Anthology - Must love Hellhounds

The Britlingens go to hell by Charlaine Harris
Two female bodyguards who are working for Britlingen Collective are hired to escort a client to retrieve a stolen item he left in Hell. When they are captured, they have to figure out a way to escape hell alive, but the hellhounds who are guarding them in prison will be a problem.

Angels Judgement by Nalini Singh
Sara is a Guild Hunter, who hunts down runaway vamps and returns them to their Masters. Now Sara got an offer she cannot refuse, namely the job as Guild Director, but not before she catches this last rogue Guild Hunter with a little help of Slayer Deacon.

Magic Mourns by Ilona Andrews
Andrea Nash is trying real hard to fill in for her best friend Kate Daniels, but it seems everyone needs Kate right now. When she gets a call about a hellhound on the loose, she packs up and go hunting, not knowing she will run into Raphael, the were hyena who wants Andrea as his mate. He’s after the hellhound too, so working together seems the best way to get the job done.

Blind spot by Meljean Brook
Former CIA agent Maggie Wren has taken a new job as the butler of vampire Colin Ames-Beaumont. Her knowledge comes in handy when Colin’s niece Katherine is kidnapped, so she is put on a plane to New York with Sir Pup, a hellhound, where she meets Geoffrey Blake, Katherine’s brother. Geoffrey is blind, but has an ability to see through other ones eyes and has unusual mind connection with his sister.

These four authors done an amazing job with the four short stories. Nalini Singh and Ilona Andrews stories are connected to my favorite series, so that was a huge bonus. Blind Spot by Miss Brook was a surprise, I never read anything by her, but I might get some of her books now, because this short story was good. The short story by Charlain Harris wasn’t what I’ve expected; it’s totally different from her Sookie Stackhouse style. It was nice, but it wasn’t really a short romance.

This anthology is well written and very entertainment. A perfect book to read between all the heavy novels I’ve been reading lately.

Jacquelyn Frank - Rapture

Daenaire “Dae” has lived and been treated as a slave by her Aunt and Uncle for the last couple of years. She evens wears a shock collar to prevent her escape and to enforce her obedience. Her Aunt and Uncle are tired of her and sold her to the highest bidder, the shocked her into unconsciousness so she won’t fight them. The next moment she awakens she is in Sanctuary, the church of the Shadowdwellers led by the High Priest Magnus.

Magnus enforces the law of his people and their rulers Tristan and Malaya. He informs Dae that he gets visions sometimes from the Goddess Drenna and that he needed to save her, so she was to become his handmaiden. Dae don’t trust easily after what she’s been through, but for some reason she knows that Magnus can be trusted and finally find some peace in her life.

Magnus has some enemies and they want him dead. But they didn’t counted on Dae’s love for Magnus and she is willing to do anything to keep him save.

Rapture by Jacquelyn Frank is the second novel in her Shadowdwellers Series. I have to say I liked this book better than the first one. That doesn’t mean I didn’t like Ecstasy with characters Trace and Ashla, but their story was slow.

Magnus and Dae are a strange couple, she has been a slave at her Aunt’s and Uncle’s and he is the High Priest of Sanctuary and has been celibate for quite some time. Magnus isn’t planning of giving up his celibacy in the near future, but Dae has other plans. When she finally accepted her fate, she decides that she doesn’t want to be Magnus handmaiden in name only, she wants it all. So she’s taking some secret lessons they teaches at Sanctuary and hope she can seduce Magnus.

Jacquelyn Frank created a fabulous world where Shadowdwellers cannot live in the light and have to live underground, where it is dark constantly. The only way they can take light is in the Dreamscape, but we already know that they cannot stay long because they will go mad.

I have to say I like the world and the characters en I’m really looking forward to read the next novel. Hopefully we will read more about one of the rulers Malaya and her bodyguard Guinn. I believe they are perfect for each other.

Ilona Andrews - Magic Bites

Kate Daniels is a mercenary and deals with some supernatural creatures when the magic falls. But Kate knows she’ll always be an outsider to her “colleagues” because she’s being vague about her past and inheritance. When her mentor Greg is murdered, Kate will do anything to find out who killed Greg, even if that means demanding answers from The Order, The Knights of Merciful Aid.

The Order agrees to let her lead the investigation, but she has to sign up and work for them. Soon Kate finds herself searching for a killer, who wants a war between the Pack of Shape shifters and the Vampires. Will Kate be able to settle down the rage between the Pack leader Beast Lord Curran and The Masters of the Dead?

Magic Bites by Ilona Andrews is the first novel in her Kate Daniels Series and I have to say I like it…I like it a lot.

I never imagine being a fan of the Urban Fantasy Genre, because normally I want a happy ending at the end of the book. Most of the Urban Fantasy series are about one character and tell her story, but reading this book changes that for me. Now I want to see how the character grows and find the love of her life.

Kate Daniels is one hell of a character. She’s strong, determined and has her own magic, more powerful than others. Her inheritance is a secret to everyone and she wants to keep it that way. So if she spoils some of her blood on the scene, she will do anything to destroy her DNA.

