A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

Description:

On the evening of Sofia Claremont's seventeenth birthday, she is sucked into a nightmare from which she cannot wake.
A quiet evening walk along a beach brings her face to face with a dangerous pale creature that craves much more than her blood. 
She is kidnapped to an island where the sun is eternally forbidden to shine.
An island uncharted by any map and ruled by the most powerful vampire coven on the planet. She wakes here as a slave, a captive in chains. 
Sofia's life takes a thrilling and terrifying turn when she is the one selected out of hundreds of girls to join the harem of Derek Novak, the dark royal Prince. 
Despite his addiction to power and obsessive thirst for her blood, Sofia soon realizes that the safest place on the island is within his quarters, and she must do all within her power to win him over if she is to survive even one more night.
Will she succeed? ...or is she destined to the same fate that all other girls have met at the hands of the Novaks?

Review:

A Shade of Vampire by Bella Forrest

4.5 out of 5

So I put both covers up, because I couldn't decide which one I preferred.... 

Ok, so when I read the title, you know where my mind went?  Yep… 50 Shades of Gray.  BUT! Wait a moment!  It isn’t one of those!  Thankfully, I read the description and decided that I HAD TO READ IT!  And am I glad I did.   This book has a lot of elements that I loved, some elements that I liked, and only 1 thing that I really, truly despise. 

So, what do I love?

• I loved the characters!  Sophia and Derek were both likable characters, and you really want them to have their happily-ever-after, as both feel that they don’t deserve one.  They each also seem to balance each other out, and I love that when characters can do that.
• I loved how the story line was so unique.  It was really quite refreshing.
• The idea of the Blood Shade, an island of eternal night, is pretty cool.  Though, I think it would be harder to keep track of the days, weeks, and years that would keep passing, but hey, I don’t live there, so I think it is still pretty cool.

What I liked:

• I liked that this was an easy read.  I mean, only 79 pages, and it was done.  I also liked the flow of the novel.  It was easy to follow (minus the prologue, which almost seemed redundant), and was easy to get into.  Though, I do feel like a chapter or two were missing.  I felt like I missed something, but heck, overall, it is a great book!
• I liked that the book alternated between Sophia’s & Derek’s POVs.  Again, they balance each other out, and that is nice.  It is rare that I like alternating POVs, so it is nice when it is done well enough that it doesn't bother me. 

What I Despised: 

I HATE “To Be Continued” endings in ANY STORY!  Now, this one thing doesn’t color my view towards the novel, I mean, it is a great book.  BUT!  A “To Be Continued” ending makes me grit my teeth and feel a bit frustrated that I am now going to have to WAIT for the next installment!  Ugh!

Overall, this is a good novel.  I am really looking forward to reading more by Ms. Forrest, and I definitely recommend this book for a good read!

Happy Reading!

Cana

Waiting on Wednesday: Winterblaze by Kristen Callihan

Waiting On Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Description:

Once blissfully in love . . .

Poppy Lane is keeping secrets. Her powerful gift has earned her membership in the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals, but she must keep both her ability and her alliance with the Society from her husband, Winston. Yet when Winston is brutally attacked by a werewolf, Poppy's secrets are revealed, leaving Winston's trust in her as broken as his body. Now Poppy will do anything to win back his affections . . . 

Their relationship is now put to the ultimate test.

Winston Lane soon regains his physical strength but his face and heart still bear the scars of the vicious attack. Drawn into the darkest depths of London, Winston must fight an evil demon that wants to take away the last hope of reconciliation with his wife. As a former police inspector, Winston has intelligence and logic on his side. But it will take the strength of Poppy's love for him to defeat the forces that threaten to tear them apart.

Coming out on February 26, 2012


Why?

1. Well, I loved the first 2 books... Come on, we have a mystical and magical beings that keep coming around plus a mystery to boot!
2. I love Ms. Callihan's mix of historical London with the magical element.  She actually does a really good job of blending them together.
3. I love the cover, though it is a bit generic.  I think the other 2 books had cooler covers, but that is just me being a picky cover whore. 

