over the dashing son of the ship's captain.
Cassidy and her family fly back to California to visit Cassidy's sister
Courtney... but when the West Coast causes homesickness for their former
life in Laguna Beach, the family begins to question what state they
should call home. And a disastrous sledding accident causes both Emma
and Jess to completely change their holiday plans.

Between
squabbles, injuries, and blizzards, everything seems to be going wrong.
Will the girls be able to find their holiday spirit in time for
Christmas?

I know, it's way too early to be thinking Christmas books, but how ADORABLE does this one look!!? The cover is perfect! This is definitely on my holiday to read list!

Ashley March Guest Post & Giveaway

Today, I'd like to welcome Ashley March to In the Hammock for a guest post! 

Ashley is the author of the new historical romance "Romancing the Countess," and I'd like to thank her for taking the time out today to visit as part of her blog tour! 

 

Turning a Spark into an Idea…and the Truth about Random Hearts

By Ashley March

Thanks
so much to Carrie for hosting me here at In the Hammock today! I have
to admit that one of my dreams has always been to have a hammock slung
up outside where I could while away the day doing nothing but reading.
Now that I’m a mother with two young daughters, I know that will have to
wait until they go to school. 

    My newest Victorian romance, ROMANCING THE COUNTESS, which releases on September 6th,
is about an earl and his best friend’s wife who are drawn together
after their spouses—who were having an affair—die in a carriage
accident. I first had the idea (or, as I like to call it, a spark of the
idea) for this book back in 2006. I was working late one evening at a
part-time job—one of those jobs where you try to think of anything to
amuse yourself to keep from getting bored—when I came up with the idea
of a man and a woman whose spouses had an affair and then died. I must
confess that at the time this spark of an idea was meant to be a dark
comedy. Perhaps neither the hero nor the heroine would have loved their
spouses, and they would have a competition to pretend to Society who
could be the best at acting the proper widow or widower.
   
Thank goodness I left the idea alone for four years. When it came back
in 2010, I decided I really wanted to write the story because I was
still intrigued by the concept of the cheating spouses who died, but
also about how the surviving widow and widower would move on with their
lives. I wanted to see how I would be able to write the challenge of
such a widow and widower falling in love. But it quickly became apparent
that it couldn’t be a dark comedy. Instead, it had to be something
much, much more. It had to become a story of healing, redemption, and of
forgiveness. It had to feature a relationship that goes beyond a
surface attraction or romance to a deep and lasting emotional bond that can only be described as a love story.
    If you have the opportunity to read ROMANCING THE COUNTESS when it comes out next week, I hope you’ll let me know what you think and if I achieved these goals.
   
Before I go, I have to tell you that when I first pitched this concept
to my editor, her initial response was that, although she loved the
idea, it sounded very much like Random Hearts, a movie made in 1999 starring Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas. Yes, that movie.  If you were like me, you probably turned if off within the first half hour. It was terrible.
So terrible, in fact, that I thought I had completely blocked it from
memory. But I suppose the idea was still lurking in the back of my mind,
waiting to come out someday in the form of a romance novel. Please
allow me to assure you, though, that the similarity to Random Hearts is nothing more than a…random coincidence. And although Random Hearts was a terrible movie, ROMANCING THE COUNTESS is much, much better. ;)

Did you ever see the movie Random Hearts?
Did you think it was as terrible as I did? Because Harrison Ford is
truly a much better actor than the character he played in that movie,
I’d love to hear what your favorite Harrison Ford movie is!

One
random commenter will be chosen to win a copy of my newest book,
ROMANCING THE COUNTESS, and will get a chance to send a copy of my
debut, SEDUCING THE DUCHESS, to a friend (open internationally)! Also,
find out how to win the ROMANCING THE COUNTESS Book Tour Grand Prize of
50+ romance novels by visiting www.ashleymarch.com!  

 


GIVEAWAY RULES:

All you have to do is follow my blog publicly and answer Ashley's questions in the comments section along with your email address!
Please follow publicly or I can't tell that you are
following :) Also, if you aren't comfortable leaving your email
here, go ahead and leave a comment and then send me an email with
your email addy

Extra Entries:





+1 Tweet this contest (leave link in comment)


+1 Post link in sidebar of your blog (leave link in comment)







Rules:

• INTERNATIONAL


• Must be a follower to enter


• Extra entries are optional and can all be left in the same comment


• Leave a comment with your email address


• Books will be mailed out by the publisher


• Must be 18 or over 

• Ends Mon Sep 12

Thanks to everyone for entering! Good luck!

