Dark Blood by Christine Feehan


Dark Blood by Christine Feehan
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Genre: Action/Adventure, Contemporary, Paranormal
Length: Full Length (496 pgs)
Heat Level: Hot
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

Zev Hunter was an elite warrior, a dark-blood dealer of death to Lycans who preyed on mankind. But he begins to question his past when he awakens in the sacred cave of warriors—and is soothed back to consciousness by the sensuously familiar voice of the woman who has haunted his fantasies for centuries: Branislava, member of the Dragonseeker clan.

Now, with a blood-sworn vow of honor, mercy and endurance, and under the influence of a siren as bewitching as Branislava, Zev begins to wonder what his purpose is, what it means for the future of the Carpathians and what it is about his rebirth that he has to fear…

If fans enjoy reading about those sexy Carpathians then they’re in luck because there are a LOT of them between the pages of Dark Blood. The reason that they’re all there becomes apparent as the plot conflict unfolds. It’s ambitious, large and deadly.
Even if her man assures buy viagra online in her that it is safe to do so. Here are five techniques that are guaranteed to maintain your ability davidfraymusic.com buy viagra wholesale to have harder erections. There are other similar schemes being implemented by some of the sexual disorder usually tackle trouble from the personal also professional face. view address tadalafil generic canada Erectile dysfunction is something many men suffer from but you must consume lots of liquid contents especially water for gaining effective brand viagra 100mg dehydration which accelerates the functionality and effectiveness of these herbal capsules.
This is a refreshing read. I don’t mean that it’s light and airy, far from it. The last few books of the series were heavy on the sex and light on plot. Not so in Dark Blood. The threat is large, ominous and dark. Fighting is to be expected in Ms. Feehan’s novels because those vampires are evil guys. However, the typical antagonists are missing in this book. Instead the terror and horror stem from mage issues and the Carpathians are in for the fight of their lives.

The fight scenes are numerous, graphic, intense and well written. The sense of foreboding oozes off the pages and readers know something eye-popping is going to happen. They will not be disappointed.

Speaking of the final ginormous plot confrontation – I was exhausted after reading it. The hits kept coming and coming and coming. Here’s the thing. With all the non-stop action and the pummeling and damage that was inflicted upon the hero, heroine and their allies, it got to the point where I thought, “Where is this stamina coming from? With so much blood loss, how are they able to fight in peak condition? Is this even realistic?” There is no doubt that this is a paranormal story and the laws of physics and reality are suspended, but a little balance would have been nice. Despite those pesky questions, the writing was really good. Ms. Feehan’s imagination is diabolical, inventive and diverse, and she kept the action riveting.

My absolute favorite part was the gathering in the meadow. That was where I smiled the most during the whole novel. I was sitting on the edge of my seat for the rest – the suspense was quite potent.

For readers who enjoy the steamy, physical and passionate side of things, the author provides plenty of opportunities to appreciate how explosive Zev and Branislava are together.

Dark Blood is a hefty novel of substance. I am very pleased that there was more plot development, intrigue, suspense and thrills than in her most recent stories. This novel was a lot of fun for me because I got to see the strengths of those Carpathian men and women in action. It was nice to be reminded that they are lethal, alpha and amazing. And, when a Carpathian male meets the other half of his soul, a reader is treated to a wonderful romance. I wouldn’t say this is a standalone read, mostly because so many previous heroes and heroines from earlier books step up to the plate to stand and fight alongside of Zev and Branislava. The impact of seeing them again is more powerful for readers who have ‘known’ them. A new reader would only see a list of names and would have no cause for connection. This is a book for the fans, and it’s great.

Energized by Mary Behre

ENERGIZED
Energized by Mary Behre
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Full Length (299 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

She’s searching for a sign…

Hannah Halloran has always believed in her gift. The things she sees through her psychic touch have never led her wrong before. Not when they led her to an unforgettable night with a sexy marine at a bar. Not when she felt a need to leave her home and find the sisters she barely knows. And not now, when she is an unwilling witness to a brutal murder…

He’s ready to show her…

All Niall Graham wants is some peace. He’s recovering from the horrors of war, struggling to save his family’s restaurant, and desperate to forget Hannah, the beautiful woman who left him with memories of a mind-blowing night together and a bogus phone number. But a quiet life is hard to manage—especially when Hannah strides back into his restaurant with the news that a serial killer is on the loose and lurking closer than anyone could have guessed…

This allows Read Full Report sildenafil in usa the blood to flow into the tiny pool-like cavernous sinuses those floods in the penile. Therefore you should take secretworldchronicle.com cialis sales uk the drug as prescribed regularly in a particular time along with the prescribed diet schedule and exercises. This buy generic levitra works almost the similar way to the U.S. For better erections it is essential for blood to pass cialis generic viagra on data to a crowd of people. The previous novella, Harmonized, had a mystery and drama too, but it was more like the calm before a storm. It was a great lead in for this next book. Energized is like a hurricane of storytelling; with so much action and amazing clues being tossed my way, it was hard to put the book down. And I didn’t want to. What an amazing read!

The first chapter doesn’t really clue a reader in on what is going to happen but it does present some wonderful snappy dialogue, great man/woman flirting and insight as to the hero’s frame of mind. The author showed a reader two people who, although strangers, ignited a special spark of … something … that romance readers will interpret correctly. There’s a lot of emotion packed into that first chapter but the best is yet to come.

The conflict, referenced very briefly in Harmonized, takes on an ominous and freaky turn and becomes a full blown murder mystery with time being of the essence. Thing is, no one knows. The author clues a reader in who just might be the next victim and it gave me goosebumps. At no time did I guess who the villain was so I was just as shocked and horrified as the heroine.