So what are you waiting for?


Happy Reading!

Cana

Bewitching Book Tour Release Day Blitz: Shattered Circle by Linda Robertson

Shattered Circle

Persephone Alcmedi

Linda Robertson

JUST YOUR AVERAGE MEGA-WITCH. . . .

It’s tough being a modern woman, but Persephone Alcmedi has it worse than most. Being the prophesied Lustrata has kicked her career as a witch into high gear, and juggling a wærewolf boyfriend who is about to become king of his kind and a seductive vampire who bears her magical Mark isn’t easy either.

Still, Seph’s beloved foster daughter, Beverley, is causing more trouble than these two men put together. The young girl’s been playing with a magical artifact that’s far more dangerous than she realizes. Now Seph must summon help from a mystical being so potent that even vampires fear him . . . and the cost of his aid may be more than she’s willing to pay. Seph, Johnny, and Menessos face threats from all sides—and a few from within. Will the forces of destiny cement their tenuous supernatural union, or shatter it forever?

Simon and Schuster   Amazon  BN   BooksaMillion    IndieBound

Excerpt: 

Liyliy, a vampire-harpy, had tried to kill me a few hours ago, and the struggle left me exhausted and sore. That was the reason I was still abed at nearly two in the afternoon. When my satellite phone blared the opening riffs of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Bark at the Moon,” it startled me, instantly reminding me about all the sore muscles I had.

Mid-reach, I stopped. That was Johnny’s ringtone.

He had tried to kill me, too.

My hand shook as my finger jabbed the Answer button.

“Hello?”

“Red . . . I’m so sorry.” Johnny’s voice was barely audible.

I sat up and deliberated whether to play deaf and repeat my “hello” as if I hadn’t heard him. I considered being a jerk and hanging up. I even contemplated ripping him a new one.

Instead, I remained silent.

Two days before, minutes after I’d performed the forced-change spell on him and his loyal pack mates, Johnny had attacked me. He’d always retained his manmind while transformed, but that last time he didn’t—he’d been pure animal. The only reason I was still among the living was because I’d pumped ley line energy into him like a human Taser.

“Red?”

He’d frightened me to my core. The unshakeable faith I’d had in him had been shattered by an emotional earthquake. Damage was done. My fear felt like betrayal.

But . . .

Could going through the forced-change spell repeatedly have an undesired effect?

No. I was sure the whole terrible incident could be pinned on the fact that my mother, Eris, had revoked the tattooed bindings she’d placed upon Johnny eight years ago. He suddenly had access to all the power and potential she’d locked away from him. That was surely a disorienting, difficult situation.

I’d helped him dig up the clues, helped him achieve that goal. Hell, I’d even been a part of the reversal spell. So some responsibility for the consequences was mine to bear.

“Persephone?”

He rarely used my full given name; he usually called me Red, as in Little Red Riding Hood to his Big Bad Wolf. Or Seph like nearly everyone else. I had to respond.

“I’m here.”

“Then say something.”

Pushing back the covers, I stood and began to pace. “I don’t know what to say.”

He paused. “Can you forgive me?”

I wasn’t sure.

Part of me said I couldn’t allow his attack to be a personal issue because of the fateful trio that Johnny, Menessos, and I forged by binding ourselves magically. The other part argued that no matter the circumstances, attempted murder was very damn personal.

It all happened because Johnny had surrendered to his destiny. His unique ability to transform at will made him the Domn Lup—king of the wærewolves. It was a position with power, prestige, and perks such as a Maserati Quattroporte. Johnny knew his royal place was unavoidable, but he’d fought it and hid from it a long time. He’d finally pushed forward because it was beneficial to our triple union, but kinghood was costing him his dream of being a rock star.

It had been my fear that he’d lose who he was in the course of this alliance of ours. More than ever, it seemed this fear was being borne out.

