Review: Exiled - Amanda Carlson

Phoebe Meadows is on trial for her life.

After freeing her half-brother, Baldur, Phoebe is set to stand before the Council in Asgard to answer for her actions. The threat of exile if she’s found guilty looms, not to mention the added stress of meeting her real father for the first time.

Upon entering Asgard, Phoebe discovers new allies in a half-brother she’s never met as well as an oracle who is in possession of valuable information. A little added help couldn’t have come at a better time, because when Phoebe is tossed into an unknown realm, she’s armed only with Gundren, a jewel, and her wits.

When Loki shows up, all bets are off. The trickster god throws a wrench in Phoebe’s plans and kidnaps Fen, her only ally. And just when she thinks she sees the light at the end of the tunnel, Phoebe finds she has to defeat one last obstacle: The Norns.

And they aren't planning to go down without a fight...

Phoebe Meadows Series:
Struck
Freed
Exiled

Visit Amanda Carlson's website for more information

Review:
At the end of the previous book we saw Phoebe and her friends travelling to Asgard so she can stand trial for helping Baldur escape. The Goddess Frigg blames her for Baldur's death but Phoebe is hoping she'll be given the chance to prove her innocence and make sure the real culprit is punished. Frigg isn't willing to listen to reason though, her son is dead and all she cares about is getting revenge so it looks like Phoebe will receive the ultimate punishment and find herself exiled to Helheim, the real question is whether Fen will be sent with her or if she'll have to face a new realm full of enemies completely alone.

This series really is going from strength to strength. I love the Norse mythology Amanda Carlson has taken inspiration from and I really enjoyed getting the chance to spend time in both Asgard and Helheim in this book. It's great that we get to explore new places in every instalment of this series and the author does a brilliant job of making each realm feel completely different to the ones we've already visited. The story is action packed as Phoebe is set an almost impossible task by Frigg and she has to face her scariest enemies yet if she wants to be able to return from her exile in Helheim.

Phoebe gets the chance to meet more of her family here too which was a lot of fun, not only do we catch up with her adoptive parents in the human realm but we also learn more about the Valkyrie side of her family and she finally gets to meet her father Odin. The romance between her and Fen is still going strong and I continue to love the friendship between Phoebe and her human friend Sam too. Odin and Frigg aren't the only gods in the mix and Loki is causing mischief just like you'd expect but luckily Phoebe has some powerful allies as well as enemies or she'd be in even more trouble.

I've been having so much fun reading this series and I'm eagerly awaiting the next instalment to see what adventures Phoebe gets up to next.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Untouchable - Kresley Cole

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR KRESLEY COLE delivers a breathtaking tale of a brutal vampire soldier about to know love for the first time... and a Valkyrie aching for his touch.

Murdoch Wroth will stop at nothing to claim Daniela - the delicate Valkyrie who makes his heart beat for the first time in three hundred years. Yet the exquisite Danii is part ice fey, and her freezing skin can't be touched by anyone but her own kind without inflicting pain beyond measure. Can they conquer an agony of frustration and slake the overwhelming desire burning between them?

Immortals After Dark Series:
The Warlord Wants Forever (Novella in the Playing Easy to Get anthology)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Published in the Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Shadow's Claim (The Dacians book 1)
MacRieve
Dark Skye

For more information visit Kresley Cole's website

Review:
Untouchable is the eighth story in Kresley Cole's Immortals After Dark series and can be found in the Deep Kiss of Winter anthology (print or ebook) or on it's own as an audiobook. I read it as part of the anthology so I've not listened to the audio version and can't comment on that.

We've already met all of the Wroth brothers in previous books and we've seen hints of Murdoch and Dani's romance in the other brother's stories so I was really looking forward to spending more time with them. Unfortunately Untouchable just missed the mark a little for me and it was probably my least favourite story in the series so far.

Dani was a great character, she's half valkyrie and half ice fey which means she is incredibly sensitive to the heat and even touching another person causes severe burns to her skin. She loves her sisters but she desperately longs to be able to touch and be touched by another person. It was easy to feel sympathy for her and she's such a likeable character that you just want things to turn out well for her.

Murdoch on the other hand was a bit of an arse. He very quickly recognises Dani as his bride but he's absolutely adamant that he doesn't want to pursue things with her, the way he treats her was awful and I just felt so sorry for her that he kept walking away and abandoning her. There were good reasons for some of the problems in their relationship (the whole not being able to touch each other must have been incredibly frustrating!) but I felt like there was too much extra drama around that and it made it hard for me to enjoy their romance as much as I expected to.

