"Into the Flame"

SYNOPIS from B&N.COM:

Meet Doug Black—the Wilder brother who’s been missing for centuries. With no idea of where he’s from, he’s become an angry young cop with the ability to transform into a cougar. in search of others like him, he comes across a beautiful woman who may hold the secret to his destiny...

In this stunning conclusion to Ms. Dodd's paranormal series, we finally get to hear Firebird and Douglas' story-- and believe me, it was well worth the wait. As we found out at the end of the last book, Adrik's story, Firebird is not actually a Wilder. Now the story picks up where the last one left off, and Zorena admits to the family that she strongly suspected all along that Firebird was not the child that she gave birth to that stormy night twenty plus years ago. Of course, any of us that have been reading the clues along the way *well, okay, it's more like reading the clues in the first chapter or so of this book* knows that this means the long lost fourth Wilder boy is actually Douglas, the father of Firebird's two year old boy.

Though this book does not add a whole lot of new information to the overall plot, it is anything but boring. If you've followed the story from book one, you've known all along where they're headed-- all four brothers must find their true loves, who will in turn bring one of the four pieces of the broken religious icon, without which their father will continue to sicken and die, burning in hell for all eternity. This does happen, of course, so it's a happy ending for everyone.. except for the evil Varinskis, but that's okay. But between point A, the beginning, and point B, the happy ending, the story is filled with suspense and action, humor and love, hot sex and even a couple of almost teary moments. A perfect combination, as I have said many times before.

From page one of the first book, you're hooked, dragged willingly into the story, experiencing it all from the hero and heroine's point of view *with a few areas where the villians are talking*. We've heard the story of all four sexy, alpha Wilder brothers, got a good look at the loving and passionate relationship of Zerona and Konstantine, and watched as the family bands together and defeats the devil himself. But finally, it's over, there is nothing more to tell, and even though you'll find yourself wanting to know more about what will happen to the five couples, Dodd does wrap the series up nicely, giving you a taste of what's to come in their futures but still gently severing the tie between you and the story. As amazing as the books are, all good things must come to an end eventually. But no worries-- you can always go back and revisit each and every one of the brothers and their mates whenever you get the urge. And believe me whenI say you will want to reread these books again and again and again.

5/5 stars! A spectacular ending to a sexy and delightful series! Really, there is nothing more to say than "Go read all four books--NOW!"

~TBQ~

"The Darkest Kiss" is a Sexy and Dark Pleasure!

SYNOPIS from B&N.COM:

She has tempted many men… but never found her equal.
Until now.

Though she has lived for centuries, Anya, goddess of anarchy, has never known pleasure. Until Lucien, the incarnation of death—a warrior eternally doomed to take souls to the hereafter. He draws her like no other. And Anya will risk anything to have him.

But when the merciless Lord of the Underworld is ordered by the gods to claim Anya herself, their uncontrollable attraction becomes an anguished pursuit. Now they must defeat the unconquerable forces that control them, before their thirst for one another demands a sacrifice of love beyond imagining.…




Lucien: dark, sexy, and tormented.. Sounds like the perfect man, right ladies? Oh, wait, one more thing... He's the Keeper of Death, the demon. But no worries-- he's still delicious and dangerously wicked! And the demon? If you're the lucky women who will be his soul mate, aka Anya, then the demon will even purr for you during certain.. intimate moments.

Really, based on that little bit of information alone, who wouldn't want to read this story, or Showalter's other Lords of the Underworld Series? This book, like always, has wit and adventure, suspense and myth, hard, hot, steamy sex and heart-wrenching teary moments. A perfect combination, flawlessly combined by Showalter, that will grab your attention and leave you wanting more from these sexy, tormented alpha male/demon warriors, labeled Lords of the Underworld.

