Demons by K.F. Breene (Darkness #4)

Demons by K.F. Breene

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: The plot dragged out a bit too much with no real resolution. This was a tough one for me to get in to.

Darkness Series
1.  Into the Darkness
2.  Braving the Elements
3.  On a Razor's Edge
4.  Demons
5. The Council (Oct 30, 2014)

Synopsis (Goodreads):

It’s been a long road, but Sasha has finally claimed her role as the least knowledge mage in history. She’s also acquired a new, incredibly grumpy bodyguard, and a spunky new BFF. With her team by her side, she learns the ropes of this new profession. 

Her experience level is about to be fast-tracked, however. 

On a routine trip to check out a perimeter breach, she encounters a hideous demon called by an experienced magic worker. It is this terrifying discovery that unlocks a deeper problem: Stefan’s troubled past and the reason he gravely mistrusts the Mata. 

While Sasha struggles to fight the physical demons, Stefan struggles to fight the demons of his past. If he fails, his future in Sasha will be lost.

My Thoughts:

After being very pleasantly surprised by the first few books in this series, I was shocked how tough it was for me to get through this novella. I honestly don't know what happened, but I had to push myself to stay interested in this story. The plot begins with a demon summoned by some mysterious, powerful mage. The demon, conveniently, provides a mystery for Sasha to solve with her awesome black magic powers as well as a way for her to prove her abilities to lead her people. Additionally, this demon brings up Stefan's inner demons (ooo double meaning), and we get to see Sasha help our sensitive stud through some tough times. I know, I sound bitter. Honestly, I usually eat this kind of sensitive-tough-guy stuff up, but it was just too forced in this story.  In my opinion, even the sex was forced...there was hardly even a purpose for it. And when I'm clamoring for a purpose for some naughty scenes in a romance, you know there's a problem.

Now I still enjoyed the magic aspects of this story, and the final battle was exciting enough, but the one thing that still eats at me is that there was no POINT to the demon. Even after we discover who summoned the demon (and believe me, it was no real shocker), it seemed like it was just summoned because the mage wanted to see if it could be done. Congrats! You can summon a demon. Story over.

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | K.F. Breene

On a Razor's Edge by K.F. Breene (Darkness #3)

On a Razor's Edge by K.F. Breene

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: Quite an exciting story, but fairly reminiscent of the plot from the second book.

Darkness Series
1.  Into the Darkness
2.  Braving the Elements
3.  On a Razor's Edge
4.  Demons
5. The Council (Oct 30, 2014)

Synopsis (Goodreads):

If Sasha thought life would slow down after being captured, she was dead wrong. 

Having an extremely high level of magic, but not knowing how to use it, has become more than a little problematic. Struggling to get her power under control has everyone on their toes, waiting for something to blow up. And then there is the issue of loving Stefan, but not being able to mate him because she hadn't a clue how to lead, which is necessary if she wants to rule by his side.

No, things have not gotten any easier.

With the incoming visit of the Regional and his white mage, the pressure turns way up for both Sasha and Stefan. So many issues are riding on the balance, and one word from the authoritative pair could have Sasha back in her old life, still in danger, and without the resources to carry on.

Sasha has to learn to battle while walking on a razor's edge.

My Thoughts:

This was an enjoyable addition to the Darkness Series. I think the plots are getting more developed as we get further into this series, and I enjoy how Breene is devoting less time to vampire orgies and more time to awesome magic powers. Weird, I know. As the Regional and his mage come to visit Stefan and check in on the oddity that is Sasha, the plot develops into a sort of magic training montage. And it was enjoyable. We get to see what Sasha is capable of, though half of the time she proves only that she has a ton of power and no clue how to use it. But hey, it was entertaining.

The relationship between Stefan and Sasha was put to the test a bit here, as Stefan is required to mate with someone who can stand by his side in a position of leadership. Their interactions were still very romantic, and pretty steamy, but I think the romance aspects of this book were secondary to the action.

While I did enjoy the third book in this series, I did find myself noting many similarities between this plot and that of the second book. It seemed to follow the same formula of Sasha struggling with magic lessons, Sasha getting into trouble, Sasha throwing herself into epic battles...Stefan being his sexy, overprotective self...it was all very familiar, but still quite exciting.