This wasn't a bad book, I'm glad Dani has found her HEA and I'm still excited about continuing the series, but it definitely wasn't as good as I was expecting it to be.

Source: Purchased

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Freed - Amanda Carlson

Phoebe Meadows has one thing on her mind: Free her mother.

For the last month, Phoebe has been training in the Valkyrie stronghold readying for battle. But when she stumbles into a secluded valley after a day of grueling practice, she’s given a dire prediction. Phoebe must leave the stronghold immediately with the aid of the giant, Junnal, to rescue her mother from the dark elves. If Phoebe fails, Leela will be transported to a place that can no longer be reached.

Leaving Fen behind threatens to undo her, but Phoebe stays true to the mission. Along the way, she allies with the god Baldur and an old white elf mage. Together, they storm the realm, and with the help of an angry wolf and her Valkyrie sisters, they just might stand a chance to free the valiant shieldmaiden.

But Phoebe soon learns that in order to save her mother, she might lose something too precious to sacrifice...

Phoebe Meadows Series:
Struck
Freed
Exiled

Visit Amanda Carlson's website for more information

Review:
I loved Struck so I couldn't wait to read about more of Phoebe's adventures in Amanda Carlson's newest release Freed. Phoebe has come a long way from the girl we met in the first book, she has really embraced her Valkyrie heritage and has been training incredibly hard to learn how to use her powers. Of course most Valkyries start learning to fight practically from birth so she's still a long way behind most of her contemporaries but she doesn't let that stop her and she's determined to catch up as quickly as possible.

When Phoebe is offered the chance to rescue her mother from the Dark Elves that have been holding her captive she jumps straight in head first even though she knows the risks are high and she's not had time to fully prepare herself. You have to love that about Phoebe, she's always willing to do whatever needs to be done to protect the people she cares about and this is no different. The rescue attempt gives Amanda Carlson a chance to expand on the Norse mythology used in this series and we get to explore another of the Nine Worlds through Phoebe's eyes. I'm absolutely loving the variety of creatures, gods and realms this series has to offer and from events towards the end of this book it's only going to get better in the next book.

You'll get a chance to catch up with all your favourite characters from the previous book. Fen is a great partner to Phoebe but I'm glad she is still her own person and they aren't glued to each other's sides. He's very protective of her but he also trusts her to look after herself which is good to see. Tyr, Sam and Ingrid are all still on the scene although I think they get a little less page time this time around. That was more than made up for by the introduction of Baldur and Callan though, they are both really interesting characters but I'm not going to tell you much about them so you'll just have to read the book and meet them for yourselves.

This series is going from strength to strength, the books are fast paced and incredibly easy to read, the characters are multidimensional and easy to love (or in some cases hate!) and the world building is getting better and better. I can't wait to see where the series goes from here, the build up for the next book is intense and I have a feeling it's going to be epic.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Struck - Amanda Carlson

When Phoebe Meadows gets struck by a strange light in the stockroom of Macy’s, life as she knows it flies out the window. As if being hit by lightning isn’t bad enough, she’s accosted in the subway by a man with a missing hand, arrives home to find a raven on her kitchen counter, and her neighbor, Ingrid, shows up dressed like a gladiator hell-bent on protecting her.

Before Ingrid can shuttle her to safety, Phoebe is kidnapped and tossed into one of the Nine Worlds where she’s quickly forced to come to terms with what she is: A valkyrie. The only problem is, she has no idea what that means.

After a narrow escape, she finds an unlikely ally in Loki’s son, Fenrir. Together the valkyrie and the wolf must battle their way back to New York City and reach the valkyrie stronghold where Ingrid is waiting for her. But with danger and obstacles at every turn, she might not live long enough to learn the full truth about who and what she really is . . .

Phoebe Meadows Series:
Struck
Freed
Exiled

Visit Amanda Carlson's website for more information

Review:
Phoebe thought she was just a normal girl trying to make ends meet in the big city until the day she gets struck by lightning in the stockroom of the Macy's store she works at. The next thing she knows her neighbour Ingrid is announcing that she's Phoebe's aunt and that Phoebe is the long lost child of a valkyrie and a god. Apparently her parents kept her a secret for a very good reason and now that Phoebe is starting to come into her powers she's become a beacon for the enemies that hunt her. After a botched kidnapping attempt leaves Phoebe trapped in one of the Nine Worlds she has no choice but to ally herself with the demigod Fenrir to try and find her way back to New York so that Ingrid can explain what the hell is happening to her.