Kate meets the Beast Lord Curran for the first time and knows she found someone who matches her in every point, but she won’t admit that to anyone. I know for sure that the huge attraction between them will grow in the future and hopefully will turn into a real relationship.

It’s a great novel with one supernatural kick ass chick. It will keep your attention and turning the pages until you’ve finished the book.

All I have to say that this is a fabulous beginning of a very good series and I know that I have a new addiction to add to my list.

Rachel Caine - Feast of Fools

The residents of The Glass House, Michael, Eve, Shane and Clair are having visitors. A group of new vampires have come to town and among them is Mr. Bishop, the founder Amelie’s father. He is one dangerous vampire and not one to mess around with. Mr. Bishop wants to take over Morganville and won’t stop until he’s in charge.

So he’s throwing a ball and if you are invited, then you have to attend. Every single vampire in town must bring one human as their guest. Claire knows this isn’t good and she has to find a way to get an invitation so she can protect her friends.

The only vampire she can ask for help is her friend Myrnin, but he’s not mentally well. They have been working on a cure to make him and every future vampire who dealing with the same problems sane again. But will the medicine they develop work long enough for Myrnin to get through the ball or will Claire or one of her friends is killed?

Feast of Fools by Rachel Caine is the fourth book in the Morganville Vampires Series and a great read. I’ve been hooked up on this series from book one. These books are so addicted that when you start reading you won’t be able to put them down until you read the last page.

We all know that Claire Danvers is a college student in this small town called Morganville. She lives in the Glass House with her friends Michael, Eve and Shane. And Shane is becoming more than just a friend. The vampires and humans are living together in peace as long as the humans fulfill their part of the deal.

What I really love about this series is the huge bond between the friends. Even though they don’t always agree with one and others decisions, they always have each others back.

One of the great things about this series is that the books are following each other up pretty good. You don’t have any gab and miss some important information. The only thing I’m not fond off is the growing cliffhangers at the end of each book. It just want you to grab the next book to see what will happen next and sometime we have to wait till it’s released. I really love this series.

Stephenie Meyer - Eclipse

The story continues, Bella and Edward are back together and discussing Bella’s future. Edward thinks Bella has to graduate and after that they will see if and when Bella will be joining him and the Cullen Family forever. But her best friend Jacob Black isn’t happy about that and will do anything to prevent that from happening. He loves Bella too and hopes to convince her to choose him and stay human.

Victoria is still after Bella to destroy Edward for killing her love and she’s creating a whole bunch of new vampires on the way. This battle can only be won if the vampires and werewolves, true enemies to each other, will work together to keep Bella save and destroy Victoria and her newly vamps.

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer is the third book in the Twilight series and I have to be honest that I have some mixed feelings about this book. I loved the first two books Twilight and New Moon, but this one was a little disappointed, maybe it has something to do with the way Jacob handle things.

I already knew that the triangle between Bella, Edward and Jacob would become a problem. When two men are going to fight over one woman that cannot be good and one of them will get hurt along the way. Although Bella’s love for Edward is huge, she also suddenly discovers she has feelings for Jacob. Okay, I find that a little hard to believe after the last book. In New Moon she left Jacob and their friendship behind the moment she hears that Edward wants to commit suicide and now she finds it difficult to choose between them.

I really expected that Edward would fight for her or drop her at some time, but nope he took it all and didn’t do anything about it. And don’t get me started about Jacob, don’t get me wrong I really liked his character in the previous book. He was the one who got Bella out of that depression she was in after Edward left her, but now he is taking advantage of that relationship to get her to choose him over Edward. I don’t like the way he’s acting in this book, okay he is in love with her and will do anything to keep her save, but don’t force someone to do something when she’s already choose the love of her life. What Jacob did at the end of the book was so wrong and somewhere deep inside me hopes that he won’t come back.

Like I said I have mixed feeling about this book and I have to be honest that I’m not really looking forward to read the last book. Some part of me wants to read it to see what will happens with all the characters, but the other part is afraid of the disappointment.

Stephanie Tyler - Hold on tight

Navy Seal Chris Waldron and his team are in Africa to rescue the US Ambassador and his family from a hostile situation. But the operation didn’t quite go as it should be, because Navy Seal Kendall and FBI agent Miller are both killed in an explosion.

FBI special agent Jamie Michaels has been assigned to question Navy Seal Chris & Cam and find out what went wrong. Chris has some memory lapses from the explosion, but both men separately explain that it was FBI Josiah who ordered them not to enter the building and that Navy Seal Kendall disobeyed his command.

It’s hard for Jamie & Chris to stay away from each other, because they both remember the passion between them months ago when they go looking for her missing sister. Their new found relationship is under fire when Jamie’s boss informs her that FBI Miller didn’t die in the explosion but was shot between his eyes and Chris, who is a sharp sniper, is suspect number one.