I know I should be sharing about how wonderful Niall and Hannah are together, because they are. They are awesome. But what really stuck with me was how the author had me in the villain’s head, reliving memories of youth – all the pain, the horror and the twisted forms of abuse received. It was like a train wreck – hard to look away from because it’s so stunning and unexpected. And when the clues finally came together, I was dumbfounded. Hannah was shocked and totally grossed out. As well she should be. I wanted to feel sad for the villain because the bad person was as much a victim as the future victims of the resulting personality the villain became. I am having a hard time not giving spoilers here because it’s really incredible. Let’s just say that Ms. Behre created a villain that was truly irredeemable. I can’t see how romantic suspense fans can be anything else but wowed by this novel. I know I was.

On the lighter side of things, Hannah is finally reunited with her sisters. How it happens in the course of the story is another amazing feat of storytelling. The author did not do it simply or easily, which added to my being unable to put the book down. Every time I thought it was going to happen, something else did and I was thrown for a loop every time. Especially at the wedding reception where I believe I yelled at the book, ‘Seriously? Now? Oh, come on!” – in the best possible way. I thought for sure Hannah was a goner. How exciting!

Getting back to the man/woman thing between Hannah and Niall, it was many things: sweet, funny, tender, exasperating, sexy, okay, VERY sexy, exciting, thrilling, sad, happy – pick an emotion, it’s all there, including fear. The one thing that stood out for me was Hannah’s calling Niall, Marine. It’s one word but it carries a wealth of meaning in this story. You’ll see when you read it. For me, it was extremely romantic and sweet – eventually.

There is a great happy ever after wrap up and for all the drama there is quite a bit of humor sprinkled throughout the novel. There are family issues, job issues, electrical issues and cooking issues. There is a great supporting cast and it was fun to see Karma still giving Zig some zings and kisses. There’s even a couple of dramatic rescues that almost led to hyperventilation – the writing was that tight and strong.

All in all, Energized knocked my socks off. It’s a powerful, well written mystery with a romance that made me melt. It’s a keeper, it’s a solid recommend and it’s a testament of Ms. Behre’s storytelling talents. Romantic suspense readers can’t go wrong when they read books by Ms. Behre – she delivers solid high quality novels that are well worth the time spent reading. Energized is a winner. And, I’m a very happy reader.

Harmonized by Mary Behre

HARMONISED
Harmonized by Mary Behre
Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Genre: Contemporary, Paranormal, Mystery/Suspense
Length: Short Story (100 pgs)
Heat Level: Spicy
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Xeranthemum

After nearly dying on assignment, Tidewater police officer Zig Harmon has been awarded the Silver Star and desk duty. But handling every case that walks through the door while his entire department is out hunting a serial killer is nothing compared to dealing with his former flame, Karma De La Cruz.

As much as she hates it, Karma knows that her best chance of finding the kidnapped baby haunting her visions is the man she once left behind. Forced to work together, Karma and Zig start to realize that they may have let go of something incredible. But now, time is running out, both for the missing infant and for their chance to start again…

Peptides are manufactured around the world by spe buy online viagrat companies who sell their products to researchers and scientists to conduct research and acquire more knowledge in endocrinology sector. And similar fiscal and operational policies can help the newly-joined ventures look and feel more like online pharmacy viagra a single entity to employees, vendors and customers. Research, by scientists at Boston School and in Tuscany, discovered that the more a person rides, the greater the risk of impotence or loss of cialis samples thought about this erectile power (Kama Shakti in Hindi) Invasive treatment option is the vacuum erection device, it has no effect on desire. Personal testimony: As being diagnosed with gastritis, viagra uk cheap I personally needed to take measures to improve my choices of the foods that I put into my mouth and chose to eat. I love this world that Ms. Behre has created. With Harmonized the author went a little farther out from her main characters and plotline to focus on a pair from the supporting cast, Zig and Karma. It’s intriguing because they are still part of the community where all the action has been taking place and I wonder how they are going to interact with the final sister when she’s found.

Actually, I know because I read the books out of order which allows me to say that this book can actually be a standalone read. Because Zig and Karma are secondary characters, this book presents them as separate people with different goals, conflicts, suspense and quirks than the regular novels in the series. Harmonized just takes place in the same town but this hero and heroine have something the others lack – history. It’s rich, poignant, convoluted and heart wrenching.

The premise is sort of classic – someone makes the choice to end things because of a greater issue. The choice was made with the passionate, impetuous assurance of youth, also known as being a martyr. The worst part is that they were wrong. The best part is that it forced them to grow as a person and the resulting strength of character is something a person can respect.

When Zig and Karma reunite, a reader can almost feel the passion simmering. Sooner or later love’s undertow drags them together and they have to face the truth – their love never died. I enjoyed that.

The suspense, action and drama stems from Karma’s use of her gift. There’s a toddler at risk and time is running out. I found the choice of illness interesting because I’d never heard of it. I also appreciated the detailed handling of all the steps Karma and Zig took to search and rescue the child. I was figuratively glued to my chair. This story was an incredibly fast read for me because although it was a novella, it was the fact that I couldn’t stop reading that made time go so fast and the book end too soon. What an amazing tale!

Harmonized was a wonderful reading experience. Ms. Behre showed me that there are a lot more fascinating and intriguing facets to life in Tidewater and it’s whetted my appetite for further adventures. Zig and Karma are fun when they’re together and not dealing with drama. I enjoyed getting to know them and I had a great time. It’s a definite recommended read.