Tuesday, August 26, 2014

Special Forces #2 - Mercenaries Part 1 (1989-1992) by Aleksandr Voinov (Vashtan) & Marquesate

It's quite hard for me to rate this book. It started off as a definite 5 Stars, like the previous one, but 3/4 into the book I started feeling like we sort of lost the romance and it turned into an Erotica novel. Not that I mind that much, sex IS healthy ;) thing is, with these two, there is so much more and the emotions expressed in the previous installment and up until that point where mind shattering, so why make such a drastic change? 

I find it somewhat strange that the second installment is separated into two parts, I'm not even sure there is a real reason plot-wise for the separation (besides the size of the file / amount of pages in each one). The first part, the one I'm reviewing at the moment, is from Chapter 20 up until and including Chapter 35. Just so you know :)

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Twice Tempted (Night Prince, #2) by Jeaniene Frost

Second installment in the spin-off series to Night Huntress ("Cat & Bones") and yeah, I enjoyed it as much as I did the previous one, might have enjoyed this one more, I'm not sure! 

I LOVE both Leila and Vlad. Vlad is no surprise here, I loved him from the second he made an appearance in Cat and Bones, but in his books he really shines. I really appreciate the fact that he is the brutal man that he is and he doesn't feel like apologizing for it. For someone as independent as Leila it's quite difficult but the beautiful thing is she "puts him in his place" when she tells him that he wouldn't have loved her if she was the submissive type that waits to be rescued. 

Thursday, August 21, 2014

Once Burned (Night Prince, #1) by Jeaniene Frost

Vlad ~sigh~ 
This whole review can be summed up by this sigh.. This is my favorite PNR / UF character and also series. Well, it's not over YET, there are two books out of three (third and last will be published in January 2015) and I really hope it won't disappoint! Though what could happen? Vlad is in there, right? ;)

This is just a FUN book to read. If you've read Night Huntress ("Cat and Bones") you already met Vlad Tepesh and you already fell deeply in love with him. His arrogance and self assurance, his pyrokinesis, his diabolical sense of humor, his brutal looks - not a "Ken" Barbie Doll like Bones is described, but a masculine scared dark prince - YUM! 

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Special Forces #1 - Soldiers (1980-1989) by Aleksandr Voinov (Vashtan) & Marquesate

All the reviews I've read of this one said the exact word to describe this series - EPIC! I must agree. This love story is absolutely, well, EPIC! there simply isn't a more suitable word. I have NEVER read anything like it, and I do think I ever will. This is the absolute best, most amazing, unique love story I've ever read. So really, giving this one 5 out of 5 stars is unacceptable. There should be another standard for grading a book of this magnitude (lets settle for now for 10 out of 5 stars, OK?). 

This story is NOT typical in right about anything and everything. Which is another reason it's so special (besides the name ;)) 

Think about any violent and disturbing act you rather NOT read in a love story and it's probably there.. no spoilers, none needed, use you imagination and prepared to be SHOCKED every time the main characters manage to take you to a higher level of disturbed (which will be a prime adjective in this review.. and it's not the only word I'm re-using, forgive my inadequacy..). 

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

One Grave at a Time (Night Huntress #6) by Jeaniene Frost

I didn't really get invested in this one. I'm not sure what the "problem" was, it wasn't, well, engaging. Cat and Bones are a real married couple now, their life is quite settled, they have their friends - Spade, Denise, Ian - that help them out (no sign of Vlad and Mencheres in this one which is a shame..) There was no "major crisis" for any of the characters, while Ian is always a star with everything he says and does he didn't help the book be more appealing.

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

This Side of the Grave (Night Huntress #5) by Jeaniene Frost

Well, I liked this book, but didn't LOVE it. It's kinda hard for me to explain why. On the one hand, I DID think that Cat grown up in this one, learnt to trust herself, trust Bones, learnt to appreciate the people around her (even had a sort of a "heart to heart" with Mencheres). But it felt in a way, all over the place. 

The main "objective" in this book is dealing with Apollyon the Ghoul. If you remember from the previous book, Apollyon says that Cat is trying to become this Mega Vampire Ghoul combination bent on world domination.. There is a reference to Masterless Vampires being killed by Ghouls which is Apollyon's way of trying to start a war between the two species. 

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Eternal Kiss of Darkness (Night Huntress World #2) [Mencheres & Kira] by Jeaniene Frost

This one was a joy! I really enjoyed both Mencheres and Kira. I loved each one on their own and loved them even more together. Funny how Kira is protective of Mencheres without realizing that he doesn't really need that, but I think we can all appreciate our dear ones being there for us even if we can handle it all on our own. I think that with everyone taking Mencheres as he is, what he is and what he can do, few actually consider what he has been through, what his past was like and what prices he paid for being so powerful and old. Kira steps her foot a few times in front of Mencheres' friends and allies (also with his enemies..) to "protect" him, or protect his interests, trying to make people realize that he is still just a man, entitles to make mistakes, entitles to have him wants and needs. 

