Review: Blood Calls by Caridad Pineiro

Title: Blood Calls
Author: Caridad Pineiro
Series: The Calling #1

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Nocturne

Published: 1 May 2007

Source of my copy: I purchased it.

 About the book (from Goodreads)

But for vampire Diego Rivera, Ramona Escobar's sensuality proved even more potent. He "had" to resist--for there could be no such thing as love for him. Five centuries ago Diego had vowed never to turn another with the bite of the undead. And though Diego knew the dark underworld of New York was no place for a human, his unslaked desire commanded that Ramona be his for one night....

But when the artist's life was threatened by a reclusive millionaire who had used Ramona's skills to build a forgery ring, Diego needed to unleash his inner demon to save her. Then he was faced with a choice--lose the woman he loved...or turn her with a vampire's kiss.

My Review

Diego has lived for five centuries but has never met anyone quite like Ramona.  He is very wealthy and has taken to being a patron of the arts, not only does he have a gallery he is also Ramona's patron.  There had to be some way for him to give something back.

Diego has sworn never to turn another into a vampire after seeing what it cost others. When he learns the woman he thinks he might be falling in love with, or is trying to stop himself from doing so, is dying he finds himself in a real quandary - what will he do?

Ramona is an artist who's family circumstances forced her to undertake a job for a millionaire to obtain the money to care for her mother which she would have preferred not to take. She finds herself threatened by the reclusive millionaire who manages to find her weakest spot, her mother. She is attracted to Diego but she won't act on  it because of her illness meaning she does not have long to live, she has no idea of course tat he is a vampire.

The interaction between Ramona and Diego is executed very well through out the story, I like that it is not all just nice and going well all the time!

Blood Calls is a well paced story with interesting lead characters who end up exactly where the reader wants them to by the time they have got to know them! I have the feeling that any other end to the book than that provided would not have satisfied the reader. You'll have to read the book to find out what that is! 

Review: Undead and Unwed by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Undead and UnwedAuthor: MaryJanice Davidson
Series: Undead #1

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Publisher: Berkley 

Published: 2 March 2004

Source of my copy: I purchased it.

 About the book (from Goodreads)

It's been a helluva week for Betsy Taylor. First, she loses her job. Then, to top things off, she's killed in a car accident. But what really bites (besides waking up in the morgue dressed in a pink suit and cheap shoes courtesy of her stepmother) is that she can't seem to stay dead. Every night she rises with a horrible craving for blood. She's not taking too well to a liquid diet.

Worst of all, her new friends have the ridiculous idea that Betsy is the prophesied vampire queen, and they want her help in overthrowing the most obnoxious, power-hungry vampire in five centuries - a badly dressed Bela Lugosi wannabe, natch. Frankly, Betsy couldn't care less about vamp politics, but they have a powerful weapon of persuasion: designer shoes. How can any self-respecting girl say now? But a collection of Ferragamos isn't the only temptation for Betsy. It's just a lot safer than the scrumptious Sinclair - a seductive bloodsucker whose sexy gaze seems as dangerous as a stake through the heart...

My Review

Imagine a day where you thought the worst thing that could happen to you was being fired, but you end up being run over and wake up a few days later as a vampire, even though one hadn't killed you with it's bite. You'd be pretty peeved and want to see your family right?

Betsy is a fantastic character who simply does not play by the vampire rules - mainly because she has no idea they exist, then as she discovers them, well she still doesn't! She is not the deepest character ever written but Betsy has a sense of being very real about her. She is loyal to her friends and family, she sees no reason why dying and becoming undead should change that.

Unfortunately for Betsy things were unlikely to turn out to be simple where they!!  There are vampires who want to draw her into their politics, sorry I mean under their control, like the other vampires. But there is a certain something about Betsy, turns out she might not just be a vampire but the fulfilment of an ancient prophecy about a vampire queen. Initially Betsy is far more interested in getting her designer shoes back from her Step Mother! 

Enter Sinclair. Attractive and totally full of himself as far as Betsy is concerned leading to a number of great scenes as she tries to battle her attraction to him. He however knows just how to get Betsy on his side, yes Manolo Blahnik's will certainly get him a long way!!  So she finds herself drawn into vampire politics.

It is fantastic that her best friend from before she died not only stands by her and accepts Betsy is a vampire with remarkable ease but she sets out to make Betsy a crime fighter too!

Undead and Unwed is a light-hearted (as far as vampire romance stories go!) race through Betsy's first few days as a vampire, the biggest problem of course is her new liquid diet :-)

Review: Slave to Sensation by Nalini Singh

Title: Slave to Sensation
Author: Nalini Singh
Series: Psy-Changeling #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Berkley Sensation
Published: 5 September 2006
Source of my copy: I purchased it.

 About the book (from Goodreads)


THE HOT NEW NAME IN PARANORMAL ROMANCE.

Nalini Singh dives into a world torn apart by a powerful race with phenomenal powers of the mind-and none of the heart.