I had so much fun reading this novel! Amanda Carlson has created a likeable and very normal heroine who is thrown into a world where creatures from Norse mythology are in fact very, very real. Poor Phoebe is completely out of her depth and she barely has a moment to catch her breath from the beginning to the end of this novel, she really is thrown in at the deep end and has to fight with every last scrap of strength she has just to survive. I loved that she wasn't perfect, she didn't always know how to react or what her best option was and she just had to do the best she could to muddle through but no matter what she went through she didn't give up and she did whatever she had to to hold her own in any fight. She was also fiercely loyal to the people she trusted, if you prove yourself to be her ally then she'll have your back no matter how bad the odds of survival.

Fen was another brilliant character, he's survived things that would have turned a lesser man insane but it's left him strong and with a highly evolved protective streak. He's not sure what to make of Phoebe at first but he admires her will to survive and I think he found her naivety endearing too. The pair have to work closely together if they're going to have any chance of escaping and I enjoyed seeing their relationship start to blossom as they got to know each other. I did find that the declarations of love came a little too quickly, up until that point their relationship had been progressing at a believable rate so it felt that things stepped up a gear just a bit too fast at the end, but I'd rather have things move fast than be stuck with another dreaded love triangle so I'm not going to complain too much. I think they fit really well together so I'm happy to see them as a couple and I think we're going to see things really develop further between them as the series continues.

There are a couple of great side characters in the god of war Tyr and Phoebe's human friend Sam and I'm also looking forward to getting to know more about the valkyries in future books. I don't know a huge amount about Norse mythology but I'm really enjoying what we've seen so far of the Nine Worlds and the various different creatures and gods that inhabit them. I'm sure there is a lot more to explore and I'm excited to find out what Phoebe will encounter next. Struck was a fabulous start to this series, it's very action packed and will suck you in from the first page giving you a wonderful new world to explore. I can't wait to revisit these characters again in the future and I have a feeling it's going to turn into a favourite series before too long.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Dead Radiance - T.G. Ayer

That day I knew for sure. I'd lost control of my tears then. They fell in huge, mocking drops. I stared at Joshua through those bitter tears, my heart missing beats as I tried to remember to breathe.

I finally knew what the glow meant.

I was a freak and Joshua was going to die.

Bryn Halbrook had always seen the glow. But it is only when her best friend dies that she discovers the meaning of those beautiful golden auras — Death. Alone, lost in the foster system, she struggles to understand who she is and why she was cursed with the ability to see the soon-to-be-dead.

The new foster kid, Aidan, isn’t helping any. Mr. Perfect seems to fit in no matter what, making her feel even more pathetic. But when his affections turn to her, Bryn finds him hard to resist. Impossible actually. A mystery himself, Aidan disappears, leaving behind a broken heart and a mysterious book that suggests Bryn might not be entirely human.

Bryn stands at the threshold of a journey of discovery. Will destiny help her find herself, find her purpose and her place in a world in which she’d never belonged?

Valkyrie Series:
Dead Radiance
Dead Embers (August 2012)
Dead Chaos (Release date to be confirmed)

Visit T.G. Ayer's website for more information.

Review:
Ever since the death of her father Bryn has spent her life moving from one foster home to another, never staying in one place long enough to make friends and never feeling like she fits in. But her latest foster home is different, Ms Custer seems to really care about her and Bryn has grown to love her foster siblings Simon, Brody and Isabel. She's even been at the same school long enough to make friends, well one friend in particular - Joshua. All of her life Bryn has sensed a glow around certain people but she has never stayed in one place long enough to figure out what that glow means. When Joshua starts to glow it makes her uncomfortable but she doesn't immediately realise how serious the consequences are. It is only after another student with the glow dies that she puts it all together and realises that Joshua doesn't have long left. Helpless to prevent his death Bryn is devastated to lose her one and only friend and is treated like an outcast by the rest of the town for being the only survivor of the accident that kills him.

When new foster kid Aidan comes to stay Bryn finds herself drawn to him but it's obvious he is keeping secrets and she can't decide if she should trust him or not. As wary as she is of him Aidan still manages to find his way under her skin and he is the first person she ever tells about the glow she sees. When Aidan skips town not long afterwards it looks like her fears were correct and she is left feeling heartbroken and confused. But after discovering a book Aidan left behind Bryn soon uncovers a bigger secret - one that could unlock her past and explain her strange ability. Bryn quickly finds herself swept into a world of myths and legends come to life - not only are these creatures real but she is one of them!