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | K.F. Breene

Braving the Elements by K.F. Breene (Darkness #2)

Braving the Elements by K.F. Breene

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: If the dirtiness of the first novella scared you off, consider giving this series a second chance. You really can't go wrong with a magical sword-wielding alpha male. 

Darkness Series
1.  Into the Darkness
2.  Braving the Elements
3.  On a Razor's Edge
4.  Demons

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Sasha has always known she was different, but now she also knows that the shadow men she’s seen all her life, are real. 
With a life goal of fitting in, Sasha hopes her strange abilities will finally make true friendship a possibility. Unfortunately, her magic doesn’t function like everyone else’s. What she thought would make her belong, sets her apart now more than ever.

Stefan, all but promised to a different woman, has tried to keep his mind on his duties instead of the irresistible and free-spirited human. But when she is threatened, he can’t keep his distance anymore. He realizes he’ll stop at nothing to keep her safe, and more importantly, make her his. 

Just when one thing clicks into place, another spirals out of control. Stefan’s clan isn’t the only group that would benefit from an extremely rare type of magic. And their enemies will stop at nothing to get what they want.

My Thoughts:

This was a marvelous continuation of the Darkness Series. Sasha and a very unhappy Charles start attending classes to hone Sasha's magical skills. All the while, Sasha and Stefan struggle with the connection that is constantly pulling them together. Sasha has to deal with a bunch of super-humans who view her as nothing more than a pet with a few magical tricks. Stefan has to balance his attraction to Sasha with his duty to the clan, all while protecting his people from the imminent battles with the Eastern Territories.

If you read the first book and were bothered by the "distasteful sexual situations," the non-consensual sex is absent in this story. Now the crude language and sex warnings still stand, though it was toned down a bit. While mature subject matter is sprinkled throughout the book, I promise you the actual plot dominates...this story is not all sex.

Practically all of my issues with the first novella in this series were resolved in this story. I actually learned to like Sasha. I thought she was weak and purposefully played dumb in the first book, but after learning a bit more about her, I feel a little bad for my hasty judgement. I'll admit, she isn't the strongest heroine I've ever read, but it's not a crime for the heroine to get a little down when life gets rough. At least she has some badass skills she finally gets to show off in battle.

Stefan is definitely one of my favorite heroes. I mean he's just really perfect...can I have one please? Why don't I ever find hot men with magical swordsmanship skills and a killer protective instinct? I feel like that's not too much to ask... All right, so he's the typical alpha male tamed only by the heroine, but I still love it. Their attraction to each other was very steamy, and turns out Stefan is quite the romantic under all that muscle. I was happy that Charles ended up being the comic relief in this story instead of just a despicable sex-addict. My biggest disappointment is that these are so short!

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | K.F. Breene

Into the Darkness by K.F. Breene (Darkness #1)

Into the Darkness by K.F. Breene

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: If you are up for A LOT of naughtiness and crude language, this story actually has a very interesting plot.

Darkness Series
1.  Into the Darkness
2.  Braving the Elements
3.  On a Razor's Edge
4.  Demons

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Sasha has grown up with one surety: she’s not normal. 

She sees things in the darkness that no one else can see. Mysterious men cloaked in shadow, moving through the night. The problem is, pointing out invisible people is a fast track to a padded cell. Orphaned at age five, Sasha quickly learns an important survival tip: keep her mouth shut and stay out of the spotlight.

Until one night, everything changes. She and her boyfriend, Jared, find themselves stranded on the wrong side of town. Suddenly, the men she was convinced were hallucinations, are very real. And very dangerous.

As a new world opens up around her, she meets him. The Boss. An alpha leader who entrances her mind and tugs on her body. Primal and sexual, his people have a different set of rules. And they don’t always play nice.

As danger rises up around her, her differences may be the only thing that saves her life. She must embrace what she’s tried so hard to hide, while resisting the person her body craves most. Sasha has finally found her shadow men, and they will change her life forever.