On the other corner of our triangle was Menessos. He now bore two witches marks—mine, of course. That made him my servant. When Heldridge, his former right-hand man, learned of my authority over Menessos, he tattled to the highest vampire authority, the Excelsior. To protect us against the personal grudge of the truthseeing vampire-harpies sent by VEIN to make formal inquiry, Menessos had allied himself at great personal expense with someone dangerous—a “nameless” guy I had aptly dubbed Creepy.

The secrets he’d wanted to hide from VEIN—secrets even I didn’t know—were apparently safe, but our little who-marked-whom secret was out. Menessos lost his haven and his status as Northeastern Quarterlord. Johnny had accepted great power and lost a lifelong dream. Menessos had lost great power and accepted serious personal risk. It didn’t seem fair.

And what about me?

In the last several weeks I’d learned that I was the longprophesied Lustrata, the Witches’ Messiah, She Who Walks Between Worlds, She Who Will Bring Balance, blah blah blah. As this news spread throughout the nonhuman communities, some scoffed and some believed. I was fine with the scoffers; it was the believers who were dangerous. They wanted to know if I truly possessed the power that accompanied those titles. Yeah, I was a magnet for nasties who either a) wanted me dead to be sure I didn’t have that power, or b) wanted to try to force me to wield power for their gain.

I guess I’d accepted the endless complications of my status and was well on my way to losing all scraps of naïveté.

At that thought, I stopped pacing. As I stared into the nothingness of a darkened corner, it felt like my innocence had slipped from my grasp and I was watching it skitter across the floor, waiting for it to come to a stop so I could reclaim it.

I wasn’t sure it was worth the effort to look for it. Or perhaps it would be impossible to find if I made the effort. Maybe it had rolled into some crack, never to be seen again.

I heard Johnny breathing through the phone.

It wasn’t Johnny who had rescued me last night.

When I defeated Liyliy, Menessos had been there to bring me to the haven. Sure, Menessos had a hand in creating the monster she now was. And it was he who had imprisoned her, creating her need for revenge. But it was me and my marks upon him that had brought her to Cleveland. When she pursued me from the haven—according to the Offerling I’d spoken to—Menessos had sent everyone out to search for me.

Had Johnny even known I was missing?

It was shitty of me to compare the two men in my life, but I couldn’t help myself. Though Menessos had drunk my blood numerous times, he hadn’t tried to kill me.

Yes he did! He nearly killed you not long after you first met.

We were strangers then, I argued with myself. Now, we know each other well.

Better, perhaps, than you should. . . .

Defiantly, I ignored my conscience’s scolding. I will not regret what I did last night. During the predawn hours, reeling from my encounter, I’d kissed Menessos.

Fine, but clearly you were able to forgive him.

That was true. Considering this, I felt hope. I sighed heavily into the phone. My whispered answer was, “In time.”

“There’s so much I need to tell you.” Johnny’s voice was raw, and the rev of an engine punctuated his words. I wondered where he was going. And I wondered if I should tell him about kissing the vampire.

It hadn’t been a peck.

When our lips had touched, I felt the promise and power of a more intimate union. He’d definitely felt it. It wasn’t only the power of the marks between us that had been kindled.

“I don’t know where to begin,” Johnny said.

His voice drew me out from my memory of a passionate moment with another man. Guilt swelled around my heart . . . but not remorse. What am I going to do?

About the Author

Linda Robertson is the mother of four wonderful boys, owns three electric guitars, and is followed around by a big dog named after Bela Lugosi. Once upon a time she was a lead guitarist in a heavy metal cover band and has worked as a graphic artist. She still composes and creates art, when time permits. Linda currently writes and rocks in northeast Ohio. Visit her at AuthorLindaRobertson.com and @authorLinda.

http://www.authorlindarobertson.com/

http://www.facebook.com/authorlindarobertson

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Happy Reading!

Cana

Audio Book: Silver-Tongued Devil by Jaye Wells

Description:

Now that the threat of war has passed, Sabina Kane is ready to focus on the future. Her relationship with Adam Lazarus is getting stronger and she's helping her sister, Maisie, overcome the trauma of her captivity in New Orleans. Even Giguhl is managing to stay out of trouble thanks to the arrival of Pussy Willow and his new roller derby team. But as much as Sabina wants to feel hopeful about the future, part of her doesn't trust that peace is possible.