In a world that denies emotions, where the ruling Psy punish any sign of desire, Sascha Duncan must conceal the feelings that brand her as flawed. To reveal them would be to sentence herself to the horror of "rehabilitation" - the complete psychic erasure of everything she ever was...

Both human and animal, Lucas Hunter is a changeling hungry for the very sensations the Psy disdain. After centuries of uneasy coexistence, these two races are now on the verge of war over the brutal murders of several changeling women. Lucas is determined to find the Psy killer who butchered his packmate, and Sascha is his ticket into their closely guarded society. But he soon discovers that this ice-cold Psy is very capable of passion - and that the animal in him is fascinated by her. Caught between their conflicting worlds, Lucas and Sascha must remain bound to their identities - or sacrifice everything for a taste of darkest temptation...

My Review

The Psy-Changeling series is one I have seen so much about but for some reason I have never read any of until now, why did I wait! I thoroughly enjoyed Slave to Sensation  and am definitely looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

In Sascha and Lucas' world there are three races who share the planet and live together in a manner. The Humans seem the dull relations of the other to races, in fact they are barely mentioned in the book at all. Our story focuses on the Psy and the Changelings, both of whom have powers the humans can only dream of. 

The Changelings are our hot, sexy, strong and emotional shapeshifters. Lucas is an Alpha of the usual order - very strong, very good looking and difficult to handle so who better to have as half of the unlikely seeming couple in the book (don't you think they are often the best sort!). His distaste for the Psy is very deep routed and seemingly unshakable but he did not bank on meeting a Psy like Sascha.

Sascha is a flawed Psy, she is certain something is horribly wrong with her and expends much of her time and energy hiding this from her fellow Psy. Due to a 100 year old decision all Psy are conditioned not to feel emotion, supposedly being to prevent their race from committing horrid crimes. Of course things have not worked out quite as neatly as the Psy would like the other races to believe!

Wonderful things happen between these two who at first can not stand to be in each others company but there is an undeniable something there..... The interaction between the Psy and the Changelings is interesting and refreshing. Sascha and Lucas are both intriguing and well filled out characters who develop very well with the story.

If you have not already read the Psy-Changeling series I would highly recommend it. If you are already a convert I'm sure you'll agree!

Review: "Succubus in the City" By Nina Harper

Title: Succubus in the City
Author: Nina Harper
Series: Succubus #1
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Publisher: Del Ray
Published: 25 March 2008
Source of my copy: I purchased it.

 About the book (from Goodreads)


 AFTER THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF ONE-NIGHT STANDS, A GIRL JUST WANTS A LITTLE MORE.

Working for Satan is a hot gig. The Devil really does wear Prada, and Lily can sport all the dazzling fashion she desires, eat all the fabulous food she craves, and hang for all eternity with her three demon girlfriends. But serving up bad boys to the fiery pits of Hell is just getting . . . lonely.
 
Lily gives the jerks, the creeps, and the liars the best (and last) night of their lives, but she’s tired of waking up to a pile of ashes. She wants a guy who will stick around. 

BUT A MYSTERIOUS MAN IS TURNING UP THE HEAT. . . . 

Nathan Coleman is a devilishly handsome, laid-back P.I. who wants to ask Lily a few questions about a missing man. But someone–or something–wants Lily and her friends dead, and Nathan seems to know more than he’ll admit to. Can a sweet-talking mortal and a girl from Hell find true love?
 

My review

Have you ever wondered what Sex and the City would have been like if all the ladies were demons serving Satan? Read Succubus in the City where the four friends are all demons in Martha's inner circle who lead modern New York lives while delivering their prey to hell.

Martha? That's Satan at the moment, previously known by other names. Very useful for getting into all the best places in the City.

The central character is Lily, a three thousand year old Babylonian Priestess who is getting sick of only ever having lust. She craves love, problem is she'll turn him to dust unless he pleases her first, makes finding Mr Right difficult. The clause in her contact with Martha/Saturn allows her to leave service if she can find a man who truly loves her and knows what she is. Not exactly an easy task!

Enter Nathan, could he be the one? The plot takes us through twists and turns is he or not. If he is how on earth will Lily be able to get him to truly love her when he knows she's a Succubus? Wait, how is she going to get him to believe she's a Succubus in the first place? Introduce a secret society who is trying to uncover the demons and the plot deepens. 

If you are looking for a light hearted paranormal romance which is easy to read it's worth a try. May rove rather tame for some though.

Review: Soulless By Gail Carriger

Title: Soulless
Author: Gail Carriger
ISBN-10: 0316056634
ISBN-13: 978-0316056632

About the book
Alexia Tarabotti is laboring under a great many social tribulations. First, she has no soul. Second, she's a spinster whose father is both Italian and dead. Third, she was rudely attacked by a vampire, breaking all standards of social etiquette.

Where to go from there? From bad to worse apparently, for Alexia accidentally kills the vampire -- and then the appalling Lord Maccon (loud, messy, gorgeous, and werewolf) is sent by Queen Victoria to investigate.