My Thoughts:

There were a lot of warnings for this novella about the tastelessness of some of the sexual situations (i.e. non-consensual), but I'm going to be honest with you--I really didn't think it was that bad. I suppose from someone who reads paranormal romances, it's not that uncommon to see magical beings luring humans into sexual situations that they would not otherwise be ok with. Maybe my moral fiber is fraying...but I would say not to let that warning stop you from enjoying this book if you are ok with books pushing the boundaries a teensy bit. Now the "adult situations" warning you can heed. The language in this book is crude and the sex is abundant and a little graphic (ok, VERY graphic). So prepare yourself to either embrace the naughtiness or put up with it and just enjoy the plot.

That being said, I am glad I finally read this novella. It was free on Amazon (and still is I believe), so I just bought it and let it chill on my kindle for a few months. This story introduces Sasha, a seemingly normal human girl who has always had this odd feeling that something is a little different about her. After a run in with a group of not-quite-human men, Sasha and her boyfriend, Jason, are thrown into the world of the "shadow men."

I'll be honest. I'm not a huge fan of Sasha's. She is a little immature and she seems to revel in the fact that she isn't smart, which is a bit of a heroine pet-peeve of mine. But I am a huge fan of the power Sasha discovers she has. The "shadow men" are characterized as a sort of vampiric race, but I'm not convinced that I see them as vampires. I always thought vampires should be undead...I guess they enjoy the sharing of blood, lots of sex, and they're all ridiculously hot, so maybe that's close enough? But the important part is that they have some very neat skills, and they are currently dealing with a vampire turf war.

Overall, this novella was funny, raunchy, and had a surprisingly exciting plot. As I always do, I failed to notice that this was a series of novellas, so I was very disappointed when the story just stopped 200 pages in. So be prepared to pick up the next book in the series right away!  

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | K.F. Breene

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper (Jane Jameson #1)

Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs by Molly Harper

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: A very humorous novel about an average girl's introduction into her new life as a vampire.

Jane Jameson Series
1.   Nice Girls Don't Have Fangs
2.   Nice Girls Don't Date Dead Men
3.   Nice Girls Don't Live Forever
3.5 Nice Girls Don't Sign a Lease Without a Wedding Ring
4.   Nice Girls Don't Bite Their Neighbors
4.5 Special Valentine's Day Half-Moon Hollow Story

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Maybe it was the Shenanigans gift certificate that put her over the edge. When children's librarian and self-professed nice girl Jane Jameson is fired by her beastly boss and handed twenty-five dollars in potato skins instead of a severance check, she goes on a bender that's sure to become Half Moon Hollow legend. On her way home, she's mistaken for a deer, shot, and left for dead. And thanks to the mysterious stranger she met while chugging neon-colored cocktails, she wakes up with a decidedly unladylike thirst for blood.

Jane is now the latest recipient of a gift basket from the Newly Undead Welcoming Committee, and her life-after-lifestyle is taking some getting used to. Her recently deceased favorite aunt is now her ghostly roommate. She has to fake breathing and endure daytime hours to avoid coming out of the coffin to her family. She's forced to forgo her favorite down-home Southern cooking for bags of O negative. Her relationship with her sexy, mercurial vampire sire keeps running hot and cold. And if all that wasn't enough, it looks like someone in Half Moon Hollow is trying to frame her for a series of vampire murders. What's a nice undead girl to do?

My Thoughts:

I wouldn't categorize myself as a vampire novel fan; I've always thought that they all had very similar plots (perhaps I just haven't read enough of them...but hey, just an opinion). This book certainly didn't have the most original plot either, but damn was it funny. This was like a vampire comedy. Sure, there was murder and blood sucking and sexy vampire men, but I was laughing the entire time.

Jane is a book nerd turned vampire. Her family is obnoxious, her relationships are....less than inspiring, and she has a wicked sense of humor. I really connected with Jane; the inner dialogue and her sense of humor were right up my alley. This story is definitely written in a bit of a sarcastic, rambling style. She is not the shining southern belle her parents want, or the sexy and confident woman men like, but she is upbeat and fun and made this book so enjoyable.

Now, while I am content as long as a book is making me laugh, I will admit that this book's actual plot was a bit slow to develop.  The majority of the story consisted of Jane learning how to be a vampire, and the action didn't pick up until the last few chapters. If you are an avid reader of vampire novels, you may find this one lacking in excitement.