Saturday, August 9, 2014

Crave the Night (Midnight Breed #12 - Nathan and Jordana) by Lara Adrian

I missed this series, I really did :) It's been a while since I finished the previous 11 books (and not that long ago that I read a short novella between the previous 11 and this one). I think it's incredible that Lara "re-invented" the series after the 10th book, moving the series 20 years forward, bringing new characters (the sons and daughters as well as more characters we haven't met) but also kept the characters that we came to love in the first 10 books. I'd love to see more of some of them (ATM Sterling Chase is the main character we get to read of). It's also really interesting the global plot line for the previous book, this one, and as it seems the next couple of books concerning the Atlantians. It's really an interesting concept that actually the Vampires today marry the Breedmates that are actually half Atlantians and half human so these two races live together, breed with one another in a sort of way even if there is no love shared between the two races (and right now they seem on the brink of war). 

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

First Drop of Crimson (Night Huntress World #1) [Spade & Denise] by Jeaniene Frost

I loved this book SO MUCH! I dare say I loved it more that I do Cat and Bones, mostly because Denise is much more "likable" than Cat it, not because she is "just a human" but because she is, well, human. Everything about her felt so real, I could relate to right about anything she went through, her emotions, her behavior, what she felt toward the past, and how beautifully she dealt with everything she was dealt, in this book and in the previous ones. Spade / Charles is SUCH a gentlemen it was impossible not to fall in love with him myself even though that's not my usual "thing", I'm not saying I love myself (only) a beast :P but I am saying there is something really sweet in a Vampire, being a beast when "needed" be but also can be the most loving and caring person. I"m not saying Bones isn't like that, but I think that Bones is more "feral" in a way. I love Bones to pieces, I DO! but I think that Denise and Charles just make the most beautiful couple. 

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

The Thrill of It (No Regrets #1) by Lauren Blakely

I really wanted to love this one, especially since the prequel "The Start of Us" gives you a wide hint as to what this one is going to be about which is quite different than anything I've read, and then 20% through I just decided to give up. 20% through and all Harley and Trey have to say is right about the same thing over and over again. 

Destined for an Early Grave (Night Huntress #4) by Jeaniene Frost

Another great and VERY emotional installment in the Night Huntress Series. I think up until now it's my favorite, even though as usual there are too many jealousy scenes between Cat and Bones (hence 4.5 stars and not 5 stars). 

After the emotional ride in the previous book, both Cat and Bones needs a little vocation. While on a nice little cruise Bones asks Cat - "where to?" and she answers - "Paris!"  Even without this being a re-read for me, it's obvious that if they are headed to Paris it WON'T be a romantic get away, it would be a another version of "get away"..

Sunday, August 3, 2014

The Start of Us (No Regrets #0.5) by Lauren Blakely

Trey and Harley meet on the Tattoo Shop Trey works when she comes for her first tattoo. When their half an hour (of him tattooing her) ends the both of them doesn't want to part, even though for some reason they both know they can only spend this evening together they want to enjoy it with one another.

Saturday, August 2, 2014

One to Tell the Grandkids by Kristina M. Sanchez

I did it again, now, didn't I? I sat for about 6 hours without moving (a lot...) having one short break (to eat something..) and returning back to my reading. I went to sleep at almost 4 a.m. with a huge smile on my face but with a nagging feeling that devouring this book in one day means its over. It's done. I read it and the beautiful thing that it was is now behind me. Who knows when Kristina will publish the next one, ha? 

That's the thing, you know, when you read a book which is SUCH a JOY to read you kinda feel empty when you put it aside. You want it back, you want the feeling of novelty back. 

Funniest thing though? This kind of story is almost certain to NOT be my thing. If I got pregnant after a one night stand with a guy I couldn't remember his name? abortion. Not even ONE thought about it. But as my friend said (I wrote it as well on "Hold on Tight" by Serena Bell) - once the abortion is over there is no story to tell :D So putting my general dislike of kids and babies in Romance novels I took this one in my hand and just read it and enjoyed it. 

Friday, August 1, 2014

The Vampire Shrink (Kismet Knight, Ph.D., Vampire Psychologist #1) by Lynda Hilburn

Sadly this is a DNF at 29%. I really hate leaving a book behind, especially since I read good recommendations of it, and especially since the idea of a psychologist and vampires together DOES sound like a good combination.