Susan Mallery – ONLY YOURS Q&A and GIVEAWAY (International)

New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery has entertained millions of readers with her witty and emotional stories about women and the relationships that move them. Publisher’s Weekly calls Susan’s prose “luscious and provocative,” and Booklist says, “Novels don’t get much better than Mallery’s expert blend of emotional nuance, humor and superb storytelling.” While Susan appreciates the critical praise, she is most honored by the enthusiastic readers who write to tell her that her books made them laugh, made them cry, and made the world a happier place to live. Susan lives in Seattle with her husband and her tiny but intrepid toy poodle. She’s there for the coffee, not the weather.  Susan's website









Q: ONLY YOURS was released today,  August 30. Tell us a little bit about it.



ONLY YOURS is a Beauty and the Beast story, which is one of my favorite themes, but which I never get to write because I don’t normally do dark, tortured heroes. Simon is a brilliant surgeon whose intelligence set him apart as a child, made him seem strange to everyone around him, including to his own mother. After a fire left him with scars on half of his face, he became even more convinced that he was unlovable. All his life, he has protected his heart by burying himself in his studies, then in his work. He travels from hospital to hospital to heal their toughest cases, moving on before anyone gets too close.



Montana, on the other hand, is deeply connected to her hometown, Fool’s Gold, and to her large, boisterous family. One of the Hendrix triplets, Montana has always seen herself as the screw-up. Until now. She’s finally discovered what she was meant to do – she works with therapy dogs, and the dogs play a big role in the story, which was a lot of fun. Montana has an amazing purity of heart. She’s just what Simon needs, and he will love her with a ferocity that will complete her.



Simon and Montana are one of my favorite couples. I love these two together!

September 1st, on Facebook, Harlequin is hosting a "live" interaction with Susan.  Hope to see you there!

Q: ONLY YOURS is the fifth Fool’s Gold romance novel, and the second book of the Hendrix triplets’ trilogy. Do readers have to read the other books first?



No. Each book in the Fool’s Gold series is a standalone novel, so you won’t be confused if you start with ONLY YOURS. Of course, I hope you’ll love it so much that you’ll immediately rush out and buy the previous books. In order of publication, they are: CHASING PERFECT, ALMOST PERFECT, FINDING PERFECT, ONLY MINE, ONLY YOURS… and coming soon, ONLY HIS.



Visit Fool’s Gold online at www.foolsgoldca.com. You’ll find some amazing bonus content, including excerpts, between-the-books updates and teasers, a map of the town, a calendar of events, and some fun freebies!



Q: You said the therapy dogs play a big role in the story. Did you enjoy writing dog characters?



I loved it! Plus, the research was a lot of fun. Therapy dogs are pretty amazing. Montana and her dogs visit patients at hospitals and nursing homes. They do more than brighten the patients’ day – they improve the healing process. Montana has also started a reading program with her dogs. Kids who have a tough time learning to read can benefit from practicing by reading to a dog. The dogs are trained to behave as though they’re truly listening. Dogs are 100% love, and having that nonjudgmental audience can really take the pressure off a struggling reader and give him or her the boost of confidence they need.



One of the dogs in the book, Cece, is based on my real-life dog, Nikki. That was a lot of fun! I immortalized my dog by capturing her quirks on the page. She is a sweetheart and makes my life better.



Not every dog is therapy dog material, though. As the book starts, Montana is working with Fluffy, a mixed breed bundle of love and energy. Montana so wants Fluffy to succeed, but Fluffy has a slight problem with impulse control. I laughed myself silly while writing the opening scene of the book.



Q: What’s next for you?



ONLY HIS, Nevada Hendrix’s story, will be out on September 27. Imagine – you’re the last single triplet. Your sisters recently fell in love, and now they’re planning a double wedding. Poor Nevada feels left out, to say the least. Not only is she not in love – she doesn’t even have a date for the wedding!



Her answer to that is to put her focus on her career. As an engineer, she has always worked at the family’s construction business. She wants to test herself, so she decides to apply for a job with the developers of a luxury casino/resort that will be built outside Fool’s Gold. Unfortunately for Nevada, the leader of the project is her first, unrequited love. A rule of thumb I try to live by: avoid being interviewed by a man who’s seen you naked.



I think ONLY HIS might be the funniest book I’ve ever written, and I’m both nervous and excited to see how readers react.

Romance Author Buzz is offering one resident of the United States a $10.00 Barnes and Noble card.  To win a copy follow this blog and sign up for Susan Mallery's Membership page.  Don't forget to leave your email address so that you can be contacted.  Contest will end September 30th.