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | Molly Harper

Through Time-Frankie by Claudy Conn (Through Time #4)

Through Time-Frankie by Claudy Conn

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: The best in the series so far, but the plot was pretty similar to the previous stories.

Through Time Series

1.  Through Time-Pursuit
2.  Through Time-Whiplash
3.  Through Time-Slamming
4.  Through Time-Frankie
5.  Through Time-Compulsion

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Meet Frankie of Sluagh now all grown up and ready to take on the world.

It is just about what she had to do when she realizes she is in love with the Dark Prince, Graely and that her Seelie family will never accept him.

Added to this is the fact, is the one that his brother, the Dark Prince Pestale, 
has once again unleashed a war of terror in the Human Realm.

Traitors are all around, and Frankie has her hands full.

My Thoughts:

I think this was my favorite book in the series so far. I always love a great "forbidden love" story, and the daughter of one of the highest Seelie Fae falling in love with a Dark Prince certainly fits the bill. Frankie is a great character. She's sweet and strong, and she has some really fun powers. And Graely...my goodness what a sweetheart. I loved how Graely always looked after Frankie, but Frankie took control of their relationship.

This was a short book (like the rest in the series), so I didn't get bored with the plot, but I did see a pattern throughout all of the books. After a bit, it seems like we're just waiting for Pestale and Hordly to capture the heroine yet again so we can see how she escapes and how anxious her mate gets. It's repetitive, but for some reason I still enjoy reading about it. There were a few new twists in this story. We get some new races, and some new developments in the war between Pestale and the rest of the Fae. Overall, I thought it was an exciting and sweet story to breeze through in an afternoon.

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | Claudy Conn 

Through Time-Slamming by Claudy Conn (Through Time #3)

Through Time-Slamming by Claudy Conn

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: An interesting plot line, but the conflict and romance throughout the story were brief and seemed to be thrown in for the hell of it.

Through Time Series

1.  Through Time-Pursuit
2.  Through Time-Whiplash
3.  Through Time-Slamming
4.  Through Time-Frankie
5.  Through Time-Compulsion

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Jazz and Trevor’s love story continues in Slamming, through adversity and growing confusion.

Pestale and his brother Hordly are on the offensive and have a few surprises for the Seelie Fae.

The Queen of the Seelie Fae, Aaibhe is under attack by her council, and discord threatens the solidarity they need to take down the Unseelie abominations.

Frankie meets her Fae father in Slamming and Prince Breslyn is hit with epic changes that will alter life for him as he knows it.

Humans are at the mercy of hordes of hungry Dark Fae…and chaos rules!

My Thoughts:

I really wanted to like this book, but it just wasn't there for me. This is a continuation of Trevor and Jazmine's story from Through Time-Whiplash. This book picks up off a cliffhanger, so definitely read these in order.  I enjoyed the underlying plot for this story. Trevor and Jazmine (and all the other Seelie royals) are still fighting Pestale as he tries to dominate the human realm.  There is a lot of action, and I definitely enjoy the variety of powers the Seelie and Unseelie exhibit. There was a lot of potential in the plot, and it was interesting enough to drive me to finish this book..

My problem with this story was that all of the little conflicts throughout the story were very brief. There would be a good plot twist, then one page later it was already resolved. Everything was resolved too easily, and the book became a little predictable.  The romance seemed to be just randomly thrown in; we would be in the middle of a fight then we'd just zoom in on any of the couples, the guy would say a few romantic words, Jazmine would comment on how cute they were, then we'd move on. I didn't even feel like Trevor and Jazmine developed at all, neither individually nor as a couple. After enjoying Through Time-Whiplash, this book was just a bit too lackluster. I am, however, greatly looking forward to Frankie's story, so I will continue on with this series.

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | Claudy Conn        

Through Time-Whiplash by Claudy Conn (Through Time #2)

Through Time-Whiplash by Claudy Conn

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: A quick-paced Fae romance with a captivating plot and some very sexy scenes. Be prepared for a cliffhanger!

Through Time Series
1.  Through Time-Pursuit
2.  Through Time-Whiplash
3.  Through Time-Slamming
4.  Through Time-Frankie 

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Why do second chances have to come with complications?