Her suspicions are confirmed when a string of sadistic murders threaten to stall treaty negotiations between the mages and the vampires. Sabina pitches in to find the killer, but her investigation soon leads her down dark paths that have her questioning everyone she thought she could trust. And the closer she gets to the killer, the more Sabina begins to suspect this is one foe she may not be able to kill.

Review:

Silver-Tongued Devil by Jaye Wells

5 out of 5

Welcome to the saddest book in the whole series (maybe the saddest book I’ve read all year).  So many deaths, fights, betrayals, heartbreaks, secrets, lies, and all of it being laid in the open to the point where you wonder what will be revealed next, and how people will react to it. 

Poor, poor Sabina.  So much has happened to her in this series.  She has lost friends, watched her sister be traumatized, and in some ways, she has lost who she actually is.  She is trying to discover who she is: Mage or vampire; lover or fighter; the Chosen One or the Cursed One.  The emotional struggles that she is going through are almost more the point of this book, more focused on than trying to succeed at getting a peace treaty signed.

Giguhl gets to show off his wiser and more emotional side.  He encourages and gives great advice to Sabina.  He also gives some wise wisdom to Pussy Willows (who you want to give shaken baby syndrome because you are wishing someone would knock some sense into her!).  I think I like this side of him… It is deep.

We finally truly get to meet Cain in this book.  In the previous books we get some hint, a faint ghost of the Father of the Vampires.  But when it comes down to it, we have no real understanding on how evil and twisted he is.  In this book, we definitely find it out. 

It was pretty cool to learn more about the mage and the vampire mythology and how the mage and vampire mythology corresponds with other societies’ mythology and the better known Biblical stories.  Definitely pretty cool.

I truly did not see who the murderer was until it was too late.  I mean, I swore it was someone else, NOT who it was. 

I thought it was appropriate that there was some mysteries left that will (hopefully) be answered in the last book.  Who is Able?  What did Cain do to Sabina’s mother and father?   And there are quite a few more questions. 

Overall, this is a good book, though it is definitely depressing.  I look forward to reading the last book in hopes of some happy resolutions. 

Definitely recommend. 

Happy Reading!

Cana

Audio Book: A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

Description:

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 a 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?

Review:

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

4 out of 5

What a HOT Book!  So glad I read it in December instead of the heat of summer. I might have bursted into flames! 

While I was reading/listening to this book, I will admit I went back and forth.  At first I was like, “Oh my goodness, he won’t do that!”  Then I was like, “Oh no!  He will!  Don’t do it!”  and then I was like, “Damn it!  Just do it already!” 

Emma is a wonderfully unlikely hero.  Actually, I think she is the character who grows the most.  At first she is a weak, scares easily and was really a pathetic creature.  But in the end, she becomes a strong, brave and vibrant Valkyrie/Vampire.  I loved that about her!

Lachlain is one yummy lakae.  Yes, he has been tortured for 150 years… yes, he is slightly crazy because of it… But whenever he growled “Mine”, I melted for Emma!  Hmmm, that is how I want my man to do it.  J

I loved the mythology of this book.  You have Scottish, Norse, Greek, and a few more, and all of it blended almost seamlessly.  I thought it was refreshing to see Ms. Coles takes on vamps, Valkyries and vampires. 

The one thing I have to say though is this book is aggressive.  I’m not sure how much more to say about that. Lachlain is aggressive, and after his torture, everything he does seems to be the “I’m going to do this before I die” kind of mentality.  Sometimes the scenes are a bit overly aggressive to the point that you might wince or wonder what kind of book you are reading.  But press on, there is light at the end of the tunnel and the aggressiveness of the book does get toned down by the end.

So, moving on… This book has a lot of highs, lows, and definitely some sexy moments.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  Highly recommend.   

Happy Reading!