4.5/5 STARS! Yet another great read by Showalter, this time adding in a new element-- gods and demons to the already smokin' hot romances! I swear, everytime I pick up one of her books they just keep getting, impossible as it may seem, better and better! A definite 'must read' for any romance lover! I can't wait for Paris' story though.... We got a glimace of his fated mate in this book *In a veeeery hot scene, of course!*, but then Showalter turned an unexpected corner in the story and I'm not sure how his book will turn out... Always a good thing, I guess, leaving the readers wondering, waiting for the next book! :)


~TBQ~

"Untamed" Amazing Book, Spectactular Series

SYNOPIS FROM B&N.COM:

Life sucks when your friends are pissed at you. Just ask Zoey Redbird – she’s become an expert on suckiness. In one week she has gone from having three boyfriends to having none, and from having a close group of friends who trusted and supported her, to being an outcast. Speaking of friends, the only two Zoey has left are undead and unMarked. And Neferet has declared war on humans, which Zoey knows in her heart is wrong. But will anyone listen to her? Zoey's adventures at vampyre finishing school take a wild and dangerous turn as loyalties are tested, shocking true intentions come to light, and an ancient evil is awakened in PC and Kristin Cast's spellbinding fourth House of Night novel.





At first glance, you might think that Zoey's story, covered in the House of Night Series, is yet another 'Teenager-with-special-powers-who-has-to-save-the-world-from-evil-creatures-who-wish-to-take-it-over-and-or-destroy-it" story plot *wow, that was a mouthful!*, but you are wrong, very wrong. Yes, Zoey has found out that she is somehow suppose to save the world from the evil that has been unleashed, thanks to Neferet, but her story is anything but normal, and I can promise that it is unlike anything you've ever read before.

From book one, Marked, I have been obsessed with the books (Which are written by a mother-daughter duo, by the way.) They cover a story that is different, captivating, and fresh. Is it a vampire story? Yes, but it's not like any other vampire book out there, believe me, I've read most of them! The story may be written for a teenage audience, but any reader, young or old, can read this series and enjoy it. It has a mixture of everything-- adventure, magic, suspense, humor,fantasy, vampires, a dab of Native American legends and magic *Cherokee*, teenage love and problems (aka, drama, which is always interesting to read, though not as interesting when it's your life that is filled with it, right?), and, of course, good versus evil.

A wonderful combination, weaved together effortlessly by this amazing M/D duo, and one that you will fall in love with after reading page one. The story pulls you in and does not let you go until the very end of the book, making you go crazy waiting for the next book, the next chapter in Zoey's stressful but very compelling life. In the first book, you thought that you knew everything that was going to happen, but you quickly find out that anything can happen. Or as they say, anything that can happen will happen! As the series progresses, you find the characters' lives taking new and unexpected turns, but when you think about it afterwards, you see that it really shouldn't have been that surprising, because the hints were there all along if you had only pay more attention to them.

That is one thing I love about these books-- they are constantly changing, evolving, being added to, and while it may surprise you at first, somewhere in the back of your mind you were expecting something like that to happen, so you are not upset, and you barely even blink when it happens. You just keep reading, waiting for the next big twist to come. It becomes an obsession; you have to know what will happen next. Will Zoey and Erik get back together? Or will there be a new guy in the picture? Is Aphrodite really as evil as we thought in Marked or is she just a tad bit spoiled/bitchy? How deep does Neferet's evil and deceptions go, and will they be able to stop her before it's too late?

5/5 stars! A brilliant addition to the already captivating series. If you are a Twilight fan, I promise you will love this series! Once you start the first book, you'll be hooked, just like me, and you will find yourself devouring them one right after the other, and then sitting back and waiting until March for the next book, Hunted. :)

~TBQ~

"Any Given Doomsday" Wonderful, Sexy, and Funny Fantasy Ride!

Synopis From B&N.com:

Elizabeth Phoenix once used her unique skills as a psychic to help in the Milwaukee Police Department’s fight against injustice. But when Liz’s foster mother is found viciously murdered—and Liz is discovered unconscious at the scene—her only memory of the crime comes in the form of terrifying dreams...of creatures more horrific than anything Liz has seen in real life. What do these visions mean? And what in the world do they have to do with her former lover, Jimmy Sanducci?

While the police question Jimmy in the murder, Jimmy opens Liz’s eyes to a supernatural war that has raged since the dawn of time in which innocent people are hunted by malevolent beings disguised as humans. Only a chosen few have the ability to fight their evil, and Jimmy believes Liz is among them. Now, with her senses heightened, new feelings are rising within Liz—ones that re-ignite her dangerous attraction to Jimmy. But Jimmy has a secret that will rock Liz to her core…and put the survival of the human race in peril.