Trevor, Prince of Lugh, had been thwarted from putting Pestale, the eldest Dark Prince, to death, but now he’s been asked to investigate whether the Dark Prince has evaded punishment. This time, Trevor plans to make sure Pestale is taken care of permanently.

But a simple assignment turns complicated when Trevor finds himself thrown two hundred years into the past, along with Jazmine Decker, a Fios (Fae seer). There they encounter Pestale’s younger brother Hordly, who has evil schemes of his own. Add the Orb of Time, an eleven-year-old orphan with unusual powers, and an encounter with an evil wizard, and Trevor realizes his mission will be anything but simple.

Seelie Queen Aaibhe is at long last enjoying a second chance at happiness. But her love for Morgan LeBlanc, a Milesian, is the ammunition her political rivals have been looking for. Claiming her association with the leader of the Fae’s former enemies makes her unfit to govern, factions within the Council plot to remove her from the throne. Will it lead to civil war?

Can Trevor and Jazmine find the Orb of Time, get back to the present, and stop Hordly and his brothers from unleashing an army of nightmarish monsters on humans and Fae alike? Can Aaibhe and her loyal supporters hold the Council together and keep the Fae united against the Unseelie threat?

My Thoughts:

Ok, major cliffhanger alert. I was unprepared for that. Unlike the first book, which tied up Royce and Chance's story nicely, this story had a bit more action and a completely open ending as a set up for the next book. Trevor, a Seelie prince, must once again set out to capture Pestale and his brothers who are causing oodles of trouble as usual. But this time, a woman who can see the Fae (and has a few nifty powers of her own) gets sucked into the action. I liked Trevor a lot. He was a believable character and was incredibly strong and  romantic...and apparently a very good kisser. I loved the way he puzzled over human cliches and emotions like a confused monkey. However, Jazmine really bothered me in the beginning of the novel. I thought her dialogue was obnoxious and cheesy, but after the action started to pick up, it kind of drowned out her rambling.

The main plot in this book was very intriguing, and I can't wait to see how it ends in the next book. The Unseelie princes return with their unquenchable sex drives and complete lack of morals, which is (of course) buckets of fun. I did find it hard to take a villain named "Hordly" seriously. I had a little difficulty fully understanding the political side plot between Aaibhe and the Seelie court; I think much of this conflict was introduced in the Legend series which I have yet to read.  There was enough information to follow the plot, but I think I would understand it better if I started with the other series..  This was a very short and very quick story.  It did not have the most complex plot, but it certainly kept me interested the whole way through.

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | Claudy Conn        

Through Time-Pursuit by Claudy Conn (Through Time #1)

Through Time-Pursuit by Claudy Conn

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: An interesting plot with some sexy Fae, but the romance was a little forced. I think as a novella, this was a nice story, but it was lacking in complexity if you approach it as a full-length novel.   

Through Time Series
1.  Through Time-Pursuit
2.  Through Time-Whiplash
3.  Through Time-Slamming
4.  Through Time-Frankie 

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Milesian immortal Chancemont LeBlanc is determined to avenge his sister’s death at the hands of Dark Prince Pestale, who remains free after the war between the Seelie Fae and the Dark Fae. Nothing will stop Chance from fulfilling his mission of vengeance, not even the time barrier.

The queen of the Seelie Fae has other ideas, however, and she sends Princess Royce to make sure Pestale is captured, not killed. Royce would rather spend time with the human family she has grown to love, but she has broken the rules one time too many, and Queen Aaibhe wants her to grow up and act like the Seelie royal she is!

Royce doesn’t want to be part of Chance’s team. He most definitely doesn’t want her on his team, and from the start—fireworks.

Chance has Pestale on the run, but after seeing the beautiful princess with the flaming red hair, Pestale has decided Royce must be his.
 