Cana

Vampyre Kisses by Elizabeth Kolodziej

Description:

Vampyre Kisses is an enthralling story about a young woman named Faith, who seems content with her life, but deep down craves more excitement. Then a mysterious man named Trent enters her world and everything changes. Surprising to Faith, Trent is a green-eyed vampire from Ireland. She is even more amazed to find out that she is a witch, and the last of her kind. 

Faith learns that she is destined to restore her witch line and becomes more powerful as she gains confidence and knowledge, but danger lurks everywhere -- especially when unknown assailants steal the most important gems from the vampire master and werewolf royalty. 

Now surrounded by a world filled with mystifying vampires and werewolves, can Faith gain enough power to help her friends and rescue the stolen gems? 

Review:

Vampyre Kisses by Elizabeth Kolodziej

2 out of 5

Extremely repetitive, especially with each character (i. e. Trent and Faith) repeating the same events EXACTLY the same from their perspective…. It was almost like re-reading a chapter. I did not like that.

Not only was the storyline extremely repetitive, but it also felt forced. 

Honestly, I was extremely disappointed in this book, and hate that I wasted money on it.  :/

I did not finish this book, and I do not recommend it.  

Happy Reading!

Cana

Audio Book: Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells

Description:

Things to do:

1. Rescue sister.
2. Murder grandmother.
3. Don't upset the voodoo priestess.

The clock is ticking for Sabina Kane. Her sister has been kidnapped by her grandmother, the Dark Races are on the brink of war, and a mysterious order is manipulating everyone behind the scenes.

Working on information provided by an unlikely ally, Sabina and her trusty sidekicks--a sexy mage named Adam Lazarus and Giguhl, a Mischief demon--head to New Orleans to begin the hunt for her sister. Once there, they must contend with belligerent werewolves, magic-wielding vampires and--perhaps most frightening of all--humans.

But as much as Sabina is focused on surviving the present, the past won't be ignored. Before she can save those she cares about most, she must save herself from the ghosts of her past.

Review:

Green-Eyed Demon by Jaye Wells

5 out of 5

This book is a hairbending, heartwrenching, keep you gasping book. This book will honestly keep you guessing until the very end… You meet more werewolves, vampires, and mages.  But you also get the joy of meeting cross-dressers, voodoo queens, zombies, and secret society members. 

Best part of this book:  After 2 books and 26 chapters of book 3 of enuendos, hints, and foreplay, Adam and Sabina FINALLY made a decision about each other!  ABOUT. FREAKING. TIME!  Now if only Sabina hadn’t ruined it in chapter 27… Sigh.

Sabina is dealing with a lot in this book.  She has been trying to learn how to be a mage.  She is trying to suppress her vampire side.  She is trying to find her sister. She is trying to kill her maternal grandmother.  She has an extremely long to-do list.  And all the while, she is feeling guilt for what has happened to Maisey, and she is dealing with a whole lot of confusion and anger about what is going to happen. 

Pussy Willows!  Loved her!  I hate what happened to Brooks (made me uber sad), and how Pussy Willows became a permanent character in the book, but I do love her.  So out of a horrible event came Pussy Willows!

I truly despise Queen Maeve… Frosty Fairy bitch queen could use a good beating.  Kind of kept hoping that Sabina would at least give it a try.

Giguhl was awesome!  He gave amazing advice, and was a hoot to read about.  I honestly kept wanting to see what would happen next with him!  I also loved learning that demons will screw ANYTHING… Kind of like Captain Jack Harkness (yes, sweeties, that was a Doctor Who reference!).

Personally, I think Adam becomes even yummier in this book.  He is understanding, sexy, and with a quick and wicked tongue, any woman who doesn’t love him is without a pulse. 

Poor Maisey. The horrible things that she endured and the trauma and guilt that she will have to carry for years to come.  You want her to heal, to be able to move on…

There was so much going on with this book, it is hard to sum it all up and tell you my favorite part.  I think that learning about the voodoo practices along with the mage practices and vampire traditions was pretty intereting. 

Overall, this a good book, though it has its dark moments.  I definitely recommend this book!

Happy Reading!