From the very first page, Any Given Doomsday grabbed my attention and pulled me head-long into the story, into the action and adventure and passion going on everywhere. And it didn't let go of me until the very last page, leaving me wanting more, craving the next book in Haneland's newest series, The Phoenix Chronicles. And when I found out it won't be available for another 5 or more months, I was upset-- I can't wait that long to find out what happens to Jimmy and Lizzy! But I guess I'll just have to wait... *SIGH*

This book has everything-- adventure, action, suspense, paranormal *tons of it!*, humor, and of course, hot, wicked sex scenes. Some reviewers said that the latter was too explicit and made the book's over all rating go down, but in my opinion, I thought it was perfectly fine, and it was a part of the book. I mean, yes, it is labeled as an 'urban fantasy' book, but most people know that many of the urban fantasy book written now days are also partially romance books, and depending on the author, you can expect anything from tame love scenes that almost bore you to death to hot and heavy ones, borderline 'erotica' at times. This book falls in the second category, but I thought that Handeland wrote it nicely, giving the reader a nice little subplot of love from the past (That is, Jimmy and Lizzy were hot and heavy, both in love and in sex, when they were teenagers, but something happened, so they split up. Of course, when he returns to town, the fire between them is quickly re-kindled.) If you can't stand the sex, then yeah, maybe this book isn't right for you. But if you like it, or can at least deal with it *even if that means skipping over some of it* then I would suggest this book in a heartbeat.

Lizzy's story is very interesting, almost addicting, and whenever the story twists and turns, you follow right along, hungry for whatever will happen next. She's the only one who can help to save the world from total destruction--and, oh, by the way, all the creatures you had nightmares about as a child, ones that go bump in the night, really do exist. Werewolves? Check. Shapeshifters? Check. Vampires? Check. Various magical and maybe even slightly demonic creatures? Check, check, and check. And they plan on taking over the world in the name of Satan. Bad news for human kind, right? That's where Lizzy comes in. Unfortunately, she just learned all of this, so she has absolutely no idea how to fix any of this. So jump right in, and enjoy the ride as she learns as she goes.

I'd really like to read the next book, because I want to see if Jimmy and Lizzy's complicated relationship can be fixed, if it can, somehow, end up like a regular romance "And they lived happily ever after." Doubtful, at least not without many twists and turns and road blocks along the way, but I can still hope, right? I really want to believe that their love can be completely rebuilt, but you just can't know for sure-- it seems like it could go either way.

And what role will Sawyer play in the future? What's his story? He's a very.. unique character, full of unknown power and ability, and you never know what he'll do next, what he'll say. He hinted to a previous love, but he never says anything past that. I'd really like to know though, and I hope he plays as big of a part in the next book(s), if not bigger. He's sly, but sexy and mysterious, and it makes the reader curious to know more about his story.

4.5/5 stars! A wonderfully written fantasy/romance novel, with action and humor, love and sex...and plenty of paranormal creatures (Though they're almost all evil, instead of sexy like in all the romance books I read...Oh well, I guess you just can't always have it your way, right?!). Honestly, what more could you ask for? Makes me want to go and pick up her other books from her previous paranormal series even more!

~TBQ~

'Dark Curse' is Sexy Vampire Perfection!

SYNOPIS from B&N.com:

Lara Calladine is haunted by childhood memories of being held prisoner in an ice cave and kept sane by the whispered stories told to her by her imprisoned aunts. They instilled mage and Carpathian magic deep within her and then helped her escape. She has spent years searching for the cave in hopes of finding the answers to the riddle of her past as well as finding her aunts who may have given their lives saving her.

Nicolas De La Cruz has returned to the Carpathian Mountains--his homeland--on orders from his eldest brother, Zacarias, to bring news of a conspiracy to the prince of their people. He is weary of his long existence and plans to end it away from his brothers where they will be unable to stop him once he has fulfilled his duty. Lara and Nicolas paths collide in an explosive adventure that rocks the Carpathian world.


If you, like me, have been a die-hard Carpathian fan from the very first book, Dark Prince, then I don't even have to say a word to you about Dark Curse-- becuase you either have it in your hands right now, you've already read it, or you already know that because it's part of Feehan's Carapthian series, it is, by default, one of the BEST out there! Hands down, Ms. Feehan is the queen of paranormal romances, giving readers a complex and yet very easy to follow fantasy world filled with magic and mysteries, evil and good, shapeshifters, sexy Carpathians and turned vampires. Add in some hot, passionate and tender love scenes, plenty of them, and a great deal of adventure and action and you've got the receipe for a perfect series!