A hunter becomes the hunted … 

Purposes collide …

My Thoughts:

I may have come into this book a little unprepared. I thought this would be a full length story, but I believe this is a series of novellas that follows Conn's Legend series (beginning with Spellbound, if you want to start there), which I have yet to read. With that in mind, I thought this was a pretty intriguing, quick story. This book was about a member of the immortal Milesian race, Chancemont, and the Seelie princess Royce. I have heard that the Legend series covers Chancemont's background story in more depth. In Through Time-Pursuit, Royce is assigned to help Chance and the Seelie prince Trevor capture the escaped Dark Fae prince Pestale. Chance wants to kill Pestale, Royce wants to capture Pestale, and Pestale just wants to have lots of dirty sex with Royce and rule the world with her by his side.

This was a pretty steamy book. Pestale was pretty dark in his desires (what do you expect from a Dark Fae), but Chance and Royce were quite passionate and romantic. My main issue was with how Chance and Royce seemed to fall in love instantly. Seriously, there was nothing leading up to it. It was like they met and decided "hey, I'm a manly man, you're a pretty girl, we fall in love and have lots of sex now, yes?" And that was that. There really didn't seem to be any development of their feelings. At one point, Chance said something along the lines of "Oh, that's so Royce!" Really? You've known her for about 3 days and you've spent half of that time thinking about her naked or working yourself into a jealous rage whenever someone touches her... Please tell me when you had time to actually learn anything about her. Now, I'm not saying the raw attraction wasn't enjoyable (oh it was), but I would have liked their love to be a bit more believable.

The actual plot of the story (yes there is a plot behind all that lovin') was pretty intriguing. I always enjoy stories about the Fae and their hallows. I thought this world was well developed and Royce's special abilities added to the story. I expected time travel to play a larger role in the story (since it's in the title), but it was kind of a minor element; honestly, there was enough going on with the plot that I don't think it needed more time travel. The plot was quick but thorough, though the ending did kind of cut off in preparation for the next book, so you may be left feeling a little unfulfilled there. I had a bit of an issue with the dialogue... I thought it was a little cheesy at times, and some of the background information was forced, like Conn wasn't sure how to weave it in to the story. Overall, this book had an interesting plot, but the romance seemed a little rushed. As a novella, this was well put together, but it might be improved by reading Conn's earlier series first.      

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | Claudy Conn        

Highlander Betrayed by Laurin Wittig (Guardians of the Targe #1)

Highlander Betrayed by Laurin Wittig

Genre: Paranormal Historical Romance

Bottom Line: An action-packed highlander novel with a touch of magic.  

Guardians of the Targe
1.  Highlander Betrayed
2.  Highlander Avenged (June 24, 2014)  

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Hidden deep in the rugged Scottish Highlands lies the Highland Targe, an ancient relic guarded for centuries by clan MacAlpin. It is said the Targe can shield the heart of the Highlands from invaders and now, as part of his plan to crush the Scottish rebellion, the English king wants the Targe for himself...

Rowan MacGregor, orphaned niece to the chief of the MacAlpins and the rock her family depends upon, is worried. With the dwindling health of her aunt, the Guardian of the Targe, the protections that have kept the clan safe and prosperous are fading, and the new Guardian, one of her cousins, has yet to be chosen. Rowan wants nothing more than to see the clan protected again, but when it seems that will never happen, she despairs—even when a handsome and charming stranger comes to her aid. 

Nicholas fitz Hugh is not what he seems. Half-English, half-Scottish, he turned his back on his Scottish heritage early in his life, giving his loyalty to England instead. Now he is a talented and cunning spy charged with finding and stealing the Highland Targe for his king. 

But when Nicholas finds himself falling for the bonny Rowan and wanting to protect the family she holds so dear, he is forced to choose between his king’s will and his own: Will he betray his king and his mission? Or will he turn his back on the woman he has come to love?

My Thoughts:

This story is a mix between a paranormal, highlander, and spy romance. I actually had no idea that this book had some paranormal aspects before I started reading, so I was pleasantly surprised.  If you don't like mixing some magic in with your historical romances...live a little!  Or just be forewarned.  This was an interesting story about a Scottish clan that has the power to protect the passage to the Highlands with a shield known as the Highland Targe.  Since this shield inspires hope in the highlanders, King Edward of England wants it for himself.  He sends out his top two spies, Nicholas and Archie, to obtain the Highland Targe.  Nicholas infiltrates the MacAlpin clan, and begins to learn about the Targe and the family that guards it.  He is especially interested in Rowan, the beautiful niece of the chief who seems to wield some interesting powers.