Hold on Tight by Stephanie Tyler is the last novel in her Hard to Hold Trilogy and just like the previous two novels its one hell of a book. I have to say that since I’ve read Tyler’s Navy books I’m totally hooked to this genre. Who can refuse those hot strong men in uniforms, well I don’t.

Chris and Jamie met in Too Hot to Hold, when Jamie was after his brother Nick and went looking for her missing sister in Africa. Now she’s back in Chris’s life, investigating the situation Chris is in, but soon she discovers she cannot do this, because of her strong feelings for him.

Chris has always been the “weird” one of the three brothers because of his paranormal gift. But that doesn’t mean they aren’t close. There isn’t anything the three brothers wouldn’t do for each other, so when Chris is in trouble they will watch his back and get him trough this situation.

I really enjoyed reading this fabulous Trilogy about three brothers and their adventures. I love to read about their different background and the way they were brought together and became a family. I know there will be another Navy Trilogy with members of their team and I cannot wait to read those.

Rachel Caine - Midnight Alley

Claire Danvers is in trouble now that she has signed a contract that connects herself to the powerful vampire Amelia, in exchange for protection for herself, her friends and family. Amelia is the town’s founder and one of the scary vampires around. She gives Claire a bracelet to wear so everyone knows she’s under Amelia’s protection.

Claire will do anything to keep the bracelet hidden from her three friends Eve, Michael and Shane, but that isn’t ease because they all living together. But Claire will soon know why Amelia wants Claire under her protection and it hasn’t anything to do with blood donation. Claire will be the assistant to Myrnin, one of the oldest vampires around. He is a brilliant alchemist and scientist but also mentally unstable and very dangerous, so Claire has to watch her back constantly.

These researches Claire and Myrnin do can help the vampire population form insanity, but will Claire help them and betray humankind that way? In the meantime an underground newspaper in Morganville is determined to expose Michael as the newest vampire and kill him for good.

Midnight Alley by Rachel Caine is the third novel in her Morganville Vampire Series and just like the previous two, absolutely fabulous.

The friendship between Shane, Michael, Eve and Claire is strong, but Shane has a hard time dealing with the fact that Michael was turned into a vampire. But he is trying real hard to come to terms with it.

Eve’s evil brother Justin is back and is determined to get his revenge on her for turning him in and he found a perfect way to do just that, by dumping a dead body of a young girl in the backyard of the Glass House. So the suspicions will be on Shane and not him.

Of course the series wouldn’t be complete without Monica Morrell, the bully who messes around with Claire when she first started school. But now Monica wants to be on Claire’s side and we all know that doesn’t sound good.

This Young Adult series is one of the best in that genre and I’m pretty sure I would love all the other books next to come. I cannot wait to see what will happen with the four friends and their families.

Jacquelyn Frank - Ecstasy

Trace, one of The Shadow dwellers discovers a plot which threatens his people. As an advisor to his rulers Tristan & Malaya and to his people he needs to find this traitor. So Trace pursues one of the conspirators into the Shadowscape, an empty world where the nights are endless. He is able to kill his enemy, but gets hurt in the process.

Ashla has been wandering in the dark for months now and doesn’t understand how she got there, not knowing she’s in a come for all those months. But then one night she ends up in a battle between two warriors. Because Ashla is human she shouldn’t be able to sense or see them, but luckily for Trace she can.

Ashla heals this gorgeous stranger with her touch, using her unusual gift. Trace knows he has found his equal and will do anything to find her…body and soul.

Ecstasy by Jacquelyn Frank is the first novel in the Shadow dwellers Series. We already met the rulers of the Dwellers in Jacquelyn Frank’s other series The Nightwalkers and I was curious to see how this world would turn out.

The Shadow dwellers are a race that cannot bare any kind of light, so they are living in the dark constantly. Only short periods of time they can spend them in the Shadowscape, the only place without light. But there is a price, if they stay there to long, they will loose themselves and go crazy.

Ashla and Trace are so different from each other. He is a creature of the dark and lives in a realm similar to us, but only beneath the Earth and in total darkness. Trace has had a horrible past, he’s been tortured by an evil woman and finds it difficult to trust any women, but for some reason this golden angel has touched his heart.
Ashla is his fragile golden angel with a gift, but she is not happy about it. Her own family thinks she’s an abomination and leave her in the hospital when she’s in a coma, not caring if the lives or not. So when she meets Trace in the Shadowscape she knows she has found someone who cares about her.

The attraction between Ashla and Trace is huge and it becomes clearly enough that Ashla will be Trace anchor in the Shadowscape because the madness is near. Not only accept Ashla Trace’s past and the way he is, but also his highly sexual needs.

I have to say the first part of the book is slow and full of information about the world setting and the race, but the second part is definitely better. I liked Trace and Ashla as a couple, both tortured by the past; they are able to find happiness and true love with each other.

I truly hope to see more of the ruler Tristan and his twin-sister Malaya, bodyguard Guinn and of course Trace’s foster father Magnus.