Continuing the series, Dark Curse tells the story of Nicolas and Lara. The story is sad at parts, telling of Lara's poor childhood, but like all of her books still has it's funny moments. Also, be prepared for a few tears along the way-- it gets that emotional, that true, both in the grief and the love. And the sex scenes-- holy cow! Grab a fan, because you are going to need it!

If you haven't been bitten by the 'Carpathian Reading Bug' yet, then I don't know what else I can possibly say to convince you to pick up the books. They have everything you could possible want in any book, especially a romance! Love, passion, humor, adventure, suspense, magic, vampires... Seriously, what more could you ask for? Oh, right, sorry, forgot to mention the SEXY AS HELL ALPHA MALES! (If you are, somehow, still not convinced, well then, I give up!)

I've loved all of the books, from 1-16 (Dark Curse being number 16) and unlike some series where they are boring and repeative after 4 or so books, this series is one that I would love to see another 20 books out of and I'd never grow bored because Feehan is amazing and makes you fall in love with each and every character we meet along the way, making you want to know this person's story or that person's, and the pull is so strong that you can't just put the book down and walk away-- no, you have to finish it, and then move on to the next one in the series, devouring that one in mere hours too. And when there are no more new ones to read for a year or more? Well then you sit around and go silently crazy, like me, waiting, and while you wait, you re-read them all, from beginning to end, and savoring them a second and third time before moving on to other authors and books, hoping they will be just as captivating and perfect, and some of them are very close ,of course, but none of them really hold your attention as much as the Carpathian Series does-- that is, there are no other series that you would be happy to see 10-20 books from! And believe me, Feehan keeps adding new twists and turns, characters and stories not yet explored in every new book, drawing you in even deeper so that you HAVE to have another book. Unlike with other series, the words 'the series was drawn out waaay to long' do not apply here, and after you've read even one book (as if you could stop at just one!) you too will be nodding your head when I say that.

5/5 STARS! A perfect book, a perfect series, it easily deserves a 1000000/5, but I can't really give it such a rating, can I? *Well, except for in my own mind, of course..* Like all the previous books in this series, you will gobble it up quickly, find yourself falling right into the story with Nicolas and Lara and all the other Carpathians and various other races in the book, and when it finally lets you go after the last page is read and the book is closed, you will be obsessed with getting your hands on the next book *not yet written, unfortunately!*.

And if you don't, I have to ask....'What the hell is wrong with you?' It's a rhetorical question, of course, and I don't really mean to insult anyone.. :D

~TBQ~

"Full Moon" is a Perfect 10!

Synopis from B&N.com:

Together for the first time in one thrilling volume are Rebecca York's Killing Moon and Edge of the Moon, two of her highly acclaimed werewolf novels full of suspense, intrigue, and passionate hunger.

Killing Moon:A P.I. with a preternatural talent for tracking finds his prey: a beautiful genetic researcher who may be his only hope for a future.

Edge of the Moon:A police detective and a woman who files a missing persons report become the pawns of an unholy serial killer in a game of deadly attraction.




If you are looking for a hot, sexy read filled with paranoraml activity, mystery and suspense, and a good dose of heart-warming love, then look no farther than Rebecca York, author of the Moon Series. Printed as one book, Full Moon includes the first two books in the series, Killing Moon and Edge of the Moon.

With a storyline filled with werewolves, magic, mystery and action, and even a little bit of demon thrown in at the end, what more could you ask for in a romance novel? Usually, I don't read action/suspense filled books, whether they are romance or not, but York is able to weave them all together flawlessly, making you forget that you are reading a suspense filled novel.

The sex scenes are smoking hot, yet tender at the same time. The conversation is witty at times, and the characters are intriguing. The whole werewolf mating and then, in the second one, regular humans falling for each other while trying to solve a murder and stop an evil magician from controling a demon, only adds to the overall perfection of the storyline.

5/5 STARS! This book, this whole series, really, has a little bit of everything making it versitile for almost all genre lovers: it has love, sexy heros, wild passion, action, suspense...everything you could ever ask for all wrapped up perfectly in one book! A definite must read for any romance lover--I promise, you won't be able to put the book down and when you're through, you'll want to go out and grab the other books in her excellent series!