I have to start with saying what a fantastic debut Dead Radiance is and I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel Dead Embers. T.G. Ayer's has done a fantastic job of bringing Norse mythology to life and I absolutely loved finding out more about Valkyries and some of the different Norse gods and goddesses. I haven't read many books about Valkyries (especially in the YA genre) and the ones I have didn't go into anywhere near as much detail about the legends surrounding them and the abilities that they have. I didn't know a great deal about Norse mythology so that side of the story was fascinating to me and I'm looking forward to finding out more throughout the series.

Bryn is a great character and it was easy to feel for her especially in the beginning when she is such an outsider and finds it so hard to fit in. I found myself heartbroken for her and really wanting her to make friends and find some happiness. As she starts to realise what the glow means things get very difficult for her, she knows that certain people are dying but she has no way to prevent their deaths which just makes her feel more useless than ever. When she uncovers more about her background and finds herself in a whole new world she really starts to come into her own as she makes new friends (and new enemies!) and starts her training.

Aidan was a swoon worthy guy who rides into town on a motorbike wearing leather and looking hot. At first I thought he was going to be your typical bad boy (nothing wrong with that - I do like a bad boy!) but it was a nice surprise to find there was so much more to him than that. He is also very smart, a bit of a geek and he is the one person who knows more about Bryn than she knows about herself. He is keeping secrets that I'm not going to go into because I don't want to spoil things but he comes through for Bryn in the end and pays a high price for it. There is great chemistry between the two of them but I have to admit I felt their relationship developed a little too quickly - I wanted to see a bit more of them getting to know each other first.

The beginning of the story is a little slow as we get to know Bryn and find out about her history but I still found it interesting to read. Things really picked up for me when she starts to uncover who she is though and from that point on I didn't want to put the book down. I loved the whole section at Asgard and I really enjoyed the quest that she is sent on towards the end of the book. It was great to get to know some of the secondary characters and I'll be really curious to see what roles they play as the series continues. Dead Radiance is an original story and one I would highly recommend to fantasy fans or anyone interested in learning more about Norse mythology. This is a series I'm really looking forward to continuing & I'm glad I don't have too long to wait before the second book is available.

Source: Received from the author in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Kiss of a Demon King - Kresley Cole

UK Cover

His Obsession . . .
Sabine, Sorceress of Illusions: the evil beauty who surrenders her body, but not her heart.

Her Downfall . . .
Rydstrom Woede: the ruthless warrior who vows to keep her at all costs.

They were never supposed to want each other this much . . .
With each smouldering encounter, their shared hunger only increases.  If they can defeat the sinister enemy that stands between them, will Sabine make the ultimate sacrifice for her demon?  Or will the proud king lay down his crown and arms to save his sorceress?

Immortals After Dark Series:
The Warlord Wants Forever (Novella in the Playing Easy to Get anthology)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Published in the Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Shadow's Claim (The Dacians book 1)
MacRieve
Dark Skye

For more information visit Kresley Cole's website

Review:
The story in Kiss of a Demon King actually runs along the same time line as the previous book Dark Desires After Dusk so I would highly recommend reading at least these two books in order (although you're better off reading the whole series in order to get the full IAD reading experience). If you've already read Dark Desires After Dusk (if you haven't stop reading this review right now!) you will know all about Cade's task to get the only weapon that can destroy Omort the Deathless so that his brother Rydstrom can get back his crown. You'll also know that early on in the story Rydstrom is captured and taken prisoner by the sorceress Sabine - Kiss of a Demon King fills in the gaps and lets us know what happened to him.

I have liked Cade and Rydstrom since they were first introduced into the series, Cade's book was one of my favourites so far so I was really looking forward to Rydstrom's story and it didn't disappoint. I obviously have a bit of a thing for the rage demons because I couldn't tell you which one of them I like the most. I love the fact that Rydstrom always comes across as so calm but that underneath he is on the edge of losing control - particularly whenever Sabine comes into the picture. I'll tell you right now that this couple have some serious chemistry but due to their circumstances and the fact that Sabine has Rydstrom as a prisoner they do a LOT of teasing before either of them will give into their attraction. I felt quite sorry for Rydstrom at the beginning and could easily understand why he took so long to trust Sabine.

When we first met Sabine I didn't think I would like her at all, she comes across as completely ruthless, cold blooded and selfish and not your typical heroine. However, the more you learn about her past the easier I found it to relate to her. She has never had anyone to rely on apart from her sister Lanthe and the pair of them have suffered a great deal in the past. Sabine is determined to do whatever it takes to protect herself and her sister but deep down you start to see that she isn't quite as hard as she makes out. Underneath the surface she is actually quite a softie and I really enjoyed seeing that side of her come out. I actually appreciated the fact that she is such a strong heroine and think she was just what Rydstrom needed, she is someone who is prepared to stand up to him and won't let anyone walk all over her.

