Today, Place of Reads is proud to have Tiffany Allee, author of Banshee Charmer and Succubus Lost posting.
Guest Post:
Romance – A Must Have for this Reader
As a person who was a reader long before I became a writer,
I've found there are certain elements in books that I really enjoy. I love
mystery and suspense and (as you can probably tell from the books I write:
paranormal or fantasy elements). And others that I almost
feel have become requirements for me to fully immerse myself in a story. The
biggest element I feel like I must have is the romance.
Okay, the title of this blog post may be a little
misleading. I don't absolutely have to have a romantic element in the fiction I
read, but I do feel like something is missing if there is no romance. Even a
touch of a love story helps pull me into a tale where I wouldn't be drawn in
otherwise. And it's even better if this element is part of the story's
conflict.
Why?
I'm not entirely certain. Maybe because romance is an
element in fiction that I find instantly relatable. Or because it feels like it
pushes the stakes up even higher than a simple plot—even a life or death
one—can do alone.
I recently read a wonderful book called White Horse, by Alex
Adams. The plot was far from what most would consider romance, but one of the
underlying motivators for the heroine was love. This element helped me to
relate to the heroine in a way I might not have otherwise.
Are there any must have elements you require
when picking up a new book? Any elements that immediately push you away?
About the Author
Tiffany currently lives in Phoenix, AZ, by way of
Chicago and Denver, and is happily married to a secret romantic. She spends her
days working in Corporate America while daydreaming about sexy heroes,
ass-kicking heroines, and interesting ways to kill people (for her books, of
course). Her nights are reserved for writing and bothering her husband and cats
(according to them). Her passions include reading, chocolate, travel, wine, and
family.
Books:
Banshee Charmer
From the Files of the
Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, #1
Tiffany Allee
When she’s sent to a
crime scene and finds her second dead woman in as many weeks, half-banshee
detective Kiera “Mac” McLoughlin is convinced a serial killer is on the loose.
Incubi are extinct, her boss insists. But what else can kill a woman in the
throes of pleasure? When her partner is murdered after using witchcraft to
locate the killer and Mac is thrown off the case, her frustration turns to
desperation.
Certain the killer is an
incubus, Mac works behind her department’s back to chase down slim, sometimes
perilous leads. While the killer eludes her, she does discover handsome Aidan
Byrne, an investigative counterpart from the enigmatic Otherworlder Enforcement
Agency. Mac typically runs her investigations fast and hard, but with Aidan at
her side, she’s running this one “hot” as well. But Aidan knows more than he’s
letting on—something that could shatter their blazing romance and add Mac to
the killer’s growing body count…
Succubus
Lost
From the Files of the Otherworlder Enforcement
Agency, #2
Tiffany Allee
Someone is kidnapping
and incinerating otherworlders beyond recognition, and Detective Marisol
Whitman, a succubus, races to find the murderer before he claims another
victim. But her pursuit is derailed when her responsible younger sister
vanishes. Marisol suspects foul play and enlists support from an unlikely
source: an agent from the Otherworlder Enforcement Agency, Valerio Costa.
When the trail pointing
to everyone from vampires to witches dries up, Agent Costa admits to knowing
more than he’s shared. Marisol’s sister’s kidnapper harnesses more magic than
she can imagine—and they’re running out of time. To find her sister before her
powers are drained and twisted beyond recognition, Marisol must connect the
dots between cases and put her trust in Costa, a salamander who may burn her
before she can solve either case.
My Review:
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I loved this book. Deliciously hot and mysterious at the same time, you can't help but keep reading the book and praying that work would stop interfering!
I loved Marisol. I thought that I wouldn't like her as much as Mac (book #1) because of the whole "weight of the world" thing with her sister and her being a succubus, but she exceeded my expectations. I thought she was wonderfully balanced and a great character.
For me Costa = Yummy, though he might have been yummier if he had used a bit more Italian :P.
I really did not see the vililan coming. I thought it was going to be someone else, but it was a nice twist on who it ended up being, and it did keep the story interesting.
I personally felt that this story, and the subject matter of the book (beyond the love/hate steamy romance), was quite appropriate. I can't give too much away, but I though tMs. Allee did a great job of talking about the sex slave trade in a paranormal world so similar to our not-quite-normal world.
I believe this book could have stood alone, just because there are so few to no references to book #1. And those references are just towards character names.
Overall, I highly recommend this book and I'm looking forward to the next book in this series!
For my review on Banshee Charmer, click here.
PLUS, A GIVEAWAY!
Tour wide giveaway is a Salamander Pin and Succubus Lost ebook
the giveaway open to US Shipping
Happy Reading!
Cana
I will have to read this series!!! Your review made it sound so good. Thanks Cana!
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a yummy book :). We need to get together and talk Book Shop!
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