Cana

Waiting on Wednesday: How Beauty Saved the Beast by Jax Garren

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's pre-publication "can't-wait-to-read" selection is: 

Description:

Jolie Benoit left her old life behind to become an agent of the Underlight. Training under Sergeant Wesley Haukon, she’s honing her combat skills, all the while coping with the intense sexual attraction she feels for Hauk. She keeps their friendship casual, but when his high school sweetheart transfers into their division, Jolie finds herself grappling with jealousy.

The Underlight gave Hauk a purpose, but he can’t escape his past completely. The physical and emotional scars from the fire that killed seven fellow Army Rangers will mark him forever. Jolie sends his protective instincts into overdrive, but he’s convinced he’ll never be worthy of her love.

Hauk is determined to keep Jolie from harm. But when the Order of Ananke ambushes them with a new weapon that neutralizes Hauk, making him vulnerable, it’s Jolie who must tap into her hidden strengths to rescue him—or risk losing him forever…

Coming out on February 11, 2013


Why?

1. I LOVE the story of Beauty and the Beast anyways, but this is a whole new realm of coolness to the story.
2. This is not a happy-go-lucky children's story.  I'm pretty sure it will have its high sexual tension moments just like the first book (and I'm definitely looking forward to that).
3. I definitely like this cover better than the first one.  

So what are you waiting for?


Happy Reading!

Cana

Audio Book Review: A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

Description:

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 a 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?

Review:

A Hunger Like No Other by Kresley Cole

4 out of 5

What a HOT Book!  So glad I read it in December instead of the heat of summer. I might have bursted into flames! 

While I was reading/listening to this book, I will admit I went back and forth.  At first I was like, “Oh my goodness, he won’t do that!”  Then I was like, “Oh no!  He will!  Don’t do it!”  and then I was like, “Damn it!  Just do it already!” 

Emma is a wonderfully unlikely hero.  Actually, I think she is the character who grows the most.  At first she is a weak, scares easily and was really a pathetic creature.  But in the end, she becomes a strong, brave and vibrant Valkyrie/Vampire.  I loved that about her!

Lachlain is one yummy lakae.  Yes, he has been tortured for 150 years… yes, he is slightly crazy because of it… But whenever he growled “Mine”, I melted for Emma!  Hmmm, that is how I want my man to do it.  J

I loved the mythology of this book.  You have Scottish, Norse, Greek, and a few more, and all of it blended almost seamlessly.  I thought it was refreshing to see Ms. Coles takes on vamps, Valkyries and vampires. 

The one thing I have to say though is this book is aggressive.  I’m not sure how much more to say about that. Lachlain is aggressive, and after his torture, everything he does seems to be the “I’m going to do this before I die” kind of mentality.  Sometimes the scenes are a bit overly aggressive to the point that you might wince or wonder what kind of book you are reading.  But press on, there is light at the end of the tunnel and the aggressiveness of the book does get toned down by the end.

So, moving on… This book has a lot of highs, lows, and definitely some sexy moments.  I thoroughly enjoyed this book.  Highly recommend.   

Happy Reading!

Cana

Out of the Dark by Quinn Loftis

Description:

Darkness has descended on the Transylvanian Alps.
Four packs of the powerful Grey wolves – in a rare show of cooperation – had joined together here in an effort to help their pack members find true mates. Then they were betrayed by one of their own – an Alpha hell-bent on becoming the most powerful of the Canis lupis. And though the wolf's assassination attempt on the currently-reigning Romanian Alpha failed, his plans to get Decebel, the Romanian Beta, out of the picture were coming together even as his treachery was discovered. The wolf fled, leaving destruction, death, and a missing mate behind him.

Unbeknownst to the other packs, the wolf has employed a witch to finish the deadly job and help him gain another tool to increase his power. A curse of devastating proportions will cripple Decebel in a way that may dissolve his fragile bond with Jennifer. Meanwhile, injured and alone, Jen has been fighting for her life. She had come to terms with her fate, accepting that she would not share a life with Decebel, until help came in the most unexpected form...