I really liked the relationship between Sabine and Lanthe, in fact I hope we get to see more of Lanthe in the future so I'm keeping my fingers crossed she gets her own book. I'm also looking forward to Lothaire's story although I have a few others to catch up on first. I did feel that the final battle scene towards the end was over a bit too quickly, I would have liked a bit more action and the story was very character driven on the whole but this is still a strong instalment to the series and has left me looking forward to the next book.

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

US Cover

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Touch of Frost - Jennifer Estep

My name is Gwen Frost, and I go to Mythos Academy - a school of myths, magic and warrior whiz kids, where even the lowliest geek knows how to chop off somebody's head with a sword and Logan Quinn, the hottest Spartan guy in school, also happens to be the deadliest.

But lately, things have been weird, even for Mythos.  First, mean girl Jasmine Ashton was murdered in the Library of Antiquities.  Then, someone stole the Bowl of Tears, a magical artifact that can be used to bring about the second Chaos War.  You know, death, destruction and lots of other bad, bad things.  Freaky stuff like this goes on all of the time at Mythos, but I'm determined to find out who killed Jasmine and why - especially since I should have been the one who died . . .

Mythos Academy Series:
First Frost (prequel ebook novella)
Touch of Frost
Halloween Frost (ebook novella found in the Entangled anthology)
Kiss of Frost (November 2011)
Dark Frost (June 2012)

Visit Jennifer Estep's website for more information

Review:
Gwen has been an outcast since she started at the Mythos Academy, with the student's all training to be warriors and claiming to be from families of Spartans, Amazons & Valkyries, Gwen is the uncoordinated one who struggles to make it through weapons training without doing herself an injury.  She does have an ability though, she may not be good at fighting but she is able to know the history of every item she touches and feel the emotions of people who touched it before she did.  Gwen doesn't really want to be at the Academy though, she doesn't believe in the myths and legends that she is taught and isn't quite sure what to make of the fact that everyone else seems to think they're true.  When she discovers the body of another student she becomes determined to find out who was behind the murder, along the way she will also discover just why she was sent to Mythos Academy in the first place.

In a market flooded with vampires and werewolves Touch of Frost stands out for it's use of mythology - Gods & Goddesses, Valkyries, Amazons Spartans, Romans & even Vikings all have their part to play (not a vamp or were in sight!).  The world building is strong but not overwhelming and I'm looking forward to finding out more as the series progresses.  The story moves along at a good pace and I loved the action and fight scenes.

Gwen is a great character, a self-confessed geek who loves comics and doesn't care about fashion she struggles to fit in at a school where everyone else seems perfect.  Gwen comes across as very independent but deep down she is incredible lonely, she is still struggling to cope with her mum's death and doesn't have anyone at school to turn to.  I loved the fact that she has a strong relationship with her grandmother though and she does find others she can rely on as the story progresses.  Gwen's gift is as much of a curse as it is a blessing, she has seen some terrible things because of it but she copes amazingly well and is determined to use her gift to do something positive.  There were a couple of times that I felt Gwen was acting a bit young for her age (which I think is about 16/17?) but that may just be the fact that I'm getting old lol and it didn't stop my enjoyment of the story.  Gwen is the kind of character that may be shy but she won't let anyone walk all over her and I appreciate someone who can stand up for herself.

The other stand out character for me was Daphne, when we first meet her she is one of the school mean girls and I really didn't like her.  She changes a lot throughout the book though and I came to love her by the end, she has such a snarky sense of humor and I really enjoyed scenes with her in them.  It was nice to see her friendship with Gwen develop and I felt that they were good for each other.  Potential love interest Logan is a character I'm looking forward to seeing more of, he is a Spartan and the school bad boy but he is also very protective and has the whole hero thing going for him.  He is definitely hiding something though so I'm curious to find out more about that in future books.

Overall Touch of Frost is a great start to a new series, it is the first book I've read by Jennifer Estep but I've been wanting to read her adult series (Elemental Assassins) for a while now and am definitely planning on picking it up soon.  I'm looking forward to seeing what happens to Gwen in the next book, Kiss of Frost, which luckily is out in November so I don't have too long to wait!

Source: I was given a copy of this book at AADPhilly in exchange for an honest review

Other Reviews:
Between Dreams and Reality
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

Review: Dark Desires After Dusk - Kresley Cole

UK Cover

A seductive beauty he can never have, yet can't resist . . .
Cadeon Woede will stop at nothing to atone for the one wrong that will haunt him forever. But once he secures the key to his redemption, the halfling Holly Ashwin, Cade finds that the woman he thought he could use for his own ends and then forget haunts him as much as his past.