~TBQ

"Jumper: Griffin's Story"

Synopis from B&N.com:

Griffin has a secret. It’s a secret that he’s sworn to his parents to keep, and never tell. Griffin is a Jumper: a person who can teleport to any place he has ever been. The first time was when he was five, and his parents crossed an ocean to protect the secret. The most important time was when he was nine. That was the day that the men came to his house and murdered his parents. Griffin knows that the men were looking for him, and he must never let them find him.

Griffin grows up with only two goals: to survive, and to kill the people who want him dead. And a Jumper bent on revenge is not going to let anything stand in his way.

I read the book, I saw the movie, and then I found out that Gould wrote a second book, a prequel, about Griffin, whom we met briefly in the movie, but not in the first Jumper book. And I'm glad that I picked it up-- it was great!

Though it is different from the first book, and the movie too, for that matter, I still enjoyed Jumper: Griffin's Story. It had action, adventure, laughs, time travel ('jumping') and even a good dose of romance and coming-of-age subplot.

From page one, you'll be hooked, pulled deep into the story, wanting to know what will happen next, what Griffin's life is like. I like that it mixes real life fiction and science fiction together. Even the little bit of romance makes the book even better.

5/5 stars! A great book, with a little bit of everything in it, a definite must read for any book lover, a nice retreat away from everyday life.

~TBQ~

"The Marriage Spell" Weaves a Beautiful Spell That Will Have You Falling in Love With Both the Characters and the Story!

Synopis from B&N.com:

New York Times bestselling author Mary Jo Putney is acclaimed by critics and readers alike for unforgettable storytelling and arresting characters. Now she introduces a Regency England you’ve never seen before, where dazzling magic is practiced in all but the highest reaches of Society, and where desire is the most mysterious and seductive force of all.

One of the Duke of Wellington’s most respected officers, Jack Langdon, Lord Frayne, takes his family’s honor very seriously. He also hides a shameful secret: a talent for sorcery he has been raised to suppress and openly reject. But after an injury lands Jack at death’s door, his only chance at survival lies with Abigail Barton, a peer’s daughter and a skilled wizard. Her price: Jack’s hand in marriage. It isn’t long before Jack feels an irresistible attraction to his forthright new wife, whose allure is as intense as the reawakening magical abilities he can no longer deny.

Abigail had to make a great sacrifice to perform a spell powerful enough to save Lord Frayne, and although she cannot help but be drawn to her reluctant husband’s surprising sensitivity and kindness, she knows all too well his distaste for magic. Once she has Jack’s name and the child she has always longed for, she is determined to live apart from him so that he can preserve his reputation–and so that she herself can stay true to her gifts.

But neither Abby nor Jack reckons on the deep, long-simmering passions her spell ignites. They challenge each other’s extraordinary powers and deepest desires for the sake of a love that may cost them all they cherish most.

With breathtaking skill and vivid historical detail, Mary Jo Putney weaves a tale of enchantment, mystery, and romance that will forever hold you spellbound.



From page one, I was hooked. MJP weaves a brillant love story with great fantasy, making it seem like it's normal, everyday magic instead of a paranormal world. I especially loved how she was able to so deftly combine historical and 'paranormal' romance together, though at times I forgot that it was a paranormal romance.

The story is sweet and tender, loving and passionate, sexy and funny. The characters (That is, the hero and heroine) are anything but perfect and stunningly beautiful, but it doesn't matter because they both love each other anyway and find each other very attractive, both inside and out. What more can you ask for?

Their love runs deep, like their magic, and their connection is there almost from the start, slowing building along with their trust and love for each other. To me, that's the most believable kind of love--true love. :) And their love scenes are scorching hot while still retaining a lot of the tender love and connection, the perfect combination, intensified by the fact that the first part of their marriage was filled with nothing but semi-innocent caresses and cuddles, allowing true love to really bloom instead of starting out as really strong lust, like some stories *Though that is not always a bad thing either, in my opinion...it all just depends on the author and the storyline/characters...*

Besides their breath-taking romance that runs deep through the book, The Marriage Spell also has a good touch of mystery and adventure, luaghs and danger. Plus the obvious magic, which fits in nicely, despite the fact that so many peers of the ton are strongly against wizards, but who cares about them, right?

5/5 STARS! This is the perfect romance novel, one of the best I've ever read, and I will definitely be snatching up Mary Jo Puney's other novels as soon as I can! A must read for any romance lover, no matter their preference: Since it's a combination of historical and paranormal, you can't go wrong!

~TBQ~

Besides the