Review My Fierce Highlander by Vonda Sinclair

Title: My Fierce Highlander
Author: Vonda Sinclair
Source: Author request
Genre: Historical romance
Length: Novel

Gwyneth Carswell, an English lady banished by her father to the harsh Scottish Highlands, wants nothing more than to take her young son away from the violence of two fighting clans--her own distant kin, the MacIrwins, and their enemies, the MacGraths. She risks everything to rescue the fierce MacGrath warrior from the battlefield where he’s left for dead by her clan. She only knows she is inexplicably drawn to him and he wants peace as she does. When her clan learns of her betrayal, they seek vengeance. Dare she trust the enemy more than her own family?

Laird Alasdair MacGrath is driven to end two-hundred years of feuding with the MacIrwins. But by taking in and protecting Lady Gwyneth and her son, he provokes more attacks from his mortal enemy. As the danger and conflict surrounding them escalate, Alasdair and Gwyneth discover an explosive passion neither of them expected. With the arrival of a powerful man from her past, a horrible decision confronts her--give up her son or the man she loves.

Vonda writes with so much passion, you can feel like you are right there in the mist of what’s happening and that’s what drew me to love this book even though I wanted to slap the heroine silly before it was over, but I’ll get back to that in a bit. As most of you know paranormal romance is my forte in reading, I do like historical but they have to hit me right in some areas that I am picky in, this one hits me right in all the right  ways , I was very impressed and screaming for more.

I really don’t think I have the words that express this story. It was fun, exciting and dangerous with the added right spice between the hero and heroine, it was fantastic. The only downside I found was I wanted to slap Gwyneth silly before it was all over. She was very hard headed and didn’t want to take Alasdair’s advice. He done everything for her and she seemed to want to throw it all aside. So you get some tension between them before its all over. I do feel I need to stress Gwyneth does have her reasons for being like she is with everything she has went through in her life.  I loved the fact the heroine is not a virgin and the hero loved his first wife so much so he keeps his pants up unlike his  brother in every ladies petticoat LOL. Oh yeah, he is going to be interesting to read.

Alasdair and Gwyneth are a great couple they have a lot of passion for each other. The sexual tension is there but it takes a bit for these two to get it going. I want to add the author didn’t go over board on the sex, I felt there was just the right amount without filling the pages up with it.

This is one book that when you read it you might find yourself asking, “why isn’t this in mass paper back?” Well, I have no real clue why this author chose to go this route but I will say I am proud that she did. This way she can control her destiny. I know a lot of authors are going to start choosing this option as the publishers get pickier. So don’t let this stop you from trying this book because I couldn’t put it down and  I read it in one day. I highly recommend this one to any romance reader.

Review Cat O' Nine Tails by Patricia Leever

Title: Cat O' Nine Tails
Author: Patricia Leever 
Genre: Historical romance
Source: Publisher request 
Format: eBook 221 pgs. Also in paperback

When Orrin and his brother Kale are hired by Queen Winifred to hunt down Aeron and her band of miscreants, Orrin never dreamed he’d fall in love with the beautiful she pirate, or the kind, accepting people of her island hideaway. As they grow closer, Aeron reveals her jaded past with Queen Winifred to Orrin; he doesn’t hesitate to offer his help to bring Winifred’s evil reign to an end. Aeron and Orrin soon discover that the strongest weapon in their combined arsenal is the love they have for each other.

I have no clue what I was thinking when I started this book but it was nothing like I thought. It surprised me all the way around. I love the way the author didn’t tell all in the blurb like most do now days, so you get some great surprises in the story. Not only do you get one love story between the hero and heroine but you get an extra surprise with the hero’s brothers love affair.

Let me first state this story will not be for the faint of heart. Yes, it has its cruel moments and the author tells pretty much all of it. But you have to look at the title and wonder where it fits in and when you find out you might not like it one bit. I know I didn’t but I still found it brilliant and unexpected, even though I was cringing at the times.

The heroine Aeron is great. I love that she is a strong willed pirate that will slit anyone through that does wrong to people. Yep, she’s more of a robin hood to some ladies but with all that she has went thought I sure don’t blame her. Plus I loved that she get the right hero for her, Orrin. He’s one that will not break her spirit, he loves her just like she is, sword, scars and all.

One problem some will have is the characters all fall for each other very, very quickly without fuss. I didn’t mind it so much with everything else going on in the story. I will say this could have been easily made into two books and a lot of detail brought out that would have knocked some socks off. But since this is the first book by this author I am not going to harp on things because I am very much impressed and know she will expand more as she grows in writing.

I highly recommend this new author and book to anyone who likes historical romance and pirates.