A tormented warrior she should fear, but can't deny . . .
Raised as a human, Holly never knew that some frightening legends are real until she encounters a brutal demon who inexplicably guards her like a treasure. Thrust into a sensual new world of myth and power, with him as her protector, she begins to crave the demon's wicked touch.

Surrender to dark desires . . .
Yet just when he earns Holly's trust, will Cade be forced to betray the only woman who can sate his wildest needs - and claim his heart?

Immortals After Dark Series:
The Warlord Wants Forever (Novella in the Playing Easy to Get anthology)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Published in the Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Shadow's Claim (The Dacians book 1)
MacRieve
Dark Skye

For more information visit Kresley Cole's website

Review:
900 years ago a foolish mistake by Cadeon lost his brother Rydstrom his throne and the pair have been trying to get it back ever since. Cadeon is full of guilt for his actions and is determined to do whatever it takes to make it up to Rydstrom but their enemy Omort the Deathless won't be easy to kill. In fact they have only one last chance if they are going to defeat him. They must track down the Vessel (a female from the Lore who will give birth to a child of either ultimate good or evil, depending on who the father is) and exchange her for the only weapon that can destroy Omort. Cadeon believes it will be an easy task, until he discovers the Vessel is Holly, the woman he has been watching from afar and who he is convinced is his mate. Now Cadeon has a difficult choice to make - will be betray his brother again, this time loosing the throne forever or will he hand over his mate to an evil sorcerer?

I've been looking forward to reading Cade's story since he was first introduced in one of the earlier books and he didn't disappoint me. There are actually a lot of things about Cade that should make him dislikeable, he is chauvinistic and cocky but it comes across as more of a front that he puts on to the world than his true character. In fact he has a much softer and more caring side that you get to see more and more of as the story progresses. I loved the way he was torn between doing the right thing by his brother and wanting to take care of Holly, he really was between a rock and a hard place and I found it easy to forgive the actions he took. I think he's probably my favourite male in the series so far, he is one HOT demon!

I found Holly a bit too prim and proper for my taste, particularly in the beginning, but it was really good to see how much she changes throughout the story. Her OCD made for hilarious reading and I absolutely loved the banter between her and Cade, she certainly wasn't going to sit back and accept his coarse language or let him force her into anything she didn't want to do. Holly didn't know about her Valkyrie ancestry and has always believed she was a human so it comes as quite a shock to her to discover a world of demons and come into her new abilities. A lot of her problems have been caused by the way she tries to suppress her true nature so the more she starts to accept who she is the better things get for her.

I have to admit that I think Dark Desires After Dusk is my favourite book in the Immortals After Dark series so far. I'm pretty sure you could pick up the series here even if you've not read any of the other books but I'd still suggest reading the books in order. I've just realised that Rydstrom's story is up next so I'm off to order my copy of Kiss of a Demon King!

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

US Cover

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: Dark Needs at Night's Edge - Kresley Cole

UK Cover

A raven-haired temptress of the dark...
Neomi Laress, a famous ballerina from a past century, became a phantom the night she was murdered. Imbued with otherworldly powers but invisible to the living, she haunts her beloved home, scaring away trespassers - until she encounters a ruthless immortal even more terrifying that Neomi herself.

A vampire warrior consumed by madness...
To prevent him from harming others, Conrad Wroth's brothers imprison him in an abandoned manor. But there, a female only he can see seems determined to drive him further into madness. The exquisite creature torments him with desire, leaving his body racked with lust and his soul torn as he finds himself coveting her for his own.

How far will he go to claim her?
Yet even if Conrad can win Neomi, evil still surrounds her. Once he returns to the brutality of his past to protect her, will he succumb to the dark needs seething inside him?

Immortals After Dark Series:
The Warlord Wants Forever (Novella in the Playing Easy to Get anthology)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Published in the Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Shadow's Claim (The Dacians book 1)
MacRieve
Dark Skye

For more information visit Kresley Cole's website

Review:
Nikolai and Sebastian Wroth have been searching for their brother Conrad for years but the last thing they expected was to find him in the grip of blood lust, very close to losing his sanity. Even though it has never been done before they are determined to bring him back from the brink and help him get control of the madness. Conrad is captured by his brothers and locked in a mansion where he must try to recover from the blood lust.