With unexpected vampires appearing and expected vampires disappearing, everyone seems to believe Alexia responsible. Can she figure out what is actually happening to London's high society? Will her soulless ability to negate supernatural powers prove useful or just plain embarrassing? Finally, who is the real enemy, and do they have treacle tart?

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: The Parasol Protectorate, book #1
Published: 1st October 2009
Publisher: Orbit
Website: Gail Carriger

My Review
Alexia Tarabotti is a 26 year old spinster who is intelligent and fashionable, who is prone to dark skin and drinks a lot of tea! Always found with her parasol and two hair pins made of silver and wood, she would one day like to fly in a dirigible. She also happens to be a preternatural, “Soulless” which is almost as embarrassing as having an Italian father.

A preternatural is born without a soul. When she touches a supernatural Alexia effectively neutralises them, the vampires fang retreat and the werewolf becomes human again. Alexia accidentally kills a rogue vampire at start of book with a wooden hat pin when she is attacked. She is most perturbed when he did not seem to know she was a preternatural!

Alexia is a wonderfully strong and interesting character. She is very much the alpha female, yet manages to do this within the social constraints of 1870’s London!

In the Victorian London world created by Gail Carriger, vampires and werewolves have been integrated into society. Queen Victoria even has a werewolf and a vampire advisor (dewan and potentate) who we are told have helped immensely in developing the British Empire. The werewolves are, of course, lead by their alpha - Lord Macon while the vampires live in hives. This world is very enjoyable and the requirements of Victorian society makes a wonderful contrast with werewolf society, Lord Macon finding it especially difficult to maintain the proper etiquette around the full moon!

There are many excellent characters in Soulless. Lord Aceldama, Alexia’s eccentric flamboyant friend who happens to be a gay vampire. Professor Lyall, the beta werewolf, carries his role as ‘second’ to Lord Macon wonderfully in a capable and humorous way! Not forgetting Miss Hisselpenny with her questionable taste in hats and Floote the butler.

Soulless is not primarily a romance but there is Lord Macon who Alexia has been at odds with since “The Hedgehog Incident”, who it turns out rather like Alexia after all!

The style and language takes a little getting used to but once you do it helps build the atmosphere of Victorian London.

Souless is humorous and very well written with a little bit of mystery mixed in with the fantasy and it may just leave you hankering after a treacle tart! Well worth the read and I’m very much looking forward to reading the second book in the Parasol Protectorate series, Changeless!

Review: Stray by Rachel Vincent

Book Blurb
I look like an all-American grad student. But I am a werecat, a shape-shifter, and I live in two worlds.

Despite reservations from my family and my Pride, I escaped the pressure to continue my species and carved out a normal life for myself. Until the night a Stray attacked.

I'd been warned about Strays -- werecats without a Pride, constantly on the lookout for someone like me: attractive, female, and fertile. I fought him off, but then learned two of my fellow tabbies had disappeared.

This brush with danger was all my Pride needed to summon me back . . . for my own protection. Yeah, right. But I'm no meek kitty. I'll take on whatever -- and whoever -- I have to in order to find my friends. Watch out, Strays -- 'cause I got claws, and I'm not afraid to use them . . .

Genre: Urban Fantasy
Series: Shifters
Published: 1st June 2007
Publisher: Mira
Excert: Excert
Website: Rachel Vincent

My Review
Faythe is one of only eight Tabbies in the country and now they have started to go missing. After she is attacked on campus she returns to the Pride but in characteristic fashion refuses to just do as she is told. Once returned she is also confronted with dealing with her ex-boyfriend Marc, more unfinished business.

Faythe can be a challenging character to like at times, she is strong, determined and can seem a little immature at times but comes to take on her responsibilities and matures nicely towards the end of the book. Maybe she is this way because she has hidden as much as she could from being a werecat for so long but now must face her destiny.

I liked the world Rachel Vincent builds for her Werecats because it is believable in a modern day country. Being a first book in a series quite a lot of time is devoted to telling us about the world Faythe and the Pride operate in.

Stray is a great start to the Shifters series which leaves you wanting to know what comes next for Faythe and the other Werecats.

Review: My Love Eternal by Liz Strange

My Love Eternal is the first part of the The Dark Kiss Trilogy where Rachel is drawn into the world of Giovanni. Liz Strange's vampires are unappologetic, forceful, dark and ready for whatever is thrown at them. This book is quite different to many other vampire romances around; it's dark in places yet full of love in others. Bloodlust taken in stride yet much of the possitve aspects of being human are never totally lost.

The dramatic twists and turns towards the end of the book will have you needing to read the next instalment!

Giovanni is described on the book blurb as:-
"Tall, dark, and sexy, as well as fabulously wealthy, Giovanni is everything a girl could ask for in a lover. There’s only one catch. He’s been undead for more than three hundred years."
Rachel is drawn to him from the outset and her love takes her to many places, emotionally as well as physically.

Rachel and Giovanni's love should last for an eternity but he is hunted by the Desmarais family, who carry a centuries-old vendetta against Giovanni. They travel to the ends of the earth to escape and hold onto their love, but can it survive? You'll have to read My Love Eternal to find out if their love endures for eternity.