I was happy to find that this story did not follow what I have found to be the "typical" historical romance spy plot:  the characters fall in love for most of the book, a few dirty nights...she learns of the betrayal, cry cry cry, forgive, the end.  Highlander Betrayed added a bit more to the plot which kept my interest.  I really enjoyed the plot, but I thought the emotion between Nicholas and Rowan was a little lacking.  It was certainly romantic, and there were a couple sensual scenes, but the overall feel I got from them was a little...tame.  I just did not feel a huge emotional connection with these two characters, even though betrayal plots usually have me bawling.  Regardless, the action held my interest throughout the story.

I enjoyed the magic in this book, but I wish it was explored a little more.  I think the magical aspects of this story were meant to be secondary to the romance and action, so I didn't expect as much as I would from a full on paranormal romance.  It did get a bit annoying when a question about the magic surrounding the Targe was brought up and the answer was always "no one knows, that's just how it has always been."  The plot did leave a few problems unsolved to lead up to the next book in the series, Highlander Avenged, so perhaps we will learn more about the history of the Targe from Jeanette's story.

Overall, I thought this was a nice action-packed highlander story, though a bit lacking in passion.  The magic is a welcome surprise to a paranormal romance lover.  

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | Laurin Wittig         

Shadowdance by Kristen Callihan (Darkest London #4)

Shadowdance by Kristen Callihan

Genre: Historical Paranormal Romance

Bottom Line: A great mix of sexual tension and adventure complete with demons, shapeshifters, and ghosts.

Darkest London
1.   Firelight
1.5 Ember
2.   Moonglow
3.   Winterblaze
3.5 Entwined
4.   Shadowdance
5.   Evernight (August 26, 2014)
6.   Soulbound (2015)
7.   Forevermore (TBA)

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Once a heart is lost in shadow...

Life has been anything but kind to Mary Chase. But the Society for the Suppression of Supernaturals has given her purpose. Now she's been tasked with catching a vicious murderer dubbed the Bishop of Charing Cross. But someone is already on the case—and the last thing he relishes is a partner.

Only someone who lives in darkness can find it.

Jack Talent has been alone with his demons for many years. He never expected to have the willful Mary Chase assist him on the Bishop case. Their age-old rivalry reaches new heights—even as their desire for one another reaches a fever pitch. Though he aches to bring her close, Jack's dark secrets are a chasm between them. With dangerous enemies closing in, Jack must find the strength to face the past...or risk losing Mary forever.

My Thoughts:

Boy, do I love Callihan's Darkest London series.  I have been looking forward to Jack Talent's story through the past two books, and I was not disappointed. As a side note, I would suggest reading Winterblaze and possibly Moonglow before this book to get the whole experience, though this could be considered a stand-alone novel.  You know what?  Just go ahead and read Firelight while you're at it too!

I haven't read too many books about ghosts, but as I learned more about the creation and abilities of the GIMs, I really got into it. We also learn that there is a bit more to Jack's abilities than meets the eye.  I love Callihan's ability to bring in some different types of supernaturals into her stories, especially ones that you don't see as much in books.  The mystery part of the plot here was excellent.  I was very surprised by the outcome, and it unfolded in a way that kept me engaged the whole way through.

I really loved the characters in this book.  Jack and Mary were both strong, despite being emotionally damaged.  Sometimes, I think authors can overdo it with the whole "emotional scarring" thing, but I thought there was just the right amount of emotion mixed in with the actual plot here.  The romance side of the story had a touch of a forbidden love feel.  The undeniable attraction between Jack and Mary was delicious...absolutely delicious.  The one thing that kind of held me back here was that Jack sometimes acted immature.  I realize he had his reasons, but the whole "I like you so I'm going to pick on you" thing? Really, that's the tactic you're picking?  At some points, I just wanted to kick him.  But this book was so well written and the characters were put together so wonderfully that I still loved it.

There was one tiny scene with Adam, the creator of the GIM's that had me begging for his story (hopefully with Eliza), and I was happy to find that the 6th book will be about him!  Yay!

Find it on: Amazon | Goodreads | Kristen Callihan