Neomi was a prima ballerina at the height of her career when she was brutally murdered by an obsessive ex-fiance who didn't want to see her live without him. Ever since her death 80 years ago she has haunted the mansion where she died, unable to leave and not able to interact with anyone around her. When Conrad and his brothers arrive she is distraught as Conrad starts to destroy the only home she has but then she realises that he can see her. He is the first person she has been able to interact with since she died but he believes she is a figment of his crazed mind. The attraction between them grows but how can a ghost and a vampire who is losing his sanity have any kind of a happy ending?

I have to confess that the Immortals After Dark series has been a bit hit and miss for me so far so although I've had this book on my to read pile for quite a while now I've been putting off reading it. I wasn't too keen on the idea of the main character being a ghost & didn't think I'd enjoy the story much. I'll come right out with it - I absolutely loved Dark Needs at Night's Edge, in my opinion it's the best book in the series so far and it's got me excited about continuing with the series again.

The romance between Conrad and Neomi is so sweet, especially as they are unable to touch each other for the majority of the book. Kresley Cole did an amazing job of building the sexual tension and oh boy was it worth the wait for these two to get together! I didn't think I'd be able to relate to an ex-ballerina who is now a ghost but I really liked Neomi and was impressed with her attitude and love of life. Conrad was a fab hero, he has been through so much that you can't help but wish for a happy ending for him. Their romance is completely different from any of the other books in the series but it worked for me and was by far my favourite.

It was also nice to see the main characters from previous books making an appearance, I always enjoy seeing how couples are getting along after they've had their own HEA. If you're a fan of the series already I'm sure you'll enjoy this instalment. If you haven't discovered the series before you could probably read Dark Needs at Night's Edge as a stand alone story but I would recommend reading the books in order so you get a full picture of the world Kresley Cole has created. This is definitely one I would recommend to fans of the paranormal romance genre.

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

US Cover

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: No Rest for the Wicked - Kresley Cole

UK Cover

A Vampire soldier weary of life...
Centuries ago, Sebastian Wroth was turned into a vampire - a nightmare in his mind - against his will. Burdened with hatred and alone for ages, he sees little reason to live. Until an exquisite, fey creature comes to kill him, inadvertently saving him instead.

A Valkyrie assassin dispatched to destroy him...
When Kaderin the Cold Hearted lost her two beloved sisters to a vampire attack long ago, a benevolent force deadened her sorrow - accidentally extinguishing all of her emotions. Yet whenever she encounters Sebastian, her feelings - particularly lust - emerge multiplied. For the first time, she's unable to complete a kill.

Competitors in a legendary hunt...
The course will take them through ancient tombs and catacombs, seeking relics around the world, and the prize for victory is powerful enough for Kaderin to change history and prevent her sisters' deaths. Sebastian competes as well, and begins winning - her. But when forced to choose between Sebastian and reuniting her family, how can Kaderin live without either?

Immortals After Dark Series:
The Warlord Wants Forever (Novella in the Playing Easy to Get anthology)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Published in the Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Shadow's Claim (The Dacians book 1)
MacRieve
Dark Skye

For more information visit Kresley Cole's website

Review:
Kaderin is a cold hearted Valkyrie who has made her life's work killing vampires ever since loosing her sisters a thousand years ago. Unable to cope with the sorrow of their deaths she prayed to be spared and ever since has felt no emotions - either good or bad. Sebastian was turned into a vampire against his will and has spent over 300 years wishing to die.  When Kaderin is sent to kill Sebastian it should be simple but for the first time ever she finds herself unable to kill a vampire. Sebastian almost immediately recognises Kaderin as his Bride (soul mate) and finds in her a reason to live again. Kaderin on the other hand is horrified to find herself attracted to a vampire - one of her sworn enemies and tries to run away from her feelings.

Taking part in the Hie - a quest for immortals that includes all kinds of difficult tasks - Sebastian wants to win to prove his worth to Kaderin. Kaderin is the champion though & doesn't want anyone's help, having won the last 5 competitions on her own, but this time the prize is something that she is desperate to win - a way to save her sisters - and it looks like she is going to need to work with Sebastian if she wants the prize.

Although I liked A Hunger Like No Other I found I enjoyed No Rest For The Wicked even more. I liked Sebastian immediately and found him a much more lovable hero than Lachlain. Kaderin I found harder to like but she did grow on me as I learnt more about her history and as she began to change with the return of her feelings. I thought the developing relationship between Sebastian & Kaderin was very well done and I loved the passion between them both. I liked the fact that even though Sebastian knew she was his Bride he wasn't immediately confessing undying love for Kaderin but felt they would grow to love each other in time.