Vasile will have to use all his resources – including Sally, the new gypsy healer of the Romanian pack – to discover a way in which to destroy the witch, lift the curse from Decebel and reunite him with the one woman who makes him whole, and solve a mystery that's been surrounding the Romanian pack for 300 years.

Review:

Out Of The Dark

by Quinn Loftis

5 out of 5

Darkness has descended on the Transylvanian Alps.
Four packs of the powerful Grey wolves – in a rare show of cooperation – had joined together here in an effort to help their pack members find true mates. Then they were betrayed by one of their own – an Alpha hell-bent on becoming the most powerful of the Canis lupis. And though the wolf's assassination attempt on the currently-reigning Romanian Alpha failed, his plans to get Decebel, the Romanian Beta, out of the picture were coming together even as his treachery was discovered. The wolf fled, leaving destruction, death, and a missing mate behind him.

Unbeknownst to the other packs, the wolf has employed a witch to finish the deadly job and help him gain another tool to increase his power. A curse of devastating proportions will cripple Decebel in a way that may dissolve his fragile bond with Jennifer. Meanwhile, injured and alone, Jen has been fighting for her life. She had come to terms with her fate, accepting that she would not share a life with Decebel, until help came in the most unexpected form...

Vasile will have to use all his resources – including Sally, the new gypsy healer of the Romanian pack – to discover a way in which to destroy the witch, lift the curse from Decebel and reunite him with the one woman who makes him whole, and solve a mystery that's been surrounding the Romanian pack for 300 years.

        This is a great continuation of the Grey Wolves series.  The book continues the journey of Jen and Decebel.  It picks up right where the last book left off and gives you a wonderful adventure.  In this book we deal with curses, a witch, over possessive wolves, and a battle between good and evil.  Our three friends have their hearts tested when Jen is on the verge of death and then dies.  They use each other for support and the support of their mates to get through this rollercoaster.

        Jacque and Fane must work together to find out more information on the witch and help Jen and Decebel as much as possible.  They continue to be the young lovers we have come to know.  As characters they are definitely ones that are falling into the background.  They do not have the explosive relations hip of Jen and Decebel, and they do not have the fire that Sally starts showing.  These two are becoming a bit boring.  I found myself rushing to through there scenes to see what was happening to the others.  I was happy to see that she could turn into a wolf.

        Sally has tapped into her inner Jen during this book.  She is outspoken at times and will do anything possible to get Jen back.  Her strength as a gypsy healer is growing as well.  Costin has started being overprotective of her.  I see them getting together in the next book.  It is nice to see their interaction together.  Costin is a good balance for Sally’s quiet nature.  I really liked how Sally steps up in this book to find Jen and battle Desdemona.  She is the quiet girl everyone has to watch out for.

        Jen and Decebel are definitely the ones to read about in this book.  They are on the craziest rollercoaster of their lives.  They are separated.  Then Decebel is cursed and cannot remember Jen.  Then their bond is broken.  Then Jen gives up and starts dying.  Once Decebel gets his memory back they do the bonding ceremony, but Jen dies before it is over.  Then Jen comes back to life after Peri, the fairy, stops the Fates.  It is amazing how these two survived it all.  You can really see how strong their bond is.  I find that their bond seems stronger than anyone else’s.  While Fane definitely has the puppy mentality, Decebel is way more mature and brings out Jen’s maturity as well.  Jen and Decebel definitely over shadow all of the other characters.  I am eager to hear more of their life together.

        The rest of the characters are trying to do everything they can to help get Jen and Decebel back together and get ready for a battle with Desdemona.  A few Fae help out to even the playing field with Desdemona because the wolves are not strong enough to battle her magic.   My favorite part is the battle near the end of the book.  It is wonderful to see the female wolves work together to take down the animals that Desdemona sends to fight the wolves.  They really show that the males are not the only ones that can fight.  I am anxious to see what happens in the next book.  I really hope we get more Jen and Decebel.  I hope Sally and Costin get together too.  I am interested to see what happens to Desdemona as well.

Happy Reading,

Kimberly