I enjoyed the action in the sub plot of the Hie, it added an extra element to the story and made it different from any other paranormal romance book I've read before. As with the first book there is still a large cast of characters but I'm finding it much easier to keep track of who everyone is now now I'm more immersed in the world Kresley Cole has created. Overall I felt that No Rest For The Wicked was a great continuation of the series - one I enjoyed even more than the last book & I'm looking forward to seeing where the series goes from here. I can't wait to start the next book!

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

US Cover

Paperback / Kindle:

Review: A Hunger Like No Other - Kresley Cole

UK Cover

A mythic warrior who'll stop at nothing to possess her...
After enduring years of torture from the vampire horde, Lachlain MacRieve, leader of the Lykae Clan, is enraged to find the predestined mate he's waited millennia for is a vampire. Or partly one.  This Emmaline is small, ethereal half Valkyrie / half vampire, who somehow begins to soothe the fury burning within him.

A vampire captured by her wildest fantasy...
Sheltered Emmaline Troy finally sets out to uncover the truth about her deceased parents - until a powerful Lykae claims her as his mate and forces her back to his ancestral Scottish castle. There, her fear of the Lykae - and their notorious dark desires - ebbs as he begins a slow, wicked seduction to sate her own dark cravings.

An all-consuming desire...
Yet when an ancient evil from her past resurfaces, will their desire deepen into a love that can bring a proud warrior to his knees and turn a gentle beauty into the fighter she was born to be?

Immortals After Dark Series:
The Warlord Wants Forever (Novella in the Playing Easy to Get anthology)
A Hunger Like No Other
No Rest for the Wicked
Wicked Deeds on a Winter's Night
Dark Needs at Night's Edge
Dark Desires After Dusk
Kiss of a Demon King
Untouchable (Published in the Deep Kiss of Winter Anthology)
Pleasure of a Dark Prince
Demon from the Dark
Dreams of a Dark Warrior
Lothaire
Shadow's Claim (The Dacians book 1)
MacRieve
Dark Skye

For more information visit Kresley Cole's website

Review:
Lachlain suffered unbearable torture at the hands of the vampire horde for 150 years before finally escaping when he senses his true mate is near by. After everything he has been through and the pain he suffers trying to escape he is horrified to discover that his mate is a vampire. But he has been waiting for 1000 years to find his true mate and isn't prepared to let her slip away from him even if she is part of a race that he despises. Emmaline isn't just your average vampire, she is actually half Valkyrie and has been raised by her Valkyrie aunts since her mother's death when she was just a baby. She has lived a sheltered life, always feeling different because of her vampire heritage and has set out to find out more about her parents and try to discover who her father is. When she is taken hostage by Lachlain she is terrified of him but agrees to help him get to his home in Scotland because he promises that he will let her go home if she does. Little does she know that she is his mate and he has no plans to ever let her escape from him.

I'd heard a lot of great things about this series and was really looking forward to reading A Hunger Like No Other but at the beginning I really wasn't too sure if I'd be able to finish reading it. I understand that Lachlain has survived horrific torture but when he practically forces himself on Emmaline within minutes of meeting her it made me feel quite uncomfortable & I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to like him as the hero of the story. Emmaline (known as Emma the timid by her family) starts off as a very weak and mild character and again I wasn't sure that she was going to make very good heroine material.

However, I'm very pleased that I persevered with the story - both Lachlain and Emma grow a great deal throughout the story and I enjoyed watching their relationship progress as Lachlain grew to care for Emma and she finally found her backbone. We were teased quite a bit before they finally consummated their relationship but when they finally did it was worth the wait and the action between them was very steamy.

I did find myself getting a bit confused about the world Kresley Cole has created and the number of characters made it difficult to keep up with who was who to start with but I felt that I'd got to grips with it by the end of the book. There is a novella in the anthology Playing Easy To Get that comes before this book in the series so perhaps if I'd read that first I would have found it a little less confusing. I'm definitely planning on reading the anthology along with the rest of the series though. Although there were a few things that irritated me I did find myself really enjoying A Hunger Like No Other by the end and am looking forward to re-visiting this world again in future books. Overall this was a great start to the series and I'm curious to see where it will take me. I've not read anything with Valkyrie's in before and I found them an interesting addition to the genre. I'd definitely recommend paranormal romance fans give this book a try but if like me you aren't too sure at the beginning please keep reading - it is worth it in the end.

Source: Library

Other Reviews:
Chrissie's Corner
Tynga's Reviews
If you have reviewed this book on your blog please leave a link to your review in the comments & I'll add the link here.

US Cover

Paperback / Kindle: